The Artwoods - Live in Wales (1964)



Grupa the Artwoods została utworzona w Londynie w 1964 roku. W jej składzie znaleźli się Arthur (Art) Wood (Vocals), Derek Griffiths (Guitar), Malcolm Pool (Bass), Jon Lord (Organ), Keef Hartley (Drums). Art Wood śpiewał wcześniej u Alexisa Kornera w Blues Incorporated. Keef zanim trafił do the Artwoods wcześniej grał w Rory Storm & the Hurricanes, gdzie zastąpił Ringo Starra.

The Artwoods mieli reputację najciężej pracującej R & B grupy na świecie. Grupa była bardzo popularna w klubach Londynu, ale nigdy tego nie potwierdziła - jedynym przebojem grupy został w 1966 "I Take What I Want", zresztą cover Sam'a & Dave'a. Jedyny album the Artwoods sprzedawał się fatalnie, podobnie jak promujący go singiel "I Feel Good", jedna z bardziej interesujących rzeczy jaką nagrali. Grali przede wszystkim standardy chicagowskiego bluesa, a także własny materiał. Odbyli zakończone sukcesem tourne po Europie (byli też w Polsce).

Grupa zanim się rozwiązała w 1967 roku, na krótko przyjęła nazwę St. Valentine's Day Massacre i pod tą nazw zrealizowała jeden singiel w nowej psychodelicznej konwencji. Keef Hartley dołączył do John Mayall Bluesbreakers, a później utworzył Keef Hartley Band. Jon Lord dołączył do Flowerpot Men, a później został członkiem Deep Purple. Derek Grifiiths został muzykiem sesyjnym. Art Wood sformował na krótko Quiet Melon. Tworzyli ja byli muzycy The Jeff Beck Group: młodszy brat Ron Wood i Rodem Stewart oraz byli członkowie The Small Faces: Ronni Lane, Kenney Jones i Ian McLagan. Niestety Fontana nie była zainteresowana ich projektem, więc Art ucichł jako muzyk. Pozostali zaś muzycy Quiet Melon dołączyli do Steve'a Mariotta i utworzyli the Faces. (Marcin Górski)

Chciałbym ostrzec, że płyta jest zdecydowanie skierowana dla kolekcjonerów bowiem jakość nagrań pozostawia wiele do życzenia, ale ze względu na unikalność materiału zdecydowałem się go zamieścić.

Personel on this LP:

Art Wood (voc, harm)
Derek Griffiths (g)
Jon Lord (org, p)
Malcolm Pool (bg)
Keef Hartley (dr)



The Artwoods were formed in 1963, and over the next two years became an extremely popular live attraction, rivaling groups such as the Animals, although, despite releasing a clutch of singles and an album, their record sales never reflected this popularity.

Singer Arthur Wood, from whom the band took their name, was the eldest brother of Ronnie Wood (who later found fame with the Faces and Rolling Stones). Art Wood had been a vocalist with Alexis Korner's Blues Incorporated for a short period during 1962, simultaneously fronting his own group, the Art Wood Combo.

When keyboardist Jon Lord and guitarist Derek Griffiths from Red Bludd's Bluesicians joined the Art Wood Combo, they re-christened themselves the Artwoods. Keef Hartley, formerly with Rory Storm & The Hurricanes, joined on drums in December 1964 and the band turned professional, securing a residency at London's 100 Club and signing a recording contract with Decca Records.

The intended debut single - a cover of Muddy Waters' "Hoochie Coochie Man" - was shelved in favour of a rendition of an old Leadbelly song, "Sweet Mary". Although it didn't reach the charts, it got sufficient airplay to bring the band a lot of live work, including an appearance on the first live edition of Ready Steady Go! Their second record, "Oh My Love", was another blues cover. Like its predecessor (and subsequent releases), it failed to chart.

The Artwoods were dropped by Decca at the end of 1966, and they signed a one-record deal with Parlophone, but their release "What Shall I Do" also flopped. Later in 1967, a final "one-off" single appeared on the Fontana label, with the band billing itself as St. Valentine's Day Massacre; but by the time of its release the Artwoods had effectively ceased to exist.

The Artwoods' early records today stand up well against the work of more successful groups such as the Rolling Stones, the Yardbirds or the Birds (who included Art's younger brother Ronnie). But at the time they came out, despite appearances on programmes like Ready, Steady, Go! their singles never seemed to connect with the record-buying public. The band's forte was playing live and they had a strong fan following as a club act.

The group broke up in mid-1967. Art Wood joined his brother Ted in the graphics-art business and continued to perform music on a semi-professional basis. Keef Hartley went on to play with John Mayall's Bluesbreakers and Jon Lord became a founder member of Deep Purple. (wikipedia)

The show was recorded on a primitive reel to reel tape by a US airforce employee who really liked the band, after he asked permission. He later gave copies to a couple of the band, one of whom later did somebody else a copy, which is how it got out. By the time the bootleggers got it years after, the quality was even worse, so I would not recommend it. The guy now lives in Canada and was really shocked when he learnt of the bootleg twenty years later.

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4 komentarze:

  1. ja tam nie wiem kto to ;] na czym innym się wychowałem... na wierze w boga :D haha

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  2. Wiesz....? Ja generalnie tez kieruje sie w zyciu wyzszymi wartosciami tylko tak zastanawiam sie, co wlasciwie Autor (czyli Ty drogi Oparze) - mial na mysli, bo jakos nie rozumiem powiazania Boga z Artwoodsami :) Pozdrawiam

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  3. Anonimowy19/7/23

    I made this recording. I was born in England and was working in Llandudno from 1962-1965. I then moved to london. I attended almost every one of their 100 club shows. I was there when a show was recorded, but this recording has never been found.

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