SKID ROW-SKID AND 34 HOURS.
Skid Row-Skid and 34 Hours.
Label: BGO Records.
By late 1967, Dublin’s vibrant rock scene was thriving with many newly founded bands playing in universities and clubs around the city. Some were already spreading their wings, and heading further afield taking their music to other parts of the Republic of Ireland. Its music scene had come a long way since the mid-sixties, when it started to take shape.
Since then, two recent graduates of the Dublin music scene had gone on to greater things, and were well on their way to becoming international stars. This included Ian Whitcomb and Bluesville and Van Morrison, the former lead singer of Them who had just embarked upon a solo career and released his debut album Blowin’ Your Mind! in September 1967. It charted on both sides of the Atlantic and gave Van Morrison a tantalising taste of the commercial success and critical acclaim that he would enjoy over the next fifty years. Meanwhile, a new group was already making waves on the Dublin music scene, and looked like it would be the next to graduate from the Irish music scene…Skid Row.
Skid Row had only been formed in August 1967 by formed The Uptown Band]s former bassist Brendan ‘Brush’ Shiels, drummer Noel ‘Nollaig’ Bridgeman, guitarist Ben Cheevers and vocalist Phil Lynott. They were all experienced musicians, and were veterans of numerous groups. Two members of Skid Row had been in a number of bands together, Brendan ‘Brush’ Shiels and Ben Cheevers. Skid Row they hoped was the band that would transform their fortunes.
Given Skid Row comprised experienced musicians, it wasn’t long before the newly founded Skid Row made their debut in September 1967. This took place at basement club in Lower Abbey Street in the centre of Dublin. Little d those that were present that night, realise that they had witnessed history being made and that Skid Row were in the process of writing their way into rock history. This included recording two albums Skid and 34 Hours, which were recently remastered and reissued on one CD by BGO Records. That was still to come.
By September 1968, Skid Row’s lineup started to change. First to leave was guitarist Ben Cheevers, who decided to continue working full-time in the electrical industry. There was a problem though. Skid Row didn’t have a suitable guitarist lined up to replace him. However, waiting in the wings was sixteen year old virtuoso guitarist Gary Moore who stylistically, modelled himself on his hero Peter Green.
Before Ben Cheevers’ departure, Gary Moore joined Skid Row and briefly, they became a five piece band. The two guitarists played together during what was hand over period. When Ben Cheevers left the band in September 1968, Gary Moore stepped out of the shadows and a star was born.
Meanwhile, Robbie Brennan temporarily replaced original drummer Noel ‘Nollaig’ Bridgeman until June 1969. Robbie Brennan featured on Skid Row’s debut single New Places, Old Faces which featured Misdemeanour Dream Felicity on the B-Side. The single was released on Song Records, an Irish label in mid-1968 and featured Gary Moore’s recording debut. Skid Row’s debut single was the only recording to feature vocalist Phil Lynott.
Later in 1968, Phil Lynott was dropped from Skid Row’s lineup after a bout of tonsillitis. During his absence, Brendan ‘Brush’ Shiels took charge of lead vocals. This spelt the end of end of the Phil Lynott. During his absence, Phil Lynott spent his time learning to play the bass. This was just as well, as his days with Skid Row were at an end.
When Phil Lynott returned from his illness, he was told that Skid Row were about to become a power trio. To compensate the disappointed Phil Lynott, Brendan ‘Brush’ Shiels gave him a bass that he had purchased from former musician Robert Ballagh for £49. Brendan ‘Brush’ Shiels also taught Phil Lynott how to play the bass, which he would put to good use when he formed Orphanage and then Thin Lizzy. However, little did Phil Lynott realise that his sacking from Skid Row was the best thing that happened to him.
Not long after this, Skid Row released their sophomore single Saturday Morning Man, which featured Mervyn Aldridge on the B-Side. Saturday Morning Man was released on Song Records. This was the last recording before Skid Row’s classic era began.
There was just one more change to Skid Row’s lineup before their classic era began. This was the return of Noel ‘Nollaig’ Bridgeman in June 1969. With drummer Noel ‘Nollaig’ Bridgeman, bassist Brendan ‘Brush’ Shiels and guitarist Gary Moore, the classic lineup of Skid Row would soon emerge as one Ireland’s leading bands.
During the remaining of the sixties, and into 1970, Skid Row’ emerged as one of Ireland’s best unsigned bands. They opened for the great and good of rock, including Fleetwood Mac. Peter Green was so impressed by Gary Moore’s guitar playing that he introduced him to Fleetwood Mac’s manager Clifford Davis and executives at the Columbia/CBS Records. This was the break that Skid Row had been looking for.
Skid.
Not long after this, Skid Row signed to CBS, and began working on their debut album Skid with producer Mike Smith. Nine songs were recorded during the session, including a new version of New Places, Old Faces. However, the session wasn’t the most fruitful of Skid Row’s career. Only two tracks were released by CBS, when Sandie’s Gone (Part 1)and Sandie’s Gone (Part 2) became Skid Row’s third single in April 1970.
By then, a decision had been made by Clifford Davis that Skid Row should re-record their debut album, and change some of the songs. The other change was the producer.
While some of the Mike Smith sessions were well recorded, he had failed to capture what was an innovative and vivacious band at the peak of their powers. They had honed their sound during their US tour, and in the process, changed rock critics’ perception of what a power trio was capable of. Skid Row’s music had been inspired and influenced by a fusion of country rock and angular progressive rock that headed in the direction of jazz. These songs featured complex arrangements, but Skid Row were a versatile and talented band who were capable of producing virtuoso performances and making it sound easy. To capture Skid Row’s sound would take a special producer, and one who understood what the band were about. Clifford Davis’ suggestion was that Peter Green of Fleetwood Mac produced Skid Row.
Skid Row added four new songs to their debut album Skid. By then, Brendan ‘Brush’ Shiels had emerged as the band’s songwriter-in-chief writing Mad Dog Woman, Virgo’s Daughter, Heading Home Again, An Awful Lot Of Woman and After Im Gone. Gary Moore contributed Felicity and the three members of Skid Row penned Unco-Up Showband Blues, For Those Who Do and The Man Who Never Was. These songs were produced by Peter Green.
As the sessions for Skid began, Gary Moore arrived with his favourite guitar, a maple Les Paul Standard which Peter Green had sold him not long after the pair first met. While it had been well used, it quickly became Gary Moore’s favourite guitar. He put it to good use on Skid Row, which was just another recording session for the band. They took recording Skid in their stride. For Skid Row it was another day at the office.
Skid Row had already recorded a number of live sessions for the BBC Radio and a number of studio sessions. This was all good experience for the band. Especially, when Skid Row went into the BBC studios, which was home to some of the best engineers in London. They took pride in getting the best performance out of the bands that they were recording, including Skid Row.
With Skid recorded, Skid Row prepared for the release of their debut album in October 1970. Skid was hailed as a groundbreaking debut album and was quite unlike the majority of albums produced by power trios. It was a cerebral album, that married disparate and unlikely musical genres, while drawing inspiration from all manner of sources during what was akin to a musical roller coaster.
Skid Row flit between and combine elements of various musical genres. This includes blues rock and hard rock, which were important components in their sound. That was only part of the story, as Skid Row were very different to the many blues rock and hard rock bands that were around in 1970. Their sound was much more sophisticated and cerebral as Skid Row take occasional diversions via blues, country, fusion, jazz and skiffle on their genre-melting debut album. It finds Skid Row playing with as one, as they combine speed, accuracy and power on what’s a breathtaking debut album. The music is complex and urgent, as musical butterflies Skid Row flit seamlessly between musical genres.
Skid opens with Mad Dog Woman, which is the fist of several tracks that can be described as progressive. On these tracks, Skid Row produce a sound that very few power trios would be capable of producing. Only the creme de la creme of power trios were capable of unleashing music that was cerebral, complex, dense, dislocating and explosive. It’s played with power, precision and urgency. There’s an urgency to An Awful Lot Of Women where Skid Row combine speed and precision as they deliver a virtuoso performance. Then on Unco-Up Showband Blues Skid Row fuse blues and hard rock as Gary Moore unleashes an array of blistering guitar licks. For Those Who Do hints at what was to come from eighteen year old Gary Moore, who plays with a maturity and assuredness on what’s one of the most melodic and urgent tracks on Skid.
It’s a similar case on Virgo´s Daughter where Gary Moore unleashes machine gun guitar licks, while the drums and vocal have been inspired by Redbone, the Native American rock band. Then on Heading Home Again the album heads in the direction of country, as Skid Row continue to combine their versatility. Explosive describes After I Am Gone, where Skid Row’s rhythm section power the arrangement along, and accompany Gary Moore’s blistering, machine gun guitar. He plays with speed, accuracy and again, an assuredness. That is also the case on The Man Who Never Was, where Skid Row play has one and create a hypnotic backdrop, before injecting a degree of urgency as jazz meets rock. Each of the members of Skid Row enjoy the opportunity to showcase their skills, and continue to do so on the album closer Felicity. It finds Skid Row combining psychedelia, jazz, rock and avant-garde to create a track that manages to be spacey, lysergic, understated, ambient and latterly explosive as it reaches a rocky crescendo after nine magical minutes. This was the perfect way to close Skid.
When Skid was released in October 1970, the album reached number thirty in the British charts. Considering this was Skid Row’s debut album, this was a good start to their recording career.
By then, Skid Row had moved to London, where they lived in two houses in Belsize Park. However, much of Skid Row’s time was spent touring, and opening for groups like The Allman Brothers, Santana, Ten Years After, Jethro Tull and Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention. The constant touring helped to spread the word about Skid Row, whose star was definitely in the ascendancy. However, after tours of America, Britain and Germany, Skid Row returned home to record their sophomore album 34 Hours.
34 Hours.
For 34 Hours, Skid Row penned Night Of The Warm Witch, First Thing In The Morning, Lonesome Still and Love Story, Pt. 1. Songwriter-in-chief Brendan ‘Brush’ Shiels wrote Mar and Go, I’m Never Gonna Let You, Parts 1 to 4. These songs became 34 Hours.
When recording of 34 Hours began, Clifford Davis took charge of production. Watching and learning, was nineteen year old Gary Moore. He and the rest of Skid Row spent just 34 Hours recording the band’s debut album.
Critics on hearing 34 Hours realised that it was a much tighter album. It received the same plaudits and praise as Skid, and a great future was forecast for Skid Row.
This was proof that the weeks and months spent touring was time well spent. Skid Row had honed their sound through constantly playing live, and on 34 Hours showcased a much heavier, progressive rock sound. It featured two nine minute epics, Night Of The Warm Witch and Go, I’m Never Gonna Let You, Parts 1 to 4. They allowed Skid Row to stretch their legs musically. By then, Skid Row had matured into a much tighter, accomplished and assured band. Still, the music on 34 Hours was groundbreaking, complex and cerebral. There was still a spontaneity to Skid Row’s playing as they continued to combine speed, accuracy, power on 34 Hours
The result was 34 Hours, an album of music that veered between, caustic, cerebral, challenging and complex to energetic and explosive to forceful, urgent and vigorous. Still, Skid Row combined elements of blues rock, country fusion and progressive rock on 34 Hours. Apart from the country sound of Lonesome Still, 34 Hours is hard rocking album of progressive album that incorporates elements of fusion. This is a potent and heady brew, and should’ve found favour with record buyers in 1971.
Sadly, when 34 Hours was released by CBS in early 1971 the critically acclaimed album failed to find the audience it deserved. For Skid Row, this was a huge disappointment.
Throughout the rest of 1971, Skid Row continued to tour. However, in December 1971, Gary Moore left Skid Row. Thin Lizzy’s Eric Bell briefly filed the void on a temporary basis. Ironically, Gary Moore would later replace Eric Bell in Thin Lizzy.
Paul Chapman then became Skid Row’s new full-time guitarist. However, his time with Skid Row proved brief, and the band split-up in August 1972.
While Skid Row reformed in 1973, the original lineup never took to the stage again. Over the next three years, Skid Row’s lineup continued to change, until they split-up for a second time in 2012.
That was the end of the Skid Row story until 2012, when the band reformed and released their first new album in forty-one years Bon Jovi Never Rang Me. By then, the only original member of Skid Row was Brendan ‘Brush’ Shiels. While many welcomed the Skid Row’s new album, many couldn’t help but compare them to the two cult classics they released between 1970 and 1971. Skid and 34 Hours which were recently remastered and reissued on one CD by BGO Records feature Skid Row at the peak of their considerable powers.
On Skid and 34 Hours, Skid Row rewrite the rules for future power trios. They created music that was cerebral, complex, hard rocking, innovative and progressive. Skid Row also fused and flitted between disparate and unlikely musical genres during Skid and 34 Hours, which are a reminder of one Ireland’s greatest musical exports during their sadly short but memorable musical career.
Skid Row-Skid and 34 Hours.
NORMAN JAY MBE PRESENTS MISTER GOOD TIMES.
Norman Jay Presents MBE Mister Good Times.
Label: Sunday Best Recordings.
At this time of year, a countless compilations are reissued by hopeful record companies looking for what could well be the start of a long and successful compilation series. This could be the cash cow that provides them with a steady income stream for many years to come. For the majority of record companies, their dreams are dashed and it’s a case of back to the drawing board. That is apart from the lucky few who have hit the jackpot in the compilation stakes. This includes Norman Jay who has just released Mister Good Times via Sunday Best Recordings. It’s the eleventh instalment in the Good Times compilation series, and is another reminder of the music that Norman Jay’s Good Times’ sound system will playing at this year’s Notting Hill Carnival.
Norman Jay has been DJ-ing at the Notting Hill Carnival since 1981, and thirty-six years later, his Good Times’ sound system continues to provide the soundtrack to what’s one of London’s most eagerly awaited events. Each year, Norman Jay entertains the crowds with an eclectic mix of the music that he loves, including disco, Philly Soul, reggae, nineties hip hop and funk. This is also the music that has been featuring on the Good Times’ compilations since 2000.
That was when Good Times With Joey and Norman Jay was released on the Nuphonic label. So successful was the compilation, that a second instalment was commissioned. Good Times 2 With Joey and Norman Jay was released by Nuphonic in 2001 and replicated the success of the first instalment in the series. It looked as if the Joey and Norman Jay had struck gold in the crowded and competitive compilation market.
When Joey and Norman Jay Present Good Times 3 was released in 2003, it was on the React label. Sadly, the Nuphonic label had ceased trading in 2002 leaving the Jays to find a new home for their Good Times compilation. When Joey and Norman Jay Present Good Times 3 was released in August 2003, it was another success story in what was an increasingly competitive compilation market.
After the release of the third instalment in the Good Times series, again disaster struck for Joey and Norman Jay. React went into voluntary administration and the Jays were looking for a new label for the Good Times series.
The Jays decided to sign to Resist, which was the replacement company for React Music Limited. This became home for the Good Times’ series for the next three years. Joey and Norman Jay MBE Presents Good Times 4 was released in August 2004, with Joey and Norman Jay MBE Presents Good Times 5 (Silver Jubilee Edition) following in August 2005. Still the compilations featured an eclectic selection of music that reflected what the Jay brothers were about to spin at the forthcoming Notting Hill Carnival.
When the sixth instalment in the Good Times series was announced in 2006, there was no sign of Joey Jay. Instead, the newest addition to the series had been compiled by Norman Jay. This was a risky, as Good Times was a successful and long-funning compilation series. Was it a case of two heads are better than one?
Norman Jay MBE Presents Good Times 6 was released on React in August 2006, and was the start of a new era for this long-running series. This latest addition to the series was the most eclectic so far, with Norman Jay took listeners on a musical adventure that was spread across two discs and three slabs of vinyl. Despite his best efforts, some critics wondered if Norman Jay MBE Presents Good Times 6 lived up to the previous instalments in the series? Maybe it was a step to far for the Good Times’ series?
Despite this, Norman Jay MBE Presents Good Times 7 (Let The Good Times Roll) was released in August 2007, and announced the forthcoming arrival of the Notting Hill Carnival in London. It was the most eclectic of the series so far, and featured everything from soul, folk and funk to disco and Philly Soul plus easy listening, jazz, punk, reggae, hip hop and house. Critics thought that Norman Jay MBE Presents Good Times 7 (Let The Good Times Roll) was an improvement on its predecessor, and brought to an end the Resist years.
By 2008, Good Times which was the one of the longest running British compilation series, and had found a new home at British house label Azuli. Just like previous volumes, Norman Jay MBE Presents Good Times London would be a two CD set. Compiling a two CD set each year isn’t easy for one person. It was easier when Joey and Norman Jay had compiled the first five Good Times series. Since then, the series seemed to have lost its sheen. Maybe this would change with the release of the eighth instalment in the series?
Azuli released Norman Jay MBE Presents Good Times London in August 2008, which was another uber eclectic two CD compilation. It was the most eclectic compilation in the series, and featured funk, jazz, jazz-funk, joined hip hop, house,Afrobeat, easy listening, reggae and soul. Norman Jay continued to eschew the obvious, and continued to combine deeper album cuts and hidden gems on the eighth instalment in the Good Times series since 2008. Sadly, it was a good, but not great addition to the Good Times series, which had become an annual event.
The following year, 2009, Norman Jay didn’t return with the ninth instalment in the series. The last three instalments in the series hadn’t quite matched quality of the first five instalments in the Good Times series. This could be traced to the loss of Joey Jay. Since then, it was as if Norman Jay was trying too hard to create an eclectic mix of music. Maybe it was time to back to basics, and combine old favourites with hidden gems?
That was what Joey and Norman Jay had done so successfully on the first couple of volumes of the Good Times’ series. Maybe if Norman Jay looked to the past, he would find the answer to his problems?
Three years passed before Norman Jay MBE Presents Good Times (30th Anniversary Edition) was released on Strut in August 2011. Unlike previous instalments in the series, volume nine featured eighteen tracks spread across one CD. This was something that he should’ve done a couple of years ago. With just eighty minutes available Norman Jay had to separate the wheat from the chaff as he returned to his trademark sound. For much of Norman Jay MBE Presents Good Times (30th Anniversary Edition) the emphasis was on quality on a compilation that focused on funk, soul, disco, reggae, hip hop and soul. It was an improvement on the last couple of volumes in the Good Times’ series.
Another four years passed before Norman Jay MBE Presents Skank and Boogie (Good Times) was released in August 2015. This was the tenth volume in the Good Times’ series. It was no longer an annual event, and instead, was an occasional series. This time around, the focus was on boogie, disco, funk, reggae and soul, which was a much narrower and focused selection of music than had appeared on volumes six to eight. Norman Jay’s decision to stick to his trademark sound paid off, and Norman Jay MBE Presents Skank and Boogie (Good Times) was well received by critics.
Two years later, and Norman Jay MBE Presents Mister Good Times was released just in time for this year’s Notting Hill Carnival. Just like the last two instalments in the series, the eighteen tracks are spread across just one disc. There’s contributions from Vicki Sue Robinson, Esther Phillips, Loleatta Holloway, The Whispers, Barry White, The Ides Of March, Young Disciples and Aretha Franklin on Norman Jay MBE Presents Mister Good Times.
In 1976, American actress and disco diva Vicki Sue Robinson released her eponymous debut album on RCA Victor. By then, she was thirty-two and was better known as an actress than a singer. She was a star of stage and film, but was one of a number of actors who jumping onboard the disco bandwagon. Many were trying to revive failing or flagging careers and would later regret their dalliance with disco. However, Vicki Sue Robinson was a talented singer who embraced her new role as disco diva. She was helped by producer Warren Schatz, who put together a talented band, plugs horns, strings and backing vocalists. They accompany Vicki Sue Robinson on her cover of Bobby Womack’s Daylight. It becomes a soulful and hook-laden slice of disco and sets the bar high on Norman Jay MBE Presents Mister Good Times.
By 1976, the hits were starting to dry up for The Main Ingredient who were led by Bert DeCoteaux. To make matters worse, The Main Ingredient’s most recent album were no longer selling in the same quantities. Their eighth album, Shame on the World was released in 1975, but failed to replicate the success of Rolling Down A Mountainside. The problem for groups like The Main Ingredient was disco. Suddenly, many record buyers who previously bought soul and funk albums, were turning their attention to disco. That was why when Instant Love was released in 1976, it stalled at ninety-six in the US R&B charts. It was penned by Jacqueline Hilliard and Leon Ware, with Cuba Gooding and Luther Simmons taking charge of production. They’re responsible for a smooth, soulful and funky hidden gem that is a welcome addition to the compilation.
In 1979, Esther Phillips became the latest artist to jump onboard the disco bandwagon when she released Our Day Will Come on Mercury Records. It was a track from Here’s Esther…Are You Ready which was also released on Mercury Records. Drummer Harvey Mason produced the album and adds horns, harmonies and strings to Our Day Will Come, which is a soulful, funky slice of disco Esther Phillips.
Although Loleatta Holloway’s career began in the early seventies, she first came to prominence at Aware Records between 1973 and 1975. That was when many people first heard Loleatta Holloway singing Southern Soul. By 1980, she was still signed to Norman Harris’ Philly-based Gold Mind Records. Love Sensation was the fourth label Loleatta Holloway released for Gold Mind Records, and was her sixth and final album. One of the highlights of Love Sensation was the Bobby and Cecil Womack composition Short End of the Stick. It was arranged and produced by Bobby Womack and Patrick Moten, and finds Loleatta Holloway combining power, passion and emotion on a song that marries disco and soul seamlessly.
When The Whispers released Whisper In Your Ear on Solar, in 1979, it was the eight album of their career. One of the album’s highlights was Homemade Lovin’ which was penned by Leon Sylvers. It’s a glorious and memorable fusion of soul, funk, disco and even proto-boogie as The Whispers roll back the years.
Between 1973 and 1979, Barry White could do wrong, and enjoyed a glittering career. His albums were certified silver, gold and platinum on both sides of the Atlantic. However, after 1979, the hits dried up for Barry Whites and his albums were no longer selling in vast quantities. As a result, Barry White decided to enlist the help of a number of producers for his 1994 album The Icon Is Love, including Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. They wrote I Only Want to Be With You with Barry White, and then Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis took charge of production on this sensual bedroom ballad. It’s one of the highlights of The Icon Is Love which was released in October 1994. It reached number twenty on the US Billboard 200, topped the US R&B charts and was certified double platinum. With his first number one album in sixteen years and the biggest selling album of his career, Barry White was back after two decades away.
In 1969, Swedish jazz guitarist and composer Rune Gustafsson released his sophomore album Rune At The Top on the Metronome label. It featured a selection of well known songs, including California Soul. It’s given a twist by Rune Gustafsson who became one of Sweden’s leading jazz guitarists and composers. Sadly, he passed away in 2012 aged seventy-nine.
The Young Disciples were a short-lived acid jazz group who were together in the early nineties. Their music was inspired by funk, soul, hip hop, R&B, gospel, and dub. Proof of this Get Yourself Together which the Young Disciples released as a single on Talkin’ Loud in 1990. A year later, Get Yourself Together featured on the Young Disciples’ debut album Road To Freedom. It’s one of the finest moments of Carleen Anderson and Company’s career.
After leaving The Temptations, singer and songwriter Eddie Kendricks embarked upon a solo career at Tamla. His debut album All By Myself was released in 1971, and five years later, Eddie Kendricks was still signed to Tamla. He went into Sigma Sound Studio in Philly, hoping that producer Norman Harris could revive his career. Joining Norman Harris and Eddie Kendricks were many former members of MFSB and the Sweethearts Of Sigma, who were now playing an important part in the rise and rise of The Salsoul Orchestra. The resultant album He’s A Friend reached thirty-eight in the US Billboard 200 and three on the US R&B charts. It also featured four hits singles and one was one Eddie Kendricks’ most successful albums on Tamla. One of the hidden gems on He’s A Friend is the penultimate track On My Way Home which is a reminder of the late, great Eddie Kendricks as he reinvents himself with the help of Norman Harris and a few friends.
Reggae has always played a part on the Good Times’ series since the early days. So it’s no surprise that Slim Smith and The Uniques’ Build My World Around You features on Norman Jay Presents MBE Mister Good Times. It was released on the Lee’s label in 1968, and a soulful slice of rocksteady from Slim Smith and The Uniques.
Closing Norman Jay Presents MBE Mister Good Times is what should be an anthemic track, I’m Every Woman. Sadly, Norman Jay hasn’t chosen the original, and instead, has included Aretha Franklin’s cover of I’m Every Woman. It’s taken from the album Sings The Great Diva Classics which was released on RCA in 2014. Sadly, it’s a long way from classic Aretha Franklin. The gospel tinged backing vocals can only carry her so far. After that, one of the worst versions of I’m Every Woman that has been ever recorded unfolds. Throughout the song, Aretha Franklin tries and fails desperately to ‘get down with the kids’ by hollering pump up the groove. This is tedious in the extreme, and adds to a woeful cover of what should be a soul classic. Unfortunately, not the way Aretha Franklin sings it. This is a disappointing way to close Norman Jay Presents MBE Mister Good Times.
Having said that, Norman Jay Presents MBE Mister Good Times is much better than some of the previous instalments in this long-running series. It seems things are improving for the Good Times’ series.
The series seemed to lose its way after Joey Jay’s departure from the partnership. Left to his own devices, Norman Jay seemed to try too hard to create a trio uber eclectic compilations. If they had been condensed onto one disc, then they would’ve been among the best in the Good Times’ series. Sadly, that wasn’t the case and this trio of sprawling compilations weren’t o the standard of the first five volumes in the series.
Things improved when the Good Times’ series found a new home at Strut. No longer was the Good Times’ series a two CD set, and eighteen tracks featured on Norman Jay MBE Presents Good Times (30th Anniversary Edition). With its mixture of disco, funk, hip hop, reggae and soul, it showcased Norman Jay’s trademark sound. So did the followup Norman Jay MBE Presents Skank and Boogie (Good Times) in August 2015. Now two years later, and Norman Jay Presents MBE Mister Good Times was released via Sunday Best Recordings. It’s the eleventh volume in the series, and is just three tracks short of being an excellent compilation.
Without the occasional predictable track and a couple of tracks that just don’t make the grade, Norman Jay Presents MBE Mister Good Times would be one of the best compilations of the summer. Sadly, that isn’t the case. However, there’s plenty of soulful, funky and dance-floor friendly music on Norman Jay Presents MBE Mister Good Times which is a taste of the type of music Norman Jay will be playing early in the day at the Notting Hill Carnival as he gets the party started.
Norman Jay Presents MBE Mister Good Times.
GIL SCOTT-HERON-THE FLYING DUTCHMAN YEARS.
Gil Scott-Heron-The Flying Dutchman Years.
After releasing a trio of studio albums on Bob Thiele’s Flying Dutchman Productions between 1970 and 1972, Gil Scott-Heron signed to Charles Tolliver and Stanley Cowell’s Strata-East Records. By then, Gil Scott-Heron was well on his way to becoming America’s social conscience.
Gil Scott-Heron was a poet, musician, and author who highlighted the social and political problems affecting and blighting American society. He was, to all intents and purposes, America’s social conscience, highlighting the problems of racism, poverty, corruption, inequality and drug addiction on 1970s Small Talk At ‘125th’ and Lenox which was released, 1971s Pieces Of A Man and 1972s Free Will. This was the trio of studio albums that Gil Scott-Heron released for Bob Thiele’s Flying Dutchman Records. The lyrics were cerebral, witty, scathing and most importantly, honest as Gil Scott-Heron speaks up for the downtrodden and disenfranchised. Fearlessly, Gil Scott-Heron highlighted the social and political problems that blighted America. This what he continued to do throughout his long and illustrious career as he released album after album of powerful music. However, when Gil Scott-Heron first met Bob Thiele he was an author and poet. He had made an appointment with Bob Thiele, to see if he any of his artists could use his poetry.
During the meeting, Gil Scott-Heron recounted how he was born on April Fool’s Day in 1949, which later, he joked become an important day in Chicago’s musical history. That will always be the remembered as the day poet, author, musician and political activist Gil Scott-Heron was born.
His mother Bobbie Scott-Heron, was an opera singer, who sang with New York’s Oratorio Society. Gil Scott-Heron’s father was Gil Heron, a Jamaican footballer, who at one time, played for Glasgow Celtic Football Club. Sadly, though, Bobbie and Gil’s marriage ended when Gil Scott-Heron was young.
After this, Gil Scott-Heron was sent to live with his maternal grandmother, Lillie Scott, who lived in Jackson, Tennessee. Then when Gil Scott-Heron was just twelve, Lillie Scott died.
Gil Scott-Heron returned to New York to live with his mother, who was now living in the Bronx. Originally, Gil Scott-Heron enrolled at the DeWitt Clinton High School, but later, moved to the Fieldston High School.
This came after impressing the head of the English department read one of Gil Scott-Heron’s essays, and recommended that he received a full scholarship. This proved a poisoned chalice. While the education he was receiving was far superior, Gil Scott-Heron was one of only five black students. He felt alienated and alone. That wasn’t the only problem. There was also a socioeconomic gap, with the other students coming from a much more affluent background. Gil Scott-Heron by comparison, was the son of a single mother and was from a very different background. It was during this time that Gil Scott-Heron became socially and politically aware. His eyes were opened to inequality, injustice and racism. This would shape his music in later years. Before that, Gil Scott-Heron headed to Lincoln University,
When Gil Scott-Heron was considering which university to enrol at, Langston Hughes recommended Lincoln University, which where he was staying. Gil Scott-Heron took his friend’s advice, and enrolled at Lincoln University. This was where Gil Scott-Heron’s musical career began.
At Lincoln University, Gil Scott-Heron formed his first band, the Black and Blues. Joining Gil Scott-Heron in the band was Langston Hughes. Little did Gil Scott-Heron know that this was the start of a long and illustrious career. However, after two years at Lincoln University, Gil Scott-Heron decided to take time out Lincoln University to write a novel.
During this period, Gil Scott-Heron wrote two novels. His first novel was a thriller entitled The Vulture, which was published in 1970. Whilst writing The Vulture, Gil Scott-Heron saw The Last Poets in Lincoln in 1969. This had a huge effect on him.
After watching The Last Poets, Gil Scott-Heron approached the band and asked: “can I form a band like you guys?” The seed had already been sown. Maybe, making music rather than writing books was the direction that Gil Scott-Heron’s career headed?
Having been impressed and inspired by The Last Poets and now considering a career in music, Gil Scott-Heron had a lot on his mind as he headed back to New York, where he found a new home in Chelsea, Manhattan. This concluded with the publication of Gil Scott-Heron’s book of poetry, Small Talk At ‘125th’ and Lenox by World Publishing. Now Gil Scott-Heron could add poet to his burgeoning CV. Soon, he hoped to add singer and songwriter.
Once he’d settled in to his new apartment in Manhattan, Gil Scott-Heron decided to make his dream a reality and started looking for a record company. Gil Scott-Heron just so happened to approach a label tailor-made for his music, Flying Dutchman Productions.
The Birth Of Flying Dutchman Productions.
Following his departure from ABC/Impulse Bob Thiele had decided to found his own label. He was perfectly qualified to do so, having worked with some of the most innovative and creative musicians in the history of jazz over the last few years. During that period, Bob came to the conclusion that often, large record companies aren’t the best environment for innovative and creative musicians. Often, these musical mavericks didn’t thrive within such an orthodox environment. Instead, their creativity is restricted, and they’re unable to experiment and innovate. For many a musical maverick who had signed to a large record label, the experienced had proved frustrating and unsatisfactory. So when Bob Thiele parted company with Impulse, who he had transformed into one of jazz’s pioneering labels, he founded Flying Dutchman Productions. This was the label that Gil Scott-Heron approached. There was a problem though.
While Bob wanted to sign Gil Scott-Heron, there was a problem,… funding. The funding that Phillips, the Dutch record label had given Bob Thiele wasn’t going as far as he had hoped. Despite this, when he met Gil Scott-Heron he was impressed by the poet, musician, and author. So much so, that Bob Thiele decided to fund an album that was a fusion of poetry accompanied by understated, percussive arrangements.
Small Talk At 125 and Lenox.
This was Small Talk At 125 and Lenox, which featured fourteen songs from the pen of Gil Scott-Heron. Initially, it was claimed that Gil Scott-Heron and two percussionists, David Barnes, Eddie Knowles and Charlie Saunders, recorded the album live at a night club on the corner of 125 and Lenox. That wasn’t strictly true.
Forty-two years later, one of the best kept secrets in music was no more. It transpired that Small Talk At 125 and Lenox was recorded live in the studio in front of a few invited guests. Taking charge of production was Bob Thiele, who was an experienced producer.
With Bob Thiele at the controls, Gil Scott-Heron recorded an accomplished album that is a mixture of jazz, proto-rap, spoken word poetry and soul. It was released later in 1970, and immediately, comparisons were drawn with the group who had inspired Gil Scott-Heron, The Last Poets. This was a fair comment to some extent.
When one listen to tracks like the original version The Revolution Will Not Be Televised, plus Brother, Whitey On The Moon, Paint It Black and Who’ll Pay Reparations On My Soul? critics realised that Gil Scott-Heron had taken what The Last Poets had been doing to the next level. This he managed to do with just a trop percussionists accompanying him, on Small Talk At 125th and Lenox, which was a potent and explosive mix of scathing political and social comment.
Although Small Talk At ‘125th’ and Lenox was a groundbreaking and powerful debut album, it didn’t sell in vast quantities. Instead, it sold steadily, and shouldn’t have lost Flying Dutchman Productions money, as they had managed to keep their overheads low. However, Small Talk At ‘125th’ and Lenox slipped under the musical radar, and many record buyers only discovered the album when Gil Scott-Heron released Winter In America and The Bottle in 1975. By then, Gil Scott-Heron had released a trio of albums for Bob Thiele’s Flying Dutchman Productions.
Pieces Of A Man.
The second of the Flying Dutchman Productions’ trio was Pieces Of A Man, which featured eleven songs, including four written by Gil Scott-Heron. This included The Revolution Will Not Be Televised, which made its debut on Small Talk at ‘125th. and Lenox. The other seven songs were penned by Gil Scott-Heron and Brian Jackson, who would forge a successful songwriting partnership.
Recording of Pieces Of A Man took place on the ‘19th’ and ‘20th’ April 1971, RCA Studios, in New York. This time, Gil Scott-Heron was accompanied by a full band which featured a few well-known names.
When Bob Thiele asked Gil who he’d like to accompany him, jokingly, Gil Scott-Heron said flautist and saxophonist Hubert Laws and bassist Ron Carter. Bob Thiele who know everyone who was everyone in jazz, got them onboard for the recording of Pieces Of A Man. This was Bob Thiele’s way of making Gil Scott-Heron feel at home. Bob Thiele knew that putting together a top class bands was the way to get the best performance possible from an artist.
