FRANCIE CONWAY – Hidden Gems (2020-2021)
Entitled ‘Hidden Gems‘, and including contributions from members of The Zombies, Pink Floyd and Moving Hearts among many more, it is a very special career-spanning collection for Irish musician FRANCIE CONWAY.
While Conway has several LP’s released in the last three decades, this is an album with a difference. ‘Hidden Gems’ brings together recordings from across a career that has seen Francie keep company with some of the outstanding musicians of his generation.
Just having the great Russ Ballard performing on most of the songs (and writing too), talented John Verity playing guitar, and Jan Akkerman (Focus) appearing as guest, is enough reason to check out this.
‘Hidden Gems’ opens with the Lennon-esque ‘Outbreak of Peace’, which features Greg French on keyboards and backing vocals and Finbar Furey on low whistle. It is a song that should resonate deeply with fans of the iconic Beatle. And he’s great when he rocks, as on the rollin’ ‘Today More Than Ever’ where Ballard and Verity fly on the guitars.
“The seeds for Hidden Gems were sown,” Francie explains, “when The Zombies were inducted to the Rock’n’Roll Hall of Fame in March 2019 in New York city. Due to this achievement, there’s been widespread interest in the band members individual projects, which include Argent, Colin Blunstone and The Chris White Experience.”
Francie has enjoyed a longstanding musical relationship with one member of The Zombies in particular – Chris White – which goes back as far the 1980’s: in fact Francie featured on three of the albums from The Chris White Experience.
Those recordings have been brought home here. Among the tracks on ‘Hidden Gems’ are four Chris White co-writes, ‘Today More Than Ever’ and ‘Something I Heard’ (both Tim Renwick & Chris White), ‘Up Against The Wall Again’ (Francie Conway & Chris White), ‘Hold Your Head Up’ (Rod Argent & Chris White).
A very enjoyable collection of classic rock tunes featuring some of the best musicians from the genre.
Highly Recommended
Outbreak Of Peace
Francie Conway – Vocal, 12 String Guitar & Mandolin
Greg French – Backing Vocal & Keyboards;
Brendan WilliamsLead Guitar
Ken Gillick – Bass Guitar & Piano
Peter Lundgren – Drums
Dom Torche – Hammond Organ
Backing Vocals – Emily Conway
Something I Heard
Francie Conway – Vocal
Tim Renwick – Lead Guitar
Russ Ballard – Backing Vocal & Guitar
John Verity – Backing Vocal & Guitar
Jim Rodford – Bass Guitar
Bob Henrit – Drums
Andy Clark – Keyboards
Today More Than Ever
Francie Conway – Vocal
Tim Renwick – Lead Guitar
Russ Ballard – Backing Vocal & Guitar
John Verity – Backing Vocal & Guitar
Jim Rodford – Bass Guitar
Bob Henrit – Drums
Andy Clark – Keyboards
The Last Outlaw
Francie Conway – Vocal, Guitar & Harmonica
Greg French – Backing Vocal & Keyboards
Brendan Williams – Lead Guitar
Ken Gillick – Bass Guitar & Piano
Peter Lundgren – Drums
Dom Torche – Hammond Organ
Do You Want To Make Love
Francie Conway – Vocal
Russ Ballard – Backing Vocal, Piano & Guitar
John Verity – Backing Vocal & Guitar
Jim Rodford – Bass Guitar
Bob Henrit – Drums
Up Against The Wall Again
Francie Conway – Voca
Tim Renwick – Lead Guitar
Russ Ballard – Guitar
John Verity – Guitar
Jim Rodford – Bass Guitar
Bob Henrit – Drums
Andy Clark – Keyboards
One Night Love
Francie Conway – Vocal
Tim Renwick – Lead Guitar
Russ Ballard – Backing Vocal & Guitar
John Verity – Backing Vocal & Guitar
Dave Winter – Bass Guitar
Bob Henrit – Drums
Andy Clark – Keyboards
Rock On
Francie Conway – Vocal & Guitar
Greg French – Backing Vocal & Keyboards
Brendan Williams – Lead Guitar; Ken Gillick – Bass Guitar & Piano
Peter Lundgren – Drums
Dom Torche – Hammond Organ
Broken Shoes
Francie Conway – Vocal & Guitar
Jan Akkerman – Lead Guitar
Siard de Jong – Violin
Dom Torche – Hammond Organ
Tomas Reinerson – Bass Matt Kelleghan – Drums.
Somewhere In Heaven
Christy Dignam – Vocal
Francie Conway – Vocal & Guitars
Finbar Furey – Uillean Pipes, Banjo & Whistle
Vivienne Boucherat & Chris White – Backing Vocals
Dom Torche – Piano & Hammond Organ
Tomas Reinerson – Bass Guitar; Matt Kelleghan – Drums
Hold Your Head Up
Francie Conway – Vocal & Guitar
Kevin Flynn – GuitarMartin Curry – Double Bass
Peter Lundgren – Percussion
Still There
Francie Conway – Vocal
Fiachra Trench – Piano
Keith Donald – Saxophone
Des Moore – Guitar
Dom Torche – Bass & Drums.
The Troubadour
Francie Conway – Vocal, Guitars, Mandolin & Keyboards
Vivienne Boucherat & Chris White – Backing Vocals
Peter Miklos Erdai – Bass Guitar
Matt Kelleghan – Drums
Swampman Blues – Bonus Track
Francie Conway – Vocal & Guitar
Casba O’Callaghan – Drums
Liam Hartnett – Lap Steel Guitar
Con Brosnan – Bass This was the original line up of the band CLUTCH. A live recording from a TV show on RTE Dublin 1974
BUY IT
www.hiddengems-francieconway.com/
