Yet another article for the Coventry Telegraph from the pen of  Pete Clemons –

When The Kinks came to Coventry

Thumbing through a recently published glossy rock magazine my attention was grabbed by an article relating to North London favourites The Kinks.

The article mentioned the fact that on 1 February 1964 The Kinks had played their debut gig with the classic line-up of Ray Davies guitar and vocals, Dave Davies on lead guitar, Pete Quaife on bass and drummer Mick Avory.

This, in turn, led to me being reminded about a gig during the very early part of January 1964 that featured both The Kinks and the incredibly hard-working Warwickshire band The Matadors. Immediately my curiosity got the better of me.

If The Kinks debut gig was on 1 February, what then was going on during early January?

This Kinks / Matadors event happened at The Orchid Ballroom, now known as The Kasbah. The Orchid Ballroom at that time was being run by Larry Page who, by early 1964, was also part of the management team running the affairs of the Kinks. So here was an obvious link. Larry had clearly brought the group up to Coventry for some experience away from London.

But then that begs another question. If  Larry Page was managing The Kinks then why did they sign up to Pye Records and not Decca. After all Larry Page had secured recording contracts for Coventry bands and artists such as Johnny B Great and the Goodmen, The Orchids and Shel Naylor (aka Rob Woodward of Lieutenant Pigeon) on Decca Records. I guess the answer to that though is not really relevant here.

Anyhow, returning to the article that initially took my interest, it all had me wondering that if this was not the classic line-up who debuted on the 1 February then who was in the band at that time and what might they have played on that January night in Coventry.

Well without doubt both Ray and Dave Davies along with Pete Quaife would have been present. They had been members of the band that had been known as The Ravens from around October/November 1963 till the end of that year and maybe just slightly into 1964. In fact legend has it that Larry Page had been very instrumental in encouraging The Ravens to change their name to The Kinks.

So that just leaves the drummer. Mick Avory joined The Kinks during the last week or so of January, after an advert he had placed in Melody Maker was answered by the band and their management. I have also read that the bands management, Boscobel Productions, had also placed an advert for a drummer. Maybe both had taken out adverts but, either way, Mick Avory would not have drummed for The Kinks on this particular occasion.

The Ravens had had a drummer by the name of Mickey Willet. And it may well have been Mickey who sat in on the drums that night.

However it seems that Mickey, although a very good drummer, had been slightly older than the rest of the band and his image did not fit the great scheme of things going forward. Also, Mickey apparently did not see eye to eye with the management. At some point Mickey Willet was asked to leave the band.

Further research in the Ray Davies book, X-Ray, revealed that a replacement drummer needed to be found to cover the bands schedule while a permanent drummer was found. That drummers name was Johnny Green and my gut feeling is that he is the guy who filled in for The Kinks that night. But here I am trying to micro manage the days in a chain of events that happened during a ten week period some 50 plus years ago.

The Kinks had been scheduled for some recording time at Pye number 1 studios round about the week commencing 20 January 1964. Still without a permanent drummer they drafted in session player Bobby Graham.

They recorded several songs that included what would turn out to be their first two singles. The tracks included ‘Long Tall Sally’, ‘I Took My Baby Home’, ‘You still Want Me’, ‘You Do Something To Me’, ‘I Don’t Need You Anymore’. The Ravens had recorded songs such as ‘Revenge’ and ‘Oooba Dioba’.

Another song from the days of The Ravens ‘One Fine Day’ written by Dave Davies was actually recorded by Shel Naylor (Coventry’s own Rob Woodward). So I am guessing that these are the tunes that would have greeted the audience at The Orchid Ballroom.

Within a week of Mick Avory joining The Kinks they found themselves on the iconic TV programme ‘Ready, Steady Go!’ They appeared alongside the likes of Manfred Mann, Ben E King, John Leyton and Kiki Dee.

The Kinks returned to Coventry during March 1964. This time they were part of a package tour that featured The Dave Clark 5 and The Hollies that called into The Coventry Theatre.

But even then this was still a fledgling version of the band and the set list would have been similar to their January visit. It was not until August 1964 that The Kinks really hit their stride when they got to number 1 with their third single ‘You Really Got Me’. This was followed by ‘All Day and All of the Night’ in the October and ‘Tired of Waiting For You’ released during January 1965.

Larry Page, who moved on from The Orchid Ballroom, remained with The Kinks until around September 1965. By then he was involved with another band who would also reach legendary status, The Troggs.

There have been many hints over the last few years, in fact I only heard Ray Davies mention it on the TV recently, that there may be a possibility that The Kinks could well yet tour again.

Time will tell I guess but I wouldn’t hold my breath. However today, Ray Davies still tours occasionally and has been added to the songwriter’s hall of fame. Dave Davies appears to have recovered well from a stroke and has begun playing again.

Pete Quaife sadly passed away during 2010 and Mick Avory leads a band called the Kast Off Kinks which features past members of the band.

Remembering The Specials’ John Bradbury

By Trev Teasdel and Pete Clemons

We were both quite sad to hear of the passing of John ‘Brad’ Bradbury, drummer for The Specials. Not just

Pete Clemons and Trev Teasdel

because of his work with the band, but Trev knew him some ten years before he joined.

