[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 #422 December 13, 2002 In this issue: * New Move compilation (cont.) * Boulders LP - pitch control * Song Of The Week (week of 12/9): "Under Fire" * Are The Move "proto-metal"? (cont.) * 'The Best Of The Move' - liner notes (Part 2) * Wizzard Brew on sale ============================================================== 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: New Move compilation Date: Thu, 12 Dec 2002 19:20:31 -0800 From: John DeSilva Rob wrote: >What tracks would YOU like to see on there and what would you expect >to see in the booklet? The double CD will be priced at £10.99 and will >have 55 minutes of music per CD. Since we already have several Move compilations that are singles-centric, how 'bout one that focuses on album tracks as well as the singles? Disk One Night Of Fear The Disturbance I Can Hear The Grass Grow Yellow Rainbow Kilroy Was Here Flowers In The Rain Useless Information Fire Brigade So You Want To Be A Rock 'N' Roll Star (live) Sunshine Help Me (live) Omnibus Blackberry Way Hello Suzie Beautiful Daughter Cherry Blossom Clinic Revisited Brontosaurus Lightning Never Strikes Twice Disk Two Looking On Turkish Tram Conductor Blues When Alice Comes Back To The Farm Feel Too Good Message From The Country It Wasn't My Idea To Dance The Minister The Words Of Aaron Tonight Chinatown Down On The Bay California Man Do Ya I'm about 7 minutes over on Disk Two, but I can't cut anymore (Rob, CD programming is a very tough job!!). The main thing about the booklet is that it should contain wherever possible photos and memorabilia that hasn't had a wide release before, and complete it with Rob's excellent career overview notes (much as he did on ELO's "Ultimate Collection"). JD San Jose, CA ********** Subject: Re: New Move compilation Date: Thu, 12 Dec 2002 21:30:26 -0800 From: Poisongold Rob Caiger writes: >What tracks would YOU like to see on there and what would you expect >to see in the booklet? I suspect the tracks will turn out to be inevitable...but in the booklet...first of all, I would want to see absolute accuracy, and I know if you're involved, that's a certainty. Second, I'd like to see a brief comment by someone from the Move, preferably Roy, about each track on the comp. We've all read the various histories and chronologies, but first-hand recollections are always fun. Another thing I'd like to see in a booklet is real enthusiasm for the band. Anyone reading the booklet already bought the CD, so there's no more selling needed, but I'd like to read something in the ballpark of "This is why the Move is so great, and this is why you're going to love listening to this thing." I mean, there's no reason to hold back--anyone who just plunked down a big chunk of change for a double CD would LOVE to open it up and have the writer confirm what a great purchase he or she made. The only liner notes I've ever read that really capture the writer's enthusiasm are in the XTC boxed set, "Coat Of Many Cupboards." Of course, you're not going to get as big a word count.... Come to think of it, I would prefer a "Best Of The Move" selected by Roy Wood to one selected by fans. But if I did have some kind of a say, I would recommend that the songs included should somehow TELL THE STORY of The Move: include all the various lineups, cover the major stylistic changes. If you've found a rarity that would appeal to a general audience as well as fans, then oh yeah, include it. Well, I've gone on and on and possibly not been helpful at all, but those are my thoughts. MJC ********** Subject: Re: New Move compilation Date: Fri, 13 Dec 2002 00:48:27 -0800 From: kakman An excellent collection of what IS the BEST of The Move would have to be a real project involving at least Roy Wood and Carl Wayne, and if possible the recollections of Bev, Trevor, Ace, as well as comments from Rick Price, Richard Tandy and Jeff Lynne. Perhaps also Tony Secunda's explanation of the postcard incident and what exactly what he was trying to achieve in those early days of promoting and managing the band. I prefer a mix of album tracks and singles and B-sides chosen by the band and not the fans, and also their commentary. Gotta have photos and memorabilia, especially the infamous Harold Wilson postcard. How about a mixed media package like the First Light box? No, it'd cost more than ten pounds ninety nine wouldn't it then? OK maybe, just maybe, like