Led by explosive guitar player Chris (later Christa) Bond, Thunder and Roses was a power-trio from Philly in the best tradition of Cream or the Jimi Hendrix Experience. This is their sole album, originally released in 1969. A cult psychedelic hard-rock classic, including “White Lace and Strange”, famously covered by Nirvana.
Thunder and Roses (named after a story from The Astounding Science Fiction Anthology) started to take form when genius 18-years old guitar player Chris Bond and bassist Tom Schaffer met heavy drummer George Emme (previously of The Electric Power House). Rehearsing six days a week the trio gelled quick and soon they were playing memorable shows at venues like Electric Factory and the Trauma.
Recorded at Sigma Sound by Joe Tarcia, “King of the Black Sunrise” was released by United Artists in 1969. Dominated by Bond’s outstanding fuzz-wah guitar playing, the album featured seven original songs plus a storming cover of Hendrix’s “Red House”. Sadly, the record label took a wrong decision when refused to release the killer “White Lace and Strange” as a 45 to promote the album, choosing the mockery “Country Life” instead.
After Thunder & Roses split, guitar player and main songwriter Chris Bond had a successful career as producer, songwriter, arranger and session musician, working closely with Daryl Hall & John Oates as well as other top artists. Later in his life, Chris eventually transitioned from male to female and changed her name to Christa. She sadly passed away in 2019.
Guerssen
Tracks
1. White Lace and Strange - 3:16
2. I Love a Woman - 4:43
3. Country Life - 2:51
4. Red House (Jimi Hendrix) - 5:40
5. Moon Child - 4:14
6. Dear Dream Maker - 3:33
7. King of the Black Sunrise - 3:51
8. Open Up Your Eyes - 7:26
All song by Chris Bond, except where noted.
Thunder And Roses
*Chris Bond - Guitars, Vocals
*Tom Schaffer - Bass, Vocals
*George Emme - Drums
The largest stack of amplifiers onstage at Woodstock didn't belong to The Who, Jefferson Airplane, The Grateful Dead or even Jimi Hendrix. It belonged to the then- unknown Mountain. The new band was playing only its fourth live show when it appeared at the legendary 1969 rock festival.
On that muddy Saturday - August 16, 1969- Mountain was in the unenviable position of not only being unknown, but of following, among others, an outstanding set by Santana that had throngs dancing, plus a hit-punctuated set by fellow blues rockers Canned Heat. The latter debuted an improvised "Woodstock Boogie" in honor of the fest.
Then Mountain's Leslie West unleashed his growling, bruiser voice and blistering guitar attack. Although the band was unfamiliar, "the crowd loved them," recalled festival co- creator Michael Lang in his 2009 book The Road To Woodstock. "Not to be outdone by Canned Heat, they came up with their own song at the festival" - "For Yasgur's Farm."
That baptism-by-concert was as it should have been. Few bands of the era were as superb in performance as Mountain. From Woodstock, the band went on to establish itself at the 1970 Atlanta Pop Festival and New York's Randall's Island Festival, also in 1970.
Prior to forming Mountain, Leslie West thought he was a pretty good rock guitarist - until he saw Cream's Eric Clapton. Multi-instrumentalist and fellow New Yorker Felix Pappalardi was Cream's producer. So who better to produce West's 1969 album, titled Mountain? The guitarist liked the experience so much that he recruited Pappalardi to form a band, also called Mountain. With keyboardist Steve Knight and drummer Norman D. Smart, the young group stormed the Woodstock stage.
The first Mountain LP, Climbing!, was issued in early 1970. It included the group's biggest hit, "Mississippi Queen." Smart was soon replaced on drums by Corky Laing. The dynamics of the group were created by the interplay between West's blazing and highly amplified vibrato guitar and Pappalardi's sophisticated and jazz inflected bass, particularly live.
Wisely, the group's third LP, Flowers Of Evil (1971), was half comprised of material recorded in concert at The Fillmore East. The follow-up was fully live, 1972's Mountain Live: The Road Goes Ever On. By then, the band had broken up. In 1974, West and Pappalardi re-formed Mountain. Again playing to the group's strength as a visceral live ensemble, Twin Peaks was issued as a double live LP. Then a second breakup occurred.
In 1983, Felix Pappalardi was shot. to death by his wife, Gail Collins Pappalardi. She had designed many of Mountain's album covers and written several of its song lyrics. West and Laing formed a new Mountain and dedicated its comeback album to their deceased comrade. In various incarnations, the group has continued ever since.
The legacy of the classic Mountain sound endures. Today, the band's music is heard in several video games. The live recording of Mountain's "Long Red" is one of the most sampled tracks in hip-hop, having been used by such stars as A Tribe Called Quest, Nas, and Kanye West, among others. Tracks like "Blood Of The Sun" and "Nantucket Sleighride" continue to influence hard-rock musicians.
