Rockasteria

1967 Gene Clark - Echoes
1968-69 Dillard And Clark - Fantastic Expedition / Through The Morning, Through The Night
1971 Gene Clark - White Light
1972 Gene Clark - Roadmaster (2011 Edition)
1979 McGuinn, Clark And Hillman (2014 Japan SHM Remaster)
With The Byrds
1964 The Byrds - Preflyte (2012 Edition)
1973 Byrds - Byrds (2004 issue)

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Thursday, April 16, 2026

Gene Clark - Sings For You (1967 us, fantastic folk psych country rock, 2018 digipak with unreleased material)

Gene Clark’s musical legacy is most certainly assured as a singer, songwriter and member of some exclusive company as an inductee to Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, a founder of The Byrds, and collaborator in groups such as Dillard & Clark, Gene Clark and the Gosdin Brothers, McGuinn Clark & Hillman and later as the duet partner of Carla Olson (The Textones).

His songs have been covered by Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Iain Matthews, Robert Plant & Alison Krauss, The Rose Garden, and Chris & Rich Robinson of The Black Crowes among many others. As well documented as Clark’s career has been, there have been remarkable discoveries over the years (see Omnivore’s Here Tonight: The White Light Demos for example), but now the Holy Grail of Clark’s post-Byrds career is finally about to see the light of day:

“For longtime Gene Clark fans and aficionados, the tracks on this remarkable archival CD are the stuff of legend. Since word first spread in the 1980s about the discovery of these 1967 recordings on a rare acetate in Liberty Records’ vaults, fans have come to regard Gene Clark Sings For You as nothing less than the Holy Grail of the singer/songwriter’s extraordinary body of work. Shrouded in mystery and the subject of much speculation and conjecture, few have ever had the opportunity to hear these forgotten gems from one of Gene Clark’s most prolifically creative periods. Until now.”

by John Einarson author of Mr. Tambourine Man: The Life And Legacy Of The Byrds’ Gene Clark (Backbeat Books)

In addition to the 8 tracks from the Gene Clark Sings For You acetate, recorded in 1967 after he famously left The Byrds, there are an additional 5 previously unknown tracks from a further 1967 acetate given to the band, The Rose Garden, for recording consideration. This new compilation also includes a previously unissued demo rescued from a tape in the collection of John Noreen, member of The Rose Garden. This demo of the song “Till Today” is Clark running through the song for the band who would cut it on their only album, the 1968 self-titled effort on Atco Records (also being reissued and expanded at the same time as Gene Clark Sings For You).

Released with the full approval and cooperation with both the Estate of Gene Clark and the band, The Rose Garden, Gene Clark Sings For You is produced for release by Grammy®-winner, Cheryl Pawelski with restoration and mastering by Grammy-winner, Michael Graves. Liner notes by John Einarson, author of Mr. Tambourine Man: The Life And Legacy Of The Byrds’ Gene Clark (Backbeat Books) and previously unseen photos.

Omni Vore

Tracks
1. On Her Own - 4:19
2. Past Tense - 3:41
3. Yesterday, Am I Right - 2:56
4. Past My Door - 4:26
5. That's Alright By Me - 5:48
6. One Way Road - 2:34
7. Down On The Pier - 4:18
8. 7:30 Mode - 5:59
9. On Tenth Street - 3:50
10.Understand Me - 2:36
11.A Long Time - 2:03
12.Big City Girl - 3:56
13.Doctor Doctor - 2:59
14.Till Today (Demo) - 3:44
All compositions by Gene Clark

Musicians
*Gene Clark - Guitar, Harmonica, Vocals
*Alex De Zoppo - Piano
Other Musicians Unknown

1964-90 Gene Clark - Flying High
1964-82 Gene Clark ‎- The Lost Studio Sessions (2016 audiophile double Vinyl set)

1970 Dulcimer - And I Turned As I Had Turned As A Boy (2011 remaster)

Wednesday, April 15, 2026

Dulcimer - Room For Thought (1971 uk, beautiful acoustic folk rock with a traditional aura, 2010 remaster)

Dulcimer consisted of singer/guitarists Dave Eaves and Pete Hodges and bassist Jem North. The trio apparently began working together in 1966 - 67 attracting some local attention before relocating to London where they found a mentor in actor Richard Todd who seems to have helped them score a contract with the small UK Nepentha Records. (For some bizarre reason Mercury Records subsequently deciding to acquire American distribution rights.)

