Ken Hensley - Eager To Please (1975 uk, magnificent classic rock, 2010 bonus track remaster)

Following up his critically acclaimed debut solo album Proud Words on a Dusty Shelf from 1973, legendary Uriah Heep/The Gods/Toe Fat keyboard player/singer/songwriter/guitarist Ken Hensley unleashed record number two, Eager to Please in 1975, in between recording & touring for Heep's successful Return to Fantasy album. This time with ex-Heep/Colosseum bassist Mark Clarke on board, along with drummer Bugs Pemberton, pedal steel guitarist B.J. Cole, and orchestral arranger/conductor Michael Gibbs, Hensley once again handles all the keyboards, lead vocals, lead & rhythm guitar on this very solid mix of atmospheric rock, prog, blues, hard rock, and country.

The title track kicks things off, somewhat akin to what you would expect from Heep, a rousing boogie rocker chock full of Hensley's slide guitar licks and Hammond, and "Stargazer" continues the rock trend with some great bluesy riffs and Ken's strong vocals. "Secret" is more of a country pop ballad, featuring Cole's yearning pedal steel guitar, while "Through the Eyes of a Child" has piano & strings supporting Hensley's soaring, heart tugging vocal melodies. It's one of the most gorgeous songs he's ever written. You'll be reminded of Crosby, Stills, and Nash on the breezy folk/pop of "Part Three", as Hensley's lush acoustic guitar, vocal harmonies, and Hammond organ sweep you away. "House on the Hill" blends folk with prog-rock, another beautiful tune, while "Winter or Summer" takes things closer to Heep-ville, as rousing bass & drum rhythms drive some stinging guitar licks and insistent Hammond, Hensley's layered lead & backing vocals proving to be the icing on the cake. 

Haunting organ and tasty lead guitar work permeate the moody rocker "Take and Take", and Moog lines weave with pastoral acoustic guitar on the engaging "Longer Shadows", another great example of folky prog on the album. Clarke brings to the table the funky rocker "In the Morning", a groove laden number with some solid vocals from the bassist and more alluring lead guitar & Hammond from Hensley. The album closes out with the mellow "How Shall I Know" and the bonus track "Who Will Sing For You". The latter also rocks out in typical Uriah Heep fashion, as heavy Hammond organ and biting guitar feed off rich vocal harmonies for a winning formula.

Whether in Uriah Heep or solo, Ken Hensley has always been nothing short of an amazing talent. It's always surprising to hear just how strong his vocals were back in this time period, and when you toss in his thoughtful songs, commanding keyboard talents and tasty guitar work, it's not hard to see why he's been so respected by so many for over 45 years. Esoteric Recordings have done a great job on this remastered edition, giving the fan crisp, stellar sound and a booklet packed with lyrics and info. 

by Pete Pardo

Tracks
1. Eager to Please - 4:54
2. Stargazer (Mark Clarke, Susie Bottomley) - 3:46
3. Secret - 4:02
4. Through the Eyes of a Child - 2:19
5. Part Three - 3:48
6. The House on the Hill - 3:17
7. Winter or Summer - 3:01
8. Take and Take - 3:41
9. Longer Shadows - 3:36
10.In the Morning (Mark Clarke) - 2:34
11.How Shall I Know - 4:06
12.Who Will Sing For You - 2:52
All songs by Ken Hensley except where stated

Personnel
*Ken Hensley - Guitars, Keyboards, Synthesiser, Vocals
*Bugs Pemberton - Drums, Percussion
*Mark Clarke - Bass
*B.J. Cole - Pedal Steel
*Ray Warleigh - Saxophone

1973  Ken Hensley - Proud Words On A Dusty Shelf (2010 remaster)
Related Acts
1968  The Gods - Genesis (2009 japan extra tracks remaster)
1969  The Gods - To Samuel A Son (2009 japan bonus track remaster)
1970  Head Machine - Orgasm (2006 digipak edition)

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Head Machine - Orgasm (1970 uk, fabulous beat psych, 2006 digipak edition)

Featuring members of the Gods performing under pseudonyms -- Ken Leslie (keyboards/vocals/guitars), John Leadhen (bass), Brian Poole (drums), and Lee Poole (percussion) -- British hard rock quartet Head Machine was created to record an album of compositions by producer/songwriter David Paramor, the bandmembers pledging themselves to a basic, pummeling rock sound redolent of Atomic Rooster. 

Their music was accented heavily toward crushing rhythms, with the Poole brothers providing a distinctive multi-layered backdrop to Leslie's alternately mythological or humor-based lyrics. Their sole album, Orgasm, was released in 1969 but failed to build a commercial profile. The band eventually morphed into Toe Fat and later Uriah Heep, after the bandmembers had returned to their more famous billings: Leslie, aka Ken Hensley; Leadhen, aka John Glascock; and the Poole brothers, aka Brian Glascock and Lee Kerslake. 

Ken Hesnley said:

Head Machine was contract project it was just project that somebody paid me to write some songs. In this case the producer came to me and said, “Would you write some songs? I’ll buy these songs from you. I wanna use them for this specific project”. And so that’s what I did — sat down and, you know, scratch down.

