1965
I DON'T CARE * JOHNNY BRAFF * ACE 2011 * BG
Every collection has it's anomalies, this is one in mine; the record although pressed in the UK is a British Guiana release featuring Johnny Braff (and) The Telstars, singing a mid paced Soul ballad with interesting lyrics.
British Guiana was the name of a colony on the northern coast of South America, very close to Trinidad in the Caribbean Sea. Although not without much turmoil and some heavy handed involvement by the US government, since the 26th of May 1966 it has been the independent nation of Guyana; for more background to US involvement see these declassified documents. During the1960s and 70s there were many so called 'string' bands of which the Telstars were one, others included. Bing Serrao and the Ramblers, Bumble and the Saints, Combo 7, Cannon-balls, Curtis MG's, Domina-tors, Little Jones, Mischiev-ous Guys, Rhythmaires, Rudy and the Roosters, Sid and the Slickers, and Joe Wong and the Dominators. Many of these popular bands played for working class audiences, the Guyanese working class people had developed a wide repertoire of dance-based entertainments. In the late 19th century the "practice" was a popular form of the dance party. By the 1960s, the repertoire included the house fete (immortalized in Lord Canary's "Down at the Bottom Floor"), the Wednes-day "Big Girls" picnic, the 2-10s, the 2-2s, the after-lunches, picnics, and steamer excursions.