Tetsu Yamauchi

21 October 1946 - 4 December 2025

I was dismayed over the weekend to learn that former Free and Faces bassist Tetsu Yamauchi has died. He was 79. He played a vital part in the forming of 'Kossoff Kirke Tetsu Rabbit', and was a solid foundation in the final days of Free, and on the 'Heartbreaker' album. He then went on to fill the gap left by Ronnie Lane when he quit (The) Faces. He filled two sets of very big boots. Andy Fraser, and then Ronnie Lane, fitting into both units perfectly.

Tetsu retired from the 'music business lifestyle' in the 1990s. We were very lucky that he agreed to be interviewed for 'Heavy Load', as he generally avoided speaking to the music press, and never had any interest in the reunions by (The) Faces. He moved to the Japanese countryside, and lived quietly, without a computer, or email, and played Jazz with friends, which he enjoyed.  A very sad loss.

FAS Magazine #181 Audio Addendum

 Addendum #1

(FAS #181 - Page 6)

'Little Bit Of Love' Alternative Mix

Available only on the 'Completely Free' compilation LP

Free Appreciation Society Magazine - Issue #181

 

Free Appreciation Society Magazine

Issue #181

December 2025

 

And so to the penultimate issue of the FAS magazine, and there's still a lot to cover. This time it's the more interesting compilations that have been released over the years following 'The Free Story'. That includes 'Free & Easy, Rough & Ready', and 'Completely Free' for the UK, 'Best Of Free' on A&M Records in the USA, and 'Pop Chronik' in Germany rounding up the vinyl, before we look at the better CD collections, avoiding the trash you don't need to even consider. So the CD section includes 'Molten Gold: The Anthology', 'An Introduction To Free', the 'Songs Of Yesterday' boxed set, along with a few others.

You'll find surprises here on vinyl from Yugoslavia, Japan and Singapore, with alternative covers, and track listings! Also the  period press, reviews, adverts, and all the release information you'll need. This takes us up to 2012, and the announcement of the unreleased 'big box'. More on that in #182

There is a diary section here, which completes all the information I have regards the Basing Street Studios for Free, Sharks, Paul Kossoff, Andy Fraser, Rabbit and Bad Company. This includes recording information, dates, and what was recorded when. This fills in a number of gaps including the Fraser/Miller sessions, and the unreleased third Sharks album recordings with John Entwistle, that are NOT lost, as is often reported.

There's also an audio addendum on P6 that you'll find up here on the blog a couple of days after the UK issues are mailed, which was today.

Plenty of information to keep you busy over Christmas in a 48 page magazine. All issues are now in the post and on their way to subscribers.

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It is cheaper to buy directly here (from the FAS itself) than it will be on Ebay, where there are other fees involved for both UK and overseas buyers. ALL payments are via Paypal, so it's all very easy and secure. Casual buyer? Want the magazine cheaper? Get a subscription! A subscription is the cheapest way to get the FAS magazine. For subscription information email: fasarticle@aol.com

You can buy this individual issue from the email address above. Total is £7.50 via Paypal for the UK, a three issue subscription is £19.10

Overseas it's £26 (via Paypal). Buying from the FAS directly should save you on customs charges, and fees, now levelled directly via Ebay, which will not be added here as items will be sent as 'letters'.

Drop me a mail giving your location and a Paypal money request will be sent to you. It's cheaper than buying them on Ebay where the fees add up making this issue almost £8 in the UK, and way more overseas as they now add taxes to the total. So;

UK single issue £7.50 (Paypal)

Overseas single issue £9.80 (Paypal)

A subscription for three issues (UK) is £18

(£19.10 via Paypal)

 

A subscription for three issues overseas is £26

(Payment via Paypal only).

I should point out that a three issue subscription will allow you to get any three issues currently, assuming I have them in 'stock'.  So #180, #181 and #182, or #179, #180. #181 etc.

