Tag Archives: Andrew Loog Oldham

Andrew Loog Oldham Kind Of Remembers His Westport Days

Posted on August 13, 2014 | 3 comments

An “06880”  post following the recent death of Johnny Winter drew a flood of comments about his time in Westport. Yet he — and REO Speedwagon — were hardly the only rockers in town during the late 1960s and early ’70s.

Andrew Loog Oldham — manager/producer of the Rolling Stones, co-founder of Immediate Records (Rod Stewart, Nico, Humble Pie) and producer of recordings by Donovan, Jimmy Cliff and Marianne Faithfull — bought a house in Wilton in 1969. But he spent a great deal of time in Westport. 

Andrew Loog Oldham (left) and Mick Jagger.

Andrew Loog Oldham (left) and Mick Jagger.

Here’s what he remembers — sort of — according to the website Music Museum of New England:

A few months ago I saw Ronnie Spector singing to support Haiti at the Westport Country Playhouse. But things were not always good between myself and New England.

When I settled into Wilton (in 1969) my friend Noel Harrison came to stay. He was hot with “the girl from UNCLE,” and was doing summer stock at the Westport Playhouse.

Westport was a wasted hoot and Vietnam horror show. All of the rich kids were 4F and more wasted than Keith Richards. Joe Cocker stopped by and mused, “so this is what is between New York and Boston.”

Westport looked pretty, and had Sally and her great record store at the back of Klein’s on the main drag, but for all its Stepford Wife properness the Westport train station was a nightly procession of lost and drunk Jack Lemmons pouring themselves back into station wagonerama, as drunk as their kids were stoned.

Back in Andrew Loog Oldham's day, the area behind the old library -- at the corner of Post Road and Main Street, across from the YMCA -- was called "Needle Park." It was a popular teenage hangout.

Back in Andrew Loog Oldham’s day, the area behind the old library — at the corner of Post Road and Main Street, across from the YMCA — was called “Needle Park.” It was a popular teenage hangout.

America was at the crossroads — Vietnam had done the Robert Johnson on the lot of you, and a sorry state was your lovely nation for that while.

I saw Bridgeport jail a few times, driving under the influence of you name it. I blacked out more than once on the Merritt Parkway, coming to just in time for Exit 40….

On more than one occasion I saw Mr. and Mrs. Paul Newman driving around Westport. I had a wonderful time. I cannot think of any place I’d rather have been the first time I heard Harry Chapin’s “WOLD.”

Eventually I got much, much better and as New England keeps on doing that, we are all doing well.

 

 

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Posted in Entertainment, Looking back, People, Westport Country Playhouse

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Repairs’ Reprieve

Posted on January 24, 2010 | 8 comments

Generations of Westporters know Jim Honeycutt as a teacher — 1st of social studies, then computer education, now running Staples’ Media Lab audio and TV production classes.

Occasionally he alludes to his old rock ‘n’ roll days.  Now — in cyberspace, which he and his students are so wired into — there’s proof.

Honeycutt has created a podcast about Repairs, his folk/rock/country band of the late 1960’s and early ’70s.  He did it to demo an assignment he gave his Audio Production class:  Make a podcast about your favorite album.

Honeycutt’s podcast (click here to listen) offers a fascinating insight into the music industry, back in the day.  Repairs formed at Fairfield University, where Honeycutt and Peter McCann met through a freshman week orientation talent show.  Gradually, other talented musicians — including Honeycutt’s soon-to-be 1st wife, a Manhattanville College student — joined the group.

Their mostly original music featured tight harmonies.  It was wide-ranging, eclectic, sometimes even psychedelic.  Think a combination of Buffalo Springfield, Loggins and Messina, the Pozo Seco Singers, Jefferson Airplane and the Association (if you can).

Repairs was “discovered” in 1971, on Westport’s Jesup Green.  They were playing there — the podcast does not explain why — and in the audience was Andrew Loog Oldham.  The podcast doesn’t say why the producer of the Rolling Stones was at Jesup Green either, but he liked what he heard.  He signed Repairs to a contract with Rare Earth Records — a subsidiary of Motown — and in 1971 the label released the group’s 1st album, “Already a Household Word.”

The cover of Repairs' 1st album. Jim Honeycutt is at far left, wearing sandals.

It was not a huge commercial success, Honeycutt says in the podcast.  It did well in Westport, however — for a few weeks outselling the Beatles at Klein’s Department Store — and in parts of  Europe too.

Two more Repairs albums followed.  Neither achieved much acclaim, and eventually the band broke up.

Nearly 4 decades later, Repairs has found new life — in Staples’ Media Lab, on iTunes and throughout cyberspace.

They may yet become “a household word.”

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Posted in Entertainment, Looking back, People, Staples HS, technology

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