I on the other hand, got to know him when he worked at Virgin Records in the arcade. He introduced me to many bands from across a wide spectrum of genres and as many on the ‘Cov’ scene will remember, he really was a nice guy as well as a great drummer. Many Coventrians who were around in the 70s will have their own memories of him, but these are Trev’s and it’s quite a shock for both of us to think that he has gone at the age of 62.

Coventry Arts Umbrella Club
The main topic of conversation at The Dive, was how much the Queens Hotel charged Nack-ed-en to practice. I was putting on the bands at the Umbrella Club with Al Docker at the time and suggested they join the Coventry Arts Umbrella Club, as they would then be able to practice free of charge. They took up the offer and I got to watch Nak-ed-en practice on a regular basis in the Umbrella coffee bar, before and we put them on at the Umbrella Club.

I don’t know how Brad worked with The Specials, but back then he was very into Northern Soul and was a very tight and skillful drummer, not at all showy. Back in 1970, it was the trend for drummers to imitate Ginger Baker with 15 minute-long drum solos which, except where the drummer was really good, often caused the audience to head for the bar. Brad never did that, his drum breaks were short, sharp and to the point, as demonstrated by the drum break in Gangsters. He used to get the band to take the songs apart and work on the transitions between the verse and chorus or bridge. He had a good sense of song structure and his drumming seemed to play an important part in signalling the transitions.

Pete Waterman and Special’s drummer John Bradbury unveil the final 2-Tone plaque in Coventry’s Heritage Trail

Umbrella Club Jam Session 1970

In August 1970, Brad and Loz Netto took part in an Umbrella Club jam session, called Vic’s Heavy Rock

Jam Session. This was actually organised by Al Docker, with me doing the door duty, but on the night, the all-night session was led by a very long-haired Neol Davies. This was the first time Neol and Brad had played together in seven years, when the pair played on the The Selecter track Kingston Affair. In 1979, it finally appeared on the B side of the Gangsters single and Nak-ed-en split up not long afterwards.

Loz Netto became lead guitarist in Tsar, a progressive band created by Al Docker and after that, Love Zeus, who once played a stunning set at the Belgrade Theatre.

Brad was always about town, you’d see him everywhere, walking between music pubs, or standing at the bar watching a band, when he wasn’t playing himself. Always friendly, always smiling and always easy going. He’d always be in a band, you’d look and the drummer was Brad. That’s how it was then; bands formed, split and reformed or joined other outfits and that’s how you got your experience. Line-ups weren’t precious, unless you got famous and had fans that would be upset by the change.

Transposed Men

In the late 70s, Brad reunited with Neol Davies in a forerunner of The Selecter, called Transposed Men,

where they played some of the Neol Davies songs that would soon be given the Ska treatment via The Selecter. The band consisted of Neol Davies, Desmond Brown, Kevin Harrison (later of Urge), Steve Wynne and John Bradbury and they band split when Jerry Dammers bagged John Bradbury for The Specials after Silverton left. Much of the rest is history that everyone knows, more or less.

Brad took the drum seat of the Specials for the famous leg of their journey and Neol reformed Transposed Men with new members from Charley Anderson’s Chapter 5 and former folk Coventry singer, Pauline Black as lead singer. After The Specials broke up, I remember I was backstage at the Dog and Trumpet with Tony Morgan’s own Ska band EMF. We were taking out amps to the van, along with Brad, and we laughed when Brad turned to Tony and called him Two Tony. Brad was always really witty and made us laugh. He was just a boy from Coventry who played an important role one of Coventry’s greatest moments, so hats off to Brad!

Charley Anderson’s first Band in Coventry Live in Woodend for the first Reggae Festival in Ska City, Charley Redlax bass Desmond Brown organ, Sylverton Hutchinson drums, Arthur ‘Gaps’ Hendrickson guitar vocals, Joy Evering vocals, Neol Davis guest on guitar.

Pete Clemons and  John Bradbury Sniff and the Tears with Loz Netto (lead) and Ron Lawrence (bass) of  Coventry JB’s Allstars

Charles “H” Bembridge drums , Chris Christy –
“Somewhere around 1979 Neol Davies combined Hardtop 22 with his latest band Transposed Men to give the classic first line up of The Selecter.”

Another Coventry Telegraph article by Pete Clemons –

Fleetwood Mac guitarist titled solo album ‘Coventry Blue’

Despite Fleetwood Mac having had their greatest commercial success during the second half of the 1970s and 1980s, for many, their favourite version of the band was the one that existed from its inception and through to the early part of 1970s.

During 1967, before Fleetwood Mac had formed as a band, Peter Green, John McVie, Mick Fleetwood and John Mayall, were known as The Bluesbreakers. This version of the Bluesbreakers only existed together for a very brief period of around three months.

The name ‘Fleetwood Mac’ actually began life as an instrumental jam recorded during a session. The Bluesbreakers were given some studio time and put together a total of five songs.

