Despite further changes, album number 3 from Atlantis was not long in coming. “Ooh, Baby” was recorded in the summer of 1974 and produced by Dieter Dierks . One drastic change was certainly the departure of old comrade Jean-Jacques Kravetz , who only appears as a guest on piano. Adrian Askew has now taken over the keyboards and the guitar position has also been reassigned, this time with Alex Conti . The songs are short and concise and are a mix of rock, blues, soul, funk and gospel. The following year they achieved one major goal: an extensive tour of the USA. They opened for acts such as Lynyrd Skynyrd and Muddy Waters . But they also experienced the downside in the form of their American record company, who offered absolutely no support.
After the aforementioned US tour, Conti left the band again, and with returning guitarist Diez and newcomer Rainer Marz, they had two guitarists on board, producing "Get on Board" in 1975, their last album on Vertigo. Here, too, they start right away with the title track, a catchy number with good vocal arrangements, with all the musicians contributing background vocals. Overall, this album is a bit more rock-oriented, with the guitars clearly dominating.
Eventually, the band's spirits ran out, and in early 1976, the band's end was announced. An album called "Top of the Bill" was supposed to be released, but it contained material from '76, on which Inga Rumpf was not present (!), as well as songs from the '75 lineup. The live album recorded in 1975 will also be re-released soon.
by Juergen Meurer, January 26, 2025
Tracks
1. Brother - 3:09
2. Son Of A Bitch's Son - 3:51
3. Waiting And Longing - 3:15
4. Mr. Bigshot - 5:31
5. The Way I Choose - 3:52
6. Ooh, Baby - 2:53
7. Smiling People (Inga Rumpf, Jean-Jacques Kravetz) - 3:31
8. New York City - 4:38
9. Godfather - 3:43
10.Leave It To The Devil - 3:12
11.Good Friends - 3:34
12.Mainline Florida (George Terry) - 2:55
13.He's Got A Gun In His Hand (Frank Diez) - 4:14
14.Hot Rocks (Mary S. Applegate, Rainer Marz, Robert A. Smith-Diesel) - 2:54
15.Out Of Tune - 3:23
16.Don't Put The Lady Down (Frank Diez, Richard Palmer-James) - 3:19
17.Northern Bounty (Mary S. Applegate, Rainer Marz, Robert A. Smith-Diesel) - 4:00
18.Haven't You Heard - 5:30
19.Just Blues (Adrian Askew, Inga Rumpf, Karl-Heinz Schott, Ringo Funk, Rainer Marz, Frank Diez) - 11:28
Tracks 1,3,6,11,15,18 written by Inga Rumpf
Tracks 2,4,5,8,9,10 written by Adrian Askew
Tracks 1-10 are taken from the LP "Ooh Baby".
Track 11 is taken from the single "Good Friends"
Track 12 is taken from the single "Mainline Florida".
Tracks 13-19 are taken from the LP 'Top of the Bill'.
Shine On Brightly, released in 1968, was Procol Harum’s second studio album. It followed on from their iconic single, A Whiter Shade of Pale, which reached No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart, and their 1967 debut studio album, Procol Harum.
Shine On Brightly highlights the progressive path the band were trailblazing in 1968, with a unique mix of rock, blues, classical, and psychedelic influences. Quite Rightly So, the opening track, showcases all these elements. Matthew Fisher’s Hammond organ mixes classical and psychedelic influences, over which Gary Brooker’s expressive voice, and urgent piano playing, give flight to Keith Reid’s figurative lyrics. Robin Trower part way through the song adds a trademark squall of bluesy guitar. The very capable rhythm section of Dave Knights on bass and B. J. Wilson on drums, propel the song forward with some very funky playing. A really striking opening to the album.
Shine On Brightly, the title track, features B. J. Wilson’s imaginative drumming built on subtle fills and splashing cymbals, and Robin Trower’s atmospheric and wailing guitar phrases. Gary Brooker’s vocal has a lament quality, as he gives an eloquent reading of Keith Reid’s lyrics which convey bewilderment and questioning. The opening couplet is quite intriguing
Matthew Fisher’s organ solo at the midpoint in the song is quite exquisite, and the song is undoubtedly one of the album highlights.
