| Stripped to the Bare Bones | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Live album by | ||||
| Released | 27 September 1999 | |||
| Genre | Pop rock | |||
| Length | 73:56 | |||
| Label | Burning Airlines (NMC Ltd.) | |||
| Producer | Steve Harley | |||
| Steve Harley chronology | ||||
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| Alternative Cover | ||||
 2000 re-issue "Unplugged" | ||||
Stripped to the Bare Bones is a 1999 live acoustic album by English musician and songwriter Steve Harley. [1] [2] The album was produced by Harley and features Nick Pynn.
Having returned to touring as Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel in 1989, Harley and his band would continue to tour throughout the 1990s. Although Harley had performed a small number of one-off acoustic-based shows during that time, his first acoustic tour would be the "Stripped to the Bare Bones" tour of 1998. In August 1997, Harley performed a string of casual, more acoustic-based, shows at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Accompanied by Cockney Rebel violinist/guitarist Nick Pynn, these shows consisted of music and chat about Harley's career. In November, he also performed an acoustic show at Castlemilk Festival in Glasgow. In the liner notes of Stripped to the Bare Bones, Harley revealed:
"I was invited to do an acoustic show; it wasn't my idea. It all started with the Castlemilk Festival which is basically a week-long folk festival in Glasgow, and they called my agent and asked if I would come and play an acoustic show. I thought about it and decided to take a chance. I really enjoyed it and got a taste for it." [3]
The success of these shows led to Harley and Pynn playing over a hundred dates in 1998 as part of the "Stripped to the Bare Bones" tour. This tour included fifty-four concerts in the UK alone, while around ninety songs were rehearsed for use on the tour. Coinciding with the tour was the release of the new compilation album More Than Somewhat – The Very Best of Steve Harley . [4] Harley commented:
"Your songs are what they are. When I write, 90% are with the piano or guitar with the prerequisite that they stand on their own two feet - maybe not those on Prima Donna which were production numbers - but most others which meant I could get up with an acoustic guitar and sing my songs. That's why the tour was called 'Stripped to the Bare Bones'. We play for 2 and a half hours most nights, about 24/25 titles out of 90 odd we have rehearsed. I've tried a lot of combinations. A lot of songs get one go and you know instantly if they work, and it's best to try them all in public but audiences vary across the country of course. So, sometimes I give them two airings." [3]
In March 1998, as part of the tour, Harley and Pynn played at The Jazz Café in London. This show was recorded using Sensible Music Ltd. and an ADAT system for possible release as a live album. [5] During the show, Harley played acoustic guitar and harmonica, while Pynn played acoustic lead guitar, dulcimer, mandocello and violin. Speaking of playing with Pynn, Harley commented: "It's a privilege to play with a musician of his calibre."
In September 1999, the album Stripped to the Bare Bones was released on the Burning Airlines label. The album featured fourteen live unplugged tracks from the show and CD liner notes by Kevin Cann. Of the included tracks on the CD, one was a new song titled "Only You". The song later appeared on the 2006 compilation The Cockney Rebel – A Steve Harley Anthology . A studio version later appeared on Harley's sixth solo album, Uncovered . [6]
After the success of these shows, Harley would continue performing in the two-man acoustic format in 1999 and 2000, though with Cockney Rebel guitarist Robbie Gladwell rather than Nick Pynn. As Harley continued performing these shows, Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel would not embark on a full tour until the "Back with the Band" UK tour of 2001, though would play a one-off rock band show at Blackheath Halls in November 2000, a concert that many (including Harley) have lauded as one of his best ever. [7] As the first acoustic album from Harley, two others would follow; Acoustic and Pure: Live in 2002, and Anytime! (A Live Set) in 2004.
Years later, Harley would eventually plan to revive the two-man acoustic format (with Barry Wickens rather than Gladwell or Pynn) pending an "Audience With..." tour running over 67 dates from April to November 2024. [8] However, as a result of Harley's March 2024 death, this tour never materialised.
