Ike and Tina Turner – Coventry

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Ike and Tina Turner – Coventry
by Pete Clemons


Toward the end of 1966 The Rolling Stones set out on a UK concert tour. The opening acts were The Yardbirds, Peter Jay and the Jaywalkers and, on their first British tour, the Ike and Tina Turner Revue complete with the Kings of Rhythm Orchestra and The Ike-ettes. They were described at the time as, one of the most exciting rock and roll shows ever to hit Britain.

It was The Rolling Stones themselves who had offered Ike and Tina Turner the chance to be one of their opening acts, having seen the Revue while touring in the States. It also gave the pair the opportunity to book additional concert appearances and tours all over the UK, Europe and Australia where they attracted large audiences.

To coincide with their British tour London records released the Phil Spector produced ‘River Deep-Mountain High’. Recorded late 1965, and later released during mid 1966 in the UK, ‘River Deep-Mountain High’ failed to become a hit in the United States. However, in Europe it was a totally different story as it became a massive hit, reaching the top 3 in the UK.

It was quite a coup for The Rolling Stones as the arrival of Ike and Tina Turner made the front pages of the music magazines. Their agent, Tito Burns, confirmed the tour during July 1966. At that time the pair were riding high in the charts with their single ‘River Deep-Mountain High’. He mentioned that, in addition to the concert tour, the Revue would also be completing several other personal and TV appearances while they were here.

And one of those additional concerts, scheduled during free time from The Rolling Stones tour was at the Locarno in Coventry. As far as I can determine the set list included ‘River Deep-Mountain High’, ‘Shake’, ‘A Fool In Love’, ‘It’s Gonna Work Out Fine’, ‘Please, Please, Please’, ‘Goodbye’, ‘So Long’, ‘Land of 1000 Dances’, ‘Tell the Truth’, ‘I Know (You Don’t Want Me No More)’, ‘Something Got a Hold On Me’, ‘You Are My Sunshine’.

The fact is that despite their popularity in Europe Ike and Tina Turner had been making quality music for at least six years with no success back home. According to Ike Turner, they had been trying to get across to the UK for a couple of years but was not comfortable to until he was sure he could bring the whole Revue.

During an interview while in the UK Ike Turner mentioned: ‘I wouldn’t have come till I was sure that I could bring along all of the act. It would have been no good just Tina and me coming here. I didn’t want to be a let-down act, I don’t even know how we all managed to get here, but here we are’. Ike also confessed that the Revue did not rehearse very much. Yet, despite that, he mentioned that they still managed to sound close to the record while on stage.

The audiences appreciation of the bands sound stunned Ike and Tina Turner. And, following the visit, the band returned to the United States in high demand despite never having had a hit record there. Of course, that all changed, as the pair went on to win a Grammy Award as well as being inducted into the rock n roll hall of fame during 1991.



Porcupine Tree – An Empty Box

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Porcupine Tree An Empty Box

by Pete Clemons


The build up to the release of this album seems to have taken an age. Although, to be fair, ‘The Future Bites’ was written and completed long before Covid 19 took hold. Through no fault of Steven Wilson, it has been the pandemic that has played its part in the albums long delay. But it is now almost upon us and the reviews of the album, so far, have been very encouraging and incredibly positive.

The theme for ‘The Future Bites’ questions commerciality, and I found myself ordering the box set. But the longer the delay ensued and the release date was put back I found myself recalling a very early Porcupine Tree tune called ‘An Empty Box’. No idea why. I maybe guessed that Steven was being mischievous and maybe, in some way, he was going to have the last laugh on us. Those with long memories may remember the spoken sequence, a fictitious interview, at the beginning of the track:……………

‘You did mention recently in an interview with the New Musical Express that you were considering issuing a box. Unreleased demo’s, psychedelic jams that kind of thing.

Well the thing is, at the moment and the way that the money is going, I think that the box is as far as we get – an empty box. Which seems fairly unwise at the moment’.

As it turns out, the box set is far from empty. Musically there are plenty of surprises in it. I’m not sure if there are many left. If you want one to listen to, and not just to own, do not regret missing out on the chance to buy it.

In addition to commercialism, ‘The Future Bites’ has also investigated what the internet has done to us as consumers. Inadvertently, this album, via the internet and social media, has drawn out of us, some of the funniest and strangest reactions that I have ever come across.

An angst and a furor, rarely heard or seen since Bob Dylan and T. Rex went electric or The Beatles and Abba split up, has built up on the various social media sites during the period that the album was on hold. Steven Wilson has got it absolutely right when it comes to the album’s subject matter. From being a closed, and rather private society, we now appear to be more than happy to reveal our most personal of details and our innermost nature.

During the ‘To the Bone’ tour, which lasted 14 months, the touring band racked up 145 concerts taking in over 30 countries and over 100 cities around the world. In hindsight, the more electronic nature of this album was hinted at during that last tour. And recently, Steven Wilson is quoted as saying that, ‘for the first time in my life I actually wrote something topical to our current climate’.

Another twist is that Steven has even managed to recruit Elton John to guest on the album. Elton was involved on the track Personal Shopper. He does the monologue towards the end of the track. And it is true what Steven says, in that we sometimes tend to buy stuff for the ownership of it rather than for what it is intended for. Such how the algorithms have seeped into us.

