The 3CD The Self-Contained Trilogy is out 2 March 2018. I was kindly sent a preview. This is a straight re-release of the three '90s solo albums – Instinct, Self-Contained and Reduction
– to bring the material back into print, again at a budget price. If
you've already got all three, there is nothing you need here. If you
have two, one or (and be ashamed!) none of these, this is a convenient
and cheap way of completing your collection.
If you don't know this material, you have missed out on some of Peter
Banks' best work. The three showcase an extraordinary guitarist, both
someone just about recognisable from Yes or Flash days, but also a
musician who has come a long way from those years, making intricate and
lyrical guitar music. All three are instrumental guitar albums. They are
distinctive works – I can't think of releases by other artists that are
quite the same – and offer a broad musical palette even though largely
played on electric guitar.
The music is full of riffs and ideas, but these are pieced into larger
musical journeys. I thought of Jon Anderson's comments on how we wants
to present his music as a journey (as we heard before both the Anderson
Ponty tour and the Anderson Rabin Wakeman tour), something he has never
quite realised across various projects live. I wonder whether what Banks
delivers on these albums is what Anderson had in mind?
There is some influence from the different collaborators – Gerald Goff
initially, Gerard Johnson later – but the albums are all Banks' vision.
If you had asked me, looking back on these albums, which was the best, I
would have said Instinct. Re-visiting the material, I have changed my
position. Instinct stands out because it was the first, its music
exploding on the scene after years when Banks had been forgotten,
surprising many. There is an exuberance, as if Banks has been uncaged.
Yet, while all three are broadly similar in style, Banks then developed and refined his approach on Self-Contained and Reduction,
so I think the best music lies on these. It is also on these later
albums that Banks emerges as a collagist, splicing together and
contrasting the music and found samples.
To buy The Self-Contained Trilogy, http://geni.us/PBME2
Sunday, 25 February 2018
REV: Empire, The Complete Recordings
The Peter Banks Musical Estate is working to get Pete's music back in print. Empire's The Complete Recordings was released late last year and following in early March are The Self-Contained Trilogy, with his three '90s solo albums, plus Be Well, Be Safe, Be Lucky... The Anthology, with all sorts of rarities and extras. I was kindly sent previews, so I'll post reviews of the forthcoming releases soon, but first some thoughts on Empire.
In summary, The Complete Recordings does what it says: a handy and low priced collection of everything Empire did, lovingly put together, bringing the material back into print, and allowing one to appreciate this neglected period of Peter Banks' career. Empire was formed by Banks with Sidonie Jordan (initially his partner, latterly his ex) on vocals, then performing as Sydney Foxx.
Jordan helped assemble this 3CD release which has everything on the band's four albums – Mark I, Mark II, Mark III and The Mars Tapes – remastered and in a different order. There are extensive notes and photos from Jordan and others in a 40-page booklet. There is also an additional track: "Who", a 1975 demo for a proposed post-Empire project with Banks and Jordan. This was previously included on a compilation from Flash's Ray Bennett, who's on bass. (The one Empire-related song missing, I presume for rights issues, is a 1974 recording of the Jordan-penned "All God's Morning" by Jordan, Banks and Pete Townshend from With Love, one of Townshend's Meher Baba albums.)
None of the four Empire albums were actually released when the band was active. Banks and Jordan tried to get the band off the ground several times without success. Jordan met Banks in 1972 (her sister was dating Mike Hough, Flash's drummer) and they were married in 1974. She had been a recording artist for 10 years, with a publishing contract with A&M, and Empire was as much her band as Pete's. The first album was built around Jordan's back catalogue of A&M songs. Banks was coming out of Flash: indeed, the original plan had been for the new band to be called Flash until they found out they didn't have the rights to the name.
The first Empire line-up, recording in 1974, has some familiar names to prog fans. John Giblin (bass) and Preston Ross-Heyman (drums) were both later in Brand X, while keyboardist Jakob Magnusson later worked with Kevin Ayers. The most notable guest, on one track, is Phil Collins. Shortly before Empire, Collins had been playing in a live outfit called Zox and the Radar Boys with Banks, and they'd worked on some of Banks' ideas. Collins would then help the nascent Empire, lending them Genesis' rehearsal room.