Tracks
1. Climax You Tried To Take It All - 6:52
2. Make The Feeling Last - 3:38
3. You Must Come With Me - 4:55
4. The Girl Who Loved, The Girl Who Loved - 3:35
5. Orgasm - 8:54
6. The First Time - 5:00
7. Scattering Seeds - 3:21
All songs written by Ken Hensley

The Head Machine
*David Paramor - Vocals
*Ken Hensley (Ken Leslie) - Keyboards, Vocals, Guitar
*Lee Kerslake (Lee Poole) - Drums
*Joe Konas (Brian Poole) - Guitar
*John Glascock (John Leadhen) - Bass Guitar

Related Act
1968  The Gods - Genesis (2009 japan extra tracks remaster)
1969  The Gods - To Samuel A Son (2009 japan bonus track remaster)
1973  Ken Hensley - Proud Words On A Dusty Shelf (2010 remaster)

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Ken Hensley - Proud Words On A Dusty Shelf (1973 uk, brilliant soft and gently classic rock, 2010 Remaster)

Solo albums are often a crapshoot for fans of a particular group.  They tend to be ventures into bloated-ego territory; repositories of songs that just weren’t good enough to cut it on the parent group’s album.  However, there’s a small but noteworthy percentage of solo albums that deepen your appreciation of what a musician brings to their day-job.  Said solo outings might not venture too far from the sound a musician’s group is known for but the best ones allow you to approach that musician from a different angle that brings their particular talents into sharp focus.

Ken Hensley’s Proud Words On A Dusty Shelf is a great example of that rarified brand of solo album.  For those who don’t know the name, Hensley was the principal songwriter and keyboardist for the British hard-rock legacy Uriah Heep, as well as a frequent second guitarist and vocalist.  They’re known for a highly theatrical, prog-tinged proto-metal that often embraces fantasy themes.  This was Hensley’s solo debut, recorded concurrently with the group’s prolific output, and can easily be considered an extension of the group’s work because it features Heepsters Gary Thain on bass and Lee Kerslake in the drummer’s chair.

That said, one shouldn’t expect a bunch of fire-breathing Frodo metal from Proud Words On A Dusty Shelf.  Hensley delivers the occasional touch of heaviness here — album opener “When Evening Comes” is a steamy, wah-wah-drenched guitarfest and “Fortune” has the complex arrangement and multiple stylistic shifts that defined the best Heep moments — but rocking out is not what this album is about.  The mood of these songs is introspective, using the guitar/organ alloys of their arrangements to convey intense emotion without lapsing into cliched hard rock moves.

Instead, Hensley delivered an album that could be considered mellow-out music for the heavy rock fanbase.  Some songs even have a country-rock sound (favorite in this vein: “Black Hearted Lady”).  Balladry is the main style of songwriting here, with an emphasis on lyrics that deal in romantic loss and longing for the inspirations of a time gone by.  Thankfully, Hensley has a way with a lyric that can be poetic and haunting: “Go Down” paints its character portrait of a lovelorn woman in a spare, elegant way that magnifies the quiet heartbreak of its words and “From Time To Time” steeps its tale of love lost in gothic, Brothers Grimm imagery.

Proud Words On A Dusty Shelf further benefits from a high level of craftsmanship.  Hensley was on a real creative high here, coming off a string of classic Uriah Heep albums that were anchored by his complex, richly melodic sense of songcraft.  That style is fully on display here, in the arranging as well as the songwriting.  Hensley handles all the keyboards and guitars (both electric and acoustic) and creates a musical backdrop that is richly detailed without lapsing into bombast.  The rhythm section matches his every move in a sympathetic style, giving it all a three-dimensional quality.  A great example is “Cold Autumn Sunday,” which starts with solo piano then bursts into a full band performance driven by fiery guitar leads before closing with a coda that blends both styles, adding choral vocals and organ for just the right touch of grandiosity.

It also helps that Hensley’s vocals work hand in hand with the music to sell the lyrics.  He sings in that classic English style of that early-1970’s era, elegant yet soulfully intense when needed.  Throughout the album, he shows he can work a delicate croon (“Go Down”) or a strong, full-voiced delivery (“Cold Autumn Sunday”) with equal skill.  If this wasn’t enough, he also did his own backing vocals and he shows an unerring knack for knowing when to add a double-tracked vocal or a backing chorus without overdoing either.

Thus, Proud Words On A Dusty Shelf is a must for anyone interested in Uriah Heep and proof that Ken Hensley’s skills went beyond the group’s fantasy-oriented hard rock sound.  Anyone interested should pick up the recent Esoteric Recordings remaster because it offers a skillful remastering job that preserves its earthy, analog textures.  It also offers quality liner notes and a nice reproduction of the album’s lovely packaging in its booklet.  It’s a nice treatment for a solo album that beats the solo-album odds.

by Don Guarisco

Tracks 
1. When Evening Comes - 4:37
2. From Time To Time - 3:37
3. A King Without A Throne - 3:51
4. Rain - 3:13
5. Proud Words - 3:17
6. Fortune - 5:19
7. Black Hearted Lady - 3:36
8. Go Down - 3:09
9. Cold Autumn Sunday - 5:27
10.The Last Time - 2:47
All songs written by Ken Hensley

Personnel
Ken Hensley - Vocals, Guitar, Keyboards
Dave Paul - Bass
Gary Thain - Bass
Lee Kerslake - Drums

Related Act
1968  The Gods - Genesis (2009 japan extra tracks remaster)
1969  The Gods - To Samuel A Son (2009 japan bonus track remaster)

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Spooky Tooth - Spooky Two (1969 uk /us, remarkable psych bluesy classic rock, 2005 remaster and 2010 japan SHM expanded)

Spooky Two is this British blues-rock band's pièce de résistance. All eight of the tracks compound free-styled rock and loose-fitting guitar playing, resulting in some fantastic raw music. With Gary Wright on keyboards and vocals and lead singer Mike Harrison behind the microphone, their smooth, relaxed tempos and riffs mirrored bands like Savoy Brown and, at times, even the Yardbirds.

