- Les Baxter -- keyboards (1987)

- Jim Dagnesi -- bass (1987)

- Roger Earl - drums

- Bob Hall - keyboards

- Shmutza-Hideous -- percussion (1987)

- Al Macomber -- drums (1987)

- Bobby Martin -- keyboards (1987)

- Lonesome Dave Peverett - guitar

- Bobby Sexton -- keybaords (1987)

- Kim Simmonds - lead guitar

- Tone Stevens - bass

- Dave Walker -- vocals

- Chris Youlden - vocals

 

- Alexis (Dave Walker)
- Miller Anderson (solo efforts)
- Chicken Shack (Stan Webb)
- Dog Soldier (Miller Anderson)
- The Dukes (Miller Anderson)
- Fleetwood Mac (Dave Walker)
- Foghat (Roger Earl, Lonesome David Peverett, and Tony Stevens)
- The Keef Hartley Band
- Idle Race (Dave Walker)
- The Kinks (Andy Pyle)
- Mighty Baby (Michael Stone)
- Warren Phillips and the Rockets

- Plastic Penny (Paul Raymond)

- Sunflower Blues Band (Bob Hall and Leo Mannings)
- Chris Youlden (solo efforts)

Genre: blues-rock

Rating: **** (4 stars)

Title:  A Step Forward

Company: Parrott

Catalog: PAS 71029

Year: 1969

Country/State: UK

Grade (cover/record): VG/VG

Comments: gatefold sleeve

Available: 1

GEMM catalog ID: 5463

Price: $9.00

With Mike Vernon again producing, 1969's "A Step Further" is an interesting addition to the band's catalog.  Musically the set isn't exactly a major change in direction, though tracks such as the instrumental "Waiting In the Bamboo Grove" and "I'm Tired" reflected the addition of some tasty soul-styled horns to the mix.  While the first side showcased Chris Youlden as writer and singer (incidentally his swan song with the band), the side long flip side served to spotlight Simmonds.  Recorded at a 1968 date at London's Cooks Ferry Inn, "Savoy Brown Boogie" clocked in at 22 minutes and served as a fairly impressive overview of the band's strengths (and weaknesses). Not as good as the first couple of LPs, but still far better than most of the competition.   For anyone interested the UK release featured different cover art:

DERAM 844 015-2

"A Step Further" track listing:

(side 1)

1.) Made Up My Mind   (Chris Youlden) - 2:56

2.) Waiting In the Bamboo Grove (instrumental)  (Kim Simmonds) - 3:37

3.) Life's One Act Play   (Chris Youlden) - 6:29

4.) I'm Tired/Where Am I   (Chris Youlden) - 3:21/ (Brown - Willie) - 1:51

(side 2)

1.) Savoy Brown Boogie

     1.) I feel So Good   (Willis)

     ii.) Whole Lot of Shakin' Goin' On   (Williams) 

     iii.) Little Queenie   (Chuck Berry)

     iv.) Purple Haze   (Jimi Hendrix)

     v.) Hernandez's Hideaway    (Alder - Ross)

Genre: blues-rock

Rating: **** (4 stars)

Title:  Looking In

Company: Parrott

Catalog: PAS 71042

Year: 1970

Grade (cover/record): VG/VG

Country/State: UK

Comments: minor ring, edge and corner wear; light occasional background noise; gatefold sleeve

Available: 1

GEMM catalog ID: 5462

Price: $10.00

1970's "Looking In" found the band undergoing yet another wave of personnel changes. In addition to introducing singer/guitarist Lonesome David Peverett, bassist Chappel and drummer Manning were replaced by Roger Earle and bassist Tony Stevens. With Simmonds and Peverett teaming up to write roughly half the album (Simmonds credited with the rest), the band's basic sound remained firmly rooted in the blues. That said, exemplified by tracks such as "Gypsy", "Leavin' Again" and the title track, Peverett's instantly recognizable voice added a distinctive commercial edge to their sound. Simmond's guitar provided the other highlights. Check out his sinewy leads on "Money Can't Save Your Soul" and his blazing performance on the stompin' instrumental "Sunday Night". Hitting #39, the set provided the band with their first top-40 release. The album was originally released with a gatefold sleeve. (Give it an added half star for Jim Baike and David Anstey's great cover art.) Maybe due to the fact Lonesome Dave's on it, this is one of our favorite Savoy Brown sets ...

