Welcome to the first in an occasional series celebrating the work of singers that don’t always get the recognition they deserve. Today:
Jess Roden
One of the great British vocalists, with an immediately distinctive sound,Roden cut his teeth with the Alan Bown Set in the 60’s, achieving a minor hit with the single “Emergency 999″. He eventually left to form the band “Bronco” which recorded two albums, which though well received, particularly “Ace of Sunlight” failed to set the world on fire. Roden surfaced again on the eponymously titled “Butts Band” album, a wonderful collection of songs performed by a great band comprising Roden, Robbie Krieger and John Densmore of The Doors, and session favourite Phil Chen on bass. Check out the wonderful “Baja Bus” and “Sweet Danger”.
Around this time Roden also appeared on Keef Hartleys “Lancashire Hustler” album with Robert Palmer. Island records then stood by Roden for a string of great albums, both solo and with his band. The self-titled “Jess Roden” album features the wonderful “Ferry Cross”. “The Player Not The Game” ia a beautifully made album with the cream of New Orleans session men, including Allan Toussaint. Jess also made a memorable version of “You can leave your hat on ” from the album “Keep Your Hat on”.
Sadly, he was never destined for the big time, and albums like “Play it Dirty” and “Stonechaser” became the rarities at the back of the record shop. A brief return in the 80’s with “Multiplay” by the Rivits and some session work, notably Grace Jones “Nightclubbing” album marked a less productive Roden.
However, in the mid 90’s he made a surprise return with a band called The Humans,featuring ex-Strider and Rod Stewart guitarist Gary Grainger, recording one great album, subsequently disappearing from the scene once more following a live album.
This Kidderminster born vocalist has a voice of pure gold, and for most of the record buying public, he is an undiscovered gem, check him out!
Recommended:
- Butts Band/Butts Band (73)
Jess Roden/Jess Roden(74)
Jess Roden Band/Play it Dirty, Play it Class (76)
Jess Roden/The Player Not The Game (77)
Jess Roden and the Humans/Jess Roden and the Humans (95)
[...] Kev Moore Why not check out Unsung Heroes No.1? [...]
I saw Jess Roden for the first and only time supporting Roxy Music at Trentham Gardens, Stoke in September 1974. I’ve had a copy of his album, Jess Roden, ever since and it’s still fabulous on vinyl. I lost touch until the Humans album turned up on iTunes this year, which sent me off on a Roden hunt again. He’s been listed as playing at Granville’s restaurant in Stone, Staffs fairly recently but does anyone know what he’s up to now?
Hi Roy, the last I heard he was running some kind of graphic design company in New York, and as far as I knew, hadnt played since The Humans, your story of him playing in Stone has me very excited! The album you have, plus Play it Dirty, Play it Class, seem to be the only Roden discs on CD. You can get the Butts Band one on CD though. I have spent many fruitless houyrs trying to get Stonechaser, Player not the Game and Keep your hat on on CD, and whilst Ive managed to secure vinyl copies, they’re just not out on CD. CD gems featuring Jess include Lancashire Hustler by Keef Hartley, and The Alan Bown Set Emergency 999. Surely somebody should bring out a definitive CD boxed set of this incredible British singer. P.S. If you hear of him gigging again, let me know!
hi guys im a big roden fan from the alan bown days i have a copy of stonechaser if you would like me to copy it i would be glad to jess does work in graphic design and lives in ruislip i met him for a chat during his humans days at the robin 2 he still has family in kidderminster got to be one of the best voices to come from this country he did to a few gigs with the sas band but no recordings hope this helps kind regards allan bishop
Allan, thanks for your great comment! I saw Jess back around around the time of the “Keep your Hat On” album. I have the Stonechaser album, but no record player to play it on, how excrutiating is that??
I wish I’d seen him in action with the Humans, and I always hope he might get back into recording again, I completely agree he is one of the UKs finest. Id be interested in a CD copy of Stonechaser for sure. Is there anything I can copy in return? I have Lancashire Hustler, the album he did with Keef Hartley, and Butts band, (though as a fan I guess you have them) Ive also seen a double CD of the Bronco stuff floating around, so thats my next target!
hi kev glad to do you a copy i have it on cd had it prof done waiting for his album blowing to be put on cd next just managed to get a copy of 7 windows only released in germany i cant be far away from you mate i live near cannock staffs if you want a copt my email add is williehackitt@yahoo.com cheers mate
cheers allan!
I knew Jess in the late sixties early seventies when he was in the Alan Bown band my friends and I used to follow them all over the country He has the best voice I have ever heard I fell in love with him and his voice He should never stop singing you dont need great fame to be a great star
I couldn’t have put it better myself Hilary! He certainly qualifies as one of my greatest inspirations.
Hello everybody I,m a big Jess fan right from the days of sight and sound in concert on the BBC back in the 70,s,great blues voice.Got loads of cd and vinyl but desperate to get hold of a cd copy of Jess Roden ” Live at the BBC” released in 1996 on Pinnacle label,been on to the BBC and all sorts but with no joy, anybody out there got a copy so you can end my chase. If you need more Jess copies please let me know if I have it will do you a copy.
I live near Sandbach and my e mail is frenchyb53@aol.com so feel free to contact me if you need anything.
Brian French
thanks for that brian, its great that everyone’s spreading the word about this great british talent. if i hear of anyone with the beeb session, i’ll pass on the info mate!
Saw Jess the other night (an old mate). Sorry to say the rumour of him having played recently is just not true. The mic is well and truly hung up, and has been since SAS days. Like the rest of the people here though I’d love him to do more, live and/or studio, but really it seems a very remote possibility. A shame. One the great voices for sure. A very humble and modest guy to boot.
Brian,
If you see Jess again in the near future give him my best regards one of the best blues voices ever and please ask him how do we get a copy of ” Live at the BBC”, if anybody knows he will,keep on rockin.
Best Regards
Brian F
Hello all, just got e mail from the Netherlands from someone who has “Live at the BBC” and will supply a copy so watch this space for results.
Keep rockin.
Laters
Kev,
I have the Bronco double album,if you need a copy let me know via my e mail address and get you a copy in the post.
Regards
Brain
Hey Brian, many thanks for the offer, but Allan, another Roden fan and contributor to this blog, already kindly did me a copy. It’s good that all us “obscurists” stick together!
p.s. anyone out there with any jess anecdotes? drop us a line!
I’m also considering doing a retro-review of some of his albums on this blog, perhaps with some info on his musical collaborators, such as Allan Toussaint, Robbie Blunt etc.
Hi All,Just stumbled on this site after “googling” Jess Roden.
Great to see the interest in this timeless blues voice.
Every so often (when the wifes out) I shut myself away
and dig out the records. Tonights indulgence–Graham Parker and the Rumour/ Stick to Me. Alex Harvey Band/ Live.
Then Jess Roden / Play it Dirty Play it Class. Hey It does’nt get
better than that!! Neil Kay Cape Town
Hello All,
first saw jess with the Alan Bown Set on Ready, Steady, Go, then live with Bronco and The Jess Roden Band. Have on vinyl The Alan Bown Set Live at the Marqee, Bronc 1st and 2nd albums, Jess Roden, The Player…, Blowin’, The Butts band, also on CD Play it Dirty.. and The Humans Live at the Robin. Still looking for others. Doesn’t the Jess Roden Band sound like a forerunner of Jools Hollands#Rhythm and Blues Orchestra? Have just e-mailed his shoe’later’ to suggest that he trys to get Jess on the shoe to front the R&B Orchestra, possibly the Hootennany, what an end to a year. We can live in Hope
Alan.
That should be ‘ShoW’
Alan
Ala, that’s a great shout! Having Jess on Jools would be incredible…fingers crossed. I’m currently reading “Highway to Hell” the biography of AC/DC vocalist the late Bon Scott. In it, they reprint a questionaire he completed for a music mag. His favourite singer? Jess Roden!
hey great to see well deserved adulation of a much ignored talent. I haven’t seen mention of his great contribution to Stomu Yamashta’s Go Too Sessions 1977. A very worthy follow up to the set from doldrum emerging Steve Winwood. An interesting mix of Jazz, blues and classical. Oh, and a nice rare Linda Lewis contribution. CD from ravenrecords.com.au of Australia
Hello again,
just picked up today ‘Peter Green Songbook: a tribute to his work in two volumes’ various artists 1994-1995. Over 100 artists on this tribute including Paul Jones, Rory Gallagher, Ian Anderson, Zoot Money, Snowy White etc. Jess does two vocals ‘Crying won’t bring you back’ & ‘Merry go round’ the kind of vocal as on ‘Live at the Robin’. Merry go Round in particular makes you stop what you are doiong and you just have to listen.
Cheers buchanbob! I’ve toyed with the idea of getting hold of Yamashta’s Go too…but read some negative reviews, but being something of a completist I guess it won’t be long before it graces my collection. Talking of completism, I just got Strider’s first album on CD (Gary Grainger of The Humans first band) its called exposed and also features Ian Kewley of The Q Tips and Jenny Haan on backing vocals. Worth a listen.
p.s. Linda Lewis is such an underrated singer. Always loved her si ngle from the 70’s “Play Around”
Hey Alan, the Peter Green songbook is a great shout. Sounds like Jess is in good company there with the likes of Ian Anderson et al. I just picked up Tull’s Broadsword and the Beast remastered, which boasts nearly a whole albums worth of extra tracks on the CD reissue.
I remember stumbling across the self-titled album in a cutout bin around 1978 and grabbing it, just curious to hear another version of ‘On Broadway’. ‘Player’ is one of the handful of vinyl LPs I still have and it’s too bad that Jess is yet another great talent who somehow never got his due. If he doesn’t feel like being musical these days, well, that’s his business. He gave us a great gift while he was in the mood.
Well said Randyland. It’s the nature of the business I suppose that we demand more and more albums from those artists we admire. whilst some are incredibly prolific, others are less so. while Jess’s output was by no means vast, the quality of his work speaks for itself. look out for more features on his musical collaborators in my blogs!
Hello to all of you out there.
I am Jess’s brother Nick ( Yes i have a different surname ) but i assure you i am his brother and i thought after reading the comments above i would let you know what jess is up to.
Basically he now runs his own graphic design business but not in New york. He lives near to London and is enjoying the quiet life. Up until about 4-5 years ago he sang about once a year with an outfit called the SAS band with other singers and musicians. i believe Roy Wood, Roger Taylor, Brian May , Paul Young etc were also involved.
i cannot speak on his behalf but when i went down to see him 2 weeks ago i asked him if he would be doing anymore singing but seeing as he has not sung in such a while i can honestly say it is most unlikely. The last album he released was ” Live at the Robin” which was basically a live recording of one of his gigs at the now demolished Robin Hood club which was situated behind the Merry Hill shopping complex in the west Midlands.
I am younger than Jess and even though i am now 47 I am still very proud to be his brother. I can honestly say that yes Jess is indeed the one that got away when it came to being recognised commercially for his outstanding voice.
Regards
Nick
Wonderful to read all the comments on this site, which i came across after Googling Jess. I saw him live on the tour to promote ‘Play It Dirty…’ as a teenager and loved him from that moment. I have the majority of his work on vinyl, but would love to own it all on cd…i dream on! Jess on Jools?? Oh yes please!
Susie
@Nick, you are most welcome to this thread about Jess! thanks for the info: The SAS band if I remember, is Spike’s all-stars, as in Spike Edney, the “behind -the-scenes” keyboard player on the majority of Queen’s live shows. Needless to say, his connections ensured a steady stream of superstars queuing up to play. It is a testament to Jess and his talent that he worked in this company. Perhaps the next time you speak with him you could thank him for a lifetime’s inspiration, which, as a pro musician of 30 years standing, I still cherish.
@Susie, welcome , and thanks for your kind comments. i began this because i was frustrated to find very little about Jess out there on the net, and for such a great talent, i found it incredible. It is so gratifying to see the people coming out of the woodwork and applauding this man’s career! ….and your suggestion for him to appear with Jools on Later – you’ve just described musical heaven, let’s bombard the BBC and make it happen. I guess only Jess knows if he feels he has anything else to give, but certainly the legacy he’s left us, should he choose to never sing again, is greater in quality than most artists could ever hope to achieve, in these days of talent competition “just-add-water” pop stars.
I saw Jess Roden many times when he was the lead singer of the Alan Bown Set, 1 time with the Butts Band then when he had his own band and finally with the Humans, Jess has a voice that is at home singing Soul, Prog Rock, Blues, you name it he can sing it, Never became the star he should have been, reading some of the messages above you go back and remember some of the great nights out you had when Jess was singing
Hi Kev.
Good to see you got my info even though most of it had already been stated in earlier emails to you.
Every time i see Jess i ask him the same question” are you going to sing again” but i keep getting the same answer and that is ” no i don’t think so” ” i think i have called it a day now”
But Jess believe it or not is a very private quiet character and really enjoys his family life especially as he now has 2 wonderful grandchildren.
With regard to starting a campaign getting him on Jools Holland that would be brilliant and you can count on my support but i can assure you it will be like trying to move the rock of Gibraltar. I would love to hear him sing again and I hope that one day someone might request him on Radio 2 to get the ball rolling.
I will be speaking to Jess soon and as far as i know he will be coming to visit me and the family over here in North Norfolk in the summer.
By the way did you know , i think i am right in saying that a disc has been released with some of the old Alan Bown stuff on.
Will keep you informed.
Nick
Thank you Nick. The rock of Gibraltar is just down the coast from me, so perhaps I can get some help petitioning Radio 2 from the barbary apes!
I was over your way at the weekend playing 2 70’s festivals in Skegness and Great Yarmouth!
I am planning to do a feature show on his music on a local radio station down here in Spain as a guest presenter. It’s called Valle radio and is listened to worldwide on the net. When its sorted, I’ll post details here.
Great news about the Radio station. Whenit happens i will see if i can pick it up over here, if not i might be contacting you for a recording.
I will pass on the info to Jess next time i speak to him.
Keep in touch and by all means please email me at my address whenever you have any info etc.
Regards
Nick
Will do Nick. I’ll post details about the show and internet access for it when the time comes.
For those who want to delve deeper into Jess’s musical past, I’ve posted an article on his time with The Alan Bown set, and the compilation CD that celebrates it.
check it out by CLICKING HERE
I first saw Jess when his band supported Roxy music at Birmingham Odeon in 1974 and thought his voice was superb. Also loved the Bronco track “Love” which I had on the “Bumpers” Island sampler.
I also remember seeing his live performance on the BBC.
He’s always been my favourite vocalist and I’d love to see him perform again some day.
I’ve got most of his band and solo stuff on vinyl, including “The player not the game” and the Rivits LP but would love the Bronco albums on CD if anyone could help?
Wow, steve! the Bumpers album! I remember buying that in a second hand shop down in Bournemouth! those old samplers were great weren’t they? The two Bronco albums are available on one CD now, which is great news. Its always around on ebay, but If you want, I can copy them for you, however, I’m not sure of I have them here or at the other house, so it might be a while before i get hold of them again! I must’ve seen him around the same time as you, ‘74 – but at Derby College. Needless to say, he was amazing.
