Over Bridge of Sighs, to rest my eyes in shades of green . . . . .

They All Come Out To Groove About...

 BBC Radio Documentary.

Phil Daniels narrates the story of the Small Faces.

Interviews and music.

Two 30 minute episodes.

FM RADIO Broadcast

 . . . . . .under dreaming spires to Itchycoo Park that’s where I’ve been

. . . . .  be nice and have fun in the sun

Professor Sir Stanley Unwin - “Stay Cool Won’t You?!"

UNCUT | The Last Stand of The Small Faces, Lou Reed Metal Machine Music re-assessed etc

UNCUT 

- AUTUMN STONE THE SMALL FACES -

The Small Faces - Autumn Stone

Red Balloon

Ogden’s outburst! The Journey - The SMALL FACES [Ogden’s Nutgone Flake]

The Journey

well it is Friday 

a favourite album from the past . . . pin back your eardrobes

The Small Faces - Whatcha Gonna Do About It?(Insane Version ) !?

 The Small Faces - Whatcha Gonna Do About It?!

SHEL TALMY- PROFILE [Butterboy a ‘K’ Special]

K SPECIAL VA - Shel Talmy: His Greatest Productions (Super Deluxe Edition) (18CD Box Set) (2025)

This is extraordinary and a very thorough and detailed profile of a British pop legendary producer from the US. Shel Talmy. Now if 18 CDs is too much just head over and read the profile it is well worth it anyway and really well done and an true artefact relating to the beginnings of British Pop

If you’re like me and bought several of this when they came out it is truly fascinating

I bought and still have The Kinks’ 'You Really Got Me’ and if you still think it featured Jimmy Pager on lead guitar (it didn’t!) read on . . . . . . Fab! Gear! Swinging!

(Butterboy) reports 

A ‘K' SPECIAL

VA - Shel Talmy: His Greatest Productions (Super Deluxe Edition) (18CD Box Set) (2025)

In memory of the late, great Shel Talmy.

Sheldon Talmy (August 11, 1937 - November 13, 2024) was an American record producer, songwriter, and arranger, best known for his work in England in the 1960s with the Who, the Kinks, and many other artists.

Talmy arranged and produced hits such as "You Really Got Me" by the Kinks, "My Generation" by the Who, and "Friday on My Mind" by the Easybeats. He also played guitar or percussion on some of his productions.

Personal life and death

Shel Talmy lived in the Los Angeles area. He had two children, Jonna and Steven Talmy (twins). He was the elder brother of the American linguist Leonard Talmy.

Talmy died from complications of a stroke on November 13, 2024, at the age of 87. His death was announced by a representative the following day.

Shel Talmy - Wikipedia

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shel_Talmy

https://www.sheltalmy.me/

Shel Talmy obituary | Pop and rock | The Guardian

https://amp.theguardian.com/music/2024/nov/17/shel-talmy-obituary

Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere - by Dan Epstein

https://danepstein.substack.com/p/anyway-anyhow-anywhere

read on here . . . .

Early Faces! | The Small Faces - Baby, Please Don't Go (Marquee Сlub, London, UK, 22 March 1966)

 Small Faces performing 'Baby Please Don't Go' live at the Marquee Club on the 22nd March 1966.

A bit rough n ready but I hadn’t seen this before! Trying to find the full version but it cuts off . . . . . 

a bit more but still fades out . . . . . . 

Performance of the Day THE SMALL FACES - ALL OR NOTHING / HIGH & HAPPY

Small Faces: Old Grey Whistle Test - All Or Nothing & High And Happy 

Top Hat Crew's "Live Music Archives"

ADVERT BREAK : OGDEN’S NUT GONE FLAKE :: THE SMALL FACES

 just because . . . . . . . 

THE RECONSTRUCTOR :: 1862 - THE SMALL FACES |

The Small Faces - 1862 - The Reconstructor

Now this is really interesting. The Reconstructor has made an attempt at The Small Faces sequel album to the classic psychedelic masterpiece Ogdens Nut Gone Flake their concept album of 1968 beloved of fans worldwide. The Reconstructor’s notes here are indispensable and really worth checking out.

