Member:
Chuck AzEee!
(Profile)
(All Album Reviews by Chuck AzEee!)
Date:
12/26/2003
Format:
CD (Album)
Entering 1972, the British progressive rock scene was in full swing, all of the bands that would go onto to become the heavyweights of the scene were beginning to hit their stride, but the forefathers of the Sixties scene, still had a bit of steam left in them. One group in mention is the long forgotten, but great Family.
Long has this band been a major draw in their homeland of England and in Europe, but many in the Western Hemisphere barely knew of the power and creativity this band possessed during their heyday. Without being redundant, the shadow cast by Family was felt on basically every major UK progressive rock band of the Seventies. The likes of bands like Yes, Genesis, Gentle Giant, King Crimson, Camel, Barclay James Harvest, Jethro Tull, The Strawbs and Fairpoint Convention to name a few, and rivaled similar sounding bands like Traffic, Procol Harum, Pink Floyd and The Soft Machine. Never as bombastic as The Nice and The Moody Blues, but as powerful as The Move, Family released a string of legendary albums, which only until now has finally received the accolades and appreciation they so well deserved, and digitally remastered with care, with bonus tracks added as well.
One album that was in need (as if they all did not need it) was Family’s second to last album, Bandstand. This legendary lineup of Roger “Chappo” Chapman on vocals, John “Charlie” Whitney on guitars and keyboards, multi-instrumentalist John “Poli” Palmer, bass phenom John Wetton and drummer Robert Townsend, was indeed the most powerful lineups the band ever possessed, and on the previous gem, Fearless, the band rocked harder than any of their previous recordings, newcomer John Wetton presence on backing vocals were so pronounced, that he's almost co-lead singing. On Bandstand, John's vocals are less evident, but his bass playing is still stupendous.
Bandstand sadly rarely receives the glowing reviews that the previous album get, but after a few listens, the listener would be convinced to realize that Bandstand is probably the most mature work the band ever did, with the focus more on the music instead of individual glorification. But in saying, the band still smokes on some of Family’s most engaging material.
The band would score a few hits in their homeland with the excellent “Burlesque” and “My Friend The Sun”, which would become live staples even onto their Streetwalkers incarnation during the Mid-Seventies. Other classic gems off Bandstand are the raucous “Broken Nose” written about his legendary incident with American promoter Bill Graham, prog classic, “Top Of the Hill” and “Coronation”.
After the recording and tour of Bandstand, John Wetton and “Poli” Palmer, displeased with their roles in Family would quit the band, (John would go onto become the leading “dinosaur” and making his name amongst some of the greatest progressive rock bands of the era, which would go from King Crimson, Roxy Music/Bryan Ferry, Uriah Heep, UK and Asia) leaving the remaining members to find adequate replacements for both men.
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