Gary Farr - Addressed To The Censors Of Love (1972 uk, sensational folk blues rock with psycedelic traces)

It was Gary Farr's lot to be known more for the people he was related to, and worked with, than as a character in his own right. He was the son of a heavyweight British boxing champion, and the brother of one of the most visible British rock promoters. He took over the residency at the club that gave two of the greatest British '60s rock groups their start, and worked extensively with the man who owned that club, who was likewise involved with those great British bands' management. A member of a 1970s supergroup was in one of Farr's early bands, and one of the greatest producers and label executives of all time co-produced his final album, whose CD reissue you're now holding. None of this got him much appreciable sales or recognition from the record-buying public. But it made for an interesting journey as Farr navigated his way through British Invasion R&B, folk, and blues before somehow ending up recording in Muscle Shoals Sound for Addressed to the Censors of Love.

The son of Tommy Farr, who'd been the heavyweight boxing champion of Britain in the late 1930s, Gary Farr started out playing folk and blues in clubs in Worthing, Sussex before forming the T-Bones in 1963. Very much in the R&B-rock style of the early Rolling Stones and the Yardbirds, the T-Bones were in fact tapped to succeed both of those groups as the house band at the Crawdaddy Club in London; they also took over the Yardbirds' Friday night residency at London's Marquee Club. (The Yardbirds connection did not always work to their advantage; a French T-Bones EP release confused consumers by using a cover photo of the Yardbirds by mistake.) The T-Bones also managed to put out three singles ("Give All She's Got," the best of them, sounded very much like the early Denny Laine-era Moody Blues) and an EP in 1964 and 1965; these, along with some recordings not released at the time, have seen reissue on some obscure import albums.

The T-Bones never did make the charts, however, and probably got their biggest exposure when they somehow snagged a spot on a Shindig Goes to London episode for American television. Filmed live at the Richmond Jazz & Blues Festival in August 1965, Farr and the T-Bones are seen playing "Wooly Bully" between slots by the much more celebrated Animals, Moody Blues, George Fame, and Steampacket (featuring future stars Julie Driscoll, Brian Auger, Long John Baldry, and Rod Stewart). Shortly after that festival gig, organist Keith Emerson joined the T-Bones for a while, although a single the band did with Emerson in the lineup, "Together Forever," was never released. The T-Bones, in fact, never did release anything with Emerson on board before disbanding in late 1966.

Going solo, Farr apparently re-embraced his folk roots, though the man who ran the Crawdaddy, Giorgio Gomelsky—who'd also managed the Yardbirds in their first few years, and was an unofficial manager of sorts of the Rolling Stones in early 1963—continued to be involved in the singer's career. On a live 1967 bootleg recorded in Sweden, and largely featuring the Gomelsky-managed psychedelic band Blossom Toes, Farr can be heard doing a couple solo acoustic tunes, including a cover of Tim Hardin's "Hang on to a Dream." He briefly worked with Blossom Toes drummer Kevin Westlake, the pair issuing an obscure single in 1968 before Farr released his 1969 solo debut album on Gomelsky's Marmalade label. Members of both Blossom Toes and fellow British band Mighty Baby appear on that LP (titled Take Something with You), and some Mighty Baby musicians are also on his early-'70s follow-up Strange Fruit, which also includes contributions by the young Richard Thompson.

The roots rock and moody, Tim Hardin-styled folk-rock of Strange Fruit were indicative of Farr's change of stylistic direction since his T-Bones days. "I've turned a whole circle now actually, been a long way sailing around," he told Melody Maker around the time of the album's release. "I started off playing folk blues, went through the days at the Crawdaddy, playing with the T-Bones alongside Yardbirds and the Stones, then tripped. Four years ago I picked up a guitar again, started writing and started traveling. I suppose I am now a folk singer, because I believe today's rock and roll is today's folk music. One thing I am certain of now, I am a poet. It's always been so hard for me to get that over to people, when you're born into an athletic family and our old man's a world famous boxer it doesn't look right somehow to covet books and things like that. It's good singing in folk clubs...I've been told I'm too commercial, and I can't be used because I'm not folk—but I am doing what I feel are really valid songs for today."

Farr's appearances in Britain during that era were not limited to folk clubs. On August 31, 1969, he played at the Isle of Wight Festival, which drew about 200,000 people—though it's most famous for the appearance of Bob Dylan and the Band to close the show later that night. He also performed at the even huger 1970 Isle of Wight fest, his appearances at the event no doubt made easier to arrange by virtue of his brother, Rikki Farr, being one of the festival promoters. (Rikki, famously, can be seen losing his temper at the crowd as the gathering threatens to careen out of control in the documentary Message to Love: The Isle of Wight Festival.) Still, Gary's records didn't make much of an impact in Britain, and by the time 1973's Addressed to the Censors of Love was released on Atco, he was with his third label in as many albums, though at least it gave him the chance to record in the United States.

Co-producing Addressed to the Censors of Love (with former Hit Parader editor Jim Delehant) was Jerry Wexler, the Atlantic executive most famous for working with soul legends like Ray Charles and Aretha Franklin. On several occasions, Wexler had matched white singers possessing rhythm-and-blues sensibilities with American southern musicians and production facilities; Dusty Springfield's Dusty in Memphis was the most renowned of those albums, though he'd also produced another British woman star, Lulu, in such a setting on the less celebrated album Melody Fair. A similar strategy was applied to Gary Farr, with Addressed to the Censors of Love getting recorded at Muscle Shoals Sound in Alabama, using respected Muscle Shoals session men such as guitarists Jimmy Johnson and Pete Carr, keyboardist Barry Beckett, bassist David Hood, and drummer Roger Hawkins. In addition to singing, Farr played 12-string and harmonica.

Unsurprisingly, the result, while similar in some respects to the earthy folk-tinged rock Farr had recorded on Strange Fruit, had a more pronounced American soul-rock feel, as well as some jazz and Tex-Mex accents. While the title of the album might have led some to expect lyrically controversial or even risque material, in fact most of the numbers were romantic singer-songwriter compositions, albeit with references to Isaac Hayes, Joe Louis, Sugar Pie DeSanto, Hugh Hefner, Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg, and numerous mysterious women of exotic backgrounds. All the songs were written by Farr save the closer, Slim Harpo's "I'm a King Bee," a throwback to his 1960s roots in the T-Bones.