With a crack band in tow, Gil Scott Heron set about recording his sophomore album Pieces Of A Man. The crack band included a rhythm section of drummer Bernard “Pretty” Purdie and guitarist Burt Jones. Brian Jackson played piano and Gil Scott Heron played guitar, piano and sang lead vocals. Producing Pieces Of A Man was Bob Thiele. After a recording season that lasted just two days, Pieces Of A Man was completed. Now it was ready for release.
When Pieces Of A Man was released in 1971, only Rolling Stone magazine realised the cultural importance of the album. Pieces Of A Man passed the rest of the music press by. This is a sad indictment on music journalism at what was one of the most important periods in musical, social and political history.
By 1971, America was struggling with a variety of social problems, ranging from the Vietnam War, poverty and racism. Gil Scott Heron was using his music to speak for the poor, downtrodden and disenfranchised. Pieces Of A Man was an important album, and one that had the potential to make Americans think about the status quo, and consider change. Sadly, just like Pieces Of A Man passed the mainstream music by, it was a similar case with record buyers. Pieces Of A Man failed to find the audience it deserved.
Apart from spending six weeks in the US Jazz Charts, where it peaked at a lowly number twenty-five, commercial success passed Pieces Of A Man by. That was as good as it got for Pieces Of A Man. This was somewhat ironic, given the later reappraisal of the album.
When critics reappraised Pieces Of A Man at a later date, they hailed it a classic album. The music was intense, politically charged, innovative and influential. That comes as no surprise, as Pieces Of A Man features some of the best and most powerful songs Gil Scott-Heron wrote during his time at Flying Dutchman Productions. This included The Revolution Will Not Be Televised, Save the Children, Lady Day and John Coltrane, Home Is Where The Hatred Is, When You Are Who You Are, I Think I’ll Call It Morning, Pieces Of A Man and Or Down You Fall. They’re part of what was the first classic album of Gil Scott-Heron’s career. Alas, the critics has still to rewrite musical history. was
Gil Scott-Heron had released two innovative and influential albums, Small Talk At ‘125th’ and Lenox and Pieces Of A Man, they had passed music lovers by. This was disappointing for Gil Scott-Heron, who would only release one more album for Bob Thiele’s Flying Dutchman Productions, Free Will. However, would it be a case of third time lucky?
Free Will.
For the followup to Pieces Of A Man, Free Will, Gil Scott-Heron had written seven new songs. The other five songs, Free Will, The Middle Of Your Day, The Get Out Of The Ghetto Blues, Speed Kills and Did You Hear What They Said? were collaborations between Gil Scott-Heron and Brian Jackson. He played a huge part in the rise and rise of Gil Scott-Heron over the next few years.
Brian Jackson and Gil Scott-Heron had already formed a successful songwriting partnership. However, Brian Jackson was more than a songwriter. He was also a talented multi-instrumentalist who played piano, keyboards flute and bells on Free Will.
The Free Will sessions took place at RCA Studios, in New York, between the ‘2nd’ and ‘3rd’ March 1972. Just like on Pieces Of A Man, an all-star lineup accompanied Gil Scott-Heron. The rhythm section included drummer Bernard ‘Pretty’ Purdie, bassist Jerry Jemmott, drummer Pretty Purdie and guitarist David Spinozza. Flautist and saxophonist Hubert Laws, who’d played on Pieces Of A Man, returned, while Brian Jackson played electric piano, flute and bells. Gil Scott-Heron took charge of the lead vocals on Free Will. Arranging and conducting Free Will was Horace Ott, while Bob Thiele took charge of production. After just two days of lengthy recording sessions, Free Will was completed. It was released later in 1972.
On Free Will’s release later in 1972, it was well received by critics. Rolling Stone flew the flag for Free Will and Gil Scott-Heron. Despite this, Free Will failed to chart in the US Billboard 200 and US R&B charts However, Free Will sold between 20,000 to 30,000 copies, and reached the US Jazz charts. Despite this, this was a huge disappointment Gil Scott-Heron.
With keyboardist Brian Jackson at his side, Gil Scott-Heron had fused elements of jazz, blues, funk, proto-rap and soul on Free Will. Fearlessly, he continued to highlight the social and political problems of the early seventies, and tackle controversial subjects and scenarios head on. Gil Scott-Heron delivered the lyrics with his unique and inimitable proto-rap style on Free Will. Among its highlights were Free Will, The Middle Of Your Day, The Get Out Of The Ghetto Blues, Speed Kills and Did You Hear What They Said? That took care of side one, which was one of the most cohesive sides of Gil Scott-Heron’s nascent career. It was almost flawless. Then on side, Gil Scott-Heron picks up where he left off on two No Knock and Sex Education: Ghetto Style. It was the third album from musical pioneer Gil Scott-Heron, who would become one of the most important artists of his generation.
Sadly, Free will was his final album for Bob Thiele’s Flying Dutchman Productions. Not long after the release of Free Will, Gil Scott-Heron left Flying Dutchman Productions.
By then, Gil Scott-Heron’s thoughts were said to have turned to academia, and his unfinished degree. Gil Scott-Heron and his band returned to Washington D.C. which became their home. However, Gil Scott-Heron never came close to enrolling at his former alma mater Lincoln University.
Winter In America.
Not when Charles Tolliver and Stanley Cowell of Strata-East Records offered Gil Scott-Heron a new recording contract. Having signed to Strata-East Records, Gil Scott-Heron began work on his fourth studio album Winter In America with Brian Jackson who co-produced the album at D&B Sound, in Silver Spring, Maryland. The sessions began on the ‘4th’ and ‘5th’ September and were completed on the ‘15th’ of October of 1973. By then, Gil Scott-Heron had recorded the nine tracks that became Winter In America.
Seven months later, on the ‘5th’ of October 1975, Winter In America was released to widespread critical acclaim. Some critics believed it that Winter In America was finest album. Some critics wondered if this was going to be Gil Scott-Heron’s breakthrough album?
At first, this was looking doubtful. Initially, copies of Winter In America were in short supply, as a result of Strata-East Records independent distribution policy. This meant that many record shops struggled to secure the copies of Winter In America that they needed. Eventually, this problem was resolved and on June ’29th’ 1974, Winter In America entered the US Top Jazz Albums charts.
Little did Gil Scott-Heron realise that this as the start of a forty week run in the US Top Jazz Albums charts, which saw Winter In America eventually reach number six. This was helped by the success of only single released from Winter In America, The Bottle. Helped by an underground following, The Bottle gave Gil Scott-Heron the biggest hit of his career, when it reached number fifteen in the US R&B charts. The success of The Bottle resulted in Winter In America selling 300,000 copies. Incredibly, this wasn’t enough to even reach the lower reaches of the US Billboard 200. However, Winter In America was the only album Gil Scott-Heron released for Strata-East Records. Clive Davis of Arista came calling, and offered Gil Scott-Heron the opportunity to sign to a major label.
The Revolution Will Not Be Televised.
In the space of just a few short years, Gil Scott-Heron’s life had been transformed. The former poet, author and ‘academic’ had come a long way. Gil Scott-Heron had Bob Thiele to thank for his success. He had believed in him and given him first recording contract. Then when Gil Scott-Heron was considering returning to academia, and decided to move back to Washington with the rest of his band, Bob Thiele didn’t stand in his way. What Bob Thiele never foresaw was Strata-East Records offering Gil Scott-Heron a recording contract. This was enough for Gil Scott-Heron to turn his back on academia and release the most successful album of his career. This must have been frustrating for Bob Thiele.
Although the three albums that Gil Scott-Heron released on Bob Thiele’s Flying Dutchman Productions weren’t hugely successful they had sold reasonably well. Bob Thiele wanted to record more albums with Gil Scott-Heron. For Bob Thiele, Gil Scott-Heron was the one that got away.
By 1974, Bob Thiele had just signed a new deal with RCA. Part of the deal was that Flying Dutchman Productions released a compilation of tracks from Gil Scott-Heron’s first three albums, 1970s Small Talk At ‘125th’ and Lenox, 1971s Pieces of a Man and 1972s Free Will. This was perfect timing, as Gil Scott-Heron was now officially one of music’s rising stars.
For the Gil Scott-Heron compilation, Bob Thiele spent time choosing eleven tracks from 1970s Small Talk At ‘125th’ and Lenox, 1971s Pieces of a Man and 1972s Free Will, that would eventually become The Revolution Will Not Be Televised. There was no way that Bob Thiele was going to be accused of throwing together a compilation that cashed-in on Gil Scott-Heron’s newfound popularity. Instead, The Revolution Will Not Be Televised was a lovingly curated compilation that was compiled by the man who discovered him…Bob Thiele. When he had finalised the track-listing, The Revolution Will Not Be Televised was released in late 1974, and for forty-three years has been the perfect introduction to Gil Scott-Heron’s Flying Dutchman Productions’ years.
When The Revolution Will Not Be Televised was released in 1974, it was to widespread critical acclaim and indeed commercial success. The Revolution Will Not Be Televised reached number twenty-one on October the ’12th’ 1974 and spending five weeks on the US Billboard Jazz charts. This meant that Gil Scott-Heron’s Flying Dutchman Records’ years closed with a successful album. By then, Gil Scott-Heron was preparing to start life at a major label.
The Start Of The Arista Years.
The First Minute Of A New Day.
Clive Davis of Arista came calling, and offered Gil Scott-Heron the opportunity to sign to a major label. This was the start of a relationship that produced nine albums and lasted until 1985. Gil Scott-Heron’s debut for Arista was The First Minute Of A New Day, which was the most successful of his career so far. Not only did it reach number five in the US Top Jazz Albums charts and number eight in the US R&B charts, The First Minute Of A New Day also reached number thirty in the US Billboard 200. Gil Scott-Heron’s music had crossed over and reached the wider audience that Bob Thiele knew it always would.
The First Minute Of A New Day proved to the most successful album of Gil Scott-Heron’s forty-one year recording career. While many of his albums charted, they never reached the same heights as The First Minute Of A New Day. It was one of the finest albums of Gil Scott-Heron’s career at Arista.
Despite the quality of albums like Winter In America and The First Minute Of A New Day, Gil Scott-Heron recorded some of the best music of his career long before he signed to Arista. This was at Bob Thiele’s Flying Dutchman Productions where he released three studio albums, 1970s Small Talk At ‘125th’ and Lenox, 1971s Pieces of a Man and 1972s Free Will. This trio of albums includes some of the best music of Gil Scott-Heron’s long career. It showcases one of the most talented singer and songwriters of his generation as he blossoms and flourishes. Bob Thiele had given Gil Scott-Heron a platform, and the freedom to record and release music that he believed in.
Soon, was well on his way to becoming America’s social conscience, as he provided a voice for those who had none. Gil Scott-Heron was their voice on 1970s Small Talk At ‘125th’ and Lenox, 1971s Pieces of a Man and 1972s Free Will, which feature lyrics that cerebral, witty, scathing and most importantly, honest as Gil Scott-Heron spoke up for the poor, downtrodden and disenfranchised. Fearlessly, Gil Scott-Heron highlighted the social and political problems that blighted America in the early seventies using his unique and imitable proto-rap style on the trio of albums he recorded during the during the Flying Dutchman Records. These three album contain some of the most important, powerful, cerebral and music of Gil Scott-Heron’s career. Over forty years later, and Gil Scott-Heron’s music is timeless and is still relevant today, and continues to influence and inspire a new generation of musicians.
Gil Scott-Heron-The Flying Dutchman Years.
REDBONE-GO WEST IN SEARCH OF THE AMERICAN DREAM.
Redbone-Go West In Search Of The American Dream.
When brothers Pat and Lolly Vegas decided to move to Los Angeles in 1969 to form a new band Redbone, they arrived with just a handful of change in their pocket. However, moving to Los Angeles was just too good an opportunity to turn down. Pat Vegas had recently won a singing contest run by Coca Cola, and the prize was a recording contract and the cost of travel to Los Angeles. This was the opportunity of a lifetime for the two brothers, so they had travelled west in search of the American Dream.
Pat and Lolly Vegas weren’t newcomers to the music industry, and had spent much of the sixties trying to make a breakthrough. They released several singles, and the album Pat and Lolly Vegas At The Haunted House in the mid-sixties. However, commercial success continued to elude the brothers, and it looked as if their dream of becoming successful musicians was over. That was until Pat Vegas won the singing contest run by Coca Cola.
Using the tickets provided by Coca Cola, Pat and Lolly Vegas travelled to Los Angeles, where they planned to form a new band. The band the Vegas brothers called Redbone, which is a Cajun term for a mixed race person. This was homage to the Vegas’ brothers mixed race roots which they were proud of. This would influence their music, when they formed their new band Redbone, which became one of the first Native American rock groups.
The Vegas brothers started playing shows at various clubs on Hollywood and Sunset Boulevard in the evenings. During the day, the Vegas brothers wrote songs and practised. After a while, they became session musicians, and played alongside Elvis Presley, Little Richard, Tina Turner, James Brown and Sonny and Cher. This was good practise when the nascent lineup of Redbone signed to Epic.
The other part of Pat Vegas’ prize for winning the singing contest was a recording with Epic. When the Vegas brothers were ready, they signed their recording contract with Epic. By then, Redbone’s lineup featured of bassist and vocalist Pat Vegas, Lolly Vegas, Peter DePoe and Robert Anthony. This was the lineup that featured on Redbone’s debut album.
Redbone.
By the time, that Redbone began recording their debut album, Lolly Vegas had already written many songs. He soon became Redbone’s songwriter-in-chief, and eventually, eleven of seventeen songs that featured on Redbone, which was an ambitious double album, had been penned by Lolly Vegas. He also wrote Crazy Cajun Cakewalk Band and Niki Hokey with his brother Pat and Jim Ford, while the four members of Redbone wrote Jambone and Things Go Better. Pat Vegas wrote Danse Calinda and wrote Suite Mode with Peter DePoe and Tony Bellamy. These seventeen songs would feature on Redbone’s eponymous debut album.
Redbone went into the studio with Pete Welding, who co-produced their eponymous debut album with Lolly Vegas. The four members of Redbone recorded a genre-melting album that veered between rock and R&B, to Cajun, blues, country and funk. Once Redbone’s ambitious, genre-sprawling album was completed, Redbone was released later in 1970.
Redbone was well received by critics upon its release. This augured well for the release of the album. However, when the album was released, Redbone failed to chart. It was a disappointing start to Redbone’s career. Soon, though, their luck would change.
Potlatch.
After the disappointing sales of the eponymous debut album, it was a case of back to the drawing board for Redbone. They began work on their sophomore album Potlatch, which featured ten new songs. Five songs came from the pen of Lolly Vegas, while his brother Pat penned three songs. The Vegas brothers wrote Bad News Ain’t No News at All with Tony Bellamy and Without Reservation was credited to Redbone. These songs became Redbone’s sophomore album Potlatch.
Just like Redbone, Potlatch was produced by Lolly Vegas and Pete Welding. Just like their debut album, the lead vocals were shared on Potlatch. Lolly and Pat Vegas took charge of the lead vocals, while Redbone became one on Bad News Ain’t No News At All. It was part of what was a much slicker and more accessible album than its predecessor. It found Redbone combining ballads like Alcatraz which was sung from the perspective of a Native American, with uptempo and funkier songs. Potlatch with its mixture of rock, R&B, funk and blues was another potent musical mixture.
Critics were won over by Potlatch, and its much slicker, accessible style. So were record buyers when they heard the lead single Maggie. It reached forty-five on the US Billboard 100. Maybe Redbone’s luck was changing? That proved to be the case when Potlatch was released in October 1970, and reached ninety-nine on the US Billboard 200. Redbone’s music was starting to find a wider audience.
Sales of Potlatch had been helped by Redbone’s recent appearance at the first Earth Day To The World in Philly. Redone was the opening act, and played Chant ‘13th’ Hour from Potlatch. After this appearance, record buyers started taking notice of Redbone.
Message From A Drum.
After the success of the single Maggie, and their sophomore album Potlatch, Redbone were keen to build on this success. They began writing and recorded their third album, which eventually became Message From A Drum.
For Message From A Drum, Lolly Vegas wrote six of the eleven tracks and his brother Pat wrote the title-track. The brothers collaborated on Niji Trance, Jerico, The Witch Queen Of New Orleans and When You Got Trouble. These eleven songs from the pen of the Vegas’ brothers became Message From A Drum.
When recording of Message From A Drum began, there was no sign of Pete Welding, who had co-produced Redone’s first two albums with Lolly Vegas. This time around, Lolly and Pat Vegas decided to co-produce another album that flitted between and combined musical genres. Elements of Cajun and Native American influenced were combined with rock ’n’ roll and blues. However, two of the instrumental were less than twenty-seconds long. They were an amuse-bouche for the rest of Message From A Drum.
On hearing Message From A Drum, it received praise and plaudits from critics. They hailed Message From A Drum Redbone’s finest album of their three album career. They weren’t alone.
Record buyers agreed, when the single The Witch Queen Of New Orleans was released in 1971, it reached twenty-one on the US Billboard 100. This was the most successful single of Redbone’s career.It was a similar case with Message From A Drum, which was released in 1971 and reached seventy-five in the US Billboard 200. The album also found an audience in Europe, where it was released as The Witch Queen Of New Orleans. This included in Holland, where the album reached twenty-five. For Redbone, Message From A Drum was the most successful album of their career.
Redbone had come a long way in just two years. They had released three albums, two of which had charted and enjoyed two hit singles. The next chapters in Redbone’s career began with Already Here in 1972
Already Here.
Before work began on Already Here, Peter DePoe was considering his position with Redbone. He had played an important part in the band’s sound, pioneering the thunderous King Kong style of drumming. It was a feature of the band’s sound, and powered the arrangements along. However, Peter DePoe was coming to the conclusion that his time with Redbone was over. He was about to make a huge decision, and maybe one he would regret for the rest of his life.
By 1972, Peter DePoe had watched as the Vegas’ brothers took charge of songwriting and production. This most musicians knew, was where the money was to be made. As a result, Peter DePoe and Tony Bellamy were reduced to sidemen. While Tony Bellamy was willing to accept this, Peter DePoe decided to leave Redbone.
Fortunately, Tony Bellamy knew of someone who could replace Peter DePoe, Arturo Perez who was also a drummer and percussionist. He auditioned and joined Redbone as work began on Already Here.
For Already Here, Lolly Vegas wrote Speakeasy, Where Is Your Heart and Already Here, while Pat Vegas wrote Good Enough For Jesus. Lolly and Pat Vegas wrote Fais-Do and penned Motivation and Condition Your Condition with Tony Bellamy. The other song on Already Here, was a cover Leiber and Stoller’s Poison Ivy. These eleven songs became Already Here.
When recording of Already Here began, the Vegas brothers were co-producing the album with Alex Kazanegras. This was the first time they had worked together. Redbone also drafted in various musicians to play on a track. This ranged from the Elijah Horn Section on Motivation to steel-guitarist Red Rhode, slide guitarist Terry Furlong, pianist Gordon DeWitty plus percussionists Chipper Lavergne and Ronnie Baron. They were joined by Davide Oliver and Michael Freda who added backing vocals on Condition Your Condition. The other musician who played a part in the making of Already Here was Condition Your Condition was drummer Peter DePoe, who made his Redbone farewell on Power (Prelude To A Means). It was the end of an era, and the start of a new one.
Critics realised this when they heard Already Here. The addition of horns and lush strings was a new departure. This was a first for Redbone. So was their decision to move in the direction of country music. Redbone were musical chameleons, who constantly sought to reinvent their music. They continued to do on Already Here, where they continued to combine rock, R&B, blues and country. Essentially Already Here was a mixture Redbone’s musical roots and music that influenced and inspired the musical chameleons.
Despite the quality of music on Already Here, the album failed to replicate the success of Potlatch and Message From A Drum. Already Here failed to chart, and was the one that got away for Redbone. Maybe this was a wakeup call for the band?
Wovoka.
When work began on Redbone’s fifth album, there was another change in the band’s lineup. Arturo Perez left the band which was a huge blow for the band. However, Tony Bellamy introduced the Vegas brothers to his cousin Arturo Perez. He was a drummer and percussionist, and after an audition joined Redbone. This was perfect timing.
For Wovoka nine were written for what would be Redbone’s fifth album. This included the Lolly Vegas’ compositions Sweet Lady Of Love, Liquid Truth and Come and Get Your Love. The Vegas brothers wrote We Were All Wounded At Wounded Knee. Pat Vegas had contributed Chant Wovoka penned Someday (A Good Song) and Day to Day Life with Tony Bellamy. Closing Wovoka was ‘23rd’ and Mad which had been written by Pat Vegas and former Redbone drummer Pete DePoe.
Just like Already Here, Wovoka was co-produced by Pat Vegas, Lolly Vegas and Alex Kazanegras. Joining Redbone were Joe Sample on piano and vibes, percussionist Eddie Caciedo and backing vocalists Sherry Williams and Johnny Lopez. They played their part in another genre-melting album. Elements of rock, R&B, folk-rock and pop were combined by Redbone on what was an accomplished, slick and sometimes, politically charged and controversial album.
The controversy began when executives at Epic heard We Were All Wounded At Wounded Knee. It recalled the massacre of Lakota Sioux Indians by the 7th Cavalry Regiment in 1890. As the executives as Epic listened to the song, they knew there was a problem. Especially when the songs closes with the line: “we were all wounded ‘by’ Wounded Knee”. Straight away, the executives at Epic realised that this was too controversial a subject. So much so, the American and Canadian versions of Wovoka omitted We Were All Wounded At Wounded Knee. While this could be seen an act of censorship, executives at Epic were being realistic, as they knew the effect that a song like We Were All Wounded At Wounded Knee could have.
Before that, critics had their say on Wovoka, and hailed it one of Redbone’s finest albums. One of the songs that stood out was the Lolly Vegas composition Come and Get Your Love.
Come and Get Your Love was released as the lead single from Wovoka, and reached number five on the US Billboard 100 and seventy-five on the US R&B charts. The success of Come and Get Your Love resulted in Redbone’s first gold disc. This augured well for the release of Wovoka.
When Wovoka was released in November 1973, it reached number sixty-six in the US Billboard 200, which was the highest chart placing of any of Redbone’s first five albums.
Redbone released Wovoka as their next single and it stopped just short of the US Billboard 100 at 101. This was a disappointment for the members of Redbone. Everything had been going so well.
For their next single, Redbone decided to release We Were All Wounded At Wounded Knee. When it was released as a single in America, it was promptly banned by several radio stations. Redbone had been the victim of a blatant act of censorship. It was a different matter when We Were All Wounded At Wounded Knee was released as a single in Europe. The single enjoyed a degree of success, and in Holland, reached number one. For Redbone, this was their first ever number one single and Wovoka had been their most successful album. This was a lot to live up to.
Beaded Dreams Through Turquoise Eyes.
Buoyed by their most successful album, their first gold disc and first number one single, Redbone began work on their sixth album Beaded Dreams Through Turquoise Eyes. It featured the same lineup of Redbone that recorded Wovoka.
This time around, the Vegas brothers wrote the songs that became Beaded Dreams Through Turquoise Eyes. Lolly Vegas penned One More Time, Suzi Girl, Cookin’ With D’Redbone, Beautiful Illusion and Moon When Four Eclipse. Pat Vegas contributed Blood Sweat and Tears, (Beaded Dreams Through) Turquoise Eyes and Interstate Highway 101. The Vegas brothers wrote Only You and Rock and Roll and I’ll Never Stop Loving You. These song would become their much-anticipated sixth album Beaded Dreams Through Turquoise Eyes.
Despite forging a successful partnership with Alex Kazanegras on Already Here and Wovoka, the Lolly and Pat Vegas decided to produce Beaded Dreams Through Turquoise Eyes themselves. They produced what was Redbone’s most commercial and accessible album at Devonshire Studios, North Hollywood and Wally Heider’s studio in Hollywood. Unlike many bands, Redbone and the Vegas brothers who produced Beaded Dreams Through Turquoise Eyes had no qualms about producing a commercial album that flitted between rock, blue-eyed soul, funk and R&B. Redbone hoped that the album would build on the success of Wovoka.
While Beaded Dreams Through Turquoise Eyes was well received by critics, this carefully crafted, slick and accessible album passed most record buyers by. That was despite songs of the quality of One More Time, Suzi Girl, Beautiful Illusion and I’ll Never Stop Loving You. When Beaded Dreams Through Turquoise Eyes was released in 1974, the album stalled at 174 in the US Billboard charts. For Redbone, this was a huge disappointment.
Just as it looked as if Redbone were about to make a breakthrough, and become one of the leading lights of American AOR, Beaded Dreams Through Turquoise Eyes had stalled in the lower reaches of the US Billboard 200. No longer did it look as if Redbone would be joining Styx, REO Speedwagon, Chicago and Foreigner at AOR’s top table. For Redbone, it was a case of close, but no cigar.
After the release of Beaded Dreams Through Turquoise Eyes, Redbone parted company with Epic after releasing six studio albums. Sadly, their Epic swan-song Beaded Dreams Through Turquoise Eyes had failed to build on the success of earlier albums. This was a huge disappointment for Redbone.
Cycles.
Three years passed before Redbone returned with their seventh studio album, Cycles in 1977. By then, much changed. Redbone were now billed as Redbone Featuring Pat Vegas and Lolly Vegas. The other thing that had changed was Redbone’s lineup. They were a trio featuring Pat Vegas, Lolly Vegas and new addition Aloisio Aguiar. There was one other thing that had changed since Redbone released Beaded Dreams Through Turquoise Eyes was…music.
Disco’s popularity was on the rise by 1977, and this was affecting the record sales. Many record buyers had turned their back on soul, R&B and funk, in favour of disco. Many other bands had been affected. Redbone were hoping the disco’s rise in popularity wouldn’t affect their comeback.
For Cycles, Pat Vegas wrote Funky Silk while his brother Lolly penned Ooh and Checkin’ It Out. The Vegas brothers then wrote Cycles, Gamble (Take a Chance on Me), Give Our Love Another Try, Dancing Bones and Don’t Say No. The other track on Cycles was Open (Give It Back to Me) which the Vegas brothers wrote with Eddie Summers. These nine songs would become Cycles.
When recording of Cycles began, Linda Creed and Jerry Goldstein had been brought onboard to produce the album. They also added backing vocals on Cycles. Pat and Lolly Vegas were named as executive producer. New addition Aloisio Aguiar played percussion, piano, clavinet, Fender Rhodes and was responsible for the strings on Cycles. It was recorded at Crystal Sound and Sound City Studios, and was ready for release in 1977.
When Cycles was released in 1977, the album was well received by critics. They were won over by Redbone, as they switched between and combined pop, rock, funk, soul and R&B. Ddespite the critical reception, Cycles album failed to chart. For Redbone this was a huge disappointment and their time at RCA proved brief.
Redbone Live.
With Cycles failing to find an audience, Redbone didn’t released a followup on RCA. Their next album was Redbone Live, which had been recorded at Gazzarri’s, Los Angeles California and Corpus Christi, Texas, when Redbone opened for War, Average White band and Tower of Power. Seventeen years later, and the Jerry Goldstein produced Redbone Live was belatedly released in 1994. It was a reminder of Redbone in their seventies pomp as they worked their way through old favourites and hidden gems. It would be another eleven years before Redbone returned with a new album,
One World.
Redbone returned eleven years later in 2005, with their tenth album One World. By then, Tony Bellamy had returned to Redbone’s lineup where he joined Pat and Lolly Vegas. They recorded ten songs which were produced by Pat Vegas. These ten songs became One World, which was released in 2005.
One World saw Redbone combine and flit between rock, funk and soul. While One World is regard as one of the hidden gems in Redbone’s back-catalogue. However, Redbone couldn’t have been happy with the album, as it was later edited and rereleased four years later as Peace Pipe. Sadly, this proved to be Redbone’s swan-song.
On December ‘25th’ 2009, Tony Bellamy died of liver failure. Less than three months later, Lolly Vegas passed on March the ‘4th’ 2010 away after battling lung cancer. This marked the end of an era for Redbone, who had been together since 1969.
The most successful period of Redbone’s career was the five years they spent at Epic, where they released six studio albums. During that period, four of Redbone’s albums had charted and they enjoyed three hit singles. Their biggest hit single in America was Come and Get Your Love, which sold over 500,000 copies and was certified gold. However, in Holland their most controversial single We Were All Wounded At Wounded Knee reached number one. Holland and other parts of Europe, had been a happy hunting ground for Redbone. They proved a popular band during the Epic years, which was when Redbone recorded the best and most successful music of a career that spanned six decades. This began when Redbone’s founders Pat and Lolly Vegas decided to go west in search of the American Dream.
Redbone-Go West In Search Of The American Dream.
JOEY NEGRO + SEAN P PRESENT THE BEST OF DISCO SPECTRUM.
Joey Negro + Sean P Present The Best Of Disco Spectrum.
Label: BBE.
Nearly eighteen years ago, BBE released the first volume in their critically acclaimed Disco Spectrum series. It was compiled by DJ, remixer and crate digger extraordinaire Joey Negro. He was responsible for a compilation that stood head and shoulders above the competition in the crowded compilation market. The question on many people’s lips was what about a followup?
Just over five months later, and their wish was granted when Disco Spectrum 2: Real Disco For Real People;Compiled By Joey Negro was released in April 2000. Again, it was quality all the way on a compilation crammed full of classics that had inspired house. It looked as if BBE had a successful compilation series on their hands.
That proved to be the case when Disco Spectrum Volume 3 was released in May 2002. It was well worth the two-year wait and featured a mixture of classics and hidden gems. Joey Negro and Sean P had chosen well. The two top DJs were responsible for what many felt was the best instalment in the Disco Spectrum series, which seemed to be maturing like a fine wine. Music fans awaited the next instalment in the Disco Spectrum.
Sadly, there was no fourth instalment in the Disco Spectrum series. This was a brave decision, as BBE could’ve continued to release an instalment of the Disco Spectrum series every years or two. Instead, BBE moved on to other series, which went on to enjoy the same success as the Disco Spectrum series.
Meanwhile, the tracks on the Disco Spectrum series were being remixed and sampled by producers and DJs. They also found their way onto a plethora of other compilations. However, it was Joey Negro and Sean P that got their first and introduced the tracks to a new audience. This was part of their musical education.
Since then, eighteen years have passed since the last instalment in Disco Spectrum Volume 3 was released. Even now, many people still miss the Disco Spectrum series. Some optimists thought there would be a fourth instalment in the series. However, they also think that Glen Miller is just running late. It looked as if the Disco Spectrum series was gone for good.
That was until recently, when BBE announced that the Disco Spectrum series was dusting of its white suit one last time, and heading for the dance-floor. This isn’t a fourth instalment in the series though. Instead, it’s Joey Negro + Sean P Present The Best Of Disco Spectrum, a two CD set released by BBE. Joey Negro take and Sean P choose their twenty-one favourite tracks from the Disco Spectrum series. This is fitting, as 2017 is the twenty-first anniversary of BBE.
Much has changed since the release of Disco Spectrum Volume 3 in 2002. Nowadays, Joey Negro is DJ, remixer, producer and label head hone. He’s also approaching the veteran stage in terms of compilations. If he was a footballer, Joey Negro would be about to receive a testimonial and would be thinking about opening a sport’s shop or pub near the group. However, Joey Negro is a globetrotting DJ and is much in demand when it comes to curating compilations. Joey Negro knows what’s called in modern parlance “a good tune.” It’s a similar case with Sean P.
Just like Joey Negro, Sean P has many strings to his bow. London-based Sean Pennycook is an audio engineer, DJ, remixer and record collector. He’s also a veteran compiler, and has curated many a compilation, including two volumes of The Soul Of Disco for BBE and Under The Influence Volume Five for Joey Negro’s ZR Records. Recently, though, Sean P and Joey Negro travelled back in time to their Disco Spectrum days and chose twenty-one tracks from the three volumes in the series. They became Joey Negro + Sean P Present The Best Of Disco Spectrum.
Disc One.
For disc one of Joey Negro + Sean P Present The Best Of Disco Spectrum, the two veteran DJs dig deep, and combine classics aplenty with the occasional hidden gem. This includes Al Hudson and The Soul Partners, The Love Symphony Orchestra, Rare Pleasure, The Brothers, Exodus, Alfredo De La Fe, Cloud One, Blair and George Duke.
Straight away, Joey Negro + Sean P make an impression by dropping Al Hudson and The Soul Partners’ disco classic Spread Love. It was written and produced by Gary Glenn and released on ABC Records. Spread Love which also incorporates elements of proto-boogie and soul, featured on Al Hudson and The Soul Partners’ third album Spreading Love. This disco classic is the perfect way to open disc one and indeed, Joey Negro + Sean P Present The Best Of Disco Spectrum.
Anthemic and instantly recognisable describes Rare Pleasure’s Let Me Down Easy, which was released as a single on Cheri Records in 1976. It was penned by the Andrew Louis Smith and David Jordan songwriting partnership. David Jordan also takes charge of production on this soulful, funky dance-floor filler that is a reminder of the glory days of disco.
By 1976, The Brothers were signed to RCA and released a 12” single Brothers Theme, which featured a trio of tracks that also featured on their album Don’t Stop Now. The highlight of Brothers Theme was the instrumental Under The Skin, where dancing strings, braying horns and myriad of percussion are part of an irresistible call to dance.
By 1981, disco was dead, and many DJs were now playing boogie in clubs. As a result, some disco groups were forced to reinvent their music. That was the case with Cloud One whose music moved in the direction of boogie. They were joined by Margo Williams on Don’t Let My Rainbow Pass Me By. It was penned and produced by Patrick Adam and Peter Brown, and was released on Golden Flamingo Records in 1981. Don’t Let My Rainbow Pass Me By was a memorable fusion of boogie, disco and soul, and showed DJs and dancers that there was life after disco. Later, tracks like Don’t Let My Rainbow Pass Me By would influence and influence a generation of house producers.
Much had changed for fusion pioneer George Duke by 1979. His music had evolved throughout the seventies, and fusion gave way to jazz-funk. However, it wasn’t as popular as it had been and disco was at the peak of its popularity. Everyone was jumping on the disco bandwagon before the wheels came off. This included George Duke George Duke who joined forces with Lynn Davis on I Want You for Myself. It was written and produced by George Duke and combined elements of jazz-funk and disco with Lynn Davis soulful and sultry vocal. This was a winning combination and is the perfect way to close disc one of Joey Negro + Sean P Present The Best Of Disco Spectrum.
Disc Two.
Disc Two opens with Idris Muhammad’s dance-floor filler Could Heaven Ever Be Like This which was written by David Matthews and Tony Sarafino. It’s a track from his 1977 album Turn This Mutha Out, which was arranged and produced by David Matthews. When it came time to choose a single on the Kudu label. one track stood head and shoulders above the Could Heaven Ever Be Like, a near nine minute Magnus Opus, which forty years later, is one of the highlights of Joey Negro + Sean P Present The Best Of Disco Spectrum.
So is John Davis and the Monster Orchestra’s cover of Ashford and Simpson’s Bourgie Bourgie, which was released as a single on SAM Records in 1979. It’s a track from The Monster Strikes Again which was released in 1979 and was John Davis and the Monster Orchestra’s swan-song. For the Philly based bandleader, producer, songwriter and musician, Bourgie Bourgie was one of John Davis and the Monster Orchestra’s finest moments of the disco era.
