Frank White RIP

[minertone 10]

In (about) 1960,Frank was one of the 'Ravens'. Although they were the backing group, EMI decided to record them with an instrumental, because the Shadows were having success as an instrumental group and even then Frank stood out as a guitarist. Unfortunatly  No1 studio which they used, was a massive recording studio designed for large orchestras and bands. The acoustics were built in for normal instruments and they could not cope with electric guitars. Attempts were made to isolate the instruments so that they could be mixed, even creating four individual small sound booths inside the studio, this was not how a rock group operated so the results were disappointing to say the least. The record entitled 'SPRAZY' died a death . (Sprazy was an old slang name for a sixpence as well as Tanner) And so Frank lost his first opportunity to be noticed very early on in his career. So long Frank. 

Edited April 11, 2020 by minertone
ommision

[Lex Luthor 10]

I've never heard that before.  That was bad luck.  However, it was our gain as I suppose if he had rocketed to international stardom, we wouldn't have had all the joy hearing him play live.

[St Petre 85]

18 hours ago, minertone said:

In (about) 1960,Frank was one of the 'Ravens'. Although they were the backing group, EMI decided to record them with an instrumental, because the Shadows were having success as an instrumental group and even then Frank stood out as a guitarist. Unfortunatly  No1 studio which they used, was a massive recording studio designed for large orchestras and bands. The acoustics were built in for normal instruments and they could not cope with electric guitars. Attempts were made to isolate the instruments so that they could be mixed, even creating four individual small sound booths inside the studio, this was not how a rock group operated so the results were disappointing to say the least. The record entitled 'SPRAZY' died a death . (Sprazy was an old slang name for a sixpence as well as Tanner) And so Frank lost his first opportunity to be noticed very early on in his career. So long Frank. 

I think that would have been EMI's Abbey Road studios as that's where they used to record the orchestras.

[Jeddo 10]

RIP Sir Gallahad

 

Didn't know him, never heard him.  All I know is he saved my bacon one cold winter morning when my car wouldn't start as he was passing my house. He saw my bonnet up, and me peering in scratching my head.  He stopped and helped start my car. As we chatted he said he was called Frank White. When I asked what he did for as living he said he was in a band called the Frank White Band in Sheffield.  I said "Should I have heard of you?" He replied "Well we play around Sheffield".   No airs and graces or anything. I was suitably underwhelmed as that scene didn't interest me.  I'd been around a lot of Sheffield club acts including Joe Cocker, as they came to our house often to collect their repaired gear, and my dad was Joe Cocker's roadie for a short while when his roadie was incapacitated once. Frank seemed a very nice bloke to stop and help like that and I've never forgotten his act of kindness as I was on time for work.

[minertone 10]

'Sprazy' was written by a young Trevor Peacock, not a particularly catchy tune but back then Britain did not have many songwriters to call on, Trevor could later be seen acting in things like The Vicar of Dibley, he would mutter No- No- No- No- er Yes. 

[TonyK1 10]

I used to watch Frank at the Pheasant; one of the greats - Sheffield and otherwise!

 

Check out the typically weird rambling solo. Brilliant and pure Frank.

 

This is how I remember the Old Boy!

 

 

Edited April 12, 2020 by TonyK1

[maggidee 10]

what a brilliant film thanks tonyk 

[Lex Luthor 10]

On 12/04/2020 at 05:58, minertone said:

'Sprazy' was written by a young Trevor Peacock, not a particularly catchy tune but back then Britain did not have many songwriters to call on, Trevor could later be seen acting in things like The Vicar of Dibley, he would mutter No- No- No- No- er Yes. 

Oh wow.  I love his character.

[minertone 10]

On 12/04/2020 at 05:58, minertone said:

'Sprazy' was written by a young Trevor Peacock, not a particularly catchy tune but back then Britain did not have many songwriters to call on, Trevor could later be seen acting in things like The Vicar of Dibley, he would mutter No- No- No- No- er Yes. 

I've looked it up, Sprarsy was cockney rhyming slang  'Sprarsy-Anna' to rhyme with Tanner. The rest of the Ravens were Sheffield boys - Aiden (rhythm guitar),Arthur(Bass guitar) and Mick on drums, plus a vocalist.   Norrie Parramore (their recording manager) was used to dealing with his own and other string orchestras so he chose to record the vocalist with strings and ignore the rest of the group. He would select a song he liked from the American top 100 and have an arranger write a score for a studio orchestra and hope it would be high in the American charts before his version hit the shops here. It only worked once and that was wen he was on holiday and left it to his assistant JohnShroeder. Consequently, when on tour, Frank and the boys would have to play soft rock ballads as accompaniment instead of the heavy rock that Frank liked. An early hero of his was Eddie Cochran.

[Silverbear 10]

 

I used to see him a lot.

Sad to only just hear of his passing.

RIP Frank