Rockasteria

1966-72 Oxfords - Flying Up Through The Sky - Two (2007 Gear Fab)

Friday, August 15, 2025

Leslie's Motel - Dirty Sheets (1972 us, stunning blues psych jam rock, 2009 edition)

In 1971 three musicians with very different backgrounds came together to form The Leslie's Motel Band. The founding members were Richard Bush, Mike Seibold, and myself, Bill Tullis. Richard had been a long time keyboard player with the blue eyed soul band Tom Dooley and the Lovelights. Mike moved to Louisville from Baltimore to attend college, and had family connections to Felix Pappillardi, the producer of several Cream albums and bass player with Mountain. This gave him a very edgy style that landed him the job of lead guitarist in one of the first "heavy" blues bands in Louisville, Conception.

I got my start as a folk singer playing in clubs around town like The Arts of Louisville House. This club later became Changes Unlimited and then Kaleidoscope, the first psychedelic nightclubs in Louisville, Ky. I spent many exciting nights playing in these clubs with Jay Petach, the engineer of this CD, while we were members of The Oxfords. The most memorable evening was when we opened for Frank Zappa and got to spend some time talking with him about the music business. After leaving The Oxfords I formed the group Conception and that is when Mike and I first started playing together. At the urging of a friend, I went to see a band in Nashville at a club called The Briar Patch and saw, what I thought at the time, was the best live band I had ever heard. Their name was The Allman Joys, which later became The Allman Brothers Band, and I knew my musical path was going to change.

After the release of ABB's first album Mike and I disbanded Conception and sought out some new musicians to be a part of this southern rock sound. We went to a club called The Zanzibar and explained to Richard, during one of his breaks, what we had in mind. He was instantly excited and we began searching out other local musicians to complete the band. Even though over the five years Leslie's Motel was together we went through many different lineups, I believe the group on this CD was LMB at its peak. Before I get into the other three fabulous musicians here, I think the story of the naming of the band needs to be told. When we started rehearsing in a garage off of Dixie Highway in Louisville, every day we would pass by Leslie's Motel. The rumor was that it was a house of "ill repute" (mainly for the soldiers coming and going from Fort Knox) and according to how the sign was lit, meant they were open for business. The sign became a topic of conversation at rehearsals on a regular basis until one day Mike suggested we should call the band Leslie's Motel. After quite a bit of laughter we decided it was as good a name as any and the name stuck! At those first rehearsals we did several Allman Brothers covers, and it greatly influenced our writing.

Ray Barrickman and Jay and I all went to the same high school and had a band called The Specters. That group later became the second generation of The Oxfords. Ray and I once wrote a song together that we performed at a senior assembly. It was suppose to be a tribute to our "wonderful" high school experience. Instead it was a swipe at the school's principal and staff, remembrances of smoking in the boy's room, suspensions for cutting school and growing our hair too long. We almost got expelled for that song so Ray and I "had a past"!! At the time of writing these notes, Ray has been the was also the singer on The Oxfords only nationally released single, so he was an excellent addition to LMB. Paul Hoerni was the drummer for the third generation of The Oxfords with Jay when they did the majority of their recording. He had also played drums in several outstanding bands around town and had that Butch Trucks kind of feel. Jay and I had spent time with Butch at Changes Unlimited when he was playing gigs with his band, The Tiffany System, before he was with ABB. We both recognized the similarities and the talent. So Paul joined the band and we started off as a five piece.

The Windmill Club in Louisville became our home base to hammer out our ideas, and The Belle Starr Saloon in Buffalo, New York became our home away from home. We played the club circuit from as far north as Boston to as far west as St. Louis and south to Florida. Many times we also got the opportunity to open for national recording artists, that I will list in a minute, and that leads us to the last member to join LMB. One night we were opening for a reunion tour of the ground breaking Blues Project, when the drummer Roy Blumenfeld came up to us after the show and asked if he could join the group. We were all floored by his request and jumped at the opportunity. This rounded out the lineup you will hear on this CD. Leslie's Motel Band opened for guitarists Ted Nugent, Charlie Daniels, Freddie King, Harvey Mandel, Rory Gallagher, Harvey Brooks, Mike Bloomfield (where the reviewer wrote "The home town boys seemed to be more in the favor of the audience than Mr. Bloomfield"), organist Billy Preston, singer Mitch Ryder, and The MC5. But the show that stands out the most for me was the highlight of my musical life. We were opening for the legendary John Lee Hooker at The Brass Rail in Orchard Park, NY, just outside of Buffalo, when Mr. Hooker came up to me after our set and said "Son, I don't have a harp player with me tonight. Would you like to sit in?".

