Observations by Mark St John from the liner notes of Dennis' first
solo album, 'Out Of The Dark'...
Dr. Hook was one of the most successful
US acts, worldwide, of the 1970's and early 1980's - they had more
than 50 gold and platinum albums, had # 1 hits in over 42 territories,
they sold millions and millions of records and their tours sold out
everywhere.
So, obviously, I was aware of them and often found that
I liked their songs, but I wasn't a hardcore fan - not in the true
sense of the word. In the back of my mind, I was always aware that there was something
more to Dr Hook than the loveable, stoned hippy thing and I never
bought into the 'good time' vibe that seemed to permeate their early
hits. Dr. Hook always reminded me of Cary Grant and Steve Martin -
they seems so nice and transparently obvious, but underneath, there's
lots of other darker shit going on all the time. Their songs left
me with a vaguely uneasy feeling and when I listened closely, I always
seemed to hear exactly the opposite message to the one being applauded
by all the millions who bought their singles. "Sylvia's Mother"
- listen to that again - that's the sound of someone going insane
- it's NOT funny.
Whatever - they were very resilient, by the standards of 'rock &
roll' and as years went by they never disappeared in Europe and even
long after they'd split up, their records would still be played on
radio or TV, or appear in some odd commercial. They were always 'there
or thereabouts' in the general consciousness.
Around this time (the 'they’d broken up, but were still on the
radio a lot'... time) I got to know Dennis. I was given a rough CD
of some new tracks which he had recorded and I was absolutely blown
away. For starters, I hadn’t realised that Dennis was “the
guy” in the band – like pretty much everyone else, I had
thought it was “eyepatch” that was the main singer –
not Dennis. Also, I rediscovered my fascination for the passion and
the underlying turmoil, which I always hear in Dennis’ voice
and the underlying sub-text that his intensity presents…Frankly,
I was “hooked” (sorry!).
It’s all but impossible, even when you are at the very top of
your career and you have the power, hype and momentum to walk on water,
to get an entire audience to “suspend disbelief” and “hear
that pin drop” when you perform. When you are on the slow start
of the comeback trail and you are in some small gig, thousands of
miles from home, the smart money says it is impossible.
Well, boys and girls, I saw the impossible, and now I believe, I truly
believe…
On a damp autumn night, in a small English town hall, miles form the
glamour of London and all the “bright lights” – I saw
something that we embittered “rock & roll” veterans
and hard-bitten cynics had forgotten could happen. I watched as a
singer, alone with an acoustic a guitar, brought a song to life and
roll back the years for a room full of women who lived every word
of his song – verse by verse, line by line.
I had never seen a song take wings like that for an entire audience
before, and it was spellbinding. The song was “The Ballad of
Lucy Jordan” and the singer was Dennis Locorriere. Not one married
woman left that hall without feeling “the warm wind in her hair”
and I know there were more than a few raised voices out in the suburbs
that night as the hearts overcame the heads and truths were spoken…
“The Ballad of Lucy Jordan” has passed into folklore as
Marianne Faithfull’s song that re-launched her career and gave
her the hit album she deserved with “Broken English.” Most
of us associate the song with her, but…it was Dennis who did
it first and it was Dennis that it was 'written for', by Shel Silverstein.
Did I say something about hard-bitten cynics and “rock &
roll” veterans? Less than three months ago, I sat in a Birmingham
club with Ian Grant, the man responsible for The Stranglers, The Cult
and Big Country and I watched as he was reduced to tears by Dennis
singing “Shine Son”. He wasn’t alone. On the way back
to London, Ian told me he wanted to be the one to release Dennis's
first solo record.
There’s a lot of sh*t like that in 'Locorriere-world'.
So I’m finding, as I piece this together, that there’s stuff
to be put right about this guy and some facts to be straightened out
along the way.
Nowadays, nobody makes it out of here alive if their glittering credibility
badge isn’t properly visible to all the media darling and, God
knows, Dennis and Hook have never been fashionable or cool, let alone
hip. Maybe it’s time to deal with that piece of misinformation
and start a new page, right here…
Dennis Locorriere has had songs recorded by Dylan, Southside Johnny,
and Willie Nelson, to name but three (there are many, many more).
He has been the chosen recipient of the greatest part of Shel Silverstein’s
classic catalogue of broken American Dream songs and he has given
them wings, life and voice.
He has played (and paid his dues) for
more than 30 years in the high spots and the sh*tholes of the world
and he may be last great, undiscovered hero of this strange music
business. He has appeared in a movie with Dustin Hoffman and on the
stage a t NYC’s Lincoln Centre in a one man show…Like all
true originals, he has been overlooked and misunderstood, he has been
ripped off and ignored and he still comes back for more. I could go
on but you get the picture, right?
The truth is he may be too “professional”, too committed
or just too f*cking good to fit in where he belongs, along side the
Greats and the Lates of our lifetime. But the reality is that he is
the last Great American Dream singer and he brings something very
special and unique to the party.
He has the same quality of impassioned heartbreak and lost innocence
that Phil Spector, The Beach Boys and Karen Carpenter all had –
there are no obvious musical links, but the cry is straight from the
heart. Listen to “You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling”
& “Goodbye To Love” alongside “Lucy Jordan”
or “God Only Knows” next to “Shine Son” and you’ll
see what I mean.
Dennis Locorriere belongs with the last, great, undimmed American
heroes, still burning bright, still flying true. In the world where
we can listen (without prejudice) to Tom Waits, Leonard Cohen, The
Neville Brothers and Willie Nelson, we need to make some room for
Dennis, his inclusion is way overdue.
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Additional dates added 08.05.08