"Jesus Christ Superstar – A Rock Opera" by ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER and TIM RICE – October 1970 2LP Set on MCA Records (UK) and Decca Records (USA) – ORIGINAL STUDIO CAST featuring Vocals from Ian Gillan of Deep Purple, Murray Head, Yvonne Elliman, Victor Brox of The Aynsley Dunbar Retaliation, Brian Keith of The Congregation, John Gustafson, Barry Dennen, Annette Brox of Sweet Pain, Paul Davis of Gracious, Mike d’Abo of Manfred Mann, Tony Ashton of Ashton, Gardner & Dyke, Madeline Bell, Brian Bennett of Mike Stuart Span and Leviathan, Lesley Duncan, Sue and Sunny, Peter Barnfeather, Alan O’Duffy and Neil Lancaster with Henry McCulloch, Neil Hubbard, Chris Spedding on Guitars, Peter Robinson, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Mick Weaver on Keyboards - Chris Mercer on Tenor Sax of The Misunderstood, Keef Hartley Band, Charge and Gonzalez – Bass by Bruce Rowland of Ronnie Lane and Slim Chance and John Gustafson of The Spencer Davis Group and The Pirates (16 July 2012 UK Decca 2CD Reissue – Dick Beetham Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

ABOVE, ORIGINAL BRITISH DOUBLE-ALBUM ARTWORK OCTOBER 1970

BELOW, US ARTWORK USED ON THE OCTOBER 1970 ORIGINAL

AND THE 2012 2CD REISSUE/REMASTER

This Review and 315 More Like It 

Are Available in my e-Book...

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1970

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"...My Mind Is Clearer Now..."

Come 16 October 2020 - Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice's groundbreaking God-Rock spectacular "Jesus Christ Superstar - A Rock Opera" will be fifty years old. And in April 2020 – there are signs of age, dated tunes and hardened attitudes for sure. 

But that aside, this is still a seriously great double-album of the period and musically miles ahead of the saccharine pap that would take over ALW’s work for years after. And those famous names are a big draw too (see below).

First up however is the disappointing packaging, something that made the original MCA Records double pack such a wow (especially in Blighty). I've three copies at home all with the original catalogue number of MCA Records MKPS 2011/2 - the first on the earlier MCA label in Yellow (late 1970), the second with the curved Dog Bone variant (July 1971) and the third (April 1972) with the black and red coloured labels (there's a plain black in about 1974 too). The first two had a sort of four-way opening-out silver flaps sleeve (re-tied as an envelope) while the third ditched that for the standard gatefold. All of them had an album-sized 12-page libretto booklet giving all lyrics, photos of the principal singers and huge amounts of recording credits. Inside the gatefold of every edition was a college of 16-square photos - paintings of Christ as envisioned by many famous painters in history (Leonardo Da Vinci is No. 9) right up to Children at a South London School in Box No. 11 (supervised by Julie Collison).

The artwork for the American original on Decca Records DXA 7206 however used a gold two-angels logo on the very dull cover with a mini booklet slipped inside - and that's unfortunately what's been used for this US-based 2CD reissue. For me it completely defeats the impact of the beautiful-looking British original (maybe there will be a 50th Anniversary issue towards the end of 2020 that shows both artworks). It's hardly surprising that the US artwork has been chosen over the UK because it went to Number 1 there and only managed No 6 in January 1972 after reissue. But on a UK project, I'd like to see the UK artwork, especially when it is way more striking. At least a copy of the original master tapes (thought to have been destroyed in a fire) have been found and restoration work on those have produced this massively improved audio winner (ALW discusses this and the new EQ master on Page 2 of the 20-page booklet). Anyway, let's get to the anointed one, the haunted hunted Galilean and the music inspired by him...

UK released 16 July 2012 - "Jesus Christ Superstar - A Rock Opera" by ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER, TIM RICE and ORIGINAL STUDIO CAST on Decca 53339271 (Barcode 600753392713) is a 2CD Reissue and Remaster of a 1970 Double-Album (no bonus material) that plays out as follows:

CD1 (43:53 minutes):

1. Overture [Side 1]

2. Heaven On Their Minds

3. What's The Buzz/Strange Thing Mystifying

4. Everything's Alright

5. This Jesus Must Die

6. Rosanna [Side 2]

7. Simon Zealotes/Poor Jerusalem

8. Pilate's Dream

9. The Temple

10. Everything's Alright (Reprise)

11. I Don't Know How To Love Him

12. Damned For All Time/Bloody Money

CD2 (43:17 minutes):

1. The Last Supper [Side 3]

2. Gethsemane (I Only Want To Say)

3. The Arrest

4. Peter's Denial

5. Pilate And Christ

6. King Herod's Song (Try It And See It)

7. Judas' Death [Side 4]

8. Trial Before Pilate (Including The 39 Lashes)

9. Superstar

10. Crucifixion

11. John Nineteen Forty-One

"Jesus Christ Superstar - A Rock Opera" was released October 1970 in the UK on MCA Records MKPS 2011/2 and October 1970 in the USA on Decca Records DXA 7206. It peaked at No. 6 in the UK but went to No. 1 in the USA.

