A gentle, soulful singer who owed as much to blues and jazz as folk, Tim Hardin produced an impressive body of work in the late '60s without ever approaching either mass success or the artistic heights of the best singer/songwriters.
When future Lovin' Spoonful producer Erik Jacobsen arranged for Hardin's first recordings in the mid-'60s, Hardin was no more than an above-average white blues singer, in the mold of many fellow folkys working the East Coast circuit. By the time of his 1966 debut, however, he was writing confessional folk-rock songs of considerable grace and emotion. The first album's impact was slightly diluted by incompatible string overdubs (against Hardin's wishes), but by the time of his second and best LP, he'd achieved a satisfactory balance between acoustic guitar-based arrangements and subtle string accompaniment.
It was the lot of Hardin's work to achieve greater recognition through covers from other singers, such as Rod Stewart (who did "Reason to Believe"), Nico (who covered "Eulogy to Lenny Bruce" on her first album), Scott Walker (who sang "Lady Came From Baltimore"), Fred Neil ("Green Rocky Road" has been credited to both him and Hardin), and especially Bobby Darin, who took "If I Were a Carpenter" into the Top Ten in 1966.
Beleaguered by a heroin habit since early in his career, Hardin's drug problems became grave in the late '60s; his commercial prospects grew dimmer, and his albums more erratic, although he did manage to appear at Woodstock.
In 1973 he released a totaly different album, one of his rarest and most interesting recordings. For such an accomplished songwriter to record an album of all covers always makes for a compelling project. Hardin doesn’t disappoint on this 1973 album. The covers are esoteric and show his various influences from Randy Newman to Jesse Winchester with nods along the way to Willie Dixon and Badfinger. It looks strange on paper, but he makes it work.
His end was not a pretty one: due to accumulated drug and health problems, as well as a scarcity of new material, he didn't complete any albums after 1973, dying of a drug overdose in 1980.
by Richie Unterberger
Tracks
1. You Can't Judge a Book by the Cover (Willie Dixon) - 4:12
2. Midnight Caller (Pete Ham) -3:09
3. Yankee Lady (Jesse Winchester) - 4:27
4. Lonesome Valley (Traditional) - 4:29
5. Sweet Lady (Ralph Dino, John Sembello) - 3:47
6. Do the Do (Willie Dixon) - 4:20
7. Perfection (Pete Ham) - 3:03
8. Till We Meet Again (Neil Sheppard) - 3:13
9. I'll Be Home (Randy Newman) - 5:43
10.Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out (Jimmy Cox) - 6:38
Sweetwater closed out their three-album trilogy for Warner-Reprise in 1972 with Melon It had been a brief but eventful run by a uniquely talented band with an even more unique sound, one which blended rock with Latin, classical, gospel, soul, jazz, blues and other elements into a mildly psychedelic brew which tastes even better with age. They also can be considered as a seminal "jam band" when they performed in a concert setting. As an interesting postscript to their career, the band were the subject of cable channel VH-1's first original made-far IV. movie, Sweetwater: A True Rock Story.
The band was one of the hardest working of the era, constantly in demand for live performance as well as television. Their star was on the rise and events were unfolding quite rapidly. "We were able to cross lines and span many genre chasms because we were nonthreatening in appearance," says bassist/vocalist/songwriter/ co-producer Fred Herrera today. "Advertisers were just starting to align themselves with youth culture, and we were not a hippie band that was hostile looking in their straight judgment. What was once a social youth force, was becoming an economic force. We were invited to perform at some colleges that were holding music teaching seminars, because we were not a 'standard' rock group, we were a rock band that they were able to stomach, playing classical instruments and arrangements.
Aside from having a girl in the band, we were also mufti-racial, well-mannered, and had all been to college." Keyboardist/vocalist/songwriter Alex Del Zoppo also comments that the band were able to appear on television bills that were, to say the least, unusually "establishment." "We got gigs across the board, sometimes via mainstream promoters. We were able to play the Hollywood Palace television show, hosted by Bing Crosby, the first show of the seasondefinitely middle America there. So, it went from that to playing with Frank Zappa down at The Cheetah in Venice, and then the next day we would be in Tucson with The Cowsills. and the following day opening for Eric Burdon and The Animals or at The Forum with The Doors, equally at home in each place."
In the midst of this, the band received a crippling blow in late 1969 when lead singer Nancy Nevins was critically injured in an automobile accident in Los Angeles. Alex Del Zoppo recalls the terrifying event "We had been doing a lot of television then, and one night the band had all gathered at my parents' house, which was in the back of my father's television repair business-a slightly different situation than depicted in the VH1 movie-to view one of our appearances. This was Christmas, 1969. We had just done Woodstock, and we were getting a lot of media attention. I remember that we were all there, waiting for Nancy to arrive, and then that call came in...
The few times the band tried to include Nancy after her accident, their standard stadium volume level overpowered her recovering voice. "After a while, we were compelled to audition female singers to fill in for Nancy, particularly on the road," says Alex, "but couldn't find the right one. I guess it was sort of like what American Idol is today; just 98% crap, and a lot of girls with very strange styles. We certainly got a lot of response, because we advertised it as who we were- 'Nationally known band with major label contract, etc. etc.,' but Nancy was amazing-it turned out that no one could replace her. She could really interpret, and be a different singer for our diverse songs. She was a natural, and you could see the intuitive creativity flow out of her. So we went on without her or a replacement and kept our fingers crossed."
The band's farewell album was co-produced by Wiley Brooks (also known as "The Cosmic Man") and Fred Herrera. "By this time," comments Herrera, "we weren't touring with Nancy, and we also were starting to realize that her voice wasn't getting any stronger. Our situation not only wasn't getting back to where it was. it also wasn't getting any better. As well, many of us in the band were making different contacts within the entertainment field, and seeing if there wasn't anything else out there for us." To be sure, Del Zoppo had done sessions as a keyboard player for Gene Clark {his infamous, unreleased 1967 solo album for Columbia), as well as The Beach Boys among others.
