Entertainment For Lively Minds
The Move and other Brummy bands
The other day I was getting my hair cut and the guy doing it had a Pommy accent so I asked (as you do) where he was from. (I'm in Sydney),
"Birmingham" said he.
"Ahh, The Move" said I.
There followed a conversation in which it was revealed this young chap had NEVER HEARD of The Move despite being from their locale.
He did, however know of ELO and Wizzard (I explained the connection) and also named Duran Duran and Ozzy Osbourne as folks from that particular region.
So my thoughts are twofold - firstly, aren't The Move "criminally underrated", and secondly, what's with the Birmingham sense of history? Surely The Move should be city fathers, celebrated heroes, known to all. Anywhere else in the world would honour them and teach "Fire Brigade" in kindergarten.
And now for the obligatory YouTube clip which appears to be a live performance
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Orrroight mayyyt.
As a recovering brummie, I personally wouldn't put two concepts like 'Duran Duran' and 'a sense of history' together. I am rightly proud of the whole metal history (Sabbath yes, but I thought Priest were Wolverhampton, like Slade), half of Zeppelin, the UB40/Beat thing, the Handworth revolution, Roy Wood/Wizzard and so on. Not quite so proud of the Moody Blues, ELO and Duran Duran, but that's just me. The Move was a bit before my time.
And to be fair, because of the repeated positive references to ELO in this site over the past few months, I got 'Out Of The Blue', and just as I remembered, it was just bit to sickly sweet for me.
Moody Blues were mentioned
by the hairdresser (see OP) but I always thought they were London based.
UB40?? Really - had no idea
The Yoobs - none Brummier
UB40 have remained primarily based in Birmingham/the West Midlands through the decades, making them pretty well unique (to the B of my K) in not relocating to London. Unless you count the Funky Moped hitmaker Jasper Carrott.
Let me throw Dexys Midnight Runners into the mix an' all.
Nooooooooo
Please can we throw Dexys out of the mix ? I could cite taste, but Kevin Rowland is another Wolverhampton boy.
Maybe we need an umpire's decision on what qualifies for 'brummie', since I thought Percy Plant was a Stourbridge/Dudley, West Mids kind of bloke. Bonzo too probably (Redditch according to the Wiki). Makes 'em Yam Yams (which I only recently heard about through this very site).
In days of yore, there used to be a Birmingham brewery
called Mitchells & Butlers - known universally as 'M&B'.
In the mid 60's local band The Krew Kats were trying to pull off a sponsorship deal with M&B and renamed themselves 'the M&B Blues Band', drumhead suitably adorned with the MB logo.
When the brewery deal fell through they needed a name that fitted with the existing 'MB' kick drum - the Moody Blues were born.
On The Threshold of a Dream
A brilliant album, and one that illustrates what psychedelic music could have been like if LSD had never happened, and everyone tripped out on pale ale and curry instead.
We really like beer and curry in Birmingham.
Had you down
as an Ansells Bitterman,Stimpy :)
Noooo...
It was always Davenports for me
"Beer at home means Davenports" etc
Oh, I don't know...
The Moody Blues had their moments. I've always had a soft spot for this one...
The Move, now you're talking
For me, The Move come above The Kinks & The Who, maybe even above the Stones on the right day, and just below the HJHs in the 60's beat pantheon... something about Roy Wood's tunes and arrangements, the odd bits of psychedelia, proto-metal and classical he worked in, that just makes them stand out, and "Fire Brigade" might just be my favourite-ever single.
Between The Move, ELO and Wizzard, it still amazes me that Roy is just "fondly thought-of" rather than a fully-fledged hero. Shame.
Roy Wood's reputation has suffered from the tendency...
of unimaginative BBC programme makers to include TOTP footage of Wizzard in every 1970s musical nostalgiafest. Those funny clothes, that beard. Unfortunately this has deflected attention away from his music, which at its best is as poptastic as anything ever made. Whenever a song by The Move comes on the radio, I sit up and listen. Their songs crackle with fun, spirit and energy.
The first Move album
Is virtually a greatest hits set. Every track could have been a hit.
