Drummer Colin Allen on playing with Bob Dylan, Mick Taylor, Stone the Crows, and Andy Summers, plus Wings covering his songs, and his drum kit appearing on Lennon's "Imagine" LP.
Since one of the songs from the 1984 tour, the previously unreleased "Enough Is Enough," was included in the recent box set, Springtime in New York: 1980-1985, Bootleg Series Vol. 16, I invited Mr. Allen to be interviewed for my blogcast page, and since he no longer does video interviews, he graciously agreed to do it by email.
Mr. Allen spent over six years writing his autobiography, FROM BOURNEMOUTH TO BEVERLY HILLS:TALES OF A TUB THUMPER, which can be purchased at the links at the bottom of the page. In answering my questions, he would occasionally reference the book. If there was something he'd already covered in it, Mr. Allen suggested reading a more detailed account there. He explained that it was not about selling more copies, but, to paraphrase the Talking Heads, "Say something once, why say it again?"
BOSTON HAROLD PODCAST: In 1963, you were in ZOOT MONEY’S BIG ROLL BAND with future Police guitarist Andy Summers, then known as Andy Somers, and you both moved to London together the following year. What can you tell us about those days, and your friendship with Andy?
COLIN ALLEN: It’s all in the chapter, "Up Smoke." The Big Roll Band was really the result of four friends, having played a few gigs together locally, moving to London at the beginning of 1964 - the band became a reality in terms of permanence, when Paul Williams - a Londoner, agreed to learn the bass and join us, as the fifth founding member …
You were in the band STONE THE CROWS, with Maggie Bell, who has been described as the U.K.’s equivalent of Janis Joplin. Would you agree that to be an accurate description?
Only because there was no-one else they could think of, to compare Maggie with. Personally I never liked Joplin’s voice – a bit over the top, with the rough sounding element.
What was your experience interacting with manager Peter Grant, who later worked for Led Zeppelin?
We used to chat occasionally, but little more. He was okay with me, but when it came to business, he was quite a tough character, so it’s said.
Future Wings guitarist Jimmy McCullough was in the latter day lineup of Stone The Crows. What are your memories of him?
I wrote about him in the STONE THE CROWS chapter, “Up Ya Kilt Wi A Blowlamp.” Mostly not that much to say about him. Really good guitarist, nice enough guy who sometimes drank too much. But despite that we were friends.
Your connection to McCullough led to a couple of your co-written songs - “Medicine Jar” and “Wino Junko” - being covered by Paul McCartney & Wings, which must have been quite an amazing thing to experience! Were they newly written songs from when Jimmy was in Wings, or were they older songs?
I wrote the lyrics before Jimmy joined Wings. At that time I was writing continually. I also go into that in my book.
McCullough died in 1979. Both songs dealt with substance abuse. Is there anything that you’d like to say about that?
Same chapter as above. In those days there was a lot of drug taking going on that sometimes touched me. I wrote about my experiences with, and of, people I knew who dabbled in various substances. The reasons I wrote the two songs you mentioned are documented in my book.
Any memories of hanging out with Paul, Linda and the other members of Wings?
No, but they did occur a couple of times.
Thanks to Jim Keltner, your drum kit was used during the sessions for John Lennon’s IMAGINE album. What was that entire experience like?
Actually, it’s thanks to me, Jim had a drum set to use for free – that they were used on the Imagine album, is fate. I experienced nothing other than spending time with him – he’s a lovely guy and appreciated my lending him some drums. Same chapter, I think.
You also played with John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers. Among the musicians who played with the Bluesbreakers at various times in the 1960s were future members of Cream (Eric Clapton and Jack Bruce), and Fleetwood Mac (Peter Green, Mick Fleetwood, and John McVie.) You were in the band with legendary future Rolling Stones’ guitarist Mick Taylor. Those must have been exciting times. Was that how you first worked with Taylor?
YES
How did the association with Mick Taylor lead to being the drummer on Bob Dylan’s 1984 tour of Europe?
Everything about Dylan is more or less in the TINSELTOWN chapter.
Bill Graham promoted the tour. What was he like?
Bill was a nice guy by all accounts - we played table tennis together a couple of times, backstage at the odd venue.
Congratulations on having one of the live tracks from the 1984 Bob Dylan tour included on the newest edition of the Bootleg Series, Springtime in New York (1980-1985), a previously unreleased song titled “Enough is Enough.” Do you remember how that song came about?
It became part of the encore section - one night he just started to play it, so we had to join in. Congratulations on what – accepting that by signing my name, I wouldn’t be remunerated for any recordings made during the tour?
How did you hear about the song being included in the box set?
I thought I might be on it somewhere, due to the time period. Now, down to you - I know for sure.
What were the travel and hotel accommodations like?
Really good – as would be expected.
In preparation for this interview, I recently re-listened to Dylan’s live album from the 1984 tour, Real Live. Like a lot of Dylan’s stuff, it sounds even better years later. What are your thoughts about the LP?
It was okay - there were a few tracks that could have been included - some others, left off. Apart from that – it’s a live album. It is what it is.
And your mother got to see you play with all these legends at Wembley!
Yeah - she sat in the Royal box and probably wondered what the hell was going on.
So you’re retired now - Congratulations! How do you spend your days? What music do you listen to?
Thanks . . . . . These days music is of little interest, it was when it made me want to play and when I was educating myself by constant listening – not any more. I occasionally listen to stuff that gets posted on FB, but usually only to reminisce, or perhaps for reference. The days are long gone when I would lie back on a couch and objectively listen to something coming through a stereo system - I don’t own such apparatus anymore.
