The Firebirds, a completely anonymous British session band, released ‘Light My Fire‘. Now, the Doors hit of the same name doesn’t really show up on the album, although it’s main hook is alluded to in one song and even though one song IS called ‘Light My Fire’ that isn’t the one!
Stylistically, LMF doesn’t sound anything like Jim Dandy & The Knobs. In fact, the intended effect – a Hendrix Experience clone – ends up sounding like Jack Bruce of Cream fronting first LP Black Sabbath mocking the Experience! It’s incredible in just how over the top it goes:
The guitar is brutal, taking on an almost ‘My War‘ era Greg Ginn (Black Flag) feel on the LP’s best track ‘No Tomorrows’. It just squeals with that tortured amp buzz, like Blue Cheer‘s ‘Vincebus Eruptum’ , but even dirtier, if you can believe that. If you’re a Tony Iommi freak, prepare to be surprised when you hear this guy pulling out the licks to ‘Paranoid’ two years before that song existed!
The drummer is particularly entertaining in his "Mitch Mitchell" approach. I think there may be one steady beat throughout the entire record. This guy is a fill machine- it’s absurd! Plus, the record contains a three solo suite “Free Fuzz / Free Bass / Free Drums”. The highlight here is “Free Bass”.
The bassist isn’t really skilled enough to do a proper solo, and hearing him struggle through it is a Spinal Tap worthy moment. Like I said earlier, the singer has a Jack Bruce-ish quality, but then does himself no favors by employing Hendrix speak on ‘Gypsy Fire’. It must be heard to be believed!
Now, remember, this isn’t a real band – just some salary guys with guitars and no control over the end product. As such, the track ‘Warm Up’ is just not the same band. It may have a few of the same players, but it doesn’t even remotely approach the sound of the rest of the album.
by Marshottentot
Tracks
1. Warm Up - 2:30
2. Reflections - 4:23
3. By Baby - 5:29
4. Free Bass - 2:38
5. Free Drum - 4:31
6. Free Fuzz/Gypsy Fire - 2:39
7. No Tomorrows - 5:02
8. Light My Fire - 4:18
One of the first acts signed to Bill Graham's Fillmore label, 1969's "Resurrection" teamed the band with producer David Rubinson. As one might have guessed from the album title (let alone the back cover which showed three crosses), their sophomore effort found the band pursuing a pseudo-religious agenda. In spite of occasionally clunky lyrics and an irritating degree of echo, Ceballos-penned material such as "God Is Back In Town," the ballad "Only I Know" and " Today and Tomorrow" wasn't half bad.
Boasting a nifty Ceballos guitar solo, the stately title track was our nomination for standout track. Elsewhere, the driving "Bye Bye Baby" and "Little Brown Hen" recalled Quicksilver Messenger Service. Commercially the set did nothing; the trio calling it quits shortly thereafter.
Tracks
1. God Is Back In Town - 5:22
2. Resurrection - 5:24
3. Only I Know - 3:55
4. Bye Bye Baby - 3:42
5. Today and Tomorrow - 7:28
6. Little Brown Hen - 2:48
7. Aum - 6:01
8. Pachuko Boogie - Preserve Your Mama (A. Ammons) - 1:15
All songs written by Wayne Ceballos except where noted.
AUM
*Wayne Ceballos - Guitar, Organ, Lead Vocals, Harmonica
*Ken Newell - Bass, Vocals
*Larry Martin - Drums, Vocals
This post is dedicated to Nelwizard by Jim the Greek
“Destroy That Boy!”, the sequel to 2004’s “Girls With Guitars”, delves into the world of garage femmes and all-girl bands in a quest to prove that females of the species do indeed rock, roll and even snarl. In the post-Beatles beat boom, many an impressionable lass was inspired to take guitar in hand and toe the line with their male counterparts, with at least 160 touring female bands in the USA alone. A select few hit the recording studio to leave their aural mark on the decade, from which Ace has melded the cream of crop with some solo sisters to create another healthy 24-track dose of girl garage goodness.
This time old Blighty has its share of representatives, including fully-fledged female groups She Trinity and the Liverbirds. She Trinity – whose original members hailed from the UK, Canada and the USA, hence their somewhat confusing moniker – appear with their first and last (and most acclaimed) singles. The Liverbirds’ success was limited to their adoptive home of Germany, where they recorded two albums of R&B and rock’n’roll covers, three of which are showcased here. Schoolgirl duo the Termites get their pincers into a Stones classic, while South African ex-pat Sharon Tandy and Coventry’s Beverley Jones give out some gutsy performances too.
From across the Atlantic, alluring society girls the What Four open proceedings. The cover shows the Debutantes from Detroit, whose talents and glamorous image scored them a far-eastern tour and gigs alongside Motown’s finest. Another pivotal group was the Feminine Complex, formed by lead guitarist and songwriter Mindy Dalton, who achieved the rare feat of releasing an LP, but here we’re treated to two demos, including their wonderfully lo-fi version of the Monkees’ ‘(I’m Not Your) Stepping Stone’, cut in their first incarnation as the Pivots.
Elsewhere come the Starlets with an attitude-soaked take on ‘You Don’t Love Me’, Swedish bombshell Ann-Margret with both decks of her single for Lee Hazlewood’s LHI label and Raylene Loos and her cohorts the Blue Angels, who contribute a rollicking rendition of ‘Shakin’ All Over’. The Girls (nope, not the same gang as on “Girls With Guitars”) debut with an unreleased cut produced by Sly Stone, while woe betides the man on the receiving end of Aussie Toni McCann, who let’s rip with ‘No’.
