line up 1 (1970)

- Dave Bidwell -- drums, percussion

- Paul Raymond -- vocals, keyboards, acoustic guitar

- Andy Silvester -- bass

- Stan Webb -- vocals, guitar

  line up xx (1972)

- Paul Hancox -- drums, percussion

- John Glascock -- bass

- Stan Webb -- vocals, guitar

  line-up xx (1973)

- Tony Ashton -- keyboards

- Bob Daisley -- bass

- Paul Hancox -- drums, percussion

- Chris Mercer -- sax

- Stan Webb -- vocals, guitar

- Big Town Playboys (Andy Silvester)

- Broken Glass (Stan Webb)

- Bronco (Robbie Blunt)

- Carmen (John Glascock)

- The Circles (Paul Raymond)

- Fleetwood Mac (Christine Perfect)

- The Gods (John Glascock)

- Hawkwind

- Hungry Fighter (Andy Sylvester)

- Jethro Tull (John Glascock)

- Christine McVie (solo efforts) (Paul Raymond

- Mogg / Way (Paul Raymond)

- Mimgo Jerry (Dave Bidwell)

- Christine Perfect (solo efforts)

- Plastic Penny (Paul Raymond)

- Paul Raymond Project (Paul Raymond)

- Savoy Brown (David Bidwell, Paul Raymond, Andy Silvester, and

  Stan Webb)

- Michael Schenker Group (Paul Raymond)

- Silverhead ()

- Supertramp

- UFO (Paul Raymond)

- Wah Koo (Andy Sylvester)

- Waysted (Paul Raymond)

- Stan Webb (solo efforts)

Genre: blues-rock

Rating: *** (3 stars)

Title:  Accept Chicken Shack

Company: Blue Horizon

Catalog: BH 4809

Year: 1970

Country/State: Stourbridge, West Midlands, UK

Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+

Comments: gatefold sleeve

Available: 1

Catalog ID: 2703

Price: $45.00

Produced by Mike Vernon, 1970's "Accept Chicken Shack" found the band making a concerted effort to expand their sound beyond the traditional English blues-rock sounds that populated their first  three studio albums.  For some reason it's always reminded me of Fleetwood Mac's "Bare Trees".  Not that there are any great musical comparisons, rather like that album, "Accept" found Chicken Shack revealing a completely different dimension to their listeners.  Mind you, there wasn't anything wrong with their blues workouts, and this collection still reflected plenty of blues influences (check out the closer 'Apple Tart', or the slinky 'Telling Your Fortune'), but this set was just way more diverse and enjoyable.  By my count there were at least seven keepers on this album.   Highlights included unexpectedly commercial  tunes like 'Pocket', 'Some Other Time', 'Going Round', and 'She Don't Use Her Loaf'.  

Ironically, the new, opener sound apparently didn't sit well with all of the band members.  Shortly after the album was released drummer Dave Bidwell, keyboardist Paul Raymond, and bassist Andy Silvester all headed off to join Savoy Brown.

"Accept Chicken Shack" track listing:

(side 1)

1.) Diary of Your Life  (Stan Webb)  - 4:20   rating: **** stars

For a band primarily known for the blues-rock repertoire, 'Diary of Your Life' made for a nice change of pace.   With Webb handling lead vocals, the track found the band energetically stepping out into a more conventional rock.  Great melody, though I've always thought the song would have been stronger had they not briefly shifted into the up--tempo, mid-song segment,

2.) Pocket   (Stan Webb - Paul Raymond) - 3:22   rating: **** stars

Webb's vocals sounded like they'd been recorded in an echo chamber, but 'Pocket' started out with an unexpectedly commercial melody and  some tasty Webb lead guitar.  About midway through it morphed into a Check Berry-styled rocker that was far less interesting, before returning to the original melody.

