entertainment scene Diary of a sad break-up

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33649, 26 September 1974, Page 4

entertainment scene Diary of a sad break-up

Stealer* Wheel. Ferguslie Park. A and M Records. L 35044. I sometimes wonder why Stealers Wheel are not as popular as the Beaties. The only answer I can come up with is — the Beatles. By that I mean that the Fab Four, the Lads from Liverpool — call them what you will — succeeded so completely on so many levels that any band which even slightly resembles them suffers by comparison.

The reason for the Beatles’ popularity was, I think, that they were the definitive pop stylists. But, although their lyrics were nearly always excellent, in most other respects they were by no means the best around. What made them exceptional was that their instrumental limitations were concealed in a perfectly evolved group performance and stylistic synthesis. They had refined the live

sound they developed in the Cavern and Hamburg into their own style of composition — a style exactly matched to the group’s abilities. All sorts of things were added to good songs. With Stealers Wheel there’s just the good songs. As an American reviewer said of Gerry Rafferty and Joe Egan — now the only two members of the band — “both seem incapable of writing a tune that isn’t catchy or lovely.” This was obvious on the band’s first album, “Stealers Wheel,” which featured the former five-man line-up, including Luther Grosvenor who is now with Mott the Hoople. And it is also apparent on a little gem of an album, “Can I Have My Money Back,” which Gerry Rafferty recorded for Transatlantic some years ago. I picked this album up a while ago and it is a lowkey classic, offering very tasteful, tuneful mainstream pop, charged with a sharp, slightly melancholy

perception and simple, i delightful tunes. “Ferguslie Park” — the band’s latest album — sus-' tains and enhances the reputation of its predescessors. It is a particularly inter-' esting album because it' was written and produced during the break-up of the original five-piece band and in some ways it serves; as a diary of this disaster. Most of the songs can. and do, relate to Stealers Wheel, Stealers Wheel’s disasters, and the nasty aspects of Rock. The 40 minutes of music on “Ferguslie Park” is comprised of twelve songs, most of which have an open-ended quality. Others, like the tight, driving rocker, “Blind Faith,” • with its late 60s narrative, are songs about collective experiences and are not moodily obscure or introspectively personal. There arc some fine faster numbers — “Good Businessman,” “What More Could You Want,” and “Everything Will Work Out Fine” — and more middle-of-the-road songs such as “Star,” “Wheelin’’ and “Steam Boat Row,” as well as near ballads — "Over My Head,” “Waltz (You Know It Makes Sense)” and “Who Cares.” And always in the background, as tasteful an array of instruments as you’re likely to come across on a pop album. Gerry Rafferty and Joe Egan use orthodox instruments such as the piano, electric guitars, and

organ but augment them with carefully included chimes, mandolin, harpsichord, brass, kazoos, claves, congas, wood blocks and a distant, wistfully lingering Moog. Its only after a time that the album’s underlying bitterness and depression flashes through the gaps in the duo’s cheerful, attractive melodies. The mood of the album is nicely captured in John (Patrick) Byrne’s pastoral cover painting. At first glimpse it looks not unlike a romantic piece of Victorian rusticana. But then you notice odd little things such as the disembowelled crocodile and the Boschian beasties lurking about in the undergrowth. It’s a highly appropriate visual metaphor. “Ferguslie Park” is a good album. Perhaps, as I’ve already suggested, not as good as some of the material it is similar to. But always pleasant, always involving, and a little more substantial than it might first appear to be.

Stealers Wheel are a talented and perceptive band, who, despite their vicissisitudes have produced two creative albums. — Mike Lombard

Shona I-aing has had “Rainbow,” a number from her album “Shooting Stars,” accepted for the Tokyo Song Festival. Last year at the festival Shona made the final 12 with ■‘Masquerade.” Eric Clapton has played to capacity houses throughout his American tour, and the album he recorded with Yvonne Elliman and others, “461 Ocean Boulevard” is selling well although it has

been criticised because Clapton has avoided the virtuoso solos which engendered so much praise, including the now-famous piece of anonymous graffiti, “Clapton is God,” which appeared on walls all over London in 1965. The Grateful Dead have established toeir own record company, Round Records, and the first release is Jerry Garcia’s second sole album which will be distributed by Atlantic.

The teeny-boppers are maintaining their hold on the London charts with the Osmonds, still cashing in on a huge publicity campaning, in two of the top three spots. Gary Glitter will have a throat operation this month which could dramatically change the voice which has sold millions of records to weeny-boppers. Throat trouble has been plaguing the singer for two years. Recently it became worse and he had to cancel many live appearances including concerts in London and Birmingham.