180gm Vinyl Presing!
The only live album featuring the original line up, 'The Concert: Live In Essen' was first released in 1991. Recorded in 1978 - at the height of their popularity - 'Live In Essen 1978' features all the band's best loved hits from the 1970s - "Living Next Door To Alice," "Needles And Pins" and "If You Think You Know How To Love Me."
The first thing that you should know about this album, which is actually called "Live - The Concert" (or "Live - The Concert in Essen, Germany 10th March 1978"), is that it features the original 70s Smokie lineup featuring Chris Norman, Alan Silson, Terry Uttley and Pete Spencer.
The band plays all the Nicky Chinn/Mike Chapmann-penned classics, "For A Few Dollars More", "Oh Carol", "Lay Back In The Arms Of Someone", "Wild Wild Angels", "Living Next Door To Alice" etc.
Smokie had a fine, soulful singer in Chris Norman (his voice is not unlike Rod Stewart's), and how can you not enjoy catchy pop-rock like "If You Think You Know How To Love Me" and "Don't Play Your Rock n' Roll To Me"? Smokie in the 21st century may not be the draw they were 25 years ago, but you ought to do yourself a favour and check out this delightful little record. It shows that they were once a pretty darn good band, with some excellent songwriters to back them up.
Remastered and reissued on CD in 2016, this is now available on vinyl for the first time on 2LP. 180gm vinyl in a full colour gatefold sleeve.