Saw Alex back in '75. During the show he climbed up the speaker tower, and pushed out a tile and tried crawling up into the ceiling. It didn't support his weight and he came crashing down cracking his nuts on the corner of the speaker and hit the floor flat out. He got up, limped a little, and finished the show. That's Rock & Roll.
They were a live band primarily… and that’s where you should have heard them. They slayed audiences wherever they went. Alex Harvey was super charismatic. Zal Cleminson on guitar beat Kiss by many years to the horror makeup. They were almost like a super-dark vaudeville band. Imho, Faith Healer was the only song that truly cut it in the studio, but who needed to prove anything after that?
SAHB! YES! One of the more eccentric of the '70s British bands. Which means you're gonna find a stinker or two in their catalog, but it's so worth the journey. The live version of "Faith Healer" is twice as good as the studio version. The energy level is off the charts. And the sound is much fuller. And Zal freakin' SHINES. As does the rest of the band, actually. "Giddy Up A Ding Dong" is one of many quirky songs they do that would fit in well on a Dr. Demento compilation. Coming from me, that's a compliment. Overall, the band rocks pretty hard, and Alex has that voice that lets you know that what he's singing is campy, ironic, toungue in cheek, or all three. He left us waaay too early. RIP. My favorite SAHB album is 'Tomorrow Belongs To Me'. From the opener, "Action Strasse", through the closing title song and "To Be Continued...", everything is top grade. Ya gotta love titles like "The Tale Of The Giant Stone Eater" and "Give My Compliments To The Chef". I encourage you to delve deeply into this band. I think you'll like what you find. "And another tree dies of shame."
Absolute CLASSIC!!!!!! Tommy Vance played Faith Healer on the Friday Rock Show (1980-ish, BBC radio 1) when I was 12 and it blew my mind. I recorded it but the tape ran out before the end and I missed the announcement. For years I had no idea who it was, but when I was 17 I shared a flat with someone who had an unloved record collection from an older brother... I explored it out of curiosity and when this track started I jumped to my feet. "GOTCHA!!!!" I yelled. That's right kids. Back before google and shazam it took 5 years and a bit of luck to find shit, but the feeling can't be bettered.
True, some music I heard in the 60s and 70s is eventually possible to find back to, during the last 10-20 years! I still get that gottya feeling occasionaly! Unfortunately there is still a lot of music not yet on internet.
This story reminds me how my dad told me how he had misheard someone at a party mentioning the artist name of the long 'Spoonful' jam, and was searching for a long time on what kind of 'Queen' album that would be on....... :D
Justin, sometime check out Alex Harvey's brother's band Stone the Crows, a Scottish blues-rock band that formed in Glasgow in 1969. It featured vocalist Maggie Bell, who sounds a lot like Janis Joplin and guitarist Les Harvey(1944-1972) and Jim Dewar on bass, he was later the bassist and vocalist with Robin Trower. Before Stone the Crows had much success, Les Harvey was electrocuted on stage at the age of 27 in Wales. After that, a young Jimmy McCullouch (Thunderclap Newman and later in Wings with Paul McCartney) was brought in but the band disbanded shortly thereafter. They were a classic blues band that if not for tragedy should have been a great band. SAHB's Ted McKenna later played drums with Rory Gallagher.
Totally agree about Stone The Crows - I saw them live on the tour before the one where Les Harvey was electrocuted. They were powerful and raucous - as you would expect with a Janis Joplin soundalike - but, boy - they rocked!
Even better as a live act than recorded! Some of the most memorable gigs I've ever been to were theirs! Alex was absolutely awesome as a frontman! Often described as comic-book rock, they actually veered towards Prog, as "The Tale of the Giant Stoneeater" . For me, best two albums are "The Impossible Dream" and "Tomorrow Belongs to me". "Hot City Symphony is awesome! They do a great version of Tom Jones' "Delilah" and there are numerous videos showing the band's live version and hinting at their comedic quality! Very, very good band! Enjoy!!
From what I have heard they must have been an impressive live act, with Alex as excentric frontman. You kind of can imagine that by his vocal delivery alone... My father told me of a Deep Purple concert where his friends were dissapointed with the band after the Alex Harvey Band opened for them! Oh, and I forgot Ted McKenna was in this too. Great drummer! Later he was with Rory Gallagher for a long time, and did something with Ian Gillan too.
Saw them live in Edinburgh in the early 70s. Great live performance. Zal Clemenson was on fire, but Alex Harvey's vocals... Man! The Faith Healer was played live on BBC around 1971 and the performance definitely added to the sinister nature of the lyrics and the hypnotic drone. The picture on the sleeve looks a lot like it. His signature striped sweater and his outstretched arms. Great reaction and analysis!
Alex Harvey - wonderful. At AH, I think of Ian Dury, an almost forgotten musician. "Hit me with your rhythm stick" was a hit with a killer bass groove. You will surely like it
they are all over the place, and wonderful...keep doing more tracks. 'Next', 'Anthem', 'Man in a Jar', 'Midnight Moses', 'Gambling Bar Room Blues', 'Give My Compliments to the Chef', 'Boston Tea Party', 'Action Strasse', 'There's No Lights on the Christmas Tree Mother, They Are Burning Big Louie Tonight'...eccentric and one of those bands who the British punk rockers still had respect for because they were tough and unique and fearless. Unfortuately when they opened for Jethro Tull in the USA in the early 70's they were almost instantly booed off the stage. I believe AC DC were big fans, both Bon Scott and Angus Young seem very influenced by SAHB.
Great to see you're finally discovering the Sensational Alex Harvey Band. The clue is in the title. There isn't a bad track on this album. Please do them all.
Think of them as Rock 'n' Roll Vaudeville. The version I remember is he would sing "Let me put my hands on you" and getting as close to the audience as he could holding out his hands in front of him with a manic grin, making it sound menacing rather than healing. Next, Framed and the cover version of Delilah are great tracks. One of the best cover versions.
Was totally surprised to see this come up on the channel. For some reason TSAHB just never crossed my mind as a recommendation. Every song on this album is good, but my favorite is Next.
After visiting the lady mentioned in Saturday's song. I went to The Faith Healer to help with what was wrong. He said to find The Cure, you must see a doctor for sure and don't wait too long, Else you never have any Giddy Up A Ding Dong. Have a Sensational Sunday all Peace.
Justin, you need to watch them live on The Old Grey Whistle Test doing this, it is an education. Also the track NEXT. cheers. The guitarist is one of a kind and is still touring today. They are primarily a live performance band.You can just imagine the audience joining in with the chorus!
