It’s All In A Name

Hard to imagine it these days, but back in the late Sixties and early Seventies many artists had a cushy little sideline performing hits of the day for compilations on budget labels such as Top Of The Pops, Saga, Rediffusion and Hallmark. There was also a craze for making uncredited guest appearances on friend’s records, mainly due to record company rules at the time. Was that not Mick Jagger in the background on Carly Simon’s ‘You’re So Vain’? Isn’t that Rod singing lead on ‘In A Broken Dream’ by Python Lee Jackson? John & Paul sang on the Stone’s ‘We Love You’; Clapton played guitar on the Fab Four’s ‘While My Guitar Gently Weeps’ and George returned the compliment by playing on Cream’s ‘Badge’. Lynsey (sugar me) De Paul did the sexy voiceover for Mott The Hoople’s ‘Roll Away The Stone’.

Roy Wood of Wizzard was, at the time of his huge hit ‘See My Baby Jive,’ dating TV and pop singer Ayshea Brough. Ayshea sang backing vocals and performed with them on Top Of The Pops, (sadly now wiped by the BBC). Roy then wrote, played on and produced what was essentially a Wizzard track for Ayshea called ‘Farewell’. Even the dream combination of Wood, Harvest Records and Pan’s People couldn’t get her a hit though!

The bubblegum pop song ‘You’re Ok With Us’ that accompanied the TV commercial for ‘Us’ underarm deodorant was sung by David Essex. This was released as a single before Essex-mania well and truly took hold.

All this led to much debate in the school playground, especially when it became known that certain popular superstars had been moonlighting in their pre-fame days and earning a few extra quid by doing session work for covers LP’s. These records were hugely popular, since they usually came in at under a pound and had twenty-or-so hits that sounded pretty similar to the original- if a little lifeless. The sleeve designs normally displayed scantily clad women in seductive poses with tag lines such as ‘today’s hits sung by original artistes’ (not ‘artists’, you see!)

Elton John was the king of the cover version around 1970, before ‘Your Song’ hit the charts. There are some fabulous versions of songs like ‘Spirit In The Sky,’ ‘Yellow River’ and ‘Baby Loves Lovin’’ to be found on Top Of The Pops and the Chartbusters labels. These records are much sought after by Elton fans and can still be found at boot sales and charity shops for pennies, if you know which ones are which (the internet will provide the less patient collectors with all the details). It was even rumoured that David Bowie got in on the act with a cover of Penny Lane on Music For Pleasure’s 1967 Hot Hits compilation. It does sound remarkably like Bowie doing the Beatles in a Tony Newley style and I’d love it to be true, but sadly it is but an urban myth!

This trend continued in the Rock underground scene, too. Thin Lizzy made a whole album of Deep Purple covers under the name of Funky Junction. Sixties Freakbeat band The Eyes made a tribute to the Rolling Stones on the Wing label under the nom de plume of The Pupils (get it?). The budget album of Raga pop by Sagram, ‘Pop Explosion Sitar Style’ on the Windmill label, was in fact the Acid folk band Magic Carpet. They, along with singer Alisha Sufit, went on to make a much sought after self-titled album on the Mushroom label.

Space Rock band Hawkwind did their super-fan sci-fi writer Michael Moorcock a big favour by recording an album with him called ‘The New Worlds Fair’ under the name of Deep Fix in 1975 when they were huge! The film version of Moorcock’s novel ‘The Final Programme’ did originally contain a scene featuring Deep Fix but sadly it didn’t make it to the final edit and hasn’t appeared on any DVD extras either.

There’s real joy to had from digging around the world of budget labels and ‘Junk-shop Glam,’ as they call it. I always enjoy seeing the raised eyebrow of a dealer when you fish some ‘Hot Hits’ record out of their cheap box and gleefully hand over a quid. “What’s he buying that for?” You can see them wonder behind their bemused expression. “This, mate, is pure gold” would be my retort of preference. Always very satisfying to unearth a little gem that not many other people are aware of! It’s fun and in most cases inexpensive, which is an ideal combination. Exciting and easy on the pocket! The quest continues… Happy exploring!