THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Tag: SAHB (Page 1 of 2)

THE SENSATIONAL ALEX HARVEY BAND – Rock Drill

June 25, 2022 /

This the last SAHB album released back in ’78. Alex would return with the New Band, but it was over for SAHB after this release. The band would reform in the early toonies with Max Maxwell on vocals, and they released a live album and DVD called Zalvation with some reworking of old SAHB classics, which was killer but no new material appeared. Because of internal disputes and health issues, none of this album was ever played live.

Side 1 is The Rock Drill Suite split up into five parts and pieces. Of this, namely Dolphins is up there with the best material the band ever did. A superb riff and brooding groove with some of the best lyrics Harvey ever penned – “Where were you little man when I laid down the foundations of your universe” is one I really love. Rock & Rool is a straight up rocker with a great Zal riff. Who Murdered Sex, with its old school rock n roll riff and groove, is really cool. Water Beastie, which has a great reggae groove and repeats over, is a really odd piece. The single, Mrs Blackhouse, closes out the album, and ode to self appointed protector to the people, who had more things banned due to moral objections than any government ever did.

I always find this a sad ending to what was a great band, and I miss them greatly.

8/10 from The Grooveman.

THE SENSATIONAL ALEX HARVEY BAND – Next

January 13, 2022 /

This is the second album released by Glasgow’s favourite sons way back in ’73. This was also my introduction to the band whilst at school, by a kid named Barry Leaf. If you’re still around Barry, thanks a plenty, as I never tire of hearing this band. They were vaudeville and burlesque all mixed up with rock and roll – a truly superb live experience.

As usual with any SAHB album, the music varies greatly. From the pure obscurity of Jacques Brel’s Next, to the pure 50’s rock and roll of Giddy Up A Ding Dong, and to the heavy rock of Faith Healer and Vambo Marble Eye. Faith Healer has been covered by a wide variety of bands, but you will never beat the original with that pulsating bass throb opening. This album is chock full of SAHB classics that would always lift the live set like Swampsnake, which is a great up-tempo opening track that really sends the album on its way. The comic book story hero, Vambo, first makes its appearance on this album and it’s the stuff of legend amongst SAHB fans (will Zal ever release his Vibrania book?). The album closes out with Last Of The Teenage Idols, one of my favourite SAHB tracks, it really rocks along.

This album has been a part of a huge chunk of my life, and it still gives me goosebumps listening to it today.

10/10 from The Grooveman.

SAHB (without Alex) – Fourplay

July 20, 2021 /

I’m amazed that this album was ever recorded as there was so much turmoil behind the scenes at the time, with Alex’s health and money troubles. Alex was amazed to find out that the band were still in debt after raking in a lot of money from live performances. Alex had basically quit the band at this point, and this album was made as a contractual obligation. Alex would return to record the Rock Drill album. This album is a much more polished radio friendly record, that if released properly in the US with the right backing, it would have done well. Emphasis is on the songs and melodies, the lyrics are a bit cheesy and naïve, but the music is top drawer.

Opening track, Smouldering, has a great riff from Zal, and the chorus and hook are really fantastic – this is one of my favourite tracks. Chase It Into The Night is slightly different, with a great groove and rhythm and some great guitar from Zal. Shake Your Way To Heaven is almost a boogie, but has a monster riff and guitar tone – plus a superb melody and hook. The vocals are mostly by keyboardist Hugh McKenna, but next track, Outer Boogie, has vocals by drummer Ted McKenna. The start has a very Celtic feel, and then we have an almost fusion vibe to the rest of the track.

Side 2 starts with Big Boy with vocals by Zal – this is the one track that has the SAHB vibe to it – complete with big riff and short snappy solo from Zal. The groovy funk of Pick It Up And Kick It is up next, and was released as a single and I remember seeing this on the Whistle Test. Love You For A Lifetime is a big power ballad before they became fashionable. Close out track, Too Much American Pie, is the production number and a monster way to go out on.

This would be the only thing they would record as this line up, which is such a shame as this is such a great record and they were such a great band. Alex would be dead a few years later, and the band all went their separate ways. They would get back together in the early toonies with Max Maxwell as front man to play as SAHB, but with no new material.

9.5/10 from The Grooveman.

THE SENSATIONAL ALEX HARVEY BAND – Live

May 26, 2021 /

What happened quite a lot in the seventies was that bands put out live albums as sort of filler albums, to pad out the contract, then the record companies would make them single albums – thereby giving the public a highlights set. The Harvey’s were a fantastic live band and I would have killed to have a full concert at the time. Anyhoo, we are least left with this single disc as a testament to one of the best live bands I have ever seen.

This was recorded at the Hammy O in ’75. I caught the tour after this and they were smokin’. The album starts off with Fanfare, which is a short intro piece that leads into the pulsing bass of Faith Healer – one of SAHB’s best loved tunes and has been covered by lots of bands. The song has a lot more oomph live, mainly due to the guitar being turned up. Harvey’s love of all things comic book is represented by The Tomahawk Kid, and he is away and in full story telling mode, “Captain Dan and Billy Bones and me The Tomahawk Kid”. I lapped this up when I was at school. Again, its a lot leaner and heavier in the live setting. Next is Vambo and is as heavy as the band would get. A great chopping riff from Zal – this would be his showcase spot in the show. “Vambo Vambo sweat and labour he never never steal from neighbour” a mantra for a modern age. If only!

Over to Side 2 with the awesome Give My Compliments To The Chef, which shifts through the gears to the killer middle section. Great tune! Their biggest hit in the UK, a cover of Tom Jones’ Delilah is next, and was a great sing-a-long for the crowd. Framed closes out the album, although it didn’t close out the show, that would be Anthem (complete with bagpipers), which brought a tear to the eye. It sees Alex in full on gangster modern spitting out the lyrics.

I doubt we shall ever see bands like this ever again, and this album definitely is a moment in time never to be repeated.

10/10 from the Grooveman.

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