Freedom - Freedom At Last (1969 uk, awesome hard blues rock, 2004 remaster)

Freedom was formed in the autumn of 1967 by two ex. members of Procol Harum, drummer Bobby Harrison and guitarist Ray Royer. Their spell with Procol had been a short though not exactly a sweet affair. Recruited as last resort choices before entering the studio to record the all time classic single "A Whiter Shade Of Pale", Royer and Harrison were soon told to leave the band because of internal differences. They were replaced by B.J. Wilson and Robin Trower on drums and guitar respectively, both ex. members of band leader Gary Brooker’s previous act, The Paramounts.  

In 1968-69 bands were often based on a bass-guitar-drums line-up, omitting the keyboard playing a heavy blues rock idiom, such as The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Led Zeppelin and Cream. The last named in particular were a strong influence on Harrison, Saunders and Monaghan. Their management, whom Saunders described as "somewhat dodgy", came up with the rather strange idea of telling the new line-up not to make any live appearances for the first year. "Through all this time we were to work only in the studio, then they wanted to release us to the world!" Saunders recalled.

During 1969 the group released their second LP, titled "Freedom At Last". (If they are generally confused in people's memory with the rather more commercially successful group Free, this isn't made any less by the latter band's release of an album in 1972 bearing the exact same title!) This new album still had some leanings backwards in the direction of psychedelia while at the same time it pointed at what lay ahead for the future. Sadly, " Freedom At Last" did only marginally better than "Nerosubianco/Black On White" and for more or less the same reason. It has never been out in the UK at all and only saw release in France (on the BYG label) and Germany (on Metronome).

No-one seems to be able to explain exactly what went wrong, other than putting the blame on the management. It must have felt horribly disillusioning to the group at the time to see a full album, which they had sweated a lot of blood over, being so bluntly neglected, particularly for Bobby Harrison who had already experienced the exact same thing with another album which was also a truly fine piece of work.  

Nevertheless, Freedom soldiered on through 1969 and into 1970. Their new-found heavy blues rock style, which they mastered to a tee, naturally won them a faithful live following, as did their impressive three-part harmony vocal work. Through label associations they got to tour the USA with Black Sabbath and Jethro Tull. They played to huge audiences and with their next albums " Freedom" SJPCD063 and 'Through The Years" SJPCD177 finally succeeded to get releases not only in Britain but in the USA as well.

Roger Saunders also landed himself with a solo deal with Warner Records. The recordings of his "Roger Saunders Rush Album" took, ironically enough, a long time and involved an awful lot of production work and arrangements. To the rest of the group this caused both confusion and general bad feelings as their management demanded solo spots up to the length of 20 minutes with Saunders just playing piano and singing on his own. "They had this vision of me being a new Elton John or something. I'd rather have been James Taylor if I'd had the choice."

In the midst of everything the management also demanded the group change to another bass player, Pete Dennis. Another attempt to change things around, though not necessarily for the better, came with the inclusion of Steve Jolly on guitar, giving Saunders more of a chance to play keyboards. Around this time the style of the band seemed to go back in the direction of Procol Harum, but some country rock influences could also be detected.

Deeply disillusioned and disappointed Freedom finally threw in the towel in 1972. They were primarily a live group, and they had toured extensively throughout their career. Like most fine rock outfits their studio efforts could not match up to the sparkle of their stage appearances, but there appears to be no live recordings of the group and the closest we will ever get to those magic moments back in 1970-72 is the rare and elusive album presented here on this release  Bobby Harrison went on to become lead singer in Snafu (whose keyboard player Pete Solley oddly enough later ended up where Bobby had begun - in Procol Harum!) He also released a solo album "Funkist" (SJPCD056) in 1975. 

In the early eighties he moved his residence to Iceland where he teamed up with local supergroup Mezzoforte with whom he recorded the wonderful "Solid Silver" SJPCD011 album, a strong collection of R&B classics displaying his immense abilities as a singer. Never quite at the forefront of commercial success - apart from those few elusive weeks back in 1967, perhaps – Bobby Harrison has nevertheless enjoyed a remarkable and varied musical career stretching over five decades. 

Today, he is as active as ever and his singing voice has never been stronger. Freedom never quite made it to the first division of British rock. Not because of lack of ability, just sheer lack of luck. What were left with is perhaps more a case of "what might have been" than what actually was, at least in a commercial sense. Then again - who cares when the music's playing!

by Claes Johansen

Tracks
1. Enchanted Wood (Roger Saunders, Walter Monaghan, Hillman) - 2:54
2. Down In The Bottom (Willie Dixon) - 4:25
3. Have Love Will Travel (Richard Berry) - 2:48
4. Cry Baby Cry (Joihn Lennon, Paul McCartney) - 3:38
5. Time Of The Season (Rod Argent) - 4:50
6. Hoodoo Man (Sonny Boy Williamson, Junior Wells) - 4:23
7. Built For Comfort (Willie Dixon) - 4:23
8. Fly (Walter Monaghan, Hillman) - 3:15
9. Never Loved A Girl (Shannon) - 4:35
10.My Life (Roger Saunders, Hillman) - 2:50
11.Can't Stay With Me (Roger Saunders, Hillman) - 4:06
12.Dusty Track (Roger Saunders) - 3:33

Freedom
*Walter Monaghan - Bass Guitar, Electric Guitar, Piano, Mellotron, Vocals
*Roger Saunders - Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Piano, Organ, Vocals
*Bobby Harrison - Drums, Percussion, Vocals

1969 Nero Su Bianco / Black On White
1970  Freedom
1972  Is More Than A Word
1973-74  Snafu - Snafu / Situation Normal

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Cream - Live Cream (1967-68 uk, superb heavy blues psych rock, 2010 japan SHM remaster)

Cream was a band born to the stage, a fact that the band and their record label realized the public fully understood by the number one U.S. chart placement for Wheels of Fire, with its entire live disc, and the number two chart peak for Goodbye, the posthumous release that was dominated by concert recordings. And in response to those success, we got Live Cream, Vol. 1 (originally known simply as Live Cream) in the spring of 1970, nearly 18 months after the trio's breakup. This could well be their most consistently brilliant album for sheer musicianship, though it is also a peculiar one on a couple of counts, some of which probably prevented it from reaching quite as wide an audience as it might have otherwise. 

Released in April 1970 and derived from tapes made at three May 1968 California shows, all of the live tracks here consist of songs originally featured on the group's least ambitious and most rudimentary album, Fresh Cream, dating from 1966 -- and as it happens, there's not a hit represented among the five songs, a fact that probably made this release seem more appealing to hardcore fans than to casual and curious listeners (who didn't know what they were missing). 

