Medicine Head Release New Album ‘Heartwork’.
Medicine Head - The beat goes on with ‘Heartwork’ by John Fiddler
John Fiddler and Medicine Head are delighted to reveal that they will release a brand new album ‘Heartwork’ on 23 February on digital formats via Living Room Records, and on CD through Talking Elephant Records [TECD491 / 5028479049127]. Featuring ten brand new songs, this is a fresh and vibrant set of blues rock that once more centre the band’s founder John Fiddler and Medicine Head in the core of this wonderful tradition. ‘Heartwork’ follows the very well-received ‘Warriors of Love’, album which was the first new album in a decade. ‘Heartwork’ will be preceded by a single, released today, entitled ‘Livin’ In A Bubble’.
Of the album, John Fiddler says: “I am the lucky one who has remained the “Beating Heart” of Medicine Head, and as such, where my Heart leads I follow, through Affairs of the Heart, the State of the Heart, Heartbreak, Heartache, and Straight from the Heart. I navigate with my ‘Soul Compass’ creating HEARTWORK framed in Love Peace and Empathy; though in a previous life, while smiling I would say, ‘I’m a Pacifist, so don’t fuck with me’
Most of the songs I’ve written are love songs, once described by a music critic as ‘skeletal love songs’. Nowadays maybe there’s a little more meat on the bone (or for vegans, a few more leaves on the tree) but either way, the State of the Heart has always featured heavily in the songs I write.”
Medicine Head began life in 1968 when the founding core duo of singer and guitarist John Fiddler and harmonica player Peter Hope-Evans began performing in the Midlands. They quickly came to the attention of John Peel and – at the insistence of John Lennon – the DJ ended up signing the band to his own Dandelion Records. Eric Clapton and Pete Townshend were also early cheerleaders. Peel declared the band’s debut 1968 single ‘His Guiding Hand’ to be one of the classics of all time – and a copy featured in his legendary Record Box.
Medicine Head released three albums via Dandelion Records, with Hope-Evans leaving and returning to the fold during that time. The first album, 1970’s ‘New Bottles, Old Medicine’ featured ‘His Guiding Hand’ and was recorded in a two-hour session and Medicine Head toured with the DJ at many of Peel’s shows. The band followed that with the single ‘(And The) Pictures In The Sky’ and then a second album in 1971, ‘Heavy On The Drum’; produced by the Yardbirds’ Keith Relf. After their 1972 album, ‘Dark Side of the Moon’ [yes, before Pink Floyd), the band signed to Polydor.
Medicine Head then released ‘One & One Is One’, the single charted at No.3 in the charts and the album of the same name garnered them more fans. The following album ‘Thru’ A Five’ gave them more hits with “Rising Sun” and ‘Slip and Slide’. Soon after that the band became a duo again, releasing the fittingly titled album ‘Two Man Band’ in 1976. The following year, Peter Hope-Evans left for the final time, although John Fiddler (with Peter’s blessing), has continued to work, and to release records as Medicine Head – 2011’s ‘Fiddlersophical’ was the last before ‘Warriors of Love’.
As that previous album proved, John Fiddler has retained his voice and his musical freedom: this is an artist and a band with pedigree and a story. ‘Heartwork’ is cut through with experience and integrity, and sits well within that Medicine Head catalogue.
Photo: Danny Clifford