BLAST FROM THE PAST 1

admin · Post by **admin** » Fri Jun 29, 2007 12:44 pm

For those who are interested in music from the 1960s I would like to offer this song for discussion.

If you think you know who it is, please let Roy Clough know through his email address at [email protected] Roy will let us know how many got it right and after that we can discuss the artist in more detail next Saturday July 7, 2007.

In the meantime, your comments are solicited with regard to this recording as it pertains to the artist's performance, the composition, lyrics, production and its place in 1960s music history.

PLEASE DO NOT REPLY WITH THE ARTIST'S NAME HERE as it takes away from the challenge of others as they try to find out who it is. This could be a group, duo or solo artist.

And now for the song which you can download directly from this link or listen from this location. The choice is yours.

So mums the word until Roy gives us the tally next Saturday July 7th. In the meantime, let the discussion begin. You will find the song here.

lyle_from_minneapolis · Fri Jun 29, 2007 3:57 pm

Always good fun in Clough's Classics! Can't wait to hear it after work. Thanks Peter!

jimk · Post by **jimk** » Fri Jun 29, 2007 4:54 pm

Boy I sure don't know. I know who it isn't But he must have been influenced by a certain American rock'n'roll pioneer. The vocal technique is similar.

JimK

lyle_from_minneapolis · Fri Jun 29, 2007 7:08 pm

Sounds very early 60's, very English...like a follow-up to a big hit. Hmm.

royclough · Post by **royclough** » Fri Jun 29, 2007 11:40 pm

As a follow up to this I actually do a weekly clip type thing through the internet, with a number of people who I will never meet but I now regard as friends.

The clip is always as Peter has done a fun thing to test and challenge your musical knowledge , some also see it as a challenge to find out more.

I always refer to act which means it could be duo solo, group to add an extra element of difficulty.

The clips are always 60's related and normally I go for acts that people will have heard of no matter where they live and never try to make them obscure.

I have not introduced it into Cloughs Classics as I did not think there would be interest.

Anyone who would like to play can contact me or perhaps it could be done here.

Peter, by the way is Mr 100% and there has been to date 75 clips, so the gauntlet has been thrown down.

This act was very popular in UK in 60's but it is interesting that many years later when a compilation of stuff was being put together for yet another hits package, the act when asked to comment for the sleeve notes allegedly said "why who buy's this ****?"

Well, guilty my lord!.

admin · Post by **admin** » Sat Jun 30, 2007 5:43 am

Excellent points James and Mark.

Certainly sung in a most interesting and familiar style.

It is well produced and I enjoy the arrangement. The classic theme of a young man lamenting his plight associated with a difficult relationship. This artist has a unique vocal quality that allows him to express the emotions involved in a credible way.

Don't forget to send in your guesses to [email protected]

britye · Post by **britye** » Sat Jun 30, 2007 4:32 pm

My thoughts exactly JMK very similar.

winston · Post by **winston** » Sat Jun 30, 2007 9:17 pm

E-mail sent Roy.

royclough · Post by **royclough** » Sat Jun 30, 2007 10:21 pm

Not received Brian, but I think an ex pat like you will be correct.

winston · Post by **winston** » Sun Jul 01, 2007 6:02 am

Ah! Sorry Roy. Peter's link above inserted an extra character into your address in my email program. I have resent my submission.

Yes, I do believe that I know the artist in question. However, I was very young at the time that the song debuted and my memory of that era has dimmed somewhat.

lyle_from_minneapolis · Sun Jul 01, 2007 10:42 am

Well, to discuss this without namedropping...

It is safe to declare that this act was a big success in the UK before The Beatles came along and re-wrote all the rules. I'm not certain about any US airplay, but the act had "household name" status in England. A long and many-faceted career that would make a good novel, and everyone would believe it was fiction...some careers are so ambitious and tenacious that anything seems possible.

Here is what I find most interesting. The style of the music has a clear American rock and roll influence, but this act was known for letting a strong local UK dialect come to the fore, a practice that David Bowie would also be given credit for in later years. I've often wondered about this...did early UK bands consciously affect an American accent? Some American bands seem to inject a British dialect into songs just because it sounds "cool" to many of us... At any rate, by the 70's, strong British dialects became almost derigeur (Clash, Sex Pistol's, Robyn Hitchcock, on and on), and I believe this act to have been a trailblazer in this way.

lyle_from_minneapolis · Sun Jul 01, 2007 11:16 am

You might say that this act also was a trailblazer in terms of political activism...

lyle_from_minneapolis · Mon Jul 02, 2007 7:54 am

Roy, I'd love to play your weekly quiz, but I think it would work out very well on this site!

royclough · Post by **royclough** » Mon Jul 02, 2007 8:03 am

Yes hopefully but response to date not fantastic, that's not being churlish just fact.

sowhat · Post by **sowhat** » Mon Jul 02, 2007 9:08 am

I guess, my answer would be (as usually...) - "I dunno"...

A very nice version, though, nice voice, albeit i cannot say i am 100 % pleased with the delivery.