Oct 22, 2020
ANY TROUBLE - Yesterday's Love
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ANY TROUBLE - Yesterday's Love
Invisible Confetti by The Guilty Men (2024)
The name of one of my classmates in the Elementary adult French course I have been taking this spring/summer was spookily familiar - one Clive Gregson, whose music with Any Trouble I was actually playing at the time, having been an on and off fan of the group in the 1980s and 1990s. It took a little while to confirm my suspicion that this Clive was that Clive, but he did eventually admit that he was indeed the former new wave band’s front man and later vocalist with folk legend Richard Thompson’s group. He told me he had recently formed a band with his long term collaborator, Neil Cossar (formerly of The Cheetahs), ex-Barclay James Harvest members, Jez Smith and Clive Fletcher and former 10cc drummer, Paul Burgess, all musicians hailing from the north west of England, which they had named The Guilty Men. Through a combination of for old time’s sake and loyalty to a fellow would-be French speaker, I checked out the album they made last year called Invisible Confetti, and I must say, I was impressed.
OK, so the post-punk spiky guitar sound of 1980s new wave that characterised early Any Trouble’s energetic brand of power pop is absent, as is the layered overly ironic soft rock of mid-1970s 10cc, but if you like melodic blues-inflected country rock with a definite northern English feel, you won’t be disappointed, and Gregson’s voice is as affecting and subtle as it was at the height of his fame (particularly on Where Love Lived and Lightning On The Water). I should also mention the album’s stand out track, Susan’s Back Drinking, possibly one of the saddest and most guilt-infused country ballads I’ve heard.
Probably the most attractive aspect of The Guilty Men’s music however, is that you just know you are listening to first class musicians, who write great tunes with thoughtful lyrics - and, in the final analysis, are knocking out this music at the end of their careers because they enjoy it. They may be playing in their comfort zone, but their fans are probably listening in theirs: I know I am.
Keep on rocking, Clive - you and your mates…
Recently acquired. my first trip to Berkeley Amoeba.
Billy Bremners Rockfiles Entertains The 100 Club
Billy Bremner's Rockfiles Entertains The 100 Club with a host of musical memories from the Rockpile and stage warmed by Clive Gregson
With Clive Gregson supporting Billy
This was an evening of pure unadulterated musical pleasure as the diminutive Scottish guitarist and his Swedish backing band took the audience in the 100 Clubon a nostalgic trip back to the late 70s when Rockpile were formed as a dream combination, an under-rated supergroup of songwriting and musical talents, fronted by the geniuses, Nick Lowe and Dave…
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Song of the Day, May 20: Comfort and Joy by Clive Gregson
Song of the Day, May 20: Comfort and Joy by Clive Gregson
After splitting with musical partner Christine Collister in 1992, Clive Gregson began a proper solo career. A decade later, he had hit a nice groove — never a rut — with simple, lovely songs that he wrote and produced himself, typically playing all the instruments. His warm voice and keen eye for detail, combined with his compassionate but realistic sense of the perils of modern love and life,…
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Richard Thompson: Daring Adventures (1986)
Not long after its initial release, this – on tape, yes – was my introduction to Richard Thompson. Nearly thirty years later (good lord) it remains my favourite album of his, and one of my all time preferred “go to” albums.
This was Thompson’s first collaboration with producer Mitchell Froom, who specialises in roots rock (Thompson, Bonnie Raitt, Los Lobos etc), going for a big, clear sound with…
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Song of the Day, November 25: All the Time In the World by Gregson and Collister
Song of the Day, November 25: All the Time In the World by Gregson and Collister
Today’s song is All the Time In the World.As Clive Gregson’s band, Any Trouble, was breaking up, he heard Christine Collister singing in a local pub. Entranced with her powerful voice, he offered to work with her on future projects. As it happened, Richard Thompson was looking for an additional vocalist for his live band, which included Gregson on rhythm guitar and backing vocals. The pair became…
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