The Ides Of March - Vehicle (1970 us, remarkable psych jazz funk rock, 2014 remaster and expanded)

When the Ides of March's "Vehicle" roared up to #2 in the spring of 1970, it might have seemed to most of North America that the band had come out of nowhere, so swift and sudden was the single's rise up the charts. In fact, however, the groups had been recording and performing since the mid-1960s, putting in years of honing their craft in both the studio and Chicago-area gigs before the big payoff. The horn-driven soul-rock of "Vehicle" might have been what first caught the ears of many listeners, but the band's extensive experience in all forms of rock music was reflected in the Vehicle album itself, whose diverse material also encompassed folk-rock and extended progressive workouts.

Formed in the Chicago suburb of Berwyn, the Ides of March were still in their mid-teens when "You Wouldn't Listen" became a big local hit in 1966, going all the way up to #42 in the national charts. Although they recorded a number of singles throughout the rest of the 1960s (including half a dozen on the London subsidiary Parrot), and had another sizable local hit with "Roller Coaster," the Ides never did break nationally at this stage, or manage to get an LP out. They continued to work as a popular regional live act, however, in the process expanding into harder, heavier, more soulful sounds from their original British Invasion-inspired style. They expanded the size of the band as well, growing from a quartet to a seven-piece, adding a horn section along the way and keeping their multi-part vocal harmonies.

"We started as a British Invasion wanna-be band, really, kind of Curtis Mayfield-meets-the-Hollies," remarks Ides guitarist, lead singer, and principal songwriter Jim Peterik today. "We loved that sound, but as the band wore on, we started wanting to do songs with brass, like the James Brown stuff and Arthur Conley's 'Sweet Soul Music.' We got a trumpet, and that was seductive; then we got another. It was kind of a gradual process, and I think the audience kind of came with us. 'Cause we always still did the harmony stuff. We still did the 'Roller Coaster'-like material. But then we started injecting some of the brass in even one of the Parrot singles, 'My Foolish Pride.'"

As the 1960s ended, a big influence on the Ides of March was Blood, Sweat & Tears, who were doing a great deal to popularize the use of horns within a rock context with their huge hit singles and albums. "When we went down to the Kinetic Playground in Chicago to see Blood, Sweat & Tears, they had just gotten [lead singer] David Clayton-Thomas," remembers Peterik. "They had just put out the second [album]. They started the set with 'More and More,' and we go, 'Holy mackerel, this is unbelievable.' But of course, we were very influenced by the first album, with [BS&T founder] Al Kooper in it. The famous story is, I actually brought Blood, Sweat & Tears a tape of 'Vehicle,' a little demo tape of that song, kind of a rehearsal tape to see if they were interested in recording it. I don't think they listened to it till after the song was #1, and I ran into [BS&T's] Steve Katz in an airport. And he says, 'Yeah, should have listened to that song.'"

Even before "Vehicle" came out, the Ides of March had made the leap to the Warner Brothers label with the help of manager-producers Frank Rand and Bob Destocki (the latter of whom was a regional promo representative for the company). "We had one single out on Warner Brothers, 'One Woman Man,' in '69, and it didn't really chart," continues Peterik. "But the company was interested enough in the band to say, 'Look, show us what else you got.' That's when we went into the studio to cut the four-song demo. 'Vehicle' was the fourth song on the demo reel, because we really didn't know what we had at the time. They called us and said, 'My god, this is a number one record.' And we go, 'Really? Great.' So they got all excited, and they broke the record."

In keeping with part of its musical inspiration, a lot of literal blood, sweat and tears went into the recording of "Vehicle." "I didn't know it at the time, but I was doing a spot-on David Clayton-Thomas imitation," admits Jim. "I mean, people in the studio said it was scary. I thought that was it, that was the take. And Frank Rand says, 'Peterik, would you stop trying to be David Clayton-Thomas and just be Peterik?' I go, 'I am, I am.' He says, 'Just do it again.' So I did a real pissed-off take, and that was, of course, the money take." As the backing vocals were being recorded, fourteen seconds were accidentally erased from the master tape by the second engineer. Fortunately, creative editing saved the day when fourteen seconds were inserted from take one to replace the missing snippet.

"The album was recorded after the single was taking off," pitches in multi-instrumentalist and fellow Ides of March founder-member Larry Millas. "'Vehicle' was the fastest-breaking single that Warner Brothers had ever had up until that time. It broke nationally within a week, which was pretty unusual. It happened so quickly Warner Brothers sort of made a panic call to our managers -- 'We have to have an album out immediately.' Fortunately, Jim did have a bunch of songs ready to go, and we worked 'em out in the studio. The entire record was recorded, overdubbed, mixed, [and] out the door in about a week, which is pretty much unheard of."

"Some of the songs were staples in our live show, so it wasn't like we had to work 'em out from scratch," adds Peterik. "Something like 'Symphony for Eleanor,' we had been performing in concert for probably a year already. 'Wooden Ships/Dharma for One,' same story. 'Sky Is Falling' was part of that four-song demo. So we had a head start on the album, and then we went in and just did the rest." Listeners expecting variations on a "Vehicle" theme might have been surprised by the variety on the LP, though it did contain some more hard-charging brassy rock tunes such as "Bald Medusa" and "The Sky Is Falling." There was also the gentler folk-rock-pop of "Home"; the Creedence Clearwater Revival homage "Factory Band"; a long medley of Crosby, Stills & Nash's "Wooden Ships" with Jethro Tull's "Dharma for One"; and a nine-minute makeover of the Beatles' "Eleanor Rigby," here retitled "Symphony for Eleanor (Eleanor Rigby)."

"There is a lot of diversity on that record," agrees Peterik. "We made it so young. Our maturation process, we were all doing it in public. Where most bands hone their sound, and they make it or they don't make it, the public heard every transition we made. In the early days, I was just trying to be the Beatles, or variations thereof. And then when Blood, Sweat & Tears hit, my idol was David Clayton-Thomas. And his idol was probably Ray Charles, so on down the food chain."

The still-young band's extensive stage experience paid off when it came time to reinventing familiar songs as extended covers that stretched them into entirely different shapes. "If we took something that we liked, something that people would recognize, and if we made it our own, it would be successful in a live situation," points out Millas. "People would perk up and they'd accept our music if we mixed it amongst familiar stuff." The covers went over particularly well at a Winnipeg show where they went on before Led Zeppelin, and "we got a standing ovation after every song," recalls Peterik. "We only did like five songs that day, mostly extended songs. I know we did 'Wooden Ships/Dharma for One,' we did 'Eleanor Rigby,' and we did 'Vehicle.' The people were standing after every song, and during, just going crazy. In those days it wasn't unusual for 'Eleanor Rigby' to stretch out for 20 minutes or more."

The album was recorded at Columbia Studios in Chicago in March 1970, and both Jim and Larry retain basically positive memories of the experience, although they acknowledge in retrospect that some things could have been done better. "It was exciting, of course, for us," says Larry. "It was big-time. They had very expensive mikes and all that kind of stuff. The 'Vehicle' record was the first one done on their brand-new sixteen-track, two-inch tape machine. It had just been rolled in, and they were still learning how to use it on our sessions."

