We recently lost another unsung genius from the cracks and crevices of 60s pop/psych. Tandyn Almer, who sadly passed in early 2013, would never become a household name, but you’ve definitely heard his work. Penning major tunes like “Along Comes Mary” for the Association, “Sail on Sailor” and “Marcella” for the Beach Boys, and countless other psych-tinged gems, Almer left behind a distinguished trail of well-crafted compositions. Luckily, and ironically (as I’m sure he would have enjoyed to see its official release), we have gained a new trove of lost work in Along Comes Tandyn, a collection of Almer’s demos from 1965-1966.
Originally written and recorded for Davon music, a small number of acetates labeled “The New Songs of Tandyn Almer” was circulated in order to shop his tunes to other recording artists. While some acts like The Sure Cure and Curt Boettcher’s The Ballroom took the bait, most of these tracks have remained unheard. The sound is definitely demo quality (all the better), the band generally led by a clangy electric guitar and sprinkled with bits of piano and harpsichord.
The vocals soar with typical 60s harmony, the lyrics quite often along the same vein. You can tell Almer was a real musician’s musician, his tunes never compromise, always taking an unexpected turn and often for something quite complicated. Take a listen to the surprisingly hip “Everytime I Take You Back To Me” and just try to follow the changes; or check the classical piano work on “There’s Gotta Be a Way.” Even “Along Comes Mary” (not included here) ducks and weaves at every chance, delivering it’s punch where you’d least expect it.
Some of Almer’s other happenings of note include an interview in Leonard Bernstein’s Inside Pop – The Rock Revolution (a “serious” investigation into pop’s emergence as an art form), as well as a short-lived best friendship with Brian Wilson, allegedly ending in an enstranging three-way. While not exactly loaded with clear winners (Face Down in the Mud” is a downright weirdo blues offering that would sound at home on FZ’s Only in it for the Money and some tracks sound a bit like psychedelic filler).
Along Comes Tandyn is still an excellent comp of lost pop-psych with a satisfying garage sound. Essential for fans of complex pop, the full package includes excellent liners (with lots of information provided by Tandyn himself) and will turn anyone into a hardcore Tandyn fan. Count me a Fandyn.
by Brendan McGrath
Tracks
1. Find Yourself - 2:44
2. You Turn Me Around - 2:20
3. Anything You Want (T. Almer, G. Mekler) - 3:45
4. About Where Love Is - 2:11
5. Everytime I Take You Back To Me - 2:08
6. There’s Gotta Be A Way - 2:43
7. Alice Designs - 3:39
8. Face Down In The Mud - 4:09
9. Where Will They Go - 4:34
10.Escape - 3:27
11.Victims of Chance - 3:34
12.Bring Your Own Self Down (The Purple Gang) - 2:48
13.I Get High - 3:21
14.Menagerie of Man - 2:15
15.Sunset Strip Soliloquy - 4:05
Words and Music by Tandyn Almer unless otherwise stated.
Paul Pena was born on January 26, 1950 in Hyannis, MA, the oldest child of Jack and Virginia Pena. His grandparents came from the Cape Verde Islands off the west coast of Africa. He was born with congenital glaucoma. When he was five, he began school at the Perkins School for the Blind in Watertown - a suburb of Boston. He graduated in 1967 and then attended Clark University in Worcester, MA.
As a young child, Paul soon showed his talent for music. His mother heard him picking out melodies and chords on a baby grand piano that had been found in the town dump and brought home, 'as a toy that a blind child might enjoy.' He developed 'perfect pitch.' Soon Paul was studying the piano, guitar, upright bass, violin and 'a little trumpet.' He played and sang popular jazz and Cape Verdian ballads with his father, a professional jazz musician, and also sang in his school choruses. Paul appeared in a talent show, and while in college, performed in coffeehouses in Worcester.
Paul Pena is a respectable album in that style, but it's a fairly ordinary journeyman effort, albeit without serious flaws. There's a little bit of an early-'70s folky singer/songwriter looseness à la Van Morrison involved as well, though occasionally he gets into a funky groove that was more explicitly Southern soul-influenced. Only "One for the Lonely" comes close to getting a really hooky blues-rock riff into the mix, however. Some of the other tracks have some modest pleasures as well, like the expansive organ of "Something to Make You Happy," which gives the brooding number a San Francisco acid rock tinge. The folk-bluesy "Lullaby" is another of the stronger tracks, with its galloping going-down-the-road feel and unexpected addition of steel guitar (by Jeff Baxter) and harp.
by Richie Unterberger
Tracks
1. Woke Up This Morning - 4:56
2. I'm Gonna Make It Alright - 4:13
3. The River - 6:08
4. One For The Lonely - 4:50
5. Something To Make You Happy - 7:07
6. My Adorable One (Ida Irral Berger, Clara Thompson) - 3:44
7. When I'm Gone - 4:37
8. Lullaby - 5:16
All songs by Paul Pena except where stated
David and the "Great Lost Pavlov's Dog" album. So that is what you want to hear about, huh? Okay. I suppose it is worth a shot. Those were heady days, and more than a little depressing for your erstwhile poet find singer.
