Bulls Head Bob April 2024. DUO's Brotherly Love. Happy Birthday Mr Beano.

 Hello and welcome to the rainy April Blog.

Me and Mrs Bob returned from our 50th anniversary second honeymoon where we gorged ourselves on the best food and cocktails for a couple of weeks of unadulterated 5 star luxury, basking in the sun getting tanned before coming back to reality, thunderstorms and the blog.    

IN THE BEGINNING

Some people think of the 60's as the Beatles, Hendrix or Clapton, psychedelia....etc but there was a beginning to all that.  It was years in the making, no such thing as bending guitar strings or 100 watt amplifiers in the early days.  It was a steady build up of styles of music, each step as important as the next and one of those steps was "Brother Acts".  I've tried to list chronologically the UK's contribution.

DUO'S

THE EVERLY BROTHERS

I think it is right to say that The Everly Brothers were the benchmark for two-part harmony duos in the world prior to and into the early 60's for UK acts to imitate.  Although none of those young teenage so called "Brother Acts" could compete at the same level of excellence as The Everlys with their strong familial harmonies of actual brothers.  They scored their first UK hit in 1956 with "Bye Bye Love" and achieved their first Number 1 in 1957 with 'Wake up Little Susie'. As a kid I recall watching the audience doing the Hand Jive to it on 6.5 special.   From that moment on they had hit after hit.  Their fame triggered other teenage kids in the UK to want to emulate that success and one of those Duo's were formed at the famous 2i's coffee bar in Soho London and they called themselves

THE MOST BROTHERS

They were not brothers nor, at that time, were either of them named 'Most'.   The twosome were Michael Hayes and Alex Wharton, two great looking young men working at the 2i's, the birthplace of British Rock.   They changed names to Mickie and Alex Most because, in the hip lingo of the day, to be "the most" was the hippest and coolest around.  The perfect formula for success and their 1957

Decca record release was "Whistle Bait" and they went on Rock and Roll tours of the day around the UK.  They recorded a second single "Takes a Whole lot of Lovin" before breaking up in 1958.   The two of them went on to have further success individually with Alex as a Decca producer and as manager and producer of the original Moody Blues and as an actor.   Mickie Most became world famous as a producer.  

THE ALISONS 

Another early UK fake brothers act of 1957 were The Allisons who were GBs entry for the Eurovision Song contest with a song called "Are you Sure" which launched them onto the pop scene.  Neither of the Alisons were brothers.

They did however have nice harmonies, their hit was a sound alike in the style of Buddy Holly.  Nice for the time.  They released several singles but nothing as good as their first hit.   The duo had quite a good career in the clubs.

Styles of music changed and it would be a few years till the next British duo and they were the luckiest pair ever.  In 1964 Paul McCartney was in love with Jane Asher and lived at her families house along with her brother Peter.   

PETER AND GORDON 

Paul, as an act of family togetherness gave Peter a song for he and his friend Gordon Waller to record.  The song was the brilliant "World without Love" which soared to the top of the charts in the UK and the USA.   They had three other hits with the last in 1967 "Lady Godiva".   Peter Asher worked at Apple as Head of A&R when James Taylor came along and recorded an Album which flopped and returned to the states.  Peter Asher knew a good thing when he saw it and became James' manager.

Peter and Gordon continued releasing records and doing concerts in the states up to 2007.  In 2009 Waller died of a heart attack.  These days Asher still plays Britush Invasion concerts with guest singers in Wallers place.

PAUL AND BARRY RYAN

These young men were more than Brothers, they were twins and sons of singer Marion Ryan.  They came on the scene and charted with their first single in 1965 "Dont bring me Your Heartaches" and had a further 8 chart hits up to 1967, all in the bottom half of the Top 20 .  They were the teenybopper favourites.    The duo split which was good for them because in 1968 Paul Ryan had his greatest success singing a song "Eloise" written by his Brother Barry which was a real tour de force and stormed up the charts getting to No 2.   In the 1980's the song was recorded by The Damned and charted at No 3 so even punks loved it!!

THE EVERLY BROTHERS

I started, so I'll finish with the Everly Brothers.   Of all the acts mentioned none have had the enduring affection enjoyed by Don and Phil Everlys contribution to music by other musicians.  Their songs have been recorded by a mountain of acts and artists.  Their heavier songs like "The Price of Love" are timeless and feature in many Rock acts today.  Brian Ferry had a big hit with this great tune and with its fab guitar riff, it's even on my own set list!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ERIC.

Mister Beano has celebrated his 79th birthday a day or so ago so Happy Birthday Eric Clapton, what a guy, what a career.

So that's it from me.  Have a nice week and as usual love the one you're with.

