Remembering John Miles

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rob aylestone

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I found a link today, and it pointed to John Miles - who's no longer with us. When I was first starting out his touring show was one of the first I worked on, and I wished I'd worked on more in my later years when I knew much more. Nobody ever had a bad thing to say about him and despite playing with loads of big names, he just did his thing. Piano, guitar and of course vocals. I remember a friend mentioning him once as the sound mans friend because he knew when he was going to belt, and with a flick of the head, prevented the red lights on the desk, or a compressor kicking in savagely. This video link shows him off pretty well. and he was going strong into his 70s. I think this is probably the best version of Stairway to Heaven I've heard.

 
He worked every year on night of the proms - where that clip comes from. The finale of every show was 'Music' - and over the years many huge stars have played the huge festival type event - with a huge orchestra and usually choirs. Every musician in the orchestra and every singer miked up - hundreds of channels. If you watch the videos, you see him taking part, centre stage on loads of numbers, but often he can be seen, jacket off, glasses on playing piano from the sheet music. There's also on Youtube one of those flash mob things a load of people in a European village playing the John Miles Music song - and at the end when the guitar solo comes in, John Miles walks in. No ego. I just scanned this old photo from that early tour - it's a bit water damaged.
 

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Sky Blue Lou said:
I assume he was primarily a Brit fave. I don't think he got much traction in the states.
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I remember him from the end of '75 with "High Fly", but I really love his song "Music." It's one of the defining moments of the latter part of my childhood, that one. You know how you just never get tired of a song ? "Music" is one of those for me. Actually, I'm not a person to ever get tired of a song once I like it, but I can't say that love runs deep for every song. It does for "Music" though. That final refrain that starts "Music was my first love and it will be my last...." still gets me after 48 years. The way the string section dovetails with the tune is sublime as far as I'm concerned.
I actually bought the album that "Music" is on.....but I only liked side 1 ! And I only liked 3 of the 4 songs on that side 1.
 
He swapped with Brian Adam backing Tina Turner on tour - just as happy doing that.

Another old act that is still going is Judie Tzuke - she still tours, and her two kids do her backing vocals. She got dropped from the big record companies years ago, so self-publishes to her old fans. She sends everyone an email asking if they want another album as she has some new songs, and will we buy it? We say yes and six months later it appears! Some of her later stuff is really good. listen to this one.
 
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