In The Land Of FREE we still Keep on Rockin'

It's Not Dark Yet

Plain and Fancy

Music gives soul to universe, wings to mind, flight to imagination, charm to sadness, and life to everything.

Plato

Wednesday, June 25, 2025

The Kudzu Band - Chittlin' Circuit (1976 us, awesome hard southern rock, 2017 remaster)



I tried to get a job and settle down. Worked at a musical instrument distribution house for a while, then for Rhythm City for a while but the music bug had me. I wound up in a couple of bands just trying to find my way back to music. I think there was Southern Comfort, The band that got me back on the road, but through much trial and tribulation lol! Then there was Snagglepuss, a band I enjoyed very much. I played with Danny Miller in that band and enjoyed his playing a lot! He was the first to introduce me to playing in an improvisational blues style. I was new to it then since everything in The Apolloes was largely memorized. Then there was Osmosis. But I have no recordings from those bands unfortunately. One important thing happened here though. I had always wanted to play bass and in Osmosis I played bass for the first time in a band. I had always wanted to play with Spencer Kirkpatrick of Atlanta Vibrations fame and he was the guitar player in that band. I loved it! But it wasn't time yet.

Again I tried to settle down and got a job in a record distribution company where I worked for Gwen Kessler who basically ran the place. My job was to send records that had been returned when they didn't sell, back to the manufacturers. I replaced two guys who had had the job before. I soon had it organized well enough to keep up, but Jimbo called me about this time and asked me to come play bass for his band at the time called Beggar's Opera and I accepted. It was 1970.

The line up was Jimbo Thornton on guitar, OT Hewitt on guitar, Jimmy Martin on drums and I played bass. We had three Jim's in the group and Mojo from the Apolloes had taken to calling me "Birdlegs" one summer when the Apolloes were playing an extended stay at the pier in Daytona FL. So needing to simplify this "Jim" situation, I became Birdlegs more less permanently. We now had a Jimmy, a Jimbo, and a Birdlegs.

Jimmy, our drummer, decided to leave the group and we replaced him with Nathaniel. And a group from England called, you guessed it, Beggars Opera, released an album in the states. So we needed a name change.

Enter Kudzu. If I remember correctly, OT's girlfriend had a little dog she named Kudzu and since it was a vine that had spread all over the south, we decided to call ourselves Kudzu. We were all past school or college age and it was us against the world so to speak. Jimbo was into booking the band and He and I did a lot together to build the band along with the other members. 

Nathaniel looked a lot like Jimi Hendrix and he started learning to play guitar and he got good at it. So before long he set off to conquer new worlds. He was a good one though. Tons of energy. His replacement would prove to be the other corner post in the band. Enter Creig Harber.

Creig had gone to school at Jacksonville State University as a music major. Double bass drums and ability to spare. We were now complete. We had double guitars that had been working together 7 or 8 years prior to Kudzu, a drummer with fire, a singer that could definitely keep up and I was loving playing bass. Full Time!!

Soon we were booked most of the time either week ends or clubs at first but more and more we got to play festivals and opening act for several headliners. We were starting to write, but something started to happen. We could jam. We would just start to play and things would begin to happen. It's a shame we didn't record more of that and then make things from it. Though in retrospect, I guess that's how we wrote most of our stuff anyway. Jimbo was becoming a good writer as well as OT. I wrote some and so did Creig. But when we jammed, Phil could ad lib words like we did music. It's a shame we did not have the equipment to record this early version of the band a bit better like we did when we finally ended up a trio.

However, we were driving home through Nashville one night, and Creig mentioned that a friend of his that he had played with in his previous band was working at Colmubia studios in Nashville. We stopped several miles out of Nashville and called him. He asked Creig what we were up to and Creig told him about the band and the new music etc and to our surprise he asked Creig if we could record some that night. We did and that turned out to be the only studio recordings I remember doing with the five piece Kudzu.

He took us to New York and introduced us to the people at Columbia and we got to meet Carlos Santana who was there at the time making an album with John McClaughlin. Columbia heard the demos and sent reps to see us at Funochio's in Atlanta but said they wanted to see us again in about 6 months.

Time went on and one night we were playing at Richard's in Atlanta. It was one of the very first large venue Rock night clubs in Atlanta to install a truly professional sound system. As it turned out, Frank Zappa was in town and unbeknownst to us, he made a practice of going to the best clubs in town after their concerts in various cities. Turned out that for Atlanta it was Richards. We were at our peak about this time and there was some buzz that he might come by. We went out to play our set, and sure enough, there he was. Our music had different time signatures in places and one piece was even in 7/4. But it was still rock with a hint of Allmon Brothers. I guess he heard something he liked.

