[This digest is the copyright of the Move "Useless Information" Mailing List. Re-publication or re-distribution of "Useless Information" content, in any form whatsoever, is expressly prohibited without prior written consent.] USELESS INFORMATION The Move Mailing List Digest Issue #358 May 28, 2002 In this issue: * Topic Of The Week: "The History Of The First Move Album" * Roy Wood - why no new material? * Song Of The Week (week of 5/20): "Ben Crawley Steel Company" * Hazel Eyes? * 14 HR Technicolour Dream Extravaganza * Can cook, will cook (cont.) * Goldmine interview with Roy Wood (Part 9) * Tell us the news about yourself... (cont.) ============================================================== To POST TO THE LIST: Send an e-mail to: move-list@eskimo.com Useful Web addresses: TheMoveOnline: http://www.themoveonline.com Official Roy Wood site: http://www.roywood.co.uk Face The Music Online: http://www.ftmusic.com Join the ELO List: http://www.eskimo.com/~noanswer/showdown.html Move List Info & Archives: http://www.eskimo.com/~noanswer/movelist.html TO UNSUBSCRIBE: Send an e-mail to move-digest-request@eskimo.com with the word "unsubscribe" (no quotes) in the subject line ============================================================== Subject: The History Of The First Move Album Date: Mon, 27 May 2002 23:31:33 -0700 From: Lynn Hoskins Topic Of The Week: "The History Of The First Move Album" List member David Friedman sent me a great idea for a "Topic Of The Week" list discussion. After reading several posts about the first album's artwork by The Fool and the story behind it, he sent me these questions and suggested the list talk about the history of The Move's "Move" album. Please feel free to expand on David's questions, or ask some of your own. I'll search the list archives for some interesting tidbits about the first album. ---- Being a young American fan who has never actually seen a copy of the 1st album (apart from the front cover art), I am curious to know the following: * What does the back cover look like? What picture is on it? Are there any liner notes as well? * What were the recording dates of many of the tracks? (some of them are available, but most are not)? * Where was it recorded? Did they work primarily in one studio? * Was Vote For Me recorded during sessions for the first album? * Any press clippings or reviews from the time of the 1st album's release? * Any other interesting asides to the making or writing of the first album? * Why did they leave Deram/Decca for Regal Zonophone, especially after their first 2 singles were both Top 5 hits? * How did Roy choose who was going to sing what? * Did he arrange the songs for multiple vocalists? * In which order were the songs recorded (i.e.: Walk Upon The Water appears as early as early '67, but doesn't appear on record until the release of the Fire Brigade single in early '68)? * Did management at the time make any demands as to the material that appears on the first album? * What does the band think of the first album (if any comments exist from various print sources)? * Any known struggles that the band faced while recording the first album? (piecemeal in the middle of touring?, personality conflicts, drug use, management disagreements a'la Flowers in the Rain)? Thanks, David Friedman ********** Subject: Roy Wood - why no new material? Date: Sat, 25 May 2002 11:10:42 -0700 From: PhilCohen I wonder if it's contractual reasons which causes Roy Wood to no longer release new material. We DO know that he occasionally has ventured into the studio to record new material over the past 16 years...he simply never releases any of it. Unfortunately, Roy's website doesn't have an e-mail function that would permit fans to ask the very obvious and important question of whether he'll ever release any new recordings. On another (related) topic, let's hope that EMI is serious this time concerning the proposed summer release dates for more Move/Roy Wood/ELO archival CD product. Hey EMI: it's time to end 2 years of agonizing and postponements and issue something!!! ********** Subject: Re: Roy Wood - why no new material? Date: Sat, 25 May 2002 15:44:04 -0700 From: Lynn Hoskins Hi Phil, My insight is limited, but I can tell you the only "contractual" reasons that would be causing Roy not to release a new album have to do with the fact that he does not have a record label contract. It would have to be self-produced and self-released, and he can't afford to do that at this time. Roy says he's currently writing salsa songs (Roy Wood style) and has plans for a 15-piece salsa band called the Mega Dance Orqesta. Will there be a new salsa album? If he can't get label support, probably not. We'll have to