The album was released in the UK by Burning Airlines (NMC Ltd.). In 2000, it was re-issued under a new title Unplugged by the budget compilation label Brilliant, which is run by Digimode Entertainment Ltd. [9] The re-issue features the same track-listing as Stripped to the Bare Bones, but has different artwork. [10] Although Stripped to the Bare Bones is now out-of-print, Unplugged remains in print to date. [11]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic (Stripped to Bare Bones) |   [12] |
| AllMusic (Unplugged) |  [13] |
| The Birmingham Post | [14] |
| Daily Express | [15] |
On its release, James O'Brien of the Daily Express considered Stripped to Bare Bones to be "artistically and historically valid". He continued, "The real charm of live music – rawness, realism and dependence upon pure talent – is lost on a generation weaned on samplers, sequencers and Steps. This gloriously unpretentious career retrospective will redress the most skewed balance." [15] Simon Evans of The Birmingham Post praised it as a live album that "finds Harley in fine form". He stated, "'Mr Soft and 'Make Me Smile' are among the back catalogue numbers getting an acoustic makeover which works surprisingly well in both cases, and even the mini-epics 'Tumbling Down' and 'Sebastian' benefit from a more low-key approach. Fans will also delight in the presence of 'My Only Vice' and 'The Best Years of Our Lives', as well as a smattering of more recent material that stands up well in such august company." [14]
Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic commented, "[This] album happens to be proof that Harley was a solid song-craftsman and a fine performer, more than just a glam has-been. His relaxed yet energetic performances and ease at storytelling make it a highly entertaining album, even for listeners who aren't familiar with his body of work." [12] Dave Thompson of AllMusic reviewed the album's re-issue as Unplugged. He stated, "Harley's contribution to the "unplugged" bandwagon stands as one of the best. Harley is a most engaging host, punctuating songs with humor and anecdote, and if he does push the "gee, it's really great to be here" sincerity button a little too often for comfort, then that goes with the territory as well. A quarter of a century had passed since he was last considered a commercial force, yet his audience is as devotedly die-hard as ever, and the songs have held up remarkably well too." [13]
All tracks are written by Steve Harley
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "My Only Vice (Is the Fantastic Prices I Charge for Being Eaten Alive)" | 2:41 |
| 2. | "Star for a Week (Dino)" | 5:07 |
| 3. | "The Best Years of Our Lives" | 9:33 |
| 4. | "Judy Teen" | 3:08 |
| 5. | "The Last Time I Saw You" | 5:21 |
| 6. | "Mr. Soft" | 3:17 |
| 7. | "(Love) Compared with You" | 5:39 |
| 8. | "Tumbling Down" | 6:28 |
| 9. | "Only You" | 5:11 |
| 10. | "Bed in the Corner" | 3:20 |
| 11. | "Sling It!" | 3:46 |
| 12. | "Riding the Waves (For Virginia Woolf)" | 6:30 |
| 13. | "Sebastian" | 8:32 |
| 14. | "Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me)" | 5:16 |
Production
Other
Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel were an English rock band who formed in the early 1970s in London. Their music covered a range of styles from pop to progressive rock. Over the years, they have had five albums on the UK Albums Chart and twelve singles on the UK Singles Chart.
Stephen Malcolm Ronald Nice, known by his stage name Steve Harley, was an English singer-songwriter and frontman of the rock group Cockney Rebel. The band achieved six UK hit singles in the mid-1970s, including "Judy Teen", "Mr. Soft", and the number one "Make Me Smile ". Harley later scored a further three UK hit singles as a solo artist, including "The Phantom of the Opera", a duet with Sarah Brightman.
Nick Pynn is a British musician and composer noted for his use of bass pedals and live looping with electroacoustic stringed instruments. He has been described as an ‘avant folk’ artist, whose early interests were in world folk and experimental music.
Poetic Justice is the fourth solo studio album by English singer-songwriter Steve Harley, which was released by Transatlantic on 26 August 1996.
The Quality of Mercy is the sixth and final studio album by English rock band Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel, which was released by Gott Discs on 3 October 2005. The album was Steve Harley's first studio album in 9 years and the first in 29 years to be released under the Cockney Rebel name. The album was produced entirely by Harley, with Jim Cregan co-producing the track "A Friend for Life". The album's title is based on the Shakespearean phrase.