The 5-7-0-5 Hitmakers
Hailed from Brum. That's City Boy.
What about...........
........Spencer Davis Group, Christine McVie and Nick Drake.....
Brummies
I like Brummies. They're really fond and proud of where they come from but tend not to make a big deal of it. As far as rock legends go it's the Wood brothers: Roy and Steve Wind.
Winwood
I feel obliged to mention this at every opportunity, but his latest CD Nine Lives is a low-key treat that gets better at every listen.
I blame Der Management
Poor old Roy Wood has had a rough ride. But I blame his disillusionment with the rock business on that stupid manager they had in the 60s - the one who sent obscene postcards to Harold Wilson, the the encumbent PM. If Roy and the boys had had a manager like Jenner or Reid, he'd've conquered the world.
Incidently, Tony Visconti's autobiog, 'Bowie, Bolan and the Brooklyn Boy' gives a great insight into The Move's early career and the recordings of some of those tracks mentioned.
Tony Secunda
was that man.
Incdidentally, can I make a bid for Roy Wood's album Boulders as being a work of minor genius.
One of the comparatively few true solo albums - where the artists plays everything himself.
Sort of true
I think most of the backing tracks were recorded with a band and then all of the instruments replaced by Woody afterwards. She's Too Good For Me was a Move reject.
Also Surfin' John Kurlander plays the first note of the album on harmonium.
Wasn't there something about it being recorded
then shelved for many years before finally gaining a release in 73? Presumably that's when he re-recorded the backing?
yes
Started in 1968 at around the time of the Move's Curly (you can hear a similarity). I think some of the ELO tracks are from the same solo sessions such as Whisper in the Night and Look at Me Now.
Creative Burnout
Woody was working on ELO, Solo stuff, the first Wizzard Album, The last Move album and the Wizzard singles in the space of about 2-3 years. I'd say that, added to the management difficulties, contract problems etc. it's not terribly surprising he didn't stick around as a major creative force.
He should certainly be celebrated as a maverick original. I was only listening to Wizzard Brew earlier today and marvelling at the sheer nerve that he had to go so far out on a limb.
The one thing that derailed him more often than not were his lyrics. Very clumsy phrases such as "bring a sack of food outside" and "sing about the song of praise" peppered his efforts. He often tried to cover them up by having them obscured in the mix.
I still think he's great though. Still playing live shows and bringing the house down. There should be a plaque somewhere.
True.
Didn't the Move suffer from that old Mike Love syndrome, where the lead singer poo-pooed a lot of Roy's output? And didn't he feel robbed when Jeff Lynne went on to rule the world. Incidently Overture 10538 is one of my all-time-favourite tracks.
Jeff & Roy
There's no bad blood between the two of them at all. Roy quit ELO to save his friendship with Jeff. The press focused on Wood because he was better known, whereas Jeff was writing more material for ELO and was the creative leader after the first album. Roy was on ELO 2 and parts of On The Third Day despite having 'left'.
There is an interesting thought. If Roy had stayed in ELO, the second album wouldn't have featured Roll Over Beethoven, but Wear a Fast Gun, which was relocated to Wizzard Brew, and possibly Dear Elaine instead of Momma. Momma was originally written for ex-Move singer Carl Wayne for a third project from the ELO/Move/Wizzard stable that never saw the light of day.
Without Roll Over Beethoven, ELO wouldn't have broken through to get radio airplay. But it would have been an incredible album!
Pardon the pedantry but...
... they didn't send postcards to Harold Wilson. Tony Secunda had postcards made depicting a cartoon Harold Wilson in bed with his secretary. Wilson sued and all royalties from 'Flowers In The Rain' went to various charities of Wilson's choice.
That must have cost Woody a packet over the years.
Story here
http://www.ftmusic.com/move/flowers/sleevenotes.html
The Sabs and Brum
Black Sabbath ARE honoured in Birmingham with the Iron Man statue. The trouble is, it is not commonly known that's the reason for this very odd work of art:
2 bits of Brumminess
For the last 3 years or so, I've worked a few days a week in Birmingham. It's a fine place.
