STUCK IN THE VINYL AGAIN - JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR - A ROCK OPERA - ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER & TIM RICE

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Good morning Sunday people and welcome back to Stuck In The Vinyl Again. It was 50 years ago today, that Pittsburgh saw the first stage production of Jesus Christ Superstar. The musical with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Tim Rice tells the tale (in song) of the last week of Jesus' life. Initially the pair had a hard time getting funding so they released the project as a double album called, Jesus Christ Superstar - A Rock Opera. The success of that record convinced financial backers to get on board.  Jesus Christ Superstar - A Rock Opera was released in 1970 on the Decca label and produced by Time Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber. It peaked at #23 in the UK, #6 in Australia, and #1 in both America and Canada. It has been certified Gold. Our copy includes the 26 page program, complete with lyrics and credits. To be honest I had never listened to this until last night and I've never seen the movie either.

1. "Overture" 4:00

2. "Heaven on Their Minds" 4:23

3. "What's the Buzz/Strange Thing Mystifying" 4:13

4. "Everything's Alright" 4:36

5. "This Jesus Must Die" 5:11

Side two

1. "Hosanna" 2:09

2. "Simon Zealotes/Poor Jerusalem" 4:49

3. "Pilate's Dream" 1:28

4. "The Temple" 4:43

5. "Everything's Alright (reprise)" 0:34

6. "I Don't Know How to Love Him" 3:41

7. "Damned for All Time/Blood Money" 4:36

Side three

1. "The Last Supper" 7:10

2. "Gethsemane (I Only Want to Say)" 5:33

3. "The Arrest" 3:24

4. "Peter's Denial" 1:27

5. "Pilate and Christ" 2:46

6. "King Herod's Song" 3:02

Side four

1. "Judas' Death" 4:17

2. "Trial Before Pilate (Including the 39 Lashes)" 5:13

3. "Superstar" 4:16

4. "The Crucifixion" 4:04

5. "John Nineteen Forty-One" 2:10

Ian Gillan – Jesus Christ
Murray Head – Judas Iscariot
Yvonne Elliman – Mary Magdalene
Victor Brox – Caiaphas, High Priest
Barry Dennen – Pontius Pilate

Supporting players

Brian Keith – Annas
John Gustafson – Simon Zealotes
Paul Davis – Peter
Mike d'Abo – King Herod

Other players

Annette Brox – Maid by the Fire
Paul Raven – Priest
Pat Arnold, Tony Ashton, Tim Rice, Peter Barnfeather, Madeline Bell, Brian Bennett, Lesley Duncan, Kay Garner, Barbara Kay, Neil Lancaster, Alan M. O'Duffy, Terry Saunders – Background vocals
Choir conducted by Geoffrey Mitchell
Children's choir conducted by Alan Doggett on "Overture"
The Trinidad Singers, under the leadership of Horace James, on "Superstar"

Musicians

Neil Hubbard – electric guitar
Henry McCullough – electric guitar, acoustic guitar
Chris Mercer – tenor sax
J. Peter Robinson – piano, electric piano, organ, positive organ
Bruce Rowland – drums, percussion
Alan Spenner – bass guitar

Other musicians

Harold Beckett, Les Condon, Ian Hamer, Kenny Wheeler – trumpet
Anthony Brooke, Joseph Castaldini – bassoon
Andrew McGavin, Douglas Moore, James Brown, Jim Buck Sr., Jim Buck Jr., John Burdon – horns
Norman Cave, Karl Jenkins – piano
Jeff Clyne, Peter Morgan, Alan Weighall – bass guitar
Keith Christie, Frank Jones, Anthony Moore – trombone
Alan Doggett – principal Conductor, Moog synthesizer
Ian Herbert – clarinet
Clive Hicks, Chris Spedding, Louis Stewart, Steve Vaughan – guitar
Bill LeSage, John Marshall – drums
Chris Taylor, Brian Warren – flute
Mike Vickers – Moog synthesizer
Mick Weaver – piano, organ
Andrew Lloyd Webber – piano, organ, Moog synthesizer
Strings of the City of London Ensemble

Production

Alan O'Duffy – chief engineer