[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 #405 October 24, 2002 In this issue: * Carl Wayne update * Song Of The Week (week of 10/21): "Wave The Flag And Stop The Train" * Gerry Levene and the Avengers (cont.) * Wizzard wallpaper! * Birmingham UK No 1 rock city * Idle Race (cont.) * Idle Race on the Web * California Man by Union (cont.) * Dreaming of Christmas * Tell us the news about yourself... ============================================================== To POST TO THE LIST: Send an e-mail to: move-list@eskimo.com Move List Info & Archives: http://www.eskimo.com/~noanswer/movelist.html Join the ELO List: http://www.eskimo.com/~noanswer/showdown.html Other official websites: The Move: http://www.themoveonline.com Roy Wood: http://www.roywood.co.uk Face The Music (for all ELO & related news): http://www.ftmusic.com TO UNSUBSCRIBE: Send an e-mail to move-digest-request@eskimo.com with the word "unsubscribe" (no quotes) in the subject line ============================================================== Subject: Carl update from Rob Date: Tue, 22 Oct 2002 12:05:15 -0700 From: Lynn Hoskins Carl would like to let everyone know that his operation was a complete success and he is now out of intensive care and focusing on his recovery and regaining his strength. Carl would also like to thank everyone for their kind wishes, cards and messages of support and looks forward more than ever to seeing you all during The Hollies rescheduled tour in 2003 (details on The Hollies official website at www.hollies.co.uk.). Further updates will posted to www.carlwayne.co.uk and The Move Online at www.themoveonline.com, as well as Useless Information. If you would like to send Carl a message or card while he is in hospital, please send via Rob Caiger at Face The Music, PO Box 718, Esher, Surrey, KT10 0YF, United Kingdom. ********** Subject: Re: Carl update from Rob Date: Tue, 22 Oct 2002 12:18:06 -0700 From: John DeSilva > Carl would like to let everyone know that his operation was a complete > success and he is now out of intensive care and focusing on his > recovery and regaining his strength. This is great news!!! Looking forward to seeing Charlie and the boys maybe next year in Jolly Olde England!! JD San Jose, CA ********** Subject: Re: Carl update from Rob Date: Wed, 23 Oct 2002 03:52:45 +0100 From: andytelecaster Great news, get well soon Carl and take it easy for a while to you are 100%. All the best Andrew Footman ********** Subject: Song Of The Week: "Wave The Flag And Stop The Train" Date: Tue, 22 Oct 2002 23:43:24 -0700 From: Lynn Hoskins Song Of The Week: October 21, 2002 "Wave The Flag And Stop The Train" by The Move Possible discussion topics: Vocals Lyrics Instrumentation Songwriting Arrangement Production Live performance Personal interpretation Strong/weak points *********************** "Wave The Flag And Stop The Train" (R. Wood) Wave your flag and stop the train Stop the train Stop the train Wave your flag and stop the train Stop the train Stop the train Someone just pull the little chain Girl in my compartment lost her mind Stop the train Stop the train Tried to throw herself upon the line I can't see you leaving her behind She doesn't quite remember who I am Stop the train Stop the train Committing suicide was more her plan When she was attached to another man Wave your flag and stop the train Stop the train Stop the train Wave your flag and stop the train Stop the train Stop the train Someone just pull the little chain Tried to tell the signal man in time She still trying to jump out on the line I can't see you leaving her behind I can't figure... (out what he's singing here!!!) I see her reflection on the line Stop the train Stop the train Gates and railroad stations passing me by I can't see you leaving her behind Wave your flag and stop the train Stop the train Stop the train Wave your flag and stop the train Stop the train Stop the train Someone just pull the little chain Wave your flag and stop the train Stop the train Stop the train Please, you got to wave your flag and stop the train ********** Subject: Re: Song Of The Week: "Wave The Flag And Stop The Train" Date: Wed, 23 Oct 2002 03:13:25 -0700 From: kakman1 Thank you Lynn, this a good one, here! If any one ever did an all-star Move tribute album, it would be a no-brainer if they got The Monkees to record this number. The arrangement and production perfectly capture the sound and feel of the Monkees but give it that extra bit of a snarl that the Move had then. When Roy wrote and the band recorded this, was this a tribute, a rip-off, a take-off, or commentary on teeny