Peter Green (Guitar) and Mick Fleetwood (Drums) then set their sights on a new project. The original intention was to draft in John McVie on bass and by way of a carrot to lure in McVie, the band was named ‘Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac’, which incorporated all the musician’s names. But John McVie was not ready to commit due to the steady income he was receiving as a member of The Bluesbreakers, so for the short term, another bass player Bob Brunning, was drafted in.

Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac decided that their music would require a second guitar player to fill out and add to the sound, so they recruited the talents of slide guitarist Jeremy Spencer, who had been fronting a band called The Levi Set Blues Band.

The Fleetwood Mac line up of Green, Fleetwood, Spencer and Brunning made its debut on August 13 1967 at the Windsor Jazz and Blues Festival. Soon after that, the band’s original choice for bass, John McVie, also teamed up with the group and Bob Brunning moved on.

Fleetwood Mac’s self-titled debut album was released on the Blue Horizon label in February 1968. A second album, Mr. Wonderful, followed in August 1968. That same month, the band was further enhanced by the introduction of a third guitarist, Danny Kirwan.

Immediately, Kirwan made an impact as it was this version of the band that recorded and released their first number one single Albatross. They would also release the third studio album, Then Play On during September 1969. A compilation album, titled The Pious Bird of Good Omen was released in August 1969.

It is worth noting that each of the above versions of Fleetwood Mac, apart from that which contained Bob Brunning, played in the Coventry and Warwickshire region between 1967 and 1970.

Those familiar with the Fleetwood Mac’s first self-titled album will be more than aware that the opening number on that album is a Jeremy Spencer composition titled My Heart Beat Like a Hammer. Fast forward 45 years or so and Jeremy Spencer is still writing songs and releasing the odd album, which led to a recent online discussion between a group of my Facebook friends who were ‘chatting’ curiously about a 2014 release of his, titled ‘Coventry Blue’. Between us we were only aware of the album and I don’t think any of us had actually heard it, let alone read the CD liner notes, although this has all since been rectified.

We suspected from the album’s title that it must be connected to our city but given that Jeremy Spencer’s roots are in the north east of England, as far as we knew he had no connection with Coventry.

So I decided to ask the question ‘Where and how did the inspiration for the title of this album come from?’ Here is the reply from Jeremy himself:

“I wrote the lyrics to ‘Coventry Blue’ a few years ago back in Mexico. Being as I like to write stories, I am fascinated with the origin of terms and I wondered where ‘true blue’ came from. I looked it up and found the definition I used in my album’s liner notes. I thought it would make a good theme for a gospel blues song dedicated to the love of Jesus Christ that never fails.

“As far as titling the album goes, many ideas were on the table but when I suggested ‘Coventry Blue’ all those involved agreed. It does inspire curiosity as evidenced by your interest.

“When one refers to someone as being ‘true blue’, it means he or she is steadfast and loyal. This term comes from a special dye that was manufactured in Coventry several centuries ago.”

“The official definition of  True Blue, means loyal and unwavering and is supposed to derive from the blue cloth that was made at Coventry, England in the late Middle Ages. The town’s dyers had a reputation for producing material that didn’t fade with washing, so it remained ‘fast’ or ‘true’. The phrase ‘as true as Coventry blue’ originated then and is still used (in Coventry at least). The town’s standing was recorded in 1670 by John Ray in the first edition of ‘A Complete Collection of English Proverbs’.

“I played on these words in the last verse: ‘Of all the blues that I could try, there’s no question what I’ll choose when it comes my time to dye.’

So there it is, with a little history lesson!”

The Coventry Blue album itself is in a country blues style and is very laid back and relaxing. It contains an abundance of Jeremy’s trademark slide guitar playing along with some delightful moments. It also gives the feel of a man at peace and writing and playing for the love.

Coventry Blue is not Jeremy’s only album of late, an album titled Precious Little saw his return to music during 2006. A few years later, he produced the equally delightful Bend in the Road album, which was released in vinyl format on Record Store Day 2012, with the CD release a little time after.

Pete Clemons with more treats wriiten for and published by the Coventry Telegraph –

Love Revisited comes to the Empire in Coventry this July

Pete Clemons previews a concert ‘not to be missed’ in the city

August 2016 will, incredibly, mark the 10th anniversary since the world lost the enigmatic Arthur Lee.

Arthur, of course, shall always be remembered as the frontman and guitar player for the Los Angeles based band ‘Love’.

But to simply call Arthur the frontman is doing him a gross injustice. He was oh so much more than that. And mentioning that Arthur was just a songwriter and visionary does not really tell the whole story of his extraordinary life.

But I will not be attempting to revisit his life story as such. The purpose of this article is to inform you that Arthur’s music is being brought back to the UK. And it will be celebrated by a band of musicians that were at Arthur’s side for more years than any of the others who played their part in the ‘Love’ story.

Baby Lemonade performed with Arthur from 1993 until 2006. Typically, it was not always a smooth ride but they were alongside him at a time when there was a resurgence of interest in Love’s music. And this combination of Baby Lemonade and Arthur played at many sold out concerts which culminated in the unforgettable tour during 2003, complete with string and brass ensemble, which celebrated the groundbreaking Forever Changes album which was originally released in the winter of 1967.

