[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 #419 December 9, 2002 In this issue: * Roy's greatest song? (cont.) * Song Of The Week (week of 12/2): "Zing Went The Strings of My Heart" * Shindig magazine - Interview with Carl - Zine and Zing * Goldmine's review of 'Movements' (1998) * Happy Birthday, Rob! (cont.) * Thank you! * New member looking for answers * Lumps * Wizzard fiasco 1973 (cont.) ============================================================== 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 TO UNSUBSCRIBE: Send an e-mail to move-digest-request@eskimo.com with the word "unsubscribe" (no quotes) in the subject line ============================================================== Subject: Re: Roy's greatest song? Date: Wed, 4 Dec 2002 18:28:35 -0800 From: "Steve Graham" For me it's Meet Me At The Jailhouse....how could so much great stuff be crammed into one song????? ********** Subject: Re: Roy's greatest song? Date: Wed, 4 Dec 2002 18:28:42 -0800 From: Richard Messum No, no, it's too difficult to choose just one! It's making my head hurt! I think if i really had to pick one, it might well be "Blackberry Way," (or maybe "See my baby jive") (or maybe "Brontosaurus" or, or, or....) but i've always had soft spots for a couple that haven't been mentioned by anyone else yet: "Turkish tram conductor blues" and "Wear a fast gun." And then there's "The rain came down on everything...." Exit mumbling. ********** Subject: Re: Roy's greatest song? Date: Wed, 4 Dec 2002 18:29:20 -0800 From: "Greg Weatherby" John DeSilva wrote: >As my friend Greg pointed out, songs are held in high esteem based on >several personal factors ... as for me, this was the first Woody song >that just flat knocked me out. It has every element I love about >Roy's writing and playing - for my tastes it's pretty much a perfect >song in every way. Wow, John, that's a great list! The Wood Man's songs are so diverse that it is difficult to put your finger on one and say, this is it, this is the best. So I love the way you broke it down, and I agree with 90% of it (where's "Flowers"? :}}} ) And it's so true about your personal experiences coming into play when you pick songs out. I've told the story on this list about hearing "I Can Hear The Grass Grow" on Radio Luxembourg, when I was over in Germany in 67, and it...just...blew...me...away. Then "Flowers" came along, and I was stunned (I like using that word, I was stunned, just one of my idiosyncrasies). Greg definitely had too much to dream last night ********** Subject: Re: Roy's greatest song? Date: Wed, 4 Dec 2002 18:56:18 -0800 From: John DeSilva Greg Weatherby wrote: >The Wood Man's songs are so diverse that it is difficult to put your >finger on one and say, this is it, this is the best. So I love the >way you broke it down, and I agree with 90% of it (where's >"Flowers"? :}}} ) Greg: In actual fact, I kept swapping "Greatest pop song" in my mind between "Blackberry Way" and "Flowers In The Rain" - it really is a toss-up to me (I know you'd put "Flowers" there in a heartbeat! ;-) ). And let's not forget the fact that it's the greatest song that Roy never made any money on!!!!!! ;-( JD San Jose, CA ********** Subject: Re: Roy's greatest song? Date: Thu, 5 Dec 2002 02:10:20 -0800 From: kakman Lynn wrote: >"See My Baby Jive," for example, is a great moment in pop music >history. I know a lot of Move fans cringe when they hear Wizzard >(too sugary!) but his melodies are pop perfection. See My Baby Jive is sugary? Curly is sugary, SMBJ is rocket fuel! Best song though, that's tough! I mean, like, California Man and Dear Elaine are great, both for different reasons but what makes one song better than the other? To tell the truth, the hands down one for me is "Main Street" the title cut from from Wood's long lost album of, oh, so many years ago. It was a crime that this track alone was suppressed by the record execs and management (which? Warner Brothers? Jet?) an absolute gem of brilliant songcraft, seemless blending of different styles and eras carried off with utmost mastery and depicting Wood's songwriting abilities at it's most mature and confident. After the LP got shelved (and I hate to say this, but it is true, you know) Wood's confidence in his abilities must have been shattered and it showed in his subsequent releases. Tunes were either derivative