With some emphasis on keyboards, songs like "Lost in My Dream" and the nine-minute masterpiece "Evil Woman" present a cool, nonchalant air that grooves and slides along perfectly. "I've Got Enough Heartache" whines and grieves with some sharp bass playing from Greg Ridley, while "Better by You, Better Than Me" is the catchiest of the songs, with its clinging hooks and desperate-sounding chorus. 

The last song, "Hangman Hang My Shell on a Tree," is a splendid example of the bandmembers' ability to play off of one another, mixing soulful lyrics with downtrodden instrumentation to conjure up the perfect melancholia. Although Spooky Tooth lasted about seven years, their other albums never really contained the same passion or talented collaborating by each individual musician as Spooky Two. 

by Mike DeGagne

Tracks
1. Waitin' for the Wind (Luther Grosvenor, Mike Harrison, Gary Wright) - 3:45
2. Feelin' Bad (Mike Kellie, Gary Wright) - 3:24
3. I've Got Enough Heartache (Mike Kellie, Gary Wright) - 3:29
4. Evil Woman (Larry Weiss) - 9:07
5. Lost in My Dream (Gary Wright) - 5:06
6. That Was Only Yesterday (Gary Wright) - 3:58
7. Better by You, Better Than Me (Gary Wright) - 3:42
8. Hangman Hang My Shell on a Tree (Gary Wright) - 5:47
9. The Weight (Robbie Robertson) - 3:09
10.Do Right People (Gary Wright) - 4:45
11.That Was Only Yesterday (Gary Wright) - 3:53
12.Oh! Pretty Woman (Andrew Charles Williams Jr.) - 3:29
13.Waitin' for the Wind (Luther Grosvenor, Mike Harrison, Gary Wright) - 3:30
14.Feelin' Bad (Mike Kellie) - 3:19
15.The Weight (Robbie Robertson) - 3:14
Original Album Tracks 1-8
Bonus Tracks 9-15

Repertoire 2005 Bonus Tracks
9. That Was Only Yesterday (Gary Wright) - 3:51
10.Oh! Pretty Woman (Andrew Charles Williams Jr.) - 3:27
11.Waitin' for the Wind (Luther Grosvenor, Mike Harrison, Gary Wright) - 3:28
12.Feelin' Bad (Mike Kellie) - 3:18

The Spooky Tooth
*Mike Harrison - Keyboards, Vocals
*Gary Wright - Keyboards, Vocals
*Luther Grosvenor - Guitar
*Greg Ridley - Bass, Guitar
*Mike Kellie - Drums

1968  Spooky Tooth - It's All About (2005 and 2010 SHM)
Related Acts

1965-67  V.I.P's - The Complete V.I.P.S (2006 double disc remaster)
1966  The V.I.P's - Beat Crazy (2004 remaster extra tracks edition) 
1966-68  Deep Feeling - Pretty Colours
1967  Art - Supernatural Fairy Tales (extra track issue)
1971  Mike Harrison - Mike Harrison
1971-72  Gary Wright - Extraction / Footprint
1974  Mott The Hoople - Hoople (2006 remaster and expanded)

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Spooky Tooth - It's All About (1968 uk / us, marvelous colorfully psych rock 2005 digipak expanded and 2010 japan SHM bonus tracks remaster)

Spooky Tooth were one of Island Records' finest acts, yet never quite scaled the upper echelons of the late 60's / early 70's rock hierarchy. Always a band much loved by writers and fellow musicians, they lacked the commercial sucker punch that would've catapulted them to the toppermost of the poppermost. It didn't stop them making some corking records, however.

The Spooky Tooth story (for those of us who are into this sort of thing), if you want to wax analytical about it, provides the perfect paradigm of how various members of disparate 60's British Beat bands pooled their musical resources and mutated into a psychedelic / progressive outfit.

