DAVID'S ROCK SCRAPBOOK

British Rock Calendar 1974 - JUNE

June was a pretty good month.

We saw Savoy Brown, Manfred Mann's

Earth Band and Kiss on the same bill.

12 days later we saw Ten Years After,

King Crimson and Strawbs at the

Cow Palace. Slade cancelled.

Savoy Brown were going as "The

Boogie Bros." and had Miller Anderson and

Stan Webb backing Kim Simmonds.

A real super group! This was the 2nd

time we saw Manfred Mann. Kiss were

new to me and 3rd on the bill. The house

rocked that night. The Cow Palace shows

were some of my favorite bands, but

we had to sit too far back to get a

good look at the groups.

Past Months of British Rock Calendar

ALAN PRICE

My friends and I saw Alan Price

perform in 1974 at the Great American

Music Hall in San Francisco. He had a small

orchestra on the tiny stage and played

songs from the movie, "O Lucky Man", plus

other hits, including "The House of the Rising Sun".

We met him after the show and got his

autograph. I also got Colin Green's

autograph. He was the guitarist.

You can see my photos and read

our memoirs of that concert -

Brit Rock By The Bay

This is a nice overview of
Alan Price's career. It is from the book,
"Then, Now and Rare - British Beat"
Copyright by Omnibus Press 2002.

An early compilation album

of songs from "The Alan Price Set"

and solo work.

A nice review from 6/25/70.

A review of the music he did for the

movie. "O Lucky Man", 8/2/73

The film and soundtrack

were a success. This is

an article from CIRCUS

magazine 10/73

The next release was, "Between

Today and Yesterday" My personal

favorite and fine companion to

"O Lucky Man". This article is

from 6/6/74

He makes the cover of

Melody Maker on 6/22/74 and announces

plans for a stage musical based

on the album, "Between Today and

Yesterday". I don't believe

that ever happened.

The first album by

THE ANIMALS

A picture sleeve 45 from

my collection.

Two early publicity photos.

The photographer is unknown.

Published in "The End of Innocence"

The ANIMALS were part of

the 60s British Invasion, started by

Beatlemania. They were promoted

in magazines and tabloids that

were marketed to teen-age girls.

The concerts were often disrupted

by screaming fans who

would storm the stage.

The constant touring and pressure led

to Alan Price leaving the band

in 1965 and forming his own

band, The Alan Price Set.

Neither band ever achieved

the same excitement or success

but still recorded fine music.

A big hit for The Alan Price Set

was a cover version of

"I Put a Spell on You" by

Screamin' Jay Hawkins

Sceamin' Jay Hawkins

put on a wild performance and

was called "Screamin" for good reason.

He would start his show by

climbing out of a coffin.

Screamin' Jay Hawkins

I Put a Spell on You (Live Clip)

Alan teamed up with Georgie Fame

for a while and recorded an album.

Georgie Fame

Alan Price found his niche

in the music of Randy Newman.

He recorded many of his songs

and had major success with "Simon

Smith and the Amazing Dancing Bear".

This song led Lindsey Anderson

to ask Alan Price to do the

soundtrack for his movie,

"O Lucky Man".

This is an early American release

of his music with a review by

Chris Welch on the back.

"Savaloy Dip" was

an unreleased album. It was

released on 8 track tape and then

pulled. It was recorded shortly

before "O Lucky Man"

Alan Price also appears in the film.

"Metropolitan Man" followed

"Beteween Today and Yesterday".

A later album, 1976, with

great graphics by

Gerald Scarfe. He also

did the inside cover art

for Pink Floyd's, "The Wall".

Chas Chandler, The bassist for

The Animals, went on to manage and

produce both Jimi Hendrix,

and years later, Slade.

He died 7/17/96

Chas Chandler

Eric Burdon, singer for

THE ANIMALS, formed

the band, WAR. He also

recorded and toured

with his self-named

THE ERIC BURDON BAND.

