The Move


Band members                             Related acts

  line up 1 (1965-68)

- Bev Bevan -- drums, percussion

- Trevor Burton -- guitar, backing vocals

- Chris 'Ace' Kefford -- bass

- Carl Wayne -- lead vocals

- Roy Wood -- lead guitar, vocals, bass, oboe, recorder,

  clarinet, bassoon, saxophone

 

  line up 2 (1968-69)

- Bev Bevan -- drums, percussion

- Trevor Burton -- guitar, backing vocals

- Carl Wayne -- lead vocals

- Roy Wood -- lead guitar, vocals, bass, oboe, recorder,

  clarinet, bassoon, saxophone

 

  line up 3 (1969-1970)

- Bev Bevan -- drums, percussion

NEW - Rick Price -- bass, guitar, backing vocals (replaced 

  Trevor Burton)

- Carl Wayne -- lead vocals

- Roy Wood -- lead guitar, vocals, bass, oboe, recorder,

  clarinet, bassoon, saxophone

 

  line up 4 (1970-70)

- Bev Bevan -- drums, percussion

NEW - Jeff Lynne -- vocals, guitar, bass, keyboards

  (replaced Carl Wayne)

- Rick Price -- bass, guitar, backing vocals

- Roy Wood -- lead guitar, vocals, bass, oboe, recorder, 

  clarinet, bassoon, saxophone

 

  line up 5 (1970-72)

- Bev Bevan -- drums, percussion

- Jeff Lynne -- vocals, guitar, bass, keyboards

- Roy Wood -- lead guitar, vocals, bass, oboe, recorder,

   clarinet, bassoon, saxophone

 

 

 

- Balls (Trevor Burton)

- Bev Bevan (solo efforts)

- The Electric Light Orchestra

- The Electric Light Orchestra II

- The Hollies

- Idle Race (Jeff Lynne)

- The Ace Kefford Stand

- Danny King and the Mayfair Set (Trevor Burton)

- Jeff Lynne (solo efforts)

- The Nightriders (Jeff Lynne)

- Rick Price (solo efforts)

- Mike Sheridan and the Nightriders (Roy Wood)

- Sight and Sound (Rick Price)

- The Traveling Wilburys (Jeff Lynne)

- The Uglies (Trevor Burton)

- Carl Wayne and the Vikings (Bev Bevan, Ace Kefford 

  and Carl Wayne)

- Wizzo (Roy Wood)

- Wizzard (Roy Wood)

- Roy Wood (solo efforts)


 

Genre: pop

Rating: 4 stars ****

Title:  Shazam

Company: A&M

Catalog: SP 3181
Year:
 1971

Country/State: Birmingham, UK

Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+

Comments: --

Available: 1

Catalog ID: 3294

Price: $20.00

 

 

Lots of bands have recorded albums split between a side of original material and a side of covers, but few have carried it out with as much pizzazz as The Move.  

 

Released in early 1970, "Shazam" was recorded amid ongoing personnel turmoil.  Original bassist Trevor Burton left to join The Uglies (followed by a stint in the short-lived Ball).  His abrupt departure forced the band to cancel a planned US tour.  Sight and Sound bassist Rick Price was brought in as a replacement (at the same time Idle Race guitarist Jeff Lynne declined an offer to join).  

 

Anyone who'd heard the debut album, or any of their earlier, non-LP singles ('Night of Far', 'I Can Hear the Grass Grow', 'Flowers In the Rain'), was likely to have categorized the band as a quirky pop-cum-psychedelic outfit.  With Roy Wood producing, exemplified by songs like 'Fields of People', "Shazam" retained plenty of those earlier characteristics, but it also introduced a new found mixture of rock and  progressive orientations.  Tracks like the blazing opener 'Hello Susie and a revamped, folk-rock version of Tom Paxton's ' The Last Thing On My Mind' were a harbinger of what Wood would pursue with the forthcoming Electric Light Orchestra.  While the whole album was a blast, you couldn't but feel there was a certain schizophrenic feel to the set and that was underscored by the creative and personnel issues that rose up in the wake of the album's release.  Lead singer Wayne was clearly more comfortable with  conventional pop tunes like the Wood-penned ballad 'Beautiful Daughter' and the cover of ARS Nova's ' Fields of People'.  Wood and the rest of the band appeared interested in a more experimental and rock focused repertoire (' Cherry Blossom Clinic Revisited' and the Free-styled blues-rock adaptation of 'Don't Make Me Baby Blue').

