Bill Hurley and The Enforcers – Live In London
Cat Records – CAT047
Sweet Little Rock’n’ Roller – Mess of Blues – Need your Love – Lawdy Miss Clawdy – Nadine – The Hunter – Brown Sugar – If you Need Me – Blues Deluxe – Promised Land
After a live album (On the Road With…) and an unpublished 45 rpm from Inmates, the solo album from Peter Gunn, and an unreleased album from Bill Hurley (The Untold Story), the small label Cat Records continues its excellent work dedicated to the Rock cause with this time “Live In London” recorded in 1998 by Bill Hurley and the Enforcers.
A little step back, to re-contextualize, is necessary. By the end of the 1990s, the Inmates were playing much less, and each member, except Bill, took a day job to pay the bills. For his part, the latter set up a parallel group to tour pubs and other concert halls. The Enforcers were born. The lineup was never really steady, and different musicians played in the formation.
In August 1998, Bill and the Enforcers were hired to perform a series of concerts in Sardinia. The band then included Simon Mulvey on bass, Eddie Edwards (Vibrators, Inmates) on drums, and Eddie Angel (Planet Rockers) on guitar. It was decided to quickly record ten tracks (one day for the whole recording and mixing process) in order to have a cassette to sell at concerts. It is this recording that Cat Records, with the help of Eddie Edwards and Pat Collier (bassist of the Vibrators, but also producer of Inmates, Frenzy, Little Bob Story…) for the mastering, releases.
You won’t find a perfectly produced record with a polished sound here, much less any musical revolution. On the other hand, if you put the disc in your player expecting to hear a talented group expressing their love for Blues and Rock’n’Roll in its purest expression, there is no doubt that you have come to the right place.
The repertoire comprises only covers, most of which are quite well-known. But Bill Hurley’s powerful and inimitable voice is more than enough to infuse them with personality. The main focus is therefore on Rock’n’Roll with a superb Lawdy Miss Clawdy and no less than three tunes by Chuck Berry (Sweet Little Rock’n’Roller, Nadine, Promised Land) which, supported by a relentless rhythm section, rush forward without taking any prisoners. It’s also the opportunity to hear Bill confront the Rolling Stones directly with a dazzling and wild Brown Sugar, on which the singer is completely unleashed. The Blues is also very well represented by Mess Of Blues (which Bill has already covered in his album Angel to Memphis) and Blues Deluxe by Jeff Beck. Finding this track is unsurprising because Bill Hurley has often said that Truth was one of his favorite albums. On this one, Hurley achieves perfect synergy with Eddie Angel to take this cover to the album’s heights. Lovers of expressive guitar solos, this track is made for you. The set is completed by some Boogie-blues with Albert King’s The Hunter and a poignant Rhythm’n’Blues ballad with Need Your Love by Little Willie John (to whom we owe Fever and I’m Shaking). Even more moving is If You Need Me (by Solomon Burke but also performed by Wilson Pickett), a song full of soul that allows Bill Hurley to show the full range of his vocal talent.
Live in London is a short record—only 10 tracks—but it is a concentrated collection of raw energy and emotions.
Buy it here.
Fred “Virgil” Turgis