Lord Sutch and Heavy Friends
Encyclopedia
Lord Sutch and Heavy Friends is the debut album of English
rock singer Screaming Lord Sutch
. It was recorded in September 1969 at Mystic Studios in Hollywood and released on Cotillion Records
in 1970. The album featured an all-star line-up with contributions from Led Zeppelin
's Jimmy Page
(who also produced the album) and John Bonham
, guitarist Jeff Beck
, session keyboardist Nicky Hopkins
, session guitarist Deniel Edwards and Jimi Hendrix Experience bass-player Noel Redding
. Rick Brown and Carlo Little
were previously with The Savages. Many of the musicians who sessioned for Sutch on this album had grave misgivings upon its release. They were under the assumption these were demo quality recordings. As a result the artists disowned the project and the album did poorly saleswise. It also seriously damaged Sutch's reputation with the musicians involved. "I just went down to have a laugh, playing some old rock 'n' roll, a bit of a send-up. The whole joke sort of reversed itself and became ugly," Jimmy Page said of the record.
A negative review published in Rolling Stone called Sutch "absolutely terrible" and lamented that under the restrictions of the project, the collection of talented musicians on hand were made to sound "like a fouled parody of themselves".
This album has also been released under the name "Smoke and Fire".
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
rock singer Screaming Lord Sutch
Screaming Lord Sutch
David Edward Sutch , also known as "Screaming Lord Sutch, 3rd Earl of Harrow", or simply "Screaming Lord Sutch", was a musician from the United Kingdom...
. It was recorded in September 1969 at Mystic Studios in Hollywood and released on Cotillion Records
Cotillion Records
Cotillion Records was a subsidiary of Atlantic Records and was active from 1968 through 1985. The label was originally formed as an outlet for blues and deep Southern soul; its first single, Otis Clay's version of "She's About A Mover", reached the R&B charts. Cotillion's catalog quickly expanded...
in 1970. The album featured an all-star line-up with contributions from Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham...
's Jimmy Page
Jimmy Page
James Patrick "Jimmy" Page, OBE is an English multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and record producer. He began his career as a studio session guitarist in London and was subsequently a member of The Yardbirds from 1966 to 1968, after which he founded the English rock band Led Zeppelin.Jimmy Page...
(who also produced the album) and John Bonham
John Bonham
John Henry Bonham was an English musician and songwriter, best known as the drummer of Led Zeppelin. Bonham was esteemed for his speed, power, fast right foot, distinctive sound, and "feel" for the groove...
, guitarist Jeff Beck
Jeff Beck
Geoffrey Arnold "Jeff" Beck is an English rock guitarist. He is one of three noted guitarists to have played with The Yardbirds...
, session keyboardist Nicky Hopkins
Nicky Hopkins
Nicholas Christian "Nicky" Hopkins was an English pianist and organist.He recorded and performed on noted British and American popular music recordings of the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s as a session musician....
, session guitarist Deniel Edwards and Jimi Hendrix Experience bass-player Noel Redding
Noel Redding
Noel Redding was an English rock and roll guitarist best known as the bassist for The Jimi Hendrix Experience.-Biography:...
. Rick Brown and Carlo Little
Carlo Little
Carlo Little was a rock and roll drummer, based in the London nightclub scene in the 1960s. He played in an early version of The Rolling Stones...
were previously with The Savages. Many of the musicians who sessioned for Sutch on this album had grave misgivings upon its release. They were under the assumption these were demo quality recordings. As a result the artists disowned the project and the album did poorly saleswise. It also seriously damaged Sutch's reputation with the musicians involved. "I just went down to have a laugh, playing some old rock 'n' roll, a bit of a send-up. The whole joke sort of reversed itself and became ugly," Jimmy Page said of the record.
A negative review published in Rolling Stone called Sutch "absolutely terrible" and lamented that under the restrictions of the project, the collection of talented musicians on hand were made to sound "like a fouled parody of themselves".
This album has also been released under the name "Smoke and Fire".
Side one
- "Wailing Sounds" (Jimmy PageJimmy PageJames Patrick "Jimmy" Page, OBE is an English multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and record producer. He began his career as a studio session guitarist in London and was subsequently a member of The Yardbirds from 1966 to 1968, after which he founded the English rock band Led Zeppelin.Jimmy Page...
, Sutch)– 2:38 - "'Cause I Love You" (John BonhamJohn BonhamJohn Henry Bonham was an English musician and songwriter, best known as the drummer of Led Zeppelin. Bonham was esteemed for his speed, power, fast right foot, distinctive sound, and "feel" for the groove...
, Edwards, Jimmy Page, Sutch) – 2:46 - "Flashing Lights" (Jimmy Page, Sutch) – 3:14
- "Gutty Guitar" (Sutch) – 2:33
- "Would You Believe" (Jay Cee) - 3:20
- "Smoke and Fire" (Sutch) - 2:38
Side two
- "Thumping Beat" (Jimmy Page, Sutch) – 3:07
- "Union Jack Car" (Jimmy Page, Sutch) – 3:03
- "One for You, Baby" (Sutch) – 2:44
- "L-O-N-D-O-N" (Sutch) – 2:56
- "Brightest Light" (Jay Cee, Sutch) - 3:57
- "Baby, Come Back" (Jimmy Page, Sutch) - 2:31
Personnel
- Jimmy PageJimmy PageJames Patrick "Jimmy" Page, OBE is an English multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and record producer. He began his career as a studio session guitarist in London and was subsequently a member of The Yardbirds from 1966 to 1968, after which he founded the English rock band Led Zeppelin.Jimmy Page...
– Acoustic and electric guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, backing vocals, producer - Jeff BeckJeff BeckGeoffrey Arnold "Jeff" Beck is an English rock guitarist. He is one of three noted guitarists to have played with The Yardbirds...
- Electric guitar on "Gutty Guitar" - John BonhamJohn BonhamJohn Henry Bonham was an English musician and songwriter, best known as the drummer of Led Zeppelin. Bonham was esteemed for his speed, power, fast right foot, distinctive sound, and "feel" for the groove...
– drumDrumThe drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments, which is technically classified as the membranophones. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player's hands, or with a...
s, percussion, backing vocals - Nicky HopkinsNicky HopkinsNicholas Christian "Nicky" Hopkins was an English pianist and organist.He recorded and performed on noted British and American popular music recordings of the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s as a session musician....
- Piano, keyboards - Kent HenryKent HenryKent Henry was an American guitarist and songwriter best known for his contributions to Steppenwolf and Blues Image.-Blues Image:...
- Guitar - Noel ReddingNoel ReddingNoel Redding was an English rock and roll guitarist best known as the bassist for The Jimi Hendrix Experience.-Biography:...
- Bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick.... - Rick Brown - Bass guitar
- Deniel Edwards - Lead guitar and Bass guitar
- Martin Kohl - Bass guitar
- Carlo LittleCarlo LittleCarlo Little was a rock and roll drummer, based in the London nightclub scene in the 1960s. He played in an early version of The Rolling Stones...
- Drums on "Gutty Guitar" - Bob Metke - Drums
- Tommy Caccetta - Engineer
Album
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | Billboard Billboard (magazine) Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis... Pop Albums (Billboard 200) |
84 |