Here Come The Nice

By John Hellier and Paul Weller

The Small Faces – Steve Marriott, Ronnie Lane, Ian McLagan and Kenney Jones were the epitome of cool. As well as being the sharpest looking band ever they were also brilliant both live on stage and in the studio. You would be hard pressed anywhere to find a band that displayed as much energy and passion as they did. There was also a generous camaraderie that flourished amongst themselves. Sadly, though they were also the most ripped off and under-appreciated (at that time) of all great English bands of the era, yet despite that they undeniably helped to shape and influence pop music's most important decade: The sixties.

 

In addition to the music and lyrics, this third edition includes a mini biographical of the band, interviews with fan club secretary Pauline Corcoran, Small Faces band members themselves plus; a Ronnie Wood foreword, a UK discography, a trivia section, a fans eye view and previously unpublished photographs

• Language: English
• Publisher: kaleidoscope
• Release date: Oct 28, 2020
• ISBN: 9781393090908

John Hellier

PUBLICATIONS: Original 60s mod around town, John was born in Romford, Essex and spent my formative years playing drums in various bands in and around East London but it was with Johns writing that he found his niche not only as editor of the worldwide respected Small Faces (and related) magazine Darlings Of Wapping Wharf Launderette, which goes out worldwide to 5000 readers, but also as a free-lance writer with major music monthlies such as Mojo, Uncut, Loaded and Record Collector. His work also appear on numerous CDs/DVDs for all the major record companies. The first Small Faces book was back in 1996 and was a collaboration with Terry Rawlings and Keith Badman called “Quite Naturally” but his biggest triumph in this field is the Steve Marriott biography “All Too Beautiful” co-written with Paolo Hewitt and published in 2004 by Helter Skelter books. A labour of love, 77 interviews and three years graft but something hes very proud of. A third edition of this highly acclaimed book will be available later this year. A third book co-written with friend Paul Weller entitled “Here Come The Nice” was published in late 2005 and spent many months in the Music book best sellers. Two more books recently released are the Ronnie Lane biography as well as a biography about original Who manager Pete Meadon. PROMOTIONS: On the Promotions side his biggest venture to date was the very successful, sell-out Ronnie Lane Memorial Concert at the prestigious Royal Albert Hall in London in April 2004. He promoted and compered the show in front of 5500 fans. The show, entitled “One For The Road” featured many of Rock and Rolls premier league and included amongst others Pete Townshend, Ronnie Wood, Paul Weller and Ocean Colour Scene. Other promotions include a sell-out show in 2001 at the London Astoria in memory of Steve Marriott, ex Small Face, who had died in a house fire some ten years earlier (to the day). This concert once again featured Rock’s finest including Noel Gallagher, Paul Weller, Peter Frampton, Small Faces Kenney and Mac, Midge Ure and many, many more.

Book preview

HERE COME THE NICE......

A SMALL FACES SONGBOOK........AND MORE!

EDITED BY

PAUL WELLER AND JOHN HELLIER

WORDS & MUSIC BY

STEVE MARRIOTT AND RONNIE LANE

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The Small Faces were one of the few 60s bands that kept in touch with the ever changing times through their music. By the time they split up in early 1969, after 11 hit singles and a number 1 album, the average age of the guys was just 22 years! In less than 4 years they’d encompassed R&B, psychedelia, blues, rock, soul, pop and even music-hall yet without ever falling into the trap of pretentiousness that afflicted so many of their contemporaries. Their best records still provide a breath of fresh air and sum up the musical adventurousness and confidence that made the 1960s such an exciting era in pop history.

3RD EDITION

KALEIDOSCOPE PUBLISHING: PUBLISHED 2020

TEXT COPYRIGHT: KALEIDOSCOPE PUBLISHING & JOHN HELLIER

ISBN: 978-0-99565-334-4

CONTENTS ..........

Introduction by Paul Weller.....       

Foreword by Ronnie Wood.....

Small Faces, Big Hearts: 1965-1969 by John Hellier.....

An interview with Small Faces fan club secretary Pauline Corcoran

by John Hellier.....

Paul Weller interview by John Hellier.....

We Are The Mods: John Hellier speaks with Steve, Mac and Kenney.....

John Hellier talks Small Faces by John Kearney.....