The performances here show how far the group had come in the nearly two years since laying down the studio originals -- take side one of the original LP, where they stretch out their playing, as well as boost it to new levels of intensity, on "N.S.U." and "Sleepy Time Time," so that the renditions here are the definitive ones, and by themselves should have made this album an essential acquisition back in 1970. But that brings us to the original side two and the 15-minute rendition of "Sweet Wine," an excursion by all three players that is worth the quarter-hour time commitment of the listener. 

The live portion of the album ends with their searing, rollicking high energy rendition of Muddy Waters' "Rollin' and Tumblin'." And then, for reasons not clear -- except perhaps simply that it was there, in the vaults, and seemed like a valuable piece of property, which it was (and what else were they going to do with it?) -- the producers close Live Cream with a studio cut, "Lawdy Mama," an Eric Clapton-inspired take on a traditional tune that subsequently evolved into the hit "Strange Brew" during what became the Disraeli Gears sessions. It's not a match for everything we've heard, but in the spring of 1970 no one was exactly complaining over being handed a previously unissued studio track by the Cream, as a bonus to the concert performances here. 

As it turned out, there were more live tracks from some of these same shows to draw on in future releases and reissues, which would include a couple of the group's hits; but Live Cream offers the overall highest quality, both in terms of clarity and fidelity, and the performances, which, in addition to the essential great playing (better in some ways than what was heard on some of the much-vaunted live tracks from Wheels of Fire), include excellent vocalizing by Clapton and Jack Bruce. 

Not that vocalizing looms that large here -- the live tracks are all given extended jazz-based treatment, and the dialog among the three musicians as the jams develop is fascinating. Foreground and background seem to dissolve as all three musicians take charge, using the full range of their instruments. And where Bruce goes with his bass, especially on "Sweet Wine," is every bit as rewarding as the places that Clapton's guitar takes us; and Ginger Baker's playing is a trip all its own. Performances like this single-handedly raised the stakes of musicianship in rock. 

by Bruce Eder

Tracks
1. N.S.U. (Bruce) - 10:15
2. Sleepy Time Time (Bruce, Godfrey) - 6:49
3. Sweet Wine (Baker, Godfrey) - 15:16
4. Rollin' And Tumblin' (Morganfield) - 6:42
5. Hey Lawdy Mama (Traditional) - 2:48
Recorded May 1967 at Atlantic Studios, New York City,  7 March 1968 at The Fillmore, San Francisco, 9 and 10 March 1968, Winterland, San Francisco

Cream
*Jack Bruce - Bass, Harmonica, Vocals
*Eric Clapton - Guitar, Vocals
*Ginger Baker - Drums

1966  Cream - Fresh Cream (SHM remaster)
1967  Cream - Disraeli Gears (SHM remaster)
1969  Cream - Goodbye (2010 SHM remaster)
1969  Jack Bruce - Songs For A Tailor
1971  Jack Bruce - Harmony Row

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Terry Frank ‎- Loaded To Fire (1981 us, exceptional sharp blues rock)

After playing in rock bands for nearly ten years, Terry Frank (T-Bone) began his  Bone Deluxe ensemble in 1980 as 'Black Cat Bone' against the advice of loyal followers in order to 'play the music I love'.  He quickly proved that playing from your heart gets 'em every time and has worked steady in the Midwest ever since gaining fans everywhere the band goes. 

In 1981 Terry Frank released a private press LP “Loaded To Fire” where he played most of the instruments (except drums), the album was filled with hard blues rock inspired by Robert Johnson, Tampa Red,  Buddy Guy, Freddie King, Johnny Winter, Mick Taylor, Duane Allman, Stevie Ray Vaughan for contemporary.

In the years to follow he changed the name of the band to “Bone Deluxe” and was nominated for many awards  continuing to draw strong crowds. The band has also been a regular feature at Milwaukee’s Summerfest since 1985.

With some line up changes and his wife Cheryl on Bass, Terry recorded and released a couple of records. Terry and Bone Deluxe, put on the most high energy and up-tempo shows of any Blues group in the area, getting the crowd up, moving and keeping their attention for the course of the night. Terry kept his blues flame lit on stage until his death in 2009. 

Tracks
1. Stepping Out (Bracken) - 2:20
2. Drinkin' Blues - 5:00
3. Shotgun Shuffle - 3:45
4. Dining Duck (Estes) - 3:35
5. Walking Blues (Traditional) - 2:27
6. Hideaway (F. King) - 2:55
7. Loaded To Fire - 2:30
8. Laid Back Feeling - 5:45
9. All Along The Watchtower (B. Dylan) - 4:55
10.Beyond The Rainbow - 6:45
All songs by Terry Frank except where stated

Personnel
*Terry Frank - Vocals, Guitar, Bass
*R. Allioto - Drums
*Mick Evans - Bass
*J. Shaab - Drums
*M. Daily - Drums
*R. Leer - Drums

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Max Webster - Universal Juveniles (1980 canada, great hard prog rock)

Despite a fabled team-up of Max Webster and Rush on the song "Battlescar", 1980's 'Universal Juveniles' had a noticeable absence of that trademark Watkinson keyboard sound and the band was falling apart from constant touring in towns where feverish fans were unable to purchase the band's records - especially stateside. The lack of promotion and poor management organization is sited as the cause for Kim Mitchell's resignation during a tour with Rush in April 1981. With this the band split up but they had actually been close to hitting the big time, so Anthem capitalized with a posthumous greatest hits package called 'Diamonds, Diamonds'.

Mitchell went on to a very successful solo career, but the continued cult status of Max Webster, particularly in Ontario, prompted Mitchell, Watkinson, McCracken, and Tilka to reunite in 1990. Their first performance was a short set at the Toronto Music Awards that year to 3000 hysterical fans who refused to pay attention to the awards given out after their set, continuing to chant "Max! Max! Max!" for the rest of the night. Anthem capitalized on the new-found Max fervour by releasing another best of package that year. Delighted with this response, the four musicians continued to do one-off dates around Ontario as Max Webster well into the late 1990's with Kim Mitchell Band bassist Peter Fredette filling in for Tilka.

In 2007, Mitchell, Tilka, McCracken and Watkinson reunited yet again for Toronto radio station Q107's 30th Anniversary bash along with David Wilcox, Goddo, Sass Jordan and Alannah Myles. The event was filmed but has yet to be released.

