[Heeplist] John Lawton with Axel Rudi Pell

[Dave Crookham]

Has anyone else picked up Axel Rudi Pell’s 25th Anniversary Magic Moments 3 CD set from the 2014 Bang Your Head festival?

What a pleasant surprise from the opening songs from Pell’s early career band Steeler all the way through the Deep Purple/Rainbow classics ending the set with Purple alumni Doogie White, Graham Bonnett, Tony Carey and Bobby Rondinelli.

John Lawton also fronts things for a couple of songs. First he does a rocking version of “Sympathy”. ARP and Rondinelli sound like they’ve been playing this song for years. Rondinelli would be a great choice if Heep ever needs a new drummer. I’ve seen him several times live when he was with Blue Oyster Cult and he is great live.

Sympathy was good enough but then John says everyone has a favorite band and that his is ZZ Top. He and the band then blow through a tight bluesy version of “Tush”. Those 2 songs alone are worth the $15 or so for the 3 CD set. If I new Lawton was a huge ZZ Top fan I certainly forgot it somewhere along the way.

Dave