PAYING DUES TO BACKYARD BLUES
One of the greatest warblers in rock, Frankie Miller is to be celebrated with “Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed but Most Definitely Blues”, a tribute album featuring both major Scots artists and unsigned bands. These unsigned artists will be invited to showcase their talents by covering previously unreleased Miller songs. Among the major artists likely to be involved in the project is a great combination of Paul Rodgers, his mate from FREE and BAD CO Simon Kirke and Brian Robertson of THIN LIZZY and MOTORHEAD fame, plus Maggie Bell, NAZARETH’s Dan McCafferty, Rod Stewart, TRAVIS, TEXAS, PROCLAIMERS, PRIMAL SCREAM and Eddie Reader.
Moreover, there’s a concert planned to be staged in coincidence with the tribute project – the first of a series of officially recognised monuments in Glasgow to key Scottish musicians such as Miller, Alex Harvey and Maggie Bell, who’s, luckily, alive and well.
Glaswegian singer Miller made an illustrious career in the early Seventies, had some of his tunes covered by other performers – “Backyard Blues”, say, done by THREE DOG NIGHT, and there were Rod Stewart , Roy Orbison and many more – and was the original vocalist on Phil Lynott’s “Still In Love With You”. Since 1994 Frankie Frankie is ill after a major brain haemorrhage, which ended his career.
EXPOSED IN THE LIGHT AGAIN
David Coverdale is to start recording his fourth solo album, a follow-up to 2000’s "Into The Light". The album will be out in the summer of 2002 and be toured. A tour was expected last year but rendered impossible due to legal problems, now resolved.
WORKING CLASS HERO – A NEW TURN
When first released, in 1968, cover artwork of the “Unfinished Music No 1: Two Virgins” album from John Lennon and Yoko Ono was reckoned obscene because of the couple pictured nude. But times they are a-changing, and now the famous photo is authorized for use in Absolut vodka’s latest promotion in America.
The campaign the picture is a part of is called Absolut Rock. As the exclusive music retailer to present the advertising in the American shops, Virgin Megastores helped involve in the Absolut move JUDAS PRIEST, David Bowie and THE VELVET UNDERGROUND likenesses. With the CD re-issue of the Lennons’ album still coming wrapped in brown envelope, giant posters should look as a bitter irony.
FOR VAMPIRES WITH A HEALTHY APPETITE
For ages Steve Hackett fans have been longing for decent live collection from the artist to be released. Not that there weren’t live albums before – we have "Time Lapse"with recordings from 1981 and 1991, and ""The Tokyo Tapes"" committed to digit in 1996, but now… Now, the dream comes true with upcoming release of the “Live Archive 70’s, 80’s 90’s” 4CD-box.
The set, produced by Hackett himself and containing 40-page colour booklet, must be a valuable acquisition. It’s out in Europe on October 29th InsideOut Music and, in the UK on Steve’s own Camino Records.
