Wonderworld

GARY THAIN
1975

All I remember is going to the amplifier to adjust the equalizers, the next thing that happened was I blacked out. (Regarding his electrocution in Dallas Sept. 1974.)

The music's been forgotten, it's now a financial thing. (Regarding his firing.)

KEN HENSLEY
1989

Recording abroad disrupted the band's normal method of operation and that had a big negative effect on the group. Our communication was falling apart, we were arguing over stuff like royalties and we were getting involved in matters beyond music.

...I love that song (The Easy Road). It represented an area musically where the band, particularly David, was very comfortable in. I guess it was borne out of a frustration that was developing as a result of the fact that we were fighting over so many unimportant things, and that we weren't communicating on things that were crucially important.

...I always loved Gary as a person. He had a quality of irresponsibility that I always liked. I think he died because he misjudged what he was doing and it got the better of him.

MICK BOX
1990

That was the most dramatic album I've ever worked on. David was drunk for most of the time, Kenny was having an emotional time of it and I was constantly trying to help them so it was difficult for me too. There was also a little bit of friction because (artistic) Kenny didn't like all the attention that (flamboyant) David was getting. We were just not cut out to record abroad it seemed.

...You couldn't help loving Gary, he was his own man and didn't take s*** from anyone and he loved living life on the edge. It was just a shame that he had that weakness that he couldn't control.

GERRY BRON
1990

I used to spend a lot of time trying to persuade Gary to find another reason to live apart from music.

MICK BOX
London, England, Nov. 11, 1995 (Armistice Day)

This was our second attempt to record out of England and we went to Musicland Studio in Munich, Germany. Before we left we tried out the new material playing a concert at Shepperton Studios in front of our fans and friends which also included a nude female streaker running across the stage. The band didn't really adjust to recording abroad so this became a difficult album to make. The hotel was across the road from the studio and I remember clearly David walking from the hotel bar across a very busy street with two champagne cocktails in his hand with cars whizzing past at breakneck speed and David arriving at the studio with not a drop spilt. On the cover you will see that I am the only one with no shirt and no shoes standing on the platform. This was not by design but I understood that we were only standing in our jeans to be concreted, not everything. Oh well!!! We still managed to overcome all adversity though and produce a typical "Heep" album and So Tired was always a good rocking stage number. I hope you enjoy this re-mastered version along with the bonus tracks.

KEN HENSLEY
St Louis, USA, Jan. 1996

Wonderworld was a name I gave to the place I went in my dreams. So many songs were inspired in this somewhat strange place that I thought it necessary to name it! (The title track is actually me talking to this place!) There are some strong moments on this record and there were times when it was fun to make but the fact that we were recording out of our home environment (and this for all the wrong reasons!) really weakened the overall record. It could have been much better and so could we. We were not, in my opinion, at our best at this time. I do rate The Easy Road as one of our best ballads.

Content Copyright © 1997 Jay Pearson

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