 

Released by A&M in the States, the album attracted favorable reviews leading the band to undertake a tortuous tour of the States (they traveled by car with a U-Haul trailer holding their equipment).  They didn't make much of an impression on American audiences; didn't make much money, and apparently managed to piss each other off in the extended close quarters traveling .  Returning to the UK they found themselves back on the club circuit, which caused additional fighting between vocalist Carl Wayne and the rest of the band.  Wayne subsequently quit, embarking on a solo career.  Nightrider Jeff Lynne was brought in as his replacement.

 

"Shazam" track listing:
(side 1)

1.) Hello Susie   (Roy Wood) - 4:55   rating; **** stars

The opening chords gabbed you by the ears and wouldn't let go.  And then the song got even better.  In fact, if you didn't think Roy Wood and company could rock out, then 'Hello Susie' was a song you needed to check out.  Nice to head drummer Bev Bevan  turned loose on an unsuspecting listening audience !!!  (Amen Corner subsequently scored a UK hit with their cover of the song.)

2.) Beautiful Daughter   (Roy Wood) - 2:36   rating; **** stars

'Beautiful Daughter' was a nifty ballad that blended a sweet melody with a sophisticated arrangement and served as a clear indication of the path Wood take with his forthcoming ELO work.  Regal Zononphone was going to tap the track as a single, but dropped the plan when Wayne left the band.  YouTube has a nice clip of the group lip-synching the tune for a television performance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9iSgOLfjpYY 

3.) Cherry Blossom Clinic Revisited   (Roy Wood) -  7:40   rating; **** stars

A "remake" of 'Cherry Blossom Clinic' off the debut album, this version dropped some of the lysergic production in favor of a more progressive sound. Wayne's introductory narrative seemingly capturing a young man having been institutionalized was disconcerting (even more so when you realize Wood was himself bipolar), but once the melody got going it was a classic Move tune.  Geez, they even incorporated a bit of Johann Sebastian Bach's 'Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring' and a snippet of Tchaikovsky in the middle of the tune.   

 

(side 2)

1.) Fields of People   (Wyatt Day - Jon Pierson) - 10:09   rating; **** stars

Interesting to hear them doing an ARS Nova cover - can't imagine many English bands had heard the original tune.  Personally I've always liked their cover version better.  Powered by Wayne's likeable voice and Bevan's thundering drums, the cover was simultaneously heavier and more radio-friendly than the original.  Not sure Wood's extended "banjar" foray into Indian raga was necessary, though the tune got better when the rhythm section engaged around the seven minute mark.

2.) Don't Make Me Baby Blue   (Barry Mann - Cynthia Weil) - 6:18    rating; **** stars

Frankie Laine, The Shadows, and others had previously covered this Mann-Weil track, but nobody had done it with the Free-meets Humble Pie blues-rock fury.  Wood's Paul Rogers-styled vocals and his molten fuzz pedal work was simply dumbfounding.   

3.) The Last Thing On My Mind   (Tom Paxton) - 7:35    rating; **** stars

Reworking Paxton's folk tune as a Byrds-styled folk-rock tune was sheer genius.  Wayne's sweet vocals combined with Price's melodic bass and Wood's stunning lead guitar work (especially the section where the solo's run backwards) made this one of the album's highlights.  Lysergic bliss.  

 

 

 


Genre: pop

Rating: 3 stars ***

Title:  Looking On

Company: Capitol

Catalog: ST-658
Year:
 1970

Country/State: Birmingham, UK

Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+

Comments: green label pressing

Available: 1

Catalog ID: 5814

Price: $25.00

 

 

With long time lead singer Carl Wayne heading off for a solo career, 1970's "Looking On" introduced ex- Idle Race multi-instrumentalist Jeff Lynne to the lineup.  Co-produced by Roy Wood and Lynne, the album marked a major change in musical direction.  All but absent were the band's earlier slices of poppy-psych, replaced by a series of extended, heavy rockers like 'Looking On' and 'What?'.   Critics and fans weren't particularly kind to the collection, but to my ears the change in direction wasn't bad, just kind of jarring.  That said, the results were heavy rock, but done a-la Move, which meant lots of experimentation and unexpected surprises that you wouldn't hear in a typical heavy rock album - as an example, who was ready for rock and roll oboe?

