"SAHB - a hidden gem"

In 1990, I ditched all my vinyl records and went all in for cd, which at the time was considered to be "the everlasting format". The market for used cds were emerging and a long process of restoring my record collection had begun. Before the vinyl purge, "Framed", "Next", "The Impossible Dream" and "Tomorrow Belongs To Me" were all records in my collection. One of the first cds I bought was "The Sensational Alex Harvey Band Collection" which was released in 1986 (the repulsive album cover can be seen down to the right in the image). This was out of character. I don't like compilations. And, it didn't make them justice so I quickly got rid of it. Instead, I bought six of their albums in three 2-for-1 sets. This was also out of character. I dont like sets, read more here (opens in a new window). To my defense, no bundle packages. The sets consisted of separate albums with the original artwork included. I played the sets the other day: "Framed", "Next", "The Impossible Dream" and "Tomorrow Belongs To Me" stand out. So many great original songs and clever cover songs. "Hammer Song", "Isobel Goudie", "Boston Tea Party", "Midnight Moses", "Swampsnake", "The Faith Healer", "Next", "Vambo Marble Eye", "The Last of the Teenage Idols", "Tomahawk Kid", "Anthem", "Action Strasse", "Shake That Thing", "Give My Compliments To The Chef", "Tomorrow Belongs to Me", "Delilah" and "The Tale of the Giant Stoneater". The Sensational Alex Harvey Band (SAHB) were a scottish glam rock band formed in Glasgow 1972. Their stage performances incorporated theatrical elements and they wore distinctive stage costumes. Glam rock doesn't age well. This is not a real problem in this case. In my opinion, SAHB were definitely more rock than glam and never became a novelty act. The classic lineup consisted of Alex Harvey (vocals), Zal Cleminson (guitar), Chris Glen (bass), Hugh McKenna (keyboard) and Ted McKenna (drums). Frontfigure Alex Harvey left the group in 1976 and re-joined the group in 1978, and then left again. Relentless touring and the pressure to make money took the best of him. "If you haven't been ripped off, you haven't been in the music business". He struggled with alcoholism, which led to health problems. Alex Harvey died of a heart attack in 1982 waiting for the Zeebrugge ferry (in Belgium) to take him home, the day before his forty-seventh birthday. But the SAHB legacy lives on. "And - underneath a million tons of cold lava a brontasaurus lies wrong way up." Yes, it does. And always will.