Time is passing (Pete Townshend) (LP 4701 - 4702)

Pete Townshend  Who Came First (Vinyl, Track Records, 1972) ***  

Pete Townshend, Ronnie Lane  Rough Mix (CD, UMC, 1977) ****  

Genre: Rock, country rock 

Places I remember: Chaldon Books and Records, HMV

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Pure and Easy (Who Came First)

Gear costume: My Baby Gives It Away (Rough Mix)

They loom large in his legend (The Album Collection playlists): Part 1; Part 2; Part 3; Part 4; Part 5; Part 6; Part 7; Part 8

Active compensatory factors: Who Came First (great cover and great title) is Pete Townshend's first solo album.

It's a bit odds and sods in that it includes some Lifehouse project demos as well as some reworked material from Meher Baba tribute albums and some additional songs. Weirdly, a Ronnie Lane song in which he sings with Pete adding guitar and a song by Billy Nichols without any participation from Pete. So, it's all a bit uneven, although well played and a lot of fun.

Fun is also the watchword for the collaboration with Ronnie Lane. His rollicking sort of folk rock is the stylistic default for Rough Mix, although not as roughshod as his work with Slim Chance (that's a good thing btw). 

It's a relaxed, understated effort that has a universal type of appeal, making it a highlight in both their careers.

Where do they all belong? Only the two solo albums by Pete, although I have a lot of Roger Daltrey's. I put that down to my preference for Roger's vocals more than anything else. That translates to no great desire to buy other solo albums by Pete.

Had me a real good time (Faces) (LP 2489 -2495)

Faces  First Step (CD, Warner Bros Records, 1970) *** 

Faces  Faces Live BBC1 - Live 1970 (Vinyl, 1960's Records ) ***  

Faces  Long Player (CD, Warner Bros Records, 1971) *** 

Faces  A Nod Is As Good As A Wink... To A Blind Horse (CD, Warner Bros Records, 1971) ***** 

Faces  Ooh La La (CD, Warner Bros Records, 1973) *** 

Rod Stewart/ Faces  Coast To Coast: Overtures and Beginners (Vinyl, Mercury Records, 1974) *** 

Rod Stewart & Faces  Live in London (CD, Immortal Records, 2007) *** 

Genre: Rock 

Places I remember: Fives, JB Hi Fi; Record Shop in Notting Hill (Coast To Coast)

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Miss Judy's Farm (A Nod...)

Gear costume: Stay With Me (A Nod...)

Active compensatory factors: What I love about Faces is they always seem to be having the best time! There is an unassuming spirit of fun that shines through, most of the time.

That said, First Step is a tad tentative. Although the template is pretty much there - Ron's casually brilliant guitar riffs, a slightly shambolic approach (drums are key to that, and Ron's guitar); Mac's organ and piano sound; an instrumental thrown in like they ran out of time to write lyrics; Rod's ad libs and casually brilliant vocals; Ronnie Lane's vocal alternative; the football terrace backing vocals.

They'd get better, or more shambolic, as they'd go on. At this stage though it's a rough diamond. The Live 1970 album is a collection of Top Gear and John Peel sessions. It's all good fun, as you'd expect but it's not a continuous live concert.

Long Player is the second studio album. I often think of those first two studio albums as Vol 1 and 2. They are first steps towards the glory that is album number three - their classic.

A Nod Is As Good...is where all the elements come together brilliantly. The album is their second of 1971 (possibly the best year ever for music) but this one sounds way more confident than Long Player.

It kicks off with the mighty Miss Judy's Farm and doesn't let up. Along the way we see all sides of Faces. From Debris to Stay With Me. If you only buy one studio album from Faces - this is it!

Things had changed a bit by 1973. Rod's solo career was off and running (Maggie May had happened) and the cracks were appearing. The back cover has five individual portraits, rather than a group shot.

Still, there are plenty of quality spots - principally Cindy Incidentally and the title track sung brilliantly by Plonk. In fact, he influences the sound a lot on this album and you can hear the beginnings of his own solo career, particularly on side 2.

The Rod Stewart/ Faces live album, Coast To Coast: Overtures and Beginners (what a daft title!) is a tricky one. Rod didn't tour on his own, instead he used Faces as his live band. So, this set has 3 Faces songs, and 6 solo Rod Stewart songs.

In that regard the band sound had begun to sound much more like his solo albums, rather than A Nod Is A Wink... era Faces.

By this stage Tetsu had replaced Ronnie Lane in the band and the stage was getting set for a break up.

The Live In London set is raucous and good fun but it's more like a Rod Stewart concert with backing from the last orders version of Faces. Keith Richards makes an appearance, which is fitting, given the Faces were so obviously inspired by the Stones.

Where do they all belong? A compilation is probably the most obvious place to start, but it doesn't give the full picture to my mind. Instead, I'd recommend A Nod Is A Wink.. as the starting point. Faces at their finest.

Flags and banners (Ronnie Lane) (LP 2084 - 2085)

Ronnie Lane and Slim Chance  Ooh La La - An Island Harvest (CD, Universal-Island Records, 2014) **** 

Ronnie Lane and Slim Chance  At The BBC (Vinyl, UMC, 2019) ****  

Genre: Folk rock 

Places I remember: JB Hi-Fi

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Anniversary (At The BBC - live in concert)

Gear costume: All Or Nothing (At The BBC - John Peel sessions)

Active compensatory factors: I like Ronnie's post Small Faces/Faces attitude: get a bunch of carney loving mates who can really play, use a self-deprecating name for the band, tour around the place with a carnival atmosphere, put out some albums and see what happens.

The first of these above is a compilation of classics, unreleased gems, and rarities and as such is a great introduction to the charms of Ronnies adventures from 1973 onwards. That song selection really suits Ronnie.

At The BBC is another two disc set. One record has the John Peel Sessions and the other is a live concert at the Golders Green Hippodrome.

It's another fine addition to his legacy. His warmth and sincerity shines through everything he does.

Where do they all belong? That's it for Ronnie Lane for the moment. Next up in folk rock is Lindisfarne.

Street gang (Ronnie Lane) (LP 996 - 997)

Ronnie Lane  Ronnie Lane's Slim Chance (Vinyl, Island Records, 1975) ****  

Genre: Country rock 

Places I remember: Real Groovy Records

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Little Piece Of Nothing

Gear costume: Stone

Active compensatory factors: Slightly disheveled and ramshackle are a couple of adjectives you could throw Ronnie's way after he left The Faces.

The cover image tells a story - sepia toned and the fag in the corner of the mouth give a good idea of the kind of music inside.

Ronnie is as honest as the day is long and his lack of guile is a huge plus throughout this album. I'll even forgive him a rough version of I'm Gonna Sit Right Down (And Write Myself A Letter). It must have been a labour of love surely to goodness!

There is a lot to enjoy here - Ronnie's worn vocal, simple instrumentation and even the choice of instruments (I love that mandolin sound!). It all adds up to the loveable street urchin image he lived in.

Where do they all belong? Live Ronnie material still to come.