Fair Weather - Beginning From An End

Hiding from the Hit Parade, but still having hits

A reduced version of Andy Fairweather-Low’s previous pop star employers, Amen Corner, in all but name, Fair Weather forsook the radio-friendliness of Bend Me Shape Me for a bluesier, underground rock vibe, not dissimilar to their contemporaries Humble Pie. Although they only troubled the charts once, with 1970’s Top 10, Natural Sinner (included here among six bonus tracks), they perhaps unwittingly spawned a global monster smash.

Fellow Welshman Dave Edmunds, late of prog-blues outfit Love Sculpture, acted as engineer on this album and, ultimately, used the group’s cover of Smiley Lewis’ I Hear You Knockin’ as a prototype for his own solo debut, which sold four million copies worldwide. Not that Fairweather-Low would have minded: his restructured band was seen as a reaction to the fame he’d found so difficult to deal with.

Beginning From An End is almost wilfully uncommercial in places, not least the extended instrumental workout Looking For The Red Label, although the Stax groove of Don’t Mess With Cupid rattles the speakers with goodtime vibes. Mid-70s solo success followed for Fairweather- Low, but in recent times he’s been happy restricting himself largely to sideman duties, most notably in Eric Clapton’s touring band. A dyed-in-the-wool bluesman at heart, as this welcome reissue testifies.

3 stars 3 stars 3 stars

Esoteric | ECLEC 2028

Reviewed by Terry Staunton
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