The Sensational Alex Harvey Band

[SassenachTon]

First live band I ever saw. The gig was at Nottingham University in 1974 (I think? It was the ‘Impossible Dream’ tour). I was in my mid-teens and I was absolutely floored. I remember it like it was yesterday, and subsequently saw them at least a dozen further times until Alex got sick and subsequently passed away. Their live performances were massive - always way heavier and more bombastic than anything on their albums, which to me, never really captured the true majesty of such stellar musicians in full, foot-on-the-monitors flight. Then there was Alex himself - a master frontman, storyteller, actor, poet and philosopher. I also remember walking straight past Zal Cleminson in an underground car park in Sheffield one night after a gig there - failing to recognise him because he didn’t have his clown makeup on.

What a band, they should have been absolutely huge.

Any other fans on here?

[Cappiecat 1.2]

Next...

[capitanus]

he was over-rated.  He was popular in Scotland at the time because he was Scottish.  Thats all.

[Cappiecat 1.2]

28 minutes ago, capitanus said:

  He was popular in Scotland at the time because he was Scottish.  Thats all.

Absolute bollocks.

[capitanus]

1 minute ago, Cappiecat 1.2 said:

Absolute bollocks.

Seriously, he was pish.  Here is proof, his biggest hit:

 

 

[SassenachTon]

37 minutes ago, capitanus said:

Seriously, he was pish. 

 

 

Opinions will always be divided and that's totally fair enough - he never claimed to be the world's greatest singer. But if you'd seen one of their live shows and watched the man hold an audience in the palm of his hand, you'd understand what I meant by 'frontman'. But to me, it wasn't just about Alex - it was about the whole band and the whole experience of rock theatre. Some brilliant songs helped.

[TaunTon]

SAHB were a great watch and the good capn is talking out his arse.

[capitanus]

41 minutes ago, SassenachTon said:

Opinions will always be divided and that's totally fair enough - he never claimed to be the world's greatest singer. But if you'd seen one of their live shows and watched the man hold an audience in the palm of his hand, you'd understand what I meant by 'frontman'. But to me, it wasn't just about Alex - it was about the whole band and the whole experience of rock theatre. Some brilliant songs helped.

 

26 minutes ago, TaunTon said:

SAHB were a great watch and the good capn is talking out his arse.

Granted that i'll probably be at least 20 years younger than both of you, however, what i know and heard of Alex Harvey was he's a snarling Rangers supporter, wannabe hardman, crap singer, crap cover artist trying his hand at glam rock whilst not giving the likes of Slade, Queen, Marc Bolan, Bowie etc. an ounce to worry about.

On the subject of 'great frontman' etc.  Just watch him torture and then murder Del Shannon's Runaway:

He should have had his balls stashed for that one.  Probably only eclipsed by Steve Harley Cuntney Rebel's 'Here Comes the Sun' as the worst cover version of all time.

[SassenachTon]

6 hours ago, capitanus said:

 

Probably only eclipsed by Steve Harley Cuntney Rebel's 'Here Comes the Sun' as the worst cover version of all time.

This gruesome, staged pisstake video perfectly encompasses everything I said about SAHB thunder live vs. SAHB bland in the studio or on the telly. It’s easy to poke fun at, because you’re right, it’s utter shite - but completely unrepresentative.

And I have to disagree. You’ve obviously never heard William ‘Star Trek’ Shatner’s cover of ‘Lucy in the sky with diamonds’.

You had to see them live. Like watching a different band. Howling guitars, thundering bass, ear-splitting Moog, rifle-shot drums, deafening volume. And at the front - a gurning, leering Glaswegian reading from a huge book under a fake gaslight surrounded by dry ice, with his cheeks stuffed full of cotton wool a la Marlon Brando in ‘The Godfather’, leaping to the back of the stage to spray ‘Vambo Rules’ on a brick backdrop. You’ll never understand unless you were there. It was pure theatre magic.

And even mentioning powderpuff Marc (his parents couldn’t spell Mark, just like Roald Dahl’s folks couldn’t spell Ronald) Bolan in the same sentence is sacrilege. This was a permed, pretty-boy ponce who had Mickey Finn in his band - a bloke whose job it was to mime to backing-track bongo drums - and nothing else.

Really ???? 

And I wonder how the genius creators of early Queen songs like Brighton Rock and Ogre Battle would feel about someone lumping them into the ‘Glam Rock’ folder? That was Gary Glitter - and look where he is now.

You’re the #1 Devils Advocate on the forum (and fair play to you - every forum needs a resident windup merchant and in-house pisstaker to keep everyone amused and grounded, your posts are inevitably confrontational, but also very funny for those who ‘get’ you) -  but in this case, I’m going to see you and raise you, honourable captain;

I totally respect your opinion - as long as you respect the fact that your opinion is fucking shite 

Have a nice day, everyone.

[TonImp]

Saw them in Wolverhamton back in the day. Do remember when some people approached the front of the stage the bouncers started to throw their weight around. Alex stopped the band mid song,turned round to the bouncers with words "Leave my fans alone", got the place rocking.

[capitanus]

11 hours ago, SassenachTon said:

This gruesome, staged pisstake video perfectly encompasses everything I said about SAHB thunder live vs. SAHB bland in the studio or on the telly. It’s easy to poke fun at, because you’re right, it’s utter shite - but completely unrepresentative.

And I have to disagree. You’ve obviously never heard William ‘Star Trek’ Shatner’s cover of ‘Lucy in the sky with diamonds’.

