Free Appreciation Society Magazine - Issue #159

Free Appreciation Society 

Magazine Issue #159

November 2021

 

After a bit of a break we are back... and a few changes. Firstly the magazine is being printed on a new machine and this has make the tiny text from those old newspaper articles a bit clearer and sharper. Yes, it's still very small, but even I can see the difference with my crappy near vision! So that's the good news. Sadly the second change isn't quite so good. When the printing was done Gary (who has been printing the magazine since issue #100) took the copy round to the finishers (fold, staple and crop) to find they had closed and completely sold up. Basically there as an empty unit where they had been. The business wasn't been sold as a going concern, it ceased to trade completely. It was a bit of a shock and meant somewhere else had to be found quite quickly, which Gary has done, and is much appreciated. So everything has been finished but it appears some adjustments may be required to balance things, and of course we've lost our 'mates rate'. Teething problems. So we are working on it. As things were quite settled regards this final stage of the magazine production, and we got a very good price with people we'd used for a long time, it's all a bit sad really. This kind of thing always causes issues for us, but more than that we are sad to see our friends go out of business in this way. It's somewhat disconcerting, and I have to say, I hate this kind of change in things, I'm getting too old for this shit... but...

Anyway, here we are... and here we go...

Free Appreciation Society Magazine - Issue #159

This is the first instalment of our FAS 'My Brother Jake / Free Live!' quadrilogy! Here we work through the first couple of months of 1971 and Free were busy. So we have comprehensive details on the American tour in January. Lots of new minutiae about the shows, the Detroit 'Tube Works' TV broadcast uncovered and confirmed, along with reviews, tickets, adverts, posters and press, as the group play a highly successful series of gigs around the USA. We then begin our look at the UK tour, which started pretty much as soon as they got back home in February, and this leads us into the next issue (#160), due in December.

Also in this middle of this issue is a full reproduction of the rare Free / Amazing Blondel tour programme from the 1971 UK tour. This hardly ever comes up for sale these days, and when it does it's very expensive. Here it's reproduced in pretty much it's original size, and this does have a few nice images I've never seen anywhere else; the photograph of Andy Fraser asleep next to Simon Kirke while travelling is priceless, and long unseen. Life on the road, so glamorous!

A hugely comprehensive issue. Enjoy!

56 pages absolutely packed with FREE!

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Mailed out today to all UK subscribers. Posted for overseas on Monday & Tuesday.

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.

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 they are £6.50 (UK)

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

This includes postage and Paypal fees.

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

 

Okay, a quick update.

FAS #159 and #160 are being printed this week. They then go for folding cropping and stapling, and I'll hopefully be getting them by the end of the month for packing. So FAS #159 will be an issue for November, followed by #160 in December. Then a little break for Christmas and New Year, with #161 following in February or March, #162 the month after that. At least, this is currently the plan. So likely the next news posted up here will be when the mailing out of #159 is happening. That will mean there have been six issues this year. Blimey!

In the meantime there have been a couple of interesting things happening on TV, or more specifically on the BBC. On September 14th, the anniversary of Paul Kossoff's birthday, the quiz show 'Pointless' (Series 26 - Episode 10) BBC1 6.00pm had the first surprise. The questions were about 'Free Things', so if you are unaware of the quiz show, that would reference things that are associated or connected with the word 'Free'.  The question was;

'Three-word title of the song by the band Free that reached number two in the UK singles chart in 1970'

The answer of course 'All Right Now'.

The idea is to pick the question (and to know, and give, the correct answer) listed out of five, that the least people out of 100 get right when asked randomly among the general public (phew!). So you can see by the board that 14 people knew the answer to the Free question. The third question being the one that none got right when asked (the 'pointless' answer) - hence if you had that answer you won that round.

ANYWAY. There was no mention of it being Paul's birthday or anything, so whether this was planned or a somewhat bizarre random coincidence I can't say. Thanks to Angus and Addy for being very quick to report this one, as I missed it.

It seems all the stars were aligned on this day as...