The list of big/small name contributors is enormous – the Vocal parts alone feature Ian Gillan of Deep Purple (in the lead role) and in ascending order- Murray Head, Yvonne Elliman (later solo and with Eric Clapton's band), Victor Brox of The Aynsley Dunbar Retaliation, Brian Keith of The Congregation, Annette Brox of Sweet Pain, Paul Davis of Gracious, Mike d’Abo of Manfred Mann, Tony Ashton of Ashton, Gardner & Dyke, Madeline Bell of Blue Mink, Brian Bennett of Mike Stuart Span and Leviathan, Lesley Duncan, Barry Dennen, Sue and Sunny, Peter Barnfeather, Alan O'Duffy, Neil Lancaster and The Trinidad Singers on the title track. The guitarists are principally Henry McCulloch (Sweeney's Men, Eire Apparent, Spooky Tooth, The Grease Band and Paul McCartney's Wings), Neil Hubbard and Chris Spedding - while keyboards come courtesy of Peter Robinson, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Mick Weaver. Chris Mercer on Tenor Sax of The Misunderstood, Keef Hartley Band, Charge and Gonzalez with Bass from John Gustafson of The Spencer Davis Group and The Pirates (JG sings also) aided by Bruce Rowland of The Grease Band and Ronnie Lane/Slim Chance. There are more! To the music…

Even back then I used to skip the Overture and go straight to Murray Head as Judas on the brilliant "Heaven On Their Minds" – Tim Rice’s lyrics hitting the spot so many times - "Jesus! You’ve started to believe the things they say of you…You really do believe this talk of God is true…" – his reasoning as it fades out perfectly capturing suspicion tugging at the heart of an admiring man. "What’s The Buzz…" introduces the amazing voice of Ian Gillan as Jesus – Deep Purple’s front man with the chops to be expressive and on occasion let out those screams that straddle pain and frustration. Yvonne Elliman as Mary Magdalene duets with Gillan on one of the album’s best pieces "Everything’s Alright" – again the lyrics and the music swelling towards that huge strings and voices finish.

God Rock becomes seriously dated with the hammy "Hosanna" – hey JC – you’re alright by me – oh dear. Things return to clever-Rock with "Simon Zealotes/Poor Jerusalem" where the mob asks "did you see I waved…tell me I am saved…" as another sees the chance to harness the crowds to attack Rome – power and glory of a material and not spiritual kind. Of all the tracks that are lifted, "Pilate’s Dream" is perhaps the most startling. Those acoustic guitars swirling around the speakers as Pilate tries to decipher visions that leave him the blame for the man who is both haunting and hunted. In February 1971, MCA Records took the Yvonne Elliman sung ballad "I Don’t Know How To Love Him" and issued it as a 45 with a titled picture sleeve (MCA Records MKS 5053) with the instrumental "Overture" on the flipside. Side 2 ends on a desperate Judas trying to justify his decisions (Murray Head brilliant again) that then segues into that sinister moment of Gethsemane betrayal in "Blood Money".

The seven minutes of "The Last Supper" has amazing clarity (always knew I'd be an apostle) - the Ian Gillan vs. Murray Head vocal sparring, the keyboards  - all suddenly with so much more oomph. The same applies to the acoustic strums that open "Gethsemane (I Only Want To Say)" - the brass and orchestration putting out a huge soundstage. Betrayed with a kiss, "The Arrest" has great clarity on the 'what's the buzz' chorus of voices and again Ian Gillan nailing it on the so-emotional lead vocals. I recognise your face - I'm sure I saw you with him - I was never with him - "Peter's Denial" clear and powerful for it too. Cluttering up his hallway, Pilate mocks the king of the Jews – those background instruments menacing as Pilate sneers and condemns. Getting quite a name all around the place, Mike d'Abo adding some superb camp to "King Herod's Song" - that barrelhouse piano amped up. And on it goes through the Trial to the huge brass and orchestra of "Superstar" - still a stirring piece of work. "The Crucifixion" is hard to hear, as is the sadness in the final piece "John Nineteen Forty-One".

Into your hands, I commend this reissue might be a tad cheesy. But then again, after 50 years, so is much of this. Still whether one of us denies it or not, "Jesus Christ Superstar" sold reputedly upwards of 8-millions copies and across a steady two to three years too – its influence of course reaching out though the decades long, long after 1970.

Notwithstanding the seriously dated nature of the music, there is much to love here, and lifetime fans of this Rock Opera will need to own this amazing Audio upgrade...