Between 2018-2019, Esoteric Recordings – the prog rock subsidiary of Cherry Red Records – ran a brilliant reissue campaign for 70s band Greenslade. Their four major albums were lovingly repackaged and expanded with a wealth of live material, BBC Sessions and various alternate edits. In the case of fan favourite ‘Bedside Manners Are Extra’, the 1973 album was even coupled with a bonus DVD featuring the band’s appearance on the BBC’s Old Grey Whistle Test, making the short set available in full, officially, for the first time. Such a good job was made of these affordable reissues that it was hoped that the campaign would be extended to include keyboard maestro Dave Greenslade’s first two solo albums – 1976’s ‘Cactus Choir’ and 1978’s lavish album and book set ‘The Pentateuch of The Cosmonololgy’ – since both deserved a similar level of TLC. Sadly, it wasn’t to be: instead, fans merely got a compilation disc presenting the best of Greenslade appended with one rare nugget – ‘Feathered Folk’, recorded live at the Reading Festival in 1973, which, in fairness, should’ve featured on the ‘Bedside’ reissue. [As of April 2025, neither of those aforementioned solo discs have had a decent CD send off; the Angel Air reissue of ‘Cactus Choir’ sounds awful, and ‘Pentateuch’ exists in an inferior edited version.]
Resurrecting their Greenslade campaign in 2025, Esoteric subsequently licenced the band’s reunion album, 2000’s ‘Large Afternoon’, a record that, at the time, marked the most unlikely of comebacks. The record doesn’t present a genuine reunion, however, since Dave is joined by former bassist Tony Reeves – a man who’d played up a storm on three of the four of the band’s original releases – but without any other familiar faces. Drummer Chris Cozens (formerly of Project D) occupies the drum stool, and multi instrumentalist John Young (later of the much-celebrated Lifesigns) replaces the notably absent Dave Lawson. In some ways, ‘Large Afternoon’ sits out on its own in terms of the Greenslade catalogue, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t worthy of the Esoteric reissue treatment. In keeping with the format used for the ‘Greenslade’ and ‘Time & Tide’ reissues, the 2025 reissue couples the original release with period live material, making for a pleasingly full experience.
On the original album’s best tracks, it could be argued that Young actually does a better job than Lawson, since his vocals are far less of a “Marmite” affair. The highlight, ‘In The Night’ is a sedate workout where synths replicate a mellotron like string sound, and the lead keys overlay a very 70s jazz riff. For those who’ve loved ‘Bedside’ and ‘Spyglass’ for years, that riff and the number’s generally floaty style will present something unmistakeably from Dave’s hand, whist Tony’s understated basslines fill plenty of space, also lending a very retro flavour. Atop everything, Young’s vocal soars; it doesn’t matter whether he’s drawing in the listener with a mournful tone, or reaching for louder notes which really sell the imploring tones of the melody, his performance is pin sharp. The latter part of the track – introducing soft backing vocals and a Spanish guitar with hints of Mark Knopfler – sounds like something with a perfect 1986 vintage, and as the last notes fade, the listener is left with the feeling they’ve just heard something special.
From a more proggy perspective, the much grander ‘On Suite’ captures the true potential in this short-lived line up. Opening with clattering rhythms and busy keys, it immediately sounds like a throwback to the ‘Bedside’ era, and the keyboard riff that’s used as the hook sounds like something Tony Banks would have shared circa 1980. Even when Young’s voice dictates a shift towards a more even melody, the grandiosity remains, and Greenslade’s blend of prog and pure pomp delivers in spades. The verse’s melody draws from a wealth of 90s prog sounds, which coupled with a vocal melody that hints at something suited to the stage, provides even more of a throwback to the band’s 70s work. As good as this is, though, it’s when slowing down that this suite finds its feet. The slow burning melody used to fill the middle of the track leans upon the Floydian, but instead of dropping in a soaring lead guitar, a soprano sax takes the lead, and its sharp execution sounds superb against a minimalist backdrop. The drum sound is rather thin throughout, but everything else is tailor-made to entertain the dyed in the wool Greenslade fan.
Also enjoyable, the bouncing bass and floaty keys that power the shorter ‘No Room (But A View)’ share tones that sound as if they were designed with a soundtrack in mind. As with the much earlier Greenslade output, Dave is quite high in the mix, and clearly expects you to focus on his keys regardless of whatever the rest of his band may be immersed in. The dominant synths are bested by a few piano fills worthy of Rod Argent, but those are actually outshone by some really fine bass work from Tony, punching through everything with a funk edged tone, and Young delivering a vocal that’s of the classic 90s prog mould with its slightly melancholy mood. If ‘No Room’ had a hint of soundtrack about it, then the instrumental ‘Anthems’ definitely does, since the main melody and choice of synth tones sound almost exactly like something used for a BBC theme in the early 80s – Dave being no stranger to this world, of course, due to his work on 1978’s ‘Gangsters’). As with most Greenslade material, things have a tendency to veer off on a tangent or two, and beyond the main musical theme, this shares some fine almost new age melodies which are complimented brilliantly by a bassline drawing from jazz fusion. A semi atonal keyboard solo replicating an accordion does a little damage, along the way melodically speaking, but once everything returns to the main theme, this is a tune that suggests this ‘Large Afternoon’ band might have sounded even better had they stayed together long enough to record a second album.
