''Speech'' is the fourth and final album of the

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...

band Steamhammer. In 1971, bassist Steve Davy left the band, and

Louis Cennamo Louis David Cennamo is an English bass guitarist, whose lengthy career has included extensive recording and touring with a number of important British rock/blues/progressive bands. Career Cennamo left school at 16 and undertook his earliest imp ...

was recruited as his replacement - then, vocalist/guitarist

Kieran White Kieran Raymond White (July 27, 1948 - August 9, 1995, Oregon, United States) was an English baritone rock vocalist and guitarist. He sang and played in the blues-rock band Steamhammer, formed in 1968. Their debut album, '' Steamhammer''. was re ...

also left after a summer tour. Guitarist

Martin Pugh Martin John Pugh is a British guitarist who came to prominence after joining blues-rock band Steamhammer in 1968, staying with that band through 5 years and 4 albums. The debut Steamhammer album, also known as '' Steamhammer'', was released ...

, drummer

Mick Bradley Mick Bradley (1947 – 8 February 1972) was a British drummer and vocalist, known for being a member of the blues-rock band Steamhammer. He played on three Steamhammer albums. In 1969, Bradley played drums on the ''Methuselah'' album by the l ...

and Cennamo (with guest vocalist Garth Watt-Roy, of

Fuzzy Duck Fuzzy duck is a drinking game where players sit in a circle and take turns to say the words "''fuzzy duck''". A player may also opt to say, "does he?", in which case play resumes in the opposite direction with players instead saying "''ducky fuzz' ...

) then went in the studio to record ''Speech'', which was released in 1972. It consisted of three lengthy (and mostly instrumental) songs in a heavier progressive-rock vein, that was somewhat different from their initial blues and folk/jazz-influenced albums. Bradley died from

leukemia Leukemia ( also spelled leukaemia and pronounced ) is a group of blood cancers that usually begin in the bone marrow and result in high numbers of abnormal blood cells. These blood cells are not fully developed and are called ''blasts'' or ' ...

shortly before the album's mixing was completed (the album is dedicated to him on the inside album cover). The band continued with American singer/guitarist Bruce Payne and drummer John Lingwood, touring in Germany in support of the album, where they were more popular than back home in England. After Steamhammer wound down, Pugh and Cennamo joined up with former Yardbirds vocalist

Keith Relf William Keith Relf (22 March 194312 May 1976) was an English musician, best known as the lead vocalist and harmonica player for rock band the Yardbirds. He then formed the band Renaissance with his sister Jane Relf, The Yardbirds ex-drummer Jim ...

(who had provided production assistance on ''Speech'', as well as contributing background vocals) and drummer

Bobby Caldwell Robert Hunter Caldwell (born August 15, 1951) is an American singer, songwriter and musician. He released several albums spanning R&B, soul, jazz and adult contemporary. He is known for his soulful and versatile vocals. Caldwell released the ...

, formerly of

Johnny Winter John Dawson Winter III (February 23, 1944 – July 16, 2014) was an American singer and guitarist. Winter was known for his high-energy blues rock albums and live performances in the late 1960s and 1970s. He also produced three Grammy Award-win ...

's band and

Captain Beyond Captain Beyond is an American rock supergroup formed in Los Angeles in 1971.
at

, to form Armageddon (A&M band), Armageddon.

Track listing

Personnel

- guitar, vocals *

- bass, bowed bass, vocals *

- percussion * Garth Watt-Roy - lead vocals ;Technical *

- backing vocals, production assistance *Pete Booth - engineer *

Paul Whitehead Paul Whitehead is a British painter and graphic artist known for his surrealistic album covers for artists on the Charisma Records label in the 1970s, such as Genesis and Van der Graaf Generator. __TOC__ Life and work England: Liberty Records ...

- cover art

Product details

* Audio CD (1991) * Original release date: 1972 * Number of discs: 1 * Format: Import * Label: Repertoire (CD reissue) * ASIN: B00000743R Also: * Audio CD (October 11, 2005) * Original release date: 1972 * Number of discs: 1 * Label: Akarma Italy * ASIN: B00009Y34Y

References

External links

Keith Relf website

{{Authority control Steamhammer (band) albums 1972 albums Columbia Records albums