[This digest is the copyright of the Move "Useless Information" Mailing List. Re-publication or re-distribution of "Useless Information" content, in any form whatsoever, is expressly prohibited without prior written consent.] USELESS INFORMATION The Move Mailing List Digest Issue #334 March 13, 2002 In this issue: * Big Girls Blues at Bilston * Meeting place in NY / Tour merchandise * Brum Notes on BBC Radio 2 * Roy's Ten of the Best * Who's going to NY to see Roy? * Song Of The Week (week of 3/11): "Something Else" * A beverage question * Song Of The Week (week of 3/4): "Turkish Tram Conductor Blues" * Anyone from Baltimore/DC * Question about the Village Underground * Anyone care to share a room? * Goldmine interview with Roy Wood (Part 6) ============================================================== To POST TO THE LIST: Send an e-mail to: move-list@eskimo.com Useful Web addresses: TheMoveOnline: http://www.themoveonline.com Official Roy Wood site: http://www.roywood.co.uk Face The Music Online: http://www.ftmusic.com Join the ELO List: http://www.eskimo.com/~noanswer/showdown.html Move List Info & Archives: http://www.eskimo.com/~noanswer/movelist.html TO UNSUBSCRIBE: Send an e-mail to move-digest-request@eskimo.com with the word "unsubscribe" (no quotes) in the subject line ============================================================== Subject: Big Girls Blues at Bilston Date: Thu, 14 Mar 2002 00:53:32 -0000 From: "Dave Woodier" Just an hour and a half ago, the Army finished their set at the Robin 2. First gig since before Xmas Roy said, with three new faces in the brass section you would not have guessed it was. They sounded tight, together and darn fine if I may say so. Another top class gig and they even through in a new song, not a new song that is not really a new song, but as Roy said 'This is the first time we have played this live' and they launched into BGB. I'll just say brilliant and on a par with all Roy's non-released compositions. New York had a couple of mentions, they look to be 'up for it'. One thing, you must make sure that Roy knows you want IWICBCE.... I know you all will, but ENJOY a truly talented band, fronted by a musical genius. I WANT TO BE THERE! Can't wait for all your postings post shows. All the best, Dave ********** Subject: Meeting place in NY / Tour merchandise Date: Tue, 12 Mar 2002 12:18:46 -0800 From: Lynn Hoskins Don't look at me, I'm from Southern California. :) Is there someone on the list who can scout out a good location for a fan pre-show meeting place each of the four nights? I believe there's a bar next door to the venue, and the Washington Square Hotel has a lounge called C3. Would either of these be suitable? Suggestions, please. Also, to answer some off-list inquiries, there will be merchandise for sale at these gigs. Probably t-shirts and tour books. ********** Subject: Brum Notes on BBC Radio 2 Date: Sat, 9 Mar 2002 14:39:02 -0800 From: "chris roberts" Just finished listening to "Brum Notes" BBC Radio 2 - Stuart Maconie's Critical List (thanks for the tip off Lynn). I only caught the last half of the show so I suspect I missed the Move references earlier on but prior to closing with Black Sabbath, presenter Maconie mixed the Move's 'It Wasn't My Idea To Dance' into ELO's' Birmingham Blues - The first time I have ever heard either on the old wireless. Maconie introduced these with a name check for the Idle Race and followed this with an explanation of the reference with the accurate tale of the end of the Move and their metomofis to ELO via 'Message from the Country' and the first 'ELO album'. Sorry that I missed the whole show now - I really must check my e-mail more often :OI Chris (Cardiff, Wales) ********** Subject: Roy's Ten of the Best Date: Tue, 12 Mar 2002 00:43:01 -0800 From: Jon Hinchliffe I have just been Hunting through my e-mails for Roy's Ten of the best choices. I have lost them it seems. Does anyone still have a list to hand? ********** Subject: Re: Roy's Ten of the Best Date: Tue, 12 Mar 2002 00:44:31 -0800 From: Lynn Hoskins Jon - here you go... Paul King's "Ten Of The Best" on VH-1 featuring Roy's Top Ten Videos - April 7, 2000 1) Manic Street Preachers - A Design For Life 2) Aerosmith and Run DMC - Walk This Way 3) ZZ Top - Legs 4) Cheap Trick - I Want You To Want Me 5) Beach Boys - Break Away 6) Aztec Camera - Somewhere In My Heart 7) They Might Be Giants - Birdhouse In Your Soul 8) Talking Heads - Road To Nowhere 9) Led Zeppelin - Black Dog 10) Sting - Englishman In New York ********** Subject: Who's going to NY to see Roy? Date: Wed, 13 Mar 2002 01:33:15 -0800 From: Lynn Hoskins Pre-show fan gathering plans are in the works. I want to make sure that those who are interested in meeting other fans from the Move and ELO lists have gotten their details to me. If you did not receive an e-mail from me today confirming all or part of your info, then I don't have it. If you want to hook up with other fans, please send the following info to me ASAP: Full name