Blues Creation was formed by guitarists Kazuo Takeda, Koh Eiryu and singer Fumio Nunoya, in early 1969, after the dissolution of their Group Sounds outfit The Bickies. Takeda played many guitar sessions and slowly began to gain confidence in himself as a lead vocalist, so much so that when he returned to the Japanese music scene, in 1973, to support Mountain, it was as the lead singer/guitarist of a new power trio called simply Creation.
The urbane and gregarious Takeda hit it off with Leslie West and Mountain drummer Corky Laing, but became even bigger mates with bassist Felix Pappalardi and his wife Gail Collins, who had written most of the lyrics for Mountain's hits.
However, Creation did not release their first LP until 1975, by which time Takeda ? nervous of his new role as lead singer ? invited rhythm guitarist Yoshiaki Iijima to join drummer Masayuki Higuchi and bassist Shigeru Matsumoto in the new line up. Takeda contacted Felix Pappalardi and asked him to produce the second Creation LP.
Pappalardi, temporarily deafened by the high volume at which Mountain always played concerts, had already decided to concentrate on studio production, and so he and his wife began to write songs with Takeda at their Nantucket home in Massachussets. In April 1976, the results were released in Japan as "Creation With Felix Pappalardi" and in the US as "Felix Pappalardi Creation". Unfortunately, the international acclaim that Kazuo Takeda so longed for was still unforthcoming, although the record was once more a mighty success in Japan.
by Julian Cope
Tracks Disc 1
1. Pretty Sue - 2:46
2. Lonely Night / You Better Find Out - 3:53
3. A Magic Lady - 1:37
4. Tobacco Road - 6:15
5. Secret Power - 6:51
6. Dark Eyed Lady Of The Night - 8:07
7. MC / Blues - 8:46
8. Theme From A Imaginary Western - 5:58
Disc 2
1. Nantucked Sleighride (To Owen Coffin) - 11:57
2. Preacher’s Daughter - 3:26
3. Watch ‘N’ Chain - 15:16
4. MC - 1'06
5. Dreams I Dream Of You - 4:10
6. Guitar Solo - 1:05
7. High Heel Sneakers - 3:32
8. Roll Over Beethoven - 3'41
The Nuggets series continues with a various artist compilation charting the life of the San Franciscan label Hush Records. Owner Garrie Thompson's story reads like an American dream come true-.-for a man whose forays in the music industry were no more than a hobby, he had an innate ability to spot a good singer and song.
Though he will always be remembered as the producer of the one hit wonders Syndicate Of Sound, with the classic garage hit Little Girl, this 24 tracker shows the full extent of his and his artist's talents.
The Syndicate were Thompson's best known band, a group of fine young musicians whose clear aim was to be successful. Consequently, their musical style evolved to fit the trend of the day: they had started out playing in James Brown-style combos but soon switched to the British sound of the Beatles.
Little Girl was the culmination of a mostly improvised session. With only a rough structure to the song, and some spontaneous arrangement, Thompson recorded the session and achieved the dynamics of a hit record. Get Outta My Life was an attempt to create a similar track to Little Girl, brimming with attitude. Looking For The Good Times (The Robot) and Rumour were recorded for their Bell album-.-2 hard-edged original tunes stood out of an album which contained mainly covers.
The Brogues were another of Thompson's discoveries, tabbing their music as "American Music With A British Accent". They regarded themselves as hard-line R&B musicians, playing gutsy, punkified tunes with a strong influence from British bands such as Manfred Mann and the Pretty Things. Though some of the tracks included on this compilation, such as Someday or But Now I Find are lightweight folk rock.
Thompson recorded several other bands including Wm Penn & The Quakers, Gerry & Leslie, Stop Sign and the Diminished Fifth with their own brand of punk rock. Some of the best tracks from their repertoire has been included here. Hush sadly closed its doors in 1968, after a series of flops.
"The Hush Records Story" contains the best of Thompson's work. Of the 24 tracks contained on this compilation 10 have never been issued before-.-some are alternate takes while others are stereo mixes.
Artists - Tracks
1. Syndicate of Sound - Little Girl - 2:25
2. Syndicate of Sound - Get Outta My Life - 2:38
3. The Brogues - Someday - 2:12
4. The Brogues - But Now I Find - 2:13
5. William Penn and The Quakers - Believe Me - 2:23
6. William Penn and The Quakers - Hey Hey Hey Hey - 2:27
7. The Brogues - I Ain't No Miracle Worker - 2:57
8. The Brogues - Don't Shoot Me Down - 2:25
9. Syndicate of Sound - Looking for the Good Times (The Robot) - 2:23
10.Syndicate of Sound - That Kind of Man - 2:16
11.Syndicate of Sound - Rumors - 2:07
12.Syndicate of Sound - Say I Love You - 2:30
13.Gerry and Leslie - I Like That Girl - 2:14
14.William Penn and The Quakers - Ghost of the Monks - 3:07
15.William Penn and The Quakers - Care Free - 2:54
16.William Penn and The Quakers - Coming Up My Way - 3:50
17.Syndicate of Sound - Mary (Marrie) - 2:45
18.Syndicate of Sound - Games - 2:36
19.The Stop Sign - Nothing Matters Now - 3:06
20.William Penn and The Quakers - Little Girl - 2:30
21.The Diminished Fifth - Doctor Dear - 2:21
22.The Diminished Fifth - Do You Hear - 1:56
23.The Brogues - Saturday Night - 2:57
24.Syndicate of Sound - Someday (Demo) - 2:25
Directly across the Bay from San Francisco, in Alameda County, lies a thirty mile band of suburbia encompassing small cities like San Leandro, Hayward, Union City and Castro Valley, topped and tailed by Oakland and Fremont and linked by the winding thoroughfare of East 14th Street.