"I think overall, we were still getting comfortable in the studio and playing with headphones, trying to make that transition between live and studio," confesses Jim. "It was tough. The studio we recorded at [was] most noted for recording voiceover jingles and voiceovers. The whole staff was like union people. I remember being in the middle of one take and our main engineer walked out, and turned it over to the second engineer. He said, 'I'm catching my train. Goodbye.' He kind of waved to us through the glass in a middle of a take. It's a little weird when your main engineer leaves. They did a great job, but they weren't used to doing what we do. So we always go, 'Man, if we could just re-record it.'" Adds Larry as an illustration, "'Eleanor Rigby,' the version on the record is nowhere near as good as we used to do it. We chopped out sections, we shortened things. And for some reason, at that time, the studio just couldn't capture the way we sounded live. So it was a lot more tame-sounding. Live, it was more powerful and wild, and it still is live, now, when we play it. So I wish that we could have spent more time working on that."

Although the album made #55 in the Billboard charts, both Peterik and Millas feel Warner Brothers didn't maximize its opportunity, particularly coming on the heels of the smash single "Vehicle." "Most bands are very boring in lambasting their record company," chuckles Jim. "I hate to fall into that. But yeah, they could have done a hell of a lot more. We always felt like low men on the totem pole next to their big acts" -- the band's Chicago base perhaps working against them, as California artists were much closer to the company's Los Angeles offices. Concurs Millas, "We had the #1 record in the Warner Brothers food chain. The [internal company] newsletter comes in for that month, and the whole front page of the newsletter is about the Doobie Brothers. At that time, nobody knew who the Doobie Brothers were. They were nobody. But then we were like, 'What's going on here?'" "Well, [the Doobie Brothers] became very big," rejoins Peterik. "But I mean, when Van Dyke Parks is in bigger letters than the Ides of March, we're going, 'What's going on?'"

The Ides of March were likewise not wholly pleased with the artwork Warners chose for Vehicle. "I think I can speak for the band saying we were pretty appalled by the cover of the record," offers Peterik. "It was one of those moments where [we were told], 'Okay, here's the artwork.' It was kind of a Spinal Tap moment, and we all look at this naked baby doll in the grass...It was Warner Brothers' crack graphics staff."
by Richie Unterberger

Tracks
1.  Vehicle  - 2:56
2.  Factory Band - 3:02
3.  Sky Is Falling - 2:48
4.  Home - 3:38
5.  Wooden Ships/Dharma for One (Ian Anderson, Clive Bunker, David Crosby, Stephen Stills) - 7:14
6.  Bald Medusa (Mike Borch, Peterik) - 3:02
7.  Aire of Good Feeling - 3:14
8.  Time for Thinking (John Larson) - 2:30
9.  One Woman Man - 3:15
10. Symphony for Eleanor (Eleanor Rigby) (John Lennon, Paul McCartney) - 9:42
11.High On A Hillside - 2:53
12.Lead Me Home Gently - 2:56
13.Melody - 2:47
14.Vehicle (Single Version) - 2:56
All Songs written by Jim Peterik, except where noted.

The Ides Of March
* Jim Peterik - Lead Guitar, Lead Vocal
* Larry Millas - Rhythm Guitar, Bass, Keyboards, Backing Vocal
* Bob Bergland - Bass, Saxophone, Backing Vocals
* Ray Herr - Bass, Backing Vocals
* Michael Borch - Drums, Percussion
* John Larson - Trumpet, Flugelhorn
* Jim Larson - Trumpet, Backing Vocal

1965-68  The Ides Of March - Ideology
1971  The Ides Of March - Common Bond

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Mariani - Perpetuum Mobile (1970 us, superb heavy acid psych from texas, Akarma edition)

The album by Mariani called Perpetuum Mobile, released in 1970 and featuring Eric Johnson, two thoughts immediately came to mind. Either the "1970" part was a typo and "1980" was intended, or this was a different Eric Johnson than the Austin, Texas-based axe virtuoso known and worshiped by legions of electric guitar enthusiasts around the globe.

After all, EJ didn't record as a leader until 1985 and he was barely 30 at the time. Ten years earlier he was the guitarist for the rock fusion group the Electromagnets. Something doesn't compute. But as I quickly confirmed, it does. This was sho 'nuff the same Johnson who later gave the world Ah Via Musicom, and if you do the math, you'll conclude he was 15 or 16 when he laid down these tracks as a sideman for a psychedelic blues rock band led by its drummer.

Holy Jonny Lang, Batman! Mariani, by the way, wasn't named after a popular dish at The Olive Garden; it is the namesake of said drummer, Vince Mariani. Mariani was a good enough drummer to seriously audition to be Mitch Mitchell's replacement in Jimi Hendrix's band. Instead of landing that coveted gig, he was persuaded by Austin producer and label owner Bill Posey to form his own band. Having jammed with Johnson previously, he enlisted young Eric to be his guitarist, and along with bass player/vocalist Jay Podolnick, they soon began to compose several songs together.

And the music itself? It's more than a little bit like Cream. Being that this is Vince's band, he and his drums do get the spotlight most of the time, but Lil' Eric was given plenty of space to shine. He wasn't in Clapton's league yet, as you might expect, but he was already more than halfway t In the opening track "Searching For A New Dimension", he shows a nice mastery of the wah wah pedal, which was nice thing to be good at in 1970. In "Re-Birth Day", which was edited down for a single release, Johnson shows off some flash in his guitar break that provides a strong hint of the solo career he would launch many years later.

The instrumental "The Unknown Path" is largely a Hendrix exercise. In many other spots he shows yet more of that promise; maybe t's not a distinctive style yet as he had just recently absorbed Wheels Of Fire. Oh, but did I tell you he was only 15 or 16 years old at the time?Although the band went on the road to promote their album, touring with the likes of Deep Purple, Perpetuum Mobile didn't make much of an impact. After a few years the band fell apart without recording another album and the individuals pursued other interests. It's probably safe to say that the band's guitarist went on to do pretty good for himself.

Tracks
1. Searching For A New Dimension - 5:40
2. Interlude - 0:32
3. Re Birth Day - 5:52
4. Interlude ii - 0:32
5. Things Are Changing - 4:42
6. Interlude iii - 0:33
7. Lord I Just Cant Help Myself - 2:55
8. The Unknown Path - 5:58
9.  Euphoria - 11:23
10.Message - 2:19
11.Windy Planet - 6:09
12.Re Birth Day (45 Version) - 3:05
13.Memories - 2:08
All songs written and arranged by Mariani

Mariani
*Eric Johnson - Guitar, Vocals
*Jay Podolnick - Bass, Vocals
*Vince Mariani - Drums, Vocals

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Ticket - Awake/Let Sleeping Dogs Lie (1971-72 new zealand, superb acid fuzz hard psych rock with funky vibes)

During the period of 1972, Ticket were New Zealand's ultimate acid band.Guitarist Eddie Hansen emerged on the music scene in a group called Revival, which also contained vocalist Craig Scott. When Craig went solo in April 1970, the Revival broke up. At that point Eddie left Christchurch and headed to Auckland. He accepted a gig with Challenge, who were in their last days, after having had a couple of successful hits. He quickly realised that he shared a common interest in the styles of music of the likes of Crazy Horse, Traffic and Jimi Hendrix, with Challenge drummer Ricky Ball. The two of them decided to form their own group, in order to be able to play their preferred style of music.

