365 DAYS PROJECT



2007   SEPTEMBER 19   #262

Joah Valley - The New Wave Sound of Joah Valley - Maximo!

MP3:
01 I Saw Her Standing There (3:00)
02 She Loves You (2:33)
03 Yesterday (2:08)
04 Things We Said Today (3:16)
05 In My Life (2:50)
06 Hey Jude (7:00)
07 Can't Buy Me Love (2:21)
08 Let It Be (3:57)
09 I'm a Loser (2:48)
10 Help (2:10)
11 I've Just Seen a Face (2:13)
12 Nessun Dorma (2:28)

Wish I knew more about this album and the man who made it. I found it in the collection of a small town radio station in Alabama where I was working in 1981. Then and now it strikes me as quite possibly the most misguided tribute to The Beatles anyone has ever attempted (I haven't seen the new film "Across the Universe" yet, but I suspect that might be worse). The album contains cover versions of eleven popular Fab Four songs, with an aria by Puccini thrown in for good measure. I'm pleased to report that Mr. Valley is equally not at home with pop and classical material. He sounds a bit like Buddy Max's citified cousin but lacks Buddy's charming Ukranianness and impressive beard mass.

I took the album home from work with me one night and made the cassette copy heard here. Wish I'd been bold enough to keep it while I had it in my hands because I've never seen another one. I've searched in vain for many years for an original vinyl copy, but it continues to elude me. Even information about the artist is impossible to find--aside from references to the appearance of "I Saw Her Standing There" on the UK compilation CD 'Exotic Beatles Vol. 2,' I've not found a single bit of information about Valley in eight years of Web surfing.

Anybody got a spare copy of this LP? I'm still looking.

- Contributed by: Perry Amberson

Images: Front Cover. Back Cover

Media: Vinyl LP
Label: Joah Valley Co.
Catalog: Joah 1001
Date: 1980