A slightly Hard Rock band, Alexis are amongst a plethora of American outfits who released product in the 70's and 80's who would fall into legend with collectors thanks to a sole album release even though the record might just have been a little on the average side.
Alexis' album was recorded at The Record Plant, Los Angeles, CA and produced by Ron Nevison.
Tracks
1. Fly by Night - 3:49
2. It's About You (Eddie Ulibarri) - 3:54
3. We Need Help Now (Robby Fallberg, Randy Reeder) - 3:17
4. Goodnight My Son (David Martinez, Eddie Ulibarri) - 3:09
5. It's in Your Hands - 3:06
6. Late Night Rocker - 3:52
7. Lord Keeps Account (Larry Braden, Randy Reeder, Dick Walker) - 4:50
8. Moon Worlds - 3:45
9. Elam (Eddie Ulibarri) - 4:50
All songs by Larry Braden, Robby Fallberg, David Peters, Randy Reeder, Eddie Ulibarri, Dick Walker except where noted.
The Blend was a '70s rock quintet from Maine led by singer/guitarist Jim Drown .Signed to MCA and accomplished two albums. and had combined sales of nearly 130,000 records. They even got on Billboard's top 100 at #74 with a bullet.
The Blend had it all. All five were lead singers and songwriters, and every show was an addictive train ride that led to a climactic explosion several times.
The Blend gained the experience of touring and opening huge shows for a long list of great rock and roll acts (The Who, ZZ Top, Hall and Oates, Charlie Daniels, etc). Their second album under the title "Anytime Delight" released in 1979 and it’s a pleasant hard rockin with some smokin southern blasts.
Tracks
1. Feel Like I'm Crazy - 3:49
2. Money (Steven Dore) - 5:09
3. Anytime Delight (Steven Dore) - 3:09
4. I'm Not Losin' - 3:15
5. Sky High (Steven Dore, Jeff Joseph) - 4:18
6. Misty Blue (Donnie "D.P." Pomber) - 4:01
7. She Can Take Me - 3:26
8. Will You Be Mine (Steven Dore) - 3:15
9. For Crying Out Loud - 1:58
10.The Prize - 7:03
All songs by Jim "J.D." Drown except where stated
The Blend
*Steven Dore - Guitar, Piano
*Jim "J.D." Drown - Guitar
*Ken Holt - Bass, Vocals
*Donnie "D.P." Pomber - Guitar, Piano
*Skip Smith - Drums
The sister duo of Wendy Flower and Bonnie Flower (their real names, not aliases), Wendy & Bonnie recorded one album in the late '60s. Genesis is pleasant, if naïve, harmonized light rock with psychedelic, jazz, and folk influences. It is impressive given their tender ages -- Wendy Flower was just 17, and Bonnie Flower only 13, when it was recorded in late 1968, and the pair wrote all of the material on the LP.
The Flowers grew up in a musical family in the San Francisco Bay Area, and prior to recording on their own, did a couple of garage-psychedelic singles as part of Crystal Fountain; Wendy sang lead, and Bonnie played drums. Jazz star Cal Tjader put them to the attention of a jazz label he recorded for, Skye, which made the Wendy & Bonnie LP its lone venture into rock. Genesis was pretty sparsely produced, the arrangements highlighting their harmonies and pensive paisley tunes, but did benefit from backing by some top Los Angeles session musicians, including drummer Jim Keltner and guitarist Larry Carlton.
The album was released in 1969, but stalled when Skye Records folded the following year. The death of producer Gary McFarland in 1971 further discouraged the duo. Although they did sing backup vocals on a couple of Tjader albums and some jingles and background vocals at Fantasy Records, they never recorded their own material again, and broke up in the early '70s. They did perform music separately in the subsequent decades, Wendy Flower issuing a children's music cassette, and Bonnie Flower once rejecting an invitation to join the Bangles.
by Richie Unterberger
Tracks
Disc 1
1. Let Yourself Go Another Time - 2:36
2. The Paisley Windowpane - 3:01
3. I Realized You - 3:43
4. By the Sea - 4:01
5. You Keep Hanging Up on My Mind - 2:54
6. It's What's Really Happening - 2:15
7. Five O'Clock in the Morning - 2:43
8. Endless Pathway - 3:37
9. Children Laughing - 2:46
10.Winter Is Cold - 2:36
11.Let Yourself Go Another Time (Instrumental Version) - 2:46
You can hear their influence in the contemporary likes of King Khan 'n' the Shrines and Reigning Sound, not to mention such rock legends as Los Lobos and the Plimsouls. From vintage R&B and psychedelic soul to raveup garage and multi-culti Latino rock: Thee Midniters, a little ol' band from East L.A., had it all down and then some, and though they never really broke nationally, to crate diggers and ‘60s aficionados they remain legendary and among the toppermost. Thanks to the smartly-packaged four-CD boxed set Complete: Songs of Love, Rhythm & Psychedelia! (Micro Werks) the group's recorded legacy now gets a shot at a larger appraisal beyond the admiration of collectors.