The pair looked around for some like-minded musicians to join them, and found Paul Woolright to play bass guitar and Trevor Tombleson for vocals. With this line-up, Ticket was formed in May 1970.Ricky Ball started his career with a group called the Beatboys, then the Courtiers, before becoming a member of the Challenge. Trevor Tombleson played bass guitar back in 1965 with a group called Moses and the Munks, before joining the Jamestown Union. He eventually left that group to pursue a solo career as M.T. Davies in 1967. Trevor became friends with Ricky Ball, and this friendship developed, with Ricky asking Trevor to join Ticket.

Ticket started playing gigs around Auckland, but were not getting enough work to pay the bills. Eddie called Trevor Spitz in Christchurch to see if he could help out with a venue. Trevor had been with the Four Fours and when he left them in 1966 he got a job managing Phil Warren's Monaco nightspot in Christchurch. This was the venue that Revival had played at. Trevor asked for a demo tape and after listening to it got the group a gig at another of Warren's venues, Aubreys, in Christchurch.

It was at Aubreys that Ticket developed a sound that was radically different to what any of them had previously played. Trevor Tombleson was one of the better singers of the underground scene, but it was Hansen's instrumental prowess which dominated the band. Tombleson wailed and Hansen scorched, and behind them stood one of the tightest rhythm sections around. Ricky provided a solid and relentless beat and Paul was the perfect partner to Ball's hard hitting style, holding down the bottom end with precision and just a touch of funk.

By mid-1971 Ticket had outgrown their Aubreys venue, and during that time had built up a big following in other South Island centres. In July 1971 the group decided to head north. Their reputation preceded them and concerts at Universities along the way were well attended and received. In Auckland the group came to the attention of promoters Barry Coburn and Robert Raymond. With new promotional power, the group supported Daddy Cool on their tour, and then headlined Coburn-Raymond's National Blues Rock Convention held at the Wellington Opera House. This attracted a capacity crowd and was also broadcast live on radio.

In October 1971, New Zealand's first international outdoor concert was held when Elton John had his debut show at Auckland's Western Springs. The support slot was well sought after and Ticket were successful, performing in front of 20,000 people.

Coburn even had his own record label, Down Under, so once again with his influence, Ticket recorded and released their first single. Actually released on the Ode label the single was "Country High"/"Highway Of Love". This was very successful for an underground group at the time, with "Country High" spending five weeks on the National charts in December 1971, peaking at number 12.

The follow-up single was "Dream Chant"/"Awake". Released on Down Under, it was not as successful, even though "Dream Chant" had been one of the group's most popular numbers back in their days at Aubreys. In May 1972, their debut album, "Awake", was released. "Awake" was produced by Frank Douglas at HMV Studios and released on the Ode label.

A third single "Stoned Condition"/"Then You'll Fly" was released on Down Under, but it was banned by the NZBC. In June 1972, Ticket crossed the Tasman, to perform a month long residency at Sydney's Whiskey-Go-Go. The reaction at the Whiskey exceeded everyone's expectations, and rather than returning to Auckland, Sydney based Robert Raymond secured them another residency at Chequers, another prestige gig. Performances in Queensland and Victoria followed.

While in Australia, a single was released there, "Awake"/"Country Radio", on Atlantic. Also while in Melbourne, the group recorded their second album, "Let Sleeping Dogs Lie". This was self-produced and recorded at Channel Nine's 16-track studio. The album was released in late 1972.

Tombleson changed his name to Trevor Keith and enjoyed a brief stint with England's Keef Hartley Band in the mid-70's and was later a member of Monsoon, a Melbourne band of expatriate Kiwis. Eddie Hansen had been converted to Hare Krishna at this stage, the result of his close friendship with Harvey Mann. Eddie played for a short time in 1974 with Band Of Light, but by 1975 he was together with Harvey Mann in Living Force. In 1974 Ricky Ball and Paul Woolright were members of Rainbow. Ricky left that group in August 1976 to become a member of Hello Sailor. In 1980, Paul, Ricky and Eddie all ended up at the same time in Beaver.
Sergent

Tracks
Awake 1971-72
1. Awake - 5:21
2. Highway Of Love - 4:52
3. Dream Chant - 8:14
4. Broken Wings - 6:04
5. Country High - 4:43
6. Reign Away - 5:58
7. Angel On My Mind - 6:36
Let Sleeping Dogs Lie 1972
8. The Bad Things In This World Make The Nice Things Nicer - 5:38
9. Remember To Understand - 6:21
10.People Going Nowhere - 5:20
11.And The Band Played - 5:18
12.On This Planet - 7:42
13.Gypsy Rover - 5:33
14.Let Sleeping Dogs Lie - 4:41
15.We Love Rock And Roll - 1:04
All songs by Eddie Hansen, Trevor Tombleson, Ricky Ball, Paul Woolright

Ticket
*Eddie Hansen - Lead Guitar
*Ricky Ball  - Drums
*Paul Woolright - Bass Guitar
*Trevor Tombleson - Percussion, Vocals

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CMU - Open Spaces (1971 uk, brilliant prog, jazz, blues, folk rock with marvelous female vocals, 2008 Esoteric remaster)

CMU stands for Contemporary Music Unit (no less), and were one of the few progressive rock bands to feature both male and female vocals. With influences mainly from psych and blues, their debut "Open Spaces" occasionally reminds a bit of Affinity, especially on the passages sung by Larraine Odell.

The opener "Henry" is one of the better tracks, based in a nice melody and with tasteful, atmospheric arrangements consisting of piano, guitar, bass, drums and some almost inaudible flute. "Voodoo Man" sounds like something Arthur Brown could have done, and the heavy chorus in the middle introduces the raspy voice of James Gordon, who together with guitarist Ian Hamlett is the main reason for the bluesy touch of this album. Hamlett really proves that point on the instrumental "Slow and Lonesome Blues" that is actually a bit faster and more energetic than what you would expect from such a title. "Chantecleer" starts slow, dark and moody with some haunting pairing of vocals from Odell and Gordon, but builds quickly up to a fast, organ-driven and almost funky tune where an influence from Arthur Brown again can be detected.

The second side opens with "Japan", an attempt at traditional Japanese folk music that sounds surprisingly authentic, especially when considering that the band just used their usual instruments. "Clown" is a lightweight and whimsical tune, but catchy enough to be worthwhile, and Gordon's vocals has an unusual operatic twist here. One of the most best melodies on the record can be found in "Mystical Sounds", a ballad dominated by Hamlet's flute and Odell's voice. The title-track is a lengthy, mystical and atmospheric journey with lots of dreamy, wordless vocals from the two singers, and keyboardist Terry Mortimer also contributes with some spooky violin here
Vintage-prog

Tracks
1. Henry (L. Odell, R. Odell) - 4:42
2. Voodoo Man (L. Odell, R. Odell) - 4:35
3. Slow And Lonesome Blues (Ed Lee) - 5:06
4. Chanticleer (J. Gordon, L. Odell, Ed Lee, T. Mortimer) - 6:10
5. Japan (Sanders, arr. CMU) - 2:44
6. Clown (J. Gordon, Ed Lee) - 2:34
7. Mystical Sounds (L. Odell, R. Odell) - 3:11
8. Open Spaces (Ed Lee, T. Mortimer) - 11:34

CMU 
*Jim Gordon - Vocals, Guitar, Keyboards
*Ian Hamlett - Guitar
*Larraine Odell - Vocals
*Leary Hasson - Keyboards
*Roger Odell - Drums
*Ed Lee - Bass
*Terry Mortimer - Guitar, Fuzz Guitar, Organ, Piano

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B.B.Blunder - Workers' Playtime (1971 uk, splendid heavy psych with blues shades, 2009 double disc remaster)

B.B. Blunder's story is a most confusing one for such a short-lived and little-known band. The group was essentially an offshoot of the Blossom Toes, one of the best underground British rock acts of the '60s, noted for both their droll psychedelic pop and a heavier, dual-lead guitar-oriented sound.

