How my mid-1980s funk band was revived in 2019

Although I have kept playing over the years, I've not worked in a regular gigging band performing our own material for a long time. So one of the unexpected thrills of 2019 for me personally was the re-release of a single I recorded with a band back in the 1980s.

World Series were a jazz-funk band in the period 1982-84, when the so-called 'Britfunk' movement was in full swing. You may have seen us if you were going to gigs in London at that time.

We played at various music clubs such as Dingwalls in Camden, the Cricketers at the Oval, the Rock Garden in Covent Garden and the Production Village in Cricklewood. We also had regular weekly gig at the Bull & Gate pub in Kentish Town, where the photo below was taken. 

The line-up at this time was myself on drums and percussion, Keith Mawson on bass, Mike Frankel on guitar and vocals and Andy Park on keyboards. Pablo Cook joined as percussionist soon after our first recording session.

In 1983, Mike, Keith, Andy and I recorded three tracks at Woodcray Manor, a farmhouse studio in Berkshire. We chose two of the songs from our set, Head Over Heels and Try It Out, for a double A-side single, which was released by a small independent label, Baskerville Records.

Here are the songs:
Head Over Heels by World Series

Try It Out by World Series

Back then, the single was played on Robbie Vincent's soul show on Radio London and a few other local radio stations. We did a few promotional appearances with DJs such as Pete Tong. We continued to play live and drew increasing numbers to our gigs, but no major record companies came knocking.

World Series on stage in 1984

36 Years Later...

Fast forward to 2019 and Mike, now living in Greater Manchester, was contacted by French DJs Clémentine & Saint-James from Parisian label Chuwanaga. They said they had got hold of a copy of Head Over Heels/Try It Out and were interested in re-releasing them both.

At first we were sceptical, but Saint-James assured us he really liked the tracks and was producing a 1980s Britfunk revival festival and accompanying album. He would remaster our songs and release them as a stand-alone single.

Since Mike couldn't immediately lay his hands on the master tape, I sent my test pressing of the original 1983 single to Paris, in the hope that they could use this as the source for the remastering.

Mike's sleeve notes for the back cover of the re-release

Amazingly, through the wonders of 21st century recording technology, a few weeks later Mike and I received an email with a link to the cleaned-up and newly mixed songs. The results were remarkable given the source material. This was a massive thrill for Mike and I, having never imagined that our music would be revived in this way. But that was just the beginning.

Over the early summer months of 2019, Chuwanaga Records rolled out a pre-launch marketing campaign for World Series on social media.

"We're super excited to finally share with you our next release, an almost forgotten 7" by Britfunk band World Series, bringing together jazz-funk, AOR and a really funky vibe.
 
"Available very soon on July 1st: a perfect fit for summertime

The single was played at their DJ gigs and festivals during the summer. They posted a clip on Facebook of a beach party in the south of France, with everyone dancing to Try It Out. Unbelievable. Mike and I knew what we were doing at the time was good, but to have it appreciated like this so many years later was just surreal.

Clémentine and Saint-James went to London in June for the Britfunk revival festival. One Saturday night they appeared on the Gilles Peterson show on BBC Radio 6. Gilles devoted an hour of his show to Chuwanaga's Britfunk revival and during the show, they played Try It Out in full. That was a proud moment, our first play on national radio.

The single was launched in July and became immediately available on Spotify. My daughter works in advertising and one day she sent me a photo showing they were playing World Series over the sound system in her office.

It was just one bizarre thing after another...

Back in the day...

After these recordings in 1983, World Series continued to gig around London and build a strong and loyal following. Like a lot of bands, we were at our best in a live situation and our act was improved further with the addition of Pablo Cook on percussion. Later on that year, Andy left the band and we recruited Mark Ambler, an excellent jazz pianist and synth player, who had a brief time as a pop star with the Tom Robinson Band.

Although we continued to refine our live act, something of the original chemistry and camaraderie had been lost. World Series broke up in 1984 just after we recorded our next single. And that was it. 

