Green - Green (1969 us, great texas psych rock)

Like many bona fide lost classics, Green is still largely shrouded in mystery. It sold badly on its original release (in the spring of 1969, on Atlantic subsidiary Atco), and still hasn't received its due as one of the most imaginative psych-pop albums of the period.

Certain members were from Denton, Texas, while Richard Gardzina (now a distinguished saxophonist and flautist) hailed from Manchester, New Hampshire. The group are thought to have coalesced at North Texas State University, and recorded four songs as demos in a local studio, an acetate of which has recently surfaced (included here as bonus material). It shows them to have been a superbly tight unit well before they got to cut an album.

Their eventual debut, produced by veteran songwriter and composer Fred Darian, reflects little of the crazed psychedelia of fellow Texan musical travellers like the 13th Floor Elevators and the Golden Dawn. If anything, it's more Englishinfluenced, a taut collection of acid pop tunes set to distorted guitar and taut horn arrangements that complement, rather than swamp, the material.

Though four separate band members are credited with contributing brass to the record, selfindulgence is entirely avoided in favour of complex arrangements that consistently take unexpected turns. This means that, like many other neglected gems, the album reveals itself best on repeated listening. The songs veer from the mellow ballads Sunrise #7 and Footprints In The Snow to the hard psychedelic Green and Eastern-tinged Where Have I Been?', and - though most feature an impressive range of instruments - they are never cluttered.

Ultimately, however, the band's very breadth of talent may have damaged their chances of commercial success, for the album sank without trace. Its follow-up, 1971's To Help Somebody (also on Atco) was less focused (though still impressive in parts) and didn't sell either, prompting the band to fall apart. It is to be hoped that this first CD reissue will help to shed more light on the story behind this widely-admired LP.

Tracks
1. To Be (John Martin) - 2:52
2. Where Have I Been? (John Martin) - 3:10
3. Sunrise # 7 (Wilson Fisher) - 3:37
4. Just Try (John Martin) - 2:13
5. Sparkle (John Martin) - 2:20
6. Green (Wilson Fisher, Gary Casebeer, Bobby Blood, Richard Gardzina, John Martin) - 3:24
7. Footprints In The Snow (John Martin) - 2:23
8. At The Time (John Martin) - 2:15
9. RCMPB (Wilson Fisher) - 3:06
10.Don't (John Martin) - 2:11
11.Have You Ever? (John Martin, Richard Gardzina) - 3:05
12.Where Have I Been? (John Martin) - 3:25
13.Have You Ever? (John Martin, Richard Gardzina) - 3:19
14.At The Time (John Martin) - 2:22
15.Sunrise # 7 (Fisher) - 3:28
Bonus Tracks  12-15

Green
*Gary Casebeer  - Percussion, Keyboards, Brass, Vocals
*Richard Gardzina - Reeds, Keyboards, Vocals, Brass
*Wilson Fisher - Strings, Vocals, Harmonica
*John Martin - Strings, Keyboards, Vocals
*James Neel - Brass, Keyboards, Vocals, Reeds
*Bobby Blood - Brass

Free Text

Just Paste

The Blues Project - Live At The Cafe Au Go Go (1966 us, classy electric psychedelic blues rock, japan SHM double disc set)

Verve/Folkways and Howard Solomon, entrepreneur of the Cafe Au Go Go in New York's Greenwich Village, presented a four-day concert series called the "Blues Bag." The evenings of November 24 through the 27 at the Cafe Au Go Go proved to be one of the most exciting events during a busy weekend of folk and jazz concerts.

The Blues Project group topped a long show that was filled with talented and exciting performers. They not only held their audience, but they drew cries of "more, more, more" after each encore. Fortunately, Verve/Folkways decided to record all four nights. While electronic instruments are extremely difficult to record live, we have managed to capture all of the excitement these young men generated. The Blues Project's musical range is broad, due both to their versatility as musicians and the scope of their musical interests.

Their songs cover a wide spectrum: folk, folk-rock, hard rock 'n' roll, rhythm & blues and gentle ballads. Tom Flanders, the lead vocalist, has since left the band. He will be recorded by Verve/Folkways as a single in the very near future. The band has excellent vocalists in Steve, Danny and Al. This, plus their abilities to double on such instruments as the piano, organ, harmonica, vibes, flute and sitar, gives the Blues Project enormous potential.

The best way to end these liner notes is to quote Robert Shelton, The New York Times critic: "Nearly a score in number paraded to the Cafe Au Go Go for four nights in what was the most unusual and perhaps most rewarding program of the weekend. Thjs live recording session for Verve/Folkways Records was a study in the varied effects of the blues. "Of the electric bands at The Blues Bag', none impressed more than the Blues Project, possibly the most incandescent group in folk-rock today. [They are.] Sparked by the imaginative electric guitar of Danny Kalb; the volatile electric piano of Alan Kooper and the vocal sky-rocketing of Tommy Flanders."
by Jerry Schoenbaum

Tracks
Disc 1
1. Goin' Down Louisiana (Muddy Waters) - 4:04
2. You Go, I'll Go With You (Willie Dixon) - 3:46
3. Catch The Wind (Donovan) - 3:04
4. I Want To Be Your Driver (Chuck Berry) - 2:26
5. Alberta (Traditional) - 4:11
6. The Way My Baby Walks (Andy Kulberg) - 3:11
7. Violets Of Dawn (Eric Andersen) - 2:52
8. Back Door Man (Willie Dixon, Chester Burnett) - 3:16
9. Jelly Jelly Blues (Billy Eckstine, Earl Hines) - 4:44
10.Spoonful (Willie Dixon) - 4:56
11.Who Do You Love (Ellis McDaniel) - 5:25
12.Hoochie Coochie Man (Willie Dixon) - 2:33
13.Parchman Farm (Mose Allison, Randy Cierley) - 3:32
14.Have You Ever Had The Blues? (Bill, Jennings, Juanita Lenoir) - 2:44
15.Alberta (Alternative Version) (Traditional) - 4:53

Disc 2 Mono Album
1. Goin' Down Louisiana (Muddy Waters) - 4:07
2. You Go, I'll Go With You (Willie Dixon) - 3:49
3. Catch The Wind (Donovan) - 3:07
4. I Want To Be Your Driver (Chuck Berry) - 2:30
5. Alberta (Traditional) - 4:17
6. The Way My Baby Walks (Andy Kulberg) - 3:15
7. Violets Of Dawn (Eric Andersen) - 2:58
8. Back Door Man (Willie Dixon, Chester Burnett) - 3:22
9. Jelly Jelly Blues (Billy Eckstine, Earl Hines) - 4:51
10.Spoonful (Willie Dixon) - 5:04
11.Who Do You Love (Ellis McDaniel) - 5:35
12.Bright Light Big City (Jimmy Reed) - 4:54
13.Who Do You Love (Alternative Version) (Ellis McDaniel) - 6:16
14.Violets Of Dawn (Studio Version) (Eric Andersen) - 2:56
15.Back Door Man (Studio Version) (Willie Dixon) - 3:18

The Blues Project
*Danny Kalb - Lead Guitar, Vocals
*Al Kooper - Organ
*Steve Katz - Rhythm Guitar
*Roy Blumenfeld - Drums
*Andy Kulberg - Bass
*Tommy Flanders - Vocals

1973  The Original Blues Project - Reunion in Central Park

Free Text
Text Host

Al Kooper - Naked Songs (1973 us, fabulous jazzy blues folk rock, japan remaster)

Naked Songs represents the other end of Al Kooper's early career from I Stand Alone. Where that first album was recorded very gradually at the outset of his solo career, soon after exiting Blood, Sweat & Tears, Naked Songs was a much more cohesive work (cut in New York and Georgia) from the end of his stay at Columbia Records.

Ironically, it was a contractually obligated album, but never one to throw away an opportunity, Kooper embraced soul, gospel, blues, pop, and even country music in the course of filling its two sides. Playing his usual array of instruments, including loud, note-bending blues guitar and gospel-tinged organ on "As the Years Go Passing By," he effortlessly switches gears to the smoother pop-soul sound of "Jolie," then straight country with a blues tinge on "Blind Baby."

