Extravaganza Page

Extravaganza

Meanwhile ... back in England, Elton John was insistent that Stackridge should be signed to his own fledgling Rocket Records. On the back of the well-received "Man In The Bowler Hat" and seemingly non-stop touring, the band's fourth album "Extravaganza" was released in January 1975 amidst extensive press coverage. It should have had chart success but the breakthrough failed to materialise despite favourable reviews. John Peel in his inimitable style called the album "A diverting offering from the eccentric combo," whilst 'Sounds' said, "Don't ignore something too good to be missed. Stackridge are back. And happy days are here again.

Amongst the highlights were the outstanding "Highbury Incident (Rainy July Morning)" which revisited old glories; the somewhat risqué opener "The Volunteer", delivered with typical bucolic aplomb and featuring an uncredited Mike Evans fiddling away and "No-one's More Important Than The Earthworm". Written by ex-King Crimson bassist and vocalist Gordon Haskell, who had joined Stackridge for the briefest of stays in late 1973, the song originally appeared on Haskell's own solo album, "It Is And It Isn't".

(No 24 in the ongoing series, "Obscure Pop Trivia For Pub Quiz Teams.)

Rod Bowkett had a hand in writing six of the remaining seven tracks and therein lay a problem, for the unique qualities which had characterised the first three Stackridge albums had, in many people's eyes, disappeared altogether, The indefinable "Essence of Stackridge" that had been produced by the blending of Davis, Slater, Warren, Walter, Evans and Sparkle had drained away, to be replaced by a new concoction ... a group infinitely more professional and musically accomplished than the previous incarnation, but seemingly lacking the heart and soul that had endeared the band to thousands of people across the nation.

This, in itself, created another problem, for the "hard-core" fanbase who had followed the band through thick and thynne had their own image and expectations of "their" band and "Extravaganza", with its plethora of new personnel, didn't fit the mould. But make no mistake, "Extravaganza" is a good album, full of nefarious delights which have worn well with the passage of time. Had the album been released by a group free of audience preconceptions and rigid press stereotyping, the outcome may have been very different.

The commercially-tinged "Spin Round The Room" backed by "Pocket Billiards" (both Bowkett compositions) was released as a single in January 1975, but no-one seemed to be listening and critics were unsure what to make of it even though John Peel referred to the single as, "... entertaining stuff with frivolity topside." Undeterred, the band hit the road again and on the Extravaganza tour, the band played 44 concerts in 2 months, performing in front of 30,000 people and covering 20,000 miles in the process.