A century ago, this was where a fledgling movie industry briefly considered making a home, before it discovered Hollywood to the south. And forty years ago, the East Bay brimmed with another 20th Century popular cultural phenomenon: the garage band. The ‘adult’ rock shenanigans of San Francisco’s hippie clique would have little impact in the clubs and dancehalls of this particular locale. Local teens demanded tough, danceable rock and soul: entertainment, not enlightenment.
Big Beat’s Nuggets From The Golden State series makes an overdue welcome return with “You Got Yours!: East Bay Garage” 1965-67. Returning to the regional themes espoused in earlier volumes, this power packed collection focuses on the East Bay mid-60s garage scene, one of the grungiest and most prolific in the Bay Area. It pays tribute not only to the hundreds of bands that populated the region, but also the scene’s enablers, like promoter Bill Quarry.
This self-effacing man ran the legendary Rollarena in San Leandro, bringing Them to the venue for their first US show in 1966, and in short order also promoted the Yardbirds, Animals, Byrds, Paul Revere and many others, either at the Rollarena or as his confidence grew, bigger shows at venues like Oakland’s Auditorium and Coliseum. Most other parts of the country didn’t have such hit acts visit at all, let alone appear in a suburb of a major conurbation.
Naturally, Quarry booked a myriad local combos at his dances, inspiring local musicians with both the acts he brought to town, and the opportunity he gave them to show their wares. Be they the garage soul of the Spyders and US Male, the bright, British sounds of the Baytovens, Shillings and Peter Wheat & The Breadmen, or the droll Stonesy punk of the Harbinger Complex, Just Six and Soul Vendors, the East Bay bands had a distinct, decidedly blue-collar, flavour, and we’ve collected the best of them on “You Got Yours!”.
Many of these tracks are acknowledged 60s punk classics, others are gems waiting to be discovered. There’s a healthy helping of unissued cuts, as well as a booklet jampacked with photos and memorabilia. The CD also acts as the audio soundtrack to a recent book by Bruce Tahlser of the US Male that documents the East Bay 60s rock scene (details at www.teensntwenties.com)
by Alec Palao
Tracks - Artists
1. Waiting For You - The Baytovens - 2:04
2. Baby What's New - Peter Wheat & The Breadmen - 2:41
3. Tomorrow's Soul Sound - The Harbinger Complex - 2:23
4. I'm Gonna Be Gone - The Just Six - 1:54
5. It's Up To You - The Shillings - 2:13
6. Her Heart Said No - The Blue Lite Conspiracy - 3:21
7. My House - The Baytovens - 2:48
8. You Got Yours - The Us Male - 2:47
9. Sometimes I Wonder - The Harbinger Complex - 2:18
10.Bo Said - The Just Six - 2:46
11.Humpty Dumpty - The Epics - 2:54
12.You're Gonna Cry - The Donnybrookes - 2:17
13.Who Stole The Batmobile - The Gotham City Crime Fighters - 2:19
14.Not The Least Bit True - The Shillings - 2:46
15.Get Out Of My Eye - The Soul Vendors - 2:06
16.Luv Look Away - The Baytovens - 2:23
17.Dynosaur - The Flintrocks - 2:19
18.I'm Feeling Good - The Bristol Boxkite - 2:19
19.You're Takin' Hold Of Me - The Immediate Family - 2:16
20.Away Girl - The Towaway Zone - 2:30
21.Gotta Find A New Love - The Spyders - 2:40
22.Look At The Sun - The Gants - 2:15
23.Such A Fool - The Baytovens - 3:17
24.Where I Belong - The Daytrippers - 2:55
Captain Beyond's second album must have confused the diehards. Where their self-titled debut had upheld the basic progressive heavy rock blueprint of lengthy instrumental explorations, constant tempo changes, and opaque, yet cinematic lyrics, Sufficiently Breathless downplays them for a subtler, song-oriented production.
The predominant mood is snappy and businesslike; no track runs over five and a half minutes. This newfound conciseness certainly benefited such heavy-rocking efforts as "Distant Sun," even as the band stuck to their diverse guns on the moody, acoustic title track and the sleek Latin funk rock of "Bright Blue Eyes" and "Everything's a Circle." The results were intelligent and self-assured, yet the band's never-ending bad luck again intervened when vocalist Rod Evans quit in late 1973, leaving the album adrift.
The band would proffer a markedly different style on their return four years later, but anyone dismissing progressive heavy rock as an oxymoron should definitely check out this album first.
by Ralph Heibutzk
Tracks
1. Sufficiently Breathless - 5:15
2. Bright Blue Tango - 4:11
3. Drifting In Space - 3:12
4. Evil Men - 4:51
5. Starglow Energy - 5:04
6. Distant Sun - 4:42
7. Voyages Of Past Travellers -1:46
8. Everything's A Circle - 4:11
All compositions by Lee Dorman
Captain Beyond
*Lee Dorman - Bass
*Rod Evans - Lead Vocals
*Guille Garcia - Congas, Timbales, Percussion
*Larry Reinhardt - Acoustic Electric, Slide Guitars
*Marty Rodriguez - Drums, Backing Vocals
*Reese Wynans - Acoustic, Electric Piano
*Paul Hornsby - Organ
According to popular stereotypes, Australians prefer their beer strong and their football played by their own rules: hard'n'fast. It's an attitude that frequently extends to their music. Rock'n'roll down under has long held a reputation for being hard, fast, loud and delivered with an untamed, youthful abandon analogous to the land itself. In Australia's mid-60s beat scene this wild spirit flourished, manifesting itself in the music of hundreds of young bands, some of which, fortunately, made it onto vinyl.
