The former lead singer’s recent album is full of his favorite songs…
By Ian Woolley
Recently, Terry Rice-Milton released a new album called My World containing twelve classic songs written and composed by some of the best songwriters in the business. Released on the Olive Grove label, Terry tells us why he released it now.
“I hope they’ll recognise because they’ve been pretty strong throughout my teenage years. Great songs and very meaningful and they take something out of you if you like.”
Looking at the album’s chosen tracks, there isn’t a bad one amongst them. To name but four, Brown Eyed Girl, Young Girl, Walk Away Renee and Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow? are all expertly covered by Rice-Milton’s powerful vocals.
Terry adds “They are some of the best songwriters and lyricists that have ever existed. Sam Cooke for one wrote so many wonderful songs. Another Saturday Night is such a strong opener and Only Sixteen was covered by Craig Douglas who got to No.1 over here. He had a lovely voice too.”
“We also did a vinyl version of it and anyone who would like to get that can get it on eBay or get in touch with me on messenger. All the other songs on the album can be downloaded via the usual programs out there.”
Before Cupid’s Inspiration, his first group The Ends played around Lincolnshire.
“We did a record with Jimmy Duncan and the writer and we got it recorded ready to put on the NEMS label and then they decided to change our name. I think it was around the time of Love Affair and so he came up with Cupid’s Inspiration” said Terry.
Cupid’s Inspiration 1968
“Jimmy (Duncan) came up to us in January with the idea of listening to two or three songs. So we came down to London but didn’t have much luck with the songs he gave us. We didn’t hear anything from him until March or April time and then he came storming up to us in Stamford where I come from and he suggested Yesterday Has Gone.”
“I was absolutely floored when we were in the studio and there was a forty-three-piece orchestra. It was such a lovely arrangement and I thought I’d got to stand in front of them and sing along. I was absolutely blown away.”
“I said at the time if we can’t do anything with this song we don’t belong in this business.”
They needn’t have worried. The song was originally a US hit for the New York-based doo-wop group Little Anthony & The Imperials. Cupid Inspiration’s version eventually climbed to No.4 in the UK charts.
Terry recalled, “I met the band many years after in London and they said to me ‘you’re the lucky so and so who had a hit with our song!’ they told me.”
I believe Gordon Haskell was in your band at that time, wasn’t he?
“That’s right he was but he left before I did actually. He actually went on and did a solo career and we always had a laugh. He was a good bass player too – and a 6 string bass at that. He did a solo on one of our album tracks and people thought it was an electronic piano thing. That’s how good it was and we kept it in of course.”
The band supported Scott Walker during their brief existence and before Rice-Milton left the band in 1970, they had a further hit with You’re My World (the song had been an earlier hit for Cilla Black).
Read the full interview which is published in the October issue of the Beat. Back copies are available from our website.
The Terry Rice-Milton album My World can be downloaded from Spotify, Amazon and iTunes.