Law of the Jungle

The many needle-pinning tunes on ACE's LINK WRAY - LAW OF THE JUNGLE distort because that's how they were recorded!


Fred Lincoln "Link" Wray Jr. (5/2/29 - 11/5/05) is often cited as having invented the guitar power chord and for being the first to record at overmodulated levels. Wray, who was part-Pawnee Indian, and his brothers Doug and Vernon (Ray), were the nucleus of the Wraymen. Their first 1956 records for the STARWAY label were credited as Lucky Wray & the Palomino Ranch Hands.

The Wraymen's self-recorded "Rumble" was a hit for CADENCE in 1958. After moving on to and then being dropped by EPIC around 1960, they played college campuses and sold a private VERMILLION label LP, "Great Guitar Hits."

Next came a contract with Philly-based SWAN, an outfit half-owned by American Bandstand host Dick Clark. The sides made for Swan between 1963 and '66 comprise the majority of this 28 track set.

The original CADENCE "Rumble" isn't here, nor are any of Link's many EPIC tracks. The included 1963 "Rumble" remake is from SWAN's Jack the Ripper album (LP 510). The title "Ripper" tune figures large in this band's history (EPIC rejected it), yet isn't on the ACE compilation.

Besides the many SWAN recordings, also here are some made in 1989 and others in '95, plus several unissued tracks remixed in 2002 from original SWAN stereo master tapes. Although it's simple stereo, these are the CDs highlights.

Rob Finnis' liner notes tell how Link was cheated out of royalties by older brother Ray (Vernon), who bought a farm and recording studio with purloined profits. The story ends with SWAN owner Bernie Binnick's 1967 bankruptcy and Ray moving his basement studio into an out building: a cleaned-up chicken coop. There's no info provided for the modern recordings, not that it's needed.

PROGRAM--

[2:50] Good Rockin' Tonight - Swan 4201 (1965)
[1:52] The Black Widow - Swan 4137 (1963)
[2:10] Law of the Jungle - Hangman LP 31 Up (1989)
[2:43] Hidden Charms - Swan 4261 (1966)
[2:38] Ruby Baby - Swan (stereo) unissued (2002)
[2:24] Soul Train - Swan 4273 (1966)
[2:52] Heartbreak Hotel (alt. take 2) - Swan (stereo) unissued (2002)
[2:31] Big Ben - Swan LP 510 (1963)
[2:12] Peggy Sue - Swan (STEREO) unissued (2002)
[2:13] Week End - Swan 4154 (1963)
[2:13] Return of the Birdland - Hangman LP 31 Up (1989)
[2:46] Please Please Me (alt. take 1 and studio chat) - Swan (stereo) unissued (2002)
[2:15] Dinosaur - Swan LP 510 (1963)
[2:13] Steel Trap - Swan LP 510 (1963)
[2:10] My Alberta - Swan 4124 (1964)
[2:31] Ace of Spades - Swan (stereo) unissued (2002)
[2:59] Honky Tonk - Norton CED 242 (1995)
[2:26] Scatter - Hangman LP 31 Up (1989)
[2:30] Stop and Listen to Me - Norton CED 242 (1995)
[1:38] Cross Ties - Swan LP 510 (1963)
[2:28] The Shadow Knows - Swan 4171 (1964)
[2:38] Mr. Guitar - Swan LP 510 (1963)
[2:06] Frenchy (alt. take 2) - Swan (stereo) unissued (2002)
[2:20] What Happened to the Waltz (aka Bo Diddley) - Swan (stereo) unissued (2002)
[2:32] Rumble - Swan LP 510 (1963)
[1:51] Run Chicken Run - Swan LP 510 (1963)
[2:48] What a Price - Hangman LP 31 Up (1989)
[2:34] Ace of Spades (harmonica version) - Swan (1965)

TOTAL TIME: 67:23

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