Italian Prog Superpost- Balletto Di Bronzo Discography

"Il Balletto Di Bronzo" was formed in Naples (and not in Rome as i said in the last post dedicated to this group) in late 60's, with initial name of "I Battitori Selvaggi". They changed name in "Il Balletto Di Bronzo" with the entry of great guitarist Lino Ajello. The inspiration for the name came from a picture of a 40's painter, if i remember correctly same William Warthwords (please excuse if the name is incorrect, if someone knows this artist, please comment).

The title of this picture was just "The Bronze Ballet".

The band made two or three good beat's singles in 1968/1970 (See the "Il Re Del Castello" abum, that contains too some spanish versions of first songs). After this, the band works to the first masterpiece of his discography: the "Sirio 2222" album. Even if the beat footprint is evident (we are in 1970), the music is just hard rock, the songs are all good. The title song is a very beautiful song, long and particular, with space atmospheres and a great vocal work, the only real prog song of this album. Very good the vocal work of Mr. Cecioni, who badly after this album leaves the band, with the entry of the Genius in person, Mr. Gianni Leone. So, the line up of "Il Re Del Castello" and "Sirio 2222" was: Marco Cecioni (Lead vocals), Michele Cupaiolo (Bass guitar), Lino Ajello (Lead guitar) and Giancarlo Stinga (Drums).

In 1971 Gianni Leone, who listened to "Sirio 2222" and was very excited by the musical potential of the band, enters the group along with bassist Vito Manzanari (Cecioni and Cupaiolo, in the same time, were out for personal reasons). With this line up, Mr. Leone made real the project that was in his mind by same times: it was YS, the second masterpiece of BDB, the subject of my third "Italian prog masterworks" post. After one other year spent in live concerts (we are in 1973) "Il Balletto Di Bronzo" sadly desbanded (In that time the band lived all togheter with other freaks in one hippy farm, that was not an ideal and distensive situation after the concerts to relax and to have no stress).

In the late 90's, Gianni Leone reforms the band, with Marco Capozi at bass and Adolfo Ramundo at drums (the guitar parts are played at keyboards by the same Leone). With this new line-up, in 1999, the band registers the live album "Trys", who includes a complete live version of "YS" album, plus others BDB songs and some "Leo Nero" songs (Gianni Leone's alter ego in solo production).

And this is too the subject of the fourth album of this superpost: the Leone's solo album "Leo Nero- 1977- Vero", that i enclose as special bonus for lovers of this fantastic band (this is a very hard to find album, badly only at 128kbs.).

I miss in BDB discography only the english version of some or all songs of "YS" album, because i haven't them, but i am sure that it exist (as bonus tracks in some past edition of YS in cd, or as singular cd, i don't remember). It would be great, Colin, if you would enclude the "YS" english version in your wishlist... Thank you in advance...

So, people, we are going to begin:

Il Balletto Di Bronzo- 1969/70- Il Re Del Castello (Compilation of rare singles)

Tracklist:

1- Accidenti

2- Il re del castello

3- Neve calda

4- Accidenti II

5- Eternità

6- Nieve calda (Spanish version)

7- Si mama ma (Spanish version)

Link

Il Balletto Di Bronzo- 1970- Sirio 2222

Tracklist:

1- Un posto

2- Eh eh ah ah

3- Neve calda

4- Ma ti aspetterò

5- Meditazione

6- Girotondo

7- Incantesimo

8- Ti risveglierai con me

9- Missione Sirio 2222

Link

Il Balletto Di Bronzo- 1999- Trys (Live)

Tracklist:

01- La discesa nel cervello

02- Tastiere isteriche

03- Marcia in sol minore

04- Donna Vittoria

05- Optical surf beat

06- Introduzione

07- Primo incontro

08- Secondo incontro

09- Terzo incontro/epilogo

10- Technoage

11- Love in the kitchen

Link

Bonus album: Leo Nero- 1977- Vero (Gianni Leone Solo)

Tracklist:

01- Scarpette di raso blu

02- Sono stanco anche io

03- La luce

04- Tu ti ricorderai di me

05- La bambola rotta

06- Tastiere isteriche

07- Il castello

08- La discesa nel cervello

09- Rock'n'roll cat

10- Una gabbia per me

Link

Cheers.

Vinyl Trail

Off on a Vinyl hunt (holiday) for a couple of weeks So there wont be much going on on the blog front (From me anyway). I do have a couple of posts ready to go so if I get the chance I will post them while I am away (dependent on getting access to a pc).The first week I am away I am spending in my home town of Edinburgh with my family and friends (I dont get there as often as I would like). The last time I was there I found a couple of tremendous second hand record shops but I just didn't have the time or money to give them my full attention( I hope they are still there!!!) . This time however( if I can keep myself sober long enough) I plan to spend as much time as possible trawling through the endless racks of vinyl on offer who knows what little gems I might find

OH and here is something to keep you going just in case I dont get anywhere near a pc

Clive Burrs Escape BBC Session 3 tracks not the best audio in the world but it does showcase what a great band they could have been

The Tracks

1 - Top of The Mountain  4:03

2 - Romancer  3:18

3 - Don't Take No Prisoner  3:36

The Link

See you in two to three weeks time

Abominogjnr

Notorious- 1990- Notorious

Tracklist:

01- The Swalk

02- This Night

03- You Need More

04- Arianne

05- Losing You

06- Radio Silence

07- Eyes Of The World

08- Touch

09- Love Fades

10- I Believe In You

This album is a creature of two men: Robin George (David Byron and Magnum guitarist) and Sean Harris (Former "Diamond Head" lead vocalist). At drums Mr Jim Simpson (Magnum, Ufo, Budgie) and at backing vocals, with other singers, Mr Glenn Hughes.