More importantly, Mountain marked the true birth of American heavy metal. In Britain, Jimi Hendrix, Cream, Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple had paved the way during the late 1960s. In the U.S., bands such as Blue Cheer and the MC5 had adopted feedback and other metal traits prior to Mountain. But in Leslie West, America found its first real metal-guitar god.
by Robert K. Oermann
Mountain Felix Pappalardi - Bass, Vocals Leslie West - Guitar, Vocals Corky Laing - Drums (Tracks 1-3, 7-12) Steve Knight - Organ (Tracks 1-3, 7-12) David Perry - Rhythm Guitar (Tracks 1-3) Norman D. Smart - Drums (Tracks 1-3) Bob Mann - Guitar, Keyboards (Tracks 4-6) Allan Schwartzberg - Drums (Tracks 4-6)
Mountain's follow-up to the very successful Climbing! is another tour-de-force of heavy rock styles, mixed this time even more effectively with an increased sense of experimentalism. Columbia/Legacy has once again put together a nice little remaster package here, with liner notes from Leslie West and Corky Laing, photos, and vibrant sound.
The hard rock sounds of "Don't Look Around" start the CD off in head-banging fashion, with West's throaty growl and rampaging guitar riffs backed by the rhythm section of Laing and Felix Pappalardi, and contrasted by the lush Mellotron notes from Steve Knight. The epic title track is an early 70's classic, featuring melodic vocals from Pappalardi, huge pounding guitar parts from West, and Knights cascading keyboards. West assaults the listener with stinging lead lines and churning rhythm guitar on the rocking "You Can't Get Away", and angry song that just screams to be played live, and "Tired Angels" features some wicked pentatonic licks (listen to this song and hear where Michael Schenker and Uli John Roth might have gotten some inspiration) and layers of organ and piano from Knight.
"The Animal Trainer and the Toad" is a funky but heavy blues-rocker, while "My Lady" has a hint of psychedelia as well as good early 70's pop. The CD ends with the metal-meets-prog of "Travellin' In The Dark (To E.M.P.)" and the electric blues of "The Great Train Robbery", highlighted by some nasty slide guitar from Leslie West. The bonus track on this reissue is a live version of "Travellin' In The Dark (To E.M.P.)", that suffers a bit from the bass and organ being way too high in the mix, but is neat to hear nevertheless.
While not the out-and-out ball-buster that Climbing! is, Nantucket Sleighride is a great follow-up, and an important album in hard rock history that cemented Mountain as a force to be reckoned with and Leslie West a bona-fide guitar hero.
by Pete Pardo
Tracks
1. Don't Look Around (Leslie West, Sue Palmer, Felix Pappalardi, Gail Collins) - 3:47
2. Taunta (Felix Pappalardi) - 1:00
3. Nantucket Sleighride (To Owen Coffin) (Felix Pappalardi, Gail Collins) - 5:55
4. You Can't Get Away (Leslie West, Gail Collins, Corky Laing) - 3:28
5. Tired Angels (To J.M.H.) (Felix Pappalardi, Gail Collins) - 4:42
6. The Animal Trainer And The Toad (Leslie West, Sue Palmer) - 3:29
7. My Lady (Corky Laing, Felix Pappalardi, Gail Collins) - 4:36
8. Travellin' In The Dark (To E.M.P.) (Felix Pappalardi, Gail Collins) - 4:27
9. The Great Train Robbery (Leslie West, Corky Laing, Felix Pappalardi, Gail Collins) - 5:50
10.Travellin' In The Dark (To E.M.P.) (Live) (Felix Pappalardi, Gail Collins) - 5:10
Corbitt was performing as a folksinger in the Cambridge, MA area when he met and started playing with Jesse Colin Young. Young already had a burgeoning career with two albums to his name but, in 1965, the two started to tour in Canada under the name The Youngbloods. The two eventually added Corbitt's friend, bluegrass musician Lowell "Banana" Levinger, and drummer Joe Bauer to flesh out their act into a full band.
The Youngbloods would become the house band at Cafe Au Go Go and signed with RCA Records where they released their self-titled first album in early 1967. A single from the set, the Corbitt written Grizzly Bear, went to number 52 and the follow up, the Chet Powers song Get Together, stalled at 62. The band followed with Earth Music later that year and 1969's Elephant Mountain, none of which broke into the mainstream. Their big success came when New York DJ Dan Ingram used the song Get Together behind a public service announcement he recorded for the National Conference of Christians and Jews. The renewed interest in the track propelled it back up the charts to a peak of numbers.
Corbitt left the Youngbloods in 1969 before the recording of Elephant Mountain to work on a solo career. His first success came in 1971 touring with Charlie Daniels in the duo Corbitt and Daniels. While he did record a couple of solo albums, his main work from the 70's on was in production, starting with Don McLean's Castles in the Air and going on to work with such artists as Pete Seeger, Buffy St. Marie, Janis Ian, Charlie McCoy, Ramblin' Jack Elliot, Joy of Cooking, Sonny Terry and Brownie McGee, Felix Pappalardi and many others. He also worked on numerous movies, TV shows and commercials.