In 1979, Chantal Curtis released Get Another Love on Key Records. It was also the title-track to the Tunisian born singer’s one and only album Get Another Love which was released in 1979. Sadly, there was no followup to Get Another Love and six years later, Chantal Curtis passed away in Israel. She will always be remembered for Get Another Love, which eventually features a sultry vocal. Get Another Love may be something of a slow burner, but once it starts to reveal its secrets, it’s guaranteed to fill any dance-floor.
Fresh Band only ever released the one single, Come Back Lover in 1984, on the New York based Are ‘n Be Records. It was a short-lived label, and it’s finest release is Come Back Lover where the Fresh Band fuse funk and soul with boogie and disco to create a memorable dance-floor filler.
Jo.Boyer’s best known song is Isabelle and the Rain, which was released on Job Records in 1978. It was written and arranged by Jo.Boyer, while Mike Lang takes charge of the keyboards and synths on this carefully crafted dance track. It’s a fusion of disco, funk, jazz-funk and proto-boogie that has stood the test of time and sounds just as good in 2017, as it did in 1978.
Closing disc two of Joey Negro + Sean P Present The Best Of Disco Spectrum is the disco funk of Universe City’s Can You Get Down which was released in 1976 on Bob Reno’s Midland International. It was taken from the album Universe City which produced by John Davis and was also released in 1976. Backing Universe City were many Philly based musicians including producer John Davis, Craig Snyder and the legendary Don Renaldo. They play their part on the type of slick, soulful, funky and dance-floor friendly single that has made in Philly written all over it.
After twenty-one tracks Joey Negro + Sean P Present The Best Of Disco Spectrum is over. That marks an end of the long-awaited and much-anticipated Disco Spectrum comeback. It’s been a long tine coming. Fifteen years, but hey whose counting when the music is as good as that on Joey Negro + Sean P Present The Best Of Disco Spectrum. Quite simply, this is the creme de la creme of the Disco Spectrum series.
The two veteran DJs have cherry picked the best of the three instalments in the Disco Spectrum series. Fittingly, this new compilation is entitled Joey Negro + Sean P Present The Best Of Disco Spectrum. It finds classics aplenty rubbing shoulders with oft-overlooked dance-floor fillers. They were discovered by compilers Joey Negro and Sean P between 1999 and 2002, when they were compiling the much missed Disco Spectrum series. It makes a welcome return on the ‘8th’ of September 2017, when Joey Negro + Sean P Present The Best Of Disco Spectrum will be released.
Now that the Disco Spectrum series is about to make a welcome comeback with Joey Negro + Sean P Present The Best Of Disco Spectrum, it seems that anything is possible. Maybe even Glen Miller is still out there, and is just running late?
Joey Negro + Sean P Present The Best Of Disco Spectrum.
THE RADIATORS FROM SPACE-TV TUBE HEART 40TH ANNIVERSARY VERSION.
The Radiators From Space-TV Tube Heart-40th Anniversary Version.
Label: Ace Records.
When The Ramones played at the Roundhouse in London on the ‘4th’ of July 1976, this was a catalyst for punk movement. Many of the future leading lights of the punk movement have since claimed to have been present that night. In the audience were apparently future members of Generation X, Siouxsie and the Banshees, The Adverts, The Slits and X-Ray Spex. They watched the as the support act The Stranglers worked their way through their set. Little did they know how important a band The Stranglers, would be or the longevity they would go on to enjoy.
As The Stranglers, left the stage, there was a sense of anticipation in the air about The Ramones. Very few people had seen them live, but some had read about them in the music press. Others had only heard third hand about The Ramones and speculated about what was about to unfold. The speculation was nothing compared to the reality of The Ramones live at the Roundhouse on the ‘4th’ of July 1976. This was a seminal moment for the nascent British punk scene. After seeing The Ramones legendary concert, many of the future leading lights of the punk scene went on to form bands.
They weren’t alone. Up and down Britain, new bands were formed on an almost daily basis and the punk rock movement exploded. It was the musical movement British youths had been waiting for, as it allowed them to vent their frustration at life in battered Britain in 1976. Soon, it was a similar situation elsewhere.
This included across the Irish Sea in Dublin, where the punk movement was also born in July 1976. Just like Britain, the Republic of Ireland’s economy was far from healthy. Less that fifty percent of school leavers were fortunate enough to find a job. The rest was known as the “unemployed generation.” Adding to their woes, and that of the rest of the Irish youth was the lack of recreational facilities. They had been overlooked and failed by their government.
Some fell into a life of crime, while others made the journey “across the water,” to British cities where many Irish people had settled. This they hoped would lead to a better life. However, the prospects were no better there, and often, the natives were far from friendly. As a result, many young Dubliners decided to stay were they were. It was a case of “better the devil you know.”
Some of the young Dubliners that stayed in the city of their birth would become involved in the city’s nascent punk scene after July 1976. This was ground zero for Irish punk and many young Dubliners would form bands, found independent record labels and publish or write for fanzines. A thriving and vibrant scene was about to take shape over the next year or so. All this was partly due to Ireland’s first punk band The Radiators From Space. They issued a call to arms, and asked the Irish youth to unleash their creativity.
That is what the Irish youth proceeded to do, over the next few months and years. They discovered hidden talents that had passed unnoticed at schools across the country. This wouldn’t have happened if it hadn’t been for the band who are credited as Ireland’s very first punk band,
The Radiators From Space, whose debut album TV Tube Heart was recently reissued by Ace Records. This is the 40th Anniversary Version of TV Tube Heart and features the thirteen songs on the album and twenty bonus tracks. This in the perfect entrée for newcomers to The Radiators From Space who were formed in 1976, and were unlike most punk bands.
It’s safe to say that The Radiators From Space were a much more cerebral and literate band that the majority of punk bands. They were intelligent and didn’t indulge in the clichéd, vacuous posturing of many of the British punk groups who used controversy as a means of self promotion. That wasn’t the way that The Radiators From Space operated.
The Radiators From Space were formed in Dublin in 1976, and their early lineup included Philip Chevron, Pete Holidai, Steve Rapid (Steve Averill), Jimmy Crashe and Mark Megaray. From their early days, it was obvious that were different from other Irish and indeed, British punk bands.
Not only were The Radiators From Space cerebral and literate, they also had an almost encyclopaedic knowledge of music and musical history. Partly, this was because Steve Rapid’s father brought back music and American music magazines from his regular trips to New York. These magazines Steve Rapid and the rest of the band poured over, developing and honing their knowledge of music. Meanwhile, The Radiators From Space listened to groups like Hawkwind, MC5, The Deviants and The Stooges, right through to pop, rock, subversive German cabaret and traditional Irish music. This The Radiators From Space regarded as their musical education, and unlike many other punk bands, they didn’t reject this music when punk arrived. Instead, it was part of The Radiators From Space’s musical DNA as they moved forward.
Having formed The Radiators From Space, the band announced that they had developed their own manifesto. This had all been thought out and carefully considered as The Radiators From Space announced that they wanted to transform the Irish youth from consumers to producers. The Radiators From Space knew that the Irish youth were capable of forming bands and record labels, founding fanzines and putting on club nights. They would issue a rallying call, and this encouraged the Irish youth to become producers not just of music, but create a fledgling music and entertainment industry. Part of this inspirational rallying call was also about enjoyment and pleasure.
This wasn’t easy in Ireland in 1976, where poverty and unemployment were rife. Many youths were from broken homes and there was a massive problem with illiteracy. There was also ‘The Troubles’, which blighted both sides of the Irish border. Many Irish youths didn’t want to get involved in the conflict, as they had watched as friends and acquaintances got caught up in it. Some ended up in prison, while others were injured or even killed. That was a road they weren’t going down, and the only rallying call they listened to was The Radiators From Space.
They were at the heart of the nascent punk movement, with The Radiators From Space playing live and ran and published their own fanzine Raw Power. This was an outlet for the band’s manifesto and allowed them to discuss their plans for an Alternative Ireland. This wasn’t a political movement. Instead, it was about making a better life for young Irish people. The Radiators From Space, wasted to inspire and foster a feeling of solidarity. Readers were encouraged to try to find pleasure during each day. Sometimes, readers found love, and a few even found love across the religious divide. This was controversial and indeed dangerous in Ireland in 1976.
Before long, The Radiators From Space and their fanzine was coming in for criticism from the Catholic Church. When Father Brian D’Arcy, a spokesperson for the Catholic church wrote about out The Radiators From Space and their fanzine Raw Power, he didn’t encourage their endeavours or creativity. Instead, Father Brian D’Arcy sneered contemptuously of The Radiators From Space and their fanzine Raw Power. It seemed that The Radiators From Space had the Catholic church rattled with their call to arms as a largely secular generation look for an alternative to organised religion. However, The Radiators From Space had another means of reaching an even wider audience…their music.
Although The Radiators From Space were activists and creatives, they were also musicians. That was what they hoped would offer them an escape from the grinding poverty and unemployment that besmirched Ireland, and indeed Britain. Music just like football and boxing was still an escape for working class youths in 1976.
It was a similar case in Britain, where punk bands were being formed almost daily. Many of them lacked talent and charisma, and were ill-suited to what was still the entertainment industry. By comparison, those that encountered The Radiators From Space found them engaging and intelligent. They were also talented, and a cut above the average punk band.
After a while, The Radiators From Space wanted to embark upon a recording career. They were no different from punk bands in Britain, America and Australia. For punk bands, releasing a single was a rite of passage, and for others, would be a reminder of their brief brush with the music industry. Most didn’t get any further than that, and disappeared without trace. However, releasing a record in Britain was much easier than in Ireland.
Unlike many capital cities, Dublin didn’t have a music industry by 1976. There were neither major labels nor recording studios. Some bands travelled across the border to Belfast to record singles prior to the punk era. That was the past; and given the DIY spirit of punk, bands in Britain had recorded singles without going near a recording studio. They used basic equipment and transformed garages or basements into makeshift studios.
One option for all Irish bands had been to pack their bags and travel to London, where they would try to forge a career. The lucky ones like Rory Gallagher and Thin Lizzy went on to sign recording contracts, and became Ireland’s most successful musical exports. However, not all bands wanted to move to London, and that included The Radiators From Space during the early part of their career.
They were at the centre of Dublin’s scene and realised that something special was starting to take shape. Across Ireland, a new wave of bands, writers, fanzine publishers, promoters, record label owners and DJs were becoming part of the country’s burgeoning music scene. This included Eamon Carr and Jackie Hayden, who had founded the independent label Midnite Records.
The pair was also friendly with a trio of Irish expats living in London, where they were part of the music industry. Ted Caroll was from the Republic of Ireland, while his friend and colleague Roger Armstrong was from Northern Ireland. Both lived and breathed music and were cut from the same cloth as Eamon Carr and Jackie Hayden. Both Ted Caroll and Roger Armstrong were musical entrepreneurs who had embraced the DIY principal and owned Chiswick Records. They kept in touch with booking agent Paul Charles, another Irish expat who still kept his finger on the pulse in the Irish music scene. He booked many of the top Irish bands and was part of The Radiators From Space inner circle.
Of all the Irish bands, Paul Charles was especially taken with The Radiators From Space. They were the only punk band who managed their own affairs. This was just a continuation of the DIY spirit The Radiators From Space had tried so hard to foster. It’s also likely given The Radiators From Space encyclopaedic knowledge of music that they were wary of music managers and would rather manage their own affairs. This was about to work in their favour.
In 1977, The Radiators From Space signed to Chiswick Records. Unlike many labels, Chiswick Records didn’t require the band to move to London. Instead, The Radiators From Space could continue to live in Dublin.
Television Screen.
With the deal signed and sealed, The Radiators From Space began work on their debut album TV Tube Heart. Before the album was recorded, The Radiators From Space their debut single in May 1977. The song they chose was Television Screen with Love Detective on the B-Side of their debut single. It was Sounds magazine record of the week, and was a memorable way for The Radiators From Space to announce their arrival. Both songs are among the twenty bonus tracks on the 40th Anniversary reissue of TV Tube Heart.
It was a mixture of original songs and Party Line’s version of the traditional song The Radiators From Space. TV Tube Heart was very much a group effort with the five members of the band having penned the twelve original songs.
Guitarist Phil Chevron penned Television Screen, Prison Bars and Enemies, while Pete Holidai wrote Roxy Girl and Steve Rapid wrote Party Line. Press Gang and Ripped and Torn were credited to the band. Great Expectations was written by Mark Megaray, Steve Rapid and Phil Chevron. He was one of the one of the most productive band members when it came to songwriting. Phil Chevron and Pete Holidai wrote Electric Shares, and the pair then joined forces with Steve Rapid to write Contact, Sunday World and Not Too Late. Phil Chevron’s other contribution was Blitzin’ At the Ritz which he wrote with Jimmy Crashe. Along with Party Line, those songs became TV Tube Heart.
When recording began of TV Tube Heart began on ‘22nd’ June 1977, with Roger Armstrong took charge of production. The Radiators From Space’s rhythm section featured drummer Jimmy Crashe, bassist Mark Megaray and guitarists Phil Chevron and Pete Holidai. Adding the lead vocal was Steve Rapid. Eventually, TV Tube Heart was completed by August 1977.
On the ‘9th’ of September 1977, The Radiators From Space played a showcase gig at The Vortex. During a blistering set, they played Prison Bars, Contact, Party Line, Press Gang and Enemies, which feature on the newly released 40th Anniversary Version of TV Tube Heart. These tracks feature The Radiators From Space at the peak of their powers.
A month later, TV Tube Heart was released by Chiswick Records on October the ‘7th’ 1977. Critics were won over by The Radiators From Space’s debut album TV Tube Heart. Critics spoke as one, praising TV Tube Heart. That came as no surprise given the reception their debut single had received.
The Radiators From Space had followed this up with an accomplished album of pop punk that wasn’t short of anthems and social comment. From the howling feedback that opens Television Screen, it’s a case of sit back and enjoy the ride. It’s a memorable way to open the album, as The Radiators From Space combined elements of garage rock, pop, punk, rock and even rock ’n’ roll. Unlike many punk bands, The Radiators From Space prove to be talented songwriters and musicians on album which features many highlights.
Among them, are the anthem Prison Bars and driving Great Expectations which features some blistering guitar licks. Roxy Girl unfolds at breakneck speed and is a mixture of energy and raw power. There’s a defiance to Press Gang as The Radiators From Space reference The New York Dolls and Ramones which is another The Radiators From Space’s finest moments. Contact is a mixture defiance, despair and social comment, while Sunday World which closed side one of the album is a melodic mixture of energy and raw power.
It’s a similar case on Electric Shares, where The Radiators From Space showcase their skills as musicians. Thunderous drum fills and searing guitars are part of a potent and heady brew. Machine gun guitars are unleaded on Enemies and ratty drums add join the vocal on this melodic fusion of garage rock and punk. Ripped and Torn epitomises the spirit of ’76, while Not Too Late sounds like an anthemic hybrid of The Undertones and Sex Pistols. Blitzin At the Ritz finds The Radiators From Space with their feet to their floor on another memorable and anthemic song. Closing the album is The Radiators From Space’s rework of Party Line which is raw and rocky and features vocal that is a mixture of frustration and defiance. It closed TV Tube Heart on high.
Forty years later, and TV Tube Heart is punk classic, and a cut above many of the third-rate albums that were being released. The Radiators From Space had made their mark on the punk scene on both sides of the Irish Sea. Surely, it was only a matter of time before one of the majors came calling?
Two months later, and The Radiators From Space released their sophomore single Enemies in on Chiswick Records in December 1977. Just like its predecessor Television Screen, it won the approval of critics. Things were looking good for The Radiators From Space, who critics said had a bright future in front of them.
Nearly two years later, and The Radiators From Space were still signed to Chiswick Records. However, they had moved to London earlier in 1979. This was a big step for the band, leaving their home city behind. Some said it paid off when they released their critically acclaimed sophomore album Ghostown on August ’10th’ 1979. For some critics, the album was The Radiators From Space finest hour. Others sill believed that TV Tube was their best album. What was clear, was that The Radiators From Space had released two genre classics.
Sadly, two years later in 1981, The Radiators From Space split-up. It was the end of an era for what many regard as Dublin and indeed Ireland’s first punk band.
The Radiators From Space were reunited in 1987 and were together until they spilt for the second time in 1989. They were reunited in 2004, and are still together thirteen years later. During that period, they’ve released two albums 2006s Trouble Pilgrim and Sound City Beat in 2012. It was another five years before The Radiators From Space returned to the studio.
Earlier in 2017, The Radiators From Space made a welcome return to the studio and rerecorded some of their songs. Ten of the songs they rerecorded feature on TV Tube Heart-40th Anniversary Version. They’re billed as Live In The Studio. This includes old favourites like Television Screen, Electric Shares, Ripped and Torn, Roxy Girl and Love Detective. The Radiators From Space roll back the years to 1977, when they were embarking upon their music adventure. These old favourites are joined by Psychotic Reaction, Teenage Head and Try and Stop Me as The Radiators From Space continue to take listeners down memory lane. However, the story of TV Tube Heart-40th Anniversary Version isn’t over yet.
There’s also versions of Blitzin At the Ritz and Not Too Late that featured on the cassette versions of the compilation Buying Gold In Heaven The Best Of The Radiators (From Space)-1977/1980. It was released by the Hotwire label in Ireland, in 1985. These tracks complete TV Tube Heart-40th Anniversary Version which was recently released by Ace Records,
This recently released version of TV Tube Heart-40th Anniversary Version has been expanded and features thirty-three tracks. Fourteen of these songs, including those recorded Live At The Vortex in September 1977 and Live In The Studio 2017. Just like the rest of the bonus tracks, they’re a welcome addition to this lovingly curated release. It’s the perfect way to celebrate The Radiators From Space’s landmark debut album TV Tube Heart.
The Radiators From Space were punk pioneers, who are regarded by many as Ireland’s first ever punk band. Their debut album TV Tube Heart is a true genre classic, and is their finest album. TV Tube Heart showcases one of the best and most accomplished punk bands, who were a cut above the competition. By comparison, many of the British punk bands, who were a rag-bag of chancers, charlatans, publicity seekers and talentless no-hopers. Meanwhile, across the Irish Sea, The Radiators From Space were cerebral, literate, inspirational and had a social conscience. They were also one of the leading lights of the Irish punk scene and recorded a true genre classic TV Tube Heart-40th Anniversary Version.
The Radiators From Space-TV Tube Heart-40th Anniversary Version.
JUDY HENSKE-THE ELEKTRA ALBUMS.
Judy Henske-The Elektra Albums.
Label: Ace Records.
It was in 1962, when Judy Henske was living in Los Angeles, that the Queen of the Beatniks first came to the attention of Elektra Records’ founder Jac Holzman. He had just setup A&R and marketing operation in LA and was on looking for new artists to add to Elektra Records’ roster. The first night he saw Judy Henske sing, he knew that he had to sign her. It wasn’t just her powerful voice, it was also her presence onstage and bawdy humour. Jac Holzman was sure that this was a winning combination, and set about signing Judy Henske.
Eventually, it cost Jac Holzman $2,000 to sign Judy Henske to Elektra Records. His initial offer was $1,000, which Jac Holzman was hoped would secure the signature of Judy Henske. However, he was so keen to sign Judy Henske that he was willing to double his initial offer, to $2,000. That was enough to secure the signature of Judy Henske.
Not long after this, Judy Henske recorded her eponymous debut album in front of studio audience. Judy Henske was released on Elektra Records in 1962, with High Flying Bird following in 1963. These two albums feature on The Elektra Albums, which was recently released by Ace Records. By the time High Flying Bird was released in 1963, twenty-seven year old Judy Henske had come a long way since embarking upon a solo carer four years earlier.
The Judy Henske story began in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin where Judith A. Henske was born on December ’20th’ 1936. She attended Notre Dame Grade School and then Notre Dame-McDonell Memorial High School, before heading to Rosary College, River Forest, Illinois. After that, Judy Henske enrolled at the University of Wisconsin, in Madison, and when she graduated moved to Ohio.
Judy Henske began working in the office of Oberlin College, Ohio. That was where Judy Henske’s first starting making music. Her boyfriend left Judy and moved to India. However, he left behind his banjo, and soon, Judy Henske had taught herself to play it. This was the start of a musical voyage of discovery. Soon, she was playing Dixieland jazz and murder ballads. Not long after this, Judy Henske relocated.
This time, Judy Henske moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where she worked for a while as a cook in a Quaker co-operative. During this period, Judy was able to find herself and grow as a person. After that, Judy Henske was on the move again.
In 1959, Judy Henske relocated to San Diego where she lived in a sloop in a yacht basin. Not long after her arrival in San Diego, Judy Henske started singing in the coffee houses in Pacific Beach and soon, in Los Angeles. That was where she first encountered comedian Lenny Bruce. The pair often worked together, during the time Judy Henske spent in San Diego. However, after spending the best part of two years in San Diego, Judy Henske was ready for a change of scenery.
Judy Henske headed to New York, where she was asked to contribute four songs live, that would appear on a compilation. The Coffee House was released on the Dorian label in 1959, and marked the debut of Judy Henske. Soon, she was moving from East Coast to the West Coast.
1960 saw Judy Henske arrive in Los Angeles. She was a stranger in town, and the only person she knew of, was Herb Cohen who was one of the leading lights of Sunset Strip folk scene. For a new folk singer who had arrived in LA, Herb Cohen was a good man to know.
On her first night in Los Angeles, Judy Henske went looking for Herb Cohen. She met him outside of Cosmo Alley, one of two coffee shops Herb Cohen owned. When he saw Judy clutching her banjo, he asked if she could play it? This lead to an impromptu audition and before he had hired Judy Henske and become her manager. She would receive $90 for playing at his other coffee shop, the Unicorn.
At the Unicorn, Judy soon became the warmup act for Lenny Bruce. By then, she had acquired a strong stage presence, where in-between songs, Judy Henske’s bawdy humour entertained patrons. They were a tough crowd, but Judy Henske’s put downs and her incredible powerful voice that captivated the patrons at Herb Cohen’s coffee shops. Before long, Judy Henske had developed an act which was a combination humorous monologues and music, which made her a popular draw.
Dave Guard and The Whiskeyhill Singers.
So much so, that Herb Cohen decided to send Judy Henske to one of the biggest coffee shops in Oklahoma City. That was where she was spotted in early 1961 by Dave Guard, who previously, had been a member of the Kingston Trio. Dave Guard was about to form a new group The Whiskeyhill Singers and he asked Judy Henske to join his new folk group and sing the female lead vocal. Before she could agree, Judy Henske had to ask her manager Herb Cohen. When he agreed, Judy Henske joined The Whiskeyhill Singers.
Compared to her gigs at the Unicorn, and warming up for Lenny Bruce, The Whiskeyhill Singers were somewhat staid by comparison. Dave Guard brought to Judy Henske onboard The Whiskeyhill Singers to provide balance to the group. She was going to be yin to his yang, on their debut album.
This was Dave Guard and The Whiskeyhill Singers which was released on Capitol in 1962. By then, the group had honed their own, unique sound and style. It was hailed as often innovative by critics. However, Dave Guard and the Whiskeyhill Singers failed to find an audience upon its release. Nether did the singles Ride On Railroad Bill nor Plane Wreck At Los Gatos when they were released in 1962. Despite this, The Whiskeyhill Singers began work on their sophomore album.
Before that, The Whiskeyhill Singers were asked to provide some songs to the How The West Was Won soundtrack. Originally, the producers of this MGM wanted to the Kingston Trio to feature on the soundtrack. However, when they heard that Dave Guard had a new group, The Whiskeyhill Singers they felt their sound was much more suited to the soundtrack. This resulted in the The Whiskeyhill Singer being asked to feature on the How the West Was Won soundtrack. For Judy Henske, and the rest of The Whiskeyhill Singers this was the break they were looking for.
The Whiskeyhill Singers began work on their sophomore album, which was completed later in 1962. However, The Whiskeyhill Singers 2nd Album was never released by Capitol Records. Nor long after that, Dave Guard called time on The Whiskeyhill Singers. It had been a short-lived, unfortunately, unsuccessful project that lasted just over six months. However, they had managed to record a lot of music during this period.
After the demise of The Whiskeyhill Singers, Judy Henske decided to return to Los Angeles, where the folk boom was continuing. She was able to pickup where she left off, singing at the Unicorn and at the Troubadour which was well on its way to coming one of LA’s top music venues. It was where many of the biggest names in music hung out, including some of the leading lights of the folk scene.
As the folk boom continued, many within the music industry were keen to profit from the genre’s popularity. Many music industry veterans were aware that folk music, like previous genres, was a bubble, that could burst at any minute. The trick was to make hay while the sun shined. This included compiling and releasing a slew of folk compilations. With Judy Henske’s star in the ascendancy, it was no surprise that she was asked to feature on a couple of these compilations.
This included featuring on folk compilations like The Original Hootenanny and Folk At The Troubadour. These compilations would introduce Judy Henske and the other artists to a much wider audience when they were eventually released. By then, twenty-six year old Judy Henske had made a big breakthrough.
It was just another night when Judy Henske took to the stage at an LA club. She had honed her stagecraft and had onstage presence that was the envy of many less talented singers. Judy Henske made it look unleashes her incredible powerful voice. She brought meaning and emotion to lyrics, and seamlessly, switched between folk and blues. Then in-between songs, she embarked on a long, but carefully cultivated monologue. The patrons were won over by Judy Henske. So was Elektra Records’ founder Jac Holzman.
He had just setup A&R and marketing operation in LA and was on looking for new artists to add to Elektra Records’ roster. That was why he was sitting in the club, as Judy Henske started to sing. Straight away, he knew that he had to sign her. Her combination of music, monologues and bawdy humour Jac Holzman was sure, was a winning combination. Jac Holzman set about signing Judy Henske, and adding her to Elektra Records’ burgeoning roster.
Eventually, it cost Jac Holzman $2,000 to sign Judy Henske to Elektra Records. His initial offer was $1,000 which Jac Holzman was hoping would secure Judy Henske’s signature. When she hesitated, Jac Holzman reached over and scored out $1,000 and replaced it with $2,000. That was enough to secure the signature of Judy Henske, who joined Elektra Records’ roster of folk singers.
Not long after this, Judy Henske recorded her eponymous debut album in front of studio audience. This was what Judy Henske had been working towards for three years.
Judy Henske.
When Judy Henske joined Elektra Records, she joined Phil Ochs and Fred Neil, Judy Collins and soon, Tim Buckley. Jac Holzman was well on his way to securing the signatures of the creme de la creme of young American folk singers.
Not long after signing to Elektra Records, Judy Henske began preparing to record her debut album. Jac Holzman had decided to record the album in front of a large studio, with an invited audience. At first, Jac Holzman thought of recording just Judy Henske and her guitar. However, he wanted a bigger sound, so decided to hire an orchestra.
Jac Holzman secured the services of Onzy Matthews, an experienced LA based bandleader. Meanwhile, guitarist John Forsha would trombonist John ‘Streamline” Ewing would lead the orchestra. They would accompany Judy Henske on eleven tracks.
For her debut album, Judy Henske chose two of her own songs, Hooka Tooka and Lily Langtree. Judy Henske arranged Low Down Alligator, Ballad Of Little Romy, Wade In The Water, I Know You Rider, Love Henry, Every Night When The Sun Goes In and wrote new lyrics to Salvation Army Song. They were joined by JC Johnston’s Empty Bed Blues and James Shelton’s Lilac Wine. These songs would be recorded in LA, and become Judy Henske’s eponymous debut album.
Once Judy Henske had recorded her much-anticipated eponymous debut album, it was released on Elektra Records in 1962. Critics on hearing Judy Henske, realised she was a very special and versatile singer, and the album received praise and plaudits.
The album burst into life with Judy Henske accompanied by the orchestra, who ensured that Low Down Alligator swung as she unleashed a vocal powerhouse. It’s a similar case on Empty Bed Blues begins, where the audience are treated to a brief glimpse of Judy Henske’s dry humour. Then on Ballad Of Little Romy, Judy mixes her trademark humour and with folk music. This proves a potent combination.
Judy Henske eschews her humour on Wade In The Water, which features one of her best vocals on the album as she combines power and emotion. This gives way to lazy bluesy sound of Hooka Tooka, before there’s a defiance in Judy Henske’s feisty vocal on I Know You Rider. Then the horns set the scene for Judy Henske on Lily Langtree where jazz and blues unite as unleashes another stunning vocal, which is power personified. By contrast, Lilac Wine is an emotive and impassioned soul-baring ballad. Jazzy horns are scene setters on Every Night When The Sun Goes In where Judy delivers a despairing vocal. She then takes her bow on a rousing take of Salvation Army Song. It was the final song on Judy Henske, who could seamlessly switch between folk and blues. She was just as comfortable singing tender, heartfelt ballads as unleashing vocal power. Proof of this was her eponymous debut album Judy Henske.
While Judy Henske was well received by critics, who were appreciative of the album and a very special young singer who was making her debut, the album failed to find an audience outside of the folk community. While this was disappointing, Judy Henske and Elektra Records’ founder Jac Holzman were playing the long game.
High Flying Bird.
By the time it came time for Judy Henske to record her sophomore album High Flying Bird, she was a popular draw in Los Angeles and New York. It looked as if her star was in the ascendancy. This was the perfect time for Jac Holzman to send Judy Henske back into the studio.
When it came to recording High Flying Bird, Judy Henske penned Oh, You Engineer with Shel Silverstein. She also added new lyrics to a number of traditional songs, including Buckeye Jim, Columbus Stockade, Lonely Train, Duncan and Brady, Good Old Wagon and Charlotte Town. Judy Henske also arranged Blues Chase Up A Rabbit. The other songs included Billy Ed Wheeler’s High Flying Bird which was joined by Till The Real Thing Comes Along, Hoagy Carmichael’s Baltimore Oriole, Arthur Herzog Jr and Billie Holliday’s God Bless The Child and Bart Howard and John Peter Windsor’s You Are Not My First Love. These thirteen songs became Judy Henske’s sophomore album High Flying Bird.
This time around, Jac Holzman who oversaw production, decided to take a different approach. There was no orchestra on Flying Bird, just a small band that featured a rhythm section of drummer Earl Palmer, bassist Bill Montgomery and guitarist Jack Marshall. They were augmented by two familiar faces, trombonist John ‘Streamline’ Ewing and Jack Forsha who would play the twelve string guitar. This quintet accompanied Judy Henske who switched between banjo and guitar on the thirteen tracks. They were recorded in small studio in Los Angeles and became High Flying Bird.
When critics heard High Flying Bird, they were greeted by a very different side of Judy Henske. Gone is the orchestra that accompanied Judy Henske on her eponymous debut album. High Flying Bird featured a much pared back sound, where the arrangements play second fiddle to Judy Henske as she moves between tear jerking ballads and rousing, uptempo tracks where she kicks loose. High Flying Bird was a potent and heady brew, and one that won over critics.
High Flying Bird finds Judy Henske toying with the lyres on the title-track, as she draws inspiration from folk, blues and jazz. as Meanwhile searing guitar licks soar above the arrangement, and join Judy’s impassioned vocal. Buckeye Jim is a moving folk-tinged ballad, while Till The Real Thing Comes Along features a needy, hurt-filled ballad. The tempo rises on Oh, You Engineer, with the trombone accompanying Judy’s sassy vocal. It gives way to Baltimore Oriole where Judy combines power and emotion as she unleashes another needy vocal. Judy delivers another powerful on the folk ballad Columbus Stockade which closed side o ne of the original album.
Blues Chase Up A Rabbit is a poignant ballad, with an understated, spartan arrangement. So has Lonely Train, which allows Judy Henske’s emotive vocal to take centre-stage. It’s a similar case on the murder ballad Duncan and Brady, where Judy unleashes an impressive and expressive vocal powerhouse. It gives way to one of her finest moments on the album, God Bless The Child. Judy Henske delivers a soul-baring vocal and is accompanied by a subtle, jazz-tinged guitar. Very different is Judy’s barnstorming version of Good Old Wagon where Judy almost roars her way through the song, but always, remains in control. She then delivers a rueful jazz-tinged vocal on Good Old Wagon. Closing the album is rousing, singalong version of Charlotte Town, where Judy sings: “goodbye, bye-bye.” That was somewhat ironic.
Just like Judy Henske, High Flying Bird proved popular within the folk community upon its release in 1963. The problem was, that Judy Henske’s music wasn’t finding a wider audience beyond the folk community. When Jac Holzman ran the numbers, he realised that High Flying Bird hadn’t sold enough copies to warrant offering Judy Henske another contract. For Judy Henske, it was the end of the for her at Elektra Records.
After just two album, Judy Henske and High Flying Bird, one of the rising stars of the American folk scene found herself without a label. For Judy Henske her recording career was already at a crossroads.
It was ironic that she had released to accomplished albums, Judy Henske and High Flying Bird, which later, was credited as one of the albums that led to the folk rock genre. However, in 1963, nobody realised that Judy Henske had provided what was essentially the blueprint to folk rock. It was only much later, when music historians were tracing folk rock’s roots that they realised the importance and relevance of Judy Henske’s sophomore album High Flying Bird.
After leaving Elektra Records, Judy Henske released Little Bit of Sunshine…Little Bit of Rain on Mercury Records in 1965. Just like her two Elektra Records albums, Little Bit of Sunshine…Little Bit of Rain failed to find a wider audience. Sadly, it was a similar case with y The Death Defying Judy Henske, which was released on Reprise in 1966.
Three years later, in 1969, and Judy Henske and her husband Jerry Yester, who was also a musician, released their cult classic Farewell Aldebaran in 1969. There was no followup, as the couple were about to embark upon a new musical venture.
By 1971, Judy Henske and Jerry Yester had founded Rosebud with Craig Doerge, John Seiter, and David Vaught. Rosebud released their eponymous debut album in 1971. However, following Rosebud’s release, the band played a couple of live shows, and split up. Judy Henske and Jerry Yester divorced, and Judy went on to marry and Craig Doerge in 1973. Not long after this, Judy Henske retired from performing and recording.
Judy Henske was only thirty-even when she announced that she was retiring from music. She continued to write songs, and eventually, after over twenty years away from music, Judy Henske was ready to make a comeback in the nineties.
Her comeback went so well, that Judy Henske released two studio albums 1999s Loose In the World and 2004s She Sang California. By then, Judy Henske’s music was finding a wider audience receiving the recognition it deserved. Especially her first two albums Judy Henske and High Flying Bird, which feature on Ace Records’ recently released The Elektra Albums. They’re a reminder on Judy Henske at the peak of her powers, when it looked like she was destined to become one of the biggest names in folk music. Sadly, that wasn’t the case, and Judy Henske whose now eighty, and has been blind for the past ten years, didn’t enjoy the success her talent warranted. A reminder of Judy Henske’s talent can be found on The Elektra Albums.
