GRAND PRIX: Which way did the wind blow 7" + Feels good. Bernie Shaw: Uriah Heep, Praying Mantis, Lionheart, Check sample.

GRAND PRIX: WHICH WAY DID THE WIND BLOW/FEELS GOOD
UK 7" - RCA 18 - 1980 was only released with company logo sleeve, not a picture sleeve.

Artist: GRAND PRIX Bernie Shaw sings: Uriah Heep, Praying Mantis, Lionheart, Dirty Tricks

Title: WHICH WAY DID THE WIND BLOW

Format: 7 INCH (7" VINYL)

Country: UK

Label: RCA

Year: 1980

Phil Lanzon (K,V)
Michael O'Donoghue (G,V)
Ralph Hood (B,V)
Andy Beirne (D)
Bernie Shaw (V)

Bernie Shaw is the vocalist here, along with Phil Lanzon on keyboards/ piano. Both went to Uriah Heep later on, and Bernie to Praying Mantis among others, while Phil went to play with Lionheart. Andy Beirne the drummer, was in the legendary Dirty Tricks before, later he went to play with Max and The Broadway Metal Choir.

During The Late 1970's and early 1980's the British hard rock scene was exploding with new groups. Dubbed the NWOBHM, it was a movement that sent the genre back to basics, feeding off the punk do-it-yourself ethics. Groups such as Iron Maiden, Samson and Saxon reaped big rewards but, beneath the top layers of success, a number of other highly-talented rock bands were also looking to make an impact. Grand Prix were one such act. Signed to RCA records, the band were launched to solid critical acclaim, but their music was quickly identified as being far too sophisticated to truly align them to the NWOBHM. Like Praying Mantis, White Spirit, Tobruk and Shy, the band's penchant for polish, melody and complex arrangements meant that they were quickly sidelined by many in favour of the more in-your-face attributes of the competition. With a sound steeped in American radio rock, comparisons were immediately made to Styx, Kansas, Saga and Journey. However, Grand Prix were, it must be said, practically the only British band of the era that could hold a candle to the serious melodic sensibilities of their American cousins. Part of the reason for this was the appointment of vocalist Bernie Shaw, a Canadian citizen who had moved to the UK in search of new opportunities."