LIVE 1973-75

After the demise of COLOSSEUM in '71, keyboard player Dave GREENSLADE founded his own band GREENSLADE, featuring Tony Reeves (bass), Dave Lawson (keyboards, clarinet, flute) and Andrew McCulloch (drums), he had left KING CRIMSON.. The best introduction to their excellent blend of classic, jazz, rock, blues and symphonic rock is the live-album "Live" (with tracks from '73 and '75) containing their best material: elaborate compositions like "Sundance", Feathered Friends", "Bedside Manners Are Extra" and "Joie De Vivre" and lots of inventive and exciting dual-keyboard play by GREENSLADE and Lawson. The omnipresence of the Mellotron is very pleasant with majestic waves of the violin-Mellotron (like early KING CRIMSON) and glorious eruptions of the sumptuous choir- Mellotron. This live-CD also features some spectacular play on the Minimoog (with pitch bend). It's the most keyboard-loaded album with hints from WAKEMAN, MANFRED MANN'S EARTH BAND and SUPERTRAMP. In my opinion GREENSLADE deserves more appreciation by the prog rock aficionados, it's a wonderful band to discover!

Live album of GREENSLADE released in 1999 "Live 1973-75". Miraculous excavation work that put live in 1973 and 1975, that group is in hight period. It is an impressive performance. Especially, the activity of the base of Tony Reeves that supplements the part where the keyboard was multiple recorded is splendid. Tone quality is usual.

Greenslade live! I was lucky to obtain this CD in my country and my expectations were high. It is no secret that they were fulfilled. The live CD has songs from two concerts and both are great. The first one was realised shortly after their first album release. It means, the four songs can be found on Greenslade's first album. The live versions are quite good, well performed and have (in my opinion) better sound than the next concert. The vocal is not as good as on studio album, but is fair enough because Lawson is also a keyboard player. The songs from 1975 are also great. I am a big fan of their first two albums and I have never heard the next ones, so I am glad that I have an opportunity to listen to Joi de vivre and the rest from the Spyglass guest album.

To sum up, this live album is very good and it is a good starting point for those who are not familiar with the band. Excellent.

I have some difficulties with Greenslade.

There is something missing in the picture.......... I cannot put my finger on it. But this is a band I by default should love. I am throwing money at their releases. A fortune, no less. But I still do not fall for this band. Let's take this album.........

It starts with Sundance and that is a good tune. My blood does not boil, but it is still a good tune. The following two songs are marred by an elk trying to sing....... Maybe not, but I am sure an elk sings better than Dave Lawson. He and David Greenslade redeem themselves on keyboards. The bass player and the drummer also know their stuff. The band cannot be faulted on their musical abilities. That's for sure.

Greenslade's problem is the lack of one or two real killer tunes. Even on this live album, there is nothing there making me dropping a mug of coffee on the floor with amazement. It is a solid, good live album. And that's it. When that is said, I really enjoy some parts of this album. Feathered Friends, the second Sundance and Bedside Manners Are Extra are some great songs. The same goes for the bass solo on Melange. Besides of that, it is a nice band with some nice music. It is rather a church instead of a cathedral. But I would still recommend Greenslade to everyone.

3.75 stars for an album who did not quite deliver.

Interesting, John Mayall's Bluesbreakers turned out to be the foundation of the formation Collosseum with the ex- members Jon Hiseman, Tony Reeves and Dick Heckstall-Smith. Their eclectic sound was wonderfully coloured by keyboard player Dave Greenslade who had collaborated with Jon Hiseman and Tony Reeves in his early years as a musician. Although Colosseum delivered an awesome progressive rock magnum opus with the titletrack on the album The Valentyne Suite the band was overshadowed by highly acclaimed prog bands like The Nice, King Crimson, Pink Floyd and The Moody Blues in the late 60s and early 70s. After Collosseum disbanded in 1971 their keyboardplayer Dave Greenslade founded his own band Greenslade, featuring Tony Reeves (bass), Dave Lawson (keyboards, clarinet, flute) and drummer Andrew McCulloch (who had left King Crimson). In 1973 Greenslade released their well praised eponymous debut album, followed by Bedside Manners Are Extra (1973), Spyless Guest (1974) and finally Time And Tide (1975). Then the band call it a day and Dave Greenslade went solo, but in 1994 he re-joined Colosseum with their acclaimed reunion tour.

An excellent introduction to Greenslade their captivating blend of classic, jazz, rock, blues and symphonic rock is this live- album simply entitled Live, it contains tracks between 1973 and 1975. The 9 compositions are tastefully arranged, like Sundance, Feathered Friends, Bedside Manners Are Extra and Joie De Vivre and feature lots of inventive and exciting dual-keyboard play by Greenslade and Lawson. The omnipresent Mellotron delivers majestic waves of Mellotron violins (like early King Crimson) and glorious Mellotron choir eruptions, really a strong bonus for the Tron-maniacs! This live-CD also contains some spectacular play on the Minimoog synthesizer, with use of the spectacular pitch bend wheel.

Listening to the keyboard work the music has hints from Rick Wakeman, Manfred Mann's Earth Band and Supertramp but in general Greenslade have succeeded to create an own musical identity by incorporating many different styles, along Dave Watson his distinctive vocals. Especially on this live CD the band rises to the occasion, a kind of Best Of Greenslade, performed on stage, and with a more lush keyboard sound than on the studio-albums.

Greenslade is a band to discover, especially for the vintage keyboard aficionados, but in my opinion on their live albums Greenslade deliver more of their huge potential than on the studio-albums, just look at the higher ratings of the live- albums here on PA.