[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 #337 March 29, 2002 In this issue: * Setlist for 3/21, 3/22 NYC * NYC reviews * Roy Wood at the Village Underground * NY Daily News review * Mom's in Big Trouble - Please Help Her Out! * Just loved Roy * A great time! * My weekend * Roy In NYC - Saturday * Questioningly * Tape of Saturday's show? * Woody live - now more than ever! * Roy In NYC - review * I like odd! - Roy Wood Live @ The VU ============================================================== 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: Setlist for 3/21, 3/22 NYC Date: Tue, 26 Mar 2002 17:12:46 -0800 From: "Michael J. Cross" Hello Gang, As promised, here's the setlist: Brontosaurus Introduction (or as I had in my notes, Bronto Intro) California Man Ball Park Incident Fire Brigade House of Love (Kiss Me) Good Night Boadicea Medlry: Angel Fingers->Forever->Flowers in the Rain Rescue Me (w/the Naylor Twins on voclas, and Roy taking a breather) Roys' Revenge (?) (featuring a drum solo) Big Girl Blues Are You Ready to Rock (Roy takes a turn at the bagpipes-yay!) See My Baby Jive Blackberry Way I Can Hear the Grass Grow I Wish it Could Be Christmas Everyday More on the actual *experience* later :-) Mike Cross (I wish it was last Thursday all over again ;-) Rochester, NY ********** Subject: NYC reviews Date: Tue, 26 Mar 2002 13:14:29 -0800 From: Lynn Hoskins Hi all, Roy's shows attracted lots of press folks so if you're in NYC please keep an eye out for reviews. I'll try to get my own review done soon. It's a little hard to come up with the words to explain how truly wonderful it was to finally see Roy perform live... but I think I can manage. ;) Please keep the great reviews coming. I'm getting lots of mail from list members asking for more. Thank you! ********** Subject: Roy Wood at the Village Underground Date: Wed, 27 Mar 2002 10:09:10 -0800 From: "Vinny DeNunzio" I went to the Thursday night show at the Village Underground (I had to be there for his arrival back in the states). The last time I saw Roy Wood was when he was with Wizzard. The mid-seventies at the old Acedemy of Music on 14th St. in Manhattan. They were opening for Black Oak Akansas (what kind of deranged idiot put this bill together). They were great but unfortunately got booed off the stage. I've waited very patiently for over 25 years to see Roy's Revenge gig. It was definitely worth the wait. The band (Army) was tight, together and having a good time. A totally professional attitude. Roy was loose and full of energy. Plenty of good vibes to go around. I loved all the old tunes and dug the new stuff too. One question...Why didn't Roy do anything off his two solo records, 'Boulders' & 'Mustard'? Just curious. I even got to meet him before the show at sound check. What a nice man. The thrill of a life time for me. Great night. Great show. Great music. Sooo...When's Roy bringing his Army back to the States??? I sure hope they had a great time and want to return soon. Vinny D. ********** Subject: NY Daily News review Date: Tue, 26 Mar 2002 18:47:48 -0800 From: Lynn Hoskins Standing in the Shadows '60s guitar hero Roy Wood shakes off decades of neglect to play N.Y. New York Daily News Saturday, March 23, 2002 by Jim Farber Archivists of British rock, take note. Guitarist Roy Wood, one of the most criminally undersung stars in U.K. pop history, is performing his first New York shows in ... drumroll ... 28 years. Wood's opening night, Thursday, at the Village Underground (he closes tomorrow) might not have convinced non-aficionados of his full talent. But at least it grazed the surface of his gift, leaving fans' memories to fill in the rest. For those who haven't followed the story so far, Wood (not to be confused with Rolling Stone Ron Wood, no relation) rose to prominence in the mid-'60s fronting rabidly creative psychedelic band the Move. Later, Wood founded the string-pop act Electric Light Orchestra (with Jeff Lynne), only to quickly ditch them for the rockabilly-glam band Wizzard. Wood's 75-minute show plucked hits from his early career, along with newer material that fans probably could have done without, given the legend's deep catalog and long absence from these shores. At least Wood's show had a campy theatricality. Sporting red and yellow hair extensions, the 