Genre: rock
Rating: 3 stars ***
Title: Wings of a Man
Company: Capitol
Catalog: ST-174
Year: 1969
Country/State: Shepherd's Bush, London UK
Grade (cover/record): VG+ / VG+
Comments: London, UK
Available: 1
GEMM catalog ID: 5632
Price: $20.00
Singer/bassist Danny McCulloch's early career was quite impressive. He started his career as a member of Screaming Lord Sutch's band and in 1967 joined Eric Burdon and the Animals.
In mid-1968 Burden fired McCulloch who then wasted no time signing with Capitol, releasing 1969's "Wings of a Man". Produced and arranged by Vic Briggs (who'd been fired from The Animals at the same time McCulloch got canned), you think there'd be at least a couple of reviews of his album out there. Not as far as I could find. Nothing, nada, zilch ...
So here's what the liner notes have to say:
"He comes on like a lion. Quiet, Mane, eyebrows like furry arches, majestic six-feet arms. He just missed being a Leo, but he tries very hard. His voice is unexpectedly gritty. He keeps a gentler voice for writing songs.
Danny McCulloch started composing when he couldn't do what he wanted to do Bassist with Eric Burdon and the Animals for nearly a year and a half Danny had lots of time in Holiday Inns, Ramada Inns, and Travel Lodges to stare at the phone dial or the television set - or to write these incredible songs.
Something happened somewhere in the middle of Summer '68. A day came when Danny knew he wasn't an Animal anymore. Out of this highly personal revelation has emerged an animal that is uniquely his: an album entitled "Wings of a Man."
You'll find a lot of Danny McCulloch in it. Still and always the good lad from Shepherd's Bush, Danny allows coaster mongers, street gypsies and jugglers to jiggle through his brain. Undoubtedly, still more characters are queuing up just outside his ear. Till they appear, however, we have this to collection to wonder at."
Admittedly while that narrative kind of set McCulloch's creative frame of mind, it didn't tell you a great deal about the album.
Anyone who liked the mid-1960s Animals (I'm talking their 'San Francisco Nights' era psychedelic catalog), was probably going to enjoy this one. In fact 'Orange and Red Beams' was an Animal remake (it appeared on "The Twain Shall Meet"). McCulloch penned nine of the ten tracks (the one exception 'No Face, No Name, No Number' was a Traffic cover), and the collection had a distinctive pop/psych flavor that recalled the post-R&B era Animals. Vocally McCulloch actually sounded a little bit like Eric Burdon. His performances were certainly rugged, but he was ultimately a more accomplished singer that Burdon (which may explain why he got fired from The Animals). Like mid-1960s albums, this one featured a weird mixture of English and American influences. Tracks like the remake of 'Orange and Red Beams', 'Glistening Windows', 'Close of Life' and the pretty ballad 'Mirror of the Sky' were quite commercial, but also sported a psychedelic feel, complete with phasing and other studio effects. Personal favorite - the lysergic soaked closer 'Mr. Moon'. In the States Capitol tapped the album for an instantly obscure single:
- 1969's 'Orange and Red Beams' b/w 'Wings of a Man' (Capitol catalog number P-2363)
Not an album that instantly appealed to me, but a grower that I'm actually more likely to listen to than psychedelic Animals.
"Wings of
a Man" track listing:
(side 1)
1.) Orange and Red Beams (Danny McCulloch) - 3:05
2.) Wings of a Man (Danny McCulloch) - 3:30
3.) Glistening Windows (Danny McCulloch) - 3:02
4.) My Feathered Friend (Danny McCulloch) - 3:26
5.) The Market Crier (Danny McCulloch) - 3:25
6.) Close of Life (Danny McCulloch) - 3:14
(side
2)
1.) The Lying Fortune Teller (Danny McCulloch) - 3:12
2.) Mirror of the Sky (Danny McCulloch) - 4:33
3.) No Face, No Name, No Number (Steve Winwood - Jim Capaldi) - 3:11
4.) Mr. Moon (Danny McCulloch) - 6:25
The following year Capitol released a non-LP 45:
- 1969's 'Hope' b/w 'Hold On' (Capitol catalog number P-2488)
The UK saw the release of a different non-LP single:
- 1970's 'Blackbird' b/w 'Time of Man' (Capitol catalog number CL 15607)
The following year there was a one-shot single for Pye International:
- 1970's 'Colour of the Sunset' b/w 'Smokeless Zone' (Pye International catalog number 7N 25514)
In 1993 McCulloch put together an Animals line up that actually rerecorded some of the band's older material and even toured a little bit.
I've never heard it, but McCulloch's sophomore album (credited to 'Danny McCulloch's Friends' wasn't released until 1995 - "Beowolfe". The album didn't do much, but led to some touring under the nameplate "The Animals and Friends".
Edsel catalog number 740155142322
"Beowolfe" track listing:
1.) Hallowed
Ground
2.) Cat House
3.) Mary Jane
4.) Waitin' For A Dream
5.) Mama Sure Could Swing A Deal
6.) Headin' Out East
7.) Love Me
8.) Praise The Lord And Pass The Soup
9.) You're The One To Blame
10.) Mind Your Business