Thanks for the offer of Bronco copy Kev. I’ll check out E-Bay etc and get back to you if I can’t get hold of them.
Yes, those samplers were great .. I’ve also got “You can all join in” which was an earlier Island collection.
My brother and I won tickets from BRMB radio to go and see Jess and his band at Birmingham Town Hall in the mid seventies, but because we were in the middle of O levels, my mum wouldn’t let us go! Needless to say it took quite a time to forgive her, especially as they recorded part of the live album on that night!
I’ve still got all the ticket stubs from those days, including a pristine copy of the 1974 Roxy Music programme when Jess and band supported them. Fond memories!
I remember BRMB starting up -the first commercial radio station in the UK if I remember right. i also had the sampler from CBS called The Music People – a triple album, no less! We must be a similar age i guess. I remember seeing Paice, Ashton and lord at Birmingham Odeon in 1976 – never did get to see Deep Purple. Felt lucky to see PAL though, as they folded after one tour and one album. Regarding Jess, if you haven’t already done so, don’t forget to check out his contribution to Keef Hartley’s “Lancashire Hustler” album. I’m also considering putting Jess singing “I’m ready” with Paul Kossoff on here for folks to listen to.
My twin brother was at that PAL concert at the Birmingham Odeon! I’ll check out the Keef Hartley album, and I have the Kossoff track … excellent vocal performance.
I remember going to see Jess at the town hall in Birmingham and if i remember rightly i think Rod Stewart was also playing in the city that night and Jess still managed to get nearly a full house.
Part of the gig was recorded and i think some of it was on the “Blowin” album which is one of my favourites.
I think Rod’s “credibility” for want of a better word – was on the wane by this time. It is to Jess’s credit that he always seemed to plough his own furrow. Rod’s work with Beck, The Faces, and possibly his first two solo albums was class…but, in my humble opinion, he sacrificed his talent on the altar of big bucks- successful? undeniably. But at what cost?
hi kev and guys hope all is well and hi to you nick great to hear from you dont know if anyone knows but alan bown has a book out all about the band written by jeff bannister the keyboard player some good stuff in there about jess love to get int touch with him (jess) email etc my friend and i were (are) big fans and sadly my friend died at the age of 42 i got in touch with jess when he was playing with the humans and he sent a card to my freinds wife how about that for kindness i spoke to him at the robin and thanked him and he was so humble i am in contact with alan bown and jeff bannister jeff reckons when jess left the alan bown it was the end for them even though he was replaced by robert palmer he said the band was never the same nick if you read this would you pass on my email add to jess would make my year to recieve an e,mail from my hero i have an article that was written in my local paper the express and star all about jess if anyone would like a copy im sure i could e mail them one my email add is williehackitt@yahoo.com lets keep the name of the best singer to come out of the uk alive keep in touch cheers all allan
Hello all,
just been listening to ‘Losing Game’ off the ‘A Boful of Treasures’ 5 cd set by Sandy Denny. Losing Game is a duet with Jess Roden, not being a big listen to Sandy I was quite suprised at some of the tracks on this box set. Losing Game in particular, would not be out of place on a Jess Roden Band album, up tempo, strong bassline, brass section and a sax break. Jess doesn’t come in until 2:16 into the song, and then only for 45secs but he does lift it to another place, that place that we love. Always worth a listen, some good Sandy Denny on the CD’s as well, good version of ‘Meet on the Ledge’.
Alan
Welcome back allan, let’s hope we can all persuade jess to make an appearance on “later’ or something similar, if only to remind the world what they’re missing.
Alan E: This is great shout! Sandy Denny was a considerable talent, and like you, I haven’t listened to her that much, but I’ll certainly be looking to add this box set to my collection. Out here in Spain, I’m working on putting together a little three-piece with Clive (Robin) Sarstedt, and I’d like us to feature a couple of Jess’s numbers, just to awaken people to his legacy, and acknowledge his influence.
Hi – this is a message for Nick. A number of us are planning a reunion. I spoke to Ronnie and he is going to to Maggot and the rest of the boys to come up. Tell him I was Benjie’s (the JRBs tour manager) girlfriend and was also friendly with Elaine. I have left a message elsewhere with no luck. If he doesn’t want to we understand and respect his privacy. Sorry I can’t work out how to send you a private email.
hi kev nice to hear from you again hope you are well been talking to nick jess bro yes wouldnt it be great to hear him again bet he hasnt lost any of the magic he had, when you hear some of the dross that has made it big you begin to wonder why jess wasnt up there no justice glad to see there are more roden fans about be great to get an email from him nick will be seeing home sometime in the summer so he is going to pass on my email just keeping my fingers crossed be great if he put a blog on here maybe answer a few questions if he has the time i knew he had done some recording with sandy denny like alan e mentioned but i never came across the album anyway hope we can all keep in touch take care all allan
Hi Tonee.
I will mention it to Jess and Elaine when i see them.
I heard from Jess yesterday by post and hopefully i will be seeing him soon.
I have to be honest though, getting Jess to sing now would a miracle, but who knows sometimes miracles do happen.
I still haven’t managed to tell him about this blog yet but when i do no doubt he will take a look.
sorry for the delay in writing back but i only check my emails etc every couple of days.
Regards
to all
Nick
Nick – thanks. Contact has been made through another source and we are looking forward to seeing him.
regards
Tonee
I used to have a friend who was crazy about Jess in the 70s and had I think almost everything Jess had done. he even used to get birthday cards from him! We lived in Bournemouth and I think it began with the Roxy show at the Winter Gardens. I became a fan and loved Ace of sunlight, particularly Sudden street. Saw him with the Rivits at the Venue at Victoria and a few years ago at the Dublin castle. I cant believe he is still relatively obscure. I remember over the years finding Alan bown albums in bargain bins even Stonechaser and Ace of sunlight alas that doesnt happen anymore.
Dont forget Magic Bus and I believe whale meat again by Jim Capaldi, Mott the Hoople Wildlife album and he was at Live aid. John Peel used to play him a lot too. One more album please Jess.
Hi Tonee.
Ok thanks for letting me know.
Nick
Wow! A Jess Roden thread!! I’ve tried Googling ‘Jess Roden’ many times over the past 2-3 years and had kind of given up finding much in the way of a resource, but.. well here I am! Fantastic! I am particularly interested in the Jess Roden Band myself. Other fans of his stage of his career might but interested to hear that Steve Webb, one of the guitarists in the band is still active in the music scene, alive and well and living and working hard in Finland!
Now, the hot news is that if you go to his website http://www.webbsongs.com, in the ‘archive section there are a bunch of unreleased JRB studio tracks on there!!! As it turned out, I still had/have a cassette of even more studio songs that he didn’t even have, that I came by about 25 years ago. Steve was gobsmacked that these songs were still about,as he thought them lost for ever, so I was happy to be able to get them transferred onto a CD and he hopes to be able to put them up on his site in the near future (contact him and give him a nudge!).
Steve says that he has made efforts to get in touch with Jess several times over the years, but not been able to reach him. (Nick, maybe you could alert Jess to this and S.W’s website. He also has a Myspace Music prescence, as does JRB’s bassist John cartwright, who is also doing well, making great music and is married to (70’s singer) Jaki Whittren and living in France I believe.
Hey! Did I mention that there are UNRELEASED JRB songs on webbsongs.com???? If you contact him, tell him who sent you!
Colin
… Sorry! You’ll find those tunes in the ‘Downloads’ section! not ‘Archive’ ! “…C’mon lets celebrate…”
Just to let you know I’ve started a Facebook group, Roden Rocks! (sorry, should have been something more original, I know . . .). Six members so far, but it’s early days.
Ummm, Last night I left a message here about Jess that I think would have been of great interest to many here gathered, but it seems to have disappeared… It hasn’t been pulled for some reason has it?
Anyway, I’m off to ‘Roden Rocks’!
Colin
Great Roy! best of luck with that.
Colin, sorry for the delay, I have to approve the posts and I’m on the road in Portugal, so some days I cant get to the net.
Great greast news about Steves site and the songs! I felt the same as you, searching for Jess on the net, which is why I posted this piece and launched the thread. I’m just happy to have been vindicated in doing so, as all us guys who love the man’s talent are coming out of the woodwork here!
Thanks Kev. Hope the info is of use. Furthur to the threads at the top of this page, I have had the JRB albums put onto CD from my vinyl, if any one can use them? (Play it dirty, Blowin, BBC, Keep your hat on, Player/Game and Stonechaser). Email me at chesky2@excite.com
Colin
Hi folks.
Sorry for the delay in getting back to you.
Colin, i will let Jess know about Steve.
When i spoke to Jess over the weekend i told him about this site and he said he will take a look when he gets chance.
Will keep you all informed .
Nick
Colin…..Many, many thanks for the link to Steve Webb’s site. What a wonderful treat to hear ‘new’ tracks – real wiping a tear away stuff for me! Would love to have the JRB albums you listed on cd – no idea what I might offer in exchange!
And Kev- keep up the good work!!
Susie
Thanks Susie! Currently touring around Portugal, but back in a few weeks, may be able to sort some Jess on CD for you when I,m back if one of the other guys hasnt by then!
Thanks for that Kev – really good of you!
Susie
Susie. Send me an email and I can help you out no doubt!
Hey Colin – thanks very much…will do!
Susie
Hello all,
just picked up Floodgates by Luther Grosvenor, made because of his work on the Peter Green Songbook cd’s, both tracks with Jess on vocals. Offered a new recording contract with Floodgates as the result, ‘The Extraordinary’ Jess Roden once again on vocals on two tracks, I Wanna Be free (Joe Tex0 and Fire Down Below (Bob Seger). Jess’ performance, once again makes you stop and listen, he really is an extraordinay singer.
Alan E.
Hi Guys,
Great to find a site full of Jess enthusiasts! Have been trying unsuccessfully for many years to get a good cd copy of ‘Blowin’. Any advice or help in tracking this excellent album down would be gratefully received.
Dave T
I SUPPOSE YOU’VE ALL NOTICED THAT THE AMERICAN AND BRITISH COPIES OF BLOWIN ARE DIFFERENT-USA DIDN’T HAVE DESPERADO ON-I THINK I’S CAN’T GET NEXT TO YOU INSTEAD.GOT A FEW LIVE TAPES INCL ONE WITH THE RIVITS-A RARE TRACK ON A RADIO RPOMO DISC BIFF BANG I THINK IT WAS CALLED-GOT IT ON CD NOW.DID HAVE IT ON TAPE BUT CAN’T FIND IT NOW-WHEN I MET JESS FOUND I HAD A REMIX ON A USA COPY OF A RIVITS SINGLE THAT HE’D NEVER HEARD-SENT A TAPE OF THAT AND SOME OTHER UNUSUAL TRACKS-STILL HAVEN’T FOUND A US COPY OF TOMMY ON WHICH JESS SAID YOU CAN MAKE OUT HIS VOICE.I THINK YOU MENTIONED EVERYTHING-OH THERE IS A SOUNDTRACK WHICH FEATURES A RVITIS TRACK BUT UNDER JESS’S NAME-HE DID SAY HE DID SOME SOUNDTRACK WORK WHILE HE WAS LIVING IN THE STATES BUT I DON’T KNOW IF THIS WAS ALL OR WETHER THERE’S ANYTHING ELSE.GREAT HAVING POEPLE TO TALK TO-I THINK I WAS THIRTEEN WHEN I HEARD ABOUT THE JESS RODEN ALBUM AFTER THE CHARTS ON A SUNDAY-BEEN FOLLOWING EVER SINCE-OH JESS DID SAY HIM AND STEVE WINWOOD KEEP IN TOUCH AND TRY AND MEET UP ONCE A YEAR,IN IVER I THINK,AND STEVE PLAYS THE ORGAN IN A CHURCH WHILE JESS SINGS,NICK,ANY IDEAS?THANKS EVERYONE,MARK.
all all hope everyone is well just to let you know i had a message from jeff bannister the organ player with the alan bown he informed me that he has posted a 8mm vid on there from there appearance on totp apparently his father in law had it on 8mm film he has had to dub on the audio but well worth a look they all look so cool esp jess also the book is doing well you can find it on http://www.bandland.com let us know what you think about the vid bye for now allan ps dave t email me and ill do you a copy allan
Hello All Jess Roden fans, must say you have good taste in music, saw Jess in the Alan Bown many times around Oxford where i live, they were for me the top live act, check out the book before and beyound it’s a good read. I have much of jess rodens music on cd now, but missed buying Stonechaser, also the 2 Bronco albums that are on cd, also Alan Bown Listen/ Streching out { sounds like a wish list } if there is anybody out there who could burn me a copy, I am sure there will be something in my collection that will interest you, As for Jess not singing any longer in public that is a shame, but his grand children are the lucky one’s now as nursery rhynes never sounded so good.
Hi everyone, just back from Portugal and catching up on things. great to see all the Jess fans coming out of the woodwork!
Alan E: The luther grovesnor album is a good shout, i’ll be checking that out. What we really need is a company to try and gather a retrospective of jess’s guest vocals onto one album – anyone got ideas for what the track listing could be? I imagine it would be a legal nightmare as he’s appeared on so many different albums, but it would be a beauty, wouldn’t it? keep writing in folks! Kev
Hello all
Just read your comments above.
Yes does hear from steve every now and then i believe. I saw Jess for about an hour when he came to visit our mother over here in Norfolk and hopefully he will be comingg for the weekend within the next month but it was a Friday afternoon and he had to get back to his home to send some things off before the weekend.
He mentioned that he had been to some reunion and that he had enjoyed it.
I told him about this site and how he had quite a following and i have to say he was really chuffed and that he was going to look at it , so you never know he may well write a comment one day,,,,
Keep in touch everybody.
Nick
Hi Nick, thanks for dropping by again! Glad Jess was happy with all the interest in his career. I’ve also been in touch with Steve Webb after he appeared in this thread. It would be great if Jess had a look and sees how much his music means to everyone.
Please give him my best wishes if you see him next month. Kev
I used to play in bands in Liverpool in the 70’s to early 80’s. The last one I was involved in was a jazzy-rocky affair (the name blatantly ripped off from one of our heroes Rory Gallagher) called Against The Grain. We mostly played our own material but at one time were attempting to rehearse Keep Your Hat On after we had all been to see the Jess Roden Band at Liverpool Polytechnic. We split up not long after and never did get to play Keep Your Hat On but what a gig by the JRB. Between us we had most of the current JRB LP’s and I recently got Play It Dirty on CD, and am still blown away by the version of Can’t Get Next To You. We also had Keef Hartley LP’s Halfbreed and Battle of NW6 but never got as far as Lancashire Hustler so will definitely check that out, thanks for the info.
I also didn’t realise that JRB had supported Roxy Music. If this was on the tour for Roxy’s first album, which I caught at Liverpool Stadium, then I must have seen JRB then as well but somehow it doesn’t ring a bell. Did anyone else see that Stadium gig?
Personally I left playing in bands behind in the early 80’s but still listen to loads. I think it’s interesting that Jess Roden has moved on – like Keef Hartley – and can find satisfaction in other projects. If he ever wonders whether people liked, and still like, the time he put in on his music project then this thread must make a good read. Hope he gets as good reviews for his other projects, and Jess, thanks for some truly excellent music.