The Elektra Albums.
JOHNNY RIVERS-HELP ME RHONDA.
Johnny Rivers-Help Me Rhonda.
Label: BGO Records.
By 1975, Johnny Rivers was approaching his thirty-third birthday, and had already spent nearly twenty years as a musician. His career began while he was still a student at Baton Rouge Magnet High School. That was where John Henry Ramistell had formed his first band, The Spades. They made their recording debut when John Henry Ramistell was just fourteen, and a year later, some of the music The Spades recorded was released on the Suede label in 1958. This was the start of what would be a prolific recording career.
Later in 1958, John Henry Ramistell was visiting New York, where he met DJ Alan Freed. He advised John Henry Ramistell to change his name to Johnny Rivers, after the Mississippi river which flowed through his how town of Baton Rouge. John Henry Ramistell took the DJ’s advice, and that marked the birth of a future musical legend.
Just ten years after Johnny Rivers was born, he came to the end of what would be the most successful period of his career. He had enjoyed a string of huge hits between 1964 and 1967.
This started in 1964, when Memphis reached number two in the US Billboard 100 and number one in Canada. Later that year, Maybellene reached number twelve, and then Mountain Of Love reached number nine. The success continued in 1965, when Seventh Son reached number seven in America and number one in Canada. For Johnny Rivers, this was his second Canadian number one. His star was in the ascendancy.
As 1966 dawned, Secret Agent Man reached number three. The followup, I Washed My Hands in Muddy Water then reached number nineteen. Johnny Rivers then enjoyed the biggest hit of his career, when Poor Side Of Town, number one in America and Canada. For Johnny Rivers, this was his third Canadian number one and his eighth top thirty hit in America since 1964.
Soon, eight became nine when Baby I Need Your Lovin’ reached three. This was followed by The Tracks of My Tears which reached number ten. Then when Summer Rain reached fourteen, it gave Johnny Rivers his twelfth top thirty hit in America.
The following year, 1968, was a strange year for twenty-five year old Johnny Rivers. His fifth album Realization reached number five, and sold over 500,000 copies. This resulted in Johnny Rivers’ first gold disc for what was the most successful album of his career. However, after three years where he could do no wrong, the hits had started to dry up for Johnny Rivers during 1968. Given how successful his fifth album Realization had been, he hoped that this was just a blip.
Sadly, it wasn’t, and over the next three years, Johnny Rivers’ singles stalled at in the lower reaches of the US Billboard 100. His most successful single was Muddy Water, which reached forty-one. This was changed days for Johnny Rivers. Even his albums weren’t selling in the same quantities. For Johnny Rivers and executives at United Artists Records, this was a worrying time.
It looked as if Johnny Rivers’ luck was changing when he released Rockin’ Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Flu in 1972. It reached number six on the US Billboard 100 and number three in Canada. Buoyed by the success of Rockin’ Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Flu, Johnny Rivers’ went into the studio to record his eighth album L.A. Reggae.
Accompanying Johnny Rivers were some of L.A.’s top session players including drummer Jim Gordon and bassist Jay Osborn. They were joined by a glittering array of guest artists, including guitarist Larry Carlton, keyboardist Jimmy Webb and the original Crickets’ drummer Jerry Allison. This all-star band played their part in what was one of Johnny Rivers’ best albums, L.A. Reggae.
It was also one of his more successful albums of recent years. When L.A. Reggae was released in 1972, it reached seventy-eight in the US Billboard 200. This was his highest chart placing since Realization in 1968.
Alas, L.A. Reggae was a false dawn for Johnny Rivers. He enjoyed a minor hit with his cover of Blue Suede Shoes in 1973. It reached number thirty-eight in the US Billboard 100. However, when Johnny Rivers released his 1973 album Blue Suede Shoes, it failed to chart. So did the followup Rockin’ Rivers, which was Johnny Rivers’ United Artists Records’ swan-song.
Later in 1974, signed to Atlantic Records and released his tenth album The Road. It became Johnny Rivers’ third consecutive album to fail to chart. Johnny Rivers time at Atlantic Records was short, and he was soon son the move again.
Next stop for Johnny Rivers was Epic, where he would release his eleventh album New Lovers and Old Friends in 1975. When the album was released in the UK, it was entitled Help Me Rhonda, which recently reissued and remastered by BGO Records. For Johnny Rivers, Help Me Rhonda was a chance for redemption and to rescue his ailing career.
For his new album, Johnny Rivers chose ten cover versions. This included Holland-Dozier-Holland’s Same Old Song, Brian Wilson’s Help Me Rhonda, Christine McVie’s Spare Me A Little, Barry Despenza and Carl Wolfolk’s Can I Change My Mind and Ned Doherty’s Postcards From Hollywood. They were joined by Tay Uhler’s New Lovers And Old Friends, Sherman Kelly’s Dancin’ In The Moonlight, Arthur Alexander’s You Better Move On, Jimmy Cliff’s You Can Get It If You Really Want and Michael Georgiades’ U.F.O. completed Help Me Rhonda. It was recorded at four of Los Angeles’ top studios.
Johnny Rivers took charge of production on Help Me Rhonda, which was recorded at Western Studio 2 and 3, while other sessions took place at Sound Labs and Wally Helder’s in Hollywood. Joining Johnny Rivers, were some of the top sessions musicians of the seventies. On each song, Johnny Rivers was joined by an all-star band Western Studio. Their lineup changed from song to song, which meant three bassists, four drummers, and five guitarists joined Johnny Rivers who played guitar and harmonica. He was also joined by a horn section, strings, backing vocalists, three pianists, a percussionist, Michael Georgiades on harmonica, saxophonist Plas Johnson and tenor saxophonist Tom Scott. Joining them were the great and good of West Coast session players.
This included drummers Jim Gordon, Ed Green, David Kemper, Jim Helmer and James Raines who were joined by bassists Scott Edwards, James Hughart and Joe Osborn. The guitarists included David T. Walker, Dean Parks, Larry Carlton, Tay Uhler and Ben Benay. Among the backing vocalists were Julia Tillman Waters, Maxine Willard and Ginger Blake. When it came to record Help Me Rhonda, Brian Wilson and Herb Pedersen were among the five backing vocalists. Their addition added to what was already an all-star band that featured on Help Me Rhonda. It was a slick, polished album that had the potential to transform Johnny Rivers’ fortunes.
Prior to the release of Help Me Rhonda in 1975, the album received praise and plaudits from critics. That was no surprise, given the quality of music on Help Me Rhonda.
It opened with a joyous take of The Four Tops’ It’s The Same Old Song, Horns, backing vocalists and his all-star band accompany Johnny Rivers on this irresistible cover of It’s The Same Old Song. Equally irresistible is Johnny’s cover Help Me Rhonda. Brian Wilson joins the band and adds harmonies as mostly, Johnny stays true to the Beach Boys original. That is apart from the addition of a bluesy harmonica, which adds a new twist to a familiar song.Spare Me A Little is a soul-baring ballad, where occasional cooing harmonies provide the perfect foil for Johnny’s vocal. It’s a similar case on Can I Change My Mind where a Johnny delivers a hopeful, needy and heartfelt vocal against funky, uptempo and hook-laden arrangement. Closing which d side one of the original version of Help Me Rhonda, was the beautiful ballad Postcards From Hollywood. It finds Johnny delivering a tender, rueful vocal against an arrangement that marries lush strings, cooing harmonies and a weeping guitars.
Opening what was the second side of Help Me Rhonda was another ballad. Again, lush strings, weeping guitars and cooing harmonies provide the backdrop for this beautiful West Coast ballad. It’s all change as Johnny covers King Harvest’s classic Dancin’ In The Moonlight. He’s responsible for a joyous and uplifting cover of this hook-laden classic. Johnny then reinvents Arthur Alexander’s You Better Move On. The piano leads the way before the rhythm section and guitar join Johnny. Adding the finishing touch are the backing vocalists as Johnny delivers an impassioned and soulful vocal. On Jimmy Cliff’s You Can Get It If You Really Want, Johnny stays true to the original as he fuses elements of pop, rock and soul. Closing side two of Help Me Rhonda was U.F.O., a memorable and cinematic fusion of pop and rock from the pen of Michael Georgiades.
Given the reviews of Help Me Rhonda, Johnny Rivers and executives at Epic had high hopes for the album. Its release was scheduled for later in 1975. Complicating matters was the decision to give the album different titles on both sides of the Atlantic. In North America, Australasia and mainland Europe, Epic released album as New Lovers and Old Friends. However, in Britain, Epic released the album as Help Me Rhonda. This was to build on the success of the lead single.
When it came to choose a lead single, Help Me Rhonda was chosen. This proved to be a good decision. Help Me Rhonda reached twenty-two in the US Billboard 100; thirty-five in Canada; thirty-four in New Zealand and fifty-two in Australia. This was the most successful single Johnny Rivers had enjoyed since Rockin’ Pneumonia and The Boogie Woogie Flu in 1972. When New Lovers and Old Friends was released in 1975, it reached 147 in the US Billboard 200. While this was somewhat disappointing chart position, it was the first Johnny Rivers album to chart since L.A. Reggae in 1972. Maybe this marked the start of Johnny Rivers’ comeback?
Sadly, that wasn’t to be. When Wild Night was released by United Artists Records in November 1976, it failed to chart. However, the followup Outside Help reached number 142 in the US Billboard 200 in 1978. This was helped by the success of Swayin’ To The Music (Slow Dancing), which reached number ten in the US Billboard 200 and number three in Canada. That was as good as it got for Johnny Rivers.
After Outside Help in 1978, none of Johnny Rivers’ albums troubled the charts. For three decades his singles and albums slipped under the radar. Still, though, Johnny Rivers was a popular live draw, and his loyal fans continued to buy his albums. Sadly, the days of hit singles, number ones and gold discs were long gone.
A reminder of these days is Help Me Rhonda, which was recently remastered and reissued by BGO Records. It’s one of the best albums Johnny Rivers released during the seventies. He’s responsible for slick, polished sounding album where Johnny Rivers and his all-star band work their way through ten familiar songs. Mostly, he stays true to the originals, which are a mixture of hook-laden, uptempo tracks and beautiful ballads. These tracks show two different sides of Johnny Rivers.
When he turns his attention to ballads, Johnny Rivers becomes a troubadour, as he delivers soul-baring and heart-wrenching vocals. Then when the tempo rises on It’s The Same Old Song, Help Me Rhonda and Dancin’ In The Moonlight Johnny Rivers doesn’t spare the hooks on this trio truly irresistible songs. They’re a reminder of two sides of Johnny Rivers.
The two sides of Johnny Rivers can be heard on his eleventh studio album Help Me Rhonda, which was released in 1975. Help Me Rhonda literally oozes quality from the opening bars of It’s The Same Old Song to the closing notes of U.F.O. Sadly, Help Me Rhonda failed to find the audience it so richly deserved and nowadays, is one of the hidden gems of Johnny Rivers’ back-catalogue. Help Me Rhonda is also, without doubt, one of his finest albums of the seventies, and is a reminder of a true musical legend Johnny Rivers at the peak of his powers.
Johnny Rivers-Help Me Rhonda.
DER PLAN-UNKAPITULIERBAR!
Der Plan-Uncapitulable!
Label: Bureau B.
When Der Plan eventually split-up in 1992, the writing had been on the wall for several years. Part of the problem was that by 1992, Der Plan found themselves spending more time working for their record label Ata Tak, and its record distribution business.By 1992, the three members of Der Plan found that the business was taking up so much of their time, that it was overshadowing their music.
It had been three years since Der Plan released Die Peitsche Des Lebens in 1989. Since then, Der Plan seemed to be spending less time making or playing music. This was hugely frustrating for Moritz R®, who was one of the three founding members of Der Plan. Eventually, things came to a head and Moritz R® left and indeed Der Plan in 1992.
Moritz R® left Düsseldorf and moved to Hamburg, which became his new home. That was where Moritz R® began to make plans for the future. Der Plan was now part of his past, after what had been a somewhat acrimonious split. It looked as if Moritz R®, Kurt Dahlke aka Pyrolator and Frank Fenstermacher would ever be reunited and record another album together.
Twenty-five years passed before Moritz R®, Pyrolator and Frank Fenstermacher before were reunited in the studio and recorded a new album together. That album, Uncapitulable!, was recently released by Bureau B and marks the comeback of the original members of Der Plan after a quarter of a century apart.
Der Plan’s roots can be traced to Düsseldorf in 1979, when Moritz Reichelt aka Moritz R®, Frank Fenstermacher and Kai Horn formed a new group together, Weltaufstandsplan (World Rebellion Plan). Before long, the nascent group decided to record their debut single. However, just before the recording took place Kai Horn suddenly left the band. This was a huge blow for the two remaining band members.
Despite being reduced to a duo, the two members of Weltaufstandsplan were determined to record their debut single. Fortunately, Chrislo Haas and Robert Görl, who at the time, were then both members of DAF, augmented Weltaufstandsplan during a jam session that was recorded with a Dictaphone in an underground session. Now Weltaufstandsplan set about releasing their debut single.
In keeping with the DIY spirit of punk and post punk, the two members of Weltaufstandsplan decided to release their debut single on their own label, Warning Records, which later, became Ata Tak. Warning Records had 1,500 copies of Weltaufstandsplan’s debut single pressed.
When Weltaufstandsplan’s debut single was released on Warning Records, it showcased an industrial sound. There was a similar sound emerging in America, which bands like Chrome were pioneering. In West Germany, Weltaufstandsplan were hailed as pioneers, and the founders of Neue Deutsche Welle (New German Wave) movement. This wouldn’t be the last time that Moritz R® and Frank Fenstermacher were hailed as pioneers.
Not long after Weltaufstandsplan released their debut single, two became three when Kurt Dahlke aka Pyrolator joined the band. His addition transformed the band’s sound and the tracks took on a much more experimental sound. Gone was the extreme noise of their earlier music. This new sound made its debut on the band’s debut album.
By the time Geri Reig was released on Warning Records, in 1980, the band was known as Der Plan, and their music was a fusion of experimental pop and electronics. Geri Reig found favour with the critics, and this was the start of the most productive period of Der Plan’s recording career.
After the release of Geri Reig, major labels started showing interest in Der Plan. Despite the offer of lucrative recording contracts, Der Plan was determined to remain on their own independent label. The only compromise they made was to allow Teldec to rerelease their debut single Da Vorne Steht ‘Ne Ampe.
Apart from that one single, Der Plan were remained on their own label.
When Der Plan returned with their sophomore album Normalette Surprise in 1981, it featured their unique and inimitable new sound, electronic schlager. This was essentially a form of synth pop, or Der Plan had taken to calling it “Synthi Pop”. The new “Synthi Pop” sound that made its debut on Normalette Surprise would become Der Plan’s trademark sound.
In 1982, film director Rainer Kirberg asked Der Plan to record the soundtrack to the film Die letzte Rache (The Last Revenge). This was a first for Der Plan, who also were responsible for the surrealistic scenography. Frank Fenstermacher even played a part in the film, which when it was shown by ZDF, received critical acclaim. Der Plan’s soundtrack featured a fusion experimental sounds and imaginative melodies that was quite different from previous albums.
Nearly two years passed before Der Plan released two singles during 1984. Der Plan had high hopes for Gummitwist, which stalled in the lower reaches of the chart. Despite this, WEA were willing to take a chance on the single. This lead to Der Plan featuring on ARP’s music program Formel Eins. Not long after this, Der Plan released their second single of 1984, Golden Cheapos Volume 1 and 2, which featured a trio of instrumentals. However, the single wasn’t the success that Der Plan had hoped, and 1984 wasn’t proving to be the success that they had hoped.
Later in 1984, Der Plan released a video Japlan, and then embarked upon a successful Japanese tour. The tour was so successful, that Der Plan decided to release an album in Japan. This was Japlan, which wasn’t released in Der Plan’s native West Germany.
The next album that Der Plan released was a compilation album Fette Jahre in 1985. It features a mixture of singles, remixes and outtakes, which Der Plan hoped would keep their fans happy until they returned with a new album.
Two years later, and Der Plan released Es Ist Eine Fremde Und Seltsame Welt. This translates as It Is A Strange World, which is a quotation from film director David Lynch’s cult classic Blue Velvet. Es Ist Eine Fremde Und Seltsame Welt was Der Plan’s first studio in six years, and received praise and plaudits from critics. Buoyed by the success of the album, Der Plan returned to the studio.
They returned in 1988 with Perlen, which was Der Plan’s first album of the CD age. Perlen was also their finest hour, and was released to critical acclaim. However, behind the scenes all wasn’t well within Der Plan.
The problems could be traced back to 1983, when their was a disagreement within Der Plan about what their priorities were. There were two options available to the members of Der Plan. They could concentrate their efforts on music full-time, or divide their time between Der Plan and their Ata Tak label. The band decided to divide their time between the band and the label. This wasn’t a unanimous decision, and by 1988 it had come back to haunt Der Plan.
Despite this, they returned with a new album Die Peitsche Des Lebens in 1989. It was well received by critics who didn’t realise that this was the last album the original lineup of the band would release for twenty-eight years.
Three years later, in 1992, and the three members of Der Plan were spending most of their time on the Ata Tak record label and the record distribution business. It had gotten that the business was taking up so much of their time, that it had started to overshadow their music. Der Plan hadn’t released an album since Die Peitsche Des Lebens in 1989. Since then, Der Plan seemed to be spending less time making or playing music. This was hugely frustrating for the band and especially, for Moritz R®. Eventually, things came to a head and he left Ata Tak and Der Plan in 1992.
The departure of Moritz R® spelt the end of Der Plan. The band split-up in 1992, and as is often the case when things have been left to fester in a band, it was an acrimonious split. Der Plan divided into two factions.
Moritz R® settled in Hamburg where he embarked upon a career as a painter. For Moritz R®, this was a new start and the chance to do something he was passionate about.
Back in Düsseldorf, the two remaining members of Der Plan decided that the band would become an occasional side project. Later, Kurt Dahlke aka Pyrolator and Frank Fenstermacher went on to form the trance project, A Certain Frank. Before that, Der Plan released their swan-song.
In 1993, Der Plan released Live At The Tiki Ballroom Of The Senior Maoris Recreation Center In Maketu, Bay Of Plenty, New Zealand. This was Der Plan’s infamous fake live album, which was released on Ata Tak as Der Plan’s belated swan-song. The album was well received, and brought to an end the Der Plan story.
Over the next few years, the three former members of were all working on different projects. Moritz Reichelt aka Moritz R® designed album covers for a variety of artists and bands, including Depeche Mode. He was also responsible for the Tiki revival of the early nineties.
Meanwhile, Frank Fenstermacher and Kurt Dahlke concentrated their efforts on their trance project, A Certain Frank. Frank Fenstermacher also embarked upon a solo career and released several solo albums. Then in 2002, Frank Fenstermacher and Kurt Dahlke decided to join a new band, Fehlfarben.
By then, Kurt Dahlke had reinvented himself as a programmer and producer. He had continued working with Frank Fenstermacher in A Certain Frank, and in 2002 as part of Fehlfarben. Later, he would work with former Tangerine Dream founder Edgar Froese. That was still to come. Meanwhile, Kurt Dahlke and Frank Fenstermacher were in for a surprise.
Moritz R® decided to reform Der Plan in Berlin as Der Plan v4.0. The newly named Der Plan v4.0 featured a new lineup, with Achim Treu and JJ Jones joining in 2003. They recorded what would the first new Der Plan album in eleven years Die Verschwörung (The Conspiracy). It was released by Marina Records in 2004. However, Der Plan’s comeback was short-lived and the members of Der Plan v4.0 went their separate ways.
Four years after the release of Die Verschwörung, Der Plan v5.0 were formed and existed only in the virtual world Second World. This was fitting as Kurt Dahlke later described the original lineup of Der Plan always wanting to: “work with the current state of technology and express ourselves… and if the current state of technology wasn’t sufficient, they simply plugged in the soldering iron.” What Kurt Dahlke thought of Der Plan v5.0’s use of the latest technology is unknown.
Back in 2008, the virtual lineup of Der Plan v5.0 played two gigs in the virtual world Second World. These shows featured scans of the Der Plan’s original stage designs and the masks from their real life the early 1980s. This was new and totally unheard of. Just like the original lineup of Der Plan, Der Plan v5.0 were pioneers. However, Der Plan v5.0 was a short-lived affair and never got as far as recording an album together.
Following the demise of Der Plan v5.0, that looked like the end of the Der Plan story. That was until the original members of Der Plan were asked to play a fiftieth birthday party for Andreas Dorau. Der Plan were the very special guests, and provided the soundtrack to the evening. As Der Plan played, they realised that they were enjoying making music together. The guests at the party enjoyed Der Plan’s comeback which was billed as one night only. Or was it?
In the days and weeks after their comeback at the party, the members of Der Plan started thinking about the band’s future. They had been apart for quarter of a century. Surely, it was the time to let bygones be bygones and return to the studio?
Before long, the members of Der Plan were collecting sketches, fragments of songs and ideas that they had gathered over the years. They took these to Pyrolator’s Ata Tak Studio Berlin, where Uncapitulable! was recorded.Moritz R® remembers the three weeks Der Plan spent recording what became Uncapitulable! “It worked incredibly well. This time the music was created on the basis of ideas and lyrics. Earlier, we often played improvised sessions and later added lyrics to it. One could say that in the meantime we have become something like songwriters.” That isn’t all that has changed. So has Der Plan’s music. Moritz R® explains: “Der Plan 2017 is no longer so angular and swings better.” It seems that Der Plan have been reborn, and no longer have the weight of the world on their shoulders. Instead, Der Plan are back doing what they best…making music.
Recently, Hamburg based label Bureau B released Uncapitulable! which signifies continuity. That is somewhat ironic, given it’s the first album the original three members of Der Plan have released since 1992. After quarter of a century away, Der Plan make a welcome return with their comeback album Uncapitulable!
Just like the previous albums featuring the three original members of Der Plan, there’s a sense of playfulness to the music on Uncapitulable! Der Plan don’t shy away from trying something new, as they switch between and combine disparate musical genres during Uncapitulable!’s fifteen tracks. They’re almost fearless as curiosity gets the better of them and they try something new and moderne. That comes as no surprise, as Der Plan have always been a cerebral band. Their motto was “more art in music, more music in art.” That is still the case today, on Uncapitulable! which is an ambitious and innovative genre-melting album. There’s also a timeless quality to the music on Uncapitulable!
That is the case from the opening bars of Wie der Wind, which sounds as if it’s been inspired by Kraftwerk’s later music. Der Plan then bowl their first curveball of the album, as a memorable and melodic electronic shanty unfolds. In doing so, it references Der Plan’s trademark “Synthi Pop” sound. This gives way Lass die Katze stehn which like Der Rabe, is a carefully crafted, modernè electronic pop song. After this, it’s all change.
On the ballad Man leidet herrlich Der Plan fuse elements of reggae and dub. This is something they used to do on a regular basis prior to their split in 1992. By returning to this sound, Der Plan create of the most mellow tracks on Uncapitulable! Then on Grundrecht elements of electronica and dub combine to create dark, dramatic track.
Very different is Es heisst die Sonne, Come Fly with Me and Was kostet der Austritt which showcase the psychedelic side to Der Plan’s music. It’s also dreamy and features a tender, feel-good sound. These trio of tracks are among the highlights of Uncapitulable! The changes keep on coming on Es heisst die Sonne, which is a melodic reminder of Der Plan’s electronic schlager sound.
Dark, moody, sinister and cinematic describes Gesicht ohne Buch and Ich kann die Stille hören. Equally cinematic and dark is Stille hören. There’s a slight cinematic sound on the mesmeric sounding Flohmarkt der Gefühle. It’s an understated sounding track where crackling electronica, jazz and melodic pop combine to create another of Uncapitulable!’s highlights. Musical chameleons Der Plan continue their mission to reinvent themselves on Der Herbst which showcases an electronic cabaret sound. Futuristic describes Körperlos im Cyberspace, which another genre-melting track. Zu Besuch bei N. Senada combines small music with Musique concrète as jangling piano provides a backdrop to birdsong. Closing Uncapitulable! which veers between understated to otherworldly and melodic. Always though, it’s memorable, especially with the occasional addition of Beach Boys’ inspired harmonies. This ensures the album ends on a high.
After twenty-five years apart, Der Plan make a welcome return with Uncapitulable! It’s marks the second coming of one of the important German bands of the past forty years. They put their differences in the past and recorded an album of groundbreaking and genre-melting music. That music is also melodic and memorable as musical chameleons Der Plan combine elements of avant-garde, electronica, experimental, indie pop, Musique concrète and psychedelia with their own trademark “Synthi Pop” and electronic schlager sounds. Der Plan also combine elements of jazz and small music, while drawing inspiration from the pioneers of the Berlin School and Krautrock on their fifteen track comeback album Uncapitulable! All these musical genres play their part in the majestic musical tapestry that is Uncapitulable!
It’s akin to a magical mystery tour, with Der Plan taking the listener on musical adventure where the music veers between melodic and memorable to dark and dramatic to dreamy and lysergic. Other times, it’s dubby, otherworldly and cinematic. Always though, the music is ambitious, and after a few tracks, the listener realises it’s impossible to second guess Der Plan. They throw curveball and spring surprises during Uncapitulable! as Der Plan continue on their mission that began in 1979.
Thirty-eight years later, and Der Plan are the comeback Kings having recently released Uncapitulable! which is one of the finest albums of their long and eventful career. Let’s hope that it’s not another twenty-five years before Der Plan return with followup to Uncapitulable!
Der Plan-Uncapitulable!
SUE BARKER-AUSTRALIA’S BEST KEPT MUSIAL SECRET.
Sue Barker-Australia’s Best Kept Musical Secret.
Forty-two years ago, in 1977, Adelaide-based singer Sue Barker released what’s without doubt, one of the greatest soul-jazz albums in the history of Australian music. That album was Sue Barker, which was released on Marcus Herman’s label Crest International.
The release of Sue Barker should’ve been the start of a long and glittering career. Sadly, that wasn’t the case, and nine years later, Barker turned her back on music in 1986. That day, Australian music lost one of its most talented singers in the history of modern music.
The Sue Barker story began in Sydney, when she started singing along with Guy Mitchell songs when was just two. Little did her parents realise that this would be the start of a lifelong love affair with music.
By the time she was in primary school, Barker was a regular in the school choir. When she was nine, Barker decided to join a local church choir so she could join their choir. However, by then, Barker was already taking an interest in spiritual matters.
In the local church, Barker joined the choir and started taking trying to understand and explore the meaning of life. This was something that was a lifelong commitment and something that at time, would offer solace to Barker in time of trouble.
When Barker completed primary school, her family decided to move back to Adelaide. When she returned to Adelaide, Barker was initially at a loss. That was until her uncle found her a suitable church. Soon, she was playing an active role in and a church member. It was at that church, where Barker’s potential was first discovered.
A church member spotted Barker’s potential, and offered to give her free singing lessons. Not long after this, Sue’s father sent his daughter to the prestigious Adelaide College Of Music for extra tuition.
Attending Adelaide College Of Music was an eye-opener for Barker, and she blossomed. She was introduced to classical music by her tutors in her early teens. By then, Barker had discovered The Beatles and other Liverpool-based singers and bands. This lead to her looking for a band needing a singer.
Each day, Barker looked through the small adverts in the local papers, looking for a suitable band. One day, she found a band without a singer, and decided to audition for The Cumberlands. This lead to her first gig, where she joined The Cumberlands on-stage for one song. That song marked the start of her career. Already, she knew that she wanted to embark on a career as a singer.
Not long after her first gig with The Cumberlands, she embarked upon a short tour of south Australian towns. This was good experience for Barker. So was singing in a television talent contest, where she was the runner-up. Her appearance on the talent contest lead to further television appearances. All this was good experience for her future career.
This included when Barker joined her first band. By then, her parents had returned to Sydney, and seventeen year old Barker had remained in Adelaide. That was where she heard a band rehearsing on a Sunday afternoon. Upon hearing the music, she decided to investigate. Having made her way up the stairs, Sue asked if she could sing with the band. They agreed, and before long, Barker and the guitarist began a relationship.
Two days after her eighteenth birthday, Barker and the guitarist were married. Within a year, her first child was born. She stayed at home whilst her husband played with the band. By the time Sue was twenty, she had moved to Sydney and was the mother of two children. Motherhood rather than music was what kept her busy. However, she missed music, and decided to return to Adelaide.
Back in Adelaide, Barker, her husband and two children were living close to her parents. With a support network around her, Sue Barker and her husband started putting a band together. They were helped by a booking agent, who hit on the idea of making Barker the focus of the band. This didn’t go down well with her husband, who was in her shadow. However, this was just the start of Barker’s comeback.
Before long, Barker was being asked to sing with some of Adelaide’s established bands. That was when she started to take on a new stage persona, that she had modelled on Janis Joplin. She had it off pat, right down to some serious on-stage drinking. By then, Barker was rubbing shoulders with top musicians, and her star was in the ascendancy. There was even talk of international record deals. Barker was one of Australia’s musical rising stars.
Not long after this, Barker met her future backing band, The Onions. By then, Barker was constantly busy playing live, doing session work and even testing recording equipment at various local recording studios. That wasn’t all.
Barker also decided to hire an old ballroom, where she would put on her own gigs. She would charge $2 to get in, and patrons would watch local musicians jamming after they had finished in the studio. While the nights became extremely popular, but it became clear they weren’t going to make her rich. However, it was one of these gigs where Sue Barker was discovered.
After one of the gigs, Barker was approached her and asked if she had ever thought of recording an album? By then, there were a few recording of Barker and her band testing new equipment at the various local studios. However, they hadn’t recorded any singles, never mind an album. Barker gave the stranger who was from Melbourne, one of her recordings, and never expected to hear anything.
She was wrong. One of the tapes ended up in the hands of Marcus Herman who ran the label Crest International. When he heard the recording he was impressed by Barker’s feel, understanding and command of jazz, which was way beyond her years. Herman realised that Barker was a special talent, and contacted her and asked if she would like to travel to Melbourne to discuss business.
When Barker set out on her journey to Melbourne, to discuss her future with Herman, she wasn’t alone. She took along her two children and one of her musician friends, Graham Conlon. When they arrived in Melbourne, Barker went to the meeting with Herman.
He offered Barker a three album deal, and after some discussion, she put the pen to paper. Later, Barker, like many singers and musicians claims she was naive when she signed the contract. For Barker it was never about money, and was always about the music. She just wanted to release an album that featured her own music. Having signed a three album deal in March 1976, she began work on her debut album.
After signing the contact, Barker discovered that the contract only covered her, and not her backing band The Onions. This must have been a disappointment for the band, but reluctantly, they agreed to play on Barker’s eponymous debut album. The Onions weren’t on points, but instead, would be paid as session musicians when recording began.
Before that, Barker started choosing songs for her debut album. She eventually, settled on the songs that would feature on the album. Or so she hoped. The songs were sent to Herman, who had to give his final approval. It wasn’t easy for Sue to get her choice of songs approved, but eventually, the ten songs that became Sue Barker were approved.
This included Eddie Holland, Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier’s How Sweet It Is, Gus Kahn and Nacio Herb Brown’s You Stepped Out Of A Dream, Duke Ellington and Sidney Keith Russell’s Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me, Curtis Mayfield’s Love To The People and Eddie Brigati and Felix Cavaliere’s Groovin’ featured on side one. Barrett Strong and Norman Whitfield’s I Heard It Through The Grapevine joined Eddie Floyd and Steve Cropper’s 6345789, Jimmy Davis, Jimmy Sherman and Roger Ramirez’s Lover Man, Al Cleveland, Marvin Gaye and Renaldo Benson’s What Goin’ On and Aretha Franklin and Ted White’s Think made-up side two of Sue Barker. It was recorded in Adelaide with The Onions.
Before the recording sessions began, Graham Conlon arranged the songs that Barker had chosen. Some were given a makeover, to ensure that they would suit Barker who discovered she had only three days to record the album.
Herman was covering the costs of the recording sessions, and was only willing to pay for three days at Pepper Studios, in Adelaide. This was going to be cutting it tight, but Herman adamant that Barker should be able to record the album in just three days.
She entered the studio with The Onions in a cold day in July 1976. The Onions lineup featured a rhythm section of drummer Dean Birbeck, bassist Geoff Kluke, guitarist Graham Conlon and keyboardist Phil Cunneen. They were augmented by a horn section that featured trumpeter Fred Payne and saxophonists Bob Jeffrey and Sylvan Elhay. They accompanied Barker as she laid down her eponymous debut album.
Somehow, Barker and The Onions managed to complete the album in the three days that Herman had paid for. This left just the album to mixed and mastered. However, before that, Barker was in for a surprise.
Not longer after recording Sue Barker, she discovered that she was pregnant and expecting her third child. While she continued to play live, she knew that motherhood beckoned. Meanwhile, Barker was experiencing a spiritual awakening.
This was partly inspired by the birth of her third child. Soon, after the birth, Barker’s thoughts turned to spirituality. Meanwhile, Crest Records were preparing for the release of Sue Barker.
Marketing manager Donald Fraser sent out press releases to the press, magazines, radio and television. He was determined that Sue Barker had every chance of being a success. It didn’t matter that the album would be Crest’s final release. He saw the potential in Barker.
So did Channel 9, who booked Sue Barker to appear on the Tonight Show. This was a huge break forBarker, who unfortunately, had to cancel the appearance. Despite that, Barker’s concert at the Dallas Brook Hall in Melbourne was a sell-out.
When the reviews were published, Sue Barker received praise and plaudits from critics and cultural commentators. The album had also sold well at the concert at the Dallas Brook Hall. Things were looking good for Barker.
After the success of the Dallas Brook Hall concert, Crest began planning a promotional tour to coincide with the release of Sue Barker. However, her priority was her new daughter, which frustrated Herman at Crest Records. Their relationship became difficult, and Barker prioritised motherhood over the release of her eponymous debut album on Crest International. While this was admirable it would prove costly.
When Sue Barker was released by Crest International, the album received praise, plaudits and critical acclaim. Sadly, Sue Barker received little promotion which was frustrating for everyone at Crest International who had worked hard on the release. They realised that Barker was on the verge of a breakthrough. Had she had promoted the album, it’s very likely that it would’ve sold well and introduced her to a much wider, and possibly, international audience. However, Barker’s decision not to promote the album resulted in poor album sales.
Very few copies of Sue Barker sold, and her relationship with Marcus Herman at Crest Records broke down completely. As a result, Barker never made any money from her future Australian soul-jazz classic. After the release of Sue Barker, eventually, the Adelaide-based singer returned to the local circuit.
This time, Barker wasn’t going to spend all her time playing live. While she continued to sing in local venues she didn’t mind if weeks or months passed without a gig. She who was a free spirit at heart and did things her way. Sometimes, when gigs dried up, promoted concerts. Barker wasn’t the type of person to wait for opportunities to arise. Instead, she would go out and make things happen. As long as these promotions covered their costs, Sue was happy. It had never been about the music for Barker.
