[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 #420 December 10, 2002 In this issue: * Roy's greatest song? (cont.) * 'The Best Of The Move' - liner notes (Part 1) * I Wish It Could Be Xmas remake * Are The Move "proto-metal"? * The Roy Wood X-mas "tree" * Thank you! (cont.) * Dave Clark 5 / Bev's songs ============================================================== 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: Fri, 6 Dec 2002 04:05:15 -0800 From: John Collins Hi all, Well, this is a difficult one! Most people who know me will think I am going to say Forever, (can't think why) but I am certain, in my opinion, that Roy's greatest song is Rock n Roll Winter. This is just an amazing piece of song writing. It just thunders in, and never lets up. The Wizzard period has been mentioned to a likeness to the Phil Spector "Wall of Sound". Never has that been more appropriate than this song. God knows how many instruments are on it, there seems to be a different one every time I hear it. The lyrics are imaginative, and only Roy could have a hit with this in the Spring. Had this been released in Winter, I think it would have been another number one. My only wish is, that Roy would play this live. It would suit the Army. The only reason I am guessing that he doesn't, is (as mentioned) the complexity of the song. When I think about it, it is the one Wizzard big hit that is missing in his live performances. If I had to name a Move selection it would have to be California Man. A Roy solo one would have to be The Rain came down on Everything, or Raining in The City. Got this thing about Rain, it's a brummie thing!! :-) ********** Subject: Re: Roy's greatest song? Date: Fri, 6 Dec 2002 11:23:27 -0800 From: "Tyler C.Sherman" I'll go along with the crowd that says it's nearly impossible to pick just one of Roy's songs as his best. There are so many excellent tunes he has written in so many different genres. It's like that old Lay's potato chip commercial...."Bet you can't eat just one!" Ironically, this is one reason why Roy has had a difficult time getting accepted here in the states. He writes complex song structures in a myriad of styles with the result being that he does not have an easily identifiable "sound" that one can point to and say "That's Roy Wood". Jeff Lynne, on the other hand, recognized that most Americans do not like to be challenged musically and homogenized ELO's sound so that it was easy to identify. Our Roy, in a sense, sacrificed commercial success here in favor of artistic integrity, writing wildly imaginative songs that still sound fresh, and musically challenging, all these years later. John Collins voted for "R & R Winter" and wondered why Roy does not include it in his set list with the Army. I have been told that Roy detests the song now. It was never one my favorites either but it has grown on me over the years, especially since seeing the video clip for it which is great fun to watch. "Electric Upright Vacuum Cleaner" solo indeed! Rick Price "gurning" for the camera! Bouquets of flowers appearing magically from Roy's coat! Oh, that we might have a DVD of Wizzard TV appearances someday! Among my personal favorites by Roy: Buffalo Station/Get Down To Memphis, Cherry Blossom Clinic Revisited, Songs Of Praise, Tonight. Wizzards, Tyler ********** Subject: Re: Roy's greatest song? Date: Fri, 6 Dec 2002 11:23:32 -0800 From: Poisongold Well, I'll narrow it down to three: "Any Old Time Will Do," "Whisper In The Night" and "Beautiful Daughter." MJC Brooklyn NY ********** Subject: Re: Roy's greatest song? Date: Fri, 6 Dec 2002 13:18:13 -0800 From: Rafsouth My favourite Roy track is jolly cup of tea, it's makes me laugh every time I hear it. Seriously, Rock and roll winter, going down the road and are you ready to rock. And a mention for forever this was my first single I bought. I like the way the songs of that time finished with a jolly tune. ********** Subject: 'The Best Of The Move' - liner notes (Part 1) Date: Mon, 9 Dec 2002 03:24:34 -0800 From: Lynn Hoskins I've finished typing the first half of Bev's liner notes, and will finish up tomorrow. Hope you enjoy "Part 1"... The Best Of The Move (A&M SP-3625) Side 1: Yellow Rainbow / Kilroy Was Here / (Here We Go Round) The Lemon Tree / Weekend / Walk Upon The Water / Flowers In The Rain / Hey Grandma Side 2: Useless Information / Zing Went The Strings Of My Heart / The Girl Outside / Fire Brigade / Mist On A Monday Morning / Cherry Blossom Clinic Side 3: Night Of Fear / Disturbance / I Can Hear The Grass Grow / Wave Your Flag And Stop The Train / Something / Omnibus Side 4: Wild Tiger Woman / Blackberry Way / Curly / This Time Tomorrow / Lightning Never Strikes Twice / Brontosaurus Once upon a time there were only three bands in the Birmingham, England area getting steady work and it was from these three bands that the musicians who formed the Move came. Trevor Burton was in one, Roy Wood in another and Carl Wayne, Ace Kefford and myself were in the third. All we ever got to do in those bands was play the hits of the day, and by 1966 we were getting tired of it. There was a club called The Cedars where the five of us would get together every so often and jam. We got on so well that the idea to form a group amongst us began to seem like a good one. When we actually did form up, Roy named