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Babe Ruth (band)

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Babe Ruth
Babe Ruth in 1973
Babe Ruth in 1973
Background information
OriginHatfield, Hertfordshire, England
Genres
Years active1970–1976, 2002–present
LabelsHarvest Records
MembersJenny Haan
David Hewitt
Alan Shacklock
Dave Punshon
Past membersJeff Allen
Dick Powell
Ed Spevock
Chris Holmes
Steve Gurl
Bernie Marsden
Ellie Hope
Ray Knott
Simon Lambeth

Babe Ruth are an English rock band from Hatfield, Hertfordshire, England. They were initially active in the 1970s and reformed in 2002.

History

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In 1971 after graduating from Royal Academy of Music, Alan Shacklock formed "Shacklock" with David Hewitt on bass, Dave Punshon on piano, Dick Powell on drums, and Jenny Haan as vocalist.[2] Roger Dean (artist) later introduced Shacklock to Nick Mobbs, vice president of A&R to the EMI Harvest Records, who got them a show at Marquee Club before signing the band on to the EMI Harvest label.[2]

In 1972, Shacklock was renamed to Babe Ruth after the baseball player, Babe Ruth.[2] In 1972, Rupert Perry signed Babe Ruth for the United States, and their first album, First Base, was released.[2]

In 1973 Ed Spevock joined Babe Ruth, replacing Powell on drums.[2] Babe Ruth appeared twice on BBC Two's The Old Grey Whistle Test in 1973 on 2 January and 2 August.[2][3][4] Shacklock, Haan, Punshon, Hewitt and Spevock survived a near fatal car crash on the M1 motorway coming home from a 1973 performance at Liverpool University.[2] Chris Holmes then joined Babe Ruth on keyboards.[2] Amar Caballero, Babe Ruth's second album, was released in 1973.[2] During a 1973 performance Shacklock electrocuted himself.[2]

In 1974 Babe Ruth's first album, First Base, was certified gold in Canada.[2] Steve Gurl joins Babe Ruth, replacing Chris Holmes on keyboards.[2] Babe Ruth appeared again on BBC Two's The Old Grey Whistle Test, this time getting banned from BBC by Bernie Andrews.[2] Babe Ruth was unbanned from BBC in 1975.[2]

The next two albums, Babe Ruth and Stealin' Home, were released in 1975. In 1975 Babe Ruth received the Gold Leaf Award for outstanding sales of their first album, First Base.[2] Babe Ruth's concert in Jardin des Étoiles, Montreal, Quebec, Canada on 9 April 1975, was filmed for television.[5]

With none of the original members left, Babe Ruth released their 5th album, Kid's Stuff, in 1976.

In 2002 Punshon, Haan, Shacklock, Spevock, and Hewitt started working on the 6th album, Que Pasa.

Que Pasa was completed in September 2006, and after being made available in digital form via the band's official website, was released on Revolver Records in 2009.

The band embarked on a successful reunion tour of Canada in July 2010, playing three concerts at Ottawa Bluesfest, Metropolis Montreal, and Festival International du Blues de Tremblant.

On 28 June 2014, Babe Ruth played their only show of 2014 at Milwaukee's Summerfest where over 7,000 attended.

Members

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Current members
  • Ed Spevock (born Edmund Anthony Spevock, 14 December 1946, London) – drums (1973–present)
  • Jenny Haan (born Janita Haan, 9 May 1953, Edgware, Middlesex, now Janita Haan Morris) – lead vocals (1970–1975, 2002–present)
  • David Hewitt (born David John Hewitt, 4 May 1950, Dewsbury, West Yorkshire) – bass, backing vocals (1970–1975, 2002–present)
  • Alan Shacklock (born Alan Albert Shacklock, 20 June 1950, London) – guitars, backing vocals, organ, percussion, string arrangements (1970–1975, 2002–present)
  • Dave Punshon – keyboards, piano (1971–1973, 2002–present)

Past Members

Past members
  • Jeff Allen (born Jeffrey Allen, 23 April 1946, Matlock, Derbyshire) – drums (1970–1971)
  • Dick Powell – drums, percussion (1971–1973)
  • Chris Holmes (born Christopher Noel Holmes, 12 September 1945, Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire) – keyboards (1973–1975)
  • Steve Gurl – keyboards (1975–1976)
  • Bernie Marsden (born Bernard John Marsden, 7 May 1951, Buckingham, Buckinghamshire) – guitars (1975–1976)
  • Ellie Hope – lead vocals (1975–1976)
  • Ray Knott – bass (1975–1976)
  • Simon Lambeth – guitars, backing vocals (1976)

Discography

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Albums

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Singles

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  • "Wells Fargo" / "Theme from A Few Dollars More" (1972), Harvest
  • "The Mexican" / "Wells Fargo" (1973), Odeon Records
  • "Ain't That Livin'" / "We Are Holding On" (1973), Harvest
  • "Ain't That Livin'" / "Wells Fargo" (1973), Harvest
  • "If Heaven's on Beauty's Side" / "Doctor Love" (1974), Harvest
  • "Private Number" / "Somebody's Nobody" (1975), Harvest
  • "Elusive" / "Say No More" (1975), Capitol Records
  • "Elusive" / "Elusive" (1975), Capitol Records
  • "The Duchess of New Orleans" / "The Jack O'Lantern" / "Turquoise" (1975), Harvest
  • "Elusive" / "2000 Sunsets" (1976), Discoteca
  • "SInce You Went Away" / "Standing In The Rain" (1976), Discoteca
  • "The Mexican (Deekline & Tim Healey Mix)" / "The Mexican (JFB & Ed Solo Mix)" (2010), Hot Cakes
  • Bob Harris Session (2 Jan 1973) (2010), Parlophone
  • John Peel Session (2 August 1973) (2010), Parlophone
  • Bob Harris Session (18 February 1974) (2010), Parlophone
  • The Mexican (Remixes), Central Station

Compilations

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  • The Best Of Babe Ruth (1977),
  • Greatest Hits (1981), Capitol Records
  • Grand Slam: The Best of Babe Ruth (1994), Harvest
  • First Base / Amar Caballero (1998), BGO Records (two albums remastered with a comprehensive article about the band and photos)
  • Babe Ruth / Stealin' Home (2000), BGO Records (two albums remastered with a comprehensive article about the band and photos)
  • Kid's Stuff + Stealin' Home (2020), Capitol Records (two albums remastered)
  • Darker Than Blue (The Harvest Years 1972-1975) (2022), Esoteric Recordings

Videos

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  • Babe Ruth in Concert (TV broadcast of Babe Ruth's performance in Jardin des Étoiles, Montreal, Quebec, Canada on 9 April 1975)[5]

References

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  1. ^ "Babe Ruth: First Base". Allmusic. Archived from the original on 1 July 2012. Retrieved 1 September 2022.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o "Babe Ruth Band Official Website - Welcome". 16 January 2020. Archived from the original on 16 January 2020. Retrieved 10 November 2023.
  3. ^ Bob Harris Session (2nd January 1973), 13 August 2010, retrieved 10 November 2023
  4. ^ John Peel Session (2nd August 1973), 13 August 2010, retrieved 10 November 2023
  5. ^ a b Babe Ruth in Concert (Music), Kébec Films, retrieved 10 November 2023
  6. ^ a b c Billboard, Allmusic
  7. ^ "RPM Top 100 Albums - July 27, 1974" (PDF).
  8. ^ "RPM Top 100 Albums - April 5, 1975" (PDF).
  9. ^ "RPM Top 100 Albums - July 17, 1976" (PDF).
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