Where were you, in 1975? This photo of Rod is a publicity shot from Ralph McTell's 1975 tour.
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Where were you, in 1975? This photo of Rod is a publicity shot from Ralph McTell's 1975 tour. |
The genesis of Rod's successful collaboration with Ralph McTell came in 1974 when Ralph and his manager, (Ralph's brother Bruce), were helping Rod's long-time guitar hero, Bert Jansch, to re-start his career, and Rod was invited to participate. Two tracks, both released as singles, were recorded at the same session, at Air Studios in Oxford Street, London. |
There is a rare touch of irony here - and it seems that Ralph is embarrassed about it still - since the whole object of the exercise was to provide a hit single for Bert! Streets of London had originally been recorded around 1970, without any involvement from Rod, and the version which became a hit was recorded on this occasion as a sort of afterthought, there being some studio time left over from Bert's song.
1975 Streets
Ralph's track, which was re-released in 1981, appeared on his next album,
Streets, on which it was the only track to feature Rod.
1976 Right Side Up
Right Side Up, LP version
Rod contributed bass on some tracks, alongside his long-term off & on rhythm section partner, future Dire Straits drummer Pick Withers.
Right Side Up, CD version
1983 Songs From Alphabet Zoo
2006 The Journey - Recordings 1965 - 2006
Rod's long-term collaboration with Ralph is further highlighted by the October 2006 release of the 4 CD box set The Journey - Recordings 1965 - 2006.
Rod played bass, and Ray Laidlaw played drums, on a spin-off album
from Ralph's children's TV series, Alphabet Zoo. Rod tells me that
both he and Ray played 'other assorted devices'. The mind boggles!
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