Previous to the Chirco Visitation sessions, the Visitation Musicians were working in Westchester County, just outside of Mew York City, as a band called "Sassafrass". with S.H, Foote on Keyboards, Ted McKenzie on drums Bruce Taylor on Bass and John Naylor on guitar, Tony Chirco approached the band to assist in completing a project he had already begun with other session musicians . "Sassafrass" joined with 'Tony and vocalist Anvil Roth and completed the sessions at Syncron Sound Studios.
The band then traveled to Denver In an attempt to promote the LP within the local Donver music scene, By chance they became entangled with J, Carlos Schidlowski, a, Chilean businessman who started his Denver Colorado, based "Crested Butte" records in 1972, Chirco was the first Ip release on Crested Butte, the second (and only other one) was a very Middle-Of-The-Road effort by Paul Hampton. The group and label were introduced at big party on a ranch near Boulder and Ips were handed out with "Crested Butte" belt buckles.
A few singles followed by local acts but Schidlowski's label basically was doomed to start with….and perhaps that's what Carlos may have had in mind, since some seemed to believe he was better at spending the money of others than taking in revenue for the label, The Chirco sessions were produced by the now-famous Michaei Cuscuna and have a polish that few independent Projects of the early seventies have, Barry Tashian {Remains} assisted the group when they ware taping in New England, A disc of all original material, "Visitation" is a rock Ip with a jazz feel and subtle spiritual message that did not find a commercial audience In Colorado.
The group and album met with failure in the Denver area (although we heard they played in Boulder) and most of the records ended up in the trash or in the case of one shop, wore given away with a purchase., The financial slight of hand of the label's founder, however, did not escape the federal authorities and they pursued Mr. Schidlowski and brought him to Denver from Chile around 1974 to serve two years in a local correctional facility. In the eighties he would be returned to Chile after 23 of fraud were uncovered with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Tracks Older Than Ancient - Parable
1. Sound Of The Cross (Chirco,R.Burnley) - 2:15
2. 33 Years (B. Taylor, B. Chanaca) - 3:51
3. 'Cause I Love You(B. Taylor, L. Rickards) - 3:43
4. Golden Image (Chirco, A. Roth) - 7:00 Younger Than New
5. Dear Friends (R. Calabrese, Chirco) - 7:46
6. Mister Sunshine Parable (B. Tashian, Chirco) - 5:08
7. Minutes (R. Calabrese, Chirco) - 2:51
8. Child Of Peace (R. Calabrese, Chirco) - 4:49
Before Bruce Kulick became a fixture on the speed dial of legendary rockers like KISS (who proudly called him their lead guitarist for 12 years), Meat Loaf (he was a member of the Bat Out Of Hell touring troupe), or Grand Funk Railroad (with whom he has toured the country for most of the last decade); before he became one of the most sought after guest musicians in the world; before he garnered praise from press the world over as a Rock 'n Roll Fantasy Camp counselor to be both respected and feared; before all of that, Bruce Kulick was a fan of great rock music. Cream, Jimi Hendrix, The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Yes, The Who... you name it, Kulick knew it.
"When people ask me how to get better at their instrument, I always tell them to find other players in your area and learn to make music," says Kulick. "To that end, after I'd been playing a while, I found a guy who lived in the next building over from me, in the Jackson Heights area of Queens, New York. His name was Mike Katz, and he was a bass player who loved all of the same bands I did. We started jamming, and, because we already spoke the same language musically, it was just magical. We found a drummer named Guy Bois who rounded out the picture, and we formed a group that we envisioned as a cross between Cream and Yes."
After months of rehearsal in the Bois family basement, the band (though called "KKB" today, never had an official name) entered New York's Sudden Rush recording studio in September of 1974 armed with a handful of songs. As with many young bands, things didn't progress for the three musicians. Eventually Kulick, Katz and Bois went their separate ways. The reel-to-reel tape of those sessions sat gathering dust until Kulick found a TEAC reel-to-reel player for $35.00 at garage sale in 2006, and thus he also rediscovered the "KKB" sessions.
"I put that tape on, and was blown away," smiles Kulick. "It was like a time capsule, and there was such passion and fury in the music. It was funny, too, how I recognized so many elements in that tape recording from almost 35 years ago that are still in my guitar playing today."
As enjoyable as it was for Bruce to journey down memory lane, it was playing the tape for friends and other musicians that lead him to consider releasing it to the public at large. "Everyone I played it for said the same thing, that I needed to put this music out as it sounds so current, no matter how many years ago it was created. So I began the process of getting this old tape transferred into a digital format."
While there was some repair work and extensive mastering (by Kulick and producer/engineer Jeremy Rubolino) done to the tape to get it up to digital standards, no overdubs or new music were recorded. The "KKB" sessions appear on the CD exactly as they were recorded.
"Oddly enough, even though this music was created in 1974, the vibe is right in line with some of the music that has come out in the last few years. Bands like Wolfmother and The White Stripes go for that vintage analog sound and KKB has that powerful punch that analog is known for," marvels Kulick. But beyond all of that, this music has relevance, is extremely catchy and musical, and will stand on its own no matter how many years ago it was created. Turn on the black lights and rock out to KKB!" from The Official Bruce Kulick website
Tracks
1. I'll Never Take You Back - 4:01
2. My Baby - 4:33
3. You've Got A Hold On Me - 4:07
4. Tryin' To Find A Way - 4:32
5. Someday - 2:08
6. You Won't Be There - 5:45
7. To Be Free - 3:01
8. You Won't Be There (Alternate Jam Take) - 6:24
All songs by Mike Katz, except (4-Tryin' To Find A Way) by Mike Katz and Bruce Kulick
Leslie West imposed himself on the national music scene with a blistering performance at the Woodstock Festival in 1969. The rotund musician had made a name for himself on the East Coast as the lead guitarist for the Vagrants. He went solo in 1969 with an album titled Mountain, which featured bass playing and production by Felix Pappalardi, the multi-faceted individual who oversaw production of Cream's psychedelic blues masterpiece Disraeli Gears. Pappalardi applied the same studio mastery to Mountain, and netted a gig as West's studio and touring band bass player.
