Pig Iron
Band members Related acts
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line up 1 (1969-70) - Alan Abrahams -- lead vocals, drums, percussion - Marty Fogel -- sax - Adam Ippolito -- keyboards, trumpet, backing vocals - Bill Peters -- lead guitar, backing vocals - Paul Squire -- trumpet - Gary Van Scyoc -- bass, trumpet, backing vocals
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- The Dynatones (Gary Van Scyoc) - Elephants Memory (Adam Ippolito and Gary Van Scyoc) - The Everyman Band (Marty Fogel) - Marty Fogel (solo efforts) - Lord Allan & Sir Richard (Alan Abrahams) - Diane Moser's Composers Big Band (Marty Fogel) - Salt City Six (Paul Squire)
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Genre: horn-rock Rating: ** stars Title: Pig Iron Company: Columbia Catalog: CS
1018 Country/State: New York, City Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+ Comments: cut top right corner Available: 1 Catalog ID: -- Price: $20.00
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First
off, there are a couple of funny online reviews where someone purchased a
Pig Iron album thinking they were getting something from the London-based
stoner band. Instead they got an obscure slice of '70s
horn-rock. It certainly wasn't a funny experience for the buyers, but
for some reason the thought makes me smile.
Morphing out of the upstate New York band The Oz n' Ends, the early-'70s New York City based sextet Pig Iron was led by singer/drummer Alan Abrahams. By the time they were signed to Columbia the line-up featured sax player Marty Fogel, ex-The Oz n' Ends keyboardist Adam Ippolito, guitarist Bill Peters, trumpeter Paul Squire and bassist Gary Van Scyoc.
Pure speculation on my part, but it seems to me Columbia's main interest in signing these guys was expanding it's marketing lead in the then popular horn-rock musical niche. Columbia already had Blood, Sweat and Tears and Chicago under contract and was making good sales, so why not Pig Iron?
Co-produced
by Anderson and Malcolm Addey (perhaps best known for his work with Cliff
Richards and a host of jazz acts), 1970's "Pig Iron"
featured a mixture of covers and band originals. For some reason the
set was structured so the covers appeared on side one and the origi
I've always wondered how Columbia got permission to use Andrew J. Russell’s famed “East and West Shaking Hands at Laying of Last Rail" aka “The Champagne Photo” for the cover art.
"Pig Iron" track listing: 1.) People Gonna Talk (Dan Penn - Spooner Oldham) - 3:01 rating: ** stars I knew this song from Alex Chilton and The Box Tops' cover ... Their rollicking blue-eyed soul version is pretty special. Alan Abrahams bluesy voice was fine, though he wasn't Alex Chilton. Bill Peters lead guitar was certainly enjoyable and ultimately Pig Iron's version wasn't bad, but the horns really didn't benefit the song one way or the other. The track was released as a promotional 45:
- 1970's 'People Gonna Talk b/w 'Neighbor, Neighbor' (Columbia catalog number 4-45200)
2.) I Put A Spell On You (Screaming Jay Hawkins) - 4:45 rating: *** stars Well, Abraham's voice had kind of an Eric Burden vibe and the horns were relatively sedate until Marty Fogel 's sax solo kicked-in. I've certain heard worse versions of this song, but just dig out a copy of the Screaming Jay Hawkins original. 3.) Neighbor, Neighbor (Alton John Valier) - 2:48 rating: *** stars In part based on the fact I'd never heard the tune, 'Neighbor, Neighbor' was that album's most interesting cover. Showcasing Abraham's growling vocals and guitarist Bill Peters, the tune started out with the album's most rock oriented structure. When the horns kicked in the song quickly shifted into BS&T territory. The song also appeared as the "B" side of their 'People Gonna Talk' promotion single. 4.) I Can't Make It Alone (Gerry Goffin - Carole King) - 4:58 rating: *** stars There are so many good versions of this Goffin-King classic - Linda Jones, Maria McKee, Bill Medley, P.J. Proby, Dusty Springfield, The Supremes ... Pig Iron's version of this classic ballad sounded a little stiff to start, but actually got better as it trundled along. The anonymous female backing vocals didn't do much to help, but the horn arrangement was actually surprisingly pretty.
(side
2) Unlike some of the other tunes 'Easy Time Now' opened up with horns. The album's most soul oriented performance, Abraham's sounded like he was singing through a bad cold. Well, I liked the group sung refrain and Paul Squire turned in a nice trumpet solo. 2.) Abe's Blues (Alan Abrahams) - 5:20 rating: ** stars Pedestrian, straight-forward slice of Chicago styled blues. The focus was on Peters lead guitar and Gary Van Scyoc's bass with the horns not showing up until about two thirds of the way into the song. 3.) Wake Up Mr. Charlie (L Baskin) - 2:49 rating: *** stars Initially sounding like something Tony Joe White might have written, the hokey 'Wake Up Mr. Charlie' had a country-soul vibe. Extra star for the horns being relegated to the background.. 4.) Out Of Town (Alan Abrahams - M. Barcley) - 1:34 rating: * star Mindless slice of faceless boogie rock. 5.) Top of The World (Alan Abrahams - David Ahlers - M. Barcley) - 2:43 rating: *** stars 'Top of the World' sported the album's prettiest melody until sax player Fogel closed the track down with jazzy fade out.
Their catalog included one subsequent non-LP promotional single.
- 1970's 'Put Your Hand In the Hand' b/w 'Abe's Song' (Columbia catalog number 4-45280)
Their bluesy, keyboard-powered version of Gene MacLellan tune was fine, but they lost the commercial competition to the Canadian band Ocean.
© Scott R. Blackerby February, 2025
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nals
on side two. So I'll try to be concise here. This is
straightforward early-'70s horn rock. If you liked bands
like BS&T, Chase, Chicago, or Madura then there was every chance this
would appeal to you. Like Chicago,
the bands conventional rock core was pretty good. In addition to
handling drums Abrahams was a decent singer. He had a slightly raw and
raspy voice, occasionally reminding me a little of Eric Burden. Guitarist
Peters was quite accomplished and when given a little spotlight time ('Neighbor,
Neighbor') the results were appealing. Keyboardist Adam Ippolito and
bassist Gary Van Scyoc were both professional. The horn section was
also talented, but when the two band components intermingled the results
just didn't do much for me. The biggest problem was the absence of
strong material. The closer 'Top
of The World' had the best "rock" melody but a Fogel sax solo saw
it veer into a jazz territory. 'Abe's
Blues' was plodding Chicago electric blues. 'Out Of Town' offered up
mindless boogie-rock. It was one of those albums where thirty minutes
after playing it, you were hard pressed to remember any of the
performances. It was a disappointment for me. 
