This Velvet Illusions formed in Yakima, Washington State in 1966 as The Illusions and changed name when they found out that another outfit was already using that moniker. They were managed by saxophonist George Radford’s father, who financed the band by selling some property and kitted them out with Vox instruments and amplifiers. Though too young to appear at many local clubs, The Velvet Illusions did play the usual array of school dances, proms, and parties, as well as performing on KIMA TV and appearing at the local Lee’s Music Store to promote Vox equipment.
In June 1967, Radford Sr. rented the band a house in Los Angeles and they moved to California. He formed his own Metro Media label and issued three singles in July of that year – a re-release of the group’s classic anti-drug debut ‘Acid Head’, ‘I’m Coming Home Los Angeles’ (which received a lot of local radio play), and ‘Velvet Illusions’. Whilst the material on the first two 45s had been recorded while still in Washington State the songs on the third single were new output laid down in Hollywood. The band’s entire recorded output has been compiled on "Acid Head" CD released 2011.
Cosmic Mind At Play
Tracks
1. Acid Head (Steve Weed, George Radford Jr) - 3:04
2. She Was The Only Girl (Steve Weed, George Radford Jr) - 2:36
3. I'm Coming Home Los Angeles (Bobby Worth, Henry Sanicola) - 2:07
4. Town Of Fools (Jerry Merritt) - 2:18
5. Velvet Illusions (Steve Weed, George Radford Jr) - 2:03
6. Born To Be A Rolling Stone (Jerry Merritt) - 1:49
7. Lazy (Sandra Karr, George Radford, Buddy Motola) -2:08
8. The Stereo Song (Steve Weed, George Radford Jr, Buddy Motola) - 1:51
9. Mini Shimmy (Steve Weed, George Radford Jr, Buddy Motola) - 2:11
10.Hippy Town (Steve Weed, George Radford Jr, Buddy Motola) - 2:10
Kaleidoscope was one of England’s purest and most beloved psychedelic bands. Prior to their ventures into psychedelia, Kaleidoscope had been known as The Sidekicks and then, The Key. These groups played a rather ordinary brand of British pop and R&B. Kaleidoscope debuted in 1967 with their fabulous Tangerine Dream LP. This disc featured some of the finest psychedelia England had produced up to that point.
More than half the album is fleshed out with lost classics; check out trippy tracks such as ”Please Excuse My Face,” “Dive Into Yesterday,” “Flight From Ashiya,” “The Murder of Lewis Tullani,” “Mr. Small, The Watch Repairer Man,” and the superb “Further Reflections In The Room Of Percussion.” Many of these cuts are on par with the best of Pink Floyd’s early work. Kaleidoscope was making imaginative music featuring plenty of interesting chord progressions, jangley guitars, bizarre lyrics, and smart production trickery. Much of the rest of Tangerine Dream is very good too, but sales and critical recognition stiffed due to the adventurous nature of the group’s music.
Faintly Blowing (Fontana) came out sometime later, in 1969. While it may lack some of the key album cuts that made Tangerine Dream so special, Faintly Blowing is consistently strong and features influences as diverse as folk and hard rock. Some of the highlights include “Poem,” a soft folk track similar to “Please Excuse My Face,” the phased out hard rocker “Music” and the edgy psychedelic title cut. Abrasive numbers “Snapdragon” and “Love Song From Annie” represent Kaleidoscope’s new hard rock approach while still retaining the group’s clever edge – these cuts are both gems. Some songs’ lyrics, like that on the tuneful folk-rocker “A Story From Tom Blitz,” deal with morals and important life lessons to be learned.
The music on Faintly Blowing is a bit more professional sounding, lacking the reckless energy and psychedelic feel of the debut. But make no mistake, this is a very good album full of sharp ideas, fairytale lyrics, fine songcraft and pretty vocals. If you’re intrigued by psychedelic, progressive or folk sounds, this disc is not to be missed.
by JasonNardelli
Tracks
1. Faintly Blowing - 4:08
2. Poem - 2:53
3. Snapdragon - 2:42
4. A Story From Tom Bitz - 3:45
5. (Love Song) For Annie - 2:33
6. If You So Wish - 3:40
7. Opinion - 0:18
8. Bless The Executioner - 2:58
9. Black Fjord - 3:13
10.The Feathered Tiger - 5:09
11.I'll Kiss You Once - 0:57
12.Music - 6:08
13.Do It Again For Jeffrey - 3:14
14.Poem (Mono Single Version) - 2:52
15.Balloon - 2:18
16.If You So Wish (Mono Single Version) - 3:40
17.I Luv Wight - Let The World Wash In - 4:11
18.I Luv Wight - Mediaeval Masquerade - 2:41
All compositions by Peter Daltrey and Eddie Pumer Bonus Tracks from 13-16 Special Bonus Tracks from 17-18
The festival band The M rode the high crest of the white foamed wave of the New Rock movement that overtook the Japanese music scene in the early seventies. The hand was a kind of supergroup since its members where assembled and drafted from other high profile heavy rock/psych outfits.
Lead guitarist Takami Asano was drafted in from Godaigo, bassist Yoshimichi Tarumi, Gedo's Tetsuya Nishi on drums and Yellow's TakamichiTarumi. In 1971 The M was everywhere, playing alongside such luminaries as Creation, Too Much, Murahatchibu and Miki Curtis' newly heavy version of Samurai. In early April 1971, The M performed at the celebrated 'Rock Invitation Number One', at llibiya Outdoor Hall, thereafter being asked back for'Rock Invitation Number Two', on June 26th.