3.) Never Ever    (Stan Webb - Paul Raymond) - 2:20   rating: *** stars

For some reason 'Never Ever' has always struck me as an unfinished composition.  I certainly like the melody and the Everly Brothers-styled vocals, but it just seemed to be missing a certain ingredient to push it over the edge,

4.) Sad Clown (instrumental)   (Stan Webb - Paul Raymond) - 2:40   rating: *** stars

Pretty, if slightly MOR-ish instrumental.  Webb's effects treated guitar provided the highlights.  It was tapped as the leadoff single:

- 1970's 'Sad Clown' b/w 'Tired Eyes' (Blue Horizon catalog number 57-3176)

5.) Maudie   (Stan Webb - Paul Raymond) - 2:50   rating: *** stars

'Maudie' found the band back in a blues mode, but with an up-tempo melody and an arrangement that showcased some unexpectedly sweet vocals, the results was a surprisingly commercial edge which probably explains why it was tapped as a worldwide single.  It even saw a promo US release:

- 1970's 'Maudie' b/w 'Diary of Your Life' (Blue Horizon catalog number BH 302)

6.) Telling Your Fortune   (Stan Webb) - 3:05   rating: **** stars

'Telling Your Fortune' was a first-rate blues rocker that showcased a slinky edge and some killer Webb soloing.  Should have been a single.

(side 2)

1.) Tired Eyes   (Stan Webb) - 2:03   rating: ** stars

The album's first disappointment, 'Tired Eyes' was a heavily orchestrated, bluesy ballad.  Having kind of a generic melody didn't help the song, though Webb turned in a nice vocal.

2.) Some Other Time   (Stan Webb - Paul Raymond) - 3:00   rating: **** stars

Completely unlike anything else on the album (or in their earlier catalog), 'Some Other Time' offered up a mesmerizing blend of Fairport Convention-styled folk and ornamental pop.  The combination of Webb and Alison Young's voices was stunning.   Shame this was the only track Young appeared on.

3.) Going Round   (Stan Webb - Paul Raymond) - 2:40   rating: **** stars

The opening sounded like it was going in traditional English blues-rock direction, but the song quickly morphed into one of their most pop-oriented performances.  There was even a touch of psych in this one.  Excellent performance.

4.) Andalucian Blues (instrumental)   (Stan Webb - Paul Raymond) - 2:10   rating: *** stars

Pretty acoustic guitar powered instrumental that would not have sounded out of place on a Mark Knopfler soundtrack album.

5.) You Knew You Did You Did   (Stan Webb) - 2:02   rating: **** stars

Nice, rather conventional and commercial rocker with one of the album's strongest Webb guitar solos.

6.) She Didn't Use Her Loaf   (Stan Webb - Paul Raymond) - 3:10   rating: **** stars

The title's always been a mystery to me, but the song itself was a sweet melodic ballad with some nice backing vocals and another killer Webb guitar solo.  My pick for the album's standout performance.

7) Apple Tart   (not listed) - 0:02   rating; ! star

Some sort of in-joke?  Beats me.

Genre: blues-rock

Rating: *** (3 stars)

Title:  Imagination Lady

Company: Deram

Catalog: DES 18063

Year: 1972

Country/State: Stourbridge, West Midlands, UK

Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+

Comments: gatefold sleeve

Available: SOLD

Catalog ID: SOLD 4478

Price: SOLD $25.00

Cost: $66.00

Frankly, I'd forgotten that Stan Webb and Chicken Shack had recorded so much material ...   Course the fact I even remember Chicken Shack puts me ahead of the curve.

1972's "Imagination Lady" was Webb and company's fifth studio set.  Luckily, the Neil Slaven produced set is also one of the band's best efforts.  Down to a trio consisting of bassist John Glascock, drummer Paul Hancox and vocalist/lead guitarist Webb, the predominant sound remained standard English blues-rock, but this time around there was a distinctive rock feel to tracks such as the opener 'Crying Won't Help You Now' and 'their cover of Don Nix's 'Going Down.  Elsewhere, 'Daughter of the Hillside' sounds like a top-notch Cream outtake, while the Webb-penned closer 'The Loser' almost qualifies as a piece of top-40 pop.  Webb was a surprisingly good singer and a vastly overlooked guitarist - check out the band's vamped up cover of Tim Hardin's 'If I Were a Carpenter'.  The only real disappointment comes in the form of a needless and seemingly endless Hancox drum solo on the 11 minute plus 'Telling Your Fortune'.  That said, the band's blues-oriented fans aren't particularly fond of this set, but precisely because it's more diverse and openly commercial, I'd give it the nod.

