Big Brother And The Holding Company - Be A Brother / How Hard It Is (1970-71 us, superb psych blues rock, 2008 acadia reissue)

By 1970 Big Brother had evolved a very distinct sound which is nonetheless a bit difficult to describe. James Gurtey had moved over to the bass and Peter and I were playing guitars, along with David Schallock who had come to the band from The Sons of Champlin, Mr. Schallock was a fine guitar player and a sterling human being, and it was a real pleasure to have him in the band. 

Thus, with James, a guitar player, on the bass and then three other guitar players, the sound was very much in the treble range. Dave was a good guitar player and he mellowed out all that high end by playing very melodically in thirds with us on most of the tunes. Dave Getz was playing very cleanly at this point and he was taking risks too, propelling the band and having the courage and energy to get off into some new areas. Of course, this is my interpretation of the Big Brother sound of 1970, What the audience heard was something else. 

Here are some adjectives they used to describe what we were doing: energetic, rambunctious, raucous, reckless, rowdy, rebellious, brash, confident, viscera! and aggressive. We had a cleaner sound, our technique was better, we were trying some things that we hadn't tried before, so it was a good direction for the band. The cover of the "Be A Brother" album is revealing. 

All primary colors and there is that madman, limned by Bob Seideman who did that Blind Faith album cover with the girl and the hood ornament, and the madman is giving us the peace sign and grinning inanely. This is anti-Art and beyond technique, or below technique. The background is a sort of insane map of California, "Be A Brother" was the first album we did after Janis. We had learned to tune the guitars by this time and what we played in tune was more developed. 

There were some complaints, even in the band, that we weren't sticking to our roots, and that we were being a little too adventurous in our songwriting/ composing, I think it is a real shame that we didn't continue on after "How Hard it Is, the next album, and do several more along just this same experimental tack. "Keep On" is the first song on the "Be A Brother album," which is fitting because the feeling in the band at the time was that we were going to persist no matter what. "Through the valley of tears, child," we were going to go on and improve and do something worthwhile. 

We wanted to work with Nick Gravenites because he wrote songs of real meaning. I also had had the good fortune to meet Kathi MacDonald a year or so earlier when I had been volunteered to be her birthday present one fine sunny afternoon. We wrote a song together and I was astonished at how talented she was. Kathi knew more songs than anyone ! had ever worked with, but it was her voice, that razor sharp instrument, that made me want to get her into Big Brother. 

Kathi and Nick were quite a combination. Nick was a burly man who looked like a Chicago truck driver as drawn by R, Crumb in Zap Comix and Kathi was so slender she hid behind the microphone stand. We had Mike Finnegan in the band too. He had played with The Jerry Hahn Brotherhood and he also had his own band. Mike is now one of the main keyboard players in the Los Angeles recording scene and he plays with all the big guns down there but I always thought his singing was the best. 

Let's see, we had other side people on this album. We had Richard Green from Seatrain who played some marvelous violin. We had Janis Joplin. As far as I know, we were the first rock band to use Tower of Power as a horn section and it was an education to see them planning out the head arrangements for the tunes. They came into the studio with no charts or written music of any kind, sat over in a corner talked for a while about who was going to take a third or a fifth and then played their parts beautifully. 

The tune "Home On The Strange" features Peter Albin playing a lovely melody that reminds me a bit of his work on "Cuckoo/Sweet Mary" in the early Big Brother days. The melody is "I Wonder As 1 Wander," an ancient tune that long predated the John Jacob Niles version of it from the 1930s. I like the feel of this tune. In some ways it reminds me of "All Is Loneliness, a Moondog tune that we did on our first album. James is doing some interesting basswork and David Schailock is making everything musical. "Someday" is another song of hope. 

Another song that looks forward and tries to describe a better future. Another song that begins with a pattern in the guitars, echoed in thirds, and reechoed in the bass. "Sunshine Baby" is one of those dreams of unachievement of interruption, one of those dreams where you just can't quite slip free of the bonds that are holding you to earth, where you just can't quite make it to the stage. 

There's a feeling of desperation there, of being at the end of one's tether. "I've searched away the night time, Sunshine, just trying to get back to you." In April of 1970 we played at The Filtmore in San Francisco and Janis came onstage to sing a couple of numbers with us. She and Nick did a tune that became "Ego Rock. We asked Janis if she would come and sing a bit on our new album...noth ing elaborate, just some backup vocals and she came and celebrated a bit with us. She did some funny vocal work on "Mr, Natural." That's her cackling voice you hear back in the mix. Janis was amazed when I brought "Mr. Natural" into the rehearsal room, our living room, at Lagunitas, because the tune was much more worked out than the usual Big Brother tune.

 I worked out the two guitar tracks for "Mr. Natural" at the Chelsea Hotel in New York on one of the new Sony tape recorders while Danny Rifkin was talking to me nonstop about the prospects for his band The Grateful Dead. I was thinking that the Dead were fortunate to have someone like Danny on their side, because he never stopped thinking about how to get them to the next step. I think he and Rock Scully had a lot more to do with the Dead's success than people realize. in May of 1970 we played at The Bermuda Palms in San Rafael, California, and Janis was there with The Full Tilt Boogie Band. 

This was a very chaotic affair. Janis had too much to drink and she began a rant on the microphone that sounded like a parody of her usual self. This is the first time I felt scared for her. She seemed flabby and tired and at the end of her rope. Earlier that afternoon, she had told me, "I'm not going to die. I come from good, strong pioneer stock. I'm a survivor." This statement sent a chill down my spine. It seemed as If she were tempting the gods, and her talking like that didn't seem like a good idea at all. In July of 1970, we played at The Sports Arena in San Diego on the same bill with The Electric Flag and Janis and The Full Tilt Boogie Band. That was a strange engagement. 

Janis was very keyed up and she was hanging onto James Gurley for dear life, We all flew home on the same plane and Michael Bloomfield regaled us with an incredible story of how he taped two balloons full of warm water to the bathroom mirror and masturbated to them. Well, maybe you had to be there. One thing about Michael, he never held back! I had the same eerie, unpleasant feeling watching Janis on the plane as I did at the San Rafael engagement with her. She was tense because we were all together and she was obviously indulging too much for her own good. Janis was so full of herself that you could tell she was nervous and insecure about something. 

There was no hope of calming her down, but we tried anyway. This "Be A Brother" album came out in October of 1970, quite a month. I wrote a tune about James Gurley one day. James is from Detroit and he has a Detroit soul, funky, threadbare and a bit country. That funkiness is a strange admixture in the psychedelic zenmaster guru that James also can be, and I was trying to get some of this complexity into the tune that I called "Funky Jim." I brought it into the studio one day and Nick Gravenites completely appropriated it because he liked the idea so much. Nick actually knew James before I did, and he must have thought he had a prior claim, Anyway, the song came out well. Tower of Power added some horn parts, someone changed the spelling to "Funkie Jim" and we had another tune. 

Merle Haggard, who has a face to match his name, and who has a deep grained country soul, wrote a song called "Okie From Muskogee" that was intended to celebrate the downhome virtues and the American cleanliness of that city. Conservative elements on the American political scene fastened onto this song as a sort of anthem which became a kind of "Ballad of the Green Berets" for the home front. Ah, if we could only get back to Muskogee, all would be peace and light again. 

