LATEST NEWS
I must thank all the writers who recently
wrote they acknowledged me as the inventor of Prog Rock and Thoughts of EmerList
Davjak
was the first Prog Rock single/album ever made, much appreciated. So I hope you are going to appreciate
the new album Second Thoughts, which is like a time jump. It is now in its mix down stages and
will hopefully be ready before Christmas for release next year.
There is now a forum on Face
Book that you can connect with from here just click the green and
blue Face Book icon to begin.
There was an interesting turn around over the
legal case against Sanctuary Records for releasing The Nice BBC Radio sessions
without consent. They settled
financially with the group as a whole so every body benefited. They will not release anything by The
Nice in the future without first obtaining our consent over the marketing and
technical sides and the sleeve notes will now properly reflect an accurate
profile of me crediting me with the foundation of the group its name and music.
New DVD Documentary featuring The Nice -
pre-release information -
There was also talk of Sanctuary releasing a
history DVD of The Nice with new up to date footage including me but Keith
Emerson wants to release a documentary instead for another label. Although a new get together was
proposed with me it does not look like coming together at the moment but I am
shooting a short piece for the documentary and there is hope the relationship
will grow so perhaps Keith and I could collaborate on new material one day.
Classic Rock magazine 2009 September issue
printed a feature on me being regarded as one of the top innovating all time
guitarists in history it was very flattering.
A two-page interview was published in Shindig
magazine issue March/April 2009 where I reveal amongst other things that I
could have joined Dave Crosby after he folded the Byrds to make O List Crosby
and Nash.
I produced an album for a new group called
Dog Roses their site is at: http://www.dogroses.co.uk/ they also have
a site at My Space. Their music is
original a blend of Blue Grass, Country and Rock. Their line-up is drums, violin, double bass, acoustic
guitar, mandolin, accordion and vocals. The album is now complete and arrangements are being made to
release it.
Please beware the book Hang On To A Dream is
factually incorrect. I was not
consulted prior to the publication neither did I authorize it.
I am writing the Preface to a new Pink
Floyd book and another section of the book. The publisher says, "Given that he's one of the only
people ever to play as a foursome with Waters, Mason, and Wright, he holds a
special place." The launch
date of the book will be notified as soon as possible.
Another article I've written appears in the
CeskeNoviny daily newspaper in Czechoslovakia titled From Prog
Rock to Glam Rock. It is about how
Prog Rock made Glam Rock possible.
The
album Second Thoughts is a new theoretical approach to rock music. I take the (Prog Rock) jazz, classical,
rock, pop fusion sound I invented to a higher level than before progressing the
experimental side but at the same time keeping it commercial like Thoughts of
EmerList Davjak was. One of the original album tracks from
The Nice has been revamped specially for the release. Some of the feedback received so far from a cross section of
audience include: "Sounds like a very modern version of The
Nice," from Film Designer and Art Director Malcolm Stone (my co-film
writer), "Vintage sound and great organ," from InsideOut Music
A/R Department, "I like those lyrics," from Andy Tillison
(my organist), "I like the singer very much, sounds very modern and
exciting to listen to," from a 19-year-old girlfriend into all sorts
of music, "Sometimes sounds like a revamped Roxy Music," from the girl in the flat below,
"some very cool bits I want to hear more," Prog Rock Records
(friends). "Can't wait to
hear it," from many journalists and fans. The Mojo magazine editor heard a preview and wants to review
it. Classic Rock, Terrorizer and
Shindig magazines would like to do the same.
It is interesting to note Andy's new album Not
As Good As The Book with The Tangent is heavily influenced by my current
trend in sci-fi writing, book writing, film design and the way I see the future
of rock music. Andy also features
a live recording and tribute to America 2nd Amendment by The Nice on his
latest DVD Going Off On One.
Andy and I have formed a unique partnership,
which is now running in its third year and we are already planning to record a
second studio album. We should
have much admiration for Andy's solo work on the album and the way he
compliments me to get the best out of my singing guitar playing and
experimental side. You can be
proud we held nothing back and pulled all the stops out. I am also delighted that Dave Wagstaffe
drums and Zyldjian cymbals from the 2005 touring band and Paul D. Brown from
The Oliver Wakeman Band (Oliver Wakeman is now with Yes) has joined Second Thoughts
on drums and bass. More
information on Dave Wagstaffe who is currently touring with Wishbone Ash can be
found at http://www.wishboneash.co.uk/personnel/19.aspx
site. You can also ask questions
on a wide variety of subjects at the new forum on Face
Book, thanks.
Second Thoughts plan an international tour as soon as the new album is
released.
A Blitz
Krieg and avalanche of sound is forecast.
Keen
record company executives, festival promoters, journalists, fanzine writers and fans are invited to
contact omikronmusic@hotmail.com with any interesting offers or questions they might
have.
David
O'List Live At The Royal
The CD
features: Maybe, Let's Rendezvous, Rondo 2005, America 2005 and Azriel 2005 is available now from this
site at 15.50 GBP plus postage. Davy Live at the Royal CD has a review
below. You can easily pay by using
PayPal securely just click on the icon to see
how it works. Most people are
using this method of payment, as it is safe and convenient with no hidden
charges. Just email the address below to order this CD and others
and for more information and help with ordering.
