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.
i know you used to go on about this album so i bought it in the bargain bin in a shop in scarborough. Also bought B.O.C mirrors /yes topographic oceans/april wine harder faster/hackett voyage of the acoylite/J.M.J oxygen/and a band called skagarak.
Torben Schmidt from Skagarack manages Freak Kitchen with Thunderstruck promotions. Fun fact.