Many thanks for your contribution Tom! I love the fact that people keep cropping up here who are appreciative of what Jess has done. Hope you find Lancashire Hustler! It also features contributions from the late great Robert Palmer, Elkie Brooks….and Keef’s mum!!
Hi everybody!
What a nice thread – thanks! I have a site – http://dmme.net – where I’m trying to shed some light on the unsung heroes such as Jim Cregan or Dave Walker, and to interview Jess has been on my mind for a long time. Nick, I’d be thankful if you have a look at the site and pass my email that’s there to Jess. If he gets in touch, I’ll do my best to make a piece interesting to everybody here – and not only here, so the great singer gets his due.
Thanks, DME! Jim Cregan’s a great talent – I believe it was him on the solo of Steve Harley’s come up and see me (makew me smile) right? Nice to see you highlighting some of these guys.
Hi DME.
I will forward the details to Jess and then he can decide what he wants to do.
I will ring him tonight if i get chance.
Regards
Nick
People looking for missing albums blowin’(remember uk/us versions different)lancashire hustler,multiplay might try ebay always seeing blowin on there-brand new copies.Most cds i find on amazon or ebay-i think i’ve got everything now,you might have a job finding the compilation with biff bang pow on,i can do copies but is it cheap cdrs that sometimes don’t work on the cd player?I’ll do all i can if anybody needs any help,did a few tape copies of live shows for somebody who was going to put them onto cd-any luck?thanks,mark.
I recently emailed the ‘esoteric’ record label who have released re-issues of Keef Hartley albums on CD and they told me they are currently trying to get Universal to clear Lancashire Hustler for re-issue – so we might see this out on CD fairly soon (check the web site halfbreed.co.uk for updates).
goodness… the power of the internet… researching for the upcoming 50th anniversary and, literally, stumbled across this extraordinary link (actually, i’m not entirely sure what one would call it… link / q+a… who knows).
have read through loads of posts and shall return tomorrow to look again… anyhow, if this helps anyone, worked at / was involved with island from 72 til 85 and also later in other guises so somewhat cognsisant of jess’ career there (as well, of course, with bronco / allan bown set! etc)… in fact – while at school, put bronco on (support by gracious – anyone remember them? / featuring allan cowderoy who later worked for stiff)…
have recently moved to nyc (from france where i was for the last 5+ years) but… have a wealth of jrb stuff tucked away in boxes in france… live tapes (foh) and more…
dunno what anyone else feels via this medium but, feel very strongly that there should be a jess retrospective released as part of the whole 50th anniversary of island…
the reunion referred to (above somewhere) was actually a get together in the cross keys pub opposite 22 st peters square (home of island for many a long year) and attended by over 80 former island staff / artists and the like – sadly not there as was in the pyrenees at the time – shall know better when asked again! nonetheless, seen the pix and jess looks great!
it also appears that one or two from here know jess / are in touch with him… if so… please let me know and i’ll forward a private e-address across…
also… am currently compiling a discography… have pretty much everything (i think) but… if anyone has any suggestions – esp with regard to b/vox and sessions… pls do let me know
ns
Hi Neil! Spoke to Rabbit about an album he did with Jess that never got released-do you know anything about it,have a demo disc?Love to here live stuff,earlier the better or any other info about Jess-does anything exist before the Alan Bown Set? Thanks,Mark.
Just found this Jess Roden site. Great to know there are so many who appreciate his amazing voice. I am a long time fan from the Alan Bown days. I have most albums but can’t track down Live at the BBC as yet. I love ‘Blowin’ and ‘Crystal Eye’ and his brilliant version of ‘On Broadway’. I too would love to see him on Jools Holland. Jess, if you read these entries, we miss your voice – how about a small gig somewhere??
hi guys hope all is well not posted anything for a while had an email from steve webb who played guitar in the jess roden band see earlier posts steve seems a really nice guya and has posted some unrelaesed stuff with jess singing on his site well worth a look see earlier post for his web add regards
allan bishop
Would anybody put multiplay onto cd for me? Got everything else i want on cd now(I think),i’d pay for the cd-post-time and effort etc.I think I can then go through jess’s career start to finish on cd.Thanks in anticipation,Mark.
Hi Mark – I have Multiplay on vinyl, but no deck to transfer it to digital at the moment! (its on my list of “stuff i will get round to buying”)
It pretty frustrating, I can’t even listen to it myself!
BTW Allan, Ive checked out Steve’s stuff and really worth a listen!
Don’t forget to check it out everybody, its at http://www.webbsongs.com in the downloads section.
GREAT NEWS!! Steve Webb from the Jess Roden Band has put up a JRB MySpace site! It’s only been live for a day or so now, so is in it’s infancy, but he’s put some promo and live pics up and the real treat.. there are 6 songs from an unreleased album that the band did prior to ‘Keep your hat on’ in 1975, that got shelved because Island boss Chris Blackwell didn’t like it for some strange reason… In my opinion they are amongst the best stuff the band ever did. Stevie Winwood guests on organ on a couple of tracks.
You can find it at http://www.myspace.com/thejessrodenband . If you want to add yourself as a friend (if you have a MySpace account), you can obviously do that, but I believe Steve is away gigging for the next week or so, so you you might not get added for a short while.
Steve Webb is rightly proud of the stuff he did with that band and is keen to see Jess get the recognition he deserves as one of Britain’s great singers. Pop over to the new site and give it your support!
Colin
Mr Neil Storey, Send me your e-mail address. A vague friend and Jess fan now in NYC.
episcene@gmail.com
Great news indeed Colin! will check it out.
NEIL STOREY – Thanks for visiting. If my Jess blog here helps in any way to getting a Jess retrospective releaed for island’s 50th, i’ll be more than happy! Totally agree it should happen, and I’m sure there’s some unreleased gems that could go on it. Check out Steve webb’ site and mail him, I’m sure he’ll put you in touch with Jess. Regarding the power of the net – i was blown away by the response to my unsung heroes post -which has almost become a site for jess in itself – justifying my belief that he is one of the UK’s leading vocalists.
Hi all, only got told about this site last night but what a great tribute to Jess. I have read most of the posts and nobody has mentioned the Soundtrack to “They Call It An Accident” which features two tracks by Jess & Peter Woods. I think I am right in saying that these were Rivets songs but whether they are the same versions that are on Multiplay or not I don’t know. Anyway the tracks on this album are “Some Vision” and “Future Soon” so would be interested to hear from any of the contributors on here who have this. Also noone has mentioned the Dutch Only album Seven Windows which I also have a copy of if anyone is interested.
Will definitely be back for more contributions soon.
all the best
Chris
DEar Chris, Ive only just discovered this site purely by accident. But I saw Jess Backing Roxy Music in `74 at the Rainbow in London and have been a big fan eer since. I have most of the vinyl albums bar a couple and have been playing them for years. I even go and look for other copies so they don`t wear out on me. I saw Jess play in a pub in North London about ten years ago and had the pleasure of talking to him and gushed that he actually taught me how to sing and i have been in bands for most of my life due to his records. There were other fans there who basically pressured him into doing Sad Story and Ferry Cross. Shivers occured I can tell you. I would like to geta copy of Seven Windows – perhaps you could be of help? Cheers Alex
I don’t know how useful this is,but as a consequence of my interest in 70’s rock music, I have collected a large stash of old UK music papers from 1970-75 and thought I’d browse through some issues from 74-75 to see what Jess Roden articles I could find.. In fact I don’t have so much from these 2 years.. most of what I have is 70-73, but I have scanned what I have found and uploaded them to my MySpace site. Sadly, as I am not a genius on the computer, a couple of them have turned out too small to actually read, but if you’d like to head on over to..
http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.editAlbumPhotos&albumID=1442948&MyToken=2a9c205c-f801-4051-b9cb-cdf7bb9619b6
..maybe you can copy and paste them yourself into a program which you can enlarge them at..
Might be worth a try anyway.. Good luck!
Colin
Hi Alex, I will happily make you and anyone else who would like a copy of Seven Windows once I have transferred it to a CD. Not sure how to provide you with my email address without publishing it on this site, but would be happy for Kev (the administrator) to pass it on to you so you can tell me where you would like it sent to. Do you have any Jess rarities yourself?
all the best
Chris
Colin, I tried clicking on the link you provided but the response came back as “Invalid Album ID for this user”, I then tried logging in to see if that made any difference but no luck. Hope to catch up with those cuttings some time in the future.
Chris
Hi all.
Update on Jess.
This time last week I saw him as unfortunately our mother died the previous week so we were at the funeral together . He is keeping well and is quite busy. I have to report that although many people including me would love to hear him sing again it is very unlikely. I will be going to stay with him in November and i will continue to tell him about the tremendous support that he has from all out there. In the meantime visit Steve Webbs site and listen to the unreleased gems that are on there. The the track that is playing on the site at present is ” Hold out your hand” and i have to say that I feel it really is a classic that unfortunately was never released.
Keep pushing for ” Later” and if there is enough support at least that will point my brother in the right direction and i can nag him a bit more to come out for 1 final performance.
Regards to All
Nick
P.S. Good to talk to you the other night Willie Hackit.
To all. I approached Adam Shearer at Universal Music re a Jess Roden retrospective a few days back and to poss compile and do liner notes etc…He has passed the proposition on to the powers that be at Universal, so they ARE aware. It might just add weight if as many people as possible e-mail Adam to show that there is indeed a lot of Jess folk out there.
Adam.Shearer@umusic.com
Chris… and anyone else. If you’d like to see the cuttings.. If you go on the MySpace JRB site as mentioned about 6 posts up and amongst the ‘friends’ on there, you click on my ‘Wobble’ profile… Go to ‘pics’ top left, you can access them there under a Jess Roden heading. Ignore all the other stuff though – just my own unrelated, out of date ramblings!!
Colin
URGENT!……….Does anyone have an MP3 of ‘You Can Leave Your Hat On’ 45. If so………kindly send to e-mail below.
Many thanks.
civilaccess@msn.com
Chris – welcome! I’ll be happy to exchange the email addys for any contributors here without publishing them on the site, I also wouldn’t mind the 7 windows tracks myself!
Nick, please accept my condolences to you and Jess on the passing of your mum.
USA – I can make an mp3 of “You can leave your hat on” – I had the vinyl transferred to CD -but its the album version, don’t know if it differs from the single.
TO ALL: A great file sharing site is http://www.cutesendit.com Its free, and is an easy way to share Jess’s music between us without the rigmarole of posting CD’s etc.
Don’t forget, anyone wants email addys exchanged, just let me know, and i’ll forward details to those concerned.
FINALLY: Let’s get emailing Adam Shearer and show him some support for Jess!
My condolences to you and Jess too, Nick, on the loss of your Mum.
Susie
I used to have a copy of “Jess Roden” on vinyl but seem to no longer have it. How does that happen? Anyway, would love to get hold of another copy on vinyl or CD if anybody could help. Any suggestions most welcome. I saw Jess in Edinburgh in June 1975 at a student union gig – having been a fan for a few years by then – and he was fantastic but I lost touch with his music after that. I would love to be able to listen to his solo album again – though I do still have a co0py of The Butts Band and the necessary gear to play it, amazingly!
Thanks in anticipation for any help.
Keymoore, Yes if you could send the mp3 of ‘Hat’ would be v v much appreciated.
civilaccess@msn.com
Tx
USA
Stuart, CivilAccess, you should both have received download links for your respective Jess stuff now. Enjoy! And while we;re on the subject – come on you record companies!! Get the rest of this great vocalist’s catalogue out on CD now!!
Keymoore,
Got it and MANY thanks. Sent you 1 track from the Seven Windows CD.
Civil Access
Hi everyone, I have put some tracks on myspace/The Jess Roden Band
these were sent to me by Colin Hesketh (Thanks mate!) and are from an unreleased album. Two of the tracks feature Steve Winwood on Hammond. I thought these recordings were lost forever but they survived on a cassette and, though hiss is prominent, I have tweaked them a bit to put up levels and tame the bass etc. Colin also sent me a live show which needs extensive work but I will get round to it asap (Studio is busy and each song takes 2-3 hours to clean etc.) Colin and others prompted me to do something to get more music from this great singer available to supporters and as no-one from Island or the man himself are active on this I’m going to do what I can. If anyone has live or unreleased stuff… I’m very interested. I can be contacted through webbsongs.com (there are unreleased tracks there as well on the download page) …. all the best to you all, Steve Webb
Steve……………..Does the appearance on the Old Grey Whistle Test 1974 exist? The versions of ‘What The Hell’ and “Sad Story’ were blistering
Steve, all your hard work (the and now!) is much appreciated! With regard to OGWT, One can only hope that the Beeb had become a little more careful and discerning by the time “whistle test” came around, and didn’t go around summarily destroying classic performances like in the old days!
Hello all Jess fans,
I have been approached via e mail and a phone call contact by a guy who has contacts at Universal and subsequently Island Records who is trying through a record lable to see if all the old Island tracks the best of etc can be re released on a retrospective album for subsequent release.
I forwarded details of 17 tracks totaling 81 mins which are my own selection from those Island records,I have all the Island records either on disc or converted to disc.
This was about 6 weeks ago and his last response was that he had sent the list to Universal to see if the tracks could be made available for this album.
Has anyone been requested recently for the same datails as I can see above that everbody is keen to get this show on the road.
fRenchy
Kev, don’t forget to send me a postal address so that I can send you a copy of Seven Windows. Would you also send me the link to the retrospective downloads, as it would save me having to convert all my vinyl – also, if you haven’t got a copy of Live at the BBC I could provide that too.
best regards
Chris
While I was trying to research Jes’ contribution to the Soundtrack of “They Call It An Accident”, I came across these two sites, one gives quite good detail about the album – http://www.u2wanderer.org/disco/movie01.html and the other is in tribute to Peter Wood who was Jess’ co contributor and a member of the Rivits – http://blog.robhoffman.org/2006/12/19/a-tribute-to-peter-wood.aspx#comment-677126.
Also because there is very little information on the Seven Windows cover, I was pleased to find the following German website which not only listed all the musicians on that album but also gave good coverage to Jess’ post Alan Bown career – http://translate.google.co.uk/translate?hl=en&sl=de&u=http://www.rockzirkus.de/lexikon/bilder/r/roden/roden.htm&sa=X&oi=translate&resnum=7&ct=result&prev=/search%3Fq%3D%2522Seven%2BWindows%2522%2BJess%2BRoden%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DG
all the best
Chris
Cheers Chris – civil access has sent me Seven Windows – but Live at the BBC would be great! I’ll respond in more detail via email.
Brian – I’m sure everyone has their own ideas of what would make a great Jess retro. The main thing I would wish personally is that it heavily favours the material never before released on CD, plus tracks unreleased in any form, and his numerous guest appearances. I realise “guest app’s” constitute a licensing nightmare, but Jess really does deserve a definitive release for his body of work! Anyone else any thoughts?
