SABRE DANCE live (1968) by Love Sculpture - on John Peel's radio show

Love Sculpture were a power trio in the sixties, and featured Dave Edmunds on guitar before he launched his successful solo career.

The tune which started it for Love Sculpture was their single 'Sabre Dance' which raced up the English charts at the time. However, what prompted this single was their earlier live performance of it on 16 September 1968 on British DJ John Peel's radio show, 'Top Gear'. There was a tremendous reaction to this performance, with some people not believing it was done live or suggesting a session guitarist had done it. As a result, shortly after Love Sculpture recorded the track and released it as a single in November 1968.

This is the original live track recorded on Peel's radio show. It is rough, raw, and is not the sort of thing that people would probably want to listen to these days. In fact, Edmunds appears to have downplayed Love Sculpture when referring to his past, and performed none of their material as a solo artist, except for the occasional inclusion of 'Sabre Dance' (which these days he does with Chet Atkins type guitar fills). But for 1968, it was amazing guitar work, both this and the studio version. (As for the extra long version he did on LS's second album, 'Forms and Feelings', I think it missed the rawness of the original versions, and sadly the producers sped up the recording to give it more drive, which I think detracted from it. Still, it is fantastic guitar work in its own right).

I also love Congo's relentless propulsive drumming on this track.

I have made my own widescreen video of this track using as many images of Love Sculpture as I could find and from my own collection.

Comments are welcome.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• love sculpture
• dave edmunds
• sabre dance
• live
• john peel

[thewordofgord]

thanks for this wilson! did you post it before? i recall making comments but there's none here. someone else posted? this version very clean and roaring.

Peel played it twice on original broadcast, so impressed was he. perhaps you know.

those were the days!

wordofgord

[wilsonmcphert]

Yes, it was posted before. Thanks for commenting again. I'm certainly envious that you saw them live. Also glad they were able to cut the mustard live, as these recordings indicate (see also Farandole live).

[wilsonmcphert]

@thewordofgord

It would be tough going keeping up that pace on the bass! Do you know if there are any tapes of the band playing live, other than the BBC stuff? I also wish a journalist would interview your Dad and the other members about the band, and their history. I would love to know some of the background to some of the songs off Forms and Feelings.

[thewordofgord]

@audiophobe1978 I recall "dear old dad", bassist, saying in a short NME article back then that he could only play Sabre Dance live when he had the right amount of sweat on his fingers.

Saw the band live in Toronto 69 and they were great!

wordofgord

[tiborvivi]

awsome guitar work. I just can't believe that Dave ended up like a tired bar-musician. He could give us a lot more excellent tunes such as this one.

[audiophobe1978]

And no, the original wasn't sped up after recording. I checked, the bassist is by dear old Dad.

[audiophobe1978]

They opened the Expo festival Blues and Soul night in Seville with this (Terry Williams subbing for Congo Jones but still John David on bass), no one saw it coming. Superb! I think it's on here somwhere, well worth a look.

[twangville]

live at the Marquee, way back

[TheAlsberg]

Aww my uncle Rob:)

[veda1954]

@leach1527 You should! I got to see them twice in the early 70's.

[leach1527]

@veda1954 Led Zep indeed. I have never forgiven myself for missing Zep playing Bromley Tech College in March 1969. The reason being that my girlfriend was a Tamla Motown fan and didn't fancy it. I should have put my foot down very firmly....

[veda1954]

@leach1527 Remember that time well. Too young then to realise that this would shape my musical mind forever. Next step, Led Zep!