Next Issue #181

I've just collected FAS #181 from the printers, so I'll be packing this up over the weekend, and then getting the 'Far Far Away' issues out early next week, followed by the 'Far Away', and then the 'Not So Far Away'. Funnily enough some of the issues for Europe are now actually in the post for less time than the UK issues. So where those located in this country can take up to five days to arrive, I can get them to places in Germany and France in three! Yeh! Go Royal Mail!! Anyway, you should all have this by the end of November. The following, and final, FAS issue, will come out in March 2026.

Thanks for all the emails about the 'Rock 'N Roll Hall of Meh'. You can find it on 'YouTube' if you really need to be 'disappointed' (polite). I have seen it, and won't be giving it much (ANY) time after this couple of paragraphs. Simon looked great, and played really well. What a drummer. What a star. Paul decided not to sing, and I don't blame him for that. His health is WAY more important than this rubbish. 

 

As for some of the others. Performances were not great. Why a bunch of BRITISH players couldn't be found to play the show, I don't know. It was  BRITISH group. Nor do I know why Joe Perry couldn't be arsed to play the 'Can't Get Enough' solo with Anne Wilson properly. It's pretty rudimentary stuff. What it did show was how neither Brian Adams or Chris Robinson have the depth of tone, or warm resonance, that Paul Rodgers had/has as a singer. The vocals sounded weak and thin, Robinson well out of his depth (and key). Oh well. Personally I think the whole thing is a farce, and I'd like to think that if I was in a position to be 'inducted' I'd tell them to go .... themselves. It's an industry insider money making exercise, why do you need those 'committee' nobodies to slap your back? Some of these people would go to the opening of a paper bag! But that's just me! Or is it? (click the link below).

Why NO ONE Respects The Rock N' Roll Hall of Fame!

The Free Story Competition Winners

 

Okay, many thanks to Simon Kirke for picking the winners out of the 'hat', and Phil Rice wins the Australian 2CD set, while Ged Wigglesworth secures the German 2LP version of 'The Free Story'. Congratulations to them. I'll get these into the post on Monday or Tuesday for you.

 

The answer to the question;

Which country announced a 75,000 'limited' and numbered edition of 'The Free Story' ?

 

It was Canada, and it was mentioned in FAS #180 at least three times, including in the Canadian press release!

Bad Company Tribute Album.

WHO REALLY NEEDS THIS?

 

There are some things that happen that really make very little sense to me. The idea that I might want an album of cover versions by any particular artist or group is one of them. I can understand why someone might want to cover a song on their album, like Five Finger Death Punch covered 'Bad Company' a few years ago (2009), and they played it 'live' too. It's on YouTube. That's just one example, there are many others, but a whole album of Bad Company covers?

Really?

 

I've no clue whose idea this was, or what Bad Company fan would actually want this, when they can play the original songs. It is true that sometimes a cover can in fact be better liked than the original version. I love Johnny Cash covering Nine Inch Nail's 'Hurt'. It's a great example, I like the NIN version too, but the Cash one is amazing. A real step up. That's not the case here. The covers here are of passing interest (to me), and once heard, do I really need to repeat play them? No.

 

I actually did think about this, and do I have an album of songs from any one original group as covers, and the answer was no, not when they are basically just straight rips of the originals, simply performed by someone else, who for the most part I've not heard of, or don't really care that much about. Okay some of these have a 'slight' twist, but no one here has really 'made it their own'. It's not like Brown Sabbath doing the Black Sabbath covers, or Sam Yahel's 'Jazz Side Of The Moon', which offer pretty radically different interpretation of the songs. So, I hope this does well, and whoever buys it likes it, but it's not for me - and what on earth is 'All Right Now' doing on here?? Maybe this will bring some new fans to Bad Company from the camps of the other artists, okay, I get that, but personally I don't need this at all. 

 

And as for the so called 'Rock 'n Roll Hall Of Fame', let's not even go there. I hope Paul and Simon have a really great time (Bad Company do their 'RRHOF' thing next week, and it'll be on YouTube soon I'm sure), but some of the stuff already 'inducted' is just slop. So again, it's just not for me, but I understand why some people like the idea.

