N.E.X.T.
Next. What a way to start a song. As Alex
Harvey spells out the letters of the title,
before leering the word into the microphone,
the band breaks into a tango beat to support
him, which is perhaps one of the defining
moments in the career of "The Sensational
Alex Harvey Band" and its inspirational
leader.
In 1972 Alex Harvey had reached the grand
old age of 38, way too old in those hedonistic
days of music to consider becoming a Pop
Star. But tragically, Alex's younger brother
by some ten years, Leslie, had been killed
in an electrical accident during a sound
check with his group "Stone the Crows"
at the Top Rank in Swansea. The cause
was an unearthed microphone. This tragic
event spurred Alex on to have one more
go at cracking the big time. At the time
Alex was earning a crust in the orchestra
of James Rado's iconoclastic musical 'Hair',
but was persuaded by his manager, friend,
and mentor Bill Fehilly, to go up to his
native Glasgow, Scotland, to check out
a gritty Progressive outfit called Tear
Gas. The band was in the throws of giving
up all dreams of stardom and going back
to 'normal jobs'. They were so broke that
in true Scottish tradition they had resorted
to haggis hunting up the side of mountains
to find sufficient nutrition to survive.
However, Alex, recognizing talent when
he saw it, coerced the band to stick together
and plant him in as lead singer and inspirational
genius. Putting "Sensational"
into the title of the band, they went
into the studio and in six days had recorded
their first album, released in early 1973,
before starting to play live anywhere
that would have them. Not surprisingly,
they quickly built up a reputation of
one of the hottest acts on the live circuit.
Out front was Alex himself, skin tight
jeans, dirty red handkerchief hanging
from his back pocket, black and white
looped T-shirt, with Alex's huge head
sticking out the neck (with all the creativity
going on in this head, it needed to be
a big one), topped off by an unruly mop
of unruly jet black hair, the perfect
leader.
Next to him was Zal Cleminson in a green
rubber jumpsuit with cake white clown's
make-up, which exaggerated his gurning
face as he cut loose during the solos,
and becoming a complete maniac, the perfect
foil.
On the other side of the stage on bass
was a man who could of made a living as
an Elvis impersonator, or at least one
of Elvis' bouncers Mr. Chris Glen, the
perfect man to have on your side if the
chips were down.
On Keyboards, as befitting this lot,
was Hugh McKenna, who looked more like
a university music teacher than a Rock
'n' Roll star, the perfect musical director.
And keeping it in the family, on drums
you had Hugh's brother, Ted, the perfect
rock onto which to hoist your Rock 'n'
Roll flag.
The first album was a reasonable commercial
success, but for once the record company
saw the potential in this group. Later
that year they booked a full month for
the band to record their follow up album
and brought in top Glam Rock producer
Phil Wainman. The results were 'Sensational'.
Alex sung with such pathos you cannot
help but love him. Nobody else at the
time could of gotten away with singing
the title track, the J. Brel tribute to
European Brothels, or ‘Gang Bang’
poking fun, of an unmentionable subject.
Zal Cleminson’s guitar playing throughout
is nothing short of brilliant, and the
band supports them note for note. All
of the songs here were to stay in the
band’s stage act in one way or another
until the end, especially 'The Faith Healer'
with its throbbing Tooltelbug drone opening,
which was to become the band’s standard
bearer and opening song. (The sight of
Alex staggering to the front of the stage
screaming "can I put my hands on
you" used to send the audience into
raptures.)
‘Vambo Marble Eye’ became
a saga that Alex was going to take to
higher plains on the live stage. Final
number 'The Last Of The Teenage Idols’
was inspired by an event way back in 1957,
when Alex Harvey won a Daily Record organized
competition to find the Scottish Tommy
Steele (true - I promise!), which brings
the album to a fitting rocking climax
before we are lulled away by a final burst
of do-wop.
In another year, “The Sensational
Alex Harvey Band” was the biggest
touring band in Europe, quite a turn around
from Haggis chasing. Unfortunately, the
work load was just too much and after
suffering declining health, Alex left
the band in 1978, after which the band
imploded. Later in 1982, Alex would die
of a heart attack while on tour in Europe,
a day before his 47th Birthday. Although
Alex's career did not really catch fire
until late, but when it finally did, it
sure burned bright. If "The Sensational
Alex Harvey Band" is a mystery to
you, pay attention. Alex Harvey was one
of the greatest ring masters to have ever
strode across the field of Rock 'n' Roll.
The first two “Sensational Alex
Harvey Band” albums, "Framed"
and "Next", have just been released
as a special 2-for-1 box set, a bargain
not to be missed.
Pawed
by Mott The Dog
Re-chewed by Ella Crew
E-mail: review@mott-the-dog.com
