Label: Conder
Year of Release: 1968
One of the great music business myths is "If there's a catchy pop song on a television advert, it's sure to get re-released and become a hit". Sadly, while adverts may give some completely mediocre tracks unfair advantages in the charts, there are other good ones which seemed to have no fair wind or music industry interest behind them at all.
"Love-Maker", for example, is a track which positively itches with hooks. From the creeping bassline to the whistling upper melody, right down to the "Lovemaker, love maker, yeah yeah yes I would" chorus, it snakes, grooves, and seduces you into its charms. With an adapted chorus of "Woodpecker, yes I would" it soundtracked cinema adverts for the popular cider drink in the sixties, but it wasn't re-released as a result. Just thinking about this fact makes me crave a Woodpecker, even though I'm not actually very keen on cider. The whole track sounds thirsty somehow. Now that's an effective piece of advertising.
While it flopped in 1968 it has worked its way on to numerous sixties compilations since, and remains available on iTunes and Amazon, putting it outside the remit of this site. However, there's a YouTube clip here you can listen to. Original copies sell for hundreds of pounds and mine (it almost goes without saying) is a counterfeit.
Far less frequently encountered is the flip, "I'm Glad", another piece of catchy pop which is more sprightly and eager to please than it is smooth. It's featured below for all the curious pairs of ears out there.
Calum Bryce consisted of Dave Mumford on guitar and vocals, Tim Posford on bass, Mel Wayne on sax, Derick Horn on keyboards and Geoff Coxon on drums. Further work of theirs was recorded but apparently never released - however, they continued to tour for a number of years after this single's release and appeared live on the Radio One Roadshow on a number of occasions.
5 comments:
Really enjoy your blog!
Would greatly appreciate a re-up of the Typhoons - Mr Tambourine Man as I am an avid collector of Dylan covers (as well as covers in general)
Kind Regards
Rick
Hi Rick,
It's re-upped here: http://left-and-to-the-back.blogspot.co.uk/2012/01/embassy-big-4-anyway-anyhow-anywhere-mr.html
In truth it never really went away, it's just that Box - in all their wisdom - decided to change all their windows designs and make all the ones on the old entries invalid. People who work in IT love making tweaks and improvements, but they tend not to give much thought to the practicality of it all.
Still, it could be worse, I could be giving Divshare money...
Yes, the bass line is instantly addictive!
I was that bass player! Good days.
Excellent work, sir, and thanks for dropping by! Do you know where the other members of Calum Bryce are these days?
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