It seems like that for the most part, the music world is pretty good about eventually coming around to recognize those who might not have been popular at the time but turned out to be profoundly influential. These people then get a chance to get the mass adulation they deserve and maybe make enough money to put a down payment on a house or start an IRA.

For some reason, though, some folks sort of slip through the cracks. Especially the long-haired guitar gods, it seems to me. When I finally got a chance to see Uli Jon Roth play, it was at a comedy club in the suburbs.

And even though Chrome’s heavy influence on industro-psycho-freakout music is recognized by your more authoritative authorities, guitarist (and sole surviving Chrome member) Helios Creed isn’t getting his due and playing sold-out, week-long residencies at the Fillmore and then repairing to his 200-acre Sonoma estate, where aliens land their crafts and smoke out with him. (I’m only guessing that this last part isn’t happening. I’m pretty sure about the Fillmore part.)

On the positive tip, Helios has been recording albums, touring (most recently as “Chrome featuring Helios Creed”), and just plain nonstop freaking you out for 30 years because he loves you. So if you get the chance, go see him and say thanks. And give him a big smooch!

Helios Creed - a: Some Way Out b: The Dream c: The Diplomat from his 1989 masterpiece The Last Laugh (which is out of print, but there’s loads of other Helios mp3 downloads and some CDs available through amazon, and there’s lots of Helios on itunes, too)

http://www.myspace.com/helioscreed
http://www.myspace.com/therealhelioscreed
(he’s pretty active here, and has posted bulletins with rare Chrome FLAC downloads, yum yum)

http://helioscreed.com