Bluejean Bop

WHAT NYMITH SAYS

Most rock artists (Berry, Diddley, Little Richard, etc) were in at the door in 1955 but it took them well over a year or more to get records out while comparative newcomer Gene Vincent had his first single in 1956 and within months got an album. Why? Because Capitol needed their own Elvis after RCA had signed the real one. Vincent's good looks and great voice were the best bet. You can't make an Elvis out of Little Richard, Carl Perkins or Chuck Berry so the drive to sign them just wasn't there. Luckily, this cheap cash-in landed Capitol an artist with 500% more rocking cred than Elvis, better balladeering skills and a completely awesome band in the form of the Blue Caps. The wild sound of the band was absolutely integral to Vincent's show and Cliff Gallup was quickly recognised as among the most technically proficient guitarists of the time, admired by a young Jeff Beck among others. Although they were not able to compete commercially with Elvis, they were better in every artistic respect. A win for Capitol.

The first thing you notice about the Blue Caps is how divorced they are from country-swing. Gallup is not trying to imitate anyone on these twelve cuts. This is true-blue rock and roll, with Vincent letting everybody off the leash and the Blue Caps responding with gleeful whoops and hollers. They even get a band introduction! It's the worst song on the record but the point is that the Comets didn't get one, nor did Presley's players. This gives 'Jumps, Giggles and Shouts' a certain excitement; in spite of the song's clumsy melody and inane lyrics the solos are hot and energetic. Rock is taking steps towards the door - out of the novelty department and into a bigger arena.

Of course, the steps are small. There is a touch of clownish teenage marketing here that will prevent some listeners from taking the music seriously. "Hey cat, where you going man?" "Man, I'm going down to Bop Street." "Tell me cat, where's that direction?" "Man, ain't you heard? They got one up in every town." "Real cool." Ow, ow, make it stop. This is when teenyboppers and beatniks became confused in the public's mind (oh the fabulous fifties!), leading to ghastly marketing trends for every rockabilly act of the era. Trying to get with the kids of today and all that...

Gratuitous teen references aside, the song selection is manifestly terrible, full of old Tin Pan Alley and barbershop tunes - they weren't hip back in the day! How could they be anything but an embarrassment for a modern rocker? And YET. Here is where Gene Vincent's voice comes into play.

'Ain't She Sweet' makes a good example. A mildly sleazy joke song in its prime, here it becomes almost heavenly - Vincent's intonations are too tender for your average wolf-whistler and the song (which I've always hated) becomes entirely pleasant, even a highlight on the album. 'Wedding Bells (Are Breaking Up That Old Gang of Mine)' takes the same route, and the infectious melody which would be a curse in other scenarios just makes it that much nicer. Vincent's breathy, quavering voice just stops you in your tracks. The song is cheesy and yet it's also a thing of beauty. The reason is partly Gallup's expressive, melodic guitar lines, partly the echo effect but chiefly, I think, because Vincent would give these songs everything he had. How do you sing something like 'Peg O My Heart?' A soppy, sentimental, fake Irish ballad? Most people would give it a perfunctory performance or overcook its maudlin heart - Vincent croons so tenderly that it bypasses sentiment and becomes almost seductive. None of his contemporaries could sing ballads this well.

However, the slow songs are only part of the story. While they don't detract from the experience, Gene Vincent made his name as a rocker and that's where the heart of Bluejean Bop lies. So what have we got? Unfortunately, the paradigm was to keep singles and albums segregated so 'Be-Bop-a-Lula' and 'Race with the Devil' are not included, when they could have easily replaced the filler. 'Bop Street' is silly, and the band introduction has no purpose as a song. That leaves five hot numbers: 'Bluejean Bop' is a classic, introducing itself on a slow note before launching into an exciting rocker with Vincent exhorting his band to live up to the "bop" promise (which they do). Immediately catchy, it sucks you right into the record. 'Jump Back, Honey, Jump Back' takes the formula and just speeds it up further. Delightful! 'Who Slapped John?' has a little bit of spoken-word "acting" but it's the Blue Caps' show all the way, with Vincent upstaged by their craziness. And 'Jezebel' is a pseudo-Spanish popular song from the early 50s. Gallup does a nice job with it and it functions as an atmospheric mid-tempo number when they could have gone for one too many ballads.

I'm partial to 'I Flipped,' mainly because it's the only example on record of Vincent's hiccuping, incomprehensible enunciation that worked so brilliantly on 'Race with the Devil.' I have no idea what he's singing about and that's not the point. He keeps pace on the fast numbers with equal skill as the slow ones and even though all of these songs are proverbially lightweight, this is what makes him stand out. Others would hit harder and Roy Orbison would out sing him but few 50s rockers would be able to acquit themselves so well with all kinds of material. The Everlys couldn't rock, Berry and Diddley couldn't be ladies' men and Elvis couldn't escape the machine. Gene Vincent and the Blue Caps in their prime had range and versatility and that deserves applause.

WHAT TICHARU SAYS

You know you've got something when you put this record on. Wow man! Listen to that cat go! Sorry, it's the lingo, real cool man... OK, so we're old and jaded, we've been listening to these wild youngsters for a couple of years now makin' such an awful racket. They try to sing, they imitate Elvis and they bash away on primitive guitars... oh dear, you're really missing out!

Gene Vincent is way better than that. He could bring emotion to songs other singers couldn't match and do it so effortlessly. He had a breathy voice with plenty of power and charisma and he wasn't afraid to play around with non-melodic elements. He grabs your attention and ain't lettin' go. And when he turned things over to the band it's Cliff Gallup's turn, the guitar player... incredible! I don't think it's a stretch to say this is the hottest guitar you'll find in 1956 but flash guitar isn't quite enough is it. Though I could listen to Cliff practically shredding (at points) all day long. It's the ability to interpret a melody on the slower songs that puts the whole thing over the top. Cliff Gallup, phenomenal guitar player.

Gene Vincent and his Blue Caps, great band. Bluejean Bop, outstanding record!