RECORD MIRROR, MAY 5, 1973 23 WAXIE'S WORLD WAXIE'S WORLD WAXIE'S WORLD WAXIE'S WORLD THE greatest rock and roll entertainer? An easy question. The answer, without any doubt, is Fats THE FAT MAN COMETH! Domino. Not simply because hishis monumental career as Play Fats Domino, The name is now a householda vocalist with the Billy Fabulous "Mr. D", and word; not just because hisDiamond Band in 1946. Here Stands Fats Domino first record( The Fat( "He's the one who first - all compiled from vari- Man) sold 800,000 the firststarted calling me Fats.) ous 1949 to 1963 sessions year; not because he col-says the Fat Man. for Imperial, and feature lected 22 Gold Discs; not But it wasn't until he Fats backed by musicians because his total recordformed his own crew, the such as Wendell Duconge, sales are 65 million!It isFats Domino Band ( with Frank Fields, Herb Hard- because Fats Domino isWendell Conshay, alto esty, Lee Allen, Clarence one of the great naturalsax; Robert Hagans, te- Ford, Cornelius Coleman, phenomenon of the rocknor sax; Walter Nelson, Buddy Hagans, and many and roll landscape, a trulyguitar; Herb Hardesty, te- other rock -field promi- extraordinary musician. nor sax; Ernest McClean, nents. It's his thing - his bagbass; and Earl Palmer, Fats Domino paid his to provide exactly thedrums), that Fats got the one and only visit to Eng- kind of nostalgia -provok-chance to cause a sensa- land for a week's perform- ing musical pleasure thattion by mixing r&b and a ance at London's Saville pleases blues, buffs andfierce, exciting, untitled Theatre in March 1967. All rock -n -roll fans alike. It'smusic that was later to be those who saw him were a long time ago, but I firsttermed "rock 'n' roll" by impressed. As a sex sym- bumped up against theNew York disc -jockey bol he does not have the name of Fats Domino inAlan Freed. impact of, say, Elvis Pre- 1949, and subsequently However, thecom- sley, whose first pelvic over the years I heard hispetition from other pre- gyrations were brilliantly dynamic piano and rollingngt r jump bands, including successful back in 1955. vocal style - a com-Roy Byrd( Professor But those of you who en- bination of ngtb and rie r -Longhair), Wynonie Har- joyed meeting the Fat referred to, copied andris, and the Tiny Brad- Man ( I got a mulekick out universally praised. shaw Band was still ex- of writing this puff piece Born in New Orleans,tremely fierce. myself) and if you have May 10,1929, Fats( An- The bars and clubs were just 24 inches of empty toine) Domino, nicknameddingy, and the money shelf spacing, 12 inches "The Fat Man," "Loui-wasn't anything to speak high and 12 inches deep, siana Lad," and "Theof. But it was at one ofler) were released by Im- . "), I Lived My Life, andstring of hit waxings forand have a little bread to King Of Big Beat," re-these roadhouse venuesperial Records, Feb/SepPlease Don't Leave Meseveral other outlets,in- invest in a slab of retread mained in its environs dur-that Lew Chudd, president1950 - and certainly justi-( "Baby, please don't go . cluding ABC -Paramount,wax, by all means try Play ing his formative years asof Imperial Records, in-fied Lew Chudd's faith in . ") - in 1953 alone! Broadmoor, and Reprise. It Again, Fats, Liberty- a jump band blues pianist,troduced him to Imperial'sthe young pianist/singer, And this is why I consid-UA's latest retread black singer, and composer.A& R man, Dave Bartholo-since the records proved In 1955, youths all overer the following Dominobiscuit. One helluva al- Half -jazzman, half-blue-mew, a former dance bandimmensely successful forAmerica stopped listeningalbums, whether becausebum. No brag.It'll stun sman - Fats was firsttrumpeter. Imperial Records. to slushy ballads to buyof their foot -stomping con-you, wildies! taught piano on his broth- His first recordings, Fat his hot wax versions oftents or because of the Fats Domino will be in er-in-law's battered up-Man, Detroit City Blues, The popularity of FatsThinking Of You, Ain'thappy message they ex-Britain for a short tour right, by his father whoBoogie Woogie Baby, Hey! Domino on record was tru-That A Shame ( "Youude, are worthy of a placefrom April 28 when he was also an accomplishedLa Bas Boogie, Korealy enormous. He receivedmade me cry when youin your well -stockedkicked off at the Odeon, jazz violinist. Blues etc( with variousfour Gold Discs - Goingsaid