Medicine Head's Heartwork - The Strange Brew

Brian R. Banks reviews Medicine Head’s album Heartwork (Talking Elephant Records TECD491).

John Fiddler (vocals, guitars, keyboards, harmonica) was born September 1947 in Moxley, a village near Darlaston, Staffs in the English midlands. It’s often been in the news because of the effects of mining on the land and inhabitants, rebuilding impacts on but hopefully strengthens both. There is a prized local nature reserve too, perhaps early seeds for his life-long passion in visual art before and after Art College in Stafford during the mid-60s. His songwriting is an artisan’s craft reflecting determination to overcome the setbacks of life, environment and relationships, motivated and strengthened solely by love.

He grew up with creative sisters and their mother, a feminine nexus that along with the environment seems the artist’s rocking fuel. The title too of his latest, playing on artwork presumably, shows in a long trajectory during and after the first Medicine Head with fellow-student and close friend Peter Hope-Evans, a dynamic creative duo that began with New Bottles Old Medicine in 1970 as the best-selling act on John Peel’s Dandelion (“one of the cheapest classic records of all time”, he had two of their singles in his all-time box of faves to hand).

Ever since the name was formed—literally good medicine for the head and body, thought and action combined—the creativity of main song-writer John Fiddler has been good energy and emotion without fuss, even when a lean-mean duo during the era of prog’s overelaboration. (The album title Dark Side of the Moon was first used by Medicine Head a year before nicked by those whose name escapes me). Encouraged by early supporters such as John and Yoko Lennon and Pete Townshend, they had top 3 hits across Europe on Polydor with t.v. appearances and front-page articles in such as Melody Maker, Sounds and Jackie before splitting. Fiddler then fronted as the main songwriter both British Lions (ex-Mott the Hoople) and Box of Frogs (ex-Yardbirds) with such guests as Jeff Beck, Rory Gallagher, Steve Hackett and Jimmy Page. Both bands, who reached the Billboard 100, have again been reissued as have seven albums featuring Hope-Evans, compilations and radio sessions.

The prolific songster’s credits include a co-write on UFO’s Mechanix (“We Belong To The Night”), and Morgan Fisher’s Seasons as well as Miniatures 2 this century, while amid rumours of joining The Stranglers he was briefly in Freeway for their Partners In Crime LP on Epic with John Coghlan (ex-Status Quo), Terry Uttley (ex-Smokie) and Ray Majors from British Lions, co-writing with him Heart Of The Night. Solo projects, with various friends including the latest release, include State Of The Heart (1992, reissued by Angel Air 2013 who released a ‘lost’ 70s album by Medicine Head), Return Of The Buffalo (1995 Red Steel), expanded as Big Buffalo (2000), and Only The Roses (2005). Another well-reviewed solo (Fiddlersophical 2011 Angel Air) came out around the time of best-of compilations on Polydor, Cherry Red, and Bellaphon (Germany).

In 2021 Warriors Of Love was released that in a way is a pendant to the latest work, though both stand-alone as originals of lyrical depth behind the veneer of modern culture; the absence of fillers is almost a trademark with this artist unlike many since. It came out on his new label Living Room Records, another pointer to the music being possible for anyone anywhere, his credo from the 60s on after growing up listening to such as Muddy Waters, Howling Wolf with Hubert Sumlin, and Lightnin’ Hopkins. Heartwork was first earmarked for it too but just a single (Living In A Bubble) appeared in late 2023. Mastered in Nashville by Alan Shipton, Belinda Campbell sings on half the ten tracks, Dzal Martin contributes various guitars, and Dave ‘Bucket’ Colwell (Bad Company; Humble Pie) lead-guitars the opener.

Making Up For Lost Love reminds a little of Gary Moore, by no means a criticism of course, with its Chicago blues style of vocal over electric guitar licks and insistent riff. It possibly refers to a difficult relationship in Arizona a few years back, but like all his work is universal. Alluring vibrato and laid-back harmonica wisps “Let’s make a love song out of this tragedy” (Alibi) as Fiddler seeks the positive in life. Everybody Has The Blues (Sometimes), of which a version appeared on State Of The Heart, looks at the outside and inside with some nice arpeggio rhythm guitar in what might be a (non-country) nod or update to Merle Haggard. Rumbling boogie, with harmonica and tambourine, almost echoes Tony Joe White, Dr. John or Fiddler’s own Slip And Slide smuggled into Top Of The Pops in the seventies (Get Your Hands In The Air).

The single Livin’ In A Bubble talks of life today among governments who lie blatantly with fall-out that’s painful for everybody else. The longest track’s six minutes (Love Is Not A Dream) features Dzal Martin on lap steel among the keys, when love can feel like being on death row because love is not a dream, love is real. Presumably no coincidence that it is followed by the flow of Gotta Hold On, its Americanized title and lyrics remind just a star-grain of the similarly titled Tom Waits song—but only in the sense that Alpha Centauri is our nearest star after the sun. With subtle strings, it’s a perfect late-night lullaby.

It’s All About The Love mentions sheltering, be it from the rain or night as dawn rises, a healing tear-jerker for so many lives into this new century. Blue Eyes, a title that echoes what the artist once said in an interview about his solo music career as “blue-eyes blues” to expand the imagination, this mid-paced track is evocative with chord runs and solos. The closer Ridin’ In My Car, a co-write with Martin, is a solid B-side for any single.

Also available from the artist’s website, the album is a beautiful edition (with tasteful booklet of lyrics) by Talking Elephant, a label well-worth exploring. The full band sound with instrumentation not unlike the first incarnation’s ethos, delivered in a voice still strong and distinctively mellow, is a treat for anyone respecting musical integrity from a life lived the same way. He has always said he navigates by “soul compass”, and it is here very much magnetically true.

Brian R. Banks