This piece is intentionally not a million miles from 'On Broadway' - but unlike George Benson, Billy does not wear a Rolex (or any wrist watch come to that).
Expensive Equipment Veneer covered chipboard displayed around the floor, Painted vivid colours to make you want it more; Along comes Ramsden to huff an' puff an' blow, To keep the People's Flag flying - over trivia below.
"Nice One Herbie (Hancock)!
I think those who contributed to this track - Mark Ramsden (alto saxophone), Davo Cooke (who takes the heavy metal guitar solo), Robin Aspland (piano), Stuart Hall (violin), Winston Blissett (bass guitar) and Martin France (quite a big drumkit) are ALL priceless." The VOGC. A musical Love In.
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Fat People
The Blues
"Not REALLY. Metaphorically. The four styles portrayed on the 1986 LP 'Beyond E Major' (The Blues, Heavy Metal, Country & Western, Rock & Roll) were aural sketches of the movement the four styles invoke when dancing. Aural art impressions capturing momentum. Banging one's head in 12/8, with a slow two and four back beat chastisement.
Sourced from a floppy disc 'aural advert' for an ARP synthesiser with Proportional Pitch Control which fell out of a musical equipment magazine BJ found at Wing Music (as immortalised on 'Still Sounds Like Bromley'). What a crappy concept. Using a known poor quality (but cheap) sound carrier to sell a supposed quality sounding instrument (or so the cacky American salesman on the disc would have us believe). Nonetheless, behind this cheese there was a quite acceptable 12/8 groove going on and that was the inspiration. Placing the piece in C#minor put a special emphasis on the nuances of that key and its relationship with the guitar fretboard, especially the tension of the C# on the fourth fret, fifth string. It is the ideal key and feel to work oneself into the nature of blues guitar playing and therefore perfect for 'BEYOND E MAJOR.'
The original horn arrangements were inspired by Oliver Nelson. It was this piece that on 27th May 1995 began the long (and still) running 'debate' twixt BJ and Dave Ramm. Don't even ask.....
('Beyond E Major' was a monthly guitar tuition column BJ was writing for a magazine called 'One Two Testing', which was published for a few years in the '80s).
Johnny Cash
"Heh heh. Johnny Johnny - Ooooo - Johnny Johnny. This man is Sexy. This man is a Man.
I really do hope I've captured how Mr Cash is perceived. An artist who wasn't afraid to confront a microphone with just his voice, guitar and sixty two years of living as he did on 'American Recordings' - a recording actually made a couple of years after this aural portrait was 'painted'. Yup - I feel I got it right. But my portrait is nothing. compared to the music he has produced. Thank you, Mr Alluring Darkness".
Discoboats At Two o'Clock
Written whilst resident Thameside at Wood Wharf Studios.
"Every night they'd come, wafting in through the skylight on the summer breeze. Drifting out of sleep into 'Love Ter Love Ya Bay-beee,' bass pumping and bouncing off the far shore, then off our side, then back over... Boom Boom Doom. The slow approaching crescendo, whirling louder, softer, even louder till one feared the children might disco in their dreams and one wished that the party shouters might just lean that bit further over the side and plunge blissful quietly to a silent death.
One day we found a bass guitar washed up on the foreshore. I pondered for a moment where it's owner was and prayed that next time it'll be a disc jockey's turntable..."
Cooking Oil
Amazingly, in 1993 choreographer Nikky Smedley used this music to create a piece for the Blueprint Dance Company and turned it into one of the funniest dance pieces BJ has ever witnessed. Fully understanding every minutiae of the music, it left BJ in tears - of joy. "And when music tires me and I want to become a park keeper, it is that paradox which drives me on. I cannot bestow enough plaudits on the head of Nikky Smedley. Thank you, thank you, thank you" - says BJ.
Donkey Droppings
It took BJ two years to fully appreciate the noise from this gig. The cassette is well worth investigating, if not for the 2,000 strong crowd shouting 'Bastard!'. Nuts.
Elvis Presley
The King. The Burger King. No reply to the Official Elvis Presley U.K. Fan Club, who wrote to BJ asking to have a copy of his 'tribute.' But it is sincere. Just how good could he have continued to be had not monetary excess guided him from the path of righteousness? And that's not in a religious sense, just common sense.
Here was was a White Blues Man poisoned by consumerism and demand. A pure simple soul stretched aound the electrified world. Strung so thin he had to snap. Became so fat he had to Pop.
And who is the voice of 'Elvis,' ripped off from the Dansette Major before things get really good? Why, what a surprise. It's producer Tony Messenger once more displaying his talent for forgery!