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Love Sculpture
Love Sculpture
Origin	Cardiff, Wales
Genres	Blues rock
Years active	1966–1970
Labels	Parlophone; Rare Earth;
Past members	Dave Edmunds; John David; Rob 'Congo' Jones; Mickey Gee; Terry Williams

Love Sculpture were a Welsh blues rock band^[1] that was active from 1966 to 1970, led by Dave Edmunds (born 15 April 1944 in Cardiff, Wales), with bassist John David (born 19 January 1946 in Cardiff) and drummer Rob "Congo" Jones (born 13 August 1946 in Barry, Wales).

Career

Love Sculpture were founded in Cardiff in 1966 by former members of the Human Beans.^[3] The band mostly performed blues standards, slightly revved-up, but still close to the originals. Their debut album Blues Helping included the songs "Summertime" and "Wang Dang Doodle".

They are best known for their 1968 novelty hit in the UK Singles Chart, a high-speed cover version of the classical piece "Sabre Dance" by Aram Khachaturian, released on the Parlophone label (R 5744), which reached No. 5 in the UK Singles Chart in December 1968.^[4] The recording was inspired by Keith Emerson's classical rearrangements.^[5] "Sabre Dance" became a hit after receiving air play by British DJ John Peel, who was so impressed that he played it twice in one programme.^[5] In December 1968, UK music magazine NME reported that Love Sculpture had signed a US recording contract with London Records, guaranteeing £250,000.^[6] The band were also given an invitation to perform "Sabre Dance" live on the German Beat-Club television programme of Radio Bremen, being broadcast in monochrome at that time.

Second album Forms and Feelings followed, including the aforementioned "Sabre Dance", and additional songs including , "In The Land of the Few", "Farandole", "People People", "Seagull (West Coast Oil Tragedy)", written by Paul Korda, and the equally fast cover of Chuck Berry's "You Can't Catch Me".^[1] The US version of the album also featured a recording of "Mars" from Gustav Holst's The Planets, but Holst's estate refused to license the tune for the UK version.

They recorded for BBC Radio 1's John Peel sessions in 1968 (twice) and 1969.^[7]

In 1970 Mickey Gee joined the band as a second guitarist, and Terry Williams replaced Rob Jones on drums.^[8]

Love Sculpture split up in 1970 after a US tour, having recorded just the two albums. Edmunds went on to solo number one hit success with "I Hear You Knocking" later in 1970, and collaborated heavily with ex-Brinsley Schwarz bassist Nick Lowe, eventually forming the band Rockpile with him and Terry Williams.

Band members

Dave Edmunds – lead vocals, guitar (1966–70)
John David – bass, backing vocals (1966–70)
Rob "Congo" Jones – drums, percussion (1966–1970)
Mickey Gee – guitar (1970)
Terry Williams – drums, percussion (1970)

Discography

Albums

Blues Helping – (October 1968) – Parlophone

Source:^[9]

Released in the US in mid-May on Motown's new Rare Earth label (RS-505), with a different cover design.

"The Stumble" (Freddy King, Sonny Thompson) (shown as "Stumble" on cover, "The Stumble" on label)
"3 O'Clock Blues" (B. B. King, Jules Taub)
"I Believe to My Soul" (Ray Charles)
"So Unkind" (Elmore James, Marshall Sehorn)
"Summertime" (George Gershwin, DuBose Heyward)
"On The Road Again" (Floyd Jones, Alan Wilson)
"Don't Answer the Door" (James Franklin Johnson)
"Wang-Dang-Doodle" (Willie Dixon)
"Come Back Baby" (Ray Charles)
"Shake Your Hips" (Slim Harpo)
"Blues Helping" (John David Williams, Dave Edmunds, Rob Jones)

2007 Esoteric Records reissue bonus tracks

"Morning Dew" (Human Beans)
"It's a Wonder" (Human Beans)
"River to Another Day" (Single)
"Brand New Woman" (Single)

Dave Edmunds - guitars, lead vocals, organ, piano
John Williams - bass, backing vocals (3, 5, 6, 8), piano (10)
Bob "Congo" Jones - drums, backing vocals (3, 5)

Forms and Feelings – (December 1969) – Parlophone

Released in the US in 1970 on Parrot (PAS-71035).

"In the Land of the Few" (Mike Finesilver, Pete Ker, Dave Edmunds) – 3:55
"Seagull" (Paul Korda) – 3:28
"Nobody's Talking" (Finesilver, Ker) – 3:37
"Why (How Now)" (Finesilver, Ker) – 7:42
"Farandole" (Georges Bizet, arranged by Dave Edmunds) – 3:42
"You Can't Catch Me" (Chuck Berry) – 3:25
"People People" (Finesilver, Ker) – 3:23
"Mars" (Gustav Holst) – 1:58 (US version only)
"Sabre Dance" (Aram Khachaturian, arranged by Dave Edmunds) – 11:12

2007 Esoteric Records release bonus tracks

"Think of Love"
"Seagull" (Mono Single Version)
"Farandole (Mono Single Version)
"In the Land of the Few" (Mono Single Version)
"People People" (Mono Single Version)
"Sabre Dance" (Single Version)

Dave Edmunds - guitars, lead vocals, keyboards
John Williams - bass, backing vocals, keyboards
Bob "Congo" Jones - drums, backing vocals

Both albums were reissued in May 2008, remastered and with bonus tracks (including the tracks from the two singles listed below).

Singles

"River to Another Day" – (1968) – B-side – "Brand New Woman"
"Sabre Dance" – (1968) – B-side – "Think of Love" – UK No. 5^[10]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c Love Sculpture at AllMusic
^ Thompson, Dave (2002). The Music Lover's Guide to Record Collecting. Backbeat Books. p. 408. ISBN 9781617132025.
^ "Love Sculpture". Making Time. Retrieved 1 October 2012.
^ "Sabre Dance". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 7 December 2010.
^ ^a ^b Rick Clark, liner notes from The Dave Edmunds Anthology (1968–90), Rhino Records R2 71191 (1993)
^ Tobler, John (1992). NME Rock 'N' Roll Years (1st ed.). London: Reed International Books Ltd. p. 191. CN 5585.
^ "Radio 1 – Keeping It Peel – Love Sculpture". BBC. Retrieved 1 October 2012.
^ Mannerisms II – Man and Roots/Offshoots by Michael Mycock, published June 1995, page 108
^ "Album Reviews" (PDF). Melody Maker. 2 November 1968. p. 14. Retrieved 15 September 2021.
^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 331. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.