Jakpak - Soul In A Box 7″
January 16th, 2008 at 1:23 pm
This is a re-post from July the 26th 2006. Added more scans, new rips and Star Struck.
Once again I have to thank the worlds best expert on 70’s porn and obscure 70’s punk from the UK: Steve/Low Down Kids for revealing the Jakpak on the famous LDK boot series(rest in peace). AWESOME punk/powerpop at it’s finest. James at Worthless Trash also posted this in his first redesigned podcast. Check out his new killer concept at www.worthless-trash.blogspot.com.
So Steve, what is there to know about Jakpak? I couldn’t find anything on this thing we call the World Wide Web.
Country: UK
Year: 1980
Label: Dart
Format: 7″
Songs:
Soul In A Box.mp3
Star Struck.mp3
July 26th, 2006 at 12:59 pm
I think the B-side is pretty good too. I found these lines online somewhere and pasted it in a txt-file (didn’t keep the URL though, doh):
“Dart strike bullseye. Reminds us of Airship’s Decca single - is this one better? Maybe - it’s fast and furious, guitars everywhere, strong vocals, shouty chorus… yes please! Another great UK punk mystery, this one’s been driving clued-in collectors up the wall for far too long. Time for a lowdown spotlight. It’s time to testify!”
July 26th, 2006 at 1:15 pm
Thanks alot Johan!! If you find the url, please post it.
July 26th, 2006 at 10:01 pm
I think that’s what Steve wrote on the LDK online boot, I remember him comparing it to Airship. The B-side “Star Struck” is OK but nowhere near as good as the killer A-side …I know sod all about Jakpak either.
January 13th, 2008 at 2:59 pm
I’m a bit starstruck, well actually a lot. I tried a google to see if anyone had actually heard of my record and, well here I am.
I was recently trying to find members of the band to see if I could reform us for a sort of anniversary and…. I ‘m sort of stunned and slightly weepy. Thanks for kind reactions.
I could say a lot here but suffice to say I am enormously proud of ‘Soul in a Box’ and have not forgotten a single note or word and I am still the beast that is rock’n'roll. Any offers? Mick (not Jack )Griffin -Writer and voice. London
p.s. ask me a question and I’ll tell you no lies. here’s a bit of a story about this one.
January 14th, 2008 at 1:16 am
Hey Mick! Thanks for stopping by. It’s a true classic you managed to crank out here. Too bad it didn’t get the recognition it deserved and deserves. I’ll make a repost of this with a new rip and new scans.
January 15th, 2008 at 6:33 am
Hi Mick, I had “Soul In A Box” on my blog too, great record! A little info would be nice, band line-up etc? Was one of the producers Keith Bessey who worked at Strawberry Studios? …and how did you end up on a dead-end early/mid 70’s label like Dart?
January 15th, 2008 at 6:55 am
Mick, if you want to email me, that would be cool.
worthlesstrash77@yahoo.co.uk
January 15th, 2008 at 7:45 pm
I saw all the commotion on the recent comments section. Here I am. This is one fabulous fucking record…I suppose I didn’t listen to it when it was first posted…what a shame. This is truly a classic record.
January 17th, 2008 at 4:09 am
Thanks everyone for all your interest. You’ve made me feel the best I have felt for a long time. I apologise for not being more on the ball computer wise as I’m not on line at home, so pretty much relying on library in hinterlands of new barnet plus i take care of my 2 year old daughter Rosie half the week so a bit restricted really. Bear with me and I’ll give you the full story on making of ‘Box’. I’ll contact you James also soon as can. Briefly, yeah Keith Bessey was brill and got the best out of us but I was lucky in finding cracking local musicians. I was very certain of what I wanted as I was a big Stooges and Dolls fan as well as admiring good songwriters such as Lennon. The whole lyric is an attack on privilige, fat cats and the class system as a whole. The Soul in a Box is the money in a bank vault dictating our lives from birth to death, and its as relevant as it ever was. We had a few sessions to get the recording right as we had to sack a few drummers. Eventually I got ‘mad’ Matt McCintyre from the Hammersmith Gorillas as is self evident was brilliant. Guitarists were Mick Williams on lead, now living in Felixstowe, Tim Burbridge on rythm and Steve Jayes on bass. I am in good nick as they say, - rock’n'roll keeps you young. I am setting about putting JakPak together with or without originals as i also hve a pile of songs equally vicious, sniping whilst still melodic waiting to be unleashed. If anyone has any ideas about anything, from gigs to management, re-releasing or possibly musicians up for it I’m all ears. To answer why we ended up on this minor label in the first place boils down to how we got a deal to get in the ‘back door’ of DJM studios and get an engineer like Keith Bessey. It tied in with our manager at the time and I didn’t have a clue, (being 19) what was going on. Still don’t really. Cheers all I’ll blog more soon. Mick
January 17th, 2008 at 4:59 am
Thanks again for taking to reveal the story of Jakpak Mick. Can you confirm there’s a pressing flaw on Star Struck. My copy is almost mint but there’s still some scratching after the drum break.
January 17th, 2008 at 5:45 am
Hiya mate. I’m not aware of any pressing flaw but I’ve just ordered two mint copies from another site and I’ll look into it. Actually Starstruck was really a demo we had from about a year before (about ‘78 -’Box’ recording took place ‘79). We ran out of time at DJM, (Theobalds Rd.) so that demo was consequently used. Thus the rawness. It was the first song I had ever written. I wrote it on a napkin, having chicken and mushroom in the Golden Bird Chinese restaurant in High Street Barnet, while recovring from a motorcycle crash. Such is fate. Mick
January 18th, 2008 at 9:42 am
My copy’s the same Peter. About 1.24 in on “Star Struck” there is a scratchy noise (not a click), and mine was mint when I got it too. Must be a pressing fault?