DEKE LEONARDDEKE LEONARD
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Liner Notes
by John ToblerMan's history is somewhat confusing, to say the least, and the only ever-present memeber of the group is guitarist Micky Jones, but a close second in terms of his consistent appearances on the group's numerous original albums (now numbering 18, according to the fanzine devoted to the group, it's offshoots, and other Welsh rockers, 'The Welsh Connection'), comes Roger 'Deke' Leonard, who apparently took his adopted name from that of Deke Rivers, the character played by Elvis Presley in the 1957 feature film, 'Loving You', widely regarded as one of the three best movies ever made by 'The King'. Deke Leonard's fame has yet to equal that of one of his early heroes, and his career has taken a very different direction - but he's still here. . .
Deke played on the first five Man LP's, after which he was offered the chance by Andrew Lauder, the golden-eared young A&R man at Liberty/United Artists, to make a solo album. As he recalled in 1994, "It was a lot of fun. I really enjoyed every minute of it. It was the first time I'd been in a studio where I could do what I liked without having to consult anybody" (although he actually did consult others by choice, rather than because he was obliged to). "Whenever you're in a band, if you see something one way it's inevitable everybody sees it slightly differently - when it's your own record you can do what the hell you like".
'Iceberg' was not a self-indulgent and quickly forgotten ego-trip by an anonymous member of a group, but resulted from an internal reshuffle within the Man band - bass player Martin Ace, arguably Deke's greatest ally, had already announced that he was leaving to pursue a group with his wife, The Flying Aces, and Micky Jones and drummer Terry Williams decided that rather than continue with a line-up of two guitars bass and drums, which they felt had progressed as far as it could at that time (despite achieving great popularity as a live attraction), that a new approach was appropriate. Their plan involved the recruitment of a keyboard player to share the role of lead instrumentalist with Jones. Deke had always been an independent-minded musician, who was prone to pursuing directions other than those for which Man had become celebrated, and this combination of circumstances - Ace leaving, the majority vote favoring a keyboard player, and the intimation from Lauder that a solo LP was a distinct possibility - made his departure from Man less damaging than if he had simply be fired in a power struggle.
This is no place for a track-by-track description of 'Iceberg' but of few items of note should not go amiss: 'A Hard Way To Live' was co-produced by Dave Edmunds, who was reputedly going to record the song himself, but ended up assisting Deke to record part of his own version, 'Crosby (Second Class Citizen Blues') is named after a dog, as Deke recalled: "Beautiful dog, a sort of cross between a black labrador and a lurcher. He was one of three puppies called Crosby, Stills and Nash which belonged to the Eichler family" (with whom Deke was living in London at the time). "Stills and Nash were given away as presents, so Crosby was the last one. Dave Charles" (one of several drummers used on the album) "and I took him down to the studio, because we thought he might like a run around the farm" (which was attached to the studio) "for a couple of days. When we got there, we thought 'Let's rig a mike up', because if you played with Crosby, he growled and it sounded like a savage beast".
Crosby was paid for his contributions with a carton (24 cans) of Pedigree Chum: "I insisted the record company provide him with the actually dog meat as opposed to 'Here's £20 -- buy it yourself', but then he disappeared -- he was last seen getting on a bus in Barnes". The other track which is both particularly well-loved and has an interesting history is '7171 551', which follows 'Crosby'. Deke was a great admirer of Michael Nesmith, the one time Monkee who in the early 1970s released a string of musically delightful but commercially unrewarding LPs, and the titular numerals were a homage to 'Papa Nes' ('7171' on a non-numerical telephone seemed to spell out th eowrd 'Papa'). At the celebrated Zigzag Fifth Anniversary Concert held at London's Roundhouse in April, 1974, Deke played on the same bill as Nesmith - Deke was at the time playing in Help Yourself, another group signed to Liberty/UA, who were in fact managed by the same John Eichler who owned Crosby, and Help Yourself took the stage immediately before the bill-toping country/rock celebrity.