Looking back, I cannot remember how many songs I played or how long I was on stage. All I remember is floating out onto the stage when he called my name!! Well, I hope you enjoy reading these liner notes half as much as I have enjoyed remembering all of these GREAT times! It is an honor that Gear Fab Productions is releasing this CD over thirty years after these sessions. And my thanks to Jay Petach, Marvin Maxwell, Roger Maglio and all the past residents of Leslie's Motel for making it happen!!!

by Bill Tullis, October, 2008

Tracks

1. Step Down Baby (Mike Siebold, Bill Tullis) - 3:40.

2. Interlude (Richard Bush, Mike Siebold) - 0:32.

3. My Sweet Woman (Richard Bush, Bill Tullis) - 5:45.

4. Blister (Richard Bush) - 7:48.

5. Reason Why (Mike Siebold, Bill Tullis) - 4:19.

6. Windmills (Richard Bush) - 4:28.

7. Latino Motel (Prelude/lnterlude/Qualude) (Bill Tullis, Barrickman, Mike Seibold, Richard Bush, Paul Hoerni, Roy Blumenfeld) - 8:52.

8. Movin' Rock 'n' Roll (Bill Tullis) - 3:18.

9. Dirty Sheets (Bill Tullis, Ray Barrickman, Mike Seibold, Richard Bush, Hoerni, Roy Blumenfeld) - 5:31.

Track 9 Live At The Morefill South

Leslie's Motel

*Bill Tullis- Lead Vocals, Rhythm Guitar, Tambourine

*Mike Seibold - Lead Guitar, Vocals

*Richard Bush - Hammond C3 Organ, Fender Rhodes Piano

*Ray Barrickman - Bass, Vocals

*Paul Hoerni - Drums

*Roy Blumenfeld - Drums, Congas, Hand Clapping

1969 Sea Train - SeaTrain

1966 The Blues Project - Live At The Cafe Au Go Go
1966 The Blues Project - Projections
1967 The Blues Project - Live At Town Hall
1968 The Blues Project - Planned Obsolescence

1971-72 The Blues Project - Lazarus / The Blues Project

1973 The Blues Project - Reunion in Central Park

Tuesday, August 12, 2025

The Tarney • Spencer Band - Three's A Crowd (1978 australia, nice melodic power pop, 2009 bonus tracks digipak remaster)

Tarney-Spencer Band was an Australian rock band composed of Trevor Spencer and Alan Tarney in the late 1970s. The band recorded three albums, and is notable for the song "No Time to Lose" which received substantial air-play in the USA on album- oriented rock radio stations, and charted twice on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.

Alan Tarney met Trever Spencer while playing in an Australian group called Johnny Broome and The Handels. In 1969, Alan and Trevor moved to the UK. They formed a band called Quartet, releasing 2 singles on Decca and an unreleased album. The two also occasionally played on on numerous sessions for artists including Olivia Newton-John, Chris Squire, Bonnie Tyler, Charlie Dore, New Seekers, The Real Thing and many others.

About the same time as Tarney and Spencer were working under the name Quartet, they were also sitting in on sessions for Cliff Richard. Alan Tarney eventually joined The Shadows on bass in 1973, staying until 1977.

Alan and Trevor began working as a duo in 1975. Their first, self titled album was released in 1976 in the UK on the Bradley's label. Shortly after, the Tarney-Spencer Band signed a deal with A&M Records for 10 albums. The band's second album (1st for A&M), was titled "Three's a Crowd" and featured cover art with rounded corners, shaped like an American style cafe menu card. The album received modest airplay on AOR radio station in the US and reached #174 on Billboard Magazine's album chart. A single from the album, "It's Really You" hit #86 on the Billboard Hot 100.