pastiches or excessive, boring and pointless noodlings. (On The Road Again and Super Active Wizzo). A few gems had erupted during this atistic downturn, but nothing to suggest that Woody's focus was back on track. Kevin Kunreuther Dallas TX ********** Subject: Re: Roy's greatest song? Date: Thu, 5 Dec 2002 10:41:28 -0800 From: Bob Hughes Roy's Greatest song??? As we all know, that's an impossible question. The usual suspects ran through my head: Christmas, Angel Fingers, Forever, She's Too Good For Me. I settled on Fire Brigade for a long time. But then I decided that without a doubt, no question about it (at least for this morning).. it's Red Cars Are After Me. ********** Subject: Re: Roy's greatest song? Date: Thu, 5 Dec 2002 02:10:54 -0800 From: "Dave Woodier" Roy has written 'one' great song... They are all great!! Best commercially would be between Jive and Xmas - I guess Xmas just edges because it is played and danced to every year. I love all Roy's 'poppier' stuff, not a big fan of Lookin On or SAW. My fave is 'Oh What A Shame' - a throw away laid back tune it is a masterpiece, I also have a soft spot for Beautiful Daughter, especially having seen Roy play it live 4 years or so back. Brontosaurus for the opening riff. Now wouldn't it be nice if Roy let us know his faves and why? ********** Subject: Re: Song Of The Week: "Zing Went The Strings of My Heart" Date: Thu, 5 Dec 2002 02:11:20 -0800 From: "maurice dockrell" In my view this song was put on the album as a complete piss take - a bit of fun - even a parody of the type of music the group members had grown up with. Rock was a relatively new form of music at this stage and this song is a throwback to the post 1940's style of music. It has a kind of hammy charm - not meant to be taken seriously. That is one thing i love about the Move and Roy Wood - the sense of humour - which at times was absent from ELO. ********** Subject: Shindig magazine - Interview with Carl - Zine and Zing Date: Wed, 4 Dec 2002 18:29:32 -0800 From: "Robert Lawrence" It's been out awhile but there is a spectacular interview with Carl re The Move in Shindig Magazine #5. They're a somewhat irregular well put together 60s zine. I don't know if back issues are available but they do have the Centre 2 opening pages available on their site. You need Adobe Acrobat to view it. http://www.shindig-magazine.com/5move.pdf http://www.shindig-magazine.com My two cents worth: while it has never been a fave of mine, Zing...was always a little break from a fairly action packed and much delayed first album and only one to feature the original lineup. I do like the Ace vocal in the middle. I used to think it was Carl until I saw some German tv footage and saw Ace sing. And it makes me feel sad as he was such a fine, soulful young singer. I'm 51 and was 16 when the Move broke. Since I live in Canada, I found a source which sent me the Move stuff which didn't cost an arm and a leg and got here in less than a week. that was the Heanor Record Ctr. in Nuneaton and they were Fab. I got the live ep from them. By the way does anyone remember that the lp according to the NME was projected to be called Roy Wood's ToyTown Band. Ummm, shades of things to come. Love to all Move fans. Wave your flag. ********** Subject: Re: Shindig magazine Date: Wed, 4 Dec 2002 22:37:22 -0800 From: "Greg Weatherby" Brill interview, but the real highlight is the magazine cover, and some of the pics with the article. Incredible stuff. Wonder where they got it from? hmmmmmm And speaking of Shindig, this very irregularly published magazine has a brilliant article, Pulitzer Prize material, in issue 6 (the newest) about Altamont from an attendee. Sparkling stuff! Greg the author's a great guy too; a little too opinionated perhaps ********** Subject: Goldmine's review of 'Movements' (1998) Date: Sun, 1 Dec 2002 11:39:26 -0800 From: Lynn Hoskins THE MOVE Movements: 30th Anniversary Anthology Westside (WESX 302) UK Import Goldmine Magazine - May, 1998 by John M. Borack Although they were well-respected men in their homeland (including a bunch of top ten chart placings), the mod/pop/rock/experimental/heavy/trippy/fanciful tunes of Britain's the Move never made much of a splash in the U.S.during the '60s. At times as kinetic and instrumentally powerful as the Who, as lyrically inventive as the Kinks and as melodically stimulating