Skeleton In Armour - Fusion Orchestra

Message Topic Search Topic Options Post Reply Create New Topic Printable Version Translate Topic

For those of us that followed Fusion Orchestra around the gigging circuit in the early seventies, the Skeleton In Armour album stands as a great memento of what an incredibly cooking band they could be in concert, the teenage Jill Saward fronting them with stunning dynamism, mesmerising us with her vocal range, flute playing and grooving electric piano; bassist Dave Cowell with Union Jack cape, perspex Dan Armstrong bass and face make-up; Colin Dawson on stinging lead guitar: rhythm guitarist Stan Land resplendant in flasher mac, with his home-made synthesiser and Dave Bell powering it along on the drums - what a group!

Producer Jeff Jarrett (who engineered on the Beatles' White Album) deserves applause for capturing some of that live feel on their sole studio album, despite the absence of several killer live tracks like Hunchback and the band's extraordinary take on Gershwin's Summertime, the great live epics Sonata In Z and Talk To The Man In The Sky were thankfully captured for posterity. One spin of the album takes  me back to those glorious gigs at St. Alban's City Hall, Upminster New Windmill Hall, North East London Poly in Stratford E15, the Marquee and beyond in 1973/1974 - I still have my purple-tinted Fusion Orchestra poster from those times, depicting the band in full flight - a mighty sight!

Any other F.O. fans out there care to tell us their favourite track from Skeleton In Armour?

Poll Question: What's your fave track?
Poll Choice	Votes	Poll Statistics
Sonata In Z	5	[55.56%]
Have I Left The Gas On?	1	[11.11%]
OK Boys, Now's Your Big Chance	0	[0.00%]
Skeleton In Armour	1	[11.11%]
When My Mama's Not At Home	0	[0.00%]
Talk To The Man In The Sky	2	[22.22%]
This topic is closed, no new votes accepted

Author	Message Topic Search Topic Options Post Reply Create New Topic Printable Version Translate Topic
AlanD Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Forum Senior Member Joined: August 28 2008 Location: Portsmouth Status: Offline Points: 135	Topic: Skeleton In Armour - Fusion Orchestra Posted: January 30 2009 at 06:26
	For those of us that followed Fusion Orchestra around the gigging circuit in the early seventies, the Skeleton In Armour album stands as a great memento of what an incredibly cooking band they could be in concert, the teenage Jill Saward fronting them with stunning dynamism, mesmerising us with her vocal range, flute playing and grooving electric piano; bassist Dave Cowell with Union Jack cape, perspex Dan Armstrong bass and face make-up; Colin Dawson on stinging lead guitar: rhythm guitarist Stan Land resplendant in flasher mac, with his home-made synthesiser and Dave Bell powering it along on the drums - what a group! Producer Jeff Jarrett (who engineered on the Beatles' White Album) deserves applause for capturing some of that live feel on their sole studio album, despite the absence of several killer live tracks like Hunchback and the band's extraordinary take on Gershwin's Summertime, the great live epics Sonata In Z and Talk To The Man In The Sky were thankfully captured for posterity. One spin of the album takes me back to those glorious gigs at St. Alban's City Hall, Upminster New Windmill Hall, North East London Poly in Stratford E15, the Marquee and beyond in 1973/1974 - I still have my purple-tinted Fusion Orchestra poster from those times, depicting the band in full flight - a mighty sight! Any other F.O. fans out there care to tell us their favourite track from Skeleton In Armour?
	AlanD

b_olariu Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Prog Reviewer Joined: March 02 2007 Location: Romania Status: Offline Points: 5531	Posted: January 30 2009 at 16:35
	Sonata In Z , I'm young (32) and still enjoy very much this album

FireAxe Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Forum Newbie Joined: June 18 2008 Location: Crawley Status: Offline Points: 17	Posted: April 07 2009 at 06:32
	Thanks for the kind words about Fusion Orchestra! The band has a new website at www.fusionorchestra.com with band history, line-ups, the entire gig list from 1969 to 1975, a gallery, cuttings and a roadies page. There is also a link to Fusion Orchestra 2, formed by FO founder-member guitarist Colin Dawson.

el dingo Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Forum Senior Member Joined: October 08 2008 Location: Norwich UK Status: Offline Points: 7053	Posted: May 16 2009 at 16:15
	Yeah I saw them at least a dozen times in 1974 - I was 16. First time was Wanstead High School, then Marquee loads and Dagenham Roundhouse. Took loads of pictures at the time but only have a few left plus I had a very interesting tape indeed at one time that I think I've managed to lose. I'll get onto the site about it when I get the chance. I voted Sonata - what a way to start an album! Didn't really go a bundle on the final lineup tho. Remember getting a bottle of light ale off Jill at the Marquee Xmas bash - we were all in the front row, Met her and Dave loads of times - really nice people. Edited by el dingo - May 16 2009 at 16:16
	It's not that I can't find worth in anything, it's just that I can't find worth in enough.

FireAxe Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Forum Newbie Joined: June 18 2008 Location: Crawley Status: Offline Points: 17	Posted: May 20 2009 at 13:00
	El Dingo, the band appreciates your comments very much. If you have any pictures and/or recordings, Fusion Orchestra would love to see and hear them. The band is particularly keen to obtain a recording of their perfromance of Beginning End. Fusion Orchestra 2 will be playing the main numbers from the album, and most likely opening with Sonata In Z, ending the set with Skeleton In Armour -- as the original Fusion Orchestra often did. FO2 plans to start gigging in August. It i s also likely that EMI will re-release the Skeleton In Armour album for digital download.

Alberto Muñoz Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Forum Senior Member Joined: July 26 2006 Location: Mexico Status: Offline Points: 3577	Posted: May 21 2009 at 09:47
	sonata in Z