Eddie Munson And Dustin Funko Pop

On October 10, 1968, The Beatles issued a record called “Helter Skelter” released in the US on Atlantic Records. The title track was the first official Beatles song to have a double-entendre. The recording was one of the first real punk rock records. Led by the ever-welcoming bass player, Eddie Munson, guitarist, and vocalist with The Red NÁge-Oredics’ band the Steeplechase Kaleidoscope, the group made their hit debut on this record. With a sound reminiscent of rock and roll guitars and bass, psychedelic-rockabilly and New York City cabaret, “Helter Skelter” featured vocals by a young Matt Monro and The John Funks harmonizing with a band led by drummer Cliff Chambers. The lyrics openly ridiculed the then-young Beatles, writing the song as “this is for your Uncle George and Auntie Ethel”, in reference to the troubled relationship between George Harrison and former-Beatle producer Pete Best. Released on Atlantic that summer, “Helter Skelter” featured one single, written by The Beatles’ cover band The John Funks, an electric guitar covered in blue and yellow neon tubes, and live drums.

The album cover shows a band member singing in the middle of a swirling, patterned carpet that’s slowly growing larger through an opening in the middle. It’s likely this is part of the design of a wallpaper by the artist Bobby Graham. In fact, the front cover is so covered in neon, that it was called Graham’s Front Cover.

The record is a top ten hit, peaking at #7 on the Billboard 500 album chart. Its six tracks are listed as “I Want to Hold Your Hand”, “I’ll Face Hell”, “I Can’t Give You Anything But Love”, “Helter Skelter”, “Play The Game Of Love”, and “Why”.