Innholdsfortegnelse for Mar/Apr 2020 i Vintage Rock

Aside from cutting the finest of figures as the consummate rock’n’roller with all the necessary accoutrements nailed down and an ice-cool swagger sharper than most, Eddie Cochran was both a seriously gifted songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. Add his prowess as an accomplished balladeer and Eddie really was the whole package. A life cut so tragically short meant his catalogue is just a tantalising glimpse into his genius, but even so, he will always be discussed on equal terms with the true giants of the Big Beat. This April marks 60 years since Eddie was struck down so cruelly in a car crash. In this special tribute issue, we speak to a pool of his highest-profile devotees, including Cochran-biographer and guitarist Darrel Higham, Eddie’s close pal Vince Eager, his UK band members,…

When Eddie Cochran was booked as a late addition behind headliner Gene Vincent on that fateful British tour of 1960, his star in the States was somewhat on the wane. However, if he wasn’t rightly appreciated back home at that time, he left a lasting impression on his British fans and musical peers. Cochran is forever credited as the true catalyst behind the British rock’n’roll boom. Eddie fan, author, and guitarist Darrel Higham says the reason that Cochran’s still remembered is “as one of the founding fathers of rock’n’roll, who along with the greats – Elvis, Bill Haley, Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry, Little Richard and Gene Vincent – had his own definitive sound. He was an originator. What’s come since can definitely be traced back to Eddie’s innovations.” Just some…

The year was 1959 and American rockabilly singer Eddie Cochran had co-written and recorded a song that, two decades later, would determine the future and lifestyle of one Dave James of Coventry in England. At age 10, music was fast becoming an integral part of Dave’s life when he discovered the Sex Pistols’ recording of Somethin’ Else. Following his efforts to discover more about the song, his uncle had bought him his first Eddie Cochran album which featured the original, and far superior, version. Over the coming months David became obsessed with Eddie’s music, prompting him to buy a Hofner Committee guitar in order to try and emulate his new-found hero. During the following years Dave’s appetite for Eddie’s lifestyle and music prompted his father Bob to support him in…

The title of this two-night event in North London in 1977 at Finsbury Park’s Rainbow Theatre was misleading. Neither Jack Scott nor Buddy Knox had ever recorded for Sam Phillips’ Memphis label. Not that fans were worried. They lapped up the authentic Sun alumni Warren Smith and Charlie Feathers, both on their first UK visits. Smith, performing live for the first time in years, got a standing ovation before he’d drawn breath for his first song. Feathers, though, suffered an attack of nerves, and Knox, the only one of the four who had toured this country before, had sound feedback issues. Scott, however, came over like a dream. “When I first came to England in 1977, the revival was in its infancy,” he recalled. “I had no idea how I’d…

Britain in 1960 shaped up pretty well as far as the live rock’n’roll scene was concerned. It started with Gene Vincent being joined by Eddie Cochran on a sensational, but ultimately tragic, tour. The Everly Brothers arrived in the spring, and there were visits from The Platters, Freddy Cannon and Conway Twitty. In April, a tour featured three American rock’n’roll acts on the bill for the first time ever. From a historical perspective, the lineup of Bobby Darin, Clyde McPhatter and Duane Eddy should qualify as one of those wish-I-could-have-been-there moments. Darin was a multitalented all-round entertainer. Eddy was a charisma-free zone by comparison, but his twangy, bass string guitar stylings and gimmicky records made a huge impact on young Brits of the time. McPhatter was arguably the greatest proto-soul…

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Following my disastrous appearance in the 1960 Eurovision song contest, I suddenly found myself not being quite as busy as my manager Larry Parnes had anticipated. His risky, ill-judged gamble in deciding that I would not comply with the Eurovision dress code of wearing a black evening suit complete with dickie bow and matching black shoes, but a snazzy Italian-style shark skin-coloured silk suit with a pair of very expensive matching grey handmade shoes, was to result in immeasurable long-term negativity for me. The title of my contributing song was Teenage Years, and it was bloody awful, as was the dressing down I received from the BBC nationwide teams of judges. They were totally dismissive of the song and were scathing in their comments as they tarnished me as a…

In her own words, Sarah Mai’s sound is “full, bold, loud, sultry and immersive” and that pretty much sums up her style. Trained at the Italia Conti Academy Of Theatre Arts, and singing professionally since 2018, Sarah’s debut album I Ain’t Gonna Hush was released recently. 2020 should be a big year for this Norfolk-based singer with appearances at a variety of venues, festivals and even her own all-day event. As she prepares to take her brand of rowdy swing out on the road again she discusses her influences, her band and the power of social media. When did your interest in the wilder side of 1940s and 1950s music begin? I started performing more well-known 1940s music back in 2017 but when I performed at an event in Norfolk…