as the Beatles, this ace collection proves that the Move was an extremely talented---if somewhat schizophrenic---band. The three discs include 54 cuts; all of the Move's Deram, Regal-Zonophone and Fly/Cube recordings---in short, everything they did before they signed with EMI. That means The Move, Shazam and Looking On LP's are here in their entirety, as well as singles, b-sides, the live Something Else EP and various and sundry alternate versions and a few unreleased tracks. All the band's Brit smashes are present and accounted for, including the playful "Flowers in the Rain," the lovely 'n' perky "Here We Go 'Round the Lemon Tree," "I Can Hear the Grass Grow" (a mod classic that rivals anything the early Who laid down) and the slightly heavier "Blackberry Way," to name a few. The Move's originals were penned by Roy Wood, a massively underrated pop songwriter; his tunes usually involved the use of left-of-center lyrics and subject matter (how exactly does one hear the grass grow?), sparkling arrangements and inventive melodies. The Move reached their apex in their earliest recordings, chronicled on discs one and two. In addition to the hits, there are goodies like the Monkees-influenced trifle "Wave Your Flag and Stop the Train," the terrific Eddie Cochran cop "Weekend" (they cover Cochran's "Something Else" on the live Something Else EP), and the hit "Fire Brigade," with its neat low register guitar riffing, and high-pitched, perfectly placed backing vocals. There's also a pretty pop production piece, "The Girl Outside," which is bathed in both strings and pathos. On disc one, beware of the goofball "Zing Went the Strings of My Heart"---yeesh! Interesting note: the hooky "Walk Upon the Water" includes the lyric "Don't drink and drive," years before it was to become a popular catchphrase. Buried near the end of the first disc is the Move's great lost 45: 1968's "Wild Tiger Woman" b/w "Omnibus." "Wild Tiger Woman" is utterly fab, a stomping number that rolls along quite nicely with a naughty lyric, a glued-to-your-brain chorus and some raging lead guitar as the tune fades out. "Omnibus" has sort of a Beatles-meet-the-Byrds instrumental feel, more slightly suggestive lyrics and another superb lead guitar performance from Trevor Burton. Inexplicably, after a string of top tenners for the Move in Britain, this one somehow flopped. Disc two's highlights include the nutty psych-pop short story "Curly" (aka "Curly Where's Your Girly"), a cute ditty that uses a "She Loves You"-styled vocal ending; the loping, singalong "Blackberry Way"; the catchy proto-metal of "Hello Suzie" (from the Shazam LP); and "Something," which manages to evoke the early Bee Gees and the Guess Who in the melody and the vocal performance, respectively. The Shazam LP saw the Move moving away from its mod-ish musings and towards more of a heavier sound, including sludgy tempos, brontosaurus riffs and some odd spoken word passages. A cover of Mann and Weil's "Don't Make My Baby Blue" comes off like a British Vanilla Fudge, while "Beautiful Daughter" is sort of a precursor of the ELO sound that Wood would help to dream up a few years down the road (along with Jeff Lynne, who was soon to join Wood in the Move). Meanwhile, to call the nearly eight minute "Cherry Blossom Clinic Revisited" odd would be an understatement. Rounding out disc two are alternate mixes of some of the singles (including a stereo single mix of "Here We Go 'Round the Lemon Tree"), as well as an Italian language take of "Something" and the previously unreleased, late '67 vintage "Vote For Me." Disc three finds the Move mixing the sprightly pop of their early days with the metal musings of their middle period on the Looking On LP, the first to feature Jeff Lynne. Wood's songwriting wasn't quite up to snuff, but it's interesting to hear how the opening sequence from "Brontosaurus" later would be used---note for note---in the Move's "California Man." The set winds down with the Something Else EP, and various outtakes from it; the live versions of Byrds, Love and Jackie Wilson numbers are interesting curios, but nothing more, really. While Movements may be somewhat inconsistent song-wise (what three-disc set isn't?), it does showcase some of the finest Britpop the '60s had to offer. John Platt's informative liner notes are interesting reading, especially the story