Hotlegs' hit more atmosphere than song says LOL CREME

New Musical Express, 22 August 1970, p. 14
By Roy Carr
Photograph by Harry Goodwin

"I SUPPOSE you could say that 'Neanderthal Man' is really a freak record . . . Well, it's hardly a song, is it?"

This then, was the somewhat surprising admission of the rather elfish (as opposed to neolithic) Lol Creme, when I suddenly caught up with all three pairs of Hotlegs on an equally hot afternoon last week. It was on one of their brief visits to the "smoke" from their lair up in Manchester.

Pondering for a moment, on the rather frank statement that he had just made, Lol continued: "It's more of an exercise in record production, 'Neanderthal Man.' It wasn't intended to be a song . . . more of an atmosphere."

"In that respect, I feel that it was most successful. To be quite honest with you, we really didn't tend to release it as a single."

More in keeping with the image of their hit is bearded Kevin Godley. His pounding, almost primeval percussion work has given the record it's most distinctive hit trademark.

He took up the conversation with: "In actual fact, we recorded the entire production no less than three times.

SIMPLE

"We wanted to make it as simple as possible and believe me that's one of the hardest things to try to do.

"When we'd eventually finished it, we all sat there in the darkened studio and listened to the playbacks at full volume. We didn't know exactly what we'd got, really.

"Then when Dick Lekey [sic], of Philips Records, heard it, he felt it had some kind of commercial potential. So we agreed to let him release it."

Then, revealing the whole purpose behind the project, Lol suddenly interjected: "Our foremost reason for making the record was try to establish the Strawberry Recording Studios in Stockport, Manchester!

"We all work there as sessioniers and we wanted to draw people's attention to the facilities that Strawberry has and to our own capabilities as writers, producers, engineers and players. The best way to do this was to make our own record, And have a hit."

In this respect they have more than succeeded. Not only is "Neanderthal Man" riding at No 2 on this week's NME chart, but it is rapidly repeating its British success all over the globe.

Collectively, Hotlegs firmly believe that it's now time that the unchallenged monopoly the London studios have for producing so many hit records should finally be broken.

As is the precedent in America, they can see no positive reason why we in this country shouldn't have our very own local counterparts to such world-famous music centres as Nashville, Muscle Shoals, Los Angeles, Memphis, or the Tamla-Motown set-up in Detroit.

Hotlegs are still just a name on a record label. So it was only natural that the all-important question arose — could they faithfully reproduce "their sound" on live gigs?

"Sure, it's quite easy," was the immediate reply given me by Eric Stewart.

In fact, Eric is in the fortunate position of enjoying his hat-trick as a hit recording artist. In past years he achieved international chart status with Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders. When that lucrative partnership ended it was Eric's voice and guitar that made the Mindbenders' " Groovy Kind Of Love" a million-plus chart topper on both sides of the Atlantic. Now, after working in production in Manchester, he has re-emerged with Kevin and Lol as an essential part of Hotlegs.

Elaborating on his positive assurance he informed me: "When we eventually get around to doing gigs we intend to do mostly concerts and festivals. For these we will have a set on the stage exactly like a recording studio.

"For our personal appearances, we would also like to use a couple of our friends to augment us on certain numbers. Plus the use of pre-recorded tapes and sound effects.

EASY

"The sound that I got on 'Neanderthal Man' is quite easy to reproduce; all I used was a tone-generator."

As to the reason for re-creating on the stage a recording studio, Lol continued: "People are so use to sophisticated sounds on records that they now expect to hear them when they go and see a group in concert."

At this point in our conversation, we all trundled off into the next room in their music publishers Soho offices to preview the latest Creme-Godley-Stewart effort, namely Dave Berry's forthcoming single "Chaplin House."

As the rather plaintive sounds poured out of the speakers our visual attention was drawn to a rather attractive secretary who was proving most decorative in the office-block opposite.

Suddenly, bringing us back to reality, Lol confessed: "People have had a love/hate attitude towards our record. Thankfully for us the final response has been approving.

"Quite a number of them don't know if we are a put-on, or if we are for real.

"We intend to prove ourselves with our album. It's really going to make people sit up and pay attention. Then they'll know that we are for real."

With that, Hotlegs hotfooted it for Euston Station and back to Manchester, to put the finishing touches to their promised albums.

HOTLEGS (l to r) ERIC STEWART, LOL CREME and KEVIN GODLEY, pictured with DAVE BERRY (second left), whose record "Chaplin House" they have produced for Dave at the Strawberry Studios in sunny downtown Stockport. The photo was taken by Harry Goodwin at midnight, just as they had finished the recording.

Used on the backing is a harmonium, which Eric Stewart bought for £15 at a second-hand shop.

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