This album was released in America for only three weeks before being delected (killed by a change of staff at the record company- Geffen Records?)

For me, this is a good rock album, even if in some momentsa little too pop.
Album like this are, in my opinion, the ideal listen when you drive your car, the sound is a little fm, a little pop with a strong rock (some time hard) influence, but this mix results an easy listening when you are in the city's traffic.

Album Link




Just As an add on to this post here is the Single from the album
"The Swalk"
2 of the tracks are identical to the album release but it also gives you an extended version of "The Swalk"
Interestingly my copy includes the Bronze Lable Logo I seem to remember reading somewhere that this was an ill fated attempt to revive the label by Robin and Sean or perhaps they were just hoping that by using the image it might open a few more doors

1 The Swalk 4:26
2 Eyes of the world 4:06
3 The Swalk (Electric Mix) 5:36

Single Link

The Sweet - Live At The Marquee

Recorded live at the Marquee club, London, 1986 With 4 bonus Studio Tracks

The Sweet 1985 L-R

Mal McNulty
Phil Lanzon
Andy Scott
Mick Tucker
Paul Mario Day   

 SWEET'S ORIGINS
Sweet's origins go back to 1965, with UK soul  band Wainwright's Gentlemen, which included drummer Mick Tucker and vocalist Ian Gillan. The group were limited to small UK clubs playing a mixture of rhythm and blues and psychedelia. Gillan quit in May 1965 to join Episode Six, and, later, Deep Purple. Gillan's eventual replacement was vocalist Brian Connolly. Tucker and Connolly remained with Wainwright's Gentlemen until early 1968.


In January 1968, Brian Connolly and Mick Tucker left Wainwright's Gentlemen to form another band, calling themselves The Sweetshop. They recruited the bass guitarist and lead vocalist Steve Priest of a local band called The Army, who had previously played with another local band The Countdowns. Frank Torpey, a friend of Tucker's, was recruited to play guitar. It did not take long for Sweetshop to develop a following on the pub circuit and they were signed to the Fontana record label. At the time, another UK band released a single under the same name Sweetshop, so the band changed the name to The Sweet. Their debut single "Slow Motion" (July 1968) failed to chart. Sweet was released from the recording contract and Frank Torpey left. Steve Priest in his autobiography says Gordon Fairminer was approached to play for them when Torpey decided to leave but turned the job down as he wanted to concentrate on other interests.

Fox on the Run - Live at the Marquee

SWEET 1978 - 1991
Between March and May 1978 Sweet extensively toured the USA. On this occasion, however, they had been reduced in status to a support act for Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band. The tour included a disastrous date in Birmingham, Alabama at which visiting Capitol Records executives in the audience were to see Brian Connolly give a drunken and incoherent performance that terminated early in the set with his collapse on stage leaving the rest of the group to play on without him. The band regrouped in England before resuming the US tour in late May supporting Seger and other acts, including Foghat and Alice Cooper, until they returned to the UK in early July. The band began work on their next album in mid-August with writing sessions at Clearwell Castle. Unfortunately, Brian's alcoholism  was steadily becoming a greater issue. Although all the Sweet members lived the extreme rock lifestyle during the 70s - with alcohol, drugs, and women, among other things - the others were not as severely affected as Connolly. Andy Scott told Mojo magazine in 2008: "I think we'd known there was a problem [with Brian] as far back as the first U.S. tour in 1975. We'd say: 'Let's try having a non-drinking day' but it was hard." However, the band left Clearwell in late September with some promising material.

In late October Sweet arrived at The Town House studio in Shepherds Bush, London to write and record new material for their next album. A number of tracks featuring Connolly were recorded but were deemed unsatisfactory and his contributions were erased from the ensuing album Cut Above The Rest. Two tracks featuring Brian on lead vocals, "That Girl" and "Stay With Me", remain from the sessions.

On February 23, 1979, Brian Connolly's departure from Sweet was announced. Publicly, Connolly was said to be pursuing a solo career with an interest in recording country rock. Sweet continued as a trio with Scott and Priest now both handling lead vocals (Scott says that Ronnie James Dio, who'd just departed from Rainbow, was approached in January 1979 to join as the group's new singer. But Priest disputes this. At any rate, Dio ended up joining Black Sabbath shortly thereafter). Keyboard player Gary Moberley continued to augment the group on stage and on record and guitarist Ray McRiner also joined their touring lineup in 1979 as well as contributing songs to their next album, Waters Edge, which was released in Europe under that title and as Sweet VI in the U.S. One more studio album, Identity Crisis, was recorded in 1980-81 and Sweet performed their last live show at Glasgow University on March 20th, 1981. They disbanded in 1982.

