The Tremeloes - Shiner

The Tremeloes – Shiner

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The Tremeloes were a talented pop band in the fine tradition of The Beatles and The Hollies with a history dating all the back to 1962.

Written by: Eric

ARTIST: The Tremeloes
ALBUM: Shiner
LABEL: DJM (UK)
SERIAL: DJLPS 441
YEAR: 1974
CD REISSUE: Discogs Reissue List
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: England

LINEUP: Les Hawkes – bass, vocals * Bob Benham – lead guitar, vocals * Alan Blakley – guitar, keyboards, vocals * Dave Munden – drums, vocals

TRACK LISTING: 01 One Of The Boys * 02 My Friend Delaney * 03 Sad Goodbye * 04 I Want It Easy * 05 September, November, December * 06 Hard Woman * 07 Lonely Dolly * 08 Big Bad Boogie * 09 Love Song * 10 Help (Me If You Can)

WEBLINKS: Site Link

Background

Any album that references Sweet‘s ‘Desolation Boulevard’ and Eric Carmen in its back sleeve liner notes is sure to get my attention and as such The Tremeloes ‘Shiner’ was an automatic purchase unheard when I spotted the record at a collector’s show a few years back.

I was well aware of The Tremeloes biggest hits ‘Here Comes My Baby’ and ‘Silence Is Golden’, but since The Trems (as fans affectionately refer to the band) were always considered a minor force in the U.S., I foolishly never looked beyond those shiny ’60s classics.

Everything changed after picking up ‘Shiner’ and later a couple CD compilations, ‘discovering’ a talented pop band in the fine tradition of The Beatles and The Hollies with a history dating all the back to 1962. Yet, like many ‘beat’ bands that didn’t turn psychedelic, finding any sort of commercial success was a tough go and The Tremeloes fortunes in the UK began a slow dive south at the turn of the decade.

Their best album, 1970’s ‘Master’ gave the group a couple of hits, but the record alienated many of it’s long-time pop fans with it’s heavy direction. Despite an extensive list of sadly ignored, but excellent singles released as late as 1989, The Trems found their way on the cabaret-oldies circuit where they remain today, wooing the ‘over forty’ crowd with their hits from yesterday gone.

The Songs

According to later interviews with the band, they spent more time and attention to detail on ‘Shiner’ than any other record in their then fifteen year history. And yet, the album and its ensuing singles failed to chart which was undoubtedly a disappointment.

It’s difficult to know just what the circumstances behind the record’s overwhelming commercial failure were although signed to DJM – Dick James Music, the home at that time of superstar Elton John, prior to forming Rocket Records might have contributed to a lack of promotional cash, but who knows really.

Musically ‘Shiner’ is a delight and deserved so much more. ‘One Of The Boys’ kick starts the album much like early Charlie with tasty piano backing and hooks-a-plenty while ‘My Friend Delaney’ and the choice ‘Sad Goodbye’ are very reminiscent of both Pilot and Paul McCartney.

This is the kind of pop stuff that pushes all my buttons and side two’s ‘Hard Woman’, big time hand clapping glam stomper ‘Big Bad Boogie’ and the Macca influenced confection that is ‘Love Song’ all send me into a dizzying bliss and delighting in an album that gets better with each play.

In Summary

For those interested in such things, two different versions of the cover art exist, there was the superior American sleeve though the one above is the European sleeve, although the track sequence on this and the European release are the same. As far as I can tell ‘Shiner’ and The Trems follow-up LP ‘Don’t Let The Music Die’ released in 1975 has never been reissued on CD and would be a perfect choice for a label like 7T’s. How ’bout it guys?

Video

Entire Album (Select Tracks)

Playlist: Shiner [1974]
Watch this playlist on YouTube


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