Not long after this, came the news that Crest International had folded. Barker still owed the label two albums when it folded. Barker, though, realised that chance of releasing any more albums was gone. Especially given how fraught relationship with Herman was latterly. The likelihood of Barker releasing two more albums seemed unlikely. Her dream of releasing any more albums was over.
Following the demise of Crest International, Barker spent a year teaching music at the Centre For Aboriginal Studies In Music. Her time spent teaching the Centre For Aboriginal Studies In Music resulted in Barker becoming interested in reggae. Barker’s interest in reggae inspired a further spiritual awakening. However, as her spirituality began to blossom, Barker’s newfound faith was severely tested.
Tragedy struck when Barker was out walking down the street with her third child. A car mounted the pavement, and struck her daughter Billie, who was so seriously injured that she spent three months in hospital. During that time, Barker started to ask herself some of life’s big questions. Her search for the meaning of lifewould prove to an ongoing spiritual quest.
Once her daughter had recovered, Barker continued to pursue her interest in reggae music. She even decided to form a reggae band, which disappointed some of those who had followed her career as a jazz singer. Some of the musicians in her band were disappointed with this volte-face and left her employ.
As a result, Barker had to put together a new group of musicians. They would accompany Sue who had been booked to play at the Adelaide Jazz Club. When the patrons at the Adelaide Jazz Club heard about Barker’s Damascene conversion to reggae, and were unsure about this. However, Sue decided to continue down this new road.
Barker’s career continued until 1986, when sadly, tragedy struck again. Eight months after the birth of her fifth child, her eldest child died on Thursday October 30th 1986.
Despite this tragedy, Barker decided to sing at a gig she had been booked to play two nights later on the Saturday evening. That night, she said that when she sang: “she felt closer to God than I had ever before.” As she watched the patrons party that night she realised that this was the end of road for her.
After a lifetime spent in and around the music industry, after the gig Barker called time on her career. She suddenly felt that the entire music business was a “sham,” and didn’t want to be part of it anymore.
When she had recorded her soul-jazz classic Barker, never received any payment. Ironically, The Onions who had originally been disappointed not to be included in the recording contract with Herman’s label Crest International, were paid as session musicians and made more out of Sue Barker than the star of the show did. It was no wonder that Barker regarded the music industry as a sham.
Nowadays, her one and only album Sue Barker, is regarded as a soul-jazz classic, and copies of the album are now extremely rare. When they do change hands, it’s for hundreds of Dollars. That comes as no surprise, given the quality of music on Sue Barker. It features one of music’s best kept secrets, Sue Barker, who if things had been different, would’ve gone to enjoy a long and successful career. Sadly, Lady Luck didn’t smile on her and it was a case of what might have been.
Barker only released one album during a career that spanned three decades. Her career began in the late-sixties, and it wasn’t until 1977 that Sue Barker was released on Crest International. By then, Sue Barker looked destined for greatness. However, when Sue Barker was released, her third child had just been born. Barker was reluctant to leave the child to embark upon a promotion tour. Her failure to tour Sue Barker was a costly one, and the album was commercial failure.
Barker never regretted this decision as she was enjoying being a mother. She found this rewarding and loved spending time with her children.
Herman who owned Crest International certainly regretted Barker’s failure to tour her album. It resulted in the breakdown in their business relationship, and not long after this, Crest International folded. However, Barker’s decision not to promote the album was not the reason the label folded. It’s thought that the label has financial problem’s before signing Barker.
Barker may have only recorded one album, but Sue Barker is a soul-jazz classic. It’s an album that definitely deserved to find a much wider audience.
In 2017, Barker rereleased Sue Barker on CD with extra songs and a collector booklet along. There was also a remastered vinyl reissue. It was a welcome reissue of a long-lost soul-jazz classic that should’ve transformed the career of Australian songstress Sue Barker, who sadly, instead, remained Australia’s best kept musical secret.
Sadly, in December 2022 Sue Barker passed away. She was a truly talented and versatile vocalist whose one and only album is a soul-jazz classic that’s loved and appreciated by her fans new and old, worldwide.
Sue Barker-Australia’s Best Kept Musical Secret.
LIGHTHOUSE-1969-1974 THE RISE OF LIGHTHOUSE.
Lighthouse-1969 1974 The Rise Of Lighthouse.
In 1968, Skip Prokop the former drummer and vocalist with the Canadian psychedelic rock band The Paupers, met Brooklyn born keyboardist Paul Hoffert in a New York nightclub. The men bonded over their mutual love of music. However, when they parted company at the end of the evening, they never thought that their paths would cross again.
That was until Skip Prokop boarded a flight from New York to head home to Toronto, and recognised one of his fellow passengers. It was none other than Paul Hoffert, who was studying at the University of Toronto. The two men started talking, and soon, were discussing the possibility of forming a band based around a rock rhythm section, jazz horn section, and classical string section. It this was an ambitious plan, but one that Skip Prokop and Paul Hoffert were determined to bring to fruition.
Fortunately, Skip Prokop was a familiar face within Toronto’s music scene, and knew plenty of musicians who would be interested in joining the band he planned to form with Paul Hoffert. Skip Prokop brought onboard some of his musical friends, several session musicians and members of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. Gradually, Skip Prokop and Paul Hoffert’s group was taking shape.
Eventually, the nascent group featured thirteen musicians. The next step for the as yet unnamed band was to record a demo. Once the demo was complete, Skip Prokop sought the advice of one of his musical friends, Richie Havens. He suggested that Skip Prokop and Paul Hoffert take the tape to MGM Records, who Richie Havens was currently signed to.
On hearing the demo, executives at MGM Records were hugely impressed with what they heard. So much so, that they offered the band an advance of $30,000. Skip Prokop and Paul Hoffert signed on the dotted line. The band was now signed to MGM Records.
Having signed to MGM Records, the band acquired a manager within the space of two days. It was just a pity they hadn’t a manager when they signed to MGM Records.
Their new manager was Vinnie Fusco, who was an associate of Albert Grossman, who managed Bob Dylan. Vinnie Fusco was an experienced manager, who was well versed in the how the music industry worked. He decided that the MGM Records’ deal wasn’t good enough for his new client.
Vinnie Fusco decided to pay the executives at MGM Records a visit to discuss the contract his new client had signed. By the end of the meeting they were prepared to free the band from their contractual obligations. This left them free to sign to RCA Victor.
Not before Vinnie Fusco had negotiated a lucrative recording contract for the band. This time, it wasn’t $30,000 that the band would receive, Instead, they would receive hundreds of thousands of dollars over the course of the contract. During that morning, Vinnie Fusco had more than proved his worth.
Now that the band had a recording contract in place, the next step was to finalise the band’s lineup. Although the band had recorded a demo, this wasn’t the version that would make their live debut at Toronto’s Rock Pile on May ’14th’ 1969.
With the lineup of the band finalised, and having honed their sound, they were ready take to the stage at the Rick Pile. As the band prepared to take to the stage, a seventy year old man-made his way to the microphone to introduce the band. Some members of the audience thought his face was familiar. It was none other that Duke Ellington who uttered the immortal words “I’m beginning to see the Light…house.” With that, the thirteen members of the band that would become Lighthouse took to the stage and delivered a barnstorming set. By the end of the night, very few people were taking about Duke Ellington. Instead, they were taking about Lighthouse’s live debut.
After the success of Lighthouse’s live debut, Vinnie Fusco knew that he had signed a band with a big future ahead of them. He wasted no time in taking Lighthouse into the studio to record their eponymous debut album which was written and recorded during 1969.
Lighthouse.
For Lighthouse, members of the band had written eight new songs, and covered The Byrds’ Eight Miles High and Richie Havens’ No Opportunity. Lighthouse’s songwriter-in-chief was Skip Prokop who cowrote three songs and wrote four more. This included If There Ever Was A Time, Follow The Stars, Marsha, Marsha and Ah I Can Feel It. He and Paul Hoffert wrote Whatever Forever, while Skip Prokop Peggy Devereux wrote Life Can Be So Simple. They also wrote Mountain Man with guitarist Ralph Cole. Brenda and Paul Hoffert Never Say Goodbye contributed. These ten tracks were to be recorded at Electric Ladyland Studios, New York.
At Electric Ladyland Studios, the thirteen members of Lighthouse prepared to record their eponymous debut album.Taking charge of production was Skip Prokop and Paul Hoffert who was Lighthouse’s musical director. After the sessions got up and running, it soon became apparent things weren’t going to plan. Rather than waste time and money, they should head home to Toronto and record the album there.
When Lighthouse returned to Toronto, they deduced to record at Eastern Sound Studios. Suddenly, the band were in a groove and before long, had recorded the ten songs that became Lighthouse. Once it was completed, it was released later in 1969.
Before that, critics had their say on Lighthouse. It received plaudits and praise from critics who were won over by Lighthouse’s innovative genre-melting sound. Lighthouse was a mixture of jazz, rock, classical and fusion. There’s even avant-garde, blues, chamber pop, funk, pop and psychedelia, in an album that was designed to grab the listener’s attention.
Alas, when Lighthouse was released, the album failed to find the audience it deserved. Lighthouse failed to trouble the charts. It was a similar case when If There Ever Was A Time was released as a single. Despite the disappointment caused by the failure of their debut album and single, Lighthouse began work on their sophomore album, Suite Feeling.
Suite Feeling.
By then, Lighthouse were regarded as one of the top live acts in Canada. The band was hoping that their sophomore album would introduce the band to a much wider audience.
When Lighthouse began work on what became Suite Feeling, Skip Prokop and Paul Hoffert were starting to forge a successful songwriting partnership. They wrote Could You Be Concerned, Presents Of Presence, Taking A Walk, Eight Loaves Of Bread and What Sense. The pair also penned Feel So Good with Grant Fullerton, and the trio proceeded to write Places On Faces Four Blue Carpet Traces with Ralph Cole. Just like Lighthouse, there were two cover versions on Suite Feeling, Robbie Robertson’s Chest Fever and Lennon and McCartney’s Day In The Life. These nine songs were recorded in two studios.
Some recording sessions took place at Eastern Sound Studios, in Toronto. Other sessions took place in Los Angeles, at RCA’s Music Centre Of The World. This time around, Lighthouse’s lineup numbered fourteen. This new and expanded lineup of Lighthouse recorded Suite Feeling, which was produced by Skip Prokop and Paul Hoffert.
Once Suite Feeling was completed, RCA Victor scheduled the release for late 1969. Before that, critics got the opportunity to review Suite Feeling. Just like Lighthouse, it received praise and plaudits from critics, who going by Suite Feeling were forecasting a big future for Lighthouse.
With critics won over by Suite Feeling, it looked like their sophomore album was destined for the charts. Before that, Feel So Good was released as single but stalled at fifty-five on the Canadian RPM charts. This was a disappointment for Lighthouse. There was another disappointment in late 1969, when Suite Feeling failed to chart. It was another disappointment for Lighthouse. Despite the disappointment, Lighthouse’s thoughts soon turned to their third album Peacing It All Together.
Peacing It All Together.
Just like Suite Feeling, the Skip Prokop and Paul Hoffert songwriting partnership wrote the majority of Peacing It All Together. Their songwriting partnership was flourishing. They wrote Nam Myoho Renge’ Kyo, The Country Song, Sausalito, The Fiction Of Twenty-Six Million, The Chant (Nam Myoho Renge’ Kyo), Mr. Candleman, On My Way To L.A., Just A Little More Time, Little People and am Myoho Renge’ Kyo. Skip Prokop and Paul Hoffert also wrote Let The Happiness Begin with Ralph Cole, and Every Day I Am Reminded where Beethoven receives a credit. The only song not written Skip Prokop and Paul Hoffert, was Daughters And Sons which Grant Fullerton contributed. These songs became Peacing It All Together which was recorded in the Big Apple.
Recording took place at RCA’s Studio C, in New York, where Lighthouse Mk. III recorded Peacing It All Together. There had been further changes to the band’s lineup and Lighthouse were back to being to a thirteen piece band. However, it wasn’t unlucky thirteen for Lighthouse.
Peacing It All Together was a much more eclectic album, with tracks ranging from folk and pop, to jazz and orchestral rock. This won the approval of critics, who hailed Peacing It All Together as Lighthouse’s finest hour.
When Peacing It All Together was released to critical acclaim in 1970, the album charted and reached 133 in the US Billboard 200. It was third time lucky for Lighthouse, who at last, had a hit album on their hands. That was no surprise given the quality of music on the album.
Peacing It All Together marked the start of the rise and rise of Lighthouse. However, this wouldn’t be at RCA Victor. After the release of Peacing It All Together, Lighthouse signed to GRT, where they enjoyed the most successful period of their career.
By then, Lighthouse had appeared at Canada’s Strawberry Fields festival in August 1970 and later that summer, stared at the Isle Of Wight Festival in Britain. The rise and rise of Lighthouse continued.
Sadly, it was without lead singer Pinky Dauvin, who left the group after the release of Peacing It All Together. By then, Lighthouse were touring 300 days a year, and when they weren’t touring they were recording. It was a gruelling schedule, and one that was taking its toll on Lighthouse.
Thoughts of Movin’ On.
When Lighthouse returned in 1971 with their fourth album Thoughts of Movin’ On, it featured a very different lineup of the band. Bob McBride made his debut as lead singer, and was one of four new members of Lighthouse, who were now an eleven piece band. The new lineup of Lighthouse hit the ground running, with the most successful album of the band’s four album career.
When it came to the choose the lead single, Lighthouse chose One Fine Morning and it reached number twenty-four in the US Billboard 100 in 1971. Meanwhile, in Canada, One Fine Morning reached number two and was certified gold. One Fine Morning also gave Lighthouse an international hit single. At last, Lighthouse’s music was reaching the audience it deserved. However, this wasn’t the end of the success for Lighthouse.
Buoyed by the success of One Fine Morning, Take It Slow (Out In The Country) was released as a single. Although it reached just sixty-four in the US Billboard 100, it reached number twelve in the Canadian charts. Lighthouse were making progress at last.
What Lighthouse released Thoughts of Movin’ On stalled at 157 in the US Billboard 200. That was a disappointment for the band. However, back home in Canada, Thoughts of Movin’ On but was certified gold. Still, things would get better for Lighthouse.
Lighthouse Live! at the Carnegie Hall.
In February 1972, Lighthouse recorded Lighthouse Live! at the Carnegie Hall, in New York. Before its release Lighthouse Live! won the approval of critics. That came as no surprise, as the album featured a barnstorming performance from Lighthouse.
When Lighthouse Live was released later in 1972, the album stalled at 178 in the US Billboard 200. Across the border in Canada, Lighthouse Live! became the first Canadian album to be certified platinum. Lighthouse were now one of the biggest bands in their native Canada.
Sunny Days.
Later in 1972, Lighthouse returned with their sixth studio album Sunny Days. The band had high hopes for the album, especially after the success of Lighthouse Live! They were eventually reaping the rewards of years of hard work.
While critics heard Sunny Days, it received praise and plaudits. Lighthouse seemed to maturing with each album they released. Their popularity continued to grow in Canada, with Sunny Days reaching number four. However, when Sunny Days was released in American, it reached just thirty-four in the US Billboard 100. America was proving a tough market to crack for Lighthouse. The other single from Sunny Days was You Girl which reached seventeen in Canada, but failed to trouble the US Billboard 100. This was a disappointment for Lighthouse.
So was Sunny Days stalling at just 190 in the US Billboard 200 in 1972. Despite that, Sunny Days was certified gold in Canada and the Lighthouse success story continued apace.
Despite being at the peak of their popularity, Paul Hoffert who was still only thirty was tiring of life on the road. He left Lighthouse, but continued in the role of executive producer. This lead to the latest change in Lighthouse’s lineup.
Can You Feel It,
When Lighthouse returned to the studio to record their seventh studio album Can You Feel It, lead vocalist Bob McBride failed to turn up. Skip Prokop and Ralph Cole wanted to cancel the sessions. However, producer Jimmy Ienner was determined the session continue, and even introduced a new rule that who wrote the song, sang it. This meant that Skip Prokop and Ralph Cole sung most of the songs, apart from No More Searching, which was penned by new saxophonist Dale Hillary. Eventually, Can You Feel It was completed and became the first Lighthouse album to feature multiple vocalists, was completed.
The decision to use multiple vocalists was one that could’ve backfired badly on Lighthouse. However, Can You Feel It was well received and the album was scheduled for released later in 1973.
Before that, Pretty Lady reached number nine in Canada and fifty-three in the US Billboard 100. For the followup Can You Feel It was released, and reached number nineteen in Canada. When Can You Feel It was released in 1973, the failed to chart in America. It looked as if Lighthouse were never going to crack the American market. In Canada, Can You Feel It sold well, but this time, there was no gold disc for Lighthouse. Still, though, the rise and rise of Lighthouse continued. They were one of Canada’s most successful bands by 1974. The last four years had been a roller coaster ride for Lighthouse.
Good Day,
A year later, in 1974, Lighthouse returned with their eighth studio album Good Day in 1974. By then, the lineup had changed. Skip Prokop had switched to guitar on a permanent basis, and Billy King was drafted in as the new drummer. Still, though, Skip Prokop and Ralph Cole shared lead vocal duties in an attempt to ensure there was a degree of continuity.
This was important for Lighthouse, given their previous album Can You Feel hadn’t replicated the success of previous albums. That had even been the case in their native Canada, where Lighthouse were a hugely popular band. They needed Good Day to be a big success
When Good Day was released as a single in 1974, it stalled at a lowly sixty-eight in Canada. Things didn’t improve when the album Good Day was released. It failed to match the sales of previous albums it featured the song Wide-Eyed Lady, which quickly would become a favourite when Lighthouse played live.
Despite the disappointing sales of Good Day, Lighthouse returned to Thunder Sounds Recording Studios to begin work on their ninth album. However, by then all wasn’t well within Lighthouse. Founder member Skip Prokop quit the band, and the album was never completed.
While Lighthouse continued to tour without Skip Prokop, the band never returned to the studio. The only album GRT released was The Best of Lighthouse in 1976. By then, Lighthouse were on their last legs, and disbanded later that year. After seven years, eight studio albums and a live album, Lighthouse called time on their career.
In 1992, Skip Prokop, Paul Hoffert and Ralph Cole reformed Lighthouse and twenty-five years later they’re still going strong. The reformed band released a new album Song of the Ages in 1996. Thirteen years later, and Lighthouse released 40 Years of Sunny Days a CD/DVD release in 2009. The following year, Lighthouse released the Best of Lighthouse-20th Century Masters in 2010. This was the perfect introduction to newcomers to one of Canada’s best bands, Lighthouse.
In 2014, founder member Skip Prokop retired from Lighthouse. Waiting in the wings was son Jamie, who is a chip of the old block. He ensures Lighthouse keep on rocking as they tour Canada. Then in January 2018, Lighthouse will perform for the second time on the Moody Blues Cruise. That is nearly fifty years since the Lighthouse story began.
They had released the best music of their career between 1969 and 1974. During that five-year period, Lighthouse were one of Canada’s most talented band and successful bands.They were led by Skip Prokop and Paul Hoffert who were Lighthouse’s songwriters-in-chief and producers. They were responsible for yen eight studio albums and one live album Lighthouse released between 1969 and 1974. These albums oozed quality as Lighthouse switched seamlessly between and combined disparate musical genres.
Lighthouse were musical master craftsmen, who deserved to reach greater heights during the RCA Victor years. They went on to enjoy further critical acclaim and the commercial success they deserved during the GRT years, when Lighthouse became one of Canada’s most successful bands.
Lighthouse-1969 1974 The Rise Of Lighthouse.
WILSON PICKETT SINGS BOBBY WOMACK.
Wilson Pickett Sings Bobby Womack.
Label: Kent Soul.
Nowadays, Wilson Pickett and Bobby Womack are remembered as two of the legends of soul music. Both men enjoyed long and illustrious careers, which saw them write their names into musical history. The two men also shared much in common, with Wilson Pickett and Bobby Womack both coming from a gospel background. That was where they learned to express themselves, before crossing over and embarking upon a career as soul singers.
The first to do so, was Wilson Pickett, who was born in 1941 and was three years older than Bobby Womack. Wilson Pickett’s solo career began in 1962 and continued right up until his death in 2006.
Bobby Womack also solo enjoyed a long and successful solo career that spanned six decades. He released his debut single in 1965, and forty-seven years later, Bobby Womack released his twenty-seventh and final studio album The Bravest Man In The Universe in June 2012. Sadly, not long after that, Bobby Womack who had already survived colon cancer, was diagnosed with the early stages of Alzheimer’s Disease. Just two years later soul survivor Bobby Womack passed away on June ’27th’ 2014. That day music lost one of its true legends.
While Wilson Pickett and Bobby Womack share much in common, the two soul men were inextricably linked between 1966 and September 1969. During that period, Wilson Pickett recorded seventeen songs penned by Bobby Womack. These songs feature on Wilson Pickett Sings Bobby Womack, which was recently released by Kent Soul, an imprint of Ace Records. As an added bonus, there are also two songs from Bobby Womack on Wilson Pickett Sings Bobby Womack between 1967 and 1968. However, Wilson Pickett’s career began twelve years before he recorded a Bobby Womack composition.
In 1955, fourteen years old Wilson Pickett from Prattville, Alabama, started singing gospel with The Violinaires and spent the next four years touring America. By 1959, Wilson Pickett was ready to crossover and joined the vocal group The Falcons.
Their lineup already included Mack Rice and Eddie Floyd, and the addition of Wilson Pickett should’ve made The Falcons a formidable force. However, it was three years before they enjoyed a minor hit with I Found Love. It featured a heart-wrenching lead vocal from Wilson Pickett who was already contemplating a solo career.
By 1962, Wilson Pickett had written It’s Too Late, and with the help of Don Convay, went into the studio to record a demo. This demo he sent to Jerry Wexler at Atlantic Records, hoping that he would be interested in signing him. This backfired when Jerry Wexler gave the song to one of his artists Solomon Burke. He enjoyed a huge hit with It’s Too Late, which reached number thirty-seven in the US Billboard and two in the US R&B charts. While Wilson Pickett was pleased to have written a successful single for Solomon Burke, Atlantic Records weren’t interested in signing him. This was a huge disappointment for the twenty-two year old singer.
So was the commercial failure of his debut single. Let Me Be Your Boy was released on the Correc-Tone label in April 1962, but never came close to troubling the charts. It was an inauspicious start to Wilson Pickett’s solo career.
Wilson Pickett’s luck changed in early 1963 when he signed to Harold Logan and Lloyd Price’s Double-L Records. This proved to be the perfect label for Wilson Pickett at this stage of his career and Harold Logan and Lloyd Price would help transform his career.
The first single Wilson Pickett released for Double-L Records was If You Need Me in March 1963. It reached sixty-four in the US Billboard 100 and thirty in the US R&B chart. Things were looking up for Wilson Pickett.
Three months later, Wilson Pickett when released It’s Too Late in June 1963, it reached forty-nine in the US Billboard 100 and seven in the US R&B chart. With two consecutive hits to his name, Double-L Records looked like the perfect label for Wilson Pickett.
In October 1963, Wilson Pickett released his third single for Double-L Records, I’m Down to My Last Heartbreak. Although it stalled at ninety-five in the US Billboard 100, reached twenty-seven in the US R&B charts. This gave Wilson Pickett his third top thirty US R&B hits. By then, he had released his debut album It’s Too Late. Wilson Pickett was one of Double-L Records’ most successful signings. However, I’m Down to My Last Heartbreak was the last single Wilson Pickett released on Double-L Records.
Two years after sending his demo of It’s Too Late to Atlantic Records, Wilson Pickett he signed on the dotted line in 1964. By then, Atlantic Records was one of the most successful soul & R&B labels. Wilson Pickett was now rubbing shoulders with the great and good of soul.
The first year that Wilson Pickett spent at Atlantic Records didn’t produce any hits. I’m Gonna Cry reached 124 in the US Billboard 100, while Come Home Baby didn’t even come close to troubling the charts. Compared to 1963, 1964 was a disaster for Wilson Pickett. Things were about to improve though.
In May of 1965, Wilson Pickett travelled to Memphis to record a session at Stax. The first session produced a number of songs including In the Midnight Hour a Wilson Pickett and Steve Cropper song, and Don’t Fight It. This was the first of two trips to Stax Studios Wilson Pickett made. He returned in 1965 and joining the band for the sessions was Isaac Hayes. The Stax sessions transformed Wilson Pickett’s career at Atlantic Records.
The first song from the Stax sessions that Wilson Pickett released as a s single was In the Midnight Hour. It was released in June 1965, and reached twenty-one on the US Billboard 100 and number one on the US R&B charts. In the Midnight Hour was the biggest hit of Wilson Pickett’s career and nowadays, is regarded as soul classic.
For the followup to In the Midnight Hour, Wilson Pickett released Don’t Fight It in October 1965 which reached fifty-three in the US Billboard 100 and number four on the US R&B charts. This was the third top ten US R&B single of Wilson Pickett’s career. Both Don’t Fight It and In the Midnight Hour found their way onto Wilson Pickett’s 1965 sophomore album In the Midnight Hour. This rounded off what had been the most successful year of Wilson Pickett’s career.
The success continued when Wilson Pickett released 634-5789 (Soulsville USA) in January 1966. It reached thirteen in the US Billboard 100 and number one on the US R&B charts. This was the second US R&B number one of Wilson Pickett’s career. He was well on his way to becoming one of soul’s biggest stars.
When it came to record his next single, Wilson Pickett headed to Fame Studios, in Muscle Shoals where he worked with producer Rick Hall and his legendary house band. They recorded Land Of A Thousand Dances and Ninety-Nine and A Half (Won’t Do) which soon would be released as singles and featured on his 1966 album The Exciting Wilson Picket.
Ninety-Nine and A Half (Won’t Do) was released in May 1966, but it stalled at fifty-three in the US Billboard 100 and number thirteen on the US R&B charts. This was a disappointing for Wilson Pickett.
When he released Land Of A Thousand Dances in June 1966, it reached number six in the US Billboard 100 and number one on the US R&B charts. This was the third US R&B number one of Wilson Pickett’s career, but his first million selling single. Wilson Pickett’s star was definitely in the ascendancy.
Following Land Of A Thousand Dances, Wilson Pickett released Mustang Sally in November 1966. It which reached twenty-three in the US Billboard 100 and number eight on the US R&B charts. This brought to a close the most successful year of Wilson Pickett’s career. He had enjoyed two US R&B number one hits and released two albums The Exciting Wilson Pickett.
As 1967 dawned, Wilson Pickett returned hoping to pickup where he left off in 1966. Everybody Needs Somebody To Love was released in January 1967 and reached twenty-nine in the US Billboard 100 and number nineteen on the US R&B charts. This was a disappointment, considering the success Wilson Pickett had enjoyed during 1966.
Two months later, and Wilson Pickett returned with a cover of a Bobby Womack and Reggie Young composition, I Found A Love-Part I. This was the first of seventeen Bobby Womack songs Wilson Pickett would release over a two-year period. When I Found A Love-Part I was released in March 1967 it reached thirty-two in the US Billboard 100 and six in the US R&B charts. This was the sixth top ten US R&B hit Wilson Pickett enjoyed in five years.
The next single Wilson Pickett released was Soul Dance Number Three in May 1967. It stalled at fifty-five in the US Billboard 100, but reached ten in the US R&B charts. This was followed up by Funky Broadway in July 1967, which reached number eight in the US Billboard 100, but reached one the US R&B charts. For Wilson Pickett, this was his third number US R&B single.
For the followup to Funky Broadway, Wilson Pickett a beautiful Bobby Womack penned ballad I’m In Love. It was tailor-made for Wilson Pickett and was released in October 1967. The song dealt with the criticism that Bobby Womack had been receiving for marrying Sam Cooke’s widow. As Wilson Pickett sings “I’m In Love” it’s as if he can relate to Bobby Womack’s sentiments. It was no surprise that this powerful and poignant rendition of I’m In Love reached number forty-five in US Billboard and four the US R&B charts. This was the ninth top ten single of Wilson Pickett’s career.
During 1967, Wilson Pickett found time to record two albums, including The Sound Of Wilson Pickett, which featured a trio of Bobby Womack songs. This included the soul-baring ballad I’m Sorry About That and I Found The One which is a beautiful ballad with gospel-tinged harmonies. They were joined by Something Within Me a bluesy, soulful ballad. The addition of these three on The Sound Of Wilson Pickett helped the album to fifty-four on the US R&B charts. This was disappointing given the quality of music on The Sound Of Wilson Pickett.
The other album Wilson Pickett released during 1967 was The Wicked Pickett. Bobby Womack contributed the uptempo Nothing You Can Do to the album The Wicked Pickett. Sadly, the album never charted and 1967 was a year of mixed fortunes for Wilson Pickett. He was hoping that 1968 would be a better year.
By 1968, Bobby Womack and Wilson Pickett were good friends, and this friendship strengthened over the next couple of years. Both men were enjoying successful solo careers. Bobby Womack’s song were also being covered by some of the biggest names in music, including the Rolling Stones and of course Wilson Pickett.
He released two albums during 1968, including I’m In Love, which featured five Bobby Womack compositions, This included I’m In Love and the string-drenched, dramatic ballad Jealous Love. It joins the stomping Let’s Get An Understanding, which features Wilson Pickett in full flight. It’s a similar case on We’ve Got To Have Love where backing vocalists accompany Wilson Pickett. The final song is I’ve Come A Long Way, which is a beautiful ballad. The four Bobby Womack songs helped the album to seventy in the US Billboard 200. Things were looking good for Wilson Pickett.
They were about to get even better when the Bobby Womack composition I’m A Midnight Mover gave Wilson Pickett his biggest hit of 1968. When it was released as a single in June 1968, it reached twenty-four in the US Billboard 100 and six in the US R&B charts. This was the eleventh and final top ten US R&B single of Wilson Pickett’s career. While I’m A Midnight Mover is one of his finest singles, it’s Bobby Womack who recorded the definitive version of the song.
When Wilson Pickett came to record his next album, The Midnight Mover it features four Bobby Womack songs. This included the hit single I’m A Midnight Mover, the tender, heartfelt ballad It’s A Groove and the hopeful ballad Trust Me. The final song was Remember, I Been Good To You a song about love lost, which features an emotive and impassioned vocal from Wilson Pickett. Bobby Womack’s four songs played an important part on The Midnight Mover which reached ninety-one in the US Billboard 200. 1968 had been a good year for Bobby Womack.
After the success of 1968, Wilson Pickett was keen to build on it as 1969 dawned. Ultimately, it proved a frustrating year, with Wilson Pickett choosing to cover songs like Born To Wild, Hey Joe and You Keep Me Hanging On. Needless to say, none of the singles he released proved particularly successful. They certainly never troubled the top ten. However, the two Bobby Womack songs he covered on his album Hey Joe were much more suited to the soul man.
For the Hey Joe album, Wilson Pickett covered the Bobby Womack ballad People Make The World (What It Is) and the uptempo track Sit Down And Talk This Over. It allowed Wilson Pickett to unleash a vocal powerhouse. These two songs were among the highlights of Hey Joe, which was released in 1969 and reached ninety-seven in the US Billboard 200. This brought to an end Wilson Pickett’s Bobby Womack Years.
Adding the finishing touch to Wilson Pickett Sings Bobby Womack is Wilson Pickett’s cover of Sam Cooke’s Bring It On Home To Me plus two songs from Bobby Womack. They’re Find Me Someone and How Does It Feel, which are a welcome reminder of true soul legend in his prime. It’s a fitting way to close Wilson Pickett Sings Bobby Womack.
The release of Wilson Pickett Sings Bobby Womack by Kent Soul, an imprint of Ace Records is the first time the seventeen Bobby Womack compositions have ever been released on a compilation. There’s been a previous attempt to release the songs on Wilson Pickett Sings Bobby Womack in 1999. Sadly, it never came to fruition and it was another eighteen years before the project came to fruition.
As a result, the Wilson Pickett Sings Bobby Womack compilation is one that many soul fans will have been looking forward to for many a year. It finds one soul great Wilson Pickett, singing the seventeen songs from the pen of the legendary Bobby Womack. These songs which were recorded and released between 1969 and 1969 feature Wilson Pickett in his prime.
By 1969, Wilson Pickett had enjoyed three US R&B number ones and eleven top US R&B top ten hits. As a result Wilson Pickett was one of the biggest names in soul. Partly, this was because of the material he was covering. That was the case from 1966 right up until his Hey Joe album in 1969. While it wasn’t Wilson Pickett’s finest album, two covers of Bobby Womack songs were among the album’s highlights.
Between 1966 and 1969 Wilson Pickett seemed to have an uncanny knack of choosing the right songs to cover. This included the songs written by his friend Bobby Womack. Wilson Pickett breathed life, meaning and emotion into the songs, as he switched between ballads and uptempo tracks. He comes into his own on the ballads on Wilson Pickett Sings Bobby Womack. Just like the rest of the songs on Wilson Pickett Sings Bobby Womack, these songs seemed to be tailor-made for Wilson Pickett, as he enjoyed the most successful period of his career.
Playing their part in this success is the seventeen songs on Wilson Pickett Sings Bobby Womack which are a reminder of Wilson Pickett at peak of his powers, during his five decade career. The ideal companion to Wilson Pickett Sings Bobby Womack would be compilation featuring the late, great Bobby Womack singing the same songs. That would be a fitting tribute to another legendary soul man. Meanwhile, soul fans can enjoy the his old friend and fellow soul man at his soulful best on Wilson Pickett Sings Bobby Womack.
Wilson Pickett Sings Bobby Womack.
CLAUDE LOMBARD-CHANTE.
Claude Lombard-Chante.
Label: Sommor Records.
By 1969, twenty-four year old Belgian chanteuse Claude Lombard had been involved in the music industry for seven years, and had already written several scores and appeared as a session singer on numerous singles. Claude Lombard had also represented Belgium at Eurovision Song Contest and released a number of singles during the rises and rise of yé-yé music. Somehow, Claude Lombard still found time to study for a degree and postgraduate degree. The twenty-four year old had achieved a lot in a relatively short space of time. There was however, one thing she had still to do,…release an album. That changed when she released Chante, which was an album of groundbreaking chanson psychedelia. Chante which was recently released by Sommor Records, an imprint of Guerssen Records, was the latest chapter in the Claude Lombard story.
Claude Lombard was born in Brussels in 1945, and brought up in a musical family. Her mother was actress Claude Alix, who later went on to sing rock ’n’ roll as Rita Roque, while Claude Lombard’s father was a jazz pianist and singer. He introduced his daughter to music at an early, and Claude Lombard caught the music bug.
By the time Claude Lombard was a teenager, she was taking music lessons. She studied the guitar, music, harmony, counterpoint and composition. This would stand Claude Lombard in good stead for the future. However, as she prepared to leave high school, Claude Lombard was unsure what the future held for.