Eric Burdon

Eric Burdon wrote his autobiography

in 1986. He gives his personal account of the

history of The Animals and leaves it up to others

to debate its accuracy.

It is published by Faber & Faber.

The original ANIMALS

reunited in 1977 and

recorded an album.

They reunited once more

in 1983 to record ARK.

British Rock Calendar 1974 - MAY

MAY was a slow month as far as concert going. The Kinks cancelled. We did see Robin Trower. This was the second time we saw him. This concert opened with Golden Earring. Their big hit at the time was "Radar Love". The top act was Sha-Na-Na. We left before they came on stage. We waited outside Winterland and met Robin Trower and James Dewar. They gave us their autographs and were very nice folks in person.

James Dewar's accent was so heavy,

we coudn't understand a word he said.
View past British Rock Calendar months

MOTT THE HOOPLE

My friends and I saw Mott the Hoople twice

at Winterland, SF. Once in 1973, and again in 1974. We met

the band after one show and got their autographs. The feathers

above Blue Weaver's autograph were scooped

off the stage by me. I think they were from

Overend Watts' costume. The band was very polite

and accessible. Ariel Bender asked the small crowd of

fans if anyone had a fag! I think he meant a cigarette.

Ian Hunter wore his shades even on the dark sidewalks

of San Francisco late at night. I tried to look through them

and see into his eyes, but only saw my own refelction.

You can see our photos and read our

memoirs of those concerts at -

BRIT ROCK BY THE BAY

I grabbed Buffin's broken

drum stick off the stage.

The book by

Willard Manus that

was the source for

their name. It was

published in 1966.

Mott's first albums received

mixed reviews. Mostly unfavorable.

The albums did not

sell well, either.

Mott shot to top of the charts
with the help of David Bowie.
The accounts of that event are
talked about in different interviews
and with different details.

This article came out a month

before we saw them the first time

and about the time Mick Ralphs

left the band.

This article from CIRCUS Magazine

came out on 10/73, one month

after we saw them. Mick Ralphs and Verden

Allen had both left the band.

This show was one day before

we saw them at Winterland.

Aerosmith played that show, too.

I wish I had seen this one!

Creative differences lead to
both Verden Allen and Mick Ralphs'
departure. Luther Grosvenor, (Ariel Bender),
replaced Ralphs. Blue Weaver from the
Strawbs and Amen Corner, replaced
Verden Allen. Ralphs had much success
with Bad Company. Allen's
career was not so successful.
Blue Weaver was soon replaced
by Morgan Fisher. The band
never achieved the same
level of success.

Like most things in life,

they reach a peak and decline.

Sometimes slowly, other times rather

fast. Mott's rise to the heights and descent

happened in 3 or 4 years.

Their imprint has lasted decades.

There were hopes of the band
reforming with new blood in the
form of Mick Ronson, ex Bowie
guitarist and Spider from Mars!
That did not happen and both
Hunter and Ronson pursued
solo careers.

Melody Maker 9/28/74

Mott's first album and inside cover art.

M. C. Escher posters became

popular with the baby boomer

generation in the 60s.

Mott's Second album, "Mad Shadows"

Their third album, although good,

had poor sales. Mick Ralphs wrote

more songs on this than Ian Hunter.

"Brain Capers" was recorded in only

five days and the sound was "muddy"

according to Mick Ralphs.

Still a good album.

Mott's breakthrough album. Mick Ralphs

wrote "Ready for Love" for this. He took it

with him and recorded it with Bad Company, too.

A great song.

MOTT was a major success

for the band.

This is my copy of Bad Company's

first single, which was a

big hit for them.

Their first album without

Mick Ralphs. Most of the songs

were by Ian Hunter.

The live album back cover
shows the marionettes
that hung on stage. They referred to
a song by Ian Hunter where he
sings, "Marionette, I
ain't one yet!" Always
the independent.