Stu News and Photos

From the terrific music blog "Oldish Psych & Prog," --"This "concept" album related to an infamous rock'n'roll habit! Unfortunately the album sleeve didn't list the line-up, but it seems likely that Ken Hensley of Uriah Heep fame had a leading role. He recorded the Weed album during March 1971 in between the Uriah Heep albums Salisbury and Look At Yourself. Some members of the 1970/71 Virus line-up were also involved, Bernd Hohmann and Werner Monka at least and possibly their rhythm section as well. All six tracks were composed by the concert promoter Bobo Albes and Phillips' household producer Rainer Goltermann made sure the sessions in the Windrose Studios in Hamburg were preserved for posterity. The album comprised straight-forward heavy progressive blues-rock with twin guitars and organ to the fore, culminating in the excellent, long instrumental title track. Weed can be compared to other German heavy progsters of the era, such as Zarathustra, Blackwater Park, Epitaph and Armaggedon, as well as Ken Hensley's similarly obscure (Head Machine) album Orgasm dating from 1969 or 1970. The sleeve of the Weed album is quite noteworthy - a somewhat disgusting, middle-aged house wife is pictured, offering some 'weed' of an unknown nature! A fine album, but very rare and accordingly high priced at the collector's market."