Blind Dog at St. Dunstans
Encyclopedia
Canterbury Scene
rock
band Caravan
released Blind Dog at St. Dunstans' in 1976, their 7th studio album.
This album has a lighter feel than Caravan's previous releases, shifting toward shorter "poppier" songs. This is in part because Pye Hastings became the major force on the album, writing and singing on 8 out of 9 songs and also because Jan Schelhaas replaced Dave Sinclair on keyboards, moving away from lengthy organ-based instrumentals toward piano and synthesizer.
St Dunstan was Archbishop of Canterbury and patron saint of the blind, after whom a home for the blind was named.
The title comes from a Noel Coward
explanation to a child for why one dog had mounted another: one dog was blind and the other was pushing him to St. Dunstan's. At the end of the song Jack and Jill can be heard two speaking voices amongst dogs barking:
The album cover shows St. Dunstan’s Street leading to the old West Gate in Canterbury. Members of Caravan used to frequent the pubs near the St Dunstan area. The cover notes gives special thanks to Noel Coward.
Here Am I - lead guitar - P Hastings
Chiefs and Indians - lead guitar - Richardson
Bobbing Wide - flutes - Richardson
Come On Back - lead guitar & flute - Richardson; tenor sax and clarinet - J Hastings
Oik (reprise) - lead guitar & flute - Richardson; tenor sax and clarinet - J Hastings
Jack and Jill - lead guitar - P Hastings
All the Way (with John Wayne's single-handed liberation of Paris) - flute, alto sax - J Hastings
(later renamed Here Am I) is a live album featuring all the Blind Dog at St. Dunstans' songs, except for Jack and Jill, recorded at a concert of 4 May 1976.
The next day, 5 May, Caravan played on the John Peel
show for BBC radio
, recordings of this show appear on the 1998 release Ether Way: BBC Sessions, 1975-1977, these are : All The Way, A Very Smelly Grubby Little Oik / Bobbing Wide / Come On Back / Grubby Oik Reprise.
Canterbury Scene
The Canterbury scene is a term used to loosely describe the group of progressive rock, avant-garde and jazz musicians, many of whom were based around the city of Canterbury, Kent, England during the late 1960s and early 1970s...
rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band Caravan
Caravan (band)
Caravan are an English band from the Canterbury area, founded by former Wilde Flowers members David Sinclair, Richard Sinclair, Pye Hastings and Richard Coughlan. Caravan rose to success over a period of several years from 1968 onwards into the 1970s as part of the Canterbury scene, blending...
released Blind Dog at St. Dunstans' in 1976, their 7th studio album.
This album has a lighter feel than Caravan's previous releases, shifting toward shorter "poppier" songs. This is in part because Pye Hastings became the major force on the album, writing and singing on 8 out of 9 songs and also because Jan Schelhaas replaced Dave Sinclair on keyboards, moving away from lengthy organ-based instrumentals toward piano and synthesizer.
Album Cover and Title
The cover art and title bring together several elements relating to Canterbury.St Dunstan was Archbishop of Canterbury and patron saint of the blind, after whom a home for the blind was named.
The title comes from a Noel Coward
Noël Coward
Sir Noël Peirce Coward was an English playwright, composer, director, actor and singer, known for his wit, flamboyance, and what Time magazine called "a sense of personal style, a combination of cheek and chic, pose and poise".Born in Teddington, a suburb of London, Coward attended a dance academy...
explanation to a child for why one dog had mounted another: one dog was blind and the other was pushing him to St. Dunstan's. At the end of the song Jack and Jill can be heard two speaking voices amongst dogs barking:
First voice: "What are those two doggies doing over there?"
Second voice "Well, the doggie in front is blind and his friend behind is pushing him all the way to St Dunstan's"
The album cover shows St. Dunstan’s Street leading to the old West Gate in Canterbury. Members of Caravan used to frequent the pubs near the St Dunstan area. The cover notes gives special thanks to Noel Coward.
Reception
The new-style sound brought varying reviews. It contains ‘’excellent sophisticated pop music’’ according to Calx - The Canterbury Web Site' and it was rated 3.4 out of 5 by the public in the Prog Archives. However, [ Allmusic.com] described it as "'A major turn for the worse'" and the album was detrimental to Caravan's career.Side one
Side two
Band members
- Pye HastingsPye HastingsJulian Frederick Gordon 'Pye' Hastings is a British musician. He is the guitarist, vocalist and leader of the Canterbury scene band Caravan and brother of Jimmy Hastings.-References:...
– electric and acoustic guitar, vocals - Richard CoughlanRichard CoughlanRichard Coughlan is an English musician, best known as the drummer and percussionist of the Canterbury scene progressive rock band Caravan. He was one of the founding members of Caravan in 1968 and has remained with the band for its over 35-year existence...
– drum kit, drums - Jan SchelhaasJan SchelhaasJan Russell Schelhaas is an English musician, mostly known as the keyboard player from the bands Caravan and Camel....
– keyboards - Mike WedgwoodMike WedgwoodMike Wedgwood is an English bassist and singer. He is related to the Wedgwood family of pottery fame.Wedgwood joined The Overlanders in 1968 following their biggest hit, a cover of The Beatles song, "Michelle", and remained with them until 1971.Following a stint with Arthur's Mother from 1971–72,...
– bass guitar, congas, vocals - Geoffery Richardson – viola, electric guitar, Western concert flute, flute, night-shift whistle
Other personnel
- Jimmy HastingsJimmy HastingsJames Brian Gordon 'Jimmy' Hastings , is a British professional musician associated with the Canterbury scene....
– flute, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, clarinet - David Hitchcock – producer
- Chanter SistersChanter SistersThe Chanter Sisters, Irene and Doreen Chanter, are a duo of backup singers. They began recording with a family group called the Chanters which also included several of their brothers....
- backing vocalist, backing vocals
Credits
Lead vocals on all songs by Pye Hastings, except track 2, by Mike Wedgwood.Here Am I - lead guitar - P Hastings
Chiefs and Indians - lead guitar - Richardson
Bobbing Wide - flutes - Richardson
Come On Back - lead guitar & flute - Richardson; tenor sax and clarinet - J Hastings
Oik (reprise) - lead guitar & flute - Richardson; tenor sax and clarinet - J Hastings
Jack and Jill - lead guitar - P Hastings
All the Way (with John Wayne's single-handed liberation of Paris) - flute, alto sax - J Hastings
Live recordings
Surprise SuppliesSurprise Supplies
In 1976, Caravan played concerts to support the release of their latest album Blind Dog at St. Dunstan’s, a recording of the show at the New Victoria Theatre in London on 4 May 1976 was released as Surprise Supplies featuring songs from Blind Dog at St...
(later renamed Here Am I) is a live album featuring all the Blind Dog at St. Dunstans' songs, except for Jack and Jill, recorded at a concert of 4 May 1976.
The next day, 5 May, Caravan played on the John Peel
John Peel
John Robert Parker Ravenscroft, OBE , known professionally as John Peel, was an English disc jockey, radio presenter, record producer and journalist. He was the longest-serving of the original BBC Radio 1 DJs, broadcasting regularly from 1967 until his death in 2004...
show for BBC radio
BBC Radio
BBC Radio is a service of the British Broadcasting Corporation which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a Royal Charter since 1927. For a history of BBC radio prior to 1927 see British Broadcasting Company...
, recordings of this show appear on the 1998 release Ether Way: BBC Sessions, 1975-1977, these are : All The Way, A Very Smelly Grubby Little Oik / Bobbing Wide / Come On Back / Grubby Oik Reprise.