Thanks for those great links Chris! It seems like with some diligence, we’re all getting somewhere piecing together Mr. Roden’s career!
Kev,
Totally agree with your sentiments but I guess that this could be difficult to achieve.
Kev what is Seven Windows got all Jess stuff but what is it and how do I get it.
Frenchy
Following Civil access’s generosity, allow me to send it to you! I’ll try and FTP it tomorrow Frenchy!
There are 2 bootlegs of the JRB………’Nice Cockeral Bruce’ and ‘Our Song About Us’. I can’t say I know that they were widely spread, but I got them on cassette from Neil Storey at Island Records back in the day…………haven’t heard them in ages as they are locked away in another place……but one is at the Marquee (Neil on tamborine!) and the other is at the Lyceum in London where it’s heard Bruce asking the audience to calm it down a little as the management has seriously requested it…….then Bruce calmly quips ‘fuck it’, and launches straight into ‘All Night Long’! Don’t forget The Alan Bown long lost footage on top Of The Pops doing ‘We Can Help You’ on You Tube right now.
Anon.
Hmmm. I know it’s a big ask.. I’ll be the one to respectfully ask the question.. Would there be any possibility that you could retrieve these two traesures at some point and agree to them being circulated amongst the afficiandos amongst us?? I for instance am able to transfer cassettes onto CD and would be willing to co-ordinate an arrangement whereby they could be copied by one person and then passed on via mail onto the next person on a list of interested parties, for free.
I myself have circulated some recordings that I have to ‘members’ of this forum, copies of which have been also sent to Steve Webb and he has been generous enough with his time and resources to have these cleaned up a little and they will no doubt be made available in their improved form, (either on his own site or on the new JRB MySpace site that he has recently put up) at some point soon. See Steve’s post above..
It’s just a thought…. but as there definitely is a ball rolling here it seems a shame to see this opportunity go by – if you are amenable of course!!
Colin
Colin.only thing is that I’m not in the country.BUT I will ask the person who holds them there to dig them out and retrieve.OK. Once I have them then I will write. Also havea Bronco’s ‘Lazy Now’ single and a cassette of a never released Bronco track. Will keep you posted. Note………….Jess is on the recently released Sandy Denny box set ‘Treasures’ on an unreleased track ‘Losing You’ (think that’s what it’s called)
Guys, I’ve just ordered the Luther Grovesnor CD “Floodgates” which features Jess on 2 tracks – happy to let people have them when it arrives. I like the idea of us circulating all these gems…I hope the powers that be see that there is a demand for Jess material, and act upon it! I’m sure I speak for all when i say i bought most of the stuff on vinyl in the first place, then again on the few releases that became available on CD. So I’m happy we can help each other out here with regard to completing our collections!
Thanks, KevMoore – currently having problems accessing the e-mail account where you sent the link – my problem, not yours – but look forward to being able to get to the tracks soon and thought I’d say thanks in the meantime.
Cheers, Stuart
No probs Stuart, hope you enjoy!
Could this be a sign? Jess’s one-time collaborator and all-time New Orleans legend Allan Toussaint on Jools’ “Later” tonight!!! Wouldn’t it be great to see Jess up there, showing all the new upstarts how its done?
Funny…………..bumped into Allan T. at Bloomingdales a year or so ago and spoke about Jess, his eyes rolled and memories came flooding back. He had no tracks from the album so I sent hime ‘Feelin’ Easy’ with him working wonders on the keys. He e-mailed back and expressed his amazement at why Jess was not up there with the best, and remembered at the time at how was it possible that such a slight and humble man could produce such things vocally. He finished with that he would never forget Jess Roden and that session. ‘Nother story.When I met with Chris Blackwell back in around 1998, he told me of a Jess story where he invited Jess over to Nassau prob after the JRB split…….took Jess out to swim, Blackwell had a few too many martinis………Jess I’m told was never a good swimmer……then when out fairly deep, Blackwell kept pushing Jess’ head under the water saying something like ‘When are you gonna get me a friggin hit album you so and so’ etc……Oh………does anyone have the Jess and Sandy Denny track on MP3
Great stories! Don’t have the Jess and Sandy track myself – anyone else out there? For all those interested out there who don’t have it – I’ve got Lancashire Hustler by Keef Hartley on CD (Which also features performances by Robert Palmer and Elkie Brooks)
Kev,
Thanks for the offer Seven Windows please e mail the content to frenchyb53@aol.com
Thanks
Also seen the folowing tracks on myspace website and need to get them asap, can you help with the following
Raise your Hand
Yes Indeed
Cant Get By Without You
If You Dont Get What You Want
Best Regards
Frenchy
Bronco also has an unreleased track called ‘My Bawley Friend’. Have it on csssette somewhere
That sounds interesting, anon! any chanc eof sticking it through a his reduction programme and MP3-ing it?
Frenchy – been a bit busy, but expect the seven windows link today.
Thanks for that Kev
Frenchy
Hi all…just discovered this site. Knew I wasn’t the ONLY Jess Roden fan still alive and kicking!
However, would appreciate some help.
Due to domestic accident (she still says it wasn’t HER fault!!), I’ve lost my copy of Jess’s ‘Play It Dirty, Play It Class’.
Anyone able to link me up with, say, an MP3 copy?..I’m happy to provide same for ‘Seven Windows’.
I live in the Glasgow area, if that’s any help.
Many thanks in advance and here’s hoping the suits at Universal realise what a diamond they still have in their vaults and re-release some stuff.
BTW…I think I’m right in saying the sax player in Alan Bown Set went on to join Supertramp…Or is my memory failing again…yeah, yeah, that IS my fault!
Regards
You’re right, Anonymous – although he wasn’t the original sax player in Supertramp (that honour goes to Dave Winthrop) John Halliwell of The Alan Bown Set joined in ‘72 to complete what is generally regarded as their classic line-up.
It’s really strange you know, because when i was a kid and Jess would come home form London he would often bring band members to the house to stop with the family and little did i know that 40 msome odd years later I would be reminded of these events. I can remember John coming to stay and playing football with me on our back lawn. Sorry to all you lot out there i am just remembering happy times.
Nick
No apologies necessary, Nick! It’s a privilege to hear your reminiscences about those days. Glad we could bring back the memories for you.
Jess Roden is simmply the BEST white singer there EVER was, just wanted to get that off my chest. And if anyone can produce a track which betters the whole acheivement on ‘I’m On Your Side’ then, I’m a son of a bitch born to a heathen priest who abused a squirrel in a roach ridden apartment in Greece in 1842
ah! that was you! I wondered why I could never let that apartment again…..
The UK can be both proud and simultaneously ashamed – proud of the legacy of great singers of which I put Jess in my Top 3, along with Glenn Hughes and Paul Rogers – but ashamed at the lack of recognition (with the possible exception of Rogers) these marvelous singers get.
Well I’m hell bent on pushing Universal on a best of and if I don’t hear back within a week from now from Adam (See above0 then I will speak to the real power there and prob get an eddorsment from Chris’Martini’ Blackwell. Gotta be done
Totally with you on this. The majors such as Universal really need to see the “big picture” with this sort of thing. This is the way to go.They can’t moan about losing sales when they don’t step up to the plate with ideas such as this – acknowledging the cream of their recorded artists’ works. Good luck with this!
Anon Glasgow,if you still need Play it Dirty etc please let me know for a copy frenchyb53@aol.com
Frenchy
Kev, still don’t have an address for you to send you live at the BBC.
all the best
Chris
Hi Chris – sorry, I thought I’d replied to you – One of our other contributors here, Frenchy, sent it me via download, but thanks very much for the offer. BTW, I just received the Luther Grovesnor CD today with 2 tracks from Jess – are you interested?
Kev,
Can you send via cutesendit the 2 Luther tracks,usual e mail address.
Thanks in anticipation.
Regards,
Frenchy
No worries Frenchy, i’ll get on it tonight
Mark,
Just got Multiplay on vynil and it is now down on cd,if you need a copy still please let me know.
The album was mint so the playback is pretty good.
Please contact on frenchyb53@aol.com.
Regards
Frenchy
Will send by http://www.cutesendit.com which is ace for track transfer.
Kev,
Got in touch with Steve W who in good time will get the extra tracks from myspace and mp3 them on webbsongs so playback will be great.
Regards
Frenchy
OK……..as mentioned a few days back, have not recieved a rseponse from Universal re the proposition for a Jess retrospective. Next week I am speaking with Allan Toussaint and Chris Blackwell to try to get some muscle support. Also heard that Chris Hawkins at BBC Radio 6 has recently aired a couple of rare JRB sessions and prob is a fan. See link below:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/6music/shows/chris_hawkins/words.shtml?y=2008&d=20080724
Contacting him as well. If ever the time is right, it is NOW and I urge you all to send as many e-mails as possible to bug Adam Shearer at Universal whilst I do the heavy work, no pay required! adam.shearer@umusic.com This will get done I assure you all. So you know, I’m down as ‘anon’ not my name of course.
Best
Hey Anon, keep up the good work! I’ll check out the Chris Hawkins link. I already emailed Adam a week or two ago, but will keep the pressure on with regular reminders to him. I’m sure the endorsement of Allan and Chris must hold some sway with the powers that be. Wishing you good luck with your endeavours, and i join you in urging everyone here to email Adam Shearer and keep the pressure on.
Thanks all
To All……………..there is a best of Jess coming out hopefully in March of next year for certain. Have a glass of wine y’all
Yeah! Nice one! I’ll raise a glass to that!
Well if that comes about and it was inspired by what Kev started here…how great is that??!
The sharing of anecdotes and music (thanks, guys!) here has been a pleasure. Where would we be without t’internet?!
Susie
Thanks for that Susie – I’ll be overjoyed if this comes about! The internet is a powerful tool thats for sure – both in getting GOOD new music out to people, cutting through the mediocrity that washes over the airwaves, and also for this, highlighting some of our greatest, far too long ignored talent. With all this nostalgia, on a personal note, I’ll be heading out on the road again in Germany with my old band CHRISTIE (Yellow River) for the first time in ages! Should be a lot of fun!
This is really extraordinary news, Anon! I was n’t aware of Jess Roden’s Music before, but I have followed this “Odyssey”, here, from Day One, and even became very fond of his voice.
So I raise a glass too!
Well Miki and all, it is def coming out early next year and will feature ‘Blowin” ‘I’m On A Winner With You’ and ‘In Me Tonight’ which were never released previously on CD. This is the first time that Jess has ever been recognised by way of a best of and it unbelieveably the first CD release since 1990 on the man. Long time coming methinks.
Fait Accompli
Anon,
Is this “new” album the same one I was refering the other week via e mail dated 8/11/08 or is it something else? If it is the same have you got the track listing, guess you must have if you already know some of the tracks.I would be very interested to see if its the same listing I supplied back on the 20th October to my contact who was in talks with Universal.
See my blog dated 20/10/08
Best Regards
Frenchy
Hi, all
not been here for a while, interesting reading, good to see some movement on a future release, could do with more than a best of but it’s a start.
Kev, I have another 2 tracks, Luther/Jess from the Peter Green tribute album, also the Sandy Denny Losing You track. Have just signed up with cutesendit, if you send me your e-mail will send them and then you can pass on to those interested, presume it’s all on this board.
Also, pop on over to unsung 2 for some interesting info.
All the best to everyone.
Alan E.
Alan E, Would LOVE an MP3 of the Jess and Sandy track. Could send you something in return.
Many thanks,
Crystal Eye
uniscene@msn.com
Frency, Same album I believe, have no track listing though. Heard through a friend at Universal.
Best
Many thanks Allan, will do that. anon – goes without saying whenever the track listings sorted we’d like to hear it!
Keymoore, whenever I hear the track listing, will post it ASAP. If you or anyone have the Sandy Jess mp3 would love to have it.
uniscene@msn.com
thanks
Kev,
tracks on the way thru cutesendit.
‘Crying Won’t Bring You Back’ Luther/Jess
‘Merry Go Round’ Luther/Jess
‘Losing Game’ Sandy/Jess.
Not very good with technology, could you pass on to those who want these.
Thanks.
Alan E.
Crystal Eye,
have sent the track via cutesendit, plus the other two tracks.
Alan E.
Alan…….thanks you SO much for that, made my day. Will dig something out for you soon, but give me time.
[...] Roden Poll 19 11 2008 I am very proud and pleased to note that, as a result of my creating this blog, there has been some interest in the possibility of a Jess Roden Compilation being sanctioned for [...]
So, as some of you may have noticed from the above Pingback, I have created a poll so we can all have a voice in making our ideas known for any future Jess compilation. Just GO HERE to participate!
Here’s how I would do the track listing for what It’s worth in no particular order:
Blowin’
Brand New Start
You Can Leave Your Hat on
I’m On Your Side
On Broadway
Feelin Easy
Deeper In Love
Can’t Get next To You
Dirty Bars
Parachutes
Old Broadway
Reason To Change
In A Circle
Desperado
Under Suspicion (Single Version)
I’m Ready
Kev,
Any chance of cutesendit copy of Jess/Sandy “Losing Game”
Cheers
Frenchy
Hi Frenchy -i’ll send you what allan sent me, but I can’t make it work, I’ve been meaning to email him. its a wma file and my mac won’t recognise, or convert it.
Kev,
read what you say, will send as mp3
Alan
cheers, Allan – appreciate it!
Kev,
should be with you now, as I said, not very good with technology, but learning all the time,
Alan E
Thanks mate – its an endless learning curve – you never get to know it all… I used to think a jpeg was something you used to hang out the washing!
Hallellujah!
How about old broadway (Rivits) or Sudden street (Bronco) on that comp, the earlier stuff shows what a fab songwriter he was too.
Would love seven windows.
Jemtayle@hotmail.com
Jem, i’ll sort seven windows for you. Check the poll on the latest entry on this site and cast your vote for your fave song!
Thanks Kev,
gratefully recieved!
Great to read the all the fantastic news about Jess Roden, have been a fan since Bronco “Country home” have tried to get a copy of this album for ages, ( I used to cover “Time ” & “Well Anyhow” as a young performer.) can anyone help? I also assume I’m Ready from the track list above is off Paul Kossoffs solo album. great number…keep up the great work, perhaps he may return to singing one day soon. cheers Steve
Welcome Steve, glad you enjoy the blog! Amongst us here we have the Bronco stuff, both albums are available on CD together. i have a copy, but not to hand. I’m sure one of our crowd here will sort a copy out for you!
How great to see all this interest in Jess. I have a lot of his albums and am a big fan. I was listening to Paul Kossoff album Backstreet Crawler the other day and Jess’s backing vocals on Moulten Gold are amazing and I found myself listening to him instead of Paul Rogers who sings lead and who is also brilliant. Oh, i really would love to see Jess live one more time before i pop my clogs and have written to the BBC (re Jools Holland) but their reply was just a bog standard acknowledgement of my letter but if everyone writes to them it may have some effect. Anyway, whatever happens – Jess, thanks for all the music. PS – I still can’t get hold of Live at the BBC.
Lynne, welcome! and thanks for sharing your listening experience! I really must get hold of the Kossoff album, though I have the track “I’m ready”. If you would email me at kevdabass@yahoo.com I will send you Live at the BBC. Jess and Jools? Yes please!