However, Empire failed to secure a record deal. Jordan and Banks separated in 1975 (they didn't divorce until 1986), but ended up sharing a flat in Los Angeles. Empire tried again and this time got an album deal with Tattoo, a Warner subsidiary. Mark II was recorded in 1977, with a line-up including Jeffrey Fayman (later to work with Robert Fripp). Magnusson guested on the new sessions, the only other musician from Empire's first incarnation. However, Tattoo dropped them, complaining there wasn't a single on the album. The band dissolved and Jordan and Banks went their separate ways.
Until late 1979, when Banks found some backing for a third go at Empire. It is from this period that Mark III and The Mars Tapes comes. However, when the backing was withdrawn, the Mark III material was hastily completed, with Jordan apologetic for the production standards in the liner notes. Again, no record deal was forthcoming. None of the Empire material would be released until Mark I came out in 1995.
So, some of the Empire material is a bit rough, unpolished, and there's some repetition in the tracks ("Sky at Night" was carried over from Mark I to Mark II, "Destiny" from Mark II to Mark III), with the quasi-live Mars Tapes mostly covering material from the other albums, as well as reaching back to Yes' version of "Something's Coming". But in all I found re-visiting this material and having it all together to be revelatory. There was some magic here. The band sits – often successfully, if occasionally less easily – between Banks' progressive stylings (familiar from Flash and early Yes) and Jordan's American white soul. They could groove, they could be romantic and they could deliver 12-minute epics.
Jordan is a great singer. Delicate on "Sky at Night", romantic on "Destiny", sexy on "Soul Empire", and downright dirty on "Do What You Want". Banks is superb, and his key role in the Yes guitar sound apparent. Stylistically diverse, bringing a range of genre approaches that prog needs. However, the proggier Empire sometimes lacked a broader base of instrumentalist input or maybe they just needed some tighter arranging? "Foundation" goes on and on, in need of some keys or bass virtuoso playing. Although the rest of the band could deliver too, as on the 17-minute "Something's Coming".
The whole release has been put together with care. The one choice you might question is the break from chronological order. Instead disc 1 is labelled the 'Best of Empire', disc 2 is most of The Mars Tapes set, and disc 3 is the 'Rest of Empire'. But this works. I think the distinction is more between the 'Best' being an Empire as a successor to Flash or Yes, a proggier Empire, and the 'Rest' being a soul Empire aiming at the the late '70s clubs. In other words, disc 1 is full of guitar solos and freak outs, while disc 3 is more direct. Disc 2 sees the band stretch out with a quasi-live set.
But I suggest Empire was most successful when combining Banks' and Jordan's styles, e.g. with tracks like the Mark I "Sky at Night" (the one with Collins guesting), "More Than Words" or "Shooting Star". The multi-part "Shooting Star" is a stand out for me, with Jordan's voice, Banks' playing, and good support from the others (including some strong keys from Magnusson).
Sometimes overlooked compared to Flash before or Pete's '90s solo resurgence, Empire has plenty to offer and you can find it all here.
To buy The Complete Recordings, click through http://geni.us/PBME1
To buy The Self-Contained Trilogy, http://geni.us/PBME2
To buy Be Well, Be Safe, Be Lucky... The Anthology, http://geni.us/PBME3
In summary, The Complete Recordings does what it says: a handy and low priced collection of everything Empire did, lovingly put together, bringing the material back into print, and allowing one to appreciate this neglected period of Peter Banks' career. Empire was formed by Banks with Sidonie Jordan (initially his partner, latterly his ex) on vocals, then performing as Sydney Foxx.
Jordan helped assemble this 3CD release which has everything on the band's four albums – Mark I, Mark II, Mark III and The Mars Tapes – remastered and in a different order. There are extensive notes and photos from Jordan and others in a 40-page booklet. There is also an additional track: "Who", a 1975 demo for a proposed post-Empire project with Banks and Jordan. This was previously included on a compilation from Flash's Ray Bennett, who's on bass. (The one Empire-related song missing, I presume for rights issues, is a 1974 recording of the Jordan-penned "All God's Morning" by Jordan, Banks and Pete Townshend from With Love, one of Townshend's Meher Baba albums.)