From The Beginning: John Hellier speaks with Jimmy Winston.....

A Fans Eye View: Margaret Bennett.....

Small Faces: Trivia, Trivia, Trivia by John Hellier.....

Fifteen Big Ones by John Hellier and Paul Weller.....

The Songs; words and music by Steve Marriott/Ronnie Lane

01  Afterglow – EMI United Partnership/Warner Chappell

02  All or Nothing – Aquarius Music

03  Become Like You – EMI United Partnership/Warner Chappell

04  Donkey Rides A Penny A Glass – EMI United/Warner Chapell

05  Get Yourself Together - EMI United Partnership/Warner Chappell

06  Here Come The Nice - EMI United Partnership/Warner Chappell

07  I Feel Much Better - EMI United Partnership/Warner Chappell

08  (If you think you’re) Groovy - EMI United Partnership/Warner Chappell

09  I’m Only Dreaming - EMI United Partnership/Warner Chappell

10  I’ve Got Mine – Dick James/Universal

11  Itchycoo Park - EMI United Partnership/Warner Chappell

12  Song Of A Baker - EMI United Partnership/Warner Chappell

13  Talk To You - EMI United Partnership/Warner Chappell

14  The Autumn Stone - EMI United Partnership/Warner Chappell

15  Tin Soldier - EMI United Partnership/Warner Chappell

Plus a Small Faces Discography 1965-1969 (UK releases).....

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A FOREWORD by

RONNIE WOOD

My first wife, Krissie, introduced me to Steve and Ronnie when she worked in Don Arden’s office as a receptionist.  The Small Faces were having problems with Don and my band, The Birds, were having similar management problems with Robert Stigwood so I could relate to what was going on but our problems were not in the same league as theirs, thank goodness. Steve was a really good mate and it was at his gaff that I first met Ronnie Lane. He was always smiling and I nicknamed him Smilin’ Head.

A bit later on when I was playing with Jeff Beck we got to tour with the Small Faces; bad move! Those little urchins sabotaged our amplification; they just pulled the plug out of the wall while we were mid-set, BASTARDS! We only knew it was them because they were in the wings in hysterics.

I think the Small Faces were seen in some quarters as a poor man’s Who. They were somewhere between a teenybop band and a progressive outfit, they were always one of this country’s finest bands though. I’ve always dug the Ogden’s Nut Gone Flake album, that really was a masterpiece. Myself and Rod played that record to death, absolutely loved it. It was ahead of its time and really should have been scored on the same level as Tommy. When Steve left the band in the lurch we all thought he was mad, why on earth would you want to split that band? I was such a big fan it left me feeling gutted. Steve’s declaration in the music press that he wanted to play with better musicians was below the belt and left a very sour taste in the mouths of the other three. Steve’s loss was my gain though as myself and Rod filled his shoes and went on to have great success ourselves with the Faces but if I could go back in time I’d give all of that up to have seen my favourite all-time English band continue. They were unique!

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SMALL FACES, BIG HEARTS: 1965-1969

by John Hellier

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In the late summer of 1965 a single called ‘Whatcha Gonna Do About It’ came out by an unknown East London group called the Small Faces.  If you were a Mod you didn’t have to see them to know that they were Mods too. ‘Whatcha Gonna Do About It’ had all the brash pill-head swagger of cockney boys ‘Up West’ for a Saturday night out at the Flamingo or Scene Club.  The record marked the meteoric rise to the top for the East End of London’s own fab four.

The group consisted of ex-child actor Steve Marriott who had spent the last couple of years gigging up and down the motorways of this fine land of ours with Steve Marriott’s Moments and before that the Frantiks, playing his own brand of Soul, Rhythm & Blues and good old fashioned American style Rock ‘n’ Roll.  It was mainly cover versions of his favourite American artistes such as Ray Charles, James Brown, Eddie Cochran, Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry and, of course, Booker T and the MG’s.  He was also sharing the bill and learning from our own homegrown Blues and R&B legends such as the Animals, Alexis Korner, Graham Bond, Georgie Fame and Zoot Money.

Then there was Ronnie Plonk Lane and Kenny (spelt in those days without the second E!) Jones who had been playing together in a group called The Outcasts.  Steve had jammed with them at a pub gig in Bermondsey, South London and got them the sack from their residency after doing his