Then even more weirdly here, all of the songs are up 'for your pleasure' on Youtube. So to hear them you don't have to buy the album! A good thing I think. So I'd suggest you save your money, and invest your curiosity with the links below, for free. 

 

Links for the named song SHOULD take you to that individual song. How long they will be active for I can't say, but right now all the links work. Enjoy?

 

"READY FOR LOVE" – HARDY 

 

"SHOOTING STAR" – Halestorm (feat. Paul Rodgers) 

 

"FEEL LIKE MAKIN' LOVE" – Slash Featuring Myles Kennedy and The Conspirators

 

"RUN WITH THE PACK" – Blackberry Smoke (feat. Paul Rodgers & Brann Dailor)

 

"ROCK 'N' ROLL FANTASY" – The Struts 

 

"BAD COMPANY" – Charley Crockett 

 

"ROCK STEADY" – Dirty Honey

 

"BURNIN' SKY" – Black Stone Cherry 

 

"SEAGULL" – Joe Elliott and Phil Collen of Def Leppard (feat. Paul Rodgers & Simon Kirke)

 

"ALL RIGHT NOW" – The Pretty Reckless

WIN 'The Free Story' on vinyl or double CD.

Okay, only a week left to go if you want to enter the competition that was set inside issue #180. This is open to all subscribers, and the draw will take place next Friday (31st Oct) with prizes being mailed to the winners on the following Monday (3rd November).

 

First out of the hat gets the choice of either the German 2LP vinyl 'Free Story' set, that includes the Toby version of 'Travelling Man', or the 2CD Australian issue of the compilation (including the 'live' version of 'Heartbreaker' recorded at Portsmouth Guildhall in 1971). 

Winners will be notified, and also congratulated here after the draw has taken place. 

Good luck.

Mike Hall – Before Midnight

Mike Hall is best known as the front man of Newcastle band After Midnight (aka Classic Clapton). He has just written a book about his early life. It is entitled “Before Midnight”.

 

It is about growing up in the 50s, 60s and 70s in northeast England where he developed a love for music and in particular for the guitar, as played by his heroes Paul Kossoff and Eric Clapton. During this period he saw some amazing bands including the Beatles, Free, Back Street Crawler, Cream, Taste, Savoy Brown, Jethro Tull, Blodwyn Pig, Skid Row, Bakerloo, Fleetwood Mac, Delaney & Bonnie, Derek & the Dominos, Eric Clapton and many more.

 

These gigs and some legendary north east venues are described including Newcastle City Hall, Club a’GoGo, Sunderland Locarno (Fillmore North) and many others. The first chapter is about Mike and his friends seeing Cream play at Club a’GoGo in 1967. 

 

The release of the Island sampler album You Can All Join In was major event for him, especially hearing Free’s I’m a Mover. The first time he saw Free live in 1969 in a half-empty Durham Town Hall had a profound effect on him and from then on Free became his favourite live band. He later saw them many times at Dunelm House, Sunderland Locarno (including the night they recorded Free Live!), Manchester University, Newcastle City Hall and Newcastle Mayfair Ballroom and these gigs are all described in detail.

 

Mike also describes the final time he saw Paul Kossoff perform with Back Street Crawler at Newcastle City Hall in November 1975, just a few months before Paul tragically died.

 

Mike’s teenage years included forming his first band at school. In the 70s and early 80s he regularly played with other north east bands. This book covers the period up to 1985 when Mike formed After Midnight after being inspired by Eric Clapton’s performance at Live Aid. For the next 40 years Mike performed at all kinds of venues throughout the UK and abroad, including Glastonbury Festival in 2002. In 1986 he played a set of Free covers at the first Free Convention at Leeds University along with two musicians he had just met. Also on the bill were Beckett, Terry Slessor and Arthur Ramm who kindly allowed Mike to have his photo taken with Paul Kossoff’s Les Paul.

 

In 1987 Mike was influential in moving the Free Convention further north, nearer Newcastle/Sunderland where Free had always received their most fanatical support. Mike jointly organised the second Free Convention at the Park Hotel, Tynemouth with his band After Midnight performing a set of Free covers. It was a huge success with several hundred Free fans packing out the venue. Mike continued to be involved with the Free Convention for several more years and got to perform with Terry Slessor and John ‘Rabbit’ Bundrick.