The story begins in summer 1963, in Carlisle and Aspatria, in Cumberland, in the far North-West of England. Jimmy Henshaw (guitar, keyboards), Walter Johnstone (drums), Frank Kenyan (guitar) and former export clerk Mike Harrison (vocals) formed a beat combo, and dubbed themselves The VIPs. Johnston and Kenyan had previously been in The Teenagers; not long after forming the band, The VIPs added Greg Ridley on bass, who had previously lined up with Dino & The Danubes, and The Dakotas and The Ramrods, together with Harrison. They scored a record deal with RCA, who put out their debut single, "She's So Good" / "Don't Keep Shouting At Me" in 1964, both sides being penned by Henshaw. The single is a great slice of sneery Brit R&B, and is now an ultra-rare collector's favourite. From 1965 to 1966 the band were a top club attraction in London, and gigged regularly at the Star Club in Hamburg, garnering a sizeable cult following,

The original VIP's line-up recorded three more singles ("Wintertime" as The Vipps for CBS, plus "I Wanna Be Free" / "Don't Let It Go" and "Straight Down To The Bottom" / "In A Dream" for Island, produced by Island stalwart Guy Stevens) before disbanding. Henshaw, Johnstone and Kenyan were replaced by Luther Grosvenor (guitar), Mike Kellie (drums), and Keith Emerson (keyboards). Emerson had previously been a member of Gary Farr & The T-Bones; this variant of The VIPs gigged for only three months, before Emerson upped and formed The Nice, with Brian "Blinky" Davidson, Lee Jackson and Davy O'List. The remaining quartet changed their name from the by then somewhat anachronistic VIPs, to simply Art-Worcester-born Grosvenor had played guitar for The Hellians, whose 1964 single, "Daydreaming Of You", released on Pye subsidiary Piccadilly, was produced by maverick West Coast genius / madman /charlatan Kim Fowley. The Hellians, if I may digress still further, boasted the nascent talents of both Dave Mason and Jim Capaldi, who would, of course, go on to form Island mainstays Traffic with Steve Winwood, and a young Poli Palmer, who latterly rattled the Joanna for Family. The Hellians in turn mutated into Deep Feeling.

Mike Kellie, originally from Birmingham, had drummed for second city band Locomotive, who also featured sax and flute player Chris Wood, who joined Traffic in 1967. There. See how incestuous this little scene was? Anyway, Locomotive would go on to enjoy a UK Top 30 hit with the ska-rhythmed "Rudi's 1? Love" (unusually enough, the band were very heavily ska and bluebeat driven), and in 1969 put out the awesome latterday psychedelic gem "Mr. Armageddon".

Art cut one album, "Supernatural Fairy Tales", also produced by Guy Stevens (and also available on Edsel), released in 1967. Beautifully housed in a Hapshash And The Coloured Coat-designed sleeve, its original Island Records catalogue number was, ironically enough, ILP 967. Hapshash And The Coloured Coat released an album on Liberty, in which Art featured as backing band on several tracks.

Art's line-up was swelled by the addition of American Gary Wright in October 1967, which initiated a name change - Art became Spooky Tooth.

Spooky-Official 

Spooky Tooth's full-length debut has a tone similar to Traffic with its psychedelic take on the influential pop and soul music of the '60s. A few cover tunes including Janis Ian's "Society's Child" and the Nashville Teens' "Tobacco Road" are included, but original songs like the soulful ballad "It Hurts You So" and "Bubbles" (with its Beach Boys sensibility) are the real standouts. The cheery, psychedelic "It's All About a Roundabout" is the catchiest number by far. On this dreamy cut, vocalist/keyboardist Gary Wright demonstrates some sharp melodic and compositional instincts. 

Although Spooky Tooth eventually became better-known for their straightforward blues-rock, the trippy pop of It's All About counts as a career highlight for the group. Fans of late-'60s British rock are definitely advised to check out this impressive release. 

by Jason Anderson

Tracks
1.Society's Child (Janis Ian) - 4:30
2.Love Really Changed Me (Gary Wright, Jimmy Miller, Luther Grosvenor) - 3:34
3.Here I Lived So Well (Gary Wright, Jimmy Miller, Luther Grosvenor, Mike Harrison) - 5:07
4.Too Much Of Nothing (Bob Dylan) - 3:57
5.Sunshine Help Me (Gary Wright) - 3:02
6.It's All About A Roundabout (Gary Wright, Jimmy Miller) - 2:44
7.Tobacco Road (John D. Loudermilk) -5:34
8.It Hurts You So (Gary Wright, Jimmy Miller) - 3:04
9.Forget It I Got It (Gary Wright, Jimmy Miller) - 3:26
10.Bubbles (Gary Wright, Luther Grosvenor) - 2:49
11.The Weight (Stereo Version) (Robbie Robertson) - 3:14
12.Sunshine Help Me (Gary Wright) - 2:59
13.Weird (Gary Wright, Jimmy Miller, Luther Grosvenor, Mike Harrison, Mike Kellie) - 3:59
14.Love Really Changed Me (Mono Version) (Gary Wright, Jimmy Miller, Luther Grosvenor) - 2:59
15.Luger's Groove (Peter Luger) - 3:34
16.The Weight (Robbie Robertson) - 3:07
17.Do Right People (Gary Wright) - 4:44
18.Bubbles (Mono Version) (Gary Wright, Luther Grosvenor) - 2:44
Original Album Tracks 1-10
Bonus Tracks 11-18

SHM 2010 version Bonus Tracks list
11.Sunshine Help Me (Mono Single Version) (Gary Wright) - 3:00
12.Weird (Mono Single Version) (Gary Wright, Jimmy Miller, Luther Grosvenor, Mike Harrison, Mike Kellie) - 4:01
13.Love Rally Changed Me (Mono Single Version) (Gary Wright, Jimmy Miller, Luther Grosvenor) - 3:01
14.Luger's Groove (Mono Single Version) (Peter Luger) - 3:35
15.Bubbles (Mono Single Version) (Gary Wright, Luther Grosvenor) - 2:43

