Any thoughts on Joe Brown?

Never heard of him before seeing him on Concert to George but seems like a real down to earth, humble guy (not a rock star like all the others that were on the bill) Did some wiki reading on him, see he has a long, varied and respected career.

Not known in the US. I am interested in listening to his stuff or finding out what kind of influence he had in the UK over the past 6 decades.

 

He was pretty much a household name in the UK in the 1960s mainly for A Picture Of You and the other singles of that time and would often pop up on TV shows. He was known for being the Larry Parnes boy who kept his own name.

He was also one of the UK's earliest well-known pop guitarists, influenced by Scotty Moore, and he played other stringed instruments such as fiddle and ukelele. I'm not old enough to remember, but I think he played and sang The Sheik Of Araby on Jack Good's TV shows.

I liked his recollection of being guitarist on Billy Fury's album The Sound Of Fury. At the end of the session he asked if they could hear any of it back and were told no - an indication of just how lowly young pop musicians were regarded back then.

 

The Beatles with George singing lead played a number of songs taken from Joe's repertoire in their early live days, and I imagine Herman's Hermits took 'I'm Henry VIII' from Joe's version. Great work by him on "The Sound of Fury" LP

'Castin' My Spell' from Joe's 1963 Live LP

 

He has more hair than any other pop star ever. As you can see in the pic above he was the inspiration for Ziggy Stardust.

 

His daughter is Sam Brown who had some solo success in the late 80's. She has also performed with Pink Floyd as a backup singer.

 

I remember seeing him on British TV in the early 60s (before The Beatles came along) alongside Frank Ifield, Adam Faith, Marty Wilde and Cliff Richard. However I couldn't name a song by him. I seem to remember him playing his guitar behind his head, so that wasn't a huge surprise when Jimi came along doing it a few years later.
He crops up in a lot of BBC music documentaries and I saw him interviewed on Vintage TV a couple of months ago. He's a great talker and full of fun.

 

I tuned into The Old Grey Whistle Test one day in 1972, halfway though a performance by this chap (of a song that turned out to be Queen Bitch):



I hadn’t seen Bowie on TV since 1969’s Space Oddity, and didn’t recognize the performer. Needless to say, the only person who came to mind, despite the fact that he didn’t look quite old enough (and was singing about bibbety-bobbety hats), was

 

In May 1962, Joe Brown had a Number 2 hit single in the UK with A Picture Of You.

The Beatles performed a cover version of the song on the BBC programme Teenagers’ Turn in June.

Then, in July:

 

Joe Brown made some great music.

And you can tell the fantastic 'A Picture of You' influenced The Beatles.

He later released a great ballad in around 1966 called 'A Satisfied Mind', I urge you to check it out, a fantastic tune with The Breakaways on backing vocals.

 

Stole the show at Concert For George.
A great musician and seems like a very nice guy.
Seen him live - very highly recommended.
On tour in U.K. Now seeing him again next month and very much looking forward to it.



peace and love✌Dave

 

George Harrison was Best Man at his wedding in 2000.

 

Joe Brown is something of an unsung hero of the early British Beat Group scene. Got his break being taken on as part of the house band on Jack Good's Boy Meets Girls tv show (the follow-up to Oh Boy) where he worked with the likes of Johnny Cash, Eddie Cochran and Gene Vincent. He was and remains an excellent guitar player, an influence on the early George Harrison.
Johnny Kidd and The Pirates frequently played on the same bill as Brown and he was a household name. When Kidd and The Pirates headlined over The Beatles on 10th August 1962 on a Cavern Riverboat Shuffle, Kidd was asked by The Pirates what he thought of The Beatles. He said "They're good, but they'll never be as big as Joe Brown".
If I could point out one thing that Brown should be well remembered and respected for it's his role as guitarist on Billy Fury's "The Sound Of Fury" album from 1960. All tracks were composed by Fury but Brown helped knock the band / arrangements into shape. All of that and I've barely mentioned his own records. A key figure of the pre-Beatles British music scene and yes, his performance at the concert for George was probably the highlight of the show and extremely moving. Top bloke and apparently a very nice guy.
He was also responsible for Hank Marvin using tape echo, a key part of that Shadows sound. He was getting rid of his tape echo and gave it to Hank suggesting he have a crack with it. The tape echo combined with Hank's Fender is a pivotal British sound that launched a 1000 beat groups. That alone is a pretty serious contribution to British music.

