[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 #374 July 25, 2002 In this issue: * Missing songs from Bob's Woody collection * Roy Wood's Army in Manchester 4th August * Song Of The Week (week of 7/15): "(Here We Go Round) The Lemon Tree" * Ace's autograph * Song Of The Week (week of 7/22): "You Got The Jump On Me" * Lynne Me Your Ears - disk 2 * Gus Dudgeon 1942-2002 ============================================================== 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: Missing songs from my Woody collection Date: Sun, 21 Jul 2002 11:43:15 -0700 From: "Bob Coulter" Hello, Move list! Nothing today about nose picking or "drivers" (apart from what I just wrote there)! I'm finally able to dub to CD from vinyl and cassette on my home computer, and I'm currently compiling a couple of CDs of Roy's material from the '80s onwards. I am however missing a few songs: -Sing Out The Old (1980 Cheapskate version) -Watch This Space -Mystery Song -123 extended version -Santa Claus Is Coming To Town (from 1995 CDS) -Christmas Everyday soundcheck version (from 1995 CDS) -Wombling Merry Christmas (Fat Boy Furry etc. mix) (I'm assuming that the live version of Christmas Everyday on the 1995 CDS is the same as the bonus track on the one 2001 Wombling CDS. If it's different, I'd need that, too.) If anybody could help me with a copy of these songs on CD, cassette or MP3, that would be great. I might be able to fill in some gaps in your collection in return. Thanks, Bob Coulter, Bobcaygeon, Ont. ********** Subject: Roy Wood's Army in Manchester 4th August Date: Wed, 24 Jul 2002 13:20:07 -0700 From: Lynn Hoskins Roy Wood's Army Sunday, 4th August Burnage Rugby Club off Didsbury Road, Heaton Mersey, Manchester Showtime: 4pm Roy Wood's Army performs at the Rugby Club's "Family Show," which is part of the Commonwealth Games Spirit of Friendship Festival, supported by the BBC. This event is separate from the closing ceremony at the stadium, but the ceremony will be shown live at the Burnage RFC on a giant TV screen. Two of the closing ceremony acts will be performing at Burnage before going off to the stadium. "Family Show" activities begin at 11am and are expected to run through 11pm. In addition to Roy Wood's Army, there will be a fireworks display, the BBC's Roadshow Music & Dance, and the Games Rugby 7's tournament on the big screen. Pre-event tickets can be purchased by sending a cheque payable to Burnage RFC with a stamped addressed envelope to: Burnage RFC Battersea Rd. Heaton Mersey Stockport SK4 3EA. Cheques should arrive no latter than Monday 29th July. Or, visitors can pay on the gate on a first come first serve basis. There is no credit card facility. Adults £5, Children 7-17 £2, under 7's free. For more information, visit the official Roy Wood website at http://www.roywood.co.uk as well as the Burnage Rugby Club's site at http://www.burnage.com/ . ********** Subject: Re: Song Of The Week: "(Here We Go Round) The Lemon Tree" Date: Mon, 22 Jul 2002 11:57:50 -0700 From: kakman1 Hmmmm, love the Move version for it's great production and Roy's sly vocal, it sounds like he's grinning all the way through the song. But I also love The Idle Race version because it has a certain garage band/psychedelic/punk rawness . I'm not being indecisive; both versions,I fully love and appreciate. It's like, do you appreciate Sinatra's or Sid Vicious's version of "My Way". Depends on the mood, I say. Kevin Kunreuther Dallas TX ********** Subject: Re: Song Of The Week: "(Here We Go Round) The Lemon Tree" Date: Mon, 22 Jul 2002 01:45:10 -0700 From: Leopard522 (Beth) I like both Roy Wood and Jeff Lynne, but I'm a bigger Jeff Lynne fan. I love the Idle Race. And yet I prefer the Move's version of this song. Maybe because Roy wrote the song, it just sounds more right to hear him singing it? ********** Subject: Ace's autograph Date: Wed, 24 Jul 2002 01:28:16 -0700 From: Lynn Hoskins Got an e-mail from a list member asking what sorts of things other list members sent to Rob for Ace to autograph. Here's an idea... if those of you who got something autographed wouldn't mind scanning that item and sending me a .jpg image, I'd be happy to put together an Ace Autograph web page so that the whole list can have a look. ********** Subject: Song Of The Week: "You Got The Jump On Me" Date: Tue, 23 Jul 2002 02:21:23 -0700 From: Lynn Hoskins Song Of The Week: July 22, 2002 "You Got The Jump On Me" B-side of "Angel Fingers" (1973) Possible discussion topics: Vocals Lyrics Instrumentation Songwriting Arrangement Production Personal interpretation Strong/weak points *********************** "You Got The Jump On Me" (R. Price) I gotta find me a home tonight Somewhere a man can stay outta sight You got the jump on me in the dark last night I'm gonna show you how good I can hide You can make me do it now I was in hell but I moved today I'll never know how you made me stay You got the jump on me when the lights went down I won't be safe 'til I got you outta town Ooh ooh... I was too strong for you to hold me on Someone sold me out I knew all