The problem was that in reality Muskogee, Oklahoma, not only had hippies down by the courthouse, it had a lot of them. In fact, people from Oklahoma, such as Mike Finnegan who was playing with us at the time told us that Muskogee was the center for countercultural activity at the time. Nick wrote 'Til Change Your Flat Tire, Merle," as a kind of riposte to the specious patriotism that Okie From Muskogee represented. Big Brother played in London recently and as I was coming off stage someone handed me a CD that had a hiphop/rave version of "I'll Change Your Flat Tire, Merle" on it, so the song lives on as a bow to the opposition. 

I have a tape of Big Brother playing most of the tunes on this album at the Terrace Ballroom in Salt Lake City June 1970 and it's good to hear that we actually did the parts live on stage with Nick, Kathi and Mike Finnegan. I say "actually did the parts" because often with the recording process there are vocal and instrumental overdubs that are impossible to play live. I was not sure if we could do the songs the way we recorded them, but we did do them that way in Salt Lake, Be a brother. Be a sister, Be the one who tries harder, to get it together, Thank you for listening.

by Sam Andrew, May 2002

Tracks
1971 How Hard It Is
1. How Hard It Is (S. Andrew, D. Getz) - 4:21
2. You've Been Talkin' Bout Me, Baby (R. Rhrera, W. Hirsch, G. Garnet) - 3:25
3. House On Fire (D. Getz, L Rappaport) - 3:55
4. Black Widow Spider (S. Andrew) - 3:32
5. Last Band On Side One (S. Andrew, Roscoe) - 1:56
6. Nu Boogaloo Jam (S. Andrew, D. Nudelman) - 3:23
7. Maui (S. Andrew, Roscoe) - 3:25
8. Shine On (P. Albin, S, Andrew, D. Getz) - 5:24
9. Buried Alive In The Blues (N. Gravenites) - 3:57
10.Promise Her Anything But Give Her Arpeggio (D.Shallock) - 3:55
1970 Be A Brother
11. Keep On (S. Andrew, P. Albin, D. Getz, J. Gurley, D. Shallock) - 4:19
12. Joseph's Coat (N. Gravenites, J. Clpollina) - 3:08
13. Home On The Strange (Arranged/Adapted by P. Albin, S. Andrew) - 2:12
14. Someday (S. Andrew) - 2:15
15. Heartache People (N. Gravenites) - 6:34
16. Sunshine Baby (S.Andrew, P. Albin, D. Getz, J. Gurley, D. Shallock) - 3:28
17. Mr. Natural (S. Andrew) - 3:31
18. Funkie Jim (S. Andrew, P. Albin, D. Getz, J. Gurley) - 3:45
19. I'll Change Your Flat Tire, Merle (N. Gravenites) - 3:11
20. Be A Brother (N. Gravenites) - 3:03

Big Brother and the Holding Company
*Nick Gravenites - Lead Vocals
*Kathi Mcdonald - Lead Vocals (Tracks 1-10)
*Sam Andrew - Guitar, Vocals
*James Gurley - Guitar
*Dave Schallock - Guitar
*Peter Albin - Bass
*Dave Getz - Drums
*Mike Finnegan - Vocals, Keyboards (Tracks 1-10)

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Euphoria - Lost In Trance (1973 us, hard 'n' rough psych jam rock)

This very rare 1973 private press hard rock record in that Primevil, Magi, Wedge vein but even more primitive and down and dirty with filthy acid guitar like you love.

Euphoria formed Wiscons round 1973, showed amazing songwriting talent plus musical ability Classic midwest American heavy psych with somewhat biker vibe Raging agressive Fuzz-guitar leads  with great echoey-reverb effects ,true sledgehammer bass ,crunching drums ,very melodic tunefull vocals. A Must for all 70 s heavy psych enthusiasts. 

This is a heavy rock album with lots of fine guitar work, particularly on the title track, Lost In Trance, the most psychedelic cut, and Enchanted. All the songs on the album were written by lead guitarist D. Walloch.

Tracks 
1. Brotherhood - 5:00
2. Just for a Moment - 6:35
3. Lost in Trance - 6:32
4. Oriental News - 5:15
5. Enchanted - 4:51
6. Middle Asian Lament - 6:09

Euphoria
*Dennis Walloch - Guitar, Vocals, Lyrics
*Bryan Walloch - Drums, Percussion
*Laurie Walloch - Keyboard, Vocals, Bass
*Cara Olsen - Guitar, Bass
*Mike Walloch - Previous Drummer

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East Of Eden - Another Eden (1975 uk, eclectic inclusive assorted rock, 2012 Flawed Gems remaster)

The music of the turn of the 60 - and 70-these can say almost anything, but certainly not that it was boring and uninteresting. The fifth album (and yes with hand at heart - last really good) recorded in February 1974 in Escape Studios, Smarden, Kent,but released a year later,only the German effort EMI Harvest.

In March 1974 the musicians finish work on a new album, in which he helped them to Jeff Beck.

-Martin Fisher - "Mr. Beck, lived closely, and came by the studio, in Kent, most days"

-Jeff Allen - "The engineer Tony Taverner also worked a lot with Jeff Beck who dropped in now and then when we were recording."

The session finishes a month later, in March 1974 (info from New Musical Express). But the group aren't content with their work :

- Joe O'Donnell - "At the end of the session, we put all the material for the development of the ... Colon Music. (?) But we were not satisfied with their work and release the LP is paused."

- Martin Fisher - "Actually, we were not happy with the album. Should write and record more material, more fine-tune it, but it was pressure from the label, although the album, in our opinion was not yet ready."

Recordings wander on the shelf, to be released officially on sale in 1975, the LP "Another Eden" EMI Harvest (C06297101). The team suspended operations, and individual musicians centered on their private activities.

This LP, however, only shows itself in Germany. Jeff Allen remembers edition of the album: "Another Eden. We did not have control over the release of the album. Decisive factor for the label. Did not have any bearing on the cover of which is" Nicky Debus. "Then it was my girlfriend."(Under the pseudonym, Nicky Debus, hiding Nicky Coleman, who in the mid-70s participated in numerous photo shoots for female nudes.)