Jerry Corbitt, passed away on Saturday March 9, 2014 at his home in Smiley, Texas of an undisclosed cause.
CD Liner-Notes
Tracks
1. Let The Music Come Inside (Jerry Corbitt) - 2:08
2. Out Of The Question (Jerry Corbitt, Larry Heald) - 5:07
3. Country Girl (Jerry Corbitt) - 1:48
4. Delight In Your Love (Jerry Corbitt) - 3:25
5. Queen Of England (Jeffrey Cain Stevens) - 1:51
6. The Psong (Jerry Corbitt, Jeffrey Cain Stevens) - 3:17
7. I Love You All (Jerry Corbitt, Jeffrey Cain Stevens) - 2:22
8. The Rain Song (Jerry Corbitt, Felix Pappalardi, Gail Collins) - 2:39
9. Banned In Boston (John Morier) - 3:26
10.Tribulations (Terri Garthwaite) - 2:04
11.Kahuna Song (Jerry Corbitt) - 3:09
Steve Howe joined Yes in 1970, just in time to reinvent progressive rock on the band’s third LP, The Yes Album. Ever since, his guitar work—a blend of Wes Montgomery jazz finesse, Chet Atkins country pickin’, and supercharged psychedelia—has been the band’s defining instrumental element. And if Steve Howe is Yes, then here’s technically a long-lost Yes album: his 1969 recordings with short-lived, ill-fated act Bodast.
The quartet—also featuring drummer Bobby Clarke, bassist Dave Curtis and frontman Clive Skinner—remain one of rock’s true tragedies, disintegrating shortly after their sessions with producer Keith West. Towards Utopia, Esoteric’s remastered compilation, showcases a band at the crux of the fading psych movement and the burgeoning prog-rock scene, with Howe’s instrumental heroics edging the songs toward the latter camp.
The plainest proof is “Nether Street,” a guitar workout that later formed the foundation of “Würm,” the final section of the Yes epic “Starship Trooper.” (For Yes fans, it’s a trip hearing “Nether Street” open with that triumphantly strummed acoustic guitar climax—it’s like watching a sex scene played in reverse.) There are other glimpses of what Bodast could’ve become: “Mr. Jones” sounds like a lost mid-period Beatles tune with a virtuoso guitarist on deck; “Do You Remember” is a disorienting hybrid of proto-prog, proto-punk and country-rock.
There’s a fascinating friction between Skinner’s pop-molded voice and Howe’s violent guitar eruptions, and it’s a shame that Bodast didn’t survive long enough to refine that formula. But in retrospect, we can appreciate the band on their own merits—as a pivotal launching pad for one of prog’s signature talents.
by Ryan Reed, January 30, 2018
Tracks
1. Nether Street (Clive Skinner, Dave Curtis, Steve Howe) - 3:00
2. Tired Towers (Clive Skinner, Dave Curtis, Steve Howe) - 3:10
3. Mr. Jones (Dave Curtis) - 3:01
4. Do You Remember (Dave Curtis) - 3:33
5. Beyond Winter (Clive Skinner, Steve Howe) - 2:45
6. Once In A Lifetime (Clive Skinner) - 3:28
7. Black Leather Gloves (Clive Skinner) - 3:25
8. I Want You (Dave Curtis) - 3:20
9. 1000 Years (Clive Skinner) - 2:40
10.Nothing To Cry For (Steve Howe) - 4:00
11.The Spanish Song (Dave Curtis, Steve Howe, Bobbie Woodman) - 2:19
12.Power Of Music (Dave Curtis, Steve Howe, Bobbie Woodman) - 4:31
Singer/songwriter Keith West is most known for his work in the fine cult 1960s British psychedelic band Tomorrow, as well as for the big U.K. hit single he scored as a solo artist while in the group, "Excerpt from a Teenage Opera." He did continue to record for quite a while after Tomorrow broke up, however, both as a solo artist and, in the mid-'70s, as part of Moonrider. He was the main songwriter on Moonrider's self-titled album, though it also had some material by ex-Family/Animals guitarist John Weider; the group also included bassist Bruce Thomas, who would soon join Elvis Costello's backup band, the Attractions.
Despite the relative wealth of well-known names for such an obscure group, however, Moonrider's album is somewhat unexpectedly ordinary mid-'70s mainstream rock. Although West and Weider were in notable psychedelic/progressive rock acts, the feel is surprisingly American-influenced; indeed, on "Having Someone," America (without the "n") influenced so much of it that the track recalls America (the band). It's a bit of a jolt to hear a British group bearing such prominent traces of mid-'70s California country rock and soft rock, with some similarities to the Eagles and Crosby, Stills & Nash in both the songs and harmonies.