 

"Looking On" track listing:
(side 1)

1.) Looking On   (Roy Wood) - 7:47   rating: *** stars

'Looking On' made it clear Wood could write a down-low, no holds barred rocker.  Mind you, the results were still instantly recognizable as a Roy Wood song, but forget about all that earlier summer of love, hippy dippy stuff.  Highlights included Wood 's solos on electric sitar, slide guitar, and oboe.  My goodness the man was talented.  My only complaint was that the song faded out just as it started to really pick up steam.

2.) Turkish Tram Conductor Blues   (Bev Bevan) - 4:48   rating: **** stars 

The lone Bev Bevan contribution, 'Turkish Tram Conductor Blues' was actually one of the set's most likeable efforts.  Musically it was a fairly conventional rocker, but it sported a nice melody and Wood and company kicked the crap out of the song.  Very radio-friendly which is probably why it was tapped as a German-only single.    

3.) What?   (Jeff Lynne) - 6:45   rating: **** stars 

One of two Jeff Lynne compositions, 'What?' drew instant comparisons to the forthcoming Electric Light Orchestra catalog.  It wasn't just Lynne's instantly recognizable voice, but the entire song structure and sound ...  it was big, echoic, orchestrated, and had a distinctive druggy flavor.  Very nice.   

4.) When Alice Comes Back To the Farm   (Roy Wood) - 3:40   rating: ** stars

'When Alice Comes Back To the Farm' was kind of a non-descript bluesy-rocker  that had a distinctive proto-ELO feel thanks in no small measure to the cello solos.  Wood sounded shrill, while the rest of the band less than bowled over by the song.

 

(side 2)
1.) Open Up Said the World At the Door   (Jeff Lynne) - 7:12   rating: ** stars

Open Up Said the World At the Door' has always stuck me as being a schizophrenic mess.  Beach Boys-styled harmonies, sitar, oboe, backward tapes, Liberace-styled keyboards, martial drums, heavy metal guitar ...  it's all here in a minimally listenable hodgepodge.  

2.) Brontosaurus   (Roy Wood) - 4:30   rating: **** stars 

Out of the blue the rocker 'Brontosaurus' returned the band to the UK top-10.  Highlights included Rick Price's internal organ shaking bass, a blazing slide guitar solo, and some of the year's funniest lyrics.  

3.) Feel Too Good   (Roy Wood) - 9:33   rating: **** stars 

With Bevan and Price providing the album's funkiest rhythm pattern, 'Feel Too Good' was the album's most commercial offering.  Yeah, it was way too long, but even with those excesses it made for a great track with a fantastic vocal from Wood.  With some judicious editing it would have been prime radio fodder guaranteed to have been overlooked by radio and the buying public.   Not sure what to make of the unexpected doo-wop, or barrelhouse piano segments that were tacked onto the end of the track. 

 

The album was tapped for a series of three singles:

  Germany only:

- 1970's 'Turkish Tram Conductor Blues' b/w 'Beautiful Daughter' (Ariola catalog number 10409 AT)

 

- 1971's 'Brontosaurus' b/w 'Lightening Never Strikes Twice' (A&M catalog number 1197)

- 1971's  'When Alice Comes Back To the Farm' b/w 'What?' (Fly catalog number BUG 2)

 

Naturally the album did nothing in the States.  Shame since it's far better than what the critics would have you believe.

 

 

 


Genre: pop

Rating: 4 stars ****

Title:  Message from the Country

Company: Capitol

Catalog: ST-811
Year:
 1971

Country/State: Birmingham, UK

Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+

Comments: green label pressing

Available: 1

Catalog ID: 5813

Price: $20.00

 

Released after bassist Rick Price's departure, 1971's "Message from the Country" found the band, now effectively a trio consisting of Bev Bevan, Jeff Lynne, and Roy Wood continuing their corporate wanderings; this time around signed to EMI's Harvest subsidiary in the UK and Capitol in the States.  As you'd expect, the original UK and US issues weren't quite the same, sporting different cover art and modified running orders, though they shared the same ten songs.