Skip Softly (My Moonbeams) is possibly the most psychedelic track on the album. It has a playful musical feel, with what sounds like a tuba in the mix. The song then evolves and offers up an impressionistic instrumental section, that begins softly with just organ and piano, before Dave Knights’s bass brings back in the drums and guitar, with a marvellous solo from Robin Trower, full of ringing reverb. Wish Me Well, offers another side of the band, and has an expansive blues base, where Gary Brooker’s rolling piano chords and soaring voice prove irresistible. Complementing this is Robin Trower’s sublime sustain laden guitar fills and solo.
Rambling On has a classic progressive rock flavour, with its slow build, anthemic middle section, and slight return coda. Magdalene (My Regal Zonophone), in contrast, is a slow paced ballad, that shines the spotlight back on Gary Brooker’s very fine voice. Both these tracks set the scene nicely, for the lengthy five section suite that follows, In Held Twas in I. It is a hugely ambitious piece with varying musical colours and lyrical concepts, and evidences the innovative and creative drive that was at the heart of the band.
Part One, Glimpses Of Nirvana, has two mystical spoken word passages, that appear to muse on philosophical questions about being. A central musical theme is played, which at different points involves piano, organ, guitar, sitar, and choral voices. Part Two, Twas Tea Time At The Circus, begins with tubular bells, and has a freewheeling and jaunty mood, which somewhat contrasts with the lyrical content which asks the listener to look below the surface of what we think we see. Part Three, In The Autumn Of My Madness, mixes a lilting organ harmony, and syncopated rhythm, with random sounds that fly in and out of the mix, including an old-fashioned car horn and sirens. Part Four, Look To Your Soul, has an initial instrumental section, with some wondrous hard rock guitar effects and an organ motif, that are complemented by some precision ensemble playing. When the vocal enters, Gary Brooker’s voice weaves around the tumbling drums and then soars over the music. The very best vocal performance on the album and a perfect complement to the words that pose the process of learning and seeking as the key to being. Part five, Grand Finale, is a majestic instrumental piece that has the choral vocals returning and provides the setting for Robin Trower’s stand out guitar solo, full of melodic runs. It just has to be heard
by Gareth Allen on 23rd May 2024
Tracks
1. Quite Rightly So (Gary Brooker, Keith Reid, Matthew Fisher) - 3:38
2. Shine On Brightly - 3:30
3. Skip Softly (My Moonbeams) - 3:43
4. Wish Me Well - 3:20
5. Rambling On - 4:28
6. Magdalene - 2:47
7. Glimpses Of Nirvana (Gary Brooker, Keith Reid, Matthew Fisher) - 4:20
8. Twas Teatime At The Circus (Gary Brooker, Keith Reid, Matthew Fisher) - 1:15
9. In The Autumn Of My Madness (Gary Brooker, Keith Reid, Matthew Fisher) - 3:02
10.Look To Your Soul (Gary Brooker, Keith Reid, Matthew Fisher) - 4:49
11.Grande Finale (Gary Brooker, Keith Reid, Matthew Fisher) - 3:39
12.Quite Rightly So (Gary Brooker, Keith Reid, Matthew Fisher) - 3:42
13.In The Wee Small Hours Of Sixpence - 3:02
14.Monsieur Armand - 2:39
15.Seem To Have The Blues - 2:48
16.McGreggor - 2:47
17.The Gospel According To... - 3:28
18.Shine On Brightly - 3:23
19.Magdalene - 2:25
20.A Robe Of Silk (Gary Brooker) - 1:59
21.Monsieur Armand (Gary Brooker) - 2:42
22.In The Wee Small Hours Of Sixpence (Gary Brooker) - 3:00
All Music by Gary Brooker, Lyrics by Keith Reid except where indicated
Bonus Tracks 12-22
Same tracklist as above