The songs are pleasant and jovial spins on these styles, but lack bite and originality, occasionally toughening things up mildly with bluesy or funky licks. [There's no faulting the packaging on the 2011 CD reissue on RPM, however, which adds lengthy historical liner notes with plenty of quotes from West. It also has five bonus tracks, including a previously unreleased West demo of a song that didn't make the album, "Baby Blue," and both sides of two solo singles West did for Deram in 1973 and 1974, the A-sides of which ("Riding for a Fall" and "Havin' Someone") would be re-recorded on the Moonrider album. The B-side of the 1973 single, "Days About to Rain," is notable as one of the most dead-on early-'70s Neil Young soundalikes ever cut.
by Richie Unterberger
Tracks
1. Riding For A Fall - 3:40
2. Days About To Rain - 4:08
3. Havin' Someone - 3:23
4. Know There's No Livin' Without You - 3:34
5. Angel Of Mercy - 4:48
6. Having Someone - 4:31
7. Our Day's Gonna Come - 4:17
8. Good Things (John Weider) - 3:30
9. Living On The Main Street - 2:36
10.Too Early In he Morning - 3:37
11.Gold Digger - 3:39
12.Danger In The Night - 3:44
13.Riding For A Fall - 4:02
14.As Long As It Takes (John Weider) - 3:58
15.I Found Love (John Weider) - 3:20
16.Baby Blue - 3:49
All songs by Keith West except where indicated
The Moonrider
*Chico Greenwood - Drums
*Bruce Thomas - Bass
*John Weider - Guitar, Vocals
*Keith West - Guitar, Vocals
It's July 1969, and I'm sitting at Brother Juniper's, a cafe on Haight Street. I knew it was run by a New Age cult called The Holy Order of Man' and I also knew this bright eyed chick, Dianne, who was serving food there, was part of the group.
You could have had me believing that black was white when I looked into her deep brown eyes and beheld her breasts protruding beneath her brown Brother Juniper robe. I knew she liked me by the way she packed the tuna salad onto that rye bread sandwich she made for me.
That'll be both my lunch and dinner meals. I took my cherry burst Gibson acoustic guitar (with a custom L-40 neck) from my gig bag, and tuned it. I wanted to get it perfect or as near you could get without tuning gadgets that would become so ubiquitous several decades later. I had created some chords that my friend Daniel McCurdy had inspired.
They were multiples of suspensions that would immediately bring your head into a lofty and elated space. Daniel had said if these progressions were electrified they would knock people over, they were so powerful. I never tried playing them electric. I was so impressed with my friend's sound, as it seemed so different. I thought he must be from some other galaxy or something. In the past, I usually played simple triad chords on my guitar until I met him. Now I was inventing far out chords left and right with new ethereal tunes I write.
I flashed back to a month ago when a couple of friends invited me and guitarist Charlie Cocky to their house. Charlie liked my new songs and would play a very sensitive acoustic lead part on his axe while I sang and played my ethereal chords. Suddenly, a guy who was standing next to me flopped down and bonked his head hard when he hit the floor. He either fainted, or got knocked out by our sound. I said, "Charlie, we must have been so perfectly in tune it knocked him out." Charlie responded, "I think we were just the right microtone off to have that effect."
I don't want any episodes like that happening here at Brother Juniper's, so I played a simpler song, an ode to buxom Dianne, 'Lady of Light.' It never made it to the album, nor did my ode to 'Hallie' and my New York lover's song, 'Monday Marye Morning.' I enjoy making a sound with my voice and guitar that I imagine could make people feel peace, love and joy, and often it does.
As the people gathered around the table where I'm sitting I could see on their faces the pleasure I'm bringing them as I sing about the beauty of nature as in the 'Color Song.' I feel the spirit of a new age in the air. I enjoy the slow vibrato I create with my voice, not unlike Donovan or Tim Harden. I delight in those influences along my journey.
The vibe has been uplifted at Brother Juniper's so now I get up, walk outside and embrace the warm sun pouring down upon the colorfully clad folks on Haight Street...
by Marcus (June 2009)
After the release of the Freak Scene album, psychedelic guru Rusty Evans made his way from NYC to San Francisco, a geographic shift that resulted in work for the legendary San Francisco Sound label, producing bands such as It’s A Beautiful Day, Tripsichord, and Indian Puddin’ and Pipe; it also led to a drastic shift in style from the psychedelic “happening” of the Deep album for Cameo Parkway and the raga rock of the Freak Scene album for Columbia. And so it came to pass that Evans reclaimed his birth name of Marcus, and recorded a very mellow LP in 1969 for Kinetic Records, a label formed by the Kinetic Playground Ballroom in Chicago. Like much of Marcus’ work, the album is a fascinating relic of a particular time and place, in this instance San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury district in the post-Summer of Love era.
