WEED: WEED...!

Although I do consider myself a big fan of Uriah Heep and Ken Hensley for over 40 years, I have to admit that I never knew about this album until a few days ago when a friend told me about it and I had the opportunity to borrow his CD. And I was quite amazed by it. According to one site, Weed would be the name of the band and Hensley only had a guest appearance on it. But I found an interview with Ken himself who talked about this project and how he was contracted to write and play for this album by a German label, and he sang all the songs and played most instruments (he claims that only the bass and drums parts were played by other people). The LP was made quickly, recorded and released in 1971, between Uriah Heep´s Salisbury and Look At Yourself albums. Although Hensley says he does not really remember much about this project, I tend to agree with him, since it is obvious that he is the singer, and the musical style is totally him, both composition wise and on the performance. If there was a band called Weed, they surely had very little to do with this album in particular and if they indeed record anything, it must be the aforementioned bass and drums and, maybe, some overdubbing guitar part. The songs are credit to one B. Albes, but this is clearly to avoid Hensleys contractual issues with his recording company.

Whatever the reasons, this is a very interesting and worthy CD for Ken Hensley and/or Uriah Heep fans. The first two songs in particular are the best ones: the heavy Sweet Morning Light and the acoustic Lonely Ship. Both of them could easily be on Salisbury or Look At Yourself and are even superior to some tracks on those records. The remaining tunes are ok, but clearly, closer to what Hensley called "an exercise on composition style" than anything. He was still trying to find a personal sound at the time. Only Slowin´Down, a very cliched blues rocker is really a bad track, even if the slide guitar lines are typical of KH and should please the faithful.

Although I cannot say this is essential, Weed...! is another proof of more how gifted and original Ken Hensley was. I really don´t know what this album is all about, and even with all its faults( it was obviously recorded in a hurry and it is very short, clocking at 31;26) is still good. Specially if you´re into this great master works. Worth a listen.

Rating: 2,5 stars that I will round up to three (those two first tracks are really good and should have been recorded by Uriah Heep).