Disc 1
1. Quite Rightly So (Gary Brooker, Keith Reid, Matthew Fisher) - 3:40
2. Shine On Brightly - 3:31
3. Skip Softly (My Moonbeams) - 3:45
4. Wish Me Well - 3:18
5. Rambling On - 4:29
6. Magdalene (My Regal Zonophone) - 2:48
"In Held 'Twas In I"
7. Glimpses Of Nirvana (Gary Brooker, Keith Reid, Matthew Fisher) - 4:29
8. Twas Tea Time At The Circus (Gary Brooker, Keith Reid, Matthew Fisher) - 1:19
9. In The Autumn Of My Madness (Gary Brooker, Keith Reid, Matthew Fisher) - 3:08
10.Look To Your Soul (Gary Brooker, Keith Reid, Matthew Fisher) - 4:58
11.Grand Finale (Gary Brooker, Keith Reid, Matthew Fisher) - 3:36
12.Il Tuo Diamante - 3:27
13.Quite Rightly So - 3:41
14 In The Wee Small Hours Of Sixpence (Gary Brooker) - 3:00
All Music by Gary Brooker, Lyrics by Keith Reid except where noted
Tracks 1-11 Stereo Mix Released as Regal Zonophone SLRZ 1004 in December 1968
Bonus Tracks 12-14
Disc 2
1. Quite Rightly So (Gary Brooker, Keith Reid, Matthew Fisher) - 3:34
2. Shine On Brightly - 3:27
3. Skip Softly (My Moonbeams) - 3:41
4. Wish Me Well - 3:12
5. Rambling On - 4:25
6. Magdalene (My Regal Zonophone) - 2:46
'In Held 'Twas In I'
7. Glimpses Of Nirvana (Gary Brooker, Keith Reid, Matthew Fisher) - 4:25
8. Twas Tea Time At The Circus (Gary Brooker, Keith Reid, Matthew Fisher) - 1:18
9. In The Autumn Of My Madness (Gary Brooker, Keith Reid, Matthew Fisher) - 3:05
10.Look To You Soul (Gary Brooker, Keith Reid, Matthew Fisher) - 4:53
11.Grand Finale (Gary Brooker, Keith Reid, Matthew Fisher) - 3:33
All Music by Gary Brooker, Lyrics by Keith Reid except where stated
Mono Mix Released As Regal Zonophone LRZ 1004 in December 1968
Disc 3
1. Monsieur Armand (Gary Brooker) - 2:29
2. Seem To Have The Blues (Most All The Time) - 2:46
3. Magdalene (My Regal Zonophone) - 2:24
4. Shine On Brightly - 3:19
5. In The Wee Small Hours Of Sixpence (Gary Brooker) - 3:02
6. Monsieur Armand - 2:45
7. A Robe Of Silk (Gary Brooker) - 1:56
8. McGreggor - 2:45
9. The Gospel According To... (Wish Me Well) - 3:32
10.Skip Softly (My Moonbeams) - 3:28
11.Quite Rightly So (Gary Brooker, Keith Reid, Matthew Fisher) - 3:38
12.Ramblin' On - 4:12
13.Shine On Brightly - 3:41
14.Skip Softly (My Moonbeams) - 3:27
15.Wish Me Well - 2:31
16.Long Gone Geek - 2:32
17.In Held 'Twas In I (Look To Your Soul / Grand Finale) - 3:59
All Music by Gary Brooker, Lyrics by Keith Reid unless as else written
Tracks 1-9 from "Top Gear" BBC Radio One Session - 14 February 1968
Tracks 10-13 from "Top Gear" BBC Radio One Session - 19 August 1968
Tracks 14-16 from "Top Gear" BBC Radio One Session - 6 October 1968
Originally released in 1980 on private press vinyl, "Diggin' in' is the only album by the US trio Claw. Probably hailed from Illinois, the recordings took place, round 1978 at the GDS studio in Morton. Seven songs are original penned by the band, in the vein of hard boogie southern rock, and three covers one Beatles song, and the other two from the blues legends Muddy Waters and Willie Dixon.
Tracks
1. Diggin' In - 2:14
2. Mannish Boy (Muddy Waters, Mel London, Bo Diddley) - 2:55
3. Cathouse Stomp - 4:25
4. Eleanor Rigby (John Lennon, Paul McCartney) - 4:47
5. Bred To Rock And Roll - 3:58
6. Captain Feelgood - 4:31
7. Love Pit - 2:18
8. Coke Call Rock - 6:17
9. Voltage Man - 2:47
10.Spoonful - An Abstract Jam (Willie Dixon) - 8:07
All songs by Danny Meyers, Jack Reginald, Moe Baker except where indicated
Steve Miller had a real ace up his sleeve and delivered it to an unsuspecting public in 1972. Miller retreated to the studio with a brace of crack studio vets and issued “Recall The Beginning…A Jounery From Eden” to critical raves.
