Coventry Music Articles by Pete Clemons: Indian Summer

Monday, January 9, 2017

Indian Summer - New Album

SUMMER OF LOVE

ALAN POOLE

INDIAN Summer, the Coventry band who made their mark in the late 60s/early 70s, are poised to live up to their name over four decades after they went their separate ways.

Record Collector magazine has compiled a deluxe vinyl album containing previously unreleased material from the keyboarddriven prog-rock outfit, with over 30 of the 500-run limited edition already pre-ordered.

The band broke up in 1972 shortly after their self-titled debut was issued on RCA's progressive offshoot Neon - Bob Jackson (organ / vocals) and Paul Hooper (drums) going on to play together in The Dodgers and, for almost 20 years, The Fortunes.

The Record Collector release is a double album in a tri-fold sleeve which comes complete with memorabilia including replica flyers, posters, letters and tickets.

"This release of live and demo tracks are from a time when the world seemed be turning from black and white into colour," said Bob.

It's nice Indian now many fine Bob "Progressive rock was a movement, trying to push the boundaries of musical form and ideas - sometimes good, sometimes bad, but always interesting."

Paul added: "It's a shame we weren't as successful as we obviously could have been back when the original LP was released as listening to these tracks I'm reminded that we had the chops and talent as a band to hold our own in the field of prog rock.

"It's nice to know that Indian Summer are now considered by many aficionados as a fine example of the genre and the original LP is now sort after as a collector's item."

The band, who supported the likes of Leon Russell and Johnny Winter, went through a number of personnel changes in their brief career. Bass player Malcolm Harker, who left soon after the album's release to concentrate on his family's engineering business and now lives in America, joked: "The difficult second album is about to be released - 45 years later. It's also 45 years since Indian Summer were all together - I hope we can have some sort of reunion."

Guitarist Colin Williams is up for that, saying: "I think I can say on behalf of all of us, that we have enjoyed getting in contact again after all these years, and must thank our lucky stars that we are still fit and able to enjoy the moment.

"Who knows, we are certainly hoping that we can have a reunion of some sort, even if it's just a long chat and sharing of memories, and what might have been, over a few beers."

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MOONBEARS launch their new album Let's Be Nice With at Draper's Bar in Earl Street tomorrow night.

The Coventry band have extended their sound with saxophonist Sarah joining Neil (guitar / keyboards), Jon (bass) and Mick (drums) and the album was recorded at the Moonbase studio in Earlsdon.

Tomorrow's event at Draper's (formerly Browns) kicks off at 8pm and entry is PS2 on the door.

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KT TUNSTALL, whose new single It Took Me So Long To Get Here, But Here I Am is scheduled for release on January 6, will be supporting Simple Minds on their New Year European dates before embarking on her headline tour back home.

She has announced eight dates including Warwick Arts Centre on Saturday, May 27, and tickets go on sale at 10am today from gigst.rs/KTUN

with replica and his family's business America, reunion."It's nice to know that Indian Summer are now considered by many aficionados as a fine example of the genre Bob Jackson