'Iceberg' was launched with a media reception at the Imperial War Museum, almost certainly the first time this unlikely venue was used for such a purpose - the reason for its choice was that the LP sleeve showed Deke photographed posing as an antique aviator in front of an elderly aeroplane, and planes of a similar type and vintage were on display at the Imperial War Museum in London (a considerably more accessible venue for London rock hacks than the Shuttleworth collection at Biggleswade - how appropriate! - in Bedfordshire). Soon afterwards, a group was formed to promote the album and hopefully establish Deke Leonard's Iceberg as a performing band. The group comprised guitarist Brian Breeze, bass player Paul Burton (ex-Help Yourself), and Keith Hodge (drums) who had been a member of Suzi Quatro's band but left to join his old colleague Deke, with whom he had played in Lucifer & The Corncrackers some years before. However by the time sessions began for a second LP, Martin Ace had replaced Paul Burton, and much of the LP was recorded by that basic quartet (Deke, Breeze, Ace, Hodge), unlike the sessions for 'Iceberg' "where I just brought in drummers and bass players and I carried the bulk of it all. Brian and I fired off each other. I gave him quite a lot of stuff to do: that was the joy of playing with him. I enjoy 'Kamikaze' because there are a lot of guitar-playing memories - more blowing, less structured. it seems to be the least popular of my albums, but I'm rather fond of it". Whether or not it was the least popular Deke Leonard solo LP, it was his only album to reach the UK LP chart (albeit briefly).
A few notes about a few tracks: 'Broken Glass And Limejuice'/'Cool Summer Rain' was/were written by Deke with his then wife (Frances Leonard). "We were married at the time and at a bus stop talking about songwriting. I was saying how easy it is if you have that facility. You just let your mind free and sing any tune that comes into your head". When Mrs. L. was asked to do just that, she produced the four note refrain to 'Cool Summer Breeze', but it remains the only song written by this team. 'Louisiana Hoedown' was written by Tommy Riley, drummer with the Welsh rockabilly trio Memphis Bend, who had released their version shortly before. Both Riley and his Memphis Bend colleague, bass player Lincoln Carr, played on Deke's recording of the song, which was (according to Deke) written about going to a gig by Man. The final track, 'The Devil's Gloves', featured many of the line up who made up the next version of Man, whom Deke had rejoined by the time 'Kamikaze' was released, at which point Iceberg disbanded.
It would not be difficult to continue along ever more train-spotter-like lines, apart from the fact that the two songs, 'A Hard Way To Live' and '7171 551', both later became significant parts of Man's repertoire, but those who wish to know more about either 'Iceberg' or 'Kamikaze' (or both) are strongly recommended to investigate: 'The Welsh Connection', a superior fanzine titled after a Man LP of 1976 vintage. Containing much of interest about a number of Welsh rock performers, it concentrates on Man - the undersigned gratefully acknowledges the use of quotes from Deke first published in 'The Welsh Connection', PO Box 49 Borden, Hants GU35 0AF, England (SAE or IRC to that address for more info).
This package also rounds up some much sought-after Deke Leonard rarities: his first solo single. 'Diamond Road'/'Turning In Circles', was released in advance of the 'Iceberg' LP, but neither track was included on British copies of the latter, although 'Diamond Road' replaced 'I Just Can't Win' on the US version of the LP). The follow up single 'A Hard Way To Live', featured a non-album B side, 'The Aching Is So Sweet', while the fourth bonus track here, 'She's A Cow' was the flip side of 'Louisiana Hoedown', the track selected as a single from 'Kamikaze'.
Finally, the plane on the sleeve of 'Iceberg' is a Bristol Fighter, and Deke's original idea for the title of his second solo LP was to call it 'Bristol Fighter' and have him posing in front of an iceberg. For the reasons why it was called 'Kamikaze', you'll have to consult 'The Welsh Connection'. The credit to Kurt Vonnegut (a trendy American novelist in the early Seventies) for "dancing lessons" came because he had written a passage in one of his books which read: "always accept unusual travel arrangements, because they may be dancing lessons from God".
-- John Tobler, 1995
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