Unfortunately, with a few notable exceptions (the Easybeats, the Missing Links, the Masters Apprentices), most of these amazing records remain largely unknown and unreleased outside of their homeland. Now some of the very best of these sought-after sounds can be heard on Big Beat International's ongoing Antipodean 1960s series, the latest instalment of which is Hot Generation, another collection of prime tracks from the archive of Festival Records.
While the artists here drew from a broad stylistic palette - beat, pop, R&B, soul, even surf - the music shares a raw energy and a sense of adventure indicative of the spirit we've come to call 'punk'. This new frontier punk spirit appears in a variety of moods, shapes and attitudes: The Sunsets' The Hot Generation is a relentlessly upbeat celebration of the nation's surfin' lifestyle, yet later the Lost Souls' dark, eerie lament Peace of Mind finds them marooned "a long way from home".
Steve & The Board's two contributions, I Want and I Call My Woman Hinges, typify the Aussie beat blueprint laid out by the Easybeats, combining crunchy guitar riffery, clever vocal harmonies and a unique sense of mischief. The Easys' touch is even more apparent on Johnny Young's Good Evening Girl, written by that group's prolific Vanda and Young. Elsewhere, the Soul Agents provide throbbing freakbeat on I'm Still Mad at You and back Marty Rhone on the vibrantly catchy Every Minute of You, while the Black Diamonds dish out soaring pop melodies on See the Way and Not This Time.
Other highlights include Robbie Peters' fiery version of the Zombies' She Does Everything For Me, the Purple Hearts' fuzz-inflected R&B wailer I'm Gonna Try, Russ Kruger & the Atlantics' powerful Keep Me Satisfied and Tony Worsley's savage take on the Birds' How Can It Be. The latter track was rather out of character for Worsley, who was a frequent visitor to the Aussie charts in his tamer moments, as was Normie Rowe, who shows his rougher side here on the lesser known With Me. Shout-outs should also go to Ray Brown & the Whispers, the Morloch, the Southern Gentlemen and the Pogs who all provide memorable moments. Whatever form it may take, the wild spirit of this 'Hot Generation' possesses every track.
by Mike Stax
Tracks - Artists
1. The Hot Generation - The Sunsets - 2:13
2. I'm Still Mad At You - The Soul Agents - 2:26
3. How Can It Be - Tony Worsley And The Fabulous Blue Jays - 3:11
4. Good Evening Girl - Johnny Young - 2:15
5. Every Minute Of You - Marty Rhone And The Soul Agents - 2:15
6. I Call My Woman Hinges - Steve And The Board - 1:58
7. Keep Me Satisfied - Russ Kruger - 2:39
8. She Does Everything For Me - Robbie Peters - 2:01
9. No - Toni McCann - 1:56
10. I'm Gonna Try - The Purple Hearts - 2:16
11. Naughty Girl - The Showmen - 2:31
12. Watch Out - The Id - 2:17
13. All Over You - Tony Worsley And The Fabulous Blue Jays - 1:34
14. See The Way - The Black Diamonds - 2:30
15. Go To Him - Ray Brown And The Whispers - 2:15
16. The Pogs Theme - The Pogs - 2:27
17. I'm Feeling Sad - The Morloch - 2:23
18. I Want - Steve And The Board - 2:39
19. Peace Of Mind - The Lost Souls - 2:51
20. Saturday Date - Toni McCann - 1:50
21. I'll Make You Cry Too - The Fabulous Blue Jays - 3:19
22. Leave Myself To Me - The Southern Gentlemen - 2:45
23. With Me - Normie Rowe And The Playboys - 1:47
24. (Ain't It) Strange - Ray Brown And The Whispers - 2:43
25. Beat It! - Tony Cole - 3:02
26. I Feel Good - Greg Anderson - 2:53
27. No More Moanin' - Tony Barber - 2:02
28. Not This Time - The Black Diamonds - 2:50
29. High Time Baby - Peter Doyle - 2:49
30. Why Why Why - The Dave Miller Set - 2:41
This north Indiana outfit ruled the roost in the “Michiana” region in the mid-’70s, attracting huge crowds whenever they played live. Often compared with Led Zeppelin, this 5-piece outfit rocked the area with a tight and raw sound that combined in-your-face hard rock with undisguised psychedelic tendencies and lashings of fuzz.
It must be said the boys didn’t do themselves any favours by issuing their only known album with a cover reminiscent of a Journey photo shoot, but regardless of their dubious hair and sense of dress, Magi certainly deserved more than the obscurity into which they ultimately lapsed.
Win Or Lose, recorded at Uncle Dirty’s Sound Machine studios in Michigan in 1976, and which boasts a series of solid songs propelled by a tight rhythm section and some more-than respectable vocals, is always reviewed enthusiastically: “superb heavy rock fuzz spectacular with some psych feel” “ rare Led Zep-like masterpiece of killer rock ” “hard ro c k i n ’ with a psych edge that makes it totally unique” In another place or time this band could have been huge.
