One of our first jobs was a stint at Boddy's Music Inn in Amsterdam. It was the first time I had ever been abroad and our roadies, Dave Murdock (co-writer of Speedway) and Stuart Cook (both former members of Surly Bird), refurbished our long wheelbase Transit with aircraft seats for the trip. We were now a real group. Amsterdam was a hoot and our imitation Flying Burrito Brothers music was received warmly.
The Burritos themselves - legends in Holland - were due to tour Europe that spring. I'm not quite sure how, but we were asked to become the Burritos' support act for the tour on the understanding that they could use our p.a. system and occupy some of the seats in our van. Wisely, they opted to travel by rail.
Meanwhile, Jonathan King was waving a UK Records contract about. His top act at the time, 10cc, were leaving the label and we were earmarked to replace them, but the music press's comparisons between the two groups were ludicrous, especially since the Mancunian quartet were experienced studio geniuses and we were a bunch of enthusiastic amateurs.
Our musical shortcomings became painfully obvious when we recorded our debut LP, Chocs Away, produced by the late Hugh Murphy. Hugh was a wonderful chap but he just couldn't get us to play in time (or, I'm reliably informed, in tune). Also, he made our songs sound as if they had been recorded inside a small cardboard box, with virtually no deployment of proven studio effects, like 'echo'. Jonathan was disappointed and wrote to Paul Conroy to say so. 'Only a really great album should be released', said Jonathan, who attempted a remix of Pocket Money. It turned out rather well but got no further than the acetate stage.
|
