Strife – Rush(1975)

Biography
Strife were one of the great unsung bands of the seventies. Best known as a support band, for those in the know they were equal to many of the bands they supported. These included such luminaries as Baker Gurvitz Army, Ten Years After and Judas Priest.

Album & Cover
British power trio Strife debuted with 1975’s Rush, a quirky, progressive-tinged hard rocker that could draw some stoned comparisons to early Budgie and Hawkwind. The record’s big highlight is kick ass opener “Back Streets of Heaven”, a hard charging catchy stomper in the Sweet vein. Much of the rest is jammy, but there’s enough interesting moments throughout to warrant a spin every now and then. John Reid is using a soft vocal style even though the music is sometimes heavy. His vibrato sound like Bryan Ferry’s. https://www.allmusic.com/artist/strife-mn0000530747

Richard Manning explains the cover design: A Sepia toned black and white photograph was, if I remember rightly, the first hand colouring sleeve I did for Storm. There actually was not an awful lot of colour added but for the flames and the clouds and the sword. Photo Dye was used and more cloud layers were airbrushed above the horizon and beneath the dark clouds. Some pieces of torn Cartridge paper were used as loose masks to give the arbitrary shapes necessary to spray the clouds. http://www.richardmanning.co.uk/hipgnosis-album-cover-art/rush-strife–1975/46

Cover Location: Ely, Cambridgeshire, UK
Who Did What: Photography – A. Powell/S. Thorgerson. Graphics – C. Elgie/R. Evans/J. Blake
Label: Chrysalis CHR1063(UK)
Source: Vinyl. Album. Cover. Art, The Complete Hipgnosis Catalogue: Aubrey Powell

TrackList

Credits
Bass Guitar – Gordon Rowley
Drums – Paul H. Ellson
Engineer – Don Gooch
Engineer [Assistant Engineer] – Guy Bidmead, Nigel Brooke-Harte, Stan Johnston
Harmonica – John Reid
Lead Guitar – John Reid
Producer – R. Dean Taylor
Vocals – Gordon Rowley, John Reid