Brute Force and Ignorance – The Final Countdown

Brute Force and Ignorance – The Final Countdown

We’re looking at Brute Force, a compilation album released at the height of NWOBHM frenzy, when record companies were falling over themselves to cater to the whims of 14 year old pubescent boys, obsessed with the thought of something electric strapped round their necks and slung low down between their legs.

After a surprisingly metal free Part 3, things come to a close today, with the final three tracks which are actually, honest guv, metal! There’s a shocker.

First up, is a controversial record from the not very good Xero. Controversial, because upon its release as a single, the Evil EMI came along with writs, galoshes and rubber truncheons to force it from the market. Why? Not on grounds of taste, but because prior to Bruce Bruce joining Samson, he had recorded one of the tracks that appeared on the B-side of this single from NWOBHM no-marks, Xero. But once unveiled as the shiny frontman of Iron Maiden, the Man didn’t want the kids to hear him squealing like a pig stuck on a pike. Or something.

MP3 one – Xero – Hold On

Who knows who Cryer were? Not me. I know they released one single and that one of the members was called Graham Careless! Which is two more things than anyone needs to know about them. I’ve heard worse than ‘Day To Day’, but you can hear why they went nowhere. And as for releasing a single called ‘The Single’, well, only Girl can get away with that.

MP3 two – Cryer – Day To Day

Things come to a shuddering halt with the boogiefied May West, a band so obscure, even I know nothing about them. I do remember Paul Suter praising them in Sounds, but that’s no guarantee of anything.

MP3 three – May West – Black Queen

And so, it comes to an end, the marathon that was Brute Force. And what’s next I hear you cry?

Well, what about this!

Featuring Persian Risk, Marseille, Stratus, Warfare, Jaguar, Emerson, Dianno, Limelight and Baby Tuckoo! Drooling? You should be.

Brute Force and Ignorance Part 3

We’re looking at Brute Force, a compilation album released at the height of NWOBHM frenzy, when record companies were falling over themselves to cater to the whims of 14 year old pubescent boys, obsessed with the thought of something electric strapped round their necks and slung low down between their legs.

Last time around, things had started to dip ominously with the pretty rubbish Prowler and the not at all metal Colin Towns, only being salvaged by a pretty decent tune from Sledgehammer.

However, as we abandon Side 1 and head for Side 2 (ask your gramps, kiddies), things start to pick up a bit. Of course I say that, but I’m kind of lying. Well, totally lying. Because the first tune is from another metal beast. Erstwhile Gillan drummer, Mick Underwood. You read that right. A track from the drummer in Gillan. To be fair, I did like Quatermass and even Strapps, but did the world really need a solo single from Mick? I suspect not, as you listen to the A-side, just below. And, yes, it really was released as a single.

MP3 one – Mick Underwood – Earthquake At The Savoy

Luckily for us, things then get back on track with the arrival of White Spirit. Sadly now just a footnote in metal history thanks to them harbouring Janick Gers pre Gillan / Iron Maiden, they were actually a bit good. Had a major label come along at the right time, who knows, it might have been them. Unfortunately, post Neat Records, it was MCA who picked them up. You know, the band who killed Diamond Head.

MP3 two – White Spirit – Back To The Grind

And this is how Gillan got to nick him.

I saw them at the Embra Odeon gig. I was a bit out of it, so don’t have much recall, but former GHMI stars, Chevy, may also have been on the bill.

And now for a band who had more chances than is fair. And blew them all. Mainly because they weren’t so hot. However, Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath was their bezzy friend, which explains the number of chances they had. Yup, it’s Brummie losers, Quartz. They’d been on the go for about a thousand years pre NWOBHM, but the chancers decided to have another go. Gits. Their first single had come up back in 1977, but this was the level they were best suited for.

I’ve still not quite forgiven Iommi for wasting £2.99 on their self titled debut. They even blagged a support on a Rush tour, you know. Tony, if you’re reading. A refund would be nice.

Their keyboard player, Geoff Nicholls, ended up hidden behind a curtain for most of Black Sabbaths eighties and nineties tours. I’d have been ashamed to be seen in public after this as well.

MP3 three – Quartz – Can’t Say No To You

Brute Force and Ignorance Part 2

Brute Force and Ignorance Part 2

We’re looking at Brute Force, a compilation album released at the height of NWOBHM frenzy, when record companies were falling over themselves to cater to the whims of 14 year old pubescent boys, obsessed with the thought of something electric strapped round their necks and slung low down between their legs.

And it was an album that promised much, as Part 1 revealed tracks by Diamond Head, Fist and Raven – NWOBHM worthy metal icons. But then things started to go peculiar as this Part 2 will show.

First up were the not at all legendary Prowler, a band built around the talents of the Philpott brothers. As befits anything built around anyone called Philpott, this was not a memorable thing. If memory serves, they managed a couple of singles before returning to the hardware counter at Wickes.

MP3 one – Prowler – Gotta Get Back To You

Then it was time for some Sledgehammer. Which was much more like it. It’s hard to believe now, but they were championed by one Garry Bushell in Sounds, not something that seems like a good thing now, but they were nearly a very good band indeed. Sadly, the majors passed them by, and by the time they got round to releasing a couple of indie albums, their chance had passed them by. They were also on “Metal For Muthas”, you know. “I met a real coollady, late last night. She blew my mind and that’s not all”. Legend-ary.

MP3 two – Sledgehammer – Fantasia

Now it’s time for that legendary metal beast that is Colin Towns. Eh? Yup, the Gillan keyboard player best known for not being a metal beast. It’s not that he wasn’t talented. After all, he wrote the best tunes for Gillan in their early days. But brute force? I think not. He ended up writing the music for legendary metal televisual shows “Dalziel and Pascoe” and “Cadfael”. And that is a fact.

MP3 two – Colin Towns – Breakdown

The Lenka Request Zone Part 2

And here we are, with part 2 of the all-singing*, all-dancing** Avatar heavies that were Chevy.

Remember the instruction;

Download each track as it appears here, over the next week or so.
Copy the images to the same location.
Burn all the tracks to CD.
Print off a CD case sized copy of the pictures.
Put everything into a CD case.

Ta-Da! “The Taker” by Chevy on CD!

This was a single;

This was them on tour with the mighty Hawkwind! I was there. They didn’t go down well with a HW crowd. Oh, no. It was a shame.

Enjoy.

MP3 one – Chevy
MP3 two – Too Much Lovin’
MP3 two – Turn On The Light

* – not true
** – also not true

PS – once the Chevy album is over and down with, you’ll get more NWOBHM! Yes, more, cos this is next in line. Oh yes.