Quatermass (album)

Quatermass
File:Quatermass (album).jpg
Studio album by Quatermass
Released	May 1970
Recorded	Abbey Road Studios, London 1970
Genre	Progressive rock, hard rock
Length	50:37 (original) 61:01 (1990 reissue/Repertoire)
Label	Harvest
Producer	Anders Henriksson
Quatermass chronology
Quatermass (1970) Quatermass II: Long Road (1997)Quatermass II: Long Road1997

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Quatermass is an album by British progressive rock band, Quatermass, first released in May 1970. It has been described as "a keyboard dominated chunk of heavy progressive rock... a popular part of the eccentric Harvest label." Based around organ, bass and drums, Quatermass is regarded as a quintessential British prog rock album, destined to remain a cult classic and also one of the first albums in the vein of progressive metal. Overall, the album is well-rounded, technically competent and complex, yet retaining a distinctive swing time rhythm as would be expected from a trio that were at their core a strong rhythm section. Throughout, the album flows easily from mid-tempo rock to avant-garde instrumental to bluesy soundscapes.

Impact

Ritchie Blackmore's departure from Deep Purple has often been linked with this album: during the recording of Purple's Stormbringer in 1974, Blackmore's request to cover "Black Sheep of the Family"

...fell on stony ground [and] he ended up taking a relative back seat in the studio... Blackmore then followed his own muse by recording it on the Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow solo album in early 1975, backed by members of Deep Purple's regular support act Elf."

This is considered the pivotal moment that led to Blackmore's departure.

Track listing

#	Side 1 Title	Songwriters
1.	"Entropy"	Peter Robinson	1:10
2.	"Black Sheep of the Family"	Steve Hammond	3:36
3.	"Post War, Saturday Echo"	Peter Robinson, John Gustafson, Graham Ross	9:42
4.	"Good Lord Knows"	John Gustafson	2:54
5.	"Up on the Ground"	John Gustafson	7:08
#	Side 2 Title	Songwriters
1.	"Gemini"	Steve Hammond	5:54
2.	"Make up Your Mind"	Steve Hammond	8:44
3.	"Laughin Tackle"	Peter Robinson	10:35
4.	"Entropy (Reprise)"	Peter Robinson	0:40
#	(bonus tracks on reissue)	Songwriters
5.	"One Blind Mice"	John Gustafson	3:15
6.	"Punting"	John Gustafson	7:09

Personnel

• John Gustafson — bass, vocals
• Peter Robinson — keyboards
• Mick Underwood — drums, percussion

The orchestra

• Violins
  • Tony Gilbert (Leader)
  • John Kirkland
  • David Katz
  • Billy Millar
  • Charlie Vorsanger
  • Les Maddox
  • Gerald Enns
  • Harold Parfitt
  • Paul Scherman
  • Homi Kanga
  • Jack Rothstein
  • Henry Datyner
  • Bill Armon
  • Michael Jones
  • Laurie Clay
  • Derek Jacobs
• Violas
  • Steve Shingle
  • Chris Wellington
  • Henry Myerscough
  • Ian White
  • Bernard Davis
  • John Graham
• Cellos
  • Paul Buckmaster (Leader)
  • Boris Rickelman
  • Francis Gabarr
  • Peter Wilson
  • Freddy ALexander
  • Chris Green
• Double bass
  • Frank Clarke
  • Joe Mudele
  • Arthur Watts

Production

• Producer — Anders Henriksson
• Engineers — Jeff Jarratt, Andy Stevens.
• Cover design and Photographs – Storm Thorgerson/Hipgnosis
• Reissue cover design and illustration — Steve Newport.

Pressings

• 1970 — original release on Harvest label
• 1975 — reissued on Harvest label with alternative cover
• 1990 — reissued on Repertoire Records label, with bonus tracks
• 1996 — reissued on Repertoire Records label, with bonus tracks
• 2001 — reissued on Akarma Records label, with bonus tracks

External links

• Quatermass's MySpace with "Gemini", "Make Up Your Mind", "One Blind Mice" and "Punting" available in Standalone Player