Once again I have to pay tribute to another departed friend and colleague. Last week saw the sad passing of one of the most talented musicians that I have ever known. The fact that he was a member of the very band I played with for over forty years, The Good Old Boys, brings the blow even closer to home. Simon Bishop joined the group thirty years ago to replace guitarist Alex Chanter who was leaving to form his own band. To say that he was an asset to the group would be an understatement! Although a quiet and unassuming man it didn’t take long for us to realise that his astonishing talent on guitar was something rather special. Simon had the unique ability to embrace all styles of music and his amazing originality made him able to make a song his own.
Last picture of the Good Old Boys. From left to right: Richard Hudson, Alan Barrett, Pete Parks, Nick Simper, Simon Bishop
Although his style differed from Pete Parks the two of them were able to blend together and compliment each other and after thirty years they developed an almost psychic ability to read each other and create the unique sound of the band. Simon also worked as a music teacher and was always inundated with pupils, all hoping to learn to play like he did! A big part of my enjoyment as bassist for The Good Old Boys was knowing that the other members had the ability to suddenly display a little bit of magic which would make everyone sit up and smile. Simon Bishop was no slouch in that department and audiences would often break into spontaneous applause at some outlandish or outrageously clever demonstration of just what he really could do! Sadly, The Good Old Boys have called it a day after more than forty years, but the fun we had will remain with us forever. Simon, like all the members of the band was an integral part of it, and his passing leaves a huge void in the music business, and in our hearts. I consider it a great privilege to have known him and played alongside him for so many years, a truly talented man who deserves recognition as one of the best!
The convention commemorating the 40th Anniversary of the formation of Deep Purple included a unique performance by the Good Old Boys featuring original Purple bassist Nick Simper. The band that also includes former Strawbs drummer Richard Hudson and Warhorse guitarist Peter Parks performed a powerful set that showcases their rock ‘n’ roll roots and musicianship, and included a blistering version of Hush, the song that launched Deep Purple all those years ago. This CD comes with a 12-page booklet with full band history, behind the scenes stories and previously unpublished photos from the actual performance and soundcheck.
Tracks: I’m Ready / A Fool For Your Stockings / My Way / Shaky Ground / Sleepwalk / Twenty Flight Rock / Somebody To Love / Don’t Worry Baby / C’mon Everybody / Shakin’ All Over / Oh Well / Hush / All My Rowdy Friends Are Comin’ Over Tonight //
Dear Purple bunch, may I point your attention to this: finally, the Good Old Boys have released an official Live CD.
They were playing the Deep Purple Convention on May 3rd, 2008, as THS reported, and that gig was — fortunately for all of us — captured on CD. What a smart move since this was one brilliant show. For those of you who are expecting something like a DP tribute band, please don’t read on.
Nick Simper is having way more class than that (unlike a certain Rod E. with his 1980 Purple bogus). This man has no need to rest on his past merits. He does still have the chops. Neither do his band mates have any reason to hide their individual talents behind the “big name” of Deep Purple. Every single one of them is a true master of his instrument (so is Alan with his voice) and as a band they’re tighter than a bull’s ass.
I’ve seen these guys live several times and every single time I was blown away by their performance. Now, with this release, all of you are in a great position to experience them, too. What a treat! The CD (like their shows) is starting rather “shy”, but it’s increasing and increasing until they’re reaching the state of pure power and fun. These guys are top of the notch regarding handmade, honest Rock ‘n’ Roll, always surprising the listener with another individual icing on the cake. Most of their material is based back in the early 60s. Their music has nothing to do with Deep Purple. I do understand that they felt obliged to play at least one DP song at this show (Hush) — since this was a DP convention after all — but I’m pretty confident that Nick could have easily given up on that and his arm needed to be twisted hard to do that.
So, if you’re just going for another DP tribute CD, stay away from this. But if you want to hear finest Rock ‘n’ Roll, performed by some of the best musicians around, you don’t wanna miss this on your shelf. This band does indeed know how to ROCK!!!
Axel Dauer, The Highway Star website
Rating: C+
The Good Old Boys are a sort of super group consisting of former members of Deep Purple, The Strawbs, Warhorse, Renaissance and Jo Jo Gunne. The band performed live at the Deep Purple convention and recorded their performance. The CD showcases their musical talents as the band play a hodgepodge set of standards and the Deep Purple classic “Hush” from when Simper was in the band.
