Robin Trower to release 50th anniversary edition of Bridge of Sighs, the best rock album of 1974

By Steve Newton

There were a ton of amazing albums released in 1974, and you can trust me on that, ’cause I was standing right there, wide-eyed, watching it happen.

That was the year I turned 17, and as a music obsessed kid my world revolved around the latest rock releases to fill the stacks at my local Chilliwack record outlet, Kelly’s Stereo Mart.

Whether it was for the southern rock (Lynyrd Skynyrd‘s Second Helping), British boogie (Foghat‘s Energized), Canuck riff-rock (BTO‘s Not Fragile), American “metal” (Aerosmith‘s Get Your Wings, Blue Oyster Cult‘s Secret Treaties), guitar-drenched live albums (Lou Reed’s Rock and Roll Animal, Rory Gallagher’s Irish Tour ’74, Mountain‘s Twin Peaks), or the self-titled debuts from Rush, Kiss, and Bad Company, 1974 was a glorious year to smother yourself in vinyl.

But if I had to pick one 12-incher from ’74 that most resembled a masterpiece, it would have to be Robin Trower‘s Bridge of Sighs.

The second solo album by the English guitarist and songwriter, formerly with Procol Harum, it was a truly magical mix of blues-tinged hard-rock and cosmic, slow-burning psychedelia. Trower’s intense, Hendrix-inspired Stratocaster action was perfectly suited to bassist James Dewar’s soulful, booming voice and the precise yet freewheeling drumwork of Reg Isidore.

It was one of those rare albums with no discernible weak spots. It was all gold, from the raging opener “Day of the Eagle” to the raging closer “Little Bit of Sympathy”.

Trower himself apparently likes it too, because yesterday he announced that on May 17 a 50th anniversary deluxe edition of Bridge of Sighs will be released as both a two-disc vinyl package and a four-disc CD/Blu-ray combo. Both formats include the original album remastered, with an unedited stereo mix cut at half-speed, along with Live at The Record Plant, Sausalito, May 1974, which features live performances of songs from Bridge of Sighs as well as Trower’s first solo album, 1973’s Twice Removed from Yesterday.

The four-disc “Media Book” also includes never-before-heard outtakes and rarities and a Blu-ray featuring a Dolby ATMOS mix, 5.1, stereo album instrumentals, and additional outtakes. A 24-page booklet features previously unseen photographs, newly conducted interviews with Robin Trower and album producer Matthew Fisher, and testimonials by Bryan Ferry, Robert Fripp, Steve Lukather, Clive Bunker, Andy Parker, and album-cover designer Paul Olsen.

Some things are worth waiting half a century for, I reckon.

You can pre-order it here.

 

To hear the full audio of my 1990 interview with Robin Trower subscribe to my Patreon page, where you can eavesdrop on over 400 of my uncut, one-on-one conversations with:

Phil Caivano of Blitzspeer, 1991
Lars Ulrich of Metallica, 1997
Michael Ward of the Wallflowers, 1997
Ben Huggins of Galactic Cowboys, 1993
Tim McConnell of the Havalinas, 1991
Dave Brockie (Oderus Urungus) of Gwar, 1991
Blues Saraceno, 1993
Rik Emmett, 1990
Zakk Wylde, 1996
Roger Glover of Deep Purple, 2004
Joe Blanton of Royal Court of China, 1990
Jagori Tanna of I Mother Earth, 1996
Shaun Sanders of Buffalo Brothers, 1996
Delbert McClinton, 2002
Steve Vai, 1996
Bill Perry, 1996
Jim Bryson of Punchbuggy, 1996
Klaus Eichstadt of Ugly Kid Joe, 1993
Dick Dale, 1993
Jon Bon Jovi, 1987
Graham Greer of Barstool Prophets, 1995
Jim Heath of Reverend Horton Heat, 1995
Kim Mitchell and Pye Dubois, 1994
Bob Rock, 1991
Brad Shepherd of the Hoodoo Gurus, 1989
Dan Hawkins of the Darkness, 2005
Rick Richards of the Georgia Satellites, 1987
Art Bergmann, 1990
Spike of the London Quireboys, 1990
Sonny Landreth, 1995
Gary Louris of the Jayhawks, 1995
Steve Earle, 1990
Buddy Guy, 2008
Rick Miller of Southern Culture on the Skids, 1995
Duke Robillard, 1995
Tom Cochrane, 1989
Mick Thomas of Weddings Parties Anything, 1990
Jim Cuddy of Blue Rodeo, 1990
Paul Gilbert of Mr. Big, 1992
Mike McDonald of Jr. Gone Wild, 1990
Webb Wilder, 1989
Ian Moore, 1995
Buddy Guy, 2004
Steve Smith of Vital Information, 1987
Eddy Clearwater, 1999
Stone Gossard of Pearl Jam, 1991
Rob Siebenberg of Supertramp, 1985
Rich Robinson of the Black Crowes, 1996
Jesse Valenzuela of Gin Blossoms, 1996
Magic Slim, 1999
Tom Cochrane, 1991
Ian Astbury of the Cult, 1992
Roger Glover of Deep Purple, 1984
Lars Ulrich of Metallica, 1989
George Thorogood, 2003
Alice Cooper, 1989
Kevn Kinney of Drivin’ n’ Cryin’, 1989
Jay Semko of the Northern Pikes, 1988
Kevin Haskins of Love and Rockets, 1987
John Oates of Hall & Oates, 1984
Holly Woods of Toronto, 1984
Corey Hart, 1984
Billy Currie of Ultravox, 1984
Jordan Cook, 2001
Steve Earle, 2012
Rick Wartell of Trouble, 1992
John Keeble of Spandau Ballet, 1983
Kim Mitchell, 1992
Chris de Burgh, 1984
Ian Blurton of Change of Heart, 1992
Nena, 1984
Ed Roland of Collective Soul, 1994
Alannah Currie of Thompson Twins, 1984
Steve Negus of Saga, 1983
Denis Bélanger of Voivod, 1993
Harry Manx, 2022
Damon Johnson of Brother Cane, 1995
Corby Lund of the smalls, 2000
Chaka Khan, 2022
Kurdt Vanderhoof of Metal Church, 1985
Ben Harper, 2022
Nick Feldman of Wang Chung, 1987
Geddy Lee of Rush, 1997
Mick Mars of Mötley Crüe, 1999
Neil Finn of Crowded House, 1998
Hugh Dillon of Headstones, 1994
Kevin Martin of Candlebox, 1994
Joey Molland of Badfinger, 1987
Dave Sharp of the Alarm, 1989
Martha Davis of the Motels, 1985
Brian Vollmer of Helix, 1985
Richard Marx, 1991
John Mayall, 1990
Greg Martin of the Kentucky Headhunters, 1991
Gord Downie of the Tragically Hip, 1991
Tommy Aldridge of Whitesnake, 1990
Devin Townsend of Vai, 1993
Steve Miller, 2022
Stewart Copeland from the Police, 2022
Tom Hamilton of Aerosmith, 1994
Terry “Mess” Messal of Flies on Fire, 1992
James Cotton, 2002
Martin Barre from Jethro Tull, 2022
David Gogo, 1994
Rob Halford of Judas Priest, 1990
Greg Keelor of Blue Rodeo, 1992
Popa Chubby, 1995