The retirement party for one of the team was held at a pub called The King's Head, on the Hagley Road. One of my colleagues told me that she had seen The Move play there in nineteen-sixty-mumble, and was delighted that I was impressed. I bought a Move "Best Of" last year and it's a cracker.
Another of my colleagues (much younger) was at school with Roy Wood's daughter. Her name ... Holly! He would sometimes go round there after school and Roy would be pottering around in his slippers, with his beard in pleats - "yowrite son? kipper tie?"
Wood encounters
Some time in the early nineties I was in the Pavillions shopping centre in Brum, the one with the food court at the top (or is that the Pallasades? I can never remember).
Anyway, Roy Wood walks past, in full Wizzard makeup, with a young woman who I guess was his daughter. Straight up to the baked potato counter. "Two Jacket potatoes with chilli please, extra chilli on mine."
The thing is, everyone in Brum has a story like this. Woody is, despite his eccentric dress, one of the people, and we love him for that. He's moved up to Derbyshire but I still see him around from time to time.
See also: Robert Plant. Regular bloke. Loves music and football.
Seconded
Robert Plant is, officially, the nicest bloke in rock.
also
He should write about music because his enthusiasm & knowledge is second to none.
But
Isn't he from West Bromwich ? He supports the Wolves as well.
Mave
I know this might've been covered elsewhere, but wasn't Roy married to Ayesha (I think that's the spelling) from Lift Off? Are they still married?
not sure they were ever married
They did have a relationship, and Roy did produce a single for her.
No, she was married to the producer Chris Brough
but Roy worked with her in the early 1970's. I have a vague memory they did an album together but it was a long time ago.
It'll all be there on the Interweb :-)
He was married to
Annie Haslam of Renaissance and they did an album together.
Contract rider
Someone who promoted a Roy Wood gig told me about a couple if items on the rider that *cough* were either illegal or immoral or both. But someone from the management sorted them out before you could shake a leg (over).
i doubt it
I had no idea jacket potatoes with chilli were illegal.
He doesn't have a manager at the moment.
Blackberry Way
I've been meaning to post this for a long time...
Here is the real Blackberry Way - actually called Blackberry Lane:
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=blackberry...
On the map you can see Butler's Lane station ("Run for the train...") and nearby Bracebridge Pool ("Boats on the Lake..."):
You can also see Sutton Coldfield TV transmitter, as mentioned in The Move's No Time.
Nearby is Rosemary Hill Road, where Roy lived during the late part of the Move's career.
Roy Wood
It's probably a bit too much inconsistency that has led to Wood's status being dropped a couple of notches, but let's face it, plenty of other, more apparently adored, artists have suffered from that.
Truly great when on form, whatever the incarnation, The Move, Wizzard, solo etc and VASTLY underrated in general.
Black berry Way is a true claim to genius and musical immortality and plenty of the other stuff comes close.
Catch him if you can
Roy Wood performing live is a delight.
He looks like Roy Wood, he sounds like Roy Wood and he plays the hits.
A simple recipe that other performers could learn from.
Last time I saw him his band were predominately young and female.
What's not to like ?
I'd rather have The Move anyday
rather than Alan Price, Lindisfarne and Jimmy f*****g Nail from my neck of the woods. The Move are genius.
EDIT.. Oh and bleeding "Sting"
Anyone Remember...
The Steve Gibbons Band?? Saw them as a support to someone mid seventies, can,t remember who, and they were excellent ... and Brummies, i think!
Saw them at The Apollo in Glasgow
They were pretty good - and yes, Brummies.
I'm just waiting for Steve Turner to pop up - I know he's a fan!
Trevor Burton
Was also in the Steve Gibbons band. They both can be seen playing around Brum regularly.
No spitting on the bus
A mate of mine promotes his gigs in Brum, Kidderminster and all points W. Midlands. I saw the SG Band playing in Ludlow a while back. They play a version of Dylan's Simple Twist of Fate.
Bugger. Forgot to mention them
and I saw them back at Hatfield Poly in the early 80s. Brilliant. Got their Best Of a year or two back, ahhh Head On Tullane, ohh Head On.....
