Just Mention the Name
to any musician
of a certain era
and their face will
immediately light up
regarding his
singing ability
and
subsequent influence
on a generation of
British vocalists.
The owner of
one of the
finest blues voices
of the era,
Frankie's shadow
loomed long
and hard across a
multitude of styles,
with enough true grit
and authority to carve out
a top tier reputation.
Compared in the same
exalted breath as
say
Rod Stewart,
Paul Rodgers,
Terry Reid
and
The Late Great
Joe Cocker,
Frankie quickly
established a reputation
second to none.
Originating from Glasgow,
Frankie's first brush
with fame
came via Jude,
a supergroup,
including guitarist
Robin Trower,
which inexplicably
failed to
connect with the public.
It was, however,
enough of a career boost
to secure him a
solo recording contract
with Chrysalis records
and the release
in 1973 of this,
his debut album,
Once In A Blue Moon.
The record was lauded by
critics and supporters,
yet inexplicably failed to sell
at the time.
As a mixture of
hardnosed blues
and gritty R&B
it established Miller
as a real force in
British rock,
with most supporters
predicting a bright future.
The album was record at
the famed Rockfield studio
in Wales,
backed by pub rock stalwarts
the Brinsley Schwarz group
and produced by
their manager
Dave Robinson,
a man who would later go on
to form Stiff Records.
With tight arrangements
and gritty instrumental support,
the album focused on an
earthy blues rock,
allowing Miller's voice
to take center stage.
It also highlighted his
compositional skills,
setting up a reputation
for writing material
that would find many
varied and
successful outlets
over the years.
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