Addressed to the Censors of Love was certainly the Gary Farr recording that got the most exposure in the United States. That's not to say, however, that it got much exposure. It's one of the rarer early-'70s Atlantic LPs, and after its commercial failure, Farr never released another album before dying in Los Angeles in August 1994. This CD reissue restores to print the swan song of this hard-to-classify British artist, who dabbled in blues, R&B, soul, and folk-rock without ever settling into any of those styles for too long. 

by Richie Unterberger

Tracks
1. Breakfast Boo-Ga-Loo - 3:13
2. Wailing Wall - 4:41
3. Muggsey The Lard - 3:57
4. General's Daughter - 3:32
5. Mexican Sun - 2:39
6. White Bird - 3:22
7. Faith With A Face - 3:13
8. I'll Be Your Rocket - 3:05
9. Certain Lady - 3:00
10.John Birch Blues - 2:42
11.Rhythm King - 4:57
12.I'm A King Bee (Slim Harpo) - 3:56
All songs written by Gary Farr except where noted.

Musicians
*Gary Farr  - Vocals, Guitar, Harmonica
*Barry Beckett - Keyboards
*Harrison Callaway - Trumpet
*Pete Carr - Guitar
*Ben Cauley - Trumpet
*Ronnie Eads - Sax
*Roger Hawkins - Drums, Percussion
*David Hood - Bass
*Jimmy Johnson- Guitar
*Mike Lewis - Sax, Flute
*Jerry Masters - Bass
*Charles Rose - Trombone
*George Terry - Guitar
*Harvey Thompson - Sax Flute

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Doc Thomas Group And The Silence - The Italian Job / Shotgun Eyes (1966/90 uk, mod beat, pub boogie rock with Mike Ralphs and pre-Mott The Hoople members)

Selling point for this CD is that these two groups were ancestors of Mott The Hoople and (thanks to one member) Bad Company... 

If the prospect of an unknown mid-60s beat group's Italian-recorded demo ("live" in the studio, no overdubs) leaves you feeling distinctly underwhelmed, this CD would (I think) pleasantly surprise you. The quality of the Doc Thomas set is better than you would expect: a creditable chunk of moody R & B, very 1966, with echoes of the Spencer Davis Group... 

They seem like the kind of band Ocean Colour Scene wish they could have been, right down to the stripey shirts...The recording quality is excellent, with a good live ambience...and the performances are relaxed and confident the touches of crudity are charming and typical of the period, the unspoilt rock Eden B.P. (before Pepper). "Fresh" is the word... 

The (new) Silence's half of this CD presents another surprise. Where you might expect some tired old hippies (sorry, Mods!) going;through the motions, shored up by contemporary techno gadgets, this lot come on as if the last 33 years never existed. They deliver an energetic and authentic recreation of the '64/5 beat group sound, the style immediately preceding Doc Thomas's (as, in fact, this line-up did originally). The surprise is that this comes across not as pathetic, but as great fun  they really have managed;to revive the spirit, not just the formula. 

There's even a token cheesy instrumental, Gunshot, and a maudlin Merseybeat ballad, I Think Of You. Otherwise, it's that bouncy, wizzed-up British interpretation of 50s R&B familiar from the early Stones and Pretty Things, amongst others. Even on the blues covers (Jimmy Reed, Sonny Boy Williamson), they keep the grins on their faces, resisting the dour, ersatz seriousness that most blues revivalists these days regard as obligatory. The production too (by "the three trousers", it says here) hits a perfect balance between 60s simplicity and 90s clarity. 

It sounds as if, with Shotgun Eyes, Watts, Griffin, Brooke, Jeffery and Fisher have made the album they didn't quite manage to in 1965. All credit to them for proving, against the odds, that this kind of stuff is still the most fun you can have with electric guitars, a drum kit and a harmonica... 

Nostalgia, they say, is not what it was. With this CD, though, it very nearly is. 

Mr.Nasty CD Reviews, Feedback 

Tracks
Doc Thomas Group
1. I'll Be Doggone (Robinson, Tarplin, Moore)
2. She Was Really Saying Something (Whitfield, Stevenson, Holland) - 2:35
3. Steal Your Heart Away (Parker) - 3:53
4. My Babe (Hatrield, Medley) - 2:33
5. Please Do Something (Don Covay) - 2:18
6. Shake (Sam Cooke) - 2:32
7. I Got You (James Brown) - 2:50
8. Harlem Shuffle (Relf, Nelson) - 3:25
9. Talking About My Baby (Curtis Mayfield) - 2:42
10.Just Can't Go To Sleep (Ray Davies) - 2:32
11.Barefootin (Robert Parker) - 2:32
12.Rescue Me (C Smith, R Miner) - 2:32

The Silence
The A40 Anthems
13. Leaving Here (Holland, Dozier, Holland) - 3:04
14. Shame, Shame, Shame (Jimmy Reed) - 2:36
15. See You Tomorrow (Paul Jeffery) - 3:50
16. You Can't Judge A Book By Looking At The Cover (Willie Dixon) - 3:44
17. Gunshot (instrumental) (Tomsco) - 2:00
18. Doctor Feelgood (Smith) - 2:40
19.1 Think Of You (Peter Lee Stirling) - 2:35
20. Let It Rock (Chuck Berry) - 2:30

The B4233 Blues
21. I'm Not Talkin’ (H. Young) - 2:35
23. The Fortune Teller (N Neville) - 2:40
24. Don't Start Me To Talking (Sonny Boy Williamson) - 2:09
25. Farmer John (Don Harris, Dewey Terry) - 2:23
26. Route 66 (Bobby Troup) - 2:30
27. We'll Silence You (Robert Fisher) - 5:15

Doc Thomas Group
*Stan Tippins - Vocals
*Mick Ralphs - Guitar
*Pete Watts - Bass
*Terry Allen - Organ
*Dale Griffin - Drums

The Silence
*Overend Watts - Loudest Guitar, Vocals
*Patrick Brooke - Lead Vocals, Harp
*Paul Jeffery - Rhythm Guitar, Vocals
*Robert Fisher - Bass Guitar, Vocals
*Dale Griffin - Drums, Backing Vocals

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Various Artists - Echoes In Time 1 & 2 (1965-72 us, impressive garage psych compilation)

The musical creative excellence wich infused Rock 'n' Roll during the mid to late sixties is difficult to describe retrospectively, it was an atmosphere of energy and sensation wich one had to experience rather than interpret.