New songs have been little to do with jazz-rock and oriental variations from the "Mercator Projected". But no one thought about it in the meantime to take care of the new  the corresponding music .

by Adamus67

Tracks
1. Mandarin's Daughter - 3:45
2. Hey Zimmerman - 4:01
3. Kensington Cowboy - 3:06
4. Catalina Troubour - 3:55
5. What's Happening - 5:51
6. Summer Days - 3:32
7. Hey Baby - 5:00
8. Fancy Nancy - 3:43
9. Sin City Girls (UK Single A-side, 1973) - 3:37
10.All Our Yesterdays (UK Single B-side, 1973) - 2:47
11.Kensington Cowboy (BBC Session, July 1973) - 3:06
12.To Mrs. V (BBC Session, May 1971) - 4:39
13.Wonderful Feeling (BBC Session, May 1971) - 5:49
14.Brand New Day - 4:49
15.Wonderful Feeling - 4:12
16.Instrumental - 4:04
17.What Can I Do - 2:57
18.She Wants Your Love - 4:46
19.Instrumental Jig - 2:04
Bonus tracks 9-19
Tracks 14-19 Live in Germany 1972

East Of Eden
*Garth Watt-Roy - Guitar Vocals
*Jeff Allen - Drums
*Joe O'Donnell - Violin
*Martin Fisher - Bass, Keyboards, Vocals
*Dave Arbus - Violin
*Davy Jack - Vocals, Bass
*Jim Roche - Guitar

1969  Mercator Projected (eclectic bonus tracks issue)
1970  Snafu (eclectic bonus tracks issue)
1971  East Of Eden - East Of Eden
1971  New Leaf 

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Jeff St John's Copperwine - Joint Effort (1970 aussie, groovy garage psych with blues and funky vibes, Radioactive edition)

Copperwine (aka Jeff St John's Copperwine) was formed by Jeff St John's in early 1969.  The band's first gigs were some low-key dates in Perth, before returning to Sydney. Copperwine soon commanded a rabid following in that city's fast-developing 'head' scene. Around the time of the new band's formation, guitarist Ross East was also invited to join the revised Masters Apprentices line-up by Jim Keays, but he turned it down, opting to stay with Jeff. 

Aided by East and Peter Figures, plus Alan Ingram on bass and keyboardist Barry Kelly (from Marty Rhone's Soul Agents), St John wowed punters at the Ourimbah "Pilgrimage For Pop", Australia's first major outdoor rock festival, held at Ourimbah, NSW at the end of January 1970. The band's dynamic repertoire mixed quality prog-flavoured group originals with powerful renditions of Sly & the Family Stone's funk classic "Sing A Simple Song" (a stage fave for many Australian acts of the time including Southern Comfort and The Affair), a storming version of The Temptations' psych-soul masterpiece "Cloud Nine" and Blind Faith's "Can't Find My Way Home."

This body of songs was captured by producer Pat Aulton in superb that remains one of the most accomplished and musically adventurous long players of the time. The punningly-titled Joint Effort won considerable critical acclaim, but failed to generate significant sales. A similar fate befell the great single lifted from the album, "Cloud Nine" / "Days To Come" (Feb. 1970). An EP, Sing A Simple Song, which featured four selections from its parent album, came out in May 1970.

In retrospect, Joint Effort reveals at least three truths -- the album was one of Festival Record's most consistent sellers for many years, it's a fine artefact of what was musically going on with OzRock in this heady and fertile time, and it documents what a fine band Copperwine was and provided conclusive proof that Jeff is one of the best rock vocalists this country has ever produced.

The musicianship of the band, particularly that of East and Kelly illustrated the embarrassment of riches scattered among Australian groups at this time. Original band-composed collaborations on the LP include the reflective "Fanciful Flights" (compiled on Raven's 2-CD compilation Golden Miles: Australian Progressive Rock, 1969-1974), the jazz-tinged instrumental "Any Orange Night" and the ensemble piece "You Don't Have To Listen". The towering opening track, a surging, organ-driven cover of The Temptation's "Cloud Nine", showed off Jeff's commanding soul stylings, superbly backed by a power-drive performance from Copperwine that, frankly, puts the original in the shade.

Another single, issued on Spin in November 1970, fared extremely well. The smoothly confident, organ-led cover of Rotary Connection's "Teach Me How To Fly" (featuring a berserk guitar solo from East, and some very tasty bass-drums interplay) propelled the band to #12 in Melbourne and a very encouraging #3 Sydney chart placement. St John's dazzling vocal performance on this record is probably the main reason why.

An 'insane” (as Jeff puts it) schedule of touring, concentrated in the eastern states, sustained Copperwine throughout 1970-71. Noted soul-blues singer Wendy Saddington (formerly of James Taylor Move and Chain) joined as co-lead vocalist in May 1970 and made her recording debut with the band (without St John though) on the intriguingly laid-back, bluesy album Wendy Saddington and Copperwine Live, recorded at the Wallacia Rock Festival in January 1971. By this time, too, former Amazons and Dave Miller Set member Harry Brus had replaced Alan Ingram on bass. T

he Copperwine/Saddington live album was scheduled for re-release on CD as part of Festival's reissue program, but the entire reissue project was scrapped after the acquisition of Mushroom Records. Festival's rapid financial decline after 2002 led to its closure in late 2005, and the entire Festival-Mushroom archive was sold to the American-owned Warner Music group soon after.

Although Saddington had departed Copperwine by February 1971, the group continued to tour relentlessly, with Jeff at the helm. Another major event for the band in 1971 was its participation in the Hoadley's Battle of the Soudns. The group, with St John in ultimate form, put on a commanding show, performing a stunning version of the Leon Russell-penned "Hummingbird", but they finished third behind Fraternity and Sherbet.

"Hummingbird" (backed by Derek & The Dominos' Keep On Growing) became the next Copperwine single, which was released in August on Festival's new progressive subsidiary, Infinity and it was a moderate chart success. Early in the year they recruited Glyn Mason (ex-Chain, Larry's Rebels) and this line-up performed at the Mulwala Festival near Albury in NSW in April 1972. Soon after, Jeff split from Copperwine, but the band continued on for some time, with Mason taking over as lead vocalist.

 by Paul Culnane

Tracks
1. Cloud Nine - 6:22
2. Sing A Simple Song - 4:25
3. Fanciful Flights Of Mind - 3:23
4. Any Orange Night - 7:26
5. You Don’t Have To Listen - 5:00
6. I’ve Been Treated So Bad - 3:09
7. Days To Come - 4:10
8. Reach Out - 5:22
9. Can’t Find My Way Home - 4:19
10.Train - 2:18
11.Remember - 5:54
12.Enviroment In Three Parts - 7:50

Musicians
*Harry Brus - Bass
*Ross East - Guitar, Vocals
*Johnny Green - Guitar
*Barry Kelly - Piano, Clarinet
*Wendy Saddington - Vocals
*Jeff St. John - Vocals
*Peter Figures - Drums
*Alan Ingham - Bass
*Phil Wooding - Guitar
*Glyn Mason - Vocals, Guitar
*John Sangster - Vibes, Glockenspeil
*Billy Thorpe - Harmonica
*Doug Ashdown - 12 String, Dobro Guitar
*Elegio Sincic - Sitar
*Mick Parker - Flute
*Marilyn Murray - Vocals
*Obadia Loombogle - Harp
*Phil Wooding - Guitar

Related act
1971  Wendy Saddington And The Copperwine - Live

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Seompi - A.W.O.L (1970 us, loud hard angry texas rock, Gear Fab release)

The year was 1970 and Dave Williams was done with his stint at one of Texas's finest barbed wire facilities. The same path that had landed Roky Erickson at Rusk Stale Hospital had put Dave behind bars. Five years earlier, Dave was a founding member of the Headstones, McAllen Texas's answer to teen angst driven rock music. Not content with being the usual 'cover’ band, Dave began to write original tunes and worked long and hard in rehearsal sessions to perfect them. 

