Nuggets II: It’s My Fault by The Rattles

The success of Rhino’s 1998 Nuggets boxset justified a follow-up. The first volume was US-based, so the sequel covers the rest of the world.

Nuggets II: Original Artyfacts from the British Empire and Beyond, 1964–1969 was released in 2001. It features music from countries such as Iceland, Uruguay, and Japan. I’m profiling and rating each of the 109 tracks, working backwards.

Credits

4/27. IT’S MY FAULT – The Rattles (Germany)
(Achim Reichel)

PERSONNEL/ACHIM REICHEL: vocals, guitar * HERMAN “RUGY” RUGENSTEIN: guitar, vocals * HERBERT HILDEBRANDT: bass, vocals * RICHARD “DICKY” TARRACH: drums
Producer(s) unknown
Recorded in Hamburg, Germany
From the album Hurra Die Rattles Kommen, Star Club #SM-158013 (1966) [Germany]

The Rattles

1960—Rattles are being founded by Herbert Hildebrandt and Achim Reichel

https://www.rattles.de/band_bio_ENG.php

A beat band from Hamburg, The Rattles played the same sketchy clubs as The Beatles. They shared the bill with The Beatles several times in 1962. They also appeared in the German film ‘Hurra! Die Rattles Kommen!’ (‘Hurray! The Rattles Are Coming!’), which chronicled their 1966 German tour with The Beatles.

The Rattles were popular in Germany but only occasionally flirted with success in the English-speaking world. Their verion of ‘Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah’ charted in the UK in 1964, while their biggest hit was 1970’s ‘The Witch’, which reached the UK top ten.

Unfortunately, Reichel was drafted into the army soon afterwards and was forced to leave the band. Undeterred, The Rattles took on new members and managed something of a comeback, releasing a string of records and eventually scoring a worldwide hit in 1970 with “The Witch.” By that time they were almost unrecognizable as the mop-tops of their Star Club heyday.

Mike Stax, Nuggets II liner notes

1990—The Rattles are being elected to the millenium band in Hamburg by the Berlin newspaper “Berliner Morgenpost”
Reproduction of “The Witch”

https://www.rattles.de/band_bio_ENG.php

It’s My Fault

Given The Rattles’ other success, it’s surprising that ‘It’s My Fault’ was chosen for the boxset. It’s a competent blues song, with a Bo Diddley beat. The best part is the guitar – there’s some nice riffing and an accomplished solo. Vocalist Achim Reichel is talented, but lacks the charisma needed to make ‘It’s My Fault’ compelling.

The Rattles are still an active band. According to Wikipedia “In 2010, to mark their 50th stage anniversary, the band signed with the Hamburg music label Edel Records and released a new studio album, Rattles 50 , with 14 new songs in a new, modern sound. At the same time, newly arranged and recorded Greatest Hits were released. To this day, they regularly play at festivals and events with founding member Hildebrandt.”

Read More

• Nuggets Song by Song
• 1960s Album Reviews

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