(scan courtesy of Alex Gitlin)
Bands/Discography:
James Dewar is a great bassist and singer. First time I heard him in a Robin Trower album, I fell in love with his voice. He was born on October 12, 1946, in Scotland.
Lulu was a Scottish pop star in the 60s. She even had her own TV show. Her records were recorded with sessionmen (Jimmy Page, for example), but she also assembled a live band in 1963, The Gleneagles.
In 1964, they changed their name to Lulu & The Luvvers. It's also difficult to know if they really appear on Lulu albums. In 1966, the band stopped their collaboration with Lulu.Lulu (vocals)
Ross Nelson (guitar)
Jim Dewar (guitar)
Tony Tierney (bass)
Alec Bell (keyboards)
Jimmy Smith (sax)
David Miller (drums)
After they left backing Lulu, they recorded their own single, 'The house on the mill / Most unlovely' (1966, Parlophone), with this lineup:
Rumour has it about having recorded a private album under the pseudonym Three's Company. Help here, please!Ross Nelson (guitar)
Jim Dewar (guitar)
Tony Tierney (bass)
Alec Bell (keyboards)
Jimmy Smith (sax)
David Miller (drums)
This was 1967. Jim Dewar teams with another superb vocalist, the great Frankie Miller:
After a short period, Frankie Miller left, so Dewar and McGinnis start searching for another good singer. And they found a great one, Maggie Bell! They changed their name to Power.Frankie Miller (vocals)
Jim Dewar (bass, vocals)
John McGinnis (keyboards)
Bill Patrick (sax)
+ others unknown to me. Help!
This is 1968:
They were the houseband at the Burns Howff bar. The band was discovered by Peter Grant (Led Zeppelin's manager), who changed their name to Stone the Crows, as well as adding a 5th member, fine drummer Colin Allen.Maggie Bell (vocals)
Les Harvey (guitar)
Jim Dewar (bass, vocals)
John McGinnis (keyboards)
They release a couple of albums, Stone the crows and Ode to John Law, before Jim (and John) leaving the band in February 1971, being substituted by Ronnie Leahy and Steve Thompson.Maggie Bell (vocals)
Les Harvey (guitar)
Jim Dewar (bass, vocals)
John McGuinnis (keyboards)
Colin Allen (drums)
(scan courtesy of Alex Gitlin)
Recently, two live CDs with live tracks from BBC
archives have appeared. One of them, BBC Radio 1 Live in concert,
features some tracks with Les Harvey and Jimmy (other songs feature the
latest lineup, with Jimmy McCulloch).
A super band! Robin Trower had just left Procol Harum, Clive Bunker came from Jethro Tull, and an explosive lineup joined here, in July 1971:
But they split a few months later, in April 1972, before even making any recording (although they did several shows). I've always wondered why it didn't work! But Robin and Jim decide working together in a new project.Frankie Miller (vocals)
Robin Trower (guitar)
Jim Dewar (bass)
Clive Bunker (drums)
This time the name was clear about who was the leader. This was September 1972.
Being a trio, Jim started to perform lead vocals. He's so great!Robin Trower (guitar)
Jim Dewar (bass, vocals)
Reg Isidore (drums)
Their first album, Twice removed from yesterday, has a great success. Trower's distinctive playing followed Jimi Hendrix's spirit, and Dewar's voice fitted perfectly in this context. I love their albums! Produced by a Trower former bandmate in Procol Harum, the great Matthew Fisher.
Their second album was called Bridge of sighs, and it's also fantastic. Again, produced by Matthew Fisher.
But soon later, in 1974, Reg Isidore leaves the trio, and here comes a great replacement, Bill Lordan.
This is my favourite lineup by them. Next album is For Earth below. Followed by a very good album, aptly called Live. Recorded live in Stockholm, Sweden in February 3rd, 1975, it has a fine selection of tracks, showing their power on stage.Robin Trower (guitar)
Jim Dewar (bass, vocals)
Bill Lordan (drums)
Long misty days is the next album, with a fine rendition of Sutherland Brothers song, 'Sailing'. One of my favourite tracks is 'Caledonia', as well as 'Messin' the blues'.
