Biography
Continuing a working friendship that began when The Shadows were supported by Farrar’s Melbourne band The Strangers on an Australian tour, Hank Marvin was getting used to the idea of singing for his supper. This 1973 release found the guitarist in fine voice on a set of harmony-driven light pop, with nods to The Beach Boys and Crosby, Stills & Nash. The album, Hank Marvin and John Farrar, was also released in the US, on the Capitol label. Richard’s second appearance in the Eurovision Song Contest was in 1973, and Farrar was a member of his backing group. When Richard toured Australia in the same year, Farrar was musical director for both the gospel and secular segments of the tour. Backing Richard were Farrar’s former group, the Strangers, and the vocal accompaniment was provided by Pat Carroll Singers. http://recordcollectormag.com/reviews/hank-marvin-john-farrar
Album & Cover
Marvin and Farrar recorded an LP as a duo with one track also featuring Welch, which was presumably originally recorded for a planned third Marvin, Welch and Farrar LP. The album track, “Music makes my day”, features Newton-John playing a recorder as an accompaniment. Marvin, on reflection, was less than enthusiastic about that joint album: “it lacked something in direction. It was a bit like Frankenstein meets the Beach Boys”. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marvin,_Welch_%26_Farrar
Cover Location:
Who Did What: Photography – A. Powell
Label: EMI ST-11403(US), EMI EMA 755(UK)
Source: Vinyl. Album. Cover. Art, The Complete Hipgnosis Catalogue: Aubrey Powell
Tracklist
Side One So Hard To Live With Music Makes My Day Skin Deep If I Rewrote Yesterdays Galadriel (Spirit Of Starlight) |
Side Two Love Oh Love Help Me Onto Your Wagon Small And Lonely Light You Never Can Tell Nobody Sares Lord How It’s Hurting |
Credits
Bass – Alan Tarney
Drums, Percussion – Trevor Spencer
Engineer, Remix – Peter Vince, Richard Lush, Tony Clark
Orchestrated By – Richard Hewson
Percussion – Brian Bennett
Recorder – Olivia Newton-John
Vocals – Bruce Welch
Vocals, Guitar, Mellotron, Mellotron, Electric Piano, Producer – John Farrar
Vocals, Guitar, Mellotron, Mellotron, Piano, Producer – Hank Marvin