Artist: Charge
Album: Charge
Released: 1973 (1994)
Source: Kissing Spell (KSCD9419)
Genre: Heavy Progressive Psychedelic
Review: "Here is another of those one-off studio bands who only did a few gigs to promote a hastily put together album, which in turn didn't sell many copies. Still they did feature some well-known musicians:- Alan Spenner and Neil Hubbard were both ex-Joe Cocker's Mad Dogs; Ric Grech was ex-Family; Rosetta Hightower and Ian Green ex-Hightower; Mike Woods was ex-Eclection; Smiley De Jones was ex-Maggie Bell and Godfrey McLean was ex-Hummingbird. All but Grech, Green and McLean appeared on the album and the live line-up varied a little from the musos featured on their recordings.
The album consists of a loud, blistering sonic attack that rarely relents. Half the recording is an extended piece called Child Of Nations." (The Tapestry Of Delights)
OK this bit above is the only info I can find anywhere about this album. Even the Kissing Spell site, when it was up, had nothing about it, and like a lot of Kissing Spell releases there are virtually no liner notes. The back cover has a rant about how great it is, written by someone who must have partaken of some substance or other. The inside front cover has an extract from Tolstoy's "Sebastopol Sketches"!! Anyway, I don't know about this "blistering sonic attack" business. The music is very druggy sounding and dirge-like, but very cool, quirky early 70's British hippie rock. These guys definitely weren't trying to connect with the average record buyer. If anything it reminds somewhat of a track or two on the Janus "Gravedigger" album. I know this description is pretty lame but I enjoy this and I hope you do too.
Personnel incl:
SMILEY DE JONES perc
RIC GRECH violin, gtr, bs
IAN GREEN keyb'ds
ROSETTA HIGHTOWER vcls
NEIL HUBBARD gtr
GODFREY McLEAN drms
ALAN SPENNER bs
LEE VAN DER BILT vcls, perc
MIKE WOODS gtr
Track List:
1. Glory Boy
2. To My Friends
3. Rock My Soul
4. Child Of Nations
a) Soldiers
b) Battles
c) Child Of Nations
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