The Marcus LP is richly orchestrated psychedelic-folk music, with a pronounced Donovan and/or Tim Harden flavor to it, something that did not escape its creator. The mood is dreamy, the songs reflective, the voice vibrato, the album a yin to the yang of the Freak Scene “Psychedelic Psoul” album which precedes it by two years. So we have the hot and aggressive Freak Scene album contrasted—some might say perfectly balanced—by the diffuse and tranquil Marcus album two years later. To our mind, further proof of the excellence of the artistic mind behind both albums.
This is the first actual re-issue of the vastly under-rated Marcus album since 1969; the only previous CD edition used alternate takes and not the album versions. Our fulsome edition indulges any completionist fantasies we might harbor, as it also serves up thirty-two bonus tracks, nearly two hours of alternate takes and acoustic demos (plus a few non-album tracks). There are guitar/voice demos recorded several months before Kinetic came along and offered a deal; other home demos have Marcus with acoustic guitar, bass and cello. There are guitar/voice demos were recorded six to eight months before Kinetic came along and offered a deal; other home demos have Marcus with acoustic guitar, bass and cello.
There are also abundant demo studio versions, some of tremendous quality. The end result is (apparently) our first “interactive” release, as you can create your own ideal version of the Marcus album. Budget-priced double disc package includes a 20-page booklet, with an introduction by Marcus, his incredible history in music, and lyrics. Printed on FSC recycled, chlorine-free, 100% post-consumer fiber paper manufactured using biogas energy.
Disc 2 Alternates 1967
1. Go Together - 3:50
2. Time Of Our Time - 2:41
3. Helene - 3:45.
4. Grains Of Sand - 3:58
5. High Priestess - 2:54
6. Earth Child - 2:55
7. The Coming - 3:00
8. Royal Maze - 3:05
9. White Cloud - 2:17
10.Butterfly Girl - 3:20
11.Color Song - 3:26
12.Children Of Aquarius - 3:01
13.Go Together - 2:37
14.Time Of Our Time - 2:41
15.Grains Of Sand - 4:02
16.Butterfly Girl - 3:15
17.Color Song - 3:39
18.White Cloud - 2:16.
19.Royal Maze - 2:27
20.Color Song - 3:28
21.Butterfly Girl - 3:20
22.Children Of Aquarius - 3:07
Words and Music by Marcus Uzilevsky *Marcus Uzilevsky - Vocals, Arrangements
The name David Wiffen may or may not ring a bell, but to anyone with an interest in 1970s folk rock I can promise that at least one of his songs will. His material has seen quite a bit of mileage in other performers’ repertoires, and through them a small handful have even filtered up into popular consciousness. Tom Rush and The Byrds both threw their individual spins on “Driving Wheel,” Eric Andersen recorded “More Often Than Not” on his doomed-romantic classic Blue River, and calypso crooner Harry Belafonte rather unexpectedly included both “One Step” and the self-referential “Mister Wiffen” on his 1973 record Play Me. It was the age of the singer-songwriter and David Wiffen seemed to be the next big thing. So what happened?
Coast To Coast Fever, Wiffen’s follow-up to his critically-lauded debut, tells the tale. An informal concept album illustrating the life of the traveling musician and the rigors involved in trying to gain success as a songwriter, it plays as a sort of autobiographical meditation on where the man was at. “He played his tunes to empty rooms, right on down the line,” Wiffen sings on the melancholy title track, “but before he went the money got spent on good times, whiskey and wine.” As in the rest of the album, the singer’s guitar downright sparkles.
The production, courtesy of legendary Canadian songwriter Bruce Cockburn, is as laid back and stripped down as one would hope on a record like this, built around a wide acoustic piano sound and smokey percussion. Indeed, Wiffen could hardly have found a more sympathetic ear to this collection of beat meditations and road songs, and Cockburn’s understated guitar playing is arguably one of the record’s musical highlights.
It is hard to break this record into specific highlights when every piece of the puzzle is so essential to the album’s overall character, but a few key cuts do stand out. The down-and-out blues of “Smoke Rings” rests uneasily between gruff, masculine charm and absolute desolation, cigarette smoke drifting quietly out into an empty landscape and paralleling the sad admissions already found in “Coast To Coast Fever.” The story wouldn’t be quite so affecting if one did not get the feeling that this is not a man who has lost it all, but rather one who never had it to begin with, only having glimpsed the possibilities of fame and seen them immediately dissolve into a hard and bitter reality.
It’s a strange story for being so common, the successful songwriter that’s never able to make it on his own terms. Then again there must be some light to all this darkness considering that we are not only still listening to and talking about David Wiffen’s records, but that he’s still around and singing. The man even managed to record a belated follow-up to Coast To Coast Fever in 1999, featuring a handful of new songs that still stand strong alongside his most enduring material.
