Peter Asher: A Memoir of the 60s and Beyond
This
was like attending one of my classes. It is multi-media, live,
informative and fun. I can’t teach my courses any more so I am really
glad to know that others are making a concert circuit that brings the
60’s, 70’s and beyond to full bloom right before our eyes.
Oh excuse me … shhhh … Eric Idle has started the introduction.
This
interactive video has Eric trying to decipher Peter’s writing
exclaiming all of Peter’s virtues.
"Humanitarian … blah blah
blah … Grammy winner … blah blah blah … shagging
Marianne Faithfull. OH I DON’T THINK SO! ... Peter Asher!”
A
conversation between Eric and Peter ensues wherein Eric wants to know
why Gordon isn’t here and frankly HE was the favorite so there’s no
reason to hang around. Eric walks off-screen.
Peter should have asked John Cleese.
For
the next two and a half hours, we are entertained in song and regaled
with stories, images and videos of The British Invasion and beyond. The
black and white pictures of the 50’s war-torn Britain give a compelling
argument as to why American music (Rock and Roll, R&B, Folk) had
such a lifting effect on the teens and young adults across the pond. And
on top of this, Americans had perfect teeth, giant refrigerators, big
cars and women with big … potential. Well, the magazines said so anyway.
Peter
states a fact that hits me solidly ...
The Beatles and The Rolling Stones
were originally TRIBUTE bands. All of The British Invasion artists played covers
of American songs long before they started writing their own material.
The Beatles in Hamburg and The Cavern; The Stones in Studio 51.
American
TV gave Peter Asher (and for one episode, his sister Jane), a crack at
childhood stardom in the series ‘Robin Hood.’ I loved that show! There
was action, romance, and English history (kinda). For those of you
running to find archives, Peter played a young Prince Arthur in about five
episodes. He and Jane played peasant children in one later segment. And
did I ever pick up that Prince Arthur was now a different child? If I
did, I have forgotten. I may have, as I remember much of this program.
However, if I said anything, my parents would have responded with “This
is Hollywood ... Actors play different roles.”
There
is the beginning of Peter and Gordon … or I should say Gordon and Peter.
They were Gordon and Peter performing at the Pickwick Inn until they
landed their record contract. Gordon was truly lead on vocals with
Peter’s harmonies, but someone at EMI thought reversing the names
sounded better. Peter graciously didn’t mind. (and apparently Gordon
didn’t object).
I
have heard the Marianne Faithfull, John Dunbar, Mick Jagger story
before and currently I am reading ‘Faithfull,’ Marianne’s autobiography.
I read it because of Peter and Jeremy. They (and even when they
appeared with Chad) have mentioned it at other shows. And, well, viewing
‘My Very Own British Invasion’ musical from Peter Noone added to my
curiosity. So I vividly see the kerfuffle that encroached the real lives
of these friends of Peter Asher’s and agree that he needs to refuse all
Best Man wedding requests.
Becoming
Head of A&R for Apple Records, discovering and managing James
Taylor, combining James Taylor and Carole King, and managing Linda
Ronstadt take his lucrative career onto another level. Peter’s
production days bring him in contact with Badfinger and, indeed, his
musical director is Jeff Alan Ross, who plays keyboards in all his shows.
The bass player tonight is Jennifer Oberle, who adds beautiful vocal
enhancements to the Peter and Gordon songs.
I
pause here for comic relief.
The addition of Allen Klein to Apple
created more seismic activity than could any earthquake. Eric Idle
created a short for The Rutles called ‘Ron Decline’ that, according to
those who were present, accurately represents Allen’s descent on Apple.
Peter showed it to us. Go watch it! There is also one called ‘Where is
the money’ that I just watched.
Bringing
us up full-speed to the present with managing Ed Sheeran and becoming
The Hot Manager of Hollywood, he ends with two duets ‘with’ Gordon. This
is the most powerful, tearful part of tonight. “Some times we’ll cry.
But by and by we’ll know True Love Ways.”
The
standing ovation was for his presentation tonight, his life in the
music industry, his connection to the musicians we love, and our
connection to the time of our lives that he and others gave to us.
Me: “Thank you for coming back.”
Peter: “No, thank YOU for coming back here. You paid. Or if you snuck in … (giving me a thumbs up) GOOD FOR YOU!”
Set List:
Set List:
I Go To Pieces
Baby, I’m Yours
Crying In The Rain (Peter pointed out that every duo is modeled after The Everly Brothers. Beautiful compositions, beautiful harmonies.)
Crying In The Rain (Peter pointed out that every duo is modeled after The Everly Brothers. Beautiful compositions, beautiful harmonies.)
I Don’t Want to See You Again
Nobody I Know
Lady Godiva (playing a banjolele)
As Tears Go By
Day After Day
Woman (with Gordon Waller)
True Love Ways (with Gordon Waller)
A World Without Love (encore … we had already heard the story and seen the written lyrics)
-- Shelley J Sweet-Tufano
I have seen Peter Asher a few times now (although not in this setting) and he is a terrific storyteller (even if it does take him sometimes three times longer to get to the point than it should.) Still, the life he's been able to lead ... the people whose paths he has crossed ... would be enough to fill a book ... and apparently it has! (I guess I'll have to pick up a copy of "The Beatles From A to Zed ... An Alphabetical Mystery Tour" when it comes out in November.)
[You can pre-order a copy now:
The first time was at a Beatlefest several years ago when Gordon Waller was still alive and they performed an amazing set of hits. His shows with Jeremy Clyde are musically very entertaining but suffer from the same dilemma of taking ten minutes to tell a story that can be told in three.
Still, this sounds like an interesting show (2 1/2 hours?!?! Really?!?!? I once saw George Martin due one of these and he played actual Beatles outtakes on stage, did a Q&A afterwards and then signed copies of his book ... and THAT didn't take 2 1/2 hours!!!)
Sounds like he's off to Australia for a spell to tour with Albert Lee ... but maybe he'll do more of these intimate setting shows when he gets back to The States later in the year. I'll have to keep an eye out for that.
