It seems like an eternity ago now, but it was only thirty years, when this beanpole guy with a great voice put out an album of rockabilly music. It was so bare bones that if not for the fact it had a full drum kit in play, the album could have been easily recorded on a four track recorder and the sound quality would have been fine.
Robert Gordon accompanied by the late great Link Wray on guitar came out of nowhere to remind the world where Rock and Roll came from. They put out two great albums, Robert Gordon With Link Wray and Fresh Fish Special. "Red Hot", the single from the first album, was actually released in and around the time Elvis Presley died, which made the song take off like a rocket.
Comparisons between Elvis and Robert were probably inevitable due to the coincidental timing of the first album's release and their similarities in vocal ranges and musical styles. Robert never denied that as a youngster Elvis' music had been a big influence on him, but none of his tunes would ever be confused with Elvis' music. They were harder edged with an undeniable punk influence in sound and attitude.
Link and Robert only lasted two albums together, mainly because the label that put out Fresh Fish Special went under leaving them high and dry. So his third album didn't come out until 1979 on RCA. Rock Billy Boogie was the first recording that Robert made with guitarist Chris Spedding and it had four songs on it that broke the top 100.
Now for the first time in twenty years, and more importantly thirty years since the death of Elvis, Robert Gordon and Chris Spedding have joined forces again for the release of It's Now Or Never on the RYKO label. The thirty-year anniversary is significant because every track on this disc was recorded by Elvis at one time or another during his career.
Article comments
1 - Arjan
"Reunited with legendary guitar hero Chris Spedding for the first time in 20 years...", the cover blurb proudly claims, a somewhat fraudulous statement, since it totally ignores a major CD & DVD release ('Rockin' The Paradiso', Last Call, 2006) as well as four reunion tours in 2005 and '06.
Besides, the only period where they didn't work together was between 1993 and '05, which is only 12 years.
2 - Mike Simms
"Remember Elvis' first big hit "Hound Dog" was written by Big Mama Thornton...."
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Where is this guy coming from? Hasn't he heard of Leiber and Stoller?