As of details, here they are:
| CD1 1. Intro 2. Please Don’t Touch 3. Tigermoth 4. Every Day 5. Narnia 6. Tai Chi 7. Ace Of Wands 8. Carry On Up The Vicarage 9. Etude In A Minor 10. Blood On The Rooftops 11. Horizons 12. Kim 13. The Optigan 14. A Tower Struck Down 15. Spectral Mornings |
CD2 1. Introductions 2. Star Of Sirius 3. Shadow Of The Hierophant 4. Clocks 5. I Know What I Like 6. Wardrobe Boogie 7. Racing In A 8. Racing In A Coda |
| Recorded at Hammersmith Odeon – London 30 June 1979. The band are: Steve Hackett – guitars, vocals; Nick Magnus – keyboards; John Hackett – flute, guitar, bass pedals; Dik Cadbury – bass, vocals; John Shearer – drums; Pete Hicks – vocals. |
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| CD3 1. The Air-Conditioned Nightmare 2. Jacuzzi 3. Funny Feeling 4. Ace Of Wands 5. Picture Postcard 6. The Steppes 7. Every Day 8. Overnight Sleeper 9. Hope I Don’t Wake 10. Slogans 11. A Tower Struck Down 12. Spectral Mornings 13. The Show 14. ClocksRecorded at Castel Sant’ Angelo – Rome 13 September 1981. The band are: Steve Hackett – guitars, vocals; Nick Magnus – keyboards; John Hackett – flute, guitar, bass pedals; Chas Cronk – bass, vocals; Ian Mosely – drums. |
CD4 1. Medley: Myopia/Los Endos/Imagining/Ace Of Wands/Hackett to Pieces 2. Vampyre With A Healthy Appetite 3. Sierra Quemada 4. Take These Pearls 5. In The Heart Of The City 6. Walking Away From Rainbows 7. There Are Many Sides To The Night 8. Kim 9. Dark As the Grave 10. Always Somewhere Else 11. Lost In Your Eyes 12. Spectral Mornings/Firth of Fifth/Clocks 13. Cinema Paradiso 14. In That Quiet EarthRecorded at The Grand Theatre – London 8 June 1993. The band are: Steve Hackett – guitars, vocals; Julian Colbeck – keyboards; Doug Sinclair – bass, vocals; Hugo Degenhardt – drums, vocals; John Hackett – flute. |
COME ANTHOLOGIZED
N-M-C Music have penned in for upcoming release some items of great interest.
The first is Russ Ballard‘ “Anthology”, comprising the best tracks from master’s seven solo albums recorded for Epic and EMI and containing three previously unreleased tracks. Both as an ARGENT member and a solo performer, Ballard is one of the greatest hits composers, being behind the songs for many artists, including KISS and SANTANA. This compilation includes “On The Rebound”, recorded in 1982 by URIAH HEEP, and RAINBOW 1980’s hit “Since You’ve Been Gone”. That’s the full tracklisting:
Two Silhouettes, Hey Bernadette, Winning, On The Rebound, Treat Her Right, Expressway To Your Heart, Since You’ve Been Gone, She’s A Hurricane, I Don’t Believe In Miracles, Rock & Roll, Voices, Living Without You, Hold On, The Ghost Inside, Here Comes The Hurt, I Can’t Hear You No More, The Fire Still Burns, Rene Didn’t Do It.
Next comes “Anthology” from CITY BOY spanning all the six-album discography of the classic AOR British ensemble produced by John Mutt Lange:
5705, I’ve Been Spun, (Moonlight) Shake My Head And Leave, Dinner At The Ritz, The Day The Earth Caught Fire, Heads Are Rolling, Beth, Hap-Ki-Do-Kid, Bad For Business, Modern Love Affairs, She’s Got Style, Need A Little Loving, What A Night, Surgery Hours (Doctor Doctor), Goodbye Blue Monday, New York Times, You’re Leaving Me, Young Men Gone West.
Then, CRAWLER. As BACK STREET CRAWLER, the band was formed by Paul Kossoff, when he left FREE, but after Koss’ death his combo shortened the name and recruited Geoff Whitehorn as guitarist plus FREE’s keyboardist John “Rabbit” Bundrick as a main composer. Later Whitehorn joined Paul Rodgers’ band, being the great blues axeman, which is brilliantly shown on this live recording from 1978:
Keep On Runnin’, Sail On, One Way Street, Where Is The Money, Muddy Waters, Liar, How Will You Do It, The Shape I’m In, First Class Operator, Stone Cold Sober.
Having released impressive concert sets from country-rock greats DR. HOOK and PURE PRAIRIE LEAGUE, N-M-C continue with “Colorado” byFIREFALL, recorded live in Denver in 1979. The band included Rick Roberts of FLYING BURRITO BROTHERS fame, Jock Bartley, who used to be in ZEPHYR with Tommy Bolin, THE BYRDS’ Michael Clarke, Larry Burnett, Mark Andes – his CV has SPIRIT, JO JO GUNNE and, later, HEART – and David Muse.
