Second album from 1971 by this killer LA blues/rock band, also originally released on the Blue Horizon label and also stupidly rare and sought after. With Rod Piazza still out front, harp in hand, wailing his soul and J.D. Nicholson suppling piano and vocals Tough Guys has much to recommend it to fans of the group's debut and anyone who would like to hear one of the west-coasts greatest harmonica players.
Tracks
1. Wait On It (Rod "Gingerman" Piazza) - 3:39
2. Down The Road (J.D. Nicholson) - 3:20
3. Shake Dancer (Walter Jacobs) - 2:05
4. Leaving On Your Mind (George "Harmonica" Smith) - 4:05
5. Jivin' The Business (Ivan «Buddy» Reed) - 2:25
6. Betty (Gregg Schaefer) - 2:41
7. Travelling South (Mike Vernon) - 3:00
8. Evil (Chester Burnett) - 2:46
9. Blues Feeling (Rod "Gingerman" Piazza) - 4:00
10.Pool Hall Sam (George "Harmonica" Smith) - 2:54
11.Translating Blues (Ivan «Buddy» Reed) - 4:05
12.Hurricane (George "Harmonica" Smith) - 5:00
The Bacon Fat
*Rod "Gingerman" Piazza - Harp, Vocals
*George "Harmonica" Smith - Harp, Vocals
*Buddy Reed - Guitar, Vocals
*Gregg Schaefer - Guitar
*J.D. Nicholson - Vocals, Piano
*Jerry Smith - Bass
*Dick Innes, Jr. - Drums
The history of Heat Exchange starts somewhere in the late 60s in Toronto, Canada. The band emerged from a band named Cloud which involved four of the total of six of Heat Exchange members, except the saxophonist / flutist Craig Carmody and the lead singer Mike Langford. The unsuccessful attempts to release their debut album in 1972 in connection with the indifference of the record companies, led them inevitably to their break-up. However, they managed to deliver a concise legacy of three 45 rpm records, the six compositions of which are included in this album, along with some unreleased songs. Some of the band members kept the recorded material and Guerssen Records willing to carry out her purpose once again, gathered their material and presents an addictive compositions package where a blending of heavy prog, prog folk, pop glimpses, jazz and rock guitar is harmoniously achieved.
What seems clear is that their place of origin is not indicative of their influences. The whole aesthetics of the album refers to bands of the Old Albion and the generalized wave of prog rock of that era. If we want to clarify the effects that arise, these will probably be found in two of the favorite bands of Carmody, Emerson, Lake and Palmer and King Crimson, the Raw Material, Jethro Tull, The Nice, Web, and Argent. The album has an exciting flow capturing a band composed of highly talented musicians. To avoid prolixity in relation to the individual development of the album, I wish to stand on tracks which fascinated me most and to the minimum disadvantages I received as a listener.
First, it is the opening For Those Who Listen, a four-minute prog folk anthem based on the keyboards of Gord McKinnon. Imagine a mixing of Argent, Jethro Tull and Procol Harum with the discreet but very successful presence of the flute of Carmody. In the surprising title track Reminiscence, whose characteristic introduction recollects late 60s-early 70s keyboard-driven prog bands, until the Carmody flute takes charge of the composition to take off completely the composition. In the also excellent jazzy Stopwatch but mainly in the last track of the album, the prog / folk epic Four to Open the Door. From there onwards, Can you Tell Me is constructed on a pop base brightened with distinct funk blends, while the highly remarkable Scat effortlessly evokes N.S.U. by Cream. The heavy prog Inferno convinces equally with the foregoing, as well as the switch of harmonica and saxophone in the very good She Made All Alone. The intelligible Philosophy and Scorpio Lady without touching the heights of the previous compositions do not affect the positive sign of the total.
For several years we share a seamless revival of the past, with the positive and negative aspects. Bands like Heat Exchange underline the purpose of this revival which is not ephemeral and any trendy trivialization, but the need to update the past through the present. Reminiscence is a serious reminder of this revival. Rush fearlessly and listen.
by Thomas Sarakintsis
Tracks
1. For Those Who Listen - 3:43
2. Inferno - 3:52
3. Reminiscence - 4:37
4. Can You Tell Me - 3:06
5. Stopwatch - 5:48
6. She Made Me All Alone - 3:31
7. Philosophy - 2:50
8. Scorpio Lady - 2:35
9. Scat - 3:22
10.Four To Open The Door - 9:34
Music and Lyrics written by The Heat Exchange
If you were a London-based listener with at least a modicum of good taste in the late summer of 1975, Mac Gayden’s massive turntable hit, ‘Morning Glory’ will hold more than a few memories for you. Championed by a better class of DJ, such as Charlie Gillett on Radio London, and Roger Scott on Capital Radio when it was everything that an independent radio station should be, this supremely catchy song with its compelling slide guitar work ought, by rights, to have been one of the year’s stone smashes. Sadly, its appeal didn’t get far beyone those who appreciate perfect pop, but even now, 33 years on, it stands up to any amount of scrutiny, and is easily the equal of any of Gayden’s better known mid 1960s compositions, such as ‘Everlasting Love’ and ‘Love On A Mountain Top’, two Top 20 hits that he co-wrote for Robert Knight, or the beach music/60s classic ‘She Shot A Hole In My Soul’for Clifford Curry.
