British Rock Calendar - August 1974

August 1974 was a quiet month. I didn’t go to any concerts. I wrote down Rory Gallagher for the first day of the month, but did not see that show. I do not have any record of him playing the Bay Area at that time, so I assume he cancelled. Too bad. I would have loved to have seen him again. 
You may notice my calendar has “Penney’s” marked down. That would be the photos I had developed from the previous concerts. Mine or my friend, Dan’s. Penney’s was a department store near by. Believe it or not, they did great printing work. I am still impressed with the prints I had done there. 
You will also note John Lennon’s name on the 23rd. He was interviewed at a radio station in San Francisco that evening. It was reported in the local news that he would be there. My friends and I  planned to go and meet him as he left the building. It was a once in a life time chance and I was very excited at the thought of actually meeting John Lennon in person! That evening I called my friend, Gary, who had a car, and I didn’t. He had changed his mind and decided not to make the trip from the East Bay, some 30 minutes away. Since I was without wheels and BART had not been completed at that time, I was unable to go. It was three days after my 21st birthday. Yes, we are still friends.
To see past calendars - British Rock Calendar - July 1974

MANFRED MANN

Manfred Mann has had one of the
longest and most varied careers
in the British R&B scene. Originally
hailing from South Africa, he had many
top 10 hits in England and the USA.
Before British blues and R&B became
huge around the world, musicians
moved in and out of bands, sometimes
not staying long enough to get their
name in the credits. Some achieved
great success while others drifted into
obscurity. A few met with a tragic end.
My friends and I saw Manfred Mann's
Earth Band in the early 70s. You can see
my photos and read our memoirs
of the concerts at -
Brit Rock By The Bay
The article below is from "British Beat
1960-1969". By Terry Rawlings.
Copyright Omnibus Press 2002.
Below is a page from the amazing 
book "Rock Family Trees" by Pete 
Frame. Copyright by
Omnibus Press 1993.

A review of an early album
that contained the hit, "The
Mighty Quinn".  It was written
by Bob Dylan. Manfred Mann
continued to do Dylan songs
for many years.
"The Mighty Quinn", (live clip)
Tired of playing the same simple pop hits, 
Mann and Mike Hugg created a new band  
titled, Chapter 3. It was jazz/rock fusion 
with horns, keyboards, drums, but no guitar. 
They say it was a new sound, but it 
would not be hard to make a connection
to the Graham Bond Organization, with 
Ginger Baker, Jack Bruce and Dick
Heckstall-Smith. Jack Bruce briefly 
played in the Manfred Mann Band, too.
After two Chapter 3 albums, 
Mann took a new direction and
formed the more commercial rock 
group, The Earth Band.
Their first album was a mix of rock,
pop, progressive artrock and another 
Dylan tune. It met with mixed
reviews. They continued on and
achieved success with more hits.

Their album, "Get Your Rocks
Off", was one of the band's
most popular albums.
In the meantime, original Manfred Mann 
member, Tom McGuinness had teamed 
up with Hughie Flint and recorded
as McGuinness Flint. That band also 
included Gallagher and Lyle, who 
wrote most of the material until 
they went solo.

A review of their live
act at the Whisky A Go Go
during their first US tour
as The Earth Band.
 DISC magazine reviewed Solar Fire,
an Earth Band Album,
next to a review of a
McGuinness Flint album.
Dated 12/15/73.
The album "The Good Earth" is 
discussed in this article in Melody
Maker March 30, 1974.
On "The Good Earth", the
buyer of the album was
entitled to own a
square foot of land.
A poster promoting the album.

This is from a Warner Bros. promo
pamphlet available for free in
many record stores at the time.
Like many Manfred Mann albums, 
it received mixed reviews, but 
had solid sales due to a 
major hit single.
An overview of his career
from an article in 1977.
Here are some of the albums
that make up the Manfred Mann story.

"Pretty Flamingo" was another top 10
hit for the band. Jack Bruce played on this album,
but left while it was still on the charts, and
re-joined Ginger Baker to form Cream
with Eric Clapton.
"Pretty Flamingo", (audio clip)
The Graham Bond Organization brought 
Baker and Bruce together. Dick Heckstall-Smith
joined Colosseum. Graham Bond, was one 
of the early British R&B musicians and influenced
 a generation of followers.  Eric Clapton
recorded his song, "Have You Ever Loved
a Woman" with Derek & The Dominos years later. 
Graham Bond suffered from depression which
led to substance abuse and financial failure. 
He died when he was hit by a train. His death is 
believed to have been suicide. 
Most people now realize that the song, "The
Mighty Quinn", by Bob Dylan, was about 
Anthony Quinn who played an Eskimo
in the film, "The Savage Innocents".
The cover art is by Victor Moscoso, 
who is well known for his rock poster 
art and ZAP comix work.
Mike d'Abo replaced Paul Jones. Rod Stewart
had been considered. 

