Interview with Harley Olivia

Harley Olivia has gone from flight attendant to vocalist with both the metal band Anthems In Ashes and circus punk band Mineta, to now releasing her debut solo EP Hiding Little Pieces. I recently interviewed her and we covered all that as well as her theater and opera background, her Youtube covers, her work as a voice teacher and much more.    

I read that you were a flight attendant before you focused on singing.  What motivated you to take that step and make that career change?

I worked as a flight attendant for about 10 years. In the beginning, it was really exciting and I enjoyed traveling a lot! However, I knew it wasn't what I was put on this earth to do. Singing and performing have been my greatest passions and over time I realized that if I stayed in my job, my life would pass me by, and I'd never get to see if music would have worked out for me. I was afraid to quit but eventually staying in a job I didn't want to do began affecting my mental health - I got very depressed, and it became clear to me that I had to leave the airline behind and dive into music.

You graduated from Humber College’s Theatre Performance Program and then continued your voice studies as an apprentice to contemporary opera legend and author Fides Krucker.  Do you think that theatre and opera background has helped in your rock career?

Absolutely! The performance coaching I received at Humber was amazing and it helped an anxious person like me feel confident on stage. I also use my theatre training when practicing my songs and have learned to analyze them like I would a script. I decide who I'm talking to, what the story of the song is and perform it that way on stage, so it feels more authentic to me. I also learned a lot of vocal health tips and techniques so I can take care of my voice for years to come.

Your bio refers to you as a neurodivergent, alt-rock artist.  Are you comfortable to further elaborate on that?

Sure! For years, I thought I had depression, but it turns out I had undiagnosed ADHD and anxiety. I've always been a big dreamer with lofty goals but struggled with all the necessary skills to bring those dreams to fruition, so I was in a constant state of frustration which led to depression. I went through a period of time where I couldn't get out of bed because my mood was so low, everything felt impossible, and I didn't know how to verbalize what was going on in my brain. Getting diagnosed with ADHD as an adult was really validating and over time, I got better at managing it. I have a great support system now and I write songs about my annoying, spicy brain instead of succumbing to it. Of course, I still struggle and have down days but writing about my experiences and finding other neurodivergent people has been really healing.

You’ve previously fronted metal and circus punk bands like Anthems In Ashes and Mineta.  What made you decide to go the solo route?

I really loved being a part of those bands but unfortunately during COVID, they dissolved. During the pandemic, I was listening to a lot of catchy indie rock and pop rock music, and I ended up writing a bunch of songs that were more upbeat and catchy. That's when Siegfried and I started collaborating and my EP was born. 

I think what you are doing on the EP allows you to really showcase the power and versatility of your vocals more than those bands.  Was that a motivating factor behind doing a solo release?

Thank you! I actually sang the first dance song at my sister's wedding and it was the most scared I've ever been for a performance. I couldn't hide behind electric guitars or lean on my screaming if something went wrong. I realized I have always gravitated towards performing metal and heavy rock music and even though I love it, it became a crutch. I wanted to push myself vocally and tighten up my technique and not hide behind screams or growls when I was vocally tired. I wanted to see what my voice was capable of.

You worked with JUNO award-winner Siegfried Meier, who has worked with a multitude of bands including Kittie and Face To Face.  Can you tell me a little about working with him?

Siegfried is awesome! He has such a passion for music and is really fun to work with. He built this amazing recording studio called Beach Road Studios and it has incredible views of Lake Huron. We do all our writing and recording there and it feels magical and inspiring. We really understand the vision for the music we write and that allows us to work fast and effectively.

I notice most of your songs have been co-writes with Meier.  How does that process tend to work?  Have you also written in the bands you’ve been in?

Yes, I’ve always written in the bands I’ve been in, but the writing process was a little different than it is now. In previous bands, the instrumentation was usually written first and then I’d write my vocal melodies and lyrics after, but in my solo project, I write my vocal melodies and lyrics first. Once I have a verse, chorus and beginnings of a bridge, I’ll bring it to Siegfried and he will write the guitar and bass parts and then we’ll really fill out the song's instrumentation from there. It's my favourite way to work because I get to see each song grow from a just little melody in my head.

Your lyrics sound like they may draw a lot on real life experience.  How much is real life versus fiction?

They are all based on real life experiences. I may exaggerate, use metaphors or indulge in my feelings at times to make the song more dynamic but they all develop from real feelings which came out of some true event in my life. 

Compared to the heavier sound of Anthems In Ashes and Mineta, which reminds me a lot of the craziness of Mr Bungle, the songs on the EP tend to have more of an alt rock edge, but there is a much stronger pop side as well.  Is that something you were striving for?

Yes! I’ve always loved both heavy music and pop music, respectively.  I have a lot of experience in heavy bands, but I wanted to showcase another side of myself that I've never shared before. The cool thing about being in a solo project is you get to really be your authentic self and show all the dimensions of your personality and music tastes.  In Anthems, I always felt like I had to be heavy and dark, but in reality, I have this funny, mischievous side to me. I'm really enjoying stepping out of my comfort zone and sharing that side of me now.

The EP opens with “You’re Not Ready”, which has a rock edge, but also that pop side.  Then, to me, as you make your way through the EP, each song seems to get a little heavier, and by the time you get to closer “Haunted”, a lot darker.  Was the song order planned that way, or did that just happen?

That was definitely intentional! I wanted to lure people in with a catchy pop rock hook and get heavier and more emotional as the EP builds. I’m stoked you picked up on that!

I don’t know if it’s just me, but I hear touches of an Eighties influence on several cuts.  “You’re Not Ready” has some keys that remind me of The Cars, the opening of “Cherries” brings to mind Alphaville’s “Forever Young” and “Diggin’” also has some moments with that electronic music vibe.  Would you agree with that?

Yes! We love the synth from "Just What I Needed" by The Cars and Siegfried had the awesome idea to use a similar sounding synth in the bridge for “You’re Not Ready”. Sieg grew up in the 80s and I love Lady Gaga so we both gravitate towards that retro 80s synth vibe. We also felt that including that electronic element elevates our rock sound and keeps things a little interesting!

I love the pop punk sound of “Cherries” and how it perfectly encapsulates getting older and reminiscing.  Can you tell me about the inspiration for that song?

Yeah, so Cherry Colas was a bar in Toronto that I spent a lot of time in during my 20s. It was this sexy, underground burlesque bar with red walls and a tiny stage. I played there a lot in my previous bands and saw a lot of my best friends play there too. It was a hub for the rock and metal music community, and I felt at home there. Shout out to Cherish! During the pandemic, it unfortunately closed and I had moved out of the city. One night after the pandemic, I was back in the city and found myself walking by Cherry Colas. I felt super nostalgic for all the memories I'd had there during my "glory days" but I was also proud because I realized my life had changed so much and I had grown up a lot since then. I wasn't drinking and partying every night anymore. I was now dedicated to my music in a way I hadn't been before, and I felt proud. That complicated feeling of nostalgia, loss and empowerment is what started me humming the melody of "Cherries".

“Diggin’” is such a massively infectious song and has a kind of dirty swagger to it that really sets it apart.  Can you tell me a little about that song?

Yeah! 'Diggin'' is definitely a crowd favorite. I wrote it after breaking up with someone who tried to make me out to be the bad guy. At first, I felt sad, guilty, and horrible about the situation. But over time, this ex showed their true colors, becoming vindictive, cruel, and spreading rumors. The song captures the moment I let go of that shame, realizing it wasn’t mine to carry. It's also a warning to that person to back off because I see what they’re doing, and now, I’m standing up for myself.

Can you tell me about the production on “No More Tears” and “Haunted”?  Unlike the rest of the EP, those two songs are moodier, and in the case of “Haunted”, a lot darker.  I would say they are also the most elaborately produced songs on the EP with strings and a lot of layers.  

Yeah, I’d agree with that. The strings in 'No More Tears' always hit me emotionally because they come in at such a pivotal moment. When Siegfried created that string part, it really moved me; they sound like a string quartet you'd hear at a wedding, which added so much emotional weight to a break-up song. Sieg is a genius when it comes to adding those elements that really tug at your heartstrings.

For 'Haunted,' the concept was that my mind is like a horror movie, and my thoughts and anxieties are the ghosts haunting me. We wanted it to feel more cinematic and intense. The ghostly “ahs” I sang at the end of the song that follow the melody of the bridge really heightened the emotion and tied into that haunting theme perfectly.

  

You do a lot of videos of cover songs on your YouTube channel, but you chose Audioslave’s “Like A Stone” to include on the EP.  What was it about that song that made you include that? (Just a note - Kudos to whoever is playing for guitar for nailing one of my favorite little solos)

I absolutely love the lyrics of that song, and Chris Cornell’s melody is so haunting. I felt it fit perfectly on the EP because it’s emotional and introspective but also has that heavier edge. 'Haunted' is my darkest song, and 'Like a Stone' compliments it really well, adding depth and intensity that enhances the overall darker tone of the EP.

Speaking of your covers videos.  Most of them are songs that people would be familiar with, but then you do a cover of Bif Naked’s “I Love Myself Today”, which is great. I’ve always loved her music since hearing her debut all those years ago, but unfortunately, she never got much recognition here in the States.  Can you tell me about deciding to cover that?

