LORD SUTCH AND HEAVY FRIENDS SD 9016 (-70) US

  

An LP that after a BBC poll was named "the worst album of all times", in Rolling Stone Magazine called "absolutely terrible" and after the recordings dismissed by the partaking musicians...could that really be something to like? David Edward Sutch (1940-99) was a jack-of-all-trades on the British scene in the sixties. Politically active with his "National Teenage Party", operating a radio station and performing a novelty horrow show as "Screaming Lord Sutch". He had no talent in singing, but still managed to release a couple of singles 1961-66, whereof "Jack The Ripper" became a minor hit. This his debute album was recorded spring 1969 and backed by a couple of the finest rock musicians Britain could offer back then - Jimmy Page and John Bonham (Led Zeppelin), Jeff Beck (Yardbirds, Jeff Beck Group), Noel Redding (Jimi Hendrix Experience) and Nicky Hopkins (who at this time was working with Rolling Stones). As the story goes the musicians didn't expect any of it to be released, so they played for fun without regards. To my taste there are things to savour here. The vocals are quite poor which gives most of the album a kind of bad mojo, but if you can look past that you'll find some truly pleasing garage rock played by the best. There are very good guitars here - like Jimmy Page's relaxed and playful notes in "Whailing Sonds" and "Cause I Love You", or Jeff Beck's adventurous ones in "Gutty Guitar". Not everything fits 100%, but that's part of the charm. You get the impression they'd just met in the studio and went along for a laugh. I'm positive that with another singer, or maybe all instrumental, this would today be considered a minor blues/rock classic. Favorite track - the psych "Flashing Lights".  Also issued on vinyl over Europe, Downunder, Japan and Mexico and Canada. First UK on Atlantic (2400 008). UK 2013 CD on Esoteric Recordings (ECLEC 2405). Premiere US had label as shown here in a laminated cover.  (YZÄ*)