This album is a kind of personal story of keyboard player, guitarist, singer and songwriter Ken Hensley (born Kenneth William David Hensley on 24 August 1945 in Hertfordshire, England). He played his first gig when he was 15. In his 20, he formed The Gods, band which in various line-ups included future members of The Rolling Stones (guitarist Mick Taylor), King Crimson (bassist and singer Greg Lake), Uriah Heep (bassist Paul Newton and drummer Lee Kerslake) and Jethro Tull (bassist John Glascock). In this band Hensley, originally self taught on guitar, started playing Hammond B3 organ, his trade mark instrument. He was also main singer with The Gods, who recorded two successful albums for Columbia Records. Around Christmas 1969, Ken joined his ex-colleague Paul Newton, guitarist Mick Box and singer David Byron in The Spice, who changed their name to Uriah Heep during recording of their first album in January 1970. Until 1980, on such albums as Salisbury, Look At Yourself, Demons and Wizards, Sweet Freedom, Return To Fantasy, High and Mighty or Firefly, Ken was majority author for Heep, writing songs like Lady in Black (which he also sings), July Morning, Easy Livin', Circle of Hands, Rain, Stealin', Return to Fantasy, Wise Man or Free Me. Alongside bursting organ and occasional vocals (sometimes in duet with David Byron), he contributed also numerous unforgettable slide guitar parts. Between 1973 and 1980, Hensley released three solo albums: Proud Words On A Dusty Shelf, Eager To Please and Free Spirit. After 1980 album Conquest, Ken left Uriah Heep and two years later joined Florida-based boogie rockers Blackfoot for two albums. After 1985, he lived in semi-retirement in S. Louis, Missouri, making a few appearances with Cinderella, W.A.S.P. and others. 1994 saw the release of album From Time To Time, compiled from Ken's unreleased recordings and demos. It boosted his musical activity and in 1999, Hensley started new chapter of his career with album titled A Glimpse Of Glory, which reflects his conversion to Christianity. Running Blind followed in 2002 and after moving to Alicante, Spain, in 2003, Ken released album The Last Dance. For his full up-to-date discography go to comprehensive UH database heepfiles.info. Ken Hensley remains one of the greatest and most original songwriters in rock history, as evident not only on Blood On The Highway.
It started out in London
In the back of Benny’s pub
We hit the road and ran the miles
We must have played a thousand clubs
From Liverpool to Soho, from Hamburg to Berlin
The people were there waiting for the big show to begin
And it looked like we were headed for a really crazy ride
But we had rock and roll on our side
We’re on our way, no turning back
To rule the world, we can’t go wrong
We’re on our way to fame & fortune
One million miles, ten million hearts, one simple song
By the time we got to Boston we were learning how to fly
And we got to write our story all across the endless sky
Everybody made us feel good, they gave us platinum and gold
This reckless band of rebels with a legend to be told
The ladies and the limos were there ready for the ride
With rock and roll to take us through the night
We’re on our way, no turning back
To rule the world, we can’t go wrong
We’re on our way to fame & fortune
One million miles, ten million hearts, one simple song
:: FREE ME
WHY WON'T
YOU FREE ME
COME ON
AND FREE ME
FREE ME
FROM YOUR SPELL ::
Free me
from your spell!
It started out in London
In the back of Benny’s pub
We hit the road and ran the miles
cause the played a thousand clubs
From Liverpool to Soho, from Hamburg to Berlin
The people were there waiting for the big show to begin...
You can run away
You can choose to stay
Deny the fact, put on a lousy act
You can hide your face
In some new favourite place
Maybe you’ll stay a while
Maybe you’ll even smile
But it won’t last
No need to take the blame
No need to change your name
It wasn’t your mistake
You were trapped and you had to escape
Go on and ride the crest
Thinking it’s you that’s blessed
Wear a new coat of paint
Act like the purest saint
But it won’t last
But you can’t hide it from your eyes
Deep in your heart you hate the lies
Somehow the fear will
Always be too near
And, just like your last mistake
The road you take
Will lead you here, to me
It’s clear that it won’t last
Now that you’ve heard the voice
Could be your final choice
You’re looking one last chance
Straight in the face
Stand up and fight the fight
Against all that’s wrong inside
Just turn and walk away
Into a brighter day
Then it might last
You did it time and time again
It always ended up the same
How did you hide from all the pain
You left behind
One day you’ll turn around
Totally alone with no way out
I have no doubt ‘cause
He could have had most anything
He could have had it all
Put his hands on life and love
Let’em go and watched’em fall
But the spotlight never shone upon his heart
You got to know him on the stage
Where you watched him play his part
Soon, like him the world was at your feet
Seemed it never had to end
You claim you gave him everything
But you forgot to be his friend
When you get so trapped inside it all
I wonder if you can find a way
To separate the music and the man
When the trouble comes
And you have to know it will
He’ll be looking for
Much more than consolation
When the tide turns
And there’s no place left to run
Something or someone
Is gonna have to take the blame
You’d better think twice
There’s gonna have to be a sacrifice
What will be the first to go
Not the music, that I know
You’d better think twice
Or you’ll have to pay a high price
Time to open up your eyes
Are you in love or are you hypnotized
Is it the music or the man?
