Smith Perkins Smith - Smith Perkins Smith

Smith Perkins Smith (Smith Perkins Smith) Island LP ILPS 9198 - 1972

El Disco:

Está producido por el bajista David Hood (antes en The Mystics), y cuenta con la colaboración de la afamada sección de ritmo The Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section / The Swampers: el propio David Hood (bajo), Barry Beckett (teclas) y Roger Hawkins (batería). También participa, entre otros ilustres, Eddie Hinton aportando su guitarra y una canción.

Dos cosas sorprenden del álbum Smith, Perkins & Smith. A pesar de que los tres habían trabajado, y trabajarían luego, con un largo catálogo de artistas de soul y también de rock, apenas hay vestigios de ambos géneros en el LP en cuestión. El disco se mueve más bien por terrenos suaves, melancólicos y reflexivos. La otra curiosidad del disco es la sobriedad y escasez de solos de guitarra, a pesar de que el trio incluía a Wayne Perkins, uno de los más reputados y activos guitarristas en la historia del rock.

Tras un intrigante y corto inicio con "Catcher In The Rye", aparece el único single extraído del LP, "Save Me", una pieza de 70s soft rock que como suele suceder con muchos singles, no da la tónica general del álbum. De la cara A me quedo con "I Cry Mercy". Atmosférica, apasionada y con un órgano elevador.

La cara B se abre con un energético country rock firmado por Eddie Hinton (Aretha, Elvis, Otis...), pero es el resto del disco el que parece casi una suite unitaria. Sensitiva, soñadora y algo humeante. Cierra el LP una generosa e intensa "So Long", un slow rock sureño de envergadura, al estilo de Leon Russell, Don Nix o Warren Zevon, y que bien podría estar en alguno de los primeros discos de Neil Young. El épico final instrumental, aderezado con elegancia por The Swampers, deja muy buen sabor de boca y esboza una sobria sonrisa.



La Historia:

Probablemente, y después de tanto tiempo, este disco tan sólo sea una nota a pie de página en la dilatada carrera de estos caballeros, especialmente en la de Perkins. Los tres gozarían, posteriormente, de un largo y fructífero historial de trabajo con una increíble lista de famosos.
Pero, recién comenzada la década de los 70, en Birmingham, Alabama, Wayne Perkins se unía los hermanos Tim y Steve Smith con la intención de hacer algo juntos. Y ese algo fué este LP, el único del trio. Un disco que tal vez los propios interesados hayan olvidado hace tiempo.

Wayne (1951) tenía ya su experiencia en el mundo de la música. Su primera sesión como profesional fué a los 15 y poco después formo parte de The Vikings con quienes editó al menos un par de singles. En 1968 era ya sesionero habitual de los legendarios Fame y Muscle Shoals Studios, donde añadió su guitarra a grabaciones de Lonnie Mack, Don Nix, Albert King, The Soul Children, Ronnie Milsap y otros.

Por su parte, los hermanos Smith habían colocado ya alguna que otra canción en discos de reputados artistas como Ben Atkins o el gran Arhtur Alexander ("It Hurts To Want It So Bad"), y en 1971 comenzaron a trabajar con Wayne Perkins en lo que sería su primer y único album. Chris Blackwell, de Island Records, andaba por Muscle Shoals grabando el primer LP en solitario de Jim Capaldi - fuera de Traffic ("Oh How We Danced"). Casualmente los oyó en el estudio y les ofreció un contrato, editando inmediatamente el disco en el que estaban trabajando. Este que tenemos aqui.

Blackwell se los llevó a Inglaterra y pronto comenzaron a girar como teloneros de Free, Fairport Convention, Argent, Uriah Heep, Family, Vinegar Joe, Mott The Hoople... No parecía un mal comienzo.