Ballromm Blitz - Live at the Marquee

In 1985, Scott and Tucker re-formed Sweet with new players, singer Paul Mario Day (ex-Iron Maiden, More, Wildfire), keyboardist Phil Lanzon (ex-Grand Prix, Lionheart; now with Uriah Heep), and bass player Malcolm McNulty (who is now lead singer for fellow glam rockers Slade). Priest was asked to join Tucker and Scott for a 1986 Australian tour, but he declined. Singer Day ended up marrying the band's Australian tour guide and relocating down under. He continued with Sweet for a bit, commuting back & forth to Europe for the group's tours until this proved to be too cumbersome. He departed in late 1988. As McNulty moved into the front man spot, Jeff Brown came in to take over bass early in 1989. Lanzon too went back and forth between Sweet and Uriah Heep during 1986-1988 before Heep's schedule grew too busy. Ian Gibbons (who had played with The Kinks and The Records) and then Malcolm Pearson both filled in for Lanzon until Steve Mann (ex-Liar, Lionheart, McAuley Schenker Group) arrived in December 1989 for a five and a half year term. In 1991, Tucker departed due to ill health.

With former More lead singer Paul Mario Day taking over the vocal duties from Brian Connoly, Sweet's Live at the Marquee actually stands up quite sufficiently throughout the 11 live tracks, peaking the energy levels and carrying out their hits with surprising intensity. Rockers like "Sweet F.A.," "No You Don't," "Ballroom Blitz," and "Fox on the Run" are performed with genuine enthusiasm, as both Tucker and Scott sound like they want to be there. While Brian Connoly (who passed away in 1997) is obviously missed behind the microphone, Day holds his own, especially on "Love Is Like Oxygen," which is reinforced by stone-heavy guitar riffs and dominating keyboards from Phil Lanzon(Uriah Heep). The four studio tracks, on the other hand, fail to keep the power rush alive, and the rendition of "Reach Out (I'll Be There )" is too far out of context to even be considered as novel. With drum solos and guitar segues adding to Live at the Marquee's tireless pace, the album ends up being a fine example of some well-built, on-stage rock & roll

 The Tracks

1.    Action  
2.    Sweet FA  
3.    Love Is Like Oxygen
4.    Restless  
5.    No You Don't
6.    Guitar Segue
7.    Someone Else Will  
8.    Drum Solo  
9.    Set Me Free
10.    Ballroom Blitz
11.    Fox On The Run

Studio Tracks
12.    Shot Down In Flames (Day,Lanzon,Scott)
13.    Over My Head (Day,Lanzon,Scott)
14.    Jump The Fence (Day,Lanzon,Scott)

15.    Reach Out ... (I'll Be There)

Link

Life- 1974- Life After Death

Tracklist:

01- Riding Around

02- Opus

03- I don't Want To...

04- Black Eye

05- Highway

06- Sleepless Night

07- Woman

08- Looking Out

09- Everibody's Queuing

10- The Plank

11- Devil In The River

In the Uriah Heep inspired bands, this group has a special place: the UH reminescence begin in the cover, where the band is web covered like David Byron in "Very Eavy Very Umble".

But the reminds to UH are in music too: distinct shades of UH persist through all the songs of this fantastic album.

For some reason that i don't know this is a misterious album: i look in the web to find some information about this album or about the components of the band Life, but i can't find nothing.

The only thing that i can say is that this is the only album of Life, released by Polydor Records in 1974 and, strangely, never reissued.

So this is a vinyl rip (not mine, downloaded from peer to peer some months ago) and probably this is the only chance that you have to listen to this good hard prog act (because collectors drop heavy money for this album's original).

If someone has some information about this curious and misterious record, please post in the comments.

Finally one curiosity that i note: in some of the songs, you can hear birds singing (like in "The Park" from UH's Salisbury). If you hear with attention (but without too...) the final notes of the last song, you'll know how the birds end.

Life, cruel but Life.

Link

The Enid

 This was a two record set that THE ENID recorded and distributed themselves I bought these at a gig in Edinburgh back in the dim and distant past. If I remeber correctly I.Q were the support (remember them?)
I was sufficiantly impressed with the music to buy these at the end of the gig although I do remember that it was not much of an entertaining show visually.Basically five guys stood there for a couple of hours and played music, there was little or no audience interaction as this double live set will show

 FROM THE BACKSIDE OF VOL 1

...........................................................................................

This recording was made on the 3rd of march 1979 in a packed house at the hammersmith odeon.

the sound is live.which means nothing has been subtracted from the original sound.Some additions have been made to enhance the overall effect of the heavier passages - ie extra percussion on Fand and extra brass on Judgement.

Judgement and In the Region of the Summer Stars are actually one piece of music consisting of two movements with a bridge passage linking the two.The first part describes the very last hours of life on planet Earth as prophisised in the revelation of St John. The second part is a vision of  eternity

From North,South,East and West the Four horsemen of the Apocalypse make the final ride.Gradually the music gathers up the drama untill all four horsemen converge on Bethlehem.The great Trumpets of the angels are now heard against the thundering drums.The Archangel Michael majestically appears with a sword in one hand and a firebrand in the other.As he strikes the five great hammer blows, the light of the World stands above all the clamour shining with the radiance of a thousand suns.Suddenly, all is calm - a lone Trumpet calls in the wind.....

The Region of the Summer Stars is a place of paradice where all souls live forever as members one of another, and in a state of such peace as passes all understanding.