booper/bubble-gum? Probably getting a little too deep, but that was so great about The Move, you never knew whether they were kidding or meant it. The subject is quite grimm, pretty much in character of the band's image Secunda was trying to project at the time I suppose. Carl and the band sing real nice on this (great sluurrred middle eight singing Roy)just barely on the precipice without going over. The bass and drum just carry this song along with the background harmonies doncha' think? Kevin Kunreuther Dallas TX ********** Subject: Re: Song Of The Week: "Wave The Flag And Stop The Train" Date: Wed, 23 Oct 2002 12:31:29 -0700 From: John DeSilva Great 'B' side from the early Move. Who else but the Move would do a Monkees send-up by doing a song about suicide? Kevin has it exactly right - the listener never quite knows whether the Move is kidding or serious. Maybe the point is that they are both on this track. Their desire (according to Bev on the liners to "The Best Of The Move") was to show that they could play any song as well or better than the studio wizards that were providing backing for many of the top pop acts of the day. This they did - but they also put their indelible stamp on this one. The vocal harmonies, the guitar hook, and the rhythm section are prototype Move, and show just how powerful these guys would become over time. JD San Jose, CA ********** Subject: Re: Song Of The Week: "Wave The Flag And Stop The Train" Date: Wed, 23 Oct 2002 20:46:18 -0700 From: Richard Messum The intro sounds more Beatles-esque ("Day Tripper," in fact) than Monkees-ish, to me. But, yeah, you know, this is the "pop group" called The Move doing pop music and Woody writing another song about someone over the edge. Love the "chunky" bass. Toot, toot~! ********** Subject: Re: Song Of The Week: "Wave The Flag And Stop The Train" Date: Thu, 24 Oct 2002 03:24:25 -0700 From: "Andrew Footman" > Song Of The Week: October 21, 2002 > "Wave The Flag And Stop The Train" by The Move It nods in the direction of the Monkees, the music has a slight 'Last Train To Clarksville' sound about it. The harmony vocals are great and the the way they fade and raise etc etc at the end of song is a nice touch. Not one of the best 'B sides' but still a good one all the same. (First MOVE single i had took 13 years to find them all.) ********** Subject: Re: Gerry Levene and the Avengers Date: Mon, 21 Oct 2002 23:51:29 -0700 From: Richard Messum Jim Onslow wrote: >could you please tell me why when anything is mentioned on early ROY >WOOD Gerry Levene and the Avengers are rarely mentioned. Possibly because no-one's ever heard of them? Let's face it, we're delving into a pretty obscure corner here. But i'm not trying to be sarcastic. Please, as others have said, tell us stories! Enlighten us. We're here to be entertained and edified, and you can help. ********** Subject: Wizzard wallpaper! Date: Tue, 22 Oct 2002 14:00:01 -0700 From: "George Mackenzie" Check out the Top of the Pops 2 website for some cool Wizzard wallpaper. http://www.bbc.co.uk/totp2/ ********** Subject: Re: Wizzard wallpaper! Date: Tue, 22 Oct 2002 14:18:33 -0700 From: John DeSilva > http://www.bbc.co.uk/totp2/ Thanks for that one George!!! It's awesome - on my PowerBook G4 (with the extra wide screen) it looks great! As Tyler would say ... Wizzards, JD San Jose, CA PS. BTW - the jacket that Rick Price is wearing in that picture is now owned (if I'm not mistaken) by our esteemed Move-lister Martin Kinch!!! ********** Subject: Birmingham UK No 1 rock city Date: Sun, 20 Oct 2002 15:45:34 -0700 From: John Collins I suppose you are going to accuse me of being very biased here but, it did not surprise me that Birmingham came out fourth in terms of music cities in the UK, we always have to finish behind London for starters! However when it comes to rock I will quote Starship "WE BUILT THIS CITY ON ROCK AND ROLL." Rock even today is still a big part of the Cities music scene. The only problem is venues. I know Roy (Wood) keeps talking about this, and he is right. Groups start out in large pubs (bars) and move up when they have a following. The problem arises there. The next step up is usually somewhere like the Robin or Robin2, and these tend to be booked up with tribute bands. The next step up from there is one of the big halls. They do tend to get very crowded these venues, I remember being in the Railway (this is the name of the pub) one night, and they ran out of glasses as the staff could not get to pick them up! The band stooped playing whilst everyone was made to pass the glasses back to the bar! I think that you have to