MOGUL THRASH

James Litherland, the original guitarist and vocalist with Colosseum, left to form Mogul Thrash, very much intending to build on the growing tradition of John Mayall's jazz-blues with rock and British attitude (as Colosseum had done). However, musically the band ran out of ideas and never progressed beyond this album. After this I very much regret that James Litherland disappeared off my horizons, only to appear too briefly on parts of the excellent 3 CD set 'Alexis Korner Memorial Concert' (Indigo Records) in '95 or so, somewhat ironically backing Chris Farlowe. Then producing a nondescript MOR album, and subsequently found included in the musicians listed in the programme notes for a Gary Glitter touring musical (but Litherland was hidden away from view). However, this is the first album(?) recording for John Wetton (one vocal track and otherwise providing the bass), and the always welcome Brian Auger guests on one, taking time off from Trinity.

After the joys of Litherland vocals and guitarwork on Colosseum's 'Those About To Die', Mogul Thrash turned out to be a real disappointment. I picked up on the band after radio play of 'What's This I Hear', buying the album soon after - to discover that track was the outstanding piece by some distance. The long intro on alto sax is a repeated riff (that has long lingered in my mind), growing in volume from an initial silence moving to a heavy but slow blues as the rest of band enters. Litherland sung words are clearly about sexual disappointment, each line emphasised by guitar and sax. It then moves to an even slower prog interlude on Moog (by the sound of it) before returning to the vocals. Powerful blues rock with jazz overtones. But the album is inconsistent - sure more blues jazz rock (of the sort much of the British blue-eyed blues movement had shifted to by the early 70's).

The Disconforme CD issue is greatly extended from the LP release, with outtakes and single versions, although nothing has quite the ball-grabbing quality of 'What's This I Hear'. In the 2 to 3 star range I am afraid - while 'What's This I Hear' stands as 4 plus star track..

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