Prison Night (Channel 4)

WITHIN THESE WALLS
This evening (Saturday 7th November 2015) saw the broadcast of Channel 4‘s list programme, Prison Night, with a countdown of ten prison films, as voted for by convicts who are currently serving at Her Majesty’s pleasure. Former British convicts and others involved in the prison service, discuss the authenticity of big-screen depictions of life behind bars. They describe how realistically they believe the film versions of events compare to their own experiences.

The following are the results of Channel 4 asking British prisoners to choose their favourite prison films. The list begins at number ten, with number one being the most popular:

10. Midnight Express (US 1978) tells the story of Billy Hayes, aged 23, who was arrested at a Turkish airport on 7th October 1970, whilst on his fourth drug run with 2 kilograms of marijuana. Hayes was sentenced to four years in prison, but with 54 days remaining his sentence was extended to life, so he had to consider escape. The film premiered at Cannes in 1978, with Brad Davis in the lead role. Hayes tells how Midnight Express was released to critical acclaim, except in Turkey where it damaged the tourism industry (due to Oliver Stone‘s scripted speech, not the one Hayes actually gave).

09. Stir Crazy (US 1980), with Richard Pryor and Gene Wilder, lampoons the ‘get tough’ attitude necessary in order to survive American prisons. Shaun Attwood from Widnes, Cheshire, was given a potential 200 year sentence, later reduced to nine years, in Florence, Arizona, after dealing in ecstasy. He was released after six years and says he agrees with the presentation of American prisons in the film.

08. Scum (GB 1979). 21-year-old Ray Winston is young criminal Carlin, sentenced to Borstal. In order to survive, Carlin needs to learn to give as good as he gets. It is similar to Noel Smith’s experience of a 3-year detention at Rochester, and he therefore agrees with the beatings and bullying from officers. Gerry Henry, a former prison governor, says officers expected total control over prisoners. Scum shocked the public in revealing what went on behind the Borstal walls. Smith agrees with the portrayal of extreme violence, such as prisoners making a cosh from snooker balls. Borstals were abolished two years after the film was released, in 1982.

Prison Night has a side feature on Porridge, a comedy series of the 1970s, which became a hit by tapping into the dark humour of prison life. Former prisoner, Dean Stalham, a serial fraudster, agreed that Porridge gave a true insight into a prison like Pentonville. Fletch, played by Ronnie Barker, demonstrates that you cannot beat the system, but it is possible to push it as far as possible to retain your humanity.

07. The Great Escape (US 1963) is loosely based on the story of Stalag Luft III, a supposedly escape-proof prison for allied POWS during World War II. Prisoners dug three tunnels, Tom, Dick and Harry, and stole 1,500 tin cans and 4,000 bed boards in order to shift 200 tonnes of soil, undetected. They made candles from the fat in soup and sewed costumes using uniforms. According to 98-year-old Jack Lyon, the last surviving prisoner, the major error in the film is that not one American took part in the escape. Tunnel Harry took a year to build, from the centre of the camp to the periphery, but came up short. 76 prisoners got out before the tunnel was discovered. Another error in the film is that the escape took place in sub-zero temperatures, with one foot of snow. Steve McQueen‘s motorcycle chase, including a 60ft jump over barbed wire by a stuntman, did not happen. Jack was caught in the escape hut and sentenced to 28 days solitary confinement, which he did not serve because the waiting list was too long. 73 prisoners were recaptured and 50 shot on Hitler’s orders.

06. Escape from Alcatraz (US 1979) tells the true story of prisoner Frank Morris, played by Clint Eastwood. The threatening atmosphere of the prison, situated on a rocky outcrop in California, is created in the early stages of the film. Danger Man star Patrick McGoohan also gives a sinister performance as the warden. In 1962, Morris spent months chipping away, with a spoon, at the plaster around the grill in his cell. He made a papier-mâché ‘head’, with hair from the barber’s, and put the dummy head on his pillow to fool the guards. Morris, along with the Anglin brothers, climbed from their grills to the roof and physically escaped, but no-one knows what happened to them. The US authorities claimed they drowned, but Michael Dyke, the Deputy U.S. Marshal, conceded the escapees may have survived. Morris’s Family said he reached California, and a relative of the Anglins believes they escaped to Brazil.

In a second side feature, women prisoners are a minority, but there have been three major series based on their experiences: Prisoner: Cell Block H, an Aussie soap which ran for 700 episodes; Orange is the New Black, a comedy drama rich in stereotypes; and British prison drama, Bad Girls. MoD strategist Bettina Jordan-Barber leaked security secrets to the Sun newspaper and was sentenced to time at Holloway Women’s Prison. She says there were relationships between warders and inmates, and inmates go ‘gay for the stay’. When those inmates, having relationships with warders, were spirited away, it was known as a ‘ghost-out’.

05. Cool Hand Luke (US 1967) is about a 1940s Florida regime intent on brutalising the inmates of a prison, with Paul Newman starring as Luke. Joseph Arpaio, Sheriff of Maricopa County, Arizona, brought back chain gangs, after they were abolished, and justifies the system as one of Channel 4’s talking heads. 150 inmates have died in his prisons. They are fed slops, wear pink underwear and sleep in cold tents. Luke escapes to be recaptured, but retains his humanity. Dean Stalham says Britain is about prisoning the mind, but the US imprison the body.

04. In Bronson (GB 2008), Tom Hardy portrays the prisoner intent on gaining celebrity status by battering the authorities at Belmarsh. Bronson was sentenced to seven years for armed robbery, but his attacks on officers led to many more years of solitary confinement. He was kept in the Hannibal Cage at Wakefield Prison, which strengthened his determination to fight the system. Bronson had 12 men assigned to control him, when they opened the prison door, and they often failed. In 1978, Bronson was sent to Broadmoor. 6 years later, he was certified insane, but returned to general prison. In 1993, he took a hostage and demanded an inflatable doll and a helicopter. He serves as an example of how the system can make prisoners worse.