John Prine's grim and uncompromising "Sam Stone" gets an extraordinary performance, but the real surprise is the presence of Sam Cooke's Soul Stirrers-era gospel classic "Touch the Hem of His Garment" -- the latter is one of a pair of Cooke songs (the other is "A Change Is Gonna Come") that one would not expect any white artist to try and cover, much less do well, but Kooper does it justice and then some, and this track alone is worth the price of the album.

The album benefits from the fact that Kooper had spent a good chunk of the prior year working with the Atlanta Rhythm Section (which appears here) as well as discovering Lynyrd Skynyrd. Naked Songs may have been intended mostly to get him out of his Columbia contract, but it proved a highlight of his career as well as his last new recording for four years. Naked Songs was reissued in Japan in 2003 in a mini-LP jacket format in state-of-the-art 24-bit digital audio.
by Bruce Eder

Tracks
1. (Be Yourself) Be Real (Kooper) - 3:27
2. As the Years Go Passing By (Malone) - 6:04
3. Jolie (Kooper) - 3:49
4. Blind Baby (Kooper) - 3:07
5. Been and Gone (Peacock) - 2:37
6. Sam Stone (Prine) - 4:41
7. Peacock Lady (Kooper) - 3:23
8. Touch the Hem of His Garment (Cooke) - 4:04
9. Where Were You When I NeededYou (Kooper, Levine) - 3:12
10. Unrequited (Kooper) - 2:54

Musicians
*Al Kooper - Bass, Flute, Acoustic, Rhythm Guitar, Gut String Guitar, Harpsichord, Keyboards, Organ, Piano, Vocals
*Patti Austin - Vocals
*Barry Bailey - Guitar
*Charlie Bradley - Engineer
*Charlie Brown - Rhythm, Slide Guitar
*J.R. Cobb - Acoustic Guitar
*Dean Daughtry - Piano
*John Paul Fetta - Bass
*Michael Gately - Vocals
*Eileen Gilbert - Vocals
*Paul Goddard - Bass
*Richard Greene - Fiddle
*Junior Hanley - Drums
*Robert John - Vocals
*Maruga - Drums
*Robert Nix - Drums
*Linda November - Vocals
*Albertine Robinson - Vocals
*Stuart Scharf - Acoustic Guitar
*Maretha Stewart - Vocals
*Tasha Thomas - Vocals
*Jimmy Wisner - String Arrangements

Related Act
1970  Al Kooper - Easy Does It
1973  The Original Blues Project - Reunion in Central Park

*For more Al Kooper (solo or collaboration works, please feel free to ask for)

Free Text

Text Host

Various Artists - The Golden Road The Electric Coffee House Vol.2 (60's us, electric folk psych treasures)

A little while back we took a journey into that time when American folk music discovered electric rock and pop. The result was The Electric Coffee House compilation. That turned out to be one of our most successful albums, so consequently we've been having another delve into that hallowed region of chiming guitars, righteous harmony and garage joy.

Once again, we're delighted to present an intriguing selection of obscurities, some primitive, some sophisticated, some Psychedelic, some full of pop sensibility, but all of it with an essential, omnipresent undercurrent of folk tradition, albeit filtered through amplifiers and pick-ups, but there none the less. You'll hear from Ian Whitcomb's kid brother, Chuck Berry's favourite backing band, the man who wrote Mr. Bojangles, a future member of Poco, a band featuring the young Bruce Cockburn, and a whole lot more besides.

Come with us along The Golden Road, let your mind wander free and let your freak flag fly.
by Nick Saloman

Artists - Tracks
1. Morning Sun - Let's Take A Walk In The Woods (Welch) - 1:58
2. Bob And Kit - You Gotta Stop (Ray) - 2:17
3. The Woolies - Hey Girl (Rice, Baldori) - 2:19
4. The MC2 - Smiline (Stelrllng, Dough) - 2:40
5. The Rovin' Kind - Right On Time (Cotton) - 2:46
6. The Last Draft - It's Been A Long Time (Shuput, Arnold, Maciolek, Schallitz) - 2:39
7. The Fun And Games - The Way She Smiles (Romano) - 2:20
8. Keith Allison - Look At Me (Allison) - 2:52
9. The Kynd - Clouds (Vosburg) - 2:48
10.Raintree - Land Of Make Believe (Flannery, Stephens. Stephens) - 2:26
11.3's A Crowd - Bird Without Wings (Cockburn) - 3:06
12.Robin Kingsley - In And Out (Dalton. Fletcher) - 2:27
13.Circus Maximus - Lost Sea Shanty (Walker) - 4:08
14.The Patriots - I'll Be There (Keske, Janssen) - 2:16
15.The Rogue Show - Make Me Over Again (Gorky) - 2:30
16.The Counts IV - Where Are You (Roof) - 2:21
17.The Happy Medium - Fair One (Orvis) - 2:36
18.Jimmy Satan - What's It All About (Cisco, Bentley) - 2:18
19.The Tiffany System - Let's Get Together (Powers) - 2:50
20.The Ragamuffins - Parade Of Uncertainty (Pacheco) - 4:02

The Electric Coffee House Vol 1

Free Text
Text Host

Gary Wright - Extraction / Footprint (1971-72 uk, stunning classic rock with prog drops, BGO remaster)

While critically acclaimed, they were not commercial successes at the time, in spite of the quality of the material. Gary Wright, former keyboardist/songwriter/vocalist for Spooky Tooth, released these two fine albums in succession after the initial breakup of the band, with `Extraction' coming out in 1971 and `Footprint' the next year. They now get a second chance, and fans of great rock music have reason to rejoice.

Wright formed a touring band in the wake of Spooky Tooth's demise, calling it `Wright's Wonderwheel' (which featured, among others, future Tooth and Foreigner guitarist Mick Jones). Most of that band played on 'Extraction', although the name Wonderwheel was not credited (however,they did release a single called 'I Know', and recorded an unreleased album). `Extraction' differed markedly from the trademark Spooky Tooth sound; the songs were generally more up-tempo, with more focus on lead guitar than the heavy organ sound of his previous band. In addition, the production was very bright and clean, with individual instruments very discreet and well separated.

It was sonically impressive on vinyl back then , and remains even more so on CD today. Featuring some truly outstanding songs such as Get on the Right Road, I Know a Place, Too Late to Cry and his own, more rocking version of The Wrong Time, which was also covered on the Wright-less Spooky Tooth Album `The Last Puff'. To me, this and `Footprint' feature Gary's most powerful vocal performances, largely devoid of the falsetto often used in Spooky Tooth recordings.

`Footprint' is a real joy to have. `Extraction' was actually released the previous year on the Repertoire label, but until this two-for set, `Footprint' was something of the Holy Grail of Spooky Tooth related material still unavailable. While `Extraction' had minimal production gloss, with somewhat sparse instrumentation and a generally `hard rock' feel, `Footprint' went a different direction.

Continuing with top-flight songs, superb vocals and lyrics that showed the emerging spiritualistic side of Gary, the recording featured many guest musicians, including George Harrison (under a pseudonym), Bobby Keys, Alan White, Jim Gordon and others. It was a more textured album in production values, with shimmering acoustic guitars augmenting the keyboards and electric instruments, more pensive lyrics and a kind of loose, thematic unity to the album not found on `Extraction'.

This theme is represented in such titles as Give Me the Good Earth, Love to Survive, Fascinating Things and the anthem-like Stand for Our Rights, which featured what may have been the last sax performance from King Curtis before his untimely death. To this day, hearing that song makes me want to jump up with a clenched fist and start marching. A more powerful affirmation to the cause of personal freedom would be hard to find.