Steven Wilson has been doing what he does within his world of music for majority of his life. Additionally he has been recording, releasing and touring music for the last 30 of those years. He is astute and clearly thinks about the wider business. In terms of career length he has far surpassed many of his contemporaries. And, despite that, he still wants to release music of value and worth. So it is only fair that if he says that he has done all he can with guitar based music, and wants to explore other avenues, then we need to respect that.




When Mothers Club Came to Coventry

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When Mothers Club Came to Coventry
by Pete Clemons

Mothers Club in Erdington was one of the first of its kind outside of London that really meant anything to the music fan. When it opened as the Carlton during 1963 its aim was ‘to provide live music and regular dances for the burgeoning teenage population’. And that policy continued when it was renamed Mothers during 1968. Occasionally dances would move to places like the Town Hall in Birmingham. A Mothers themed night was added to the Lanchester Arts Festival of 1970.

King Crimson were supposed to have headlined the evening and, even during mid January 1970 within a fortnight or so of the event, they were still being advertised in the national music papers and local press. But instead, and at very short notice, they were replaced on the bill by Danny and the Heart-throbs. The rest of the bill was completed by Free, Yes, Mott the Hoople, Atomic Rooster.

For that downstairs main hall gig social secretary, Bob Jones, did a lot of hyping for Danny and his Heart-throbs in ‘Lanch’ bulletins with a backstory saying they had come over from the USA. And it seemed that many bought it. But in reality it turned out that several local bands combined to put together Danny and the Heart-throbs. And they lasted for just two gigs.

The idea for Danny and the Heart-throbs came from future Indian Summer bass player Malcolm Harker. He drafted in band mates Brian Whittle on sax and Paul Moreton from Ultra Sound. Completing the band were sax player Tim James, guitarist Steve Cottrel, Bob Jackson on keyboards and Paul Hooper on drums. Paul Morton took on lead vocals as Danny. There was also a great boogie woogie piano player and a brass section. To give the band an image Malc had them all dress in drape coats, bootlace ties and brothel creeper shoes.

The first gig was at the ‘Lanch’ in a top floor room, for a Freshers party, where, as a result of this gig, further live music was banned. The crowd were so enthusiastic jumping around to the rock n roll – which was pretty much a novel genre at the time – that they cracked the floor/ceiling so no bands were allowed to play upstairs after that. That aside, the band were invited back again because they had gone down so well. The second, and final gig, was as part of the main Lanchester Arts Festival and Danny and the Heart-throbs went down an absolute storm with a set made up of tunes like ‘Rock Around the Clock’, ‘Heartbreak Hotel’, ‘At the Hop’, ‘Summertime Blues’, ‘Shakin All Over’ and ‘Lucille’ to name a few.

The event was reviewed in a national music paper as follows: An odd sort of evening at Mothers, the Birmingham ‘heavy’ club, as Friday’s contribution to the Lanchester Arts Festival.

No really popular groups, and last act of the evening, so presumably top of the bill, was a last minute addition, local group Danny and the Heart-throbs. Unheard of outside Birmingham, Danny and his boys do a rock ‘n’ roll set which is a send up of the whole scene, black leather greasy hair and all, although the music is a straight laying down the line of what rock is all about.

Free were on before Danny’s mob and played a predictable set including the popular ‘Woman’. The crowd loved them and gave them the accolade of being the only group of the evening to be asked to do an encore. Much better live than on record, Free had the audience on its feet with a mind blowing ear splitting set.

Yes, possibly one of the finest live acts in the country, seemed a little out of their depth and got something of a cool reception until they moved from their sweet music on to some more pounding material.

I asked Paul Hooper for his memories of the gig: We did it as a spoof joke but in fact, had we kept it together, there may well have been potential for real success as was proved a little later on by Showaddywaddy amongst others..but we didn’t take it seriously. Because we’d done a gig shortly before upstairs in the Lanch, and bought the house down, I do recall Chris Welch giving us rave review in Melody Maker. Perhaps we should have stuck with it eh?

Bob Jackson agreed: We went down a storm. I was in drag along with Paul Hooper. So it was a wild night!! It was packed in there and I got pulled off the stage by my ankle onto the floor. I had a shift dress on but that was all. You’ve never seen anyone move so fast to get back on stage. It was a winning formula.


Thanks to Bob Jackson and Paul Hooper for their help with this article.

PS Pete Clemons adds “the Danny gig was at the point where Malc Harker got to join Indian Summer. Steve Cottrel was still guitarist and he left shortly after, making way for Colin Williams as lead guitar in Indian Summer.

Indian Summer above  Colin Williams, Malc Harker, Paul Hooper, Bob Jackson


Joe O’Donnell – The Long Sobs

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Joe O’Donnell – The Long Sobs
by Pete Clemons

‘Les sanglots longs
/ des violons / de l’automne’ (‘Long
sobs of autumn
violins’) is a poem by French poet, Paul Verlaine (1844–1896), and
was first published during 1866. During World War 2 lines from the poem were
used to send messages from the Special Operations Executive to the French
Resistance about the timing of the forthcoming invasion of Normandy, otherwise
known as the D. Day landings. They were used as a code if you like.

