Way & Bar

Way & Bar
Studio album by John Otway & Wild Willy Barrett
Released August 1980 (1980-08)
Recorded Early 1980, Barrett's Place
Genre Rock, Folk, Electronic
Length 30:35
Label Polydor
Producer Wild Willy Barrett
John Otway chronology
Where Did I Go Right?
(1979) Where Did I Go Right?1979		 Way & Bar
(1980) Way & Bar1980		 All Balls & No Willy
(1982) All Balls & No Willy1982
Wild Willy Barrett chronology
Call of the Wild
(1979) Call of the Wild1979		 Way & Bar
(1980) Way & Bar1980		 Krazy Kong Album
(1980) Krazy Kong Album1980
Singles from Way & Bar
  1. "Birthday Boy / What A Woman"
    Released: 15 April 1980
  2. "D.K. 50 80 / It's A Long Long Time Since I Heard Homestead On The Farm / Homestead On The Farm"
    Released: June 1980
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[1]
Smash Hits7/10[2]

Way & Bar is the 1980 album by John Otway & Wild Willy Barrett. Their last on Polydor, it also proved to be the 2nd split of the duo lasting until The Wimp and The Wild. The name Way & Bar is derived from the billboard on the back of the DK 50/80 single being cropped for the front cover. In this case, the words 'Otway & Barrett' wrap around the sleeve and the rest of the text appears on the back cover.

History

As with Barrett's solo album Call of the Wild and single "A Shot of Red Eye", the album was recorded at Barrett's Place; a farm at Gawcott, just off Aylesbury.

The intro of DK 50/80 is a sample of two girls from a band called Sausage singing "K.D. 80/50 / You’re so nifty / K.D. 80/50 / You’re so nifty / Tie her up / Tie her down / Turn her over / Turn her ‘round." reversed.[3] Sausage was headed by Ken Liversausage, a collaborator of Barrett's; both of them appeared on the Aylesbury Goes Flaccid compilation. "DK 50/80" was created in the studio in such a way that it cannot be performed live easily. Otway sang in to a microphone wired up to a delay unit synced up to the bass-drum synth, thus when he sang "Did you...", the unit would output that line directly after. However, during the 'Tent Tour' Barrett would sing the lyrics backwards.

Way & Hal demos

During April 1979 Otway and guitarist Ollie Halsall (guitar, bass, drums and vocals) recorded some of the songs featured on the album. Halsall's original version of "Traveling Show" was released on his posthumous album Caves. Halsall also played guitar on Otway's previous solo album Where Did I Go Right? and was a collaborator with its producer, Neil Innes, in The Rutles.

Songs recorded:

  • Cry Cry
  • Body Talk
  • The Man Who Shot Liberty Valence
  • When Love's In Bloom
  • Day After Day / 21 Days
  • Traveling Show
  • Natasha

The Tent Tour

Otway & Barrett's record buying public was considerably smaller than the crowds at their gigs so Polydor came up with a marketing strategy tailored to the tour. To attend any of the dates the punter would have to purchase the DK 50/80 single, thus increasing record sales and spreading awareness of the tour. The lack of paid entrance meant that Otway & Barrett got no money from the Tour and thus had to camp around the country when the idea of a large caravan was scuppered by Otway's manager Maurice Bacon.

June

  • 23 Albery’s Wine Bar, CANTERBURY
  • 24 Trinity Hall Community Center, BRISTOL
  • 25 Chapter Ans Center, CARDIFF
  • 26 Crown & Anchor Hotel, Stonehouse, GLOUCESTER
  • 27 Gryphon, Shipley, SOUTHAMPTON
  • 28 Rolley’s Wine Bar, TUNBRIDGE WELLS
  • 29 Oranges & Lemons, OXFORD
  • 30 Nags Head Hotel, Wollaston, NORTHANTS.

July

  • 1 Great Northern Hotel, CAMBRIDGE
  • 2 Cinderella's Night Club, IPSWICH
  • 3 White's, NORWICH
  • 4 Fosseway Hotel, LEICESTER
  • 5 The Millstone, Thomas Street, MANCHESTER 4
  • 7 Golden Eagle, BIRMINGHAM
The logo of the tour
  • 8 General Wolfe, COVENTRY
  • 9 Grey Goose, Gedling, NOTTS.
  • 10 Rose & Crown, HANLEY
  • 11 Penguin, SHEFFIELD
  • 12 Royal Park Hotel, LEEDS
  • 13 Norbreck Castle Hotel, BLACKPOOL
  • 15 Lincoln's Inn, Rainford Square, LIVERPOOL
  • 16 Cooperage, Quayside, NEWCASTLE—UPON-TYNE
  • 17 Barge Inn, Skellgate, YORK
John Otway (center), Willy Barrett (left) and Mark Freeman (right) midgig on the penultimate night of the tour
  • 18 Tabeo Rock Club, SCARBOROUGH
  • 19 Castle Inn, DURHAM
  • 21 Oughton’s, DUMFRIES
  • 22 Bungalow Bar, Paisley, GLASGOW
  • 23 Eric Brown's, EDINBURGH
  • 24 Wellington Club, HULL

The musicians on the tour are as follows:

  • John Otway: Vox, Guitar
  • Wild Willy Barrett: Vox, Guitar, Violin
  • Mark Freeman: Drums
  • Alan Offer: Bass

Track list

All tracks written by John Otway except where indicated.

Side 1
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Birthday Boy"Otway, Barrett 
2."DK 50/80"Otway, Barrett 
3."Cry, Cry"Otway, Ollie Halsall 
4."21 Days"Otway, Halsall 
5."Medieval Dance"  
Side 2
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Body Talk"Otway, Halsall 
2."Baby's In the Club"  
3."The Man Who Shot Liberty Valence"Burt Bacharach, Hal David 
4."When Love's In Bloom"Otway, Halsall 
5."Day After Day"Otway, Halsall 
6."Come Back Darling"  

Personnel

  • John Otway: Vocals, Guitar
  • Wild Willy Barrett: Guitar, Violin
  • Mark Freeman: Drums
  • Nigel Pegrum: Drums
  • Maurice Bacon: Drums
  • Roger Carey: Bass
  • Lol Coxhill: Saxophone
  • Paul Ward: Bass

References

  1. ↑ Thompson, Dave. John Otway & Wild Willy Barrett: Way & Bar > Review at AllMusic. Retrieved 29 February 2012.
  2. ↑ Cranna, Ian. "Albums". Smash Hits (7–20 August 1980): 28.
  3. ↑ Francos, Robert Barry (2010-08-18). "FFanzeen: Rock'n'Roll Attitude With Integrity: John Otway interview: 'Attaway Otway!". Ffanzeen.blogspot.com. Retrieved 2014-06-28.
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