Anybody Dig Brian Auger?

[HWright]

Anybody here dig Brian Auger?

Was there ever a thread about him here?

I discovered him recently thanks to a Canadian friend in Australia who turned me on to his amazing album "Streetnoise" from 1968, featuring singer Julie Driscoll (later Julie Tippetts, she married Jazz/Rock keyboard player Keith Tippet(s), who played with King Crimson in the early '70's on tracks like "Cat Food, and lead his own groups after that) and Brian Auger and the Trinity.

(Prior to that Auger and Driscoll were both part of a jazz/rock/r'n'b revue called Steam Packet that also included Rod Stewart and Long John Baldry. Auger also played with John McLaughlin in their early days on the British jazz/r'n'b scene).

"Streetnoise" is a fascinating combination of vocal numbers by Julie (who is a strange mix of Dusty Springfield, Laura Nyro and Grace Slick, with a heavy jazz and r'n'b influence) and instrumentals by Auger and the Trinity. Amazing stuff. They also did an earlier album together ("Open") and a bunch of singles (including an influential take on Bob Dylan and the Band's "This Wheel's on Fire") and some albums without Julie, which I haven't heard. After the group split up, Julie went on to many fascinating progressive adventures with Keith (somewhat akin to what Robert Wyatt was doing at the time) and Brian formed a fusion group called Oblivion Express, sort of a cross betwen Mahavishnu Orchestra and Emerson, Lake and Palmer.

Recently Fuel in Europe reissued a bunch of Auger and Oblivion Express albums. Maybe not very recently. At any rate, they turned up at my local music store recently and I got the debut self titled album from 1970 which includes a brief cover of McLaughlin's "Dragon Song" and some interesting originals such as "Total Eclipse." Some of the tracks have vocals and they are less interesting to my ears. so far.

Also recently Brian and Julie's reunion album "Encore" from 1978 has been reissued (by Wounded Bird Records, a company from near my hometown Albany, NY, no less!) Also quite good, with some great originals and intersting covers such as the Jack Bruce/Pete Brown composition "Rope Ladder to the Moon"

Edited December 14, 2007 by HWright

[porcy62]

Don't know if there is a specific thread about him. Did you try the search function?

Anyway I like Brian Auger, at least all the records I have, 'Streetnoise' above all. IMO the Oblivion Express' albums I heard are far better then ELP, (a group that should be forgotten for the sake of the history of rock music, IMHO obviously).

[Joe G]

I don't have any of his albums, but the one time I saw him was enjoyable. His daughter sang, his son played drums. Both were good. Brian's thing is high octane soloing. More soul-rock than soul-jazz, but it was cool.

[7/4]

IMO the Oblivion Express' albums I heard are far better then ELP, (a group that should be forgotten for the sake of the history of rock music, IMHO obviously).

Them's fighin' words...not everything was great, but there were a bunch of classic ELP tracks.

Sorry for the thread derail....

[Guest Bill Barton]

Streetnoise brings back memories of the 1970s for sure. I'll have to haul it out and listen again. It's been a long time since I've heard it. Yeah, I really liked Trinity back in those days.

Edited December 14, 2007 by Bill Barton

[porcy62]

IMO the Oblivion Express' albums I heard are far better then ELP, (a group that should be forgotten for the sake of the history of rock music, IMHO obviously).

Them's fighin' words...not everything was great, but there were a bunch of classic ELP tracks.

Sorry for the thread derail....

I can negotiate about "a (small) bunch of tracks", not more.

You may start to name them, my lawyers will contact yours soon.

Edited December 14, 2007 by porcy62

[sheldonm]

I don't have any of his albums, but the one time I saw him was enjoyable. His daughter sang, his son played drums. Both were good. Brian's thing is high octane soloing. More soul-rock than soul-jazz, but it was cool.

I've seen him a few times.....always enjoyed his live shows more than the recordings. Here is a shot I did of his daughter....Savanah....!

m~

[JSngry]

We had an "Easy Listening" FM station in Tyler. Tx back in the 70s that would play Auger's "Kiko" on occasion, which always struck me as odd but welcome.

[BFrank]

Streetnoise is definitely an interesting album, especially for its time. Quite a range from "Light My Fire" to "All Blues". I need to track down a CD of that one of these days.

I like Encore a lot, too.

[felser]

'Streetnoise' with Driscoll is my favorite, and I am a fan of 'Encore' with her also. And 'Befour' has amazing versions 'No Time To Live' (the Stevie Winwood song from Traffic) and "Pavanne", but also has some filler. I really like the following Oblivion Express recordings: 'Closer To It', 'Second Wind", 'Straight Ahead', and 'Live Oblivion'. Long, jazzy cuts, lots of fantastic keyboard solos, hot rhythm section, a couple of them have vocals by Alex Ligertwood (later of Santana), the others have very creditable vocals by Auger himself. One of the great groups of the period. I also definitely liked them better than ELP in the same period, but I don't think it's a good comparison. Auger was into a jazzier, funkier thing with more of a groove. Great version of Wes Montgomery's "Bumpin' On Sunset" and a great original called "Change" on 'Straight Ahead', which is probably my favorite of the Oblivion Express LP's (though conventional wisdom says 'Closer To It' was the best one). The other 60's and 70's stuff isn't bad, but the earlier 60's stuff is spotty and a bit immature in places, and some of the 70's stuff finds him sort of casting about for direction with some false starts.

Edited December 14, 2007 by felser

[Teasing the Korean]

"Closer To It" is their best, with "Whenever You're Ready" and "Happiness is Just Around the Bend."

[porcy62]

Well, from your posts I understood I need some more B. Auger.

[GA Russell]

I have the two Live Oblivion albums (one a double album). I never ranked them very highly because I just don't like Alex Ligertwood on vocals.