Released in 1970, the oddly titled "And I Turned As I Had As a Boy" found the group teamed with producer Larry Page (best known for his work with garage rock acts like The Troggs). Similar to early Fairport Convention, Steeleye Span, or a score of other early-1970s UK bands, this was best described as classic English acoustic folk-rock. At the same time these guys differed from their competition in several ways. Whereas Fairport and others were big on updating traditional folks songs, Dulcimer's LP featured all-original material.

The band's 1971's follow-up "Room for Thought" was immediately shelved and didn't see a release until two decades later when the small Background label acquired rights to it. Although Room for Thought is not quite as bewitching as Dulcimer's debut album, it is far more enigmatic. Recorded, then shelved for twenty years, it puts the listener in the position of having to imagine it's presence in the world in which it was created. It could perhaps be considered typical of the era, but it's delicately wise.

Tracks

1. To Need Her - 3:22

2. Status In Maryland - 2:00

3. Mr. Rip Van Winkle - 4:53

4. The Planters Cottage - 4:34

5. Running On Down The Road - 2:21

6. Empty Hallways - 3:49

7. Grey Lady Morning - 3:18

8. Missing The Head - 3:19

9. Mr. Time - 2:32

10.Sandalwood Sailors - 6:06

11.Scarlet Lady - 3:04

12.But Maybe Not - 3:09

All compositions by Dave Eaves, Pete Hodge, Jem North

Dulcimer

*Dave Eaves - Lead Vocals, Harmonica, Acoustic, Twelve-String Guitar

*Pete Hodge - Vocals, Harmonica, Mandolin, Dulcimer, Twelve-String, Acoustic Guitar

*Jem North - Bass, Glockenspiel, Percussion, Coconuts, Wind, Vocals

Tuesday, April 14, 2026

rep>>> Eliott Randall - Randall's Island (1970 us, fantastic rock vibes blended with experimental jazzy blues funky beats, 2011 remaster)

Elliott Randall’s illustrious career has encompassed a wide and varied cross-section of World Musical forms. These include: record production, composition, electronic research and development, lectures and teaching, and of course, a legendary contribution to popular guitar performance and recording.His guitar solos on Steely Dan’s “Reelin’ In The Years” and “Fame” (the motion picture) have entered Rock history annals.

What a strange and interesting crew this was in this debut Randall's Island album! Paul Fleisher and I played together beginning in the early-mid 60′s in NYC niteclubs including Trude Heller’s, The Peppermint Lounge, and The Metropole. He and I co-authored the entire record. I’d known Allen Herman & Bob Piazza for quite a while too – before they joined The Island, they were members of Genya Ravan’s R&B supergroup Ten Wheel Drive. Phillip Namanworth had been playing with Dave Van Ronk & The Hudson Dusters, and brought with him a boogie-thing that was just too contagious! Terry Adams of NRBQ guested on Hammond B-3.

George Andrews handled the string arrangements; he used to lead a big-band in NYC, which was well… quite an education. Through the ranks of this band came Steve Gadd, The Brecker Brothers, David Sanborn, Lou Soloff, Chuck Rainey, and most of the Island crew. (Like I said – an education.) Andy Muson also guested on 2 tracks; killer jazzer, also played with Albert King for a spell before moving on to a hugely successful studio career in LA. Finally, the legendary Eddie Kramer, engineer/producer extraordinaire – for most of the Jimi Hendrix records, as well as Led Zeppelin, Traffic, and a host of others.

Elliott Randall

Tracks

1. Sour Flower (Elliott Randall) - 6:29

2. Life in Botanical Gardens (Oh Yes) - 4:06

3. Take Out the Dog and Bark the Cat - 3:47

4. Mumblin' to Myself - 3:29

5. Brother People (Elliott Randall, Bob Piazza, Allen Herman) - 3:00

6. Jolly Green Giant and the Statue of Liberty - 2:50

7. Bustin' My Brains - 4:14

8. All I Am - 7:35

All compositions by Elliott Randall, Paul Fleisher, except where indicated

Musicians
*Elliott Randall - Guitars , Vocals
*Paul Fleisher - Sax, Flute
*Phillip Namanworth - Piano, Organ
*Terry Adams - Organ, Moog, Piano
*Allen Herman - Drums
*Bob Piazza - Bass, Vocals
*Andy Muson - Bass
*George Andrews - Piano
*Richard Boch - Cello

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Monday, April 13, 2026

rep>>> Knowbody Else - Soldiers Of Pure Peace (1967 us, fascinating psych rock, pre-Black Oak Arkansas, 2012 release)

