Juicy Lucy (band)

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"Juicy Lucy" redirects here. For the band's debut album, see Juicy Lucy (album). For the cheeseburger, see Jucy Lucy.
Juicy Lucy
Origin United Kingdom
Genres Rock music, blues-rock, hard rock, folk rock
Years active 1969–1973
1995–1997
2004–present
Labels Vertigo, Bronze, Polydor
Associated acts The Misunderstood
Members Steve Fish
Paul "Fletch" Fletcher
Michael Phillips
Past members Glenn Ross Campbell
Chris Mercer
Neil Hubbard
Keith Ellis
Pete Dobson
Paul Williams
Micky Moody
Rod Coombes
Jim Leverton
Tony Murray
Jean Roussel
Andy Pyle
Ron Berg
Mike Jarvis
Andy Doughty
Spencer Blackledge
Frank Cokayne
Fudge
Ray Owen

Juicy Lucy is a blues-rock band officially formed on 1 October 1969. After the demise of The Misunderstood, vocalist Ray Owen, steel guitarist Glenn Ross Campbell, and saxophone player Chris Mercer formed Juicy Lucy. The group later recruited guitarist Neil Hubbard, bassist Keith Ellis, and drummer Pete Dobson.[1]

The band name was inspired by the character in The Virgin Soldiers (1966) by Leslie Thomas.[2]

Career

The band immediately notched a UK Top 20 hit with their cover version of the Bo Diddley perennial "Who Do You Love?"[3] Their self-titled debut album then fell just shy of the Top 40 in the UK Albums Chart.[1] The album's cover featured a burlesque dancer named Zelda Plum, naked except for a covering of fruit.

Line-up changes were quickly afoot as ex-Zoot Money singer Paul Williams,[4][5] guitarist Micky Moody, and drummer Rod Coombes replaced Owen (who exited for a solo career), Hubbard, and Dobson for 1970's Lie Back and Enjoy It (#53 - UK Albums Chart).[3] In May 1970, the band appeared at the annual NME poll-winners concert.[6] Another bassist, Jim Leverton, assumed Ellis' duties for the follow-up, 1971's Get a Whiff a This.[1] In August 1971, Juicy Lucy appeared on the bill at the Weeley Festival near Clacton-on-Sea, Essex.[7]

The constant turnover clearly took its toll on the group both creatively and commercially, with co-founders Campbell and Mercer, plus Coombes exiting prior to the fourth Juicy Lucy album, 1972's Pieces. This was recorded by a makeshift line-up of Williams, Moody, keyboardist Jean Roussel, and the former Blodwyn Pig rhythm section of bassist Andy Pyle and drummer Ron Berg. Juicy Lucy disbanded shortly thereafter.

Micky Moody (born 30 August 1950, in Middlesbrough), later joined the inaugural Whitesnake line-up in 1978. Prior to that he was a member of another rock outfit, Snafu between 1973 and 1976. Moody also released the bluesy solo album I Eat Them For Breakfast in 2001. Plus, Juicy Lucy's version of the song "Who Do You Love?" was featured in Shellshock: Nam '67. A 1996 album called Blue Thunder was released under the Juicy Lucy name by Paul Williams and Micky Moody, featuring guest musicians Mick Taylor and Andy Summers.

Founding member Ray Owen revived the name in 1995 for the album Here She Comes Again which also included Mike Jarvis (guitar), Andy Doughty (bass), and Spencer Blackledge (drums).[1] This version of the band broke up a couple of years later. However, Owen wanted to keep performing, and he formed a musical partnership with guitarist Steve Fish. Legal problems kept the new band from using the Juicy Lucy name, so they gigged as Ray Owen's Moon (Moon being the title of Ray Owen's 1971 solo album).[1]

By 2004, bassist Fudge and drummer Fletch had joined the band and the legal issue was settled. The new Juicy Lucy spent 2006 working on an album (subsequently titled Do That And You'll Lose It), and touring the UK with fellow rock veterans Nazareth.[1] They played at the Cambridge Rock Festival in 2007.

In 2009, a new line-up formed as - due to health problems - Owen was unable to continue touring on a regular basis. The band was then fronted by singer/guitarist Steve Fish, with Fletch on drums and James on bass, and this line-up continued to tour throughout the UK. Their link with the band's heritage was maintained through the inclusion of "Mississippi Woman" and "Who Do You Love?" (from the first album) in the live set-list.

Owen now performs occasionally in France as Ray Owen's Juicy Lucy, accompanied by Mike Jarvis and Spencer Blackledge from the 1990s incarnation of the band.

In September 2012, Frank Cokayne (on bass guitar) joined Fish and Fletch in the UK-based version of the band. In March 2013, he was replaced by Michael Phillips.

Album discography

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Allmusic biography - accessed January 2008
  2. ↑ "Juicy Lucy". Juicylucyinfo.co.uk. Retrieved 2012-07-14. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 291. ISBN 1-904994-10-5. 
  4. ↑ "Paul Williams, British singer official website". Paulwilliams-uk.com. Retrieved 2012-07-14. 
  5. ↑ Paul Williams discography at Discogs
  6. ↑ Tobler, John (1992). NME Rock 'N' Roll Years (1st ed.). London: Reed International Books Ltd. p. 212. CN 5585. 
  7. ↑ Tobler, John (1992). NME Rock 'N' Roll Years (1st ed.). London: Reed International Books Ltd. p. 229. CN 5585. 

External links

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