"Run For Your Life" appeared in 1979. Again, with airplay at AOR radio, the album charted in the US reaching #181. One of the album's tracks, "No Time To Lose" was released as a single and rose to number #84 on the singles chart.

After the release of a non-LP single, "Cathy's Clown" in 1979, the band was released from their contract with A&M and discontinued their work together as Tarney-Spencer Band. Two years after the band broke up, the track "No Time To Lose" got the attention of MTV. In 1981, when MTV launched, the channel occasionally aired a video clip for "No Time To Lose". A&M reis- sued the track as a single. The song charted a second time on Bill- board's Hot 100, fairing slightly better that the first time around, reaching #74. Their biggest achievement, "No Time To Lose" has never officially seen mainstream release on CD, either as part of the Run For Your Life album or on a various artist compilation. Trevor Spencer left the UK and returned to Perth to help start Sh-Boom studios. Recent work with Hank Marvin's 1990's solo albums.

Alan Tarney began working as a producer and achieved nota- ble success with A-Ha. Alan produced their first three albums, including their hit single "Take On Me". Additional production work included sides for Squeeze, Bow Wow Wow, Leo Sayer, Pulp, Cliff Richard, Thomas Anders, The Hollies, Voice of the Beehive, The Bluebells, Dream Academy and others.

Liner-Notes

Tracks

1. Bye Bye Now My Sweet Love - 3:21

2. Takin' Me Back (Alan Tarney, Trevor Spencer) - 3:01

3. It's Really You (Alan Tarney, Tom Snow, Trevor Spencer) - 3:53

4. We Believe In Love - 3:49

5. Maybe I'm Right (Robert Wachtel) - 3:34

6. I Can Hear Love - 3:26

7. Set The Minstrel Free (Alan Tarney, David Kershenbaum, Trevor Spencer) - 4:00

8. Magic Still Runs Through Your Head - 3:02

9. Capital Shame - 5:08

10.Easier For You - 3:13

11.Making A Bad Boy Good - 3:17

12.Can't Get By Without You - 3:06

Songs written by Alan Tarney except where stated

Personnel

*Trevor Spencer - Drums, Syndrums, Percussion

*Alan Tarney - Guitars, Keyboards, Synthesizers, Vocals

*Lynton Naiff - Strings Arrangements

1968 40 Blue Fingers, Freshly Packed And Ready To Serve (2013 reissue)

Thursday, August 7, 2025

Chicken Shack - O.K. Ken? (1969 uk, remarkable blues rock, 2014 remaster)

The exact source of the phrase "O.K. Ken ?" is somewhat obscured by time. Stan Webb was well known for being something of a comedian and was a keen follower of many of the professionals of the day. Many of those top line performers had their own little catch phrases and also very distinctive vocal styles. Names such as Max Wall, Peter Sellers, Spike Milligan, Kenneth Williams and Tommy Cooper immediately spring to mind. Stan was always alert to the possibility of a "quick one liner" as they were known.

They were rarely at the expense of anyone's feelings but almost always raised a giggle or two. Stan also had the gift of making just the right facial expression to go with the lines being delivered. Had he not been such a good guitarist and strong vocalist he might have made a career of impersonating others. Anyway, now armed with some inside information as it were, you can judge for yourself his capabilities. Sandwiched in between the musical elements you will hear the various voices of John Peel, Hughie "and I mean this most sincerely, folks" Green. Max Wall, Kenneth Williams and the former Prime Minister, Harold Wilson - amongst others. The Stan Webb Appreciation Society is to be heard in support. The results have their appeal although there are those who have said they found the spoken introductions irritating and annoying to the point of distraction. Well, as with most things - this is a matter of personal choice. "O.K. Ken ?"

