The 1960's Big Voices

rictified · Post by **rictified** » Fri Jun 24, 2005 9:27 am

I had a friend who was a pretty good bass player, pretty good singer, pretty good writer and was a good frontman, good looking, etc. he had it all but just not enough to put him over the top here, he went to England during the mid 70's put a band together called Buck and made it to the front page of Melody Maker very quickly which was probably the premier music rag there at the time. Here in the States he was just another shlog playing the circuit along with me before he left, and after he came back was the same although he picked up a fake British accent which all the girls loved. My point is as I'm sure you know is that he made it there pretty quickly although he didn't stay long enough to capitalize on it, but didn't here. He used to play with a British flag on one side of the stage and an American flag on the other. He got some good gigs here on the strength of his having gone to England and Melody Maker etc. That would be like getting on the cover of The Rolling Stone here I would imagine, which is as you know very difficult to do, but he did it there. I'm not saying the british bands that made it over here are any less good than their American counterparts just that it seems easier for lessor bands to make it there in a small country like England, but which nonetheless which has produced an incredible amount of great music and bands. ouch! please stop!!!

Scastles · Post by **Scastles** » Fri Jun 24, 2005 9:28 am

Someone I always thought had resonance...maybe more ballsy than 'big', but he could turn it up a notch when needed, was Eric Burdon.

admin · Post by **admin** » Fri Jun 24, 2005 9:29 am

Bob may be right about breaking into the American Charts but there have been some exceptions that are of interest.

One is "Love Potion Number 9." In 1964 The Searchers were 13th and 16th in the US charts with "Needles and Pins" and "Don't Throw Your Love Away." They did not chart well in the US beyond this until "Love Potion Number 9." This song did not chart in the UK at all as far as I know. So here is an example, of a song that reached 3rd place in the US charts with little resources to allow them to break through the tough US market. And yet they were successful. Was it based on the strength of the vocal the lyrics or something else?

wayang · Post by **wayang** » Fri Jun 24, 2005 9:41 am

Bob, forgive me, but I'm going to have to agree whole-heartedly with one of your points: that it takes a lot more of everything besides talent to make it here...in fact, if you've got enough of the 'everything besides', you can more or less do without the talent...

royclough · Post by **royclough** » Fri Jun 24, 2005 9:46 am

Love Porion No Nine was never issued as a single in UK Peter. What may have helped it was the fact that the song was pretty well known anyway in states and their Beat version was refreshing.

ozover50 · Post by **ozover50** » Fri Jun 24, 2005 10:57 am

I always thought Gary Brooker (Procol Harum) had a strong voice, especially on some of the more 'bluesy' stuff. 'A Salty Dog' is my fave PH song. Saw a concert they did in an English abbey (I think) a week or so ago on satellite TV - Gary's voice is as good as ever.

wayang · Post by **wayang** » Fri Jun 24, 2005 11:04 am

Spot on, Howard...'A Salty Dog' is a fantastic tune, and maybe the best example of Gary's power and range.

I always liked 'A Rum Tale', as well...

royclough · Post by **royclough** » Fri Jun 24, 2005 11:06 am

Have you ever hears Limelight credited to Alan Parsons Project but Brooker does a superb vocal

brammy · Post by **brammy** » Fri Jun 24, 2005 12:02 pm

My vote goes to Roy Orbison. I was lucky enough to see him once. It was at an outdoor concert in 1987 (could have been the spring of '88) in (of all places) Keene NH. The bill was, amazingly enough:

JOHNNY RIVERS
ROY ORBISON
(one or two others)
JAMES BROWN
CHUCK BERRY

James Brown SUCKED... way too loud (literally more than 3x anyone else and I swear all he did was walk from one side of the stage to the other and yell "Yeeeaaaaaahhhhh" when he got there (kinda like Howard Dean come to think of it). He seemed like all he wanted to do was get by on his reputation and huge ego. Very disappointing.

Chuck Berry was doing his normal thing of playing with 2 or 3 local musicians whom he'd never met before. It was great to see 'ole Chuck, but the music was not all that great.

Johnny Rivers was GREAT! Very tight band. I never realized what a little shrimp he is physically. Before Rivers came on the MC came out to introduce him and talked about him being such a legend and so forth. Apparently the MC was expecting Rivers to make a grand entrance from the back. As the MC built to a mighty introductory creshendo Johnny Rivers quietly walked out on stage and stood behind the MC. When the MC finally yelled JOHNNY R-I-V-E-R-S he swung his arm around only to find that little Johnny was standing right there next to him in an unassuming way. Ya had to be there, but it was really funny. Rivers was the best act of the day except for.....

Roy Orbison who absolutely STOLE THE SHOW. Wow, what a voice. He had a well rehearsed band and a group of backup singing chicks who were also great. He did all his old great hits.... Very memorable.

ozover50 · Post by **ozover50** » Fri Jun 24, 2005 12:03 pm

Haven't heard that one, Roy.

Matter of fact, Dane, I'm listening to my vinyl version as I type this. Other good tracks on the album: "Juicy John Pink", "Wreck Of The Hesperus" (Fisher vocals), "All This And More" and "Pilgrims Progress" (Fisher again - love the ending to that). And Robin Trower can play!!

Here ya go!!

Orbison's "Live at Austin City Limits" DVD is one I've always enjoyed, Kent. I've got an old Johnny Rivers album, "Live at the Whisky A-Go-Go", which is raw but great - "C.C.Rider", "Got My Mojo Working", "Hard Days Night" and a great version of "When A Man Loves A Woman".

brammy · Post by **brammy** » Fri Jun 24, 2005 12:23 pm

I might be wrong but the standard version of him doing Memphis Tennessee is actually a live performance and from "Live at the Whisky A-Go-Go". Am I right?

admin · Post by **admin** » Fri Jun 24, 2005 12:45 pm

I believe you are right Kent.

royclough · Post by **royclough** » Fri Jun 24, 2005 12:46 pm

Kent(what a great name by the way) there were two verisons of Memphis issued as singles one I believe was a studio recording the other the one you mention

ozover50 · Post by **ozover50** » Fri Jun 24, 2005 12:49 pm

You're probably right, Kent. The album I've got doesn't include it but he did quite a few gigs there. Forgot to mention (off my album) "Sonny" and his 16 minute "John Lee Hooker" where he and the Hammond have a duel - magic!!

brammy · Post by **brammy** » Fri Jun 24, 2005 12:52 pm

Thanks Roy... although (like some other names I guess), I spend my life saying "no, that's Kent with a T". Origin? My father was an actor and was playing "The Earl of Kent" in a Shakespear play the night I was born...... 1953..... holy moly I'm freekin old.

We (the Nightshades) do the Rivers-like version of Memphis.... one of our best songs IMHO. People seem to respond to it.