Ahead rings out

I'm listening at the moment to the remastered and extended version of Blodwyn Pig's debut album, 'Ahead rings out'; I bought the original vinyl record in April 1970 and the first cd pressing via Ebay several years ago (that version was a direct update of the original British record).

I first became aware of BP in late 1969, although I don't remember now how. I do recall that I saw them twice (or maybe three times) on late night BBC2 television shows and was impressed; these shows were probably the catalyst to seeing them live in mid-December 1969, when I was only 13 years and four months old.

I had the peculiar notion that records became cheaper several months after their release; it took several months for the penny to drop that this notion was false.

I was never one for the blues, and although BP's music is based somewhere on the blues, they played a strong updated modern blues, shot through with jazz and rock influences. I'm fairly sure that my thirteen year old ears didn't - and couldn't - appreciate the record then as much then as I do now. Taking it track by track -

• It's only love - a straight-forward rocker, based on the 12 bar format. Mick Abrahams (guitar, vocal) wrote that he sang this like Elvis. One of the less liked tracks - but definitely strong. Features a double sax solo, showing that Jack Lancaster was doing the double sax thing before David Jackson of Van der Graaf Generator.
• Dear Jill - BP unplugged. This is an acoustic blues, but the chord sequence is far from traditional. Beautiful soprano sax from Jack Lancaster. I used to play this song in the early 70s, but 'dropped it from my repertoire' as it sounded very repetitive without the sax.
• Sing me a song that I know so well - this track was included on the famous 'Nice enough to eat' sampler LP. Even now, I find this track amazing: it's very choppy, being made out of several sections, but each of those sections seems to have been created sui genesis. It's still an exciting listen.
• The modern alchemist - this instrumental was definitely played at the 12/69 concert. A fine piece of music, having its roots in jazz.
• Up and coming - this song is the one most closely connected to the blues. I didn't like it then and I don't like it now.
• Leave it with me - another instrumental, jazzy and somewhat similar to Jethro Tull of the same time. Of course, Abrahams left JT to found BP. This is ok, but not one of my favourite tracks. If I remember correctly, it features a rare bass solo by Andy Pyle.
• The change song - this was my strong favourite of the time (also played in concert), featuring acoustic guitar (Abrahams) and violin (Lancaster). To my middle aged ears,  the introduction - in a mock cockney accent (well, I hope that it's mock!) - is totally embarrassing. The song itself is good, but not as wonderful as I used to think.
• See my way - this song was not released on the original 'Ahead rings out' in Britain, although it was to be found on the American version. In Britain, we had to wait another year before it appeared on BP's second album, 'Getting to this'. This song was played at the 12/69 concert and I'd also seen it played on television. This has to be the ultimate BP track! The opening two verses can be classed as strong rock, but they're chordal as opposed to riffing. After the second verse, suddenly there's a peculiar instrumental section, followed from the guitar solo from outer space. This ends by climbing the scale in intervals of four semitones (basically a diminished chord, but not played as such), which transforms into a section for two saxophones playing what I've always thought as ancient Egyptian music. A quick snare hit, and back into the main tune. Abrahams writes that they spent a few days recording this,  especially the bit which sounds like Ravel's "Bolero". I'm sure that they worked hard on this, but there's nothing that sounds like the Bolero at all - I assume he means the 'Egyptian' part.
• Ain't ya coming home, babe - a 6/8 rant leads into a 4/4 instrumental section. I haven't mentioned it before, but most of the instrumental parts tend to be 'free' - they're not played over chord sequences, but are more akin to the modal jazz of Miles Davis. Full marks to Andy Pyle for keeping the accompaniment interesting.
• Sweet Caroline - this wasn't on the original album but was released as a single - the b side of 'Dear Jill'. I haven't heard this in years, for which there is a good reason: this is fairly undistinguished music.
• Walk on water - Also a single release. Whilst this is based on a strong riff, it's also got some interesting instrumental parts. This song is comparable to 'Sing me a song' in its changing parts, although less good. That said, it was a very strong single in the wrong market, and I honestly would have preferred this to a few of the songs issued on the album.
• Summer day - this is a classic throwaway b-side, with a slightly convoluted riff and changes based on the 12 bar blues. As opposed to the free instrumental sections on other songs, here the guitar solo is set against the standard chord sequence. I can live my life without hearing this again. 
• Same old story - this was released as a single in March 1971 (I bought it in April); BP appeared on 'Top of the Pops' to promote it, when TOTP was briefly letting its hair down. An effervescent rocker in 5/4 time, this was another chunk of classic Pig. The single was released on the green Chrysalis label, as opposed to the pink Island of the other singles. If I were really sad, I would bring the vinyl singles with me to work, scan them and display them here. I wonder how much they are worth.
• Slow down - this was released on the b-side of 'Same old story'. It was the only cover version that BP released, and as such doesn't do much for me. Elvis Abrahams returns as lead singer. This music is probably much more the private heritage of the band which is why is doesn't talk to me, coming from a different musical background (for me, music started with The Beatles).
• Meanie Mornay - this is the only otherwise unreleased track on the album, and as such, completely new to me. I can't write anything about it because I can barely hear it (there's too much background noise). Presumably there are strong reasons why it was unreleased at the time, considering that 'Summer day' was released.
• Backwash - this was a forty second interval of instrumental sandwiched between 'Change song' and 'Aint ya coming home'. I remember that Kenny Everett (weird and wild disk jockey) once ran a competition trying to find the shortest song ever released on record. I tried to phone the show and tell about this 'song' but could never get through. Just as well, as the forty seconds here pale against the twenty something seconds of Heron's "Sally Gooding".

Blodwyn Pig were my first musical love, but they broke up before leaving a lasting legacy. Shame.