In 1965 during the aftermath of the original British Invasion, a seemingly endless tide of inspired musicians were determined to explore the colorfully changing musical scene, wich beckoned from smoke hazed taverns in the night, the birth of an era was envolving in clubs and garages from Beacon Hill to Berkeley. Hence, in the short span of years to follow, the realization of psychedelia and punk had weaved an intricate pattern in the music world.

Many of the populars bands had gathered their beginnings from palying the local high school dances and Battle-of-the band competitions and had successfully documanted their efforts on well received albums. However, thousands af small and obsure bands were not as fortunate as others and therefore made contributions via private labels as 45s, in hope of receiving airplay on local FM radio stations.

Prior to megabuck commercialism, many locally produced singles had a change to be aired, as opposed to today's sad and pedantic formats. Thus. thousands of locally released singles from the sea of rare EP's and singles sought by today's sixties punk connoisseurs.

This release captures a few of the finer rarities of that era.

Artists - Tracks
1. Human Expression - Optical Sound - 2:24
2. West Coast Brunch - Spoonful - 2:42
3. United Travel Service - Wind And Stone - 3:17
4. The Deep - Trip #76 - 2:33
5. The Kunks - The Journey - 2:13
6. Fapardokly - Gone To Pot/No Retreat - 4:03
7. Unfolding - Play Your Game - 2:50
8. Mother Tucker's Yellow Duck - Somebody Think - 3:43
9. The Raves - Mother Nature - 2:21
10.Jerry And The Others - Don't Cry To Me - 2:52
11.Ferguson Tractor - 12 O'Clock High - 2:48
12.Lemon Pipers - Quiet Please - 2:25
13.Blue Scepter - Gypsy Eyes - 4:51
14.The Outcasts - Set Me Free - 2:52
15.Nova Local - Games - 2:06
16.The Iguanas - Mona - 2:41
17.King Beezz - Gloria - 2:49
18.The Avengers - Reflection - 2:48
19.British North American Act - Don't Run Away - 2:36
20.Mijal And White - I've Been You - 3:52
21.Crystal Rain - You And Me - 3:14
22.Fruit Of The Loom - One Hand - 2:27
23.The Frederic - Five O' Clock - 2:13
24.The Soulbenders - Hey Joe - 3:30
25.SRC - Badazz Shuffle - 3:14

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The Litter - One Hundred Dollar Fine (1968 us, excellent garage psych rock melted with folk, extra tracks issue)

"The Litter" was originally formed from two popular Minneapolis bands in 1966, "The Tabs" (Dan Rinaldi, Bill Strandlof) and "The Victors" (Denny Waite, Jim Kane).  Tom Murray was plugged in after auditioning for the group at the Minnesota State Fair. The name "The Litter" was presented to the band by Jim Kane and chosen over several other suggestions including "The Mustys".  The original connotation of "The Litter" referred to a "litter" of puppies NOT trash or garbage as many people have assumed over the years.  The album title $100 Fine was in part responsible for perpetuating this misconception.

Tom "Zip" Caplan replaced Bill Strandlof in 1967 after Bill had recorded Action Woman, Legal Matter and Soul Searchin' for the Distortions album.  The album was finished with "Zip" playing lead on the rest of the tracks. In the early days "The Litter" would learn songs from English albums imported to Jim Kane from a friend.  Not yet released in the United States, these songs were mistaken by audiences for original "Litter" tunes. "The Litter" was the first group in the Mid-West to use lights and strobes in their stage act.

Dan Rinaldi was the first musician in "The Litter", and in fact in the entire Mid-West, to smash his equipment on stage. "The Litter" as a group was the first band in the Mid-West to use fire and smoke as well as wrecking their equipment as part of their stage show. Contrary to popular belief it was "The Litter" not "The Electras" (later renamed "Twas Brillig" for the national release of Warren Kendrick's Dirty Old Man) who recorded Action Woman first in Nov. 1966. "The Electras" recorded their own version for Kendrick in the spring of 1967, but this 45 rpm was never released and is extremely rare. "The Litter" 45 rpm of Action Woman also commands big bucks on todays collectors market.

the second "Litter" album $100 Fine, had fewer copies pressed (1000), than its predecessor Distortions with 2000 copies. The album name $100 Fine was "Zippy" Caplan's idea after he saw a sign on the highway during a road trip to Chicago with the warning "No Littering - $100 Fine". Unable to come up with an idea for the $100 Fine album cover, "Zippy" Caplan suggested to Warren Kendrick that a color photo of Denny Waite's face be blown up to dot information proportions but Kenrick used a picture of one of Murrays' drums instead.

Blues One from the $100 Fine album was the first original song exclusively written by "Litter" members. In order to fill out time on Side 1 of the $100 Fine album, the last track was added by Warren Kendrick after the album was finished.  Calling it Apologies to 2069 Warren put it together in the studio using parts of Action Woman slowed down and parts of Tallyman and Kaleidoscope played backwards.  Mixed with electronic sound effects, he used to say it was his way of apologizing to the people of the future for the crude recording technologies of the 1960's. The song Kaleidoscope from the album $100 Fine was the first American made recording to use the then new phasing technology thanks to Warren Kendrick.

The version of "The Zombies" She's Not There used on the $100 Fine album was arranged by "Zippy" Caplan and guitarist friend Randy Resnick ("John Mayall Group") and presented to "The Litter" by Caplan.  The idea for the arrangement came to the two guitarists while they were experimenting with the song after being influenced by the "Doors'" Light My Fire and "Quicksilver's" Gold and Silver. The album $100 Fine was #10 on the Twin Cities album charts in 1968 and received a major write-up and review in the Star and Tribune. 

"The Litter" recorded a song called Angelica while in Texas recording $100 Fine in 1968.  Since the vocalist was J. Frank Wilson (Last Kiss fame) this song was excluded from the album's final version.  Due for release by J. Frank Wilson, it was pulled after (a very similar type song) Honey (Bobby Goldsboro) hit the charts big. This cut, to date, has not appeared on any "Litter" album or compilation and is the rarest "Litter" recording. Angelica, written by the well known songwriting team of Cynthia Weil and Barry Mann, was originally released by Barry Mann on Capital in July 1966 and later re-released in 1971 by Ed Ames on RCA.  Neither version became a hit song.