As it is, we only have this one incredibly rare album to judge them by, but based on the evidence, Magi definitely receives an unqualified thumbs-up. About a decade later Tom Stevens became one of the Paisley Underground's most active musicians, forming the Long Ryders and been a part of Danny and Dusty's outfit.
Tracks
1. Win or Lose - 5:13
2. Undecided Man - 5:11
3. I Didn't Ask You - 5:51
4. Steven Jam - 4:48
5. Fryin' Away - 6:56
6. Snow Bound - 4:56
7. Runnin' Low - 5:43
8. Everytime I'm with You - 4:42
The band was formed in the mid 1960s by four musicians from Putney, South London.Initially named The Drag Set, they released a little-known single in February 1967, "Day and Night"/"Get Out of My Way". Shortly thereafter, they changed their name to The Open Mind and in July 1969 released a self-titled LP which has since become a highly sought-after collectible.
The Open Mind produced one of the finest UK psychedelic albums, which is excellent throughout and hardly contains a bad track. The music is characterised by some particularly strong psychedelic guitar work and good vocals. It's impossible really to pull-out particular tracks as highlights - they're almost all equally good.
Fortunately this album was re-released and this has made this classic piece of 60’s Freakbeat much more accessible to collectors of 60’s psychedelia. The reissue includes their second rare 45 release, which unlike the first wasn't taken from the album and is superb. A blistering 45 with tasty psychedelic fuzz guitar work. The band, however, is best known for its druggy August 1969 single, "Magic Potion", which did not appear on the album.
Tracks
1. Dear Louise - 3:11
2. Try Another Day - 2:41
3. I Feel the Same Way Too - 5:02
4. My Mind Cries (Mike Brancaccio, Terry Schindler) - 3:08
5. Can't You See? - 2:57
6. Thor the Thunder God (Mike Brancaccio, Terry Schindler) - 2:46
7. Horses and Chariots (Mike Brancaccio, Terry Schindler) - 3:35
8. Before My Time (Mike Brancaccio, Terry Schindler) - 4:06
9. Free as the Breeze - 5:37
10.Girl I'm So Alone (Mike Brancaccio, Terry Schindler) - 3:19
11.Soul and My Will - 2:56
12.Falling Again (Terry Schindler) - 3:08
13.Magic Potion - 3:24
14.Cast a Spell (Mike Brancaccio, Terry Schindler) - 2:12
15.Day and Night (Terry Schindler, Mike Brancaccio) - 2:15
16.Get out of My Way (Terry Schindler, Mike Brancaccio) - 2:19
All songs by Mike Brancaccio except where stated
Tracks from 13-16 are 45' single releases
The Open Mind
*Mike Brancaccio - Guitar, Vocals
*Timothy De Feu - Bass
*Phil Fox - Drums
*Terry Martin Schindler - Guitar, Vocals
*Jon Anderson briefly sang in the band but left before the recordings to form Yes.
In 1970 Beck was badly hurt in a car crash, and had a long time in which to cool himself out. Which brings us up to this newest incarnation of the Jeff Beck Group, and its new record. Rough and Ready, a surprising, fine piece of work from a man who wasn't really expected to come back.
The first cut, "Got the Feeling," starts out strong with a tough percussive line from drummer Cozy Powell, weakens up a little with the introduction of Beck's new singer, Bob Tench, and gets shored up again with a jazz-tinged piano break by Max Middleton, followed by a hard, spicy solo from Beck, obviously back in his element, and noticeably a little mellower. Then comes "Situation," a long, well-played evocation of that misnamed hybrid jazz-rock, and a neat rocker called "Short Business."
Vocalist Tench does a valiant job on both, considering the considerable handicap of being mixed down under the guitar. The album was produced by Beck, and there's that old ego at work again. Perhaps Beck figures he won't make the same mistake twice. Tench has a fine. gravel voice, uses Rod's phrasing and sounds sometimes like Felix Cavaliere. Trying to fill Stewart's high heels is no mean feat, and it's to Tench's credit that he carries himself well throughout.
Side one is rounded out with "Raynes Park Blues," a lovely, striking instrumental lament, the kind of wistful line a musician might write if he weren't working but wanted to. It's the best number here, evocative of somber times, the group cooking quietly. Toward the end there's a tolling bell in there, and one kind of wonders what it's all about.
Side two opens with three rockers reminiscent of the Beck of old: "I've Been Used" has a fine piano line on which Max Middleston shines, and a tortuous yet finely melodic break from Beck, plus a bass line from Clive Chaman that sounds like a sty of hogs in heat. This and the next cut. "New Ways" provide Tench with his finest moments here. After another nice solo from Beck. "New Ways" segues into "Train Train," which is a vehicle primarily for drummer Powell, a potent, intelligent musician who, like his predecessor in this band. Mick Waller, treats his rhythm with expert yet economical proficiency.
by Stephen Davis - Rolling Stone- November 25, 1971
Tracks
1. Got the Feeling - 4:46
2. Situation - 5:26
3. Short Business - 2:34
4. Max's Tune (Max Middleton) - 8:24
5. I've Been Used - 3:40
6. New Ways/Train Train - 5:52
6. Jody (Jeff Beck, Brian Short) - 6:06
All songs by Jeff Beck except where stated
The Jeff Beck Group
*Jeff Beck - Guitars, Bass
*Bobby Tench - Vocals, Rhythm Guitar
*Max Middleton - Piano, Keyboards
*Clive Chaman - Bass
*Cozy Powell - Drums
Recorded live at Detroit's Grande Ballroom in November 1968, this finds the group using a much heavier hard/blues rock approach than they took on their singles, concentrating on blues,R & B covers. It has its use as a document of where they were at during this era. The sound quality isn’t really great (poor I would say), but the onus is probably more in value as a documentary heritage.
