The Human Menagerie
| The Human Menagerie | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by Cockney Rebel | ||||
| Released | November 1973 | |||
| Recorded | Air Studios, London - June and July 1973 | |||
| Genre | Glam rock | |||
| Length | 44:18 | |||
| Label | EMI | |||
| Producer | Neil Harrison | |||
| Cockney Rebel chronology | ||||
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| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   |
| Record Collector |  |
| Classic Rock (magazine) | |
| Mojo (magazine) | |
| The Westmorland Gazette | favourable |
| New Musical Express | unfavourable |
| The Ottawa Citizen | unfavourable |
| Billboard | favourable |
The Human Menagerie is the debut studio album by Cockney Rebel, released in 1973. It was produced by Neil Harrison.
After training as a journalist for three years, Steve Harley embarked on his musical career through "floor-spotting" within London folk clubs in 1971-72. He also had a brief spell as rhythm guitarist and co-singer in the folk band Odin, where he met future Cockney Rebel violinist Jean-Paul Crocker. It was during this time that Harley began writing his own songs, including those which would appear on The Human Menagerie. Most were penned at a time when Harley was on the dole, having left his career in journalism. In 1972, he began busking with his songs in London, in subways and runways under such places as Hyde Park Corner, Marble Arch, Leicester Square and Covent Garden. Harley would use busking to test his own songs on an audience, and to supplement his income from benefits.
While in Odin, Harley felt he was not suited to the folk scene. He decided to form his own band Cockney Rebel in 1972, as a vehicle for his own songs. With Crocker on board, the pair advertised and auditioned drummer Stuart Elliott, bassist Paul Jeffreys, and guitarist Nick Jones. One of the band's first gigs was at The Roundhouse in Chalk Farm, London on 23 July 1972 supporting The Jeff Beck Group. Jones was soon replaced by Pete Newnham, however Harley felt the band did not need an electric guitar, particularly with the arrival of keyboardist Milton Reame-James. Therefore, the band settled on the combination of Crocker's electric violin and the Fender Rhodes piano of Reame-James.
During 1972, representatives of the band began to send demo tapes to various labels. Mickie Most discovered the band at a London nightclub known as The Speakeasy Club, and offered the band their first contract with his RAK Publishing. In turn, this influenced the A&R personnel at EMI Records, who then offered the band a contract in late 1972. The band signed to EMI after having only played five gigs together. The three-album deal commenced with the recording of the band's debut album The Human Menagerie in 1973. The album was recorded in June-July 1973 at Air Studios, London, which at the time was located in Oxford Street, above a department store. It was mastered at Capitol Studios.
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