City/State/Country Which nights you're attending Hotel/Phone Flight itinerary Providing your flight plans may come in handy for sharing taxis to and from the airport. And your phone number and/or hotel info enables others to find you if there are any last-minute plans. Fan gathering announcements will not be posted to the list. They'll be sent off-list to those who have asked to be included. One final reminder... if you need hotel suggestions, drop me an e-mail. There's a hotel within walking distance of the venue that is offering a special group rate. Thanks! ********** Subject: Song Of The Week: "Something Else" Date: Tue, 12 Mar 2002 00:44:19 -0800 From: Lynn Hoskins Song Of The Week: March 11, 2002 "Something Else" from the album "Something Else From The Move" Ideas for discussion: Songwriting/lyrics Vocals Live performance Arrangement & instrumentation Overall production What were your thoughts the first time you heard it? Strengths/weaknesses *********************** "Something Else" (E.Cochran/S.Sheeley) Hey, look-a there What's all this Here comes that girl again Been trying to date her Since I don't know when She don't notice me When I pass She goes with all the guys They're out of my class Ain't stoppin' me From a thinkin' to myself She's sure good lookin', man She's somethin' else Hey, look-a there Across the street There's a car Meant just for me To keep that car Would be a luxury But right now I can't afford the gas A brand new convertible Is out of my class But that can't stop me From a thinkin' to myself That car's good lookin', man That's somethin' else Hey, look-a here What's all this Never thought I'd do this before But here I am A knockin' on the door My car's outside It's all mine A '67 Ford Not a '59 Ain't stoppin me From a thinkin' to myself It all comes true, man That's somethin' else ********** Subject: A beverage question Date: Tue, 12 Mar 2002 12:18:52 -0800 From: "Michael J. Cross" Hey Roy Fans, Anyone on this list who knows Roy personally willing to share with us what Roy's favorite brewed beverage might be? On the slim chance that I get to offer to buy him a pint, I'd like to know specifically what to offer him. Martin? Andrew? Rob? Full of Butterflies, Mike Cross Rochester, NY ********** Subject: Re: A beverage question Date: Tue, 12 Mar 2002 20:30:36 -0800 From: "Tyler C.Sherman" I remember reading in an interview that Roy said back in Wizzard's touring days he and the band could be found in the back of the bus with a case of Newcastle Brown Ale. I also read somewhere that he is fond of vodka. If we're lucky enough to find him at the bar prior to showtime and all clamor to buy him a drink, he may never make back it to the stage! Wizzards, Tyler ********** Subject: Re: A beverage question Date: Wed, 13 Mar 2002 10:38:10 -0800 From: "Rich Lamphear" Tyler wrote: > If we're lucky enough to find him at the bar prior to showtime and all > clamor to buy him a drink, he may never make back it to the stage! I agree... y'all be careful about buying Roy drinks. Wait till AFTER the show!! ********** Subject: Re: A beverage question Date: Wed, 13 Mar 2002 10:38:21 -0800 From: "Dave Woodier" Vodka and red bull I believe. I hope to have the privilege at Bilston tonight. Will report in later. ********** Subject: Re: A beverage question Date: Wed, 13 Mar 2002 08:13:25 -0500 From: "Michael J. Cross" Thanks for all the replies, both on ond off-list. I now know all I wanted. Note to Village Underground attendees: are you folks feeling excited yet? :-) Mike Cross Rochester, NY ********** Subject: Re: Song Of The Week: "Turkish Tram Conductor Blues" Date: Tue, 12 Mar 2002 00:43:28 -0800 From: "Boz Mdcn" I came late to this song, first hearing it on the Best of the Move (Music Club) five or six years ago. I finally got copy of Looking On just two years ago I was recently reminiscing with someone about the Wizzard singles saying 'there was almost so much in them I wondered how they managed to pack it all on the record'. This has a similar feel. I love the almost 'world-weary' feeling of 'Turn over, turn over' and the way the track rocks all the way to the outro which has a really defiant air about it As I'm a tram enthusiast (British trams mainly - not Turkish ones) this is also a sort of 'cross-over' track for me. Even though the lyrics don't seem to have much to do with trams :) Boz ********** Subject: Anyone from Baltimore/DC Date: Sun, 10 Mar 2002 15:04:56 -0800 From: Joe Farmarco Anyone from the Baltimore, Maryland, or Washington, DC, area going to any of the Roy shows in NYC on Friday, the 22nd? I'll be traveling up by train from Penn Station in Baltimore that day, but would love to have any other fans join us if they'd like, if we can agree on a common time/train. If you're interested, please email me offlist. :) ********** Subject: Question about the Village Underground Date: Tue, 12 Mar 2002 20:30:44 -0800 From: Beth Gatlin Has anyone been to the Village Underground? Does anyone know if we're allowed to bring