JP - You would enjoy the Hot City Symphony which actually almost has a 'Prog' feel - that'll confuse you even more. Alex Harvey really was a 'Sensational' front man though. There is another song 'Next' which is available from an old BBC show OGWT which is worth a watch. Alex's brother Lesley Harvey played in another top Glasgow band Stone The Crows , who had the magnificent Maggie Bell on vocals. Unfortunately Lesley Harvey died on stage when an electrical fault meant the stage mic was live.
Hot City Symphony rools! It's like a crossover between Isaac Hayes's Shaft and TV detective / spy music, like Henry Mancini. And then there's the completely bonkers gumshoe narration... What an extraordinary song!
Haven’t heard Faith healer for over 45 years but thanks for reminding me of some great times at school where they were constants on the 6th form common room record player. Some bands of this time were not easy to place in a genre as they were truly exploring a wide range of styles even in the same albums. Can I get you to check out some early 10cc another genre bending band. Most people know them for the heavily produced ‘I’m not in Love’ but for contrast, check out. ‘Worst band in the world” and ‘clockwork creep’ from the album ‘Sheet Music’. The ‘One night in Paris’ mini operetta from the album “The original soundtrack’ would also be an interesting long song Saturday listen (thats the album that spawned ‘I’m not in love”) noting that it was released 6months before Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen. Actually ‘Sheet Music’ and ‘The original soundtrack would make great full album listens as both were varied in style and unbelievably creative.
Hi JP. DP from UK. I Gotta Have Faith... and I gotta have The Faith Healer. For me the intro is one of the all time greats in rock music - the sound effects add to the menace and drama, and the lyrics are so evocative. Great guitar work throughout by Zal, who has such a distinctive and imaginative style - unusual image too, as he dressed and made up as a clown on stage. If I remember correctly, their performance of The Faith Healer on the UK's rock show The Old Grey Whistle Test really broke them over here. The same happened to Focus (performing Hocus Pocus) and Meat Loaf (Bat out of Hell).
I saw the SAHB at the Reading Festival one year. To be honest I wasn’t too thrilled about seeing them but stuck around and had my socks well and truly blown off. Best appreciated live, they had a swagger, intensity and air of threat that doesn’t quite come across on record. At Reading they opened with Faith Healer and had the synth pulse running for a good ten minutes before they took the stage and when Alex stretched out his hands “Let me put my hands on you, just wanna put my hands on you” I swear half the audience took an involuntarily step backwards! Check out their live version of ‘Delilah’ - mad as a box of frogs and genuinely disturbing!
@@christophermatthews6972 its a deep song with a deep meaning, as tom jones sung it well, alex harvey understood what it was about and sung it accordingly
I saw them live back in 73 and they were fantastic. Alex came out in his trademark black and white hooped sweater and Zal Cleminson came out in jester whiteface with boots and jumpsuit on. They stole the show. This is a classic example of the benefits of going mining in barely explored mines. Often you dig up some priceless gems. There are literally countless great bands lying undiscovered that when you find them you feel it was worth all the effort.
Now we are talking. I am amazed someone makes reaction of SAHB. We grew up with their music. They really did what they pleased with various genres of music. Vambo Hot City Symphony is like a movie.
If we're moving away from prog and into the realms of 'Grebo Pop', anyone fancy seeing a reaction to 'Burlesque' by Family or Curved Air's 'Back Street Luv?
Isobel goudie, midnight moses, Dolphins, Delilah, the hammer song, vambo marble eye, Boston tea party, action strassa, tomahawk kid, the list is almost endless
They put together theatre and music. The live show was amazing, scary theatrical, unpredicatble and wild rock music at the heart. He played the audience like an instument.
When I was young I saw SAHB do "Next" on The Old Grey Whistle Test. I was too young to like it at the time, but in later years I realised that it had really stayed with me. I couldn't get it out of my head or my mind's eye. Alex was utterly hypnotic in this performance. As an adult, I came to love and be enthralled by it. Mesmerising is the best way to describe it. I discovered Faith Healer quite recently when it was suggested to me by a now departed friend of mine. Ted McKenna, the drummer, was from my home town and was a bit of a local legend. I met him once in a pub in Airdrie when he joined our company having overheard us talking about music. Sadly missed.
How lovely SAHB ! A band i never failed to see live in the 70's when they played their home town of Glasgow. Quirky, eccentric at points but rooted in a good rock foundation. Hopefully you will get to hear their version of Jaques Brel's 'Next'.
Ah once more the investigative characteristic of channel jp takes the reins and that’s quite commendable in these days of staples of commercial rock radio. Having said that I’m not in a position to assess the video. I’ll be back. I’m back. Genres eh? Do we need them?
@@HippoYnYGlaw Sorry, I don't speak Welsh, but do like to hear it spoken, especially with a North Wales accent. The name is just a pseudonym loosely derived from my (Welsh) forename. (Mother was from Conwy). Afraid I couldn't get a successful online translation of your second query... maybe SFA in this instance is Super Furry Animals (a good band)!
@@Llydrwydd thought I’d venture a convo in Welsh just to melt the ice away! (That’s a 1977 Budgie tune - a fine Welsh band too) So, i was suggesting above that SFA’s Welsh lp “Mwng” seems to me like a definite choice for a long song / side saturday listen. The 45rpm smash hit Juxtaposed with U is an essential JP listen too. Good to make your acquaintance sir. Take care, new friend! Huw. My channel has tentatively started playin Welsh lingo stuff via an old dj alter ego of mine - it’s chaotic and lo-fi but ideal if u wanna learn welsh for “it sounds like a train in a dark tunnel” and investigate how 25 random welsh 45s sound thru a dodgy mic. X (jp has licensed this plug 🤙) not strictly true but he has in spirit if u get my Drift.
I love this band. Lost in the shuffle, but not to be forgotten by anyone who has heard them. Pick a song on the NEXT album, and you won't be disappointed. The titles alone will tickle your curiosity.
Welcome to the wonderful, eclectic and crazy world of SAHB! Those that love it, love it a lot. Superb band backing up one of the wildest front men ever. Keep exploring, you will never know what you are going to hear next.
Nerd fact. The intro to Faith Healer is so long because back in the day albums were released on cassette tape, so both 'sides' had to be about the same length. No matter how they arranged the tracks, they couldn't get both sides the same length, so Hugh McKinna improvised a long syth section to balance both sides.
According to some members of the band, the extended intro was to balance up the cassette release with equal amounts of music, as there would’ve been a lengthy silence on the run off on one side.
There is a 15 minute version of 'Anthem' recorded live in Cleveland. The middle 5 minutes still gives me goose bumps every time I hear it. Simply amazing. Edit, yes that is a bagpipe backing up her voice. They are a Scottish band after all.
Alex does a very nice cover medley of "Just a Gigolo/I Ain't Got Nobody" from his solo LP "The Mafia Stole My Guitar". That title always makes me chuckle. I never ventured any further but listening to this today makes me feel like I should have. There is still time to do so and so I will. TY JP.