1. RESTLESS – READY TO GO! LP / CD (BLUELIGHT RECORDS) 2. VARIOUS ARTISTS – THAT’LL FLAT GIT IT: VOL.33 CD (BEAR FAMILY RECORDS) 3. THE STRAYS – UNTITLED 2ND ALBUM CD (WESTERN STAR) 4. VARIOUS ARTISTS – THE LAST BASTIONS OF ROCK’N’ROLL LP (IDLE CHERUB RECORDS) 5. THE BLUE CATS – UNTITLED LP / CD (BLUELIGHT RECORDS) 6. JOHNNY CYMBAL – JOHNNY CYMBAL 10" MINI-ALBUM (BEAR FAMILY RECORDS) 7. GLENN DANZIG – DANZIG SINGS ELVIS CD (TBC) 8. SCOTTY MCKAY – ROCKS! CD (BEAR FAMILY RECORDS) 9. X-RAY CAT TRIO – LOVE, BLOOD AND MONSTERS LP / CD (TRASH WAX / BUZZARD’S CLAW RECORDS) 10. ELVIS PRESLEY – ROCK AND ROLL (NO.1 – 5) 7" SERIES (L.M.L.R.) 11. RED HOT RIOT – UNTITLED DEBUT ALBUM CD (WESTERN STAR) 12.…

If Clyde McPhatter had made it to the 1990s and beyond, instead of dying at 39 in 1972, before the legacy of his kind of music had been properly documented and appreciated, he’d have been hailed a hero. Long before the end he’d told fellow soul pioneer Ben E King he felt he’d missed his chance and had given up. Ruth Brown, Atlantic labelmate and friend, thought he was petrified his bisexual tendencies would leak out to the press, and that he drank to hide feelings of guilt and shame. Was it self-pity that did for him? In the mid-1960s he was still making great tracks for Amy Records like I’ll Belong To You and Lonely People Can’t Afford To Cry. Then in 1970, Clyde Otis, who’d produced him at…

Sister Mavis, an absolute R&B stomper that appears on CHICKABOOM!, is a tribute to one of Neilson’s musical heroines, Mavis Staples. In a similar vein, her composition Miss Jones, from SASSAFRASS!, is about the great Sharon Jones. “There are so many songs, especially in country music, where people name-drop their heroes,” says Neilson. “Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way from Waylon Jennings, Give It To Me Strait by Tim McGraw, Don’t Rock The Jukebox by Alan Jackson. What I really noticed is that it’s always males referencing males. I was like, there aren’t enough songs with female artists uplifting and celebrating the women who inspire them, so I think it’s really important. Sister Mavis cites not only Mavis, in the chorus it references Mahalia Jackson and Sister Rosetta…

“I never wanted to be a singer,” says Joe Brown in a voice as redolent of London as the rev of a black cab. “I mean, you couldn’t call me a bloody singer, could you?” He clears his throat and adds, “I can cough me way through a few songs… “I just wanted to play my guitar,” Brown goes on. “But I got talked into singing.” Brown, of course, is being characteristically modest. In a career stretching back to the mid-50s, the all-round entertainer has made hit records such as the near-chart-topper A Picture Of You, which reached No.2 in 1962. He’s starred in West End musicals (Charlie Girl), appeared in films (What A Crazy World and Mona Lisa), presented radio programmes, hosted three seasons of his own TV series,…

Musically, how did you first become aware of Elvis? One night in late 1955, when my sister Linda and I were spinning the dial on the radio in our bedroom, trying to find a black music station. I had become obsessed with R&B, and the black radio stations were the only place to find it. Suddenly, we heard this pulsating, magical voice belting out Mystery Train. We shrieked, and turned the volume up! Then the announcer said, “You’ve just heard Elvis Presley live from the Big D Jamboree.” I immediately became spellbound by this new voice! Aged 16, how did you establish Elvis’ first and largest national fan club? My local radio station KLIF in Dallas mentioned the club on a Saturday night; the following Monday, I got hundreds of…

Billy Burnette was born to Rock’n’Roll. His father Dorsey played bass in pioneering rockabilly combo Johnny Burnette and the Rock’n’Roll Trio, from which his uncle Johnny graduated to score pop hits with Dreamin’ and You’re Sixteen. Billy made his first record, a duet with Rick Nelson, when he was seven-years-old. He went on to enjoy a successful country music career, wrote songs for artists including Jerry Lee Lewis, Roy Orbison and Ray Charles, and spent eight years in Fleetwood Mac, where he closed every show with his dad and uncle’s Tear It Up. His stellar rockabilly albums include Memphis In Manhattan and Rock And Roll With It. His life is the subject of an autobiography, Crazy Like Me, released alongside an album of the same title. Do you have any…

In the aftermath of Buddy Holly’s death, not surprisingly, Eddie had a fear of flying. He was reassured by his manager that after a main flight to the UK, all travel would be by train or car. Delighted to discover he could get to Europe by ferry and not have to fly, Cochran was strongly considering buying a property in England. Johnny Gentle – who replaced Dean Webb on the last Bristol Hippodrome show, was one of the last to see him. Ironically, Eddie had asked for a lift in Gentle’s car to take him to Heathrow Airport to catch his US flight. Three passengers full already, Gentle said he could take Eddie but couldn’t also accommodate Gene, and Eddie’s girl Sharon Sheeley. Eddie graciously told him not to worry,…

