Love Sculpture

Love Sculpture are an Welsh blues rock band[1] of the late 1960s & 1970s, led by Dave Edmunds (born David William Edmunds, 15 April 1944 in Cardiff, Glamorgan, South Wales), plus bassist John David (born John David Williams, 19 January 1946 in Cardiff, South Wales) and drummer Rob "Congo" Jones (born Robert Jones, 13 August 1946 in Barry, Glamorgan, South Wales).

For the sculpture by Robert Indiana, see Love (sculpture).

Love Sculpture
OriginCardiff, Wales
GenresBlues rock, psychedelic rock, psychedelic pop
Years active1966–1970
LabelsParlophone
Associated actsRockpile
Past membersDave Edmunds
John David
Rob 'Congo' Jones
Mickey Gee
Terry Williams

Career

Love Sculpture were founded in Cardiff in 1966 by former members of The Human Beans.[2] The group disbanded in 1970, although Edmunds went on to enjoy solo success in the 1970s. Love Sculpture mostly performed blues standards, slightly revved-up, but still close to the originals. Their debut album, Blues Helping, included such songs as "Summertime" and "Wang Dang Doodle".

They are best known for their 1968 novelty hit in the UK Singles Chart, a high speed cover version of the classical piece "Sabre Dance" by Aram Khachaturian, released on the Parlophone label (R 5744), which reached No. 5 in the UK Singles Chart in December 1968.[3] The recording was inspired by Keith Emerson's classical rearrangements.[4] "Sabre Dance" became a hit after receiving air play by British DJ John Peel, who was so impressed that he played it twice in one programme.[4] In December 1968, the UK music magazine, NME, reported that Love Sculpture had signed a US recording contract with London Records, guaranteeing £250,000.[5] The band were also given an invitation to perform "Sabre Dance" live, on the German Beat-Club television programme of Radio Bremen, being broadcast in monochrome at that time.

This was followed by a second album Forms and Feelings, with songs including: "In The Land of the Few", "Farandole", "People People", "Seagull (West Coast Oil Tragedy)", written by Paul Korda, and the equally fast cover of Chuck Berry's "You Can't Catch Me". The US version of the album also featured a recording of "Mars" from Gustav Holst's The Planets, but Holst's estate refused to license the tune for the UK version.

They recorded three times for BBC Radio 1's John Peel sessions in 1968 (twice) and 1969.[6]

In 1970 Mickey Gee joined the band as a second guitarist, and Terry Williams replaced Rob Jones on drums.[7]

Love Sculpture split up after a US tour, having recorded two albums. Edmunds shortly went on to further number one hit success with "I Hear You Knocking", and collaborated heavily with ex-Brinsley Schwarz bassist Nick Lowe, eventually forming the band Rockpile with him.

Band Members

Former members
  • Dave Edmunds – lead vocals, rhythm guitar (1966–70)
  • John David – bass, backing vocals (1966–70)
  • Rob "Congo" Jones – drums, percussion (1966–1970)
  • Mickey Gee – rhythm guitar (1970; died 2009)
  • Terry Williams – drums, percussion (1970)

Discography

Blues Helping – (December 1968) – Parlophone
  1. "The Stumble" (Freddy King, Sonny Thompson) (shown as "Stumble" on cover, "The Stumble" on label)
  2. "3 O'Clock Blues" (B. B. King, Jules Taub)
  3. "I Believe to My Soul" (Ray Charles)
  4. "So Unkind" (Elmore James, Marshall Sehorn)
  5. "Summertime" (George Gershwin, DuBose Heyward)
  6. "On The Road Again" (Floyd Jones, Alan Wilson)
  7. "Don't Answer the Door" (James Franklin Johnson)
  8. "Wang-Dang-Doodle" (Willie Dixon)
  9. "Come Back Baby" (Ray Charles)
  10. "Shake Your Hips" (Slim Harpo)
  11. "Blues Helping" (John David Williams, Dave Edmunds, Rob Jones)

2007 Esoteric Records release Bonus Tracks
  1. "Morning Dew" (Human Beans)
  2. "It's A Wonder" (Human Beans)
  3. "River To Another Day" (Single)
  4. "Brand New Woman" (Single)
  • Dave Edmunds - guitars, lead vocals, organ, piano
  • John Williams - bass, backing vocals (3, 5, 6, 8), piano (10)
  • Bob "Congo" Jones - drums, backing vocals (3, 5)

(released in the US in mid-1969 on Motown's new Rare Earth label (RS-505), with a different cover design)

Forms and Feelings – (January 1970) – Parlophone
  1. "In the Land of the Few" (Mike Finesilver, Pete Ker, Dave Edmunds) – 3:55
  2. "Seagull" (Paul Korda) – 3:28
  3. "Nobody's Talking" (Finesilver, Ker) – 3:37
  4. "Why (How Now)" (Finesilver, Ker) – 7:42
  5. "Farandole" (Georges Bizet, arr. Edmunds) – 3:42
  6. "You Can't Catch Me" (Chuck Berry) – 3:25
  7. "People People" (Finesilver, Ker) – 3:23
  8. "Mars" (Gustav Holst) – 1:58 (US version only)
  9. "Sabre Dance" (Aram Khachaturian, arr. Edmunds) – 11:12

2007 Esoteric Records release Bonus Tracks
  1. "Think Of Love"
  2. "Seagull" (Mono Single Version)
  3. "Farandole (Mono Single Version)
  4. "In The Land Of The Few" (Mono Single Version)
  5. "People People" (Mono Single Version)
  6. "Sabre Dance" (Single Version)
  • Dave Edmunds - guitars, lead vocals, keyboards
  • John Williams - bass, backing vocals, keyboards
  • Bob "Congo" Jones - drums, backing vocals

(released in the US in 1970 on Parrot (PAS-71035)

Both albums were reissued in May 2008, remastered and with bonus tracks (including the tracks from the two Singles listed below).

Singles
  • "River to Another Day" – (1968) – B-side – "Brand New Woman"
  • "Sabre Dance" – (1968) – B-side – "Think of Love" – UK No. 5[8]

See also

References
  1. Love Sculpture at AllMusic
  2. "Love Sculpture". Making Time. Retrieved 1 October 2012.
  3. "Sabre Dance". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 7 December 2010.
  4. Rick Clark, liner notes from The Dave Edmunds Anthology (1968–90), Rhino Records R2 71191 (1993)
  5. Tobler, John (1992). NME Rock 'N' Roll Years (1st ed.). London: Reed International Books Ltd. p. 191. CN 5585.
  6. "Radio 1 – Keeping It Peel – Love Sculpture". BBC. Retrieved 1 October 2012.
  7. Mannerisms II – Man and Roots/Offshoots by Michael Mycock, published June 1995, page 108
  8. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 331. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
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