Roderick Falconer -

Roderick Falconer (aka Rod Taylor) is an American musician, poet, and television producer. As Rod Taylor, he released a 1973 singer/songwriter album on Asylum. Under the Roderick Falconer stage name, he made the 1976/77 UA albums New Nation and Victory in Rock City, both glam-rock efforts inspired by David Bowie‘s 1972–74 output. He made two further albums: the 1981 German Metronome release Straight (as Roderick Taylor) and the 1984 MCA title Rules of Attraction (as Rod Falconer).

He was born Roderick Littleton Taylor in 1950.

Rod Taylor

Roderick released the album Rod Taylor in 1973 on Asylum.

The album contains twelve Taylor originals performed on guitar with 25 backing musicians, including Asylum Choir guitarist Jesse Davis, Little Feat organist Bill Payne, Bread pianist Larry Knechtel, Touch keyboardist Don Caverhill (Gallucci), High Voltage trumpeter Charles Findley, First National Band pedal-steelist Red Rhodes, ex-Stone Poneys bassist Kenny Edwards, and The Section rhythm section: bassist Lee Sklar and drummer Russ Kunkel.

Rod Taylor also features multi-instrumentalist Joel Tepp (clarinet, harmonica, dobro, slide) and Asylum fixtures Ry Cooder (mandolin), Andrew Gold (accordion), and Jim Keltner (drums). Jazz vet Buell Neidlinger (a longtime Cecil Taylor sideman) plays contrabass. Drummer Gary Mallaber (a recent Van Morrison backer) plays clavinet. Taylor receives vocal backing by Bonnie Bramlett and Joni Mitchell.

A1. “I Ought To Know” (3:07)
A2. “Crossroads” (3:37)
A3. “Railroad Blood” (2:42)
A4. “Double Life” (2:10)
A5. “Making a Way” (2:37)
A6. “Sweet Inspiration” (3:42)
B1. “Livin’ Dangerous Blues” (2:42)
B2. “Something Old” (4:01)
B3. “Man Who Made It Fall” (2:18)
B4. “Lost Iron Man” (4:21)
B5. “For Me” (2:40)
B6. “The Last Song” (3:25)

Taylor recorded the album with producer Charles Plotkin, who plays accordion and piano alongside Steve Ferguson, a fellow client. Jazz-funk saxophonist Ernie Watts appeared amid 1973 sessions for Carole King, Lamont Dozier, Marvin Gaye, Willie Hutch, and Zulema. Baritone hornist Lew McCreary appeared concurrently on the soundtrack to Electra Glide in Blue., an action/comedy directed by Chicago producer James William Guercio.

Sessions occurred in Hollywood at Clover Recorders (Santa Monica Blvd) and Crystal Sound (Vine St) with engineer Michael Boshears, a concurrent Little Feat soundman.

Rod Taylor appeared in a gatefold with a backward chair-straddling photo of the bearded singer by Henry Diltz, also responsible for 1973 cover images of America (the mirrored shrubbery shot on Hat Trick) and the Eagles (the holstered Old West pose on Desperado).

1974–75

In 1974, Taylor cut a non-album Asylum promo single: “Radio,” a stereo recording co-produced with Andrew Gold, backed with a mono version (both 3:22). “Radio” also appeared as the b-side of “I Know (You Don’t Love Me No More),” Taylor’s cover of the 1961 R&B chestnut by Barbara George; covered recently by Anne Murray, Bonnie Raitt, and Rufus Thomas.

By 1976, Taylor signed to United Artists under a new stagename, Roderick Falconer. He adopted a new look (short hair, vintage suits) and stance indebted to the UK glam style with allusions to inner-war Berlin.

New Nation

Roderick Falconer released his second album, New Nation, in September 1976 on United Artists.

The album contains eleven Falconer originals, including a re-recorded “Radio” and the cinematic “Play It Again,” which segues from the orchestral title track. Roderick (in the role of ‘music director’) plays guitar and synthesizer on New Nation, which features backing by bassist Haram Bingham, ex-Spooky Tooth drummer Mike Kelly, and recent Marmalade guitarist Mikel Japp.

Original Procol Harum keyboardist Matthew Fisher produced, arranged, and played on New Nation. Roderick receives vocal backing by Kay Garner, the Chanter Sisters, and the Birds of Prey. Five tracks (“Time Will Tell” through “Radio”) feature ARP Solina strings by Ken Freeman, developer of the Freeman String Machine.

A1. “New Nation” (3:08)
A2. “Play It Again” (4:33)
A3. “Stand by Me” (4:26)
A4. “Time Will Tell” (3:50)
A5. “Public Enemy” (5:36)
B1. “I Don’t Think Your Love Can Save Me” (3:28)
B2. “Baby Doll” (3:21)
B3. “Radio” (3:58) features Japanese jazz-rock guitarist Hiroshi Kato.
B4. “Born Too Late” (3:31)
B5. “Where Are They Now” (3:36)
B6. “This Is Your Life” (4:26)

Sessions occurred in London at Advision Studios, where Fisher produced New Nation after albums by Bobby Harrison and Robin Trower, each bandmates in different Procol Harum lineups. Advision’s Martin Rushent (Banco, PFM, Snafu, Zzebra) engineered New Nation in sequence with Out On the Street, a theatrical rock album of similar magnitude by David Essex (produced by Jeff Wayne).