You throw these things away without proper consideration when you're young, thinking you'll just move on to something else. But the reality is it's hard to recapture the momentum of a band that has worked at building a sound and an audience.

Of the other band members, I am still in contact with Mike and Pablo. Mike plays live in and around Manchester, working under the stage name Mickey Van Gelder, performing his own compositions, inspired by blues and jazz standards. He is also a lyricist and occasional singer with the French R&B/jazz group The Swinging Dice.

Pablo Cook went on to great things as a percussionist with artists such as Moby, Pulp and William Orbit. He was a member of Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros, worked with Lily Allen on her first recordings and most recently, he played at the farewell concert for Soft Cell at the O2 in London.

Thanks to the folks at Chuwanaga, the music of World Series lives on.  

2022 UPDATE: The World Series music continues its surreal afterlife. Here's French disco-funk band 'Echoes Of' rehearsing for a gig in Paris in March 2022 and playing Head Over Heels.

Try It Out / Head Over Heels by World Series are both available on Spotify.

If you'd like to buy the vinyl version, click on the link below. Enjoy!

https://chuwanaga.bandcamp.com/album/try-it-out-head-over-heels?fbclid=IwAR0FH8IF386eFKmUvJqejUMJtRiwysNcrb_OXTJD9JpOzyEv1YrEzx6sChY

 Also on this blog:

Music While You Work - A Lockdown Special

A Tribute To Jazz Giant Chick Corea 

An Appreciation of Joni Mitchell's classic 'The Hissing of Summer Lawns'

My Woodstock 50th Anniversary Festival Diary 

December 1969, Led Zeppelin promise not to go soft

As 1969 came to a close, Led Zeppelin were, after the success of their second album, the band everyone expected to become massive in the new decade. However, guitarist Jimmy Page caused concern amongst the group's fans by suggesting the band would be expanding their musical horizons on future albums.

In the article featured here, Melody Maker's Chris Welch said fans should have no fear - Zeppelin will not be going soft. Little did he know.

The interview is an interesting snap-shot of the time, with Zeppelin having sold over five million albums in 1969 and being considered for a Queen's Award for their export achievements.

In the interview with Welch at the Savoy Hotel in London, John Bonham talks about buying his three year-old son Jason a miniature drumkit and why the single version of Whole Lotta Love was withdrawn in the UK.

 

Jimmy Page assured Welch that although Zeppelin were exploring more acoustic songs, "we're still a heavy group" saying it would be wrong for them to change their sound completely.

Click on the image to enlarge it

Of course, the next album, 1970's Led Zeppelin III was indeed a departure from the heavy sound of the first two albums. The angry reaction of some fans was hard for the band to take.

The faintly exotic and more reflective material on Led Zeppelin III has stood the test of time very well. It was the jumping off point for the various musical explorations that peaked with Physical Graffiti.

Tracks from LZ III like 'Friends' and 'Gallows Pole' formed the core of the Page and Plant Unplugged release in the 1990s and those same tracks are still featured in Robert Plant’s solo concerts.

But many fans wanted another Led Zep II and by 1971 and the imminent release of Led Zeppelin IV, it was clear that the new folky direction had not gone down well with some of their fans.

At the time, many fans felt let down that Led Zep III didn’t contain another Whole Lotta Love or Heartbreaker. The new material to be released on Led Zeppelin IV, and being aired on BBC sessions in April 1971, suggested there would definitely be no return to the lemon-squeezing days of yore. A letter to the Melody Maker (below) in May 1971, under the headline ‘Don’t go soft Zeppelin!’ sums up the mood:

“Zep sound great on Whole Lotta Love and their many earlier songs, but please leave the gentle songs to people like The Strawbs, who have grown up with their music and can do it justice. It’s obvious from Zeppelin’s performance on the radio last week, that they just don’t make it without the volume.”

The BBC session to which J. Miller from Chester was referring contains this lovely coupling of Going To Cailfornia and That's The Way. Judge for yourself whether Led Zeppelin were out of their depth.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aEZ673WXk-U

Other letters in MM’s May 1971mail bag included a fan of King Crimson suggesting since their reformation (after the break up of the Court of the Crimson King band)  “there seems to be no hope for any other group”.  No other musicians could compare, apparently. Robert Fripp would probably have agreed. 