Elsewhere, the title cut explores a blend of orchestral sounds (synthesized, naturally) and a beautifully approached piano accompaniment, before a punchier piano riff appears to recycle part of the melody from Jean Michel Jarre’s ‘Oxygene, Part 2’. This would be great if only it weren’t immediately offset by a keyboard sound presenting a synth brass tone that sounds like it’s being bashed out by a man wearing mittens. If you’re happy to ignore that, then the rest of the track indulges in some great fusion melodies, and Tony’s bass playing is superb. This comes with a feeling that Greenslade have tackled similar, superior fare in the past, but for the more forgiving fan, it’ll be an enjoyable workout. At the tail end of a nine track journey, ‘May Fair’ kicks off with a cool, descending riff that sounds like something inspired by Francis Monkman (0and in turn drawn from Vangelis), before doing a complete volt-face to drop the listener into a cheesy jig with very strong callbacks to Greenslade’s earlier ‘Spirit of The Dance’. Nevertheless, what transpires – again, sounding like something worthy of a soundtrack – allows the whole band a moment in the spotlight. There are deep, sinister piano melodies; wantonly busy prog solos from the organ and even a drum solo to pad everything out. It sounds very much like something that’s been contrived to be a highlight of future live sets…but even as a studio piece, it gives ‘Large Afternoon’ another stand-out track.
Despite featuring some interesting material, ‘Large Afternoon’ doesn’t do itself the biggest of favours in terms of production values. Despite a credit for Chris Cozens, most of the drums sound thin, almost like programmed beats, and some of Dave’s keys are delivered with a huge 80s brightness that doesn’t always suit the pompy Greenslade approach. These are elements which might have been more palatable coming from a new band without a track record in the middle of the 80s prog revival, but coming from these guys at the turn of the millennium, it makes bits of ‘Large Afternoon’ sound like a ‘Cheap Teatime’. The record also suffers from poor sequencing. The opening track, ‘Cakewalk’, is by far the record’s worst. There are moments where a huge pomp keyboard riff harks back to the band’s heyday, but the aforementioned tones lean towards everything sounding like a polished demo. It’s fair to say that, if this happened to be your first experience of Greenslade back in 2000, chances are you wouldn’t be tempted to backtrack and listen to the vastly superior ‘Spyglass Guest’.
In terms of bonus materials, there isn’t actually anything on the 2025 reissue for anyone who’s been following the band for a long time, since the second disc is merely a repackage of the impossible to find, twelve track “full version” of the ‘Live 2001’ release. However, for anyone without that in their collection, this reissue should be considered an important collection filler, since it’s actually a great show. Most importantly, the live setting really helps to bring the ‘Large Afternoon’ material to life. Tunes that sometimes hinted at being a missed opportunity are really given their chance to shine at a show recorded for the Classic Rock Society.
A double whammy of ‘On Suite’ and ‘In The Night’ show off John Young’s vocal strengths. Despite sounding very live, here is a man capable of replicating his studio performances with ease, and the jazz influenced basslines are also pin sharp. Even the previously bad ‘Cakewalk’ sounds great here. The 80s synths that sounded too bright on the studio cut sound now like the backbone of a great prog band, and the drums finally sound like part of a great rhythm section as opposed to a pre-programmed backdrop.
For most listeners, of course, this live set’s big appeal will come from hearing the older Greenslade tunes given a little fresh blood with Young’s help. During its instrumental moments, ‘Feathered Friends’ tears at speed, showcasing some really tight musicians, while the slower vocal sections sound almost perfect with the help of a vocalist sharing a very 90s prog stance. Young also sounds very comfortable on the showstopping ‘Joie De Vivre’, adding a pleasing melodic edge that’s much easier on the ear than Lawson had been, and during ‘Bedside Manners’, the softer melodies are perfect for the kind of vocal he’d shared on the brilliant ‘In The Night’. As for the instrumental numbers, the versions of ‘Catalan’, ‘Spirit of The Dance’ and ‘Sundance’ are so strong, it pretty much doesn’t matter who constitutes “Greenslade” at this point. No matter how much of a fan you are, this live recording will be enjoyable – it’s a genuinely great show, and worth the price of the double CD reissue of ‘Large Afternoon’.
Granted, posh reissues of ‘Cactus Choir’ and ‘Pentateuch’ would certainly trump this in terms of essential purchases, but it’s great to see ‘Large Afternoon’ out there on CD again, at least for a time, as flawed as the original album may be. Those unversed in the Greenslade sound should probably explore ‘Bedside Manners…’ and the rather grand ‘Spyglass Guest’ from 1974 first, but for those who’ve picked up the previous deluxe sets from 2018-19 and do not own ‘Large Afternoon’ (or in many cases, haven’t even heard it), this certainly won’t be a disappointing purchase. Just expect to give it a few tracks to warm up, and you’ll be fine…
Buy the CD here.
April 2025