Whereas Wiffen’s debut seems to have disappeared into the aether, only having been reissued once by an independent Italian label before quickly falling back out of print (original copies of the album are obnoxiously hard to obtain, and have sold second-hand for several hundred dollars apiece), Coast To Coast Fever has remained somewhat easier to find. A North American release on compact disc remains available through most online retailers, and original vinyl copies seem to have seen far wider distribution than any of Wiffen’s other recordings, frequently appearing in record store cut-out bins and online auction sites.
Tracks
1. Skybound Station (David Wiffen) - 3:50
2. Coast To Coast Fever (David Wiffen) - 4:01
3. White Lines (Willie P. Bennett) - 4:00
4. Smoke Rings (David Wiffen) - 3:57
5. Climb The Stairs (David Wiffen) - 4:07
6. You Need A New Lover Now (Murray McLauchlan) - 4:06
7. We Have Had Some Good Times (David Wiffen) - 3:20
8. Lucifer's Blues (David Wiffen) - 5:45
9. Up On The Hillside (Bruce Cockburn) - 2:51
10.Full Circle (David Wiffen) - 3:18
The Mind Garage story begins in Morgantown, WV with the release of the classic “Asphalt Mother” single on their own label and includes turning down an opportunity to play Woodstock, walking away from RCA Records in 1970 at the height of their success (never to be heard from again) and the first and very controversial integration of rock music and religion that saw the band performing rock music during services in churches around the country and ending with a petition for induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. The story of the Mind Garage is much more than how a group of talented musicians worked their way out of the backwater to find success in the music business, it’s about how their efforts ultimately influenced and paved the way for an entirely new “Contemporary Christian” genre of rock music and how that music is incorporated into the worship services of Christian churches today and maybe, more importantly, why they disappeared at the height of their popularity. Their story begins with a band caled the Glass Menagerie.
The Glass Menagerie was formed in Morgantown in 1966, by a group of students attending West Virginia University, and included the core of what would become the Mind Garage. The band featured Larry McClurg (vocals), Tom Warfield (lead guitar), John Fisher (bass), Norris Lytton (sax) and Jim Straub (drums). Early on Jack Bond would show up wherever they would play and watch the band perform. Norris Lytton remembers “he was a dedicated fan.” When circumstances forced the Glass Menagerie to shuffle their lineup, Jack was invited to join as keyboardist. Jack played many instruments but didn’t have a keyboard so John offered to buy one for him and let him pay it back a little at a time. The band was highly regarded locally and their reputation for playing British Invasion and psychedelic cover songs of the day, along with a few originals, was such that they were often booked throughout the US Midwest playing on bills with more established national artists.
The importance of the Glass Menagerie to the success of the Mind Garage cannot be understated as it was on these tours where the future members of the Mind Garage gained an education in how to entertain a large live audience by watching the headliners perform for crowds of up to 10,000. When the tour ended in the spring of 1967 the band broke up when their guitarist John Fisher left the band to join the Shadows of Knight (they had enjoyed a big hit in the US with a cover of Them’s Gloria) and drummer Jim Straub left for parts unknown, never to be heard from again.
In 1967 the cultural revolution was exploding nationally and long haired rock and roll musicians were considered “hippies” and violently disliked and ridiculed especially in a town like Morgantown where conformity was the rule and conformity meant being like all the other students involved in fraternities, sports and dances, and wearing your hair short and dressing conservatively. Larry McClurg recalls the members of the band being threatened and harassed. “Those dirty beatnik hippies” is what they called us.” “We were spat upon as freaks, called communists, and were victims of discrimination, hatred, ridicule, lies, beatings, and sometimes called anti-Christ”. “The unfortunate longhair walking alone somewhere at night would now and then come across a group of rednecks, frats or jocks hanging out drinking. They would block the path to intimidate the ‘hippy’ and one of them might whip out scissors to cut the long hair. Having your person threatened over the length of your hair seems absurd now.
In some respects Morgantown, a mix of intellectuals and cowboys, seemed like the Wild West”. The cultural revolution was not limited to just secular circles but was also being fought in churches where young ministers and priests and members of the congregation were demanding changes be made to the services to make them more relevant to them and today’s world. Reverend Paine and the band were both on the front lines of this revolution and therefore could not only relate to one another but help support each other by working together to change the status quo and that’s what they ultimately accomplished.
The band began their recording career in 1968 with the “Asphalt Mother”/”Reach Out” single pressed on their own Morning Glori label. The A side “Asphalt Mother” is one of the all time greatest garage/psych records ever recorded and is a template many future punk and grunge records would follow without ever hearing it. The band’s sound was new and exciting less British invasion and more loud, hard and heavy with a lot of fuzz and very psychedelic. The record was pressed in a lot of 1,000 and placed in local record stores in Pittsburgh, Morgantown, Clarksburg and Fairmont WV and when they sold that was it. The single never appeared on a Mind Garage album and it was therefore undiscovered and forgotten and has remained, even today, very much undiscovered. Their live shows at that time were legend with Larry McClurg possessing enormous charisma and even some Jim Morrison like stage presence.