Mike d'Abo went on to
have a solo career. His song, "The
Handbags and the Glad Rags" was
covered by Rod Stewart. The success
of that probably led
Rod Stewart into covering
many more ballads by other artists,
which he continued to do for decades.
Mike d'Abo
The first Chapter 3 album.

Paul Jones was Manfred Mann's
first lead singer. He left to have a solo
 career that included TV and film roles.
Paul Jones
McGuinness Flint album.

The 2nd Earth Band album.

Get Your Rocks Off album.

The Manfreds are 4 surviving
ex-Manfred Mann members, Paul Jones,
Mike Hugg, Tom McGuinness and
Mike d'Abo, who record and perform
their old hits with Manfred Mann.
The Manfreds, "Pretty 
Flamingo", (live clip).



ROBIN TROWER

I saw Robin Trower play at Winterland, SF, 
on 3 occasions. First time, 8/11/73. Then 
again on 11/3/73 and 5/25/74. As you can see,
he toured the US a lot in those days. 
He always put on a great performance
with great music. My friends and I 
were able to meet him, James Dewar
and Reg Isidore after one concert
and get their autographs. You can see 
our photos from those concerts and 
read our memoirs at - 
Robin started out in a band 
called The Paramounts with 
Gary Brooker and B. J. Wilson,
which later became 
Procol Harum. Robin and B.J.
Wilson were not in that
 band at first. They were added 
later after Procol Harum
was unable to reproduce
the sound of their hit, "A 
Whiter Shade of Pale" live. 
An early promo shot of The Paramounts.
Photographer is unknown. Copyright 
by Scalo 1997.
A review of HOME. An
early Procol Harum album
with Robin. 

James Dewar, (second in line behind Lulu),
started out as one of Lulu & The Luvvers.
Lulu was a popular British singer with hits
like, "To Sir, with love".
Lulu & the Luvvers (live clip)
Photo is from "Then, Now and Rare,
British Beat 1960-1969.
Copyright Terry Rawlings.
He later joined a band titled, Stone the Crows.
That band also included Les Harvey
and Maggie Bell, one of England's
most respected female rock vocalists. 
She might be called the Janis Joplin of 
Britain. She joined Rod Stewart on
"Every Picture Tells a Story." She also 
over shadowed James Dewar which may 
 have led to his leaving the band.
A review of Stone the Crows.
Les Harvey, guitarist for 
the band and Maggie's lover, 
was electrocuted on stage and 
died shortly after in the hospital. 
He was replaced with Jimmy
McCulloch, who later joined 
Paul McCartney and Wings.
He died from an overdose
in 1979.
Robin Trower left Procol Harum
and James Dewar left Stone the Crows
to form The Robin Trower Band. 
Their first album, "Twice Removed 
From Yesterday" was a 
huge success.  Their drummer
was Reg Isidore. His producer was
Matthew Fisher, keyboard player
with Procol Harum.

James Dewar was a
talented singer and song writer
and contributed much to
Robin Trower's albums.
He was in the shadow of others
his whole career. Being a soft spoken
man he never received the
accolades he deserved. He did
record a solo album, "Stumbledown
Romancer" that was released
 in 1998, many years after it
was recorded.
James Dewar (audio clip)

Their second album, Bridge
of Sighs, was another huge
success for the band.
It was the last album that
Reg Isidore played on.
Reg Isidore
I always loved the graphics of 
the early albums. 
This album by Stone the Crows 1970
includes Les Harvey, Maggie Bell and
James Dewar. They also released
Teenage Licks and Ode To John Law.
Neither had James Dewar. 

An early Procol Harum album with Robin
Trower and B. J. Wilson. Keith Reid, (left),
wrote all their lyrics, but did not play
on any of the albums.
Matthew Fisher's first solo album, Journey's 
End, 1973. His solo albums are highly recommended.
He has fought for writing credit on
Procol's hit, "Whiter Shade of Pale" for many 
years. It is a landmark legal battle over royalties.

Inside cover.

James Dewar passed away on
May, 16th 2002
Tribute Website to James Dewar
James Dewar Memorial