wait and see on that. He debuted a new song called "Big Girl's Blues" in Bilston this past March, and also played it at his New York shows. Audiences loved it. As for songs he's recorded over the past 16 years, are you referring to "Electric Age" and "If This Love Is Magic"? Will he ever release any new recordings? He wants to very much. But he's said he doesn't want to release something he did years ago. He wants to do something new. I guess that's where the salsa idea comes in. Roy isn't on e-mail, by the way, so that's why his website doesn't offer a way to reach him via e-mail. ********** Subject: Re: Song Of The Week: "Ben Crawley Steel Company" Date: Tue, 28 May 2002 09:31:37 -0700 From: "Michael J. Cross" Without reading any of the responses to this SOTW, I would predict a LOT of less-than complimentary posts to BCSC. Which is why I'm "rushing" to reply with something upbeat (been out of town and offline since May 17). I love this song. I am biased, however, to enjoy a tune such as BCSC because I grew up listening to country, bluegrass and honkytonk music at home. Before I heard the Move, I loved Johnny Cash, Roger Miller, Hoyt Axton, and a host of others who weren't afraid to cast a bit of homespun humor into a song. Like Roy's "When Grandma Plays the Banjo" and ELO's "Down Home Town" there is a heavy "americana" influence that I really appreciate and enjoy. However, I already know that the three tunes mentioned in this post don't play well for a lot of list members! This is perhaps the ideal showcase for what Bev could contribute vocally, and it's a darn shame that so few (Bev included, it seems) experience joy to hear him sing. I wonder how far (or if) this song would have climbed the Country charts in America if it were released as a single at that time with appropriate airplay and backing? It's one of Roy's more cohesive ballads, too. BCSC still features that trademark Move bottom-heavy sound that really thumps and pounds out of the speakers. Great backing vocals and guitar mix. A Little bit Country, A Little bit Rock-n-Roll, Mike Cross Rochester, BNY ********** Subject: Hazel Eyes? Date: Sun, 26 May 2002 15:59:33 -0700 From: Lynn Hoskins John Collins, in his recent post about Carl's BBC WM radio show, wrote: >HAZEL EYES - CARL WAYNE/ROY WOOD Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't this radio show mark the very first public appearance of "Hazel Eyes" as sung by Carl and Roy? I don't know how many list members had a chance to hear Carl's show, but until copies are circulated, perhaps those who did hear it can tell us a little about "Hazel Eyes." Do Carl and Roy share lead vocals? I know that this track was recorded by Neil Reid, a famous boy choir soprano/child prodigy from Scotland, in the early 70's. Neil's version, not Roy's, was included on the "Colour Me Rare" Move bootleg. Did Roy write this song specifically for Neil Reid? When was it written? ********** Subject: Re: Hazel Eyes? Date: Sun, 26 May 2002 19:21:36 -0700 From: Rob Caiger > Did Roy write this song specifically for Neil Reid? When was it written? A quick response because we're buried in all things ELO2 - there'll be more next month. Hazel Eyes was originally written for Carl, but all things considered, it was probably intended for Boulders. Until the project was cancelled ("contractual") a Carl Wayne & Roy Wood single was intended for release. The b-side was Nancy, the same version that appeared on Boulders but with Roy's vocals replaced by Carl's, except for two lines at the end, where Roy sings one then joins with Carl on the last. The similarity of both vocals is uncanny. When we found the multi-track for Nancy, we put up both Roy and Carl's tracks together and quite frankly, they could have been singing in harmony. On Hazel Eyes, up to and including the second chorus, it's all Carl's vocals with the multi-talented Roy playing all the instruments. During the third section, Roy comes in as dual vocal, slightly mixed back behind Carl's. The third and final choruses are all Roy and Carl, singing together, or each dropping in and out or backing the other as required. The Radio WM broadcast was the first ever time Roy's original version of Hazel Eyes had been played outside of the studio. And a marvellous song it is too - Neil Reid's version doesn't even compare. Next is the Andrew Loog Oldham produced orchestral version of Dear Elaine, with Carl on lead vocals instead of Roy. All the best - Rob ********** Subject: Re: Hazel Eyes? Date: Mon, 27 May 2002 09:45:20 -0700 From: "Jeff Cooper" Rob wrote: >Next is the Andrew Loog Oldham produced orchestral version of Dear Elaine, >with Carl on lead vocals instead of Roy. That sounds 'mouth-wateringly' good!!!! Can't