NEW FACES TO WATCH Former Beatle Best Relives '60s In `Birth Of The Beatles' by Michael Glynn LOS ANGELES - Few people could pick Pete Best out of a crowd today but back in the early '60s the youthful, serious drum- mer came within a hair's breadth of fame and fortune as a member of perhaps the world's most popular English group, The Beatles. Now, Best is a civil ,servant back in his hometown of Liverpool, England, the birthplace of the Fab Four, collecting a modest wage and settled int& a typically middle-class existence with his wife and children. Recently, though, Bestwas called Pictured (I-r) are: actor Ryan Fatback upon to act as technical advisor for the film Michael, an Gomm who plays Pete Best in "Birth The 'Birth of The Beatles', a Dick Clark Produc- Of Athough Fatback has been in existence Although he records for Stiff Records Beatles" and Best. tion that is scheduled since 1971 (12 albums ago) this purveyor of and used to write songs with Nick Lowe, Ian to air on the ABC television network Nov. 23. The Beatles left party -time, funk music is just beginning to Gomm is not a new waver. He is, rather, an Liverpool for Hamburg Clark, also shortly peak people's interest nationally. old-fashioned rock and roll songwriter with the host of the long -running thereafter, playing first at The "American Bandstand" program, Kaiser Keller and Throughout its history the band has played an ear for a good hook. And the proof of 'asked then the Top Ten Club. Best to work on After three music of the street, and many of the band's Gomm's ability can be found in the success the film more than two months back in Liverpool, the years after the group ventured most famous songs have come from the of both his debut album, "Gomm With The drummer had made a rare again to Hamburg and were street buzz that was generated by popular Wind," and the single from the album, appearance on the 25th anniversary signed to Polydor, during which time special for Bandstand. they cut several disco dances - "(Are You Ready) Do The "Hold On," which is currently bulleted at EPs with Tony Sheridan, "We purposely went a 'one of which, "My Bus Stop," "Double Dutch" and "Freak The number 18 on the Cash Box Top 100 chart. to number of dif- Bonnie," topped most ferent sources in our research European pop 'freak The Funk (Rock)." Actually, Gomm, who grew up in the Eal- but, clearly, charts. After the record was Pete's help in released, The Polydor Spring group's new LP, ing section of London, feels that the term the making of the film was in- Brian Epstein approached the valuable," said Clark. The motion picture, group, asking to become "Fatback XII," is its most streamlined and "new wave" has different meanings in the their manager. which is a commercial dancin' affair to date, and the United States and Britain. "In America," reenactment of The Beatles for- Best stayed with the band through their mation initial album is currently at #15 bullet of the Cash Gomm says, "new wave encompasses far and eventual rise to stardom, traces ascension to stardom in Europe, the which Box black contemporary LP chart. The LP's more styles than in Britain, where it's band's origins from 1959, when John was capped by the band's now - Lennon and Paul McCartney famous first single, "King Tim Ill (Personality associated with a certain style of British played in The engagement at The Star Club in Quarrymen at Quarry Bank school, to their Hamburg and their first recording Jock)," features a DJ rap put to a strong pop. I think it's considered the smoothed contract beat, and is destined to become the band's down side of punk, without the rebellious growth on the Merseyside club scene in as a group, with Parlophone. Shortly Liverpool, success in thereafter, the biggest hit to date as it is presently at #23 side. In America, there's more of an Hamburg, Germany quiet drummer was called and culminating in into Epstein's bullet on the Cash Box BIC singles chart. emphasis on simplicity, which is all right their highly successful office and told that he was Ed Sullivan broadcast in the U.S. fired from the band. "We've always pjayed music of the peo- with me, because that's what I try to do." Best's Discovery "When I was called into the I ple - the songs they want to hear," says It should be noted, however, that Gomm office, had Best was discovered no inkling that it Fatback founder, percussionist and lead spent many years perfecting his by The Beatles at was coming," said Best his parent's club, The Casbah, located in during a recent trip here to promote 'Birth singer Bill Curtis. '4AI1 I can play is dance songwriting talents. He began playing in the basement of the family's home in of The Beatles.' "My mind went music. Fatback plays music with a beat, local London bands as a teenager, and af- totally Heymans Green, just outside of Liverpool. blank. There was never any contact with and I've been playing this type of music for ter finishing school, Gomm got a job at EMI me At the time he was gigging with various prior to the dismissal and thirty years. We're no disco band, though. Records as a draftsman in the art depart- the lads never groups and playing in a trio known as "The made any mention of it. It was Fatback is a Funk Band. We originally set ment. He kept writing songs and playing in all done Black Jacks." His mother had been a big through Brian, who said that I the trend which everyone else come to take bands at night, So when the right chance wasn't advantage supporter of The Beatles in the early days technically a good drummer." of." came, I quit the job and became a full-time and when Fatback originally Began as a recording musician." the group asked him to audition 'Birth of The Beatles' details the scene of at the now -defunct Wyvern Club, he Best's dismissal in company in the '60s, with Curtis himself Gomm's chance came in 1972, when he readily one of the more complied. dramatic moments enlisting bands, writing their material and answered an ad in Melody Maker and of the film, with actor Ryan Michael playing producing them. The foundation of the auditioned for a spot in the Brinsley Best's role. band - bassist Johnny Flippin, trumpet Schwarz band. After winning the job, he left MCA/Songbird Plans (continued on page 47) player George Williajns and guitarist EMI and began a four-year, five -album Christmas Special Johnny King - was on the label when the association with the group, whose mem- E/A Out With MUSE LP LOS ANGELES veteran percussionist decided to use the bers included Nick Lowe and Bob Andrews. - "On This Christmas LOS ANGELES - Elektra/Asylum plans to group to record some of his own material. Gomm calls that period as one filled with Night," a TV special, will be produced by release a live album of the five MUSE foun- "I just MCA/Songbird in wasn't getting the sound I wanted "potato days" where the band lived Records conjunction dation benefit concerts held at Madison from with the Christian Broadcasting the artists on the label, so I formed my together and pooled their meager Network. Square Garden. Release is scheduled for own band," said Curtis. "The basis of the resources in an attempt to lighten the finan- The special, based on an album of the same Christmastime. Jackson Browne; James band is rhythm. The name Fatback was cial burden. Despite critical acclaim, name on MCA/Songbird, will showcase Taylor; Bruce Springsteen; the Doobie given to me in the early'60s because of the however, Brinsley Schwarz never broke B.J. Thomas, The Boones, Tennessee Er- Brothers; Çrosby, Stills and Nash; Bonnie way I played drums. People thought it was through commercially, and Gomm says, "in nie Ford and other artists. The 60 -minute Raitt and others will be featured on the LP. show will be something special. Today, I guess you'd desperation, we just broke up." broadcast on the Christian The MUSE foundation is a non-profit call it funky, but in those days down in New By that time, Gomm felt that he "had Broadcasting Network as well as being organization which supports solar energy Orleans, they called it 'fatback.' " enough of groups," and he went to work as available on cable. and opposes nuclear power plants. In addition to the groups original mem- an engineer for a recording studio in Wales.