Later the same year,The M recorded a self-titled LPfor RCA Records, which was released in February 1972. The M was destined to make it big but failed against all expectations to hit the spotlights, in that the album sold very few copies and was withdrawn. So not surprisingly (hey only released this single album and shortly afterwards disbanded. The A side is comprised of original compositions by the band, whereas the B side is made up out of some well selected cover tunes, with which they always had huge success while performing them live.
Tracks
1. The Time Now Here (Takami Asano) - 11:21
2. White Cross (Takami Asano, Yoshimichi Tarumi) - 5:02
The last piece from the Fading Yellow puzzle, leads us again to North America, forgotten treasures come to light in this 13th volume, an ideal setting for the most demanding listeners, acoustic, guitar, baroque pop along with the always consistent and remarkable job on the covers and detailed notes about each musician.
I would like to thank my friend Cor for all his hard work and specially in these Fading Yellow series, most of them are limited and hard to find, and the value is sometimes large enough to obtain them.
Thank you all.
Artists - Tracks
1. Burnside - I Need No Help From You - 2:27
2. We The People - For No One To See - 2:01
3. The Arbors - I Can't Quit Her - 3:11
4. The Dickens - One Of A Kind Woman - 3:00
5. Michael - Love Is Just Around The Corner - 2:38
6. Terry Mcmanus - Gimme A Hand - 2:01
7. Bread - Cover Me Babe - 3:43
8. Early Times - Valley Of The Sun - 2:41
9. Benjamin Carry Ltd. - Catch The Rain - 1:57
10. Timothy - Mr Moonlight - 2:34
11. Lewis And Clark - Daddy's Plastic Child - 3:02
12. Natty Bumpo - Legends - 2:45
13. Pebbles And Shells - Let's Be More Than Friends Tonight - 2:25
14. Cinnamon - Have You Gone Out Of Your Mind? - 2:32
15. Bach's Lunch - You Go On - 2:21
16. Sure Cure - Anything You Want - 2:50
17. Harry's Group - Under My Umbrella - 2:35
18. Company Front - So Lonely - 2:25
19. Timothy - That Is All - 2:21
20. Jack Holiday - Lazy Day - 2:54
'Perhaps he is a bit headstrong. I think most of it is by design. He is struggling to find an identity. He has in fact told me that he wants to be controversial, inventive, temperamental. Actually, he belongs to a group of young poet-performers which might include John Phillips, Bob Dylan, Paul Simon, Bob Lind... you know the type. But make no mistake by thinking this information gives you a mental file on Rabbit Mackay.
That he is far beyond categoric placement is evident when you hear the first few bars of any of his song-poems. And I call them song-poems because they are far more involved in lyric content than in harmonic and melodic structure. You might see him and call him a 'hippie', but I'm sure that bag would offend him. He lives with several friends, Ellen and her baby in a small wood-frame house and adjoining shed in the middle of a sugar beet farm near Somis, California. It's complete with rusty farm machinery, old rabbit hutches, a goat and sugar beets. It's also quite obvious that he has rejected the materialistic life.
What furnishings you see are all spit and polish, which is probably a credit to Ellen. You'll see paraphernalia as you look around, and you might catch a whiff of incense which was burned a bit earlier. It's a groovy place where you can reach out. Rabbit's mind works a hundred miles an hour. His record producers tell me that it is impossible to keep him happy recording. By the time the technical hang-ups of the recording business have been overcome and a finished product has been derived, he has moved on to something more involved.
And though his instructors at Moorpark College reserve calling him genius at this time, all agree that there is something special about this young man. He seems to have surrounded himself with unique musicians - not that they have chosen obscure instruments as an outlet. They haven't. The rest of the group is electric piano, guitar and drums. Nothing strange there. But when Tree plays his piano, it sounds different somehow.
The same goes for Bob's drumming. Something he does fits Rabbit Mackay. That is the name of the entire group, you know. They went through the bit about 'The Rabbit Mackay Happening' or 'The Rabbit Mackay Movement' or 'The Rabbit Mackay Experience'. But the group decided not to tell their listeners they had just been part of an experience'
- original press release, December 1967
This unconventional singer-songwriter came from Somis, California. His first album takes in blues, garage-rock and gentle psychedelic folk, with backing from guitar, keyboards, flute, drums and more. A neglected gem originally released in June 1968.
Tracks
1. Big Sur - 4:36
2. Candy - 2:11
3. Lana Minus Life - 5:17
4. John's Lament - 3:20
5. Hard Time Woman - 2:52
6. Mexico Town - 2:21
7. Baby Jennifer - 2:47
8. When Angel Comes - 3:36
9. West Grogan Dormitory Blues - 4:08
10.You Can Always Come to Me - 2:50
The vol. 12 from the series Fading Yellow splits again the muse between Australia, continental Europe and Great Britain, of course the level remains high, both in music -a fine blend of jazzy orchestrated psychedelic pop-, and the CD presentation, the covers and detailed information about each artist. I hope this is gonna turn to be a pleasant Sunday companionship.