I'm Canadian so I love Bif Naked. I grew up watching her music videos on Much Music. I used to sing "I Love Myself Today" in a band when I was about 16 years old so when I was thinking of songs to cover that was one of my first choices. I also thought it would be a fun video idea to perform a Bif Naked song while naked.

You have a video for almost every song on the EP, and most of them have a bit of humor to them.  How involved are you in the concept and production of the videos?

I'm very hands-on when it comes to my music videos. For 'No More Tears,' 'Cherries,' and 'Haunted,' I created the concepts, produced, directed, set dressed, costumed, edited, and starred in the videos myself. For 'Diggin',' I co-created the concept, brought in all the props/set pieces and designed all the looks I wore. I really love making music videos and even went to film school a few years back, so I enjoy adding another layer of depth to the songs through video. It allows me to use a different aspect of my creativity.

Do you have a consistent band or does it change based on their availability?

I always perform with Siegfried Meier as my guitarist on stage. We wrote the songs together so he really gets them and he is a fantastic, energetic guitar player. We have a rotating cast of drummers based on their availability, but we have chosen the best of the best! We play with Nathan Bulla of Intervals and Auras, Melvin Murray of Texas King, Mercedes Lander of Kittie and Kaelin Chase of Full Throttle. They all bring something a little different to the table, but they're all amazingly talented.

Do you have any plans to do any touring down here in the States?

Yes, I would absolutely love to tour the States. It's definitely part of the plan! Right now, I'm playing as many shows as I can and as I build momentum, it's slowly taking me farther and farther away from home base. I'm hoping to make the leap across the border some time next year.

In addition to being a performer you are also a voice teacher.  Can you tell me about that?

Yes, I am really passionate about the voice! I get a lot of satisfaction from coaching other vocalists and helping them achieve their goals. I especially love helping artists that want to focus more on their technique in preparation for the studio or a long tour. It's awesome because I'll get these random texts or phone calls at odd hours of the night from my students after they've finished their gigs because they're excited they achieved something. That is the best feeling!

I read an older story about you that said the EP was originally coming out in October, 2022.  What happened that it’s now being released almost two years later?  

Well, this is my debut EP and I learned a lot about the process as I went along. There were some scheduling delays and I didn't want to rush the release. I'd rather take the extra time to make it exactly how I'd envisioned it.

Now that the EP is out in the world, what’s next for you?

The digital release of 'Hiding Little Pieces" is out now, so that's super exciting! The vinyl for the EP will be releasing early November so I will be putting that up for purchase on my store when it's ready! I also won the Rising Sun Award at the Gussapolooza Music Festival this past September, so I'll be back on the main stage next year. Come January, I begin recording my next EP and I just found out that The Ontario Arts Council awarded me a grant for that, so I'm really excited to get back in the studio to record! Other than that, just lots and lots more shows and content!

Is there anything else you would like to share with readers?

I just want to thank everyone who has taken the time to listen to my new EP. As a small, independent Canadian artist, it can be challenging to reach the right listeners who truly connect with my music. I love when new listeners reach out because they often have a personal story or reason why my songs resonate with them, and we end up chatting and becoming friends. Social media can be daunting, but it’s moments like those that make it so rewarding. So, if you're an anxious, neurospicy human like me, love cats and love rocking out at shows - come say hi!

(Harley Olivia)

Fanny - The Reprise Years 1970-1973

Born in the Phillippines to an American naval officer and a Filipina socialite, June and Jean Millington moved to Sacramento in 1961.  As a way to help them cope with being surrounded by strangers in their new country, they took up music and started working together as a duo in High School.  They then formed the all-female quartet The Svelts, playing shows along the West Coast and Nevada.  After going through various membership changes, in 1968 the band consisted of the Millingtons, guitarist Addie Clement and drummer Alice de Buhr.  Later that year Alice and Addie left the band and formed another all-female band Wild Honey, who did some touring in the midwest before coming back to California and teaming back up with the Millingtons under that name.  In 1969 they headed to LA, and on what they thought would be their last night there before moving back home, they were seen at the Troubador by producer Richard Perry’s secretary and ended up signing a multi album deal with Reprise Records.  A few months later Addie left the band and June shifted to lead guitar.  They continued recording as a three-piece and changed their name to Fanny, while still looking for a fourth member.  They eventually added Nickey Barclay on keys, and even though their first album was finished, after adding her they went back into the studio and recut six songs, resulting in their debut album.  Over the next four years they would record three more albums for Reprise Records.  These four albums, along with thirty-eight bonus tracks (eight of which have never been on CD) have now been compiled in the new four CD box set The Reprise Years 1970-1973.  

Their self-titled debut was produced by the aforementioned Perry and opens with “Come And Hold Me”, an upbeat, sunshine-y West Coast folk rocker.  They kick things into gear with the gritty, swagger filled bluesy “I Just Realized,” a track that is really enhanced by Barclay’s piano playing, as is the easygoing midtempo rocker “Candlelighter Man”.  As lyrically relevant today as it was then, “Conversation With A Cop”, about a lady walking her dog late at night and running in the cop who is suspicious of her being out, is a really nice, laid-back soulful ballad.  Next up is the first of two covers on the album, a fantastic take on Cream’s “Badge”, that’s a little more upbeat than the original and is highlighted by some great guitar work (check out June’s solo) and keys.  After opening with a slow, rambling piano, “Changing Horses” shifts into a raw, hard driving rocker.  “Bitter Wine” is a more laid-back, somewhat melancholy song that at times hearkens back to that West Coast sound.  Throwing in a hint of country, “Take A Message To The Captain” has a laid-back groove and some nice slide guitar.  The second cover is “It Takes A Lot Of Good Lovin’” (written by Booker T Jones and Al Bell), which in their hands becomes a good midtempo rocker with a strong funk and R&B undercurrent.  “Shade Me” is another funk-tinged rock tune but also adds some Latin influence to the mix.  It has a loose, jam vibe and contains a solo from each member allowing them all to showcase their talent. Closer “Seven Roads” opens with an organ solo that wouldn’t be out of place on a Deep Purple album, then the guitar riffs come in along with the powerful rhythm section for one of the heavier songs on the album.  Overall, the album is quite diverse and makes for a more than promising start.

Perry was once again in the producer chair for their sophomore release Charity Ball.  The album opens with the title track, which hit number forty on the US singles charts, and is a massively infectious song with a touch of boogie.  It's full of rollicking piano, handclaps and "oohs" that make for an incredibly fun listen.  “What Kind Of Lover” is sassy and dirty with a strong funk undercurrent, followed by the raw, high-energy, no-frills rocker “Cat Fever”, which has some great “rock star” guitar and hard pounding piano.  Walking the line between funk and country, and including some great slide guitar, “A Person Like You” is another really fun track.  With their cover of Buffalo Springfield’s “Special Care” they take what was a somewhat mellow tune and turn it into a harder edged rocker that ends with a powerful instrumental jam.  "What's Wrong With Me" is a pretty ballad that's largely acoustic guitar and organ with some great vocal harmonies, while "Soul Child" is a super funky track with a rock edge that's highlighted by some very creative organ playing.  With Barclay’s keys bringing to mind the sound of The Doors’ Ray Manzarek, “You’re The One” is a bouncy, somewhat midtempo, rocker with really strong hooks.  Following “Thinking Of You”, an easygoing, laid-back ballad that is probably the albums weakest cut, “Place In The Country” is quite possible one of their finest moments.  It’s a stellar gritty blues rocker full of intensity and aggression.  Closing the album out is “A Little While Later”, a strong rock ballad that builds and builds to a big climax before ending with a short harpsichord solo. 

Their third album, Fanny Hill, was again produced by Richard Perry, but this time they recorded at Apple Studios and it was engineered by Geoff Emerick who had worked there with The Beatles on Revolver, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band and Abbey Road.  It also featured additional instrumentation on some tracks, like strings and brass, although the band apparently weren't all that excited with them.  Their outstanding cover of “Ain’t That Peculiar” gets the album going with a bang.  They completely make it their own, turning it into a raw, bluesy rocker complete with some great slide guitar from June.  “Knock On My Door” has a string section and is a somewhat dark and mysterious rock ballad that’s really unlike anything they’d done before.  Another of their strongest and heaviest tracks is “Blind Alley”, a straight-ahead rocker that let them really just let loose.  It also contains a guitar solo that could pretty much be considered “metal”.  With lyrics detailing a single mother’s conversation with her child, “You’ve Got A Home” is a beautiful ballad, stripped down to just acoustic and slide guitar, bass and vocals.  Following the gentle, easygoing “Wonderful Feeling” and the more straight-forward rock of “Borrowed Time”, which is fleshed out with horns, is their cover of The Beatles’ “Hey Bulldog”.  Their version is a powerful, more muscular take with strings, that also includes extra lyrics.  The laid-back “Think About The Children” has some elements of the West Coast rock that was present in their earlier work, along with some psychedelia (especially with June’s wah wah).  Drummer de Buhr has her first lead vocal on “Rock Bottom Blues”, a soulful, bluesy rocker with horns, while the midtempo country tune “Sound And Fury” brings us to closing track “The First Time”, a big sounding bluesy ballad with gospel choruses, horns and more great piano work from de Buhr.  Peaking at 135 on the Billboard Album chart, it became their highest charting album on Reprise Records.  