Jack Nitzsche protégée Karen Verros kicks off the mid-section with, a fuzz-laden mind-blowing gem written by Donovan. Project X (whose line-up included Scott McKenzie) delights with a jangly folk-garage affair and Cheryll & Pam wax lyrical in ‘That’s My Guy’. British Invasion off-shoots the Lady Bugs’ ode to the American fraternity is a hilarious romp and the wiggy Fondettes pay tribute to the mop-headed boys who started it all.
Much more info on these artists is to be found in the glossy feature-packed booklet, which includes interviews with Jan McClellan of the Debutantes and Beverley Jones. So let the girls blow the dust of their guitars yet again and take a trip down to the tougher side of girl-groupsville.
by Matt Meek
Artists - Tracks
1. The What Four - I'm Gonna Destroy That Boy - 2:04
2. The Starlets - You Don't Love Me - 2:15
3. Raylene and The Blue Angels - Shakin' All Over - 2:08
4. She Trinity - He Fought the Law - 2:20
5. Toni McCann - No - 1:54
6. The Liverbirds - He's Something Else - 2:16
7. Beverley Jones - Hear You Talking - 2:44
8. The Debutantes - Shake a Tail Feather - 2:14
9. The Fondettes - The Beatles Are in Town - 2:02
10.Project X - Don't You Think It's Fine - 2:37
11.Ann-Margret - It's a Nice World to Visit (But Not to Live In) - 2:27
12.Sharon Tandy - Hold On - 3:10
13.Karen Verros - You Just Gotta Know My Mind - 1:54
14.Ann-Margret - You Turned My Head Around - 3:19
15.The Feminine Complex - I've Been Workin' on You - 2:48
16.The Girls - Here I Am in Love Again - 1:59
17.The Termites - Tell Me - 2:54
18.The Liverbirds - Talking About You - 3:04
19.The What Four - Baby, I Dig Love - 2:01
20.The Pivots - (I'm Not Your) Stepping Stone - 2:31
21.The Liverbirds - He's About a Mover - 2:38
22.Cheryl & Pam Johnson - That's My Boy - 2:05
23.The Ladybugs - Fraternity, USA - 2:26
24.She Trinity - Climb That Tree - 3:32
The New Dawn's "There's A New Dawn" has been hailed as one of the rarest and best psych albums to come out of the late 60s and early 70s. It's been a personal favorite Of mine since the day 1 discovered a bootleg copy on CD back in the early 90's .
I found the music to be just as unique and important to me as other bands I had heard from the region: The New Tweedy Brothers, The Sonics and even The Wipers.
They all conjure a distinctive geographical musical perspective. Maybe it's all the rain, but there's an almost tangible thread running through these introspective songwriters.It's a bit like looking at the world through rainy clouds while waiting for a sunny day to arrive.
In 1966, Dan Bazzy (singer , songwriter) and founder of The New Dawn bass player Bob Justin and guitarists Larry Davis and Joe Smith, local Garage Band musicians who had been straggling to find a suitable drummer.
Bazzy joined their band and after a brief stint of playing as The Sound Citizens, The New Dawn was formed. By 1967, The New Dawn were essentially a nightclub band, touring throughout the northwest part of the country, down through California and Nevada, and as far north as Alaskn.
The band recorded and released their private press album "There's A New Dawn" in July of 1970. The songs were composed in the studio and were recorded late at night after gigs. Initially five hundred copies were pressed, but it's estimated that only around 200 may still exist.
Many of the records from the pressing were either damaged due to traveling or were warped, and distribution was limited since the album was sold mostly at their live shows.
Their one chance at the big time came in 1971 when the ABC-Dunhill Records label expressed a serious interest in the demo of three of their new heavier sounding songs. Considering the success ABC-Dunhill had with Steppenwolf, these demo tracks (included on this collection) demonstrate what a great fit the band could have been for the label and gives us a glimpse into what might have been for The New Dawn.
By the end of 1971, The New Dawn faded into the sunset after years of living motel to motel under the disillusionment of their missed opportunity. Over this past year I have had the privilege and pleasure of getting to know Bazzy and his family while working with him on this authorized CD release of "There's A New Dawn".
One of the highlights of this experience was the January 2008 reunion show of The New Dawn in Willamina, Oregon. Bazzy was accompanied by his son Dan (rhythm guitar), Russ Hosley (lead guitar), and Karen Purdom (bass). It still blows my mind that a garagepsych band from rural Oregon has achieved such prominence in the annals of rock history.
I hope you enjoy discovering The New Dawn as much as I did.
by Isaac Slusarenko, Founder Jackpot Records.
Tracks
1. (There's A) New Dawn (Bill Gartner) - 4:16
2. I See A Day (Dan Bazzy) - 3:35
3. It's Time (Dan Bazzy) - 2:41
4. It's Rainin' (Dan Bazzy) - 3:12
5. Hear Me Cryin' (Dan Bazzy) - 3:28
6. Dark Thoughts (Bill Gartner, Larry Davis) - 2:57
7. Proudman (Dan Bazzy) - 3:18
8. Billy Come Lately (Dan Bazzy) - 2:32
9. We'll Fall In Love (Dan Bazzy) - 3:36
10.You (Dan Bazzy) - 3:11
11.Last Morning (Bill Gartner) - 3:39
12.Life Goes On (Bill Gartner) - 4:11
13.We Need Each Other (Dan Bazzy) - 3:44
14.Woman (Dan Bazzy) - 3:29
15.Do What You Want To (Bill Gartner) - 3:21
16.It's Rainin' (Live) (Dan Bazzy) - 3:07
Tracks 1-12 from 1970's "There's A New Dawn-19
Tracks 13-15 1971 Demos
Track 16 Live Benefit Show WiUamina VFW Hall - Jan 12th, 2008 New Dawn *Dan Bazzy - Lead Vocals, Drums *Joe Smith - Lead Guitar *Bobby Justen - Bass *Bill Gartner - Lead Vocals on 1, 6, 11, 12 *Backup Vocals, Recorder on "It's Time", Harmonica *Larry Davis - Organ and Rhythm Guitar 2008 Live New Dawn *Daniel Bazzy — Rhythm Guitar *Russ Hosley - Lead Guitar *Karen Purdom - Bass *Dan Bazzy - Lead Vocals, Drums Free Text the Free Text
Piccadilly Sunshine Vol.11 gives us a further delve through the colourful confines of long-forgotten British pop revealing pretty colours and flower-power pop. Celebrating the British psyche that inspired songs such as Gypsy Fred and Cobbled Streets, this latest installment illuminates the obscured artefacts of illustrious noise that emerged from the Great British psychedelic era.
