Being forever overshadowed by their brief liaison with Apple Records, in spite of never even getting a chance for a full “bite”, Mortimer is a bunch of ex-garage rockers (as The Teddy Boys), hailing from another (Big) Apple, turning mellower under the influence of sounds of the day, coming both from the American West Coast, as well as Britain.
Dropping their initial full-band punky attitude for a peculiar, mostly acoustic/congas-backed harmonizing, in 1967 they delivered an item that has become pretty sought after among popsike collectors over the years. The opening track, Dedicated Music Man, with it’s innocent folky verses being followed by a full blown rock-out, is the only one incorporating the traditional guitar-bass-drums set up.
While Life’s Sweet Progression, though acoustic based, also offers a kind of a more rocking approach, compared to the rest of the content, which is exclusively lightweight psychedelicacy, ranging from dreamy Beatle-ish vocal arrangements as heard in Where Dragons Guard The Doors, through catchy sunshiny pop gems.
Such as another pair of Beatlisms, Would You Believe and To Understand Someone, and the equally sunny, but kinda moody at the same time, Singing To The Sunshine, to Waiting For Someone, finding them somewhere between Simon & Garfunkel and the Everlies, or the genuinely Britsike-sounding piece called Take Your Troubles, that wouldn’t sound out of place on any of the Zombies’ or Kinks’ late ‘60s releases.
After failing to gain much recognition out of the New York region, the band was taken to London by their manager Danny Secunda, securing a deal with Apple, and even recording an album for the label, which still remains to be bitten, but that’s another story of course.
by Garwood Pickjon, September 6, 2006
Tracks
1. Dedicated Music Man - 3:29
2. Where Dragons Guard The Doors - 3:30
3. Would You Believe - 2:39
4. Singing To The Sunshine - 3:21
5. Mortimer's Theme - 2:53
6. Take Your Troubles - 3:15
7. To Understand Someone - 2:21
8. Waiting For Someone - 2:36
9. Life's Sweet Music - 2:26
10.Yes We Know - 2:47
11.Dedicated Music Man - 3:28
12.To Understand Someone - 2:20
13.Igenue's Theme (Tom Smith, Guy Masson, Tony Van Benschoten) - 2:26
14.Slicker "Beauty Hints" (Jackie Brandwin, Tom Smith, Guy Masson, Tony Van Benschoten) - 2:27
15.Christine Tildsley (Tony Van Benschoten) - 3:35
16.And They Sang (Tom Smith, Guy Masson, Tony Van Benschoten) - 4:19
All songs by Tom Smith, Robert Ronga, Guy Masson, Tony Van Benschoten except where stated
Tracks 1-10 from (US) Philips LP 'Mortimer' PHS 600-267, 1967
Tracks 11-12 (US) Philips single 40524, 1967
Tracks 13-14 (US) Philips single 40567, 1968
Tracks 15-16 previously unreleased, recorded 1967-1968
In February, 1968, Regal Zonophone Records decided to document the live performances of their artists, The Move, at one of London’s musical hot spots The Marquee Club. Problems with the vocal levels of the recordings led to the scheduling of a second Marquee gig, in May, 1968. Five tracks were subsequently selected for release on the 45 RPM mono EP “Something Else From The Move,” released in June, 1968, a quick follow up to their debut eponymous LP released two months earlier. Esoteric Recordings’ compiler Mark Powell has combined the EP’s tunes with all twelve songs recorded at the Marquee gigs in stereo mixes, remastered in 2007 by Nick Robbins and Rob Keyloch at Sound Mastering Ltd., a total of 17 tracks, 56 minutes of high octane Mod rock.
In keeping with the times the set list of “Something Else” is a wonderful mix of Roy Wood originals and cover versions of hit songs of the day from bands such as Spooky Tooth, The Byrds, Love, Janis Joplin and Jackie Wilson among others. The blend is perfect. The inclusion of the EP’s five original tracks as “bonus material” is novel, but the opportunity to compare the stereo mixes with the EP’s original mono mixes, remastered by Ben Wiseman at Broadlake Studios, works wonderfully. To make things even more interesting the personnel of The Move changed in between the recorded gigs, with bassist/vocalist Chris “Ace” Kefford exiting the band, making it a four piece with rhythm guitarist/vocalist Trevor Burton moving to bass forming The Move’s new rhythm section with drummer Bev Bevan. Carl Wayne remained on lead vocals and Wood sang and played lead guitar in addition to being the band’s chief songwriter.