Hi Kev.
Just to say it was good to talk to you the other week regarding Jess.
I have not spoken to him recently.
I will see him this Sunday at a family function down Basingstoke way and it will be really great to be able to tell him about the “Best of Jess” possible release for Islands 50th.
Kev . Thankyou so much for starting this blog, it really has taken off and it really surprised me as to the following that my brother had.
I still don’t know if he has seen this yet but rest assured He will before Christmas, even if i have to tie him to the chair and prop his eyes open with matchsticks.
Regards
Nick
P.S.
Steve Web, if you are reading this please contact Kev and he will pass on my details to you. ( if thats ok with you Kev) It would be great to hear from you. The last time i saw you was in about 1977 at Birmingham Town Hall when you played with the JRB and they were recording for the blowin album. I was a spotty 17 year old who at the time really didn’t realise what tremendous talent i was seeing on stage. When i say that I don,t mean one individual but the whole band.
Kev,
Any luckwith that Jess/Sandy Denis download from Alan E
Regards
Brian
fenchy,
if your e-mail is stll the same as at the top of this page, they are on the way.
Alan E.
Nick, it has been, and continues to be – a pleasure! i’ll pass on your details to Steve, no probs.
Frenchy – yep, got it sorted from Allan – who I see is sending them to you! Thanks all!
I’m in the process of selling my vinyl collection, and I have the following Jess albums available, all in great condition:-
THE RIVITS – MULTIPLAY – ILPS9617 – inc. lyric sheet
JRB – PLAY IT DIRTY PLAY IT CLASS – ILPS9442
JRB – KEEP YOUR HAT ON – ILPS9349
JRB – BLOWIN’ – ILPS9496
JESS RODEN – ILPS9286
THE PLAYER NOT THE GAME – ILPS9506 – inc. lyric sheet
I would prefer to sell them together as a package.
If anyone is interested, please e-mail me via my website http://www.rocklens.com
At Kidderminster Library is an exhibition of photographs taken by Colin Hill showing bands who played at Frank Freemans Club during 1968/69. Amongst these are a few pictures of The Alan Bown Set, including Jess.
It is great seeing these and having those happy memories of fantastic bands such as Alan Bown bought to the fore again
Nick, I am sorry to hear about your Mum, she was a good friend to our family.
Having heard Robert Elms play ‘On Broadway’ on BBC London radio recently, I too found this thread by Googling Jess’s name. I already had ‘Jess Roden’ and ‘Play It Dirty’ on CD, but I’ve ordered The Humans CD as a Christmas present to myself! I would have liked to buy some Alan Bown Set and Butts Band CDs too, but they are going for £60-100 on Amazon, so a bit out of my price range.
Therefore, it’s great news about the ‘best of’ CD – I’ll get that the moment it comes out. It would be fabulous if Jools Holland asked Jess to sing on his show, as long as Jess wanted to. Failing that, maybe reading the contents of this website may tempt him to play a gig or two or release some new music via the Internet…you never know!
Sorry, I meant to add my condolences to Jess, Nick and their families about their mother’s passing.
Good to see such interest in Jess. I saw him with the Humans on several occasions in the 90s, one of the best bands I ever saw. Have both their CDs and I have the bbc sessions cd which i will copy for any that want it, in exchange for something eg Bronco would be welcome (adrianp40@hotmail.com). Jess also sang superbly on the Paul Kossoff ‘Back Street Crawler’ solo album, recently rereleased in 2CD form and well worth getting.
I also saw Jess with his big band in the 70s at the Marquee, great days too.
Wish he’d reform the Humans, which he initially started with the late Jim Capaldi.
Welcome Adrian! hopefully someone on the blog will be up for an exchange. if not, I’ll keep an eye out and put my Bronco stuff on the computer and send them via cutesendit. ..And I agree, the Back street Crawler album is a beauty.
Thought I’d ask here if anyone knows the circumstances surrounding the death in 1993 of Peter Wood (keyboard), Jess’s ‘Rivits’ bandmate? I did some work with Peter in the early 80’s. He was living in New York with his wife, Maggie, and at the time was helping Pam Tillis with some songwriting and session work in Nashville (among numerous other session and ‘live appearance’ projects). I’m pretty sure I might even have met Jess Roden one social evening at Peter & Maggie’s.
In any case, time passed, communication waned and the next thing I hear is that Peter had died. Reportedly a suicide but I don’t buy that – at least not an intended suicide. I haven’t been able to locate Maggie over these many years and there’s precious little about Peter on the Internet save for his voluminous credits as a player on what seem to be countless albums. Anyone able to provide any info? Thanks!
I have just managed to get hold of the Luther Grosvenor album ‘Floodgates’. Jess does lead vocals on two of the songs – one of which is a brilliant version of Bob Segers ‘Fire Down Below’. The whole album is excellent but is a must for all Jess fans.
Hi Lynne, I got it myself a couple of months back, and must agree with your assessment, its a brilliant album, with great contributions from Jess.
Hi Peterbe – thanks for joining us – perhaps someone here will be able to shed some light on things. Keep checking back just in case.
Awesome…a site dedicated to the work of Jess Roden.
I first saw Jess as a member of Bronco on a BBC TV programme called Sounding Out….I can remember footage of the band recording “Civil of You Stranger”. Subsequently saw the JRB at Essex University and the Marquee (I know that gig was recorded at around about the time the EP was issued) and also saw the Rivits at The Venue in Victoria.
Nobody seems to have mentioned the story about Jess doing the some of the high bits for Roger Daltrey on Magic Bus.
I think I have all the official releases from Jess, but am keen to source any live or unreleased stuff that maybe out there.
I will check out my vinyl because I think I have an Australian release Bronco single which features tracks not on Country Home or Ace of Sunlight…will keep you posted….
Nice shout there with Magic bus, Bruce! – mouthwatering prospect of Bronco rarities! Just peruse this comments thread and you should piuck up any clues for other tracks you may be looking for.
Hi Kev.
Happy new year to you and all Jess Fans.
I have just been voting on the site regarding the forthcoming CD.
My choices woild be as follows. ( Not in order)
Ballad of Big Sally. ( From the Blowin Album)
Deparado. ( From the Blowin Album)
Blowin.
The Hardest Blow.
On Broadway.
Play it dirty Play it Class.
Dirty Bars.
Raise your Hand (from the unreleased album) on the JRB Myspace.
Keep your hat on.
Send it to you.
And then a few tracks from the Humans albums, i.e. 44, Cool Water, If it Takes just a little time, and finally , You better believe it Baby.
Don’t get me wrong there are many other tracks that he has sung which I like but these just send the hairs up on the back of my neck when he hit’s the high powerful notes.
Cheers Kev.
Nick
Following up on my last post, the Bronco 45 I have is Lazy Now, written by Jess and A Matter of Perspective written by Gammond/Ward…I will hopefully convert to mp3 this week.
There has been some mention in this thread about two bootleg albums….anyone willing to part with a copy these? Also the tracks on Steve Webb’s site ( what a great guitarist he is!)…are they available as downloads or just streams?
Cheers,
Cheers Nick! the Humans tracks are among my favourites too! Bruce, I’m sure someone will help you out. Not sure about Steve’s stuff, I think he’s just streaming them at the moment.
Hello all been a while but just got my copy from th US of Luther Grosvenor which features Jess solo on 2 tracks , the best of which is Fire Down Below which is awesome, but the total album is pretty good as well,check it out.
Kev M don’t forget to let me have your phone no in Spain for update etc.
Keep on rockin’
Frenchy
I’ve been a staunch fan of Jess since seeing him on The Old Grey Whistle Test in the mid-70’s, and have collected most of his tracks. But I’d really appreciate it if anyone could send an mp3 of Jess/Sandy Denny’s ‘Losing Game’ to artisanmedia@hotmail.com as I can’t seem to find this one anywhere (not even eBay). What a great site this is, and happy to reciprocate with anything I’ve got.
Thank you to all who forwarded mp3 tracks. I’ve now got a lot of stuff I never had before!
still hoping the Jess compilation album album comes off and the tracks I would love to see on it are
Me and crystal eye
blowin
on broadway
jump mama
quiet sound of you and me
fire down below (from Luther Grosvenors ‘Floodgates’ album)
crying wont bring you back (from peter greens Rattlesnake guitar album)
Balad of big sally
Rockin in the freeworld (Humans album)
I could go on forever, there are so many but here are a few. I would love to hear the sandy denny/jess song Losing Game but can’t seem to get hold of it.
Nick,
A couple of years ago I exchanged emails with the owner of a company that sells digital music and distributes it to iTunes and other sites. He is a Jess fan and we agreed that his unreleased albums should be made available. He said he would like to do that but had no way on contacting Jess to get the ball rolling.
If you or your brother would like to contact him, his name is Dean Sciarra, and his email address is this: Dean@ItsAboutMusic.com
Hi Nicolas.
Thanks for that ,
I will speak to Jess and pass on the informatiomn then see what he wants to do.
Cheers.
Nick
Lynne -I have that track, I’ll dig it out for you when I have a moment.
Nick,
That was quick! I’ve long ago digitized my copies of Jess’ albums that have never appeared on CD, and they sound quite good. But not as good as some from-the-tape CDs would, I’m sure.
I mostly left Rock music behind years ago, but I still get pleasure out of a few of my favorites, including Robert Palmer, Edmunds and Lowe, Ry Cooder, and Jess. I was smitten from the first time I heard the “Jess Roden” LP. It would be nice if he restarted his music career, but even if he doesn’t his legacy is strong. Few Rock-era musicians have delivered as many excellent albums.
All the best,
Nicolas
Hi, I have converted the Lazy Now/A Matter of Perspective single to mp3 (approx 8MB each) so can send that if you want it….I’m still after the Jess bootlegs if anyone can help out….
Bruce ,
Can you forward Lazy Now/A Matter of Perspective onto my e mail would appeciate it as Ihave never heard of these tracks before.
frenchyb53@aol.com
Looks a big file so why not send using http://www.cutesendit.com free download system it compresses and sends large files double quick,and its free!!!
Regards
Frenchy
Bruce, likewise as for Frenchy! to kevdabass@yahoo.com
I don’t have any new info on Jess bootlegs, but that sort of thing is likely to turn up here sooner or later I would imagine.
Lynne- if you email me to the above address, I’ll send you the download link for “losing game”
Bruce C – Would you also send the mp3’s for Lazy Now / Perspective to: artisanmedia@hotmail.com as I’ve never heard of these either.
Also, what do you mean by the Jess bootlegs? What is it you’re looking for so I can check if I’ve got it?
Bruce, Would also love ‘Lazy Now and B Side to uniscene@msn.com pref by Cutesendit. I am the one who has the 2 JRB bootleg cassettes ‘Nice Cockeral Bruce’ & ‘Our Song About Us’, but as prev mentioned, I have to did deep for them and will eventually transfer them to MP3……………….soonish
Tx
Please put me on the list for the bootlegs if they make it to digital. Gracias!
I guess an email would help, yes?
upthetotempole@gmail.com
Will do for sure
Crystal Eye – Would you mind also sending bootlegs to: artisanmedia@hotmail.com whenever transferred to mp3? Many thanks!
This all like mannah from heaven for me, and it’s interesting to note how similar some of you guy’s musical tastes are to mine – Jess, Linda Lewis, Terry Reid and Frankie Miller are my all time greats. I have most of Jess’ vinyl but unfortunately due to the state I was inevitably in when I played them back then, they are not really worth digitising.
My favourite JRB gig was when he supported Rufus (Chaka Khan’s band) at the Victoria Theatre in London. It takes a great singer to not come No 2 to Chaka but Jess blew her away that night.
I’d be so greatful if anyone could send me some links to Jess related MP3s.
Any news on the best of album?
Derek
Derek, hi! Just let us know what you need, we’ve got most stuff on here!
Send me your email addy to kevdabass@yahoo.com and I’ll get some mp3s off to you. No news on the best of yet, but I think that will change this year. My dear friend the late Keith Webb was Terry Reid’s drummer throughout the late 60’s and I have some great tales of those days. Check out the movie “Groupies” which charts an American tour with Terry and the boys, Ten Years After and Joe Cocker – it’s a snapshot of an era!
Derek,
Jess Roden and Linda Lewis, don’t know if you have it but Go Too by Stomu Yamashta has both of them as featured vocalists, great work again by Jess. The featured vocalist on the previous go album was Steve Windwood, Pete townsend when talking about Magic Bus described Jess’s contribution as a Steve Windwood vocal.
Alan.
Hi All, did a mp3 copy of My Bawley Friend ever turn up….if so can anyone let me have a copy? This is probably sacriligeous to ask in this forum, but any idea what line Jess sings on That’s The Way God Planned It by the SAS Band?….
I wrote a while back (28 Aug ‘08) that Esoteric Records were planning to re-issue Lancashire Hustler by Keef Hartley, which features Jess on some vocals, and the CD is now available from them:
http://www.cherryred.co.uk/esoteric/artists/keefhartleyband.htm
£9.95 plus postage
Thanks so much to Kev for the Blowin album – much appreciated. If anyone could be kind enough to let me have The Butts Band on mp3 that would be great and also the Jess/Sandy mp3 as I met Sandy a few times before she died and never realised that she and Jess did something together.
I’ll sort both of those for you Derek, no probs
Thanks for that Kev.
Derek
Just come across this site after googling for Jess Roden. Jess is a brilliant singer and a great talent. I first heard him sing on an Island Records sampler ‘El Pea’ on ‘Sudden Street’ with Bronco.
I was lucky enough to see him perform with The Humans at Granvilles in Stone around 10 years ago. Brilliant set.
As I walked past the stage I muttered to him ‘Sudden Street’. He came up to me after the show, shaking his head muttering ‘Sudden Street indeed!’ I had a lengthy chat with him and Nick Graham, the bass player (ex Atomic Rooster) afterwards, and they autographed and gave me a copy of their album which I still treasure. They are both really nice guys.
I lost my copy of Sudden Street and would love to get a copy for my I-pod. Can anyone help? My email address is nickwellshome@yahoo.co.uk.
If you ever read these posts Jess, all the very best to you.
Many thanks for your comment! Although I was lucky enough to see the JRB back in the 70’s, I certainly envy you seeing the Humans! I’ll see if I can dig out Sudden Street for you…and regarding Jess reading the posts – I know his brother has made it his mission to show Jess all the great activity that goes on here regarding his career, so rest assured he will probably get your good wishes at some point!
Kev,
Looks as if the Best Of Island cd may be a runner as my contact is closer to release as per the track listing I sent you a few months ago.
Will keep you in the loop and advise the date as soon as I get it.
May not be everybody,s choice but Jess is aware of this release and has seen the listing I think,so hopefully will be a nice first for Jess collectors for the future, hopefully some more to follow, you never know.
Frenchy
Respectfully.