1959 • CARLTON Side 1 Save My Soul 1.50 With Your Love 2.02 Leroy 2.08 No One Will Ever Know 2.44 Geraldine 2.05 I Can't Help It 2.38 Side 2 Indiana Waltz 1.59 Midgie 2.14 My True Love 2.45 The Way I Walk 2.41 I'm Dreaming Of You 2.07 Goodbye Baby 2.08 All songs written by Jack Scott, except No One Will Ever Know (Fred Rose and Mel Foree), I Can't Help It (Hank Williams) and Indiana Waltz (Fred Rose) JACK SCOTT VOCALS, GUITAR AL ALLEN LEAD GUITAR, DAVE ROHILLIER LEAD GUITAR STAN GETZ BASS DOMENIC SCAFONE DRUMS GEORGE KAZAKAS SAXOPHONE THE CHANTONES BACKING VOCALS JACK CARLTON PRODUCER…

Live music continues to remain the cornerstone of the entire rockin’ scene across the world and 2020 promises lots of return engagements to long-running gatherings and a sprinkling of brand new events. Kicking off the season is something a little different with the Ameripolitan Awards honouring the best new and established roots-based talent in Memphis between 21-24 February. Live performances across the event include appearances by Dale Watson, Reverend Horton Heat, and Big Sandy & His Fly-Rite Boys alongside the UK’s own Sarah Vista. Sarah is also nominated for the Honky Tonk Female award and is understandably excited: “For a relatively new English artist, to be nominated for the Ameripolitan Awards is an absolute honour,” she enthuses. “The standard of musicianship on the country scene Stateside is incredibly high, so…

ALAN WILSON (WESTERN STAR): THE STRAYS “The Strays are probably one of the most talented bands that I’ve ever worked with. Their work ethic is incredible, since I began working with them they’ve done probably 150 shows. Most bands on our scene are struggling to do 10 shows a year but The Strays just bought a van, gave up their jobs and they are just going up and down the country playing gigs. They have won such a massive following and their debut album is a killer.” KEN SMITH (THE JIVE ACES): SARAH MAI “Sarah Mai is for me the most classic sounding rhythm and blues singer in the country. Vocally her depth of voice and phrasing suits the material she sings perfectly. If you dig the song stylings of…

Music can be therapeutic and cathartic, rarely more so than on Neilson’s Don’t Be Afraid. The 2015 album was recorded as a memorial to the singer’s father after he passed away. “It was not only to have that for myself,” says Neilson, “but I wanted to create something tangible that my children, who were very tiny at the time, could hold in their hands and say, ‘This was my grandfather, this was my poppa.’ That was really important to me, to immortalise a part of him that could live on. I think having that project really saved me during that time because when you’re a parent of young ones, like a six-month-old and a three-year-old, you’re in the trenches. You’re not getting sleep, there’s no let up, it’s a relentless…

Brown’s big screen debut, What A Crazy World, was very different to the typical pop star vehicle of the early 60s, but it suited the singer’s working class background down to the ground. Directed by Michael Carreras, who had previously worked on many Hammer horror films, the movie followed Brown’s character through a gritty London full of council flats, amusement arcades, street markets and unemployment offices. Today, it offers a fascinating glimpse into a slice of British culture long vanished. “He shot it in black and white so it wouldn’t look like a typical summer holiday romp,” says Brown. “I thought that was a great idea.” The songs belted out by Brown and his co-star Marty Wilde have titles like A Lay-About’s Lament and Wasn’t It A Handsome Punch-Up, and…

As musical concepts go, it could have been hit or miss: present rock and roll royalty paying homage to previous (some might say, real) rock’n’ roll royalty. Leaving aside his own Rolling Stones living legend status, as a successful solo artist since the 70s, Ronnie Wood has also released several albums. His latest offering – a solid set of live covers entitled Mad Lad: A Live Tribute To Chuck Berry – is the reason behind this short but sweet tour. The album’s apparently the first in a trilogy to be recorded by Wood and his band in the coming years; each paying tribute to his musical heroes. Up first then, as forefather of rock’n’roll, comes Chuck Berry – who Ron, a life-long fan, had the distinction of touring with. On…

Phil and Don Everly were on the cusp of landing the biggest hit of their career when they touched down in England 60 years ago this spring. Billed as “America’s most consistent stars of the hit parade”, this was the first time the brothers had played on these shores and a run of Top 10 UK hits secured 22 sold-out dates. With The Crickets as their backing band, and support from The Five Dallas Boys, Cherry Wainer, Lance Fortune and more, they thrilled audiences up and down the country, while TV slots on Sunday Night At The Palladium and The Alma Cogan Show brought them into living rooms countrywide. Sadly, news of the death of their dear friend Eddie Cochran soured proceedings and the brothers were reportedly at Sharon Sheeley’s…