The music was said to mesmerize the audience and would capture their attention to the point that in between songs you could hear a pin drop. Their lighting and light shows were effective in creating an atmosphere where the audience felt they were being taken on a journey and according to those who attended they were. When they would play these “Electric Happenings” as many of the performances were billed they would include, in addition to the light shows, psychedelic fashion shows and all sorts of other music with opening acts playing jazz and even sitar sounds. The concerts were interactive with “Total Environment, Total Involvement” themes where the audience was as much a part of the show as the music.
Tracks
1. B-52 (Norris Lytton, Jack Bond, Ted Smith, John Vauhghan) - 0:53
2. Sale Of A Deathman (John Vaughan) - 3:56
3. What Shall We Do Till Norris Comes (Larry McClurg) - 6:26
4. Water (Larry McClurg) - 4:55
5. Star Goddess (John Vaughan) - 3:11
6. Circus Farm (Larry McClurg) - 2:47
7. This Town (Larry McClurg) - 4:08
8. Reach Out (Brian Holland, Edward Holland, Jr., Lamont Dozier) - 4:50
9. Asphalt Mother (Larry McClurg) - 5:05
10.5-4-3-2-1 (Bonus Track) - 2:31
The Mind Garage
*Larry McClurg - Lead Vocals, Vocals
*John Vaughan - Lead Guitar
*Ted Smith - Drums, Vocals
*Jack Bond - Keyboard, Vocals
*Norris Lytton - Bass Guitar, Vocals
I was a member of Edge off and on for three years. After we left The American Revolution, Richard, Dave and I hooked up with two guys we had met in Honolulu - Bob and Eddie (can't remember their last names). They came to Los Angeles, and we hooked up with a producer named Norm Malkin, and recorded and released a single, written by Richard and myself.
It was called "Something New" b/w "Seen Through the Eyes" (which is available on one of the Pebbles CDs). Eddie and Bob left, and were replaced by a guy named Barry McCoy, who played organ (circa 1969). Donnie Branker came back to manage us. We recorded an album for Norm, but he couldn't place it, and eventually we broke up.
We did open for Three Dog Night and Sweetwater. About a year later, in 1970,Richard called me to say that he'd been recording with Dave and a British bass player, but the bass player had had to go back to England. He asked if I’d like to join them? I said okay, but I wasn't playing much bass. I joined as guitarist/keyboard, and played a little bass.
We then found a guy named Galen Murphy who could play bass. We finished that album and released it through Nose Records, an independent label, but it was a terrible album. There were too many different styles, and a terrible mix. I left the group soon after and got married.
by John Keith
Barcellona and Keith had earlier played together in American Revolution and Novogorski had been with Boston Tea Party making it likely that this was a Hollywood band although it is frequently reported as a San Francisco band.
Tracks
1 Callin' Out (John Keith) - 2:29
2 Sing Your Song (Richard Barcellona) - 3:06
3 A New Breed of Man (Gallen Murphy) - 3:05
4 Lady of Darkness (Richard Barcellom, Gallen Murphy, David Novogroski) - 4:15
5 Movin' On (Richard Barcellona) - 2:28
6 The Story of Angelique (Richard Barcellona) - 3:45
7 Starvin' Man (Richard Barcellona) - 3:50
8 Ribbon And Bow (John Keith) - 2:29
9 Money Slave (Richard Barcellona) - 3:10
Edge
Richard Barcellona - Vocals, Lead Guitar
John Keith - Vocals, Organ, Bass, Acoustic Guitar
Gallen Murphy - Vocals, Bass, Acoustic Guitar
David Novogroski - Vocals, Drums, Percussion
Having garnered a spot opening for The Byrds during a brief 1972 US tour, the band's unexpected American success saw Epic Records offer them an opportunity to record a follow-up album. Heading back to England, the band went through a couple of personnel changes that saw drummer Eric Dillon replaced by Paul Francis, bassist Paul Leverton replaced by Bernard Hagley, and the addition of lead guitarist/singer Berkley Wright. Produced by Ashley Koyaks, 1972's "Silver" didn't mark a major change in musical direction from their debut.
Epic clearly spent a little more money on the recording sessions (at least allowing the band to buy a couple of synthesizers for Tony Lukyn - check out the opener 'Eagle Eye'), which served to give the album a fuller sound. With singer/lead guitarist Terry Shaddick again handling most of the writing chores (keyboardist Lukyn contributing the country-tinged ballad 'LInda'), the album found the band trying to find a musical sweet spot between blatantly commercial and hipper, rock oriented numbers. Their musicianship remained impeccable - how many bands can claim three talented guitarists, let alone three good lead singers? And that may well have been their downfall. Pop fans were probably put off by their more rock oriented moves, while rock fans probably wanted little to do with their country, or pop moves. In practical terms the overall impact was minimal, which meant if you admired the debut, the follow-up (which only saw a US release), was probably going to appeal to you as well.
