Savoy Brown – Street Corner Talking

253

5 Stars

***The cartoon album cover artwork is as much fun as it can be—something to chuckle at as the music rocks you along.***

Released in 1971, this was Savoy Brown’s seventh album.

But thereby hangs the story. Only lead guitarist Kim Simmonds was left from the band that made their debut album in 1968.

To be fair, the lineup had been fairly stable for the last five albums, just losing certain members to wear and tear.

But after that year’s album “Looking In”, the remainder of the band left Savoy Brown, leaving Kim Simmonds holding the reigns. Tone Stevens, Lonesome Dave Previtt and Roger Earl went off to form Foghat and become one of the first bands that found it necessary to tour sports stadiums to fit all their fans in. Who would’ve thought it?

Kim Simmonds tightened his guitar strap and looked around for new buddies to play with.

Help was immediately at hand as Kim Simmonds’ guitar buddy, Stan Webb, had just evacuated the ranks of his own band Chicken Shack, so they simply moved all three of them out of the Shack into the Savoy.

Most importantly, Kim Simmonds acquired the services of multi-instrumentalist songwriter Paul Raymond who quickly formed a very lucrative partnership with Simmonds. After a successful period with Savoy Brown, Paul Raymond spent the rest of his life alternating between UFO and The Michael Schenker Band. He must’ve played Doctor Doctor more than any other musician!

On drums was David Bidwell, a good strong drummer but a weak person who developed nasty habits and met a sad early demise. On bass guitar was Andy Silvester, who soon became a much-in-demand session musician. The cherry on top of the Savoys was new vocalist Dave Walker who would later briefly turn up in Fleetwood Mac and even more briefly in Black Sabbath.

So, after already releasing one album that year with a completely new lineup back into the studio, the band went.

Incredibly in those days, musicians were never given any breaks; they were either in the recording studio or on the road anywhere in America or Europe promoting their latest product, making the record company suits very rich indeed.

Could this new lineup kick off a new era for Savoy Brown? They seemed to do it with consummate ease.

***Kim Simmonds keeps Savoy Brown alive.***

Of course, the sound progressed somewhat, moving on from the blues/boogie of yore to a much more contemporary blues/ rock. Much more joyous and bouncy.

Opening track ‘Tell Mama’ with its superlative slide guitar is possibly the best five minutes of Savoy Brown’s over fifty-year campaign.

There are four more of the shorter variety of Savoy Brown songs, with perhaps the title track written by Kim Simmonds being another standout.

Then we are treated to two longer musical workouts on which all the band excel. It is, after all, though, Kim Simmonds’ band, so he does rather get a bigger slice of the limelight, but then his guitar play is mesmerizing.