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1974
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"…Captain Life…"
Mick Greenwood's debut album "Living Game" was released in the UK in September 1971 on MCA Records MDKS 8003 (November 1971 in the USA on Decca DL 75318) and was the 1st of his 3 albums in the early Seventies.
The other two were "...To Friends" from October 1972 on MCA MKPS 2026 (March 1973 in the USA on MCA Records MCA-307) - and this - "Midnight Dreamer" from September 1974 on Warner Brothers K 56059 (no USA release).
June 2001 saw all three reissued on CD on the Voiceprint label of the UK (straightforward transfers for each, no bonus tracks) with "Living Game" dubbed as Part One of 'The Mick Greenwood Teenage Trilogy' - the other two albums being Part Two & Three. The inner booklets each had themed designs and there are slight alterations to the artwork.
"Midnight Dreamer" (34:23 minutes) was issued on Voiceprint VP224CD (Barcode 604388305827), the debut "Living Game" on Voiceprint VP222CD (Barcode 604388305629) and "...To Friends" on Voiceprint VP223CD (Barcode 604388305728). There was also a box set containing all three CDs - 'The Mick Greenwood Teenage Trilogy' on Voiceprint VPBOX99CD.
1. Black Roses [Side 1]
2. Captain Life
3. Writing On The Wall
4. Easy Street
5. Miss Morning [Side 2]
6. Lady Midnight
7. Diana Demons
8. Deep Water
9. Open Road
Musicians:
MICK GREENWOOD – Vocals, Piano, Keyboards, Electric & Acoustic Guitars
PAT DONALDSON - Bass Guitar
GERRY CONWAY – Drums (Tracks 2, 3, 6 and 7)
WILLIAM A MURRAY – Drums (Tracks 1, 5 and 8)
BARRY De SOUZA – Drums (Track 4)
Guests:
Kenny Wheeler – Trumpet (Tracks 1 and 5)
Chris Hughs – Tenor Sax (Track 4)
Further Brass – Eddie Mordue, Rex Morris, Duncan Lament, Wally Smith, Rick Kennedy, Christ Smith, Creg Bowen and Jonny Huckridge
Graham Smith – Harmonica (Track 7)
Barry St. John, Sue Glover, Liza Strike. Barry Hamilton and Kay Garner – Backing Vocals
Producers – Mick Greenwood and Vic Gamm
Born in the UK, but raised in the States from the age of 12 - Greenwood returned to London in 1970 in his early 20s to make music. He knew members of the Fairport Convention Folk Rock offshoot group FOTHERINGAY, so when he went to make his albums, Greenwood was able to call on them. And as you can see from the musician credits above, Pat Donaldson and Gerry Conway of Fotheringay guest while William Murray of that other huge cult Folk Rock act of the Seventies Mellow Candle also drums on three tracks.
The 12-page booklet reproduces the lyrics from the inner sleeve and the usual musician/production credits (all songs by MG) and there is a black and white photo of our hero beneath the see-through CD tray. With regard to the original artwork – not only is the rear sleeve artwork not here, to the bottom left of the original 1974 UK front album cover is MG standing and waving as the train goes by and the title logo is on the top left – for some reason this CD artwork has removed him and repositioned the title to the bottom right on the wheels of the train. The only way to get original artwork front and rear (pictured above for comparison) is on the 2006 Japanese CD reissues (see Barcode details below).
I wish I could say that the Seventies rawk of "Midnight Dreamer" is a forgotten masterpiece – it absolutely isn't. Much of the wildly overproduced music feels like strangulated Elton John circa 1973 and 1974 ("Caribou" and "Philadelphia Freedom"), but without the tunes or hit singles. There are some nice touches in "Captain Life" and "Miss Morning" for sure, but despite that inviting John Pasche front cover train-heading-into-the-distance artwork - mostly it's a pound-fodder album (Warners didn’t even release a 45 from it). And his voice had become that nasal whine that has not travelled well. Former Joe Harriott sidekick and uber-sessionman trumpeter Kenny Wheeler gives tasty solos however on "Black Roses" and "Miss Morning" and the solo finisher "Open Road" has pretty moments.
What does come out at as truly stunning however is the Remastered Audio from first generation master tapes – another fabulous full-spatial soundstage by DENIS BLACKHAM (of Skye Mastering in Scotland). This CD sounds amazing. There were also Japanese reissues of all three in 2006 on Air Mail Archive using these 2001 Remasters (not SHM-CDs, just Paper Sleeves of the original UK artwork). But all are deleted now and overly expensive ("Midnight Dreamer" was on AIRAC-1253 - Barcode 4571136372522).
Undoubtedly, Mick Greenwood had run out of ideas by 1974 after the rather good first two albums on MCA Records in 1971 and 1972 – singer-songwriter Seventies stuff actually worth investigating. But if you must have platter number three, this is the variant of "Midnight Dreamer" you want. And I've seen this British CD online for less than two quid in places...
PS: see also my review for his 1971 debut album "Living Game"
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