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Nigel Lived is the first album by the British lead vocalist and actor Murray Head, released in 1973 on CBS Records.

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Nigel Lived
Studio album by Murray Head
Released	1973
Recorded	25 June – 30 July 1972
Genre	Rock
Label	CBS
Producer	Joseph Wissert
Murray Head chronology
Nigel Lived (1972) Say It Ain't So (1975)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	link

It is a concept album which tells the story of Nigel, a young singer who arrives in London seeking to make a career in the music business. His early optimism gives way to disillusionment, struggle, and finally heroin addiction. The original vinyl release came in an elaborate package, with a lyric sheet featuring pages from Nigel's diary to depict the course of his gradual disintegration.

In 2017 Intervention Records reissued Nigel Lived on 180-gram double 45RPM vinyl. The reissue was 100% analog mastered using the original master tapes provided to the label by the original sound engineer on the project, Phill Brown. The album quickly became Intervention’s best selling reissue ever[1] and resulted in Murray Head’s decision to perform songs from the album live for the first time ever.

Track listing

Side One (labelled "Success"):

1. "Pacing On the Station" – 4:55
2. "Big City" – 3:29
3. "Bed & Breakfast" – 2:28
4. "The Party" – 3:13
5. "Ruthie" – 3:19
6. "City Scurry" – 1:58
7. "When You Wake Up in the Morning" – 3:10

Side Two ("Failure"):

1. "Why Do We Have to Hurt Our Heads" – 3:13
2. "Pity the Poor Consumer" – 2:29
3. "Dole" – 3:05
4. "Nigel, Nigel" – 2:11
5. "Miss Illusion" – 2:18
6. "Religion" – 4:46
7. "Junk" – 8:49

Background

This album followed Head's appearance as Judas, a leading role on the recording of the rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar, and his subsequent 1971 single "Superstar".

His supporting musicians include the Giles brothers of Giles, Giles and Fripp, a group which evolved into King Crimson.

Personnel

• Murray Head – vocals; acoustic guitar on "Ruthie"
• Mark Warner – acoustic guitar on tracks 1,3-5,10,12-14, electric guitar on tracks 2,6,7,9,14, slide guitar on tracks 3,6,7
• Dave Wintour – bass guitar on tracks 5,7,9,11
• Peter Giles – bass guitar on "Junk"
• Phil Chen – bass guitar on "The Party" and "Religion"
• Clive Chaman – bass guitar on tracks 1,2,6,8
• Spike Heatley – double bass on "Bed & Breakfast" and "Dole"
• Peter Robinson – electric Clavinet on "The Party", electric piano on "Big City", church organ on "Pity the Poor Consumer", piano on tracks 1,2,8,14
• Fiachra Trench – conductor, pipe organ on "Miss Illusion", piano on "Dole"
• John Donnelly – flugelhorn on "Bed & Breakfast", trumpet on "City Scurry"
• Nick DeCaro – accordion on "Miss Illusion"; string and horn arrangements
• James Harpham – contrabass on "Bed & Breakfast"
• Tony Coe – clarinet on "Bed & Breakfast" and "When Do You Wake Up in the Morning", saxophone on tracks 1,6,14
• Jimmy Chester – baritone saxophone on "Bed & Breakfast", saxophone on tracks 1,6,14
• Jimmy Hastings – saxophone on "Pacing On the Station" and "Junk"
• Tommy Whittle – saxophone on "Pacing On the Station" and "Junk"
• Chris Mercer – baritone saxophone on "Dole", electric saxophone on "Bed & Breakfast", plastic saxophone on "The Party", tenor saxophone on "Big City"
• Henry Lowther – trumpet on "City Scurry"
• David Chapman – trombone on "Nigel, Nigel"
• Dave Charman - trombone on "Bed & Breakfast" and "City Scurry"
• Martin Fry – tuba on "Religion"
• Ralph Ho – horn
• Michael Giles – drums on tracks 7,9,11,14, percussion on "Ruthie"
• Cozy Powell – drums on tracks 1,2,6,8
• Miguel Baradas – steel drums on "Religion"
• Ray Cooper – percussion on "Bed & Breakfast" and "Miss Illusion"
• Frank Ricotti – congas on "The Party", bass marimba on "Miss Illusion"
• Barry De Souza – congas on "Big City" and "The Party", drums on "Religion"
• Glen LeFleur – drums on "The Party"
• Chris Karan – tabla on "Religion"
• Sue Glover – vocals
• Sunny Leslie – vocals
• Friendly Sisters – backing vocals
• Kay Garner – backing vocals on tracks 1,2,12
• Sue Garner – backing vocals
• Skaila Kanga – electric harp on "Religion"
• Chris Neil – harmonica on "Pacing On the Station"
• Graham Preskett – mandolin on "Miss Illusion", electric violin on "Why Do You Have to Hurt Our Heads"
• Michael Rennie – strings, violin
• Jack Rothstein – violin strings on tracks 5,7,11
• Timothy Bond - choirmaster on "Religion"

Technical

• Phill Brown - chief engineer

References

• Nigel Lived at Allmusic.

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