Who were Thee Midniters? As outlined in archivist Richie Unterberger's incisive liner notes (Unterberger previously did an in-depth profile of the band in his 2000 book Urban Spacemen and Wayfaring Strangers: Overlooked Innovators and Eccentric Visionaries of ‘60s Rock), the Chicano band formed in East Los Angeles while most of the members were still in high school, playing the covers of the day at the usual teen dance parties, eventually graduating to the recording studio where they cut their first album, 1965's Whittier Blvd., which contained a pair of regional hits, the title track - "a warped mutation of the Rolling Stones' ‘2120 South Michigan Avenue'," is how Unterberger describes it - and a rousing cover of "Land Of A Thousand Dances."
Armed with the killer instinct and soulful lead vocals of Willie Garcia (a/k/a Little Willie G, who'd go on to work with Los Lobos, Ry Cooder, Los Straitjackets and others) and possessing an uncanny ability to both channel and transcend their influences, Thee Midniters served up a heady stew, one that was primarily rock and soul-based but occasionally spiced up with touches of their Mexican-American musical heritage (although to this day the surviving musicians will insist that they were not playing Latin rock per se; they just happened to be Latinos who rocked).Observes Lobos' Louie Perez in Unterberger's liners, "Thee Midniters didn't stay in one predictable place. They were willing to push the envelope of what was expected by a band that was from East Los Angeles... [They] were the best band around at the time.
They became our Beatles; all the stuff that was going on in Beatlemania, we translated into Midniter mania. It gave young kids who would eventually become musicians like myself inspiration to pursue a career in music."It's not hard to hear why, based on the four complete LPs and assorted B-sides and rarities represented on Complete. The first album primarily comprises cover tunes, standouts ranging from the swaggering R&B of Marvin Gaye's "Stubborn Kind Of Fellow" and street-corner group the Concords' smooth "Come Back Baby" to the aforementioned "1000 Dances" and signs-of-the-times rockers "Slow Down," "Money" and "Johnny B. Goode"; anyone who grew up on this material can picture him- or herself crowding down front at the local high school hop, freed for an hour or two from parental constraints and cutting loose while going through the rituals of teenage courtship.
The bonus material (seven songs) yields its own trove of gold, including a swinging "Heat Wave" and a two-part live version of "1000 Dances." 1966's Thee Midniters Bring You Love Special Delivery, though, is where things start to heat up. Still dominating the setlist are covers, notably smoking takes of "Do You Love Me," "Good Lovin'" and "Gloria" (the latter has a punkish vocal snarl and angular guitar attack that very nearly tops the Van Morrison/Them original) plus the obligatory soul outings ("When A Man Loves A Woman" passes the audition) and at least one stab at pure schmaltz ("Strangers In The Night," which no doubt was strategically deployed at those dance hops to melt the hearts and part the thighs of sweet young things).
Casual consumers might call this much ado about nothing, but Complete: Songs of Love, Rhythm & Psychedelia! ain't aimed at casual consumers. My guess is that anyone who's read this far is already frothing at the mouth - or at least experiencing a mild case of Pavlovian drip. So with the above caveat duly noted, l will still advise, and wholeheartedly, to run, don't walk, to your nearest record emporium, and purchase on sight. Those already in the know will cheer, and newcomers will find a whole new universe opening up to them. Senoras y senores, start your low riders...
15.Looking out a Window (Bagliazo, Dominguez, Garcia) - 2:57
16.Jump, Jive and Harmonize (Espinoza, Garcia, Marquez) - 2:29
17.Tu Despedida (Dominguez, Garcia) - 2:54
18.You're Gonna Make Me Cry (Prado, Torres) - 2:40
19.The Ballad of Cesar Chavez (English Version) (Dominguez, Garcia, Garcia) - 4:55
20.La Copla de Cesar Chavez (Spanish Version) (Dominguez, E. Garcia, Garcia, Garcia) - 4:58
CD-4 Giants
1. Whittier Blvd. (Dominguez, Figueroa, Garcia, Lopez, Marquez, Prado, Rendon, Salazar) - 2:30
2. Goin' out of My Head (Randazzo, Weinstein) - 5:32
3. Land of a Thousand Dances (Domino, Kenner) - 2:24
4. Walk on By (Bacharach, David) - 5:15
5. Sad Girl (Higgins, Smith) - 2:42
6. Everybody Needs Somebody to Love (Berns, Burke, Wexler) - 2:38
7. Brother Where Are You? (Brown, Oscar Brown Jr.) - 4:04
8. Breakfast on the Grass (Espinoza, Marquez, Torres) - 2:31
9. Strangers in the Night (Kaempfert, Singleton, Snyder) - 4:44
10.Love Special Delivery (Espinoza, Garcia) - 2:15
11.That's All (Brandt, Haymes) - 3:07
12.Chicano Power (Prado) - 3:04
13.Never Give You Up (Butler, Gamble, Huff) - 3:22
14.Balla Cinderella (Laws) - 3:17
The nine cuts on this disc have been issued under a number of different titles. The cover art is designed to conjure memories of the Electric Flag's groundbreaking full-length debut, Long Time Comin' (1968), intimating that these archival performances are documented by the first incarnation of the band. For starters, the only live tracks included in the package are the vintage "Killin' Floor" (which is erroneously titled "I Should Have Left Her"), "You Don't Realize," and "Groovin' Is Easy." While it is indeed possible that these three songs were recorded during the original band's initial run from 1967 to 1969, the fidelity intimates that they were documented during the group's even shorter revival in the mid-'70s, which spawned the LP Band Kept Playing (1974).
