AVERAGE WHITE BAND - June 6, 1979 Geleen Burgemeester Damensportpark (Pinkpop festival), The NETHERLANDS



AWB were formed in 1971 by Alan Gorrie and Malcolm "Molly" Duncan, with Onnie McIntyre, Hamish Stuart,
Roger Ball and Robbie McIntosh joining them in the original line-up.
Duncan and Ball, affectionately known as the Dundee Horns, studied at Duncan of Jordanstone College
of Art and were previously members of Mogul Thrash.

The band's breakthrough was a support slot at Eric Clapton's comeback concert in 1973.
MCA Records released their debut album, Show Your Hand, which sold poorly.
Bruce McCaskill who was Clapton's tour manager liked the band's music and agreed to manage them.
He borrowed money to take them to the U.S. and to promote them.
McCaskill had many contacts from his days with Clapton and managed to get Atlantic Records to sign them.
The band relocated to New York, signed to Atlantic and released the follow-up, AWB,
better known as "The White Album". T
his album was the first of many with renowned producer Arif Mardin, and reached #1 in the U.S. Hot 100 chart.

However, tragedy struck on 23 September 1974, when McIntosh died of a heroin overdose.
(Gorrie also overdosed but Cher kept him conscious until medical help arrived.)
McIntosh was replaced by Steve Ferrone (of Bloodstone, and, like McIntosh, previously with Brian Auger's Oblivion Express),
becoming the band's only black member.

In 1975, the single "Pick Up The Pieces" from the album AWB also hit #1 in the U.S. chart.
The track is probably their best known today.
The band follow up with LPs Cut the Cake (1975) and Soul Searching (1976), both big sellers and yielding further Top 40 singles.
Their next LP, Benny & Us, was a collaboration with soul legend Ben E. King.

Here you can hear two tracks, recorded and broadcasted by KRO radio.


Setlist :

01 I heard it through the grapevine
02 Feel No Fret


Line up :

Alan Gorrie - bass, lead vocals
Onnie McIntyre - Guitar, Vocals
Molly Duncan - tenor sax
Roger Ball - alt sax, keyboards
Hamish Stuart - guitar, vocals
Steve Ferrone - drums


Source : FM > Cassette > Audacity > CD Wave Editor > Wav > FLAC

Another one from the box of old tapes !

ENJOY !

Fredhead