New Nation features string arrangements by Richard Hewson, a veteran conductor with credits on 1975/76 albums by Cliff Richard (I’m Nearly Famous), Colin Blunstone, Clifford T Ward, Chris De Burgh, Jigsaw, and Supertramp.

Kellie also played on Pat Travers‘ 1976 debut, just ahead of his three-album stint with The Only Ones. Garner (an early Elton John sidewoman) appears contemporary albums by Baker Gurvitz Army, Howard Werth, Ramases, and the 1976 German-Swiss title by Sophie’s Dream. The Chanter Sisters (Doreen and Irene) also sing on mid-Seventies albums by Bryan Ferry, Caravan, Manfred Mann’s Earth Band, and Phil Manzanera.

New Nation appeared in an embossed sleeve with an eagle wreath pendant. The designer, Ria Lewerke, created a similar embossed logo for New World Record, the 1976 sixth album by Electric Light Orchestra. Roderick posed on a grand stairway in quasi-Weimar attire for Moshe Brakha, whose photography also graces contemporary albums by Al Jarreau, Bobby Hutcherson, Boz Scaggs (Silk Degrees), Gene Harris (In a Special Way), and Mr. Big (Photographic Smile).

The back cover shows a woman (nose down) adjusting her garters beside a Falconer poem, “From the Old Kingdom,” which opens with “Egyptians do not die” and later explains “The head stops dreaming to admit the dream” and concludes with “Surviving this, they go on forever. And yes, they navigate by faith alone.”

UA lifted “Play It Again” as a UK/European single (b/w “New Nation”) and “Stand By Me” as a North American single (b/w “Baby Doll”). “Radio” appeared on a promo 7″ (b/w “Baby Doll”). Linda Ronstadt covered the song (as “Mr. Radio”) on her 1982 album Get Closer.

Victory in Rock City

Roderick Falconer released his third album, Victory in Rock City, in June 1977 on United Artists.

The album contains nine Falconer originals, including the titular numbers “Rock City” (vocal and instrumental versions) and “Victory,” a cinematic epic with an orchestral prologue conducted by Fredric Myrow, a prior David Ackles and Van Dyke Parks arranger.

Roderick recorded the album with Peter Ivers, an eccentric Boston/LA singer, musician, and playwright with four albums to his credit. Victory in Rock City features backing by Rare Earth bassist Reggie McBride, ex-Bang drummer Bruce Gary, former Three Dog Night keyboardist Jimmy Greenspoon, and New Nation guitarist Mikel Japp.

A1. “Rock City” (3:14)
A2. “That’s Not Normal” (4:44)
A3. “Show Me Something More” (4:47)
A4. “Empire Man” (4:24)
B1. “Hard Times” (4:22)
B2. “Rock City 2” (3:57)
B3. “Fame Is a Ball and Chain” (4:43)
B4. “Prologue” (2:05)
B5. “Victory” (4:55)

Sessions occurred in Hollywood at Cherokee Studios, where Falconer co-produced the album (for Rats God Productions) with Ivers, who recently composed “In Heaven (Lady in the Radiator Song),” the de facto theme song for Eraserhead, the 1977 surreal-horror film by David Lynch.

Cherokee co-founders Dee and Joe Robb (of Sixties sibling vocal combo The Robbs) co-engineered Victory in Rock City in sequence with albums by Bill Quaterman, Cindy Bullens, Dusty Springfield, Shawn Phillips, and Stephen Bishop.

McBride also played bass on 1977/78 albums by Steve Hillage, Steve Harley, and Michael Quatro, whose sister, Patti Quatro, is one of three Victory backing singers along with Fanny alumnae Brie Howard and Wendy Haas. Along with Gary, McBride also appears on the 1977 Blue Note release Robbie Krieger & Friends, a jazz-rock album by the ex-Doors guitarist.

Ria Lewerke’s Victory in Rock City cover design repeats the eagle-wreath pendant on the back-cover and lyrical inner-sleeve. Moshe Brakha photographed Falconer and a companion in silver leather suits. They strike pre-victory (front) and post-victory (back) poses. The inner pic shows Roderick in a suit and gloves (ala New Nation) hovering over a large globe. Brakh’s photography also graces 1977/78 covers for Auracle, Leo Sayer (Thunder In My Heart), Lenny White, and The Ramones.

UA lifted “Rock City” as a single (b/w “Fame Is a Ball and Chain”).

In 1978, Falconer co-produced three Ivers tracks (“Happy On the Grill,” “Love Is a Jungle,” “Free the Funk”) for Nirvana Cuba, Peter’s unrealized stage show.

Straight

Roderick Taylor released his fourth album, Straight, in 1981 on Metronome.

A1. “Neither One of Us”
A2. “Set Me Free”
A3. “Twilight Zone”
A4. “Torn Into Pieces”
A5. “Rock and Roll Will Never Die”
B1. “Just Like a Rock”
B2. “Don’t Stop”
B3. “One Remaining Thrill”
B4. “Reading It”
B5. “Sweet Saturday Night”

Discography: