Of all of the installments of Pageia Obscura, this one is by far the most obscure yet. In this posting we are going to explore Jimmy Page's work on a little known record, by a now unknown singer/songwriter; John Williams' "The Maureeny Wishful Album" as well as how Jimmy received his offer to join the Yardbirds.
Released in 1968 with only 300 copies allegedly pressed and sold, this rare LP was the product of a collaboration between Jimmy Page, folkie John Williams, and Big Jim Sullivan. John Williams was an artist in the mold of Donovan a sort of traditional folk artist with a twist. Not much is known about him today. He hailed from Bedford, England, a town about 30 miles north of London, and in 1964 was the lead singer and rhythm guitarist in a band with his brother Brian known as The Authentics. Prior to "The Maureeny Wishfull Album" he had recorded a self titled solo debut in addition to a couple of 45" singles.
Jimmy met Williams when Williams was a member of The Authentics. The band was an early 60's British pop outfit who regularly performed gigs at the famed Marquee Club in London. The group had been signed to a record deal by Jimmy's manager Giorgio Gomelsky. Jimmy would go on to sit in with the band on a few recording sessions, even co-authoring one of their songs, a number titled "Without You". Williams and Page soon struck up a friendship that revolved around their mutual love of folk music, and Jimmy would pass around songs written by Williams to groups he worked sessions for, notably "Little Nightingale" performed by The Mindbenders.
After The Authentics disbanded, largely due to John Williams burgeoning interest in folk music, Williams began to write more extensively, ultimately brought in Jimmy Page and Big Jim Sullivan along with other noted session guitarist Vic Flick to work on an album. Williams' brother Brian told the story of what happened once the album was completed:
Jimmy is credited with playing guitar as well as sitar on the album, with John Williams doing the vocal work. There isn't any credited producer, but one can assume that Page had a large amount of input upon how the sound of the album was crafted.
Today the album can be heard around the internet and downloaded from here or there, but good luck finding a physical copy. Oddly enough, a number of songs on the album are published by James Page Publishing, an entity that seems to have existed for only one venture.
Interestingly enough Brian Williams has claimed that it was he who introduced Jimmy to Giorgio Gomelsky and was the go between for the offer Jimmy received to take over lead guitar duties in the Yardbirds after Eric Clapton left,
"It was me that actually introduced Jimmy Page to the Yardbirds. I had known Jimmy since he played with Neil Christian and the Crusaders; I used to take over his guitar and back him while he played harmonica. When he left, I took over as lead guitar, but that was at the same time as the Authentics took off in the West End, so I left after about two weeks.
One Saturday Jimmy and I were wandering round the West End guitar shops - Lew Davis’ and the like. He was at a loose end and we were playing the Crawdaddy, so he came along and played harmonica for us. He was really good - sounded like Sonny Boy Williamson.
That happened a couple of times and Giorgio Gomelsky got to hear about it, so when Eric Clapton left the Yardbirds, he said, “You know Jimmy Page, don’t you? Could you bring him to the Marquee, because we’d like to talk to him?”
So I got hold of Jimmy and we went to the Marquee on a Wednesday afternoon, which I’ll always remember because Howlin’ Wolf was rehearsing there and while Jimmy Page went off with Giorgio to talk about the Yardbirds, Howlin’ Wolf and I demolished a bottle of Scotch!
Eventually, Jimmy turned the Yardbirds down, but he introduced them to Jeff Beck, who was a big mate, and then of course Jeff Beck brought Jimmy Page into the band later, and that was the start of Led Zeppelin."
Released in 1968 with only 300 copies allegedly pressed and sold, this rare LP was the product of a collaboration between Jimmy Page, folkie John Williams, and Big Jim Sullivan. John Williams was an artist in the mold of Donovan a sort of traditional folk artist with a twist. Not much is known about him today. He hailed from Bedford, England, a town about 30 miles north of London, and in 1964 was the lead singer and rhythm guitarist in a band with his brother Brian known as The Authentics. Prior to "The Maureeny Wishfull Album" he had recorded a self titled solo debut in addition to a couple of 45" singles.
Jimmy met Williams when Williams was a member of The Authentics. The band was an early 60's British pop outfit who regularly performed gigs at the famed Marquee Club in London. The group had been signed to a record deal by Jimmy's manager Giorgio Gomelsky. Jimmy would go on to sit in with the band on a few recording sessions, even co-authoring one of their songs, a number titled "Without You". Williams and Page soon struck up a friendship that revolved around their mutual love of folk music, and Jimmy would pass around songs written by Williams to groups he worked sessions for, notably "Little Nightingale" performed by The Mindbenders.
 |
| The Authentics (John Williams is in front on vocals) |
"My brother had written a lot of songs.
Andrew Oldham took us on, and my brother wrote and recorded a double
album called ‘The Maureeny Wishfull Album’ for Immediate Records. I did
the cover art - but unfortunately. Andrew Oldham disappeared with the
master tapes! John eventually got one of the master tapes
back and pressed the record himself...It’s now a collectable item, because Jimmy Page plays sitar and Vik
Flic, Big Jim Sullivan (who is now Tom Jones’ guitarist) and all the
good session artists of the time are on it. The master tape of the other
album, which I’m playing on, was unfortunately never recovered."
Jimmy is credited with playing guitar as well as sitar on the album, with John Williams doing the vocal work. There isn't any credited producer, but one can assume that Page had a large amount of input upon how the sound of the album was crafted.
Today the album can be heard around the internet and downloaded from here or there, but good luck finding a physical copy. Oddly enough, a number of songs on the album are published by James Page Publishing, an entity that seems to have existed for only one venture.
Interestingly enough Brian Williams has claimed that it was he who introduced Jimmy to Giorgio Gomelsky and was the go between for the offer Jimmy received to take over lead guitar duties in the Yardbirds after Eric Clapton left,
"It was me that actually introduced Jimmy Page to the Yardbirds. I had known Jimmy since he played with Neil Christian and the Crusaders; I used to take over his guitar and back him while he played harmonica. When he left, I took over as lead guitar, but that was at the same time as the Authentics took off in the West End, so I left after about two weeks.
One Saturday Jimmy and I were wandering round the West End guitar shops - Lew Davis’ and the like. He was at a loose end and we were playing the Crawdaddy, so he came along and played harmonica for us. He was really good - sounded like Sonny Boy Williamson.
That happened a couple of times and Giorgio Gomelsky got to hear about it, so when Eric Clapton left the Yardbirds, he said, “You know Jimmy Page, don’t you? Could you bring him to the Marquee, because we’d like to talk to him?”
So I got hold of Jimmy and we went to the Marquee on a Wednesday afternoon, which I’ll always remember because Howlin’ Wolf was rehearsing there and while Jimmy Page went off with Giorgio to talk about the Yardbirds, Howlin’ Wolf and I demolished a bottle of Scotch!
Eventually, Jimmy turned the Yardbirds down, but he introduced them to Jeff Beck, who was a big mate, and then of course Jeff Beck brought Jimmy Page into the band later, and that was the start of Led Zeppelin."
 |
| Brian Williams Guitarist for The Authentics (John is to his left) |
Hi,
ReplyDeleteCan I ask how you got hold of this story from Brian? Just wondered if you had it from him directly or found the story somewhere.
Thanks.
I found the story. It was in an interview he did for Carnaby Street The Musical.
DeleteVery cool find. Do you recall the exact source, ie where the interview as published?
ReplyDeleteJohn Williams is still active and living in the Bedford area. We released a previously unknown acetate by him earlier this year on TOR Records and currently working on a potential of old and new material. Chris McGranaghan www.torrecords.com
ReplyDelete