@@musicdroog4562 ....Good man...I will envy your enjoyment....first time listening to SAHB albums in full....Scotlands finest, without a doubt.....Come back to me in a few months with your thoughts......
Thank you so much for covering some SAHB content. A band very much in my heart. Lots of fab memories of their music. Their quality was absolutely great. You need to listen with a UK sense of the bizarre/ self deprecation/ irony.
Saw the band many times, always fantastic! Giddy Up is a Gene Vincent cover - a bit of fun rock n roll but the song 'Next' on this album, is surely the greatest Jacques Brel cover ever recorded and a stone cold classic in its own right
Alex Harvey was born in 1946. If you watch Alex Harvey interview filmed at home in 1981” you will understand why his music is the way it is and the historical influence on it. If you want to see more of a 1940’s influence on his songs, see “Man in a Jar” ( live, but very poor technical quality). Here he is acting and you can see a 1940’50’s influence in his visual characterisation, although poor quality it’s important in educating people about Alex Harvey. It also shows how his stint being a reserve actor for West End (Broadway style) theatre influenced his stage movements, and the lighting effects, and the stage drama created.( especially at the end). “Bar Room Blues “ with studio choreographed scene also shows another side to his talents. “Next” is also a good one to react to, as is “Framed” live 1974.
Sensational! On a personal note, as much as this original version of Faith Healer is great, I much prefer the version on their Live album from 1975. It flows so much better.
Giddy up a ding dong , is a cover of old 1950’s rock n roll standard by Freddie Bell and the bell boys. Alex Harvey was one Britain’s original rockers, known as the Scottish Tommy Steele ( another early U.K. rock star) he had several bands , until he teamed up with a Scottish band called Tear gas to become S.A.H.B. In the early 1970’s.
brilliant..The SAHB were fantastic live...saw them perform this on tv (possibly Old Grey Whistle Test) and was mesmerised.....Alex Harvey was an incredible performer , and the whole band came alive playing live. Zal Cleminson with his make up and guitar playing stood out....Try 'Boston Tea Party' , quite repetetive but hypnotic.
There is a great cover of this song, actually a pearl, by "Recoil", a band project by Alan Wilder (former Depeche Mode) which is not to be missed! Always a pleasure, Justin!
Just FYI, Alex didn't write Giddy Up, it's a cover of Freddie Bell and the Bellboys. the song was featured in the movie Rock Around The Clock starring Bill Haley in 1956.
Saw them many times at the Cavern Liverpool. One of the best Theatrical Live bands. The reason for the very long intro was that they needed to fill out time for this side of the album.
You should check out his (Harvey's) interpretation of Jacques Brel's "Next. But please listen to the whole 1st album, "Framed". It has the wonderful title track, "There's No Light's On The Christmas Tree Mother, They're Burning Big Louie Tonight", "Hammer Song", "Midnight Moses", "Isobel Goudie", "Buffs Bar Blues", "I Just Want To make Love to You", "Hole In Her Stocking", and "St Anthony". If you were to pick one track: "Hammer Song". Beautiful acoustic guitar, full of drama,
In my (Friederike) youth there was a disco called "Das Ding" (German for "The Thing") that I went to occasionally. The last song they played before closing always was "Faith Healer". When that song ran we all knew we had to leave now.
They obviously are from Britain but Unfortunately Obviously didn't get too much exposure in the USA except for Cleveland Ohio!! Way ahead of their time!! Cheech and Chong actually remade one of their songs called "Framed" in the Movie "Up in Smoke "!!! Another suggestion is the song "Gang Bang"!! Gonna stop There before I get carried away!! Thanks for reacting to this Cult Classic (at least in Cleveland)!!! So wish they could've gotten more exposure!! Thanks SOOOOOO much for reacting to this!!
Alex Harvey had been on the music scene for quite a long time by 1973... In 1960 in Scotland his band opened for Johnny Gentle and his band... Johnny Gentles backing band just happened to be The Beatles - Before they went to Germany and became the band that we all know and love. S.A.H.B. were just amazing and coming from Glasgow were huge in the UK... BUT ECCENTRIC.... Fabulous playing and a live band that gave you a SHOW. I love them.
My introduction to Alex was The Mafia Stole My Guitar, the album he made after SAHB split. Got into SAHB afterwards, working backwards through their albums. The whole band are tight as f¥ck. Couple of tracks where the lyrics don't stand up to scrutiny, even then, but the rest are top notch. Highly recommend the aforementioned track and Oh Spartacus from the same album. Favourite SAHB songs, other than Faithhealer are, The Tale of the Giant Stoneater, Action Strasse, Next and the Tomahawk Kid.
Another band brought to me by my younger brother; he liked to bring me up-to-date if he could. The 'Faith Healer' is certainly one of the band's strongest tracks, with an entertaining sense of melodrama. It feels undermixed, underpowered to modern ears, but at the time it felt more dynamic and punchy. It ended the first side of the album, whilst the second track barely rings a bell with me, opening side two with a good old 'pub rock' feel, but not very remarkable - something to work a crowd with. Move on to 'Next' and see what they get up to... from pub rock to Jacques Brel in one easy move!
Never even heard of these guys, thanks for the intro. I like the first song a lot. The ding dong one sounds like they jumped on the ‘50s-style boogie bandwagon, which was in full ad nauseum swing among the Rock elite in 1973. Everyone had a number like that. That said, I’d love to hear more of the more progressive stuff.
Totally new for me and like you I was intrigued throughout the beginning and the song and it just never peaked for me as you mentioned I was looking for more... I'm looking forward to the second song to see where they go... That second song kind of reminded me of the stray cats....
S.A.H.B were an awesome band.... you need to read about them to find out what they were about.... they were certainly unique .... and very popular at a grass roots level. They were rock, vaudeville, glam and crazy all rolled into one.... and of course I love Zal's guitar work....
Alex Harvey dates back to the 50s! SAHB were a great band who unfortunately were considered by many as a bit of a novelty after they had a hit with a cover of Tom Jones’ Delilah. Try Midnight Moses, Vambo, Dogs of War or Alex’s version of Next 👍
The live version of Faith Healer buries the studio recording. More punch, less drone. I also recommend to you the songs Vambo and Anthem. They even covered the Tom Jones classic Delilah. When their tour bus was burglarized in the States, Alex was more concerned about his Sgt. Rock comic books than the musical gear. SAHB and Sparks in the same week? Brilliant! And after Henry Cow and Pere Ubu, I think you might be ready for Captain Beefheart And The Magic Band. What a journey this must be for you.
greatest live band ever, they were sensational, they had humor, they had lots of different styles, though fairly hard rock and if you manage to get through the tale of the giant stoneater it will blow your mind, you have touched the tip of the iceberg with this great underated band
I Love SAHB, appreciate Alex so much, but totally enamored by Zal's incredible musicianship! I cannot believe he didn't continue to soar his recognition much more after SAHB. All of the band is First Class!