For those who remember Baby Lemonade, they are still the same line up as that which appeared on those gigs at the turn of the century. For those who did not attend, Baby Lemonade was formed in 1992 and is made up of Mike Randle on guitar, Rusty Squeezebox on rhythm guitar, David ‘Daddy-O’ Green on drums and Dave Chapple on bass.

Baby Lemonade will be joined on this tour by Love’s original lead guitar player and founding member of the band, Johnny Echols. Johnny, who first met Arthur at school aged 15, was also a part of the ‘classic’ Love line up and appeared on the band’s first three studio albums. Together they will be known as ‘Love Revisited’. Other band members who appeared of those early albums were songwriter and rhythm guitar player Bryan MacLean, Ken Forssi on bass, organ player Alban Pfisterer, drummer Michael Stuart and Tjay Cantrelli on percussion.

And for this tour ‘Love Revisited’ will be concentrating on those first three albums namely the self-titled ‘Love’ originally released March 1966, ‘Da Capo’ from November 1966 and ‘Forever Changes’ November 1967.

The band name ‘Love’ came about after the name of Arthur’s previous band ‘The Grass Routes’ had been ripped off (Arthur’s words) by another band. Rather than hate he decided that the most positive thing would be to rename his band Love. And that was the philosophy Arthur Lee tried to use with regard to song writing. His energies simply went into writing after anything unpleasant happened to him.

For many reasons Love imploded after ‘Forever Changes’. But this was far from the end of the Love journey. Arthur Lee set about rebuilding the band by bringing in the talents of Jay Donnellan on lead guitar, Frank Fayed on bass and George Suranovich on drums. A fourth Love album ‘Four Sail’ was released during August 1969. Stylistically different ‘Four Sail’ was, for me at least, up there with any other of the bands previous releases. In retrospect I guess this album highlighted a turning point in Arthur’s extraordinary abilities in terms of shifting between genres and still being able to create music of great quality. Versatile was a word that Arthur enjoyed being described as.

A final officially released studio album, titled ‘Reel to Real’, was released during December 1974. It had been produced on Robert Stigwood’s RSO label and yet again proved how adept Arthur was in putting a band together and producing some wonderful arrangements. Apparently Robert Stigwood was a huge admirer of Arthur’s work and wanted to give him the opportunity to continue with his creativity. So he gave Arthur a budget to use. Although ‘Reel to Real’ was so different in feel to previous Love releases I personally I thought it was money well spent.

UK dates followed in support of ‘Reel to Real’ with a band that featured Arthur along with John Sterling, George Suranovich on drums and Kim Kesterson on bass.

And then began a renaissance in Arthur’s music, which began during the early 1990s right through to Arthur’s premature death in 2006, and heavily featured Baby Lemonade. The culmination of this coming together was almost certainly the ‘Forever Changes’ tour during 2003. The tour was put together to celebrate the 35th anniversary of that particular Love album. The band was joined by an eight-piece string and horn section and the album was reproduced in all its glory.

A rare opportunity to hear the music of Love being played live in Coventry will soon be upon us as ‘Love Revisited’ will be appearing at The Empire, Gosford Street (on the site of the old Paris Cinema) on 1st July 2016. For anyone with a passing interest in this band then it really a is an opportunity not to be missed.

Pete Clemons article for Coventry Telegraph 2nd November 2015.

Coventry gig that saw the start of T.Rex renaissance

BY PETER CLEMONS

Pete Clemons recalls the journey Marc Bolan made from folk to rock… and THAT gig at the Lanchester Polytechnic

I have enjoyed listening to music for as long as I can remember but one particular single release sticks in my mind as much as any other.

This was the sudden, yet significant, appearance in 1970 of  Ride A White Swan by T.Rex.

The same year saw Marc Bolan announce that he was abbreviating Tyrannosaurus Rex and changing his musical direction from folk to rock.

T.Rex – Bolan on guitar and Mickey Finn on percussion – were a band I had been unaware of up until that time but that single, with its incredible lyrics, made a real impact on me.

When this record came out I was still at school and my only form of income was from a newspaper round and cleaning the neighbour’s cars and other such odd jobs. This meant that I could afford to buy singles and the occasional LP.

The other option, apart from the radio and TV programmes, was to visit the record lending library which at that time was based in Bayley Lane in a room within the Herbert Art Gallery and Museum building. But, in the main, I had to wait for a birthday or until Christmas came along, and hope that my wish list of records was answered.

Ride A White Swan meant that Bolan was no longer confined to a single audience. Marc Bolan and T.Rex had now, suddenly, discovered a more commercial market.

The fans that had supported him since 1968 were upset and saw him as ‘selling out’. But, of course, at the time of its release I did not fully understand the furore.

The follow-up, Hot Love, was released during February 1971. The lyrics were more sensual than mythical. By now, Bolan had broadened out the band by bringing in Steve Currie on bass and Bill Legend on drums.

