Listen: A Fool In Love / The Frankie Miller Band FrankieMillerFoolInLove.mp3

Listen: Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever / Frankie Miller's FrankieMillerLovingYou.mp3

I saw Ray LaMontagne on SNL last night. I’d heard endless raves about the guy. With an 10 piece band, and an exhausting ‘mean it’ delivery, I realised I’d already seen it back in ’76 from Frankie Miller. I didn’t bother watching his second song, but instead went to the record library.

Often sighted as a blue eyed, gravel voiced soul legend, Frankie Miller successfully survived punk during the late 70′s, being nicely accepted along with Thin Lizzy and Jess Roden as ‘ok to like’ – well he was really good so not such a surprise.

I was interested in just about anything from Chrysalis back then. Must have been the lime green generic sleeves, but being a hip indie of the day was a plus. Yes, I was an indie snob in my youth too. Between The Winkies, Blodwyn Pig, Tir Na Nog, early Jethro Tull, Steeleye Span and Robin Trower – they were fine label.

I remember Tommy Nast, then the overnight DJ on WBBF, playing this as his first song of 1976, just after midnight on New Year’s morning. Why I was listening baffles me – I think we were in the car. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. They were a strict mainstream Top 40 station with a dependably wretched playlist – but I did hear this happen. Tommy had previously been with WSAY, a twisted AM progressive rock anomaly – and his taste plus knowledge of music were a logical path to playing Frankie Miller. He must’ve gotten shit for it.