Roll Again

         

01 Loosen Up
02 Journey
03 Blue Eyed Blues
04 Mother Earth
05 Limousine
06 Shake It On Down
07 One Horse Town
08 Roll Again
09 All My Love
10 Gypsy Blues
11 Down In The Bottom
12 Stompin'

Mick Clarke - Guitar / Vocals
Chris Sharley - Drums
Lou Martin - Keyboards
Mick Hawksworth - Bass
Dave Newman - Harp

Recorded at Elephant Recording Studio, London
Engineer - Nick Robbins
Produced by Mick Clarke and Nick Robbins
Executive Producer - Hans Pohle


Mick writes:

Around this time we were working as a three piece band. Dangerous Dave had droppped out to concentrate on his new family, and after a few gigs with different harp players we decided to trim right down to a guitar bass drums line-up and see how it went. Well it went pretty good actually, and we had some great gigs. It was definitely exciting, though it was hard work, and I gained a new respect for all the three piece players out there. There's no time for laying back, having a beer and a dance around while someone else does the work.. once you're on you're on!

Following the success of the "No Compromise" album we went into Elephant Studio to give it some more of the same..I had some good hard rocking songs ready and the band was cooking. Lou Martin came in to add to about half the songs, and Dave played harp on three tracks.

"Limousine" is a straight blues rocker.. "Still writing songs about cars, booze and boogie?" enquired Dave. Yes. Some of these songs had been around for a while and gone through many changes. "Blue Eyed Blues" could have been on the Tell the Truth album, but it didn't have a lyric.. eventually it became my personal statement about white blues. I wasn't born on the Delta.. or in Chicago.. and I never met the Devil at the crossroads..but that doesn't mean I can't knock out a decent twelve bar...And I think it rocks pretty good.

Another favourite is "Journey" which is a complete kitchen sink rock'n'roll extravaganza job.. When I did an interview with Bob Harris on what was then Greater London Radio he played this track. He cranked up the studio speakers to max and we both sat there rocking away like Smashey and Nicey. But it did sound good.

There's a lot of good stuff here. A long version of Memphis Slim's "Mother Earth" which Paul Jones kindly played on his show a couple of times. It features a beautiful piano solo by Lou and some atmospheric bass from Mick. I used both pickups on the SG which were at the time out of phase with each other, giving that interesting Peter Greeny kind of textured sound. "Roll Again" is another killer with guitar and harp playing unison and trading licks.

Of course it ain't perfect.. some of the tracks could have been better. I knew that at the time, but the budget wouldn't permit another remix..we are not the Rolling Stones. But still, it's a rocking album. Turn it up and have fun.