I’m particularly pleased with today’s find: not just
because it’s dreadful, not simply because it comes from my home town, but also
because, rather pleasingly, it has an association with Pat Boone.
Straight Talker
was Amaziah’s one (and, thankfully,
only) release. Issued on the self-financed Sonrise
label in 1979, and today apparently fetching anything up to £1000 in
collector’s circles (according to Mark Allan Powell's book the Encyclopaedia Of Contemporary Christian
Music), its genesis was almost as tortured as the vocals. The name Amaziah comes from an ancient king of Judah: apparently it literally translates as 'strengthened by the lord'.
Amaziah began
as a 20-member outfit, a choir with its own seven-piece backing band, formed
as Bristol Youth for Christ initially
to perform at a Christian show, Come
Together, which featured Pat Boone as its narrator and was being staged at
Bristol's famous Colston Hall. The musicians involved decided to carry on when the
original production of Come Together left town and soon became well known on the
West Country Christian music circuit. However by 1978 the choir had gone and
Amaziah had become a six-piece Christian rock band with only two of the
original members - Derek Elliot (lead vocals) and Richard Grinter (rhythm
guitar) - left. Elliot and Grinter, along with manager Christine Kerslake and
preacher (and, according to Loader, de facto leader) Eric Cribb decided to
advertise for new, younger members and brought in teenagers Jeremy Coad (guitar
and vocals), Paul Loader (bass), Dave Steel (keyboards) and Phil Williams (drums).
Recorded at Bristol’s Sound Conception studio, the release of Straight Talker encouraged Cribb
and the younger members of Amaziah to dump the remaining two original members
and take the band professional. At the same time Coad, who had taken time out
of his studies to work with the band, decided to accept a place at medical
school. Picking up a replacement guitarist the band went on a European tour but
by the end of 1980 it was all over. According to Paul Loader, writing for music
blog www.crossrhythms.co.uk, the band weren’t
even invited to their own party, held in celebration after their final
homecoming gig.
But back to the album. It’s not completely horrible, for
the most part it sounds like exactly what it is, a bunch of youngsters playing
prog rock, influenced heavily by outfits such as Christian rockers After the
Fire. What really lets Straight Talker down are the ugly vocals. Derek Elliot’s
limited range is completely unsuited to the ambitions of his young, raw
recruits. The production doesn’t help either: the lead guitar and keyboards
sound like they were bought that morning at Woolworths. When the album was reissued in Canada they put a photo of the wrong line up on the front of the sleeve.
Why then the demand for this record from American collectors?
It’s a complete mystery. Anyway, here are a brace of tracks from Straight Talker, Way, Truth, Life and Night Walker, the opening cuts on side
one and side two respectively.
Enjoy!
Hey,Music the the best option for everyone
ReplyDeleteHiya Paul Loader here......oh dear, maybe I shouldn't google Amaziah late at night whilst sipping wine. Harsh Daryl, harsh.....chuckle.
ReplyDeleteI have to say in poor old Derek’s defence (singer), that the inexperienced producer had spent so much time on the musical instruments that he only left a day for the vocals themselves….very little opportunity for several takes there then.
This aside, the American’s loved it (I know, bless em!) and Straight Talker was re-mastered and re-released on CD a few years back on the 30th anniversary of the original release by the Amercian record company Brutal Planet. At least that managed to get rid of some of the ‘Woolworths’ boxy sound but not all of it. They also stuck four bonus tracks with me singing on it, which was interesting. If you want to check that out go to my blog on http://themudheads.blogspot.co.uk/ and find ‘Amaziah – No 1 Video’
It has always amused me how an album that at one point was even selling for £2,000 in Japan could make so many people’s worst album lists…….I wish I hadn’t made so many ash trays out of them now.
Well written article mate, great site……however; I am deeply offended that my slight contribution (I was the bass player) was in the same list as ‘Hamsters for Jesus’ ……..harrumph!...........Lol
Paul
www.themudheads.co.uk
Hey Paul - thanks for the good natured comments, although I know from my own experience that you should never Google yourself!
DeleteI was aware that Straight talker had been re-issued on CD but had assumed this was a pirate issue - good to know that t was officially sanctioned. Hope you and the rest of the band got something out of it.
I'll be sure to check the Mudheads out next time you're at the Fleece!
Best to you and yours,
Darryl