Piccadilly Sunshine part Eleven offers bittersweet folk rock and baroque, beat pop from an era that was and never shall be again.
CD Liner notes
Artists - Tracks
1. Mike Stevens And The Shevelles - Hog Tied - 3:04
2. Chris Duffy - Something For Now - 2:12
3. David Cumming - The Parrots of Simple Street - 2:40
4. Hammers - Little Butterfly - 2:35
5. John Cushing - Boys for Toys - 2:28
6. Terry Reid With Jay, Peter And The Jaywalkers - This Time - 1:48
7. The Crew - Marty - 3:00
8. Twinset - Sneakin' Up On You - 2:25
9. Act - Cobbled Streets - 2:10
10.Scott Harris - Barry Johnson's Sad Eyes Inn - 2:27
11.Gibsons - Lazy Summer Day - 2:34
12.Unit Four Plus Two - I Was Only Playing Games - 2:40
13.The Rogues - And You Better Let Her Pass By - 2:50
14.Chippy - Think About Me - 2:11
15.Dave Helling - If You're Gonna Leave Me - 2:48
16.The Keepers - Lonely Boy - 2:14
17.The Koobas - Gypsy Fred - 3:00
18.Loose Ends - Send The People Away - 2:26
19.Chris Kerry - The Place - 2:10
20.Vanity Fare - Betty Carter - 1:52
The Red Crayola were one of the greatest psychedelic bands of the 1960s and probably of all times. They played extremely wild experimental music that was decades ahead of its time. They predated Germany's expressionistic rock (Faust) and the American new wave (Pere Ubu). Their "freak outs" were closer to John Coltrane's free-jazz and to Jackson Pollock's abstract paintings than to rock and roll.
Their leader, Mayo Thompson, is a composer who ranks among the greatest living musicians (classical, jazz, rock). His revolutionary compositional style had few stable coordinates. His pieces float not because they are ethereal but because melody and rhythm are left "loose". They are organisms that rely on supporting skeletons that are falling apart as they move.
Thompson placed his art firmly in the iconoclastic tradition that Frank Zappa had just founded, and simply increased the amount and the speed of noise. Parable Of Arable Land (1967) is one of the milestones of rock music, a carousel of savage harmonic inventions/sabotages.
God Bless (1968), composed after a stay in New York and a collaboration with Joe Byrd of the United States Of America, was even more experimental – if less unified (it contains twenty aleatory fragments) - than the first album.
The album still shows a natural bent towards the ways of the learned American avant-garde (from Varese to Cage), even though terribly transfigured.
by Piero Scaruffi
Tracks
1. Say Hello to Jamie Jones - 2:30
2. Music - 1:00
3. The Shirt - 2:30
4. Listen to This - 0:04
5. Save the House - 1:24
6. Victory Garden - 1:48
7. Coconut Hotel - 1:22
8. Sheriff Jack - 2:12
9. Free Piece - 2:18
10.Ravi Shankar: Parachutist - 2:09
11.Piece for Piano and Electric Bass - 0:45
12.Dairymaid's Lament - 2:30
13.Big - 1:37
14.Leejol - 2:40
15.Sherlock Holmes - 2:55
16.Dirth of Tilth - 1:26
17.Tina's Gone to Have a Baby - 1:49
18.The Jewels of the Madonna - 1:29
19.Green of My Pants - 3:00
20.Night Song - 1:52
Words and Music by Red Crayola
The Red Crayola
*Steve Cunningham – Bass
*Tommy Smith – Drums
*Mayo Thompson – Guitar, Piano, Vocals
One of the great lesser-known San Francisco bands, AUM was a classic rock power trio, inspired by the likes of the Jimi Hendrix Experience and Cream, and led by the talented multi-instrumentalist and singer Wayne Ceballos. The band was first brought to the attention of Bill Graham by San Francisco's premier photographer, Jim Marshall.
Initially signed by the London-affiliated Sire label, as one would expect from the title, the group's 1969's "Bluesvibes" found them working in a distinctively blues-vein. Reflecting the band's live act, the Richard Gotthrer produced debut featured a series of seven extended jams, (the shortest song clocking in at 4 minutes).
With Ceballos writing the majority of the material, in spite of period excesses (e.g. aimless soloing), originals such as "Mississippi Mud" and "Chilli Woman" weren't half bad. Moreover, Ceballos proved a decent singer, injecting considerable energy into his performances. Among the few missteps, the band's ponderous cover of John Loudermilk's "Tobacco Road" would've been suitable for Vanilla Fudge. Commercially the set proved a non-entity; quickly vanishing into cutout bins.
