Rare Goodies

We've got some great rare stuff for you this fine evening, most of this stuff would individually set you back a months pay to buy, if you could find them to purchase in the first place that is. Get it here, now, free.
Trust me, you need every last one of these. Delete some of that crap that's taking up space on your HD & let's get going.
For starters, here's a nice one that comes our way courtesy of my Russian buddy Usergei, on behalf of all our visitors, thanks a million my friend! This is "Ducks In Flight", the 1978 solo album by Peter French. You may be scratching your collective heads wondering where you know the name from, allow me to clue you in. Peter was one of Rock's nearly men, but he came far closer to making it than most. The possessor of an excellent set of bluesy Rock pipes, Peter started off in Big Bertha with a certain Cozy Powell, before jumping ship to join The Brunning Sunflower Blues Band. With them he recorded the "Bullen St. Blues" album in 1969, before leaving to fill the vacant vocal slot in Black Cat Bones, passing Paul Kossoff on the way, as he left BCB to join Free. BCB underwent some more personnel changes & decided to change their name to Leafhound, who recorded the legendary "Growers Of Mushroom" LP before going their separate ways. French was soon back in the spotlight however, as new singer for Atomic Rooster, featuring on their classic "In Hearing Of..." LP, however Rooster split soon after, leaving Peter again without a band. He bounced back quickly, reappearing in the USA as replacement for Rusty Day in Cactus, appearing on their "'Ot & Sweaty" LP, before, you guessed it, Cactus split too. Peter filled in the next few years with unsuccessful auditions for Deep Purple, Uriah Heep & Manfred Mann's Earthband, before hooking up with German funk rockers Randy Pie in time to appear on their "Fast Forward" album, their final record as luck would have it. Whilst in Germany following Randy Pie's demise, Polydor offered him a solo album deal, the result of which was the album in question, "Ducks In Flight". Now as a visitor to this blog, all that info should be enough to have you reaching for the download button, but if you remain unswayed, allow me to give you more reason to get this little gem. French gathered together a hell of a band to back him on "Ducks In Flight", as well as roping in his former Black Cat Bones & Leafhound partner, Mick Halls on guitar, he was also able to persuade ex-Thin Lizzy axe slinger Brian Robertson to play on the album, with ex-Snafu & future Whitesnake slide guitarist par excellence Micky Moody appearing too. Add to that impressive display of six stringers former Jody Grind pianist Tom Hinkley and former Faces/Small Faces, future Who drummer Kenny Jones, and you've got a veritable who's who of 1970's British rock music. If you remain unmoved by all that you're probably in the wrong place buddy! It's a great little record too, good songs, good playing, rockin' sweetly and nicely understated when necessary. Peter French has been fronting the newly reactivated Leafhound since 2004, i'd like to wish him all the luck in the world, he's payed more than his fair share of dues.

PETER FRENCH - Ducks In Flight (1978) UK

http://www.gigasize.com/get.php/1156410/PeterFrenchDucksInFlight1978.rar

Nextly, courtesy of another friend of the blog, Rainbow Hugh, we are proud to present the wasted rock'n'rollin' sounds of Bad Axe from 1976. This Californian bands only album was privately produced for demonstration purposes only in a run of only five (!) copies. Of those only one copy is known to still exist, from which there came a 500 copy ltd repress in 2004. There are few scarcer records out there people, even fewer that sound this good. I'd heard that it was in the vein of Sabbath & Deep Purple, and i hear that, but the guitar work is wilder, like Sir Lord Baltimore or something, with the songs reminding me more of "Kings Of Oblivion" era Pink Fairies, especially the Larry Wallis-esque vocals. A nice one then for lovers of rare toasted 1970's Hard Rock.
Apparently there was also a 1977 7" single from these guys, if anyone has that how's about posting it.

BAD AXE - Bad Axe (1976) USA

Part One: http://rapidshare.com/files/26399522/BAD_AXE_-_Bad_Axe_Part_One__USA_-_1976_.rar

Part Two: http://rapidshare.com/files/26547691/BAD_AXE_-_Bad_Axe_Part_Two__1976_-_USA_.rar

For lovers of doomy 70's style Heavy Rock, here's another treat. Some of you may be familiar with Sorcery's "Sinister Soldiers" album, but did you know that the Chicago band also recorded a 2nd LP? No? Well they did just that, and here it is, this is their "Till Death Do We Part" album from 1980. It's a slightly more sprightly set than their debut, moving away from the downer-drone of it's predecessor at times, to incorporate a slightly more "Modern" sound. It's nice stuff & rarer than rocking horse shit, so dig it brothers & sisters!

SORCERY - Till Death Do We Part (1980) USA

http://rapidshare.com/files/26011553/SORCERY_-__Till_Death_Do_Us_Part__1980_-_USA_.rar

Next, we're chuffed to bring you the excellent "Knights Of Metal" Mini LP from San Antonio's Wyzard. I don't know too much about the band i'm afraid, they're from the (early) Maiden/Priest school of Metal, but give it their own twist. Some clever arrangements & nice guitar slingin', complement the most Metal voice of 1984. I'll bet they were awesome live in some sweaty Texan dive. Give it a whirl, you'll probably love it.

WYZARD - Knights Of Metal Mini LP (1984) USA

http://rapidshare.com/files/26017389/WYZARD_-_Knights_Of_Metal__1984_-_USA_.rar

Finally, another friend of the blog has very kindly served up essential slabs of early Swedish Metal from Mindless Sinner for your enjoyment. All three links are courtesy of Pontus, and on behalf of all of the blog's visitors, a big thank you Pontus, for sharing these great records with us! Essentially, Mindless Sinner had quite a lot in common with blog favourites Axewitch, in fact they came from the same town, Linköping, and stylewise there are many parallels throughout their careers. After the demise of the two bands, members of both acts came together in a band called Skinny Horse and released an album entitled " No Pain No Gain".
Their 1st release was the Mini LP "Master Of Evil", which was released (like Axewitch) on the Fingerprint label, it consisted of four excellent tracks which doffed their caps at the likes of Priest & Sabbath, whilst retaining an individual element in the style.

MINDLESS SINNER - Master Of Evil Mini LP (1983) Sweden

http://rapidshare.com/files/26507081/MS83MoEep320.rar.html

Here's some live ass-kicking from the same year by these guys, six tracks from 2 separate dates. Good stuff.

MINDLESS SINNER - Live 1983 (1983) Sweden

http://rapidshare.com/files/26359960/MindlessSinnerLive83.rar.html

Lastly, here's their debut full length from 1986, "Turn On The Power". The sound is slightly more commercial, with better production, and more emphasis on the choruses, but this is still some excellent stuff.

MINDLESS SINNER - Turn On The Power (1986) Sweden

http://rapidshare.com/files/26513138/MS86TOTPlp320.rar.html

Eventually they decided to pursue the more commercial route fully and shortened their name to Mindless. I've not heard their material, but those i know who have are singularly unimpressed. So there you have it, the complete Mindless Sinners discography. Thanks again, my friend.
That's one mighty post folks, and i'm working on something of a similar scale for the weekend (or thereabouts) which will be an all Canadian special. No particular reason why, it just happens that i'd been listening to a few of these upcoming records & noticed that the artists were Canucks and thought, why the hell not, eh?
So keep your eyes peeled for that soon, until then, there's plenty to occupy you here, enjoy them people.