Cherry Red (label)
21 June 2023 (released)
21 August 2023
At the end of the sixties and beginning of the seventies, hard rock was growing out of the rock & roll bands and Blues bands that weren’t a part of the psychedelic movement.
In the UK there were bands such as Bad Company and Nazareth and in the US bands like Black Oak Arkansas, Grand Funk Railroad and Frijid Pink.
Frijid Pink were signed to Deram in the UK and released two albums here along with a massive hit single with ‘House Of The Rising Sun’.
While the lineup would have many changes over the following years, these two albums featured the lineup of Kelly Green (aka Tom Beaudry) - lead vocals & cowbell, Gary Ray Thompson – guitars, Tom Harris – bass, Richard Stevers – drums plus Larry Zelanka – keyboards although Zelanka wasn’t credited as a band member. Apparently Tom Beaudry was made to change his name because of a mix up where he was credited with playing bass by mistake and Tom Harris should have received the credit.
Musically, they are a belting hard rock & Blues band.
Kelly Green has a hoarse, shouty type of vocal where he can sound desperate or passionate at almost the same time. Stevers drums & tympani are always in the forefront of the music, driving it along and balancing perfectly against Tom Harris’ bass which hold a tight rhythm when the drums go off on a search for the beat. Thompson’s guitar is great to listen to, whether it be rhythm or solos – after Frijid Pink he went on to play with the likes of The Staple Singers, Aretha Franklin, The Temptations and a long association with Curtis Mayfield.
Much of the music sits in that slightly awkward transition from Psychedelic to hard rock and there are touches of stoner rock in there too but it is all good on the ear with their version of ‘Heartbreak Hotel’ and ‘Pain In My Heart’ particular standouts (great cowbell)
Frijid Pink aren’t the first band that come to mind when you think of American rockers but these two albums suggest that they should be thought of in a brighter light.
As usual, the remastering is superb and the package is well worthwhile.
