LOST TREASURES – John Howard

Posted on 08 January 2015

LOST TREASURES

JOHN HOWARD

“Kid in a Big World

 

John Howard

By Peter Marston

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Perhaps the most memorable aspect of the formation of Apple Records was the Beatles’ intention to bypass the typical business model whereby commercial music and film were produced. John Lennon famously said that they wanted to develop a system in which people who wanted to make music or films wouldn’t have to “go on their knees in somebody’s office. Probably yours.” To this end, Apple placed an ad in 1968 with the banner “This man has talent . . .” above a photograph of a one-man band (actually Apple General Manager Alistair Taylor) playing his heart out into a tape recorder. Below the photo was a call for open submissions to Apple Music along with the tag line, “This man now owns a Bentley!” Though accounts vary, most maintain that none of the hundreds of tapes received were ever listened to, let alone considered. But somewhere in that pile of tapes (wherever it may be now) was a demo of songs written and performed by John Howard. And while nothing came of that particular demo, six years later, Howard was recording his debut album, Kid in a Big World, at Abbey Road and Apple Studios. It’s a charming blend of singer-songwriter, pop and glam that has aged well, comparing favorably to the work of contemporaries like Elton John and Gilbert O’Sullivan.

John Howard 1975

As a child, Howard (born Howard Jones) was classically trained as a pianist. However, like most young musicians at the time, he was drawn more to pop music and discovered he had a knack for songwriting. Following his futile submission to Apple, Howard began to play the British folk and University circuit. In 1973 he signed a management contract with Stuart Reid who promptly got Howard a recording contract with CBS. Howard went into the studio to work with former Shadows drummer Tony Meehan and Paul Phillips as his producers. Among the supporting musicians were Rod Argent and Bob Henrit from Argent.

This Man Has Talent

The opening track on Kid in a Big World is the standout. “Goodbye Suzie.” It’s a song about a young woman who―like at the end of a Bergman movie―commits suicide by walking into the ocean. Musically, it’s very reminiscent of Elton John, but also bears the influence of British Music Hall. The vocal is outstanding. “Family Man” is much less serious, a tongue-in cheek rant about the struggles of being married to a less-than-optimal wife. It has a vaguely Calypso feel, and great hooks. Howard often scans the vocal in unexpected ways, again, not unlike Elton John (who at least has the excuse of setting another writer’s lyrics to music). “Maybe Someday in Miami” combines an interesting brass and woodwind arrangement with Roxy Music glam touches. “Missing Key” is a fairly straightforward ballad and, in fact, suffers from a rather unimaginative arrangement―but is redeemed by transcendent harmonies in the chorus. “Spellbound” is one of the most curious—an interesting—tracks on the album. It defies our ordinary conceptions of song structure. It is not clear what is chorus, set-up or verse material. The entire mess is glued together with an energetic horn arrangement, but the song remains, essentially, a puzzle. The album closes with the title track, a contemplative ballad that features another terrific vocal.

John Howard 1974

Two singles were released from Kid in a Big World: “Goodbye Suzie” b/w the non-album track “Third Man” and “Family Man” b/w “Missing Key.” Neither single was a hit and, indeed, the BBC had objections to both—“Goodbye Suzie” was seen as too dark and “Family Man” as misogynistic. Howard did record material for two planned follow-up LPs, Technicolour Biography and Can You Hear Me?, but when singles pulled from each project failed to chart, CBS simply shelved the albums, which remain uncompleted.

 

Kid in a Big World was reissued in 2004 by RPM. It is still in print and easily available on both CD and as digital downloads. If you’re a fan of British singer-songwriters, Elton John or Gilbert O’Sullivan (or, like me, all three), you should really give it a spin!

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Pop Pioneer and “Lost Treasures” writer, Peter Marston is the leader of long-running power pop band, Shplang, whose most recent album, “My Big Three Wheeler” has been described as “the Beatles meet Zappa in pop-psych Sumo match.”  Peter has a new project in 2015 under the name MARSTON.   They will have a track on the upcoming “Power Pop Planet – Volume 5” compilation due in March, 2015.

You check it out at this link:  http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/shplang

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LINKS:

Official John Howard site:  http://kidinabigworld.co.uk/

Wikipedia:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Howard_(singer-songwriter)

4 1/2 star review on All Music Guide:  http://www.allmusic.com/album/kid-in-a-big-world-mw0000740928

Audio Clips:   http://kidinabigworld.co.uk/galleries/sound

VIDEO: 

 

  “GOODBYE SUZIE”

“THE FLAME”

“KID IN A BIG WORLD”

One Response to “LOST TREASURES – John Howard”

  1. Jeffrey Gutierrez says:

    Fantastic!