Talk about a step back in time!In the mid 70's,I was Asst manager,at the Record Bar in Matteson,Il,US.,not only did we stock and sell all the latest pop,etc,but because of our size,we could order and bring in to our store,a lot of music for people with bookshelves.We not only moved the Framptons,Miller,Boston,etc,but some of us in the store really pushed hard to play music that was off the beaten path,and different.At any rate.....one morning,the Capital rep( I know,I know,Be Bop was on Harvest,but at that time,Harvest was a subsidiary of Capitol and made by Capital Records) came in and said,hey,I've got something a little bit different for you,I know you are a guitarist and in bands,and this band may just catch your ear.He then handed over one of the very first demos of a band called Be Bop Deluxe,and an LP called Modern Music.I put it on the store stereo,and went back to work,but,for some reason,I noticed,I kept stopping and coming back to the front of the store,and checking out the LP cover,and thinking,"who are these guys?"This is pretty sophisticated stuff! Very perceptive lyrics,very fine songs,and and some frighteningly excellent guitar playing. In my humble opinion,these guys were light years ahead of a lot of others out there.For the next few weeks,I drove everybody crazy,because at every chance,I would put Modern Music on and was able to make the two others store workers,who were as deep into music as I was converts and fans.We had a big import section,and of course,ordered(doing some of the ordering for the store,guilty as charged) every import of BBD,we could find.The song that received a lot of reaction,when we played it in the store was "No Trains to Heaven"(Not off MM), As a matter of fact,two of the hardened store workers and heavy duty listeners became serious converts,after hearing that cut the first time. Me? MM,side two,yes,the whole side,please.
PS: The Capital rep came in and gave me two tickets to go see Robin Trower,and said you will really like whos on the bill with him........and I did!
