Wotabunch!
Encyclopedia
Wotabunch! was released by WEA
in 1977 following the success of Ian Dury
as a solo artist. It is technically the 'second album' by Kilburn and the High-Roads.
When talking about Kilburn and the High-Roads' output in his track-by-track comments in the booklet for Repertoire Records
2CD Ian Dury & The Blockheads: Reasons to be Cheerful retrospective, Ian Dury said:
Wotabunch! was recorded in January 1974 at Apple Studios in London
shortly after two line-up changes in the band. Two long-term members, bassist Humphrey Ocean and drummer David Newton-Rohoman, were no longer in the band at the time. In fact, new bassist Charlie Sinclair had only just joined the group when the sessions began. Newton-Rohoman had been sacked virtually on the eve of the recording sessions, being replaced by session musician Louis Larose. Charlie Sinclair and Louie Larose had left the Pub Rock band Phoenix (led by Roy St. John), in which David Newton-Rohomon replaced Larose on drums.
Though the session went fairly well, with recording interspersed with trips to local pubs, there was a problem with capturing the band's live sound. This was a problem that the Kilburns had suffered before when making demos the previous year and would suffer again when making Handsome
. Some blame is given to Larose's conventional drumming style (and later, on the Handsome sessions, to producer Hugh Murphy). Despite the trouble, Wotabunch! is much closer to their live sound than the softer, polished Handsome versions. Dury was not pleased with the release due to a remix featuring the addition of strings. The final remix for the recordings was done more or less behind Dury's back, while on he was on a week-long holiday. However, this was soon to be irrelevant, as shortly after the sessions were over Raft (the record label that had signed the band) folded. The bands on the Raft label were told that they would go to WEA, who owned Raft, but after a visit from WEA's top man Joe Smith at a concert, Kilburn & The Highroads were dropped.
In 1977, following the success of Ian Dury's solo album New Boots and Panties!!, and the good response to "Sex and Drugs and Rock and Roll
", Warner Bros. Records issued the Raft recordings as Wotabunch! WEA listed the band as 'Kilburn & The Highroads featuring Ian Dury' in order to capitalize on Dury's success. The cover art, featuring cardboard cut-outs of the band posed with a group of stuffed animals, features a different line-up of the band than the one that recorded the album.
As of 2010, the album has not been re-issued on CD.
Warner Music Group
Warner Music Group is the third largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry, making it one of the big four record companies...
in 1977 following the success of Ian Dury
Ian Dury
Ian Robins Dury was an English rock and roll singer, lyricist, bandleader and actor who initially rose to fame during the late 1970s, during the punk and New Wave era of rock music...
as a solo artist. It is technically the 'second album' by Kilburn and the High-Roads.
When talking about Kilburn and the High-Roads' output in his track-by-track comments in the booklet for Repertoire Records
Repertoire Records
Repertoire Records is a German record label from Hamburg, Germany, specialising in reissues of classic pop and rock albums originally issued in the 60s and 70s. The chairman is Thomas Neelsen....
2CD Ian Dury & The Blockheads: Reasons to be Cheerful retrospective, Ian Dury said:
- "The Kilburns made two albums, but they were both the same. The second one was to try and stop the first one coming out! In fact it didn't prevent them, because Warner Bros. RecordsWarner Bros. RecordsWarner Bros. Records Inc. is an American record label. It was the foundation label of the present-day Warner Music Group, and now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of that corporation. It maintains a close relationship with its former parent, Warner Bros. Pictures, although the two companies...
waited until I had some success, and then they put out that album called Wotta Bunch."
Wotabunch! was recorded in January 1974 at Apple Studios in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
shortly after two line-up changes in the band. Two long-term members, bassist Humphrey Ocean and drummer David Newton-Rohoman, were no longer in the band at the time. In fact, new bassist Charlie Sinclair had only just joined the group when the sessions began. Newton-Rohoman had been sacked virtually on the eve of the recording sessions, being replaced by session musician Louis Larose. Charlie Sinclair and Louie Larose had left the Pub Rock band Phoenix (led by Roy St. John), in which David Newton-Rohomon replaced Larose on drums.
Though the session went fairly well, with recording interspersed with trips to local pubs, there was a problem with capturing the band's live sound. This was a problem that the Kilburns had suffered before when making demos the previous year and would suffer again when making Handsome
Handsome
Handsome is the debut album of the Ian Dury rock group Kilburn and the High-Roads.The band had apparently originally wanted to call the album No Hand Signals.-Original album:# "The Roadette Song" - 3:25...
. Some blame is given to Larose's conventional drumming style (and later, on the Handsome sessions, to producer Hugh Murphy). Despite the trouble, Wotabunch! is much closer to their live sound than the softer, polished Handsome versions. Dury was not pleased with the release due to a remix featuring the addition of strings. The final remix for the recordings was done more or less behind Dury's back, while on he was on a week-long holiday. However, this was soon to be irrelevant, as shortly after the sessions were over Raft (the record label that had signed the band) folded. The bands on the Raft label were told that they would go to WEA, who owned Raft, but after a visit from WEA's top man Joe Smith at a concert, Kilburn & The Highroads were dropped.
In 1977, following the success of Ian Dury's solo album New Boots and Panties!!, and the good response to "Sex and Drugs and Rock and Roll
Sex and Drugs and Rock and Roll
"Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll" is a song and single by Ian Dury. It was originally released as the Stiff Records single BUY 17 with "Razzle In My Pocket" as the B-side, on 26 August 1977...
", Warner Bros. Records issued the Raft recordings as Wotabunch! WEA listed the band as 'Kilburn & The Highroads featuring Ian Dury' in order to capitalize on Dury's success. The cover art, featuring cardboard cut-outs of the band posed with a group of stuffed animals, features a different line-up of the band than the one that recorded the album.
As of 2010, the album has not been re-issued on CD.
Track listing
All tracks written by Ian Dury and Russell Hardy unless otherwise noted.- "The Call Up" - 2:24
- "Crippled With Nerves" - 3:02
- "Patience (So What?)" - 2:04
- "You're More Than Fair" - 3:03
- "UpminsterUpminsterUpminster is a suburban town in northeast London, England, and part of the London Borough of Havering. Located east-northeast of Charing Cross, it is one of the locally important district centres identified in the London Plan, and comprises a number of shopping streets and a large residential...
Kid" - 3:26 - "Billy Bentley" (Dury, Hart) - 3:34
- "Huffety Puff" - 2:13
- "Rough Kids" - 3:15
- "The Roadette Song" - 3:05
- "The Badger And The Rabbit" - 2:39
- "The Mumble Rumble And The Cocktail Rock" - 3:41
- "Pam's Moods" - 2:57
Personnel
- Ian Dury - Lead Vocals
- Russell Hardy - Piano
- Keith Lucas - Guitar
- Charlie Sinclair - Bass
- Davey PayneDavey PayneDavid 'Davey' Payne is an English saxophonist best known as a member of Ian Dury's backing band The Blockheads, and his twin saxophone solo on their 1978 UK #1 single "Hit Me with Your Rhythm Stick"....
- Saxophones - Louis Larose - Drums
Sources
- Sex And Drugs And Rock And Roll: The Life Of Ian Dury by Richard Balls, first published 2000, Omnibus Press
- Ian Dury & The Blockheads: Song By Song by Jim Drury, first published 2003, Sanctuary Publishing.
- Reasons To Be Cheerful 2-Disc compilation first released 1996, Repertoire Records