Order at omikronmusic@hotmail.com this email address is also for keen record
company executives, journalists, festival promoters, agents or fans wishing to
book or make contact.
"New" Davy O'List Live at The Royal Customer Review
- Printed by kind permission of Jim
Duvall -
"Davy Live at the
Royal" is a great journey through the past (and future) of one of rock's
great musical talents! With a
pedigree that embraces The Nice, John Cale, The Attack as well as excursions
into the line-ups of both Pink Floyd and Roxy Music this raw and energetic live
recording provides a glimpse into one of music's elusive and enigmatic
figures. The combination of Davy's
blistering guitar work and a flawless rhythm section featuring Dave Wagstaffe
on drums as well as the superb Spanish keyboardist Gonzalo Carrera join
together to provide a powerful sound.
Starting with more recent
pieces "Maybe Something" and "Lets Rendezvous" the
highlights, for me are the superb reworking of Nice classics "Rondo,"
"America" as well as The Nice's first single "Thoughts of
Emerlist Davjak" and the ageless but neglected "Azriel". Never having seen Davy O'List or the
Nice live, this really is the next best thing!
Jim Duvall
TV and CINEMA projects
I have been involved in TV and Cinema productions over the past few
years and have written a futuristic TV drama series with Malcolm Stone. A Hollywood producer has read it and
thinks it's very creative and worthy of a TV series so we are now preparing
shooting scripts for transmission. The recent update is that we are now
finishing off the last episode in the first series. Malcolm Stone is a well-known Film and TV Designer/Art Director
and TV writer and he is Treasurer of The British Film Designers Guild. He was Art Director of Super Man III, Underworld and The Cave released during the summer of 2005. He has several other new productions
credits including the Kiefer Sutherland film Mirrors and was Art Director of The Muppets. It was good news for Malcolm and his design team as they
were nominated for a Hollywood award for best Art Direction of the TV series The Company televised in the UK during 2007. I guess all those of you in UK will be
familiar with the kids series In The Night Garden and all its marketing stuff
of its characters in the shops Malcolm was the art director. I hope to be resuming making music
themes for TV as soon as I finish mixing the album.
http://www.malcolmstonemightart.com/
Andy and Davy Live
Here are some recently published articles
to while away the time until the Second Thoughts album comes out.
February 19 2008 CeskeNoviny daily
newspaper in Czechoslovakia publishes an article hailing me as the inventor of
Prog Rock.
December 2007 Classic Rock Magazine publishes an
interview with me about me on the Jimi Hendrix tour 1967.
November 2007 The Sun British
newspaper printed an interview with Roxy Music. The first Roxy Music album was
work produced by me I was brought in to produce the sound for the first album
and the album represents what I did as the producer but I was never credited
so:
I want credit for making the group
popular because I deserve it as I produced it,
Roxy Music fans should be buying
Second Thoughts,
The fans have to be put right,
I deserve good public relations with
audiences and fans,
My work for Roxy Music should make
better album sales for Second Thoughts,
Spread it around,
An interview with Roxy Music's fan site titled "Getting in
with the 'in' Crowd" appears below the 2007 news and articles:
October 2007 Mojo Special Editions publishes a
book on the Pink Floyd Pigs Might Fly, which includes an interview about my
friendship, association and performance with Pink Floyd.
October 2007 Terrorizer Magazine publishes an
interview about me inventing Progressive Rock and expresses great interest to
review the new album.
September 2007 The Marquee Club – an
interview with me about how I was discovered at The Marquee, which made The
Nice appearances possible.
http://www.themarqueeclub.net/interview-with-david-olist-from-the-nice
May 2007 Austrian Pink Floyd Fan
Site publishes an interview with Davy O'List taking over from Syd
Barrett.
pulse-spirit.dyndns.org/Int-29-05-07-Davy-O-List.html
April 2007 Australian Pink Floyd
Fan Site publishes an interview with me:
http://www.pinkfloydz.com/davyo.htm
October 2006 Neptune Pink Floyd
Fanzine publishes a tribute to Syd Barrett with an
interview with me:
http://www.neptunepinkfloyd.co.uk/magazine/2006/10/davy-olist-interview.php
October 2006 Paul McCartney Magazine publishes an interview after my
hailed appearance at the Jimi Hendrix festival in Rome; Issue 12, October 2006:
Getting Roxy Music in with 'The 'In' Crowd' - An
Interview With Davy O'List by the Roxy Music fan site (25 April 2004)
INTERVIEW
Various members of Roxy Music, books and magazine interviews have
told the story of the Genesis of Roxy Music in several places. I managed to have
a chat recently with Davy O'List who was an integral part of the formation of
Roxy Music and helped arrange many of the songs for the first album. Davy was
the second guitarist to join Roxy Music, as the band was being put together,
after the departure of original guitarist Roger Bunn.
VRM: How did the Roxy Music job come about?
D.O'L.: During the late summer of 1971 I ran an advertisement in
the Melody Maker music magazine saying: "Well-known guitarist seeking
image conscious, progressive, rock group with recording contract and
agency." Bryan Ferry replied to my advertisement. I told Bryan who I was.
Bryan got very excited saying he had been looking for me for months to complete
the line up of Roxy Music (they were called Roxy Music by this time).
VRM: Did Bryan know at that time it was your advert?
