Contingent:
All the stuff you've never heard.
Essential:
Phil Spector: "Back To Mono"
Monolithic box set of genius productions by fallen boy genius. Includes the wayward genius that is The Crystals' "He Hit Me And it Felt Like a Kiss":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f20Oz9Yr_So
...and many others. Roots of Ramones. (Ask Phil Ramone!)
The Shagri-Las: "Myrmidons of Melodrama"
All you need. Three great gals, one tasty compi. Highest recommendation.
The Whyte Boots: "Nightmare"
Fucvking classic wrecked take on "Leader Of The Pack":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78_6pE-r0g0
Martha & The Vandellas: "Dancing In The Street."
Revolutionary:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KhbM2mqhCQ
Oh, and don't forget The Supremes. Consistently derailed the Moptops' in the Number One singles train. Besides, a song of theirs was covered by a group on Some Bizarre, Stevo(!) (Are you him?) For that (and looking like Alice Cooper sometimes) I love Diana Ross forever.
Hermanas Benítez: "Corazón de Melón"
Interesting Cuban girl group. Pre-Castro. Cha cha cha!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JrSExWmTdho
I'd second The Paris Sisters. Witness their version of "Dream Lover" as used in Kenneth Anger's "Kustom Kar Kommandos (Davie Allan on session guitar. Right on.):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iM3Hs-nPxgU
Speaking of Davie Allan in session guitar, there's a great version of "Leader of the Pack" on this album by The Buddies & The Compacts." It's the whole album but you can skip to about 3:30. "Is she really going out with him...?" (cue "New Rose"):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zmpooNIDrM
The Carry Nations: "Find It."
More Shocking Blue than strictly "girl group" and bit of an outlier. But they're women (I think), it rocks (I know!) and you should hear it or there's something wrong with you. ('In a scene like this you get a contact high.' Whoa!):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrcnJe2kKc8
Then there's the "Girls In The Garage" series. Only ever heard the first 2 volumes as I'm not a con-o-sewer of this stuff but...it's got it's moments. Wall of Sound done on a shoestring -- or a couple bricks from said wall tied together with a shoestring, more like!
OK, Stevo: now go get non-contingent on this slop!
Stevo wrote: Having just got into listening to the recent Ronettes compi Be My Baby
I'm just wondering what other compis of similar era material are worth looking out for.
I have a pretty decent Shangrilas set so not sure if I need anything else by them, did hear that Myrmidons of Melodrama is pretty good though.
So looking for more of that early/mid 60s Girl group sound. any pointers?
Stevo
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