Category: Rock

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Wilson Pickett

Wilson Pickett’s voice epitomised soul. A voice honed in travelling gospel groups; a voice that would cultivate what became known as the Scream.

Wilson was born in rural Alabama, in March of 1941. He was the fourth of eleven children whose future was totally dependant upon the crop, cotton.

In 1955, Wilson Pickett moved to Detroit where he lived with his father. It was there that he met the group, The Falcons, which contained Eddie Floyd among its members. Eddie was to write and record “Knock On Wood”, in 1966, the same song that Amii Stewart was to take to the top of the charts, in 1979, at the height of the disco era.

The Falcons modelled itself upon Hank Ballard and The Midnighters. Hank Ballard was to pen and record “The Twist”, in 1959, which, in 1960, Chubby Checker covered, and, in doing so, launched an international dance sensation.

“You’re So Fine” and “I Found A Love” were hits for The Falcons but Wilson was already aiming to become a solo artist. This aim, he thought, would come to fruition when he was signed to Atlantic Records, however, things did not work out, and it was not until 1965 when he moved to Memphis, to record in the Stax studio, that his goal began to take shape. “In The Midnight Hour” and “634-5789 (Soulsville, U.S.A.)” were among the tracks recorded there.

That following year, Wilson began recording in the famed Muscle Shoals studios, in Alabama. “Land Of 1000 Dances” topped the soul charts and rose to No.6 on the pop charts.

http://youtu.be/Kk4Uwge4DzQ

Wilson Pickett became an inductee into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, in 1991. His career received another boost from the film, ‘The Commitments’, in which he was viewed as the personification of soul. The film and its subsequent soundtrack introduced a new generation to songs such as “Mustang Sally”.

http://youtu.be/My2apquxKKQ

Wilson died from cardiac arrest in January of 2006, at the age of sixty-four.

The names of more recordings by Wilson Pickett can be found in the suggested playlists. While there, you may like to peruse the list of my favourite recordings. I shall be adding to it from time to time.

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The Troggs

The Troggs became one of Britain’s most salient and distinctive bands of the mid-to-late 1960s. Unlike much of its material, the group did not write its initial hit, “Wild Thing”, which has been covered many times by artists as diverse as Jimi Hendrix, Tommy Roe, Jeff Beck, The Runaways, The Creatures, Sam Kinison, and Tone Loc. The song was written by New Yorker, Chip Taylor, a brother to actor, Jon Voight. The recording of “Wild Thing” by The Troggs, in 1966, made the song an instant classic.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwRrXjWgkaY

The group arose from near the town of Winchester — famous for its cathedral — in southern England, and from 1966 until 1968 consisted of leading vocalist and the band’s principal songwriter, Reg Presley; guitarist, Chris Britton; bassist, Peter Staples and drummer, Ronnie Bond. “With A Girl Like You”, written by Reg, was the quartet’s follow-up to “Wild Thing”, and went to No.1 in Britain, as well as a number of European countries.

Reg Presley’s ability to write songs at either end of the musical spectrum is made no more stark than when one listens to the overtly sexual, “I Can’t Control Myself”, followed by the reflective poignancy of “Love Is All Around”. The latter has been revived by the likes of R.E.M. and the Scottish group, Wet Wet Wet. Unlike so many other artists in the retrospective 1990s, Wet Wet Wet’s cover was highly meritorious and spent fifteen weeks atop the British charts. What a pity so many other revivalists of that musically best-forgotten decade did not follow suit!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ut5uC91FcbI

I have always thought that The Troggs’ “Little Girl” deserved to sell better than it did. Its controversial subject matter deals with having a child out of wedlock, and, in 1968, for this reason, was generally shunned by radio stations.

Reg Presley died in February of 2013, at the age of seventy-one.

The names of other tracks by The Troggs are available in the suggested playlists. A list of my favourite recordings can now be located in the suggested playlists.

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The Rascals

I once heard it said that the years from 1964 to 1969 mark the most varied and innovative period in the history of popular music. For those of us who remember that period with clarity, it is difficult not to concur. These years were so musically unique and the quality of the songs being written, and subsequently recorded, so high, that the six were littered with what were termed ‘One Hit Wonders’: artists who failed to write or find another song of a sufficient standard as to enter or impact upon charts that were so brimful of talent.

The soul group, known as The Rascals, was no such ‘one hit wonder’. Formed by singer and organist, Felix Cavaliere, the band’s remaining members were singer, Eddie Brigati, Canadian guitarist, Gene Cornish, and drummer, Dino Danelli; it became the first all-white group to be signed to Atlantic Records.

The quartet jammed and wrote songs in 1964 and 1965, and by 1966 those who attended some of the more notable clubs in and around New York City were marvelling at the group’s showmanship and sensational sound. The band had been forced to change its name to The Young Rascals, in order to avoid the prospect of litigation being launched by a similarly named preexisting group. Nevertheless, eventually, the four were permitted to drop the word ‘Young’ from their title.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LrCEEDyXYjE

The Rascals’ first hit of significance was “Good Lovin'”, in 1966, which had originally been released, one year earlier, by The Olympics. Five other such hits followed, the most prominent of which were “Groovin'”, “A Beautiful Morning” and “People Got To Be Free”.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sastKEBZhXY

Please, refer to the suggested playlists for the names of other tracks by The Young Rascals/The Rascals.