about how Roy Wood, in a pre-Move band, used to do a smashing Dusty Springfield impersonation, "complete with blond wig and pink ribbons." ********** Subject: Re: Happy Birthday, Rob! Date: Thu, 5 Dec 2002 10:40:57 -0800 From: John DeSilva Lynn Hoskins wrote: > Shall we let him have his birthday off? ;) In the words (paraphrased) of that ol' softie Ebenezer Scrooge, "have your blessed birthday off, but you'll be back all the earlier tomorrow morning!!" Happy Birthday Rob!! JD San Jose, CA ********** Subject: Thank you! Date: Fri, 6 Dec 2002 11:23:20 -0800 From: "Rob Caiger" Thank you to everyone who sent in birthday greetings. A nice and very unexpected surprise. Typically, the 5th was spent in the studio working with some very exciting finds - unreleased Move material from March 1967. Expect a preview of a track called "Move" on the website shortly. Oh, and now I'm back, normal service with CD's and mailings will be resumed from this weekend on. All the best - Rob ********** Subject: Re: Thank you! Date: Sat, 7 Dec 2002 02:21:53 -0800 From: "Andrew Footman" > Thank you to everyone who sent in birthday greetings. A nice and very > unexpected surprise. Typically, the 5th was spent in the studio working > with some very exciting finds - unreleased Move material from March > 1967. Expect a preview of a track called "Move" on the website shortly. Looks like Rob will have us all sitting by the letter box waiting for the post man to bring these goodies when they are released! Mine is already bemused, poor chap is always delivering LP's and CD's to me. I bet that post bag gets a bit heavy at times and he always looks after them. 6 should arrive next week, poor posty. Must go now postman's here. Andy ********** Subject: New member looking for answers Date: Fri, 6 Dec 2002 11:23:39 -0800 From: GREGG SMITH Hello all! I am a new member to USELESS INFORMATION (I joined a week or two ago). My name is Gregg. I am from West Virginia, USA and I just wanted to share a brief overview of how I got here. I first became interested in ELO in 1978 (I was 9) when my cousin played "Out of the Blue" on his record player. I very much liked the song "Jungle" and bought the album soon afterward. My next purchase was "Face the Music" and within another year I owned all of ELO's albums, including the debut. I noticed a different sound on NO ANSWER and I also noticed a guy named Roy Wood was listed BEFORE Jeff in the credits and was intrigued. "Hmmm...I wonder what happened to him?" I could see that he was like the co-leader of the band with Jeff Lynne, and I wondered why he didn't appear on the rest of ELO's albums. Later, I read in one of those "Encyclopedia of Rock" publications about The Move and Wizzard but could not find any of their material anywhere. For years it remained a curiosity for me, especially after finding out Jeff Lynne was also in The Move and the whole history of the connection between the two groups. When ELO's "Afterglow" was released, the notes gave me the best history to date but I still hadn't heard and couldn't find anything by The Move or Wizzard. Finally, in 2001 I bought EMI's GREAT MOVE and can you imagine how cool it was to hear "Message From the Country" and all the other material on that collection for the first time after being such a big fan of Jeff Lynne and ELO for over twenty years. It was very exciting to listen and notice the similarities between The Move and the first ELO album. Now I like that CD as much as many of ELO's albums. But I still have never heard any of The Move's earlier work like "Fire Brigade" or "I can Hear the Grass Grow" and I still have never heard a note of Wizzard. I wonder what would be the most economical way to hear the rest of The Move's work not included on GREAT MOVE, and what is the best collection of Wizzard available? My other questions may ask for common knowledge to long-time Move fans but nevertheless I ask... What is being said at the end of "My Marge"? What is the entire transcript of Roy's speech on "The Battle of Marston Moor"? What is the meaning of the extra stuff near the end of GREAT MOVE (It is a bonus track before the old radio spot, and features old "saloon"-type piano and it sounds like someone's saying "Show us your....Like a big green...." Does anyone know what that's all about? Thanks and great to be aboard. Gregg West Virginia, USA ********** Subject: Re: New member looking for answers Date: Fri, 6 Dec 2002 13:18:50 -0800 From: "Greg Weatherby" Gregg Smith wrote: > But I still have never heard any of The Move's earlier work like > "Fire Brigade" or "I can Hear the Grass Grow" You have been seriously deprived fellow Greg(g). Figure out a way to get the Move's early material and you will be blown away. > My other questions may ask for common knowledge to long-time Move > fans but nevertheless I ask... > > What is being said at the end of "My Marge"? "Flowers In The Rain is the best song that I ever wrote" and then some other mumblings. Greg missing a G ********** Subject: Lumps Date: Fri, 6 Dec 2002 13:19:17 -0800 From: Lynn Hoskins > What is being said at the end of "My Marge"? Gregg, pay no attention to that man behind the curtain. ;) Here's what is sung at the end: You know, my Marge (I know) She's a nice girl you know (I know) She picks her nose (Uggh!) She throws the brown lumps over the right side The green lumps over the left side And everybody else says goodnight! ********** Subject: Re: New member looking for answers Date: Sat, 7 Dec 2002 00:26:05 -0800 From: John DeSilva Gregg Smith wrote: > I wonder what would be the most economical way to hear the rest of > The Move's work not included on GREAT MOVE, and what is the best > collection of Wizzard available? Welcome Gregg: In answer to your question above - here are a few recommendations: "Singles As and Bs" - the Move (Repertoire Records): this has every single a and b side that the Move released. "Singles As and Bs" - Wizzard (Repertoire Records): same with this one, and is a good intro to the pop and jazz sides of Wizzard. "The Move" - the Move (Repertoire Records): the first album plus bonus tracks. You may want to start here before buying the double CD above. Wait for Rob Caiger to complete the "First Light" series reissues of the Move's "Message From The Country" and "Wizzard Brew". Both should be out in 2003 - both are highly recommended. 'Shazam' - the Move (Repertoire Records): if you find that you just can't get enough of the Move after hearing some of the above recommendations, go for this one. The greatest of the Move albums in my estimation. "Looking On" - the Move (Repertoire Records): the first Move album to feature Jeff Lynne. Some people don't care for this, the heaviest of the Move albums, but I think it's great. That's enough to get you started - happy hunting! > My other questions may ask for common knowledge to long-time Move fans > but nevertheless I ask... > > What is the meaning of the extra stuff near the end of GREAT MOVE (It > is a bonus track before the old radio spot, and features old > "saloon"-type piano and it sounds like someone's saying "Show us > your....Like a big green...." There's a bit of controversy on exactly what is being said here, but here's my take: Show us yer lettuce Oh, it's big innit? Like a big green squash Goodnight Like a big green squash Goodnight (repeat forever) This track is known as "The Duke Of Edinburgh's Lettuce" and is at the end of the "Looking On" album, right after "Feel Too Good". I was going to try and tackle "The Battle Of Marston Moor", but my memory is not too keen in my later years ... somebody will get it to you, rest assured. Hope this all helps, and good to have you with us. JD San Jose, CA ********** Subject: Re: New member looking for answers Date: Sat, 7 Dec 2002 16:03:12 -0800 From: Richard Messum Gregg asked: >What is the entire transcript of Roy's speech on "The Battle of >Marston Moor"? "My Lord King, You stoop to betray your own people And even in the eyes of God, Do you not relent? I am therefore bound by no other course -- I shall raise an army; Together we will march against you and your kind, And every born man will fight to regain his own freedom, And cleanse his wretched soul." ********** Subject: Re: Wizzard fiasco (1973) Date: Sat, 7 Dec 2002 02:22:17 -0800 From: "Pekka Leikas" I'm sorry but I didn't mean to slag Status Quo down (It was just that day...). Though I'm not a Quo fan I really admire their long career. It was very interesting to know about those Move/Wood/Lynne connections. And "Pictures Of The Matchstick Men" is a classic. Pekka Leikas Helsinki, Finland End of Useless Information #419 ******************************* [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.]