Introducing Eddy and the Falcons

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{{More citations needed|date=September 2009}}

{{Infobox album

| name = Introducing Eddy and the Falcons

| type = studio

| artist = Wizzard

| cover = Introducing Eddy & The Falcons.jpg

| alt =

| released = 1974

| recorded = 1973–1974

| studio = Phonogram Studios, AIR Studios and De Lane Lea Studios, London

| genre = Rock and roll{{cite web |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/introducing-eddy-the-falcons-mw0000053601 |title=Introducing Eddy & the Falcons Review |last=Erlewine |first=Stephen Thomas |publisher=AllMusic |access-date=December 26, 2021}}

| length = 35:19

| label = Warner Bros., United Artists

| producer = Roy Wood

| prev_title = Wizzard Brew

| prev_year = 1973

| next_title = Main Street

| next_year = 2000

}}

{{Album ratings

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1Score = {{Rating|3|5}}

| rev2 = Christgau's Record Guide

| rev2Score = B−{{cite book|last=Christgau|first=Robert|author-link=Robert Christgau|year=1981|title=Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies|publisher=Ticknor & Fields|isbn=089919026X|chapter=Consumer Guide '70s: W|chapter-url=https://www.robertchristgau.com/get_chap.php?k=W&bk=70|accessdate=23 March 2019|via=robertchristgau.com}}

| rev6 = Tom Hull

| rev6Score = B+{{cite magazine|last=Hull|first=Tom|authorlink=Tom Hull (critic)|date=April 1975|url=http://www.tomhull.com/ocston/arch/rekord3.php|title=The Rekord Report: Third Card|magazine=Overdose|accessdate=26 June 2020|via=tomhull.com}}

| noprose = yes

}}

Introducing Eddy and the Falcons is the second album by the English rock band Wizzard.{{cite web|last=Thomas |first=Stephen |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/introducing-eddy-the-falcons-mw0000053601 |title=Introducing Eddy & the Falcons - Wizzard : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards |publisher=AllMusic |accessdate=2013-06-26}} It peaked at No. 19 in the UK Albums Chart – ten places higher than its predecessor, Wizzard Brew.{{cite book| first= David| last= Roberts| year= 2006| title= British Hit Singles & Albums| edition= 19th| publisher= Guinness World Records Limited | location= London| isbn= 1-904994-10-5| page= 608}} As with the previous Wizzard album, all songs were composed by Roy Wood.

History

The album had a concept similar to The Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, in that the intro 'featured' the appearance on stage of fictional band Eddy & The Falcons. All tracks were written and recorded as tributes to 1950s and early 1960s rock and roll musicians, "Eddy’s Rock" being a guitar and saxophone instrumental played in the style of Duane Eddy, while "Everyday I Wonder" was similar in sound and approach to Del Shannon's "Runaway", and "Come Back Karen" did the same for Neil Sedaka's "Oh! Carol". A particularly clear tribute was to Elvis Presley in "I Dun Lotsa Cryin' Over You".{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=rR8qAAAAIBAJ&pg=4321,3153233|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120714104014/http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=rR8qAAAAIBAJ&pg=4321,3153233|url-status=dead|archive-date=14 July 2012|newspaper=The Milwaukee Journal|date=25 September 1974|title=Sounds of the Times|author=Pierre-Rene Noth|page='Green Sheet' 1}}

One single was released from the album, "This Is the Story of My Love (Baby)". Its chart performance in the UK Singles Chart (No. 34) was a disappointment, as all Wizzard's previous singles had reached the top 10.

The sleeve featured a credit 'Custard pies - D.L.T.' This referred to one of their appearances on Top of the Pops, when presenter Dave Lee Travis had been the apparently unwitting recipient of a custard pie wielded by one of the group.

The original release of Introducing Eddy and the Falcons on the Warner Bros. label, in a gate-fold sleeve, included a fold-out poster of Roy Wood on stage. It was reissued by Edsel on CD in 1999, featuring bonus tracks (1974 singles, A-side and B-sides, which had not been recorded as part of the original concept), but was soon deleted. The album was again reissued in 2020 by Esoteric Recordings featuring new liner notes, a miniature replica of the original poster and the same bonus tracks as the Edsel release.{{Cite web |title=Wizzard: Introducing Eddy And The Falcons, Remastered & Expanded CD Edition |url=https://www.cherryred.co.uk/wizzard-introducing-eddy-and-the-falcons-remastered-expanded-cd-edition |access-date=2024-10-12 |website=www.cherryred.co.uk |language=en}}

Track listing

All songs written by Roy Wood except where noted.

Side one

  1. "Intro" – 0:45
  2. "Eddy's Rock" – 3:56
  3. "Brand New 88" – 3:21
  4. "You Got Me Runnin' " – 3:15
  5. "I Dun Lotsa Cryin' Over You" – 3:22
  6. "This Is the Story of My Love (Baby)" – 4:45

Side two

  1. "Everyday I Wonder" – 4:56
  2. "Crazy Jeans" – 2:48
  3. "Come Back Karen" – 3:05
  4. "We're Gonna Rock 'n' Roll Tonight" – 5:06

= Bonus tracks (1999 reissue) =

  1. "Rock 'n' Roll Winter (A Loony's Tune)" – 3:09
  2. "Dream of Unwin" (Charlie Grima) – 3:09
  3. "Nixture" (Nick Pentelow) – 2:31
  4. "Are You Ready to Rock" – 5:23
  5. "Marathon Man" (Keith Smart, Mike Tyler) – 2:15

Personnel

  • Roy Wood – vocals, guitars, drums, oboe, cello, bass, keyboards, bassoon, string bass, tenor and baritone saxes, percussion
  • Rick Price – bass guitar, guitar, vocals, percussion
  • Nick Pentelow – tenor saxophone
  • Mike Burney – tenor and baritone saxes
  • Keith Smart – drums
  • Charlie Grima – percussion
  • Bill Hunt – piano
  • Bob Brady – piano and vocals (on final track) and 'incidental boogies'.{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/introducing-eddy-the-falcons-mw0000053601/credits |title=Introducing Eddy & the Falcons - Wizzard : Credits |publisher=AllMusic |accessdate=2013-06-26}}

Certifications

{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications for Introducing Eddy and the Falcons}}

{{Certification Table Entry|type=album|region=United Kingdom|artist=Wizzard|title=Introducing Eddy and the Falcons|award=Silver|certyear=1974|relyear=1977|access-date=13 January 2023|id=3369-1953-2}}

{{Certification Table Bottom | nosales=true}}

References