An amalgam of three albums The Autumn Stone, As Safe as Yesterday Is, with an additional track purloined from Who Came First, this final album would never see the light of day and by the following year Stevie had gone to search a more hard rocking sound and the rest were signing up to become The Faces with Rod Stewart on lead vocals. 

Track selection: 

Wide-Eyed Girl on the Wall (The Autumn Stone)

Bang! (As Safe as Yesterday Is)

Red Balloon (The Autumn Stone)

What You Will (As Safe as Yesterday Is)

The War of the Worlds (The Autumn Stone)

Wham Bam Thank You, Ma'am (The Autumn Stone)

-

Buttermilk Boy (As Safe as Yesterday Is)

Evolution (Who Came First)

Growing Closer (As Safe as Yesterday Is)

Wrist Job (As Safe as Yesterday Is)

Collibosher (The Autumn Stone)

The Autumn Stone (The Autumn Stone)

Follow up at the link above if interested and enjoy! I did!

Signpost Classics - SMALL FACES - ALL or NOTHING!

 Lazy Sunday Afternoon? NOPE!

But all or other will do!

The Small Faces - All or Nothing

Mood of The Day :: Need some cheer in these darkening times? Happy Days Town Town I say :: THE SMALL FACES

Clap twice, lean back, twist for a while . . . . . .  

Are you sitting comftibold two square on your botty? . . . .  then we'll begin . . . . . . . 

Life is just a bowl of All-Bran
You wake up every morning and it's there
So live as only you can
It's all about enjoy it 'cause ever since you saw it
There ain't no one can take it away.

So life is just a bowl of All-Bran - very true!
What you say has made it very clear
To be sure I'll live as best as I can
But how can I remember to keep it all together
When half the moon is taken away?

Well, I've got the very thing
If you can laugh and sing
Give me those happy days toytown newspaper smiles
Clap twice, lean back, twist for a while
When you're untogether and feeling out of tune
Sing this special song with me, don't worry 'bout the moon
Looks after itself

Can I have a go?
Yes
Yeah?
Sing now:

Give me those happy days toytown newspaper smile
Clap twice, lean back, twist for a while
Well now you've got the hang of it
There's nothing you can't do with it
If you're very tuned to it you can't go wrong.

All together!
Give me those happy days toytown newspaper smile
Clap twice, lean back, twist for a while
Well now we've got the hang of it
There's nothing we can't do with it
And now we're very into it we can't go wrong!

Give me those happy days toytown newspaper smile
Clap twice, lean back, twist for a while
Well now we've got the hang of it
There's nothing we can't do with it
And now we're very into it we can't go wrong!

(Ronnie Lane, Steve Marriott)

RONNIE LANE - Birthday Greetings - My Favourite April Fool!

 RONNIE LANE

THE MYSTIC MOD 

 My Favourite April Fool!

"I've been there and back just to see how far it is . . . . ."

Ronnie 'Plonk' Lane was born this day in Plaistow Essex an underrated singer songwriter and founder of the Small Faces and bass player with The Faces to his sojourn with his own gig with Slim Chance before taken away from us by illness (MS). Thoughts to his family his sons Luke and brother Sonny . . . . . the legend lives on as long as we make it so!

Ronnie Lane an appreciation - The Guardian

April Fool! - Ronnie Lane and Pete Townshend - Rough Mix

The Poacher

Annie - Ronnie Lane

THE SMALL FACES and so the story began . . . . .

Roll on Babe

Silk Stockings . . . . . nuff said

The Small Faces - Reissue Remasters 2012

 OGDEN'S NUT GONE FLAKE!

