Guitar Syndicate.

[captainhaddock]

Today I listened to my CD copy of Hank's "Guitar Syndicate" (See For Miles) on my PC. I noticed that it appears to have been incorrectly labelled and the index is all wrong. It also credits a guitarist called Chris Rae, i presume that this should read Rea ?. Can anyone provide a correct track listing, I can identify the standards but the original material is not easily identifiable. Thanks in advance.

[UlrichS]

New Earth (Parts 1 and 2) * Bird Of Beauty * Have You Never Been Mellow * Thunder Thumbs And Lightnin' Licks * St. Louis Blues * Flamingo * I've Got You Under My Skin * Silvery Rain * Syndicated * You Are Everything * Ebb Tide

[JimN]

Eight of the tracks on the CD version are easily identifiable even if there were no track listing provided. The first two tracks, however, are originals:

1. New Earth (Pts 1 & 2) [6:15] (with a definite change in feel part way through, distinguishing the parts)
2. Bird Of Beauty [4:05] (with an obvious tropical tendency).

The next few are recycled material or standards which are easy to identify:

3. Have You Never Been Mellow? [3:27]
4. Thunder Thumbs And Lightnin' Licks [3:07]
5. St Louis Blues [3:06]
6. Flamingo [3:15]
7. I've Got You Under My Skin [3:21]
8. Silvery Rain [3:05]

Then one more original:

9. Syndicated [4:48]

Another mawkish pop song of the period and a standard (in that order):

10. You Are Everything [3:05]
11. Ebb Tide [3:45]

The timings are included as an aid to distinguishing the tracks.

The listing was exactly the same on the LP (though obviously split over two sides):

1. New Earth (Parts 1 & 2)
2. Bird Of Beauty
3. Have You Never Been Mellow?
4. Thunder Thumbs And Lightnin' Licks
5. St Louis Blues

1. Flamingo
2. I've Got You Under My Skin
3. Silvery Rain
4. Syndicated
5. You Are Everything
6. Ebb Tide

PS: Chris Rae is correct. Nothing to do with Chris Rea.

[Moderne]

Bird of Beauty is a Stevie Wonder song. New Earth and Syndicated were the only originals on the HM Guitar Syndicate LP. When I first heard the LP (in 1983) I remember being disappointed, thinking with my pseudo-sophisticated 19-year old's ears that it sounded like 'elevator music'. Now I think it sounds great! Funny how perceptions change...

Clive

[JimN]

Bird of Beauty is a Stevie Wonder song....
Clive

Thanks, Clive.

I would never have known - or had reason to know - the origins of Bird Of Beauty.

My musical tastes - as anyone who knows me will testify - are fairly wide, but I draw the boundary line quite some way this side of Stevie Wonder.

[RayL]

I draw the boundary line quite some way this side of Stevie Wonder.

But don't I remember you playing a jazz chord?

Ray

[captainhaddock]

Many thanks for all of your help everybody. I suppose that the listings would have been more obvious had I taken the time to listen !. I was 15 when I first heard the LP and I was disappointed by most of it, apart from New Earth. I have to say that now I am ,ahem, 50 and 10/12, it does sound rather good and well worth another listen.
I now realise where the error over Chris Rae/Rea comes from. blame http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Rea .

[Iain Purdon]

It also credits a guitarist called Chris Rae

Yes he was a prolific session guitarist in the 70s, appearing on a number of hit records. He showed up again on The Local Heroes' CD One Of Our Shadows Is Missing. Still active in the music biz and runs his own studio.

[Moderne]

Thanks Jim...of course I overlooked the fact that Silvery Rain is an original as Hank wrote it!! What a song that is...although I wasn't keen on the 'chorus' section on the Guitar Syndicate LP. I remember an interesting piece of trivia about the recording of 'Guitar Syndicate'. I can't remember where I read it - it might have been Jim N or Stuart Duffy. Apparently Peter Vince (who engineered the recording) was complaining about an expensive repair he'd had to have done to his car. When Hank did the 'talk box' effect on You Are Everything he was singing "Peter Vince's car - has cost a lot of money"!! I love the "guitar orchestra" idea and have LPs by George Barnes and Fifty Fingers-Five Guitars (early '60s Decca LP arranged by Ian Fraser). It's a shame Hank never had the opportunity to do a 'volume 2'.

Clive

[drakula63]

Rapper Jay Z sampled part of New Earth (parts 1 and 2) - although offhand I cannot say where this was used... I only know this, by the way, because 'The Hawk' told me. Obviously I am not at all into that sort of 'music' and wouldn't have known otherwise...