along You got the jump on me and the lesson learned My mama told me you're gonna get burned Ooh ooh... You got the jump on me You can make me do it now You can make me do it now You can make me do it now Ooh ooh... You got the jump on me Let's boogie! ********** Subject: Re: Song Of The Week: "You Got The Jump On Me" Date: Tue, 23 Jul 2002 12:28:57 -0700 From: "Tyler C.Sherman" "...Jump..." proved that Roy could not only mimic 50's & 60's classics but his contemoparies as well, in this case Led Zep. He and "Bonzo" Bonham were drinking buddies. I can just hear Roy telling him over a couple of frothy cold ones in a pub somewhere, "I'm gonna do a Led Zeppelin tribute record" and Bonzo daring him to do it. Either that or Bonzo, knowing Roy's talent for doing such things, challenged him to do it. Interesting to speculate about it's origins, though. While this song never bowled me over, it is fascinating to listen to. I always assumed that this is Roy by himself, with little or no help from Wizzard members. Or could John Bonham be playing drums? Not too far fetched considering he did play on "Keep Your Hands On The Wheel" a few years later. Kinda hard to tell as they are both heavy hitters on the skins. I always thought it was Roy on "...Wheel..." til the album came out. I was never much of a Zep fan so I guess that's why I have such a "take it or leave it" attitude toward this one. Wizzards, Tyler ********** Subject: Re: Song Of The Week: "You Got The Jump On Me" Date: Tue, 23 Jul 2002 12:29:13 -0700 From: kakman1 Was this like Wizzard doin' a Led Zeppelin take? Actually the tune doesn't really strike me as Zeppelinesque, but Roy's vocal is definitely an attempt to imitate Robert Plant. Kind of lumbering in a late Move fashion, sorta like "Brontosaurus", but it just kinda sits there and plods along. Nice guitar solo though. The piano boogie at the end was certainly weird enough, very funny but inexplicable. Originally heard this on West German "Masters Of Rock" release, a fine piece of vinyl that collected the early Wizzard singles, A's and B's , and a couple of the shorter tracks from "Wizzard's Brew", and created a great stand alone album (IMO). Wish I still had it, at least on cassette or CD-R. Kevin Kunreuther Dallas TX ********** Subject: Re: Song Of The Week: "You Got The Jump On Me" Date: Wed, 24 Jul 2002 00:00:23 -0700 From: Richard Messum Kevin, your "Masters of Rock" LP sounds identical to my album "See My Baby Jive" (Harvest SHSP 4034), released in 1973 -- singles, B sides plus pieces from "Wizzard's Brew." I'm going to have to listen to the album a few more times before i can write about "You got the jump on me" as i haven't played it in several years, but my first impression, before i read your (or Tyler's) posting, was "Zeppelinesque." Fabulous solo drum intro, now if i can just get past that.... More later. ********** Subject: Re: Song Of The Week: "You Got The Jump On Me" Date: Wed, 24 Jul 2002 23:53:26 -0700 From: Richard Messum I hadn't played this song in a few years and i really was impressed (or, re-impressed), right from the opening drums which i'd completely forgotten, and what a fabulous drum sound -- proving that Roy was no slouch as a producer, either (this was 1973, remember: not many knew how to record drums, especially bass drums, back then). It never occurred to me that the drummer might be anyone other than Keith Smart, though (and Charlie Grima on cowbell?): John Bonham? Werrll... The label of the original 7" single does have the cryptic notation, "featuring Vile Len and Rhino," anyone have any idea who these two members of the Wizzardly cosmos might be? Enter the pounding riff -- no surprise the song was written by Rick Price, it's a bass player's riff for sure, a little bit complicated and 'way down and dirty, in contrast to Roy's double-tracked upper-range vocals, which sound like they might have been speeded-up a touch. More double-tracking with the fab slide guitar, too. One thing i'm don't remember even noticing before were the subtle vocal touches: the "oohs" and "ahs" and "ows" wafting in and out. The song positively roars with joy and then, just as fab guitar solo #2 is beginning to fade out, along comes the boogie woogie piano. Never a dull moment with Roy Wood. Classic Wizzard. And it was the 'B' side! Amazing.... ********** Subject: Lynne Me Your Ears - disk 2 Date: Mon, 1 Jul 2002 10:47:01 -0700 From: John DeSilva Here's my faves from disk 2 (and two notable disappointments): Twilight - The Shazam: I really like the Shazam. Their version of "Twilight" is pure them - rockin' guitars, great drums, and spot on harmonies. Message From The Country - The Balls Of France: pretty faithful to the original, but with harder edged guitars (do you see a pattern here to the kind of guitar I like? ;-D ). One question: is it possible that this is a hybrid band from the original Balls of the late 60's? Maybe the guitarists are named Denis Laine and Trevoire Burton? ... I didn't think so ... Above The Clouds - Sparkle*Jets UK: I think the secret for me with this album is that