Ze mad dogs, and ze Englishmen, and Joe Cock-air!
The story goes that in 1970, Joe Cocker had just finished a long and tiring promotional tour, and he ends up in LA with the aim of a little r&r, only to be told by his record company that he is expected to be on another tour in 8 days. Enter Cockers's friend Leon Russell, who hastily assembles a group of musicians (largely from Delaney and Bonnie's touring band) and organises some intense rehearsals. The tour now consists of Cocker, Russell, Don Preston now sharing guitar duties with Russell, Chris Stainton sharing keyboard duties with Russell, Jim Gordon, Jim Keltner, Sandy Kornikoff and Chuck Blackwell all on drums and percussion, Bobby Keys on sax and Jim Price on trumpet. Rita Coolidge, Donna Washburn, Claudia Lennear, Pamela Polland, Denny Cordell, Matthew Moore, Daniel Moore, Bobby Jones and Nicole Barclay make up the wonderful Space Choir. Plus, joining the tour more often and not was Miss Emily, children, wives, husbands and pets (you can see Canina the dog, below on Leon's piano at rehearsals).
This big party travelled all over the states on a plane called 'Cocker Power' and, luckily for us, a crew filmed them as they went. The set mostly consisted of Cocker's staple covers or Russell songs, like 'She Came In Through The Bathroom Window', 'Honky Tonk Woman', 'The Weight', 'Feelin' Alright', 'Girl From The North Country', 'Delta Lady', 'Hummingbird', the list goes on. For many,me included, this is a perfect example of the brilliance of the sound from that classic musical era. Rock, soul and funk all tied together with an epic wailing gospel choir.
The atmosphere was exciting and infectious as you can see in the videos, probably because it was all fairly new for the musicians and they hadn't played the material to death. Plus, they were a group of friends and musicians, partying and playing music together, what could be more fun?!
Cocker is at the absolute height of his powers, each cover is a classic interpretation, but especially 'Honky Tonk Woman', 'Feelin' Alright' and 'The Letter' . But then he could sing you the phonebook....
Now onto the fun bit.........
'Hony Tonk Woman', check out Miss Emily grooving away at 2.00
My favourite 'Space Captain', written by Matthew Moore from the Space Choir, who you can see at 2.12 with the smile and the curls
'The Letter', with Bobby Keys on saxophone and Leon as the ultimate in nonchalence
'Feelin' Alright' (written by Dave Mason of Traffic)
For general having-fun-on-the-road tour footage and an awesome song, here's 'Sticks and Stones'
The band hanging out at a bar after a show, singing 'Lawdy Miss Clawdy' and drinking
These pictures were taken by the official tour photographer, who you can check out on http://www.lindawolf.net/
QI- Space choir member Claudia Lennear is rumoured to be the inspiration for both 'Brown Sugar' and 'Lady Grinning Soul'.
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