China Crisis - King in a Catholic Style

Walter spoke as often of the China Crisis projects almost more than any other non SD experience … within the limits that his pantomath nature allowed, anyway. All of his stories about his times with them were warm, most of them hilarious, and it was obvious he held his work with them and their personal relationships with great affection and pride.

Many of the stories seemed to be leavened with the indignity--For Walter anyway--of working in the “dreary, gray, slit your wrists” UK for rather long periods of time, including over at least one Christmas season. He praised everyone plus families for making him feel at home, but there were still some cultural glitches. I seem to recall Walter telling me that they didn't work on Christmas day — fair enough even for Walter— but when he mentioned plans for the very next day's work, he received a shocked silence, astonished looks, and the explanation that no one works on Boxing Day! Apparently this was more sacrosanct a holiday then Xmas itself. He reports it might have been weeks before all the fellows regarded him as an okay bloke once again

I also recall a few tales of several slow rolling car wrecks — was a plate-glass window somehow involved? -- and maybe a not so slow rolling one— copious amounts of ETOH consumed, and heaps of laughs. He loved their humor and their Northern sensibilities. Walter clearly cherished these guys and his time with them, and it's obvious how much he respected their talents.

Sometime during the later SD touring years, shortly before one of the Liverpool gigs, Walter and Garry corresponded by email and made plans — overly hopeful it turned out — to get together. I can't recall if they could only manage some phone contact, a backstage hallo, or a painfully short visit; I think it was a hit-and-run show when we had to skedaddle right after the gig—but Garry told Walter he was working on some new things and Walter as always was interested to hear it and hear about it.

This tribute from the stage would've meant a lot to him. And I'm sure he could've added a few embellishments to the story himself.

[Edit: I may well have more to say, if folks are interested, about the rather unique position CC held in Walter's musical mind and heart -- which he revealed in a few concrete examples]

apparently the guy in the plaid shirt isn't hearing the same Rapure WB is...

D-Mod thanks for that fabulous back story.

At the risk of sounding terribly unpatriotic, WB's description of the UK literally made me laugh out loud

It's still the same.!!.

You know, before a few bad citizens brought up a no-no topic,---which may will be deleted before long--- I was wondering if somebody (not Me) could get in touch with one of the CC guys--they're still active these days-- gigging, Facebook I think etc ---and give them the link to this discussion so that they can see how they are appreciated ...and hopefully even add a few observations of their own! (I'm particularly interested to know if that car crash story, the one that ran into the face of some building, was fictional)...etc.

(They wouldn't have to register...they could mail their content to one of the Mods and we could post what ever is approved to share)

The link to this discussion /page is:

https://www.walterbeckermedia.com/forum/brill-bldg-becker/china-crisis-king-in-a-catholic-style/p-1/dl-5de66fc5c8e20f00172a3670-5de3cdf35a29d3009939d9cb-4

I'll see them at the end of January.

Interesting discussion for sure. Here's a comparison between the demo of the title track that the band brought to Hawaii and the final product:

Demo:

Final album cut:

Ditto for the Mike Thorne produced All My Prayers:

And the WB version:

Thanks Matt.

These comparisons really do speak for themselves.

I guess it's the result of what happens to music in the hands of,as D-Mod describes,a "sonic connoisseur ".

When I saw Steely Dan play for the first time at The Liverpool Pops , Aintree Liverpool in 2007, the guys from China Crisis were in the audience, and Walter gave a shout out to them

|I know there's been a few China Crisis reissues with expanded versions; anyone know if Diary of a Hollow Horse (complete with the Becker versions) will be re-released?