Pavlov's Dog had been touring in support of "The Sound of the Bell," bringing its melodic romanticism to some of the strangest venue's your narrator could have imagined in his youth. Yet living it! Concert dates with Nektar, Slade, Kraftwerk, Blue Oyster Cult, Journey, ELO, Thin Lizzy, Peter Frampton , ad nausea I left the band tired, restless and completely discontent.
The rhythm section had been salvaged, with Kirk Sarkesian more than capably handling the drum chores in the wake of Mike Safron and Bill Bruford's exits. David Hamilton was handling the piano in the studio, with Tom Nickeson holding it down on tour, in addition to his vocals and guitar duties.
Me, I was just plain unhappy, with the record company, management and agencies all pushing for a "HIT." Now lets be a trifle honest here, shall we? I write love songs, this is not the Brill Building. Major Plan Concocted!! Bring in new producers (Krugman and Perlman help meeeeeee!!!!!!), the band decides they ate songwriters (even the roadies), and EVERYBODY wants to sing! Did I want to vomit-you betcha!
So the powers that be want David to deliver the "pop" songs, ouch. Douglas and I came up with "Painted Ladies" and "Trafalgar" in minutes, not our best work that. "Falling In Love" and "Jenny" were tossed out, spent seconds of pleasure on that pair. "Only You," "I Love You Still" and "Suicide," squarely where my heart was.
The recording began in St.Louis at Technosonic Studios, not far from both my boyhood and present homes. Mark Spector $ John Jansen co-producing this awful mess. I came equipped with my bulldog Charlie & and Telecaster guitar each day, and amid wrestling bouts with Mark (yes...really), managed to get the basic tracks recorded with the band spinning out of control. Overduba were not pretty....Steve Scorfina is singing "It All For You," a song he had from his REO Speedwagon days, and Tom came up with a quick instrumental exit for the album, "While You Were Out."
I'm singing the Jefferson Airplanes' "Today," (is this somebody's idea of the "HIT" ?), and hating my every waking moment. Time to ditch this scene, David & Douglas escape to New York with the master tapes! Bring in the ringers! Jeff Baxter takes a masterful turn on the guitar solo on "Painted Ladies," thanks Jeff! Jeff & Elliot Rahdall compose some melodic harmony guitars for "Falling In Love," "Jenny" and elsewhere, Jim Maelen contributed some terrific percussion & smoothing quite a few bad patches.
That's Elliott on the solo in "Falling In Love," he said he really liked the song & I didn't. O well In any case, the gothic intrigue of "Only You" still holds measure with me today (I love Scorfina's tragic pathos in the solo), as does "Suicide." Is that where the unfortunate rumours of my untimely demise stem? I still perform Love You Stiff," from time to time, I enjoy the way my voice sounds! Also, "Only You," occasionally. It still maintains the potential' & penchant' for a heartbreak... So It Goes
by "Just" David
Tracks
1.Only You - 4:33
2.Painted Ladies (David Surkamp, Doug Rayburn) - 3:22
3.Falling In Love - 3:27
4.Today (Marty Balin) - 3:08
5.Trafalger (David Surkamp, Doug Rayburn) - 3:10
6.I Love You Still - 4:05
7.Jenny - 4:07
8.It`S All For You (Steve Scorfina) - 3:50
9.Suicide - 2:04
10.While You Were Out (Tom Nickeson) - 2:38
11.Song Dance(Mike Safron) - 6:29
12.Of Once And Future Kings- 6:50
13.Natchez Trace (Steve Scorfina) - 4:18
14.A Little Better - 2:18
15.A Look In Your Eyes - 4:27
16.Julia (Live) - 2:55
17.She Came Shining (David Surkamp, Doug Rayburn) - 4:37
18.Did You See Him Cry (David Surkamp, Doug Rayburn) - 6:07
19.Subway Sue - 5:40
20.I Wait For You (David Surkamp, Doug Rayburn) - 1:44
All compositions by David Surkamp except where stated
Roger "Jellyroll" Troy, Musician, Singer, Bass Player, Songwriter, Producer, affectionately known as "Roll" to his peers, was a very well respected and talented musician, known by many fans, musicians and producers alike for his great vocals, writing and producing, and solid funky bass playing. Pull window down to see more below.