However, definitively sourcing the remainder of the seven sides is a bit of a mystery. One sonic giveaway that these recordings could possibly be dated even later than 1974 is the use of a multi-function keyboard in place of what should be Barry Goldberg's acoustic piano. "It's Not the Spotlight" is a slow R&B ballad with vocals reminiscent of Billy Preston or perhaps Buddy Miles. However, the upfront Chicago-style blues guitar virtuosity of the Electric Flag's top-shelf stringmen Michael Bloomfield and Nick Gravenites seems to be present. The searing leads running through "I Was Robbed Last Night" or "My Baby Wants to Test Me" likely belong to either, or perhaps respectively, both. Additionally, the latter title stands out as one of the stronger cuts on the disc.
The three actual live tracks are good, if not somewhat rote. The best out of the pack is "Groovin' Is Easy," as the bandmembers don't overextend themselves. The horn section is quite cohesive and offers the same textural contrast as the album versions. All said, The Electric Flag: Live is a worthwhile curio rather than the unearthed musical treasure one might hope exists.
by Lindsay Planer
Tracks
1. It's Not the Spotlight - 3:46
2. I Was Robbed Last Night - 4:40
3. I Found Out - 3:10
4. Never Be Lonely Again - 3:36
5. Losing Game - 3:19
6. My Baby Wants to Test Me - 8:18
7. I Should Have Left Her - 4:10
8. You Don't Realize - 5:13
9. Groovin' Is Easy - 4:23
Scott Walker's final British Top Ten album was the first to be dominated by his own songwriting. Ten of the 13 tunes on this 1969 LP are originals; the remaining three, naturally, were written by one of his chief inspirations, Jacques Brel. There are some interesting moments here.
"Big Louise" talks about a hefty prostitute with shocking explicitness for a pop star album of the era. "Copenhagen" (like much of Walker's '60s work) foreshadows David Bowie. "Funeral Tango" is a particularly vicious Brel song. "30 Century Man" is an uncommonly folkish and focused tune for Walker. "We Came Through" is an oddball cavalry charge featuring one of his occasional forays into Ennio Morricone spaghetti Western-like production.
The tension between Walker's dense, foreboding lyrics and orchestral production is unusual, to say the least. But too often, it's too difficult to penetrate Walker's insights through Wally Scott's string-drenched production. It shrouds the lyrics in a fog that's often too syrupy to justify the effort needed to fight through it.
by Richie Unterberger
Tracks
1. It's Raining Today - 4:02
2. Copenhagen - 2:22
3. Rosemary - 3:22
4. Big Louise - 3:10
5. We Came Through - 1:59
6. Butterfly - 1:42
7. Two Ragged Soldiers - 3:07
8. 30 Century Man - 1:29
9. Winter Night - 1:45
10. Two Weeks Since You've Gone - 2:48
11. Sons Of (Gérard Jouannest, Jacques Brel, Mort Shuman) - 3:45
12. Funeral Tango (Jouannest, Brel, Shuman) - 2:56
13. If You Go Away (Brel, Rod McKuen) - 4:57
All songs by Scott Walker except where noted.
*Scott Walker - Vocals
*Wally Stott - Arranged And Conducted all songs except "30 Century Man" and "Funeral Tango"
*Peter Knight - Arranged And Conducted "Funeral Tango"
This enigmatic duo from Marion, Indiana only made one album, which appeared in 1970 and stands as one of the most appealing underground folk-rock recordings of its time. Certain songs were used in contemporary TV and film productions, but their origins and subsequent history remains unknown.
Full of beautiful melodies and hazy harmonies, as well as poetic lyrics and psychedelic flourishes such as recorder and fuzz guitar, the LP bears more than a passing resemblance to the work of Simon & Garfunkel, and is sure to appeal to fans of fellow hippie folk heroes such as Fresh Maggots, Linda Perhacs and Lambert and Nuttycombe.
Tracks
1. Story Street (Jack Ross) - 2:43
2. Me Love (Jack Ross) - 2:27
3. Jean-Claude What’s-His Name (Robert Riger, Jack Ross) - 3:42
4. To Sylvia (Jack Ross) - 2:15
5. Summer Clouds (Jack Ross) - 2:17
6. My Song (Art Titus) - 2:20
7. Thing I Wrote #1 (Jack Ross) - 1:57
8. For Beauty (Jack Ross) - 2:07
9. Cycle Song (Jack Ross) - 2:42
10. Marjane (Art Titus) - 2:39
11. What’s On Your Mind? (Jack Ross) - 2:05
12. Find An Answer (Jack Ross) - 2:41 Track 3 written and performed for ABC Wide World Of Sports coverage of the slalom competitions, December 13th 1969, Val D’Isere, France (aired December 20th 1969). Track 5 written and performed for an industrial film for Eastern Airlines. Track 8 adapted from the poem by Emily Dickinson. Track 9 written and performed for ABC Wide World Of Sports coverage of the Motocross motorcycle competitions, October 26th 1969, from Pepperell, Mass., aired December 13th 1969 (first time original music ever used for an ABC sports presentation).