El destino, o la casualidad (según se prefiera), cambió de dirección y puso en escena lo que sería el principio del fin de Smith Perkins Smith: Estando el trio en Londres grabando lo que hubiera sido su segundo LP, Chris Blackwell apareció por el estudio pidiendole a Perkins que añadiera algunos toques de guitarra al primer album de unos jamaicanos que hacían reggae, con la intención de darles un toque más al gusto rockero occidental. Asi pues, Wayne Perkins, que no había escuchado reggae en su vida, se vió grabando los solos de guitarra del LP "Catch A Fire" de Bob Marley & The Wailers. Suyos son los clásicos solos en "Concrete Jungle" o "Stir It Up", mal que le pese a Peter Tosh.

Ya nada sería igual. El mismo año, Perkins y su guitarra participaron el sendos discos de P.F. Sloan, Mike Harrison (post - Spooky Tooth), The Everly Brothers y algunos otros. Ante tal actividad de Wayne, los hermanos Smith decidieron volver a USA dejando inacabado el segundo LP que tenían entre manos, finiquitando asi el proyecto Smith Perkins Smith.

Wayne también regresó a América poco después y, tras un par de años con Leon Russell en su bandas The Shelter People Band y The Gap Band, tocó con Eric Clapton y Lynyrd Skynyrd. Fué Eric quien le conectó con The Rolling Stones, que recién habían perdido a Mick Taylor. La guitarra de Mr. Perkins puede escucharse en el LP de sus satánicas majestades "Black & Blue" ("Hand Of Fate", "Fool To Cry"...)

Tras montar un grupo con su hermano Dale, Crimson Tide, y grabar un par de LPs con ellos, anduvo por Nashville e hizo música para algunas películas (Karate Kid II, Back To School...). Su primer LP en solitario apareció, por fin, en 1995... y el segundo diez años más tarde. En la vorágine grabadora de Wayne Perkins están incluídas sesiones con Joni Mitchell (Court & Spark), Bill Wyman, Levon Helm, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Steve Cropper, Bobby Womack, Dee Dee Warwick, Millie Jackson, Joe Cocker, Leon Russell, Jimmy Cliff, Jim Capaldi, Steve Winwood, Roger McGuinn & Chris Hillman, y una miríada más.

Por su parte, y aunque no tan espectacular y exhaustiva como la de su colega Wayne, los hermanos Smith tuvieron también una buena y estable carrera musical. Steve como músico, técnico y productor con, entre otros, Jim Capaldi, Robert Palmer, Gillan, Bob Marley & The Wailers, Supertramp o The Bible en los 80. También Tim hizo similares labores, principalmente con Lynyrd Skynyrd.

Y aquel olvidado LP que los tres editaron allá en 1972, pareció quedar diluído en las brumas del tiempo.




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The Record:

It's produced by bass player David Hood (ex - The Mystics), and it includes the famous Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section / The Swampers: David Hood himself on bass, Barry Beckett on keyboards and Roger Hawkins on drums. Also, among other distinguished musicians, Eddie Hinton is adding his guitar and one song.

There's two surprising things in this Smith Perkins Smith album: In spite of all three members having worked in the past, and also in the future, with a long catalogue of soul and also rock artists, there's hardly any traces of those two genres in the LP, which rather moves in smooth, melancholic and reflexive lands. The other curiosity of the record is the moderation and scarcity of guitar solos, in spite of the trio including Wayne Perkins, one of the most priced and active guitarists in rock history.

After an intriguing and short start with "Catcher In The Rye", comes the only single lifted off the LP, "Save Me", a 70s piece of soft rock which, as usual with many singles, doesn't give the overall indication of the album's mood. From side A, my favourite is "I Cry Mercy". Atmospheric, passionate and with a lifting organ.

Side B opens with an energetic country rock written by Eddie Hinton (Aretha, Elvis, Otis...), but it's the rest of the record who's taking the main role, almost like a unitary suite. Sensitive, dreamy and a bit smoky. The LP ends with a generous and intense "So Long", a slow southern forceful theme, in the style of Leon Russell, Don Nix or Warren Zevon, which could perfectly fit on Neil Young's first LPs. The epic instrumental ending, spiced with elegance by The Swampers, leaves a pleasant flavour and draws a sober smile.