There’s a new face up on the stage tonight
A new star on the door
A new name on the billboard now
where mine had been before
There’s a new song in their hearts tonight
A new light in their eyes
A new and haunting melody that’s got them hypnotised
I know time and tide keep marching on
Here today and then you’re gone
I did it all from The Honky Tonk to Carnegie Hall
From Tokyo to Texas came the call
And every mile’s a memory that’s burned into my soul
So, no matter what tomorrow brings
No matter what song the new star sings I never will forget I did it all
I did it all
From north to south
and all points in between
but from Hollywood to heartbreak
there's no time
That was way back when
and I must face tomorrow now
so when you ask me how I am today
I will turn to you in truth and say
I did it all now at last I am doing fine
I did it all now at last I am doing fine
I don’t know where to start
I wanna follow my heart
But the voices in my head keep saying don’t do it
A burning passion in my soul
A fear that leaves me cold
I see the open door but I’m afraid to go through it
I don’t know what’s on the other side
But I do know I have to decide
Is this the dream I had in the beginning
Do I dare to lose with such a faint hope of winning
Can I run the race without losing face
Can I take the strain, can I stand the pain
Can I play the game and stay the same
This is just the beginning
So give me five guys who can rock
Who don’t know how to stop
Send them ten times round the block to add a little mystery
Give me radio with balls
They gotta help us fill the halls
And we can grab ourselves a piece of rock and roll history
Fate and destiny have been guided
We’re going in, it’s all been decided
This is the dream I had from the beginning
I’ll bet it all and only think of winning
I can run this race, I’m not afraid of losing face
I can take the strain, I’ll live through the pain
I’m gonna play the game even if I’m not the same
This is just the beginning…
THE KEN HENSLEY STORY :: Blood On The Highway
CD: Politur 231695 (special digipack version Politur 231688) released in May 2oo7
LP: Politur 232801 released in September 2oo9
1. (THIS IS) JUST THE BEGINNING 4.43
2. WE'RE ON OUR WAY 4:51
3. BLOOD ON THE HIGHWAY 3.55
4. YOU'VE GOT IT 3.16
5. DOOM (SCENE 1) 0.19
6. IT WON'T LAST 5.23
7. THINK TWICE 4.45
8. DOOM (SCENE 2) 0.18
9. THERE COMES A TIME 4.28
10. OKAY (THIS HOUSE IS DOWN) 3.56
11. WHAT YOU GONNA DO 3.31
12. POSTSCRIPT 0.23
13. I DID IT ALL 4.53
14. THE LAST DANCE 8.26
All songs written by Ken Hensley
KEN HENSLEY - lead and harmony vocals, Hammond B3 organ, synthesizers, electric, slide & acoustic guitars, dobro
OVIDIO LOPEZ - principal guitars
VICENTE RUIZ - piano
ANTONIO FIDEL - bass guitar
JUAN CARLOS GARCIA - drums
JORN LANDE - lead vocals on 1-4 & 10
GLENN HUGHES - lead vocals on 11 & 14
JOHN LAWTON - lead vocals on 6
EVE GALLAGHER - lead vocals on 7
RAFA RAPOSO - lead guitar on 2
DANI SAIZ - additional guitars on 7
ANTONIO MOLTO - alto sax on 9
JOHN SMITHSON - bass guitar on 14
TOMMY LOPEZ - drums on 14
THE ALICANTE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA - strings on 13 & 14
Recorded and mixed at Sacramento Studios, Alicante, Spain.
www.ken-hensley.com
heepfiles.info/kh/index2.htm
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