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:: Light My Fire ::

:: Satisfaction ::

:: Get Back ::

:: In The Year 2525 ::

Long before the human fruit leather known as Aerosmith released a hits comp called Big Ones, British band leader Ted Heath released his own collection of hit interpretations called The Big Ones, all of them covers. AND it came out the year after his death, a trick Aerosmith hasn't pulled off, yet.

The first thing that grabs your oculars is the cover, which looks like someone ate a child's bedroom from the late 60's and then promptly threw it up. If you open the gatefold -- and since I know computers don't allow you to do this yet, I'll just describe it to you -- instead of pictures of Ted Heath and His Music or more bad psychedelic drawings, you get a bunch of propaganda about Phase 4 Stereo and the formidable 20 channel console they used to create it. Mike did a nice little piece that talked about this sort of crap, so refer to that if you'd like a crash course in stereo history. All I can tell you is that there's some serious stereo separation going on, neatly isolating some pretty funky drumming and making this record a bit of a breakbeat seeker's field day. This was obviously a record made with the specific intent of showing off Phase 4, which London must have been very proud of. Just look at the giant 4 superimposed over the cartoons on the front. See how it's more colorful where the 4 is? Get it? SUBLIMINAL.

The Big Ones is certainly an appropriate title for this album, Ted and his Music selected a few songs that are just as recognizable now as they were then. It's obviously a talented band, and while they seriously cook on a few of these numbers, you quickly realize that a big band jam on a song that could probably never be done justice by a cover is fairly unnecessary. The strangest cut on the album is the version of "Satisfaction," which starts out with the signature riff played by a guitar but then gets overtaken by lots and lots of horns. Then there's lots of professional stunt drumming. The kind of drumming that makes me think of a scene in some movie where someone you would never guess even plays the drums gets behind the kit and proceeds to Buddy Rich you to death. Anyway, enjoy these popular, eternal classic rock hits and the transmogrification they underwent at the hands of Ted Heath and his band.


Tony

This entry was posted on Thursday, May 18, 2006 at 6:14 AM. You can skip to the end and leave a response.