


Five Things I Saw & Heard This Week
Transcripts from the everyday world of music by Martin Colyer
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Currently, of course, everyone is home, but here’s the story of Charlie and Peter, in Peter’s words:
“I met Charlie out at the Vapors Club, in Memphis, back in 1970. He was fairly obscure. So I go out there and I met Charlie and his wife, Margaret Ann, and I just never met anybody who I liked more on first acquaintance. I just loved them both — one of those things where you feel like you’ve really connected. Between sets, Charlie would tell me about growing up outside of Forrest City and growing up in the church; the guilt he felt and the depression he suffered, his drinking. Charlie was not an “up” person. He once said, “I don’t know what it is, I just don’t dig happy songs.” And Margaret Ann, during the sets, would tell me the same stories but in a more rounded, expressive way. She was a brilliant woman as well.
Then I wrote it up for “Feel Like Going Home,” and nobody had done any interviews with Charlie at that point. And as I wrote it, I had the terrible feeling that these two people who I’d really liked so much, that I was never going to see them again. The chapter seems mild by today’s standards, but I had to tell the truth, and it was terrible. Shortly after it was published, the secretary of the publisher called me up and said Charlie Rich just called and ordered 35 copies, one for everyone in his family. Not long after, Charlie told me, “The thing about it was, it was the truth. It hurt, it really hurt, but it was the truth.”
A couple of years later he invited me to New York. I hadn’t seen him in a while and he was playing at Max’s Kansas City. “Behind Closed Doors” had just come out and he was on a publicity tour. And he says, “I got a surprise for you, man.” And I said, “Great, I love surprises.” Which is not at all the case, but what are you gonna say? And so he played the song “Feel Like Going Home” for the first time. And he told me, “I wrote this out of the feeling I got from reading the book.”
And a few years later, he sent me a 7-inch reel-to-reel of the piano demo. And as far as I know, that’s the only copy. Roland Janes later told me, “That’s such a great song, Peter, is the book anywhere near as good?” And I said, “Nope.” It’s no big deal, really, but I mean can you imagine a greater thrill?”
Hi, not sure if you captioned thisâ¦
But yesâ¦. definitely Elton Dean. And good to see a pic of Mongesi Feza, a wonderful trumpet player who is seldom remembered these days. The trombonist is quite possibly Nick Evans who worked with Elton in his bands and with Keith Tippettâs Sextet (which was also sometimes known as The Elton Dean Sextet and I think pre-dates Ninesense).
Howard Johnson RIP was not just a Tuba player. He also played Baritone Sax and was in the Horn section on The Bandâs wonderful live New Yearâs Eve gig, captured and released on âRock of Agesâ (on which he plays both instruments). A man of many embouchures.
Kind regards
Paul Kelly
Paul Kelly
Events and festival manager, Chair, fundraiser, writer, author, musician, sailor and humourless old bugger
07825 313838
Hello Martin – Welcome back, I’ve missed your posts.
I hae meant to mention that I publish an interview with Ken [Colyer] in Coda Magazine some years ago.
bill smith [rantanddawdle.ca]
Sorry about the spelling mistakes This is the first time I have figured out how to post a comment and got carried away. Bill Smith
Hi Bill, glad you managed it! Is Coda still going?
Hello Martin,
Coda Magazine has been gone for a number of years. I mostly post material on line at rantanddawdle.ca these days.
bill
Nice to see normal service resumed and thanks for the mention re Courtney Marie Andrews. I’m off now to listen to Taj Mahal’s The Real Thing in homage to Mr.Johnson.
Hi Martin
Sorry to read about the death of Jesus (William Jellett). We remember seeing him dancing at various open-air gigs in the late sixties and early seventies — including Plumpton, Hyde Park, etc. We also bumped into him a few times while wandering around West London. He was a sweet soul. Never did ask him about his nickname however, and now it’s too late. And so it goes…
Hugh
Welcoming back regular service!x