"Looking In" track listing:

(side 1)
1.) Gypsy (Kim Simmonds) - 
2.) Money Can't Save Your Soul (Kim Simmonds - Lonesome Dave Peverett) - 
3.) Sunday Night (instrumental) (Kim Simmonds) - 
4.) Looking In (Kim Simmonds - Lonesome Dave Peverett) - 

(side 2)
1.) Take It Easy (Kim Simmonds - Lonesome Dave Peverett) - 
2.) Sitting an' Thinking (instrumental) (Kim Simmonds) - 
3.) Leavin' Again (Kim Simmonds - Lonesome Dave Peverett) - 
4.) Romanoff (Kim Simmonds) - 

Genre: blues-rock

Rating: *** (3 stars)

Title:  The Best of Savoy Brown

Company: London

Catalog: LC 50000

Year: 1977

Grade (cover/record): VG / VG

Country/State: UK

Comments: --

Available: 1

GEMM catalog ID: 5461

Price: $10.00

Was this abbreviated 1977 compilation the best way to check out Savoy Brown?  Clearly not, but if you were going to start somewhere it probably wasn't a bad introduction to the band.  Part of a London reissue series that saw similar packages for a slew of Parrot/London acts, the retrospective showcased eight previously released tracks pulled from five earlier studio sets.  Covering the band's 1969 - 1972 catalog, "The Best of Savoy Brown" served as a decent overview of the band's various primetime blues-base line ups with plenty of Kim Simmonds lead guitar scattered throughout (check out the live 'Lousiana Blues'). While brief, James Spina's liner notes provided an entertaining track-by-track overview.

Decca Records subsequently released the album in the UK with a different title ("Blues Roots") and alternative cover art:

"Blues Roots" Decca catalog number 7

"The Best of Savoy Brown" track listing:

(side 1)
1.) Train To Nowhere   (Chris Youlden - Kim Simmons) - 4:12

2.) Louisiana Blues   (Morganfield) - 9:06

3.) I'm Tired   (Chris Youlden) - 3:21

4.) Needle and Spoon   (Chris Youlden) - 3:18

(side 2)
1.) A Hard Way To Go   (Chris Youlden) - 2:17

2.) Tell Mama   (Kim Simmonds - Raymond) - 2:59

3.) Hellbound Train   (Kim Simmonds - Silvester) - 9:07

4.) Wang Dan Doodle   (Willie Dixon) - 7:15

Genre: blues-rock

Rating: *** (3 stars)

Title:  Make Me Sweat

Company: GNP Crescendo

Catalog: GNPS-2193

Year: 1987

Country/State: UK

Grade (cover/record): NM / NM

Comments: was sealed; opened and played once; still in shrink wrap; small cut out hole in top right corner

Available: 1

GEMM catalog ID: 4118

Price: $10.00

Cost: $1.00

Regardless of whether you're a dedicated blues-rock fan, you have to admire singer/guitarist Kim Simmonds.  As the lifeblood of Savoy Brown, by the time 1987's "Make Me Sweat" was recorded, he'd been ignoring popular musical trends in favor of boogie and the blues for over 20 years.  

Recorded in New York's with Neil Norman producing, the album was somewhat noteworthy in that it marked a reunion between Simmonds and former Savoy Brown lead vocalist Dave Walker (who was replaced by Chris Youlden in 1972).  Largely written by Simmons, with Walker co-writing a couple of tracks, musically the set's mix of boogie and blues wasn't a major change in direction.  After all these years Simmonds piercing lead guitar remained instantly recognizable, kicking tracks such as the Chris Youlden-penned "Hard Way To Go" and "Don't Tell Me It's Over" into high gear.  For his part Walker seemed to be in good shape.  His rugged vocal registry sounded a little lower than in his 1970s prime, but he still had more than enough power to turn in killer performances on "Limousine Boogie (Hey, Hey Mama)", "Just for Kicks" and "Don't Tell Me It's Over".  Standout performances - a killer cover of Don Nix's "Goin' Down" and the blazing "Runnin' with a Bad Crowd".  With the exception of the throwaway closer "On the Prowl", the set's never less than entertaining, though it shouldn't come as a surprise that in an era of metal hair bands, this LP couldn't even garner reviews in the American popular press.  Shame. 

"Make Me Sweat" track listing:

(side 1)

1.) Limousine Boogie (Hey, Hey Mama)   (Kim Simmonds) - 3:06

2.) Just for Kicks   (Ballard) - 3:34

3.) Good Time Lover   (Kim Simmonds - Dave Walker) - 2:20

4.) Goin' Down   (Don Nix) - 3:18

5.) Hard Way To Go   (Chris Youlden) - 2:13

6.) Don't Tell Me It's Over   (Kim Simmonds) - 3:35

(side 2)

2.) Runnin' with a Bad Crowd   (Kim Simmonds) - 3:31

3.) Tell Mama   (Raymond - Kim Simmonds) - 4:30

4.) Shot In the Head   (Vanda - Young) - 3:19

5.) Breakin' Up   (Kim Simmonds) - 4:07

6.) On the Prowl   (Jim Dagnesi - Al Macomber - Kim Simmonds - Dave Walker) - 4:22