The poem is in fact
referred to during the 1962 epic war movie ‘The Longest Day’. And local
resident and violinist, Joe O’ O’Donnell, has long been intrigued by this poem.
So much so that it is featured in Joe’s latest musical project. More than that,
Joe has made the whole project relevant to the City of Coventry.

 During the 1970s,
when Joe was a member of folk rock band East of Eden. One tour saw East of Eden
supporting the Climax Blues Band. East of Eden were instructed to plug
themselves into the Climax Blues Band’s back line equipment. And Joe found
himself plugged into sax player, Colin Cooper’s, Leslie Cabinets. This was not
what he was used to and for Joe it was a revelation. From behind him and
through the monitors the sound was astonishing. It felt as though he was inside
large rotating cabinets.

 During the 1960s
and 70s Leslie Cabinets were incredibly popular and very difficult to acquire.
Together with the Hammond Organ they were the perfect fit. And these
instruments featured on many great albums from that period. But it wasn’t until
Joe moved to Guernsey during the 1980s that the opportunity arose for him to
buy these prized cabinets. Joe noticed an advert for a Leslie. But when he
arrived to buy it, the seller offered him a second. They were in almost mint
condition and hardly played. Joe adapted them for violin and, in Joe’s words,
‘there is not a sound like it’.

After relocating to
Coventry during the 1990s Joe was quickly get to know fellow musicians around
the city. After filling in on a gig Joe ended up at, of all places, Foleshill
Road Fire Station. He had been invited to play his violin there. But what
struck Joe was this incredible feeling of ambiance from the building. That then
led him, sometime later, to record the sound of his violin through those Leslie
Cabinets at 3 locations around the city. The Guildhall, the Roman Fort at
Baginton and the New Cathedral. He fed in on the natural acoustics and ambience
of those settings and drew that into the Leslie cabinets and back out again.
While at the Cathedral the Long Sobs poem came back to Joe. It just seemed to
fit in with feel of it all. And the Long Sobs became central to the entire
project.

What had began as
an avant garde project has, over time, evolved into a suite of music. The
original recordings have now been overdubbed with authentic war time sounds
which would have been heard during the Coventry blitz. These include aircraft
engines, ambulance bells, Ack Ack guns, air raid warnings. Joe even discovered
recording’s of the original bells from the old Cathedral Tower. And these would
have been heard prior to the cathedrals destruction. And all of these sounds have
been mixed into the recording process.

The Long Sobs
project has been, and still is, a work in progress for a number of years.
Recently, however, it has began to gain traction. The arts council have shown
an interest. And have been most helpful by accepting a bid for a development
grant. This broad based suite of music runs in at around an hour and a quarter.
It is similar in feel to an orchestral piece in that it is built up of several
movements. It takes you on an emotional journey.

When live theatre returns
there are plans for an ambitious interactive concert. The hope is that Joe’s
band, Shkayla, are accompanied by an on screen orchestra and choir. Adding to
the overall audience experience their would also be narration and sound
effects. And penciled in as the setting for this spectacle is the Albany
Theatre in Earlsdon. Watch this space.

https://www.vox.com/2014/6/6/5785954/how-paul-verlaine-helped-the-allies-pull-off-d-day

On June 1, to tell the resistance to stand by for further alerts, the BBC transmitted the first three lines:

Les sanglots longs

Des violons

De l’automne


Then, on June 5, to signal that sabotage efforts should begin, the next three lines were sent:

Blessent mon coeur

D’une langueur

Monotone


Paul Verlaine. His poem Chanson d’Automne (1866)


Les sanglots longs
Des violons
De l’automne
Blessent mon cœur
D’une langueur
Monotone.
Tout suffocant
Et blême, quand
Sonne l’heure,
Je me souviens
Des jours anciens
Et je pleure;
Et je m’en vais
Au vent mauvais
Qui m’emporte
Deçà, delà,
Pareil à la
Feuille morte.

Translation
The prolonged sobs of the violins
of autumn
wound my heart with their
monotonous languor.
All breathless and pale,
when the hour sounds,
I remember former days
and I cry;
I am carried on an ill wind
which tosses me
here, there,
like a dead leaf.


Joe O’Donnell’s Shkayla


2020 – An Overview

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2020 – An Overview
by Pete Clemons


People do not need
me reminding them that 2020 has had its extraordinary difficulties. And live
music was especially hard hit. Clubs closed and tours cancelled. Will life ever
go back to the way it was. I am not convinced. The virus is certainly here to
stay. So we will need to adapt in order to live with it. But I am certain we
will. That said it has not all been doom and gloom. Remarkably, and despite the
problems it has encountered, the music world has still managed to give us many
positives. Listed below are a selection of the positives I have come across. Of
course, this is a very narrow view and, with music being such a vast ocean,
there will have, I’m sure, been many positives in other areas of music. Massive
thanks to all for keeping our spirits high…………..

 Albums

 

Gazpacho –
Fireworker: each Gazpacho
album takes you on some kind of a journey. And this release is no exception.
With Fireworker you are taken on an immersive exploration to the depths of your
mind as they question why we react the way we do in certain situations and why
we think the way we do.