The record begins with a soul/funk instrumental called “Welcome” which slides effortlessly into a groovy 50’s Doo-Wop number called “Enter Maurice” this one is greasy as hell and a whole lot of fun. “High On You Mama” is a seductive down-home blues piece that features some pretty slide guitar and underwater bass guitar runs. “Heal Your Heart” goes back to the soul strut of early Miller albums such as “Sailor” and “Your Saving Grace.” The next track “The Sun Is Going Down” is a bit of fluff but nothing that offensive. Side one ends with a real winner called “Somebody Somewhere Help Me” this one re-visits the record’s opening theme then turns into a classic dose of blue-eyed soul (this would have been a bitchin’ 45 but Capitol wasn’t having it, what a bunch of squares man!!!)
In truth side one is fine uptempo groovin’ stuff but it simply does not prepare you for the brilliance of side 2, in my opinion this is one of the greatest album sides in pop history and probably the pinnacle of Miller’s career. It’s like Miller was magically transported back to the glory days of 1967–68. Side 2 begins with a gorgeous acoustic piece called “Love’s Riddle” which features dreamy strings and Miller’s eerie whispered vocals, then it’s right into another mellow down easy number called “Fandango” which explodes into technicolor during the song’s mid-section.
“Nothing Lasts” is just plain incredible, it opens with a dramatic wash of strings and Miller’s elegant acoustic fingerpicking. The piece then takes flight in exhilirating fashion with Steve singing a majestic duet with himself, this number could be the greatest thing Miller ever recorded. But wait it gets even better, the closing track “Journey From Eden” (aka “Blackbird”) is a mind-numbing psychedelic trip ballad straight off the grooves of the group’s debut 1968 “Children Of The Future.” Wow! what a finish to a briiliant side of music. You might think I’m mad but the stuff on the second side of this record is right up there with Big Star #3, Forever Changes by Love and Starsailor by Tim Buckley and other heavies.
Released in a 3-sided digi-sleeve from Seely Court in the UK. Limited pressing of 320 copies. Jean Turk is an American singer-songwriter (SSW) from Norfolk, Virginia, and is said to be the daughter of a Native American Iroquois/Cherokee chief. In 1976, while searching for a musical career in Europe, she met the UK band Mad Dogs at the US military camp circuit in Germany, and was invited to go to England and start her activities based in Liverpool. This work is an unreleased studio recording from 1976, and has been made into a CD from the master tape kept by Steve Giles (ex. Dark, etc.), who was the studio engineer at the time. The members are centered around vocalist Gene, with the aforementioned Mad Dogs (Andrew Kightly, Steve Musgrove, Chris Bunny, etc.) providing backing for tracks 1-5, and Axe (Tony Burford, Mick Knight, Martin Winning, etc.) providing backing for tracks 6-11. Both Mad Dogs and Axe are thought to be bands related to the Northampton-based band Windroad. Tracks 1-5 are fairly simple and straightforward blues rock, with Gene's amber singing and free-style ensemble converging into a muffled atmosphere, giving a sense of nostalgia that will make you want to drink more. Tracks 6-11 have a slightly soul-like taste, giving them a somewhat sophisticated impression, but they still have that underground feel that can't be brought out.
Meet Brevity, the '70s Chicago band that took their name seriously. Rick
Vittenson and Mark Breyer mashed up their surnames faster than you can
say "power pop pioneers." Imagine the Byrds and Everly Brothers had a
love child raised by the British Invasion – that's Brevity's sound in a
nutshell. They were so good, they drew comparisons to Badfinger and
Harry Nilsson. Not too shabby for a band you've probably never heard
of... until now! Island Records and Frank Zappa's Bizarre/Straight
label were sniffing around, but Brevity's tunes remained locked in a
vault. Talk about a tease! Fast forward to now, and Think Like A Key is
playing musical archaeologist, unearthing Home Is Where Your Dog Is.
It's not just an album; it's a time capsule of proto-power pop goodness.
