RockScotland

Why the hell has this guy been missed???

Alex wasn't just a "Best Scottish Musician" - he was a legend!!!! Is it not fair to say Alex didn't play by the rule book, he tore the pages out of it, made cigarettes with the first 100 pages and wiped his arse with the rest!

The man put magic and theatrics into rock!!

SAHB are STILL awesome but with all due respect to Max - and I'm sure he'd agree - he's paying homage to the master who went before.

We'd second that one, Vambo Still Rulezz

NeilMackie wrote:Why the hell has this guy been missed???

Probably because he was never really that popular with any section of the rock fraternity.

Certainly, the "legend" has been hyped out of all proportion to enable Chris Glen and Ted McKenna to tour with various versions of their pub rock tribute (and even spin-offs- Chris Glen and the Outfit) to trade on the Alex Harvey name.

Chris Glen had his fingers burned by having the last load of the Outfit's Oran Mor gigs cancelled due to lack of interest.

Sadly Alex Harvey just wasn't ever in the running when he was alive!

gallus

Chris Glen had his fingers burned by having the last load of the Outfit's Oran Mor gigs cancelled due to lack of interest.

This is NOT true, Chris pulled the show himself (Not Shows) due to the date clashing with his commitments with Michael Schenker (MSG)
CHRIS GLEN & The Outfit will be back this year.
Your information is of a very poor source, and as for a pub band CG&TO only playd 3 gigs which none of where in a "pub" alsoTed Mckenna has never appeared with the Outfit .

Probably because he was never really that popular with any section of the rock fraternity.

And this statement is beyond belief ..............................Go Check out the Truth!!
I'm talking facts not opinian, Alex/SAHB in the mid 70's were the biggest live act in the uk
"Go Take A Look In The History Book"............................... And IMO Any list about Scottish rock music that dosent have SAHB listed at the top is a joke.

Brokenantler wrote:

Chris Glen had his fingers burned by having the last load of the Outfit's Oran Mor gigs cancelled due to lack of interest.

This is NOT true, Chris pulled the show himself (Not Shows) due to the date clashing with his commitments with Michael Schenker (MSG)

I was at the first and second Oran Mor shows and certainly the first was reasonably well attended. Unfortunately we just got a pub style covers act with Max and Doogie White singing. While they went down well enough, you can see bands playing covers anywhere for a lot less than the £12 it cost to get in.

I had hoped for a bit more for the second gig but unfortunately we got almost exactly the same set as the first gig. The high cost of admission coupled with the same material meant that the second gig only attracted around 50 people. Certainly I spoke with Doogie White before the gig and he was a bit embarassed with the low turnout and also questioned the high cost of admission.

I would suggest that the other scheduled gigs were pulled because of the obvious losses that were going to be made.

Brokenantler wrote:alsoTed Mckenna has never appeared with the Outfit

The OP never said that he did!

I think it was being suggested that Glen and McKenna were "milking Alex's name" and that the versions of SAHB without Alex were nothing more than pub rock tribute acts! Which, although I was a big SAHB fan, is pretty close to the mark - because SAHB without Alex is just a tribute. Stevie Docherty was probably the best "alternative" vocalist in any case - sadly Max is just a pub rock comedian! The further loss of Zal due to his well publicised greed before the Rock Radio gig hasn't helped anything either!

It's time to let the "legend" of Alex lie as any credible versions of SAHB are long gone and Chris and Ted should think themselves extremely lucky be to able to play high profile gigs in MSG with Schenker once again - they can't really get anything else out of Alex's name! Can they? I'm sure Chris will try anyway!

Brokenantler wrote:CHRIS GLEN & The Outfit will be back this year.

Yes, playing in small empty venues once again! (As long as there's not an MSG tour! )

coonto

Brokenantler wrote:I'm talking facts not opinian, Alex/SAHB in the mid 70's were the biggest live act in the uk

Hmm, let me see - Genesis, Yes, Pink Floyd, Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Status Quo......... etc etc

The SAHB were bigger than these bands? Quite obviously not!

While I'm sure everyone likes the comedy version of Delilah and even Boston Tea Party, sadly those are the only songs most people know and they were without a doubt a "niche" market - even in the mid 70's (obviously I had to ask my dad)!

Brokenantler wrote:"Go Take A Look In The History Book"

I'm sure we'd all love to see this history book of yours? Possibly Germany won the war as well?