When our set was done, he came back and introduced himself. We talked for a good long time. He was curious as to my background and such and I enjoyed talking to him. It's like we instantly related to each other. I went home that night and told my wife that I felt like I had been interviewed for a job. Again time moved on.

Once again things were about to change. Before Columbia could get back to see us we lost OT, one of our guitar players. Where do you go to get another guitarist that has been playing with Jimbo for all those years. You don't, so we were able to get Ted Straton a super Hammond Organ, Keyboard player who later went on to play with Les Dudak. And then we lost Little Phil. Now either of these changes would radically change things, but both, well it was quite a different band.

We went into a more conventional song mode as opposed to jam band mode. We went back and this time actually recorded in Columbia's main studios in Nashville, but the magic was gone. It was clean and pretty and all that, but no real fire. But then we lose Ted. We're down to Jimbo, Creig and me. What do we do. We briefly added another bass player and I began to play different instruments on different songs, mostly keyboards and guitar and doubled at times with Creig on drums. We even did a show on one of the PBS stations at that time with that line up. But then we lost the bass player. Again, what to do.

I had a Wurlitzer piano and we had purchased an Aarp synth for Ted to play so we still had it and I had an idea. I had been playing bass for about 6 years full time by now but had grown up playing piano. I told the guys that I thought I could play keys and bass at the same time if given a short period of time to work on it. It took about a month or so but I learned to do it well enough that we could play. But as we began to work more and more again, it got smoother and soon became automatic.
by James Youman "Birdlegs"


Tracks
1. Chitlin Circuit - 6:11
2. Believe In Yourself - 5:21
3. Words - 5:05
4. Give Your Love Again - 3:59
5. I Need You - 2:40
6. Go On Go Away - 3:59
7. Back Door Man - 5:13
All songs by "Jet" Jimbo Thornton 

The Kudzu Band
*Jimbo Thornton "Jet" - Slide, Electric Guitars, Piano, Bass (Track 3)
*Creig Harber "Uzduk" - Drums, Percussion, Flute
*James Youman "Birdlegs" - Arp Bass, Piano, Synthesizer, Acoustic Guitar

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Friday, June 20, 2025

Jackson Highway - Jackson Highway (1977 us, awesome southern rock with funky vibes, 2024 remaster)



In 1977, Muscle Shoals Sound Studio cofounder and Swampers guitarist Jimmy Johnson offered a local band called Jackson Highway a song called “Old Time Rock and Roll.”

The band, named after Muscle Shoals Sound’s 3614 Jackson Highway address, centered around songwriting brothers: singer/guitarist Dennis Gulley and bassist/backing vocalist Russell Gulley. Dennis had sung lead vocals on the original demo for “Old Time Rock and Roll,” penned by Shoals songwriters George Jackson and Thomas E. Jones.

“Our first record was already in Nashville being mastered,” Russell recalled, referring to final sonic adjustments on a recording. “I told Jimmy, ‘It’d be kind of like the movies where you run in and say, ‘Stop the presses!’ I don’t know if we do it or not. But then the next thing, of course …”

Detroit singer Bob Seger ended up recording “Old Time Rock and Roll.” Initially, Seger wasn’t into the song. But after his manager insisted it was a hit and a trial live performance in Europe got a huge crowd response, Seger saw the light. He tweaked the lyrics some.

Dennis Gulley said, “The original demo is about a girl. ‘She takes those old records off the shelf …’ And there was a whole verse about Little Richard and Jerry Lee Lewis. He [Seger] took that verse out, made it first person, and rewrote the verse. ‘Call me a relic, call me what you will, say I’m old fashioned, say I’m over the hill,’ that was Bob’s lyric.” According to Dennis, he was paid $75 for singing on the demo. It’s worth nothing that Seger didn’t take a songwriter’s cut on “Old Time Rock and Roll.”

It took Seger a couple tries to decide the right recording to release, eventually settling on one anchored by Swampers drummer Roger Hawkins and bassist David Hood. In 2016, Hood told me Seger was the most profitable artist the prolific Swampers, aka Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, ever worked with. “Because we got to share in the production, publishing and then played on his stuff,” Hood said.

“Old Time Rock and Roll” became Seger’s signature hit after his version’s 1979 release. “And that’s the way it should have been,” Russell said. “I’m so glad that George Jackson and Tom Jones got that song to Seger because it was great for all of them and helped us in the long run, too.” According to Russell Gulley, Seger later recommended Jackson Highway to Capitol Records, who released the band’s 1980 sophomore album and major label debut, which like their 1977 Muscle Shoals Sound Records debut, was self-titled. “He returned the favor,” Russell said. 