The music contained on this, The Chicken Shack's second album, might lack some of the earthy freshness of their first effort but nonetheless represents the band just the way they were in a club situation - few frills, plenty of thrills and lots of honest, good rockin' blues! The song-writing chores are once again shared between Stan and Christine Perfect (soon to be McVie) with Stan taking the lion's share. There are a handful of non-originals amongst which are renditions of Howlin' Wolf's "Tell Me" and B.B. King's "Sweet Sixteen". Both these songs had become very popular in the band's "live" show. Once again the horn section is in evidence and there is also a guest appearance of Walter "Shakey" Horton who plays harmonica behind Christine's plaintive vocal on "Little Walter's "Mean Old World". As with "40 Blue Fingers" This album saw some chart success but did not achieve all that could have been wished for. Of course, the release of the single "I'd Rather Go Blind" was only months away which would give the band their biggest chart success to date but which would also result in the parting of the waves for Christine and the remaining members of The Shack.

Once again, a great deal of care was taken in the final selection of material. the actual recording sessions were spread over a period of three days - one in June of 1968 and the other two back to back in October of the same year. As always Mike Ross was in charge of engineering matters whilst the off-beat photographic work of Terence Ibbott is again in evidence. I well remember the skeleton "hanging" around (with and without shower cap) but to this day I do not know where Terry got it from. The cover photograph was taken in front of the National Gallery in London's West End (I think) but who is the young boy also featured? Where did Terry find this little chap and how in God's name did he persuade him to sit next to a skeleton of all things! He looks, to say the least, somewhat perplexed. Well, wouldn't you ?.

by Mike Vernon, August 1993

Tracks

1. Baby's Got Me Crying (Stan Webb) - 2:34

2. The Right Way Is My Way (Stan Webb) - 2:33

3. Get Like You Used To Be (Christine Perfect, Stan Webb) - 3:48

4. Pony And Trap (Stan Webb) - 3:20

5. Tell Me (Chester Burnett) - 4:49

6. A Woman Is The Blues (Christine Perfect, Stan Webb) - 3:27

7. I Wanna See My Baby (T-Bone Walker) - 3:52

8. Remington Ride (Hank Penny, Herb Remington) - 3:02

9. Fishing In Your River (Stan Webb) - 4:40

10.Mean Old World (Walter Jacobs) - 3:46

11.Sweet Sixteen (B.B. King, Joe Josea) - 6:22

12.Tears In The Wind (Stan Webb) - 2:42

13.I'd Rather Go Blind (Billy Foster, Ellington Jordan) - 3:16

Chicken Shack

*Dave Bidwell - Drums

*Stan Webb - Vocals, Guitar

*Christine Perfect - Vocals, Piano

*Andy Sylvester - Bass

With

*Roderick Lee - Trumpet

*Steve Gregory - Tenor

*Buddy Beadle - Alto, Baritone

*Johnny Almond - Tenor (Tracks 3,6)

*Walter "Shakey" Horton - Harmionica (Track 10)

*Terry Noonan - Trumpet (Track 6)

*Don Fey - Tenor (Track 6)

1969 Chicken Shack - 100 Ton Chicken (2013 xpanded)
1970 Accept (japan remaster and expanded)
1973 Unlucky Boy (2013 reissue)
1974 Go Live "Goodbye Chicken Shack"
1978 Stan Webb's Chicken Shack - That's The Way We Are (2015 edition)

1981 Chicken Shack - Roadies Concerto (2015 release)

Friday, August 1, 2025

rep> The Elders - Looking For The Answer (1971 us, pleasant funky psych rock, 2010 release)

These four boys are self-contained - which means they never lose their tempers. They open their mouths only when they sing. Hometown - Dayton, Ohio and the surrounding. To their credit as writers: LOOKING FOR THE ANSWER, IT'S TOO LATE TO CHANGE, EVERYBODY SAY YEAH, YOUR MOTHER CHEWS TOBACCO, and FORT LAUDERDALE.

The gentleman that has been guiding them, although they are sighted and have no need for a seeing-eye dog is Gordon Neal, a triple threat talent, producer, writer and arranger. Contributing writer is solo talent Linda Bari; Women's Lib is opting for her equal rights.

The Elders have been working night clubs and one-night stands. With the help of this album they hope to play two-night stands throughout the Midwest, also the West, North, South and East. They have a unique sound and each in his own right can be a lead singer. (Judges, 21:24, "Every man did that which was right in his own eyes.") Selective Service please note they prefer not to lead any military bands or marches. Although The Elders are young they live their lives in double time and have written about fifty tunes. This is their first album and with it they hope to take up the slack left by The Beatles.