While these masterpieces should, by all rights, have been released long before now, the fact that they are now available is great news to fans of not only Spooky Tooth and progeny, but to fans of superb late 60s, early 70s rock music everywhere. Frequent and repeated listenings guaranteed!.
by Dennis Hawley

Tracks
1. Get on the Right Road - 3:33
2. Get Hold of Yourself - 3:11
3. Sing a Song - 3:14
4. We Try Hard - 2:28
5. I Know a Place - 5:04
6. The Wrong Time (McCracken, Wright) - 3:24
7. Over You Now - 3:47
8. Too Late to Cry - 3:52
9. I've Got a Story (McCracken, Wright) - 5:29
10.Give Me the Good Earth - 3:17
11.Two Faced Man - 3:38
12.Love to Survive - 4:24
13.Whether It's Right or Wrong - 5:09
14.Stand for Our Rights - 3:33
15.Fascinating Things - 5:07
16.Forgotten - 4:05
17.If You Treat Someone Right - 4:00
All compositions by Gary Wright except where indicated.

Musicians
*Gary Wright - Vocals, Keyboards
*Colin Allen - Drums, Percussion
*P.P. Arnold - Vocals
*John Barham - String Arrangements
*Madeline Bell - Vocals
*Jerry Donahue - Guitar
*Jim Gordon - Drums, Percussion
*Jim Keltner - Drums, Percussion
*Bobby Keys - Tenor Sax
*King Curtis - Saxophone
*Hugh McCracken - Guitar
*George O'Hara - Guitar, Slide Guitar
*Barry St. John - Vocals
*Liza Strike - Vocals
*Doris Troy - Vocals
*Klaus Voormann - Bass
*Alan White - Drums
*Mick Abrahams - Guitar

Text Host

Just Paste

Free Text

Grateful Dead - Skull and Roses (1971 us, superior west coast psych folk rock, 2001 HDCD bonus tracks edition)

The Grateful Dead's second live release was an eponymously titled double LP whose cover bears the striking skull-and-roses visual motif that would become instantly recognizable and an indelibly linked trademark of the band.

As opposed to their debut concert recording, Live/Dead (1969), this hour and ten minutes concentrates on newer material, which consisted of shorter self-contained originals and covers. Coming off of the quantum-leap success of the studio country-rock efforts Workingman's Dead (1969) and American Beauty, Grateful Dead offers up a pair of new Jerry Garcia/Robert Hunter compositions -- "Bertha" and "Wharf Rat" -- both of which garnered a permanent place within the band's live catalog.

However, "The Other One" -- joined in progress just as Billy Kreutzmann fires up a blazing percussion solo -- sprawls as the album's centerpiece. The Dead also begin incorporating several traditional folk, blues, and R&B cover tunes, such as Merle Haggard's "Mama Tried," Kris Kristofferson's "Me & Bobby McGee," as well as a few that had been in their songbook for several years, including John Phillips' "Me & My Uncle" and "Big Boss Man," a blues standard popularized by Jimmy Reed.

 Their formidable improvisational chops have begun to take on new facets of lean intricacy as Mickey Hart (percussion) and Tom Constanten (keyboards) were no longer in the band. Additionally, the arrival of Keith Godchaux (organ) and his wife, Donna Godchaux (vocals), had yet to occur. As such, the Grateful Dead spent the spring and summer of 1971 in their original five-piece configuration -- which is when these recordings were documented.
by Lindsay Planer

Tracks
1. Bertha (Jerry Garcia, Robert Hunter) - 5:40
2. Mama Tried (Merle Haggard) - 2:43
3. Big Railroad Blues (Noah Lewis) - 3:34
4. Playing In The Band (Bob Weir, Robert Hunter) - 4:30
5. The Other One (Bill Kreutzmann, Bob Weir) - 18:03
6. Me And My Uncle (John Phillips) - 3:04
7. Big Boss Man (Al Smith, Luther Dixon) - 5:11
8. Me And Bobby Mcgee (Kris Kristofferson, Fred Foster) - 5:42
9. Johnny B. Goode (Chuck Berry) - 3:41
10.Wharf Rat (Jerry Garcia, Robert Hunter) - 8:32
11.Not Fade Away (Buddy Holly, Norman Petty) / Goin' Down The Road Feeling Bad (Traditional) - 9:12
12.Oh, Boy! (Norman Petty, Bill Tilghman, Sonny West) - 2:50
13.I'm a Hog for You (Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller) - 4:08
14.Grateful Dead Radio Spot - 1:00

Grateful Dead
*Jerry Garcia - Lead Guitar, Vocals
*Bob Weir - Rhythm Guitar, Vocals
*Phil Lesh - Bass Guitar, Vocals
*Bill Kreutzmann - Drums
*Ron "Pigpen" Mckernan - Organ, Harmonica, Vocals
Guest
*Merl Saunders - Organ

Free Text
Just Paste

Kaleidoscope - Dive Into Yesterday (1967-69 uk, inspired psychedelic rock, baroque pop, 23 original recordings)

In 1996 the British Fontana label issued a best-of for the U.K. band Kaleidoscope with the appropriate title of Dive Into Yesterday, after the first track. It is a wonderful journey containing a 12-page booklet chock full of photographs, extensive liner notes, and 23 original recordings from 1967 to 1969, all evolving over the course of the disc.

The music is dramatically different from the box released in 2000, The Fairfield Parlour Years, on the Burning Airlines/NMC label, and helps put this important ensemble's work into perspective. "Flight From Ashiya," "Dive Into Yesterday," and "The Murder of Lewis Tollani" are among those culled from the album Tangerine Dream, while "Poem" and other titles come from the follow-up, Faintly Blowing.

With the music made during sessions for both albums combined on this single disc, it's a generous helping of a band whose sound lives up to their name. "Snapdragon" oozes that fusion of folk music and psychedelic rock which probably had a great impact on the Move. It certainly sounds like Chumbawamba borrowed heavily from this particular song for their 1997 hit "Tubthumping." The innovative "(Love Song) For Annie" also displays sounds that would work their way into influencing future records by other groups.

These are the compositions of guitarist Eddie Pumer and vocalist Peter Daltrey (singer Daltrey also coordinated this reissue) performed with their comrades, bassist Steve Clark and drummer Dan Bridgman. Dick Leahy produced the music, which was digitally remastered by Roger Wake. Everything is in pretty much chronological order, starting with the title track, one of seven songs from 1967.

Three performances are from 1968 -- "A Dream for Julie," "Jenny Artichoke," and "Just How Much You Are" -- though they are tracked at eight, 16, and 17 inside the flow of the 13 songs from 1969. Track five, "(Further Reflections) In the Room of Percussion," is outstanding, and according to the liner notes it is a remix by Dick Leahy of "In the Room of Percussion" made for the B-side of the Dutch release of "Flight of Ashiya." Seventy-six and a half minutes is a generous helping of music on this release, music which goes through different moods and flavors, demanding repeated listening.

As it may be the first introduction to the band for many, Phil Smee's liners could be a little more helpful and precise. He discusses the final single, "Balloon," but it is not included here or on The Fairfield Parlour Years. Daltrey sounds a bit like Dylan on "The Feathered Tiger" -- Dylan surrounded by cosmic sounds, the music complex, creative, and always interesting.

"Do It Again for Jeffrey," from the March 1969 sessions which produced the album Faintly Blowing, along with over six minutes of the song "Music," conclude the album with melody and innovation. The presentation is powerful and impressive, with period-piece color photos on the front and back of the booklet.
by Joe Viglione

Tracks
1. Dive Into Yesterday - 4:44
2. Mr. Small The Watch-Repairer Man - 2:49
3. Flight From Ashiya - 2:39
4. The Murder Of Lewis Tollani - 2:47
5. (Further Reflections) In The Room Of Percussion - 3:17
6. 'Dear Nellie Goodrich...' - 2:44
7. The Sky Children - 7:59
8. A Dream For Julie - 2:45
9. Faintly Blowing - 4:06
10.Poem - 2:53
11.Snapdragon - 2:45
12.A Story From Tom Bitz - 3:44
13.(Love Song) For Annie - 2:35
14.If You So Wish - 3:40
15.Opinion - 0:20
16.Jenny Artichoke - 2:36
17.Just How Much You Are - 2:10
18.Bless The Executioner - 3:00
19.Black Fjord - 3:15
20.The Feathered Tiger - 5:14
21.I'll Kiss You Once - 0:58
22.Do It Again For Jeffrey - 3:16
23.Music - 6:20
All compositions by Peter Daltrey and Eddy Pumer.