Jerome Godboo of the Phantoms, 1990
Alain Caron of UZEB, 1985
Billy Sheehan of Mr. Big, 1989
Ty Tabor of King’s X, 2001
Mike Gordon of Phish, 1993
Paul Shaffer of David Letterman, 2022
Paul Nieder of Scatterbrain, 1991
Bob Rock, 2002
John Cougar, 1983
Guitar Shorty, 2001
Cy Curnin of the Fixx, 1984
James Young from Styx, 1986
Charlie Musselwhite, 2002
Steve Morse of Deep Purple, 1998
Lenny Kravitz, 1998
Lars Ulrich of Metallica, 1998
Tinsley Ellis, 1992
Matt Minglewood, 1985
Mojo Nixon and Country Dick Montana of the Pleasure Barons, 1993
Bill Davis of Dash Rip Rock, 1992
Sue Foley, 1992
Tom Keifer of Cinderella, 1991
Terry Adams of NRBQ, 1997
Mark Hollis of Talk Talk, 1984
Joe Perry of Aerosmith, 2010
Slash of Guns N’ Roses and Slash’s Snakepit, 1995
Sonny Rhodes, 1999
Peter Goalby of Uriah Heep, 1983
Lenny Zakatek of the Alan Parsons Project, 1983
Marc Storace of Krokus, 1983
Chris Whitley, 1991
Buddy Cage of New Riders of the Purple Sage, 2006
Bill Elm of Friends of Dean Martinez, 1995
Simon Townshend, 1983
John Bush of Anthrax, 1993
Aldo Nova, 1983
Steven Adler from Guns N’ Roses, 2011
Mick Ronson, 1989
Tom Morello, 2011
Paul Pigat of Cousin Harley, 2021
Jakob Dylan of the Wallflowers, 1993
Henry Fambrough of the Spinners, 1983
Dave Brock of Hawkwind, 1990
Roger Fisher from Heart, 1985
Graham Goble of Little River Band, 1983
Colin Hay of Men at Work, 1983
Mark Kelly of Marillion, 1986
Luther Allison, 1995
Lee Rocker from the Stray Cats, 2007
John Critchley of 13 Engines, 1995
J. Geils from the J. Geils Band, 2006
Rob Thomas of Matchbox 20, 1997
Jason Newsted of Newsted (and Metallica), 2013
Marshall Crenshaw, 2013
Dan Hartman, 1984
Sean Costello, 2006
Roger Hodgson from Supertramp, 1998
Tommy Stinson from the Replacements, 1993
Brian Blush of the Refreshments, 1997
Joe Elliott of Def Leppard, 2003
Craig Northey of Strippers Union, 2021
Melissa Etheridge, 1990
Joe Jackson, 2003
Pepper Keenan of Corrosion of Conformity, 2001
David Ellefson of Megadeth, 1992
David Lee Roth, 2003
Grant Walmsley of the Screaming Jets, 1991
John Popper of Blues Traveler, 1991
Dave Murray of Iron Maiden, 2012
Joe Perry of Aerosmith, 1993
Ellen McIlwaine, 2001
Derek Trucks of Tedeschi Trucks, 2012
J.D. Fortune of INXS, 2006
Fernando von Arb of Krokus, 1984
Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown, 1997
Gary Holt of Exodus, 1985
Dizzy Reed of Guns N’ Roses, 1992
Scott Ian of Anthrax, 2012
Gary Lee Conner of Screaming Trees, 1992
Nick Rhodes of Duran Duran, 1985
David “Honeyboy” Edwards, 2003
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Rick Nielsen of Cheap Trick, 2001
Jeff Keith of Tesla, 1988
Doyle Bramhall II and Charlie Sexton of Arc Angels, 1992
Marc Bonilla, 1992
Mike Smith of Sandbox (and Trailer Park Boys), 1996
Dewey Bunnell of America, 1983
Robert Randolph of the Family Band, 2003
Keith Strickland of the B-52s, 2008
David Johansen of the New York Dolls, 2005
Nathan Followill of Kings of Leon, 2003
Todd Kerns, 2016
Bill Payne of Little Feat, 2002
Robbin Crosby of Ratt, 1989
Robin Gibb of the Bee Gees, 1984
Tommy Shannon of SRV & Double Trouble, 1998
Alejandro Escovedo, 1997