I met Jess, just a couple of times back in the late sixties in a social setting. One time, just in passing, he said something to me as an encouragement, the kind of thing a teacher might say to a young student. I didn’t pay it much attention at the point ( i was too young to think about anything then) but at different times in this life it has resurfaced and has been a positive and invigorating memory. From it i have taken the lesson that ‘you can never quiet know what effect you have on another person’ and have subsequently made an effort where possible, to have a positive influence on those around me, to pass it on.
Music has always been important. I have witnessed masters like Bob Marley, Stevie Wonder, Jimi etc. I saw Bronco play the Roundhouse. They did a version of Neil Young’s ‘The Loner’. Staggering… of the essence. Many attempt to be great. Some gain public recognition some don’t, the system isn’t prefect. Some just imitate, and many don’t know the difference. Some come from the core and can’t help themselves, it’s just how they are.
Funnily enough, it’s innate, in the nature of heroes to be unknown, real one’s often don’t even know it, see it, about themselves…goes like that. I wish Mr. Roden all the best in whatever he’s at.
Funky Mon Dieu!
Michael.
Michael, thanks for your great contribution and reminiscences!
Frenchy: How’s it going? – Great news that the “best of’s” likely to be on the way. As you say, tracklistings will never please everybody, but it should expose Jess to a new era of listeners. Please keep me posted!
Kev,
Will keep you up to date as soon as I get the news,hopefully all good.
Frenchy
Stomu Yamashta’s Go Too, as mentioned above by Buchanbob, is a mighty fine album, don’t believe the reviews Kev. It features quite a lot of Jess’s white boy blued eyed soul vocals, not a disco album, more seventies jazz fusion/funk with spacey Pink Floyd parts. The reviews usually choose the first Go album as the one to listen to, but Go Too has better ’song’ sections performed immaculately by Jess, and the musicians are first class. If not yet purchased Kev the bass please check your e-mail (cutesendit).
Alan
This is fantastic – a live thread dedicated to Jess Roden, who along with Frankie Miller, Bob Marley, Free , Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Stax oldies , The Who and LIndisfarne [ okay , okay I was 17] sustained me through my last years of school . We all know what happened to the big names but its so good to share passions about this unsung hero of the soul. My Jess Roden album is still on the turntable on a regular basis and is one of the main reasons why I still have a turntable, even the scratches tell their own story .
Life in a small market town in the seventies was tough for a musically inquisitive teenager – only my friend Caroline [ who introduced me to Jess ] shared the same passion. WE had woolworths that sold records and a sports shop that kept limited stoc, there was NME and Sounds, John Peel [ too hippy trippy for me ] and OGWT. PUnk was yet to come – like a storm gathering on the distant horizon but i could not get into the standard clever glam or prog rock or ax hero stuff like Led zep, genesis, Queen etc
Sadly I never got to see him live – once he was due to play in Swindon at some plastic palm tree spot but the gig was cancelled – what a let down – then he came to manchester uni SU in December 1976 but i was ill and had to miss it – sounds like a lame excuse now but there you go . I think the jess Roden album is his best although his version of Desperado is unbeatable.
I am so glad to hear he is thriving and doing something else well – no need for him to do anymore performing as far as i am concerned.
Thanks for the thread – I am now able to let my 19 yo son in on the best kept rock secret in years
Hester,
Glad to see your on the blog originally set up by Kev Moore,there are loads of people on this site who have probably the full Jess Roden set as far as is possible, so if you need further enjoyment from the past please ask and I,m sure you will be accomodated by someone on this far flung planet.
Regards
Frenchy
Hi there,
Have only just come across this site and it’s brilliant to find so many Jess fans out there. I’ve been hooked on his music ever since I heard him singing on that Kossoff album.
I too am looking for rarities and if anyone is willing to share BBC sessions/Seven Windows/B-Sides with me that would be great.
I see that the Jess anthology has been finalised and is set for release on May 18th.
http://www.spincds.com/product.asp?id=9020267
Here is the track listing:
1. Ballad Of Big Sally
2. Blowin’
3. Leave Your Hat On
4. Stonechaser
5. Reason To Change
6. Woman Across The Water
7. In A Circle
8. Trouble In The Mind
9. Me and Crystal Eye
10. In Me Tonight
11. Can’t Get Next To You
12. What The Hell
13. Im On a Winner With You
14. Deeper in Love
15. Lonely Avenue
16. If You Change Your Mind
17. Jump Mama
18. All Night Long
steve- thanks for the commentand the great link to this long-awaited compilation! Finally, a new generation of fans will get to hear this golden voice!
We’ll sort some rarities out for you mate.
Hi Hester
The JRB gig you mentioned – Manchester Uni Students Union 1976 – was the only time I ever saw the band live. I was 15 and not really supposed to be there…but I am SO glad I was!!!
Looking forward to the ‘Best of…’ cd very, very much – great track list. It’s there on play.com already !
Have you seen the live Jess Roden concert at wolfgang’s vault? check out http://concerts.wolfgangsvault.com/, the show is from 1/1/74. Just getting into this singer, and looking forward to the greatest hits cd
Thats a really great link Greg, thanks for that!
Hello all
here’s a link to The Word, discussing Jess/JRB etc.
http://www.wordmagazine.co.uk/content/jess-roden-what-a-great-singer-do-you-remember-him
Alan
Discovered this page following our discussion about Jess on the Word Magazine blog as mentioned by Alan Ellsmore above and am so pleased to discover that there are so many other fans. Like others have mentioned I first heard Jess via the Island Records compilation “Bumpers” which included “Love” off Bronco’s first album. Ashamed to admit that I didn’t take things any further at that stage but Bronco had certainly registered and when I subsequently heard “Sudden Street” on Island’s follow-up sampler “El Pea” I was definitely sold. (It hasn’t been mentioned previously but I trust that you are aware that the version of “Sudden Street” on El Pea is diifferent to that on Ace of Sunlight, it’s about a minute shorter and sparser- different vocal take too I would guess). Saw the Jess Roden Band on many occasions after that. The stand out for me is one night at JB’s in Dudley. Some friends and I had travelled down from Liverpool to stay with these girls we knew from the nearby Teachers Training College. The others couldn’t resist the charms of our hostesses but I was more than happy to groove away on my lonesome at a fantastic gig (this was the night I discovered Weather Report via the club dj’s pre-show music). At one stage Jess was exhorting the audience to clap along “even those with round shoulders” which I’m pretty sure was directly aimed at me (with some justification). Also saw them on Roxy Music’s Country Life tour but I was well aware by this stage and although had previously been a Roxy fan I was primarily there for Jess (can’t recall any other times that I’ve been to a concert for the support act!). The added bonus that night was to chortle at Bryan Ferry in his gaucho outfit. The last time I saw the JRB was at the Liverpool Polytechnic (they were headlining by now) where I got to briefly meet him after the show although I didn’t do much more than shake his hand and say “Great gig”.
As I mentioned on the Word site I got frustrated by the lack of Jess on CD and decided to digitise some of my vinyl and have put the two Bronco albums together with Player Not The Game, Stone Chaser and the “Under Suspicion” single up as a torrent on Demonoid (search for “Jess Roden Vinyl Rip”). I’m currently downloading the Stomu Yamash’ta album – Jess and Linda Lewis – woo hoo!
The one thing I’d not heard of until reading this page was “Seven Windows”. Could someone provide more details about this?
Can’t wait for the Cherry Red Best Of. I’ll actually buy a copy!!
Finally I would be eternally grateful if someone could provide me with a copy of “Lazy Now” Bronco single.
Obdewlla. thanks for your great input – if you write to me at kevdabass@yahoo.com, I’ll sort out Seven Windows and Lazy now for you!
I’m sure the upcoming CD compilation will mark a resurgence of interest in Jess’s music, and hopefully usher in a new generation of fans.
Hello all,
I for my sins am responsible for the track listing choices on the new album to be released in May. Having seen the JRB on Sight and Sound in Concert on BBC 2 back in the 70,s I was hooked immediately and have been a fan ever since with a great collection of cd and vynil.
I was contacted by Michael Heatley last September who was the instigator of this album release and asked me to give him 18 tracks from the Island collection for this retrospective using Universal Records as the source for all the tracks from solely Island releases.
Being a bit stunned as you canimagine as I was already using this great blog and thought that this may not happen etc.
Well some months later here we are with the release due 18th May.
As with personal choices the listing may not suit all fans taste but it,s a start and hopefully when released all true fans will buy it, so put the word around that this is out.
Next hopefully should be ths album that never was that Steve Webb has on his web site, so if the first one is a success we should push for a second.
Get the word out loud so that people who have not heard any of this stuff can be educated to one of the best rock/blues voices around.
Just a big thankyou to Kev Moore in particlar without whose forethought and perseverence no one out there would even be aware of the following that exists which is still growing if you look at other blogs on Jess.The amount of interest that is still out there from all corners once again supports the fact that Jess,s voice is still appreciated after all this time.
Thanks Kev for your support on the blog and personally by our regular contact. I am proud to be part of this project, hopefully the first of many.
Get the word out and enjoy.
Regards
Brian French
just back to looking at the threads here… re-awoken to it from the word magazine recent postings) and…
fascinated (!) to see that someone (??? – if you’re there, pls contact me!!!) still has a couple of those desk-tapes that i copied up from island days… the bruce cockerel one and our song about us – and yes, those were my titles! the originals – so far as i know -still survive (plus others) within my own archive at my home in france… sadly no longer there (yeah, its a long torrid tale) but might have access to my stuff in may and… should that happen… glad to pass on any other gems i come across… interestingly, on one seems to have listed an island 7″ep that was released… can’t for the life of me recall the track listing but am pretty certain that at least two tracks were live and came from those marquee recordings…
for the completists… the sleeve to ‘you can…’ was shot while the band were in rehearsals in the back room (r/h) room at st peters sq… play it dirty… was a cover by tony wright… the link is that he also designed the very first double cd island compilation – bumpers (tho’ uncredited on that).
nick – IF you’re still reading this… pls pass my very best on to jess and lainey… sad to have missed him at the island reunion last july in hammersmith… and jaime has kids now too – amazing… there is a pic of jess up on flickr from that (plus loads of others of island people from way way back) by the way if anyone’s interested.
e-address is: neilstorey@aol.com
track-listing for the album… hmmm… no ‘the quiet sound of you and i’ renders it somewhat incomplete… shame as probably the finest reading of that particular song… ever.
in any event… as much as the 2cd compilation has resonance, i’d argue that there is real worth in looking into a proper – repeat – proper 4 cd with serious sleeve notes retrospective…
best wishes to one and all
neil.
http://www.neilstorey.blogspot.com
Neil,
Could not agree more, lets get some more music out there. If you have the contacts all the better for next time maybe.
Frenchy
Hi Kev, Allan, Frenchy ( who is on holiday) and Neil.
Boy oh boy is my liitle bro getting more popular or what,,,,,,,?
after all these years, it really is good to see so much interest.
By the way , if anyone want’s to hear him singing Desperado “Live” from the Blowin album i notice it is now on youtube along with some other JRB and Alan Bown tracks.
Cheers Guys.
Keep in touch.
Nick
Strewth! I’m another wanderer from the Word Magazine website & blog, and may I say how very pleased I am to find this blog. Having seen Jess play when I was at University, I’ve spent the last several decades wondering why he’s had such a low profile, when far lesser talents have had more success, so it’s great to find that there are lots of us out here who think the same.
I’ll be snapping up the retrospective when it hits the shops, but in the meantime, can anyone suggest somewhere I can buy lossless copies of any of the other albums? I’ve got the vinyl Island samplers with a smattering of tracks, but it looks as if I’ve left it way too late to grab any of the CD reissues. Boxed set! Now! Please someone!
the you tube links are, sadly, a bit misleading – grainy footage of seas-shore ’stuff’ as a backdrop to desperado… hmmm, not exactly my cuppa thanks… however, the alan bown material is… good fun… and wonderfully dated!
ns
Hi Neil and all out there.
Regarding the Youtube footage etc, I did say in my original statement that you could “hear” Jess singing Desperado live and not ” See” him singing.
As Jess is known more for his voice rather than his screen appearamce I would suggest that anyone one who is interested in his”vocal talents” listen to the track.
I would agree with you Neil that the video shown is pretty awful to say the least.
Nick
Nick
Hi All, really enjoying the way that “new” Jess material is emerging. The Deluxe version of the Paul Kossoff/Back Street Crawler album has some additional JR material which is worth a listen:
http://www.deezer.com/#music/album/101132
I stumbled across the following link for those looking for the Bronco albums:
http://time-has-told-me.blogspot.com/2007/01/bronco.html
I also discovered that Bronco had done some sessions for the BBC including several tracks that are unreleased on albums, namely Baby When You’re Near, Old Grey Shadow, Steal That Gold, Strange Awakening, Talking Jack Humphries and Woodstock….it would be good to hear them…..
Anyone have a link for the Carol Grimes Warm Blood album?
any idea where the bbc material can be found?
or… any background on those tracks?
which are the key koss tracks – lady is a tramp is a blast (mad, but a blast!)
ns
Hi Neil, came across a mention of the Bronco tracks at
http://www.bbcradioint.com/BBCSessions.aspx
Perhaps some nice person at the BBC could post a copy for research purposes.
Will let you know the Jess tracks on the Deluxe Back Street Crawler album as soon as I have it in my hot sticky hands….
Bruce
if you havent got the Stomu Yamashta album ‘Go Too’ but would like to hear Jess and (I think) Linda Lewis singing a track called ‘Madness’ go to http://www.last.fm/music/stomu+yamashta and click on the Madness pic. There is quite a long intro to this but the voices kick in after a while. Enjoy! Jess, if you read this site, how wonderful that there is all this interest in your music. I was just looking through some of the vinyls and its true to say that your music has been the soundtrack to a large part of my life – thanks for that.
if you havent got the Stomu Yamashta album ‘Go Too’ but would like to hear Jess and (I think) Linda Lewis singing a track called ‘Madness’ go to http://www.last.fm/music/stomu+yamashta and click on the Madness pic. There is quite a long intro to this but the voices kick in after a while. Enjoy! Jess, if you read this site, how wonderful that there is all this interest in your music. I was just looking through some of the vinyls and its true to say that your music has been the soundtrack to a large part of my life – thanks for that.
Hi folks,
I’m probably the only Belgian on this blog?
My wife and I are both Jess Roden fans. We married 20 years ago. The opening song of our wedding was “You’re a sensation” from the Player not the game album. I suppose nobody attending our wedding ever heard the song before, but we sure enjoyed our little dance.
I can not think of a better present to give my lovely wife than a CD copy of this beautiful album.
If there’s anybody out there who can send me a copy, I would be so gratefull and of course I’m willing to pay for the costs!!!
PS: do you know that song by Free, ‘Molten gold’ , sung by both Jess and this other great British singer Paul Rodgers : fantastic song!
Hi Tony! What a lovely story, and such a great choice for a wedding song! I’ll be happy to send “Player” to you on mp3, via cutesendit – is that cool?
Kev
Kev,
Great!!!
It’s her birthday today , so that would be good timing!
