That 1975 landmark Stockholm show in all its full-length glory! Chrysalis Records and Robin Trower celebrate the 50th anniversary of a great live album by revealing the same concert in its full magnificence.
I WASN’T AWARE THAT IT WAS BEING RECORDED!
By February 1975, Robin Trower and his band – Robin on guitar, James Dewar on bass and vocals and Bill Lordan on drums – were sat right at the top their game. The seminal 1974 Bridge of Sighs album had triggered the band’s breakthrough into the big time on both sides of the Atlantic and the 1975 follow-up, For Earth Below, was set to repeat that success. What’s more, the band were poised to set off on a sellout European tour.
That tour kicked off with a show on 3rd February at the Stockholm Concert Hall and every one of the hall’s 1,770 seats was occupied by an enthusiastic Trowerite. “It was a lovely, proper, concert hall,” recalls Trower today. “The sound was very good, very musical-sounding. There was a lot of wood. The audience was great. It was just a very good night.” And, happily, everything was in place for the show to be captured on tape – although none of Robin’s band were aware of that at the time!
“I wasn’t aware that it was being recorded,” confirms Robin. “I knew that it was going out live on Swedish radio, but, then, a few weeks or months afterwards, the radio station sent a cassette of the recording for us to have a listen to. And, from that, it was decided that it was good enough – being as it was recorded on eight track – to think about doing a remix and putting it out as a live album.”
ASSUME THE ‘BRACE’ POSITION…
Which is precisely what Robin and his record company did. Robin Trower Live! was released in March 1976 to pretty much universal approval, achieving high placings in the album charts in both the UK and the US and registering as one of the all-time great live recordings by hoards of Trower followers – including myself. But, at the time, we weren’t to know how heavily the Stockholm recordings had been edited. Nor were we aware of how much excellent material had been left on the cutting room floor in order to produce a recording that could be accommodated on two 12” sides of vinyl.
Well, thanks to Robin Trower, Chrysalis Records, Project Manager James Batsford, Engineer Richard Whittaker and a host of others, we now know the full picture. And it’s a masterpiece. Robin Trower Live! – The 50th Anniversary Edition presents that legendary Stockholm concert in all it’s full-length glory. And Trower fans should assume the ‘brace’ position right now – because this album will blow their socks into the middle of next month!
A WORD ABOUT THE COVER PIC...
The new edition of the album features the concert in its entirety, as it was played on the night. The twelve tracks (rather than the seven that were squeezed onto the original version of the album) are sequenced in the order that they were performed and the recording also now includes Robin’s stage announcements and the full force of the audience’s reaction to what they were seeing and hearing. Give it a listen – you’ll definitely agree that it feels like being there. It’s also worth noting that, for the original Live! Album, James Dewar took the precaution of re-recording all his vocals before the album was released. For this new release, James’s vocals from the concert have been restored and the power and the soulfulness of his voice comes across by the bucketload.
The Anniversary Edition of the album is packaged in a gatefold sleeve, with the original artwork on the front and back – and there lies a story… The front cover photograph suggests that the show took place in a huge outdoor stadium (the Giants’ baseball stadium in San Francisco) rather than in the (comparatively) small confines of the Stockholm Concert Hall. The artwork has become something of an icon in Trower circles, so I guess it’s appropriate that it’s been retained for this anniversary reissue; and Robin assures his fans that there was never any intention to mislead…
THE SOUND IS SUPERB…
There’s a short gasp of delight from the Swedish audience before Robin and the band burst into the show’s – and the album’s opening number. Day of the Eagle was the track that opened the Bridge of Sighs album and it was the band’s show-opener of choice at the time. It’s one of the five new tracks to be included in this reissue and it’s wonderful to hear it, back in its rightful place. The sound is superb and it’s obvious that the band are straining at the leash. Bill Lordan is all over his kit, James is in top vocal form from the off and Robin’s guitar is electrifying.
Robin tickles the strings on his fretboard – and off we go into Bridge of Sighs, my personal favourite of all Robin’s material. The version here is majestic and it’s hard to understand why it should have been left off the original album. Robin’s playing is heartfelt, yet under his full control, his signature Hendrix/Stratocaster sound resonates and his solos are both melodic and highly dexterous.
