Clough's Classic UK Instrumentals

[royclough]

Love this track, Video is wrongly credited to Jet Harris and Tony Meehan who were both members of Shadows before leaving after release of first Shadows Album.

Though they did release a number of fine singles as a duo this track was credited to Tony Meehan and another fine instrumental from the pen of Jerry Lordan, man who wrote Apache.

Clough Classic -1964

Tony Meehan -Song Of Mexico

[royclough]

One of my favourite Shadows tracks ever and wasted on a B side

The Shadows - Midnight

[royclough]

A Clough Classic this act had very little commercial success, made number 23 in UK charts in 1960 with a track called Green Jeans but they did release a number of good singles, here is perhaps my own favourite of theirs

Flee-Rekkers- Stage To Cimarron

[royclough]

These guys from Bristol deserved to be bigger but regretfully were labelled as just another Shaows copyist band.

Back in 80s whilst staying in a small hotel in Bristil area I got talking about the 60s to the wife of the owner, mentioned The Eagles and she looked somewhat surprised that I had heard of them. let alone knew all the singles, albums. Turns out she was the sister of one of them and made a phone call to her brother who came down and we enjoyed a pleasant evening

The Eagles - The Desperados

[kenposurf]

Like many of my peer group, I first got into the blues via artists from the UK...this one did it for me Roy...

[royclough]

No doubting man's ability but never a Clapton fan or indeed a fan of that genre, still we can't all be the same. Thanks for contribution.

[royclough]

Started this topic over a year ago with Saturday At The Duck Pond by The Cougars, though note video posted no longer available, but others can still be found, however there was no video on Youtube of the group's follow up, until now.

Not a lot of phots I am afraid as not many available so just enjoy

The Cougars - Red Square

Play It Loud

[royclough]

This was the third single by Dave Clark Five in UK, it was to be the 6th single that shaped their destiny. In the states this was released after they had already had two successful singles and was on a different label, though in US the A and B sides were switched the A side in US was I Walk The Line (Johnny Cash) though another instrumental.

[hamilton_square]

Depending on which British singles discography one reads, since 1959 the English popular singer / guitarist, JOE BROWN, has a staggering total of 40 single releases to his credit.

While arguably, Joe Brown has been more popular with British audiences for near half-a-century as a vocalist. He is also widely recognized as an extremely accomplished instrument soloist on both the electric and acoustic guitar. Indeed, several of the B sides on his single releases featured instrumental numbers.

With aid of a piece of open-source audio file editing software and the services of 4Shared free file hosting, I’ve cobbled together a 7-track MP3 compilation of some of those Joe Brown instrumental B sides … CLICK HERE … and you should be taken to the appropriate 4Shared “Joe Brown Instrumental Collection” Audio Player page.

Track 1: The Switch (1961)
Track 2: Sicilian Tarantella (1965)
Track 3: Popcorn (1962)
Track 4: Hercules Unchained (1963)
Track 5: English Country Garden (1962)
Track 6: St Louis Blues (1963)
Track 7: Moonglow (1963)

[royclough]

Good choices but I would say that this is the one instrumental he is know for

[hamilton_square]

Yes indeed it is Roy … but purposefully didn’t include it … was put off by the backing choir ... not really an instrumental in the strict sense of the term.

Now I know this is not likely to be your cup-of-tea but when it comes to R&B harmonica players. For a painfully short time CYRIL DAVIES was to UK what Little Walter Jacobs was to the USA.

Both were born in lowly circumstances within two years of each other. Little Walter in Marksville, Louisiana on 1st May 1930 and Cyril Davies in the village of Denham, Buckinghamshire on 23rd January 1932. And, both died tragically before their time, Cyril Davies from leukemia at the age of 32 in 1964 and Little Walter in 1968 aged 37 from a coronary thrombosis (blood clot in the heart).

In 1961 Cyril Davies and Alexis Korner were responsible for forming the influential Blues Incorporated that regularly began to play out of London’s Ealing Jazz Club. Which quickly became the initial jumping of point for the likes of (amongst others) the Rolling Stones, Manfred Mann and Long John Baldry (together with Rod Stewart).

Following a heated disagreement between Davies and Korner over the type of music each wanted to play. Cyril Davies left Blues Inc and Alexis Korner to get on with it and put together his own outfit, the R&B All Stars. Unfortunately, it was about this time that Davies’s health began to quickly go down hill. However, the one memorable instrumental recording that Cyril Davies and his R&B All Stars managed to leave behind them that near every British R&B harmonica player has since tried at, one time or other, to get to grips with is Country Line Special …

[hamilton_square]

These guys from Bristol deserved to be bigger but regretfully were labelled as just another Shaows copyist band.

Roy, you may be interested in reading this January 1964 press clipping. It wasn’t so much that the Bristol Eagles “were labelled as just another Shadows copyist band” as you put it. Though, there is an element of truth in such a remark. It was rather they lost both the guiding influence of Mr & Mrs Ron Grainer and their drummer.

As the press article implies, at the time the Eagles were ostensibly being managed by Mrs Margot Grainer because of her husband’s failing eyesight and advised relocation to Portugal. For it was Ron Grainer who first discovered the group prior to the shooting in 1962 of the film Some People and it was he who was very much instrumental in raising the group profile to the record buying British public.

What the clipping doesn’t tell you is by the end of 1964 the Grainers were going through a divorce and the group’s drummer, Rod Meacham had suffered a nervous breakdown. Such events very much derailed the remaining three members of the Eagles, who had been together as a group since forming in 1958; to the extent they called it day and were back in Bristol come Christmas of that year.

[hamilton_square]

Now, according to THIS ARTICLE in the Daily Mail, the intro played over the opening credits of the BBC’s flagship television program, Match of the Day has been named as the most recognizable theme music on British TV.



But ask who wrote the music and I bet there are very few who have heard of the name BARRY STOLLER.

During the early 1960s Barry Stoller was professionally known as Rhett Stoller, virtuoso electric guitarist and highly regarded session player. Who also formed such groups as the Nu-Notes, the Echoes and the Rhett Stoller Group, ostensibly to back popular British recording singers of the day like, Terry Dene, Russ Sainty and Jess Conrad.

Rhett Stoller also recorded in his own instrumental right, having a minor UK hit in 1961 with a number called Chariot. The Nu-Notes likewise recorded a couple of instrumental singles during 1963 but neither of them charted. However, Stoller was by this time no longer with the group having moved on to front his own Rhett Stoller Group. Roger Dean stepping into the vacant Nu-Notes slot. Coincidently, Roger Dean went on to play with John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers before being replaced by Eric Clapton.

CLICK HERE to listen to an instrumental compilation of Rhett Stoller playing …

Track 1: Chariot
Track 2: Ricochet
Track 3: Caravan
Track 4: Lost Love

… followed by the Nu-Notes (with Roger Dean on lead) playing …

Track 5: Fury
Track 6: Hall of Mirrors

[royclough]

Yes 50 years ao this month and Rhet's only appearance in UK charts with Chariot first rack on you compilation. Made number 26.

Recently bought a CD by Rhet through a specialist source called Za Da and Rhet's origianl version of Match on The day is on it. Sadly only like 3/4 tracks on the CD so moved it on. He was the first UK artist to cover Walk Don't Run but did not have the hit of course