"Also." adds Fred, "by the time we got to the third album, there was some friction between various members of the band. Very often it was segmented, where we would each come into the studio at different times." "In the middle of all of this," Alex interjects. "Alan Malarowitz decided to quit the band. He was going off to get married, and decided that he didn't have time for it anymore. In the process of auditioning drummers, we had gone through all of these macho types, who would pound out every one of their hot licks. At the end there was this skinny kid with shades, who just smoked the place, and that turned out to be (future Beach Boy and Rutles member) Ricky Fataar. He listened, and was perfect!" Albert ( August In the studio The resulting album does have a somewhat fragmented feel, not unlike The Beatles' White Album.
Members "played" on other members' tracks, giving it a less than spontaneous feel and flavor than their ensemble performances. There are moments, however, where everything fell into place and sparkled, such as "Join The Band." Del Zoppo's all-out party piece, which was a statement to the audience as well as the musicians. The buoyant spirits of the track belie the dissent within the band and management. "We just felt as if we weren't going anywhere." says Del Zoppo with finality. After Sweetwater. the band members scattered.
Del Zoppo continued a career in music, recording and touring with acts such as The Beach Boys, Chi Coltrane, Eric Burdon and Johnny Tillotson. He continues to write and perform in his native Los Angeles area. Fred Herrera also has worked extensively, scoring music for films and television and freelance record production. In recent years he has served as orchestra contractor for Yanni and Michael Crawford, as well as becoming an excellent mariachi performer in films. TV and recording. In the intervening years, three band icons have passed away: Albert Moore, whose vocal and excitingly animated live performances were legendary,- August Burns, whose influence grew exponentially on the band, and articulate drummer Alan Malarowitz. Oddly, the band reformed in the late 1990s, and enjoyed several seasons of shows which saw the revamped band in excellent form, despite the missing original members.
And although Nancy Nevins' voice is slightly faluesier then before, she's still a riveting performer and singer, adding a world-wise tone and authenticity to their classic material such as "Motherless Child" and some excellent new songs. One of the new songs, Del Zoppo's "Home Again." found a place as the closing track for 1999's excellent Rhino/Handmade collection. Cycles It was a fitting and comforting note to a truly unique story of a band who made some of the most adventurous music during a period where anything was possible, and often probable Sweetwater is a band that could have only happened in the 1960s, and fortunately for all of us, did.
by Matthew Greenwald and Harvey Kubermk
Tracks
1. Get It When You Can (Alex Del Zoppo) - 3:40
2. Don't Forget (Nansi Nevins) - 3:00
3. It Ain't Easy (Albert Moore) - 3:08
4. I'm Happy Today (Alex Del Zoppo) - 4:16
5. Rejoice The Smile Of Man (Fred Herrera) - 4:54
6. Take It From The Splice, Boys (Fred Herrera) - 8:42
7. Naturally (Alex Del Zoppo) - 3:36
8. Don't Give A Hoot (Albert Moore) - 2:18
9. Faith (August Burns) - 0:34
10.Join The Band (Alex Del Zoppo) - 4:32
"You Must Be a Witch" by the Lollipop Shoppe was one of the most ferocious garage punk singles of the 1960s, a savage blast of paranoia and electric guitar that became a sought-after collectable among garage fanatics and one of the high points of the Nuggets box set. The tune was powerful enough that one had to wonder how a group so fierce would come up with a name as silly as the Lollipop Shoppe, and the truth is they didn't: they were known as the Weeds until their manager scored them a deal with Uni Records, who found their original moniker too outré (the marijuana reference didn't help) and saddled them something a bit more "mod."
The Lollipop Shoppe cut just one album, 1967's Just Colour, and "You Must Be a Witch" is easily the most hard-edged cut on the record, but if the Lollipop Shoppe don't hit quite as hard on the other 11 tunes, the material is strong enough to impress any fan of vintage garage or psychedelia. Fred Cole's vocals boast an emotional urgency and force that set him far apart from most of his contemporaries, and the band's blend of garage rock thunder, folk-rock melodies, and psychedelic introspection puts this in the same league as Love and the 13th Floor Elevators.
Within a year of releasing Just Colour, the Lollipop Shoppe were history, and years later Cole went on to front one of the finest bands in the garage punk underground, Dead Moon; this album offers a powerful early confirmation of his talents, and if Cole's music got leaner and more muscular with time, he'd already learned how to play rock & roll that was as urgent and heartfelt as anything you're likely to encounter.
by Mark Deming
Tracks
1. You Must Be A Witch (F. Cole) - 2:44
2. Underground Railroad (F. Cole, R Buzzell) - 7:43
3. Baby Don't Go (B. Atkins, F. Cole) - 2:38
4. Who'll Read The Will (B. Atkins, F. Cole) - 2:28
5. It's Only A Reflection (E. Bowen) - 3:07
6. Don't Look Back (F. Cole) - 2:29
7. Don't Close The Door On Me (F. Cole, R Buzzell) - 4:25
8. It Ain't How Long (E. Bowen, F. Cole) - 2:42
9. It's Makin' It (E. Bowen, F. Cole) - 2:29
10.I'm Gonna Be There (B. Atkins, F. Cole) - 2:41
11.You Don't Give Me No More (B. Atkins, F. Cole) - 2:14
12.Sin (F. Cole) - 2:25
13.Someone I Know (Bonus Track) (Unknown) - 4:03
14.Through My Window (Bonus Track) (Unknown) - 2:39
Progressive rock is a marvelous genre. It is a musical style that celebrates experimentation, often incorporating elements of instrumental complexity that descents directly from the improvisational nature of Jazz music. Another familiar aspect of the genre that has become synonymous with Progressive rock is the idea of a conceptual theme within the lyrical content and musical orchestration, adding an element of storytelling to the listening experience. 666 by Aphrodite's Child, is the epitome of everything we love about Progressive rock. It is not only an epic adaption of Biblical passages from the book of Revelation, but a musical journey that transcends past traditional rock music and explores a vast variety of genres.
