Bronx Cheer - Bronx Cheer Was Here: Barrellhouse & Jugband Rock’n’Roll 1969-1973

Jugband blues, Blighty style

Besides an appearance on Blue Peter during their earlier incarnation as Jug Trust, Harrow’s homegrown jug band revivalists Bronx Cheer’s claims to fame include supporting David Bowie on his Ziggy Stardust tour and, at various times, sharing stages with Savoy Brown, Average White Band, Mungo Jerry, George Melly and Alex Harvey. Despite their visibility on the early 70s live circuit and carving out a niche for themselves as a bona fide jug band (complete with de rigeur echoes of John Sebastian and the Lovin’ Spoonful), Bronx Cheer’s 1972 debut album failed to deliver much in the way of success. Worse still, the proposed release date of their self-financed second happened to coincide with the 1974 oil crisis. The price of vinyl went sky-high overnight and spelt the end of the line for Bronx Cheer, who found themselves out in the cold and stuck with an unreleasable album.

This 19-track compendium brings together a little bit of all things Bronx Cheer, selecting tracks from the band’s one-andonly album release, the cheekily titled Bronx Cheer’s Greatest Hits Volume Three, plus a mix of previously unreleased material from the jinxed second album, and early rehearsals from their days as Jug Trust.

RPM | RETRO 810

Reviewed by Grahame Bent
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