Rock Moment: A Rolling Stone goes Face to Face in Houston

McLagan and Wood, Continental Club Houston 2005

If you’ve gone to more than a few rock shows, or if you like to see musicians playing in small clubs, you probably have heard of these once-in-a-lifetime shows, where somebody really famous unexpectedly jumps onstage in an unlikely spot.  I always wondered if I’d ever experience one of these unique occasions – and five years ago it happened.

December 2005: The Rolling Stones are touring behind their latest album, A Bigger Bang, and tonight’s show is in Houston’s downtown Toyota Center.  At almost the same moment as the “World’s Greatest Rock and Roll Band” cranks up its show, another group of musicians are setting up a few miles away in the Continental Club.  A small but devoted crowd of people are gathered at the Continental to see Ian McLagan and the Bump Band, from just down the highway in Austin.  McLagan is, of course, the keyboard genius who powered the Small Faces and the Faces in the 1960s and 1970s.  And his Bump Band this night consists of drummer Don Harvey, bass player Mark Andes and guitarist “Scrappy” Jud Newcomb – crack musicians all.

Ian McLagan, left, with Mark Andes at the Continental Club in Houston

There’s a buzz going through the admittedly small crowd: will there be a mini-reunion of the two members of the Faces in town?  Guitarist Ron Wood has been with the Rolling Stones since 1975 but before that he was McLagan’s bandmate in the good-timey Faces.  The buzz gets louder as the Bump Band takes the stage and rip into “Little Girl,” from their first album.  Seeing a music legend like McLagan up close, you can’t help but marvel at your good fortune – these guys play free happy hours most Thursdays in Austin’s Lucky Lounge and occasionally make the 165-mile trek to Houston to make even more people feel lucky.

It’s Time To Enshrine Spirit!

Spirit was one of the most entertaining American bands to come off the West Coast in the late 1960s.  Sorry, Dead and Airplane fans – Spirit, based out of Los Angeles, had the best players.  Led by singer Jay Ferguson and guitarist Randy California (who was apparently a protege of Hendrix), Spirit played progressive and psychedelic music but always anchored its albums with some crankin’ rock tunes.  They should certainly be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Ferguson was the better songwriter in the group, but California penned Spirit’s biggest hit, “I Got A Line On You,” from 1968.  The group peaked with the psychedelic album 12 Dreams Of Dr. Sardonicus (1970) with standout Ferguson tunes like “Animal Zoo” and California’s moody “Nature’s Way.”  Spirit’s drummer was bald-headed Ed Cassidy, California’s uncle, and the bassist was teenaged Mark Andes. 

Review: “Never Say Never,” Ian McLagan & the Bump Band

Ian McLagan is the genius keyboardist who, with the late Ronnie Lane, was the heart and soul of the Faces.  McLagan is a full-time resident of Austin and he’s assembled a crack team of players in the Bump Band, which includes guitarist “Scrappy” Jud Newcomb and bassist Mark Andes (Spirit, Heart, Firefall).  Never Say Never is the band’s new album, and it features some of Mac’s finest songwriting and singing to date.  The title tune, which kicks off the album, sets the slightly somber mood.  The album’s highlight is “An Innocent Man,” a tender acoustic ballad about loneliness which Mac obviously sings from the heart – his wife, Kim, was killed in a car accident in 2006.  Mac was devastated, but he’s said his music has helped him get through.  And there are enough light moments on Never Say Never to show that it’s working.  “I’m Hot, You’re Cool,” is a pub rocker in the style of Faces, and “A Little Black Number” is something you could hear old bandmate Rod Stewart singing, if he and Mac were on good terms (they’re not).  “Killing Me With Love” sounds like a British music hall, and “Loverman” is a horny little rocker.  Unless you live in Texas or attend one of Mac’s great live shows, Never Say Never may be hard to find (try McLagan’s website) but it’s well worth seeking out.

MP3: “I’m Hot, You’re Cool”

MP3: “An Innocent Man”

Ian McLagan’s official website

Mac’s Pages (Bump Band info)