Genre: pop
Rating: 4 stars ****
Title: The Singles
Company: Speed
Catalog: C
Year: 1982
Country/State: Birmingham, UK
Grade (cover/record): VG / VG
Comments: m
Available: 1
Catalog ID: 5
Price: $
I'
"The
Singles" track listing:
(side 1)
1.)
(side
2)
1.)
This 21-song set is representative of Roy Wood's always inventive work with the Move, Wizzard, and as a solo artist. It contains no fewer than three U.K. number one hits, in addition to the seasonal "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day," and which usually makes a chart appearance during the holidays. And the sound quality is uniformly fine, which certainly hasn't been the case with some reissues like The Best of & the Rest of Roy Wood & Wizzard, which is something of a companion piece to this disc. The songs range from the strongly Beatles-influenced early Move singles ("Blackberry Way") to their heavier, later material ("California Man" and "Brontosaurus," both of which have been covered by Cheap Trick) to the Phil Spector homages of Wood's rock & roll big band Wizzard ("See My Baby Jive," "Ball Park Incident," and "Angel Fingers") to sumptuous solo pop confections ("This Is the Story of My Love"). A gifted writer, arranger, and producer, Wood is an underappreciated original whose music should appeal to any fan of classic rock and pop. (As a bonus, the booklet reveals "Roy's" given name.)
This group evolved into the Electric Light Orchestra, but Roy only recorded one album with ELO, after which he quit and formed his own group, Wizzard, which had significant UK chart success in 1973 and 1974 with their brand of glam rock music.
Wizzard started their run of hits with Ballpark incident, a top ten hit. They had two British number one hits, See my baby jive and Angel fingers, plus two other big hits - Rock and roll winter and Are you ready to rock.
The song Wizzard (and Roy Wood) will forever be remembered actually peaked at number four. It is, of course, the classic song I wish I could be Christmas everyday, perhaps the finest Christmas rock song of them all. It features a children's choir used effectively and well and is frequently included on UK Christmas compilations along with those other perennial Christmas rock songs by Slade, John Lennon, Mud, Shaking Stevens, Cliff Richard, Paul McCartney and others. Because of that, there cannot be anybody in Britain of school age or above who has not heard the song.
Roy also recorded some excellent solo songs, particularly Dear Elaine and Forever. This compilation serves as an excellent overview of Roy's career. The Move and Wizzard were both excellent groups but this compilation contains all the essentials of both groups.