D.O'L.: I am not sure. He may have guessed it was as there would
not have been too many well-known guitarists advertising at this time. I asked
Bryan if the group had a recording deal with gigs. Bryan hesitated and said no.
All the record companies had turned down Roxy Music so far. It's just not
commercial enough yet, Bryan said, that's why I want you. Then Bryan said he
would be most excited and grateful if I would play and produce Roxy Music to
make it commercial enough for a recording deal. I said although I was a record
producer and produced hits for The Nice I had really advertised for a name
group with a recording and agency deal and needed to earn top money straight
away. I had just been filming with Led Zeppelin and Eric Clapton.
Bryan replied that he was an avid fan of mine and watched me play
at Newcastle City Hall with The Nice in 1968. Interestingly enough this live
performance by The Nice (with Bryan Ferry in the audience) has just been released
on "Here Comes The Nice - The Immediate Anthology" - 3 CD Set,
Catalogue No: CMETD 055. It is available now through Sanctuary Records.
Realizing Bryan was a fan I asked for the line up of Roxy Music.
He told me about the Avant Gaurde percussionist, VSC 3 synth player, oboe/sax
player, with himself on electric piano and vocals and Bryan wanted me to
complete the line up. It began to sound interesting especially for a group in
1971. I had produced The Nice into recording stars from nothing and perhaps I could
produce and transform Roxy Music into a hit group, too.
VRM: What changed your mind about them if they not having a record
deal put you off?
D.O'L.: I was interested in the unusual line up. Roxy Music was
using a synthesizer and they seemed to have good ideas. Keith Emerson, who I
had played with, was the only performer using a synthesizer at that time.
Therefore I became interested to try out Roxy Music because of the line up.
I told Bryan I would like to audition Roxy Music with the
intention of producing and writing for it. I ensured him that with my press,
agency and record company contacts I could obtain a recording deal for Roxy
Music if they were good enough and if I liked them. Bryan was overjoyed to hear
this. I asked Bryan to guarantee royalties for my writing, performance and
production work once Roxy Music had a recording contract if I did join. Bryan
agreed and then I agreed to meet Bryan Ferry with current members, Andy MacKay,
Brian Eno and Graham Simpson at Andy's house in Battersea the next evening.
(Andy was teaching music during the day at Holland Park Secondary School, which
is why it was in the evening.
VRM: So what was the set up like when you went to those
rehearsals, and how did the material sound then?
D.O'L.: They were set up in a small studio room in the house with
small amplifiers with Bryan sitting at an electric piano. I assessed the
material (which evolved into the first album) needed new arrangements/more
chords/chord progressions/more melodies with more interesting mood changes in
order for it to become commercial. They heartily agreed. Roxy Music needed to
be directed by a successful commercial writer to succeed. They just weren't commercial.
VRM: Could someone else have done that for them, was it just a
case of someone giving them that bit of direction?
D.O'L.: Yes and no, they obviously were an interesting band and
had good ideas but I don't think there was anyone else already in the business at
the time who would have given them their time and effort and take a chance with
them. All the record companies had already turned them down once and were not
prepared to nurture or produce their sound themselves.
Bryan, Andy, Eno and Graham pleaded with me strongly to join the
group. It was up to me to take them on and I decided to become their producer.
I explained that after I had done this I wanted their assurances that I could
make solo albums through the deal I got them. I made it transparent (as I had
to Bryan previously on the telephone) it would also be on condition that I
received royalties and credit for all my work as a
writer/arranger/performer/producer in Roxy Music. Roxy Music knew I had a great
deal of music business contacts and that my name could obtain all their aims
and objectives. They were aware I could transform the group. My job was to
ensure commercial success for Roxy Music. Once they had agreed this I said I
would join Roxy Music amid loud cheers from Bryan, Andy, Eno and Graham.
A photographer friend of Bryan's, who sometimes worked for Time
Out magazine, owned a large photographic studio in Hampstead. He would lend it
to us for one or two evenings a week to rehearse in. Bryan and Andy secured a
loan from a bank to buy a PA system. We were able to store the PA in the loft
of the studio when we were not using it. The material we began rehearsing
became the group's first album release. I wanted to be involved with the
writing that was part of my deal. I selected two songs to start with which I
was intending to release as solo singles but had not found the right calibre of
musicians to record them.
VRM: What were these songs called?
D.O'L.: One, 'Green Willow Tree', the other was "White Indian
Butterfly". They suited Bryan's voice and we started singing them together
as a duet. I had been the lead vocalist for The Nice.
VRM: How did these songs sound, and were there any recordings of
them?
D.O'L.: "Green Willow Tree"
was like a slightly faster "Chance Meeting". The songs were never
recorded with Roxy Music although we were intending to record them for the
first album. I had recorded demo versions before but the tapes were lost,
unfortunately.
VRM: When did Paul Thompson come into all this?
D.O'L.: At the beginning Roxy Music had an avant-garde
percussionist (Dexter Lloyd) who was great fun to play with. Eno was
experimenting treating the various percussion instruments through Andy's VCS 3
but I knew the group needed a commercial rock drummer to make it. I discussed
this with the group and the following week an advertisement appeared in the
Melody Maker for a rock drummer. Several applied; one was a female called Sue.
We discussed using Sue; she would have been an interesting image inclusion if
she had been a more experienced drummer. Things started to move on faster.
