Of Queues And Cures

Following their debut album's release, National Health saw bassist Neil Murray leave for (can you believe it?) Whitesnake, and ex-Henry Cow John Greaves arrive to replace him. The band returned to the road in 1978, which included a supporting slot for old friend Steve Hillage, before entering the studio in July to record Of Queues And Cures. Dave Stewart kicks things off with two compositions: "The Bryden 2-Step (For Amphibians) (Part 1)" and "The Collapso." The first has a considerably lighter melody than anything on the previous album, but is by no means lightweight; while the second pokes fun under a sideways steel drum, though for the most part, it's tried-and-true ensemble playing for the band. "Squarer for Maud" is Greaves's contribution and contains some exciting guitar work from Phil Miller. Ex-Henry Cow cellist Georgie Born and ex-Slappy Happy vocalist Peter Blegvad make appearances as well. Miller's "Dreams Wide Awake" opens side two, and leans more on the heavy jazz quotient. Pip Pyle's "Binoculars" is a surprising and welcome vocal diversion, with Greaves tackling the crooning-possibly the band's greatest moment on record. Stewart left before the album's release, citing "musical anarchy," which caused the band to abort an upcoming Italian tour; but Alan Gowen eventually stepped back in, rejoining Pyle, Greaves and Miller. The quartet spent the next year touring, and even made a jaunt to America in November 1979. Momentum, however, was not on their side; and in early 1980 the band folded before committing any music to tape. Sadly, Gowen would succumb to leukemia in 1981, which prompted Stewart, Miller, Pyle and Greaves to reform the band for one last album of Gowen's compositions as tribute, titled D.S. Al Coda. The album was released on Jean-Pierre Weiller's Europa Records in 1982.