Farewell, farewell...

Joe_Stax · Farewell, farewell...

Hey all, I only just heard that Dave Day from the Monks passed away. Dave was the rock'n'roll animal of the group, and played electric banjo.

Here's a clip of the Monks at their first reunion gig, at Cavestomp back in 1999...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgsUCtcBXwU

Shut up! Don't cry!!

Joe_Stax

Another recent loss is Mike Smith from the Dave Clark 5.

While the group didn't have the staying power or creativity of the Beatles or the Stones, they did produce some pretty good rock + roll, and Mike Smith was a tremendous vocalist.

First, a neat newsreel with some fooling around backstage and a couple of hit singles:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sehYnUVAcZM

Then, a later effort at a more "far out" sound. A good one, too!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88Mqh3Ks_tM

Joe_Stax

Alas, another passing to report this week...

Norman 'Hurricane' Smith, the UK artist who had a 70s hit with 'Oh Babe, What Would You Say' in 1972, has died at the age of 85.

Smith was also a producer. His name graces the production credits of the early Pink Floyd albums 'The Piper at the Gates of Dawn', A Saucerful of Secrets' and 'Ummagumma'.
Smith also engineered the sound for many Beatles songs. He worked on 'Rubber Soul'.
In 1968, he produced the concept record 'S.F. Sorrow' for The Pretty Things.
'Oh Babe What Would You Say' was a U.S. number 1 for Smith.
Smith's farewell to fans was summarized in his 2007 biography 'John Lennon Called Me Normal'.
His final album was 'From Me To You' in 2004. Paul McCartney wrote some of the liner notes for the album.

mr bil

time is sad.

JimENight

Wow, Norman Smith. Thanx Joe.

Astrakhan

Here's the word from the BBC:

Beatles engineer Smith dies at 85

Norman Smith worked on records including Rubber Soul
The Beatles' engineer Norman Smith, who worked on every studio recording the band made between 1962 and 1965, has died at the age of 85.
Smith, nicknamed "Normal Norman" by John Lennon, took charge of the band's first session at Abbey Road in 1962.

Promoted to producer in 1966, he signed Pink Floyd and produced their early albums including Saucerful of Secrets.

Under the name Hurricane Smith, he also enjoyed UK chart success with singles including Don't Let It Die in 1971.

That song reached number two in the UK, while follow-up Oh Babe, What Would You Say? reached the top five on both sides of the Atlantic the following year.

His record label EMI described him as "a legendary figure in the history of EMI and British music".

"We were very saddened to hear of his passing away, and our thoughts and condolences go out to his family at this time," the statement said.

Recalling The Beatles' first session for EMI, Smith once told an interviewer: "Visually, they made quite an impression, but musically we didn't really hear their potential."

He was impressed by their sense of humour and style, which marked them out from the large number of other bands that came in to try to impress producer George Martin and earn a record deal.

Smith said he told Martin at the time: "For that alone we should sign them. Just because of their humour and the way they present themselves, they are different."

'Mood creation'

Once promoted to producer, he said he signed Pink Floyd after being impressed by their stage presentation at one of their gigs.

"I can't in all honesty say that the music meant anything at all to me," he later recalled. "In fact, I could barely call it music.

"A mood creation through sound is the best way that I could describe Floyd."

Smith, who was born in Edmonton, North London, died on 3 March.

Has anyone heard the Hurricane Smith material? I've heard of it because of the Beatles/Pink Floyd connection, but haven't ever heard the songs proper. The whole "Hurricane Smith" business always sounded vaguely like a novelty act, like "Nervous Norvus"...

Joe_Stax

Just found out that two satellite participants in the Who have passed away.

On Feb. 8, 2008, Scot Halpin died. He's legendary as the fan who jumped onstage in 1973 to take over from Keith Moon when Moon passed out from too many animal tranquilizers.

On Feb. 10, Chris Townson passed. He covered for a herniated Moon on a UK tour. Townson is also notable for being the drummer in John's Children. The band was briefly signed to the Who's Track label in 1966 or 67 (don't recall offhand, sorry), and toured with the Who in Germany. They were thrown off the tour for (get this) being louder than the Who! Laughing

I didn't know that was possible...