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Start Date: August 19, 2022
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>Archive Copy<

Shanghai

'Fallen Heroes'

Thunderbird, UK, 1976

THR 2000

I SAW Status Quo at the Hammersmith Odeon in 1976 and Shanghai happened to the support band. Prior to then I'd never hear of them but their sprightly brand of heavy, funky rock made me sit up and take notice especially the antics of guitarist Mick Green. It was only after the show when I went and did a bit of research about the band that I realised that this was the legendary Mick Green of the Pirates, the man that invented the simultaneous lead/rhythm guitar style picked up by one of my other favourite bands at the time Dr Feelgood.

Green was a big guy, hunched over his guitar knocking out the riffs like they were going out of fashion. It was quite an eye opener I can tell you. In addition the band also featured drummer Pete Kircher who Quo would later pinch to replace John Coughlin and vocalist Cliff Bennet fresh from his stint with heavy rock pioneers Toe Fat.

The music here is a nice mixture of tough urban funky rock and low down blues rock with good use of guitar (slide and lead) from the nimble fingers of Mick Green. 'Let's Get The Hell Off This Highway', 'Candy Eyes' and 'Over The Walls' edge the band close to the solid Brit blues rock of say Climax Blues Band and Stretch whilst the cover of 'Shakin' All Over' allows Mick Green the opportunity to interpret a Pirates song that he didn't actually play on first time around. 'Solaris', on the other hand, goes right to the core of Wishbone Ash with its twin lead guitar playing and lengthy structure. A real eye opener.

Rare!

Pressing: Thunderbird, UK, 1976

Vinyl: Superb clean and shiny condition. No spindle marks and no other signs of use. Grades as top archive MINT!

Cover: No signs of use. Issued in a beautifully illustrated cover. Sharp corners (a couple slightly rubbed) no dings, no bends, no ring wear, no split seams and no creases. Spine is straight, stiff and uncrushed. Impossible to find like this 46 years after release. Grades as Ex+

Inserts: One page lyric insert

Matrix:

1st Pressing

Side One: THR 2000 - A3

Side Two: THR 2000 - B3