Charlies ~ Finland

Jail Sessions (1969-1970 / 2015)

Charlies were a legendary band from Finland, who released two albums before dissipating. Their debut was something of a lightweight blues rock album, but the followup Buttocks is one of the record collecting world's finest gems - a fast paced, heavy blues laced prog album with ripping guitar and fine sax and flute - recalling the German band Nosferatu or England's Raw Material. And originals on Love Records will cost one a month's salary...

Apparently guitarist and band leader Eero Ravi would disagree with my - and most others - sentiment about Buttocks. He hates both of the albums, and states they are not representative of the band as they were.

Enter the Jail Sessions. Based on the material presented here, I would have to say he's right, if this is indeed what they were about. There's nothing progressive about it, and the woodwinds are nowhere to be found. The Jail Sessions are recordings from 1969 and 1970 (presented in reverse order), the latter coming only a month before Buttocks was put to tape. Apparently Charlies would record their practices just to demonstrate to themselves the progress they were making. And yes, they did indeed play in the "drunk tank" of the local jail (apparently bassist Pitka Lehtinen's old man was the local sheriff) - I'm thinking of an Andy Griffith Show gone awry here - perhaps with Otis on vocals, and Barney on drums....

So what of the music? Oh man, this is really grimy, nasty, and dirty heavy rock. The kind that garage collectors around the world crave. The MC5 let loose, with one tablespoon of The Stooges, and another cup of first album Blue Cheer. Screaming vocals, hyperactive rhythms, and extremely loud and fuzzy guitar solos. Not for the effete that's for sure. I quite liked this album, though not for the same reasons I enjoyed Buttocks. This one resonates with a primordial past somewhere deep in my DNA. Thinking caveman days here...

Ownership: 2015 Shadoks (LP). I think this has more historical data than I've ever seen for an archival release. Not only is the back cover chock full of info (in both Finnish and English), but the four page insert is loaded with information as well (all in English). They use a small type font of course... Also comes with a poster. 

9/21/18 (review)

Buttocks (1970)

Had you told me that Charlies' Buttocks was from 1970 England or 1971 Germany, I would have believed you. Fantastic loud acid guitar, amplified sax, soft acoustic guitar and flute, tribal percussion and deep vocals. It's the blues-rock-jazz sound that was so popular during this era, and one of my personal favorite styles. If you like groups from Germany such as Nosferatu, Ardo Dombec, and Alcatraz or the UK bands like Diabolus and Raw Material, then this one is for you. Very energetic and superb release.

Ownership: 2013 Shadoks (LP). Copious liner notes.

Hasn't been reissued legit on CD as I update this post (2/21/25).

1997 (first listen); 12/13/09 (review); 12/22/13 (update)

12/22/13 (new entry)