Week of February 27, 2000
Carl
Barnwell - guitar, vocals
Ray Duffy - drums
Mark Griffiths - guitar
Gordon Huntley - pedal steel guitar
Andy Leigh - bass, vocals
NB:
Also of interest is "Matthews Southern Comfort Meets Southern Comfort"
(See For Miles SEE 85) 1987.
This
was basically a later version of Matthews Southern Comfort after Ian
Matthews had left to sign to Vertigo as a solo artist.
Southern
Comfort's
three albums and their 45s were all quite good but eventually the band split due
to the lack of public interest.
Carl
Barnwell went on to form his own group, Ray Duffy played with Gallagher
and Lyle and the rest went into session work.
The
“Meets Southern Comfort” compilation which features Matthews
Southern Comfort on side one and Southern Comfort on side two sorely
demonstrated how anonymous Southern Comfort sounded deprived of Ian
Matthews' quavering vocal style.
You can also hear “River Woman”, which captures their melodic guitar work at its best, on the “Harvest Bag” compilation.
Taken from The Tapestry of Delights - The
Comprehensive Guide to British Music of the Beat, R&B, Psychedelic and
Progressive Eras 1963-1976, Vernon Joynson
ISBN 1 899855 04 1
I'm in major disagreement with the above assessment by the honourable author of "Tapestry" In my humble opinion, the three albums released by the band during its lamentably short lifespan in the early 70s have more than amply demonstrated that Southern Comfort could easily hold their own, despite the recent departure of the group's acclaimed mainstay and mastermind, Ian Matthews. I would describe their post-Ian style as simple, laid-back, yet extremely enjoyable country-rock, in the best 'traditions' of such contemporaries as Cochise, Coast Road Drive and pre-Sutherlands' Quiver. No longer relying heavily on folk influences - invariably, Ian's constant trademarks - the band produced three now sadly forgotten gems.
Alex Gitlin
2000