On March 19, 1971, T.Rex made their one and only appearance in Coventry in the Student’s Union Sports Hall at the Lanchester Polytechnic – now known as Coventry University. The timing by whoever had booked this gig was perfection.

This performance came just a month after the release of  Hot Love and the single was now riding high at No.1 in the UK charts.

Sadly, for whatever the reasons, little is remembered from this gig apart from the fact that it was 60p to get in and was billed as the last gig before a tour of the US – although that was not strictly true.

In addition to the singles, I am guessing that songs like Beltane Walk, One Inch Rock, King of the Rumbling Spires and By the Light of a Magical Moon would have been included in the set list as they had been favourites during 1970 and the early part of 1971.

One thing is for sure, this was new ground for T.Rex. This gig had been one of the earliest they had performed since they had changed their name and their direction by way of the introduction of electric lead guitar.

July 1971 saw the release of Get it On (Bang a Gong). It was a taster for what was to come. And it was another single which would top the UK singles chart.

Within the space of a year from that Coventry gig, T.Rex would be topping the Weeley (Clacton) Festival of progressive music in August 1971 and would be playing sell-out gigs at the Empire Pool (Wembley Arena).

Between those two events the album Electric Warrior was released. This album also contained the band’s hit single of 1971, Jeepster.

The album’s title also give a tip of the hat towards the bands transgression from folk to rock, and became the biggest selling album of 1971.

January 1972 saw T.Rex’s next single, Telegram Sam, released on the band’s own imprint through the EMI label. All previous releases by T.Rex had been on the independent Fly Records label.

Another single, Debora, followed during March 1972. It sounded very different. This was a bit more folky. It was then I discovered that Debora had been a re-release of a 1968 song by the band’s previous name of Tyrannosaurus Rex.

I could be cynical and suppose that it may have been the Fly Record label cashing in. But what that record did do was to introduce a lot of people to their back catalogue prior to Ride A White Swan.

This phenomenal success, however, could not continue and by 1974, despite some still fine music, T.Rex’s success was beginning to slip.

After a few years of not so much of being out of the limelight – more being out of fashion – 1977 began with high hopes as Marc returned to the greater public’s attention.

He released his Dandy in the Underworld album and this was supported by a UK tour that stopped at the Birmingham Odeon in March of that year.

The future then looked even brighter when Marc Bolan was given his own TV programme which went out later that year.

It was only a half-hour show but it crammed in at least three T.Rex performances per episode along with songs by the likes of Generation X, The Jam, Desmond Dekker, Eddie and the Hot Rods and The Boomtown Rats.

It was essential viewing. Of course this renaissance of his talents all came in the same year as his tragic early death.

Looking back now and the music, in my opinion, had basically remained unchanged. How much real difference was there between Desdamona and Ride A White Swan? Or between Woodland Bop and Get it On?

Breaking into the mass market meant that Marc Bolan had lost none of his charm. He was just such a unique artist in so many ways.

What did happen, however, was that Bolan became more of an extrovert on stage – and what’s more, he made the most of it.

Pete Clemons article from the Coventry Telegraph 13th November 2015.

Callum Pickard and the Third Look are the Coventry band making dream pop 

BY PETE CLEMONS

They made a big impression on Pete Clemons at this year’s Godiva Festival. He chats to the young singer/songwriter about success and the future.

Of all the excellent bands and artists I saw perform at this year’s Godiva Festival, Callum Pickard and the Third Look made the biggest impression on me.

They were not one of the major headliners – as good as the headlines were. Rather, this was a band who took to the main stage quite early on during the final day and they totally took my attention for the 45 minutes they were on.

I was not totally unaware of this band – I had seen them a couple of times at The Tin and I had seen Callum perform solo in his formative years.

What really grabbed me was how much they had grown as a band. In addition to some really good music they had developed a style which, to these ears, seemed heavily influenced by the late 1960s and early 1970s.

Yet like a host of current bands who are also heading in this direction – such as Tame Impala – the Third Look are achieving it via today’s technology.

I spoke to Callum recently. It seems the band do utilise lots of effects by way of guitar pedals and synths but, at the same time, they are very careful to use the effects to enhance the sound rather than overpower the music.

Callum studied music performance at college.

He told me: ‘I have been writing and performing my own songs since I was 11 years old, initially as a solo singer/songwriter. I joined an existing Coventry band, Absent Friends, in 2013 where I met drummer Chris Lings and bass player Matty Wishart.”

Absent Friends disbanded early in 2014. “Matty and Chris and I got together and guitarist Dan Murtagh joined us in March 2014.”

And the Third Look was born.

Matt Donaldson was recruited in June 2015. Matty Wishart moved across to rhythm guitar and keys but has since left the band. He played his last show at the Kasbah in September.

Most recently however, the band recruited multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Loz Petite (Pretty Rascals, Malik and Petite, The Tones) to the Third Look family.

Callum writes all his own material.

“I have a real passion for music and love writing and performing,” he said. “We don’t play covers.

“My songs generally start with a riff and develop from there. The tune nearly always comes first and lyrics are added later. Then I take the foundation of the song to the band and we refine the arrangements.

