Stackridge (album)

Stackridge is the 1971 debut album by the English group Stackridge. It was one of the first releases on the MCA Records label in the U.K. It first appeared on CD in 1997, released by Demon Records in the U.K. In 2006 it was re-issued again by Angel Air.

Stackridge
Studio album by
Stackridge
Released6 August 1971 (U.K.)
RecordedMarch – April 1971
GenreFolk rock[1]
Length50:34
LabelMCA
Decca
Demon (CD-reissue)
Angel Air (CD-reissue)
ProducerFritz Freyer
Stackridge chronology
Stackridge
(1971)		 Friendliness
(1972)

The Stackridge style is rather hard to categorize. According to the liner notes of the Demon Records CD the group claimed a wide range of influences including the Beatles, the Beach Boys, Frank Zappa, Syd Barrett, Robin Williamson, the Marx Brothers, Flanders and Swann, Bing Crosby, Tom Lehrer, Gilbert and Sullivan, Frederick Delius, J. S. Bach and Igor Stravinsky.

"Dora the Female Explorer" and "Slark" were both issued as singles from the album.[2]

Recording

The album was recorded on 16-track equipment at De Lane Lea Studios, London, between March and April 1971 with recording engineer Martin Birch. It was produced by Fritz Freyer. Deep Purple were in the studio next door working on their album Fireball.

The album contains the original 14-minute version of "Slark" which was later re-recorded in a much shorter version for a single. "Slark" was the highlight of many Stackridge concerts, combining as it did folk and progressive rock elements.

Reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[1]

Track listing
Side one
  1. "Grande Piano" - 3:21 (Andrew Davis, James Warren)
  2. "Percy The Penguin" - 3:40 (Davis, Warren)
  3. "The Three Legged Table" - 6:47 (Warren)
  4. "Dora the Female Explorer" - 3:45 (Davis, Warren, Michael Evans, Michael Slater, Billy Bent)
  5. "Essence of Porphyry" - 8:04 (Warren)
Side two
  1. "Marigold Conjunction" - 4:58 (Warren)
  2. "32 West Mall" - 2:25 (Davis, Warren)
  3. "Marzo Plod" - 3:05 (Warren)
  4. "Slark" - 14:07 (Jim Walter, Davis)[note 1]
Bonus tracks on 2006 reissue
  1. "Let There Be Lids"
  2. "Slark" (single version)

On some versions of the album, such as the U.S. edition released by Decca Records (DL-75317), the title of the song "32 West Mall" was shortened to "West Mall." Decca had also changed the titles of songs by other British artists, such as The Who, for U.S. release.

Personnel
  • Andy Cresswell-Davis - electric and acoustic guitars, lead and backing vocals, piano, harmonium
  • James Warren - electric and acoustic basses, lead and backing vocals, acoustic guitar
  • Michael Evans - violin, backing vocals
  • Michael "Mutter" Slater - flute, backing vocals
  • Billy "Sparkle" Bent - drums, triangle

Other credits

Notes
  1. BMI records (see BMI Work #1353928) list "Slark" as composed solely by Andrew Cresswell-Davis.

References
  1. "Stackridge". Allmusic. Retrieved 9 November 2014.
  2. "Stackridge Discography - UK - 45cat". www.45cat.com. Retrieved 5 February 2020.
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