Cinderella, Mexico, Goodbye I Love You, Get You Back, Just Remember I Love You, Sweet And Sour, No Way Out, It Doesn’t Matter, Lips, Anymore, Strange Way, Livin’ Ain’t Livin’, Just What You Need, Colorado.
Then, warning! Two incredible 2CD-sets of classic Northern Soul. Both sets to go on sale at a special price include 32 remastered original recordings and a 12-page booklet including rare photos and an informative essay.
Here are the songs from the first set:
| Disc One: 1. Eddie Holman – This Can’t Be True 2. Jackie Lee – Try My Method 3. AD-LIBS – Human 4. THE PARLIAMENTS – I Wanna Testify 5. David Ruffin – You’re Still In My Heart 6. Bob And Earl – Harlem Shuffle 7. Rober Ward – Never Alone 8. Steve Mancha – Whirlpool 9. Darrell Banks – When A Man Loves A Woman 10. Lee Garrett – Can’t Break The Habit 11. SAN REMO STRINGS – Still Hungry 12. Carl Carlton – Nothing Sweeter Than Love 13. OLYMPICS – Secret Agents 14. THE INCREDIBLES – Another Dirty Deal 15. L J Reynolds – We’re In The Middle 16. Bobby Womack – I Wonder |
Disc Two: 1. THE O’JAYS – I’ll Never Forget You 2. THE MANHATTANS – What Should I Do 3. JJ Barnes – Hole In The Wall 4. Eskew Reeder – You Better Believe Me 5. THE FLIRTATIONS – Settle Down 6. THE MIRETTES – He’s Alright With Me 7. Martha Reeves – Hit And Run 8. Jimmy Thomas – Just Trying To Please You 9. Edwin Starr – My Kind Of Woman 10. Timothy Wilson – Hiding In Your Heart 11. Darrell Banks – Looking Into The Eyes Of A Fool 12. THE DYNAMICS – Bingo 13. THE VOLCANOS – False Alarm 14. Jackie Lee – Superdance 15. TRIPPS – Give It Back 16.THE PERFORMERS – Set Me Free |
And here’s the second set’s content:
| Disc One: 1. THE PROFESSIONALS – That’s Why I Love You 2. PEOPLE’S CHOICE – Save My Lovin For You 3. THE PARLIAMENTS – Heart Trouble 4. Martha Starr – Love Is The Only Solution 5. L. Allen – Can We Talk It Over 6. Billy Arnell – Tough Girl 7. PARIS – Sleepless Nights 8. Troy Dodds – Try My Love 9. Johnny Rogers – Make A Change 10. THE HOLIDAYS – I Lost You 11. Melvin Davies – I Must Love You 12. Billy Kennedy – Sweet Things 13. THE FIDELS – Try A Little Harder 14. Eddie Holman – Where I’m Not Wanted 15. THE TOKAYS – Baby, Baby, Baby 16. Steve Mancha – He Stole The Love That Was Mine |
Disc Two: 1. THE TRIPS – Love Can’t Be Modernised 2. Eddie Holman – Hurt 3. Emanons Orch – Bird Walkin’ 4. Eddie Hill – I Can Hear You Crying 5. THE SERVICEMEN – Are You Angry? 6. Doni Burdick – Candle 7. JJ Barnes – Sweet Honey Baby 8. AGENTS – Trouble 9. Gene Woodbury – Ever Again 10. Vince Apollo – I Bear Witness 11. Jay Lyle – How Good Can It Get 12. THE INSPIRATIONS – No One Else Can Take Your Place 13. Silky Hargreaves – Lucky To Be Loved By You 14. Rose Batiste – Someday 15. Jimmy Gilford – Nobody Loves Me 16. Pat Smith – Whirlpool |