But wait, there's more! Vittenson and Breyer (with drummer David
Winogrond) weren't done. They went on to shape the Chicago/LA scene with
Athanor and Skooshny. Because when you're this talented, one band just
isn't enough. Brevity: They may have been short-lived, but their
impact? Anything but brief. Proof that sometimes, the best things in
music come in small packages!
Rough-Trade
Tracks
1. Oleoleo - 2:17
2. Aslan And You - 2:51
3. Very Truly Yours - 3:18
4. Snow Joke - 3:09
5. Better Dead Than In The Red - 4:09
6. For Lack Of A Smile - 3:10
7. Come See Paris (In The Fall) - 4:33
8. Lullaby - On Vacant Eve - 3:12
9. Cakewalk - 3:07
10.A Niche In Time - 4:05
11.Home Alone - 2:25
12.Everybody's Very Nice - 2:02
13.Friends Of Mine - 4:26
14.Little Fawn - 2:33
15.So And So Equals Zero - 2:36
16.Soaring So High - 2:52
17.Pets - 2:32
18.Pussycat, Pussycat - 3:01
19.Try To Forget - 3:58
20.Cakewalk (Secret Tape) - 1:37
Tracks 1,3,5,7,9,11-13,15,20 written by Mark Breyer
Tracks 4,6,8,10,14,16-19 written by Rick Vittenson
The only work by Red Bud Thunder, a hard southern bar band that toured pubs all over the Midwest, recorded in 1979 and privately pressed in 1980. The original is a rare, expensive copy. The cover has a B-grade feel that connoisseurs of southern rock love, and the combination of a super classic title that makes you ride against the wind. The band is from Wisconsin, so their sound it's not strictly southern, but it has the fast-paced sound solid dual guitar parts and manly vocals are the classic style of biker rock. You'll fall in love with the sadness that this mischievous adult sometimes shows!
Tracks
1. Any Convenient Time (Jeff Stenson) - 4:35
2. 1000 Dreams (Jeff Stenson) - 3:51
3. Road I'm Riding (Tony Walker) - 4:21
4. Buntline Special (Jeff Stenson, Tony Walker) - 4:55
5. Magnolia P. Thunderthighs (Jeff Stenson) - 3:57
Love And Peace were a big outdoor festival in Germany (Fehmarn, last live performance of J. Hendrix) held in the summer of 1970. As was traditional for such events, an album was also released to document it. Though, actually, the album consisted of mock-live studio recordings from German bands that performed at the event, recorded under better conditions in the studio. All the music is original and features rare material from Thrice Mice, Tomorrow’s Gift, Dr. Roberts Blues Band, Sphinx Tush with latter Frumpy guitarist Rainer Baumann and Greenlight.
Guggenheim's bizarre self-titled LP was originally released in 1972 on the low key Indigo label but went largely unnoticed due in part to the ineffective distribution by Decca. The blending of styles also made the record difficult to categorise and thus promote. However, recent interest in the album has soared and now enthusiasts would be hard pushed to secure a copy in top condition for under £400.
Many collectors have mistakenly tagged the band as Irish but this error is due to the fact that the LP was pressed in Ireland, as were many of the label's other releases, although Indigo Sound Studios where the recording was made was based in Manchester, England. It was in 1971 when Chris Pye and Paul McDowell met up while working on a TV comedy show at Granada called 'Flat Earth'. Earlier, Paul had been a painter at Chelsea Art College and then a writer on 'The Two Ronnies' and 'Frost Report'. But it was in the early 60s that he found fame as lead singer in the successful pastiche 1920s jazz band The Temperance Seven who had a huge hit in Britain with 'You're Driving Me Crazy'. Known as 'Whispering' Paul McDowell he also released a single on the Fontana label called 'Frankie'/'Be A Man' Chris and Paul hung out during rehearsals and started to write songs together. Chris then introduced his friend Jules Burns to Paul and the three of them began writing and arranging songs that feature on the LP. At that time, another friend, Bob Auger, a sound engineer at Granada, was opening a new studio called Indigo with his colleague Dave Kent-Watson and the Guggenheim album was the first project of its kind to be undertaken at the studio. Tracks 1-12 that make up the original release were recorded in the Autumn of 1971.
