Soiled Dove Underground, Denver
9/21/07

Savoy Brown, back in the 60s and 70s, was one of those purveyors of lick-based blues rock. You know, those down and dirty riffs like Led Zeppelin's Whole Lotta Love or Cream‚s Sunshine of Your Love. Savoy Brown‚s licks were particularly infectious and particularly down and dirty. They were the kind of licks you had to sneak into your house so your mom wouldn't see them and then hide them under your bed so she wouldn't find them when you were at school. But when you uncorked some of those licks in the privacy of your own bedroom, it was more than just an aural delight; it was the sampling of forbidden fruit, intimate carnal knowledge of the blues, in one its tastiest and most raucous forms. When I moved out of the house and lived with the Mollusk in the mid to late 70s, Louisiana Blues, featuring the mother of all D&D licks, became a bona fide theme song.

Even though Savoy Brown was from Brittan, they spent much their time in the US, yet I never saw them live. When I recently noticed that the band was scheduled to play in Denver, I thought it might be time to check them out. The Mollusk, given the band's critical role in his adolescent and post-adolescent development, was quickly on board, as was that reliable fan of classic rock, the Swede. I checked out the band on the web to see what we might be in for. Savoy Brown has been notorious for personnel turnover with one bit of folklore putting the number of people who have played in that band at 160. Not all at the same time. Back in their late 60s and early 70s heyday, the band usually had 5 to 6 members at a time. Vocalists came and went with regularity. Now they're stripped down to a trio with Kim Simmonds, the long time lead guitarist, but who never sang, as the only original member, having been with the band continuously (except for a couple short lived firings by the band's manager and Kim's brother, Harry) since the beginning in about 1965.

A 42 year old band, the band size atrophied by 40 to 50%, one member of the original band who must be beyond ancient by now and vocals a major question mark; what the heck could we expect? The Swede was wildly optimistic, It‚s going to be great! I have a feeling! That's one of my favorite forms of analysis. The Mollusk, usually talkative, clammed up on this one. I was worried, but then again, I can naturally be a pessimist on such things.

Two hours after Simmonds first fired off one of those aforementioned D&D licks from I'm Tired which was on one of those aforementioned nearly forbidden albums, a sold out crowd of mostly aged rockers struggled up the stairs on creaky knees and out of the night club with smiles on their faces and a glow in their souls from Kim and his comrades. It was two hours of soul purifying classic rock licks and timeless blues.

It turns out Simmonds is now the band's lead singer. He has a low husky voice that's not a knock out, but it's serviceable. It works fine to deliver those favored lyrics some of the audience memorized over half a lifetime ago. And it was adequate to deliver the wry comments from some of his newer work like You Don't Do a Thing for Me and I Don't Remember You, Baby, obviously testaments from many years on the road. Between the classic tracks and a couple not too bad newer tunes, Simmonds also tossed in two slow, wrenching blues tunes. These, of course, are the real test of a blues rock guitarist and he passed. In fact he graduated, with honors. He extracted a dozen different sounds from his Les Paul in the course of each of these 10 minute or so excursions to blues nirvana. Most of his licks were classic biting and piercing blasts, but he could also dial the intensity back a couple notches and even threw in a few George Benson chords now and then.

When he put down the Les Paul, he used an unidentifiable guitar that he later explained he bought at WalMart for $129 on sale, marked down from $159. He said he thought he got a good deal on it until someone told him he could have picked up the same guitar at Sam's Club for only $89. Huh? That's a joke right, Kim? Anyway, he also had a white Flying V, but it rested in its stand all night long, a mere prop. His Marshall amplifier was like a senior citizens‚ pancake breakfast; a short stack.

If anybody missed the other two or three band members Savoy Brown used to carry, they weren't complaining. The current configuration conjures memories of the classic blues rock power trios of the past, Cream, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Hendrix, Led Zeppelin (basically). Drummer Mario Staiano mostly kept time, but added fills and flourishes on occasion. Bassist Gerry Sorrentino tied down the bottom end like a champion calf roper. His five string bass constantly added the counterpoint, brooding intensity or boogie woogie foundation as called for throughout the evening.

Simmonds has been at the Savoy Brown business for a long time. I figured he must be well into his 60s by now, probably pushing 70, but Friday night he looked pretty good. Advances in pancake makeup? It turns out that he was born in December 1947, according to the website, making him a spritely 59. He just got an early start.

Having been a showman for so long, Simmonds knows how to put on a show. He followed the opening I'm Tired with another riff-driven classic Street Corner Talking. From there, we heard a couple newer tunes and some slow blues. Tell Mama, the closest thing the band ever had to a hit around these parts, appeared about mid set. Poor Girl was another riffalicious classic, then more slow blues followed by the main set closer, the demonic Hellbound Train. That one starts slow and builds to a frenzy as the train nears its destination.