He was originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, later relocating to San Francisco, and played in numerous groups including "The Fendermen", "The Hollywood Argyles", his own group "Jellyroll" and record on Kapp records in or around 1969' entitled "jellyroll"-which included members Roger Troy (lead vocals bass), Tim Heding (keyboards, background vocals), Ed Setser (guitar), Stu Perry (drums, percussion), Lee Asch (alto-tenor-baritone saxophones), Dave Parkinson (tenor saxophone) and Bob Thorne (trumpet), also featured on the album is Cosme Joseph Deaguero on Conga.
Jellyroll joined The Electric Flag reunion band around 1973' and was on their subsequent record "The Band Kept Playing" and was a excellent record with Michael Bloomfield, Buddy Miles, Barry Goldberg, Nick Gravenites, and others, with producer great-Jerry Wexler, in 1974'...
He went on to play the next several years with "Michael Bloomfield and friends" groups, including "Try It Before You Buy It", "Life In The Fast Lane", "Between A Hard Place And The ground", "Count Talent and The Originals", "Live At The Old Waldorf", "Analine", "if You Love These Blues, Play Them Ad You Please", "Bloomfield-A Jellyroll had a solo record he did on RCA records in 1976, which featured such top-notch studio musicians such as James Gadson, Sonny Burke, Larry Goshorn, Ernie Watts, and others.
Roll worked into the late 70s and 80s with such artists as Maria Muldour, Mick Taylor, Lonnie Mack, Nick Gravenites, Jerry Garcia & Howard Whales("Hooteroll" tour), Mike Finnigan, Timmy Goshorn and Larry Goshorn of Pure Prairie League, Dave Widow and many others too numerous to mention...He had several songs covered by artists such as Tracy Nelson, Jose Feliciano, Carlene Carter, and others.
Roger, was 45 when he died of heart problems resulting from a heart surgery and later complications, he died in 1991. Roll, was a "card", and a practical joker, always pulling one on someone, for a good laugh...Bless his soul...When he was on top of his game he was one-bad to the bone-Musician, and would often make the hair on the back of my neck-stand up, when he would sing...roll was a powerful singer with great melody and articulation, with a sometimes Gospel-like feel, and a blues and rock and roll soul. .He was like a white Bobby Blue Bland.
by Dave Widow
Tracks
1. Restless Feeling - 2:24
2. Seach For A Memory - 2:56
3. Strange (Dan Hoagland) - 2:29
4. Trying To Forget Someone Too (Roger Troy) - 4:09
5. Quick Trip (Tim Hending) - 1:18
6. Help Me Over - 3:00
7. Come On Baby (Roger Troy, David Parkinson, Eddie Setser, Les Asch, Stu Perry, Tim Hedding) - 3:17
8. Follow Me - 2:52
9. At The Beginning Of Tomorrow (Roger Troy) - 3:07
10.Hard Times - 4:40
11.Standing On The Inside (Roger Troy, Ed Setser) - 3:31
All songs by Roger Troy, Richard Podolor, David Parkinson, Eddie Setser, Les Asch, Stu Perry, Tim Hedding except where noted
The Jellyroll
*Roger Troy - Lead Vocals, Guitar
*Tim Heding - Keyboards, Vocals
*Ed Setser - Guitar
*Stu Perry - Drums, Percussion
*Les Asch - Alto, Tenor, Baritone Saxophones
*Dave Parkinson - Tenor Saxophone
*Bob Thorne - Trumpet With
*Cosme Joseph Deaguero - Conga
Originally released on Philips, Hungry Wolf’s sole album is a primarily instrumental pop rock affair, with some heavy Hammond organ to hold interest (courtesy of the Mohawks’ Alan Hawkshaw).
A work of session musicians including future members of Rumplestiltskin and Ugly Custard. swirling freaking organs and various wood instruments accompany guitarist Alan Parker.The album is now very rare.
It featured vocals by Peter Lee Stirling who had a couple of pop hits in the early seventies as Daniel Boone; as well as Alan Parker (Blue Mink, David Bowie, CCS, Elton John, Gerry Rafferty) and Alan Hawkshaw (Cliff Richard, Shadows, Madeline Bell, Donovan, Family Dogg).