VRM: Is this the Susie that the debut album is dedicated to?
D.O'L.: No, I believe that was Susie who was a girlfriend of
Bryan's at the time. Susie used to drive us around a lot and help with
transport for rehearsals and gigs.
VRM: What do you feel you brought to the songs that had already
been written by Bryan Ferry?
D.O'L.: I completely rearranged the songs, rewrote parts of them
and added new melodic sections to make the songs sound more fashionable. I
added new beginnings, new middles, and new endings and generally beefed up the
sound, as Bryan wanted me to. You can hear the evidence of all my work on Roxy
Music's first album. It was all kept in of course otherwise Roxy Music would
not have got their contract with Island Records. Phil did not add anything to
the guitar parts or arrangements when he recorded the songs, the new producer
did not add anything new either. Phil replicated note for note and chord for
chord what I recorded for the Roxy Music John Peel Show even buying the same
Fender guitar to obtain the same sound.
Word had got around that Davy O'List had a new group called Roxy
Music. Record company and press awareness was raised on the group. My name/reputation
obtained The John Peel Show, a gig at John Peel's club Perfumed Garden
supporting Genesis and the Richard Williams article in the NME. I confirm that
the taped John Peel Show, which I produced for Roxy Music in December 1971,
secured the record contract with Island Records. The Roxy Music sound was
there, we only needed better equipment to rise to top level.
Roxy Music had arrived, several record companies would be
interested, and I knew it. Bryan had decided to go to E'G Management with the
Peel tape, he said because they managed ELP and there was a strong connection
between The Nice/ Davy O'List /ELP and Roxy Music. After listening to The John
Peel Show tape (the first album) E'G expressed a keen interest in signing the
group before any other company could. EG complimented me for changing the music
style of Roxy Music. They had turned down the group before but were now very
interested. EG wanted to see the band perform live and hired an old
theatre/cinema near Clapham, now a bingo hall. Roxy Music only had to perform
the tape live to get the contract.
VRM: Were there the tensions in the band at that time that we know
of further down the line?
D.O'L.: There was some tension between Bryan Ferry and Brian Eno
over who was the focal point in the group. On the way to perform for EG there
was a tension between them in the car. It was not relaxed, fun and jovial as
usual. Communication levels were low on the stage. During the performance Eno
decided not to play much and observed the group on stage from the back of the
hall with another person, Phil Manzanera who was masquerading as a road manager
by then. It didn't look right. Phil Manzanera turned up at the previous
rehearsal, which never happened as Bryan and Paul didn't arrive. Andy was
trying to make excuses but I knew something was wrong. I was surprised to see
Phil and asked him who he was. He said he was the new road manager and he
needed a list of new equipment I wanted. I asked him who was going to buy it.
He replied the record company. It sounded suspicious.
I had been ill for a couple of weeks before this rehearsal and had
unfortunately missed a synth/guitar session with Eno at his home. I guess this
had put Eno's back up. But the set was tight and I did not feel there would be
any problem with EG. Anyway I knew I could get a deal elsewhere and that EG
were trying to contract Roxy Music before anybody else could. They liked the
tape and the theatre set up was just a formality before they signed a contract
with Roxy Music. On hindsight I suppose Eno instigated a change of guitarist,
even though he was talking about me producing the first album just a few weeks
before.
Roxy Music had toured in preparation for a larger tour when the
first record came out. The first public appearance of Roxy Music was at a large
reception hall above a large pub, The "Hand and Flower" opposite
Olympia I London. The show was for an all American Girls College. I remember
being suitably dressed for Roxy Music's first show in a pink satin jacket and
silver boots. The second appearance was at the 100 Club in Oxford Street. It
was specially put on so that Richard Williams could view the group before
writing his article for the NME. The article was needed to put Roxy Music in
the limelight for the record companies. Bryan Ferry and I were really good
friends. We often drove around together in his nice girlfriend's Mini (I
remember her name was Susie and she was a great aid to the group by providing
transport) planning the future of the group.
On one drive Bryan told me about a gorgeous girl he had followed
in his car. I said it should be a theme for a new song, we should write it. At
the next rehearsal Bryan had written words and I put down some chords. I was
never credited or received any money for it but I had more than a hand in
writing, "Re-make/Re-model". Phil copied me exactly on the album
version. The ending is something I played with The Pink Floyd; I also had the
idea that in the middle of the song we should all do a little solo.
Roxy Music headlined at Bristol University, too. There was not
enough room in the van for everybody so Eno and Andy took it in turns to lie on
top of the equipment at the back of the van. Roxy Music headlined at London
University and at a South London college, too. Roxy Music also did a show
supporting The Pretty Things, which turned out to be a mismatch of programming
but Bryan and I laughed about it on the way home in the Mini.
It is not previously known but Roxy Music had a manager then who
left before the John Peel Show to live and work in the U.S. He used to wear
groovy looking jump suits to the shows. It was a shame he went as he was
looking after me and making sure I was happy with everything that was going on.
He knew my influence was going to guarantee Roxy Music a quick deal and appreciated
what I was doing for them. I'm sure if he had been there to the end the line up
would have stayed the same. There was a hole after he had gone which the others
found difficult to fill by themselves.
VRM: So how did it come about that you worked again with Bryan in
1974 on his 'Another Time Another Place' album?