Robin is effusive in his thanks to the audience before he introduces Gonna Be More Suspicious – the evening’s first song from the (then) new For Earth Below album. It’s a barnstorming version, too – an assault on all fronts with Robin and Bill both going full pelt, as James delivers a clear, mellow vocal.
SIDE TWO: DAYDREAMING
Side two of this double-vinyl set is kicked off by Fine Day, another track from For Earth Below, and another of the salvaged tracks. The band have cranked the intensity back a tad, with Robin playing his own special brand of rhythm guitar whilst James steps into the spotlight for another superb vocal – which Robin recognizes with a vote of thanks at the end of the song.
Robin’s announcement of Lady Love earns a cheer of recognition from the audience and it’s clear that the band are fully bedded in as they settle into the song. James comes over like a manic balladeer and the tone of his bass is thunderous; Bill’s off around the kit again and Robin does what Robin does best. And the audience loved it.
The magnificent Daydream was always a central feature of early-period Robin Trower concerts and, arguably, it was the centrepiece, too, of the original Live! Album. “We’re gonna slow it down a little here,” says Robin, in his introduction. And so they do. I’ve always admired how Robin, James and Bill would mesh together – as if they were telepathic – on this song, to make full use of each minute available to them. It’s an enduring live epic that showcases the Robin Trower band at its very best and, once again, the audience loved it.
Robin’s expression of thanks to the audience is truly sincere and he gives a brief introduction to James and Bill before introducing Too Rolling Stoned, another Trower classic which, as regular listeners will be aware, always allowed the band to stretch out and exercise their respective imaginations.
SIDE THREE: JET-POWERED
The elation of the audience from Too Rolling Stoned spills over onto Side 3 of the album, before Robin introduces I Can’t Wait Much Longer, the second of three songs in the set from the trio’s debut Twice Removed From Yesterday album. It’s a song that I’ve always considered to be one of Robin’s more overtly Hendrix-influenced numbers, with strains of Hey Joe detectable and, particularly for this version, a jet-powered guitar solo. And the audience duly respond with a barrage of delighted rhythmic hand clapping!
In February 1975, Alethea was a new song to Trower repertoire and it’s a song that we came to love. Succinct and melodic on the For Earth Below album, it’s expanded here by a breathtaking drum solo from Bill. And, for their finale, Robin and the band selected Little Bit of Sympathy, the closing track on For Earth Below. The all-systems-go rocker was a great choice and listeners will find it easy to imagine that they’re there, in the Stockholm audience, stomping along with the crowd. “Thank you very much – goodnight!” exclaims Robin, and they’re gone…
SIDE FOUR: THE ENCORES
…Except, of course, they weren’t gone. There was the small matter of the encores to negotiate and Side 4 of this edition is given over to that very gesture. Bill’s drumbeat sets the pace for the funky riff that drives Confessin’ Midnight, another track from For Earth Below. Although it’s getting late, the band are still at full power as James’s voice roars and Robin’s wha-wha guitar mews and scowls.
Then, to finally end the show, the band cut straight into Rock Me Baby. James always managed to dredge up an extra serving of soul whenever he sang this number and it’s always been clear that the band loved to play it as much as the audience loved to rock along. Robin always saved a few final tricks, too and they’re all on display here: from tingling restraint, via bluesy tunefulness to superspeed soloing.
And, the good news is that Robin Trower is still delivering the goods – 51 years on from the landmark concert that is finally available here in its uncut pomp. He’ll be strutting his stuff in Edinburgh, Manchester, Cambridge and London this coming September and tickets for those shows can be purchased here. I’ll be going along – why don’t you come too?
It’s so pleasing that Chrysalis have chosen to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Robin Trower’s Live! Album in this way. Robin Trower Live! – 50th Anniversary Edition is an exhilarating reminder of what one of the world’s greatest power trios were capable of. This is a live album that shouldn’t be missed.
Watch Robin Trower perform Bridge of Sighs – a 1974 Old Grey Whistle Test appearance – below:
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