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RAPIDS
1973

Rapids is a track which in a simplistic way demonstrates Marc's talent. For
most artists this simple riff driven boogie, could have been put together by
many bands, but only Marc could have got away with it, Stones like in its
feel it chugs along with amazing feeling. It is bluesy raw and it is
fabulous. Critics by 1973 were picking up Marc's bad tracks, whilst
ignoring tracks that showed his talent, Rapids was a serious track and
showed that Marc was a serious talent, in the least for picking out some
amazing riffs. Although based around a blues like riff, it's lyrics started
to reveal the urban poetry style of lyrics that would eventually make up
'Zinc Alloy in the following year'. The lyrics were in fact a reference to
the parents of the teenagers who worshiped Marc and criticised their
children and mocked them for liking Marc. Marc himself considered pop music
not to be lightweight or worthless, he felt he was something important to
the teenagers and that he represented a stage of growing up, as arrogant as
this seems he was of course right. He took teenagers through a roller
coaster ride of emotions that many still remember and have been influenced
by today. He reasoned correctly that Parents had had their own idols and
now their children had Marc, it was hypocritical of them to complain. The
sexual overtones in his music, which by this stage, which was making Carry
On Films, look tame where ever, present. Again at this stage Marc was also
able to weave in that sense of loneliness that had crept into his life,
which in turn naturally into his lyrics. Writer's lyrics will unconsciously
whether they want them to or not reflect their mood. When Marc sings.

'Your father said,
Clean out your head
Go an kick cans along the street'

This perfect example of urban poetry illustrates that for Marc images laden
with loneliness now prevailed. Or as I said a sexual overtone was implied,

'Your father said, clean out your toes Rose,
Go and lick some uncooked meat'

The 'Jeepster' days of leaving out oral sex references was over, Marc was
parading his sexuality like a wild animal on heat, it was to an almost
overbearing point (the Tanx cover). The fact that the song dealt with a
genuine issue could almost be forgotten, that and the excellent chorus,

'And we stood like the rapids
And I was like a newborn child'

A new born child normally cries, but it is also new and everything it faces
in theory is fresh and exciting, but then to stand like the Rapids could
also be taken as a reference to crying or it could just mean nothing, it
does provide a wonderful image though.

Marc further highlights the hypocrisy of people by singing,

'Your mama said, my babe is not free son'
But I'm loose about midnight'

There is no demo of sorts, A rough mix of the song exists, well the end
half, it shows the wonderful raw sound before it was mixed, it sounds awful
but for that it sounds great, it has a wonderful feel. In the final song,
the song fades out as it comes to a halt in the studio. Just before the
fade out, you can hear Marc say 'Okay take it, in the rough mix you hear
this, but the band jams on, showing that this track was probably put
together in the studio. The undisciplined almost shambolic end to the track
may have added something to it, but it also showed the free and easy nature
and the lack of discipline that had now crept in. The reins were loosening,
sometimes it produced genius, and sometime it produced trash. Unfortunately
by this stage Tony Visconti was in less of a position to sort out the genius
from the trash. Listening to the rough mix of 'Rapids' it's like the band
could have carried on forever.
Marc sings with a wonderful sexual edge to is voice, using to highlight key
words particularly in the chorus, complete with 'Won't you drive me wild',
although it sounds like 'Lordy drive me wild', bearing in mind this was
meant to be a bluesy album that is quite possible. Also in the rough mix as
in so many of the songs from this time you get to hear 'Steve Curries'
distinctive and brilliant bass line, mixed down further in the finished
article it is nice to hear.

The fact the song finishes to an undisciplined and unsure halt and that Marc
's comments like 'Okay take it', near the end suggest a one take vocal and
that the instrument track has a loose and not very tight composure should
not put you off the track, it works, just perhaps, but Marc's singing, his
ear for a tune or riff, his sense of fun and some deft playing by the band
ensures Rapids succeeds. It's goodtime feel is probably why Marc chose to
keep it on the album. Such jams were not uncommon throughout Marc's career;
many never saw the light of day. On an album of often contrasting styles it's
pleasing, its format is not that far removed from guitar bands today,perhaps
only with a bit more class.

©James Garratt

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