After releasing legendary singles on the Pharaoh label and being courted by numerous major labels, the band called it quits in 1968. Dave formed the short-lived band The Meat" in 1969 just prior to his marijuana possession conviction that made him a guest of the State of Texas for the next year. Always an innovator, Dave formed SEOMPI as a three piece, 'no guitar* band, with Dave and Patrick Rockhill on bass, and Bill Reid on drums. Seompi was an acronym for 'Serf Expression On Musically Potential Instruments" and a synonym for 'loud’. 

This dual bass attack released their first 45 "Summer's Comirv On Heavy” b/w "Lay On The Floor' on the Black Star label and later re-cut it adding guitarist Mitch Watkins to the mix for a more accessible sound. Mitch was a phenomenal guitarist and stayed who with the band and can be heard on their other material on this CD. During 1971, the band moved to Austin which would remain their home base. They built a solid local following and were best known for their awesome sound system, loud playing, and Purple Tour Bus. 

Local soundman David Gardner worked closely with the the band, manning the soundboard lor their many live gigs which included opening for ZZ Top, Buddy Miles, Foghat, and Trapeze. Their sound system included the heavy duty Kustom triple 15" woofer, "Ice Box' style amps and later added an even more powerful Altec Lansing Sound System to allow for the vocals to catch up to the levels of the instruments. Dave also recorded many of the band's tedious rehearsals at which they would experiment with intricate time changes and 30+ minute songs. 

This was NOT your typical three chord heavy rock band. By 1974. Seompi was ready to call it quits. Just prior to their final demise Mitch Watkins had been replaced by Billy "Skirt" Rowe on guitar. Other band members included Lee Manley on drums. Mitch has gone on to have a very successful career in the "New Age" music field and has a large following in Europe. Drummer Bill Reid moved back to his hometown of McAllen where he remained close to the music biz by working in speaker design and manufacturing. Pat Rockhill could not be contacted to participate in this project but was last known to be on trie West Coast and out of the music business. 

Dave Williams continued to play in 'The Remaining Few* from 1974- 1978 with Lance Woodbum on guitar, and ex-Headstone Winston Logan on drums. Today, Dave plays with his band "Free Wine' and is looking forward to his final release from incarceration in the near future. His efforts have spanned a period of over 30 years and, represent some of the finest music the State of Texas can claim as their own. While he may not have received the recognition that some of his Lone Star brethren received, those who were lucky enough to see or play with Dave appreciate his awesome talent. Hopefully, with this release his music will live on and entertain future generations of music.

Tracks
1. Summer's Comin On Heavy (D.Williams, P. Rockhill) - 3:41
2. Slide, Slide (D. Williams, P. Rockhill) - 3:22
3. Almost In The Hole (D. Williams, P. Rockhill) - 3:36
4. Lay On The Floor (D. Williams, P Rockhill) - 3:11
5. Kittens (D. Williams, M. Watkins) - 3:56
6. Awol (Williams, Rockwell, Reid) - 5:59
7. A Question Of Nobility (Williams, Rockhill, Watkins) - 7:07
8. Voodoo Chile (J. Hendrix) - 7:02
9. Summer's Comin' On Heavy (D.Williams, P. Rockhill) - 3:24
10.Slide, Slide (D. Williams, P. Rockhill) - 4:43
11.Almost In The Hole (D. Williams, P. Rockhill) - 3:19
12.Lay On The Floor (D. Williams, P. Rockhill) - 3:09
13.And I Ain't Seen Him Since (D. Williams,  P. Rockhill) - 5:53
14.Do You Hot Know? (Williams, Rockhill, Watkins) - 3:40
15.Sticky Situation (Rockhill, Watkins) - 7:20
16.Elijah (Williams) - 2:55
17.What Is The Reason? (Williams, Rockhill) - 4:49
Tracks 5-17 previously unreleased

Seompi
*Dave Williams - Bass
*Patrick Rockhill - Bass
*Bill Reid - Drums
*Mitch Watkins - Guitar
*Billy "Skid" Rowe - Guitar
*Lee Manley - Drums

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Spiteri - Spiteri (1973 venezuela, excellent latin jazz psych rock, 2010 Distrolux digi pack extra tracks edition)

In love with the British band Traffic and full of Latin American feeling, brothers Charles and Jorge Spiteri decided to move to London at the start of the 70s and try their luck as musicians. In that adventure they did all Kinds of things: washing dishes, studying cinema, flirting, drifting around and honing their instruments and songwriting style. The tracks that make up this album were born in the middle of the cold weather, poverty and the contact with the epicenter of London's rock scene. 

'Spiteri' - or 'the snake record', as it was known in Venezuela in 1973 - became a cult record for Venezuela's rock. They were Venezuelans recording in Europe and making fusion rock that hadn't been heard before: it was Venezuelan music but in a completely contemporary format, almost before its time. Jorge and Charles rubbed shoulders with Georgie Fame. Alan Price, Steve Winwood. Bob Marley. Osibisa and the whole UK underground Scene. They soon became the British answer to the Santana phenomenon.

35 years later, 'Spiteri' still sounds fresh. We can listen to this record and travel to a specific moment in rock's evolution, but we can equally appreciate how some of its elements could be taken up again, like a DNA that must be passed on. 

Tracks
1. Campesina (Stelio Bosch Cabruja. Arranged Jorge Spiteri) - 5:26
2. Hey Tono (Jorge Spiteri) - 5:07
3. Monday Morning (Jorge Spiteri) - 4:34
4. Barlovento (Eduardo Serrano, Arranged Charlie Spiteri) - 1:53
5. Don't You Look Behind (Jorge Spiteri) - 2:53
6. No Time For Hesitation (O Mai O Mai) (Jorge Spiteri) - 2:28
7. Soul Inside (Joe Romero) - 8:30
8. Summer After Winter (Jorge Spiteri) - 3:14
9. Piroro (Jorge Spireri) - 2:45
10.Girl (Jorge Spiteri) - 3:33
11.Stop Now You' Re Wasting My Time (Jorge Spiteri, R Valera) - 4:14
12.Retorno #2 (Charlie Spiteri) - 4:40
13.I'm A Man (Winwood, Miller, Arranged Spiteri) - 4:22
14.Voz Charlie - 0:14
15.Piroro (Demo) (Jorge Spiteri) - 2:44
16.Knowing Someone (Jorge Spiteri) - 2:31
17.Girl (Demo) (Jorge Spiteri) - 4:43
18.Summer After Winter (Demo) (Jorge Spiteri) - 2:28
19.Voz Charlie - 0:46
Bonus Tracks 12-19

Spiteri
*Jorge Spiteri - Acoustic Guitar, Some Piano, Lead Vocals
*Charlie Spiteri - Congas, Lead Vocals
*Joe Romero - Electric Guitar, Timbales, Sax, Lead Vocals on 'Soul Inside'
*Chema - Bass Guitar
*Micho - Flute
*Bernardo Ball - Drums, Percussion
*Barry Kirsch - Piano

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Wendy Saddington And The Copperwine - Live (1971 new zealand, fantastic blues rock, 2011 digi pak remaster)

Wendy Saddington's musical influences included the likes of Bessie Smith, Etta James, Mahalia Jackson, Odetta, Aretha Franklin, Nina Simone, Janis Joplin, and the raw blues from the Mississippi delta, along with the swanky soul coming from the American Stax, Atlantic and Motown labels. There was also something of the vulnerability of Edith Piaf in Wendy's pleading, bleeding vocal entreaties.

