Sunday, July 28, 2024

Savoy Brown - Blues, Balls & Boogie [Live] (2005)

Year: 60th-70th (CD 2005)
Label: AIM Records (Australia), AIM 1088 CD
Style: Blues Rock
Country: London, England
Time: 76:30
Format: Flac Tracks 16/44,1 kHz
Size: 504 Mb

This is a great energetic live recording of Kim Simmonds. The CD notes are light on attributions, so here are some details. This was recorded at the Rainbow Music Hall in Denver Colorado on June 27, 1981 (except "Run to Me", which is a studio recording). The band is:
Kim Simmonds - Guitar
Ralph Mormon - Vocals
John Humphrey - Bass
Barry Paul - Guitar
Keith Boyce - Drums
It was originally released on a 2-LP set called "Greatest Hits Live" and included the song "Wang Dang Doodle". In 2001 it was released as one CD of the 2-CD set, "Raw Live 'n' Blue". That version included "Wang Dang Doodle" and left off the studio track "Run to Me". On the other hand, this CD, "Blues Balls & Boogie", actually has all of the tracks at the correct speed, whereas at least two tracks on "Raw Live 'n' Blue" have been sped up.
(amazon.com/Blues-Balls-Boogie-BROWN-SAVOY/dp/B000E3J40K) Review by Mick. July 2, 2013

After playing most of their LP's to death and seeing various incarnations of the band live, I would have to rate this as the most puzzling Savoy issue I've yet to come across. First of all, it's COMPLETELY devoid of credits. No personnel, no dates, no nothin! About the only thing you can tell for sure is that it was released by some tiny Aussie label in 2006, and that Kim is the man with the ax. Another reviewer thinks it's a repackaging of the 1981 vinyl only "Greatest Hits Live". Since I never owned that record, I'm going to defer and take his word for it. That means the vocals are done by the world renowned Ralph Mormon; not even listed as a "group member" on the Savoy page at Allmusic.com! Suffice it to say that this is one of the most obscure Savoy releases ever. That being said, what of the music? Once again, puzzling. The band is very tight, but WAY out front. The tempo is blistering; light years beyond the majestic grandeur of vintage Savoy line ups. At first you wonder if this isn't a knock-off by some Aussie tribute band? That thought only persists for a couple tunes however. Soon it becomes clear that you are indeed on Planet Kim! His solos are truely one of a kind (accept no imitations!!). As the disc progressed, I slowly but surely lost my doubts and reservations and began to enjoy this strange new format. I realized that Kim was so up-tempo because the band left him no choice. It was a direct frontal assault and he had either to charge or be left behind on the beach head. Lyrically, Mormon's vocals can in no way be compared to Youlden, Walker, or any of the others, but they're interesting in their own right. Is it unfair to label him a wannabe? I don't know, but does it really matter? The vocals certainly match the frenetic musical attack. Anyway, all in all, this is not a bad disc, it's just not the Savoy that old timers (like me) are used to. It should be of definite interest to collectors, but otherwise it's hard to call it more than a curiosity.
(amazon.com/Blues-Balls-Boogie-BROWN-SAVOY/dp/B000E3J40K) Review by C. Pumarejo. November 9, 2010

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