Kaleidoscope
*Peter Daltrey - Vocals, Keyboards
*Eddy Pumer - Guitars
*Steve Clark - Bass, Flute
*Dan Bridgman - Drums

Related Act 
1970  Fairfield Parlour - Home to Home

Free Text
the Free Text

Various Artists - Psych Bites, Vol. 1 (1967-74 aussie, dynamic acid freak rock)

Australians have a well-deserved reputation for liking their rock & roll hard, heavy, and without a lot of gingerbread, and it should come as no surprise that a lot of their psychedelic stuff doesn't dwell much on peace, love, and flowers.

In fact, the 20 rare tunes collected on Psych Bites, Vol. 1: Australian Acid Freakrock 1967-1974 don't sound all that psychedelic, but like early hard rock with a dash of heavy blues and progressive rock added for flavoring. "Midnight Witch" by Ash bears more than a passing resemblance to Black Sabbath (though without their monolithic impact), Helium's "Don't Think Twice" is a bluesy stroll with guitar work that wins the Leigh Stephens award for being clumsy and brilliant at the same time, Freshwater's "Satan's Woman" shifts back and forth between major and minor keys as the titular succubus weaves her spell, Chook's "Tables Turn" is fast and thunderous, and the Dave Miller Set's "No Need to Cry" is a lean rocker with plenty of tough guitar soloing.

Most of these tracks were cut for independent Aussie labels, and with rare exceptions, the material is well-produced and musically solid; the music speaks of the early '70s rather than the late '60s (which makes sense, since only one song was cut before 1970), and while there's a vague counterculture sensibility in this music, the unspoken message is to rock out and boogie, not to explore the avenues of the mind, and taken at face value, this music succeeds admirably.
by Mark Deming

Artists - Tracks
1. Flake - Under The Silent Tree - 3:53
2. Doug Parkinson In Focus - Then I Run - 2:59
3. Barry McCaskell And Levi Smith Clefs - Love Like A Man - 3:20
4. Pirana - Here It Comes Again - 2:48
5. Long Grass - Anywhere You Wanna Go - 2:21
6. Freshwater - Satan's Woman - 3:00
7. Ash - Midnight Witch - 4:03
8. Chook - Cold Feet - 3:07
9. Michael Turner In Session - Patterns Of My Life - 2:57
10.Dave Miller Set - No Need To Cry - 6:12
11.Ticket - Awake - 5:19
12.Rashamra - Antelope - 3:15
13.Flake - Breadalbane - 5:19
14.Helium - Don't Think Twice - 3:49
15.Isherwood - Willy The Weeper - 2:10
16.Healing Force - The Gully - 3:53
17.Headband - Stay With Me - 3:30
18.Ash - Warrant - 2:58
19.Chook - Tables Turn - 3:13
20.Doug Parkinson In Focus - Purple Curtains - 2:24

Free Text
Text Host

John Kay – Forgotten Songs And Unsung Heroes / My Sportin' Life (1972-73 canada, wonderful acoustic classic rock with country shades, 2008 remaster)

Now that John Kay has shed the burden of Steppenwolf, I suppose that it’s safe to assume that Forgotten Songs and Unsung Heroes is an accurate portrait of his present musical state.

On his first solo album, Kay does not actually commit himself to any particular style. Instead, he picks and chooses material with great variety.

Armed only with a test pressing dated February 22, 1972, and a barren sheet on which is typewritten the names of the songs and their personnel, the first impression one gains is one of simplicity. The numbers are extremely simple, and vocal work definite, with the instrumentation adding to the impact of the lyrics.

Ahhhh, the lyrics… they seem to infer a choice on Kay’s part of express himself in a more personal light that any other he has done. I recall when they would say, no one lives for just one day/ Don’t save dreams that can’t be sold/Don’t chase rainbows, just their gold/ Tried it my way, tried it mine/ I won the race before my time/ But golden trophies, fancy toys, don’t compare to childhood joys.

I suppose some thought that with the dissolving of Steppenwolf, Kay would retire to a solo performer – performing material identical to that of Steppenwolf, but with a new situation that would be more economically fulfilling, shall we say. All I can reply to these materially-minded people is that not one of these tracks could have been successfully recorded by Steppenwolf. This music and Steppenwolf are two separate entities.

Kay obviously has definite roots in Country and Western music. In “I’m Movin’ On,” a Hank Snow tune from the 1950?s, the man sounds so at home and comfortable crooning, “So I’m movin’ on, I’m rollin’ on/ You’ve broken your vow and it’s all over now, so I’m movin’ on” that it’s a wonder he didn’t become famous as a lead singer in a C & W band, and use hard rock for his solo album, rather than vice versa.

The diversity in the album is extended still further in the Robert Johnson standard, “Walkin’ Blues,” a shuffle that comes off well as a showcase for Kay’s weather-worn vocal work and restrained, tasteful bottleneck work.

The late Richard Farine and Hank Williams are tapped for “Bold Marauder” and “You Win Again” respectively – the latter of which I must bashfully indicate as my own personal favorite.

This album is exactly as the title suggests, Forgotten Songs and Unsung Heroes. The forgotten songs being John Kay tunes that weren’t suitable as “Steppenwolf material.” The unsung heroes being: A brilliant young Indian songwriter by the name of Patrick Sly whose “Many a Mile” opens the album; Hank Williams, who to the younger set means nothing but a hazy singer who sang “hick music,” and of course Robert Johnson, the bluesman who started it all. These talents of yesterday seem to have been lost in the “pop” culture.

In this excellent low-keyed album, John Kay tries to give a little exposure to the ones who deserve it, and at the same time try and vent a side of himself unfamiliar to the record-buyer.

The material is not new territory for Kay. The tendency toward the styles unveiled in this LP have been evident in most of the early Steppenwolf albums, but the delivery is cleaner, more definite, but most important of all … confident.
by Cameron Crowe, (San Diego Door) March 30, 1972  – April 13, 1972

Tracks
Forgotten Songs And Unsung Heroes 1972
1. Many A Mile (Patrick Sky) - 4:26
2. Walk Beside Me (John Kay) - 5:12
3. You Win Again (Hank Williams) - 4:01
4. To Be Alive (John Kay) - 4:55
5. Bold Marauder (Richard Farina) - 5:04
6. Two Of A Kind (John Kay) - 5:58
7. Walkin' Blues (Robert Johnson) - 2:44
8. Somebody (John Kay) - 4:04
9. I'm Moving On (Hank Snow) - 3:06
My Sportin' Life 1973
10.Moonshine (Friend Of Mine) (Les Emmerson) - 2:48
11.Nobody Lives Here Anymore (John Kay) - 4:02
12.Drift Away (Mentor Williams) - 4:10
13.Heroes And Devils (Kerry Chater, Renée Armand) - 3:08
14.My Sportin' Life (John Kay) - 5:19
15.Easy Evil (Alan O'Day) - 3:36
16.Giles Of The River (Donald Fagen, Walter Becker) - 3:37
17.Dance To My Song (John Kay) - 4:07
18.Sing With The Children (Ron Davies) - 6:40

Musicians
Forgotten Songs And Unsung Heroes 1972
*John Kay - Vocals, Guitars
*Kent Henry - Lead Guitar
*Hugh O'Sullivan - Keyboards
*George Biondo - Bass
*Penti Glan - Drums
My Sportin' Life 1973
*John Kay - Guitar, Harmonica, Vocals
*George Biondo - Bass
*Bill Cooper - Bass
*Daryl Dragon - Keyboards
*Stan Farber - Vocals
*Venetta Fields - Vocals
*Whitey Glan - Drums
*Kent Henry - Guitar
*Gloria Jones - Vocals
*Larry Knechtel - Keyboards
*Danny Kortchmar - Guitar
*Russ Kunkel - Drums
*Sherlie Matthews - Vocals
*Gene Morford - Vocals
*Alan O'day - Keyboards
*Richard Podolor - Keyboards, Mandolin
*Leland Sklar - Bass
*Hugh Sullivan - Keyboards
*Mike Utley - Piano

More John Kay....
1968  John Kay and the Sparrow 

 
Just Paste

Text Host

Turquoise - The Further Adventures Of Flossie Fillett (1966-69 uk, bright mod beat psychedelia, Rev Ola release)

Cult UK pop-psych heroes Turquoise burst forth from Muswell Hill with two of the most perfectly formed pop singles of 1968 then went the way of so many of their contemporaries and vanished back to the building sites and tax offices of north London.

