what Frank is listening to #87 – P.J. PROBY – Enigma – (Liberty)- 1967
How can anyone not like P.J. Proby?
He was old school rock adapted for the 60s and a genuine eccentric. There are many stories about Proby – so many I don't know what is true or not. Certainly, if he were to write a bio it would make Motley Crue seem perfectly pre-schoolish in comparison.
By way of bio – from allmusic: Born and mostly raised in Texas, rock & roller P.J. Proby never really hit it big in his homeland, but his trouser-busting stage antics helped make him a genuine pop star in England at the height of the British Invasion. Proby was born James Marcus Smith in Houston on November 6, 1938, and grew up listening to country and black gospel; later on, he became fascinated by rockabilly, and his stepsister even dated the young Elvis Presley. After graduating from military school in 1957, he moved to Hollywood hoping to make it in the music business. Through his boyhood friend, teen-idol singer Tommy Sands, Smith made some connections that included songwriter Sharon Sheeley (who was dating Eddie Cochran and had written "Poor Little Fool" for Rick Nelson), and he soon began recording singles under the name Jett Powers, with little success. In the meantime, he worked as a demo singer and also did a bit of acting, appearing in several Westerns and an episode of Gunsmoke.Finally, in late 1963, Proby met British producer Jack Good, who happened to be putting together a TV special on the Beatles that was to feature several other up-and-coming artists. Proby's demo tape impressed Beatles manager Brian Epstein enough for him to make the cut, and Good outfitted Proby as an aristocratic fop, complete with ponytail, frilly shirt, tight velvet pants, and buckled shoes. After the special aired worldwide, Proby's first British single, "Hold Me" — a rocked-up rearrangement of a 1939-vintage pop ballad associated with Dick Haymes — rocketed into the U.K. Top Five in early 1964.
He had 4 Top 10s and 2 Top 20s in 1964-65 in Britain.
The funny thing is, of course, that during the British Invasion of the US there was a smaller but successful invasion of the UK by American acts. There were two fronts to this invasion – one being the old rockers from the US whose popularity had been eclipsed in the US but still had a loyal fan base of greasers and rockers in England, Germany and Europe generally and who practically lived in the England for a while. qv: The Everly Brothers, Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Roy Orbison, Bill Haley, Gene Vincent. All of them had hits in England and successful tours. The second front was from the artists who hadn't made it in the USA and found themselves a fashionable novelty in England – The Walker Brothers, Julie Felix, Jimi Hendrix, Shawn Phillips, Jackson C Frank (folk), and P.J. Proby. These actually did live in the England though only Hendrix had any large scale success in his native land.
This album was Proby's attempt to enter the American market. It was his 4th album in 3 years but his first studio album to be recorded in the USA and features collaborations with the legendary Jack "Lonely Surfer" Nitzsche. It also contains Proby's most successful US hit single "Niki Hoeky" which went up to #23 (his only US chart placing). The album failed to chart. Proby returned to England and continued to have minor hits as well as runs playing Elvis and Roy Orbison on the West End stage. He also put out a series of albums and tracks that became more idiosyncratic to say the least (Led Zeppelin even backed him on one LP and he did an album with Dutch prog rockers Focus, and another with Marc Almond of Soft Cell). He still tours today.
This album is certainly ballsy – the musicians are uniformly tight and have the funk. It's well recorded with an ear to the market at the time – there are some rockers, ballads, soul and British Invasion covers. I suppose the predominant style, especially on the first side, is one of blue eyed soul (white rocky soul – see my Len Barry comment #43) with a little more rock rather than soul. The second side leans more towards the power ballad. If Tom Jones had come from the US and had leaned toward rock he probably would have sounded something like this.
Best Tracks
- Niki Hoeky – a excellent single – co-written by Pat and Lolly Vegas (Native American Indians famous later for the underrated "Redbone").
- Reach Out (I'll Be There) – the Four Tops hit by Holland-Dozier-Holland.
- Out of Time – a muscular if slightly MOR version of the Rolling Stones classic. Still fun though.
- Don't Forget About Me – a good up-tempo Goffin & King song.
- I'm Twenty Eight – a weird ballad – part Dylan and part baroque pop – a lament about being aged 28 (which Proby was) and sage advice for prospective rock n rollers. It looks to be written by Graham Goldman later of 10CC.
- Angelica – a great Mann & Weill ballad which is a bit overwrought here and very Gene Pitney. Elvis was actually due to record this in 1969 but gave the song to his hero (the magnificent) Roy Hamilton who was recording next door. Roy cut perhaps the definitive version.
And …
I like Proby and I'm keeping this.
Sound
Niki Hokey
Reach Out
Out of Time
I'm Twenty Eight
attached
Niki Hokey
By Redbone ( the authors of the song but recorded later)
and a great cover by Bobbie "grrrr" Gentry
Bio
Website
(originally posted:13/09/2009)
