PALMER ROCKEY-Rockey's Style-Movie Album-RARE TEXAS ODDBALL-SCARLET WARNING 666

$ 206

$ 206 Sold For

Dec 25, 2011 Sold Date

Dec 18, 2011 Start Date

$ 99 Start price

6 Number Of Bids

USA Country Of Seller

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Description

Sometime around 1978 Palmer Rockey arrived in Dallas high society out of Los Angeles, presenting himself as a "movie producer" and looking the part too in his fur and slicked-back hair. He spent his time rubbing elbows with wealthy Dallas housewives trying to get money to fund a new film project he was working on. Every time he raised some cash he shot footage, and reported on the progress to his financiers to keep them happy. The whole process took over three years and only rarely would the same actor come back to work for the demented Mr Rockey, so the film actually has different actors playing the same role (much like "Plan 9"). Some of the film is in black & white while other parts are in color, again a result of sporadic fund raising. When the film was finally complete Palmer booked a local movie theater and had a "premiere". He managed to get both of the local papers to write big articles about this "local film" and apparently had a fairly good crowd for the showing. As the movie ended and the critics and sponsors exited the theater in disbelief at what a poor film they had just watched, Palmer was overheard telling one of his "moneymen" that the Mafia was after him and he would have to leave town immediately. No one saw Palmer in Dallas again after that night and he apparently left owing a bunch of people money.

This record sounds exactly like that story. It's got a mindblowingly sleazy, low-rent lounge feel with inappropriately Satanic lyrics cropping up every now and then. This is one of the few well-known outsider releases to consistently evade reissue. This is the 1980 pressing (PR-2-LP). The sleeve is in VG+ with no real wear. The vinyl is in VG, with some wear and one scratch that may affect play (it didn't on my player, but it may on yours). Still, this is a classic in the outsider field and you owe it to yourself to check this one out.

Here's a Texas legend as good as Roky Erickson, albeit cut from a
somewhat different cloth. Palmer Rockey was, it seems, a con man who
in the late 1970s swindled a bunch of wealthy Dallas ladies
into "investing" in a movie project that probably never existed.

In order to give credence to his appearance as a showbiz scenemaker
he recorded an LP titled "Rockey's Style" which goes way out there in
the "Incredibly Strange" dimension. The sleeve depicts Rockey as a
handsome James Garner-type guy with slicked back hair and a polyester
suit - arguably more used car salesman than Hollywood celebrity.

The contents of the LP are hard to describe, but it sounds like a guy
who has a working (not good, but working) voice that has NEVER SUNG
BEFORE. He's clueless as how to bring any soul or finesse to the
material, and the stale lounge afternoon atmosphere is heightened by
a pick-up band of local studio musicians who mechanically deliver
music in generic styles such as "rock", "funk" and "disco". The song
lyrics consist mostly of Palmer going "rock, baby, rock" and some odd
digressions that sound ad libbed.

The track everyone flips on is "Scarlet Love 666" (or such), which is
less "rock" and more fullblown creepy lounge, and with extraordinary
(real) lyrics on how "666 will be king" - obviously very different
from the rest of the LP, and a true enigma suggesting that Palmer
Rockey was in fact... well, I'm not sure what he was, but it
certainly is spooky.

Someone managed to track Palmer down long ago and inquired about the
LP & the movie project and was met with the response "Don't ever
contact me about this again". The LP exists in at least 3 different
runs with small variations (and errors) that distinguish them. I
doubt there will ever be a reissue, and in any event this is one of
those artefacts where the background story is half the fun.

This is a rare original private pressing. Record is n.mint- with a few ultra light scuffs. Clean labels. Cover is excellent. Was in original shrinkwrap but I removed it do to soiling under shrink at top left corner area. Has been gently cleaned and there is no damage, just a small faded area at very tip of top left corner. There are 2 small brown spots on front cover, light creasing. FREE SHIPPING INSIDE THE USA!!

All records visually graded unless otherwise noted and are sold as-is. I grade very accurately and conservatively. Payment appreciated within 5 days of auction end. I usually ship next day but always will ship within 3 business days after payment received. Shipping times vary due to location and season. It is not that unusual for a package sent overseas from USA to take up to 1 month to arrive. ***Once I ship package it is literally out of my hands and it is up to the U.S. Postal Service and the Postal Service of your country to get your package safely delivered to you*** Registered Mail (provides tracking number) is recommended for overseas packages valued over $100 and is available upon request. All packages shipped inside the U.S.A. include Delivery Confirmation. Thank you for considering my auctions and Good Luck bidding! milescole2004

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