 

Free remain Mike’s favourite live band and he has continued to include numerous Free covers in the After Midnight set since they began in 1985.

Throughout his musical career Mike accumulated countless memories which are vividly described in his book.

To buy the book you can go to Amazon books and search for – 

“Mike Hall Before Midnight”.  (Paperback £14.99, Kindle £4.99).

We hope some of you will enjoy it.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Before-Midnight-Memoirs-Guitarist-Early/dp/B0FFNFFG6J/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0

Sunderland Echo piece (October 12th, 2025)

Sunderland Echo / Mike Hall

Free Appreciation Society Magazine - Issue #180

 

Free Appreciation Society
Magazine Issue #180

October 2025

 

The first of three issues dealing with the end of Free, and all the concluding release history (that is of real interest) up to the present day.

Here we look at the final dissolution of the group in late 1973, the announcement of 'The Free Story' release, and all the variations thereof. This issue also includes the release of 'First Water' by Sharks as Andy Fraser jumps ship, and the debut solo albums by Paul Kossoff and John 'Rabbit' Bundrick, while Tetsu moves on to join (The) Faces. Stray Dog also get referenced. In the meantime, slowly and quietly Paul Rodgers and Simon Kirke move on to their new project with Mick Ralphs, that will be announced in 1974 as Bad Company.

Lots of press included for all these original releases, and a really close look at all the different versions of 'The Free Story' issues worldwide. With and without 'Limited Edition' numbers. With and without the inner booklet. With and without the inner sleeves. With and without the Toby version of 'Travelling Man'! The UK, Ireland, Italy, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Canada and Malaysian releases are included with full information on re-issues, and any changes made in different release territories. You will be surprised by how complicated, and varied, the history of 'The Free Story' set really is!

There's a competition for all FAS subscribers in this issue to win copies of the German 2LP and Australian 2CD 'Free Story' sets. You'll find the details and question on page 2 (the intro page). Closing date for entries, via email or letter, is October 31st. Only one entry per person please, and pick which of the two prizes you prefer. First out of the hat will get their choice. Second will get the other item. Remember to include your full name and address. The winner will be announced here on November 1st, when the prizes will then be mailed out to them. Best of luck. 

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It is cheaper to buy directly here (from the FAS itself) than it will be on Ebay, where there are other fees involved for both UK and overseas buyers. ALL payments are via Paypal, so it's all very easy and secure. Casual buyer? Want the magazine cheaper? Get a subscription! A subscription is the cheapest way to get the FAS magazine. For subscription information email: fasarticle@aol.com

You can buy this individual issue from the email address above. Total is £7.50 via Paypal for the UK, a three issue subscription is £19.10

Overseas it's £26 (via Paypal). Buying from the FAS directly should save you on customs charges, and fees, now levelled directly via Ebay, which will not be added here as items will be sent as 'letters'.

Drop me a mail giving your location and a Paypal money request will be sent to you. It's cheaper than buying them on Ebay where the fees add up making this issue almost £8 in the UK, and way more overseas as they now add taxes to the total. So;

UK single issue £7.50 (Paypal)

Overseas single issue £9.80 (Paypal)

A subscription for three issues (UK) is £18 (£19.10 via Paypal)

A subscription for three issues overseas is £26 (via Paypal).

Happy Birthday Koss

Paul would have been 75 today, and these birthdays and anniversaries seem to come around fast these days. It's sad that he's not here to celebrate his birthday with friends and family, but we can mark the day for him by just spending a little time playing some of his music. While we do that, he lives through the musical legacy he left.

In 2019 I posted the audio from an unreleased single test pressing. I'm sure there are people that haven't been back far enough into the blog achive to hear it, so I've pulled that posting back up, and will put it here. The text explaination is below, followed by the audio.

 

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Below for your enjoyment is the unreleased single version of 'All The Girl's Are Crazy' from a single sided test pressing I have. The flipside ('Stealing My Way') also comes on its own 1-sided 7" test disc. That's as far as it ever got.

