Page 12 - TheWord#16

#2 SHOCKING BLUE
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FORGOTTEN BANDS
February 2017.

Bands you thought you’d forgotten, or never knew, or perhaps you weren’t even there at the time.

By Ian Charles, who was there and
forgets nothing….

t was late 1969; I was 17 and had
just come out of an unsatisfac-
tory, innocent relationship with
Ia schoolgirl named Theresa –
no relation to Mrs ‘May / May Not.’
If I’d given her a nickname it might
have been ‘Definitely Wouldn’t’
but this was ok because I had been
for a while doubly infatuated with
two of my fellow ’Saturday Staff’
at C&A outfitters, where I earned £1
for the whole day.
One of my fancies was a cash-
ier who resembled Julie Driscoll,
the other a thirty-something mum
who was also coming out of a disas-
trous relationship, and had plainly
taken to me, bringing me books left
by her husband at the family home
he’d deserted, and because she ly; when her band Shocking Blue like the cashier’s, or the long black Gibson SG. I was completely sure, McShee or Melanie Safka, best bits
thought I’d like them. performed an upbeat song about a hair, like the divorcee’s, the quite I told Sheila, that I could play it far of each, but with a gentler voice
I was in a triangle of ‘lurve,’ ‘goddess on a mountain top’ which enticing mispronunciations, or better than him. It was clear that I more suited to serenading babies
and could do absolutely nothing Mariska mispronounced as a ‘god- the little squeak she gave when was bored of the date and that she or young children, and whom I
about it. I knew the cashier found ness’ at the beginning of the track. she sang “’tyour” I cannot say, but was bored of my obsession with married as soon as I could in 1974
me good fun and a ‘potential,’ and I There was a lovely riff, a suspended I suddenly saw everything a god- the guitar. and with whom I’m still besotted.
knew my older woman was trying 4th chord, a guitar break that began ness, sorry, goddess should be, and I discovered later that Mariska ‘Venus’ has been covered by
very hard to recapture her passing really excitingly but went nowhere, this lasted me right into 1970 when wore a long black ‘Elvira’ wig, and others, notably Bananaramara,
youth, and I was determined not to and a hook line “Well: I’m your Ve- I had one catastrophic date with as she got a little older she began which I can spell but just don’t
be that passing youth. nus, I’m your fire, ’tyour desire!” Sheila from Tesco, ruined by my to look less like the cashier or the know when to stop, in 1986. Shock-
Mariska Veres, or as I knew her, sung over and over again, complete obsession with the guitar player divorcee, and more like Theresa ing Blue played many, many other
‘Venus,’ was my salvation at this each time with the “Well:” and the of a band we saw playing an early ‘Definitely Wouldn’t,’ but by then good songs, which I think are not
time, and I was pleased to give “’tyour desire!” I was hooked. evening set at the legendary Fforde I was blissfully involved with a famous at all, but this track is the
her my heart. I saw her on the tel- Whether it was the face, rather Grene and his even then vintage girl who looked more like Jacqui one I like best.

Blue and Lonesome

“All we wanted to be was the
best R&B band in London (or was it
Dartford?)” misquotes Ian Charles,
who honestly doesn’t want to pittle
on Mick and Keef’s bonfire.
I could dig out my collection
of Little Walter, Magic Sam, How-
lin’ Wolf, and Jimmy Reed, but to
hear the Rolling Stones emulating
them is entertaining if not exactly
ground breaking. Indeed, this al-
bum challenges my conviction that
since the demise of Brian Jones blues standards, at the time large- cool kids knew they weren’t, and of and I call two rhythm guitars. It’s a bit more prominence. Not since
and the departure of Mick Taylor, it ly unknown here and on the other course the cool kids told me, thus inappropriate here; perhaps it al- Metallica deliberately hid Jason
has been impossible to have more side of the Great Pond, and slow I was introduced to the work of Al- ways was. When Brian Jones knew Newstead’s bass behind Lars Ul-
than two really good tracks on any them right down, let the bass come bert King, Muddy Waters and (here his days were numbered he used rich’s heavy kick drum has a bass
one of the band’s albums. For here forward, make the kit play all the we whisper) Robert Johnson. to scour the music press weekly to player been so badly done to. Dar-
there are twelve, just that none of notes between the notes while Yet the Rolling Stones were see if the rest of the band had sup- ryl Jones has been with the band
them are Jagger-Richards songs. Jack wailed and moaned, and Eric enormously popular among my planted him with Eric Clapton yet. for around two decades yet the rest
But listening to this first Stu- answered all that hollerin’ with peer group, and the band I played Instead they replaced him with an- (which might mean just Mick Jag-
dio Album from the Stones since licks and fills of his own. I think of in could only manage to execute other Bluesbreakers talent named ger) won’t actually let him be a real
Angus Young was in short pants Spoonful (Chester Burnett) and anything if it had previously been Mick Taylor on Lead Guitar. Rolling Stone. There’s probably a
makes me realise just how good Sittin’ On Top of the World (Wal- performed by them, John Lennon On this album, two tracks work reason for that; if so, kick him out
Cream, with Jack Bruce, Eric Clap- ter Vinson/Lonnie Chatmon arr. or Hendrix. When I use the word really well, ‘Everybody Knows and get someone who will play it
ton and Ginger Baker, really were. Burnett.) I think of Crossroads execute you’ll know what I mean. about My Good Thing’ and Willie loud.
This material comes from the song- and Born Under a Bad Sign, of The trouble with this ‘new’ al- Dixon’s seminal ‘I Can’t Quit You The Stones say they have
book they used, two tracks here Skip James’ I’m So Glad, of Four bum is that the bass doesn’t lead. Baby’ which I truly believe it isn’t wanted to make this album since
even have Old Slowhand on them, Until Late and Rollin’ and Tumb- The other trouble is that the guitars possible to play badly. On each of the 1960s; it’s great, admittedly,
yet something vital is missing. lin’. These tracks might have been do that Stones thing which Keef these, Mr Clapton is playing, and I but that’s when they should have
What Cream did was to take Cream’s very own, except that the Richards calls ‘the Art of Weaving’ do believe they’ve let the bass have made it, and before Cream.