Alex was a big influence on Bon Scott the AC/DC lead singer who copied his vocal style on a lot of their earlier songs but like others have already suggested SAHB were a band who were better live than on the studio versions of many of their tracks.
Absolutely ! It can be seen and heard clearly that Alex Harvey was an influence on Bon Scott ! Same kind of cheeky characters and charismatic singers with a similar voice and look. and both left too early, two years apart (Bon Scott, aged 33 in Feb. 80 and Alex Harvey, aged 46 in Feb. 82).
LOVE SAHB! I got turned on to them when I went to the UK and my hosts were playing a comp of The Old Grey Whistle Test with them on it. I love OGWT, and was wondering how I'd never seen them before, but SAHB were only on the European releases of the compilations. You MUST check out their performance of Give My Compliments to the Chef from OGWT. It is hands down one of the best appearances ever on that show, and I'd argue it's way better than the studio cut. One of their more proggy cuts, too.
A band of very good musicians creating an unholy ramshackle mess, in the best possible way. Ted McKenna and Chris Glenn were a regular team who went on to work with Michael Schenker and Ian Gillan. For what it's worth, I believe there is a certain intangible spirit of rock and roll that infuses certain performers and elevates them far above any limitations they may have as singers or musicians. You invest in their vision and charisma, it's about more than just the music, and there's a certain ironic self-awareness about it without ever being insincere. Alex Harvey was one such artist. Ian Hunter, Bon Scott and Phil Lynott were others.
Zal Clemison, the guitarist went on to drive a taxi eventually to pick up the fare the group Nazareth. They nabbed him on the spot for their very next album 'Malice In Wonderland'. If anyone wondered why that Nazareth album stood out as different, now you know exactly why.
I’ve never heard of this band until about 2001 when I went on my first trip to the UK. I joined the message board of the artist Ian Hunter. That’s when I first heard of the SAHB. Apparently he was huge over there. Do a song by Ian Hunter. He was the lead singer of Mott The Hoople. The song Just Another Night will suffice.
@@waynecox3958 I’ve seen Ian live 17 times. There is a DVD Live at the Astoria in London. I was at that show with my daughter. I was also at the show in Bristol when he performed with Mick Ralph’s for the first time in decades. For a bit of context, I’m from Baltimore Maryland in the USA. He stopped touring 2 years ago because of Tinnitus. A very underrated artist. Once Bitten Twice Shy by Great White is one of his songs.
I know it's not Ian Hunter's favorite album, but I love 'All of the Good Ones are Taken', great video that was a take on Dudley Moore in the movie "Arthur"
The song….Next…..is a Jacques Brel song about his experience in a brothel truck in WWll….what Alex Harvey does with this song is cross every generation of music that came before and it’s a devastating composition…..this man and his band meant quite a bit to the city I grew up in…..Cleveland…..we embraced him with open arms…it’s even mentioned in his Wikipedia profile….just love this band…..and this man who gave his all to his music😊
Freddie Mercury is probably the better singer, but when it comes to best (live) frontman I'd have to put Alex right up there alongside him. Try and catch the footage of SAHB at a music festival in Sweden performing Midnight Moses and Framed. There's also some video of them on BBC's The Old Grey Whistle Test.
To further blow your mind.... and to really appreciate the SAHB give a listen to Hot City Symphony Parts 1 & 2 - Vambo / Man in the Jar which are off the Impossible Dream album 1974. 😎
SAHB 😂😂 Fan-tas-tic. I didn't see you getting around to this great band. You're probably the first person in Florida to hear them. SAHB were one of the, if not THE, great theatrical British live bands of the early to mid 70's. The album these tracks come from is called Next and is their recognised classic. Thank you for picking it out, in my backwater town in England in 1973/74 it seemed everyone fell in love with SAHB after they played a small local night club and blew everyone away! Other great tracks by them include Swampsnake, Next, Sgt.Fury, Vambo (NOT Vambo Marble Eye), Midnight Moses, Hot City Symphony, Framed....
Saw Alex back in '75. During the show he climbed up the speaker tower, and pushed out a tile and tried crawling up into the ceiling. It didn't support his weight and he came crashing down cracking his nuts on the corner of the speaker and hit the floor flat out. He got up, limped a little, and finished the show. That's Rock & Roll.
They were a live band primarily… and that’s where you should have heard them. They slayed audiences wherever they went. Alex Harvey was super charismatic. Zal Cleminson on guitar beat Kiss by many years to the horror makeup. They were almost like a super-dark vaudeville band. Imho, Faith Healer was the only song that truly cut it in the studio, but who needed to prove anything after that?
NRBQ AND Southern Culture on the Skids are two more bands who’s live performances are far superior to their studio albums.
@@randylee1777 I love NRBQ's albums too though, so many great pop songs.
The whole album is great. One of Scotlands greatest bands. in my opinion.
SAHB! YES! One of the more eccentric of the '70s British bands. Which means you're gonna find a stinker or two in their catalog, but it's so worth the journey.
The live version of "Faith Healer" is twice as good as the studio version. The energy level is off the charts. And the sound is much fuller. And Zal freakin' SHINES. As does the rest of the band, actually.
"Giddy Up A Ding Dong" is one of many quirky songs they do that would fit in well on a Dr. Demento compilation. Coming from me, that's a compliment.
Overall, the band rocks pretty hard, and Alex has that voice that lets you know that what he's singing is campy, ironic, toungue in cheek, or all three.
He left us waaay too early. RIP.
My favorite SAHB album is 'Tomorrow Belongs To Me'. From the opener, "Action Strasse", through the closing title song and "To Be Continued...", everything is top grade. Ya gotta love titles like "The Tale Of The Giant Stone Eater" and "Give My Compliments To The Chef".
I encourage you to delve deeply into this band. I think you'll like what you find.
"And another tree dies of shame."
Absolute CLASSIC!!!!!! Tommy Vance played Faith Healer on the Friday Rock Show (1980-ish, BBC radio 1) when I was 12 and it blew my mind. I recorded it but the tape ran out before the end and I missed the announcement. For years I had no idea who it was, but when I was 17 I shared a flat with someone who had an unloved record collection from an older brother... I explored it out of curiosity and when this track started I jumped to my feet. "GOTCHA!!!!" I yelled.
That's right kids. Back before google and shazam it took 5 years and a bit of luck to find shit, but the feeling can't be bettered.
great radio show, i gew up listening to that show every friday
True, some music I heard in the 60s and 70s is eventually possible to find back to, during the last 10-20 years! I still get that gottya feeling occasionaly!