Saddington first came to notice in Melbourne psych-soul outfit The Revolution, before swiftly joining Adelaide's psychedelic/classically flavoured James Taylor Move around late 1967. Virtually all the members of this band went on to bigger and better things -- Peek, Tarney and Spencer all moved to the UK, where Tarney and Spencer became sought-after session players, writers and producers as well as forming their own successful band. 

Peek likewise became an in-demand session player in London and later linked up with renowned classical guitarist John Williams, and together they formed the enormously successful classical-rock fusion band Sky. As with most of Saddington's band collaborations, she had already left the band before any recordings were made.

Such was again the case when Wendy joined the emerging blues-rock ensemble Beaten Tracks, which she named (The) Chain, after the song by one of her heroines, Aretha Franklin's soul classic, "Chain Of Fools". Wendy spent around 18 months touring with Chain, and it was during this time that her passionate, earth-mother Joplin/Franklin vocal style came to prominent notice among promoters and punters alike. Also, her 'outlandish' appearance attracted magazines like Go-Set: a sad waif-like face, heavily mascara-ed around the eyes, framed by the hugest of afro 'do' this side of Jimi's Experience! Wendy favoured simple Levi's, with a basic shirt or cheesecloth kaftan top, copiously accessorised with love-beads and bangles.

During 1969 Wendy made a guest appearance on the short-lived ABC-TV program Fusions, an innovative 'in concert' series starring Sydney-based progressive band Tully. It's not known whether any tapes of this series have survived, but the recent rediscovery of a large number of episodes of the ABC's GTK series give hope that at least some of this series has sruvived.Circa 1969 Wendy also began writing a regular column in Go-Set., giving advice on love and relationships.

Saddington's next musical outing was with Jeff St John's highly acclaimed and well-established group, Copperwine, and it's here that we finally have an officially-released recording of her sublime vocal performances! Wendy joined the band in March 1970, just after the release of Copperwine's superb Joint Effort album, and she sang live as co-lead with St John for a concentrated touring regime through to February 1971. In January of that year, with St John temporarily away from the band, Saddington fronted Copperwine for their acclaimed performance at the Wallacia Festival on the central-coast of New South Wales.

An live recording of the event was released on Festival's new progressive subsidiary Infinity during '71, which showcased Copperwine's sympathetic backing sensibilities for Wendy's distinctive vocals. On such cuts as the funky opener, Nina Simone's "Backlash Blues", and her heartfelt reading of Dylan's "Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues", Saddington continually astonishes with her sensual soul power. Another notable inclusion is Wendy's introspective and idiosyncratic reading of John Lennon's "Tomorrow Never Knows" (which Wendy introduces as a George Harrison composition!). 

Other highlights include "Five People Said I Was Crazy " (which, with its wild Ross East guitar solo, Barry Kelly's electric piano flourishes and Wendy's monumental banshee wail, certainly lives up to its title). The closing tour-de-force "Blues In A" completely satisfies the listener as a consummate combination of the music of one of Australia's premier all-purpose prog-blues bands of the time, with definitely one of our most unique and mesmerising blues-soul vocalists.

Miles-ago

Tracks
1. Backlash Blues (Nina Simone) - 4:16
2. Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues (B. Dylan) - 7:31
3. Tomorrow Never Knows (J. Lennon, P. McCartney) - 8:42
4. Five People Said I Was Crazy (Wendy Saddington And The Copperwine) - 7:35
5. Blues In 'A' (Wendy Saddington And The Copperwine) - 14:27
6. Looking Through A Window  (Warren Morgan, Billy Thorpe) - 5:58
7. We Need A Song  (Warren Morgan, Billy Thorpe) - 3:24
8. Looking Through A Window (Warren Morgan, Billy Thorpe) - 3:58
Tracks 1-5 recorded live at "The Odyssey" Music Festival Wallacia January 1971
Bonus Track 6-9 single infinity recorded July 1971

Musicians
*Wendy Saddington - Lead Vocals
*Harry Brus - Bass
*Ross East - Guitar, Vocals
*Peter Figures - Drums
*Barry Kelly - Keyboards, Vocals

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Shawn Phillips - Contribution / Second Contribution (1970 us, brilliant psychedelic progressive folk with remarkable falsetto, 2009 BGO remaster)

Shawn Phillips shares with Tim Buckley and Van Morrison the passion for black music and a constant innovation in vocal techniques.

Texas-born, Phillips began his career as a folk-singer in California, where he recorded his early albums Favourite Things - I'm a Loner (Columbia, 1965), that included only three original compositions, and First Impressions (Columbia, 1966), which was a little bolder but basically also in the tradition of the New York folksinger. After living in England and Paris, Phillips settled in Italy. Sessions with Steve Winwood, Chris Wood and Jim Capaldi of the Traffic yielded the material for Contribution (A&M, 1970), a much more original work. 

First of all, the material was entirely composed by Phillips. Second, it included three lengthy songs (L Ballad, Withered Roses, Screamer For Phlyses) that looked more like jams. Third, Phillips mixed folk, rock, psychedelia, jazz, classical and Indian music. The opening Man Hole Covered Wagon was the only conventional song. Withered Roses was closer to a raga than to a ballad. L Ballade was virtually a classical sonata.

The pieces on Second Contribution (1970) were even more abstract, free-form, disjointed. Phillips was no longer restrained in his innovative use of the guitar and the sitar, and was even self-indulgent in his display of his three-octave vocal range. Orchestral arrangements by Paul Buckmaster enhanced the magic. The impressionistic power of Steel Eyes, The Ballad Of Casey Deiss (vibraphone, horns), Song For Sagittarians and She Was Waitin' For Her Mother was unique. 

by Piero Scaruffi 

Original Vinyl Album Liner Notes

The Shawn Phillips music. Kaleidoscopic and organic. Flowing. Living for a time. Incorporating every musical style from Bulgarian to quarter tone to African. But going its own way. Fulfilling one of the prerequisites of art -- It doesn't leave you feeling quite the same.

"If I had to describe my music in a few words, I would say it's about freedom -- the frequency of intensity that any individual being feels in a moment of unselfish experience."

"I'm trying to take a musical sound heard by the ear -- and then take the sound which continues from the ear to the mind -- and try and paraphrase that sound through electronics."

"I believe every bit of the music I play is within each individual already."

"My music is an attempt to move the inner self, in each individual who listens to it. I've tried to cover the beauty and the ugliness."

"It takes a musician to translate it from the mind into the mechanical."

"I want everyone who hears my music to experience the sadness, perplexity, the great thoughts, the grave thoughts, the joy, the freedom, the fullness of the experiences I've had, which in turn, were expressed to create the music."

"Some of my music tries to create a crisis in the mind of the individual who listens to it, and leave it to him to resolve it ... it requires both intellectual and emotional response -- the two tied together."