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Clarence Clemons

Born in Norfolk, Virginia, in January of 1942, Clarence Clemons appeared destined for a career in sport, as opposed to one in rock and roll. This changed, however, when he received severe concussion in a car accident, which was to sideline him for two years, away from his beloved professional football.

Clarence had been playing the saxophone since the age of nine. He firstly became a member of Norman Seldin and The Joyful Noise, and it was while playing in Norman’s group that he met Bruce Springsteen. From there it was only a matter of time before Clarence joined Bruce’s E Street Band.

In 1983, Clarence found himself with some spare time and decided to embark upon his first recording as a solo artist. The result was the release of the album, ‘Rescue’, credited to Clarence Clemons and The Red Bank Rockers. From this LP came the single, “A Woman’s Got The Power”. The opening track, “Jump Start My Heart”, instantly reminds me of “Nutbush City Limits”. The last two tracks are the pick, “Savin’ Up”, written by Bruce Springsteen, and a cover of “Resurrection Shuffle”, which had originally been a hit for the British outfit Ashton, Gardner and Dyke, in 1971.

Two years later came Clarence’s second album, ‘Hero’, known best for his duet with Jackson Browne, “You’re A Friend Of Mine”. In my opinion it is a superior album to ‘Rescue’. The only track I wouldn’t care to listen to again is “The Sun Ain’t Gonna Shine Anymore”, a cover of The Walker Brothers’ original from 1966. Some recordings are so good they just shouldn’t be revived!

Clarence passed away in June of 2011, at the age of sixty-nine. He had suffered a stroke a week before his death.

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Wanda Jackson

Every now and then I come upon an artist whom I believe deserved to achieve a greater degree of success than their recordings actually did. Wanda Jackson is one such artist.

Wanda was born an only child to a pair of battlers in Oklahoma, in October of 1937. In search of a better life the family moved to Los Angeles, in 1942, where Wanda learned to play the the guitar, as well as the piano. By 1949 the trio had returned to Oklahoma, where Wanda came to the attention of the legendary country vocalist, Hank Thompson.

By 1954 Wanda had been signed to a recording contract and in the following year, became a full-time performer. She toured the South with Elvis Presley, before he burst on to both the national and international stages. Elvis was one of the people who encouraged her to try her hand at recording rock and roll, nevertheless, the only real success she had was to be in Japan, where “Fujiyama Mama” became a major hit, in 1958.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGuPqPte52s

“Let’s Have A Party” — originally recorded by Elvis as “Party” and sung in his film, ‘Loving You’, in 1957 — revived her career, in 1960, when she had all but despaired of her future. Nonetheless, Wanda was to return to her roots, as a country artist, with such self-penned hits as “In The Middle Of A Heartache” and “Right Or Wrong”, in 1961.

The names of other recordings by Wanda Jackson are listed in the suggested playlists.

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The Small Faces

At the start of 1965 The Small Faces was a band of unknowns, however, by the middle of that year they had been signed to Decca Records. They loved smart clothes and rhythm and blues. Such people were known as Mods.

Jimmy Winston was replaced by keyboardist, Ian McLagan, by the year’s end and the quartet now consisted of leading singer Steve Marriott, guitarist Ronnie Lane, drummer Kenney Jones, and McLagan. Marriott and Lane gelled as songwriters and this coupled with the group’s indisputable ability to perform musically, soon had critics labelling them as London’s answer to The Beatles.

Before The Small Faces and Decca parted company, the group had achieved its first hit, the classic “All Or Nothing”. Led Zeppelin’s “Whole Lotta Love”, from 1969, is clearly based upon The Small Faces’ “You Need Loving”, recorded three years prior.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJzcF0v1eOE

Partaking in drugs, such as LSD, began to influence the quartet’s musical direction and the subject matter of its songs. Psychedelic recordings such as “Itchycoo Park”, “My Mind’s Eye” and “Here Comes The Nice” are examples of this. However, as if prove that its feet were still well and truly grounded, The Small Faces’ greatest triumph was still yet to come, in the form of “Tin Soldier”.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wcKZoFRpZCI

For the names of more tracks released by The Small Faces, please, refer to the suggested playlists.

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The Kinks

Unlike many groups at the forefront of the British Invasion, The Kinks enjoyed longevity. This can be put down to the undeniable talents of brothers, Ray and Dave Davies, who were born in London in the mid-1940s.

The pair, on vocals and guitar, was to be joined by bassist, Peter Quaife and drummer, Mick Avory. In August of 1964 the group was launched into the international spotlight when its initial hit, “You Really Got Me”, went to No.1 in Britain and entered the Top Ten in the United States. In fact, The Kinks’ first dozen singles to enter the British charts all reached the Top Twenty, with eleven of them peaking in the Top Ten; three of them at number one. All of this had been achieved in the space of just three years.