remember that as well as rock, there is a big following of reggae music, due to the big West Indian community. The biggest act being UB40. There was a very interesting article in the Sunday Mercury (making that paper famous aren't I?) about UB40 3 weeks ago. In the article the lead singer Ali Campbell talked about death threats that they had received from whites and blacks. For those of you who don't know, UB40 are 6 white guys and 2 black. The threats were saying that they should not be playing black mans music! They obviously perservered, and I must admit I had a lot more respect for them after the article. Between 1977 and 1983 I used to go into Birmingham every night except Sunday and see a different Rock band! I am told it is not as good as that now, but it is still pretty lively. Some of the bands that have supported Roy over the years have been pretty good. I knew one very well Resister, as a friend of mine used to do the lighting for them. Yet they struggled to get a recording contract, being Birmingham based, the usual story. I will finish there, while you are still awake! :-) I just smirk when I see these little surveys, I know the truth! ********** Subject: Re: Idle Race Date: Sun, 20 Oct 2002 15:48:55 -0700 From: "Andrew Footman" George Mariner wrote: > i have the "idle race" double lp on the love label entitled > "impostors of life's magazine". does this cover the entire "idle > race" catalog? if not could someone post a discography if it is not > too much trouble. there are some great songs on these lp's. you can > hear where elo would be going after roy left. thank you. No george you need the dble CD set i am after 'Back To The Story' i hope it gets rereleased in the future. Thats got the lot on but it is about as rare as the Idle Race records im sad to say. ********** Subject: Idle Race on the Web Date: Sun, 20 Oct 2002 19:37:04 -0700 From: Lynn Hoskins For those who don't know, Ken Greenwell's Australian ELO website features a large section on Idle Race, complete with discography and lyrics: http://www.iinet.net.au/~althomp/austelo/index2.htm (Just click on the Idle Race icon.) Those early photo of Jeff crack me up. There's a lot of other great stuff on Ken's site as well. I think there's even a Woody page! ********** Subject: Re: Idle Race on the Web Date: Mon, 21 Oct 2002 02:15:51 -0700 From: kakman1 Oh man, Lynn is not kidding, I've been a big fan of that website for over, what is it, two or three years, now since it's been up. It is the most complete story on the Idle Race anyone is going to get for now, it's got great photos, great text and graphics and lyrics, too. Highly recommended for ELO/Move/Jeff Lynne fans. Kevin Kunreuther Dallas TX ********** Subject: Re: Idle Race on the Web Date: Mon, 21 Oct 2002 02:15:21 -0700 From: Richard Messum Lynn wrote: >There's a lot of other great stuff on Ken's site as well. I think >there's even a Woody page! Yes, there is. The URL is http://members.iinet.net.au/~althomp/austelo/roywood/index.html. I haven't had the opportunity to explore the site yet, but it's looking very good. He's planning a Move page, too, but it's under construction at the moment. ********** Subject: Re: Idle Race on the Web Date: Mon, 21 Oct 2002 02:17:33 -0700 From: Lynn Hoskins >He's planning a Move page, too, but it's under construction at the moment. Hey Ken, what's taking you so long? What could you possibly be doing that's more important than a Move page??? (Ken is the webmaster for Face The Music - www.ftmusic.com. Not sure he has much extra time left... :) ********** Subject: Re: California Man by Union Date: Mon, 21 Oct 2002 09:18:04 -0700 From: andrew.codd John Van der Kiste wrote: >I've never heard of this one, but is this Union the same as the North >American band fronted by Randy Bachman in 1981? Hi John, No this band Union is not the Randy Bachman fronted band you were thinking of. This band is John Corabi (Ex The Scream who I liked back in the day and one time singer for Motley Crue 94) and Bruce Kullick who was guitarist in KISS in there later years. All the best. Andrew Codd ********** Subject: Re: California Man by Union Date: Thu, 24 Oct 2002 02:43:40 -0700 From: Lynn Hoskins I've searched, to no avail, for a clip of Union doing "California Man"...to no avail. It's from a CD that came out in 2000 called "Cheap Dream: A Tribute To Cheap Trick." I found it listed at amazon.com and also artistdirect.com, but they only have clips of the first five tracks. Maybe someone else will have better luck... P.S. If you go to www.mp3.com and do a search for "themguys" you'll be able to hear a short clip of