KIM FOWLEY - Visions Of The Future (Capitol, 1978)

On one of Southern California's coldest nights in 1973, I wrote and recorded "Hollywood Confidential." I didn't realize at the time that this and other cuts on "Visions Of The Future" would remain unreleased until 1978. Capitol Records merely waited until the time was right and for this I am grateful. The title of this LP no should be self-explanatory. As an artist I have always been stranded at the bottom of the barrel, out of my mind in warm beds, tormented by an excess of part time lovers. I must have been crazy to create these instant slime classics. Much more fulfilling however than to watch the world go by on a 2-inch screen. 

"Shine Like A Radio" was once performed on stage at the Whisky a Go Go by the Hollywood Stars for the amusement of Angela Bowie. Ms. Bowie screamed, "Hit.!". An epic inspired by devil juice, it sure beats shooting pool. "Visions Of The Future," this LP's title track is "The cry of a psychopathic dog, indeed the  barking fever of a frustrated animal." The above quote belongs to the combined verbal forces of that particular Kim Fowley band which featured Peter Lion, ex-Hudson Brothers,  Mars Bonfire, ex-Steppenwolf; Jim Moon, one of the last Byrds drummers,Carlos Bernal, an ex-Byrds roadie and guest multi-instrumentalist Chris Darrow, founder member of Kaleidoscope. These selections were recorded for the infamous unreleased "Automatic" LP. "California Gypsy Man" was written in Vaxholm, Sweden. Surely one of the great undiscovered treasures of this century. 

"It's Great To Be Alive" was created by myself and Rodney Bingenheimer. A slice of summer smiles, this work of mid-south  dada along with "California Gypsy Man" appeared on the sex rockers favorite LP of 1972 "I'm Bad." Band at the time included Mars Bonfire, Tornado Turner, who took James Williamson's place in the Stooges at a post-"Raw Power"Chicago gig. Iggy used to sing "She Creatures Of The Hollywood Hills," plus "It Will Stand" during these tarnished days. The drummer was Dreshan Theaker, ex-Crazy World of ArthurBrown, and Warren Zevon. Piano and bass were Peter Sears, ex-Rod Stewart and current Jefferson Starship.  

"E.S.P. Reader," composed in Topanga Canyon, deals with romantic lies on a leather and shades level. "World Wide Love" hardly a statement of pan american boogie or teenage cruises rather points out my view of the global village from a pinball millionaire position. These last two sides were from my "International Heroes" LP, recorded in London and North Africa with various U.K. players including Tony Mac, Charlie McCracken, ex- Taste; a tall, multi-genius' named Peter; a mystery keyboard pounder; Ron Charles, a phantom Harmonicat, Kerry Scott and Glen Turner who should have been the Stevie Winwood of the 70's. 

"Forbidden Love" a song to blue-eyed tigers; written on the road to hell, that I crawled upon at that time, from "I'm Bad." "Something New," night burning predictions from yours truly from his interchangeable House of Wax. From "Heroes" LP in '73. "International Heroes," hot trax from LP of same name. Recorded this year by the British Lions. 

"Save Your Love For A Rainy Day" was my black orchid statement sung with the Queen of Hearts, Becky Hobbs, the only lady to ever jam with the Duane Allman - led Allman Brothers Band at the '72 New Orleans Pop Festival. "Film Maker" from "Automatic" proves among my skin and bones thrust, is a tribute to the director of "EI Topo:" "Mom And Dad" from "Automatic" proves I am one of the world's oldest children. "Red China" a bit of lipstick advertising from" I' m Bad" should put me way up in the politico waaaah. 

Selections from "I'm Bad" and "Heroes" were produced by Jeff Cheen. I produced the cuts from "Automatic." I arranged everything. The engineers and mixer were Dave Hassinger, Paul Grupp and Mike Ross. Photography by Norman Seef. 