55-year-old looked like Rob Zombie's demented father. Wood's splashy 12-piece band, the Army, included eight young, mostly female horn players. Wood's repertoire proved as sprawling as his band. It ranged from psychedelic baubles ("Fire Brigade" and "Blackberry Way," a No. 1 U.K. hit in '69) to proto-metal ("I Can Hear the Grass Grow") to glam rock ("See My Baby Jive," another No. 1 in '73) to power pop (his best-known cut, "California Man," later made more famous by Cheap Trick). There was a mild cloddish quality to the band, with its clunky horns. And Wood's boyish voice wasn't always strong. But to see this lost legend in such good humor had to thrill any Anglophile, not to mention anyone who appreciates finely written pop. Rumor has it that Cheap Trick may appear at one of this weekend's events. If you can't make those, do yourself a favor and chase down Move albums such as "Message From the Country" or "Shazam" - just in case Wood decides to pull another 28-year no-show. [Photo caption: Long-lost legend: Roy Wood at the Village Underground] [END] ********** Subject: Re: NY Daily News review Date: Wed, 27 Mar 2002 00:29:49 -0800 From: John DeSilva > Standing in the Shadows > '60s guitar hero Roy Wood shakes off decades of neglect to play N.Y. > New York Daily News > Saturday, March 23, 2002 > by Jim Farber Ok ... Of course everybody's entitled to his/her opinion, but some of Mr. Farber's comments weren't, how should I say it, cricket. No mention was made of the myriad sound problems on Thursday night, not the least of which was the complete lack of monitor sound for the band and Roy himself. This would explain why Roy's "boyish voice wasn't always strong" - he strained his voice halfway through the gig due to not being able to hear himself. And I'm sorry, but "cloddish"? The band was anything but cloddish every night I saw them, sound problems notwithstanding. "Clunky"??? Who is this guy Farber, Chip Douglas? (sorry to my non-US friends for the obscure American TV reference - those of you who grew up in the US in the 60s know what I mean hopefully). Point being that I felt the horns were spot on for the entire set of gigs that I saw, and that the arrangements were quite inventive and breathed new life into several of the classic songs. But hey, that's just my opinion ... JD San Jose, CA ********** Subject: Mom's in Big Trouble - Please Help Her Out! Date: Tue, 26 Mar 2002 13:13:53 -0800 From: cathy uselton Oh boy - Mom's in Big Trouble here... ;-) I just got back from the fabulous Roy's Army NYC shows. (Awesome!!!) I bought myself a tee-shirt. I'm wearing it this morning. My 13 year old daughter saw it and said - "That shirt is really cool! Did you get me one?" OH SH^T!!!! Did any of you who went to the NYC shows happen to obtain an extra short-sleeved shirt that you wouldn't mind parting with? I'll pay you as much as you want for the shirt (within reason - I wouldn't pay $100!!) and I'll also pay for postage. Help me out there! I'm in the doghouse... thanks! cu doghouse, ok ********** Subject: Just loved Roy Date: Tue, 26 Mar 2002 13:14:02 -0800 From: "prplhaz" The five of us all saw Roy in 1974 at the ROXY theater Northampton PA. USA had to see him again. On March 23 2002 I, Gary Rosenblatt, Ken Wuchter, Tim Reed, and a buddy from work John Koloso, we left for New York at 8:30 AM Ken drove, took 22 to 23 to 78 to Morristown, 10:00 took the NJ train into the city. Got off at Penn Station came out and headed downtown. We walked from 34 street to 4th found the "Village Underground." Went to McDougels for lunch some good burgers, headed out and went C/D and cigar shopping. Hit the Subway got 4 tokens, headed back up town not to far "whew" 23rd street Midnight Records, the city is just mesmerizing. Got back on the subway went to a shop near Ground Zero. Got off and Gary got us directions to the big hole in the ground. We walked down and saw where the twin towers once stood. "WOW". Ok we headed through China Town people lots of people. Couple of blocks up went into Little Italy. Well by now we are really parched so we found a nice place to get a drink. Me and Mr. Reed had perfect Manhattans. From there we went to three Little Indians a cigar bar for dinner we all had Bershal very good. More drinks and a couple cappucinos and Expresso's, back out