[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 #390 September 19, 2002 In this issue: * Roy Wood guests on this Friday's "Celeb" * Photos from Friday 13th * VH1 Move Mention & Sighting * Rep 'Shazam' & 'Looking On' reissues * BBC Sight and Sound - Roy Wood Wizzo Band concert * Wizard on TOTP * Roy Wood's 1974 Letter To The Editor (cont.) * Move/Roy Wood video * The Roy at the VU bootleg ============================================================== To POST TO THE LIST: Send an e-mail to: move-list@eskimo.com Move List Info & Archives: http://www.eskimo.com/~noanswer/movelist.html Join the ELO List: http://www.eskimo.com/~noanswer/showdown.html Other official websites: The Move: http://www.themoveonline.com Roy Wood: http://www.roywood.co.uk Face The Music (for all ELO & related news): http://www.ftmusic.com TO UNSUBSCRIBE: Send an e-mail to move-digest-request@eskimo.com with the word "unsubscribe" (no quotes) in the subject line ============================================================== Subject: Roy Wood guests on this Friday's "Celeb" Date: Thu, 19 Sep 2002 21:20:20 -0700 From: Lynn Hoskins Just a reminder that Roy is scheduled to be in this Friday's (20 September) episode of "Celeb" - 9.00pm on BBC ONE. Here's what episode 3 titled "The Cast Member" is about: Debs (Amanda Holden) is enlisted as a judge for the Booker prize in a move that she's sure will enhance her reputation, whilst husband Gary (Harry Enfield) has other problems he'd like to enhance. A former groupie armed with a plaster cast of a very private part of Gary's body threatens to go to the tabloids unless he pays her £25,000. It's a conundrum that has Gary panicking more over the size of the mould - or the lack of it - rather than the damage it could do to Debs' new literary image. --- I'm glad the show summary refers to the groupie as "her." Otherwise I'd be worried they'd talked Roy into playing the part!! Anyone who has a chance to watch... please let us know about Roy's performance. ********** Subject: Photos from Friday 13th Date: Tue, 17 Sep 2002 13:07:12 -0700 From: Brian Nasseri HELLO---I went to the Roy Wood gig in Bistol on the 13th---it was great. First time seeing Roy. Utterly magical to finally hear some of my favorite Move songs live. Completely by luck--I was on vacation in London and heard he was playing the 13th---I was due to leave the 14th--perfect timing! Anyway, I had just bought a 45 of Fire Brigade @ Intoxica Records on Portabello Rd in London, so I brought it with me to the show---Roy kindly signed it for me about 2 minutes after I walked into the Robin 2! He was standing out front chatting with the door man, so it was a good chance to meet one of my top musical idols. Long story short, I had bought a disposable camera and took the entire roll of film at the show. I took it for developing today and the entire set was BLACK--as in somehow the film was exposed--my fault entirely for not bringing my REAL camera with me--the cheapie disposable probably had a tear in the seam---SO--If any of you were at the show and snapped some pictures, will you kindly email me them? I would like to have one. Thanks ever so much-- ********** Subject: Re: Photos from Friday 13th Date: Tue, 17 Sep 2002 13:30:59 -0700 From: "Bob Samuel" Brian - I was at the show, didn't take any pictures, but I *was* stood right behind you as Roy autographed the record for you! Lucky man! ********** Subject: VH1 Move Mention & Sighting Date: Mon, 16 Sep 2002 12:08:27 -0700 From: "Michael J. Cross" I'm posting this to both lists for the fun of it. Thanks to some recent insomnia, I was watching "VH1 Legends: Pink Floyd" two evenings ago. At one point they were covering the period when Syd Barrett was becoming increasingly unreliable at live gigs, and the band brought in David Gilmour as a fifth member....just in case. At that point in the narration, it was mentioned that at the time the Floyd were on tour in England with Jimi Hendrix and the Move. Then they cut to a group photo featuring members of all three bands together. It was oddly exciting to see Roy and the boys on US TV. Pretty good documentary, all told. Mike Cross Rochester, NY ********** Subject: Re: VH1 Move Mention & Sighting Date: Tue, 17 Sep 2002 02:14:28 -0700 From: BigLarry >it was mentioned that at the time the Floyd were on tour in England >with >Jimi Hendrix and the Move. I think The Nice (featuring Keith Emerson) were a part of that, as well? I recall seeing a VH1 program in the early 90s, which was hosted by Peter Noone. An ELO