I remember seeing them once on Don Kirschner's Rock Concert.

[felser]

I have the two Live Oblivion albums (one a double album). I never ranked them very highly because I just don't like Alex Ligertwood on vocals.

I remember seeing them once on Don Kirschner's Rock Concert.

Check out 'Closer To It" and 'Straight Ahead'. Auger's vocals are very different (much less conspicuous) and actually seem to fit the music better.

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

I think there was a lot too much rock in Auger for me. Never took to him. Never took to rock.

MG

[Teasing the Korean]

I think there was a lot too much rock in Auger for me. Never took to him. Never took to rock.

MG

He was more "rock" with Julie Driscoll & Trinity. The first couple of Oblivion Express albums have a proggy edge to them, but most of the others have more of a jazzy/funky/groovy aspect.

Knowing your taste, I think you would like the "Closer To It" album.

[mikeweil]

I love those first two or three albums with and without Jools (as she was called at the time), but found that Auger started repeating himself after that, solo-wise.

There are great sounding remastered issues out.

[7/4]

IMO the Oblivion Express' albums I heard are far better then ELP, (a group that should be forgotten for the sake of the history of rock music, IMHO obviously).

Them's fighin' words...not everything was great, but there were a bunch of classic ELP tracks.

Sorry for the thread derail....

I can negotiate about "a (small) bunch of tracks", not more.

You may start to name them, my lawyers will contact yours soon.

Somewhere on the board we discussed ELP before, I can't find it. The quality declined as they released more albums.

[porcy62]

IMO the Oblivion Express' albums I heard are far better then ELP, (a group that should be forgotten for the sake of the history of rock music, IMHO obviously).

Them's fighin' words...not everything was great, but there were a bunch of classic ELP tracks.

Sorry for the thread derail....

I can negotiate about "a (small) bunch of tracks", not more.

You may start to name them, my lawyers will contact yours soon.

Somewhere on the board we discussed ELP before, I can't find it. The quality declined as they released more albums.

As usual with prog/rock groups.

Sincerly, ELP, like Genesis, is a band I couldn't never get since my youth, regardless of musical quality... but 'Lucky Man' is a great song.

Edited December 15, 2007 by porcy62

[7/4]

IMO the Oblivion Express' albums I heard are far better then ELP, (a group that should be forgotten for the sake of the history of rock music, IMHO obviously).

Them's fighin' words...not everything was great, but there were a bunch of classic ELP tracks.

Sorry for the thread derail....

I can negotiate about "a (small) bunch of tracks", not more.

You may start to name them, my lawyers will contact yours soon.

Somewhere on the board we discussed ELP before, I can't find it. The quality declined as they released more albums.

As usual with prog/rock groups.

Sincerly, ELP, like Genesis, is a band I couldn't never get since my youth, regardless of musical quality... but 'Lucky Man' is a great song.

That modular Moog solo rips. For me, that's one of the cool things about them, the latest and hippest equipment for the time.

[porcy62]

IMO the Oblivion Express' albums I heard are far better then ELP, (a group that should be forgotten for the sake of the history of rock music, IMHO obviously).

Them's fighin' words...not everything was great, but there were a bunch of classic ELP tracks.

Sorry for the thread derail....

I can negotiate about "a (small) bunch of tracks", not more.

You may start to name them, my lawyers will contact yours soon.

Somewhere on the board we discussed ELP before, I can't find it. The quality declined as they released more albums.

As usual with prog/rock groups.

Sincerly, ELP, like Genesis, is a band I couldn't never get since my youth, regardless of musical quality... but 'Lucky Man' is a great song.

That modular Moog solo rips. For me, that's one of the cool things about them, the latest and hippest equipment for the time.

Yes, you're talking about music, I hated them personally.

Just joking.

Frankly I never listened to them carefully, at times there were so much music to listen to, (King Crimson, Traffic, Soft Machine, just to name a few) that I passed on ELP.

Just in case I'll stumble in some of their records, wich ones do you suggest?

Edited December 16, 2007 by porcy62

[felser]

Just in case I'll stumble in some of their records, wich ones do you suggest?

'Tarkus', 'Emerson Lake & Palmer', and 'Brain Salad Surgery', in that order. If you like all of those, go back and get 'Trilogy' and 'Pictures At An Exhibition'. You won't need anything else other than those five titles. Live triple album was basically totally redundant and the Works stuff was utterly pretentious.

[porcy62]

Just in case I'll stumble in some of their records, wich ones do you suggest?

'Tarkus', 'Emerson Lake & Palmer', and 'Brain Salad Surgery', in that order. If you like all of those, go back and get 'Trilogy' and 'Pictures At An Exhibition'. You won't need anything else other than those five titles. Live triple album was basically totally redundant and the Works stuff was utterly pretentious.

Thanks. I should find cheap vinyls of them, considering their selling numbers. I'll look for them next time I'll go in my usual shop.

Edited December 16, 2007 by porcy62

[T.D.]

I just noticed a 4-CD / 5-LP Trinity reissue: Open, Definitely What, Streetnoise and Befour. Early albums, the first three with Julie Driscoll.

https://soulbankmusic.bandcamp.com/album/far-horizons-the-trinity-box-set

I'm moderately interested, the inclusion of Julie appeals, but I'm not sure I'd sufficiently like such early material.

Going to listen on bandcamp, in the meantime any opinions or suggestions welcome.

Edited January 4, 2023 by T.D.

[BFrank]

Thanks for the link. Interesting.

Since I last posted in this thread (about 15 years ago!!) I've picked up the Streetnoise album, but wouldn't mind have those other albums. I agree with what Felser said at the time about 'Befour': "... has amazing versions 'No Time To Live' (the Stevie Winwood song from Traffic) and "Pavanne"