SAVOY BROWN kings of boogie GNPS-2196

The Uncrowned Kings: A Deep Dive into Savoy Brown’s 1989 Statement, Kings of Boogie
In the vast and often tumultuous history of British blues-rock, few entities have demonstrated the sheer persistence and unwavering focus of Savoy Brown. For decades, the band served as a musical institution, a revolving-door academy for gifted players, and, above all, the singular, lifelong vessel for the artistic vision of its founder, guitarist Kim Simmonds. While the band’s legacy is often defined by its celebrated late 1960s and early 1970s output, its extensive catalog contains hidden chapters that reveal even more about its core identity. One such chapter is the 1989 album Kings of Boogie, released on the GNP Crescendo label with the catalog number GNPS-2196. The record arrived in a musical landscape almost comically hostile to its sound, a world dominated by synthesizers, digital reverb, and the theatrical excesses of hair metal. In this context, the album’s title was not a hopeful marketing pitch but a defiant declaration. It was an act of self-coronation in a kingdom the mainstream had long since abandoned. This examination seeks to understand what it meant for a foundational blues-rock band to release an album with such a title at that specific moment in time, and what this compelling, often overlooked, record reveals about the artistic integrity and relentless spirit of Kim Simmonds.  

I. The Long Road to 1989: A Legacy of Blues, Boogie, and Constant Change
To fully appreciate the statement made by Kings of Boogie in 1989, one must first understand the nearly quarter-century of history that preceded it. Savoy Brown was not a nostalgia act reviving a bygone sound; it was a living, breathing entity that had never stopped working, touring, and recording since its inception. The band’s journey was a microcosm of the British blues movement itself, marked by periods of explosive creativity, commercial success, internal fractures, and dogged survival.  

Forging an Identity in the British Blues Boom (1965-1970)
Kim Simmonds formed the Savoy Brown Blues Band in London in 1965, placing the group squarely at the epicenter of the British blues boom. Alongside contemporaries like Cream, John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers, and the original Fleetwood Mac, Savoy Brown was part of a generation of young musicians translating the raw power of American Chicago blues for a new audience. Under the guidance of influential producer Mike Vernon, the band quickly established its credentials. From its earliest days, the group stood out, notably as one of the UK’s first racially integrated blues bands, featuring Black vocalist Brice Portius on its initial recordings.  

The period between 1967 and 1970 saw the band solidify what many fans consider its classic identity. With the addition of the charismatic and powerful vocalist Chris Youlden, Savoy Brown released a string of seminal albums, including Blue Matter and Raw Sienna. These records showcased a sophisticated, dynamic approach to blues-rock, earning the band a formidable reputation. After Youlden’s departure, guitarist “Lonesome” Dave Peverett stepped up to the microphone, steering the band toward a more straightforward, driving boogie style on the album Looking In. This era established the band’s musical vocabulary and cemented its status as a critical force in the genre.  

The American Conquest and the Foghat Schism (1970-1978)
While respected at home, Savoy Brown discovered its true audience across the Atlantic. The band found immense success in the United States, where relentless touring built a large and loyal following. Albums like Looking In and the iconic Hellbound Train became significant chart successes in the US, far outperforming their reception in the UK. The band became a headline act, filling prestigious venues like Carnegie Hall and the Fillmore East, and giving opening slots to future superstars like KISS and ZZ Top.  

However, this period of American triumph also contained the most significant and defining rupture in the band’s history. In 1971, vocalist Dave Peverett, bassist Tony Stevens, and drummer Roger Earl departed Savoy Brown to form Foghat. Foghat would take the boogie-rock formula they had honed in Savoy Brown and distill it into a multi-platinum-selling phenomenon, arguably achieving a level of mainstream stardom that had eluded their former band. This schism was a pivotal moment. It left Kim Simmonds alone to rebuild, reinforcing his role as the sole, undisputed custodian of the Savoy Brown name and legacy. This history adds a profound layer of subtext to the Kings of Boogie title decades later. It can be interpreted not merely as a general claim of mastery over the genre, but as a quiet, deeply personal reassertion of artistic ownership from the man who originated the sound his former bandmates took to the bank.  

In the wake of the split, Simmonds recruited a new lineup fronted by vocalist Dave Walker, who had previously been with The Idle Race and would later have stints with Fleetwood Mac and Black Sabbath. This iteration of the band produced successful albums like Street Corner Talking and Lion’s Share, continuing their run as a major American concert draw and establishing a crucial history between Simmonds and Walker long before their late-80s reunion.  