Unfortunately there is still a lot of music not yet on internet.
This story reminds me how my dad told me how he had misheard someone at a party mentioning the artist name of the long 'Spoonful' jam, and was searching for a long time on what kind of 'Queen' album that would be on....... :D
funniest, and truest - baby Dee Let me Be Your Fantasy, 3 years - comment I have read on ANY youtube posting 🙂
Very Cool!
Justin, sometime check out Alex Harvey's brother's band Stone the Crows, a Scottish blues-rock band that formed in Glasgow in 1969. It featured vocalist Maggie Bell, who sounds a lot like Janis Joplin and guitarist Les Harvey(1944-1972) and Jim Dewar on bass, he was later the bassist and vocalist with Robin Trower. Before Stone the Crows had much success, Les Harvey was electrocuted on stage at the age of 27 in Wales. After that, a young Jimmy McCullouch (Thunderclap Newman and later in Wings with Paul McCartney) was brought in but the band disbanded shortly thereafter. They were a classic blues band that if not for tragedy should have been a great band. SAHB's Ted McKenna later played drums with Rory Gallagher.
Totally agree about Stone The Crows - I saw them live on the tour before the one where Les Harvey was electrocuted. They were powerful and raucous - as you would expect with a Janis Joplin soundalike - but, boy - they rocked!
Ted McKenna, one of Coatbridge's finest, also played on the classic Womack & Womack song "Teardrops"
Even better as a live act than recorded! Some of the most memorable gigs I've ever been to were theirs! Alex was absolutely awesome as a frontman! Often described as comic-book rock, they actually veered towards Prog, as "The Tale of the Giant Stoneeater" . For me, best two albums are "The Impossible Dream" and "Tomorrow Belongs to me". "Hot City Symphony is awesome! They do a great version of Tom Jones' "Delilah" and there are numerous videos showing the band's live version and hinting at their comedic quality! Very, very good band! Enjoy!!
From what I have heard they must have been an impressive live act, with Alex as excentric frontman. You kind of can imagine that by his vocal delivery alone...
My father told me of a Deep Purple concert where his friends were dissapointed with the band after the Alex Harvey Band opened for them!
Oh, and I forgot Ted McKenna was in this too. Great drummer! Later he was with Rory Gallagher for a long time, and did something with Ian Gillan too.
"Ain't nothin like a gang bang to blow away the blues".
Saw them live in Edinburgh in the early 70s. Great live performance. Zal Clemenson was on fire, but Alex Harvey's vocals... Man! The Faith Healer was played live on BBC around 1971 and the performance definitely added to the sinister nature of the lyrics and the hypnotic drone. The picture on the sleeve looks a lot like it. His signature striped sweater and his outstretched arms. Great reaction and analysis!
Alex Harvey - wonderful. At AH, I think of Ian Dury, an almost forgotten musician. "Hit me with your rhythm stick" was a hit with a killer bass groove. You will surely like it
Alex was one of the best frontmen and singers ever, Tomorrow Belongs to Me has been one of my favourite albums since it came out in 1975.
they are all over the place, and wonderful...keep doing more tracks. 'Next', 'Anthem', 'Man in a Jar', 'Midnight Moses', 'Gambling Bar Room Blues', 'Give My Compliments to the Chef', 'Boston Tea Party', 'Action Strasse', 'There's No Lights on the Christmas Tree Mother, They Are Burning Big Louie Tonight'...eccentric and one of those bands who the British punk rockers still had respect for because they were tough and unique and fearless. Unfortuately when they opened for Jethro Tull in the USA in the early 70's they were almost instantly booed off the stage. I believe AC DC were big fans, both Bon Scott and Angus Young seem very influenced by SAHB.
Alex was of course Scottish, as were Bon, Malcolm and Angus by birth
Man In A Jar!!! YES!!!!
I saw that tour in Charleston WV in 1975. Alex's set ended with 10,000 people standing up on their feet cheering after closing with Anthem.
@@CheshireMoonBand Wow!!! Incredible!!
Great to see you're finally discovering the Sensational Alex Harvey Band. The clue is in the title. There isn't a bad track on this album. Please do them all.
Think of them as Rock 'n' Roll Vaudeville. The version I remember is he would sing "Let me put my hands on you" and getting as close to the audience as he could holding out his hands in front of him with a manic grin, making it sound menacing rather than healing. Next, Framed and the cover version of Delilah are great tracks. One of the best cover versions.
Was totally surprised to see this come up on the channel. For some reason TSAHB just never crossed my mind as a recommendation. Every song on this album is good, but my favorite is Next.
After visiting the lady mentioned in Saturday's song. I went to The Faith Healer to help with what was wrong. He said to find The Cure, you must see a doctor for sure and don't wait too long, Else you never have any Giddy Up A Ding Dong. Have a Sensational Sunday all Peace.
Justin, you need to watch them live on The Old Grey Whistle Test doing this, it is an education. Also the track NEXT. cheers. The guitarist is one of a kind and is still touring today. They are primarily a live performance band.You can just imagine the audience joining in with the chorus!
Saw them live at Town Hall in NYC in the mid 70's. Great band, Alex Harvey was a fascinating and unique frontman, absoultely mesmerizing!
JP - You would enjoy the Hot City Symphony which actually almost has a 'Prog' feel - that'll confuse you even more. Alex Harvey really was a 'Sensational' front man though. There is another song 'Next' which is available from an old BBC show OGWT which is worth a watch.
Alex's brother Lesley Harvey played in another top Glasgow band Stone The Crows , who had the magnificent Maggie Bell on vocals. Unfortunately Lesley Harvey died on stage when an electrical fault meant the stage mic was live.
Hot City Symphony rools! It's like a crossover between Isaac Hayes's Shaft and TV detective / spy music, like Henry Mancini. And then there's the completely bonkers gumshoe narration... What an extraordinary song!
Haven’t heard Faith healer for over 45 years but thanks for reminding me of some great times at school where they were constants on the 6th form common room record player. Some bands of this time were not easy to place in a genre as they were truly exploring a wide range of styles even in the same albums.
Can I get you to check out some early 10cc another genre bending band. Most people know them for the heavily produced ‘I’m not in Love’ but for contrast, check out. ‘Worst band in the world” and ‘clockwork creep’ from the album ‘Sheet Music’.
The ‘One night in Paris’ mini operetta from the album “The original soundtrack’ would also be an interesting long song Saturday listen (thats the album that spawned ‘I’m not in love”) noting that it was released 6months before Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen. Actually ‘Sheet Music’ and ‘The original soundtrack would make great full album listens as both were varied in style and unbelievably creative.
