RARE 1973 ORIG KEEF HARTLEY BAND - LANCASHIRE HUSTLER - ROUSING BLUES ROCK

$

39

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                 SCARCE 1973 ORIGINAL PRESSING

ROUSING U.K. BLUES ROCKER !                                                                                          

                       KEEF HARTLEY

       LANCASHIRE HUSTLER                

                        USA -DERAM RECORDS - XDES 1870

MINTY CLEAN VINYL

One of the more hard to find and lesser seen albums by the Keef Hartley Band 1973 first pressing in thick gatefold cover...

Includes the original printed Deram inner sleeve

Decca/Deram Records, Keef Hartley's label, were hustling Keef for a new album which was owed to the label under the drummer's contract - so - the only option was to get together a studio band comprised of friends and colleagues purely to record the album. Hence, the sole attribute to Keef Hartley. And what a combination of friends and colleagues Hartley was able to call on! Junior Kerr (guitar, vocal) and Mick Weaver (organ, Moog) were recalled from the last incarnation of the Keef Hartley Band and a suitable replacement for Gary Thain was found in Philip Chen, who John Burns, the album's producer, had come across at a Rod Stewart session. Jim Mullen, the guitarist, was also enticed along through some mutual contacts. However, it was in the vocal department that Hartley really hit big time.

Having long admired Jess Roden, who Hartley had known since the time he was a member of The Artwoods (one of the earliest bands to feature Deep Purple's Jon Lord) and Roden had sang with The Alan Bown Set, a quick phone call and an initial get together to run through some ideas, secured Roden's commitment to the album. Then, in return for playing on the Vinegar Joe albums, both Robert Palmer and Elkie Brooks agreed to provide backing vocals and brought with them keyboardist Jean Rouselle.

The Vinegar Joe connection didn't end with having Brooks and Palmer adding their magnificent voices to the album, but went further with the opening track, Circles, being a fine cover of the Palmer-penned song from the debut Vinegar Joe album. Jess Roden steals the show on this fabulous version that is a real 'feel good' track. Throughout the whole album Brook and Palmer make a significant contribution adding tremendous power to tracks like Circles and You & Me.

Shovel A Minor was based on a jam with Mullen providing some tasty guitar licks before a terrifically funky middle section takes over which Hartley rightly opines "could be from an American cop show"! Elsewhere, Australian Lady, as with the two previous tracks, were composed by Hartley, although John Mayall gets a co-credit on the antipodean female song as Hartley had stolen the main riff from Mayall during a tour of Australia where the titular female was encountered (so maybe Mayall should also be credited for putting Hartley in a position where he could meet the lady that became the muse!). The song is quite beautiful but is raised to something a bit special by the playing of Don Lusher and Derek Wadsworth.

Jennie's Father is rather unique for Hartley as it is the only song that he decided to add a string accompaniment to. Arranged by Pete Gage, husband of Elkie Brooks and guitarist in Vinegar Joe, the string section is not overpowering but simply adds a lot of colour to the track, particularly the use of pizzicato. Again, it is a lovely song, exceedingly well played and sung.

The big surprise is the cover of the Sly And The Family Stone's Dance To The Music. It's a real tour de force, with Weaver having a field day on organ and Moog, guitarist Miller Anderson making a welcome return to backing arrangements and Mullen enjoying himself so much wailing away on his guitar that at the end of the song you can hear him say "Got any tape left? I'll carry on"!

Listeners should be pleasantly surprised by this album as it is completely different from any of the albums that were released by the Keef Hartley Band. There is an immense feeling of the musicians having great fun and really enjoying the sessions and playing music for music's sake. As the album was a contractual obligation and there were no plans, or need, to go out and tour to promote the release that took a lot of pressure off. What is ironic is that a further album was recorded with essentially the same players pretty soon after Lancashire Hustler. However, Hartley went off on another tour with Mayall shortly after recording was complete and by the time he returned the album had been forgotten about.
Credits: Mark Hughes

1. "Circles"
2. "You and Me" (Hartley)
3. "Shovel a Minor" (Hartley)
4. "Australian Lady" (Hartley, John Mayall)
5. "Keef's Mom" (Hartley)
6. "Action"
7. "Something About You"
8. "Jennie's Father"
9. "Dance to the Music"

CONDITION: The cover: The thick gatefol cover has minor shelf wear only, hence the VG+ grade and otherwise is solid and colorful with no split seams, no bends, no writing 

The vinyl: all glossy clean and smooth M- looks and plays really nice... clean DERAM labels too 

keeper!

A GREAT ADDITION TO ANYONE'S COLLECTION !

SEE: SELLERS OTher items for similar cool sounds for "head" people...

EFFICIENT/CAREFUL GRADING

All imperfections are noted both cover & record