For Mother's Pride, their last album on Reprise, they changed producers, going with Todd Rundgren, whose stipulation on producing was that he could mix the album himself with no input from the band.  Because of this some band members felt it was overproduced when they wanted a rawer, live sound. They once again went with a cover to open the album.  This time it was Randy Newman’s “Last Night I Had A Dream”, and the result is a really cool version with the music fitting the lyrics about a nightmare perfectly, especially the haunting guitar work.  The largely acoustic “Long Road Home” is a pretty, somewhat melancholy tune with a West Coast country folk vibe.  The second cover on the album is Uncle Dog’s “Old Hat,” another really laid-back ballad.  The tongue in cheek “Solid Gold” (later covered by Keith Moon) is delivered with a strong sense of humor and off kilter vocals from drummer de Buhr, supposedly recorded while she was drunk.  The unique sounding “Is It Really You?” has a lot of swagger and mixes up country, rock and ragtime into an infectious mix.  Another change of pace for the band was “All Mine”, which is more of an easygoing dance tune and includes male backing vocals and sax (Rundgren's touch is very evident here).  Just as the title says, “Summer Song” is an upbeat, bouncy tune that is perfect for the summer, while “Polecat Blues” is another completely different tune for them.  It’s a bouncy, bluesy cut with a bit of a ragtime feel featuring horns and barroom piano.  "Beside Myself" is an absolutely stunning ballad with a powerful, very emotional vocal performance from Jean, that has should've been a hit written all over it.  The strong vocal harmonies, acoustic and slide guitar really enhance the sunshiney pop of “Regular Guy.”  After opening with heavy, almost droning keys that continue to run under the music through the rest of the song, “I Need You Need Me” is a stunning track, and another highlight, that at times could be called heavy glam.  At just under two minutes, “Feelings” is a softer tune with hints of English folk enhanced with delicate piano and flute.  “I’m Satisfied” closes the album out and is a strong, no-frills rocker with a sound that is somewhat reminiscent of Joan Jett with more outstanding organ work and big thumping percussion.

In addition to the four albums, the box set also contains an incredible thirty-six bonus tracks (eight of which are on CD for the first time) including single versions of album tracks, B-sides, demos and live tracks.  When their debut was released in Canada they used the wrong set of master recordings.  With the exception of two that are not included (“Changes" and an early version of “Charity Ball), six of these songs and mixes are among the bonus tracks.  These include covers of Martha and the Vandellas “Nowhere To Run”, which is really kind of so so, and a soulful version of “One Step At A Time” (originally by Maxine Brown) with really strong vocals and harmonies.  There are a couple of originals, “Lady’s Choice”, a laid-back track with a jazzy funk vibe, and the breezy “New Day”, which has some jazz drumming and even some harmonica.  Lastly, there are alternate takes of “Seven Roads”, missing the organ intro and with the organ also a little more under the mix, and “Place In The Country”, which is slower and a little funkier than the version that would be on the next album.  As for the demos, “Queen Aretha” goes all the way back to the Wild Honey days and has that sunshiney West Coast sound.  It also shows how well they already had their great harmonies down.  There are also three demos from the Mother’s Pride Sessions.  “Lonesome Pine” and “Old Milwaukee” didn’t make the album and are respectively a raw, bluesy tune with a very passionate and soulful vocal, and “Old Milwaukee” (written by Tret Fure), a fun, kind of lazy funky blues song.  Then there is a demo of “All Mine” that shows a different side of the of the track before Rundgren added all his flourishes.  Although not listed as a demo, there is “The Kitchen Tapes” version of “Candlelighter Man” that is a stunning take, stripped down to just acoustic guitar and vocal.  Their cover of Ike Turner’s “Young And Dumb” was released as a non-album single and is somewhat reminiscent of a heavy, bluesy Cream.  It shows all the pieces coming together perfectly with raw, soulful vocals, killer guitars, great bass playing and inventive keys.  Another cover, their take on the Holland-Dozier-Holland song “Back In My Arms Again” (a hit for The Supremes) is rooted in the R&B sound of the original but adds a rock edge.  “Tomorrow” is a pretty acoustic tune with a somewhat classical influenced guitar that sounds like it may have been influenced by The Beatles, and “No Deposit, No Return” is a fun track that shows them pulling out a little honky tonk country.  The live tracks, five from Philadelphia and four from Cleveland, show what a tight band they were and just how incredible they were live with performances that were high energy and raw and also displaying top notch musicianship.  Lastly, there’s the original version of “Rock Bottom Blues”, as well as a recording of the backing track and ten tracks that are single versions of album tracks.   

Not long after the release of Mother's Pride, Alice and June left the group and were replaced by Patti Quatro (big sister of Suzi) on guitars and vocals and Brie Brandt (originally Berry), who had been a member of the pre-Fanny band The Svelts, on drums.  This incarnation recorded one more album, Rock And Roll Survivors, released on Casablance Records, so not included here.  That album contained the single "Butter Boy", which hit number twenty-nine on the Billboard Singles Chart, but the band had already broken up by then.  Jean and June have remained active in the music world and have even released a few albums together as well as a 2018 album under the name Fanny Walked the Earth with former drummer Brie returning along with a who's who of special guests including Alice De Buhr.  Unfortunately, one week before they were supposed to play their first live show to support the album, Jean had a severe stroke that paralyzed the right side of her body.  The band was also profiled in the fantastic 2021 documentary Fanny : The Right To Rock, which is highly recommended.  It's unfathomable to me that a band this good isn't a household name.  The musicianship, vocals and songwriting found on this box set is incredible.  

(Cherry Red Records)

Snafu - You Know It Ain't Easy: The Anthology

The roots of Snafu go back to the early days of Procol Harum, when Bobby Harrison and Ray Royer were kicked out of that band.  They then formed Freedom, who released five albums from 1967 to 1972.  When that band didn’t take off and broke up, Harrison’s management suggested he do a solo album.  He had songs he had written for Freedom, but he wanted to shift directions and add some funk to his sound and recorded a solo album called Funkist.  The album featured the likes of Tommy Iommi, Ian Paice, former Procol Harum bandmate Matthew Fisher, former Freedom bandmate Walt Monaghan and Juicy Lucy guitarist Micky Moody, who also co-wrote the album track “Long Gone”.  After working together on the album, Harrison and Moody decided to form a band resulting in Snafu.  Unfortunately for Morrison, when his management got wind of their plan, they decided to shelve his solo album and focus on the band (that album did get a US only release in 1975).  While he was in Freedom, Harrison was initially just the drummer and then also took over lead vocals, but in Snafu he was able to focus on just the vocals with the drumming handled by Moody’s former Tramline bandmate Terry Popple.  Rounding out the band was Colin Gibson (Skip Bifferty and Ginger Baker’s Airforce) and keyboardist Pete Solley, who had played with the likes of Chris Farlowe, Terry Reid, Arthur Brown and Paladin.  From 1973 to 1976 the band released three albums, all of which are included in the new four CD box Set You Know It Ain’t Easy: The Anthology, along with non-album singles, BBC sessions and a live show recorded in Nottingham.  

Their eponymous debut was produced by Vic Smith (Vic Coppersmith-Heaven), who had worked with Gibson producing Skip Bifferty, and a few years after producing the Snafu album, would become best known for producing the first five albums from The Jam.  The album opens with "Long Gone" a super funky, down and dirty rocker that Harrison originally co-wrote with Moody for his solo album.  Along with some elements of Little Feat and some rootsier parts that are reminiscent of The Band, “Said He The Judge” has a lot in common with Lynyrd Skynyrd’s southern rock and has great guitar work from Moody.  “Monday Morning” and “Funky Friend” are a couple of upbeat, fiddle heavy tunes that sound like a bluesy hoedown.  In addition to the originals, the album contains a cover of the Gamble/Huff song “Drowning In The Sea Of Love”, which had been a US Top Twenty hit for Joe Simon in 1971.  Their take has a really strong Santana vibe, but interestingly you can also hear a bit of a soulful funk groove mixed in that’s reminiscent of Isaac Hayes’ “Theme From Shaft”.  The laid-back rootsy sound of “Country Nest” brings to mind The Band and has some really nice honky tonk piano.  Taking inspiration from Steely Dan, “Goodbye U.S.A.” is completely different than anything else on the album.  It’s a laid-back jazzy tune that is quite infectious, with really interesting synth playing from Solley and some hints of Chicago.  It could be considered similar to early yacht rock.  The album closes on a high note with the powerful, gospel rocker “That’s The Song.”  Disc one also contains four bonus tracks starting with the non-album single “Dixie Queen”, a funky boogie woogie tune.  At almost six and a half minutes, “Sad Sunday”, is an organ-driven hard rocker that is heavier than anything else they had released (there aren’t a lot of details about this track except that it was a bonus track when the album was reissued in 1993).  The final two bonus tracks on disc one are live versions of “Said He The Judge” and “Goodbye U.S.A.” taken from BBC Sessions recorded on January 9, 1974.  

