Kelly Groucutt - Kelly (1982) (LP) - €10,00

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Kelly Groucutt (born Michael William Groucutt; 8 September 1945 – 19 February 2009) was an English musician and the bassist for the rock band Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) between 1974 and 1982. 

In 1982, he released his self-titled, debut solo album, Kelly. This album featured fellow ELO members Bev Bevan, Richard Tandy, Mik Kaminski and their orchestral co-arranger and conductor Louis Clark.

In 1982, a solo album from a member of Electric Light Orchestra, who wasn’t Jeff Lynne, was something of a surprise. It also created quite a stir with the band’s fanbase, bringing to mind a lot of questions that, unfortunately, aren’t really answered by listening to the album.

The first question, and the one that comes closest to being answered, is whether or not Kelly Groucutt has any real discernible talent. 

Is he a credible singer? Yes, the record puts him through his paces on both mid-tempo numbers like “Am I A Dreamer?” (the disc’s best cut, hands down), and slower numbers like “Sea Of Dreams”. In fact, one could say that Groucutt’s most obvious talent is his voice. 

Does he have any musical abilities? Sure, he can sling guitar and bass strings with the best of them, and there are very few awkward instrumental parts or overblown solo passages to suffer through.

The question that’s hardest to answer is why was this recorded in the first place? If it was to showcase his songwriting abilities, one is immediately reminded of ELO, and mostly because these songs seem to be heavily influenced by the band, but nowhere near as good as even some of ELO’s lamest efforts (Diary of Horace Wimp, anyone?). 

If this was to present Groucutt as a musical entity separate from the band, then why would he surround himself completely with other ELO members? From Bev Bevan on drums, and Mik Kaminski with his famous blue violin to Richard Tandy’s keyboards, it all seems way too familiar, but sadly lacking without Jeff Lynne’s vision. This self-produced effort is real basic, and shows a guy who seems to still have a lot to learn about what makes a great sounding record.

Which begs the real questions. 

Was our man Kelly pressured to make an “ELO” album? Was that part of the deal in getting his own recording contract? Yes, the other musos on the record were his “mates”, but were they all chosen by him to play on his first “solo” disc? Was this a serious attempt to establish himself as a solo artist? If so, why try soooo hard to remind us of ELO, and not in a good way?

It wasn’t long after this that Groucutt sued Jeff Lynne for what essentially amounts to “back pay”, and led to his obvious dismissal from the band. 

If this was the only thing he had to show in his solo “resume”, it’s little wonder he ended up not making any more new music. Please don’t bring up ELO Part Two, that’s another argument for another day.

I know some will think I’m kicking a man who just passed away a short time ago. Not so. His legacy to fans is that of a brilliant musician who made friends everywhere he went. 

Groucutt was a man who treated fans with the utmost respect and even love; a man who truly enjoyed making people happy with music. He contributed musically during ELO’s peak creative and commercial years; that’s no accident. 

His ability to blend vocally with Lynne is something that Lynne has desperately tried to recreate with his own voice since Groucutt’s departure, and simply cannot pull off. My lament is that the only recorded legacy we have of this fine man is a disc that so under-serves his talents.

Side A

A1.  Am I A Dreamer - 3:48

A2.  Oh, Little Darling - 3:50

A3.  Dear Mama - 4:32

A4.  Black Hearted Woman - 3:29

A5.  Midnight Train - 3:52

        Violin – Mik Kaminski

Side B

B1.  Can’t Stand The Morning - 3:11

B2.  Anything Goes With Me - 3:31

B3.  Old Rock & Roller - 3:44

B4.  Don’t Wanna Hear That Song Again - 3:11

B5.  Sea Of Dreams - 4:51

Companies, etc.

• Marketed By – RCA Records
• Phonographic Copyright ℗ – RCA Records
• Produced For – Kagee Productions Ltd.
• Published By – RCA Musica
• Published By – Keymack Music Ltd.
• Recorded At – 54 East Sound Recorders
• Mixed At – The Old Smithy Recording Studio
• Mixed At – RCA Studios, Rome
• Mastered At – Artisan Sound Recorders

Credits

• Arranged By, Strings, Conductor – Louis Clark
• Artwork [RCA] – Francesco Logoluso
• Contractor [Strings] – Pavel Farkas
• Design [Album Sleeve], Photography By, Artwork [Kelly Logo] – John Warwicker-le-Breton M.A.
• Drums, Percussion – Bev Bevan
• Engineer [Assistant] – Maureen 
• Engineer, Mixed By – Llew Horowitz
• Executive-Producer, Sequenced By – Peter Kuys
• Keyboards – Richard Tandy
• Management – The Kuys Entertainment Corp.
• Mastered By [Half Speed] – Guido Di Toma
• Mixed By [Room Engineer] – Paolo Venditti
• Producer, Written-By, Vocals, Bass Guitar, Guitar, Sequenced By, Art Direction [Cover Concept] – Kelly Groucutt

Sequenced at R C A Studios, Rome.
Recorded: May, June and July, 1981, at 54 East Sound Recorders Pasadena, California.
Mixed: July 1981 at the Old Smithy Studios, Worchester, England, and August 1981 at R C A Recording Studios Rome, Italy.
Mastered at: Artisan Sound Recorders, Hollywood, California.

Notes

Release: 1982

Format:  LP, Vinyl

Genre:  Rock

Label:  RCA Records

Catalog#  3063

Vinyl:  Goed (VG)

Cover:  Goed (VG)

Prijs: €10,00