Don't Let The Gray Hair Fool You Epitaph

• 1 One Heart 06:16
• 2 Cold Light Of Day 05:27
• 3 Don't Be Afraid 07:05
• 4 Don't Let The Gray Hair Fool You 04:56
• 5 On Your Own 04:48
• 6 Wild Blue Yonder 04:44
• 7 The First Day 04:17
• 8 Black Cat Bones 04:43
• 9 We Can Find A Way 04:52
• 10 Look To The Future 07:14
• 11 Riding Round In Circles 04:55
• 12 Highway Of Fear 05:10
• 13 All That You Want 03:58
• Total Runtime 01:08:25

Info for Don't Let The Gray Hair Fool You

Don't let the gray hair fool you!

Let's celebrate! With their new album "Don't let the gray hair fool you," EPITAPH will celebrate their 55th band anniversary in 2024! "Don't Let The Gray Hair Fool You" is the culmination of their very long, incredibly eventful, and at times adventurous journey through five decades of rock history. "Don't Let The Gray Hair Fool You" has become a very personal album that reflects the influences of their musical journey through time in all its facets. From their beginnings in 1969 in the dark, cold basements of "Fantasio" in Dortmund, through their time in the USA, extensive tours in many different countries, to the present day. Thus, "Don't Let The Gray Hair Fool You" is also a look back at all the good and bad times, shattered dreams, and great successes that have made EPITAPH what they are today: a first-class classic rock band. Still standing strong, alive, and kicking after 55 years!

"With their 12th studio album, which EPITAPH is treating themselves and their fans to as part of the band's 55th anniversary, featuring a self-ironic 'Old, Loving Dog' cover and the title "Don't Let The Gray Hair Fool You," the guys demonstrate what they're still capable of in terms of hard and classic rock even after so many years. The band itself describes the musical and lyrical intention most aptly in its booklet: "'Don't Let The Gray Hair Fool You' has become a very personal album, resembling a musical journey through time in all its facets. From the beginnings in 1969 in the dark, cold basements of 'Fantasio' in Dortmund to our time in America, as well as extensive tours through many countries, right up to the present day." It's no surprise that the longest song on the album is called "Look To The Future." The journey obviously continues – and after this album, there's really no need to worry about EPITAPH." (Thoralf Koß, musikreviews.de)

Cliff Jackson, vocals
Bernd Kolbe, vocals, bass
Heinz Glass, guitar
Cliff Jackson, guitar
Roger Wahlmann, keyboards
Carsten Steinkämper, drums
Richard Wester, alto saxophone, flute
Heinz Glass, backing vocals
Carsten Steinkämper, backing vocals
Harvey Ranwig, backing vocals
Claudia Herzog, backing vocals

EPITAPH
The EPITAPH story begins in the winter of 1969/70 at what was back then Dortmund’s top music venue Fantasio. Down in the cellar, FAGIN’S EPITAPH, consisting of Yorkshire guitarist and singer Cliff Jackson, Scots drummer James McGillivray, and German bass player Bernd Kolbe practised and refined their repertoire, before emerging from the depths to play gigs as the house band between such big names as Black Sabbath, Rory Gallagher, Yes and Argent . The band was already showing a good standard of professionalism, and their big break came as Champion Jack Dupree cancelled his Fantasio appearance and the popular blues pianist Günter Boas stood in for him with FAGIN’S EPITAPH as his backing group.

Günter Boas’ producer recognised the band’s potential, and it was not long before they had signed their first record deal with Polydor, moved to Hannover, shortened their name to EPITAPH and, along with Klaus Walz as second guitarist travelled to London’s Wessex Studios to record the eponymous album Epitaph, released in the autumn of 1971.

This was followed by gigs across Germany and an invitation to appear on the legendary German music show Beat Club in 1972, EPITAPH’s first TV appearance.

In April 1972 the band were back in the studio recording Stop, Look and Listen (Polydor), before playing numerous gigs that included all the major German festivals of the day.

McGillivray left the band at the end of the year, to be replaced by Achim Wielert (who later went on to marry a French lass and become Achim Poret), whose straightforward, powerful style manoeuvred the band into a stronger rock direction. EPITAPH then undertook two USA tours in August and November, also signing a contract with the US record label Billingsgate Records and recording their third album Outside the Law in Chicago under the aegis of Billingsgate boss Gary Pollack.

It looked like their big international breakthrough was within reach; Outside the Law was showered with praise and appreciation, and sales were going well. Irving Azoff (manager of Eagles, REO Speedwagon, Journey) and Seymour Stein (producer of bands like Fleetwood Mac, and credited with discovering Madonna) approached EPITAPH. And then Billingsgate Records had to file for bankruptcy. The planned mammoth USA tour was cancelled, and to avoid being saddled with the debts made by their record company, EPITAPH disbanded in January 1975.

But in 1976 they were touring Germany again with the line-up Cliff Jackson, Bernd Kolbe, Klaus Walz and Jim McGillivray, where their melodic, American-oriented rock caught the attention of Christian Wagner, director of the German TV music show Rockpalast, who contracted them to do a gig for the show. Shortly before they recorded the show at the WDR studios in Cologne on 2 February 1977, Jim McGillivray left the band and was replaced on drums by Fritz Randow (Eloy).

In the summer of 1977 Klaus Walz and Bernd Kolbe left the band, to be replaced by guitarist Heinz Glass, bass guitarist Harvey Janssen and keyboarder Keyboarder Michael Karch. Soon afterwards EPITAPH joined the Hungarian group Omega on its extensive European tour. Then in 1978 EPITAPH appeared as support for Omega at three legendary concerts in Budapest, where they were given a rapturous reception by an audience of over 30,000. This new line-up recorded EPITAPH’s fourth album Return to Reality, which was released on the cult Brain label in April 1979. For more info visit: www.epitaph-band.de

This album contains no booklet.