Kim Mitchell is the drive-time host on Q107-FM in Toronto. He still performs solo gigs in Southern Ontario; Gary McCracken still lives in Sarnia and owns a very successful music store/school. Aside from playing in ZZ Top tribute band Tres Hombres in the 80s and 90s, he has released several eclectic solo albums; Terry Watkinson performs with Mike Tilka in the band Antlers and occasionally joins Frank Soda live. Watkinson has been successful as a painter and displays his works in galleries around Ontario

Jam-canoe

Tracks
1. In The World Of Giants (P. Dubois, K. Mitchell) - 4:18
2. Check (P. Dubois, K. Mitchell) - 2:37
3. April In Toledo (P. Dubois, K. Mitchell) - 3:40
4. Juveniles Don't Stop (P. Dubois, K. Mitchell) - 3:32
5. Battle Scar (P. Dubois, K. Mitchell) - 5:48
6. Chalkers (P. Dubois, D. Myles) - 3:45
7. Drive And Desire (P. Dubois, K. Mitchell) - 3:53
8. Blue River Liquor Shine (P. Dubois, K. Mitchell) - 4:15
9. What Do You Do With The Urge (P. Dubois, G. McCracken) - 3:20
10.Cry Out Your Life (P. Dubois, K. Mitchell) - 5:33

Max Webster
*Kim Mitchell – Guitar, Vocals
*Gary McCracken - Drums
*Dave Myles - Bass
*Pye Dubois - Lyrics
Guest Musicians
*Doug Riley - Piano, Clavinet, Synthesizer
*Neil Peart - Drums
*Terry Watkinson - Keyboards
*Alex Lifeson - Guitar
*David Stone - Synthesizer
*Geddy Lee - Bass
*Meloshe - Bass

1976  Max Webster
1977  High Class In Borrowed Shoes
1978  Mutiny Up My Sleeve
1979  A Million Vacations
1979  Live Magnetic Air

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Hookfoot - Roaring (1973 uk, great tough southern blues rock, expanded edition)

Hookfoot, created by Southampton based musicians vocalist Ian Duck, bassist Dave Glover and drummer Roger Pope, was virtually the side act to their day jobs as session musicians for Elton John. The band started life as an R&B band The Soul Agents in 1965. A name change to The Final One then led to Hookfoot. The debut album, which found the band ploughing a similar Country Rock furrow to Cochise and covering songs by Neil Young, saw the addition of vocalist Peter Ross.

Hookfoot turned up en masse to supply the session music for solo artist John Kongas debut of the same year on Elektra Records as Quaye, Pope and Glover provided the backing.

The follow up album had Hookfoot joined by second guitarist American Bob Kulick. A period of flux followed as Kulick quit (later finding notoriety with session work for Kiss and his stints with Blackjack, Balance, Meat Loaf and Skull). To keep things on the move after Glover departed Cochise guitarist Mick Grabham subbed on bass. Third album 'Communication' had the band up to full strength with bassist Fred Gandy.

Hookfoot made four albums under their own name between 1971 and 1974, none of which did particularly well anywhere. None charted in the States. And by 1974, the bandmembers’ reputations as session players led to the breakup of the band. According to bassist Fred Gandy, who had replaced Glover, “We were all getting offers to work elsewhere . . . the temptations were just too great.” Pope and Quaye would eventually join Elton John’s new band in 1975.

Guitarist Caleb Quaye appeared on numerous 70's Rock projects including The Who's 'Tommy' Extravaganza, Colosseum man Dick Heckstall-Smith's 1972 solo album, Cochise's debut 'Swallow Tales', Grabham's 'Mick The Lad' solo effort and ex Hawkwind man Steve Swindells 1974 solo album. The guitarist has also worked with Paul McCartney and Pete Townsend.

Far from the heaviest Rock Band Hookfoot nevertheless produced some interesting albums with worthy guitar work courtesy of Quaye. Glover became a studio engineer in later years working with Cinderella among others.

Rock-detcr

Tracks
1. Tradin' Riffs (Caleb Quaye) - 4:36
2. Rockin' On The Road (Ian Duck) - 5:06
3. Maybe Tomorrow (Roger Pope, Caleb Quaye) - 3:44
4. Surely Lost Our Way (Ian Duck) - 2:44
5. In Many Ways (You're So Beautiful) (Ian Duck) - 4:33
6. Three Days Out (Caleb Quaye) - 4:45
7. Ridin' On A Thunderstorm (Ian Duck) - 6:00
8. Take It Where You Want It (R. Pope, I. Duck, C. Quaye, F. Gandy) - 0:56
9. There's A Chance (Caleb Quaye) - 3:41
10.Roll Of Drums (Ian Duck) - 5:34
11.Sweet Sweet Funky Music (Caleb Quaye) - 3:16
12.Living In The City (Caleb Quaye) - 4:56
13.If I Had The Words (R. Pope, I. Duck, C. Quaye, D. Glover) - 3:18
14.Gunner Webb's Changes (Ian Duck) - 3:14
15.The Painter (Caleb Quaye) - 6:06

Hookfoot
*Ian Duck - Vocals, Guitar, Harmonica
*Fred Gandy - Bass
*Roger Pope - Drums
*Caleb Quaye - Vocals, Guitar, Keyboards

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Sherman Hayes - Catman (1973 us, awesome swamp blues rock with folk drops, korean remaster)

Sherman Hayes Sr is a Californian who first recorded with Del Courtnet's band in 1939 & 1940. Hayes led a "White" hotel orchestra, in which he played tenor sax and vocalized. The band then featured "sweet" arrangements, a steel guitar, a Lombardo-styled sax section, period vocals by the leader, and a femme singer simply billed as 'Wyoma' (actually Sherman's wife Wanda). In the early 1950s, the band was last heard on a remote broadcast from the Hotel Roosevelt in New Orleans, LA.

Then, in 1973, Sherman Hayes Jr surfaced with his version of "Catman", released on Barnaby Records. The session features David Cohen, Dick Rosmini, Ralph Shuckett, Larry Knechtel, Joe Osborne and others, including members of "Pan" as well as Tom "Zippy" ("Zip") Caplan on lead guitar, arrangements & special effects, and Mick ("Slick"] Stanhope on lead vocals, lyrics & percussion. Mick is best known as drummer in the 3-piece power trio, "White Lightning." Mick moved to Los Angeles in 1971 with "Zip" Caplan (lead guitarist extraordinaire in "The Litter" & "White Lightning") and Pat Rains, their "White Lightning" manager.

Living in L.A. eventually led "Slick" and "Zip" to their little known yet amazing studio appearance on this fine southern rock styled Sherman Hayes (Jr.) album, titled "Catman." Released by the Andy Williams owned Barnaby Records, 1973's "Catman" offers up a weird combination of swamp rock, pop and country influences. Hayes certainly had a likeable voice which was at its best on the more blues and rock oriented numbers like the bizarre opening title track, 'Keepin' To the Backroads' and 'Creepy Crawly Feelin'. To be honest, most of the ten tracks are quite catchy (particularly where Hayes' swamp rock moves recall Tony Joe White), but the rural feel that infuses tracks such as 'Winter's Just Like Comin' Home' and The Dreamer' probably won't have much appeal to most rock fans. Elsewhere, boasting one of those irritating hooks that stick with you all day long, 'Mandy' would have made a dandy single.

