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Rumble, rumble...here
comes Fumble
LOOKING out at an audience full of smiling faces doesn't make Fumble's
Des Henley feel vaguely insecure, and set him off on a check of
his apparel, to see that everything's done up where it ought to
be. Instead, he feels happy that the kids are enjoying Fumble's
music. It's the reaction he hopes for - and frequently receives.
Young audiences today, he believes, have been saturated by
too much music, and having passed through the era of cross-legged
introverted enthusiasm, are just learning again how to show
their liking for a band. At a Slade gig he accepts that the
kids let themselves react spontaneously...
but Des believes there are far more times when the audiences
don't relax.
"You expect that older people who come to see us will
say oh it's Mary Lou, I had that record for my 15th birthday,
and straight away they like what we're doing. But more and
more we're getting young kids about 13, 14, 15 coming back
to see us and saying it was fantastic, and 'did you write
all those songs?'' That's how little they know about it, because
even their older brothers and sisters would have been playing
Little Children, or something similar."
Though Fumble are writing their own material - and will possibly
release one of their compositions as a single - they perform
a great number of good old Fifties favourites on stage. And
their first album, Fumble, war, of course, compiled entirely
from rock classics like Ebony Eyes, Oh Carole, Teddy Bear
and It Might As Well Rain Until September.
"We want to write songs like they used to be written,"
says Des. "But it's very very difficult, because you
have to try to capture the feeling of the culture, and how
can you? To an extent we use American jargon to help with
that, and because it's pleasing to do it. All the songs that
we're doing are American, and there wasn't anything as good
on the English scene - Marty Wilde, Cliff Richard, they didn't
compare to Jerry Lee Lewis. Some people say you can't manufacture
that original feel, but the way I look at it is you can't
get nostalgic about a line like squeeze my lemon till the
juice runs down my leg. But in the Fifties boys went out with
girls when they were 15 or 16, then they left them and the
boys cried, or the girls did. Nothing's changed as far as
that's concerned... and in those days there was music for
the kids."
Rick Nelson's It's Late, sums up Des's point. But when I suggested
that T.Rex, David Cassidy, the Osmonds and more might be fulfilling
the role for young teenagers, Des added:
"I don't think T. Rex do. I can see why the kids like
them, but they don't bring across that feeling of naivity,
if you like. Romance and that fantasy feel is important."
Des was first introduced to rock'n'roll courtesy of his mum's
lodger who took him to see an Elvis Presley film. Despite
his initial feeling that it would all be "rubbish",
11-year old Des found himself standing up in his seat, throwing
himself about ecstatically, revelling in this new found experience.
Some nine years later Des joined up with Sean Mayes (piano
and vocals), Mario Ferrari (bass and vocals) and Barry Pike
(drums), to become the Balloons.
"All we wanted to do was get four guys together and go
abroad to some nice places to work. Basically it was always
fun. At one time we were doing about one gig a month, but
then we had the chance to worrk for six weeks abroad, working
seven nights a week... five not counting hangovers.
Balloons spent most of their time in Switzerland, playing
to the rich visitors - and in fact visited the Burton's chalet.
They found themselves with large audiences to entertain -
and proved just how well simple rock songs were received in
a congenial atmosphere.
Des is now just wondering how Americans are going to accept
hearing their songs presented by an English band. But if the
response of Americans in Britain is the same, Fumble should
have no problems. Des tells me they are also well received
by Teddy Boy crowds. In fact their bodyguards during a tour
with Bill Haley were genuine Hells Angels.
"Rockers in England like anyone who is playing their
music well. If you play a Presley number to a rocker and play
it badly they'll punch you in the face... or if you try to
do a pure thing and then think 'well we could do a bit of
rock'n'roll because it's not going down well', the rockers
are going to shout for you to get off."
But there's no danger of that occurring for Fumble. What they
do, they're certainly doing well.
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Success for Weston Group in beat championship
(Local paper, 1967)
Baloons flying
high behind Iron Curtain (Local paper, 1968)
Fumble (Record Mirror,
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FUMBLE (Beat Instrumental,
1972)
American Press (1972)
Fumble gain a firm hold (1972)
Nancy
finds out all about....
(date unknown 1973)
There's no flies on Fumble (NME,
1973)
Fumble flies to fame and fortune
( 1973)
Rumble, rumble...here comes
Fumble (Record Mirror, 1973)
Fumble begin to feel good (Evening
News, 1973)
Fumble US Tour (Record Mirror,
1973)
In a class of their own
(Sounds, 1973)
Under the influence: Des
Henly (NME, 1973)
Rollin' and Fumblin'
(Melody Maker, 1973)
The Raver
(Melody Maker, 1973)
Back
in time - Nutrockers! (Reading Rock 73)
Accident Prone (Music Star,
1973)
An
interview with Barry Pike (Drum Magazine 1974)
Rock'n'Roll band signs up (St.
Albans Midweek Recorder, 1974)
Record and Popswop Mirror (Record
& Popswop Mirror, 1975)
Robin Katz talked to Sha Na
Na and Fumble (Sounds, 1975)
Pop goes GLC decibel dosage
(Daily Telegraph, 1975)
Concert reviews:
Playhouse Theatre
(supporting Bill Haley) (date unknown)
Newcastle,
City Hall (supporting David Bowie) (Jan 7, 1973)
Philadelphia,
Tower Theatre (supporting David Bowie) (Feb 17, 1973)
London,
Greyhound (May 17, 1973)
Paris
(May 31, 1973)
London,
Speakeasy (June 7, 1973)
London,
Marquee Club (July 14,
1973)
London, Rainbow Theatre
(supporting Chuck Berry) (Sept 7, 1973)
London, Marquee Club
(March 1974)
Bristol,
University (Apr 27, 1974)
London, Kings Road Theatre (Dec
15, 1974)
Burton-on-Trent,
76 Club (Mar 29, 1975)
London,
Roundhouse (supporting Dr. Feelgood) (Apr 20, 1975)
Festivals:
The Reading
Festival 1973
Alexandra Palace
Music Festival 1973
Roskilde
Festival, Denmark 1973 (Sounds)
Roskilde
Festival, Denmark 1973 (NME)
LPs and Singles:
Fumble
(Sovereign) 1972 (Melody Maker)
Poetry In Lotion (RCA) 1974
(Disc, Melody Maker)
Alexandra
Park (Sovereign) 1973 (Disc Magazine)
Million
Seller (Sovereign) 1973 (Melody Maker, NME, Disc, Sounds)
Not Fade Away (RCA) 1974
(Record Mirror, Melody Maker, NME)
Don't
Take Love (RCA) 1974 (Sounds)
German / Danish articles:
 Fumble
ride the oldie-wave (fans magazine, 1973) translated
Fumble
- Nostalgischer Pomaden-Pop (Flash magazine, 1973)
Success through persistence (BRAVO
magazine, 1973) translated
 FUMBLE
(GO, 1972)
Sjoveste LP i lang tid (Some
Danish paper, 1972)
Kendt
beatgruppe i Diskotek Limelight (Danish paper, 1973)
Roskilde-festival en stor succes
(Berlingske Tidende, 1973) |
