## Fifty Years of Reaching New Heights: LGT‘s *Always Higher*
In 1975, the Hungarian rock band LGT, considered the first rock supergroup in the country’s history, faced a period of upheaval. A promising american record deal with ABC publisher had fallen through in 1974. Their albums *All Aboard* and a second English-language record, both recorded in Los Angeles during the summer of 1974 for an American audience, failed to gain traction, and the band returned home without financial reward. To compound matters, guitarist Tamás Barta chose to remain in Los Angeles.
Despite the loss of Barta, who many considered irreplaceable, LGT quickly found a new guitarist in János Christmas. Following a one-month tour in Poland, the band immediately began work on their fourth studio album, *Always higher*, released in mid-1975.
LGT aimed for the highest possible recording quality, opting for the Film Factory studio - then considered the most professional in Hungary – and utilizing an “octopus” recording system, a method they preferred over the standard record factory approach. Sound engineer György Kovács, working on his first independent album, dedicated himself fully to the project, and his professionalism and enthusiasm are still evident in the final product, despite the band’s demanding schedule.
The recording of *Always Higher* coincided with Kati Kovács recording her album *Near the Sun* at the same studio, creating a especially tight timeframe for LGT. Beyond Christmas’s remarkable guitar skills, the band benefited from the talents of Tamás Somló, József Laux, and Gábor presser, all contributing to an album that would set a new standard for Hungarian rock music.
*always Higher* is now celebrated as one of the best discs in Hungarian rock history, a testament to the band’s resilience and artistic vision in the face of adversity.