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Billy Duffy of the Cult, 1989
Dave Martone, 2020
Ian Gillan of Deep Purple, 2006
Joss Stone, 2012
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Glenn Tipton of Judas Priest, 2005
Michael Lardie of Great White, 1987
Jack Blades of Night Ranger, 1984
Vivian Campbell of Def Leppard, 1992
Colin James, 1995
Kim Simmonds of Savoy Brown, 1998
Tom Cochrane of Red Rider, 1983
Ed Roland of Collective Soul, 1995
Taj Mahal, 2001
Tom Wilson of Junkhouse, 1995
Mike McCready of Pearl Jam, 2003
David Lindley, 2002
Marty Friedman of Megadeth, 1991
John Hiatt, 2010
Nancy Wilson of Heart, 2006
Jeff Golub, 1989
Moe Berg of the Pursuit of Happiness, 1990
Todd Rundgren, 2006
Chad Kroeger of Nickelback, 2001
Steve Earle, 1987
Gabby Gaborno of the Cadillac Tramps, 1991
Terry Bozzio, 2003
Roger Glover, 1985
Matthew Sweet, 1995
Jim McCarty of the Yardbirds, 2003
Luther Dickinson of North Mississippi Allstars, 2001
John Rzeznik of the Goo Goo Dolls, 1995
Steve Hackett from Genesis, 1993
Grace Potter, 2008
Buddy Guy, 1993
Steve Lynch of Autograph, 1985
Don Wilson of the Ventures, 1997
Gordie Johnson of Big Sugar, 1998
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Albert Lee, 1986
Yngwie Malmsteen, 1985
Robert Cray, 1996
Tony Carey, 1984
Ian Hunter, 1988
Kate Bush, 1985
David Gilmour from Pink Floyd, 1984
Jeff Healey, 1988
Gord Downie of the Tragically Hip, 1996
Richie Sambora of Bon Jovi, 1993
Colin Linden, 1993
Kenny Wayne Shepherd, 1995
Justin Hayward of the Moody Blues, 1986
Elliot Easton from the Cars, 1996
Wayne Kramer from the MC5, 2004
Bob Rock, 1992
Nick Gilder, 1985
Klaus Meine of Scorpions, 1988
Jason Bonham, 1989
Tom Johnston of the Doobie Brothers, 1991
Joey Spampinato of NRBQ, 1985
Patterson Hood of the Drive-By Truckers, 2003
Andy Powell of Wishbone Ash, 2003
Steve Kilbey of the Church, 1990
Edgar Winter, 2005
Johnette Napolitano of Concrete Blonde, 1990
Randy Hansen, 2001
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Davy Knowles of Back Door Slam, 2007
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Billy Idol, 1984
Stuart Adamson of Big Country, 1993
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Warren Haynes of Gov’t Mule, 1998
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Barry Hay of Golden Earring, 1984
Jason Isbell, 2007
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Vernon Reid of Living Colour, 1988
Brad Delp of Boston, 1988
Zakk Wylde of Pride & Glory, 1994
John Sykes of Blue Murder, 1989
Alice Cooper, 1986
Lars Ulrich of Metallica, 1985
John Doe, 1990
Shannon Hoon of Blind Melon, 1992
Myles Goodwyn of April Wine, 2001
John Mellencamp, 1999
Mike Campbell of Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, 1999
Kenny Aronoff, 1999
Doyle Bramhall II, 2001
Jon Bon Jovi, 1986
Dickey Betts of the Allman Brothers, 1992
Randy Bachman, 2001
Little Steven, 1987
Stevie Salas, 1990
J.J. Cale, 2009
Joe Bonamassa, 2011
Tommy Emmanuel, 1994
Rob Baker of the Tragically Hip, 1997
John Petrucci of Dream Theater, 2010
Eric Johnson, 2001
Stu Hamm, 1991
Gene Simmons of Kiss, 1992
