Pretty Things & Van Morrison: Baby Please Don't Go/ I Can Tell. Indigo, ...

Pretty Things Final Bow.

I wouldn’t claim to be a huge fan of The Pretty Things although I remember their few hit songs in the 60’s and when I bought my ticket for this concert a few months ago I also got their legendary album S.F.Sorrow intending to get really acquainted with it as it came out exactly 50 years ago and I knew it would be a large part of the night’s performance. I think the main reason I bought my ticket was that Van Morrison was to be a special guest and I thought it would be fun to see Van play with a different band. Also, Bill Nighy was supposed to be the M.C. for the evening. As it turned out Bill had filming commitments and couldn’t attend. His place was taken by Arthur Brown. I don’t think I have seen Arthur Brown since Peterborough Cloud 9 club in 1970. The last time I went to the O2 in London I swore I would never go back because it was too big and soulless, but tonight’s concert was in a smaller venue inside the dome called Indigo which I hoped would be a lot better.

In the queue outside I spotted Ivan from Northern Ireland  who I hadn’t seen since a concert at the RAH a few years ago. He told me that Alan was in the bar opposite, so I went in the Slug & Lettuce where I found Alan & Simon & Sandra. Later on in the venue I met Brendan from Dublin and Pamela & Chris whose faces I recognised from previous Van gigs in London. I was pleased that I met a few Van fans. I was glad that I had a seat as well because it turned out to be a long evening of three sets. The first set was the present Pretty Things line-up and I really enjoyed it because I think I knew several of the songs. I particularly liked the playing of Dick Taylor who was actually an original member of the Rolling Stones before he formed the Pretty Things with vocalist Phil May. This was Set One- Honey I Need, Don't Bring Me Down, Buzz the Jerk, Mama Keep Your Big Mouth Shut, Get the Picture?, The Same Sun, Alexander, Defecting Grey, Big Boss Man, Midnight To Six Man, Mr Evasion.

In Set Two they were joined by Dave Gilmour of Pink Floyd fame on guitar. This set also had previous members of the band to perform tracks from S.F. Sorrow.  This was Set 2, Scene One, S.F. Sorrow Is Born, She Says Good Morning, Baron Saturday, Trust, I See You, Cries From the Midnight Circus. I was getting tired and impatient by the end of that set although most of the audience were loving it, so I shouldn’t complain. Finally, during the third set they were joined by Van Morrison for three songs. This was the highlight of the evening for me and rarely has Baby Please Don’t Go sounded so good. Seeing Van play live with a top British R&B band from the 60’s gives you some idea of what it must have been like to see Van’s band Them all those years ago. This was Set Three, I Can't Be Satisfied, Come On in My Kitchen, Baby, Please Don't Go, I Can Tell, You Can't Judge a Book by the Cover, Come See Me, Mona, Pretty Thing, Who Do You Love, L.S.D.

Towards the end of that set I went downstairs to see if I could find any of my friends. There seemed to be about eight people on stage by now including two drummers. There was a  long drum solo that I really didn’t need by now. After that the band came back for an encore. I enjoyed Rosalyn but then decided I’d had enough and they were closing the bar so I left. That turned out to be a big mistake because later in the pub where I met Alan for a last drink, he told me that Van returned to sing Road Runner with the band & Dave Gilmour. Encore, Rosalyn, Road Runner, Loneliest Person.

When the pub closed I wandered off to find my hotel on some desolate corner of the Greenwich peninsula and I was pleased that I made the effort to go and see The Pretty Things take their final bow.

                                                                THE END.

Review: Van Morrison, The Prophet Speaks

Van Morrison brought out his last album of original songs Keep Me Singing in September 2016 and since then has released four albums in quick succession which are a mixture of cover versions of songs by his favourite artists and his own songs. The Prophet Speaks is the latest, and to my ears the greatest of the four. Once again, he teams up with Joey De Francesco and his virtuoso band of Troy Roberts, Dan Wilson and Michael Ode. You certainly get your money’s worth on this album which is seventy minutes of cool jazz, soul & blues.

The opening track Gonna Send You Back Where I Got You From is written by Eddy ‘Cleanhead’ Vinson who Van obviously admires a lot, having recorded his song Hold It Right There on his previous album You’re Drivin’ Me Crazy. I particularly like the guitar playing of Dan Wilson on this track. 

Dimples is one of the best-known songs by Van’s old friend John Lee Hooker. It was written in 1956 but was re-released in 1964 in the wake of the UK R & B boom and got to number 23 in the UK charts. It has been recorded by many artists over the years and Van’s version is as good as any. The band are cooking, I love the warm rich sound of Joey’s Hammond organ and Van on Sax & harmonica. There are plenty of yeahs & whoops which shows Van is enjoying himself. Got To Go Where The Love Is is a new song of Van’s and has a very radio friendly catchy sound. People like me who like searching for meanings in the lyrics will have a hard time with this album, but I think the reference to’ tearing down the wall of hate’ could be an anti-Trump message. Joey is the co-producer on this album and I like the laughter and party sounds at the end of the song which give it a very live feel. Laughin & Clowning is written by another of Van’s music heroes’ namely Sam Cooke. It was originally on Sam’s album Night Beat in 1963. It is a real shame that Sam Cooke was slain on December 11^th, 1964 aged only 33. I bet Van would have loved to have worked with him at some point.

5 AM Greenwich Meantime is another Van original and although quite catchy is one of his lesser songs in my opinion. Gotta Get You Off My Mind is another song by an old friend of Van’s Solomon Burke, and daughter Shana helps out on backing vocals. Van excels himself on harp on this song. Teardrops is written by J.D. Harris, better known as Shakey Jake who contributes three songs to this album. This is a more bluesy sound with Joey on the keyboards rather than the organ. I Love The Life I Live is a Willie Dixon song. He actually recorded with Shakey Jake. They were both exponents of the Chicago Blues sound. I never knew this stuff till I listened to Van and looked these people up on Wikipedia. It is very educational listening to Van Morrison. The next track Worried Blues / Rollin’ And Tumblin’ was also written by Shakey Jake Harris and is six minutes of frenetic brilliance with Van scatting away to his heart’s content.

Ain’t Gonna Moan No More is another Van song and a highlight of the album for me. I like the eerie organ sound which reminds me of songs like I Put A Spell On You or something like that. It is Van the name-dropper in the lyrics of this song. He mentions Muddy Waters, John Lee, Jon Hendriks, Satchmo and  Willie The Sheik. Joey’s trumpet is like a tribute to Satchmo and Van’s harmonica and alto saxophone is sublime. It reminds me slightly of his playing on great albums of the 80’s like Poetic Champions Compose. Love Is A Five Letter Word was written by Gene Barge and all I know about him is that he is a sax player born in 1926. In the song Love is spelled M-O-N-E-Y. Love Is Hard Work is another Van composition which I don’t think is that great, but not to worry because Van has saved the best for last. Spirit Will Provide is my favourite song on the album. It is the most different of all the songs here and most typical of the spiritually uplifting songs we associated with Van in the past. Shana again joins in on vocals. This is a song I would like to see Van perform live. The final song and title track The Prophet Speaks is another great song. Van’s alto sax is again to the fore as well as Joey’s organ sound and the delicate acoustic guitar work of Dan Wilson.

That brings to a close a most satisfying album indeed. I hope the next album will be an album of all Van original songs but in the meantime, I am going to enjoy listening to this collection of songs for quite a while. A big hand for the band.