(Hard rock) Boxer - Bloodletting - 1976(1979), FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Группа Boxer была сформирована в 1975 году вокалистом Майком Пэтто (Mike Patto) и гитаристом Олли Хэлсалом (Oilie Halsall) (ex-Timebox, TEMPEST). Вместе с ними в первый состав группы вошли Кейт Эллис (Keith Ellis) на басе (ex-Van Der Graaf Generator, Juicy Lucy, Spooky Tooth и др.) и Тони Ньюмэн (Tony Newman) на барабанах (ex-Sounds Inc., Jeff Beck Group, Kevin Ayers и др.). Кейт и Майк играли вместе в Spooky Tooth. Олли и Тони играли вместе с Кевином Эйерсом (Kevin Ayers) в его турне. Когда турне закончилось, они присоединились к Майку и Олли. Первый альбом "Below The Belt"/ "Ниже Пояса" группа записала в 1975 году. Помимо оригинальной обложки на альбоме был представлен прекрасный музыкальный материал. Второй альбом под названием "Bloodletting"/"Кровопролитие" они записали в 1976 году, который не будет, по некоторым причинам, выпущен до 1979. После записи второго альбома в составе группы произошли изменения: басиста Эллиса сменил Тим Богерт (Tim Bogert) (ex-Jeff Beck Group, Vanilla Fudge), гитариста Хэлсалала Адриан Фишер (Adrian Fisher) (ex-Sparks), а барабанщика Ньюмэна - Эдди Тудери (Eddie Tuduri)(ex-Wha-Koo). Так же к группе присоединился талантливый органист Крис Стэйнтон (Chris Stainton), который ранее принимал участие в концертах Boxer, а также успел отметиться у Джо Кокера (Joe Cocker), Эрика Клэптона (Eric Clapton) и Леона Рассела (Leon Russell ). В этом составе был записан в 1977 году третий альбом под названием "Absolutely"/"Абсолютно". Большая часть композиций в этом альбоме написаны Крисом Стэйнтоном. Этот альбом стал последним релизом для Майка. Он скончался 4 марта 1979 года от лимфатической лейкемии (рак лимфы гланд). К сожалению, дебют Boxer прошел почти незамеченным, хотя в творческом отношении два первых альбома были интересны своеобразным подходом к синтезу хард-рока, блюза и психоделии. Сегодня бы эта группа незамеченной не осталась...

Bloodletting was an album by the rock band Boxer, released on the Virgin record label in 1979. Their third album in order of release, it had in fact been recorded in 1976 after their debut Below the Belt. It was also a posthumous release for band leader Mike Patto, who had died of cancer in March 1979. Patto was credited as writer of all the album's original songs. Also featured were cover versions of "Hey Bulldog" by Lennon and McCartney, Leonard Cohen's "Teacher" and "The Loner" by Neil Young. The cover artwork was by Tony Wright.

(Wikipedia)

"BLOODLETTING"

Recorded 1976, Released 1979

Virgin Records V2073 (UK)

Produced by Mike Patto and Nigel Thomas

SIDE A SIDE B
HEY BULLDOG (Lennon/McCartney) WHY PICK ON ME (Patto)
THE BLIZZARD (Patto) LOVE HAS GOT ME (Patto)
RICH MAN'S DAUGHTER (Patto) DINAH-LOW (Stamp/Avery)
BIG CITY FEVER (Patto) TEACHERS (Leonard Cohen)
THE LONER (Neil Young)

Mike Patto - vocals and keyboards
Ollie Halsall - guitar and keyboards
Keith Ellis - bass guitar
Tony Newman - drums

All titles published by Virgin Music except "Hey Bulldog" published by Northern Songs Ltd, "The Loner" published by Warner Bros. Music Ltd., "Dinah-Low" published by Gas Songs/Cookaway Music, and "Teachers" published by MAM Music Publishing.
Chris Stainton - Many thanks for additional keyboard wizardry Album cover design: Nigel Thomas
Boz Burrell, Bobby Tench, Tim Hinkley -
contribution unclear Cover art: Tony Wright
Recorded courtesy of The Manor,
and the Manor Mobile Mixed at AIR Studios, London
Engineer: John Kelly

"Bloodletting" was recorded in 1976, but for some reason was not released to the general public until 1979. Strange, because it is a great album, despite the fact that half of the album's songs are cover versions and Ollie has no writing credits. Every track is strong, and the band has a fuller sounding production than on the "Below The Belt" debut.

All of the original compositions are credited solely to Mike, and the "The Blizzard", "Rich Man's Daughter", and "Big City Fever" are perhaps some of the catchiest tunes he wrote on his own. He redid "Rich Man's Daughter" for the 1977 Boxer album, "Absolutely".

"Bloodletting" includes four great cover tunes. "Hey Bulldog" rocks hard and includes some great guitar. "Dinah-Low" is a fantastic version of the Terry Stamp/Jim Avery song from Terry's 1975 "Fatsticks" album, which both Ollie and Tony Newman played on. Perhaps the star track on the album, though, is the live version of Leonard Cohen's "Teachers". It is a smoking performance by the band, which features a bit of Ollie jamming alone towards the end.

Unlike the first album, other musicians guested on "Bloodletting". Chris Stainton was acknowledged in large print on the album cover for his keyboards. Boz Burrell (King Crimson, Alexis Korner, Bad Company et al.), Bobby Tench (Jeff Beck Group et al.), and Tim Hinkley (Bo Street Runners, Jody Grind, Alexis Korner et al.) all played in Chapman/Whitney's Streetwalkers and were involved in the Hinkley's Heroes jam band, which Mike Patto was also involved with. The three are only listed in small print on the record label, so their contributions to "Bloodletting" are unclear -- likely just backing vocals and minor instrumentation.

(www.pattofan.com)

Mike Patto - vocals and keyboards
Ollie Halsall - guitar and keyboards
Keith Ellis - bass guitar
Tony Newman - drums