the Rock Report

He was one of the truest legends from the British blues scene of the Sixties — yet very few Americans have actually heard of him.
Long John Baldry (6′ 7″ — hence, the “Long” in his name), a strong-voiced blues singer from Northamptonshire, England. was born in 1941 and, by the early Sixties, had already established a name for himself by playing blues gigs in clubs like the Station Hotel in Richmond — one of the earliest venues of The Rolling Stones.

Then came a shot with Alexis Korner’s Blues Incorporated (I’ll have a post on Korner next week).
In fact, with them, he  recorded the first British blues album in 1962, R&B at the Marquee.  As part of the band, he found himself occasionally amongst future superstars Charlie Watts and Mick Jagger (Stones) and Jack Bruce (Cream).  At times, Keith Richards and Brian Jones would appear with Blues, Inc. as well … and, as the fame of the Stones spread, so did John’s:  He appeared with them in support at their first concert at the Marquee Club, and was the announcer on their only live album, 1966’s Got Live If You Want It! He also became friends with Paul McCartney after a show at the Cavern, and was invited to play on one of The Beatles’ 1964 TV specials.

Baldry also had his hand in the careers of other superstars by way of the bands he either joined or created:  First, there was the Cyril Davies R&B All-Stars, which boasted a young Jimmy Page on guitar.

Then, at Cyril’s death, he took over and renamed the band Long John Baldry and the Hoochie-Coochie Men.  Jimmy left the band (Geoff Bradford took his place) and John found a new singer in a busker named Rod Stewart (Rod already had a taste of success with Jimmy Powell and the Five Dimensions, and occasionally busks, even today*.)
(*=for our stateside readers: busking was simply “street corner music”, usually with just a guitar, harmonica and a hat or box in front for donations. See the beginning of The Fore’s video, Love For Sale, as an example …)

By 1965, there was another name change for John’s band — it became Steampacket and included himself, Rod, Brian Auger (later of Trinity) and Julie Driscoll.  A year later, though, the band broke up and John formed a new ensemble called Bluesology. This included Elton Dean on vocals, John Baldry on vocals and guitar, and a young keyboardist named Reg Dwight … who, eventually, changed his name to reflect both Dean and Baldry and became … Elton John!

(Pt. II will be posted on Monday, so stay tuned …)  For more on Long John Baldry, just click the following link:

Lemme quote the email verbatim:
Dear Traiter
re youre blog
who do u thnk u r braging about being part them? if u so proud of it go on back over 2 them we dnt need ur likes here.

Hmph … now why do I get the impression this guy’s not a brain surgeon in his off-web life??

Man, I love the UK, and am honoured to have their blood running through my veins.  But I am American, and very proud of it!!

CONTRARY TO COUNTRY??

WAIT!  The story gets better!
Y’see, bein’ from the Appalachian foothills, where country music runs through the backwoods thicker than gravy over a plate of mashed potatoes, the people who know me as a music journalist expect coverage of their favorite twangin’ stars instead of this (quote) “bonga-banging s**t that kids are playing today” (man, I’ve gotta get better filters on my inbox!).

But, if ya listen to today’s “country” (no longer “and Western” since, according to Nashville, it doesn’t reflect the “Western” acoustic style — and because, they say, it almost “stereotypes the West”), you’ll find it’s based on … electric guitars, harmony, drums — and, often, a 4/4 beat.  Listen to some hits from Rascal Flatts, Miranda Lambert, Keith Urban and others … and tell me it’s not basically the same as classic rock!  Just a different singing style, a couple/three extra instruments (fiddle/steel guitar or banjo/steel/fiddle) … but the tempo, rhythm, attack and even song structure is almost identical in many cases.

Now, when ya listen to The Fore do That’s A Lie, you can almost hear The Everly Brothers.  The Beatles covered Act Naturally — the Buck Owens classic — on the flip side of Yesterday.  McCartney put a very country-flavoured tune called Sally G on the back side of Junior’s Farm — in fact, there were some who thought it was a cut from some live country radio show (and, speakin’ of country:  Is it just me, or does anybody else see a resemblance between Macca and an early Bill Anderson?)!

And let’s not forget that one of the biggest hits of the Invasion era — the DC5’s Bits and Pieces (written by my friend [IMHO, along with Lennon/McCartney, one of the greatest songwriters in the UK] Ron Ryan) was a country song at first!