When the Blossom Toes broke up at the end of the '60s, guitarist Brian Godding and bassist Brian Belshaw continued to play together, sometimes in association with singer (and Godding's sister-in-law) Julie Driscoll. Eventually, Kevin Westlake, who had drummed on the Blossom Toes' first LP, joined them, and the trio recorded an album, with Driscoll helping out on vocals.

Although the group could have just as well been called Blossom Toes as B.B. Blunder, their sound was in fact significantly different than what they'd played on the Toes' albums. The songwriting was, well, loose, and unfocused. The record's principal attractions are the multi-layered guitars, which have a certain just-post-Abbey Road charm, with lengthy electric-acoustic passages bordering on jams.

After it was issued as Workers Playtime in 1971, Reg King (formerly of mid-'60s cult mod band the Action) joined the group for live work. The enterprise was basically a non-starter, though. Westlake soon quit, new members joined (including Reg King's brother and fellow Action veteran Bam King), and the group fell apart by the end of 1971.

To add to the confusion surrounding this none-too-tight aggregation, in 1989, their sole album was reissued under the title New Day by Decal, who attributed the recording to "Blossom Toes '70 (formerly B.B. Blunder)." This is why this none-too-interesting one-shot record also shows up in the Blossom Toes discography.
by Richie Unterberger

Tracks

Disc 1

1. Sticky Living! - 6:33

2. You’re So Young - 5:26

3. Lost Horizons (Brian Godding, Brian Belshaw, Kevin Westlake) - 2:06

4. Research (Brian Godding, Brian Belshaw, Kevin Westlake) - 4:34

5. Rocky Yagbag (Kevin Westlake) - 3:59

6. Seed - 5:28

7. Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is (Brian Godding, Brian Belshaw, Kevin Westlake) - 3:32

8. Rise - 5:04

9. Moondance (Brian Godding, Brian Belshaw, Kevin Westlake) - 1:23

10.New Day - 4:40

All compositions by Brian Godding except where indicated

Disc 2
1. Backstreet (Brian Godding) - 3:55
2. Freedom (Brian Belshaw) - 5:42 
3. Black Crow's Nest (Kevin Westlake) - 3:30 
4. When I Was In The Country (Kevin Westlake) - 4:43
5. A Hard Day's Night (John Lennon, Paul McCartney) - 4:21 
6. Come On Eyes (Kevin Westlake) - 7:17 
7. Snippet With Tippett (Keith Tippett) - 0:25
8. Square Dance (Brian Godding, Brian Belshaw, Kevin Westlake) - 5:38 
9. Earache (Brian Godding, Brian Belshaw, Kevin Westlake) - 8:05 
10.Robots (Brian Godding, Brian Belshaw, Kevin Westlake) - 4:58 
11.Waltz (Brian Godding, Brian Belshaw, Kevin Westlake) - 6:02

The B.B.Blunder
*Brian Godding - Vocals, Guitar, Piano
*Kevin Westlake - Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Drums
*Brian Belshaw - Vocals
With
*Julie Driscoll - Vocals
*Marc Charig - Trumpet
*Nick Evans - Trombone
*Chris Kimsey - Piano
*Keith Tippett - Piano
*Barry Jenkins - Piano
*Mick Taylor - Bass
*Brian Auger - Piano

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Felt - Felt (1971 us, fantastic psych rock with bluesy and jazzy spots, 2010 remaster)

Felt was formed in Alabama in the late '60s around the talents of Myke Jackson (guitars), Mike Neel (drums), Tommy Gilstrap (bass), Stan Lee (guitars), and Allan Dalrymple (keyboards). The band's self-titled album, released on the small Nasco label in 1971, contains half-a-dozen original songs written for the most part by Jackson.

The mostly blues-styled songs on this album are full of great guitar work and contain fine Beatles-esque harmony vocals. While most of this album has a blues feeling to it, some of the songs hint of progressive rock with swirling keyboards, intense drumming, and blistering guitar solos. The album has recently been discovered for its musical excellence and has become a very rare collectors' item.
by Keith Pettipas

Tracks
1. Look At the Sun (Myke Jackson) - 3:18
2. Now She's Gone (Myke Jackson, Mike Neel) - 5:29
3. Weepin' Mama Blues (Myke Jackson) - 4:40
4. World (Myke Jackson, Mike Neel) - 5:36
5. The Change (Myke Jackson) - 10:10
6. Destination (Myke Jackson) - 6:43

Felt
*Myke Jackson - Guitars
*Mike Neel - Drums
*Tommy Gilstrap - Bass
*Stan Lee - Guitars
*Allan Dalrymple - Keyboards

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Nightcrawlers - Little Black Egg (1967 us, great garage psych beat rock)

The Nightcrawlers found themselves surrounded by a heap of controversy when this single was first released and started to gain a respectable measure of regional airplay in 1965. A few paranoid and uptight buzzcut/flattop/flatland station managers feared it was a surreptitious, “Louie, Louie”-styled 45 as word got around that “The Little Black Egg” held thinly veiled lyrics that housed the far larger degenerate call-to-arms of, (gulp) interracial sex (I ask you...)

Well, it was 1965 in the deep, deep south and although this ridiculous projection of a lurking racial subtext got it banned throughout regional stations in The Nightcrawlers’ home state of Florida, its orbit returned when it was reissued on Kapp in 1967 in a “Space Oddity” type reissue boomerang effect. “The Little Black Egg” would have been just another sub-Beau Brummels-styled folk rock jingle-jangle xerox if not for the supremely non-plussing lyrics that centred around the lead singer’s ultra-possessiveness about his “little black egg with the little white specks.” Interracial sex, my ass: this guy’s found a magic egg, and yikes, he’s REAL particular about it! Musically, it’s kind of like The Daily Flash if they had a vocalist who delivered in a practically hoarse, non-quavering Buddy Holly style the following words under the thrall of said mysterious egg:

“I don’t care what they say/I’m gonna keep it anyway/I won’t let them stretch their necks/To see my little black egg/with the little white specks.” And those vocals get even more hoarsely desperate on the flipside “You’re Running Wild” where The ‘Crawlers turn things up a many notches higher in velocity in a far more garage-informed manner as chunks of surf drums get chucked in for good measure. A roaming dummy of a bass line threatens the rattling, tinny din of drums in a total Battle of The Bands triumph.

The drummer strives to keep up and drive the thing as the singer brusquely drools over two spindly guitars that can barely stand on their own all about his dream doll and her “luvvlee bodee I looong to touch” as the surfin’ drums curl and break in the background. The two guitars just continue to spindle out with just the skinniest of strumming and barely a solo, but it is all-spirited with every sweated-out note.