The partnership eventually evolved into the heavy metal group Mountain, after drummer Corky Laing and keyboardist Steve Knight enlisted. Mountain enjoyed modest success as a critically panned Cream-wannabe band, but thrilled live audiences with such raucous fare as the single "Mississippi Queen." After Mountain broke up, West enjoyed a stint as leader of the power trio West, Bruce & Laing, featuring his Mountain drummer and former Cream bassist, singer, and composer Jack Bruce. Amazingly, the group met with little success, and West once again went solo. Since his professional heyday of the 1970s, West has released several critically well-received albums in between semi-regular re-formations of Mountain.
West was born Leslie Weinstein in Forest Hills, New York. West's uncle, Will Glickman, worked as a writer for the Jackie Gleason Show. West's grandmother took him to a filming of the show, only to find out that the scheduled filming had been canceled. Instead, he wound up sitting in the studio audience of Elvis Presley's inaugural television appearance on The Stage Show. Mesmerized, the young Weinstein took up the guitar. His first band, the Vagrants, initially began playing rhythm-and-blues cover songs, much like other Long Island, New York, bands such as the Young Rascals and Jay and the Americans.
While playing a residency at the Rolling Stone Club in New York City, the band earned recording contracts with Vanguard Records and Atco. The latter was the American label for the British Rock power trio Cream, which featured Eric Clapton, Ginger Baker, and Jack Bruce. The group's breakout single was supposed to be a cover of Otis Redding's "Respect," but Atco overshadowed the release by issuing Aretha Franklin's version.
After several other singles failed to receive national attention, West recorded Mountain with production and bass playing by Pappalardi and drumming from N.D. Smart. Pappalardi, as noted previously, had produced Cream's Disraeli Gears, and the sound he captured for West's solo effort was a combination of Cream and fellow power trio the Jimi Hendrix Experience. Gail Collins, Pappalardi's future wife, contributed lyrics to the Cream single "Strange Brew." All Music Guide critic William Rhulmann characterized the Mountain outing as "dominated by West's throaty roar of a voice and inventive blues-rock guitar playing."
In order to tour behind the Mountain album, West recruited Pappalardi, Smart, and keyboardist Steve Knight. Dubbing the band Mountain, West debuted the group at impresario Bill Graham's Fillmore West in San Francisco. The group's fourth live performance occurred at the 1969 Woodstock Festival in upstate New York...
Tracks
1. Blood of the Sun (L. West, F. Pappalardi, Gail Collins) - 2:37
2. Long Red (L. West, F. Pappalardi, John Ventura, Norman Landsberg) - 3:18
3. Better Watch Out (F. Pappalardi, G. Collins) - 2:51
4. Blind Man (G. Collins, F. Pappalardi, L. West, John Ventura) - 3:56
5. Baby, I'm Down (F. Pappalardi, G. Collins) - 4:05
6. Dreams of Milk and Honey (L. West, F. Pappalardi, J. Ventura, Norman Landsberg) - 3:36
7. Storyteller Man (L. West, F. Pappalardi, J. Ventura, N. Landsberg) - 3:08
8. This Wheel's on Fire (Bob Dylan, Rick Danko) - 3:21
9. Look to the Wind (L. West, F. Pappalardi, J. Ventura) - 2:45
10.Southbound Train (L. West, J. Ventura, N. Landsberg) - 3:02
Headstone consisted of three Fiynn brothers and a friend Torn Applegate who recorded this, their sole album at the Rome Recording Studios in Columbus Ohio in 1974. Interestingly the Rome Studios, which still exist today, was run by jack Casey and provided studio facilities to primarily Christian bands at the time although there is no evidence that Headstone were a Xian band. Ohio was full of obscure hard rock bands in the 70s and many of their self-released albums have stood the test of time.
This album is of a consistent high quality throughout and has been described as psychedelic and there are certainly some psych tinges but what we are talking about here is good old-fashioned hard rock of the BOC, Steppenwolf or ZZ Top variety mixed with a couple of potentially commercial and catchy hard rock pop tracks like "Peace of Mind*" and "Springtime" with vocals that would compete for the AOR FM plays if it weren't for the roughness of the production.
But this is a good thing in the same way as say the Morgan album. OK Morgen is more psychedelic hue that's more to do with the time gap of 1969 to this album’s 1974 and the Headstone vocals are more Styx than the punky snarl of Morgan but both albums have the same raw energy and pounding drumming high up in the mix making it part of the music rather than simply a rhythm section.
This album is full of fuzz and extended guitar solos and most of the tracks are well constructed with lots of tempo changes and well played with super swirling Hammond, hard drumming, hard riffing and lots of guitar effects. Headstones sole album is presented here with 4 extra tracks consisting of both sides of their 2 non-album 45s.
Tracks
1. Still Looking (David Flynn, Bruce Flynn, Barry Flynn, Tom Applegate) - 8:29
2. I Like It (David Flynn) - 7:47
3. Misery (David Flynn, Barry Flynn) - 4:09
4. Those Days - 5:45
5. Peace Of Mind (Barry Flynn) - 5:01
6. Springtime (Barry Flynn, Tom Applegate) - 4:08
7. I Love You - 5:03
8. Buying Time (Barry Flynn) - 2:34
9. Snake Dance (David Flynn, Bruce Flynn, Barry Flynn, Tom Applegate) - 2:20
10.What People Say (Bruce Flynn) - 3:14
11.Carry Me On - 3:20
12.Hey Boy - 3:15
13.Ragin' River - 4:42
All tracks by David Flynn, Bruce Flynn, Barry Flynn except where noted
Bassist Nick Greenwood is best-known today for his fiery work with Arthur Brown in his own 1968-69 heyday. Moving on, in 1972, Greenwood chose to record a solo album, and to that end brought together a crack band of sessionmen. Even for its time the resulting Cold Cuts set was way out there, a mighty slab of psychedelia-laced prog rock that soared into musical recesses seldom explored.