Also, rather strangely, on the 14th, a little later on BBC 2 at 10.00pm, was 'Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing' (Series 4 - Episode 3). This is actually a show I rather like, based as it is more on the friendship and banter between Bob and Paul than fishing (which bores the arse off me personally unless I'm eating what is caught!). I always like the fact that Bob seems so surprised and filled with a childlike wonder when he actually catches anything, even after all this time, and Paul's patience with someone (Bob) who seems to be endlessly falling over!  If there was a bit more of this on TV, and less 'Housewives Of Who Gives A Shit...' 'Slutty Island' and 'The Only Way Is Daft Looking Teeth And Lip Filler Pouting', along with the endless shows about child murderers, serial killers and general scumbags, maybe the world would be a better place, who knows... But I digress...

I understand it's not too much of a surprise they'd be some Free music here somewhere. Bob is well known as a huge Free fan and in this episode he not only mentions seeing Andy Fraser (his hero) with Free, but they also play clips from the songs 'All Right Now', 'Lying In The Sunshine', and 'Little Bit Of Love'! Quite a splash of Free there then! I'm glad Bob didn't tell his 'My Brother Jake' story again - which is incorrect (see upcoming story of the song in FAS #160), but having all this on one day was a bit... strange... In a very nice way.

I'd also like to bring your attention to the recently updated 'Evenings With Led Zeppelin' by Dave Lewis and Mike Tremaglio. If you never got the first publication (which sold out long ago), and even if you did, this new revised and expanded edition comes highly recommended. In hardback and with a huge 624 pages, this weighty tome is well worth the money, listing and reviewing every known Led Zeppelin show. This is then lavishly illustrated with concert tickets, original adverts, posters, handbills, programs, press releases and photographs. You don't have to be a Zeppelin fan to appreciate this book, as it's a fantastic slice of music history in its own right, and it's a great thing for browsing through on a rainy day. Christmas is coming and it's not a bad present to give to rock fan friends, and to have on your own Santa list! Just ensure your stocking is big enough and strong enough to hold it, and it is not hanging above the fire!

Order details:

Tight But Loose Special Edition Orders (if still available)

and

Omnibuspress - Evening With Led Zeppelin

Also a 're-making of' podcast here;

https://www.spreaker.com/user/discoveryeric/episode-23-dave-lewis-mike-tremaglio-eve

Happy Birthday Paul Kossoff

Another year, another birthday, if a somewhat 'absent' one in this case sadly. So Koss would have been 71 today. Wow, time really does fly doesn't it, and it only seems like a couple of years ago I was writing about Paul being 60! So this evening I'll be playing 'Kossoff Kirke Tetsu Rabbit' from end to end. I might even play the vinyl instead of the CD, just for a change. Probably one of the worst album covers in the history of Island Records, and a complete waste of a gatefold sleeve, but at least the music is wholly worthwhile and it features some of my favourite Kossoff playing anywhere. Really tasteful stuff. 

There is something different about playing an LP, and while I'm not going into the 'vinyl sounds better debate', I think it's the playing length that really makes the difference, and the fact there is a gap between the audio of the two sides while you turn the record over. It's very different, rather than the more 'linear' CD run through of what would have been a much wrestled with running order for two sides of an LP at the time. Making two sides of a record work was as important as the music that had been recorded. It was a measured decision by band and producer, what went exactly where. I always thought KKTR was set out very well. With writing and working on all the FREE anniversary issues I've not actually played this all the way through for a while, and I am genuinely looking forward to sitting down and listening from one side to the other again. An old friend really. Likely with a large Cointreau 'Noir' in hand, a new favourite.

In the meantime while I'm here, a quick update to let you know the next batch of FAS issues are coming, slowly but surely. Working through the first half of 1971 really has taken a long time, and I've been checking diary dates and updating things significantly. There are a lot of new details on the group history coming. It was obvious after the Covid printing delays last year that the 'lockdowns' would push everything back this year, which it has. That and a bit of writing / researching 'burn out' on my part. We did already have four issues earlier in the year, so we've not done that badly, and that's a lot of work. I only used to produce two magazines,and with a much smaller page count!

