LP 046: The Disciples - Jesus Christ Superstar (Contour, 1972)

Side 1
01 Overture
02 Heaven On Their Minds
03 What's The Buzz?
04 Everything's Alright
05 Pilate's Dream
06 I Don't Know How To Love Him

Side 2
07 Damned For All Time
08 Blood Money
09 Last Supper
10 Last Supper Part 2
11 The Arrest
12 King Herod's Song
13 Superstar

Here's the deal.
Jesus Christ Superstar is my second favourite musical after Hair.
As well as Hair albums (40 and counting), I also collect JCS LPs so here is the first one I've chosen to share.

The original MCA album is amazing. Why? Because it wasn't recorded by actors, it was performed by real live musicians. People who had funk, jazz and rock oozing through their veins.
There are millions of copies out there so I recommend you seek one out.

The Contour LP by The Disciples also appeared on the Windwill label. By all accounts it was recorded pretty swiftly in the studio by regular pop musicians and it's a belter.

Heaven On Their Minds is superb - urgent, frenetic and rifftastic. What's The Buzz ups the stakes immediately afterwords with levels of funk that you'll be surprised existed.

Pilate's Dream is competent while I Don't Know How I Love Him is nicely sung and not nearly as syrupy as it became in West End 1980s hell.

Side 2 then. Damned For All Time and Blood Money are a pair of groovers. Great sax action. The Last Supper is split into two parts - "trials and tribulations" which nicely dovetail into The Arrest where we get to hear a mini-selection of "best bits".

Then it's time to give the title track a blast. The version of Superstar is bombastic, over-the-top rock action with a hyperactive chorus line.
It's marvellous and a fine way to end this diamond of an LP.

Comments and feedback are welcome.

Jesus Christ Superstar