None of the four Empire albums were actually released when the band was active. Banks and Jordan tried to get the band off the ground several times without success. Jordan met Banks in 1972 (her sister was dating Mike Hough, Flash's drummer) and they were married in 1974. She had been a recording artist for 10 years, with a publishing contract with A&M, and Empire was as much her band as Pete's. The first album was built around Jordan's back catalogue of A&M songs. Banks was coming out of Flash: indeed, the original plan had been for the new band to be called Flash until they found out they didn't have the rights to the name.
The first Empire line-up, recording in 1974, has some familiar names to prog fans. John Giblin (bass) and Preston Ross-Heyman (drums) were both later in Brand X, while keyboardist Jakob Magnusson later worked with Kevin Ayers. The most notable guest, on one track, is Phil Collins. Shortly before Empire, Collins had been playing in a live outfit called Zox and the Radar Boys with Banks, and they'd worked on some of Banks' ideas. Collins would then help the nascent Empire, lending them Genesis' rehearsal room.
However, Empire failed to secure a record deal. Jordan and Banks separated in 1975 (they didn't divorce until 1986), but ended up sharing a flat in Los Angeles. Empire tried again and this time got an album deal with Tattoo, a Warner subsidiary. Mark II was recorded in 1977, with a line-up including Jeffrey Fayman (later to work with Robert Fripp). Magnusson guested on the new sessions, the only other musician from Empire's first incarnation. However, Tattoo dropped them, complaining there wasn't a single on the album. The band dissolved and Jordan and Banks went their separate ways.
Until late 1979, when Banks found some backing for a third go at Empire. It is from this period that Mark III and The Mars Tapes comes. However, when the backing was withdrawn, the Mark III material was hastily completed, with Jordan apologetic for the production standards in the liner notes. Again, no record deal was forthcoming. None of the Empire material would be released until Mark I came out in 1995.
So, some of the Empire material is a bit rough, unpolished, and there's some repetition in the tracks ("Sky at Night" was carried over from Mark I to Mark II, "Destiny" from Mark II to Mark III), with the quasi-live Mars Tapes mostly covering material from the other albums, as well as reaching back to Yes' version of "Something's Coming". But in all I found re-visiting this material and having it all together to be revelatory. There was some magic here. The band sits – often successfully, if occasionally less easily – between Banks' progressive stylings (familiar from Flash and early Yes) and Jordan's American white soul. They could groove, they could be romantic and they could deliver 12-minute epics.
Jordan is a great singer. Delicate on "Sky at Night", romantic on "Destiny", sexy on "Soul Empire", and downright dirty on "Do What You Want". Banks is superb, and his key role in the Yes guitar sound apparent. Stylistically diverse, bringing a range of genre approaches that prog needs. However, the proggier Empire sometimes lacked a broader base of instrumentalist input or maybe they just needed some tighter arranging? "Foundation" goes on and on, in need of some keys or bass virtuoso playing. Although the rest of the band could deliver too, as on the 17-minute "Something's Coming".
The whole release has been put together with care. The one choice you might question is the break from chronological order. Instead disc 1 is labelled the 'Best of Empire', disc 2 is most of The Mars Tapes set, and disc 3 is the 'Rest of Empire'. But this works. I think the distinction is more between the 'Best' being an Empire as a successor to Flash or Yes, a proggier Empire, and the 'Rest' being a soul Empire aiming at the the late '70s clubs. In other words, disc 1 is full of guitar solos and freak outs, while disc 3 is more direct. Disc 2 sees the band stretch out with a quasi-live set.
But I suggest Empire was most successful when combining Banks' and Jordan's styles, e.g. with tracks like the Mark I "Sky at Night" (the one with Collins guesting), "More Than Words" or "Shooting Star". The multi-part "Shooting Star" is a stand out for me, with Jordan's voice, Banks' playing, and good support from the others (including some strong keys from Magnusson).
