Nicholas Greenwood played a pivotal role on the acclaimed and hugely successful LP Fire by The Crazy World of Arthur Brown. He left the band in 1969 and, following a brief stint as a member of the group Khan in 1972, decided to pursue a solo career. That same year, he began work on what is arguably one of the most versatile and beautiful examples of musical creativity: his solo debut Cold Cuts. Recorded with numerous guest musicians at Sound Techniques in London, the album was released in late 1972 on the small English label Kingdom Records, which Terry King had launched just a year earlier. It featured guest appearances by Bunk Gardner (formerly of Zappa’s Mothers of Invention) and ex-Khan drummer Eric Peachey.

However, the debut album was not a success, not even in France, and went more or less completely unnoticed. His first and last LP ranks among the rarest progressive albums of the early British prog era, even in the form of a Dutch pressing released a year later. Here, Greenwood presents a jazzy brand of progressive rock featuring numerous organ solos and wind instruments, at times enriched by the addition of a string quartet, all accompanied by his powerful vocals. This British psych-prog is characterised by brilliant arrangements and highly inspired melodies that evoke echoes of Arzachel and Affinity. The original French release on Kingdom Records is also a highly sought-after collector’s item.