We’re reissuing some album designs this week. First is the Alan Persons Project. They were always regarded rather snootily when I was at school because, I think, they were so melodic and thought of as coffee table music. I never bought that. The 16-minute title track sung by Chris Rainbow is an unheralded classic. It gave them 4 hit singles in the States.
West Bruce and Laing didn’t last long but they made some great, powerful music. This was their final record. If you can believe this, I heard them before I heard any Cream album. I don’t know how, it's one of those strange quirks.
The debut Blue Oyster Cult record only made #172 in USA and it was 1976 before any success in the UK but we had all their records by 1975. They weren’t heavy enough for some and too quirky for others but I loved them. Cities on Flame with Rock and Roll is the killer track on the debut.
Everyone had Focus - Moving Waves didn’t they? It was a big hit in those years 71/72/73 when they had hit singles. The side-long Eruption was an extraordinary piece of music. Made #2 in UK and #8 in America.
It's easy to forget now that Jefferson Starship were derided in some quarters as a sell-out of Airplanes ideals but I always thought that it was just the band growing up. Red Octopus was a quintessential AOR album and huge in America where it got to #1 and sold 2 million. Didn't chart in UK. Who could dislike the hazy, late summer vibe of Miracles?
Gentle Giant’s Octopus was probably their apogee, blending everything from medieval folk to modern prog it is a huge achievement. Probably too eclectic for some but I was impressed by them aged 16. It felt like they were a higher artform than most. Didn’t sell made #170 in the USA but no chart action in the UK.
The Incredible String Band are an acquired taste but 5000 Spirits…is their classic record with a sleeve designed by The Fool. What I like to call ‘a felt tip classic!’
When it came to muso-overload 801 took some beating. Although this didn’t sell at a time of punk but it stood the test of time. Their deconstruction of Tomorrow Never Knows is simply amazing.
Finally, Todd Rundgren’s Something/Anything is a huge sprawling double album. I got into it first through the rockier stuff like Black Maria and then the soul. Didn’t chart in the UK but made #29 in the USA. It’s a record of huge ambition and seems to traverse so many different styles.
Hope you like them. We'll have some new stuff soon.