In addition to their original materiai they perform the great. standards of today, TWENTY-FIVE MILES, SISSY STRUT, and HIP HUGGER. To the non-initiated a standard is a song which has been on the charts longer than twenty-four hours. They feel they are better than many of the groups around and would like you to remember them and not forget this album or the songs therein. As an added note of non-sequitur interest, Linda Bari is a major in psychology and thus THE ELDERS may well be the only group that carries a traveling psychiatrist-in-residence.

Original Liner Notes

Tracks

1. Looking For The Answer (Ron Skinner, Linda Bari) - 5:01

2. Too Late To Change (Pat Smith, Gordon Neal) - 4:11

3. Sissy Strut (Art Neville, Zigaboo Modeliste, Leo Nocentelli, George Porter Jr.) - 3:58

4. Fort Lauderdale (Pat Smith) - 0:59

5. 25 Miles (Edwin Starr, Johnny Bristol, Harvey Fuqua, Bert Berns, Jerry Wexler) - 3:32

6. By The Size Of My Shoes (Larry Weiss, Jimmy Williams) - 3:15

7. Everybody Say Yeah (To The Call, Freedom For All) (Rod Budeliney, Gordon Neal, Linda Bari) - 3:21

8. Hip Hug Her (Steve Cropper, Booker T. Jones, Al Jackson Jr, Donald "Duck" Dunn) - 3:25

9.Your Mother Chews Tobacco (Pat Smith) - 1:04

The Elders
*Jerry Behring - Bass
*Rod Budeliney - Rhythm Guitar
*Ron Skinner - Drums
*Pat Smith - Keyboards

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Tuesday, July 22, 2025

Small Wonder - Small Wonder (1976 canada, wonderful soft symphonic yacht rock, 2023 korean remaster)

West coast symphonic band featuring former Scrubbaloe Caine frontman Henry Small. Released two albums for Columbia 'Small Wonder' in 1976 and 'Growin'' in 1977. Bill King was not featured on the second record and drums were done by legendary session drummer Ed Greene.

Henry Small would later join Burton Cummings' touring band followed by a stint as the new lead singer for Prism following the death of Ron Tabak in the early '80s. He also wrote material for Eddie Money and was a member of Who bassist John Entwhisle's band The Rock. In 2000 Small was the morning radio voice for CIFM in Kamloops and was playing in a band called The Shift who released a CD entitled 'Out Of The Darkness' in 1999. A proper Henry Small solo album called 'Time' was released in the spring of 2002. In recent years Small launched an advertising/jingle company with Gary Fridell called Small World Studios.

by Greg Simpson, Sue Markowski, Bruce Atkinson

Tracks

1. It Was Meant To Be (Jimmy Phillips, Henry Small) - 3:45

2. Time Is Passing Me By (Jerry Morin, Henry Small) - 3:37

3. I'm A One Way Train (Jimmy Phillips, Henry Small) - 3:46

4. Pray For The World (Jimmy Phillips, Henry Small) - 3:02

5. Be Yourself (Jerry Morin) - 4:23

6. Why Walk When You Can Dance (Jimmy Phillips, Henry Small, Jerry Morin) - 4:38

7. You And I (Jerry Morin) - 3:44

8. Midnite Plane Ride (Henry Small) - 5:01

9. Atlantis (Jimmy Phillips) - 5:27

Small Wonder

*Jimmy Phillips - Vocals, Keyboards, Clavinet, Moog, Synthesizers, Piano, Organ, Mellotron

*Jerry Morin - Vocals, Double Neck Guitars, Bass, Violin

*Henry Small - Lead Vocals, Electric Violin, Mandolin

*Bill King - Drums

1975 Clancy - Seriously Speaking (2025 korean remaster)

Thursday, July 17, 2025

Clancy - Every Day (1976 uk, fascinating energetic funky jazzy rock, 2024 korean remaster)

Clancy’s follow-up album, Every Day (1976), continued in a similar vein but showed a band that was more confident and cohesive in its sound. Every Day was well-received by fans of the band and critics alike, who praised its more polished production and tighter songwriting.

