'Sunny Day' Bank Holiday Extra!!

 'Sunny Day' - Epic Soundtracks

There is no 'Addendum' in FAS #157 (don't worry there are three in #158!) so I thought I'd give you something a bit different - and certainly something I feel it is unlikely you will have heard before.

Nikki Sudden (Adrian Godfrey) and his brother, Epic Soundtracks (Kevin Godfrey) are probably best known for their punky work in Swell Maps. In fact the noisy siblings were both BIG Free fans, and both were subscribers to the FAS from very early on. Nikki (later in Jacobites, and with a long solo career), continued to get the magazine up until his death from a heart attack in 2006. Tragic really, he was only 49.

In fact we owe Nikki something of a debt of gratitude as it was he, via his friend BBC DJ Annie Nightingale, that first came across the complete Free BBC session from April 1971 with all the outtakes. He sent me a DAT tape of it. Thus securing it's safety from BBC damage, loss or erasure in the future.

Anyway, Epic (Kevin) also continued to record after Swell Maps had disbanded and in 1995 released a CD called 'Debris', basically a compilation of tracks from other sessions recorded over the 1981-1994 period he'd never made available before. Among these was his solo version of the Fraser/Rodgers song 'Sunny Day', a favourite of his and recorded during the sessions for his 'Sleeping Star' album in January 1994 but not included. I don't think it's ever been available anywhere else, and curiously I can't find this on Youtube so I thought I'd put it here. The 'Debris' CD fetches quite a price these days it seems, often well over £100, so I'm pleased that Kevin sent a copy at the time!

I appreciate of course this won't be to everyone's taste, but the treatment here is very different to the original version by Free on 'Highway' - which is why I like it. This is musically stripped right back, and has a lovely wistful melancholic feel to it, but at the same time it's still very pretty (or I think it is). It's also rather poignant really. You might want to play it a few times before you make up your mind.

Kevin actually died before Adrian, the official cause 'inconclusive' but it appears he passed away in his sleep, way back in 1997. He was 38. Both were good friends of mine, Nikki wrote to me frequently over many years in his spidery writing from wherever he was in the world (in the end that was New York, where he died).  I miss them both, so it's nice to be able to include this little rarity here.

'Sunny Day' - Epic Soundtracks.

From the CD 'Debris' (1981-94 collection)

Back Street Crawler '2nd Street' - Album Of The Week - 45 Years On!

Okay, this is a bit left of field but thanks to Angus for sending me the link to this a few days ago. Sorry for the delay getting this up but I wanted to leave FAS #157 at the top of the blog for a few days.

Seems 'Classic Rock' magazine (on-line) have decided that Back Street Crawler's '2nd Street' is their album of the week, and have retrospectively reviewed it. I should perhaps point out it is now 45 years old!

Anyway, good enough for me, I always rated it highly. Some quite interesting comments, but take them all with a pinch of salt. It is after all only really your own opinion of the album that should matter to you. As for me personally, well this is one of my favourite records, by anyone, ever. The songs are great, the quality of the performances are excellent, the production is superb -  and while Kossoff was never fully committed to the album due to his own personal issues, his parts are generally well played and emotionally charged. I consider the record as a whole piece, not just something with Paul Kossoff on it. My opinion is that had he been in better shape, and fully engaged with this record, it would have been sensational. But that wasn't too be. All of course, just an opinion -  and you don't have to share it. Anyway, check out what 'Classic Rock' and others have to say here...

Back Street Crawler - Album Of The Week

If you don't have a copy of this you should try to find the Japanese release on HQCD (mini LP syle) from 2014 (shown here) as that is by far the best sounding version available, the remastering is excellent.

Free Appreciation Society Magazine - Issue #157

I'm just this minute back from the post office - which means...

Free Appreciation Society

Magazine Issue #157

May 2021 (Dated inside as March 2021)

The third of our ongoing FAS 'Highway' quadrilogy as we slowly (but not that slowly!) attempt to play 'catch-up' after printer lockdowns and work restrictions due to Covid 19. In this issue we take Free through November, December and to the end of a very busy year.  This includes final mixing of the new album, the release of 'Stealer' and then the 'Highway' album. We follow the band around Europe for six weeks, and review any shows that were recorded during that period. We also have a look at the Radio Huset broadcast from Sweden and the TV appearance on 'Hits A GoGo' that wasn't shown here in the UK.

There is a rundown of all the gigs, showing how the set-list altered, and how the band begin to incorporate the piano numbers into the performances for the first time.

56 pages of history, text and press, including interviews, adverts, recording session reel boxes, photographs, reviews... everything! A magazine full of updated and new information dealing with a specific period from the band's life and the most in depth look at the 'Highway' album EVER!

56 pages packed with FREE!

Mailed out today to all UK subscribers. Posted for overseas last week.

For a subscription email: fasarticle@aol.com

Otherwise you can buy this individual issue from the email address above. 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 - (UK £6.50)

UK price including postage from here directly is £5.80 for this issue.

A subscription for three issues (UK) is £14.85.

Kossoff - Band Plays On... Newly Announced Terry Slesser & John Buckton Gigs For 2021