Unfortunately, the combination of the OPEC gas crises (which drove vinyl prices through the roof), coupled with the collapse of Barnaby's distribution agreement with the label ensured the album got next to no promotion, explaining why it instantly vanished into cutout bins.

CD Liner-notes

Tracks
1. Catman  (Sherman Hayes) - 2:51
2. Winter's Just Like Comin' Home  (Sherman Hayes) - 4:10
3. South's Gonna Rise Again  (Bob Mcdill) - 2:55
4. The Dreamer  (Sherman Hayes) - 4:00
5. Keepin' To The Backroads  (Sherman Hayes) - 3:46
6. Creepy Crawly Feelin'  (Sherman Hayes) - 2:55
7. Mandy  (Sherman Hayes, Dann Lottermoss) - 2:05
8. Spirit  (Larry Murray) - 2:08
9. Waitin' For Tomorrow  (Sherman Hayes) - 2:45
10.Country Rain  (Sherman Hayes) - 2:54

Musicians
*Sherman Hayes - Vocals, Guitar
*Jonathan Avila - Harmonica
*Larry Brown - Drums
*Colin Cameron - Keyboards
*David Cohen - Guitar
*Dennis Conway - Drums
*Thomas Kaplan - Guitar
*Larry Knechtel - Keyboards
*Joe Osborne - Keybaords
*Dick Rosmini - Guitar
*Robert Schnitzer - Guitar
*Ralph Shuckett -  Keyboards
*Chris Smith - Guitar

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Five Man Electrical Band - Half Past Midnight / The Staccatos And Beyond (1966-69 canada, fabulous sunny folk beat psych)

Tracks

Five Man Electrical Band

1. Five Man Electrical Band - 3:21

2. Last Time I Saw Memphis - 3:30

3. Private Train - 2:21

4. Half Past Midnight - 2:25

5. You're Gonna Lose That Girl (Lennon, McCartney) - 2:17

6. Maple Lane - 3:02

7. Black Sheep Of The Family - 2:26

8. Fancy Dancin' Man (Bonnet, Gordon) - 2:28

9. We Go Together Well - 2:25

10.Hi Didn't Know The Time - 2:28

11.Running Back - 2:32

The Staccatos

12.Catch The Love Parade - 2:40

13.Whisper Words - 2:37

14.Let's Run Away - 2:25

15.Face To Face (With Love) - 2:17

16.Walker Street - 2:50

17.Super Girl - 2:17

18.She Fancies Herself A Lady - 2:43

19.Weather Man - 1:49

20.Half Past Midnight  (Mono 45) - 2:12

All songs written by Les Emmerson except where noted.

Five Man Electrical Band

*Ted Gerow - Keyboards

*Brian Rading - Bass

*Rick 'Bell' Belanger - Drums

*Les Emmerson - Vocals, Guitar

*Mike 'Bell' Belanger - 2nd Drums

The Staccatos

*Vern Craig - Vocals, Guitar

*Brian Rading - Bass

*Rick 'Bell' Belanger - Drums

*Les Emmerson - Vocals, Guitar

*Mike 'Bell' Belanger - 2nd Drums

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Raiders - Country Wine...Plus (1971-74 us, spledind melt of classic rock, country and r 'n' b, 2010 remaster and expanded)

The band had started to diversify and develop its sound on the albums Collage (1970) and Indian Reservation (1971), something they continued with the final studio album for Columbia Records, Country Wine. Lead singer Mark Lindsay had also taken over production duties from the band's 1960s mentor, Terry Melcher (eulogised in the groovy soul-jazz instrumental Terry's Tune', the B-side to Indian Reservation'), and his confidence in the studio was reflected in the quality of the material on offer, 'Country Wine' was an up-tempo pop-rock number, the equal of anything they'd  recorded previously. 

The single B-side, Lindsay's 'It's so Hard Getting Up Today', was a smouldering jazz-blues number not that far removed from what Leon Russell was doing at the same time. The crunching “Powder Blue Mercedes Queen', also written by Lindsay, found the band taking on the riff-heavy sound of Mountain's 'Mississippi Queen' and coming up with an effective example of the heavy metal form. The irony here is that Columbia was intent on promoting new hard rock signings like Blue Oyster Cult and Aerosmith while the Raiders' Country Wine album and subsequent singles got lost in the rush.

It's worth investigating the band's line-up changes circa the early to mid 1970s, The back cover of the Country Wins album shows the band comprising Mark Lindsay (lead vocals), Paul Revere (keyboards), Keith Allison (bass and guitar, who had replaced Phil Volk), Freddy Weller (guitar, who had replaced Jim Valley) and Mike "Smitty" Smith (drums, who had replaced Joe Correro Jr. in 1970 and had already been a member during the 1960s).

After 'Indian Reservation' had become a hit, they added musicians to the live band so they could more readily reproduce the sound of the record. Omar Martinez (drums) and Bob Wooley (keyboards), both ex- Peach, joined the touring Raiders In late 1971.  

Smitty left at the end of 1972 and Martinez became an official band member. Weller departed in early 1973 to be replaced by Doug Heath, whose first session with the band was for the'... All Over You' single. 

Lindsay left in early 1975 and Martinez was promoted to lead singer (from behind the drums), Allison left in April to be replaced by Ron Foos. The band reverted to the moniker of Paul Revere and the Raiders, with the line-up of Revere, Martinez, Wooley, Heath and Foos touring until the end of 1976. The final single for Columbia, 'Your Love (Is the Only Love)' b/w 'Gonna Have a Good Time', featured this post-Lindsay line-up and doesn't fit on this collection.

Over the decades, a large amount of mystique has built up around the Raiders’ final Columbia album. Between 1972 and 1973, the Raiders had recorded enough material for a full album which the label chose not to release. The tracks were: “Song Seller”, “A simple Song”., “Love Music”, Goodbye No9”, “seaboard Line Boogie”, “Tobacco Road”, “Angels of Mercy”, “Chain Of Fools”, “Kept It In The Family”, “Billy Come Down” and “Union Man”

A number of the tracks appeared on singles; 'A Simple Song' as the B-side to 'Song Seller' and 'Goodbye, No. 9' as the B-side to love Music', white the jaunty R&B country song 'Seaboard Line Boogie' later showed up as the B-side to'.,. “All Over You” although that was a totally different take. Much later, the terrific covers of John D. Loudermilk's 'Tobacco Road', Rallene Ellison's 'Angels of Mercy' and Don Covay's 'Chain of Fools' saw release on the 1990 double CD collection The Legend of Paul Revere.