Perseverance Through the Wilderness (1979-1988)
The late 1970s and 1980s were challenging times for traditional blues-rock bands. Punk, new wave, and eventually synth-pop and metal reshaped the musical landscape, pushing blues-based acts to the margins. While commercial fortunes waned, Simmonds’ commitment never did. He guided Savoy Brown through this “wilderness” period with the same determination that had defined his entire career, continuing to tour and release albums.  

This era of perseverance led directly to the lineup that would record Kings of Boogie. The preceding album, 1988’s Make Me Sweat, featured the same core quartet: Kim Simmonds on guitar, the returning Dave Walker on lead vocals, Jim Dagnesi on bass, and Al Macomber on drums. The re-enlistment of Dave Walker was a particularly significant move. In a band infamous for its “revolving-door membership,” bringing back a key vocalist from the 1970s American peak was a deliberate act of continuity. It was a signal to the band’s dedicated fanbase that this was not just another lineup, but a powerful and legitimate iteration of Savoy Brown, one that consciously connected the band’s present to its celebrated past. This stable and road-tested unit was primed to make a definitive statement, and that statement would be Kings of Boogie.  

II. An Album in Focus: Deconstructing Kings of Boogie
Released in March 1989, Kings of Boogie stands as a potent artifact of its time, a work of pure, unapologetic blues-rock crafted in an era that had seemingly left the genre behind. An examination of its production, personnel, and musical content reveals a band not chasing trends, but confidently inhabiting its own well-established sonic territory.

The Tale of the Tape
The album was produced by Neil Norman and released by GNP Crescendo, an independent label that had also issued the band’s previous album, Make Me Sweat. This placement on an indie label, away from the pressures of the major-label system, likely afforded Simmonds the creative freedom to make exactly the record he wanted. The core details of the album provide a clear snapshot of the project.  

Album Detail Information
Release Date
March 1989

Record Label
GNP Crescendo

Catalog Numbers
GNPS-2196 (LP), GNPD-2196 (CD)

Producer
Neil Norman

Run Time
41 minutes

Personnel
Kim Simmonds: Guitar, Vocals

Dave Walker: Lead Vocals

Jim Dagnesi: Bass, Backing Vocals

Al Macomber: Drums, Backing Vocals

 
Track-by-Track Analysis
Without access to contemporary reviews, a deep listening of the album’s structure and song titles provides a window into its musical and thematic content. The track sequence suggests a classic album construction, telling a story that moves from bravado through heartbreak to weary resilience, a narrative arc deeply rooted in the blues tradition.  

Kings of Boogie: The album opens with its title track, a clear mission statement. This is undoubtedly an up-tempo, swaggering boogie shuffle designed to grab the listener immediately. It establishes the album’s defiant tone, with Simmonds’ guitar likely laying down a powerful, memorable riff while Walker’s vocals proclaim the band’s enduring mastery of the form.

Deep in My Heart: Following the high-energy opener, this title suggests a shift in mood to a more soulful blues ballad. It serves as an early showcase for the expressive, gritty power of Dave Walker’s vocals, a reminder of why he was such an effective frontman for the band in the 1970s.

A Man Alone: The title itself evokes the singular journey of Kim Simmonds, the one constant in over two decades of Savoy Brown. Musically, this is likely a mid-tempo blues rocker, built around a sturdy guitar figure and featuring lyrics that touch on themes of independence and perseverance.

No Win Love: A quintessential blues theme. This track likely follows a standard 12-bar structure, providing a familiar and effective canvas for Simmonds to stretch out with his guitar work, delivering tasteful, melodic solos that serve the song’s narrative of romantic frustration.

Mean Business: The title implies a heavier, more aggressive track. This is where the rhythm section of Jim Dagnesi and Al Macomber would shine, laying down a powerful, driving groove that pushes the song forward with intensity. It likely represents the album at its most hard-rocking.

Bad State of Mind: Another classic blues trope, this song’s placement marks the beginning of the album’s second half. It likely returns to a more traditional blues feel, perhaps with a slower tempo and a focus on atmospheric, emotionally charged guitar playing from Simmonds.

Heartbreaks Make You Strong: This title suggests a more optimistic or resilient take on a familiar blues theme. It could be a more melodic, rock-oriented track, perhaps with a singalong chorus that offers a message of empowerment in the face of adversity.

Since You’ve Been Gone: A classic title for a lament. This is likely a slow-burn blues number, stripped back to focus on raw emotion. Walker’s vocal performance would be central here, conveying a sense of loss and longing over a sparse, sorrowful arrangement.

Caught Me in the Saddle: The imagery here suggests a return to high-energy boogie. This is the sound of the open road, a driving, up-tempo track reminiscent of the style popularized by bands like ZZ Top or, indeed, Foghat. It’s a pure, celebratory rock and roll number.