The Song Fand is the same story but from a personal point of view. It is a message of hope for each one of us who can make friends with grief and despair,Disease and old age, and above all with love and death.

Anyone who will go down this road will surely find that personal peace of mind and spirit which is utterly unassailable

With Love

THE ENID

FROM THE BACKSIDE OF VOL's 1 & 11

.......................................................................................

This album will never
be available in a shop
and has been produced
specially for sale directly
to you from The Enid.

(As was printed on both albums)

I feel quite safe offering this on the blog as obviouslly a 30 year old vinyl album that had a private pressing and the promise it would never be available anywhere else could surley never be found on CD !!!

Or could it

Links Will Follow
Two Days After Yesterday

Having spent the best part of 4 hours recording a cleaning these albums i found the official ENID website and they are offering their entire back catalouge in either mp3 or flac, for nothing all they ask for is a donation 

So if you have come onto this post looking for a download you can have it but you will have to go here first

Recommended albums

SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY (1983) 

Touch Me

Live At Hammersmith

Uriah Heep - Croyden 1971

The show was apparently recorded at The Greyhound in Croydon on 21st of November 1971During  the Look At Yourself tour (which subsequently turned into a punk club and now no longer exists) . At just over 30 minutes long, it includes only two songs but these are among the longest in Heeps back catalogue namely :- Salisbury and July Morning.

The Greyhound(Renamed the Blue Orchid) as it looks now

I believe this is the earliest known recording of July Morning and conversly this tour must have been the last time Salisbury was played

Not a bad quality recording for it's time

On a personal note I absolutley love hearing Salisbury live (as this was the Song that got me into Heep in the first place) and its great to note that it does not lose any of it's energy without the orchestra 

Tracks

01  Salisbury  - 17:31

02  July Morning - 11:29

Enjoy

Link

Black Bonzo- two songs missed plus one bonus

Excuse me please, people, but for an error in my recent post of Black Bonzo's album i've missed 2 songs (the last two of album).

So i post them here, tagged as 9 and 10: if you put them in the same folder of BB album, you finally have the complete album.

If you can see this question in a positive way, now you have two more simil Heep songs to listen to (one of two is the only real ballad of this album, very beatiful for me).

And finally a little gift to pay you for the little disguise: as bonus track i enclose the radio edit of "Lady of the light"

Missing Tracks:

09- Leave Your Burdens

10- Where the river meets the sea

Bonus track:

11- Lady of the light (radio edit)

Link

Byron Does Disco - Technique - Michael Angelo - 1983

Ok, I like a bit of disco every now and then, not a lot but I can put up with it, and if it's got a Heep connection well all the better.

I have actually listened to this quite a lot recently it has that feelgood factor to it.The music is definatly stuck in the seventies and there would appear to be many influences here, early abba for one, in fact most of these songs could have quite happilly sat on one of their albums and are certainly far superior to the likes of Brotherhood of Man

The only information I can find out about this album is mostly from the Daniel Boone Myspace page. It would appear that the single off the album, Michael Angelo was released on CBS records in 1980(CBS 8249) although I can find no other info to back this up The album didn't surface untill 1983 with a Dutch only release on ERC records (ERC Rec. 814409-1, NL) and the single is listed as being released in 1984
I dont have a list of band members But the rumour was that the female vocals are in fact Daniel And David's wives and if you listen you can certainly hear mr byron on backing vocals, also there is a great sax solo during "living in the City" that can only, in my opinion, be Mel Collins

Tracks

Can We Try Again

Movie Star

Time Is Of The Essence

Now And Then

I’ve Got A Lot On My Mind

Michael Angelo

No Strings

Light Fantastic

Livin’ In The City

Looking For Someone To Love (Tonight)

Michael Angelo(singleVersion)

Looking For Someone To Love(12" Extended)

Can We Try Again(12" Extended)

Looking For Someone To Love(singleVersion)

link

Blackfoot with Ken Hensley- Double shot

Blackfoot- 1983- Siogo

Tracklist:
01- Send me an angel

02- Crossfire

03- Heart's grown cold

04- We're going down

05- Teenage idol

06- Goin' in circles

07- Run for cover

08- White man's land

09- Sail away

10- Drivin' fool

Blackfoot- 1984- Vertical Smiles

Tracklist:

01- Morning dew

02- Livin' in the limelight

03- Ride with you

04- Get it on

05- Young girl

06- Summer days

07- A legend never dies

08- Heartbeat and heels

09- In for the kill

In only one post two great rock albums, and twice with a big UH connection, mister Ken Hensley in person.

link Siogo

Vertical link

PS: If someone is interested in some other Blackfoot album, i have their entire discography plus several bootlegs. The only thing that you have to do is to post eventually requests.

Goodbye to the next post

BLACK BONZO!!!!

Tracklist

1- Lady Of The Light

2- Brave Young Soldier

3- These Are Days of sorrow

4- New Day

5- Fantasy World

6- Freedom

7- Sirens

8- Jailbait

From Sweden Black Bonzo comes to the world in 2004 with this supermega album.

Even if this album comes in the second thousand, this band comes directly from the seventies, with no doubts.

And in a very classic way.

The first time that i played this album, at the first notes of hammond, i thinked that this was a undercover album of UH at times of "return to fantasy".

Even if the voice of Mr. Lidgren is different from every singer of UH, the music for me is very "Heepstic".