Said singer continues pining and drooling senselessly away, braying out uncontrollably, “You’re running wild! You’re running wild!” which actually translates more to a single, run-on sentence approximating “Yerrunwile! Yerrunwile!” as he’s kicking himself in both the head and the ass for not knowing what he did or did not do to lose a girl so fine. He finally resigns his lyrics of repetitive heartbreak to close resignedly with “So lonely...AH, uh so lonely...girl, a-so lonely...AH! Wuh, a-so lonely!’ as his heart takes the last westbound train out of town at dusk to beat the setting sun with the setting of his own heart.

Big Beat recently reissued The Nightcrawlers’ sole album, “The Little Black Egg” on CD with many bonus cuts and so forth, and the title track pops up on the “Nuggets” 4 CD set. But it is worth pointing out that the original single sounds far superior...and can be found for half the cost of a single CD. This single was the best thing The Nightcrawlers ever laid down. The choice is yours...

Tracks
1. The Little Black Egg
2. A Basket Of Flowers
3. Sally In The Alley
4. Who Knows
5. Me For Me
6. If You Want My Love (Undubbed Version)
7. I Don't Remember
8. If I Were You
9. The Last Ship
10.Show Me The Way
11.What Time Is It
12.You're Running Wild
13.Washboard
14.Sticks And Stones
15.He Shouldn't Hurt You
16.Cry
17.(Get Your Kicks On) Route 66
18.All Day And All Of The Night
19.Grown Up Wrong
20.Oh! Baby (We Got A Good Thing Goin')
21.Sea Of Love
22.It's All Over Now
23.Washboard (Early Version)
24.Heart Of Stone

The Nightcrawlers
*Tommy Ruger - Drums
*Rob Rouse - Vocal, Harmonica Tambourine
*Charlie Conlon - Bass, Vocals
*Sylvan Wells - Lead Guitar
*Pete Thomason - Rhythm Guitar, Vocal

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Sir Douglas Quintet - The Best Of ....Plus (1964-1966 us, exciting garage roots 'n' roll)

Recorded between 1964 and 1966, this set is a companion to THE SIR DOUGLAS QUINTET IS BACK! The Sir Douglas Quintet came off more like a gritty amalgam of every strain of music that drifted through the airwaves of Texas.

Leader Doug Sahm had wide-ranging musical tastes but he attached himself to every performance with such pure and utter confidence that the tendency to label his music falls away as its wonderful wholeness becomes apparent. "She's About a Mover," the number that put the Quintet on the map, opens things up. Delights abound--from the riveting "The Rains Came" to the bluesy drama of "In The Pines."

The breadth found in this timeless music can be heard as the blueprint for Doug Sahm's music career over the following three decades. Restless, reverent, honest and bold, this is an essential Sir Douglas Quintet songs collection from their early period (it's not an all-time best of compilation despite its title)

Tracks
1. She's About a Mover - 2:23
2. Beginning of the End - 2:58
3. Tracker - 2:33
4. You're out Walkin' the Streets Tonight - 2:16
5. In the Pines - 2:22
6. In the Jailhouse Now #2 - 2:22
7. Quarter to Three - 1:45
8. One Way Out - 3:12
9. Rains Came - 2:14
10. Please Just Say So - 2:25
11. We'll Take Our Last Walk Tonight - 2:44
12. You're out Walkin' the Streets Tonight - 1:50
13. Sugar Bee - 2:19
14. Blue Norther - 2:17
15. Story of John Hardy - 2:42
16. In Time - 2:15
17. Bacon Fat - 2:26
18. She's Gotta Be Boss - 2:11
19. Love Don't Treat Me Fair - 1:32
20. She Digs My Love - 2:47
21. When I Sing the Blues - 2:31

The Sir Douglas Quintet
*Doug Sahm - Vocals, Guitar
*Jack Barber - Bass Guitar
*Augie Meyers - Keyboards
*Frank Morin - Saxophone, Percussion
*Johnny Perez - Drums

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Parish Hall - Parish Hall (1970 us, excellent hard blues rock)

Parish Hall was a power trio from the California Bay Area. The band consisted of Gary Wagner (guitar, piano, vocals), John Haden (bass), and Steve Adams (drums). Specializing in a hard rock/blues rock sound, their album was originally released near the end of 1970 on a small local California record label.

Reminiscent of the sound of another popular trio of the day, the Jimi Hendrix Experience, Parish Hall had begun to gain the recognition of some European collectors by the late 1990s, and originals have fetched high prices in collector's markets. All songs on this album are originals written by Wagner and hold up well when compared to other hard rock acts.
by Keith Pettipas

Tracks
1 My Eyes Are Getting Heavy - 5:16
2 Dynaflow  3:06
3 Ain't Feelin' Too Bad - 2:50
4 Silver Ghost - 2:53
5 Skid Row Runner - 3:19
6 Lucanna - 2:32
7 We're Gonna Burn Together - 2:37
8 Somebody Got the Blues - 3:02
9 How Can You Win? - 2:53
10 Take Me with You When You Go - 2:55
All songs written by Gary Wagner

Parish Hall
*Gary Wagner -Vocals, Guitar, Piano
*Steve Adams - Drums
*John Haden - Bass

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Stark Naked - Stark Naked (1971 us, great hard rock with prog jazz traces, expanded issue)

Crate-crawling rock fans who have only encountered the band Stark Naked on record declare them a dark prog rock band that flirted with hard rock, but their Long Island, NY, hometown fan base also remember them as having a huge, theatrical stage show that acts like Kiss and Alice Cooper would later emulate.

Members Lyne Bunn (vocals), Richard Belsky (lead guitar), Jim Monahan (guitar), Tom Rubino (bass), Paul Venier (keyboards), and John Fragos (drums) were either in their teens or early twenties when their band's self-titled debut was issued by RCA in 1971. The album climbed to the number six slot on the charts but while on a tour supporting the release, the band's money disappeared.

They accused their missing manager of making off with the cash, became disillusioned with the music business, and soon broke up. Venier and Fragos weren't out of the business long before teaming once again in the band Salty Dog, a hard rock and somewhat prog outfit that recorded and toured throughout the '70s. Venier would later become a standup comedian and return to music in 2003 with his soft rock band, V, and their debut full-length, Better Late Than Never.
by David Jeffries

Tracks
1. All of Them Witches (P. Venier, J. Monahan, J. Fragos) - 8:55
2. Done (P. Venier) - 5:48
3. Sins (R. Belskin, L. Bunn) - 4:46
4. Look Again (P. Venier) - 11:04
5. Wasted Time (P. Venier, J. Monahan) - 4:48
6. Iceberg (P. Venier, J. Fragos, T. Rubino) - 5:12
7. Done (Mono 45 Version) (P. Venier) - 2:53
8. Sins (Mono 45 Version) (R. Belskin, L. Bunn) - 2:57

Stark Naked
*Richard Belskin - Guitar
*Lyne Bunn - Percussion, Vocals
*John Fragos - Percussion, Drums, Gong
*Jim Monahan - Guitar, Vocals
*Tom Rubino - Bass
*Paul Venier - Percussion, Keyboards, Vocals

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Blues Dimension - Blues Dimension (1968-69 holland, great psych blues jazz rock, 2002 bonus tracks edition and 2014 remaster)

One of the better rhythm'n'blues groups from Eastern Netherlands. Founded in 1967 in Zwolle by Leen Ripke (v, ex-Mozarts) and Rudy van Dijk (s, ex-Jazz Prophets, later in Erwin Somer Group, Flash & Dance Band and Farrago) and named after the American group the Fifth Dimension. In the beginning, it consisted of the above plus Jaap de Gronde, Karel v.d. Velde, Dirk-Jan v.d. Boogaard (tr, soon replaced by Chiel Scholder) and Jaap van Eyck (b, ex-Moans, to Sound Magics).