I made this record because I am unique and special. I also produced tapes around the same time by Gene Vincent, Blue Cheer, and the Modern Lovers. I am the missing link between Orson Welles and Chuck Berry.Kim Fowley (Notas interiores)

SUNSHINE - Sunshine (Roulette, 1977)

No hay mucha información sobre este trio neoyorquino formado por Walter Gil de Rubio, Ralph Persico y Joe Ravormina que dejó para la posteridad este único álbum de canciones predominantemente acústicas e irreprochables armonías vocales. No todas son ganadoras, pero los amantes del pop hortera de la segunda mitad de los setentas, encontrarán satisfacción garantizada en temas como "Ann" , "Reach Out" o la que se puede escuchar en el reproductor.

MIKE McGEAR - McGear (WB 1974)

"Rainbow lady"

"McGear", publicado en setembro de 1974, foi o segundo álbum en solitario de Mike, que desta volta contou coa colaboración case total do seu irmán Paul McCartney que ademáis da produción tamén proporcionou o acompañamento musical dos Wings, ou sexa Linda, Denny Laine e o guitarrista recén chegado Jimmy McCulloch. Como os Wings non tiñan un batería estable nesa época, recurriron a Gerry Conway da banda de Cat Stevens. Paul co-escribiu todas as cancións do álbum, coa excepción de "Sea Breezes", escrita por Bryan Ferry.

MICHAEL McGEAR Woman (Island, 1972)

"Bored As Butterscotch"

Mike McGear (o irmán de Paul McCartney) foi membro dos Scaffold, aquel trío no que tamén estaban Roger McGough e John Gorman e que durante uns anos coa súa súa mestura de comedia, poesía e música incluso acadaron certa notoriedade con temas frikis como "LilyThe Pink" ou "Thank U Very Much". Está ben lembrar tamén o Lp que editou en compaña de McGough, "McGough and McGear" en 1968 e que incluía "So Much", unha canción que me gusta especialmente. "Woman" foi o seu primeiro traballo en solitario e nel conta de novo con McGough nas letras agás a colaboración co seu irmán Paul co que compón a medias a deliciosa "Bored As Butterscotch" aínda que nos créditos aparece asinada por McGear e amigo. O resto do disco ten os seus momentos como "Roamin A Road", "Witness" ou o rock de "Uptown Downtown" que xa fora gravada por Scaffold

Notas interiores:

"i asked zoot money, andy roberts, dave richards, gerry conway, norman yardley and john megginson to leave their homes to stay at mine in liverpool and with very little time or money de my first solo album: being mad they agreed. a year, lots of time, lots of money, and lots of friends later it was done. not knowing how to sing i chose the north to tear my guts out, and drove to stockport.s.r.s. studios where pete tattershall recorded all the basic tracks. zoot on one grand (and leky) piano, john on the other, andy on kriwaczek (pronounced krivocheck) acoustic and lead gtr, dave on bass gt.. norm gob iron, jerry drums, and i was khown to pick up my maracas. the next few months were covered in 'roof over your head' work, during which roger mcgough (the good poet) and i polished off the words. and i phoned people who would make the album nicer. on to e.m.i, abbey rd. studios where with the help of tony clarke we added final vocals, tim and the centipede string section/tony coe, chris pyne, cecil moss, mike rosen. molly duncan roger ball and other brass friends-paul korda, alan gorrie, steve gould (heavenly soulchoir) ginger johnsons african drums brian augers lovely organ, and special appearance of roger bunn on spaceship "mindblow". john meg may i add had the cheek to arrange the brass and strings. then endless hours of mixing with tony, me, and meg, and finally tony common came up to take some wet wirral photos, then down to finish the artwork. The end result is the plastic disc under this cardboard and a year out of my life. i (what they laughingly call) produced it. i've also treated my voice like an instrument (particularly on things like jolly good show) and naturally instruments blend, together at times. so there follows a list of printed songs to catch the words that float away."

