Short Reviews [Galahad - 2023 - "Studio 95"]

On 26th October 1985, just three months after they had formed and two months after their first show, Galahad entered Studio 95 in Boscombe, Dorset to record five songs. Back then the band were a seven-piece, and only three of those involved in this session would make it through to their 1989 ‘In A Moment of Madness’ cassette, and only one is still there to this day. Of course that one person is lead singer Stu Nicholson, while guitarist and founder Roy Keyworth was around for quite a while although bassist Paul Watts was gone by the time of their 1991 debut CD, ‘Nothing Is Written’. The others in the band at that time were Nick Hodgson (keyboards, Mellotron, clavinet, Minimoog, string synth), Mike Hooker (keyboards, Fender Rhodes piano, Hammond organ), Paddy O'Callaghan (drums) and John O'Callaghan (rhythm guitar). They recorded five songs in the studio on an analogue Tascam 8 track machine with a few overdubs, and they laid dormant until now. To any Galafan, especially those interested in the early days, then this set is solid gold, and not just because it contains recordings from the seven-piece line-up, but also because four of the five are well-known to anyone who likes this period of the band. The first song is “Dreaming From The Inside”, which a few years later would be re-recorded and released as a single (with a song called “The Opiate” on the B-side). Those versions can now be found on ‘Other Crimes & Misdemeanours II’, but it is nice hear this so soon after the band got together. What is somewhat surprising in many ways is the way that all the well-known numbers are very similar to the later versions given this line-up had two guitarists and two keyboard players, plus they had been together for a short period indeed at this point. “Second Life” was revitalised for the ‘In A Moment of Madness’ tape, which I still have and recall playing a great deal when I first got it (32 years ago!). A version of “Painted Lady” later appeared on ‘Other Crimes & Misdemeanours’, but it is probably the last two tracks which are going to be of most interest. The first of these was their version of Bizet’s “L'Arlesienne Suite No. 2 – Farandole”, which has only previously been made available on the ‘OCD’ series and is not on their ‘One Knight at Mr C’s’ tape which was released in 1987 so presumably it had already been dropped from the set by then even though it was important enough for them to record it in their debut session. The last song on the tape is an 11-minute-long version of “Ghost of Durtal”, which stayed an important song for them through the Nineties and was one they played often, appearing on live albums such ‘The Christmas Lecture’ and ‘Classic Rock Live’. Hearing this music is like being taken on a time machine, and I know anyone only coming to Galahad with their later albums will wonder why I am making such a fuss over these, as they do not have the depth or power of their newer material, but this is the style of music Galahad were playing when I first started raving over them in 1991. By then only Stu and Roy were left from these days, but there was very much a direct link from these early recordings to the band I was seeing when I first got involved in the underground. For me this is easily a solid release, but I am fully aware that many others will not agree, but they are unlikely to have the same history with the band as I do. I am looking forward so much to the new album (due soon!), but for a moment (in madness?) it has been nice to step back in time and hear the band at the beginning of their career which is now firmly into its fourth decade.