Jackson Highway wasn’t destined for stardom. But the band -- also featuring guitarist Britt Meacham, keyboardist Tommy Patterson and drummer Ronny Vance -- got to tour with ‘70s stars like Ted Nugent, Triumph and UFO. And, according to Russell Gulley, Meacham’s guitar licks from the “Old Time Rock and Roll” demo appear uncredited on Seger’s hit version. Today, Jackson Highway’s two classic era albums hold up well. They’re an “almost famous” band more Southern rock fans should know.

“We were at our peak like when we split up,” Dennis said. “We recorded live on a cassette that I have now. I’ve listened to it recently and I was amazed at how tight and how good we were playing. It was like geez, we should’ve hung together another year, and we probably would have gotten another record.”

Dennis and Russell grew up in Fort Payne, the humble North Alabama municipality that also produced Country Music Hall of Fame band Alabama. In their youth, the Gulleys crossed paths with future Alabama members like guitarist Jeff Cook, and performed at the same local talent contest Cook did. Russell says the Gulley family was “poor but we were rich in other ways. I didn’t get a record player until I was in eighth grade.”

Like many kids back then, Russell fell under the spell of The Beatles, Rolling Stones and other British Invasion bands. Younger brother Dennis introduced him to psychedelic rockers like Jimi Hendrix Experience and Cream. Rock pioneers like Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly and Bo Diddley in their ears too. Even pop bands like Herman’s Hermits. A bit later, Southern rock vanguards Allman Brothers entered the mix. Russell played in local bands with names like the Decades.

There was a seismic change when Russell was drafted to serve in the Vietnam War. He was a member of the U.S. Army’s 101st Airborne Division. He spent around two years in a combat zone, stationed about 50 miles south of the DMZ. “I’m one of those guys that came home,” Russell said.

Back in Alabama, his marriage went kaput. “We both had changed completely since we were very young.” Russell said he and his wife parted amicably, “I found myself in a position with nothing to keep me back from chasing whatever my dream was.” That dream was music.

Dennis had joined a popular Southeastern touring band called Cross, whose horn-powered sound echoed that of “25 or 6 to 4” hit-makers Chicago. Russell became a roadie for the band. The brothers also started writing songs together.

“When they went to Muscle Shoals to do their demos,” Russell said, “Jimmy Johnson asked, ‘Who wrote the song?’ And that opened a conversation about me.” At the time, Russell was touring with Southern soul singer Ruby Winters, who had a hit in the U.K. with the song “I Will.”

He got a call from Johnson to come to Muscle Shoals. “Muscle Shoals Sound had only been open a few years and Jimmy felt like it all starts with the song,” Russell said. “And if he could get the songwriters to move into Muscle Shoals the way they were congregating in Nashville that would be the future of the music business. So he recruited us first as songwriters.”

The band that became Jackson Highway, like many local musicians, made their bones playing in bars on the Alabama-Tennessee state line. The Gulleys’ songwriting publisher, Mike O’Rear, got them a house band gig at a place called Johnny’s Club. They played three or four nights a week, developing musical chemistry.

“He [O’Rear] was pitching our songs to other people,” Russell said. “But he came to a conclusion pretty quick, ‘You’re not writing songs for other people. These are Jackson Highway songs.’ He gave us that name, by the way, since the band formed around a dream of a bunch of guys going to Muscle Shoals and being taken in by Jimmy Johnson.”

Jackson Highway wrote their debut album at Muscle Shoals Sound’s auxiliary demo studio at 102 East Second Street. Johnson gave them the keys to the demo studio. They’d record there each night after the state line bar gigs.

The recording console, according to Russell, was the same one used to record Percy Sledge’s seminal Shoals ballad “When A Man Love A Woman.” Russell lauded Johnson for his support of the band. “He believed in musicians being in business for themselves. He wanted us to be our own bosses.”

Occasionally, Jackson Highway would be working out music and someone would come in to retrieve a microphone for Muscle Shoals Sound clients, like shaggy rocker Rod Stewart, who cut his 1975 “Atlantic Crossing” album at Muscle Shoals Sound.