Artists - Tracks
1. Pennywise - Lily Come Near Me (The Netherlands) - 3:09
2. Murray Head - Someday Soon (UK) - 2:55
3. Paul Vigrass - Like It Never Was (UK) - 3:50
4. Pillow - Choirs (Sweden) - 3:05
5. Tin Tin - Swans On The Canal (Australia) - 2:18
6. Blue Skies - Nightingales (UK) - 2:31
7. Ted Mulry - Julia (Australia) - 2:22
8. Skaldowie - Cala Jestes W Skowronkach (Poland) - 4:38
9. Jormas - Tomorrow Is Hers (Finland) - 2:50
10.Change - When The Morning Comes (Iceland/UK) - 4:12
11.Jackpots - Lincoln City (Sweden) - 3:02
12.The Fortunes - I Can/T Remember When The Sun Went In (UK) - 3:22
13.Bengt & Pontus - Your Problem (Sweden) - 1:59
14.M.T. Else - The Ferris Wheel (Sweden) - 2:41
15.Biddu - Look Out Here I Come (UK) - 3:07
16.Harlem Speakeasy - Sight Of Pegasus (UK) - 2:12
17.Mike Tingley - Monotony's Message (The Neterlands) - 3:32
18.Nameless - A Lighthearted Life (Sweden) - 2:53
19.Gerry Morris - See Through My Mind (UK) - 3:36
20.Ted Mulry - So Much In Love Julia (Australia) - 2:43
21.Dave Berry - Chaplin House (UK) - 3:37
22.Pebbles - I Wonder (Belgium) - 3:16
23.Victoire Scott - 4eme Dimension (France) - 3:05
24.Victoire Scott - Une Fleur Dans Le Coeur (France) - 2:11
Don't be fooled by the name - with a moniker like Wildwood, you'd half expect pastoral literock from some self-absorbed Marin County dropouts, but the iconoclastic heroes of the tale about to unfold actually hail from the .tough blue collar environs of California's Central Valley - and they walked it like they talked it. The delta town of Stockton had strong R&B roots, with the influential Merced Blue Notes showing the way in the early 1960s, and local rockers like Gary Wagner sporting a tough groove in the groups the Chosen Few and Parish Hall, but by the late 1960s the city had wimped out, with the popular vibe a distinctly folkie, hippyish one, centered around countercultural hotspots like the Minotaur.
In this mellow milieu, Wildwood were the exception - dark and vaguely sinister in both look and sound, they melded the fuck-you attitude of the garage era with a soulful R&B streak and some enviable hard rock chops. Independent to the end, Wildwood did their own thing, and their story - and its remarkable musical legacy, as featured on the two discs you now hold in your hand - is a good one had had an enviable indoctrination into the music from the other side of the tracks, when at fourteen he was enlisted by the Coachmen, a multi-racial combo who rehearsed in his parents basement in the lily-white section of town.
The Mal-Ts were originally called The Dynamic Crescendos. They were from Linden, which is just east of Stockton - only eight miles away but a different world for me, a rural area. Named for surfing totem the Maltese Cross, the Mal-Ts were completely in the vanguard of the moment, a grass roots hybrid of British Invasion and its Raiders-Rascals American equivalent, and already a popular attraction amongst teens locally. The Mal-Ts lone 45, Here To Stay / Stand Up Today, is amongst the handful of garage gems to emanate from the Central Valley. Cut in Hollywood in late 1966 with famed engineer Bruce Morgan, this fine record was issued upon the bands own imprint, Lady Luck.
Williams got drafted, and Hensley also left, indirectly leading to the formation of what would become Wildwood. Williams was replaced by John Turner, formerly of The Cloud, and the bass playing position was actually taken over by a guitarist: Frank Colli, leader of Frankie & The Fontells and a legendary figure in Stockton with a reputation as a bad-ass – both onstage and off. Colli had a unique vocal style, modeled somewhere between his idol Ray Charles, and the intensity of a Sean Bonniwell or Arthur Lee. Zachary had seen fit to rename the band Zephyr Blue but, as the quartet of John, Tim, Mark and Frank got to know each other musically via marathon jam sessions at Tim's mother's barn on Baldwin Lane, there was no longer a position for him anyway, it was Zachary that further enabled the new creativity of the new band by making a connection that would provide the lion's share of recordings that appear on this anthology.
Max Weiss, the eccentric founder of venerable San Francisco independent label Fantasy Records, was well known for hosting literally dozens of acts in the labels funky warehouse studio, located in the Mission district of San Francisco, during the mid-1960s By the summer of 1968, Weiss was famously lackadaisical about seriously working with bands, but he was impressed enough by what he heard to suggest they have a release on Magnum. Mark: "By that point we had become Wildwood, from a book I was reading about ancient Celtic pagan rituals.
As with all the Wildwood recordings, it's the outlaw timbre of Colli's voice that makes the moment extra-special. Wildwood had already started performing around the Valley in the old Mal-Ts stomping grounds, but their tough sound was at odds with the folkier direction most other local groups seemed to be embracing. Mark: "After Plastic People came out, we also started promoting our own shows in different towns like Modesto. Turlock, Tracy, and in Sierra foothills towns like San Andreas and Sonora.
This is Wildwood, it's black, it's dark, whatever it is, it's us. Free Ride, released in 1969, and sporting standard Steppenwolf style rock moves. It's flipside was a much more original item that went back to the Vox-era, with overdubbed piano and a dramatic atmosphere. Wildwood County is significant also for the introduction of perhaps the most colourful figure in the entire Wildwood saga: the enigmatic W. Chalker, he was a character. rolled up, and work boots — definitely not the hip- PIG type, Up to that time, Frank was writing most of the lyrics, but when they met Chalker, his lyrics took they to a different place. He would record these primal, rambling versions of his songs with just vocal and acoustic guitar.
