Week of November 11, 2001
Clem Cattini - Drums
Roger Coulham - Keyboards
Herbie Flowers - Bass
Alan Parker - Guitar
Ugly Custard (Kaleidoscope KAL 100) 1971
This is an impressive crew of studio/session musicians, embarking on what could have been the umpteenth boring exploitation album. Luckily, it turns out to be surprisingly good. Side one of this all-instrumental LP is made up of covers of songs like
"Scarboro' Fair", "My Babe" and Stephen
Stills' "Hung Upside Down", while side two comprises Parker originals. Strangely enough, side one is actually better, pairing imaginative arranging with expert playing. Not as good or disturbing as the similarly-inclined
Blue Phantom on the same label, this is nonetheless listenable, though nothing very special. Alan Parker was also involved in
Blue Mink and Hungry Wolf and made a solo album in 1970 too.
(Marcel Koopman)
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