As for the music, the disc opens with snarling guitars and pounding drums of the short intro “Move Bolero” which segues into a cover of Jack Clement’s “It’ll Be Me” with Kefford’s thundering bass and Bevan’s pounding drums leading up to a wonderful guitar solo courtesy of Wood. Wayne’s vocals are absolutely gorgeous. Bevan and Kefford are absolutely locked in on this two and a half minute rocker. “Too Much In Love” is a racing r and b number. Gorgeous harmony vocals complement Wayne’s lead vocals as Wood’s guitar once again dominates. The first album cut (from “Move”) featured is “Flowers In The Rain” with Wood’s fuzzed out guitar and Bevan’s drums pushing the beat on this psychedelic pop classic. Next up is another album cut “Fire Brigade” with its Beatlesque intro followed by the insistent drumming of Bevan and more incredible guitar by Wood. The band covers Love’s “Stephanie Knows Who” with Wayne’s vocals mirroring those of Arthur Lee.
Roy Wood’s guitar is on display as he takes the listener on an incredible musical journey with his solo. Covering a song by The Byrds is always risky business, but The Move simply tear up “So You Wanna Be A Rock And Roll Star” with Wayne’s vocals and Wood’s guitar dominating as usual. Wood’s wah wah adds just the right amount of flavoring to this swirling, trippy piece of psychedelia. The Everly Brothers wrote “The Price Of Love” but The Move make it their own with the deafening cacophony of Kefford and Bevan giving way to Burton’s chunky rhythm and Wood’s understated lead guitar work. Jerry Ragavoy and Bert Bern’s chestnut “Piece Of My Heart” was made famous by Janis Joplin with Big Brother but The Move do a more than adequate job of giving the tune their special touch. Carl Wayne’s vocals may not be quite as guttural as Joplin’s but he sounds mighty good to my ears. Jackie Wilson’s “(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher And Higher” may seem an odd choice, but the band again shows off its r and b roots, with Wayne’s vocals dominating until Wood’s guitar inevitably takes center stage.
The set closes with a cover of Spooky Tooth’s debut single, the Gary Wright penned “Sunshine Help Me”, the band showing off its vocal harmonies, moving easily through the classic tune. Roy Wood proves he is up to the challenge of matching Luther Grosvenor’s guitar work on the original recording with his incredible lead guitar line and solo. The band stretches this one out in style. Roy Wood even quotes “Strangers In The Night” in the midst of his fuzzed out jet fueled solo just for good measure. The song is the perfect closer for a gig by The Move
.
The original “Something Else” consists of five of the tracks, all covers, selected to be mixed in mono. Every performance is inspired and arguably comparable to the original recordings. To put things in perspective, Roy Wood’s monster guitar solo on “Sunshine Help Me” should have been heard around the world on the then newly emerging FM radio format. The applause that roars following each and every performance is well deserved as this is one of the best live documentations in rock annals.
“Something Else From The Move” is accompanied by a 16 page color booklet with an essay by reissue series compiler Mark Powell, complete track annotations and tons of groovy photos. This release is symbolic of the entire reissue project of pre-EMI Harvest recordings by The Move and I cannot recommend it highly enough. The original EP is a classic and this edition’s inclusion of the stereo mixes makes it the absolute last word in those regards.
Judd was essentially a front for British singer/songwriter Kris Ife, the co-writer for much of (and vocalist for all of) the act's sole album, 1970's Snarling Mumma Lion. Prior to Judd, Ife had been part of the British Invasion group the Quiet Five, who had a couple of small U.K. hits in the mid-'60s. Ife had also done some solo singles, most notably a 1967 cover of Joe South's "Hush," which inspired Deep Purple to record their big hit version of the same tune. South's influence is also obvious on Judd's LP, which contains some swamp pop-flavored originals and covers. Judd's brand of swamp pop was poppier and less distinguished than South's, however, and the album also included more middle-of-the-road-oriented tunes with a Righteous Brothers and Tom Jones flavor.
The Judd album arose in part because of Ife's association with producer Mark Wirtz, most famous for his work on Keith West's 1967 U.K. hit "Excerpt from a Teenage Opera." Ife put together a band, the Matchmakers, that recorded for Wirtz, and then recorded some tracks from musicians from the Matchmakers (including Ife's old Quiet Five bandmate/guitarist Roger McKew), most of which were Ife-Wirtz compositions. The released LP was actually a compilation of demos and finished tracks, and sold little, though Judd did put out a 1971 non-LP single, "I'll Be Gone"/"Louisiana Woman." Ife went on to record a couple of singles as part of Jackson & Jones before entering the publishing side of the music business. All of the material from Judd's Snarling Mumma Lion LP is included on the Kris Ife CD compilation Definitive Collection 1967-1973, which also includes the "I'll Be Gone"/"Louisiana Woman" single and an outtake from the LP, as well as the Jackson & Jones singles and some Ife solo tracks.
by Richie Unterberger
Alsatian wunderkind Mark Wirtz led many successful pop music projects during the 1960s and 70s, especially during his long tenure at Abbey Road.
