Bruce coming up on Radio 2

[Iain Purdon]

Iain
RADIO2/ RADIO SCOTLAND and a few others still going off air between 5pm to midnight on Central Scotland freeview channels.
Mike

I'll PM you Mike
Best wishes - Iain

[RayL]

I have to disagree with Lanky. There is a great program to be made about Rock Around The Clock - but that wasn't it. Bruce did well, but he was only reading a script.

The hidden agenda seemed to be a vanity project by the producer to make a cover version using present-day musicians. In exchange for their musical skills he allowed them to witter on for a large part of the program despite their obvious lack of knowledge about the original musicians, their instruments or Milt Gabler's recording techniques. We got guesswork and opinions instead of facts. If the program was supposed to be about the April 12th 1954 recording then making a cover version (however well played) was irrelevant.

The full original recording (with Billy Gussak's "One-Two" count-in) has been available for some years now on CD. Listen and marvel. Bill 'pops' the mic on "Twelve" in the opening climb-up. Marshall carries the rhythm throughout on slap bass. The guitarist and the drummer have never rehearsed the number so the guitar solo is a repeat of Danny's Rock The Joint solo and the snare, with that great reverb from the ceiling of the Pythian Temple, just plays odd hits and fills here and there. A tired band at the end of a long day make a 'B' side in 40 minutes. Yet it conquered the world.

Last night's program? Sad, really. A great opportunity wasted.

[Arpeggio]

Ray is spot on. Believe me everyone, Ray knows an awful lot about "R A T Clock", what he has mentioned here merely scratches the surface. Yes..great to have the programme, doubtless because it was c.60 yrs since it was recorded. Great to have Bruce involved too..but..as Ray notes..his contributions were heavoly scripted. An interesting programme, but..yes..could have been even better.....Rob

[neil2726]

Anyone think the new version was better than the original? Despite all the latest gadgets and recording techniques we have these days - I still found the original far superior!

[cockroach]

Despite a lot of negative comments about Bill and his boys over the years, I've always enjoyed Bill Haley and the Comets music

I must admit I will always prefer the original versions of the classic early rock'n'roll era.

We still do Rock around the Clock at almost every gig- I sing and play it and always try to do justice to the superb guitar solo....and we usually follow it with See You Later Alligator too!

My family had quite a few of these early rock records on 78rpm discs (Bill, Little Richard, Donegan etc), so I've been digging that stuff since it came out..!

[RayL]

The ridicule that is often heaped on Bill Haley is quite unnecessary and some of it was used in the programme. Middle-aged? No, Bill was 28 when he recorded RATC. The kiss-curl? Not a bad way to pull attention away from a glass eye. The tartan jackets? Bill and the Comets were in showbiz making happy, good-time music. Were they supposed to dress like undertakers? And so on.

Bill would never have the sex appeal of Elvis but he and his band performed a vital role in adding a heavy back-beat and lyrics taken from rhythm and blues to their country music origins. That blend came about because it was what people wanted. The Comets honed their material in front of audiences in clubs and school halls and stuff that didn't get a reaction was dropped in favour of stuff that did, which is why they added drums and sax as they followed the taste of the public.

Two pairs of musicians in England followed the same pattern of playing a form of country music (skiffle) before turning to rock'n'roll and fame and fortune. Hank and Bruce got their lucky break in 1958. John and Paul had to wait until 1962. Bill Haley made it all possible.

There is a great quote from Bill made at the time when the music was being condemned by preachers and politicians. He said "Nobody likes rock'n'roll except the people".
Ray