Besides showcasing Greenwood's superb bass skills, fans are also surprisingly treated to his vocals -- surprising, because Greenwood was not previously known as a singer. He acquits himself quite spectacularly here, his delivery as powerful on the rockier numbers as it is nuanced and introspective on the proggier songs. Yet, what really captures one's attention is the interplay between keyboardist Dick Henningham, guitarist Bryn Howarth, and Bunk Gardner's woodwinds.
Henningham easily reaches the majestic peaks of the showier Keith Emerson, but without the pomposity, however what he mostly brings to the table is a funky style that shimmers into blues and jazz and plays havoc with one's preconceptions of psych or prog. Overhead, Gardner's various woodwinds dip and soar, while Howarth's lead guitar strikes and sears the air and the string section sounds out.
But it's how arranger Charles Lamont fits together these myriad musical pieces that is so fascinating. Moods flicker and shift, atmospheres thicken then dissipate, instruments come to the fore then disappear, yet somehow the numbers all hold together, as does the set as a whole. The playing is phenomenal -- arguably this set features Howarth's best work, while Henningham, who co-wrote the album, is absolutely stupendous.
Greenwood virtually disappeared from view after the release of this album, perhaps because there was nowhere to go from it. Having wrung every ounce of creativity from himself, then brought out the very best in all his sessionmen, what was possibly left to do? Even so, poor sales, possibly due to the album's strikingly revolting cover, resigned Cold Cuts to cult collector's status, but this masterpiece deserved better, and with its reissue perhaps it will finally get its due.
A logical precursor to Brand X, Nova is an Italian fusion band that features the mind-numbing bass and drum interplay of Brand X, but follows through with guitar, sax and vocals as well. Vocals are in English, and unlike many Italian bands that use English vocals, the singing does not detract from the overall quality of the music. After listening a few times, I realized that Nova has four lead instruments:
The guitars, sax, bass and drums all play lead-styled lines, at the same time, for the most part. The overall product is a very complex jam with occasional vocals. Any fan of Brand X, Ossana or Area may find this interesting listening. I find it fantastic - yet another long lost Italian classic. This is their first album. They recorded three more, and I've heard that they got "rockier" as time went on. Whatever. "Blink" stands on its own. Highly recommended.
by Mike Borella
Tracks
1. Tailor Made - Part 1, Part 2 - 5:09
2. Something Inside Keeps You Down - Part 1, Part 2 - 6:11
3. Nova - Part , Part 2 - 7:10
4. Used To Be Easy - Part 1, Part 2 - 5:12
5. Toy - Part 1, Part 2 - 4:21
6. Stroll On - Part 1, Part 2 - 10:33
Nova
*Elio D'Anna - Alto, Soprano, Tenor Saxes, Flute
*Franco Loprevite - Drums
*Luciano Milanese - Bass
*Corrado Rustici - Lead Vocals, Acoustic, Electric Guitars
A French-Canadian band from Montreal, Quebec, whose lyrics are English. Both their albums are now rare. The first leans very much towards hard rock with sledgehammer drums, thundering rhythm, furious guitar leads and wasted vocals. There's some nice woodwind on 'Come, Wake Up!', some pleasant mouth harp on 'Try' and some fuzzy guitar on 'Night Symphony' and 'Love Is A Game'; but overall the menu's heavy-handed bluesy hard rock. The first 45 was culled from this album. All the material was penned by Gratton, Rousseau and Trepanier. The lyrics are very much in the spin of their name, particularly the final cut. For hard rockers only!
1971's "The End of My Life" found Sex expanded to a quartet with the addition of sax/woodwind player Pierre "Pedro" Ouellette. Produced by Joey Gallmi, the album marked a distinctive change in the band's sound. Largely abandoning the debut's blues-rock direction, this time out tracks like 'Born to Love' and '' found them trying to find a niche somewhere between progressive and jazz-rock genres.
I'm probably reading way too much into it, but the set seemed to have been put together as a concept piece - the plotline seemingly having something to do with following a man's love life from birth ('I'm Starting My Life Today') through STD-related death ('Syphilissia' - remember this was recorded in a pre-AIDS age). Hard to accurately describe, but imagine a bunch of sex addicted French Canadian musicians who suddenly decided they wanted to join the Canterbury progressive movement ... The results were actually better than that description would have you believe.
The Action hailed from Kentish Town in London. Formed in 1963, they were originally a quartet known as The Boys, and were a back-up band for singer Sandra Barry. Under this guise, they released tow 45's, one with Barry and one as The Boys - both unsuccessful - before changing their name in 1965. At that time Reggie King was the lead guitarist. Following the change of the groups' name came a change in personnel when Watson joined as lead guitarist, allowing King to concentrate on his vocal duties. (Watson would be replaced by Martin Stone in 1966).
In 1965, they were spotted and signed by the Beatles' producer, George Martin and the group built up a strong following among the mods in the clubs. In live performance they were good enough to be serious rivals to The Who and The Small Faces. But despite having this in their favour, the recordings they issued, although strong enough, mysteriously failed to reach the charts.
They were the most soul-oriented of the mod groups, favouring guitar-driven covers of Motown tunes and standard R&B dance numbers of the day such as "Land Of 1,000 Dances". Under Martin's guidance, emphasis was placed on Reggie King's blue-eyed soul voice and the group's harmonies. Their later original material shows an increased sophistication in both songwriting and production.
The Action's sound was something akin to a more soul-oriented version of the Small Faces. In 1967 Reggie King left to pursue a solo career with keyboardist Ian Whitman replacing him. This led to another change of name, this time to Azoth, before they evolved into Mighty Baby and eventually disbanded altogether in the early 1970s.