Tracks
1. Tobacco Road (John Loundermilk) - 6:54
2. Mississippi Mud - 4:03
3. My Bridge Blues - 5:41
4. Chilli Woman - 4:34
5. Little Help from You - 6:54
6. Movin' Man - 7:48
7. You Can't Hide - 7:24
All songs by Wayne the Harp Ceballos unless as else stated
AUM
*Wayne Ceballos - Guitar, Organ, Lead Vocals, Harmonica
*Ken Newell - Bass, Vocals
*Larry Martin - Drums, Vocals
Memphis is well known as the birthplace of the blues, the fount of southern soul and the locale that begat rock’n’roll. My colleagues and I have been digging deep in various Memphian vaults over the past decade, but the focus up until now has largely been soul and R&B. Lest we forget, the city boasted a healthy rock scene well into the 1960s and 1970s, but few retrospectives have documented Memphis music in the psychedelic era when, as a major recording centre, it was the nexus not just for local freaks, but those from neighbouring Arkansas, Mississippi and beyond. Big Beat’s “Feeling High – The Psychedelic Sound Of Memphis” shines a welcome light on this long-neglected area, focusing on the years 1967-1969 and principally on the work of two renowned Memphis mavericks.
With a decades-long career as an iconoclastic musical polymath, Jim Dickinson needs little introduction. However, his rarely-discussed apprenticeship as a producer-engineer at Ardent Studios in the late 1960s made Dickinson responsible for many of the wildest and wackiest sessions ever held in Memphis. Some excerpts slipped out at the time on obscure singles on Stax and elsewhere, such as the absurd version of ‘For Your Love’ by Honey Jug. “Whenever anybody came into Ardent, it was obvious who was going to do the crazy stuff, ”Dickinson recounted to me several years ago. The bands he produced there include the pyjama-wearing Kinks-ish Wallabys of Jackson, Mississippi and psychedelic hillbillies Knowbody Else, later to become famous as Black Oak Arkansas.
In contrast, James Parks was a young wet-behind-the-ears punk who took over the control room at uncle Stan Kesler’s Sounds Of Memphis studio in 1968, bringing in his freak friends from counterculture hotspots such as the Bitter Lemon. Parks’ production work included Changin’ Tymes, Mother Roses and Triple X, featuring future country star Gus Hardin, as well as crazoid studio-only experiments such as ‘Rubber Rapper’ and ‘Shoo Shoo Shoo Fly’. There is a palpable air of chaos about much of what Parks produced, which explains why he was unable to place a lot of it at the time – but in hindsight it’s a remarkable cache of work.
Dickinson and Parks represent the outer edge of the Memphis music scene in those years. While the vast majority of tracks on “Feeling High” have not been issued before, their inspired lunacy and a shared willingness to push the envelope make the recorded evidence very special indeed. Local notables such as the Poor Little Rich Kids, 1st Century and Goatdancers share the tracklisting, the sound quality is excellent, and the detailed liner notes spill the beans on this fascinating tributary of the city’s musical legacy.
by Alec Palao
Artists - Tracks
1. Sealing Smoke - Rubber Rapper - 4:30
2. The Honey Jug - For Your Love - 2:49
3. The Changin' Tymes - Blue Music Box - 2:09
4. The Knowbody Else - Secret Storm - 3:06
5. Triple X - Spare Me - 3:37
6. The Wallabies - Holy Days - 2:28
7. Greg McCarley - Shoo Shoo Shoo Fly - 4:11
8. The Changin' Tymes - Hark the Child - 5:32
9. Poor Little Rich Kids - Come on Along and Dream - 3:02
10.The Goatdancers - Eat Me Alive - 2:33
11.Greg McCarley - Crazy Man's Woman - 3:49
12.Judy Bramlett - Deja Vu - 2:48
13.The Knowbody Else - Free Singer's Island - 2:18
14.The Wallabies - Feeling High - 3:16
15.Triple X - Rockin' in the Same Old Boat - 4:25
16.Poor Little Rich Kids - I Need Love - 2:37
17.Mother Roses - Ticket to Ride - 4:46
18.David Mitchell - Ogden - 2:55
19.Greg McCarley - If You're Thinking - 2:09
20.The Wallabies - Old Man of Time - 2:27
21.The Goatdancers - We're in Town - 2:54
22.1st Century - Dancing Girl - 2:11
23.The Knowbody Else - Flying Horse of Louisiana (Live) - 6:05
24.The Goatdancers Advert - 1:03
"Around 1966, Nick Bonis, Mike Johnstone, Randy Pope, and I formed a psychedelic band. On Halloween night we went to an old cemetery, dropped acid, and spent a very strange night among the tombstones. The tombstones appeared to be melting and taking on animal shapes. Some of us saw spirits, and I'm not sure what I saw, but it was disturbing. Afterwards, we referred to that night as the 'Headstone Circus.' It seemed appropriate to call ourselves Headstone Circus as a band so we did."
by Glenn Faria
The band plays a (rather) West Coast style while recorded on the east coast, with a certain Crosby, Stills, Nash ‘n’ Young / Buffalo Springfield or Neil Young -Crazy Horse period- influence, but additionally with a more bluesy side-effect, and with some portions on certain tracks, where a smoky dark bluesy feeling is improvised calmly upon. This is of course the acid bluesy side associated with something of the east coast that gives this slightly smokey feeling. The lead vocals have a warm attractive effect and fit well with the West Coast feeling.
Several of the more song orientated tracks are more acoustic. The last four, and also more simple, I guess are more like rough demo versions. I am sure that if they would have had a chance with a big studio production and treatment on some tracks, these could have been better, (-a few tracks also suffered from a few worn-tape errors)-, while most of it for me is already great as it is, and makes it, almost essential to check it out, especially when you like the CSNY.