DOUG OWEN - Evenings East (ABC, 1978)

Xa hai un tempo puxemos o primeiro Lp de Doug Owen, "From The Start", e aquí vai o segundo nunha liña semellante de clásico pop-rock. Isto que ven a continuación é o que nos escribiu o propio Owen no seu día:

"It's interesting how records can hang around for so long. I recorded another one after "From the Start". It's called "Doug Owen/Evenings East. I was but a kid when I got my break in Nashville. I've never pursued  a career in music where I wanted to be a star. Just writing songs and traveling around the world. I'm now in the Atlanta area looking for jobs playing and doing session work. Anyway, thanks again for liking my early work".

Best wishes

Keith Destry (Doug Owen)

Por certo, tódolas ligazóns de Mediafire xa non están dispoñibles, cancelaron a miña conta. Se alguén quere algo en concreto terá que pedílo por mail.

VIGRASS AND OSBORNE - Steppin' Out (CBS, 1974)

"Daily Depress"

Había anos que non escoitaba este disco do que, a verdade sexa dita, só lembraba a peza que se pode escoitar no reprodutor, pero decidín compracer a un comunicante anónimo que tiña certo interese neste segundo Lp do dúo británico Vigrass and Osborne. Despois de darlle un repaso enteiro de novo, dicir que o máis interesante está nas voces e nalgúns dos arranxos do produtor Jeff Wayne. As notas que veñen a continuación están extraídas do blog The Note Book Of.

Here you'll find all I have been able to assemble about Vigrass and Osborne: the British duo of Paul Vigrass and Gary Osborne. They had a brief recording history in the early 1970s which resulted in a handful of sparkling pop singles that were criminally ignored in most territories around the world.

Their producer, Jeff Wayne, was a writer and producer of commercial jingles - he undoubtedly brought that sensibility to the table, as well as playing organ and co-writing some of the songs.  Musicians I recognise on the albums include guitarists Chris Spedding and Caleb Quaye, and Ray Cooper (percussion); the latter two frequently worked with Elton John.

Wayne, of course, later produced the highly successful War Of The Worlds album in 1978. To that project, he took with him Gary Osborne to write lyrics to some of the songs - and he uplifted a Vigrass And Osborne tune - Forever Autumn, which became the biggest seller and signature tune from War Of The Worlds.

Prior to V&O, Paul Vigrass had a few solo releases in the late 1960s (including Free Lorry Ride and A New Man), then briefly replaced Tony Burrows as lead singer of the studio band Edison Lighthouse. 

Gary Osborne leaves a number of traces, though - as a lyricist. He apparently wrote English lyrics for the Veronique Sanson song Amoureuse, recorded by Kiki Dee in 1974 (a year after the original). But his best residual income would be from the War Of The Worlds album, possibly also for his lyrics for Elton John on three albums in the mid-1980s; the hits were Part Time Love, Little Jeannie, and Blue Eyes. He's been active as lyricist as recently as 2006.

JOHN CAMPBELL- Sunrise / Boogie Woogie (Basf, 1974)

"Sunrise"

Malia que non hai moita información sobre este John Campbell (hai outro músico de blues co mesmo nome), si sabemos que é un americano de Pontiac, Michigan que acabou en España nos primeiros setentas.  Ademáis de traballar de mercenario para outros músicos chegou a gravar un par de elepés, "Fresh Blues" para o selo catalán Diabolo en 1971 e "Sunrise" para BASF un par de anos despois. O tema estrela, moi bonita canción por certo, é unha mestura de Randy California co "Sun King" dos Beatles. A cara B é esquecible.

