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Saturday, June 16, 2012

West Coast Natural Gas - Two's A Pair (1966-68 us, amazing west coast psychedelia, 2012 edition)



Killer West Coast psychedelic monster that took many years to be completed!!! West Coast Natural Gas began life in 1965 in Seattle. In early 1967 they went to San Francisco to work for a local music manager named Matthew Katz.  

Katz was the original manager for Jefferson Airplane, Moby Grape and later It’s a Beautiful Day. He talked West Coast Natural Gas into signing a contract with him but they didn’t realize at the time, being young and stupid. That basically they signed over everything to him. They went to the studio and recorded some original tunes: A Favor, Go Run and Play, The Jumping Frog, Hashish, Water or Wine, Beyond This Place, and Two’s A Pair. 

In early 1968 the band broke up and went back to Seattle. Katz released a single – Go Run and Play / A Favor on his S.F. Sound label under the name West Coast Natural Gas. Later he released a compilation album - the first San Francisco Sound sampler - called “Fifth Pipe Dream”. The four songs mentioned before, Water or Wine, Hashish, Beyond This Place and Two’s A Pair were the ones recorded by WCNG and relabeled by Katz as Indian Puddin’ and Pipe. 

This superb release includes all the above mentioned songs, plus others from acetates. As a big surprise another four never before heard songs recorded 1966 in a local Seattle Recording Studio before they went to San Francisco are included.


Tracks
1. Go Run And Play (Kris Larsen) - 2:33
2. A Favor (Steve Mack) - 3:41
3. A Favor Version 2 (Steve Mack) - 3:44
4. The Jumping Frog (Pat Craig) - 3:33
5. Two's A Pair (Steve Mack) - 4:15
6. Beyond This Place (Pat Craig) - 2:32
7. Hashish (Kris Larsen) - 3:03
8. Water Or Wine (Steve Mack) - 3:40
9. The West Coast Natural Gas White Levis Commercial 'Never Break' (Pat Craig) - 0:46
10.Radio Promo from the Galaxy Club ca. 1968 - 0:37
11.Mr. You're A Better Man Than I (M. Hugg, B. Hugg) - 2:56
12.Younger Girl (J. Sebastian) - 2:11
13.You Make Me Feel So Good (C. White) - 2:12
14.He Was A Friend Of Mine (Traditional, lyrics by J. McGuinn) - 2:38

West Coast Natural Gas
*Pat Craig - Vocals, Piano, Organ, Autoharp, Guitar
*Kris Larsen - Vocals, Guitar
*Steve Mack - Vocals, Lead Guitar
*Dave Burke - Bass
*Jeff Labrache- Drums, Vocals

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18 comments:

  1. Χίλια ευχαριστώ Μάριε και Jim The Greek. Παντελώς άγνωστο για μένα συκρότημα.

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  2. Thanks you very much Jim The Greek and Marios !!

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  3. Thanks a lot Jim and Marios for the discovery, a real good "Byrds" feel on this recording. All RD records editions are great work.

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  4. Judging by the sample track this is a great find. Many thanks, Marios (and Jim The Greek), for opening yet another door.

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  5. Ευχαριστώ πολύ παιδιά για ένα ακόμη άγνωστο αλλά πολύ ενδιαφέρον συγκρότημα.

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  6. yes!!! damn cool & thanks.

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  7. The MP3 link does not work. Can you please repost it? Thanks.

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  8. Hi SiamTwin,
    just checked, everything is working fine, beside that no other mentioned any problem.

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  9. Thanks Marios. Problem must be on my side.

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  10. SiamTwin,
    could you please be more specific?
    I mean what's the exact problem, can't reach the link, file not open?
    maybe I could help.

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  11. My sunday morning start with this superb album.The best thing to complete with the beautiful day outside.Many thanks"JIM"and"MARIOS"...

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  12. Gostei muito desta banda. Nunca tinha ouvido falar. Até me confundi com outra (West Coast Pop Art). E, mais tarde, descobri (no "rateyourmusic")que existem várias bandas com "West Coast" no nome.

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  13. Another rarity Marios, thanks so much.

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  14. ......Natural...Born....Gass....

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