Next year will mark four decades since the untimely passing of David Byron who shot to fame fronting URIAH HEEP – the ensemble he created with Mick Box – yet, possessed by inner demons, was fired to never find new fortunes. The only longplay from the singer’s next endeavor, ROUGH DIAMOND, where he performed alongside Clem Clempson and Willie Bath, flopped, and it wasn’t until 1980, after he had met guitarist Robin George that David embarked on a fresh collective enterprise, simply called THE BYRON BAND, and delivered a platter titled "On The Rocks", featuring such luminaries as Mel Collins, Bob Jackson, Roger Flavelle and John Shearer, which saw quite a few reissues. Still, the one coming on June 28th should become its ultimate re-release.
“On The Rocks… Again” will be a triple-CD box set comprising not only the album per se, presumably remastered, but also all the recording pertaining to it, including single sides, demos, rehearsals and a concert document. Most of those already saw the light on the “Lost And Found” compilation that this scribe provided liner notes for, while others seem to arrive here for the first time – unless they were out before under different titles – and some don’t appear here, although the reason might be the same. If so, this is the definitive version of the underrated gem.
On The Rocks… Again
CD 1 – On The Rocks:
1. Rebecca
2. Bad Girl
3. How Do You Sleep?
4. Little By Little
5. Start Believing
6. Never Say Die
7. King
8. Piece Of My Love
bonus tracks:
9. Fool For A Pretty Face
10. Safety In Numbers
11. One Minute More
12. Every Inch Of The Way (short version)
13. Routine
14. Tired Eyes
15. Every Inch Of The Way (long version)
CD 2 – Writing Demos
London 1982:
1. Learn The Dance
2. I Need Love
3. Fool For A Pretty Face
4. Safety In Numbers
5. Bad Girl
6. One Minute More
David’s House, Sonning, 1982:
7. She Was Good
8. Fool For A Pretty Face
9. My Kind Of Lady
10. One Minute More
11. She Got Pride
12. Untitled
13. Learn The Dance
CD 3 – Rehearsals & Live
Rehearsals, 1981:
1. How Do You Sleep?
2. Safety In Numbers
3. I Need Love
4. Piece Of My Love
5. Goodnight Blues
6. Last Chance Jam
Liverpool, 1980:
7. Bad Girl
8. Start Believing
9 July Morning
10. How Do You Sleep?
11. Sweet Lorraine
12. Piece Of My Love
13. Liverpool Blues
14. Roll Over Beethoven
bonus studio track – by Robin George:
15. Angelsong