“Inspiration comes from fantasy, nature, friends and family, love and heartbreak. Anything I feel passionate about, really.”

Callum’s musical ambitions are simple: “I just want to share my music with anyone who is prepared to listen. In my mind, music is the best way to communicate.

“My music transposes all ages. I hope it appeals to all. I don’t deliberately target anyone when I write my songs. It crosses many genres, a mixture of lots of things. It’s whatever the listeners/watchers want it to be.

“But who knows? The inspiration for my next song may be something darker. There is a psychedelic twist at the moment but if I had to give it a general classification, I suppose it’s dream pop.”

Initially, the Third Look would like to secure some formal management and get signed to an indie record label. That would then give Callum and the band time to develop carefully and in a planned way.

“I would rather longevity than short term successes.”

Callum Pickard and the Third Look have already supported Steve Gunn (ex Kurt Vile and the Violators), Boogarins, Quilt, Ryley Walker and had two dates, in Coventry and London, with Devon Sproule.

On perfoming, Callum revealed: “We concentrate on the music and plan our sets very carefully. You won’t find us chatting to the audience too much.

“However, whilst we don’t prance around on stage, we like to think we give a really interesting show.”

The band have just recorded six songs in readiness for their first EP, due for release early 2016.

Previous releases include a solo EP called Blueprint. This is still available online but all hard copies sold out long ago.

A single, called Lonely Boy and Girl, was also released in March.

Most of Callum’s music has been recorded at Abatis Studios in Warwickshire by a good friend Jon Priestley, although he has self-recorded some material and also collaborated with Syd Kemp in London.

Some of the more recent material has been mastered by Greg Calbi of  Sterling Sound in New York. Greg Calbi has mastered more than 7,500 albums including John Lennon, Bob Dylan, David Bowie, Supertramp and Television in a career spanning over 40 years.

I asked Callum to define success.

He said: “Success is anything that I do that makes me happy.” That did make me smile.

The latest from Pete Clemons, from Coventry Telegraph –

MANY DELIGHTS OF A GREAT MUSIC YEAR – Pete Clemons 4th jan 2016
2015 highlights
My final paragraph in my round up of 2014 contained the line ‘2015 is already shaping up to be memorable’. And so it was to be, by the bucket full.

In terms of album releases for this year I have really enjoyed the latest albums by familiar names such as Keith Richards, David Gilmour and Jeff Lynne’s ELO.

But scratch slightly under the surface and a whole host of other aural delights exist. Album releases by Steven Wilson ‘Hand.Cannot.Erase.’, Bruce Soord self-titled debut album, Tim Bowness ‘Stupid Things That Mean the World’ and Polish band Riverside ‘Love Fear and the Time Machine’ have all certainly fallen into that category. But one particular album that I have almost worn out is that by Swedish rock band Anekdoten titled ‘Until All the Ghosts Are Gone’.

I have always had a soft spot for what I can only describe as folk rock. For those who are into that kind of sound then you may realise that the original vocalist for Fairport Convention, Judy Dyble, has recently made a triumphant return to recording. She also released an ‘album of stuff’ called ‘Gathering the Threads’. This was a 3 CD set that covers her music from the beginnings in 1964 and through to present date. A couple of tracks also feature a guitarist and songwriter called Sand Snowman who is well worth investigating in his own right.

On the gig front I also got to see several bands from the above list play live, in fact most of them. But the one gig that stood apart was that by King Crimson at the Symphony Hall. This had been their first gig in Birmingham since 1973. Not a word was spoken by the performers, which included 3 drummers, during the concert but the music spoke volumes. King Crimson was not pushing any new music. Instead, this was a unique celebration of all that had gone before.

Closer to home and I bought two outstanding albums by local artists. The first was by Stone Foundation and titled ‘A Life Unlimited’. The album is crammed full of the bands trademark soul and funk sound. In fact, as I understand it, a single from the album ‘Beverley’ has been highly acclaimed and is up for an award. Next up was Steve Walwyn’s debut album ‘Instinct to Survive’. Steve of course needs little introduction but, for those who are not familiar, Steve has been lead guitarist for a number of years with Dr.Feelgood and before that The DT’s. And for Steve, this completed a lifelong ambition to release a quality blues album in his name. Neither of these albums releases will disappoint.

In addition to the albums we had a wonderful EP release by Luna Kiss called ‘Gravity’. Luna Kiss are a rock band and their own create original music. They have created their own sound by drawing on influences across the spectrum. If good honest guitar riffs combined with a rockabilly sound are your thing then the Skabilly Rebels are just for you. Led by the enigmatic Roddy Radiation the Skabilly Rebels released a noteworthy EP titled ‘Fallen Angel’ earlier in the year which contained a set of new and more familiar songs.

The above is far from exhaustive. I do appreciate that there has been other album and EP releases that I have not covered or even heard as yet.

I think all who attended will agree that this year’s Godiva Festival was another triumph. I really enjoyed the parts of it that I got to see. On the main stage I found Coventry bands King Phoenix and Callum Pickard and the Third Look particularly memorable. Going forward I really hope that this festival continues in some form or other. For Coventry bands like those mentioned it really is an important fixture.

