Customer Reviews

Exotic Mixture

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For the truly devout, Repertoire Records has rounded up on compact disc for Roy Wood's fans a collection of all those solo A&B sides that was released during and after his time with the motley music camp that was Wizzard. The tracks span a fifteen year period (1972-1987) that runs the gamut of catchy McCartneyesque pop, nineteen-fities rock'n'roll pastiche, eclectic prog jazz, to indescribable sonic forays combining three or four opposing music styles into a single harmonious melange of perfect art pop that is an aural wonder for any ear to behold. Then there is his down period in the eighties, but everybody who has had a long music career such as Mr Wood, is going to have a few uninspired or less than spectacular musical moments. Listening to this two disc set is certainly an aural adventure, whether you're already one of the converted reliving the pleasure and getting re-aquainted with the work of masterful musical wonk, or if you're an initiate tired of what passes for pop on today's music and soundscape and is looking for something a little more challenging, fun and exotic. The liner notes by Chris Welch are a welcome additon that rounds out this collection. Highly recommneded to most anyone, please purchase with Roy Wood's delayed 2000 release "Main Street".

Most people know Roy Wood from his days as songwriter/guitarist for The Move, one of the greatest British rock groups from the 1960's to never hit it big in the United States. After their brilliant string of hits and transition into Electric Light Orchestra, Wood struck out on his own to record solo singles and LP's and create his own group Wizzard. This compilation follows him through these changes, including hard-to-find non-LP tracks and all of his solo hits. Wizzard began as a rock'n'roll tribute band with a glam-rock image before morphing strangely into a jazz-rock ensemble (with John Bonham-esque drumming, sometimes with Bonzo himself). While the music became more interesting through this progression, it also became less memorable. This phenomenon eventually became Roy Wood Wizzo Band. With the Helicopters, his music became more accessible, however, the limelight shifted to the punk and new wave movements long before his return to simplicity. His solo cuts are much more memorable (he recorded most of the instruments himself on these projects - quite a feat), as are the early Wizzard singles. This collection is recommended for those who are ELO/The Move fans and want to know where Roy Wood's muse took him, or for those who remember and appreciate Wizzard. The collection also can fill many holes in the Roy Wood enthusiast's collection. It's interesting to follow Wood from his shining moment when he had the world's ear to the time when he just wanted to follow his musical instincts.