But this story goes a lot deeper than that... Friends and neighbours of Ray and Dave Davies, Ewan Stephens, Vic Jansen and Jeff Peters would watch with envy as The Kinks rose to global fame during the mid-1960s, eventually forming a band of their own. A little of the brothers’ influence inevitably rubbed off on The Brood (for ‘twas they) with Dave producing demo sessions for them and touting the results round the labels to no avail.

Through Dave, they were soon being managed by John Mason, the infamous ‘car dealer to the stars’, who had his clients Keith Moon and John Entwistle produce another session for them in 1967. Mason then hooked The Brood up with another of Mason’s clients, Tom Keylock, The Rolling Stones’ tour manager, who, along with Kirk Duncan of the Spencer Davis agency, secured them a recording contract with Decca, a publishing deal with Apple and a name change to Turquoise.

The next few months were spent rehearsing at the Stones’ space in London’s Docklands, visiting various London recording studios, running with The Who and The Kinks and generally having a ball being young pop stars in swinging London. Although only two singles appeared – “53 Summer Street”/”Tales Of Flossie Fillett” and “Woodstock”/Saynia”, now much-loved classics of the psychedelic pop genre - the band cut several tracks during this time which remained unreleased until now.

However, the lack of a hit single and the fickle nature of the pop business inevitably resulted in Turquoise’s premature demise in 1969. Ewan Stephens forged a solo career, cutting further singles for Decca while Jeff Peters and latter day Turquoise member Barry Hart formed the hard-rockin’ Slowbone who cut the album “Tales Of A Crooked Man” in 1974. “The Further Adventures Of Flossie Fillet” brings together every surviving recording made by The Brood and Turquoise between 1966 and 1969, including a virtual album’s worth of prime 1968 pop in a Kinks/Who/Small Faces/Move style as well as alternate versions and demos.

It features liner notes by noted psych/Apple authority Stefan Granados and brand new in-depth interview material with Turquoise main man Jeff Peters. The complete surviving recordings by this cult north London pop-psych act, most of which have never been heard before! Features the much-loved singles “53 Summer Street”, “Tales Of Flossie Fillett”, “Woodstock” and “Saynia”! Mates of The Kinks, The Who, Apple and the Spencer Davis agency.

Ultra-hip credentials! Beautifully re-mastered in the usual Rev-Ola style! In-depth liner notes by Stefan Granados featuring brand new interview material with Turquoise main man Jeff Peters. Stuffed to the gills with fantastic original photos and memorabilia from the band’s own archives !A landmark release and a MUST for all fans of quality UK ‘60s pop, pop-psych, The Kinks, The Who, Small Faces, The Beatles…Hell, everybody really!

Tracks
1. Tales of Flossie Fillett - 3:04
2. Flying Machine (Second Version) - 3:05
3. Sister Saxophone - 3:10
4. 53 Summer Street - 2:52
5. The Sea Shines (Peters) - 4:01
6. Village Green (Peters) - 2:23
7. Saynia - 2:52
8. Sunday Best (Peters) - 2:41
9. Woodstock - 3:29
10.Stand Up and Be Judged (Duncan) - 2:52
11.Woodstock (First Reduction) - 3:24
12.Flying Machine (First Version) - 3:06
13.Leana - 2:53
14.What's Your Name (Unknown) - 2:54
15.Mindless Child of Motherhood (Davies) - 3:34
16.You're Just Another Girl (As the Brood) - 2:27
17.Wrong Way (As the Brood) (Peters) - 3:31
18.The Turquoise 1968 Christmas Record (Turquoise) - 1:52
All song by Jeff Peters and Ewan Stephens except where indicated.

Turquoise
*Jeff Peters - Lead Guitar, Piano
*Barry Hart - Guitar
*Ewan Stephens - Drums
*Vic Jansen - Bass
*Geoff Syrett - Guitar

Free Text
Text Host

SRC - Lost Masters (1970-72 us, detroit raw garage psych rock)

Consisting of an amalgam of leftover and unreleased material recorded after leaving Capitol, and both early and late non-album singles, this compilation will be of interest for ardent SRC followers, but is not an advisable introduction. The psychedelia, '70s rock, and soul/R&B do not sit too easily together, which is not surprising either as this set is intentionally and odds and ends package.

And as that, it works extremely well. "After Your Heart," "Gypsy Eyes," "Love Is Here Now," "Cry of the Lonely," and the moody instrumental "Valerie" could have quite easily fit on Milestones and indeed are comparable to any of their best releases. A more commercial soul sound was adopted a little later, and in working with Motown producers, a horn section, and female backing vocalists Scott Richardson attempted to emulate his black brethren.

Material performed in this manner includes covers of the Animals' "I'm Crying," Holland-Dozier-Holland's "Heatwave," and heroes the Pretty Things' "Out in the Night," which while playable are not a match of earlier efforts. Of more interest from this era are "Evil," (SRC parodying Howlin' Wolf) and a number of laid-back numbers, such as "No Rules in Love" that hint at how they would of sounded if they continued in a more soft rock vein.

All in all a very good album of perhaps Detroit's best and yet least recognized '60s band. After buying the re-releases of the originals, this is the next step to complete the picture.
by Jon "Mojo" Mills

The first ten tracks represent what would have been SRC's fourth album. The second ten tracks "...represent various stylistic experiments...", where Gary Quackenbush had rejoined the band and Richard Haddad was added on bass and vocals. Richard died in an automobile accident in Los Angeles in 1977 and "Lost Masters" is dedicated to him per the suggestion of Gary Quackenbush.

Tracks
1. After Your Heart  (Quackenbush, Richardson) - 3:26
2. Gypsy Eyes - 4:11
3. Valerie (Quackenbush, Richardson) - 3:43
4. Love Is Here Now - 5:00
5. (Love Is Like A) Heat Wave (Dozier, Holland, Holland) - 2:57
6. Out in the Night (May, Taylor) - 2:46
7. Badaz Shuffle - 3:14
8. Eliza Green the Shimmie Queen - 3:36
9. My Sunday's Gone (Quackenbush, Richardson) - 3:59
10.Never Let Your Daystar Fade Away (Quackenbush, Richardson) - 3:13
11.Born to Love - 2:54
12.No Rules in Love (Quackenbush, Richardson) - 3:54
13.The Deeper the Longer  - 2:33
14.Lovelight (Dozier, Holland) - 3:08
15.Cry in the Lonely - 3:26
16.Get the Picture  (May, Taylor) - 2:29
17.Evil  (Dixon) - 4:04
18.I'm Crying  (Burdon, Price) - 4:35
19.Ride the Wind  (Richardson) - 3:04
20.Richard's Song - 3:50
All songs by Clawson, Quackenbush, Quackenbush, Richardson, except where indicated.

SRC
*Gary Quackenbush - Guitars
*Glenn Quackenbush - Keyboards, Vocals
*Scott Richardsonn - Vocals
*E.G. Clawson - Drums, Percussion, Vocals
*Richard Haddad - Bass, Vocals

1968  SRC (2010 Micro Werks edition)

Free Text
Text Host

Evol - Evol (1970 us, psychedelic folk rock with excellent vocal harmonies, 2011 digi pack issue)

Evol was born in 1968, at the Seabreeze Lounge, in Huntington, West Virginia. The original members were Randall Hackney, Mike Blair, Roger Caines, and Roger Dillon. Over the next two years, the band began developing its identity; their sound became unique in the Tri-State area.

