The (Count) Bishops' swansong was probably their best album; mainly because its production values, commercially viable for that particular epoch, appeals to my media conditioned reflex that has never left me since 1979. Conceptually, the rougher production of their earlier work is superior, but for sheer joy of listening, otherwise known as 'entertainment'; this work, with the power pop setting button depressed on the automated mixing desk, is a better and more exciting listen.
Unfortunately, shortly after recording this , main man Zenon de Fleur was killed in a car accident in his beloved Aston Martin, to join Jonny Kidd, Eddie Cochran, and Marc Bolan among the Rock'n'Roll elect who died on British roads in a British car.
The tracks are the usual aggressively played cover versions mixed in with a few self-penned punky R&B numbers. Fleetwood Mac's "Somebody's Gonna Get Their Headkicked in Tonight" makes another welcome appearance.
Tracklist:
I Take What I Want
Could You Would You
What's Your Number
Your Daddy Don't Mind
Good Times
Too Much Too Soon
Rolling Man
I Want Candy
Somebody's Gonna Get Their Head Kicked In Tonight
Hands On The Wheel
Don't Start Me Talkin'
These Arms Of Mine
No Lies
Mr. Jones
In and around 1978, record companies, in all their wisdom, thought that making an act who wasn't selling enough units, change their name to sound more 'Punky' would solve the problem. They had Eddie and the Hot Rods shorten their name to just, 'The Rods' , The Ruts became 'Ruts', and The Count Bishops became "The Bishops". Unsurprisingly this just caused confusion and sales reduced even further. What happens then is release a cheap live mini-album as a loss-leader to reel in the unsuspecting punter.....wait a minute isn't this that pub rock group The Count Bishops?.....no...it's The Bishops, new wave band, slurred the Chiswick marketing manager.
This 10" mini album, was, incidentally, recorded live at the Roundhouse in Chalk Farm London 18th Feb 1978.
It captures The (Count) Bishops at their best, in a live environment, with their slightly more punkyfied guitar sounds for the 1978 audience.
Tracklist:
Too Much Too Soon 2:40
Till The End Of The Day 1:57
Taking It Easy 3:07
Train Train 3:05
Someone's Gonna Get Their Head Kicked In Tonight 2:32
Sometimes Good Guys Don't Wear White 2:25
Don't Start Me Talking 2:23
Baby You're Wrong 2:27
I Don't Like It 2:01
I Want Candy 3:10
More honest unpretentious new wave of rock'n'roll from Pub Rock legends The Count Bishops. This one was only released in continental europe, probably because they didn't wear designer punk clothing from capitalist puppet and future 'Dame', Vivienne Westwoods silly shops. Gimmie dirty old flares, afghan coats and long hair in 1977 over bondage strides with bumflap any day. True anti-fashion.
Tracklist:
A1 Don't Start Cryin' Now 2:04
A2 Shake 2:08
A3 Walkin' The Dog 3:38
A4 Somebody 2:50
A5 I Want Candy 3:23
A6 Wang-Dang-Doodle 5:37
B1 Dear Dad 1:40
B2 Confessin' The Blues 3:25
B3 Little By Little 2:40
B4 Carol 2:35
B5 Bye Bye Johnny B. Good 2:00
B6 Dust My Blues 2:50
B7 Shake Your Moneymaker 2:38
Nowadays, a band playing primarily covers of sixties tunes would be regarded as a bit of a cruise ship act. But back in 1975/6 it was very difficult to actually find the original records by, for example The Kinks.One really had to seek them out. There was no reissue culture at all, and no iTunes (good), so it was nigh on impossible to own these songs, or even more so, to see a group play them live with a bit of balls.
What puts the Count Bishops above the standard modern saturday night pub act (on between the Karaoke and the quiz) is their punky rock attitude and passionate delivery.By 1975 this attitude had all but disappeared; time had slowed down, and the mid sixties seemed like an eternity ago. These Pub Rock groups were essential for reintroducing something real and meaningful back into the pompous Rock scene, populated by the untouchable elite of the monsters of the post-woodstock generation......fucking awful. Rock'n'Roll had grown out of perspective; putting it into a stadium separated it from its true size......a small beer stained sweaty room in the back of a pub is where this primal music belongs....and that include Led Zeppelin too.....but they're shit and the Count Bishops aren't and never will be.
Tracklist:
A1 I Need You 2:22
A2 Stay Free 3:08
A3 Down In The Bottom 2:52
A4 Talk To You 3:45
A5 Shake Your Moneymaker 2:31
A6 Down The Road Apiece 2:51
B1 Baby You're Wrong 2:44
B2 Don't Start Crying Now 2:05
B3 Someone's Got My Number 2:33
B4 Good Guys Don't Wear White 2:47
B5 You're In My Way 3:11
B6 Taste & Try 2:33
From the dirty grimier end of Pub Rock came the Count Bishops, with a kind of sound that linked Dr Feelgood with Eddie and The Hot Rods.
The kind of Punk coloured aggressive R&B rock'n'roll that made the Pub Rock scene so influential on the kids who would form the so-called 'Punk' movement.
This ep, along with eleven bonus tracks from the original session, are an electric blast of Chuck Berry inspired Rock'n'Roll. From the generation who were too young for Hippie but grew up in the best part of the sixties, and wanted to recreate that excitement.....'cus there sure as shit weren't much of that in 1975.
You had to do it yourself, because ELP and Yes weren't gonna do it for you.Excitement not Excrement please.
Tracklist:
Original EP:
1 Route 66
2 I Ain't Got You
3 Beautiful Delilah
4 Teenage Letter
Bonus Tracks:
5 Cry To Me
6 Buzz Me Baby
7 Sweet Little Sixteen
8 Honey I Need
9 Carol
10 Don't Start Crying Now
11 Mercy Mercy
12 Reelin' And Rockin'
13 Down The Road Apiece
14 I'm A Man
15 I Want Candy
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