May 4, 2013

THE ALBUM OF THE DAY
URIAH HEEP...Uriah Heep Live  (1973)
Uriah Heep Live was released 40 years ago in April 1973.   It reached number 37 on the U.S. Billboard album charts.  The double album starts off with the band asking the audience to give them 2 minutes to tune their instruments.  Wow, that wouldn't fly with an audience today.  Nevertheless, this turns out to be a rockin' album, the band is definitely in tune, and they just jam.  I give it a 3 out of 5 stars.  The low point was the 14 minute "Gypsy", with the band members doing solos on their instruments that just turned out to be kinda boring. The song itself is a great jam but the solos took away from the energy. "Easy Livin'" was the highlight, as they flat out rock this number.  I really enjoyed the lengthy "July Morning" with its haunting organ.  The track made me think of Deep Purple.  "Look At Yourself" will blast thru your speakers as the band is on fire on this one.  This is a pretty good live album, check it out
(CD, vinyl, Allmusic review)


ROCK BIRTHDAYS FOR MAY 4
Zal Cleminson, formerly with Nazareth, is 64; Mick Mars of Motley Crue is 62; Mike Dirnt of Green Day is 41;

ON THIS DATE
1977 The Beatles At The Hollywood Bowl is released
1987 Paul Butterfield of the Paul Butterfield Blues Band dies of a heart attack in his home in Hollywood, California at the age of 44
2004 Slash and Duff McKagan file a lawsuit against Axl Rose alleging he stopped movie music deals worth $1 million
2007 Chad Kroeger of Nickelback gets into a fight outside a nightclub in Vancouver, British Columbia after the dude shouted "Nickelback sucks!"
2010 The Oracle by Godsmack is released
2010 After suffering a brain hemorrhage two weeks earlier Bret Michaels of Poison is released from the Barrow Neurological Institute in Arizona