Laurie Styvers (Colorado Kid) LP Chrysalis 63 07 512 - 1973
... Y, aquí está el segundo.
----------------------
... And, here's the second one.
http://rapidshare.com/files/256418054/Laurie_Styvers__Colorado_Kid__1973.rar
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jueves, 16 de julio de 2009
Laurie Styvers - Colorado Kid
Laurie Styvers (Colorado Kid) LP Chrysalis 63 07 512 - 1973
... Y, aquí está el segundo.
----------------------
... And, here's the second one.
http://rapidshare.com/files/256418054/Laurie_Styvers__Colorado_Kid__1973.rar
.
viernes, 10 de julio de 2009
Laurie Styvers - Spilt Milk
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Laurie Styvers (Spilt Milk) LP Chrysalis 63 07 506 - 1972
La joven americana Laurette Stivers aterrizó en el multicolor Londres de finales de los 60 y, a través de un anuncio en la prensa musical, se unió a Keith Trowsdale y John McBurnie, un par de músicos que andaban buscando una voz femenina para su proyecto. El trio graba una maqueta que pronto les consigue un contrato discográfico y en 1969 editan su primer single con el nombre de Justine. El disco es la primera referencia de la rama inglesa del sello americano Dot y cuenta ya con la producción de un hombre que en los próximos años será fundamental para Laurie: Hugh Murphy.
Justine amplian su plantilla y graban un LP que se mueve por terrenos de folk rock inglés y sonidos de la costa oeste americana. De cualquier modo, Laurie Styvers no tenía un papel destacado en el grupo, siendo tan sólo una de varias voces y co-escribiendo únicamente una de las canciones. De nuevo producido por Hugh Murphy, el album es editado en Enero de 1970, esta vez por UNI, otro sello americano operando en Inglaterra. Aunque Laurie sigue haciendo algún directo ocasional con el grupo, abandona Justine antes de la publicación del LP y junto con Hugh, para entonces ya su novio, prepara sus propias canciones para seguir en solitario.
La carrera de Laurie Styvers, no obstante, será demasiado corta. En 1972 se edita su primer LP, "Spilt Milk", y al año siguiente ve la luz su segundo y último album, "Colorado Kid". Es todo. Los dos discos en cuestión presentan una cierta continuidad de estilo e intención y podrían incluso formar un doble LP, si bien el segundo es un tanto más elaborado y serio. Ambos discos tienen la cuidada producción de Hugh Murphy, que también co-escribe alguna de las canciones junto con Laurie. También los dos albumes cuentan con los sobrios y elegantes arreglos orquestales de Tom Parker, y con algunos músicos de sesión de renombre, sobre todo en "Colorado Kid", como Gary Taylor y Andrew Steele (The Herd), Adrian Legg (sus guitarras), Henry Spinetti (batería de medio mundo), Chris Stewart y Mick Cox (Eire Apparent), Jerry Donahue (Fotheringay y Fairport Convention), o Mal Luker (The Smoke).
Son dos LPs muy personales y tal vez demasiado introspectivos y melancólicos para pertenecer a la típica cantautora americana de los 70. Cuentan con un gran sentido de la melodía y con un pausado apasionamiento y las orquestaciones de Tom Parker les dan una especial calidez. En "Spilt Milk" podemos encontrar la inmediatez de "Beat The Reaper", la amplitud de "Five Leaves Left" (nada que ver con la Nick Drake), el vaudeville de la encantadora "Pigeons", o el color de "Inside You". En "Colorado Kid" está "You Are My Inspiration", la canción que Carole King nunca escribió, y también allí viven la magnitud de "Heavenly Band", la intimidad de "You Can Fly Me To The Moon" (ecos de Laura Nyro en ese estribillo...), o la grandeza de "You Be The Tide, I'll Be The Bay" (con el impagable sitar sicodélico del Smoke Mal Luker).
Y entonces la vieja historia. Los discos recibieron muy buenas críticas... pero ventas muy pobres. Durante un tiempo se pudieron ver ambos LPs, sobre todo el primero, en las gavetas de rebajas y saldos de muchas tiendas. Hasta su desaparición total. También Laurie desapareció. Vistos los resultados en el mundo del disco y también en el mundo sentimental tras su separación de Mr. Murphy, regresó a Estados Unidos y poco o nada se ha vuelto a saber de ella desde entonces. Tan sólo que murió hace unos diez años. Nunca se han reeditado sus dos albumes y nunca se ha hablado de ella en las revistas del ramo. Nuestro humilde homenaje para Laurie.
A Hugh Murphy, alumno de Shel Talmy, las cosas le fueron mejor. Tras sus producciones de grupos más o menos subterráneos como Unicorn, Diabolus, String Driven Thing o Gracious, dió en la diana con Gerry Rafferty ("Baker Street") y trabajó con Linda Thompson, Mike Heron, Kursaal Flyers, Kilburn & The High Roads y The Proclaimers, entre otros, además de co-escribir alguna canción que otra con Van Morrison.
Por su parte, el arreglista Tom Parker ha seguido trabajando con muchos artistas, como Gerry Rafferty, Tim Rose, Chris White....o Alaska Y Dinarama (en Deseo Carnal, 1984). La vida es una tómbola.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
The young american Laurette Stivers landed in the multicoloured late 60s London and, through an advert in the press, joined Keith Trowsdale y John McBurnie, two musicians who were looking for a feminine voice for their project. The trio made a demo which soon had them a recording contract and in 1969 they released their first single with the name of Justine. This record was the first issue of the english branch of the american label Dot and was already produced by a man who would be very important for Laurie in the coming years: Hugh Murphy.
Justine expanded their line-up and recorded an album which is moving betweeen british folk rock and american west coast sounds. Anyaway, Laurie Styvers didn't have a capital role in the band, being just one of several voices and co-writing only one song. Again produced by Hugh Murphy, the LP was released in January 1970, this time by UNI, another american label operating in U.K. Though Laurie kept on doing some occasional gigs with the band, she left Justine before the album was released and with Hugh, by then her boyfriend, prepared her own songs for a solo career.
A career that, nevertheless, would be too short. Her first LP, "Spilt Milk", was released in 1972 and her second and last one, "Colorado Kid", saw the light of day the following year. That's all. Both records have a certain continuity in style and intention, and could even form a double album, even though the second one may be a bit more complex and serious. Hugh Murphy was producing both LPs and even co-writing with Laurie some of the songs. Also the two of them have the sober and elegant orchestral arrangements of Tom Parker and, specially "Colorado Kid", also the instrumental contribution of some well respected session players of the moment like Gary Taylor and Andrew Steele (The Herd), Adrian Legg (his guitars), Henry Spinetti (drummer for half of the world), Chris Stewart and Mick Cox (Eire Apparent), Jerry Donahue (Fotheringay and Fairport Convention), or Mal Luker (The Smoke).
They are two very personal LPs and probably too melancholic and introspective for openly belonging to some tipical 70s american singer-songwriter. They have a great sense of melody and some sort of slow passion. Also, Tom Parker's orchestrations give them a special warmth. In "Spilt Milk" we can find de immediate feeling of "Beat The Reaper", the amplitude of "Five Leaves Left" (not the one of Nick Drake), the vaudeville of the charming "Pigeons", or the colour of "Inside You". In "Colorado Kid" we find "You Are My Inspiration", the song Carole King never wrote, and dwelling also there there's the magnitude of "Heavenly Band", the intimacy of "You Can Fly Me To The Moon" (echoes of Laura Nyro on that chorus...), or the greatness of "You Be The Tide, I'll Be The Bay" (with the floating psychedelic sitar of Mal Luker, ex - The Smoke).
