Savoy Brown

Savoy Brown - The Savoy Brown Collection (Featuring Kim Simmonds) - 1993 - Chronicles/Deram

With one of the smoothest and most compelling guitarists of the blues-rock style, Savoy Brown and the finger wizardry of Kim Simmonds unleashed some of the smoothest and most mesmerizing rock & roll of the 1970s. Their ingenious blend of contented blues and hard-edged rock resulted in some wholesome yet somewhat bypassed guitar music. The Savoy Brown Collection is a two-disc compilation that takes their best tunes from 14 different albums and presents the listener with a sufficient amount of material that never becomes tiresome. Some of the meatier material comes from 1971's Street Corner Talking, like the ultra-smooth "I Can't Get Next to You" and Willie Dixon's "Wang Dang Doodle." Equally impressive is the haunting "Poor Girl" or the desperate guitar cry of "Leavin' Again," both from the sensational Looking In album. The real treasures are the lone tunes taken from some of their lesser-known albums. "I'm Tired," from A Step Further, emanates pathos through instrumentation, while "Stranger Blues" is a startling example of prime guitar manipulation. Early material from albums like Shake Down and Blue Matter have former lead singer Chris Youlden at the helm, who departed before the Looking In album, replaced by Lonesome Dave Peverett who later formed Foghat. Overshadowed by bands like the Yardbirds and Led Zeppelin, Savoy Brown didn't get the acclaim they actually deserved. Rightfully so, the words "Featuring Kim Simmonds" are underneath the title of this two CD set, since his craftsmanship is truly the heart of this talented band. Everything that is even the least bit important from this group is strewn across this compilation. © Mike DeGagne, All Music Guide, 07/13/2005 5:27 AM, AMG

TRACKS & COMPOSERS

DISC ONE

1. I Ain't Superstitious 3:28 (Dixon)
2.Shake 'Em On Down 6:03 (Trad. Arr. Hall/Brown)
3. Stay With Me Baby 2:38
(Youlden/Simmonds/Peverett)
4. Mr. Downchild 5:28 (Youlden/Simmonds)
5. Train To Nowhere 4:08 (Youlden/Simmonds)
6. She's Got A Ring In His Nose And A Ring On
Her Hand 2:59 (Youlden)
7. Louisiana Blues 8:52 (Morganfield)
8. Made Up My Mind 2:56 (Youlden)
9. I'm Tired 3:19 (Youlden)
10. A Hard Way To Go 2:17 (Youlden)
11. Needle And Spoon 3:17 (Youlden)
12. Stay While The Night Is Young 3:06 (Youlden)
13. Poor Girl 4:03 (Stevens)
14. Money Can't Save Your Soul 5:33 (Simmonds/Peverett)
15. Sunday Night 5:21 (Simmonds)
16. Leavin' Again 8:27 (Stevens/Peverett)

DISC TWO

1. Tell Mama 5:16 (Simmonds/Raymond)
2. I Can't Get Next To You 6:31
(Whitfield/Strong)
3. Street Corner Talking 4:01 (Simmonds)
4. All I Can Do 10:50 (Simmonds/Raymond)
5. Wang Dang Doodle 6:55 (Dixon)
6. Hellbound Train 9:10 (Simmonds/Silvester)
7. Shot In The Head 4:43 (Vanda/Young)
8. Second Try 4:15 (Simmonds)
9. Coming Down Your Way 4:50 (Lynton)
10. EveryBody Loves A Drinking Man 3:04
(Anderson)
11. Stranger Blues 3:30 (Simmonds/Raymond)
12. Walkin' And Talkin' 4:39
(Simmonds/Raymond)
13. Double Lover 6:07 (Simmonds/Ellis)