From the late 1970s onwards, various groups from the punk movement, the Paisley Underground and the garage rock revival have acknowledged the Raiders' influence (specifically their 1965-1967 recordings). Tracks such as 'Steppin' Out', 'Just Like Me', 'Kicks', 'Hungry', 'I'm Not Your Stepping Stone', 'Good Thing', 'Him or Me - 'What's it Gonna Be' and 'Ups and Downs' still hold up as bold and unpretentious pop classics, as durable as anything by the Roiling Stones, Them, the Who, the Kinks, the Standells, the Music Machine and dozens of other 1960s bands of that ilk.

The Raiders’ latter day albums displayed a more mature pop-rock direction but have tended to be overlooked. So alongside Collage and Indian Reservation, Country Wine is now ripe for serious re-evaluation.

by Ian McFarlane

Tracks
1. Country Wine (E. Villareal, W. Watkins) - 2:33
2. Powder Blue Mercedes Queen (Mark Lindsay) - 3:07
3. Hungry For Some Lovin' (Robert Siller) - 3:16
4. Baby Make Up Your Mind (John P'Andrea, John Porter) - 3:17
5. Take A Stand (Mark Lindsay, Keith Allison) - 4:05
6. Where Are Your Children (Leslie Ward Chandler) - 2:46
7. Ballad Of The Unloved (P. Weiss, S. English) - 3:29
8. American Family (Alan Earle O'Pay) - 3:43
9. Golden Girls Sometimes (M. Lindsay, K. Allison) - 2:38
10.Farewell To A Golden Girl (Mark Lindsay) - 2:46
11.Terrystune (Mark Lindsay) - 3:19
12.It's So Hard Getting Up Today (Mark Lindsay) - 2:42
13.Song Seller (Jimmy Webb) - 3:33
14.A Simple Song (Mark Lindsay, John D'Andrea) - 3:01
15 Love Music (Dennis Lambert, Brian Potter) - 3:43
16.Goodbye, No. 9 (Mark Lindsay) - 2:58
17.(If I Had To Do It All Over Again, I'd Do It) All Over You (Bob Dylan) - 2:43
18.Seaboard Line Boogie (Mark Lindsay, Keith Allison) - 3:10
19.Tobacco Road (John D. Loudermilk) - 3:30
20.Angels Of Mercy (Rallene Ellison) - 3:30
21.Chain Of Fools (Don Covay) - 3:12

The Raiders
*Mark Lindsay - Lead Vocals
*Paul Revere - Keyboards
*Keith Allison - Bass And Guitar
*Freddy Weller - Guitar
*Mike "Smitty" Smith - Drums
*Omar Martinez - Drums
*Bob Wooley - Keyboards
*Doug Heath - Drums
*Ron Foos - Guitar

Paul Revere And The Raiders
1963-65  Mojo Work Out (Sundazed issue)
1965-67  Evolution to Revolution: 5 Classic Albums (2013 double disc remaster)
1967  A Christmas Present... And Past
1968  Goin' To Memphis (Sundazed remaster)
1968  Something Happening  (Repertoire digipack remaster and expanded)
1969  Alias Pink Puzz (Sundazed remaster)
1969  Hard 'N' Heavy With Marshmallow (Sundazed issue)
1970-71  Indian Reservation / Collage (2009 remaster)
Related Act
1970  Mark Lindsay - Arizona / Silverbird

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Ola And The Janglers - Lime Light (1966 sweden, marvelous r 'n' b, beat psych, Vinyl issue)

The group was formed in 1962 in Stockholm and called The Janglers. When Ola Håkansson joined the band in 1963  changed the name to Ola and The Janglers. At that time members were Ola, vocals, Ake Eldsäter. bass, John Olsson. organ, Christer Idering. guitar and Leif Johansson on drums. Idering  replaced in December 1965 by Claes "Clabbe" Af Geijer, who also became the group's songwriter. 

In spring 1964, the group won the second place in Nalens Pop Artists Competition  and also appears in several gigs. Their first single was Little Girl with I'll Stand By  Your Side B side released on the label, Warner Brothers. 

Ola and The Janglers breakthrough came in early 1965 when  single She's Not There was released on record label Gazell.  It went up on the Top Ten in on March 27 at 10th place.  In  September it was time for No No No on both Top Ten  and Kvällstoppen with a 5th place as best in Top Ten. 

Their first number one came through "Clabbes" song Land of a  1000 Dances which entered the Top Ten March 5, 1966  and remained for 8 weeks. And it was during 1966 as Ola and The Janglers was in class with the Hep Stars, Shane and Tages  in popularity. Six singles were released this year, including five  ended up on the Top Ten and four in the evening peak. 

Their third album, released in late 1966 with  titled Limelight.  Ola and The Janglers was at its peak during 1966 and 1967 released five singles in 1967 and two LPs.   

In 1968 they recorded  a version of Chris Montez’s hit Let's Dance, another Top Ten. Let's Dance also became the band's biggest hit and the first Swedish  pop hit in U.S. (Billboard  Hot 100 in May 1969), reached at #93  and stayed three weeks on  top100.

Even so that wasn’t enough to keep the band together for a long time, after couple of singles the band call it quits in 1971.

PS. Yesterday was a sad day for me. I lost my best friend (bloodbrother) -he was 52y- a great man and remarkable musician, guitar palyer. This is dedicated to his memory. Thank you Pavlos, for all the good time we lived together,  all the music we enjoyed together, you're are now  part of Heaven's big band.

Tracks
1. Light Of Lime (Claes "Clabbe" Af Geijerstam) - 3:06
2. Mary Come Home (J. Olsson, C. Af Geijerstam) - 2:42
3. Now I Like Her (J. Olsson, C. Af Geijerstam) - 2:16
4. No One Knows What Happens Round The Corner (C. Af Geijerstam) - 2:28
5. How Come (J. Olsson, C. Af Geijerstam) - 2:27
6. Poetry In Motion (Paul Kaufman, Mike Anthony) - 2:35
7. Alex Is The Man (C. Af Geijerstam) - 2:53
8. Chained And Bound (Otis Redding) - 3:22
9. Our Love (C. Af Geijerstam) - 1:56
10.Bird's Eye View Of You (C. Af Geijerstam) - 3:11
11.Heart (J. Olsson, C. Af Geijerstam) - 2:19
12.We've Got A Groovy Thing Goin' (Paul Simon) - 2:14

Ola And The Janglers
*Ola Håkansson - Vocals, Tambourine, Maraccas
*Claes "Clabbe" Af Geijerstam - Guitar
*Johannes Olsson - Hammond Organ, Electric Piano, Vibes, Harp
*Åke Eldsäter - Bass
*Leif Johansson - Drums

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Uriel - Arzachel (1969 uk, remarkable psych prog rock, 2007 remaster, collectors edition)

Initially released by the obscure Evolution label in 1969, the self titled album by Arzachel has long been regarded as one of the best lost gems of the British psychedelic and progressive rock scene. The album bombed when it first came out due to lack of promotion, and the surviving copies of the original LP can command ridiculous sums of money.