First Light, a video of the band performing one song, "Fire Brigade" is a good candidate, second choice "Brontosaurus" (pity "California Man" got wiped and is now lost to the ages!) If song choice has to be from fans (and me being one) I'd like to see on this collection: Night Of Fear / The Disturbance / I Can Hear The Grass Grow / Flowers In The Rain / (Here We Go Round) The Lemon Tree / Fire Brigade / The Girl Outside / Useless Information / Cherry Blossom Clinic (true stereo remix) / So You Wanna Be A Rock And Roll Star? / It'll Be Me / Higher And Higher / Sunshine Help Me / Wild Tiger Woman / Omnibus / Blackberry Way / Open My Eyes (live At Fillmore) / Cherry Blossom Clinic (Revisited) (live at The Fillmore) / Beautiful Daughter / Last Thing On My Mind / Brontosaurus / When Alice Comes Back To The Farm / Feel Too Good (without the Duke Of Edinburg's Lettuce, please) / Tonight / Chinatown / Down On The Bay / Message From The Country / It Wasn't My Idea To Dance / Until Your Mama's Gone / Ella James / California Man / Do Ya Note, no "Curly" or "Zing.." in this list (must have cancelled each other out of existence!) Kevin Kunreuther Dallas TX ********** Subject: Re: New Move compilation Date: Fri, 13 Dec 2002 08:14:08 -0800 From: "Michael J. Cross" How about one disc of live performances/broadcasts, and the other disc mixing up the hits, singles, and b-sides. I can't seem to get enough live Move to suit my tastes. Mike Cross Rochester, NY ********** Subject: Re: New Move compilation Date: Fri, 13 Dec 2002 12:19:49 -0800 From: Harold Montgomery >What tracks would YOU like to see on there and what would you expect >to see in the booklet? The double CD will be priced at £10.99 and >will have 55 minutes of music per CD. >As a guide, think of this CD as an introduction to your dream idea of >a forthcoming Move remaster series. Gadz....is this a project! I guess just send in our few favorites songs then Rob can tally them to make the the compilation. I LOVE: "Flowers In the Rain", "Something", "Brontosaurus", "Do Ya", "Beautiful Daughter", "Something Else" (live), "Blackberry Way", "Ella James" and "Fields of People". Man o' man is this hard. I love all their stuff. Harold (California man) ********** Subject: Boulders LP - pitch control Date: Thu, 12 Dec 2002 19:19:32 -0800 From: Brian Nasseri Okay--I had a question regarding Roy Wood's LP "Boulders". I recently found a sealed LP of the album, and I know that one one track on side 2 Roy does some slowing down of the pitch control where he slooows down his voice...but I was wondering if the second side has a couple of songs where he plays with the pitch--particularly on the background vocals. My turntable is set up perfectly, and the pitch and strobe is set up perfectly.. Am I nuts? Any help appreciated... ********** Subject: Re: Boulders LP - pitch control Date: Fri, 13 Dec 2002 00:47:24 -0800 From: kakman Brian Nasseri writes: >I recently found a sealed LP of the album, and I know that one one >track on side 2 Roy does some slowing down of the pitch control where >he slooows down his voice...but I was wondering if the second side >has a couple of songs where he plays with the pitch--particularly on >the background vocals. Of course on "Miss Clarke..." Roy plays with with the pitch on his vocals for the computer's voice effects. He achieves great vocal eefect on his own for the rock and roll medley at end of record; after "Rockin' Shoes", he voice pitch goes up several nothches for that 'Beatle/Monkee era' effect for "Second Class". On other tracks for backing vocals what he couldn't produce naturally, I'm sure the pitch was speeded up and slowed down in studio to get desired effect. By the way I am recalling this from memory since I still haven't had a copy of Boulders to listen to in many years. When the EMI/Harvest remaster appears next year (fingers crossed) as part of the First Light series, I'm hoping the liner notes will go into some detail some of the work and effects achieved in the studio over the two to three years Roy spent recording the album. The creation of this album promises to be a fascinating story, I'm sure. Kevin Kunreuther Dallas TX ********** Subject: Re: Song Of The Week: "Under Fire" Date: Thu, 12 Dec 2002 11:13:18 -0800 From: Richard Messum "Starting up" is an unjustly-overlooked album, in my opinion, full of typically Woody touches in the melodies and instrumentation: there's little on it that