Rocket 88 1979 - Warwick Uni Party

 

Rocket 88 1979 - Warwick Uni Party

By Pete Clemons

'
A flashback to a gathering of the great and good at the out of town Warwick University'.

Rocket 88 were a group of top notch musicians who would jam together occasionally. They took their name either from a hit single by Ike Turner and the Kings of Rhythm way back in 1951 or the 1948 instrumental 'Rocket 88 Boogie by Pete Johnson. Regardless, Rocket 88 laid down an unforgettable evening of jump blues.

The names of the musicians were, mostly well known. Although Charlie Watts, originally scheduled to play, failed to appear. To keep the promise of a top name, he was replaced by Jack Bruce, who had previously played bass with Eric Clapton.

Ian 'Stu' Stewart was also in attendance. Ian was a Rolling Stone and was once with the Faces when they supported Rod Stewart, and also played with Jeff Beck. And it was Ian who I understand had a hand in forming the band.

Other attendees who completed the line up for the Warwick gig were:

Alexis Korner, the father of British Blues, once of Blues Unlimited. He discovered the Rolling Stones, nurturing them along, bringing them out of the ABC Ealing Broadway to international fame. He also did a blues show on Radio 1 on Sundays, 9pm to 10pm.

The incredibly modest Bob "Boogie Woogie" Hall who played with millions and millions. Apparently he taught Linda McCartney to play piano. Bob was described as the best boogie-Woogie/blues piano in Europe - and possibly in the entire Universe - has played on about 50 albums. Has played with such legendary bluesmen as John Lee Hooker, Howling Wolf, Little Walter, the fab harpist etc. etc.

Dick Morrisey who had played Warwick earlier that term, along with Jim Mullen, at the Arts Centre. An accomplished Jazz player, Dick Morrissey played saxophone as he did with Jazz-Rock outfit If.

Colin Smith lead this ersatz band, taking centre stage on vocals and trumpet. Drummer for the evening was Peter York was once in the Spencer Davies Group.

On lead guitar was ex-Roogalator Danny Adler, one of Britians foremost pub rockers.

John Pickard featured on trombone. George Green on piano and Dave Markee on bass guitar and stand up bass also appeared.

This gig is worth seeing as some of the best musicians (in terms of proficiency) playing danceable Blues music. Yeah! (And some famous people might turn up on the night - Just possibly!)

Support band, The Beat, arrived and set up their gear only to find that the PA, belonging to headlining band Rocket 88, had no on-stage monitors. This fact, combined with their not very powerful amplifiers meant that the band would not be able to hear themselves properly and so they decided to withdraw, rather than play badly.

However there was a lot of speculation around the decision of The Beat to pull out. And it rumbled on for several years. It was said that 'There's a long story in that event, something for another time' although that 'other time' has, as far as I understand, never materialised.

Either way the event sold out with a total of 1800 people attended the party. Not bad for what was supposed to be a small low key event.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rocket_88_%28album%29