"In Mexico with Donovan -- my music began to come out. I threw off all the crap and I played with twice the energy and drive I ever had before. It was funny. I just suddenly came into harmony with all things."

"I'm in Italy standing on the outside looking in. But I'm not in a hermitage."

"No -- not a hermitage. But right in the middle of everything that's happening."

"It's all created for people."

"As my self arrived at harmony -- I don't like the word spiritual, but I guess that's what it is -- my music arrived there too. When I recorded the album, I told the musicians: I'm a man. I've created this much. You're men. I want you to put what you feel to it." 

Tracks
Contribution
1. Man Hole Covered Wagon - 4:34
2. L Ballade - 6:47
3. Not Quite Nonsense - 1:45
4. No Question - 3:37
5. Withered Roses - 8:18
6. For JFK RFK & MLK - 4:54
7. Lovely Lady - 4:56
8. Screamer for Phlyses - 6:09
Second Contribution
9. She Was Waiting for Her Mother at the Station in Torino ... - 4:54
10. Keep On - 3:21
11. Sleepwalker - 1:32
12. Song for Mr. C - 3:49
13. Ballad of Casey Deiss - 6:12
14. Song for Sagittarians - 3:43
15. Lookin' Up Lookin' Down - 3:55
16. Remedial Interruption - 1:56
17. Whazz At - 1:56
18. Schmaltz Waltz - 1:44
19. F Sharp Splendor (Paul Buckmaster) - 0:36
20. Steel Eyes - 4:18
All titles written by Shawn Phillips except where noted.

Musicians
Contribution
*Paul Buckmaster - Keyboards
*Jim Capaldi - Drums
*Candy John Carr - Drums
*Jimmy Coff - Percussion
*Adrian Gaye - Guitar
*Remi Kabaka - Percussion
*Chris Mercer - Saxophone
*Mox - Harmonica
*Shawn Phillips - Guitar, Sitar, Vocals
*Peter Robinson - Percussion, Keyboards
*Mick Weaver - Keyboards
*Steve Winwood - Keyboards
*Chris Wood - Wind
Second Contribution
*Paul Buckmaster - Keyboards, Orchestral Arrangements
*Harvey Burns - Guitar
*Anello Capuano - Guitar
*Jim Cregan - Guitar
*Barry Dean - Bass, Guitar
*Ann Odell - Keyboards
*Brian Odgers - Bass
*Shawn Phillips - Guitar, Sitar, Vocals
*Peter Robinson - Percussion, Keyboards
*Bruce Rowland - Drums
*Jerry Salisbury - Horn

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Linn County - 'Till The Break Of Dawn (1970 us, awesome psych blues rock, original vinyl release)

Linn County were formed in Iowa, round 1967. They moved to San Francisco prior to recording their first album in 1968.

The third and last Linn County LP, came out in 1970. Their sound follows the steps from their previous release, tasty psychedelic blues with slices of soul, and bit more mature essence. Though the band had slightly changed it's name by the time this LP was released.

They split up in 1970. A solo album released by band member Stephen Miller the same year included 4 tracks recorded by the final Linn County line-up.

Tracks
1. Tell The Truth (R. Charles) - 5:02
2. Monkey Man (Stephen Miller) - 3:38
3. TV Free (Stephen Miller) - 3:10
4. Wine Take Me Away (T. Collins, M. Haggard) - 3:00
5. Next Time You See Me (Forest, Harvey) - 4:21
6. Let The Music Begin (Stephen Miller) - 3:03
7. Black Nights (Legenross) - 4:52
8. Further On Up The Road (Veasey, Robey) - 2:19
9. Boogie Chillun (J. L. Hooker) - 8:41
10.'Till The Break Of Dawn (Stephen Miller) - 1:48

Musicians
 *Stephen Miller - Organ, Vocals
 *Larry Easter - Saxophone, Flute
 *Dino Long - Bass
 *Clark Pierson - Drums
 *Fred Walk - Guitar, Sitar

more Linn County releases
1968 Proud Flesh Soothseer
1969 Fever Shot 

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Edward Bear - Eclipse (1970 canada, fascinating melodic progressive rock, 2012 Flawed Gems edition)

Edward Bear’s sophomore lp came in the form of Eclipse the summer in 1970. Featuring a healthy dose of well-written tight folk-inspired pop, it was an obvious continuation of the first album. The first single "You Can't Deny It" was issued amid high hopes. 

Also a graphic artist, Weldon designed a sleeve for the 45 that actually had something for the buyer to look at, one of rock's first 45 sleeves to have some actual thought put into it. Again the group received a good critical response and decent airplay. 

Soon after their second release, Danny Marks left the band and their got  more softened but gained much more popularity.

Tracks
1. Four Months Out to Africa (Paul Weldon) - 3:13
2. Chris' Song (Larry Evoy) - 6:23
3. You Can't Deny It (Danny Marks) - 4:40
4. Pickering Tower (Larry Evoy) - 2:57
5. T-1 Blues (Danny Marks) - 3:24
6. Pirate King (Larry Evoy) - 3:23
7. Long Forgotten Day (Danny Marks) - 4:55
8. Monday (Danny Marks) - 5:40

Edward Bear
*Larry Evoy - Drums, Vocals
*Danny Marks - Banjo, Composer, Guitar, Vocals
*Paul Weldon - Bass, Keyboards, Piano, Vocals

1969  Edward Bear - Bearings

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Pavlov's Dog - Has Anyone Here Seen Sigfried? (1977 us, excellent third album, 2007 official remastered edition with bonus tracks)

David and the "Great Lost Pavlov's Dog" album. So that is what you want to hear about, huh? Okay. I suppose it is worth a shot. Those were heady days, and more than a little depressing for your erstwhile poet find singer.

Pavlov's Dog had been touring in support of "The Sound of the Bell," bringing its melodic romanticism to some of the strangest venue's your narrator could have imagined in his youth. Yet living it! Concert dates with Nektar, Slade, Kraftwerk, Blue Oyster Cult, Journey, ELO, Thin Lizzy, Peter Frampton , ad nausea I left the band tired, restless and completely discontent.

The rhythm section had been salvaged, with Kirk Sarkesian more than capably handling the drum chores in the wake of Mike Safron and Bill Bruford's exits. David Hamilton was handling the piano in the studio, with Tom Nickeson holding it down on tour, in addition to his vocals and guitar duties.

Me, I was just plain unhappy, with the record company, management and agencies all pushing for a "HIT." Now lets be a trifle honest here, shall we? I write love songs, this is not the Brill Building. Major Plan Concocted!! Bring in new producers (Krugman and Perlman help meeeeeee!!!!!!), the band decides they ate songwriters (even the roadies), and EVERYBODY wants to sing! Did I want to vomit-you betcha!

So the powers that be want David to deliver the "pop" songs, ouch. Douglas and I came up with "Painted Ladies" and "Trafalgar" in minutes, not our best work that. "Falling In Love" and "Jenny" were tossed out, spent seconds of pleasure on that pair. "Only You," "I Love You Still" and "Suicide," squarely where my heart was.