As it is for many other groups of their kind, the intensive five years the four members of Wildwood worked together proved an emotionally draining experience, with little to show for it save two obscure 45s and a bag full of 7 1/2 ips dubs of their Fantasy tapes. Moving on, most everyone continued in music to a greater or larger degree. Mark Ross played with several notables including the Mark- Almond Band, and would eventually move into composing music for television, with two Emmys to his credit. Still writing and singing, the enigmatic Frank Colli performs regularly in the Central Valley, and his newer material can be found online. Tim Mora continues to play drums with various local acts.
Although John Turner passed away a few years ago, the members of Wildwood have remained great friends for the last forty years. And it's quite likely that the powerful shared apprenticeship of Wildwood was something that wasn't replicated in their subsequent musical adventures.
by Alec Palao
Tracks
Disc 1
1. Plastic People (F. J. Colli, T. Mora, M. S. Ross) - 3:14
2. Mothers (W. Chalker, F. J. Colli, T. Mora, M. S. Ross) - 4:35
3. Mary Midnight (W. Chalker, F. J. Colli, T. Mora, M. S. Ross) - 5:43
4. Choo Choo Thunder (W. Chalker, F. J. Colli, T. Mora, M. S. Ross) - 6:05
5. Free Ride (Hammond) (F. J. Colli, T. Mora, M. S. Ross) - 2:42
6. Wildwood County (W. Chalker, F. J. Colli, T. Mora, M. S. Ross) - 3:28
7. Gotta Keep Movin' (F. J. Colli, T. Mora, M. S. Ross) - 3:32
8. Swimming (F. J. Colli, T. Mora, M. S. Ross) - 2:39
9. Steel Cathedrals (W. Chalker, F. J. Colli, T. Mora, M. S. Ross) - 6:13
10.Probing the Secrets (F. J. Colli, T. Mora, M. S. Ross) - 4:14
11.Durango (W. Chalker, F. J. Colli, T. Mora, M. S. Ross) - 3:34
12.Mister Wild Love (F. J. Colli, T. Mora, M. S. Ross) - 4:05
13.The Weasel (F. J. Colli, T. Mora, M. S. Ross) - 3:41
Disc 2
1. Knock On Any Door (F. J. Colli, T. Mora, M. S. Ross) - 3:25
2. Lonesome Roads (W. Chalker, F. J. Colli, T. Mora, M. S. Ross) - 3:47
3. Steel Cathedrals (Mercury) (W. Chalker, F. J. Colli, T. Mora, M. S. Ross) - 4:04
4. Free Ride (Vox) (F. J. Colli, T. Mora, M. S. Ross) - 5:12
5. Blue Eyed Woman (F. J. Colli, T. Mora, M. S. Ross) - 6:38
6. The Mal T's - Here To Stay (Bob Zachary) - 1:54
7. The Mal T's - Stand Up Today (Bob Zachary) - 2:38
8. William Chalker - Wildwood County (W. Chalker) - 5:22
9. William Chalker - Frisco Fog (W. Chalker) - 4:27
10.William Chalker - Choo Choo Thunder (W. Chalker) - 1:15
11.Chalker - Death is a Horseman (W. Chalker) - 6:51
12.Chalker - Sweet Lorraine (W. Chalker) - 5:44
13.Chalker - Nevada Voice (W. Chalker) - 3:32
14.Chalker - Mary of the Midnight (W. Chalker) - 8:21
Classic compilation series of purest popsike of the 60-70's. Volume 11 contains 27 trax all together of the highest order, with US and a couple of Canadian trax. Pop-sike, magic pop or wondrous pop.
Artists - Tacks
1. Mike Konstan - This Time - 2:18
2. Mr. Floods Party - Alice Was A Dream - 3:19
3. Click - Rainmaker - 3:06
4. Lavender Hill Express - Visions - 2:19
5. Saint Jacques - Shes Beautiful - 2:28
6. Don Meehan Project - House In The Country - 2:35
7. Rangle - Visions Of Mind - 3:28
8. Soulful Bowlful - For All That I Am - 2:28
9. Benjamin Carry Ltd - Old Man - 2:03
10. Plum Beach Incident - Pretty Thing - 2:22
11. Bill Soden - Rainy Day - 2:52
12. Cloud - Cool Jane - 3:07
13. Idy Lynn- Up In My Mind - 3:01
14. Larry Marks - L.A. Breakdown - 3:06
15. Christian - Just Like A Child - 2:42
16. Click - Dancing Babies - 2:43
17. New Colony Six - Cant You See Me Cry - 2:36
18. The Open Window - Much Too Soon - 5:00
19. Joy - Anduril - 2:45
20. Omegas - Mr. Yates - 2:19
21. Cotton Candy - Billy - 2:18
22. Clark Sullivan - Let Me See Those Lights Again - 2:41
23. Jim And Dale - The Time It Takes - 4:19
24. Springfield Rifle - All She Said - 2:32
25. London Knights - Go To Him - 2:19
26. The #1 - The Collector - 2:23
27. Carnival - Dark Star - 2:06
In my own personal scheme of things, Little Free Rock are pretty doggone important. I grew up with them. They were my first grass-roots contact with the underground rock'n'roll culture. Formed in Preston, Lanes in 1966 by guitarist Pete Illingworth after he'd recovered from the demise of fabulous local legends, David John & The Mood, the band emerged in the heady climate of 1967 as the trio, Purple Haze with Pal Varley on drums and Frank Newbold on bass.
