BATS Turn You On 1969 ORIGINAL SOUTH AFRICA FUZZ FREAKBEAT RUBBLE PSYCH LP HEAR

$

80

THE BATS "TURN YOU ON" LP

ORIGINAL 1969 LP ON THE South African CBS LABEL, STEREO ASF 1395

COVER IN VG+ shape, some crinkling

VINYL plays VG+ to VG++

Here’s one you don’t see everyday.  At least not on THESE shores, and from what I hear, not much anywhere.  These are the Bats – the original Bats, mind you, not the later Kiwi jangle pop band.  These kids are from South Africa, and they did their thing in the mid to late 60’s.  Their “thing,” of course, was creating some fantastic beat, pop and psych pop songs inspired by the Beatles, Byrds and British psychedelia, with (mostly) original songs.  Of course, you wouldn’t know that unless you a) lived in South Africa during the 60’s, or b) actively seek out the most obscure bands in the world on the pages of Ebay.  I’m gonna assume you’re a B.

Well, you found a great one here.  This is the Bats’ last album, Turn You On, from 1969.  And while I can’t promise a full sexual arousal, if you dig classy UK-sounding popsike in the vein of those Rubble compilations, this album should at least make you feel pretty tingly.  A song like “Melody Fayre,” for example, has everything you need – a classic British title (conjuring up images of the early Bee Gees, complete with faux medieval spelling), an insanely CATCHY Carnaby Street calliope organ melody, and stunning stereo production.  File alongside the Staccatos, Pinkerton’s Assorted Colors, Floribunda Rose and every other one of those magical Swinging London singles from 1967 and 1968.  The fact that it was recorded about 5,500 miles from Granny Takes a Trip is merely a technicality.

The Bats seem to be able to master whatever they tackle – “Rickshaw Riding” does a superb job of capturing a very authentic Japanese pop vibe, complete with mystical Asian temple atmosphere and the sound of exotic chirping birds.  “Rock Machine” starts out like one of those cheeky spoken word segments on Jigsaw’s Letherslade Farm, then turns into the jauntiest of British popsike singalongs, like the World of Oz’s “Muffin Man.”  And the Bats’ epic cover of Gun’s “Race With the Devil” is a fuzzed-up, freaked-out Black Rhinoceros of mayhem – great dual phased electric guitar licks screaming along with mariachi horns in a high-speed safari chase.  At 5:07, it’s the longest song on the album.  And at 5:06, you’ll be wishing it were 10:07. 

I tell ya, I don’t for the life of me know WHY great albums like these aren’t reissued, especially on CD.  If you’re the winning bidder, I can almost guarantee you’ll be the only one in your town, maybe even state, who owns a copy of the Bats Turn You On.  And more than that, you’ll also have a dozen of the best popsike songs that no one’s heard, but everyone would dig.  I guess that’s what they mean by “buried treasure.”  So yeah, I guess I can say that, for 35 minutes, the Bats really DID turn me on.  Which is about 28 minutes more than that phone call I made last night.

HEAR IT!

PLEASE NOTE I NO LONGER SHIP TO ITALY DUE TO A CORRUPT POSTAL SYSTEM (THERE, NOT HERE).  BUYERS FROM ITALY AGREE TO PAY FOR GLOBAL PRIORITY MAIL INSURED ONLY!

The less exciting stuff

Media mail shipping with delivery confirmation starts at $4.00 in the US, with each additional record only $1 additional shipping.  I accept payments through Paypal. 

I try to grade as best as I can, and I list as many blemishes/imperfections I can find (writing, ringwear, scuff marks, etc.) – Also, please note that I DO listen to these albums – I may not listen to every track, but my grades are based on LISTENING, not just looking at it, since chances are you’ll be listening to the record you buy, not just looking at it.  Most of the albums I sell are the ones I’ve enjoyed for years – and I treat my records with kid gloves.  But sounds speak louder than words, so check out the sound clips below – they’re from the actual record you’re bidding on. 

SHIPPING AND PACKAGING

Listen, I buy a bunch of records too (when I’m not getting outbid at the last second, which is more often than not) – and I know what it’s like to get a rare, one-of-a-kind album packaged dangerously in a flimsy bubblewrap package.  I hate that too.  So rest assured, I ALWAYS package albums with stiff cardboard reinforcements, same for 45s.  And yes, the records are removed from the sleeves (for albums).  I ship out once a week, every Friday, because I have a regular day job.  But I’d be willing to give that up if you’d all be so kind as to bid my items up to stupidly high amounts. 

 For more security and international tracking, you may request GLOBAL PRIORITY MAIL - but bear in mind the cost of this service is upwards of $30.  For expensive items, however, it may be well worth it.  Unfortunately, there isn’t a cost-effective way of tracking parcels to foreign countries yet, and shipping times vary depending on your country’s postal system.   Italy in particular seems to be really bad at delivering packages quickly, or delivering packages at all, now that you mention it.  I will always email you when your package ships, but once it’s on its way, please don’t ask me when it will arrive because I don’t know.  If the world’s postal systems can ever agree on a universal tracking system that’s affordable, I’ll be the first to use it.

NOW IT’S YOUR TURN…

I will always leave positive feedback for successful transactions, and would appreciate the same in return.  All I ask of you is the following – please pay for your items within 14 days of the close of auction.  Compared to other sellers, that’s a generous amount of time, so if you don’t pay within 2 weeks, then I have to assume something’s wrong.  You’ll get an Ebay payment reminder at that point, and possibly a decapitated horse head in your bed.  If, after 30 days, you still haven’t forked up the cash, I’ll relist the item and yell at you if I ever see you in town.