By 1970, the Seabreeze had far outgrown its space, and "Papa Ross" Scarvelli moved his business a few blocks away to a huge building, which he called the Club Romair. The crowd followed and grew. EVOL was the only band in the entire area to play the difficult stuff: Black Sabbath, Uriah Heep, Grand Funk Railroad, and about anything else that required genuine talent to play.

During the early years at the Seabreeze, guitarist and song writer Jeff Hanichen sat in with the band on a very regular basis. In fact, he became known as the unofficial fifth member. In the fall of 1970, the band signed a contract with a music company in Nashville, Tennessee. At the same time, Jeff officially joined EVOL as guitarist and song writer. The band now added original music to its list of music no one else played.

The company the band signed with was operated on a shoestring budget by an engineer for Columbia Records, but he was able to secure studio time at Nugget Studios in Goodletsviite (outside Nashville). The album took about ten days, twelve hours a day to finish, at which time four of the guys returned to Huntington to prepare to go on the road. Jeff was writing for two other groups, and had to stay behind for a few more weeks. Upon their return home, Roger Caines left the group and Dave Tatum joined as the drummer.

These are the four members that went to the Rose Garden, in Huntington's Ritter Park, to shoot the album cover. Consequently Jeff is not on the cover. Jeff left the band in 1971, and the remaining four continued to tour and play locally until 1977. Randall eventually retired from a cable company, Mike retired from construction work, Dave, the youngest, still works for Nabisco, and Jeff is a retired history professor.

He is now a Baptist minister. Roger Caines and Roger Dillon are both deceased, and no other information is available on either. As is with the case of most musicians from this period of time, the surviving members remain close and in contact with each other. Over the years, Jeff Hanichen has written over five-hundred songs; at least eleven of them will finally be heard by someone other than friends and family!!
by Jeff Hanichen, West Virginia, December, 2011

Tracks
1. Part Of Reality (Randall Hackney) - 3:27
2. For The Sake Of Reality - 2:53
3. Unlucky Guy - 2:50
4. I Told A Lie - 2:30
5. I Just Don't Care To Dance - 3:25
6. You Shall Be Saved - 2:14
7. If I Am Strong - 2:34
8. Get Out Of My Mind - 2:17
9. Speak Your Mind - 2:43
10.There Will Come A Day - 2:47
11.Good Morning Girl - 2:55
12.Day Of Sorrow - 2:41
All songs written by  Jeff Hanichen unless otherwise stated.

Evol
*Randall Hackney - Lead Guitar
*Mike Blair - Bass Guitar
*Jeff Hanichen - 12 String Guitar
*Roger Dillon - Organ, Harpsichord
*Dave Tatum - Drums

Free Text
Text Host

Gold - Gold (1969 us, amazing west coast psychedelic rock)

In 1971 Gold was one of the hottest bands in San Francisco without an LP. Bill Graham was booking them to open for 10 years After, Big Brother & the Holding Company, Hot Tuna and more. Eventually he called their management into his office and let them know that he needed bands that had an LP out with airplay. In 2002, Gold's Album "Mission Rock" recorded in '71 was released. After 32 years, finally the LP Graham had wanted to hear!

Gold, a real San Francisco band had Mission District origins in 1967. To gain attention, the band often did benefit gigs for good causes, something they learned from watching the career of Country Joe & The Fish. They played twice for prisoners at the San Francisco County Jail, and also at San Quentin State Prison. In 1971 they played at an anti-Vietnam War Moratorium rally at Golden Gate State Park which drew over 150,000, sharing the bill with Big Brother & The Holding Company. Also, in 1970 they played at a notorious Hells Angels party along with Big Brother, Full Tilt Boogie and Janice Joplin. Not only were they receiving good support from Bill Graham, but also received favorable reviews from the San Francisco Chronicle & Examiner.

The only thing holding them back during those days was not having an LP, but they did manage to get some airplay right along with Santana and The Grateful Dead from an audio cassette they had sent in to local FM radio stations.

Country Joe McDonald took a great interest in the Band and worked with them on a number of projects. he even helped them release a 45...the classic "Summertime" b/w "No Parking". The single went pretty much unnoticed, however they did receive some airplay on top 40 stations in California and Utah.

Guitarist Ed Scott founded what was to become Gold in 1967. Known at the time as The Lost Cause, featuring Larry Walton on lead guitar, they went through several names including Golden Gate, and then finally Gold (as in Acapulco Gold). As the years progressed, new members came and went. The band finally broke up in September, 1973 due to frustration over lack of finding a good label and the usual ego tripping issues that cause most bands to fall... For a garage band they actually went very far and played on some big stages with some mighty huge acts...
MyFirst-Band

Tracks
1. No Parking - 2:35
2. High On Love - 4:03
3. Righteous Road - 2:49
4. Summer Dresses - 2:26
5. Conquistadore - 5:16
6. Heavy - 2:48
7. Elizabeth - 4:33
8. I Saw You - 2:38
9. PSB - 5:47
10.Filet Of Soul - 5:40

Gold
*Ronald Coco -Vocals
*Ed Scott - Guitar
*Joe Bajza - Guitar
*Louis Gorseau - Drums
*Joe Mancada - Bass
*Dennis Cabral - Percussion
*Percy Nicholson - Congas

Free Text

Just Paste

J.J. Light - Heya (1969 us, magnificent psychedelic native rock, Sir Douglas side man)

Jim Stallings was a singer, songwriter, and guitarist who had been knocking around the Los Angeles music scene for a few years when he met Bob Markley, a wealthy hipster and producer who had worked with the West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band. Markley took Stallings under his wing, scored him a record deal, and christened him with a new stage name, J.J. Light, which was imagined to better fit his Native American heritage.

J.J. Light scored an international hit single with 1969's "Heya," and the album of the same title sold respectably in Europe, Scandinavia, and South America, but for some reason the LP was never released in the United States, and a follow-up recorded later the same year was never released at all; Stallings became a member of Doug Sahm's Sir Douglas Quintet, joining in time to play bass on the classic Together After Five album.

This release from the U.K.-based Sunbeam Records features the Heya! LP in full along with 11 songs recorded for Light's unreleased second album, only one of which ("Kent State Massacre") has previously surfaced. Heya! is an engaging exercise in psychedelia lite; Stallings' songs are strong and to the point while boasting radio-ready melodies alongside lyrics that often deal with Native American issues, and his vocals are gutsy and passionate without sounding ragged, recalling Johnny Rivers with an extra portion of soul.

Stallings also had some fine help in the studio, including keyboard man Larry Knechtel, drummers Earl Palmer and Jim Gordon, and guitarists Gary Rowles and Ron Morgan (the former worked with Arthur Lee's 1969-1970 edition of Love, and the latter played in the West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band), and the music isn't afraid to cut deep while leaning toward the sunny side.

The unreleased material was rescued from old acetates and the sound quality is flawed, but the songs and performances are as good if not better than what Stallings brought to his first album, and it's hard to imagine why work this good was forced to collect dust in the vaults for so long. Heya! certainly deserves a higher profile in Stallings' homeland, and until some American label picks this up for a stateside issue, Sunbeam's release gives his songs the hearing they clearly deserve, while Tim Forster's liner notes tell the story behind this music and J.J. Light's short-lived career.
by Mark Deming

Tracks
1. Na Ru Ka - 3:01
2. Silently Sleeping - 2:58
3. Follow Me Girl - 3:02
4. It's Wednesday - 2:31
5. Until It Snows - 3:01
6. The Electric Land Band - 1:25
7. Hello, Hello, Hello - 2:31
8. Heya - 3:10
9. While the World Turns to Stone - 2:18
10.Henry Glover - 2:11
11.Hey Yo Hanna Wa - 2:14
12.Indian Disneyland - 2:23
13.Gallup, New Mexico - 1:56
14.On the Road Now - 3:05
15.Low Rider Rule - 2:37
16.Running Bear (Richardson) - 2:31
17.Rose Marie - 1:47
18.A Thousand Years Old - 2:47
19.Love Is Not a Game (Goldstein) - 2:16
20.Power to the People - 3:03
21.Kent State Massacre - 2:08
22.Christine - 1:59
23.Don't We All Get Lonely Sometimes? (Knight) - 3:25
24.Have You Seen My Baby? (Newman) - 2:32
25.Stuck in Prison - 1:58
26.Heya - 2:36
All Songs written by Jim Stallings except where noted.