D.O'L.: After Roxy Music split up I contacted Bryan Ferry and said
let's rejoin forces and produce a stunning hit. Bryan seemed excited about the
reunion and we produced "The 'In' Crowd" which I earned my first gold
disc for. I was only to play on The 'In' Crowd, Chance Meeting and Let's Stick
Together (though I am not credited for LST on the sleeve which is wrong). The
recordings were a good experience and I wished to do more with Bryan Ferry
including live stadium appearances.
VRM: What can you tell us of those sessions?
D.O'L.: The backing tracks were finished, with all the horns, etc.
and Bryan had done a guide vocal by the time I arrived at the studio. We
recorded it at Pete Townsend's studio, Ramport that was hidden beneath a tower
block in Battersea. Pete Townsend had recorded Quadrophenia there. There was an
amazing atmosphere to the place. I also re-recorded Chance Meeting there, which
Bryan asked me to play the way I played it for Roxy Music. But it turned out
better than the first album version and Bryan thought so too. I believe Roxy
Music's first album would have turned out even better had I been given the
chance to record for Island Records after all I had a big hand in writing and
producing it.
VRM: Have you met any of the band since then?
D.O'L. I met Phil & Andy when they were working with The
Explorers in the mid '80s and I met Brian Eno around 1994. I bumped into Bryan
Ferry at the end of last year as his studio is near where I live. We had a
brief chat about my new film work.
VRM: ...and Graham Simpson?
D.O'L: Graham was a very nice guy. I have never seen him since
then. Graham also played Cello, which would have been an interesting addition if
he remained with the band. He was always into computers and music was not the
be all and end all in his life. It was something he did as a pastime and never
really wanted to get too serious about it. He never wanted to give up his day
job. I think the pressure of being in a vehicle moving faster than he wanted to
go got to him and he just wanted out.
David
O'List has not received his just deserts in the annals of pop music criticism,
as the true story of how Roxy Music made it has never been told publicly until
now.
VRM: So what have you done since those days and what are you doing
now?
***********
Before I go into a brief history of what happened next I would
like to say that I would very much enjoy playing with Bryan and Roxy Music again
sometime in the future and I hope this is going to be possible. From my
experiences with Roxy Music I began to write a new song repertoire and played
it on acoustic guitar around local low-key gigs in London.
I would like to mention that prior to Roxy Music I had made a film
with Eric Clapton, Jack Bruce (this was after The Cream) Roland Kirk, Buddy Guy
and Led Zeppelin called "Super Session".
Again "The 'In' Crowd" came to the attention of John
Cale of The Velvet Underground. I had met John Cale at the Velvet Underground's
flat in New York in 1967 while on tour with The Nice where they gave me a
promotion copy of their famous first album. I had this copy well before it was
released in the U.K. and new all about their sound well before anybody else did
here. When I re-met John Cale in
London in late 1977 he complimented me on my work on "The 'In' Crowd"
and offered me a tour of Europe as his guest star! The tour was long,
lucrative, very well organized with luxury hotels and beautiful theatres to play
in. The fans in Europe were very, very happy to see me at last. I had to sign
original copies of my first album "The Thoughts Of EmerList DavJak"
in Berlin when the wall was up. It was very exciting being on John Cale's tour
and to experience so much fan adoration, something I had not experienced since
leading The Pink Floyd on the Jimi Hendrix tour.
By 1985 my label was set up and I released two singles, "Seal
It With A Loving' Kiss" and "You and I". The B-side of
"Seal It With A Loving' Kiss" is "Facts of Life"; it became
a hit on a South London Black Underground radio station before it was released.
All three singles are on the album "Flight of the Eagle".
"You and I" was play listed on Super Channel satellite
TV is co-written by Satu Redmond. She also co-wrote the track "Pale Girl
of the Neat White Uniform" which is all about an Air Hostess's flying
career. The guitar sound is sort of 'In' Crowdie. Suzie O'List my sister sings
backup vocals on the opener "Seal It With A Loving Kiss" and on
"Outside Broadcast". "Outside Broadcast" was recorded after
my John Cale Tour and there is evidence of that in the track. I had been
playing twin guitars with John, which was a treat. The sound which sounds like
a synthesiser is actually a guitar using a tremolo arm. I also play most of the
keyboards, guitars, drums and basses on the album.
I originally called the group SEAL. The record was reasonably
distributed and Capital Radio, GLR Radio and Satellite TV station Super Channel
play listed the singles. However I could not handle all the distribution and
promotion work by myself as well as the performing and recording so I thought
it appropriate to go for help from a major. I ended up at Warner Brothers Music
where one of Bryan Ferry's solo albums was released which I was on. The A&R
manager thought the image of the word SEAL was very worthwhile marketing but he
did not take the singles on, instead he said record a new track and bring that
back to him. To my surprise, a few months later, while I was producing the track
W.B. launched SEAL but it wasn't me at all, it was Henry Samuels. There were
all sorts of confusion at record shops and radio stations as WB had taken my
name but that was the end of my SEAL and it was time to rethink and rethink
about trusting record companies.
About the "Return Of The Eagle" album it is a different
recording to the 1998 release "Flight of The Eagle". It has a different cover and the tracks
are improved and different. The
record company lost the original master so I completely re-mastered a new
version including a track "Nylon Cowboy" which is 8 minutes 11
seconds long. I wrote it as a theme for ITV's live virtual TV game "The
Race" which was shot on location in Arizona in 2002. The guitar describes
an archetypal cowboy character that clinks his spurs as he walks through town.