Musicians
*Art Titus – Bass, Recorder, Piano
*Jack Ross – Lead, Rhythm Guitar
*Tommy Wells – Percussion
No Dice return to record their second LP (with Munch Moore now firmly ensconced on keyboards) - a rock opus done on the Rolling Stones mobile on location and mixed in New York entitled ’ 2 Faced’. The music press hate it - and them. How dare they perpetuate the heresy of playing unfashionably well, writing tunes and having fun??
Everybody starts to jump ship - Chris leaves at the end of the tour and now management and record co’s are suffering from frozen feet. No Dice sail on alone picking up new hands on guitar (Frankie Hepburn) Saxophone (Jakko). Spinal Tap drummer-syndrome affliction sees TonyFernandez and John Richardson pass through the rhythm seat.
Independently released singles (‘How About You/ No conversation’ and ‘One More Night/ There goes another Girl’) and an aborted 3rd album fail to dig the Dice out of the hole of ‘nearly were’ and the band fold at a final show in the legendary Marquee Club in Wardour Street in 1982 (or was it 83?).
Tracks
1. Momma Do Stop Your Children Watching What Your Momma Do (Palmer) - 3:30
2. Shooting In The Dark (Martin) - 3:06
3. I Keep It To Myself - 3:47
4. Angel With A Dirty Face (Martin, Holmes) - 4:09
5. No Stone Unturned - 3:27
6. Come Dancing - 6:05
7. If You Had Nothing - 5:50
8. Bad Boys - 2:29
9. Upt Up 'n' Left Me - 5:35
All songs by Gary Strange except where noted
No Dice
*Roger Ferris - Vocals
*Dave Martin - Guitars
*Gary Strange - Bass
*Chris Wyles - Drums Additional Musician
*Dave Moore - Keyboards
In 1975, from the ashes of a band you’ve never heard of (March Hare) Gary Strange and Dzal Martin added Roger Ferris and Chris Wyles to themselves and formed the fledgling No Dice, a blues/rock band in Stones/Faces style but with room to manoeuvre into more adventurous musical seas if the urge took them.
Roger Ferris,(who was compared to Joe Cocker),had been in a 60s band called the Konrads who were in the news recently after the discovery of tapes which included the period David Bowie was also a member.
After some demos and one single release ‘I need someone’ on DJM records they sat out a not very beneficial contract. When finally released they signed with Pink Floyd’s management company Emka Productions whose considerable influence - and the band’s talent - nabbed them a deal with EMI/Capitol records.
After some club gigs and an opening stint for UFO, in the year Elvis succumbed to one hamburger too many, they lock themselves away in Abbey Road and Island studios ‘til all hours making ‘No Dice’ their imaginatively titled debut album
There are 2 versions of this album with different cover art and slightly different track listing. This copy is the EMI Capitol Hollywood, CA US edition.
Short-lived outfit showcased the talents of bassist Curt Jonnie, the late guitarist Tony Grasso and drummer Mike Zack (Jonnie and Zack had previously played in the band Wild Honey; while Zack was briefly a member of The Cherry People). Largely unknown, for what it's worth, Puzzle may be one of Washington D.C.'s best late-1960s rock outfits.
Signed by ABC Records, the trio's self-titled 1969 debut teamed them with producers Ed Kramer and Jay Senter. Largely written by Grasso and Jonnie, tracks like the leadoff rocker 'Hey Medusa' (which for some reason wasn't shown on the album track listing), 'Make the Children Happy' and 'Babe' offered up a first rate set of hard-rock. Complete with strong melodies, some excellent harmony vocals and occasional shots of fuzz guitar (courtesy of Grasso), "Puzzle" put lots of better known names to shame.
Mind you there wasn't anything particularly original or earth shattering to be found on the set, but these guys played with considerable enthusiasm and energy. While their predominant orientation was hard rock, tracks like 'No Complaints' and 'Golden Butterfly' demonstrated a more commercial, though no less appealing sound. To be honest, the only disappointments were the seemingly endless blues-rock workout 'Working for the Rich Man' and a heavily phased and less-than-convincing foray into psych 'Got My Head Right Yesterday' (which actually started to grow on you given a couple of beers and some time to kill).
Hammersmith was the direct descendent of Painter, a Calgary-based hard rock band that had relocated to Seattle and produced one album in '74. Once Painter had played its last note in '74, Doran Beattie on lead vocals, guitarist Dan Lowe, Royden Morice on bass and keyboards and drummer Herb Ego moved back to Calgary and reinvented themselves.
They were still under contract to Mercury Records, and Bruce Allen, manager of BTO, agreed to manage them. Keeping the same harder edge to their music as their predecessor Painter, they added Jeff Boyne as a second guitarist and began touring western Canada while making stops in Sounds West Studios in Calgary and Timbre Sound in Vancouver to put some material they'd written onto tape. The bulk of these songs were written while the band was still Painter, but in the middle of the recording sessions, Ego left and was replaced behind the drum kit by James Llewellyn.
