Out This Week / on 5 March 2021


Ken Hensley / My Book of Answers (new album)
Uriah Heep‘s Ken Hensley sadly died last year, so his final solo album is issued posthumously. A chance meeting at Alicante airport with a Russian businessman (Vladimir Emelin) – whose hobby was writing poetry – led to an unlikely collaboration. Vladimir’s words were translated into English and Ken fashioned verses and choruses until he had nine new songs! Ken plays slide and lead guitars as well as his classic Hammond playing and of course sings on the record that was finished and scheduled for release before his death.
For me the top release here is the Ken Hensley album – three tracks available to listen to via YouTube and the quality level is high. It’s a great shame he didn’t live long enough to see its release. Ordered!
Amazon UK have the new 2cd deluxe versions of the Sabs Heaven & Hell + Mob Rules listed as being released on Fri. £30 each! WTF?!
They are US releases only I think , my local record store tried to order the vinyl version and he was told rhino only have the license to release in America
Missing Persons: Spring Session M, Rhyme & Reason, Color In Your Life remastered CD’s available from Amazon an everywhere else on March 5 also.
Pre-ordered the three Missing persons titles a couple weeks ago. Very much looking forward to these remasters. I picked up the Rubellan Remasters editions of the Berlin titles and they sound great!
Not related to this but yesterday I was in a charity shop and saw a Mike Oldfield CD box set I had never seen before. It was a non standard shape and had 4 CDs and some some canvas bags with items inside and several highly detailed postcards. The detail was astonishing and it was 70p. I realised the pricing was an error so asked the assistant the correct price. Then I woke up! Paul my lawyers tell me I have a good case to sue you for promoting the drug of collecting SDEs for which there seems to be no known cure!
Looking very much forward to the Japan set arriving, though mine is coming some time next week, according to the “estimated delivery” announcement. What happened to Amazon delivering new releases on the day of release? I think I’ve only had a handful of my pre-orders show up on release day over the last few months. I’m having trouble accepting that COVID is at the root of the diminished service they are offering through Prime (with, I’ve noticed, no explanation or any offer to reduce the fee for Prime, despite the fact I’m not getting what i paid for).
Be Bop Deluxe Drastic Plastic box set now out. Excellent content and presentation.
If Neil Young followed Steven Wilson’s “teachings”, he would of added bonus tracks to the Archive II box set just to p?ss off some people.
I of to agree with you.
Mark, you of a wicked sense of humour, my friend!
Have course I do