Tracks
1. Melanie - 3:05
2. Watching And Waiting - 3:24
3. Custards Last Stand - 2:49
4. Country Wild - 4:40
5. Waiting For The Morning Sun - 3:02
6. Like Now - 2:48
7. Hole In My Shoe - 5:24
8. Sleepy - 5:11
9. The Drifter (Alan Hawkshaw, Alan Parker, John Cameron) - 3:23
10.Revolution??? (Alan Hawkshaw, Alan Parker, John Cameron) - 2:56
All songs by Alan Hawkshaw, Alan Parker except where stated
Interresting straight ahead rock band from UK, most of the songs were written by the British duo composers/producers Doug Flett and Guy Fletcher. Album includes also four cover versions.
“Brass Monkey” had its moments, Ben Case has a pretty good versatile voice that was equally at home across the entire album. Their genre of choice was country bluesy classic rock with some hard moments, -think something between CCR and Rod Steward- tracks like ‘Goodbye Birds’ and the bluesy instrumental ‘Strange Days’ showcased a mild English influence. Elsewhere the required social commentary ‘All Fall Down’ was surprisingly tuneful and subtle.
Singer Ben Case (Peter Lee Stirling) has worked with Tim Rose, Hungry Wolf, Rumplestiltskin among other bands, drummer Dougie Wright with Justine, The John Barry Seven and Whistler. Guitarist Mike Morgan has no connection with the Texas born who made career since 1990 with his band The Crawl.
Tracks
1. Sweet Water - 3:31
2. You Keep Me Hangin` On (Brian Holland, Edward Holland, Jr., Lamont Dozier) - 3:50
3. Goodbye Birds - 4:00
4. All Fall Down - 3:56
5. Strange Days - 3:46
6. Keep A Little Bit Back - 3:08
7. Stay With Me Baby (Jerry Ragovoy, Larry Weiss) - 3:43
8. Proud Mary (John Fogerty) - 3:12
9. Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down) (Sony Bono) - 3:24
10.Sing, Sing, Sing - 3:27
All songs by Doug Flett, Guy Fletcher except where indicated
Much was expected of SRC, and for good reason. Aside from being exceptional songwriters and musicians, the Ann Arbor, Michigan band had the support of both the public and a major label. Bursting with potential, they were clearly primed for global domination.
Signed to Capitol Records, SRC (short for the Scot Richard Case) waxed a trio of full-length albums for the imprint that have now been brought together as a double-disc package by Beat Goes On Records. Sad to say, the band never conquered the world, which was no fault of their own, as their efforts weren’t as widely distributed and promoted as all hoped they would be. But they remained tremendously popular locally and continued to be held in high regard in later years by those exposed to their material.
Released in 1968, the band’s debut album, SRC, crackles and crunches to the tune of a heavy beat. Grinding Hammond organ passages producing feelings of gloom and doom share space with squealing acid-stained riffs, while the drumming is tribal and toxic. Self-possessed vocals, alternating between light and dark, complete the sessions.
A thoroughly eerie environment envelopes the moody “Black Sheep,” and songs like “Daystar,” “Exile” and “Paragon Council” are grafted of science-fiction visages. Imaginative and freaky, SRC often resembles a grungier version of the Doors.
The band’s next album, Milestones, which appeared in 1969, proved to be quite different than its predecessor. Gone was the jagged edge, replaced by bright singing, intricate melody lines and sophisticated structures dripping with smoothness.
Clocking in at over eight minutes in length, “The Angel Song” breathes in and out to a lush terrain of progressive movements, where “Show Me” and “I Remember Your Face” are glistening ballads.
But by no means had SRC turned soft, as clarified by “Up All Night,” “No Secret Destination” and “Eye Of The Storm,” which pulsate steadily with zippy frequencies. As well, an ambitious cover of “In The Hall Of The Mountain King” exhibits the band’s incredible improvisational skills.
SRC’s final album, Traveler’s Tale hit the decks in 1970 and was stuffed and buffed with hard rocking razzle dazzle. Blazing guitars, plucked with polish and precision, augmented by rows of inventive tempo changes propel cuts such as the bluesy “Midnight Fever,” the whammy jammy “Across The Land Of Light” and the sweeping swirls of “By Way Of You” to stratospheric heights.
Loaded with lashing licks, aided by super-size harmonies, majestic keyboard excursions and burning hooks, “A New Crusader” steps forward as another winner included on Traveler’s Tale, and then there’s the haunting psychedelic-soaked vibe of “Street Without A Name,” the gospel styled “The Offering” and “Diana,” which crosses neo-Latin flavored rhythms with jazzy indentations.