Tracks
1. I'll Keep Holding On (Ivy Jo Hunter, William Stevenson) - 3:41
2. Harlem Shuffle (Bob Relf, Earl Lee Nelson) - 3:14
3. Never Ever (Alan King, Mike Evans, Reg King, Roger Powell) - 2:22
4. Twenty Fourth Hour (Alan King, Mike Evans, Reg King, Roger Powell) - 2:38
5. Since I Lost My Baby (Smokey Robinson, Warren Moore) - 3:42
6. My Lonely Room (Brian Holland, Edward Holland, Jr., Lamont Dozier) - 2:41
7. Hey-sah-lo-ney (Bernie Lane, John Linde, Mickey Lee Lane) - 2:28
8. Wasn't It You (Carole King, Gerry Goffin) - 2:51
9. Come On, Come With Me (Alan King, Mike Evans, Reg King, Roger Powell) - 2:23
10. Just Once In My Life (Carole King, Gerry Goffin, Phil Spector) - 2:56
11. Shadows And Reflections (Larry Marks, Tandyn Almer) - 2:52
12. Something Has Hit Me (Nick Jones, Reg King) - 3:28
13. The Place (Jack Hammer) - 2:33
14. The Cissy (Alan King) - 2:22
15. Baby You Got It (Maurice McAlister, Terry Vail) - 2:42
16. I Love You (Yeah) (Curtis Mayfield) - 3:19
17. Land Of 1,000 Dances (Chris Kenner, Fats Domino) - 2:51
The Action
*Reggie King - Vocals
*Peter Watson - Lead Guitar
*Alan "Bam" King - Rhythm Guitar
*Mike Evans - Bass
*Roger Powell - Drums
Spooky Tooth is a widely know entity in the States, but Americans are far less familiar with the precursor band Art (with four future Spooky Tooth members).
As members of the Carlisle, Cumberland, England-based The V.I.P.'s, singer Mike Harrison and bassist Greg Ridley generated considerable media attention with a series of three mid-'60s singles. Unfortunately, before the band could record an album, the band underwent a massive personnel upheaval that saw original members James Henshaw, Walter Johnstone and Frank Kenyon hit the road, leaving Harrison and Ridley as the only remaining members.
Deciding to continue the nameplate, the pair quickly recruited a new line up, consisting of keyboardist Keith Emerson, guitarist Luther Grosvenor, drummer Mike Kellie and bassist Greg Ridley. The new line up managed to record one single, before Emerson left to join The Nice. Within a matter of months the remaining quartet had decided to drop the V.I.P nameplate in favor of Art.
Signed by Chris Blackwell's Island Records, the band's first exposure came via the single "What's That Sound" b/w "Rome Take Away Three" (Island catalog number WIP 6019). Interestingly, the "A" side was a unimaginative cover of The Buffalo Springfield's "For What It's Worth" - albeit writing credits mistakenly credited the track to Stephen Mills.
For an LP that's frequently marketed as a major psychedelic artifact, 1967's Guy Stevens produced "Supernatural Fairy Tales" proved surprising diverse and accomplished. There's certainly a psych influence here, witness tracks such as the lead off selection "I Think I'm Going Weird" and the wispy title track. That said, propelled by Harrison raw voice and Grosvenor's thick guitar chords, group penned originals such as "Room with a View" and "Flying Anchors" offered up a far harder brand of rock, serving as a good indication of what was about to happen with the forthcoming Spooky Tooth.
Elsewhere, recalling their V.I.P. catalog, "Come On Up" and "Brothers, Dads and Mothers" offered up R&B/soul influenced numbers. Among the weird offerings, propelled by Kellie's drumming, "African Thing" reflected some interesting African polyrhythms. Meant very much as a compliment, to our ears the set bares a strong resemblance to Traffic's early catalog. (The eye catching cover was designed Hapsash and the Coloured Coat members Michael English and Nigel Weymouth.)
by Bad Cat
Tracks
1. I Think I'm Going Weird - 3:19
2. What's that Sound (For What It's Worth) (Stills) - 2:47
3. African Thing - 4:04
4. Room With a View - 3:38
5. Flying Anchors - 2:40
6. Supernatural Fairy Tale - 3:34
7. Love Is Real - 3:19
8. Come on Up (Cavaliere) - 3:01
9. Brothers, Dads and Mothers - 3:27
10.Talkin' to Myself - 1:39
11.Alive Not Dead - 2:12
12.Rome Take Away Three - 3:00
(All songs written by Grosvenor, Harrison, Ridley, Kellie except where indicated.)
The Art
*Mike Harrison - Piano, Vocals
*Luther Grosvenor - Guitar, Vocals
*Greg Ridley - Bass
*Mike Kellie - Drums
This mid-sixties four-piece from Carlisle, England, also included Keith Emerson for a few weeks before he formed The Nice. Initially an R 'n' B outfit, they formed in 1963 and recorded the first two of three reputedly fine singles. In addition to the tracks included here, they also recorded a one-sided acetate for the Surrey-based Oak label, How Many, and a couple of other acetates on EMI-Disc.
In December 1966 Kenyon (later of Junkyard Angels, Mike Harrison’s band after Spooky Tooth’s first breakup), Johnstone and Henshaw all left and a new line-up recorded the final 45 for Island and a US-only 45, Mercy, Mercy, before Emerson departed to form The Nice. By the time of the final single, Straight Down To The Bottom, both Mike Kelly (Kellie) and Luther Grosvenor had joined, it is Luther’s guitar work that can be heard on this track.
They changed their name to Art in 1967, recording one album for Island Records, and later became Spooky Tooth with the addition of Gary Wright on keyboards. They never released an album, but this collection gathers most of their recordings in a very economical package. Greg Ridley later joined up with Steve Marriot and Peter Frampton in Humble Pie.
This Australian edition issued in 2004. A previously issued vinyl release included the first 14 tracks, this edition adds seven tracks from The Twen Radio Show from 1966.
