Love Sculpture
Formatisi alla fine degli anni Sessanta in Galles, i Love Sculpture sono un trio passato alla storia soprattutto per la presenza nella loro formazione del talentuoso chitarrista Dave Edmunds, destinato da lì a pochi anni al successo come solista e ad altre intense esperienze musicali in gruppi come i Rockpile (che lo vedevano protagonista insieme a Nick Lowe). Al di là del virtuosistico ed intenso tocco di chitarra di Edmunds, che inevitabilmente attrae l’attenzione di chi ascolta e determina la direzione musicale dei dischi, spesso interpretati semplicemente come l’occasione per Edmunds di esprimere le sue capacità individuali, ascoltando Blues Helping e Forms and feelings oggi, ristampati dall’etichetta Esoteric Recordings, ci si rende conto che i Love Sculpture avevano anche una non trascurabile identità di gruppo. Legata fin dagli esordi al blues, la band debuttò nel 1968 con un album in cui rivisita grandi classici che vanno da I believe to my soul e Come back baby di Ray Charles a Summertime di Gershwin. Cavalcare l’onda del British-blues, però, fu per i Love Sculpture più una casualità che il risultato di un preciso progetto. Edmunds e il bassista John Williams suonavano già da alcuni anni in un altro progetto, The Image, che aveva cominciato a registrare alcuni brani con Kingsley e Charles Ward del Rockfield recording studio, e che nel 1967 cambiò il nome in Love Sculpture con l’aggiunta del batterista Congo Jones. Kingsley Ward e Malcom Jones (il creatore della Parlophone, la divisione underground della EMI) suggerirono alla band, seguendo le orme tracciate da Savoy Brown, Fletwood Mac e Chicken Shack, di avventurarsi lungo la strada del blues. “Non sapevo niente del blues” – ha dichiarato anni dopo Edmunds riguardo a Blues Helping –“La EMI voleva una band di blues, come tutte le altre etichette all’epoca, e ci chiesero se volevamo essere noi quella band. Ci mandarono alcuni nastri e ci dettero la possibilità di registrare un album. E’ stato il nostro entusiasmo verso l’idea di registrare un disco, non il blues, che ci ha portato a registrare quell’album. Ho ascoltato un po’ di dischi di B.B.King e un po’ di altre cose varie, oltre a Bluesbrakers di John Mayall da cui ho cercato di rubare tutti i licks che potevo a Eric Clapton”. Nonostante la parte importante giocata dalle coincidenze, i Love Sculpture dimostrarono nel loro primo disco di saper affrontare con grande profondità il repertorio blues, con un Edmunds che con il solo uso di una Gibson 335 del 1959 e di un Fender ottiene un suono genuino e graffiante, che colpisce specialmente quando affronta brani come Wang Dang Doodle di Willie Dixon.Poco dopo la pubblicazione dell’album, il gruppo, ospite allo show “Top Gear” di BBC Radio One, registrò una esplosiva versione del brano Sabre Dance, così riuscita che lo staff del programma venne inondato dalle richieste di replicare la session. Il singolo, pubblicato dalla EMI in tutta fretta, venne accolto a braccia aperte dal grande dj John Peel, che ne profetizzò l’ingresso nella top ten.
I tempi erano maturi per cominciare a lavorare ad un secondo album, che i Love Sculpture orientarono più verso l’ambito psichedelico e underground ( territorio il cui pubblico era estremamente devoto e affezionato a Peel). Nasce così Forms an feelings, che raggiunse la pubblicazione nel 1969. Il gruppo si allontana dal blues, pur non rinunciando all’interpretazione e all’inserimento in scaletta di un brano come You can’t catch me di Chuck Berry. Edmunds si confronta anche con la trasposizione in versione rock di due brani di musica colta: il primo è Farandole di Bizet, il sencondo è Mars dalla suite I Pianeti del compositore del Novecento Inglese Gustav Holst. Più ambizioso forse, ma meno diretto, l’album resta un po’ più in ombra rispetto all’ottimo Blues Helping, e trova i suoi numeri migliori proprio nei brani ancora blues come You can’t catch me. Gli arrangiamenti dei brani classici, invece, si avvicinano di più al concetto, creativamente meno interessante, di costruire un trampolino di lancio per il talento individuale di Edmunds. L’album è comunque un buon seguito al primo, e in scaletta aggiunge, novità fino a quel momento, anche tracce più pop melodiche come People, People.
