FACES (LP ) UK

FACES  - LIVE AT THE MARQUEE 1970

Comin on vinyl (with excellent sound) is a 14 track selection of The Faces' radio and TV recordings from 1970. The bulk of the set is taken from an appearance at London's Marquee recorded for German TV, and 'Wicked Messenger' comes from the Faces first ever BBC radio appearance. To conclude there's a selection of Christmas Carols recorded for John Peel and featuring the band and friends. Full credits and sleeve notes are included.

TRACKLIST

SIDE 1:
1. Introduction
2. Devotion
3. You're My Girl
4. Flying
5. Too Much Woman (For A Hen Pecked Man)
SIDE 2:
1. Maybe I'm Amazed
2. Gasoline Alley
3. Around The Plynth
4. Wicked Messenger
5. Away In A Manger
6. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
7. Good King Wenceslas
8. O Come All Ye Faithful
9. Silent Night

Side One

Track 1 recorded for BBC Dave Lee Travis on March 10th 1970, broadcast March 15th

Tracks 2-6 recorded for Swing In (German WDR TV) live at the Marquee 7th December 1970

Side Two

Tracks 1-3 recorded for Swing In (German WDR TV) live at the Marquee 7th December 1970

Tracks 4 -8 recorded for BBC as The Top Gear Carol Concert on December 8th 1970 and broadcast on December 26th

Musicians

Side One Tracks 1 – 6, Side Two Tracks 1-3

Rod Stewart – lead and backing vocals

Ronnie Lane – bass, backing vocals, lead vocals

Ron Wood – lead guitar, slide guitar, backing vocals

Ian McLagan – Hammond organ, pianos, backing vocals

Kenney Jones – drums and percussion

Side Two

Tracks 4 – 8 David Bedford (piano and organ) and vocals from: Marc Bolan, June Child, Ivor Cutler, Sonja Kristina, (solo on track 7), Romey Young, Rod Stewart (solo on track 5), Robert Wyatt (duet on track 6), Mike Ratledge, Ron Wood , Ronnie Lane (duet on track 6), John Peel, Sheila Ravenscroft, Kenny Jones, Ian McLagan, Pete Buckland, Bridget St John.

Our second release from The Faces brings together a variety of tracks recorded in 1970 and broadcast on radio and TV. The version of Wicked Messenger is taken from the band's very first radio session and it a focussed and compact version of the Dylan song.

The next selection of tracks are taken from the second half of a gig at the original Marquee Club (Wardour Street) filmed for German television. The ballad Devotion includes a lovely section where Rod Stewart and Ronnie Lane sing in unison. The tempo increases on a riff-driven (You're My Girl) I Don't Want To Discuss It which is from Stewart's second solo album Gasoline Alley, released in June 1970. Despite audience calls for Tin Soldier(!) debut Faces single Flying is next, Ron Wood's lead guitar and Ian McLagan's organ combining well here with the harmonies of Lane and Wood. The cover of Ike & Tina Turner's Too Much Woman (For A Hen Pecked Man) never made it onto a Faces studio LP despite it being a mainstay of their live set, frequently as part of a medley – tonight with a snatch of the Stones Street Fighting Man, another Stewart solo track. Ronnie Lane sings the introduction to Paul McCartney's Maybe I'm Amazed before Stewart joins in and Ronnie Wood plays two elegant solos. The pregnant pause in the middle of the song fools the audience who start clapping before the band returns. Gasoline Alley features McLagan and Lane harmonising before Ronnie Wood uses Plynth to showcase his prowess on slide guitar. A cracking set, recorded when the band still drank pints of bitter rather than pints of Courvoisier .

Finally we include John Peel's Christmas Carol concert from December 1970. This was a one-off, never attempted before or since. Peel and producer John Walters rounded up the usual suspects and recorded five traditional carols for broadcast on Boxing Day.  Keyboard accompaniment was provided by classically-trained David Bedford, then a member of Kevin Ayers and The Whole World : characteristically Kevin Ayers was contracted to appear but never showed up. All the Faces plus road manager Pete Buckland were present and incorrect – Rod sings Away In A Manger beautifully, whilst Sonja Kristina (Curved Air) contributes a solo Silent Night. Ronnie Lane duets with Robert Wyatt (Soft Machine) on Good King Wenceslas and the entire ensemble attempt God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen and O Come All Ye Faithfull. Alcohol may have been consumed.

A suitably celebratory note with which to end our review of the Faces broadcast activities in 1970. Coming soon  – the Faces in 1971, where commercial success and artistic recognition coincide...