video was played ("Don't Bring Me Down, I believe), then Peter appeared and began to tell about ELO's history. He explained that the band had evolved from The Move, which also featured Roy Wood. Peter then said something like "Roy only played on one Electric Light Orchestra album before leaving the band. Too bad he missed out on all the fun!" This statement really irked me, and still does. Because, in one of the rare times that Roy is mentioned on US television, he's described as a person who made a huge mistake in judgement! Peter really should have known better. He could have put a positive spin on it, such as "Who knows what great music might have been made if Roy wood stuck around!" or something like that. Does anyone else recall this occasion? Larry Harris Dallas, Texas ********** Subject: Re: VH1 Move Mention & Sighting Date: Tue, 17 Sep 2002 11:17:28 -0700 From: "Tyler C.Sherman" Larry & All, I don't recall seeing this particular program, but Mr. Noone should have pointed out that Roy left ELO more as a courtesy to Jeff than anything else. Sure, they had differences of opinion about ELO's direction but at the time Roy was the "star" and Jeff was "second banana". Roy has said that Jeff deserved more media attention, was not getting his due, and his continued prescence in ELO was taking the spotlight off of Jeff. So Roy graciously bowed out. Of course, the media made a big deal about it. So it was really the media that forced the split. They were "pro-Roy" and "anti-Jeff", as witness Roy's letter that Lynn posted the other day. In reality, for a few years after the split, Roy enjoyed mega-success while Jeff struggled with ELO. So, yes, Larry, I agree with you that Mr. Noone's comment was irksome, even though I didn't hear it. I once heard an interview with Bev Bevan who said the "row" between Roy & Jeff was pumped up by the press, that they had been friends for years and, although things were tense at the time, they've remained friends. Sometimes it's better for friends to not be in a business relationship and that's probably what Roy & Jeff came to realize after working together for a couple of years. Too bad for us because they made great music together! Imagine what could have been if they continued on with the original idea for ELO! Probably they would not have had the mega-success that Jeff engineered for the group but the music would have reflected Roy's eclectic approach and would have been much more interesting. Jeff, knowing that Americans generally do not like to be challenged musically, homogenized ELO's sound and jumped on the disco band wagon. To be honest, I started to lose interest in ELO around the time of "Out Of The Blue". Maybe someday there will be a documentary here in the states that will get the story right and actually stir up interest in Roy's music! Wizzards, Tyler ********** Subject: Re: VH1 Move Mention & Sighting Date: Tue, 17 Sep 2002 11:17:51 -0700 From: kakman1 Any list member who may have watched The Benny Hill Show (either in U.K. or in U.S. and rest of world syndication) may remember when they did a send up of TOTP and Benny and the gang TRIED to do an over the top version of Roy Wood and Wizzard (that's nearly impossible, don't you think?). There was the sad bald man playing the violin with boxing gloves and Benny as Roy trying to play the sax but the reed mouthpiece kept twirling around away from his mouth. I had no idea what he was singing about as he was speaking/singing so fast you kept missing the joke. I'm sure if Roy saw this he appreciated the send-up as Benny was as beloved an institution in the U.K. as Roy is. Kevin Kunreuther Dallas TX ********** Subject: Re: VH1 Move Mention & Sighting Date: Tue, 17 Sep 2002 11:18:43 -0700 From: STUDIOZ7 (Jeff R. Lonto) >He explained that the band had evolved from The Move, which also >featured >Roy Wood. Peter then said something like "Roy only played >on one >Electric Light Orchestra album before leaving the band. Too bad he >missed out on all the fun!" I don't know how that VH1 show was produced but it is probable that Peter Noone was simply reading what somebody had wrote for him to say. The ones to be irked with are the American writers and producers who felt they had to dumb it down for American audiences. ********** Subject: Re: VH1 Move Mention & Sighting Date: Tue, 17 Sep 2002 11:19:36 -0700 From: Joe Ramsey BigLarry wrote: > Peter (Noone) then said something like "Roy only played > on one Electric Light Orchestra album before leaving the band. Too > bad he missed