As a result, Claude Lombard decided to study law at university. It looked as if Claude Lombard was about to turn her back on music. That wasn’t the case. When she arrived at university, Claude Lombard decided enrol in some dramatic arts courses. However, it wasn’t long before Claude Lombard decided to change direction academically. Law wasn’t for Claude Lombard.
Instead, Claude Lombard decided to enrol at the Superior Institute of Arts and Choreography (ISAC). It soon became apparent that this was Claude Lombard had found her calling. She immersed herself in the new course and studied all aspects of music, dance and theatre. Some of the classes would prove useful when Claude Lombard embarked upon a musical career. Especially the classes in interpretation and the music lessons that Claude Lombard took. By the time she left ISAC, she had honed her skills as a pianist and guitarist. This would stand her in good stead when she graduated from ISAC.
Having left ISAC, one of Claude Lombard’s first jobs was writing the score to the musical adaptation of Boris Vian’s The Foam Of The Daze. Not long after that, she joined forces with her mother and wrote the score to Flower Power. Meanwhile, Claude Lombard was working as a session singer, and featured on countless singles and the occasional album. Claude Lombard’s career had taken off.
Still, Claude Lombard found time to write and record her debut single L’Amour De Toi, which was released by Decca in 1965. By then, yé-yé music had swept much of mainland Europe and was hugely popular. Claude Lombard was keen to add yé-yé singer to her burgeoning CV.
By then, Claude Lombard was spending much of her time writing and recording. Although she was constantly busy, Claude Lombard was determined to improve herself musically. She had an insatiable thirst for knowledge and self-improvement, and decided to enrol on a doctorate course.
Despite returning to the world of academia, Claude Lombard continued to embark on new musical challenges. She became part of the contemporary music group Music Nouvelles and the Jazz Orchestra of Belgian Radio Television. This resulted in Claude Lombard meeting Peter Bartholome, who was one of the leading lights of Belgian music.
He offered Claude Lombard a role in the Luciano Berio’s opera Laborintus, which was being staged at the Theatre Royal in Brussels. At first, Claude Lombard was unsure about accepting the role as she still unsure about her talent and ability. Eventually, she accepted the role and Claude Lombard’s role in Laborintus received praise and plaudits. This helped Claude Lombard’s confidence.
After her appearance in Laborintus, Claude Lombard was due to make an appearance at the Festival Mundial de la Cancion Latina. The competition was fierce, with forty participants vying for this prestigious prize. Claude Lombard sung Petit Frère, which featured lyrics by Freddy Zegers. While Claude Lombard finishes in a respectable tenth place, Freddy Zegers won the gold medal for his lyrics to Petit Frère, which later opened Chante.
After returning from the Festival Mundial de la Cancion Latina, Claude Lombard and Freddy Zegers formed a formidable songwriting partnership. Claude Lombard and Freddy Zegers also released the Profond EP Palette in October 1967. Alas, the EP failed to find an audience and it was back to the drawing board for Claude Lombard.
Later in 1967, Claude Lombard released a solo EP which featured four of her own compositions. Stylistically, Bains De Mousse, Tendresse De Chevet, Aux Quatre Coins and Jupon Vole were all very different and ranged from bossanova to chanson and pop. Alas, when the EP was released on Polydor it also failed to find an audience. However, Claude Lombard wasn’t about to give up.
Her persistence paid off when Claude Lombard was chosen to represent Belgium at the 1968 Eurovision Song Contest, which was being held at the Royal Albert Hall, in London, England. That night, Claude Lombard sang Quand Tu Reviendras and finished in a very respectable seventh place.
Quand Tu Reviendras was released as a single by Palette in April 1968. On the B-Side was Claude Lombard and Freddy Zegers composition Les Petits Couteaux. It found Claude Lombard and Freddy Zegers reunited as they duetted once again. Despite the relative success of Quand Tu Reviendras at the Eurovision Song Contest, widespread commercial success continued to elude Claude Lombard.
Despite her lack of success in Belgium, Claude Lombard’s singles were released all over Europe, including in France, Germany, the Netherlands and Spain. Yé-yé music was still popular across mainland Europe, and Claude Lombard was marketed as a yé-yé singer. This would change when Claude Lombard released her debut album Chante in 1969.
For her debut album Chante, the Claude Lombard wrote the music to eleven new songs while Freddy Zegers penned the lyrics. They joined Petit Frere, which Claude Lombard had sung at the Festival Mundial de la Cancion Latina just a few years previously. It made a welcome return on Chante, which was recorded at Studio Madeleine, in Brussels, with producer Roland Kluger. With Chante complete, all that was left was to release Claude Lombard’s debut album.
The label that Claude Lombard chose to release Chante, was Disques Jacques Canetti. When it was founded in 1962, by Jacques Canetti, it became the first ever French independent record label. Disques Jacques Canetti released Chante in 1969, but sadly, it failed to find the audience it so richly deserved. This was a great shame, as Chante was an album of beautiful, groundbreaking and influential album of chanson psychedelia that sometimes, headed in the direction of avant-garde and sci-fi pop. Sadly, Chante was way ahead of its time and record buyers neither understood nor grasped the importance of this future cult classic.
As Petit Frère opens Chante, plucked plink plonk strings, a strummed guitar and bass combine, while the drummer marks time on the ride as Claude Lombard delivers a rueful and emotive vocal. Soon, the tempo rises, adding to the drama and emotion. Meanwhile, the rhythm section is joined by washes of organ, occasional Arabian sounds and later, swathes of wistful strings. They sweep and swell, adding to the to the sense of melancholia as the arrangement floats along. All the time, the strings provide the perfect accompaniment to Claude’s heartfelt vocal. Still, instruments flit in and out, including a guitar, piano and sci-fi sounds. They all play their part in the sound and success of this beautiful, wistful example of “canonical chanson.”
Straight away, drums pound and power the arrangement to Polychromés along. Meanwhile, horns bray as Claude delivers a brisk and urgent vocal. Adding to the urgency is the drums, while futuristic keyboards add a lysergic sound to this genre-melting, cinematic track. Already, elements of avant-garde, experimental, jazz, pop, and psychedelia are being combined by Claude and her band. They create an ambitious, dreamy, hypnotic and lysergic backdrop that dance along, and sets the scene for Claude’s urgent and sometimes, ethereal vocal.
Chimes and bells ring as Les Enfants Perle unfolds. Soon, the rhythm section and brisk guitar join shimmering, glistening keyboards and otherworldly, futuristic sounds. They provide an accompaniment to Claude Lombard’s tender, heartfelt vocal. Later, the chimes and bells flit in and out, playing their part in this beautiful, dreamy reminder of the Queen of chanson psychedelia at her best.
Stabs of piano quicken, creating an urgent backdrop on Midi. It’s joined by the bass, before the rest of the band join the frae. They create a backdrop the flits seamlessly between jazz, soul jazz and incorporates psychedelia. Meanwhile, Claude’s vocal veers between urgent, sultry, soulful and when the arrangement becomes understated, tender and lysergic. Especially, when reverb is added to her vocal. Adding to the psychedelic backdrop is washes of Hammond organ, before the arrangement takes on jazzy cinematic sound. Claude embraces this new sound, before the tempo rises and she joins her band, who power this cinematic song along until it reaches a memorable crescendo.
It’s all change on Mais, where a piano sets the scene for Claude on this jazz-tinged song. The twenty-four year old chanteuse delivers one of her most tender, heartfelt vocals and shows maturity beyond her years. It’s as if the band realise that this one of Claude’s finest moments and take care not to overpower her vocal. Instead, an organ and joins the piano, which plays a leading role in the sound and success of the song. It features one of the finest vocals on Chante from chanteuse Claude Lombard who delivers expressive vocal as she breathe meaning and emotion into the lyrics.
As La Coupe starts to reveal its secrets sci-fi sounds combine with the rhythm section, piano and guitar. Claude delivers a slow, thoughtful and tender vocal. Sometimes, her vocal soars above the arrangement as it skips along, with a piano combining with the rhythm section and guitar. They’re joined by shimmering keyboards and futuristic, otherworldly sounds. This is the final piece of the jigsaw. Later, effects transform Claude’s vocal, which becomes ghostly as she scats during this genre-melting, cinematic, chanson psychedelic opus.
A clock chimes as Claude singe “Sleep Well” tenderly. Meanwhile, chanson psychedelic sound starts to unfold. Sci-fi sounds combine with the rhythm section and guitar. who play slowly and deliberately. Meanwhile Claude’s vocal rises and falls, cascading across the arrangement during what sounds like a modern lullaby. That is apart from when sci-fi sounds are added and briefly, effects are added to Claude’s vocal. They add a twist to this modern lullaby before it reaches a crescendo. By then, Sleep Well sounds as if it belongs in a short gothic film.
A shrill sound drones briefly, before giving way to a funky guitar, rhythm section and tough keyboards that combine on L’Usine to create an urgent backdrop for Claude. Her vocal is equally urgent, but also powerful, ethereal and impassioned. Meanwhile, otherworldly and futuristic sound are added. Later, they become more prominent and create a cinematic backdrop for Claude’s vocal. Adding to the cinematic sound is Claude’s effect-laden vocal which soars high above the arrangement. Latterly, otherworldly sounds dominate the arrangement adding to the cinematic sounds on a track that fuses drama with avant-garde, experimental, funk, Musique Concrète and chanson psychedelia.
Lush strings sweep and combine with flourishes of piano on Les Vieux Comptoirs. Soon, washes of a swirling Hammond organ and guitar combine as Claude delivers one of her most tender and elegiac vocals. It sits atop the arrangement as it flows along constantly tugging at one’s heartstrings. By the end of this beautiful, orchestrated track it’s apparent that this is chanteuse Claude Lombard’s finest moment on Chante.
Drums pound ominously on Les Musiciens, and join stabs of piano and otherworldly sounds that provide the backdrop for Claude’s heartfelt vocal. They’re joined by a funky guitar and swirling Hammond organ. Soon, Eastern, experimental and lysergic sounds are added to this musical tapestry, as Claude delivers her vocal with urgency and emotion. It soars high above the arrangement, with sci-fi sounds and rat-a-tat drums providing a contrast to the funky guitar and the dusty swirling Hammond organ. They accompany Claude as she continues to combine drama, emotion and urgency during this poignant and truly memorable song.
From the opening bars, L’Arbre et L’Oiseau has an unmistakable sixties sound. That is the case from the moment the song bursts into life, with Claude’s band playing as one. The rhythm section and funky guitar combine with the Hammond organ as Claude grabs the song by the scruff of the neck and makes it her own. She combines power and emotion, while her band combine funk, with pop, psychedelia and rock. With just over thirty-seconds left, Claude passes the baton to her multitalented band, who ensure this irresistible song ends on a high.
La Camarde, which closes Chante, is akin to a journey on an old steam train. Drums replicate the sound a steam train makes as it heads across the tracks. Meanwhile, a whistle blows, Hammond swirls and the bass marches the arrangement along and is later, joined by a piano. Adding the finishing touch is Claude’s vocal, which veers between tender to ethereal, dramatic and sultry. While Claude’s vocal plays a leading role during this last part of the musical journey, her talented and versatile band play their part in the sound and success of La Camarde. There’s an element of theatre to this melodic and memorable song that closes Belgian chanteuse Claude Lombard’s debut album Chante.
Seven years after she embarked upon a musical career, Claude Lombard finally got found to recording her debut album Chante. By then, Claude Lombard sung opera, appeared at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1968 and had even been a yé-yé singer. When Claude Lombard released Chante in 1969, it was important, innovative and influential album of.
That was despite Chante failing to find an audience upon its release in 1969. Back then, people failed to understand an album that was way ahead of the musical curve. While Chante was ostensibly an album of chanson psychedelia and sci-fi pop, there’s much more to this genre-melting album. It finds Claude Lombard fusing and flitting between avant-garde, chanson electronica, experimental, funk, Musique Concrète, pop, psychedelia and rock. The result was an album of music that was variously beautiful, dramatic, dreamy, lysergic, melancholy, orchestral and wistful. Sometimes, the addition of futuristic and sci-fi sounds transformed the music, and it became otherworldly and cinematic. Given this cinematic sound, it’s as if Claude Lombard’s carefully sculpted songs were meant to be part of the soundtrack to a short films. These songs were also very different from much of music being released in Belgium in 1969.
Twenty-four year old chanteuse Claude Lombard pioneered the chanson psychedelia and sci-fi pop on Chante 1969. Somewhat belatedly Chante found the audience it so richly deserved and went on to influence and inspire several generations of musicians. Especially, it seems, groups like Broadcast and Stereolab. Their music has obviously been influenced and inspired by Chante which nowadays, is regarded as a cult classic.
Sadly, copies of Chante were almost impossible to find, unless record collectors were willing to spend upwards of £250. Fortunately, Chante was recently reissued on CD and LP by Sommor Records, an imprint of Guerssen Records. The recent reissue of Chante by Sommor Records is the perfect opportunity to discover or rediscover the delights of a truly groundbreaking album. It features twenty-four year old Belgian chanteuse Claude Lombard, who pioneered chanson psychedelia and sci-fi pop on her 1969 debut album Chante, which went on to influence and inspire several generations of musicians, and will continue to do so.
Claude Lombard-Chante.
MAD MATS DIGGING BEYOND THE CRATES VOLUME 1.
Mad Mats Digging Beyond The Crates Volume 1.
Label: BBE.
Mats Karlsson’s life changed forevermore when hip hop arrived in Europe in 1983. Back then, he was living in northern Stockholm, which was an ethnically diverse neighbourhood, and had no interest in music. That soon changed when he discovered hip hop.
Soon, Mats Karlsson threw himself into the b-boy culture and began collecting hip hop and electro records that he would use for his b-boy routines. Before long, Mats Karlsson was the Swedish b-boy champion. He had come a long way in a relatively short time. By then, he had well and truly caught the music bug.
After a couple of years, Mats Karlsson was already a familiar face within Stockholm’s DJ scene. Just like many DJs within the hip hop scene, he started searching for original breaks he could use in his routines. For Mats Karlsson, this was the start of his crate digging career. Before long, he was spending much of his time in Stockholm’s record shops.
This was where Mats Karlsson first met Damon Frost a.k.a. D-Frost, who was a dancer from Los Angeles, who had recently relocated to Stockholm. The two men became friends and bonded over their love of music. Damon Frost began introducing Mats Karlsson to disco, funk, reggae and soul, and helped him understand the music from a dancer’s point of view. This was something that later, would help Mats Karlsson as a DJ.
By the late-eighties, Mats Karlsson was spending most of the daylight hours crate digging in Stockholm’s record shops and record fairs. Just like many DJs, Mats Karlsson had an insatiable appetite for new music, which he hoped would give him an edge during his b-boy routines and when he stepped behind the wheels of steel. Other DJs thought Mats Karlsson had taken leave of his senses, as his whole life revolved around crate digging and searching for that elusive break. That was how Mats Karlsson became known Mad Mats.
As the eighties gave way to the nineties, Mad Mats was contemplating a change of his career, and in the early nineties, hung up his dancing shoes. Up until then, Mad Mats had juggled parallel careers as a dancer and DJ. However, with his DJ career starting to take off, Mad Mats decided to concentrate on his DJ-ing career.
This was just as well, as he was DJ-ing all over Stockholm and further afield. There was no way he could continue to dance and DJ. Especially when Mad Mats found himself travelling further afield to DJ. Some weekends he was booked to DJ in London, where he discovered the vibrant jazz dance and rare groove scenes, and DJs Giles Peterson and Norman Jay. Both DJs would influence Mad Mats DJ-ing style. So would Jazzy Jeff, who Mad Mats heard spinning soulful house at the Sound Factory during his first visit to New York. All of the music that Mad Mats was hearing would provide inspiration when Mad Mats was asked to curate a compilation.
By then, Mad Mats’ sets were eclectic and had been since the mid-nineties. Then in 1996, he founded the Fusion club in his native Stockholm, which proved to be a successful business venture. A year later in 1997, and Mad Mats was asked to compile and mix a compilation for Supersounds Volume 1. Disc one featured Tony Zoulias, with Mat Mats working his way through eighteen tracks on his mix. This was the first of several compilations that Mad Mats would compile.
As the new millennia dawned, Mad Mats was ready to embark upon a new venture, his own record label, Raw Fusion Recordings. It was based in Stockholm with Mad Mats taking charge of A&R. Still he continued his career as a globe-trotting DJ, playing across Europe and in America and Australia. Mad Mats was by then, one of Europe’s top DJs, and unlike many top DJs continued to spin vinyl right up until 2005.
That was when Mad Mats switched to Serato and began using control vinyl to manipulate digital files. By then, Mad Mats needing space in Stockholm sold off the majority of the 10,000 records in his collection. Despite doing so, Mad Mats was still passionate about music.
In 2005, Mad Mats compiled two new compilations for his label Raw Fusion Recordings. This included Raw Fusion Bass-Ment Classics and Raw Fusion Recordings Presents Inside Scandinavia Volume 2. These two compilation were an introduction to the music that Mad Mats’ label had been releasing over the past few years.
Four years later, and Jazztronic and Mad Mats were asked to compile and mix compilation. The Rawest Fusion was released in 2009, and showcased Mad Mats track selection and mixing skills. It was an eclectic mix, but nowhere near as eclectic as his Mad Mats’ next compilation.
After the release of The Rawest Fusion, Mad Mats continued to juggle different parts of his career. While his DJ-ing career continued apace, Mad Mats also founded two record labels in 2011. This included Local Talk which specialised in house music, and Basic Fingers which releases edits and reworks of disco and house releases. Having founded two new labels, Mad Mats added musical impresario to his CV.
Over the next six years, Mad Mats’ Local Talk and Basic Fingers’ labels have gone from strength-to-strength. So too, has Mad Mats’ DJ career. His sets are eclectic as he takes the listener on a musical journey that can include everything from soul, funk and disco to boogie and reggae to electronic, hip and house. Equally eclectic is Mad Mats latest compilation Digging Beyond The Crates Volume 1 which was recently released by BBE. It’s a captivating and eclectic musical journey, with highlights a plenty.
By 1969, trumpeter Johnny Moore divided his time between The Skalites, who he founded in 1964, and his solo career. In 1969, Johnny Moore recorded the instrumental Big Big Boss, which was released on the Doctor Bird label in the UK. With its sunshine sound, Johnny Moore’s reggae instrumental Big Big Boss is guaranteed to brighter up even the darkest day, and is the perfect way to open Digging Beyond The Crates Volume 1.
Gappy Ranks’ recording career began just after the new millennia, and since then, he’s released five albums between 2006 and 2016. None of them feature Sherriff which has been remixed by Murio. He combines elements of dancehall, dub and even grime on a track that shows another side to reggae.
Ensemble Entendu is a collaboration between Astro Nautico co-founder and co-owner Sam O.B. who previously and label artist Photay. The collaboration began in July 2014, and since then, they’ve been DJ-ing in New York and recording music in various Brooklyn studios. This includes Selected Rhythm Works Volume 1. One of the album’s highlights is Jah I See You, a hypnotic, genre-melting, leftfield track where everything from hip hop, dub, electronic, experimental and industrial are combined to create a moody, cinematic track.
DJ Robert Arnold dawned the Cuthead moniker when he and his Kunst:stoff Breakz crew held hedonistic parties in disused building across Dresden. This upset the authorities, and soon, he throwing a party was akin to a game of cat and mouse. By 2006, Cuthead embarked upon a recording career, and has released six albums between 2008 and 2016. However, in February 2015 Cuthead released the Presets Of Your Mind EP on Sampling As An Art Records. It features Badly which is another moody, futuristic and cinematic track where musical genres unite.
Prolific is the best way to describe Intimate Disco, who released fifteen albums on the Ebonite label. Animations is a Jim Tullio composition that featured on Intimate Disco Album 9, which was released in 1977. At first, Animations is dramatic before a jazz funk jam starts to unfold. Soon, Intimate Disco combine disco and proto-boogie with jazz funk as this memorable jam shows its secrets.
In 1984, Psalms released their debut album Take A Stand on Sprinkle Records. Nowadays, the album is a real rarity, and copies change hands for upwards of $100. One of the highlights of the album is Take A Stand, where gospel and soul combine with boogie and funk to create an irresistible track.
Yvonne Gray wrote Keep The Music Alive which was released on the Trac label in 1975. This is a welcome addition to the compilation, and features a vocal powerhouse on a track that is funky and soulful.
By September 1974, soul man Bobby Hebb was signed to the Crystal Ball Records, which was based in Salem, Massachusetts. Bobby Hebb wrote and produced Evil Woman, and delivers the lyrics with power and passion. It’s as if he means every word of this oft-overlooked hidden gem.
Between August the ‘31st’ and September ‘5th’ Bill Laurance and his band recorded nine tracks at Parlor Studios, New Orleans. These tracks became Aftersun, which was released on GroundUP Music in 2016. One of the highlights of the album is The Pines which features a jazz masterclass from pianist Bill Laurance. It’s one of nine good reasons to buy Aftersun, and discover the delights of Bill Laurance’s fourth album.
Twenty-five years ago, Antonio Puntillo, Claudio Coccoluto and Kipper collaborated together as Uni (You and I). The fruits of their labour was the single Don’t Hold Back The Feeling. It was released on the Italian house label Heartbeat, and featured four tracks. This included the Key Trip Dub of Don’t Hold Back The Feeling which is a reminder of the golden age of house music.
BSTC released Jazz In Outer Space as a single in 2006 on the Chicago-based All Natural Inc label. It was a dance-floor friendly fusion of jazz, funk, house and Latin. Two years later, BSTC returned with a new album Music For A Saturday Evening, the floor filler Jazz In Outer Space returned for a well deserved encore. It takes another bow on Digging Beyond The Crates Volume 1.
Eight years after house producer Ezel released his debut single in 2008, he released Get Down on Mad Mats’ Local Talk label in 2016. Joining Ezel on Get Down was vocalist Tumelo. They provide a potent partnership on the Ezel Funk Mix of Get Down. It’s a reminder that there’s still producers created quality soulful, funky house
Again, it’s 4/4 the floor all the way on Ossie’s I Hurt Yoo, where filters are deployed effectively during this melodic track. Partly that is due to a sample of Gilbert O’Sullivan’s Clair, which plays it’s part in I Hurt Yoo’s dreamy, Balearic, feel-good vibe.
Deft is the moniker of producer Yip Wong, who wrote and produced The Traveller. It features on the 12” single Supreme Sound From London, which was released on Skullcandy Supreme Sound in December 2012. The Traveller is a journey in sound that veers between a dubby electronic, to tougher, tech house sound to minimalist, Balearic and uplifting.
Matthew Puffett dawned the Mode-M moniker in the mid-nineties and in 1996, released Space Based as a single on Justin Winks’ new Oxford based label. Space Based was the first single the nascent label released and is dubby, lysergic and futuristic slice of techno. Twenty-one years later, and Space Based has stood the test of time and could still fill dance-floor.
Closing Digging Beyond The Crates Volume 1 is Turbojazz and Ct-Hi Ensemble’s Strings Of Life which was released on Mad Mats’ Local Talk Records. It’s full of surprises as elements of disparate musical genres melt into one, as the arrangement ebbs and flows. Everything from downtempo and electronica, to Nu Jazz and house are combined with proto-boogie and disco. The result is an intriguing adventure in sound from Turbojazz and Ct-Hi Ensemble. They ensure that Digging Beyond The Crates Volume 1 closes on a high.
The sixteen tracks on the CD version of Digging Beyond The Crates Volume 1, which was recently released by BBE. Vinyl lovers have also been catered for, and BBE have released Digging Beyond The Crates Volume 1 as a two LP set. However, only twelve of the sixteen tracks make their way onto the vinyl version of Digging Beyond The Crates Volume 1. However, regardless of which version of Digging Beyond The Crates Volume 1 music lovers decide to buy, they’re in for a musical feast.
Digging Beyond The Crates Volume 1 is reminiscent of one of Mad Mats’ DJ sets. It’s equally eclectic and finds Mad Mats switching seamlessly between disparate genres during this musical journey. Mad Mats switches between boogie, disco, electronica, funk, gospel, house, jazz funk and techno. There’s also diversions via Balearic, experimental, industrial, proto-boogie and tech house as the journey unfolds.
Meanwhile, Mad Mats introduces the listener to a variety of artists, bands and producers. Some of these will be familiar faces, while others will be new names to many music fans. They’re in for a pleasant surprise as they discover the delights of Mad Mats’ Digging Beyond The Crates Volume 1.
Mad Mats Digging Beyond The Crates Volume 1.
GIRLS WITH GUITARS TAKE OVER!
Girls With Guitars Take Over!
Label: Ace Records.
Not many compilation series’ are still going strong after twenty-eight years.Those that do, must be doing something right. That is certainly the case with Ace Records’ Girls With Guitars’ series, which began in 1989.
That was when the first instalment in the Girls With Guitars’ series was released by Ace Records’ Impact Records imprint. The first instalment in the Girls With Guitars’ series was released on vinyl, which was still to be overtaken in the popularity stakes by the compact disc. This would’ve changed by the time the Girls With Guitars’ series returned.
Fifteen years passed before Girls With Guitars’ series was released on Ace Records in April 2004. Ace Records was now the permanent home to the Girls With Guitars’ series, and this was a new start for what would become a popular and long-running series.
By the time Girls With Guitars was released in April 2004, the music industry was a very different place. Everything from how music was made, distributed and consumed had changed since 1989. So had the way people listened to music. While the first instalment in the Girls With Guitars’ series was released on vinyl, the second volume was released on compact disc was. That was how most people listened to music by 2004. Vinyl had fallen from favour in the early nineties, with many record collectors selling off their collections and trading up to compact disc in the pursuit of perfect sound quality. Back then, it looked as if vinyl was gone for good.
Another five years passed before the next instalment in the Girls With Guitars series was released in April 2009. This was Destroy That Boy! More Girls With Guitars, which was released on compact disc. Just like previous volumes, Destroy That Boy! More Girls With Guitar received praise and plaudits upon its release. It seemed that with every new instalment in Ace Records’ Girls With Guitars series it found a wider audience.
Despite the increasing popularity of the Girls With Guitars’ series, there was no sign of it becoming an annual event. Instead, it continued to be one of Ace Records’ many occasional compilation series. Eventually, a new instalment in the Girls With Guitars series arrived five years later. However, by then, much had changed.
The Rebel Kind-Girls With Guitars 3 was released on compact disc in March 2014. It was the third instalment in the series since it found a home on Ace Records in 2004. This latest volume was released to critical acclaim, and found favour with music fans. By then, there had been a resurgence of interest in all things vinyl.
This was good news for record companies and remaining record shops, who had experienced some tough times over the past twenty years. They welcomed the resurgence of interest in vinyl, which began not long after Ace Records had released Destroy That Boy! More Girls With Guitars in April of 2009. Suddenly, a new generation of younger music fans had discovered vinyl. Older music fans clambered into their attics for their long forgotten vinyl collections. Other music fans regretted selling their vinyl collections in the late-eighties and early nineties and began rebuilding their record collection. Vinyl was back.
As a result, the sales of turntables were soaring and many record companies started to release albums on vinyl. This was just as well, as the resurgence of interest in vinyl meant that record buyers were eschewing the compact disc. Instead, they were willing to play extra for the high quality 180 grams heavyweight vinyl. This included many fans of the Girls With Guitars’ series.
In October 2014, Ace Records released Girls With Guitars on red 180 grams heavyweight vinyl. This was fitting, as twenty-five years had passed since the first instalment of the Girls With Guitars was released on vinyl. The newest addition to the Girls With Guitars’ series found favour with record buyers old and new. So will the latest addition in this long-running series.
Recently, Ace Records released Girls With Guitars Take Over! on red 180 grams heavyweight vinyl. It features twelve tracks from Girls Take Over, The Clingers, The Wrongh Black Bag, The Debutantes, Karen Verros, The Delmonas, The Tomboys and The Lady-Bugs. They’re among the twelve guitar-totting girl groups that strut their stuff on Girls With Guitars Take Over!
Side One.
By 1969, the Milwaukee-based Girls Take Over had been together three years, and were a familiar face on the local live scene. They had come a long way since they were formed in 1966. So much so, that Girls Take Over had recorded their debut single Stardust Come Back. 200 copies were pressed and the single was released later in 1969 on the Pentagon label. Tucked away on the B-Side was a cover of the Robert Higginbotham composition Hi-Heel Sneakers. It found Girls Take Over giving Tommy Tucker’s hit a garage rock makeover. With its raw, lo-fi sound, Hi-Heel Sneakers epitomised the garage rock sound and sets the bar hight for the rest of Girls With Guitars Take Over!
The Clingers featured four sisters, Debbie, Melody, Patsy and Peggy, who were born into a musical family in Salt Lake City. In 1964, The Clingers embarked upon a recording career. Five years later, and The Clingers had signed to Columbia, and were about to release their cover of Harry Vanda and George Young’s Gonna Have A Good Time in January 1969. It was produced by Michael Lloyd and Kim Fowley who were responsible for a melodic, memorable, rocky and sassy fusion of pop rock and psychedelia. Forty-eight years later, and it’s stood the test of time and is a welcome addition to Girls With Guitars Take Over!
Plommons were Swedish girl group whose recording career began in 1966 and was over by 1967. During this period, they released a trio of singles, including Hungry For Your Love which was released on the Odeon label in January 1966. Hidden away on the B-Side was Last Train To Liverpool which was penned by Joakim Amorell and Maud Lindqvist. The members of Plommons bring to life this pop rock homage to the city of Liverpool.
When The Wrongh Black Bag came to record their debut single, they decided to cover Al Kooper’s Wake Me, Shake Me. It was produced by Bob Shad and released on his Mainstream Records in August 1968. Wake Me, Shake Me is best described as garage rock meets psychedelic rock, and features some blistering guitar licks. Despite the quality of the single, it failed to find an audience and The Wrongh Black Bag’s recording career was over before it had even begun.
The Debutantes were formed in Detroit, in 1964 by fourteen year old singer Jan McClellan. Over the next few years, the band’s lineup continued to evolved, and in 1966 The Debutantes made their recording debut. They released several singles, including On Broadway. On the B-Side was a cover of Bill Medley’s Little Latin Lupe Lu, which The Righteous Brothers released as a single in November 1962. Since then, several bands had covered the song. Little Latin Lupe Lu featured on the B-Side to The Debutantes single On Broadway, which was released on the Gail and Rice label in 1966. Ironically, Little Latin Lupe Lu which was a really catchy pop song, was the stronger of the two tracks and may have fared better than On Broadway. Despite that, The Debutantes’ popularity grew, and they worked with some of the biggest names in music. However, by 1969 years of constant touring caught up with The Debutantes, and the band called time on their career.
When Kathy Lynn and The Playboys were looking for a song to record for their sophomore single, they eventually settled on Carl Cisco, Kathleen Keppen and Nick Ameno’s My Special Boy. It was released on Swan in August 1964 and is a mixture of pop, garage rock and surf rock. It’s a potent, melodic and memorable combination, and is the perfect way to close side one of Girls With Guitars Take Over!
Side Two.
In October 1965, Karen Verros released her sophomore single You Just Gotta Know My Mind on Dot Records. It was a cover a Donovan composition that was arranged by Jack Nitzsche and produced by Dave Hassinger and Mike Minor. They played their part in Karen Verros’ future freakbeat cult classic Just Gotta Know My Mind.
The Chymes released their debut single Bring It Back Home on OKeh Records in March 1966. Five months later, in August 1966 they released Quite A Reputation on the Chattahoochee label. Hidden away on the B-Side was He’s Not There Anymore which was penned and produced by Howard Kaylan and Nita Garfield. It’s a hook-laden hidden gem from The Chymes, who are responsible for an enchanting example of jangling garage rock.
Eleven of the twelve band on the compilation were around in the sixties. The exception is The Delmonas, whose recording career began in 1984 and lasted until 1989. In 1985, The Delmonas released their debut album Dangerous Charms on Big Beat Records. One of the songs on the album was the Beau Charles and Buddy Randall composition Lies. It was given a Beatles’ influenced makeover, as tight harmonies accompany a defiant vocal on one of the highlights of Dangerous Charms.
For their debut single, The Tomboys covered Jay Goodis and Jerry Keller’s I’d Rather Fight Than Switch. It was released on Swan in May 1964. By then, there were a number of successful girl groups, and record labels were looking for the ‘next big thing’. Alas, commercial success eluded The Tomboys, and they never released a followup to I’d Rather Fight Than Switch. Fifty-three years later, and I’d Rather Fight Than Switch returns for a well deserved and belated encore on Girls With Guitars Take Over!
Just like The Tomboys, The Lady-Bugs only released the one single. This was the Mitch Murray composition How Do You Do It, which was released on the Chattahoochee label in February 1964. By then, the Chattahoochee label had enjoyed some success with girl groups and The Lady-Bugs were hoping that How Do You Do It would bring commercial success and critical acclaim their way. While it’s a melodic fusion of pop and rock, commercial success eluded The Lady-Bugs and the they never released another single.
By 1966, Nancy Ross had formed three bands The Toads, Id and The Hairem. She had been inspired to form a band after seeing the Beach Boys live in Sacramento in 1964. That was a turning point for Nancy Ross. Two years later, and The Hairem were preparing to enter the studio and record some demos. This included Like a Snake, a moody, lysergic sounding track. It lay unreleased until 1999, when Big Beat Records released a compilation of music by Nancy Ross’s next band, She. The compilation was She Wants A Piece Of You, which was part of the Nuggets From The Golden State series which featured songs by She and The Hairem. Among them were The Snake, which brings Girls With Guitars Take Over! to a close.
Nearly three years after the previous instalment in the Girls With Guitars series, this long-running and successful series make a welcome return with Girls With Guitars Take Over! It was recently released by Ace Records on red 180 gram vinyl. Not only does Girls With Guitars Take Over! look great, but sounds great. Girls With Guitars Take Over! is welcome addition to the Girls With Guitar series, which celebrated its twenty-eight anniversary earlier this year.
The first instalment in the Girls With Guitar series was released in 1989, Impact Records, which was an imprint of Ace Records. Fifteen years later, the second instalment in the Girls With Guitar series was released on Ace Records. That was a fresh start for the series, and since then, Ace Records has become a permanent home for the Girls With Guitar series. It’s one of many occasional series’ that Ace Records release.
Rather than making the Girls With Guitar series an annual occurrence, Ace Records concentrate on quality rather than quantity. As a result, each and every instalment in the series has oozed quality and features a mixture of songs from familiar faces, new names and plenty of hidden gems. This has proven to be a winning formula, and Girls With Guitars Take Over! is no different.
Among those who play leading roles in Girls With Guitars Take Over! are Girls Take Over, The Clingers, The Wrongh Black Bag, The Debutantes, The Delmonas, The Tomboys, The Lady-Bugs and The Hairem. They’re among the twelve guitar totting tracks on Girls With Guitars Take Over! which is a welcome addition to Ace Records’ long-running and successful Girls With Guitars’ series.