Tracks
1. Don't Keep Shouting at Me - 2:20
2. She's So Good - 2:17
3. Wintertime - 2:07
4. Anyone - 2:15
5. Straight Down to the Earth - 2:07
6. In a Dream - 2:21
7. Back Intro My Life Again - 2:36
8. Every Girl I See - 2:57
9. Don't Let It Go - 2:35
10.Stagger Lee - 3:18
11.Rosemarie - 3:23
12.Late Night Blues - 5:43
13.I Wanna Be Free - 3:13
14.Smokestack Lightning - 6:42
15. You Don't Know Like I Know (live) - 2:32
16. Stagger Lee (live) - 3:27
17. I Wanna B e Free (live) - 3:12
18. Fannie Mae (live) - 3:36
19. Talk About Me , Babe (live) - 3:41
20. Grapes and Wrath (live) - 3:11
21. I Got a Woman (live) - 6:36 Tracks 15-21 bonus live recordings from the Twen Radio Show 1966
The V.I.P's *James Henshaw - Lead Guitar *Mike Harrison - Lead Vocals *Walter Johnstone - Drums *Greg Ridley - Bass Guitar *Frank Kenyan - Rhythm Guitar *Luther Grosvenor - Lead Guitar (1967) *Mike Kelly - Drums (1967) *Keith Emerson - Electric Organ (1966-1967)
The sole album by Fresh Maggots came and went very quickly at the tail-end of 1971, but in another sense it has never really gone away. Collectors have nudged the price of originals ever upwards, it has been bootlegged repeatedly and is now established as an 'acid folk' classic - facts that amaze its co-creators, Mick Burgoyne and Leigh Dolphin. They'd known each other "since we were babies in pushchairs on the same housing estate in Nuneaton," as Leigh puts it today, but only really became friends when they met again as teenagers on the town's small live circuit in the late 60s. By then Mick was playing electric guitar, glockenspiel, violin and tin whistle, while Leigh had become a superb acoustic guitarist.
They promptly teamed up and started to write songs that combined their love of both rock and folk. "We were into Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple and Taste as well as Pentangle and so on," Leigh explains, and as a result they decided to beef up their sound with heavy doses of fuzz guitar. "A fuller sound was important in clubs, and the fuzz gave us sustain. Without a band behind us, we needed that boost."
Their unusual and not entirely serious name was gleaned from an ad on the front of the local paper, for 'Riley's Sports Shop -fresh maggots always available'. "We never thought we'd get anywhere, so it didn't matter what we were called," Mick says. "Maybe Always Available should have been the album title!" But an unexpected break came their way in September 1970, when Mike Berry -a music publishing hotshot who'd handled the Beatles' catalogue at Apple -came to watch another act playing in a local Church Hall.
Mick and Leigh were the support, and though it was only their second gig, it was them that Berry promptly signed to a management contract. "After that, things started to happen very quickly," continues Mick. "He got us straight down to London to make a live studio demo, which he hawked around various record companies. We then did a gig in his office in Oxford Street for anyone who was interested and, on the strength of that, RCA sent some people to a gig in Coventry. Halfway through there was a powercut, but we just carried on. They were so impressed that they signed us on the spot."
In their original press release, Mick described the extent of their ambitions as being "just to walk on stage with our gear, say hello and try to make as many people as possible a little more cheerful," so the swiftness with which they found themselves in Radio Luxembourg's studio at the end of 1970 was a little overwhelming. "We had no autonomy or real input into the album," Leigh reflects. "We were still teenagers - just a pair of naive kids, really." Despite that, the record they made was varied and powerful - and certainly belies their youth.
Dole Song, for example, is one of the most intense songs of the entire period. A sardonic celebration of unemployment, its blend of violent acoustic and fiery fuzz guitars makes for a stunning opening gambit. Leigh describes it as "a bit of a piss-take, really. I was signing on at the time and had to explain to the officials that just because I was making an album didn't mean I had a penny to my name." Rosemary Hill, by contrast, is delicate and melodic. "We used to take Mick's old van down to Devon to visit friends and write songs. We'd drive past this hill in Kenilworth, and agreed it would make a lovely name for a song, though the song's not actually about the hill." Quickie is a brief romantic tune, followed by Everyone's Gone To War, a fuzz-laden anti-war polemic. "That subject was close to a lot of hearts at the time," he says.
By contrast And When She Laughs is a cheery pastoral, led by Mick's tin whistle and showcasing the duo's more carefree side. Spring, a complex, carefully-structured number featuring powerful Eastern-style strings, precedes Balloon Song, a spirited piece of whimsy that is perhaps the most redolent of its era, albeit propelled by fuzz guitar.
The gentle Guzz Up owes its odd title to "a parody of the Nuneaton accent, as in 'what goes up must come down'," explains Leigh, while Who's To Die? is a meditation on mortality, inspired by an unsettling accident the duo witnessed. "We were on our way to a Magna Carta gig in Coventry," he says, "and we saw a little boy run out in front of a car and get knocked over. We never knew whether or not he was killed, but it was shocking and got us thinking." The instrumental Elizabeth R is light relief by comparison - "we meant it to sound Elizabethan, but I'm not sure we succeeded. Its name was taken from a TV series on at the time." An immediate contrast is provided by Frustration, which closes proceedings in epic style, alternating mellow passages with further storms of guitar.
It was an unquestionably unusual collection, but - despite their initial enthusiasm - RCA had grown sluggish. "Throughout 1971, things moved pretty slowly," Mick says. "Everything was being done in London, but we were from the Midlands and had day jobs, so it all had to be recorded at weekends. Then there were delays with the string arrangements, and even the cover - they rejected the original artwork, which featured an old water mill." Fresh Maggots was originally scheduled for release on RCA's Neon subsidiary (with the working title Hatched), but finally emerged on the parent label in September 1971, fully a year after the sessions had commenced. It received extravagant praise in the music press ('an extraordinary duo, their range is incredible and their sound is incredibly full,' said Disc), but the label undertook no promotion and the launch party had to be cancelled due to lack of response.