In The Italian Job (GB 1969), Noel Coward plays Mr Bridger, a Mafia boss who remained in power behind bars (the third side feature). Similarly, in Porridge (1974-1977), Peter Vaughan appears as Harry Grout, who ran an empire from his prison cell without repercussions. Dean Stalham confirms the authenticity of these people. But, whereas Martin Scorsese‘s gangster film Goodfellas (US 1990), showed the fine dining in US prisons, in the UK, this was restricted to tinned tuna.

03. Dead Man Walking (US 1995) stars Sean Penn as death row prisoner, Matthew Poncelet, with Susan Sarandon as his spiritual advisor. She won an Oscar for the role of real life character, Sister Helen Prejean, who campaigned against the death sentence in the US. In the film, Prejean succeeds in getting Penn’s character to confess his guilt. The real Helen Prejean is interviewed and Professor David Dow, a lawyer, describes witnessing the death sentence being carried out. Texas executes the largest number of prisoners in the United States.

02. The Green Mile (US 1999) is a fantasy drama set in the Cold Mountain Penitentiary, in which Tom Hanks plays a prison guard who ensures an inmate is executed with dignity. America is the only country in the world to use the electric chair for executing prisoners. Since 1890, 4,000 people have been executed. Fred Leuchter improved the design of electric chairs, in order to execute people more efficiently, but they can go badly wrong. The film accurately portrays the horrifying execution of Jesse Tafero, wrongly found guilty of murdering police officers in 1976. After the execution, Walter Rhodes confessed to the murders. Tafero’s partner, Sunny Jacobs, who speaks to the programme makers, was also sentenced to death in the electric chair for a crime she did not commit. She spent five years on death row, before the sentence was commuted. Thirteen people have been found to be innocent, after they were executed.

01. The Shawshank Redemption (US 1994). A tale of triumph over adversity, which received raving reviews from Channel 4’s voting prisoners. The film focuses on the relationship between two lifers: Andy, played by Tim Robbins and Red, played by Morgan Freeman. It cleverly tells the tale of Andy, through the eyes of Red. Andy is a fighter who treats his fellow inmates to opera and, during a mealtime, he beckons his friends to keep faith in the future. The twist is that Andy inexplicably vanishes from the prison. Prison Night draws parallels with the case of Ashanti Witherspoon, interviewed for the programme, who was sentenced to 75 years in prison at 25-years-old. On 17th January 1972, he was involved in an armed robbery shootout, in which two police officers were shot. Witherspoon was also shot in the head, resulting in the roof of his mouth now being covered with a plastic plate. After twenty years, the parole board denied him release, as two policemen were shot. Three further requests were turned down over the next few years. In this respect, there was a similarity between Red in Shawshank and Witherspoon. In 1999, Witherspoon faced the parole board again; his daughter had only known him as a prisoner. He was paroled and later said his life is proof that rehabilitation does work, but the problems are not over. The Hollywood ending of The Shawshank Redemption puts an emphasis on maintaining hope.

Prison Night is narrated by Julian Barratt and was written and directed by Rob Davis

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Buck's Boogie by Blue Oyster Cult (On Your Feet or On Your Knees 1975)

From the Alan Freeman Playlist

Blue Oyster Cult - On Your Feet or On Your Knees gatefold (1975) (Courtesy: Headheritage)

BORN TO BE WILD
There are bands who, when they record a live album, add previously unreleased or original tracks – in addition to replicating, changing, improving or extending familiar songs. The Who‘s Live at Leeds (1970) adds the covers from their regular set: Mose Allison’s Young Man Blues, Jerry Capehart and Eddie Cochran’s Summertime Blues and Shakin’ All Over by Johnny Kidd. A studio recording of Summertime Blues had been made in 1967, but was not released until The Story of the Who (1976). Thin Lizzy appended two unreleased ‘originals’ to Live and Dangerous (1978), Are You Ready? and Baby Drives Me Crazy.

To On Your Feet or On Your Knees from 1975, Blue Oyster Cult attached an original lengthy instrumental, Buck’s Boogie, which serves as a showpiece for Donald (Buck Dharma) Roeser‘s impressive guitar playing. Like The Who, they added some covers from their usual set, The Yardbirds’ I Ain’t Got You, restructured as Maserati GT, and Steppenwolf’s Born to be Wild. Buck’s Boogie consists of a simple but extremely catchy rock ‘n’ roll melody, over which Dharma weaves his intricate but faultlessly played solos. What sets Boogie apart from other live guitar showpieces is that the remaining members of the band are also given opportunity to shine, especially Allen Lanier‘s organ work which acts as a foil to the guitar. Albert Bouchard‘s drum solo appears after about four minutes and his brother Joe‘s bass solo comes around a minute later. As a rhythm section, the brothers are prominent with or without their own solos.

BOC were often grouped with the early ‘heavy metal’ bands like Blue Cheer, Vanilla Fudge and Black Sabbath, but they did not have a particularly heavy sound. Nor were they primitive enough to qualify as a garage band, despite being classified as such. BOC also had another dimension in that they were consistently unpredictable, varied, experimental and melodic. Their songs were usually of the highest quality and revealed a sometimes bizarre sense of humour.

Buck’s Boogie was recorded on one of several shows during 1974 and it is unclear from exactly which performance it was taken. It remains a part of Blue Oyster Cult’s set to the present.

DAVID GILMOUR ON LATER . . . WITH JOOLS HOLLAND
David Gilmour and his band appeared on the extended one hour edition of BBC Two’s Later… with Jools Holland on Friday night (2nd October). Surprisingly, he opened the show, with Rattle That Lock, so we did not have to wait long for his appearance. He closed with Today, the guitar solo at the end of which gave him opportunity to demonstrate his seemingly effortless and highly distinctive playing. In between times, he performed The Girl In The Yellow Dress, a disappointingly slow, jazz-inspired piece with Guy Pratt on double bass, Jools Holland at the piano and João Mello on sax.

One of the problems with watching Later, is that you have to suffer a lot of dross to catch the band you like. But with Gilmour appearing early, and three times in total, it was not so bad. An interview with former Gilmour collaborator, Georgie Fame, was interesting, for sharing his influences, but he did not perform. Also appearing on the show were The Weekend, The Libertines, Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats, and Ukrainian quartet DakhaBraka.