cameras? ********** Subject: Anyone care to share a room? Date: Tue, 12 Mar 2002 00:43:41 -0800 From: "Bob Coulter" My friend Dave who thought he might be able to make the trip with me is unable to go, so I'll be traveling alone. I'm trying to minimize my hotel expenses. I haven't booked a room yet. Is there anybody who wants to cut their costs in half by sharing a room with twin beds? I don't smoke and I don't snore! If anyone is interested, please let me know ASAP. If I have to book a room for myself I need to get moving. Thanks, Bob Coulter, Mississauga, Ontario ********** Subject: Goldmine interview with Roy Wood (Part 6) Date: Tue, 12 Mar 2002 13:57:34 -0800 From: Lynn Hoskins Roy Wood: The Wizzard of Rock Goldmine September 30, 1994 by Ken Sharp PART 6 Goldmine: Didn't your makeup inspire KISS? Roy Wood: It was a great thing, really. When we eventually toured with Wizzard in America we did a few gigs supporting KISS and I did this radio interview; me and Gene Simmons did the interview together. I think it was in Detroit or something like that and he actually admitted on the air that they had been influenced by my makeup to get the band on the road, which I thought was nice of him to say in public. Goldmine: Did it take a lot of pressure off you as a songwriter and musician when you brought Jeff Lynne into the Move? Roy Wood: It did, really, yeah. How ELO got started was myself and Jeff had been talking about ELO for a long time before that and we were recording the album message From The Country and Jeff had come up with a skeleton idea for "10538 (Overture)." He'd just got the beginning to it. We got to grips with that. We actually put a backing track down to that. It was me, Jeff, Bev Bevan and Rick Price. We put it down as a Move backing track but then Rick and Bev went home and Jeff and myself were in the studio working out ideas. I'd been to a music shop about a week before and bought a cello. That was when I started collecting instruments. It was like a Chinese copy of a cello (laughs). It was sort of yellowy in color but it sounded really good. It didn't sound like a sweet, mellow cello, especially the way I was playing it. I was doing all these Jimi Hendrix riffs on it. It sounded really quite wild. I was just sort of messing about as they were playing the tape back in the control room. Jeff said, "Oh, yeah, put some of those on." So I ended up putting loads of them on and it sounded like an orchestra. That's how the whole thing started. Goldmine: When you were doing the Looking On album, did you and Jeff want to finish the Move so you could get started with ELO? Roy Wood: More or less, yeah. I think Looking On and Message From The Country were the end of an era. The only reason that Jeff actually joined the Move was so we could be under the same roof and get ELO together and I don't think Jeff would have wanted to do any more albums with the Move. Goldmine: "It Wasn't My Idea To Dance" has definite elements of ELO on it. Roy Wood: Yeah, I think I played oboe on that one, if I remember correctly. Goldmine: Do you have a large collection of instruments today? Roy Wood: Yeah, I've got quite a few. Most are in storage and I don't get a chance to play them. The first time we went out onstage with the new band I was playing bad pipes on stage. That works really well. Goldmine: "Feel So Good" is a real interesting song from the Looking On album. It's very funky. Who are the female singers on it? Roy Wood: Oh, yeah, that was Doris Troy and P.P. Arnold. That was another instance where the other guy had gone home. In fact, myself and Jeff started that track off. We were just messing around 'cause all the gear was still set up and Jeff played drums on that and I played bass. We put the drums and bass on that first and just added things as we went along and it worked really well. It's a different way of working. Goldmine: Was the album cover your idea? Roy Wood: With the bald heads? Goldmine: Yeah. Roy Wood: No, it was a photograph that the record company had for years that was actually going to be used for the Move years before that. We didn't really have much of a say in it. They just put it on there. It was all right. Goldmine: How much live work did the Move do with Jeff Lynne? Roy Wood: Not that much. It was coming to its end then. When Jeff first joined we went to Ireland and did a tour there. When we got back we were mainly doing festivals and all that sort of stuff. We did Reading and other summer festivals. Goldmine: Do you have a favorite Roy wood/Jeff Lynne collaboration from your Move days? Roy Wood: Oh, dear. Basically, we collaborated on quite a few things but because of our publishing situation it usually went down on the sleeve as a Roy Wood or Jeff Lynne song. I don't remember any tracks that were written together. There was one of Jeff's called "The Minister" that I liked a lot, which we worked on together. "Ella James" was one of mine that we worked on together. Goldmine: Do you like the Message From The