Taking their cue from Hendrix and The Cream, they built up a hardcore following in the Northwest. From humble beginnings with a live set comprising entirely cover versions - material by The love, Creation and Tomorrow amongst others - the trio soon began to write original songs. A five-track demo Bade in London in early 1969 (reproduced here), led to an eponymous debut LP on Transatlantic Records, a relocation to 'The Smoke' and a name change. Within months of their arrival they were changing musical direction.
Their manager, having been knocked out with Ginger Johnson & His African Drummers jamming with The Stones in Hyde Park this summer, suggested a similar collaboration. The experiment worked wonders and at ensuing gigs LFR would regularly be joined by as many as 25 percussionists, the lads from Preston, the only white faces on stage! Caspar Laval, Speedy Acquaye, Lofty and Mac (from Osibisa) all played with the band. They even attracted Peter Green to play a couple of gigs and were invited to play sessions for his first solo LP (which were sadly unused).
Record company wrangles and personnel disputes - ex-Killing Floor bassist, John Taylor permanently replacing Newbold, Lord Eric coming in on hand-drums - meant that another LP was not forthcoming. Fortunately managerial involvement with Robert Stigwood saw them record six songs in their new style, all of which appear here and ooze with an excitement sorely lacking on the Transatlantic release.
LFR eventually split in 1974 with no original members still here - a disastrous period as back-up S4I queen Sarah Gordon was followed by Varley leaving for fame and fortune with teen stars The Arrows and the sacking of Illingworth! It's good to finally have all this stuff available and it's a fitting tribute to a band who really did deserve better.
by Nigel Cross
Tracks
1. Money On Your Mind (Peter Illingworth) - 4:19
2. Evil Woman (Frank Newbold, Peter Illingworth) - 4:33
3. Time Is Of No Consequence (Peter Illingworth) - 5:08
4. Tiego (Peter Illingworth) - 4:13
5. Talking To The Trees (Peter Illingworth) - 3:45
6. Big Bird (Peter Illingworth) - 4:00
7. Money On Your Mind (Peter Illingworth) - 4:37
8. Evil Woman (Frank Newbold, Peter Illingworth) - 4:33
9. Time Is Of No Consequence (No Vocals) (Peter Illingworth) - 5:07
10.Roman Sumer Nights (as The Purple Haze) (Frank Newbold) - 2:32
11.Wait A While (as The Purple Haze) (Peter Illingworth) - 2:17
12.Blud (as The Purple Haze) (Peter Illingworth) - 3:50
13,Dream (as The Purple Haze) (Frank Newbold) - 2:24
14.Evil Woman (as The Purple Haze) (Frank Newbold, Peter Illingworth) - 2:47 Little Free Rock
*Frank Newbold - Bass (The Purple Haze)
*John Taylor - Bass
*Paul Varley - Drums
*Peter Illingworth - Guitar
*Eric Carboo - Percussion Free Text
Little Free Rock was a Heavy Rock Trio from Preston in Lancashire, England. Peter Illingworth, Lead Guitar and Vocals, Paul Varley, Drums and Frank Newbold, Bass Guitar and Vocals.
Their Eponymous Album was released in November 1969, and they were an evolution of Purple Haze whose psychedelic nuances created great interest from their conception in early 1968. Purple Haze were a highly respected three piece outfit formed originally performing covers of songs from bands like The Who, Creation, Tomorrow etc but quickly developing a style and presentation of their own. To avoid association with Jimi Hendrix's Purple Haze, the name was changed to Little Free Rock from the meaning of their names. Paul means 'Little', Frank means 'Free' and Peter the 'Rock'.
Little Free Rock went on to work with Ginger Johnson's African Drummers, whose appearance with the Rolling Stones at the 1969 Hyde Park Concert in Sympathy for the Devil has created much interest. Drummers who appeared from time to to included Gaspar Lawal (Ginger Baker's Airforce), Remi Salaka (Rolling Stones), Speedy Aquay (Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames), Lofty and Mac Tonto (Osibisa), and 'Lord' Eric Carboo. On one occasion at the Chalk Farm Roundhouse there were 26 African Drummers and a Witchdoctor.
The band performed regularly at the Roundhouse Sunday Night 'Implosion' Events and had numerous residencies at the Wardour Street Marquee Club. As well as performing all over Belgium, Continental Trips included the Star Club in Hamburg, Essen Jazz and Blues Festival, and festivals in Frankfurt, San Tropez and Santa Margarita de la Costa in Italy.
CBS and Warner Brothers were becoming exceedingly interested in this new Afro Rock but only six weeks after the release on the LFR Album, Transatlantic started Breach of Contract proceedings. When CBS and Warner Brothers heard this they backed off, however, CBS said that the band was too much like Santana, whom they already represented. Unfortunately, LFR were then unable to record for Transatlantic or anyone else for that matter, which was sad as the original Contract was for 6 Albums over a three year period.
Peter Green (Fleetwood Mac) joined the band for a short period, with gigs arranged at The Marquee and The Lyceum, and invited LFR to perform on sessions for his Solo Album. Sadly, after only one gig at a club called The Night Angel Club in Soho, Peter decided that he was having too much hassle with Ginger Johnson about fees for the recording and he backed out. The tracks were never released.