 

Colin Edwin and
Robert Peck – Infinite Regress: Infinite regress, as I understand, is a statement that needs
to be supported by another, and so on. So in that sense these ten songs support
each other. Heavy bass and lyrics based around how memories hold up over time.

 

The Pineapple
Thief – Versions of the Truth: the growth of the internet has been both a benefit and a curse. Here
Bruce Soord delves into how the magnification of the digital age has enabled
truth to have been twisted to suit certain agendas and aims.

 

Lunatic Soul –
Through Shaded Woods: This
is the seventh album from multi instrumentalist Mariusz Duda. Here, Mariusz
found his inspiration for the album from his childhood home, an area of Poland
known for its forests and lakes. Musical soundscapes guide you through the
local folklore.

 

Dyble Longdon –
Between a Breath and a Breath: An accompanying postcard, that came with the album, and signed in one
corner by David Longdon just spoke volumes. There seemed to be this large
gaping void that was yearning for another name. Of course, it was that of Judy
Dyble who is no longer with us. But what a way to bow out.

 

Sanguine Hum – A
Trace of Memory: Sanguine
Hum have been going about their musical business for 20 years now. Quietly
releasing a series of really good albums. And still they have the capability of
turning one out as engaging as this one.

 

Iamthemorning EP
– Counting the Ghosts: As
if to prove that the pandemic was indeed worldwide, this Russian pair vented
their frustrations. ‘All I wanted lately was to scream aimlessly into space but
instead I recorded a Christmas song’.

 

Tim Bowness –
Late Night Laments: Very
much an album to be heard under the headphones. This a very inward looking and
a self examination of an album. Brooding and, at times, quite dark.

 

Jack Hues –
Primitif: it was the Syd
Arthur connection that drew me toward this album. Before then, to my knowledge,
I hadn’t been aware of Jack Hues. Yet here he is at the age of 60, with time on
his hands, writing a set of wonderful songs of reflections and relationships
spread across a double CD release.

 

Steven Wilson
EP’s – Eminent Sleaze & 12 Things I Forgot: Steven’s latest album has been ready to go for a
number of months. But the pandemic, along with the chaos it has caused, has
resulted in its delay to the wider world. But the intervening time has seen
Steven release a series of tasters in the form of EP’s.

 

Nektar – The
Other Side: This was a
very pleasant surprise. Following the passing of Roye Albrighton in 2016 the
new Nektar began work on a new album. As I understand some of the songs on this
release were based on ideas from 1978. Those ideas were reworked on and
readapted to produce this beauty.

 

Judy Dyble and
the Band of Perfect Strangers – Weavings of a Silver Magic: Recorded live at St Barnabus Church,
Cambridge complete with full band and strings. I am proud of the CD and want to
blush a bit with joy – Judy Dyble.

 

Airbag – A Day
at the Beach: Their music
is smooth and sophisticated. It is rich and creates atmosphere’s. At times
though I do struggle with the rawness of the lyrics. But it is with the music
where this band excel.

Locally released
music

 

Voodoo Kings –
Rollin: this dynamic
rockabilly trio completed their album just prior to lockdown. Released during
October ‘Rollin’ contains a mix of highly original and imaginative reinventions
of standards and classic foot tapping tunes.

 

The Session: as ridiculous as it sounds, The Session
could quite rightly claim that 2020 was the most successful in their two decade
history. Tunes like ‘Denver Hill’, ‘The Fear’ and ‘Ravages of Time’ have
ensured that the accompanying videos have received thousands of hits and
visits.

 

Crokodile Tears
– Hoi Polloi: in the
continuing tradition of any Croks release this album is piled high with musical
quirks and is choc full of joy.

 

Fresh Maggots –
Waiting For the Sun: Almost
fifty years after the release of their first studio album, during October 1971,
Fresh Maggots released a new album. But do not expect a follow up to that
debut. Equally as enjoyable, this album represents the duo today.

 


Barnabus –
Beginning to Unwind:all
good things come to those who wait. And this album, that sat in the vaults for
years, at last saw the light of day. Rise Above Records/Relics, led by Coventry
born Lee Dorrian, pulled out all the stops in giving this record the most
tasteful of releases.

 

Alternative
Sounds – Compilation: Volume
4 of an ongoing series that showcases the best of what Coventry offers.

 https://alternativesounds.bandcamp.com/album/alternative-sounds-volume-iii

Re-issued
albums

 

Medicine Head –
Old Bottles, New Medicine: Fiftieth
anniversary release of Medicine Head’s debut album. Comes with unreleased tunes
and live material recorded at the Marquee Club.


Brian Davidson –
Every Which Way: A vastly
under promoted album when first released. Now available on CD this is an
excellent album by a band that received little recognition at the time.

Crystalline –
Axe Music: One of those
long lost albums revamped and produced onto CD-Rs by Steve Giles of Dark.

The Classic 1970
Album – fully endorsed by Steve Gordon, drummer from AXE – which is now
available again.