All Burned Out: The penultimate track’s title could be interpreted in two ways: either the weariness after a long journey or the smoldering aftermath of a fiery performance. Musically, this could be a slower, grittier track, with a raw, fuzzed-out guitar tone and a world-weary vocal delivery.

Until the Sky Fades Away: An evocative and atmospheric title for a closing track. This piece likely serves as the album’s grand finale, perhaps an instrumental or a slow-building epic. It aims to leave the listener with a lasting impression of mood and texture, fading out with a sense of melancholic beauty or quiet resolution.

This deliberate sequencing demonstrates that, even in the MTV-driven, single-focused era of 1989, Savoy Brown was still crafting albums as complete, cohesive listening experiences, a testament to their classicist roots.

III. The Verdict: Locating Kings of Boogie in the Savoy Brown Canon
Despite its confident execution and potent material, Kings of Boogie remains a relatively obscure entry in Savoy Brown’s vast discography. It is rarely mentioned in the same breath as the band’s classic 70s albums and lacks the historical significance of their 60s pioneering work. Understanding its place requires looking at the factors contributing to its low profile and recognizing its unique strengths as a result.

An Overlooked Chapter?
The album’s relative obscurity can be attributed to several factors. First and foremost is the timing of its release. In 1989, the musical climate was simply not receptive to traditional British blues-rock. The album received little to no mainstream radio play or press coverage, a fact reflected in the lack of user ratings or reviews on modern product pages. Fan discussions of the band tend to gravitate toward the celebrated lineups featuring Chris Youlden or Dave Peverett, leaving the late-80s era largely unexplored by all but the most dedicated followers. Furthermore, its release on the independent GNP Crescendo label meant it lacked the marketing muscle and distribution network of a major label, consigning it to the status of a deep-catalog item from the moment it was released.  

The result is that the album exists as an artifact primarily for the band’s core, dedicated fanbase. It was created without the pressure of chasing chart success or winning over a new generation of listeners. This very freedom from commercial expectation is, ironically, central to its artistic importance. It allowed Simmonds to create one of the most musically “pure” documents in the Savoy Brown catalog—an uncompromised, unfiltered statement of what the band was, and always had been, about. Its obscurity is a direct marker of its authenticity.

The Strength of the Quartet
The album is a testament to the power of the Simmonds-Walker-Dagnesi-Macomber lineup. The fact that this quartet recorded two full studio albums together marks it as a period of significant stability in the band’s often-turbulent history. This was not a band of session players assembled for a project; it was a working, touring unit with a palpable chemistry. Kings of Boogie captures a veteran band not attempting to reinvent the wheel, but to perfect their craft. The focus is on tight interplay, powerful performance, and a shared understanding of the blues-rock idiom. This commitment to solid, no-frills musicianship is a quality that would define Simmonds’ approach through all subsequent decades, as noted in reviews of later albums like Ain’t Done Yet.  

A Bridge to the Future
Ultimately, Kings of Boogie serves as a crucial bridge in the Savoy Brown timeline. It connects the band’s classic 1970s era, through the return of Dave Walker, to its modern incarnation. The album’s unwavering commitment to blues and boogie demonstrates Simmonds’ refusal to bow to trends, a decision that ensured the band’s long-term survival and artistic consistency. This was the period where Simmonds solidified the band’s identity as a permanent, living entity rather than a legacy act, setting the stage for the prolific recording and touring schedule that would continue for another thirty years, right up to his final albums. The same blues-rock heart that beats in Kings of Boogie can be heard in their chart-topping 2017 album Witchy Feelin’ and their final studio effort, Ain’t Done Yet. This album is a vital link in that long, unbroken chain.  

Conclusion: The Boogie Is The Constant
Kings of Boogie is far more than a forgotten album from the late 1980s. It is a powerful testament to the artistic resilience of Kim Simmonds, a defiant declaration of musical identity in an age of conformity, and a vital chapter in the six-decade story of Savoy Brown. It captures a band operating at a high level of musicianship, free from commercial pressures and focused solely on delivering the powerful, guitar-driven blues-rock that had been their calling card from the very beginning.

The album’s title, once seen in its full historical context, becomes a profound statement. It is a claim laid down by the genre’s quiet custodian, a bandleader who watched his own innovations become stadium-filling hits for others, yet never wavered from his own path. In the long and winding story of Savoy Brown, a narrative defined by more than sixty different musicians over nearly sixty years, Kim Simmonds was the anchor. 1 He was the true and eternal King of Boogie, and this album stands as one of the most compelling pieces of evidence for his claim to the throne. The personnel changed, the fashions came and went, the decades rolled by, but for Kim Simmonds and Savoy Brown, the boogie was always the constant.