"Tempest/Living In Fear plus Bonus Tracks" by TEMPEST – February 1973 UK Debut Album and April 1974 UK Second and Last Studio Album on Bronze Records featuring Paul Williams, Alan Holdsworth, Ollie Halsall, Mark Clarke and Jon Hiseman (October 2023 UK Beat Goes On Records Compilation – 2LPs Plus Two Bonus Tracks onto 2CDs – Andrew Thompson Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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RATING: *** (Content), ***** (Presentation and Audio)

 

"...Waiting For A Miracle..."

 

In some respects, 1973 was a strange year for Rock. On the one hand, you had extraordinary releases from Bowie, Oldfield, Pink Floyd, Yes, Marvin Gaye, Paul McCartney, 10cc, Cockney Rebel, The Who, Elton John, John Martyn, Curtis Mayfield, Bobby Womack, Donny Hathaway and Stevie Wonder – all chockers with innovation and musical excellence – and loads more like them across Pop, Prog, Folk and even Reggae. And on the other hand, you had all these bands arising out of the ashes of old – in particular 1970, 1971 and 1972 line-ups – hustling for what should have been a glorious new beginning and eventual global domination followed quickly by concert teeshirt worship.

 

The short-lived TEMPEST was such a British group. Lead Singer and Front Man Paul Williams had come up through the ranks of Zoot Money and the heyday of Juicy Lucy, Lead Guitarist Alan Holdsworth had graced the doors of the one-album Decca Records cult band Igginbottom while Bassist Mark Clarke and Drummer Jon Hiseman were ex Uriah Heep and Colosseum respectively. In fact Hiseman saw Tempest as a vehicle to tackle a more Hard Rock approach as opposed to the Fusion Prog of Colosseum and Holdsworth could play to beat the band while ballsy/bluesy vocalist Paul Williams could dominate a microphone. Both Williams and Holdsworth jumped ship for the second LP only to be replaced with another ace-axeman – Ollie Halsall. So all in all – with their pair of studio LPs originally on the much-liked Bronze Records - Tempest sported righteous omens and pedigree call sheets - on paper. 

 

But that's were the good news ends - because 50-years on Tempest so often elicit the venomous ire of derision – a band obviously lacking in tunes. Their music was sort of Rock and sort of Prog - but despite gimmicky sleeves bound to engender cult collecting – were not particularly sexy pants as a band on either front.

 

Well, Beat Goes On Records of the UK have said damn the accusational torpedoes ye heathens of yore and reissued both albums with two appropriate bonuses in tow in one of those natty card slipcases they do so well. Stick that in your high-pressure front, you aging man-children of Gorgon. To the wet and windy details...

 

UK released Friday, 6 October 2023 - "Tempest/Living In Fear plus Bonus Tracks" by TEMPEST on Beats Goes On Records BGOCD1502 (Barcode 5017261215024) offers Two Albums from 1973 and 1974 Remastered onto Two CDs with Two Bonus Tracks and plays out as follows:

 

CD1 (35:40 minutes):

1. Gorgon [Side 1]

2. Foyers Of Fun

3. Dark House

4. Brothers

5. Up And On [Side 2]

6. Grey And Black

7. Strangeher

8. Upon Tomorrow

Tracks 1 to 8 are the debut album "Tempest" – released February 1973 in the UK on Bronze ILPS 9220 and Warner Brothers BS 2682 in the USA. Produced by JON HISEMAN – it didn’t chart in either country

 

TEMPEST line-up for the debut "Tempest"

PAUL WILLIAMS (ex Zoot Money and Juicy Lucy) – Vocals, Keyboards, Acoustic Guitar

ALAN HOLDSWORTH (ex ‘Igginbottom) – Lead Guitar and Violin

MARK CLARKE (ex Uriah Heep) – Bass, Keyboards and Vocals on "Grey And Black"

JON HISEMAN (ex Colosseum) – Drums and Percussion

 

CD2 (47:06 minutes):

