I totally agree, My Only Vice.

Death Trip is, for me, the closest to genius of any of Steve's songs. Reading this post of yours, now over a decade ago, almost makes me capable of me shortlisting my favourite three of his songs...Make Me Smile (Come up and see me), Death Trip and My Only Vice (I think!)

All the best.



www.steveharley.com/forum/7-welcome-mat/...kney-rebel-1973.html


P.S. I can't remember where it is now (herein) but I drew the same view of similarity in consideration of BR (Queen) and DT (Cockney Rebel), albeit about a decade after My Only Vice (the mutual fan, that is) did - and I hadn't read his post at that time.

3 months and 1 day later, currently, I want to change my own view (above) from then, this is what I feel today, in the gut, in the heart and in the head:


1. Sweet Dreams

At the moment, THE VERSION THAT IS INCREASING ENDORPHINS UPON LISTENING (naturally making me high - this is how I felt, almost continuously, for the first six months of 1975), IS THE LIVE AT THE BBC 1974 RECORDING (even [just] over The Psychomodo version). What nectar - and only 1 minute 47 seconds in length!


2. Mirror Freak

This (or My Only Vice...) was at the top for me, in very early 1975. There is little doubt that I was going through somewhat of a narcissistic phase, myself, at the time. I had no idea, until 2022, that Steve's inspiration for the song, was Marc Bolan (Get It On by T Rex, was the best single of 1971 for me, right at the beginning of me developing my own popular music taste. I think I can guess at who "...And the new man he appears to be winning..." (Harley, 1973 - written in 1972) is referring to, but I won't, because we'll never be certain. Yes, I remember songs in the 60's - I was too young though to be interested in forming my own preferences regarding artist(s), only songs).


3. Make Me Smile (Come Up & See Me)

It's so familiar. This doesn't dilute its impact. The high point in a (singles) career. Make Me Smile and Love Is The Drug (Ferry/Mackay) in the same year! How excellent. However, during the time of the former, I was on a high, by the latter, I'd lost my mojo a bit - until '76. It's true that [you] remember records along with contemporaneous events in [your] life...I'll soon be seeing a bunch of my own class of '75, 'up North.


4. Death Trip

I've said it before and I'll say it again, Harley at his closest - to genius.


5. My Only Vice Is The Fantastic Prices I Charge For Being Eaten Alive

That violin!


The 'main core' of players ('73 to '75 inclusive):

Viva Elliott! Viva Crocker! Viva Reame-James! Viva Cregan! Viva Mackay!

Lives well lived...Harley! Jeffreys! Ford!

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