So, what I’m sayin’ to the lady who wrote is: Don’t Knock The Rock!!  If not for the classic rock and roll, you wouldn’t have country as you like it today!

Now, I’m workin’ on a piece on one of the most legendary blues/rock forces in history — a chap named Long John Baldry — and hope to have it on here soon.  If any of you have personal notes, acquaintances, memories or whatever of or with him, just send ‘em in to therockrelic@yahoo.com.

Okay … that’s it for now. But stay tuned, ’cause, along with info on LJB, I’m gonna be unveiling a brand new act that’s … well, lemme keep it a secret for now (don’tcha just hate it when someone does that?? But, trust me, it’ll be fab!).

I’ll see ya on the flip side …

THE FORE (-1,+1)

It was another smash show, this time in Faversham. The Fore were center stage and Spencer, Matt, Nathan and Dennis did a great set, as alw …
Hey … wait a minnit: Dennis?? And, though Nathan was on the drums for this gig, what happened to Simon??

Well, for this particular show, they hadta switch around a bit. Simon was still reeling from his recent holiday in San Francisco (yep — that one), so the multi-talented rhythmist, Nathan, took Si’s place on the drums while Spencer took over the rhythm. The bass? Welllllll …
that, oh ye resident rockers, turned out to be none other than Sixties rocker Dennis Hannabuss (yep … Spencer’s dad)! He learned the entire set in record time and joined the lads onstage for a dynamite gig! And ya can’t help noticing where Spencer got his good looks and musical ability, right??
Now, Si will be back shortly, but seein’ Dennis back in action was ultra-cool!!

AND ALONG CAME A SPIDER

A rare yellow spider that’s found only in the country of Malaysia has been given a new scientific name — and I wonder if you can tell who it’s named for.

First, let me introduce that funky little creature to yer right. It’s called the … Heteropoda davidbowie (ummm … any idea yet??), and the German scientist who discovered it is hoping that the publicity it gets will draw attention to all endangered animals. (Of course, one of Bowie’s most famous albums was 1972’s “The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars.”)

CUTE KID

Before I sign off for this session, I just hadta include a pic of this cute little ten-year-old! Actually, it’s from a school photo where, despite being among the rest of his classmates for the group shot, he chose, instead, to read a paper!

Look closely, and you’ll see it’s a very young Paul McCartney!

Ahhh, the things people send ya these days …

Well, that’s it for this go-’round. With work finally leveling off here at the Rock Desk, we’ll be able to Get Back to normal (me??? Normal?? HAHAHAhaaa!) and have more for ya in less than 24. Hours.
Until then … I’ll see ya on the flip side!

A-HA!!  Now we know the real reason for the famous Abbey Road Crossing of 1969!  If you remember, in the original shot, Paul was walkin’ across the street, barefoot and obviously trying not to focus on his burning soles (hey … it’s what he said!).
Well, in this a-little-less-popular shot, he’s got sandals on!
Soooo … it’s obvious:
They were just crossin’ the road to get Paul some decent footwear so his feet wouldn’t burn!!  After they’d bought the sandals, they walked back to the car …
(Hey … at least it’s a story you can tell yer grandkids to lull ‘em to sleep.  I didn’t say it was “true”, did I??)

Actually, I said all that to say this:  Two of London’s esteemed council members want to shut the famed crosswalk down, citing 22 accidents that have occurred there over the past nine years.

Obviously, die-hard Beatles fans around the world — especially in England — are in an uproar over this suggestion. Fortunately, the Westminster City Council (not to be confused with the Westminster Dog Show, though some will argue their similarity at times) is apparently on their side, saying it’s better just to “let it be”. After all, according to a spokesman, “There is nothing to indicate any more cause for concern than on any other road.”

A FEW QUICK NOTES …

So singer Olivia Newton-John-Easterling’s ex-somebody’s finally told the gendarmes to stop looking for him … he didn’t drown four years ago, as everybody thought!  Apparently, he just “disappeared” from the world … and the arms of one of the loveliest songbirds on the planet … to keep from paying his debts.
IMHO, they oughtta go down to Mexico,  arrest Patrick McDermott for fraud and making a damned fool of himself …
and then drown him to justify the thousands of man-hours it took searching for this creep!

Ya just gotta appreciate British broadcaster Sir Michael Parkinson as he’s trying to stop plans to evict residents from the historic Jesus Hospital (and surrounding almshouses) in Bray, England.