As strongly indicated by these recordings, SRC was ambitious and adventurous. Pouring their hearts and souls into their music, they created tunes smacking of artistic integrity. Those attracted to the enterprising musings of the Pretty Things, Deep Purple, Procol Harum and Yes will certainly appreciate the equally exciting sounds of SRC.
by Beverly Paterson
Tracks
1. Black Sheep - 4:51
2. Daystar - 4:30
3. Exile - 4:23
4. Marionette - 4:01
5. Onesimpletask - 5:36
6. Paragon Council - 4:00
7. Refugeve - 3:40
8. Interval - 5:14
9. No Secret Destination - 4:21
10.Show Me - 3:42
11.Eye Of The Storm - 4:55
12.I Remember Your Face - 1:41
13.In The Hall Of The Mountain King-Bolero (Edvard Grieg, Jimmy Page ) - 6:10
14.Checkmate - 3:47
15.Our Little Secret - 2:43
16.Turn Into Love - 3:03
17.Up All Night - 3:10
18.The Angel Song - 8:15
All songs by Scott Richardson, Gary Quackenbush, Elmer George Clawson, Glenn Quackenbush, Steve Lyman, Robin Dale(Tracks 1-8), Al Wilmot(Tracks 9-18) except where Stated
Tracks 1-8 from debut album "SRC" released 1968
Tracks 9-18 from "Milestones" released 1969
Disc 2 Traveler's Tale 1970
1. A New Crusader (Scott Richardson, Glenn Quackenbush, Ray Goodman) - 7:07
2. Street Without A Name (Glenn Quackenbush, Scott Richardson) - 5:13
3. Midnight Fever (Scott Richardson, Ray Goodman) - 3:53
4. Never Before Now (Glenn Quackenbush, Scott Richardson) - 3:57
5. By The Way Of You (Scott Richardson, Elmer George Clawson, Glenn Quackenbush, Ray Goodman, Al Wilmot) - 3:18
6. Diana (Glenn Quackenbush, Scott Richardson) - 4:37
7. Across The Land Of Light (Scott Richardson, Glenn Quackenbush, Ray Goodman, Elmer George Clawson, Al Wilmot) - 6:54
8. The Offering (Scott Richardson, Glenn Quackenbush) - 6:12
9. My Fortunes Coming True (Bonus Track) (Ray Goodman, Scott Richardson) - 3:19
Copperwine (aka Jeff St John's Copperwine) was formed by Jeff St John's in early 1969. The band's first gigs were some low-key dates in Perth, before returning to Sydney. Copperwine soon commanded a rabid following in that city's fast-developing 'head' scene. Around the time of the new band's formation, guitarist Ross East was also invited to join the revised Masters Apprentices line-up by Jim Keays, but he turned it down, opting to stay with Jeff.
Aided by East and Peter Figures, plus Alan Ingram on bass and keyboardist Barry Kelly (from Marty Rhone's Soul Agents), St John wowed punters at the Ourimbah "Pilgrimage For Pop", Australia's first major outdoor rock festival, held at Ourimbah, NSW at the end of January 1970. The band's dynamic repertoire mixed quality prog-flavoured group originals with powerful renditions of Sly & the Family Stone's funk classic "Sing A Simple Song" (a stage fave for many Australian acts of the time including Southern Comfort and The Affair), a storming version of The Temptations' psych-soul masterpiece "Cloud Nine" and Blind Faith's "Can't Find My Way Home."
This body of songs was captured by producer Pat Aulton in superb that remains one of the most accomplished and musically adventurous long players of the time. The punningly-titled Joint Effort won considerable critical acclaim, but failed to generate significant sales. A similar fate befell the great single lifted from the album, "Cloud Nine" / "Days To Come" (Feb. 1970). An EP, Sing A Simple Song, which featured four selections from its parent album, came out in May 1970.
In retrospect, Joint Effort reveals at least three truths -- the album was one of Festival Record's most consistent sellers for many years, it's a fine artefact of what was musically going on with OzRock in this heady and fertile time, and it documents what a fine band Copperwine was and provided conclusive proof that Jeff is one of the best rock vocalists this country has ever produced.
The musicianship of the band, particularly that of East and Kelly illustrated the embarrassment of riches scattered among Australian groups at this time. Original band-composed collaborations on the LP include the reflective "Fanciful Flights" (compiled on Raven's 2-CD compilation Golden Miles: Australian Progressive Rock, 1969-1974), the jazz-tinged instrumental "Any Orange Night" and the ensemble piece "You Don't Have To Listen". The towering opening track, a surging, organ-driven cover of The Temptation's "Cloud Nine", showed off Jeff's commanding soul stylings, superbly backed by a power-drive performance from Copperwine that, frankly, puts the original in the shade.