In 1970, two more recordings, “Lola” and “Apeman”, followed suit. However, a hiatus of almost a decade, from 1972, ensued and it seemed as if The Kinks’ knack of entering the charts had evaporated, when, suddenly, as if from out of the blue, the quartet resurfaced; most noticeably with the ditty, “Come Dancing”, in 1983.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ixqbc7X2NQY

Ray Davies’ ability to write songs on such an eclectic range of themes, such as the austerity in Britain at the time of “Dead End Street” or the world of transvestism, in “Lola”, ensured that the music of The Kinks contained the merit to survive and entertain future generations. “Waterloo Sunset”, is a personal favourite of mine.

For the names of other recordings by The Kinks, please, refer to the suggested playlist.

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Joe Cocker

John Robert Cocker was born in May of 1944, in Sheffield, England. He began his musical career under the name of Vance Arnold, however, by 1964 this had been changed again, to that of Joe Cocker.

Initially, Joe worked as a gas fitter but once he was signed to Decca Records he resigned from this job and embarked on a tour that featured the group, Manfred Mann. He joined the soul combination, Grease Band, but it was to be his own interpretation of The Beatles’ song, “With A Little Help From My Friends”, that even made the ‘Fab Four’ sit up and take notice.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEdV-zK8UOQ

The single went to N0.1 in Britain, towards the end of 1968, and entered the American charts, albeit in a minor capacity. Joe, with his distinctive bodily movements, was popularly received when he appeared at Woodstock, where he met Leon Russell.

Joe covered Leon’s “Delta Lady”, and the pair combined to lead a rock ‘n’ roll tour called ‘Mad Dogs and Englishmen’, across America, at an exhaustive pace. A cover of The Boxtops’ “The Letter”, afforded Joe his first entry to the American Top 10.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qd8B90ccfFU

Los Angeles became Joe Cocker’s place of residence in 1974 and, in the following year, he entered the American Top 10 for a second time with “You Are So Beautiful”, a song written by Billy Preston. Nevertheless, it was to be 1982 before Joe would experience what it was like to have a No.1 hit in the United States, when “Up Where We Belong”, the theme from the film, ‘An Officer And A Gentleman’ — and recorded in duet with Jennifer Warnes — allowed Joe to experience the euphoria associated with such an achievement. A feat, perhaps, made even more special in knowing that he had lived a life in which his personal problems had almost brought him as much notoriety as his recordings.

For the names of more recordings by Joe Cocker please refer to the suggested playlists.

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The Guess Who

The Guess Who evolved through a number of groups dating back to the early 1960s. Although it is best known internationally for its No.1 hit of 1970, “American Woman” — decades later revived so lacklustrely by Lenny Kravitz — it had actually tasted success on the charts in its native Canada as far back as 1965, when it had covered the British hit of 1960, by Johnny Kidd and The Pirates, “Shakin’ All Over”. Following this initial success, singer and keyboardist, Burton Cummings, was recruited to join the band which already contained the guitarist, singer and songwriter, Randy Bachman; who would eventually leave the group and, in 1972, form Bachman-Turner Overdrive.

A promised tour to England failed to materialise but The Guess Who was installed as the house band on the television show, “Let’s Go”, which showcased the pop music of the time. Also in its home city of Winnipeg, the group was hired to compose and record jingles for the sale of Coca-Cola. These jingles became a vehicle to the band recording its first album, “Wheatfield Soul”, in 1968, in New York. The poignant, “These Eyes”, was lifted off this album and gave the group the exposure to the American market it had so desperately been seeking.

Refer to the suggested playlists

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The Animals

The Animals was one of the more talented of the groups whose style and distinct sound spread globally during the middle part of the 1960s and quickly became dubbed the British Invasion.

The Animals in their early days
The Animals in their early days

The group formed in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, a seaport in the north-east of England, where they played in pubs and clubs.

Eric Burdon
Eric Burdon

Eric Burdon, on leading vocals, and organist, Alan Price, were the principal members within the group. Both continued to have success as recording artists following their respective departures from the band. Eric, by 1970, had teamed with the American group, War, to record the hit, “Spill The Wine”. By 1966, Alan had formed The Alan Price Set, with himself as its leading vocalist. Within two years it had had three hits enter the Top 10 on the British singles’ chart. After the disbandment of The Alan Price Set, Alan Price formed the duo, Fame and Price Together, with British singer and pianist, Georgie Fame, and in 1971 the pair had success with the single, “Rosetta”. Alan combined a solo singing career with acting, well into the 1970s. Eric Burdon’s autobiography, “I Used To Be An Animal But I’m All Right Now”, was published in 1986.

Some of the band’s recordings were early blues standards — “House Of The Rising Sun”, “Dimples” and “Boom Boom”; the latter two written and originally recorded by the legendary John Lee Hooker — to which the group was able to give totally different treatments.

Conclusion – Refer to the suggested playlists