And, when i listened the song "Fantasy world", with hammond and back vocals so nice, the hommage to "Return To Fantasy" was clear, and now i think that this song is a volontary tribute to my/our band of heart from the Black Bonzo's guys.

After this first album, Black Bonzo make other two albums:

"The sound of apocalypse" (2007) and "Operation manual- The guillotine drama" (2009) but i'll not post them because are too much recent.

Personnel

Magnus Lindgren- Vocals

Joachim Karlsson- Guitars

Klas Holmgren- Organ, Piano, Mellotron & synthesizers

Anthon Johansson- Bass, Vocals

Mikael Israelsson- Drums

Link

Italian Prog Masterworks 3- Balletto di bronzo- 1972- YS

Tracklist:

1- Introduzione

2- Primo Incontro

3- Secondo Incontro

4- Terzo Incontro

5- Epilogo

6- La Tua Casa Comoda (Bonus track)

This is a great crazy monster album, really one of the best italian prog rock album of all times. Even if i name it prog rock, it doesn't help to understand entirely their music. Probably in 1972 some aliens contact the band members (especially Mr. Gianni Leone, the absolute leader of this incarnation of Balletto di Bronzo) to suggest the secret to make one album without time.

If you listen to it without knowing that is made in 1972, i think that is very difficult to say when a band can made one album like this. Maybe last year, or ten years ago, or twenty. But this is a 72's shot!!! More reasons to listen to this album: it's different from all others prog albums that i ever listen to; lot but really lot of organ work, very heavy and sometimes very dark, some other times neo classical (I've said: it's a monster).

So, please, if you never listen to this album, download it, sit down, relax and open your hears to this strange music from space (Remember, the aliens).

The Band:

Gianni Leone- Keyboards and vocals

Lino Ajello- Guitars

Gianchi Stringa- Drums

Vito Manzari- Bass guitar

Link

PS: This album is not an easy thing to listen to: at the first listen it's very difficult understand the musical project, so you must listen to it two or three times before that you begin to like it, but don't loose your patience because, at the end, you are going to love this album...

Uriah Heep - Isle of Man - !982

Please excuse the bluntness of this post;
--------------------------------

FACT
---------------------------------

This bootleg exsists, I want it

I really, really want it,

I have never wanted anything so badly since an hour before I lost my virginity ,which was on my wedding night (had to put that in in case the wife reads this)

If anyone can help PLEASE,PLEASE get in touch

Chicken Shack - Unlucky Boy

Can anyone name all the people on the cover! 

especially the "mother figure"

Is that Mrs Woodward from Lieutenant Pigeon?

If so What is the Connection?

For more than fourty years now, bassist Bob Daisley has been laying down the foundation upon which some of the greatest rock and roll ever recorded has been built. From blues and metal to ballads and progressive rock, Bob has done it all with the biggest names in the music business. As an in-demand session player, his talents have taken him all over the world. But it wasn't always that way. Everyone starts out somewhere, and for Bob Daisley that was Sydney, Australia.

Born on February 13th, 1950, Robert "Bob" Daisley was the rebellious sort, once kicked out of school for refusing to cut his hair. He first picked up the bass guitar in 1964, at the ripe old age of fourteen. He devoured a steady diet of classic Motown and R&B, honing his playing all the while. By the time he was twenty in 1970, he had recorded Wide Open with Kahvas Jute for Akarma Records. Realizing that he would not likely find his fame and fortune "Down Under", he packed up and moved across the water to London, England.

To make ends meet at first, Bob ended up cleaning apartments and working in a restaurant. But by 1972 he had gotten a gig in guitarist Stan Webb's band Chicken Shack, replacing the departing John Glascock (who would later resurface in Jethro Tull). With Webb and drummer Paul Hancox, Daisley recorded the album Unlucky Boy, released that year on Deram Records. Chicken Shack disbanded following a disastrous German tour, after which Daisley joined good-time band Mungo Jerry in 1973 before countless others including Widowmaker, Rainbow, Uriah Heep, Blizzard of Ozz etc

The Band

Bass Guitar - Bob Daisley
Drums, Percussion - Paul Hancox
Piano - Tony Ashton
Saxophone - Chris Mercer
Vocals, Guitar - Stan Webb

Producer - Neil Slaven
Arranged By [Strings] - Terry Noonan
Engineer's - John Burns[Island],Anton Matthews[Olympic]
Photography - David Wedgbury

The Tracks

01 You Know Could Be Right     (Webb)
02  Revelation       (Webb)
03  Prudence's Party      (Webb)
04 Too Late To Cry   (Johnson)
05   Stan The Man   (Webb)
06  Unlucky Boy   (Thornton, Dupree)
07  As Time Goes Passing By   (Webb)
08  Jammin' With The Ash   (Webb)
09  He Knows The Rules   (McCracklin)

10  As Time Goes Passing By ( Single edit)   (Webb)  

The Link

Uriah Heep- 1979- Ten Miles High (The lost Songs) Bootleg in Studio

This bootleg is a vey particular thing, it contains the famous "Five Miles" acetate, in other words the fourth unissued album of Uriah heep with John Lawton (after Fallen Angel). The sound quality is very good, the songs are demos in form very avanced, with good and quite definitive arrangements. After these sessions Lawton and Kerslake go for their ways. To complete this album, there are 6 out-takes from the firefly sessions. Three of songs of "Five Miles" acetate end in "Conquest" album, with the voice of John Sloman.

