THE SENSATIONAL ALEX HARVEY BAND – THE PENTHOUSE TAPES LP – Nr MINT 1Y1 UK 1976

The Sensational Alex Harvey Band – The Penthouse Tapes
(Vertigo Records  1976  9102007)
Matrix No’s: 1Y1/2Y4 – UK Pressing

Vinyl in Nr MINT condition
(there are some light surface marks visible on the vinyl when held up to the light but they don’t affect the sound quality)

Sleeve in Nr MINT condition
– some light rubbing around edges
Inner Sleeve in Nr MINT condition

The Sensational Alex Harvey Band were a Scottish rock band formed in Glasgow in 1972. Fronted by Alex Harvey accompanied by Zal Cleminson on guitar, bassist Chris Glen, keyboard player Hugh McKenna (28 November 1949–18 December 2019) and drummer Ted McKenna, their music was a blend of blues rock and hard rock, with cabaret elements. Their stage performances incorporated theatrical elements. The band were popular in continental Europe, and influential in Australia, most notably on AC/DC (particularly their singer Bon Scott) and on the young Nick Cave and his first band The Boys Next Door.

The Penthouse Tapes is the fifth studio album by The Sensational Alex Harvey Band. Unlike previous releases comprising predominantly original compositions. The Penthouse Tapes consists largely of covers, ranging from The Osmonds’ “Crazy Horses” and Alice Cooper’s “School’s Out” to Lead Belly’s “Goodnight Irene”. Of the three originals, “I Wanna Have You Back” (written by Harvey with Zal Cleminson) and “Jungle Jenny” (by the band with producer David Batchelor) open side one; a third, “Say You’re Mine”, was written by Alex Harvey and appears on side two. The album was released in 1976 on Vertigo Records.

1. “I Wanna Have You Back” (Alex Harvey, Zal Cleminson) – 2:42
2. “Jungle Jenny” (David Batchelor, SAHB) – 4:07
3. “Runaway” (Del Shannon, Max Crook) – 2:46
4. “Love Story” (Ian Anderson) – 5:10
5. “School’s Out” (Alice Cooper, Michael Bruce, Glen Buxton, Dennis Dunaway, Neal Smith) – 5:02
6. “Goodnight Irene” (Lead Belly) – 4:30
7. “Say You’re Mine (Every Cowboy Song)” (Harvey) – 3:23
8. “Gamblin’ Bar Room Blues” (Jimmie Rodgers, Shelly Lee Alley) – 4:09
9. “Crazy Horses” (Alan Osmond, Wayne Osmond, Merrill Osmond) – 2:54
10. “Cheek To Cheek” (Irving Berlin) – 3:52 (recorded live at the New Victoria Theatre, London, Christmas 1975)

• Alex Harvey – lead vocals
• Zal Cleminson – guitars
• Chris Glen – bass guitar
• Hugh McKenna – keyboards, synthesizer
• Ted McKenna – drums, percussion

• B.J. Cole – pedal steel guitar on “Say You’re Mine” and “Cheek To Cheek”

• David Batchelor – producer
• John Burns, John Punter, Douglas Hopkins, Denny Bridges – engineer
• Alex Harvey – liner notes