Following the release of their debut, they appeared on the British TV show, The Old Grey Whistle Test, recorded sessions for Radio 1 and performed with bands like The Kinks, ELP, The Doobie Brothers and The Eagles.  There was a lot of positive media coverage, but unfortunately the album didn’t do much in the sales department.  To make matters worse, when it was time to release their second album, Situation Normal, in October 1974, their management/record company WWA were on the brink of collapse.  The album ended up being the label's last release and the promotion was pretty much non-existent.  It opens with “No More”, which at first starts out laid-back and funky with a jazzy undercurrent, highlighted by Moody’s guitar solo, but about halfway through shifts to a sound reminiscent of Santana with Latin percussion and rhythms.  “No Bitter Taste” is the first of two strong ballads on the album with a soulful blues vibe and some nice slide guitar from Moody.  Following the fun and lighthearted bluegrass of “Brown Eyed Beauty And The Blue Assed Fly” is “Lock And Key”, an absolute killer track propelled by Moody’s stellar slide guitar.  It’s a dirty, foot stomping bluesy rocker that in a perfect world would still be blasting out on classic rock stations today.  The super infectious and fun “Big Dog Lusty” is a funky boogie track with an ever-present thumping bass, synths and harmonica.  At over eight and a half minutes, “Playboy Blues” is laid-back with a super slow funk groove and a hit of that Steely Dan jazz influence highlighting Solley’s synth work with an extended solo.  Another album highlight is the second ballad “Jessie Lee”.  It’s a gorgeous, laid-back rootsy track with some really strong synth work and vocal harmonies.  Unfortunately, the album closes with what to me is the weakest track.  With a sax section featuring Mel Collins (King Crimson, Camel), Steve Gregory and Bud Beadle, “Ragtime Roll” has a fifties rock and roll sound that comes across a bit generic.  Disc two also contains five more bonus tracks consisting of a thirty-minute BBC In Concert session from March 25, 1974, with two songs taken from the debut and three more from the sophomore effort.  Both the band and recording sound great on this session.  

Following the release of Situation Normal, Pete Solley left the band, and while he was initially replaced by Brian Chatton, they ended up adding a second keyboardist, Tim Hinkley, on the third album, All Funked Up.  Solley’s departure also contributed to a shift away from the country influence towards a more straightforward funk.  There was also less emphasis on original songs, with four of the ten songs being covers.  Opening the album is a cover of The Allman Brothers’ “Don’t Keep Me Wonderin’”, which is a slightly funked up version with some powerful vocals and prominent bass.  Next up is the slow, laid-back greasy funk of “Bloodhound”.  This one has tons of great solos and really lets everyone in the band shine.  “Lock and Key”, the standout track from the sophomore album, is back here with a new arrangement.  It’s harder with more of a rock edge and has a little more drive.  Their cover of Otis Redding’s “Hard To Handle” gives the song a little more grit but seems a bit of a misstep.  On the other hand, “Every Little Bit Hurts”, which was a hit for Brenda Holloway, is a really nice soulful cover with strong, emotional vocals from Harrison and female backing vocals from Liza Strike and Viola Wills. Driven by some absolutely killer bass playing, "Turn Around" is a super funky tune with a soulful undercurrent. Featuring more really nice sax from Mel Collins, “Deep Water”, is reminiscent of the soulful rock of The Doobie Brothers.  The final cover is Stevie Wonder’s “Keep On Running”.  Their take is a faster paced, more rocking version that hearkens back to the sound of their first two albums, and also has more of Collins’ sax and some really fun synths.  “Bar Room Tan” is a hard driving, bluesy rocker where all the pieces really come together with killer slide guitar, harmonica, keys, great vocals and a driving rhythm section.  It also brings to mind their earlier releases and is another album standout.  The final track on the album is “Dancing Feet”, a nice mid-tempo soul / funk tune.  They recorded another single before calling it a day, which is also included on disc three as one of three more bonus tracks.  That single “Are You Sure” is a nice, laid-back soulful cover of a track that had originally been recorded by The Staple Singles.  The other two are recordings of “Jessie Lee” and “Playboy Blues” that were recorded Sept 25, 1974 for the BBC.

The final disc consists of two sets of live recordings from late 1975 and early 1976 that were initially released on CD in 2017.  First up is a John Peel session, featuring four tracks from All Funked Up, that was recorded on August 28, 1975.  The remaining six track are a live set recorded in Nottingham at Trent Polytechnic on January 23, 1976.  The recording is a little rough, but is very listenable, and as has been proven on the earlier bonus tracks, shows they were a band to be reckoned with when playing live.  It is also notable for the only recorded versions of three songs.  The first one is their impressive cover of Jimmy Reed’s funky blues tune “Big Legged Woman”.  The originals "Unsettled Dust" and the raw "Highway", with some great guitar work from Moody, both give off a strong Allman Brothers vibe (Harrison's band Nobody's Business ended up releasing both these tracks).  Shortly after the album's release, Moody left the band to work with David Coverdale on his solo album and what would later become Whitesnake. Harrison approached Clem Clempson (Colosseum / Humble Pie) about joining the band, but when that didn't happen, the band called it a day.  This is a fantastic box set from a band that deserved to be much bigger than they were.  it is rounded out with a well-detailed CD booklet covering the history of the band, along with tons of pics of the band and memorabilia.

(Grapefruit)

Gene Champagne - Let's Jet

While he’s known as the drummer of The Killjoys and Teenage Head, as well as guitarist and vocalist for The Un-Teens, Gene Champagne can now add solo artist to his resume.  He recently released Let’s Jet, his debut solo EP, and in addition to arranging, recording and mixing it all himself in his home studio, he also he also wrote and played everything.  The album kicks off with the title track, an extremely catchy cut that walks the line between garage rock and power pop.  The hooks continue with the Ramones-ish poppy punk of “Back In My Arms”, and to a lesser degree “Rock’n’roll Boy” (originally released by his band The Un-Teens) which also has a bit of a Tom Petty roots rock sound.  Closing the EP is “Shake Some More”, a track that takes Fifties Rock ‘n’ Roll and gives it an angsty modern day edge.  With only four cuts, the EP is a quick twelve minutes, but thankfully one that will have you listening on repeat.   

(Gene Champagne - Facebook)

Howard Jones - Live At The O2

On March 24, 2024, forty years after he opened for OMD in Cardiff and Liverpool, Howard Jones played the O2 Arena in London as their special guest.  Live At The O2 documents his performance that night, with vocals that are as strong as ever and the band consisting of Nick Beggs (bass), Robin Boult (guitar), Dan Clarke (keyboards) and Robbie Bronnimann (keyboards and tech) sounding great (sadly, this would be the last performance featuring the 31-year-old Clarke, who passed away from cardiac arrest on July 28).  Jones has had numerous hits during his career (these include nine UK top 20 singles and five US top 20 singles), and they are well represented here.  Some, like “New Song” and “What Is Love”, stick pretty close to their original sound with the ever-present infectious bounce, as does “Pearl In Shell”, which is a little fuller and meatier here, and “Like To Get To Know You Well”, with its soulful groove and a great guitar solo.  Jones mentions bringing back the electronic element on “Hide & Seek” after playing it on piano for years, and to me it’s a highlight of the set.  It opens with a really nice piano intro and is a dark and haunting tune that’s a nice change of pace.  In addition to the hits, Jones also touches on his more recent albums with “The One To Love You”, from 2019’s Transform, which hearkens back to his earlier synth-based work, but with a modern-day edge, and "The Human Touch" from 2015's Engage that finds him embracing EDM.  The EDM vibe also carries over on one of his early hits, “You Know I Love You … Don’t You?”, giving the 1986 tune a completely new sound.  Also included is a solid cover of Kajagoogoo’s “Too Shy”, featuring some really great bass work from Beggs, who was an original member of that band.  The set closes with a strong version of “Things Can Only Get Better” and a high, energy raved up version of the song labeled Remix.  Live At The O2 shows without a doubt that Jones still has it.  

(Cherry Red Records)

The Vanrays - Hey! Alright Now

Following last year's full-length release Put It Out, Vancouver's The Vanrays are back with their new EP Hey! Alright Now.   It is an insanely infectious collection of tunes that mesh soulful R&B with gritty garage rock, a sound that is in full effect in both the horn-driven title track that opens the EP and “Another Man”.  “Survivors” has a slower, slinky R&B groove full of garage rock organ and fuzzed out guitar, while “Queen of Breaking Hearts” adds a touch of doo wop and some Shangri-Las styled spoken word vocals.  The bouncy R&B of "Lightning" has a bit of a dark and dirty soul groove and brings us to the closing cut and highlight of the EP, “Ghosts”, a gorgeous, slow burning soul tune with a powerhouse vocal performance from Spencer McKinnon.  Fans of old school soul and R&B and garage rock alike will find plenty here to entertain them and get them on the dance floor.    