by Richie Unterberger (the half)
Tracks
1. Fever (Davenport, Cooley) - 4:44
2. I Get Evil (Whitaker) - 2:55
3. Temptation 'Bout To Get Me (The Knight Brothers) - 3:56
4. The Instrumental (Rationals) - 3:56
5. Wang Dang Doodle (W. Dixon) - 10:47
Rationals
*Scott Morgan - Lead Vocals, Flute, Harmonica, Percussions
*Steve Correll - Electric Guitar, Vocals
*Terry Trabandt - Bass, Vocals
*Bill Figg - Drums
To borrow the title of their lone Billboard Hot 100 entry, #92 in late 1966, it's really all about "respect" –the enduring respect that the nationals earned from fans and fellow musicians within the maelstrom that was 1960s Michigan Rock'n'roll. Guided by the enthusiasm of their manager, Jeep Holland, cherished by an incredibly devoted fan club, the pioneering Ann Arbor group were top dogs in the state and tremendously popular beyond, yet they let their promise falter, while other, far lesser local acts scaled the charts.
Those that experienced the nationals in their prime share an emotional bond to the combo that the rest of us can never fully comprehend, but the recorded evidence speaks for itself, as to the quality of the group and its constituents: a muscular, dependable rhythm section in Terry Trabandt and Bill Figg; the incisive, corrosive southpaw lead/rhythm of Steve Correll; and the multi-faceted abilities of Scott Morgan, one of rock's most unselfconsciously authentic blue-eyed soul voices.
Right from the start, the Rationals were more mature than the average teenage garage band. By the time Holland had got them wholly into R&B, the quartet was unbeatable, and had they had a more prolific writing team, the Rats could have easily become the American equivalent of the Small Faces or Winwood-era Spencer Davis Group - they really were that good. That said, the handful of strong originals the group did arrive at, including 'Gave My Love', 'Feelin' Lost', 'Sing' and 'Sunset', speak volumes of their potential. It is as interpreters that the Rats made their mark.
The serviceable Kinks and Them covers of their garage days morphed into the altogether more experimental 'Smokestack Lightning', which welds the Yardbirds' arrangement to 'Inside Looking Out'. The group's two most successful records, 'Respect' and 'I Need You', are both quite original in execution. The former suffers only from over-familiarity with Aretha's subsequent version; the heartbreaking tenor of the latter could hush the crowd at even the famously "high energy" Grande Ballroom. Their arrangement of the Motown standard 'Leavin' Here', which quotes 'Baby Don't You Do It', is nothing if not definitive.
Thanks to Jeep's instruction, the excerpts from the band's voluminous on-stage repertoire that were committed to posterity - Rex Garvin's 'Gotta Go Now', Little Richard's 'Poor Dog', Albert King's v 'Not Like It Is', the Esquires' 'Listen To Me' -are notably eclectic. The Rationals' recording of Sam Hawkins' 'Hold On Baby' frankly blows the original clean out of the water. "Think Rational!" covers the first phase of the Rationals' career - that guided by their mentor, big brother and incipient Svengali, Jeep - and the following history focuses primarily on those four action-packed years.
The band did not split until late 1970, and we hope to feature their later recordings in a subsequent Big Beat package. However, it's not difficult to argue that, judged on the contents of this collection, Jeep presided over the Rats' golden era. From the innocence of their early British knock-offs to the full-blooded blue-eyed workouts of the 1967-68 period, we are proud to celebrate this exceptional group, and accord the Rationals the "respect" that they have so long deserved.
