Considering Hudson Ford’s Strawbs background and with former band mate Rick Wakeman’s appearance you’d expect ‘Nickelodeon’ to be a prog rock extravaganza, but it’s not even close.
Written by: Eric
ARTIST: Hudson Ford
ALBUM: Nickelodeon
LABEL: A&M
SERIAL: SP 3616, AMLH 68208
YEAR: 1973
CD REISSUE: Discogs Reissue List
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: England
LINEUP: Richard Hudson – vocals, electric, acoustic and 12 string guitars, sitar, percussion * John Ford – vocals, bass, acoustic and 12 string guitars * Mickey Keen – lead guitar, steel guitar * Gerry Conway – drums * Rick Wakeman – harpsichord, piano * Chris Parren – piano, clavinet * Tom Allom – harmonium, piano * Billy Bell – banjo * Jack Emblow – accordion
TRACK LISTING: 01 Crying Blues * 02 Angels * 03 I Wanted You * 04 Hello, I Thought You Were Dead * 05 Burn Baby Burn * 06 Dark Lord * 07 Pick Up The Pieces * 08 Let Her Cry * 09 Tea Leaf (To Joss) * 10 Take It Back * 11 I Don’t Understand * 12 Revelations
Background
A few of you will remember The Strawbs, the excellent and much revered British progressive band that at one time featured future Yes caped crusader Rick Wakeman.
Wakeman joined The Strawbs around the same time as Richard Hudson and John Ford in 1970 and it was this songwriting duo that gave the group their biggest hit ‘Part Of The Union’ off the ‘Bursting At The Seams’ album.
Of course, Wakeman was already out of the picture by the time that particular song and album was released, and the tour that followed was anything but a joyride for a variety of reasons and in the end it found Richard and John packing their bags with a fistful of songs and a record contract.
The Songs
Considering Hudson Ford’s Strawbs background and that former band mate Rick Wakeman appears here, you will be forgiven expecting ‘Nickelodeon’ the pair’s first album to be a progressive rock extravaganza, but it’s not even close.
This record follows the same path as Paul McCartney & Wings, Blue and 10cc. In other words; well written and perfectly executed British pop and ‘Nickelodeon’ is the bookend to Wings ‘Red Rose Speedway’ released the same year.
A stunning record with a clutch of great songs including ‘Angels’, the catchy ‘Burn Baby Burn’ which was deservedly a hit single as well as ‘Pick Up The Pieces’ which also received significant airplay. As good as this record is the best tracks are saved for the end. The beautiful and all too short ‘I Don’t Understand’ and the heavily Beatles influenced ‘Revelations’ which sounds like a ‘White Album’ outtake is nothing short of brilliant.
In Summary
Hudson Ford released three more albums before calling it quits which was a shame really, but four good albums is better than none right? You betcha and I have been waiting for years to see these on CD, yet nothing has happened until news recently of a ‘Best Of’ package due sometime this year. Fine and dandy, but lets hope and pray all four albums get the full blown reissue treatment and soon, my Hudson Ford albums are worn thin!