(The Vanrays)

Frank Sidebottom - Little Box of Bobbins - Frank's Fantastic Anthology 1985-1993  

The original idea for Frank Sidebottom, alter ego of the late Chris Sievey, was for him to be a superfan of the Freshies, Chris’ band at that time.  His first appearance was a spoken-word track on their 1984 EP.  He then started using the character in videos that promoted the band and Frank started gaining a cult following.  Over the ensuing years he released numerous EP’s, albums and singles and also appeared regularly on TV and radio, including his own Frank Sidebottom’s Proper Tell Show in B/W.  Little Box of Bobbins is the new three CD box set containing 109 cuts, compiled from the two out of print compilations ABC & D… The Best Of… from 1999, and E, F, G & H. The Best Of… Volume Two from 2009, along with a third disc containing 36 tracks that have previously never been released on CD.  Those songs are comprised of 16 taken from the EP’s he released in 1985 and 1986 on the EMI sub-label Regal Zonophone, and 20 previously unreleased live performances taken from the Sievey audio archive that were recorded between 1985 and 1988.

I have to admit that I knew very little about Sidebottom, largely from pictures I have seen online and on social media, and also having recently seen the excellent 2018 documentary Being Frank: The Chris Sievey Story, but I completely missed out on him when he was out there doing his thing (it also seems like he really didn’t make much of an impression in the US).  While his quirky, offbeat, at times a bit experimental, music is definitely not for everyone, the box set is a fun collection of his unique covers (Sex Pistols, Madonna, Queen, Beatles, The Smiths, Kylie Minogue, Beastie Boys and so many more), originals and comedy bits, and it’s obvious from the audience reactions and singalongs on the live tracks that those who did get it absolutely loved him.  Sadly, Sievey passed away in 2010, but now thanks to Cherry Red a new generation has a chance to discover the unique world of Frank Sidebottom.  

(Cherry Red Records)

Jesse Johnson - Jesse Johnson Revue / Shockadelica / Every Shade Of Love

After teaching himself to play guitar at the age of fifteen, Jesse Johnson played in various funk and rock bands in his home state of Illinois.  In 1981, following the encouragement of a singer and a drummer from another local band, Midnight Express, at twenty-one he moved to Minneapolis.  On his second day in town he met Morris Day, who was playing drums in the band Enterprise and invited him to join them.  Day was friends with Prince, who was planning on featuring him in one of his side projects and introduced the two of them.  The side project was part of Prince's desire to write and produce for a diverse range of acts he created.  He asked Johnson to join this band and along with Day, Jimmy “Jam” Harris, Monty Moir, Terry Lewis, and Jellybean Johnson, they became The Time.  From 1981 to 1984 they released three albums, but those years were fraught with conflicts between the band and Prince, which eventually resulted in the band breaking up in 1984 after recording their third album, Ice Cream Castle.  Johnson was also frustrated with his time in the band, and didn't even play on any of their songs until "Gigolos Get Lonely Too" on the second album.  Having said that, he did do some writing and producing for some of the other bands around Prince, including Vanity 6 and Sheila E. With aspirations to have a solo career, he signed a deal with A&M Records and ended up releasing three albums for the label.  This new two-CD release combines those three releases along with a handful of bonus tracks.

The band on the debut album from Jesse Johnson’s Revue included Mark Cardenas on keys and Gerry Hubbard on bass, both former members of The Time, along with Michael Baker on guitar, Tim Bradley on keys and Bobby Vandell on drums.  The influence of both Prince and The Time is very strong throughout the album, which opens with the first single “Be Your Man”, a song that hit number 4 on the R&B charts (61 on the Billboard Hot 100) and is an infectious funky R&B tune enhanced with some really cool, spacey synths.  “I Want My Girl”, was another hit from the album (7 on the R&B charts and 76 on the pop charts) and is a slower ballad with an extremely catchy chorus and some short instrumental sections with some really cool “fluttery” synths.  The midtempo “She Won’t Let Go” and more upbeat “Just Too Much” are a couple of synth-driven funk tunes, the latter of which is notable for its popping bass.  The influence of The Time and Prince is especially strong on the dance tune “Let’s Have Some Fun”, while “Can You Help Me” adds a little bit of a rock edge to the funk.  The final two tracks are my favorites from the debut, largely because their sound really sets them apart.  The slower “Special Love” is a smooth, laid-back ballad with the synths taking on more of an electropop sound, while “She’s A Doll” is funky, but more on the rock side with more guitar and weird, often distorted keys.    

For his second album, Shockadelica, Johnson dropped the Revue name and released it as a solo album.  After opening with the straight-ahead Minneapolis funk of “Change Your Mind”, “Crazay”, the album’s first single and biggest hit of his career (number 2 on the R&B charts), found him teaming up with the legendary Sly Stone for a bass popping, synth driven slab of hook heavy funk.  Written by Pepe Willie for his band 94 East (a Minneapolis band that one point included a pre solo career Prince), “Do Yourself A Favor” has shown up on some early recordings by that band and was also recorded by Prince for 1999, but ended up being released as a bonus track years later.  Credited here as a co-write by Willie and Johnson, it’s a bouncy pop tune with squeaky synths that sounds almost identical to the Prince recording.  Driven by an interesting thick bass, a funky dance beat, synths and a scorching guitar solo, “She (I Can’t Resist)” was another hit, peaking on the R&B charts at 28.  With its synth blasts and more Sheila E styled percussion, “Addiction” is a taut, somewhat faster paced track followed by “Tonite”, a soulful Prince like slow jam, and the midtempo funk of singalong dance track “Burn You Up”.  With a subject matter that unfortunately still resonates very much today, “Black In America” closes the album out and is a powerful, largely acoustic guitar driven, folk tune fleshed out with some simple percussion and synth washes.        

His final album for A&M was Every Shade Of Love, and while the funk is still very present throughout, there is often more emphasis on the electronic and rock elements.  Opening track “Love Struck” was another hit for him (4 on the R&B charts and 78 on the Hot 100) and is a very catchy funk tune with that Minneapolis sound, but with the addition of more electronic elements along with a shredding guitar solo.  Starting off with another guitar solo, “So Misunderstood” is another solid funk track with a bit more of a rock edge, including more great guitar work, and some electronic elements.  “I’m The One” takes the funk sound and meshes it with electronic beats reminiscent of bands like New Order and Art Of Noise.  “Color Shock” takes a similar path, but with less emphasis on the funk and more on the electronic side along with guitar.  For a complete change of pace, “Every Shade Of Love” is a bouncy, upbeat sunshine-y dance pop tune enhanced wonderfully with chirpy female background vocals and saxophone from Eddie Mininfield, who has worked with a who’s who of artists, including Prince, Sheila E, Stevie Nicks, Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder and many more.  Shifting more in the direction of his earlier work, “Everybody Wants Somebody To Love” is a more straight-ahead funky dance tune, while “I’m Just Wanting You” is a nice, slow burning bluesy ballad.  “Stop-Look-Listen” closes the album out and is a high energy, bouncy pop tune with a fast-paced electronic beat.  Also included here are five bonus tracks, which include a remix of “She (I Can’t Resist)”, an extended version of “Crazay” and an eight minute dance mix of “Love Struck”.  The remaining two tracks are his contribution to The Breakfast Club soundtrack, “Heart Too Hot To Hold”, an infectious pop duet with Stephanie Spruill and “Drive Yo Cadillac”, the b-side to “Crazay” that has a bit of a Prince vibe and an insanely infectious groove that makes you wonder why it wasn’t a single itself.  While you can see, Johnson had numerous hit singles during this era, and even though he never became the household name of some of the other artists around him at that time, these three albums are quite impressive, making this a really nice collection to have.  

(Robinsongs)

Upset Boy and the Queens - "Trying To Get To You" / "Think Too Much"

Initially formed by singer/songwriter/guitarist Chris Watts (Dirt Reynolds) and bassist Lulu Jones (ex-Thelma and the Sleaze) and rounded out by drummer Dan Dolive, Nashville's Upset Boy and the Queens have recently released their debut double A-Side single. "Trying To Get To You" is an alt country rocker with a bit of Replacements like raggedness and a strong power pop sensibility, while "Think Too Much" is driven by thick buzzing grungy guitar and a powerful, yet slower, almost hypnotic beat, that will lure you in with its hooks.  Quite an impressive debut, and one that definitely has me anticipating what's in store.  

(Sweet Cheetah Records)

Rain - Tomorrow Never Comes : The NYC Sessions 1967-1968

In late 1967/early 1968 the three-piece Rain, comprised of guitarist John Cannon, bassist Tom Caccetta and drummer Bugs Pemberton (former members of the US based band the Lost Souls and the English band The Undertakers), recorded a full album with producer Chris Huston (also a former member of The Undertakers).  The path from those earlier bands to Rain is littered with names like Brian Epstein, Jackie Lomax and The Beatles and involved numerous bands and band lineups.  This history is covered it great detail in the accompanying CD booklet.  Unfortunately, the album didn’t find a home and never made it past being an acetate.  Shortly after the album was recorded, they briefly changed their name to The Gypsy Wizards Band and recorded more studio sessions that unfortunately met the same fate.  They ended up going their separate ways in 1969.  Now, thanks to Grapefruit Records, the full album, along with six tracks recorded as The Gypsy Wizards Band have been released on this fantastic new CD Tomorrow Never Comes – The  NYC Sessions 1967-1968.  