The Story:

Probably, and after such a long time, this record may only be a footnote in the extensive career of these gentlemen, speciallly in Perkin's one. All three would enjoy, later on, a long and fruitful working account with an incredible list of famous artists.
But in Birmingham, Alabama, just at the beginning of the 70s, Wayne Perkins was joining brothers Tim and Steve Smith with the intention of doing something together. And that something was this LP, the trio's only one. A record which probably themselves forgot long time ago.

Wayne (1951) already had some experience in the music world. At 15 he'd already had his first professional session, and a bit later on he was part of The Vikings with whom released at least a couple of singles. In 1968 he already was a steady session man at legendary Fame and Muscle Shoals Studios, where he played his guitar in recordings by Lonnie Mack, Don Nix, Albert King, The Soul Children, Ronnie Milsap and others.

By their side, the Smith brothers already had some of their songs recorded by famous artists like Ben Atkins or the great Arthur Alexander ("It Hurts To Want It So Bad"), and in 1971 they started working with Wayne Perkins in what would become their first and only album. Chris Blackwell, from Island Records, was in Muscle Shoals doing the recording of Jim Capaldi's first solo LP out of Traffic ("Oh How We Danced"). Just by chance he heard the boys in the studio and offered them a recording contract, immediately releasing the album they were working on. The one we're having here.

Blackwell took them to the U.K. and soon they were touring as the opening act for Free, Fairport Convention, Argent, Uriah Heep, Family, Vinegar Joe, Mott The Hoople... It just didn't seem a bad start.

Destiny, or fate (as you like it), changed direction and put on the scene what would become the beginning of the end of Smith Perkins Smith: While the trio were in London recording what would have been their second album, Chris Blackwell suddenly appeared in the studio asking Perkins to add some guitar licks to the first album of some jamaicans making reggae, with the intention of giving them a more western and rockier feel. So, Wayne Perkins, who had never ever heard any reggae music at all, found himself adding is guitar solos to the "Catch A Fire" LP by Bob Marley & The Wailers. His are the classic solos on "Concrete Jungle" or "Stir It Up", much to the regret of Peter Tosh.

Nothing would ever be the same anymore. That very same year, Perkins and his guitar appeared in records by P.F. Sloan, Mike Harrison (post - Spooky Tooth), The Everly Brothers and some others. With such a busy schedule by Wayne, the Smith brothers decided to go back to the USA, leaving unfinished that second album they were doing, concluding so the Smith Perkins Smith project.

Wayne also went back to the USA a bit later and, after a couple of years with Leon Russell and his bands The Shelter People Band and The Gap Band, he played with Eric Clapton and Lynyrd Skynyrd. It was Eric who put him in touch with The Rolling Stones, who just had lost Mick Taylor. Mr. Perkins guitar can be heard in their satanic mejesties LP "Black & Blue" ("Hand Of Fate", "Fool To Cry"...)

After forming a band with his brother Dale, Crimson Tide, and making a couple of albums with them, he moved to Nashville where he worked making some film music (Karate Kid II, Back To School...). His first solo LP finally appeared in 1995... and the second one ten years later. The recording vortex of Wayne Perkins includes sessions with Joni Mitchell (Court & Spark), Bill Wyman, Levon Helm, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Steve Cropper, Bobby Womack, Dee Dee Warwick, Millie Jackson, Joe Cocker, Leon Russell, Jimmy Cliff, Jim Capaldi, Steve Winwood, Roger McGuinn & Chris Hillman, and a myriad more.

Although not as spectacular and impressive as the one of their mate Wayne, the Smith brothers also had a good and steady musical career. Steve as a musician, sound engineer and producer with, among others, Jim Capaldi, Robert Palmer, Gillan, Bob Marley & The Wailers, Supertramp or The Bible in the 80s. Tim also had similar jobs, mainly with Lynyrd Skynyrd.

And that forgotten LP which all three released back in 1972, seemed to remain diluted in the mists of time.




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