Sometimes overlooked compared to Flash before or Pete's '90s solo resurgence, Empire has plenty to offer and you can find it all here.
To buy The Complete Recordings, click through http://geni.us/PBME1
To buy The Self-Contained Trilogy, http://geni.us/PBME2
To buy Be Well, Be Safe, Be Lucky... The Anthology, http://geni.us/PBME3
Monday, 19 February 2018
Poll: What was the best Yes-related album of 1986?
After 55 votes, the results were...
1. GTR: GTR (w/ Howe, Downes): 35 votes (64%)
2. Frankie Goes to Hollywood: Liverpool (w/ Horn, Howe, Rabin): 7 votes (13%)
3. Rick Wakeman: Country Airs: 5 votes (9%)
4. Tangerine Dream: Legend (w/ Anderson): 3 votes (5%)
5= Akira Inoue: Tokyo Installation (w/ Bruford): 2 votes (4%)
5= The Moody Blues: The Other Side of Life (w/ Moraz): 2 votes (4%)
6. Rick Wakeman: Crimes of Passion: 1 vote (2%)
Much criticised to this day, but GTR sweeps to an easy victory over the rest of the 1986 competition. As chance would have it, while the poll was on, Steve Hackett released a digital single of a new recording of "When the Heart Rules the Mind". Perhaps the album is due a re-evaluation? Frankie's Liverpool was a very distant second.
1. GTR: GTR (w/ Howe, Downes): 35 votes (64%)
2. Frankie Goes to Hollywood: Liverpool (w/ Horn, Howe, Rabin): 7 votes (13%)
3. Rick Wakeman: Country Airs: 5 votes (9%)
4. Tangerine Dream: Legend (w/ Anderson): 3 votes (5%)
5= Akira Inoue: Tokyo Installation (w/ Bruford): 2 votes (4%)
5= The Moody Blues: The Other Side of Life (w/ Moraz): 2 votes (4%)
6. Rick Wakeman: Crimes of Passion: 1 vote (2%)
Much criticised to this day, but GTR sweeps to an easy victory over the rest of the 1986 competition. As chance would have it, while the poll was on, Steve Hackett released a digital single of a new recording of "When the Heart Rules the Mind". Perhaps the album is due a re-evaluation? Frankie's Liverpool was a very distant second.
Thursday, 4 January 2018
2017 in review
2017 was a bumper year for Yes-related releases. The complete list is, I think, in a rough chronological order:
The biggest seller of all those was probably "Bridge Over Troubled Water", a charity single for the survivors of the Grenfell fire disaster, co-produced by Horn. It made #1 in the UK for one week (replacing and being replaced by "Despacito") and the top 40 in Austria, Finland, Flanders, Hungary, Ireland, New Zealand and Switzerland. The biggest selling album was Wakeman's Piano Portraits, which made #6 in the UK, hung around in the Progressive Albums chart for ages, and achieved a Silver certification (60,000 sales). In terms of audience, the other contender would be Horn's soundtrack for The Reflection Wave One given it was broadcast on Japanese TV.
Lots of good releases, depending on what you like. I'd probably recommend Anthology 2 and Empire's The Complete Recordings first, particularly to Yes fans, but I also very much enjoyed Chaptersend, We Dissolve, The Reflection Wave One—Original Soundtrack, Seems Like a Lifetime Ago, Skyscraper Souls and Topographic Drama, of the 15 that I heard. Nexus was another good release, sadly cast in a memorial role following the unexpected death of Virgil Howe.
What did you enjoy last year?
