Hollywood Dream has remained an Anglophile fave sadly, it was to be Thunderclap Newmans only album. Andy Newman formed a new version of Thunderclap Newman in 2010 and plays Hollywood Dream from start to finish in his set. Thunderclap Newman 16 Audio CD 4 offers from 13.23 Thunderclap Newman 5 Vinyl 7 offers from 7.55 The Beatles 16,794 Audio CD 3 offers from 16.98 Track Listings Editorial Reviews 2000 reissue of classic album (originally issued in 1970) produced by Pete Townshend. As the now-classic single 'Something in the Air' had long preceded it, the album delivered the goods in a similar fashion, fueled by Keenes reedy vocals and Newmans charming honky tonk piano. in 1977 (their only studio album) and Motörhead’s debut album before leaving the music industry. “Speedy” Keen had one more hit single, “Y’know Wot I Mean?” and went on to work as a producer with Johnny Thunders and the Heartbreakers on L.A.M.F. McCulloch died of heart failure caused by a heroin overdose in 1979, apparently seated upright in a chair (“America’s Funnyman,” Neil Hamburger told me this, btw. He left Wings in 1977 (good timing!) to play with a reformed version of the Small Faces. In concert with Wings, McCulloch would switch to bass when Macca sat down at the piano or played an acoustic guitar. His debut with Wings was “Junior’s Farm,” a great showcase for his talents. Jimmy McCulloch went on to play guitar with Paul McCartney and Wings. It’s a stone classic, there’s not a single weak song on it, but since the band never really had anything in common with one another, after a year of touring Europe supporting Deep Purple and Leon Russell, they just broke up. The group recorded an album, Hollywood Dream, again with Townshend in the producer’s chair. The original title was “Revolution” but that had to be changed due to the Beatles’s song of that same name. “Something In The Air” was written by Keen for the soundtrack of The Magic Christian film with Peter Sellers and Ringo Starr. Townshend produced the single and played bass guitar under the pseudonym “Bijou Drains.” Newman, Keen and McCullough all met for the first time at the inaugural recording session for “Something in the Air” at Townshend’s home studio. Townshend originally planned to work with each of the musicians separately, but since he was concurrently working on his rock opera Tommy at the time, Lambert suggested that a group be formed instead. Thunderclap Newman were formed in early 1969 when Pete Townshend and Who producer Kit Lambert brought together fifteen-year-old guitarist Jimmy McCulloch and jazz pianist Andy “Thunderclap” Newman to form a three-piece group to play the songs of former Who roadie (and Townshend’s sometime chauffeur) John “Speedy” Keen. Keen died of heart failure in March 2002.Although their passionate, anthemic ode to flower power, “Something in the Air” has been used countless times in films and television commercials, Thunderclap Newman, the group behind this classic song remain unfairly obscure. As a writer, apart from "Something in the Air", "Armenia City in the Sky" and "Club of Lights", he wrote songs for The Swinging Blue Jeans ("Something's Coming Along") and Crokodile Tears ("Your Love"). He also provided music for television advertisements and television programmes such as The Zoo. Keen was later a record producer for The Heartbreakers and Motörhead.Īs a session musician Keen played for others such as Rod Stewart, The Mission, and Kenny G. "I Promise You" from the second album was used in the American TV series, The Big C. Keen wrote " Something in the Air", his best-known song, for Thunderclap Newman and recorded two solo albums for Track and Island both of which have been released on CD by Esoteric (Cherry Red). Who bassist Entwistle joked that people thought it was "I'm an Ear Sitting in the Sky". This was the only song The Who ever performed that was specifically written for the group by a non-member. He wrote " Armenia City in the Sky", which was included on the album The Who Sell Out (1967). Keen's first recorded song was "Club of Lights", recorded in 1966 for Reaction Records by Oscar ( Paul Nicholas).īefore joining Thunderclap Newman, Keen shared a flat with and worked as a driver for Pete Townshend of The Who. He played early on with such bands as The Krewsaders, The Second Thoughts (1964–65, with Patrick Campbell-Lyons and Chris Thomas) and The Eccentrics. Keen was born in Ealing, London, England. He wrote " Something in the Air" (1969) for the band, which reached No. John David Percy " Speedy" Keen (29 March 1945 – 12 March 2002) was a songwriter, vocalist, drummer and keyboard player, best known for his association with the rock band Thunderclap Newman.
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