I have always wanted to do a western. The title track "Flight of The
Eagle" is the theme to the first movie I ever made. It was also written in
remembrance of my days with the Pink Floyd hence its Floydion guitar style,
which I hope you will appreciate.
At the same time I was recording some of the album with Michael
Seraphim from Starlight Express and The Bill I was taking an MA in Film at Central
Saint Martins in London and Brian Eno was asked to give a lecture at the
college. I hardly recognized him. I was working outside the college when Eno's
lecture actually happened making promotion films for Ericsson Telephones and
producing TV promotion films for Sony/BMG's Destruction label. Two of my own
films that I wrote and directed for myself actually got in to the British Short
Film Festival in 1992.
I recently finished a Post Graduate Lecturers Course at The
University of Greenwich (Nelson's old Naval college) and have been lecturing
film production and computer music production at Westminster Kingsway College
London. I am also proposing to get a Science Fiction/Super Reality TV series
off the ground that I co-wrote with Malcolm Stone Art Director of Superman (one
of a long list of his films). We did shoot a short "teaser" of it at
Pinewood Studios (where Bat Man was produced) as a test and have now developed
it into a TV series.
The latest music project came about two years ago when my first group
The Attack suddenly sold over 75,000 copies of their first single "We
Don't Know" in Japan on a box set released by Universal that featured
James Brown, Marvin Gaye and The Who. A mod music collection called funnily
enough "The 'In' Crowd" - the ultimate mod collection. I decided to
write a follow up to capitalize on its success and came up with "We Still
Don't Know!!" You never know it could happen all over again!
John Peel used the B-side of The
Attack's second single, "Any More Than I Do" as the signature tune
for his first ever radio programme. It was a very popular programme
broadcasting from a pirate radio ship and everybody on the scene listened to
it. From this regular broadcast I received offers from John Mayall's Blues
Breakers to replace Eric Clapton and from P. P. Arnold ("First Cut is the
Deepest"). "Any More Than I Do" broke me in to stardom.
Davy O'List
Professional journalists wishing to
write about the importance of me to Roxy Music and how I was vital to its
success are invited to contact me at omikronmusic@hotmail.com
Thanks to Damian Jones
for his response to the above and for supplying the site with this early poster
of Roxy Music featuring David O'List (it says). He is co-writing a book about the late 60's Mod movement and
would like some of my memories of me on my scooter going to Brighton and my Mod
music that ended up on James Brown and The Who compilations!
Stay tuned for further news...
- ALL THINGS NICE AND BEAUTIFUL
–
Rob Leighton's Imagine program on Radio Caroline and Chris Bent's Toward The Unknown Region program (broadcasting on Friday's at 11 PM)
play-listed Feel This Way, And We Still Don't Know
and Any Way You Choose. Radio program Web site addresses are at
the base of this page.
Davy
O List's Walthamstow
gig in London recorded live on 13 May 2005
is available from this site @ £15.00. Featuring: Maybe, Let's Rendezvous,
Rondo 2005, America 2005 and Azriel 2005.
Concerts
2004-5
MTV Romania and TVR 1 Romania - Saturday 2 Oct 2004. I was interviewed with Carl Palmer
while producing and promoting The Jimi Hendrix Festival in Bucharest.
Stazione Birra Club - 26 November 2004 – Davy O List live at The Jimi Hendrix
Festival in Rome I was asked to play my own set which was filmed live by SKY TV
and I was interviewed about my close friendship with Jimi Hendrix and what we
got up to in the studio and on tour and at the night clubs jamming together.
Davy O'List Live on SKY TV
Photographed
by Simone Cecchetti
Hi Davy! I like very much your show...I love
your guitar style...
There aren't
much guitarist with this "sixties" touch...a very good show. Simone
Underworld - Saturday 26 March 2005. Camden, London with Audience.
Riga Music Bar - Thursday 21 April 2005. Southend, Essex.
Limelight Club - Sunday 1 May 2005. Crewe.
Standard Music Venue - Friday 13 May 2005. Walthamstow, London.
Recorded
live for Radio Caroline first broadcast Rob Leighton
show, midnight Wednesday 3 August 2005.
"SECOND THOUGHTS"
Mojo
Magazine, Terrorizer Magazine, Chris Welch, The Classic Rock Society, Classic
Rock Magazine, Rob Leighton's Imagination show on Radio Caroline, Radio
Seagull's Chris Bent, Paul Baker's Progressive Show ARfm (Sky Digital), BBC
Essex, BBC Stoke, Francis Geron's Progressive show on The Spirit of 66 Radio
Show in Belgium, Art Rock in Sweden, Eifel Events Radio in Germany, Steve
Elsdon from the Patti Pavilion in Wales, and Radio Heemskerk in Holland
continue to promote Davy O'List 's new releases and up and coming tours.
Davy O'List at Underworld 26 March 2005
It
was great to see Davy O List's band in action at the Underworld. Having seen Keith Emerson's gigs in the
past, David's performance has only reassured me about the amazing potential he
has transferred to his nowadays' line-up.
The highlights of the evening, Rondo and America, fitted perfectly with
a new, remarkable piece Let's Rendezvous.