Nei tardi anni Sessanta in parte scavalcati dalla critica, i Love Sculpture meritano oggi tutta l’attenzione che non ottennero all’epoca, grazie alle ristampe di questi due notevoli album in cui, oltre alle buone rimasterizzazioni, compare anche una discreta carrellata di bonus tracks, nel caso del secondo album costituita soprattutto da single versions.
Giulia Nuti
Love Sculpture were a Welsh blues rock band of the late 1960s, led by Dave Edmunds (born David William Edmunds, 15 April 1944 in Cardiff, Glamorgan, South Wales), plus bassist John David (born John David Williams, 19 January 1946 in Cardiff, South Wales) and drummer Rob "Congo" Jones (born Robert Jones, 13 August 1946 in Barry, Glamorgan, South Wales).
- "The Stumble" (Freddy King, Sonny Thompson) (shown as "Stumble" on cover, "The Stumble" on label)
- "3 O'Clock Blues" (B. B. King, Jules Taub)
- "I Believe to My Soul" (Ray Charles)
- "So Unkind" (Elmore James, Marshall Sehorn)
- "Summertime" (George Gershwin, DuBose Heyward)
- "On The Road Again" (Floyd Jones, Alan Wilson)
- "Don't Answer the Door" (Jimmy Johnson)
- "Wang-Dang-Doodle" (Willie Dixon)
- "Come Back Baby" (Ray Charles)
- "Shake Your Hips" (Slim Harpo)
- "Blues Helping" (John David Williams, Dave Edmunds, Rob Jones)
- "Morning Dew" (Human Beans)
- "It's A Wonder" (Human Beans)
- "River To Another Day" (Single)
- "Brand New Woman" (Single)
- Dave Edmunds - guitars, lead vocals, organ, piano
- John Williams - bass, backing vocals (3, 5, 6, 8), piano (10)
- Bob "Congo" Jones - drums, backing vocals (3, 5)
- "In the Land of the Few" (Mike Finesilver, Pete Ker, Dave Edmunds) – 3:55
- "Seagull" (Paul Korda) – 3:28
- "Nobody's Talking" (Finesilver, Ker) – 3:37
- "Why (How Now)" (Finesilver, Ker) – 7:42
- "Farandole" (Georges Bizet, arr. Edmunds) – 3:42
- "You Can't Catch Me" (Chuck Berry) – 3:25
- "People People" (Finesilver, Ker) – 3:23
- "Mars" (Gustav Holst) – 1:58 (US version only)
- "Sabre Dance" (Aram Khachaturian, arr. Edmunds) – 11:12
- "Think Of Love"
- "Seagull" (Mono Single Version)
- "Farandole (Mono Single Version)
- "In The Land Of The Few" (Mono Single Version)
- "People People" (Mono Single Version)
- "Sabre Dance" (Single Version)
- Dave Edmunds - guitars, lead vocals, keyboards
- John Williams - bass, backing vocals, keyboards
- Bob "Congo" Jones - drums, backing vocals
- "River to Another Day" – (1968) – B-side – "Brand New Woman"
- "Sabre Dance" – (1968) – B-side – "Think of Love" – UK No. 5
Career
Love Sculpture was founded in Cardiff in 1966 by former members of The Human Beans. The group disbanded in 1970, although Edmunds went on to enjoy solo success in the 1970s. Love Sculpture mostly performed blues standards, slightly revved-up, but still close to the originals. Their debut album, Blues Helping, included such songs as "Summertime" and "Wang Dang Doodle".They are best known for their 1968 novelty hit in the UK Singles Chart, a high speed cover version of the classical piece "Sabre Dance" by Aram Khachaturian, released on the Parlophone label (R 5744), which reached No. 5 in the UK Singles Chart in December 1968. The recording was inspired by Keith Emerson's classical rearrangements. "Sabre Dance" became a hit after receiving air play by British DJ John Peel, who was so impressed that he played it twice in one programme. In December 1968, the UK music magazine, NME, reported that Love Sculpture had signed a US recording contract with London Records, guaranteeing £250,000. The band were also given an invitation to perform "Sabre Dance" live, on the German Beat-Club television programme of Radio Bremen, being broadcast in monochrome at that time.