Clancy was primarily known for their energetic and improvisational live performances, which were a major draw for fans. Their live shows often featured extended jams and re-interpretations of their studio material, showcasing the band's musicianship and their ability to interact dynamically on stage. They toured extensively in the UK, playing small dubs and opening for more prominent acts. Despite their relatively low commercial profile, Clancy developed a dedicated following, particularly among fans of more progressive and experimental rock.

However, Clancy struggled to break into the mainstream. The band's refusal to conform to the commercial pressures of the music industry meant that they remained somewhat of a cult band, appreciated by those who discovered them but largely overlooked by the broader public. Their eclectic style, while artistically fulfilling, may have contributed to their limited commercial success, as it didn't easily fit into the more rigidly defined genres that were popular at the time. Clancy disbanded in late 1976, couple of years after their formation, having failed to achieve the level of success that would sustain them in the long term. The members went on to pursue various other musical projects, with Colin Bass achieving significant success as a member of the band Camel. Ernie Graham also continued to work in music, though he never achieved the same level of recognition he had with his earlier projects.

Despite their brief career, Clancy left a lasting impact on those who heard them. The band is often cited as an example of the richly diverse music scene of the 1970s, where musicians were willing to take risks and explore new territories. Over the years, their albums have gained a certain cult status among collectors and fans of the era's more obscure bands. In retrospect, Clancy's music can be seen as a reflection of a time when the boundaries of rock music were being pushed in all directions. While they may not have achieved widespread fame, their work remains a testament to the creativity and adventurous spirit of 1970s British rock

Liner-Notes

Tracks

1. Working Together (Ernie Graham) - 6:21

2. Timetaker (Dave Skinner) - 4:23

3. Seconds Out (Dave Vasco) - 1:53

4. You Have Made My Life So Sweet (Barry Ford) - 5:55

5. Jeka José (Gaspar Lawal) - 5:39

6. You Don't Understand (Colin Bass, Dave Vasco) - 6:24

7. Good Judgement (Dave Skinner) - 6:40

8. Jealousy (Colin Bass) - 4:38

Clancy

*Barry Ford - Drums, Vocals, Chinese Gong, Flute, Cymbals

*Colin Bass - Bass, Vocals

*Dave Skinner - Fender Rhodes, Hammond Organ, Wooden Piano, Clavinet, Synthesizers, Vocals

*Dave Vasco - Electric, Acoustic Guitars, Vocals

*Ernie Graham - Acoustc, Electric, Wah Wah Guitars, Vocals

*Gaspar Lawal - Percussion, Vocals, Congas, Talking, Agba Drums, Finger Cymbals, Seke Seke

With

*Sammy Mitchell - Dobro (Track 2)

1971 Ernie Graham - Ernie Graham (2014 japan remaster)

1971-73 Help Yourself - Reaffirmation An Anthology (2014 Remaster)

1966-68 Twice as Much - Sittin' On a Fence, The Immediate Anthology

1972 Uncle Dog - Old Hat (2005 japan remaster)

1977 Jackson Highway - Jackson Highway (2024 remaster)

Saturday, July 12, 2025

Jackson Highway - Jackson Highway (1980 us, awesome southern boogie classic rock, 2014 reissue)

The Capitol album boasted the George Jackson-penned “Rock And Roll Man (Hung Up On A Disco Girl),” featuring a guitar cameo from Blackfoot’s Rickey Medlocke, later a longtime member of Lynyrd Skynyrd. It was a full-circle moment. Medlocke played drums on a pre-fame Skynyrd’s Muscle Shoals Sound demo. Rolling Stone gave Jackson Highway’s Capitol album a three-star review. Not bad.

Jackson Highway was enlisted for a big tour opening for wild man guitarist Ted Nugent, known for hits like “Cat Scratch Fever” and “Stranglehold.” Russell says Nugent, “had a reputation of being hard to deal with and pretty rough on opening acts. But for some reason he was always very kind to us.”

