Ranking the Albums: The Gods, Toe Fat, and Head Machine

[@bengalgangster]

I always trust your judgement pete and I am a big heep fan and I don't know any of these 3 bands but you gave me homework lol and I always try to finish my homework cant wait for purple in morning got my list ready cant wait

[@johnmichaelwilliams6694]

Do not recall hearing any of these bands or seeing any of these albums during their time. But, as usual, Pete, you give great homework assignments. After very limited listening of these, Genesis by The Gods sounded the best to me, followed by the two Toe Fat albums. Head Machine’s Orgasm needs further listening as it did not pull me in as quickly as the others. So, now, more CDs to buy. Thanks, Pete! This was really informative and enjoyable.

[@Mariazellerbahn]

Don't forget Weed by Weed / Albert 1 by National Head Band / BBC Sessions by Toe Fat. All pre Heep Hensley / Kerslake.

[@martynhewitt91]

Thanks Pete for this insight. It made me dig out Ken Hensley's Elements Anthology 1968-2005 which includes The God's Looking Glass, Head Machine You tried to take it all and Toe Fat Working Nights. The CD also includes Uriah Heep classics, solo songs and one Blackfoot song.

[@lawtoneric6765]

I'm pretty sure Ken did all the vocals on Head Machine. Thanks for covering this obscure branch of the Heep tree. I gotta give props to Weed. I have no idea who is on that one besides Ken.

[@Scandolo]

Thanks for that Pete! I definitely will check them out.

[@nicholasadams9881]

Loved this Pete another band who precursors their much bigger brother was a band called Tear Gas who were the members of The Sensational Alex Harvey Band before Alex discovered them and they went on to bigger and better things. They had two albums Piggy Go Getter (1970) and Tear Gas (1971) quite proggy in places check them out if you haven't already :)

[@jgwatson6651]

Super. Merci Pete. Magnifique bibliothèque.

[@pulsar861]

Very interesting show, Pete! I remember always seeing, and being intrigued by, the first Toe Fat album in the album racks in the early 1970's but never heard anything from it until a couple of decades later. I liked very much! Hadn't heard The Gods or Head Machine but listing to the God's "Genesis" right now - an excellent hidden gem! Thanks for the recommendation!

[@daveben3573]

As a born again Heep fan (thanks to you!) found this really fascinating. Knew nothing about these bands.

[@ZalMoxis]

Have loved these lps for years.... good to hear them talked about...

[@jazzpunk]

PSA: Toe Fat albums (Bad Side Of The Moon: An Anthology 1970-1972) just reissued. Amazon sez March 05...I have ordered mine from a different Site that already had it in-stock.

[@resistor27]

I remember seeing that Toe Fat album but never picked it up, i should have. Heard of the Gods long ago, still need to check them out. Never heard of Head Machine though. More stuff to buy probably!

[@captainbeyond7469]

Really liked The Gods Genesis album thanks for the recommendation. Being a big Hensley and UH fan it’s nice to hear their Genesis pardon the pun.

[@jimhawkes]

Liked all of these for years - apart from the "Samuel" one which I'd not heard of... just of to listen to it on Spotify. Cheers Pete!

[@garyjoyce2160]

I’ll admit I own zero of these albums/ but as other listeners have already mentioned/ WE respect your opinion. I’ll do my homework as well/ & 💯 % look into them. Great episode/ super informative!!

[@paulmortimer4131]

I will check this album’s out mate good piece of rock history very interesting stuff Uriah heap killer rock band 🤘👍

[@alexandergilles8583]

Toe Fat is probably the greatest band name I’ve ever heard 😂😂

[@thepunslinger9349]

I have an idea for a topic: albums that have the best 1-2 punch. As in, albums that have the best 1st 2 songs... like Battery & Master of Puppets and Holy Wars & Hangar 18.

[@kamranmalik8546]

I love that idea another example would be War Pigs/Luke's Wall & Paranoid.

[@beejayca]

You left out Spice and Weed. 😂😂Both have recordings. Good video. Rock on!

[@scottwalker5275]

Hey Pete how bout some FOGHAT rankings. Some great songs and killer guitar riffs and solos. They go along with some other bands you have done. I would be interested in what you think. Thanks Pete love your shows!!!!

[@bengalgangster]

yep im on board scott with the foghat and maybe even savoy brown if you are a foghat fan you prolly like savoy brown

[@eric_in_florida]

Love Foghat!!