The Spooky Tooth
*Gary Wright - Vocals, Organ, Keyboards
*Luther Grosvenor - Guitars
*Mike Harrison - Vocals, Keyboards, Harpsichord
*Mike Kellie - Drums And Percussion
*Greg Ridley - Bass, Guitar

Related Acts
1965-67  V.I.P's - The Complete V.I.P.S (2006 double disc remaster)
1966  The V.I.P's - Beat Crazy (2004 remaster extra tracks edition) 
1966-68  Deep Feeling - Pretty Colours
1967  Art - Supernatural Fairy Tales (extra track issue)
1971  Mike Harrison - Mike Harrison
1971-72  Gary Wright - Extraction / Footprint
1974  Mott The Hoople - Hoople (2006 remaster and expanded)

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Mick Ronson - Play Don't Worry (1975 uk, extraordinary glam guitar rock, 2009 remaster and expanded)

The second Ronson album, Play Don't Worry (RCA APL 1-0681), recently released, is far better than last year's debut Slaughter on Tenth Avenue. The first album was excellent in parts, but Ronson seemed unsure of himself. The result was the inclusion of weak material and poor mixing of the vocals. Play, on the other hand, is a more assured and independent effort. Ronson had a hand in writing only four of the album's songs, but he is credited with all guitar and most vocal work and he tries his hand at bass, synthesizer, keyboards and drums. He handles all the material as wholeheartedly as if it were his own, In contrast to Slaughter, the production and mixing on the new album is almost faultless. Only on one occasion, a rendition of 'The Girl Can't Help It,' are the vocals lost in the mix. The printing of Ronson's pleasantly unsophisticated lyrics emphasizes their awkwardness, but they sound much better than they read.

Ronson's live role with the Spiders was that of lead guitarist, his tonal expertise combined with sheer volume produced some wonderfully frenetic guitar work. For the most part his playing is more subdued on his own records, but at times he releases all inhibition. His guitar wails through 'Angel No. 9' and he recalls his live work with 'White Light/White Heat.' Fast-fingered bassist Trevor Bolder and pianist Mike Garson recreate their Spider roles. Overzealous drummer Aynsley Dunbar sometimes borders on sloppiness, but adequate percussion work is supplied throughout the album by Paul Francis, Richie Dharma and Tony Newman.

The overall tone of the album is gentler than Slaughter or any of the work with Bowie. This is felt through two Ronson originals, that lead off side two, 'Play Don't Worry' and 'Hazy Days'. Laurie Heath's 'This is for You' is embellished by soothing multi tracked harmonies, and Sid Sax leads an ample string section through 'The Empty Bed.'

The original version of 'The Empty Bed,' 'Io Me Ne Andrei' was done by Italian crooner Claudio Baglioni. Ronson's English lyrics are not a literal translation, but the ultra-romantic sentiments are left intact. An Italian music/English lyric fusion, 'Music is Lethal,' was attempted on Slaughter on Tenth Avenue but it failed because the involved lyrics wee unsuited to the frail melody. 'The Empty Bed,' on the other hand, works perfectly. Ronson has become an assured vocalist, signing in his best saccharine tinged voice. His vocal proficiency allows him to handle the hard and the soft with equal finesse.

by Charles Bermant, March 9, 1975

Tracks
1. Billy Porter (Mick Ronson) - 3:34
2. Angel No. 9 (Craig Fuller) - 5:39
3. This Is For You (Laurie Heath) - 4:29
4. White Light/White Heat (Lou Reed) - 4:12
5. Play Don't Worry (Mick Ronson, Bob Sargeant) - 3:09
6. Hazy Days (Mick Ronson) - 4:29
7. Girl Can't Help It (Bobby Troup) - 2:59
8. Empty Bed (Io Me Ne Andrei) (Claudio Baglioni, Antonio Coggio, Mick Ronson) - 5:15
9. Woman (Adam Taylor) - 3:33
10.Seven Days (Original B Side) (Annette Peacock) - 2:42
11.Stone Love (Soul Love) (David Bowie) - 3:30
12.I'd Rather Be Me (Mick Ronson) - 4:55
13.Life Οn Mars? (Roscoe West) - 4:17
14.Pain Ιn Τhe City (Mick Ronson) - 3:48
15.Dogs (French Girl) (Mick Ronson) - 3:52
16.Seven Days (Alternate Take) (Annette Peacock) - 6:04
17.28 Days Jam (Mick Ronson) - 6:26
18.Woman (Alternate Take) (Adam Taylor) - 3:31
Bonus Tracks 10-18

Musicians
*Mick Ronson - Guitar, Bass, Drums, Harmonica, Piano, Clavinet, Synthesizer, Vocals
*Jeff Daly - Saxophone, Flutes
*Neil Kernon - ARP Synthesizer
*Paul Francis - Drums
*Mike Garson - Piano
*Trevor Bolder - Bass, Horn
*Ritchie Dharma - Drums
*Aynsley Dunbar - Drums
*Tony Newman - Drums
*John Mealing - Piano
*Ian Hunter - Backing Vocals
*Vicky Silva - Backing Vocals
*Beverly Baxter - Backing Vocals
*Miquel Brown - Backing Vocals

1974  Mick Ronson - Slaughter On 10th Avenue (2009 extra tracks remaster)

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Mick Ronson - Slaughter On 10th Avenue (1974 uk, fantastic glam guitar prog rock, 2009 extra tracks remaster)

Upon first listen, one could be forgiven for thinking this was a David Bowie album. After all, Mick Ronson was fresh off his tenure as guitarist for the Spiders From Mars, having worked with Bowie for about four years. Add to that the fact that the lineup of musicians on this album was the exact same used by Bowie on his 1973 covers album, Pin-Ups, and the lines begin to blur even more.