"Star for a Week (Dino)" is a pop-rock song by British singer-songwriter Steve Harley, which was released as a promotional single in 1993 from his third solo album Yes You Can. The single coincided with the UK release of the album that year (Yes You Can had been released in Europe in 1992). It was the second single to be released from the album, following "Irresistible" as a European single in 1992. "Star for a Week (Dino)" was written by Harley, and produced by Harley and Matt Butler.
The Cockney Rebel – A Steve Harley Anthology is a remastered three-disc box-set anthology by Steve Harley, released in 2006. The anthology features material from Cockney Rebel, Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel and Harley's solo career. It covers all of Harley's albums, spanning over 33 years, from 1973's The Human Menagerie to 2005's The Quality of Mercy. The anthology was released by EMI Music UK. It was released on CD in the UK only. Today, the physical CD release is out-of-print.
Anytime! is a live acoustic album by Steve Harley, released under the name The Steve Harley Band and featuring members of the Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel line-up of the time. It was released in 2004.
"Tumbling Down" is a song by the British rock band Cockney Rebel, fronted by Steve Harley. It was released in 1975 as the third and final single from the band's second studio album The Psychomodo (1974). The song was written by Harley, and produced by Harley and Alan Parsons.
"(Love) Compared with You" is a song by the British rock band Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel, released in 1977 as the third and final single from the band's fifth studio album, Love's a Prima Donna (1976). Released as a single in America only, the song was written and produced by Harley.
"A Friend for Life" is a song by British singer-songwriter Steve Harley, released by Intrinsic Records on 30 April 2001 as a non-album single. The song was written by Harley and former Cockney Rebel guitarist Jim Cregan, and was produced by Cregan. Harley's first release of new material since his 1996 album Poetic Justice, "A Friend for Life" was later included on Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel's sixth studio album The Quality of Mercy (2005).
More Than Somewhat – The Very Best of Steve Harley is a compilation album by Steve Harley, which was released by EMI in 1998. It features sixteen tracks recorded by Cockney Rebel, Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel and Harley as a solo artist, spanning from Cockney Rebel's 1973 debut album The Human Menagerie to Harley's 1996 solo album Poetic Justice. At least one song from each studio album is included, with the exception of Harley's 1979 album The Candidate.
Acoustic and Pure: Live is a live acoustic album by English songwriter and musician Steve Harley, released in 2003. The album features ex-Cockney Rebel guitarist Jim Cregan, while certain tracks also include other members of Cockney Rebel.
"Judy Teen" is a song by the British rock band Cockney Rebel, fronted by Steve Harley. It was released as a non-album single in 1974, and became the band's first UK hit, after their debut single, "Sebastian", was only a hit in continental Europe. "Judy Teen" was written by Harley, and produced by Harley and Alan Parsons.
"Mr. Soft" is a song by the British rock band Cockney Rebel, fronted by Steve Harley, which was released in 1974 as the second single from their second studio album The Psychomodo. The song was written by Harley, and produced by Harley and Alan Parsons. "Mr. Soft" peaked at number 8 in the UK Singles Chart.
"Sebastian" is a song by the British rock band Cockney Rebel, fronted by Steve Harley. It was released as the band's debut single in 1973 from their album The Human Menagerie. The song was written by Harley and produced by Neil Harrison.
"The Best Years of Our Lives" is a song by the British rock band Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel, released in 1975 as the title track from the band's third studio album The Best Years of Our Lives. In 1977, a live version of the song was released as a single from the album Face to Face: A Live Recording.
Live at the BBC is a live compilation album by Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel, released by Windsong International Records in 1995. The compilation features three different sessions by the band for the BBC: two in 1974 and one in 1992.
Barry Wickens is a British musician, multi-instrumentalist and composer. Primarily a violinist and guitarist, he also plays mandolin, viola, Appalachian dulcimer (psaltery), dobro and keyboards. He is best known for being one of the longest-serving members of Steve Harley's rock group Cockney Rebel, and for being a former member of the pop group Immaculate Fools. He also taught violin and guitar in schools for Create Music, formerly Brighton & Hove Music & Arts, between 2001 and 2023.
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