The Sensational Alex Harvey Band - Rock Drill 1978 Rock & Roll, Prog Rock
Rock Drill is the last studio album by The Sensational Alex Harvey Band, which was released in the UK in 1978. The album includes Tommy Eyre on keyboards; the band's original keyboardist Hugh McKenna was absent due to an internal dispute - however three songs from the album are co-credited to him. McKenna has since recorded his regrets at the confrontation, given what lay ahead in the next five years.
The album cover shows the torso cast from Sir Jacob Epstein's challenging 1913 sculpture The Rock Drill, symbolising mankind's descent into a less than human machine hybrid. Alex Harvey found this statue deeply moving and it influenced the entire "Rock Drill Suite." Zal Cleminson rates "The Dolphins" as one of the best things SAHB ever produced next to "Faith Healer" and "Give My Compliments To The Chef." One track recorded during the Rock Drill session that never made it onto the finished album is "Engine Room Boogie." The track ended up as the B-side of SAHB's final single release "Mrs Blackhouse" (1977 Mountain - Cat No: TOP 32). The band performed "Mrs Blackhouse" and "Engine Room Boogie" at the 1977 Reading Festival on Sunday 28th August with Tommy Eyre on keyboards. This was the SAHB's final gig
Tracklist
1 Rock Drill 6:22
2 The Dolphins 6:10
3 Rock/ N/ Roll 3:40
4 King Kong 3:15
5 Booids 1:38
6 Who Murdered Sex 5:16
7 Nightmare City 3:48
8 Water Beastie 4:50
9 Mrs. Blackhouse 3:34
Credits
Bass, Backing Vocals – Chris Glen
Guitars, Backing Vocals – Zal Cleminson
Keyboards, Backing Vocals – Tommy Eyre
Percussion, Backing Vocals – Ted McKenna
Vocals, Guitar, Trumpet – Alex Harvey