''Ramshackled'' is the only solo album by Alan White, drummer for

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progressive rock Progressive rock (shortened as prog rock or simply prog) is a broad genre of rock music that primarily developed in the United Kingdom through the mid- to late 1960s, peaking in the early-to-mid-1970s. Initially termed " progressive pop", the ...

band

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. It was released in 1976 on Atlantic Records, during a period when all five Yes band members (

Jon Anderson Jon Anderson (born John Roy Anderson, 25 October 1944) is a British, and latterly American, singer, songwriter and musician, best known as the former lead singer of the progressive rock band Yes (band), Yes, which he formed in 1968 with bassis ...

Chris Squire Christopher Russell Edward Squire (4March 1948 – 27June 2015) was an English musician, singer and songwriter best known as the bassist and backing vocalist of the progressive rock band Yes. He was the longest-serving original member, having r ...

Steve Howe Stephen James Howe (born 8 April 1947) is an English musician, best known as the guitarist and backing vocalist in the progressive rock band Yes (band), Yes across three stints since 1970. Born in Holloway, London, Holloway, North London, Howe d ...

Patrick Moraz Patrick Philippe Moraz (born 24 June 1948) is a Swiss musician, film composer and songwriter, best known for his tenures as keyboardist in the rock bands Yes and the Moody Blues. Born into a musical family, Moraz learned music at a young age an ...

and White) released solo albums. White only performed drums on the album and neither wrote nor sang any of the songs.

Background and recording

White had worked with Pete Kirtley and Kenny Craddock in the Alan Price Set and Happy Magazine. White, Kirtley, Craddock and Colin Gibson then worked together in the short-lived Griffin in 1969.''The Story of Skip Bifferty'' (2003, Castle Music) liner notes In the early 1970s, White, Kirtley, Craddock, Gibson and Bud Beadle played together in an unsigned band called "Simpson's Pure Oxygen". Craddock was also in the second line up of

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who released two albums between 1973 and 1975. For his debut solo album, White brought Kirtley, Craddock, Gibson and Beadle back together. Fellow Yes members, Jon Anderson and Steve Howe, guested on "Spring: Song of Innocence". Gibson and wind player Bud Beadle also appeared on Steve Howe's own solo album from the same period, ''

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''. Although he does not appear on the album, Patrick Moraz has a cameo in the promotional video. Yes subsequently toured in 1976, with initial dates of the tour including material from the members' solo albums, including "One Way Rag" and "Song of Innocence", but these were soon dropped.

Reception

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...

's Alex Anderson found the album highly uneven and noted that the album's hodgepodge of popular styles failed to appeal to the progressive rock fanbase White had gained with Yes. He concluded "Although ''Ramshackled'' isn't terrible, most of the Yes fans who bought it agreed that their money hadn't been well spent."

Track listing

#"Ooh Baby (Goin' to Pieces)" (Pete Kirtley) 5:33 #"One Way Rag" ( Colin Gibson, Kenny Craddock) 4:07 #"Avakak" (Craddock, Gibson, Kirtley) 6:54 #"Spring-Song of Innocence" (lyrics:

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, music: Kirtley) 5:02 #"Giddy" (Craddock, Gibson) 3:13 #"Silly Woman" (Kirtley) 3:15 #"Marching Into a Bottle" (Craddock) 2:00 #"Everybody" (Craddock, Gibson, Kirtley) 3:14 #"Darkness, Pts. 1–3" (Craddock, Gibson) 5:32

Personnel

*Alan White – drums, percussion *Bud Beadle, Steve Gregory – flute, saxophone * Henry Lowther – trumpet * Madeline Bell, Vicki Brown, Joanne Williams – backing vocals *Pete Kirtley – electric and acoustic guitars, vocals * Kenny Craddock – piano, organ, synthesizers, vocals *Alan Marshall – vocals * Colin Gibson – bass, percussion *

David Bedford David Vickerman Bedford (4 August 1937 – 1 October 2011) was an English composer and musician. He wrote and played both popular and classical music. He was the brother of the conductor Steuart Bedford, the grandson of the composer, painter ...

– orchestral arrangements and conducting *

– vocals on "Spring-Song of Innocence" *

– guitar on "Spring-Song of Innocence"

Production

*Produced by Alan White & Bob Potter *Recorded & engineered by Alan White, Bob Potter & Paul Hardiman *Assistant & second engineer: Paul Hardiman *Tape cutting engineer: David Tucker

Charts

References

External links

* "Ramshackled" at AllMusic {{Authority control 1976 debut albums Atlantic Records albums Yes (band) Albums recorded at IBC Studios