The Move | The Band that Got Sued by Prime Minister Harold Wilson (1967)

[@soulfoodie1]

The Move were one of the great bands of the late 1960s and early 1970s. Roy Wood deserves a lot more respect

[@shanehnorman]

Saw them play in Oxford, June '67. Terrific band. 'I Can Hear the Grass Grow' is one of the great songs of the '60s, but is criminally under-recognised even on classic-rock radio.

[@YesterdaysPapers]

I agree. One of the greatest singles of the 60s in my opinion, too. Brilliant song.

[@TheMacasso]

@@YesterdaysPapers loved to seen the original five piece in their prime I think they were definitely one of the best bands ever in Britain. Could transfer most of the main competition easily, talkingWHO /Stones and the rest- saw the four piece in 68 but it was a weird little concert for free via Hyde Park. The marquee and 67 would've been the place

[@stevmuzik]

The vid neglects to mention that Wilson was later proved to be a liar and hypocrite. He was indeed doing with his secretary exactly what the postcard depicts. Roy should sue the Wilson estate.

[@ossyable]

Where did you read that ?

[@Luxsky]

It’s speculation - it’s never been confirmed. Wilson did once refer to Marcia dropping the bomb to Mrs Wilson according to one of his advisers. That adviser interpreted this as they had had a one off liaison rather than an affair, but no-one knows for certain. Whatever the truth, at least Wilson donated the proceeds to charity.

[@shauncorless8965]

He is in the new year 2024

[@Rochfordessex2]

Thanks YP. Fantastic group 66-67 and interesting how you explained the context of that time. Could be a film!

[@settingson1966]

Man, keep the Move clips coming, please! Fascinating background, and weren't they among the upper tier of English groups in terms of look, image and sound in their original incarnation?!

[@YesterdaysPapers]

They definitely were. They had great songs, they always looked good and they were all very talented musicians and vocalists.

[@moondogaudiojones1146]

Brilliant! Loved The Move/Roy Wood/Bev and all! Great band. This was a wonderful piece of archival history! Well done!

[@bigtone1348]

So sad to hear that Trevor is now housebound after contracting Legionnaires Disease.

[@bigtone1348]

Funny how Roy referred to mental illness in so many of his earlier songs.

[@andymassingham]

One of the greatest, oddest, should-have-been bands of all time. Looking On stands up, particularly Feel Too Good, which was used to great effect in Boogie Nights. Bless ‘em.

[@totz_the_plaid9625]

Injustice! The band shouldn't have been punished for actions taken by management without their knowledge.

[@musiclover3205]

Thank you for another cool segment!

[@YesterdaysPapers]

Thanks!

[@TheMacasso]

YP - your MOVE videos are really well put together *** thanks ****and the whole video Channel is pretty great really. Any more MOVE clips news or anything happening *** probably not?

[@YesterdaysPapers]

I'll probaby make another video about the Move sooner or later in the future. Love the Move.

[@TheMacasso]

@@YesterdaysPapers a sorely neglected phenom.... I wanted to do a book on them for sometime and none of the major publishers will touch it really ***because thye didn't do anything in the USA and they don't think they'll sell a book over there which is a big market. Alas *** and I don't wanna write one for free. You should've stuck stuck with Secunda and see what happened. Mind you it's easy to say that in retrospect.

[@dudstep]

The Move should have been huge, but things didn't really work out. Some of the problems were, I think: they took far too long to make their debut album and missed out on the psychedelic thing, they spent too much time effort on covers of other people's songs (especially live, even though their covers were really good), and Roy Wood had to do all the songwriting on his own. The whole postcard thing didn't help and had nothing to do with the band, really. Losing Ace was a blow, but they were still very good as a four-piece with Trevor on bass. I think, ultimately, losing Carl was the beginning of the end. He was just so good, even if he didn't sing lead on all their songs. They were still good with Jeff Lynne, but Roy and Jeff were more interested in starting ELO than continuing The Move. Incidentally, I have a copy of The Move's Flowers In The Rain EP which was released in Australia and you showed a picture of, but the sleeve is long gone.

[@YesterdaysPapers]

True. Yeah, the biggest mistake was releasing their debut too late, especially because that was the time of "Sgt.Peppers..." and it was the beginning of the LP era rather than singles.

[@voulafisentzidis8830]

They were huge around the Commonwealth although not in America. Roy Wood (founding member) and Jeff Lynne (joined briefly) still have millions of fans around the world. The late Carl Wayne was an amazing artist.

[@dudstep]

@@voulafisentzidis8830 I'm an Aussie, and my dad had a couple of Move singles, which is where my love of them comes from.

[@voulafisentzidis8830]

@@dudstep You both have great taste. I'm in New Zealand and have been buying Roy Wood's music since the 60s. He and Jeff Lynne are unbelievably talented, in my view.

