It was back in summer 1977 that Larry Wallis – already ex-Pink Fairies and the first incarnation of Motörhead – delivered “Police Car,” his first solo single, but also one of that select collection of 45s that truly soundtracked 1977.
It was the year of punk, of course, but Larry fit in perfectly. It was he who produced the first two singles by The Adverts, including the hit “Gary Gilmore’s Eyes”; he who first captured the wonders of The Members’ “Sound Of The Suburbs”; he who handled Wreckless Eric’s debut album. He even called Eddie and the Hot Rods’ rhythm section in to play on “Police Car” itself, and toured alongside Nick Lowe, Elvis Costello, Ian Dury and Wreckless.
The news that he was back in the studio to record a solo album was among the most exciting stories of the age. Only that’s all it was, a story. First the years, and then the decades, passed and there was no sign of the album. True, a few of the songs that he wrote and recorded for it would resurface for future projects… a killer single here, a tremendous album there, a Pink Fairies reunion somewhere else. One or two tracks from the original sessions even made it onto sundry Wallis anthologies.
But the complete tapes remained locked in the cupboard and, as Larry was so fond of saying whenever he was asked about them, “I’m not an archivist.”
The tapes were there, however, and on June 12, not far off 50 years after it was recorded, an album that long ago disappeared into the realms of myth and legend will finally be revealed. Taking its title from Larry’s own remark, I’m Not An Archivist excavates (as far as we know!) Not only the full album but also a round up of out-takes and alternate versions… everything, in fact, that was completed before Larry moved onto other projects.
A few tracks are clearly incomplete – he never got around to adding vocals to his cover of Wreckless Eric’s “There Isn’t Anything Else,” for example. But even there, Larry and his band – Deke Leonard of Man, Attractions drummer Pete Thomas and bassist Big George Webley – shine with almost blinding brilliance. As Larry himself put it, “We went into Eden Studios ready to lay down taped dynamite.”
Other surprises include a version of George Gershwin‘s “Rhapsody in Blue” described by Larry as “a load of wasted individuals” playing the tune, while Webley and Thomas had “what they considered to be a ‘New York Argument’”; and author Mick Farren’s “Godzilla,” rampaging unapologetically through the studio. (Larry later retitled the song, aptly, “I Think It’s Coming Back Again”).
Elsewhere, Larry revisited “As Long As The Price Is Right,” a song he’d already seen Dr Feelgood take into the UK Top 40; and debuted a clutch of songs that would see fresh service throughout his subsequent career. “Leather Forever” and “Seeing Double” would be re-cut for a 1986 single; while a new version of “Crying All Night” surfaced (alongside a virtual stretch-limo reinvention of “Police Car”) on Larry’s 2001 Death In The Guitarfternoon album. Also available from Cleopatra records, incidentally.
Today, however, you can hear the original – released as the first single from this epochal album, it is a reminder that Larry was not only one of the coolest guitarists of his era, he was also one of its most forthright songwriters… in other words, he may be best known for “Police Car” (present here in two previously unheard versions), but if I’m Not An Archivist had been released at the time, you’d have been whistling its contents for almost half a century.
Thankfully, with the full album’s June 12 release date getting closer every day, it’s not too later to start now.
–SINGLE: https://orcd.co/larrywallis_cryingallnight
–CD/VINYL: https://cleorecs.com/search?q=larry+wallis&options
–DIGITAL: https://orcd.co/larrywallis_imnotanarchivist
Track listing
1. Police Car Overture (Instrumental)
2. On Parole (Alternate Version)
3. Godzilla
4. As Long As The Price Is Right
5. I Can’t See What It’s Got To Do With Me
6. Seeing Double (Alternate Version)
7. There Isn’t Anything Else (Instrumental)
8. Story Of My Life
9. Crying All Night
10. Leather Forever
11. Rhapsody In Blue (Instrumental)
12. Police Car (Alternate Version)
13. Godzilla (Version 2) [CD ONLY]
14. Crying All Night (Version 2)
15. I Can’t See What It’s Got To Do With Me (Version 2) [CD ONLY]
16. As Long As The Price Is Right (Version 2) [CD ONLY]
17. Leather Forever (Version 2) [CD ONLY]
18. Story Of My Life (Version 2) [CD ONLY]
19. Seeing Double (Version 2) [CD ONLY]
20. Rhapsody In Blue (Instrumental) (Version 2) [CD ONLY]
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