Another single, issued on Spin in November 1970, fared extremely well. The smoothly confident, organ-led cover of Rotary Connection's "Teach Me How To Fly" (featuring a berserk guitar solo from East, and some very tasty bass-drums interplay) propelled the band to #12 in Melbourne and a very encouraging #3 Sydney chart placement. St John's dazzling vocal performance on this record is probably the main reason why.
An 'insane” (as Jeff puts it) schedule of touring, concentrated in the eastern states, sustained Copperwine throughout 1970-71. Noted soul-blues singer Wendy Saddington (formerly of James Taylor Move and Chain) joined as co-lead vocalist in May 1970 and made her recording debut with the band (without St John though) on the intriguingly laid-back, bluesy album Wendy Saddington and Copperwine Live, recorded at the Wallacia Rock Festival in January 1971. By this time, too, former Amazons and Dave Miller Set member Harry Brus had replaced Alan Ingram on bass.
The Copperwine/Saddington live album was scheduled for re-release on CD as part of Festival's reissue program, but the entire reissue project was scrapped after the acquisition of Mushroom Records. Festival's rapid financial decline after 2002 led to its closure in late 2005, and the entire Festival-Mushroom archive was sold to the American-owned Warner Music group soon after.
Although Saddington had departed Copperwine by February 1971, the group continued to tour relentlessly, with Jeff at the helm. Another major event for the band in 1971 was its participation in the Hoadley's Battle of the Soudns. The group, with St John in ultimate form, put on a commanding show, performing a stunning version of the Leon Russell-penned "Hummingbird", but they finished third behind Fraternity and Sherbet.
"Hummingbird" (backed by Derek & The Dominos' Keep On Growing) became the next Copperwine single, which was released in August on Festival's new progressive subsidiary, Infinity and it was a moderate chart success. Early in the year they recruited Glyn Mason (ex-Chain, Larry's Rebels) and this line-up performed at the Mulwala Festival near Albury in NSW in April 1972. Soon after, Jeff split from Copperwine, but the band continued on for some time, with Mason taking over as lead vocalist.
by Paul Culnane
Tracks
1. Cloud Nine (Barrett Strong, Norman Whitfield) - 6:22
2. Sing A Simple Song (Sylvester Stewart) - 4:25
3. Fanciful Flights Of Mind (Jeff St. John, Peter Figures) - 3:23
4. Any Orange Night (Barry Kelly, Peter Figures) - 7:26
5. You Don’t Have To Listen (Barry Kelly, Peter Figures) - 5:00
6. I’ve Been Treated So Bad (Washboard Sam) - 3:09
7. Days To Come (Ross East) - 4:10
8. Reach Out (Brian Holland, Edward Holland, Jr., Lamont Dozier) - 5:22
9. Can’t Find My Way Home (Steve Winwood) - 4:19
10.Train (Alan Ingham, Barry Kelly, Peter Figures) - 2:18
11.I Remember (Jeff St. John, Peter Figures) - 5:54
12.Enviroment In Three Parts (Pat Aulton) - 7:50
2000 Vicious Sloth Collectables Bonus Tracks
13.Teach Me How To Fly (Sidney Barnes) - 4:12
14.Freedom Blues (Steven Quincy Reeder Jr., Richard Penniman) - 3:15
15.Hummingbird (Leon Russell) - 3:55
16.Keep On Growing (Bobby Whitlock, Eric Clapton) - 3:24
The seeds of Evergreen Blues were planted at St. Alphonsus Catholic elementary school in East Los Angeles. It was in the basement auditorium of this school that some of the greatest "Eastside Sound" dance and shows occurred in the 60s, featuring all the best bands including Thee Midniters, Cannibal & the Headhunters, The Premiers, The Blendells, The Jaguars with the Salas Brothers, The Ambertones, The Blue Satins, my band, Mark & the Escorts, and many more. Getting back to the genesis of Elijah, it was in this environment that Hank Barrio, Joe McSweyn, Sam Lombardo, and Manny Esparza took their positions on guitar, bass, drums, and vocals respectively. Manny says he became the vocalist by default because he could carry a tune better than the others. Manny's vocal influences were who he calls the "tough r&b singers" such as James Brown, Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, Sam Moore, and Eddie Floyd, as opposed to the slicker Motown singers. Manny says he was a Stax/Volt guy.