666 is a musical expansion, going far beyond the typical Psychedelic and Progressive rock music of the earlier albums by Aphrodite's Child. The album itself is a personal voyage where the musicians discover their full potential, experimenting with different classes of instruments and musical styles to simply see just how far they can take this album. "The Four Horsemen" is certainly the most accessible song from the album. It opens with a delicate ambience, soothing and gentle in nature, providing an elegant setting for a soft narration delivered by Demis Roussos. But from this ethereal atmosphere, as a powerful drum delivery erupts out of silence, we descend into a traditional rock sound. The instrumental sections in 666 are performed quite dexterously, especially the guitar arrangements. "The Battle Of The Locusts" and "Do It" are a prime example of the impressive musicianship in the album, displaying an evident influence from Jazz as they exhibit eruptions of elevated solos in an almost free-form environment.
As I said before, this album is an exploratory odyssey, a descension into abstract musical dimensions. Of course, 666 tends to favor a psychedelic atmosphere within the majority of its compositions, but we do see Aphrodite's Child leaving their comfort zone and enthusiastically voyaging into the previously unknown. There are various examples of songs incorporating a vast variety of influences ranging from, Musique concrète, Jazz, and even eastern influences with orchestrations that contain Raga aesthetics. "All The Seats were Occupied" coalesces all of the different genres that Aphrodite's Child explores in this album into one long musical voyage. "All The Seats were Occupied" is the penultimate track and it is a reflection of everything we have experienced in 666, opening with a gentle melodic texture and then transcending into lengthy instrumental passages that range from hypnotic psychedelic ambiences to an intense release of instrumental aggression. 666 is a true classic that has became recognized as one of the most important efforts in early Progressive rock. This is an album that must be heard by all fans of Progressive and Psychedelic music alike.
by Hernan M. Campbell
This "concept album" is in fact the soundtrack of a vast theatrical show-concert, and for this purpose I wrote the (unpublished) book, and lyrics. Unfortunately, the show was never produced.
It is not Demis who wanted to avoid a more progressive (than "Rain and Tears") sound, on the contrary, he was very enthusiastic for a turning of the band's music. It was Vangelis who prefered to minimize the participation of Demis, just to bring-out better his composer's talent, with no interference of the "Demis the star"'s weight.
Some of the "lyrics" (such as the "announcements" as I call them) are indeed from the "Apocalypse" (how could it be different), but there are always some slight inversions or alterations of the meaning, so to support the p.o.v. of the work. Finally, my (and our) intention was to create a "rock-extravaganza" for the 60s, and I believe, that we succeded on the sound level.
by Costas Ferris
Tracks
Disc 1
1. The System - 0:23
2. Babylon - 2:47
3. Loud, Loud, Loud - 2:42
4. The Four Horsemen - 5:53
5. The Lamb - 4:34
6. The Seventh Seal - 1:30
7. Aegian Sea - 5:22
8. Seven Bowls - 1:28
9. The Wakening Beast - 1:11
10.Lament - 2:45
11.The Marching Beast - 2:00
12.The Battle Of The Locusts - 0:56
13.Do It - 1:44
14.Tribulation - 0:32
15.The Beast - 2:26
16.Ofis - 0:14
Disc 2
1. Seven Trumpets - 0:35
2. Altamont - 4:33
3. The Wedding of the Lamb - 3:38
4. The Capture of the Beast - 2:17
5. ? - 5:15
6. Hic et Nunc - 2:55
7. All the Seats Were Occupied - 19:21
8. Break - 2:59
All Compositions by Vangelis, lyrics by Costas Ferris.
Ellison formed in Montreal in late 1967. Vincent Marandola and his childhood friend Richard Arcand, formed a trio named "Jimmy Peace". In 1969, they replaced the original drummer with Robert Cager and added Christian Tremblay as a second guitar, and thus "Ellison" was officially formed.
The band started playing quite frequently in and around Montreal, and actually played a few other gigs in Quebec. They were managed by Jean-Claude Brosseau. They recorded their one and only UP in 1971. which was produced by Alexandra Dumas and Yves Hamel and originally released on Trans-World Records.
There exists very little information with regards as to how well or poorly the record sold. In addition, the actual number of LPs pressed still remains a mystery. Ellison broke up in 1973 and I have lost contact with all the members over the years. Richard Arcand passed away in 1997 and I now reside in Sainte-Dorothee, Quebec.
by Vincent Marandola, Montreal. Canada, January 2000
Tracks
1. Unchanged World (V Marandola, R. Arcand) - 3 36:
2. Seal A Beam Bow (V. Marandola) - 4:26
3. Satanic (V. Marandola, R. Arcand) - 2:02
4. Winter Slutch (V. Marandola) - 4:06
5. Strawberry Pain (V Marandola, R. Arcand) - 5:23
6. Untruth Story (V. Marandola) - 3:17
7. Freedom (V. Marandola) - 3:36
Ellison
*Vincent Marandola - Vocals and Guitar
*Robert Cager - Drums
*Richard Arcand - Bass Guitar
*Christian Tremblay - Electric, Acoustic Guitar With
*Marie-Claire, Richard Seguin - Vocals
Levee Camp Moan's self-tilled LP, released in 1969 on the County Recording Service label (SVVS 132), is without a shadow of doubt one of the UK s rarest and most prestigious private pressings to emerge out of Britain's thriving underground blues scene of the late 60's.
In fact this extraordinary platter, albeit housed in a rather drab looking custom-built, heavy-duty cardboard sleeve complete with a pasted on snap of the group, is now so scarce that only those prepared lo part with four-figure sums are ever likely to stand a chance of securing a copy.
