• AllMyVinyl #76
• Band: Lee Kerslake
• Album Title: Eleventeen
• Release Date: 26 Feb 2021
• Date purchased: 4 Mar 2021
• Location purchased: Amazon
• Color of vinyl: black
• Number of discs: 1
• Links: [ Wikipedia | Discogs | Band Website (N/A) | Complete album on Youtube ]

This one was a bittersweet release.  Lee Kerslake has been on a crap ton of albums.  The two masterpieces that were Ozzy’s first two albums (they were NOT solo albums)..  About 6,327 Uriah Heep albums, but in all that time, never once was there a Lee Kerslake album.  Until now.  That’s the great part.  The sad part is that it’s also his final album as Lee died before this was actually released.  He started working on it several years prior, and supposedly finished it in 2019 somewhere.  I never really found out WHY it didn’t come out till early 2021, but I have to imagine Covid played a part in that. Lee died on 19 Sep 2020.  The album was complete, plans were in place to put out, but Lee never saw the album released, which was sad.  At least he got his platinum record plaques for Blizzard & Diary before his death (there’s a picture of that below).

Oddly, I didn’t hear about this album myself until the week it was released – I ordered it immediately as I assumed this would be the kind of vinyl release, which would come out, get little attention (it didn’t), and then disappear quickly (it did, vinyl out of print now).  I didn’t want to miss this one, and I’m glad I did.  Oddly for what turned out to be a fairly limited release, that it was on Amazon US as a domestic release was a surprise.  The CD version is still available in the UK from the label, but the vinyl isn’t – neither in the US (domestically) I believe.  Like a few others in my vinyl series, this one came out after I started with records again, so there’s no back history to draw from.  I got the album on vinyl when it was brand new.

One thing I never really found out about is what the album title MEANS.  In the liner notes, it says “There are ‘eleventeen’ good reasons why I made this album.”  But that’s it – no real definition of the etymology of the word itself.

It’s a shame it’s not still widely available, as the music on here is very pleasant.  When you get think Kerslake and Ozzy / Uriah Heep, you’d expect a big drum filled beast of an album.  That’s absolutely not what Eleventeen is.  It’s a far more mellow album than you’d expect for Lee’s musical pedigree, and that’s fine.  I wonder if that difference is what led to this album getting little to no attention.  In fact, the only time I’ve ever seen talk about it is when I bring it up myself.  I have like 70 thousand followers on Twitter, and a big following through my Sabbath website, and I can’t tell you if anyone has EVER brought up Eleventeen to me outside of Bob Daisley – who I had a couple of conversations with about it.  But that’s Bob – you’d expect it from him.  That nobody else that I can think of has talked about it is a shame.  On the version of this on my blog, I link out to the full album on Youtube.  Even if you don’t buy it on physical media, at least listen to it there.  I really want more people to hear this album.  There’s some really enjoyable tunes on this.

The album is only eight songs and 38 minutes, so it definitely has that 70’s era vibe to it in terms of length.  A lot of albums of that era were around this time – it wasn’t till CD’s that things started being an hour or more.  :)  I’ll break down the tracks here..  Lee also has a note “about” each track in the vinyl, I’ll include those as well.

Celia Sienna – The one single from the album.  It was obviously put together when Lee was still alive, as there’s a video for it, and Lee is shown singing, playing drums, and apparently goofing off with friends/band members in the video.  It is a statement song, I think.  I’ve written about that concept in the past where albums hit you in the face with some blistering slab of guitars to let you know what the album is about.  This does the same thing, but in the other direction.  It sets the tone and tells you it’s not starting with the same drum intro that say Diary of a Madman did.  It lets you know it’s going to be a more mellow album.  There is a guitar solo in the track, but it’s very restrained.  And that’s OK – I adore Lee’s vocal delivery of the chorus here.  The first time I listened to it, I kept expecting some big sound to show up.  It didn’t, and by the time the song was over, I didn’t care, I really enjoyed this track.  It’s one of those tracks that make you close your eyes, listen to it, and take it in – I can “feel” the song in this way.  Lee’s Note: Boy meets girl holds her hand, has visions of a promised land (joke).

