Boulders (album)
Encyclopedia
Boulders is the first solo album by Roy Wood
. Apart from harmonium on track 1 played by John Kurlander, all the instruments (including guitars, cello, saxophone recorders) and voices were by Wood, who also wrote, arranged, and produced the whole album, and did a self-portrait for the front cover.
Most of the album was recorded while Wood was still in The Move
, although it was not released until he had left the Electric Light Orchestra
and was fronting Wizzard
. Two singles were taken from the album, ‘When Gran’ma Plays the Banjo’/’Wake Up’ (February 1972), and ‘Dear Elaine’/’Songs of Praise’ (August 1973). The latter reached No. 18 in the UK charts.
"Rock Down Low" and "The Locomotive" were sometimes featured by Wizzard in their live performances.
"Songs of Praise" was recorded by the New Seekers and reached the last six for the British entry to the 1972 Eurovision Song Contest
.
‘Boulders’ was reissued on CD by EMI/Harvest on August 27, 2007.
(++ On the current 4-CD set "The Move Anthology 1966-1972", there's two instrumental backing tracks called "Second Class" described as being recorded on September 23, 1968. This is the same backing track as "She's Too Good For Me", so the statement that 'all instruments were played by Wood, other than the opening harmonium', is not quite true!)
Roy Wood
Roy Adrian Wood is an English singer-songwriter and musician. He was particularly successful in the 1960s and 1970s as member and co-founder of the bands The Move, Electric Light Orchestra, and Wizzard. As a songwriter, he contributed a number of hits to the repertoire of these bands.-Career:Wood...
. Apart from harmonium on track 1 played by John Kurlander, all the instruments (including guitars, cello, saxophone recorders) and voices were by Wood, who also wrote, arranged, and produced the whole album, and did a self-portrait for the front cover.
Most of the album was recorded while Wood was still in The Move
The Move
The Move, from Birmingham, England, were one of the leading British rock bands of the 1960s. They scored nine Top 20 UK singles in five years, but were among the most popular British bands not to find any success in the United States....
, although it was not released until he had left the Electric Light Orchestra
Electric Light Orchestra
Electric Light Orchestra were a British rock group from Birmingham who released eleven studio albums between 1971 and 1986 and another album in 2001. ELO were formed to accommodate Roy Wood and Jeff Lynne's desire to create modern rock and pop songs with classical overtones...
and was fronting Wizzard
Wizzard
Wizzard was a Birmingham-based band formed by Roy Wood, former member of The Move and co-founder of Electric Light Orchestra. The Guinness Book of 500 Number One Hits states, "Wizzard was Roy Wood just as much as Wings were Paul McCartney."-Biography:...
. Two singles were taken from the album, ‘When Gran’ma Plays the Banjo’/’Wake Up’ (February 1972), and ‘Dear Elaine’/’Songs of Praise’ (August 1973). The latter reached No. 18 in the UK charts.
"Rock Down Low" and "The Locomotive" were sometimes featured by Wizzard in their live performances.
"Songs of Praise" was recorded by the New Seekers and reached the last six for the British entry to the 1972 Eurovision Song Contest
Eurovision Song Contest
The Eurovision Song Contest is an annual competition held among active member countries of the European Broadcasting Union .Each member country submits a song to be performed on live television and then casts votes for the other countries' songs to determine the most popular song in the competition...
.
‘Boulders’ was reissued on CD by EMI/Harvest on August 27, 2007.
Track listing
- "Songs of Praise" – 4:40
- "Wake Up" – 3:19
- "Rock Down Low" – 3:25
- "Nancy Sing Me a Song" – 3:28
- "Dear Elaine " – 4:09
- "Medley: All the Way Over the Hill/Irish Loafer (And His Hen) ” – 4:49
- "Miss Clarke and the Computer" – 4:20
- "When Gran’ma Plays the Banjo" – 3:12
- "Rock Medley: “Rockin’ Shoes”/”She’s Too Good for Me”++/”The Locomotive" – 7:31
- "Dear Elaine (Rough Mix)" – 4:12 [Bonus track on the 2007 reissue]
(++ On the current 4-CD set "The Move Anthology 1966-1972", there's two instrumental backing tracks called "Second Class" described as being recorded on September 23, 1968. This is the same backing track as "She's Too Good For Me", so the statement that 'all instruments were played by Wood, other than the opening harmonium', is not quite true!)