Interest in this recording has been long standing. In 1993 Audio Archives reissued the album on CD tor the first time, including, into the bargain, two live tracks that were taken from another Levee Camp Moan related album called 'Peacock Farm'. (Which is another story, but one we will turn to shortly).
Taking their name from the old blues number. Le Camp Moan were formed in the late 60's when the five members, manager and assorted roadies took up the residence in a country farmhouse on the Bracknell Delta. The name of this sprawling farmstead was Peacock Farm.
It was here that Levee Camp Moan were able to leave their equipment permanently set up and. Being relatively isolated, the band could rehearse as often, and as loudly, as they liked without fear of disturbing anyone. In this rural setting, the teenage blues-rocker-, sel about honing their gritty renditions of blues standards that encompassed influences from the urban blues of Otis Rush. Buddy Guy & Junior Wells together with Muddy Waters and Skip James.
The more or less contemporary white blues of the time. Canned Heat. Savoy Brown and Paul Buttcrfield etc. also provided a great source of inspiration. From their Berkshire roots the band quickly built up a following on the British Blues Circuit, frequenting the likes of the Marquee. Crawdaddy, Klooks Kleek. Eel Pie Island and Rikki Tik clubs.
On the college circuit they toured extensively with Chickenshack. Canned Heat and Muddy Waters with performances being of sufficient appeal and merit so as lo attract record company interest. Sadly all ensuing proposed deals never got off the ground resulting in the band having to rely on themselves alone if they wanted to make a record. And so it was in early "69 that ihey entered Virgin Sound in Windsor to lay down eight tracks, recorded on a four track machine, for Ilieir debut album.
At the time of its creation the term private pressing would have had little or no relevance in music circles and would have offered little insight into the nature of the project. As already outlined, the LP, as perceived by today's standards, was every bit the archetypal private pressing. Unrefined and. moreover, free from record company interference, the band were able to retain thrillingly raw edge making sure that Levee Camp Moan remained a primitive yet vital effort full aggression and spirit.
Very few copies of 'Peacock Farm' appear to have survived and oven less with the cartoon insert that was meant to be stapled into the middle of the gatefold sleeve One has to remember that, in the main, both LPs were available only to local audiences which greatly contributed to their scarcity. Collectors should also be aware that 'Peacock Farm' is not a second LP by Levee Camp Moan as incorrectly stated in various rare record books and articles, but a 'various artists' LP featuring Levee Camp Moan, amongst others.
This record was aptly labelled 'Live Recordings made at Peacock Farm Concerts' and was issued by Bracknell's County Recording Services COUN LP 158/9). More importantly, the missing disc did actually make it to the acetate stage although how many were cut it’s anybody's guess probably just a handful.
Amazingly Levee Camp Moan kept performing, albeit intermittently, until 1975 long after singer Frank Woodward had left leavin Sal Bristow to front the outfit.
Despite other material having been recorded, the whereabouts of which is unknown, what we are left today are 2 desperately rare LPs that nobody has a realistic chance of obtaining and, now. this updated CD of our second release from close to a decade ago.
Interestingly some of the members of LCM have in the music scene to this day. Leader Ian Campbell carried on performing with, amongst others. Nashville Teens, Arthur Brown's band and Mungo Jerry and released several albums in the 80's with his own outfit, the Ian Campbell Blues band.
Drunmmer Malcolm Ashmore continued to pick up the sticks for various pub Blues bands whilst bassist David Stubbs played with a host of others including gigs in Eric Clapton's band and lengthy world tours with Uli John Roth (ex Scorpions). Frank Woodward sadly died in 1987 and Sal Bristow retired from the music business upon the band's demise.
by Pete Sarfas, Spring 2002
Tracks
1. Walking By Myself - 2:54
2. Flood In Houston - 4:44
3. Damp - 3:47
4. Mr Backlash - 4:02
5. Sweet Little Angel - 6:15
6. Linin' Track - 1:18
7. Disgusted Of North Acton - 4:09
8. Just Can't Keep From Crying - 3:54
9. De Boogie - 10:50
10.Whiskey Tumble - 6:50
11.John Thomas Blues Band – Weary Baby - 5:08
12.Thomas Houlihan – Trouble, Had It All My Days - 4:15
13.Frank Gillibrand – Carpicho Arabe - 3:38
14.St. James Infirmary – Sunshine Help Me - 5:32
Tracks 9-14 taken from 'Peacock Farm' Free Concerts
It's been a strange and chequered career for Canadian classic rockers The Guess Who. They were the very first Canadian rock group to have a number one hit in the United States and they even found themselves performing at the White House in front of an audience that included President Nixon and Prince Charles.
And yet ask most run-of-the-mill rock fans what they know about the band and it would possibly be that one-time guitarist Randy Bachman went on to form Bachman Turner Overdrive and have a hit with perennial drive time classic 'You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet'.
And yet as these, three of the band's first four albums from the time when they were known simply as The Guess Who as opposed to The Guess Who? (more of which later) show that Canada was just as adept at coming up with a classic rock sound as its North American cousins just south of the border.
The Guess Who's early years are a jumble of local Winnipeg-based '60s bands. Primarily we start with The Silvertones, a band formed in the early '60s by singer Chad Allan. By 1962 they'd become Al and The Silvertones and also featured future Guess Who band members Randy Bachman, Jim Kale, Garry Peterson and Bob Ashley. The very same year they became Chad Allan and The Reflections and two years after that Chad Allen and The Expressions.
It was when this latter act recorded a cover of Johnny Kidd & The Pirate's 'Shakin' All Over' that the band's Canadian record label took it upon themselves to label the British-invasion style sounding single as The Guess Who?, either in the hope of implying to an unsuspecting record buying public that they were either a well-known British band akin to The Beatles, The Who or The Kinks, all of whom were fast-gaining favour in North America, or maybe even a collection of well-known UK musicians banding together under a different name.