 

Harvest catalog number SHSP 4013

 

My favorite Move LP, "Message from the Country" was a modest change in direction for the band; dropping some of their earlier pop and psychedelic inclinations in favor of what might best be described as a rough stab at proto-Electric Light Orchestra-styled pop.  Mind you, nothing here was as elaborate, or orchestrated as the forthcoming ELO catalog, but you could hear the band (particularly Wood), playing around with new ideas and ways to expand/modify their sound, while Bevan and Lynne focused on a more commercial, rock sound.  Lots of Beatles-vibe here which you'll either adore, or find irritating.  Personally I love it.

 

"Message From the Country" track listing:
(side 1)

1.) It Wasn't My Idea   (Roy Wood) - 5:31    rating: **** stars

Complete with Wood's squalling psychedelic oboe (?) and Lynne's super heavy bass (it'll literally rattle fillings), 'It Wasn't My Idea' came off like a weird mix of The Fab Four flirting with Arthur Brown.  Fascinating in a strange hypnotic fashion, it made for a wild way to start the album and is one of Wood's most interesting compositions.

2.) The Minister   (Bev Bevan) - 4:29    rating: **** stars

One of two Bev Bevan compositions, 'The Minister' sounded like a very kinked cover of 'Paperback Writer'.  Great Beatlesque melody, complete with killer guitar hood, and glorious vocal harmonies.  As a big Beatles fan I thought the song was amazing, but not everyone's likely to agree.     

3.) Message from the Country   (Jeff Lynne) - 4:45    rating: **** stars

The Lynne penned title track found the band trying to balance commercial with a more progressive orientation.  Normally that would be a disaster, but they managed to pull it off with one of the album's most memorable efforts.  Lynne also used the song to showcase his overlooked lead guitar skills, turning in the album's prettiest solo.    

4.) The Words of Aaron   (Roy Wood) - 5:26    rating: **** stars

Baring more than a passing resemblance to the forthcoming ELO, 'The Words of Aaron' sported the album's most commercial sound.  Yeah the lyric was a little heavy handed, but the melody was irresistible, made even better by the cheesy synthesizer.  Nice Beatles-styled fade out and martial reprise at the end of the track.     

5.) Ben Crawley Steel Co.   (Roy Wood) - 3:07    rating: ** stars.

Simply unlike anything else on the album, 'Ben Crawley Steel Co.' found the band taking a stab at Johnny Cash.  The steelworker-to-revolutionary plotline may have been a joke, but Wood and company nailed Cash's unique sound perfectly, right down to the choking-on-nails-vocals which were actually sung by Bevan !  The song  would have gotten a higher rating had I been a Cash fan.  

 

(side 2)
1.) Until Your Mama's Gone   (Roy Wood) - 5:06    rating: ** stars.

Side two opened up with Wood's '50s rock-flavored rocker.  Once again the bass was kickass, as were the fuzz guitar solos.

2.) No Time   (P. Copestake) - 3:39    rating: **** stars

Sounding like a John Lennon "White Album" outtake, or maybe something out of the Donovan catalog, the acoustic 'No Time' was a beautiful ballad that simply oozed that mid-1960s aura (hum, thinkin' thoughts of love and peace).  Who knows if it was meant as a joke since it was a fascinating effort.    

3.) Ella James   (Roy Wood) - 3:13    rating: **** stars

Wood always had an ear for a commercial hook and 'Ella James' made it clear that talent hadn't abandoned him.  Complete with chiming guitars, this was another one that would have made a dandy single ...    

4.) Don't Mess Me Up   (Bev Bevan) - 3:11    rating: ** stars.

Bevan's second contribution showed he could turn in a decent Elvis impression.  As far as impressions went 'Don't Mess Me Up' wasn't half bad.  Not as much fun as the earlier Johnny Cash number, but still okay.  On the other hand surrounded by the more adventuresome material on the album, this one paled in comparison.   