wait for a chance to hear this... ********** Subject: 14 HR Technicolour Dream Extravaganza Date: Mon, 27 May 2002 23:58:26 -0700 From: kakman1 Back in '66-'67, a friend of the band Pink Floyd, Peter Whitehead, made a half hour film of the band which also featured their performance at the 14 Hour Technicolor Dream Extravaganza at Alexandria Palace. The film also shows John Lennon in attendance with gallery owner John Dunbar and also Yoko Ono (before she met John). Since The Move played at this stunning event, would there be any surviving film footage of their stunning contributions to this memorable happening? I'm guessing Mr. Whitehead filmed many of the bands that performed at this event, but used mainly the Floyd footage for his half hour B/W documentary. One can only hope that there is something there. Kevin Kunreuther Dallas TX ********** Subject: Re: 14 HR Technicolour Dream Extravaganza Date: Tue, 28 May 2002 09:30:30 -0700 From: "Dale G. Leopold" I recently watched most of this movie--it was broadcast on the VH1 Classic Rock digital cable channel a few months ago as part of a "Pink Floyd" weekend. I'm not that big a fan of PF, but I enjoyed seeing the early footage of Syd Barrett. I specifically recall seeing the Lennon bits, but I'm pretty sure there wasnt any Move on the soundtrack. Dale in Richmond ********** Subject: Re: Can cook, will cook Date: Mon, 27 May 2002 09:45:14 -0700 From: George Mackenzie Lynn Hoskins wrote: > Hi George! Please forgive my inquisitiveness, but would you mind > telling us what Roy cooked for you? And...was it any good? ;) Roy cooked for me a good old fashioned English breakfast (3 o'clock in the afternoon) of poached egg(2), mushrooms, bacon, sausage & beans. Along with bread & butter and plenty of tea. Lovely it was. ********** Subject: Goldmine interview with Roy Wood (Part 9) Date: Tue, 28 May 2002 00:33:02 -0700 From: Lynn Hoskins Roy Wood: The Wizzard of Rock Goldmine September 30, 1994 by Ken Sharp PART 9 Goldmine: Didn't you write with Jeff Lynne a little while ago? Roy Wood: At the time I was staying at his house socially and we were just messing around, really. I played him this idea for a song that I'd had, which eventually ended up as a song called "Me And You." I played him the tune for the verse and all that. He said, "Well, I'll throw a few bits in." And we ended up writing it together and recording it. It turned out well. He also had a guy staying with him named Richard Dodd, who actually recorded the Traveling Wilburys and he's a great engineer. It turned out well and we stayed up one night and wrote another song that we thought we could do as a single and stick it on the B-side. It was called "Get What You Want." "Me And You" is an out-and-out pop song and "Get What you Want" sounds like an old skiffle number (laughs). Goldmine: Any chance of working further with Jeff? Roy Wood: I really don't know. He's now moved to L.A. and I haven't actually seen him in a long time. It's possible. Jeff gets so busy nowadays. I don't know what's going to happen to the tracks. I couldn't get anybody interested in it. Goldmine: What prompted you to get back out on the boards and perform live again? Roy Wood: A couple of reasons. I was bored with doing nothing and just being stuck in the studio all the time. I was beginning to feel a bit claustrophobic. Someone asked me to do a charity concert at the NEC Arena in Birmingham, which is quite a big venue. I said yes and put the phone down and forgot all about the fact that I hadn't got a band (laughs). So I phoned a few friends, a couple of guys I knew that I had played with before in a band called the Poor Boys, the bass player and the drummer, who became the basic rhythm section. I knew one of the girls who is in the brass section. She's a trumpet player. I sent to see her and asked her if she could help me get a brass section together. She said, "How about all girls?" And I said, "That sounds good." I had my reservations about it because I didn't know how good they were gonna be. They came along to a rehearsal and they blew me away. They were unbelievable. They stripped all the paint off the walls, they were that good. They also play in a couple of jazz orchestras, the Midland Youth Jazz Orchestra and The Warsaw Jazz Orchestra. They play Chick Corea stuff and Pat Metheny. They're very, very good musicians. They're young, in their early twenties. We've got two trombonists now. The new girl is only 17. She's still taking her exams at college. Up until now it's just gone out under my name and now it's gonna be called the Roy Wood Big Band. As I mentioned before, we still do some of the old hits, the Move and Wizzard material, because people who come to