us the Move to signify the move everyone was making to join the group. We began playing around Birmingham and built up a reputation. Managers and other record people would come up from London to see us, and one of them was Tony Secunda. He was a clever fellow, you know, with a lot of aggressive ideas. He recommended that we add dance steps to our stage act to be a little more showy. We did, he came back a few months later, liked us even more and signed us for management. Secunda kept us working and had us do a four-song demo tape: two songs were current pop hits and the other two were early Roy Wood tunes. Nothing happened with those. The next thing was a Thursday night residence at the Marquee Club in London. We drew good crowds and that's where we really got into all those stage routines, like busting up televisions. Carl used to get all cut up doing that, and I picked up a few scratches as well; it was a crazy thing to be doing with all those kids pressing up against the stage. Luckily, we stopped it before anything terrible happened. It was during the Marquee period that Secunda put us with Denny Cordell for record production, which brings us to the entire purpose of 'The Best Of The Move.' Tony told Roy he should be writing his own songs for the group to record. We all of a sudden had a record deal and we were on our way. The first things we cut were two of Roy's early compositions, "Night of Fear" and "Disturbance." The latter was Roy's first serious attempt at songwriting and it was originally going to be the A-side of the single. It has horns and Cordell and Secunda screaming a lot in the background, bur the other side turned out to be more representative of the band's sound, and was a large hit in England. Taking both sides into consideration, it's really a very paranoid record; a lot of people thought they were very acidy songs, but Roy's never been into drugs. He simply locks himself in a room with his guitar and works all night on one song, one line at a time. You can perhaps call "Night of Fear" the distant forerunner of the Electric Light Orchestra, what with the Tchaikovsky and all. The next single featured perhaps the Move's all time-time favorite Move song, "I Can Hear The Grass Grow." The title line came from a Tennessee Williams play, I think and it was another case of everyone thinking it an acid song. This was the opening number at the very last regular Move gig in the autumn of 1970 and it was just about the only one of our old hits we did that night. "Wave The Flag" was the flip and was a conscious attempt to do a Monkees record. I mean that we wanted to sound like the Monkees; we were very conscious of the stigma of not playing your own instruments in the studio (that went on in England too) so we allowed the use of session men only when no one in the group could play the necessary instrument. Mr. Secunda was very keep on keeping up with trends and he would periodically urge Roy to write a tune to fit with the times, while at the same time dressing us up in whatever clothes would grab attention for a month or two. During our flower-power phase in early '67, Roy wrote "Flowers in the Rain," which almost made it in America as well as being a major hit in Britain. Unbeknownst to us, Tony had a promotional postcard with an unfortunate picture of Prime Minister Harold Wilson printed up to push the single. A copy was actually mailed to 10 Downing Street, and lo and behold, we lost the royalties from the record in a lawsuit. Wilson was supposed to give the money to charity, though I can't remember which charity. We recorded our first album in late 1967, and released it in early '68. The entirety of it comprises disc #1 of 'The Best Of The Move,' and it includes "Flowers" as well as nine more Wood songs and three group favorites written by others. "Yellow Rainbow" shows Roy's lyrical knack again with its weird apocalyptic lines. This is Ace Kefford's lead vocal; usually, he functioned as the group's pouting glamour-man, and this is the only record on which he sang lead. "Kilroy Was Here" is a fine song derived from the phrases soldiers wrote all over walls in World War II. "Lemon Tree," besides being our third B-side, was also the first song the Idle Race ever did. The Idle Race, by the way, is another Birmingham band and grew out of Roy's pre-Move aggregation. Jeff Lynne replaced Roy when the Move formed and later collaborated with Roy to form the ELO, joining the Move in the process. Curiously enough, Dave Walker, the bloke who later sang lead for Savoy Brown and Fleetwood Mac, replaced Jeff in the Idle Race when Jeff joined us. Anyway, "Lemon Tree" is very much like their style of that time, and the Idle Race sound had a definite bearing on ELO through Jeff. "Weekend" is an Eddie Cochran number Trevor used to sing on stage. He was a rocker and sang this stuff well; every band has its oldies and sundry favorites, right? "Walk Upon the Water" is another misinterpreted song. It uses its imagery very well, but there's a blatant "don't drink when you drive" message at the end, and that's basically what it's all about. "Hey Grandma" comes from that great first album by Moby Grape and features Nicky Hopkins on piano. We played it on stage and I don't quite remember what it's doing here. "Useless Information" is one of my favorites by