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Symptom of the Black Sabbath (Sabotage 1975)

From the Alan Freeman Playlist

Black Sabbath - Sabotage (1975) (Courtesy: Wikipedia)

TAKE ME THROUGH THE CENTURIES TO SUPERSONIC YEARS
In his biography, Iron Man, Tony Iommi said of Black Sabbath‘s sixth album, ‘It felt like we were being sabotaged all the way along the line and getting punched from all sides. We were constantly in some problem or another with management or somebody … That’s why … the album is called Sabotage.’ Rightly believing the previous album to be inferior, he is alleged to have told Steven Rosen in the nineties that, ‘We wanted to do a rock album – Sabbath, Bloody Sabbath wasn’t a rock album, really.’ One of the best tracks on the ‘rock album’ and one of the best ever by the band is Symptom of the Universe.

Symptom of the Universe is a track with a number of changes. The intro consists of the preceding track, Don’t Start Too Late, a quiet acoustic guitar instrumental from Tony Iommi, which segues into the thunderously heavy opening riff of Symptom interspersed with Bill Ward‘s rolling drums. At around the two-minute mark, the riff changes again for another heavy one and then switches back. Throughout, Ozzy Osbourne‘s voice is at its most maniacal. At just over three-and-a-half minutes there is another riff, presaging Iommi’s massive guitar solo. Almost a minute later Symptom becomes acoustic again, this time with vocals and a separate lyric. Iommi’s guitar playing on the coda is Spanish-influenced. This final passage is like the intro to Fairies Wear Boots, in that it was created independently in a jam session and tacked onto another track. As with Fairies, it works.

Geezer Butler‘s lyrics are mostly nonsense, although it is fair to say the Symptom of the Universe is love, ‘A symptom of the universe, a love that never dies.’ All of the verses are fantastical or dreamlike, with their mention of supersonic years, electrifying enemy, the Moon, silver tomb, seven-hundredth unicorn and magic ocean. From verses four to three, the first person and his love escape to their dreams and find happiness. Hence, the quieter detached playing of the final, almost separate, passage.

Symptom of the Universe is very heavy as is much of the Sabotage album, with Hole in the Sky, Megolamania and The Writ. To describe the song as an early example of ‘thrash metal’ or NWOBHM, as is popular these days, is errant nonsense and is like suggesting The Beatles were an early Brit-pop band. It seems amusing that someone at the record company thought it would be a good idea to release Symptom as a single. Unsurprisingly, it was not a hit. Equally funny is shredder Yngwie Malmsteen‘s comment, in an interview with Nick Bowcott of Guitar Player in 2008, in which he said that, ‘Tony’s use of the flat fifth [in Symptom of the Universe] would have got him burned at the stake a couple hundred years ago.’

Unfortunately, by the mid-seventies Sabbath were being ripped off by their manager, Patrick Meeehan, and their record label, Nems. Sabotage turned out to be their last great album with the original lineup of Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward. Fans had to wait for Ronnie James Dio and Heaven and Hell, in 1980, for the band’s salvation.

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Sister Seagull and Maid in Heaven by Be-Bop DeLuxe (Futurama 1975)

From the Alan Freeman Playlist

Be-bop Deluxe - Sunburst Finish (1976) (Courtesy: Allmusic)

SOUND ON SOUND
Some bands are too unusual to classify and Be-Bop Deluxe are one such example. Bill Nelson had a David Bowie or Bryan Ferry vocal style, but without the Anthony Newley and Mick Jagger theatrical delivery. His guitar playing was somewhat at odds with his singing, being a bright version of Jimi Hendrix‘s fluidity. Maid in Heaven has a forceful intro, which becomes even more so with the introduction of Bill Nelson’s guitar. Nelson’s lyrics were often imaginative, with Maid in Heaven sounding as if it must be about more than a liaison in a cheap hotel, ‘She’s a maid in heaven/ He’s a knight on the tiles’. Likewise, the band sounds as if it is about to expand and develop the idea, when the song ends abruptly.

Sister Seagull is a slower track, but has a slightly heavier riff than Maid in Heaven. It is equally compact, ending with a seagull impression played by Nelson on his guitar. The lyrics use the bird as a metaphor for the feeling of freedom provided by a relationship, ‘And the wings of change have spread themselves o’er me/ Sister seagull you’re the reason I survive.’ Both tracks were released as singles from the Futura album in 1975, with the economical lineup of Bill Nelson on guitar and vocals, Charlie Tumahai on bass and backing vocals and drummer Simon Fox. Keyboards were played by Nelson and overdubbed. Production was by Queen alumnus Roy Thomas Baker, who gave the band a sharp clean sound.

Tragically for fans of rock guitar, Bill Nelson later exchanged Be-Bop Deluxe for Red Noise and, along with his hollow-body Gibson ES-345, disappeared into new wave, synth pop and ambient(1). He worked with experimental champions such as Harold Budd, Roger Eno, Robert Fripp, Gary Numan, David Sylvian and others. In 1996, Nelson augmented his sound with drum and bass for After The Satellite Sings, which some claim was an influence on Reeves Gabrels‘ instrumentation and production on the Earthling album (1997) by David Bowie. By this time, Nelson had come full circle.

HANDY COMPUTER TIPS FOR OLD-FASHIONED USERS 1: STRIKETHROUGH
This evening, I was completing a form in Word, which requested that I crossed out one of two statements that did not apply. I thought the best way to answer would be to strikethrough(2), although it is something I have never used in Word 2003. A Google search revealed an article written by Diana Huggins for Locker Gnome(3), a site describing itself as, ‘Empowering the geek lifestyle; finding cool stuff for you since 1996!’ And a very useful site it is too. The instructions are in plain English for a numbskull like me. These are Ms Huggins’ instructions:

“You can apply Strikethrough formatting to text in Word using the steps described below.
1. Select the text that you want to change.
2. On the Format menu, click Font, and then click the Font tab.
3. Select the Strikethrough or Double strikethrough check box.
4. Click OK to apply your changes.”