With Lowe producing, their self-titled debut came out in the summer of '75. "Late Night Lovin' Man" was released as a single, cracking the Top 40 at home. Before long "Funky As She Goes" followed suit, and they found themselves touring Canada for the rest of the year. Other noteable tracks included the cover of Rick Derringer's "Daybreak" and "Breakin' Down," the only original song Lowe didn't have a hand in writing.
By next spring Craig Blair had replaced Boyne on guitars and Llewellyn was gone and Cold Lake native Dale Buchner was the new drummer. They travelled to Sundown Recorders in Edmonton for their 1976 follow-up, IT'S FOR YOU. This time they relied on Jim Gaines, who'd worked with them when they were Painter to co-produce the album with Lowe. "Dancin' Fools" was released as a single, which failed to crack the Top 40. With the record failing to make much of an impression, Mercury had grown impatient with the band and they found themselves without a label.
Once they were off the road, Beattie quit, though the band carried on without him while searching for a new singer and a new deal. Among the people trying out for the singer position was future Moxy and Loverboy frontman Mike Reno (still going by his real name Mike Rynoski), though he didn't last long. By the end of '77 Lowe pulled the plug and everyone went on to do their own thing.
Lowe started up a new project, 451 Degrees a couple of years later, and then Prototype. In addition to becoming a successful producer, he also invented a stereo enhancement process involving multiple microphones called Q Sound, which has been used by such artists as Madonna, Sting, and Pink Floyd, as well as in cell phone technology. Beattie did some session work and became a respected country artist.
1. Late Night Lovin' Man (J. Boyne, D. Beattie, D. Lowe) - 3:21
2. I've Got A Right To Know (D. Beattie, D. Lowe) - 2:32
3. Money Rock (D. Beattie, D. Lowe, R. Morice) - 3:52
4. Breakin' Down (D. Beattie, R. Morice) - 2:52
5. Daybreak (R. Derringer) - 4:42
6. Feelin' Better (D. Beattie, D. Lowe, R. Morice) - 3:18
7. Nobody Really Knows (Why The Sun Goes Down) (J. Boyne, D. Lowe) - 3:39
8. Low Ridin' Ladies (D. Beattie, J. Boyne) - 2:31
9. Funky As She Goes (D. Beattie, D. Lowe, R. Morice) - 2:39
10.Open Up The Sky (D. Beattie, D. Lowe, R. Morice) - 6:32
Tracks
1. Be A Star (R. Morice, D. Lowe, D. Beattie, C. Blair) - 3:58
2. Barre's Bizarre (D. Lowe, C. Blair) - 2:35
3. Good-Bye, Good-Bye (C. Blair, D. Lowe, D. Beattie) - 3:50
4. When I Was Young (D. Beattie, C. Blair, D. Lowe, R. Morice, D. Buchner) - 5:57
5. Breakaway (C. Blair, D. Lowe, D. Beattie) - 4:19
6. Dancin' Fools (D. Beattie, D. Lowe) - 2:58
7. Kickin' Back (C. Blair, D. Lowe, D. Beattie, D. Buchner) - 3:37
8. Hello, It's for You (D. Beattie, R. Morice, D. Lowe) - 2:57
9. Under the Sea (D. Beattie, C. Blair, D. Lowe, R. Morice, D. Buchner) - 6:11
10.Mr. Las Vegas (R. Morice) - 4:03
Hammersmith 1975 Hammersmith
*Doran Beattie - Lead Vocals
*Dan Lowe - Lead Guitar
*Royden Morice - Bass, Keyboards, Backing Vocals
*Bob Ego - Drums
*Jeff Boyne - Rhythm Guitar
*Jim Llewellyn - Drums 1976 It's For You
*Dan Lowe - Lead Guitar
*Doran Beattie - Lead Vocals
*Craig Blair - Lead Guitar, Backing Vocals
*Royden Morice - Bass, Keyboards, Backing Vocals
*Dale Buchner - Drums
A really good Hard Rock album this is boasting high production values throughout and apart from its rocking 12-bar opener, features some of the best hard rock psych you're likely to hear, with some outstanding flute in the Ian Anderson style and some fine synth work augmented by some strong piano and accompanying strings. Many tracks feature some decidedly jazzy interludes.
Tracks
1. Early Riser - 4:17
2. The Sailor Song - 6:14
3. Evil and Cruel - 5:31
4. Day of Doom - 4:54
5. Andrea - 2:21
6. Earth - 4:06
7. Me and My Momma - 2:37
8. The Brighter Side - 3:08
Crack
*Andrea Borega - Lead Vocals, Synthesizer, Percussion,
*Darryl Kaye - Backing Vocals, Flute, Guitar, Bass, Harp
The politically charged David Peel & the Lower East Side directly contrasted their 1968 acoustic live debut, Have a Marijuana (recorded in New York City's Washington Square Park), with 1970's American Revolution, an amplified studio outing. The real similarity between the two remains Peel's no-holds-barred, in-your-face attitude and staunchly liberal espousing. Once again joining in the festivities are Peel (guitar/vocals), Billy Joe White (guitar/vocals), and Harold C. Black (tambourine/vocals), as well as new instrumentally intensive recruits Tony Bartoli (drums), Herb Bushler (bass), David Horowitz (organ), and Richard Grando (soprano sax).