For the first encore they performed an abbreviated version of the Savoy Brown Boogie. That one first appeared on their fourth album, A Step Further from 1969 and filled side 2. The tune pays homage to some of the band's early influences like Jerry Lee Lewis and others from that era. When the band wrapped up the encore, we thought the show was over and headed for the exit. We were nearly out the door, but I noticed the house lights were still down. We decided to wait by the door for a couple minutes. Sure enough the band came back on and immediately launched the Louisiana Blues lick. The Mollusk, the Swede and I had spent the show standing in the back of the club, but for this one, the Mollusk got so excited he made his way down to the floor right in front of the band which had turned into a sort of geriatric mosh pit for this one last anthem.

Set List
I'm Tired
Street Corner Talking
I'm Going to Keep on Rollin'
You Don't Do a Thing For Me
I Don't Remember You Baby
Tell Mama
Poor Girl
I'll Keep on Playing the Blues
Hellbound Train
First Encore
Savoy Brown Boogie (including Whole Lotta Shakin‚ Goin‚ On)
Second Encore
Louisiana Blues

The Band
Kim Simmonds, guitar, vocals
Gerry Sorrentino, bass
Mario Staiano, drums, backing vocals

Blues Art Journal July/August 2007
THE BRITISH BLUES ALL-STARS
At Notodden Blues Festival
SPV 49692 CD

www.spv.de

Lovers of the British blues sound, here is your ‘album of the year’!
Recorded at the highly regarded Norwegian festival, this is a rip-roaring set from the first note to the last, with a plainly wildly enthusiastic audience adding greatly to the atmosphere as veterans of the UK blues scene strut their stuff – and how! The main protagonists are singer / guitarists Kim Simmonds, Tom McGuinness, and Peter Green (the latter also takes a couple of blues harp solos), singer Long John Baldry – his last recordings before he died on July 21st 2005, eleven months after this festival – and pianist Bob Hall, the prime mover in getting this outfit together. All these take vocals, and others in the backing band are bassist Gary Fletcher, drummer Colin Allen, and Bob Hall’s saxophonist (and the youngest member here – though he more than holds his own with some excellent playing) Steve Beighton.

Look at the collective experience of these guys and it includes just about every name of note on the UK scene over the last half century: Alexis Korner, Cyril Davies, the Rolling Stones, John Mayall, Fleetwoood Mac, Chicken Shack, Savoy Brown, the Groundhogs, Manfred Mann, the Blues Band – and a few others! The music runs the gamut from jazzy blues items in the vein of Jimmy Witherspoon to full-blooded UK blues-rock.
Do I need to say that this is recommended?

- Norman Darwen



Savoy Brown: The Roadhouse
Wichita, KS
June 14, 2007

By Jeb Wright

Savoy Brown is making the rounds across the country playing every blues joint that has a stage in support of their new album Steel. The band has been paired down to a three-piece and is led by the heart and soul of the band, Kim Simmonds. Joining the guitarist on bass is Gerry Sorrentino and on drums Mario Staino. The rhythmic duo lay down a solid foundation for Simmonds to solo over.

The music continues to be the same blues rock that the band has been famous for since the late 1960's. Simmonds is the leader of the band both inspirationally and musically. He takes over all lead vocals and sounds great on both the older and newer tunes. His guitar playing borders on amazing. He has not lost a step over the years. He can crank it up with the wah-wah, blast out the pentatonic blues scale, slide up and down the neck playing octave leads and play a mean slide guitar.

The classic such as "You've Got the Blues Not Me," "Tell Mama" and "Train to Nowhere" sound awesome with just guitar/bass/drums. The last song of the evening, "Hellbound Train" is the best thing the band ever did. Live Simmonds lets his hair down and takes the song to new heights. The musicianship on this track left the entire crowd on their feet and shouting for more.

Savoy Brown's new album, Steel, continues the blues rock legacy and Kim and Company played several tracks from the new release. The audience loved the new material and actually cheered as loud for the new tunes as they did for the classics. For good reason as they are just as strong as anything the past catalog has to offer. "Long as I've Got You," "I Don't Remember You," and You Don't Do a Thing For Me" features Simmonds baritone vocals and his screaming guitar.

Check out a band who is still out on the road cranking out blues rock to the masses. Kim Simmonds and Savoy Brown put on a spirited concert full of stories from the road and tons of overdriven guitar solos. The band played two sets for a total of over two and a half hours of footstompin' music. No one left without a smile on their face -- including Simmonds who made sure to sign autographs and take pictures with the fans after the show.

WANDERLIST.COM
is a place where visitors can vote on lists of all kinds. With more than 13,000 votes recorded, here are the
top 10 air guitar songs of all time:

1. "Child Of Time" Deep Purple
2. "Smoke On The Water" Deep Purple
3. "Layla" Derek And The Dominoes
4. "Voodoo Chile" Jimi Hendrix/Stevie Vaughn
5. "Whole Lotts Love" Led Zeppelin
6. "Pinball Wizard" The Who
7. "Walkin' And Talkin'" Savoy Brown
8. "White Room" Cream
9. "We Will Rock You" Queen
10."Sultans's Of Swing" Dire Straits

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