School Of Rock

Record collecting is a funny old game. It only takes one appearance in a dealer’s catalogue at an inflated price, or a showing on a tastemaker’s list, to send the cost of a record through the roof. Such is the case here, with “Nearly All Our Own Work” SEN LPP 503, performed by the singers, instrumentalists, composers & arrangers of Newquay School, Cornwall. Though its £100+ pricetag rather oversteps the mark, the album is, in fairness, a surprisingly competent –if somewhat ragtag – collection of folk, showtune, balladry, heavy rock and showy instrumental prowess.

The music teacher at Newquay School at the time of this recording was one Goff Richards. Goff was later to become world renowned as an arranger of brass bands, but he was already proving to be something of a visionary in the field of education. He was an acquaintance of Basil Tait, who ran the TC Recording facility in Polzeath, and the two came to an agreement whereby Tait would record a selection of the work of Richards’ students, which would then be “processed” by Sentinel. The recordings were made at the school itself on a single day in 1973 using Tait’s mobile facility (a 4-track in a horse box), and were later issued on both Sentinel & TC Records. Richards went on to fame as an arranger, while Tait & Job Morris returned to recording brass bands & male voice choirs.

So what of the music? The nature of the beast makes it a fairly hit-&-miss affair, but the hit rate of this one is surprisingly high, with many of the folk numbers having a dark, sinister edge. “Jowanet’s Song”, written by Goff & sung by Pip Old, is an evocative solo vocal piece enhanced by tape effects of gulls & crashing waves (if ever there was a “sound of Cornwall”, here is that sound). Peter Brown’s florid piano instrumental “Gift Of The Wind” is strangely redolent of Beach Boys obscurity “The Nearest Faraway Place” (must have been the surf in the air), while “Full Circle” by Company is an engagingly charming harmony folk piece. Sticking out sore-thumb-like are the two rock numbers, ”Turn Around” by Jester, and Effigy’s “Do You Wanna Try It?”, the latter in particular sounding like a harbinger of DIY punk three years before its time. Dig that cowbell! Remarkable stuff.

I’ve not been able to track down an original issue of this one, so many thanks to Rupert Cook for the CD. If you, dear reader, have a copy for sale or trade, do get in touch!


Pip Old - Jowanet's Song

Company - Full Circle

Effigy - Do You Wanna Try It?