This embarrassment prompted an enterprising RCA press officer to fabricate a tissue of lies about a poolside orgy involving the band, but it did no good. The LP resoundingly failed to sell, and - adding injury to insult - a pressing fault meant many copies had blisters on the playing surface. The duo remained optimistic, however, and played gigs alongside Van Der Graaf Generator, Medicine Head, Wild Turkey and others. They also undertook various radio sessions, and a surviving tape of one (made for Kid Jensen's show on Radio Luxembourg, and included as bonus tracks here) shows what a formidable act they were.
RCA was fast losing interest, though. "They got a strop on, basically," states Mick. "Mike Berry was the sort of bloke who changed with the wind, and he'd soon switched his attention onto the next big thing. We were out playing the college circuit and it all just faded away." Before splitting, however, they released a single (also included here), the sing-along Car Song, backed with the laid-back What Would You Do?, which appeared in December 1971. "RCA didn't really want it out, so they didn't support it either," he says. "And when it didn't sell, that was the end of the road for us, as far as they were concerned."
They returned to Nuneaton and, though they continued to play locally, no more material ever appeared. "We were the young innocents in the big bad music business, and became disillusioned, really," he concludes. Certainly neither anticipated the following they've developed since. "As far as we were concerned, the album was deleted, dead and gone forever," says Leigh. "So we were surprised and delighted when we found out about all the interest around the world." Even more astonishing are the sums collectors are willing to pay for original copies. "I can't believe it," laughs Mick. "I can remember seeing it in Woolworth's bargain bins!" Leigh is also surprised that they are now categorised as 'acid folk'. "To us the album was just a collection of songs," he says. "We only heard of 'acid folk' very recently."
In summary, he remarks that "not a lot of local bands like us ever get to make records on major labels, so it was a great opportunity. But deep down I think we both knew it was never going to be a huge seller." More than thirty years on, Mick has mixed feelings about the album. "Some of it makes me proud, some of it makes me cringe," he says. "I tend to hear all the bits we should have done better, and some of the words are a bit naive. But lots of people tell me they like it just the way it is."
by Richard Morton Jack
Tracks
1. Dole Song - 3:27
2. Rosemary Hill - 3:34
3. Quickie - 1:21
4. Everyone's Gone To War - 3:55
5. And When She Laughs - 2:49
6. Spring - 3:22
7. Balloon Song - 3:56
8. Guzz Up - 1:37
9. Who's To Die? - 3:55
10.Elizabeth R - 2:53
11.Frustration - 5:59
12.Car Song - 4:05
13.What Would You Do? - 2:47
14.Frustration - 5:54
15.Rosemary Hill - 3:49
16.Quickie - 1:29
17.And When She Laughs - 3:06
18.Spring - 3:06
All songs by Mick Burgoyne, Leigh Dolphin
Tracks 12-13 non album single
One of the best Norwegian bands was Titanic from the capital city Oslo. They enjoyed an encouraging response when they first sailed over the horizon in 1971. Yet they'd had to fight hard to establish a reputation. This wasn't necessarily due to their hailing from a small country. Admittedly, Norway far failed to make much of an impression on the pop scene. But rock'n'roll fans were not bothered about national boundaries.
If you were good, you were accepted, and it didn't matter where you came from. The problem was the age-old one - of getting the right amount of exposure and promotion. Titanic had to gain recognition beyond their own borders if they were to become an economic success. They needed to convince the rest of the world that they could compete, both in terms of their music and their image. Fortunately, they had some lucky breaks to help them on their way.
The five-piece was originally formed in 1969 and they rehearsed hard, wrote some good tunes, and so Titanic eventually became one of the first Norwegian bands to enjoy hit records in both England and Germany. They also recruited English lead singer, Roy Robinson, who helped give their music an international appeal. Roy wrote most of the lyrics which he sang in English, on a succession of fine albums and singles.
This is timely re-issue of their classic 1971 album ‘Sea Wolf’. The sea wolves were the Vikings who once sailed the seas in search of plunder – and such legends certainly provided inspiration for the boys from Oslo.
‘Sea Wolf’ is the opening cut and is followed by a further nine self-written items which show that Titanic was one of the hottest groups of the early 1970s. Watch out for the bonus track ‘Sing Fool Sing.’ The CD also includes the smash hit ‘Sultana’ (UK No. 5).
Tracks
1. Sea Wolf (K. Aas, K. Asperud, J. Lorck, J. Loseth, R. Robinson) - 5:56
2. Underbird (Kenny Aas, Janny Loseth, Roy Robinson) - 4:32
3. Confusion (Kenny Aas, Roy Robinson) - 3:00
4. Sultana (K. Aas, K. Asperud, J. Lorck, J. Loseth, R. Robinson) - 4:14
5. Hanging Over (Kenny Aas, Janny Loseth, Roy Robinson) - 3:18
6. Covered In Dust (Kenny Aas, Janny Loseth, Roy Robinson) - 3:16
7. A Stone's Thrown (Kenny Aas, Janny Loseth, Roy Robinson) - 2:07
8. Scarlet (Kenny Aas, Roy Robinson) - 4:01
9. Exiled (Kenny Aas, Roy Robinson) - 3:45
10.Sing Fool Sing (K. Aas, K. Asperud, J. Lorck, J. Loseth, R. Robinson) - 3:22
Alongside Skyhooks, Sherbet was the most successful Australian pop band of the 1970s. With a run of 20 consecutive hit singles to its credit, and 17 albums that yielded ten platinum and 40 gold disc awards, Sherbet was the first domestic act to sell a million dollars worth of records in Australia.
Under the direction of astute manager Roger Davies, the band also pioneered the concept of the national rock tour by undertaking arduous, cross-country treks to play in the far-flung corners of the continent. Sherbets carefully cultivated image tended to alienate the `serious music fan, although the bands ability to deliver well-crafted pop music has never been in doubt.
The original Sherbet line-up emerged from the ashes of two Sydney dance bands, Downtown Roll Band and Clapham Junction. Englishman Clive Shakespeare formed Downtown Roll Band in 1968 with Doug Rae, Danny Taylor, Pam Slater (vocals), Francis Ma (vocals) and Adrian Cuff (organ). The band played Stax/Volt soul, James Brown and Tamla Motown covers before calling it a day in March 1969. Dennis Laughlin and Sam Sees previous band, Clapham Junction, ran its own discotheque called the Union Jack. There were a number of different Clapham Junction line-ups.