I am already looking forward to 2016 which, yet again, is shaping up to be an exciting year.

How Anathema conquered the world: 25 years and still going strong

Anathema have been through a number of changes but in the last ten years has seen a steady line-up

Anathema have been releasing attention-grabbing music since they first came together as Pagan Angel way back in 1990.

Over the next 25 years they transformed themselves from a doom metal band through to the wonderfully alternative and atmospheric rock band you can hear today.

The last few years have seen Anathema gain huge worldwide attention which continues to grow. And with each new release comes the inevitable clutch of new listeners. They, in turn, will then descend on the bands amazing back catalogue.

This includes ten official releases along with a selection of compilation and live albums. But getting Anathema to this lofty position in rock music hierarchy has not been easy one. It has taken much hard work and dedication.

“Souls have resonated together in such a way as to be highly significant to each one of our life paths.

Anathema performing live “Without each and every one of these people, Anathema could not have been born, could not have grown, and could not have survived and thrived in quite the way that it has. And for a very special occasion, these souls will share the stage once again, celebrating an entire history of pioneering musical searching. “We will pay respect to every single era of Anathema history – and to all the significant souls we have been close to. From the present day musical landscapes, back through time, to the dawn of the group’s formation.”  At the heart of the band have been the Cavanagh brothers from Liverpool, Danny and Vincent, both multi-instrumentalists and songwriters, along with drummer John Douglas – although John did leave for a short while during the late 1990s.  Another Cavanagh brother, Jamie (twin of Vincent), was a band member at Anathema’s inception but left quite early on. He rejoined in 2001 and has remained a fixture of the band ever since.  Another important element of the band’s early years was that of the role played by bass player Duncan Patterson who, for a short while, was also a lead songwriter.  A succession of other talented musicians has also been associated with the band, including vocalist Darren White, bass player Dave Pybus and drummer Shaun Steels.  Arguably it has been in Europe and other areas of the world where Anathema attracted the greatest attention.  But slowly, and particularly over the last ten years or so, that audience has included wider interest in the UK, along with a growth in the areas where they had already been popular.  It has certainly been over the last ten years or so that has seen the band at its steadiest in terms of the line-up. Late 2003 saw the release of Anathema’s seventh album A Natural Disaster. This was the last album the band would release on the Music For Nations label and the first to include the three Cavanagh brothers. The line-up for that album was completed by John Douglas on drums and keyboard player Les Smith who had joined the band in 1999 from Cradle of Filth. A Natural Disaster marked a recording debut for guest vocalist Lee Douglas, the sister to John. Previously Lee had been a backing vocalist at live events only. The following few years saw Anathema gigging hard. They toured Europe both on their own and in support of bands such as Porcupine Tree. They even threw in some special acoustic shows – one I remember particularly included a small string section. Then, seemingly out of the blue, May 2008 saw an announcement by Kscope that they were to release a semi acoustic album of re-workings of by Anathema called Hindsight. The album was released in August of that year, in lavish packaging and to great critical acclaim. Sometime after, a further briefing was released which announced that Anathema were now working on their follow-up to Hindsight. It was to be an album of brand new material and the working title was Horizons. That briefing included the mouth-watering statement that ‘this is set to be an album beyond all expectations’. The resulting album, now given a release title of We’re Here Because We’re Here, was issued in May 2010. And, for many listeners, it fully lived up to the hype. The rock media from across its wide spectrum were astonished, with many critics, announcing it as their album of the year. And who can forget that memorable gig when the band stopped off at the Leamington Assembly as part of the tour to support the album. This would be, however, the last album to feature keyboard player Les Smith, but, significantly, it would be the first to feature vocalist Lee Douglas as an official member of the band. There followed Falling Deeper – and it certainly did fall deep as it delved right back to the beginning of the band’s back catalogue. Anathema albums Weather Systems (2012) and concert film Universal, released following its live European tour Weather Systems was the next studio offering, released during May 2012. In support of this, Anathema set off on a lengthy worldwide tour. They also appeared at some spectacular venues. One of those concerts, where the band shared the stage with the Plovdiv Philharmonic Orchestra, was captured on tape so to speak and lavishly released on CD and LP later in the year. To replace Les Smith, Anathema had drafted in the considerable talents of Portuguese born multi-instrumentalist Daniel Cardoso, who became a permanent member of the band during late 2012. To bring things bang up-to-date, June 2014 saw the heralding in of Anathema’s very latest studio album, Distant Satellites. A couple of acoustic concerts were also announced. Yet again, the Assembly in Leamington was chosen along with a gig in the unique setting of Gloucester Cathedral. The Gloucester gig was an unforgettable chapter for the band, and they were keen to reproduce the experience. More cathedral gigs were arranged for early 2015, this time at Leeds, Exeter and Winchester. And this series of gigs culminated with a triumphant sold-out visit to the Anglican Cathedral in Anathema’s home city of Liverpool in March. The gig was recorded and is set for release under the title A Sort of Homecoming at the end of this month. With – at last – an appreciation of their music by a UK-wide audience, who knows what boundary-pushing direction Anathema will take for their next project. But the word spectacular will not be far away.