And then, same old story. These two albums received very good reviews... but very poor sales. For some time both LPs, specially the first one, could be seen on the bargain bins of many shops. Until they vanished. Laurie also vanished. Seen her results in the record world, and also in the sentimental world after splitting from Mr. Murphy, she went back to USA and little or nothing has been heard from her ever since. Only that she died about ten years ago. Her two albums have never been reissued and no music magazine seems to have ever had any feature about her. Our humble homage to Laurie.
Hugh Murphy, a Shel Talmy pupil, had a better fate. After producing some more or less underground bands like Unicorn, Diabolus, String Driven Thing o Gracious, he had some bingo with Gerry Rafferty ("Baker Street") and worked with, among others, Linda Thompson, Mike Heron, Kursaal Flyers, Kilburn & The High Roads and The Proclaimers, besides co-writing some songs with Van Morrison.
Tom Parker has kept on making arrangements and playing for a lot of artists like Gerry Rafferty, Tim Rose, Chris White and a hundred more. Life is a lottery.
http://rapidshare.com/files/254129175/Laurie_Styvers__Spilt_Milk__1972.rar
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domingo, 21 de junio de 2009
Jess & James - Jess & James
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Jess & James (Jess & James) LP Belter 22.434 - 1969
Antonio y Fernando Lameirinhas (alias Tony & Wando Lam) son dos hermanos portugueses de Oporto que, de jóvenes y junto con su familia, emigraron a Bélgica en 1959. Ya en 1964 formaban The Modes, con quienes publican algún single. Tras una estancia en Inglaterra, donde tocaron con varios grupos de beat (entre ellos, probablemente, Screaming Lord Sutch), regresan a Bélgica en 1967 y forman una potente banda multinacional, The J.J. Band, con quienes pronto son la sensación de media Europa con arrasadores directos e irresistibles singles de rock-soul-pop.
Después de un primer LP, "Move", las clásicas diferencias de orientación musical provocan la separación de la banda, que sigue por su cuenta sin Jess & James. Tony y Wando entran entonces en contacto con un músico americano de jazz que andaba por Europa, Scott Bradford, que sería fundamental en el resto de la carrera de Jess & James, aportando ideas y parte de sus músicos. Scott publicaba en 1969 un LP instrumental de clara orientación jazz-prog para el sello americano Probe.
Un segundo LP, "Revolution, Evolution, Change", aún manteniendo una aproximación general de rock-soul, muestra ya alguna nuevas inquietudes sonoras que cristalizarían en el bizarro disco que ahora nos ocupa.
Estaba claro que los hermanos Lam estaban atravesando una época de pruebas musicales a granel. Casi al mismo tiempo, y con prácticamente la misma formación, la banda grabó un sorprendente disco instrumental experimental, mezclando el sonido swinging London y el euro jazz con ruiditos de incipiente sintetizador y otros ingrediente varios. Este LP se editó bajo el nombre de The Free Pop Electronic Concept.
Era casi el fin del proyecto Jess & James. En 1972, y tras un último single acreditado esta vez a Jess, Denis & James, Tony y Wando se trasladan a España. Ya habían estado aquí varias veces antes con su banda, pero ahora se unirían durante un tiempo a Los Canarios. Finalizada esta aventura se instalan en Holanda, en donde tienen bastante éxito con su nuevo grupo Sail-Joia, que les ocupa hasta finales de la década. Mucho después, en 1994, Wando reanuda su carrera musical, grabando algunos discos intermitentemente hasta la actualidad, pero ya como Fernando Lameirinhas, su nombre real.
Titulado simplemente "Jess & James", este tercer y último LP es realmente una bestia sonora, un disco prácticamente imposible de clasificar y de difícil etiqueta. Prog-soul hecho por portugueses en Bélgica !?
Grabado sin sección de viento como los anteriores, únicamente por el cuarteto de Tony, Wando, Scott Bradford y Stu Martin (bajo, guitarra, teclas y batería respectivamente), es un disco que mezcla sin pudor el emergente movimiento progresivo con el soul (sobre todo en la desgarrada forma de cantar de Wando), con algunos toques de jazz y rock de montaña con guitarras imposibles y swinging hammond. Un disco irrepetible que dejó un tanto descolocados a los fans más normalitos del grupo. En consecuencia vendió muy poco, constituyendose casi de inmediato en una auténtica rareza del euro-rock.
Las dos canciones "suaves" del disco, "Perdition Again" y "A Passing Car" son realmente estremecedoras y amplias. La que abre el disco, "Straight Man", es una anfetosa anticipación progresiva multicolor. En "Mrs. Davis" se dan la mano guapamente la edad de piedra y la era espacial. Caverna de neón con neuroguitarra y ritmo tribal. Ahí está también esa versión marciana de "She's A Woman". En fin... Un disco para aventureros, no apto para todos los públicos.
Hay que comentar obligatoriamente que la portada no hace justicia al disco en absoluto. Sobre todo en la edición española, que es la que tenemos aqui. Puro estilo Belter y utilizando una foto cutre un poco antigua. Al menos en la edición original belga se ven los cuatro del grupo...aunque tampoco es ninguna maravilla. "Mrs. Davis" y "A Passing Car" se editaron en single. Es todo un shock pensar que alguien en Palette, el sello discográfico, pudiera llegar a pensar que "Mrs. Davis", puro rock pétreo y underground, podría ser pinchada en la radio, siquiera una sola vez. Que tiempos.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Antonio and Fernando Lameirinhas (aka Tony & Wando Lam) are two portuguese brothers from Porto that, when teenagers and with their family, migrated to Belgium in 1959. Already in 1964 they formed The Modes and released some single. After a spell in England, where they played with a few beat bands (Screaming Lord Sutch probably one of them), they went back to Belgium and in 1967 made a multinational group, The J.J. Band, and soon found themselves being the sensation in half Europe with their demolishing live shows and irresistible rock-soul-pop singles.
After their first LP, "Move", the classic musical orientation differences forced the band to split from the two brothers, and followed their way without Jess & James. Tony and Wando contacted then with an american jazz musician that was wandering around Europe, Scott Bradford, who would be a fundamental force for the rest of their career, adding his own ideas and part of his musicians. Scott himself released in 1969 an instrumental LP with an open jazz-prog orientation for the american label Probe.
A second LP, "Revolution, Evolution, Change", still keeping an overall rock-soul approach, was already showing some new sonic concerns which crystalized in the bizarre record we're having here now.
It seems a quite clear thing that the Lam brothers were full hands undergoing musical testings around this time. Almost at the same time, and with practically the very same line-up, tha band recorded a surprising instrumental experimental album, mixing swinging London sounds, euro jazz and other assorted ingredients with early synthesizer noises. This LP was released under the name of The Free Pop Electronic Concept.
It was almost the end of the Jess & James project. In 1972, and after a last single credited this time to Jess, Denis & James, Tony and Wando moved to Spain. They had already been here a few times in the past with their group, but now they would join for some time famous spanish band Los Canarios. After this adventure was over they moved to Holland, where they would find quite a success with their new group Sail-Joia, which kept them busy until the end of the 70s. Quite a long time later, in 1994, Wando re-started is musical career, recording sporadically and up until right now some solo albums, but now as Fernando Lameirinhas, his real name.
Titled simply "Jess & James", this third and last LP is really a sonic beast, an album almost impossible to classify and a quite hard one to put a tag on. Prog-soul made in Belgium by some portuguese !?
Unlike the former two albums, recorded without any horn in sight, and only by the quartet of Tony, Wando, Scott Bradford and Stu Martin (bass, guitar, keyboards and drums respectively), it's a record that unashamedly mixes the emerging prog movement with soul (specially in the torn and broken voice of Wando), with some touches of jazz, mountain rock and impossible guitars with swinging hammond. An album almost impossible to repeat which left astonished most common fans of the band and sold very few copies, making it almost immediately a real euro-rock rarity.
