Dinosaurdays - Savoy Brown

Part of the late-'60s blues-rock movement, Britain's Savoy Brown never achieved as much success in their homeland as they did in America, where they promoted their albums with non-stop touring. They had many personnel changes and started up as a blues-rock band. Later they changed to a bluesy boogie-rock style. Their leader and vocalist is Kim Simmonds and he is the only remaining member of the original lineup Visit their website.

Savoy Brown
Savoy Brown - Shot Down by Love, taken off " Rock ' n Roll Warriors", in 1981, their 15th album, finally released on CD! (Savoy Brown is the subject of this week's Dino Quiz, number 162, and a copy of this very album is the giveaway prize). Kim Simmonds' band has been well featured on the Dinosaur Days on numerous occasions and is also mentioned elsewhere on these pages, so by now, if you're a regular listener, you should have a pretty good idea about how highly we admire and respect him as one of the finest blues/rock guitarists around, not to mention the fact that Savoy Brown is proudly featured on our second Dinosaur Days CD! He formed the band in the UK in the mid to late sixties, later relocating to the US, where he's remained ever since. One thing about Savoy Brown, though: you'll very seldom find a band line-up that lasts particularly long - only Simmonds remains the original and constant member throughout the band's thirty-plus year history! The line-up on this album of Simmonds, and Barry Paul on guitars, Ralph Norman on vocals, John Humphrey on bass and Keith Boyce on drums actually recorded a second album together, the excellent "Greatest Hits - Live in Concert", released the same year. It would seem as if Simmonds took a break from recording under the Savoy Brown monicker, as no further albums were released for the next six years or so ( a Simmonds solo acoustic album," Slow Train", did emerge in 1987), but it was only in 1988 that a new Savoy Brown album, released on GNP Records, was released, and album releases have been fairly consistent ever since. Many musicians have come and gone through the ranks, but the important thing is that Kim Simmonds and Savoy Brown are still very much around. Check out 1999's " The Blues keep me Holding on" and see for yourself that you just can't keep a good man/band down!
Question: Savoy Brown is essentially a British band. Where did Kim Simmonds later relocate the band to, The US, Canada or Australia?
Answer: The US.

SAVOY BROWN
Savoy Brown - I'm Tired, from " A Step Further ", released in 1969. This is actually a tribute to guitarist " Lonesome" Dave Peverett, who died of cancer last Monday, the seventh of February 2000, another sad loss to music. Peverett was also, together with drummer Roger Earl and bassist Tony Stevens, a founder member of Foghat in 1972. The trio had recorded about four albums with Savoy Brown founder Kim Simmonds before forming Foghat. Savoy Brown, of course, were one of England's premier blues/rock bands, and in Kim Simmonds they had, and still do, one of the genre's best guitarists. Lonesome Dave was also a great songwriter and player and he recorded some memorable music with both Savoy Brown and Foghat. Go well, old son.
Savoy Brown is also featured on the new Dinosaur Days CD.

Savoy Brown
Savoy Brown - Tell Mama, from "Street Corner Talking", arguably their best early seventies album. Regular Dinosaur Days listeners know Kim Simmonds and Savoy Brown pretty well, as the band's been featured on the show on many occasions over the years. They're also featured on our second Dinosaur Days compilation album, which came out at the beginning of 2000. Our featured album was the first to feature ex-Chicken Shack members, drummer Dave Bidwell, keyboard player/guitarist Paul Raymond and bassist Andy Sylvester. Vocalist Dave Walker (who nearly joined Sabbath!) is also featured for the first time on this classic album. Most of the above members had replaced the Foghat-bound Roger Earl, Lonesome Dave Peverett (now sadly no longer with us) and Tone Stevens. To date, there have been numerous Savoy Brown line-ups, so much so that it's actually quite difficult to keep track. The only constant member is guitarist Simmonds, the man who formed this great British blues band way back in the mid sixties. Long may he continue to play and release albums - he's one of the most underrated guitarists around and yet he makes most other guitarists, rock or blues, seem insignificant.

(If you have more info on this band, please e-mail us)

Biography by Steve Huey
Part of the late-'60s blues-rock movement, Britain's Savoy Brown never achieved as much success in their homeland as they did in America, where they promoted their albums with nonstop touring. The band was formed and led by guitarist Kim Simmonds, whose dominating personality has led to myriad personnel changes; the original lineup included singer Bruce Portius, keyboardist Bob Hall, guitarist Martin Stone, bassist Ray Chappell, and drummer Leo Manning. This lineup appeared on the band's 1967 debut Shake Down, a collection of blues covers. Seeking a different approach, Simmonds dissolved the group and brought in guitarist Dave Peverett, bassist Rivers Jobe, drummer Roger Earl, and singer Chris Youlden, who gave them a distinctive frontman with his vocal abilities, bowler hat, and monocle. With perhaps its strongest lineup, Savoy Brown quickly made a name for itself, now recording originals like "Train to Nowhere" as well. However, Youlden left the band in 1970 following Raw Sienna, and shortly thereafter, Peverett, Earl, and new bassist Tony Stevens departed to form Foghat, continuing the pattern of consistent membership turnover. Simmonds collected yet another lineup and began a hectic tour of America, showcasing the group's now-refined bluesy boogie-rock style, which dominated the rest of their albums. The group briefly broke up in 1973, but re-formed the following year. Throughout the '80's and '90's Simmonds remained undeterred by a revolving-door membership and continued to tour and record. Their first album for the Blind Pig label, Strange Dreams, was released in 2003.

Bob Hall
Miller Anderson
Jackie Lynton
Chris Youlden
Stan Webb
Ron Berg
Dave Bidwell
Ray Chappell
Eric Dillon
Roger Earl
Ian Ellis
Tom Farnell
Rivers Jobe
Jim Leverton
Leo Manning
Pete McMahon
Dave Olson
Lonesome Dave Peverett
Bryce Portius
Andy Pyle
Paul Raymond
Andy Silvester
Kim Simmonds
Tony Stevens
Martin Stone
Andy Sylvester
Dave Walker
Nathaniel Peterson, Jr.

ZZ Top
Wishbone Ash
Eric Clapton
Grand Funk Railroad
Kim Simmonds
Chicken Shack
Ten Years After
Humble Pie
Foghat
Keef Hartley
Fleetwood Mac
Free
The Black Cat Bones
Leaf Hound
Jack Bruce
Beck, Bogert & Appice
Jeff Beck
Derek & the Dominos
Santana
Robin Trower
Johnny Winter