 

Live music

 

Sadly live music
for 2020 was decimated by the pandemic so not much to report on. What there was
of it though, particularly during the lockdown and restricted times, was a huge
tonic. Grateful thanks to those who led the way in pioneering these gigs and
who had to jump many hurdles, following the ever changing rules, to ensure they
were all run safely.

 

Pre Lockdown
Gigs

 

Glen Matlock and
Earl Slick – Robin 2, Bilston

Kafkadiva / Andy
Nixon – Duffy’s Bar, Leicester

 

Post Lockdown
Socially Distanced Gigs

 

Voodoo Kings –
Gatehouse Tavern

Roddy Radiation
– Arches

Blues2Go –
Arches

Stone Foundation
– Queens Hall, Nuneaton

 

On Line Gigs

 

Bruce Soord – 5
sessions

Soft Machine – 2
sessions

 

Losses during
2020 included amongst many others……….

 

Neil Peart

Kenny Rogers

Bill Rieflin

Neil Landon

Bill Withers

Little Richard

Florian
Schneider

Dave Greenfield

Phil May

Judy Dyble

Peter Green

Wayne Fontana

Pete Way

Lee Kerslake

Johnny Nash

Brian Locking

Dave Munden

Spencer Davis



Charlie Pride

Eddie Van Halen

Leslie West

 

There are moments
in all lives when the world turns slightly on its axis, a death, a birth, a
shocking of the soul coming from nowhere to change the reality of the days .
And there is no going back. There is no returning to how it used to be.

So we go forward
into the unknown future, with no real understanding of how or why. But knowing
that the universe has turned and changed forever – quote borrowed from Judy
Dyble


 

Alternative Sounds

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 Alternative Sounds

by Pete Clemons

Alternative Sounds is back with a brand new
compilation and, given the year we have all had, it is indeed a remarkable
feat. The statistics around this series of releases are equally impressive. 4
CDs released over the last three to four years, containing 84 tracks by 82
different acts. And incredibly work is continuing on further releases that
include a fifth volume along with one dedicated to Ska and reggae.

The original idea for the Alternative Sounds
fanzines was the brainchild of Martin Bowes who has himself, over the last 40
years, regularly released records with his own Attrition project. And the
spirit of that fanzine has been revived and faithfully restored in the modern
digital age. In fact AS4, and the previous release AS3, came complete with a
souped up version of the AS fanzine last seen during the very early 1980s.

Together, the Alternative Sounds team, have
collected some exclusive tracks from their favourite artists and talent that
Coventry and Warwickshire is well known for nurturing.

The CDs are instantly recognisable by their
distinctive sleeves that feature full colour images of different music venues
around the city.  And the contents are
totally dedicated to what the county and city has to offer past and present. For
me, AS4 had a couple of big hitters to draw you in, but those tracks were only
a pre curser to what follows. And, as you move through the album, you cannot
fail to be impressed by the talent and skill of these artists.

It doesn’t take long before all of the
tracks make themselves known. And despite the different styles and genres there
are no fillers, and no intervals. So this whole compilation is perfectly
designed to keep your interest throughout.

Alternative Sounds is without doubt a series
of releases that continues to push the distinctive sound that has made the
Coventry and Warwickshire music scene what it is today. It also reflects the
huge steps that the team, who have clearly worked so hard to keep the releases
coming, have taken over the years. AS4 follows the philosophy of previous
releases in that it gives new talent a platform, alongside some of the more
established names.

Over four
glorious packed to the brim CDs, several now fully sold out, Alternative Sounds
investigates the sounds of Coventry and Warwickshire. Whether it be rock, punk,
acoustic or even electro along with a plethora of sub-genres. Its all here.

This limited run of releases is available
from the 2 tone village, Vinyl Destination in the market and other outlets.

 

Hoi Polloi – Crokodile Tears

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 Hoi Polloi – Crokodile Tears

by Pete Clemons



Hoi Polloi is a term that, apparently, originated in Greece and was used to refer to the masses or the people. Over here, in the UK, the phrase was claimed by the elitist and used as a reference towards the commoners in a negative way.

And now, here in Coventry, the term Hoi Polloi has been turned completely on it’s head. It has been applied in a positive way and has been used to showcase the latest series of songs by fabled troubadour Christopher Sidwell. And along with the freewheelin’ Jerry Richards and the free spirited Alf Hardy, collectively known as Crokodile Tears, those songs have been turned into an album.

Titled Hoi Polloi, the album celebrates the ordinary folk as several songs within it have been written for some of the people in, principle songwriter, Christopher Sidwell’s life. Of course this is nothing new. Real life subjects have been immortalised in song before. Included amongst them include Suzanne, a girlfriend of Leonard Cohen, ‘Layla’ a song written by Eric Clapton for similar reasons and Bob Dylan who was captured in song by David Bowie amongst many others.

The parodies are not taking aim at anyone in a nasty way, they are not a mockery. They are simply a social commentary. They are creative and articulate. The songs are funny but poignant, silly but, at the same time, deep. Where parodies can quite often be a sense of ridicule or criticism these are light and humorous.

The album itself contains sixteen songs and runs in at just under forty minutes. It is bookended by the Croks latest hit Momus Boulevard and, in terms of recording and production, is clearly a team effort.