The two "smooth" songs in the album, "Perdition Again" and "A Passing Car", are really thrilling and "wide". "Straight Man", opening the LP, is a speedy and multicolour prog anticipation. In "Mrs. Davis", stone age and distant future go hand in hand. Neon cavern with neuroguitar and tribal rhythm. Here's also that martian cover of "She's A Woman". Well... A record for adventurers, not suited for all audiences.
We have to compulsorily comment that the cover absolutely doesn't make any justice to the album. Specially in this spanish release we're having here. With that pure "Belter" style and using a quite pedestrian and a bit old photo. At least, on the original belgian edition you can see all four members of the band... though it isn't any wonder either. "Mrs. Davis" and "A Passing Car" were released also as a single. It's really shocking to think that someone at Palette, the record label, could end up thinking that "Mrs. Davis", pure stoney underground rock, could be played in the radio even once. Such times.
.........................................................................
Antonio y Fernando Lameirinhas (alias Tony & Wando Lam) son dos hermanos portugueses de Oporto que, de jóvenes y junto con su familia, emigraron a Bélgica en 1959. Ya en 1964 formaban The Modes, con quienes publican algún single. Tras una estancia en Inglaterra, donde tocaron con varios grupos de beat (entre ellos, probablemente, Screaming Lord Sutch), regresan a Bélgica en 1967 y forman una potente banda multinacional, The J.J. Band, con quienes pronto son la sensación de media Europa con arrasadores directos e irresistibles singles de rock-soul-pop.
Después de un primer LP, "Move", las clásicas diferencias de orientación musical provocan la separación de la banda, que sigue por su cuenta sin Jess & James. Tony y Wando entran entonces en contacto con un músico americano de jazz que andaba por Europa, Scott Bradford, que sería fundamental en el resto de la carrera de Jess & James, aportando ideas y parte de sus músicos. Scott publicaba en 1969 un LP instrumental de clara orientación jazz-prog para el sello americano Probe.
Un segundo LP, "Revolution, Evolution, Change", aún manteniendo una aproximación general de rock-soul, muestra ya alguna nuevas inquietudes sonoras que cristalizarían en el bizarro disco que ahora nos ocupa.
Estaba claro que los hermanos Lam estaban atravesando una época de pruebas musicales a granel. Casi al mismo tiempo, y con prácticamente la misma formación, la banda grabó un sorprendente disco instrumental experimental, mezclando el sonido swinging London y el euro jazz con ruiditos de incipiente sintetizador y otros ingrediente varios. Este LP se editó bajo el nombre de The Free Pop Electronic Concept.
Era casi el fin del proyecto Jess & James. En 1972, y tras un último single acreditado esta vez a Jess, Denis & James, Tony y Wando se trasladan a España. Ya habían estado aquí varias veces antes con su banda, pero ahora se unirían durante un tiempo a Los Canarios. Finalizada esta aventura se instalan en Holanda, en donde tienen bastante éxito con su nuevo grupo Sail-Joia, que les ocupa hasta finales de la década. Mucho después, en 1994, Wando reanuda su carrera musical, grabando algunos discos intermitentemente hasta la actualidad, pero ya como Fernando Lameirinhas, su nombre real.
Titulado simplemente "Jess & James", este tercer y último LP es realmente una bestia sonora, un disco prácticamente imposible de clasificar y de difícil etiqueta. Prog-soul hecho por portugueses en Bélgica !?
Grabado sin sección de viento como los anteriores, únicamente por el cuarteto de Tony, Wando, Scott Bradford y Stu Martin (bajo, guitarra, teclas y batería respectivamente), es un disco que mezcla sin pudor el emergente movimiento progresivo con el soul (sobre todo en la desgarrada forma de cantar de Wando), con algunos toques de jazz y rock de montaña con guitarras imposibles y swinging hammond. Un disco irrepetible que dejó un tanto descolocados a los fans más normalitos del grupo. En consecuencia vendió muy poco, constituyendose casi de inmediato en una auténtica rareza del euro-rock.
Las dos canciones "suaves" del disco, "Perdition Again" y "A Passing Car" son realmente estremecedoras y amplias. La que abre el disco, "Straight Man", es una anfetosa anticipación progresiva multicolor. En "Mrs. Davis" se dan la mano guapamente la edad de piedra y la era espacial. Caverna de neón con neuroguitarra y ritmo tribal. Ahí está también esa versión marciana de "She's A Woman". En fin... Un disco para aventureros, no apto para todos los públicos.
Hay que comentar obligatoriamente que la portada no hace justicia al disco en absoluto. Sobre todo en la edición española, que es la que tenemos aqui. Puro estilo Belter y utilizando una foto cutre un poco antigua. Al menos en la edición original belga se ven los cuatro del grupo...aunque tampoco es ninguna maravilla. "Mrs. Davis" y "A Passing Car" se editaron en single. Es todo un shock pensar que alguien en Palette, el sello discográfico, pudiera llegar a pensar que "Mrs. Davis", puro rock pétreo y underground, podría ser pinchada en la radio, siquiera una sola vez. Que tiempos.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Antonio and Fernando Lameirinhas (aka Tony & Wando Lam) are two portuguese brothers from Porto that, when teenagers and with their family, migrated to Belgium in 1959. Already in 1964 they formed The Modes and released some single. After a spell in England, where they played with a few beat bands (Screaming Lord Sutch probably one of them), they went back to Belgium and in 1967 made a multinational group, The J.J. Band, and soon found themselves being the sensation in half Europe with their demolishing live shows and irresistible rock-soul-pop singles.
After their first LP, "Move", the classic musical orientation differences forced the band to split from the two brothers, and followed their way without Jess & James. Tony and Wando contacted then with an american jazz musician that was wandering around Europe, Scott Bradford, who would be a fundamental force for the rest of their career, adding his own ideas and part of his musicians. Scott himself released in 1969 an instrumental LP with an open jazz-prog orientation for the american label Probe.
A second LP, "Revolution, Evolution, Change", still keeping an overall rock-soul approach, was already showing some new sonic concerns which crystalized in the bizarre record we're having here now.
It seems a quite clear thing that the Lam brothers were full hands undergoing musical testings around this time. Almost at the same time, and with practically the very same line-up, tha band recorded a surprising instrumental experimental album, mixing swinging London sounds, euro jazz and other assorted ingredients with early synthesizer noises. This LP was released under the name of The Free Pop Electronic Concept.
It was almost the end of the Jess & James project. In 1972, and after a last single credited this time to Jess, Denis & James, Tony and Wando moved to Spain. They had already been here a few times in the past with their group, but now they would join for some time famous spanish band Los Canarios. After this adventure was over they moved to Holland, where they would find quite a success with their new group Sail-Joia, which kept them busy until the end of the 70s. Quite a long time later, in 1994, Wando re-started is musical career, recording sporadically and up until right now some solo albums, but now as Fernando Lameirinhas, his real name.
Titled simply "Jess & James", this third and last LP is really a sonic beast, an album almost impossible to classify and a quite hard one to put a tag on. Prog-soul made in Belgium by some portuguese !?
Unlike the former two albums, recorded without any horn in sight, and only by the quartet of Tony, Wando, Scott Bradford and Stu Martin (bass, guitar, keyboards and drums respectively), it's a record that unashamedly mixes the emerging prog movement with soul (specially in the torn and broken voice of Wando), with some touches of jazz, mountain rock and impossible guitars with swinging hammond. An album almost impossible to repeat which left astonished most common fans of the band and sold very few copies, making it almost immediately a real euro-rock rarity.
The two "smooth" songs in the album, "Perdition Again" and "A Passing Car", are really thrilling and "wide". "Straight Man", opening the LP, is a speedy and multicolour prog anticipation. In "Mrs. Davis", stone age and distant future go hand in hand. Neon cavern with neuroguitar and tribal rhythm. Here's also that martian cover of "She's A Woman". Well... A record for adventurers, not suited for all audiences.