You had to see them live. Like watching a different band. Howling guitars, thundering bass, ear-splitting Moog, rifle-shot drums, deafening volume. And at the front - a gurning, leering Glaswegian reading from a huge book under a fake gaslight surrounded by dry ice, with his cheeks stuffed full of cotton wool a la Marlon Brando in ‘The Godfather’, leaping to the back of the stage to spray ‘Vambo Rules’ on a brick backdrop. You’ll never understand unless you were there. It was pure theatre magic.

And even mentioning powderpuff Marc (his parents couldn’t spell Mark, just like Roald Dahl’s folks couldn’t spell Ronald) Bolan in the same sentence is sacrilege. This was a permed, pretty-boy ponce who had Mickey Finn in his band - a bloke whose job it was to mime to backing-track bongo drums - and nothing else.

Really ???? 

And I wonder how the genius creators of early Queen songs like Brighton Rock and Ogre Battle would feel about someone lumping them into the ‘Glam Rock’ folder? That was Gary Glitter - and look where he is now.

You’re the #1 Devils Advocate on the forum (and fair play to you - every forum needs a resident windup merchant and in-house pisstaker to keep everyone amused and grounded, your posts are inevitably confrontational, but also very funny for those who ‘get’ you) -  but in this case, I’m going to see you and raise you, honourable captain;

I totally respect your opinion - as long as you respect the fact that your opinion is fucking shite 

Have a nice day, everyone.

So, do you reckon that it was all just 'an act' and that i 'just don't get it' where the Alex Harvey Band where concerned?

Hmm, that's intriguing.  I thought they were just shite and over-rated.  I know they are held in great reverence in Glasgow by people of a certain vintage, and never understood why.

As for #1 Devils Advocate - I genuinely do not mean to be.  Just merely seeing things as I see it.

ETA:

You said "You’ve obviously never heard William ‘Star Trek’ Shatner’s cover of ‘Lucy in the sky with diamonds’." 

No I havent, but that does sound shite too.  

[SassenachTon]

5 hours ago, capitanus said:

So, do you reckon that it was all just 'an act' and that i 'just don't get it' where the Alex Harvey Band where concerned?

Hmm, that's intriguing.  I thought they were just shite and over-rated.  I know they are held in great reverence in Glasgow by people of a certain vintage, and never understood why.

Maybe so mate. I never got Led Zeppelin, but they’re honoured and revered by many. You think SAHB were shite and that’s completely fair enough. Life would be boring if we were all the same. All the best

[capitanus]

6 hours ago, SassenachTon said:

Maybe so mate. I never got Led Zeppelin, but they’re honoured and revered by many. You think SAHB were shite and that’s completely fair enough. Life would be boring if we were all the same. All the best

Fair enough mate.

Out of interest, what is your thoughts on Johnny & the Self Abusers?

 

[SassenachTon]

* Replies with the most obvious possible response *

Bunch of wankers.

[Cet Homme Charmant]

On 3/27/2022 at 1:30 AM, SassenachTon said:

 

And even mentioning powderpuff Marc (his parents couldn’t spell Mark, just like Roald Dahl’s folks couldn’t spell Ronald) Bolan in the same sentence is sacrilege. This was a permed, pretty-boy ponce who had Mickey Finn in his band - a bloke whose job it was to mime to backing-track bongo drums - and nothing else.

 

Marc Bolan wrote some great tunes, just one case in point..... 

 

[TRVMP]

On 3/26/2022 at 11:25 AM, capitanus said:

Seriously, he was pish.  Here is proof, his biggest hit:

 

 

This is so shit. Thought this was a joke at first.

I'm sure his live shows were great n'at but this is unlistenable rubbish.

[SassenachTon]

1 hour ago, TRVMP said:

This is so shit. Thought this was a joke at first.

I'm sure his live shows were great n'at but this is unlistenable rubbish.

You’re right. But the other 95% (the real, uncommercial serious stuff) most definitely wasn’t. Look upon this as a gross error of judgement.

[SassenachTon]

2 hours ago, Cet Homme Charmant said:

Marc Bolan wrote some great tunes, just one case in point..... 

 

I agree, I was just making the point that SAHB and Queen shouldn’t have been lumped into the ‘glam rock’ bin. ‘Metal Guru’ is one of my all-time favourites.

[capitanus]

1 hour ago, SassenachTon said:

I agree, I was just making the point that SAHB and Queen shouldn’t have been lumped into the ‘glam rock’ bin. ‘Metal Guru’ is one of my all-time favourites.

Maybe lumping them into the 'glam rock' bin was being generous, because that guy in the clown make-up is probably on a register of sorts nowadays.

 

3 hours ago, Cet Homme Charmant said:

Marc Bolan wrote some great tunes, just one case in point..... 

 

I thought David Bowie wrote 'Cosmic Dancer'?

 

ETA: I checked it out, you're right it was written by M. Bolan.

 

[SassenachTon]

As a football-related aside - the closing outro of SAHB’s ’Impossible Dream’ album consists of a 35 second-long jazz pisstake called ‘Hey’, recorded in the wee small hours after a vast amount of alcohol. The lyrics are - 

“I knew we had to say goodbye - when I felt that warmth against my thigh …..

Hey !!!! Is that you pissing on my leg? “

I once read that this was Rangers-related - a large number of poor souls trapped on the Ibrox terraces back in the day, with no hope of escape. The standard solution was to piss up the leg of the supporter in front of you.

Any truth in this? Urban legend? I’d genuinely love to know.