Although Peel's earlier effort hinted at the band's proto-punk and garage rock leanings, the aggressive electric bashing that accompanies "Lower East Side," "Hey, Mr. Draft Board," and "Girls, Girls, Girls" allows them to bring that restless spirit to complete fruition. While Peel's work has been considered as little more than a hippie novelty, the sheer range of his topical lyrics is often a direct reflection of the then-current anti-establishment movement.
His music deals candidly with their attitudes regarding Vietnam ("I Want to Kill You"), the repression of local law enforcement ("Oink, Oink, Oink"), hypocritical drug laws ("Legalize Marijuana"), sex ("Girls, Girls, Girls"), and even more contemplative esoteric concepts ("God"). Peel also takes on other sacred cows; "Pledge of Allegiance" is a parody that not only reaffirms his pro-pot perspective, but could likewise be interpreted as expressing anti-American sentiments. But that would be missing the point entirely, as Peel's anger and sarcasm are both well-founded and rooted in his love for the freedoms that the United States has stood for.
by Lindsay Planer
Tracks
1. Lower East Side (White) - 3:14
2. Pledge Of Allegiance - 0:35
3. Legalize Marijuana - 2:52
4. Oink, Oink - 4:30
5. I Want To Get High - 2:27
6. I Want To Kill You - 4:18
7. Girls, Girls, Girls - 3:55
8. Hey, Mr. Draft Board - 3:42
9. God - 2:23
10.Here Comes The Cops (Bonus Track) - 3:15
11.Have A Marijuana (Bonus Track) - 2:27
All songs written and composed by David Peel, except where noted. Extra tracks 10-11 taken from their 1968 "Have a Marijuana" LP
Musicians
*Tony Bartoli – Drums
*Harold C. Black – Vocals, Tambourine
*Herb Bushler – Bass Guitar
*Richard Grando – Soprano Saxophone
*David Horowitz – Organ
*David Peel – Vocals, Guitar
*Billy Joe White – Vocals, Guitar Free Text Just Paste
By 1972, Gene Clark had settled into a new life in Mendocino far from the intrusive media glare and fan adulation that still surrounded someone of his stature as a former member of the Byrds. However, he still owed A&M Records one more album. Gathering together the cream of the Los Angeles country-rock fraternity—innovative guitarist Clarence White, Chris Ethridge on bass, ex-Byrd and Burrito Brother Michael Clarke on drums, pedal steel guitarist extraordinaire Sneaky Pete, Byron Berline on fiddle and pianist Spooner Oldham—Gene set about recording an album of pure country rock unfettered by any commercial dictates.
Although the spring 1972 recording sessions were ultimately abandoned, Gene left eight precious songs in the vaults. “Full Circle Song” (later recorded by the reunited Byrds and a bona fide country-rock classic) and “Shooting Star” reveal a deep, introspective soul-searching. “I Remember the Railroad” and “In a Misty Morning” reflect a longing for the simpler days of his youth. The sessions also produced spirited versions of Flatt & Scruggs’ “Rough and Rocky,” the country standard “I Really Don’t Want to Know,” Freddie Weller’s rollicking “Roadmaster” and a reinterpretation of his standout Byrds song, “She Don’t Care About Time.”
Gene’s manager Jim Dickson took these eight tracks and paired them with three additional unreleased recordings to assemble Roadmaster. The unreleased tracks chronicled two previous attempts at a Byrds reunion (“One in a Hundred” and “She’s the Kind of Girl”) as well as the stunning “Here Tonight,” with Gene backed by The Flying Burrito Brothers.
Originally a 1973 European-only release, imported copies of Roadmaster soon found their way to North America as fans came to recognize the brilliance in the ill-fated sessions. “The album itself I was proud of,” acknowledged Gene years later. “I was proud of the writing and proud of the bunch of people who played on it.” This legendary recording makes its Sundazed debut on compact disc and wondrous vinyl. It has been painstakingly mastered from the original A&M session tapes and is packaged in new album artwork. CD includes extra photos and new liner notes by Gene Clark biographer John Einarson. Add this recording to your collection and bear full witness to Gene Clark’s panoramic musical vision.
Tracks
1. She's The Kind Of Girl (Clark) - 2:59
2. One In A Hundred (Clark) - 2:45
3. Here Tonight (Clark) - 3:29
4. Full Circle Song (Clark) - 2:44
5. In A Misty Morning (Clark) - 4:56
6. Rough And Rocky (Lester Flatt, Earl Scruggs) - 3:14
7. Roadmaster (Clark) - 4:12
8. I Really Don't Want To Know (Howard Barnes, Don Robertson) - 4:35
9. I Remember The Railroad (Clark) - 2:31
10.She Don't Care About Time (Clark) - 3:37
11.Shooting Star (Clark) - 4:38
Musicians
*Gene Clark - Vocals, Acoustic Guitar
*Clarence White - Electric Guitar, Vocals
*Spooner Oldham - Keyboards, Vocals
*Byron Berline - Fiddle
*Sneaky Pete Kleinow - Pedal Steel Guitar
*Michael Clarke - Drums
*David Crosby - Electric Guitar, Vocals
*Roger Mcguinn - Electric Guitar, Vocals
*Chris Hillman - Bass Guitar, Vocals
*Rick Roberts - Acoustic Guitar, Vocals
*Bud Shank - Flute
Those crazy Dutch! What with their pancakes, pornography and “specialist” coffee shops; they are a nation whose very fabric is cut from the most permissive of cloths. It pervades the culinary, the literary and what gets sprinkled on the Old Holborn. Let it be a lesson to us all: part a man from his bicycle and he’ll cock the proverbial snook at your fascist agenda ten millionfold.
