British Lions were a short-lived British rock band, together from 1977 to 1980, with former members of Mott and Medicine Head. They released just two studio albums with little commercial success in the UK. (by wikipedia)
British Lions were in large part a continuation of Mott (the post-Ian Hunter version of Mott the Hoople), retaining keyboardist Morgan Fisher, lead guitarist Ray Major, bassist Overend Watts, and drummer Dale Griffin; ex-Medicine Head singer/guitarist John Fiddler was added on lead vocals. Just as Mott had been a devolution from Mott the Hoople, so did British Lions continue the dilution into journeyman British hard rock. The British Lions concentrated on the American market, feeling the UK scene to be unsympathetic to veteran rockers during the new wave/punk days, and toured the US supporting groups like Blue Oyster Cult and UFO.
Their single “Wild in the Streets” made the lower reaches of the Top Hundred, and they did an album for RSO in 1978. The band collapsed after making a second album, which RSO did not release, although it was issued in the early 1980s. Another album (Live and Rare) of live-in-the-US recordings from the 1978 tour, as well as some previously unreleased demos and rehearsals, appeared in 1999. (by Richie Unterberger)
This is surely not the best album from the post Mott The Hoople period, but it´s still a good album with some superb power rock songs like “Trouble With Women” and “Any Port In A Storm”, plus a lot of rarities … including a new version of the Medicine Head (the former band of John Fiddler) hit “Rising Sun””
Personnel:
John Fiddler (vocals)
Morgan Fisher (keyboards)
Dale Griffin (drums, percussion)
Ray Major (guitar)
Overend Watts (bass)
Tracklist:
01. British Lions US Radio Promo (bonus track) 0.30
02. Trouble With Women (Fiddler) 3.33
03. Any Port In A Storm (Fiddler) 4.23
04. Lady Don’t Fall Backwards (Watts/Fiddler) 4.22
05. High Noon (Fisher/Fiddler) 4.25
06. Lay Down Your Love (Watts/Fiddler) 4.50
07. Waves Of Love (Watts/Fiddler) 4.20
08. Electric Chair (Fiddler) 4.59
09. Won’t You Give Him One (More Chance) (Martin/Scott) 3.51
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10. British Lions US Radio Promo 0.29
11. One More Chance To Run (demo) (Fiddler) 3.29
12. But The Night Is Young (demo) (Fiddler) 6.03
13. The Studio Song (Watts) 4.22
14. Eat The Rich (The Status Quo demo) (Fiddler) 3.42
15. British Lions US Radio Promo 0.29
16. Rising Sun (live) (Fiddler) 4.59
17. Come On (live) (Berry) 2.59
18. My Life’s In Your Hands (live) (Fiddler) 5.43
19. Wild One (live) (unknown) 5.30
20 The Entire Catalogue Of British Lions Us Radio Promo’s 0.39
Peter “Pete” Overend Watts (13 May 1947 – 22 January 2017)
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