This was not the case, though. By 1974, the Spiders were no more, Bowie having dismissed the entire band to begin work on his album Diamond Dogs. Mick Ronson, however, decided to continue with the band for his debut solo album, while taking on lead vocals himself. The resulting album, Slaughter on 10th Avenue, was a very worthy debut album from one of rock’s finest guitar players and musical arrangers.

Let’s get one fact out of the way first; while not contributing directly to the recordings, Bowie was actually involved in a couple songs. “Growing Up and I’m Fine” was written solely by Bowie for this album. The linked tracks of “Pleasure Man/Hey Ma Get Papa” bear the Bowie stamp musically, with the writing of the second half of the two songs being co-credited to him. Finally, the song “Music Is Lethal” was Bowie’s translation of an Italian song, and contain lyrics that were typical of his songs at the time.

All this makes it seem as if Ronson was trying to emulate Bowie, rather than establishing himself as a solo artist in his own right. Ronson openly admitted to not being comfortable as a frontman, and in some corners it was said that he was pressured into the situation.

However, when it comes down to it, the album itself is genuinely good. There is no denying Ronson’s talent, both as a guitarist and musical arranger, and this album finally lets him shine on his own. His vocals, while not as strong as (though very similar to) Bowie’s, still manage to convey the emotion of each song as necessary, especially during the second half of the song “I’m The One”, itself being a cover of an Annette Peacock song.

More than anything, though, the album gives him a chance to really highlight his guitar prowess, especially on the instrumental title track, which itself was an adaptation of the music from the ballet of the same name. Meanwhile, straightforward rocker “Only After Dark” would go on to be covered by The Human League, while “Pleasure Man” is highly reminiscent of Bowie’s song “Aladdin Sane” in tempo and off-kilter piano.

Released the same year (and roughly around the same time) as Diamond Dogs, the album was destined to not do as much business except to those who knew Ronson from his days with Bowie. Those who discovered it though, both then and now, were rewarded with an album that was extremely varied and eclectic without being overreaching, an album by an amazing guitarist that was crafted to not just focus on the guitar. As one of the best known guitarists of the 70s up to present day, it would’ve been easy to just make an album of straight up rock filled with riffs. Ronson instead chose to craft a different sort of album that could highlight all his talents, allowing him to step out of the shadows and show what he truly was capable of. If you have not heard this album yet, I highly recommend you seek it out. From straight rock to glam to torch-style songs to a guitar version of a ballet song, there’s something on here for everyone, and 40 years (!) later, it stands up as one of the most unusual, but rewarding, albums ever made…even for non-Bowie fans.

by Joe Jamnitzky

Tracks
1. Love Me Tender (Ken Darby) - 4:42
2. Growing Up and I'm Fine (David Bowie) - 3:12
3. Only After Dark (Mick Ronson, Scott Richardson) - 3:31
4. Music Is Lethal (David Bowie, Lucio Battisti) - 5:11
5. I'm the One (Annette Peacock) - 5:06
6. Pleasure Man/Hey Ma Get Papa (Mick Ronson, Scott Richardson, David Bowie) - 8:52
7. Slaughter on Tenth Avenue (Richard Rodgers) - 4:38
8. Solo On 10th Avenue (Richard Rodgers) - 2:07
9. Leave My Heart Alone (Craig Fuller) - 4:32
10.Love Me Tender (Ken Darby) - 4:43
11.Slaughter on Tenth Avenue (Richard Rodgers) - 4:35
Bonus Tracks Live recordings 8-11

Musicians
*Mick Ronson - Guitar, Piano, Vocals
*Trevor Bolder - Bass, Trumpet, Trombone
*Aynsley Dunbar - Drums, Percussion
*Mike Garson - Piano, Electric Piano, Organ
*David Hentschel - Synthesizer
*Margaret Ronson - Backing Vocals
*Dennis Mackay - Backing Vocals
*Sidney Sax - Strings

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Dirty Tricks - Night Man (1976 uk, fine heavy rock, 2004 remaster and expanded)

1976's Night Man was a worthy successor to the band's debut album. By this time, the USA was starting to take notice of this brash, enthusiastic and exciting young hard rock band and, on the strength of the Night Man album, shows were booked in America. A selection of tracks from this trip are included here, along with a single b-side and two US re-recordings of tracks from the Dirty Tricks debut album.

Dirty Tricks became one of rocks hardest working and most highly regarded acts, and it was in the live arena that they really shone. The vocals of Kenny Stewart, the guitar work of soon-to-be Rogue Male Johnny Fraser-Binnie and the rhythm section of bassist Terry Horbury and drummer John Lee played hard and aimed high…as the bonus tracks on this release ably show.