A track like “Summer’s Gone” could have easily been a Neil Young track, and still is one of my favorite songs. After a while, singer/composer Glenn Faria left the group only because he was offered a solo contract. This solo album was reissued by World In Sound some years ago. Here, the Neil Young influence still is noticeable, but for me this solo album isn’t so rewarding as the previous Headstone Circus, but it also features a nice redo of the already mentioned “Summer’s Gone” song.
Tracks
1. I'm Goin' Down - 4:38
2. You Don't Know - 6:52
3. Summers Gone - 4:44
4. I'm Crazy - 5:57
5. Healer - 4:09
6. Arms Of God - 3:31
7. Born In Georgia - 3:56
8. Reason To Live - 3:16
9. Reach Out - 2:45
10.I Hear The Thunder - 3:43
11.I Love The Wind - 4:11
12.Bear Down - 5:18
All compositions by Glenn Faria
Headstone Circus
*Glenn Faria - Lead Vocals, Guitar
*Mike Johnstone - Guitar
*Randy Ray Pope - Drums, Vocals
*Nick Bonis - Bass
Thank's to Frantic Records for unearthing more forgotten gems of California's rich musical heritage. Having languished in the vaults for close to 40 years, the Colours and Christian tapes finally make their way to CD for the very first time after the fickle hand of fate conspired to deny them the success they so obviously deserved.
If everything had gone according to plan then I'm positive that Colours would be as well known and regarded today as any of the big name Californian groups and that they would have achieved legendary status amongst devotees j& sixties rock.
Their blend of West Coast psychedelia and fey British pop stylings set them apart from many of their peers, the intricate arrangements and lush production coupled with delicate orchestra and beautiful harmonies contrast dramatically with the loose improvisational jamming that was typical of many of their Bay Area counterparts.
Amid all vibrancy of the Northern California music scene, The Colours stand out as something special. It's fascinating to hear the transition from Colours' baroque grandeur to the stripped down Rock of Christian. Electric and Acoustic Guitars have replaced the orchestration and ornate keyboards, indicating the influence of groups such as Moby Grape and Buffalo Springfield, while the British pop leanings are perhaps even more overt evidenced by covers of Hollies and Beatles material.
Listening to these recordings is akin to hearing! a microcosm of the progression of late sixties rock music. That they have remained hidden away for so long is a crime, to be able to hear them now is a wonder. It's time to welcome Christian in to your life. Prepare to experience Colours you! Never dreamed existed.
by Gray Newell
Tracks
Disc 1 - Colours
1. Picture Windows - 4:35
2. Dreams - 3:49
3. Voluptuous Doom - 2:44
4. Thoughts Of Love - 5:08
5. Who’s Been Sleeping - 2:41
6. Memories - 3:34
7. Ferdinand Smash-Me-Toe - 3:29
8. Candy Coloured Lover - 8:06
9. Communicate - 3:45
10.Are You Free - 5:16
11.Candy Coloured Lover (instrumental) - 13:41
12.Wood For Sale (live) - 3:46
13.Candy Coloured Lover (live) - 10:50
14.Wood For Sale (instrumental) - 4:03
15.Alan Lau Introduction - 3:22
Tracks 1-10 arranged and recorded in 1968 by Colours for an unreleased album
Tracks 11-15 live at the Matrix, summer 1967
Disc 2 - Christian
1. Mary The Wither - 3:11
2. Charlie And Fred (Alan Clarke, Graham Nash) - 3:29
3. Don’t Worry - 4:15
4. Are You Free - 5:35
5. American ’69 - 3:21
6. Good Vs. Evil - 5:25
7. Hope That You Survive - 2:28
8. Stand Naked - 3:56
9. Another Day (Marc Kellett) - 1:55
10.With A Little Help From My Friends (John Lennon, Paul McCartney)- 7:28
All songs by Bob Brien, Mark Cipolla, except where noted.
Recorded in late '69 early '70 at Sierra Sound in Berkeley and Realistic Sound in Chico
The Blues Train, like the Crazy People, are unknown artists that released some great sounds in the late 60's and early 70's. While little is known about them, we do know they were Canadian and recorded "The Blues Train" on the Burnaby, British Columbia-based Condor label in 1970.
Condor has gone down in history as a Canadian exploit label and they were indeed riding the crest of the different crazes that were going on during these times. Condor released quite a diversified line of music during the late 60's: everything ranging from the weirdness of The Crazy People to Latin Holiday to the very highly-rated Blues Train, The Surf Riders, and The Jimmy Cole Unlimited. As with The Crazy People, there are several rumors circulating as to actually who The Blues Train were.
The most plausible theory shared by both Clark Faville and myself is that one of its members was Johnny Kitchen, who has songwriting credits on both this LP and on other Condor release "The World With The Trio Of Tyme (#2459) and "The Crazy People (#2457). It is a known fact that he was in Canada at this time and obviously associated with the label. Kitchen ended up in Los Angeles in 1969, making records beginning with " The Victims Of Chance" on the Crestview label.
As arcane as this might seem to the casual reader, his name is synonymous with at least a dozen weird underground records released on various private labels in the U.S.A. and still nothing is known about them. To date, Johnny Kitchen has over 200 songs copyrighted through BMI We also know there is a connection with Johnny Kitchen to Wild Man Fischer. His 1969 LP "Life Brand New", has the chorus "My life is all brand new", which is the same voice and words appearing on "Parade At The Funny Farm" and "Let's Split" of The Crazy People LP.
However, other Blues Train song writing credits that never appeared on the original Condor release do not match any others from Crazy People. The inclusion of only one by Kitchen himself implies his involvement on Blues Train, unlike that of The Crazy People, may have been minimal.