Take Nothing for Granted – Given what was going on in Lee’s life medically, I have to assume the title is a reference to himself as I sit down to listen.  It’s more of a rock track than Sienna some good guitar parts in places. .  It’s not balls out, but a faster pace, and a nice sound to it.  Flows well from one part of the song to the next.  Guitar solo is decent.  It turns out I’m not exactly right about the meaning, as his notes say it’s about his wife, but still.  Nice echo effect on the fadeout of the song.  Lee’s Note: This is based around my wife and then some.

Where Do We Go From Here – This one from listening to the lyrics is the flip side to the coin.  From listening to the lyrics, it seems to be about other women in his life that aren’t his wife.  I mean it starts with “It’s so easy to see, why we broke up you and me… You’re better off without me”.  Like Lee’s vocal delivery here.  Has a bit of a Pink Floyd feel with a phone call effect in the song – kind of special effects Waters was known for putting in songs.  Guitar solo more like what we would expect, but still has a more melodic feel than what he’s known for.  Lee’s Note: It’s all too late to realize.. where do we go from here?  I’ve had too many argumentative girls in my life!!!

You May Be By Yourself – A slow song.  Based on the lyrics and Lee’s note it appears to be about a father being there for his daughter – in this case Bob Daisley.  Just listening to it, it’s got a gentle tone, and is something you can feel the emotion behind when you listen to it. Lee’s Note pretty much says it all: “This song was written when Bob Daisley gave such a loving look to squish his daughter – it moved me all those years ago”.  I did ask Bob about the meaning of that he says that “Squish” was a nickname he had for his daughter – I read it as if “squish” was a verb.  :)

Port and a Brandy – If the last track was a smaller, emotional piece then this one is the other way – it’s a fun rollicking track about well, having a drink down at the pub.  It actually is the only track on the album that doesn’t have a “Lee Note”, but one isn’t really needed.  The meaning behind the song is conveyed quite clearly in the lyrics..  “Port and a brandy, a gin or a shandy and kind of drink will do. Vodka and tonic a whiskey and soda yeah”….   It’s a fun as hell track for me, super SUPER catchy and one I find myself getting into, doing the air drums with my feet (even though the song doesn’t have any) – and usually listening to three times whenever I hear it.

You’ve Got a Friend – This is a cover of the old Carole King song of the same name.  Lee includes no lyrics on the album itself just including the title and his note, which is “This is to all of my friends past and present who I have loved through music”.  I remember the first time I listened to this album I just played it, didn’t check out the liner notes, so when this came on, I was “Hang on, that sound really familiar”.  Well, that’s why – it’s a Carole King song that comes from one of the top selling albums of all time, so yeah.  Lee’s version is obviously sonically different in that he’s a guy singing it, which changes the tone – but the meaning behind the lyrics and the musical structure is still intact. I like this.

Home is Where the Heart Is – This seems like another that Lee wrote about someone specific from his past as the note says “Boy meets girl, girl cheats on him and he goes home to his family”.  It’s got probably the closest thing on the album to Lee’s old drum style.  Probably the most “rock” song of anything on the album.  Yeah, as I was listening to the song that initial comment holds up.  Great track.  The kind of that makes you forget about the lyrics, as you’re getting in the tunes.

Mom – This is an instrumental.  No lyrics, in fact you have to rely on Lee’s note for this, which reads “I wrote this for all the mums in the world who we should never take for granted”.  It’s mostly slower guitar work that runs through this. The guitar style changes a few times, which is cool.  Nice sound to close out the album.

As I wrap up this post, I reiterate what I said before…. If you’ve never listened to this.  Please.  Go listen to it.  Don’t just say you’ll do it, forget about it and never do it.  Actually listen to it.  I’ll wager if you’re reading this post of mine, you know Lee from the Blizzard or Diary albums, perhaps some Uriah Heep work or the handful of other bands he’s played with (Living Loud, Head Machine, David Byron, etc).  But next to nobody knows Eleventeen except myself and Bob Daisley.  Correct that.  Listen to it.  Enjoy it – and remember all the joy you’ve gotten out of music Lee has played on.

Rest in Peace Lee.  I will never be able to drink a brandy again without thinking of you.  Cheers 🥃