And Roger B Bartley of London E12 describes Stevie Wonder as an “abominable popcorn merchant”. Wow, so he’s just produced Music of My Mind and was about to release Talking Book,  Innervisions and Fullfillingness’ First Finale. Mr Bartley, you jest.

 

Also On This Blog: What is Led Zeppelin's best acoustic song?
https://bangnzdrum.blogspot.com/2021/07/what-is-led-zeppelins-best-acoustic-song.html

Expressions to avoid in a recording studio

When Steely Dan reformed in the 1990s, their website was an extension of Fagen and Becker's sardonic humour. This list appeared on their site, together with things like '36 Rules for Bands'. Anyone who has been in a band, or in a studio, should get a laugh or two out of this.

EXPRESSIONS TO AVOID
During A Recording Session

1.     Ready, Freddie (pronounced red-eye fred-eye) 

2.     Bingo, gringo 

3.     Uno, Bruno 

4.     The phones sound O.K. but I need more of myself 

5.     We won't need a click 

6.     I like what you're trying to do but not the way you're doing it 

7.     An excellent first attempt 

8.     Was that the sound you had on the demo? 
9.     Make the click louder 

10. That was a pretty good take for this time of night 

11. If you want the tempo any brighter than that, we better wait for a sunny day 
12. No dynamics? We're playing as loud as we can 

13. I think that's a pretty good sounding take for what were getting paid.. 
14. That was great, let's do it again 

15. Is that about as tight as you boys want to get it? 

16. Is it possible the click is speeding up? 

17. I'm at the point where I'm making dumb mistakes - before I was making much smarter mistakes 

18. So many drummers, so little time 

19. Why don't we do the double first and the lead will be easier to get once we've got the double 

20. I never had this problem when I was being produced by Lenny and Russ 

21. We got some things, we need some things 

22. Fabulous 

23. Punch in at the section 

24. You can't make ice cream out of shit 

25. You can't polish a turd 

26. Just let your spirit soar 

27. My spirit's already sore from the last thirty takes... 

28. Close 

29. Less is more 

30. Less is Paul 

31. Less is Brown 

32. Less is less 

33. That's the way I've been playing it all along 

34. I just wish I could get a whole band that sounds as good as I do 

35. This will be a great opportunity for me to show off my chop 

36. Let's hear the bass, if you can call it that 

37. Does your amp have an underdrive channel? 

38. You can erase that one, I remember exactly what I played 

39. We'll catch that in the mix 

40. You guys can fix that in Soundtools, right?

41. I brought my kid along, he's never been in a recording studio before 

42. My girlfriend sings great background vocals

43. I know a great drummer 

44. You guys want to try some heroin? 

45. Your girlfriend's been in the bathroom a long time 

46. Please, man, stay away from my faxes, okay?

47. I'm not going to be any more dishonest with you than I am with Donald 

48. I'd like a little more of a live feeling on this tune. 

49. I also play eleven other instruments 

50. Sorry I'm late, I just got through with my blood test (or CAT scan) 

51. That vocal's not a keeper is it? 

52. That's how I wrote it but that's not how I like to play it 

53. I can't think of any improvements that won't make it worse 

54. That ground loop is a trademark thing for me 

55. That's the new old comp from today - I want to hear the new old comp from last Tuesday 

56. That reverb would sound a lot better if it were coming out of a piece of MY GEAR

57. How bout we get rid of these 3M machines and get ourselves a frozen yogurt machine 

58. Skunk called, he's on his way down 

59. The frozen yogurt machine is broken 

60. When was the last time we worked together? Tonight.

Jimi Hendrix and some Christmas gift suggestions

HO HO HO!!! HERE'S MY GROOVY NEW LP, JUST IN TIME FOR CHRISTMAS.

Yes, it's December 1967 and Jimi's playing Santa Claus, bringing you seasonal joy with his new waxing Axis: Bold As Love.