by Alec Palao, El Cerrito California
Disc1
1. Feelin' Lost (Scott Morgan, Steve Correll) -1:48
2. Look What You're Doing (To Me Baby) (Scott Morgan) - 3:03
3. Someday (Scott Morgan, Steve Correll) - 2:19
4. Gave My Love (Scott Morgan, Steve Correll) - 2:48
5. I Need You (Ray Davies) - 2:16
6.1 Want To Walk With You (Scott Morgan) - 2:29
7. Little Girls Cry (Deon's Song) (Deon Jackson) - 1:54
8. Gloria (Van Morrison) - 2:25
9. Be My Girl (Scott Morgan) - 2:04
10. Leavin' Here (Eddie Holland, Lament Dozier, Brian Holland) - 3:12
11.Medley: Smokestack Lightning (Chester Burnett) / Inside Looking Out (Alan Lomax, Eric Burdon, Bryan Chandler) - 5:55
12.Sing (Scott Morgan, Steve Correll) - 2:08
13.Turn On (Scott Morgan) - 2:09
14.Irrational (Scott Morgan, Steve Correll, Terry Trabandt, Bill Figg) - 2:35
15.Look What You're Doing (To Me Baby) (Scott Morgan) - 2:25
16.Someday (Scott Morgan, Steve Correll) - 3:04
17.Gave My Love (Scott Morgan, Steve Correll) - 2:45
18.Out In The Streets (Scott Morgan, Steve Correll) - 2:34
Disc 2
1. Respect (Otis Redding) - 2:39
2. Hold On Baby (Jeff Barry, Bite Greenwich) - 3:01
3. I Gotta Go Now (Out On The Floor) (Clayton Dunn, Rex Garvin, Pete Holman) - 2:55
4. Said I Wasn't Gonna Tell Nobody (Isaac Hayes, David Porter) - 2:54
5. (Had You Told It Like It Was It Wouldn't Be Like It Is, Oh No) Not Like It Is (Gene Redd, Sonny Thompson) - 3:33
6. Knock On Wood (Steve Cropper, Eddie Floyd) - 3:19
7. Leavin' Here (Eddie Holland, Lament Dozier, Brian Holland) - 2:44
8. Poor Dog (Who Can't Wag His Own Tail) (Johnny Watson, Larry Williams) - 2:54
9. Temptation's 'Bout To Get Me (James Oiggs) - 3:47
10.Listen To Me (Johnny Taylor, Bill Sheppard, Gilbert Moorer) 2:38
11.I Need You (Gerry Goffln, Carole King) - 3:43
12.You Got It Made (Isaac Hayes, David Porter) - 2:54
13.Ha Ha (Scott Morgan, Steve Correll, Terry Trabandt, Bill Flgg) - 4:30
14.Sunset (Scott Morgan, Steve Correll, Terry Trabandt, Bill Figg) - 3:08
15.Part Time Love (Clay Hammond) - 8:11
16.Out In The Streets (Scott Morgan, Steve Correll) - 2:05
Rationals
*Scott Morgan - Lead Vocals, Flute, Harmonica, Percussions
*Steve Correll - Electric Guitar, Vocals
*Terry Trabandt - Bass, Vocals
*Bill Figg - Drums
The Foundations were a surprisingly obscure late-'60s outfit, considering that they managed to reach the tops of the both the British and American charts more than once in the space of a year and had a solid three years of recordings. At the time of their debut in mid-1967, they were hailed as being among the most authentic makers of soul music ever to emerge from England -- the best practitioners of the Motown sound to be found on the far side of the Atlantic -- and were also accepted in jazz circles as well. "Baby Now That I've Found You," "Build Me Up Buttercup," and "In the Bad, Bad Old Days" were the biggest hits for this multi-racial octet, made up of Londoners and West Indians.
The Foundations were formed in January 1967 in the basement of a local coffee bar in Bayswater, gathered together through advertisements in Melody Maker. Lead singer Clem Curtis was a former boxer from Trinidad, while lead guitarist Alan Warner had been making his living in the printing trade in London while waiting for music to pay off. Flautist/saxman Pat Burke hailed from Jamaica, tenor saxman Mike Elliott had played with Colin Hicks (brother of Tommy Steele) in his band the Cabin Boys, as well as in several jazz bands, and trombonist Eric Allan Dale was another jazz veteran. Tony Gomez (keyboards), Peter Macbeth (bass), and Tim Harris (drums) rounded out the lineup. They selected the name Foundations based on their surroundings, a rehearsal space in the basement of a building.
The group made very little headway during their first few months together, although they did manage to get an audition at the Marquee Club. It was at their regular spot at a much smaller club called the Butterfly -- where they played one legendary gig on the last night of the Stax/Volt European tour -- that led to their breakthrough. They were spotted by record dealer Barry Class, who was impressed enough with what he heard to become their manager. He arranged a meeting with Pye Records producer/songwriter Tony Macaulay, who was working with Long John Baldry with some success, but also was desperately looking for a new act to break for the label. He'd written a song with his partner John Macleod called "Baby Now That I've Found You," which seemed to suit the Foundations.
The resulting single, issued in the summer of 1967, got no reaction from the public or on the airwaves until it got picked up by the BBC's newly founded Radio 1, by a stroke of pure luck. The station wanted to avoid any records being played by the pirate radio broadcasters, and looked back at recent releases that the pirates had missed. "Baby Now That I've Found You" was the immediate beneficiary, along with the group -- by November, the single held the number one spot on the British charts. The group's timing was as perfect as the song -- there had been a soul boom in England since late 1965, and the subsequent Motown and Stax/Volt tours by American R&B stars only heightened the public's interest.
The Foundations were hailed for being the first British band to come up with an authentic soul sound, and the fact that they were first multiracial band to top the British charts only made their success that much more impressive (at a time when England was beginning to come to grips with its own racial attitudes). What's more, the group had the goods to back up the press' accolades. Their performances revealed a seasoned, well-rehearsed, exciting stage presence and a bold, hard soul sound that most British bands managed to imitate only in the palest manner, if at all.
Meanwhile, their debut single got to number 11 on the American charts in the hands of MCA's Uni label, and it was equally well-received in the rest of the world, selling something more than three-and-a-half million copies. Suddenly, the Foundations were a British phenomenon and had a world-wide following.
An album, From the Foundations, was duly recorded and featured some superb material, embracing both current soul and the then-popular discotheque sounds. The covers included everything from Joe Tex ("Show Me") to Tony Hatch ("Call Me," in a version worthy of Motown), as well as some new Macaulay/Macleod numbers. The debut album never made the British charts, but it remained in print for years, a perennial seller that held up well over time.
Unfortunately, a follow-up single, "Back on My Feet Again," didn't crack the British Top Ten, despite very heavy airplay and promotion, and barely made the U.S. Top 50. In retrospect, it may have been too similar to "Baby Now That I've Found You," which had sold in enormous numbers. Its relative failure led to the beginnings of a split between the group and Macaulay, as both songwriter and producer, exacerbated by the latter's decision -- as their producer -- not to permit the group to record any of their own songs, even as B-sides. Additionally, they felt that Macaulay reined in their "real" sound, making them seem more pop-oriented than they were.