Tracks
1. Roman Summer Nights - 2:47
2. Lost Lonely - 4:15
3. Blud - 3:55
4. Castles In The Sky - 3:49
5. Dream - 3:46
6. Tingle - 3:59
7. Evil Woman - 2:43
8. Age Of Chivalry - 4:24
9. Making Time - 10:20
Little Free Rock
*Peter Illingworth - Guitar, Vocals
*Frank Newbold - Bass, Vocals, Percussion
*Paul Varley - Drums
The core of Keef Hartley Band, along with Hartley and guitarist/vocalist Miller Anderson, was bassist Gary Thain. He was heavily influenced by bassist Duck Dunn from Booker T. and the MGs but, like Anderson and Hartley, possessed a clearer jazz spirit. The Time is Near... features a number of different horn and keyboard players, with its line-up settling down considerably for Overdog.
If Overdog is generally heavy, The Time is Near... is a lighter affair, with Anderson found on acoustic guitar as often as electric and songs like "Morning Rain sounding almost schizophrenic. Opening with a psychedelic reverse-attack collage of drums and horns, it's a song whose changes could find a place in the repertoire of roots rockers The Band if it weren't for Thain's funky bass line and trumpeter Henry Lowther's soul-drenched horn arrangement. "From The Window could easily have come from Motown, but the shifting tempo and more complex horn parts that ultimately resolve into a sunnier, ambling groove are indicative of greater depth and complexity.
Keef Hartley Band may not have been considered a progressive rock group by connotation, but its combination of soul, jazz, rock and folk here are progressive by stricter definition. Hartley was fortunate to find Miller, who writes all but one song on The Time Is Near.... Possessing enough grit to deliver the stronger message of the nearly ten-minute title track but equally capable of carrying the gentler classical guitar/trumpet duo of "Another Time Another Place," his voice is so versatile that these two tracks almost sound as if they're being sung by different people.
An equally versatile guitarist, he delivers a gritty, blues-drenched solo on the title track and the final part of "You Can't Take It With You, which also features a blistering saxophone solo from Lyle Jenkins during its lithely swinging 6/8 middle section. The only non-Miller track on the disc is "Premonition, an instrumental by trumpeter Dave Caswell, another fine player who seems to have disappeared without a trace. It's essentially a light two-chord vamp with a brief chorus that paves the way for strong solos from both Caswell and Jenkins.
The rhythm section team of Hartley and Thain powers the material throughout. It's hard to judge which of these two reissues is a better record since they're both so different (while remarkably still managing to sound like the same group), but The Time Is Near... gets a subtle nod for its broader mix of styles and a group sound that's as distinctive as its American counterparts, while feeling less like a group looking for a hit. Instead, Keef Hartley Band seems to have hoped that the audience would come to it, and while it had its brief moment in the spotlight, there's no musical reason why it should have been less successful than Chicago or BS&T other than the fact that it never got the international promotion it deserved.
by John Kelman
Tracks
1. Morning Rain - 3:00
2. From The Window - 3:28
3. The Time Is Near - 10:09
4. You Can't Take It With You - 7:19
5. Premonition (Dave Caswell) - 4:24
6. Another Time, Another Place - 2:35
7. Change - 4:00
All songs by Miller Anderson except where noted.
After a lengthy absence FY is back with a lush chorus of “Huzzah’s” and a blizzard of scented rose petals (faded, naturally). “No Elvis, no Beatles, no Rolling Stones.” OK, that’s from a Clash song, but the principle applies here too – albeit from the opposite direction – because here we have a parallel pop dimension in which it appears that every musician aspired to be… Justin Hayward! Just listen to Candle’s ‘Matthew, Little Man’ or Gerry Morris’ ‘When It Comes To Love’ for proof. That catch-in-the-throat, yearning yet soothing vocal style; always calm and assured even when apparently in the depths of despair.
Standards are tip-top from the second that the electric sitar/sweet ’n’ sour strings combo of Ted Mulry’s ‘Remember Me’ oozes from the speakers, but extra Michelin stars should be awarded to Ronnie Bird’s Mick Jones/Tommy Brown-produced ballad ‘De L’Autre Cote Du Miroir’, Gallic folk giant Antoine’s post-Apocalyptic ‘Where Did Everyone Go To?’ and Aussie group The Strangers (featuring John Farrar of Marvin, Welch &…), who turn in a gorgeous ‘Take The Time’.
Oh, and Paul King of Mungo Jerry infamy (now re-named P Rufus King) finally atones for blowing that damned jug on ‘In The Summertime’ with the slightly skewed but completely wonderful ‘Nobody Knows’. Mustn’t forget the splendid Robin Gibb-isms of ‘Welcome To My House’ by Volendam’s very own Leftside either.
So, if turning it up to 11 strikes you as being tantamount to treason then here are 24 more slices of heaven just for you. Anyone suspecting that FY could be running out of steam can rest assured, there’s no drop in standards here. Better grab it fast.
by Mick Capewell
Just been playing the latest FY volume and I must say even though they are all good, I think it is the best volume since Vol.1. The first four tracks make a really strong start; Ted Mulry’s ‘Remember Me’ a geat electric sitar number, Explicit Souls ‘Rebecca’s Shop’ (from a Swedish sampler album) is all harmony, Wilfred’s ‘Candle In The Wind’ (no, not that one), is a really good UK surprise. and Dutch band OPMC’s ‘Love Song For Diana’ are really strong attention grabbers. Gerry Morris’s ‘When It Comes To Love’ is from his scarce LP and I would really love to hear that now after this - anyone got it??.