The Litter

Tracks
1. Mindbreaker - 3:07
2. Tallyman - 2:52
3. Here I Go Again - 2:50
4. Morning Sun - 2:24
5. (Under the Screaming Double) Eagle - 2:39
6. Apologies to 2069 - 1:11
7. Kaleidoscope - 2:17
8. Blues One - 4:10
9. She's Not There - 9:10
10.Angelica (with J. Frank Wilson) - 3:49
11.For All the Times I'm Happy (Version 1) - 1:59
12.Where Is She Now - 2:49
13.I Can't Forget You - 2:18
14.I'm Really Not Used (To Being Treated Bad) - 2:42
15.I Love My Love - 2:40
16.Oh, So Sad! - 2:42
17.I Lost Another Girl Today (Version 1) - 1:48
18.Second Hand Woman - 2:05
19.Only Love - 1:31
20.He Couldn't Find One Anywhere - 1:40
21.I'll Never Love Again (a.k.a. The Egyptian) - 2:18
22.Let Me Feel It Too - 1:38
23.Candy - 2:32
24.(Because) I Need Somebody (To Love) - 2:07
25.(Because) I'm Taking All Your Happiness (Away) - 2:17
26.For All the Times I'm Happy (Version 2) - 1:55
27.I Lost Another Girl Today (Version 2) - 1:49
28.He Couldn't Find One Anywhere (Instrumental) - 1:41

The Litter
*Tom "Zippy" Caplan - Guitar
*Jim Kane - Bass, Moog Synthesizer
*Tom Murray - Drums
*Dan Rinaldi - Guitar, Vocals
*Denny Waite - Organ, Vocals

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The Misunderstood - The Legendary Goldstar Album / Golden Glass (1966-67/69 us/uk, splendid garage blues psych, double disc edition)

The release of the 'Legendary Gold Star' album brings us a step closer to fill in the final missing pieces of the Misunderstood jigsaw. The group had formed in 1965 in Riverside, a town 30 or so miles south of Los Angeles and united by their common love of the blues and the British Invasion bands, had settled on a line up of Glenn Campbell (steel guitar), Rick Brown (lead vocals/harmonica), Steve Whiting (bass), Rick Moe (drums) and Greg Treadway (guitar). Pretty quickly the quintet began to experiment away from the rigid twelve bars favoured by other Riverside outfits and started to incorporate unusual arrangements and guitar feedback into their live act. 

When disc jockey John Peel working his way across the US chanced upon them tearing people's heads off at a live show in a local shopping mall, the seeds were sown, that turned The Misunderstood from just another garage band into the stuff of legend. Peel was blown away and plans were hatched for them to go into the studio to lay down some tracks with the jock as producer. Some time in the spring of 1966, they entered Gold Star in Hollywood, a studio already with a fast-rising reputation as the place Phil Spector cut a lot of his hits. Their repertoire was still blues-based, the combo taking its cue very much from The Yardbirds and Paul Butterfield Blues Band. 

Rumour has it that in addition to the tracks you're hearing here, they cut a rumbustious "Smokestack Lightning' and an epic version of 'I'm Not Talkin',' during which the band walked out of the recording room for a smoke in the corridor whilst their instruments just fed back. Sadly tapes of the whole session mysteriously disappeared and have never been found. The tracks here, most of which have never been released before, have been taken from an acetate. 

The acetate was discovered in the early 80's in the attic of the uncle of their old roadie, Duane Bulmer in Riverside, scratched and dirty, but through the wonders of the Cedar system, the songs have been partly restored to their former glory. Shortly after they cut it, Peel persuaded them to go to England, where they lost r and recruited ex-Answers' guitarist Tony Hill. Vibing off the nascent 'underground' vibes ii London and rubbing shoulders with the newly arrived Hendrix, the band developed at an alarming rate with Hill and Brown writing true psychedelic masterpieces like 'I Can Take You To The Sun', which became their debut 45 for Fontana Records (and can be found on the Cherry Red Album 'Before The Dream Faded'). 

Sadly Brown soon received his call-up papers for Vietnam and became a long-time draft dodger finally ending up as a diamond merchant in India! The band soldiered on and reputedly recorded some six songs for Philips in Paris in April 1967, before UK immigration officials packed the three remaining Californians off back home. Glenn later refloated the band and the further adventures ol Misunderstood II can be heard on the other disc of this set, 'Golden Glass'. 

Fans still sit around wondering what might have been, had Uncle Sam not interfered in what promised to be one of the most exciting, most innovative bands of the 60's. The belated appearance of the Gold Star album offers a fascinating glimpse of the band at the most crucial stage in their development, as they waved goodbye to their roots and embraced the psychedelic culture wholeheartedly.

by Nigel Cross

Tracks

The Legendary Gold Star Album

1. Blues With a Feeling (Unknown) - 4:43

2. Who's Been Talking? (Burnett) - 2:58

3. You Got Me Dizzy (Abner, Reed) - 3:13

4. You Don't Have to Go Out (J. Reed) - 4:44

5. Goin' to New York (J. Reed) - 2:41

6. Shake Your Moneymaker (E. James) - 3:50

7. I Just Want to Make Love to You (Fulfon) - 3:16

8. I'm Not Talkin' (Traditional) - 5:33

Golden Glass  
1. Never Had a Girl Like You (Campbell, Hoard) - 4:31
2. Golden Glass (Campbell, Hoard) - 7:40
3. I Don't Want to Discuss It (You're My Girl) (Beatty, Cooper, Shelby) - 4:59
4. Little Red Rooster (Burnett, Dixon) - 5:00
5. You're Tuff Enough (Daniels, Moore) - 3:28
6. Freedom (Campbell, Hoard) - 3:34
7. Keep on Running (Edwards) - 5:13
8. I'm Cruising (Campbell, Hoard) - 2:09

The Misunderstood 
The Legendary Gold Star Album
*Glenn Ross Campbell - Steel Guitar
*Rick Brown - Lead Vocals, Harmonica
*Steve Whiting - Bass
*Rick Moe - Drums
*Greg Treadway - Guitar
Golden Glass    
*Chris Mercer - Alto Sax
*Davy O'List - Rhythm Guitar
*Nick Potter - Bass
*Glenn Ross Campbell - Steel Guitar
*Guy Evans - Drums
*Remi Kabaka - Conga
*Steve Hoard - Lead Vocals

1965-66  Before The Dream Faded

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Michaelangelo - One Voice Many (1971 us, fabulous psychedelic sunshine folk rock, 2009 Rev Ola edition)

When was the last time you heard or saw an autoharp? Perhaps it was when your 80 year old kindergarten teacher busted one out for sing along time. Or maybe you come across one now and again at your local second hand store. It is indeed rare to see an autoharp as a focal instrument in any form of musical display much less as the primary instrument of a psychedelic rock group. Yet this in fact was the case with the New York City based group Michaelangelo.

