A curveball idea from the thoughts of Peter Gabriel, it’s unquestionably the oddest prog-related releases of the 70s. One thing that even guitarist Robert Fripp describes as “maybe the strangest recording session of the period.”
It’s laborious to know how a few of the scene’s best abilities got here to behave as a backing band for diminutive TV comic Charlie Drake – but it surely did occur, in mid-June 1975. As Prog reported in 2010, pianist Keith Tippett stated: “I feel it was one of many these events whenever you have been contacted and advised such-and-such was concerned. You thought, ‘Effectively, if they’re doing it…’”
Drake, finest identified for enjoying the title function within the profitable 60s TV sequence The Employee, had loved the occasional novelty hit with singles like My Boomerang Received’t Come Again and Splish Splash. For his half, Gabriel – who’d really had much less chart success than Drake at that time – had simply left Genesis and was exploring new profession instructions.
He’d co-written three songs with Martin Corridor, and one way or the other determined that considered one of them, You’ll By no means Know, could be excellent for Drake; who one way or the other agreed. Gabriel – who additionally produced the monitor underneath the title Gabriel Ear Wax – was critical sufficient concerning the venture to assemble a stellar band for the session, that includes Fripp, Tippett, Sandy Denny and Phil Collins.
The drummer recalled: “How he ended up with this line-up, I do not know! It appears essentially the most obscure set of individuals to make a comedy report. On the day, Charlie, who was fairly small, turned up with a model new denim outfit for his rock debut; it was fairly touching to see him at it!”
Drake had a status for self-destruction. Not solely did he usually injure himself throughout comedy performances – he famously knocked himself out throughout a dwell broadcast of The Employee, which needed to be unexpectedly reduce quick – he additionally took a dim view of anybody who disagreed with him offstage.
On the time of Gabriel’s invitation he was out of labor, after he’d began a combat with the actor’s union Fairness and been successfully blacklisted consequently. It was usually identified that should you entered what was often called ‘Charlie Drake World,’ you probably did what he wished or beat a hasty retreat.
Thus it was that, not understanding a lot about prog, and preferring to arrange himself in a pub close to the studio, the comic didn’t flip as much as report his vocal till many of the stars have been leaving.
Model X bassist Percy Jones was additionally a part of the band – and Brian Eno might have been too, though nobody appears to be sure. “With that type of line-up I anticipated some actually fascinating music arising,” Jones advised Prog in 2018. “It turned out to be a really straight-ahead pop tune – under no circumstances what I had anticipated. It left me a bit puzzled as to why they acquired a line-up like that to report that model of music.”
When Drake set himself up on the mic, he started to use what he known as “enhancements” to Gabriel’s lyrics. He opened with the declare that the listener was about to listen to his first gold-selling disc, including a hopeful, “You by no means know!” He went on the ship the phrases principally as they’d been written, however altering his pitch, model and character as he went.
Because the tune ended he stated: “Effectively, that’s it – my first gold! I’m wondering the place Elton John buys his glasses. I shall have a swimming pool made within the form of Shirley Temple. I suppose I’ll have tax troubles…”
Drake by no means defined the thought processes behind his strategy. Gabriel has by no means defined his personal intentions. Left with the problem of making an attempt to promote the tune, Charisma Information wrote: “The one is produced by Peter Gabriel. Erstwhile lead singer with Genesis, and someday human sunflower. It’s a send-up of pop stardom which additionally options Sandy Denny, Eno and Robert Fripp. As Drake is chalk to Gabriel’s cheese, so is the concept of Charlie encountering a groupie – hearken to the one and also you’ll uncover what occurred.”
However nobody did. It didn’t come near being successful on launch in November 1975 (with one other Gabriel/Corridor composition titled I’m Large Sufficient For Me on the B-side). However given the musicians concerned, it’s salvaged a lifetime of its personal. It was later included on Denny’s 1988 compilation The Attic Tapes Vol. One.
Collins mirrored: “The entire session was considered one of life’s fascinating snapshots!”
