[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 #435 January 8, 2003 In this issue: * Night Of Fear in NME * Wizzo Band on BBC's "Dream Ticket" (cont.) * Roy's natural progression? * Song Of The Week (week of 1/6): "What?" * More "Flowers In The Rain" feedback * Introduction * Roy Wood On DVD ============================================================== 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 TO UNSUBSCRIBE: Send an e-mail to move-digest-request@eskimo.com with the word "unsubscribe" (no quotes) in the subject line ============================================================== Subject: Night Of Fear in NME Date: Sun, 5 Jan 2003 12:14:48 -0800 From: "Greg Weatherby" I pulled out my collection of weeklies, and started to go through them, working on a number of projects. I came across a review in the NME from the Dec 10, 1966 issue for NOF. Thought it might be of interest. Those who have been on this list for a long time may remember that I posted stuff like this, including this review, a while back. Anyways............ The Move "Night Of Fear" A shattering sound, fascinating lyric and ear catching harmonies in this r-n-b thumper. Catchy melody, borrowed from the "1812 Overture". and there you have it. ********** Subject: Re: Wizzo Band on BBC's "Dream Ticket" Date: Sun, 5 Jan 2003 12:13:50 -0800 From: marc haines richardkenworthy schrieb: > Check out the broadcast on Jan 1st as well for another track. Anyone out there who can run me a video tape of these broadcasts? Would be nice as I can't view it over here... :-( All the best, Marc ********** Subject: Re: Wizzo Band on BBC's "Dream Ticket" Date: Sun, 5 Jan 2003 15:10:20 -0800 From: SCOT PARIS RE: Wizzo Re-Broadcast to run on Sunday..... Is there any kind of Napster-style library of Move, Wizzard, ELO, etc, videos and concerts in NTSC format, or must we Americans maintain a constant state of jealousy and envy while PAL format tapes and Zone2 DVDs are widely circulated in Britain? Think of it; thousands of Americans standing around, just drooling and crying in their lagers...I assure you, it's NOT a pretty sight!! ********** Subject: Re: Wizzo Band on BBC's "Dream Ticket" Date: Sun, 5 Jan 2003 16:42:01 -0800 From: "Richard Kenworthy" Marc sadly it's audio only. Oh that I owned a video cassette recorder when I was 18. They were slightly more expensive then! ********** Subject: Roy's natural progression? Date: Sun, 5 Jan 2003 16:17:42 -0800 From: Lynn Hoskins Andrew Footman wrote: >Even now to this day the LP '(We're) On The Road Again' has not been >released on CD. In fact it never got released anywhere except Germany >and the USA. It is one of his best LP's and it has never been released >in the UK! Andy, I keep meaning to ask you about this. You've commented several times on the list that you think "On The Road Again" is one of Roy's best. I'm curious how you rank it against Boulders, Mustard, Superactive Wizzo and Starting Up in terms of songwriting, singing, etc. Where do others rank it? What's interesting to me is that Roy went from Mustard (1975) to Superactive Wizzo (1977) to On The Road Again (1979). On The Road Again plays like a stepping stone TO Superactive Wizzo to me. Or maybe I'm just not clear on how it is that the follow-up to the melodic Mustard was Wizzo. For those not familiar with "On The Road Again" (Warner Bros.) here's the track listing: Side 1: (We're) On The Road Again Wings Over The Sea Keep Your Hands On The Wheel (Said Marie To The Driver) Colourful Lady Road Rocket Side 2: Backtown Sinner Jimmy Lad Dancing At The Rainbows End Another Night Way Beyond The Rain The album features Annie Haslam, Andy Fairweather-Low and Carl Wayne on backing vocals (on Keep Your Hands On The Wheel), and John Bonham on drums. ********** Subject: Re: Roy's natural progression? Date: Sun, 5 Jan 2003 16:41:54 -0800 From: Bob Hughes Lynn Hoskins wrote: >What's interesting to me is that Roy went from Mustard (1975) >to >Superactive Wizzo (1977) to On The Road Again (1979). On The >Road Again >plays like a stepping stone TO Superactive Wizzo to me. >Or maybe I'm just >not clear on how it is that the follow-up to the >melodic Mustard was >Wizzo. It didn't make any sense to me either until I heard Main Street. I see a logical progression from Wizzard Brew to Main Street to Super Active Wizzo. Mustard sort of falls in a progression with Boulders and Eddie and the Falcons. On the Road Again always struck me as a step backward. A