We have to compulsorily comment that the cover absolutely doesn't make any justice to the album. Specially in this spanish release we're having here. With that pure "Belter" style and using a quite pedestrian and a bit old photo. At least, on the original belgian edition you can see all four members of the band... though it isn't any wonder either. "Mrs. Davis" and "A Passing Car" were released also as a single. It's really shocking to think that someone at Palette, the record label, could end up thinking that "Mrs. Davis", pure stoney underground rock, could be played in the radio even once. Such times.
.........................................................................
Link Eliminado
El propósito de este blog es divulgar y hacer accesibles algunos discos interesantes que no han sido nunca reeditados, y/o son muy difíciles de encontrar. No queremos interferir con la industria discográfica, especialmente con los pequeños sellos que se encargan de reeditar este tipo de grabaciones.
Supongo que a todo el mundo le gusta que le paguen por su trabajo y dedicación. A ellos también.
Por ello, hemos eliminado el link de descarga de este LP, que ya está disponible en las tiendas especializadas, también necesitadas de tu colaboración para que toda la gente que depende de la música pueda seguir viviendo con dignidad.
----------------------------------------
Deleted link
The purpose of this blog is to spread and make available some interesting records which have never been re-released, and are quite difficult to find. We don't want to interfere with the music industry, specially with those small labels who are taking care of re-releasing this kind of recordings.
I suppose everybody likes to be paid for their work and dedication. They too.
Therefore, we have removed the download link of this LP, which is already available in specialized shops. They also need your collaboration, so that all the people who are depending on music may keep on living with some dignity.
martes, 2 de junio de 2009
Jerry Corbitt - Corbitt
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Jerry Corbitt (Corbitt) LP Polydor 24 4003 - 1969
Originalmente un cantante de folk de Georgia, Jerry Corbitt emigró a mediados de los 60 hacia el norte, en donde se unió a Jesse Colin Young para formar The Youngbloods.
En 1968 los deja durante la grabación del tercer disco del grupo para iniciar sus aventuras en solitario. Una de ellas fué producir el primer LP de los legendarios Mad River. El batería del grupo, Greg Dewey, se apuntaría muy poco después al primer disco en solitario de Jerry, que no tardó en grabarse, y que es el que aquí tenemos.
Producido por su amigo Charlie Daniels, quien ya se había ocupado anteriormente de The Youngbloods, es un disco un tanto bizarro. Toca varios géneros sin adentrarse claramente en ninguno. Potente rock con efluvios de costa oeste en "Let The Music Come Inside", "Delight In Your Love" y "Banned In Boston", con unas multicolores guitarras cortantes a cargo, en su mayoría, de Rick Turner (guitarrista de la ilustre banda psicodélica Autosalvage).
Un toque desgarrado y más dramático en "Out Of The Question" (con el moog del experimentalista Bernie Krause) o en "The Kahuna Song" que cierra el disco. En "I Love You All", extraída como single, nos las vemos con una especie mutante de rock soul sureño con sección de viento incluída. "The Rain Song" ya había sido publicada por The Youngbloods en su tercero, "Elephant Mountain", aunque aqui aparece en una versión mucho más ácida. Y también hay algunos ejercicios de country folk clásico. Clásico, si no fuera por la nota dominante en el disco: esa desgarradora voz, demasiado quebrada, aguardentosa y urgente para ser country.
En fin, un disco que, si hubiera sido editado por un anónimo grupo de algún lugar perdido, en una edición privada y con un extraño sello, a buen seguro traería de calle a los coleccionistas de medio mundo y parte del otro, y se pagarían fortunas por él. Pero se trataba de un artista relativamente conocido en su día, grabando en New York y editando en una multinacional. Así pues, el album no encontró su público, y Jerry Corbitt nunca haría otro disco igual, adentrandose en territorios mucho más convencionales para su segundo LP en 1970.
A partir de ahi, fué espaciando sus propias grabaciones y dedicandose a producir y tocar con otra gente (Don McLean, Janis Ian, Country Joe McDonald, Buffy St. Marie...) y a trabajar para algunas películas y anuncios. El año pasado, Jerry Corbitt publicó en su propio sello, Desert Wind, un nuevo disco, "Along For The Ride". Aunque, me temo que poco tiene que ver con este estrafalario artefacto, producto de aquellos benditos excesos de juventud. Qué dificil es envejecer decentemente.
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Originally a folk singer from Georgia, Jerry Corbitt migrated north in the mid 60s and joined Jesse Colin Young to form The Youngbloods.
In 1968, and during the recordings of their third album, he left the band to start his solo adventures. One of them was producing the first LP of the legendary Mad River. The drummer of this band, Greg Dewey, would soon be enlisted for Jerry's first solo album, which would be recorded a bit later, and which is the one we're having here now.
Produced by his friend Charlie Daniels, who had already been in charge of The Youngbloods, it's a rather bizarre album. It gets close to several different genres without clearly staying very long in any of them. Powerful rock with some west coast flavour in "Let The Music Come Inside", "Delight In Your Love" and "Banned In Boston", with some hard edged and colourful guitars, mostly played by Rick Turner (main axeman of distinguished psychedelic band Autosalvage).
Originalmente un cantante de folk de Georgia, Jerry Corbitt emigró a mediados de los 60 hacia el norte, en donde se unió a Jesse Colin Young para formar The Youngbloods.
En 1968 los deja durante la grabación del tercer disco del grupo para iniciar sus aventuras en solitario. Una de ellas fué producir el primer LP de los legendarios Mad River. El batería del grupo, Greg Dewey, se apuntaría muy poco después al primer disco en solitario de Jerry, que no tardó en grabarse, y que es el que aquí tenemos.
Producido por su amigo Charlie Daniels, quien ya se había ocupado anteriormente de The Youngbloods, es un disco un tanto bizarro. Toca varios géneros sin adentrarse claramente en ninguno. Potente rock con efluvios de costa oeste en "Let The Music Come Inside", "Delight In Your Love" y "Banned In Boston", con unas multicolores guitarras cortantes a cargo, en su mayoría, de Rick Turner (guitarrista de la ilustre banda psicodélica Autosalvage).
Un toque desgarrado y más dramático en "Out Of The Question" (con el moog del experimentalista Bernie Krause) o en "The Kahuna Song" que cierra el disco. En "I Love You All", extraída como single, nos las vemos con una especie mutante de rock soul sureño con sección de viento incluída. "The Rain Song" ya había sido publicada por The Youngbloods en su tercero, "Elephant Mountain", aunque aqui aparece en una versión mucho más ácida. Y también hay algunos ejercicios de country folk clásico. Clásico, si no fuera por la nota dominante en el disco: esa desgarradora voz, demasiado quebrada, aguardentosa y urgente para ser country.
En fin, un disco que, si hubiera sido editado por un anónimo grupo de algún lugar perdido, en una edición privada y con un extraño sello, a buen seguro traería de calle a los coleccionistas de medio mundo y parte del otro, y se pagarían fortunas por él. Pero se trataba de un artista relativamente conocido en su día, grabando en New York y editando en una multinacional. Así pues, el album no encontró su público, y Jerry Corbitt nunca haría otro disco igual, adentrandose en territorios mucho más convencionales para su segundo LP en 1970.
A partir de ahi, fué espaciando sus propias grabaciones y dedicandose a producir y tocar con otra gente (Don McLean, Janis Ian, Country Joe McDonald, Buffy St. Marie...) y a trabajar para algunas películas y anuncios. El año pasado, Jerry Corbitt publicó en su propio sello, Desert Wind, un nuevo disco, "Along For The Ride". Aunque, me temo que poco tiene que ver con este estrafalario artefacto, producto de aquellos benditos excesos de juventud. Qué dificil es envejecer decentemente.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally a folk singer from Georgia, Jerry Corbitt migrated north in the mid 60s and joined Jesse Colin Young to form The Youngbloods.