HANDY COMPUTER TIPS FOR OLD-FASHIONED USERS 2: YOUTUBE
YouTube has lots of irritating features and one of them is the absence of a repeat button. To repeat a video in YouTube, type the word repeat after youtube in the URL. I cannot remember where I saw this, but it is very handy. Also very annoying is the Autoplay of a new video that you did not select. To switch this off, look in the top right hand corner of the screen. There is a little white circle in a blue box with a white tick, meaning Autoplay is switched on. Click and drag the circle to the left. The tick disappears and the box becomes grey, which means it is off.

(1) A contributor to Amazon, described Bill Nelson’s original style as ‘Ziggy-plays-Yes’, and his subsequent change in style as being ‘like Jimi Hendrix recording an album on the flugel horn’: http://www.amazon.com/review/R1S6TDBXL3OX4N/ref=cm_cr_dp_title?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B00000JR4Y&channel=detail-glance&nodeID=5174&store=music
(2) Strikethrough – a horizontal line through the middle of the selected text, primarily useful for tracking changes made to text.
(3) Thanks to Diana Huggins of Locker Gnome: http://www.lockergnome.com/windows/2006/12/15/use-strikethrough-formatting-word-2003/

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Birthday by The beatles (The Beatles of The White Album 1968)

From the Alan Freeman Playlist

The Beatles - White Album, poster photos (1968) (Courtesy: nkw)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YER
Birthday is a song from The Beatles or The White Album (1968), and is credited to Lennon and McCartney. According to Chris Thomas, who produced the track in George Martin‘s absence, the song was mainly Paul McCartney‘s because it was improvised at Abbey Road studio and he arrived first. As the others gradually appeared they added their parts. McCartney said he and John Lennon made a 50-50 contribution, but Philip Norman, in his book Shout! (2003), has claimed these were rare. More likely one wrote about half the song and then asked the other for help. It has been claimed that Lennon said the song was rubbish and his input was minimal, but I have not seen a reliable source for this at the time of writing.

Birthday has a repetitive speeded-up blues riff, giving the feel of rock ‘n’ roll or even hard rock. The track begins with Ringo Starr‘s drums, rapidly joined by the bass and some rock ‘n’ roll guitar. I have not named the guitarists, as it is claimed McCartney played lead, with Lennon, while George Harrison was unusually on bass. McCartney is a very good guitarist and George Harrison is thought to have played bass on a few Beatles and solo tracks, but again I have seen no verification for this regarding Birthday. Lead vocals, on the first verse, are by Paul McCartney in a raw style, with block harmonies from Lennon, Harrison, Patti Harrison and Yoko Ono. There is a lengthy drum fill and brief guitar part, followed by Lennon taking lead vocal on the verse, ‘We’re going to a party, party’. McCartney again takes lead vocal for a frantic ‘party’ passage, which is accompanied by distorted piano (through a guitar amp) and high-pitched harmonies. Throughout, one can hear handclaps and random shouts. The sound effect at the end is also the piano.

Few would say Birthday ranked among The Beatles great songs, but, like Ob-la-di Ob-la-da, it is a bit of fun and was ahead of its time as an early hard rock or even ‘power pop’ track. Birthday‘s frivolity balances the more meaningful songs on the album, such as Dear Prudence, While My guitar Gently Weeps or Blackbird. Engineer Ken Scott kept it in mind when he went on to produce hard pop by David Bowie, Supertramp, Kansas, Cliff Richard and The Tubes, as well as hard rock by Ronnie Montrose and Gamma.

ITV WORLD CUP RUGBY NEEDS A NEW THEME
This evening, hosts England played Wales, at Twickenham, in a Group A match of the Rugby Union World Cup. It brought to a head the controversy over the current version of the theme song, World in Union, recorded by British ‘singer’ Paloma Faith for ITV’s presentation of the tournament. World In Union was commissioned by the International Rugby Board (now World Rugby) for the second Rugby World Cup, in 1991, and was written by lyricist Charlie Skarbek, who for the melody borrowed the middle part of Jupiter from The Planets by Gustav Holst. Previous singers of the piece include Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Bryn Terfel, Dame Shirley Bassey, Katherine Jenkins, Russell Watson, Lesley Garrett, Aled Jones, Blake, Hayley Westenra and Laura Wright.

Newspapers have carried front page stories, rugby fans were moved to start online petitions, viewers wrote directly to ITV and even Paloma Faith fans have complained about her, ‘Screeching like a tortured cat, so you can’t make out the words.'(1) Defending herself, Faith further inflamed viewers, when she told BBC Newsbeat: ‘I mean I’m quite pleased with it, so that’s all that matters really.’ ITV continue to insist that the theme tune will continue until 31st October, when the World Cup ends, and add that it features on the official album! There are five weeks to go, so it will be interesting to see the outcome.

At Twickenham, the half-time score was England 16 – Wales 9. By full-time the result was England 25 – Wales 28. The Welsh go to the quarter finals, the hosts are in trouble.

FROM GREG LAKE TO STRICTLY
Earlier this evening, BBC 1 broadcast live the third part of this year’s Strictly Come Dancing pro-celebrity competition. Musical director, Dave Arch has the difficult task of re-scoring the songs for his orchestra, and adjusting the timings for the dances. In 2005, Arch played keyboards for The Greg Lake Band, following in illustrious footsteps, and later toured with Paul McCartney in support of the Memory Almost Full album (2007). Dave Arch’s orchestra includes percussionist Frank Ricotti and singer Lance Ellington, son of Ray and former member of the duo Koffee ‘n’ Kreme with Beth Hannah.

(1) From the Daily Telegraph comments: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/rugby-world-cup/11888395/Rugby-World-Cup-fans-petition-ITV-to-replace-truly-awful-Paloma-Faith-theme-music.html

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Can't Get Enough by Bad Company (Bad Co 1974)

From the Alan Freeman Playlist

Bad Company (Courtesy: Wikipedia)

COME OVER HERE RIGHT NOW
One of the characteristics of supergroups in the seventies, was that they rarely lasted for more than a few albums or years. The first of them, Cream, only survived for three years and it became a cliche to suggest that their successor, Blind Faith, was killed by the practise after which they were named. Rod Evans’ Captain Beyond made one, albeit great, album with the original line-up; and UK lasted for two studio albums and one live recording, but with a change of drummer. One of the exceptions was Bad Company, who made six excellent albums, over eight years, with the original personnel.