Following Laughlin and Sees departures in early 1969, the line-up of Jim Willebrandt (vocals), William Mahoney (vocals), Derek Lewis (guitar), Peter Noble (bass) and David Mills (drums) recorded a single for the Du Monde label, `Emily on Sunday/`Good Time Music (November 1970). Shakespeare formed Sherbet in April 1969. Taylor left three months later to be replaced by Alan Sandow (ex-Daisy Roots). At the end of the year, the band recorded its debut single for Festival, `Crimson Ships/`Everything.
By the time the single appeared in March 1970, Daryl Braithwaite (ex-Bright Lights, House of Bricks, Samael Lilith) had replaced Laughlin and Bruce Worrall (ex-Bright Lights, House of Bricks, Samael Lilith) had taken over from Rae on bass. Laughlin went on to join Toby Jugg. Well before Sherbet commenced its national touring schedule, the band had honed its performance skills with an unbelievable eight-month residency at Jonathons discotheque in Sydney.
Throughout the residency, the band played seven hours a night, four nights a week. After that, the members of Sherbet were ready to take on the world! The next member to leave, however, was See who departed in October 1970 to join Flying Circus. From there he joined Fraternity, Greg Quills Southern Cross, The Stockley See Mason Band, the Jimmy Barnes Band and the John Farnham Band among others.
New Zealand-born Garth Porter (Hammond organ, electric piano ex-Toby Jugg) came in as Sees replacement and the band signed to Festivals new subsidiary label Infinity. `Can You Feel It Baby?/`The Love You Save (#22 in August 1971) and a cover of Delaney and Bonnies `Free the People/`All Our Yesterdays (national #36, Sydney #5 in December) were the bands first national hit singles. In January 1972, Tony Mitchell (ex-Wheelbarrow, Harry Young and Sabbath) replaced Worrall on bass. Wheelbarrow comprised Mitchell, John Ford (guitar, vocals), Charlie Wright (piano) and Jim Mitchell (drums).
The band issued one single, `Dame Zara/`Trying So Hard (December 1969), before Mitchell joined Harry Young and Sabbath. That band comprised Harry Young (vocals), Tony Mitchell (bass), Jim Mitchell (drums, who was replaced by Mike Cassidy), Tony Leigh (guitar) and Tony Barton (flute, guitar) Charlie Wright also joined on organ in 1972. The band enjoyed success on the Sydney charts with three singles, `San Bernadino/`Sand, Sea and Sky (December 1970), `Wheat in the Field/`You Cant Destroy Love (#7, April 1971) and `Paper Girl/`Bus Drivers Son (August).
1972 proved to be a watershed year in Sherbets development. The band supported Creedence Clearwater Revival on a national tour the singles Ted Mulrys `Youre All Woman/`Back Home (#13 in August) and `Youve Got the Gun/`Do It (#29 in December) were hits the band took out first place in the Hoadleys National Battle of the Sounds final the debut album Time Change A Natural Progression (December) came out and finally Sherbet was voted Top Australian Group in the Go-Set Pop Poll.
Sherbet issued two singles during 1973, Leiber and Stollers `Hound Dog/`Can I Drive You Home? (#21 in July) and `Cassandra/ `Time Change (#5 in October). `Cassandra came from the bands second album, On with the Show (#6 in November), and was the first real indication of the Porter/Shakespeare-penned pop masterpieces that were to follow. Both records made extensive use of Porters newly acquired Mellotron, which gave Sherbet a distinctive edge and sound over other Australian pop groups of the day. The band ended the year with the Best Australian Group honour at the TV Week King of Pop Awards.
"On With The Shows" is a suprising good album and it's getting even better as time slips over the grooves, reminds me my mid seventies wanderings along with David Bowie and Procol Harum...
Tracks
1. We Can Make It Right (Garth Porter, Clive Shakespeare) - 4:42
2. Summer Satisfaction (Clive Shakespeare) - 2:49
3. Jubilee Morning (Garth Porter, Clive Shakespeare) - 5:40
4. Cassandra (Garth Porter, Clive Shakespeare) - 3:30
5. Roll Me Over (Clive Shakespeare) - 2:50
6. Chicago (Graham Nash) - 9:29
7. Jungle Jiver (Garth Porter, Clive Shakespeare) - 4:41
8. Sweet Valentine (Clive Shakespeare) - 3:18
9. Au Revoir (Garth Porter, Clive Shakespeare) - 2:30
Long established as one of the minor classics of the British psychedelic pop genre, the Bulldog Breed album Made In England was recorded in mid-1969 but not released by Deram Nova until the beginning of the following year - by which time its thrilling Spirit-of-'67 mod/psych sound and commitment to hook-laden, sub-three minute songs was fatally out of sync with the self-indulgence and bombast of the nascent progressive rock era.
Featuring members of T2 and The Flies. One of the last landmark albums when bands seemed play exactly what they wanted, instead of opting for either the mainstream or the gutter; the psych-pop sensibilities of 1967 still live in 'Paper Man', 'Eileen's Haberdashery Store' and 'Dougal', 'Silver' and 'Top O' The Pops Cock?!?' give us a nasty Deviants proto-punk edge, while the mournful 'Friday Hill' sounds like Caravan on Prozac. Quintessential English eccentricity! A classic album finally gets proper recognition!!!
