''Wotabunch!'' was released by
WEA
The Wea were a Miami-Illinois-speaking Native American tribe originally located in western Indiana. Historically, they were described as either being closely related to the Miami Tribe or a sub-tribe of Miami.
Today, the descendants of the ...
in 1977 following the success of
Ian Dury
Ian Robins Dury (12 May 1942 27 March 2000) was a British singer, songwriter and actor who rose to fame during the late 1970s, during the punk and new wave era of rock music. He was the lead singer and lyricist of Ian Dury and the Blockheads ...
as a solo artist. It is technically the 'second album' by Kilburn and the High-Roads.
When talking about Kilburn and the High-Roads' output in his track-by-track comments in the booklet for
Repertoire Records
Repertoire Records is a German record label from Hamburg, Germany, specialising in reissues of classic pop and rock albums originally issued in the 1960s and 1970s. The chairman is Thomas Neelsen.
See also
* List of record labels
File:Alvin ...
2CD ''Ian Dury & The Blockheads: Reasons to be Cheerful'' retrospective, Ian Dury said:
:"The Kilburns made two albums, but they were both the same. The second one was to try and stop the first one coming out! In fact, it didn't prevent them, because
Warner Bros. Records
Warner Records Inc. (formerly Warner Bros. Records Inc.) is an American record label. A subsidiary of the Warner Music Group, it is headquartered in Los Angeles, California. It was founded on March 19, 1958, as the recorded music division of the ...
waited until I had some success, and then they put out that album called ''Wotta Bunch''."
''Wotabunch!'' was recorded in January 1974 at
the Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the most influential band of all time and were integral to the developmen ...
'
Apple Studios
Apple Studios is an American film and television production company and a distributor that is a subsidiary of Apple Inc. It specializes in developing and producing television series and films for Apple's digital video streaming service Apple TV ...
in
London
London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...
shortly after two line-up changes in the band. Two long-term members, bassist Humphrey Ocean and drummer David Newton-Rohoman, were no longer in the band at the time. In fact, new bassist Charlie Sinclair had only just joined the group when the sessions began. Newton-Rohoman had been sacked virtually on the eve of the recording sessions, being replaced by session musician Louis Larose. Charlie Sinclair and Louie Larose had left the Pub Rock band Phoenix (led by Roy St. John), in which David Newton-Rohomon replaced Larose on drums.
Though the session went fairly well, with recording interspersed with trips to local pubs, there was a problem with capturing the band's live sound. This was a problem that the Kilburns had suffered before when making demos the previous year and would suffer again when making ''
Handsome''. Some blame is given to Larose's conventional drumming style (and later, on the ''Handsome'' sessions, to producer Hugh Murphy). Despite the trouble, ''Wotabunch!'' is much closer to their live sound than the softer, polished ''Handsome'' versions. Dury was not pleased with the release due to a remix featuring the addition of strings. The final remix for the recordings was done more or less behind Dury's back, while on he was on a week-long holiday. However, this was soon to be irrelevant, as shortly after the sessions were over Raft (the record label that had signed the band) folded. The bands on the Raft label were told that they would go to WEA, who owned Raft, but after a visit from WEA's top man, Joe Smith at a concert, Kilburn & The Highroads were dropped.
In 1977, following the success of Ian Dury's solo album ''
New Boots and Panties!!
''New Boots and Panties!!'' is the debut studio album by Ian Dury, released in the UK on Stiff Records on 30 September 1977. The record covers a diverse range of musical styles which reflect Dury's influences and background in pub rock, taking i ...
'', and the good response to "
Sex and Drugs and Rock and Roll", Warner Bros. Records issued the Raft recordings as'' Wotabunch!'' WEA listed the band as 'Kilburn & The Highroads featuring Ian Dury' in order to capitalize on Dury's success. The cover art, featuring cardboard cut-outs of the band posed with a group of stuffed animals, features a different line-up of the band than the one that recorded the album.
As of 2010, the album has not been re-issued on CD.
Track listing
All tracks written by Ian Dury and Russell Hardy unless otherwise noted.
# "The Call Up" - 2:24
# "Crippled with Nerves" - 3:02
# "Patience (So What?)" - 2:04
# "You're More Than Fair" - 3:03
# "
Upminster
Upminster is a suburban town in East London, England, within the London Borough of Havering. Located east-northeast of Charing Cross, it is one of the district centres identified for development in the London Plan.
Historically a rural vill ...
Kid" - 3:26
# "Billy Bentley" (Dury, Charlie Hart) - 3:34
# "Huffety Puff" - 2:13
# "Rough Kids" - 3:15
# "The Roadette Song" - 3:05
# "The Badger and the Rabbit" - 2:39
# "The Mumble Rumble and the Cocktail Rock" - 3:41
# "Pam's Moods" - 2:57
Personnel
* Ian Dury - lead vocals
* Russell Hardy - piano
*
Keith Lucas - guitar
* Charlie Sinclair - bass
*
Davey Payne
David Stanley Payne (born 11 August 1944) is an English saxophonist best known as a member of Ian Dury's backing band The Blockheads, and for his twin saxophone solo on their 1978 UK No. 1 single " Hit Me with Your Rhythm Stick".
He also appeare ...
- saxophones
* Louis Larose - drums
Sources
*''Sex and Drugs and Rock and Roll: The Life of Ian Dury'' by Richard Balls, first published 2000, Omnibus Press
*''Ian Dury & the Blockheads: Song by Song'' by Jim Drury, first published 2003, Sanctuary Publishing
*''Reasons to Be Cheerful'', 2-disc compilation first released 1996, Repertoire Records
References
{{Authority control
1977 albums
Kilburn and the High Roads albums
Warner Records albums