The recording began in St.Louis at Technosonic Studios, not far from both my boyhood and present homes. Mark Spector $ John Jansen co-producing this awful mess. I came equipped with my bulldog Charlie & and Telecaster guitar each day, and amid wrestling bouts with Mark (yes...really), managed to get the basic tracks recorded with the band spinning out of control. Overduba were not pretty....Steve Scorfina is singing "It All For You," a song he had from his REO Speedwagon days, and Tom came up with a quick instrumental exit for the album, "While You Were Out."

I'm singing the Jefferson Airplanes' "Today," (is this somebody's idea of the "HIT" ?), and hating my every waking moment. Time to ditch this scene, David & Douglas escape to New York with the master tapes! Bring in the ringers! Jeff Baxter takes a masterful turn on the guitar solo on "Painted Ladies," thanks Jeff! Jeff & Elliot Rahdall compose some melodic harmony guitars for "Falling In Love," "Jenny" and elsewhere, Jim Maelen contributed some terrific percussion & smoothing quite a few bad patches.

That's Elliott on the solo in "Falling In Love," he said he really liked the song & I didn't. O well In any case, the gothic intrigue of "Only You" still holds measure with me today (I love Scorfina's tragic pathos in the solo), as does "Suicide." Is that where the unfortunate rumours of my untimely demise stem? I still perform Love You Stiff," from time to time, I enjoy the way my voice sounds! Also, "Only You," occasionally. It still maintains the potential' & penchant' for a heartbreak... So It Goes 

by David

Tracks
1.Only You - 4:33
2.Painted Ladies - 3:22
3.Falling In Love - 3:27
4.Today - 3:08
5.Trafalger - 3:10
6.I Love You Still - 4:05
7.Jenny - 4:07
8.It`S All For You - 3:50
9.Suicide - 2:04
10.While You Were Out - 2:38
11.Song Dance (Live) - 6:29
12.Of Once And Future Kings (Live) - 6:50
13.Natchez Trace (Live) - 4:18
14.A Little Better (Live, Prev. Unreleased Song) - 2:18
15.A Look In Your Eyes (Live, Prev. Unreleased Song) - 4:27
16.Julia (Live) - 2:55
17.She Came Shining (Live) - 4:37
18.Did You See Him Cry (Live) - 6:07
19.Subway Sue (Prev. Unreleased Early Version) - 5:40
20.I Wait For You (Prev. Unreleased Song, Studio Recording 1977) - 1:44
Bonus tracks 11-20

Pavlov's Dog
*David Surkamp - Vocals
*Douglas Rayburn - Mellotron, Piano
*Rick Stockton - Bass
*Kirk Sarkisian - Drums
*Tom Nickeson - Keyboards, Piano
*Steve Scorfina - Guitar
*Sigfried Carver - Violin (11-15)

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Archie Whitewater - Archie Whitewater (1970 us, brilliant psychedelic jazzy brass rock, 2011 reissue)

Can you imagine paying $100,000 for a group and then hiding it away for over a year?" So ran the first line in an article about Archie Whitewater back in August 1970. in the Free Lance-Star newspaper out of Fredericksburg. Virginia. "Well, that's exactly what Chess Records did with the group..." Not that Chess's eventual publicity campaign made stars out of the nine musicians in the band. In fact. Archie Whitewater's lone album for Chess's cool spin-off label Cadet Concept, is a best-kept secret among collectors - and this reissue, remastered from the original tapes, marks its first-ever appearance on CD. 

Copies of Archie Whitewater now sell for upwards of £100. fuelled chiefly by the plethora of funky drum breaks and beats scattered across the album. The album's most acknowledged track is probably 'Cross Country', a mellow funk track with some sublime electronic piano and serene vocals, because it was exhumed by Chicago hip-hop artist Common (or Common Sense. as he then called himself) for the track 'Chapter 13 (Rich Man Vs Poor Man)' on his second album Resurrection from 1994. 

Another Archie Whitewater song. 'Hulk', was borrowed by 90s New York hip-hop act Blahzay Blahzay. Other rap artists followed suit, usually recycling some aspect of 'Cross Country' within their music. Since the 90s. the cult status of Archie Whitewater's sole album has grown steadily: a quick glance at websites like Popsike reveals just how many copies of the album have sold for silly money on eBay and the record is praised by numerous blogs which pride themselves on their crate digging credentials. 

And yet despite the plethora of information now available about myriad acts via the internet, precious little has been documented about their story.  Simply put, Archie Whitewater adopted the big band 'horn rock' mould pioneered by the likes Blood Sweat  And Tears in the late sixties, fusing elements or funk soul. psychedelic rock and jazz into their songs. Also some debate dwelt on their possible association with other acts on the Cadet Concept labels  (namely Rotary Connection and the productions of Charles Stepney) or even  whether they were black or white.

Archie Whitewater captures a period in American music when musicians adopted a carefree approach to combining their influences. In so doing, they created some idyllic music which sounds unrestrained by the usual straitjacket imposed on artists on major labels. After some forty years. RPM is proud to usher this fine record into the digital age.

by John Reed. November 2011

Tracks

1. Don't Be Short (Bob Berkowitz, Travis Jenkins) - 2:09

2. Northstar (Bob Berkowitz, Charles Hyams) - 4:17

3. Mist Of The Early Morning (Bob Berkowitz, Charles Hyams) - 3:52

4. Life Is A River (Travis Jenkins) - 3:23

5. Friends And Neighbors - 3:46

6. Country To The City - 4:27

7. Home Again - 4:09

8. Cross Country - 3:21

9. Lament For The Walking Dead (Travis Jenkins) - 4:35

10.Seacoast - 3:51

11.Hulk - 1:59

All songs by Bob Berkowitz except where noted

Archie Whitewater
*Travis Jenkins - Tenor Flute, Vocals
*Tony Vece - Bass,
*Sam Burtis - Trombone
*Lynn Sheffield - Alto, Vibes
*Peter Labarbera - Vibes
*Bob Berkowitz - Keyboard
*Fred Johnson - Vocals
*Paul Metzke - Guitar
*JIm Abbott - Drums

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Alun Davies – Daydo (1972 uk, fabulous folk rock with glam shades, 2008 RDI edition)

Alun Davies is one of the most highly respected session guitarists in the United Kingdom. A founding member, along with childhood friend Jon Marks and Nicky Hopkins, of pop-jazz group Sweet Tuesday, Davies made his greatest mark as accompanist for British singer/songwriter Cat Stevens from 1970 until Stevens' conversion to Islam and retirement from music in 1977. Davies subsequently collaborated with ex-Small Faces vocalist Ronnie Lane, co-writing the opening track "One Step" and a second tune, "She's Leaving," on Lane's 1979 album See Me.

Davies launched his musical career in a duo that he shared with Marks (then known as Michael Burchell) in 1963. The duo's sole album, Relax Your Mind, was produced by American producer Shel Talmy, best known for his work with the Who, the Kinks, Manfred Mann, Chad & Jeremy, and Ralph McTell. After busking in Paris and the south of France, in 1964, the two musicians returned to England and signed with an agent, who secured them a gig on a Cunard Line ship. 