Hi JP. DP from UK. I Gotta Have Faith... and I gotta have The Faith Healer. For me the intro is one of the all time greats in rock music - the sound effects add to the menace and drama, and the lyrics are so evocative. Great guitar work throughout by Zal, who has such a distinctive and imaginative style - unusual image too, as he dressed and made up as a clown on stage. If I remember correctly, their performance of The Faith Healer on the UK's rock show The Old Grey Whistle Test really broke them over here. The same happened to Focus (performing Hocus Pocus) and Meat Loaf (Bat out of Hell).
I saw this band in Detroit in 1975. Vambo rools, the brick wall, the bright-light blunderbuss, the big book. Yeah, great show. Peace.
I saw the SAHB at the Reading Festival one year. To be honest I wasn’t too thrilled about seeing them but stuck around and had my socks well and truly blown off. Best appreciated live, they had a swagger, intensity and air of threat that doesn’t quite come across on record. At Reading they opened with Faith Healer and had the synth pulse running for a good ten minutes before they took the stage and when Alex stretched out his hands “Let me put my hands on you, just wanna put my hands on you” I swear half the audience took an involuntarily step backwards! Check out their live version of ‘Delilah’ - mad as a box of frogs and genuinely disturbing!
I never thought Tom Jones could kill a woman, listening to the SAHB's version,of 'Delilah' I thought Alex had.
@@christophermatthews6972 Exactly!
@@christophermatthews6972 its a deep song with a deep meaning, as tom jones sung it well, alex harvey understood what it was about and sung it accordingly
I was there too - 1977. Brilliant.
Alex Harvey was an absolute genius, some massive gems in store for you if you delve in!!
I saw them live back in 73 and they were fantastic. Alex came out in his trademark black and white hooped sweater and Zal Cleminson came out in jester whiteface with boots and jumpsuit on. They stole the show. This is a classic example of the benefits of going mining in barely explored mines. Often you dig up some priceless gems. There are literally countless great bands lying undiscovered that when you find them you feel it was worth all the effort.
One of the best bands to come out of the 70's
Now we are talking. I am amazed someone makes reaction of SAHB. We grew up with their music. They really did what they pleased with various genres of music. Vambo Hot City Symphony is like a movie.
Vambo Rules
If we're moving away from prog and into the realms of 'Grebo Pop', anyone fancy seeing a reaction to 'Burlesque' by Family or Curved Air's 'Back Street Luv?
Yes!!!! And The Weaver's Answer. Loved Family.
I like it. A fun romp. Great music for the right setting.
Sunday morning song, maybe not.
@@-davidolivares Depends... maybe if it a bright and sunny day and you are just bursting with energy. lol or maybe not.
Isobel goudie, midnight moses, Dolphins, Delilah, the hammer song, vambo marble eye, Boston tea party, action strassa, tomahawk kid, the list is almost endless
They put together theatre and music. The live show was amazing, scary theatrical, unpredicatble and wild rock music at the heart. He played the audience like an instument.
When I was young I saw SAHB do "Next" on The Old Grey Whistle Test. I was too young to like it at the time, but in later years I realised that it had really stayed with me. I couldn't get it out of my head or my mind's eye. Alex was utterly hypnotic in this performance. As an adult, I came to love and be enthralled by it. Mesmerising is the best way to describe it. I discovered Faith Healer quite recently when it was suggested to me by a now departed friend of mine. Ted McKenna, the drummer, was from my home town and was a bit of a local legend. I met him once in a pub in Airdrie when he joined our company having overheard us talking about music. Sadly missed.
WOW I worked a sound system at a UK university and SAHB where headlining, and what a band they were.
How lovely SAHB ! A band i never failed to see live in the 70's when they played their home town of Glasgow.
Quirky, eccentric at points but rooted in a good rock foundation. Hopefully you will get to hear their version of Jaques Brel's 'Next'.
You should check out Next, next. A great cover of a Jacques Brel song.
Ah once more the investigative characteristic of channel jp takes the reins and that’s quite commendable in these days of staples of commercial rock radio.
Having said that I’m not in a position to assess the video. I’ll be back.
I’m back.
Genres eh? Do we need them?
Probably not...
@@Llydrwydd be di ystyr dy enw? SFA mwng i JP- be ti’n feddwl?
@@HippoYnYGlaw Sorry, I don't speak Welsh, but do like to hear it spoken, especially with a North Wales accent. The name is just a pseudonym loosely derived from my (Welsh) forename. (Mother was from Conwy).
Afraid I couldn't get a successful online translation of your second query... maybe SFA in this instance is Super Furry Animals (a good band)!
@@Llydrwydd thought I’d venture a convo in Welsh just to melt the ice away!
(That’s a 1977 Budgie tune - a fine Welsh band too)
So, i was suggesting above that SFA’s Welsh lp “Mwng” seems to me like a definite choice for a long song / side saturday listen.
The 45rpm smash hit Juxtaposed with U is an essential JP listen too.
Good to make your acquaintance sir. Take care, new friend!
Huw. My channel has tentatively started playin Welsh lingo stuff via an old dj alter ego of mine - it’s chaotic and lo-fi but ideal if u wanna learn welsh for “it sounds like a train in a dark tunnel” and investigate how 25 random welsh 45s sound thru a dodgy mic.
X (jp has licensed this plug 🤙) not strictly true but he has in spirit if u get my
Drift.
I love this band. Lost in the shuffle, but not to be forgotten by anyone who has heard them. Pick a song on the NEXT album, and you won't be disappointed. The titles alone will tickle your curiosity.
P.S. this song could put you over the top. Coming up NEXT
THE PASSION PLAY !
"AIN'T NOTHING LIKE A GANG BANG", PLEEEEEEZE!! You'd be the FIRST reactor to do it. And you've got the fucking balls to do it, brother!✌&❤
Recoil did a cover of the song The Faith Healer. Recoil is Alan Wilder from Depeche Mode. Go listen to that version. The recoil version is fantastic
Welcome to the wonderful, eclectic and crazy world of SAHB! Those that love it, love it a lot. Superb band backing up one of the wildest front men ever. Keep exploring, you will never know what you are going to hear next.
harvey was one of my fav bands in the 70's, this track made me a life long fan.
Oh man, this is an old classic. Haven’t heard it for decades. Great song.
Nerd fact. The intro to Faith Healer is so long because back in the day albums were released on cassette tape, so both 'sides' had to be about the same length. No matter how they arranged the tracks, they couldn't get both sides the same length, so Hugh McKinna improvised a long syth section to balance both sides.
According to some members of the band, the extended intro was to balance up the cassette release with equal amounts of music, as there would’ve been a lengthy silence on the run off on one side.
Check out Midnight Moses.
