Finer Things: A Vinegar Joe Story By Malcom Dome (part VI)

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Finer Things: A Vinegar Joe Story By Malcom Dome (part VI)

In 1974, a new drummer came into the line-up of the band, with Alan Powell replacing Pete Gavin. "I think Pete was sick - maybe with pneumonia," says Gage. "He didn't take much care of himself." But by the spring of that year, the band had split up.

"Robert announced that Chris Blackwell had offered him a house in Nassau and his own solo album, so he was leaving," sighs Gage. "We were still on tour and about to go to Germany. I pleaded with Rob to do the tour, and he eventually agreed. But I saw no reason for Elkie and the band to get lumbered with Vinegar Joe's debts and be held to our contract when the head of the company had obviously been trying to bury us ever since Elkie rose to be the face of Vinegar Joe. Later I had absolute confirmation from the Island press office that Blackwell wanted us to be the vehicle to get Robert noticed, and then to put us on salary as his backing band!"

"Chris Blackwell was keen for Robert to pursue a solo career," confirms Brooks. "In fact, this had been in the pipeline for a year without the rest of us in Vinegar Joe having any idea of what was being planned. The irony is that Pete had given Robert albums by Little Feat to listen to. And at the time, Robert had never ever heard of that band. So, who ended up playing a lot of guitar on his first solo album, Sneakin' Sally Through The Alley? Lowell George, the main man in Little Feat. So, Pete inadvertently played a part in the development of Robert's solo career, and therefore in the end of the band."

"Elkie rose to be the face of Vinegar Joe" (Pete Gage)

"Elkie rose to be the face of Vinegar Joe" (Pete Gage)

"When we found out what Robert was doing, all of us were devastated. We realised there was no future for the band now that he'd gone. But for some reason, I was the one who got the blame for Vinegar Joe coming to an end. I have no clue why I was singled out. But Vinegar Joe finishing hit me very hard, and it had certainly nothing to do with me. In fact, it took me ages to get myself together, and I was out of work for months. Then I got an offer to join an American band callled Wet Willie as a backing vocalist."

"Frank Fentner knew me from his days with Atlantic. He helped to set up Capricon Records who had Wet Willie on their books. He called me and asked if I'd like to work with the band. They were very big in the southern states, and it got me singing again. This was later in '74; it allowed me to get back my confidence and push on."

Finer Things: A Vinegar Joe Story By Malcom Dome (part VI)

"It became obvious to us that Chris Blackwell was only interested in Robert Palmer and promoting his solo career," remarks Deacon. "Once this became clear, Elkie wasn't up for staying on with the band if Robert was gone. So that was it - Vinegar Joe were over."

After Vinegar Joe split up, all four core members went forward to have impressive careers. Both Elkie Brooks and Robert Plamer went on to have very successful solo careers. Sadly, Palmer passed away in 2003. Pete Gage built up a distinguished reputation as a producer, working with Joan Armatrading, King Kurt and The Meteors among others, as well as playing guitar on Brooks' 1978 album Shooting Star (he also wrote the title track). These days he lectures on sound production in Australia. Steve York became an in-demand session bassist, working with a host of major names, including Marianne Faithful, Laura Branigan, as well as being the musical director for Chuck Berry, Bo Didley and The Platters. He passed away in 2020.

Elkie Brooks' Shooting Star UK tour programme (1978)

Elkie Brooks' Shooting Star UK tour programme (1978)

So, were the core quartet very much the band, with other musicians no more than hired hands? "I wasn't an original member of the band, so there was always going to be an element of me being seen as a hired hand in Vinegar Joe," admits Deacon. "But that's not the whole story, because on the other hand to some extent I was made to feel like an equal partner as well."

"There's no doubting that Pete, Robert, Steve and I were the core of Vinegar Joe," says Brooks. "But we treated everyone who was in the band as an equal. That's the only way to build up the sort of camaraderie we had. If you treat any musician you work with as a hired hand, then you'll never get the sort of connection we were lucky to have. It was part of what made us special. I have to say that we were so fortunate to have an array of huge talent in the various line-ups of the band. Every musician who was in Vinegar Joe brought something individual to what we were doing."

"Elk and Rob had to be comfortable with my decisions and Steve had huge (maybe too much) influence on me," explains Gage. "But others were never hired hands - they were taken in as equals, and provided they proved their salt they stayed. Often their personalities clashed with either Rob or Elk or both, and that was the writing on the wall for them. That final line-up would have stayed and worked. We were really tight and happy at last."

One of the various line-ups of the band

One of the various line-ups of the band

Vinegar Joe were unquestionably one of the finest rock bands of the early 1970s. Capable of matching any peers in terms of artistry, passion and power. Given even a small amount of luck they'd certainly had achieved the level of success enjoyed by the likes of The Faces. Onstage, the band were stunning and engaging. The studio environment brought to the fore another dimension of their talent and purpose, as can be heard on their three albums.

Elkie Brooks, for one, has a very positive view on the records. "If we were recording those albums now, with the benefit of modern technology, then I am sure they'd all sound much better. But for what we had available back then, they were wonderful. I am very proud of them. All of us put our heart and soul into the recordings. Vinegar Joe helped to shape the artist and person that I am today. I have so many fond memories of those times. We had a lot of fun, made some fine records and were definitely such a strong live band. I cannot give enough credit to Pete Gage - a brilliant person to work with. So much ability and vision."

"I don't believe that the two albums I was on truly represented how good the band were onstage," insists Deacon. "If we were going to try and capture that power and energy, then what we needed to do was record a live album. Only this could have given people a fair reflection of what we were like in front of an audience."

Vinegar Joe in Amsterdam, Netherlands

Vinegar Joe in Amsterdam, Netherlands

But the final word on this has to belong with Pete Gage. "I formed the Ram Jam Band with Geno Washington so I knew all about how hard it is to capture a great live band on record, which is why I came up with the handclappin', footstompin', funky butt approach live. I also knew how easy it is to be cheated by record companies and managements. This time I thought with a good label, good agent / manager they would take care of business, and I could lead the band and make the shows great. Many of the recordings stand up in their own right as worthwhile, especially from Six Star General, but the behind-the-scenes politics as well as the insistence that we toured incessantly secured our reputation as a great live band, but also cheated us of the opportunity to pause and develop that energy in the studio. Having said that, the legacy of these recordings is nothing to be ashamed of. It is what it is - and that's the way it is."

Malcom Dome, London (May 2021) *

Finer Things: A Vinegar Joe Story By Malcom Dome (part VI)

Liner notes for Finer Things: The Island Recordings 1972-1973 (Esoteric Recordings - Cherry Red Records) 

(*) Sadly, Michael Dome died on October 29, 2021, only a few months after completing these notes. 

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