The second of his three classic studio albums, 'Axis' combines some of Jimi's most psychedelic guitar experiments with his most sensitive songwriting. Tracks like Little Wing (truly one of his greatest songs) and Castles Made of Sand showed Jimi was so much more than the wild man of Borneo he was portrayed as by the media back then.

The recording was done mostly in London at Olympic Studios. Despite the ground-breaking guitar effects and stereo panning featured on tracks such as If 6 Was 9 and Bold As Love, the album could potentially have sounded even better if Jimi had not left a master tape of side one in a London taxi. The lost tape had to be remastered in one overnight session and Jimi always felt the rushed nature of it compromised the record. But to these ears it still sounds amazing, especially considering the limitations of using 4 track recorders.

Fast forward to December 1969 and Phillips/Fontana were trying to convince us to buy these goodies right away, because if we waited until Christmas eve they'd be sold out. Now let's be honest, Santa would not have been delivering many copies of any of these records. Scott 4 is beloved of wise-after-the-event hipsters, but it was his worst selling of the four 'Scott' albums.

The 'David Bowie' album, renamed Space Oddity in 1972 after his second coming with Ziggy Stardust, was another flop in 1969.

And Flaming Youth are only remembered now because their drummer was Phil Collins - that's him at the bottom of the diamond on the cover.

Of the four featured albums, Greek diva Nana Mouskouri was probably the best seller at the time; popular with the mums and dads, don't you know.

And of the others, well Blue Mink were having hits and Melting Pot is one of their best, so that would have probably been the best seller of the lot.

Elsewhere in this pre-Christmas 1969 edition of UK music paper Melody Maker, CBS would have had a bit more luck promoting the new album from Janis Joplin, I Got Dem Ol' Kozmic Blues Again Mama!

With a new more soulful sound, a shift away from the psychedelic rock of Big Brother & The Holding Company, Janis was ready to rip up the joint as she did at Woodstock that summer. The new album should have done better sales-wise but a lot of fans were put off by the change of direction. Judged on its own merits, the record has some strong songs, including Try (Just A Little Bit Harder) and To Love Somebody. Check out those links, seriously. It's probably my favourite of her albums.

Island Records were also advertising in this edition of Melody Maker in December 1969. One or two of these albums, notably Fairport's Liege & Leif, Jethro Tull's Stand Up and In The Court of the Crimson King, had already been on the charts. Others, such as Quintessence, Mott and poor old Nick Drake would see little Yuletide activity.

Roxy Music - Ferry and Eno still vying for our attention

Bryan Ferry and Eno in 1972

As I head back to my second home, Hong Kong, for another of my quarterly visits, I recall that a few years ago I spotted a strange coincidence along one of the main roads in the central city.

Far removed from the leopardskin and bacofoil beginnings of Roxy Music in 1972, Bryan Ferry and Brian Eno were now advertising luxury brands. It seems their rivalry stretches down the years in mysterious ways.

Viewed from a passing taxi in the Central district of Hong Kong, there, on giant billboards were the two Roxy rivals vying for our attention as they have done ever since Roxy's breakthrough.

Bryan Ferry is a fan of the Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong

Across the road from the hotel itself, Ferry is shown as a 'fan' of the Mandarin Oriental.

A matter of yards further along, Eno is seen beseeching us to consume Dunhill's wares.

In 1972, Roxy were a publicist's dream, with their exotic costumes, slicked-back hair and distinctive musical hybrid.

They played up to that other-worldliness to the extent I can vividly recall a Radio 1 'Newsbeat' report that the band's synth wizard Eno was actually from Mars.

And a few yards along the road, Brian Eno endorses Dunhill

Although by his own admission he was only semi-literate in a musical sense, Eno's flamboyant costumes were the focal point for the band. Look at any photo of them in their early days and Eno is at the forefront. The picture here of them on stage in 1972 shows how the audience's attention was drawn towards Eno.

It worked to their advantage when they were trying to establish themselves, but ultimately, it threatened to steal the spotlight away from Ferry, the band's undeniable leader since he wrote and sang all the songs.