Y’see, it’s housed the elderly and indigent for nearly 400 years and, while residents pay rent, they occupy the properties under license. It’s been a godsend for thousands over the years — as one person told me, “the ultimate historically-benevolent gesture”.
Ahhh, but a new plan will see the properties sold to developers, and those plans would mean the Hospital’s inhabitants would have to either find relatives to take them in — or simply live on the streets.

The name of the present management? The Fishmongers’ Company. (I knew something smelled here …)

“Not only has the Fishmongers’ Company grossly betrayed the wishes of [founder of the Almshouses] Sir William Goddard, but they have betrayed the residents of Jesus Hospital and the village itself, of which the almshouses are an important part of its fabric and heritage,” said Sir Michael.
They oughtta leave this landmark — and its wonderful works — as it is!  If they wanted to work out a written rental plan for these people, fine!  Just make sure it’s one that they can afford to keep!
C’mon, Fishymongers — it’s the lease you can do!! 

FOOTNOTES

Remember that August 15 is coming up … and, besides it bein’ my birthday (send gifts in smaller bills, okay?), it’s also the day that Internet Radio Magazine chooses its Top Ten vying for the prize of Top Indie Act of 2009! .

THE FORE are now at the #3 spot … and we can take ‘em all the way to #1!
But ya gotta hurry, ’cause this leg of the voting ends on Friday!! Just click here, listen to one of their tracks, click “Become A Fan!”, and the lads are five points closer to their goal!
C’mon … let’s do it, gang! It’s free, doesn’t take but a minute, and ya get some great songs to boot!

Okay … that wraps it up for this post, but stay tuned … there’s more to come in less than 12 hours! With that, I’ll …
see ya on the flip side!

Ain’t no doubt about it:  Blues-tinged Soul is BACK!! And, bruthahs an’ sissstahs, I mean BIG-time!

Last night, while watchin’ Craig Ferguson’s Late, Late Show, I caught Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings belting out their hit 100 Days, 100 Nights.  If you caught the show, you’re probably still sizzlin’ from the hot, buttered soul served up with all the fixin’s by that young lady!

Even the audience was turned on, breaking out into applause and shouts as she belted the bars of the blues blend into the microphone (and remember:  The acts normally play before the show begins; in fact, Craig’s show segments aren’t in the same sequence when it’s live.  Only after the show’s taping is finished is it taken back to the splicing room and transformed into what we see at night).

Sharon, herself, was born in Augusta, Ga., 53 years ago — and she and her brothers would imitate the songs and dance moves of their hometown legend,  James Brown.  As with many of the soul greats, she got her start by singing in church, then moving on to talent shows and performing with local “funk” bands when she was a teenager.
Today, the lady is firmly on her way to being a bonafide superstar!  And the Dap Kings (who own the label on which they record) will be right alongside her!

A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY

Friday marked the 40th anniversary of The Beatles’ famous trek at the Abbey Road crosswalk.  The day was marked by hundreds re-enacting the crossing (of course, it’s changed just a bit since ‘69).
Incidentally, didja know that, due to Paul’s lack of footwear, his eyes apparently closed, and the VW in the background bearing a tag that allegedly gave Paul’s age if he’d survived (28 IF — which was wrong, as Paul was only 26 at the time of the crossing), the rumours started sprouting that the real Paul McCartney was actually dead?
(Oh, yeah … Sir Paul clarified the whole thing a few weeks ago when he disclosed that he was wearing sandals at the shoot (see pic to the right), but they were hurting his toes so he took them off for the main crossing!  The eyes were nearly shut due to the sunlight, and he was trying to focus on the walk itself, and not that the hot asphalt was burning the soles of his feet!)

Alright … remember that song “It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere??”  Well, it is here right now … in the AM … so I’m headin’ to dreamland as soon as I’m done here.  But stay tuned, ’cause there’ll be more in less than 24! So, until then …
see ya on the flip side!!

This past weekend, Sir Paul McCartney took the stage at the new Citi Field in New York — and what a show it was!!
One of the best reviews to come from the show is by Paul Gedney, a mate (and great fan of Macca’s) who took in the Saturday show. Here’s his report:

“This past Saturday night, my brother and I were able to see the McCartney show at Citi Field in Queens. We haven’t seen Sir Paul in nearly 20 years and we were delighted that he has only gotten better (like we would’ve complained if he hadn’t) and it was one of the more satisfying concerts I’ve ever seen.
Of course, what a catalog of music for him to draw from. Considering all the great tunes he’s responsible for, there was not enough time for him to perform them all, and with his Wings and solo stuff, he barely scratched the surface.

