Released By : Angel Air Records
Genre : Progressive Rock
Link : http://www.angelfire.com/music4/greenslade/index.html
Tracklist:
1. Sundance
2. Drowning Man
3. Feathered Friends
4. Mélange
5. Jie De Vivre
6. Bedside Manners Are Extra
7. Sundance
8. Red Light
9. Spirit Of The Dance
GREENSLADE may be better known due to front-man Dave Greenslade’s other band, the almighty COLLISEUM, but even though the lights went out on this group many years ago they left a lasting legacy and are still very highly regarded in progressive rock circles the world over. The other main talking point about the band is the fact that they didn’t have a guitar player, instead settling on the combination of drums, bass guitar and TWO Hammond organs playing off each other.
This album gathers some very rare live recordings of the band in their early years, and while the lack of a guitar may be a bit of a sticky point, the fact is that GREENSLADE where absolutely on-song during this era and these tracks really are worth hearing for anyone calling themselves a fan of progressive rock music. The album itself has already seen a release about eleven years ago on MAJESTIC RECORDS, but while that particular version was a very bare-bones, budget type release, ANGEL AIR RECORDS have seen fit to re-issue the album with a crisper and cleaner sound and expanded booklet with some great information about the band itself and the process of gathering these recordings.
Quality-wise LIVE 1973-1975 does a pretty good job, there’s still a bit of hissing to be heard when played at higher volumes, but taking into account the recording technology of the era and the fact that the recordings themselves were hard to find, I think a bit of hissing can be excused. It also feels a little trebly at times too, but I think that’s more to do with the dual Hammond organs rather that any sort of technological issue.
Long-time fans of the band probably already have this album in its original MAJESTIC RECORDS format, but for those who missed out the first time, don’t delay in grabbing a copy of this newer version. Fans looking to upgrade to the new version should also find much reason to rejoice too, if not for the expanded booklet, just for the fact that never before have we been able to hear GREENSLADE live in such high quality.
Written By ZeeZee
Rating : 8/10