- Rick Wakeman: Phantom of the Opera (archival, some previously released)
- Rick Wakeman: Piano Portraits
- Mogador: Chaptersend (w/ Davison on 1 track)
- Light Freedom Revival: Eterniverse Deja Vu (w/ Sherwood, O Wakeman)
- Chrysta Bell: We Dissolve (w/ Downes on 2 tracks)
- World Trade: Unify (w/ Sherwood)
- Asia: Symfonia - Live in Bulgaria 2013 (w/ Downes)
- Artists for Grenfell: 'Bridge Over Troubled Water' (single) (w/ Horn)
- Steve Howe: Anthology 2: Groups & Collaborations (w/ Yes, ABWH, Downes, O Wakeman, archival, some previously released)
- Alpha Lighting System: 836 (w/ Sherwood)
- Trevor Horn: The Reflection Wave One—Original Soundtrack
- Rupam Sarmah: A Musical Journey: Together in Peace (w/ White)
- Glass Hammer: Untold Tales (w/ Davison on 2 tracks, archival)
- Dave Kerzner: Static (w/ Sherwood)
- Bruford: Seems Like a Lifetime Ago (box set) (archival, some previously released)
- Legacy: 3 Chord Trick (w/ Horn)
- Carrie Martin: Seductive Sky (w/ O Wakeman)
- Virgil & Steve Howe: Nexus
- Downes Braide Association: Skyscraper Souls (w/ Downes)
- Empire: The Complete Recordings (w/ Banks, all previously released)
- Yes: Topographic Drama
- Mabel Greer's Toyshop: The Secret (w/ Banks on 1 track)
- The Fizz: 'Home for My Heart' (single) (w/ R Wakeman)
- Alfie Boe & Michael Ball with the Rays of Sunshine Children's Choir & Friends: 'Bring Me Sunshine' (single) (w/ R Wakeman)
The biggest seller of all those was probably "Bridge Over Troubled Water", a charity single for the survivors of the Grenfell fire disaster, co-produced by Horn. It made #1 in the UK for one week (replacing and being replaced by "Despacito") and the top 40 in Austria, Finland, Flanders, Hungary, Ireland, New Zealand and Switzerland. The biggest selling album was Wakeman's Piano Portraits, which made #6 in the UK, hung around in the Progressive Albums chart for ages, and achieved a Silver certification (60,000 sales). In terms of audience, the other contender would be Horn's soundtrack for The Reflection Wave One given it was broadcast on Japanese TV.
Lots of good releases, depending on what you like. I'd probably recommend Anthology 2 and Empire's The Complete Recordings first, particularly to Yes fans, but I also very much enjoyed Chaptersend, We Dissolve, The Reflection Wave One—Original Soundtrack, Seems Like a Lifetime Ago, Skyscraper Souls and Topographic Drama, of the 15 that I heard. Nexus was another good release, sadly cast in a memorial role following the unexpected death of Virgil Howe.
What did you enjoy last year?
Poll: Favourite song on Heaven & Earth
I think I've asked this before, but I was just curious what people thought thinking back to Heaven & Earth given that we might see a new Yes album this year or next... well, hopefully, at least one of the two bands will deliver...
66 of you voted - thanks.
1. Subway Walls: 27 votes, 41%
2. Believe Again: 15 votes, 23%
3. To Ascend: 8 votes, 12%
4. Light of the Ages: 7 votes, 11%
5= The Game: 4 votes, 6%
5= It Was All We Knew: 4 votes, 6%
7. In a World of Our Own: 1 vote, 2%
8. Step Beyond: 0 votes, 0%
So, no doubt as to your favourite there. Hopefully Yes will see "Subway Walls" as more of a model for future work than "Step Beyond". A clear second for "Believe Again".
66 of you voted - thanks.
1. Subway Walls: 27 votes, 41%
2. Believe Again: 15 votes, 23%
3. To Ascend: 8 votes, 12%
4. Light of the Ages: 7 votes, 11%
5= The Game: 4 votes, 6%
5= It Was All We Knew: 4 votes, 6%
7. In a World of Our Own: 1 vote, 2%
8. Step Beyond: 0 votes, 0%
So, no doubt as to your favourite there. Hopefully Yes will see "Subway Walls" as more of a model for future work than "Step Beyond". A clear second for "Believe Again".
Saturday, 4 November 2017
Poll: What was the best Yes-related project of the first half of 2017?
