Comparing Alice and Alex Harvey

[recoop]

Been a fan of AC since 1971. Became aware of Alex Harvey probably around 1973/4. At the time I wasnt interested in AH/SAHB as seen him/them as doing something similar to Alice. Vambo type stage act similar theme in some ways to Schools Out. I think there are similarities between Alice's original rough style 71/72 and Alex Harvey around 73/74. I watched a video documentary with people including Noddy Holder saying no one was doing what Harvey did- talking heads programme and he clearly had forgotten about Alice (a bit like Bowie type discussions). Anyway I find that now watching old live film of Harvey performing Framed in Germany around 74 I think, he is the only other lead singer (apart from Alice ) where he could switch from genial to menacing just by facial movements and timing of his voice. Indeed there is one clip where Harvey pours beer into his hands and slicks back his hair to become a teddy boy- simple theatrical stuff but hugely effective like Alice. Alex Harvey changed his musical style many time..soul band, tommy steel like rocker then rock singer/theatrical stage performer- I see a lot of cross over and just wondered how others compared these two...I don't see Alex Harvey as copying Alice but I am confident that the recording OF Schools out by SAHB is a nod of respect to AC. Any views?

[While Heaven Wept]

Very much underrated band in my opinion. Some of their early stuff is cracking.

[andyrushworth]

Alex Harvey had something in common with Bowie and Scott Walker ,a love of J . Brel's writing !
Had SAHB Live years ago ,great album !

[Daggers & Contracts]

Vambo Rools!! Alex also changes the line about "Teachers" to "No more pencils, no more paper..." So he did put his signature on an ACG song.

[rtbuck]

I never really thought of Alex's similarities with Alice. I just looked at them like 2 theatrical bands. Did Alex borrow from Coop?....maybe he did but I really love both bands. I didn't discover Alex until about 1980 and that was after seeing a band from Cleveland...the Paul Pope Band (ex Molkie Cole). Pope wore a flipped up ball cap, baseball pants & socks, and wore mime make-up(similar to Zal's). I'd always go see them and one night I found out that my favorite song they did was a cover of Alex...Midnight Moses. So I began digging around finding used copies of their records and whatever I could find out about them(old used magazines or talking to record store workers or finding some live VHS tapes at Record & tape shows
). Incidentally, Pope still comes around to Buffalo once a year & performs. Midnight Moses, Framed, & sometimes Gang bang.

Anyway, Alex is in my top 5 along with Alice, Kiss, NY Dolls, & the Stones.

[concolz]

There are definitely some similarities between SAHB and ACG: - a love of theatricality; songs that tell a story; powerful vocals that veer between menacing/ macabre and raw tenderness; facial makeup for AC/ZC; a penchant for long, pyscho-dramatic epics e.g. 'Halo Of Flies' vs 'The Faith Healer' plus a whole melting pot of musical influences. Both groups were also musical 'outsiders' - untypical rock acts who were critically marginalised.

I loved SAHB in the 70's. Their first four studio albums, especially 'Next' and 'The Impossible Dream', are superb. Ironically, the fifth record - a mostly covers job entitled 'Penthouse Tapes' - is where it all started to fall apart; for me their version of 'School's Out' is very perfunctory.

[recoop]

Hey Concolz I like your words...only surprised by how you find SAHB's version of Schools Out...I think it has a sort of "Gallas" Glaswegian attitude to the intro...Harvey talking about don't eh spoil your water supply.and the thumping guitars rather than the layered guitars (imo ) of AC...think he and band were just doing it their way and not trying to compete with a masterpiece...both overlooked in history..although not a fan of SAHB/Harvey as such I think he was up there theatrically in his own way with AC and Bowie...by the way my older brother used to rave about Tear Gas who he used to go and see pre SAHB...basically SAHB before Alex

[tuneylune]

"The Igster" let me borrow some tunes/video of SAHB and while not crazy about everything, the material was quirky enough to hold my interest. Good musicians and Alex, to me, had a Bon Scott type vibe.
Like their cover of "School's Out" because at least it's a different arrangement and not a exact duplicate. I feel if you're going to do a cover song, make it your own.
Like the songs "Faith Healer", "Framed", Midnight Moses" and "Action Strasse" a lot.