HW: Magic Muscle info

[Keith A Henderson]

Cap'n queried...
>
>        Anybody with date confirmation on any of these albums, I would
>        appreciate it (public or private).  Any other notable history tied
>        to this band would be good too.

OK, here are the liner notes from Laughs and Thrills, as penned by Rustic Rod
Goodway....

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
1991 - A Special Year for Magic Muscle

More has been written about Magic Muscle in the past three years (than) ever
before (mainly thanks to the enthusiasm and the 'gentle quill' of journalist
Colin Hill) beginning with the four-page biog given away free with the studio
retrospective LP "The Pipe, the Roar, & the Grit" (sic) in 1988 and more
recently the story within the so-called 'magic-box' named 'Living Weeds from
Ancient Seeds' (1990).

However, what seems to be generally agreed about the band is that although it
was originally formed in 1970, the date of its spiritual birth and actual
'coming of age' in January the 4th, 1971.  Consequently, this year (1991) marks
the 20th anniversary of Magic Muscle as it enters a third decade of ongoing
adventures.

Incredibly, it wasn't until 1988 that Muscle cut its first 'official' LIVE
album, with original members Adrian Shaw, Rod Goodway and Huw Gower along with
long-term honourary member Simon House being joined by special guest drummer
Twink.  This resulted in the 'One Hundred Miles Below' LP/CD which wasn't
released until 1989, by which time Huw Gower was back home in New York City.
Rod and Adrian were unable to pay his fare over to the UK to promote the album
so their pal Nick Saloman volunteed to play a few dates, the first being
(aptly) the Hawkwind 20th Anniversary All-Dayer at Brixton Academy.  This time
the 'special guest' drummer was Martin Crowley. This line-up did not record as
Muscle but toured Europe in 1990 as The Bevis Frond Touring Band.  On January
the 4th, 1991, Adrian Shaw, Rod Goodway, and Simon House again joined forces
with guitarist extraordinaire Nick Saloman and old pal from the free festival
daze of yesteryear Steve Broughton, to record a testimony to the survival of
what was once described as 'Britains Premier Underwater Band'!!  The awesome
results of this recorded celebration will be released later this year as a LP
entitled 'Gulp'!!

But what about the other side of Muscle? The live prog-rock monster that
exploted (sic) into psychedelia when the group began to tour all those years
ago?  Thanks to Claus at SPM, that is what this package is all about.  After
their notorious appearance at the first Glastonbury Fayre (June '71) Muscle
were beginning to gain a national reputation in the UK and were soon busy
supporting their old mates Hawkwind on various gigs around the West Country
when the infamous 'Silver Machine' was released and, amazingly, rocketed up the
charts.  This of course prompted the mammoth Space Ritual Tour of 1972 which
Magic Muscle was asked to join.

The resulting mayhem and punishing schedule was rewarded by some interest being
shown by Island Records and Muscle were asked to submit a demo.  A song was
duly composed and recorded and the only copy sent to Muff Winwood at Island.
Having just suffered another of many 'dope busts' the group's
anti-establishment song-lyrics were aimed at the stuff of the local 'Bridewell'
Police Station in Bristol but unfortunately everyone at Island Records believed
it to be about THE Bridewell in Northern Ireland and therefore pro-IRA!!  The
demo was immediately banned and apparently destroyed.

The only known recording in existence is here on CD, recorded LIVE on one of
the last three remaining Magic Muscle ever did on the Space Ritual Tour.  In
fact, highlights from all three performances are here, a miracle in itself
considering the chaos and craziness of the very times it attempts to document.
A tribute indeed to the tireless efforts of our friends and brothers who were
known as the Muscle Roadcrew but who were in fact as much a part of the band as
any of the musicians.  Bear in mind then dear listeners, that we were all
merely survivors, witnesses to a thousand benefits, acid tests, and free
festivals; consequently we had little money and only worn and delapidated
equipment.  Therefore the quality of some of these recordings is (in places)
flawed and for this we apologise.  But we are sure you would prefer a good
performance poorly recorded than a better quality recording of uninspired
music.

We think you will agree that this is not only a worthwhile release by SPM, but
also an essential musical documentation of prog-rock psychedelia on the ascent
from its initial rigid structures, through the map references of the expanding
mind, to emerge from hyperspace as the mighty 'roar' of MAGIC MUSCLE!!

Rustic Rod
April 1991
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
It doesn't list the dates or venues of the three SR gigs that these recordings
are from, although there are two recordings of one song (On the Run), one which
says 'Bristol' version, the other says 'Bracknell' version.  Apparently then,
two of the three gigs were these two cities (Bracknell is near Reading).  Maybe
Bernhard's list has the dates/venues.  I would guess that the last gig might
have been London - perhaps Brixton or the Roundhouse.

The band in 1972 was:

'Rustic' Rod Goodway - Guitar/Vocals
Adrian Shaw - Bass
Huw Gower - Lead Guitar/backing vocals
Kenny Wheeler - Drums
Pete Biles - Congas

Time of the disc is 69:18...11 tracks.
Label info:  SPM-World Wide Records CD 0021 (1991)

Keith H. (FAA)