The unfaultable rhythm section backed him in an exciting way and merged
so well the result was simply an explosive, mind-blowing performance I've heard
in ages. I'm a keyboard player
myself, playing for Arthur Brown and my own band Instant Flight, and with the
latter we were truly delighted to support Davy O List that evening. The spirit of his band, the energy, and
improvisational resourcefulness has become a new source of inspiration for our
own future performances.
LUCIE
REJCHRTOVA - INSTANT FLIGHT (27.3.05)
Instant Flight + Davy O List + Audience - Camden
Underworld 26/3/05.
By Steve Snelling
Those
who are familiar with this living legend will know Davy was the founder member
of The Nice who started out as backing band for P. P. Arnold who had a massive
hit with a Cat Stevens song The First Cut Is The Deepest. A short while later The Nice decided to
go it alone, The Nice, Keith Emerson, Lee Jackson, Brian Davison, Davy O List
were the first to cut the ground and pave the way for the term we use today
Prog Rock. There was no band quite like The Nice. If you don't own a copy of the
"Here Comes The Nice", Immediate Anthology, CMETD 055 then I strongly
suggest you immediately go and hunt yourself a copy because it contains this
truly awesome band at the height of their power - with some of Davy O List's
scorching, blistering, guitar work committed to CD. I did not see the original The Nice but I was lucky to have
seen Refugee when I was fourteen in '74 at Hemel Hempstead Pavilion. Not
hearing a great deal else I finally saw ELP and saw The Nice reunion 2004
comeback tour which was fantastic but I had a nagging doubt, where was
Davy? On 20 Nov 2004, I attended
the Progeny Festival at the Astoria with the soul purpose of seeing our hero in
action. Unfortunately, this did
not happen due to circumstances beyond his control. However, having said this I did get to meet the great man
and could not believe what a friendly and warm person he is. So on 26 March 2005 at Camden
Underworld I was in the venue very early to make sure I didn't miss this
one-off special occasion sandwiched in between Instant Flight and
Audience. Davy O List and his band
make their stage entrance and from when the first chord was struck, we all knew
we were in for a 'nice treat' so to speak. The whole band fired-off on all four burners starting off
with The Thoughts Of EmerList Davjak then Azriel Angel Of Death, Flower King Of
Flies, Rondo and some new material which sounded great. Davy and his band gave it their all,
one hundred per cent. The crowd
down the front loved it with cries of "Nice one" and in deed it
was. It came to a spectacular
ending with what I would call The Nice signature song America
played at full throttle - it was sheer bliss I went home a very happy
man, "NICE ONE LADS!"
By Steve Snelling - Skeletons Making Love Fanzine 2005.
Editors
Note: Chris Welch the famous rock
music journalist and Keith Emerson's agent also saw my performance on 26 March
2005. They remarked that it sounded
really great and it was great to hear those Nice tunes again played in a modern
way, a must see magical event.
Club Riga 21 April and Limelight 1 May
It was great to watch your performance on Sunday, I LOVE
eccentricity and you certainly didn't disappoint! When you performed at the Riga bar last month I had a
real-time call from our on the spot Caroline man to say, "This man is away
with the fairies!" - just as it should be. It struck me you're a man who's happy with himself and his
lot?
By DJ Rob Leighton, Radio Caroline
After this show Rob Leighton introduced me to Andy Tillison
and we began planning to release the new album.
The Thoughts of EmerList DavJack
Azriel 2006
Flower King 2006
War and Peace 2006
Feel This Way
Bonnie K
She Belongs To Me 2006
Touch Wood
Rondo 2006
Second Thoughts
Let's Rendezvous
America 2006
Genesis of The Nice –
"On
the way to the first show I was talking to P.P. Arnold, saying her band (Davy
O'List, Ian Haige, Keith Emerson and Lee Jackson) ought to have a name as it
didn't have one and Pat said think of one. As Pat talked about her Gospel choir experiences in the USA
an idea came to me. Pat was saying
her preacher was hip and he spoke to his congregation like this, 'The Nazz came
down and said unto all the people.'
I asked her what The Nazz meant and Pat replied it was a Negro term for
Almighty God. But what does Nazz
mean, I inquired? "Oh, that
was the preacher's accent he means, The Nice", she laughed. "Oh, The Nazz could be a good name
for the band but how could we be called God we could
be called The Nice!" Everyone
laughed and agreed the name stuck so I took the idea of THE NICE and the "new fusion music" I
vamped up for the group; a fusion of Classical, Modern Jazz, Pop and Rock to
Andrew Oldham, The Rolling Stones manager. Andrew accepted the concept was very new and exciting and
gave my group a Recording Agreement and Management deal on the strength of my
ideas. The incredible audience
responses we were getting from our solo spots before P.P. Arnold came on was
also a major factor in me getting the deal.
Then
I opened The Nice booking agency, obtaining residencies at The Speakeasy Club
and The Marquee Club in London. One
night at The Marquee Club we were given a special guest spot with The Jimi
Hendrix Experience because we had been going down so well and we went on to
play the best we ever played. Jimi
was standing at the side of the stage as we came off as the crowd roared for
more he told me how good he thought it was would we like to be on his UK
tour.