This was due to be released by Island Records, and on the back of the sleeve the WIPX-1389-2M number is indeed Island catalogue. This test pressing, mastered at Sterling Sound, was made on 20th May 1975 it appears. Of course Back Street Crawler went on to be signed to Atlantic/Atco and so this never came out. It's a different mix, somewhat rougher than the one on the 'Band Plays On' album, and it has a different vocal along with some alternate guitar. It's very nice, and you won't have heard this version anywhere else before. Koss is in fine form here, and there's some great playing. So turn it up and enjoy. 

 

Happy Birthday Paul. We miss you.

 

FAS #180 coming soon.

FAS #180 keeps us ahead of the game again. While it may be the October issue, these should be going out into the mail around the 15th of September. However, given the current state of Royal Mail (I seem to get post MAYBE twice a week now, in huge piles), it may be good to get this into the post a couple of weeks before it's actually due! No point holding on to this when it's done and ready to go. All the info will be up here the day the UK issues go into the mail.

Winner of #179 Competition

The copy of the 70s mint condition, and still factory-sealed, 8-track 'Heartbreaker' tape goes to Addy Adams in West Yorkshire. 

So congratulations go to him, as does the tape.

Commiserations to those who entered but didn't win this time.

The question?

In which country was 'Wishing Well' re-titled 'Best/Good Wishes'? 

 

The answer to this competition was Venezuela, and this information was included in FAS #178 (P42)

 

There will be another competition for subscribers in issue #180 with copies of 'The Free Story' Australian 2CD set, and the German 2LP set WITH the Toby version of 'Travelling Man' up for grabs.

Free At Carnegie Hall - January 25, 1971. New Recording Found.

It's remarkable that anyone, anywhere, would still hold a previously uncirculated Free tape. But life is full of surprises, even almost 55 years after the actual event! Not only that, but to find a show with sound quality like this, which is pretty good, makes this even more of a treasure. It's not perfect, but everyone is audible, and it's a fair 8/10 as old audience tapes go.

 

Recorded on the American January 1971 tour (see FAS #159), this is Free promoting 'Highway', and sounding  rather fine. It's a slow start, with both 'Be My Friend' and 'Don't Say You Love Me' in the first 25 minutes, but there are some fine moments. Congratulations to the taper at the time, and thanks to Larry "Florida Kid" Clark, who just came up with this tape, and was so super-kind and generous in sharing it. He revealed that he had had this Free tape for close to 40 years, had forgotten that he even had it, and had no idea from whom he got it. Thanks also to Bob Elliott, Greg Vick and Thomas. Kudos to Goody for speed correction, flutter repair, and general 'remastering'.

You'll likely be able to find this for free download in all the usual places over the next few days, so be sure to keep your eye out for it on 'Guitars101' and 'T.U.B.E' etc.

FREE

Carnegie Hall

New York City, NY, USA

25 January, 1971

 

A hitherto uncirculated, 2nd gen. analog copy show

(A Goody Speed/Pitch-adjusted Remaster via Docdondy)

 

Line-up:

Paul Rodgers (vocals)

Paul Kossoff (guitar)

Andy Fraser (bass, keyboards)

Simon Kirke (drums)

 

Set List:

01. Introduction  0:27

02. By My Friend  6:11

03. The Stealer  4:31

04. Ride On A Pony  4:27

05. Don't Say You Love Me  5:40

06. All Right Now  5:14

07. Fire And Water  4:13

08. Heavy Load  5:23

09. The Highway Song  5:19

10. My Brother Jake  2:58

11. Soon I Will Be Gone  3:20

12. Woman  3:58

13. I'm A Mover  3:34 (audio below)

14. Mr. Big  7:32

15. The Hunter  5:51

16. Crossroads  6:17

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Runtime:                  74:57 minutes

Free 'Heartbreaker' factory sealed 8-track cartridge competition

Just a quick reminder to subscribers, that all FAS #179 competition entires need to be in by August 31st, either by email or post. Details, and the question, are on page 2 (intro) of the current FAS magazine. 