see me expect me to play that. Because I'd grown bored with it over the years I'd rearranged it all with the horns in mind. We've got a six-piece horn section, there's two saxes, two trombones, two trumpets. I put a load of horn parts in the old stuff and it works really well. Things like "I Can Hear The Grass Grow," that riff sounds great with a horn section. I do "Forever." The last time we played was Christmas so we do the Christmas record, "See My Baby Jive," "Angel Fingers." "Ballpark Incident" sounds good with a big horn section. Goldmine: Who's in the new band? Roy Wood: There's me, I play guitar and bagpipes and occasionally soprano sax. We've got drums, bass - he's a very good singer and he actually helps me out with the vocals. There's a tenor sax player, who is the only guy (laughs) and the rest of them are girls. There's seven girls. We've got the Naylor twins, who've got loads of talent. They both do vocal backing and the one twin does all the keyboards. Then we've got the Hughes sisters, Sue and Penny Hughes, and Sue plays trombone and Penny plays baritone sax. There's another trombonist called Helen Miller, she's the young one, she's only 17. Two trumpet players, Karen Blackmore and Kay Henderson, who are just totally brilliant. All the brass girls do vocal backing well. It's quite a big sound when it all gets going. Goldmine: Tell me about the new material. Roy Wood: The new material I'd written just before we got the band together, really more with a solo project in mind. But since then I'd added horn parts to it. It sounds all right. It's still rock music and still commercial songs in a way but probably the rhythm section is a bit more on the heavy side, a bit more heavy rockish. There's one called "Boadicea" which is an out-and-out rock 'n' roll song. It's about a guy who used to fight in Boadicea's army. He really fancied Boadicea and he was trying to put her on the straight and narrow and stop her from killing people and all that (laughs), so she'd be a better person. But at the end of the day all he was interested in was trying to get her in the back of the tent. It's one of those sort of songs. There's another song called "Lion's Heart," which is more of a heavy rock sort of thing, with a bit of guitar in there. There's another one called "If This Love Is Magic," which is another pop song. Goldmine: Are you planning on doing a new album with this band? Roy Wood: I have been trying to get record companies interested in giving me a contract but I've had no luck yet, which is why I wanted to do more gigs, more live material. But hopefully we'll be in the studio soon doing something. Goldmine: Do you have much unreleased material spanning your whole career in the can? Roy Wood: Well, I always tried not to leave spare tracks hanging about, really, because record companies can be a bit vicious at times. If your contract is coming to an end they might end up throwing out a pile of rubbish. But there is still an unreleased album that we did with Wizzard, but that is still owned by Don Arden. I think he might be waiting for me to be tied to the railway lines and run over and then they'll probably release and it'll be a big hit. Goldmine: One a sad note, most recently your cherished Red Stratocaster from the Move days was stolen. Roy Wood: It's a 1958 Strat. We were playing with the new band just before Christmas in a place called Oldham, which is near Manchester. We left the tour bus to go and get something to eat and when we came back the tour bus had been broken into and all the instruments were stolen. We hadn't got them back as yet. We hear that it was a drug-related thing. They just took it for drugs. But I felt more sorry for the girls in the band that lost all their brass instruments because they are just ordinary girls. They can't afford to buy new instruments. At least I was in the fortunate position that I could go out and buy a new guitar, even though it wouldn't be the same. So far they've retrieved empty keyboard cases, but that's it. (If anyone has any information about Wood's 1958 Red Stratocaster and/or the rest of the band's instruments, please write to Goldmine. All information will be kept strictly confidential.) Goldmine: You mentioned earlier that Frank Zappa was one of your favorite musicians. Did you have any contact with him? Roy Wood: No, I met him once. He came to Birmingham and played here with the Mothers Of Invention. I used to love them because it really appealed to me that a couple of guys used to play with Stan Kenton and all that, that jazz element appealed to me quite a lot. At least Zappa had the courage to stand up and do it, which I admired a lot. After the show I got to meet him. I was slightly