Dennis recalled after a Jackson Highway show opening for Nugent, they ran into him at the hotel bar afterwards. “We walked up to us and said, ‘You guys sounded great. Was the crew good to you?’ We said, well, yeah. He said, ‘If there’s anything you need, I’ll make sure they do it for you.’”

Jackson Highway also opened arena concerts for coheadliners UFO, British melodic-rockers known for live album “Strangers in the Night,” and Triumph, the Canadian power-trio famed for hit “Lay It On the Line.” The headliners were embroiled in petty competition, the Gulley brothers said, that sucked the joy out of the run. UFO and Triumph traveled by airplane, Russell said. Meanwhile, Jackson Highway drove all night between shows in a Winnebago with a trailer behind.

Jackson Highway came from the Allmans school of live performing. Stand there and play your ass off. But from working with more physically active acts like Nugent, UFO and Triumph, they learned the value of putting on a show too. After those tours, Jackson Highway wrote harder rocking songs. This surprised their mentors Jimmy Johnson and David Hood when the band ran through the new material, bang-bang, back at Muscle Shoals Sound.

Alas, the day Jackson Highway was scheduled to play a showcase for label execs, Russell’s dad died. “I couldn’t not go home and take care of business,” Russell said. “And our option was dropped. I blame myself for us losing the Capitol deal because it conflicted with my family.”

Jackson Highway split up. Some band members got more stable opportunities, like Patterson, who landed a salaried job as a piano tuner. At the suggestion of country band Alabama bassist Teddy Gentry, the Gulleys moved to Nashville, where Dennis resides to this day.

Dennis found work with the likes of John Schneider, the unfairly handsome “Dukes of Hazzard” actor who’s also a country-rock singer/songwriter. Russell toured with successful Canadian country singer Gary Buck. Russell has since returned to North Alabama, where he resides today, and is a mainstay of the state’s roots music scene. On August 23, he’ll play a set at Eutaw’s Black Belt Folk Roots Festival lineup.

There have been occasional Jackson Highway reunions, and a few years back, they released an EP. The brothers are currently working on their first Muscle Shoals-recorded project in decades. Dennis and Russell are also collaborating on music for a photography exhibit by Muscle Shoals music insider Dick Cooper August 25 - 29 at Auburn Arts Association . They might take that elsewhere, Russell said.

And that original “Old Time Rock and Roll” demo? Dennis still has a copy on cassette, and a digital file on his computer. He’s never released the demo publicly, though, because Capitol owns the rights, he said. “I’ve never even played it for anybody other than friends,” Dennis said. “If you and I were together, I wouldn’t mind playing it for you, but I wouldn’t give you a copy of it. Because I’ve had people ask me for it and it’s not mine to do that with.”

by Matt Wake, Jun. 12, 2025

Tracks

1. Drive Me On Home (Matthew Jones, Dennis Gulley, Russell Gulley, Tommy Patterson) - 3:25

2. Rock And Roll Man (Hung Up On A Disco Girl) (George Jackson) - 3:57

3. Circles (Russell Gulley, Tommy Patterson) - 3:46

4. Hook, Line And Sinker (Dennis Gulley, Russell Gulley, Tommy Patterson) - 4:38

5. Rave On (Bill Tilghman, Norman Petty, Sonny West) - 3:13

6. Knee Deep In Love (Collins Kirby, Dennis Gulley, Russell Gulley) - 2:56

7. You're Looking Good (Dennis Gulley, Russell Gulley) - 3:50

8. Nobody To Love (David Weatherspoon Jr., Thomas Earl Jones) - 2:36

9. Cold Chill Out Of The Blue (Dennis Gulley, Russell Gulley) - 4:43

Jackson Highway

*Dennis Gulley - Piano, Organ, Bass, Acoustic, Electric Guitars, Lead, Background Vocals

*Britt Meacham - Acoustic, Electric Guitars, Background Vocals

*Tommy Patterson - Piano, Synthesizers, Harmonica, Lead, Background Vocals

*Ronny Vance - Drums, Percussion, Background Vocals

*Russell Gulley - Bass Guitar, Background Vocals

With

Jimmy Johnson - Guitar

Randy McCormick - Keyboards

Roger Hawkins - Drums

Charlie Hargrett - Backing Vocals (Track 2)