JUNIOR CAMPBELL - Sweet Illusion / Ode To Karen (Deram-Columbia, 1973)

"Ode To Karen"

Continuando con artistas co apelido Campbell,  hoxe rescatamos do seu inxusto esquecemento a Junior, un dos puntais dos escoceses Marmalade aos que abandonou en 1971. Este foi o seu terceiro sinxelo en solitario e malia que o tema estrela era "Sweet Illusion", a súa cara B está máis preto do son aos que nos tiña acostumados. Por certo, o inicio da canción ten un parecido razonable con "Piano Man" de Billy Joel - Ana Belén

IAN CAMPBELL - Do I Still Figure In Your Life / Second Time Around The Wheel (Poplandia, 1973)

"Do I Still Figure In Your Life"

Non teño moi claro se este Ian Campbell que se atreve co clásico de Honeybus, é o mesmo do Ian Campbell Group metido a outros mesteres. O que si se sabe é que formaba parte como baixista dos sesioneros coñecidos como "The Glasgow Mafia" e que serviron de apoio en boa parte das gravacións do selo Young Blood de Miki Dallon.  Da canción fixéronse bastantes versións así que aquí van unhas cantas:  Paul Carrack, Joe Cocker, Dave Stewart & Barbara Gaskin, Love Sculpture, Samantha Jones ou Dana.

LOOKING GLASS - Jimmy Loves Mary Anne / Wooly Eyes (CBS, 1974)

Looking Glass son lembrados sobre todo por dúas estupendas cancións  que publicaron nos primeiros setentas, "Brandy (You're a Fine Girl)" e "Jimmy Loves Mary Anne". Como esta última me gusta especialmente, aquí van as adaptacións do tema que tiña pola casa: a que fixo Josie Cotton en "From The Hip", o seu segundo Lp, a do grupo de Chicago Boom Hank que colaboraban con este tema nun dos volumes publicados polo selo Pravda en homenaxe a aqueles discos baratos que K-Tel publicaba a principios de década e por último a dos florentinos Homo Sapiens, aparecida nun compilatorio de grupos italianos titulado "L'ora dell'amore".

                      

                      

GOLDEN TRASH - Someone´s Missin´ / Had A Good Time (Belter, 1972)

"Had A Good Time"

                    

Parece que este foi o único sinxelo publicado polos parisinos Golden Trash, editado en Francia por EMI e aquí por Belter cunha portada distinta. Das dúas pezas, a máis interesante é "Had A Good Time".

NEIL SEDAKA The Tra-La Days Are Over (MGM, 1973)

"Love Will Keep Us Together"

"The Tra-La Days are over" fue el segundo de los discos  que Neil Sedaka grabó en Inglaterra a principios de la década de los setenta con el apoyo de los futuros 10cc, en un intento de reactivación de su carrera. Por entonces, Graham Gouldman, Eric Stewart, Kevin Godley y Lol Creme eran los chicos para todo de los estudios Strawberry, co-escribiendo, sirviendo de banda de apoyo o simplemente añadiendo coritos para otros artistas y aún así les quedaba tiempo para organizar sus propias aventuras, algunas tan lucrativas como Hotlegs cuyo "Neardenthal Man" fue un éxito masivo. En cuanto al disco no pasa de la simple curiosidad pero como soy un apasionado seguidor de 10cc no pude resisistirme. Esto es lo que comenta el propio Neil sobre el asunto: "I dig them, they dig me. I find them the most remarkable musicians I've ever worked with, and they are playing again with me on my new album The Tra-La Days Are Over. I think they're the next Beatles. I've just heard their forthcoming album. I was totally knocked out. They, I feel, have achieved what David Bowie and Lou Reed have tried to achieve. Futuristic. Fresh things. New things. Electronic noise, good guitar work, lyrics that are not predictable. Yes, futuristic."

BABY GRAND Baby Grand (Arista, 1977)

"Alligator Drive"

Baby Grand venían de Philadelphia y fueron la idea de Eric Bazilian, Rob Hyman y David Kagan que junto al productor Rick Chertoff dieron forma a un par de elepés de pop-rock clasicote con algún que otro momento decente.  Éste, con la bonita portada de Botero, es el primero de ellos y cuenta con la colaboración de dos componentes de Utopia. Años después Bazilian, Hyman, y Chertoff encontrarían el éxito con los Hooters. Los muy aficionados al grupo pueden encontrar un par de grabaciones en directo del año1979 pinchando aquí.

