Greenslade
Bedside Manners Are Extra

THE REVIEW

The Greenslade is an English band from the early seventies, born out of the overflowing pot of ideas that was London at the time, and more generally, the United Kingdom. This band arose from the ashes of the original Colosseum, which disbanded in 1971, created by keyboardist Dave Greenslade and bassist Tony Reeves, who played with Colosseum until The Valentyne Suite and then with Curved Air. The lineup is completed by drummer Andy McCullough, formerly of King Crimson, and the other keyboardist Dave Lawson, who came from Web, where he also performed the vocal parts.

The strange and peculiar thing about this band is the presence of two keyboardists and the absence of a guitar, which allows for very intriguing musical solutions. Their musical offering is based on a very compact and classic progressive style, which evolves and elevates through the compositions of the two virtuoso keyboardists and the dynamic bass work of Reeves, fundamental and quite decisive in maintaining the instrumental balance of the compositions.

The first album, "Greenslade," came to light in 1973 and is considered by many to be their best work. An album with few weak points, where the time changes, the seductive keyboards, and the dominance of the Moog and Mellotron rise majestically in the structure of the songs. The following year, Greenslade released the album I want to present to you, "Bedside Manners Are Extra," a work that does not differ much from their debut the previous year.

The album opens with the title track that immerses us in a soft atmosphere created by Dave Greenslade's piano, but from the following "Pilgrim's Progress," more lively dynamics unfold for one of the most engaging and successful pieces. It continues with Drum Folk, a long and shadowy song with a lengthy drum solo by Andy McCullough in the middle. The album concludes with Sunkissed You're Not, which serves as a gateway to the effective ending found in Chalkhill, with the electric piano prominently featured and a very accelerated grand finale with a strong jazz flavor.

Further enhancing the work is the cover conceived and created by the great Roger Dean, who has collaborated for over thirty years with the most well-known names in the music world, from Yes to Asia, to name just a few. Before their disbandment in 1976, Greenslade recorded two more excellent albums, "Spyglass Guest" in 1974 and "Time And Tide" in 1975, with the addition of guitarist Dave Clemson, also a former member of Colosseum. After putting an end to the group named after him, Dave Greenslade released the solo double concept "The Pentateuch Of

Cosmogony" in 1979. Then there was a long silence until the mid-nineties when drummer John Hiseman called him back to reform Colosseum.