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"...Theme For Freedom..."
Lead Guitarist and principal
songwriter RAY RUSSELL with the long forgotten band ROCK WORKSHOP had been
gigging with Georgie Fame when he met ALEX HARVEY (later of The Sensational Alex
Harvey Band) with his brother Lesley Harvey (lead guitarist with Stone The
Crows) who were both playing in the musical "Hair".
Out of this came the
collaborative free-basing band 'Rock Workshop' - a very Chicago/Blood Sweat
& Tears first-album brass-driven 11-man fusion outfit (which a touch of
Alexis Korner's C.C.S. thrown in) who managed two albums on CBS Records in 1970
and 1971. Both of these platters sank without a trace and have been very hard
to find every since. Harvey would of course sign to Vertigo Records and start a
run of highly successful albums and chart action (later LPs on Mooncrest).
The band's second lead
vocalist was ALAN GREED. Greed had been with Harsh Reality who had a lone Prog
Rock album called "Heaven And Hell" released in 1969 on Philips SBL
7891. After Rock workshop failed - Greed went on to be with the band The
Running Man who managed one self-titled LP on RCA's Progressive Rock Neon label
(NE 11). The other notable in Rock Workshop was flutist BOB DOWNES - a Fusion
heavyweight whose cult status amongst collectors and aficionados has long since
been the very stuff of collectability.
However - this 'Angel Air
Records' CD Reissue and Remaster is not without its problems as other reviewers
have noted - but I'd argue that it’s still worth checking out. Here are the
wigged-out details...
UK released October 2002 -
"Rock Workshop" by ROCK WORKSHOP on Angel Air SJPCD132 (Barcode
5055011701328) is an 'Expanded Edition' CD Reissue and Remaster with Six Bonus
Tracks that pans out as follows (71:16 minutes):
1. Ice Cold
2. Wade In The Water
3. Hole In Her Stocking
4. He Looks At Me/Mooncross
Groove
5. Spine Cop
6. Born In The City
7. Theme For Freedom
8. You To Lose
BONUS TRACKS:
9. Spine Cop (Alternate
Version)
10. Hole In Her Stocking
(Alternate Version)
11. Born In The City
(Alternate Version)
12. You To Lose (Alternate
Version)
13. Primrose Hill
14. Return To The Goddess
For some reason that's never
explained - the original British LP's track list has been messed around with
for this CD Reissue. Released June 1970 on CBS Records S 64075 (No US issue) -
it should have been configured as follows:
Side 1:
1. You To Lose (Ray
Russell/R Cameron song)
2. Wade In The Water (Ramsey
Lewis cover - arranged Ray Russell)
3. Primrose Hill (Them For
Jake) (Ray Russell/R Shepherd song)
4. Theme For Freedom (Ray
Russell song)
Side 2:
1. Spine (Ray Russell song)
2. Ice Cold (Ray Russell/R
Shepherd song)
3. Hole In Her Stocking (Ray
Russell/Alex Harvey song)
4. He Looks At Me (Ray
Russell song)
5. Mooncross Grove (Ray
Russell song)
ROCK WORKSHOP was:
ALEX HARVEY and ALAN GREED -
Lead Vocals
RAY RUSSELL - Lead Guitar
BUD PARKES - Trumpet
HARRY BECKETT -
Trumpet/Flugelhorn
TONY ROBERTS - Tenor,
Concert Flute and Alto Flute
BOB DOWNES - Tenor, Concert
Flute and Alto Flute
DEREK WADSWORTH - Trombone
BRIAN MILLER - Keyboards
DARYL RUNSWICK - Bass
ALAN RUSHTON - Drums
ROBIN JONES - Drums or
Congas/LA
All arrangements by Ray
Russell - Electronic Music by Laurie Baker
But as you can see the CD's
track list is rejiggered. The other problem is that the material is licensed
from former band member Ray Russell (Remastered by Rik Walton) but it doesn't
say what was used or how it was remastered. Harvey's vocals are distant in the
mix while Russell's wild guitar playing is often amplified and to the fore. The
Rich Wilson liner notes (June 2002) feature a good interview with founder
member Ray Russell who laments the band's lack of gigs and promotion by the
label (Harvey left after the first LP). There are blurry pictures of the
eleven-strong group and the pages are done in the same 'shed' artwork of the
album sleeve - but they're also sorely lacking. They don't mention the second
LP "The Very Last Time" on CBS Records S 64394 nor show its gatefold
sleeve - no catalogue numbers - no explanations of the Previously Unreleased
Alternate Takes or even that "Primrose Hill" appeared on the 1971
double-album sampler "Rock Buster". It could have been a lot better.
But I still dig the music...
The Side 1 opener "You
To Lose" is a near seven-minute 3-parter (Overture, Breakout and Main
Theme – Finale) that comes at you with a manic guitar solo first but then
settles down into a great funky-rock groove that finally fizzles out with mad
synth sounds (tasty). Their one-hundred miles an hour fuzzed-up guitar
treatment of the Jazz Traditional "Wade In The Water" (famously
associated with Ramsey Lewis) is the kind of freak-out Zappaphiles adore – Alex
Harvey snarling like a loon as the brass tries to keep up with Russell letting
rip on the axe. Alan Greed's vocals are a highlight on the brilliant
"Primrose Hill" - a great song that deserved a better production.
Other cool tracks include the seven-minute "Theme For Freedom" - a
very Blood, Sweat & Tears affair with wilder guitar and horn playing (hell
it even has a drum solo). The previously unreleased instrumental “Return To
Goddess” will please fans of freak out guitar and brass...rave on boys...
Sure the Rock Workshop audio
feels compromised and the presentation could have been better - but there's
enough on here for punters to consider revisiting this forgotten wigout...give
it a whirl...
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