WHITE PLAINS Step Into a Dream - Look To See (Deram-Columbia, 1973)

"Look To See"

A commercially successful studio group who included Tony Burrows whose other session groups included The Ivy League, The Flowerpot Men, The Kestrels, Edison Lighthouse and Brotherhood Of Man.  Roger Greenaway  co-wrote their debut hit, "My Baby Loves Lovin'" with Roger Cook . After their second hit, another Greenaway/Cook composition, "I've Got You On My Mind", Greenaway and Burrows both left to join The Pipkins. A new line-up enjoyed a couple more UK hits - "When You Are A King" and "Step Into A Dream" - but disbanded in 1974 by which time interest in them had waned. Their musical format was pure and simple - early seventies style harmony pop with orchestral backing. The Tapestry of Delights

Canción # 24.009: DAVE EDMUNDS London is a lonely town (1976)

"London is a lonely town"

Otra adaptación del "New York is a lonely town" de los Tradewinds, y al igual que Fredi D´alfredo, cambiando la localización, se ve que el tema da juego y que muchas ciudades tienen el mismo problema. Las notas que vienen a continuación están extraídas de la contraportada del Pebbles  Vol. 4, dedicado a los sonidos playeros.

Perhaps out of place here, Edmunds is of course the Welsh rockabilly genius and guitar hero of Rockpile and countless other credits. This previously-unreleased track is the result of a 1976 session done for Bruce Johnston and Terry Melcher's Equinox label in Hollywood. Session singers included Bruce, Terry, Gary Usher, Curt Boettcher, and Brian Wilson, and the rnusicians were all veterans of the surf era. The idea was to create a sound as rnagnificent as Edmunds' own Spector recreations, and they succeeded, though Edmunds himself seems lost amidst it all. For legal reasons this never came out, and Edmunds' original Rockfield demo (before he rewrote the lyrics from New York to London) eventually came out on a 45. But this is the classic.

CANDLEWICK GREEN Doggie - Like We Still Do (Acción, 1972)

"Doggie"

Candlewick Green ganaron en la TV británica un concurso de nuevos talentos y fueron fichados por Decca que les publico "Doggie" como primer single. Un par de años más tarde con nueva estética y más pasticheros incluso tuvieron un relativo éxito con el tema "Who Do You Think You Are".

DOUG OWEN From The Start (ABC-Movieplay, 1977)

"Bad Girls"

A pesar de que el sello Hickory de Nashville estuvo especializado en country puro y duro durante muchos años, de hecho era casi el brazo armado de Acuff-Rose, acabó por diversificar su oferta con artistas de otros géneros como en el caso de este chaval llamado Doug Owen que publicó este bonito elepé lleno de coritos, efluvios de Gilbert O Sullivan, unos arreglos de cuerda guais y algunas canciones que acaban quedando en la memoria. 

"It's interesting how records can hang around for so long. I recorded another one after "From the Start". It's called "Doug Owen/Evenings East. I was but a kid when I got my break in Nashville. I've never pursued  a career in music where I wanted to be a star. Just writing songs and traveling around the world. I'm now in the Atlanta area looking for jobs playing and doing session work. Anyway, thanks again for liking my early work.

Best wishes
Keith Destry (Doug Owen)

La siguiente información esta extraída de su myspace.