In 1968, and during the recordings of their third album, he left the band to start his solo adventures. One of them was producing the first LP of the legendary Mad River. The drummer of this band, Greg Dewey, would soon be enlisted for Jerry's first solo album, which would be recorded a bit later, and which is the one we're having here now.
Produced by his friend Charlie Daniels, who had already been in charge of The Youngbloods, it's a rather bizarre album. It gets close to several different genres without clearly staying very long in any of them. Powerful rock with some west coast flavour in "Let The Music Come Inside", "Delight In Your Love" and "Banned In Boston", with some hard edged and colourful guitars, mostly played by Rick Turner (main axeman of distinguished psychedelic band Autosalvage).
A broken and more dramatic touch in "Out Of The Question" (with the moog of experimentalist Bernie Krause) or in "The Kahuna Song" which is closing the LP. In "I Love You All", lifted as a single, we're finding some kind of mutant southern rock soul including horns. "The Rain Song" had already been released by The Youngbloods in their third, "Elephant Mountain", though here's in a quite more acid version. And there's also some classic country folk exercises. Classic, if it wasn't for the dominant fact of the whole record: that tearing voice, too broken, harsh and urgent for being country.
Well, a record that, if it had been released by some anonymous band from a lost place, in a private pressing with some strange label, quite surelly would be driving mad collectors from half of the world and part of the other half, and big money would be paid for it. But it was by a rather popular artist in his time, recording in New York and releasing through a big multinational company. So, the album didn't find in fact its audience, and Jerry Corbitt would never make such a record again, entering safer and more conventional territories for his second LP in 1970.
From there on, he slowed down his own recordings and got into producing and playing for other people (Don McLean, Janis Ian, Country Joe McDonald, Buffy St. Marie...) and also working for some movies and adverts. Last year, Jerry Corbitt released a new album, "Along For The Ride", on his own label, Desert Wind. Though I'm afraid it has very little in common with this eccentric artifact we have here, surelly a product of those blessed youth excesses. How difficult it is to get old in a decent way.
http://rapidshare.com/files/240182065/Jerry_Corbitt__Corbitt__1969.rar
.
Well, a record that, if it had been released by some anonymous band from a lost place, in a private pressing with some strange label, quite surelly would be driving mad collectors from half of the world and part of the other half, and big money would be paid for it. But it was by a rather popular artist in his time, recording in New York and releasing through a big multinational company. So, the album didn't find in fact its audience, and Jerry Corbitt would never make such a record again, entering safer and more conventional territories for his second LP in 1970.
From there on, he slowed down his own recordings and got into producing and playing for other people (Don McLean, Janis Ian, Country Joe McDonald, Buffy St. Marie...) and also working for some movies and adverts. Last year, Jerry Corbitt released a new album, "Along For The Ride", on his own label, Desert Wind. Though I'm afraid it has very little in common with this eccentric artifact we have here, surelly a product of those blessed youth excesses. How difficult it is to get old in a decent way.
http://rapidshare.com/files/240182065/Jerry_Corbitt__Corbitt__1969.rar
.
martes, 12 de mayo de 2009
John Pantry - John Pantry
John Pantry (John Pantry) Philips 6308 138 - 1972
Este es su primer LP en solitario aunque, cuando fué publicado a finales de 1972, John Pantry era ya un experimentado músico y técnico de sonido. En 1965 entró como aprendiz en los legendarios estudios IBC de Londres, donde tuvo la ocasión de trabajar con Shel Talmy o Glyn Johns, y también de estar en los controles en grabaciones de, entre otros, The Who o The Small Faces.
En 1966 forma el grupo Sounds Around quienes, tras un par de singles, se convierten en Peter & The Wolves. Con este nombre publican cinco singles entre 1967 y 1970. También intervienen en multiples grabaciones para otros artistas, y algunas de las suyas propias aparecen en discos con otros nombres: Norman Conquest, The Bunch, o The Factory están estrechamente ligados a John Pantry y su grupo.
En 1970, John abandona su asociación con el empresario y productor Eddie Tre-Vett, relación que le tenía inmerso en, tal vez, demasiadas actividades. En los últimos tiempos había estado grabando y tocando en directo con Peter & The Wolves, participando en grabaciones de otros, grabando maquetas de sus muchas canciones con vistas a colocarlas a otros artistas, o manejando los botones en multitud de grabaciones en IBC como, por ejemplo, en los primeros LPs de The Bee Gees.
La última encarnación de Peter & The Wolves publicó en 1972 su primer y único LP, aunque casi en secreto: El disco apareció con el nombre acortado a Wolfe, fué publicado por la filial de Motown, Rare Earth, y se editó únicamente en USA. Un curioso disco en el que se alternan canciones propias con algunas versiones, un tanto estrafalaria alguna de ellas.
Poco después, a finales de año, el sello Philips daba luz verde a "John Pantry", primer album de John propiamente. El disco, que cuenta con la orquestación y producción del australiano emigrado David MacKay, muestra claramente la sensibilidad de John Pantry para la melodía. Mis favoritas podrían ser "This Woman's Love", que ya grabó Kris Ife en 1968 o la encantadora "Jewel". Curiosamente, la única versión del disco corresponde a "October Song", canción de Robin Williamson perteneciente al primer LP de The Incredible String Band, y que John Pantry consigue que parezca suya propia.
Aparte de dos o tres canciones, usadas mayormente para singles, este album refleja el tono intimista y un tanto melancólico de alguien que, tras los excesos y la exuberancia propios de finales de los 60, parecía andar a la busqueda de "un algo". Nuestro hombre encontró "su algo" mientras producía una grabación del grupo de rock cristiano Parchment. Tras un rápido segundo LP en 1973, "Long White Trail", John abandonó definitivamente el tenebroso mundo secular y desde entonces, y hasta hoy, se ha dedicado únicamente a la música gospel y religiosa. El reverendo John Pantry ha publicado un buen montón de discos en este género y mantiene un programa diario, "Inspirational Breakfast", en la emisora Premier Christian Radio. Bendito sea.
--------------------------------------------------
This is his first solo LP though, when it was released in late 1972, John Pantry already was an experienced musician and sound engineer. In 1965 he joined legendary IBC studios in London as an apprentice, and so had the chance of working with Shel talmy or Glyn Johns, and also to be at the control room while the recordings of, among others, The Who or The Small Faces.
In 1966 he formed the band Sounds Around who, after a couple of singles, mutated into Peter & The Wolves. With that name they released five singles between 1967 and 1970. They also played in a lot of other artists recordings and some of their own ones were released with different names: Norman Conquest, The Bunch, or The Factory are thightly related to John Pantry and his band.
In 1970, John left his association with producer and business man Eddie Tre-Vett, a relationship which had him immerse in probably too many activities. During recent times he had been recording and playing live with Peter & The Wolves, playing or singing in others recordings, making demos of his many songs in order to put them with some other artists, or handling the knobs as an engineer in many recordings at IBC, like the first three Bee Gees albums.
The last incarnation of Peter & The Wolves finally released their one and only album in the summer of 1972, though it was almost a secret: The record appeared with the name shorttened to Wolfe, it was released by the Motown label, Rare Earth, and it saw the light of day only in the USA. A curious LP where self penned songs alternate with some cover versions, some of them a little bizarre.
A bit later, at the end of the year, the Philips label gave green light to "John Pantry", John's first proper album. The record, with the production and orchestration of australian David MacKay, clearly shows John Pantry's sensibilities for a good melody. My favourite ones could be "This Woman's Love", already recorded by Kris Ife in 1968 or the charming "Jewel". Curiously, the only cover of the album is "October Song", a Robin Williamson tune from The Incredible String Band's first LP, which John Pantry manages to make it seem his own.