out on all the fun!" > > This statement really irked me, and still does. Big Lar... I think you're being a bit overly sensitive here. Roy DID miss out on a lot of fun of being world famous with ELO (but, by all accounts, Hugh McDowell had EXTRA fun to make up for anyone missing out on any). I think I read somewhere that even Roy says he regrets leaving the Electric Light Orchestra as soon as he did. That being said, if Roy had stayed we would have all missed out on the golden age of Wizzard, which would have been a crime against the musical world. Plus, who cares WHAT Peter (second verse, same as the first...) Noone says...? Or VH-1, for that matter. And would we really have wanted the rainbow-haired, flipper footed Woody playing bassoon on "Shine A Little Love?" Naaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! ********** Subject: Re: VH1 Move Mention & Sighting Date: Tue, 17 Sep 2002 11:19:56 -0700 From: "stephen mulcahy" Amen Corner and The Outer Limits were also on this tour. They don't put tours together like they used to! ********** Subject: Re: VH1 Move Mention & Sighting Date: Tue, 17 Sep 2002 13:30:33 -0700 From: marmil (Marc) Big Larry - I don't remember that one, but don't be so hard on Peter. All of his lines (and everyone elses on VH-1) are written, by writers, well in advance. ********** Subject: Re: VH1 Move Mention & Sighting Date: Tue, 17 Sep 2002 22:20:40 -0700 From: John DeSilva On Tuesday, September 17, 2002, at 11:19 AM, jpjo wrote: >And would we really have wanted the rainbow-haired, flipper footed >Woody playing bassoon on "Shine A Little Love?" Joe: I say YES - get that real bassoon boy shakin' ... only it would then have to be called "It Wasn't My Idea to Shine A Little Love Everyday" ... JD San Jose, CA ********** Subject: Rep 'Shazam' & 'Looking On' reissues Date: Thu, 19 Sep 2002 00:10:20 -0700 From: Lynn Hoskins Me being a semi-completist for all things Move, Roy Wood and ELO, I decided to finally spring for the Repertoire 'Shazam' and 'Looking On' reissues. A couple questions... Where did they dig up "Too Much In Love"? The vocals sound a bit odd, like they were overdubbed or something. I believe this track also appears on the 'Something Else' reissue, which I never got around to buying. Who is Chris Welch, who does the sleeve notes for both releases? I'm normally a big fan of Repertoire's packaging, but why would they put little pictures of Trevor and Carl on Looking On, and leave off Jeff and Rick completely? Weird... ********** Subject: Re: Rep 'Shazam' & 'Looking On' reissues Date: Thu, 19 Sep 2002 03:33:39 -0700 From: Richard Messum Lynne was wondering: >Who is Chris Welch, who does the sleeve notes for both releases? Chris was a well-respected critic with "The Melody Maker" from sometime in the mid 60's. He retired from the paper in the late 70's or early 80's to concentrate on writing biographies (Led Zep, Cream, Steve Winwood, Def Leppard and many others) and, yes, sleeve notes. I always admired the man because in 1977 when punk rock exploded onto the scene and all of the hipper-than-thou British critics were falling over themselves praising the musical "revolution," Chris remained a staunch defender of prog-rock. There's a brief bio of him at www.allmusic.com. ********** Subject: Re: Rep 'Shazam' & 'Looking On' reissues Date: Thu, 19 Sep 2002 10:34:21 -0700 From: "Andrew Footman" "Too much in love"? This was one of the leftovers recorded live at the something else sessions at the marquee studio (not club). It may be overdubbed vocals, its obvious why it was not used along with (still unreleased) a dodgy "Flowers in the rain". God knows who Chris Welch is but not me!!!BYE!!!!!! ********** Subject: Re: Rep 'Shazam' & 'Looking On' reissues Date: Thu, 19 Sep 2002 18:10:36 -0700 From: Zabadak900 >God knows who Chris Welch is but not me!!! Good grief, the youngsters on this list!!!!!!!! XX Gramps ********** Subject: Re: Rep 'Shazam' & 'Looking On' reissues Date: Thu, 19 Sep 2002 18:10:31 -0700 From: John DeSilva Lynn Hoskins wrote: > Me being a semi-completist for all things Move, Roy Wood and ELO, I > decided to finally spring for the Repertoire 'Shazam' and 'Looking On' > reissues. > > A couple questions... Lynn: Since Richard answered your question about Chris Welch, I'll try to answer your other question. All the non-'Shazam' bonus tracks on 'Shazam' are taken from the same series of recordings done at the Marquee club for the "Something Else" EP. I would guess that this is the same source from which Edsel got the