Bad Company were a supergroup formed by the singer and drummer from Free, Paul Rodgers and Simon Kirke, along with guitarist Mick Ralphs from Mott the Hoople and bassist Boz Burrell from King Crimson. It gave an interesting configuration because Rodgers no longer had the support of distinctive bass player Andy Fraser, who wrote the hit songs with which he was most closely identified, All Right Now and My Brother Jake. Mick Ralphs, out of Ian Hunter’s singer-songwriter shadow, was free to be an all-out hard rock guitarist and songwriter. The glimpses of Ralphs’ talents on Hoople tracks like Darkness, Darkness and Ready for Love could be given full reign, the only exception being his singing which would be sidelined for Rodgers. Most interesting of all was, and remains, Boz Burrell, who came from a jazz backgound, as a rhythm guitarist, and enjoyed a brief career as a pop singer, with members of Deep Purple, in the mid to late-sixties. Burrell joined King Crimson ostensively to sing, but they needed a bassist more than a rhythm guitarist, so Robert Fripp taught him to play bass. Within a few years, Boz became one of the best fretless bass players in rock music.

Can’t Get Enough, the opening song on Bad Co’s first album, is counted in and launched by Simon Kirke’s prominent drums. Rodgers voice sounds the same as it was with Free, but Ralphs’ guitar has less of a fiery blues feel than Paul Kossoff’s. It is also more straight forward hard rock than he was playing in his Hoople days. Bad Co had a more jazzy feel than Free, due partly to the presence of Crimson saxophonist Mel Collins and also to Burrell’s jazz background. On Can’t Get Enough, the bass is quiet in the mix, but often busy. The lyrics are simple and straightforward, which is frequently the sign of a great song. All Right Now had simple lyrics; All the Young Dudes, less so! The song was Bad Co’s first hit single and remained popular in their live set. Written by Mick Ralphs, it epitomised their approach in that it is catchy, direct and unpretentious. Can’t Get Enough demonstrates the reasons Bad Company lasted longer than many of their peers.

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Alan Freeman's Saturday Rock Show on BBC Radio 1: Tracklist - Pt.5 U-Z

Uu

Unknown by UK (UK 1978)
Suicidal Man by Uriah Heep (Wonderworld 1974)
Something or Nothing by Uriah Heep (Wonderworld 1974)
Return to Fantasy by Uriah Heep (Return to Fantasy 1975)
Unknown by Uriah Heep (High and Mighty 1976)
Unknown by Uriah Heep (Firefly 1976)
The Dance by Uriah Heep (Innocent Victim 1977)
Choices by Uriah Heep (Innocent Victim 1977)
Rape of the Young by Utopia (Oops! Wrong Planet 1977)

Vv
Albedo 0.39 by Vangelis (Albedo 0.39 1976)

Ww, Xx
Motel Blues by Loudon Wainwright III (Album II 1971)
Turn to Stone by Joe Walsh (Barnstorm 1972)
Rocky Mountain Way by Joe Walsh (The Smoker You Drink, the Player You Get 1973)*
Frankenstein by The Edgar Winter Group (They Only Come Out at Night 1972)
Baba O’Riley by The Who (Who’s Next 1971)
Love Reign O’er Me by The Who (Quadrophenia 1973)
Unknown by Wishbone Ash (There’s the Rub 1974)

Yy
Roundabout by Yes (Fragile 1971)
America by Yes (The New Age of Atlantic sampler 1972)
And You And I by Yes (Close to the Edge 1972)
Yours is no Disgrace by Yes (Yessongs 1973)

Zz
Beer Drinkers and Hell Raisers by Z.Z. Top (Tres Hombres 1973)
Other tracks/albums I am vague about, although Fluff definitely played them, are by: David Bowie (Low), Stanley Clarke, Climax Blues Band, David Coverdale (White Snake 1977 and/or Northwinds 1978), an unsigned band called Gentlemen, Jimi Hendrix (Midnight Lightning), Mott (Drive On), Neutrons (Man offshoot), Silverhead (Michael Des Barres) and Styx (Equinox). Alan Freeman also narrated The Story of Pop radio and magazine series which included a progressive rock episode.

Alan Freeman's Saturday Rock Show on BBC Radio 1: Tracklist - Pt.4 O-T

Oo
Extract from Tubular Bells by Mike Oldfield (Tubular Bells 1973)
Extract from Hergest Ridge by Mike Oldfield (Hergest Ridge 1974)

Pp
A Dream Within a Dream by Alan Parsons Project (Tales of Mystery and Imagination 1976)
City Kids by Pink Fairies (Kings of Oblivion 1973)
Astronomy Domine by Pink Floyd (Ummagumma 1969)
Time/ Breathe Reprise by Pink Floyd (Dark Side of the Moon 1973)
Wish You Were Here whole album by Pink Floyd (Wish You Were Here 1975)

Qq
Brighton Rock by Queen (Sheer Heart Attack 1974)
Unknown by Queen, Tony Wilson productions (News of the World 1977)

Rr
Man On the Silver Mountain by Rainbow (Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow 1975)*
Long Live Rock ‘n’ Roll by Rainbow (Long Live Rock ‘n’ Roll 1978)
Love is the Drug by Roxy Music (Siren 1975)
Both Ends Burning by Roxy Music (Viva! Roxy 1976)
Ritt Mickly by Refugee (Refugee 1974)

Ss
Ohio by Sassafras (Wheelin’ ‘n’ Dealin’ 1975)
Long Gone by Snafu (Snafu 1973)
Said He the Judge by Snafu (Snafu 1973)
Goodbye USA by Snafu (Snafu 1973)
Unknown by Son Seals (Unknown)
Heard It by Shanghai (Shanghai 1974)
Motor Bikin’ by Chris Spedding and the Vibrators, a Tony Wilson session (Chris Spedding 1976)
Better by You, Better Than Me by Spooky Tooth (Spooky Two 1969)
Unknown by Chris Stainton and Tundra (Unknown)
Big Fat Momma by Status Quo (Piledriver 1972)
Don’t Think it Matters by Status Quo (Quo 1974)
Down in the Sewer by The Stranglers (Stranglers IV: Rattus Norvegicus 1977)
Walk On By by The Stranglers (Black and White 1978)*
Run for Cover by Streetwalkers (Red Card 1976)
Black-Eyed Queen by String Driven Thing (Please Mind Your Head)