[@caryheuchert]

There was also Spice, with David Byron... but that’s another story.

[@seaoftranquilityprog]

Unfortunately, very limited recordings by Spice.

[@ledzep9501]

You could also add the really good 1971 "Weed" album, another one off project were Ken Hensley sings and plays organ...

[@seaoftranquilityprog]

Yep, another good one!

[@jazzpunk]

Love these history lessons....

[@michaelmarino3013]

Such information.thsnk you....

[@meloralovesdarkness2495]

Pete thank you for turning me on to these.. I liked Toe Fat a bit, not much the other 2.. Question for you.. Do you have any love for Vanilla Fudge? I do not think I have ever heard you mention them..

[@seaoftranquilityprog]

I do.

[@Solidconfusion]

I was 11 in 1971 and i remember seeing that toe fat first record in the local hippie record store and it was the weirdest thing i had ever seen, just stared at it for like 15 minutes lol

[@kevinsnodgrass6222]

Who are these bands that I've never heard of and I thought I knew every rock group ever known

[@donaldellis8952]

All incarnations are very good.

[@JIF882]

Esoteric has reissued the Toe Fat and Head Machine stuff.

[@jukeboxcowboy]

..aw, man! I just pulled out my Toe Fat 1 LP (1970 Motown/Rare Earth), and there is no topless woman on the cover...instead, there is a lamb! ...going to Discogs to see which came first....(Edit: Dang! Mine is the censored reissue.)

[@seaoftranquilityprog]

Yep, later pressings edited the naked woman out and put the lamb in there...which made NO sense!

[@jukeboxcowboy]

@@seaoftranquilityprog Having learned the nude was censored, my first inclination was that the lamb was a visual joke about innocence and purity...or having to make a sacrifice? Hipgnosis . Gotta love'em.

[@spaghetti.lee-69]

If they have " Toe Fat" imagine what there ankles look like !!!!! JEEEZZZ !!! Something tells me they dont wear Flip-Flops!!

[@tedkay_music]

Nice!

[@Mariazellerbahn]

Hmm, by your selection of these five albums you are in the main going into the Hensley / Kerslake pre-Heep catalogue BUT you therefore missed out three albums (Weed / Albert 1 / and the Toe Fat BBC Sessions). Toe Fat 2 doesn't actually feature Hensley or Kerslake, because by then Hensley had left to record Weed with Weed and Kerslake had left to record Albert 1 with The National Head Band. Okay, first you had The Gods (two albums) morphing into Head Machine due to contractual conficts. Then, having teamed up with Cliff Bennett formed Toe Fat, some of the tracks from Head Machine being reworked and retitled also due to contract problems. On both the Head Machine and Toe Fat albums, Ken Hensley compositions were not credited to him but to the producer David Paramor (on Head Machine) and Cliff Bennett (on Toe Fat). The song "You Tried to Take it All" being the same song could not have been written by Paramor AND Bennett ... in fact neither of them did, the song was written by Hensley but he wasn't allowed by contract to be credited. Anyway, my ranking of all eight Hensley / Kerslake pre Heep albums (if you include Toe Fat 2) are ..... 1) Head Machine - "Orgasm". 2) Weed - "Weed". 3) The Gods - "Genesis". 4) National Head Band - "Albert 1". 5) The Gods - "To Samuel A Son". 6) Toe Fat - "Toe Fat". 7) Toe Fat - "BBC Sessions". 8) Toe Fat - "Toe Fat 2". =================================================== Listen to the Weed album here ... kzbin.info/www/bejne/mn63Z3hjjpyNesU Listen to the Albert 1 album here ... kzbin.info/www/bejne/jp2Qn555bseKpLM

[@Rollusify]

many thanx for your extented history lesson of UH

[@Mariazellerbahn]

Head Machine ... the first Con(tra)cept album ;)

[@Leery_Bard]

What about Spice?

[@JohnWilson-vu1no]

is toe fat like cream or andromeda john du cann's band

[@seaoftranquilityprog]

Not too far removed...very good bluesy hard rock. Cactus, Humble Pie, Cream, Chicken Shack, etc.

[@musicmann1967]

You've got to be kidding

[@seaoftranquilityprog]

Why would I kid??

[@williamwallace5857]

Who ? Scraping the bottom of the barrel for ideas I reckon. And this before you'd just listen to The 'Sensational' Alex Harvey Band.