[@raymondbonington9355]

Had 10 in the uk from 1966 till 1972 not to shabby .

[@tattyshoesshigure5731]

Interesting video about an issue I’d completely forgotten about… unbelievably disproportionate punishment to have lost their royalties to the song ‘in perpetuity’… they should appeal! It was such a loss when we lost the pirate stations… have such fond memories of listening to ‘Big L’… radio 1 never came close to emulating it!

[@TheMacasso]

What is it again great video what a bizarre story

[@davidpollard4051]

In perpetuity ! I think that could have been successfully challenged and overturned in court - if Wood had the appetite to pursue it. It's a record that still gets played regularly and the royalties should have long ago reverted back to Wood.

[@TheMacasso]

Hi yesterday's papers have some of the moves are videos gone off here. I'm just writing a book on THE MOVE at the moment and then they seemed to be more than the one this one that was around you have around as one et cetera have you taken some of them down? Also is there any new stuff on the move you come across? I don't wanna put my email up here but I might prefer to email you directly but this is the best I can do I think thanks Jim

[@TheMacasso]

Flowers In The Rain The Untold Story of the The Move - coming OCTOBER 2024

[@brianholihan5497]

They were a great band. Shazam is my favorite Move album. All the popular musical currents at that time were bubbling in Roy Wood's mind, and he turned them into an eclectic and spirited album. Every one of their albums was unique, and Roy reveled in the unpredictability. Their manager's promotional activities shouldn't have overshadowed their music.

[@YesterdaysPapers]

My favourite is their debut album but I love Shazam as well. Great, great record.

[@AF276300]

@Brian Holihan. I love "Beautiful Daughter" from Shazam. It's as good as "Eleanor Rigby" in my opinion. While Shazam is a great masterpiece, I like the later "Split Ends" even better. It's with Jeff Lynne and contains one of my favorite hidden Move gems, "Do Ya". All the songs were awesome. People need to understand this great band also morphed into the great ELO later.

[@brianholihan5497]

@@AF276300 I've listened to "Split Ends" many times. I never connected with it as much because it has less of a unified vibe. I understand that it was meant to be more desultory. Roy and Jeff were already forming ELO, and were mainly focused on their new band. "Split Ends" has the feel of a group of friends writing ditties and jamming to have fun. Each Move album is unique, and each has been considered the best according to different people's tastes. It was such a great band because it developed many personalities over a short time span.

[@EltonoutoftheclosetOfficial]

@@YesterdaysPapers I agree: absolutely love the original five-piece band. I have some trivia about that début album, if you’re interested?

[@Krzyszczynski]

@@EltonoutoftheclosetOfficial Bring 'em on!!

[@Theactivepsychos]

The average age was 27. No wonder this was the ultimate decade.

[@ossyable]

I suspected that was incorrect and looked up to find it was 35 in 1965

[@StephenMay-hn3fn]

This bloody injustice should be repealed as Wilson died years ago British justice is chap woody could do with the royalties now

[@bouwebear597]

was hoping for a glimpse of Jeff Lynne before the permanent sunglasses, but then remembered he joined after this kerfuffle. Actually, the Move evolved into ELO, there is continuity in the lineup with Roy, Bev and Jeff just deciding on a name-change. In that respect, you could say the Move is one of the most successful bands of all time. Yes, I know Roy left to form Wizzard after the first ELO album, but Bev and Jeff formed the nucleus for the new band, which could easily have traded under the original name, in which case...The Move was a multi-million-selling powerhouse of the 70s, and still touring today! (as "Jeff Lynne's The Move") LOL

[@davidmacgregor5193]

This happened in August 1967, Jeff Lynne joined The Move from The Idle Race in February 1970. A lot happened to The Move in those two and a half years, Ace Kefford threw his bass guitar at a wall and he left The Move during the recording of "Fire Brigade", "Wild Tiger Woman" in 1968 was the first single by The Move that never charted. The release of their 1968 self titled debut album "Move" was delayed due to the master tapes being stolen from a car. They had their only chart topper "Blackberry Way" in 1969, Trevor Burton left when they were at number 1. The Move started playing at UK Working Men's Clubs, at one gig Roy Wood threw a glass at a guy in the audience after he called Wood a long haired poof. At the end of 1969, vocalist Carl Wayne left The Move for a solo career. The first incarnation of The Move was by far the best, all five members took turns at doing the vocals on Roy Wood's songs, their stage performances were second to none. The Move started to fall apart when Ace Kefford left them, they were never the same after Ace left.

[@TheMacasso]

I have met ROBERT DAVIDSON and he is such a great eccentric person...