master for their "Something Else" release. There were two Move songs on the original master tape (Fire Brigade and Flowers In The Rain I think), but they were of too poor a quality to include as bonus tracks, according to the liner notes on the Edsel release. I'm guessing that "Too Much In Love" is some R&B classic, in the same vein as "Piece Of My Heart" by Irma Thomas (later Janis and Big Brother). I don't have the CD in front of me now to see who wrote the song, but I'm sure the musicologists out there know the answer. (side note - there is a song called "Too Much In Love To Care" on Carmen McRae's 1954 debut album, but I'm not sure if that's the same song). JD San Jose, CA ********** Subject: BBC Sight and Sound - Roy Wood Wizzo Band concert Date: Wed, 18 Sep 2002 10:53:16 -0700 From: "Andrew Footman" Is there any chance of this great concert from 1977 ever being released on dvd or video. I do not think it's been shown on TV since which is a shame. I can remember also from the same series great sets by Ian Dury and the Blockheads Stranglers and Dr Feelgood. I hope the BBC still have these i would love to see them again. ********** Subject: Wizard on TOTP Date: Mon, 16 Sep 2002 20:49:21 -0700 From: Peter Grenville Thought you might be interested in this..... Haven't had a chance to listen yet, but let me know if it's any good!!!!! **Fri 13 Sep 02** LOST GLAM ROCK TOTP TAPES FOUND A set of rare Top of the Pops recordings of some of the biggest stars from the glam rock era have been uncovered. The BBC did not keep the majority of episodes from the early days of the TV chart show, which launched in 1964. There are only four episodes left from the 1960s and it was not until 1977 that the BBC began to keep the show in its archives - meaning there is very little evidence of Top of the Pops from its colourful heyday. Now eight audio cassette tapes from 1974, featuring the likes of Slade and the Bay City Rollers, have been found thanks to a fan who contacted the new TOTP2 website. Although they were recorded by the rather crude method of placing a tape recorder in front of the television, as was common in the days before video recorders, the quality is surprisingly clear. The tapes also feature DJs from the time introducing the acts including Sir Jimmy Savile and Tony Blackburn. Six clips from the show can be downloaded from the website, including performances from Bryan Ferry, Wizard and Suzi Quatro. The site's content producer Edward Russell is excited about the find. "It is sad that we don't have any recordings from the early days of Top of the Pops, but at the time people didn't place so much value on nostalgia and the tapes were expensive to reuse. "I'm sure there are lots of people out there that have similar recordings, who perhaps don't know that the BBC wiped its tapes, and we would love to hear from them. There were also a few video recorders around, although they were very expensive, so there may even be visual recordings around somewhere." Mr Russell also believes there could be television stations outside the UK that have copies of episodes that were broadcast at the time. Top of the Pops 2 is a sister show to the main chart rundown and trawls the archives to play both popular and long-forgotten performances. Source: BBC ********** Subject: Re: Wizard on TOTP Date: Mon, 16 Sep 2002 20:49:45 -0700 From: Lynn Hoskins Hi Peter, Looks like that text came from the official Brian May website (http://www.brianmay.com). It took me forever to find the story on the BBC site, but here's the link: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/music/2251425.stm When you go to this page, you'll see a link you can click on to listen to some sound clips. Quoting the story, "Six clips from the show can be downloaded from the website, including performances from Bryan Ferry, Wizard and Suzi Quatro." Er, is that Wizzard with one "z", or two? ;) In Clip #3, Jimmy Savile introduces Wizzard (with two z's.) ********** Subject: Re: Wizard on TOTP Date: Tue, 17 Sep 2002 22:21:03 -0700 From: Rob Caiger > **Fri 13 Sep 02** > LOST GLAM ROCK TOTP TAPES FOUND Sadly, the Wizzard recordings aren't rare - the performances were mimed to the original backing track. If they'd have found the visuals, that would have been something... Sadly, the BBC appear to be getting excited without first checking their sources. Expect some real BBC related news soon. ********** Subject: Re: Wizard on TOTP Date: Wed, 18 Sep 2002 10:52:15 -0700 From: "Martin Kinch" Rob wrote .. >Sadly, the BBC appear