into the night we headed back to the Village, we went through Washington Square, "twice" now back to the show. We got there the place is about 3 times as big as Godfrey Daniels 300 people, it was crowded. John and I found two chairs then Tim Gary and Ken got into a booth right behind us, the first band the Star Spangles "punk" OK. Now "Roy Woods" Army, the band 4 trumpets 3 girls 1 guy, 2 girls sax's 2 girl trombones, 2 twin girls backup singers one who would play keyboards a guy drummer and bass and Roy. The whole band was so involved in the show it was amazing, singing, playing, unbelievable. Brontosaurus, California Man, Fire Brigade, Roys Revengs. Some new stuff and more old stuff, Roy was sick so he cut his show short but it was so intense that it really did not matter. I would have loved to see a lot more but what a show, compared to what I own on C/D and what I can remember from the Roxy 1974 show, this was a step up. Roy has done nothing but progress. The only thing we can hope, is he comes back again and not wait 28 years again. So we headed up town to Penn Station back to NJ. To catty and home what a great day. Hope you all can catch him the next time he is here I know I will. ********** Subject: A great time! Date: Tue, 26 Mar 2002 17:12:30 -0800 From: "Joe Doyle" What a great time was had in NYC. Will post soon, but I must say that I had an absolutely fabulous time!! It was great to meet everybody and Friday night's show was simply great - the place was hopping. Joe Ramsey - Emma blows you a kiss!! ********** Subject: My weekend Date: Wed, 27 Mar 2002 17:06:05 -0800 From: marmil Boy, am I glad I saw Roy on Friday! My plan was to go on Sunday as well and meet a bunch of you in NYC. About 5 minutes before Bruce Markow called me, I fell down the steps in my house and broke my foot in 4 places! (Which is why, Bruce, I sounded so rattled when you called). I didn't know it was broken 'til Monday AM, but it sure hurt like hell on Sunday nite! In any case, Fri. nite was AMAZING!!!! I had the best time, it was great to see Roy, and the band ROCKED!!!! And it was great hooking up w/ Henry, John D., Lynn (very briefly) Mike Cross, etc etc). Here's hoping we can do it again soon! Marc (and keep your hands off my ginger ale!!!!) ********** Subject: Roy In NYC - Saturday Date: Wed, 27 Mar 2002 21:47:40 -0800 From: "Drew Jacobs" We hit the Saturday Night Show too late to meet any fellow move listers, sorry to say. However, WHAT A SHOW! The sound was great, the tune selection was excellent. Sorry Roy was under the weather, but he sounded great too! It was a show full of highlights. My personal favorite is "Forever", but the more I think about it the more I look forward to the next time. I'd like to see a set list posted so I could make a CD of the tunes played (sans the new ones!) It's been great fun reading about the listers experiences in NYC! Keep them coming! Drew Jacobs Latham, NY ********** Subject: Questioningly Date: Wed, 27 Mar 2002 21:48:16 -0800 From: Plastic Ono Dream Hey, doesn't anybody who didn't get to see "roy wood's army" in new york last week have any questions about the shows? I think a lot of people who went are too overwhelmed or still recovering to post their personal review yet ********** Subject: Re: Questioningly Date: Thu, 28 Mar 2002 17:57:34 -0800 From: LenB You know I think you are correct. I still can't get the fact that after waiting so long I finally got to see Roy. I went to the Thursday night show with my cousin (another RW fan) and we had a great time. The best was the ending with "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday" because when we went outside IT WAS SNOWING !! (albeit lightly!). I purchased 2 tickets for Friday night and brought my wife along, whom I have been telling about RW for 22 years. She loved the show and thought Roy was very personable. She knew the songs since I have played his records and songs on my guitar for years. I only wished I had a recording of the shows for my listening pleasure. In short, the shows were great, the band was tight, the arrangements great, his voice was as I expected. I have some pictures from Friday's show. If anyone wants them to post on a website I'll gladly send them off. Len from NYC ********** Subject: Tape of Saturday's show? Date: Wed, 27 Mar 2002 21:57:18 -0800 From: "Greg O'Brien" The Roy Wood show on Saturday at the Village Underground was incredible! Even though he was sick it was outstanding. Even cooler were the people. It's been a long time since I had so much fun with the crowd. If anybody has a copy of any of the shows on DAT, CD, MC...etc. and/or a video I would love to get a hold of it. Please e-mail if you have a copy. Thanks. ********** Subject: Woody live - now more than ever! Date: Wed, 27 Mar 2002 21:47:55 -0800 From: John DeSilva As I sit here trying to concentrate on work, listening to my Woody playlist on my iPod, it struck me how much I liked the newer arrangements of the classic Wizzard and Move stuff that the Army performed in NYC (and I have LOVED the originals for over 30 years now). I was just listening to "Angel Fingers", and I found myself missing the more up front backing vocals from the Thunderbirds ("Aaanngels!"). I know it's been beaten to death, but here goes - pleasepleaseplease Roy release either the live album you already have in the can, or record a new one - damn, I miss that sound already and it's only been 3 days!!!! Love, JD San Jose, CA ********** Subject: Roy In NYC - review Date: Thu, 28 Mar 2002 17:57:42 -0800 From: "Leigh Woolford" Hi everyone, Just got back from New York and wanted to add my comments to those I have just been reading. I suspect I am going to take a bit of a stick for saying this but I felt that the size and layout of the Village Underground didn't really allow the Woody starved US contingent to see the Army in all it's usual glory. Don't get me wrong, I know everyone enjoyed the shows (and so did I) but I feel it needs to be said that the gigs weren't 'top notch' by normal Army standards. Please do not misunderstand me, I am not talking about individual musicians performances which were excellent, I am merely referring to the constraints laid upon the band and their crew by the venue and it's layout. Those responsible worked wonders with the sound but I feel they were 'dancing in chains' or trying to get the proverbial silk purse out of a sow's ear. I have never seen Vince work so hard to overcome a myriad of technical niggles! That said, the audience reaction belied the nerves and technical difficulties of Thursday and the 'medical' difficulties of Saturday and I see from postings to this list that these performances were enjoyed apparently unanimously by those who attended. The VU performances have already been well documented but, for what it's worth, I thought Friday and Sunday were the best of the four with Sunday just getting the nod (although it was close and I suspect others will disagree). I choose Sunday simply because the Army were at full strength with Paul (a powerhouse on trumpet) having recovered from his Friday night illness. I also thought that 'Grass Grow' (one of my favourites) sat nicely in its new berth at the end of the set and it was nice to hear the American crowd baying to hear the Christmas one! That aside, it appeared to me that the 'Move' songs were the ones people really wanted to hear! I heard 'Hello Suzie' and 'Cherry Blossom Clinic' suggested from the audience on dozens of occasions over the four nights and someone even asked for 'Turkish Tram Conductors Blues!' Incidentally, I have to agree with Drew Jacobs that this would be an ideal time to release the fabled 'Live Album' judging from the reception Roy and the band received in NYC although a phrase containing the words 'fly', 'might' and pigs' does spring to my mind! I have to ask two questions though! 1. Why the Village Underground? It is a good small rock venue I suppose but this wasn't 'small rock'! It most certainly did not suit this mammoth 13 piece band. Surely there are other more appropriate venues in NYC? Are there? There must be! 2. Why four nights in a row"? This was a punishing schedule that I felt the band (and yer man Roy) suffered from. Surely they deserved (and needed) at least one night off. Well, I guess there are those of you who are going to disagree with some of the things I've said. I'd be interested to hear your opinions. However, finally, and perhaps most importantly of all, I'd just like to say how much Daizy and I enjoyed the experience of visiting New York and meeting so many great people. I won't name names as this posting