Two or three of the songs aside, mostly used as singles, this album reflects the intimist and a bit melancholic mood of someone that, after all the proper excesses and exuberancy of the late 60s, seemed to be looking for "a certain something". Our man found "his something" while producing the recording of a christian rock band called Parchment. After a quick second album, "Long White Trail", John definitively left the gloomy secular world and since then, right until today, he devoted himself only to gospel and religious music. Reverend John Pantry has released a bunch of records in that genre and is keeping his own program, "Inspirational Breakfast", in Premier Christian Radio. Bless him.
Este es su primer LP en solitario aunque, cuando fué publicado a finales de 1972, John Pantry era ya un experimentado músico y técnico de sonido. En 1965 entró como aprendiz en los legendarios estudios IBC de Londres, donde tuvo la ocasión de trabajar con Shel Talmy o Glyn Johns, y también de estar en los controles en grabaciones de, entre otros, The Who o The Small Faces.
En 1966 forma el grupo Sounds Around quienes, tras un par de singles, se convierten en Peter & The Wolves. Con este nombre publican cinco singles entre 1967 y 1970. También intervienen en multiples grabaciones para otros artistas, y algunas de las suyas propias aparecen en discos con otros nombres: Norman Conquest, The Bunch, o The Factory están estrechamente ligados a John Pantry y su grupo.
En 1970, John abandona su asociación con el empresario y productor Eddie Tre-Vett, relación que le tenía inmerso en, tal vez, demasiadas actividades. En los últimos tiempos había estado grabando y tocando en directo con Peter & The Wolves, participando en grabaciones de otros, grabando maquetas de sus muchas canciones con vistas a colocarlas a otros artistas, o manejando los botones en multitud de grabaciones en IBC como, por ejemplo, en los primeros LPs de The Bee Gees.
La última encarnación de Peter & The Wolves publicó en 1972 su primer y único LP, aunque casi en secreto: El disco apareció con el nombre acortado a Wolfe, fué publicado por la filial de Motown, Rare Earth, y se editó únicamente en USA. Un curioso disco en el que se alternan canciones propias con algunas versiones, un tanto estrafalaria alguna de ellas.
Poco después, a finales de año, el sello Philips daba luz verde a "John Pantry", primer album de John propiamente. El disco, que cuenta con la orquestación y producción del australiano emigrado David MacKay, muestra claramente la sensibilidad de John Pantry para la melodía. Mis favoritas podrían ser "This Woman's Love", que ya grabó Kris Ife en 1968 o la encantadora "Jewel". Curiosamente, la única versión del disco corresponde a "October Song", canción de Robin Williamson perteneciente al primer LP de The Incredible String Band, y que John Pantry consigue que parezca suya propia.
Aparte de dos o tres canciones, usadas mayormente para singles, este album refleja el tono intimista y un tanto melancólico de alguien que, tras los excesos y la exuberancia propios de finales de los 60, parecía andar a la busqueda de "un algo". Nuestro hombre encontró "su algo" mientras producía una grabación del grupo de rock cristiano Parchment. Tras un rápido segundo LP en 1973, "Long White Trail", John abandonó definitivamente el tenebroso mundo secular y desde entonces, y hasta hoy, se ha dedicado únicamente a la música gospel y religiosa. El reverendo John Pantry ha publicado un buen montón de discos en este género y mantiene un programa diario, "Inspirational Breakfast", en la emisora Premier Christian Radio. Bendito sea.
--------------------------------------------------
This is his first solo LP though, when it was released in late 1972, John Pantry already was an experienced musician and sound engineer. In 1965 he joined legendary IBC studios in London as an apprentice, and so had the chance of working with Shel talmy or Glyn Johns, and also to be at the control room while the recordings of, among others, The Who or The Small Faces.
In 1966 he formed the band Sounds Around who, after a couple of singles, mutated into Peter & The Wolves. With that name they released five singles between 1967 and 1970. They also played in a lot of other artists recordings and some of their own ones were released with different names: Norman Conquest, The Bunch, or The Factory are thightly related to John Pantry and his band.
In 1970, John left his association with producer and business man Eddie Tre-Vett, a relationship which had him immerse in probably too many activities. During recent times he had been recording and playing live with Peter & The Wolves, playing or singing in others recordings, making demos of his many songs in order to put them with some other artists, or handling the knobs as an engineer in many recordings at IBC, like the first three Bee Gees albums.
The last incarnation of Peter & The Wolves finally released their one and only album in the summer of 1972, though it was almost a secret: The record appeared with the name shorttened to Wolfe, it was released by the Motown label, Rare Earth, and it saw the light of day only in the USA. A curious LP where self penned songs alternate with some cover versions, some of them a little bizarre.
A bit later, at the end of the year, the Philips label gave green light to "John Pantry", John's first proper album. The record, with the production and orchestration of australian David MacKay, clearly shows John Pantry's sensibilities for a good melody. My favourite ones could be "This Woman's Love", already recorded by Kris Ife in 1968 or the charming "Jewel". Curiously, the only cover of the album is "October Song", a Robin Williamson tune from The Incredible String Band's first LP, which John Pantry manages to make it seem his own.
Two or three of the songs aside, mostly used as singles, this album reflects the intimist and a bit melancholic mood of someone that, after all the proper excesses and exuberancy of the late 60s, seemed to be looking for "a certain something". Our man found "his something" while producing the recording of a christian rock band called Parchment. After a quick second album, "Long White Trail", John definitively left the gloomy secular world and since then, right until today, he devoted himself only to gospel and religious music. Reverend John Pantry has released a bunch of records in that genre and is keeping his own program, "Inspirational Breakfast", in Premier Christian Radio. Bless him.
jueves, 30 de abril de 2009
Granny’s Intentions - The Singles 1967 – 1970
Granny’s Intentions - The Singles 1967 – 1970
La evolución musical de Granny's Intentions podría bien ser la de tantos otros grupos de finales de los 60. Formados en Limerick, Irlanda, en 1965, comenzaron haciendo versiones, haciendose muy populares en la zona. En 1967 se trasladan a Londres y, tras actuar por los garitos de moda del momento, son fichados por el cazatalentos de turno y obtenienen contrato discográfico con el entonces emergente sello Deram (The Move, The Moody Blues, Cat Stevens, Honeybus, David Bowie y tantos otros).
El primer single es un redondo disco de psico-pop, con grandes melodías llevadas por la personal voz del cantante Johnny Duhan, que incorporan los efluvios psicodélicos de la época. Producidas por Tony Clarke, en aquel momento trabajando también con The Moody Blues entre otros, "The Story Of David" y "Sandy's On The Phone Again" (mi favorita), se han convertido en clásicos del género.
Para el segundo single se recurre a uno de los tandems de moda: Wayne Bickerton y Tony Waddington. "Julie Don't Love Me Anymore", todavía siguiendo los patrones del pop psicodélico, es una preciosa canción, tal vez más asequible. "Hilda The Bilda" es una pequeña dosis de "toytown pop". Wayne Bickerton se hace cargo de la producción en el resto de las grabaciones del grupo y, para el tercer single se decide intentar ir a por un éxito claro, de una vez por todas, con una canción muy comercial escrita por unos habituales de las listas de ventas, Ben Findon y Pete Shelley (no el de Buzzcocks!). "Never An Everyday Thing" había sido grabada unos meses atrás por Wayne Fontana pero tampoco Granny's Intentions consiguieron el apetecido objetivo.