The album opens with “Sapphire Skies”, a psychedelic track that is poppy, but still has a rock edge that’s especially evident in the guitar work, which at times sounds like it has a bit of a Hendrix influence.  “One Is All, And All Is One” is a more laid-back cut that adds some country to the psychedelia along with some great West Coast harmonies, while “No Deposit, No Return” is a more propulsive track that reminds me of the San Francisco psychedelic rockers of that era.  The melancholy “Sundrops” is pure Sixties sunshine pop bliss that sounds like it was a huge, missed opportunity for a hit single.  With a sound rooted in Merseybeat, “So Unhappy” adds a psychedelic edge and some great rocking Byrds-like guitars.  The Beatles influence is evident on the more straight-ahead “Didn’t Lie”, followed by “You Can’t Hide Your Love”, which is more of a mod rocker, but with a bit of that West Coast sound, especially in the harmonies.  The psychedelia is in full force on the next two songs, the swirling “Something Is Happening” and the slower, dreamy “Midnight Blue”, both of which are strongly reminiscent of The Beatles.  Closing the Rain album out is “You, You, You”, an edgier psychedelic rocker that really showcases Cannon’s guitar work.  The six bonus tracks here not only found them changing their name, but also largely shifting their sound.  They moved almost completely away from the psychedelia that made the Rain tracks so special, instead adding elements like horns and orchestration. Having said that there are several that really stand out including “The Brightest Light”, which still has a hint of the psychedelia, the flute heavy folk of “A Daily Thought”, the more straight-ahead rocker “She” and the experimental “In Deadication”.  This album is a fantastic discovery and thankfully it is now out in the world for everyone to hear.  

Grapefruit

The Byron Band - On The Rocks ... Again

From 1969 to 1976 Uriah Heep released ten albums with David Byron as lead vocalist (he also released a solo album in 1975).  Next up he recorded one eponymous album with the short-lived blues rock band Rough Diamond whose membership included former Colosseum and Humble Pie guitarist Clem Clempson and former Wings drummer Geoff Britton.  In 1978 he released his second solo album, which was co-written and co-produced by pop artist Daniel Boone, and was a shift in direction with its more synth heavy sound and tracks running the gamut from pop and rockabilly to glam and disco.  After signing with the reggae label Creole Records, he and Boone co-wrote his next single “Every Inch Of The Way”.  Boone was also working with Robin George at the time and suggested he should mix it (George would go on to have success as a solo artist, worked with Phil Lynott on his final works and collaborated in various projects with Sean Harris, Glenn Hughes, Pete Way and Spike).  After a successful meeting they started working together which resulted in the formation of The Byron Band and their one album On The Rocks, which is the focus of this new three-CD box set.  The remaining members of the band were Mel Collins (Camel, King Crimson) on sax, Bob Jackson (Badfinger) on keyboards, Roger Flavelle on bass and John Shearer on drums.  In addition to the album, this box set includes the aforementioned non-album single, tracks recorded for a proposed second album, writing demos, recordings from a rehearsal session and a live performance recorded in Liverpool in 1980.

The album opens strongly with “Rebecca”, a straight-ahead rocker with a hint of honky-tonk tinged blues, and the sleazy blues rock of “Bad Girl”. “How Do You Sleep”, at just under six minutes, is one of the album standouts and really showcases the band’s musicianship.  It has a lot of dynamics, shifting between slower kind of taut and dark sections, heavier, really powerful sections, and mellower, almost ballad-like sections with great guitar work from George and some really nice horn accents.  Following the soulful, laid-back “Little By Little” is “Start Believing”, which starts with some really catchy guitar from George, leading into a rocker with a bit of a funk beat.  It has a super infectious groove and the guitar work, as always, is top notch with some nice keyboard accents and a little sax.  The next two cuts are the album’s weakest.  “Never Say Die” is pretty much a standard midtempo AOR track with a bit of a boogie woogie beat, while “King” is a bit quirky with lyrics that are almost novelty and simplistic.  Having said that it has some great guitar work that shows glimmers of what was to come on George’s debut solo album a few years later.  Closing the album is the killer epic tune “Piece Of My Love”, which opens with a two-minute instrumental section that’s kind of dreamy with elements of jazz and blues and a mournful horn, then shifts into a solid bluesy rocker with a boogie woogie beat.  The first disc also includes seven bonus tracks starting with the straight-ahead Eighties rocker “Fool For A Pretty Face” and the outstanding, extremely catchy, hard-charging rocker “Safety In Numbers”.  It’s a shame this latter track never got released, because it has hit written all over it.  “One Minute More” is a slightly bluesy power ballad, with a hint of “Free Bird” at times, that really showcases Byron’s vocals.  “Every Inch Of The Way”, the aforementioned single that led to the meeting of Byron and George, is included here in the single version as well as a longer version, and is a bouncy boogie-woogie tune with some great honky tonk piano.  The single’s flipside was “Routine”, which is really quite unlike anything else they did and is personally one my favorites.  It’s a crazy, offbeat track driven by a massively infectious beat, blasting horns, stellar guitar from George (including some sounding like sirens), layered vocals and harmonies and more.  Why this was relegated to the b-side of a one-off single is beyond me.  Another b-side (this one for their “Rebecca” single) is “Tired Eyes,” a gorgeous ballad that’s primarily Byron’s vocals accompanied by George’s acoustic guitar.  

Disc two is devoted to the demos that were recorded for what was intended to be their second album.  The first six are full band demos recorded at DJM Studios in London.  Alongside great sounding takes of three of the songs that are bonus tracks on disc one (“Fool For A Pretty Face”, “Safety In Numbers” and “One Minute More”) are the heavy on the funk rocker “Learn The Dance” and the straight-ahead rock of “I Need Love”.  There is also a demo of “Bad Girl”, a song that was included on the On The Rocks.  The second half of the disc contains songwriting demos, written at David’s house, that are largely just over or under a minute, and are just him on vocals and Robin on acoustic guitar, along with the occasional studio banter (a handful of them only exist in these short snippets). They give an interesting insight into the basic foundation of what can be heard elsewhere here in its entirety.  

Rounding out the box set on disc three are a couple of live recordings. First up is a rehearsal from 1981 that was recorded on a tape recorder so they could listen to their progress before going on tour.  While it definitely sounds more like a bootleg, considering it was recorded on a tape recorder, the sound quality is really good and stands up to repeat listens.  Along with two cuts from the first album, and a couple more that were demo’d for the second, are “Goodnight Blues” and “Last Chance Jam”, which don’t appear elsewhere.  The other live set was recorded in Liverpool in 1980 and along with four On The Rocks tracks contain Uriah Heep’s “July Morning” and “Sweet Lorraine” (both of which sound great with this band), the previously unheard “Liverpool Blues” and a cover of “Roll Over Beethoven”.  Byron’s vocals are in fine form, the band sounds great and along with the crowd it sounds like everyone had a fantastic time.  As with the first set, the recording is a little rough, but really quite good considering it’s not professional.  The disc closes with “Angelsong”, a touching, very melancholy song that Robin originally released in 1985 and said was a tribute to Byron, Phil Lynott, and other musicians with whom he’d collaborated over the years.  Also included is a very informative booklet with a lot of insight from Robin about his time working with David.  Sadly, David passed away in 1985 from alcohol related complications and Robin left us just a few months ago in April.  

(HNE Recordings)

Carmen - The Albums 1973-1975

Carmen originally formed in LA in 1970 as a seven piece and was the brainchild of David Clark Allen, the child of flamenco performers who had himself been trained as a flamenco guitarist.  Over the next few years, twelve different musicians made their way through the band before they became a quintet in 1972.  While all the labels in LA loved their live performances, they felt it was impossible to get their sound recorded, so they ended up moving to London thinking they would have a different opinion.  It should be noted that in their live show they used vocalists Roberto Amaral and Angela Allen as flamenco dancers, and they also used an amplified floor to utilize their dancing as percussion.  Initially rounding out the band were brothers Brian and John Glascock on drums and bass respectively (both had previously played in pre-Uriah Heep band The Gods and Toe Fat, and John later played for a short while in Jethro Tull before passing away at 28).  Upon moving to London, they made a very influential friends with David Bowie and Tony Visconti, but unfortunately Brian had decided not to make the move and was replaced by Paul Fenton.  While Visconti ended up producing their first two albums, the friendship with Bowie resulted in them being his guests in a show at the Marquee in London from October 18-20, 1980, called The 1980 Floor Show.  It featured his final appearances as Ziggy Stardust and ended up being broadcast in the US on the Midnight Special TV show.  From 1973 to 1975 they released three albums that to this day contain some of the most unique music out there, meshing rock and prog with flamenco, dance and more.  Their new three CD box set, The Albums 1973-1975, collects these three albums, as well as four bonus tracks.  

