Genre: progressive
Rating: 5 stars *****
Title: Den of Iniquity
Company: Radioactivity
Catalog: RRLP51
Year: 1971
Country/State: Birmingham, UK
Grade (cover/record): NM / NM
Comments: sealed reissue
Available: not for sale
Catalog ID: not for sale
Price: not for sale
James Plummer's Radioactive Records was one of those 'gray area' reissue labels. Before going under in 2006 the label apparently paid royalties to some artists, but screwed far more outfits over. That said, this appears to be one of the legitimate reissue projects - the back cover liners notes say 'licensed courtesy of EMI Commercial Markets.' 'Course that may not have been a true statement.
Keyboardist/singer/namesake Norman Haines started his professional musical career as a member of the Birmingham-based beat group The Brumbeats. Following The Brumbeats' breakup Haines became a member of Locomotive, which cur a couple of highly regarded singles and the album "We Are Everything You See" before collapsing. Haines then recruited lead guitarist Neil Clarke, singer/bassist Andy Hughes, and drummer Jimmy Skidmore for the band Sacrifice. In 1970 the Parlophone label signed Sacrifice to a recording contract. Apparently unhappy with the band name, Parlophone marketing executives unilaterally released the band's debut single 'Daffodill' b/w 'Autumn Mobile' (Parlophone catalog number R 5871) under the name 'The Norman Haynes Band' (no I didn't typo that).
While the single did little commercially, Parlophone decided to finance an album. With Tony Hall in the producer's chair, 1971's "Den of Iniquity" was recorded at Abbey Road Studios. With namesake Haines and bassist Hughes responsible for the majority of material, the few detailed reviews I've stumbled across portrayed the album as having a dark progressive sound. Only partially true and not a particularly accurate description. Propelled by the combination of Haines' blistering voice and keyboards and Clarke's fantastic guitar, the results managed to combine razor sharp hard rock, blues-rock and more commercial moves. You're probably scratching your head trying to figure that combination out, but the fact of the matter is songs like the ominous title track, 'Finding My Way Home' and 'Everything You See (Mr. Armageddon)' (the latter previously recorded by Locomotive) should have held equal appeal to top-40 radio and free form FM audiences. Stylistically the biggest surprise was the pretty acoustic ballad 'Bourgeois'. Written and sung by Hughes the track served to spotlight his folkie roots. In contrast, side two found the band stretching out on a pair of largely instrumental blues-rock oriented numbers. Less dynamic than side one, the 13 minute 'Rabbits' and 'Life Is So Unkind' served to spotlight the band's instrumental prowess, guitarist Clarke in particular getting a chance to showcase his first-rate playing. Elsewhere Parlophone tapped the album for a pair of singles:
- 1971's 'Den of Iniquity' b/w 'Everything You See (Mr. Armageddon); (Parlophone catalog number SPSR 338)
- 1971's 'Finding My Way Home' b/w 'Rabbits" (Parlophone catalog number R 5890).
Inexplicably the latter was credited to 'Avalanche'.
With little support from Parlophone the LP didn't exactly burn up the charts, though part of the blame may have rested with the choice of art work. The Heinrich Kley drawing was pretty stunning and some British retailers apparently refused to stock the album.
"Den of
Iniquity" track listing:
(side 1)
1.) Den Of Iniquity (Norman Haines) - 4:34
2.) Finding My Way Home (Norman Haines - Andy Hughes) - 3:25
3.) Everything You See (Mr. Armageddon) (Norman Haines) - 4:37
4.) When I Came Down (Norman Haines) - 3:58
5.) Bourgeois (Andy Hughes) - 3:01
(side
2)
1.) Rabbits
(instrumental) (Neil Clark) - 13:05
a.) Sonata (For Singing Pig)
b.) Joint Effort
c.) Skidpatch
d.) Miracle
2.) Life Is So Unkind (instrumental) (Norman Haines) - 8:06
a.) Moonlight Mazurka
b.) Echoes of the Future
With the band calling it quits in 1972 Haines
released a solo 45: 'Give It To You Girl' b/w 'Elaine' (Parlophone catalog
number R 5960). He was offered a spot in the newly formed Black
Sabbath, but passed on it and then largely disappeared from the music scene
though he appears to have returned to the fold fronting Norman
Haines Blueskool.
He has a small website presence at:
http://www.myspace.com/blueskoolblues
There've been a couple of dubious reissues, including a 2002 release by Progressive Line (catalog number PL 528), one by the independent Shoestring label within included both sides of the non-LP 45s and the previously unreleased track 'I Really Need a Friend'), and the Radioactive project (catalog number RRLP51 (LP) and RRCD51 (CD)).