In 1972, The Flamin’ Groovies – the Jordan/Wilson version signed with United Artists - the UK Division – and worked with Dave Edmunds at Rockfield Studios in Wales with a view to creating a new album. Eight tracks were recorded – seven are here and one got lost. UA records released four of the songs on two singles - “Slow Death”/”Talahassie Lassie” and “Married Woman”/”Get A Shot Of Rhythm ‘n Blues”. Neither bothered the charts and UA who had be financing the band had to let them go. However, it was partly UA’s fault. The BBC were never going to play “Slow Death” – anti-drug it may be and it is brilliant and the best song of these Rockfield sessions was “Shake Some Action” which Dave Edmunds had speeded up to make it sound more commercial but UA were not interested.

So “The Bucket Of Brains” never happened. Why the title? It came from the road manager – John Seaton. After an arduous road trip, they were in a Welsh pub and John was asked what he wanted to drink. The reply was “I’ll have a…Bucket Of Brains”. I should have worked it out – Brains being one of Wales’ best breweries. Nothing sinister about it at all. I got the information from the excellent CD sleeve notes.
So besides the songs I have already mentioned – there is “You Tore Me Down” - a Jordan/Wilson original (“Slow Death” was written by Cyril Jordan & former lead singer Ray Loney) – the former is on “Between The Lines” - the later isn’t as it is not by Jordan/Wilson and Chuck Berry’s “Little Queenie”. The closing track is “Shake Some Action” which is at the correct speed. Dave Edmunds speeded it up by 30 seconds – you can certainly tell. Not sure which I prefer.

In 1976 The Flamin’ Groovies were signed to Sire Records and again at Rockfield with Dave Edmunds. However, they used the speeded up version from 1972 as the title track of the “Shake Some Action” album and “You Tore Me Down” from these sessions.

So “I’ll have a….Bucket Of Brains” is an essential part of the Flamin’ Groovies story. And it is worth having for “Slow Death” but the rest is really good and “Shake Some Action” at either speed is Cyril Jordan & Chris Wilson’s masterpiece.

1 Shake Some Action
2 Talahassee Lassie
3 Married Woman
4 Get a Shot of Rhythm & Blues
5 Slow Death
6 You Tore Me Down
7 Little Queenie
8 Shake Some Action