The buzz of Rocky !

ROCKY ROBERTS and the AIREDALES

4 tracks from Rocky Roberts and the Airedales (LP)
(DURIUM MS A 77155 , 1966 ITA)

(Got a thing going single picture cover)
Listen to Got a thing going

4 tracks from Rocky Roberts and the Airedales : A sabato sera (LP) (DURIUM MS A 77163, 1967 ITA)

(Stasera mi butto single picture cover)

Strange kind of person, this Rocky. First time I've heard of him was on the French Disco revue 60's mag (the specimen).
I told myself : "Waouh ! it looks and sounds cool'". But I soon realised it was hard to get an ear on his stuff. Rocky Roberts and his airedales is the kind of band who made a big part of its career in Italia, and that's the reason why we saw him often in Paris at that time.
He made a lot of records, all collectors now, but not all the stuff are must have..
I had the chance to put my hands on some of them, (Thanks Claude) so I decided to share the best of this good northern soul stuff here. Enjoy right now !

This US R&B band arrived in Italia following the incredible success of their T-Bird single (a cover) which became the jingle of the Bandiera gialla radio broadcast. Rocky Roberts became a casual of this and he soon assumed good shows on TV and on records proposing a famous italian Rn'blues style with "Stasera mi butto" and "Sono tremendo".
The other famous men of the Airedales were Doug Fowkles (the founder), and Wess Johnson, the bassist, who remplaced Rocky on vocals first, presenting songs in italian in a second period.
(from italian Musicamemoria site.)

The superb complete discographic page about Rocky Roberts & The Airedales (1st release by Doug Fowlkes & the Airedales on VIS Radio Records (ITA) in 1960/1st release by Doug Fowlkes & the Airedales with "Rocker" Roberts on Barclay Records in 1962.), is on : Wang dang dula.

Listen to Can't ask no more :


Listen to Buzz buzz buzz :


Listen to Just because of you :


Download the full patch (best 8 tracks from the two albums) :
Come see about me 2:44
Tell me 2:53
Too much 1:41
Buzz buzz buzz 2:17
Stasera mi butto 2:05
Got a thing going 2:17
Just because of you 1:55
Can't ask no more 2:16

Bonus :

A page on the death of Rocky Roberts (in italian)
who has passed away in 2005.

Disco revue (France Octobre 1964)

One more cool picture. (Peanut butter french ep. Barclay 70410, 1961)