David West-Mullen has written into the BMA about the band Money:
Money were a Birmingham based rock band formed in 1977 from members of former local bands Gypsy Rose and Walrus Gumboot. They signed a publishing deal with Judas Priest’s old label Gull Records and released their debut album First Investment, produced by Chris Tsangerides (Black Sabbath, Gary Moore, Tygers of Pang Tang) in 1979.
Despite heavy gigging, Radio One Rock Show sessions and airing of their only single (Aren;t we all searching?) and good rock press reviews the album failed in the UK but on release in Japan, notched up sales of over 23,000 copies. Due to lack of Rec Co financial support the band left Gull and released an EP (Money) in 1980.
Line-up changes and lost opportunities resulted in the band splitting just as a big London Management co were showing interest. The band members went on to form various bands and music activities. In 2007 the album was picked by On-line co Rock Candy Records mastered to CD and presented with a 16 page booklet containing the history of the band. This is currently still available on-line through Rock Candy http://www.rockcandyrecords.co.uk/store.
Rock Critic Paul Suter states “…their lack of commercial success has failed to dim the bands brief but bright appearance on record with ‘First Investment’ consistently hailed as a hidden British hard rock classic. Truly, one of the era’s most highly regarded obscurities.”
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Money were one of the best live bands at that time. I was in a band called Cerberus at the time and we supported them many times in fact they became very good friends, Larry even mixed and produced our first studio recording. Stunning 1st album which I have on vinyl but must get it on cd.brilliant musicians, great memories.
Hello Robert
I am Larry Phillips and I played in the birmingham band ‘Money’
John Birch made this guitar for me in the mid to late seventies.
The John Birch was used on all of the tracks of our First Investment album, it was also used on the Tommy Vance sessions.
In the early eighties the band hit really hard times, mainly because we didn’t get the backing, I truly believe we deserved, and also because we made some pretty disastrous career decisions; however, that is a very long story!!!
During this period, I had to start selling items just to survive, I had two basses, the John Birch and a very old Fender Precision, at that time I had started to use the Fender exclusively for live gigs.
Therefore, I decided to part with the John Birch, I realy loved this guitar, and I should have never sold it, it was certainly not one of my best decisions!
May I say, that if you should ever decide to part with it, please let me know.
I would dearly love to be reunited with that bass, it is a very important part of my musical history.
Cheers
Larry
Back in 1987 I bought a worn out John Birch rickenbacker style bass, it was in a bad way. One pickup wasn’t working, someone had prised it apart to try and fix, the neck had been worn through to the truss rod between 3rd and 5th fret, the body had chunks missing from the edge and final insult it had been sprayed matt black. Having said that it was a treat to play. On it is an engraved plate saying custom built for Larry Phillips. I fixed it up well enough to play. Lent it my nephew to learn on. About 7 years ago I got the bass back off my nephew, had to swap him an Ibanez bass to get mine back!!! Did some internet research and found the band this thread is about. I assume the same Larry Phillips from the band who commissioned the bass. Went to visit John Carling in Nottingham who worked with John Birch, who sadly no longer with us. John and his team refinished the bass to better than new and it now looks amazing. If only the band had become megastars I guess I would be sitting on my pension right now. Whatever it’s worth, it’s lovely to have a piece of living history. If any one is interested, I can post some pictures. Likewise if any readers have photos from the time I would love to see them. On the first investment album the pictures show Larry holding a Fender bass. Maybe the John Birch had left his ownership by this time!
Hello Robert
I am Larry Phillips and I played in the birmingham band ‘Money’
John Birch made this guitar for me in the mid to late seventies.
The John Birch was used on all of the tracks of our First Investment album, it was also used on the Tommy Vance sessions.
In the early eighties the band hit really hard times, mainly because we didn’t get the backing, I truly believe we deserved, and also because we made some pretty disastrous career decisions; however, that is a very long story!!!
During this period, I had to start selling items just to survive, I had two basses, the John Birch and a very old Fender Precision, at that time I had started to use the Fender exclusively for live gigs.
Therefore, I decided to part with the John Birch, I realy loved this guitar, and I should have never sold it, it was certainly not one of my best decisions!
May I say, that if you should ever decide to part with it, please let me know.
I would dearly love to be reunited with that bass, it is a very important part of my musical history.
Cheers
Larry