their "California Man" cover. Proceed at your own risk. ********** Subject: Re: California Man by Union Date: Thu, 24 Oct 2002 03:24:45 -0700 From: roycooke Hi lynn, looks like i will have to venture to the virgin megastore and buy a copy, i should really as i have been into the trick since point dot. when you say search on them guys do you mean union or is it another band called them guys, if so can you let me know and i will venture into the big city and get hold of a copy. kind regards Roy Cooke ********** Subject: Re: California Man by Union Date: Thu, 24 Oct 2002 03:25:03 -0700 From: Lynn Hoskins Roy wrote: >looks like i will have to venture to the virgin megastore and buy a >copy, i shold really as i have been into the trick since point dot. Don't know if this information will help, but I got this off amazon.com: Original Release Date: May 23, 2000 Label: Cleopatra ASIN: B00004TDXC Amazon lists it as "Out Of Stock." I hope you find it! As for "themguys," that's a separate band. I don't know if they have an album out, I just stumbled across a clip of their "California Man" cover on www.mp3.com. The name of their band is either Them Guys, or themguys. Hard to tell. ********** Subject: Dreaming of Christmas Date: Tue, 22 Oct 2002 23:38:06 -0700 From: John Collins Whether Roy likes it or not, he is synonymous (in the UK anyway) with Christmas and of course IWICBCE. Now I cannot understand why Roy has not brought out a Christmas album. This would get him back in the limelight, as Christmas albums always sell, and of course make a bit of money! :-) There is already 3 different versions of IWICBCE, plus Sing out the old, bring in the new. The one with the Wombles of course, and lets include some winter type songs like Rock and Roll Winter, put a new Christmas single on it and you are almost there. Then Roy follows it up with a New Album, hot on the heels the live album is released, then finally a DVD and video of the Army in concert. I love dreaming! ********** Subject: Re: Dreaming of Christmas Date: Wed, 23 Oct 2002 03:13:35 -0700 From: "Tyler C.Sherman" Splendid idea! Has this ever been suggested to Roy? A Christmas album might even get a release here in the states. There might still be time to put one together for this Christmas. Quick, someone go put a bee in Roy's bonnet! Wizzards, Tyler ********** Subject: Re: Dreaming of Christmas Date: Thu, 24 Oct 2002 00:16:34 -0700 From: kakman1 Last year, Entertainment Weekly recommended Roy Wood's original IWICBCE as a top alternative Christmas song, as opposed to say, White Christmas, The Christmas Song, Rocking Around The Christmas Tree (you know Roy could do an EXCELLENT solo version of this number, chipmunk vocals and all!), etc , etc. Kevin Kunreuther Dallas TX ********** Subject: Re: Dreaming of Christmas Date: Wed, 23 Oct 2002 20:45:39 -0700 From: Richard Messum I'm reluctant to even think about Christmas in October, but it's unavoidable i suppose: the shops have begun displaying their festive wares, at one house in my neighbourhood they have their Christmas lights up already, and Rod Stewart and U2 have new albums out! But i look upon Yuletide as an intensely magical season; when the celebrating begins two months ahead of time, the magic is diluted unconscionably. But, to get to the point. A Roy Wood Christmas album? Er, no, i don't think so. Who listens to Christmas albums after Boxing Day? Who isn't heartily sick of Christmas Muzak by then? And haven't most of the "traditional" (i use quotes to distinguish them from traditional folk carols, etc.) songs been so over-played as to become trite and grotesque? So unless going the traditional folk route (an intriguing possibility!) or covering less-well-known songs (The Kinks' "Father Christmas?" The Pretenders' "2000 Miles?" Arlo Guthrie's "The Pause of Mr Claus?") our Roy would have to write virtually an entire album's worth of fab new Yuletide ditties of a rock 'n' roll persuasion which would only be listened to a few weeks a year. It seems highly unlikely. (A "winter" album with IWICBCE on it would be another matter altogether, though.) Bah, humbug and all that... ********** Subject: Re: Dreaming of Christmas Date: Thu, 24 Oct 2002 03:01:01 -0700 From: "chris roberts" John Collins listed Roy's songs that might appear on a Christmas/Winter album. There is another of course: 'Santa Claus is Coming to Town' (from the live IWICBCED cd) featuring the Naylor Twins leading the vocals. This is an interesting idea by John but Roy's reluctance to be associated with similar ideas involving there-issuing back catalogue material will stop this getting off