THE SMALL FACES

Sunday listening par excellence comes these reissues from the fascinating weblog of ROIOs (+) Urban Aspirines of the entire Small Faces Decca back catalogue 

Now I loved the Small Faces in particular the work of Stevie Marriott and Ronnie 'Plonk' Lane but Ogden's Nutgone Flake proved to be their Swansong and it regularly features in my top ten albums of all time not least because it included the wordsmith and master professor of gobbledegook Prof Sir Stanley Unwin who I adored as a child and finding that they should use him to narrate the story was a no brainer for me. Still a favourite and I can still sing 'Renee the Docker's Delight' word perfectly! 

Treat yourself to their back catalogue of remastered deluxe editions of their history here:

SMALL FACES - Deluxe Editions Reissued - 2012 - Urban Aspirines

Ronnie Lane website has more . . . . .

Louder Sounds - features Small Faces Psychedelic masterpiece Ogdens Nut Gone Flake

All siteee comftibold on your botties?

Well it's about Oxford (well partially at least . .  .) loved this when it came out and we grooved about to this through the parks of Oxford under the Bridge and passed the dreaming spires into the meadows . . . . . 

On this day in music history: September 19, 1967 - “Itchycoo Park” by the Small Faces is released. Written and produced by Steve Marriott and Ronnie Lane, it is the eighth single release and biggest hit for the rock band from London, UK. Guitarist Steve Marriott and bassist Ronnie Lane meet each other in 1965, when Lane walks into J60 Music Bar in Manor Park where Marriott works. Marriott and Lane quickly become friends, and decide to form a band. They recruit Kenney Jones (drums) and Jimmy Winston (keyboards), calling themselves the Small Faces. Signing with manager Don Arden (Black Sabbath, ELO), he assists in getting them signed to Decca Records. The Faces quickly land a hit with “Whatcha Gonna Do About It” (#14 UK), hitting the Top 20. With that success also come problems, with Marriott and Winston fighting over control of the band. Winston is fired and replaced by Ian McLagen. In 1967, the Small Faces part ways with Don Arden and Decca when they have reaped little financial reward. Soon after, they meet former Rolling Stones manager and producer Andrew Loog Oldham who is starting his own label Immediate Records. Oldham signs the band and puts them in the studio. Experimenting with psychedelic drugs like LSD and amphetamines, it begins to influence their work. The Faces first Immediate single “Here Comes The Nice” (#12 UK) becomes a hit, and surprisingly avoids being banned by the BBC for its obvious drug references. For the follow up, Marriott and Lane write “Itchycoo Park”. The initial idea comes from Ronnie Lane borrowing from the hymn “God Be In My Head”, and the lyrics “over bridge of sighs” and “dreaming spires” while passing through the town of Oxford in the English countryside. The title “Itchycoo Park” is the nickname for Little Ilford Park in London, where a flower called a Stinging Nettle grows prominently, which can cause a rash when touched. The lyrics about skipping school to get high and the refrain “it’s all too beautiful” come from Marriott. The track is recorded at Olympic Studios on June 24, 1967, with Glyn Johns and George Chkiantz engineering. During the session, Johns suggests that they add flanging to the song to emphasize its psychedelic theme. The effect is created by synchronizing two copies of the same recording, with one of them slightly out of sync, giving a swirling and swooshing sound which is recorded to a third tape machine. Released in the UK first on August 4, 1967, it becomes a smash, peaking at #3 on the UK singles chart in spite of temporary ban by the BBC. Issued in the US six weeks later, it also hits the charts, peaking at #16 on the Hot 100 on January 27, 1968. The Small Faces original version is re-released in the UK in 1975, hitting the top ten a second time, peaking at #9. Regarded as a psychedelic pop classic, the song makes a lasting impression, also being covered by Rymes with Orange, Tasmin Archer, Blue Murder, Ben Lee and UK dance group M People.