disappointed because I thought he might be, from his image, a bit wild and a bit of a maniac. He was actually a shrewd business guy. He was standing there with his briefcase and his suit on. (laughs) I was a bit disappointed. Goldmine: Have you had any contact with any of the members of the Move? Roy Wood: I saw Bev last week. We played together last weekend. It was a party for the guy who plays bass in my band. It was a birthday party and we all got up and played together. Bev's got a part-time band together called Belch, which is Bev Bevan, Tony Iommi, Jasper Carrot and the bass player from my band. I played with them. We did a load of rock 'n' roll things and then I got up and played some of my own stuff as well. I haven't seen Ace for years and I don't particularly want to. Trevor is still playing around the Midlands circuit. He's got a new band together and they're supposed to be very good, they've a blues band. I haven't seen him for ages. I speak to Rick Price on the phone occasionally. he doesn't live in Birmingham anymore. Carl I occasionally speak to on the phone. He lives in London now and he's in a musical in London called Blood Brothers. In fact, Nick Pentelow, who played sax in Wizzard, is in the orchestra for that. THE END ********** Subject: Re: Tell us the news about yourself... Date: Sun, 26 May 2002 11:53:21 -0700 From: KenGreenwell >Your name, age, location, occupation. Ken Greenwell 37 Perth, Western Australia Graphic Artist / Illustrator / Web Designer >How long have you been a Move and/or Roy Wood fan? Since 1979 when my sister gave me a 45" of Chinatown knowing I was a big ELO fan. >What was your first Move related experience? I remember hearing Blackberry Way on the car radio back whilst we were out visiting castles in the UK when I was 5 or 6 years old (1971-2). >Tell us about your top 5 favorite Move related tracks. 1. Beautiful Daughter 2. I Can Hear The Grass Grow 3. Words Of Aaron 4. Blackberry Way 5. Tonight >What's your favorite Move related album, and why? "Message From The Country". I just love hearing the transformation that was obviously taking place on that album. From what was the Move, to what was to become the ELO. >What topics would you like to see discussed on this list? Hard question that, can't think of anything at the moment! >If you've seen the Move or any member of the Move in concert, tell us >about that show. I saw Carl performing in the musical "Blood Brothers", he was outstanding to say the least... What presence, what a voice!!! >Tell us about an amusing or interesting situation that has happened >as a result of you being a Move/Roy Wood fan. I have a friend who is the common denominator of three Roy Wood fans here in Western Australia... but is not a fan! Many years ago when we became friends we soon found out that Alan knew a couple of people who had the same musical interests that I had... Imagine the surprise when I discovered that I had already been friends with one of them for a couple of years prior to knowing Alan and that Andrew (another Roy Wood fan) knew Alan but not me or Ian (the other Roy Wood fan)! It was then that we realised that strange wizzardly forces were at work! I don't know if that makes any sense but despite repeated doses of Wizzard Brew we just can't bring Alan round to our way of listening!!! Although he did show some promise when he purchased the special edition of the first ELO album!!! >Who are some of your other favorite artists/bands? ELO, The Beatles, Travis, Pink Floyd, Queen, David Meade, Jason Falkner, Bee Gees, Radiohead, Robbie Williams, Supergrass, The Kinks, Fairport Convention, The Pretty Things, Alan Parsons Project, Jellyfish, The Shazam, Vanessa Mae, Owsley, Cotton Mather etc. etc. etc. >Which Move related song do you wish one of your favorite bands >would cover? Travis doing "Tonight" or "Chinatown" >What is the one burning question that you have never had answered >in relation to Move/Roy Wood history or music? Were there ever any plans to get the Move down to Australia in the sixties? >Are you having trouble finding any Move related music on CD? I must admit, I haven't looked for a while but most Move CD's here in Australia are purchased through import. Sometimes there are those cheap and nasty compilations freely available in a few stores here in Perth and in other capital cities but not the studio albums (ie: Repertoire). I await the definitive re-issues! End of Useless Information #358 ******************************* [This digest is the copyright of the Move "Useless Information" Mailing List. Re-publication or re-distribution of "Useless Information" content, in any form whatsoever, is expressly prohibited without prior written consent.]