Tracks
1. Paper Man - 3:20
2. Broomstick Ride - 2:20
3. I Flew - 2:49
4. Eileen?s Haberdashery Store - 2:50
5. Folder Men - 2:39
6. Dougal - 2:29
7. When The Sun Stands Still - 2:47
8. Reborn - 2:35
9. Friday Hill - 3:13
10.Silver - 2:10
11.You - 2:35
12.Top Of The Pops Cock - 2:10
13.Revenge - 2:19
14.Austin Osmanspare - 2:55
For the connoisseur of sixties psychedelia, this will come as a wonderful surprise. Like SP, this album is split into an electric camp and a folkier, more stream of consciousness side. The recording was made in 1970, a time when psychedelic music was on its way out; all of the great bands of that era were in their twilight (except for the Grateful Dead): the Doors were good for one more album, `L.A. Woman'; the Jefferson Airplane had all but called it quits after 1969's `Volunteers'; the Beatles of course were on their last legs . . .
In a way Under Milkwood is a classic example of too little too late. The opening track, "Empty room" is as good as it gets with the San Francisco sound: twin guitars loudly battling for the lead, a powerful vocal and a great drum/bass back-up. Generally the folkier songs are dependent on the vocal talents of Clara Miles; "Changing Seasons", "Tell Me" and "Lost Youth" are all pastoral, almost motionless songs. To many listeners they will be uninteresting, because other bands such as Pentangle, Fairport Convention and Steeleye Span have all done this much better. There are two prominent saxophone songs.
The first, "Forgotten bridge", is a curious duet with a loud guitar that never seems to take off and go anywhere. The second, "Parade", is a strange, almost hymn-like procession. "Sandwiches and rock and roll" is loud, unimaginative filler. The last two songs actually tips things towards the favorable. The "Ballad of the spirit world" is an awesome instrumental that has a great sax solo at the start and a freaky guitar workout halfway through and then the same sax solo closes it! "Final song" bookends "Empty room", because both songs are about the loneliness of being different. It has an interesting vocal duet between Miles and Thornam, one of the guitarists. Like the opening track, this song builds to a furious, twin lead guitar attack-in all, a great way to close an album-and an era." -devil doll
Under Milkwood was recorded on A&M records (SP 4226)in 1969 but was not released, although there are rumors that a few promos got out. The album was reissued on vinyl by Fanny-Riverside label in the early 90s and most recently on vinyl and CD by Akarma Records (Comet) of Italy. The musical styles contained run all over the map. There is improvisational jazz, folk singing, rock, pop and general musical meandering. The performance is rough and uneven in spots, but oddly enough, by hanging in there it all makes sense in the end. Stylistically the sound resembles Fairport Convention or Jefferson Airplane. There's speculation the album wasn't released because of legal conflicts concerning the band's name. Another group titled 'Milkwood' existed at the time. Members of this band later became the Cars."
What little has seen print about Under Milkwood suggests that their self-titled 1969 album might have never been released, or only escaped in very limited quantities (though it's subsequently been reissued on CD). Even if it had come out, it probably wouldn't have made a significant impression in the very crowded field of late-'60s acid rock. In its gentler folk-rockier moments, in particular, it recalled Jefferson Airplane and Fairport Convention (two other acts that prominently featured female lead singers and male-female harmonies). In its harder moments it goes from bluesy psychedelic hard rock to odder passages with shades of jazz and classical music."
Tracks
1. Empty Room (John Thornam, David Turner Jr) - 4:56
2. Changing Seasons (John Thornam, David Turner Jr, Robert Mickalsky) - 4:23
3. Tell Me (Clara Miles, David Turner Jr, John Thornam) - 5:33
4. Forgotten Bridge (Stephen Mallory, John Thornam) - 3:49
5. Parade (John Thornam, David Turner Jr, Stephen Mallory) - 2:44
6. Sandwiches Rock'n'Roll (John Thornam, Stephen Mallory) - 3:30
7. Lost Youth (John Thornam, David Turner Jr) - 1:30
8. Ballad of the Spirit of the World (David Turner Jr, Clara Miles) - 6:21
9. Final Song (John Thornam, David Turner Jr, Stephen Mallory) - 6:11
Under Milkwood *John Thornam - Guitars, Vocals *Stephen Mallory - Guitars, Vocals *Robert Mickalsky - Drums *David Turner Jr. - Keyboards, Guitar, Vocals *Clara Miles - Lead Vocals, Percussion *Mike Lewthorne - Tenor Sax *Alphonse Barnet - Trumpet, Flute, Harpischord
Titled for the name under which Tractor plied their trade around the time of their earliest recordings, The Way We Live is an astonishing collection of rarities, outtakes and more, serving up a stunning snapshot of this most versatile of early-'70s duos. The main attraction, of course, is a full reissue for the band's 1971 debut LP A Candle for Judith, an eight-track masterpiece that remains as electrifyingly original today as it was upon its release.
From there, the album moves on to two early-'70s oddities, "Watching White Stars" from 1972, and an alternate version of 1972's "Marie." Another 1970 cut, "One Eyed Mule," appears later in the set. But the majority of the remainder of The Way We Live tracks Tractor through their later years -- a 1977 single, "Northern City," and a clutch of numbers recorded during 2002-2003.
What might astonish the casual listener, however, is the sheer consistency of the material, a feat that few acts, recording on either side of a 30-year hiatus, can muster. Tractor, however, pull it off, and the second half of The Way We Live emerges one of the brightest jewels in their entire catalog. The status of the first half, of course, is already assured.
by Dave Thompson
Tracks
1. King Dick II - 3:15
2. Squares - 4:41
3. Siderial - 3:51
4. Angle - 1:24
5. Storm - 5:24
6. Willow - 6:28
7. Madrigal - 2:02
8. The Way Ahead - 8:49
9. Watching White Stars - 7:04
10.Marie - 3:56
11.Stoney Glory - 2:09
12.Let Earth Be The Name - 2:11
13.Stairway To The Stars - 5:09
14.Most Had Man - 2:37
15.Northern City - 6:06
16.The Big Dinner - 1:53
17.Watching White Stars - 2:22
18.One Eyed Mule - 1:35
19.Easier To Say - 5:49 All songs written by Jim Milne, Stephen Clayton The Way We Live *Jim Milne - Lead Guitar, Rhythm Guitar, Bass Guitar, Piano, Organ, Vocals *Stephen Clayton - Percussion Free Text Just Paste