The band shaped much of the first Jackson Highway album, including standout cuts like rocker “Wayne County, Tennessee” and the melancholic “Circles,” themselves. Johnson and Hood had a more hands-on approach to the Capitol Records follow-up.
by Matt Wake, Jun. 12, 2025

Tracks
1. Piece Of Good Earth (Russell Gulley) - 2:53
2. Pick-Up Truck (Tommy Patterson) - 2:31
3. Circles (Russell Gulley, Tommy Patterson) - 3:11
4. Honky Music (Dennis Gulley, Russell Gulley, Tommy Patterson) - 2:51
5. Hook, Line And Sinker (Dennis Gulley, Russell Gulley, Tommy Patterson) - 3:25
6. Wayne County, Tennessee (Mike Lawley) - 2:35
7. You Got Me Dancin' (Ronnie Brown, Dennis Gulley) - 2:40
8. Mississippi Funk (Doug Mays) - 2:48
9. Every Day Will Be A Holiday (Booker T. Jones, William Bell) - 2:57
10.Stick It Back In The Mud (Britt Meacham, Dennis Gulley, Russell Gulley, Ronny Vance, Tommy Patterson) - 2:31

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 (Bebob) Evans - Drums (Tracks 3,4)
*David Hood - Bass (Track 3)
*Tim Henson - Piano (Track 7), Arp String Ensemble (Tracks 3,9)
*Roger Hawkins - Additional Percussion

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Sunday, June 15, 2025

Elliott Murphy - Just A Story From America (1977 us, a foundation of indelible melodies commanding vocal work in a rich lyrical landscape, 2004 digipak)



For his fourth album, Just a Story from America, Elliott Murphy moved on to his third major label, appropriately finding a berth with Columbia Records, home of Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen. A follower of Dylan and a contemporary of Springsteen, Murphy also attempts to invest rock & roll with poetry and then sings it in an alternately husky and whiny tenor. For Just a Story from America, he traveled to London and recorded with a band including Genesis drummer Phil Collins and, for a bluesy solo on "Rock Ballad," former Rolling Stone guitarist Mick Taylor. "Drive All Night" sets the scene early, an uptempo rocker paced by a Farfisa organ reminiscent of Del Shannon, while the lyric reflects the same sense of youthful adventure via a fast car on a highway that Springsteen describes so often. Murphy's artistic vision is more urban and literary than Springsteen's, however, his short stories in song concern self-consciously arty characters bent on an escape as much spiritual as economic. 

Murphy is, as ever, up-front about his influences, putting a line from Raymond Chandler on the LP sleeve, crediting "Nick Caraway" (the narrator of F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby) for background vocals, and dropping movie names including Errol Flynn and Rhett Butler. If Dylan uses names like that for comic and absurd effect, and Springsteen is serious about the lives of his hometown heroes, Murphy is deliberately creating a rock & roll equivalent for the novels and movies he loves; he's serious, too, but he also has a perspective on the scenes he describes. Thus, when he writes a rock ballad, he calls it "Rock Ballad." He never lets his audience forget that it is watching a show, which may go against the supposed authenticity and emotional directness of rock. But that's the point. In Murphy's world, the great Gatsby is a rock star, and life is a movie. 
by William Ruhlmann


Tracks
1. Drive All Night  - 3:37
2. Summer House  - 3:20
3. Just A Story From America  - 2:32
4. Rock Ballad  - 5:04
5. Think Too Hard  - 3:30
6. Anastasia  - 5:10
7. Darlin' - And She Called Me  - 3:49
8. Let Go  - 3:43
9. Caught Short In The Long Run  - 4:49
Stories and Music by Elliott Murphy

Personnel
*Elliott Murphy - Vocals, Guitar, Harmonica, Farfisa Organ, Marimba, Tambourine, Harmonium, Portuguese Guitar
*Phil Collins - Drums, Backing Vocals
*Mick Taylor - Guitar (Track 4)
*Dave Markee - Bass
*Peter Oxendale - Piano, Organ
*Morris Pert - Percussion
*Chris Mercer - Saxophone (Track 1) 
*Steve Gregory - Saxophone (Track 1)
*Barry De Souza - Drums (Track 9)
*Mike Moran - Keyboards (Track 9)


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Wednesday, June 11, 2025

Various Artists - Fading Yellow Vol. 21 Dreamy Day (1966-73, world wide selection of magical pop-sike gems and more, 2025 release)



The compilation series Fading Yellow has become its own genre for those who enjoy the sunnier side of psychedelia. Released early 2025, volume 21 explores the entire world for more 60’s-70's sunshine psych pop, making it one of the strongest in the series. And as always on a compilation for the first time. Groups on Fading Yellow 21 include The Garnets from Belgium, Gents from Sweden, Jade & Pepper from Singapore, Hedgehoppers from South Africa, Cats Eyes from the UK, and The Lotus from Hong Kong. 