Whether the actual ruse worked with the public, the single was a success, hitting number one in Canada and 22 in America. However owing to DJ's insistence at referring to the band as Guess Who?, even when they knew it was actually Chad Allen & The Expressions meant that the band were pushed headfirst into changing their name.
Although between 1965 and 1966, the band were variously known and even credited as The Guess Who? and Chad Allen & The Expressions.
Allen himself left the band in 1966, initially to return to college, although he woul crop up as a presenter on the Canadian TV show Let's Go, whose house band jus happened to be The Guess Who? But by the time of the band's 1968 album 'Wheatfield Soul', they would finally be known as The Guess Who. It wasn't just the change to the name that was apparent by the time of 'Wheatfield Soul'.
With new singer Burton Cummings and guitarist Randy Bachman coming to the fore as the band's main songwriters, the musical emphasis had shifted away from the earlier UK inspired sound towards a more classic rock entrenched style.
The move almost immediately paid dividends, with the album's opening cut, the balladic 'These Eyes', cracking the US Top Ten, and whilst that particular style was evident throughout the album, on which the song 'Lightfoot' was a tribute to fellow Cabadian musician Gordon Lightfoot, the 11 minutes plus "Friends Of Mine" showed the band stretching out in a cavalcade of colourful neo-psychedelic and progressive flourishes.
1969's 'Canned Wheat' was even better, with the band finding their feet and proving themselves to be a solidly good heavy rock band.
Cumming's Paul Rodgers' style vocals were really starting to sound at home within the band's framework whilst Bachman's guitar tone proved he could mix jazzy touches with a basic hard rock style to maximum effect, not least on 'Undun', which proved to be the album's biggest hit.
Although not included within this set, 1970's 'American Woman' represents The Guess Who at their finest and was also Bachman's final recorded album with the band until a 1983 reformation.
The hard rocking and much covered title track gave The Guess Who their first ever US number one single, whilst the album reached number nine, remaining on the US album charts for over a year.
The band even found themselves performing before President Nixon and Prince Charles at the White House, although legend has it that Nixon's wife Pat requested the overtly sarcastic 'American Women' be dropped from the band's set.
With Bachman at odds with the band he quit following a show at New York's Fillmore East in May 1970. He was replaced not by one but two guitarists, Kurt Winter and Greg Leskiw for The Guess Who's second album of 1970, 'Share The Land'. The third of this packages albums.
However, if anyone thought that the departure of Bachman would severely dent The Guess Who's progress they were in for a surprise. 'Share The Land', which followed in the hard rocking vein of 'American Woman', not only continued to give the band hit singles with the title track and 'Hand Me Down World', but also proved a remarkably durable album, being the band's biggest selling, post-'American Woman'.
Following 'Share The Land', however, the band's fortunes took a nosedive, as Bachman's BTO career began to take off with 1974's 'Not Fragile' and the smash hit 'You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet', and singer Cummings folded The Guess Who in 1975. It will probably come as no surprise to discover there have been several reunions over the years.
The first took place in 1977 without Cummings and Bachman, which led to bassist Jim Kale discovering the band's name had never been registered - he immediately acquired the rights and also tours and records with Jim Kale's The Guess Who to much less acclaim than any of the bigger reunions, in 1983 the 'American Woman' line-up reunited for some Canadian shows and recorded a live album, 'Together Again'.
Variations on the classic line-ups that recorded the three albums you have here have continued to reunite and play live shows for various causes over the years, whilst continuing to concurrently run their own solo projects.
Most recently Cummings and Bachman, been performing together under the title Bachman-Cummings. Jim Kale now co-owns the rights to the band's name with drummer Garry Peterson, also tour extensively in North America as The Guess Who.
So a chequered career as we said. But there's no denying the most fruitful era of The Guess Who, one of Canada's most successful classic rock acts, is represented by the material you have on these three discs. Enjoy
by Jerry Ewing
Tracks
Wheatfield Soul 1968
1. These Eyes - 3:45
2. Pink Wine Sparkles in the Glass - 2:13
3. I Found Her in a Star (Cummings) - 2:36
4. Friends of Mine - 10:04
5. When You Touch Me (Bachman, Cummings, Matheson) - 3:38
6. A Wednesday in Your Garden (Bachman) - 3:20
7. Lightfoot (Bachman, Cummings, Matheson) - 3:07
8. Love and a Yellow Rose - 5:05
9. Maple Fudge - 1:49
10. We're Coming to Dinner - 2:43
All songs written by Randy Bachman, Burton Cummings except as noted.
Share the Land 1970
1. Bus Rider – 2:57
2. Do You Miss Me Darlin'? – 3:55
3. Hand Me Down World – 3:26
4. Moan For You Joe – 2:39
5. Share the Land – 3:53
6. Hang on to Your Life – 4:09
7. Coming Down Off the Money Bag / Song of the Dog (Leskiw)/(Cummings) – 3:54
8. Three More Days – 8:55
9. Palmyra (Bonus Track) – 5:44
10.The Answer (Bonus Track) – 4:05
All songs written by Burton Cummings, Kurt Winter except as noted.
The Guess Who
*Burton Cummings – Vocals, Organ, Piano, Flute, Harmonica, Keyboards
*Jim Kale – Bass
*Greg Leskiw – Guitar
*Garry Peterson – Drums
*Kurt Winter – Guitar
Canned Wheat 1969
1. No Time - 5:37
2. Minstrel Boy - 3:18
3. Laughing - 3:05
4. Undun (Bachman) - 4:17
5. 6 A.M. or Nearer (Bachman) - 5:24
6. Old Joe (Cummings) - 3:07
7. Of a Dropping Pin - 3:42
8. Key - 11:24
9. Fair Warning - 1:44
10.Species Hawk (Bonus Track) - 5:06
11.Silver Bird (Bonus Track) - 1:44
All songs written by Randy Bachman,Burton Cummings except as noted.