The BAND

Mick Box- Guitars

Ken Hensley- Keyboards, guitars, vocals

John Lawton- Lead vocals

Lee Kerslake- Drums

Trevor Bolder- Bass guitar

TRACKLIST :

From "Five miles" acetate

1- Let it ride
2- Life is a dream
3- Feelings
4- You and i
5- That's how i am
6- I'll never forget
7- Your love
8- Tonight
9- Fools
10- Been hurt
11- I won't change

From the "Firefly" sessions

12- Been away too long
13- I always knew
14- Dance dance dance
15- Put your music
16- A far better way

New Link

See you.

Gary Thain - After Thought (You Say You're Together Now)

I really should have included this song in my compilation even although it was not a single. 

Gary had such a distintive voice.

And he didn't get to sing lead very often This is a superb track  

that showcases his vocal talents perfectly

Download and add to the same folder you have saved The singles Collection 

I'ts tagged to appear as track 17

Keef Hartley Band
Track17 - You Say You're Together Now - Gary Thain -Lead Vocal

ITALIAN PROG MASTERWORKS 2 - Museo Rosenbach- 1972-1973- Zarathustra & Bonus

Hard prog this time for the second post in this serie. This group was formed in 1972 in Rome.

This is a concept album, dedicated to the superman's theory of Nistzche. In the seventies this album was not considered but, year after year, it was going to become a cult in the italian prog discography. The entire side a of old lp was covered by the long suite that gives the name to album. But this sound, even if for me is quite original, can make remember in someone echoes of other artists: see you, please, the bonus cd tracklist to know where Museo Rosenbach found his inspiration....

The members are:

Giancarlo Golzi- Drums, Vocals

Alberto Moreno- Bass, Pianoforte

Enzo Merogno- Guitar, Vocals

Pit Corradi- Mellotron, Hammond

Stefano "Lupo" Galifi- Lead Vocals

TRACKLIST :

1- Zarathustra

a)L'ultimo uomo

b)Il re di ieri

c)Al di là del bene e del male

d)Superuomo

e)Il tempio delle clessidre

2- Degli uomini

3- Della natura

4- Dell'eterno ritorno

Link

-BONUS-

Museo Rosenbach- 1972- Rare & Unrealised

This is a live album (the sound quality is like a quite good bootleg). It contains proto versions of Zarathustra's songs and some covers, and if you search in the list you'll have two or three little surprises (maybe material for your UH connections 3, Colin?)

The members of the band are the same as in Zarathustra album, with the special guest of Leonardo Lagorio, of prog band Celeste, at the sax

TRACKLIST :

01- Zarathustra

02- Degli uomini

03- Della natura

04- Dell'eterno Ritorno (instumental)

05- Dopo

06- Look at yourself

07- With a little help from my friends

08- Shadows of grief

09- Valentyne suite (excerpt)

10- Dopo (english version)

11- Dell'eterno ritorno (encore)

I know, Mister "Lupo"(in english Wolf) Galifi doesn't know some of the Shadows of grief lyrics and he sings in one strange language italo english spanish and i don't know from, but this is a testimoniance of how Uriah Heep was loved in Italy too.

Thanks to all and to the next

Link

PS: for the anonymous reader who posts a comment to the Osanna's post,

The Balletto di bronzo album YS, that i promised as second in this serie, will be the third.

Gary Thain - The Singles Collection

Gary Thain was born in Christchurch, New Zealand on May 15, 1948.  He had 2 older brothers, Colin and Arthur.  An old school friend describes Gary's personality as being quiet, maybe broody even, but also as just your average teenager, with a passion for music.  Gary went to a catholic school called Xavier College in Christchurch.  He started performing around age 13.  Gary also won a singing contest in his High School with the song "Where Have all the Flowers Gone".  The official start to his career was with the New Zealand group "The Strangers".  Besides his brother Arthur (vocals and lead guitar), the other members were Graeme Ching (Rhythm Guitar) and Dave Beattie (Drums).  Gary wrote his first (released) song "I'll Never be Blue" with The Strangers in 1965 at age 16.  "The Strangers" released 3 Singles. 

   After "The Strangers" split up, at age 17 Gary moved to Australia.  Gary became part of "The Secrets", but they only released one Single in 1966, with "You're Wrong" on the B-Side, which was co-written by Gary.  The other band members were Derek Wright on Lead Guitar and Vocals, Paul Muggleston on Rhythm Guitar and Vocals, Wayne Allen on Drums.After their one Single, "The Secrets" split up.  It was still 1966 when Gary and Paul joined up with Peter Dawkins and Dave Chapman, taking the name "Mee and The Others" to the UK, touring England, Scotland, Wales and Germany.  In 1967 after "Mee and The Others" ceased to exist, Gary became part of his first professional Band called "New Nadir".  They were especially popular in Switzerland, where they