1. Funeral Pyre [Side 1]

2. Paperback Writer

3. Stargazer

4. Dance To My Time

5. Living In Fear [Side 2]

6. Yeah Yeah Yeah

7. Waiting For A Miracle

8. Turn Around

Tracks 1 to 8 are their second and last studio album "Living in Fear" – released April 1974 in the UK on Bronze ILPS 9267 (no US release). Produced by GERRY BRON – it didn’t chart

 

TEMPEST line-up for "Living In Fear"

OLLIE HALSALL – Guitar, Keyboards and Vocals

MARK CLARKE – Bass and Vocals ("Stargazer" only)

JON HISEMAN – Drums and Percussion

 

BONUS TRACKS

9. You And Your Love

10. Dream Train

 

The card-slipcase is cool, the 20-page booklet reproducing the album artwork and lyrics (debut only) and photos from that elaborate artwork. Valiant new liner notes from CHARLES WARING explain the Colosseum connection and give a song-by-song breakdown – but despite his usual thoughtful and fact-filled assessment – it is for me all in vain because the music just does not warrant it. You cannot accuse this twofer however of not sounding kick-ass – the ANDREW THOMPSON Remasters storming out of your speakers with great power and separation.

 

It begins with a promising fade-in of acoustic guitars, treated mysterious vocals and swirling high-hat soundscapes – but then descends into plodding riffage and horrible lyrics about girlies studying evil all the time. If ever there was a template for Spinal Tap – this is it. Poor Paul Williams tries to passion his way into the guitars with lyrics that do him no favours. Writers Hiseman, Holdsworth and Clarke continue with the Cream-out-of-time heavy handedness of "Foyers Of Fun" and "Dark House" – Williams and his strained vocals sounding so out of place that it's obvious he's the wrong man for the job. Clever guitar parts hold together the Side 2 opener "Up And On" – soloing ahoy in the second half of the song.

 

A welcome melodic keyboard refrain opens "Grey And Black" but Clarke doesn't have the strongest voice in the world and so it feels like sub-standard Greenslade. At least the oddly spelt "Strangeher" feels like some half-decent Rock and Roll meets twin-guitar Wishbone Ash type sounds. A beautifully recorded Violin and Keyboard plink opens the decidedly jazzy-Prog final track on the debut "Upon Tomorrow" – the drum flourishes of Hiseman and the Weather Report bass notes of Clarke rattling around your speakers with wonderful clarity. But of course, come two minutes in – we get the sudden riffage that doesn't really excite. But at least Williams sounds more convincing – making "Upon Tomorrow" probably the best cut on a patchy debut album.

 

Both Singer/Keyboardist Paul Williams with Guitarist Alan Holdsworth jumped ship after the debut where Tempest effectively became a trio for the 1974 set "Living In Fear" – Ollie Halsall joining as Guitarist and Singer. But therein for me lies the problem with platter number two – Halsall can play and is famous for being a wiz on the fretboard – but again his voice is grating and not enticing you in. The band didn't seem to have learned the mistakes of the debut. And you wouldn’t mind if the songs had improved – no such luck.

 

Gerry Bron of Bronze Records produced and it feels a tad amateur despite Halsall going all wobbly guitar notes on the opener "Funeral Empire". A very clever and welcome cover gives them a chance to Rock – "Paperback Writer" getting grunged with guitars and layered vocals. But it only serves to remind that Tempest could never write something this brilliant – only that they can heavy-hand the song which they do. We get a tad Juicy Lucy with "Stargazer" where Mark Clarke takes lead vocals and at least it feels like a tune albeit in a Man kind of way. There then follows a line of hammy songs the best of which is the mildly guitar-jaunty “Yeah Yeah Yeah". Both "Waiting For A Miracle" and the decidedly guitar-whig-out finisher "Turn Around" try hard enough but lack any real kind of hook. The bonus tracks are only OK – the poppy "Dream Train" sounding dangerously close to bad Sparks.

 

You have to admire BGO of England for giving these 1973 and 1974 Tempest rarities a digital go-round and any fans out there are really going to love the classy presentation and massively upgraded sound. But I would advise a listen first for anyone else...