Released November 1970 | Length 39:57 Release date November 1970 | |
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Recorded July 26, 1970 live at Fairfield Halls, Croydonstudio recordings: Olympic Sound Studios, London Similar A Song for Me, Fearless, Bandstand, Family Entertainment, It's Only a Movie | ||
Family good news bad news
Anyway is the fourth album by the British progressive rock band Family. Side one was recorded at a concert at Fairfield Halls in Croydon, south London; side two was a collection of studio recordings.
Contents
The UK edition of the album came housed in a plastic see-through sleeve with a gatefold non-pocket inner card design by Hamish and Gustav. The outer illustration was licensed from Biblioteca Ambrosiana, Milan and was titled 'Mortars With Explosive Projectiles' by Leonardo da Vinci. No track listing was printed on the outside of the sleeve.
Once again the production credit for the album was attributed to Family (for their company Bradgate Bush Ltd) and Tony Gourvish (manager) was credited as 'Co-ordination'. Tony is credited between live tracks by singer Roger Chapman as 'shining in his new Kings Road suit'.
The album was released on the Reprise label (RSX 9005) as a stereo pressing. Editions are known to have been released in France (gatefold card sleeve, no bag SRV 6120 and later in a stouter card sleeve with a greyer coloured illustration) and Canada and the USA (singlepocket card sleeve with 'In My Own Time' - a later single, - added as first track on the studio side with the track 'Normans' severely edited to make room). The Canadian edition was released on the United Artists label after Family had delivered 'Bandstand' the following album, and had an explanatory sticker on the shrink-wrap.
'The track 'Normans' was named after a light-hearted band name for people who were deemed idiotic. Radio One disc jockey John Peel rated 'Lives And Ladies' as one of the most powerful anti-war songs he had ever heard, and he was known to play the track long after 1970.
It is also the band's longest studio album.
Family any way
Track listing
All tracks written by John "Charlie" Whitney and Roger Chapman, except where noted.
- "Good News Bad News" - 8:06
- Roger Chapman - lead vocals
- John "Charlie" Whitney - guitar
- John "Poli" Palmer - vibraphone
- John Weider - bass
- Rob Townsend - drums
- "Willow Tree" - 4:40
- Roger Chapman - lead vocals
- John "Charlie" Whitney - bass
- John "Poli" Palmer - piano
- John Weider - violin
- Rob Townsend - drums
- "Holding the Compass" - 4:28
- Roger Chapman - lead vocals
- John "Charlie" Whitney - amplified acoustic guitar
- John "Poli" Palmer - percussion
- John Weider - amplified acoustic guitar
- Rob Townsend - percussion
- "Strange Band" - (Whitney, Chapman, Williamson) - 3:35
- Roger Chapman - lead vocals, percussion
- John "Charlie" Whitney - guitar
- John "Poli" Palmer - electric piano, vibraphone
- John Weider - bass, violin
- Rob Townsend - drums
- "Part of the Load" - 4:41
- Roger Chapman - lead vocals
- John "Charlie" Whitney - guitar
- John "Poli" Palmer - piano, vibraphone, drums
- John Weider - bass
- Rob Townsend - drums
- "Anyway" - 3:28
- Roger Chapman - lead vocals
- John "Charlie" Whitney - guitar, bass
- John "Poli" Palmer - vibraphone, percussion
- John Weider - percussion
- Rob Townsend - drums, percussion
- "Normans" (instrumental) (Palmer, Whitney, Weider) - 4:22
- Roger Chapman - wordless vocals
- John "Charlie" Whitney - guitar
- John "Poli" Palmer - piano, flute
- John Weider - bass, violin
- Rob Townsend - drums
- "Lives and Ladies" - 6:37
- Roger Chapman - lead vocals
- John "Charlie" Whitney - guitar
- John "Poli" Palmer - piano
- John Weider - bass
- Rob Townsend - drums
Family's single "In My Own Time" was added to the American edition of Anyway (and editing down the song "Normans") when it was released by United Artists Records in 1971, although there were some early copies that had the full length version of "Normans" and did not include "In My Own Time".
Personnel
Chart positions
Songs
1Good News - Bad News7:22
2Willow Tree4:20
3Holding the Compass3:40