In retrospect, given their phenomenal output, Eno's departure from Roxy was inevitable. It is arguable which of them has had the more lasting influence, and frankly it doesn't matter, they have both produced great work over a long and, certainly in Eno's case, varied career. Roxy Music couldn't hope to contain two such big musical egos, and over the years we have been fortunate to hear what each of them, unfettered by the other, has been able to produce.

In spite of his musical limitations, Eno must have added something to the Roxy sound, because those first two albums on which he appears have a distinctive vibe. And he proved his worth in his subsequent solo career, right from the off with his first album Here Come The Warm Jets and the hit single Seven Deadly Fins.

His early ambient records, the Berlin albums with David Bowie, the collaborations with Robert Fripp, David Byrne, Daniel Lanois and others are all major landmarks in recorded music.

Ferry has the edge in terms of being a traditional songwriter and live performer, as well as being the pioneer of a distinctive style with Roxy that was quite unique. He still tours and although I haven't seen him live since 2005, at that time he delivered a surprisingly rocking show, driven on by the ever-dependable Paul Thompson on drums (announced by Ferry in time-honoured fashion as 'the Great Paul Thompson') with a twin guitar line-up of Chris Spedding and Mick Green.

Lucy Wilkins on violin playing the Eddie Jobson solo from Out Of The Blue note for note. It was a fantastic gig, but the most remarkable thing about it was that Mick Green, the veteran guitarist from The Pirates, having just played a blistering solo, collapsed, just fell over, like a tall tree, guitar still strapped to him.

Everyone’s looking at Eno

At first we thought it must be a joke, but after a few moments, road crew appeared and a couple of doctors from the audience ran down to the front. Green had suffered a heart attack, from which he recovered (he died a couple of years later). Green was dragged off-stage and Ferry gave the scene a quick glance, but the show carried on without missing a beat. No mention was made of it. On with the show, eh?

So cast your mind back to that wonderful period in 1972 when Glam was the new sensation and Roxy appeared on Top Of The Pops. One of the most exciting TV music moments ever.

Virginia Plain - Top Of The Pops, 1972
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gJIH6cOMPs

Re-Make Re-Model - Royal College of Art, 1972
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWhzG9cQGgc

Ladytron - Old Grey Whistle Test, 1972
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44VEfWgbLSE&list=PL6C0142F66F552D65

Do The Strand - OGWT, 1972
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0YzB70L5g-4

Editions of You - Montreux, 1973
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgHv9NCgyy0&list=PL6C0142F66F552D65

March 1978 - The Rutles Are Coming!

A postcard dropped on the doormat in March 1978, sent from the press office at Warner Brothers (WEA actually) where a mate of mine worked in the post room (my record collection has much to thank him for, but that's another story).

The postcard was heralding the television premiere on Easter Monday of All You Need Is Cash, the story of legendary British beat group The Rutles.

Note the postmark advert for Elvis Costello's second album

The Prefab Four, as they were known, were the brainchild of Monty Python's Eric Idle, with songs (not entirely) originally composed by Neil Innes of the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band, who had collaborated on music for the Monty Python movies. His contribution to Holy Grail, for example, included the famous Tale of Sir Robin.

The Rutles' career arc was oddly familiar - from early days in Northwest England, to worldwide fame - Rutlemania! - the expansion of their musical horizon after consumption of exotic teas - and the embracing of eastern religion.

The TV special, shown at Easter time on BBC2 and on American TV the same week, included 
appearances by George Harrison, Mick and Bianca Jagger, Paul Simon, Dan Aykroyd, John Belushi, Bill Murray and Gilda Radner. 

The Saturday Night Live actors had become fans of the Rutles when Idle and Innes appeared on SNL in 1977, playing early versions of the songs that were originally created for Idle’s comedy sketch show Rutland Weekend Television.

For All You Need Is Cash, The Rutles characters, apart from Idle, were played by real-life musicians. 

Innes played singer and guitarist Ron Nasty, Idle was singer and bass player Dirk McQuickly.  

