RUSS CONWAY ‘ ‘Side Saddle’
(27th March 1959)
If you look at the top TV hits of the late 50s the lists seem to be dominated by cowboy shows. I could try on some spiel about the stark contrast between good and evil in these shows reflecting the political situation of the time, but probably the plenitude of westerns was down to cheap costumes and reusable sets. Russ Conway meanwhile was an ex-Navy man and pub pianist who became a favourite of the Queen Mum, but the mood and title of ‘Side Saddle’ makes me think of cowboys. It’s two jaunty, inconsequential minutes of piano pop, partway between Wild West saloon and East End joanna, as 2-D and appealing as a TV western set. After the startling pop advances of the previous year it sounds particularly time-lost, but also rather innocent. 4
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FT's bramble on September 7th, 2006
One of the remarkable things about Russ Conways skills in tickling the ivories was that he had chopped off part of a finger in a bacon slicer in the Merchant Navy. Several years later he chopped off part of another in a car door. Both accidentally.
Waldo on February 21st, 2007
Even more remarkably, Russ was once playing as an end of the pier act in Llandudno when all of a sudden his head fell off.
Billy Smart on August 20th, 2007
The production of this is so primitive that it adds a further layer of interest to the tune. There’s a constant repetition of reverberation that makes it sound as though a phone is ringing in the studio.
Marcello Carlin on August 20th, 2007
There was a ‘phone ringing in the studio - it was Joe Meek yelling at Norrie Paramor to stop nicking his Winifred Atwell production tricks!