When it comes to the birth of heavy metal and hard rock, the obvious acts to namecheck are British legends such as Sabbath, Purple and Zeppelin, but delving further back, and across the ocean, Blue Cheer were definitely forging their own brand of heavyosity at the tail end of the 1960s. However, one band of gonzoid proto-metal, stoner rockers who were able to give Blue Cheer a run for their money are the cult power trio, Sir Lord Baltimore.
Hailing from Brooklyn in New York, Sir Lord Baltimore were formed in 1968 by drumming lead vocalist John Garner, lead guitarist Louis Dambra, and bassist Gary Justin. The 1971 review in Creem magazine of their debut album has been cited as the first published use of the term "heavy metal" to describe a style of music. Released by Mercury Records in 1970, debut LP “Kingdom Come” underachieved at the heady height of No. 198 in the US Top 200. Co-produced at Electric Lady Studios by the legendary Eddie Kramer, famed for his work with Zeppelin, Hendrix & KISS among many other, every track is a proto-metal classic, from ‘Master Heartache’ and ‘Lady Of Fire’ through to ‘Ain't Got Hung On You’. Everything about them was overblown; they even played their very first gig at New York's highly prestigious Carnegie Hall.
Not to be deterred, Mercury released a second offering from these native New Yorkers in 1971, with an album entitled just “Sir Lord Baltimore”. Expanding to a four piece with Joey Dambra on second guitar, from the epic ten and a half minute ‘Man From Manhattan’, to the self-explanatory ‘Woman Tamer’, and ending with “Caesar LXXI”, the short but incendiary career of these heavy metal heroes may have ended there.
In 2006, original members John Garner and Louis Dambra joined forces with Tony Franklin on bass for “Sir Lord Baltimore – III Raw”. The album was an attempt three decades later to pick up where the original making of the 3rd LP left off during the 1970s. Still featuring the bludgeoning riffs of yore, the lyrics now reflected Garner’s newfound Christian beliefs, as according to the drummer, “What’s heavier than the power of God?”
The set includes a poster, and each album comes in its own wallet, with the first two albums replicating the original gatefolds. One major fan and champion of the band is Julian Cope, who has granted permission to reproduce essays about Sir Lord Baltimore courtesy of his Head Heritage website.