Less maligned than the drum solo, but a nonetheless irritating example of seventies excess was the vanity record label. Perhaps noting the Apple fiasco, Zeppelin's Swan Song were notoriously cautious, signing mostly established artists. Purple records were far bolder, though-their roster boasted such fine but unknown acts as Tucky Buzzard and Silverhead. Arguably the best, though, was Hard Stuff

According to Kissing Spell the band was originally called Daemon, but the information on the K.S. "Entrance to Hell" CD is typically nonexistent. It's certainly true that they were previously named Bullet, as they toured with Deep Purple and released a single under this monicker. Confusion with another band of the same name led to the vaguely naff "Hard Stuff", but there was nothing naff about their output

Bulletproof was the first of the two LPs they recorded, and it's hard to imagine a better example of blistering 70s heavy rock. Not only does it have brutally distorted guitar riffs, it also has the benefit of good songwriting, resulting in a rare combination of both guts and brains. Split vocal duties also help, with the Johns du Cann and Gustafson sharing the mikestand. Highlights include "Sinister Minister" and "Time Gambler", in which the guitar sound pushes fuzz to the very brink of reason. The minimalism of "Taken Alive" also deserves a mention, its dumbness bordering on inspirational

Both Hard Stuff albums were issued on CD at some point in the 80s by the excellent German label Line, but for some reason they cut the final track The Provider, shaving a couple of minutes from the end. This was only an aimless jam, but its abrupt end is still irksome. Since Line's demise these reissues became far more rare than the original vinyl, but both CDs have recently emerged on different labels

If you ever wished Leaf Hound had recorded a second LP, this is just what you've been looking for

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