I’ve been palming variations on this comp CD off on people for several years now, and I think the track list is now in it’s third, possibly fourth, iteration – so it’s about time I stuck it up on the weblog.

The initial impetus behind it was to provide something of a sampler for folks who dug Black Sabbath and Led Zep but hadn’t yet moved on to check out the wider field of mutant, riff-blasting heavy rock music that existed alongside them in the ‘70s British underground.

As I dug deeper into the period myself however, and kept discovering more great records and great stories, the track list began to take on a slightly more ambitious aim – namely, that of demonstrating the solid through-line of anti-authoritarian rage, musical thuggery and hair-raising electrified noise that ran straight from the psychedelia and counter-culture aligned free festival rock of the late ‘60s to the explosion of punk and heavy metal at the end of the ‘70s, and of countering the offensively reductive “hippies > prog > punk” timeline that various divvies continue to trot out every time the BBC makes a documentary.

Disclaimers:

1. Admittedly, some may wonder where exactly Badfinger fit into all this, but I would urge them to sample their track here before scoffing, because it is certifiably bad-ass.

2. Likewise, some may feel some of my choices here are a tad obvious – particularly in light of the many ‘70s Heavy compilations that have appeared in recent years - but I would ask readers to reflect on the fact that there are still many listeners out there for whom such hallowed names as Stackwaddy, Edgar Broughton Band, Third World War etc mean nothing. Imagine their pupils dilating as this oversight is corrected, and I’m sure you grizzled vets can stand to sit through ‘Maypole’ one more time.

3. Others still may question the total lack of female representation on this comp, and, whilst I realise that “it was the ‘70s, 98% of music was made by hairy-chested, ale-swilling brutes with facial hair like Genghis Khan” doesn’t constitute much of an excuse, I’ll simply say that, if you know of any good female-led British heavy rock bands from the 1970s, please tell me, because I’d love to listen to them.

4. Do you think there’s too much Hawkwind? It did cross my mind, but… if you can conceive of the concept of “too much Hawkwind”, you are probably not the target audience for this comp.

So -- case closed. I love every bit of this track list beyond words, and I’m gonna stick with it. Meanwhile, I’ve got Volume # 2 on the go, and if anything, I like it even better than this one, so if you get a kick out of Vol # 1 and/or want to complain that I’ve missed out your favourites, stick around.

WARNING: Please be aware that this compilation contains a LOT of rockin’ lead guitar. So much rockin’ lead guitar in fact that even the most ardent fans of rockin’ lead guitar are advised to split listening across several sittings to avoid burn-out. You have been warned.




Full track-list with timecodes as follows:

00:00 The Pink Fairies - Do It
02:57 Hawkwind - Master of the Universe (live)
10:22 Stackwaddy - Roadrunner
13:44 The Way We Live - King Dick II
16:58 Edgar Broughton Band - Out Demons Out
21:44 Badfinger - Suitcase (BBC session)
29:05 The Deviants - Slum Lord
31:19 Third World War - Ascension Day
36:10 Dark - Maypole
41:10 Wicked Lady - Run The Night
46:17 High Tide - Futilist's Lament
51:34 Twink - Ten Thousand Words in a Cardboard Box
56:00 Red Dirt - Memories
58:03 Atomic Rooster - I Can't Take No More
61:34 Larry Wallis - Police Car
64:52 Motorhead - Iron Horse / Born To Lose
70:09 Hawkwind - Urban Guerrilla


(Sneaky download link.)

Labels: mixcloud, mixtapes, UK Freak Rock