Goliath "Hot Rock & Thunder" 1972***

I know there are 52 (right?) states in the US, but when I try to remember some of them, Indiana never comes up. To be honest, the only thing I know about it is the local NBA team Indiana Pacers, once home to the 3-point demon Reggie Miller and Detlef Schrempf, one of the first Europeans to play in the NBA. For a big guy, he was also no slouch when it came to shooting. Goliath of old was also a big guy, and Goliath the band also came from Indiana - see what I'm getting at? And you thought I was rambling like an old guy with dementia, babbling about an all-but-forgotten German basketball player from 25 years ago, when I don't even know who's today's top scorer? (still Shaquille, right?). Now, where was I? Oh. yeah: Goliath the band from Terre Haute, Indiana. They made this LP in 1972 (or, according to others, 1975). As far as we know nobody bought it. Well, maybe some friends and relatives did buy it, to support the group. - "Here's your Christmas present, a record by Goliath, my cousin Jim's band". - "Ooooh (sarcastic voice), Goliath! And who is that on the record cover? Looks like a crazy mullah or rabbi or whatever. Don't want him in my room. Thanks for nothing, man!". Well, if you had kept that record, you'd be $100 richer now! Because Goliath the band never die! They just float through time, skip a couple of generations and find new listeners - meanwhile, where's David the band? (Still floating through time, I'll be presenting them sometime). Now, where was I? Oh yeah, Goliath! People who saw them back in the day swear they were a kick-ass live band. Since nobody but their fellow Indiana-ites can verify it, we'll have to take their word for it. Fact remains that their album is a very decent slice of proggy hard rock. I could have swore they're an English band - and that's a compliment. Think about it: Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Uriah Heep=English. Kiss, Aerosmith=Americans. Good, but not very complicated musically. Opener "We’re Not Afraid"is indicative of the band's sound, as it combines Glenn Hughes-period Deep Purple funk-rock with some ELP-like prog. "Tell Me You’re Satisfied" and "Hot Rock and Thunder" are more rock'n'roll with boogie woogie piano and touches of The Who and Lynyrd Skynyrd. "Dead Drunk Screamin'" is more than a cool title. It's half Glen Hughes-era Deep Purple and half David Byron-era Uriah Heep - which makes it 100% great hard rock! "The Apocalypse" and "Silver Girl" are more progressive, with futuristic moog synthesizer and weird tempo changes. The latter, for example, goes from aggressive synth riffs to beautiful piano interludes to Sabbath-y guitars. It's the kind of adventurous spirit other American bands of the era lacked. The album closes with nice power ballad "Ordinary Guy". I'd describe it as Uriah Heep jamming with Elton John. Oh, don't look at me like that! Stranger things have happened!

**** for Tell Me You’re Satisfied, Dead Drunk Screamin’

*** for We’re Not Afraid, Hot Rock and Thunder, The Apocalypse, Silver Girl, Ordinary Guy