Greenslade

Greenslade - Live - 1999 - Mystic Records

The Live 2001 album, I am sad to say, should be avoided by all but obsessed Greenslade fans. The group has always been stronger in the studio than live, and from what I've seen, the album captures one of their weaker performances. Rather than get the album, I suggest you go see them live yourself. They have added material onto songs such as "Catalan" and "Joie de Vivre", and on the whole their shows are quite an experience. Though usually classified as "elitist", for those who can appreciate Greenslade's work, the stuff is 80% fun and 95% genius. Highly recommended for those who think they might enjoy highly complex, r&b-influenced prog. If you like more sadistic stuff like King Crimson or Air Conditioning-era Curved Air, try something from the early period (preferably one of the first two albums). If you feel you need something more soothing, start with Large Afternoon. © Robert Orme © http://www.gepr.net/gr.html#DAVEGREENSLADE

It has often been said that Greenslade's albums are "complex and rather elitist" which gives the impression that the band are a bunch of "musical mystics" whose music can only be appreciated by an enlightened few. The same has been said of many jazz musicians' work. This ridiculous "snobby" attitude to music is all too prevalent, even today. The facts are that the band's first four albums were well received by fans of good Progressive Rock, and Greenslade's music is very accessible and enjoyable. Greenslade was formed in 1973 as the brainchild of bassist Tony Reeves and keyboard player Dave Greenslade, both from the Progressive Blues/Jazz Rock band, Colosseum. The band was augmented with the addition of keyboardist and vocalist Dave Lawson (Episode Six), and drummer Andrew McCulloch (King Crimson). This Live album is a perfect testament to the band and their classic rock history. The music is great '70's classical symphonic progressive rock with some brilliant jazzy passages. The dual keyboards are ELP/Egg influenced and if you like Egg or Emerson, Lake & Palmer you may appreciate Greenslade's talents. Listen to Greenslade's "Bedside Manners Are Extra" album

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

1 Sundance (Greenslade)
2 Drowning Man (Greenslade)
3 Feathered Friends (Greenslade/Lawson)
4 Melange (Reeves/Greenslade/Lawson)
5 Joie de Vivre (Greenslade/Hall)
6 Bedside Manners are Extra (Lawson/Greenslade)
7 Sundance (Greenslade)
8 Red Light (Lawson)
9 Spirit of the Dance (Greenslade)

Tracks 1 - 4 are from 1973. Tracks 5 - 9 are from 1975

BAND

Dave Greenslade - Keyboards
Tony Reeves - Bass Guitar
Dave Lawson - Keyboards & Lead Vocals
Andrew McCulloch - Drums & Percussion

SHORT BIO

Dave Greenslade (keys) and Tony Reeves (bass) formed Greenslade in 1972. The two had previously played together in Colosseum and they recruited Dave Lawson (Episode Six) as vocalist. For a drummer the group added Andrew McCulloch (King Crimson, Crazy World of Arthur Brown) and their self-titled album was released the following year. A considerably prolific band, they released two more albums in 1973, the first of which was Bedside Manners Are Extra. By the time they recorded a third album, Spyglass Guest, they had added Dave Clempson (Humble Pie) on guitar and Graham Smith on fiddle. The next year Reeves left the band, being replaced by Martin Briley. After releasing Time And Tide in 1975, they broke up in early 1976. A different lineup of the band made a brief attempt at it in 1977, but it just didn't work, however 23 years later in the year 2000, the group re-formed to begin another journey through their style of progressive rock. They released Large Afternoon that year and an album of live recordings from the classic days of the band was also released in 2000. © Gary Hill © 2010 Rovi Corporation. All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/artist/greenslade-p18021/biography

BIO (WIKIPEDIA)

Greenslade is an English progressive rock band. It was originally formed in the autumn of 1972 (making its live debut at Frankfurt's Zoom Club in November) with the following line-up : Dave Greenslade - keyboards and vocals (born 18 January 1943, Woking, Surrey) : Tony Reeves - bass guitar (born Anthony Reeves, 18 April 1943, Lee Green, South East London) : Dave Lawson - keyboards and vocals (born David Lawson, 25 April 1945, Hampshire) :Andrew McCulloch - drums (born 19 November 1945, Bournemouth, Dorset). Longtime musical associates, with a common background in jazz, Greenslade and Reeves had been original members of Colosseum. Lawson was previously a member of The Alan Bown Set, Web and Samurai, whilst McCulloch was briefly a member of King Crimson, playing drums on that band's third album, Lizard (1970), and Fields, the band formed by ex-Rare Bird keyboardist Graham Field. Dave Clempson (ex Humble Pie) guested on Greenslade's third album, playing guitar on two tracks. Reeves left around that time and was replaced on the U.S. tour and subsequent fourth album, Time And Tide, by Martin Briley who also contributed on guitar. Greenslade announced their disbandment in early 1976. Dave Greenslade went on to record his debut solo album, Cactus Choir, and in late 1976 and early 1977 put together a new band line-up with ex-Manfred Mann's Earth Band frontman Mick Rogers. Initially the rhythm section consisted of Dave Markee and Simon Phillips, who had played on the album, but they were replaced by Tony Reeves (who had in the meantime joined the final line-up of Curved Air) and Jon Hiseman (then concurrently leading his own Colosseum II) for the 1977 dates. In 2000, Greenslade and Reeves, after considering a full-blown reunion of the original line-up, teamed up with drummer John Trotter and vocalist/keyboardist John Young, and recorded a new Greenslade studio album: Large Afternoon. A tour followed, and this was recorded, and subsequently released in 2002, as Greenslade 2001 - Live: The Full Edition.