Shackles and chains (Steppenwolf) (LP 3967 - 3970)

Steppenwolf  For Ladies Only  (Vinyl, ABC Dunhill Records, 1971) ***  

Steppenwolf  Slow Flux (Vinyl, CBS Records, 1974) **** 

Steppenwolf  Hour of the Wolf (Vinyl, Epic Records, 1975) **

John Kay & Steppenwolf  Live in London (Vinyl, Mercury Records, 1981) *** 

Genre: Hard rock 

Places I remember: Real Groovy Records

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Jeraboah (Slow Flux)

Gear costume: Straight Shootin' Woman (Slow Flux)

They loom large in his legend (The Album Collection playlists): Part 1; Part 2; Part 3; Part 4; Part 5; Part 6

Active compensatory factors: After a live album in 1970 and a greatest hits compilation earlier in 1971, comes their sixth studio effort - For Ladies Only. The title gives away the content - this is a concept album about feminism.

The expectation after a live one and a hits compilation is that a new phase is beginning for a band. Sure enough Steppenwolf try to step away from expectations built up from their old macho sound. But with limited success. The songs tend to retain the uneasiness they show on the back cover 'reading' feminist literature and the gatefold cover with the giant phallic symbol also tended to reduce their sincerity factor.

The band moves towards a more progressive rock sound with more complex arrangements and sophisticated keyboard playing at times (the title track for instance). By this time Kent Henry had replaced Byrom and that influences the sound as well as the more democratic approach to singers (John Kay's distinctive vocals are a real strength of Steppenwolf and are always missed).

In any event, Steppenwolf disbanded in 1972 and then reformed two years later with their next album - Slow Flux. There was yet another new lead guitarist (Bobby Cochran) on board for the reformed Steppenwolf.

In some ways it's a pity Steppenwolf missed 1972 and 1973 - prime rock years, but by 1974 they sound pretty rejuvenated. The hard rocking band, America's Deep Purple, were back. I say Deep Purple because both bands' set up was similar - 5 members - drums, bass, organ, guitar and a vocalist (although John Kay did also play guitar) and the music's power base was the same - the interplay between guitar and organ. Slow Flux was Goldy's last album with Steppenwolf. He'd be missed.

Slow Flux is a powerful reboot with the band trying new sounds with the inclusion of horns, acoustic guitars (shock horror) and an Albert Hammond cover. It mostly works and is, for me, their best album since The Second.

Sadly, that wasn't sustained into The Hour of the Wolf. It has a great cover but the sound is much more mainstream rock without the Steppenwolf edge. It's still a worthwhile record, just that it falls short of that hard rock of old, making Slow Flux the last great Steppenwolf album*.

Live in London is a good album - amply showing that live the new boys could represent the past well (only John Kay remains from the glory years). The new songs are okay; the stand outs happen to be the old hits (funny that): Sookie, Sookie; Magic Carpet Ride; The Pusher: Born to be Wild (naturally).

Where do they all belong? *I'd buy their last album before they became John Kay & Steppenwolf - 1976's Skullduggery, if I saw it, but aside from that their eighties album don't hold much of an appeal.