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Roskilde Festival, Denmark
1973
FUMBLE'S HIGH SCHOOL HOP
SEVERAL THINGS
had combined to make Fumble slightly more nervous than usual.
They were on their second visit to Denmark last week but
this time they were touring as a hit band, their recreation
of Ricky Nelson's "Hello Mary Lou" had just jumped
to number 5 in the National Charts and they were set to
headline on the Saturday night of Denmark's biggest open
air festival the Roskilde Festival at Roskildefonden just
outside Copenhagen.
If you've seen Fumble you'll know that their speciality
is playing the music of the past. "We've stopped looking
at it that way," says evocatvely named Mario Ferrari
who plays bass. "We're really just playing the music
we like best."
Their set includes such masterpieces as Johnny Tillotson's
"Poetry In Motion", several Elvis numbers, "Nut Rocker"
and "Take Good Care Of My Baby". They've been concentrating
on this music for the past 18 months and they are now finding
almost a simultaneous breakthrough in the UK and in Europe.
If Fumble had called themselves the High School Hop it would
have described their music perfectly. On stage they wear
American high school gear and although they have absolutely
no stage routines worked out their obvious enthusiasm for
their music makes them move in a way very reminiscent of
the bands of their chosen period. The line up is the slightly
less than conventional guitar, piano, bass and drums bot
Sean's piano plays an incredibly important part in getting
the authentic tinkle in many of the numbers. Drummer Barry
Pike has had an extremely difficult job to discipline himself
to play the rudimental drums required for the material.
Fumble aren't new to the big time, however. They've not
been in the centre of attraction before but doing a British
and Americn tour with David Bowie is a pretty enlightening
experience. On the festival site there's an object lesson
for British festival goers and promotors. In the balmy evening
sit close on 20.000 people mostly camped on a flat site
in front of a fairly modest stage area. There are no heavies
onthe gates - they're just not needed in Denmark. Right
behind the stage a large Caravan is placed at Fumble's disposal
and their publicist tells them to get ready for photo sessions
and interviews before they start having to get changed.
The tension starts to mount. On stage Tubbs, the chief man
in their road crew is checking the piano and the mikes while
Des is suggesting that he might get all of the festival
fans to light a match and hold it up in the air. "How many
of them speak english?" he asks. "Most of them" says someone
an the idea's in. The compere ("He used to be with Burning
Red Ivanhoe") pops in and goes over his introduction with
them. "Welcome Fumble" he tells the crowd an †††)?aÚd to
a great roar they're on stage and into their first rocker.
It's a couple of numbers before they settle down and get
used to the monitors and the festival sound. The audience
waits intently to hear and see what this British group are
like. Rumours that they're like Sha Na Na have been circulating
but they're obviously not and as Mario woah's into "Poetry
In Motion" it's obvious that the era is as dear to the Danes
as it is to the British and Americans. For that reason if
Fumble butchered the music they'd have no chance. But they
don't and it's obvious that they sincerely enjoy what they
are playing. Sean and Barry smile at each other as they
bang out the intro to B. Bumble's "Nut Rocker" and then
Des asks the crowd to hold up a match. The stage lights
go right down and then the whole festival area is ablaze
with falme as the danes say "Yes" to Fumble and hold aloft
anything that will burn peacefully. From then Fumble rock
worward with everyone with them. Three times they leave
the stage and three times the roars pull them back. In the
car home it's the talk out and the unwinding procecure.
"Can Fumble play the festival again next year?" "Well, that
depends..."
By Ray Hammond.
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More
articles:
Success for Weston Group in beat championship
(Local paper, 1967)
Baloons flying
high behind Iron Curtain (Local paper, 1968)
Fumble (Record Mirror,
1971)
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) |