is long enough as it is but it was a pleasure and a privileged to meet you all (both old friends and new). It made each night at the Village Underground special for both of us. Thanks to you all for making it such fun. I didn't realise Daizy knew so many great people in NYC! Cheers, Leigh Woolford ********** Subject: I like odd! - Roy Wood Live @ The VU Date: Fri, 29 Mar 2002 09:46:41 -0800 From: Joe Ramsey There's not much that I can add to my friend John DeSilva's review... saw the show all four nights, the music was tight, large beyond the constraints of the Village Underground, Roy was in great voice (what would you expect?) even when he complained of being sick on Saturday. He did the obligatory set of greatest hits (again, what would you expect?), and while some of our British friends might have been disappointed with that, they have to remember... the USA hasn't seen Woody in 28 years!!! Yeah, give us some o' dem greatest hits. Highlights: Angel Fingers... I like it better than See My Baby Jive, this one takes on a whole new dimension heard live. Loved the baritone sax intro - that's an awfully big saxophone for such a little girl. Beautiful. Marilyn says this song is for her. Could be. Roy's Revenge... A big instrumental along the lines of Giant Footsteps, or is that Jubilee? Can only think of the phrase "blowin' up a storm" which is what the horn section did. Not crazy about the drum solo (I wish Woody had done it - but the drummer was a very good player) but I figure it gave our Roy a much needed break, so served it's purpose. Blackberry Way. Simply beautiful. Better live than on the record and the perfect showcase for Roy's vocal. Absolutely great. A showstopper. And as wonderful as the show was, the best thing for me was meeting all of our list sisters and brothers. It seemed everywhere we went we met folks from the list. My great friend Plastic Ono Brian Carter pitched a wang-dang-doodle for all of us at a rehearsal studio downtown. What a gas! You haven't lived til you've heard John Desilva's version of "Can't Get It Out Of My Head!" And I'll tell you what, P.Ono Carter laid down a very Lou Reed-y vocal of "Turkish Tram Conductor Blues" Did he make up those lyrics himself? Yes he did. I think Roy would have been proud! Like the ELO Los Angeles shows, it showed me once again the POWER of music and what it means to people. A lot. Really. I finally met my British döppelganger, Joe Doyle! We talked so much that we were shushed by a very stern woman in the bar area. Incredulously, I asked her, "WHAT?!! You have to be kidding!! We're in a bar for chrissakes... not Carnegie Hall" (oooh we were too loud!) Lynn, who I am very grateful to, got me into Friday's soundcheck where I was lucky enough to watch Roy bark out some instructions to the band vis a vis "I Can Hear The Grass Grow." He asked his faithful soundman, Roger, what he thought of the arrangement to which Roger replied, "It's a bit odd." Roy thought about it and replied, "I like odd." "Well, you got odd," says Roger (truthfully, it didn't sound all that odd to me but I love Super Active Wizzo, so go figure!). And New York itself was a trip to me. I've been there several times before... the people have always been aggressive, at least to us California laid-back types (ha!), but now... it's as if the city has taken a collective deep breath and most everyone I met were polite, helpful... hell, LOVING. Maybe this is the good that we can get from the despicaple 9/11 crime against humanity. Incredible resilience. Action/reaction. OK. Well done, New York! So THANK YOU Joe Doyle & beautiful family, Brian Carter, Tim & Kelly Emerich, John Desilva, Dr. Bob (YEAH, we hung out, and didn't argue!), Mike Cross, Terry, Beth, Rob Caiger, Lynn Hoskins and the beautiful Marilyn (who selflessy put up with my nonsense for four days... YIKES!) for giving me a weekend that I will never forget. Oh yeah, and thanks, Roy... for all the music (same thing I was able to say to him 28 years ago when I met him briefly at a live radio show!). Bring that band to California for God's sake! Oooooooooh La Ooooooooo La Ooooooooooo Woo woo woo ahhhhhhhhhh ahhhhhhhhhh ahhhhhhhhh! Feeling 19 again, Ramsey End of Useless Information #337 ******************************* [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.]