Lonesome Crow

[deSousa]

First of all thanks to Jim for adding Flying by UFO to the playlist. The most important tracks were allready played for the first time before I could had the honors

While I like this LP a lot, it was actually a stepping stone to get to another pearl from the eerie prog suggestion trunk. This is the sister album of Flying, Lonesome Crow is the name of the first LP by a german band called Scorpions. Please don't go away right now, just listen a little longer. This was 1972 and no one had any idea of what hair metal would be. Scorpions was just a bunch of kids trying to make their way in the Kraturock scene.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lonesome_Crow

There are many special things about this LP, first of all the main musicians never worked again with the band, Michael Schenker (guitar), Lothar Heimberg (bass) and Wolfgang Dziony (drums). These three young men (Michael was just 17(!) at the time) often burst into some impressive jamming. All framed by some strange chorus produced by Klaus Meine and spacey noises made with the guitars. While some tracks do not attempt at much innovation, there is always some room for improvisation that make them interesting.

This was the first Space Rock LP I ever listened to. Well, at least that was what these musicians called to this sort of music. This lead me to UFO's early alba and then to Hawkind. A strange trek I reckon, but that's what's fun about music! That's the first reason why this LP has a special place in my collection; the second, and most important, is the cohesive and mature playing by these youngsters, especially patent in the last track, Lonesome Crow. Never did Scorpions had a better bass player than Heimberg or a guitar hero like Michael.

Months after this record was released the Scorpions managed to get the spot as supporting act for UFO's German tour, where Flying garnished a good deal of success. Amid the tour UFO's guitar player got ill (or fired?) and was prevented from playing. Mogg and Way then asked Michael to fill in the place, already reckoning the infant's talent. So the tour ended with Michael playing both shows in a row every night. When the tour ended, Mogg and Way brought Michael with them to England. From there the Scorpions sort of ended. From what I know the band didn't find a replacement for Michael and stopped playing live; this forced Lothar Heimberg and Wolfgang Dziony to search regular professions; none of them would ever again record music. Klaus Meine and Rudy Schenker managed to join Uli Roth's band, that hadn't a real singer and where a second guitar could fit. By some reason, they used the name Scorpions again for this new line up.

In 1974 UFO released the Phenomenon LP, featuring Michael in the lead guitar and two of the band's anthems, Rock Bottom and Doctor Doctor. In the same year the new Scorpions released Fly to the Rainbow. These two records, together with Fighting by Thin Lizzy, are the earlier renditions of what would latter be termed New Wave of British Heavy Metal. And the rest...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kj2xTdBa9xg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sge_1GqJyoE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrxUhBn0FIc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbpq2AChsCI&NR=1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a83HsG_NOh0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4xQTivxVL0

Look how young they were:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8nTGTCSGj30

[Ramon Porta]

Im surprised that in a prog radio, you are interested that i read about groups like Scorpions and UFO, only this band have som interes in his early records after was another hard rock band and was the inside of those rock mags in all this years.The brothers Schenker can't try to be inside the word prog they are hard or metal that's all,btw your article are good thanks for it but ii prefer read about others bands of the 70's in the vein of kraut rock that we know them.Salud.

[JamForte(Admin)]

hmm. I have this album (and thanks to lads' suggestion re-listened).

Firstly, it *is* radically different from later "Spinal-Tap-like" output which, perhaps, this band is better-known for.

Secondly, are a multitude of different elements that can be heard in other content here on the station - and the title track is quite experimental - definitely NOT 3.5 minute adolescent pap.

There is no doubt about the strength of the vocal and guitar work.

The most striking thing, perhaps, is that this material has a lot of space in it - which is not characteristic of Top-40 heavy rock.

IMO - I'd say 50/50 - it wouldn't sound out of place here - but, equally, I'm happy to reach for the CD if I want to hear it.

If Jim doesn't have it - and wants a listen - I'm happy to oblige.

[ErikM]

I agree with you JamForte.
But I always liked their double live album "Tokyo Tapes" from 1978.
Excellent stuff after all these years and IMO one of the best heavy rock albums from the whole 70's.
And made before they became a "Spinal-Tap-like" output.

[deSousa]

Originally Posted by JamForte

The most striking thing, perhaps, is that this material has a lot of space in it

You have to put it into historical perspective to understand this LP, as I wrote initially. This was 1972 and they were were just kids emerging within the Krautrock scene. Only two of the members survived into the Hair Metal scene.

I believe that any heavy prog appreciator or any space fan will find this LP interesting, or at least the title track, where they leap way beyond.

I understand I'm pushing the envelope here, I'm still a newbie, while AM has been around for a decade. But if we (the prog lovers) don't do something to digg these sort of gems, who will? Who will show the braindead kids of today that even comercial acts of today had their day in the past? Do you prefer these musicians to go into retirement thinking "hell, we made a load of crap during our carer but we are rich now" or "well there are folk who still appreciate the stuff we made back in the day when music wasn't sold like bleach"?

Another thing that profoundly disappoints me is perceiving preconception of some prog fans towards names, brands or labels, whilst open mindedness is something ineherent to prog.

Nice hearings.

[NorCalKurt]

Wow, I never realized that they went back that far. I love the stuff from the late 70's. I'll have to check out the real early music from them. Life is not just about prog rock. I may be struck down by the prog gods for that. OH well. (good tune btw) and not prog too.