the ground I'm afraid. Roy is on record stating that he wants to do new things rather than old and whilst John's idea has merit and could well project our hero back into the limelight briefly, there is still the problem of getting Roy 'into the idea'. His previous comments have always given me the view that he doesn't want to peddle the old material again and again just as a way of getting back in the news. Rather that his new material (and we have to trust that there is some) should stand on its own merits. Whilst this is a more honest approach and to be soundly applauded, it is a stance that has met with notable failure (at least commercially) to date. Far be it from me, or any one else, to direct Roy's career in any particular direction, but I think we all know that without a change in the way Roy markets himself, his new material will continue to reach only a very small and loyal audience. There is nothing wrong with an idea such a John's, it might just work. But without such exploitation of Roy's better known material to launch 'the newer stuff', he will remain to most of the great unwashed out there 'Roy who?' Wizzards Chris ********** Subject: Re: Tell us the news about yourself... Date: Mon, 21 Oct 2002 09:16:40 -0700 From: Bob Kelly > Your name, age, location, occupation. Bob Kelly, 41, London. I'm a Production Controller for a book/magazine publisher. > How long have you been a Move and/or Roy Wood fan? Roughly 30 years, I suppose. > What was your first Move related experience? My elder brother mentioned them and, coincidentally, I found a Spanish EP in the local junk shop which contained both sides of the first 2 singles. I bought it for him for his birthday (10p!) and we both loved it! > Tell us about your top 5 favorite Move related tracks. Probably those first 4 tracks (Night of Fear, The Disturbance, I Can Hear The Grass Grow and Wave Your Flag) and, say, Fire Brigade. I like singles, and that first EP sounded like 4 singles to me. > What's your favorite Move related album, and why? Probably the first one, for the reasons mentioned above and because it feels more like a 'band album' than the others, which seem more studio bound to me. > What topics would you like to see discussed on this list? Anything interesting, really. > If you've seen the Move or any member of the Move in concert, tell us > about that show. I saw Roy Wood at Wimbledon Theatre a couple of years ago, which was great fun - virtually all the hits (including the Xmas one, in spite of the fact that it was in July!). The thing that struck us as most odd was an interval during which girls walked the aisles selling ice cream. Wimbledon Theatre is more usually used for pantomimes and plays, so I suppose they just did what comes naturally! > Tell us about an amusing or interesting situation that has happened > as a result of you being a Move/Roy Wood fan. Can't think of anything beyond being told off my our Mum for singing the coda to the Disturbance to our little brother when he was about 8. We were on holiday at the time and it led to him running screaming back to the tent. > Who are some of your other favorite artists/bands? Beatles, Kinks, Who, Easybeats, Stones, Slade, Elvis P (in fact all of the main '50s rock n rollers), etc, etc, etc > Which Move related song do you wish one of your favorite bands > would cover? Hmm. I rather wish they wouldn't. I think there are too many people getting away with covering songs that were much better by the original artist. Certainly in England the charts are absolutely full of rather desperate versions of great (and not so great!) old records. One thing I like about the bands I currently like is that they have their own songs. (Having said that I did see The Gripweeds doing a rather good I Can Hear The Grass Grow in Chicago. Maybe I think it's OK for live shows...) > What is the one burning question that you have never had answered > in relation to Move/Roy Wood history or music? Is there any possibility of the earliest Move tracks ever being mixed into proper stereo? With The Who's My Generation album finally seeing the light of day in stereo it started me wondering again. I'd kind of assumed that the original multi-tracks had gone missing after the numbers of times Night of Fear had been reissued in reprocessed stereo... > Are you having trouble finding any Move related music on CD? No, London's pretty good for getting the stuff as it appears and there are various collectors' shops for older stuff. Bob Kelly End of Useless Information #405 ******************************* [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.]