Original article here http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/whats-on/music/how-anathema-conquered-world-25-10196761

Remembering Rico Rodriguez: The Specials trombonist who blew us all away.

My introduction to Rico Rodriguez was, I guess, like many others of my age. It was during the mid to late 1970s.

I remember listening to an LP on the Island label and either the inner sleeve was covered in those ‘if you enjoy this, you will love these’ adverts, or the LP had an advertising insert within it.

Either way, it led my curiosity to an album called Man From Wareika.

I used to love, and still do to this day, listening to the Trojan Records label and those wonderful singles released during the late 1960s and 70s. But  Man From Wareika was very different.

For me personally, it was an early introduction to the kind of  reggae that had that incredibly distinctive rhythm section of heavy bass and highly tuned drums that would take the world of music by storm.

Also, what set Man From Wareika apart was that the lead was not taken by guitar, or a more traditional instrument. The lead instrument on this album was a trombone – but not played in a loud, brash, jazzy fashion. This trombone was blown in a more soulful, simmering and seductive way.

Wareika, as I understand, is a hilly area on the edge of Kingston, Jamaica. And it was where Rico grew up.

It was also where Rico had eked out a living as a session player, albeit though, on some very important records by some very influential artists and musicians.

In fact, between 1958 and 1961 he had been credited on around 100 songs.

Rico made his way to England in 1962. His mother had given him the money for the fare over. He had no family over here and only one friend when he arrived.

After settling he found a lot of work with producer Laurel Aitken.

Sometime later, during 1969, he released his first solo album, Reco in Reggae Land, which was effectively a tribute to Don Drummond, who had been a close friend and mentor back in Jamaica.

At around the age of 40, Rico was approached by Island Records with a view to becoming a session musician for them.

Recording duties led to his first visit back to Jamaica since arriving in England. Island Records put him in contact with a more diverse range of musicians and it was at this point, I guess, when Rico first crossed paths with Dick Cuthell, who was also working for the company as a recording engineer. Dick Cuthell was also very accomplished with brass instruments.

The association with Island Records would then, of course, lead to the creation of Rico’s own Man From Wareika album, mixed by Dick Cuthell, and released on that label. The release of his album lead to Rico and his band being asked to open for fellow countryman Bob Marley and his Wailers on their 1977  Exodus tour of Europe.

To embellish a song, and fill it out, by adding the sound of extra instrumentation is down to pure vision. So the addition of brass instruments, by way of the introduction in 1979 of  Rico Rodriguez, and slightly later, Dick Cuthell, into The Specials‘ own brand of music was, in hindsight, not just visionary but also a decision of total genius.

Not only was it a good move for The Specials but it also marked the beginning of a bond between Rico himself and the many people of Coventry who embraced the whole 2-Tone and Ska music revival scene. And, of course, it also brought Rico a whole new audience.

Rico once said: “I really enjoyed playing with them (The Specials), especially going to America and Europe, all over, Dublin and Belfast and Ireland and Wales. It was good.”

In 1982, Rico returned to the Wareika Hills where he would stay for the next eight years. The following year however and more chart success followed. This time with a song that had been recorded before he left for Jamaica.

Paul Young had recorded a version of the song Love of the Common People but it failed to chart. It was only when Paul’s next single, Wherever I Lay My Hat (That’s My Home), hit the charts that the public at large revisited Common People.

Leaving Jamaica towards the end of the 1980s was not a straight-forward affair but one of the things that did happen was that Rico was invited, by Swiss musicians, to work on a reggae project in Europe. Around the same time he also met a Japanese musician called Kuubo, who specialized in reggae, and had been staying in Jamaica.

This was the beginning of huge affection for Rico in Japan. From all account the Japanese audience really took Rico to their hearts.

When, eventually, Rico returned to England work was now becoming more plentiful. He hooked up with a band called Jazz Jamaica.

Then from there, and from 1996 through to 2012, Rico became a member of  Jools Holland and his much loved Rhythm and Blues Orchestra.

For 16 years Rico had the time of his life performing on annual tours and playing at a host of spectacular gigs and venues. Included was several visits to Warwick Arts Centre.

During his lifetime, Rico Rodriguez appears to have touched an awful lot of people. That is clearly evident to see by the amount of moving tributes I have read from close friends and fellow musicians alike. He also touched his listeners who enjoyed hearing him play.

One such tribute, in the form of a poem, was penned by Coventry-born poet, Trev Teasdel.

Pete Clemons on progressive music, mentioning Coventry band Asgard. Here is a link to Pete’s article on Asgard on this site – http://coventrygigs.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/asgard-progressive-rock-band-1969-71.html


Here is the the broadcast – and yes – Neol Davies later of  Selecter did guest with Asgard on sitar and Asgard were promoted by John Peel back in 1970

Shane O’Connor Show, BBC Radio Coventry and Warwickshire http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p031szwy#play