A gifted painter, musician and actor, Wirtz's college band was signed to EMI as Mark Rogers and the Marksmen, while Wirtz was still attending the RADA in London; by 1965 he was producing music independently and became an in-house producer at Abbey Road in 1967, working with Keith West & Tomorrow and fronting the Mark Wirtz Orchestra, AKA The Mood Mosaic.
The blues and soul-tinged Judd album, issued in 1970 on Larry Page's Penny Farthing label, featured Wirtz on keyboards and rhythm guitar, fronting a studio band with bassist Roger Flavell, guitarist Roger McKew and drummer
Tat Meager (who had played on Siren's eponymous, John Peel-produced debut LP); backing vocalists such as Madeleine Bell, Doris Troy and sisters Yvonne and Heather Wheatman, AKA Sonny and Sue, gave a more rounded sound. Much of the material was co-written by Kris Ife, who had worked with McKew in The Quiet Five, though there is also an individual cover of Creedence Clearwater Revival's 'Down On The Corner,' made livelier by Wirtz's piano chords.
Tracks
1. All Right - A Little Bit Of Soul (J. Vincent Edwards, Kris Ife, Michael Derrick) - 2:35
2. Merrilee Thompson (Kris Ife, Mark Wirtz) - 2:54
3. Do I Still Figure In Your Life (Pete Dello) - 2:14
4. Oddjob (Kris Ife, Mike Anthony) - 2:21
5. Let's Work Together (Wilbert Harrison) - 3:29
6. Daylight (Kris Ife, Mike Anthony) - 2:52
7. The Days Of Flesh And Blood (Are Over) (Kris Ife, Mark Wirtz) - 3:19
8. Down On The Corner (John Fogerty) - 2:46
9. Stronger Than A Man (Can Only Be A Woman) (Kris Ife, Mark Wirtz) - 4:10
10.Until Tomorrow (Kris Ife, Mark Wirtz) - 3:10
11.Lousiana Sunday (Kris Ife, Mike Anthony) - 3:05
12.Thee (Kris Ife, Mark Wirtz) - 4:36
13.Snarlin' Mumma Lion (Kris Ife, Mark Wirtz) - 3:55
Tin Tin are really only remembered for their shimmering 1971 single "Toast and Marmalade For Tea", a US and Australian hit in mid-1971. Predictably they've been pegged as one-hit wonders, which obscures the fact that Tin Tin recorded a body of quality harmony psych-pop songs during its short life, with nine singles and two LPs to their credit. Although it's technically a UK band, Tin Tin qualifies for inclusion on Milesago because all the members (except Peter Beckett) were Australian and the band has its roots on the Australian music scene of the 1960s. Like so many other groups documented here, the history of Tin Tin is intricately connected with many other prominent Australasian bands and performers.
Named after the popular Hergé cartoon character, Tin Tin was founded in London in 1969 by Steve Kipner and Steve Groves. Both were ambitious young veterans of the fertile Aussie beat scene of the mid-1960s. Kipner -- the son of producer and songwriter Nat Kipner -- had been the lead singer-guitarist with popular mid-60s Sydney band Steve & The Board. His partner in Tin Tin, Steve Groves, came from another highly-rated band of the same period, The Kinetics, who scored a Melbourne Top 20 hit in 1966 with "Excuses".
Steve & The Board had close connections with The Bee Gees. Nat Kipner had known the Gibb boys since their early days in Brisbane and at the start of 1966 he came to the rescue of the struggling trio when they were about to be dumped from their label (Leedon) by its owner, Festival Records. Nat was able to negotiate a deal that transferred them to the newly-established Spin label (which kept Festival happy because they distributed it). The group disbanded in 1973. The two original members went on to become successful songwriters producers.