‘Morning Glory’ was not a hit in the USA either, but Gayden’s label ABC believed in him enough to release “Skyboat” and “Hymn To The Seeker”, two of only three solo albums that he released last century issued here with his non-album B-side ‘Sunfall’ as a bonus track. Neither of them made ways. Not helped by sending the decidedly non-country “Skyboat” album to country stations, on the basis that it had been recorded in Nashville. Now they have come to be recognised as masterpieces of the diverse and all encompassing musical melting pot that is Southern Rock.
The sleevenotes, by Gayden aficionado and Mojo writer Mick Houghton, give valuable insight into this still relatively unsung hero, whose other notable achievements include playing on Dylan’s “Blonde On Blonde” sessions, co-founding two cornerstone acts of Southern rock in Area Code 615 and its successor, Barefoot Jerry and, possibly most importantly, inventing an innovative way to play a slide guitar through a wah-wah pedal, as exemplified by his work on J J Cale’s first album and, of course, ‘Morning Glory’.
Gayden still pursues a musical path in the 21st century, with his own label and the occasional Nashville gig to keep him busy. For those who can’t pop across to Music City every time Mac plays a show, the CD premiere of “Morning Glory – The ABC Recordings” will be a most acceptable alternative. We’re delighted to return this small but perfectly formed body of work to catalogue after far too long an absence.
by Tony Rounce
Tracks Disc 1 Skyboat
1. Morning Glory - 3:40
2. Gettysburg - 2:41
3. Southwind - 3:27
4. Everlasting Love (Mac Gayden, Buzz Cason) - 4:10
5. Freedom Drum - 4:00
6. Don't Look Back (William Robinson, Ronald White) - 4:41
7. It's All Right (Curtis Mayfield) - 4:03
8. Sweet Serenity - 3:45
9. Appalachian Fever - 4:13
10.Waterboy - 3:42
11.Diamond Mandala 10:24
12.Sunfall (Bonus Track) (Mac Gayden, Buzz Cason) - 2:53
All songs by Mac Gayden except where indicated
Disc 2 Hymn To The Seeker
1. Rejoice The Dawn (Mike Miller) - 2:30
2. Steppin' Stone (Mac Gayden, Bill Cheatham) - 4:01
3. Someone Whispered - 4:53
4. Standing in the Background - 3:50
5. Life Is Just A Pantomime - 5:32
6. Here We Meet Again - 1:50
7. To Our Ancestors (Mac Gayden, Mike Miller) - 5:03
8. Colours of the Rainbow - 3:12
9. The Minstrel Is Free At Last (Mac Gayden, John Harris) - 9:16
10.Hymn to the Seeker (Mac Gayden, Mike Miller) - 1:32
11.If I Could I'd Set You Free - 1:14
All compositions by Mac Gayden except where stated
It seems only fitting that one of Roy's best albums was a live album that's never even been released in the United States, as Roy was doomed to a life of cult fandom and recognition without ever reaping the rewards of significant commercial success. Of course, part of this was due to his own self-destructive nature, but in any event this live album is a scorcher that shows Roy and his loyal road band (still Lukens, Harrison, and Foster) in fine form on an "on" night in a country that really appreciated what they had to give. I'd give this album the slight nod over Live Stock mostly due to the appearances of "Hey Joe" and "Sweet Dreams," though like the previous live album this one is too brief (around 46 minutes) for its own good, especially since again there was more material available that could've been used.
The album starts with a stellar version of Booker T. & The MG's "Soul Dressing" (an improvement on "Green Onions") that's moody yet rocking, with keyboard and guitar solos and Harrison's bass prominent as well. "Sweet Honey Dew" delivers swinging mid-tempo rock n' roll with some good lashing guitar and moody keyboards including another solo spotlight, before "Hey Joe" slowly stretches out for 9+ minutes. Now, I really liked the flashier studio version, but I prefer this version for the "Shenandoah" reference and the explosive "Foxey Lady" coda; this performance is Roy Buchanan at his absolute best.
