This infamous creation ofKevin Rowland's was almost a
parody of parodies. Despite the dictatorial style of Rowland, John has been
quoted as saying that in almost 3 years, while he was with them, the band
never rehearsed once. Steve
Torch, who had been asked to play bass forDexy's but had felt he wasn't
up to it, recommended John to them. The
day John turned up for what he
expected to be a meeting, they put him in a room for 15 minutes and gave
him two songs to learn. On emergence he played the tracks, trying to
impressRowland and co., butRowland stopped the song and
politely said 'Just play the song. We're looking for someone to just
copy what's on the record.'. John got the
gig anyway, especially because he tuned up the bass they lent him using
harmonics, which they'd never seen anyone do before. John mainly only played on B-Sides for earlyDexy's singles during his time
there, although he does feature on a large portion of the studio album
'Don't Stand me
Down', 3 years after his first session with them.
 | He was, however, used for many of the 'live' TV
performances, notably on his induction as the hit 'Come on
Eileen' appeared onTop
Of The Pops and also the remake of
the classicVan Morrison song
'Jackie Wilson Said [I'm in Heaven When you Smile]'... Although on neither
promotional video, the 'Jackie
Wilson...' appearance is best remembered for a assumed
'mistake' made by the TOTP
crew that week; instead of a photo of R&B singer Jackie behind
the group, there was a large colour image of top UK dartsman, Jockey
Wilson. A moment of sheer TV hell... Another spectacular 'eye-bite' is the'Runners' appearance on 'The Young Ones' 1982 episode 'Bomb', where for some reason
[best known, it turns out, to Rik] they play
in the bathroom... John was
eventually sacked from Dexy's, "Because
they expected you to always be at their beck and
call..."
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From the RhinoSite Archives
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With the
reputation of a well-oiled, if slightly dictatorial, machine, Dexy's
Midnight Runners [named after the speed-effecting drug, Dexedrine]
were strangely popular. What wedding disco is complete without
the anthemic Come On Eileen? And while this track rode high atUK #1, a young
John Edwards was being trialled as their new bass-player, with immediate
effect. Impressing them by tuning his bass with harmonics - they had never
seen the like before - he instantly appeared on all their 'live' TV
promotional appearances for Eileen, despite never having
played a note of it on the record. And so it was that in 3 years of
'Running', John scored myriad B-Sides and most of an album,
Don't Stand Me Down,
with these gypsy-styled pioneers.
Although, such was Rowland's regime, John was sacked after not bowing to
their beck and call. This is the same Rowland who is currently trying for
a solo comeback, whilst wearing a dress. Some things never
change.
The
second, budget album [the
cassette starts at 2 UKP] is the only piece pressed covering almost all of
John's recordings with the 'Runners, most of them B-Sides. There are no
particularly outstanding tracks from a Rhino point of view, but for those
nostalgists among us, the track Because of You - the theme tune to UK sitcom Brush Strokes - is
good track for a singalong. The first album really suits Rhino
collectors best if they can find the REISSUED and
remastered version from 1996 which has 8 more tracks than the
standard version, most of which John played on. It is also of
interest to Status Quo collectors after Dexy's version of Quo's 83
Christmas smash Marguerita Time
. It can be picked up from anything from 9 UKP.
Some tracks are completely unexpected, and these albums will definately
change your view to Dexy's, there's more to them than the hots for a
girl called Eileen.
|
Title |
Label |
Cat.
No. |
Track Listing
[
* = track featuring Rhino]
|
Dexy's Midnight Runners Too-Rye-Ay |
Mercury |
514839-2 |
The Celtic Soul
Brothers Let's Make this Precious All in All Jackie
Wilson Said Old Plan B I'll Show You Liars A to
E Until I Believe in my Soul Come on
Eileen |
The Celtic Soul
Brothers (US Mix) Jackie Wilson Said [Live]* Come on Eileen
[Live]* Marguerita Time Respect [Live]* Dubious Love Part
2 T.S.O.P |
|
Dexy's Midnight Runners
Because of
You |
Spectrum/ Karussell |
5500032 |
Celtic
Soul Brothers Show Me* Liars A to
E This
is What She's Like* Let's
Make This Precious Soon Reminisce
[Part One]* |
Because of
You Let's Get This Straight [From the Start] Old* All In All [This One Last Waltz] One of Those
Things* Dubious The
Occasional Flicker* |
| |