Primary composer and group member Angel Autoharp (surname Peterson) blended the unique ring of the autoharp with psychedelic and progressive rock elements with the help of guitarist Steve Bohn and the fantastic rhythm section of Robert Gorman on bass and Michael John Hackett on drums.

The group's sole release strikes one as supremely unique even for the psychedelic times in which it was released. Not because it was outlandishly bizarre, but because it was such a very pure musical vision. This album does not succumb to any radio friendly formulas yet it does not attempt to be overtly far out cither. Angel best describes it in her own words. "I played music because I loved it. and I wanted everyone to hear the autoharp".

Angel began playing music in grade school and always had an inclination for composing her own material. "I had violin lessons for three or four years and I was pretty bored with playing the classics and one time I came into my violin instructor's class and showed mm a piece I had written for the violin and he rapped me on my knuckles with his little baton and said. 'You don't write for the violin you play the classics. You are trying to make the violin a fiddle.' And so I dropped the violin."

But Angel was not deterred. Shortly after she taught herself how to play the piano and when it came time to go to college and moving into smaller places she decided to take up the more portable autoharp. "I bought an autoharp and learned how to play it in my bathtub in my dorm room1 I put it up to my ear and played it upnght and absolutely fell in love with the sound and started writing for it and my whole goal was to nave people hear just how wonderful the autoharp sounded."

Angel started playing the local Greenwich Village coffee house circuit and had a chance encounter with The Lovin Spoonfj s John Sebastian, who was also an autoharp enthusiast. "He did something really amazing Angel recalls, he had it amplified and he had actually worked with someone and designen a pick-up that picked up all 36 strings". Angel was thrilled at the prospect of amplification which would make it all the more plausible for her to share her love of the auto harp with mere people so she quickly installed a pick up and sought out the perfect amplifier.

"I went through a bunch of amplifiers and the only one that really sounded good was called a Magnatone and it had a pseudo Leslie effect so it could sound like an organ . Angel was set to share the magical sounds of the auto harp with all of those who wandered in Greenwich Village and she hit the scene with fervor. "I played for four years en McDougal Street, doing nothing but instrumental - just me and my Magnatone."

Meantime in midtown Manhattan there was a young musician by the name of Bob Goanan who had come down to Greenwch Village and was taken by the young harpist and recalls. "She played such fascinating songs". The two quickly hit it off and formed a duo playing local gigs as an instrumental act. when they caught the attention of a young copywriter by the name of Earl Carter who happened to work at Columbia records. Carter was intrigued by the duo's unique sound and knew of another duo who might feel the same way.

This duo were electronic classical music producers Rachel Elkind and Wendy Carlos who had recently had immense success with a classical album that utilized the moog synthesizer to it's full capacity called Switched On Bach. Elkind and Carlos liked the group and thought it would be a fantastic project for them to work on, and they in turn took it to Columbia records. Angel and Bob quickly formed a band, as Bob recalls. "I worked at a music store in midtown and my co-worker Steve became the guitar player, and then we got a drummer.

Angel had lyrics but we never sang any of them in our act and so we all arranged the songs". Angel adds, "Every song was basically written as an instrumental and then I added vocals to some of it, I didn't have a lot of confidence as a singer, but when we added other people we started singing." Michaelangelo was what Angel had called her autoharp and that in turn became the name of the band.

Angel's compositions now flourished into full psychedelic folk-rock songs while maintaining the integrity of the auto harp that was so very important to her. With guitarist Steve Bohn and herself trading lead vocals, Angel also proved that she was a wonderful lyricist: "I had written poetry since grade school, so I wrote all the lyrics for the songs".

The pairing of this very unique band who featured a unique instrument as their focal point with the production team of Rachel Elkind and Wendy Carlos who were pioneering the electronic music movement were a match made in heaven. Yet as the story goes with all those who are slightly ahead of their time, the world may not have been quite ready for it and Angel adds with profound insight. "Every time you play something that's a little out of the norm or a little different, people are very suspicious, when they go to listen to music they want to hear things they've heard before, then they can compare you to other people.

If you do something new it's greeted with silence, and I've had that all my life". Yet if anyone were to be able to understand this creative and distinct music it would be Rachel Elkind and Wendy Carlos. Rachel Elkind for starters was unique, based on the fact that she was a woman working as a music producer alone, but in addition to that working alongside her partner Wendy Carlos the two explored new musical horizons using electronic instruments like the relatively new Moog Synthesizer.

Wendy Carlos was born Walter Carlos until she had a sex change operation in 1972. She studied music and physics at Brown University and earned her masters in composition at Columbia Univeristy. She had become friends with the inventor of the Moog Synthesizer, Robert Moog, and was one of the first composers to buy one of his creations.

Elkind and Carlos would famously go on to work with Stanley Kubrick on his films A Clockwork Orange and The Shining utilizing the unique electronic tonalities and compositional techniques they had developed. Michaelangelo started recording at the Record Plant in New York City. However the vocals, overdubs and one of the tracks, "Take It Bach", were recorded and mixed at Rachel and Wendy's infamous home studio in a brownstone on the upper west side.

Bob Gorman also notes, "Wendy had an affinity for the natural sound quality in the circular staircase in the house, so all of Angel's vocals were recorded in there." But as much as the band were blessed by being able to work with some ot the most progressive and talented producers the industry had to offer it may have also been a curse. Bob Gorman recalls. "Clive Davis was the president of Columbia Records and politically he was not fond of Rachel and Wendy because of the fact that Switched On Bach was so successful and he didn't have his hands in the pie, because it was independently produced by Rachel and Wendy's production company.