I asked you what the best Yes-related album of the first half of the year was, and you answered. Well, 45 of you did. Not the highest response to a poll, but then not that many releases covered either. Here are the results:
1. Asia: Symfonia - Live in Bulgaria 2013 (w/ Downes): 16 votes (36%)
2= Rick Wakeman: Piano Portraits: 12 votes (27%)
2= World Trade: Unify (w/ Sherwood): 12 votes (27%)
4= Rick Wakeman: Phantom of the Opera: 1 vote (2%)
4= Mogador: Chaptersend (w/ Davison): 1 vote (2%)
4= Light Freedom Revival: Eterniverse Deja Vu (w/ Sherwood, O Wakeman): 1 vote (2%)
4= Chrysta Bell: We Dissolve (w/ Downes): 1 vote (2%)
There was one other voter, who put "None of it very good."
In all, a very split vote. The top three albums were neck and neck for much of the poll period. Piano Portraits was by far the biggest seller, so it's interesting that Asia pipped it to the post in the end. I'm the one vote for Chaptersend: a nice album, I thought, although Davison's involvement is minimal.
1. Asia: Symfonia - Live in Bulgaria 2013 (w/ Downes): 16 votes (36%)
2= Rick Wakeman: Piano Portraits: 12 votes (27%)
2= World Trade: Unify (w/ Sherwood): 12 votes (27%)
4= Rick Wakeman: Phantom of the Opera: 1 vote (2%)
4= Mogador: Chaptersend (w/ Davison): 1 vote (2%)
4= Light Freedom Revival: Eterniverse Deja Vu (w/ Sherwood, O Wakeman): 1 vote (2%)
4= Chrysta Bell: We Dissolve (w/ Downes): 1 vote (2%)
There was one other voter, who put "None of it very good."
In all, a very split vote. The top three albums were neck and neck for much of the poll period. Piano Portraits was by far the biggest seller, so it's interesting that Asia pipped it to the post in the end. I'm the one vote for Chaptersend: a nice album, I thought, although Davison's involvement is minimal.
Monday, 25 September 2017
REV: Melody Makers documentary
"Melody Makers" is a new documentary film about the magazine Melody Maker, based around the pictures of their chief contributing photographer, Barrie Wentzell. The film was directed by Canadian Leslie Ann Coles, her first full length film in that role.
After showing in North American US film festivals, "Melody Makers" received its UK première on 24 September as part of the Raindance Film Festival. Coles and several of the interviewees were in attendance for a Q&A session after the film.
After briefly introducing the magazine's beginnings as a trade publication in 1926 for jazz musicians, the film focuses on the period from the mid-sixties to the end of the seventies, more or less when Wentzell worked there and the magazine's glory days, when sales were high, musicians dreamt of being on the front page and the journalists could drive opinions. But the film is also the story of the music of that period, the two being intertwined, from how they championed The Who early on, to Pete Townshend being given his own column because he kept writing in to the letters page so much, to David Bowie having to lend two Melody Maker journalists the money to get back home after a trip to Paris that they had taken to (successfully) catch him away from his management.
Melody Maker were supportive of prog, and many prog artists are among the interviewees, particularly Ian Anderson, but also Sonja Kristina, Alan White, Steve Howe, Chris Squire, Steve Nardelli, and Roger Dean. (The credits at the end thanked Jon Anderson, Benoit David, and Oliver Wakeman, but they don't appear.) Some of the anecdotes will be familiar: Nardelli tells his usual Hendrix story, White his usual Lennon story. Others were novel: Squire talks of the magazine's support for Yes, while Howe talked about being so often on the cover and the difficultly finding interesting clothers to wear for this! Many of Wentzell's photos are of prog musicians, with some nice Yes photos from 1969 and 1972, King Crimson in 1972 and several of Ian Anderson and Peter Gabriel. The soundtrack relates to the music of the day, with a bit of "Close to the Edge" and some Ian Anderson in the mix. The film was several years in development, with many interviews done 6-8 years ago, thus Squire's inclusion.
