Plain and Fancy: 05/28/24

In the dim but not so distant past, at a time when legends were forming, some rare monsters could be seen stomping through the undergrowth. One was unearthed in Hackensack—not the New Jersey backwater derived from the Algonquians’ stony ground but four English rockers, hairy and larger than life, who named themselves after a much-liked Thelonious Monk song. The surprises start here. First glimpsed in 1969 its origins and ancestry are obscure, but by ’71 founder Nicky Moore felt he had the right chemistry fixed and the critter stomped through the jungle of gigland to the astonishment of unsuspecting natives.

By 1972 they were playing well over 250 concerts a year non-stop across the land of the Mini Minor and Continental tundra. That year, Island released their first and only single, the non-album Moving On / River Boat. The vocalist says it tickled the European charts, and a German picture sleeve exists. The A-side was written by Mick Ralphs, who also contributed lap steel guitar, after ’Sack supported label-mates Mott The Hoople on their Rock ‘n’ Roll Circus tour a few months earlier. It was produced by Muff Winwood, older brother of Steve (both ex-Spencer Davis Group), who later produced Dire Straits’ debut (’78) and the first hits of Sparks. He was also working as A & R at Island, but it seems he was less than helpful with the next logical step of an album for Hackensack.

Like other very popular live acts in that era it was wondered if their incredible energy could be captured in the studio as evidence. The same problem beset many name-bands as different as Medicine Head, Strife, Quintessence and Groundhogs; some adapted their styles between concert and vinyl, like T. Rex and Pink Fairies, others (the most famous?) just reproduced the same sound in both environments without a second thought. Hackensack hoped their debut platter would be live, which wasn’t to be. The result would herald their demise.

Initially scheduled by Island, who had the demos, Polydor eventually released the first and only album in 1974: Up The Hardway. Its striking red-sky cover of a knight pointing to a distant cliff-city, agreed by the band and award-winning the vocalist recalls, might first suggest prog or metal, but the LP is a tasteful mix of straight heavy boogie and ballads with quality vocals and guitar. The uninitiated listener today might imagine they have stumbled on a lost classic by hair-rockers who notched up millions thanks to their predominantly female audience. The line-up was Nicky Moore (lead vocals, guitar, electric piano), Ray Smith (lead guitar, vocals), Paul Martinez (bass), and Simon Fox (drums, percussion). Smith was soon better-known as Ray Majors, changing his name to avoid confusion with the guitarist of another Island band, Albert Lee’s Heads, Hands & Feet.

The album opens with probably their signature tune, Up The Hardway, co-written by Moore and Majors, a grinding heavy slab of stoner rock, with a time-change solo mid-way in the 5.40. Nice guitar with effects also graces the seven-minute ballad A Long Way To Go, bravely followed by another slow number (Goodbye World), both exemplifying Moore’s soul-influenced voice. A driving rock ‘n’ roll cover of Lazy Cow, with female backing vocals, highlights the singer’s taste for jiving. Angels Theme/Goodboy Badboy (not Goodbye as on the CD, another Moore / Majors co-write) is pure Mountain without being derivative at all. Popular live, it’s delivered in a restrained but nevertheless thumping style here. Guitarist and singer swap roles for a more English sound on Blindman, Northern Girl is a bubbling slow rocker, done a little heavier live when extended into jam length round a borrowed famous lick. Hot Damn Home-Made Wine, a mixer in Brinsley Schwarz-like style, closes a fine set.

The eight songs aren’t adapted for 45s but explore ideas within their framework. The quirk in the mixture is that the only two covers, Lazy Cow and Hot Damn Home-Made Wine, are by Charles Hodges of Chas & Dave fame (or infamy depending on the colour of your gib). Hot Damn is on their collaboration with the novelty jazz singer Theresa Brewer’s 1973 LP, and Cow was later a 45 B-side of the duo’s in ’75. This oddity partly points to Moore covering songs he likes, continued to the present day, but also that Hackensack’s producer, Derek Lawrence, oversaw the chirpy pubsters including the Cow song. He is more famous for Deep Purple’s first albums and Jethro Tull’s debut single (as Jethro Toe) after working with Joe Meek. Perhaps it was Lawrence’s influence, as early Purple also did their fair share of covers too. "Up the Hard Way" is still one of those rarities that, once heard, is unforgettable.

by Brian R. Banks