wouldn't sound out of place on any of his post-Move releases, reminding me of a cross between post-"Eddy" Wizzard, and the Wizzo Band (although our SOTW is an exception to that). Overall, i much prefer it to "On the road again," which was, i think, the album which immediately preceded it (and please correct me if my dates are wrong): it's far more energetic, and more fun! (Bob nominated its "Red cars are after me" as Roy's greatest song; i wouldn't go that far but i can see his point.) Unfortunately, i only have the album on a home-made cassette someone sent me, and the sound quality isn't the greatest; it also means that i don't know any of the details about personnel, or even the date of its release. Was it a more-or-less entirely solo album, anyone? (There's what sounds convincingly like a chorus of schoolgirls on "Green glass windows," but it wouldn't surprise me to learn that they are All Roy, the man is capable of anything!) "Under fire" has a definite 80's feel with the rolling keyboards and up-front drum sound. Excellent guitar solo, too. Is it yet another of Our Hero's looks at paranoia? (The same could be asked of "Red cars...") I can't help much with the lyrics, although i think that the first line of verse 2 is "the buildings grow and overflow into the alleyways." (Buildings growing? This isn't drug-induced paranoia, surely?) And line 2 of verse 4 may be, "It won't be easy when i'm run to ground." I look forward to the CD re-issue of "Starting up." ********** Subject: Re: Song Of The Week: "Under Fire" Date: Thu, 12 Dec 2002 15:37:10 -0800 From: "Andrew Footman" This was Roy's last and i hope not final album. It has to much use of drum machines for my liking, but still has some great songs on it. Red Cars is my fav', in fact i like all the songs except Keep It Steady. On The Top Of The World has a ELO sort of sound, this may be due to Louis Clark arranging the strings. Its on CD folks, go get it! ********** Subject: Re: Song Of The Week: "Under Fire" Date: Thu, 12 Dec 2002 17:17:43 -0800 From: "Joseph Davolt" John Collins wrote: >I love the video too, it is very entertaining. OK, I've heard OF this video, but never seen it. Anyway someone can post this online or something? Are there any other videos for "Starting Up" (ie it's other single, "Raining In The City")? >I would love to see this out on CD, as my vinyl version is somewhat >worn! :-( Uh, "Starting Up" is readily available on CD (I think there's four different issues). I see it for sell online more often than any other Woody CD (not counting those 'budget' compilations, "Best of Roy Wood & Wizzard" etc) and it frequently sells for dirt cheap. Check any online CD store, eBay, or Half.com. I'd like to have a vinyl copy, meself. :-) Joseph, 18 McLeansboro, IL 62859 BTW - Someone (the guy who has "Starting Up" on a dubbed tape) mentioned "Green Glass Windows". It is NOT on "Starting Up" but is an early 80's single, predating the album by about five years. Maybe whoever taped "Starting Up" for you added it as a 'bonus track'. (?) NP: "Take My Hand" from 'Main Street' ********** Subject: Re: Song Of The Week: "Under Fire" Date: Fri, 13 Dec 2002 08:14:13 -0800 From: Richard Messum Joseph wrote: >BTW - Someone (the guy who has "Starting Up" on a dubbed tape) >mentioned "Green Glass Windows". It is NOT on "Starting Up" but is >an early 80's single, predating the album by about five years. Maybe >whoever taped "Starting Up" for you added it as a 'bonus track'. (?) That someone was me, actually, and thanks, Joseph, for the info. I knew that the fellow who made the tape for, threw in some "bonus" tracks to fill up the cassette, but i didn't know where "Starting up" ended and the extras began. So what, then, is the last song on side two of the album? "Ships in the night" or "O.T.T?" ********** Subject: Re: Are The Move "proto-metal"? Date: Wed, 11 Dec 2002 02:17:05 -0800 From: GREGG SMITH For a long time, I've felt that "In Old England Town" from ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA II is very heavy-metal. In fact, after listening to the opening bars of that song, I declare I have yet to find anything recorded before the 80s that sounds more like Metallica. A lot of the early ELO (first two albums) sounds like early Metallica to me. Not entirely, but the rhythmic crunching of the cellos reminds me of the guitar-riffs of Metallica's early songs (notably, songs from KILL EM ALL and RIDE THE LIGHTNING). And