The String-A-Longs
Wheels
ACE Records CDCHD 390
EAN 029667139021

Tracks:
01 WHEELS
02 BRASS BUTTONS
03 SHOULD I?
04 SCOTTIE
05 NEARLY SUNRISE
06 SUNDAY (SALVE REGINA)
07 MY BLUE HEAVEN
08 MATHILDA
09 SKIPPIN'
10 MYNA BIRD
11 HAPPY MELODY
12 PANIC BUTTON
13 WALK DON'T RUN
14 SUMMERTIME
15 PERFIDIA
16 BULLDOG
17 SPINNIN' MY WHEELS
18 RED RIVER TWIST
19 TAKE A MINUTE
20 YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO
21 TORQUAY
22 TWIST WATCH
23 HARBOUR LIGHTS
24 TELL THE WORLD
25 ARE YOU LONESOME TONIGHT
26 MY BABE
27 HEARTACHES
28 REPLICA

Of all the '60s instrumental sounds, those coming from Norman Petty's studios in Clovis were among the most influential and best-loved in the genre. Petty is best known as the guiding force behind the career of Buddy Holly & The Crickets but his early '60s recordings of instrumental pop groups brought an equally distinctive sound to rock'n'roll. Ace have already reissued Petty's work with The Fireballs (CDCHD 418) but Wheels gathers together in one bumper compilation 28 tracks of that other fine band The String-A-Longs (all in great sound, taken from the original master tapes). The String-A-Longs sound is made up of those twisting Latin cum Tex-Mex rhythms with three guitars weaving patterns and skating around the melody instead of inside it.Both Skippin' and You Don't Have To Go are released here for the first time but all the hits are included among them Wheels (No 3 in the US charts, No 8 in the UK), Brass Buttons and Should I?, as well as tougher, more bluesy instrumentals like My Babe. A must for all guitar freaks!