Although all performers are uncredited, there has also been some speculation that a prominent Vancouver "personality" (and local TV. weatherman) was involved in putting together the "Rock" oriented exploit efforts on this label, and it is e likely that some of the musicians involved also appear o Blues Train, Jimmy Cole Unlimited, and other Condor e Jack Millman, who has songwriting and production credits on Crazy People, also is shown as involved with Condor release #2460 "And I Love Her": Jack Millman and The Tempo Orchestra. In addition, Jack Millman, along with Jean Daniel Productions, produced The Blues Train.
by Roger Maglio
Tracks
1. Ride The Train (Eric Llord) - 3:57
2. Missin'You (Joe Sanchez) - 4:35
3. Pain In My Head (Johnny Kitchen) - 3:25
4. Some Body To Love (Joe Sanchez) - 2:18
5. Hootchie Kootchie Man (Hoyt Axton) - 3:05
6. Busted In Chicago (Billy Wolfe) - 3:28
7. A & R Man (Joe Sanchez) - 2:41
8. Coast To Coast (Joe Sanchez) - 2:08
9. Whole Lot O1 Blues (Paul Wayne, Delmar Williams) - 2:29
10.Got My Eyes On You (Ralph Morris) - 2:06
11.Mojo (McKinley Morganfield) - 2:25
Nigel Mazlyn Jones has released 10 albums since 1976. The first two albums ‘Ship to Shore’ and ‘Sentinel’ are sought by collectors and have now been re-released by Kissing Spell with extra tracks and sleeve notes. TV and radio collaborations and a growing audience in the dance/chill out festival scene have widened his traditional long standing folk / roots / progressive following yet critics often state he deserves wider acclaim and recognition.
Nigel creates a unique sound combining 6 and 12 string acoustic guitar sounds with electric textures and also plays Indian santor and clay pot. Much of his writing is influenced by the land, sea and sky of the south west of Britain where he lives yet some of his song writing also cuts to the core of human life. At live gigs he often combines the music with powerful and evocative visuals.
He was born in 1950 in the industrial Midlands and started playing guitar and writing songs and poetry at an early age. In his youth he worked part time with animals eventually moving to the Channel Islands in the seventies to work with the great apes for the conservationist and writer Gerald Durrell. Studying animal behaviour and that of the onlookers he realised that true conservation required a shift in human attitudes and following his love for the natural landscape, he eventually settled near the north coast of Cornwall where he still lives.
Tracks
1. All In The Name Of Love - 5:54
2. Sentinel -5:47
3. Flying - 3:52
4. Roll Away - 5:37
5. Water Road - 3:32
6. All In All - 4:31
7. Fools - 8:23
8. The Wheel - 6:07
9. Takes Two To Make It - 3:00
10.The Hills Of Celt - 5:23
11.Baby This Time - 3:16
12.All My Friends - 4:56
13.Which Way To The Sea? - 3:43
14.It Was All In The Name Of Love (Instrumental) - 2:45
All tracks composed by Nigel Mazlyn Jones
"Images, Clear Skies and Rainbows" was an impressive venture into prog-rock teetering on the edge of progressive by a group called Imagine.
An exceptionally solid effort from start to finish. The first side shows the group in more of a progressive vein with several good but abbreviated guitar runs, giving you a taste of what direction the group could actually go in when they decided to. On the second side they bear down and let you see their true colors by stretching out the guitar interludes into longer segments in each song.
The best song on the entire LP is "Tomorrow." The bass and guitar team up to give you a tour de force of rock and roll. The flute adds another dimension to the taken as a whole sound, giving it that decidedly progressive edge. Judging from the sound and vocal style. This LP is remarkably good considering I have never heard of them and cannot seem to find any history of the group anywhere.
by Keith Hannaleck
Tracks
1. Come Alive - 5:33
2. City Lights - 5:06
3. Rock And Roll Man - 4:37
4. Superstar - 5:31
5. Images Clear Skies And Rainbows - 5:34
6. Tomorrow - 5:26
7. My Golden Lady - 4:33
8. Castles Of Sand - 5:31
9. Just A Dream (Bonus) (Jeffery Levy) - 5:06
10.Flight 491 To Nowhere (Bonus) (J. Levy, E. Slaski) - 4:30
All songs by Ted and Mike Kieta, except where noted.
Musicians
*Mike Kieta - Bass Lead Vocal
*Ted Kieta - Guitar, Vocals
*Bob Rowland - Acoustic Percussion
*Mike Prichard - Flute, Lead Vocal
*Todd William - Lead Guitar
*Ray Smith - Lead Guitar
*Keith Dickerson - Saxophone
*M.H. Dickson - Keyboards
*Nancy Black, Karen Smith and Carol Dickerson - Backing Vocals
Alan Bown is most known -- certainly in the United States -- for his late '60s recordings as leader of a group (actually called the Alan Bown) that played psychedelic pop.
The trumpeter had already been recording since 1965, however, with a group called the Alan Bown Set from 1965-1967 in a far more soul-influenced style. This compilation gathers both sides of all five singles the Alan Bown Set released on Pye in the U.K. during that time, along with the seven live songs from the London Swings: Live at the Marquee Club LP they shared with Jimmy James & the Vagabonds, and the French-only single "Jeu De Massacre (The Killing Game)," from the soundtrack of the French film of the same name.
The group were in the same general territory as other British combiners of soul, jazz, and blues from the period, such as Georgie Fame and Zoot Money. However, they were more soul-oriented than either Fame or Money (and not nearly as good as Fame), though they too employed a brass section.
This collection is fair but workmanlike British blue-eyed soul, with the horns and organ differentiating it from many other British bands of the day. But it's short on really good material, whether group originals or cover interpretations. Jess Roden, who handles most of the vocals, sounds quite a bit like Steve Marriott, though he's not as good or powerful.