Tt
Extract from Phaedra by Tangerine Dream (Phaedra 1974)
Unknown by Tangerine Dream (Ricochet 1975)
Marquee Moon by Television (Marquee Moon 1977)
I’m Going Home by Ten Years After (Recorded Live 1973)
The Rocker by Thin Lizzy (Vagabonds of the Western World 1973)
Bad Reputation by Thin Lizzy (Bad Reputation 1977)
Snowflakes are Dancing by Isao Tomita (Snowflakes are Dancing 1974)
(Roamin’ Thro’ the Gloamin’ With) 40.000 Headman by Traffic (Traffic 2nd Album 1968)
Little Bit of Sympathy by Robin Trower (Bridge of Sighs 1974)

Alan Freeman's Saturday Rock Show on BBC Radio 1: Tracklist - Pt.3 I-N

Ii

Unknown by Isotope (Isotope 1974 or Illusion 1974)

Jj
Oxygene by Jean-Michel Jarre (Oxygene 1976)
The Story of the Hare Who Lost His Spectacles by Jethro Tull (A Passion Play 1973)
Bungle in the Jungle by Jethro Tull (War Child 1974)
Funeral for a Friend/ Love Lies Bleeding by Elton John (Yellow Brick Road 1973)
Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting by Elton John (Yellow Brick Road 1973)
Move Over by Janis Joplin (Pearl 1971)
Topaz by Journey (Journey 1975)
Dissident Aggressor by Judus Priest (Sin After Sin 1977)

Kk
21st Century Schizoid Man, inc. Mirrors by King Crimson (In the Court of the Crimson King 1969)
Epitaph by King Crimson (In the Court of the Crimson King 1969)
Unknown by King Crimson (Starless and Bible Black 1974)
One More Red Nightmare by King Crimson (Red 1974)

Ll
I Believe in Father Christmas by Greg Lake (Works Volume 2 1975)
Dancing Days by Led Zeppelin (Houses of the Holy 1973)
Unknown by Led Zeppelin (Physical Graffiti 1975)
7171551 by Deke Leonard (Iceberg 1973)
Sweet Home Alabama by Lynyrd Skynyrd (Second Helping 1974)

Mm
Prelude/ The Storm by Man (2 Ozs of Plastic with a Hole in the Middle 1969)
Many are Called, but Few Get Up by Man (Do You Like it Here Now, are You Settling In? 1971)
Joybringer by Manfred Mann’s Earth Band (Solar Fire 1973)
Spirits in the Night by Manfred Mann’s Earth Band (Spirits in the Night 1975)
Blinded by the Light by Manfred Mann’s Earth Band (The Roaring Silence 1976)
California by Manfred Mann’s Earth Band (Watch 1978)
The Man from Mexico by Meal Ticket [Willie Finlayson] (Code of the Road 1977)
Rock the Nation by Montrose (Montrose 1973)
Bad Motor Scooter by Montrose (Montrose 1973)
Space Station No. 5 by Montrose (Montrose 1973)
Rock Candy by Montrose (Montrose 1973)
Paper Money by Montrose (Paper Money 1974)
Starliner by Montrose (Paper Money 1974)
Melancholy Man by The Moody Blues (A Question of Balance 1970)
Marionette by Mott the Hoople (The Hoople 1974)
Dancing the Night Away by The Motors (The Motors 1 1977)
Be What You Gotta Be by The Motors (The Motors 1 1977)
Nantucket Sleighride (to Owen Coffin) by Mountain (Nantucket Sleighride 1971)

Nn
Shanghai’d n Shanghai by Nazareth (Rampant 1974)
Fidgety Queen by Nektar (Down to Earth 1974)
Unknown by The Neu (Neu ’75 1975)*
Sigmund Freud’s Impersonation of Albert Einstein in America by Randy Newman (Little Criminals 1977)
Stranglehold by Ted Nugent (Ted Nugent 1975)

Alan Freeman's Saturday Rock Show on BBC Radio 1: Tracklist - Pt.2 E-H

Ee

Unknown by The Graeme Edge Band, featuring Adrian Gurvitz (Kick Off Your Muddy Boots 1975)
Unknown by The Graeme Edge Band, featuring Adrian Gurvitz (Paradise Ballroom 1977)
Listen Now by [Phil Manzanera’s] 801 (Listen Now 1977)
Trilogy by Emerson, Lake & Palmer (Trilogy 1972)
Still…You Turn Me On by Emerson, Lake & Palmer (Brain Salad Surgery 1973)
Benny the Bouncer by Emerson, Lake & Palmer (Brain Salad Surgery 1973)
Karn Evil 9: 1st Impression, Pt. 1 by Emerson, Lake & Palmer (Brain Salad Surgery 1973)
Karn Evil 9: 1st Impression, Pt. 2 by Emerson, Lake & Palmer (Brain Salad Surgery 1973)
Karn Evil 9: 2nd Impression by Emerson, Lake & Palmer (Brain Salad Surgery 1973)
Karn Evil 9: 3rd Impression by Emerson, Lake & Palmer (Brain Salad Surgery 1973)
Tarkus by Emerson, Lake & Palmer (Welcome Back My Friends to the Show That Never Ends…Ladies and Gentlemen 1974)
Jeremy Bender/The Sheriff by Emerson, Lake & Palmer (Welcome Back My Friends to the Show That Never Ends… Ladies and Gentlemen 1974)
Pirates by Emerson, Lake & Palmer (Works Volume I 1977)
Tiger in a Spotlight by Emerson, Lake & Palmer (Works Volume II 1977)
When the Apple Blossoms Bloom in the Windmills of Your Mind I’ll Be Your Valentine by Emerson, Lake & Palmer (Works Volume II 1977)

