JOHN LAWTON – Celebrating The Life Of John Lawton [2-CD incl. previously unreleased material] (2023)

Here we have the new, double compilation album from late singer JOHN LAWTON (Uriah Heep, Lucifer’s Friend) entitled “Celebrating The Life Of John Lawton“. The collection works as a 2-CD Anthology featuring 33 songs, reflecting John’s career from the early 1970s through to 2015, including many rarities only recently discovered.
The set also includes a previously unreleased Uriah Heep live guest recording with the current line-up, and rare outtakes to add a fun element.
John, who passed away June 29, 2021, had been recording for over 50 years, and was best known as the lead singer for German progressive hard rock band Lucifer’s Friend, as well the singer for Uriah Heep in the latter half of the ’70s. He also recorded & toured with The Les Humphries Singers in the ’70s, and later recorded with such bands and projects as Rebel, Zar, Gunhill (a band he formed in the ’90s), The Lawton-Dunning Project, (his own) John Lawton Band, OTR, and The Intelligent Music Project, plus a few solo albums, and various guest appearances (notably with Uriah Heep years after he left). John’s last album was 2019’s Black Moon with Lucifer’s Friend.

”Celebrating The Life Of John Lawton” appears to be a well thought out set, as opposed to something predictable. It is actually more about some of the rare recordings he did, singles, guest appearances, and one-off projects and albums he was a part of, including previously unreleased material. I don’t see any Lucifer’s Friend songs, or too many Uriah Heep titles, but this does touch on most of the bands and projects mentioned above.
So, this will be an essential purchase for fans of John’s career. The man put out so much great music, that this will be an excellent celebration of his work.

There are 33 songs on the two CDs which Jon’s wife Iris Lawton personally selected. And don’t expect the typical ‘Best Of’. Far from that. There are songs which we never heard, some of them Iris found on old tapes. All the music was beautifully remastered and sounds really good indeed.
Especially the tracks on CD1 are a must for ’70s / ’80s classic rock fans. On CD we find 2002 – 2014 tracks, with a more modern sound & style.
The songs show John’s versatility, feeling and huge talent. His name really should be mentioned with the best of the best.
Highly Recommended

CD 1: 1971 – 2000
1. Corner Street Girl – 1971 – Asterix – John Lawton – Tony Cavanna duet
2. Little Chalk Blue – 1975 – Butterfly Ball – Roger Glover’s Butterfly Ball
3. Out Here 1979/80 – ARC – Tony Clarke’s ARC project
4. Is There Anyone There – 1979-80 – ARC – Tony Clarke’s ARC project
5. Eloise 1981 Cover version
6. Me and my Harley – 1982 – Harley Davidson Commercial, Germany
7. Stargazer 1983 – Rebel
8. Broadway Nights 1983 – Rebel
9. Heart Of The Night – 1990 – Zar
10. Dirty Tricks – 1990 – Lost Paradise – Lenny MacDowell Project
11. Colgate Gel – 1992 – Several outtakes, Germany – Just for fun!!
12. Set The World On Fire – 1993 – Excalibur
13. Back To The Highlands – 1993 – Excalibur
14. Someone Sings – 1995 – Eddie Hardin’s Wizards Convention II
15. Come Together – 1995 – Stuyvesant Travel
15. Wise Man – Live @ HeepVention 2000 – Hensley Lawton Band
17. I’m Alive – Live @ HeepVention 2000 – Hensley Lawton Band

CD 2: 2002 – 2014
1. Feelings 2002 – Live @ Mean Fiddler London – Lawton-Dunning
2. Tonight – 2002 – Live @ Mean Fiddler London – Lawton-Dunning
3. It’s A Long Way To Go – 2002 – Freak Out – John Lawton-Chris Catena duet
4. Mama Loo – Fun Jam – 2002 – Live @ Downtown Blues Club – Just for fun!!
5. I’ll Be Here – 2003 – Sting in the Tale – John Lawton Band
6. Written On The Wall – 2003 – Sting in the Tale – John Lawton Band
7. Been Away Too Long – 2003 – Live@Astoria – Bernie Shaw-John Lawton duet
8. Mamonama – 2008 – Mamonama – OTR
9. Shine – 2008 – Mamonama – OTR
10. Ride On – 2008 – Mamonama – OTR
11. Salvation – 2009 – B.T.R. Live Concert – John Lawton-Nasko Penev duet
12. River Of Dreams – 2012 – Heepster project
13. Fairy Tale – 2012 – Power of Mind – Intelligent Music Project
14. Rain – 2013 – Uriah Heep Live – John Lawton-Bernie Shaw duet
15. Rock ‘n Roll Is My Thing – 2012 – Power of Mind – Intelligent Music Project
16. Things We Can’t Do – 2014 – My Kind of Lovin’ – Intelligent Music Project

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www.amazon.co.uk/CELEBRATING-LIFE-JOHN-LAWTON-2CD/dp/B0C4PCWN3C