The band formed in Monette, Arkansas from the remnants of local bands the Surfs and the Epsilons, with members coming and going including Ricky Copeland on drums. Terry Cullen on guitar and Danny Knuckles on bass. By early 1966 they had coalesced as Knowbody Else with the lineup: ]im Mangrum, lead vocals, Rick Reynolds, 12-string guitar, Artis "J.R." Brewer, Jr., six-string guitar. Keith McCann, drums, Danny Reynolds, bass (shortly replaced by Pat Daugherty), and Ronnie Smith, organ and tambourine (shortly replaced by Harvey Jett). They were not The Knowbody Else, lust Knowbody Else. By not using the article their name became extremely cool. And they exuded cool.

What made them so exceptionally good? Their medium was performance and they took it to the level of fine art. Their live shows were enhanced by the visual aspects of each member's unique appearance and demeanor as well as the atmosphere provided by the lights and venue. Blend that visual image with the audial stimuli of their words and music, and you had an artistic presentation of exquisite melodic and visual excitement. It was performance art at its best: sound and sight fusing into pure poetry. Your emotions and intellect were thrilled to the bone. And, like all who achieve such levels of artistic creation and expression, they emitted the aura of the exotic, the magical.

The band lived together in an isolated house on farmland owned by ].R.'s father near Manilla, Arkansas. This arrangement allowed the band to focus completely on their art, free from normal societal strictures. Their art came first, and their goal was nothing less than perfection. They practiced rigorously every day, leaving all else to fall wherever it may. And if this meant that on many days the only food available would be popcorn and Kool-Aid, then so be it. It was through Knowbody Else that I first learned about total dedication to one's art, and the importance of self-discipline, which greatly influenced my own life as an artist. Knowbody Else was the most unique band I had ever heard. Every member had a microphone, and sang beautiful harmonies.

The band assimilated a lot of the music that was going on around them, yet came up with a very distinct style. There is a strong folk-rock feel to some of the material ("White, Mix And Smith"), while other tracks ("On A Busy Day") recall a mod psychedelic sound not unlike the Who. Some of their psychedelic excursions ("Ten Till Five") pushed the boundaries of the day, incorporating studio effects and eastern-inspired guitar riffs over a single-chord drone. Although in performance they played so loudly that your ears would still be ringing the next day, their studio work shows their skill to cover a wide dynamic range.

In addition to their original songs, they played many of the standard covers of the day, reinventing them to fit their sound. A sample of their repertoire includes: "Turn Turn Turn," "The Bells Of Rhymney," "My Little Red Book," "A Message To Pretty," "It Was A Very Good Year," "Could You, Would You," "It's All Over Now Baby Blue" (Them's version), "Don't Talk To Strangers," "The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore," "You're A Better Man Than I," "Stuck Inside of Mobile With the Memphis Blues Again," "I Don't Believe," "For My Own," "Leave Me Be" and "All Day And All Of The Night."

There was a contradictory air about the band, because they looked like outcasts, or criminals, or mad men. They looked dangerous, yet never hurt a thing. They practiced honesty, respect for others' property and beliefs, and peace. They did not enter your world. But through their performances you could enter their's. They did not compromise. They played at the same high quality every time they performed, whether to an audience of one, or to an crowd of hundreds. They were like gypsies. Not of this society, yet moving in it.

As I found out many years later, renowned Memphis musician, engineer and producer Jim Dickinson heard Knowbody Else, and was very impressed. He asked if he could produce and record their original compositions. The band had been turned away by other recording engineers who did not know how to record a band that played as loudly as they did. Dickinson knew how to do it, and believed that the resulting album would make them all famous, and rich.

Throughout I 967, whenever they were close enough to make the drive to Memphis after completing a Saturday night gig, the band would spend the rest of the night in Ardent Studios working with Dickinson. At shows, they began to announce that they were recording an album to be called Soldiers of Pure Peace, and that it would be released by the summer of 1968. However, it was not to be. Shortly after the completion of the recording sessions, something occurred that caused the band and Dickinson to mysteriously and completely put the project aside. No one seems to know exactly what happened; maybe it was due to a mishandling of publishing rights, or the rejection of the album by Atlantic Records' Jerry Wexler.

The band created new songs for their repertoire and the songs from Soldiers of Pure Peace were never performed again. I, though, could not abandon those first songs of Knowbody Else. They are works of musical art which 1 had heard performed spectacularly on several occasions, and I had been eagerly awaiting the release of the album. It was very difficult to accept the fact that I would never hear these songs again. As the years went by I searched for anyone who might know something about what had happened to the tapes, hoping that recordings still existed.