The following year some additional tracks were recorded at Granada Studios in Manchester that featured two sisters Zofia Williams and Laka Koc (later known as Laka D) whom Chris had met when they all sang together in a folk group in Lancaster in the 60s. In general the small Indigo label became of minor interest to record collectors mainly due to the Guggenheim LP sparking interest in other releases such as Therapy - 'One Night Stand' and Sharon People - 'Inside Looking Out'. The original catalogue number of the Guggenheim vinyl album is GOLP 7001 and it gains its first legitimate CD release right here in the form of an anthology encompassing the band's entire career.
As one might expect the group drew much of its inspiration from main singer/song writer 'Whispering' Paul with Chris and Jules providing effective back-up as they confidently handled the instrumentation side. Additional support came from saxophonist Alan Fawkes. The combined efforts resulted in an offbeat excursion straddling jazz-folk, pop-psych and vaudeville with occasional stoner elements most notably on the tripped-out 'Susie'. The oddly thoughtful 'Doorway Lovers' is another example of the collective's diversity of styles. Simultaneously endearing yet tricky to objectify as a whole; Guggenheim's identity remains sublimely baffling. At this point the three core members went their different ways for a while. Promotion of the LP by local distributors Selecta was virtually non-existent leaving the band disillusioned. Yet it wouldn't be the last throw of the dice for them, not yet. McDowell went on to an acting career starring as the sour-faced prison guard Mr Collinson in the hit TV series 'Porridge' and lived in Northamptonshire until his death in 2016.
While Chris continued as a TV producer at Granada, Jules went on to help form Witches Brew, who became regulars on the London pub-rock scene alongside bands like Slowbone and Ducks Deluxe. The band's line-up included keyboardist/vocalist Laka Koc, who had already helped co-write Guggenheim's 'Why Should We Care' with Jules and co. Witches Brew recorded a good deal of material (a mighty fine track 'Brother' can be found on our compilation Electrified Neptune Staircase') but most of their demos remained in the vault. However, they did manage to secure inclusion of a song called 'The Party's Over' recorded at the Hope & Anchor pub in 1975 on a compilation LP called 'The Honky Tonk Demos' and it features some excellent flute playing by Mick Strickland who, it is said, auditioned for Genesis during their 'Trick Of The Tail' sessions. Despite having a fine voice the decision was made that Mick's style was 'unsuitable'
Then in 1976 Jules joined Chris at Granada, working as a production manager and they began to play together again - this time without Paul. They also started to work with Richie Close, a producer and arranger who was part of 10CC's Strawberry Studios in Stockport and who composed music for TV animation and drama. Together they recorded eight or so new songs at Indigo Studios and later that year a few more demos were laid down at Strawberry Studios with Richie providing keyboards and producing and arranging the tracks. Drummer Jonathan Silver, another Granada colleague joined them.
The final two songs on this anthology 'Long Gone' and 'Searching Around' represent the last ever Guggenheim recording session which took place in 1977 at Cargo Studios, Todmorden. After that, Guggenheim faded away. Paul carried on acting and taught Qigong and Tai Chi. Jules enjoyed dizzy heights at the Granada Group and then with All3media. Chris left Granada in 1980 and became a TV producer in Los Angeles. Returning to the UK in 1994 he was appointed Head of Entertainment at the BBC and, later, at ITV with Jules. Richie Close sadly passed away in 1978. Laka carried on working as a musician as well as arranging and conducting large scale choral projects. Her sister Zofia worked as an editor but continued to sing and play violin. Jonathan Silver (who at school had been a member of Genesis ) ran his family's catering business in North London.
by Pete Sarfas, April 2022, Special thanks to Jules Burns, Chris Pye and Bob Auger.