There is a 15 minute version of 'Anthem' recorded live in Cleveland. The middle 5 minutes still gives me goose bumps every time I hear it. Simply amazing.
Edit, yes that is a bagpipe backing up her voice. They are a Scottish band after all.
Remember when they played it in our local club in Germany, stroboscope flashing and the dance floor was crowded.
Alex does a very nice cover medley of "Just a Gigolo/I Ain't Got Nobody" from his solo LP "The Mafia Stole My Guitar". That title always makes me chuckle. I never ventured any further but listening to this today makes me feel like I should have. There is still time to do so and so I will. TY JP.
......Do that, you are in for a real treat...Invest in "Framed" for starters.....
@@brianwoods2395 It's on it's way. Part of a "5 Classic Albums" box set.
@@musicdroog4562 ....Good man...I will envy your enjoyment....first time listening to SAHB albums in full....Scotlands finest, without a doubt.....Come back to me in a few months with your thoughts......
Great album.
Faith Healer the best song on it.. by far !!
Thank you so much for covering some SAHB content. A band very much in my heart. Lots of fab memories of their music. Their quality was absolutely great. You need to listen with a UK sense of the bizarre/ self deprecation/ irony.
Saw the band many times, always fantastic! Giddy Up is a Gene Vincent cover - a bit of fun rock n roll but the song 'Next' on this album, is surely the greatest Jacques Brel cover ever recorded and a stone cold classic in its own right
Alex Harvey was born in 1946. If you watch Alex Harvey interview filmed at home in 1981” you will understand why his music is the way it is and the historical influence on it.
If you want to see more of a 1940’s influence on his songs, see
“Man in a Jar” ( live, but very poor technical quality). Here he is acting and you can see a 1940’50’s influence in his visual characterisation, although poor quality it’s important in educating people about Alex Harvey. It also shows how his stint being a reserve actor for West End (Broadway style) theatre influenced his stage movements, and the lighting effects, and the stage drama created.( especially at the end).
“Bar Room Blues “ with studio choreographed scene also shows another side to his talents.
“Next” is also a good one to react to, as is
“Framed” live 1974.
Sensational! On a personal note, as much as this original version of Faith Healer is great, I much prefer the version on their Live album from 1975. It flows so much better.
I agree, the Live version was the first version I heard, when I bought the album 'Next' I was a little underwhelmed by the studio version.
@@lioii Absolutely! You and me both.
Giddy up a ding dong , is a cover of old 1950’s rock n roll standard by Freddie Bell and the bell boys.
Alex Harvey was one Britain’s original rockers, known as the Scottish Tommy Steele ( another early U.K. rock star) he had several bands , until he teamed up with a Scottish band called Tear gas to become S.A.H.B. In the early 1970’s.
brilliant..The SAHB were fantastic live...saw them perform this on tv (possibly Old Grey Whistle Test) and was mesmerised.....Alex Harvey was an incredible performer , and the whole band came alive playing live. Zal Cleminson with his make up and guitar playing stood out....Try 'Boston Tea Party' , quite repetetive but hypnotic.
There is a great cover of this song, actually a pearl, by "Recoil", a band project by Alan Wilder (former Depeche Mode) which is not to be missed! Always a pleasure, Justin!
Just FYI, Alex didn't write Giddy Up, it's a cover of Freddie Bell and the Bellboys. the song was featured in the movie Rock Around The Clock starring Bill Haley in 1956.
Saw them many times at the Cavern Liverpool. One of the best Theatrical Live bands. The reason for the very long intro was that they needed to fill out time for this side of the album.
Dortmund mid-70s Sacre Coeur every night for many years stroboscope very loud this one stuck in my brain - until today
You should check out his (Harvey's) interpretation of Jacques Brel's "Next. But please listen to the whole 1st album, "Framed". It has the wonderful title track, "There's No Light's On The Christmas Tree Mother, They're Burning Big Louie Tonight", "Hammer Song", "Midnight Moses", "Isobel Goudie", "Buffs Bar Blues", "I Just Want To make Love to You", "Hole In Her Stocking", and "St Anthony". If you were to pick one track: "Hammer Song". Beautiful acoustic guitar, full of drama,
In my (Friederike) youth there was a disco called "Das Ding" (German for "The Thing") that I went to occasionally. The last song they played before closing always was "Faith Healer". When that song ran we all knew we had to leave now.
They obviously are from Britain but Unfortunately Obviously didn't get too much exposure in the USA except for Cleveland Ohio!! Way ahead of their time!! Cheech and Chong actually remade one of their songs called "Framed" in the Movie "Up in Smoke "!!! Another suggestion is the song "Gang Bang"!! Gonna stop There before I get carried away!! Thanks for reacting to this Cult Classic (at least in Cleveland)!!! So wish they could've gotten more exposure!! Thanks SOOOOOO much for reacting to this!!
Framed, Midnight Moses, Isobel Goudie, Snake Bite, Jungle Rub Out...these guys were all over the place, unclassifiable. :)
Alex Harvey had been on the music scene for quite a long time by 1973... In 1960 in Scotland his band opened for Johnny Gentle and his band... Johnny Gentles backing band just happened to be The Beatles - Before they went to Germany and became the band that we all know and love. S.A.H.B. were just amazing and coming from Glasgow were huge in the UK... BUT ECCENTRIC.... Fabulous playing and a live band that gave you a SHOW. I love them.
My introduction to Alex was The Mafia Stole My Guitar, the album he made after SAHB split. Got into SAHB afterwards, working backwards through their albums. The whole band are tight as f¥ck. Couple of tracks where the lyrics don't stand up to scrutiny, even then, but the rest are top notch. Highly recommend the aforementioned track and Oh Spartacus from the same album. Favourite SAHB songs, other than Faithhealer are, The Tale of the Giant Stoneater, Action Strasse, Next and the Tomahawk Kid.
Another band brought to me by my younger brother; he liked to bring me up-to-date if he could.
The 'Faith Healer' is certainly one of the band's strongest tracks, with an entertaining sense of melodrama. It feels undermixed, underpowered to modern ears, but at the time it felt more dynamic and punchy. It ended the first side of the album, whilst the second track barely rings a bell with me, opening side two with a good old 'pub rock' feel, but not very remarkable - something to work a crowd with.
Move on to 'Next' and see what they get up to... from pub rock to Jacques Brel in one easy move!
The greatest live band ever!
"Soul In Chains" is a very good one from Sensational Alex Harvey Band
Never even heard of these guys, thanks for the intro. I like the first song a lot. The ding dong one sounds like they jumped on the ‘50s-style boogie bandwagon, which was in full ad nauseum swing among the Rock elite in 1973. Everyone had a number like that. That said, I’d love to hear more of the more progressive stuff.