And so he never totally got behind us". Angel also offers some insight. "Rachel was the first independent producer who wasn't a staff producer for Columbia Records. Also she was a woman and her and Clive Davis just had it out all the time. He could not stand the fact that she was calling the shots. Rachel was a very strong willed independent woman and back then you just didn't do that. There weren't women in the music business back then unless you were a fine singer or Janis Joplin or something."

Due to the turmoil within the label Michaelangelo's debut failed to get the proper attention from the label needed to help reach audiences. Angel recalls. "He [Clive Davis] only pressed about two or three thousand albums, he refused to put them in stores. He was trying to get back at Rachel is what it was. for political reasons everything was squashed". Bob Gorman recalls. "The single was released from the album and it got Gavin Pick Of The Week, so it started to take off with its own wings.

But then it was squashed by the courtesy of Clive Davis because he thought it would start taking off on its own and he - being president of Columbia Records and pretty much being at odds with Rachel and Wendy - said. This is not going any farther, this is it. this is not my production and whatever you want to call it - jealousy or spite - he pretty much made it go away."

Michaelangelo continued to play promotional college tours but because the album was not readily available to audiences the group were not making any money and this eventually took its toll on the band. Angel recalls. "The band dissolved because you know all our wonderful expectations, nobody got paid, they all went their own ways. I ended up marrying my road manager and moved to Florida.' Bob Gorman fulfilled his dream of moving west to California, which is what the opening track "West" so vividly depicts.

While the band was short lived Angel continued to play music in Florida, but was disheartened by the experience. "Because it was the south anytime I'd play one of my classical instrumentals. they would not know what to do and people were yelling 'Play Jimmy Buffet'". Well, that's enough to make anyone retire! Angel opened a business and continues to live in Florida. The songs on this album somehow reflect the true essence of the term "outsider art". Angel Peterson was a young artistic soul who was exploring music on her own terms and following her heart.

While the group's career path may have been tragically flawed it certainly does not take away from the validity and wonderful charm of this work. From the classically inspired songs like the beautiful "Take It Bach" to the story of a day in the life of a young person striking out on his own 'Son (We've Kept the Room Just the Way You Left It)" this album is sure to strike a chord in your heart - just like it has done mine - and we are certainly happy to be sharing it with you.

by Tiffany Anders

Tracks
1. West - 2:49
2. Come to Me - 1:56
3. This Bird - 3:19
4. Son - We've Kept the Room Just the Way You Left It - 4:25
5. Medley: Take It Bach/Michaelangelo - 5:30
6. It's Crying Outside - 3:53
7. 300 Watt Music Box - 2:39
8. Okay - 2:00
9. Half a Top - 3:05
10.One Voice Many - 7:10
All songs written by Angel Petersen

Michaelangelo
*Robert Gorman - Bass
*Michael John Hackett  - Drums
*Angel Petersen - Electric Autoharp, Vocals
*Steve Bohn - Guitars

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Various Artists - Piccadilly Sunshine Part 4 (1967-69 uk, never ending pop psych and other flavours)

Is there an obscure British single of the 1960s or early '70s that hasn't popped up on some rarities collection in the past decade? If so, tell the folks at Past & Present about it, and at the rate they're going it will be digitized and out on a silver disc within a year. The label's archivists have been putting out collections of archival 45s at a dizzying rate in recent years, and this fourth volume in the Piccadilly Sunshine: British Pop Psych and Other Flavours series suggests they haven't gotten to the bottom of the well just yet. 

The 20 songs on this disc are significantly more "pop" than "psych," with nearly all dominated by polished arrangements and studio-savvy production rather than wailing guitars and a reach into the center of the mind, though the feeling and themes certainly make these sides products of the late '60s. "Conventional Fella" by Jago Simms is a gentle satire of white-collar complacency in the manner of "Matthew & Son" or "A Well Respected Man," while Joyces Angels ' "Flowers for My Friends" concerns some bohemian foliage enthusiast and "Musical Man" by Paul Raven is written from the perspective of a similarly addled muso. (Paul Raven would gain greater fame as Gary Glitter, making him the best-known/most-infamous figure on this collection, though Billy Bremner of Rockpile also pops up, playing guitar on the Jago Simms session.). 

Keith Field's "The Day That War Broke Out" and David Morgan's "Dawning" are self-consciously arty but beautifully crafted, "House of Lords" by the Monopoly and "Meditation" by Chris McClure are lovely examples of U.K. baroque pop, the Now's "The Hands on My Clock Stand Still" anticipates the progressive rock sounds that would appear a few years on, and "Visions" by Gervase asks the question, what would British pop have been in the 1960s without the harpsichord? While these tracks were mastered from old vinyl singles, the audio quality is good as such things go, and the liner notes offer as many details as are known about these artists (which is quite a bit in the case of the Laurels and Lace). 

Fans of British pop looking for a clean and well-mannered psychedelic experience should find this collection to be just their cup of tea. 

by Mark Deming

Artists - Track
1. Barry Ryan - I’ll Be On My Way Dear - 3:17
2. Lace - People People - 3:00
3. The Laurels - Rainmaker - 2:34
4. David Morgan - True-To-Life - 2:22
5. Gaslight - And So To Sleep - 2:57
6. Keith Field - Stop! Thief - 2:12
7. Jago Simms - Conventional Fella - 3:08
8. Gervase - Visions - 2:40
9. Paul Raven - Musical Man - 2:50
10.Keith Field - The Day That War Broke Out - 3:05
11.The Monopoly - House Of Lords - 2:17
12.Chris McClure - Meditation - 2:20
13.Joyces Angels - Flowers For My Friends - 2:59
14.Factotums - Mr And Mrs Regards - 2:59
15.West Coast Delegation - Mister Personality Man - 2:38
16.David Morgan - Dawning - 2:20
17.Brian Connell - Mr. Travel Company - 2:43
18.Deuce Coup - Angela - 2:26
19.Now - The Hands On My Clock Stand Still - 3:23
20.Bob Clarke - Haunted - 3:24

The Piccadilly Sunshine flavours 
1968-70  Piccadilly Sunshine Part 1
1966-71  Piccadilly Sunshine Part 2
1967-70  Piccadilly Sunshine Part 3

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Catapilla - Catapilla (1971 uk, outstanding heavy progressive rock with jazz tinges)

West London based Catapilla originally formed in Christmas 1970 with a line up of Jo Meek (vocals), Malcolm Frith (drums), Hugh Eaglestone (sax), Dave Taylor (bass), Graham Wilson (guitars), Robert Calvert (sax) andThiery Rheinhart (wind instruments). 