Thanks a million,
Tony
Kev,
I suppose you need my e-mail address : tony.smeets@skynet.be
Kind regards,
Tony
hi there,
ive been a fan of jess roden since the early 70s, ive dont have a copy of stonechaser, or the player not the game on cd, but i would love , love love a copy of both, or any thing else of jesses. i only have jess roden, and play it dirty, superb albums, and take pride of place in my top 20 albums of all time. only paul rodgers was good enough to wipe jesses boots, vocally. i cant believe he just gave it up, if anyone can supply, i`d really be gratefull. i met a guy years ago trying to impress a bunch of lads about the blues, i simply asked what did he think of jess roden, who???????? he said,,,,,,,we had such a laugh when i explained that jess sung with so many blues guitarists including the great paul kossoff,,,,,,,paul who??????????? he said.
thanks,,,,,,,,,,,, chris
Great anecdote Chris! there are those who know, and those who don’t! I’ll sort those albums for you mate and send them via cutesendit as mp3’s. Don’t forget the new Jess “best of” compilation is now out on CD, too!
send me your email addy to: kevdabass@yahoo.com
Cheers, Kev
One of the most sexiest voices I have ever heard. I am updating my cassettes! and cannot find Play it dirty, play it class on Itunes. Horror. His voice makes me quiver all over.
Olga, given the effect Jess’s voice seems to have on you, we must remedy that situation! drop me a line at kevdabass@yahoo.com with your email address, and I’ll send you the download link for “play it dirty”.
Hi from New Zealand.WOW…..isn’t the internet amazing.Been wondering about Jess Roden.Had some great vinyl when I lived in London.Great to read these tributes to Jess.
Danny,
New retrospective album coming out next Monday, get your order in now from this link,sure they will ship if you ask them,all in a good cause.
Best Regards
Frenchy
http://www.spincds.com/product.asp?id=9020267
Hello all,
Jess retrospective cd, I am now told will be June release not 18th May as initially advertised.
Regards
Frenchy
Cheers for the update Frenchy. I guess we’ve waited so long, another month won’t hurt!
Just to update: the tracks featuring Jess on th Back Street Crawler Deluxe Edition are: Lady is a Tramp, three versions of I’m Ready and Molten Gold.
Bruce C,
Any chance of mp3,s of the Jess tracks from Back Street Crawler to my e mail address.
Frenchy
Guys,
Thrilled at all this Jess mania because 1. I am a fan too and 2. I know him pretty well and he’s a great guy. BUT, if we all love him so much, please remember that the first (eponymous) album and Play it dirty can both be bought on CD, for example on Amazon where I got them. I struggle to understand ‘fans’ who would ask for, or freely distribute, an artist’s work as a first course of action. Okay, he’s not missing out on a fortune, but it’s pretty disrespectful to not even TRY to pay for his work. Maybe the next person who asks for an MP3 of something freely available could be gently steered towards an online retailer? Or try vinyl from Ebay! We’re all old enough to appreciate records, and whilst second hand records won’t line Jess’s pockets, it does at least keep a legitimate Jess market going (which may help encourage a label to release some more new old material). Just my two pennies worth, based on a sense of fair play and knowledge of how hard it is for most musicians to make ends meet.
Brian, I agree in part. I have purchased whatever CDs by Jess that can be gotten, and I still have his LPs. But I think it benefits Jess to have people distribute his material that is not purchasable, increasing the number of people who know of him. I fail to see how it benefits Jess to buy vinyl from eBay, and most people do not own turntables. If the record companies offered his songs as downloads this would be a smaller problem. I got tired of waiting and finally digitized a couple of Jess’ out-of-print CDs strictly for my own listening pleasure. A couple of years ago I contacted the owner of itsaboutmusic.com to encourage him to obtain the rights to offer downloads of Jess’ out-of-print music. He said he is a fan and would love to do it, but we didn’t know how to contact Jess. You can suggest to Jess that he get in touch with Dean Sciarra at itsaboutmusic.com.
In the meantime, Jess could benefit from a web site with a PayPal link where those of us who are inclined to could voluntarily send a royalty for the use of his non-commercial digital files.
Jess could do considerably more to increase his visibility and the prospect for all of his albums being released as CDs and downloads.
Brian, as a professional musician and songwriter myself, I am all too aware of the need for people to legitimately and fairly obtain Jess’s music. I raised my concerns with Jess via his brother. You must also remember, most people have bought Jess’s material twice over. I have Butts band, play it dirty, jess roden etc all on vinyl and CD. The albums i have got via download such as player, stonechaser and rivits, I also have on vinyl, just nothing to play them on! So my conscience is clear. From my own personal experience, I have to say that my latest CD release has had sales directly as a result of publicity garnered from making one of the racks available as a free download. It’s a thorny issue though, and one that will run and run.
Hello all out there.
Just to put the record straight regarding Jess , royalties , appearances etc.
Let me say first of all that the comments below are MY views based on conversations with Jess and being his brother for the past 48 years,,,,.
As Kev states in his comment above he has been in touch with Jess through me.
The concern was that the public were buying copies , downloads , MP3 etc, etc, etc. and Jess gets nothing out of it.
I spoke to Jess and basically he is aware of the situation.
The reallity is that it is almost impossible to control and having spoken to Jess about this it is something that he accepts.
As you all know he has not sung in public for about 5 – 10 years and I feel that he really has retired. I also know that he is very surprised at the following that appears to be growing for him and that is something that gives him a great deal of pleasure, but anybody who really knows him will also know that he is a quiet individual ” except when he sings “,,,, who keeps himself to himself and enjoys his family life but still appreciates his following.
Regarding your comment Nicolas Martin about Jess increasing his Visibility, I have to say that I would agree,,,,,, But I also respect his decision to stay out of the limelight so that he can do what he wishes to do. Believe you me nobody would love to hear him sing more than I, but I cannot count the amount of times I have asked him about returning to singing and it it always the same response which is ” No i don’t think so” this I believe is something that should be respected and I feel that If ” and that would be a BIG if ” he was to return then it would be great for him and for his following.
I can honestly say that when Jess comes to visit me over here in Norfolk he enjoys the quiet life away from London and when he has been recognised he has always found time to speak to the person. But Jess never has and never will be the sort of person who courts public attention except when he has been on stage , and now that he no longer sings that does not mean that he does not care or appreciate the following he has.
Kev,,,,, “You keep going boy”, you are doing a great job and I will keep you up to date regarding any decisions / views that Jess has.
Nick
If Jess has no interest in restarting his career, nobody can argue with that. My point about increasing visibility was for him to create (or to allow someone to create for him) an authorized web site, so that old fans can be explore his bio and discography, and express their enthusiasm, and new fans can discover his work. If he would have an interest in such a web site I’d be happy to develop and maintain it. No remuneration expected or accepted, of course, and with minimum disturbance and hassle.
upthetotempole[at]gmail.com
Nicolas.
I can see no probelm with that and I feel that it would be great for all his fans now and in the future.
Myself and computers do mix well but if I can be of any assistance please contact me.
I will check with Jess first just to get 100% approval and then get in touch.
Thanks
Nick.
It would be nice to see a companion site to the JRB MySpace page, and this blog. I would have launched one myself, but professional musical commitments mean I just don’t really have the time to devote to it.
and Nick -thanks for the kind words mate!
I’ve been reading recent posts with interest: basically I am with Kev on the copyright issues…
A website tied into this blog and the MySpace page would be great as long as was done well.
Above all we need to have respect for Jess:
I have been listening to his music for nearly 40 years, rate him as the best British singer bar none, and have been rapt to hear the unreleased material that has come to light as a result of this blog, but our enthusiasm for his music shouldn’t lead to him pressed to take any particular course….
Thanks Bruce c.
I am sure Jess will appreciate your view, I totally agree with you even though I am the worst offender when it comes to trying to get him to start singing again.
Nicolas what i meant to say in my previous comment was that Me and computers do not get on and they totally confuse me, but if I can be of any help when it comes to information for site then please contact me.
Nick
Guys,
Re. my earlier post on buying Jess’s CDs – I tried to be very clear and careful to limit my comments to material that was available to purchase from a retailer e.g first two albums, but of course Bronco and Butts Band material is also available to those prepared to look for it and pay for it. Of course I see that the situation is different with regard to material that is simply not available digitally (e.g. BBC/ Stonechaser etc.), and I agree that in those cases there is a case for expanding the Jess following. My vinyl comments, which were not THAT serious by the way, were about stimulating a market that maybe, just maybe, someone in a position to influence releases might take notice of. I am very aware of the flaws in my reasoning.
I also thought that, perhaps by posting my thoughts, it might raise awareness of the digital availability of some of this old stuff amongst those genuinely and innocently ignorant, albeit limited.
My sense is that Jess is too chilled out to worry too much – my thoughts were only that – MY thoughts. Besides, the whole music business model has changed anyway, and no-one’s going to get rich on album sales.
BTW – where’s that compilation??? Hopefully released soon . . .
Brian
Hi Brian, the Jess best of is out now, check out:
http://eil.com/shop/moreinfo.asp?catalogid=467483
You’re right about the industry changing of course, this is why so many groups are miraculously reforming – royalties are dwindling and touring is where the money is.
A website about Jess needs a bit of help from Jess to work. Maybe the willingness to do an interview for it, the loan of some photos to scan, and help with his musicological history. No great use of his time, and maybe none at all after it is posted. Maybe he has some old concert posters for himself or the bands. It needs those sorts of things for compelling interest.
Brian, I’m not sure which Amazon site you mean, but the one I use (amazon.co.uk) shows the Jess Roden available from £25.90 and the Play It Dirty album available from £20 (and upwards).
In other words, neither album is actually avaialble from stock – only from dealers trying to cash in on their rarity value.
Vulpes, you highlight a good point here. If Jess’s royalties were similarly magnified like these ‘rarity’ prices, it wouldn’t be so bad, but I agree, it’s hard to find a fair-priced copy nowadays that hasn’t been loaded by the dealers. Perhaps, with the advent of the ‘best of’ collection island might re-issue the existing CD back catalogue at a fair price.
The best price I’ve found for the Best of Jess Roden album in the USA is at deepdiscount.com, for $13.58, shipping included. Amazon.com is charging $19.
Well, I received my pre-ordered copy of ‘The Best Of….’ today from Amazon UK. It’s a terrific selection of tracks – can’t fault it. So long awaited…enjoy, everyone!
Cool, Susie! spread the word and let’s get awareness of Jess’s great talent out there to the uninitiated!
New Island box set out featuring Bronco
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Island-Records-Folk-Box-Set/dp/tracks/B00265BCWC/ref=dp_tracks_all_1#disc_1
I’ve been reading about the swathe of commemorative island boxed sets to mark their 50th year in Music Week. Some real gems in there.
Hi everybody,haven’t been on here for a while.Got The best Of-seems a strange choice to me,only covers 6 years of a career that lasted 20 years+ with a few breaks.No Desperado(in fact nothing off Blowin’) says what a great version of On Broadway Jess did then it’s not there.The album does work as it is all studio so perhaps if the tracks had been mixed up,Bronco,Butts Band,Stomu Yamashta,it would have been a bit of a mish-mash.The tracks off of Jess Roden seem a different mix to the original,any ideas?I could go on for hours but i’ll shut up now,Thanks,Mark.
Hi Mark, yeah, there’s a few different ones I’d have put on there, and in fact the sheer eclectic nature of Jess’s career argues that this should’ve been a box set, but it’s better than nothing I suppose!
Mark,
All the tracks on the new cd were limited to Island Records only for copyright purposes and all released for this cd with permission of Universal Records, hence the reason for availability of tracks, maybe next time if the powers that be allow there could be more.
Frenchy
Hi all,
My comment would be that the version of ” Big Sally” should have been the one off the blowin album and not the studio version.
But if another disc is produced then perhaps there will be a wider choice.
Having bought the disc I am getting used to it and feel that it is a good choice of tracks to start with.
I for one would love to have a collection of the more aggressive tracks i.e including the Humans and ” Fire down below etc”
Nicolas you mention about an interview with Jess. May I suggest you contact me (Kev will you provide details please if requested) then we can discuss what questions you want to ask and I can speak to Jess. At the moment it looks like I will see him later in June for a couple of nights. Rest assured all of you if i see him i will be asking him for his comments regarding the CD release etc.
I know that he was approached for some items to go into the Island records exhibition and i think he was sending his velvet coat from the cover of the Jess Roden album, but who knows he may well have sent something else.
Keep in touch guys.
Nick
A COUPLE OF PEOPLE HAVE AGREED WITH ME THAT THE TRACKS FROM THE ‘JESS RODEN’ ALBUM ARE NOT FROM THE BRITISH RELEASE WE ALL KNOW OFF BY HEART,ANY IDEAS,I HAVE GOT THE AMERICAN ALBUM WITH UNDER SUSPICION ON BUT DON’T KNOW IF I’VE EVER LISTENED TO IT HAVING ALL THE TRACKS ON OTHER COPIES.I COULD PUT TOGHETHER A REALLY GOOD OTHERS ALBUM,A B SIDE FROM A RIVITS SINGLE THAT JESS HADN’T EVEN HEARD,THE SOUNDTRACK RIVITS TRACK WHICH I THINK IS A DIFFERENT MIX,A TRACK I THINK CALLED BIFF BANG POW FROM A UNIVERSITY COMPILATION WHICH I’M NOT SURE OF THE DATE ETC,I DON’T THINK I’VE GOT A BRONCO TRACK THAT DIDN’T GET ON EITHER ALBUMS UNLESS IT HAS BEEN PUT ON THE 2 ON 1 CD I’VE GOT,OF COURSE THAT GREAT TRACK WITH LINDA LEWIS ON GO TOO,THE STEVE WEBB TRACKS THAT NEVER GOT RELEASED,OH LOTS.
HAS ANY BODY MANAGED TO FIND A COPY OF AN ALBUM THAT NEVER GOT RELEASED WHICH JESS DID WITH JOHN RABBIT BUNDRICK(FREE)-HE HASN’T -BUT I WONDERED IF ANY EX ISLAND PEOPLE MAY HAVE A MASTER/DEMO?LIVE IN HOPE!
MARK.
Re ‘Best Of’, If anyone is in any doubt, ‘Reason To Change’ and ‘Trouble In The Mind’ are never before heard outakes from the solo album.
just caught up with all of the comments… fascinating stuff… for what its worth, if anyone is after original vinyly then suggest the 991.com web site a better place to kick off than e-bay or similar… their jess section is pretty comprehensive.
island compilations… hmmmmmmmmm… my own comments on the voltaire (blog) posted fairly recently… also, a retrospective on the island50 events.
the thorny issue of royalties and ‘illegal’ file sharing… fully understand all points being made… some erroneous (in my view), some not… as such, would suggest the following… from days, many long years past, one of the greatest pleasures was turning this person or that on to music that one liked… its something that still happens between people who genuinely love music… the swapping of files (via cute send it etc) as much as putting compilations together featuring music that maybe one’s friend hasn’t got but you (the giver of) thinks that they’ll get off on… to my way of thinking, there’s nothing whatsoever wrong with that… in fact, i’d go so far as to say, every musician i’ve ever worked with would subscribe to that view… however, wholesale piracy by lashing files willy nilly to thousands of recipients (and being paid to do that by whatever means) constitutes nothing other than copyright abuse and piracy… and… to protect those who are due x or y royalty on those files, should be eradicated by whatever means available – and there are people better placed than i to offer solutions to that issue.
the file sharing thats gone on within the confines of this ‘blog’… whatever it may be are / should be down to individual consciences… and… i would advocate that, for every file recieved, that – where possible – something should be sent in return…
with regard to a web site… perhaps an informed information centre, a one-stop for proper info – properly run… yes, much needed and… should anyone wish me to, happy to set it up / help with regard to it.
regards to one and all who log in to this…
neil.
hiya
http://www.jessroden.com will be up and running in a couple of weeks…
nb: it’ll take time to grow the site properly so… please be patient…
n
Any chance that someone can post the lyric to “Deeper” here? can’t find it anywhere.