By the time they began recording, the line-up had changed to: Leen, Rudy, Helmig v.d. Vegt (o, p, ex-Vara Dansorkest, to Cuby & Blizzards), Herman Deinum (b, ex-Special Set and Mozarts, also to Cuby), Cees de Best (g), Michel Sardoen (tr) and Hans Lafaille (dr, ex-Jailhouse Jazzband, to Cuby; in 1969 replaced by Herman van Boeijen, ex-George Cash, to Fullhouse). In 1969, the group's breakup was announced in the title of their last LP; on this record, Jaap van Eyck can be heard once again.

Tracks
1. Get Ready (Ray Robinson) - 2:14
2. Wonderland (Helmig K. Van Der Vegt, Leendert Ripke) - 3:15
3. Your One And Only Man (Otis Redding) - 3:39
4. Things I Remember (Helmig K. Van Der Vegt, Leendert Ripke) - 2:49
5. Twilight Mood (Helmig K. Van Der Vegt, Leendert Ripke) - 2:44
6. Don't Wanna Lose Her (Helmig K. Van Der Vegt, Rudy Van Dijk) - 2:22
7. Sticks And Stones (Titus Turner) - 1:50
8. Blues Dimension (Helmig K. Van Der Vegt, Rudy Van Dijk) - 9:20
9. Lovely Adorable Sue (Blues Dimension) - 3:01
10.Baby I Need Your Lovin' (Helmig K. Van Der Vegt, Rudy Van Dijk, Leendert Ripke) - 2:24
11.Double Deal (Helmig K. Van Der Vegt, Rudy Van Dijk, Leendert Ripke) - 3:11
12.Stay (Helmig K. Van Der Vegt, Leendert Ripke) - 3:32
13.Battle-Field Of Love (Helmig K. Van Der Vegt, Rudy Van Dijk, Leendert Ripke) - 4:43
14.Ivory Tower Of Utopia (Jaap Van Eik, Leendert Ripke) - 3:13
15.Supernational Powers (Helmig K. Van Der Vegt, Leendert Ripke) - 2:38
16.I Ain't Superstitious (Willie Dixon) - 4:47
17.Society's Child (Janis Ian) - 4:48
18.B.D. Is Dead, Long Live B.D. (Jaap Van Eik, Leendert Ripke) - 3:37
19.Shapes Of Things (Jim McCarty, Keith Relf, Paul Samwell-Smith) - 4:42
20.Cornflakes (Helmig K. Van Der Vegt, Leendert Ripke) - 3:49
21.Drift Into Space (Helmig K. Van Der Vegt, Leendert Ripke) - 2:27

Musicians
*Cees de Best - Guitar
*Hans Lafaille - Drums
*Helmig van der Vegt - Keyboards
*Herman Deinum - Bass
*Leen Ripke - Vocals
*Michel Sardoen - Trumpet
*Rudy van Dijk - Saxophone
*Dirk Jan van de Boogaart - Trumpet

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Blue Mountain Eagle - Blue Mountain Eagle (1970 canada/us, excellent folkish garage psych, 2012 remaster and expanded)

In July of 1969, Canadian-born drummer Dewey Martin -- the last remaining original member of Buffalo Springfield -- left the very last incarnation of that group (who were, by then, calling themselves New Buffalo) for a solo deal with UNI. Meanwhile, as the remaining members -- bassist Randy Fuller (ex-Bobby Fuller Four), and guitarists David Price and Bob ("B.J.") Jones -- already had interest from Atco Records, they decided to soldier on, finding drummer Don Poncher (ex-Don & the Good Times) a more-than-suitable replacement.

They also recruited guitarist/keyboardist/lead vocalist Joey Newman (also formerly of Don and the Good Times and Touch), and decided on a new name, Blue Mountain Eagle, taken from a newspaper published in Fox, ID. The band began recording their eponymous album in L.A., in August and December of 1969. It was released in early 1970, and during this same time, the group played on bills in the L.A. area with Love, Eric Burdon & War, Pink Floyd, and Jimi Hendrix.

Ultimately, inner band struggles for leadership proved to be their undoing of this volatile ego-charged "supergroup." Fuller was the first to decide that he'd had enough, leaving the group in May 1970. (Incidentally, he re-joined Dewey Martin, who had formed Dewey Martin & Medicine Ball in November 1969; at the time Fuller joined the band, they were in the midst of finishing up the recording their first album, Dewey Martin & Medicine Ball.) Soon, the rest of Blue Mountain Eagle were calling it a day too.

David Price, Bob Jones, and Don Poncher went on to work with Augie Meyers (the Sir Douglas Quintet) for his Western Head Music album in 1973. Jones later joined Harvey Mandel, on guitar and vocals. Price became a recording engineer, while Poncher became a successful session man, working with Bobby Whitlock, Jim Price, Chris Jagger, Joe Cocker, and (briefly) joined the lineup of Arthur Lee's Love, appearing on Lee's Vindicator album in 1972.

by Bryan Thomas

Tracks
1. Love Is Here - 4:23
2. Yellow's Dream - 2:46
3. Feel Like A Bandit (David Price) - 3:04
4. Troubles (Carol Meyer) - 3:06
5. Loveless Lives (Don Poncher) - 3:31
6. No Regrets (Don Poncher, David Price) - 4:12
7. Winding Your String - 2:56
8. Sweet Mama (Randy Fuller) - 4:18
9. Promise Of Love - 3:03
10.Trivial Sum (Richard Bowen, Terry Furlong) - 3:15
10.Marianne (A Side Single) - 2:32

Blue Mountain Eagle
*Joe Newman - Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals
*Randy Fuller - Bass, Guitar, Vocals
*Don Poncher - Drums, Vocals
*David Price - Guitar, Rhythm Guitar, Vocals
*Bob Jones - Guitar, Vocals

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Phantasia - Phantasia (1972 us, fantastic psychedelic rock)

Reissue of US psychedelic ultra rarity recorded 1971/72. The original albums (a complete one and a one-sided) are legends for all psychedelic/garage collectors, only 25 copies pressed of each -- not many people have the pleasure of having seen a copy.

The music is creeping slowly and sensitively in your mind, whether stoned or not φ it takes you wherever you want. Those are the complete sessions, 55mins in mastertape quality presented the first time to the public -- extremely informative booklet (20 sided), with outstanding artwork and colour photos.

One of the best Psychedelic albums, playing in the same league as Fraction, Music Emporium, Hunger, Mystic Siva, Damon. Later the band changed into Trizo 50! Here are the complete sessions in mastertaped quality with 20sided informating booklet, including outstanding artwork and photos!

David Johnson wrote:
Hello my name is David Johnson. I am the lead guitar and vocalist for Phantasia back in the day. Bob Walkenhorst is living in Kansas City and plays around there solo. Plus The Rainmakers are back together and have been for a few years. They play in KC too but also all over. They have been back to Norway a couple times just last year. Norway was where they had such a big fan base and have been welcome there with open arms. As for me I have played with different groups all threw my life and finally retired from playing in January 2017. Hope I helped with some information for you.