Their brand of experimental Jazz Rock brought them to the attention of Orange Music, a management company who also handled John Miles, and they arranged for the band to showcase their set to an invited audience of Music Industry people. Black Sabbath manager Patrick Meehan picked up on the band and offered to produce their debut LP. However before he got them to the studio vocalist Jo Meek left and was replaced by her sister Anna. 

The band's self titled debut LP (Vertigo LP 6360029}, produced by Meehan, was released in late 1971 and mint copies of it are today worth around £40 on the collectors market. To support the release the band headed out on a nationwide tour with fellow Vertigo acts Graham Bond and Roy Harper. However the age old "musical differences" reared its ugly head before the group entered the studio to record their second LP resulting in Eaglestone, Frith, Rheinhart and Taylor quitting to be replaced by Bryan Hanson (drums), Ralph Rawlinson (keyboards) and Carl Wassard (bass). 

It was this line up that recorded 1972 's "Changes" LP (Vertigo 6360074), a much more instrumental affair than their debut. Soon after the album's release though the band split up. Most of the members pursued non-recording musical careers though Calvert did record with John Stevens and Taylor popped up in Liar. It was Eaglestone however who kept the name Catapilla alive, opening two collectors record shops in Exeter and Taunton. 

by Mark Brennan

Catapilla released two highly original albums on the legendary Vertigo-"swirl" label. Their style was jazzy, sax-driven progressive rock with lengthy tracks. They really don't remind me of any other band, with the possible exception for "Tumbleweed" and "Promises" that both reminds me a little bit of Affinity (another Vertigo-"swirl" band). The album opens with the 15-minute "Naked Death". 

It features heavy sax-work, powerful vocal-parts with the aggressive, tormented female vocals of Anna Meek, and a long jam in the middle. What really gave Catapilla their distinctive stamp were probably the vocals of Meek and the atmospheric sax-playing. The highlight on the album is of course the 24-minute "Embryonic Fusion". An intense blowouts of energetic, saxophone-driven early 70's jazz-influenced progressive rock. It features great jamming and some structured and strong riffs too. A good album for anyone who likes saxophone-dominated progressive rock. 

Vintage-Prog

Tracks
1. Naked' Death - 15:38
2. Tumbleweed - 3:54
3. Promises - 5:42
4. Embryonic Fusion - 24:08
All tracks written by Wilson, Rheinhart, Cahert, Frith, Meek.

Catapilla
*Jo Meek - Vocals
*Malcolm Frith - Drums
*Hugh Eaglestone - Sax
*Dave Taylor - Bass
*Graham Wilson - Guitars
*Robert Calvert - Sax And
*Thiery Rheinhart - Wind Instruments

Catapilla's 2nd album
1972  Changes

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Rock Island - Rock Island (1970 us, powerful heavy psych, Gear Fab edition)

Rock Island formed in 1969 in Philadelphia and had a few different line-ups before the final members that recorded this album, which consisted of Cobb Bussinger (keyboards, vocals), Mike Kennedy (guitar, vocals), Frank Schallis (drums, vocals), B.J. Taylor (lead vocals), and Tony Curcio (bass). Three of the members-Cobb, Mike, and Frank -were previously in a band together named The Many Few. 

Rock Island played throughout Philly at many of the Belmont Plateau and Pennypack "Be-lns," held outside in city parks, and coffee houses like Hecket's Circle and built a very good local following. The Group recorded a 4-song demo and went to New York to shop it. They called every record company in the city and made as many appointments as possible. One producer that really liked the demo was Jeff Hest, with Project 3 Records, which was a fairly new label founded by Enoch Light. Enoch liked the band very much and signed Rock Island to a one-LP contract. Jeff Hest was assigned as producer for the band and made many trips to Philadelphia for the purpose of choosing material for the upcoming album. 

Once the songs were chosen, the band started recording at A&R Studios in New York City and made multiple trips to New York to record a few songs each trip. The single Hard and Never Easy was released at the same time as the album and was successful in the mid-west and some areas of Europe. The band made their New York debut at Ungano's, opening for Rod Stewart and the Small Faces and played many times at the Electric Circus in New York. The band took on three managers who arranged for the group to rehearse in the soon-to-be-opened Playboy Club on Broad Street in Center City Philadelphia. 

A few nights each week the band would allow passers-by to come in and watch their set, which provided a lot of great feedback while putting together their live show. The band also acquired a limousine, which proved to be a lot of fun travelling to gigs and back and forth to New York. In May of 1970, when the band was at their peak musically and rehearsed to perfection, the Kent State University massacre took place, where four students were killed and nine wounded after being fired upon by the Ohio National Guard. This event caused many universities and colleges to cancel their summer concerts, hence cancelling many of Rock Island's concerts and leaving the band ready and willing to perform but with no available venues to play. Over the next few months the band, having no clear plans, started having internal problems and eventually one of the members left, then another. 

