Power Pack

[Lee Drury]

Did they play original songs or just covers?
Lee.

[PeterI]

Rob,

'Be Glad' is an Argent song  - sounds like just the sort of thing Powerpack would have covered.

[rob]

Thanks Peter for letting us know after all these years !,not much of an Argent fan at the time but maybe time to revisit their music.As far as I know Powerpack only played covers and never did much of their own music,would have had to ask them why.All I know is that whatever cover version they played always seemed better than the original perhaps because they moved up the tempo and being accomplished musicians made the live version sound as good as it did .... and given they were only ever a 4 piece ....amazing

[Dagenham Dave]

Did they play original songs or just covers?
Lee.

I was too young to see them at the Bridgehouse so only ever saw them at the Ruskin but as far as I recall they only played covers. To be fair though in those days it was quite rare to hear any pub band play their own material and alot of Powerpacks covers were way better than the originals-I remember being quite dissapointed when I bought the Genesis version of The Knife as it wasn't nearly so "rocky" as Powerpacks!

[Stevo]

I totally agree that their covers were a great improvement on the originals. I recall two more songs that they played: 'Love really changed me' - Spooky Tooth - I think, and 'See my way'- Blodwyn Pig. (I think 'Pig' was a band formed by Mick Abrahams when he left Jethro Tull). Anyway, both these songs were truly given the Powerpak magic.

[rob]

Having listened now to Argents number 'Be Glad' from their  LP In Deep this has been given another classic Powerpack revamp and is just about recognisable from the original,perhaps took for granted  all those years ago just by how much some of the numbers had been reworked by Terry and Co.
Should be getting the tape transferred to CD within next week or two,definitely some nostalgia here for those of us who remember The Ruskin and Bridge House

[TerryMurphy]

I Would like to hear it Rob,i never saw them as a band,only when they were jamming with other mates,
they played the Bridge before i took over in1975 Terry M

[rob]

 Hi Terry,
      Hope should be able to hear the recording soon.Its not bad but doesn't do the band justice.The line up at this time was Terry on guitar,Rudy on bass and Dave on the Hammond,the original drummer Terry who was very good had already left  and was replaced by who? but listening to the drum solo on Soul Sacrifice he wasn't half bad either
Rob

[TerryMurphy]

Hi Terry  Hope should be able to hear the recording soon.Its not bad but doesn't do the band justice.The line up at this time was Terry on guitar,Rudy on bass and Dave on the Hammond,the original drummer Terry who was very good had already left  and was replaced by who? but listening to the drum solo on Soul Sacrifice he wasn't half bad either
Rob

thanks Rob Jeff recieved the tape okay we listened to it,yesterday,for the time and age it sound great,we have put the first track up on My Space,for all to hear,on the Bridge house page,I will contact Terry Newman,and find out his reaction.
and go on from there..Big thank Rob,Terry M

[rob]

So Terry here we are at last with the 10 tracks being;
Pretzel Logic-Steely Dan ,from the album of same name
Drift Away-Dobie Gray,album Drift Away
Eleanor Rigby-Beatles,Revolver
Rock and Roll Hootchie Koo-Johnny Winter Band,album 'and'
Soldier of Fortune-Deep Purple,Stormbringer
Be Glad-Argent,In Deep
Rat Bat Blue-Deep Purple,Who do we think we are
Highway Star-Deep Purple,Machine Head
Butterfly Bleu-Iron Butterfly,Metamorphosis
Soul Sacrifice-Santana,from the album 'Santana'
Just a small selection of the great numbers that the band did over the years that gave a lot of people a great nights entertainment ,and for free (or the price of a pint or two!)
Last but not least just a plug for John Shaw of Shaw Sounds (another Essex connection) for doing a nice pro tape transfer for us.

[TerryMurphy]

Track listing was going to be my next question to you Rob,so thanks,would you have or know anyone who has any pictures of the band.
.yes a big pat on the back for John Shaw,great job,regards Terry M

[Jeff]

The link to the Powerpack recording is http://www.myspace.com/bridgehousee16

[Nels]

Terry,pictures of the band are already on page one of this thread.

[rob]

Terry,yes those pics taken '69 show band in what must be early days,neither me or my mates ever took any probably as the pubs were too dark and crowded !,its a miracle I even did  a recording and another one that I kept the tape..I didn't realise they appeared at the BH that early as I only first saw them at the Plough and Harrow in '70 then they moved back to the Bridge about a year later.
Hope can get some more  of the  tracks on Myspace site soon

[TerryMurphy]

Thanks Rob and Nels
Yes Jeff has link the first track to Myspace see link above,and he found the picture,that is is also on there,we will see how many viewers we get,there was 14 in the first hour,which is good,i have e.mailed Terry Newman,keeping him informed and asked him his thought on the recording,I await his reply Terry M