"Lonely Days Lonely Nights," a soulful semi-ballad with a good Byrd vocal and attractive piano. "Blues Otani," a remake of an old Snakestretchers song called "Since You've Been Gone," is another in a long line of excellent extended (7:53) blues tracks, before an explosive "My Baby Says She's Gonna Leave Me" leads into an intimate, heart wrenching "Sweet Dreams." The main problem with this album is that it leaves you wanting more and makes you feel slightly unsatisfied as a result. Still, what is here is mostly excellent, and the album was a personal favorite of Roy's who felt that it captured what him and his band were all about. Note: Roy toured incessantly (band members came and went) and released several albums after this one, including a trio of studio albums for Alligator Records in the mid-'80s, but I feel that his best recorded output came in the '70s, on the albums reviewed on this page.
Buchanan's life was tragically cut short when he was arrested for being drunk and disorderly and allegedly hung himself in jail. Fittingly given his enigmatic life, some have questioned whether he was really in fact the victim of police brutality and a subsequent cover up, but for all his shortcomings as a singer, songwriter, bandleader, and businessman, what can't be denied is that in life few people could make a guitar cry quite like Roy Buchanan.
by Scott Floman
Tracks
1. Soul Dressing (Booker T. Jones, Steve Cropper, Lewis Steinberg, Al Jackson) - 7:18
2. Sweet Honeydew (Roy Buchanan, Byrd Foster) - 3:28
3. Hey Joe (William M. Roberts) - 9:23
4. Slow Down (Larry Williams) - 2:53
5. Lonely Days Lonely Nights (Earl King) - 4:13
6. Blues Otani (Roy Buchanan, Byrd Foster) - 7:51
7. My Baby Says She's Gonna Leave Me (Roy Buchanan, John Harrison, Billy Price) - 3:24
8. Sweet Dreams (Don Gibson) - 3:58
Well, this 1977 release from the guitar master (who ultimately and sadly took his own life in the late 1980's) just happens to be one if his rare fusion recordings, and contains a few tunes that the progressive listener will no doubt appreciate.
"The Heat of the Battle" kicks things off in rousing fashion. This raging song is like a head on collision between vintage Allman Brothers and Wired era Jeff Beck, featuring smoldering jazz licks from Buchanan and Ray Gomez, acrobatic bass from Stanley Clarke (who wrote the song), drums from Narada Michael Walden, and nimble keys courtesy of Malcolm Lukens. The more moody and introspective "Hidden" follows, where Roy's electric and acoustic guitar passages are massaged by Jan Hammer's wonderful acoustic piano and Stanley Clarke's picolo bass. Additional strings and flute bring this one close to prog rock waters after the more upbeat opening fusion romp. "The Circle " is a rocking vocal piece, featuring great male and female vocals and Roy's funky guitar leads, while "The Adventures of Brer Rabbit and Tar Baby" is an engaging little country pickin' ditty where Buchanan and Clarke get to strut their stuff. Dixie Dregs anyone?
Fans of Booker T and the MG's will love the searing blues interplay of "Ramon's Blues" as well as the cover of "Green Onions", where Roy and Steve Cropper get to trade some serious blues licks over some meaty organ from Lukens. "Judy" is another jazzy number, written by Walden, that showcases some rampaging fusion solos from Buchanan over beds of piano and organ, while Walden and bassist Will Lee lay down some funky rhythms. Again, the comparison to Jeff Beck's instrumental work is evident. Screechingly heavy guitar rock meets the blues on "Done Your Daddy Dirty", a great vehicle for Roy's distorted blues-rock meanderings (this guy smokes!), then segues into the sappy Walden penned "Your Love", the CD's one lone clunker, and totally out of place here. Featuring no guitar and Buchanan on lead vocals, this one might have been nice had they left it instrumental, as there's some cool flute passages and brass in the mix.
Loading Zone is an essential purchase for guitar and fusion fanatics, and one of the better "lost classics" of the 70's.
by Pete Pardo
Tracks
1. Heat of the Battle (Stanley Clarke) - 5:02
2. Hidden (Roy Buchanan) - 3:25
3. Circle (Roy Buchanan, Byrd Foster, Scott Musmanno) - 2:57
4. Adventures of Brer Rabbit and Tar Baby (Roy Buchanan) - 2:36
5. Ramon's Blues (Roy Buchanan) - 7:09
6. Green Onions (Booker T Jones, Steve Cropper, Lewis Steinberg, Al Jackson) - 8:11
7. Judy (Narada Michael Walden) - 4:11
8. Done Your Daddy Dirty (Roy Buchanan) - 4:14
9. Your Love (Narada Michael Walden) - 3:55
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
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
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
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
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 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