Artists - Tracks - Composer
1. The Garnets - Dreamy Day (J. Vincent Edwards) - 3:45
2. The Majority - Time Is On Your Side (Bob Long, Peter Mizen) - 2:44
3. Gents - Walksong (Bjarne Löwdin, Ronnie Larsson) - 2:06
4. Malcolm Holland - Sally (Malcolm Holland) - 3:04
5. Bitter Almond - We Need Someone (Bruno Kretschmar) - 2:35
6. Jade And Pepper - All Alone (Jay Shotam, Peter Diaz) - 3:11
7. Hedgehoppers Anonymous - My Friend John Carter The Kind Magician (Mick Matthews) - 2:58
8. Dobbelt Opp - Baby You're A Seener (Birger Dahlman, Steinar Fjeld) - 2:52
9. David McNeil - The Machine (David McNeil) - 2:30
10.Simon - The Little Tin Soldier (Simon Adams) - 2:55
11.Cats Eyes - Where Is She Now (Cliff Brittle, Roger Banning, Roy Banks) - 3:00
12.January - It Sings For Me (Nigel Havers, Philip Havers) - 3:36
13.Gerry Morris - Nothing To Declare (Gerry Morris) - 2:44
14.Mandarin Kraze - Magazine Cottage (Robert Worton) - 3:02
15.Earl Okin - Stop And You Will Become Aware (Earl Okin) - 3:10
16.Tony Merrick - Wake Up (Bob Amato) - 2:20
17.Three Hits Med The Sapphires - Ever Since I Met You (Leif Strøm, Ole Neegaard, Kari Diesen) - 2:16
18.John Christian Gaydon - Wait By The Fire (Al Gorgoni, Chip Taylor) - 3:44
19.Canticle - Who Put The Light Out (Norman Coates) - 3:43
20.The Silvers - Where Has Love Gone (Noel Burns) - 2:53
21.The Lotus - Cute Little June (Samuel Hui) - 2:24


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Friday, June 6, 2025

Various Artists - The World Of Blues (us, blues pioneers, double disc remaster)



Blues artists compilation with a wide range of aspects, from folk acoustic blues to electric Chicago blues and rock blues. Includes some of the top bluesmen of the 20th century, such as B.B. King, Willie Dixon, Howlin' Wolf, Muddy Waters among others. 

I'm very curious about the first track, a Hooker classic played by some guys that, they look to me as a studio project and not as an official band, with polished sound. Also the recording dates going back from early sixties to nineties. a very enjoyable collection, especially if you are on the road. Mr. Highway Man get out of my way.........


Artist - Title - Composer
Disc 1
1. The Cryin' Fox - Boom Boom (John Lee Hooker) - 3:20
2. B.B. King - The Thrill Is Gone (Athur Benson, Dale Pettite) - 5:01
3. Willie Dixon And Memphis Slim - That's My Baby (Willie Dixon) - 3:24
4. Elmore James - Mean Mistreatin' Mama (Leroy Carr) - 2:44
5. B.B. King - Payin' The Cost To The Boss (B.B. King) - 6:11
6. John Lee Hooker - Hobo Blues (John Lee Hooker) - 2:50
7. Howlin' Wolf - My Mind Is Ramblin' (Howlin' Wolf) - 2:48
8. Muddy Waters - Goin' Home (McKinley Morganfield) - 2:33
9. Big Joe Turner - Roll Me Baby (Big Joe Turner) - 8:05
10.Memphis Slim - Gambler's Blues (Memphis Slim) - 4:07
11.Sonny Terry And Brownie McGhee - Gonna Lay My Body Down (Bernard C. Solomon) - 3:16
12.Jimmy Reed - My Baby Is So Sweet (Jimmy Reed) - 2:42
13.Little Walter - Walters Blues (Little Walter) - 3:34
14.Howlin' Wolf - Highway 49 (Big Joe Williams) - 3:05
15.Lightnin' Hopkins - Automobile Blues (Sam Hopkins) - 4:32


Disc 2
1. Elmore James - Dust My Broom (Robert Johnson) - 2:56
2. B.B. King - Please Love Me (B.B. King, Jules Taub) - 2:49
3. Gary Browne - Still Got The Blues (Gary Moore) - 4:20
4. John Lee Hooker - Crawling King Snake (Unknown) - 2:41
5. Jimmy Reed - Honest I Do (Jimmy Reed) - 2:41
6. King Curtis - Trouble In Mind (Richard Jones) - 2:59
7. B.B. King - Everyday I Have The Blues (Memphis Slim) - 5:00
8. Otis Rush - It's Hard For Me To Believe My Baby (Otis Rush) - 5:58
9. Howlin' Wolf - 'Cause Of It All (Clement Burnette) - 2:47
10.Muddy Waters - Forty Days And Forty Nights (Bernard Roth) - 2:51
11.Sonny Terry - Ida Mae (Sonny Terry) - 3:20
12.Big Joe Turner - Roll 'M Pete (Pete Johnson) - 4:00
13.B.B. King - Sweet Sixteen (Ahmet Ertegün) - 4:16
14.Otis Spann - The Blues Never Die (Otis Spann) - 3:40