[@TheMacasso]

you are right on the money about The Move - i think they should have stuck it out with Secunda but Ace may have caved anyway? They were charisma personified- is there any more film of that Flowers era line up - that was intrigueing - nice work,...

[@YesterdaysPapers]

Not sure if there's more footage of that Flowers era lne-up out there. I know they appeared on Top of the Pops many times back then but, sadly, most of that footage was erased.

[@TheMacasso]

@@YesterdaysPapers hiya --- yes heard loads of BBC tapes were erased to save a few bob?

[@YesterdaysPapers]

@@TheMacasso Yeah, it's a shame.

[@Krzyszczynski]

There's a fair bit of footage on YT of their appearance - playing live - on a German TV show called Beat-Club. They perform ICHTGG, Walk Upon The Water and Night of Fear.

[@mwmingram]

Great video. Big fan of The Move 🖤

[@thediamonddog95]

It's interesting that there were few bands at that psychedelic time in which a member went to mental institution : Jefferson Airplane/Moby Grape, Pink Floyd, 13th floor elevators, Fleetwood Mac, Move, not sure if Brian Wilson did... All of them were young people.

[@PAULLONDEN]

Wow ! what a story . I knew about Ace Kefford's disintegration but not the whole story behind it . Apart from the utterly brilliant "Night Of Fear" and "I Can Hear The Grass Grow" The Move became too bubbly poppy for me. A sort of heavy Beach Boys. It was obvious where Roy Wood was heading with his horrendous 'Wizard" . Although...Dave Dee,Dozy,Beaky,Mick & Tich weren't half bad either.

[@thewkovacs316]

i knew about the move because of elo, but i never heard any of their music until jellyfish did an in studio cover of "i can hear the grass grow" then i searched them out and was blown away and really pissed they easily couldve been big in the states

[@YesterdaysPapers]

They were an amazing and incredibly talented band indeed. They should've been huge.

[@smkh2890]

I would listen to Radio Caroline and North Sea International. They made the Beeb reform, and now Radio One, One Extra, and Six Music provide a fair spectrum of contemporary music. But Radio Three is still too Churchified, and Classic FM too superficial, so we need another more contemporary 'orchestral/classic' music channel.

[@strongbow3896]

Quintin Hogg, what a hypocrite. He should have defended them.

[@Krzyszczynski]

Ghastly character. Stephen Fry tells in his autobiography how he got into some swanky "gentlemen's" club (via his own membership of the Oxford and Cambridge), taking Ben Elton with him as guest. Apparently QH (by then calling himself Lord Hailsham again) saw them, and was practically apoplectic with horror and disgust.

[@theonlyantony]

The fine should be rescinded and monies returned to the band

[@theonlyantony]

Who breaks a butterfly .. etc!

[@TheMacasso]

YP what is that clip of the MOVE onstage with ACE and TREV with the bubble AFROS???

[@YesterdaysPapers]

It's a clip of the Move live at the Roundhouse.

[@davidmacgregor5193]

@@YesterdaysPapers The perms that Ace and Trevor had were performed by Ace's sister, she worked for a living as a ladies hairdresser. Trevor blamed his perm as the cause of his premature hair loss.

[@YesterdaysPapers]

@@davidmacgregor5193 I didn't know that. Cool info!

[@williamcurtin5692]

Each country has its legal quirks but I still find it beyond belief that Wood's songwriting royalties could be seized forever over an action taken by their loony manager. Not to mention it actually wasn't even libelous about the odious Wilson and his secretary.

[@sicks6six]

1967, Wilson loved new technology I was told, he liked a lot of things apparently,

[@NigelMondesirdunwell]

It’s now believed THEY DID HAVE AN AFFAIR

[@Krzyszczynski]

If Roy Wood lives into his mid-eighties, that means Stoke Mandeville etc will still be trousering the proceeds of this involuntary "gift" at the dawn of the 22nd century. Bizarre thought. As for the performing royalties relating to the record .... oo knows?

[@georgeetboom7719]

To me the move are the first punk band. After seeing the sex pistol documentary, it’s just history repeats its self

[@likklej8]

The Move were one of the support bands at the Roundhouse Doors gig. Roy Wood? or one of the group drove a motorbike in stage or had someone put something in my orange crush?

[@chrisbacos]

What happened to this band never should have happened. For years I have NEVER supported charities. Subconsciously now I realize I did the right thing.

[@hadynwills3677]

Where they in competition with BBC thought so looking after their own again.

[@romelovesdan]

The Move had quite a dynamic presence in stage. They all could sing Although no auto destruction in these examples, watch these clips- a great example of the band in concert...Wish there was more footage from this era! kzbin.info/www/bejne/lYKteZelq7udY68 kzbin.info/www/bejne/mGekcmOnjK5nmrM kzbin.info/www/bejne/qnybip-bes2Meas