Finalmente, tras una seria reconsideración de orientación y un conato de separación, abandonan radicalmente el pop y graban un LP mucho más integrado en la vena rock que traía el cambio de década. "Maybe" es la canción que abría el único larga duración de Granny's Intentions y la elegida para cuarto y último single del grupo. "Take Me Back" ocupaba la cara B del single, y no fué incluida en el LP.
Tras unas ventas mucho más que discretas, el grupo regresó a Irlanda y tranquilamente se disolvió en el éter de los tiempos. El líder y cantante, Johnny Duhan, se convertiría con el tiempo en uno de los más reputados cantautores de Irlanda. Los coleccionistas del futuro conocerían y valorarían el único LP de Granny's Intentions por su rareza, por su buena factura dentro del rock de la época, y por la participación en él de un jovencito de 17 años llamado Gary Moore. Pero casi nadie parece haber reparado nunca en los singles, en la época psicodélica y pop del grupo. Aquí están.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The musical evolution of Granny's Intentions could well be that of so many other bands in the late 60s. Formed in Limerick, Ireland, in 1965, they started doing some covers, becoming quite popular in the area. In 1967 they moved to London and, after playing around the fashionable club circuit, they were spotted by some talent hunter and got a recording contract with the then emerging Deram label (The Move, The Moody Blues, Cat Stevens, Honeybus, David Bowie and so many others).
Their first single is an almost perfect psych-pop record, with great melodies driven by the personal voice of lead singer Johnny Duhan, and incorprating some psychedelic emanations of the moment. Produced by Tony Clarke, at the time working with The Moody Blues and others, "The Story Of David" and "Sandy's On The Phone Again" (my favourite one), have become classics of its genre.
For the second single, someone thought about one of the most popular tandems around at the moment: Wayne Bickerton and Tony Waddington. "Julie Don't Love Me Anymore", still following de psych pop patterns, is a beautiful and probably more accesible song. "Hilda The Bilda" is a little dose of "toytown pop". Wayne Bickerton took on the production duties for the rest of the group recordings and, for their third single it was decided to openly go for a hit, once and for all, with a quite commercial song written by professional chart dwellers, Ben Findon and Pete Shelley (not the Buzzcocks one!). "Never An Everyday Thing" had previously been recorded by Wayne Fontana a few months earlier. But neither Granny's Intentions could achive the pretended goal.
Finally, after seriously reconsidering their musical orientation and a false split, they radically abandoned pop and recorded an LP quite more integrated with the environment in the change of decade. "Maybe" is the opening song of Granny's Intentions only LP and the chosen one for their fourth and last single. "Take Me Back" was on the B side and wasn't included on the LP.
After more than discreet sales, the band went back to Ireland and quietly dissolved into the mist of time. Lead singer, Johnny Duhan, would quite later become one of the most respected irish singer-sonwriters. Record collectors of the future would know and value Granny's Intentions only LP for its rarity, for its good 70s rock making, and for the participation of a 17 year old boy called Gary Moore. But almost nobody seems to have ever noticed the singles, the psych and pop times of the band. Here they are.
http://rapidshare.com/files/227728189/Granny_s_Intentions__The_Singles_1967_-_1970_.rar
.
La evolución musical de Granny's Intentions podría bien ser la de tantos otros grupos de finales de los 60. Formados en Limerick, Irlanda, en 1965, comenzaron haciendo versiones, haciendose muy populares en la zona. En 1967 se trasladan a Londres y, tras actuar por los garitos de moda del momento, son fichados por el cazatalentos de turno y obtenienen contrato discográfico con el entonces emergente sello Deram (The Move, The Moody Blues, Cat Stevens, Honeybus, David Bowie y tantos otros).
El primer single es un redondo disco de psico-pop, con grandes melodías llevadas por la personal voz del cantante Johnny Duhan, que incorporan los efluvios psicodélicos de la época. Producidas por Tony Clarke, en aquel momento trabajando también con The Moody Blues entre otros, "The Story Of David" y "Sandy's On The Phone Again" (mi favorita), se han convertido en clásicos del género.
Para el segundo single se recurre a uno de los tandems de moda: Wayne Bickerton y Tony Waddington. "Julie Don't Love Me Anymore", todavía siguiendo los patrones del pop psicodélico, es una preciosa canción, tal vez más asequible. "Hilda The Bilda" es una pequeña dosis de "toytown pop". Wayne Bickerton se hace cargo de la producción en el resto de las grabaciones del grupo y, para el tercer single se decide intentar ir a por un éxito claro, de una vez por todas, con una canción muy comercial escrita por unos habituales de las listas de ventas, Ben Findon y Pete Shelley (no el de Buzzcocks!). "Never An Everyday Thing" había sido grabada unos meses atrás por Wayne Fontana pero tampoco Granny's Intentions consiguieron el apetecido objetivo.
Finalmente, tras una seria reconsideración de orientación y un conato de separación, abandonan radicalmente el pop y graban un LP mucho más integrado en la vena rock que traía el cambio de década. "Maybe" es la canción que abría el único larga duración de Granny's Intentions y la elegida para cuarto y último single del grupo. "Take Me Back" ocupaba la cara B del single, y no fué incluida en el LP.
Tras unas ventas mucho más que discretas, el grupo regresó a Irlanda y tranquilamente se disolvió en el éter de los tiempos. El líder y cantante, Johnny Duhan, se convertiría con el tiempo en uno de los más reputados cantautores de Irlanda. Los coleccionistas del futuro conocerían y valorarían el único LP de Granny's Intentions por su rareza, por su buena factura dentro del rock de la época, y por la participación en él de un jovencito de 17 años llamado Gary Moore. Pero casi nadie parece haber reparado nunca en los singles, en la época psicodélica y pop del grupo. Aquí están.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The musical evolution of Granny's Intentions could well be that of so many other bands in the late 60s. Formed in Limerick, Ireland, in 1965, they started doing some covers, becoming quite popular in the area. In 1967 they moved to London and, after playing around the fashionable club circuit, they were spotted by some talent hunter and got a recording contract with the then emerging Deram label (The Move, The Moody Blues, Cat Stevens, Honeybus, David Bowie and so many others).
Their first single is an almost perfect psych-pop record, with great melodies driven by the personal voice of lead singer Johnny Duhan, and incorprating some psychedelic emanations of the moment. Produced by Tony Clarke, at the time working with The Moody Blues and others, "The Story Of David" and "Sandy's On The Phone Again" (my favourite one), have become classics of its genre.
For the second single, someone thought about one of the most popular tandems around at the moment: Wayne Bickerton and Tony Waddington. "Julie Don't Love Me Anymore", still following de psych pop patterns, is a beautiful and probably more accesible song. "Hilda The Bilda" is a little dose of "toytown pop". Wayne Bickerton took on the production duties for the rest of the group recordings and, for their third single it was decided to openly go for a hit, once and for all, with a quite commercial song written by professional chart dwellers, Ben Findon and Pete Shelley (not the Buzzcocks one!). "Never An Everyday Thing" had previously been recorded by Wayne Fontana a few months earlier. But neither Granny's Intentions could achive the pretended goal.
Finally, after seriously reconsidering their musical orientation and a false split, they radically abandoned pop and recorded an LP quite more integrated with the environment in the change of decade. "Maybe" is the opening song of Granny's Intentions only LP and the chosen one for their fourth and last single. "Take Me Back" was on the B side and wasn't included on the LP.
After more than discreet sales, the band went back to Ireland and quietly dissolved into the mist of time. Lead singer, Johnny Duhan, would quite later become one of the most respected irish singer-sonwriters. Record collectors of the future would know and value Granny's Intentions only LP for its rarity, for its good 70s rock making, and for the participation of a 17 year old boy called Gary Moore. But almost nobody seems to have ever noticed the singles, the psych and pop times of the band. Here they are.
http://rapidshare.com/files/227728189/Granny_s_Intentions__The_Singles_1967_-_1970_.rar
.
domingo, 19 de abril de 2009
Mike Hugg - Somewhere
Mike Hugg (Somewhere) Polydor 2383 140 – 1972
Y, hablando de los hermanos Hugg, aqui está el primer LP en solitario de Mike.
