Amen Corner (band)

Infobox Musical artist
Name = Amen Corner


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Background = group_or_band
Alias =
Origin = Cardiff, Wales
Genre = Pop
Years_active = 1966–1969
Label = Deram, Immediate
Associated_acts =
URL =
Past_members = Andy Fairweather-Low
Neil Jones
Allan Jones
Blue Weaver
Mike Smith
Clive Taylor
Dennis Byron

Amen Corner was a successful British pop group, formed in late 1966 in Cardiff, Wales.

Career

The band was named after a 1954 play by James Baldwin.

Initially they specialised in a blues and jazz-orientated style, but were steered by their record companies into more commercial pastures. Their first singles and album appeared on Decca's subsidiary label Deram, but they left at the end of 1968 to join Immediate,cite book
first= Jo
last= Rice
year= 1982
title= The Guinness Book of 500 Number One Hits
edition= 1st
publisher= Guinness Superlatives Ltd
location= Enfield, Middlesex
pages= p. 124
id= ISBN 0-85112-250-7] where they were instantly rewarded with a No. 1, "(If Paradise Is) Half as Nice" (originally a song by Italian songwriter Lucio Battisti) in early 1969, followed by another top five entry with the Roy Wood composition "Hello Susie".

After recording a live album, "Farewell to the Real Magnificent Seven", and a final single, a rather premature cover version of The Beatles' "Get Back", they disbanded at the end of 1969.

While sax players Allan Jones and Mike Smith went on to form Judas Jump, guitarist and vocalist Andy Fairweather-Low led Dennis Bryon (drums), Blue Weaver (organ), Clive Taylor (bass) and Neil Jones (guitar) into a new band, Fair Weather. The band scored a UK No.6 hit with "Natural Sinner" in 1970 and recorded one album before disbanding a year later.

Fairweather-Low went on to a successful solo career in the 1970s, notably with the top ten hit "Wide Eyed and Legless" (1975); he became a regular player with Eric Clapton, George Harrison and Roger Waters. He also worked with Strawbs and the Bee Gees. Blue Weaver also played keyboards for the Bee Gees from the mid 1970s through to the 1990s.

Amen Corner's Decca back catalogue has been reissued as part of 'The Collection' series; and their Immediate work, including their singles, live album and material recorded for an unreleased studio album, on "If Paradise Was Half as Nice: The Immediate Anthology".

Band members

Amen Corner comprised of :-
* Andy Fairweather-Low (vocals) - born Andrew Fairweather-Low, 2 August 1946, Ystrad Mynach, Hengoed, South Wales.
* Neil Jones (guitar) - born 25 March 1949, Llanbradach, South Wales.
* Allan Jones (saxophone) - born 6 February 1947, in Swansea, Glamorgan, South Wales.
* Blue Weaver (keyboards) - born Derek John Weaver, 11 March 1947, Cardiff, Glamorgan, South Wales.
* Mike Smith (tenor saxophone) - born Michael Joseph Smith, 4 November 1947, Neath, South Wales.
* Clive Taylor (bass) - born 27 April 1949, Cardiff.
* Dennis Bryon (drums) - born Dennis Ronald Bryon, 14 April 1949, Cardiff.

* Richard Berry (guitar) did play for a short period (9 months in 19?? (to be verified)

Discography

ingles

* DM136 "Gin House Blues" (1967) - UK Singles Chart #12
* DM151 "The World of Broken Hearts" (1967) - UK #24
* DM172 "Bend Me, Shape Me" (1968) - UK #3
* DM197 "High in the Sky" (1968) - UK #6
* IM073 "(If Paradise Is) Half as Nice" (1969) - UK #1
* IM081 "Hello Susie" (1969) - UK #4
* IM084 "Get Back" (1969) - Did not chartcite book
first= David
last= Roberts
year= 2006
title= British Hit Singles & Albums
edition= 19th
publisher= Guinness World Records Limited
location= London
pages= p. 21
id= ISBN 1-904994-10-5]

Albums

* SML1021 "Round Amen Corner" (1968) - UK Albums Chart #26
* IMSP023 "The National Welsh Coast Live Explosive Company" (1969) - UK #19
* IMSP028 "Farewell To The Real Magnificent Seven" (1969) - live recording
* IML1004 "Return Of The Magnificent Seven" (1976)
* IML2004 "Greatest Hits" (1977)cite book
first= David
last= Roberts
year= 2006
title= British Hit Singles & Albums
edition= 19th
publisher= Guinness World Records Limited
location= London
pages= p. 21
id= ISBN 1-904994-10-5]

ee also

*List of artists who reached number one on the UK Singles Chart
*List of performers on Top of the Pops
*List of number-one singles from the 1960s (UK)

References

Footnotes

* "Vinylnet Record Label Discographies". [http://www.vinylnet.co.uk/record-label-discographies.asp link] . - Immediate Records catalogue numbers where applicable.

External links

* [http://fairweatherlow.oyla21.de Andy Fairweather-Low fansite]
* [http://www.vinylnet.co.uk/record-label-discographies.asp Single and Album catalogue numbers (where applicable)]