Soon after, they get a fourth member. They tried to enforce Bill's vocal role, getting a bassist.
They release two more albums as a quartet, City dreams and Caravan to midnight. The latter one includes collaboration from famed percussionist Paulinho DaCosta.Robin Trower (guitar)
Jim Dewar (vocals)
Rustee Allen (bass)
Bill Lordan (drums)
But Allen leaves the band, and they stay as a trio again.
Their new album is Victims of the fury. This was the first Robin Trower album I bought. I was paralyzed when I first heard them, that Hendrix-like guitar, and that heavenly voice! Many favourites here; for example, 'Jack and Jill', 'Madhouse' or 'Roads to freedom'.Robin Trower (guitar)
Jim Dewar (bass, vocals)
Bill Lordan (drums)
But this long alliance breaks when Trower shows his intention of playing with Jack Bruce. Dewar leaves in 1980, thus Jack Bruce joining Trower and Lordan to form B.L.T.
Some live albums have been released along the years:
BBC Radio One live in concert was recorded live on January 29th, 1975 in London. Being recorded just one month before the official Live album, fortunately, it has many 5 different tracks. The starting track, 'Day of the eagle', is a monster! Jim sensual vocals in the ballad 'Bridge of sighs' have always been among my favourites.
King Biscuit Flower Hour presents In concert gives us the chance of listening live to the quartet lineup (that is, with Rustee Allen on bass, thus Jim concentrated on vocals). It was recorded live on October 18, 1977.
This was now '74 - '98 is a double
live CD featuring two different concerts. The one from 1974 features the
lineup with Trower, Dewar and Isadore.
I don't know what Jim did while Trower was with Jack Bruce. But in 1983, he's back again with Robin!
Together again!
They released a new album, Back it up. A couple of tracks were recorded with another drummer: just Robin, Jim, plus Alan Clarke (drums). But, unfortunately, their alliance broke here.Robin Trower (guitar)
Jim Dewar (vocals)
Dave Bronze (bass)
Bobby Clouter (drums)
I spent some years not knowing a word about Jim. I read he was going to set up his own James Dewar Band, but never found details about lineups or recordings. Does anybody know, please?
Years later, I read he had suffered a stroke in 1987. Something went wrong while surgery, and sadly, he was confined to a wheelchair, unable to perform again. A very sad thing. I only hope at least he was able to notice that there are many people who still love him and remember him, just as I do! This is my tribute to him.
Up to this line, all was written by me in 1999, and kept it unpublished, as I didn't have enough time to scan the covers of my vinyl albums (most of my Trower collection is still in vinyl). But today, I'm very sad to know that Jimmy Dewar passed away yesterday, May 16th 2002. He died peacefully in his sleep. God bless him and his family. I'm sure there have been very hard moments, the last 15 years, for all of them.
In 1998, a surprise arrives in the form of a Jim Dewar solo album. Called Stumbledown romancer, it was obviously recorded long before, during 1979-1980, and produced by Matthew Fisher, who also played keyboards. It features many of the musicians that backed Van Morrison in the 70s (Platania, Hayes, Allair, Shar, Van Hooke), plus his old mate Bill Lordan. This is the lineup for the album:
Jim Dewar (vocals, bass guitar)
+
John Platania (guitar)
Martin Jenner (guitar)
David Hayes (bass)
Mo Foster (bass)
Alan Jones (bass)
Paul Westwood (bass)
Matthew Fisher (keyboards)
John Allair (keyboards)
Andy McMasters (keyboards)
Bill Lordan (drums)
Dave Mattacks (drums)
Peter Van Hooke (drums)
Graham Jarvis (drums)
Dahaub Shaar (drums)
Press here to read about Jim Dewar sessions
Family tree
Coming soon (I hope so!).
Thanks section
Very special thanks to: .
Special thanks to: Danny Peyronel, for sharing with me his memories of Jim.
Thanks to: Alex Gitlin, for sharing the love for Jim, as well as giving me the bad news at once.
If you can contribute (with additions, corrections, opinions, etc.), please, send me an e-mail message at mterol@myrealbox.com
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