Monday, March 28, 2016

It's Brinsley Schwarz Week: Part I -- Buddy Holly Lives!

And speaking as we were last week of Nick Lowe, from 1972 and the wonderful Silver Pistol album, please enjoy the Brinsley's Mark II and Nick's absolutely delightful "Unknown Number."




I was a Brinsley's fan from jump -- I actually LOVE their first two big-budget albums, which predate the group's reinvention as the first of the great Brit pub rock bands -- but Silver Pistol, recorded on a portable eight track more or less at home, is one of the most wonderfully unpretentious artifacts of its era, and the songwriting (fifth Brinsley Ian Gomm emerged on the album as a formidable talent) is consistently strong throughout.

"Unknown Number," of course, is Nick obviously channeling "Words of Love," and I recall playing it over and over obsessively when the LP first crossed my desk.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

You're a man of your word, Mr. Simels. Thanks for posting this song. My vinyl copy of the "SILVER PISTOL" is buried in my storage locker at the moment, so it is indeed a delight to be able to play the song again.

Yes, that split-harmony vocal approach is reminiscent of the Beatles, and also the Everly Brothers, who were a huge influence on Nick. (Remember the vinyl e.p. on which Nick and Dave Edmunds did four Everlys covers ?)

It's funny; I love "Unknown Number" as a piece of sound, but I've also never been able to decipher the entire lyric (obviously, there are some puns and skewed wordplay in there.) If anyone out there in Power Pop Land knows where I can find a copy of the words, please post that info. I'd be most grateful.

Thanks,

J. Lag

Anonymous said...

And then there's the brisker live version from the Greasy Truckers Party.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9xRhPWc8U0&index=9&list=PLUSRfoOcUe4YqqbcbGzmq4u0moWFbMqIW

VR - IMO Pub Rock should be heard in a pub, even if it is the London Roundhouse.

Anonymous said...

This is my favorite BS album. Ian Gomm kicked the band into high gear.

Capt. Al

Gommsteruk said...

I can only but agree with you Capt. Al!

Musically yours,

Ian Gomm

www.iangomm.com