bers, Fatback is comprised of keyboard "It was a good time to sort out what I was do- player Gerry Thomas, percussionist Billy ing," he says, "and because the studio King, tenor saxophonist Fred Demery and wasn't particularly busy, I had plenty of time keyboardist James Shelton. The latest ad- to make my own demos." dition to the touring band are two female Those demos were subsequently rejec- vocalist/dancers called Wild Sugar. ted by every major record company in Gerry Thomas, who was a member of England, but when Dai Davies, a former Jimmy Castor's group for several years, Brinsley Schwarz manager, heard one, he has been part of Curtis' and Fatback's called up Gomm and signed him to a musical endeavors since the Perception publishing deal. Davies then formed Albion days. Thomas co -writes much of the band's Records, and, in 1978, Gomm recorded his material and is instrumental in directing first album, "Summer Holiday," with Martin Fatback's in -studio sound. "Gerry has Rushent producing. always understood my language and been By chance, another former Brinsley able to relay my messages to the rest of the Schwarz manager, Dave Robinson, head of band," offered Curtis. Stiff Records, needed one more album to Fatback has just finished playing several fulfill a distribution deal he'd made with dates in North and South Carolina and will Epic in the United States, and after hearing be releasing "Love In Perfect Harmony," a "Summer Holiday," he knew that he had J shimmering ballad, as the follow-up single just met his quota. The album, retitled PRESTON AT CASH BOX Motown recording artist Billy Preston recently dropped by to the "King Tim III" hit. - The group is also "Gomm With The Wind," received almost the west coast offices of Cash Box to chat about his new album, "Late At Night." Pictured contemplating a national tour with long- instant endorsement from American FM (l -r): are Michael Glynn, Cash Box; Andre Montell, Motown; Billy Preston; Cookie Amer - time friends, Funkadelic. radio. son, Cash Box black music editor; and Dave Fulton, Cash Box editor -in -chief.

10 Cash Box/October 27, 1979

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