5.) My Marge   (Roy Wood) - 2:01    rating: ** stars.

'My Marge' also sounded like a "White Album" outtake.  Unfortunately this time out the inspiration sounded like Paul McCartney's 1930's musical hall-styled 'Honey Pie'.   I'll leave it at that.  

 

Folks throw around the term 'lost classic' all the time and it's seldom a true description.  Trust me.  This is one of those rare occasions.  The three musical parodies (Cash, Presley, and McCartney) were a minor distraction, but were quickly forgotten.  Well worth looking for, especially since you can still find copies at a reasonable price.

 

 

 

 


Genre: pop

Rating: 4 stars ****

Title:  Split Ends

Company: United Aritsts

Catalog: UAS 5666
Year:
 1973

Country/State: Birmingham, UK

Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+

Comments: green label pressing

Available: 1

Catalog ID: 3310

Price: $20.00

 

 

Released in 1973, "Split Ends" was a twelve track compilation apparently intended mine the success Jeff Lynne and Roy Wood were having with their post Move Electric Light Orchestra project.

 

By the way, the striking, mod-looking cover was designed by Wood.

 

"Split Ends" track listing:
(side 1)

1.) Do Ya   (Jeff Lynne) - 4:03

2.) Message from the Country   (Jeff Lynne) - 4:50

3.) Chinatown   (Roy Wood) - 3:06

4.) The Minister   (Jeff Lynne) -4:33

5.) The Words of Aaron   (Jeff Lynne) -5:31

6.) Down By the Bay   (Jeff Lynne) - 4:14

 

(side 2)

1.) California Man   (Roy Wood) - 3:35

2.) No Time   (Jeff Lynne) - 3:44

3.) Ella James   (Roy Wood) 3:16

4.) It Wasn;t My Idea To Dance   (Roy Wood) - 5:04

5.) Until Your Mama's Gone  (Roy Wood) - 5:04

6.) Tonight   (Roy Wood) - 3:17

 


 

Though it's a compilation of assorted later day material with Jeff Lynne, I feel this is strong enough to be an actual album release. We hear such amazing vocals from Jeff and Roy like the Bee Gees-esque 'Words of Aaron' and the Oriental lust story of 'Chinatown' complete with gong. The rockabillyish 'Tonight' with that fade out that sounds like the Bee Gees' 'Harry Braff' and Elvis Presley's 'Marie's Her Name (His Latest Flame). All winners. 'California Man' was also the first time I found out about the Move ---through Cheap Trick's version and investigation was well worth it. Actually I think ELO's version of 'Do Ya' is much worse that this original Move version. This one is slower and less "produced" also the drum solo fade out with "Look out, here comes a planet comin'!" is more dramatic! Cheap Trick also did a cover of 'Down By The Bay' with Roy Wood helping out on their BUSTED album. Check it out!

a weird comp, but it has some good songs on it, including "It Wasn't My Idea," the best song from Message from The Country. The inclusion of the California Man 7" is the real treat on here, as "Do Ya" and "California Man" are two of their respective writers' best songs. They're also both great versions of what those writers would do in the future. 

"California Man" is the best Wizzard single that Wizzard never did, and "Do Ya" sounds similar to the ELO version but crushes it (partially the harmony, partially the attitude, but mostly Bev Bevan's killer drums). 

Cheap Trick's version of California Man was a big reason for me exploring the Move, and it was so cool when I first heard the incredibly hard, stomping Roy Wood version.

It has the best cuts from Message From The Country plus some of their last non LP singles like "Do Ya", "Down On The Bay", "California Man" that replace some of the lesser material from 
MFTC("Ben Crawley Steel Company, "My Marge", "Don't Mess Me Up"), a 
smart Move (pun intended) plus nice biographical inner sleeve written by Bev Bevan.

plit Ends [United Artists, 1973]
"Do Ya"--rated single of the year in the rock press, apparently the only place it was distributed--signals a phase in the Move's career that comprises four songs, three uncharacteristically rock-and-rolly and all prime. Most of what remains here was first released on the more exotic Message From the Country (already a cut-out), which I also admire. Consistently good stuff, although the styles do grate. A-

 

 

 

 

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