Confusingly enough, the Arzachel record was not recorded by a band called Arzachel at all. The grooves on this record were put down by Uriel, a group which contained guitar virtuoso Steve Hillage along with the three members of the progressive group The Egg: Dave Stewart on organ, Mont Campbell on bass and Clive Brooks on drums.

Uriel - Steve Hillage / Dave Stewart

Formed by Steve Hillage and Dave Stewart in 1967, Uriel were a straight psychedelic outfit with a summer residency on the Isle of Wight. When Hillage left for University in 1968, the remaining remembers stayed together and started playing original material. This subsequently led to a contract with Decca records and a change of name to The Egg.

Shortly after they had signed to Decca, they were offered a day in the studio to record a psychedelic album by Zackariya Enterprises. Since they were already under contract with Decca, Hillage was brought back and Uriel was reformed.

The album they recorded was later released in 1969 under the name of Azachel, and for contractual reasons all of the musicians on the album were given fake names and biographies in the notes.

It’s incredible that this album was put together in just one day and recorded “just for a laugh” as Hillage once remarked. The musicianship never falls below awe-inspiring throughout, which is an extraordinary feat in itself as not one of the players was in their twenties.

The sense of fun is evident throughout the album, especially on side one. “Garden of Earthly Delights” kicks things off with some very Deep Purple sounding organ swathes under crunching power chords and fat drum breaks, before descending into pleasing psych-pop territory, with decidedly English, whimsical vocals and a soaring guitar workout from Hillage.

“Azaroth” is more sinister, with Stewart’s organ set to “church” and some melodramatic vocals. The instrumental “Queen St Gang” has long been a favourite of beat diggers, with its lazy break-beat and heavy funk bass-line. With swathes of organ and an incessant groove, the track comes across as a slick piece of cosmic sixties soul and could quite happily find its way onto any KPM library record.

“Leg” begins with a fairly ludicrous, carnival-esque organ line before exploding into a heavy blues riff and pounding drums. It’s fairly derivative of the other blues rock groups of the sixties, but nevertheless it’s an awesome track, full of fire and fury and some memorable guitar solos.

Metempsychosis 

The second half of the album is more experimental than the first, the two cuts being more in the vicinity of wild cosmic jams. “Clean Innocent Fun” is an epic blues rock number. Campbell and Brooks lay out a slow rhythm for Hillage to wax lyrical over Stewart’s organ chords, before quickening the pace and turning the track into a full on psychedelic jam.

The massive sprawling “Metempsychosis” closes the album with its 16 minutes of Pink Floyd-esque experimentation. There are some true moments of inspiration and inventive playing on this track, and the fact that the band holds it all together over the course of the 16 mins is a testament to the sheer musicality of the group.

The Arzachel album is rightly lauded as a lost gem of British rock and it is an important and essential album not least because it bridges the gap between the psychedelic lunacy of Pink Floyd and the beginning of the Progressive music of the Canterbury scene. It is a highly entertaining and highly recommended piece of work.

Arzachel Collectors Edition by Uriel (2007, Egg Archive CD69-7201), released directly through Egg's own private archive label. Original Arzachel album (first released on vinyl in 1969) remastered, plus six previously unavailable bonus tracks. Includes 18 page booklet with extensive band history & recollections written by band members, along with numerous previously unseen photographs.

by Gerard Fannon

Tracks
1. Garden of Earthly Delights (M.Campbell) - 4:26
2. Azathoth (D. Stewart, M. Campbell) - 4:26
3. Soul Thing (Mansfield arr. M. Campbell) - 4:32
4. Leg (S. Hillage, Vinall) - 5:49
5. Clean Innocent Fun (S. Hillage, Vinall) - 10:34
6. Metempsychosis (Uriel) - 16:58
7. Introducing the Bass Guitarist (Mr Campbell  and son) - 0:21
8. Egoman (M.Campbell) - 4:12
9. Swooping Bill (D.Stewart) - 3:19
10.The Salesman Song (M. Campbell) - 2:56
11.Saturn, The Bringer of Old Age (Holst arr. M. Campbell) - 3:45
12.The Stumble (F. King) - 0:46

Uriel
*Dave Stewart - Organ, Piano
*Mont Campbell - Bass, Vocals, French Horn, Tuba
*Clive Brooks - Drums
*Steve Hillage - Guitar, Vocals

1969-72  The Metronomical Society
1971  Egg - The Polite Force (2008 Esoteric remaster)
1969-70  Egg (2008 Esoteric remaster)
1976  Steve Hillage - L (2007 remaster)
1979  Steve Hillage - Open (2007 remaster)

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Max Webster - Live Magnetic Air (1979 canada, excellent prog rock)

The closest me an' the buds ever came to viewing Max in the flesh (until '96's brief reunion tour) was being denied entrance (underage) at one of the band's near final shows at some bar in Nelson, B.C. We obviously missed a legend, a classic, cagey, canny circus act that cut its collective fangs on the cornerstones of technical brilliance, humour, artful restraint when required, and an uncommon attention to detail. 

So it's no surprise that Live Magnetic Air is a well-recorded and well-executed romp through some of Max's celebratory anthems, a veritable love-in of sound and galactic obtusion, a record demonstrating demonstrably a deft kid-gloving of heavy and light through the free 'n' easy juxtaposition of all the delicate hits with about a third of the band's acerbic noiseniks. I look into my crystal ball and pronounce that Max Webster will forever find a welcome home on Canadian classic rock airwaves, the band's sparkling arch-Canuck observations possessing the ability to reveal new hopeful possibilities for advancing waves of generations inexorably drawn to the fringes.

by Martin Popoff

Tracks
1. America's Veins (K. Mitchell, P. Dubois) - 4:09
2. Paradise Skies (K. Mitchell, P. Dubois) - 3:34
3. In Context Of The Moon (K. Mitchell, P. Dubois) - 5:20
4. Night Flights (Terry Watkinson, P. Dubois) - 3:20
5. Lip Service (K. Mitchell, P. Dubois) - 4:14
6. Sarniatown Reggae (K. Mitchell, P. Dubois) - 1:25
7. Here Among The Cats (K. Mitchell, P. Dubois) - 3:48
8. Gravity (K. Mitchell, P. Dubois) - 4:47
9. Waterline (K. Mitchell, P. Dubois) - 4:30
10.Charmonium (Watkinson) - 4:37
11.Hangover (K. Mitchell, P. Dubois) - 5:41