Ff
Unknown by Focus (Unknown)*
The Damage is Done by Foreigner (Foreigner 1977)
The Hunter by Free (Free Live! 1971)

Gg
A Million Miles Away by Rory Gallagher, a Tony Wilson production (Tattoo 1973)
Breakaway or I Wanna Stay With You by Gallagher and Lyle (Breakaway 1976)
Unknown by J. Geils Band (‘Live’ Full House 1972)
Monkey Island by Geils (Monkey Island 1977)
The Musical Box by Genesis (Nursery Cryme 1971)
Return of the Giant Hogweed by Genesis (Nursery Cryme 1971)
The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway by Genesis (The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway 1974)
Rollin’ by The Steve Gibbns Band (Any Road Up 1976)
Child in Time by the Ian Gillan Band (Child in Time 1976)
Crossing the Line by Go (Stomu Yamashta, Steve Winwood, Michael Shrieve) (Go 1976)
Unknown by Godley and Creme [with Peter Cook] (Consequences 1977)
Fighting Windmills by Golden Earring (Contraband 1976)
Oceans Away by Phillip Goodhand-Tait (Oceans Away 1976)*
Unknown track by Greenslade (Bedside Manners are Extra 1973)
Soldier by The Groundhogs (Thank Christ for the Bomb 1970)

Hh
When An Old Cricketer Leaves The Crease by Roy Harper and Trigger (HQ 1975)
Magic Thing by George Hatcher Band (Talkin’ Turkey 1977)
Orgone Accumulator by Hawkwind (The Space Ritual 1973)
Kings of Speed by Hawkwind (Warrior on the Edge of Time 1975)
Salmon Song by Steve Hillage (Fish Rising 1975)
Dreamer by Home (Home second album 1972)
Dearg Doom by The Horslips (The Tain 1973)
Speed the Plough by The Horslips (Aliens 1977)

Alan Freeman's Saturday Rock Show on BBC Radio 1: Tracklist - Pt.1 A-D

Aa

Let There be Rock by AC/DC (Let There be Rock 1977)
The Four Horsemen by Aphrodite’s Child (666 1972)
The Wall of Death by Pete Atkin, Tony Wilson session (The Road of Silk 1974)

Bb
Can’t Get Enough by Bad Company (Bad Company 1975)
Bad Company by Bad Company (Bad Company 1975)
Unknown by Peter Baumann (Romance ’76 1976)
Birthday by The Beatles (White Album 1968)
Maid in Heaven by Be-Bop Deluxe (Futurama 1975)
Sister Seagull by Be-Bop Deluxe (Futurama 1975)
Ships in the Night by Be-Bop Deluxe (Sunburst Finish 1976)
A Rainbow’s Gold by Beckett (Beckett 1974)
Extract from The Rime of the Ancient Mariner by David Bedford (The Rime of the Ancient Mariner 1975)
Big-Eyed Beans From Venus by Captain Beefheart (Clear Spot 1972)
NIB by Black Sabbath (Black Sabbath 1970)
Wheels of Confusion by Black Sabbath (Volume 4 1972)
Snowblind by Black Sabbath (Volume 4 1972)
Laguna Sunrise by Black Sabbath (Volume 4 1972)
Fluff by Black Sabbath (Sabbath Bloody Sabbath 1973)
Symptom of the Universe by Black Sabbath (Sabotage 1975)
Buck’s Boogie by Blue Oyster Cult (On Your Feet or on Your Knees 1975)
Tattoo Vampire by Blue Oyster Cult (Agents of Fortune 1976)
Why Should I Lend You Mine (When You’ve Broken Yours Off Already) by Brand X (Moroccan Roll 1977)
Moving in Circles by David Bowie (The Man Who Sold the World 1970)
Unknown by Boxer (Below the Belt 1976)
Stranded by Budgie (Squawk 1972)
Unknown by Budgie (Bandolier 1975)

Cc
Lunar Sea by Camel (Moonmadness 1976)
Walk on the Water by City Boy (Dinner at the Ritz 1976)
Unknown by Colosseum II (Strange New Flesh 1976)
Is It My Body? by Alice Cooper (Love it to Death 1971)
Billion Dollar Babies by Alice Cooper (Billion Dollar Babies 1973)
Space Pirates by Alice Cooper (Flash Fearless Vs. the Zorg Women, Pts.5&6 1975)
Saviour by Kevin Coyne (Matching Head and Feet 1975)
White Room by Cream (Wheels of Fire 1968)
Young Mother by Curved Air (Second Album 1971)

Dd
Oceans Away by Roger Daltrey (Ride a Rock Horse 1975)
Fools by Deep Purple (Fireball 1971)
Woman From Tokyo by Deep Purple (Who Do We Think We Are? 1973)
Might Just Take Your Life (Burn 1974)
Rock and Roll Hoochie Coo by Rick Derringer (All American Boy 1973)
Pursuit on 53rd St by The Doobie Brothers (What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits 1974)
Mosquito by The Doors (Full Circle 1972)
Rocket to the Stars by Driver (No Accident 1977)

RP08.11.15

From the Alan Freeman Playlist

Alan 'Fluff' Freeman (Courtesy: Daily Mail)

FLUFF
Here, as promised, is the list of tracks that I remember Alan Freeman playing on his BBC Radio 1 Saturday Rock Show from around 1973 to 1978. This is all from memory, as I did not keep any of my seventies recordings. What I tended to do, as I was young and decent cassettes were not cheap, was record tracks that I liked, listen to them and then record over them. At the time, I did fill in the index card, which is the reason for being able to remember certain tracks and the parent albums. I rarely, if ever, recorded entire shows and did not date them in any case. The dates I have provided are only the release dates of the albums. A few years ago I did produce a handwritten list, in order to help me track down various albums on the internet, and this provided the outline of the following on this blog.

When Alan Freeman returned in the nineties, I again recorded certain items and played them in the car on my way to-and-from work. My memory of this is hazy, so it did not interfere with the seventies material. When he transferred to Virgin radio, I kept a more detailed handwritten list, which I may later type and post on these pages. Distractions came from the fact that Freeman ran an afternoon programme concurrently with the Rock Show, mainly for chart music, but he did play singles by rock bands. Additionally, I would have heard occasional rock tracks on other radio shows, including John Peel‘s brief series which followed the Rock Show on Saturday afternoons. There was also Tommy Vance‘s later Friday Rock Shows and his Saturday afternoon ‘magazine’ programme. Again, I might be able to produce a list of tracks from his show, but it would be shorter!