Girls With Guitars Take Over!
MAINSTREAM MODERN SOUL 2 1969-1976.
Mainstream Modern Soul 2 1969-1976.
Label: Kent Soul.
By 1964, had already spent over twenty years working in the music industry. He had started at the bottom and worked his way up, and now he was one of the most respected figures in American music. Bob Shad knew everyone and they knew him. They knew that Bob Shad had worked as a session musician, producer, A&R man and had founded several record labels. With such a wealth of experience, any one of the major labels would’ve welcomed Bob Shad onboard, and could’ve put his experience to good use. However, Bob Shad had other plans, and in 1964, founded a new label, Mainstream Records. The new label would allow to put all his experience to good use.
When Bob Shad founded Mainstream Records in 1964, it was originally a jazz label, which mainly released albums and a few singles. However, by 1965, music was changing, and rock was King.
Bob Shad decided that Mainstream Records should release a wider and more eclectic election of music. This included rock music. For the next five years, Mainstream Records’ new and expanded roster proved popular and profitable. That changed in 1970, so Bob Shad decided to relaunch Mainstream Records.
The newly relaunched Mainstream Records would feature a newly designed label and would release just jazz. Mostly, Bob Shad intended to return to releasing mostly albums, with the occasional single. This was the way Mainstream Records had originally operated. However, Bob Shad had developed a criteria for choosing the albums he was willing to release.
He was going to only release what he saw as traditional jazz albums. Bob Shad didn’t want to release albums where synths and electronics featured. This was unrealistic given that fusion’s popularity was on the rise, and it was no surprise that this new policy didn’t last long, The other change at Bob Shad’s Mainstream Records was that the began to release soul and jazz.
By then, the there had been a blurring of the lines between what was soul and jazz. Even critics and record buyers were confused. This blurring of the lines resulted in Mainstream Records’ musical policy changing, and the label releasing a much wider selection of music. This included the music on Mainstream Modern Soul 2 1969-1976, which was recently released by Kent Soul.
Mainstream Modern Soul 2 1969-1976 is a much-anticipated followup to Mainstream Modern Soul 1969-1976. It features the twenty-three tracks from Mainstream Records and its various imprints. Among the artists, are a mixture of familiar faces and new names. Charles Beverly joins Special Delivery, Chocolate Syrup, Almeta Lattimore, McArthur, Jeany Reynolds, Alice Clark, Ellerine Harding, Calvin Arnold, Terry Huff and Linda Perry. These are just a few of the artists that feature on Mainstream Modern Soul 2 1969-1976, which features the soulful side of Bob Shad’s label.
Mainstream Modern Soul 2 1969-1976 opens with Charles Beverly’s debut single Grass Ain’t Greener, which was released on IX Chains Records in 1975. It’s one of the hidden gems on the compilation, and finds Charles Beverly unleashing a soulful vocal powerhouse,as his band fuse elements of rock are combined with Southern Soul. Sadly, the single failed to make any impression on the charts, and Charles Beverly never released another single on IX Chains Records. He went on to release several singles on the Vanessa label and his debut album In The Mood on Torrid Records, Inc. in 1991. However, the song that started it all of for Charles Beverly was Grass Ain’t Greener, which whets the appetite for the rest of the compilation.
When Special Delivery released Come Back With Your Love Pt 1 in 1976, the story of the few years was like the script to a musical soap opera. The problems had started when vocalist Terry Huff was recruited, and with him onboard, Special Delivery recorded I Destroyed Your Love. Just before its release in 1975, an argument led to Terry Huff being thrown out of the group. When I Destroyed Your Love became a hit, Mainstream Records sent Terry Huff and some session singers into the studio to record an album. Meanwhile, the original lineup of Special Deliver were left sitting on the sidelines. Terry Huff and Special Delivery released The Lonely One in 1975, and title-track reached number eleven in the US R&B charts and seventy-five in the US Billboard 100. Despite the success of The Lonely One, Bob Shad had decided that it was time for the original lineup of Special Delivery to resume recording. They were after all, the rightful owner of the group’s name.
Later, in 1976, Bob Shad returned the name Special Delivery to remaining members of the original group. With a new recruit, they headed into the studio and recorded Come Back With Your Love Pt 1 which is slick, soulful and showcases Special Delivery’s trademark. Sadly, this beautiful, string drenched, soul-baring single failed to chart. This was a first for Special Delivery, and was remembered as the one that got away.
In 1975, Almeta Lattimore went into the studio to record her new single with producer Leonard Jones. For the B-Side Almeta Lattimore had written Oh My Love. Despite being destined for the B-Side arranger Jimmy Roach and producer Leonard Jones deployed layers of lush strings and a subtle chiming guitar. They provided the backdrop for Almeta Lattimore’s impassioned vocal on this hidden soulful gem.
All-male quartet McArthur was founded by former Royal Joker Willie Jones in 1974. The group was named in honour of the United States Supreme Commander of the Allied Pacific Forces during World War II, General Douglas McArthur. Just a year after McArthur were formed, they released their debut single I’ll Never Trust Love Again on Brown Dog Records in 1975. It’s a slow, confessional ballad where tight harmonies and sweeping strings accompany the soul-baring ballad. Sadly, I’ll Never Trust Love Again was the only single the talented and soulful McArthur released. Forty-three years later, and it’s a welcome addition to Mainstream Modern Soul 2 1969-1976.
Lenny Welch’s recording career began in the late-fifties, and over the next fifteen years he had moved between record labels. Cadence, Kapp Records, Cadence, Columbia, Mercury and Atco Records were all home to Lenny Welch at one point. Then in the summer of 1973, Lenny Welch left Atco Records and signed to Bob Shad’s Mainstream Records. In December 1974, he released When There’s No Such Thing As Love (It’s Over). It was arranged by Bert DeCoteaux who produced the single with Lenny Welch. He’s joined by backing vocalist, lush strings and horns during this lush, orchestrated production. If finds Lenny Welch delivering an impassioned, emotive and soulful vocal on what was his fourth single for Mainstream Records. Sadly, it was also his swan-song. When the single failed to find the audience it deserved, Lenny Welch left Mainstream Records. However, he had kept one of his best until last.
Alice Clark should’ve and should’ve gone on to enjoy a long and illustrious career. She was a hugely talented singer, and had a vocal that could breath meaning and emotion into lyrics. This she showcased it on her 1972 eponymous debut album, Alice Clark. It was released on Mainstream Records and featured Never Did I Stop Loving You, where Alice Clark combines power and passion and delivers the lyrics as if she’s lived and experienced them. Sadly, after the release of her eponymous debut album, Alice Clark turned her back on music. That day, soul music lost a singer who had the potential to become one of the great female vocalists of her generation. Never Did I Stop Loving You is a reminder of what soul music lost the day Alice Clark turned her back on music.
Sadly, the story of Ellerine Harding is one of what might have been. She only ever released the one album Ellerine in 1972, which featured I Know Something You Don’t Know. Bob Shad produced Ellerine which featured some top session players. They’re joined by strings and horns and provide a soulful, funky backdrop for Ellerine Harding. Her vocal soulful, sassy and playful on what’s one of the highlights of Ellerine which was released on Mainstream Records in 1972, Just like Alice Clark, Ellerine Harding was a truly talented singer who should’ve reached greater heights.
In 1976, Nia Johnson released what proved to be the only single of her career, You Are The Spice Of My Life. It was penned and produced by Willie Lester and Rodney Brown. They’re responsible for a lush, orchestrated arrangement and cooing harmonies that provide the perfect accompaniment to Nia Johnson as she deliver a beautiful soulful, heartfelt paean.
Lenny McDaniel was born and brought up in New Orleans, where he played bass and guitar for many local bands. By 1968, Lenny McDaniel’s recording career began, and a year later, in 1969, Lenny McDaniel and The Last Nikle released I’ve Been Trying To Love You as a single on Mainstream Records in September 1969. It was penned by Lenny McDaniel, who unleashed an emotive vocal powerhouse, as he lays bare his soul. I’ve Been Trying To Love You also features on The Last Nikle’s 1969 debut eponymous album. This was the only album Lenny McDaniel and The Last Nikle released together. Instead, Lenny McDaniel became a session musician, and didn’t release any further albums until the nineties, when he released two solo albums.
Before signing to Bob Shad’s IX Chains Records, Calvin Arnold was something of a musical nomad. He had wandered from label to label, searching for that ever elusive hit single. His luck changed when he met Bob Shad and signed to his IX Chains Records’ imprint. For his IX Chains Records’ debut, Calvin Arnold released Satisfy My Love later in 1975. It reached seventy-nine in the US R&B charts, and gave Calvin Arnold a minor hit single. Tucked away on the B-Side was You’ll Do It another Calvin Arnold composition. It’s a chugging slice of Southern Soul where occasional strings punctuate the tight arrangement. Meanwhile, Calvin Arnold delivers a lived-in, emotive vocal that showcases a truly talented singer. Sadly, he only enjoyed one other minor hit single, (I’m Your) Friendly Neighbourhood Freak in 1975. That was as good as it got for the journeyman soul man, Calvin Arnold.
After leaving Special Delivery, Terry Huff embarked upon a solo career at Mainstream Records. In July 1976, Terry Huff released one of his own compositions Where There’s A Will (There’s A Way), which became his third single. Despite being an irresistible fusion of disco, funk and soul, this dance-floor friendly single failed to find an audience. For Terry Huff this modern soul classic was his Mainstream Records’ swan-song. He had kept his best single until last.
Closing Mainstream Modern Soul 2 1969-1976 is Linda Perry’s 1974 single Everyone Has Someone. This was the second single that Linda Perry had released for Mainstream Records. Accompanied by backing vocalists, Linda delivers a vocal that is full of hurt and heartache on a song that successfully fuses soul with fifties rock ’n’ roll. When it failed to find an audience, that marked the end of Linda Perry’s career at Mainstream Records.
These are just a few of the tracks on Mainstream Modern Soul 2 1969-1976, which was recently released by Kent Soul, an imprint of Ace Records. It’s the followup to Mainstream Modern Soul 1969-1976, which was the first in the is occasional series. This was followed up by Super Duper Love-Mainstream Hits and Rarities 1973-76, which was another welcome excursion into the Mainstream Records’ vaults. It was one of the finest compilations of music from the Mainstream Records’ vaults. Mainstream Modern Soul 2 1969-1976 picks up where its predecessors left off.
Again, it’s quality all the way during this welcome excursion into the Mainstream Records’ vaults. A total of twenty-three tracks from Mainstream Records and its various imprints were chosen, and made their way onto Mainstream Modern Soul 2 1969-1976. Some of these artists and groups featured on Mainstream Modern Soul 1969-1976 or Super Duper Love-Mainstream Hits and Rarities 1973-76, while others make their debut on Mainstream Modern Soul 2 1969-1976. These tracks feature the soulful side of Mainstream Records and various imprints.
Among the artists on Mainstream Modern Soul 2 1969-1976, are many familiar faces, old friends plus a few names. They sit side-by-side on Mainstream Modern Soul 2 1969-1976, which is a compilation that oozes quality. It’s the Kent Soul third excursion into the Mainstream Records’ vaults. Hopefully, there will be further excursions in the future. Meanwhile, the this triumvirate of compilations is the perfect introduction to the soulful side of Bob Shad’s Mainstream Records.
The triumvirate began with Mainstream Modern Soul 1969-1976 in April 2016, then Super Duper Love-Mainstream Hits and Rarities 1973-76 in October 2016 and the recent release by Kent Soul of Mainstream Modern Soul 2 1969-1976. This trio of compilations are a welcome reminder of the soulful side of Bob Shad’s Mainstream Records and will be worthy addition to any record collection.
Mainstream Modern Soul 2 1969-1976.
THE STEVE AND THE BOARD STORY.
The Steve and The Board Story.
Although Steve and The Board were formed in Brisbane, Australia, in 1965, the story began 9,000 miles away in 1950. That was when Steve Kipner, the founder of Steve and The Board was born in Cincinnati, Ohio. However, Steve Kipner didn’t spend much of his young life in Cincinnati.
His father Nat Kipner, who was a songwriter and producer, who wanted a better life for his family, and started looking for a future beyond Ohio. Eventually, Nat Kipner decided that his family would move to Brisbane, in the state of Queensland. It was situated on Australia’s gold coast, which seemed the perfect place to start a new life, and bring up a young family.
Fifteen years later, in 1965, Steve Kipner found himself studying at Brisbane Art and Technical College. By then, Steve Kipner had caught the music bug from his father who was now a songwriter, producer and promoter. Steve Kipner’s love of music began at an early age, and he had already penned She Used To Be Mine which featured on Normie Rowe’s debut album So Much Love From Normie Rowe. Already it looked as if Steve Kipner had a big future ahead of him after he left Brisbane Art and Technical College. However, it was at that venerable institution that Steve Kipner met two of his future band mates.
This was drummer Colin Petersen and guitarist Carl Groszman. They were both students at Brisbane Art and Technical College and it was purely by chance that the three aspiring musicians met. Soon, the three students had formed a friendship and Carl Groszman was introducing Steve Kipner to new music, including bluesmen like Lightnin’ Hoplkins and Muddy Waters and the R&B of Ike and Tina Turner.
All this was new to Steve Kipner, and he enjoyed discovering the new music. The third member of the trio Colin Petersen, had taken to picking Steve Kipner up in Mini Cooper and they would work out the harmonies to Beatles’ songs on the journey to and from college. On one of these journeys, they Steve Kipner and Colin Petersen came up with the idea of forming a band. That band would become Steve and The Board, who became of one Australia’s top sixties’ garage rock bands.
Having made the decision to form a band, the three members of what later became Steve and The Board, began the search for a bassist. That was how they met Dennis Neville, who previously, had been the drummer for The Tempests. However, since leaving The Tempests, Dennis Neville had started to learn the guitar. When the three members of Steve and The Board met they Dennis Neville they managed to persuade him to learn to play the bass.
Using a borrowed bass and amplifier, Dennis Neville taught himself to play the bass, and before long had mastered it. Dennis Neville became Steve and The Board’s bassist, and when they started to play live, drove the band’s van.
Despite the band lineup still evolving, the nascent began playing the live scene around Brisbane. At first, they drew inspiration from The Beatles and British Invasion groups like The Hollies. Harmonies played an important part in the band’s nascent sound. That was until they met two musicians from Sydney.
Terry Hanagan and Chris Grey, who had previously, been a member of the Missing Links had just arrived in Brisbane from Sydney when they first met Steve and The Board. The two Sydney-based musicians started telling the members of the band about City Blues, which was the urban take on R&B that the Rolling Stones had made their name playing. Having heard about City Blues, the band changed direction musically and even adopted a new name.
By then, the band had still to adopt the name Steve and The Board. However, they weren’t far away, and renamed the band Board Of City Blues. Their set lists featured a mixture of R&B and songs by The Animals, The Yarbirds, the Rolling Stones, Them and The Pretty Things. Sometimes, they dipped into The Kinks, The Who and The Beatles’ back-catalogue during their sets. Board Of City Blues also started to include some of the songs that two members of the band had written.
Despite Steve Kipner’s track record, he wasn’t one of the two songwriters in Board Of City Blues. That would come later. Instead, Colin Petersen and Carl Groszman, who had adopted the stage name Carl Keats, had started writing songs. Some of these songs would feature in Board Of City Blues’ set lists. This included the gigs the Board Of City Blues in a Nat Kipner’s club.
Board Of City Blues were in the fortunate position that Steve Kipner’s father Nat owned a small club. He allowed the band to practise there, and to play live. This was perfect for the group to hone their sound.
Having honed their sound, the Board Of City Blues were ready to make their tentative steps on the Brisbane live scene for the second time. However, this time they were a different band not just in name, but musically. One of the first gigs that the Board Of City Blues played was at a club called the Prim in the Piccadilly Arcade. After that, it looked as if the future was bright for the Board Of City Blues. That was until Nat Kipner sprung a surprise.
He announced that the Kipner family were moving to Sydney, where he felt there were better business opportunities for him. A reluctant Steve Kipner made the move.
With Steve Kipner moving to Sydney, it looked as if this spelt the end for the Board Of City Blues. That was until bassist Dennis Neville received a phone call from Steve Kipner asking him to bring the band to Sydney. Steve Kipner’s father had managed to get the Board Of City Blues some gigs, and there was even talk of a recording contract. This was too good an opportunity to turn down.
The first to arrive in Sydney was Dennis Neville, who had resigned from his job the Monday. Given what he had sacrificed, Steve Kipner’s parents allowed Dennis Neville to move into the family home. Over the next two months, the rest of the Board Of City Blues arrived in Sydney. Carl Keats was last to arrived, and in the interim, a local guitarist had deputized for him. By the time the rest of Board Of City Blues had arrived in Sydney, they began the search for a lead guitarist.
Auditions were held, and several guitarists tried out. This included ‘Long’ Tom Cowburn mentioned his friend Alex Hill. He had arrived with his family from Croatia, and as a child, studied classical violin. Eventually, he turned his back on classical music and the violin, and learnt to play the guitar. That was how Alex Hill found himself auditioning for the Board Of City Blues. It didn’t take long for the rest of the Board Of City Blues to realise that they had found their lead guitarist.
At last, the Board Of City Blues’ lineup was complete, and they went in search of their first gig. The new lineup of the Board Of City Blues took place at a surf club in Wollongong. That night, the Board Of City Blues were well received by the audience, and this proved to be the start of something for the Board Of City Blues.
Suddenly, the Board Of City Blues were playing nearly every night. Soon, the Board Of City Blues had more gigs that they could cope with. They were a hugely popular draw on the local scene. So much so, that some night, the Board Of City Blues played three gigs a night and sometimes, more. The move to Sydney had paid off for the Board Of City Blues.
Especially when Nat Kipner secured the Board Of City Blues an audition with Everybody’s, a Sydney-based record company. Although Nat Kipner had secured the audition, it wasn’t a done deal. Instead, the Board Of City Blues had to audition with Maggie Makeig, the pop music editor at Everybody’s. Everything went well, but the record label weren’t sure of the band’s name. It was then that the Board Of City Blues became Steve and The Board.
This was a much more acceptable and marketable name for the record label, and having signed on the dotted line, Everybody’s, sent Steve and The Board into the studio to record their debut single. The song that Steve and The Board had chosen, was a cover of The Pretty Things’ Rosalyn, with The Giggle-Eyed Goo! on the B-Side. This was a song that Nat Kipner had already written. However, Carl Keats made a few changes to the lyrics and wrote the music. Little did Steve and The Board know when they recorded The Giggle-Eyed Goo! in mid-1965 that it would launch their career.
Steve and The Board released their debut single Rosalyn in October 1965. It found Steve and The Board stay true to The Pretty Things’ original version. Steve and The Board’s reading of Rosalyn showcased a talented young band. However, it wasn’t Rosalyn that caught the attention of the record buying public, and their children.
Nat Kipner was able to secure Steve and The Board priceless publicity. He was involved with the children’s television show Saturday Date, and ran a competition that had children send in a drawing of what The Giggle-Eyed Goo! looked like. This was invaluable promotion, and propelled The Giggle-Eyed Goo! to number four in the Melbourne charts and thirty-four in the Brisbane charts. While the song gave Steve and The Board their first hit single, it proved to be a double-edged sword.
While Steve and The Board received a lot of publicity due to the success of The Giggle-Eyed Goo!, it was regarded as a novelty song. The problem with novelty songs, was that very few people take them seriously. There was always the risk that promoters and other bands might not take Steve and The Board seriously. However, when Steve and The Board played live in Adelaide, it was like Beatlemania all over again. Having played two songs, Steve and The Board were mobbed by young girls. Nat Kipner’s novelty song had transformed Steve and The Board’s career.
Soon, they were sharing the stage with some of the biggest names in Australian music. They also shared top billing with Herman’s Hermits. By them, Steve and The Board even had their own fan club. They had come a long way in a short time.
Despite the success, Steve and The Board weren’t making any money. This wasn’t helped by a number of disreputable promoters refusing to pay Steve and The Board. As a result, they were left living a hand to mouth existence. Suddenly, the music business wasn’t such a glamorous way to make a living.
By March 1966, plans were in place for Steve and The Board to release their sophomore single Margot, which featured I’ve Just Realised on the B-Side. While the single was given a catalogue number, it was never released.
This changed when Steve and The Board released The Giggle-Eyed Goo! EP, which featured four tracks. They were The Giggle-Eyed Goo!, Rosalyn, Margot and Rosemarie, which were all produced by Nat Kipner. When The Giggle-Eyed Goo! EP was released in 1965, Steve and The Board had been promoted to the main Spin label. With plenty of hype, The Giggle-Eyed Goo! EP was released on the record buying public. However, it never replicated the success of their debut single.
Later, The Giggle-Eyed Goo! EP would featured on Steve and The Board’s debut album The Giggle-Eyed Goo! However, by then, the writing was on the wall for the band. That was still to come.
A month after the aborted release of Margot, Steve and The Board decided to leave Sydney, as things were starting to cool down for the band. They packed their bags and headed to Melbourne, and soon, had secured a residency at the 10th Avenue Discotheque. It was run by Eddie Floyd, who soon, became the band’s manager.
While Eddie Floyd ensured the band didn’t go hungry and secured them plenty of gigs, still Steve and The Board weren’t making much money. Each week, Steve and The Board played over forty-five hours, but only made £16 each. To make matters worse, Melbourne was notorious for promoters failing to pay bands, and Steve and The Board fell victim to this several times. It was a frustrating experience.
Steve and The Board had some good times in Melbourne, and featured on ATV’s music show Go!! several times. This was invaluable publicity for the band. So was appearing on Kommotion, another popular music program that was presented by Ken Sparkes. Appearing on these shows would stand Steve and The Board in good stead when they released their next single.
This was I Call My Woman Hinges (Cause She’s Something To Adore). On the B-Side was I Want. When the singles was released, it reached the top five in the Australian charts. It was a hook-laden, R&B stomper that caught the imagination of the record buying public. I Call My Woman Hinges (Cause She’s Something To Adore) was very different to The Giggle-Eyed Goo!, and showed Steve and The Board in their true colours.
Not long after the release of I Call My Woman Hinges (Cause She’s Something To Adore), Steve and The Board released their sophomore EP in 1966. It was entitled I Call My Woman Hinges (Cause She’s Something To Adore), and also featured Farmer John, Little Miss Rhythm And Blues and Love’s Made A Fool Of You. Producing the new tracks was Nat Kipner, who had produced all of Steve and The Board’s releases. This would soon include their debut album.
By the time executives at Spin started talking about Steve and The Board releasing their debut album, the band had nearly enough material for an album. They were sent into the studio to record three more tracks, including I’m To Blame, Love’s Made A Fool Of You and Lonely Winter which Carl Groszman had written. When these three new songs were added to songs from their two EPs and singles, Steve and The Board had more than enough for their debut album.
Originally, Steve and The Board had considered the Board Meeting for album title. That would’ve been the perfect title for the album, given Steve and The Board were trying to establish a reputation as a serious R&B band. However, instead of common sense prevailing, it was decided to call the album The Giggle-Eyed Goo! It seemed that what had originally been a novelty song for a B-Side was going to haunt the band.
Worse was to come though. After Steve and The Board completed The Giggle-Eyed Goo!, drummer Colin Petersen announced that he was leaving the band. This was a huge blow for the band, as Colin Petersen had been a member from day one and was a talented drummer. Replacing him wasn’t going to be easy.
The loss of Colin Petersen couldn’t have come at a worse time, with Steve and The Board about to release their debut album The Giggle-Eyed Goo! It showcased a talented and versatile band that should’ve had a big future ahead of them.
By the time Steve and The Board’s debut album The Giggle-Eyed Goo! was released, the band had a new drummer, Geoff Bridgeford. He gave up a job with an advertising agency to join Steve and The Board. This was a decision he might later rue.
Once Geoff Bridgeford settled into the role of Steve and The Board’s drummer, the band continued their gruelling touring schedule. This found Steve and The Board crisscrossing Australia, as they played in towns and cities. Some nights, the band played four, even five gigs. This was a relentless schedule, and one the band continued day after day, week after week. Somehow, Steve and The Board found some time to record some new songs.
Steve and The Board went into the studio and recorded So Why Pretend, Now I’m Older and Sally Was A Good Old Girl. After recording the new songs, it was back to the live circuit.
Despite the constant touring, Steve and The Board managed to squeeze in a couple of appearances on television. Somehow the members of Steve and The Board were managing to cope with a schedule that even older, more experienced bands would’ve struggled with. By then, Steve and The Board’s popularity was at all-time high. They were mobbed after gigs, and literally, had run to their cars. Sometimes, they were accosted by jealous boyfriends. It got to the stage that Steve and The Board had a police officer living with the group, who were experiencing Beatlemania. The members of Steve and The Board should be wealthy young men.
As Steve and The Board returned to Sydney, the group realised that their finances needed some attention. New recruit Geoff Bridgeford was given the job of looking their finances. For a group who had literally lived on the road, playing four and five gigs each night, Geoff Bridgeford worked out that all Steve and The Board were owed was just $600. This must have come as a huge blow. To make matters worse, collecting what they were owed was easier said than done.
During September 1966, Steve and The Board released their next single, Now I’m Older which featured So Why Pretend on the B-Side. Later that month, Steve and The Board were one of the bands booked to support PJ Proby at Melbourne’s Festival Hall.
On the ‘30th’ September 1966, Steve and The Board took to the stage at the Festival Hall. For a group that had played hundreds of gigs, this was the one that went wrong. They weren’t alone though.
It was a disastrous gig for everyone involved, with technical problems sabotaging Steve and The Board’s performance. Despite this, the press turned on Steve and The Board. Just like many other bands, the press had built them up to knock them down.
Steve and The Board headed out on another tour, which was billed as The Steve and The Board Spectacular. It began on the ‘5th’ October 1966, and concluded six days later on the ‘11th’ October. Despite its brevity, it had been another gruelling tour. There was no rest for the band though.
They had to film a promotion film for their next single, which was the Alex Hill composition Good For Nothing Sue. It’s one of the four bonus tracks on The Complete Steve and The Board. So is the B-Side Sally Was A Good Old Girl. After the film was complete, Steve and The Board headed out on the first of two tours. Then on ‘1st’ December 1966 featured on the Go!! television show for what would be the last time.
In January 1967 Good For Nothing Sue was released by Spin. By then, music was starting to change, and the psychedelic era was in full swing. Steve and The Board was just one of many bands who suddenly were no longer as popular.
By the spring of 1967, gigs were starting to dry up for Steve and The Board. They were only playing two, maybe three nights a week. Steve and The Board continued for a couple of months, and on ‘17th’ May 1967 the band split up. After two years, the dream was over.
Despite all their hard work, and the gruelling tours, Steve and The Board didn’t end up rich men. Just like many other groups before them, much of the money ended up in other people’s pockets. Sadly, that still happens today. For Steve and The Board, there was no gold at the end of the rainbow.
Later, Colin Petersen enjoyed a brief spell as the Bee Gees’ drummer. Later Colin Petersen joined the band Humpy Bong who released the single Don’t You Be Too Long in 1970. However, another former member of Steve and The Board went on to enjoy fame and fortune.
After a brief solo career, Steve Kipner became an award-winning songwriter and producer. He penned songs for everyone from America, Diana Ross, George Benson and Olivia Newton John, to Heart, Joe Cocker, Neil Diamond and Rod Stewart. The songs that Steve Kipner have written have solid by the million, and he has a string of gold and platinum discs to his name. Steve Kipner has also won the prestige Ivor Novello Award. For Steve Kipner, there was life after Steve and The Board, who are still remembered some city years after they split-up.
Although they were only together for two years, they were a whirlwind for the members of Steve and The Board. During that period, Steve and The Board toured relentlessly and but recorded just sixteen songs. Still they’re remembered fondly in Australia as one of the country’s greatest garage bands.
Sadly, outside of Australia, Steve and The Board are largely unknown. That is a great shame, given they were a talented and versatile band. Within Australia, Steve and The Board are remembered by many people, who remember that two-year period when they enjoyed their own version of Beatlemania. Ironically, many people remember Steve and The Board for their first hit single The Giggle-Eyed Goo! However, the followup single I Call My Woman Hinges (Cause She’s Something To Adore) is much more representative of Steve and The Board’s music, who were one of Australia’s greatest garage bands of the sixties.
The Steve and The Board Story.
BOBBY HATFIELD-THE OTHER BROTHER: THE VERVE RECORDS AND MGM RECORDS YEARS 1968-1970
Bobby Hatfield-The Other Brother: The Verve Records and MGM Records Years 1968-1970,
When twenty-two year old Bobby Hatfileld met Bill Medley in 1962, and formed The Righteous Brothers little did the pair realise that this was the start of a journey that would see the pair become one of the most successful musical partnerships of the sixties. The most successful period of The Righteous Brothers’ career was between 1963 and 1965, when he formed a formidable partnership with producer Phil Spector.
During that period, The Righteous Brothers released eight albums and a string of hit singles on Phil Spector’s Philles Records. This included classic singles like You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling in November 1964; and Unchained Melody in July 1965. Three months later, in October 1965, The Righteous Brothers parted company with Phil Spector and signed to Verve/MGM Records.
The split with Phil Spector was acrimonious, with Phil Spector suing The Righteous Brothers. Eventually, the case was settled out of court, with The Righteous Brothers paying Phil Spector $600,000. This allowed The Righteous Brothers to embark upon a new chapter of their career at Verve/MGM Records.
While this might have seemed like a brave new world for The Righteous Brothers, there was a downside to the move to Verve/MGM Records. No longer would The Righteous Brothers be working with Phil Spector. At first, it looked as if The Righteous Brothers could manage without Phil Spector, when (You’re My) Soul and Inspiration was released in February 1966, and reached number one in the US Billboard 100. This gave The Righteous Brothers’ the first gold disc of their career. When the album Soul and Inspiration was released later in 1966, it reached number seven in the US Billboard 200 and was certified gold. However, that as good as it got for The Righteous Brothers.
They never reached the same heights during the rest of their stay at Verve/MGM Records. By 1968, The Righteous Brothers’ best days were behind them, and singles, like their twee cover of My Darling Clementine in 1967 and Here I Am in 1968 failed to chart. Meanwhile, the three albums The Righteous Brothers’ albums released between 1967 and 1968 all struggled in the lower reaches of the US Billboard 200. Music had changed, but The Righteous Brothers hadn’t. Maybe Bill Medley realised that, when he announced he was leaving The Righteous Brothers to resume his solo career in 1968 at MGM Records. It was the end of an era for The Righteous Brothers.
After Bill Medley signed to MGM Records, Bobby Hatfileld signed to Verve Records in 1968. With both Righteous Brothers resuming their solo careers, industry insiders wondered who the winner would be? It was going to be a close run race, that lasted five years. It began in 1965.
By the time Bobby Hatfileld’s solo career resumed, Verve Records had bought The Righteous Brothers and Bobby Hatfield’s recordings from Phil Spector’s Philles Records. This meant that the only company releasing Bobby Hatfield recordings would be Verve Records. This would included some of those recorded in Los Angeles, during his first recording session for Verve Records.
On the ‘15th’ March 1968, Bobby Hatfileld entered the studio to record his first solo recording for Verve Records. Five songs were recorded, including what became Bobby Hatfield’s debut single for Verve Records. This was a cover of Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil’s beautiful ballad Hang Ups. Among the other songs recorded were Bobby Hatfield’s rueful cover of Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil’s See That Girl, and a soul-baring cover of Goffin and King’s So Much Love. Previously unreleased versions of both tracks feature on The Other Brother: A Solo Anthology 1965-1970. It seemed released from the shackles of The Righteous Brothers, Bobby Hatfield was embracing this new start.
Three weeks later, in early April 1968, Bobby Hatfield returned to the studio and recorded two more songs. This included the Bobby Hatfield composition Soul Cafe, which would feature on the B-Side of Hang Ups when it was released as a single.
In May 1968, Hangs Up was released in May 1968, but failed to make any impression on the charts. This was disappointing for Bobby Hatfield and executives at Verve Records. However, two months later, and Bobby Hatfield was back in the studio.
When Bobby Hatfield entered the studio on ‘17th’ July 1968, it proved a productive session. He managed to record three songs, but none of these songs were ever released. This includes a cover of Harry Nilsson’s Paradise. Sadly, the song was never released.
Just a month after recording Paradise, Bobby Hatfield returned to the studio on ’21st’ August 1968 and cut three songs. This included In My Mind, and Brothers, a poignant Bobby Hatfield song that dealt with his time as one half of The Righteous Brothers. That would become Bobby Hatfield’s second single for Verve Records, and featured a cover of What’s The Matter Baby on the B-Side.
When Brothers was released in October 1968, it also failed to find an audience. The song never even made it into the lower reaches of the charts. Bobby Hatfield’s solo career wasn’t going to plan.
Despite this, Verve Records weren’t about to turn their back on Bobby Hatfield. They scheduled another recording session for ’23rd’ December 1968. That day, Bobby Hatfield recorded four songs, including The Wonder Of You and I’ve Got My Eyes On You. The other two songs, My Prayer and Only You two, had previously given The Platters’ hit singles. This quartet of songs were intended to feature on Bobby Hatfield’s debut solo album. However, one of these songs became Bobby Hatfield’s next single.
The song chosen was Only You, which was released in February 1969, but stalled at a lowly ninety-five on the US Billboard 100. Bobby Hatfield’s solo career wasn’t going to plan.
Bobby Hatfield returned to the studio in early 1969, including U Wish I Didn’t Love You So Much. It featured on the B-Side of Bobby Hatfield’s next single My Prayer, which was released in April 1969. Just like Only You, My Prayer failed to chart, and the search for a hit single continued.
In July 1969, Bobby Hatfield released his fifth single for Verve Records. This was Answer Me My Love, which featured I Only Have Eyes For You on the B-Side. It was a familiar story for Bobby Hatfield when Answer Me My Love never came close to troubling the charts. Little did Bobby Hatfield know that it was the final single he would release for Verve Records.
Later in 1969, Bobby Hatfield’s career took an unexpected twist. Having dissolved his partnership with Bill Medley, Bobby Hatfield recruited Jimmy Walker of The Knickerbockers’ as his replacement. The new lineup of The Righteous Brothers released a new album, Re-Birth which failed to even trouble the charts. It was a similar case when The Righteous Brothers released Woman, Man Needs Ya as a single. For Bobby Hatfield, this was a huge blow and he resumed his solo career.
When Bobby Hatfield resumed his solo career, Bobby Hatfield had been moved from Verve Records to MGM Records. This was as a result of MGM Records’ decision to reduce its roster, and move all pop and R&B artists to the main label, MGM Records. With the label reducing its roster, it was a worrying time for Bobby Hatfield, who after two years of trying, was still looking for his first hit single.
Despite this, Verve Records were still planning to release Bobby Hatfield’s debut album. A decision was made to send Bobby Hatfield to Rick Hall’s Fame Studios, in Muscle Shoals to record his debut album. It was hoped that Rick Hall could transform Bobby Hatfield’s fortunes. He had a good track record, and had worked with some of the biggest names in music. Now he was tasked with transforming the fortunes of Bobby Hatfield.
