Tucky Buzzard - The Complete Tucky Buzzard (1971-73 uk, exceptional blend of prog hard blues rock, 2016 five discs box set)

Tucky Buzzard.  You might vaguely recall the name if not the music.  You could be forgiven in thinking that they were long haired southern rockers.  Truth is, they morphed out of UK psychedelic rockers The End, were largely produced by Rolling Stone Bill Wyman and their debut album featured a Spanish symphony orchestra conducted by Waldo de Los Rios.  Confused?

Coming On Again is the only album of this five album box set not to have been produced by Bill Wyman and this might have allowed the band a flexibility absent in subsequent years.  Alan Robinson’s somewhat musically subjective liner note enthuses  – “I am willing to nail the sorry arse of my critical faculties to the wall” – over its essentially classical/prog fusion content that may have been overlooked in the pantheon of the genre.  He may be right.

With its guitar/Hammond interplay the long “suite” immediately recalls early Deep Purple who were to figure in the band’s story a few years later.

The band  attracted Capitol Records in the USA for the next two albums.  The sophomore release Tucky Buzzard actually featured recordings made for a second, aborted The End album in the late 1960s.  The music is a mixture of Humble Pie and even a ballsy Badfinger which is probably why the band appealed across the pond as both had achieved considerable success in the States by this time.

Warm Slash was more reflective of the band’s hard rocking style when released in June 1971 influenced by the likes of Grand Funk Railroad with whom they had toured in the States.  ‘Burnin” and ‘Heartbreaker’ are particularly groovy.

1973′s All Right On The Night was the start of the band’s relationship with Deep Purple and their fledgling Purple label.  The band would count the band amongst their heroes and this connection was furthered when the band opened for Purple on tour in the States.  The album sits well with its predecessor; in the main, excellent, driving hard rock/boogie.

The band’s final outing Buzzard released in 1973 brings them almost full circle with a more rock and roll feel and aligning them more closely with bands like The Rolling Stones, The Faces and even Led Zeppelin.  But that particular musical boat had already sailed and was well established.  Tucky Buzzard were destined to become a mere footnote and  “also-rans”.

One can only wonder what might have happened if they’d have continued the prog themes of their debut album, the musicianship was certainly top notch and with a refreshing sense of adventure. The band’s essentially British-based rock and roll could have provided the template for many a modern wannabe and anyone who can trace their lineage from the early 1970s.

Interestingly the band never filtered through in other incarnations after their split.  Keyboard player Nicky Graham later wrote material for the pop duo Bros in the early 1990s whilst guitarist Terry Taylor remained with Bill Wyman, this time in The Rhythm Kings.

This well presented box set will do much to put the band’s story in context and brings together their output which previously has been single or 2 on 1 CD releases  and often difficult or expensive to obtain.  There are no bonus tracks and the curious will probably want to seek out the earlier Edsel box set chronicling the pre-Buzzard, The End.
by David Randall

Tracks

Disc 1 Coming On Again 1971  

1. Suite - 14:12

.a.Coming On Again (Part 1)

.b.For Maryse (Terry Taylor)

.c.Over the Hill

.d.Coming On Again (Part 2)

.e.Believe Me (Dave Brown)

.f.Here I Am (Terry Taylor, Dave Brown, Nicky Graham)

2. You're All Alone (Terry Taylor, Jimmy Henderson) - 6:03

3. You Never Will (Terry Taylor, Jimmy Henderson) - 2:56

4. Free Ticket - 3:40

5. Lady Fair - 4:15

All compositions by Terry Taylor, Jimmy Henderson, Dave Brown, Nicky Graham, Paul Francis except where indicated.

