features in: Album Chart of 1964 ● Album Chart of the Decade: 1960s |

Whilst America was dealing with the English invasion, the bold Gene was reversing the trend with a one-man American invasion of England! “Shakin’ Up A Storm” was recorded over the course of 4 London sessions between March and June ’64 with his English group of five being christened “The Shouts”. They were: Tim Bates (lead guitar); Jem Field (tenor sax); John Reece (bass guitar); Eric Baker (organ, piano) and Victor Clark (drums). And what a great job they made of it. If last year’s Gene Vincent album had disappointed with its backward outlook, then this one more than made up for it. Sure, he continues to trade in his blues roots, with the occasional penchant for an old-fashioned croon, but the set is underpinned in the exciting new English beat of the day; the thumping “Shimmy Shammy Shingle” being every bit as Tottenham as the Dave Clark Five. Covers dominate proceedings, with the garage-esque treatment of “Slippin’ And Slidin’” and Gene’s uncanny aping of Sam Cooke’s vocal on “Another Saturday Night” being 2 of the best that the album has to offer. There are also some good originals, notably “Private Detective”, where a good man is led astray by a hot-looking dish, who turns out to be private eye hired by his wife. Betrayal, sex, AND you can bop to it. Value! At the end, Gene’s talk-rock pleas for mercy recall the Big Bopper and it makes for a great smiler. The writer credited with this ditty is listed as Sheri Ann, but Sheri Ann was actually Vincent's daughter, born in 1963. Not bad for a one-year old, eh? Although it has much competition, the album’s piece de resistance is another one of his own – a thoroughly excellent re-recording of his old Blue Caps single from ’58, “Baby Blue”. It’s even better than the original – and that’s the finest tribute that can be paid to this very fine LP.
The Jukebox Rebel
30–Aug–2015
Tracklist |
A1 | [02:11] ![]() |
A2 | [03:23] ![]() |
A3 | [02:43] ![]() |
A4 | [02:10] ![]() |
A5 | [02:26] ![]() |
A6 | [01:46] ![]() |
A7 | [02:32] ![]() |
B1 | [02:02] ![]() |
B2 | [02:31] ![]() |
B3 | [02:14] ![]() |
B4 | [02:20] ![]() |
B5 | [02:37] ![]() |
B6 | [02:04] ![]() |
B7 | [03:33] ![]() |