Uriah Heep.
I think it shows to go you what a capricious, cruel world the American music promotion scene has been, particularly in those days.
If the Internet had existed in Status Quo’s time, they would have quickly ruled the world as indies.
I was just watching a great documentary/concert film last night called Fillmore,The Last Days.
If you’ve not seen it, you have got to! Great “backstage angst” scenes and some great concert footage. Boz Skaggs actually playing the guitar before he became “huge” is really fun. And Jerry Garcia on a steel guitar, and Lydia Pense with Cold Blood, just WOW. And even It’s a Beatuiful Day.
I was just watching a great documentary/concert film last night called Fillmore,The Last Days.
Here it is: http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=7761479
I got it off torrent but my copy is panned and scanned. It’s kinda like watching Woodstock on an old TV. :-(
That article was rather interesting. I’m gonna have to get my hands on some Status quo stuff.
Another excellent British band was “The Move”, which was the band that eventually evolved into ELO.
Great video!
Except for the annoying interlace artifacts.
As a rocker of quite a few decades now.....I so agree with you that there was/is MASSIVE talent out there that just never seemed to hit it big....and not always from Europe, but that was often the case. I offer a few stellar examples: artists who should have been unbelievably HUGE vs. just...well, popular with their fans:
- Frank Marino and Mahogany Rush (years ahead of his time on the axe; simply stunning guitarist)
- Gary Moore (simply the best blues/rock guitarist who ever walked the earth....and my God how he could tear up a power ballad better than ANYone...May he rest in peace.)
- Great White (I know I know....but they got REALLY famous only after that horrible nightclub fire, but they could rock like few others)
- Tesla (underappreciated...great talent)
- Cinderella (hair band or not, these guys could play gut-busting blues rock with the best of them)
- Gorky Park (Russians; listen to their version of “My Generation”; it’ll forever change the way you think of that song)
- Uriah Heep (mentioned by another above; somewhat spotty material overall, but MAN they could kick it when hitting on all cylinders)
- Gus (American; never heard of him? Only one LP, I think, and I have a copy....the album is superb; sparse production sense....I just love it)
- Savoy Brown (the band that spawned Foghat; highly underrated boogie band)
I’ll think of ten more after I post this, no doubt.
Status Quo had some pretty cool stuff !