Ricky Fataar (a drummer in real life with the Beach Boys, among others) played guitarist Stig O'Hara. 

John Halsey (drummer in the band Patto, whose sessions include Lou Reed's Transformer album) played drummer Barrington Womble, otherwise known as Barry Wom.

Guitarist Ollie Halsall, also from the band Patto, who was one of the studio musicians on the Rutles recording sessions, appears in the Rutles film as Leppo, the fifth Rutle "a friend of Nasty's from art college, who mainly used to stand at the back".

The Pre-Fab Four became the most popular group in the whole world, loved for their cheeky banter as much as for their music.

 Here's the original trailer for The Rutles: All You Need Is Cash

Of course, The Rutles were a very closely observed pastiche of The Beatles. All You Need Is Cash is narrated by an earnest Alan Whicker-type documentary presenter and highlights the key moments of their career in the 1960s, familiar to anyone with a reasonable knowledge of The Fabs and with helpful commentary from Jagger and others:

Jagger: Why did the Rutles break up? Women. Just women. Getting in the way. Cherchez la femme, you know.
Narrator: Do you think they'll ever get back together again?
Jagger: I hope not.

The show features some wicked caricatures of Rutle associates, such as Gwen Taylor in a Nazi costume playing the Yoko-like Chastity.

While the Rutles film now looks rather quaint and of its time, the music composed by Neil Innes still has universal appeal, because it is so fiendishly close to the source material. 

The Rutles - Ouch!
The Rutles - With A Girl Like You
The Rutles - Get Up And Go

Too close for some: While George Harrison was happy to provide some funding for the project and to appear in the film, Paul and John didn't see the funny side of having their music facsimiled in this way.

The initial reaction to All You Need Is Cash from UK audiences was appreciative without being ecstatic. The Prefab Four's legend grew, though, with repeat TV showings. Perhaps it was a case, as had happened with The Beatles, that people needed to be told that this was actually a spoof.

And so, in May 1978, I received another postcard from WEA. The BBC were giving The Rutles another go, with a showing on BBC 1 at 10:15pm on May 27th.

The postcard featured the covers of various Rutles albums, With The Rutles, Tragical History Tour, Sgt. Rutters Only Darts Club Band and Let It Rot.

On the back of the postcard was a sample of "genuine Rutle trouser fabric", authenticated by the former Rutles manager, Leggy Mountbatten, now living in Australia.

Genuine Rutle trouser fabric

Archie Macaw, Record Producer: Well, one day this rather odd chap hopped into the office. He'd been to see virtually everyone in the business and been shown the door. He asked to see MY door, but I wouldn't show it to him. Instead, he showed me the photographs and tapes of the Rutles. They were pretty rough, but they had something.

Narrator: What was it?

Macaw: I think it was the trousers.

 
Following the release of The Rutles album in the 1978, ATV Music, the then-owner of the Beatles publishing rights, sued Innes for copyright infringement. Innes was always on a sticky wicket legally because The Rutles were unmistakeably a Beatles pastiche, however affectionate.

Lennon and McCartney both felt that, at least with some of the songs such as Get Up And Go, that Innes had sailed too close to the originals. He was forced to settle out of court for 50% of the royalties on the 14 songs included on the Rutles album.

In 2019 Neil Innes was still playing The Rutles' music live, but sadly he died suddenly on 30th December. He is being fondly remembered on social media for his work with The Bonzos on TV shows like Do Not Adjust Your Set and Rutland Weekend Television - even The Old Grey Whistle Test.  
Proof that his legend will live long after other living legends have died.

Neil Innes talks about Rutland Weekend Television and the genesis of The Rutles
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hxxyG9jJhm0

Ron Nasty and Barry Wom with The Rutles live in London, 2013
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EoOwx3j4b_I

See also on this site:

The Beatles escape the madness of the road to create Revolver

Sgt. Pepper Is The Beatles - Who Knew?

At Home With The Lennons, 1967

A Night With John Lennon - The Fab Faux at Radio City Music Hall