 played in a lot of clubs for about half a year.  It was a trio that played Jazz influenced music.The other members were Ed Carter on guitar and a drummer named Mike Kowalski.  Besides playing their own music, they also worked as a backing band for an all-female group called "The Toys".  New Nadir recorded an album for the "Witchseason" label, but it was never released at the time although 6 tracks have now been released along with 5 tracks from Mee and the Others from Feathered Apple Records on a vinyl album entitled THE NEW NADIR / ME AND THE OTHERS - Uncovered .  In 1968 New Nadir dissolved and Mike and Ed have since then played in many bands together, and even were part of the Beach Boys backing band.  Gary of course joined the Keef Hartley Band.  Not only did Gary play on 6 of their albums, but he got to be part of Woodstock in 1969 with the Keef Hartley Band.  They played on the second day (before Santana).  However, there is no Video footage available 
        Another Festival worth mentioning (even though much smaller scale) was the Bath Blues Festival held on June 28, 1969.  The KHB played along with the Likes of Led Zeppelin and Fleetwood Mac that day in front of an audience of about 40,000.  Not only did Gary co-write a lot of material for the KHB, he also sang lead vocals to one of his compositions: "You Say You're Together Now".  That song can be found on the "72nd Brave" LP released in 1972.  Early in that year, Gary received a phone call from Ken Hensley and joined Uriah Heep as their 3rd bass player (replacing Mark Clarke) - the rest is, as they say, history.  Up until then Gary had only played Jazz and Blues material, and now found himself in a totally different genre.  However, his playing style stayed unique - using no plectrum and all his fingers.  Gary's first gig with Uriah Heep was on February 1, 1972 at the Whiskey A Go-Go in Los Angeles, California.  However, the earliest known Heep recording with Gary in the lineup (Bootleg) is either from Feb 27, 1972 (Columbia Coliseum, South Carolina, USA) or a Youngstown, Ohio, (USA) appearance.  The latter was a support performance (Bootleg) for the Band "Cactus" sometime in February of 1972.  The first album that Gary recorded with Uriah Heep was

 "Demons and Wizards" (released May 1972), only 4 months after he joined Heep.  "The Magician's Birthday" followed later that same year, and by that time Gary co-wrote some of the songs (Spider Woman and Sweet Lorraine).    
The remastered edition (released 2003) also includes "Crystal Ball" and "Gary's Song", which he wrote during that time.  (Gary's Song being an alternate version of Crystal Ball).  Unfortunately, 1974 saw the last recording contributions of Gary on "Wonderworld" which was recorded in Munich, Germany.  Gary received an electrical shock during the song "July Morning", while on stage.

Gary's health never fully recovered and in January of 1975 he had to leave the band.  The very last known recording with Gary on Bass is dated November 25, 1974 and took place in Brisbane, Australia.  There are some very interesting comments about that Bootleg on the official David Byron website, and to quote: "This is one of the best audience recordings of the band ever to surface.  Not due to the sound quality, but the content itself.  The band was very strong on this date, the crowd really reacted to the show, and it provided some rare pieces of the puzzle we were looking for.  A good bit of improve is laid into this one, lots of talking between tracks and long renditions of certain tracks that didn't appear much on other shows .... only three tour dates are listed after this before he (Gary), left the band in late January 75.  So this show marks the end of an era of sorts, the classic lineup is done.  The rebuilding process begins but it never regains the same intensity or presence that was created during the past three years.  It's a sad but true fact that even the most dedicated of Heepster must accept.
All in all, Gary Thain participated in over 140 live performances all over the world with Uriah Heep in just 3 years.  After continued struggles with health and drug problems, Gary died December 8, 1975, in his flat at Norwood Green at the young age of 27.

This is a compilation of Single Releases that Gary Thain appears on starting from one of his earliest known recordings With The Strangers

The Tracks

Pretend - The Strangers

Alright - The Strangers

Cant Help Forgiving you - The Strangers

I'll Never Be Blue - The Strangers

It's You - The Secrets

You're Wrong - The Secrets

Ba' La Fouche - Champion Jack Dupree

Kansas City - Champion Jack Dupree

Tell Mama - Martha Velez

Swamp Man - Martha Velez

Don't Be Afraid - Keef Hartley Band

Hickory - Keef Hartley Band

Waiting Around - Keef Hartley Band

Leave It 'till The Morning - Keef Hartley Band

Just To Cry - Keef Hartley Band

Love Is Not a Game - New Nadir (sample)

Link

OSIBISA- 1971- Same

TRACKLIST :

1- Dawn

2- Music For Gong Gong

3- Oyiko Bia

4- Akwaaba

5- Oranges

6- Phallus C.

7- Think About The People

First album from Ghanian rock collective Osibisa.

Osibisa was formed in 1969 in London, England.

Line-up:

- Teddy Osei- Flute, Saxophone, Sax tenor, Vocals, African drums

- Wendel Richardson- Guitar, vocals

- Spartacus R- Percussion, Guitar

- Mac Tontoh- Trumpet, Flugelhorn

- Loughty Amao- Conga, Sax tenor, Sax baritone, Saxophone

- Sol Amarfio- Drums

- Robert Bailey- Organs, Keyboards, Piano, Timbales

- Roy Bedeau- Bass

I know, no UH connections apparently. But, if you remember, in the same year of this album, mister Hensley wrote on the notes to the song "Look at yourself": "basically, it represnts the band strongly and Teddy, Mac and Loughty of Osibisa added some excellent percussion to the extended final section".

link

Avenue Records - Taster

Ok here is a little taster of what is to come

Back in the good old days when this blogger was still sucking his thumb and seven and twelve inch pieces of plastic were nothing more than indoor frisbees that my parents had left lying around.
Some struggling musicians found themselves unable to pay off their weekly booze bill (or whatever their pioson might be) These same musicians could then be seen sneaking out of their digs and disappearing into the dead of the night without so much as a word to their loved ones. Where were they going? What terrible deeds were they getting up to?

