Interview for Melody Maker • Saturday, February 25, 1967

Interview

This interview remains the property of the respective copyright owner, and no implication of ownership by us is intended or should be inferred. Any copyright owner who wants something removed should contact us and we will do so immediately.

LEE DORSEY: “Rain Rain Go Away” (Stateside).

Lee Dorsey. It’s in the same old vein and it’ll be a hit. Sometimes I wonder if he can go on making records that all sound the same. It could be dangerous. Still I think he can probably do a few more because there’s nobody else doing it – he’s the only one. It just doesn’t matter. Mind you, it will if he makes another like this. This is good enough though.

DUSTY SPRINGFIELD: “I’ll Try Anything” (Philips).

Dusty Springfield! Yes, I can see this is an up-tempo teen-slanted platter that should be a wow on the chart. And also it’s a fine record—bound to be a hit all over the world. And I like Madeline Bell too, Dusty.

LOVIN’ SPOONFUL: “Darling Be Home Soon” (Kama Sutra).

John Lennon! No, John Sebastian. Is it from that film? Maybe the film’s on the other side then? The thing is, his voice is nice but the backing is very ordinary. This sounds like the backing that, ooh, who is it? Who has corny backing like that? Can’t remember. The thing is, the Spoonful are easily good enough musically to have arranged this themselves—but it sounds as though they’ve had pressures from the film company to keep it flimsy! The end was the best bit.

DONOVAN: “Epistle To Dippy” (Epic): (Not yet scheduled for British release).

Yeah. Donovan. “Epistle To Gippy”. Not as good as “Mellow Yellow” or “Sunshine Superman” in my estimation. Very nice words. No trouble there—it’s sold a million in the states already. I think it’ll do little less than the other two. Basically the best thing is, Don hasn’t taken anything from the other two. This record’s a new sound all over again. I don’t like that bit there. I don’t like the drumming on it too much. I think this is good but I think his single should have been the one Julie Felix did, “Saturday Night”. He hasn’t arranged his version of it on the album too much—because it’s an album track. I think that if he’d spent some time with that number and put it out as a single . . . it doesn’t matter what he records. He’ll go on forever.

ALAN PRICE SET: “Simon Smith And The Amazing Dancing Bear” (Decca).

Who is it? Could it be Alan Price? Hooray! It’s all about a guy and his dancing bear. I think that’ll be a hit. Again, it’s the great thing that people like Alan have happened, made it, Great. Dancing bear. Great. It’s so much better than the period, vaudeville stuff, because it’s still a bit modern. It’s hip. No, no, I hate to see that word in print. It’s good. That’s a good word. “Good”. “Good” doesn’t date like “hip”. Yes, I like Simon Smith and his high class dancing bear.

THE ACTION: “Never Ever” (Parlophone).

Dave Dee? Snotty, Mick and Griff. Who is it? Ah, the Action, yes. Yeah, it’s quite a good record. And they’re a good group. And I’m not biased just because George Martin records them, because they’re a good group. George Martin records them, you know. No, I’m not biased. They happen to be a good group and George Martin just happens to record them, and I’m not biased. Actually this is a good record, and without wishing to give them a plug, I think it could be a hit. I’m not biased though. Hi, Judy (George Martin’s wife).

THE BYRDS: “So You Want To Be A Rock ‘N’ Roll Star” (CBS).

The Byrds. “So You Want To Be A Rock ‘N’ Roll Star.” I don’t know. I think by now they should be getting off that style of 12-string guitar and that particular brand of harmony. They really should be splitting from that scene because they’ll end up finding themselves caught up in it. Dave Crosby knows where they should be going, musically. And so does Jim McGuinn. They know what’s happening. They’re the only ones who came round to see us in the States. They’ve done some good stuff on their albums. A funny group you know. If they go on like this . . . that’s just the same sound speeded up. Dave and Jim know that they’ve got to put more of themselves into their music. I can’t think why it’s not happening. They’ve just got to put more of themselves into it.

JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE: “Purple Haze” (Track) (Not released until March 24).

Must be Jimi Hendrix. So, Jimi freaks out and sounds all the better for it! It’s breaking out all over the place, you know. I thought it would be one of those things that people might keep down but, it’s breaking through all over. You can’t stop it. Hooray. This is a good record too. I really don’t know whether it’s as commercial as “Hey Joe” or “Stone Free”. I bet it is though. Probably will be. Fingers Hendrix. An absolute ace on the guitar. This is yet another incredible record from the great Twinkle Teeth Hendrix!

GENE PITNEY: “In The Cold Light Of Day” (Stateside).

May be a hit but I don’t really know because I’m not keen on Pitney’s voice. I’ve heard him do this song hundreds of times before although I haven’t actually heard this record. If you know what I mean. It sounds like every song Gene Pitney has ever closed his show with. I just don’t like the style much. Jane likes him. She used to, unless she’s changed. I can’t honestly judge if Pitney’s records will be hits or not.

PAUL AND BARRY RYAN: “Keep It Out Of Sight” (Decca).

Paul and Barry Ryan. Is this the one? Don’t like this record. Cat Stevens wrote it, didn’t he? I don’t like that bit—the Billy Eckstine bit. But it could easily be a hit. That’s it. Hi, Marion.

SMALL FACES: “I Can’t Make It” (Decca).

Spencer Davis? Mrs Miller? I don’t know. Who is it? The Small Faces. It sounds like a complete change for them. And the voice is smoother and spadier. “Spadier” is this year’s trendy word for “better”. Did I say “trendy”? Ouch! It’s a nice record. I think the voice sounds better than on “My Mind’s Eye”. It’s a tighter sound in the group. Like Spencer. Nice and it’ll be a hit. Incidentally. Hi, Chrissie!

THE MOVE: “I Can Hear The Grass Grow’ (Deram): (Special preview copy for the MM).

Who is it? Go on, you can tell me. The Move, eh? They’re cool. They’ve just got to be cool. It’s a nice record. I haven’t actually seen them live or anything, but the reports I hear are very good. They sound good. They look good. As for smashing up tellys, it all good, man. This is a very good record. It’ll be a hit. It just depends how they’re handled in the meantime. And how they look after themselves. Right, the next record. Oh is that it? Oh well, there you go.

---

Last updated on September 1, 2023