I posted a little while ago the second album from Talisker, which met with a very positive response, so all reason then to move on to their third, "The Last Battle", out on the Vinyl label in Germany. There were a few more Talisker albums, but I haven't been able to locate any yet.
The idea is, as on the former, to mix traditional or traditionally-tinged tunes with vocal and instrument improvisations. Here the group does their own vocalising, starting with a little introduction from all four of them. It moves on through jigs and laments and home-made funk to free-for-all collective playing, some written or at least pre-planned and others done on the spot. For further info, consult the two-page insert that came with the record and which I have scanned and apprended to this post. A highlight, for this listener, is the wonderfully emotive tenor solo by John Rangecroft on "McCrimmon's Lament". Also note Hyder's clipped, precise playing throughout. I'm sure he's picked up a thing or two from John Stevens. In general, top lads all around!
Basic info:
Ken Hyder's Talisker - The Last Battle
Vinyl VS 107 (1978)
Side one
a1_My Name Is
a2_Miss Mary Morrison of Barra-Paddy's Leather Breeches*-MacCrimmon's Lament*
a3_Calum Hyder's Welcome to South London
Side two
b1_Tha Cu Ban Againn**-The Last Battle
b2_Wee Davie and Big John
b3_Whistle Ower the Lave O'T*
Personnel
Davie Webster alto saxophone, vocals
John Rangecroft tenor saxophone, clarinet, vocals
John Lawrence string bass, bass guitar, vocals
Ken Hyder drums, percussion, kalenga, dried peas, vocals
All compositions by Ken Hyder, except *trad. arr. Hyder and ** Hyder/Rangecroft
Recorded and mixed at Riverside Recordings, London, 15th and 16th February, 1978
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ReplyDeleteThanks a lot for this! I've the other Talisker albums, and I never even knew this one existed!
ReplyDeleteStrange & Beautiful trip, thanks a lot Kinabalu!
ReplyDeletepeace, E-mile
Thanks muchly Kinabalu.
ReplyDeleteI remember seeing Talisker back in the day, with an audience of abot 20 people. Wonderful. I had never heard of this album tho.
Long long time ago i used to listen a lot to Talisker.
ReplyDeleteThanks a lot for this.
Thanks Kinabalu - you was reading my thoughts when posting this. After Land of Stone post i was thinking about this album, which i got on second generation casette copy from years ago. Such a original music. Anyway, do have somebody Keith & Julie Tippetts' Warm Spirits - Cool Spirits, which was also released on Vinyl Records?
ReplyDeletemiloo, yes, I have that one. I'll put it on the to-do list.
ReplyDeleteAny chance for a new (or working) link?
ReplyDeleteWould be most appreciated!
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ReplyDeleteMany, many thanks!
ReplyDeleteThe rapidshare link posted april,5 seems to be "Land of Stone" ,not "The Last Battle".
ReplyDeleteA re-up would be greatly appreciated.
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ReplyDeleteThanks a lot.
ReplyDeleteunfortunately the link from August 9th is not working
ReplyDeleteanyway, this is the greatest music-blog on earth!
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ReplyDeletemy prayer was heard
ReplyDeletethanks for the re-up!
it's working fine
Thanks a lot!
ReplyDeleteTerrific,high energy playing.They must have blown the roof off the place live.Thanks
ReplyDeleteNew links:
ReplyDeleteMega
Adrive
THANNNKKKKKKKS!!!!!
ReplyDeleteGreat! Thanks Kinabalu!
ReplyDeleteHello, could you please re-up? I have Talisker's other albums on vinyl but I've been looking for that one unsuccessfully for decades!
ReplyDeleteMany thanks for your great blog.
@dynabert: The Adrive link is still working.
ReplyDelete@kinabalu: Thanks a lot! You've made my day.
ReplyDeleteMany thanks. I still cherish my old vinyl.
ReplyDeleteWould someone happen to have Talisker's The White Light by any chance?
astrognome,
ReplyDeleteI don't have The White Light, but I do have Humanity, if that may be of interest. I might get it though, as it's the only one missing in my Talisker collection.
Hi Kinabalu.
ReplyDeleteThat's very kind. I was wondering what The White Light sounds like, I've never come across it.
I have the others on vinyl, haven't played them in years though. I saw Talisker live in London a couple of times in the mid 80s, they were great. They played The Seven Dials, a small basement venue in Covent Garden which sadly but predictably has fallen prey to the gentrification of central London.
I've also heard Ken Hyder a couple of times without Talisker, not least in a duet with Maggie Nicols in Mulhouse – they were great.
Ken Hyder has had an interesting career. Through tours/field trips to Siberia he has become interested in shamanism, so much so that he has been initiated and now performs shamanic healings in London.