Ollie Halsall - Abbots Langley

Undistinguished outtakes from much-missed instrumentalist

Guitarist Peter “Ollie” Halsall was a prime example of the fact that musicans are rarely the most together of people. His life, which sadly ended in 1992, combined personal chaos with professional underachievement, though a last decade with Kevin Ayers kept him in work and in the public eye.

This 1980 collection was an abortive project with John Halsey, drummer with Patto, the early-70s prog/jazz-rock band with which Halsall was at his most creative. The vibe here, however, is more reminiscent of The Rutles, The Beatles pastiche outfit with which Halsey had recently played Barry Wom and Halsall depped for the non-musical Eric Idle. Notes of humour come with three jingles for Marietta’s Pizzas, and Bum Love, recorded for Morgan Fisher’s Miniatures album of one-minute cameos.

To be fair, Market Square have accurately advertised Abbots Langley as “a snapshot of a particular period”, but only the most hardcore Ollie aficionado will glean much from these musical sketches. Sad to say, the likes of Seven Days (a backing track, featured twice) and the cod reggae of We Want Out (also repeated, and presumably a nod to the then omnipresent Police) add little to the legend.

Market Square | MSMCD 145

Reviewed by Michael Heatley
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