Melodic-Rock

Tracks
1. Night Man (John Fraser Binnie, Kenny Stewart) - 6:03
2. Weekend Raver (John Fraser Binnie, John Lee) - 4:49
3. Armageddon (Song For A Rainbow) (Terry Horbury) - 4:25
4. Fun Brigade (John Fraser Binnie, Kenny Stewart) - 4:29
5. Play Dirty (John Fraser Binnie, Terry Horbury, John Lee, Kenny Stewart) - 4:51
6. Now You're Gone (John Fraser Binniee) - 4:13
7. You Got My Soul (John Fraser Binnie, Terry Horbury, John Lee, Kenny Stewart) - 4:35
8. Black Diamond (John Fraser Binnie, Terry Horbury, John Lee, Kenny Stewart) - 5:41
9. Too Much Wine (Alternative Version) (John Fraser Binnie) - 5:18
10.Wait Till Saturday (Alternative Version) (John Fraser Binnie) - 5:30
11.Wait Till Saturday (John Fraser Binnie) - 5:49
12.Too Much Wine (John Fraser Binnie) - 6:58
13.You Got My Soul (John Fraser Binnie, Terry Horbury, John Lee, Kenny Stewart) - 8:36
14. Hire Car (Terry Horbury, Kenny Stewart) - 4:29
Bonus Tracks 9-14
Tracks 11-14 recorded Live in Cincinnati 1976

Dirty Tricks
*John Fraser Binnie - Guitar, Keyboards
*Terry Horbury - Bass
*John Lee - Drums
*Kenny Stewart - Vocals
With
*Madeleine Bell - Vocals
*Joanne Stone - Vocals
*Vicky Brown - Vocals
*Phil Kenzie - Horns
*Rod Argent - Piano

1975  Dirty Tricks - Dirty Tricks (bonus tracks issue)
Related Act
1973  Renia - First Offenders

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Sammy - Sammy (1973 uk, essential hard rock with some brass instruments, 2012 edition)

It's doubtful many folks have ever heard the British band Sammy - I certainly hadn't which was kind of surprising given the band's impressive pedigree.   Drummer Mick Underwood was apparently the band's driving force, with the line up rounded out by a collection of rock veterans including ex-Audience horn and woodwinds player Keith Gemmell, ex-Billy J. Kramer keyboardist Mick Hodgekinson, former Ginhouse guitarist Geoff Sharkey, and ex-Roy Young Band bassist Paul Simmons.     

Signed by Philips, the band debuted with a 1972 45 'Goo Ger Woogie' b/w 'Big Lovin' Woman' (Philips catalog number 6006 227).  While the single did little commercially, it attracted enough interest and attention for Philips management to green light an album.

Co-produced by Louie Austin and Deep Purple's Ian Gillan (not Jon Lord) and the front cover artwork was done by Philip Castle who was the man who did the artwork for the film Clockwork Orange. 1973's "Sammy" offered up a competent, if slightly worn set of mid-1970s hard rock.  

Largely penned by Sharkey and Simmons, lyrically and musically there wasn't a lot of originality going on here (kind of like the album cover) - Gemmell's sax adding occasional jazz-influenced runs to the band's blues and rock oriented sound.  As lead singer Sharkey wasn't bad; his raw raspy voice sounded surprisingly good on tracks like 'Give Me More', their unlikely cover of 'I Ain't Never Loved a Woman (The Way That I Love You)', and 'Get Into a New Thing'.  Imagine Uriah Heep-lite with the saxes, a little more boogie and variety ('Who Do You Really Love') and you'll be in the right aural neighborhood.  

The band was actually far more impressive on their isolated stabs at more-pop oriented material like 'Sioux-Eyed Lady' and 'Jo Anne'.  Elsewhere the album spun off a UK single in the form of 'Sioux-Eyed Lady' b/w '70 Days' (Philips catalog number 6006 249).  Brainless fun, it's actually not a bad effort, especially if you approach it with the right mindset.  

Bad-cat

Tracks
1. Give Me More (Geoff Sharkey, Mick Underwood) - 6:00
2. I Ain't Never Loved A Woman (The Way That I Love You) (Ronny Shannon) - 5:07
3. Siox Eyed Lady (Geoff Sharkey) - 3:43
4. Boggle (Geoff Sharkey, Mick Hodgkinson, Mick Underwood, Paul Simmons) - 0:45
5. 70 Days (Geoff Sharkey) - 4:14
6. Get Into A New Thing (Paul Simmons) - 4:29
7. Jo Anne (Mick Hodgkinson) - 4:40
8. Boggled (Geoff Sharkey, Mick Hodgkinson, Mick Underwood, Paul Simmons) - 0:54
9. Who Do You Really Love? (Geoff Sharkey) - 4:31
10.Lady Lover (Paul Simmons) - 3:53

Sammy
*Keith Gemmell - Saxes, Flute
*Geoff Sharkey - Guitars, Lead Vocals
*Mick Hodgkinson - Keyboards, Vocals
*Paul Simmons - Bass, Vocals
*Mick Underwood - Drums, Percussion
With
*Martin Rushent - Tambourine
*Sylvia McNeill - Vocals

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Jesse Davis - Jesse Davis (1970 us, excellent classic rock melted with blues and folk, japan edition)

While Jesse Ed Davis’ legacy has finally started to see the light of recognition, there is still a long way to go in establishing his rightful place in the pantheon of rock and roll legends. The Kiowa guitarist’s career encompassed work with everyone from Conway Twitty to John Lee Hooker to Bob Dylan, and his time served in the original Taj Mahal band would be highly influential on up-and-coming guitar slingers like Duane Allman (he being the inspiration for the latter’s taking up bottleneck-style guitar in the first place). Davis never really managed to establish himself as a commercially successful singer in his own right, but that did not prevent him from cutting a series of strong and invigorating records in the early 1970s, the first and foremost of these being Jesse Davis.