All can be revealed

To supplement their income lots of well known artists (and some not so well known)  would record for "Budget bin labels" These labels specialised in cheap covers of the hits of the day, churning them out at a vast rate and selling them for next to nothing (I seem to remember that an Album or EP from one of these labels cost roughly the same as a chart single at the time)

On offer here is an avenue records EP from 1970

Catalogue No AVE 86

See if you can work out the vocalists

1-  Ruby Don't Take Your Love To Town

2 - Something

3 - Cold Turkey

4 - Tracy

5 - Loneliness

6 - Baby I Know

Not the best vinyl rip ever but then again it has been used as a frisbee

Link

David Byron- The Lost Songs Vol. 1

As i promised, i post the lost songs of David Byron Vol. 1

This compilation is a collection of Byron's rare songs pre and post Uriah Heep.

Tracklist :

1- Let's work togheter
2- United we stand
3- Montego bay
4- Try (You'll succeed at last)
5- Bet you life i do
6- Question
7- It's all in the game
8- All right now
9- I hear you knocking
10- Sugar sugar
11- What does it take (To win your love)
12- He ain't heavy he's my brother
13- Wanna thank you girl
14- Back in the U.S.S.R.
15- The bird has flown
16- Witchi Tai To
17- Down on my luck
18- All in your mind
19- Rough Diamond- Seasong (Live)

Songs 1/12 are from the "Avenue record recordings"
Songs 13/16 are from "John Schroeder- Witchi Tai To"
Songs 17-18 are B sides of singles
Song 19 is a live record from a radio broadcast

This compilation was originally released as Vol. 3 of Heepsters Mailing List Rarities

link

PS: I have the Vol. 2 too, i will post in future

Uriah Heep - Sea Of Lawton

This bootleg is from 1995 when John 're-joined' the band briefly to deputise for Bernie when he had problems with his voice.A friend gave it to me a while back and I am not sure which show this is as an internet search indicates that any 'bootlegs' from this tour are double CD's and there would certainly be some songs missing from this if that was the case

I have alway's loved EVERY vocalist Heep have ever had, and John was no exception, in fact it is listening to him sing the songs both old (Byron era) and new (Shaw era) that highlights just what a good vocalist he was for Heep

This is a pretty good audience recording and a special mention has to go to 'Rover the dog' for his backing vocals

The Tracks

01 - Universal Wheels
02 - Time of Revelation
03 - Devil's Daughter
04 - Stealin'
05 - Rainbow Demon
06 - Words in the Distance
07 - Fear of Falling
08 - Dream On
09 - Lady in Black
10 - Against the Odds
11 - Gypsy
12 - Look at Yourself
13 - Free Me
14 - July Morning

The Band 

John Lawton - Vocals
"Rover" - Backing Vocals

You should know the rest by now or you wouldn't be reading this 'Blog'

Enjoy

Link

ITALIAN PROG MASTERWORKS 1 OSANNA- 1972- milano calibro 9- with Luis E.Bacalov

The Osanna guys are a five members band from Naples, very active in the 70's.

The members of the band are:

Lello Brandi - Bass guitar

Elio D'Anna - Flute and various sax, backing vocals

Massimo Guarino - drums and other percussions

Danilo Rustici - Guitars, backing vocals

Lino Vairetti - Lead vocals

TRACKLIST :

01- Preludio

02- Tema

03- Variazione I (To Plinius)

04- Variazione II (My mind flies)

05- Variazione III (Shuum...)

06- Variazione IV (Tredicesimo cortile)

07- Variazione V (Dianalogo)

08- VI (Spunti dallo spartito n. 14723/AY° del Prof Imolo Meninge)

09- Variazione VII (Posizione raggiunta)

10- Canzona (There will be time)

Someone can be scared by the language of the tracks, but only 2 songs have vocals (04 and 10), and the words are in english.

If i can give to you some suggestion:

The best songs- for me- 01 (with very beautiful arcs and flute), 04 (with an irresistible psychedelic touch), 10 (A very fine and sooo sweet ballad, my wife loves so much this song. An historic note: in 1972 this song wins in Italy a big TV festival but the Osanna members, for their life's style and political reasons, didn't go to receive the Prize... I don't know if it's the right word, in italian we say premio).

Irresistibles too the little surrealistic "hard pills" songs 05, 06, 08,09 with their crazy finals (The best to make full the sides when, many years ago, i made compilations on old music tapes for the car stereo. In effect, those songs were present in many of my 70's rock compilations).

Go here if you want make this experiment:

link

This is an experiment, dear reader of the blog. This serie can finish with the number 1, if you doesn't like it or if you think that this blog is not the right place for this and, eventually, some other similar albums (Commments please people, and if is not a problem, not only by the abominog but friendly creator of the blog).

So thank you in advance for comments and ciao, to the next post.

Roby

PS: For the next post i think to the Byron's Lost songs vol. 1. What do you think, dear blog Reader?