Part 1
Small
Faces fill large places
What
a glorious band. Formed out of the ashes
of 'The Small Faces' and 'The Jeff Beck
Band', nobody could of predicted the influence
this lovable bunch of rogues would have
on Rock 'n' Roll history.
When Steve Marriot left 'The Small Faces'
in early 1969, he left his band mates
without one half of the song writing partnership,
the guitarist, singer, and front man,
so on paper not much left then. However,
long time band mate Ronnie Wood was keen
to step into the breach (incredibly, Ronnie
Wood had been playing bass guitar in the
shadow of Jeff Beck in his band for the
last two and a half years). He brought
along his friend and vocalist from his
previous gig, a certain Mr. Rodney Stewart,
who at the time was so lacking in confidence
on stage that he would often sing with
his back to the audience. Amazing when
you consider what a microphone wielding
strumpet he was going to become over the
next couple of years.
After brief rehearsals the band, under
the shortened name of 'The Faces', set
out on the road, recording a debut album
along the way (First Steps, March 1970).
Although this album was poorly received
both by the general public and most of
the critics, by the end of 1970 they had
built a reputation as one of the most
awesome and lunatic live acts on the circuit.
And 1971 was to be their Year.
Going from playing gigs at concert halls
and college dates at the beginning of
the year, by Christmas they were selling
out arenas all over the world. Record
sales went the same way. Nobody has been
more prolific before or since. In that
one scintillating year they released three
albums. First the half live - half studio
effort 'Long Player', which stormed up
the American charts, giving them their
first single hit as well in ‘Had
me a Real Good Time’. Then came
the international break through with Rod
Stewart's solo album ‘Every Picture
Tells A Story’ (a Faces album in
all but name), which topped the charts
around the world. So did the single from
the album ’Maggie Mae’, which
remained on top of the charts for weeks
and was being played everywhere you went.
Their appearance on English T.V. program
'Top Of The Pops' had to be seen to be
believed. They made no pretense of playing
their instruments to the music they were
supposed to be miming to, instead they
spent their time kicking oversized footballs
into the crowd, falling off the stage,
and letting English radio Disc Jockey
John Peel (a non-musician) pretend to
play the Mandolin solo in the middle,
while Ronnie Lane mugged up behind him.
So when it was announced that there would
be one more Faces album before Christmas,
expectations were high, and the boys did
not disappoint. Never has rock music been
put across in such a charmingly fun way.
First up is ‘Miss Judy's Farm’,
a great fat slab of Rock 'n' Roll from
the combined pen of Stewart/Wood, giving
the band a chance to stretch their wings.
A driving riff from Woody fires the song
into life before the plonk of Ronnie Lane's
bass comes into drive. Kenny Jones's no
frills drums lends solid support to the
song, while Ian McLagan - in old fashioned
Rock 'n' Roll style - sensibly sticks
to the piano to duel with the lead guitar
breaks. Then, of course, on top of this
you have the gravel voiced whoops and
yelps of that now full of confidence Rooster
of the Vocals - Rod Stewart, preening
his way through the lyrics with a wonderful
sureness inspired a generation. After
two minutes of the song, Woody slows the
whole entourage down to a snail’s
pace before the entire band roars back
in to bring the opening song to an exciting
conclusion, with each artist battling
to be heard.....
Part 2
…
in the mornin’ don’t say you
love me
Next up is one of Ronnie Lane’s
most amusing and rascally songs, ‘Your
So Rude’, basically just a cleverly
played twelve bar stomper, but for this
dog it is the lyrics that steal the day,
opening up with…
“My Mum She likes you,
she thinks your swell,
Got the makin's of a Dance Hall
Girl,
Your low-cut frock and your Bird's
nest Hair,
Stiletto heels and the way that
you swear,
She says to take you back to see
my folks again on Sunday,
Why it looks as though there’s
nobody in,
They've all gone out to see my Auntie
Renee.” |
I say be fair. Does that not bring a
smile to the old laughing gear? Beautifully
the band follows this with an emotional
ballad ‘Love Lives Here‘.
The haunting organ chords from Ian McLagen
prove that he knows exactly when to stick
to the piano or when to bring out the
Hammond Organ. About knocking down old
homes and the memories that go with them,
Rod Stewart has never sung better.
‘Last Orders‘ by Ronnie Lane
is a cruising, bluesing pub song about
the misunderstanding between the sexes.
Then it is ‘Stay With Me‘
time. The hit single from the album is
about as Faces as you can get. One of
the best lads songs ever written. The
entire band plays their collective hearts
out, with everybody being given solo space
as the song is brought to a thunderous
conclusion at the end of its four and
a half minute run. The sort of thing head
banging was invented for. But still it
is the lyrics that add wit and soul to
the proceedings. Just before the band
go wild, Rod sings out...
“So, in the mornin', please
don't say you love me,
'Cause you know I'll only kick you
out the door,
Yeah, I'll pay your cab fare home,
You can even use my best cologne,
Just don't be here in the mornin'
when I wake up.” |
Pace wise the foot is taken off the peddle
for four and a half minutes for Ronnie
Lane to sing his classic homage to growing
up and becoming famous while leaving others
behind, and to the duties that come with
it.
But from here on out it is pure barnstorming
Faces style good time music. A romp through
Chuck's ‘Memphis‘ with some
truly magnificent slide from Woody, the
delights of being evicted from your own
party ‘Too Bad’, and the perfect
closer in ‘That's All You Need’.
The latter two Stewart/Wood compositions
bring it all round in a circle in the
style of ‘Miss Judy's Farm’.
Of course it couldn't last. After one
more chart topping album (‘Ohh La
La‘ April 1975) Ronnie Lane left.
Although he was replaced, it was never
the same. As Rod Stewart gained more and
more of the spot light, tension mounted,
but it was the other Ronnie who left first.
He joined ‘The Rolling Stones’
as Mick Taylor's replacement, and eventually
took Ian McLagan with him. Kenny Jones
went on to the unenviable position of
replacing Keith Moon in ‘The Who’,
and, of course, Rod Stewart went onto
solo superstardom. However, to these old
ears none of them ever reached this peak
again.
As they say ‘A Nod's As Good As
A Wink To A Blind Horse’. And if
that is not enough for you, you could
try their greatest hits album, which was
released two years ago (2001) ‘Good
Boys Whilst We Are Asleep’. It collects
the best from all four albums plus assorted
hit singles, but fortunately nothing from
their dreadful live album ‘Coast
to Coast‘, which was recorded on
their last tour of America, and did not
find the Band on a good night. A dreadful
shame really, as the period that this
album comes from they were one of the
best live Rock 'n' Roll band in the world.
Pawed by Mott The Dog
Remastered by Ella Crew
E-mail: review@mott-the-dog.com