Country album? Roy Wood: Yeah. Well I like it a lot more than Shazam, put it that way. It was probably the best one that we ever did. Goldmine: You mentioned the Beatles a while back as a big early influence on your writing. Did you ever have any involvement with them? Roy Wood: In those days I probably met them once or twice but only just to shake hands and say hello. I couldn't say that I knew them very well. Goldmine: Along with Jeff Lynne, the Move recorded a few final singles including "Tonight" which I read a while ago was your favorite Move song. Roy Wood: Not all the time. My favorite Move track of all time is "Blackberry Way." But I did like it, and "Chinatown" was good as well. Goldmine: The last Move single was "California Man," which has echoes of all your '50s heroes. Roy Wood: I just felt it was time for Jeff and myself to rock 'n' roll. His favorite artist at that time was Jerry Lee Lewis and mine was Little Richard, so I thought, I'm gonna write a rock 'n' roll song, which is what I did, and we treated it that way. It was like one singer meets another singer and it worked out all right. Goldmine: Did you like Cheap Trick's version of "California Man"? Roy Wood: I did like it. I like Cheap Trick, they're a good band. They're good friends of mine. I played in Phoenix with them, as well in an open air gig, and it was great. I really enjoyed it. it was in '79, probably. I was just on holiday and I happened to see that they were around and I met up with them. it was great, it was a good gig. Myself and Rick Nielsen did a bit of guitar battle and we did a bit of "Brontosaurus" and we did "California Man." I joined in on a couple of their songs and it worked great. Goldmine: They also covered "Rock And Roll Tonight." Roy Wood: It was interesting. I think it could have been slightly better, actually, but it was still all right. Goldmine: The creation of ELO harkens back in sound several years with "Cherry Blossom Clinic." Do you regret that you kept the Move going longer? Roy Wood: I think I did, really. I had the idea for ELO. The first album that we did with the original "Cherry Blossom Clinic" and a few other songs that had strings, I thought wouldn't it be great to get a band together and instead of advertising for a guitarist, advertise for a french horn player or a cellist 'cause there must be young people around that play those instruments that like rock 'n' roll. I thought of it back then but it just took so long to bring it to fruition. I felt even then that the only way I could do it was with someone else's help. That person happened to be Jeff, who I rated very highly. Goldmine: I understand that for the first ELO album there were times that you were in the studio overdubbing 20 different cello parts. Roy Wood: Oh, yeah, I did loads of that (laughs). Goldmine: What ELO was doing at the start was very innovative and revolutionary. Did some people second guess the band's direction? Roy Wood: Even EMI wasn't sure, to be honest. They only agreed to let us release an album under the name of ELO if we did another Move album. At that time we were working on Message From The Country, more or less at the same time. Obviously, you could hear influences on both and that's obviously why. Goldmine: I understand at the early ELO gigs you had problems amplifying the cellos. Roy Wood: Oh, yeah. In those days you couldn't get Barcus Berry violins and you couldn't get electric stuff like that. We amplified the cellos using those sort of microphones that the army uses, those throat mikes. It's a microphone that fits around your throat and you use it in the field. We got a couple of those and jammed them down the bridge of the cello and amplified them that way. They were like contact mikes but obviously if you turned them up too loud they used to whistle and feedback and all that. It got really difficult because Bev as a drummer was used to playing loud with the Move. So the rhythm section ended up being quite loud and a lot of times you couldn't hear the strings enough. Goldmine: How did audiences react to such a new sound? Roy Wood: They didn't know what to make of it to start with. I think the first gig we ever did was "Barbarellas" in Birmingham. It was a big nightclub and actually most of the people in the audience were from other bands and just wanted to see what we were up to, what was going on. They were all saying afterwards what a weird atmosphere it was. It was quite an electric atmosphere, really. (To be continued...) ----- Coming up in Part 7: The formation of Wizzard, Roy's favorite Wizzard hits, how Roy rates "Wizzard's Brew," "Mustard" and "Boulders," Roy's self-portrait on the cover of "Boulders," and writing for Elvis Presley. End of Useless Information #334 ******************************* [This digest is the copyright of the Move "Useless Information" Mailing List. Re-publication or re-distribution of "Useless Information" content, in any form whatsoever, is expressly prohibited without prior written consent.]