A
big yes was the answer and we never had to look back as everything snow balled
from that night. You can read an actual interview, which was recorded while I
was on tour at the official
Jimi Hendrix Magazine site. I was the writer and producer of
the first single by The Nice The Thoughts of EmerList
Davjak, which came out at the same time of the tour. It was incredibly good timing as the
mass teenage girl audiences who bought it got me into the top of the Top 40 for
the first time. The girls were
screaming at me every night when I sung The Thoughts
of EmerList Davjak and when I played Inter Stella Over Drive with The Pink Floyd. I always thought The Nice should have
done more on the "Teeny Bopper" circuit to achieve more single sales
but The Thoughts of EmerList Davjak album has
sold extremely well until this day."
Interesting History
Here's
something you might like to know I helped name Yes. When I was
touring with The Attack before I formed The Nice I first met Jon, Chris, Bill, Tony and Pete when they were
called Syn a couple of times in a Birmingham late night Indian restaurant we
found open after shows. I re-met
them all again one night at the Speakeasy Club in London about a year later,
just when The Nice had broken The Marquee box office record that was originally
held by The Who! I asked them how they were doing and Jon
told me they were looking for new gigs and audiences. I told him a name like Syn might not gel with audiences, as
the description was on the dark side and not attractive. Jon agreed, yes. Then we both said, "Yes" at
the same time. We both laughed because
that was it! Be Yes I said and I
will give you a support spot at the Marquee next time we play there. Everything changed for them as Atlantic
Records soon signed them up after seeing them play to The Nice audience. Funny, that's how they made it.
More Recent History
I
was starring at The Jimi Hendrix Festival held at the Stazione
Birra Club in Rome on 26 November 2004. I included America 2ND
Amendment, which went down extremely well with the Italian audience and signed
lots of autographs afterwards. SKY TV televised the whole show live. SKY
also interviewed me about my friendship with Jimi Hendrix, and the conversation
included some of the facts stated above in the Genesis of The Nice. The club would like me to return with Second Thoughts
MTV
and TVR 1 in Romania interviewed me with Carl Palmer from the legendary super
group, Emerson Lake & Palmer in November 2004. Carl and I both got on very well as we always did and had
long chats about the old days. I'd
known Carl since Atomic Rooster, as I had gone along to a rehearsal to see if I
wanted to join them.
Other
recent TV appearances include; 'Bernstein's Life' Channel 4 UK 2005, featuring America by The Nice, 'The
Race' ITV2
2002 featuring Nylon Cowboy, a solo guitar track from the 'Flight
of The Eagle' CD eight minutes long to be re-released on a forthcoming Prog
Rock History 1967-2004.
Second Thoughts
Some recent
releases include:
SUPERSHOW; a DVD
of a live jam show featuring Davy O'List also features Eric Clapton, originally
recorded with Lead Zeppelin on their "first ever public appearance"
but they took it off before the release date maybe it will resurface one day
again after the reunion.
BEYOND THE
BEGINNING; a new DVD from ELP featuring The Nice performing America 2nd
Amendment on the German TV rock show Beat Club excellent footage of me.
THE SWEDISH RADIO
SESSIONS CD – a live performance by The Nice in Sweden, recommended
purchase, as you can feel and hear how I controlled the sound to produce the
best in Keith.
Keith, Blinky,
Lee and Davy
Davy O List with
THE ATTACK is featured on Mod music compilations from Universal Music that also
include Georgie Fame, Tom Jones, James Brown, and The Who.
Richard, Davy, Barney, Bob and Gerry
Some older
releases include:
The "in"
Crowd – with Bryan Ferry; Top Ten single and No 1 album
Chance Meeting -
with Bryan Ferry – B-side to The "in" Crowd
Let's Stick
Together – with Bryan Ferry; Top ten single and worldwide hit
- Gold records
awarded for each of the above releases.
Davy
O'List
An excerpt from: A funny article from Oct. 20th 1973, Mirabelle
(source: www.queencuttings.com):
A RIGHT ROYAL GROUP
Who is who in Queen
Brain May is also tall, dark and handsome. He lives in Fulham
and has one cat. He plays the guitar, sings, and also writes words and music.
Brian is twenty-three and born under the sign of Cancer. He is over 6ft. tall,
and was born in the country. Brian has a degree in Physics, and has taught at a
comprehensive school. He was also an astronomer for four years. His influences
are Clapton, Beck, and Davy O
List. His likes are cats,
Hermann Hesse (the writer), prawn cocktails, C. S. Lewis (another writer), and
quiet people. His dislikes – liver, noise, cold feet, non-contact and
politics. Ambition? To be a penguin when he grows up!
RECOMMENDED
LINKS
WITH
PHOTOGRAPHS AND INTERVIEWS:
See a picture of me with Jimmi Hendrix on the Jimmi Hendrix tour
1967
www.jimi-hendrix.com /magazine/601/601.features.uk.html
http://www.neptunepinkfloyd.co.uk/news
http://www.neptunepinkfloyd.co.uk/magazine/2006/10/d
http://www.markfromholland.com/interviews.php
- An interview with Radio Heemskerk
promoting my tour of the Netherlands.
http://www.intuitivemusic.com/content/view/1216/97/
http://www.hairlessheartherald.co.uk/news.htm
HERE COMES THE
Live
Internet Radio At
http://www.radiocaroline.co.uk/
http://www.towardtheunknownregion.com