Two Swedish songs that are really catchy, just because they are so repetitive and melodic are Darling’s ‘Smiling’ and Bengt & Pontus’s ‘Don’t You Hear Me’ and There’s plenty of other great stuff here and only a one or two I’ve heard before. Already on my MP3 player I’m grooving in my head like a Summer’s day despite the Arctic conditions in Britain at the moment. This is great!
by Paul Martin
Artists - Tracks
1. Ted Mulry - Remember Me - 4:01
2. Explicit Souls - Rebecca's Shop - 3:17
3. Wilfred - Candle In The Wind - 3:28
4. O.P.M.C. - Love Song For Diane - 3:06
5. Twilights, The - It's Dark - 1:55
6. Freedom - The Better Side - 4:35
7. Ola And The Janglers - Oh What A Lovely Day - 3:17
8. Gerry Morris - When It Comes To Love - 3:00
9. P. Rufus King - Nobody Knows - 3:33
10.Candle - Matthew, Little Man - 3:02
11.Antoine - Where Did Everyone Go To? - 3:01
12.Greenfield And Cook - A Day Begins - 2:18
13.Dave Berry - I'm Gonna Take You There - 2:30
14.Los Angeles - Please Believe Me - 2:34
15.Scott Harris - Morning Sun - 2:20
16.Darling - Smiling - 2:39
17.Ronnie Bird - De L'Autre Cote Du Miroir - 3:03
18.Leftside - Welcome To My House - 2:53
19.Bengt And Pontus - Didn't You Hear Me - 2:38
20.Lee Kings - Coming From The Ground - 2:36
21.Countdown - Georgia - 3:00
22.Strangers - Take The Time - 3:02
23.John O'Hara And His Playboys - Sister Rae - 3:56
24.Saft - Albertine Hall - 3:46
Sticky baroque delights abound in this scarce and peerless series that showcases the frilliest UK popsike. This volume concentrates on singles from London, and even has an unreleased Bill Fay acetate.
Artists - Tracks
1. Pop Workshop - Fairyland - 3:10
2. The Marianne - As For Marionettes - 2:55
3. Susie Klee - Punch And Judy Girl - 2:44
4. Brendan Phillips - Is It Worth A Try? - 2:42
5. Pussyfoot - Hasty Words - 2:26
6. Hogarth - Suzie's Gettin' Married - 2:44
7. Tony Ritchie - Rain On My Window - 2:47
8. Jumbo - Promises - 3:13
9. John Pantry - Wash Myself Away - 2:15
10.Paul Vigrass - Stop! - 3:00
11.Dave Christie - Penepole Breedlove - 2:29
12.Christian - Other Side Of Life - 2:28
13.Christian - She - 2:44
14.Tapestry - Like The Sun - 2:58
15.Andy Forray - Sarah Jane - 2:54
16.Rodney Bewes - Dear Mother Love Albert - 3:20
17.Gary Hamilton – Let The Music Play - 2:17
18.Mike Leslie - Office Girl - 3:28
19.Micky Jones And Tommy Brown - If I Could Be Sure - 3:13
20.Jon - Polly Sunday - 2:15
21.Timon - And Now She Says She Is Young - 3:09
22 Wishful Thinking - Clear White Light - 2:58
23.Brendan Phillips - When She's Kissing Me - 3:00
24.Bill Fay - Unrelesed Acetate - 3:00
25.Paul Layton - Sing Sadman Sing - 2:51
The band released A Second Foot In Cold Water the next year. Two singles were released, "Love Is Coming" and "Isn't Love Unkind", their second crack in the top 25 on Billboard. All Around Us hit the shelves in '73 and contained only 5 new songs, along with new versions of 4 tracks from the previous 2 lp's. "(Make Me Do) Anything You Want" hit the airwaves again and this time cracked Billboard's Top 10, as did the second time 'round for "Isn't Love Unkind".
More of the unique stylings of this group including the hit single"(Isn't Love Unkind) In My Life" and "Love Is Coming", both hits displayed this band's unique combination of power, subtlety and taste. The bands producer was reputed to have spent as much time as most artists spend recording their entire albums, on just the mixing of the first hit (In My Life) alone, Island Records in the UK signed the group on the strength of the one track "In My Life". The classical guitar intro to one of the heaviest tracks ever recorded in this country (Coming Is Love) is worth the price of the album though the lyrics to this and other cuts on the album were criticized for being sexist and too explicit.
Following the record's dismal showing and dwindling concert draws, the band found themselves without a deal in '74 but continued on. In 1975 they were picked up by Anthem, label for such heavy hitters as Rush and Max Webster, which prompted the release of the single "Midnight Lady".
After their deal with Island outside of Canada, Daffodil signed the group to Jac Holzman at Elektra/Asylum in the US and this album was the result of that deal. Produced primarily by Queen's English producer John Anthony, the album included re-recorded versions of the best songs from their first two Canadian albums and added some newly written material by the group. It was a critical sussess but shortly after it's release Jac departed from Elektra, David Geffen took over and the group was let go.