CREDITS

Kenny Wheeler (Trumpet), Bob Hall (Piano), Don Lusher (Trombone), Miller Anderson (Guitar), Miller Anderson (Vocals), Sue Glover (Vocals (Background)), Sunny Leslie (Vocals (Background)), Jackie Lynton (Vocals), Mike Vernon (Producer), Mike Vernon (Horn Arrangements), Chris Youlden (Vocals), Chris Youlden (Producer), Stan Sulzmann (Sax (Soprano)), Ron Berg (Percussion), Dave Bidwell (Drums), Eddie Blair (Trumpet), Savoy Brown (Producer), Savoy Brown (Main Performer), Savoy Brown (Horn Arrangements), Ray Chappell (Bass), Raymond Davis (Flugelhorn), Eric Dillon (Drums), Roger Earle (Drums), John Edwards (Trombone), Bob Efford (Sax (Tenor)), Ian Ellis (Bass), Ian Ellis (Vocals (Background)), Tom Farnell (Drums), Terry Flannery (Trombone), Bobby Haughey (Flugelhorn), Don Honeywell (Sax (Baritone)), Butch Hudson (Trumpet), Rivers Jobe (Bass), Robert John "Mutt" Lange (Producer), Bill Levenson (Compilation Producer), Jim Leverton (Bass), Jim Leverton (Vocals (Background)), Leo Manning (Drums), Keith Martin (Trombone), Alan Moore (Trombone), Rex Morris (Sax (Tenor)), Barry Murray (Percussion), Barry Murray (Producer), Terry Noonan (Horn Arrangements), Joseph M. Palmaccio (Mastering), Brian Perrin (Trombone), Lonesome Dave Peverett (Guitar), Bryce Portius (Vocals), Andy Pyle (Bass), Andy Rae (Bass), Andy Rae (Vocals), Paul Raymond (Guitar), Paul Raymond (Keyboards), Paul Raymond (Producer), Frank Ricotti (Percussion), Andy Silvester (Bass), Harry Simmonds (Producer), Kim Simmonds (Guitar), Kim Simmonds (Piano), Kim Simmonds (Producer), Kim Simmonds (Slide Guitar), Neil Slaven (Producer), Martin Stone (Guitar), Derek Wadsworth (Trombone), Dave Walker (Vocals), Tone Stevens (Bass), Terri Tierney (Coordination

BIO (Wikipedia)

Savoy Brown is a British blues band formed in the 1960s. Originally known as the Savoy Brown Blues Band, their 1969 single "Train to Nowhere" (with singer Chris Youlden), was viewed by many as the last gasp of the blues scene in Great Britain. Although Savoy Brown never reached much acclaim in their home nation, they developed a loyal core following in the United States, due to songs such as "I'm Tired" (from their album, A Step Further), a driving, melodic song. They were one of the bands that UK Decca (US London/Parrot) stuck with through the lean times until they started selling records (it took 4 or 5 albums until they started to sell in the US). In the late 1960s and 1970s, the band managed to penetrate the Billboard Hot 100. Superstardom perpetually evaded them, perhaps in part because of their frequent lineup changes, but despite that, "Hellbound Train" was a big album for them in the US.
While the band is still active today, only Kim Simmonds has stayed since the beginning. Guitarist "Lonesome" Dave Peverett, bassist Tone Stevens, and drummer Roger Earle went on to form Foghat. Original member and harmonica player, John O'Leary, is still active on the British blues circuit with The John O'Leary Band. Savoy Brown's first album, Shake Down, featured lead vocalist Bryce Portius. Portius was one of the first black blues musicians to be a part of a British rock band. Another singer, Dave Walker, would later join Fleetwood Mac and Black Sabbath.
Savoy Brown also provided an outlet for the keyboardist and guitarist, Paul Raymond, who later went on to join UFO. Other notable members include Jeff Howell, who went on to play with Foghat and the Outlaws before returning to central New York, where he is considered the best carpet installer in Ithaca.

ABOUT KIM SIMMONDS

For over 30 years Kim Simmonds has been synonymous with 'legendary British blues guitar', being mentioned in the same breath as Eric Clapton, Peter Green and Mick Taylor in the hierarchy of England's best guitar slingers from the 60s golden era of British blues. Kim started his career in London, England in 1966 by forming the group Savoy Brown and has since enjoyed international fame. He's been featured on the front cover of Guitar Magazine, made over 3 dozen records and performed around the world. He has an international fan club based in Wales and a web site at www.savoybrown.com. Kim's records with Savoy Brown (many produced by himself) have sold millions, with albums such as Looking In and Hellbound Train reaching the Billboard Top 40 charts. Many of his songs have been covered by such diverse artists as Rare Earth, Hugo Montenegro and Great White. In 1995, a two CD boxed set, The Savoy Brown Collection released by Polygram Records, chronicled his and the band's astonishing career. As a solo artist and in the acoustic field Kim has released three CDs - Savoy Brown's 1986 Slow Train, his own 1997 Solitaire, and the 2001 release Blues Like Midnight. Born in Wales in 1947 and playing the pubs of London with Savoy Brown at the very tender age of 18, Kim Simmonds recorded albums that helped start the 60s blues boom. While others have strayed from their roots, Simmonds has stayed the course .... a true journeyman and road warrior, who's comfortably settled into an elder statesman role at the same time as burning up the fretboard on the concert stage while remaining at the top of his game. (c) The British Blues All Stars 2004, www.thebritishbluesallstars.co.uk/kim_simmonds.htm