March 4th – Don’t know why, maybe because he’s a Brummie
(although I’m true Black Country Lad– Wolverhampton born and bred, me; none of
your mongrel stock here) or maybe it’s because he was born the same year as I
was and was working the musical circuit in that fair city around the same time
I was (although we never got to support him or any of the various permutations
of bands he joined or set up) however, at the risk of sounding unfashionable, Steve Winwood has been a songwriter and
performer who I've always had time for.
His pop time in The Spencer Davis
Group produced some OK stuff but I never really connected. It was his
affiliation with the blues and his bluesy voice that struck a chord with me and
my musical preferences and this affiliation has given him longevity, a rare
thing in the music industry. It was his leaving of Spencer Davis (what happened
to him, is he still doing stuff?) and the formation of Traffic that shifted him
onto my radar. Their bluesy/psychedelic rock sets of original compositions as
well as their treatment of blues standards made them a standout act at the time
(the drummer in Traffic was Jim Capaldi so, just a thought, is Phil Capaldi,
the drummer who tours with Joe Brown (of ‘That’s What Love Will Do’ – The
Bruvvers fame) any relation…? Later; Steve Winwood…
Throughout his time Mr. Winwood has
been one of the musicians that other musicians call upon to augment either
their recording and live work or if a band is being put together for a special
tribute (check his C.V. really impressive) and that’s because his musicality is
well known; apart from his excellence as a vocalist, he plays keys and stringed
instruments with equal accomplishment, and these qualities stood him in good
stead later in his career.
Before that, he did a stint with Eric
Clapton, Rick Grech and Ginger Baker in the cobbled-together band, Blind Faith.
Interesting set up this, as it was sort of on the tail of the ‘super group’
phenomena (see Jan 7th) and so, carrying that level of expectation, the band
was doomed to fail…which it duly did. They released one album which reached
gold status (probably purely on the line-up credit) but to be fair, the tracks
on it (apart from Mr. Clapton’s ‘Presence of the Lord’ and Mr. Winwood’s ‘Can’t Find My
Way Home’) lacked any structure and direction – well, with a closing track
bearing the name of ‘Do What You Like’ you can tell they were struggling for
material. Probably the one notable thing to come out of the whole venture was
‘that’ album cover. Certainly (factual not fetishist) any cover
that had a picture of a long-haired, eleven year-old girl, naked to the waist
down and clutching a dildo-shaped, chrome car insignia was going to cause
controversy, particularly in 1986. I bought the album on its release (still have
it) but it’s really just a collectors piece now, I hardly ever play it.
It was when Mr. Winwood went solo and
released his albums in the 80’s that I reckon he really came into his own as a
songwriter/performer. Can’t fail to enjoy the philosophy behind the lyrics of
‘Back in the Highlife’, but it’s also the way the music has been woven along with
it that gives that particular song its identity. The instruments used (just
guessing but, harmonium/vox humana, violin, banjo and ukulele) give an old time
feel to the opening, of root musical influences that led him to pop (country –
blues – folk) fame. Then the whole drops into the 4.4 timing with full drum kit
(and some lovely high-hat tricks) plus keys and guitar to bring it bang up to
date. All is faithfully complemented by the lyrics and their desire to return
to former glories, which the drum rolls of military precision also smack of;
glories of a militaristic/jingoistic/selfish time; glories of a time when all
was great, including Britain and the performer.
It may be that he’s too old that he’s
got other projects he wants to complete…or that he just can’t be arsed, but I
always wanted him to do an album of blues standards…not gonna happen now; never
mind, I’m grateful for what he's given and I've got.
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