While it is tempting to overlook this CD as a throwaway performance by a bunch of guys that only the diehard fans have heard of, that would be a mistake. At first glance one may even want to snicker at a bunch of old guys who used to be in bands performing at a convention, playing standards such as “Somebody to Love,” “Fool For Your Stockings,” “I’m Ready” and “Oh Well.” If that is your attitude then it is your loss. Sure, these guys are not rock stars, and most have had careers as sidemen, or were a mainstay in a famous band years before that band hit the big time, but The Good Old Boys are a good band.
At the end of the day, this is a fun CD that proves the passion to play good, solid rock ‘n’ roll can last a lifetime. The Good Old Boys played their ass off at the Deep Purple convention, even if the set list is not so much different than a run of the mill bar band. You could do a lot worse than this CD, in fact, it is a bit infectious as once you play it all the way through, the simple grooves keep calling one back to it. A tip of the hat goes to Simper and Company as they exceeded expectations and proved that rock n roll truly will never die.
Jeb Wright, Classic Rock Revisited
A fine quality CD recorded and released on Wymer Records, produced by “The Good Old Boys” and Caroline Adcock who also mixed it, along with Executive Producer Jerry Bloom of Wymer Records. Mastering was handled by John Spence at Fairview Studios, Willerby, Hull. This band actually goes back a long way and has featured many musicians along the way, including Matthew Fisher and Carlo Little as well as several other drummers who passed through the ranks, starting out with the name “Flying Fox” so it’s about time an album from them was finally released. It features a 12 page booklet detailing their history and some striking photos shot that evening.
Deep Purple’s third bass player Glenn Hughes also performed that night and met with Nick Simper for the first time which was likely quite a thing to experience. If you were there, you know what a truly great evening it was, if you weren’t, at least you can enjoy this performance which showcases a warm sounding capture that is oh so easy on the ears and will have you kicking yourself for not attending.
The performance started off in great tradition with “I’m Ready”, a romping version that got things up and running with amazing energy. They really sounded amazing and did not lose one sliver of that energy throughout the entire performance. Then the crowd was treated to a killer version of “A Fool For Your Stockings” the “ZZ Top” classic trad blues number that I have to say tops the original by far with a highly infectious groove and sizzling hot vocals giving it a contemporary vibe. After a few more rollicking numbers, “My Way” and both “Shakey Ground” and “Sleepwalk” the Purple fans were treated to “Twenty Flight Rock” and “Somebody To Love” which obviously shows a mutual love for the great Delbert McClinton.
Next up things really peaked with what is described in the liner notes as “arguably the stand out track” and I fully agree, “Don’t Worry Baby” with piping hot dual guitar playing from “Pete Parks” and “Simon Bishop” recalled as “truly blistering!” I can’t express how hot is was, talk about momentum, this really got the performance kicking and rolling into another classic “Eddie Cochran” number “C’mon Everybody” which led into the “Johnny Kidd and The Pirates” number which can’t be denied. “Shakin’ All Over” is a classic favourite that has been well known beyond the “Kidd” factor because it was also a hit some years later by what is usually referred to these days as “Pre-Guess Who” simply because Burton Cummings did the vocals on a recording of it just prior to them forming, but it must be known to all that it was actually written by Heath and first recorded in 1960, and The Good Old Boys play it in Johnny Kidd’s memory. What a shot in the arm this CD really is! Things stay the course with the Fleetwood Mac classic “Oh Well” which always works no matter who seems to cover it and this is no exception to that.
Next up was another one of the highlights of the evening of course, Deep Purple’s 1968 US hit “Hush” was reworked and very well done, an obvious lure for the event indeed. Justice was served as they jammed through the number with ease and confidence as if it were written yesterday. They made it seem so easy, yet it’s really not such a simple task to pull off, but with “Nick Simper and The Good Old Boys” there was no way it could falter. This really is a high quality recording and fun loving performance… what a bash it really was! And in fine country tradition, which their name totally hints at with but doesn’t exactly define, because make no mistake, this IS rock and roll in classic traditional form, they hammed it up with “All My Rowdy Friends Are Coming Over Tonight” and even though this is not a country band, they make it work so well, as if it were totally cut out for them, it’s a huge compliment and well rehearsed version with a rearrangement in the title, sung as “Crazy” instead of “Rowdy.”
All in all this CD is a must buy for both record collectors and general rock fans alike. The Deep Purple fans were given a top-notch performance by these elder statesmen of British rock that night. A well-recommended document of what was truly a night the fans will never forget.
Many thanks to Nasty Habits, Christian Schoen and all our friends in Vienna, who made the Good Old Boys’ third visit to the Reigen so enjoyable last week, and special thanks to Wolfgang Jaafar and Wolfgang Gonaus for their great photos and support.