Alan often tells the story of John Lennon ringing him up to ask him to play the Live Peace in Toronto show and Alan just presuming it's a friend trying to prank him. The bit I hadn't heard before was how Alan's then band were annoyed because they had a gig booked the same night and needed the money, so they tried to persuade him that going off to play with John Lennon would be a bad career move. He disagreed!
While some of the history of the music will be very familiar to the hardcore fan, Coles' decision partway through filming to focus more on the magazine is welcome as this brings fresher perspectives. I believe the project began with Coles meeting Wentzell and it is sort of his story, told by him in interview and well as through his photography. He and Chris Welch, one of the main journalists at the time and known for his writing since (including perhaps the most successful Yes biography), often worked as a duo and we got lots of Welch interviewed as well. Another key Melody Maker figure, Chris Charlesworth, is probably the third most often on screen.
The story of the magazine is, in some ways, of a more innocent age at first, musicians coming to the offices to be interviewed, alone, not accompanied by PR; of journalists respecting musicians' confidences and not reporting on their bad behaviour on tour; of the staff promoting the music they liked, and seeing it as a joint enterprise with the artists to promote good music. Musicians avidly read the magazine themselves and saw themselves through its lens when they got famous. Perhaps press and bands were too in cahoots at times. Headlines were sometimes concocted for publicity. Ian Anderson tells of his horror at seeing a headling that Jethro Tull had splitt up, invented by his manager.
But as the years pass, we hear more tales of excess and money flowing, then egos and drugs getting in the way. The film has something of a maudlin end: it follows a generation of Melody Maker staff who left around the turn of the '80s and they are scathing of the magazine's subsequent direction. The story ends with much lamenting of today's music scene, before a coda about Wentzell's own experience moving to Canada and getting re-involved in music.
Throughout the film, the visuals are mostly of Wentzell's photos. These are lovely to see, although sometimes just there, unconnected to the narrative, shoved into montages. Stand outs include a lovely photo of Roger Waters with his three cats, a photo of a haunted Syd Barrett as he descended into paranoia, a very pretty photo of Yoko Ono, some relaxed photos of Bowie in Paris... there are many. We also get spreads from the magazine, although often moving too quickly to read more than a headline. The best of which is surely: "Robert Fripp... Super Stud?"
As is the fashion with modern documentaries, there is no narration. I asked about this in the Q&A, and Coles replied that a producer early on had suggested it, but she felt the photos and the interviewees told the story eloquently themselves and she made that choice early on. I don't entirely agree. If I have a criticism of the film, it is that the flow of the story is sometimes lost. There is a tendency in places to go off into lightweight rock anecdote when I wanted to hear more about the publishing world. There was also the occasionally annoying decision made to interleave two unrelated anecdotes, cutting between the interviewees telling these separate stories, which added to neither.
The Q&A after the film included Coles, Wentzell, Kristina and others. Steve Howe had been advertised, but his absence was hardly surprising given the recent and unexpected death of his son, Virgil Howe. Again, there was more lamenting about things today, although Kristina gave a spirited defence of the value of the Internet for promoting music.
In all, an enjoyable film, worth seeing, with great photos, telling an interesting story of music journalism through the period, with some touching moments (like Wentzell's clear affection for Hendrix), if in a few places a more rambling narrative than I prefer.
After showing in North American US film festivals, "Melody Makers" received its UK première on 24 September as part of the Raindance Film Festival. Coles and several of the interviewees were in attendance for a Q&A session after the film.
After briefly introducing the magazine's beginnings as a trade publication in 1926 for jazz musicians, the film focuses on the period from the mid-sixties to the end of the seventies, more or less when Wentzell worked there and the magazine's glory days, when sales were high, musicians dreamt of being on the front page and the journalists could drive opinions. But the film is also the story of the music of that period, the two being intertwined, from how they championed The Who early on, to Pete Townshend being given his own column because he kept writing in to the letters page so much, to David Bowie having to lend two Melody Maker journalists the money to get back home after a trip to Paris that they had taken to (successfully) catch him away from his management.