sort of "you don't like me new stuff , well here's some of the old stuff." It's okay, but it's sort of marching in place. And a lot of it seems to be lacking heart. Then again the record label kept making him change the track list - so who knows what it was supposed to sound like? ********** Subject: Re: Roy's natural progression? Date: Sun, 5 Jan 2003 17:43:36 -0800 From: "Richard Kenworthy" Hey Lynn Don't forget about Mainstreet from 1976, (previously known as Wizzo) but only recently released. This was surely the stepping stone from Mustard to Super Active. There had been a long delay before the release of Mustard with certain tracks being recorded but not available due to a contracts dispute. It is quite possible that some tracks on Mustard could have been recorded after Boulders 1973 but before the release of Eddy and the Falcons 1974. Without the complete studio log guide it is hard to work out. In which case the progression could have been ..... Boulders recorded first but delayed release Wizzard Brew 72 some of Mustard ? Eddy and the falcons 74 completion of Mustard 75 Wizzo AKA Mainstreet 76 Super Active Wizzo 77 On the Road Again 79 Starting up 86 For me I can only assume that the fact that Roy wasn't able to tour with the Roy Wood Wizzo Band that he went back to basics with a pop/rock format for On the road again, and so he was retreating from the rock/jazz/rock format, but hadn't totally abandoned it. As to ranking On the road again, being hard to get hold of makes it a prize possession. Having had even longer to wait for Mainstreet that has now become an even more prized possession. But personally I enjoy the accordion on Wings over the sea and Jimmy lad, the plaintive singing on Way beyond the rain, oh and of course Dancing at the rainbows end. And now you've got me annoyed as I realise that apart from the aforementioned Mainstreet, I haven't heard a new album from my favourite musician for 16 years.... ********** Subject: Re: Roy's natural progression? Date: Mon, 6 Jan 2003 00:20:11 -0800 From: kakman1 You'll have to include "Main Street" to make any sense out of Roy's musical evolution, even though it was released in 2000, it was recorded in 1976. Mustard (1975) > Main Street (orig. titled 'Wizzo')(rec.1976, released 2000) > Super Active Wizzo (1977) > On The Road Again (1980) What this line represents to me is Roy giving in to his mature jazz rock fusion leanings from Wizzard B-sides and letting it inform his rock and pop predilections more and more. OTRA strikes me as an attempt reconcile or reconnect with a commercial audience by trying to reproduce previous successful formulas while still keeping his fingers in the jazz fusion pot. The record comes off sounding not very fresh nor exciting nor interesting. This is the closest Roy has come to making a boring record. Bits of it are very good and fun but overall, it is pretty much a ho-hum affair. Kevin Kunreuther Dallas TX ********** Subject: Re: Roy's natural progression? Date: Mon, 6 Jan 2003 00:20:16 -0800 From: Andrew Footman In order of my liking, not every one will agree but here it is: 1 Boulders 2 On The Road Again 3 Mustard 4 Starting Up 5 Super Active Wizzo (The album did not do the band justice, sight and sound showed what could have been, the lp did not seem to gel. In fact Mainstreet is a much better album and this got rejected at the time. I think Main Street was has good has Mustard by the way, excellent CD. ********** Subject: Re: Roy's natural progression? Date: Mon, 6 Jan 2003 10:26:30 -0800 From: "Rob Caiger" Richard Kenworthy wrote: > Without the complete studio log guide it is hard to work out. Here's one for the list - when do you all think each album was recorded? Can you hear a natural progression in Roy's music from album to album (and don't forget non-album a & b-sides)? Does it all fit together or does it move around too much? It is sad that there is no new album or single from Roy but also just as sad is the scarcity and unavailability of his catalogue. ********** Subject: Re: Roy's natural progression? Date: Mon, 6 Jan 2003 12:25:34 -0800 From: Andrew Footman Rob wrote: > Here's one for the list - when do you all think each album was recorded? > Can you hear a natural progression in Roy's music from album to album > (and don't forget non-album a & b-sides)? Does it all fit together or > does it move around too much? Boulders was the first, this was started back in the 1960s, it was finished