Tracks
1. Glenville (Paul McDowell, Chris Pye) - 2:35
2. When The Snows Leave (Paul McDowell) - 2:59
3. Why Should We Care (Paul McDowell, Chris Pye, Jules Burns, Laka Koc) - 3:18
4. Games (Paul McDowell) - 2:20
5. Good-Bye Baby (Paul McDowell) - 3:02
6. Susie (Paul McDowell, Jules Burns) - 3:12
7. Songs For A Rainy Day (Paul McDowell, Chris Pye) - 2:13
8. Gonna Rain Forever (Paul McDowell) - 2:55
9. How You've Changed (Paul McDowell) - 2:59
10.Setting Out Again (Paul McDowell, Chris Pye) - 2:54
11.Doorway Lovers (Paul McDowell) - 3:14
12.Guggenheim (Paul McDowell, Chris Pye) - 2:52
13.Morning Light - 2:41
14.Confusion - 2:47
15.Sunday Sounds - 2:56
16.Move Myself Around - 3:01
17.California - 2:24
18.Get Rich - 3:05
19. he Late , Late Show - 3:10
20.Good Guys - 3:17
21.Country Boy - 3:03
22.I've Been Away Too Long (Paul McDowell, Chris Pye, Jules Burns, Steve Hawes) - 2:53
23.Long Gone - 3:50
24.Searching Around - 2:44
Songs wrritten by Paul McDowell, Chris Pye, Jules Burns except where noted
Tracks 1-12 recorded 1971 at Indigo Sound Studios, Manchester
Tracks 19-21 recorded 1976 at Indigo Sound Studios, Manchester
Tracks 13-18 recorded 1972 at Granada Studios, Manchester
Track 22 recorded 1976 at Strawberry Studios, Stockport
Tracks 23 and 24 recorded 1977 at Cargo Studios, Todmorden
Formed in London in 1970, Home were a band that never quite made it into the top division. Yet the three albums they released are highly prized today as examples of British Seventies rock that display all the energy and eclecticism the genre and era could offer. Two of their members also went on to carve reputations for themselves in larger bands - but Home remains a treasured memory for fans and musicians alike. It was Laurie Wisefield's fluent, inventive guitar work and vocals of Mick Stubbs, the main songwriter, which represented Home's musical calling card. Bassist Cliff Williams and drummer Mick 'Cookie' Cook comprised a funky yet driving rhythm section. 'It was my first serious band,' Wisefield explains, 'though I'd been in a few. Cliff and I had been in one before Home called Sugar, based in London. Cliff and the drummer had come down from the north and we got a flat in Tooting where I met them through a Melody Maker audition; I was at school at the time. When Sugar broke up Cliff and I stayed together. I'd worked with Mick Stubbs before and said, "I know this singer"; Mick knew Cookie and that was the band.' Home, as they were simply christened, recorded their first album, 'Pause For A Hoarse Horse', in Decca Studios in Hampstead; it was supposed to have come out on the Decca label, who funded the sessions, but CBS saw their potential, bought the album and released it in August 1971.
Often erroneously credited as a full band member, Clive John from Welsh prog wizards Man made a guest appearance on keyboards and Mellotron. This would have been at Rockfield Studios in South Wales, but at four decades' distance Laurie is unsure why the band was actually there! 'Maybe we mixed it down there, maybe we recorded a couple of extra tracks.' He recalls Clive 'coming down and playing. He had a beard and long hair - looked like Jesus as I remember.' Producer Mel Baister had just helmed Man's eponymous third album on which Clive John appeared, so he was the obvious connection. Another additional musician employed was John Weider on violin. 'Willie', as he was known, was at the tail end of a two-year stint with Family and had played with such legendary names as Johnny Kidd and the Pirates, Steve Marriott and Eric Burdon's New Animals. He and Cliff Williams would rub shoulders again in 1974 when Cliff auditioned for and briefly joined Moonrider, a group Weider had formed with Keith West that shared many of Home's influences. The sleeve of 'A Pause for a Hoarse Horse' was an elaborate gatefold, evidence of CBS's faith in the band they had snatched from a rival label.
The bold wraparound cowboy illustration on the outside was reminiscent of the Norman Rockwell covers boasted by the likes of the Pure Prairie League in the United States. A short note attributed to TW' in the gatefold opined that 'Home's musical background, although worlds apart, has enabled them to arrive at a standpoint that is a weld of attitudes - the resultant sound is good, without being repetitive or pretentious. "The band worked closely together for six months,' it continued, 'to ensure that their musical direction was well defined before going into the studio. It is this attitude towards their music, coupled with the fact that their music is entirely original, that gives this, their first album, true distinction.' All songs were credited to Mick Stubbs bar two: the brief 'Welwyn Garden City Blues', a Stubbs / Wisefield - credited hoedown reminiscent of Heads Hands and Feet's Albert Lee and named after the Hertfordshire new town just north of London, and the band- composed 'In My Time', in Wisefield's words 'a funky, country-influenced kinda thing', that ended side one of the vinyl release. Only Moses' breached the five-minute mark in studio form, though certain stage favourites could be extended to nearly eight minutes' length.