to be getting excited without first checking their >sources. Perhaps they should also check with satellite channel UK Gold who broadcast loads of these old early 70s TOTP a few years ago .. Including the edition with the Jimmy Saville/Wizzard link to Rock n Roll Winter that they now say they only have the audio to. Perhaps the BBC forgot that they let UK Gold have them .. Did they borrow or buy them though? ********** Subject: Re: Wizard on TOTP Date: Wed, 18 Sep 2002 10:52:38 -0700 From: Rob Caiger > Perhaps the BBC forgot that they let UK Gold have them .. Did they > borrow or buy them though ? What should happen is that safety copies are made and sent out. Sadly, the antiquated monster that is the BBC won't have kept a record. Just last week I got an email telling me "sadly" there was nothing of The Move in any of their archives... A week earlier I'd been copying session tapes down. Amazing... More soon - Rob ********** Subject: Re: Roy Wood's 1974 Letter To The Editor Date: Mon, 16 Sep 2002 12:07:41 -0700 From: John DeSilva Lynn Hoskins wrote: > When Alan Heath folded his King Of The Universe fanzine, he was kind > enough to send me a few things he thought the Move and ELO lists would > enjoy. Something in Joe's post reminded me of this Letter To The Editor > that Roy Wood wrote to Melody Maker in 1974. ... you know, this Roy Wood guy is a damn good writer! We ought to get him on the list - Lynn, any chance of that? :-D BTW after reading Woody's excellent dressing down of the reviewer, the only thing missing is that bit from Monty Python's Flying Circus where Michael Palin is at the "Abuse" clinic being told by Graham Chapman to "shut yer festering gob, you tit! Your kind really makes me sick, you coffee-nosed, malodorous pervert!!!!!" Shutting my festering gob now, JD San Jose, CA ********** Subject: Move/Roy Wood video Date: Mon, 16 Sep 2002 19:09:24 -0700 From: "Stephen Murphy" My name is Steve Murphy. I have been a fan of the Move since the beginning. Two years ago I went to a rock and roll convention in Valley Forge, Pa. I purchased a video The Move/Roy Wood. At the time I didn't even think of the word bootleg. When I mentioned this in the guestbook in Roy's website they crucified me. The audio is pretty good but some of the video isn't. There is early Move stuff from some kind of show, maybe tv, about 10 tracks. Some live stuff with Carl smashing things. Then 2 tracks from Looking On [What and When Alice comes back to the farm] one of the highlights of the video. Then some Wizzard stuff, gorilla suits and all, and an interview. There is also a very good video of I wish it could be christmas everyday with snowflakes and a bunch of little kids singing. It ends with Roy playing with Cheap Trick but the camera is in somebodys back 90% of the time. I am not a bootleg supporter but I must admit I'm glad to have this tape in my collection. ********** Subject: The Roy at the VU bootleg Date: Mon, 16 Sep 2002 19:10:51 -0700 From: Lynn Hoskins As we've already talked about here on the list, a bootleg company that goes by the name of "Laughing Weasel Records" came out with a bootleg of Roy Wood's Army at the Village Underground - it's the Sunday show in its entirety. It appears to be a soundboard recording, with Roy's mic mixed way down. I believe it's being sold exclusively via Midnight Records in New York for $19.99. Roy originally thought he might like to "bootleg the bootleg" a la Frank Zappa and asked me to send him one, which I did, so he could make a decision. Like a lot of bootlegs, the mix is inferior, and selling it to fans, even at a discount, just doesn't seem right. So, since I can confirm that Roy and band aren't getting paid a dime for this release, let's kill the boot market. If anyone on the list has purchased it, and wouldn't mind making copies for other fans at no profit, please let the list know. A number of high-profile artists do this to saturate the market and keep bootleggers from making a killing off their music. I would be happy to send a copy to a couple overseas list members to get a "taping tree" started outside of the U.S. ********** Subject: Re: The Roy at the VU bootleg Date: Tue, 17 Sep 2002 02:14:34 -0700 From: David Gofstein Have burner, will distribute! If this CD tree gets off the ground I'll be more than happy to do my part! Please sign me up. Thanx! dave gofstein (new to the list and located in the U.S.) End of Useless Information #390 ******************************* [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.]