#sweathog

[chrisgoesrock]

Black Sabbath, Sweathog and Brewer & Shipley July 2, 1971

[vinylspinning]

Wild Turkey: Turkey (1972)

I’ve become quite a whiskey aficionado in recent years, but music will always be my number one hobby, so while I’ve been known to enjoy the odd sip of Wild Turkey -- the bourbon -- I still have a lot more to say about Wild Turkey -- the band. 

Not to state the obvious, but Americans are celebrating the Thanksgiving holiday today, in part by devouring millions of helpless turkeys, so this 50-year-old second and final long-player from these underrated U.K. progressive rockers was the obvious choice to accompany the carnage.

Now, as I explained here on VinylSpinning last year, Wild Turkey was formed in 1971 by bassist Glenn Cornick after a four-year run with Jethro Tull that saw him lending his talents and a skill with arrangements to three studio LPs: ‘68’s This Was, ‘69’s Stand Up, and ‘70’s Benefit.

With a line-up completed by singer Gary Pickford-Hopkins, lead guitarist Alan ‘Tweke’ Lewis, rhythm guitarist Jon Blackmore (no relation to Ritchie), and drummer Jeff Jones, Wild Turkey delivered an impressive first offering in Battle Hymn, then hit the road in America opening for Black Sabbath. (*)

And despite its throwaway title, the following year’s Turkey (which added pianist Steve Gurl and saw Blackmore replaced by Mick Dyche on slide guitar) proved this band were no fluke with another inspired collection of musically accomplished and lyrically thoughtful prog-rock.

I know you have to ask but, no, Wild Turkey didn’t particularly sound like Tull (there are certainly no flutes to be heard), other than the fact that their songs (mostly written by Cornick) always kept their flights of fancy grounded in strong blues, folk, and classic rock fundamentals. 

A semi-conceptual work, to boot, Turkey’s first half tackles conflicting perceptions of the world across generations in ways we can still relate with, as the blues-tinged “Good Old Days” suggests “When you were a child you say everyone smiled and the world was a much nicer place,” and the nostalgic, pastoral “Tomorrow’s Friend” asks ″will yesterday’s companions be forgot?” 

To which the album’s intricate climax, “A Universal Man,” sagely concludes “What’s to come has been and gone yet will remain unchanged; and what’s to change is altered but will still remain the same,” before the eight-minute waltz, “Eternal Mother/The Return,” largely let’s the music do the talking.

Side two begins with a welcome bit of pub rock fun called “Chuck Stallion and The Mustangs” (written by Pickford-Hopkins) and later launches into a rolling, swinging instrumental called “See You Next Tuesday,” which showcases Tweke’s largely untapped shredding capabilities.

It also houses the album’s ‘Tull-est’ tracks in “The Street” (an urban fable about capitalist ambition gone wrong with shades of “Aqualung”) and perhaps the best candidate for a single that never was in “Telephone” (which concludes with a relentless nerve-jarring ringing).

But I’m hesitant to dock any points from Wild Turkey for these late concessions to the flute-wielding elephant in the room (you know, the one standing one-legged, like a stork), because these guys were such great players, with so many good ideas to offer, in their own right.

Unfortunately, this album also failed to elicit enough fan enthusiasm for Chrysalis’ Records liking and they dropped Wild Turkey, though the group carried on touring through 1974, when future Whitesnake guitarist Bernie Marsden (hot off a short stint with UFO) briefly joined their ranks.

I’ve already documented Cornick’s subsequent exploits with German proggies Karthargo, Bob Welch’s Led Zeppelin copyists Paris, and sporadic Wild Turkey reunions until his death in 2014, so I’ll simply thank him here for his contributing his talent to so many bands I love.

Oh, and happy Thanksgiving!

 * Other bands who shared the bill with Sabbath and Wild Turkey on those dates included Yes, Bang, White Witch, Sweat Hog, and REO Speedwagon.

More Glenn Cornick: Wild Turkey’s Battle Hymn; Jethro Tull’s Stand Up, Benefit; Paris’ Paris, Big Towne, 2061.

[megarockradio]

Miss us? :) Sunday Classics Brunch 4-26-26

This was a good one. A really, really good one. Get it. Full playlist below! Continue reading Miss us? 🙂 Sunday Classics Brunch 4-26-26

[asidesandbsides]

Starts With S, Part 8

Steppenwolf - Monster / Berry Rides Again

"Monster" is a big, loud, rock n' roll protest song about colonialism and injustice, which holds together pretty well despite its many disparate parts. Still, it's not hard to see why it wasn't as big a hit as, say, "Born To be Wild." On the other side, "Berry Rides Again" is an energetic tribute to Chuck Berry himself, loaded with Berry-isms in the lyrics and the guitar action. It's less worn down than the A-Side, so it doesn't sound as fuzzy.

Sugarloaf - Green-Eyed Lady / West Of Tomorrow

I like the funky bass and keyboard stylings on the A-Side, it's definitely got star quality. "West Of Tomorrow" also has its charms, including some very pretty harmony singing in the chorus, but it doesn't have anything to match that bass riff from "Green-Eyed Lady." Still, both sides are in excellent condition and they are both worthy listening experiences.

The Sunshine Company - Happy / Blue May

The surface is a little noisy, but "Happy" still sounds pretty good through it all. It's very upbeat, California-style 60s pop, exactly what you'd expect from a group called the Sunshine Company. The ame goes for "Blue May," and to be honest, either could have been the A-Side and made as much of an impression on me. It's nice mood music, nothing especially memorable.

The Supremes - Love Is Here And Now You're Gone / There's No Stopping Us Now

If this had been something like "You Can't Hurry Love," I'd be ecstatic. "Love Is Here" doesn't appeal quite as much to me, and this copy is unfortunately a little worn out, but it's still a fine example of the Supremes' enchanting style at the height of their classic period. The B-Side is basically perfect, if a bit paint-by-numbers in comparison to the A-Side. They had catchy pop down to a science at Motown in those days.

Sweathog - Hallelujah / Still On The Road

Very fine sound, I must say. "Hallelujah" is a crowd-pleasing rocker, sure to get people sweating in the club, if that's what they want. "Still On The Road" is similarly loud and rockin', but lacks that sweaty goodness, by which I mean the songwriting just isn't quite there. Writing good rock songs is harder than it looks.

[stuft]

It's down to 70° out now but there is very little breeze and I can't get it in here so it's 80° inside 🥵

[sirenrecords]

#sweathog #hallelujah #columbiarecords 1972 SEALED #bluesrock #hardrock LINK IN BIO TO PURCHASE. FREE DOMESTIC SHIPPING. #discogs (at Siren Records) https://www.instagram.com/p/CBYzPCxpvOZ/?igshid=1g3o8aewaoulb

[fremontvintagemall]

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[justwalkiingthedog]