Presently it looks like we will get the first issue, dealing with this 1971/2021 anniversary period, out before Christmas. I currently have the first draft of the next two issues printed actually, along with some other bits and pieces in contention, and yesterday I was working through them, correcting spellings (endlessly tiresome job) and some other errors. The first fix one might say. A third issue is in a much more 'disjointed' form at the moment, but really just needs compiling. So don't think for one minute I've been sitting in the sun with my feet up drinking fancy cocktails over the summer. It's been a long slow marathon (slog, I might say!), certainly not a sprint at any point, but work continues, and these issues are looking pretty good. The impending batch will handle things up to the release of 'Free Live!'. How I deal with the split and splinter bands is yet to be decided. Maybe playing KKTR tonight will provide some inspiration for that upcoming endeavour!

In the meantime, spare Koss a thought today, and if you have time play a little of his music. I'll begin my own listening pleasure at 7pm BST exactly if anyone cares to join in. There is no better plan, and lets face it -  there's nowt on the tele!

FAS #158 (Page 22) 'addendum #1'

 A&M Records USA

'Stealer' single edit. From 3.23 to 2.30 (early fade) 

Taken here from the promotion single but retail copies have the same version with the same fade.

FAS #158 (Page 24) 'addendum #2'

A&M Records USA

Promotion 7" single to radio, with edited versions of tracks from 'Highway'.

Side A - 'The Highway Song' (Edit - 3.15)

Side B - 'Love You So' (Edit - 3.30)

Free Appreciation Society Magazine - Issue #158

 Free Appreciation Society

Magazine Issue #158

June 2021

Okay, these have now all gone out overseas. The UK issues will drift into the mail over the next week. A few went out yesterday and today, but I'll be posting a few more each day from Monday. They'll all be on their way by the end of the week at the latest.

It's a bigger issue than usual (72pages), and heavier (120g). This not only knocks the mailing cost up to £1.53 (from .66p) but it means some issues require 'making up' in postage, where some of you kindly send SAE's and you've put on various denominations of stamps yourself. It just all takes a bit longer. 2nd class, 1st class, 2nd large letter and 1st large letter stamps all need different levels of extra postage adding to them this time, and as the PO here (locally) has no stamps above 20p... Well some of you have a nice collection on your envelopes! I'm just glad I don't have to lick them all these days!! I'm also taping up all of the paper envelopes to try and stop the PO from destroying them - which is becoming more and more of a problem.

This issue, being bigger, has a slightly more expensive individual cover price, but not to subscribers - where it is simply one issue of your sub. It's really my choice, but running one album period out over five issues is a bit much to handle and it's either I cut something out of it, or use it all and make the issue a bit bigger. I choose the latter, as I've promised you all I can deliver in this final series. I blame FREE!

So here we go...

Free Appreciation Society Magazine - Issue #158

This is the concluding instalment of our FAS 'Highway' quadrilogy!  A bumper 72 pages here (as opposed to the usual 56) and this issue opens with an exclusive introduction from Simon Kirke. It then runs through all the record issues from the period - worldwide - for the single, 'Stealer', and the LP 'Highway'.  This includes the good, the bad and the ugly!

UK, Norway, Netherlands, France, Japan, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, Turkey, Germany, Argentina, Canada and America are covered (among others) and releases on Island Records, Festival Records, Philips Records, Polydor Records and A&M Records are logged and shown visually. This includes promotional issues, radio pressings, test pressings and variations in the sleeve, inner bags and label design over different issues of the album through the years, and the matrix numbers of those releases. Label errors, timing inaccuracies, edits and pressing differences are all included. A real wealth of information for the collector and the casual fan alike.

Also included is the day to day diary of what the band were doing, from August to December 1970. 16 pages listing gigs, recording dates (with songs listed), filming and more, illustrated with rare ads, posters, and tickets. This updates the information in 'Heavy Load - The Story Of Free' considerably. That was of course compiled over twenty years ago, so lots has been added to my original 'Itinerary And Recording History' as included there.

A hugely comprehensive issue. Enjoy!

72 pages absolutely packed with FREE!

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The three music 'addendums' for this issue will be uploaded a few days after the final issues have been mailed out. Probably next weekend.

Casual buyer? Want the magazine cheaper? Get a subscription!

A subscription is the cheapest way to get the FAS magazine.

This individual issue is available here directly.

In the UK it's £8 and to order email fasarticle@aol.com

For overseas prices please email with your location and ask for a total.

It is cheaper to buy directly here 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.

A three issue subscription in the UK is £14.85.

 

'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)