Stackridge - A Victory For Common Sense

Stackridge - A Victory For Common Sense - 2009

from powerpopaholic.com

So you’ve never heard of Stackridge? Well if you’re not from the UK you are forgiven. The Anglophilic progressive pop band began to great fanfare in 1971, were predicted to be bigger than Genesis and even had an very well reviewed LP produced by George Martin right after his Beatles tenure ended (Man In A Bowler Hat). Then by 1975, they fell off the public’s radar. I never heard about them till recently, and after listening to the back catalog, it’s like the discovering a missing link between 10cc, Klaatu and Protocol Harem. Needless to say, if you like any of those bands, you can dig deep here. For those power pop fans who question the inclusion of a progressive band here just give a listen to “Dangerous Bacon,” and I guarantee you’ll be hooked. But, today these old codgers have a brand new album for you to hear. A Victory For Common Sense has most of the what fans expect. Well orchestrated rock and pop, starts off with “Boots and Shoes” a standard melodic rock tune that’s crafted with an ear towards contemporary audiences, that then bathes itself in anglo-slice-of-life nostalgia on “The Old Country.” A real gem here is “Red Squirrel” with it’s Badfinger-like guitar riffs and steady bass rhythm. The folk ballad “North St. Grand” slows the albums pacing a bit, but a few other tracks poke through some of the serious prog noodling, like the wonderful “Lost and Found” and the ethereal gem “Cheese and Ham.” It ends on a ponderous unwieldy jam with “The Day The World Stopped Turning.” While it doesn’t touch the glory of the early 70’s albums, it comes pretty darn close in spots. For most long time UK fans this more than enough to celebrate.

01. Boots And Shoes
02. The Old Country
03. (Waiting For You And) England To Return
04. Red Squirrel
05. North St Grande
06. Long Dark River
07. Lost And Found
08. Cheese And Ham
09. The Day The World Stopped Turning

Andy Davis - Guitars, Vocals, Keyboards
James Warren - Guitars, Vocals, Bass
Mike "Mutter" Slater - Flute, Vocals, Acoustic Guitar
Jim "Crun" Walter - Bass, Acoustic Guitar

With
Glenn Tommey - Keyboards, Trombone, Backing Vocals
Rachel Hall - Violin
Sarah Mitchell - Violin, Backing Vocals
Eddie John - Drums
Andy "Codge" Marsden - Drums
Chris Hughes - Percussion




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MORE STACKRIDGE? CLICK HERE

Stackridge - Sex & Flags

Stackridge -  Sex & Flags - 2005
 

Stackridge are a West Country based group who were at the height of their success, such as it was, during the 1970s. Characterised by quirky humour and rhythmic, catchy, singalong tunes, the band gained a cult following which continues to this day.

Sex and Flags is a compilation of songs and was released in the U.K. by Angel Air.    

01. It's A Fascinating World
02. The Final Bow
03. Someday They'll Find Out
04. Big Baby
05. Charles Loius Dance
06. Wonderful Day
07. Bread And Water
08. Sliding Down The Razor Blade Of Love
09. Dirty Little Nightingale
10. Something About The Beatles
11. Wildebeeste
12. Grroving Along On The Highway On A Monday Morning Once
13. First Name Of Love
14. Beating A Path
15. It Must Be Time For Bed

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Stackridge - BBC Radio 1 - Live In Concert

Stackridge - BBC Radio 1 - Live In Concert - 1975

from AMG

Stackridge, one of the most singular rock bands to grow in soil sown and enriched by the British Invasion of the '60s, coalesced in late 1969. Andy Davis and Jim "Crun" Walter were playing together in the Bristol blues band Griptight Thynne when Davis began seeking new bandmates. Mike Tobin (who became Stackridge's first manager) introduced Davis to Mike "Mutter" Slater, then playing in the folk duo Mick & Mutter. James Warren answered a newspaper ad and connected very well with Davis, and they began writing songs together. Billy Bent showed up, listened to them developing "Dora the Female Explorer," and invited them to practice at his home studio, and they invited him to drum. Mike Evans was playing violin with traditional ballad groups in Bristol (the Westlanders and the Moonshiners). On Davis' 21st birthday, the band was celebrating at a pub when Mike Evans walked in. He was invited to join, as Davis knew him slightly and Walter agreed that a violin would fill out their sound. Meanwhile, Walter had proposed the latest absurd band name, Stackridge Lemon, which was quickly shortened to Stackridge.

The gigs were sparse at first, and Walter left. Tobin moved to London and began securing more plentiful bookings, while around Bristol, Stackridge began developing their eclectic, whimsical repertoire, with stated influences and preferences encompassing Zappa, the Beach Boys, Flanders & Swann, Syd Barrett, Igor Stravinsky, the Marx Brothers, J.S. Bach, and very significantly, the 1965-1966 Beatles. Their rummage sale stagewear, Slater's exuberant, witty patter (and his development of dustbin lids as a percussion instrument), Warren's wry, rambling story/introductions (contemporaneous with Peter Gabriel's development of same with Genesis), and the almost unique (in a rock group) inclusion of both a flutist and violinist led Stackridge to develop an enthusiastic, loyal following.

They signed to MCA, and with Fritz Fryer producing, they recorded Stackridge in the spring of 1971, sharing Martin Birch as engineer with Deep Purple. Warren wrote four songs alone and three with Davis, establishing him as the group's main lyrical voice. Stackridge was highlighted by the boisterous "Dora the Female Explorer," "Percy the Penguin" (the first of their laments for misunderstood animals), and a 12-plus-minute version of live favorite "Slark," a mythical beast that scoops the hapless narrator out of his car and flies him "beyond the fields we know." Walter was persuaded to rejoin on bass, allowing Warren to move to guitar permanently, while Davis continued to switch between guitar and keyboards.

READ MORE HERE

01. God Speed The Plough (75)
02. Lummy Days (72)
03. Teatime (72)
04. Anyone For Tennis (73)
05. Amazing Agnes (72)
06. She Taught Me How To Yodel (72)
07. 32 West Mall (72)
08. Syracuse The Elephant (73)
09. The Volunteer (75)
10. Whos What's Up With Billy Stokes (75)
11. No One's More Important Than The Earthworm (75)
12. The Galloping Gaucho (75)
13. Dora The Female Explora (75)



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