Finally, Hoi Polloi is dedicated to Kosmic Ken Ingram who was a leading light of the festival scene and who sadly passed away earlier in this most dreadful of years.

Everyone deserves a bit of sunshine right now and this album has been created in order to add a bit of light to this most dark of years. And things will pick up, that I am certain about. 



Porcupine Tree in Coventry 1993

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 Porcupine Tree in Coventry 1993

by Pete Clemons



The latest Future Bites session, by Steven Wilson, saw him revive one of his earliest solo recordings. This being a version of Voyage 34. Despite it being a solo effort, Voyage 34 was released first released under the name Porcupine Tree way back in 1992, and was one of the longest singles ever released clocking in at over 30 minutes long.

This particular session was released onto the internet on December 11 2020 and, while on my daily walk that day, a series of coincidences began to occur to me. It suddenly struck me that Porcupine Tree had played in Coventry on December 11, but 27 years earlier, in 1993. Even more coincidental was that Voyage 34 had played a major part of that gig.

The first half of December 1993 had been a busy time for the recently formed Porcupine Tree as a live unit. There had been a weeks rehearsals followed by their first gig, at the Nags Head High Wycombe, on the 4th. A trip to Manchester for a session on the Mark Radcliffe show followed on the 6th. Another gig on the 7th, at the Borderline in London, and then onto Coventry on the 11th to round the year off.

The Coventry gig was held at Antics nightclub formerly known as the Tic Toc. More recently this popular venue was known as The Colly and most recently Kasbah. It was not the first time Steven Wilson had played the venue. He had performed there around 18 months earlier with his other band No-man. But what was significant about this gig was that it was the only time Porcupine Tree, during its existence, performed as a trio. Keyboard player Richard Barbieri was unavailable for this date due, as I understand, to a previously arranged engagement.

Steve Ashwell, one of the organisers of the event, remembers it well: ‘I know that when we first received and loved the initial recordings, Steven had no live band, because we spoke to him about gigging him here. I hope therefore that we played a small part in him getting one together! ‘

At that time Saturday evenings at Antics/Tic Toc were normally reserved for blues nights but dance/trance nights, as opposed to a band, were beginning to prove to be popular. Ultramarine had appeared there a few weeks earlier and that had been very well received. So this was the perfect foil for the three piece who were heavily reliant on Richard’s keyboards that, for this gig, had apparently been pre-recorded.

A more truncated version of Voyage 34 had been performed a week earlier at the Nags Head. But this particular audience was treated to the full version, possibly more, as I honestly cannot remember anything else being performed during the entire night. And the attendees, who had also been provided with a DJ who had been providing music without a traditional verse/chorus structure, lapped it all up.

With trance being mostly a layered instrumental music, characterised by a repetitive melodic beat, that includes peaks and drops and Voyage 34 fitted the bill perfectly. In all honesty nobody, at that time, had really heard of Porcupine Tree and fewer still would even realise Richard Babieri was absent.

The event had coincided with the build up toward the Christmas period and the atmosphere was ‘joyous’ to say the least. The evening which on the face of it, had the potential to be an absolute disaster, actually proved to be an total success if measured in terms of a happy and receptive crowd. A perfect combination in fact.

Pete Townshend, Traffic and the Coventry Theatre 1967

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Pete Townshend, Traffic and the Coventry Theatre 1967.

by Pete Clemons


When they appeared in Coventry during 1967 The Who had already gained a reputation. Also on the bill and not so well known were Traffic. Formed a few months earlier, during this incredibly important year for music, Traffic were the surprise act, on this their second major tour having just completed one with Tomorrow and The Flowerpot Men.

Some of the notes below are from a first hand account of the Coventry gig: A pop star smashed footlights, spotlights and his guitar when the final curtain came down in mid act at the Coventry theatre and God Save the Queen was being played. He was 22 year old Pete Townshend of the bill topping group, The Who. He and lead singer, Roger Daltrey, were left standing in front of the curtain when it was lowered.

Townshend shouted for the curtain to be raised, threw his guitar to the stage and kicked angrily at the footlights. Then he picked up a footlight and used it to hammer the floats (shielded lights). Finally he swung at the lights with a microphone stand.

He said afterwards ‘If I did any damage I will have to pay for it. But I do feel it was justified. Our act was cut to two numbers in Sheffield the night before, and bringing the curtain down on us tonight was just too much. The show was over running but we wanted to give the kids their money’s worth’.

The curtain was lowered on the instructions of the touring show’s manager when the show – delayed by much amplifier trouble – over ran by 20 minutes and there were only 10 minutes to go before the second house was due to start.

It was a violent climax to a star studded two hours that included The Marmalade, , The Herd, Traffic and The Tremeloes. Despite being cut short The Who played most of their hits and threw in some exciting revivals of rock ‘n’ roll numbers like ‘Summertime Blues’ – though the late Eddie Cochran would hardly have recognised it. It was thrilling, violent music even without the light smashing episode.

The musicianly Tremeloes vied with them for audience reaction. But the surprise highlight of the evening were Traffic. Four first rate musicians who, having disposed of their hit ‘Hole in my Shoe’ launched into a superb 15 minute pop/jazz/blues number of changing moods.