Keith Destry started his professional career in entertainment as Doug Owen, writing songs for Moe Bandy, LaCosta and Kenny Rogers. Early in his career, Owen (who changed his name to Keith Destry in 1987) performed with Bob Hope, The Captain & Tennille, Helen Reddy, Bo Donaldson & The Heywoods, and many others. Influenced by the Beatles, Simon & Garfunkel, Bob Dylan, Destry's sound (a mixture of Big Beat, Folk and Country) shoots off the disc, full-bodied,fresh. (What once was old...is new again). His first release, POPULUXX/War of the Worlds, was recorded in a 12ft. x 4ft. storage room in his hometown of Little Rock, Arkansas. His child-hood friend and co-producer Chris Thomson recorded the album using an old Yamaha PSR 630 (for backing tracks), then overdubbed vocals and guitars. They mastered War of the Worlds in Austin Texas at Affordable Sound Studios. Recently returned from a two year tour in Europe, where Destry was the first American singer to perform on the Czech Republics top variety show "Country Estrada". He also worked as an FX assistant on the sci-fi movie, "Hellboy". For the time Destry is residing in his hometown of Little Rock, and on the side is preparing to promote his line of original art.

HUDSON Straigh Up And Tell - America - Fight Back (Rocket, 1973)

"Straigh Up And Tell"

Notas da folla de promo

Primer disco de estos artistas con la etiqueta "Rocket" para la cual, han grabado un maxi-single producido por Bernie Taupin. Estos tema  han sido escritos por el grupo y grabados en los estudios de Chateau d'Herouville, en Francia.

Hudson es un Grupo compuesto por tres miembros nacidos en Portland,Oregon (U.S.A.) y fueron descubiertos por Elton John y Bernie Taupin en Los Angeles el pasado año. La forrnación es la siguiente:

Bill Hudson..........Guitarra
Brett Hudson..........Contrabajo
Mark Hudson..........Percusión

Hace unos años , Hudson comenzó a hacer giras con grupos como "WHO" y "VANILLA FUDGE", con lo que el grupo tuvo cierta aceptación entre el público americano. Ahora, ésta es la primera oportunidad que tienen de grabar su propio material del que muy pronto tendremos su L.P. titulado: "TOTALLY OUT OF CONTROL" 

The Hudson Brothers

THE MOVIES The Movies (Arista, 1976)

"Dancin´ On Ice"

A mediados de los setenta coexistían dos bandas con el mismo nombre, unos eran de Cambridge en Gran Bretaña a los que les iba el rollo blues y éstos que aunque eran originarios de Milwaukee acabaron recolocados en la zona de Los Angeles. Algunos de sus miembros habían pasado por los Messengers, el primer grupo blanco que había fichado por la Motown. El elepé fue producido por Vini Poncia (Ihe nnocence, The Tradewinds,...) e incluso su colega en esas aventuras, Peter Anders, les escribió un tema, "If I Can Just Get Through Tonight" que al año siguiente también grabarían los británicos Alfalpha en una interpretación para mi gusto superior a la de los Movies. En lo estrictamente musical el disco es clásico pop setentero sin grandes sorpresas pero con dos o tres temas que no están nada mal. Peter Barnes murió de leucemia hace unos años. 

TONY HAZZARD Sweet Ruby Ruby Nite-Time - Mrs. Q (Bronze-Island, 1972)

"Mrs. Q"

Tony Hazzard é coñecido fundamentalmente por ser autor de pezas para outros artistas, unha especie de Graham Gouldman pero con menos éxito. Malia iso as súas cancións foron gravadas por xente como The Hollies ("Listen to Me"), Manfred Mann ("Ha! Ha! Said The Clown" and "Fox on the Run"),  The Yardbirds ("Goodnight Sweet Josephine"), Herman's Hermits ("You Won't Be Leaving"), The Tremeloes ("Hello World"), Richard Barnes ("Take to the Mountains") que posteamos hai unhas semanas, ou Cherry Smash ("Fade Away Maureen"). Ao igual que Gouldman tamén probou en solitario, primeiro con "Tony Hazzard: Sings Tony Hazzard " (1969), reeditado por Rev-Ola, 2007 e xa nos setenta con tres discos para o selo Bronze. Do último deles, "Was That Alright Then?", está extraída a cara A . "Mrs. Q" , moito máis interesante, non ía no elepé pero si aparece recuperada na antoloxía "Go North: The Bronze Anthology" con notas do noso querido Andy Morten, un gran fan de Tony.