Another mystery group with a hideously rare private press to their credit. Butterfingers are thought to have come from Texas, as their album is rarely sighted far from the Houston area. Musically, this band will have wide appeal amongst readers of this book - wild psychedelic guitar on every cut, that druggy underground vibe that was so prevalent in the 'States during this era but seldom was captured on vinyl (and was never allowed on radio). The lead vocalist has an obnoxious "soulish" vocal technique that irritates, however and overall the band come across as one-dimensional.
Several collectors are quite certain that Butterfingers were a black group, but they sound simply hillbilly to me. Adding Texas to the equation makes the latter interpretation more likely, although still speculative.
Despite what may appear as a lukewarm review, many collectors rate this album highly, and the reissue is certainly recommended.
from Fuzz, Acid and Flowers
Tracks
1. Key - 2:24
2. Has the Buggerman Got You - 2:19
3. Look out Now - 2:09
4. 5 o' Clock Trip - 2:07
5. In the Shade of Night - 2:22
6. High Walkin' - 2:42
7. I Feel Like An Elephant - 2:36
8. Were Ya Gonna Hide - 4:56
9. Why Get High - 3:56
10.Bootleg - 5:39
“Where have I gone, where have I gone?” pondered Terry Kirkman on the haunting opening track to The Association’s 1969 long-player. Though the group’s fifth album, it was simply titled The Association, signifying an artistic rebirth. Gone were the session players and ornate Bones Howe production that marked their previous album, 1968’s Birthday. Taking the production reins themselves in tandem with John Boylan, The Association – Kirkman, Russ Giguere, Brian Cole, Jim Yester, Larry Ramos, Ted Bluechel., Jr. and the just-returned Jules Alexander – created one of their most beguilingly eclectic collections. The Association, also known as “The Stonehenge album” for its spacey cover, didn’t contain any hit singles. But it showed off the group’s trademark harmonies in gleaming form as each man’s songwriting continued to grow in maturity.
The Association addressed the heady, rapidly-changing times with the very first song as Kirkman pondered over an ethereal chorale, “Oh, it’s a hard way down to the time I raised my hand and swore I’d gladly die for my God and Uncle Sam/There was so much I didn’t know, and what I know, I didn’t understand/Look at me, look at me/Where have I gone, where I have gone?” But soon, Kirkman turned his questioning outward, too, with “Look at Me, Look at You.” The voices were familiar but the accompaniment, flecked with Doug Dillard’s banjo, acknowledged country-rock.
Jim Yester leaned in that direction, too, with “What Were the Words.” This look back from relationship’s end was originally written for The Dillards, and incorporates twangy instrumentation alongside those lush voices. Jules Alexander wrote his own country-rock song with the reflective “Dubuque Blues.” This was, doubtless, an earthier Association, although folk influences had been a major component of the band since their earliest days. On The Association, the multi-layered vocals hadn’t lost the sheer and exhilarating beauty of “Everything That Touches You” or “Cherish,” but frequently hinted at a darker place.
Even the love songs took on a more subtle air. Alexander’s “Love Affair,” yearningly sung by Yester, paints a picture of “kids to the world of the old” with “dreams that we’re living [which] they will never know…you in your Levis and I in my hair…” The imagery is spare yet potent, and very much of a window into the time though its author opines in reissue producer Steve Stanley’s comprehensive new liner notes that it “was about a woman I was going with at the time…nothing more than that, really.” Bluechel co-wrote the ambitious “The Nest,” juxtaposing downbeat solo verses (“Without love, home’s an empty house/And you might be the one who’s left within it”) with a more optimistic group-sung chorus in which the famed sunshine pop purveyors were at least hinting at a ray of sunshine.
The most commercial track on The Association was producer Boylan’s “Yes I Will.” Warner Bros. correctly selected the track for single release, but it couldn’t rise above a disappointing No. 120 on the pop chart. Still, it’s one of the band’s stronger rock-inflected songs, packing a simple yet powerful punch, even if it feels somewhat out of place on this more subtly reflective set. “Goodbye Forever,” written by Kirkman, Alexander and Rita Martinson, was originally submitted as a title song to the 1969 film Goodbye Columbus, but was rejected in favor of Jim Yester’s stab at a title song for the movie. It was retitled for The Association’s recording, and boasts a catchy melody if rather silly lyrics playing on the film’s then-risqué, hip and contemporary themes: “Not just another pretty bottom/But a genuine blue boobie/Not just another pretty bottom/But a genuine cheap groovy…”
Larry Ramos and Tony Ortega’s frenetic soul rocker, “Are You Ready,” has a tough guitar riff and some horns arranged by Bones Howe’s frequent collaborator Bob Alcivar. Brian Cole and Jules Alexander’s “I Am Up for Europe” (“…or any other place where I don’t speak the language or recognize a face”) emphasizes heavy guitars to a restless and searching lyric espousing a “gentle revolution.” Russ Giguere’s only songwriting contribution is the jokey “Broccoli,” about, well, broccoli. Kirkman closed out the album on a suitably poetic note, though, with “Boy on the Mountain,” co-written with arranger Richard Thompson (not of Fairport Convention fame).
