Label - Angel Air Records
Track listing -
01. Roll A Rocket
02. Libel
03. Ragman
04. Spiders Web
05. Get Lost 0
06. Sick ‘N’ Tired
07. Mermany 0
08. Jumpin’ Thumpin’ (Ain’t That Somethin’)
09. Dazzle Dizzy
10. Bolex Dementia
BONUS TRACKS
11. Inside Your Life
12. (It’s) How You Do It
"HARD STUFF was a rock band formed by JOHN DU CANN and Paul Hammond from ATOMIC ROOSTER with JOHN GUSTAFSON from QUATERMASS. The band released it’s first album 'Bulletproof' to intense critical acclaim in 1972 and was working on it’s follow up when whilst touring Europe when they had a bad car accident returning from a gig at the Zoom Club, Frankfurt culminating in Du Cann and Hammond spending many weeks in hospital in Belgium.
Their second album 'Bolex Dementia' was eventually released in 1973 which was a delay of almost a year before the crucial follow up album could be heard. Then the LP cover (which was considered one of the most horrific of 1973) was deemed in some territories as unacceptable and in the USA for example a fresh cover had to be created featuring a girl?! before the album could hit the racks.
The band broke up shortly after the release of the second and final album with Du Cann and Hammond reforming Atomic Rooster (Du Cann wrote and sang lead vocal on their Hits 'Tomorrow Night' and 'Devils Answer') and Gustafson joining Roxy Music.
A classic album remastered with bonus tracks."
Another classic and lost / forgotten gem to get the Angel Air re-issues treatment. This album saw the band’s sound soften slightly, with them developing a funkier guitar sound as opposed to the heavy riffs that led their debut album. Still the standard of the song writing and musicianship was top notch giving us a great album. Unfortunately, this was to be the last release by the band, which is a pity as I feel that they still had a lot to offer judging by the quality of the songs on display here.
Again, this re-issue serves as a great reminder to those that were lucky enough to be there and witness these guys back in the early seventies, and as a great introduction to another lost classic band. Once again this re-issue comes with extensive sleeve notes written by Jeff Perkins detailing the story of this album and Hard Stuff!
Thank God for Angel Air!
Rating - 9/10
No comments:
Post a Comment