Ace Frehley from Kiss, 2008
David Lee Roth, 1994
Allan Holdsworth, 1983
John Mayall of the Bluesbreakers, 1988
Steve Vai, 1990
Tony Iommi of Heaven and Hell, 2007
Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, 1996
Geoff Tate of Queensryche, 1991
James Hetfield of Metallica, 1986
Stevie Ray Vaughan, 1990
Rick Richards of the Georgia Satellites, 1988
Andy McCoy and Sam Yaffa of Hanoi Rocks, 1984
Steve Morse, 1991
Slash of Guns N’ Roses, 1994
Brian May from Queen, 1993
Dickey Betts of the Allman Brothers, 1991
Jake E. Lee of Badlands, 1992
Rickey Medlocke of Lynyrd Skynyrd, 1997
John Fogerty, 1997
Joe Perry of Aerosmith, 1987
Rick Derringer, 1999
Robin Trower, 1990
Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top, 1994
Mick Ronson, 1988
Geddy Lee of Rush, 2002
Buck Dharma of Blue Oyster Cult, 1997
Michael Schenker, 1992
Vince Neil of Motley Crue, 1991
Vinnie Paul of Pantera, 1992
Joan Jett, 1992
Steve Harris of Iron Maiden, 1988
Sebastian Bach of Skid Row, 1989
Rob Halford of Judas Priest, 1984
Bill Henderson of Chilliwack, 1999
Paul Rodgers, 1997
R.L. Burnside, 1999
Guthrie Govan of the Aristocrats, 2015
Mick Mars of Mötley Crüe, 1985
Carlos Santana, 2011
Walter Trout, 2003
Rudy Sarzo of Quiet Riot, 1983
Rob Hirst of Midnight Oil, 2001
Tommy Aldridge, 2001
Donald “Duck” Dunn, 1985
Mark Farner of Grand Funk, 1991
Chris Robinson of Black Crowes, 1990
Jennifer Batten, 2002
Mike Fraser, 2014
Leo Kottke, 2002
Lemmy Kilmister of Motorhead, 2002
David Gogo, 1991
Booker T. Jones, 2016
Link Wray, 1997
James Reyne from Australian Crawl, 1988
Mike Rutherford of Genesis, 1983
Buddy Guy, 1991
Country Dick Montana of the Beat Farmers, 1990
Mike Cooley of the Drive-By Truckers, 2016
Gary Rossington of Lynyrd Skynyrd, 1986
Lindsay Mitchell of Prism, 1988
Buddy Miles, 2001
Eddie Money, 1988
Tom Hamilton of Aerosmith, 1983
Gaye Delorme, 1990
Dave Murray of Iron Maiden, 1984
Graham Bonnet of Alcatrazz, 1984
Mick Fleetwood of Fleetwood Mac, 2016
Doc Neeson of Angel City, 1985
Rik Emmett of Triumph, 1985
Sonny Landreth, 2016
Tosin Abasi of Animals as Leaders, 2016
Jeff Beck, 2001
Albert King, 1990
Johnny Ramone of the Ramones, 1992
Peter Frampton, 1987
Otis Rush, 1997
Gord Downie of the Tragically Hip, 1989
Leslie West of Mountain, 2002
Steve Howe of Yes, 2017
Bruce Dickinson of Iron Maiden, 1983
Uli Jon Roth, 2016
Poison Ivy of the Cramps, 1990
Stevie Ray Vaughan, 1985
Greg Lake of ELP, 1992
Robert Plant, 1993
Malcolm Young and Brian Johnson of AC/DC, 1983
Warren Zevon, 1992
Tal Wilkenfeld, 2016
Steve Clark of Def Leppard, 1988
Ronnie Montrose, 1994
Danny Gatton, 1993
Alex Lifeson of Rush, 1992
Ann Wilson of Heart, 1985
J.J. Cale, 1990
Yngwie Malmsteen, 2014
Chris Cornell, 2008
Long John Baldry, 1985
Allan Holdsworth, 1983
Kim Mitchell, 1984
Warren Haynes of the Allman Brothers, 1994
Derek Trucks, 1998
Susan Tedeschi, 1998
Joe Satriani, 2018
B.B. King, 1984
Albert Collins, 1985
Ronnie James Dio, 1985
Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath, 1984
Dick Dale, 2000
Greg Allman, 1998
Dickey Betts, 2001

….with hundreds more to come

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