the songs that replace the orchestration with great guitar and bass seem to always grab me. Great arrangement of this one by the "Jets". Rock And Roll Is King - Walter Clevenger & The Dairy Kings: this version proves that the title is absolutely correct - great rocker! Boy Blue - Rick Altizer: starts out with "Laredo Tornado" and spins a great arrangement of the "Eldorado" classic. I knew I liked this one 'cause I sang along with it at the top of my lungs in the car! On The Run - Sixpence None The Richer: really brings out the great tune with this arrangement of the "Discovery" track. Just goes to show you that us old timers would love the songs on "Discovery" if they were rearranged like this. Turn To Stone - Roger Klug: my choice for best of disk 2. Roger turns the song on it's ear - the drums only beginning reminds me of a cross between Thin Lizzy's "Do Anything You Want To Do" and Grand Funk's "Some Kind Of Wonderful" (weird, huh?). The orchestral sound is replaced by guitar, bass, and drums - and the end uses guitars to go into the famous "A Day In The Life" coda, complete with final, endless sustaining piano chord. Simply great!!! The two songs I was disappointed I didn't like: Mr. Blue Sky - Tony Visconti: "Mr. Blue Sky" by ELO was one of the most joyous songs Jeff ever wrote - I never fail to feel better after hearing that record. With all due respect to Tony, who is one of the great producers/arrangers in R'n'R in my opinion, I just think he totally misses the mark here. No joy - totally stark and cold - sound more like it should have come from Neil Young's "Trans" album (which had the dire lyrics to match the electronic music). I really tried to like this, but could not (to paraphrase Mr. Young from "Tired Eyes"). Bluebird Is Dead - Todd Rundgren: again, another one of my favorite artists (his "Something/Anything" album is one of my favorite pop albums of all time). I give him credit for trying to do something completely different with "Bluebird Is Dead", but I felt like I was hearing Martin Denny doing an Antonio Carlos Jobim song - and it just wasn't right! I guess I broke my rule of putting the original out of my mind, but that original is one of my all-time favorite Jeff songs, so ... I'm hoping this one will grow on me with repeated listens. Thanks for putting up with my long-windedness yet again - now I can hardly wait until "ELO II" and "Message From The Country"!!!!! JD San Jose, CA ********** Subject: Gus Dudgeon 1942-2002 Date: Mon, 22 Jul 2002 23:02:32 -0700 From: Richard Messum I'm sorry to be the bearer of such sad news, but the legendary record producer Gus Dudgeon, along with his wife Sheila, died in a car crash on Sunday morning. Gus was responsible for some of Elton John's and David Bowie's first big hits (he produced the title track of the latter's "Space Oddity," although the rest of the LP was produced by Tony Visconti), and produced albums for, among many others, the Strawbs, Joan Armatrading, Steeleye Span, XTC ... i would be very surprised if anyone on the list doesn't have at least a few albums he worked on. R.I.P. Richard :-(( ********** Subject: Re: Gus Dudgeon 1942-2002 Date: Tue, 23 Jul 2002 12:29:25 -0700 From: John DeSilva That is very sad news ... I thought some of Gus' best work was on the early Elton John albums - my favorites being "Tumbleweed Connection", "Honky Chateau", and "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road". The production style on those albums and others was always clean and crisp, with a solid rhythm section and not a lot of instrumental clutter to get in the way of the song. My condolences go out to Gus Dudgeon's family and friends. JD San Jose, CA ********** Subject: Re: Gus Dudgeon 1942-2002 Date: Tue, 23 Jul 2002 12:29:43 -0700 From: "Jim Howell" That's very sad news indeed Richard. Gus Dudgeon was a key figure in the British blues scene in the 1960s. While at Decca he produced the early John Mayall albums including the classic Bluesbreakers with Eric Clapton (the Beano album). He produced Top Topham's records (first Yardbirds guitarist before Eric Clapton) and even recorded a few songs himself. One of Gus' first production jobs was She's Not There by the Zombies; he took over when the original producer was too drunk and had to leave the studio. He also produced the Bonzo Dog Band. Truly a giant in the British music industry. ********** Subject: Re: Gus Dudgeon 1942-2002 Date: Tue, 23 Jul 2002 23:59:55 -0700 From: "Jim Howell" Correction to my post; I got my producers and engineers mixed up. Gus Dudgeon was the engineer on the early British blues records for Decca, including the Bluesbreakers album; Mike Vernon was the producer. Likewise, Vernon produced Top Topham and recorded on his own. Gus did produce the Bonzo Dog Band, though. He was a tape operator and moved up to engineer for the first time on the Zombies She's Not There. End of Useless Information #374 ******************************* [This digest is the copyright of the Move "Useless Information" Mailing List. 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