goodbye . "), Allrecord cabinet. Hammersmith. By the time he was 14,musicians, including HerbTo The River( "GonnaBy Myself ( "Wanna love They are: Rock and Rave on. Fats was practising hardHardesty, Clarence Hall,jump overboard andyou all by myself . "),Rollin' With Fats Domino, and working in a localDave Bartholomew, Wal-'drown . "), You Saidand I Can't Go On. AndThis Is Fats Domino, Waxie factory, making bedter Nelson, Cornelius Cole-You Love Me ( "How comemany others for the Impe-Walking To New Orleans, springs. He commencedman, and Alvin "Red" Ty-you treat me like you do . rial label - he has made aMillion Record Hits, Let's Maxie IT'S been nine months since Davey Johnstone first conceived the idea Smiling faces for Davey Johnstone of an album. Hectic work in the last few weeksother person and the trio the period of this part- been working with Kiki electric guitars, mando-Right On, which features means the happy event ofDraught Porridge be- nership was Songs From Dee plus finishing off lin, banjo, dulcimer andElton helping us along. album birth should not became a name booked up Wasties Orchard. Some material on a new record sitar. There's plenty ofAnother is Lark In The long delayed. and down the British folk of Davey's work can be from Elton. over -dubbing! Morning With Mrs Davey has been akingdom. heard on Magna's Live What though of Smiling "The album is aboutMcLeod. Humour is very household name to many Davey takes up the Concert album which like Faces? "There are 12 people I know. There is amuch part and parcel of for some years. Othersstory: "Yes, there were the former is on Vertigo. tracks. My wife Di wrote song about my son, Tam. the album.I wanted to and perhaps the major-many, many good times "After a time the three three of them. The rest Tam appears on the al-make something very ity have only become aw-with Noel. Travelling of us were very uncer- are mine though there is bum's front cover - inhappy. are of his musical artist-round the folk clubs al- tain where we would go a traditional medley.I all his glory! He's just "The song about Tam ry since he joined thelows you to meet many next. And them came the play a variety of in- over two years old. is the title track, Smiling band of people who backfine people. We had chance to work with El- struments, acoustic and "There's a track, KeepFaces. Janine is a song Elton John. many a laugh and at ton." about a girl I knew. His now projected solosomewhere like The Pi- Elton John is very "My producer is Gus album called Smilingpers in Cornwall we much admired by Davey, Dudgeon. He does El - Faces should delightwould play and sing into "He is so talented. He ton's material. He's both camps. Certainlythe early hours. writes some incredible first-rate. It will be nice those who have followed "After a time I felt I songs with Bernie Tau - when it comes out!" Davey since the days ofwanted to progress musi- pin. The guy is so con- And soon it should be. Draught Porridge willcally and get into many sistent. You can go and It sounds very much like more than welcome hisdifferent modes and hear him four times run- we're in for something chance to expand on thestyles of music. And I ning and he will be so good from the guy who countless ideas that arejoined Magna Carta. " good at every gig. " sits there on stage these 3o obviously in his head. Magna Carta were There's no prospect of days with Elton, blonde The positive beginningfairly well established Davey Johnstone leaving hair trailing and an !or Davey began severalwhen Davey joined them the Elton syndrome. And amazing knack for pick- /ears back when heand were having to put certainly the schedule of ing up a variety of musi- ;ame down to Londonup with people com- the latter will give little cal instruments and ac- rom Scotland. He ranparing their sound with chance of special album tually being able to play nto Noel Murphy, theSimon and Garfunkel. presentation. This week them rish folksinger, wit, per- Davey Johnstonea four week tour of onality and someoneadded to the work ofFrance takes place. nuch loved by the folkChris Simpson and Glen Again Davey is much Tony ommunity. Murph tookStuart a new and impor- used by other artists on im in, relished his musi-tant sharpness. One al- their own albums. This al prowess, found an -bum to emerge duringpast week Davey has Davey on stage backing Elton Jasper.