BetaFunk Posted June 21, 2013 Share Posted June 21, 2013 (edited) Totally British: 70s Rock Part One: 1970-74 Just watching this programme on BBC Four. Brought back some great memories of the groups on there that did the college circuit in the 70s. Humble Pie, The Faces, Steve Marriott, Free, Status Quo, Man, Kevin Ayers, Thinn Lizzy, Family (Rick Grech was great!), Babe Ruth (oh, Jenny Haan!!), Sensational Alex Harvey Band , Pretty Things, Heavy Metal Kids plus bands like Van Der Graaf Generator, Blackfoot Sue, Juicy Lucy, Spooky Tooth, Blossom Toes, Cockney Rebel, Be Bop Deluxe, Edgar Broughton, Fruup, Gryphon, Vinegar Joe (Elkie Brooks / Robert Palmer). Chicken Shack, East Of Eden. These were just of few of the regular college circuit bands, the list is almost endless. It was so cheap to get in as well back then. Must have seen all these at some point. Wow. Weren't we spoilt back then? Edited June 21, 2013 by BetaFunk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve Posted June 21, 2013 Share Posted June 21, 2013 just watched this (with the wife grumbling ), I'd forgotten all about Man - I'm going to have to revisit them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyfisher Posted June 21, 2013 Share Posted June 21, 2013 Well, there was good and bad, just like now, but in general I reckon you're right. IPlayer link is . . . http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01r3pm9/Totally_British_70s_Rock_n_Roll_19701974/ . . . for anyone wondering what all the fuss was about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BetaFunk Posted June 21, 2013 Author Share Posted June 21, 2013 (edited) [quote name='flyfisher' timestamp='1371856591' post='2118991'] Well, there was good and bad, just like now, but in general I reckon you're right. IPlayer link is . . . [url="http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01r3pm9/Totally_British_70s_Rock_n_Roll_19701974/"]http://www.bbc.co.uk..._Roll_19701974/[/url] . . . for anyone wondering what all the fuss was about. [/quote] I must say that a lot it is pure nostalgia on my part and i think i was on a roll after seeing Jenny Haan after all these years! I'm just watching 'Even More Guitar Heroes at the BBC' and memories are flooding back. Robin Trower has just gone into a mellow guitar solo and i'm back in the early 70s and can imagine my brother giving me a nudge at that point as a cue to get the beers in at the student union bar! Edited June 21, 2013 by BetaFunk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dingus Posted June 21, 2013 Share Posted June 21, 2013 (edited) I wish I had been around in those days but I was just a toddler . I can just about remember clackers and the first record I loved was Blockbuster by Sweet . It was still cheap when I started going to concerts back in the late 70's / early '80's , and even the biggest bands were charging nowhere near the equivalent of the frankly ridiculous ticket prices the big bands are charging now . I think the major difference is that rock music really meant something to people in those days and was truly the voice of a generation , whereas nowadays it's just another branch of showbiz entertainment and consumerism . Edited June 21, 2013 by Dingus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyfisher Posted June 21, 2013 Share Posted June 21, 2013 [quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1371856876' post='2118995'] I think the major difference is that rock music really meant something to people in those days and was truly the voice of a generation , whereas nowadays it's just another branch of showbiz entertainment and consumerism . [/quote] Good observation! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BetaFunk Posted June 21, 2013 Author Share Posted June 21, 2013 [quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1371856876' post='2118995'] I wish I had been around in those days but I was just a toddler . I can just about remember clackers and the first record I loved was Blockbuster by Sweet . It was still cheap when I started going to concerts back in the late 70's / early '80's , and even the biggest bands were charging nowhere near the equivalent of the frankly ridiculous ticket prices the big bands are charging now . I think the major difference is that rock music really meant something to people in those days and was truly the voice of a generation , whereas nowadays it's just another branch of showbiz entertainment and consumerism . [/quote] The college circuit was amazing back then but the government so stopped all those grants to the Students Union so it all fizzled out. I know it's hard to compare with todays prices but to see the likes of David Bowie, Yes etc for 40 pence down the local college was a bargain even then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezbass Posted June 22, 2013 Share Posted June 22, 2013 [quote name='steve' timestamp='1371856531' post='2118990'] just watched this (with the wife grumbling ), I'd forgotten all about Man - I'm going to have to revisit them [/quote]A great band; if you can get hold of a copy of either the Man live DVD or either of Deke Leonard's books you're in for a treat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonybassplayer Posted June 22, 2013 Share Posted June 22, 2013 Seem to remember when Slade were topping the charts I paid £2.10 to see them at St George's Hall in Bradford and £2.10 for their latest album. Wow how far has that gap widened now between album and concert ticket !!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lojo Posted June 22, 2013 Share Posted June 22, 2013 I want to find out more about Babe Ruth, but I'm worried out typing it into google or you tube Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skidder652003 Posted June 22, 2013 Share Posted June 22, 2013 Thanks for the heads up! Just spent this morning learning that bass line to alright Now, harder than i thought!