Jump to content

Geno Washington


spike1

Recommended Posts

  • Replies 13
  • Views 2k
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Most active in this topic

Most active in this topic

Thanks for the feedback folks very interesting does anyone know which club it was recorded at?

Seen some old footage of geno think it was on soul brittainia? Singing" no one knows like i do"

they looked and sounded awesome

The footage you saw was recorded at the Marquee in London for the German TV show Beat Club (also on the same bill were The Who and Jimi Hendrix).

His two live albums for Piccadilly were massive sellers but he never had any chart success with his 45's, which was strange.

Link to comment
Social source share

Guest MBarrett

Geno Washington and the Ram Jam Band released 3 so-called "live" LP's in the 1960's.

Hand Clappin, Foot Stompin' Funky Butt . . . . . Live! Piccadilly NPL 38026

Hipster, Flipsters, Finger Poppin Daddies! Piccadilly NPL/NSPL 38032

Running Wild - Live! Pye NPL/NSPL 18219

The first one is one of the iconic mod LP's of the 1960's.

But here is the shocker. It is almost certain that neither of the first 2 were actually "live" - but just recorded with a "live feel" at Pye's Marble Arch studio or maybe a local theatre. I know I read once that the first one was recorded one lunchtime and Pye employees were offered free sandwiches to turn up and be part of the "crowd".

Sorry if that destroys any illusions!! But think about it - they couldn't have got that quality of sound with a truly live recording.

The third LP was genuinely live and recorded at the Casino Club, Bolton.

He never had any chart success with his 45's, which was strange.

Pete, As you say the singles barely dented the charts although some just touched the Top 50.

But for a lot of us record buying kids at the time the LP's and singles were like chalk and cheese. We were tribal teenagers full of testerone and angst and aggression. The LP's (especially the first one) hit just the right note.

But the singles IMHO didn't work the same way. They sounded that bit more "middle of the road" - a bit more the sort of thing your Mum might buy.

We thought we were at the cutting edge and that just wouldn't do!! :lol:

That was from where I stood. Interested to know if anyone else saw it the same or different.

MB

Link to comment
Social source share

A top live act, I had the honour of watching them rip the roof off my local club back in 66, agree about it being strange why his 45's failed to dent the charts as he was a massively popular live act in the UK, my favourite 45 by him is I've Been Hurt By Love.

Lenny

I agree, that's a great track, hidden away on a B side

Link to comment
Social source share

Guest MBarrett

agree about it being strange why his 45's failed to dent the charts

Lenny

Don't know if your experiences match mine. But even though I was still at school up to 1970 you could work any time you wanted - before school, after school, weekends and holidays.

So you were never short of money - but there were so many calls on it.

Clothes

Girlfriends

Going Out

Trying to get your first band(group back then) together

Getting an Li150 taxed and insured and on the road

Oh yes - and a bit left for records.

But as long as one of your mates had a copy of the first Geno "live" LP you didn't even need one of your own. Whichever mates house or party you went to it always seemed to be there! The Dansette in the corner was ready and waiting and it was played to death.

I used to know every word of the LP - both sides - and I'm sure I still do.

Our appetite for singles was mainly satisfied by the pirate radio ships - Radio London, Radio North Sea International, Radio Caroline and all the others that popped up from time to time.

The thought of buying a Geno Washington single wasn't even on my radar.

I'd have been far more interested in buying a copy of Sergeant Pepper or a hundred other LP's! That's the truth!!

Social history lesson over. Class dismissed.

MB

P.S. VERY jealous that you got to see Geno live in 1966. I didn't until much later when some of the magic had gone. One of my big musical regrets.

Edited by MBarrett
Link to comment
Social source share

Guest MBarrett

rip the roof off my local club back in 66

Those great British soul bands of the 1960's really could do that couldn't they. :thumbup:

And a full brass section through a 100 watt stack could nearly rip your heart out of your body :thumbup: :thumbup:

Have loved a lot of the soul artists I have seen in the intervening 40 years - but a lot of them like cabaret acts in comparison!

Last I saw that came close was Dexy's in full flow - before they went all weird on us!!

MB

Edited by MBarrett
Link to comment
Social source share

Get involved with Soul Source

Add your comments now

Join Soul Source

A free & easy soul music affair!

Join Soul Source now!

Log in to Soul Source

Jump right back in!

Log in now!

Source Advert





×
×
  • Create New...