Helios Creed — Shines Beyond the Chromium Fence

for most of the last ten years if somebody asked me what my favorite band was i would probably have said chrome. and it is probably true to the present, most days. the group for most of the output of it’s “golden era” was the outlet for its two core members, damon edge and helios creed. there are other figures that would add significantly to their albums but the magic was the edge/creed writing and production duo that made the chrome sound. 

it wasn’t until the addition of helios after the departure of lead guitarist john lambdin, that chrome kick things up a notch. certainly, the visitation was something to be heard in 1976. it is a wild rock album with a psychedelic flair that actually doesn’t seem to come from a preoccupation with pink floyd or the dead as secret saucer and other post 60’s psychedelic groups seem to have. it is funky and weird and there is no seam where the “real instruments” join the electronics. the drums are fuzzed and filtered the guitars are tangled in synth effects and in between all that and the vocals there are electronic blips and beeps that make roxy music sound like pete seeger. enter helios.

alien soundtracks (77) was the first chrome album to feature the guitar and keyboard work of helios creed. more primative in sound than chrome’s debut, the melodies more vague and sinister. original vocalist mike low was out leaving edge, creed and bassist/ violinist gary spain to handle vocal duties. replacing low’s sung vocals with damon’s drunken jagger, and creed’s sinatra on acid crooning. the music sounds like “the stooges playing can in cyberspace”. trashy 4 track recordings enhance the proto industrial and space-punk rock and would be a chrome trademark for at least the next two years.

half machine lip moves, read only memory, and their tracks from the subterranean modern compilation from 78–79 twist the psych space punk sound to extremes. songs begin with bizaro backwards sounds and morph into a verse chorus for a minute or two before disappearing into more concrete music. read only memory is built off of the drum and bass from PiL’s fodderstomphf which fades in and out of tape mutations. it was supposedly a soundtrack to a movie of the same name. this could be the product of chrome’s tendancy to self mythologize to cultivate a mysterious image which was also fostered by the group’s absence from the stage. after spain left in 78 fake members were added to liner notes and photos of the group. their sound and image from the record sleeves and odd promotional material was strange to say the least. 

all of the rest of the chrome material from the helios and damon era is also choice listening. but they would never really return to the gristly concrete music they flirted with up to about 79–80. and fair enough, it was creepy and freaky but the two scorpios could actually write some good music too. when the stench (haynes) brothers joined them they were the tightest AND freakiest rock band around. every album up to the chronicles is essential listening packed with moody psych-metalic sounds run on brooding repetition (blood on the mood) and epic, ambient and rhythmic rocking (armageddon).

suddenly damon left for europe taking the chrome name with him. playing songs cowritten by creed and releasing albums featuring some of the same material with different names. helios continued playing, forming his own band and releasing his first solo album by 1985. x‑rated fairy tales showcases creed’s talent as a gifted rock guitarist. even a mundane rock tune like johnny b goode is made listenable by creed’s effect soaked leads and vocals. h’s guitar style is sort of jimi hendrix meets ron asheton. spacey leads and stoner genius riffage. over the next five years, helios would release three more albums of his own blend of psychedelic rock. superior catholic finger, the last laugh and boxing the clown are all consistent offerings. there are jarring changes and pleanty of synthesizer sounds whooshing and meowing around huge drum beats and h’s wall of guitar noises. similar to chrome but much more guitar driven and upbeat. 

in 1991 helios released lactating purple, one of his most chrome-like solo records. flangers whirling and songs stopping abruptly or cutting to a backwards passage. paul della pelle’s drums are thunderous and his interplay with h’s guitar are intense while a solid bass and airy keyboards fill things in and out. this is one of h’s greatest moments. a very focused sound and a great listen from begining to end. a great point of entry to the world of helios for chrome fans or anybody interested in some choice space rock. and as with chrome, it’s not a gimick. it’s the sound of somebody who simply has to do this. it’s an exorcism of something and judging by the music on lactating purple it is a train running through h’s head on its way to venus…

over the next half decade helios would contribute to albums by other artists including hawkwind’s former singer/saxophonist/floutist, nik turner. in 1994 helios and paul della pelle joined pressurehed, and other former hawkwind alumni on tour led by nik turner as nik turner’s space ritual. the live album is a masterwork. old hawkwind, inner city unit and robert calvert tunes mixed with some pressurehed, helios creed and chrome songs. another hight point for helios as well as turner’s post hawkwind work. h’s guitar and nik’s flute swirl around each other on hawkwind classics like “d‑rider” and h’s “nirbasion anassion”. helios is all over the hawkwind material and it’s hard to imagine a better version of some of those songs. 

the late part of the 90’s was prolific for helios. a reformed version of H’s chrome with tommy cyborg (grenas) filling in for the late damon edge, retro transmission is a slightly more spacey return for chrome. actually it’s a great helios creed album in the guise of a chrome release, but it is worthy of the chrome name just as damon’s, into the eyes of the zombie king had been. h’s solo, chromagnum man and another h era chrome album, tidal forces are both collisions of rocking and weirdness that return to the chrome ethos. they are both albums flirting with some of the concrete elements of the early helios/damon work. a live album of the reformed chrome was released as part of a 2 disc set with a gratest hits sort of comilation. chrome: flashback is a tribute to a great band who only played two live shows in their 77–83 heyday. the touring version of the 90’s chrome is superb, the live album is worth a listen.

h’s own activated condition, though is the real prize in his late 90’s output. activated condition is an album filled with suprises. the opening track is a king crimsony rocker with a jarring riff which spins the song into it’s imitation of a run-on groove ending. “the railing” could almost be a radio staple, if only people in radio listened to h’s records and appreciated actual music! the rest of the album is fleshed out with punky psychedelic space rockers which deliver the goods. helios proves he is still one of the lead guitar players worth listening to. colors of light is also a good listen which is a little heavier and electronic. on tour 1999, a live recording, rocks out material going all the way back to h’s first solo album. the band is tight and the recording is more proof helios hadn’t lost any steam. 

throught the double oughts, helios has produced another half dozen or so albums under his own name and with various mutations of the reformed chrome. all worthy of their place in the stoner-freak-weirdo-psychedelic rock hall of fame (my record collection). helios marches on though health and financial problems have led to sporadic touring. when i saw helios in ’03 he was playing with a broken middle finger on his left hand bandaged up. he had no choice. still, he rocked.
also plagued by poor distribution and an ongoing blood feud damon’s wealthy sister has with anything to do with damon’s music has kept reissues of old chrome material to a minumum. this continues to keep chrome in relative obscurity though loyal fans seek out the back catalog through second hand sources wherever they may be found. 

in my opinion, the best helios solo albums are: x‑rated fairy tales, the last laugh, boxing the clown, lactating purple, activated condition, on tour ’99 and dark side of the sun. any one of those would offer a decent entry into the world of helios creed in his post-chrome catalog, though his output has been consistent. his creative use of effects and original approach to rock music in general are in all of his recorded work. his perseverance is inspiring to anyone who has ever wondered if it is worth it to continue to find a way to yell, even if they don’t know why.