As the band improved, they started to play local gigs and were called Two Thirds Majority. On rhythm guitar in the original band was Tom Merlino, another St. Alphonusus student, who did not stay in the band very long since he didn't seem to have the musical ability of the others. They played a lot of r&b, but also did songs by groups such as The Rascals and The Buckinghams. Hank, Joe and Manny went on to Cantwell High School (another parochial school), while Sam Lombardo went to Montebello High School. There he met Steve Lawrence (no relation to the singer of the same name), who was added to the band on organ and saxophone. After high school, fellow Montebello High alums Tom Bray and Ken Walther were added on trumpet and trombone. This completed the puzzle. They played many venues, including some of the storied East L.A. spots such as Kennedy Hall, the Montebello Ballroom, and aforementioned St. Alphonsus Auditorium. They shared the stage with Eastside bands such as Thee Midniters, The Ambertones, The Emeralds, The Exotics, and Little Ray & the Progressions.
After hooking up with manager Jim King, the band secured a major record deal with Mercury Records in 1967. Their name was changed to Evergreen Blues for the record. It was a time in the music business when money was flowing. Having just graduated high school, they went on an 18 city national tour. Musical equipment and clothes were bought for them by the record label and they found themselves riding in limos and flying in a private Beechcraft airplane. Pretty heady stuff for teenagers! They found themselves playing shows on the bill with artists such as The Righteous Brothers, Gary Puckett & the Union Gap, and Chuck Berry. On that first tour Hank and Joe were merely 17 years old. In fact, the band had to go through court and have their parents approval with the recording contracts.
Despite their under age status they played some clubs on the tour, including "The Rooster Tail in Detroit. It had a black clientele, but Evergreen Blues were accepted and appreciated because their music was sufficiently good as well as funky. Manny also had an afro that rivaled American Basketball Association players of the period like Dr. J. The tour also went to Florida, New York, and some other states. A non-musical memory of the tour that stands out in Hank's mind is flying in their small Beechcraft airplane over the Great Lakes in the fog during the same period that Otis Redding had gone down under almost identical circumstances (similar plane, same area, a month later.) Hank says the band was very nervous on the flight and were afraid they might suffer the same fate as one of their musical heroes.
Their first album entitled "Evergreen Blues," included a song written by their manager, Jim King, under the name L.T. Josie, called "Midnight Confessions." (Small world department: My band at the time called Nineteen Eighty Four recorded an L.T. Josie song called "Three's a Crowd." Our producer on the record was Tommy Coe, who engineered the Evergreen Blues second album.) Released as a single, "Midnight Confessions" received some airplay around the country, even becoming a hit record in Florida. Ironically, shortly thereafter The Grass Roots recorded a virtually identical version of the song and it became a major hit record. That was a heartbreaking experience for Evergreen Blues. However, they got up, dusted themselves off, and did a second album with ABC Records called "Comin' On." It included mostly original songs written by various band members. It also had two more L.T. Josie songs and a cover of Otis Redding's version of "Try a Little Tenderness." This was likely before Three Dog Night covered it and had their first mega hit. In fact, Evergreen Blues opened for Three Dog Night, who's manager asked Evergreen Blues not to play "Try a Little Tenderness." They went ahead and played it anyway. Good for them.
Evergreen Blues had learned "Try a Little Tenderness" from the Otis Redding version. Manny says Three Dog Night did it in more of a rock style, rather than r&b. Evergreen Blues did record their second album at American Studios in Studio City, California and Richard Podolar, who was Three Dog Night's producer, engineered a couple of tracks. One can say it's possible that this was the connection that gave Three Dog Night the idea to record the song, which became their first hit record. We'll probably never know for sure. Anyway, their manager Jim King didn't like the musical direction the band was taking so he and Evergreen Blues went their separate ways. Hank acknowledges in retrospect that the band's songwriting wasn't yet quite developed on that album.
At this juncture, enter Edward James Olmos. Yes, the actor, who was then an r&b singer. He had played around Hollywood with his band Eddie James & the Pacific Ocean. One of the venues they worked a lot was the fabled Gazzari's on the Sunset Strip. Olmos wound up joining Evergreen Blues, sharing lead vocal duties with Manny Esparza. At the time Eddie was known for his flashy showmanship, which included some wicked splits. Hank and Manny both acknowledge that the band learned a lot from Eddie. He taught them about dynamics, helped with arrangements, and turned them on to a lot of classic r&b records and artists. Eddie also got them their first regular club gig. It was a black club called the Citadel du Haiti on Sunset Boulevard, where the band was paid $50 total and all the soul food they could eat. In those days the deal wasn't as bad as it sounds.
