Description
Label Review.
Human Menagerie & Psychomodo with singles and b-sides. Plus alternate mixes and BBC sessions.
Our Overview.
Originally released in 2012, shortly before the demise of EMI, this 4CD box set is being reissued by the newly independent Chrysalis Records and features the first two albums released Cockney Rebel along with associated singles, alternate versions, BBC sessions and more.
Steve Harley first trained as a journalist but in 1971, started playing the London folk circuit and writing his own numbers. We quit his job and supplemented his dole money by busking. He eventually formed a group and soon attracted the attention of famed producer Mickie Most which in turn led to a recording contract with EMI who issued their first album ‘Human Menagerie’ in late 1973. The album failed to chart but in June 1974, the band hit the Top 5 in the UK singles chart with the non-album “Judy Teen”. This was quickly followed by the second album ‘The Psychomodo’ which bobbed around the Top 30 during the Summer but then the song “Mr Soft” was pulled from the album which followed the previous single into the Top 10 which also pushed the album into the Top 10 too.
Unfortunately, by the time the single was riding high, the band had broken up and Harley had to form an impromtu line up in order to promote the single. He formed a new group that Autumn to record his third album but that’s another story.