Tracks
1. She Said Ride (Steve Groves, Steve Kipner) - 2:34
2. Swans On The Canal (Steve Groves, Steve Kipner) - 2:11
3. Flag (Steve Groves, Steve Kipner) - 1:25
4. Put Your Money On My Dog (Steve Kipner) - 3:00
5. Nobody Moves Me Like You (Steve Groves) - 1:54
6. Tuesday's Dreamer (Steve Groves, Steve Kipner) - 1:20
7. Only Ladies Play Croquet (Steve Groves, Steve Kipner) - 2:19
8. Family Tree (Steve Groves, Steve Kipner) - 2:29
9. Spanish Shepherd (Steve Groves) - 2:35
10.He Wants To Be A Star (Steve Groves, Steve Kipner) - 2:10
11.Toast And Marmelade For Tea (Steve Groves) - 2:22
12.Come On Over Again (Geoff Bridgford, Steve Groves, Steve Kipner) - 3:23
13.Manhattan Woman (Steve Groves, Steve Kipner) - 3:08
14.Lady In Blue (Steve Groves, Steve Kipner) - 3:28
15.Have You Heard The Word? (Billy Laurie, Maurice Gibb, Steve Groves, Steve Kipner) - 4:30
Bonus Track 15 as The Fut
Tin Tin
*Steve Groves - Vocals, Guitars, Bass, Percussion
*Steve Kipner - Vocals, Piano, Bass, Percussion, Mellotron, Drums, Harpsichord, Organ, Tambourine, Electric Piano
In the backwoods of Biddeford, ME, Catfish Black took first form. The band members were all Harvard University students, hippie style. Upon return to the Crimson Castle, in the fall of 1970, the band began testing the local waters in a handful of college appearances. Itching for big- ger and better things, they sought management. Bassist Ernie Brooks' classmate suggested his girlfriend, Museum School attendee, Wellesley, MA native, Suzie Adams. Lead singer Jimmy Mahoney departed. Drummer Andy Paley reaped vocal responsibilities. At the First Earth Day, held next to Harvard Stadium, backing a group based out of Tennessee's Hog Farm commune, Adams saw Catfish Black magic and agreed to fill the management void. A multitude of college mixers, and endless nights of lead guitarist Eric Rosenfeld, (Paley's childhood friend and songwriting partner) screaming chord changes to not-so-well rehearsed Brooks (A! C! Bb!) followed. What also followed were Marblehead brothers, Neil and Loy Grossman.
The Grossman's game plan was this: Take the band into an MIT Union Hall, record them on a TEAC 2-Track, and shop the tapes. The tape shopping caught Janus Records' eye, but other interesting occurrences happened meanwhile. Ernie Brooks' lackadaisical approach to remembering songs got the band thinking in the direction of possible replacements. The outstanding prospect was local bassist Leigh Razowski. The problem with Leigh was that he was in another band and was quite loyal to his situation. After much persuasion, a paid trip from New York to come to one rehearsal, Leigh agreed to join. Ernie in the meantime persuaded Catfish keyboardist Jerry Harrison to come with. At this time, the band looked like this: Andy was fronting the band. Eric was handling lead guitar. Leigh was on bass. Mike Reed, of Hawaii, an original member (I didn't bring him up yet 'cause he was busy reading) played rhythm guitar. Henry Stern was playing drums in Andy's place. Somehow, Adams got all of them to cut their hair. Next came Richard Robinson.
A New York friend of Paley's, Richard Robinson (husband of the rock columnist Lisa Robinson) visited Boston in the summer of 1971. Robinson was riding high being responsible for the Jaggerz' one hit wonder The Rapper and he booked Catfish Black into some New York City Max's Kansas City dates, the home away from home for Warhol's Factory workers.
Record corporation RCA had recently cleared house and Dennis Katz, manager of Blood, Sweat and Tears, and brother of band member Steve Katz was brought in for A &R. When Katz and RCA president Rocco Laginestra signed an inordinate number of new acts, trying to quell the company's previous buffoonery, Catfish Black (now the Sidewinders) were included. (Note: When the band hit New York, they learned of a band with a too-similar moniker and changed their name to the Sidewinders after a line in Roger McGuinn's Chestnut Mare.) Now the Sidewinders were slated to hit the studio under Robinson's production direction for RCA Records.
A week prior to the studio, Richard Robinson rang and informed the band that he was off to London to produce ol' Lou Reed's first solo LP. He also informed the band that his dear friend, Lenny Kaye, later of Patti Smith fortune, was to fill his shoes. The band was too naive to question the situation. The session got off on a positive note. The new direction of RCA and its enthusiasm helped. Fellow label mate, David Bowie, was among the many who slipped through to check out how things were going. Katz was happy. Andy spent the session saying everything was going to be ok. Keep positive. Eric didn't necessarily trust Lenny. Mike was doing a lot of reading. Henry was trying to adjust to a newly found wealth. Leigh was unavailable for comment. One of those cultural phenomena followed. After an infamous Cambridge Boathouse bash, the album was released to mixed radio feelings and excellent press. Billboard Pick of the Week, and those wonderful reviews in Circus, Creem, Variety and Rolling Stone. The record sold well, ironically, in Texas and some scatterings around the country. The record, however, flopped in general.