These disagreements occurred at just about the same time that the group itself began experiencing internal fractures. It seemed to Curtis, in particular, that some of the other members, having topped the charts and chalked up an international hit, weren't putting out the same effort they'd been giving to the group when they were still struggling.
Curtis was persuaded to pursue a solo career, ironically right after he'd recorded perhaps the best track he ever cut with the group, a killer rendition of "It's All Right," a number they'd been knocking crowds dead with on stage all along. (They also released a live album, Rocking the Foundations.) Additionally, saxman Elliott quit as well, and was never replaced. Curtis was succeeded by Colin Young, a good singer in his own right who fit in perfectly with the group's sound, and the reconstituted group hit once more in early 1969 with "Build Me Up Buttercup," written by Macaulay with Mike D'Abo, which reached number two in England and number one in America. "In the Bad, Bad Old Days (Before You Loved Me)" was yet another hit, reaching the U.K. Top Ten and the U.S. Top 30.
The band's success finally faltered when Macaulay exited Pye Records. As he later revealed, he was still being paid solely as a producer and he received no royalties for his songs, despite millions of copies sold. With his departure, the group was cut off from the only composer who'd written all of their hits. Additionally, the sounds of soul were changing faster than the group could assimilate it all -- they tried for a funkier, James Brown-type sound on their last recordings together in 1970 but failed to attract any attention.
The Foundations split in 1970, and by the middle of the decade that followed, Curtis revived the band -- but so had Young, and both outfits were called the Foundations. A lawsuit resulted in Curtis getting the rights to the original name, while Young was allowed to use the New Foundations. The group remains fondly remembered, if not often written about, in England, and it achieved some fresh international recognition in 1998 when "Build Me Up Buttercup" appeared prominently in the hit movie There's Something About Mary. Curtis continues to perform in a revived version of the group, and he and Warner have recorded new versions of the Foundations' classic numbers.
by Bruce Eder
Tracks
Disc 1
1. Baby, Now That I've Found You - 2:38
2. Come On Back To Me - 2:16
3. Back On My Feet Again - 2:56
4. I Can Take Or Leave Your Lovin - 2:18
5. Hold Me Just A Little While Longer (Barbara Ruskin) - 2:28
6. Love Is A Five Letter Word (Gene Barge) - 4:17
7. Call Me (Tony Hatch) - 2:29
8. Show Me (Joe Tex) - 2:54
9. Jerkin The Dog (James T. Shaw) - 3:01
10.A Whole New Thing (Jerry Goldstein) - 2:54
11.The Writing's On The Wall - 2:17
12.Mr Personality Man - 2:29
13.Any Old Time You're Lonely And Sad - 2:53
14.(We Are) Happy People (Eric Allendale) - 2:53
15.It's All Right (Wayne Jackson) - 3:03
16.Build Me UP Buttercup (Michael d'Abo, Tony Macaulay) - 3:00
17.New Direction (Alan Warner) - 3:01
18.Am I Groovin You (Bert Berns, Jeff Barry) - 3:11
19 Harlem Shuffle (Bob Relf, Earl Nelson) - 3:10
20.Tomorrow (Clem Curtis) - 4:48
21.Give Me Love (Colin Young) - 2:51
Songs written by John MacLeod, Tony Macaulay except where indicated
Tracks 1-12 "From The Foundations"
Tracks 13-21 "Build Me Up Buttercup"
Disc 2
1. My Little Chickadee - 3:00
2. Till Night Brought Day (Alan Warner, Peter McBeth, Tony Gomesz) - 3:11
3. Waiting On The Shores Of Nowhere (Jack Winsley) - 3:09
4. In The Bad. Bad Old Days (Before You Loved Me) - 3:25
5. A Penny, Sir (Colin Young) - 3:13
6. I Can Feel It (Eric Allendale) - 3:42
7. Take Away The Emptiness Too- 3:01
8. Let The Heartaches Befiin- 2:57
9. A Walk Through The Trees (Pat Burke) - 3:40
10.That Same Old Feeling - 3:09
11.Solomon Grundy (Eric Allendale) - 4:09
12.Born To Live, Born To Die (Eric Allendale, Tony Gomez, Foundations) - 3:46
13.Why Did You Cry (Tony Gomez) - 2:12
14.Baby, I Couldn't See (John Worsley) - 3:30
15.Take A Girl Like Vou (Bill Martin, Phil Coulter) - 2:39
16.I'm Gonna Be A Rich Man (Colin Young) - 3:48
17.In The Beginning (Colin Young) - 4:06
18.The New Foundations - I Need Your Love I (Colin Young) - 2:25
19.The New Foundations Something For My Baby (Unknown) - 3:12
20.Where The Fire Burns (Unknown) - 5:35
All titles by John MacLeod, Tony Macaulay unlsess else written.
