The Joker is Wild (album)
Encyclopedia
The Joker is Wild was the second album and created by Alex Harvey
after the Soul Band. The album was released in 1972. Some time after 1972 the album The Joker Is Wild was reissued and repackaged, the album song listings stayed the same, but the album was credited as being made by "The Sensational Alex Harvey Band" even though this band did not exist at the time, and the title was changed to This Is.
Recorded at Regent Sound Studio, London in early 1972. These songs are unfinished demos only, recorded for a Spanish singer named Tony Caldeira (who wrote "The Joker Is Wild" and "Silhouette And Shadow"). Alex was teaching Tony vocal delivery and phrasing. Alex received a cheque for the session which subsequently bounced. The producer, Paul Murphy, sold the tapes to Metronome Records in Germany and they issued the LP as "The Joker Is Wild" in 1972. "This Is SAHB" is a low budget reissue of "Joker" intended to cash in on SAHB's success (even though Zal, Chris, Ted and Hugh weren't involved with the recordings!). The photo of SAHB on the sleeve features keyboard player John Martin on the far left.
Leslie Harvey plays guitar on this session. "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother" is NOT a tribute to Leslie, who was electrocuted on stage at the Swansea Top Rank Ballroom on 3 May 1972 while playing with Stone The Crows. Alex recorded this song because he used to hang out with members of the Hollies in the 60s.
Jim Condron and George Butler were members of Harvey's flower-power band Giant Moth in 1967. Although they never recorded under this name, they did release two singles for Decca under Alex's own name. They were "The Sunday Song/Horizons" (1967 Decca F12640) and "Maybe Someday/Curtains For My Baby" (1967 Decca F12660). Harvey and Condron co-wrote the song "There's No Lights On The Christmas Tree, Mother, They're Burning Big Louie Tonight" which Alex went on to record with the Hairband in 1969 and with SAHB in 1972.
Alex Harvey (musician)
Alex Harvey was a Scottish rock musician. With The Sensational Alex Harvey Band, he built a reputation as an exciting live performer during the 1970s glam rock era.-Biography:...
after the Soul Band. The album was released in 1972. Some time after 1972 the album The Joker Is Wild was reissued and repackaged, the album song listings stayed the same, but the album was credited as being made by "The Sensational Alex Harvey Band" even though this band did not exist at the time, and the title was changed to This Is.
Track listing
- "The Joker Is Wild"
- "Penicillin Blues"
- "Make Love To You"
- "I'm Just A Man"
- "He Ain't Heavy, He's My BrotherHe Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother"He Ain't Heavy... He's My Brother" is a popular music ballad written by Bobby Scott and Bob Russell. Originally recorded by Kelly Gordon in 1969, the song became a worldwide hit for The Hollies later that year and again for Neil Diamond in 1970....
" (Bob ScottBobby Scott (musician)Bobby Scott was an American musician, record producer, and songwriter.-Biography:He was born Robert William Scott in Mount Pleasant, New York, and became a pianist, vibraphonist, and singer, and could also play the accordion, cello, clarinet, and double bass...
, Bob RussellBob Russell (songwriter)Sidney Keith "Bob" Russell, was an American songwriter born in Passaic, New Jersey.In 1968, Russell along with songwriting partner Quincy Jones was nominated for an Academy Award in the Best Original Song category...
) - "Silhouette And Shadow"
- "Hare Krishna"
- "Willie the PimpWillie the Pimp"Willie the Pimp" is a blues rock song from Frank Zappa's 1969 album Hot Rats. It features an idiosyncratic Captain Beefheart vocal and one of Zappa's classic guitar solos. It is 9 minutes and 16 seconds long on Hot Rats...
" (Frank ZappaFrank ZappaFrank Vincent Zappa was an American composer, singer-songwriter, electric guitarist, record producer and film director. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Zappa wrote rock, jazz, orchestral and musique concrète works. He also directed feature-length films and music videos, and designed...
)
- "Flying Saucer's Daughter"
Personnel
- Alex Harvey - guitar, vocals
- Leslie Harvey - guitar
- Pete Kelly - piano
- Steve Allan - engineer, synthesizer, sound effects on "Flying Saucer's Daughter"
- Jim Condron - bass guitar
- George Butler - drums
- Paul Murphy - producer
Recorded at Regent Sound Studio, London in early 1972. These songs are unfinished demos only, recorded for a Spanish singer named Tony Caldeira (who wrote "The Joker Is Wild" and "Silhouette And Shadow"). Alex was teaching Tony vocal delivery and phrasing. Alex received a cheque for the session which subsequently bounced. The producer, Paul Murphy, sold the tapes to Metronome Records in Germany and they issued the LP as "The Joker Is Wild" in 1972. "This Is SAHB" is a low budget reissue of "Joker" intended to cash in on SAHB's success (even though Zal, Chris, Ted and Hugh weren't involved with the recordings!). The photo of SAHB on the sleeve features keyboard player John Martin on the far left.
Leslie Harvey plays guitar on this session. "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother" is NOT a tribute to Leslie, who was electrocuted on stage at the Swansea Top Rank Ballroom on 3 May 1972 while playing with Stone The Crows. Alex recorded this song because he used to hang out with members of the Hollies in the 60s.
Jim Condron and George Butler were members of Harvey's flower-power band Giant Moth in 1967. Although they never recorded under this name, they did release two singles for Decca under Alex's own name. They were "The Sunday Song/Horizons" (1967 Decca F12640) and "Maybe Someday/Curtains For My Baby" (1967 Decca F12660). Harvey and Condron co-wrote the song "There's No Lights On The Christmas Tree, Mother, They're Burning Big Louie Tonight" which Alex went on to record with the Hairband in 1969 and with SAHB in 1972.