His tributes to Linda (My Love), John (Here Today), and George (Something, on ukulele given to him from George) all hit the spot with the enthusiastic crowd and drew great applause.
Live and Let Die was complete with exploding flashpots and fireworks that really worked outdoors against the clear sky.
But it was the Beatles songs that got the place moving, and as the evening went on, the intensity grew. Paul played all the popular (aren’t they all popular?!) songs like Let It Be, Long And Winding Road, and Hey Jude. They did a rousing version of Helter Skelter during one of the two encores, and in the beginning of the show they surprised us all with A Day In The Life.

The musicians in the band were great, the same band he’s had the last 10 years or so, including Wix, the great keyboard player who was with them back when I first saw them in 1989.
Being a new stadium, the sound system was a bit more sophisticated for music, and Paul’s chat between songs just made him feel a little closer to the audience. At one point, a girl held up a sign which prompted Paul to comment afterwards that “if you read the signs you may forget the lyrics to the song you’re singing”; then he read the sigh aloud ‘marry me Paul’, and in not even a breath he said ‘no!’. The audience laughed but the girl got her few minutes of fame from that, having herself projected on the two video screens. She had called in to one of the morning radio shows to tell her story and said she had gone all three nights.

My seat was wayyyyyyyy up on top near the third base and the band looked like ants, but with the help of the two big screens, the show was fine. I had hoped to hear two hours of music and with the encores it ran about 2 hours and 35 minutes. It was an absolutely terrific evening.”

Thanks again to Paul Gedney for this fab report! He captured the excitement of the entire show in just a few paragraphs!! (mate, ya got a great future as a reporter if ya want it … : ) )

Okay … with that, (hey … how’m I gonna top it?) I’ll see ya this evening …

THIS IS A SPECIAL EDITION ROCK REPORT:

Early yesterday, the rock world lost another legend in the form of Gordon Waller, one-half of the famed UK duo, Peter and Gordon.

According to reports, Waller had suffered a massive heart attack Thursday night at his home in Connecticut and died early the next morning at the age of 64.

Along with Peter Asher, he formed one of the two most formidable and popular duos of the British Invasion (the other being Chad Stuart and Jeremy Clyde, aka Chad and Jeremy).  

Born in Braemar, Scotland, Gordon met Peter at London’s Westminister Boarding School. One of his favorite memories was of when the two of them would climb over the school’s spiked wall to play at local clubs without the headmaster’s knowledge.
After graduation, they continued performing, thanks in part to Peter’s sister’s boyfriend (Paul McCartney) who wrote three of their hits: “A World Without Love” (#1, 1964), “I Don’t Want To See You Again” (#16, 1964) and “Woman” (#14, 1966).

All told, the duo scored 14 American chart records, but broke up in 1968 when touring became difficult and hits scarce. Peter became a talent scout for Apple Records and later produced Linda Ronstadt and James Taylor. Gordon appeared as Pharaoh in “Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” in London’s West End and also wrote the score for the James Dean biographical film, “Race With Destiny.”

The two reunited in 2005 for the Mike Smith Tribute (a fundraiser for the crippled organist/vocalist for the Dave Clark Five. Sadly, Mike passed away early in 2008) and played the Buddy Holly Memorial at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa this past February (the 50th anniversary of that fatal plane crash).

They were due to play here in my hometown of Ashland, Kentucky in about a month, and I was planning on interviewing this dynamic duo.

When informed of his partner’s death, Peter Asher issued the following statement:

“Gordon played such a significant role in my life that losing him is hard to comprehend– let alone to tolerate. He was my best friend at school almost half a century ago. He was not only my musical partner but played a key role in my conversion from only a snooty jazz fan to a true rock and roll believer as well. Without Gordon I would never have begun my career in the music business in the first place. Gordon remains one of my very favourite singers of all time and I am still so proud of the work that we did together. I am just a harmony guy and Gordon was the heart and soul of our duo.”

To Gordon’s family, friends and musical partners we send our deepest condolences. Someday, Gord (and to paraphrase a song title), “Someday We Will See You Again”. R.I.P.