"THE WORST OF ALL TIME?"

LORD SUTCH AND HEAVY FRIENDS by Lord Sutch (Cotillion, 1970)

Disclaimer: this is an unusual move for Captain Billy, who ordinarily posts carts by artists whose music he’s passionate about. However, one compelling aspect of collecting 8 tracks is the “grab bag” effect. Oftentimes, you’ll purchase a group-lot of cartridges and you won’t know what you have until you sort through them. Many times among the treasures are freak anomalies which hold a powerful attraction. This is that kind of item, and the story behind it is particularly interesting, so I decided to share it. 

Besides, I now proudly own three titles which hold the distinction of “The Worst Record Every Made” according to published sources: “Having Fun with Elvis on Stage,” “Lou Reed’s Metal Machine Music,” and this one, which took the top spot of putrescence in a 1998 BBC poll. 

“Screaming” Lord Sutch, (1940-1999) was a character, to say the least. He held the record for contesting the most parliamentary elections, 39, since 1963. (After 1983 for the Official Monster Raving Loony Party).  Also in ’63 he started his own Pirate Radio station “Radio Sutch”, whose short tenure ended after his manager, Reginald Calvert, was shot dead in a financial dispute. Lord Sutch (he wasn’t really a Lord) was a known manic depressive who hanged himself in his late mother’s house in 1999, and then was buried beside her. 
This recording may be of interest to completists because features Jimmy Page, John Bonham, Jeff Beck, Nicky Hopkins, and Noel Redding so, any devotees of Led Zeppelin, The Yardbirds, and Jimi Hendrix might be very interested to have it.  Recorded in London and Hollywood, it was disowned by the so called “Heavy Friends”. Page declared: “it was a bit of a send up - the whole joke reversed itself and became ugly.” 

And, thus the flamboyant Englishman who, inspired by Screaming Jay Hawkins, would make his concert entrances from inside a coffin, and who had a minor hit in 1963, entitled “Jack the Ripper”, ended his strange recording career with this spectacular dud.