After 16 voyages across the Atlantic ocean, Davies and Mark went their separate ways. Davies, who had gone on to work as a session musician for Fontana Records and tour with Marianne Faithful, Spencer Davis, and Jeremy Taylor, reunited with Mark to form Sweet Tuesday in 1968. Although they recorded one memorable album, the group disbanded after Fontana declared bankruptcy and went out of business.

Returning to session work, Davies was recruited to perform on Cat Stevens' album, Mona Bone Jakon, in 1970. The session proved so successful that Stevens invited Davies to join him on tour following therecording of his groundbreaking album, Tea for the Tillerman. Davies' involvement with Stevens was reciprocated when he recorded his debut solo album, Waste of Time in 1972. The album, which showcased seven tunes written or co-written by Davies, featured Stevens on piano and was co-produced by Stevens and Paul Samwell Smith. Davies' second solo effort, Daydo followed two years later. 

by Craig Harris

Daydo is a poem: A Sweet Thursday album: is telling me to play louder when the heavy trucks rolled by: is a friend of Cat Stevens songs: V song ts living for today, laughing at yesterday, and writing for tomorrow. in this album, long awaited by friends and the first of many, are reflected the feelings and experiences, the joys and sorrows of time spent in the market place with Alex Campbell, Spencer Davis, Gerry Lockran, a host of others including myself, and, more recently, Cat Stevens, who perhaps more than anyone is responsible for introducing Alun as a major artist who stands alone and steps to his own tune. 

It's rare these days that my path crosses Alun's, for different groups travel different routes, but when we do meet again I have a feeling it wi!l be in a concert hall on his own tour, sitting in the front row alongside all the other friends he's worked with. It is impossible for words to describe the music as they would serve only to confuse and you who listen will find your own words, no doubt better than mine as the only things you need for this album, are ears and plenty of them! 

by Mark Almond, Summer 1972 

Tracks
1. Market Place - 3:46
2. Old Bourbon - 4:51
3. Portobello Road (Cat Stevens, Kim Fowley) - 2:23
4. Poor Street - 4:28
5. Abram Brown Continued (Alun Davies, Jeremy Taylor) - 3:59
6. Waste Of Time - 4:07
7. I'm Gonna Love You Too (Joe Mauldin, Norman Petty, Niki Sullivan) - 2:41
8. Vale Of Tears - 5:07
9. I'm Late (Sammy Fain, Robert Hilliard) - 2:39
10.Young Warrior - 2:59
All songs by Alun Davies except where indicated.

Musicians
*Harvey Burns - Drums
*Gerry Conway - Drums
*Alun Davies - Guitar, Vocals
*Charlie Gainsford - Banjo
*Chris Laurence - Bass
*Jean Roussel - Keyboards
*Larry Steele - Bass
*Cat Stevens - Keyboards
*Jeremy Taylor - Guitar

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Bert Sommer - The Road To Travel (1968 us, beautiful folk psychedelic baroque tinged rock)

Major labels were taking all kinds of chances on untested talent in the late '60s, but although his name may have been unfamiliar to most in the industry, Bert Sommer was hardly untested. By the release of The Road to Travel, his 1968 debut, he had already written five songs for the Vagrants (founded by a pre-Mountain Leslie West, Sommer's schoolmate) and sung lead vocals on the Left Banke's single "Ivy, Ivy" through a friendship with that band's Michael Brown. 

The Road to Travel shows that his well of inspiration had not yet run dry. With help from a conglomeration of friends and studio professionals, Sommer proved he was facile in a variety of styles -- orchestral pop, acoustic folk, and some of the most sensitive singer/songwriter material heard before the style had fully flowered (with apologies to Tim Buckley). All of this was delivered in Sommer's plaintive voice, although he was more convincing when he really let go than when he tried to rein it in. Anachronistically, he began the LP with the words "And when it's over" (the title of the opener), moving quickly on the song from eerie Baroque pop to bombastic, brass-led art rock. 

That was a mere taste of what was to come, encompassing the hippie-dippie end of folk on "Jennifer" (the song Sommer gained raves for at Woodstock), straightforward sunshine pop for "Things Are Goin' My Way," and a curiously aggressive falsetto take on art rock for "Tonight Together." Sommer's power as a songwriter and performer was clear, but he was incredibly difficult to pin down. That may be what doomed The Road to Travel, but it has an undeniable flair. 

by John Bush

Tracks
1. And When It's Over - 3:13
2. Jennifer - 2:35
3. Things Are Coin' My Way - 2:29
4. She's Just A Girl - 3:44
5. Tonight Together - 2:28
6. The Road To Travel - 3:55
7. She's Gone - 3:01
8. Hold The Light - 2:53
9. A Simple Man - 2:45
10.Brink Of Death - 3:20
11.A Note That Read - 3:27
All selections written by Bert Sommer

Musicians
*Hugh McCraken - Guitars
*Danny Cooch. - Guitars
*David Cohen - Guitars
*Sam Brown - Guitars
*Al Giorgoni - Guitars
*Bert Sommer - Guitars Vocals
*Joe Mack - Bass
*Renie Press - Bass
*Al Rogers - Drums
*Ron Frangipane - Piano
*Paul Griffin - Piano
*Artie Kaplan - Flute
*Specs Powell - Vibes

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Total Issue - Total Issue (1971 france, exceptional prog fusion jazz rock, 2012 Flawed Gems extra tracks edition)

Driven by the momentum, liberating and creative May 68, many groups inspired by the French Anglo-American pop that bloomed on the hexagon.  Total Issue  formed in 1970, made its way into jazz circuits accompanying jazzmen French and American way. Released their  eponymous album on the United Artists label in 1971. 

"Total Issue" is the reflection of their time and merges the French song and singing in English. "La Porte Ouverte" is undoubtedly  one of the highlights, it starts as jazzy folk reminds "Cadence and Cascade" by King Crimson less melancholy, melt quickly in an environment where tribal flute warm absorbs us,  and with the  wah – wah acid guitar, turns into a creepy trip. 

When we listen to these psych prog jazz influences, we could easily believe that this work could have a different fate if it was released  in the States or Britain,. In fact, we are dealing with an album that lacks coherence can be endearing, easy to listen to but the default will be the work of a French quintet. 

When they disbanded the following year, every member took his own road more or less successful. Texier and Romano made a solid reputation on the European jazz scene, both in their own discography and in collaborations with artists such as John abercrombie, Didier Lockwood Beck and Gordon (note that Romaro is sponsoring and honorary chairman Archie Shepp Jazz Festival of Porquerolles Island since its inception in 2002). 

by Jimmy James

Tracks
1. Les Marins - 3:30
2. La Porte Ouverte - 8:20
3. Come Down - 2:55
4. Over The Shadow - 3:05
5. Rustique - 6:25
6. Quiet Place - 2:25
7. Dis-Mais-Dis - 4:03
8. Résurrection - 3:45
9. Instrumental Jam I - 1:13
10.Instrumental Jam II - 5:55

Total Issue
*Henri Texier - Bass, Percussion, Vocal
*Aldo Romano - Lead Vocal, Drums, Guitar
*Georges Locatelli - Lead Guitar, Percussions, Vocal
*Michel Libretti - Violin, Guitar, Drum, Percussion, Vocal
*Chris Hayward - Flute, Keyboards, Percussion, Vocal

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