Rock On! Wednesday, 18 september 2024 – Bakerloo, Mick Abrahams, Tea & Symphony, Glass Harp & Jeff Beck Group

Psychedelic, heavy, prog and more innovating sounds spanning the late 60s and the early 70s – Wednesday April 17th. Dan’s pick of the week: Bakerloo (Bakerloo), Mick Abrahams (Mick Abrahams), Tea & Symphony (An Asylum for the Musically Insane), Glass Harp (Glass Harp) & Jeff Beck Group (Beck-Ola).

Prog Archives review: “The first track, a jazzy instrumental called “Big Bear Ffolly”, was named after Jim Simpson’s British tour Bakerloo were on, which included the fledgling Black Sabbath named “Earth” . This piece includes some fantastic gritty guitar playing from Clempson, and some fast and furious bass/drums from Terry Poole and Keith Baker (coincidentally another famous drummer of that name is relevant!). The band do a brilliant version of “Bring It On Home” made famous to us by Led Zeppelin, and have kept the song to the same style here, though Plant sings it better! “Drivin’ BACHwards” ( pun intended!) shows Prog leanings into classical music, using Bach’s “Bouree” – the track is a clever jazzy improvisation with some fine playing. “Last Blues” is a slow, gloomy, atmospheric song, “…take me to the train…”, followed by shimmering cymbals, howling winds then leads into an amazing blues jam featuring some great Cream-style playing from all musicians.

As a big fan of the long forgotten art of the drum solo, the next track “Gang Bang” is one of the best I’ve heard on record, basic drumming techniques very similar to a Ginger Baker style solo, the track also features some brilliant guitar playing, and the sound quality is really good, you can almost see them drums, and that Bakerloo train clattering, rumbling and rolling through the tunnels – play loud! “This Worried Feeling” is a Fleetwood Mac style slow blues style number, complete with atmospheric vocal and “lonely” Peter Green style guitar, the song drifts into a slow blues including some bar room piano and dirty blues guitar playing from Clempson- amazing stuff. The last track on the original album (the poppy/Clapton/Pagey “Once Upon a Time” and an alternate take of “This Worried Feeling” are on the CD) is “Son of Moonshine”, a dirty Tony McPhee (Groundhogs) style guitar intro leading to a blues/boogie rocker, heavy blues at its best!

Overall an amazing though until recently overlooked blues gem, but not by musicians. Any Prog fan even remotely into blues should hear this album, which could create a Prog genre all of its own and could tie in some of the bands included in this review.”

Wednesday, 18 september 2024 12:00 noon CET Brussels – 11 a.m. GMT London. Repeated: 16:00 & 20:00 hrs CET Brussels, 3 p.m. & 7 p.m. GMT London
Ends: 12 midnight CET Brussels, 11 p.m. GMT London.