Ok so I take my life in my hands and go forth to once again spruik the virtues of Mr Dave Walker, the contributor of two songs to this great band we call Fleetwood Mac.
Dave has often been unfairly criticised over the years, partly because many people do not like (I'm A) Roadrunner or The Derelict, and partly because Dave was never seen as fitting in to the Fleetwood Mac sound (that elusive FM sound that no-one can quantify).
Yet, Dave was so much more than two songs on Penguin. He has featured on several Savoy Brown albums and various other bits and pieces. His discography includes:
The Redcaps - 3 x singles
Idle Race - Time Is (1971)
Savoy Brown - Street Corner Talking (1971)
Savoy Brown - Hellbound Train (1972)
Savoy Brown - Lion Share (1973)
Dave Walker Band - Dave Walker Band (1979 - unreleased)
Savoy Brown - Make Me Sweat (1988)
Savoy Brown - Kings of Boogie (1989)
Savoy Brown - Live In Central Park '72 (1989)
Savoy Brown - Live & Kicking (1990)
Dave Walker & The Ambulators - Mostly Sonny (2005)
Dave Walker - Walking Underwater (2007)
He also contributed some vocals to two albums by Donovan's Brain (Tiny Crustacean Lightshow and The Great Leap Forward) both albums are about as enjoyable as listening to a strangled cat but that is beside the point and certainly the Dave vocals are the highlight.
Personally I always liked The Derelict from the moment about 14 years ago that I bought a second-hand copy of Penguin and I never looked back.
While I acknowledge that Dave's voice isn't for everyone, he really does have a fantastic raw blues voice like so many great blues singers before him. I would encourage anyone who hasn't managed to get past his Penguin contributions to give the earlier Savoy Brown albums a listen or his two latest albums.
Additionally I am informed that there is a new album in the works, so we can only hope!
So other than John (wetcamelfood) and myself, who likes Dave and his contributions not only to FM but also in his non-FM work. It is mighty lonely for John and myself being a two man fan club.
