This is one of those albums that is
significant, not just because of the quality of the music but for its
role as a landmark in a narrative that has a resonance beyond the
recording itself, bringing together strands of a story involving some
of the central figures in British blues. The core of Mainsqueeze were
musicians that had played together in the great blues combos of the
60s Dick Heckstall-Smith (John Mayalls Bluesebreakers, Graham Bond
Organisation, Jon Hisemans Colosseum) John OLeary (Savoy Brown Blues
Band, John Dummer Blues Band), Victor Brox and Keith Tillman (both
from Aynsley Dunbar Retaliation and John Mayall) - and were on the
marvellous Sweet Pain Session in 1969. They reunited ten years later
with an expanded line-up, including Eric Bell (Them and Thin Lizzy)
with the aim of creating a larger-than-life blues/rock revue. They
succeeded, despite operating in an unhelpful market alongside
post-punk, disco and emerging electronica, and entertained audiences
around Europe for several years. Only intermittently available since
then, this live set recorded at Ronnie Scotts is presented here in
its original form. ERIC BELL: vocals & guitar VICTOR BROX: vocals
& trumpet DICK HECKSTALL-SMITH: tenor, alto and soprano
saxophones DAVE MUNCH MOORE: Fender Rhodes piano, clavinet, Moog,
Roland organ JOHN OLEARY: harmonica & congas KEITH TILLMAN:
Fender bass STRETCH: drums & percussion. Additional players:
DIANA WOOD: vocals & alto saxophone; ROD COOMBES: percussion;
MIRANDA HAMPTON, NOELLE HOUGHTON, CLARE JENKINS: Dancers. Recorded
live at Ronnie Scotts Club, Frith Street, London WC2, 15th January
1983