Clover-Unavailable

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martinfoyle
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Clover-Unavailable

Post by martinfoyle »

http://www.cherryred.co.uk/lemon/artists/clover.htm
-Featuring frontman Huey Lewis who went on to form Huey Lewis And The News after Clover’s split in 1980, Clover moved to the UK in 1976 from California, signing to the Vertigo label and touring with a number of bands including Thin Lizzy, to establish themselves. Produced by Robert Mutt Lange [Def Leppard, Shania Twain ] Unavailable has never been available on CD before
This fine album, recorded around the time the lads were backing Elvis on MAIT, is finally available on cd. Completists only you may think, it's actually quite good.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/ ... 53-3237566
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASI ... 52-8248606
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migdd
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Post by migdd »

I have Clover's epontmous album on vinyl - it is great! - but have never heard Unavailable. This is good news. Clover was a great, underappreciated band!
johnfoyle
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Post by johnfoyle »

Just noticed a mention of this in the new Mojo ; Elvis' MAIT back-up musicians' other album from around the same time has been re-issued.

http://www.cherryred.co.uk/lemon/artists/clover.htm

Image

Clover
Hearts On Fire
CDLEM43
This is Clover’s 1977 follow up to “Unavailable” and coincidentally, is Lemon Recordings’ follow up as well (CDLEM16). Once again, this record was produced by Robert John Mutt Lange (AC/DC, Shania Twain, Def Leppard).
This was sadly the band’s last album before John McFee went on to join The Doobie Brothers, and Huey Lewis formed the “News”. Interestingly, Clover supported Thin Lizzy promoting “Hearts on Fire” and is the reason why Huey Lewis performs on Lizzy’s “Live and Dangerous!” record.


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Looking for more info. I found this excellent site devoted to Clover ,

http://www.clover-infopage.com/clover01.html

with this additional note -

We all have been waiting for this for a long time and due to the fine people at Cherry Records/Lemon Recordings (especially Ross Landau) the waiting is over now. THANKS!

Like "Unavailable" (CD LEM 16), the artwork of "Love On The Wire" (CD LEM 43) has been produced as close as possible to the original artwork - in addition there are bonus sleeve notes that introduce Clover to all those who don't know who Clover were. Plus, the music has been digitally remastered by Universal Music and sounds great.

I got my copy of the CD today and I am very thrilled. Not only that Alex Call released an outstanding solo album this year - now both of Clover's UK albums are available too. What a great way to end the year! So let us all enjoy "Unavailable" and "Love On The Wire" on CD and maybe someday someone will release Clover's Fantasy albums on CD as well.


PS: When you order "Love On The Wire" (I hope you do) don't get confused by the title "Hearts on Fire" which you might find - that's a mistake. The album is entitled "Love On The Wire" and hearts are still UNDER fire - so no need to worry :)
johnfoyle
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Post by johnfoyle »

http://www.clover-infopage.com/

Reading more of this site I'm intrigued to discover that in the same year that Clover backed Elvis they also recorded with....Twiggy!

1977 - Please Get My Name Right - Twiggy
LP: Mercury #6310021 (GB 1977)
Songs: Rings/I Hope We Get To Love In Time/Cooking School/I'll Be Doggone/I Lie Awake And Dream Of You/Fish In The Sea/My Town/Brown Shoes/You've Got Me To Hold On To/I Love Us/Everything Falls Into Place/20/20 Hindsight/Please Get My Name Right

Line-up: Twiggy - lead vocals; Micky Shine - drums & percussion; Johnny Ciambotty - bass; Sean Hopper - keyboards; Huey Louis - harmonica; Alex Call - acoustic/guitar; John McFee - steel guitar, electric guitar, mandolin & violin solo on "I Hope We ..."

Recorded at: Phonogram, Hilversum


see
http://www.twiggylawson.co.uk/
bobster
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Post by bobster »

Twiggy sang in the Ken Russell film of "The Boyfriend" -- not bad, as I recall.
http://www.forwardtoyesterday.com -- Where "hopelessly dated" is a compliment!
johnfoyle
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Post by johnfoyle »

Thanks to a Twiggy fan on the 'net - thanks Ray ! - I've just been listening to the album, Please Get My Name Right , she made with Clover in 1977 , around the same time they backed Elvis on MAIT. I listened to both albums on 'random' in a multidisc player and the comparisons are interesting.

The circumstances of the different recordings are very obvious. Elvis recorded quickly in brief sessions in a tiny London studio on days off ( or 'sick') from work. Twiggy recorded in a Dutch studio ( Hilvershum - surely that must be the Wisseloord Studios that Get Happy! was recorded in a mere two years later) with , I daresay , loads of time available. Nick Lowe produced Elvis , of course , with his usual basic 'bash it down and stick it out' style. Twiggy worked with Tony Eyers , then a prime exponent of slick Europop.

Needless to say , Elvis' record is vastly superior to Twiggy's. Besides the originality of his material the slightly rough 'n ready sound makes for a more endearing listen. All the same it's intriguing to think what might have been. What if Elvis had signed to a bigger label and the was put into a studio with Clover and given loads more time to record ? The precise , rehearsed sound that is heard on the Twiggy recording gives us an indication.

Twiggy's voice is pleasant enough , characterised by the then prevalent mix of U.S. vocal inflections - something Elvis used just as much on Alison , of course - and discernible English soundings ; I found myself thinking , occasionally , of Sandy Denny - but mostly I was thinking of Dana! The best track is a Clover song , I Lie Awake And Dream Of You ; it's better than their own version , on the Unavailable album. McFee's steel guitar and violin playing is outstanding , as usual.

All in all , it's an interesting musical curio .

By the way , I've only heard nine of the albums thirteen songs. They were all that were compiled from it on a 1998 Spectrum 'Best of Twiggy'. The original vinyl goes for a fortune on the net - Gemm have a copy for c.$170 - and even the '98 compilation is now deleted.

The tracks I haven't heard are

6. Fish In The Sea
7. My Town
10. I Love Us
13. Please Get My Name Right

- just in case someone out there has reason to believe that hearing them would radically alter my opinion!
martinfoyle
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Re: Clover-Unavailable

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