Eagle Eye' started the album off with a melodic rocker. Kicked along by some nice jangle rock guitars, the song showcased Shaddick's knack for pretty and catchy melodies, as well as the band's patented lush harmony vocals. Opening up with a slightly dreamy, almost lysergic quality, the mid-tempo ballad 'Can I See You' was one of the album highlights. Simply a beautiful song with some killer harmony vocals, its hard to believe this one didn't generate some radio attention for the band. Penned by keyboardist Lukyn, the country-tinged ballad 'Linda' was one of the album's 'growers'. With a breezy melody, the song's winning edge came in the form of some killer Shaddick acoustic slide guitar. 'Whip Wheel' started out as a decent enough pop song showcasing some nice Lukyn electric piano. And then about two thirds of the way through, the song took an abrupt and unexpected change in direction heading towards a far harder, almost Floyd-styled hard-rock sound. Powered by some David Gilmore-styled lead guitar, the results were great. Short, but great.
Kicked along by some stellar jangle rock guitars, 'The Driver's Engine' found the band returning to a country-rock orientation (emphasis on rock). Another one that gets better the more you hear it - this one's always reminded me of something Mike Nesmith might have written and recorded with The Monkees. Another album highlight, 'Couldn't Possibly Be' may have had the album's strongest melody and when it got going, it was easily the toughest rocker. Yeah, the lyrics were a bit spacey, but who cared. A breezy pop track with touches of English Vaudeville, 'Nice and Easy' found Shaddick and company stepping into their best Paul McCartney impressions. Another one that climbed into your head and simply wouldn't leave, it would have made a nice single. Anyone who likes melodic pop is probably going to get a kick out of both of the Tranquility albums.
In an effort to support the album Epic brought the band back to the States slotting them as the opening act for a slew of nationally known bands including David Bowie, The Eagles, J. Geils Band, Humble Pie, and even Yes. Unfortunately those shows did nothing to help sales and Epic subsequently dropped the band from its recording roster.
The band spent the next two years trying to break in the US. In 1974 they signed with Island apparently recording what was intended to be a third LP, though all to emerge was an instantly obscure single, 'Born Again' b/w 'One Day Lady' (1974 Island catalog number WIP 6192). Dropped by Island, the band called it quits and the members scattered, Francis became a sessions player, Bernie Hagley was briefly a member of Jonesy and then joined Vanity Fare, Leverton hooked up with Caravan, Shaddick turned his talents to songwriting, enjoying a slew of hits with material like 'Physical' for Olivia Newton John.
by Scott Blackerby
Tracks
1. Eagle Eye - 3:57
2. Can I See You - 5:44
3. Linda - 4:05
4. Whip Wheel - 5:17
5. The Driver's Engine - 3:41
6. Couldn't Possibly Be - 4:20
7. Nice And Easy - 3:17
8. Dear Oh Dear - 3:25
9. Silver - 7:23
10.The Tree - 1:09
All songs by Terry Shaddick exept track #3 by Tony Lukyn
The Triangle came together in El Paso, Texas and fused a good sound. Good enough to take to LA so they brought it with them when they came. They brought it to the Galaxy on the Sunset Stnp.
I was the guitar player/vocalist on the Triangle album and it was a remarkable outing. It got a five star rating in Billboard in June 1969 (Neil Young got four and a half), but was never supported with quantities or promotion.
I spelled my name at the time Carelli for simplicity. The drummer, Ty Grimes went on to play for Ricky Nelson and left the group right before the plane crash that killed all members.
The bass player went on to engineer/produce many hits including "Freebird" by Lynyrd Skynyrd and the Leo Sayer hits. The Triangle album was also co-produced by Chris Huston, an Englishman who produced some Led Zeppelin albums."
by Michael Carelli
Tracks
1. Music Music (T. Grimes) - 2:48
2. 99 1/2 (Picket, Cropper, Flody) - 2:54
3. Torn Down (T. Grimes) - 3:41
4. Now She's Gone (Daniels, Fuller) - 2:24
5. Short Stuff (T. Grimes) - 1:59
6. Stop Leading Me On (T. Grimes) - 3:18
7. Magic Touch (T. Daryll) - 3:01
8. Lucille (Penniman, Colllins) - 2:22
9. Love Me Thru The Night (T. Grimes) - 4.48
10.Try Harder (T. Grimes) - 2:34
11.Rolling Stone (T. Grimes) - 2:51
The Triangle
*Michael “Chick” Carelli – Vocals, Guitar
*Ty Grimes - Drums
*Howard J. Steel II - Bass