I personally don't mind the SAHB but it's a bit much to grossly exaggerate their popularity.

fi

I never said SAHB were bigger than anyone, I Said - IN THE MID SEVENTIES IN THE UK, SAHB WERE THE BIGGEST LIVE GROSSING ACT (FACT) WITH NO ONE ELSE INC GENESIS ETC DOING BETTER BUSINES.........Instead of mocking Go look for youself.
And re CHRIS Glen & The Oufit, you obveusly dont know what the outfit was about, the idea being that every song they play live, a band member had to have been connected to the original version. which was indeed true.
Anyway i could PROVE you wrong on most of your negitive SAHB comments but I'm not gonna waste any more of my time with with you guyz
Believe what you want & make up what you want if it makes you feel good, i only joind so i could comment on your misinformed Alex/Sahb/Chris Glen posting.
But Remember - The Truth Is Out There
Take Care.
B

Brokenantler wrote:I never said SAHB were bigger than anyone, I Said - IN THE MID SEVENTIES IN THE UK, SAHB WERE THE BIGGEST LIVE GROSSING ACT (FACT) WITH NO ONE ELSE INC GENESIS ETC DOING BETTER BUSINES

Unfortunately that's not what you said at all and I suggest that you read your own post! Your actual words were:- "Alex/SAHB in the mid 70's were the biggest live act in the uk" as quoted in my post!

Again, while I appreciate that that's what's being quoted in some current SAHB promotional material I doubt if it could be backed up. SAHB were never a major act and to suggest that they did better than the supergroups of the time is just stretching the imagination a tad!

fi

Brokenantler wrote:I never said SAHB were bigger than anyone, I Said - IN THE MID SEVENTIES IN THE UK, SAHB WERE THE BIGGEST LIVE GROSSING ACT (FACT) WITH NO ONE ELSE INC GENESIS ETC DOING BETTER BUSINES

As Fiona's already pointed out, that's NOT what you said!

At the end of the day, if you think Alex Harvey "grossed" more than the main UK groups of the 70's you're sadly mistaken.

There's no way on Earth a comedy rock act like the SAHB outsold, outgrossed or out anythinged Led Zeppelin - and even Genesis beat everything Zeppelin did in the 70's and the Stones outsold everybody else in the same period.

Thing is I like the SAHB a lot more than Zeppelin or Genesis or the Stones - but I'm afraid you're living in your own wee fantasy land if you try to bum them up the way you are. The SAHB really weren't that big a deal back in the day and maybe they "out grossed" somebody in Glasgow or something, but certainly not in the UK.

Brokenantler wrote:and as for a pub band CG&TO only playd 3 gigs which none of where in a "pub"

I was at the Outfit gig in Zico's in Wishaw where I saw them play to about 50 people or so. Zico's is just a pub is it not? It's certainly not a venue - no stage, no lights etc.

Playing downstairs in Oran Mor to 50 people is hardly a "big" gig either is it?

Brokenantler wrote:I'm not gonna waste any more of my time with with you guyz

Sorry everyone just isn't agreeing with your rose tinted view of the SAHB!

fergy

All I can say is that there are an awful lot of people out there who still want to see this band live. (I just know that one of you will say ah but without Alex and Zal...... well what about Quo without Lancaster and Coghlan or AC/DC without Bon, are they not allowed to carry the flag for those bands)

The current SAHB line up has 3 original members (Chris, Hugh and Ted) that made those songs in the 70's, worked and toured hard to make them as memorable as they are and are well within their rights to keep that music alive.

Every SAHB gig I have been to, whether in Cardiff, Bilston, Nantwich, Glasgow or Edinburgh has been to a full or almost full house, not bad for a band with little or no marketing, or even the backing of a record label.

The people want this band to play and keep the music alive, when Zal suggested new arrangements for some of the old songs this proved unpopular as the fans wanted the originals (and judging by the response so did the band)

So my point is that this band has a large following of loyal fans that want them to carry on year after year. As for the history books, they were regarded as a great live act and have influenced many bands throughout the years (I'm not sure about the biggest) but they were and are SENSATIONAL.

If you want to see for yourselves they are on tour May 1st JB'S Dudley, May 2nd The Cluney Newcastle and May 3rd Dexters Dundee.