Average White Band
Not really known for disco, but this Scottish group produced two mid-1970's
funky dancefloor classics - one later covered by Van
McCoy. "Let's go round again" was a disco track which filled UK
dancefloors in the early 1980's.
A star in the ghetto / (same) (Atlantic 12" DSKO
99, 1977) - with Ben E. King Big city lights / Sweet and sour (Atlantic 12"
DSKO 118, 1978) Feel no fret / Fire burning (Atlantic 12" DSKO 191, 1979)
- Queen of my soul (Atlantic 12" [UK] SAM 69, 1976)
- Walk on by (RCA 12" [UK] XC 1087, 1979)
- When will you be mine (RCA 12" [UK] XC 1096, 1979)
- One look over my shoulder (RCA 12" [UK] XC 9270, 1979)
- Let's go round again (RCA 12" [UK] AWB 12 1, 1980)
- For you for love (RCA 12" [UK] AWB 12 2, 1980)
- AWB (Atlantic LP, 1974)
- Pick up the pieces (Atlantic 7", 1974)
- Cut the cake (Atlantic 7", 1975)
Average
White Band
This
sextet was the natural culmination of several soul-influenced Scottish beat
groups. The Unit
featured
Alan Gorrie (b. 19 July 1946, Perth, Scotland; bass/vocals), Mike Rosen
(trumpet/guitar -
ex—Eclection),
replaced by Hamish Stuart (b. 8 October 1949, Glasgow, Scotland;
guitar/vocals), Owen ‘Onnie’ McIntyre (b. 25 September 1945, Lennoxtown,
Scotland; guitar), Malcolm ‘Mollie’ Duncan (b. 24 August 1945, Montrose,
Scotland; saxophone), Roger Ball (b. 4 June 1944,
Broughty,
Ferry, Scotland; saxophone/keyboards) and Robbie McIntosh (b. 6 May 1950,
Dundee, Scotland, d. 23 September 1974, Hollywood, USA; drums). Although their
1973 debut album, Show Your
Hand,
showed
promise, it
was
not until the band was signed to Atlantic Records that its true potential
blossomed. AWB, also known as the
White Album’ in deference to its cover art, was a superb collection and
paired the group’s dynamism with Arif Mardin’s complementary production.
The highlights included a spellbinding version of the Lesley Brothers’ ‘Work
To Do, and the rhythmic original instrumental, Pick Up The Pieces’, a worthy
US number 1/UK Top 10 single. AWB also
topped the US album charts but this euphoric period was abruptly punctured in
1974 by the tragic death of
Robbie
McIntosh following a fatal ingestion of heroin at a Hollywood party. Steve
Ferine (b. 25 April 1950 replaced him. Brighton, England), a former member of
Bloodstone. The group secured farther success with ‘Cut The Cake’, the
title song to a third album, but subsequent releases, despite an obvious
quality, betrayed a creeping reliance on a proven formula. However a pairing
with singer Ben E. King (Benny And Us) seemed
to galvanize a newfound confidence and two later recordings, ‘Walk On By’
and ‘Let’s Go Round Again’, reclaimed the group’s erstwhile
inventiveness. The Average White Band retired~ during much of the 80s as the
members pursued individual projects, the most surprising of which:’ was
Ferrone’s work with Duran Duran. Hamish Stuart later surfaced in Paul
McCartney’s ~ In The Dirt touring
group, and was sadly unavailable when the AWB REFORMED IN 1989, the result
album AFTER SHOCK, featured original members GORRIE, BALL and McIntyre
alongside Alex Ligertwood, a fellow-Scot and former vocalist with Santana.
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