Tracks
1. Transparent Face (John DePugh, David Johnson) - 3:09
2. Winter Wind - 2:55
3. I Talk To The Moon - 3:35
4. Chasing Now The Flying Time - 4:54
5. Featheredge - 3:39
6. Genena - 9:21
7. Willow Creek - 5:48
8. Give Life Another Try (John DePugh, David Johnson) - 3:51
9. I Talk To The Moon (Diff. Version) - 4:30
10.Winter Wind (Diff. Version) - 2:57
11.Chasing Now The Flying Time (Diff. Version) - 5:11
12.The Saddest Song I Know - 5:44
All compositions by John DePugh, Bob Walkenhorst except where noted.

Phantasia
*Bob Walkenhorst - Rhythm Guitar, Lead Guitar, Vocal, Acoustic Guitar, Piano, Tympany
*Jim Clapper - Bass Guitar, Vocals, Claves
*David Johnson - Lead Guitar, Lead Vocals
*John DePugh - Drums, Bongos, Maracas

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The United States of America - The United States of America (1968 us, baroque psych milestone, remaster edition with bonus tracks)

It takes balls —well, at least, something like that— to call your band The United States of America. And the San Francisco-based eggheads who dared to do so in the late-'60s were doing so with no little irony. At a time in which their country was waging a hated war and opposition to it was steeped in "all you need is love" delusion, their name had a mocking quality to it.

It hardly endeared them to the establishment, including their own record label, Columbia. "There was," USA mastermind Joseph Byrd would later recount, "scant enthusiasm from the executives for a band whose name they hated, whose music they didn't understand, and whose politics they thought treasonous."

That sense of treason extended to their approach to popular music. These United States were a band of serious avant-gardists; young composers and scholars who were students of modern-composition titans John Cage and Karlheinz Stockhausen. Even though none had a background —or, even, a sensibility— in rock'n'roll, Byrd decided that they should try their hand at a rockband.

And they were like no band ever before assembled. Rather than electric guitar, The United States of America employed a bizarre arsenal of instruments: circus calliope, harpsichord, scrapes of atonal violin, a ring modular, and electronic oscillations all being used to assault the 'sacred' form of the rock'n'roll song.

It was part subversion, sure, but The United States of America weren't simple provocateurs. Listening to their one-and-only album —a 1968 self-titled album that sunk quickly without a trace— and what stands out isn't its sense of invention or its preponderance of experimentation, but the way that its experimental edge works with its surprising, charming tunefulness.

Whilst The United States continually deconstruct the sanctity of songs —passages of white noise, eerie atmospheres, and cacophonous collage derailing the forward progression of verse/chorus— they don't shy away from the sweetness of songcraft. With Dorothy Moskowitz's voice as their most melodic instrument, Byrd and his crew composed tunes that were tuneful; be they raucous, psychedelic rockers, or eerie, barely-there lullabies.

Since this album has been rediscovered by a new generation, it's those sparse songs that've most entranced modern audiences; the marriage of Moskowitz's gentle singing, scrapes and wails of Gordon Marron's violin, and sci-fi squalls of electric circuitry make for most modern-sounding compositions on cuts like "Cloud Song."

The influence of the spectral side is apparent on their biggest new-millennial boosters, Broadcast, the amazing English electro minimalists who've cited The United States of America as their chief influence. In many ways, this album makes more sense over 40 years on than it would've in its day; even if the band were an obvious product of their era.
by Anthony Carew

Tracks

1. The American Metaphysical Circus (Joseph Byrd) - 4:56

2. Hard Coming Love (Joseph Byrd, Dorothy Moskowitz) - 4:41

3. Cloud Song  (Joseph Byrd, Dorothy Moskowitz) - 3:18

4. The Garden Of Earthly Delights  (Joseph Byrd, Dorothy Moskowitz) - 2:39

5. I Won't Leave My Wooden Wife For You, Sugar  (Joseph Byrd, Dorothy Moskowitz) - 3:51

6. Where Is Yesterday  (Gordon Marron, Ed Bogas, Dorothy Moskowitz) - 3:08

7. Coming Down  (Joseph Byrd, Dorothy Moskowitz) - 2:37

8. Love Song For The Dead Che  (Joseph Byrd) - 3:25

9. Stranded In Time  (Gordon Marron, Ed Bogas) - 1:49

10.The American Way Of Love - 6:38

...Metaphor For An Older Man (Joseph Byrd)

...California Good Time Music (Joseph Byrd)

...Love Is All  (Joseph Byrd, Dorothy Moskowitz, Rand Forbes, Craig Woodson, Gordon Marron) - 6:38

11.Osamu's Birthday  (Joseph Byrd) - 2:59

12.No Love To Give  (Dorothy Moskowitz) - 2:36

13.I Won't Leave My Wooden Wife For You, Sugar (Joseph Byrd, Dorothy Moskowitz) - 3:45

14.You Can Never Come Down  (Joseph Byrd) - 2:32

15.Perry Pier  (Dorothy Moskowitz) - 2:37

16.Tailor Man  (Dorothy Moskowitz) - 3:06

17.Do You Follow Me  (Kenneth Edwards) - 2:34

18.The American Metaphysical Circus  (Joseph Byrd) - 4:01

19.Mouse (The Garden Of Earthly Delights)  (Joseph Byrd, Dorothy Moskowitz) - 2:39

20.Heresy (Coming Down)  (Joseph Byrd, Dorothy Moskowitz) - 2:32

The United States Of America
*Joseph Byrd – Eectric Harpsichord, Organ, Calliope, Piano
*Dorothy Moskowitz – Lead Vocals
*Gordon Marron – Electric Violin, Ring Modulator
*Rand Forbes – Electric Bass
*Craig Woodson – Electric Drums, Percussion
Guest Musician
*Ed Bogas – Occasional Organ, Piano, Valliope

Related Act

1969  Joe Byrd and the Field Hippies - The American Metaphysical Circus (2004 reissue)

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Pearls Before Swine- The Use Of Ashes (1970 us, psych folk rock, 2003 water issue)

For their second Reprise Records outing, Pearls Before Swine worked primarily with Nashville-based musicians, including a small orchestra who provide a stately feel to the highly intimate nature of the material. According to Tom Rapp's comments in the liner booklet accompanying the Jewels Were the Stars (2003) box , the songs were written while he and his wife were living in the Netherlands, which Rapp said contributed significantly to the air of romanticism throughout.

"Jeweller" opens the album with an exquisite tale that exemplifies Rapp's remarkable abilities to draw upon disparate metaphors such as shining coins and worshiping God, both involving the Use of Ashes -- hence the title. The rural mood created by the notable Music City USA stalwarts effortlessly fuses with David Briggs' baroque-flavored harpsichord on the delicate "From the Movie of the Same Name," featuring Rapp and spouse Elisabeth on non-verbal vocalizations as they "da-da-da" the melody.

Although "Rocket Man" predates the Elton John cut by a couple of years, Bernie Taupin cites it as his inspiration for the lyrics behind John's 1972 Top Ten hit. The words are credited as having been influenced by a Ray Bradbury novella that dealt with the universal emotion of loss. Again, Briggs' keyboard runs relate the story with subdued refinement. By contrast, "God Save the Child" is one of the more amplified inclusions, making good use of session heavies Kenneth A. Buttrey (drums) and Charlie McCoy (guitar), especially when placed against the restrained string section.