Tracks 1974 All Around Us
1. I Know What You Need (B. Horne, H. Leggat, A. Machin, P. Naumann, D. Taylor) - 3:25
2. All Around Us (B. Horne, H. Leggat, A.M. Naumann, D. Taylor) - 4:02
3. (Make Me Do) Anything You Want (P. Naumann, D. Taylor) - 3:06
4. It's Only Love (B. Horne, H. Leggat, A. Machin, P. Naumann, D. Taylor) - 2:51
5. Love Is Coming (H. Leggat) - 4:17
6. How Much Can You Take (H. Leggat, A. Machin) - 3:16
7. He's Always There (B. Horne, H. Leggat, A. Machin, P. Naumann, D. Taylor) - 4:44
8. Yalla Yae (H. Leggat) - 3:54
9. (Isn't Love Unkind) In My Life (P. Naumann, D. Taylor) - 4:33
10.Para-Dice (B. Horne, H. Leggat, A. Machin, P. Naumann, D. Taylor) - 3:12 1973 The Second Foot In Coldwater
11.Coming Is Love (P. Naumann) - 8:29
.....a/ Mose Into E
.....b/ Coming Is Love
12.So Long (P. Naumann, D. Taylor) - 3:12
13.Suzy (A. Machin, P. Naumann) - 5:05
14.How Much Can You Take (H. Leggat, A. Machin) - 4:00
15.(Isn't Love Unkind) In My Life (P. Naumann, D. Taylor) - 4:40
16.Sailing Ships (H. Leggat, A. Machin, P. Naumann) - 5:26
17.Love Is Coming (H. Leggat) - 6:04
A Foot In Coldwater
*Alex Machin - Vocals
*Paul Naumann - Guitars, Vocals
*Bob Horne - Keyboards
*Hugh Leggat - Bass, Acoustic Guitar, Vocals
*Danny Taylor - Drums
The debut album by a great Canadian band. It includes their best known and much loved classic hit "(Make Me Do) Anything You Want", will a staple of gold rotation through out the country and containing perhaps the best known guitar solo in Canadian rock music; in addition to, some of the tightest playing of any band to ever grace the Canadian rock scene. The group were a cult favorite of legions of biker gangs yet mixed with their powerful 'heavy' rock stylings reminisent of Deep Purple and Zeppelin was their unique approach to rock ballads which combined power with strings and other acoustic elements. At their peak they were among the best groups Canada has spawned.
In 1971 Paul Naumann left his band Leather and got together with fellow Torontonian Alex Machin, forming the group Island. Around the same time the remnants of another progressive rock group Lords Of London, in bassist Hughie Leggat, drummer Danny Taylor and Bob Horne on organ were looking for a change, forming Nucleus.
After one album, they hooked up with Nauman and Machin. They caught the attention of Frank Davies, who signed them to his new Daffodil Records in early '72 and A Foot In Cold Water was born. An offbeat British slang for 'a shocking experience', their debut was exactly that, striking gold the same year. Backed by the future classic "(Make Me Do) Anything You Want" which scored in Billboard's Top 25, the album gained critical reviews, despite the length of most of the tracks being too long for conventional airplay. Also on the record were the sleeper hits "On The Wind" and "Deep Freeze".
by Frank Davies and Paul Leask
Tracks
1. On the Wind (Paul Naumann) - 4:05
2. Yalla Yae (Hugh Leggat) - 3:49
3. Deep Freeze (Hugh Leggat) - 3:14
4. (Make Me Do) Anything You Want (Paul Naumann, Danny Taylor) - 5:13
5. Who Can Stop Us Now (Paul Naumann) - 3:21
6. Alone Together (Paul Naumann) - 3:05
7. Fallen Man (Paul Naumann, Alex Machin) - 3:56
8. In Heat (Paul Naumann) - 6:08
9. Lady True (Paul Naumann, Alex Machin) - 2:27
A Foot In Coldwater
*Alex Machin - Vocals
*Paul Naumann - Guitars
*Bob Horne - Keyboards
*Hugh Leggat - Bass
*Danny Taylor - Drums
The origins of Nucleus lay in late- 60s Toronto combo The Lords Of London. They were a popular live attraction and appeared at the Canadian National Exhibition in Toronto, which ran from 15th August to 2nd September 1967, alongside The Guess Who and Kensington Market, as well as US bands including Moby Grape.
Though they'd had minor Canadian hits with Cornflakes And Ice Cream, The Popcorn Man and Candy Rainbow in 1967-68, a US breakthrough never came, and by September 1968 they were evolving into a different sort of act. Agnello was replaced by Bob Home, and - having changed their name to Nucleus and adopted a jazzier, more improvisational approach in daylong rehearsals - they recorded their sole LP for Chicago's Mainstream label, with all songs penned by Fitzpatrick.
Musically it ranges from the deranged Jenny Wakes Up to the intense Communication. Issued as Mainstream S-6120 in April 1969 (its release having been briefly delayed by what Billboard described as 'a technical complication'), the album sold poorly, though it attracted considerable cult interest, with the single version of Communication receiving heavy underground airplay.
On May 24th 1969 Billboard reported that 'Nucleus seem to be on the verge of breaking through internationally', but it wasn't to be. By 1970 the band was frustrated with their failure to make commercial headway, and though further 45s had appeared (Johnny Peace / Ernie's Gone and Wonder Girl / Help Me Find Some Peace), they split at the end of the year, with Taylor, Leggat and Home joining ex-Leather members Alex Machin and Paul Naumann to become A Foot In Coldwater.
Tracks
1. Jenny Wake Up - 8:57
2. All About Me And The Spidery Bass - 3:25
3. Judgment Day - 6:24
4. Lost And Found - 6:41
5. Share Your Color - 2:59
6. Communication - 10:57
All songs by Greg Fitzpatrick.
Nucleus
*Greg Fitzpatrick - Vocals, Keyboards, Bass
* Bob 'Tonto' Horne - Organ
* Hughie Leggat - Rhythm Guitar, Vocals
* John Richardson - Lead Guitar
* Danny Taylor - Drums