Henry Stern and Mike Reed quickly departed after the album's release. After 1,000 auditions, blues keysman Larry Luddeke (Far Cry) and drummer Bryan Chase joined. Xmas 1972, the band returned to live performing but after a couple of gigs it was clear that Luddeke wasn't gelling with the band and Susie was called upon to drop the axe again. As a four piece, Rose, Paley, Razowski and Chase played a couple of shows which are best described as disasters. The band needed another guitar.
The audition worked fairly well in terms of sound but the band was dubious of the man. The Sidewinders were informed that Squier was their newest member not long after. Adams was growing weary and decided it was best to pass the band, taking a secondary position, to a big agency. Really big. She figured about a five-month preparation for a Max's industry showcase for New York management would be appropriate to make the transition. With a Billboard Cross Reference (the Who's Who of What's Who), she began the Sidewinder drive. Jerry Weintraub, Nat Weiss, Sid Bernstein, Chrysalis and Katz, who by now had become Zeppelin's American management rep. All showed up at a Sidewinders' gig and all were very impressed. In a sad turn of events, Squier tried to remold the band. Rose felt his creativity was being squashed and Katz (who knew all the words to the Sidewinders' songs), the band's prospective management, ironically thought Squier had to go. Susie thought it would be best to ease Billy out of the situation, slowly. But Squier's alleged innate ability to dismantle had already crippled the band. The Sidewinders slowly unwound.
by Charles William White III, The Beat 1985
Tracks
1. Bad Dreams (Leigh Lisowski) - 3:12
2. Superhit (Andy Paley, Eric Rosenfeld) - 2:11
3. Moonshine (Andy Paley, Eric Rosenfeld) - 2:49
4. The Bumble Bee (Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov) - 2:45
5. Told You So (Andy Paley) - 2:43
6. Rendezvous (Andy Paley, Eric Rosenfeld) - 3:22
7. O Miss Mary (Andy Paley) - 4:06
8. Got You Down (Andy Paley, Eric Rosenfeld) - 2:26
McChurch Soundroom is a Swiss krautrock band formed in Basel Switzerland near the German border. The band was fronted by the Italian-Swiss multi-instrumentalist Sandy Chiesa. All together the band consisted 5 members. Heiner Althaus (guitar), Alan Veltin (organ, piano, vocals), Noby Jud (drums, percussion), Kurt Hafen (bass) and Sandy Chiesa (vocals, flute and acoustic guitar).
Soundroom's first and only album was produced by Conny Plank. The music is heavy krautrock with jazz, fusion, progressive and psychedelic elements. The songs are well arranged and the musicianship is absolutely amazing!!
The album does have a rather rough, unpolished production, starts off acoustic and sounds a whole lot like it came right off Stand Up, right down to vocals that sounds just like Ian Anderson. As the song progresses, the music turns to electric guitar and Hammond organ with bluesy undertones, and progressive passages that oddly sound like they belong on a Yes album, then there's a totally killer jam I wished was much longer, then it goes back to the acoustic beginning.
The next cut, "Dream of a Drummer" is an instrumental, guitar-oriented piece that would have done much better if it wasn't for that useless drum solo. That's the only weak spot on the album, by the way. "Time is Flying" is more of the same great bluesy prog rock sound.
The next song, "What Are You Doin'" is much in the same vein as the previous cut, but I really can't stomach the preachy, anti-drug message in the lyrics, this band totally predates Nancy Reagan's "Just Say No" by a full decade. That's plain silly, because people in to that kind of music at the time were likely lighting up the bong every now and then. The album ends with a two part instrumental called "Trouble" which is basically a jam, played in a rather jazzy manner with flute and Hammond organ dominating.
Unsurprisingly, the LP is quite rare and difficult to find (one online dealer was selling it for $200).The cover to the album is way cool, which is a picture of a skull all covered in dripping candle wax, which also clues you in on the underground nature of the album.
Aside from jettisoning some increasingly archaic psychedelic tendencies (and welcoming second guitarist Bugs Henderson to the fold), Nitzinger's rather arrogantly named sophomore outing, One Foot in History, pretty much picked up right where the Texan band's critically lauded first album had left off. Which is to say that it too boasted an eclectic batch of songs whose only common denominator was orbiting Planet Southern Rock in some capacity, at a time when the genre was approaching its summer solstice, thanks to the tenacity of its star-crossed founding fathers, the Allman Brothers Band, and their fast-rising heirs apparent, Lynyrd Skynyrd.
