To Be Cool : The Rehearsal Sessions

Brit Soul-Funk legends Kokomo played The Royal Albert Hall in May 2024 on a night to be remembered alongside fellow pioneers in the sound, The Average White Band - To Be Cool documents a period between late 1973 to late 1974 when Kokomo were originally formed from the ashes of the harmony group Arrival and rock soul (and Joe Cocker) band The Grease Band. The music is free flowing soul funk with experienced musicians brilliantly expressing themselves free from any label constraints and so tight from the regular live shows at the time. • Lead singer and Keyboardist Tony O’Malley along with by Paddie McHugh, Frank Collins and Dyan Birch had been in the Mick Cox Band for one album immediately prior (see APM015 The Mick Cox Band reissue). The three backing singers went on to record with Bob Dylan and back Roxy Music = Jim Mullen went on to become a highly influential jazz guitarist in Morrisey-Mullen. Neil Hubbard played guitar with Bryan Ferry, Dexys, B.B.King, Joe Cocker and many more. Saxophonist Mel Collins came from King Crimson and went onto perform with Camel, Alan Parsons, Roger Waters - Disc 1 captures the band recorded live in rehearsal in 1973/4, with songs by Bill Withers /Joe Tex / Allen Toussaint/ Herbie Hancock / Bobby Womack. Also included is ‘It Ain’t Cool (To Be Cool No More)’ written by Frank Collins which is still in the live set today • Disc 2 is the result of A&R man Paul Philips taking the band into Apple Studios in Jan 1974 to record a demo session. The five tracks here were ignored at the time and the original tapes only recently rediscovered, so released here for the first time. Two bonus tracks are also previously unreleased, recorded a decade later when (Frank) Collins, McHugh and Birch fresh from backing Tom Robinson, were given studio time to record demos written by Collins. The package includes a booklet containing an essay with fresh interview quotes from Frank Collins and Paul Phillips. Plus new to CD contemporary photos from Barry Plummer.