Their debut album, Fandangos In Space, was produced by Visconti and opens with "Bulerias", a track that is the epitome of what they are about.  It's a three-part song that is the perfect merging of flamenco rhythms, prog guitar sections with castanets weaving in and out and foot stomping percussion.  The extremely catchy "Bullfight" continues in that vein, but also adds synths to the mix and has great stop and start, fast and slow tempo shifts.  They slow things down a little on “Stepping Stone”, which has a spacy, psychedelic sound and a bit of a laid-back funk beat, while “Sailor Song” is more of a folk-rock track with some elements of prog.  “Lonely House” is a fairly straightforward acoustic ballad with some really nice Spanish flavored acoustic guitar.  David showcases his guitar work on the acoustic instrumental “Por Tarantos” which isn’t quite straight up flamenco, but definitely has flourishes of it.  “Looking Outside (My Window)” ups the ante in the rock department starting off quite heavy and then shifting back and forth between slower, acoustic guitar driven sections and heavier sections with even more emphasis on flamenco, including some handclaps.  At just under nine minutes, “Tales of Spain” is somewhat of a prog suite that’s constantly shifting, twisting and turning in multitude of different musical styles, starting out slow and very reminiscent of the west coast sound with some great vocal harmonies, then moving into spacey spoken word storytelling, upbeat rock, psychedelia and much more.  It’s followed by “Retirando”, a gorgeous Spanish flavored track that at only forty-eight second still really impresses with its harmonies (interestingly some places on the internet show the end of “Tales of Spain” as actually being the beginning of this song making it almost a minute and a half longer).  The title track is up next and is another complex tour de force with a melodic prog intro leading into more of a flamenco section and then an almost frantic, jazzy instrumental middle section and then back into prog.  It also has some great guitar work and incredible vocal harmonies, including some falsetto and choral sections, that have a Queen vibe if they had had a Spanish flamenco influence.  Closing out the album on a mellow note is “Reprise/Finale”, a short acoustic Spanish guitar driven instrumental.

Album number two, Dancing on a Cold Wind, was once again produced by Visconti, and opens with “Viva Mi Sevilla”, probably the heaviest, and arguably the best, track they ever released.  After starting with an acoustic Spanish guitar, a fuzzy, thumping bass comes in along with foot stomping percussion.  As it evolves, killer electric guitar kicks in and then it shifts to heavy Spanish flavored prog rock before closing with a powerful instrumental section that includes keys and some pummeling cowbell.  Angela steps up to the mic to handle lead vocals on “I’ve Been Crying”, which is overall more of a catchy pop tune with some prog elements, but still has plenty of quirkiness with the thick fuzzy bass again very prominent, along with mellotron and a slower section that sounds like a funhouse waltz.  Opening with haunting piano, “Drifting Along” is an interesting ballad that is not run of the mill, with elements of prog along with some really strong guitar solos, dark synths and strong vocal harmonies.  Following the short instrumental “She Flew Across the Room” to close out side one is “Purple Flowers”, another twisting turning prog track with occasional flourishes of flamenco, that is at times a little reminiscent of Jethro Tull and Queen.  Side two consists of a side-long suite in nine parts called ‘Remembrances (Recuerdos de Espana)’.  Unlike a lot of their other songs, the majority of the nine tracks are shorter pieces, but they work brilliantly together to create a twenty-four-minute piece of music.  Musically there is more emphasis on British folk and string arrangements than before, along with plenty of the prog, rock, Spanish and flamenco elements they were known for.  "She's Changed", "Gypsy Girl (Caravan)", "People Dressed In Black", along with the title track, are some of the highlights here.  Disc two also contains two of the bonus tracks, starting with “Quiriquitu”, which has a slower, dreamy sound and a bit of a funk beat.  It’s kind of different for them but gets a little repetitive.  “Out On The Street” is also slower but works better with its heavy groove and synth heavy ending.  

For their third album, Gypsies, the band split with Visconti and brought in Steve Elson as producer.  It opens extremely strong with “Daybreak”, which starts with a gorgeous flamenco instrumental with incredible guitar work then kicks into a hard flamenco rocker that has a hint of glam.  “Shady Lady” and “High Time” are both more easygoing midtempo tunes that have more emphasis on synths, and on the former, some great Spanish guitar.  The melancholy folk of “Dedicated To Lydia” is absolutely gorgeous with delicate acoustic guitar work and stellar harmonies.  “Joy” finds them moving back into a more straightforward prog direction, but also with a bit of a quirky pop side to it.  On the title track they come back around to where they started.  It’s an absolute powerhouse prog tune (again quite reminiscent of Jethro Tull) with their classic flamenco flair like snapping castanets and foot stomping percussion, and Allen is on fire here with his guitar work.  “Siren of the Sea” is another straight-ahead rocker, but has an almost sing songy feel to it that comes across a little cheesy.  With its Queen-like backing harmonies “Come Back” is a bouncy soft rock tune with another strong guitar solo.  The album closes with “Margarita”, a delicate acoustic instrumental with some really nice Spanish guitar.  Rounding out disc three are a couple more bonus tracks.  “Flamenco Fever” is actually one of my favorite songs here, and was a single only track released in 1974.  It’s classic Carmen, at times a hard driving rocker with a definite Jethro Tull influence along Flamenco rhythms, castanets, foot stomping and more great guitar work.   With its stark acoustic guitar, synths, a drum machine and Angela’s captivating vocals it’s obvious that the hauntingly beautiful “Only Talking To Myself” is not like anything else here.  Unfortunately, there are no details about this track, so after a little digging around online I discovered that it’s actually not a Carmen song, but a tribute to John Glascock that she recorded in 2006 with Laurence Lush contributing the music.  Even though it's not one of their tracks, it's a nice track to close out the box set, but I wish they had given some details about its history.  Overall, this is a fascinating and refreshingly unique look back at a band that was sadly underappreciated.  

(Esoteric Recordings)

Interview with Halfway To Neptune

Southern California's teen band Halfway To Neptune recently released their impressive debut EP On These Walls.  I had the opportunity to interview the band (vocalist and rhythm guitarist Madison, lead guitarist Jacob, bassist Blake and drummer Eric) where we talked about the early roots of the band, their new EP, what's in store for the future and more.  

I love that if you scroll back to the early days of your Facebook page there are posts from when a couple of you were in an early incarnation of the band called Flames Of Fury. You can really see the early, early days with you recording yourselves playing live in what looks like a spare room. Your progression is pretty amazing. Can you tell me a little about the history of the band and the path from then to now?

Eric: When Flames of Fury first originated it was me and my best friend Blake wanting to start our first band. We then later added some friends of ours who eventually left. When the band originated our music consisted of covers from our favorite bands. Along the way we added Maddie who has been our singer for around 4 years. Once Jacob joined, we rebranded to Halfway To Neptune and began writing our own music. 

What do you think now when you look back at those first videos?

Blake: I look back on the videos from the days we were in Flames of Fury and I wonder what younger me would think when he sees the new me. It’s very strange to think about.

How does your songwriting process tend to work?

Madison: I love how collaborative we are as a band when we write songs. If one person has a drum part, a riff, or chords, we usually have writing sessions to implement their idea into an entire project where all four of us contribute to the sound of the song. For example, a couple of the songs off of the EP originated from Jacob and Eric jamming out and creating a lead guitar part/drum base. Then, they showed it to Blake and I and we worked with them to insert our rhythm, vocals, and bass parts. Another method we use to write is where I come to class with song structure, chords, and vocals. I work with Jacob to create melodies and lead parts, Eric creates drums, and Blake creates bass. The song ‘On These Walls’ was actually created during a jam session where I was messing around with some chords that weren’t originally written for a song, and Jacob joined in. From there, we all loved the sound and created the track that eventually inspired our entire EP.

It seems like in most of the stuff I have read about the band there is always an emphasis on calling you pop punk. You can definitely hear that throughout the EP, especially in a song like “Watch Me Burn”, although even that track is a lot more than just pop punk. I really think that description of your sound does you a disservice because there is much more going on here. Would you agree with that?

Eric: I would 100% agree with that for a good reason. Our EP On These Walls was made to get us on the radar and help us find our sound. The tracks consist of a broad style of pop punk ranging for the heavier elements, into the slower elements which you can see in "Watch Me Burn" and "Fall Away". A more specific pop punk feel will be coming in our new album in 2025.

I hear some classic metal influences at times, especially the Metallica like guitar licks in “Night Driving” and the galloping rhythms that pop up in “Edge Of A Knife”, that bring to mind Iron Maiden. Then there’s “Stay Alive”, which has a little bit of a melodic nu metal feel to it. Would you consider metal a big influence on the band?

I don’t know if I would call it big. I mean we definitely like Metal, and Rock, and Punk, and EMO. So I guess you might hear some of those throughout our songs. If there was some influences that have impacted me most it would be the legendary Randy Rhoads, and Classical Space Rock genius Matt Bellamy of Muse. 

I really like “Fall Away”. It has an intensity to it and is darker and slower than the rest of the tracks, which really creates a great mood. Can you tell me a little about that song?

Madison: This song explores the complicated and painful emotions that arise when you’re slowly slipping away from a loved partner or a friend. I wanted to write the lyrics to encapsulate that feeling when you’re not quite out of their lives, but at the same time you’re hanging on by a thread which could snap at any nearing second. It’s agonizing and it’s torturous knowing that a support system or a primary aspect of your life could slip out of your grasp so quickly. 

We wanted to adhere to the intensity of the lyrics with the sound of the song itself. Jacob wrote a dark and moody guitar lead during the chorus as well as an intense minor riff during the verses. We also wanted to include a guitar solo which captured the emotional and forward feel of the song. About the melody of the vocals, I wanted that intensity to increase slowly right from the beginning of the song all the way to the end. I started soft and quiet, and grew up until the final chorus and bridge. 