Two of these were 'Red E Lewis And The Red Caps' and 'How Would It Feel'. The former was inspired by one of Mick Stubbs' older brothers who fronted a late-Fifties/early-Sixties band of that name through whose ranks Jimmy Page and future members of the Pirates Mick Green, Johnny Spence and Frank Farley passed. Live, Laurie Wisefield recalls, this 'big-time favourite of ours' could explode with guitar pyrotechnics: 'After the moody build-up, anything used to happen - and often did, as I got to open up and let go at the end!' 'How Would It Feel' and 'Family' in particular betrayed the influence of Bob Dylan's one-time backing outfit the Band. The riff Mick Stubbs came up with was one of Laurie Wisefield's favourites, and the song was routined at the Wisefields' home where early rehearsals were, staged.
Home were great favourites on BBC Radio One, for whom they would play many sessions. An audition was always required before approval was given, and the quartet received a unanimous pass. Producer Malcolm Brown was unstinting in his praise: 'I get the impression,' he reported, 'that when they settle down they will become quite a force in the business. The guitarist is only 17!' Stuart Henry, John Peel, Bob Harris and Pete Drummond would all feature Home sessions on their shows before the year was out.
Home started touring to promote their album and hit an early highpoint in November 1971 when they supported Led Zeppelin at the second Electric Magic Show at Wembley Empire Pool (now Wembley Arena). It was rare for Led Zeppelin to engage support bands, so it is a measure of Home's reputation that they got the gig. From then on, they opened for a series of established groups including labelmates Argent and the Jeff Beck Group, as well as Rod Stewart's Faces.
Home went on to record two further studio LPs, the eponymous second released in the autumn of 1972 and concept album "The Alchemist' which appeared in June 1973. A fourth Home long-player was started but didn't reach fruition as a disillusioned Mick Stubbs left both the band and the music business. After backing Al Stewart on a 1974 US tour, the remaining trio went their separate ways. Laurie Wisefield was headhunted by Wishbone Ash's Andy Powell as replacement for Ted Turner, while Cliff Williams eventually joined AC/DC, where he remains to this day. Mick Cook played with a re-formed Groundhogs and then Latin-jazzers Gonzales but, while Mick Stubbs played briefly with a local band called Paradise, he did relatively little musically thereafter. Both Mick Cook and Mick Stubbs sadly succumbed to cancer within a couple of years of each other around the turn of the millennium.
To describe 'Pause For A Hoarse Horse' as simply 'US-influenced country-rock' is to underrate an album that is comparable to the likes of Help Yourself, a band that also created some fantastic and underappreciated music around this time, or even the ever-eclectic Family. Other comparisons to have been thrown into the mix include Man, The Dog That Bit People and, unsurprisingly, early Wishbone Ash. At any rate, Home were far more inventive than they were imitative. Internet blogger SilverainTR hits the nail on the head by describing this debut album as 'a quiet gem, one that reflects and refracts subtle shades and colours in the setting sun rather than dazzling the listener with pyrotechnic displays
by Michael Heatley with thanks to Laurie Wisefield and Alan Kinsman
Tracks
1. Tramp - 3:13
2. Family - 3:33
3. Pause For A Hoarse Horse - 3:02
4. Red E Lewis And The Red Caps - 5:39
5. In My Time (Cliff Williams, Laurie Wisefield, Mick Cook, Mick Stubbs) - 3:58
6. How Would It Feel - 3:26
7. Bad Days - 4:04
8. Mother - 3:03
9. Moses - 5:04
10.Welwyn Garden City Blues - 1:19
11.You're No Good (Laurie Wisefield, Mick Stubbs) - 3:03
All songs by Mick Stubbs except where indicated
Home
*Mick Stubbs - Lead Vocals, Electric, 12-String Guitars
