British band, Mammoth, first came to my attention via a compilation album which I’m going to cover in the very near future. The song represented on that album from this debut is “Fatman” and it was a good choice as for me, it’s the best song on the debut. It’s a good heads up rocker and I get the impression that the band are laughing at themselves with it, in a good way of course.
Of course, we got to ask about the rest of the album. If they were looking for Top of the Pops chart success, then the opener “All the Days” would be a prime candidate. It does open with a pop oriented intro but never gets too heavy for the delicate ears of the top 40 brigade. However, there is a cool guitar solo in the middle. Mac Baker is a decent guitarist.
Like with so many bands on their debut albums, some might say that Mammoth were trying to discover what they were. True, on the album songs go in a variety of directions but they mostly stay with the hard rock formula. “Can’t Take the Hurt” is another mid tempo rocker which also could have been released as a single. With the video, maybe it was as it’s the closest they come to a true ballad. The history behind the band is vague at best.
They prove they can rock on tracks like “Bet You Wish,” “Long Time Coming” and “30 Pieces of Silver.” These are good hard rocking tracks and “Bad Times” is a steady melodic one. However, they venture into more progressive metal territory on “Dark Star” and the closer, “Home From the Storm,” and they sound pretty good. I put forward the argument that Mammoth weren’t necessarily trying to find their sound as opposed to the belief that they just wanted to make music.
Track Listing:
All the Days
Fatman
Can’t Take the Hurt
30 Pieces of Silver
Dark Star
Bet You Wish
Long Time Coming
Bad Times
Home From the Storm
Mammoth
Nicky Moore- vocals, keyboards
Mac Baker- guitar
John McCoy- bass, guitar, synth guitar
Vinnie Reed- drums, percussion
Additional Musicians:
Bernie Torme- guitar
Kenny Cox- guitar
Rob Fisher- keyboards
David Lloyd, Mark Williamson- backing vocals
Steve Sidelynk- percussion
Mammoth was one of those bands who came and went without getting much notice. According to sources, they wouldn’t release another record until 1997. Shame, because with this debut, they were certainly heading in the right direction.
Next post: Dream Theater- When Dream and Day Unite
To buy Rock and Roll Children, email me at: tobychainsaw@hotmail.com
Once again it is my sad duty to report another great rocker who has departed this life and gone to the great gig in the sky. Former Samson and Mammoth lead singer Nicky Moore has passed away at the age of 75. Reports say that Nicky had been suffering from Parkinson’s Disease for several years and spent his final years in a nursing home.
Samson
Nicky is best known for replacing Bruce Dickinson in Samson after Bruce left to join some band called Iron Maiden. You might have heard of them. Nicky recorded three albums with Samson, taking the band from their NWOBHM sound to a more bluesier one. He would leave Samson to form the band Mammoth in the late 80s. FFI- click the link: https://www.yahoo.com/video/r-p-nicky-moore-singer-143624728.html
So another rocker is taken from us and is joining that ever growing ensemble in a better place.
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