Dig the reference to stinging nettles! Hardly a "flower" rather a nasty weed beloved of waste ground rather than parks but still . . . I didn't know they were peculiar to Britain but it sounds like it and we should point out perhaps they can really STING and if you fall into a patch of them they can really hurt. Not like poison ivy but close. We practiced many methods of alleviating the sting as children and the 'dock leaf' always seem to do the trick when vigorously rubbed on the afflicted part. I would rate the sting below a wasp but more than irritating none the less . . . the park Stevie references in the song is East End London between Ilford and Barking having been born in nearby East Ham his Dad ran a jellied eel stand called 'Bill's Eels" (sic) and his Mum, Kay, worked in the local sugar factory in Silvertown. . . . the park is still there though minus the nettles . . . . . .  we skipped school to spend many happy hours in the parks of the city of Oxford and later into 67-68 this was my soundtrack . . . . . . . alongside Ogden's Nut Gone Flake and Captain Beefheart Trout Mask too . . . . . . 

Rest easy in the meadow now Stevie, Plonk  . . . . and Ian too

Ready Rubbed?

Ogden's NutGone Flake etc

THE SMALL FACES

Nice article from Music Italy 70

The Small Faces - Vienna '69

ITCHYCOO PARK

On this day in music history: September 19, 1967 - “Itchycoo Park” by the Small Faces is released. Written and produced by Steve Marriott and Ronnie Lane, it is the eighth single release and biggest hit for the rock band from London, UK. Guitarist Steve Marriott and bassist Ronnie Lane meet each other in 1965, when Lane walks into J60 Music Bar in Manor Park where Marriott works. Marriott and Lane quickly become friends, and decide to form a band. They recruit Kenney Jones (drums) and Jimmy Winston (keyboards), calling themselves the Small Faces. Signing with manager Don Arden (Black Sabbath, ELO), he assists in getting them signed to Decca Records. The Faces quickly land a hit with “Whatcha Gonna Do About It” (#14 UK), hitting the Top 20. With that success also come problems, with Marriott and Winston fighting over control of the band. Winston is fired and replaced by Ian McLagen. In 1967, the Small Faces part ways with Don Arden and Decca when they have reaped little financial reward. Soon after, they meet former Rolling Stones manager and producer Andrew Loog Oldham who is starting his own label Immediate Records.Oldham signs the band and puts them in the studio. Experimenting with psychedelic drugs like LSD and amphetamines, it begins to influence their work. The Faces first Immediate single “Here Comes The Nice” (#12 UK) becomes a hit, and surprisingly avoids being banned by the BBC for its obvious drug references. For the follow up, Marriott and Lane write “Itchycoo Park”. The initial idea comes from Ronnie Lane borrowing from the hymn “God Be In My Head”, and the lyrics “over bridge of sighs” and “dreaming spires” while passing through the town of Oxford in the English countryside. The title “Itchycoo Park” is the nickname for Little Ilford Park in London, where a flower called a Stinging Nettle grows prominently, which can cause a rash when touched. The lyrics about skipping school to get high and the refrain “it’s all too beautiful” come from Marriott. The track is recorded at Olympic Studios on June 24, 1967, with Glyn Johns and George Chkiantz engineering. During the session, Johns suggests that they add flanging (or 'phasing' in the UK) to the song to emphasize its psychedelic theme. The effect is created by synchronizing two copies of the same recording, with one of them slightly out of sync, giving a swirling and swooshing sound which is recorded to a third tape machine. Released in the UK first on August 4, 1967, it becomes a smash, peaking at #3 on the UK singles chart in spite of temporary ban by the BBC. Issued in the US six weeks later, it also hits the charts, peaking at #16 on the Hot 100 on January 27, 1968. The Small Faces original version is re-released in the UK in 1975, hitting the top ten a second time, peaking at #9. Regarded as a psychedelic pop classic, the song makes a lasting impression, also being covered by Rymes with Orange, Tasmin Archer, Blue Murder, Ben Lee and UK dance group M People.

Yes we bought this when it came out and liked to think Ronnie had written the song about Oxford and the parks we wandered through on a daily basis back in the day. We found you could start in University Parks and make your way taking about a day to walk from there to Headington staying almost totally in parks and gardens and crossing only one road. This was our soundtrack . . . . . . . .