Steve Gibbons
Saw them at Bradford Uni back in the 70's around the time of Tulane. Absolutely shit hot. Went out on the following Monday and bought the album as remember being somewhat disappointed as, with a few exceptions, it really did sound pretty tame compared with the live performance.
Also saw him a few years ago at the Nantwich Jazz festival - excellent, with a great band around him.
And another name into the ring.....Stan Webb. Worked with Christine McVie etc in Chicken Shack. A Kidderminster boy really but still counts as a "Greater Brummie" in my eyes. After all, there are gazillions of bands from "London" who live a lot further apart than Stan/Percy etc are from the middle of Brum. Should be more of a West Midlands thing then really.
Gerroff 'em
Kidderminster is Worcestershire - nothing to do with Birmingham at all :-)
Point of fact....
....they are very different places. I grew up on the outskirts of Brum near Walsall. My brother-in-law grew up outside Stourbridge, probably about 10 miles away. Lovely guy, but I couldn't understand a word he said for at least 4 or 5 years. And I'm very tolerant of accents, have never, ever had a problem with Geordie, Glaswegian, Belfast or Norwegian and so on (before I met my brother-in-law). I even acted as interpreter for a glaswegian and a wearsider once. Not sure what changed, probably just learned 'yam yam' (see http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=yam+yam)
It's often difficult to explain the accent transitions in the UK to Americans and Aussies - seems like in 10 or 20 miles you might get a new dialect, let alone a distinct accent.
Great singles band, the Move
Just listen to this
magnificent
The signature Roy Wood heavy riff makes its first appearance. One of my favourite singles by (as you can probably tell by now) one of my favourite bands. Let's hear it for the late great Carl Wayne, too, he was a great singer.
The heaviest Wood riff is either Turkish Tram Conductor Blues or Meet Me at the Jailhouse. Cheap Trick learned a thing or two from him.
they covered a Move tune, didn't they ?
*scuttles off to youtube*
*returns victorious*
ace
The also covered Brontosaurus on a Steve Albini-produced single. The California Man cover has bits of Brontosaurus and Turkish Tram Conductor Blues in it. Clearly, they are huge fans. They could have called themselves The Move, they are certainly the natural successors.
Blackberry Way and
"I'll be over tonight" - boom-tish! Bloody marvellous!
Agreed, Tonight
The sound on that
was bloody fantastic. Feel like I have a new pair of ears.
National treasures never disappear, thanks to this site.
Great clip
Here are my two things i know about Carl Wayne.
1)He sang the theme to "New Faces"
2) He was in Crossroads and married Diane Parker (The character's name) in real life.
The Move?
Bestest singles band by a country mile in the late 60s. Brontosaurus would not have been out of place in any of the early LedZep albums.. except LZ3 perhumps....
Ruby Turner is from Birmingham
Used to go and see her and her band at the Selly Park Tavern (early 80s), and a fine outfit they were too.
Also used to go and see Ricky Cool's band Station Break at the Railway Hotel (also Selly Oak) - a great Western Swing band.
Jeff Lyne doesn't float everybody's boat, but I loved the early Idle Race albums (Kenny Everett used to play them a lot) - great tracks like 'Skeleton on a Roundabout', 'Follow Me Follow' and the lugubrious 'Birthday'.
Birmingham also boasted a fine band called Reno, who were resident at the Barrel Organ. Guitarist Pete Brazil wrote 'The Lone Ranger', which I believe Poco recorded, I think he lives in Spain now. Often wonder what became of the other players in this band.
In the late 80s/Early 90s, there was a fantastic Country Rock/Americana venue at the Breedon Bar in Stirchley - saw Rodney Crowell & his band there one fantastic night including Hank De Vito on steel and the wonderful Steuart Smith on guitar.
As a current Brummie
Kings Heath/Moseley is home to the fabulous Hare and Hounds for great live acts, and two current but very different bands. The mighty electroretro Broadcast, and schoolgirl sensations of a year back Poppy and the Jezebels (not sure if they are still going, maybe doing a-levels instead).
