Beggars Opera was a Scottish progressive rock band from Glasgow, Scotland, formed in 1969 by guitarist Ricky Gardiner, vocalist Martin Griffiths, and bassist Marshall Erskine. The line-up consisted of Ricky Gardiner (guitar/vocals) (born 31 August 1948, Edinburgh, Scotland), Alan Park (keyboards) (born 10 May 1951, Glasgow, Scotland), Martin Griffiths (vocals) (born 8 October 1949, Newcastle upon Tyne) Marshall Erskine (bass/flute) and Raymond Wilson (drums). After working together building parts of the M40 Motorway near Beaconsfield, the lads moved back to Glasgow to look for an organist and drummer and found Alan Park and Ray Wilson. After an intensive time in rehearsal, they took up residency at Burns Howff club/pub in West Regent Street in the center of Glasgow. Tours of Europe followed and the band found success in Germany, appearing on German TV’s legendary Beat-Club, then at the First British Rock Meeting in Speyer in September 1971.
In 1970, after signing to Vertigo Records, the band recorded their first album Act One, and a single “Sarabande”, which charted record in several European countries. The following year, for their second album, Waters of Change, the band were joined by Virginia Scott (mellotron) and Gordon Sellar (bass) (born 13 June 1947, Glasgow, Scotland). The single “Time Machine” from that album was successful in Germany, where the band toured extensively.
Erskine left the band before they recorded their third album, Pathfinder (1972), which included a cover version of Richard Harris’ hit “MacArthur Park”. Several other personnel changes ensued, with Pete Scott replacing Griffiths in 1972, and Linnie Paterson replacing Pete Scott in 1973. By 1973’s final album, Get Your Dog Off Me, Beggars Opera were reduced to a trio of Gardiner, Park and Sellar.
In 1974/76 a new version of Beggars Opera recorded two albums for Jupiter Records in Germany: Sagittary, featuring Gardiner (guitar), Pete Scott (vocals), Virginia Scott (Mellotron) (born 1948, Glasgow,Scotland) and Mike Travis (drums), and Beggars Can’t Be Choosers with Clem Cattini replacing Travis on drums.
Gardiner went on to play for David Bowie on the Low album, and with Iggy Pop on the Lust for Life album as well as his Idiot tour of 1976. He co-wrote “The Passenger” with Iggy Pop.
Alan Park (organist) worked with Cliff Richard for many years as musical director.
Griffiths sang and was compere in the working men’s clubs in and around Manchester until he left for Germany in 1974. He went on tour and worked with Brian Auger, Osibisa, Ekseption, Klaus Doldinger, Ange and Can before signing a recording contract with Jupiter Records (Ralph Siegel) releasing three singles: “I’ll Be Coming Home”, ”Sitting on the Dock of the Bay” and “Israelites”, which reached number 3 in the German Disco Charts in 1977. (wikipedia)
And here´s their 5th album; it was only release in Germany.
After the major disappointment of their previous release (Get Your Dog Off Me), the band seriously needed to produced a much better record to keep their prog fans awaken and when you listen to the title and instrumental track, one can say that Beggars Opera are on the good path.
This composition is a solid anthem to the best of the progressive heydays from the band. On the rhythmic side of their music, it offers a complex structure: jazzy, Oriental, upbeat (drumming is stunning). Great guitar a la Carlos only adds to the great feeling.
But maybe that this was only a one track since the next and reggae-ish Something To Lose isn’t really what you would expect from this band. Again, I do like reggae (maybe moderately but still.Steel Pulse, Culture and Marley were companions of mine in the late mid seventies). But to combine prog elements with this type of music have never been my cup of tea (cf. some of my Ozric Tentacles reviews).
The problem is that things are not getting any better with World Crisis Blues. This album is a mix of downs but as well ups. The next Smiling In A Summer Dress is a wonderful rock ballad which reminds the melancholy of the great While My Guitar Gentle Weeps;
As if every ups would need to be followed by a down, the dreadful and funky Freedom Song is best avoided. You know the key I guess.next of course (you can act the same way for Love Of My Own later on.
Since you know the structure of this album by now, it was bound to happen that I’m The Music Man would be a good one. And here we go for another pleasant soft-rock ride (we’ll get lucky at this time since it is the second good track in a row!). The closing Simplicity is also a good instrumental (not as strong as the opener). It builds up in the crescendo mood and ends up with some inspired guitar solo. Another good track really.
This album is almost a permanent exchange between good and poor songs. It is still just shy of the third star IMO. Funk, reggae and prog are not my best mix while they are played by the same band. (by ZowieZiggy)
But … listen to the guitar solo on “I’m The Music Man” !!!
Personnel:
Ricky Gardiner (guitar)
Colin MacFarlane
Pete Scott (vocals)
Virginia Scott (keyboards, mellotron)
Mike Travis (drums)
Tracklist:
01. Sagittary 4.50
02. Love Of My Own 2.36
03. Smiling In A Summer Dress 3.52
04. World Crisis Blues 2.38
05. Just Twenty One 4.05
06. Simplicity 2.52
07. Freedom Song 3.21
08. Something To Loose 2.36
09. I’m The Music Man 4.24
10. Jack The Ripper 2.51
Music:
Ricky Gardiner – Virginia Scott
Lyrics:
Colin MacFarlane
More from Beggars Opera in this blog:
The official website:
It is with deep sadness that we annouce the passing of Ricky Gardiner Guitarist Songwriter/ Composer.
Ricky passed away in his sleep ealry in the morning of Friday the 13th of May. He had been suffering from Parkinson PSP for the last 12 years of his life.
Love and Light
Virginia and all the Gardiner family
(taken from the official Ricky Gardiner website)
I want to reduce my single collection …:
ManyFantasticColors 