Another sonic texture in the tapestry is the jazzy "Tell Me Why," shimmering with an uncredited vibraphone lead gliding beneath Rapp's whimsical lines. These tracks are offset by the noir "When the War Began," the ethereal love song "Margery," and the mid-tempo retelling of the "Riegal," a ship whose 4,000 inhabitants perished during World War II.

Rapp's juxtaposition of stark imagery reveals that while Pearls Before Swine might not have continued the bombastic direction set about on their earlier protest works "Uncle John" or "Drop Out," they maintained social and political relevance.
by Lindsay Planer

Tracks
1. The Jeweler - 2:48
2. From the Movie of the Same Name - 2:21
3. Rocket Man  (based on a short story by Ray Bradbury) - 3:06
4. God Save The Child (Elisabeth helped) - 3:08
5. Song About A Rose - 2:21
6. Tell Me Why - 3:43
7. Margery - 3:03
8. The Old Man - 3:16
9. Riegal - 3:13
10.When the War Began - 5:07
All words and music by Tom Rapp

Musicians
* Tom Rapp - Vocals, Guitar
* Elisabeth - Vocals
* Charlie McCoy - Dobro, Guitar, Bass, Harmonica
* Norbert Putnam - Bass
* Kenneth Buttrey - Drums
* Buddy Spicher - Violin, Cello, Viola
* Mac Gayden - Guitars
* David Briggs - Piano, Harpsichord
* John Duke - Oboe, Flute
* Hutch Davie - Keyboard
* Bill Pippin - Oboe, Flute

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Pearls Before Swine - One Nation Underground (1967 us, great psychedelic folk rock, japan remaster)

Tom Rapp, an 18 year-old draft resistor and college dropout living in Eaugallie, Florida, sent a small unsolicited reel of tape to ESP. Bernard Stollman invited him to bring his musicians to New York, where they recorded their acclaimed debut, One Nation Underground in 1967.

This is still a stunning piece of work, from the nightmarish sleeve art -- the "Hell Panel" from Hieronymus Bosch's 15th century painting "Garden of Delights" -- to the strange yet powerful songs. - Peter Kurtz
by Peter Kurtz

Tracks
1. Another Time - 3:05
2. Playmate (Saxie Dowell) - 2:17
3. Ballad To An Amber Lady (R.Crissinger, T. Rapp) - 5:13
4. (Oh Dear) Miss Morse - 1:52  
5. Drop Out! - 4:07  
6. Morning Song - 4:05  
7. Regions Of May - 3:25  
8. Uncle John - 2:52  
9. I Shall Not Care (Teasdale, R. Tombs, T. Rapp) - 5:10
10.The Surrealist Waltz (L. Lederer, R. Crissinger) - 3:27
All compositions by Tom Rapp except where indicated

Pearls Before Swine
*Tom Rapp - Vocals, Guitar
*Wayne Harley - Autoharp, Banjo, Mandoline, Vibraphone, Audio Oscillator, Harmony
*Lane Lederer - Bass, Guitar, English Horn, Swinehorn, Sarangi, Celeste, Finger Cymbals, Vocals
*Roger Crissinger - Organ, Harpsichord, Clavioline
*Warren Smith - Drums, Percussion

Pearls Before Swine
1967 One Nation Underground (Japan remaster)
1968  Balaklava (Japan remaster) 
1969-70  Pearls Before Swine - Use Of Ashes / These Things Too (2011 remaster issue)
1971  Beautiful Lies You Could Live In
1971  City Of Gold

Tom Rapp
1972  Tom Rapp - Stardancer (2009 Lemon edition)
1973  Sunforest (2009 Lemon edition)

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Joseph - Stoned Age Man (1970 us, heavy fuzzy psych rock)

What can we say except ...Classic Stoner (heavy fuzz) bluesrock!!!This is a rare album indeed and much sought after, originallyreleased on the Scepter label (SPS 574) in 1970 and recordedin Memphis at the legendary American Sound Studios.

The “Joseph” was in fact Joseph Long or Joseph Longeria,discovered by the albums producer and A & R man SteveTyrell playing in Houston in a battle of the blues competition!!This is the only know foray into recording that Longeria madeand he was a superb guitar player to boot!!Stoned Age Man contains some of weirdest lyrics ever written.

Tracks
1. Trick Bag - 4:32
2. I Ain't Fattenin' No More Frogs For Snakes (Joseph Longeria, Glen Spreen, Mark James, Steve Tyrell) - 3:36
3. Cold Biscuits And Fish Heads - 3:37
4. Stone Age Man - 3:26
5. I'm Gonna Build A Mountain - 2:10
6. Mojo Gumbo - 2:53
7. The House Of The Rising Sun (Traditional) - 2:23
8. Gotta Get Away (Gregg Allman, John Hurley, Ronnie Wilkins) - 2:40
9. Come The Sun Tomorrow (D. Collins, S. Walton) - 2:53
All songs by Joseph "Long" Longeria, Glen Spreen, Mark James except where noted

Joseph
*Joseph "Long" Longeria - Vocals, Guitar
*Glen Spreen - Keyboards

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Black Oak Arkansas - High On The Hog (1973 us, excellent tough southern rock)

This is probably the best-known album in the Black Oak Arkansas catalog, thanks in large to part to its hit cover of the LaVern Baker R&B classic "Jim Dandy." This effective update combines a countrified touch, some electric guitar fireworks, and a frenetic double-time tempo with the inimitable hillbilly vocals of Jim "Dandy" Mangrum to create a song that became a hit with both country and pop listeners. It is definitely High on the Hog's undisputed highlight, but the other tracks surrounding it also have plenty to offer.

Although they were too eccentric a band to fit a strict "Southern rock" label Lynyrd Skynyrd, Black Oak Arkansas did have an ability to dish up both country and rock sounds with style. For instance, "Red Hot Lovin'" is a punchy rocker about the joys of loving a red-haired woman, while "Back to the Land" is a tribute to rural life delivered in a convincing, pure country style. Elsewhere, the group also shows a surprisingly ability to mix elements of pure funk into their country-rock stew: "Swimmin' in Quicksand" glides along on some funky wah-wah guitar licks that could have been lifted from a Funkadelic record.

The band also gets a solid showcase for their chops on "Moonshine Sonata," a tasty little instrumental that starts off as sprightly country-rock rave-up before shifting into a down-home ballad tempo for a surprisingly lovely and mellow finale. In the end, High on the Hog probably won't appeal to anyone who isn't already a Southern rock fan, but anyone who enjoys this genre will find plenty to like on this album.
by Donald A. Guarisco

Tracks
1. Swimmin' In Quicksand - 3:20
2. Back To The Land - 2:26
3. Movin' - 3:13
4. Happy Hooker - 5:28
5. Red Hot Lovin' - 2:47
6. Jim Dandy - 2:39
7. Moonshine Sonata - 5:27
8. Why Shouldn't I Smile - 2:23
9. High 'N' Dry - 2:27
10. Mad Man - 3:49

Black Oak Arkansas
*James "Jim Dandy" Mangrum - Vocals
*Ricky Reynolds - Twelve Sring Guitar, Vocals
*Harvey Jett - Lead Guitar, Banjo, Piano, Vocals
*Stan Knight - Lead Guitar, Steel Guitar, Organ, Vocals
*Tommy Aldridge - Drums

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