Tracks 1-11 "Diggin' The Foundations"
Tracks 12-20 "45' Singles"
The Foundations
*Clem Curtis - Lead Vocals
*Colin Young - Lead Vocals
*Arthur Brown - Vocals
*Alan Warner - Lead Guitar
*Peter Macbeth - Bass
*Steve Bingham - Bass
*Tim Harris - Drums
*Tony Gomez - Keyboards
*Pat Burke - Tenor Saxophone, Flute
*Mike Elliott - Tenor Saxophone
*Eric Allandale - Trombone
*Paul Lockey - Bass Guests
*Mike D'abo -Piano
*John McLeod - Piano
Jawbone was born from the ashes of The Mirage and Turquoise, two of the UK's greatest cult pop-psych bands (and both recently anthologised on RPM and Rev-Ola respectively) and their lone 1970 album rounds off their stories perfectly. They were thrown together after guitarist Ray Glynn and drummer Dave Hynes decided to re-form The Mirage after a short stint in The Spencer Davis Group came to an end in 1969 (they appear on the excellent "Short Change" single and ill-fated Funky album).
Vocalist Pete Hynes and former bassist Dee Murray was swiftly poached for Elton John's band so they recruited keyboard player and former Mirage sidekick/songwriter Kirk Duncan who called up another former colleague, Jeff "Gus" Peters of the recently defunct Turquoise to handle bass duties. Dave Hynes secured the band a deal with Merv Cohn's newly minted Carnaby label and they changed their name to The Portebello (sic) Explosion for a single coupling the dreamy, Beatlesque pop-sike of "We Can Fly" and a tough, hard-edged cover of Bubble Puppy's minor US hit "Hot Smoke And Sassafras".
The single went nowhere but album sessions began regardless in late 1969 with the re-recording of three old Mirage tunes - "How's Ya Pa?", "Chicago Cottage" and "Jeremiah Dreams" (mistitled "Jeremiah's Dream" on the eventual album), a suitably demented re-working of their unreleased 1967 psychedelic opus "Ebeneezer Beaver". When "How's Ya Pa?" was released as a single in early 1970, it was credited to yet another new moniker, Jawbone. Typically for this period, Dave Hynes had become obsessed by The Band and set about re-modelling the group in their image.
Consequently, titles like "Honeysuckle Redwood Cabin", "Homestead" and "Mister Custer" came thick and fast, bearing the distinct influences of The Band and The Byrds. On the flipside, Jeff Peters' yearning, Dylanesque "Song For Sunny" sounds like a top-notch Turquoise out-take, "Brave White Knight" blends Donovan, Simon & Garfunkel and "Greensleeves" to thrilling effect and the superb version of The Beatles' "Across The Universe" is chock full of flanged vocals, Wah-Wah guitar and all manner of glorious psychedelic trickery.
The album came housed in a luxurious, artistic and no doubt very expensive fold-out poster sleeve but sank without trace. A further non-LP single, "Way Way Down", was released shortly after but suffered a similar fate. Jawbone then hooked up with Joe Brown and became his backing band Home Brew for the next five years, at least ensuring themselves a regular income. Dave Hynes ended up drumming for Steve Marriott during the late 70s and into the '80s.
Tracks
1. Honeysuckle Red wod Cabin (Mynott) - 2:35
2. Homestead (Duncan) - 2:58
3. How's Ya Pa (Duncan, Longstaff) - 3:09
4. Brave Whight Knight (Mynott) - 3:18
5. Bulldog Goes West - 2:49
6. Across The Universe (Lennon, McCartney) - 3:49
7. Million Times Before (Duncan) - 3:02
8. Money Is - 2:46
9. Mister Cluster (Mynott) - 3:10
10. Song For Sunny (Peters) - 3:56
11. Chicago Cottage (Hines, Murray, Duncan) - 2:12
12. Jeremiah's Dream - 5:48
13. Way Way Down - 2:17
14. The Portebello Explosion - We Can Fly - 2:40
15. The Portebello Explosion - Hot Smoke And Satisfaction (Fore, Prince, Cox, Potter) - 2:52
All songs by Dave Hynes except where noted.
Vol 2 of the Mindexpanders series brings you more of the rarest, most funky, weird and downright excellent tracks in existence. It’s an intriguing CD, and undoubtedly one that will encourage collectors & creators alike to explore the lost world of strange recordings.
Another great set of rare tunes from the ‘70s - a mother lode of cuts with lots of strings, fuzzed out guitars, sexy eastern-esque tabla-clarinet duets, sitar, Hammond organs and even steel drums. Cover tune award on this one goes to The Soulful Strings for their sitared and feathered version of the Beatles Within You Without You. This album is a must for fans of Vampyros Lesbos and sundry other erotic soundtracks, as well as just general musical weirdness!
Artists - Tracks
1.The Stradivarius - Walkin’ In the Bach’s World - 2:09
2.The Flying Guitars - Electronics - 2:51
3.Acker Bilk Acka Raga - 2:26
4.Emery Deutsch & the Astro Sounds - You Tried To Warn Me - 2:18
5.The Scottmen - Sitar Sitter - 3:45
6.The Dynatones - The Fife Piper - 2:45
7.Bauer Productions - High Life - 4:26
8.Shell Street Orchestra - Groovy Beat - 4:07
9.International Bongo Band - Congo - 2:50
10.Didier Vincent - Jerk Avec Nous - 2:59
11.The Renegades - Mad Dog - 2:22
12.Robert Gretch - Galaxie Guitar - 2:30
13.Jamie Perez - Tema Arabe - 2:52
14.Unknown - Persian Go-Go Theme - 2:52
15.Timezone – Spacewalker - 3:14
16.The Soulful Strings - Within You Without You - 2:26
17.Thomas Natschinski Und Seine Gruppe - Kosmos 354 - 2:19
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
