Zeitungsartikel
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Roskilde Festival
1973, Dänemark
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 evocatively 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 and 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..."
- Ray Hammond
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Weitere Artikel
( =
Artikel in englischer Sprache)
Erfolg für Gruppe
aus Weston im Beat-Wettbewerb (Lokale Zeitung, 1967)
Baloons fliegen hoch hinter
Eisernem Vorhang (Lokale Zeitung, 1968)
Fumble (Record Mirror,
1971)
FUMBLE (Beat Instrumental,
1972)
American Press (1972)
Fumble bekommen festen Halt
(1972)
Nancy findet alles heraus über....
(1973)
Fumble lassen sich nicht hinters
Licht führen (New Musical Express, 1973)
Fumble starten durch
zum Ruhm (1973)
Rumble, rumble..hier
kommen Fumble (Record Mirror, 1973)
Fumble beginnen sich gut zu
fühlen (Evening News, 1973)
Fumble US Tour (Record Mirror,
1973)
Eine Klasse für
sich (Sounds, 1973)
Under the influence:
Des Henly (New Musical Express, 1973)
Rollin' and Fumblin'
(Melody Maker, 1973)
The Raver (Melody Maker,
1973)
Back in time - Nutrockers!
(Reading Rock 73)
Accident Prone (Music
Star, 1973)
Interview with Barry Pike
(Drum Magazine 1974)
Rock'n'Roll Band unterzeichnet
(St. Albans Midweek Recorder, 1974)
Record und Popswop Mirror
(Record & Popswop Mirror, 1975)
Robin Katz talked to
Sha Na Na and Fumble (Sounds, 1975)
Pop wird Dezibel-dosiert
(Daily Telegraph, 1975)
Konzertberichte:
Bill Haley, Playhouse Theatre
(Datum unbekannt)
Newcastle, City Hall (Vorgruppe
von David Bowie) (7. Jan 1973)
Philadelphia,
Tower Theatre (Vorgruppe v. David Bowie) (17. Feb. 1973)
London, Greyhound (17.
Mai 1973)
Paris (31. Mai 1973)
London, Speakeasy (7.
Juni 1973)
London, Marquee Club
(14. Juli 1973)
London, Rainbow Theatre (Vorgruppe
v. Chuck Berry) (7. Sept. 1973)
London, Marquee Club
(März 1974)
Bristol, Universität
(27. Apr. 1974)
London, Kings Road Theatre
(15. Dez. 1974)
Burton-on-Trent, 76 Club
(29. März 1975)
London Roundhouse (Vorgruppe
v. Dr. Feelgood) (20. April 1975)
Festivals
Reading Festival 1973
Alexandra Palace Music Festival
1973
Roskilde Festival,
Dänemark 1973 (Sounds)
Roskilde Festival, Dänemark
1973 (NME)
Plattenkritiken:
Fumble (Sovereign) 1972
(Melody Maker)
Poetry In Lotion (RCA)
1974 (Disc, Melody Maker)
Alexandra Park (Sovereign)
1973 (Disc Magazin)
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)
Deutsche / Dänische Artikel:
Fumble reitet auf der Oldies-Welle
(fans, 1973)
Fumble - Nostalgischer
Pomaden-Pop (Flash Magazin, 1973)
Durch Sturheit zum Erfolg
(BRAVO, 1973)
FUMBLE (GO, 1972)
Sjoveste LP i lang tid (Dänische Zeitschrift, ca. 1972)
Kendt beatgruppe i Diskotek Limelight (Dänische Zeitung,
. 1973)
Roskilde-festival en stor succes (Berlingske Tidende, 1973)
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