This was followed by a second album Forms and Feelings, with songs including: "In The Land of the Few", "Farandole", "People People", "Seagull (West Coast Oil Tragedy)", written by Paul Korda, and the equally fast cover of Chuck Berry's "You Can't Catch Me". The US version of the album also featured a recording of "Mars" from Gustav Holst's The Planets, but Holst's estate refused to license the tune for the UK version.
They recorded three times for BBC Radio 1's John Peel sessions in 1968 (twice) and 1969.
In 1970 Mickey Gee joined the band as a second guitarist, and Terry Williams replaced Rob Jones on drums.
Love Sculpture split up after a US tour, having recorded two albums. Edmunds shortly went on to further number one hit success with "I Hear You Knocking", and collaborated heavily with ex-Brinsley Schwarz bassist Nick Lowe, eventually forming the band Rockpile with him.
Discography
Albums
Blues Helping – (December 1968) – Parlophone
2007 Esoteric Records release Bonus Tracks
Forms and Feelings – (January 1970) – Parlophone
2007 Esoteric Records release Bonus Tracks
Both albums were reissued in May 2008, remastered and with bonus tracks (including the tracks from the two Singles listed below).
Singles
Sabre Dance - Love Sculpture - YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-bmJ2AYZK4
Released: 1969
Genre: Rock
Jun 13, 2018 - Uploaded by Risjah
From the Album: "Blues Helping" Released in 1968 - 2008 Version Bonus Song And 1967 Single A-Side (As ...
Love Sculpture- Summertime with lyrics - YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ou5mcPKsDq8
Released: 1968
Genre: Pop
Lyrics
If I drove a truck
And I were waitress
And I ordered coffee
And I poured you some
And I were waitress
And I ordered coffee
And I poured you some
Then you'd stop by
On your way sometime later
And if we arm-wrestled
I'd say that you won
On your way sometime later
And if we arm-wrestled
I'd say that you won
My baby, ride easy
Ride high in the saddle all day
If your lovin' is good
Ride high in the saddle all day
If your lovin' is good
And your cookin' ain't greasy
Hitch up the chuck wagon
And we'll ride away
Hitch up the chuck wagon
And we'll ride away
If I were a winsome pale senorita
And I a bull-fighter, down in the sand
While the band kept on playing
And I a bull-fighter, down in the sand
While the band kept on playing
That old Paso Doble
I'd throw you a flower
Would you take my hand?
I'd throw you a flower
Would you take my hand?
My baby, ride easy
Ride high in the saddle all day
If your lovin' is good
Ride high in the saddle all day
If your lovin' is good
And your cookin' ain't greasy
Hitch up the chuck wagon
And we'll ride away
Hitch up the chuck wagon
And we'll ride away
If I ran the country
Yeah, I'd be your first lady
And fix up the white house
While you were away
Yeah, I'd be your first lady
And fix up the white house
While you were away
Waitin' while I'm passing time
With world leaders
And later, together alone we might lay
With world leaders
And later, together alone we might lay
My baby, ride easy
Ride high in the saddle all day
If your lovin' is good
Ride high in the saddle all day
If your lovin' is good
And your cookin' ain't greasy
Hitch up the chuck wagon
And we'll ride away
Hitch up the chuck wagon
And we'll ride away
My baby, ride easy
Ride high in the saddle all day
If your lovin' is good
Ride high in the saddle all day
If your lovin' is good
And your cookin' ain't greasy
Hitch up the chuck wagon
And we'll ride away
Hitch up the chuck wagon
And we'll ride away
Hitch up the chuck wagon
And we'll ride away
Hitch up the chuck wagon
And we'll ride away
And we'll ride away
Hitch up the chuck wagon
And we'll ride away
Hitch up the chuck wagon
Hitch up the chuck wagon
Hitch up the chuck wagon
And we'll ride away
Hitch up the chuck wagon
Hitch up the chuck wagon
And we'll ride away
Songwriters: Alexis Estevez / Elio Luis / George (dp) Bizet / Kilian Forster / Tim Hahn / Tobias Forster
Farandole From L'Arlesienne lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Released: 1969
Genre: Rock
In the land of the few - Love Sculpture - YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVs0Uls4cvw
Released: 1969
Genre: Rock
'' love sculpture '' sabre dance - hits ago go germany - 1969. - YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k30kLVsWivU
Aug 20, 2015 - Uploaded by puresandoz 25
I have this in my archives with no further info....great colour clip which is rare in its self but that's it!..this may
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