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted June 22, 2013 Share Posted June 22, 2013 Hopefully I'll have time to watch this tomorrow. What's the Pretty Things track? I have mixed feelings about 70s rock, for every seriously innovative band, there was an awful lot of very mediocre blues-based noodling passed of as "essential listening". Also if you weren't a student or under 18, getting to see any of these bands could be near on impossible. I lived in a town with a Students Union that put on excellent bands pretty much every week, but because it was strictly students and their over 18 guests only I couldn't get in the see any of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted June 22, 2013 Share Posted June 22, 2013 [quote name='lojo' timestamp='1371889474' post='2119117'] I want to find out more about Babe Ruth, but I'm worried out typing it into google or you tube [/quote] Why? Do you have a violent aversion to baseball? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bassman7755 Posted June 22, 2013 Share Posted June 22, 2013 [quote name='skidder652003' timestamp='1371891843' post='2119155'] Thanks for the heads up! Just spent this morning learning that bass line to alright Now, harder than i thought!! [/quote] What on earth are you doing ?, no "proper" bass player would lower themselves to listening to the actual bass line on this song - what you are supposed to do is rely on some vague recollection of how it went from the one an only time you ever heard any part of the original song i.e. the Wrigley's chewing gum advert in 1990. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted June 22, 2013 Share Posted June 22, 2013 [quote name='tonybassplayer' timestamp='1371887728' post='2119085'] Seem to remember when Slade were topping the charts I paid £2.10 to see them at St George's Hall in Bradford and £2.10 for their latest album. Wow how far has that gap widened now between album and concert ticket !!!! [/quote] Also worth considering how much the price of recorded music has dropped. £2.10 in early 70s would have bought how many pints of beer (at least 10 I would have thought), whereas a CD is approx £10 now. Same price as 3 pints. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BetaFunk Posted June 22, 2013 Author Share Posted June 22, 2013 [quote name='skidder652003' timestamp='1371891843' post='2119155'] Thanks for the heads up! Just spent this morning learning that bass line to alright Now, harder than i thought!! [/quote] Andy Fraser's bass lines were good especially as he was only 16/17 at the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
White Cloud Posted June 22, 2013 Share Posted June 22, 2013 Its all good stuff. Pity they omitted Wishbone Ash - Argus was a great recording. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassace Posted June 22, 2013 Share Posted June 22, 2013 [quote name='BetaFunk' timestamp='1371859076' post='2119010'] The college circuit was amazing back then but the government so stopped all those grants to the Students Union so it all fizzled out. I know it's hard to compare with todays prices but to see the likes of David Bowie, Yes etc for 40 pence down the local college was a bargain even then. [/quote] And Led Zep! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Cellario Posted June 22, 2013 Share Posted June 22, 2013 (edited) Free's Andy Fraser is still one on my favourite bass players even now.....some of his lines were so funky and slinky and as Betafunk says, he was so young. Edited June 22, 2013 by John Cellario Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leschirons Posted June 22, 2013 Share Posted June 22, 2013 Ah, good old days. The Mrs went to Redbridge Tech. I remember seeing Atomic Rooster, Black Widow, Edgar Broughton, T2, Sam Apple Pie and Stray etc down there. Loads of great bands around then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve-bbb Posted June 22, 2013 Share Posted June 22, 2013 [quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1371856876' post='2118995'] I can just about remember clackers . [/quote] do you still have them? wouldnt they be just great to attach a set to the headstock of the purple relay bass Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted June 22, 2013 Share Posted June 22, 2013 [quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1371893833' post='2119191'] Hopefully I'll have time to watch this tomorrow. What's the Pretty Things track? [/quote] Singapore Silk Torpedo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pinball Posted June 22, 2013 Share Posted June 22, 2013 [quote name='John Cellario' timestamp='1371897841' post='2119272'] Free's Andy Fraser is still one on my favourite bass players even now.....some of his lines were so funky and slinky and as Betafunk says, he was so young. [/quote] +1 I was trying "The Stealer" a while back. In practice its trickier to play well than Mr Fraser makes it look. [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssZtFzrWSVE"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssZtFzrWSVE[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted June 22, 2013 Share Posted June 22, 2013 Incidentally, amongst the novelty instruments, the perspex instruments, and the massed ranks of Precisions, I thought the most interesting bass on show was with Nazareth (around 53 minutes in). Ricky 4003 with the bridge 'toaster' removed and replaced with a pair of Jazz pickups (yes, 2 for 1), inserted at a steep Warwick-type slant to get around the string-spacing issue. The bass tone on the recording is so distorted and fuzz-heavy (in rather a nice way) that I have no idea whether that was the sound of the bass or an fx box. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Green Alsatian Posted June 22, 2013 Share Posted June 22, 2013 I noticed that myself - looks like Pete's playing one of Roger Glover's Ricks in that clip - he produced Nazareth's 'Razamanaz'. Roger had a couple of his Ricks modified so - he's had the mod reversed (sort of) on his black one: [url="http://www.rauenguitars.com/pages/roger_glover.html"]http://www.rauenguitars.com/pages/roger_glover.html[/url] You can hear his black one here with Deep Purple: [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3AL73LYo64A"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3AL73LYo64A[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.