i believed i read by Roy somewhere around 1969-70. It was held back by his record company because they deemed the public were not ready for a solo LP by Roy. I think Wizzard Brew may have been started in 1972. I would guess the Eddie LP was started in 1973 and was nearly finished by the time Rock And Roll Winter came out. I would guess a track or two of Mustard may have been done too at this time. Get On Down Home sounds like it may have been from Eddie period. I would guess Mustard could have started life as far back as 1973. I would guess it took a long time to make with the Wizzard stuff going on. Main Street i bet was recorded in 1975 not 76. I think On The Road Again in 77 the same time has Super Active Wizzo. And i bet i am marked an F grade on this Rob. ********** Subject: Song Of The Week: "What?" Date: Mon, 6 Jan 2003 12:25:28 -0800 From: Lynn Hoskins This week's discussion song is a request from a new list member anxious to get his hands on the lyrics. He went so far as to contact EMI Music Publishing who told him they have a copy of Jeff's handwritten lyrics, but they're not legible. The list worked on these lyrics a few years ago, but there were still some questions. What? Song Of The Week: January 6, 2003 "What?" from the Move album "Looking On" Possible discussion topics: Songwriting Vocals Lyrics Instrumentation Arrangement/Production Strong & weak points *********************** "What?" (J. Lynne) What is that strange air in the sky Why should a strange star pass me by How can they congratulate the people who destroyed the peace of mind The silly people just like you and better too How can they keep turning when the overture is burning on the faces Of the people in the churches of the land That's all a way that I cut from the lives The day has come at last People are crying in the boulevard Their eyes are blind they cry so hard How can they congratulate the people who destroyed the peace of mind The silly people just like you and better too How can they keep turning when the overture is burning on the faces Of the people in the churches of the land And so it seems there is only one dream The day has come at last And so it seems there is only one dream The day has come at last What you have done makes me ashamed I'll blow it up and start again How can they congratulate the people who destroyed the peace of mind The silly people just like you and better too How can they keep turning when the overture is burning in the faces Of the people in the churches of the land And so it seems there is only one dream The day has come at last ********** Subject: Re: Song Of The Week: "What?" Date: Mon, 6 Jan 2003 17:34:18 -0800 From: kakman1 Weird, ethereal and stately (or weird and plodding and ponderous, take your pick), sounds very lovely and all in the middle of the night with dim lights or candles going and a snifter or chalice of some strange brew adding to the atmosphere. Never could figure WHAT? Jeff was going on about, even after deciphering the lyrics, just figured he threw off some melancholy words and phrases off the top of his head and let it go at that. Never understood why Fly Records used this as the B-side of the more exuberant "When Alice Comes Back To The Farm" single. At over six minutes long, the groove cramming made the muddiness sound even worse. (Perhaps "10538 Overture" was originally scheduled as this single's aborted B-side?) Great guitar solo in middle. A lot of this strikes me as very proto-ELO, obviously Jeff trying to creatively fit in with the new style Move, which seemed at this time to be abandoning its pop legacy for "heavier" direction. Makes you think if Carl Wayne hadn't departed, would the band had actually moved in this direction or would management had kept the group straitjacketed as a pop and cabaret outfit. Waiting for ELO II and see how a ELO with Carl on vocals sound. Kevin Kunreuther Dallas TX ********** Subject: Re: Flowers debate Date: Sun, 5 Jan 2003 21:50:20 -0800 From: "Dunks" Covering old ground, I know, but this subject STILL bugs the hell out of me and still begs some important questions: - how can the judgement still stand so long after the person defamed -- Harold Wilson -- has died? I have yet to hear a plausible answer from someone with knowledge of the British legal system. Can anyone assist? - why was the judgement never appealed? (OK I know the answer to that -- because Secunda would have had to pay up) - how could the Move in