Traffic came together during April 1967 when organist Stevie Winwood, still with the Spencer Davis Group, decided he wanted to step outside the confines of that particular band. Dave Mason worked as a roadie for the Spencer Davis Group. Guitarist Dave, along with drummer, Jim Capaldi, were also members of the Worcester based ‘The Hellions’. Art student and flute/saxophone player Chris Wood knew Stevie through his sister who designed clothes for the Spencer Davis Group.

The quartet jammed together at a popular club with Birmingham musicians called The Elbow Room. And it was there where the idea for Traffic was formed. Steve Winwood recalled; ‘We all used to go to this drinking/gambling club where Jim used to play, and like we used to get up and play with him and jam. And we just got together’.

With Dave Mason and Jim Capaldi eager to form a new band with Steve Winwood, Chris Wood also agreed to join the partnership. Dave Mason later admitted; ‘Everyone realised that we were going to get a certain amount of success because Steve was in the band’.

In fact, with several hit singles, a critically acclaimed debut album and high profile radio sessions 1967, in many ways, belonged to Traffic.

Back to the concert and the chartbusting Herd acquitted themselves well as did the up and coming Marmalade whose smoking amplifier turned out to be, not another psychedelic effect, but an electrical fault and the catalyst to the events at the end of the second house.



The Shadows

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 THE SHADOWS

By Pete Clemons


The Shadows were, primarily, an instrumental group whose sound would influence a generation. Not only through their guitar sound but they introduced pop music to serious instrumental music. The band formed during 1958 as The Drifters and as a backing group for Cliff Richard. But then, during 1959, they emerged from Cliff’s shadow and, ultimately, set the template for British guitar groups. But, by 1964, The Shadows kind of got swept aside.

2020 has seen The Shadows distinctive and much loved single, Apache, pass 60 years since being recorded. It also saw the loss of one time local resident and one time Shadows bass player Brian ‘Licorice’ Locking.

It was 1956 and Hank Marvin (born Brian Rankin) and Bruce Welch (born Bruce Cripps) were still at school in Newcastle upon Tyne. Like a lot of teenagers back then the pair had been influenced by rock n roll. A group had formed at that school and that was where Bruce and Hank came together.

The group they had formed played skiffle and were called The Railroaders. The Railroaders entered a national skiffle contest during 1958. They managed to get to the finals in London, held during April of that year, where they really began to fancy their chances of winning. It wasn’t to be, as they came third.

But Hank and Bruce felt that they had dream to fulfil and the pair stayed in London while the rest of The Railroaders went home. The final had been on a Sunday night and by now it was 9pm and the pair had nowhere to stay. They had tried to sleep in the theatre but the theatre manager rang a friend, coincidentally a Geordie lady who rang a guest house. She put the pair up for night. But that one night turned into 6 months.

The pair were 16 years old and Hank and Bruce paid their way in London by playing in coffee bars particularly the 2i’s in Soho. Also playing there at that time were drummers Brian Bennett and Tony Meehan and bass players Brian ‘Licorice’ Locking and Jet Harris. Together they would get up and jam instrumental music without realising what was about to happen and what the near future had in store.

In 1958 Cliff Richard was man of moment having reached number 2 with his hit record ‘Move It’. A tour was about to start and Cliffs manager, Johnny Foster, wanted a band, in particular guitar players. Such was its reputation that the 2i’s was the obvious place to visit. Hank was first to be recruited but he then recommended Bruce who was also signed up. Almost immediately the pair were off to a tailors in Dean Street, London to be fitted for suits. And then it was off to rehearsals at Cliff’s parents living room. From the start, according to Cliff, they all got on really well.

Hank and Bruce officially joined up during October 1958 and together with guitarist Ian Samwell and drummer Terry Smart hit the road as The Drifters on a 21 night tour where they slept in theatres and the tour van. It was during this tour that Hank and Bruce would return to Newcastle for the first time since leaving for that skiffle final. They played the cities famous City Hall. I cannot find any evidence of Cliff and the Drifters appearing in Coventry during this first tour but they certainly did during 1959.

After their second tour the band returned to London and Samwell and Smart left The Drifters. So it was back to the 2i’s where, this time, Jet Harris and Tony Meehan were recruited toward the end of January 1959.

Cliff Richard was something of a perfectionist and wanted the best in equipment for himself and the band. During March 1959 Cliff bought what is believed to be first Fender Stratocaster guitar into the country. The guitar cost 140 guineas and was red because they knew Buddy Holly had played an exact same model. Nowadays that guitar is in the possession of Bruce Welch. But it gave Hank Marvin the opportunity to experiment on it, and learn what would become, some cutting edge sounds. The guitars ‘whammy bar’ played a big part in these newly discovered methods of playing.

‘Living Doll’ was the next single scheduled for Cliff Richard. It was originally intended as an orchestral production but Hank and Bruce had other ideas and added its rock and roll feel.

Cliff Richard, recognising the talent within The Drifters, talked his management into giving his backing group their own contract. A couple of the early Drifters records contained vocals and fell a bit flat. They also tried to release a record in the USA until it was stopped by legal action taken out by the American vocal group of the same name.

