Category Archives: DAVID COURTNEY
DAVID COURTNEY Anthology
ROGER DALTREY on Squeeze Box continues in the tradition of classic singers…We do not forget ROGER CHAPMAN and his guttural voice on ‘Midnight Child’, or the fabulous MAGGIE BELL with ‘In My Life’…we can also hear folk with Marina Kapura or the exquisite JOE EGAN of Stealers Wheel…there is even a dose of hard rock with Steve Ellis accompanied by Brian Robertson of THIN LIZZY and MOTORHEAD…
Highlands Magazine (Translated – June 2016)
A trip down memory lane, if your memory stretches back that far, or an introduction to one of our most successful songwriters.
Classic Rock Society (November/December 2015)
Anthology gathers together 37 tracks Courtney either wrote or produced and while it is, obviously, a limited taster of his impressive catalogue, there’s no denying that each and every song keeps you engaged and entertained…a selection of crafted rock numbers with a pop eye embellished with superb arrangements and the odd touch of strings and brass. The cast list is stellar and there isn’t a single performance dialled in, combine that and the aforementioned skilled songwriting and production and there could only be one outcome. Anthology is a fitting reminder of the talents of the one and only David Courtney.
Sea Of Tranquility (November 2015)
Still, it’s all about the song, not the singers or players. And the song is about the mood, be it the majestic blues of ‘In My Life’ which Maggie Bell settles on, the delicate ennui of Marina Kapuro’s take on ‘The Easy Way Out,’ or joie de vivre of ‘The Dancer’ that SMOKIE fill with velvet harmonies. While Courtney wrapped Steve Ellis’ voice in strings on ‘Rag And Bone,’ he chopped the upbeat ‘Blackmail’ with Brian Robertson’s axe for the same vocal cords to get high…David Courtney knows no limitations style-wise, because ultimately it’s the tune that reigns here. A unique talent.
DMME.net (October 2015)
Angel Air Records recently released this monster double-disc set. What we get is a generous treasury of golden hits, performed by the best in the biz! Which is precisely as it should be to ‘celebrate’ the man responsible for over 30 million global record sales. The 37 tracks are monopolised by the ever excellent Roger Daltrey (11 tracks), Leo Sayer (10 tracks) and Adam Faith (5 tracks). In between, we are treated to contributions from Steve Ellis, Maggie Bell, Dollar, Odyssey, Joe Egan, Smokie, Roger Chapman, Russian singer Marina Kapuro, and some other special guests…
Music-News (October 2015)
The list of artists includes Leo Sayer, Adam Faith, Roger Daltry, Roger Chapman, Maggie Bell, Smokie, Steve Ellis, Dollar, Odyssey, Marina Kapura, Joe Egan, and Geisha. Talk about a varied and impressive list of connections (!). This hefty double disc collection features thirty-seven tracks and, as previously mentioned, you’ll be surprised at how many of these songs you know. Courtney has in excess of 30 million global record sales to his name. Whew. If you’re looking for the single best source to find David’s biggest hits all in one convenient package, this is it.
babysue (September 2015)
David Courtney has had a highly successful career as a songwriter and producer…highlights include Giving It All Away by Roger Daltrey, Midnight Child by Roger Chapman, In My Life by Maggie Bell, The Dancer by Smokie, Rag and Bone by Steve Ellis, Shooting Star by Dollar, The Easy Way Out by Marina Kapuro, Magic Touch by Odyssey, Back On The Road by Joe Egan and Squeeze Box by Roger Daltrey and Adam Faith.
Bev Bevan, Live24seven (August 2015)
…Meanwhile one less-known Adam Faith song features backing vocals (!) by Paul and Linda McCartney. Elsewhere, Mr. Faith’s in great form on the now ironically titled ‘I Survived’ from 1974 – which has a startling contribution from guitar great Ritchie Blackmore. Talking of illustrious guitarists, Eric Clapton can be heard on one of Daltrey’s cuts, Steve Cropper’s on one of Leo Sayer’s, Thin Lizzy’s Brian Robertson appears on Steve Ellis’s – and David Gilmour is encountered on a recording by Courtney himself.
The Beat Magazine (August 2015)
I didn’t skip a single track. The list of featured musicians is awesome, McCartney, David Gilmour, Steve Cropper, Ritchie Blackmore, Eric Clapton, Rod Argent, Ray Parker Jnr and on and on. To sum up this overview of one mans work is class, pure class and a joy to listen to. I can do no better than to quote the late great Harry Nilsson who said of David Courtney ‘he’s the English Phil Spector’. With you on that Harry.