 Related Acts

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Saturday, May 31, 2025

Clancy - Seriously Speaking (1975 ireland / uk, fusion of soul funk groove, laid-back pub rock, and AOR sophistication, with a deep vocal range, 2025 korean remaster)



An album with a nicely down-to-earth vibe, as you might guess from the group's sweatshirted image on the cover – but one that also has a great mix of jazzy elements as well! The record's kind of a laidback take on AOR territory of the mid 70s – served up by a British group, and not nearly as slick as similar efforts coming out of California during the time – almost with a joyous approach that has the group hitting all the right soulful notes on their instruments, and following suit on their vocals as well! The latter are shared by different group members from track to track – Dave Skinner, Colin Bass, Ernie Graham, and Barry Ford – which makes for a nice sense of variety that matches the instrumentation's shifts as well. Titles include "Sign Of The Times", "Lose Me", "Body To Body", "Back On Love", "Long Time Comin", and "Move On"
Du•Gr
Tracks
1. Back On Love - 3:45
2. Lose Me - 5:24
3. Body To Body - 6:08
4. Steal Away - 4:49
5. Sign Of The Times - 3:19
6. Southern Boogie - 3:31
7. Money - 3:27
8. Long Time Comin' - 3:27
9. Move On - 6:33
10. Eat Gook (Colin Bass, Dave Vasco) - 3:53
Song 1,2,6,9 written by Dave Skinner
Songs 3,5,7 written by Colin Bass
Songs 4,8 by Ernie Graham

Clancy 
*Barry Ford - Drums, Vocals
*Colin Bass - Bass, Vocals
*Dave Skinner - Keyboards, Vocals
*Dave Vasco - Guitar, Vocals
*Ernie Graham - Guitar, Vocals
*Gaspar Lawal - Percussion, Vocals
With
*Jim Cuomo - Saxophone

Related Acts

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Monday, May 26, 2025

Monument - Vol. 1 (1970 france, weird strong hammond organ sounds, tight rhythm section and sharp guitar licks, 2015 reissue)



Monument is a legendary French band from the 1970s, who came into their own with the release of their eponymous album in 1970. The sound of the Hammond organ is positively superb, and the rhythm section is impressive, making this rare opus one of the crème de la crème of French progressive rock.

The band's English lyrics are sung by Michy Vals, who also plays rhythm guitar, followed by Patrick Famechon on bass, Tony Laguerre on beet, Joël Averbouch as lead guitarist, and Lou Lou Laguerre on organ and piano. They were signed to the AFA label (Artistes Français Associés).

Tracks
1. Are You Dizzy (Joël Averbouch) - 3:40
2. The Norway Girl (Michy Vals) - 3:29
3. The Sun Is Rising (Michy Vals) - 3:30
4. With No Success (Joël Averbouch) - 3:31
5. Don't Cry Clown (Joël Averbouch) - 4:56
6. You Look Funny (Michy Vals) - 4:54
7. Because You're Mine (Michy Vals) - 3:00
8. I Love You (Joël Averbouch) - 4:19

Monument
*Michy Vals - Vocal, Rhythm Guitar
*Lou Lou Laguerre - Organ, Piano
*Joël Averbouch - Lead Guitar
*Patrick Famechon - Bass Guitar
*Tony Laguerre - Drums

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Saturday, May 24, 2025

rep> Listening - Listening (1968 us, solid heavy psych, , 2000 Akarma and 2014 Flawed Gems reissues)



Michael Tschudin led the Boston-based band Listening, but it is the contributions by former Velvet Underground bassist Walter Powers and guitarist Peter Malick which make this album historic. Powers performed over the years with keyboardist Willie Alexander as members of Capitol Recording Artist the Lost, the aforementioned Velvets, and on Autre Chose, a live album from Alexander released on New Rose in Paris. Peter Malick is best known for being Otis Spann's guitarist and a member of the James Montgomery Band on Capricorn.

Their legendary status in Boston rock & roll history brings positive notoriety to the fine music on this Vanguard release. "So Happy" is the poppiest tune, a cross between the Monkees and the Mojo Men, which is quite misleading. The album runs the gamut from pop to blues to jazz. "Baby Where Are You" is some strange fusion of Motown and the Spencer Davis Group which then veers off in a frenzy of effects and musical jam. Eight of the 11 tracks are written by keyboard/vocalist Michael Tschudin, with three titles attributed to the group. "See You Again," one of the group efforts, is another jam with riffs the Who would greatly appreciate. Phish's success validates how ahead of its time Listening truly was.

