Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Chapman Whitney - Streetwalkers




Here we go again another vinyl rip from an album I dont remember aquiring. This time its an album by Roger Chapman and Charlie Whitney entitled Streetwalkers and released in '74 on the reprise lable



the band, put out three consistent albums of funky booze rock in the mid to late '70s, but the origin of the band was not a mediocre affair. Roger Chapman and Charlie Whitney led their previous outfit, Family, through eight LPs of limited success, breaking up the band in late 1973. But their partnership continued and months later they set out to record a one-off album as a duo. A number colleagues contributed to the project, including alumni of Family (John Wetton, Ric Grech, Poli Palmer, Jim Cregan) and King Crimson (Wetton, Mike Giles, Boz Burrell, Ian Wallace, Mel Collins). The resulting LP, Chapman Whitney Streetwalkers, was released in May, 1974. The mixture of rockers and ballads was not Family; yet there was added depth to the music, stemming from the evolved songwriting and from the involvement of so many musicians. "Roxianna" and "Showbiz Joe" were part New Orleans jazz, continuing the Americana feel of Family's last album. "Systematic Stealth," a lovely textured ballad, and the slunky "Creature Feature" demonstrate the range of Roger Chapman's unusual voice, from gravelly crooning to just plain gravel. The album's most stunning moments, "Parisienne High Heels" and "Hangman," are brooding and hair-raising in their energy and dark themes. Chapman and Whitney kept drummer Ian Wallace and horn player Mel Collins to form a touring group, adding bassist Phil Chen and guitarist Bob Tench. Only Tench would stay for the full-fledged Streetwalkers band, which embraced funk and hard rock in a less subtle way than this first venture. Whitney's biting lap steel guitar would become a signature sound of the Streetwalkers, but the songwriting never matched what was accomplished on this album. ~ Patrick Little, All Music Guide


Tracks
1. Parisienne High Heels

2. Roxianna

3. Systematic Stealth

4. Call Ya

5. Creature Feature

6. Sue And Betty Jean

7. Showbiz Joe

8. Just Four Men

9. Tokyo Rose

10. Hangman



The Band
Charlie Whitney - Guitars and Steel Guitars

Roger Chapman - Lead Vocals And Percussion
Tim Hinkley, Max Middleton - Keyboards

John Wetton, Ric Grech - Bass Guitar

Neil Hubbard - Guitar

Ian Wallace, Mike Giles - Drums

Godfrey McLean - Congas

Poli Palmer - Electric Vibes

Backing Vocals -
John Wetton, Linda Lewis, Jim Cregan,Tim Hinkley, Boz



Mel Collins - Brass, Woodwind and arrangement on track 7

Link http://www.mediafire.com/?jczywnywjjh

Friday, September 18, 2009

Gordon Giltrap - Fear of the Dark Vinyl Rip




This is a very nice little, almost entirely instrumental, guitar dominated album. Giltrap is a very good guitarist and he plays primarily acoustic, but also some electric, guitars. Other instruments like drums, bass, piano, keyboards and violin complement the sound as well as female vocals on one track. The album is very well crafted and the pieces are perfectly recorded and produced. Giltrap's guitar style is mostly a bit gentler than those of Steve Howe and Steve Hackett, for example. Perhaps Mike Oldfield is a good reference point, in his acoustic and most technical moments.
The music is mostly quite inoffensive but never dull. Titles like Melancholy Lullaby and Inner Dream describe the music quite well even if some parts are not very melancholic at all. The moods and feelings shift and the feel of the music often remind me of Anthony Phillips' albums. It is somehow innocent and fragile.
The title track is the hardest rocking number and perhaps also the most progressive piece on this album. However, this is not music that will take the Prog fan by storm. But I'm sure that many Prog fans can find some enjoyment in it.
Reviewd by Fritz-Anton
See his other reviews here
Tracks
1. Roots (Part 1 & 2)
2. Nightrider
3. Inner Dream
4. Weary Eyes
5. Fast Approaching
6. Melancholy Lullaby
7. Fear Of The Dark
8. Visitation

FM The Original Soundtrack

New links

Part 1 http://www.megaupload.com/?d=9U80AT5R

Part 2 http://www.megaupload.com/?d=PEJ1SZXO

Babe Ruth - Amar Caballero Vinyl Rip




Babe Ruth are a rock music group, primarily active through the 1970s, from Hatfield, Hertfordshire, England. Their characteristically 'heavy' sound is marked by powerful vocals from Janita Haan and full arrangements by Alan Shacklock. They are acknowledged as having more commercial success in North America than in their home country.
When the group was first formed in 1971, they were called Shacklock after their guitarist Alan Shacklock. Members included Janita Haan and Dave Hewitt, with Dave Punshon and Dick Powell later joining. The first release was their single "Elusive"; their first album, First Base, went gold in Canada. In 1973, Ed Spevock replaced Powell and Chris Holmes replaced Punshon on the second album. In 1975, Steve Gurl, keyboardist from Glenn Cornick's Wild Turkey replaced Holmes for the third album. The same year, Shacklock exited and Bernie Marsden (Wild Turkey,Whitsnake etc) joined the team for the fourth album. After this, Haan and Hewitt left.
Though no original member remained, the group incorporated Ellie Hope and Ray Knott for the fifth album in 1976. Shortly before Babe Ruth disbanded, they were joined by the young 17 year old Birmingham born Simon Lambeth who made a few appearances on their last tour. Lambeth's hauntingly naive sound on rhythm guitar, behind the lead of Marsden, promised much but sadly it was too late; Marsden moved on to bigger things and joined Whitesnake. Simon changed careers and sadly was lost to the music scene.
Ellie Hope did an outstanding job on the lp and later had a solo effort in the booming disco era but later efforts are hard to pin down.
A disco cover of Babe Ruth's classic "The Mexican" appeared in the late 70s, performed by the Bombers. This version inspired an electro/freestyle cover produced by John Jellybean Benitez in 1984, for which he managed to recruit Haan on vocals - the cover subsequently becoming noted for its popularity as an underground dance hit.
Between late 2005 and early 2006, Haan (now Janita Haan Morris), Shacklock, Punshon, and Hewitt recorded new material together in Nashville, with Spevock recording his drums in London. The album was completed September 2006, and after being made available in digital form via the band's official web site, it is scheduled for release on CD in the first quarter of 2009.



Oh man is this one great album. I decided to trawl through my record collection Starting at a and working my way up, well I came across this and to be honest i don't remember when or how I acquired it I don't Even remember listening to it at any point so onto the record deck it went. well I was not disappointed this is a tremendous album from 74 released on the harvest label it features some great vocals from Janita Haan highly recommended



1. Lady
2. Broken Cloud
3. Gimme Some Leg
4. Baby Pride
5. Cool Jerk
6. We Are Holding On (insrumental)
7. Doctor Love
8. Amar Caballero(a) El Caballero de la Riena Isabella(b) Hombre de la Giutarra(c) El Testament de n'Amelia


The Band



Janita Haan - Vocals

Ed Spevock - Drums Percussion

Dave Hewitt - Fender Bass

Chris Holmes - Keyboards

Alan Shacklock - Keyboards,Percussion, All Guitars

Thursday, September 3, 2009

Lost my internet connection the other day so there wont be anymore posts for a while
i can only access the blog from work which is not an ideal situation

I will be back at sometime though just not sure when