Entertainment For Lively Minds
At Home with Frank Collins (Kokomo)
Growing up in the 70's, i was turned on to some of the great blue-eyed soul coming out of the UK at the time. High on our "must go to" gig list was Kokomo who had the most amazing rythm section and instrumentalists this country had to offer at the time (and for many years to come - as many of them still worked hard as session players). Sadly bass player Alan Spenner is no longer with us, but fronting these amazing musicians was a trio of vocalists that would amaze and elate audiences night after night after night.
Vocalists Dyan Birch, Paddie McHugh and the very wonderful Frank Collins are three of the best singers I have witnessed - Cowell & X-Factor and its horrendous definition of "groups" dont have a clue .... this trio would blow away any of todays wannabies in 2011.
They are still singing - still amazing and Frank Collins has a highly entertaining, informative and hilarious video bio on Youtube - been a favorite on my browser for a couple of years - check it out - there are a few interviews with different themes
* Beginnings
* on Kokomo
* on Arrival
* on Paul Jones
* on Bryan Ferry etc etc
check them out - "Frank on Kokomo" is here
all other episodes are on keyboard player Tony O'Malley's youtube page http://www.youtube.com/user/OMalleyTony
Cheers, J
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Agreed...
Kokomo were a fine band. Frank Collins wrote some excellent, intelligent songs; not enough perhaps, but these two are gorgeous:
(Forever - Dyan Birch sings lead)
(A Little Bit Further Away - I think that's Frank himself singing lead)
Kokomo...
I remember they had ex Piblokto! guitarist Jim Mullen with them for a while.
Excellent liveband as I remember, but on vinyl they sounded flat, and really did not have a consistently good song writer in their ranks.
File under: Could have been, should have been, but weren't.
In my opinion.
Bliss
Takes me back to 19godknowsbloodyyearsago, the Naughty Rhythms tour: Kokomo, Dr Feelgood and my personal favourites of the then, Chilli willi and the Red Hot Peppers, caught at the Winter Gardens in Eastbourne. A seemingly incongruous collection, but all excellent stuff.
Here's some Willi's
Featuring a young, long haired soon-to-be Attraction...
...Pete Thomas.
I still have my vinyl copy of "Bongos Over Balham" somewhere. And a couple of Kokomo LPs.
kokomo
kokomo had a vibe. they frequently played friday and saturdays down the hope & anchor in '74. they'd start off with a nice long funky instrumental like "sister janie" or "chameleon" before the singers came on. a soul revue it was. spenner was ladbroke grove's answer to jamerson. an incredible musician. they all were.
london had a fun little funky-soul scene going then - FBI, gonzalez, moon, cado belle.
oh, for a time machine....
Neil Hubbard
They also had another former Grease Band member in Neil Hubbard. He wasn't flash but played some lovely funky guitar lines.