There is certainly an identity here as Tschudin takes the boys through all sorts of styles inside the tune "Laugh at the Stars." Elements of Jimi Hendrix, the Band, and the Vanilla Fudge swirl around in the pretty decent production by Michael Chechik. Listening has punch and creativity which deserved a better fate.
by Joe Viglione


 Tracks
1. You're Not There - 4:06
2. Laugh at the Stars - 4:15
3. 9/8 Song - 4:28
4. Stoned Is (Michael Tschudin, Walter Powers, Peter Malick, Ernie Kamanis, Gilbert Moses) - 4:51
5. Forget It, Man! - 3:24
6. I Can Teach You - 2:23
7. So Happy - 2:33
8. Cuando (Michael Tschudin, Walter Powers, Peter Malick, Ernie Kamanis) - 2:51
9. Baby: Where Are You? - 6:23
10. Fantasy - 1:02
11. See You Again (Michael Tschudin, Walter Powers, Peter Malick, Ernie Kamanis) - 3:45
All songs by Michael Tschudin except where stated.

Listening
*Michael Tschudin - Vocals, Vibes, Keyboards, Conga Drum
*Walter Powers - Bass
*Peter Malick - Guitars
*Ernie Kamanis - Vocals, Drums

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Thursday, May 22, 2025

rep> Cynara - Cynara (1970 us, spectacular hard prog psych with jazz elements, 2011 kismet edition)



Michael Tschudin is taking his new group, Cynara, on me road to play rock clubs and music festivals free as a trailer for his debut record for Capitol. The free dates are part of Capitol's over-all promotion campaign for Cynara, as well as part of Tschudin's plan to get as wide an audience as possible 'into the group', and to give the group a chance to 'get it together'. 

Among the free dates played by Cynara are Ungano's in New York and the upcoming Harmony Music Festival in Atlantic City beginning Tuesday. Touring with Tschudin, who composed the songs for Cynara's first Capitol LP, are Jeff Watson (lead singer), Cal Hill (bass), Les Lumley (guitar) and Chip White (percussion). The album, which was produced by Tschudin and Capitol A&R staffer Ken Cooper, is the first all-New York production to go into release. 

It's scheduled for an August 24th shipment. Tschudin, who has studied with Rudolf Serkin and E. Power Biggs, and who says that "Johann Sebastian Bach is my greatest teacher," has three one-year options with Capitol and a guarantee of two album releases a year. Capitol's New York office will be keeping tabs on Cynara as they go into the free situations, and the company's men in the territory will be alerted to make these dates pay off in potential album sales' 
Bil/rd, August 1st 1970  


Tracks
1. Life Stories - 5:55
2. Hello You - 3:56
3. Stoned Is (Gil Moses, Michael Tschudin) - 4:07
4. Religious Song - 5:20
5. Mermaid Song - 7:59
6. Lullaby For CIA - 11:21
All songs by Michael Tschudin except where noted.

Cynara
*Jeff Watson - Lead Vocals
*Cal Hill- Bass
*Michael Tschudin - Keyboards, Drums
*Les Lumley - Guitar
*Chip White - Percussion
Guest Musician
*Elvin Jones - Drums

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Wednesday, May 21, 2025

rep> Eugene Carnan - Eugene Carnan (1972 uk, hard raw power rock, 2011 release)



In September 1971 Eugene Carnan entered a UK -wide competition for "Best New Band" run by the famous Melody Maker magazine. The competition took place in regional venues all over the UK and the South Wales heat was held in a Club in Caerphilly - a town famous for it's ancient Castle, it's Cheese and later to be the home of the Manic Street Preachers. 

Each band was asked to play 3 numbers. We decided to perform our own compositions rather than covers and so we played : "I Found Out", "Blues Thing" and '"Mountain". We took care in the choice of songs to balance the pace and feel to try to capture the essence of a Eugene Carnan live gig in a 12 minute slot. We had even written 'Blues Thing' especially to play at this competition because we hadn't up to then had any original slow numbers. 

When the results of the heat were announced we were very disappointed not to have been selected to go though to the final. However, as we were packing up we were approached by a guy who introduced himself as Wayne Williams and said he had a small recording studio and he was interested in recording us. Wayne's offer was to record a demo of the band for free then he said he would try to get some record companies interested. If he did we could discuss terms then. Of course our initial reaction was sceptical and wary because there were so many stories of bands getting ripped off. 