Max Webster
*Kim Mitchell - Guitars, Vocals
*Gary McCracken - Drums, Percussion
*Dave Myles - Bass Guitar
*Terry Watkinson - Keyboards, Vocals

1976  Max Webster
1977  High Class In Borrowed Shoes
1978  Mutiny Up My Sleeve
1979  A Million Vacations

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Max Webster - A Million Vacations (1979 canada, fine prog rock)

All is silky, ethereal, and crisp as winter snow on Max's most polished piece of studio jewelry, the band's lightest footprinted excursion. A Million Vacations chimes clear as a bell, the album lovingly layered with keyboards, buoyant with bright guitars and lush, letter-perfect harmonies. Highlight of the collection comes with what proved to be the band's biggest hit Paradise Skies, a masterwerk of dynamics and uncompromising professionalism with one of the most gushingly enjoyable drum sounds ever plucked from, then tweaked for, the airwaves. 

Other aural sculptures that spot and dot Max's moving target of offbeat inversion include the whacked-out Rascal Houdi, the live and unkempt Research (At Beach Resorts), the spring water-pure Charmonium, and last but not least, the good feeling boogie rockin' title track. The sounds on this truly awesome head trip simply ebb and flow as if the band were wrapped in a dream, all the while firmly rooted in an earthly and knowing pride in its obvious accomplishment, creating high upon high, working with a shared love of quality craftsmanship, eye askance to big brothers Rush for professional guidance. 

The final result is evident within the grooves, rhythms which just sing with enthusiasm, no small thanks to the album's state-of-the-art Maxmix. As history would have it, A Million Vacations is largely considered Max Webster's quintessential, defining work, most likely due to its maturity, accessibility, and seemingly elliptical but somehow comfortable cohesion, not to mention the (Canuck) hit status of no less than four songs: Paradise Skies, copasetic pop hummer Let Go The Line, airy prog masterpiece Night Flights, and to a lesser extent the title track. But to my mind, putting side such base and shackling commercial concerns, the record is merely yet another masterpiece comprising a body of work that baffles, elates, provokes and charmingly, good-naturedly pokes fun.

by Martin Popoff

Tracks
1. Paradise Skies (K. Mitchell, P. Dubois) - 3:15
2. Charmonium (Terry Watkinson) - 4:15
3. Night Flights (Watkinson, P. Dubois) - 3:02
4. Sun Voices (K. Mitchell, P. Dubois) - 4:50
5. Moon Voices (K. Mitchell) - 3:05
6. A Million Vacations (Gary McCracken, P. Dubois) - 3:10
7. Look Out (K. Mitchell, P. Dubois) - 4:53
8. Let Go The Line (Watkinson) - 3:25
9. Rascal Houdi (K. Mitchell, P. Dubois) - 3:28
10.Research (At Beach Resorts) (K. Mitchell, P. Dubois) - 4:45

Max Webster
*Kim Mitchell - Guitars, Vocals
*Gary McCracken - Drums, Percussion
*Dave Myles - Bass Guitar
*Terry Watkinson - Keyboards, Vocals

1976  Max Webster
1977  High Class In Borrowed Shoes
1978  Mutiny Up My Sleeve

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Storyteller - Storyteller (1970-71 uk, fabulous dual vocals in an aethereal silky folk flight, korean remaster)

The start of the Seventies was an uncertain time for lovers of grown-up popular music. Monterey had led to Woodstock, which had become Altamont. Much of that deep and meaningful West Coast stuff had turned to self-indulgence, and the deaths in quick succession of Joplin, Morrison, Hendrix, etc., had heralded the emergence of Glam Rock and the increasing influence of heavy metal.- Fortunately, however, in the early Seventies there were acts who followed their own inclination, ignoring current fashions .and just doing;:what seemed to come naturally. One such was Storyteller, a quintet who were probably closer to folk vain than any other genre, although we are not talking about finger in the ear traditional folk, but more the art of songwriter who wants to make a point or tell a story.

Perhaps appropriately Storyteller’s two albums were released by Britain's then foremost folk label, Transatlantic, their eponymous debut LP in 1970, and their last will and testament, 'More Pages' in 1971. These were not chart albums (far from it), bat particularly the first LP remained a pleasant memory for over 25 years until that nine, Mr.Dane asked me whether there were any Transatlantic album that he might consider reissuing. 

As Storyteller seemed to have been forgotten by everyone but me that was my recommendation. Write a sleeve note, then sure, if you can tell me where to find them. The Group's focal point was probably Caroline Attard, and if memory serves, she was married to Andy Bown, who used to be in The Herd with Peter Frampton in the Sixties, then joined a group which achieved rather less than was expected of it called Judas Jump. Storyteller threw in the towel in 1971,  Terry Durham returned to Leeds in Yorkshire, Caroline became mrs Bown, and Andy  became permanent keyboard player with Status Quo, also released some solo albums.

by John Tobler

Tracks
1. Floor Of The Park (Durham, Moon) - 3:18
2. Man In The Moon Passage Song (Durham, Moon) - 4:15
3. Alice Brown (Moon) - 2:47
4. The Lake (Durham, Moon) - 2:35
5. Ginger Bread Man (Moon) - 1:16
6. Over The Hills (Moon) - 2:22
7. Story (Durham) - 1:13
8. First Week In January (Moon) - 4:03
9. Has Been (Clark) - 3:18
10.Morning Glow (Durham, Bown) - 3:23
11.Ballad Of Old Three-Laps (Durham, Bown) - 3:23
12.Song For Buster (Durham, Moon) - 2:57
13.Love's A Blind (Durham, Moon) - 3:50
14.Night Games (Durham, Bown) - 3:07
15.Bosworth Field (Durham, Moon) - 3:50
16.Laugh That Came Too Soon (Durham, Moon) - 2:45
17.Beautiful Affair (Moon) - 4:40
18.Wolf In The Water (Durham, Bown) - 2:58
19.Fall In All Directions (Moon) - 3:00

Storryteller
*Caroline Attard - Vocals
*Rodney Clark - Vocals, Electric Bass
*Roger Moon - Vocals, Acoustic Guitar
*Mike Rogers - Vocals, Steel Guitar
*Terry Durham - Vocals
With
*Henry Spinetti – Percussion
*Harold Becket - Trumpet, Flugel Horn
*Andrew Bown - Producer

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Pulse - Pulse (feat. Carlo Mastrangelo) (1971 us, terrific hard rock with prog jazz elements, 2010 Relics issue)

Pulse was led by Bronx born songwriter, drummer and vocalist Carlo Mastrangelo, who'd been a founder member of Dion and The Belmonts, with whom he sang, bass and drummed. As such he was on the poorly orfanized ill-fated tour during which Buddy Holly was killed in February 1959 (it has been reported that the bus they usually travelled on was so cold that Mastrangelo had to light newspapers in the aisle for woarmth). Dion later recalled that Holly was so impressed by  Mastrangelo's drumming that he'd offered him twice what he was being paid to defect to him.