"Imagination Lady" track listing:

(side 1)

1.) Crying Won't Help You Now   (Whittaker) - 5:09

2.) Daughter of the Hillside   (Stan Webb) - 3:52

3.) If I Were a Carpenter   (Tim Hardin) - 6:33

4.) Going Down   (Don Nix) - 3:32

(side 2)

1.) Poor Boy   (Stan Webb) - 5:09

2.) Telling Your Fortune   (Stan Webb) - 11:09

3.) The Loser   (Stan Webb) -   2:32

Genre: blues-rock

Rating: *** (3 stars)

Title:  Unlucky Boy

Company: London

Catalog: XPS  632

Year: 1973

Country/State: Stourbridge, West Midlands, UK

Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+

Comments: --

Available: 3

Catalog ID: 1748

Price: $25.00

Cost: $66.00

Billed as a Chicken Shack release, for all intents and purposes 1973's "Unlucky Boy" might as well have been a Stan Webb solo outing.  In fact, the UK release was billed as "Chicken Shack featuring Stan Webb".  In addition to the enhanced name check, Webb wrote six of the nine tunes.   In spite of the credits, critics didn't have a lot of nice things to say about the collection.  That said, to my ears Webb and company (the only holdover from the last studio set being drummer Paul Hancox), sounded pretty good throughout the set.  That's not to say this was a great album.   In all honesty, there wasn't anything groundbreaking here and if you didn't have an interest in English blues-rock, this was going to be deadly dull to your ears.   In fact, with the exception of the Bad Company-sounding blues-rocker 'You Know Could Be Right', there probably wasn't anything you'd want to hear more than once.  Webb certainly had a good blues voice and he was a more than capable guitarist.  Still, tunes like the title track, 'Jammin' with the Ash', and 'Stan the Man' never rose about the level of pedestrian.   It sounded like a band that was simply out of energy and enthusiasm.  A conjuncture seemingly underscored by the fact their next release was a live set - "Go Live" [aka Goodbye Chicken Shack].

Who knows why, but US distributor London opted to give the album updated cover art.  Here's the original UK release

      Deram catalog number SML 1100

"Unlucky Boy" track listing:

(side 1)

1.) You Know Could Be Right   (Stan Webb) - 3:47  rating: **** stars

Not exactly what I was expecting, but I have to admit that over time the blazing blues-rocker 'You Know Could Be Right' has become a favorite.  Kicked along by Bob Daisley's bass, the opener had a distinctive Bad Company flavor.  Kudos to the band's German distributor which ignored the British and American choice for a single, instead going with this track:

- 1973's 'You Know Could Be Right ' b/w 'As Time Goes Passing By' (Derram catalog number DM 381)

2.) Revelation   (Stan Webb) - 5:12  rating: *** stars

'Revelation' was a more traditional slice of electric blues with Webb stretching out on lead guitar and some nice Chris Mercer horn charts (I'm guessing it was actually some multi-tracked saxes).   

3.) Prudence Party (instrumental)   (Stan Webb) - 3:11  rating: *** stars

Kind of an English music hall flavor to this guitar-powered instrumental. 

4.) Too Late To Cry   (Lonnie Johnson) - 3:09  rating: ** stars

Professional, if kind of plodding Lonnie Johnson cover ...   

5.) Stan the Man   (Stan Webb) - 4:25  rating: ** stars

Another plodding electric blues number - the lyrics were sophomoric and Webb's soloing simply didn't attract much attention.

(side 2)

1.) Unlucky Boy   (F. Thornton - William Dupree) - 2:34   rating: *** stars

Chris Mercer's sax was a nice change of pace, but really didn't do much to change the overall blues sound.   How many hard drinkin' songs can you have on an album?  

2.) As Time Goes Passing By   (Stan Webb) - 4:46   rating: *** stars

Slinky blues ?   Strings?  Well it wasn't great, but at least 'As Time Goes Passing By' offered up a modest change of pace and Webb presented some of his most melodic playing.   London tapped the tune as a single in the UK and a promo 45 in the States:

- 1973's 'As Time Goes Passing By' b/w 'Poor Boy' (London catalog number 45-7537-DJ)  

3.) Jammin' with the Ash   (Stan Webb) - 7:04   rating: *** stars

Keyboardist Tony Ashton finally got a couple minutes of spotlight time on 'Jammin' with the Ash'.   Not sure Webb's lyrics would be socially, or politically acceptable in this day and age ...   

4.) He Knows the Rules   (Jimmy McCracklin) - 4:05   rating: *** stars

Boogie blues that probably had more of an impact after a couple of cold beers.   Somber it was ... well predictable.