by Joe Marchese
Tracks
1. Look At Me, Look At You (T. Kirkman)
2. Yes, I Will (J. Boylan)
3. Love Affair (J. Alexander)
4. The Nest (T. Bluechel, Jr., S. Carmel)
5. What Were The Words (J. Yester)
6. Are You Ready (L. Ramos, Jr., T. Ortega)
7. Dubuque Blues (J. Alexander)
8. Under Branches (J. Alexander, S. Carmel)
9. I Am Up For Europe (B. Cole, J. Alexander)
10. Broccoli (R. Giguere)
11. Goodbye Forever (T. Kirkman, J. Alexander, R. Martinson)
12. Boy On The Mountain (T. Kirkman, R. Thompson)
13. Just About The Same (Stereo 45) (R. Edgar, M. Fennelly, L. Mallory, D. Rhodes, J. Stec)
14. Six Man Band (Mono 45) (T. Kirkman)
15. Enter The Young (Withdrawn 1968 45) (T. Kirkman)
16. Yes, I Will (Mono 45) (J. Boylan)
17. Are You Ready (Mono 45) (L. Ramos, Jr., T. Ortega)
18. Dubuque Blues (Mono 45) (J. Alexander)
19. Under Branches (Mono 45) (J. Alexander, S. Carmel)
20. I Am Up For Europe (Mono 45) (B. Cole, J. Alexander)
21. Look At Me, Look At You (Mono Mix) (T. Kirkman)
22. Boy On The Mountain (Mono Mix) (T. Kirkman, R. Thompson)
The Original Stereo Album 1-12
Bonus Tracks 13-22
The Association
*Russ Giguere - Vocals, Guitar
*Brian Cole - Vocals, Bass
*Terry Kirkman - Vocals, Brass, Woodwinds
*Jim Yester - Vocals, Guitar, Keyboards
*Jules Alexander - Vocals, Guitar
*Larry Ramos, Jr. - Vocals, Bass, Guitar
*Ted Bluechel Jr - Vocals, Drums
Back in the mid-seventies Dave Mason had a really nice run. In 1976 he had a nice hit record with this release, Certified Live, and then he followed that up a year later with one of, if not the most popular album of his solo career, Let it Flow.
Certified Live was another double live album. They were the rage in the mid-70s. You can thank Frampton Come Alive for that. If you were a decent selling artist in that period that did OK but needed a little kick to break out, you released a double live album. It not only worked for Frampton, but it also was the formula that triggered hits for Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Outlaws, REO Speedwagon, Rush, UFO, Thin Lizzy, Pat Travers, Ted Nugent and even Genesis. It really worked. I should know, I bought all of those and a few more as well.
When I went back and listened to Certified Live the first thing that jumped out at me was how damn good his drummer was! The opening track is “Feelin’ Alright,; You know the song, think Joe Cocker. His name is Rick Jaeger. I’m not familiar with him but he’s really good. He’s got the Bernard Purdie high hat riff down!!
Dave runs through quite a bit of his best stuff here. Besides ‘Feelin’ Alright” you also get great versions of “Show Me Some Affection”, “World in Changes”, “Look at You and Look at Me” and of course, “Only You Know and I Know.”
Dave also takes on some interesting cover tunes here as well. He tackles The Eagles “Take it to the Limit”, Bob Dylan’s “All Along the Watchtower” and the Spencer Davis Band’s “Gimme Some Lovin.” You may not know this but Dave’s entry into the big time music scene was as the road manager in his early 20s for the Spencer Davis Band. There he met “Stevie” Winwood and would eventually join with him and form Traffic.
This album did OK on the charts. I was not another Frampton Comes Alive by any means. It peaked at #78 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums chart. It did however, give him time to work on that Let it Flow album that did quite well.
by Larry Carta
Let It Flow was the biggest selling album that Dave Mason had while on Columbia, as it contained his biggest hit, "We Just Disagree," as well as "Let It Go, Let It Flow." Everything here is similar in character to the latter song, though not all of it is as catchy or hook-driven. And there is a great deal else to recommend this record, including the horn-and-string ornamented "Mystic Traveler"; the soaring, soulful "Spend Your Life with Me"; the funky "Takin' the Time to Find"; and the soulful "What DO We Got Here?"
Only the two hits off this album ended up on Sony/Legacy's compilation of Mason's work, Long Lost Friend: The Best of Dave Mason, so it is still a relevant purchase for those curious about Mason's work in the '70s.
by Bruce Eder
Tracks
Certified Live
1. Feelin’ Alright (D. Mason) - 6:21
2. Pearly Queen (S. Winwood, J. Capaldi) - 3:41
3. Show Me Some Affection (D. Mason) - 4:36
4. All Along the Watchtower (Bob Dylan) - 4:46
5. Take It to the Limit (R. Meisner, D. Henley, G. Frey) - 3:34
6. Give Me a Reason Why (D. Mason) - 4:12
7. Sad and Deep as You (D. Mason) - 3:12
8. Every Woman (D. Mason) - 2:36
9. World in Changes (D. Mason) - 5:25
10.Goin’ Down Slow (St. Louis Jimmy Oden) - 6:43
11.Look at You, Look at Me (D. Mason, J. Capaldi) - 12:50
12.Only You Know and I Know (D. Mason) - 4:45
12.Bring It on Home to Me (Sam Cooke)- 5:05
14.Gimme Some Lovin’ (S. Davis, S. Winwood, M. Winwood) - 8:14
Musicians
*Mike Finnigan - Keyboards, Vocals
*Dr. Rick Jaeger - Drums
*Gerald Johnson - Bass
*Jim Kruegar - Guitar
*Dave Mason - Guitar, Vocals
Let It Flow
1. So High (Rock Me Baby And Roll Me Away) (Mentor Williams, Jack Conrad) - 4:07
2. We Just Disagree (Jim Krueger) - 3:00
3. Mystic Traveler (Dave Mason) - 5:00
4. Spend Your Life With Me (Angeleen Gagliano) - 3:22
5. Takin' The Time To Find (Dave Mason) - 4:31
6. Let It Go, Let It Flow (Dave Mason) - 3:15
7. Then It's Alright (Dave Mason) - 4:14
8. Seasons (Angeleen Gagliano) - 4:50
9. You Just Have To Wait Now (Dave Mason) - 3:09
10.What Do We Got Here? (Jim Krueger) - 4:21
Most definitely a part of the late-'60s West Coast psychedelic blues revolution that was becoming hipper than hip, Steve Miller was also always acutely aware of both the British psychedelic movement that was swirling in tandem and of where the future lay, and how that would evolve into something even more remarkable.