This liberal mindset made the Dutch music scene of the late 60s and early 70s a hotbed of psychedelic and progressive experimentation, and Fantasio Daze is a fruity selection of some of the rarest English language singles to hit the Netherlands during this era.
It’s safe to say that every artist appearing on Fantasio Daze is new to HFoS and, as is the case with the majority of compilations, the spectrum of ‘fro-frazzlingly good, to knee-shreddingly awful is enthusiastically covered.
It’s the good that leads the charge, with the thoroughly disturbing ‘The Killer’ by Names & Faces. As an opener, it grabs the able listener by his able undercarriage and squeezes tight, refusing to let go for its five minute duration and rendering everything that follows pretty much redundant.
Yes indeed, the battle is won with barely a shot fired and even the enemy’s secret weapon, the gut-blisteringly dreadful ‘Ode to Jimi Hendrix’ by Phoenix, can’t put a downer on ‘The Killer’s’ victory parade.
Of course, these are just the two extremes of Fantasio Daze and though the earlier assertion of the remainder being “redundant” might seem a little on the harsh side, such is the glorious shadow cast by the ‘The Killer’, it may as well be. Nevertheless, a healthy mix of the sublime and the mediocre jockey for position, looking to win over the hearts, heads and minds of our good selves.
Worthy of recognition are Cinderella’s ‘From Town to Town’, with its all female psychedelic folk harmonies; the wonderfully mad ‘The Doting King’ by The Dream; and the tempered edge of Crying Wood’s ‘Blue Eyed Witch’.
Elsewhere, there’s a curio from Adjeef The Poet, who appears to be a Netherlandic Kim Fowley. His ‘Eek, I’m a Freak’ is as worthy as anything his US counterpart recorded during the psychedelic age. Read into that what you will.
Overall though, Fantasio Daze offers one fantastic song right at the start, followed by the occasional obscure lovely; the festival of fair-to-middling fodder; and a reet bad lot trying its hardest to up heave the uneasy truce holding it all together.
Needlessly offensive national stereotypes aside (see the beginning of review), Fantasio Daze offers an enticing window on the pre-prog stage of the Dutch music scene that resided on the 60s/70s cusp. For that reason alone – and despite the intermittent lapses in quality control – this makes for an intriguing and, nonetheless, enjoyable listen to the connoisseur of psychedelic rock in all its manifold forms.
Artists - Tracks
1. Names 'n' Faces - The Killer - 5:08
2. Sense Of Humour - Sunset Show - 2:45
3. Cinderella - Town To Town - 3:04
4. Crown's Clan - No Place For Our Minds - 2:10
5. Human Orchestra - The Silly One - 2:08
6. St Giles System - Swedish Tears - 3:49
7. Sound Of Imker - Train Of Doomsday - 2:40
8. Bag - Tripdream - 3:03
9. Phoenix - Ode To Jimi Hendrix - 5:08
10.The Tykes - Hey Girl - 2:30
11.Turqoise - Daughter Of Johnny Ray - 3:35
12.The Dream - The Doting King - 2:46
13.Bag - Nothing Will Remain - 3:08
14.Crying Wood - Blue Eyed Witch - 3:28
15.The Eddysons - Cousin Pretty - 3:23
16.OPMC - Firechild - 3:39
17.Adjeef The Poet - Eek, I'm A Freak - 2:50
18.Opus - Master Of My Fate - 3:09
19.Bobby Green Selection - I Never Saw The Love So Clear - 2:29
20.Group 1850 - Don't Let It Be - 3:09
21.Jeep - The Rain - 2:29
One of Britain's most prolific songwriting professionals, Roger Cook first came to prominence during the British Invasion, usually working in tandem with Roger Greenaway. After the pair hit big with the Fortunes' oldies radio staple "You've Got Your Troubles," they continued to crank out hits for years to come, also writing numerous ad jingles (one of which, "I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing," was a massive pop hit in its own right). By the late '70s, Cook had moved to Nashville to become a successful country-pop songwriter.
Roger Cook was born in Bristol, England, on August 19, 1940. He first sang in church choir at age 11, and performed in vocal harmony groups for much of his youth. He wrote his first song in 1958, and that same year recorded a few sides with a vocal group called the Sapphires. the Sapphires disbanded the following year, and Cook next sang with a group called the Londons, splitting off with bandmate Jill Stevens to form Jon & Julie in 1962. The duo recorded a bit for Columbia, but broke up when Stevens became pregnant.
Cook spent about a year away from music performing in theatrical productions as a mime, but returned to singing in early 1965 when Roger Greenaway invited him to join a harmony group called the Kestrels, which actively toured the British variety circuit. They also featured future studio vocalist extraordinaire Tony Burrows, who split for a solo career not long after Cook joined up. Cook and Greenaway stuck together, forming a songwriting partnership and working as session singers in the meantime.
