BOC: Goldmine/UK

[Paul Mather]

On Wed, 5 Jun 1996, Andy Gilham wrote:

> Just a note for the benefit of UK types - Tower in London has a whole stack
> of these (30 or 40, I guess), at two pounds nineteen each.  So other UK
> outlets ought to be able to get it.
>
> My, but there's a lot of...  _information_, let's say! :)

Well, I think there's a lot of *trivia*, but there are startling gaps of
real insight or information at key places.  I *still* don't know why
Albert was ousted from the band.  All they do is credit it to his
"outlandish behaviour" and him "being Albert" and leave it to the reader
to fill in exactly what that means, and why it classes as a hanging
offence.  A specific example is provided---wherein Albert smashes in the
windows of a rental car that had made him late for a gig---but this is
parenthetically described as being "in true 'rock star fasion.'"  Is this
what they mean when it is said, "they all thought he was over the edge?"
I mean, "It had become just so emotionally crazy, we couldn't play with
him," doesn't tell me very much.

Reading between the lines (which I'd rather not do, given such vague
information), I get the impression that Albert was kind of the Nik Turner
of BOC, i.e. eclectic and something of a showman, and this (as in
Hawkwind) caused friction with the other bandmembers that wished for a
more "definite" direction/persona for the band.  For example, later, when
they take him on as a hired hand to do some shows because they find
themselves without a drummer, they do so on the agreement that he
"promise to behave."  (They even specified that he was not to be given a
vocal mike, and "didn't want him coming up to the front of the stage.")
What sort of onstage antics did he used to get up to that required him to
"behave?"  Or are they referring to offstage antics here?  Actually,
maybe Bob Calvert is more appropriate than Nik Turner? ;-)

Finally, I couldn't help but recall that scene from _Spinal Tap_ when I
read Bloom's appraisal of the current BOC lineup, in which he states, "To
tell you the truth, I don't think we've ever played any better. . . . We
certainly have [now] the best musicians we've ever had. . . . *I* think
it's the best [BOC] band that's ever been."  You know the scene: Nigel
Tufnel has just left the band, and the rockumentary director asks David
St. Hubbins for his reaction and he says, basically, something along the
lines of "we've lost a lot of personnel during our history, Nigel won't be
the first; he won't be the last."  The director, aghast, challenges him on
this, citing the seminal importance of Tufnel in the band, and St.
Hubbins finally concedes, admitting something along the lines of "well,
I'm sure I'd feel a lot worse about it if I weren't on such heavy
medication..." ;-)

Well, like I said, there's a mountain of great trivia in there, but don't
expect it to address the "big questions."  Mind you, that picture of
Albert wearing the legendary Godzilla mask is worth the price of
admission alone!  (That, and all the cheesy promo photos.) ;-)

Cheers,

Paul.

obCD: Screaming Trees, _Sweet Oblivion_

e-mail: paul at csgrad.cs.vt.edu                    A stranger in a strange land.