Totally new for me and like you I was intrigued throughout the beginning and the song and it just never peaked for me as you mentioned I was looking for more... I'm looking forward to the second song to see where they go...
That second song kind of reminded me of the stray cats....
Saw them on several occasions in the early to mid 70s. Fantastic live band.
Yes!! Good man, I absolutely love this band. :D
So pleased to see/hear someone doing SAHB .. Such an under rated band, imo. 'Framed' another great album by them .. :-)
S.A.H.B were an awesome band.... you need to read about them to find out what they were about.... they were certainly unique .... and very popular at a grass roots level. They were rock, vaudeville, glam and crazy all rolled into one.... and of course I love Zal's guitar work....
Alex Harvey dates back to the 50s! SAHB were a great band who unfortunately were considered by many as a bit of a novelty after they had a hit with a cover of Tom Jones’ Delilah. Try Midnight Moses, Vambo, Dogs of War or Alex’s version of Next 👍
The live version of Faith Healer buries the studio recording. More punch, less drone. I also recommend to you the songs Vambo and Anthem. They even covered the Tom Jones classic Delilah. When their tour bus was burglarized in the States, Alex was more concerned about his Sgt. Rock comic books than the musical gear. SAHB and Sparks in the same week? Brilliant! And after Henry Cow and Pere Ubu, I think you might be ready for Captain Beefheart And The Magic Band. What a journey this must be for you.
There live performance of NEXT is genius greatest ever Scottish frontman
greatest live band ever, they were sensational, they had humor, they had lots of different styles, though fairly hard rock and if you manage to get through the tale of the giant stoneater it will blow your mind, you have touched the tip of the iceberg with this great underated band
I Love SAHB, appreciate Alex so much, but totally enamored by Zal's incredible musicianship! I cannot believe he didn't continue to soar his recognition much more after SAHB. All of the band is First Class!
Alex was a big influence on Bon Scott the AC/DC lead singer who copied his vocal style on a lot of their earlier songs but like others have already suggested SAHB were a band who were better live than on the studio versions of many of their tracks.
Absolutely ! It can be seen and heard clearly that Alex Harvey was an influence on Bon Scott ! Same kind of cheeky characters and charismatic singers with a similar voice and look. and both left too early, two years apart (Bon Scott, aged 33 in Feb. 80 and Alex Harvey, aged 46 in Feb. 82).
LOVE SAHB! I got turned on to them when I went to the UK and my hosts were playing a comp of The Old Grey Whistle Test with them on it. I love OGWT, and was wondering how I'd never seen them before, but SAHB were only on the European releases of the compilations. You MUST check out their performance of Give My Compliments to the Chef from OGWT. It is hands down one of the best appearances ever on that show, and I'd argue it's way better than the studio cut. One of their more proggy cuts, too.
A band of very good musicians creating an unholy ramshackle mess, in the best possible way. Ted McKenna and Chris Glenn were a regular team who went on to work with Michael Schenker and Ian Gillan. For what it's worth, I believe there is a certain intangible spirit of rock and roll that infuses certain performers and elevates them far above any limitations they may have as singers or musicians. You invest in their vision and charisma, it's about more than just the music, and there's a certain ironic self-awareness about it without ever being insincere. Alex Harvey was one such artist. Ian Hunter, Bon Scott and Phil Lynott were others.
Zal Clemison, the guitarist went on to drive a taxi eventually to pick up the fare the group Nazareth. They nabbed him on the spot for their very next album 'Malice In Wonderland'. If anyone wondered why that Nazareth album stood out as different, now you know exactly why.
@@davidlane1169 Scotland produced a number of very good guitar players around that time.
I’ve never heard of this band until about 2001 when I went on my first trip to the UK. I joined the message board of the artist Ian Hunter. That’s when I first heard of the SAHB. Apparently he was huge over there. Do a song by Ian Hunter. He was the lead singer of Mott The Hoople. The song Just Another Night will suffice.
@@waynecox3958 I’ve seen Ian live 17 times. There is a DVD Live at the Astoria in London. I was at that show with my daughter. I was also at the show in Bristol when he performed with Mick Ralph’s for the first time in decades. For a bit of context, I’m from Baltimore Maryland in the USA. He stopped touring 2 years ago because of Tinnitus. A very underrated artist. Once Bitten Twice Shy by Great White is one of his songs.
I know it's not Ian Hunter's favorite album, but I love 'All of the Good Ones are Taken', great video that was a take on Dudley Moore in the movie "Arthur"
No sentient being understands SAHB because they were all over the place, but the title track Next, may help to pin them down a little.
Tale of the stone eater one of my faves ever 😊
Live album is a must
The definitive version of "Faith Healer" in my opinion.
The song….Next…..is a Jacques Brel song about his experience in a brothel truck in WWll….what Alex Harvey does with this song is cross every generation of music that came before and it’s a devastating composition…..this man and his band meant quite a bit to the city I grew up in…..Cleveland…..we embraced him with open arms…it’s even mentioned in his Wikipedia profile….just love this band…..and this man who gave his all to his music😊
Freddie Mercury is probably the better singer, but when it comes to best (live) frontman I'd have to put Alex right up there alongside him. Try and catch the footage of SAHB at a music festival in Sweden performing Midnight Moses and Framed. There's also some video of them on BBC's The Old Grey Whistle Test.
I must say that Vambo was one of my favourites 😍
To further blow your mind.... and to really appreciate the SAHB give a listen to Hot City Symphony Parts 1 & 2 - Vambo / Man in the Jar which are off the Impossible Dream album 1974. 😎
Very insightful review. Good job
Try Gang Bang and Next.
Excellent response video.
Thank you kindly
Try "The Hammer Song" and "Framed". A unique and creative band. Love them!
You should be able to see live versions of this and Vambo online which are fantastic.
Oh and also they did some songs with a humorous note like giddy up
... ty! Btw, want to hear the most impertinent intro ever? Try "Time Captives", Arthur Brown and Kingdom Come ;-) ...
SAHB 😂😂 Fan-tas-tic. I didn't see you getting around to this great band. You're probably the first person in Florida to hear them. SAHB were one of the, if not THE, great theatrical British live bands of the early to mid 70's. The album these tracks come from is called Next and is their recognised classic. Thank you for picking it out, in my backwater town in England in 1973/74 it seemed everyone fell in love with SAHB after they played a small local night club and blew everyone away!
Other great tracks by them include Swampsnake, Next, Sgt.Fury, Vambo (NOT Vambo Marble Eye), Midnight Moses, Hot City Symphony, Framed....
Midnight Moses is their best song.
"Ev'rything I touch is comin' up . . . roh-zezzzz" EXCELLENT song!
Live version in b/w at Rosskild (??) together with Framed-d-d. Unforgettable.