Bob

Copyright: Bullsheadbob 

Contact:  Bobsbullocks@Gmail.com 

  

SEPTEMBER - Spotlight on The Redcaps

Hello Muso's, Boozo's, Brummies and Chummies,

Why is it that I allow myself to be such a thick git!? Last year I took advantage of the Autumn sales to buy myself a 'top of the range' Barbecue that wouldn't look out of place strapped beneath the wing of a bomber. It had been reduced in price but still cost more than a good night out. This 'Summer?' I have just watched the rain fall on top of it from the safety of my dining room. When there's a break in the clouds, I run out and empty a gallon or two of rusty water from the thing. Why isn't it in the shed you ask? - because I also bought three soddin' huge sacks of charcoal, at the same time, that now occupy my shed space and they are stacked on top of my 'Life Bicycle' (another Best Buy from the year before) where now, a happy band of very fit spiders live suspended from the handlebars. Did I really go to all that trouble and expense just for a burnt sausage? I gotta think about retiring to the sun............I'm coming back Willie, get the wine out!!



SPOTLIGHT ON..................THE REDCAPS
If there was one midlands group who defined 'Brumbeat' for me, it would have been The Redcaps. It is with some regret that there is no biography on the website for this incredible band of the early sixties but even if there was, words alone would not do them any justice because you HAD to see them live to know just how great they were. The group featured brothers Dave and Mickey Walker on vocals and bass respectively.
Overall, The Redcaps had the musical drive and gut wrenching sound of a tank with a turbocharger, great high-energy guitar work and rasping saxophone with Dave Walkers soulful and bluesy vocals complementing the bands tight sound perfectly. Mickey Walker, playing his Gibson EBO bass, worn, characteristically high on his chest, worked beautifully with drummer Allan Morley to form the 'Heart of the Beat' that thundered through their set.

The Redcaps were amongst that first batch of groups calling themselves as a collective name instead of having a singled out frontman, i.e. Ego Maniac and the Shitheaps. They were also one of the first bands I ever saw 'live' that has had a lasting impression on me. This fact may make me a little prejudiced towards them in my memory bank but I can say, in honesty, that I never saw ANY other Brummie band who really came close to them. They were one of Ma Regans groups and in 1963 she secured them a Decca recording deal that saw the release of a cover of the 1959 Isley Brothers classic "Shout" - predating the Lulu hit by a year. Unfortunately for them it didn't click with the record buying public but was a brilliant live performance number. I have just listened to that very single whilst bashing this article out and although the primitive recording equipment (four track probably) used in those days did little justice to their raw sound, Dave Walker had real gravel in his voice. The Redcaps released two further singles: 'Talkin' Bout You' (1963) which was more in the vein of their R&B stage act and their final offering in 1964 'Mighty Fine Girl'. The latter single had more of a commercial 'Billy J Kramer' sound to it which wasn't really to my liking but the music scene was undergoing a massive change of direction and was becoming more melodic in its output. For my money, had they or Decca concentrated on their R&B image. I don't think they would have been out of place in the company of the Rolling Stones or the early Yardbirds.

I mentioned a while ago, that Kex Gorin, me and the two 'brothers Walker' jammed together at the Rum Runner one night. It really was special to play with those guys who had been my early inspiration. If you never saw this group, you missed something special!!!! A group like them only came along once in a blue moon and I'm glad that I was there at the time, in smokey venues -moonbathing. This was not a group for lovers of mediocre bands that played at working mens clubs. This was a seriously good group. We do have a photo of the band on their bio page but only as a four piece oufit. If you were a member of The Redcaps PLEASE, PLEASE CONTACT ME.

Discography:

1. Decca F11716 Shout/Little Things you do 2. Decca F11789 Talkin' Bout You/Come on Girl 3. Decca F11903 Mighty Fine Girl/Funny Things

FARE THEE WELLS...... ISAAC HAYES. It was a sad day indeed when the announcement of Issac Hayes death was issued, not so much for his Simpsons character or for 'Shaft' but because of his songwriting credits - 'Hold on I'm Coming' or "You dont know like I know' that he wrote for Sam and Dave along with a host of other compositions. In the sixties you either heard those two songs in every club or naturally, a lot of bands played them live.
JERRY WEXLER. For some reason the death of Isaac Hayes overshadowed the passing and importance of the incredible Jerry Wexler who died at the age of 91. Wexler was the person who actually coined the phrase 'Rythmn and Blues' when a journalist. He later went into record production and was responsible for literally hundreds of landmark recordings including Bob Dylans' 'Slow Train Coming', Dusty Springfields' 'Dusty in Memphis' (A must for any serious collector of good music), Wilson Pickett, Aretha Franklin and he signed Led Zeppelin to Atlantic (on the recommendation of Dusty Springfield). He stated that on his gravestone he wanted just two words - MORE BASS! - May his memory deservedly live on.

and finally.................

HELLO HELLO I'M BACK AGAIN. Gary Glitter has returned to the UK after a 3 year residency in a private Vietnamese hotel, reportedly he's thinking about releasing a new CD. Just a thought here - perhaps he could form a trio with Jonathan King and Michael Jackson, that should sell well???
Take Care You'se Guys and remember a bird in a bush was always worth more than two in the hand!

Bob.

All Contents/Cartoons: Copyright BullsHeadBob. Bobsbullocks@GMail.com