However, what made us change our mind was that Wayne mentioned that he was backed by a gentleman called Major Arthur Kenny. This name meant nothing to the other band members but it did to me. Major Kenny was the musical director of The Cory Band, one of the UK's top league brass bands, which was based in the Rhondda . My father played cornet in Cory Band for many years and I had also played a number of sessions with the band and had been a member of the Cory junior band. Because of this connection we agreed to go along with Waynes suggestion. However, it was many months later that Wayne contacted us again and we went over to his studio in Risca, Monmouth on Sunday 26th March and the following Friday 31st March which was Good Friday and Bank holiday. 

These few weeks in March were one of the busiest ever for the band. I have an accounts book that shows we had gigs in Teorchy on both the 24th and 25th and in Crumlin on the 30th March. Wayne's studio was in a converted stand-alone garage set away from any houses. Inside a small control room had been built in one corner and the rest of the space was the recording area. The walls were covered with cardboard egg boxes - a popular do-it-yourself form of sound proofing. Wayne's recording equipment consisted of a Sony Stereo 2-track tape recorder and a small mixer. 

The band set up and we had a two microphone to record the guitars - one for each amplifier and there were 3 mics for the drum kit - for the kick, snare and an overhead mic. Very simply we played the tracks live – exactly as we did in gigs with Adrian signing along as well but without microphone so that Wayne could recorded the instruments on one channel without any vocals. Then Adrian would 'overdub' the vocals onto the second track. Of course with this equipment there could be no post-production editing or effects added afterwards. So what you hear is what we really did play and sound like in that place in 1972. 

The recordings have all our mistakes, some duff notes, I even hit a microphone while aiming for the hi-hat in one of the songs and you can hear this on the record. You can hear some echo on the vocals – but again this was recorded live using the tape loop echo effect we used for gigs. We recorded 8 tracks during the two days. The missing track was called -"Camburoo" - a song with an African-type drum beat inspired by Osibisa a band we admired at the time. The name was a made-up joke word - sounding to us, part Welsh (Cambrian) and part Africa (Uroo came from Lieutenant Uhura in Star Trek). 

After we did the recordings several things happened at the same time. Wayne had a falling-out with Major Kenny and said that he was packing-in the studio. But he offered to give us the tapes. Second, our bass guitarist Mickey Williams started to get very unreliable and eventually decided to leave the band. I met up with Wayne in June 1972 and he gave me a tape reel that he said had all our tracks on it. Unfortunately, one track was missing - and when I contacted him, he said that it has been on another tape reel, but he thought he had recorded over it - so we never did get to hear "Camburoo". Despite the break-up of the band I decided that we should at least get some IP's made for our  own collections and also to have the songs available for a new replacement bass guitarist to learn. 

With this in mind on 28th July 1972 I went to London by myself on the train and took the tapes to J Eden Studio in Kingston-upon-Thames who offered a tape-to disc service. I found about about them though an advert in the back pages of Melody Maker. At the studio they cut 4 copies of the 7 tracks on the tape direct to Acetate LP. 

The process was of course analogue and live - the guy played the tape through and a stylus cut the grooves in the plastic. He did this 4 times to get the 4 discs, stopping to turn the disc over half way though the duplication so we ended up with 4 tracks on one side and 3 on the other. I came back to the Rhondda with the 4 IP's and gave one to each of the band and the other to one of our roadies. Later I was able to make some Cassette copies for friends from my copy, and several years later I loaned the original reel-to-reel tape to my then brother-in-law Colin Benjamin to whom I am grateful for its recent return. 

The Eugene Carnan tracks capture the live raw sound of a young band with very limited resources and equipment who played with enthusiasm and passion because they enjoyed what they did. Of course we dreamt of making it big, but really never expected to and so I suppose our fate was that of the many over the few. These were the tracks that got away, that we didn't get to play on The Old Grey Whistle Test' or Top of the Pops'. Now, I hope that almost 40 years later - others will enjoy them and smile.
by Mike Evans, Sheffield , February 2011


Tracks
1. Confusion - 4:33
2. I Found Out (Adrian Llewellyn) - 3:27
3. People In the City - 5:12
4. Black As Night (Adrian Llewellyn) - 3:22
5. Blues Thing - 4:07
6. On Your Mind - 4:16
7. Mountain - 5:05
All songs by Adrian Llewellyn, Michael Williams, Mike Evans except where indicated

Eugene Carnan
*Adrian Llewellyn - Guitar, Vocals
*Michael Williams - Bass Guitar
*Mike Evans - Drums

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