In the early 1990s I was told that Jim Dickinson, who was also an authority on music recorded in Memphis, might have information about these recordings. I called him and we started a discussion and friendship based on our mutual love and respect for that phenomenon: Knowbody Else. Dickinson had once possessed the tapes of the songs for Soldiers of Pure Peace, but believed that they had been destroyed due to improper storage. In a happy twist of fate, in 2005, Dickinson discovered the master tapes to 10 of the 15 songs he had recorded in 1967. Dickinson burned a CD of the songs for me, and after 38 years of searching for the music, I was able to hear it again.

A couple of years later, I played the CD for Erik Lindgren who was visiting me in Oxford. Mississippi. Erik was blown away by what he heard. As with all performance art, its occurrence happening on the canvas of time, passing even as it is created, the art of Knowbody Else occurred, was experienced by those present, and is gone. But, we are lucky to have the soundtrack to their art. And now, 45 years after it was created, this musical masterpiece is presented to the world.

by Glennray Tutor, May, 2012

Tracks
1. MRB - 2:31
2. On A Busy Day - 2:23
3. Your Big Brown Chair - 2:48
4. The Circus Song - 2:54
5. Free Singers' Island - 2:21
6. Secret Storm - 3:09
7. The Cowboy Song - 2:25
8. Ten Till Five - 2:40
9. Until I'm Like Uncle Hugh - 2:49
10.White, Mix And Smith - 2:48
All songs writen by Rick Reynolds, Jim Mangrum

Knowbody Else
*Jim Mangrum - Lead Vocals
*Rick Reynolds - 12 String Guitar, Organ, Bass, Vocals
*Artis Brewer Jr. - 6 String Guitar, Vocals
*Keith McCann - Drums, Vocals

The Black Oak Arkansas heights
1971 Black Oak Arkansas (Debut album)
1973 High On The Hog
1973 The Complete Raunch 'N' Roll (Live)
1976 Balls Of Fire

1967 Pearls Before Swine - One Nation Underground (2010 Japan)

Sunday, April 12, 2026

rep>>> Tom Rapp - Stardancer (1972 us, excellent progressive folk rock with baroque traces, 2009 remaster)

The word underscore comes to mind when I hear Pearls Before Swine. Here lies a wooden expression lightly fused with jazz tempo, but solidified exoterically with remarkable poetry, the ultimate impression of Tom Rapp.

Tom got it together quite early when he recruited high school friends Wayne Harley (banjo, mandolin), Lane Lederer (bass, guitar) & Roger Crissinger (piano, organ) as Pearls Before Swine. Tom a folk nurtured disciple was strongly influenced by a group of beat poets called The Fugs which gave rise to Pearl Before Swine's EP styled 1967 debut One Nation Underground that reflected mysticism, solitary love and protest.

The controversial "Miss Morse", spelled out an obscenity in code while the opening "Another Time" was sheer angelic tears. Largely an experimental album with varied sounds, the real strength of the album was its hippy sincerity ("Drop Out") and un- pretentious avante -garde message. With tears in my eyes I have rarely heard anything this beautiful ("Morning Song"), it pierces heart and cleanses the soul.

Rapp stated that Stardancer was the first album since the first Pearls album One Nation Underground over which he had full control. The fierce anti-war song "Fourth Day of July", with its references to "the broken children of Vietnam", was widely played in "underground" circles of the time. The lighthearted "Summer of '55" contains some of Rapp's cleverest aphorisms, such as "When the day breaks / the pieces fall on you".

Two of his other songs, "Stardancer" and "For The Dead In Space", reflect on themes of loss against a background of space travel and can be seen as reworkings of Like most of the Pearls Before Swine albums, the sleeve design used classic art works, in this case the painting "Descent of the Rebel Angels" by Pieter Brueghel the Elder on the front sleeve, and a William Morris background design on the reverse.Pearls Before Swine's earlier "Rocket Man".

Tracks
1. Fourth Day Of July - 4:55
2. For The Dead In Space - 4:05
3. The Baptist - 5:10
4. Summer Of '55 - 2:13
5. Tiny Song - 2:33
6. Stardancer - 5:42
7. Marshall - 2:15
8. Why Should I Care (John Osborne, John Addison) - 2:54
9. Touch Tripping - 4:55
10.Les Ans - 1:50
All songs by Tom Rapp except as else listed.

