Al Stewart

Mikeh · Post by **Mikeh** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 4:51 am

Al Stewart is re-releasing all his albums with bonus tracks. One live album called Rhymes in Rooms has a version of London's Brilliant Parade as one of the bonus tracks!

martinfoyle · Post by **martinfoyle** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 5:23 am

According to this, it's not out until June 26th! I'm sure it'll be worth the wait.

Neil. · Post by **Neil.** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 9:38 am

Isn't he the bloke that did that bizarre 'Year of the Cat' song?

migdd · Post by **migdd** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 6:30 pm

Didn't Bruce Thomas play on an early Stewart album, pre-YOTC?

Mikeh · Post by **Mikeh** » Wed Jan 24, 2007 10:56 am

I just had a look and Bruce played bass on the Al Stewart albums Orange from 1972 and Past Present & Future from 1974. Funnily enough, also credited on the Orange album is Brinsley Schwartz on 12 string guitar. I wonder if Nick Lowe and Bruce knew each other before the Attractions were formed?? [/quote]

Mr. Average · Post by **Mr. Average** » Wed Jan 24, 2007 1:31 pm

Never understood the attraction. The only album that sold well in the US was the one with "Year of the Cat", with that song receiving incredible overexposure and radio airplay.

The lispy monotonic vocals did not resonate with many in the US. I worked in a record store (vinyl and tape) when the "Year of the Cat" was released and the audiences were either incredibly positive for him or encredibly negative. Weren't many tepid Al Stewart fans...

migdd · Post by **migdd** » Wed Jan 24, 2007 6:21 pm

Oddly enough, Stewart played a solo gig at the Sylvia Theatre, a small venue in "Historic" York, South Carolina (a mere few miles from my house) not even a year ago!! Don't know where Stewart lives these days but I'm pretty sure it's far, far away from York! If I remember correctly, tickets were about $20.

We practically could've walked to the show. Can't remember why we didn't go.

Mikeh · Post by **Mikeh** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 6:51 am

Lispy montonic vocals indeed. Good description. However, Al is about 60, still tours the UK every year or two, always sells out, and last time I saw him, people were queueing for an hour afterwards for his autograph! So he does have an incredibly loyal fanbase.

thepopeofpop · Post by **thepopeofpop** » Mon Jan 29, 2007 8:04 am

Mikeh wrote:I just had a look and Bruce played bass on the Al Stewart albums Orange from 1972 and Past Present & Future from 1974. Funnily enough, also credited on the Orange album is Brinsley Schwartz on 12 string guitar. I wonder if Nick Lowe and Bruce knew each other before the Attractions were formed??

Well spotted! It wouldn't surprise me at all. Jake Riviera managed Pete. And both Nick Lowe and Dave Robinson already knew EC. You know, they made up a lot of stories about how EC "just happened" to drop his tape into Stiff, and how Bruce called Stiff and they hung the phone up in his ear when he told them what kind of music he was into. We now know the story about EC is rubbish - EC had already made demos for Dave Robinson, after all! So maybe Bruce was already pencilled in from the beginning.

You know, I'd be very surprised if they hadn't at least heard of Bruce. He'd played on quite a few albums...