In my Saxon review recently, I mentioned how I first got to know them by seeing them in their previous incarnation in working men’s clubs around Doncaster. Well, Limelight were maybe more famous in that scene as they had quite a following wherever they played. Even this record was released on Future Earth Records, which was a local Doncaster label. Hailing from Mansfield, which is just down the road from Doncaster, they were another local band that I thought would make it. The band are made up of Mike Scrimshaw on bass and vocals, his brother Glenn Scrimshaw on guitar, and Pat Coleman on drums. They can best be described as a poor man’s Rush.
Opening track, Going Home, is decent but the first thing you notice is how flat and sparse the production is. Knife In Your Back is a pretty basic tune and doesn’t really try too hard to stand out from the crowd. Mamma I Don’t Want To Lose You is not a bad track but again suffers from that flat production. Next track, Man Of Colours, was the band’s showpiece song when they played live. This is where the Rush comparisons came, but I guess it’s influences are based in Prog . It’s still a good track today and holds up quite well.
Side 2 starts with another favourite with Metal Man. This was as NWOBHM as they got. They were thrust into that scene as this album came out in 1980, even though they had been around as Limelight since ’74. An opportunity is an opportunity right? Walk On Water is next and it starts with a twin guitar assault – this is one of their best tracks. How do they get a twin guitar with a three piece I hear you ask ? Well, Mike played a double neck guitar for this piece, a guitar on one, and bass on the other. They were quite an ambitious band, even with very limited resources. Last track, Don’t Look Back, which is the epic track for this side. The Prog shines bright with this one young Skywalker.
Some bands are destined not to make it, and I’m afraid Limelight falls into this category.
6.5/10 from The Grooveman.