Melody Maker were supportive of prog, and many prog artists are among the interviewees, particularly Ian Anderson, but also Sonja Kristina, Alan White, Steve Howe, Chris Squire, Steve Nardelli, and Roger Dean. (The credits at the end thanked Jon Anderson, Benoit David, and Oliver Wakeman, but they don't appear.) Some of the anecdotes will be familiar: Nardelli tells his usual Hendrix story, White his usual Lennon story. Others were novel: Squire talks of the magazine's support for Yes, while Howe talked about being so often on the cover and the difficultly finding interesting clothers to wear for this! Many of Wentzell's photos are of prog musicians, with some nice Yes photos from 1969 and 1972, King Crimson in 1972 and several of Ian Anderson and Peter Gabriel. The soundtrack relates to the music of the day, with a bit of "Close to the Edge" and some Ian Anderson in the mix. The film was several years in development, with many interviews done 6-8 years ago, thus Squire's inclusion.
Alan often tells the story of John Lennon ringing him up to ask him to play the Live Peace in Toronto show and Alan just presuming it's a friend trying to prank him. The bit I hadn't heard before was how Alan's then band were annoyed because they had a gig booked the same night and needed the money, so they tried to persuade him that going off to play with John Lennon would be a bad career move. He disagreed!
While some of the history of the music will be very familiar to the hardcore fan, Coles' decision partway through filming to focus more on the magazine is welcome as this brings fresher perspectives. I believe the project began with Coles meeting Wentzell and it is sort of his story, told by him in interview and well as through his photography. He and Chris Welch, one of the main journalists at the time and known for his writing since (including perhaps the most successful Yes biography), often worked as a duo and we got lots of Welch interviewed as well. Another key Melody Maker figure, Chris Charlesworth, is probably the third most often on screen.
The story of the magazine is, in some ways, of a more innocent age at first, musicians coming to the offices to be interviewed, alone, not accompanied by PR; of journalists respecting musicians' confidences and not reporting on their bad behaviour on tour; of the staff promoting the music they liked, and seeing it as a joint enterprise with the artists to promote good music. Musicians avidly read the magazine themselves and saw themselves through its lens when they got famous. Perhaps press and bands were too in cahoots at times. Headlines were sometimes concocted for publicity. Ian Anderson tells of his horror at seeing a headling that Jethro Tull had splitt up, invented by his manager.
But as the years pass, we hear more tales of excess and money flowing, then egos and drugs getting in the way. The film has something of a maudlin end: it follows a generation of Melody Maker staff who left around the turn of the '80s and they are scathing of the magazine's subsequent direction. The story ends with much lamenting of today's music scene, before a coda about Wentzell's own experience moving to Canada and getting re-involved in music.
Throughout the film, the visuals are mostly of Wentzell's photos. These are lovely to see, although sometimes just there, unconnected to the narrative, shoved into montages. Stand outs include a lovely photo of Roger Waters with his three cats, a photo of a haunted Syd Barrett as he descended into paranoia, a very pretty photo of Yoko Ono, some relaxed photos of Bowie in Paris... there are many. We also get spreads from the magazine, although often moving too quickly to read more than a headline. The best of which is surely: "Robert Fripp... Super Stud?"
As is the fashion with modern documentaries, there is no narration. I asked about this in the Q&A, and Coles replied that a producer early on had suggested it, but she felt the photos and the interviewees told the story eloquently themselves and she made that choice early on. I don't entirely agree. If I have a criticism of the film, it is that the flow of the story is sometimes lost. There is a tendency in places to go off into lightweight rock anecdote when I wanted to hear more about the publishing world. There was also the occasionally annoying decision made to interleave two unrelated anecdotes, cutting between the interviewees telling these separate stories, which added to neither.
The Q&A after the film included Coles, Wentzell, Kristina and others. Steve Howe had been advertised, but his absence was hardly surprising given the recent and unexpected death of his son, Virgil Howe. Again, there was more lamenting about things today, although Kristina gave a spirited defence of the value of the Internet for promoting music.
In all, an enjoyable film, worth seeing, with great photos, telling an interesting story of music journalism through the period, with some touching moments (like Wentzell's clear affection for Hendrix), if in a few places a more rambling narrative than I prefer.
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