general and Roy Wood in particular (as composer) have been held responsible for an act of defamation that was clearly committed by their manager Tony Secunda, carried out without their knowledge or approval? Granted, it was done to promote a Move single, but surely those morally (if not legally) responsible for the defamation were (A) the artist who drew the postcard and (B) Tony Secunda, who had sole responsibility for organising and distributing the cards? (Answer? Secunda kept them out of court -- at the pub, mind you -- on the day of the hearing so that his beaks could plead guilty on the band's behalf enabling him to pay for his own stupid mistake with Roy Wood's money) - is there no 'statute of limitations' that can be applied to this matter in order to have it overturned? It is iniquitous. Roy and the boys have been punished for over THIRTY YEARS for a crime that we all known was committed by the late and un-great Tony Secunda. This is just plain WRONG. ********** Subject: Introduction Date: Sun, 5 Jan 2003 22:01:38 -0800 From: Mike F After some gentle prodding from the list administrator, Lynn, here is a brief introduction: >Your name, age, location, occupation. Michael Frantz, 34, New York, consultant. Sadly I missed Roy's recent New York concerts. >How long have you been a Move and/or Roy Wood fan? A couple of months. >What was your first Move related experience? I heard "10538 Overture" and after reading this web reviewer's opinions (http://starling.rinet.ru/music/roywood.htm ), I decided to get some Move / Roy Wood stuff. >What's your favorite Move related album, and why? I like the first Move album the best which, on the version I have, includes the essential singles "Night of Fear" and "Disturbance." I like the combination of great tunes, interesting arrangements, and quirky lyrics. Bearing in mind that my Roy Wood collection is very limited, "Boulders" is my next favorite album. It's really a virtuoso one-man performance that not many artists could pull off. So far I am less excited by the later Move albums due to their tendency towards extended jamming on somewhat less memorable tunes. (Sorry for my heretical remarks, no offense intended.) However, I don't have the last Move album yet and the others may grow on me given time. I have mixed feelings about my most recent acquisition, "Wizzard Singles A's and B's." "See My Baby Jive" and IWICBCE are undeniably brilliant but the dominance of 50's style music and teenage lyrics doesn't seem like a step forward. I am hoping that "Exotic Mixture," which I am waiting for Amazon to deliver, will be more to my liking. >Who are some of your other favorite artists/bands? Cabaret Voltaire, Tangerine Dream, Bill Nelson, John Foxx, Pere Ubu. Regards, Mike F ********** Subject: Re: Introduction Date: Sun, 5 Jan 2003 22:17:37 -0800 From: Lynn Hoskins Mike F wrote: >After some gentle prodding from the list administrator, Lynn, here is >a brief introduction: Hey, my prodding finally worked on someone! Mike, it's interesting that your initiation was "10538 Overture" and then you went on to Boulders, and back to the beginning of The Move, but haven't yet experienced the fourth Move album, "Message From The Country." Of course you might hate it, but if "10538" was what attracted you to The Move and Roy Wood, then I *think* you will love "Message." Some people refer to it as the first ELO album. I also think you'd like The Idle Race, Jeff Lynne's band before he joined The Move. Very quirky. As "Shazam" and "Looking On" aren't your cup of tea, I'm real interested in what you'll think of some of the more obscure Roy Wood tracks on "Exotic Mixture." Plus, seeing as you're into Cab Volt and Bill Nelson, maybe Roy's funky/progressive/jazz/experimental tracks will interest you. Looking forward to your comments... ********** Subject: Roy Wood On DVD Date: Sun, 5 Jan 2003 12:14:14 -0800 From: Jon Hinchliffe There seems to be some Roy Wood appearing on DVD. Four to be exact: Remember 60's Vol. 1 BD 3001-2 5. Move:Firebrigade 9. Move:Blackberry way 14. Move:Curly Remember 60's Vol. 2 BD 3003-2 4. The Move:Flowers in the rain Remember 70's Vol. 1 BD 3002-2 10. Move:Tonight 15. Wizzard:See my baby jive 16. Wizzard:Angel fingers Remember 70's Vol. 2 BD 3004-2 13. Roy Wood:Dear Elaine Does anyone know the source? I thought it might be the German Beatclubs but I have never come across Dear Elaine before and some obvious tracks aren't included. ********** Subject: Re: Roy Wood On DVD Date: Sun, 5 Jan 2003 12:15:27 -0800 From: Lynn Hoskins >There seems to be some Roy Wood appearing on DVD. Four to be exact: Jon, I've known about these for a while but didn't feel I wanted to give time or space to a company that makes money off Roy's songs without paying royalties. These are budget releases on Holland's BR Music label. If you find any ads for the DVD's, you'll probably read in the description that some tracks have been "quietly released." Interesting choice of words, and accurate as they don't own the rights, they didn't seek permission, and the artists (namely Roy, as he's the songwriter) aren't getting royalties. No wonder they're being quiet about it. I urge you not to waste your money on these, and not to support interests that don't pay artist royalties. Rob is working with EMI on a DVD that will be done right. :) ********** Subject: Re: Roy Wood On DVD Date: Mon, 6 Jan 2003 10:26:23 -0800 From: Jon Hinchliffe Lynn Hoskins wrote: >I urge you not to waste your money on these, and not to support >interests that don't pay artist royalties. Rob is working with EMI >on a DVD that will be done right. :) I have to say I don't want to as the other tracks are all miles from my taste bands. Having said that I looked up Unexpected Messages and they didn't even list Dear Elaine in the video or Tv Appearances section (as far as I could see) I just hope Rob has the time to get all these things together. He is obviously going to have to drop a lot of appearances on TV as he will end up with too many See My Baby Jive's let alone IWICBC's. How he will select will be really hard to guess. I think the clip of Forever on Top Of The Pops was a particularly dreadful mime by Roy. I would almost go as far as saying he thought it a ridiculous thing for him and Rick Price to have to do so he didn't make any effort what so ever. If there was a 2nd appearance of that song which would you go for? The quirky bad one or a better one? ********** Subject: Re: Roy Wood On DVD Date: Mon, 6 Jan 2003 10:26:34 -0800 From: Guttpat WARNING! THE FOLLOWING PROMOTION VIDEOS ARE NOT REAL!!! >Remember 60's Vol. 1 BD 3001-2 > >5. Move:Firebrigade >9. Move:Blackberry way >14. Move:Curly > >Remember 60's Vol. 2 BD 3003-2 > >4. The Move:Flowers in the rain > >Remember 70's Vol. 1 BD 3002-2 > >10. Move:Tonight >15. Wizzard:See my baby jive >16. Wizzard:Angel fingers > >Remember 70's Vol. 2 BD 3004-2 >13. Roy Wood:Dear Elaine The BR Label took the videos and wiped the original audio track off. They used the the audio tracks from the CD versions. So sometimes the vocal are not syncronised with the lips. See My Baby Jive is from the Rare Groove Mix TV-Show and was originally performed in the Radio Edit Version. (Like the one on "20 Power Hits") On this DVD the track is the full single version, which meant that the original video tape was shorter, and so the "producer" repeated over and over the same video scenes to fill up the rest of the song. Flowers In The Rain Video came from the Belgium Jazz Blitzen Festival and was original performed live. Here on the DVD the audio track came from the album studio version from a CD. Again the audio track is longer than the video is and the end of the tape was artificial elongered to fill the end. If you ever know the original live version video, you realize that the DVD version is a real shit. Fire Brigade, Blackberry Way and Curly video came from BEAT CLUB show, which are available via the fandom in a much more superb quality, because the German TV stations broadcasted it very half a year... The audio track here was used from CD version which result in an unsyncronistiy to the video. Tonight came from German TV Show Disco '70 and was again reworked from audio CD Angel Finger Promoclip was also re-created with the audio track in the same style. The drummers hit the drums 50 milliseconds after you hear the beat. The only good on that one is that the TV-show credits are not in mixed in the video. Dear Elaine, seems to be the Promotional Video clip. There's also a repeated video seqence in it, but I never was aware of the original, so I couldn't know how the original tape looked like. Another No. 1 Hit of Roy was on that DVD's series. Hello Suzie performed by Amen Corner (again audio came from different source than video.) Don't Buy it. Bye Patrik End of Useless Information #435 ******************************* [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.]