On September 6, 1978 jingle writer Jeff Wayne released his adaptation of H.G. Wells's War of the Worlds, a two disc set, years in the making, that would sell millions of copies around planet Earth, inspiring tours, video games, dance performances and sequels, all while being virtually ignored in the United States.
Such perfect timing! Only in a year when disco and Meatloaf shared the musical charts could something this bombastic have been such a success. Richard Burton narrates while Chris Spedding, Herbie Flowers (bassist on Lou Reed's "Walk on the Wild Side") , David Essex, Thin Lizzy's Phil Lynott, Julie Covington and Moody Blue Justin Hayward perform. Hayward's "Forever Autumn" peaked at U.K.#5.
This remains some people's favoritevrock opera album of all time as well as one of those CDs one uses to measure the quality of a sound system. Now available in 5.1. Still, 40 years later, nobody really knows what the alien is trying to say when he screams "Uuuuullllaaaahhhhhh!!!"
Released November 19, 1976, Chris Spedding's "Pogo Dancing" sounds like a quick cash-in attempt at the latest dance craze sweeping the punk rock scene. The talented session guitarist teamed up with the Vibrators, a punk rock band made up of mostly pub rock vets, for this simplistic single. In seven months, The Vibrators would released one of punk rock's biggest gems, Pure Mania.
July of 1976 witnessed the rise of the punk wave with many legendary bands making their onstage debuts.
JULY 4 : The Clash -then with Keith Levene as second guitarist--make their first appearance supporting The Sex Pistols at the Black Swan in Sheffield. Terry Chimes played drums. This was the same night The Ramones played with Flamin' Groovies and the Stranglers at the London Roundhouse.
JULY 6 : The Damned make their debut at the 100 Club in support of the Sex Pistols. Formerly The Masters of Backside, when they included future Pretenders leader Chrissie Hynde, Dave Vanian, Captain Sensible and Rat Scabies were joined by guitarist Brian James to form the Damned.
JULY 13 The Stranglers have a five night stand at The Hope and Anchor in Islington.
JULY 18 : Sex Pistols soundman Dave Goodman records the band's demos at their Denmark Street practice area/ Steve Jones's apartment. Songs include "Anarchy in the UK", "Pretty Vacant", "Submission", "Seventeen" and "Problems".
JULY 20 : The Buzzcocks debut on stage in Manchester where they open before a sold out crowd for The Sex Pistols. Band members Pete Shelley and Howard Devoto had booked the Sex Pistols. Inspired by the show, the Buzzcocks record the Spiral Scratch EP for 500 pounds.
JULY 21 : The Vibrators play at the Windsor Castle in London. They made their debut earlier at the 100 Club, opening for Chris Spedding.
JULY 21 Morrissey pens a letter calling The Ramones "rubbish".
He would quickly change his mind:
When I bought the Ramones first album on import, I was enraged with jealousy because I felt they had booted the New York Dolls off the map. I was 100% wrong. Three days after writing that Ramones piece, I realized that my love for the Ramones would out-live time itself. And it shall. Well, it virtually has already. If the Ramones were alive today, they'd be the biggest band in the world. It takes the world 30 years to catch on, doesn't it? I mean, look at poor Nico. Every modern teenager now seems to love Nico, yet while she was alive she couldn't afford a decent mattress.
Rich girl Siouxsie Sioux often seen at punk clubs sporting expensive S and M outfits and little else.
One of gun for hire Chris Spedding's follow-ups to his 1975 hit "Motobikin'", "Guitar Jamboree", released in April of 1976, reveals why Spedding was such a sought after session guitarist. ( He also played with The Sharks, The Wombles, toured with Roxy Music and John Cale...the list goes on) Here in the space of four and a half minutes, Spedding imitates Albert King, Chuck Berry, Jimi Hendrix, Pete Townsend, Keith Richards, George Harrison, Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, Jack Bruce, Paul Kossoff, Leslie West and Dave Gilmour. The song is well timed because many of these "men who made music history" would be left in the dust by the punk revolution brewing in the wings.
For some less inhibited mimicry, see Spedding play this song live below:
While the battle of "Paloma Blancas" raged between the original George Baker Selection version and the one by Jonathan King, a shirtless David Essex topped the charts, finally drawing the winds from Rod Stewart's "Sailing"which had spent four straight weeks at #1. The only truly cool song in the Top 20 was "Motor Bikin'" by leather clad session guitarist Chris Spedding. Future punk rockers must have at least liked his look.
This bluesy rock outfit was formed by Free bassist Andy Fraser and guitar virtuoso Chris Spedding. Singer Steve "Snips" Parsons will remind you of Joe Cocker at full strength. When Fraser left, future Talking Heads touring bandmate Busta "Cherry" Jones joined the group. The 1974 album Jab It in You're Eye, even with its off-putting album cover, is one the year's best surprises for me. Sounds like The Clash borrowed the riff from "Sophistication" for "Should I Stay or Should I Go".
When the band started, Chris Spedding drove around in his "Shark" car. They toured with Roxy Music. After the band broke up in 1974, Spedding would enjoy his biggest hit "Motor Bikin'"(UK#14) but it pales in comparison to the soulful jams found on Jab.
1. In 1971 ex-Cream bassist and vocalist Jack Bruce records his proggy solo album Harmony Row with session guitarist Chris Spedding adding tasteful licks on tunes like "The Consul At Sunset".
2. Chris Spedding establishes himself as one of the first guitar heroes of the punk rock era with his 1975 UK #14 hit "Motor Bikin'", produced by the famed Mickie Most.
3.Two years later Mickie Most produces the 1979 UK #2 Racey hit "Some Girls" written by Mike Chapman and Nicky Chinn, whose "Chinnichap" brand of music created a series of 70's hits for artists including Sweet, Mud and Smokie.
4. Apparently not above getting really baked before a TV appearance, Smokie had a five year hit-making stretch with the help of Chapman and Chinn. The 1977 single "Lay Back in The Arms of Someone" hit #1 on the European charts, thanks in part to Chris Norman's Rod Stewart-ish vocals.
5. In 1978 Chris Norman joins Suzi Quatro on another Chapman and Chinn song called "Stumblin' In". The song peaked at #4 on the US charts and appeared on the album If You Knew Suzi.
6.UK Pop Music fans did know Detroit's Suzi Quatro by then. Not so much in the US. Suzi scored a string of Chapman Chinn hits in the UK including the #3 hit "48 Crash" from her 1973 debut album.