Having made the journey to Fame Studios, Bobby Hatfield began working with Rick Hall and his legendary studio band. However, it was chief engineers Mickey Buckins and Sonny Limbo who produced the sessions, with Rick Hall overseeing the recording. The sessions went smoothly, and before long, Bobby Hatfield had recorded more than enough tracks for an album.
Back at Verve Records, work began on choosing the songs for Bobby Hatfield’s debut album. Eventually, they settled on ten tracks which included You Left The Water Running, Let It Be, If I Asked You, The Promised Land, Shuckin’ And Jivin’, I Saw A Lark, You Get A Lot To Like, Show Me The Sunshine, The Feeling Is Right and Messin’ In Muscle Shoals. These ten tracks would become Bobby Hatfield’s debut album Messin’ In Muscle Shoals.
With the Messin’ In Muscle Shoals ready for release later in 1970, a single was chosen from the album. It was decided to release The Promised Land, with Woman Go No Soul on the B-Side. However, at the last minute, the single was cancelled, and since then, Woman Go No Soul has lain unreleased. Despite this Messin’ In Muscle Shoals was released, but just like Bobby Hatfield’s five singles, failed to find an audience. For Bobby Hatfield it was the end of the line.
After the commercial failure of Messin’ In Muscle Shoals, Bobby Hatfield left MGM Records. It’s unclear if he was dropped, or left of his volition. It was the end of an era, which found Bobby Hatfield’s career at a crossroads.
Four years later, in 1974, Bill Medley and Bobby Hatfield decided to resume their career as The Righteous Brothers. While Bill Medley hadn’t enjoyed a huge amount of commercial success, he had enjoyed more success than Bobby Hatfield. That would be the case when they later resumed their solo careers. As a result, the blue-eyed soul of Bobby Hatfield is often overlooked.
Sadly, Bobby Hatfield was unable to replicate the commercial success that he enjoyed with The Righteous Brothers between 1963 and 1965. Looking back, it was a case of what might have been? Maybe if Bobby Hatfield had been signed to another label, he would’ve enjoyed the commercial success his talent deserved?
Certainly, another label would’ve chosen different material for his third, fourth and fifth single. The songs chosen were oft-covered and familiar songs, Only You, My Prayer and Answer Me My Love seems to be Verve Records’ attempt to tap into the market for nostalgia? This didn’t pay-off, as music was changing, and changing fast. Bobby Hatfield needed to change direction. This didn’t happen until he made the journey to Fame Studios, in Muscle Shoals to record his debut album Messin’ In Muscle Shoals.
By then, it was too little too late. When Messin’ In Muscle Shoals was released in 1970, MGM Records was reducing its roster. The MGM Records PR machined didn’t seem to get behind Messin’ In Muscle Shoals, and the album failed to find an audience. That marked the end of Bobby Hatfield’s time at Verve Records and MGM Records. Sadly, for Bobby Hatfield it was another case of what might have been and his brand of blue-eyed soul failed to find the audience it so richly deserved. It was only later, that Bobby Hatfield’s music found a wider audience and received the praise, plaudits and recognition that it deserved.
Bobby Hatfield-The Other Brother: The Verve Records and MGM Records Years 1968-1970,
DIETER MOEBIUS-KRAM AND DING.
Dieter Moebius-Kram and Ding.
Label: Bureau B.
Ten years after Hans-Joachim Roedelius and Dieter Moebius formed Cluster in 1971, the first chapter in the Cluster story drew to a close 1981, after the release of their seventh studio album, Curiosum. Hans-Joachim Roedelius said: “Cluster had run its course. We decided to concentrate on other projects. There was no fall-out, Cluster just came to a natural end.”
In the post-Cluster years, Dieter Moebius divided his time with a variety of projects, including a variety of collaborations and, his solo career. Dieter Moebius’ solo career solo career had to fit round his many other musical commitments. As a result, solo albums were sporadic. In total, Dieter Moebius released just five solo albums during his lifetime, including Kram in 2009 and Ding in 2011, which were recently reissued by Bureau B. By the time, Dieter Moebius released Kram and Ding, his career had taken a few twists and turns.
Moebius and Plank.
Rastakraut Pasta.
In 1980, Dieter and Conny Plank entered Conny’s Studio to record seven tracks. They were joined by another giant of German music, Can bassist Holger Czukay. He played on Feedback 66, Missi Cacadou and Two Oldtimers. When the seven tracks were completed, Rastakraut Pasta was would be released later in 1980.
Critics hailed Moebius and Plank’s debut Rastakraut Pasta a truly groundbreaking album. It was a fusion of avant-garde Kominische, industrial, electronica, experimental and dub reggae. This disparate and unlikely fusion of genres proved a potent musical pot-pourri, that proved popular with critics and record buyers. So much so, that Conny Plank and Dieter Moebius released a second album together.
Material.
The Moebius and Plank partnership returned in 1981 with their sophomore album, Material. It featured five songs recorded at Conny’s Studio. This time, there was no sign of Holger Czukay. Instead, the two old friends and musical pioneers worked together on another album of truly groundbreaking music that became Material.
Just like Rastakraut Pasta, Material was hailed as another album of groundbreaking, genre-melting music. Elements of avant-garde Kominische, industrial, electronica, experimental and dub reggae. This resulted in music that wasn’t just innovative, but way ahead of its time. Material was also a timeless album, and one that resulted in what seemed like a queue of musicians wanting to collaborate with Dieter Moebius.
First in the queue was Gerd Beerbohm. They released their first collaboration, Strange Music in 1982. This was the first of two albums that the pair would record tougher. The followup Double Cut was released in 1983. That same year, Dieter Moebius released his debut album Tonspuren.
Tonspuren.
To record his debut solo album, Dieter Moebius headed for the familiar surroundings of Conny’s Studio, in Cologne. He had made this journey countless times before, and in the second half of 1982, Dieter began recording ten soundscapes. With Conny looking on approvingly, and making a few suggestions, Tonspuren began to take shape. Once the album was recorded, Conny mixed Tonspuren. It was then released in 1983.
Just like his previous collaborations with Conny Plank, Tonspuren was released on Günter Körber’s Sky Records. It was the perfect label for an album of minimalist, experimental and ambient music.
Günter Körbe had setup Sky Records in 1975, and had never been afraid to release music that many labels would’ve shied away from. Many other German labels were only interested in commercial music. However, Sky Records, just like Brain and Ohr before them, were determined to released groundbreaking music. This was how some critics described Tonspuren.
Critics had awaited the release of Tonspuren with interest. They wondered what direction Dieter Moebius’ music would head? When they heard Tonspuren, with its minimalist, ambient and sometimes experimental sound, they knew. It was a captivating debut album, and critics awaited Dieter’s sophomore album with interest. Sadly, they would have a long wait.
Sixteen years to be exact. Dieter Moebius would released several collaborations, and Cluster would’ve reunited before Dieter Moebius released his sophomore album. By then, Dieter Moebius had reinvented himself, while music, and the way it was made had changed.
Following the release of Tonspuren, Dieter Moebius continued to collaborate with other artists, This included two collaborations with Karl Renziehausen. Dieter Moebius also wrote the soundtrack to Blue Moon in 1986. However, it was Conny Plank that Dieter Moebius collaborated with most often. They recorded three further albums with Conny Plank, This included 1983s Zero Set which featured Guru Guru drummer Mani Neumeier; 1995s En Route; and Ludwig’s Law which featured Mayo Thompson. However, still, Dieter Moebius found time to reunite with Hans-Joachim Roedelius for the comeback of Cluster.
Apropos Cluster.
Recording of Cluster’s tenth album took place during 1989 and 1990. Dieter Moebius and Hans-Joachim Roedelius recorded five tracks, including the twenty-two minute epic title-track. It was part of an album that was similar to Grosses Wasser.
That is the comparisons critics drew, when Apropos Cluster was released in 1991. The only difference was, that Apropos Cluster wasn’t as rhythmic as Grosses Wasser. Instead, it was understated, ethereal and thoughtful ambient music. The followup to Apropos Cluster was the first of three live albums that Cluster would release.
One Hour
The first of the trio of live albums Cluster released during the nineties, was One Hour. It came about after Cluster improvised in the studio for four hours. This they edited this down to One Hour, and the result is a truly captivating album that was released in 1995.
One Hour features Cluster at their most imaginative as they take their music in the most unexpected directions. Curveballs are constantly bowled, as what sounds like the soundtrack to a surrealist film unfolds. Elements of ambient, avant-garde and modern classical music combine, resulting in one of the most intriguing albums in Cluster’s discography.
Two years later, in 1997, Cluster released the first of two live albums. The first was Japan 1996 Live. It was followed by First Encounter Tour 1996, which was their thirteen album, was the first double album Cluster had released. It would also be the last album they released for eleven years. During that period, Dieter Moebius released four further solo albums. The first of this quartet of solo albums was Blotch.
Blotch.
After a sixteen year period where he was constantly collaborating with other artists, the release of Blotch in 1999, marked the start of a period where mostly, Dieter Moebius would concentrate on his solo career. While there was the occasional excursion with Cluster, and a collaboration with Asmus Tietchens in 2012, mostly, the period between 1999 and 2014 are best described as the solo years.
One thing that never changed during the solo the solo years, was Dieter Moebius’ determination to innovate. Helping Dieter Moebius to innovate, was the technology that hadn’t been available when he recorded his debut solo album, Tonspuren in 1983. Dieter Moebius embraced this new technology when he recorded Blotch, which featured Tim Story. The result was his long-awaited comeback album, Blotch.
Blotch featured a series of playful mesmeric loop based tracks. They’re atmospheric and experimental, with Dieter Moebius adding bursts of speech and samples to the musical canvas. They were ‘painted’ by Dieter Moebius, who makes full use of musical palette, which included the new technology. Dieter Moebius’ willingness to innovate and embrace this new technology resulted in an album that was well worth the sixteen year wait.
When Blotch was released, Dieter Moebius was hailed as the comeback King. He had reinvented himself musically, and recorded a much more experimental, genre-melting album. Dieter Moebius had made good use of new technology, and added snatches of speech to the seven soundscapes. This proved a potent combination on album that fused everything from ambient and avant-garde, through to electronica and experimental to industrial, Krautrock and Musique Concrète. The result was an album of atmospheric, dramatic, futuristic and sometimes, ethereal, understated and beautiful music. These soundscapes were always cinematic and mostly, have a hypnotic quality on Blotch, the album that marked the return of Dieter Moebius.
Nurton.
Seven years after Dieter Moebius’ comeback, he returned in 2006 with the third album of his solo career, Nurton. The album was recorded a year earlier in 2005, with Dieter Moebius making good use of some of the technology that he had used on Blotch. One of Dieter Moebius’ secret weapons was the Korg Prophecy which replicated a variety of analog synths. This Dieter Moebius put to good use on Nurton.
Dieter Moebius had pushed musical boundaries to their limit on Nurton. Just like he had throughout his career, he had turned his back on musical convention and structure. Instead, he let his imagination run riot, and studio became a laboratory, where Dieter Moebius experimented.
The result was Nurton, which veers between moody and broody, to dark and dramatic, to ethereal and elegiac to understated and beautiful. Always, though, the best words to describe Nurton were futuristic, cinematic and hypnotic. Dieter Moebius had pulled out the stops on Nurton, which was a captivating album that painted pictures in the mind’s eye. Much of the music on Nurton was akin to a sci-fi soundtrack. Nurton also has a timeless quality, and featured some of the most ambitious, innovative and experimental music of Dieter Moebius’ career. He had set the bar high for the followup album, which was Kram, which was released in 2009.
Kram.
By the time Dieter Moebius came to record Kram, life was good for one of the leading lights of the German music scene. Somewhat belatedly, the music Dieter Moebius recorded with Kluster, Cluster and Harmonia was receiving the recognition it deserved at home and abroad. German music fans realised that Dieter Moebius was one of their national treasures and had grown to appreciate his music.
Dieter Moebius was still one of the leading lights of the Berlin music scene in 2008, when his thoughts turned to recording a new studio album. By then, Dieter Moebius and his wife Irene were dividing their time between Berlin and Majorca, where they could enjoy a much more agreeable climate. However, Dieter Moebius spent some of his time in Majorca working on new music. He had a small mobile recording setup, which replicated the one he kept at him home in Berlin.
This meant that whenever he felt inspired to make music, Dieter Moebius could enter his studio, and work on music for his latest project. In 2008, the project that Dieter Moebius was working on was his fourth studio album, which would eventually become Kram, which translates as “stuff”. The time he sent in his studios in Berlin and Majorca resulted in ten soundscapes which lasted nearly fifty-two minutes. These soundscapes became Kram, which when it was released, became Dieter Moebius’ first album in three years.
With the release of Kram fast approaching in 2009, it was changed days for Dieter Moebius. In the early days of his career, when albums by Kluster, Cluster and Harmonia failed to attract the attention of critics. Sometimes, they passed almost unnoticed, or received just a few reviews. By 2009, Dieter Moebius was fifty-five and one of the elder statesmen of German music. He had been one of the pioneers in the late sixties, and forty years later, was still going strong and releasing ambitious and innovative music on Kram.
Critics upon hearing Kram, hailed the album one of Dieter Moebius’ finest hours as a solo artist. The album received praise and plaudits, with one of the founding fathers of modern German music creating a captivating album that was a musical roller coaster.
Kram is best described as veering between understated, ruminative and elegiac to playful, joyous and tinged with humour, to charming and moderne. Other times, the music is mesmeric and hypnotic, before becoming dark and dramatic. Sometimes, the music becomes experimental and ambitious, while other times, Dieter Moebius unleashes a myriad of futuristic and sci-fi sounds. They join found and throwaway sounds, samples and Dieter Moebius’ trusty synths which he uses to create another genre-melting album which is sometimes cinematic, but captivates from the opening bars of Start to the closing notes of Markt.
During Kram, Dieter Moebius combines elements of ambient, avant-garde, the Berlin School, electronica, experimental music, Krautrock and even briefly rock. The result is an album that features Dieter Moebius at most ambitious and innovative. Proof of this are some of the highlights of Kram.
This includes Kommit, where the mesmeric music pulsates and before becoming rocky ands futuristic. On Wommit which has a Krautrock influence, Dieter Moebius toys with the controls of his synths as avant-garde meets electronica. Then Dauert is an ethereal soundscape where Dieter Moebius adds sci-fi sounds. Steigert is dark, dramatic and cinematic. So too is Rennt, which features an urgency and a myriad of futuristic sounds. The hypnotic Schwitzt also has darkness, and is moody, broody and cinematic. Closing Kram is Markt, a dramatic and cinematic soundscape where Dieter Moebius fuses elements of avant-garde, electronica, experimental and Musique Concrète and ensures the album ends on a high. He had kept one of the best until last.
After three years away, Dieter Moebius returned with one of the finest solo albums of his career. Sadly, it would prove to the penultimate album of his long and illustrious career.
Ding.
Two years after the release of Kram returned with his fifth solo album Ding in 2011. He had recorded Ding a year earlier, in Berlin studio. Now he was ready to release the much-anticipated followup to Kram. By then, the music Dieter Moebius had created with Kluster, Cluster and Harmonia had never been as popular. This resulted in an upsurge of interest in his solo career.
Just like previous solo albums, Dieter Moebius had embraced the latest technology. This included a random loop generator, which he had put to good use during the making of Ding. The loops it generated, were combined with bifurcate rhythms, impalpable and ghostly voices and a myriad of assorted audio matter which became part of the eleven soundscapes on Ding.
When critics heard Ding, they realised that it was quite different from its predecessor. It was another ambitious album, where Dieter Moebius set about reinventing his music once again. To do this, he combined elements of avant-garde with the Berlin School, electronica, experimental, industrial, Krautrock and Musique Concrète. There was also an array of hypnotic, industrial mechanical and robotic sounds on Ding, which was one of the most ambitious and experimental albums of Dieter Moebius’ solo career.
That is apparent straight away, on the album opener Walksol, where a myriad of repetitive and hypnotic sounds join various mechanical and industrial sounds as Dieter Moebius unleashes a fleet-fingered keyboard solo. Then Defekt has a much more understated, but moody and cinematic sound. Flink and Neue Newsw are among the most ambitious tracks as Dieter Moebius knits together a myriad disparate of sounds and samples. Somehow, they make perfect sense musically. So does Alaise a dramatic, futuristic and cinematic soundscape. Alfred also showcases a cinematic sound, albeit one that has an understated and lo-fi sound. Still though, it captivates and finds Dieter Moebius innovating. Ding marks a return to the more robotic and mechanical sounds, while Zufall sounds like it’s part of the soundtrack to a sci-fi film. Dramatic describes Bone, which has moody, mechanical sound, before Fou Dieter Moebius unleashes a menagerie of samples to create a menacing backdrop. Closing Ding is Ruston and Monotron, which picks up where Fou left off. Drones, samples and found sounds combine on this fusion of avant-garde, industrial and Musique Concrète. As befitting of a true musical pioneer, Dieter Moebius closes the album with one of his most ambitious soundscapes.
Just as he had been doing throughout his long and illustrious career, Dieter Moebius had created groundbreaking music and ambitious music on Ding. He embraced new technology, and used an array of samples, found sounds and leftfield sounds to create new and ambitious music. The music on Ding pushed musical boundaries to their limit, which amongst the most ambitious music released during 2011. That was what critics and record buyers had come to expect from sonic pioneer Dieter Moebius. Sadly, Ding was the last album that Dieter Moebius released.
Musik für Metropolis
The following year, 2012, Dieter Moebius was invited to perform music to accompany a screening of Fritz Lang’s legendary silent film Metropolis. For the screening, Dieter Moebius began work on producing new tracks and samples. These he would play on the night and treated with a myriad of effects during Dieter Moebius’ improvised performance. His performance was planned so that it would provide the soundtrack to what was happening on the sliver screen. The Metropolis project took a lot of planning, but it was well worthwhile.
When the day of the screening of Metropolis arrived, Dieter Moebius made his way to the venue. With him, he took the equipment which he planned to put to good use that night. That was the case. It was a masterful and triumphant performance from Dieter Moebius, as he provided the perfect soundtrack for Metropolis. It had highlighted the drama and tension of Fritz Lang’s classic film. Buoyed by the success of his performance, Dieter Moebius began contemplating the next part in the Metropolis project.
All along, Dieter Moebius planned to record a full-length album featuring the music from the Metropolis project. Dieter Moebius began work on the Metropolis’ project, and continued to work on other projects. The sixty-eight year old still had an insatiable appetite for music, and immersed himself in the Metropolis’ project, which gradually started to take shape. Then tragedy stuck, when Dieter Moebius was diagnosed with cancer.
Suddenly, music didn’t matter any more, as Dieter Moebius was fighting for his life. He battled bravely against cancer, fighting for his future and very life. Sadly, Dieter Moebius died on the ‘20th’ of July 2015’ after what had been a brave and lengthy battle against cancer. He left behind a richest musical legacy.
This included the albums he released with Kluster, Cluster and Harmonia, plus his many collaborations and five solo albums. Two of his finest solo albums are Kram and Ding, which feature one of the founding fathers of modern German music doing what he did best, creating ambitious and innovative music. Kram and Ding along with were recently reissued by Bureau B and compete the Dieter Moebius’ reissue program.
Now Blotch, Nurton, Kram and Ding have all been reissued by Bureau B. So has the newly completed Musik für Metropolis, which should’ve been Dieter Moebius’ sixth solo album. Musik für Metropolis was completed by some of Dieter Moebius’ closest musical friends Tim Story, Jon Leidecker and Berlin based musician Jonas Förster. The completed album was a fitting homage to Dieter Moebius, and meant that all the albums the Dieter Moebius had recorded between 1999 and 2012, where is regarded as his solo years, were now available for a new generation of music lovers to discover. This quintet of albums feature sonic pioneer and musical maverick Dieter Moebius, at the peal of his powers, during his constant and continual quest to reinvent his music during his solo years.
Dieter Moebius-Kram and Ding.
BLACK MOON CIRCLE-FLOWING INTO THE 3RD DIMENSION.
Black Moon Circle-Flowing Into The 3rd Dimension.
Label: Crispin Glover Records.
In mid-2105, Trondheim-based psychedelic space rockers Black Moon Circle, announced that they planned to release a trilogy of studio jams. This was, without doubt, the most ambitious project of Black Moon Circle’s career so far. Just over two years later, and Black Moon Circle have recently returned with the final instalment in their critically acclaimed Studio Jamms series, Flowing Into The 3rd Dimension, which was released by Crispin Glover Records. The release of Flowing Into The 3rd Dimension, which featured a guest appearance by Motorpsycho’s guitarist Snah on Waves, marks the welcome return on of one Norway leading space rock bands, but also marks the end of another chapter in Black Moon Circle’s career. It began five years ago, in 2012.
By 2012, brothers Øyvin and Vemund Engan were ready to form their own band, in their home city of Trondheim, in Norway. This was where the Engan brothers’ musical career began, when they joined the punk rock band The Reilly Express. After a tour of duty with The Reilly Express, the Engan brothers were more than ready to form their own band. This wasn’t going to be another punk band though. Punk was firmly in the past for Øyvin and Vemund Engan.
Instead, the Engan brothers decided to form a new psychedelic space rock band, which they called Black Moon Circle. Øyvin would play bass, guitar and take charge of vocals, while his brother Vemund also played guitar. All that the nascent Black Moon Circle needed was a drummer, and this would be the start of a new and exciting chapter in the Engan brothers musical career.
Before long, Black Moon Circle’s lineup was complete when drummer Per Andreas Gulbrandsen joined the band. He was the final piece of the musical jigsaw. Black Moon Circle then began to hone their sound.
Gradually, Black Moon Circle’s sound began to evolve. It was essentially a combination of lengthy jams, searing and blistering guitar riffs and a myriad of effects added to the bass and guitar. This Black Moon Circle described as psychedelic space rock, which soon began to find an appreciative audience.
Now that they had honed and tightened their sound, Black Moon Circle made their first tentative steps onto the local live scene. Although they were the newest addition to Norway’s thriving and vibrant psychedelic space rock scene, their music soon found an appreciative audience. Black Moon Circle’s timing was perfect, as space rock was growing in popularity throughout Europe. Flying the flag for Norwegian space rock was Black Moon Circle, whose music was about to find a wider audience in 2013.
Black Moon Circle.
That was when Black Moon Circle made their recording debut. The band entered Nautilus Studios during 2013 to record Plains, American Eagle and Enigmatic Superbandit which would feature on their mini-album album Black Moon Circle.This would mark the debut of the Trondheim-based psychedelic space rockers.
Black Moon Circle wa released in February 2014 by Space Rock Productions, the label run by the Øresund Space Collective from Copenhagen, Denmark. The release of Black Moon Circle introduced the band’s music to a new and wider audience, and launched their career.
After the release of their mini-album, Black Moon Circle were already making plans for the future. This included recording their much-anticipated first full-length album. Black Moon Circle weren’t the type of band to let the grass grow under their feet, and the recording began in the spring of 2014.
Andromeda.
Psychedelic space rockers Black Moon Circle returned to the studio in April 2014, where they began recording their debut album Andromeda. By then, Black Moon Circle had been together the best part of two years, and were tight band who were capable of seamlessly creating genre-melting music. Black Moon Circle worked quickly and efficiently, seamlessly creating genre-melting music. As a result, the five songs on Andromeda were recorded in one day. Six months later, and Andromeda was ready to be released.
Black Moon Circle’s sophomore album, Andromeda which showcased their psychedelic space rock sound was released to critical acclaim by Crispin Clover Records in October 2014. A great future was forecast for the Trondheim-based trio. They were already hatching a plan that sounded like something from the seventies, the golden age of rock.
The Studio Jams Volume I: Yellow Nebula in the Sky.
What Black Moon Circle had in mind was to release a trilogy of studio jams. This was something that harked back to the seventies, when rock was King. It seemed that this was Black Moon Circle’s way of paying homage to the golden age of rock which had influenced their music. Black Circle announced their intention to release a trilogy of studio jams in mid-2015. This was by far, the most ambitious project of Black Moon Circle’s career.
The first of the trilogy was The Studio Jams Volume I: Yellow Nebula in the Sky. Fittingly, for the first album in the trio’s trilogy, the album featured three tracks. One of the tracks was recorded during the first jam session in April 2013, while the other two tracks were recorded in 2014. These three tracks became The Studio Jams Volume I: Yellow Nebula in the Sky, which was the second album to showcase the hugely talented Trondheim trio, Black Moon Circle who were joined by Scott Heller a.k.a. Dr. Space who played synths.
Critics hailed The Studio Jams Volume I: Yellow Nebula in the Sky as the finest album of Black Moon Circle’s career. It features their unique brand of psychedelic space rock with elements of electronica, experimental music and free jazz added for good measure. Seamlessly, these disparate musical genres and influences merge into something new and innovative. It’s cinematic, dramatic, futuristic, moody, rocky and as Øyvin Engan says; “intense.”
This intensity is deliberate, and comes courtesy of the three members of Black Moon Circle. They deployed layers of fuzzy guitars, spacey, lysergic synths and a mesmeric rhythm section on The Studio Jams Volume I: Yellow Nebula In The Sky. However, for their fourth album, Sea Of Clouds Black Moon Circle add two new ingredients to their successful musical formula.
Sea Of Clouds.
With The Studio Jams Volume I: Yellow Nebula In The Sky recorded, but not yet released, Black Moon Circle’s thoughts turned to their fourth album. This wasn’t going to be another instalment in the Studio Jams’ series. Instead, what became Sea Of Clouds found Black Moon Circle changing direction slightly.
Having written four new tracks, the Trondheim based trio returned to the studio in June 2015. They were again joined by Scott Heller who played synths, while Magnus Kofoed played keyboards. During the course of just one day, Black Moon Circle recorded the four lengthy jams that became Sea Of Clouds which featured Øyvin Engan’s vocals. This was a stylistic departure for Black Moon Circle.
When Sea Of Clouds was released in April 2016, critics were won over by another album of Black Moon Circle’s hard rocking brand of psychedelic, space rock. Black Moon Circle revisit what’s by now a familiar sound, but one that combines elements of heavy metal, Krautrock, avant-garde, free jazz and post rock. Black Moon Circle have also drawn inspiration from Black Sabbath, Can, Deep Purple, Emerson, Lake and Palmer, Hawkwind, Iron Maiden, Led Zeppelin, Hawkwind, Moster, Motorpsycho, Radiohead and Yes. These disparate musical genres and influences merge into something new and innovative on Sea Of Clouds.
The music veered between dramatic, futuristic, moody, otherworldly and gloriously rocky. Sometimes, Sea Of Clouds finds Black Moon Circle at their hard rocking best, and features an intensity that has always been an intensity to Black Moon Circle’s music. It’s as much a part of Black Moon Circle’s music as the layers of fuzzy guitars, spacey, lysergic synths and futuristic sci-fi sounds. That was the case throughout Sea Of Clouds, which shows another side to space rock pioneers Black Moon Circle, who were already preparing to release the most accessible album of their career.
The Studio Jams Volume 2.
Seven months after the release of Sea Of Clouds, Black Moon Circle returned with their eagerly awaited fifth album, The Studio Jams Volume 2. It had been recorded in June 2015.
The Trondheim based trio returned were joined in the studio by Scott Helller a.k.a. Dr. Space on synths. Black Moon Circle recorded two epic tracks Serpent: The Head and Serpent: The Tail, which would become The Studio Jams Volume 2.
Just like previous albums, critical acclaim accompanied the release of The Studio Jams Volume 2. It found Black Moon Circle fusing the classic rock of the sixties and seventies with psychedelia and space rock. To this, Black Moon Circle add elements of avant-garde, electronica, experimental music, free jazz, Krautrock and post rock. Seamlessly, these disparate musical genres and influences merge into something new, exciting and innovative. It’s also cinematic, dramatic, futuristic, moody, rocky and features Black Moon Circle’s trademark intensity.
This intensity was deliberate, and has always been part of Black Moon Circle’s ‘sound’. To create this, they deploy layers of fuzzy guitars, spacey, lysergic, futuristic, sci-fi synths and a mesmeric rhythm section. Together, they create two “lengthy jams” which features “heavy riffage and the extensive use of effects.” They’re used extensively on The Studio Jams Volume 2, where Black Moon Circle reach new heights on what was the finest album of their career. The final instalment in The Studio Jams series had a lot to live up to.
Flowing Into The 3rd Dimension.
As 2016 drew to a close, Black Moon Circle celebrated releasing two successful albums during the year. The second of these albums, The Studio Jams Volume 2 had been hailed by critics as the finest album of Black Moon Circle’s career. This was something to celebrate. Already though, Black Moon Circle’s thoughts were turning to their next album, which would be the third and final instalment in The Studio Jams series. Although
The Studio Jams Volume 2 had set the bar high for the third and final instalment in The Studio Jams series Black Moon Circle welcomed the challenge, and were determined to reach new heights on their next album.
Earlier in 2017, Black Moon Circle returned to the studio complete The Studio Jams series. They planned to record two lengthy jams Barnard´s Loop and Waves. As usual, Øyvin Engan would play bass and guitar, while his brother Vemund added another layer of fuzzy guitars. Joining Øyvin Engan in the rhythm section was drummer Per Andreas Gulbrandsen who would provide the heartbeat. Completing Black Moon Circle’s lineup was the newest recruit, Scott Heller a.k.a. Dr. Space. The four musicians recorded Barnard´s Loop together, but when it came to record Waves, Black Moon Circle were joined by one of the legendary figures in Norwegian music, Hans Magnus “Snah” Ryan a.k.a. Snah, who is Motorpsycho’s guitarist. With Snah onboard, Black Moon Circle recorded Waves which features on side two of Flowing Into The 3rd Dimension.
With Flowing Into The 3rd Dimension completed, Black Moon Circle recently released the album on Crispin Glover Records. The release of Flowing Into The 3rd Dimension marked the end an era, but Black Moon Circle had saved the best until last.
Opening Flowing Into The 3rd Dimension is Barnard´s Loop, a near twenty-five minute adventure in sound. Effects-laden guitars are unleashed, and take centre-stage, showcasing Black Moon Circle’s trademark ‘heavy riffage” Then as feedback briefly howls, the rhythm section add to the drama. Meanwhile synths unleash futuristic and otherworldly sounds as this uber rocky soundscape unfolds. Still the drama builds, as a vortex of sci-fi synths, blistering guitar riffs and the powerhouse of a rhythm section combine. They create a powerful and potent brew that Black Moon Circle have perfected over the past five years. By then, Black Moon Circle is in full flight and at their hard rocking best. Playing a leading role are the rhythm section who provide a thunderous, hypnotic heartbeat, while synths swirl, howl, bubble and provide a futuristic backdrop as searing, screaming and wah-wahing effects-laden guitars are unleashed. Later, the tempo rises as the rhythm section power the arrangement along. Still,the guitars steal the show with some fleet-fingered guitar licks. They’re fast and furious and join sci-fi synths and the hard rocking rhythm section as Black Moon Circle prove rock is alive and well, and in safe hands on this Magnus Opus.
With Motorpsycho’s guitarist Snah onboard, Waves becomes a twenty-six minute roller coaster. Guitars reverberate and feedback briefly howls, before machine gun guitars are unleashed at breakneck speed. They’re joined by swirling sci-fi synths and the rhythm section who drive the hard rocking soundscape along. It’s a glorious fusion of blues-rock, hard rock, avant-garde, improv and psychedelic space rock, and before long Black Moon Circle’s expanded lineup is in full flight. Snah’s addition means a wall of searing, screaming and screeching guitars assail the listener. The guitars play a leading role and are played with speed and accuracy. Augmenting the guitars is the hard rocking rhythm section and sci-fi synths. Later, the guitars become fuzzy as effects are deployed as Black Moon Circle draw breath. No longer are they in full flight, as the rhythm section provide a mesmeric backdrop as this lysergic soundscape meanders along. Buzzes, beeps, squeals and sci-fi sounds are emitted, and effects are deployed as Black Moon Circle create an atmospheric and futuristic backdrop. Even when a guitar roars, Black Moon Circle resist the temptation to kick out the jams. Instead, this epic soundscape heads in the direction of post-rock as it becomes moody, dramatic, futuristic and ruminative as if Black Moon Circle is creating the soundscape to a film documenting the post-Trump apocalypse.
It’s fitting that Black Moon Circle have saved Flowing Into The 3rd Dimension until last in their critically acclaimed Studio Jamms’ trilogy. Flowing Into The 3rd Dimension is, without doubt, the best instalment in Black Moon Circle’s Studio Jamms’ trilogy. It’s also the best album of Black Moon Circle’s career, and finds the band reaching new heights on Flowing Into The 3rd Dimension.
Black Moon Circle seem to mature like a fine wine, as each album surpasses the one that preceded it. That is the case on Flowing Into The 3rd Dimension which was recently released by Crispin Glover Records. It’s another genre-melting opus where Black Moon Circle fuse psychedelic space rock with avant-garde, Berlin School, electronica and experimental music, Krautrock, post rock and progressive rock. The classic rock of sixties and seventies has also influenced Black Moon Circle during the final instalment in the Studio Jamms’ trilogy, Flowing Into The 3rd Dimension. So has sixties psychedelia, and the unholy trinity of hard rock Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, and Led Zeppelin plus Pink Floyd, Can, Emerson, Lake and Palmer, Hawkwind, Henry Cow, Iron Maiden, Motorpsycho and Radiohead. All these influences can be heard on Flowing Into The 3rd Dimension which features sonic pioneers Black Moon Circle at their very best.
The two epic soundscapes on Flowing Into The 3rd Dimension find Black Moon Circle in full flight at their hard rocking best. However, the soundscapes are also dark, dramatic, ethereal, futuristic, moody, otherworldly and ruminative. They’re also lysergic and cinematic, which has long been a feature of Black Moon Circle’s music. Especially, on Flowing Into The 3rd Dimension, which is the final instalment in Black Moon Circle’s Studio Jamms’ trilogy. This marks the end of a chapter in Black Moon Circle’s career.
When Black Moon Circle return with their next album in early 2018, they’ll be a five piece band. The newest recruit is Magnus, who plays organ, mellotron and Fender Rhodes which the rest of Black Moon Circle believe will fill out and complete their sound, as they embark on a new chapter in their career.
Closing this chapter in the Black Moon Circle is the finest album and hardest rocking album of their five-year career, Flowing Into The 3rd Dimension. It’s another ambitious and genre-melting adventure in sound with Black Moon Circle. Flowing Into The 3rd Dimension is also a reminder that the future of rock is in the safe hands of pioneering and hard rocking psychedelic space rockers Black Moon Circle, as they prepare to embark upon yet another journey into sound.
Black Moon Circle-Flowing Into The 3rd Dimension.
Live Photos Courtesy of Thor Egil Leirtrø.
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