Davis has surrounded himself with a real who’s-who of rock and roll musicians here, including Eric Clapton, Joel Scott Hill, Gram Parsons and the oddly-omnipresent Leon Russell. This is a hearty American brew; it’s only too bad that the liner notes do not include a track by track breakdown of who is playing what on which songs. Davis’ voice may be an acquired taste – being slightly nasally and, yes, sometimes a little pitchy – but it also has a lot of character, and its hard not to give the guy a break; in the end, whatever vocal limitations the cat may be accused of are more than made up for by his exemplary musicianship. 

In his guitar playing I have noticed that Davis exhibits a certain degree of Curtis Mayfield influence (similar to that of Woodstock-era Robbie Robertson) in his ability to always serve the song and the rhythm; that is, until it comes time to let loose into a sharp and jagged solo, such as that which leaps out from the end of the otherwise lethargic “Reno Street Incident” – an original composition which was also recorded by Southwind’s Jim Pulte. The expansive horn arrangement on “Every Day Is Saturday Night” falls somewhere between Memphis boogie-woogie and red dirt dixieland, with Davis’ sharp staccato guitar leaping and swerving through the collective improvisation until its gleeful collapse. Make a joyful noise, indeed.

Perhaps the most memorable number here is “You Belladonna You,” which not only manages to lock into a serious groove, but also boasts an inescapable vocal hook. The extended jam at the end is the reason I harbor such ill will towards “the fade-out” on rock and roll records: is this not where the real magic happens? On the other hand, the oddest moment on the record comes with “Golden Sun Goddess,” which is an uncharacteristic detour into Los Angeles yacht rock replete with groovy electric sitars and a lava lamp vocal choir. It sounds like the album’s closest thing to a hit single, though its Steely Dan-isms are pretty jarring. 

Pretty much everywhere else Davis leans on an earthy, deadpan charm that betrays his deep Oklahoma roots. “Redheaded woman wants me to get a haircut,” Davis grumbles at the end of Pamela Polland’s “Tulsa County” before cracking, “man, I can’t get no haircut. Redhead? That’s a redneck.” Alright, so the Byrds may have cut the definitive take on this one, but they never let themselves have this much fun in the studio. Davis may be criticized for relying so heavily on other people’s material for his own albums, but his takes on these songs are always individualistic, and anyways, the guy’s got some good taste.

Jesse Davis has been reissued both individually and as a set with the follow up release, 1972’s Ululu, but somehow both are currently out-of-print and demanding ridiculously high prices. Your best bet is to keep an eye out for some original vinyl or else sucking it up and purchasing a digital copy, which may in fact be the most affordable choice at the moment though it does entail missing out on the righteous jacket artwork.

by Nik Rayne 

Tracks
1. Reno Street Incident - 4:10
2. Tulsa County (Pamela Polland) - 2:21
3. Washita Love Child - 3:47
4. Every Night Is Saturday Night - 7:11
5. You Belladonna You - 6:29
6. Rock N Roll Gypsies (Roger Tillison) - 4:14
7. Golden Sun Goddess - 4:48
8. Crazy Love (Van Morrison) - 3:36
All songs written by Jesse Ed Davis except where indicated

Musicians
*Jesse Ed Davis - Guitar, Vocals
*Nickey Barclay - Vocals
*Chuck Blackwell - Drums
*Eric Clapton - Guitar
*Merry Clayton - Vocals
*Patt Daley - Percussion
*Venetta Fields - Vocals
*Jim Gordon - Clarinet, Horn, Baritone Sax
*Joel Scott Hill - Guitar
*Bobby Lee Jones - Vocals
*Gloria Jones - Vocals
*Jerry Jumonville - Tenor  Saxophone
*Clydie King - Vocals
*Larry Knechtel - Keyboards
*Sanford Konikoff - Percussion
*Darrell Leonard - Horn, Trombone, Trumpet
*Jackie Lomax - Percussion
*Frank Mayes - Tenor  Sax
*Steve Mitchell - Drums
*Gram Parsons - Vocals
*Larry Pierce - Keyboards
*Billy Rich - Bass,
*Bruce Rowland - Drums
*Leon Russell - Keyboards, Piano
*Ben Sidran - Keyboards
*John Simon - Keyboards
*Steve Thompson - Bass
*Pete "Big Boy" Waddington - Percussion
*John Ware - Percussion
*Alan White - Drums
*Maxine Willard Waters - Vocals
*Alan Yoshida - Percussion

1972  Jesse "Ed" Davis - Ululu (2003 japan HDCD remaster)   

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