Friday 1 December 2017

Sandy Nelson born 1 December 1938


Sander L. Nelson (born December 1, 1938) is an American drummer. Nelson, one of the best-known rock drummers of the early 1960s, had several solo instrumental Top 40 hits and was a session drummer on many other well-known hits, and released over 30 albums. He lives in Boulder City, Nevada, and continues to experiment with music on keyboards and piano. 

His first recording, with a band called the Renegades (Richard Podolor, Bruce Johnston, and Nick Venet), was "Geronimo", written by Venet, produced by Kim Fowley, and released on the Original Sound Records label. Although it flopped on the national charts, it charted in some of the Mid West markets. The song, along with "Charge", is part of the soundtrack of 1959 film Ghost of Dragstrip Hollow released by American International Pictures. 

Nelson attended high school with Jan Berry, Dean Torrence (who became Jan and Dean), and Kim Fowley. After gaining respect as a session drummer, he played on such songs as "To Know Him Is To Love Him" (Phil Spector's Teddy Bears, 1958), "Alley-Oop" (The Hollywood Argyles, 1960), and "A Thousand Stars" (Kathy Young and the Innocents, 1960).
 
 
                                
 
His song "Teen Beat", on Original Sound Records, rose to number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1959. It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc. Subsequently, he signed with the Imperial record label, and pounded out two more Top 40 hits, "Let There Be Drums", which went to number 7 on the Billboard Hot 100, and "Drums Are My Beat". In December 1961, the British music magazine, NME, reported that "Let There Be Drums" had gone Top 10 in both the United Kingdom and United States. All three were instrumentals (a feat rarely repeated). Guitar playing on these hits was by co-writer Richard Podolor, later a songwriter and record producer.
 
Near the end of 1963, Nelson was in a motorcycle accident. The injuries necessitated amputation of his right foot and part of that leg. Nonetheless, Nelson continued to record into the early 1970s, releasing two or three albums a year, consisting of cover versions of popular hits plus a few original compositions.

 
In September 2008, Nelson and a few friends, recording as Sandy Nelson and the Sin City Termites, released a new record of original compositions, Nelsonized, on the independent Spinout label. Other band members included Eddie Angel (guitarist for Los Straitjackets), Remi Gits, and Billy Favata of Torturing Elvis. (Info Wikipedia)


5 comments:

boppinbob said...

For “Sandy Nelson - Teen Beat 1959-1961” go here:

https://www.mediafire.com/file/99dp2hf8a8cukmp/SandyNELSON959-1961.7z

Disc 1

1. TEEN BEAT (single version)
2. BIG JUMP
3. DRUM PARTY (single version)
4. BIG NOISE FROM WINNETKA (single version)
5. PARTY TIME (single version)
6. THE WIGGLE (single version)
7. BOUNCY (single version)
8. LOST DREAMS (single version)
9. COOL OPERATOR (single version)
10. JIVE TALK (single version)
11. BIG NOISE FROM THE JUNGLE (single version)
12. GET WITH IT (single version)
13. LET THERE BE DRUMS (single version)
14. QUITE A BEAT (single version)
15. TEEN BEAT (LP version)
16. JIVIN' AROUND (Parts 1 & 2)
17. FUNNY FACE
18 THE WIGGLE (LP version)
19. RAINY DAY
20. DRUM PARTY (LP version)
21. IN THE MOOD
22. ALEXES
23. LOST DREAMS (LP version)
24. I'M WALKIN'
25. BOOM CHICKA BOOM
26. PARTY TIME (LP version)

Disc 2

1. COOL OPERATOR (LP version)
2. FEET BEAT
3. LINDA LOU
4. BULLFROG
5. TOUGH BEAT
6. RAUNCHY
7. JIVE TALK (LP version)
8. JUMPIN' JUNGLES
9. THE FLIP
10. BIG NOISE FROM THE JUNGLE (LP version)
11. WALKIN' TO HARTFORD
12. TIM TAM
13. SLIPPIN' AND SLIDIN'
14. TEQUILA
15. MY GIRL JOSEPHINE
16. BIG NOISE FROM WINNETKA (LP version)
17. LET THERE BE DRUMS (LP version)
18. BOUNCY (LP version)
19. THE BIRTH OF THE BEAT
20. QUITE A BEAT (LP version)
21. GET WITH IT (LP version)


The late '50s/early '60s were the 'Golden Era' for Rock & Roll Instrumentals and Sandy Nelson was by far the biggest drum star of the era. Already a well-known session drummer by the time he was in his late teens, his first solo record, 'Teen Beat', became a million-selling worldwide hit in 1959. In 1961 he scored an even bigger international hit with 'Let There Be Drums', which in turn span off a million-selling LP of the same title.

On this compilation Jasmine also feature his first seven singles plus his first three LPs. Much of this material has been unavailable on CD for many years.

l'il ron said...

Boppinbob - I've looked around but cannot find the password. Can you tell me please?

Thanks - You've got a great blog and I've always had a soft spot for Sandy.

Ron B.

bostig said...

pw is mijas

boppinbob said...

Thanks bostig. I forgot to remove pw from original link.
Regards, Bob

art58koen said...

Many thanks for Sandy!