Classic Rock: 4 Jun 2008

Discuss and debate opinions on classic rock music

Wednesday 4 June 2008

The First Band I Saw Live, Surrey Tavern, Kennington Oval, Sometime in 1969


Juicy Lucy were saucy blues-rockers, who formed in 1969 from the ashes of the cult band The Misunderstood, uniting vocalist Ray Owen, steel guitarist Glenn Ross Campbell and keyboardist Chris Mercer. Later, they added guitarist Neil Hubbard, bassist Keith Ellis, plus their drummer Pete Dobson.
The Band immediately notched a UK Top 20 hit with their cover version of the Bo Diddley perennial "Who Do You Love?".
Their self-titled debut album then fell just failed to reach the Top 40 in the UK Albums Chart.
Line-up changes were quickly afoot as ex-Zoot Money singer Paul Williams, guitarist Micky Moody and drummer Rod Coombes replaced Owen (who left for a solo career), Hubbard and Dobson for 1970's Lie Back and Enjoy It (#53 - UK Albums Chart). Bassist Jim Leverton replaced Ellis for the follow-up, 1971's 'Get a Whiff Of This'.
The constant personnel changes clearly took their toll on the band both creatively and commercially, with co-founders Campbell and Mercer both leaving prior to the fourth Juicy Lucy album, 1972's 'Pieces'. This was recorded by a makeshift line-up of Williams, Moody, keyboardist Jean Roussel and the former Blodwyn Pig rhythm section of bassist Andy Pyle and drummer Ron Berg. Juicy Lucy disbanded shortly after.
Micky Moody (born 30 August 1950, in Middlesbrough), later joined the inaugural Whitesnake line-up in 1978. Prior to that he was a member of another rock outfit, Snafu, between 1973 and 1976. Moody also released the bluesy solo album 'I Eat Them For Breakfast' in 2001. Plus, Juicy Lucy's version of the song "Who Do You Love?" was featured in 'Shellshock: Nam '67'.
Founder member Ray Owen revived the name in 1995 for the albums 'Blue Thunder' and 'Here She Comes Again' on which the lineup was completed by Mike Jarvis (guitar), Andy Doughty (bass), and Spencer Blackledge (drums). A couple of years later this version of the band broke-up but Owen wanted to continue, especially when he formed a musical partnership with a guitarist known as Mr. Fish. Legal problems kept the new band from using the Juicy Lucy name however, so they gigged as Ray Owen's Moon (Moon being the title of Ray Owen's 1971 solo album).
By 2004 Fudge and Fletch had joined on bass and drums respectively and the legal issue was settled. The new Juicy Lucy spent 2006 working on a new album (subsequently titled 'Do That And You'll Lose It'), and touring the UK with fellow rock veterans Nazareth.
They played the Cambridge Rock Festival (2007) and are building a solid live reputaion. Their origins are not forgotten however, and the present Juicy Lucy still plays "Mississippi Woman", "Who Do You Love?" and more from their first album.
Who were the first band you saw live?