Leafhound - Growers Of Mushrooms & Unleashed 2 CD set Repertoire - 15 July 2022
LEAFHOUND
Leafhound - Growers Of Mushrooms & Unleashed 2 CD set Repertoire Repuk 1411.jpg
GROWERS OF MUSHROOMS & UNLEASHED
REPERTOIRE: REPUK 1411 – 2 CD SET
RELEASED: FRIDAY 15th JULY 2022
50TH ANNIVERSARY DELUXE 2CD RELEASE. TWO ORIGINAL ALBUMS PLUS BONUS TRACKS.
LINER NOTES BY CHRIS WELCH INCLUDE INTERVIEWS WITH PETER FRENCH & MICK HALLS
Back in the early 70s, when singer Peter French and guitarist Mick Halls gathered in a recording studio for a hectic 11-hour session, they little knew they were creating a classic rock album that would still be winning admirers 50 years later. Indeed, the story of Growers Of Mushrooms has become as legendary as the music itself, and equally exciting, not least when copies of the original 1971 Decca LP began to increase in value to the tune of £5,000 and one copy sold at auction for an incredible £11,000 in 2021.
This powerful album was once feared lost amidst the avalanche of rock recordings made during the era when Deep Purple and Led Zeppelin ruled. The group broke up even before the album was released, but nevertheless, created a set of performances which deserved recognition and did indeed impress a young Malcolm Dome, who would later become a champion of hard rock and heavy metal as a top reporter and critic for Kerrang magazine. Another article, written by Andy Davis for Record Collector in the early 90s, renewed interest in the band and Peter French.
Unleashed was released by Repertoire in November 2007 and features Peter French (vocals), Luke Rayner (lead guitar), Ed Pearson (bass) and Jimmy Rowland (drums).
It kicks off with the heavy rocker ‘One Hundred And Five Degrees’, followed by ‘Barricades’, another French / Rayner composition taken at a slower tempo while retaining a mood on menace and mystery. ‘Stop, Look And Listen’ is another highlight, with arrangements that veers from urgent Zep beats to more reflective moments.
With a charismatic personality and a powerful voice, Peter French is the epitome of the all-British rocker. Although he never quite found the fame and fortune enjoyed by his contemporaries, it was never for the want of trying.