Man from Mars (Shade Smith) (LP 3830)

Shade Smith Our World (CD, Frenzy Music, 2022) ****  

Genre: NZ Music, pop 

Places I remember: JB Hi Fi

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Man from Mars

Gear costume: Our World

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

Active compensatory factors: Legends of NZ music don't come much more, erm, legendary, than John 'Shade' Smith. I think of him as NZ's Brian Wilson. For Shade, his Beach Boys was The Rumour (we'll get to them in the T's eventually).

Shade provided the enigmatic songs for this band of harmonic generators. But he also had a solo side, like Brian.

Our World is his latest solo album. A digital only album - Optimistic Sun, came out in 2019, and Our World continues the idea of covering one of his world famous in NZ songs. On Optimistic Sun it was Sunshine Through a Prism. Our World has a new take on L'Amour Est L'Enfant De La Liberte.

Although shortish, only ten songs, it's a beautiful album - full of his customary warm, pop hooks, fine singing and calmness.

Where do they all belong? I have all of The Rumour's albums but always on the lookout for Shade Smith items.

That was another place and another time (Suzanne) #392 - 393

Suzanne Sunshine Through A Prism/ Willie And Laura May Jones (Polydor, 2069 020, 1972)
Suzanne You Really Got A Hold On Me/ You Could Be Right This Time (Ring O'Records, 2017 111, 1978)

Suzanne may lust have given Adele the idea - just the first name love, that's all you need.

In this case Suzanne is Suzanne Donaldson (later Lynch) so you can see why she went with the first name only.

Suzanne started her New Zealand show biz career with her sister Judy in The Chicks but in 1969 she went solo and had loads of local success before working with Cat Stevens in the UK as a backup vocalist.

Sunshine came from Shade Smith - you'll remember him from my entries on The Rumour. He wrote some great tunes and Sunshine is one of them.

Suzanne's rendition of the Smokey Robinson song has a couple of Fabs connections. It was of course covered by The Beatles and Ring O'Records was Ringo Starr's brief record company from 1975 to 1978. This single was one of only 17 singles released by the label. 

Hidden gems: Suzanne didn't write her own material (are you listening Zuni?) so she chose songs from others. These two B sides aren't clever choices from my p.o.v. (whaddaIknow right?). Let's just say Tony Joe White and someone calling themselves Cerney are probably hard sells for a Nu Zild girl. 

There once was a time (The Rumour) #334

The Rumour L'Amour Est L'Enfant De La Liberte/ Nobody Knows (Polydor, 2069011, 1971)

This was huge in 1971 on the New Zealand music charts, thanks to Television exposure on Studio One (a NZ's Got Talent of it's day). Deservedly, they won the competition.

On the back of that win, this single stayed at #1 in NZ for four weeks!!! 

Now, you know- I'm a harmony man and The Rumour were NZ's Beach Boys, Shade Smith our Brian Wilson.

I instantly fell for their charms.

Like The Beach Boys, The Rumour had some seriously talented brothers at its core: songs were written by lead guitarist John (Shade) Smith with Gerard Smith taking care of the vocals and rhythm guitar, with their schoolmates and neighbours Jacques Koolen- drums, and Ross Hindman on bass. 

Hidden gem: a genuine gem on the B side - Nobody knows has some great harmony vocals and nice pop feel. 

By the way: you'll note that the photo shows it cost me $1.00- bought from an electrical appliance store in Greenlane, Auckland.

The first video is a reunited Rumour playing a snippet to a backing track, I guess. The full version is below it. Sadly, there is no clip of the Studio One performance on youtube.

Through the garden of your smile I saw the back door or your life (The Rumour)

I recently picked up a compilation of The Rumour - a NZ band of the seventies (not to be confused with The Rumour, Graham Parker's band from the UK).

Some thoughts - they started as The Surfires (two of their songs are on the compilation) who were (near as dammit) very similar sounding as the hit making Rumour.

Shade Smith was the key ingredient - his songs carry the band forward. When he was hot - so were the band. Unfortunately he wasn't hot that often. Of the 24 tracks (value!!) only five can be described as 'hits': L'Amour est L'enfant de la Liberte; Garden of Your Smile; Holy Morning; No Money On Our Trees; and Queen of Paradise. Pity the CD doesn't include the other big hit Sunshine Through a Prism that was covered by Suzanne.

The dominant style is seventies soft rock a la Bread or Air Supply. Sometimes it's successful, but other times not. For instance What Have You Done (with that day God gave you) is pretty icky.

The harmony work is superb though and these five songs still resonate. The sound isn't always great though - sounds like it was mastered off old vinyl in places.

It's a nice overall package with some great photos and details of the band's rise and fall. One slight pedantic point - why is Graham Nash's song Teach Your Children credited to someone called John J Francis?

Finally - the CD thanks Roger Marbeck. Wahoo!! Good stuff Roger. Great to see your name in print on a CD.