By Richard Green

New Musical Express, September 7, 1968

Observe four old young men known just as Traffic
Suffer their tedious setting the stage
Then hark to their magical music and live it
And when the fuzz ends it, join in with their rage

 

 

Having attended four of their performances in the past four weeks, I am beginning to understand Traffic. Their thoughts and concepts. And what I am left with are my four lines of poetry (?) above.

 

I hope you all understand it. If you have seen Traffic often, you will. If you haven't, the following description of their appearance in Middlesborough on Saturday will help.

They employed a light show to great effect for their half-hour performance, which began at around midnight. The expressive "Heaven is in your mind" was Traffic's first number. Just staring at the revolving, swishing colours on the Marquee roof and listening to the music was a real experience.

Chris Wood's tenor sax and Steve Winwood's guitar fused so well together it was sometimes difficult to tell them apart. "You can all join in" followed and confirmed my opinion that it should be put out as a single. Here it would be a giant. It's slightly hillbilly flavor and easy pace have made it a firm favourite on the Continent and with British fans who have heard it.

From Traffic's new LP, there was Dave Mason's "'Feelin' Alright" and a song that Steve said was called "Roamin' Through The Gloamin' With Forty Thousand Headmen" which he dedicated to the police who had announced that all was to end. Their last number was "We're Not Like The Rest" or "Who Knows What Tomorrow May Bring". Dave explained that he isn't sure yet what it is called!

Then the police called a halt to the proceedings and Traffic and the fans got uptight. The fans had waited many hours to see the group and waited patiently while the vast equipment was set up. Technical perfection calls for this. "It was a pity, we were just getting into it" Dave told me. "We haven't played for about two weeks. We'd have played all night to get it together".

-- Richard Green