After the Belmonts split in 1963, Mastrangelo recorded a few solo 45s on Laurie, the worked with bands named The Demilles and Carlo's Crown Jewel (who issued a 45 on Tower later in the decade). 

Pulse are through to have been intially called Endless Pulse, and had a hard rock sound far removed from the Belmonts' doo-woop ballads. The quartet consisted of Mastrangelo Vovals, Drums, Richie Goggin Guitars, Vocals, Kenny Sambolin Bass, Vocals and Chris Gentile Organ, though Bill Golden also contributed some Keyboard parts.

Their sole LP was recorded in New York late in 1971, and its producer was the legendary Orrin Keepnews (who'd been responsible for jazz classics by Bill Evans, Thelonius Monk, Wes Montgomery and many others.) Issued on the tiny Thimble label in the spring of 1972, it sank like a stone, through it stands up well today.

The band issued no further recordings, though Sambolin is known to have continued in the music industry, penning for Mahogany Rush in the early '80's, while Mastrangelo currently lives in West Palm Beach Florida, and continues to play Drums.

CD Liners-notes

Tracks
1.Understanding - 6:05
2.Peace I - 1:11
3.I Want To Live - 4:43
4.I’ll Cry Tomorrow - 6:45
5.Why Can’t She See Me? - 3:54
6.Peace II - 1:11
7.She’s Coming Home - 3:06
8.Break Of Day - 4:29
9.Long Ago - 6:32
10.Peace III - 1:07

Pulse
*Carlo Mastrangelo - Vocals, Drums
*Richie Goggin - Guitars, Vocals
*Kenny Sambolin - Bass, Vocals
*Chris Gentile - Organ
With
*Bill Golden - Keyboards

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Max Webster - Mutiny Up My Sleeve (1978 canada, stunning prog rock)

The Max machine keeps ascending further into the bright blue with this cooler, darker, and mellower release, fashioned sorta like a dry Martini intravenous. The boys are sounding more like a Steely Dan entombed in ice, Kim's Strat coming out to play less often and less inflamed, preferring quieter, intimate moments with the nether bits of the listener's mind. 

With respect to the more aggressive cuts, The Party finds the band in free-form, progressive heaven, closest in acerbic kinship with Zappa, while Lip Service rides a jagged funk edge through to its bluesy Fripp-riffed finale. Both hoser anthems became concert favourites as Max traversed Canada and let squeal its laughing gases into every nook, cranny and tiny mining town of the band's vast, empty homeland. 

Of the mellower material, Astonish Me is the most heartening, small and jewel-like with Watkinson's Freddie Mercury-poignant piano stylings leading the star search and wish list. Overall, call this another fine but disturbed and slightly hostile Max project, one that finds the band perhaps a bit too self-aware of its oddity yet comfortable with it, never alienating their strange fanbase, Kim and troupe offering up what can only be seen as an integral piece of the band's moonscaped psyche-caressing fuzzy wuzzy puzzle.

by Martin Popoff

Tracks
1. Lip Service (K. Mitchell, P. P. Dubois) - 4:02
2. Astonish Me (Terry Watkinson) - 4:49
3. Let Your Man Fly (Terry Watkinson) - 2:46
4. Water Me Down (K. Mitchell, P. Dubois) - 3:13
5. Distressed (K. Mitchell, P. Dubois) - 4:12
6. The Party (K. Mitchell, P. Dubois) - 4:46
7. Waterline (K. Mitchell, P. Dubois) - 4:08
8. Hawaii (K. Mitchell, P. Dubois) - 3:03
9. Beyond The Moon (K. Mitchell, P. Dubois) - 6:17

Max Webster
*Kim Mitchell - Guitars, Vocals
*Gary McCracken - Drums, Percussion
*Dave Myles - Bass Guitar
*Terry Watkinson - Keyboards, Vocals

1976  Max Webster
1977  High Class In Borrowed Shoes

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Max Webster - High Class In Borrowed Shoes (1977 canada, great heavy prog rock)

The one unifying factor coursing through Max Webster's magnificent premiere was a rural warmth that evoked images of. I dunno. Carved cherry wood. In comparison, High Class In Borrowed Shoes, although no heavier, evokes a sheen of polished aluminum, with its bright, uncompromising headphone-ready drum sound, its everlite, dewdropped piano work, and its painstakingly perfect execution. 

But High Class sails the same passionate seas of wanton adventure, offering arguably four metal or hard rock works, most panoramic, scorching and insistent being America's Veins and the swooping and snatching title track, the song improbably combining boogie and pomp until circumstance breeds good fortune. Lyricist Pye Dubois, although not an official noise-making member of the band (in the great tradition of The Dead's Robert Hunter), continues to be the Max Webster's philosophical engine and perfect, crucial soulmate to Kim Mitchell's fluid guitar mathematics, Pye offering memorable yet cryptically cast aspersions on society's ills and man's monologue with respect to his allotted space. 

And as was the case with the debut, all points of the compass lead to the heart no matter what the action level, the album scrubbed clean then chiming by way of elegant Terry Watkinson keyboard work, and absolutely top-of-the-line pride in craftsmanship on the part of the whole circus. It seems almost a mixed symbol that the band would so plainly embrace controversy with the gender-bending weirdness of the cover art, given that all parties involved, including producer Terry Brown, worked so hard to make Max's challenges so warmly inviting and simultaneously so state-of-the-art. It basically stands as more evidence that the complexities of both Max's message and its medium were beyond marketing comprehension, and unfortunately, as history would bear out, beyond the market.

by Martin Popoff, from his book " The Collectors Guide to Heavy Metal - Volume 1: The Seventies" 

Tracks
1. High Class In Borrowed Shoes - 4:00
2. Diamonds Diamonds - 3:18
3. Gravity - 4:53
4. Words To Words - 3:34
5. America's Veins - 4:08
6. Oh War! - 4:25
7. On The Road - 3:25
8. Rain Child (Terry Watkinson) - 4:22
9. In Context Of The Moon - 5:13
All Songs written by Kim Mitchell, Pye Dubois, except where noted.

Max Webster
*Kim Mitchell - Guitars, Lead Vocals
*Terry Watkinson - Keyboards, Vocals,
*Mike Tilka - Bass Guitar, Arp Bass, Vocals
*Gary Mccracken - Drums, Percussion

1976  Max Webster

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