Strawbs: Hero And Heroine 1974, Remastered 1998

Strawbs (or The Strawbs) are an English rock band founded in 1964 as the Strawberry Hill Boys. Although the band started out as a bluegrass group, they eventually moved on to other styles such as folk rock, progressive rock, and (briefly) glam rock.

They are best known for their hit, "Part of the Union", which reached number two in the UK Singles Chart in February 1973, as well as for "Lay Down" a popular progressive rock hit from the same LP. The Strawbs also toured with Supertramp in their "Crime of the Century" tour, doing their own "Hero and Heroine" tour, which drew musical similarities and themes.

After the folk-tinged Dragonfly, Cousins and Hooper added Rick Wakeman on keyboards, Richard Hudson on drums, and John Ford on bass. The new line-up had their London debut at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, where they recorded their third album, Just a Collection of Antiques and Curios; the Melody Maker reported on the concert with the headline "Tomorrow's superstar" in reference to Wakeman.

Wakeman stayed with them for one further album, From the Witchwood, then departed to join Yes, remarking to the press that "I'm sure we'll all benefit from the split because we were beginning to compromise a lot on ideas – like we'd use half of my ideas and half of theirs – and I don't think it was helping what was eventually coming out. We ended up lacking challenge. Complacency set in, and for the last couple of months we just weren't working."

He was replaced by Blue Weaver, who had previously been with Amen Corner and Fair Weather. This line-up produced what many feel to be the archetypal Strawbs album Grave New World, before yet another change, the departure of founding member Hooper, who was replaced by electric guitarist Dave Lambert, formerly of Fire and the King Earl Boogie Band.

After the tour supporting the previous album, Bursting at the Seams, there was an acrimonious split leaving only Dave Cousins and Dave Lambert to rebuild the band. John Hawken of The Nashville Teens and Renaissance on keyboards, Chas Cronk on bass and Rod Coombes on drums from Juicy Lucy and Stealers Wheel completed the line-up.

The new line-up gelled very quickly and studio sessions were very productive. The album was released first in the US to a warm reception, and then in the UK where reviews were less positive. The album only reached number 35 on the UK Album Charts and the band increasingly began to look to North America for a successful future.

Cousins and Lambert rebuilt the band, adding John Hawken (formerly of The Nashville Teens and Renaissance) on keyboards, Rod Coombes formerly with Stealers Wheel and Chas Cronk on bass. This line-up recorded the 1974 Hero and Heroine and Ghosts, and tended to concentrate on the North American market with relatively little touring in the UK.

Strawbs still retain a great fan-base today in the US and Canada. Hero And Heroine went platinum in Canada, and both albums sold extremely well in the US too. A further album, Nomadness, recorded without Hawken, was less successful, and was their last for A&M Records.

The album, although still recognisably Strawbs, contains tracks with harsh "straight talking" lyrics, in contrast to the more lyrical approach shown on Bursting at the Seams. The music is more Gothic and doom-laden with washes of mellotron and guitar power chords, especially on the longer tracks.

( AllMusic Review by Bruce Eder 
The group's ballsiest album to date, a surging, hard-rocking follow-up to Bursting at the Seams, which debuted a new lineup, Richard Hudson, John Ford, and Blue Weaver having left to form their own group. In their places, ex-Nashville Teens keyboardman John Hawken and the more muscular rhythm section of Rod Coombes and Chas Cronk make their debut, on what is the Strawbs' first fully electric album.

Dave Cousins' songwriting (augmented by Dave Lambert, who also contributes some slashing electric lead guitar) is still as romantic as ever in various spots ("Shine On Silver Sun," "Deep Summer's Sleep"), but also boasts dark visions ("Round and Round") which, coupled with new band's muscular playing, made the Strawbs one of the hardest-rocking progressive bands in the world.

Hero and Heroine deserved better, being one of the best guitar-driven progressive rock albums of its period.)  

Tracklist

01. Autumn     8:27

02. Sad Young Man     4:09

03. Just Love     3:41

04. Shine On Silver Sun     2:46

05. Hero And Heroine     3:29

06. Midnight Sun     3:06

07. Out In The Cold     3:19

08. Round And Round     4:44

09. Lay A Little Light On Me     3:27

10. Hero's Theme     2:28

    Bonus Tracks

11. Still Small Voice     2:28

12. Lay A Little Light On Me (Early Version)     2:20

Label: A&M Records - 540935-2

Series: A&M Re Master Pieces

Format: CD, Reissue, Remastered, PMDC

Country: Europe

Released: 1998

Genre: Rock

Style: Folk Rock, Prog Rock, Classic Rock

 

Credits

    Art Direction [Art Director] – Michael Doud

    Bass, Synthesizer, Vocals – Chas Cronk

    Drums, Percussion, Vocals – Rod Coombes

    Engineer – Freddy Hansson, Tom Allom

    Photography – Tony Evans

    Piano, Electric Piano, Organ, Mellotron, Synthesizer – John Hawken

    Producer – Dave Cousins, Tom Allom

    Remastered By – Roger Wake

    Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar – Dave Lambert (4)

    Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, Written-By – Dave Cousins

HERO AND HEROINE  LYRICS

Hero's face was gaunt and tanned

His sail was set in search of land

His life-raft, solely by him manned

Was guided by the tide

Heroine wore fleecy white

She beckoned like some savior bright

Shipwrecked sailors in the night

Were bid welcome to her side

Where one man's search must surely cease

The irresistible white fleece

Led Hero in search of the peace

When she alone could offer

Thus he knelt before her feet

Wary lest their eyes should meet

He knew his life was incomplete

For he had yet to suffer

Enticing Heroine, so calm

Took Hero firmly by the arm

Told him that she meant no harm

That she alone could save him

Hero could no longer speak

Realizing he was weak

His life increasingly grew bleak

For all the love she gave to him

While storm clouds gathered high above

The heroine, he grew to love

Turned slowly to a snow white dove

And spread her wings to fly

Crushed and broken in the end

Hero watched his soul ascend

Knowing that he was condemned

To sail all alone to die

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