THE DARTS #1
We start this week with what might well be my favourite tune today,
although I can’t tell you anything about it… except that it’s from 1956.
Hal
Case & The Darts - Long Gone
THE DARTS #2
Throwing next, a group from Dubuque, Iowa, getting their
game on in 1958.
Herb
Price & The Darts - Shimmy Shimmy
THE DARTS #3
Also in 1958, this Manhattan-based vocal combo led by Sherman
Nichols were aiming for the bullseye.
THE DARTS #4
Still in 1958 for some saxxy New York doo wop… I’ve been
trying to work out what the song title might be out, but I’m having no luck.
Something to do with manoeuvres?
The
Darts - Gee Ver Men Nee Vers
THE DARTS #5
Instrumental hot-rod / drag-racing band from the US in the
early 60s. Like surf rock but with louder engines.
THE DARTS #6
Teenage rock ‘n’ roll from 1963, with added Howard.
Howard
& The Darts - Lightning
THE DARTS #7
A Pennsylvania band from 1964, singing a Charlie Rich tune…
THE DARTS #8
What do call bigger Darts? Spears! Russell Spears is the big
one in 1965 Indianapolis.
Russell
Spears & The Darts – Dave’s Old Barn
LOS DARTS #9
Venezuelan Darts from the mid-60s, long before the Orange
Idiot set his sights on their home country.
Not to be confused with…
LOS DARTS #10
Peruvian Darts from 1967…
THE DARTS #11
Japanese Darts, seeing what they could have won in 1968.
THE DARTS #12
Ooh wah, ooh-wah, cool cool kitty…
Irish-born Den Hegarty formed doo-wop revival band Darts in
Brighton in 1976. Always the bridesmaids, never the bride, they achieved three
consecutive Number Two hits in the UK Chart in 1978, and a smattering of lesser
triumphs. Hegarty went on to present the final series of Tiswas and then became
a Psychology lecturer. Although most of their songs were covers of old rock
& roll standard, this is a rare original tune (and one of their Triple 2), written
by band member Griff Fender (aka Ian Collier) who once called Darts, “the
thinking man’s Showaddywaddy”.
DARTS #13
More Japanese Darts, this time of the 80s synth-rock
variety…
THE DARTZ #14
Russian folk-rock Dartz taking flight from St. Petersburg in
2003. One of them clearly thinks he’s in a Jules Verne novel.
The
Dartz - Гитара, голос, барабаны
DARTS #15
North East DJ Dave Ripley, aka Captain Bullseye, doing his
Dave Double-Decks bit back in 2008.
THE DARTS #16
Another Phoenix-based Darts, this time of the pop-punk
variety. The entry on the camp of bands tells me, “The band was culminated in
2012 by singers/guitarists Ian Chesnut and Coltin Anderson, later joined by
bassist Devon Sherwood and drummer Jade Lara.” I’m not sure “culminated” was
the correct word there, guys… see me at the end of the lesson.
THE DARTS #17
Loud Canadian Darts from St Johns, the capital of
Newfoundland and Labrador, in 2014.
DARTS #18
Aussie slacker-rock from 2015…
THE DARTS #19
I’ve been doing this feature for a long time now (“Too
long!” you cry) and in that time, I feel like I’ve listened to just about every
genre of music imaginable. Every now and then though, I come across something
that defies categorisation… and not in a good way. These guys from Suffolk,
Virginia can be found on the camp of bands and… well, here’s their “About Us”
blurb…
Poison Dart and Tiger Dart are both dart frogs. Red Lightning, Dragony, Scott, Petre, Mampson, Little Flare, Aslan, Saber, Jack, Steg, and Tuchilakemonstrose make regular guest appearances.
They have 26 albums available, all free – or you can pay 50
cents for their entire discography. But hurry, because that’s a limited half
price offer… it’d normally be a dollar. A bargain at twice the price.
DARTS #20
After that nonsense, clear out your earlobes with these guys
from Portland, Oregon – my second favourite Darts of the week.
DARTS #21
The US Darts, a gothic garage punk girl band from Phoenix
& LA, stepping up to the oche about ten years ago, and still going strong.
The
Darts – My Heart Is A Graveyard
DARTZ #22
Bang up to date with these guys, who were kind enough to
write their own blurb.
Wellington, NZ is known for 4 things: terrible union laws in the film industry, pretty good coffee, something called "the bucket fountain", & the band DARTZ.
Dartz
- Dangerous Day To Be A Cold One
Which Darts score one hundred and eighty!?! And which ones
miss the board entirely?