Musicians
*Jim Stallings - Vocals, Bass, Guitar
*Gary Rowles - Guitar
*Ron Morgan - Guitar
*Larry Knechtel - Piano, Organ
*Joe Osborne - Bass
*Jim Gordon - Drums
*Earl Palmer - Drums

Free Text
Text Host

Various Artists - The Electric Coffee House (60's us, garage psych folk gems, Psychic Circle release)

Up until the Beatles struck, America led the way in pop music. Suddenly the tables had turned and 'The British Invasion bands' took control. American kids invigorated by this no-nonsense, self-written approach, formed bands in every town.

This is what gave rise to the garage band phenomenon. Snotty youths modelling themselves on The Stones, The Beatles, The Kinks et al produced the primitive anthems now so beloved by collectors across the globe. Yet, there was another thread that came from a distinctly different angle. This was the 'folk rock' movement, heralded by The Byrds and The Beau Brummels.

Basically it was born from the collision of the American coffee house scene withjiritish pop. The Byrds had been the first to successfully combine traditional folk with the (angle of The Searchers twelve string sound, and before long there was a plethora of similarly minded musos swapping their acoustics for Rickenbackers and growing Brian Jones hairdos.

This compilation comprises 20 tracks by bands who were taking this path into the mid sixties haze. Some of it is pop, some of it is bluesy, some of it is primitive, but all of it has that underlying folk feel. Before long Dylan would plug into the mains and Jefferson Airplane would transform their folk roots into fully-fledged psychedelia.

But for now, we hope you'll enjoy this journey through an intriguing and often overlooked field of '60s music. I guess if it needs a label it's 'garage folk', but let's forget about compartmentalisation, and just tune in to a time when it all seemed new and exciting down at 'The Electric Coffee House'.
by Nick Saloman

Artists - Tracks
1. Tiffany System - Wayward One - 1:57
2. The Energy Package - See That I Come Home - 2:19
3. Tommy Jay - Springtime's Coming - 2:17
4. Finders Keepers - Raggedy Ann - 3:03
5. Rick Jarrard - High Coin - 3:03
6. Clefs Of Lavender Hill - First Tell Me Why - 2:18
7. The Guilloteens - I Don't Believe - 2:36
8. The Sound Of The Seventh Son - I'll Be on My Way - 2:47
9. Jeremiah - Goin' Lovin' with You - 1:52
10.The Iguanas - This Is What I Was Made For - 2:19
11.Vinnie Basile - Gypsy Girl - 1:59
12.The Yankee Dollar - Reflections of a Shattered Mind - 2:39
13.Starbuck - Let Your Hair Hang Long - 2:46
14.The Hi-Five - You'll Never Know What's in My Heart - 2:21
15.The Chessmen - Running Wild - 2:03
16.Peck's Bad Boys - Silver Dawn - 2:17
17.The Stream Of Consciousness - Till You're Through - 2:15
18.Keith Murphy An The Daze - Slightly Reminiscent of Her - 2:17
19.The Scandal - There's Reasons Why - 2:25
20.The Gants - I Wonder - 2:13

Free Text
Text Host

John Kay and the Sparrow - John Kay and the Sparrow (1968 canada, strong psychedelic rock with blues and folk traces)

Steppenwolf leader/founder John Kay is perhaps the most overlooked early contributor to the musical style that would become heavy metal and hard rock. Kay was the first rocker to use the phrase heavy metal in a song, in one of metal's first great anthems: Steppenwolf's 1968 classic "Born to Be Wild." Born Joachim Fritz Krauledat on April 12, 1944, in the section of Germany that was once known as East Prussia, it was the American rock & roll that he heard on U.S. Armed Forces radio after his family moved to East Germany that fueled his interest in music.

After relocating to Toronto, Canada, in 1958, Kay became even more transfixed by rock & roll -- leading to Kay picking up the guitar, writing songs, and playing in local bands. In the '60s, Kay founded the Sparrow, a rock outfit who played both Canada and the U.S., but received little attention. The group had fallen apart by 1967, but with a new, harder-edged style of rock beginning to conquer the charts and airwaves (Cream, Jimi Hendrix, and the Yardbirds), Kay decided to pursue this direction with his next band, Steppenwolf (titled after Hermann Hesse's novel of the same name).

After moving to Los Angeles, the fledgling band was signed to Dunhill and recorded their self-titled debut, issued in 1968. The album became a sizeable hit, as "Born to Be Wild" was unleashed on an unsuspecting record-buying public, becoming one of rock's most instantly identifiable and enduring hits of all time. After the track was used in the 1969 cult classic movie Easy Rider, it subsequently appeared in countless other movies and TV commercials over the years and was covered by numerous other bands (Blue Oyster Cult, Slade, Crowded House, and the Cult).
by Greg Prato

Before Steppenwolf hit with "Born to Be Wild," there was a blues band out of Canada called the Sparrow. Not only is the future growl of John Kay subdued on this record, so are the bellowing sounds that became organist Goldy McJohn's trademark. The John Kay composition "King Pin" has an almost jazz piano playing against the harp. With drummer Jerry Edmonton, McJohn, and Kay, this is three-fifths Steppenwolf, and it comes off as Steppenwolf lite.

Guitarist Dennis Edmonton, the drummer's brother, composes or co-writes five of the songs, where John Kay wrote four. Dennis Edmonton's "Chasin' Shadows" is psychedelic pop, very British sounding, and gives indications of the trippy style he would develop. When he left the band he became Mars Bonfire and penned "Born to Be Wild,," released on his own CBS album Faster Than the Speed of Life. "Green Bottle Lover," written by both Edmonton brothers, is even more psychedelic and rocking.

The liner notes are terrible, giving little information about this historic disc, leaving it to the music. Where John Kay's "Twisted" starts off the festivities with the boogie-woogie blues that seems indicative of the Sparrow, the final track, "Isn't It Strange" by St. Nicholas and Dennis Edmonton, goes full throttle with the psychedelia. A very interesting collection of sounds exhibiting two musical sides, only hinting at what they would develop when they hooked up with producer Gabriel Mekler to eventually crank out about a half a dozen Top 40 hits on Dunhill.
by Joe Viglione

Tracks
1 Twisted (J. Kay) - 2:14
2 Goin' To California (J.  Kay) - 2:24
3 Baby, Please Don't Go (Williams) - 3:12
4 Down Goes Your Love Life (D. Edmonton, N. St. Nicholas) - 2:00
5 Bright Lights, Big City (J. Reed) - 3:07
6 Can't Make Love By Yourself (D. Edmonton) - 2:24
7 Good Morning Little School Girl (S.B. Williamson) - 3:53
8 King Pin (R. Jones, M. Mann) - 2:57
9 Square Headed People (J.  Kay) - 2:29
10 Chasin' Shadows (D.Edmonton) - 3:19
11 Green Bottle Lover (D.Edmonton, J. Edmonton) - 2:38
12 Isn't It Strange (D. Edmonton, N. St. Nicholas) - 2:28
13 Tomorrow's Ship (D.Edmonton) - 3:08
14 Twisted (J.  Kay) - 2:59
15 Goin' To California (J.  Kay) - 2:25
16 Hoochie Coochie Man (W. Dixon) - 4:34
17 The Pusher (H. Axton) 5:18
18 Goin' Upstairs (J.L. Hooker) - 5:46
19 Tighten Up Your Wig (J.  Kay) - 3:10
20 Too Late (N. St. Nicholas) - 2:33

John Kay and the Sparrow
*John Kay – Rhythm Guitar, Lead Vocals
*Dennis Edmonton (Mars Bonfire) – Lead Guitar, Vocals
*Nick St. Nicholas – Bass, Vocals
*Goldy McJohn – Keyboards, Vocals
*Jerry Edmonton – Drums, Lead Vocals

Free Text
the Free Text

The Challenger's - The Challenger's (1969 puerto rico, splendid psychedelic rock, Gear Fab release)

Puerto Rico in 1969 was a lot like the rest of the continental United States in the 60's: young people were feverishly playing the songs of the day and, occasionally, some of them even wrote their own music. Some even had the good fortune to get access to a studio where they actually made a record. The Challengers were one of these bands.