You recently had your EP release party/show. How was that?

Jacob: Where do I begin? Sold out Venue, 3 phenomenal bands that opened for us. We had a blast playing that night. People singing our songs along with us and actually hearing them sing was truly amazing. A feeling I can’t describe. 

Blake: When the time came for the EP release party, I noticed how much we have improved ever since the Whiskey a GoGo.  It’s kind of shocking how much you can improve within a year, really.  This was the first time though that we actually had a big gig that was starring us, meaning everyone there were fans of us, which surprised me when i heard we sold over 300 tickets in total.  I feel so accomplished with this band and plan on seeing it to the end.

Is there any significance to the band name?

Eric: We thought we might get canceled if we chose 'Halfway To Uranus'

What are your plans now that the EP is out?

Eric: We are going to spend the rest of the year writing new music and really honing in on our sound, and releasing an album early next year. That and playing lots of shows the rest of this year. 

You have videos out for “Night Driving” and “Watch Me Burn”. How involved was the band in the creation of those?

Eric: We didn't have much of a music video planned for "Watch Me Burn", but our producer Jonathan told the band to make a collage of videos over the last year and make a music video out of that.  As for "Night Driving", we had no idea what the hell we were doing but we went to LA to record a music video at this small spot with cool backgrounds, turned on the camera, set up a speaker to play along to the music and then we had our music video. 

Is there anything else you would like to share with readers?

Madison: We want to thank all who have supported us throughout our musical journey and pursuing our passions. We are so incredibly grateful that we are able to share our art with such amazing people who provide us with such astounding support.  As mentioned previously, we won’t be releasing any new music until January 2025, but for now, stream On These Walls and feel free to keep in touch with us through our Instagram, Facebook, and Tiktok.  This summer and for the rest of 2024 we will be frequently performing around the SoCal area so it won’t be hard to catch a show near you if you live around LA or the IE.  Again, we want to thank all of our fans and listeners for helping us make our dreams come true.

(Halfway To Neptune - Facebook)

 

The Cryin' Shames, Paul & Ritchie & The Crying Shames, Friendly Persuasion - Please Stay

Please Stay by the Liverpool band The Cryin’ Shames hit number 26 on the UK charts in 1966.  It was the last hit song for producer Joe Meek and within a year of that he was dead, and the band had broken up.  While they only ended up releasing two singles with a third from the offshoot band Paul & Ritchie & The Crying Shames, thanks to Meek’s Tea Chest Tapes, the latest in that series of releases from Cherry Red is this outstanding two-disc collection containing fifty-one tracks.  In addition to the six single cuts there are the audition tapes from The Bumblies (the band’s initial name), tracks recorded for an album that ended up never being released, alternate versions and sessions, two songs from Friendly Persuasions (a post-breakup band from guitarist Derek Cleary) and a handful of live tracks.

The band was initially started in 1963 as The Bumblies by bassist George Robinson and vocalist Joey Kneen and was rounded out by Charlie Crane (vocals, harmonica), John Bennett (guitar), Phil Roberts (keyboards), and Charlie Gallagher (drums).  They auditioned for Meek in late 1965 and the five songs from that demo session are here on disc one.  In addition to a couple of Dylan covers, the easygoing “She Belongs To Me” and “Mr. Tambourine Man”, walking the line between the original and The Byrds, are a ragged garage rock version of Van Morrision and Them’s “Gloria” and a bluesy, organ heavy take on Otis Redding’s “Pain In My Heart.”  Lastly, is the aforementioned “Please Stay” that was originally released by The Drifters in 1961 and later covered by Zoot Money’s Big Roll Band.  This early version was a gorgeous take consisting of only Crane’s vocals and Roberts’ organ.  While Meek liked the band he didn’t like their name, so they ended up as The Cryin’ Shames.  December 1965 also found them replacing Bennett with Ritchie Routledge.  The following February they released their debut single, the aforementioned “Please Stay”, which opens the box set.  Fleshed out here, most notably with drums and strings, it is a hauntingly beautiful song.  The flipside, presented here in an extended version with a longer fadeout, is “What’s New Pussycat”, a rocking R&B track that is actually musically almost a carbon copy of Dylan’s “On The Road Again”.   Their next single, released in June 1966, was "Nobody Waved Goodbye”.  Originally released just five months earlier as the B-side of a single by its composers, Joey Brooks & The Baroque Folk, their version was a dreamy pop tune that definitely showcases Meek’s production. The bouncy and extremely infectious “You” was the other track here.  It should be noted that during this period there were some member changes and questions as to who really played on what, that are all covered in depth in the extensive booklet included here.  A few months after the single’s release the band broke up and Routledge and Crane formed a new group called Paul and Ritchie and The Crying Shames.  In September 1966 they released the single “September In The Rain”, which was actually the only song they recorded.  It is an upbeat, slightly Beatles-esque pop tune with some really cool Farfisa organ, that is my favorite of their three singles (interestingly, the song was originally written in 1937 and has been recorded by a who’s who of artists in varying styles).  Although it is rumored they also recorded “Say Diddley Hey”, it isn’t included here at the insistence of Routledge, because he said it is not them.  Instead, the flipside was the brilliant freakbeat track “Come On Back” which was actually recorded during the same session at “You” and has made this a highly collectable single.  Next up are the twelve tracks recorded for an album that never saw the light of day.  The bulk of these tracks were covers, starting with “I’ll Keep Holding On”, which sounds a lot like a slightly slower version of the one released a few months earlier by The Action.  Following a fairly standard version of “Land Of 1,000 Dances” is another take on “Gloria”, which along with a slower “She Belongs To Me”, are two songs that were initially recorded at their audition.  Originally by Marvin Gaye and then The Birds (featuring Ronnie Wood), “No Good Without You Baby” is a surprisingly heavy, fuzz-guitar laden rocker.  To me their version of “My Girl” is the one real misstep here, as it sounds a bit off and really misses the mark. Dipping into the Dylan catalogue for the third time, their soulful version of “With God On Our Side” is hypnotic, drenched in organ and stripped-down percussion, as is their take on the Jagger/Richards tune “As Tears Go By” (originally recorded by Marianne Faithful and later a Stones b-side).  They give a real kick in the pants to the soulful garage rocker “Take Me For A Little While” (written by Trade Martin and recorded by Evie Sands and then The Koobas).  The last of the covers was their bouncy, rocking take on Holland Dozier Holland’s “You’re A Wonderful One” (originally recorded by Marvin Gaye).  Also recorded for the album were what are assumed to be two originals, the soulful “Only You”, which has some cool guitar work and the funk-tinged R&B tune “Wanna Be Loved”.  Closing out disc one are three more songs that were found among the Tea Chest Tapes, all of which are mentioned in the liner notes as possibilities for the third single.  While “Let Me In” is a catchy garage rocker and “Breakout” has a cool midtempo groove, “Feels Like Loving” is a dramatic ballad.  All three were enhanced with brass and strings and had the potential to be hits. 

Disc two opens with a varieity of alternate versions and sessions that as always with these collections really showcase Meek’s genius.  There are three versions of the first single “Please Stay”, including one with no overdubs and one with only overdubs, and an instrumental and alternate version of the b-side “What’s New Pussycat”.  Two alternate arrangements of their second single “Nobody Waved Goodbye” are here along with a take with no overdubs and one of just overdubs, and an alternate version of the flipside “You”, which has a more prominent piano presence.  Three more versions of “Let Me In” are here.  The first two are before the strings and horns have been added and really showcase the powerhouse percussion on this track (Phase 1 Take 3 even has a section where vocalist Kneen starts laughing in the middle), while the third is those missing overdubs.  Following a backing track version and guide vocal version of “Breakout” is an alternate version of the Paul & Ritchie & The Crying Shames “September In The Rain”, two versions of “Come On Back” including one with Kneen on vocals, and an alternate version of “I’ll Keep Holding On”.  While not all of these really stand up to repeat listenings it’s fascinating to hear the building blocks that go into the final versions.  After The Cryin' Shames broke up, guitarist Derek Cleary continued doing session work with Meek and in January 1967 he recorded there with his new group Friendly Persuasion, although they only recorded two tracks before Meek died.  First up is their take on the Skeeter Davis song "The End Of The World", which is a pretty standard band version of the track.  They fare much better with upbeat "Come On" with its great vocal harmonies and keys.  Next up are three tracks from Paul & Ritchie & The Crying Shames when they appeared on the BBC’s Saturday Club radio show on September 13, 1966, performing The Who’s “Circles”, Sam Cooke’s “Shake” and their version of “September In The Rain”.  The recordings sound great and the band are in top form.  Lastly are a couple of live cuts recorded during a television appearance in Paris featuring a performance of "Please Stay" and a raucous take on "Gloria".  As mentioned before, the CD booklet included here is very detailed and goes to great lengths to cover the details of the band's history, the various member changes and well as who played in the different named versions of the band.  It's definitely another welcome addition to the ongoing series of Tea Chest Tapes releases.

(Cherry Red Records)