Introducing Eddy & The Falcons

Infobox Album |
Name = Introducing Eddy & The Falcons
Type = Album
Artist = Wizzard


Released = 1974
Recorded = |1973-4
Genre = Glam rock/Rock and roll
Length = 42:21
Label = |Warner Bros
Producer = Roy Wood
Last album = Wizzard Brew
This album = Introducing Eddy and the Falcons
(1974)
Next album = Main Street
(2000)

"Introducing Eddy & The Falcons" is the second album by Wizzard.

As with the previous Wizzard album, all songs were composed by Roy Wood. The album had a kind of concept feel 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 the original 1950s and early 1960s rock’n’roll greats, "Eddy’s Rock" being a guitar and saxophone instrumental with guitar 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".

One single was released from the album, "This Is The Story Of My Love (Baby)". Its poor chart performance (No. 34) was a disappointment to the band, as all their previous singles had reached the Top 10. Music journalists thought that the more catchy, up-tempo "You Got Me Runnin’" would have made a much better single.

The album was initially meant to be part of a double album by the group, one half rock’n’roll, the other half in a more progressive or experimental jazz-rock style. However the record company heard the work in progress, and asked for the rock’n’roll part to be recorded and released as a single album. Maybe they were right, for it peaked at No. 19 in the UK album chart – a much better placing than its predecessor, the less commercial "Wizzard Brew".

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 jazz-rock material was recorded later but not released until 2000, on the album "Main Street" – some 25 years after Wizzard had disbanded.

The original release of "Eddy" on the Warner Brother label, in a gatefold 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- and B-sides, which had not been recorded as part of the original concept), but soon deleted.

Track listing

#"Intro" – 0:45
#"Eddy’s Rock" – 3:56
#"Brand New 88" – 3:22
#"You Got Me Runnin’" – 3:15
#"I Dun Lotsa Cryin’ Over You" – 3:22
#"This Is The Story Of My Love (Baby)" – 4:45
#"Everyday I Wonder" – 4:56
#"Crazy Jeans" – 2:47
#"Come Back Karen" – 3:05
#"We’re Gonna Rock’n’Roll Tonight” – 5:06

Bonus Tracks (1999 Reissue)

#"Rock & Roll Winter"
#"Dream of Unwin"
#"Nixture"
#"Are You Ready to Rock"
#"Marathon Man"

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'.