How to make a really expensive rock LP, circa 1974

Last night I was looking through my LP stack and was reading the liner notes of the LUCIFER'S FRIEND album Banquet from 1974. I started going through all the session musicians on the album and started doing some math in my head...and this record would have cost a small fortune in mid-70's.

In addition to the band, there are 34 studio musicians on this album. Essentially a studio-created jazz orchestra half split between horn and string sections, plus vocalists.

Here's an idea of how this is structured: (self produced and arranged by the band, no outside producers)

Lucifer's Friend - John Lawton, Peter Hesslein, Peter Hecht, Dieter Horns, Herbert Bornhold.

+

Trumpet - Bob Lanese, Heinz Habermann, Manfred Moch
Tenor Sax - Stefan v. Dobryzynski
Alto & Soprano Sax - Herb Gellar
Baritone Sax - Karl-Herrmann Luer
Trombone - Waldemar Erbe, Wolfgang Ahlers, Heinz Reese, Gunter Fulisch
Oboe - Franz Behle
French Horn - Rolf Lund
Flute - Klaus Holle, Herb Gellar (solo on Sorrow)
English Horn - Heinz Alves
Bassoon - Wilfred Schoberansky

+ a 3 piece choir
+ 10 piece Violin section
+ 3 piece Viola section
+ 3 piece Cello section

How did they do it? They quit touring after the second album, from that point on they only existed in the studio. The guitarist was also the head engineer at the studio where it was recorded. Peter Hecht (the keyboardist) was a trained arranger and did all the charts for the brass & string sections.

It's probably one of the most "dense" records from that time, it's ridiculously detailed...but somehow even more fun because of it.

for those that either can't afford the ridiculous import prices of the CD or don't have a turntable:

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=T9EFNJTR

'Banquet' is a killer album. Have you ever heard Asterix-S/T Shawn?

yeah, the thing that bugs me about that record is there are 2 lead vocalists and they co-sing every track, it gets annoying, I just want the other guy to shut up so I can hear Lawton better.

Yeah, that's what I say too, I also have the first 5 LF albums and 'Sumo Grip'.

I found "blogged" versions of the first 3 records. Found actual copies of the 4th and 5th albums.

Not really interested in the later stuff, I've sampled it, but it's not my thing. Mean Machine sounded especially cheesy...sounded like a 70's rock band "trying" to play 80's metal and it didn't work at all.

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How did they do it? They quit touring after the second album, from that point on they only existed in the studio.

Taking a page from The Beatles' playbook...when you can focus all your energy on making records, you can make some amazing records.

Shawn D. wrote:

I found "blogged" versions of the first 3 records. Found actual copies of the 4th and 5th albums.

Not really interested in the later stuff, I've sampled it, but it's not my thing. Mean Machine sounded especially cheesy...sounded like a 70's rock band "trying" to play 80's metal and it didn't work at all.

Good point, 'Sumo Grip' actually appealed to me in a weird sort of way though...the latter '70s stuff is kinda lame though.

I haven't heard Sumo Grip, I know the name of the band is "Lucifer's Friend II". Who survives from the original lineup?

Lawton and Hesslein if memory serves me right.

Up for air. Listening to "Banquet" tonight for the first time in awhile, what an amazing record. The arrangements blow my mind every time I hear it.

Dude, I've listened to this record so many times it's completely burnt into my head. I haven't jammed it in a while, though.

Metal-On-Metal wrote:

Dude, I've listened to this record so many times it's completely burnt into my head. I haven't jammed it in a while, though.

I bumped it back up for you really, thought you might find the information about the session musicans interesting.

Another thing about Lucifer's Friend is their guitarist is a TOTAL badass player, talk about underrated! His lead sound was lethal.

When I first joined this forum, I lurked around reading old threads... this one's how I discovered this album.