Disc 2 Tucky Buzzard 1971

1. Time Will Be Your Doctor (Nicky Graham, Dave Brown, Paul Francis) - 3:53

2. Stainless Steel Lady (Nicky Graham, Terry Taylor, Jimmy Henderson, Dave Brown) - 4:30

3. Sally Shotgun (Terry Taylor, Dave Brown) - 3:06

4. Gu Gu Gu (Terry Taylor, Nicky Graham, Dave Brown) - 3:29

5. My Friend (Terry Taylor, Paul Francis, Nicky Graham, Dave Brown) - 4:01

6. Pisces Apple Lady (Leon Russell) - 2:53

7. She's Meat (Nicky Graham, Terry Taylor, Jimmy Henderson, Dave Brown) - 3:17

8. Ace The Face (Nicky Graham, Terry Taylor, Dave Brown, Paul Francis, Jimmy Henderson) - 3:20

9. Whiskey Eyes (Nicky Graham, Terry Taylor, Dave Brown, Paul Francis, Jimmy Henderson) - 5:54

10.Rolling Cloud (Terry Taylor, Jimmy Henderson) - 5:18

Disc 3 Warm Slash 1972

1. Mistreating Woman - 2:57

2. (She's A) Striker - 3:19

3. Fill You In (Nicky Graham, Terry Taylor, Dave Brown, Paul Francis, Jimmy Henderson) - 3:16

4. Need Your Love - 2:25

5. Which Way, When For Why - 8:01

6. Burnin' (Nicky Graham, Terry Taylor, Dave Brown, Paul Francis, Jimmy Henderson) - 5:30

7. Heartbreaker - 4:40

8. Sky Balloon - 5:52

9. Ain't Too Soon (Terry Taylor, Dave Brown) - 4:31

All songs by Terry Taylor, Jimmy Henderson except where noted

Disc 4 Allright On The Night 1973

1. Can't Live Without It (Terry Taylor, Jimmy Henderson, Dave Brown) - 3:50

2. Fast Bluesy Woman (Jimmy Henderson, Terry Taylor, Dave Brown, Chris Johnson) - 3:36

3. Gold Medallions - 4:34

4. All I Want Is Your Love - 3:44

5. Rainbow Rider (Dave Brown, Jimmy Henderson, Terry Taylor) - 4:27

6. 'Rudi' Movie Star (Paul Kendrick) - 4:02

7. Pictures - 3:32

8. Last War - 5:16

All songs by Terry Taylor, Jimmy Henderson except where stated

Disc 5 Buzzard 1973
1. Who Do You Love (Ellis McDaniel) - 4:00
2. Run In The Mornin' - 4:24
3. Hanging On In There (Waiting For You To Come) (Terry Taylor, Jimmy Henderson, Dave Brown, Chris Johnson) - 5:39
4. Superboy Rock'n'Roller '73 (Terry Taylor, Jimmy Henderson, Dave Brown, Chris Johnson) - 2:12
5. Bo-Bo's Hampton - 4:30
6. Wine And Wimmin (Bill Wyman) - 4:55
7. Superfine Lady - 4:24
8. Near To Me (Terry Taylor, Jimmy Henderson, Dave Brown) - 3:38
9. Shy Boy - 7:32
All songs by Terry Taylor, Jimmy Henderson except as else marked

The Tucky Buzzard
Disc 1 Coming On Again 1971
*Terry 'Tex' Taylor - Electric, Acoustic Guitars, Backing Vocals
*Nicky Graham - Piano, Organ, Backing Vocals
*Dave Brown - Bass Guitar, Acoustic Guitars, Backing Vocals
*Paul Francis - Drums, Timbales, Percussion
*Jimmy Henderson - Lead Vocals, Percussion
Guests
*Howard Neldrett (Lennie) - Electric, Acoustic Guitars
*Hugh Attwooll - Percussion

Disc 2 Tucky Buzzard 1971
*Jimmy Henderson - Lead Vocals
*Dave Brown - Bass Guitar, Lead Vocals
*Nicky Graham - Keyboards, Lead Vocals
*Terry Taylor - Guitars
*Chris Johnson - Drums

Disc 3 Warm Slash 1972
*Dave Brown - Bass Guitar
*Nicky Graham - Keyboards
*Jimmy Henderson - Singer
*Terry Taylor - Guitars
*Chris Johnson - Drums

Disc 4 Allright On The Night 1973
*Jimmy Henderson - Lead Vocals, Harp
*Terry Taylor - Lead, Slide, Rhythm,, Acoustic Guitars
*Dave Brown - Bass, Acoustic Guitar
*Chris Johnson - Drums, Percussion
*Ron Taylor - Guitar
Guests
*Paul Kendrick - Rhythm Guitar
*Jeff Workman - Piano
*Phil Cordell - Piano
*Don Weller - Brass

Disc 5 Buzzard 1973
*Jimmy Henderson - Lead Vocals, Harp, Percussion
*Terry Taylor - Lead Guitar, Slide, Electric Piano
*Dave Brown - Bass, Acoustic Guitar, Percussion
*Chris Johnson - Drums, Percussion
*Phil Talbot - Rhythm Guitar
Guests
*Paul Kendrick - Rhythm Guitar, Backing Vocals
*Tony Ashton - Hammond Organ, Piano
*Bill Wyman - Rock 'N' Roll Piano, Electric Piano
*Rob Cooksey - Bon Vibes
*The Buzzettes - Backing Vocals
*Brass Sections:
*John Lee - Trombone
*Ricky Dodd - Tenor Sax

Related Act
1964-1970  The End - From Beginning To End (2015 four discs box set)

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