Still factory sealed from the early 70s, this isn't an item you come across every day! 

Another competition for subscribers in the next issue (#180) with copies of 'The Free Story' on LP from Germany, and the 2CD set from Australia up for grabs.

Bad Company Tribute Album.

Speaking personally here, I need this about as much as I need another compilation album, maybe even less, but you may have other thoughts, so here's the info.

CAN’T GET ENOUGH: A TRIBUTE TO BAD COMPANY

The first-ever tribute to Bad Company arrives October 24.

Pre-order & Pre-save the album on limited-edition silver colored vinyl, CD, all digital formats, special merch bundles, and listen to The Struts cover of “Rock ‘n’ Roll Fantasy” here:

 

Rock 'n' Roll Fantasy - The Struts

 

Album Tracklist:

“Ready For Love” – HARDY

“Shooting Star” – Halestorm (feat. Paul Rodgers)

“Feel Like Makin’ Love” – ​​Slash Featuring Myles Kennedy and The Conspirators

“Run with the Pack” – Blackberry Smoke (feat. Paul Rodgers & Brann Dailor)

“Rock ‘n’ Roll Fantasy”– The Struts

“Bad Company” – Charley Crockett

“Rock Steady” – Dirty Honey

“Burnin’ Sky” - Black Stone Cherry

“Seagull” – Joe Elliott and Phil Collen of Def Leppard (feat. Paul Rodgers & Simon Kirke)

“All Right Now” – The Pretty Reckless

Founding members Paul Rodgers and Simon Kirke also appear on the album, bringing this tribute full circle.

Pre 'save' & pre-order information 

 

Free Appreciation Society Magazine - Issue #179

Free Appreciation Society

Magazine Issue #179

August 2025

 

All issues are now in the mail for subscribers.

The final issue in the eight part series covering the period leading up to, and including, the 'Heartbreaker' album. This issue continues directly from #178.

Here we complete the overview of the releases with various issues of the 'Heartbreaker' LP from Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, Japan, America and Europe, also taking a look at the two vinyl bootleg issues from Latvia/Russia. All the information you need with matrix numbers, labels and pressing variations, covers, inners, and extras all included. Lots of photographs of everything too. Also covered are 8-track cartridges (including a competition for subscribers to win a still factory-sealed US original), cassettes, and CDs from around the world.

Included here is the penultimate diary section, dealing with the day to day life of Free from July 7^th 1972 to August 27^th 1973. This includes tour dates (played and cancelled), set-lists, live tapes, studio recording dates, press information, and so on. A forensically detailed (16-pages), day by day, month by month chronicle of all Free activity during this period.

Tetsu is in colour on the back page, and the April 1973 'Music World' article is the centre. 48 pages crammed with information and images from this period of the Free history, and catalogue.

There's a competition in this issue for subscribers only. You'll find the details and question on page 2 (the intro page). Closing date for entires, via email or letter, is August 31st. Only one entry per person please. Remember to include your full name and address. The winner will be announced here on September 1st, when the prize will be mailed out to them. Best of luck.

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It is cheaper to buy directly here (from the FAS itself) than it will be on Ebay, where there are other fees involved for both UK and overseas buyers. ALL payments are via Paypal, so it's all very easy and secure. Casual buyer? Want the magazine cheaper? Get a subscription! A subscription is the cheapest way to get the FAS magazine. For subscription information email: fasarticle@aol.com

You can buy this individual issue from the email address above. Total is £7.50 via Paypal for the UK, a three issue subscription is £19.10

Overseas it's £26 (via Paypal). Buying from the FAS directly should save you on customs charges, and fees, now levelled directly via Ebay, which will not be added here as items will be sent as 'letters'.

Drop me a mail giving your location and a Paypal money request will be sent to you. It's cheaper than buying them on Ebay where the fees add up making this issue almost £8 in the UK, and way more overseas as they now add taxes to the total. So;

UK single issue £7.50 (Paypal)

Overseas single issue £9.80 (Paypal)

A subscription for three issues (UK) is £18 (£19.10 via Paypal)

A subscription for three issues overseas is £26 (via Paypal).