Ya desde los tiempos de los Manfred Mann más 60s, las canciones de Mike Hugg han sido siempre una de mis muchas debilidades: el jazz instrumental de "Bare Hugg", la redonda "Each And Every Day" (también acertadamente grabada por Simon Dupree & The Big Sound), la candidez de "All I Wanna Do", el pop intemporal de "Each Other's Company" y "Harry The One Man Band", el pop barroco de "Everyday Another Hair Turns Grey", joyas del pysco pop como "It's So Easy Falling", "Up The Junction" y "Funniest Gig", o la grandiosa "Too Many People".
Después de su intenso trabajo y éxitos con Manfred Mann, haciendo rhytm & blues primero y pop después, Mike Hugg se pasó de la batería a las teclas y formó, junto con el propio Manfred Mann, un grupo más acorde con los tiempos progresivos, Manfred Mann Chapter Three. Tras un par de LPs, Manfred Mann siguió camino con su Earthband y Mike Hugg inició su carrera en solitario.
Si existiera un hipotético género llamado "pop progresivo", el primer disco de Mike Hugg, "Somewhere", sería un más que buen representante. Un gran sentido de la melodía, como siempre, pero ahora unido al característico espiritu de los 70s. Y todo ello sazonado con un personal toque agridulce y melancólico y con esa particular forma de cantar. Ahí están la dramática y desolada "Bonnie Charlie" con una orquestación que pone los pelos de punta, el intimismo cercano al disco perdido de Wil Malone de "Sad Song" o "Somewhere", y grandes canciones intemporales como "Love Is Waiting" y "Goodbye". En el LP también hay destellos de prog rock de los 70 de impecable factura como "Fool No More" o "Bessie Don't You Cry".
Mike Hugg sigue en activo actualmente, alternando la ocasional reunión de The Manfreds, con su trio de jazz mutante PBD (Piano, Bass, Drums). Larga vida al hombre de música.
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And, talking about the Hugg brothers, here’s Mike’s first solo album.
Since the early times of the 60s Manfred Mann, Mike Hugg's songs have always been one of my many weaknesses: the instro jazz of "Bare Hugg", the perfect pop of "Each And Every Day" (also greatly covered by Simon Dupree & The Big Sound), the naivety of "All I Wanna Do", the out of time pop of "Each Other's Company" and "Harry The One Man Band", the baroque pop of "Everyday Another Hair Turns Grey", pych pop jewels like "It's So Easy Falling", "Up The Junction" and "Funniest Gig", or the plainly great "Too Many People".
After his hard work and success with Manfred Mann, doing r & B first and then just simply great pop, Mike Hugg changed his drum stool for a keyboard and with Manfred Mann himself formed a new band, closer to those prog times, Manfred Mann Chapter Three. After a couple of LPs Manfred Mann followed with his Earthband, while Mike Hugg started his solo career.
If ever there was a style or genre called "progressive pop", Mike Hugg's first album, "Somewhere", would be a more than qualified representative. A great sense of melody, as usual, but now dressed with that characteristic 70s spirit. All this seasoned with his personal melancholic sweet and sour touch and that particular way of singing. Here's the dramatic and desolate "Bonnie Charlie" with a chicken skin orchestration, the intimacy of "Sad Song" or "Somewhere", quite close to the Wil Malone lost album, and great out of time songs like "Love Is Waiting" or "Goodbye". In the album there's also some sparks of faultless 70s prog rock like "Fool No More" o "Bessie Don't You Cry".
Mike Hugg is still active in music nowadays, alternating the occasional Manfreds reunion with his own mutant jazz trio PBD (Piano, Bass, Drums). Long live the music man.
http://rapidshare.com/files/223416920/Mike_Hugg__Somewhere__1972.rar
.
Y, hablando de los hermanos Hugg, aqui está el primer LP en solitario de Mike.
Ya desde los tiempos de los Manfred Mann más 60s, las canciones de Mike Hugg han sido siempre una de mis muchas debilidades: el jazz instrumental de "Bare Hugg", la redonda "Each And Every Day" (también acertadamente grabada por Simon Dupree & The Big Sound), la candidez de "All I Wanna Do", el pop intemporal de "Each Other's Company" y "Harry The One Man Band", el pop barroco de "Everyday Another Hair Turns Grey", joyas del pysco pop como "It's So Easy Falling", "Up The Junction" y "Funniest Gig", o la grandiosa "Too Many People".
Después de su intenso trabajo y éxitos con Manfred Mann, haciendo rhytm & blues primero y pop después, Mike Hugg se pasó de la batería a las teclas y formó, junto con el propio Manfred Mann, un grupo más acorde con los tiempos progresivos, Manfred Mann Chapter Three. Tras un par de LPs, Manfred Mann siguió camino con su Earthband y Mike Hugg inició su carrera en solitario.
Si existiera un hipotético género llamado "pop progresivo", el primer disco de Mike Hugg, "Somewhere", sería un más que buen representante. Un gran sentido de la melodía, como siempre, pero ahora unido al característico espiritu de los 70s. Y todo ello sazonado con un personal toque agridulce y melancólico y con esa particular forma de cantar. Ahí están la dramática y desolada "Bonnie Charlie" con una orquestación que pone los pelos de punta, el intimismo cercano al disco perdido de Wil Malone de "Sad Song" o "Somewhere", y grandes canciones intemporales como "Love Is Waiting" y "Goodbye". En el LP también hay destellos de prog rock de los 70 de impecable factura como "Fool No More" o "Bessie Don't You Cry".
Mike Hugg sigue en activo actualmente, alternando la ocasional reunión de The Manfreds, con su trio de jazz mutante PBD (Piano, Bass, Drums). Larga vida al hombre de música.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
And, talking about the Hugg brothers, here’s Mike’s first solo album.
Since the early times of the 60s Manfred Mann, Mike Hugg's songs have always been one of my many weaknesses: the instro jazz of "Bare Hugg", the perfect pop of "Each And Every Day" (also greatly covered by Simon Dupree & The Big Sound), the naivety of "All I Wanna Do", the out of time pop of "Each Other's Company" and "Harry The One Man Band", the baroque pop of "Everyday Another Hair Turns Grey", pych pop jewels like "It's So Easy Falling", "Up The Junction" and "Funniest Gig", or the plainly great "Too Many People".
After his hard work and success with Manfred Mann, doing r & B first and then just simply great pop, Mike Hugg changed his drum stool for a keyboard and with Manfred Mann himself formed a new band, closer to those prog times, Manfred Mann Chapter Three. After a couple of LPs Manfred Mann followed with his Earthband, while Mike Hugg started his solo career.
If ever there was a style or genre called "progressive pop", Mike Hugg's first album, "Somewhere", would be a more than qualified representative. A great sense of melody, as usual, but now dressed with that characteristic 70s spirit. All this seasoned with his personal melancholic sweet and sour touch and that particular way of singing. Here's the dramatic and desolate "Bonnie Charlie" with a chicken skin orchestration, the intimacy of "Sad Song" or "Somewhere", quite close to the Wil Malone lost album, and great out of time songs like "Love Is Waiting" or "Goodbye". In the album there's also some sparks of faultless 70s prog rock like "Fool No More" o "Bessie Don't You Cry".
Mike Hugg is still active in music nowadays, alternating the occasional Manfreds reunion with his own mutant jazz trio PBD (Piano, Bass, Drums). Long live the music man.
http://rapidshare.com/files/223416920/Mike_Hugg__Somewhere__1972.rar
.
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