David Essex "ROCK ON" Cover with some most excellent guitar playing

[TAE]

My old friend of over 50 years and guitarist from my days in Cheap Day Return shared this recording with me the other day. I guess he recorded it about 15 or so years ago on a Boss multitrack.
I'm biased and these days shredding like he does here is something 1000's of guitarist can do...but back when VH, Motley Crue, Randy Rhodes in quiet riot were all just local unsigned players, Dave was definitely doing stuff nobody was doing and was blowing minds like I've never seen.

ROCK ON!

 

[rob aylestone]

David Essex called me on a Sunday morning once. My wife answered the phone. She said David Essex wants to speak to you about firing his son. I had a new young fella start and he didn't fit in. Clearly he really hated the whole performing arts and music thing. He told me he really wanted to be a boxer. His dad had told him the job would be good for him, but he hated it. I felt sorry for him and said that if he hated it then he shouldn't do it. Her didn't want to let me down, but I said doing a job you hate is not how oit should work, so if he wanted to leave - I'd cope. Nice lad - but so obviously not his thing. It never occurred to me his dad was somebody famous. So when David Essex phoned me it took a few moments to make the link with the lad I'd just let go. David told me he thought the job would be good for him, but I said he was just so unhappy doing it. After a few minutes, he realised I was right and was cool with it. Nobody in the office told me the fella they gave me was David's son. Typical - but all ended up OK. I've always not noticed this sort of thing. Brit band JLS caused chaos when they booked a box at a theatre I was company managing - minute by minute, the audience started to watch them, not the show. I had to ask them to go at the interval - just ruining the show for everyone - and they never even paid for their tickets!!

 

[TAE]

David Essex called me on a Sunday morning once.

I by chance saw him pull up in a limo back stage at the Forum in LA for a Rod Stewart in1975. He gets out of the limo with the proverbial lady in each arm, totally rock star. I recognize him and say Hey David Essex! Rock on! He smiles at me and walks on in with a shit eating grin. Long story but I ended up with a backstage pass that night and hung in the green room with the likes of Alice Cooper and Liza Minelli...it was crazy I was star struck, just kept my mouth shut and watched in awe. I also saw a shaved headed Ringo with his entourage of security and Bernie Taupin that star filled evening.

 

[DM60]

I have to say, this version has no groove. I also think the shredding (not a fan) didn't help the song. Performances were good, execution didn't work for me.