Those cuts with Jeff Bannister on lead suffer from his thin, uncertain vocals, though one of these, their 1965 debut single "I Can't Let Her Go," was the best tune they did, with its nicely melancholy melody and well-arranged blend of brass, organ, and backup harmonies.
by Richie Unterberger
Tracks
1. Can't Let Her Go (Leese) - 2:48
2. I'm The One (Mayfield) - 2:13
3. Baby Don't Push Me (Townsrow) - 2:15
4. Everything's Gonna Be Alright (Mitchell) - 2:21
5. Headline News (Hamilton, Morris, Hatcher) - 2:36
6. Mr Pleasure (Creighton, Stafford) - 2:12
7. Emergency 999 (Korda) - 2:30
8. Settle Down (Bown, Bannister) - 2:29
9. Gonna Fix You Good (Everytime You're Bad) (Randazzo, Pike) - 2:42
10.I Really, Really Care (Bown) - 2:42
11.Jeu De Massacre (The Killing Game) (J. Loussier, A. Jessua) - 4:19
12.Love Me (Unknown) - 2:47
13.Mr Job (Catchpole, Bown, Bannister) - 2:25
14.Gonna Fix You Good (Everytime You're Bad) (Demo Version) (Randazzo, Pike) - 2:47
15.It's Growing (Robinson Moore) - 3:12
16.Emergency 999 (Korda) - 2:39
17.I Need You (Mayfield) - 3:00
18.Sunny (Hebb) - 3:22
19.Headline News (Hamilton, Morris, Hatcher) - 2:35
20.Down In The Valley (Burke, Berns) - 2:47
21.The Boomerang (Ott, Covay) - 3:31
Tracks from 15-21 Live versions
The Alan Bown Set
*Alan Bown - Trumpet
*Dave Green - Saxophone, Flute
*Jeff Bannister - Organ, Vocals
*Stan Haldane - Bass
*Vic Sweeney - Drums
*Pete Burgess - Guitar
*Jess Roden - Vocals
*John Anthony Helliwell - Saxes
Stud began as a trio with Jim Cregan (ex Blossom Toes) (vocals, guitar), Richard McCracken (bass) and John Wilson (drums), the latter pair having split with Rory Gallagher's Taste on 31st December 1970. They were signed by Deram Records.
Ex Family violinist John Weider joined the band in June 1971, in time to appear on the debut LP which was released to little acclaim. While the musicianship on show is top notch, some of the material lacks distinction and meanders too often. The LP sold poorly and Deram declined the option of a second LP.
The band had more success in Germany, where Polydor had released the debut in different cover artwork.The album was recorded for Decca's Deram label and was an amalgam of rock and jazz and was an outstanding progressive album of its time.
The sessions also featured guest appearances by Poli Palmer (of Family) and John Weider (ex-Eric Burdon & The Animals and Family). Although Stud never achieved the acclaim they deserved, their debut album remains highly sought after by aficionados of Progressive Rock.
Tracks
1. Sail On - 4:12
2. Turn Over the Pages - 4:17
3. 1112235 - 12:20
4. Harpo's Head - 7:35
5. Horizon - 11:07
.i. Here
.ii.There
6. Song - 2:33
All songs by Jim Cregan, Richard McCracken, John Wilson
Stud
*Jim Cregan - Guitars, Vocals
*Richard McCracken - Bass, Acoustic Guitar
*John Wilson - Drums With
*John Weider - Violin
*Polli Palmer - Vibraphone
The group, with a sad history, founded in Milwaukee in Wisconsin,little known exponents of the late-1960s psychedelic-blues genre. Originally known as The New Blues, drummer Terry Andersen, guitarist Dennis Geyer, bassist Jim Marcotte and keyboard player Howard Wales had the common sense to move themselves to San Francisco.
Working in a psych-blues vein, the quartet found a ready audience and steady work on the city's club circuit. Recorded two albums, the first was called 'AB Skhy' and left in the same 1969, and the second 'Rumblin On' was born in 1970, after which the group disbanded. Signed by MGM, the quartet's 1969 self-titled debut teamed them with producer Richard Delvy. Unlike the majority of their San Francisco brethren, "A.B. Skhy" found the band focusing on a mixture of Blood, Sweat and Tears-styled horn rock.
Both of album were written in the style of blues-rock with great influence of jazz, which is reflected in the construction of tracks and sound - a large part of the track is playing a horn section. The horns are this album were arranged by Dave Roberts, and it's evident that he knows what he's doing.
From the first blast, until the last note, they hit you and hold you. Jim Marcotte's walking bass underlies some brass riffs that'll knock your socks off. Dennis Geyer's guitar makes you want to get up an dance. Terry Anderson's drum work is solid and lays a great foundation for the rest of the band. Howard Wales makes the Hammond sing, and combines with the rest of the group to make you wish every song was longer,and it belongs in the collection of every fan of good jazz, blues or rock.
Best of the lot were the bluesy "Understand" and the pseudo-jazzy "Of All Sad Words." Not bad performed a cover BB KING'a , completely jazz sounds which opens the album, 'You Upset Me Baby' . In the middle of a powerful sounds great jazz-rock instrumental "Camel Back",on the track even attended Dave Roberts with his copper pipes, as well as the beautiful ballad "Of All Sad Words" with a flute.
In the past, when I was much younger, I was prejudiced against wind instruments, believed that the more "horns" - the worse. Now, I realize that, it was the strongest wind instruments, that touches the heart of each man.
by Adamus67
Tracks
1. You Upset Me Baby - 7:10
2. Just What I Need - 3:30
3. It's Love Baby, 24 Hours A Day - 2:31
4. Camel Back - 5:05
5. Understand - 5:37
6. Love Isn't - 4:10
7. Of All Sad Words - 3:10
8. Love May Cure That - 5:10
If you recognize Terry Manning's name, its likely a result of his work as an engineer and producer, including numerous projects for the Memphis-based Ardent Records were he worked with the likes of Alex Chilton and Big Star. With the exception of true hard core collector's, most folks probably don't know that Manning actually recorded an early-1970s solo LP.
