The Best Years of Our Lives (Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel album)
| The Best Years of Our Lives | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel | ||||
| Released | March 1975 | |||
| Recorded | November–December 1974 | |||
| Genre | Glam rock | |||
| Length | 40:45 | |||
| Label | EMI | |||
| Producer | Steve Harley, Alan Parsons | |||
| Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel chronology | ||||
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| Professional ratings | |
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| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   |
| Record Mirror | favourable |
| Classic Rock |   |
The Best Years of Our Lives is the third studio album by Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel, released in 1975. It was the first album that featured Harley's name ahead of the band's (the band was previously known simply as Cockney Rebel). The album contains the band's only UK number one, the million-selling "Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me)". The album was produced by Harley and Alan Parsons.
In July 1974, the original line-up of Cockney Rebel split at the end of a major British tour, promoting their second album The Psychomodo. As the tour progressed the band faced growing tensions. After receiving a 'Gold Award' on 18 July for outstanding new act of 1974, Cockney Rebel disbanded a week later. Jean-Paul Crocker, Milton Reame-James and Paul Jeffreys quit the band after having demanded to write material for the group, despite the initial understanding that Harley was the sole songwriter. In August, Harley announced to Record Mirror that he was going to return with "the greatest rock 'n' roll band ever heard". In 2014, he recalled: "The people at my record label, EMI, were right behind me. They believed I could find new band members without too much of a problem and continue on to a new level of success. They believed it wasn't a major stumbling block."
Harley quickly began assembling the new line-up. As the original band were booked to play Aylesbury Friars and the Reading Festival on 24 and 25 August respectively, Harley formed a temporary line-up for the two shows. With original member Stuart Elliott remaining on drums, the line-up featured accomplished guitarist Jim Cregan, keyboard player Francis Monkman and bassist George Ford. The new line-up was soon finalised and featured the same musicians, minus Monkman who was replaced by keyboardist Duncan Mackay. Harley renamed the group Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel. The new band played their first concert on 18 October 1974 at the Rainbow Theatre in London. In November and December 1974, the band recorded Cockney Rebel's third album, The Best Years of Our Lives at Abbey Road Studios and Air Studios in London. Meanwhile, at the beginning of November, Harley released his debut solo single "Big Big Deal", which aimed to keep the momentum of Cockney Rebel's recent hit releases going.
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