Billy Karloff & The Extremes ‎– Let Your Fingers Do The Talking Label: Warner Bros. Records ‎– WB 56 894 Format: Vinyl, LP, Album Country: Netherlands Released. Let Your Fingers Do the Talking (Warner Bros.) 1981. In 1977, Billy Karloff & the Goats regularly gigged at the Roxy, London’s fabled punk venue, and made an obscure album called The Maniac. Having been enjoined from using the name Billy Karloff & the Supremes, a later incarnation (including ex-Tom Robinson Band drummer Dolph Taylor) ultimately became the Extremes. They became ‘Billy Karloff & The Supremes’ then (after a threat of legal action from The Supremes management) ‘Billy Karloff & The Extremes’ and secured a deal with Warner Brothers. By now the lineup featured Karloff, Neil Hay (guitar), Paul Jeiman (guitar), Dolphin Taylor (drums ex – ‘Tom Robinson Band’ later ‘Stiff Little.

(aka The Billy Karloff & The Goats)

LONDON

'The Maniac'

The Maniac / Tv Personality / Heavy Rock / Katerina Backstreet Billy / Messin Around

Lorry / New Red Handbag / Little Linda / Do A Job / Crazy Paving / Juke Box Hit

Catalogue Number - SOSLP 027

Label - Sound Of Scandinavia

Year Of Release - 1978

Country - Sweden

'Let Your Fingers Do The Talking'

Let Your Fingers Do The Talking / Encore / Moanin' / Sloppy Song / Don't Keep Me Down / Here

Headbangers / Pictures Of You / It's Too Hot / Reader's Wives / I'll Be There

Catalogue Number - WB 56 894

Label - Warner Brothers Records

Year Of Release - 1981

Country - Holland

BILLY KARLOFF & THE GOATS
The history of Billy Karloff goes right back to the mid 70's when guitarist / vocalist / songwriter John 'billy' Osborn played all over South London with bands like Slippery Sam, The Punks, Scum Of The Earth and Streamliner.

By 1977 he'd formed Billy Karloff &The Goats along with guitarist Chris Pye (later of The Books), drummer Pedro Ortiz (who played with Bowie at Live Aid!) and bassist Ed Duane though keeping a regular bassist proved difficult for the band.

They played The Roxy on quite a few occasions and following their appearance on 'Farewell To The Roxy' they became the Billy Karloff Band for April 78's 'Crazy Paving' / 'Back Street Billy' 45 (Wanted Records, CULT 45-001) and album 'The Maniac' (SOS LP 2) by which time they'd added a second guitarist known simply as Julian.

They became Billy Karloff & The Supremes then, (after a threat of legal action from The Supremes management) Billy Karloff & The Extremes and secured a deal with Warner Brothers by which time the line up featured Karloff, Neil Hay (guitar), Paul Jelliman (guitar), Dolphin Taylor (drums ex - Tom Robinson Band later Stiff Little Fingers / Spear Of Destiny) and bassist Glen Buglass.

It was this incarnation that recorded the 1981 LP 'Let Your Fingers Do The Talking' (K56894) and the singles 'Headbangers' / 'Don't Keep Me Down' (K17753) and 'Summer Holiday' / 'It's Too Hot' (K17818) though a second album 'The Vinyl Solution' remains unreleased to this day.

Billy Karloff And The Extremes

Karloff then issued a 'Stars On 45' style single under the name Frankie Lee called 'It Ain't Him Babe' (ZIM001) which was basically a medley of Bob Dylan songs!

Billy Karloff And The Extremes

He then concentrated on song-writing and his credits include 'Wait For The Blackout' / 'Dozen Girls' by The Damned and 'Anywhere But Here' / 'Back Street Billy' by The Business.

BILLY KARLOFF
The South London based Billy Karloff first made an impression on the Punk scene via an appearance on the legendary 'Farewell To The Roxy' compilation, contributing 'Relics From The Past' under the monica Billy Karloff & The Goats. The 'Crazy Paving' 45 was released in April 1978 by Wanted Records (CULT-1) - the B side 'Back Street Billy' was covered by The Business on their 'Keep The Faith' LP - and was followed by German only 1978 LP 'The Maniac' (Jupiter, 26373) (SOS LP 2) before Billy formed The Extremes with ex - TRB and current Stiff Little Fingers' drummer Dolphin Taylor.
A single 'Headbangers' was issued by Warner Brothers (K17753) in March 1981 and was followed by 'Summer Holiday' (K17818) three months later.
An LP for Warners 'Let Your Fingers Do The Talking' (K56894) was available for about five minutes in 1981 before Billy decided to concentrate on songwriting - The Damned's 'Wait For The Blackout' / 'Dozen Girls' and The Business's 'Anywhere But Here' being just three of his many compositions.

Chris Pye	Ed Duane	Billy Karloff	Julian Standen
The above is an early photo of 'The Goats' rehearsing circa 1977.

Thanks to Keith Osborn for all of the above

BILLY KARLOFF MEMORIAL GIG September 11th 2010 8.00 – 11.00 pm Doors open 5pm – midnight Scream Lounge 20 South End, Croydon, CR0 1DN 0208 667 0155 nearest train East Croydon Special appearances by Pedro Ortiz Neil Hay Mark Dawson Gareth Dean Glen Buglass Tickets £6 (includes entry into raffle) www.myspace.com/screamstudios www.billykarloff.co.uk tickets@billykarloff.co.uk BILLY KARLOFF & THE GOATS The history of Billy Karloff goes right back to the mid 70’s when guitarist/vocalist/songwriter John “Billy” Osborn played all over South London with bands like ‘Slippery Sam’, ‘The Punks’, ‘Scum Of The Earth’ and ‘Streamliner’. By 1977 he’d formed ‘Billy Karloff & The Goats’ along with guitarist Chris Pye (later of ‘The Books’), drummer Pedro Ortiz (who played with Bowie at Live Aid!) and bassist Ed Duane, though keeping a regular bassist proved difficult. They played The Roxy on quite a few occasions and following their appearance on “Farewell To The Roxy” they became the ‘Billy Karloff Band’ for April 78’s “Crazy Paving” / “Back Street Billy” 45 (Wanted Records, CULT45-001) and album “The Maniac” (SOS LP 2). By this time they’d added a second guitarist known simply as Julian. They became ‘Billy Karloff & The Supremes’ then (after a threat of legal action from The Supremes management) ‘Billy Karlo