Through Olmos they met Delaney Bramlett, who was then performing with his wife as Delaney & Bonnie, who would later score a major hit with "Never Ending Song of Love." At one point, Delaney & Bonnie opened for Blind Faith on a tour. Eric Clapton who was then a member of Blind Faith took a great liking to Delaney & Bonnie's style and band. Clapton wound up going on tour playing with Delaney & Bonnie and eventually brought along his friends Dave Mason and George Harrison to share in the fun and musical inspiration. Eric eventually used Delaney & Bonnie's band to form Derek & the Dominoes. The result was the classic record "Layla" (the early 70s up tempo version.) Eddie Olmos played with Evergreen Blues for about a year before they went their separate ways. Eddie went on to become a successful and excellent actor, best known for his role as El Pachuco in the play and movie Zoot Suit, the classic movie Blade Runner, and his role in the 80s mega hit television series, "Miami Vice." Evergreen Blues played on into the early 70s, a time when they became Elijah and recorded two more albums.
by Mark Guerrero
Tracks
1. Please Take Me Now (Ken Walther, Steve Lawrence) - 4:25
2. Girl I Got Wise (Ken Walther, Steve Lawrence) - 3:08
3. Eye In The Sky (Ken Walther, Steve Lawrence) - 2:28
4. Don't Mess Up My Mind (Lou T. Josie) - 2:36
5. Funky Woman (Steve McSweyn) - 3:04
6. The Moon Is High (Ken Walther, Steve Lawrence) - 4:24
7. W.L.A. (Ken Walther, Steve Lawrence) - 3:45
8. Try A Little Tenderness (Harry Woods, James Campbell, Reginald Connelly) - 4:08
9. Quickest Way Out (Sam Lombardo, Tom Bray) - 3:18
10.Bring It On Back (Lou T. Josie) - 2:43
11.Another Night (Ken Walther, Steve Lawrence) - 4:57
Mick returned to the UK, and more touring with bands like Soft Machine and Curved Air, and performing at the Hammersmith Odeon with Jose Feliciano. The band underwent further changes with the addition of drummer Alan Eden and ex-John Mayall guitarist, Roger Dean. Mick then spent a little time away with an ancient tribe of musicians called Jajouka in the Moroccan mountains, visited previously by Brian Jones of the Rolling Stones and Ornett Coleman, before writing material for his third album, Midnight Dreamer.
This time around, Mick was holding the reigns of producer along with his engineer Vic Gamm at Sound Techniques. This now celebrated album with Mick on vocals, piano, keyboards, electric and acoustic guitars, also features Pat Donaldson on bass guitar, drummers William A. Murray, Gerry Conway and Barry De Souza, and backing vocals from Barry St.John, Sue Glover, Liza Strike, Bonny Hamilton and Kay Garner. Also featured are Kenny Wheeler on trumpet, Chris Hughs on Tenor Sax, Graham Smith on harmonica, and a further brass section comprising Eddie Mordue, Rex Morris, Duncan Lamont, Wally Smith, Rick Kennedy, Chris Smith, Creg Bowen and Johnny Huckridge. Superb arrangements by Steve Hamilton and Richard Hewson (who arranged the strings on The Beatles’ Eleanor Rigby).
Through a chain of events, Greenwood became involved with the same record company and management as Fleetwood Mac, was inadvertently caught up in the political and legal wars of their separation, as witnessed by the tabloid coverage of the Old Bailey case. Even though the album was recognised, sadly the launch of Midnight Dreamer suffered as a result.
"Midnight Dreamer" originally released on Warner Brothers, charters Mick’s solid progression as he stepped into the role of producer/artist/writer. This celebrated album with Mick on vocals, piano, keyboards, electric and acoustic guitars, also features a star-studded lineup; Pat Donaldson, William A. Murray, Gerry Conway and Barry De Souza, and backing vocals from Barry St.John, Sue Glover, Liza Strike, Bonny Hamilton and Kay Garner.
What other talents does Mick Greenwood have up his sleeve? Not only does this album contain sensitive well written songs from across the spectrum, delivered and performed with authority by himself and a host of top musos, but Mick has also produced with his engineer a rock solid piece of product with soul. Midnight Dreamer is a great third album by this guy. Highly recommended.
by Jonathon Teller, PlayTime Review
Tracks
1. Black Roses - 2:56
2. Captain Life - 4:09
3. Writing On The Wall - 4:25
4. Easy Street - 4:43
5. Miss Morning - 3:52
6. Lady Midnight - 3:23
7. Diana Demons - 4:36
8. Deep Water - 3:48
9. Open Road - 2:12
All compositions by Mick Greenwood
