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SurfGuitar101 Forums » Surf Music General Discussion »

Permalink "Thimble" version of The Jester?

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Reading some Phil Dirt notes at http://reverbcentral.com/reviews/m/messina1721.html

About the song The Jester he writes (emphasis his):
"This is just about as powerful and fast as surf gets, spitting notes out like machine gun bullets. The melody is a fine infectious bit of writing. This high powered track is just about the best Jim Messina writing ever. Nearly every cover I've heard has paled to this and the Thimble version."

What is the Thimble version? And is Thimble a person or a technique or something?

Thimble Records release:

https://www.discogs.com/Jim-Messina-And-The-Jesters-Jim-Messina-And-The-Jesters/release/2427861

Thimble is a record label. Thimble re-release the Jim Messina and the Jesters album, with a bunch of alternate takes of the original album.

John Blair will come to our rescue in 3.2.1......

"You can't tell where you're going if you don't know where you've been"

Summer fun beat me to it.

"You can't tell where you're going if you don't know where you've been"

Big Grin

I interviewed Jim Messina a year ago. I showed him the Thimble LP and specifically asked him about it, the alternate mixes, etc. He had NEVER seen that LP before and couldn't tell me anything about it. Personally, I found that reaction a bit strange (the Thimble LP was released in 1973 and I'm sure others have asked him about it during the last 50 years!). He did autograph the jacket for me, though.

www.johnblair.us
www.soundofthesurf.com

Last edited: Mar 19, 2021 11:51:08

In Germany the album was released in 1976 on bellaphon (BL 15168 STEREO).
On the cover there is at the bottom in tiny letters (smaller than the letters on the licence plate of the car) the word "THIMBLE".
The text on the backside begins with "If you want to design .."
then there is a box with the tracks and its composers.
The lower part shows a group foto (kneeling in the grass in front of the car)and another text called "Bio Briefs".
I had never heard the original album on Audio Fidelity.
According to John Blair´s book "The Illustrated Discography of
Surf Music 1961 - 1965, 4th edition 2008", the track list is the same as on the Thimble Records album. So I presume the music is the same.

Thanks for the info, all. I guess I have another LP to acquire.

As discussed here on SG101 a long time ago. Some songs there are 2 versions, and some there are 3.

Jeff(bigtikidude)

I thought this is a good place to collect the 3 vinyl LPs I know of. I have the Thimble version (the second one). Actually the first time I heard "The Jester" song was on the Rhino Legends of Guitar Surf comp. I find it was sourced from the last LP release (dubbed the "Disco Inferno" version because of the cover art). It is different from the one on the first two albums. I haven't done a track by track comparison because I don't have it, but it has been noticed that there are alternate takes.

Ivan has also written about it here:
https://surfguitar101.com/news/story/63/

image

The Breeze And I
Raunchy
No Name Dragster
Strange Man
High Voltage
Yang Bu
The Thing
The Jester
Suspense Run
The Cossack
Masatlan Rally
Honkey Tonk
Chihiuaha
Tamale Wagon

image

Honky Tonk 3:45
Raunchy 2:33
The Breeze And I 2:24
High Voltage 2:08
Yang Bu 2:14
Chihuahua 2:03
The Jester 2:32
Hollywood Sound 2:16
Masatlan Rally 2:06
No Name Dragster 1:47
The Cossack 1:59
Tamale Wagon

image
The Jester 2:32
A2 Hollywood Sound 2:16
A3 Masatlan Rally 2:06
A4 High Voltage 2:08
A5 Yang Bu 2:14
B1 Honky Tonk 3:45
B2 Strange Man
B3 The Cossack 1:59
B4 Tamale Wagon 2:01
B5 The Thing

Not news to our discographers here, but I just found this from a Japanese reissue label called Oldays Records. Tracks 15 thru 19 are new ones on me.

image

image

Wow!!!!!

Jeff(bigtikidude)

Drag Bike Boogie and A-Rab were released as a single by The Jesters-
(Ultima 705)in 11/64 according to John Blair´s book. I got this single in February 1978 when I was in the U.S for the first time and my host showed, played and gave it to me!! W O W, what a rocking surf tune!!!
The Ultima label can be seen in John´s book on page 64.
Panther Pounce and Tiger Tail were released as a single in 5/64
on Feature 101 also as The Jesters.

I wonder of Panther Pounce and Tigers Tail were a jab at Dick Dale for owning big tigers etc. ?

Jeff(bigtikidude)

Last edited: Apr 10, 2021 13:41:09

Link to buy new version:

https://www.amazon.co.jp/%E3%82%B5%E3%82%99%E3%83%BB%E3%83%88%E3%82%99%E3%83%A9%E3%83%83%E3%82%AF%E3%82%99%E3%82%B9%E3%82%BF%E3%83%BC%E3%82%B9%E3%82%99-%E3%82%B7%E3%82%99%E3%83%A0%E3%83%BB%E3%83%A1%E3%83%83%E3%82%B7%E3%83%BC%E3%83%8A-%E3%83%92%E3%82%B9%E3%82%99%E3%83%BB%E3%82%B7%E3%82%99%E3%82%A7%E3%82%B9%E3%82%BF%E3%83%BC%E3%82%B9%E3%82%99/dp/B07Z76LMQ2

Jeff(bigtikidude)

Also available from Japan via eBay.

PipelineMagazine wrote:

Also available from Japan via eBay.

And that one seller on Discogs: https://www.discogs.com/sell/release/17047527?ev=rb

Not that I've added it to my cart like five times now.

According to Discogs, Oldays Records "releases are consistent with
Japanese laws, where copyrights expire after 50 years".
In other words, they release music that is in the public domain in Japan.
Unlikely that their releases are sourced from master recordings.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=076hjDnd1kc&ab_channel=WestCoast99

Last edited: Mar 26, 2021 10:30:17

Anyone know which version appears on this (quasi-bootleg?) compilation?

image

To my ears, these tracks are different from the thimble release. My guess these are quite the same as the ones on the dragsters release. Correct me if I am wrong.
I have both the thimble and the surf release, not the audio fidelity.
Cheers,
Andy

www.LosVenturas.be

I don't have the "Surf" release but I assume Andy is correct based on Ivan's review from 2004:

The original Jesters LP was released sometime in '64
and was credited to "Jim Messina and his Jesters"
(notice the copy of "Dick Dale and HIS Del-tones")
and it was called The Dragsters. This is the LP
that was reissued on CD on the semi-legit Euro label
Surf in the '90s
.

https://surfguitar101.com/news/story/63/

I'm slightly confused because he mentions 14 tracks
(plus Hollywood Sound which is not on The Dragsters
original) which makes 15 tracks on the Surf label CD
reissue. I'm assuming it was just an oversight.

Last edited: Mar 26, 2021 10:58:06

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