A curveball idea from the thoughts of Peter Gabriel, it’s unquestionably the oddest prog-related releases of the 70s. One thing that even guitarist Robert Fripp describes as “maybe the strangest recording session of the period.”
It’s onerous to grasp how a number of the scene’s most interesting skills got here to behave as a backing band for diminutive TV comic Charlie Drake – nevertheless it did occur, in mid-June 1975. As Prog reported in 2010, pianist Keith Tippett mentioned: “I believe it was one of many these events while you had been contacted and instructed such-and-such was concerned. You thought, ‘Effectively, if they’re doing it…’”
Drake, greatest recognized for enjoying the title function within the profitable 60s TV collection The Employee, had loved the occasional novelty hit with singles like My Boomerang Gained’t Come Again and Splish Splash. For his half, Gabriel – who’d really had much less chart success than Drake at that time – had simply left Genesis and was exploring new profession instructions.
He’d co-written three songs with Martin Corridor, and by some means determined that one among them, You’ll By no means Know, could be excellent for Drake; who by some means agreed. Gabriel – who additionally produced the monitor below the identify Gabriel Ear Wax – was critical sufficient concerning the venture to assemble a stellar band for the session, that includes Fripp, Tippett, Sandy Denny and Phil Collins.
The drummer recalled: “How he ended up with this line-up, I don’t know! It appears probably the most obscure set of individuals to make a comedy report. On the day, Charlie, who was fairly small, turned up with a model new denim outfit for his rock debut; it was fairly touching to see him at it!”
Drake had a repute for self-destruction. Not solely did he usually injure himself throughout comedy performances – he famously knocked himself out throughout a stay broadcast of The Employee, which needed to be rapidly lower brief – he additionally took a dim view of anybody who disagreed with him offstage.
On the time of Gabriel’s invitation he was out of labor, after he’d began a struggle with the actor’s union Fairness and been successfully blacklisted in consequence. It was typically recognized that in the event you entered what was often known as ‘Charlie Drake World,’ you probably did what he wished or beat a hasty retreat.
Thus it was that, not figuring out a lot about prog, and preferring to arrange himself in a pub close to the studio, the comic didn’t flip as much as report his vocal till many of the stars had been leaving.
Model X bassist Percy Jones was additionally a part of the band – and Brian Eno could have been too, though nobody appears to be sure. “With that kind of line-up I anticipated some actually fascinating music arising,” Jones instructed Prog in 2018. “It turned out to be a really straight-ahead pop tune – by no means what I had anticipated. It left me a bit puzzled as to why they acquired a line-up like that to report that type of music.”
When Drake set himself up on the mic, he started to use what he known as “enhancements” to Gabriel’s lyrics. He opened with the declare that the listener was about to listen to his first gold-selling disc, including a hopeful, “You by no means know!” He went on the ship the phrases largely as they’d been written, however altering his pitch, type and character as he went.
Because the music ended he mentioned: “Effectively, that’s it – my first gold! I’m wondering the place Elton John buys his glasses. I shall have a swimming pool made within the form of Shirley Temple. I suppose I’ll have tax troubles…”
Drake by no means defined the thought processes behind his strategy. Gabriel has by no means defined his personal intentions. Left with the problem of making an attempt to promote the music, Charisma Data wrote: “The one is produced by Peter Gabriel. Erstwhile lead singer with Genesis, and someday human sunflower. It’s a send-up of pop stardom which additionally options Sandy Denny, Eno and Robert Fripp. As Drake is chalk to Gabriel’s cheese, so is the concept of Charlie encountering a groupie – take heed to the one and also you’ll uncover what occurred.”
However nobody did. It didn’t come near being successful on launch in November 1975 (with one other Gabriel/Corridor composition titled I’m Huge Sufficient For Me on the B-side). However given the musicians concerned, it’s salvaged a lifetime of its personal. It was later included on Denny’s 1988 compilation The Attic Tapes Vol. One.
Collins mirrored: “The entire session was one among life’s fascinating snapshots!”