Among Nitzinger's novel stylistic diversions on One Foot in History were the mellifluous saxophone and orchestrated string backdrops added to the title track and the imperial, Cream-like "Uncle John"; the full-blown jazz breakdown anchoring the Allmans-esque "Motherload"; and, on a negative note, the misplaced, easy listening schmaltz of "Driftwood." Yet heavy Southern rockers were also available in droves, with clear standouts including the barroom brawler "The Cripple Gnat Bounce" (whatever that means!); the driving "Let the Living Grow" (clearly inspired by Humble Pie's barnburning cover of "I Don't Need No Doctor"); and the all-time classic "Earth Eater," which contrasted a pummeling main riff against an amazing melodic hook, the likes of which seems to have cropped up in many an Aerosmith song over the ensuing years.
In fact, were it not for the aforementioned "Driftwood" and a pair of rather average rockers in "Take a Picture" and "God Bless the Pervert" (hmmm...funny, but no "Louisiana Cockfight," that one), One Foot in History might have turned out as impressive and enduring as its predecessor. In the end, it was close enough to give no indication of the troubles that lay ahead, as bandleader John Nitzinger became embroiled with too many distractions and made fans wait almost four years for another Nitzinger LP. [New millennium reissues of One Foot in History were enhanced with a pair of bonus tracks: the funky album outtake "Power Glide" and a hair-raising, nine-minute live jam on "Texas Blues, Jelly Roll."]
John Nitzinger is a Fort Worth, Texas guitarist and songwriter. In the very early 1970s, Nitzinger penned five songs for the Fort Worth band Bloodrock. When Bloodrock 2 went Gold, Nitzinger signed a contract with Capitol Records and his first album, the self titled Nitzinger, was released in early 1972.
Nitzinger's self-titled debut album was in fact the work of a budding Texan guitar cult legend -- the one and only John Nitzinger -- and his namesake power trio, whose music consisted of eclectic but still blues-drenched Southern hard rock and post-psych. The results include ZZ Top-style boogie and blues-rock ("Boogie Queen"), pre-Ted Nugent Gonzo guitar heroisms ("Witness to the Truth"), both of these at once ("Tickelick"), or neither, when it comes to the anthemic Southern rock of "My Last Goodbye," and semi-hit single "Louisiana Cock Fight." In addition, several cuts ("No Sun," "The Nature of Your Taste," etc.) see the trio augmented by soulful backup singers for a Mad Dogs & Englishmen sort of vibe, while others still see the versatile trio flirting with country-rock ("L.A. Texas Boy ") and plaintive balladry (the piano-enhanced "Enigma").
Yet the album's most intriguing/unique quality may be how the deceptively simple, universal, off the cuff material described above features obvious, if nuanced, sophistication, and is offset by lyrically weighty, post-flower power fare as seen in the aforementioned "No Sun" and "Hero of the War." And the fact that even these would-be progressive tendencies are kept to concise song lengths is what probably spared this album from utterly fatal dating; by extension, further separating Nitzinger's raised-on-the-jukebox-singles wheat, from the era's dominant music-conservatory-on-mushrooms chaff. Originally presented in a deluxe gatefold sleeve, it's not surprising that the Nitzinger LP has long been coveted by '70s rock collectors for the band's one-of-a-kind mixture of earthy grit and fearless (possibly naïve) flights of fancy.
George Smith was born on April 22, 1924 in Helena, Arkansas, but was raised in Cairo, Illinois. At age four, he was already taking harp lessons from his mother, a guitar player and a somewhat stern taskmaster: it was a case of get-it-right-or-else. In his early teens, he started hoboing around towns in the South and later joined Early Woods, a country band with Early Woods on fiddle and Curtis Gould on spoons. He also worked with a gospel group in Mississippi called the Jackson Jubilee Singers. Smith moved to Rock Island, Illinois, in 1941 and played with a group that included Francis Clay on drums. There is evidence that he was one of the first to amplify his harp. While working at the Dixie Theater, he took an old 16mm cinema projector, extracted the amplifier/speaker, and began using this on the streets.
Smith's first album on World Pacific, A Tribute to Little Walter, was released in 1968. In 1969, Bob Thiele produced an excellent solo album of Smith on Bluesway, and later made use of Smith as a sideman for his Blues Times label, including sets with T-Bone Walker and Harmonica Slim. Smith met Rod Piazza, a young white harp player, and they formed the Southside Blues Band, later known as Bacon Fat. In 1969, Smith signed with U.K. producer Mike Vernon and did the No Time for Jive album. He was less active in the '70s, appearing with Eddie Taylor and Big Mama Thornton. Around 1977, Smith became friends with William Clarke and they began working together. Their working relationship and friendship continued until Smith died on October 2, 1983.
by Michael Erlewine
Blue Horizon didn’t sign many contemporary US acts, although they did reissue lots of classic American tracks. Bacon Fat featured two bona fide blues heroes in the shape of the West Coast harmonica ace George Smith and the pianist J. D. Nicholson, as well as a bunch of talented white kids, including the harmonica- star-in-the-making Rod Piazza. Together, in these 1970 cuts, they give a blues masterclass with Smith — a revered figure among harp fans — showing off his big, almost sax-like harmonica sound and Piazza revelling in some choice Little Walter numbers.
