The Move are a sometimes thing. In the past three years the group have given us precisely one album and seven singles which can hardly accounted hard 'graft' but as lead singer Carl Wayne so rightly pointed out to me recently.

"The Move's singles are so rare that when we do release one it is regarded as something of a 'goodie' by the collectors. We may not do a lot but what we do we make sure we do well."

Hence, the latest little gem to flow from the pen of that very underestimated young composer, Roy Wood, titled 'Curly' which is as certain to be a hit as anything released this year.

"The single is not dedicated to the pig I have at present" related Carl to put the record straight. "Curly was a pig I used to keep but have farmed him out as he got rather old. Now he is a kind of father figure - producing litters of piglets in a village not far from where I live in Birmingham. My present pet is called 'Peter' and he lives in the garden as a resident."

Hogs

What we might well ask is this strange attraction Carl has for the hogs who are not considered among man's best friends at the best of times unless they happen to be shredded and curling at the ends next to a well fried egg at breakfast. I can almost see Carl wince at the infamous remark.

"The pig is a very much misunderstood animal," says Carl. "He is not the villain which people have made him out - I feel very sorry for them. Really they are not at all dirty. They might wallow in some muck for a moment but when you turn round five minutes later they are clean."

How they clean themselves is apparently something of a mystery but Carl maintains that they snuffle themselves clean on the same principle as a Hoover. They are also, according to Carl, excellent drinking companions and just the previous afternoon he had taken 'Peter' to the local pub for a pint. He proved to be a lousy darts player but bought his round which is all that matters with drinking fraternity.

Chosen

Meanwhile back at the feature we might ask how 'Curly' became to be the latest single? How it was chosen. "Ah well, you see we are now at the stage with Roy where we can say to him, 'We'd like a new single out next week' and he goes away and writes it. We are however, working on our next album at present called 'SHAZAM' which will be all our own work. So far we have completed two tracks!"

Underground

Carl also revealed that he is starting to write songs himself and producing things for his own underground group 'Bertie Bird and the Concrete Biscuit' who he hopes to launch upon the Americans when they arrive for their first tour in September

"It's a very short tour of only 17 days," said Carl. "But we will be taking our two track album along to promote and playing places like the Fillmore East. I don't give a x?!x about the hippies. I'm just going to sing and we're playing what we play."

There seems to be almost a contradiction in terms with Roy Wood's highly nom-conformist image and approach to life and his highly commercial music. Looking at Roy's mane and his beard it is hard to reconcile him as the composer of the Amen Corner's 'Hello Suzie' for example unless one thinks of another writer like Ray Davies who writes songs with smiling ambiguity.

"It's impossible to work Roy out," agrees Carl. "Most of the rumors you hear of arguments within the group are between Roy and I. We are just totally opposed characters and the only thing which keeps us together is respect for each other professionally. Basically the differences are caused because as a singer I am preoccupied with the visual thing and want to do live performances while Roy as a composer is much more concerned with recording and writing and not making appearances!"

In the early days it might be remembered that The Move were launched on a violent platform which occasionally was emphasized by Mr Wayne taking his axe to attack and offending TV set or cracking a mike-stand in half but more recently their songs seem to have got softer 'Blackberry Way' and 'Curly' are almost nursery rhymes compared to 'Fire Brigade.'

"I think the anger is still there but suppressed," agreed Carl. "People are still a little scared of us especially in cabaret for example. Our reputation has gone before us and anyone planning to heckle us might think twice in case I hit them with a mike-stand."

There was quite recently of course the case of a German gentleman who made the mistake of throwing things at the group on stage which proved very unfortunate for his face which came in collision with a chair.

"We were banned in Germany," reflected Carl sadly. "But I think the misunderstanding is being sorted out," he added optimistically.

Carl's philosophy very basically is that nasty rude people should be dealt with in a nasty rude manner.

The Move in cabaret has moved one or two people to mild surprise to those who think they are something of a security risk in a fallout shelter but the boys are proving highly popular and have genuinely taken to the medium. It also provides them with the opportunity to work out new songs for recording purposes during the day and gives Roy more time to work on his songs.

© 1969 New Musical Express

Transcribed by Peter Manion

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