New Issue Coming...

Well, it's been an interesting couple of months. It was nice to get the last issue out a bit early, and I got straight onto the next, not least as #178 and #179 run back to back, but I was a bit miffed when during the first week of June computer emphatically 'said no', and with a blue screen, and then a 'phooft', was gone to computer heaven. Ouch! Actually, over Christmas, I'd kinda been warned this was coming, when I had a 'blue screen of death' but managed to get things going again. At that point I bought a 6TB drive and transferred everything out, and then continued to do so on a weekly basis. So, when in June things were somewhat more final, I only lost about a weeks work. Doesn't sound like much, but actually that's a fair bit of writing, scanning and correcting.

Anyway, I went to 'spare computer', having took 'dead computer' for repair (Still not got it back yet). The FAS is tricky. Currently everything is done on Windows 7 Pro, as after that some software doesn't work anymore (thanks Bill Gates), and as I can make 'Word 2000' stand on it's head, and eat a banana, while Adobe 6 makes a cup of tea, and does the ironing, I can't do that with the newer versions because they are stupidly over-complicated. It's all down to familliarity of course, but I don't need the current versions of either to do what I need to do, and nor do I wish to re-buy them, or 'lease' them. So 'spare' computer on, HD plugged in and ... nothing ... Oops! That caused a bit of a panic. Second computer in for repair and, that's right, I still don't have it back yet.

To cut a long story short computer 3 then also died. I've not even bothered to take this in for repair, but I did manage to find a place in Birmingham that had a 'used' unit identical to computer #1, and they were willing to kick it back to Windows 7 for me, and so I bought it. Having spent a few of days getting things working again, I was up and running, and I was able to start playing catch up. 

Issue #179 was actually about done, so I decided to get that paged for printing and completed, as there's more missing from #180 and #181 from the 'crash'. They were the issues I was working on mostly when computer said 'no'. Therefore, FAS #179 is now ready to go, and in fact 'far far away', and 'far away', issues are already in the mail. UK issues will be going out on Monday. This is actually the August issue, but as with #178, there's no point in me just holding on to it. It's ready, so lets get it out there for you to enjoy.

There's a competition in this issue for subscribers ONLY, and you'll find details on Page 2 (the intro). Closing date for entries, via email or letter, is August 31st, so if you feel like having a go, get them in. Only one entry per person please. Full magazine information will go up here on Monday or Tuesday, after the final batch of issues has been mailed.

 

Over and out...

 

Mick Ralphs Dies

I was sad yesterday to hear that Mick Ralphs had died. This comes almost ten years after he'd had a brutal stroke (November 4th, 2016), shortly after Bad Company had completed touring. Bad Company it seems will be inducted into the 'Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame' in the 'Performers' category this year. While I'm pretty certain Mick would have frown upon this somewhat, as just industry backslapping, I'm sure he would also have been quite proud to see the work of the group he started with Paul Rodgers, by playing him songs that Mott The Hoople couldn't make work, including of course 'Can't Get Enough', get that recognition. I'm also positive that when Simon and Paul get to play together on November 8th, this loss will make that performance particularly charged with the emotions of losing another member of the original gang.

I really enjoyed Ralphs' work with Mott The Hoople. The version of 'Ready For Love' with the 'Afterlights' section on 'All The Young Dudes' is great, but it was the version of 'Thunderbuck Ram' on the 'Bumpers' set that really made me sit up and listen to them. It's different to the version on 'Mad Shadows', where Guy Stevens had Andy Johns mix the Hammond down, and much heavier sounding, which I like.

In Bad Company there are missed treats like 'Too Bad' hidden on the often neglected 'Burnin' Sky', but I always really loved 'Simple Man'. It has such a lovely opening and closing motif, along with that superb Rodgers vocal. Both 'Thunderbuck Ram' and 'Simple Man' can be found below to enjoy, in memory of the man who wrote them. It's also Mick singing on 'TR'.

 

Rest easy. Gone now, but not forgotten. Mick was 81.