Hi – help required, please! Has there ever been a CD edition of THE ALAN BOWN! vinyl album (Deram/London; US edition, cat. no. DES 18032) with Jess singing, i.e. the original version? There was a Japanese disc with the original sleeve back in 2005 but I’ve never seen or heard it.
L & Bone
Neil. Great news about the Jess Roden site. I have a large collection of Meody makers/Sounds/NME’s from the early-mid 70’s and a recent flick through revealed that there are some very interesting old J.R articles from those pages.
If you can use the content for the site, I’d be happy for you to loan the articles in question for you to copy and digitise suitable for web publication. Trouble is, one in particular is a large full page feature on the fledgling JRB with tiny print and I’m useless at enlarging and compressing files etc, so if you have originals, maybe you can do that sort of wizardry and get them up for all to see??
There’s also a live Butts Band review from Max’s Kansas city 3/74 and also a not bad sized article about Jess being the support band for Roxy Music 11/74.
My 300 or so collection of papers, mostly NME’s from 1970-mid 73 seems to peter-out sometime in ‘75, so I suppose there are a number of articles about Bronco in there, but I must admit I haven’t been on the look out for them. I do remember from the time, quite a number of later JRB articles appearing in those publications around 76-77.
I would love to buy a job lot of music papers from that era – ‘Sounds’ was my personal favourite… I had a fairly complete collection of them back in the day, for several years up in the loft, but my dad make me burn them all when I moved out to a smaller house in 1983….
Jeez.. The amount of great stuff I had, that has been lost, sold or thrown away…. Makes me wanna cry!!!
Colin
Colin. Great that you have some of the music papers from that era…I guess many of us regret having got rid of stuff from the seventies… As well as the JRB/Butts Band/Bronco articles from those publications, can I suggest that it might also be possible to come up with a touring history with dates to which we fans could then add our recollections….
On another note, I’ve seen a Rivits single on Ebay with a B side called “Nail That Turkey Down”….anyone have a copy of that?
i am in the process of putting together the official JR web site…
it should be up and running by the middle of july and it’ll be as extensive as is humanly possible
have a look, feel free to comment (on the relevant page(s) and… any contributions vis a vis concert info, ticket stubs, posters and rare releases info, very gratefully received…
for more – neilstorey@aol.com
Bought the eponymous Jess Roden album on spec in 1975 while at Lancaster University. Was totally transfixed by the really beautiful version of “On Broadway”. I played the album non-stop in my student hall to not many complaints at all. It’s a lovely album and the singer is pure quality who deseved a lot more air-play – but that’s how it goes!
Hi Robert
30 plus years on, ‘On Broadway’ still gets me in the same way. Keep enjoying
)
I have been a music fan for as long as I can remember – through Beatles, Motown, Soul, Led Zeppelin, Joe Cocker, Otis Redding, the whole gamut I suppose. However I still come back to Jess Roden. I first saw the Jess Roden Band at JBs in Dudley (1974). I was taken there by a friend of mine – Mike Spedding (a drummer, I think). He said to me that this particular singer was highly regarded as a “musician’s singer”. After the show I appreciated what he meant. In the audience that night was Robert Plant, I suppose that would be an accolade in itself.
I saw the band again at Wolverhampton Civic Hall, another memorable show; not least for the rendition of “Desperado”, some things stay with you I suppose.
I occasionally go to the Robin in Bilston, and now own a legitimate copy of the Humans Live at The Robin cd, It has hardly been out of the car cd player since I bought it last January. Highly recommended! I fondly imagine that I will see Jess Roden billed on their gig list, but as time goes on I suppose it becomes less likely.
Surprisingly I had the good fortune to meet Roger Daltrey a couple of months ago, and in a short chat Jess’s name came up, I remarked that I would like to be able to hear him sing again and he replied that a lot of people, himself included, would also like that opportunity. I suppose the point of all this is that whilst respecting Jess Roden’s choices and wishes, there is a lot of love and support for him as an artist, and I shall continue to hope that I may one day have the opportunity to enjoy again one of the finest performers I have seen. I was very pleased to have discoverd this site and thank and congratulate you on your efforts.
Wonderful comment Gerry, and thanks for your contribution! As a musician, and author of this blog, my name’s been on the list since day one to hear Jess sing again – and I guess it’s a long list! We live in hope, and continue toi appreciate his fine legacy.
hi to one and all… the web site is now up and running… http://www.jessroden.com
its (obviously) still in its infancy but… should anyone wish to contribute, just let me know… there’s a great deal more to come… more pix, more writing… plus, there are still one or two links that are a bit iffy… these’ll be rectified as soon as humanly possible.
any comments / thoughts / stuff that deserves a page on oits own… you know the kind of thing… let me know
all best to one and all
ns
Just another reminder urging one and all to head over to http://www.jessroden.com, where Neil has assembled some wonderful anecdotes about Jess’s career from the man himself!
I’m anxious to get a copy of Seven Windows if someone can help out. Happy to receive digital files (highest possible bit rate) or to pay for a CD-R copy. Thanks.
Hi Nicolas, drop me an email to kevdabass@yahoo.com and I’ll sort it for you.
Hi all.
I stumbled upon this blog today (don’t ask me how, i have no clue) and it made my day and ruined a full day’s work. Because I just had to keep reading. Almost like eavesdropping into very private conversation. But about a person whom I got to appreciate during the seventies, volunteering in an auditorium in Arnhem (the Netherlands), where I saw and heard the JRB perform, working part-time in a record store where I convinced all the staff available that this was something magnificent, and being a two-bit band leader and guitarist of all sorts of stuff that did not work but that tried to copy the JRB spirit. So yes, of course, the JRB was a major influence, outdoing the Eagles by miles – where their Desperado was simply melancholic, Jess’s version was truely absolutely desperate, heartbroken and still with the urge and need to sing. That’s when and how I got to appreciate good covers: playing and singing and making it your very, very private own song.
So yes, over the years I wondered what had happened to Jess Roden and today I found out he doesn’t want to sing. Ohh my! But at the same time: even IF he were to sing again, what are the odds that I would ever have the opportunity to hear him sing in the Netherlands! Not even televised with Jools (Steve Winwood is back, touring, why not join up… or team up with Allen Toussaint who – by the way – published a very sensitive album recently)! What better excuse would he need! I suppose – is this morally responsible behavior? – perhaps we can convince some bigger shots than us to give it a try. Jools himself?
But family, yes, that part I do understand. I’ve grown older as well. So have we all. And then, suddenly webbsongs provides me with 8 undiscovered gems, and two guys erected terrific shrines to express their deep gratitude for all the music Jess gave them.
Thanks guys for your efforts, and thanks everyone, for letting me share in your very private conversation about someone whom I’ve always regarded as one of the ultimate best singers, but who apparently never got the decent shot of luck his music required.
I recently came across this on the internet and thought I would post the link – you may already be aware of it, but I enjoyed the performance!
http://concerts.wolfgangsvault.com/dt/jess-roden-band-concert/20050787-3737966.html
Gerry – great link, cheers!
Frits, many, many thanks for your eloquent piece detailing your personal story with Jess’s music, and for your kind comments! It’s always a pleasure to find new people out there discovering this blog and getting so much out of it. Call back soon!
First time here, I am absolutely thrilled to see how many fans still worship the superb talents of one of the greatest voices to emerge from the UK – so sweet and expressive, and always tasteful!
I am from Germany and I don’t think that Jess Roden ever had a large following here. I had the luck that my younger brother participated in a student exchange program and was visited by a student from England several times. On one of his visits in the mid-70’s he brought with him a cassette containing a live concert of Jess Roden recorded from BBC radio. I was instantly hooked and he gave me that cassette as a gift. I must have listened to these recording at least a hundred times. Unfortunately I was stolen this cassette (and many others) about five years later when my car was broken into.
However, once deeply captivated by this voice, I managed to purchase almost everything he recorded. I missed out the Humans live CD which I’m trying to get hold of now and never heard of that Seven Windows record. I’d really appreciate if someone could help me out with a copy of that one.
Reading all the comments here yesterday, I was very excited to learn about unreleased tracks made available by Steve Webb. Downloaded all the stuff last night and burnt a CD that I’m listening to right now: over an hour of “new” Jess Roden music – I’m in heaven!!!
Some time ago I got the BBC session that is available from Wolfgangs Vault which is the same that was rebroadcast on BBC 6music several times. Here is hope they do have more in their archives.
Keep the flame burning!
Best regards to everyone here – Cheers
Joerg
Welcome Joerg!
As I always say when we get a new visitor here, its such a pleasure to read your own particular anecdotes regarding Jess’s music. Through his brother, he gets to see all the posts here, and I’m sure he’ll be very happy to hear of the pleasure his music has given you down the years, as it has with us all.
Send me an email to kevdabass@yahoo.com and I’ll sort Seven Windows for you.
Cheers, Kev Moore
Kev and all,
I checked back in the meantime and found that the concert I once had on that cassette actually is the same that was released on the fabulous “Live at the BBC” CD. That’s why I was so very delighted when the CD came out. I had not listened to it way too long. It’s playing now and what a pleasure it is!!
Kev, I send you an email.
Cheers
Joerg
Has anybody ever heard of the JRB appearing at Top Of The Pops, ostensibly in the episode first aired on 5-Nov-74 with a pre-recorded performance of “What The Hell” and “Sad Story”?
I found this information in a forum discussing lost/missing episodes of TOTP. Does anybody here know more?
Cheers
Joerg
Only Jess appearance I’m aware of was with Alan Bown set back in the 60’s….I’ll do some research!
A little snippet for you all . . . chatting with Phil Manzanera last year and Jess’s name came up. He well remembered Jess supporting Roxy and remarked what a good singer he was. Why do I bother mentioning this? Well, a) it’s nice to have a pro validating our choice of singer (okay, like we need that), and b) I hope it adds to the friendly tide that might just reach Jess and beat him into submission (with love of course!).
A big thankyou to Neil Storey for the web site and this wonderful community, loyal to Jess for the blog.
I was at the Wellington Club in East Dereham on the night that the local “Rockers” took exception to the “Alan Bown” mod panache -”as well as the dangers inherent with over-enthusiastic crowds in small venues; band-member-blood was spilled after a big fight broke out one night in East Dereham, Norfolk.”
They were just a fantastic hard working club act (the highest paid act without a hit record to their name), wearing brightly coloured and well tailored suits, playing a full tilt R&B set in the early days which attracted a strong male & female following, but by this time it was “Let’s go down & blow our minds in Toyland”. Trouble had broken out during an appearance by the Jeff Beck Band during a previous weekend, when a bottle was thrown at Rod Stewart, but the night that Jess & the Alan Bown Set were forced to leave the stage early got completely out of hand when the door to their dressing room in the basement was smashed down while members of the band were desperately striving to protect themselves.
It was a total disgrace and those of us who lived for the Alan Bown, who until then played in Dereham regularly were shocked and ashamed. The incident sounded the death knell for the Wellington Club, but Dick Bloy, the promoter did manage to get the band back to Norfolk to appear at Great Ryburgh village hall, but it was never the same – the magic had gone…..until of course Jess resurfaced with the Iguanas as the JRB.
I went to numerous gigs including the Roxy tour at Newcastle, have all the recordings that I know of and have recently left a review on Amazon which 4 out 5 have found useful – amazing!
I would dearly love to hear that Jess was keen to perform live again, but from what brother Nick has said it looks pretty unlikely, but who knows, if this seed that was planted in 2007 grows and blossoms it might just prove irresistable to JR.
Keep on Rockin’
Great story, Neil! Thanks for sharing your memories with all of us here.
Of course, I absolutely second what you are saying in the last sentence. It might however turn out a dream that may never come true…dream on!
Hi to Neil from North Norfolk.
It just so happens i live in North Norfolk as well, in fact not too far from Dereham, often visit your area if you want a chin wag one day.
Nick .
Jess’s brother.
As a follow-up on my earlier post regarding a possible Jess Roden Band appearance at the OGWT, I just came across another website that mentions it:
http://www.goldminemag.com/article/Footnote_Archives_Discover_rock_musics_greatest_visual_archive/
Ah, Joerg – your earlier post mentions TOTP, not OGWT – Had me confused!
Indeed, the site you mention not only lists Jess on with Kiki Dee in November 74, but a little further back mentions Butts Band appearing in June! (Though I imagine that’s after Jess left) Great link!
thanks for all comments coming through
am away from my desk (so to speak) for a bit longer, meaning that updates to the JR site won’t be happening for a couple weeks or more… however, loads more info being gathered… and… well… wait ‘n see..!
ns
I had just checked on this website for the first time for ages – great to know that there is still so much interest in Jess’ music – I have always rated him and remember buying the first solo album the week it came out, seeing him at the Marquee and hearing him with Koss. Then, in the 90s, I saw the Humans at the Mean Fiddler in Harlesden, a hotel in Rayners Lane and the Bottom Line in Shepherds Bush, taking anyone that would come with me as that was a killer band. Anyway, I wanted to add this post as I was listening to Stuart Maconie’s Freak Zone on 6Music when he played a track featuring Jess from the Stomu Yamashta CD just rereleased. Sounded good too, of course. I also recommend the excellent ‘Lancashire Hustler’ album mentioned elsewhere, by Keef Hartley whose old mucker Miller Anderson is also an unsung hero.
Great site! We used to see Jess with the Alan Bown Set in the 60’s. The best live band ever…Though as Neil from Norfolk recalls, the audience could be a bit agressive – At the Birdcage Club in Portsmouth one night the band were giving two finger salutes to the more rowdy members of the predominantly ‘mod’ audience. I remember Alan Bown’s metalflake blue painted trumpet, two or three girls who always dressed the same at all the gigs, in black trousers, white shirts & tan waistcoats. My favourite Jess song from this era being All along the watchtower. Previous post from L&Bone asked about availability of ‘The Alan Bown’ LP on cd.. no replies to that query, but anyone know if it’s available?
Hi John, and thanks for the comment. I have The Alan Bown disc as an mp3, complete with cover art. let me know if you want a copy. If so, send me your email address to kevdabass@yahoo.com and I’ll send you the download.
more pages etc now up on jr’s site… with more to follow… check the updates page for the latest.
ns
Thanks for that Neil, and everybody…if you’re just looking in for the first time – check out the excellent official site set up by Neil for Jess Roden at http://www.jessroden.com