Seventies Music And Retro Talk (August 2015)
Angel Air’s new 2 CD set brings together the best of these richly rewarding collaborations, including Sayer’s ‘Long Tall Glasses’ and ‘One Man Band’, and Faith’s ‘I Survived’, the latter track featuring no less a luminary than Ritchie Blackmore of Deep Purple fame on lead guitar.
Kevin Bryan, Regional Newspapers (August 2015)
…the guest list across the album also includes Ritchie Blackmore, Brian Robertson (Thin Lizzy), Steve Cropper, David Gilmour, Rod Argent, John Entwhistle, Eric Clapton, Linda and Paul McCartney and Ray Parker Jnr! However shining brightest are the songs themselves, a selection of crafted rock numbers with a pop eye embellished with superb arrangements and the odd touch of strings and brass. The cast list is stellar and there isn’t a single performance dialled in, combine that and the aforementioned skilled songwriting and production and there could only be one outcome. Anthology is a fitting reminder of the talents of the one and only David Courtney.
Sea Of Tranquility (August 2015)
If you like handsome, somewhat commercial songs, then I can strongly recommend this compilation.
Keys and Chords (August 2015)
DAVID COURTNEY – Midsummer Madness/Shooting Star
Midsummer Madness:
…’Los Dias Del Sol’ (‘The Days Of The Sun’) suggests exactly that: warm, sunny, with a hint of Latin America. It’s also a rather short instrumental. But mainly it’s short. Like sunny spells in Great Britain!
The ethereal, haunting quality of ‘The Easy Way Out’ turns Courtney’s most famous piece into a timeless classic – beautifully performed with a moody and melancholy piano for support. Pass me the hanky please!
Closing number ‘Save The Encores’ is a blend of classic rock, some harder rock, a bit of jazz, a bit of this, a bit of that… Well, make up your own mind. But my oh my is it skilfully executed.
Shooting Star:
…’Goodbye Home’ is a number I warm to. The song tells the story of a trip ’round the universe and unexplored galaxies, while the musical arrangement thankfully remains more grounded and isn’t spoiled by an overpowering electro sound. There’s a proper melody to it, actually!
Things get all cosmic and distorted again on ‘Mind Radio’, before taking on considerable more organic forms with ‘Pure Emotion’. I mean, we’re talking a proper rock song here, complete with groove and nice riff work by John Verity. Whoa, beam me up, Scotty!
Claudia A, music-news.com (Jan 2013)
…1980′s Shooting Star, fuelled by Courtney’s passion for UFOlogy, is a welcome-to-the-world-of-tomorrow riot of frosty Radiophonic Orchestra synths and vocoders – impossible to hear without picturing Hazel O’Connor’s Breaking Glass face. The vocal cadences of The Boys In A Dream perhaps suggest why Mike Love was sufficiently enthused by the album to ask if The Beach Boys could adopt it wholesale as their next LP: Courtney
refused. Dig those Joe Meek oscillations on the title track.
Record Collector (March 2013)
…the members of Argent (minus Rod Argent himself) operating as Courtney’s highly-impressive backing band…
Kevin Bryan, Stirling Advertiser (February 2013)
It could have been much sweeter if David agreed to Mike Love’s proposition to turn all of the “Star” songs into a BEACH BOYS record, yet that might ruin its own good vibrations, and now it’s a memorial to the author’s integrity.
DME Music Site
DAVID COURTNEY The Show Must Go On
…”The Show Must Go On” obviously refers to the ever-evolving music and the song which is now resident in Australia that Leo Sayer became so famous, but also is the perfect title for this package of fun, with sometimes moving melodies of yesteryear. Who dares say that this is corny music…
Keys & Chords
…the feeling of eclecticism prevails and pulls the whole down while the individual pieces are good. A fitting reflection of any man’s life. ***1/3
DME Music Site
DAVID COURTENAY First Day – The Complete Story
Some of these works are grandiose…and if you can recall some of Leo Sayer’s early singles you will understand…Some of the bonus tracks provided are, for me, more interesting than those on the original album; in particular ‘Rag And Bone’ and the instrumental, sweeping, majestic orchestral composition ‘Broken Leaves’, which comes close to justifying the CD by itself!
Classic Rock Society, (January 2010)
…while the album failed to make much of an impact on either side of the Atlantic it remains a testament to his supreme talents as both a musician and a songwriter…Some of the guest artists who appear here represent the cream of the crop of British classic rock…not to mention Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour…
First Day is a top notch effort from top to bottom…
Ryan Sparks, Sea Of Tranquility (February 2010)
There is some superb playing by session players who are well known and established in their own right…
TNT Audio ( www.tnt-audio.com ) (February 2010)