Get Yourself Up
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Album Summary
Get Yourself Up was Head East's fourth studio album, laid down and released in 1976 on A&M Records, right in the thick of the band's most commercially active stretch. These cats from the Illinois heartland were in a groove, building on the momentum of their earlier work and channeling that raw, blues-soaked energy into a record that captured everything they were about as a live unit. The band brought serious songwriting muscle to the sessions, shaping an album that felt lived-in and road-tested — the kind of record that only comes from a group that had been putting in the miles night after night across the American interior.
Reception
- The album found a home on the Billboard 200, reflecting the kind of steady, working-class commercial footing that Head East had carved out for themselves in the mid-1970s rock landscape — not a blockbuster, but a real and respectable showing.
- Critical response ran the spectrum, with some ears tuned in to the band's honest, no-frills hard rock delivery while others measured them against the more adventurous sounds swirling around in that same era.
Significance
- Get Yourself Up stood as a genuine artifact of mid-1970s American heartland hard rock — thick guitar work rooted deep in the blues tradition, anthemic vocal hooks, and a grounded sensibility that set Head East apart from the more theatrical acts of the day.
- At a moment when progressive rock was stretching into elaborate concept territory and punk was beginning to sharpen its teeth, Head East held the line for meat-and-potatoes rock and roll with conviction and craft.
- The album reinforced the band's identity as a serious, self-sufficient recording and touring act — the kind of outfit that kept the spirit of honest American rock alive from the stage to the studio.
Tracklist
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A1 When I Get Ready 132
3:44
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A2 Separate Ways 131
2:50
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A3 This Woman's In Love 107
2:51
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A4 I Don't Want The Change —
4:34
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A5 Sailor 62
4:20
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B1 Monkey Shine 151
3:08
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B2 Jailer 81
3:30
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B3 Love My Blues Away 102
3:40
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B4 The Victim 100
5:55
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B5 Trouble 70
3:35
Artist Details
Head East was a hard rock and melodic rock band that came together in Champaign, Illinois around 1973, blending crunching guitar riffs with lush keyboard textures and powerful vocal harmonies that gave them a sound as big as the open Midwest sky. They became a genuine force on the album-oriented rock scene, earning a devoted regional following that spread nationally through relentless touring and their standout 1975 debut Never Been Any Reason, a record that showcased their ability to craft anthemic, hook-driven rock that sat beautifully in that sweet spot between arena grandeur and heartland authenticity. Though they never quite cracked the mainstream superstardom their talent deserved, Head East remains a beloved chapter in the story of American hard rock, a testament to the road-warrior spirit of working bands who built their legacy one sweaty club and concert hall at a time.