The result of all those ideas, of course, came together on 1968's magnificent Sailor LP. What was begun on Children of the Future is more fully realized on Sailor, most notably on the opening "Song for Our Ancestors," which begins with a foghorn and only gets stranger from there. Indeed, the song precognizes Pink Floyd's 1971 opus "Echoes" to such an extent that one wonders how much the latter enjoyed Miller's own wild ride.
Elsewhere, the beautiful, slow "Dear Mary" positively shimmers in a haze of declared love, while the heavy drumbeats and rock riffing guitar of "Living in the U.S.A." are a powerful reminder that the Steve Miller Band, no matter what other paths they meandered down, could rock out with the best of them. And, of course, this is the LP that introduced many to the Johnny "Guitar" Watson classic "Gangster of Love," a song that would become almost wholly Miller's own, giving the fans an alter ego to caress long before "The Joker" arose to show his hand.
Rounding out Miller's love of the blues is an excellent rendering of Jimmy Reed's "You're So Fine." At their blues-loving best, Sailor is a classic Miller recording and a must-have -- especially for the more contemporary fan, where it becomes an initiation into a past of mythic proportion.
by Amy Hanson
Tracks
1. Song For Our Ancestors - 5:57
2. Dear Mary - 3:35
3. My Friend (Tim Davis, Boz Scaggs) - 3:30
4. Living In The U.S.A. - 4:03
5. Quicksilver Girl - 2:40
6. Lucky Man (Jim Peterman) – 3:08
7. Gangster Of Love (Johnny Guitar Watson) - 1:24
8. You're So Fine (Jimmy Reed) - 2:51
9. Overdrive (Boz Scaggs) - 3:54
10.Dime-A-Dance Romance (Boz Scaggs) - 3:26
Attempts to get into contemporary songwriting are being fostered here by a newly organized W.B.-Seven Arts writers workshop. Two 16-year-old writers plus a trio of writers/performers called the Glass Family, have been signed to the workshop by Raul Abeyta, recently hired to oversee the workshop effort. Abeyta was formerly a contract writer with the company for three years.
He now holds the title of general professional manager of special projects, reporting to Billy Sherman, the office's general professional manager. Abeyta has been scouting for writers and artists in the Southern California area. He found the Glass Family on Catalina Island. The group has been to record an LP of its own compositions for W-7 Records. Their compositions will be published by Tamerlane Music. W-7's BM1 firm. Abeyta critiques the new writers works and seeks lo pair composers with lyricists Sherman says the projeci can involve up to 12 persons.
The workshop primarily functions in the evenings at the publishing company's Hollywood offices where a piano and tape recorder are made available to the fledgling writers. The Adrisi Brothers, who have been with Sherman five years, were originally brought into the Tamerlane fold when Valiant Records was still operating. Valiant was subsequent sold to Warner Bros.
B/brd November 16th 1968
'Astonishingly perceptive album. This is progressive rock, but with variations. House Of Glass hinges on its perceptive lyrics.Sometimes You Wander is melodic, and about as easy listening as you can get. Agorn (Elements Of Complex Variables) is interesting, largely because of the drum work. Very good LP. Highly electronic'
B/brd, February 15th 1969
Tracks
1. House of Glass - 3:12
2. Born In the U.S.A. - 2:30
3. Once Again - 2:36
4. Sometimes You Wander (Henry'sTune) - 2:59
5. The Means - 4:10
6. Do You Remember? - 3:22
7. I Want To See My Baby (Capilouto, Green, Parrett) - 3:43
8. Lady Blue - 2:48
9. Passage #17 - 2:32
10. Mr. Happy Glee - 2:35
11. Guess I'll Let You Go - 2:44
12. Agorn (Elements of Complex Variables) (Capilouto, Green, Parrett) - 4:12
13. Teenage Rebellion - 1:41
14. David's Rap - 2:05
15. Guess I'll Let You Go (45 Mix) - 2:5
All titles by Ralph Parrett except where noted
Glass Family
*Ralph Parrett – Vocals, Guitar
*David Capiloato – Keyboards, Bass
*Gary Green – Drums Percussion Free Text Just Paste
By the time the prolific Miller set up shop to record 1969’s Brave New World, the line-up had been slimmed down. Scaggs and Peterman had departed as 1968 came to a close, but Miller welcomed some very special guests to the new album: returning friend and Miller’s sometimes co-writer Ben Sidran (who had played on Children of the Future), Nicky Hopkins, and Paul Ramon, a.k.a. Paul McCartney!
Though the songs are tighter and a bit more pop-oriented than on the first two LPs, Miller’s blazing guitar rocked harder than before, and the album’s songs were the group’s most consistent yet. Produced by Glyn Johns in Hollywood in the midst of his work on The Beatles’ Get Back, Brave New World offered group harmonies on Miller’s optimistic, catchy title track (originally written for an abortive sci-fi concept album; also see the album’s “Space Cowboy”) and Miller and Sidran’s “Celebration Song,” with its “Sha-la-la” refrain. Their “Seasons” is also one of Miller’s loveliest pieces of music.
Tim Davis’ breakneck “Hey Baby, Can You Hear Your Daddy’s Heartbeat” is Hendrix-style blues-rock, while the band went back to basics on the bluesy riffs of “Got Love ‘Cause You Need It” and Lonnie Turner’s “LT’s Midnight Dream.” Nicky Hopkins’ glistening piano chords added a new dimension to the group’s sound on “Kow Kow,” with a familiar-sounding Miller melody set to an absurdist lyric.
McCartney played bass and drums and sang background vocals on the album closer, the rousing and raucous “My Dark Hour.” Synthesizing blues, rock, pop and psychedelic soul influences into one cohesive LP, Brave New World augured for the band’s more commercial future.
by Joe Marchese
Tracks
1. Brave New World (Steve Miller) - 3:27
2. Celebration Song (Steve Miller, Ben Sidran) - 2:33
3. Can't You Hear Your Daddy's Heartbeat (Tim Davis) - 2:30
4. Got Love 'Cause You Need It (Steve Miller, Ben Sidran) - 2:28