By the early 1970s Manning was a fixture at Stax having engineered many of their recording sessions. While he wasn't known for his performing talents, a one off demo of a song intended for The Box Tops caught Stax VP Al Bell's attention and served to get Manning signed to the Stax affiliated Enterprise label. Manning subsequently made his solo debut with 1970's "Home Sweet Home".
A true solo effort, Manning produced, engineered and save drums, handled most of the instrumentation (Big Star's Chris Bell provided lead guitar on a couple of tracks). In terms of the music, anyone into the Big Star/Alex Chilton scene will find this album irresistible. Besides, how can you not like an album that starts out with an extended, fuzz-filled cover of George Harrison's 'Savoy Truffle'.
Manning's voice certainly didn't have Chilton's depth and breadth, but he used his limited talents well, turning in a uniformly impressive set that effortlessly blended blue eyed soul, R&B and garage rock moves. Simply a blast from start to finish, it was hard to pick out favorites, though 'Trashy Dog' (The B-52s could've had a hit with it), 'I Ain't Got You' and a fuzz guitar and harmonica propelled cover of The Beatles' 'I Wanna Be Your Man' were all worthy highlights. (Okay, I'll admit the Elvis-wannabe 'Wild Wild Rocker' was forgettable.) Sadly, the LP vanished without a trace, making it a sought after collectable.
When buying albums by '60s rock bands, ground zero is 1966. If I'm hesitant to spend the cash, proximity to that year makes a difference in whether I end up springing for something or not. One of the better discs I've ponied up for in the past year is Everything But ... The Kitchen Cinq, the only album by a fairly obscure band with origins in Texas. From what I can tell, it actually came out in early- to mid-1967, but I'd bet it was recorded in '66, which would place it right in the magic 8-ball of my unscientific theory. Unfortunately, the mono copy I scored online is pretty beat up, but the music more than justified the cost of finally obtaining a copy.
Information about the band is scarce, but Mike Dugo of 60sgaragebands.com has come to the rescue once again with his excellent interview of guitarist Jim Parker, the best place to learn the Kitchen Cinq's story. To summarize briefly, the band was active as early as 1961 as The Illusions. They first had their name changed to the Y'Alls by impresario Ray Ruff for a single in '66, and again modified their moniker after moving to Los Angeles and getting involved with more famous impresario Lee Hazlewood. They released an album and several non-LP singles, before a lineup change and yet another name change, to Armageddon (not to be confused with the later Keith Relf band).
The music on Everything But... is a winning blend of harmony-drenched, poppy folk-rockers with the occasional fuzztone flip-out, such as band originals "Determination" and "Please Come Back to Me." Also excellent is the stop-start "You'll Be Sorry Some Day," not written by the band but a song probably first recorded by them, judging by the publishing credits.
The band proves very adept at integrating covers into their own sound, including managing to create a somewhat different spin than usual for Buffy Sainte-Marie's oft-recorded "Codine." They also take shots at Neil Diamond, the Beau Brummels, the Hollies (brave), Gene Pitney (extremely brave) and one song by Hazlewood. Luckily, it mostly all comes out sounding like the Kitchen Cinq.
Their album ended up being the first released on Hazlewood's LHI Records, an imprint best remembered today as the original home for Gram Parsons' International Submarine Band and Hazlewood's own cult classics. Everything But... was produced by Hazlewood flame/pre-Nancy Sinatra duet partner Suzi Jane Hokom, who gave it a bright and reverb-y, typically '60s production. In fact, the mysterious Ms. Hokom can be seen in the collage of band pictures on the back cover, surrounded by the band. There's also pics of the band surrounding Bill Cosby and Dick Van Dyke, apparently included to drive home a "we're in Los Angeles" message to the record-buying public.
These days, records on LHI rarely turn up, and this one is no different. Perhaps compounding its rarity is the fact that LHI's first distribution deal, with Decca, apparently lasted less than a year. After the label's first few albums the catalog numbers were reused for new LPs under a different distribution deal!
So, the Kitchen Cinq album was likely only available for a very short time originally. Like most of the LHI catalog (aside from the ISB album and Hazlewood's own work), it's never been given a proper reissue, but it can be tracked down from fellow collectors with a bit of internet searching, if one can't turn up an original LP. Now, if I could just find the Honey Ltd. and Eve LPs... (LHI, 1967).
by Bob Koch
Tracks
1. You'll Be Sorry Some Day (Bob Corso) - 2:34
2. Solitary Man (Neil Diamond) - 2:27
3. Determination (Johnny Stark, Mark Creamer) - 2:00
4. Please Come Back To Me (Johnny Stark, Mark Creamer) - 2:26
5. Codine (Buffy St. Marie) - 2:44
6. Young Boy (Ervan James Parker) - 2:27
7. Last Chance To Turn Around (Victor Milrose, Tony Bruno, Bob Elgin) - 3:07
8. Still In Love With You Baby (Ronald Elliot) - 2:32
9. If You Think (Raul Danks, Jon Taylor) - 2:05
10.I Can't Let Go (Chip Taylor, Al Gorgoni) - 2:25
11.Need All The Help I Can Get (Lee Hazlewood) - 2:44
The Kitchen Cinq
*Mark Creamer - Guitar, Vocals
*Dale Gardner - Bass, Vocals
*Jim Parker - Guitar, Vocals
*Dallas Smith - Guitar
*Johnny Stark - Drums