Musicians
*Tom Rapp - Vocals, Guitar
*Charlie McCoy - Guitar, Dobro, Organ, Banjo, Harmonica, Toy Piano
*Mike Leech - Bass Guitar, String Arrangements
*Steve McCord - Guitar, Musical Advisor
*David Briggs - Piano
*Bobby Wood - Piano
*Jim Isbell - Drums, Percussion
*Buddy Spicher - Fiddle, Electric Viola, Electric Violin
*Weldon Myric - Steel Guitar
*Florence Warner - Vocals
*Reggie Young - Electric Guitar
*Jim Colvard - Electric Guitar
*Roger Crissinger - Organ, Piano
-Pearls Before Swine (Tracks 3,6,7)
*Art Ellis - Flute, Wind Chimes, Congas, Vocals
*Harry Orlove - Guitar, Mandolin, Vocals
*Bill Rollins - Cello, Vocals
-String quartet (Track 10)
*Brenton Banks - Violin
*Gary Van Osdale - Viola
*Sheldon Kurland - Violin
*Byron Bach - Cello

1972 Tom Rapp - Familiar Songs (2003 Water)

1971 Pearls Before Swine - City of Gold (2003 Water)

1971 Pearls Before Swine - Beautiful Lies You Could Live In (2003 Water)

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1969-73 Sir Douglas Quintet - Mendocino (bonus material reissue)
1973 Doug Sahm - Doug Sahm And Band

Friday, April 10, 2026

rep>>> Sir Douglas Quintet - The Best Of ....Plus (1964-1966 us, exciting garage roots 'n' roll, 2000 release)

Recorded between 1964 and 1966, this set is a companion to THE SIR DOUGLAS QUINTET IS BACK! The Sir Douglas Quintet came off more like a gritty amalgam of every strain of music that drifted through the airwaves of Texas.

Leader Doug Sahm had wide-ranging musical tastes but he attached himself to every performance with such pure and utter confidence that the tendency to label his music falls away as its wonderful wholeness becomes apparent. "She's About a Mover," the number that put the Quintet on the map, opens things up. Delights abound--from the riveting "The Rains Came" to the bluesy drama of "In The Pines."

The breadth found in this timeless music can be heard as the blueprint for Doug Sahm's music career over the following three decades. Restless, reverent, honest and bold, this is an essential Sir Douglas Quintet songs collection from their early period (it's not an all-time best of compilation despite its title)

Tracks

1. She's About a Mover - 2:23

2. Beginning of the End (Jimmy Duncan) - 2:58

3. Tracker (Dick Kline) - 2:33

4. You're out Walkin' the Streets Tonight - 2:16

5. In the Pines (Traditional) - 2:22

6. In the Jailhouse Now #2 (Jimmie Rodgers) - 2:22

7. Quarter to Three (Frank Guida, Gary Anderson, Gene Barge, Joseph Royster) - 1:45

8. One Way Out (Sonny Boy Williamson II) - 3:12

9. Rains Came (Huey P. Meaux) - 2:14

10.Please Just Say So (Doug Sahm, Jay Schenider) - 2:25

11.We'll Take Our Last Walk Tonight - 2:44

12.You're out Walkin' the Streets Tonight - 1:50

13.Sugar Bee (Eddie Shuler) - 2:19

14.Blue Norther (Al Nilsen, Nathaniel Allen) - 2:17

15.Story of John Hardy (Traditional) - 2:42

16.In Time - 2:15

17.Bacon Fat (Andre Williams, Devora Brown) - 2:26

18.She's Gotta Be Boss - 2:11

19.Love Don't Treat Me Fair - 1:32

20.She Digs My Love - 2:47

21.When I Sing the Blues - 2:31

All songs by Doug Sahm except where noted

The Sir Douglas Quintet

*Doug Sahm - Vocals, Guitar
*Jack Barber - Bass Guitar
*Augie Meyers - Keyboards
*Frank Morin - Saxophone, Percussion
*Johnny Perez - Drums

1973-74 Doug Sahm - Doug Sahm And Band / Texas Tornado / Groovers Paradise (2016 double disc)

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Thursday, April 9, 2026

rep>>> Dark - Round The Edges (1972 uk, fantastic psych jam rock, 2013 digi pack remaster and 2002 with extra tracks)

It must have been 1990. I was paying a visit to a heavily connected record dealer who had just received some tapes from overseas. He put one on with the words "This is what Paul [Major] and Gregg [Breth] are going to reissue, it's an English album called DARK". I had never heard of it before. "Dark, huh?". The music comes on, a very intro-like thing which nevertheless suggested a nice drum and guitar sound quite unlike the usual 1972 bombast. "Hmm...". Then the actual song begins, a confident, lyrical west coast jam sound like 1968 Quicksilver on a strong night. "This sounds good...", I say. Light, unpretentious vocals enter and the final great fear – that of an Operatic Macho Vocalist – disappears. "This sounds, uh... very good". The record dealer nods in agreement. Shortly after this the Swank label US vinyl reissue did appear, but for reasons not yet made clear it cost not less than $150 in retail, so I passed and settled for a tape dupe.

