Customer Reviews

British Lions

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

It's good to have this in my CD player for the first time. I liked the album, but this sounds so much better. I'm sure most of you that are familiar with British Lions realize they are, or, were what was left of Mott the Hoople after the departure of Ian Hunter. After a couple albums as Mott they moved on and became British Lions and released two albums, of which this was the first. The band for those of you who are less familiar is John Fiddler(vocals & guitar), Overend Watts(Bass), Morgan Fisher(Keyboards), Dale Griffin(Drums), and Ray Major(Guitar). The whole band actually provides vocals, too!

The original disc is accompanied by 8 bonus tracks that were recorded live or were demos. The quality of the 4 live tracks isn't the best, but shows how good the band actually was live. I saw them open for Rainbow and Blue Oyster Cult. They put on a hell of a show for an opening act; it was hard to believe they weren't headlining. The capabilities of this band at that time(1978) seemed endless. But, unfortunately they seemed to stand still in their tracks!

The music here, at least the first 9 songs, are all great recordings and atypical of most 70's music. The quality of this music is such that it sounds as fresh today as it did 24 years ago. John Fiddler handles most of the song writing chores and did an excellent job with the selections here. The playing of all the musicians is flawless and energetic. One of the better songs is a great rendition of Garland Jeffrey's "Wild in the Streets". My personal favorites are "One More Chance to Run", "My Life's In Your Hands", "Big Drift Away", and "Eat the Rich". Most of these songs are fun and take me back to my youth, which is still good in my memories.

The only thing of note is that two of the tracks here are listed in reverse order, or, at least on the disc I got. #3-"Break This Fool" and #5-"Fork Talking Man" are actually #5 and #3. All of the tracks here are good listening; there are no duds. If you like surprizes buy this disc with the 8 bonus tracks and see if you can figure out why these guys didn't become "International Heroes".

Hi Kids! Turn on the wayback machine to the 1970's. Ian Hunter leaves legendary Rock N Roll band Mott the Hoople. While Ian was the driving force behind that band, the remaining band members stay together and recruit guitarist Ray Major and singer John Fiddler. The result was the British Lions and after all these years their masterful debut is available on CD. From the opening classic "One More Chance To Run" on through "Wild in the Streets" & "International Heroes" The Lions prove that they were indeed a world class rock n roll band. While they never achieved the lofty status of Mott the Hoople, this disc should bring smiles to those who remember what good old fashioned rock n roll was all about!

After the release of Live and Rare, (which wasn't that good), this is the release to get. If you are a fan of Mott the Hoople and Ian Hunter, this would be a great addition to your collection. Also check out (2) releases from Mott (minus Ian Hunter), Shouting and Pointing and Drive On, they are both excellent and worth the price.

To say these guys got screwed is a understatment. Powerful rock-n-roll from beginning to end. Excellent song writing, and arrangements. If I were forced to name a favorite track, it would be 'Big Drift Away'. But this album is full of great hard drivin' Rock. I saw these guys at "The Old Waldorf" in San Francisco in 1979, and they were great.

Faced with escalating debts after the release of their second album, "Shouting And Pointing," the members of Mott (former Mott The Hoople members Overend Watts, Buffin, and Morgan Fisher, as well as guitarist Ray Major) were forced back into the studio and eventually back on the boards with vocalist John Fiddler, whom Fisher was acquainted with through session work with Fiddler's band Medicine Head. The British Lions resulting eponymous debut, released in 1978, is buoyed by Fiddler's songwriting and Fisher's arrangements, perhaps a bit more introspective than either Mott album, but more anthemic as well. Snarling and grandiose, the opening cut "One More Chance To Run," a rollicking cover of Garland Jeffreys' "Wild In The Streets," and, especially, "International Heroes," are all coated with thick wads of majestic power chords, robust keyboard work from Fisher and a knock-it-back attitude. "Big Drift Away" gives Major a chance to stretch out instrumentally and he delivers the sonic goods with a series of fluid solos and over-the-top whammy bar abuse. Angel Air's re-issue tacks on eight bonus cuts, including demos, Peel sessions, and live material. The band supported Blue Oyster Cult and UFO during a six-week tour of America and it is at this point that your trusty scribe lost the plot. Apparently the Lions flew back to blighty to cut their follow-up album "Trouble With Women," but its release was delayed until 1980 due to management and label hassles. To this day, I've never heard it and can't find any account of what caused them to implode.