 

The Beatles did A Picture Of You on the BBC

 

peace and love✌Dave

 

I've got... about half a dozen of his hit singles, on the Piccadilly label, the Marble Arch LP reissue of the A Picture Of compilation and a 2CDer on a 'budget' label that I'd say is/looks like a public domain set. This is all from the early 60s, meaning I need to get some of his later stuff - any recommendations would be most helpful and welcome! Oh and I bought the DVD of his 'musical' film, What A Crazy World. It's quite fun and features Marty Wilde as a bit of a rogue. The dad is played by Harry H Corbett and it's always nice to see him appear in something else, even though Steptoe & Son fan one of my most favourite tv shows.

And I'm going to see him play, next month - can't wait for that. When I've mentioned this to people, they've said he must be getting on in years - maybe so but I think he will be great... brilliant multi-musician and his records are such a fun listen. I'm a bit of a 60s pop music nut anyway!

 

I was born in the early 70s, and I'm sure my first memories of Joe were on TV driving a steam train.

Does anyone know any more about what this might have been? Did he have his own show, did he have a well known connection with trains? I really have no other information on this but it's how I remember always being aware of him growing up before I got to know some of his great music.

 

This looks maybe about 10 years later than what you're looking for (around late 70s?) But might be of interest and the description lets us in on why you'd have seen what you saw, at least.

I'd look into it further but I have to be going out very soon and don't even have time to watch the clip at the moment, unfortunately... I certainly will see it tonight.

 

Thanks, I'm also not able to watch at the moment, but will do soon, certainly looks like it could be the answer to my question!

 

He used to be in an advert teaching children how to cross the road in the seventies. Always looked cool. Also had a band called Browns Home Brew at that time.

 

Worth watching this 30 minute interview with Joe.



peace and love✌Dave

 

Kept meaning to post this but forgetting... busy week and all.

It was last Saturday I saw him playing live, in North Wales. I don't think I'd laughed so much at a gig before - in a good way, of course! It was all quite informal - seated and armed with just an acoustic guitar, mandolin and ukulele. As I implied, there was a lot of chat, starting with how he got into showbiz which was interesting as it was stuff I wasn't aware of. Some of the first jokes were corny yet well delivered and he's an endearing bloke so got away with it! Sweet tales about friends such as George Harrison were heartwarming and just what I hoped I would have heard.

His playing was spot-on... intricate solos on guitar and mando and his voice just right for the 'unplugged' setting. The mandolin was used for the Third Man theme to great effect and minimal (again) acoustic guitar accompaniment from Henry Gross was all that was required. Very nice! Henry was with Joe for most of the set - two sets actually, with a break in between and Mr Gross being continually ribbed about not yet learning to make a proper cup of tea after them knowing each other for close on 30 years! They probably drunk bottled water during the intermission. I almost forgot JB was there, when Henry stood and took centre stage and the spotlight was on him for one number he penned - that I thought I ought to know but didn't. I think I need to look into his music now.

Apologies were made for not doing all the old hits because they only worked in the context of the time (saying it would sound a bit odd at his time of life, singing about his mum and dad out and about, pursuing their working-class leisure activities, not concerned of his whereabouts...) but I was glad he did I'm Henery The Eighth, I Am - me and 100s of others assisting shouting during the choruses!

They closed with a medley - side by side at the mic in Everly style (and I LOVE the Everly Brothers!!!) Indeed, they slotted two of the brothers tunes in there and they Joe ended it all with the ukulele and I'll See You in My Dreams. If he'd not have done that - as on the the Concert For George - I'd have had to accept it but still would have gone home thinking that it would have been the perfect close. And it was. I want to get any records I can of his now, to add to my collection.

 

I've been meaning to go watching Joe but never seem to get round to it. I believe he's recorded lots of rootsy/Americana type albums in fact I'm sure I have a couple. The man himself always comes across as a decent human being, I can understand why George had him as a good friend.

 

That is a great review, thanks for posting..

 

A top class bloke whose peers all love him. Him and Marty Wilde did for home grown would-be frontmen / performers what Bert Weedon did for would-be guitarists, a whole bunch of guys went from thinking, "I'd love to do that," to "I can do that," and while he's never sold 50 million records, his influence is palpable.

 

I love the song he did for the Porridge film.