According to Stephen Smith who produced a more affordable Dark reissue two years later, there will never be another private press British LP of the same stature as Dark "Round the edges". This may be true, and it certainly is one of the rarest, but then rarity doesn't account for anything, and in terms of quality there's nothing exceptional about it. It is a good LP, but also with a number of flaws of varying degrees. As it turns out, my first encounter with it turned out to be a bit of a deception.

After getting the Kissing Spell reissue CD my one-line review of the Dark LP used to be that it "gets weaker for each track". This is not entirely true, but the track sequencing is one of the problems. The opening "Darkside" track, as hinted above, is perhaps the best underground guitarpsych track ever to come out of England, a piece of pure perfection; jammy, loose, beckoning, un-hardrocky, anything. The rest of side 1 is in the same vein, just slightly less "there", and I always choke on the lyrics on "Maypole" which strike me as simple gibberish.

Side 2 opens with the album's weakest track which I can only describe as mediocre, an uninspired melody unfortunately accentuated by a lead guitar playing tandem with the vocals; tracks 5 and 6 are better, but the lack of a "Darkside" makes the second half of the LP a rather pedestrian experience, with insufficient time devoted to songwriting, and nothing added to the fullfleshed statement of the opener – losing the "R C 8" track altogether and shuffling the others around a bit would undoubtedly improved the LP a couple of points.

On a more fundamental level, the vibe I get from Dark is that of a bunch of unknown guys who have been rehearsing in a basement for a long time, building an extensive understanding of each others musical ideas, and each honing their craft – the playing is superb, perhaps the drummer most of all – and it isn't really hardrock, or bluesrock, but a classic jam outfit bred out of the late 1960s US westcoast style, almost jazzy in the playing, but never pretentious or showoffy. That's the positive side of the coin, the negative is that any desire to make a personal statement; perhaps even the ability to do so, went missing in the basement about 500 hours of rehearsal ago. Dark are very sure of what they can play, and they can even afford to be cool about it, but the coolness by definition also means a lack of passion, or fire – again, it's only the initial "Darkside" track that resembles something born out of experience and emotion, rather than an exploration of scales and time signatures.
Lysergia

Tracks
1. Darkside (Steve Giles, Ronald Johnson, Clive Thorneycroft, Colin Bush) - 7:28
2. Maypole (Steve Giles) - 5:03
3. Live For Today (Steve Giles, Ronald Johnson, Clive Thorneycroft, Martin Weaver) - 8:07
4. R.C.8 (Steve Giles) - 5:05
5. Cat (Steve Giles, Ronald Johnson, Clive Thorneycroft) - 5:19
6. Zero Time (Steve Giles, Ronald Johnson, Clive Thorneycroft) - 6:49

Bonus Tracks 2002 Progressive Line release

7. In The Sky (Steve Giles) - 4:17

8. Wasting Your Time (Steve Giles, Ronald Johnson, Clive Thorneycroft) - 4:59

9. Could Have Sworn (Steve Giles, Ronald Johnson, Clive Thorneycroft) - 4:56

10.Maypole (Steve Giles) - 5:52

Dark
*Colin Bush - Bass
*Steve Giles - Guitar
*Clive Thorneycroft - Drums
*Ronald Johnson - Bass
*Martin Weaver - Guitar

1969-71 Dark - Teenage Angst The Early Sessions
1974-95 Dark - Anonymous Days

1967 Gene Clark - Echoes
1968-69 Dillard And Clark - Fantastic Expedition / Through The Morning, Through The Night
1971 Gene Clark - White Light
1972 Gene Clark - Roadmaster (2011 Edition)
1979 McGuinn, Clark And Hillman (2014 Japan SHM Remaster)
1964 The Byrds - Preflyte (2012 Edition)
1973 Byrds - Byrds (2004 issue)

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Wednesday, April 8, 2026

rep>>> The Rose Garden - A Trip Through The Garden (1967-68 us, amazing sunny folk psych, 2018 bonus tracks remaster)

A Trip Through The Garden, a first-time Rose Garden anthology, is a companion piece to the Clark release and, as such, it illuminates the relationship and tells the band’s story.