Fathers and Sons is certainly one of the finest sets of performances from Muddy in quite a while and will do much to offset the bad taste left by the previous Electric Mud and After the Rain albums.
Actually, the performances are surprisingly conservative efforts — certainly not the sort of exciting or fruitful cross-generation, cross-stylistic music one might have been led to expect from the lineup; Waters and Spann (and perhaps drummer Sam Lay) representing the modern Chicago blues mainstream, Bloomfield, Butterfield and Duck Dunn signaling more recent extensions of modern electric blues styles. No, the anticipated fusion doesn’t really take place, and the younger musicians seem content in undertaking roles that are wholly subservient to Muddy’s music. It gives an indication of just how highly the sons regard the father(s), and is a fine tribute to Muddy.
Mike and Paul are almost completely self-effacing throughout the album, particularly on the studio-recorded tracks — “All Aboard” (actually a remake of Crudup’s “Mean Old Frisco”), “Mean Disposition,” “Blow Wind Blow,” “Can’t Lose What You Ain’t Never Had,” “Walkin’ Thru the Park,” “Forty Days and Forty Nights,” “Standin’ ‘Round Crying,” “I’m Ready,” “Twenty-Four Hours” and “Sugar Sweet.” The impression left by these performances is that the participants were striving towards recreating the sounds and textures of Muddy’s original recordings of them and, in this, they’re fairly successful. They’re also helped greatly by the fact that these are songs that have not been done to death, so there’s a certain amount of freshness just due to this. Producer Norman Dayron chose wisely in determining what numbers were to be concentrated on at the sessions (I know for a fact that he sifted through virtually every Waters Chess recording, including unreleased numbers, to come up with a program of tunes that were good and strong but not over-familiar, and his advance planning paid off handsomely).
Happily, Muddy is in excellent voice throughout these performances and he comes across solidly and excitingly. This is in fact some of the best, most convincing singing from Muddy in a hell of a long time; these tracks show that when he’s at the top of his game he’s unbeatable. And he’s there most of the way through these performances. The music takes its lead from Muddy, and everything falls in place behind him.
Butterfield is excellent, playing with a great deal of controlled power, with taste and invention to spare, and tons of energy in reserve. His amplifier tone is beautifully gutty and funky, with just the right edge of cutting intensity. And he never overplays or indulges himself; his accompaniments perfectly complement Muddy’s singing — Paul is listening and responding all the time. Why, Butter, what big ears you have! The basic impetus of his work here is clearly Little Walter, and he’s got it down beautifully, as any number of performances reveal — “Mean Disposition,” “Blow Wind Blow” (two tasty hot Buttered choruses, the first with Bloomfield fills), “Forty Days and Forty Nights,” “I’m Ready,” and so on. Just tasty, intelligent, feelingful harp work, spare, lyrical, driving in turn — and always appropriate. And almost as rhythmically relaxed and insinuating as Little Walter, which is high praise indeed. By the way, while we’re talking about harmonica playing, there’s superlative chromatic work by Jeff Carp (formerly with Sam Lay, lately working with Earl Hooker) all the way through “All Aboard,” acting as a sort of continue to Muddy’s singing and Paul’s rhythmic interjections, on regular harmonica, on the other channel. But on this track it’s Jeff’s show, and he does a hell of a job.
Though he gets a few solos, Spann’s role is primarily rhythmic, and his playing seems a shade less incisive than it has been in the past (his recent heart attacks doubtless explain his adopting a more subdued role). And his piano sound, while clearly defined, is a bit distant sounding.
Bloomfield is almost completely subsidiary to Muddy, although he does have a few soloes in his usual style. Mike’s at his best here — in terms of the overall contours of the music, that is — when he works closely with Muddy and plays in a style akin to the usual second-guitar role developed by such as Little Walter and Jimmy Rogers. That is, good, interesting bass guitar lines that contrast nicely with what Muddy’s playing, or in brief line or phrase-ending fills. He’s actually less effective in solo, for here he plays in his own distinctive, very modern style and this tends to clash with the generally funkier needs and colors of Muddy’s music. Mike’s playing on “You Con’t Lose,” for example, seems a bit too cute for the tune, and his solo on “Walkin’ Thru the Park,” while good, is just a bit too frantic, particularly in view of the already busy textures on which it’s overlaid. The solo with which “I’m Ready” ends also seems inapposite when contrasted with what’s gone before. And so on. Generally, though, Mike does a good supporting job, the only clashes occurring when his own basically sweet melodic style is superimposed on Muddy’s guttier, more rhythmically forceful and less introspective of lyrical approach.
