Blues Series#14: Juicy Lucy-Juicy Lucy

[joe]

What a great band this was. Juicy Lucy formed in 1969 by steel guitarist Glenn Ross Campbell who had played in the garge/psych band The Misunderstood from California. The band moved to England and was "championed" by legendary DJ, John Peel. After the dissolve of the Misunderstood, Campbell recruited sax player/keyboardist Chris Mercer, the "croaking" vocals of Ray Owen, guitarist Neil Hubbard(later joined Joe Cocker), bassist Keith Ellis from Van Der Graaf Generator and drummer Pete Dobson.

Thier s/t debut from 1969 featured greasy blues, boogie, southern rock elements influenced by the US born Campbell and psychedelia at a break neck speed of a locomotive. Thier version of Bo Diddley's "Who Do You Love" reached the top 20 and the album peaked at #41 on the UK charts.

Ray Owen left after this release and went to release his solo album "Ray Owen's Moon" and was replaced by Paul Williams from Zoot Money's band and is great blues vocalist in his own right for the next two albums.


^^^That's Zelda Plum on the cover. Really, that's her name. How appropriate.

 

[Sox]

Re: Blues Series#15: Juicy Lucy-Juicy Lucy

One of my favourite guitar players had a stint with this band ,, Micky Moody and together with the ex frontman released this pearler CD ..

 

[joe]

Re: Blues Series#15: Juicy Lucy-Juicy Lucy

^^^I'll try and find that album Sox. Micky Moody and Paul Williams played on the next two albums after the s/t debut. You probably knew that. Both great albums. Moody and Williams with the rhythm section from Blodwyn Pig released Pieces in 1972. IMO, not a very good album. Here's the best track from the album as well as a cut from Ray Owen's solo album Moon.

 

[Sox]

Re: Blues Series#15: Juicy Lucy-Juicy Lucy

Love that Ray Owen sound Joe, I may have to dig around for that solo work.

 

[Soot and Stars]

Re: Blues Series#15: Juicy Lucy-Juicy Lucy

Well this is the bluisiest album in your list so far so it makes sense that it's in your blues series. It's also (the s/t debut) the rarest and hardest to find as well. I couldn't find it on Grooveshark where I've played all the other albums. I had to settle for looking up the sequence and youtube them in order song by song! Many sites seem to be frustrated with how rare they are and how Amazons one version of it is a sham and doesn't even have the original track listing.

Anyway, first let me say interesting album cover :


I'd say it was sexy too but she looks a little old for my taste but the cover could be misleading. Anyway, so the music was the bluesiest and the vocal was really different from the rest. Less smooth and soulful then the rest and matched the "Greasy" blues and Southern elements you referred to. Made me think of the scratchier Blues artist like Dr. John, especially in songs like "Who Do You Love". He did have a smooth vocal on songs like :

Chicago North Western
(the most fun song on the album)

which I watched live. By the way, speaking of the singer:

"Holy Fro"


The other song I liked that I liked was:

Just One Time
(a unique sound like they are summoning a Shaman or something, very Doors again which is always a positive)


Another good band Joe!

 

[joe]

Re: Blues Series#15: Juicy Lucy-Juicy Lucy

Glad you like it Soot.

You would almost think this album was made in the midwest US than the UK. More of a Americana/heartland sound IMO than the traditional British blues rock. Chicago Northwestern is just a great country rock tune. I have the vinyl on the Bronze label, a German import I picked up 25+ years ago and on CD as well as a digital file.

BTW, I listened to 5 or 6 tracks from The Used on youtube. Good stuff. I have to admit I've never heard of Screamo before. Sounds to me like a heavy metal sub-genre(?). I have never heard of any of the more relevant bands of this sub genre. Goes to show where I'm at. Getting old maybe.