Information/Write-up
Lucky Dog is the second and final album by Heavy Cruiser, a studio-based side project conceived by Neil Merryweather during his time with Mama Lion. While the band’s lineup remained anonymous on the original release due to label politics, this album features the same powerhouse rhythm section and explosive musicality that made their debut such a cult favorite.
Following the release of the first Heavy Cruiser album, Neil returned to the studio with Coffi Hall, James Newton Howard, and new guitarist Alan Hertz to record a fresh set of material under the same moniker. Once again, Artie Ripp, head of Family Productions, kept the musicians' names off the cover, not wanting to detract attention from Mama Lion.
I first posted both Heavy Cruiser albums to CitizenFreak.com in February 2011, and shortly after, Neil Merryweather contacted me personally. He spoke with pride about these sessions, and again emphasized how proud he was to be a Winnipegger and a Canadian. He shared how the Heavy Cruiser albums gave him a chance to explore heavier sounds and take creative risks outside the constraints of Mama Lion’s image. Sadly, Neil passed away on March 29, 2021, but his vision lives on through albums like Lucky Dog, which blend hard rock, fuzzed-out psych, and early prog-metal into something raw, melodic, and ahead of its time.
In 1976, an alternate version of Lucky Dog was quietly issued by the notorious tax-scam label Tiger Lily Records, without the band’s knowledge or authorization. This rare pressing reused the bulk of the Lucky Dog recordings, but with different mixes and sequencing. Uniquely, it included two previously unreleased tracks: Next Voice You Hear and Runaway Child, which do not appear on any official version of the album.
Tiger Lily was known for issuing albums primarily to exploit tax loopholes, often pressing limited quantities with minimal promotion and no artist involvement. This unauthorized version of Heavy Cruiser is now a sought-after oddity among collectors, both for its rarity and for the exclusive material it contains.
Originally released in 1973 on Family Productions, Lucky Dog remained buried for decades. It was first stteamed in March 2011 by CitizenFreak.com. In January 2025, it received its first official vinyl reissue, sourced from the original master tapes and released by Spanish label Guerssen.
-Robert Williston
Neil Merryweather: vocals, bass, acoustic guitar
James Newton Howard: organ, piano
Alan Hertz: guitar
Coffi Hall: drums, percussion
Produced by Neil Merryweather
Engineered by Bruce Albertine, John LaSalle, Kerry McNabb, Chuck Johnson, and James Vickers
Album design by Neil Merryweather
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