Amen Corner (band)

Amen Corner were a Welsh rock group, formed in late 1966 in Cardiff, Wales.[1]

Amen Corner
OriginCardiff, Wales
GenresPsychedelic rock, pop rock
Years active1966–1969
LabelsDeram, Immediate
Associated actsFair Weather
Past membersAndy Fairweather Low
Neil Jones
Allan Jones
Blue Weaver
Mike Smith
Clive Taylor
Dennis Bryon

Career

The band was named after The Amen Corner, a weekly disc spin at the Victoria Ballroom (later to become The Scene Club) in Cardiff, Wales, where every Sunday night Dr. Rock would play soul music from the United States.

Initially they specialised in a blues and jazz-oriented style, but were steered by their record labels towards a more commercial sound. Their first singles and album appeared on Decca's subsidiary label, Deram – see "Discography" below – but they left at the end of 1968 to join Immediate,[2] where they were instantly rewarded with a No. 1, "(If Paradise Is) Half as Nice" in early 1969, followed by another Top 5 entry with the Roy Wood composition, "Hello Susie".[1]

After recording a final studio album, Farewell to the Real Magnificent Seven, with a cover version of the Beatles' "Get Back" released as their swansong, they disbanded at the end of 1969.[3] The band also appeared as themselves in the 1969 horror film, Scream and Scream Again, singing the film's eponymous theme song.

Whilst saxophone player Allan Jones went on to form Judas Jump, guitarist and vocalist Andy Fairweather Low led Dennis Bryon (drums), Blue Weaver (organ), Clive Taylor (bass) and Neil Jones (guitar) into a new band, Fair Weather. The band scored a UK No. 6 hit with "Natural Sinner" in 1970 and recorded one album before disbanding after Weaver left to join The Strawbs a year later.[1]

Fairweather Low went on to a successful solo career in the 1970s, notably with the Top 10 hit "Wide Eyed and Legless" (1975); he became a regular player with Eric Clapton, George Harrison and Roger Waters. Weaver joined The Strawbs as Rick Wakeman's replacement and later after a successful 1974 tour with Mott the Hoople, went on to join the Bee Gees, where Dennis Bryon was now the drummer. Weaver also played keyboards for many artists as a session player and later Fairlight programmer.

Amen Corner's Decca back catalogue has been re-issued as part of the "Collection" series; and their Immediate work, including their singles, live album and material recorded for an unreleased studio album, has been released on If Paradise Was Half as Nice: The Immediate Anthology.

Band members
  • Andy Fairweather Low (born Andrew Fairweather Low, 2 August 1948, Ystrad Mynach, Hengoed, South Wales) – vocals
  • Neil Jones (born 25 March 1949, Llanbradach, South Wales; died 8 June 2018)[4] – guitar
  • Allan Jones (born 6 February 1947, Swansea, Glamorgan, South Wales) – saxophone
  • Blue Weaver (born Derek John Weaver, 11 March 1947, Cardiff, Glamorgan, South Wales) – keyboards
  • Mike Smith (born Michael Joseph Smith, 4 November 1947, Neath, South Wales) – tenor saxophone
  • Clive Taylor (born 27 April 1948, Cardiff) – bass, backing vocals
  • Dennis Bryon (born Dennis Ronald Bryon, 14 April 1949, Cardiff) – drums, backing vocals[1]

Discography

Singles

Albums

Round Amen Corner, 1968 (SML1021)
Track listing
Side One
  1. "Bend Me, Shape Me" - (Larry Weiss, Scott English)
  2. "Judge Rumpel Crassila" - (Andy Fairweather Low, Mike Smith, Neil Jones, Blue Weaver, Clive Taylor, Dennis Bryon)
  3. "Love Me Tender" – (Elvis Presley, Vera Matson)
  4. "Our Love Is (In The Pocket)" – (George Clinton, Joanne Jackson, Rose Marie McCoy)
  5. "Something You've Got" – (Mickey Keen, Robin Shaw)
  6. "I Am An Angel (But I Can't Fly)" – (Andy Fairweather Low, Mike Smith, Neil Jones, Blue Weaver, Clive Taylor, Dennis Bryon)
Side Two
  1. "Expressway (To Your Heart)" – (Gamble and Huff)
  2. "Good Times" – (Vanda & Young)
  3. "Let The Good Times Roll / Feel So Good" – (Leonard Lee)
  4. "Can't Get Used To Losing You" – (Doc Pomus, Mort Shuman)
  5. "Lost And Found" – (Mickey Keen, Robin Shaw)
  6. "Gin House Blues" – (Fletcher Henderson, Henry Troy)
  7. "Don't Want To Discuss It and Amen" – (Beth Beatty, Dick Cooper, Ernie Shelby)

Other albums
  • IMSP023 The National Welsh Coast Live Explosion Company (1969) – UK No. 19
  • IMSP028 Farewell to the Real Magnificent Seven (1969)
  • IML1004 The Return of the Magnificent Seven (1976)
  • IML2004 Greatest Hits (1977)
  • MS023 Amen Corner (If Paradise Is Half As Nice and More Hits) (2007) – includes live recordings
gollark: Well, yes.
gollark: At some point you may just run into fundamental value differences.
gollark: Yes, you can't get an "ought" from an "is" as some philosopher said.
gollark: > naw just regular ones, old cryogenics experiment from the forties* Nazis from the secret nazi moonbase
gollark: I'm beginning to wonder if I have too many open tabs/windows.

See also

References
  1. Colin Larkin, ed. (1997). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Popular Music (Concise ed.). Virgin Books. p. 37. ISBN 1-85227-745-9.
  2. Rice, Jo (1982). The Guinness Book of 500 Number One Hits (1st ed.). Enfield, Middlesex: Guinness Superlatives Ltd. p. 124. ISBN 0-85112-250-7.
  3. "Biography by William Ruhlmann". AllMusic. Retrieved 15 October 2009.
  4. "Tributes paid to Amen Corner guitarist". Bbc.co.uk. 12 June 2018. Retrieved 28 September 2018.
  5. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 21. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
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