A Trip Through The Garden includes the ten tracks from The Rose Garden, the band’s non-album A- and B-sides, previously unheard studio recordings, demos, live tracks and a band rehearsal of “Till Today” which was, extraordinarily, taped in Noreen’s bedroom with Gene Clark.

In the liner notes, The Rose Garden is described as “steeped in jingle-jangle Byrdsy folk rock (done well but arguably passé by 1968) and lush folk-inspired vocal harmonies” which nails it. The band were not writers – though they took arrangement credits for the folk songs “Flower Town” (their rewrite of “Portland Town”) and “Rider”.

The Rose Garden hangs together and is a prime example of West Coast pop of the period. Nonetheless it was, indeed, a little behind the times. A fair guess for a release date made after hearing the album for the first time would be Summer 1967: an assumption supported by the very 1967 song title “Flower Town” and the cover of The Giant Sunflower’s April 1967 single “February Sunshine”. Even so, five decades on it remains a fresh, winning album.

What led up to it being recorded, the deal with Greene and Stone and the contract with ATCO (also The Buffalo Springfield and Sonny & Cher’s label) is detailed. The roots of The Rose Garden lay in the suburbs outside Los Angeles (not West Virginia as has been said elsewhere) and in a band variously named The Marauders, The PF Flyers and the magnificently handled The Blokes: the latter after a line in Herman’s Hermits’ “Mrs. Brown You’ve Got A Lovely Daughter”. Initially, The Beatles were the inspiration, especially the Rickenbacker guitar sound permeating the A Hard Day’s Night album.

Then, The Byrds arrived on the scene and swiftly became The Blokes’ prime influence. A Trip Through The Garden’s live tracks include fine versions of “She Don’t Care About Time” and “So You Want To Be A Rock ’N’ Roll Star”. Playing a late 1966 afternoon show at the Ash Grove venue, they saw the by-then former Byrd Gene Clark at the bar. They did a few Byrds covers, he applauded and was duly invited onto the stage where they ran-through “I’ll Feel A Whole Lot Better” and “‘Eight Miles High” with him. The relationship with Clark did not end there and, ultimately, the band recorded a pair of his post-Byrds songs.

Following their initial encounter with Clark, the all-male, mostly teenage band added singer Diana De Rose, attracted Green and Stone’s attention and changed their name from The Blokes to The Rose Garden. Despite the infrastructure now surrounding them, they had just the one hit. Clark joining them in the studio to help record his compositions, play tambourine and offer advice did not help. Neither did the presence of Neil Young, also there when they recorded the album (he is not on it). Their strong version of Young’s then-unreleased “Down To The Wire” is heard here for the first time. The end came soon after ATCO divisively credited one of their singles to “The Rose Garden Featuring Diana De Rose.”

Listening to this fine band raises the what-if of whether they might have evolved into a self-determining unit: could they have begun generating their own songs? But the question is moot. The Rose Garden were what they were, and the music they left behind is uniformly great. And, as the hugely enjoyable A Trip Through The Garden amply demonstrates, they were about much more than “Next Plane To London”.

by Kieron Tyler, Sunday, 17 June 2018

The Complete Rose Garden Story

Tracks
1. Next Plane To London (Kenny Gist Jr.) - 2:32
2. I'm Only Second (Charles W. Higgins, Pat Vegas) - 3:14
3. February Sunshine (Pat Vegas, Val Geary) - 2:39
4. Coins Of Fun (Leonard A. Metzger, Pat Vegas) - 3:01
5. Rider (Traditional) - 2:59
6. She Belongs To Me (Bob Dylan) - 3:57
7. Flower Town (Bruce Bowdin, Diana DeRose, James Groshong, John Noreen, William Fleming) - 3:19
8. Till Today (Gene Clark) - 3:16
9. Look What You've Done (Bob Johnston, Wes Farrell) - 3:08
10.Long Time (Gene Clark) - 2:02
11.If My World Falls Through (Kenny O'Dell) - 2:41
12.Here's Today (John Noreen, Phil Vickery) - 2:33
13.Down To The Wire (Neil Young) - 2:38
14.Charlie The Fer De Lance (Dann Lottermoser, Donald Lewis Dunn, Tony McCashen) - 3:00
15.The World Is A Great Big Playground (Al Kooper, Bob Crewe, Irwin Levine) - 3:50
16.Here's Today (John Noreen, Phil Vickery) - 2:42
17.If My World Fall's Through (Kenny O'Dell) - 3:28
18.Dead Men Never Die (Take 2) (Leon Rosselson) - 2:58
19.I'm Only Second (Acetate Version) (Charles W. Higgins, Pat Vegas) - 3:10
20.Till Today (Rehearsel) (Gene Clark) - 3:21
21.Till Today (Acetate Version) (Gene Clark) - 3:16
22.Next Plane To London (Kenny Gist Jr.) - 2:35
23.So You Want To Be A Rock N Roll Star (Chris Hillman, Roger McGuinn) - 2:25
24.She Don't Care About Time (Gene Clark) - 2:38
25.It's The Little Things (Sonny Bono) - 3:00
26.You Don't Love Me (Bo Diddley, Willie Cobbs) - 4:01
Tracks 11-12 Mono Single Version
Tracks 16-17 Stereo Mix
TYracks 22-26 Live recordings

