Hokey Pokey: Richard and Linda’s 2nd LP from 1974 is now pressed on 180gram vinyl and contains a Download Code. Released in 1975, ‘Hokey Pokey’ is a much jollier release than its predecessor, ’I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight’. Richard always envisaged Hokey Pokey’ as “a music-hall influenced record”. He was a big fan of Harry Lauder and Gracie Fields, and this inspiration can be seen in the Victorian style cover by Shirt Sleeve Studio, and is audible on the title track, “”Hokey Pokey”” and also ‘Georgie On A Spree’. Richard and Linda’s 2nd album together is a mixture of darkly comic songs like “Smiffy’s Glass Eye” and the more world weary nature of ‘I’ll Regret It All In The Morning” and “A Heart Needs A Home”. There are also more sombre songs such as ‘The Egypt Room” which Richard described as “half way between The Coasters ‘Little Egypt’, George Formby, and Dickens by way of Patricia Highsmith”.
Pour Down Like Silver: Richard and Linda’s 3rd studio album from 1975 is now available on 180gram vinyl with a Download Code.
Released in 1975, ‘Pour Down Like Silver’ also known as “The Sufi album” due to Richard’s recent conversion to Islam, is a more restrained and spartan album compared to its lusher sounding predecessors. ‘Hard Luck Stories’ is probably the most musically upbeat song on the album and wouldn’t have sounded out of place on the previous two albums. The album contains some of Richard’s most beautiful songs including “”For Shame Of Doing Wrong””, “”Beat The Retreat”” and, particularly, “”Dimming Of The Day”” which segues into a beautiful solo guitar performance of Scots composer James Scott Skinner’s ‘Dargai’ bringing the album to a fittingly contemplative conclusion.
I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight Richard & Linda’s first album from 1974 is available again on 180gram vinyl with a Download Code.
Recorded in May 1973,but not released until 1974 due to an International oil shortage, ‘I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight’ is a dark and eclectic affair with very light, despite the uplifting and almost commercial nature of the title track. Richard takes lead vocal on four of the albums twelve tracks, including fan favourites “When I Get To The Border”, “Calvary Cross”, “We Sing Hallelujah” and “The End of The Rainbow”. Linda is a perfect foil for Richard and she shines on such songs as “Down Where The Drunkards Roll”, “Has He Got A Friend For Me?”, “The Great Valerio” and the title track. The iconic cover of ‘I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight’ by Nancy Fouts of Shirt Sleeve Studios is deceptively simple – just the title and their names written on a steamed up window.