now, for something completely different: How about a new Metallica album covering early ELO? Here goes a wild suggestion: METALLICA - "Ride the Light Orchestra" featuring heavy metal covers of 10538 Overture, Battle of Marston Moor, and more! Yeah...Multi-platinum baby!! Gregg West Virginia, USA ********** Subject: 'The Best Of The Move' - liner notes (Part 2) Date: Wed, 11 Dec 2002 15:11:03 -0800 From: Lynn Hoskins Here's the second half of Bev's liner notes from The Best Of The Move (A&M SP-3625)... After our album was reasonably successful in England and buried alive in America (because we couldn't get it together to tour, the album was not released, and thus began a vicious circle which we are only now beginning to break), we looked into a couple of different things. We taped a live show at the Marquee for the purpose of determining how good we sounded. It wasn't for a concert album or anything like that, but we eventually released a five-song LP featuring a Byrds song (we liked the Byrds), a Love song (we liked Love), a Spooky Tooth song (we LOVED Spooky Tooth), another Eddie Cochran song and something we'd heard done by both Cliff Richard and the Shadows and by Jerry Lee Lewis. The LP, called 'Something Else From The Move,' has long since disappeared in England, along with the master tapes, hence its absence from 'The Best Of The Move.' Sorry. The other different thing was doing a non-original tune written especially for the Move. Carl, who at the time seemed to want to be a balladeer, had a friend who wrote nice ballads, one David Morgan. His songs, "Something" and "This Time Tomorrow" were done by us as B-sides in 1968 and 1969 respectively. They're both good, but they suited a cabaret style more than the rock and roll Move. Morgan is still active and wrote all the songs for an obscure album by a band called Wishful Thinking; it was called 'Hiroshima,' I believe. He also performs a bit. Our unreleased-in-America next single was "Wild Tiger Woman." It failed to hit in England, probably because it was too heavy. I never really listened to the lyrics very closely, perhaps because they were poorly mixed, along with the rest of the track. it was the last thing Cordell produced for us, and the mix may have something to do with that. It was supposed to be the B-side for "Omnibus," which in retrospect probably would have done quite well. Unfortunately, radio people in Britain rarely even listen to B-sides let along play them on the air. "Omnibus" has one of our first extended instrumental passages at its end, and combined with the raunchy guitar leads on "Wild Tiger Woman," it certainly made for an ambitious single. In keeping with our press image of the era, we parlayed the failure of that single into headlines by giving interviews which stated the Move would pack it in if "Blackberry Way" did not go to #1. So, naturally, it turned into the only English #1 the Move had. It was quite a pop song, and it scared off Trevor, who wanted to get heavy. He unexpectedly quit the band something like the week the single hit the top. Very odd. He's still active (he recently played around Brum with a couple of ex-members of Fairport Convention) and has had his fingers in a lot of music over the years. He's a great musician, but he's never really found himself. "Curly," our next single hit, Rick Price's first disc as Move bassman, and the only new product A&M happened to have when we surprised them by touring the US for three weeks in October, 1969, was a bit commercial for my taste, but good for what it was. The opening bit featured a recorded, and I think this song could have done with a little more power. A lot of rumors were spread that the song concerned Carl's pet pig; that was pure hogwash. During this phase, we temporarily succumbed to Carl's Englebert urge. We played some cabaret clubs, doing medleys of our hits, "Walk On By," Gene Pitney songs and Carole King songs, all at low volume. It was fun, but hardly what we wanted to do, so we put a stop to it after a couple of weeks. Some of the songs we did, like "Goin' Back" and "The Last Thing On My Mind," made it to America in heavier versions, but basically it was a short-lived phase. Our second album, recorded shortly after the US tour, was more like us at the time. 'Shazam' was the effort that brought us from total obscurity in America to merely relative obscurity. 