The Rose Garden
*Diana De Rose - Lead Vocals, Acoustic Guitar
*John Noreen - Lead 12 String Guitar, Vocals
*James Groshong - Lead Vocals, Guitar
*William Fleming - Bass
*Bruce Bowdin - Drums
With
*Gene Clark - Vocals

Related Acts
1967 Gene Clark - Sings For You (2018 digipak with unreleased material)
1964-90 Gene Clark - Flying High
1964-82 Gene Clark ‎- The Lost Studio Sessions (2016 audiophile double Vinyl set)

Tuesday, April 7, 2026

rep>>> Jonathan And Leigh - Third And Main (1967 us, wonderful psych folk country rock, 2007 remaster)

Forged in the early 60s folk scene of Dayton, Ohio, Jonathan and Leigh arrived in New York City in 1967 to play the Greenwich Village folk club The Gaslight Cafe. Vanguard Records' Maynard Solomon was in the audience and was so knocked out that he signed them for "the biggest cash advance the company's ever handed out...$3000 against five percent of record sales" (as a local Ohio newspaper noted at the time).

The album was recorded in a converted church in New York with outstanding supporting musicians such as Russ Savakus, Richard Davis and Bill Salter; overdubs by Jay Berliner and Warren Smith were added later. The sound is very distinctive, with Jonathan And Leigh's heartfelt Ohio roots shining through in the strong vocals and the accompanying music veering between simple folk stylings and a jangly, electric-folk hybrid. The songs are superb.

Having been honed over the preceding three years they worked together in Ohio, they represent an impressive debut statement. Particularly fine are Winding River, Summer Sorrow (written for Mimi Farina after husband Richard's tragic death in a motorcycle accident) and Tapestry (John's favourite of them all). Though John wrote most of the songs, Sandy came up with the tune to Winding River after John recited the lyrics down the phone to her. He recalled: "I talked the words down the phone to Sandy and she came up with the beautiful music."

However, the hoped-for success did not come and the duo returned to Ohio. Later John Alden moved to Los Angeles, where he remained for eight years before returning to Dayton. He was part of the band Starbuck (along with Leigh), who recorded a session produced by Don Everly for Atlantic (though the album was never finished or released).

Subsequently John recorded two albums as part of the country band Electric Range - singing lead, playing guitar and bringing his song writing talents to that group. Electric Range's debut features the Byrds Chris Hillman and was produced by the Eagles Randy Meisner. Sandy Roepken (“Leigh”) went on to form a duo with her husband Michael Bashaw and they have worked together continuously since the late 60s.

by John Crosby

Tracks
1. Constant Tuesday - 3:06
2. Someday Baby (John Estes, Hammie Nixon) - 2:00
3. Tapestry - 2:33
4. Brownsville (Traditional) - 2:32
5. Song For Shelley - 2:38
6. Third And Main - 3:29
7. Balm In Gilead (Traditional) - 2:21
8. Cocaine Blues (Traditional) - 2:31
9. Summer Sorrow - 3:15
10.Winding River - 2:41
11.Changes (Phil Ochs) - 2:51
12.If The Earth Be Round - 2:19
All songs by Jonathan Alden except where indicated.

Jonathan And Leigh
*Sandy Roepken - Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Dulcimer
*Jonathan Alden - Vocals, Guitars
*Warren Smith - Drums
*William Salter - Bass
With
*Vinnie Bell - Electric Guitar
*Jay Berliner - Electric Guitar
*Richard Davis - Bass
*Russ Savakus - Bass