So The Drifters had to come up with new name. It was Jet Harris who apparently came up with The Shadows in reference to always being in Cliff’s shadow. So by July 1959, and now with their new name, the band reverted back to instrumentals. Inspired by Jerry Lordan who introduced them to part of the sound The Shadows recorded ‘Apache’ at studio 2 in Abbey Road. At the time of its recording the tune didn’t have an intro so, when they found one, Cliff Richard stepped in to play it on Chinese drum.

Cliff Richard’s own release, ‘Please Don’t Tease’ was at number 1 when ‘Apache’ was released during July 1960. ‘Apache’ entered the chart at 19 and famously knocked ‘Please Don’t Tease’ off its top spot. ‘Apache’ stayed at number 1 for 5 weeks. It was a huge moment as it influenced a generation. It was also the start of The Shadows unleashing a string of hits.

In the words of many guitar greats, ‘Apache’ was a simple enough tune to play, but they quickly concede that, no one else had done it up to that point. So it really was cutting edge stuff. And even today, 60 years on, ‘Apache’ still hits the spot.

The Shadows shared more of Cliffs hits as well as having their own. The band were extremely busy and much in demand appearing in Coventry on many occasions. The Shadows even had their own style in that they wore suits rather than the more favoured leather. They also introduced dance moves into their hits as they felt they had to make instrumental music more interesting.

The Shadows toured worldwide. But while in South Africa they suffered their first disagreement. Tony Meehan was becoming more and more unreliable. Both Hank and Bruce were strict disciplinarians and felt that their producers could not be messed around. They wanted to keep the band going for as long as possible. During October 1961 the band were in the middle of UK tour when Tony turned up late for a show. It was the final straw and Bruce, apparently, went mad at him. So, also, did Hank. Tony said ‘get yourself another drummer’. So they did and in came Brian Bennett who they knew from those 2i’s days and who had been playing, at the time, with Tommy Steele.

Along with Cliff Richard, The Shadows then began to get into films. Between them they appeared together in five. More than that, The Shadows became more all round entertainers as they also got opportunity to write scores for those films. Pantomimes followed as the band starred in Aladdin at the Palladium in London. But further disagreements led to Jet Harris leaving The Shadows during April 1962 making way for Brian ‘Licorice’ Locking. Brian remained with the band till October 1963 when he left, in turn, being replaced by John Rostill.

Cliff Richard once mentioned, tongue in cheek, that he and Shadows had it all sown up in Britain. As such The Beatles had to go to Hamburg. A remark that many Beatles fans would never forgive him for, particularly when the band were at their height.

Footapper was last number 1 for The Shadows, without Cliff Richard, during 1963. Pop music was a rapidly changing fashion and with The Beatles suddenly in vogue. Being blunt, The Shadows had had their day.

As if to rub salt into the fact, the 1964 New Musical Express pop awards, held at the Empire Pool Wembley, provided an extraordinary moment and a snap shot of what was happening at that time. Despite The Shadows picking up award the major prize of the evening went to The Beatles. It was like a changing of the guard.

The Shadows struggled on until 1968 when they played their final show at the London Palladium. The band members were still only in their 20s and needed to try new things. So they agreed to go their separate ways.

A year or so later both Bruce Welch and Hank Marvin teamed up with Australian songwriter John Farrar who was majorly influenced by Crosby Stills and Nash and Joni Mitchell. Between them they produced two decent albums. All the musicians were pushed beyond their comfort zones but, sadly, timing was an issue as they were released at the wrong time. Requests for ‘Apache’ at gigs made them realise they were stuck with a millstone.

But as most bands discover, having a legacy is not a bad thing. 1973 and it became cool to be a ‘Shads’ fan once again as the band reformed every bit as good as previously remembered. Subsequent success included the band being chosen to represent the UK in the 1975 Eurovision Song Contest. Despite ending up as runner up with ‘Let Me Be the One’ this was the start of the second coming for the band. Incidentally, the Dutch won the 1975 Eurovision Song Contest with ‘Ding a Dong’.

Even more incredible 1977 saw the UK in middle of the punk rock explosion. But at the same time a huge, slightly older audience, was now yearning for their youth. And Saville Artists were acutely aware of this. Despite it being a huge risk they organised the comeback, 20 golden dates tour, that including a date at Coventry Theatre.

Even the band thought it was all destined to fail. For the first time, TV adverts were put out on prime time television for 20 the golden greats LP. The tour that followed was an incredible success. The greatest hits album hit number 1 within 48 hours of release and its method of advertising became a benchmark for future releases. This new found success encouraged Hank and The Shadows to re record instrumentals of the most popular hits of the time. They suddenly found themselves back in the big time.

After 1990 the continuing history of The Shadows slowed up once more. But every decade of their existence, right up until their 50th anniversary, they would perform together, along with Cliff Richard, to put on a huge series of gigs where the full band would perform a set and the Shadows would have their slot.

Cliff and the Shadows 1960 version of Move It.

Apache by the Shadows 1960
Apache with Cliff on lead guitar!

Please Don’t Tease Cliff and the Shadows 1960.

Wonderful Land The Shadows

Throw Down a Line written by the Shadows with them on backing vocals c1969

Geronimo Final tour version 2003