'The Best Of The Move' thunders to its conclusion with both sides of a single which must be termed as our overt reaction to our meteoric cabaret career, Rick Price's "Lightning Never Strikes Twice" and Roy's weighty classic, "Brontosaurus." I didn't think Rick's song was quite our style at the time, though some people really like it, and it does have a bit of our chunky sound. We very occasionally performed this live in our last days, and Rick re-recorded it on his subsequent solo LP. "Brontosaurus" definitely takes everything to extremes, and is an appropriate finale. The prominent bass, always a Move trademark, is overwhelming, along with Roy's slide guitar. This was Jeff Lynne's first session with us to the best of my memory, though he may have played on "Lightning" (as may have Carl, too), and it was very representative of our live sound with Roy and Jeff on guitars. It, and other material from the 'Looking On' album, made up the bulk of our final stage repertoire. We stopped performing to begin recording the first ELO album, though we managed to get another Move album and some singles done as well. Rick couldn't afford to live in a recording studio like Roy and Jeff, so he essentially faded out of the picture until Roy formed Wizzard. I could, on the other hand, afford the rest because it gave me the chance to open some record shops before we put ELO on the road. Viewing the Move with hindsight, it's easy to see our mistakes. People tell me we'd have been one of the top bands had we only toured America consistently, and given the critical reaction the Move has received in the last couple of years, perhaps they're correct. 'The Best Of The Move' is a monument to all that; a strong album, fully representing four years during which we simply could not get going in America, and showing the amazing writing imagination of Roy Wood. The Move has been something special, and I hope you'll hear more from them some day. - Bev Bevan The Electric Light Orchestra July 1973 ********** Subject: Wizzard Brew on sale Date: Tue, 10 Dec 2002 01:48:53 -0800 From: Toshiki Komeda There is a brand new CD entitled 'Wizzard Brew'. It is obvious that the title reminds us of the masterpiece by our Roy, although there are no tracks by Roy nor any related musicians on it. There are no cover versions of Move/Roy/Wizzard songs on it. It is a collection of world-wide pop songs compiled by Japanese manufacturer, Wizzard-in-Vinyl, which was named after Wizzard's debut album. I had several listens, and I didn't find so much 'Wizzard'-style sounds from this product, however, you may find some pop gems there. Their website is: http://www.wizzard-in-vinyl.com/ You can see the track list at: http://www.wizzard-in-vinyl.com/Music/Wizzard_Brew.html Best regards, Toshiki Komeda Kyoto, Japan ********** Subject: Re: Wizzard Brew on sale Date: Tue, 10 Dec 2002 01:50:00 -0800 From: Lynn Hoskins Toshiki, Thank you for your post! I've corresponded with the shop owner, Daisuke Kambe, who is a VERY big Roy Wood fan. (I wonder if people who visit Wizzard In Vinyl are aware of who Wizzard are/were?) Here's the final track listing, including the country each artist is from. Obviously, this pop comp has nothing to do with Roy or Wizzard, apart from the title. But I would like to see Roy's face when he sees another album titled "Wizzard Brew," complete with go-go dancers! 1. Lolas - In My Car (New Version) - America 2. Jeremy - Walking With You - America 3. Sunbeams - Cheer Girl - Japan 4. The General Store - B-Side - England 5. American Suitcase - Starf***er - Norway 6. P76 - Headed Straight For The Sun (Live Version) - Australia 7. Cloud Eleven - Green Grass Sunny Day - America 8. Einstein's Sister - Jealous Time (Acoustic Live Version) - America 9. Ben's Diapers - The World According To You - Finland 10. Maple Mars - Good Time For Friend - America 11. Movin' Jelly - December Girl - Japan 12. Eytan Mirsky - Beautiful Inside - America 13. Ed James - Mikki's Gotta Dance - America 14. Salt Water Taffy - Mr. Barbara - Japan 15. Fuzzbubble - Holding Out For Zen - America 16. Chris von Sneidern - Can You See Me? - America 17. The B-Sides - Sara Song - America 18. Martin Luther Lennon - I Own The World - America 19. Stateside - Take Me Down - America 20. White Flag - Forest Lawn Strings - America End of Useless Information #422 ******************************* [This digest is the copyright of the Move "Useless Information" Mailing List. 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