Let me emphasize, however, that these are fine performances on their own terms. It’s perhaps unfortunate that they hew so closely to the arrangements and textures of the “original” recordings of the tunes because this inevitably invites comparison with the originals. And quite frankly, these recent performances — all of them — come off second best. I don’t believe I’m being unfair, obstinate or wrongheadedly romantic in saying this, either: the originals just happen to have greater power, more clearly defined textures, better organization and focus more subtle rhythmic playing and, finally, greater originality than do these. For people who are not familiar with Muddy’s originals this will not be a problem, of course, and these pieces can be enjoyed for what they are — strong, direct, modern Chicago music played honestly and unpretentiously. I do hope, though, that new listeners will be motivated by these performances into checking out the original recordings, which Chess hopefully will be issuing as part of its forthcoming ambitious reissue series.
“Long Distance Call,” “Baby, Please Don’t Go,” “Honey Bee,” “The Same Thing,” and two versions of “Got My Mojo Working” — recorded at an April 24th Chicago benefit concert for the Phoenix Fellowship. Personnel is the same as for the studio sessions, with the exception that drummer Buddy Miles is added (to little audible effect) for the second “Mojo.” Not as polished or as well recorded as the studio material, these tracks possess a good bit of excitement and spirit — though not enough to challenge comparison with the original Waters recordings of the tunes.
Again, Muddy is in excellent voice and, fortunately, his singing is one of the few elements of the proceedings that were recorded adequately. His singing here is simultaneously relaxed and driving, with a nice easy swing that is never forced. Then, too, Butterfield plays slashing, burning harmonica on these tracks, never letting up and pushing things along. He and Muddy make these performances what they are. Bloomfield has two brief solos, neither particularly interesting primarily because they’re just too short, and he pretty much stays in the background, working with the rhythm section.
The recorded sound is not very good; it starts off very poorly but does manage to get a bit better. Spann’s piano and Bloomfield’s guitar are inaudible on “Long Distance Call,” but they’re brought up to a relatively proper level by the time “Baby, Please Don’t Go” (composer credit given Muddy rather than to Big Joe Williams; why?) gets under way. Things pop in and out through the rest of the performances. Sometimes Butterfield’s harp playing is all but lost in the shuffle, other times it cuts through the fuzzy textures with an abrupt sharpness. Apparently the recording situation was difficult (people milling around backstage, etc.), but still and all recording engineer Reice Hamel — who ostensibly specializes in location recording — should have been able to do better than this. With good mikes and a Scully 4-track, the sound should have been far better defined and balanced than this.
Some of the finest Muddy performances in a while but still a long way from the original performances on which his towering reputation rests. The project is helped not a little by Butterfield’s intelligent and feelingful playing, and Sam Lay’s propulsive drumming. Certainly this is the only recent Muddy Waters set to buy … and that’s what this set is — a Muddy Waters album. The faces of some of the sidemen may be white and young but otherwise that’s the sole difference between the performances of this and several earlier editions of the Waters band.
by Pete Welding
Tracks
1. All Aboard - 2:52
2. Mean Disposition - 5:43
3. Blow Wind Blow - 3:38
4. Can't Lose What You Ain't Never Had - 3:06
5. Walkin Thru The Park - 3:22
6. Forty Days And Forty Nights (Bernard Roth) - 3:08
7. Standin' Round Cryin' - 4:05
8. I'm Ready (Willie Dixon) - 3:39
9. Twenty Four Hours (Eddie Boyd) - 4:48
10.Sugar Sweet - 2:18
11.Country Boy - 3:20
12.I Love The Life I Live (I Live The Life I Love) (Willie Dixon) - 2:45
13.Oh Yeah (Willie Dixon) - 3:38
14.I Feel So Good (Big Bill Broonzy) - 3:01
15.Long Distance Call - 6:37
16.Baby, Please Don't Go (Big Joe Williams) - 3:04
17.Honey Bee - 3:56
18.The Same Thing (Willie Dixon) - 5:59
19.Got My Mojo Working, Part One (Preston Foster, McKinley Morganfield) - 3:23
20.Got My Mojo Working, Part Two (Preston Foster, McKinley Morganfield) - 5:12
All songs by McKinley Morganfield except where noted