Roy. It's a social commentary about all the garbage we have to deal with in modern society to gain its so-called benefits. Americans especially should relate to this very well. Appropriately enough, my first vocal effort comes next; our rip-off of the Coasters' version of "Zing Went the Strings of My Heart." For my big follow-up, you have to look to "Ben Crawley's Steel Co." on Message From the Country. I've promised all my fans I'll never sing on stage again. "The Girl Outside" is one of Roy's first quiet tunes. I'm the only Move member featured on the final instrumental track, since it's all strings with a little bit of percussion. Roy played acoustic guitar, but that was ruthlessly excised somewhere along the line. "Fire Brigade" is one of our classics. Its guitar line was inspired by Duane Eddy and it was lusty enough to get to #2, which was typical for our singles...only one of them ever made #1. "Mist on a Monday Morning" is about a hobo's life and hard times. That considered, it's remarkably pretty. Finally, there's "Cherry Blossom Clinic" which would have been a single except for the fact that people were offended. They couldn't accept a song that seemed to take mental hospitals in anything but the most serious light. It's a strong number though, and we worked it into an elongated epic on stage, the studio version of which can be found on our second album, Shazam. The B-side of the proposed "Clinic" single was a political tract called "Vote For Me," the current whereabouts of which is a mystery. [To be continued...] ********** Subject: I Wish It Could Be Xmas remake / best track Date: Mon, 9 Dec 2002 13:18:12 -0800 From: Jon Hinchliffe When we were out shopping the other day I was in The Early Learning Centre waiting for my Fiance and the Children's Xmas tape was being played. I Wish It could be Xmas everyday came on and so I listened with interested ears. It struck me that this cover was based on the Big Band version the track. Given how few of the single sold I thought this was interesting. I guess the arranger had seen it on one of the many TV appearances or at a gig. Of course if it was based on the original I would then be worried about Roy's arranging for the big band version. Whatever I prefer the original anyway. Although Roy was commercially successful in his day I would hate to think he would arrange down to today's poor standards. Is was interested that Bob Hughes choose "Red Cars Are After Me" for Roy's Greatest song. What made you choose this one? It happened to get a random selection on my Jukebox the other day and I played it several times trying to find something I was missing on this one. For me Roy's Greatest song is probably California Man, other strong contenders are Cherry Blossom Clinic, Whispers In The Night, Buffalo Station and Wear A Fast Gun. Carlsberg Special would be in there two but of course it is credit to Bill Hunt. I assume Roy didn't write it and donate the credit elsewhere? Interestingly I made a list of my favourite 54 (it grew) tracks of all time and Roy/Wizzard/Move are in there 6 times. Not bad. I think one of the things that makes Roy so special for me is he has gone off my wavelength on several records during the years but then come back in a new direction and caught me again. It's a shame he seems to have given up writing and recording now. I wonder if he has kept writing over the years but never had the confidence/budget to record things. ********** Subject: Are The Move "proto-metal"? Date: Mon, 9 Dec 2002 14:20:23 -0800 From: Lynn Hoskins Not sure why this caught my eye, but I knew I'd seen it before on the list so I had to go back and check it out... In the Goldmine review of "Movements" that I recently posted, John Borack wrote: "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." I now refer back to when major U.S. publications reviewed Roy's Village Underground shows. In the March 23 issue of the New York Daily News, critic Jim Farber wrote: "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 it is again: proto-metal. Until these reviews, I'd never seen any Move songs referred to as "proto-metal." Well-known sixties proto-metal acts include Iron Butterfly, the Yardbirds, Jimi Hendrix, Cream and the Crazy World of Arthur Brown. But not The Move. I'm not saying I disagree with the description - watching fans at the Village Underground go through head banging motions during "I Can Hear The Grass Grow" made me think that some metal band out there missed out on a surefire #1 hit by not covering that track. "Grass Grow" and "Hello Suzie" do indeed possess "heavy" and "metal" qualities. And "Brontosaurus" is another obvious one. What about "Do Ya" - does that belong in the "proto-metal" category? ********** Subject: Re: Are The Move "proto-metal"? Date: Mon, 9 Dec 2002 18:33:03 -0800 From: "Tyler C.Sherman" Isn't the entire "Looking On" album sort of "proto-metal"? There were, of course, many bands of that era dabbling in the genre before it became known as "metal''. Blue Cheer, for example, released their first album in 1967 and were reportedly so loud in concert that people in the 1st row would pass out. This response could have been helped along by chemicals, however. Let us not forget who coined the phrase "heavy metal"....the second verse of "Born To Be Wild" by Steppenwolf contains the line "...Heavy metal thunder..." So were the Move "proto metal"? Well, they certainly jumped on that band wagon for a while, didn't they? I would say they contributed greatly to a developing form of music. Wizzards, Tyler ********** Subject: Re: Are The Move "proto-metal"? Date: Mon, 9 Dec 2002 18:33:25 -0800 From: "stephen mulcahy" i would say that looking on, the song not the album is definitely proto-metal, at least the first 4 minutes it sounds a lot like black sabbath, and to a lesser extent led zeppelin or deep purple. the last part of open up said the world does too. turkish tram conductor blues isnt quite metal, its blues but the heaviness is there. the music, not the singing on don't make my baby blue. some aspects of cherry blossom clinic revisited, brontosaurus, it wasn't my idea to dance and even the minister. ********** Subject: Re: Are The Move "proto-metal"? Date: Tue, 10 Dec 2002 01:00:53 -0800 From: "Peter MANION" The bass line on 'Sunshine Help Me' has always struck me as very Hendrix, structured like 'Hey Joe' and probably Noel Reddings influence on Trevor, not that 'Hey Joe' is metal, proto or otherwise! There are other similarities chord wise with 'Looking On' using the same opening chord sequence as 'All along the Watchtower' so lots of subtle Hendrix influence, and like 'The Move' Jimi only had one UK number one. Didn't Roy say once how, when they toured with Hendrix, he felt like throwing his guitar away, Same as Trevor finding it hard to live with 'Blackberry Way' in the same way Hendrix tired of 'Hey Joe' Pity Trevor didn't stick around for another year? 'Oh Well' whoops now that is heavy! I just think 'Looking On' was a very heavy metal album and Roy even said so by writing about a 'Brontosaurus' You can't get much heavier that a prehistoric monster - or would a Turkish Tram weigh more? ********** Subject: Re: Are The Move "proto-metal"? Date: Tue, 10 Dec 2002 01:00:48 -0800 From: kakman "Do Ya" as recorded by The Move is about as proto-metal or hard rock as a Who or Jimi Hendrix number, and that is saying a lot. The original has got that underlying drive and intensity, with that ethereal middle eight allowing the listener to catch one's breath before the next wolloping chorus begins again. The raw Revolver-style presence of the recording gives the listener that "you are there" experience whether your lost inside your headphones or are surrounded by a forest of 100W tower speakers. Like any good Move tune it's an amalgamation of so many styles all submerged on blended into this glorious one which is The Move. It's been embraced equally by hard rock pop bands and hand heavy metal bands. Oddly enough, I've heard live funk band versions and gentle acoustic folkie versions of it too (not recorded). Definitely one of your more adaptable Jeff tunes out there. Kevin Kunreuther Dallas TX ********** Subject: The Roy Wood X-mas "tree" Date: Sat, 7 Dec 2002 16:03:46 -0800 From: Zabadak My most sincere & heartfelt thanks to those who made the "big band" tree possible. I am so happy that I have been able to hear it. This guy truly is 'eads N shoulders above. "Crikey"...... to think that it's almost 10 yrs olde. Wonderful wonderful WONDERFUL Thank-u 4 this great Christmas gift, Rick Kuba ********** Subject: Re: The Roy Wood X-mas "tree" Date: Sat, 7 Dec 2002 23:52:12 -0800 From: John DeSilva Let me add my thanks to Rick's to Dan and everybody else involved in the tree. The sessions are great, and this was my first chance to hear the whole thing. It really makes me pine for that live album ... JD San Jose, CA ********** Subject: Re: The Roy Wood X-mas "tree" Date: Mon, 9 Dec 2002 18:33:47 -0800 From: Dan Ream You're welcome! Glad to know that others can now join in on my December listening tradition! ********** Subject: Re: Thank you! Date: Mon, 9 Dec 2002 03:26:07 -0800 From: Keith Fletcher Rob Caiger wrote: >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. Rob, You lucky man I envy you your job the satisfaction you must get from finding songs long unheard, and which the bands themselves may have forgotten about. Keep up the hard and tireless work and hopefully when the time is right we will all get to hear the songs that you find. ********** Subject: Dave Clark 5 / Bev's songs Date: Sat, 7 Dec 2002 00:27:45 -0800 From: GeorMarin this is for all the dave clark 5 fans out there. mike smith has just added a few u.s. dates to his "rock engine" tour. he is scheduled to play at least 5 shows (so far) in the new york area in mid march. i plan to go to the rochester show on march 16. i've waited 4 decades for this. i think he is kicking it off at B.B. KINGS BLUES CLUB first. please no more trashing of bev. i happened to really like those songs. every great band has those few songs where even the the most loyal fans wish the power had gone out in the studio. here is my list of a few duds from my favorite bands: honey pie-the beatles why don't we do it in the road-(getting run over by a car is a good reason)-the beatles emotional rescue-the rolling stones lazy old sun-the kinks temporary secretary-mccartney tusk-fleetwood mac anything on gone troppo-george harrison every other track on john lennon's double fantasy george mariner End of Useless Information #420 ******************************* [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.]