Graham Reid | | 1 min read
Always
There a lot of great stories in rock: the rise of the Rutles from obscurity under the watchful eye of their manager Leggy Mountbatten; the British band that moved through any number of names (the Originals, the New Originals and so on) until they found fame as Spinal Tap . . .
Then there was the bluegrass band Hayseed Dixie who were inspired by AC/DC albums found in a stranger's car when he crashed in Deer Lick Holler.
The Coward Brothers have an equally unlikely backstory.
In the late 1950s Smiley 'Doc' Snipson -- a former circus strongman, inveterate gambler and minor league impresario – discovered the teenage guitar prodigy Henry Coward playing in a Fort Worth nightclub. He signed him for the backing band on a British tour where Henry was re-united with his long lost “brother” Howard at the Tower Ballroom, New Brighton.
They spoke of themselves as the “One and a Half Brothers”, perhaps due to their height differences: Henry about two metres tall, Howard considerably less.
Their first single My Baby Just Squeals (You Heel) did moderately well but they struggled to match it although a follow-up, My Baby Just Purrs (You’re Mine, Not Hers) achieved some notoriety. Their subsequent attempt at Cold War topicality, My Baby Just Whistles (Here Come the Missiles) was considered in poor taste and so mediocre it got no radio play.
Their fame dwindled so Snipson faked their deaths in a plane crash (“Rock and Roll Duo Died like Cowards” was one unsympathetic headline) while they secretly recorded music on a Caribbean island.
They resurfaced but their partnership fractured.
However now comes this 20 song compilation album (including their hit and many misses like Early Shirley,Smoke Ring Angel and Clown Around Town) and a -- “countrymentary, if you will”-- radio programme about their improbable career directed by Christopher Guest (This is Spinal Tap, Best in Show etc).
Some believe the Coward Brothers to be T Bone Burnett and Elvis Costello, the evidence being them on the bill for Costello's Auckland show at His Majesties Theatre in 1985.
Whoever they are, this is a lengthy and boot-tapping collection of country, old rock'n'roll, rockabilly, vibrato ballads and songs flying within a whisker of parodies.
Henry and Howard Coward – T Bone and Elvis, “if you will” – are back, whether you wanted them or not.
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You can hear and buy the Coward Brothers album at bandcamp here
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