I think these lot are from Birmingham........
Orrroight mayyyt. (2)
No summary of Midlands rock would be complete without a nod to the genius of that ace investigative reporter from Redditch, Kevin Turvey.
The Man Behind the Green Door remains a classic 80s comedy.
Here, Kevin and band (inc Robbie C and Ade E) play his favourite Petula Clark song
My faves
Dexy's
The Beat
UB40 ( Great first Album)
Steel Pulse
The Au Pairs
Spizzenergi
Yes!
Roy Wood & The Move are criminally underrated and 'Fire Brigade' is one of the greatest singles ever. The reissued albums are well worth a punt, by the way, as are the reissued solo Wood albums.
I love The Move
And great shout for 'Fire Brigade'. Couldn't see this posted above, apologies if I missed it...
Roy Wood and Robert Plant
have both been spotted mingling with the crowd at Fairports Cropredy festival as they ae both mates of the mighty Dave Pegg, another proud Brummie from Acocks Green. Cropredy often seems to feature prominent Brummies because of this link See Steve Winwood last year and Steve Gibbons on numerous occasions (both Gibbons and Peggy are in The Dylan Project also).
Ocean Colour Scene are another band who all hail from Birmingham (Moseley I believe)
One of the more bizarre sights I've seen in my time...
was Roy Wood performing I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday in a Santa Claus outfit at Cropredy in mid-August.
Joe Boyd Seal of Approval
I read Joe Boyd's memoirs a few years ago; I think it's called White Bicycles. He seemed to have a knack of being there or thereabouts at near enough the right time. There's a nice story late on about how he turned down the chance to sign the young Benny & Bjorn to his publishing company
Anyway, there's a period in the sixties when he was the London rep for a US record company. He said his regular routine when American colleagues came over mid-week was to take them to some restaurant he'd discovered, and then on to the Marquee where The Move had a one-night-a-week residency. Boyd reckoned they were the best live band in the country at that time and says that all his US guests were gobsmacked by them in terms of material, performance, showmanship. Boyd puts the blame entirely on the band's management for not having either the vision or the know-how to break them big in the US
What About Daniel Boone ?
Did we ever find out what happened to him ?
www.wordmagazine.co.uk/content/daniel-boone
I have a lead
I know his cousin. I'll ask...
Wizzard Brew
I just bought this on iTunes after all the discussion on this thread.
It's amazing - parts of it sound like a jazz album, others like the singles are pure pop.
I love it when I find these long lost gems - the only reason I didn't buy it at the time was I was broke!!
Now for "Boulders"
I had no idea Roy Wood and The Move were so revered.
Brew
An amazing album - glad you like it. It's very lo-fi.
Probably wrong but...
I once heard the original idea behind ELO was that they would take Sgt. Pepper on the road and perform it live.
Not many ladies mentioned,
so let me redress that a bit. How could I forget Joan Armatrading, great Hockley lass that she is. Or was. Not sure where she hails from these days.
Better late than never
but have been away.
Stephen tin tin Duffy is a proud Brummie as well as being a musical genius. Sadly he is a Villa fan which is probably why he did an album with Nigel Kennedy.
Denny Laine is also a Brummie - my mum used to have a cup of tea with his mum and apparently she had the Wings gold discs on the wall.
Can't believe no-one has mentioned Funky Moped by the king of Brummies Jasper Carrott.
Toyah Wilcox I am pretty sure is a Brummie and slightly off track Julie Walters.
Fabulous place despite the bad press and the people are some of the best in the country.
Forgot to mention
Steve Gibbons puts on a fabulous live show if you ever get the chance. Someone mentioned his Dylan covers - he did some great covers as the Dylan Project with members of Fairport Convention.
Birmingham connurbation
Peter B is right - greater West Midlands is more apt. Most of the people working in Kidderminster are Brummikes anyway. On that basis we can also claim Julian Cope as Tamworth is most definitely a Birmingham overspill town. Christine McVie is a Brummie as well as Stan Webb methinks.
And some more
Nick Mason out of Pink Floyd
Carl Palmer
and not forgetting Joan Armatrading.