Duncan Cameron - Backing Vocals (Track 9)

Greg T. Walker - Backing Vocals (Track 2)

Rickey Medlocke - Backing Vocals (Track 2)

1972 Joe Walsh - Barnstorm (2011 japan SHM remaster)

Monday, July 7, 2025

Joe Walsh - But Seriously Folks... (1978 us, wonderful insightful, melodic classic rock, 2017 japan SHM remaster)

Joe Walsh's fourth album, ... But Seriously Folks, is best known for producing the hit single "Life's Been Good." But that's just the most obvious starting point of a record that proved to be one of Walsh's most durable LPs.

Comparisons to the Eagles for the album came early and often – and not just because this was the first stand-alone project Walsh released after he joined the group before 1976's Hotel California. All four of his bandmates appeared on ... But Seriously Folks, though they're mere footnotes on an album that strikes a more considered balance of introspection and biting wit, and of smart balladry and tough rockers, than the reconstituted Eagles' deflating finale The Long Run.

Walsh moves with cunning and verve through the expected joys of country rockers like "Second Hand Store" and the surprising reggae rhythms of "Over and Over," from the incisive nostalgia of "Indian Summer" to the fully realized instrumental wit of "Theme From Boat Weirdos."

Even casual fans will notice signature elements of the Eagles sound throughout, from the soaring background vocals of Glenn Frey, Don Henley and Timothy B. Schmit on "Tomorrow" to Don Felder's pedal steel on "Second Hand Store." Walsh and Felder then reanimate their twin-guitar "Hotel California" entanglement on "At the Station."

Still, ... But Seriously Folks arrived on May 16, 1978, as a Walsh record at its core, dominated not by the Eagles but by his vision. Don't let the winks and nudges fool you. As with Walsh's other must-buy solo album, The Smoker You Drink, the Player You Get, he's in complete command of his muse, something that becomes utterly clear on the hilarious album closer "Life's Been Good."

A comic depiction of the "hardships" of rock stardom, the song appeared on ... But Seriously Folks not in the zippy four-minute version that went to No. 12 on the pop chart but as an extended anthem of double that length.

Along the way, it earned fame separate from the charts when Walsh ran for president in 1980 as a lark. He suggested, tongue firmly in cheek, that "The Star-Spangled Banner" be replaced by "Life's Been Good." That didn't happen. But it certainly became Walsh's personal good-time anthem – and a staple of his concerts, with and without the Eagles.

Many fans understandably listen to ... But Seriously Folks decades later to relive that moment in time. But there's an entire album's worth of Walsh to enjoy here.

by Nick DeRiso, May 16, 2023

Tracks

1. Over And Over - 4:53

2. Second Hand Store (Joe Walsh, Mike Murphy) - 3:35

3. Indian Summer - 3:03

4. At The Station (Joe Vitale, Joe Walsh) - 5:09

5. Tomorrow - 3:39

6. Inner Tube - 1:25

7. Theme From Boat Weirdos (Bill Szymczyk, Jay Ferguson, Joe Vitale, Joe Walsh, Willie Weeks) - 4:42

8. Life's Been Good - 8:56

All songs written by Joe Walsh except where stated

Musicians

*Joe Walsh - Guitars, Synthesizers

*Joe Vitale - Drums, Percussion, Flute, Synthesizer,

*Jay Ferguson - Keyboards, Background Vocals

*Willie Weeks - Bass

*Joey Murcia - 2nd Guitar

*Don Felder - Pedal Steel, Vocals (Track 2), Guitar, Vocals (Track 4)

*Bill Szymczyk – Tambourine, Vocals (Track 4), Background Vocals (Track 8)

*Jody Boyer - Background Vocals (Tracks 2,3,8)

*Don Henley - Background Vocals (Track 5)

*Glenn Frey - Background Vocals (Track 5)

*Timothy B. Schmit - Background Vocals (Track 5)

1973 Joe Walsh - The Smoker You Drink The Player You Get (2009 HDCD)

1974 Joe Walsh - So What (2015 SACD)

1971 James Gang - Live in Concert (2010 SHM)