Uncertainties include for example, the fact that I recall much of Bad Company’s first album being played frequently, but which tracks and on which Freeman show, I am unsure. The same, to a certain extent, can be said for Thin Lizzy and Led Zeppelin. So, here, I made educated guesses. Some tracks were from Tony Wilson-produced sessions, but which, again, further muddy the water. Certainly, A Million Miles Away by Rory Gallagher was a Wilson session, as it was a request and the letter’s author said they thought it was better than the album version. A number of pieces from Queen’s News of the World were broadcast as sessions. Pete Atkin’s and Kevin Coyne’s songs may have been from sessions.

Some other educated guesses include songs by Beckett, Boxer, Brand X, Budgie, Roger Daltrey/ Phillip Goodhand-Tait and Free. There are tracks by Focus and King Crimson used as jingles, yet to be researched. A few unknown (or forgotten) tracks include those by Peter Baumann, Coloseum II, Graeme Edge Band, Greenslade, Isotope and others. There was an instrumental by The Neu, played by Alan Freeman, but which was also used, I think, as a jingle by John Peel. In some cases, as with Focus, Son Seals, and Stephen Stills with Eric Clapton, I have forgotten both the track and album titles. Freeman was not averse to punk rock and frequently played songs by The Flamin’ Groovies, The Ramones and others in the early days of the movement. These meant little to me, so I omitted any mention.

Alan Freeman had a one-off half-hour show devoted to Brain Salad Surgery by ELP, consisting of album tracks and an interview with Carl Palmer. I am fairly certain of the details of this and have included the tracks. Most were played on his Saturday show too. To conclude, the majority of the tracks listed, from 1973 to 1978, are excellent and are thoroughly recommended.

W23.09.15/P24.09.15/RP07.11.15

Alan Freeman's Saturday Rock Show on BBC Radio 1

Alan 'Fluff' Freeman (Courtesy: Daily Mail)

GREETINGS, MUSIC LOVERS
When a regular poster on the rock forums, it was my intention to post a complete list of records that I remember hearing on Alan ‘Fluff’ Freeman‘s Saturday Rock Show during the nineteen-seventies. Some brief lists were posted, but never an exhaustive example. Recently, I came across a thread on a forum(1), in which members posted lists of tracks from particular shows that they had recorded, with the broadcast date. This prompted me to begin compiling an alphabetical list of tracks, with the parent album and date of release. It is not easy remembering the sources of pieces of music, which were broadcast from around 1973 to the late seventies, as Freeman had more than one show. Additionally, Tommy Vance took over the Rock Show on Friday nights, Freeman went to Capital Radio with a replica show, and both DJs reappeared on BBC and then Virgin Radio in the nineties.

Alan Freeman was born in 1927 and brought up in Melbourne, Australia, and worked as a salesman while aspiring to be an opera singer. Realising he did not have the voice for opera, Freeman became a DJ in Tasmania. He travelled to Europe to work initially on Radio Luxembourg, before joining the BBC Light Programme in 1960 for Pick of the Pops, a chart run down show. Freeman’s chart show was switched to Radio 1, in 1967, where it continued until 1972. Freeman then moved to a weekday afternoon show, playing a selection of chart records, and in 1973 added the Saturday Rock Show for heavy and progressive rock.

The Saturday Rock Show on BBC Radio 1, on which Freeman played album track requests, new releases, sessions by his producer Tony Wilson, and ran a weekly competition, became increasingly popular, such that it was voted Best Radio Show five years in succession and the time slot was increased from two to three hours. Punk rock and an incompetent controller, Derek Chinnery, drove Freeman to Capital Radio, an independent station, in the late seventies.

Alan Freeman’s enthusiastic salesman-style delivery, his toleration of fools, range of catch phrases (not ‘alf), ‘gift for intimacy with his listeners'(2)(addressing them as ‘music lovers’), selection of classical and rock jingles, along with his choice of what would otherwise have been underground music, made his shows utterly compelling. In a BBC Radio documentary series on DJs, John Peel described Freeman as ‘truly original’.

Freeman returned to BBC Radio 1, from Capital, in January 1989 to revive Pick of the Pops and the Rock Show. The former ran to 1992 and the latter to 1993, when he left the station as it was overhauled by another inept controller, Matthew Bannister. From 1996 to 1997 Freeman hosted The Friday Rock Show on Virgin Radio, with producer Trevor ‘Basher’ White. My intention is to also compile a list from these shows. He returned to BBC Radio 2, presenting Pick of the Pops from 1997 to 2000, when he handed the show to ex-Radio Trent DJ Dale Winton.

Sadly, Alan Freeman died on 27th November 2006 at Brinsworth House, Twickenham, South-West London, after a short illness. He was 79. His funeral took place on 7th December 2006 at South West Middlesex Crematorium and was attended by DJs Paul Gambaccini, Dave Lee Travis, Nicky Campbell, Paul McKenna, Wes Butters, Simon Bates and Richard Skinner. A congregation of around 200 people attended the service, which was taken by BBC broadcaster Reverend Roger Royle.

NOTE: Compiling the list will take longer than I anticipated, so, in the meantime, I am working on writing about some individual tracks from the Saturday Rock Show. My intention is to approach them in alphabetical order, beginning with AC/DC’s Let There be Rock from the album of the same name.

(1) Popscene’s thread, ‘For those about to Rock… Fluff’s Rock Shows, Celebrating Fluff’s Rock Shows 1973-97’: http://z6.invisionfree.com/popscene/index.php?showtopic=12977&view=getnewpost. There are also lists on Wikia: http://fridayrockshow.wikia.com/wiki/Alan_Freeman
(2) Thanks to the BBC News Obituary: Alan ‘Fluff’ Freeman by an anonymous, but undertanding, author: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/2940413.stm

W19.09.15/P20.09.15/RP07.11.15