Not the Sensational Alex Harvey Band

I went along to the Scotia Bar on Sunday to watch a gig by Not the Sensational Alex Harvey Band. I was a bit sceptical about how good or bad they would be after seeing them on you tube but I was greeted at the door by the original Sensational Alex Harvey Band legend Chris Glen who informed me that the band were in fact good. I bought my pint in the busy bar and then squeezed into the lounge, where NSAHB had taken up almost half the limited room. Right at the front of the crowd I spied Max Maxwell, the singer in the reformed SAHB. “How weird is this?” I asked him. “I know but it’s great” replied Max and he was right.


NSAHB played a lot of material that SAHB haven’t played in years and the lead singer ‘Not Alex’ performed in the same way as Alex Harvey. Max and the other singers over the years have sung the SAHB songs in their own style, not seeking to impersonate the great man. However Gordon Bell is quite the opposite, dressed in Alex style clothes and adorned in an Alex wig he plays the part of Alex. SAHB were never just a rock band they were rock art. Alex had been in the rock musical Hair and had brought not only his work ethic to Tear Gas but also his theatrical prowess. Not Alex was to do the same as the whole pub became a stage for the burlesque performance. Accompanied by two female dancers, Not Alex performed in front of the audience, on the chairs, on the tables, behind the bar counter, in the bar and in the middle of the audience in the lounge. The dancers acted out the songs, dressed in various guises and they and Not Alex included me and others in their vaudeville act. Chris and Max joined them in singing part of Delilah and the place rocked.

The band members and dancers were amazed by the audience participation as everyone joined in singing the SAHB tunes. At home in Switzerland the audiences don’t really know of the Sensational Alex Harvey Band as such and are being introduced to his music by the Band, whereas in Glasgow, not only had some of us seen the original Alex live but all of us were fans. The audience included representatives from at least two Alex Harvey tribute bands, Max the current singer in SAHB and Chris Glen himself. I understand that there is a possibility of Chris actually joining the Band, how weird and wonderful would that be. If you ever get the chance to see them live don’t miss them, they’re a real gas!