The two caught their big break when the Fortunes recorded their composition "You've Got Your Troubles." It was a Top Ten smash in both the U.S. and U.K., falling just one spot short of the top in the latter. In its wake, Cook and Greenaway teamed up to record as the soft pop duo David & Jonathan, scoring a transatlantic hit with their cover of the Beatles' "Michelle" in early 1966.
Meanwhile, the Fortunes released their follow-up hit, "This Golden Ring," and Gary Lewis & the Playboys scored an American Top Ten hit with "Green Grass," both Greenaway-Cook creations. David & Jonathan landed their biggest U.K. hit that summer with the Top Ten "Lovers of the World Unite," and the two subsequently began writing advertising jingles, most notably for Coca-Cola. In late 1967, Gene Pitney scored a Top Five U.K. hit with "Something's Gotten Hold of My Heart."
Cook and Greenaway decided to end their David & Jonathan partnership in early 1968, but kept writing songs together, including Cilla Black's U.K. Top Ten "Conversations" (1969). Meanwhile, Cook made a few solo recordings under the name Roger James Cooke (culminating in the 1970 album Study, which was reissued on CD by RPM in 2012), and joined the pop band Blue Mink in 1969 as a featured vocalist.
Blue Mink scored a succession of U.K. hits through 1973, including "Melting Pot," "Good Morning Freedom," "Banner Man," "Stay with Me," and "Randy." Meanwhile, Cook and Greenaway briefly re-teamed in the studio group Currant Kraze, and wrote a Top Ten U.S. and U.K. hit for White Plains in 1970 with "My Baby Loves Lovin'"; their "Home Lovin' Man" was also a U.K. hit for crooner Andy Williams. In late 1971, Cook and Greenaway's most popular Coke jingle was adapted into the pop song "I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing (In Perfect Harmony)" and became a hit for both the Hillside Singers and the New Seekers; the latter's version became the pair's first U.K. chart-topper. Naturally, demand for the pair's ad jingles skyrocketed during the next few years.
In the meantime, Cook and Greenaway continued to collaborate on the occasional pop hit. The Congregation had a U.K. hit in 1971 with a cover of David & Jonathan's "Softly Whispering I Love You." "Long Cool Woman (In a Black Dress)," written with Hollies lead singer Allan Clarke, became that group's biggest American hit in 1972; two years later, "Doctor's Orders" became a hit for R&B singer Carol Douglas. Meanwhile, Cook released two solo albums under his own name on Regal Zonophone, 1972's
Meanwhile Back at the World and 1973's Minstrel in Flight. By late 1975, Cook had split amicably from Greenaway, and moved to the United States. He drifted through New York and Los Angeles before settling in Nashville, where he completed the solo album Alright in 1976. Moving into country territory, Cook scored a breakthrough with Crystal Gayle's 1978 chart-topper "Talking in Your Sleep," written with Bobby Wood. In 1980, he teamed with Sam Hogan to write another number one country hit, Don Williams' "I Believe in You."
The year 1981 brought two country Top Fives in Gayle's "Livin' in These Troubled Times" and Williams' "Miracles." Williams landed another number one in 1983 with "Love Is on a Roll," which Cook co-wrote with folkie John Prine; the two would continue to collaborate off and on in the years to come.
Cook's writing activities tailed off as the '80s wore on, though 1989 found him back on top of the British charts thanks to Marc Almond's remake of "Something's Gotten Hold of My Heart," which featured duet vocals from original artist Gene Pitney.
In 1991, he teamed with ex-Strangler Hugh Cornwell and guitarist Andy West to form Cornwall, Cook and West, issuing the album CCW the following year. In 1997, Cook became the first Englishman to be inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame; later that year, he returned to writing, collaborating with Eddie Kilgallon on George Strait's number one smash "One Night at a Time." In 1998, Strait landed another chart-topper with his cover of Cook and Prine's "I Just Want to Dance with You."
by Steve Leggett
Tracks
1. Primrose Jill - 3:33
2. Black Paper Roses (Belle Gonzales) - 2:13
3. Teresa (Hammond, Hazlewood) - 2:36
4. Something (G. Harrison) - 2:59
5. Ellie (Martin, Jordan) - 2:21
6. Not That It Matters Anymore - 2:55
7. Skyline Pigeon (E. John, B. Taupin) - 3:36
8. Today I Killed a Man I Didn't Know - 3:17
9. Is It You That Has the Power - 2:43
10.My Home City (Drewett, Dymond) - 3:17
11.3 Parnall Road, Fishponds, Bristol - 2:23
12.Ain't That a Wonderful Thing (feat. Eve Graham) - 2:42
13.Stop - 2:35
14.I'm Burning - 2:45
15.Paper Chase (Barter, Greenaway) - 2:36
16.Smiling Through My Tears (feat. Eve Graham) (Cedric Carnal) - 2:47
17.Someday - 3:36
18.Jubilation - 3:59
19.Anticipation Grows (Barter) - 3:32
20.If You Would Stay - 4:34
21.Mama Packed a Picnic Tea (Matthews, Guilguid) - 4:09
22.People I've Gotta Dream - 3:39
All song by Roger Cook and Roger Greenaway except where indicated.
