Followers

Sunday, January 12, 2020

Pussy - Invasion (Post. Jerusalem Hardrock) UK 1972-73)


Size: 128 MB
Bitrate : 320
mp3
Ripped by: ChrisGesRock
Artwork Included

Collection of tracks from this early 70s post-Jerusalem UK hard rock group also managed and produced by Ian Gillan (Deep Purple). Includes songs from their lone single for the Deram label plus 14 other previously unreleased recordings!


The band was formed immediately after the break-up of Jerusalem by its founding members Paul Dean & Ray Sparrow along with Bob Cooke, who was eventually replaced by Brian Goff. They made the decision not to continue with the name Jerusalem out of respect for what Jerusalem was all about at that time in musical history, after all Jerusalem was a one-off moment in time creation and could never be recreated. 


Although the musical direction of Pussy was very different to Jerusalem, which is surprising as Paul was the main writer for both bands (although his liking for riffs is still prominent in places), they continued to keep that raw, no rules edge which set them apart from many of the bands of the period

Gillan was far more proactive with Pussy and was actually responsible for many backing vocals on the songs (also played piano on Feline Woman version 2, some percussion and came up with the idea for 'Place in the Sky'). Pussy were a good-time band with no pretensions of being super musicians or technical geniuses. If it seemed like fun it was worth a try, which explains a lot about their sound and direction. On stage anything could happen, no rules of course! They gigged all over the UK and Germany as a main and support act, very much in the same way as Jerusalem had done.


After the disbanding of Jerusalem - (the rumors over the years said there was a second unreleased Jerusalem album - this is not true - it was actually the Pussy album) - Decca (Deram Label) decided to continue the Jerusalem contract for Pussy. The first and only Pussy release on Deram was a single entitled 'Feline Woman'. The recordings found here represent what was to be the Pussy debut album plus other various tracks all recorded between 1972 and 1973.

Rockadrome unearths another lost early 70's gem! Formed out of the ashes of Jerusalem (they made one record, I think it's way overrated), this one has a completely different sound. Glammy vocal (it's from 72, the peak of the glam era), but musically it's straight forward hard rock. 

Tight, locked in drumming, Gibson guitars and some really catchy riffs make this an A list lost classic.

The music reminds me a bit of the First Daze era Pentagram stuff minus the doom elements. Some cool leads and even a slide guitar solo thrown in. The first track sounds a lot like Three Man Army but after that these guys really have their own sound.

Produced by Ian Gillan, he does a much better job than he did on the Jerusalem record. That one sounded like it was recorded in a garage. This one sounds good turned up, in no small part due to the great remastering job. Really cool packaging too.

The first 10 songs are the original album, after that there are some re-recorded demo versions of most of the songs with a different guitar player from a year later. The bonus stuff is pretty useless except for the 2 tracks that aren't part of the original album. Too bad the band didn't continue, they were really onto something with this album.

I would say if you like early Pentagram, Hard Stuff's first album, Budgie, or early Sweet, you can't go wrong picking up a copy. I hope Dennis digs up more of this kind of stuff!

Vinyl LP pressing. Jerusalem is well known among '70s hard rock enthusiasts thanks to their stone-cold classic 1972 Deram label debut album. After that record was released, the band made the bold decision to not to continue with the same name-for them, Jerusalem was a one-off moment in time and could never be recreated. And so, three-fifths of Jerusalem (founding members Paul Dean and Ray Sparrow along with Bob Cooke), became Pussy. 

The new band were still managed and produced by Ian Gillan (Deep Purple). Pussy recorded and released one single on Deram and then went on to record tracks between 1972 and 1973 with Brian Goff taking over for Bob Cooke on guitar, for their debut album-which was never released. Pussy was a different beast from Jerusalem, despite Paul being the main writer for both bands. There seems to be a touch of Ziggy Stardust crunchy space glam in the mix-although Pussy kept the raw, no rules edge from Jerusalem which sets both bands apart from many others of the era. 

Gillan was far more proactive this time around; he played piano and percussion, and was responsible for many backing vocals on the songs. Pussy were a hard rocking band with no pretensions of being super musicians or technical geniuses. If it seemed like fun, it was worth a try, which explains a lot about their sound and direction. On stage, anything could happen-no rules of course! They gigged all over the UK and Germany as a main and support act, very much in the same way as Jerusalem had done. 

Rockadrome are proud to present here what was to have been the Pussy debut album, plus bonus tracks from the original Pussy single and a studio track recorded in 1972 with Jerusalem guitarist Bob Cooke. Features more than 40 minutes of never-before-on-vinyl material taken directly from the original master reels.

Drums, Backing Vocals – Ray Sparrow
 Engineer – Louis Austin, Paul "Chas" Watkins*
 Guitar – Brian Goff (2)
 Guitar, Tin Whistle [Penny Whistle], Backing Vocals – Bob Cooke (tracks: 11 to 16)
 Lead Vocals, Bass, Backing Vocals, Liner Notes – Paul Dean (3)
 Producer, Backing Vocals, Percussion, Piano – Ian Gillan
 Written-By – Cooke* (tracks: 2, 3, 7, 11 to 14, 16), Paul Dean (3) (tracks: 1, 4, 5, 6, 8 to 10, 15), Dean* (tracks: 2, 3, 7, 11 to 14, 16), Sparrow* (tracks: 2, 3, 7, 11 to 14, 16

Notes
Tracks 1 to 10 are from an unreleased album. Tracks 11 & 12 are from a single released in 1972. Track 13 from a single session in 1972. Tracks 13 to 16 from a 1973 session with Bob Cooke.

01. The Knife
02. Feline Woman
03. Pig Mansion
04. Man of This World 
05. Take Me Home
06. Riding Down the Red Flag
07. I Keep Remembering You
08. Lady Ella
09. I. F. O.
10. Moonshine
11. Feline Woman (From Original 1972 Single With Bob Cooke)
12. Ska-Child (From Original 1972 Single With Bob Cooke)
13. Pig Mansion (From 1972 Single Session, Unreleased Version With Bob Cooke)
14. A Place in the Sky (From 1973 Session With Bob Cooke)
15. Lady Ella (From 1973 Session With Bob Cooke)
16. I Keep Remembering You (From 1973 Session With Bob Cooke)

1. Pussy
or
2. Pussy

4 comments:

kobilica said...

Thank you so much....

Anonymous said...

Merci et vive le Rock'n'Roll from Bretagne.

Paul said...

Many thanks for the Posting, very much appreciated. The official website for Jerusalem and Pussy is https://jerusalembanduk.wixsite.com/mysite All official releases and merchandise are by Rockadrome.com Many thanks again, Paul Dean (Jerusalem & Pussy)

Paul said...

Many thanks for the great review, very much appreciated.

Official Jerusalem website is https://jerusalembanduk.wixsite.com/mysite

All official releases of Jerusalem can be found at their Record Company - Rockadrome.com

Remastered album and singles available on vinyl, CD and Download. Also official T-shirts etc.

Rockadrome have also released the Pussy album 'Invasion' on vinyl, cd and downloads

Paul Dean (Jerusalem & Pussy)