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the record label said 'right, we'll get you a velvet suit' I said, 'NO'. To succeed in the music business to have to embrace everything and I wasn't prepared to do that. I was an actor and much more comfortable in that world. I did no touring, just a couple of concerts around London."
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Though he had been interested in music from an early age, Brian
Protheroe had focused on a burgeoning acting career in the years leading up to his musical releases. His initial stage performances in 1966–67 were with his local
285:"Pinball" is an autobiographical song, described by Protheroe as "a diary entry for one particular weekend in 1973", a time when he had just split up with his girlfriend and was living in a friend's flat in
269:
in the role of a pop singer. For the play, he set a lyric written by
Fairchild to music and, after it had been shopped around by Fairchild, this composition caught the attention of a
309:". There is no chorus, with the track being made up of several melodically identical verses. The song begins with an acoustic guitar riff, and builds to include elements such as a
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426:, released in 2006. In that release's booklet, Protheroe reflects on the song; "I'm very proud of "Pinball". It perfectly encapsulates how I was feeling at the time".
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418:"Pinball" remains Protheroe's only hit single, and his best known song. Both sides of the single appeared on Protheroe's debut album, also titled
333:
at number 40 and eventually reached a peak of number 22 in
September. It spent six weeks on the chart. Protheroe performed the song live on
317:), bass, drums and sound effects such as a cat's meow after the lyric "And the cat just finished off the bread". The single was produced by
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251:, for which he was also the composer, followed, as well as television appearances in the historical drama
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rep. The label signed
Protheroe as a solo artist. Protheroe never released a recording of the song from
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361:
s Pete
Butterfield called "Pinball" "one of the most interesting singles of the year" while Max Bell of
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praised the song's production and its "instant, stylised commercialism". Among retrospective reviews,
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on the strength of a song he wrote and performed in a play. Upon release, it gave
Protheroe his
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in 1968. There he met Martin Duncan, who became a musical collaborator. Stage roles such as in
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329:"Pinball" was released as a single in August 1974, backed by "Money Love". It entered the
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297:) at this time. It has been described by one reviewer as "example of ennui, Covent Garden
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compilation album, released in 2004. The song provided the inspiration for the track "
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200:. An autobiographical song written whilst Protheroe was living in a friend's flat in
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has declared it "one of the lost gems of the 1970s". "Pinball" was included on
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in
September 1974. It was later included on his debut album of the same title.
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124:
751:"Noel Gallagher: 'A Night Out With Morrissey Inspired Track On My New Album'"
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234:
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422:, and the track also lent its name to the first compilation of his music,
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during its chart run. He would later reflect on this time: "When I was on
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650:(19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 441.
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204:, it was released as his first single after he was signed by
321:, who would produce all three of Protheroe's 1970s albums.
495:"10 Soft Rock Songs People In The 70s Fell In Love With"
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has described the song as "an exquisite piece of post-
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The song has received critical acclaim. Upon release,
277:, instead opting for "Pinball" as his debut single.
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725:"The Apolitical Party: Noel Gallagher Interviewed"
261:. In 1973, Protheroe appeared in a production of
673:"Pinball. Brian Protheroe (Chrysalis CHR 1065)"
699:"Throwback Thursday: Retro Track of the Week"
407:Gallagher had been introduced to the song by
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196:" is a 1974 song by the actor and musician
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29:
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212:, reaching a peak position of 22 on the
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671:Butterfield, Pete (28 December 1974).
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293:") and activities ("I've been on the
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521:"Brian Protheroe - past productions"
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723:Rogers, Jude (16 February 2015).
585:Pinball And Other Stories (liner)
255:and the anthology mystery series
697:Hammond, Scott (12 March 2015).
648:British Hit Singles & Albums
443:
1:
301:". The lyrics also reference
258:The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes
237:, Protheroe settled with the
604:Bell, Max (4 January 1975).
16:1974 song by Brian Protheroe
554:"Brian Protheroe Biography"
818:
606:"Brian Protheroe: Pinball"
552:Stephen Thomas, Erlewine.
380:pop" and Scott Hammond of
792:Chrysalis Records singles
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424:Pinball and Other Stories
248:A Midsummer Night's Dream
239:New Theatre Royal Lincoln
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28:
646:Roberts, David (2006).
374:Stephen Thomas Erlewine
802:Songs about depression
245:'s 1970 production of
677:Reading Evening Post
355:Reading Evening Post
348:Reception and legacy
610:New Musical Express
499:I Love Classic Rock
364:New Musical Express
231:Salisbury Playhouse
501:. 2 September 2021
305:and the Beatles' "
243:Bath Theatre Royal
134:singles chronology
797:British pop songs
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403:Chasing Yesterday
271:Chrysalis Records
263:William Fairchild
227:repertory theatre
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382:The Fix Magazine
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331:UK Singles Chart
233:. After leaving
214:UK Singles Chart
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341:Top of the Pops
336:Top of the Pops
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311:tenor saxophone
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275:Death on Demand
267:Death on Demand
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198:Brian Protheroe
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132:Brian Protheroe
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49:from the album
43:Brian Protheroe
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303:Marilyn Monroe
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169:Official Audio
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430:Track listing
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287:Covent Garden
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202:Covent Garden
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782:1974 singles
758:. Retrieved
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732:. Retrieved
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706:. Retrieved
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680:. Retrieved
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613:. Retrieved
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561:. Retrieved
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528:. Retrieved
525:Theatricalia
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503:. Retrieved
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489:
470:"Money Love"
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64:"Money Love"
50:
18:
729:The Quietus
505:12 November
413:Los Angeles
400:2015 album
386:Sean Rowley
313:(played by
281:Composition
119:Producer(s)
72:August 1974
787:1974 songs
776:Categories
481:References
370:AllMusic's
319:Del Newman
220:Background
154:"Fly Now"
125:Del Newman
708:31 August
459:"Pinball"
435:7" Single
409:Morrissey
378:McCartney
235:Salisbury
206:Chrysalis
176:"Pinball"
111:Chrysalis
83:Soft rock
24:"Pinball"
760:5 August
734:5 August
682:4 August
615:4 August
563:4 August
558:AllMusic
530:5 August
394:Riverman
315:Tony Coe
307:Hey Jude
291:pale ale
265:'s play
253:Frontier
210:only hit
69:Released
51:Pinball
420:Pinball
396:" from
325:Release
295:pinball
194:Pinball
181:YouTube
156:(1975)
151:(1974)
147:Pinball
654:
451:Length
89:Length
59:B-side
39:Single
448:Title
415:bar.
411:in a
359:'
299:Blues
106:Label
78:Genre
762:2019
736:2019
710:2019
684:2019
652:ISBN
617:2019
565:2019
532:2019
507:2022
473:3:19
462:3:05
444:No.
388:'s
229:at
179:on
41:by
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