Their music was fresh, hard, and distinctively influenced by the Vanilla Fudge, The Young Rascals, and Santana. We only wish we knew more about this mystery band. While we were unable to locate any of the members, the original gate fold LP comes with some information on this band.

Recorded in Puerto Rico in 1969, this band had six members: Rafael Marquez "Rafi" on Lead guitar and Melodica, Luis Velez "Wiso" on vocals and bass, Alex Rodriguez on vocals, second lead, Rhythm guitar, and conga, Reno Habiff Moreno on vocals and percussion, Jose Guzman "Tato" on organ and piano, and Jose Luis Kerkado on drums.
by Roger Maglio

Tracks
1. Emily (Reno Habiff) - 2:54
2. Martha Does (Alex Rodriguez) - 3:31
3. You Can't Mess With Joe (Reno Habiff, Luis Velez) - 2:29
4. Blowin' In The Wind (Bob Dylan) - 5:25
5. Letting You Know (Alex Rodriguez, Reno Habiff) - 3:50
6. It's For You (Lennon, McCartney) - 3:50
7. GotToTellYou (Reno Habiff, Alex Rodriquez) - 3:10
8. Needles And Pins (Nitzsche, Bond). 3:03
9. Little Big Man (Alex Rodriquez) - 7:31

The Challenger's
*Rafael Marquez "Rafi" - Lead Guitar, Melodica
*Luis Velez "Wiso" -  Vocals, Bass
*Alex Rodriguez - Vocals, Second Lead, Rhythm Guitar, Conga
*Reno Habiff Moreno - Vocals, Percussion
*Jose Guzman "Tato" - Organ, Piano
*Jose Luis Kerkado - Drums

Free Text
Just Paste

Mary Butterworth - Mary Butterworth (1969 us, marvellous west coast psych rock, 2010 rerelease)

In the Spring of 1968, the Mary Butterworth band was formed. They enjoyed playing a variety of engagements around the Southern California area and in 1969, they recorded their one and only album entitled Mary Butterworth. This original, vinyl album was pre-sold to fans and friends only - it was never available to the general public.

Shortly thereafter, the group split up and never performed together again. Years passed and rumors spread that Mary Butterworth had made it big. Of course, that was not the case. What did happen was that one of those original vinyl albums made it into the hands of "bootleggers" in another country. They thought enough of the music to reissue the album, and they began a sales campaign of their own. It didn't stop there. The Butterworth album has been bootlegged at least three other times in two different countries.

This bootlegging has created a Mary Butterworth following and pushed the price of the original vinyl album to over $300.00 per used record. The Psychedelic Rock Music of the '60's is still regarded, even today as some of the greatest live music ever created - and Mary Butterworth will now be a lasting part of that history. This has prompted the re-release of this album, which is mastered from the original studio recording onto Compact Disc.

This CD contains photos of the group, as well as the signature of the original lead singer and bass player Michael Ayling.

Tracks
1. Phase II - 6:10
2. Optional Blues - 4:03
3. It's A Hard Road - 5:51
4. Make You Want Me - 2:40
5. Feeling I Get - 3:58
6. Week In Eight Days - 8:50

Mary Butterworth
*Michael Hunt - Drums, Vocals
*Michael Eachus - Hammond
*Michael Ayling - Bass, Vocals, Flute
*Jim Giordano - Guitar

Free Text

Just Paste

Paul Revere And The Raiders - Mojo Work Out (1963-65 us, garage 'n' roll, Sundazed double disc edition)

In 1964, at the peak of British Invasion fervor, Columbia Records turned to the Pacific Northwest for some red, white & blue musical ammunition to fire at the invaders and found it in the form of a group of frock-coated, tri-corner capped rowdy, if not revolutionary, R&B rebels, Paul Revere & The Raiders. Fresh from the musical pressure cooker of the Northwest circuit of teen dance clubs, American Legion halls, roller rinks and gymnasiums, the Raiders were raw and rockin', ready to take on all comers with a ton of talent and a healthy dose of enthusiasm to fill in any gaps in the talent department. While the Dick Clark pop machine would eventually round off their rough edges during their tenure as the house band on the afternoon TV series Where The Action Is, the Raiders of '64 were a pounding pile of party.

Mojo Workout! is the recorded equivalent of an all night kegger. Combining the Raiders' debut album, Here They Come!, with a collection of outtakes, singles, and unreleased live recordings, this is the Raiders I knew as a young Seattle teenager, and the Raiders the country might have missed if they didn't pay enough attention soon enough. These pre-"Kicks" kids didn't have any messages to offer, or any pretensions at all. It's pure rockin' R&B, and it's terrific from start to finish. These two discs are all the party rock you'll ever need.

Excellent notes, full release and session notes and vintage photography complete the package nicely, but it's really all about the music, and the music is all about fun. Read if you will, but listen you must!
by Shaun Dale

Tracks
Disc 1
1. What'd I Say - (previously unreleased) - 5:05
2. Louie, Louie - 3:41
3. Night Train - (previously unreleased) - 4:47
4. Peter Gunn - (previously unreleased) - 4:15
5. Money (That's What I Want) - 3:42
6. Louie, Go Home - (previously unreleased) - 2:50
7. Crisco Party / Walking The Dog - 6:22
8. Fever - (previously unreleased) - 4:05
9. Whole Lotta Nothin' - (previously unreleased) - 3:32
10.Twist and Shout - (previously unreleased) - 3:50
11.You Can't Sit Down - 3:51
12.Don't Be Cruel - (previously unreleased) - 3:37
13.Do You Love Me - 3:36
14.Don't You Just Know It - 3:37
15.Oh Poo Pah Doo - 3:09
16.Over You - (previously unreleased) - 2:14
17.Big Boy Pete - 2:56

Disc 2
1. Louie, Louie - 2:44
2. Night Train - 2:56
3. Have Love Will Travel - 2:32
4. Louie, Go Home - 2:45
5. Mojo Workout - 2:24
6. Over You - 2:15
7. Swim - 1:56
8. Irrestible You - 3:41
9. Comin' Home Baby - 5:01
10.Maybelline - 2:48
11.I'll Be There - 4:09
12.Big Boy Pete - 2:20
13.You Were Wrong - 2:25
14.High Heel Sneakers - 2:50
15.My Wife Can't Cook - 2:29
16.Blue Fox - 2:32
17.Searchin' - 2:36
18.Whole Lotta Shakin' - 3:05
19.Sweets For My Sweet - 2:30
20.Sometimes - 2:44
21.Gone - 1:51
22.These Are Bad Times (For Me and My Baby) - 2:56
23.Fever - 2:54
24.Time Is on My Side - 2:40
25.A Kiss to Remember You By - 2:18
26.Have Love Will Travel - (alternate take) - 2:53
27.Louie Go Home - (alternate take) - 3:23

Paul Revere and the Raiders
*Paul Revere - Organ
*Mark Lindsay - Lead Vocals
*Drake Levin - Lead Guitar
*Phil "Fang" Volk - Bass Guitar
*Mike "Smitty" Smith"  - Drums

Free Text
Text Host