After replacing the missing members, the music was never the same, and the band lost impetus and direction. At this time, Project 3 offered Cobb Bussinger and Frank Schallis a contract to record another LP with the condition that they were the sole writers. Bussinger/Schallis, having been a writing team for 10 years, accepted the deal and hired former Rock Island guitarist Mike Kennedy and added Ric Criniti as bassist. The new band was named RAIN and recorded one album with Project 3 Records in 1972. Frank Schallis passed in 2000, Mike Kennedy in 2006.

by Cobb Bussinger,  El Paso, Texas, February, 2010

Tracks

1. Blue, Blue Lady (Mike Kennedy) - 2:59

2. Runnin' Through My Mind (Jeff Hest) - 5:09

3. When I Was A Boy (Cobb Bussinger, Frank Schallis) - 3:10

4. I Keep On Tryln1 (Mike Kennedy, B.J. Taylor) - 2:13

5. Hard And Never Easy (Mike Kennedy) - 3:05

6. She Has Left Me (Cobb Bussinger, Frank Schallis) -  3:12

7. Won't You Stay Another Day (Mike Kennedy, Frank Schallis) - 2:21

8. I Remember (Mike Kennedy, B.J. Taylor) - 2:20

9. Babe, I'm Gonna Leave You (Mike Kennedy, R. Devlin, B.J. Taylor) - 2:22

10.Blues (Cobb Bussinger, Mike Kennedy, B.J. Taylor) - 8:13

11.Blues Reprise #1 (Mike Kennedy) - 0:40

12.Blues Reprise #2 (Mike Kennedy) - 0:28

Rock Island
*Cobb Bussinger - Keyboards, Vocals
*Mike Kennedy - Guitar, Vocals
*Frank Schallis - Drums, Vocals
*B.J. Taylor - Lead Vocals
*Tony Curcio - Bass

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Don Shinn - Takes A Trip (1969 uk, amazing jazz psych, Flawed Gems extra track issue)

Don Shinn is a much neglected figure in the early development of UK prog...This is a high-end gaming and frankly is frightening the fact that half a year ago I had no idea about the existence of this artist!... time it to change

On the earlier 1966 Polydor single version of 'A-Minor Explosion', Shinn can be heard employing an overdriven organ sound, jazzy chord voicings, spooky 'freakout' atmospherics, and, most notably, crashing his reverb springs in precisely the same way that Keith Emerson, Jon Lord, and countless others would eventually do years later. This 1969 remake is not as wildly manic as the 1966 original but more cerebral, and foreshadows the overall playing style and organ tone that would be echoed by Dave Stewart on the first Egg album released the following year in 1970. 

Citing Shinn's influence, Keith Emerson recalls: "Don Shinn was a weird looking guy, really strange. He had a schoolboy's cap on, round spectacles... I just happened to be in the Marquee when he was playing... The audience were all in hysterics.... And I said, 'Who is this guy?' He'd been drinking whisky out of a teaspoon and all kinds of ridiculous things. He'd play an arrangement of the Grieg Concerto, the Brandenburg and all. So my ears perked up....Playing it really well, and he got a fantastic sound from the L-100. But halfway through it he sort of shook the L-100, and the back of it dropped off. Then he got out a screw driver and started making adjustments while he was playing. Everyone was roaring their heads off laughing. So I looked and said 'Hang on a minute! That guy has got something'. I guess seeing Don Shinn made me realize that I'd like to compile an act from what he did. He and Hendrix were controlling influences over the way I developed the stage act side of things". 

Coincidentally, Shinn had been playing in a trio with future Uriah Heep bassist Paul Newton and drummer Brian Davison who would eventually work alongside Keith Emerson in The Nice. Paul Newton recalls: "In the 60's I was playing with a guy from The Nice, Brian Davison, and another guy, a keyboard player, who was a real genius. It was a trio, and most of it was really jazzy. This keyboard player was a guy called Don Shinn who went on to play with Dada, which was the forerunner of Vinegar Joe....He used to teach me bass lines on his organ pedals...really technical jazz stuff." 

Before his groundbreaking journey into pre-progressive rock territory, Shinn played with a number of mid '60s British beat outfits including The Meddy Evils, The Echoes (backing Dusty Springfield), and The Soul Agents featuring Rod Stewart. After releasing 'Temples With Prophets' in 1969, Shinn showed up on the one and only release by Dada (1970), which also featured vocalist Elkie Brooks and former Jody Grind guitarist Ivan Zagni. Following Dada, Shinn worked with Keith Relf's Renaissance, playing electric piano on the track 'Past Orbits of Dust' from the 1971 album 'Illusion'. 

Absolute revelation, premiere on CD ,his debut album (released in March 1969 by the British Columbia EMI entitled 'Temples With Prophets' and in France in the psychedelic cover as 'Don Shinn Takes A Trip') organist Don Shinn and his team recorded a completely instrumental masterpiece the piano and Hammond organ brilliant thin Progressive is developing, it is enclosed in brilliant sound a psychedelic classic rock and jazz-rock color psychedelic guitar trenchant strongly, based on a stable, solid, trouble is playing with a sense of the band by the drum which a slightly more mature version of the Nice and early Brian Auger's Trinity with more than a hint of Edward Grieg i .. Arzachel!

This is the absolutely mandatory for all fans of psych-prog-jazz-rock (or whatever it was called ...) with the authorities Hammond. Perfect sound quality. Additionally CD Record Label Flawed Gems contains

A-Minor Explosion [3:09] 1966 single version released as Don Shinn & The Soul Agents)fantastic,and also answer ,which one the band recorded the first progressive single.

by Adamus67

Tracks
1. Pits Of Darkness - 17:59
2. Temples With Prophets - 5:45
3. A Minor Explosion - 4:07
4. Jolly Dance - 3:35
5. Hearts Of Gladness - 10:18
6. A-Minor Explosion (Bonus) - 3:09
All songs written by Don Shinn

Musicians
*Don Shinn - Organ, Piano
*Paul Hodgson - Electric Guitar
*Peter Wolf - Drums
*Eric Ford - Bass

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Various Artists - Piccadilly Sunshine Part 3 (1967-70 uk, wondrous pop psych and other flavours)

Back in the height of London’s swingin’ 60s, Piccadilly Square was definitely the place to be and be seen: a cleaner, hipper alternative to the equally burgeoning Haight-Ashbury scene of the American hippie movement. The third volume of this great archival series from Bevis Frond frontman Nick Saloman gathers together 20 tracks of Technicolor psychedelia from such underground acts of the day as Howard Walker and the Bombthrowers, the Spectrum, Dead Sea Fruit, Mighty Joe Young, Jiminy Crikitt, Episode Six, and Dukes Noblemen to name a few. 

Covering the years 1967-1970, Piccadilly Sunshine Part Three is a collection of choice British obscurities well worth seeking out if you are a fan of the paisley pop psych that emerged from the Beatles smoking pot for the first time. 

by Ron Hart

Artists - Tracks
1. Howard Walker Feat. The Bombthrowers - Love Will Find A Way - 4:05
2. Paul Slade - Remember Daphne - 2:56
3. Alan David - Oh What A Naughty Man - 2:56
4. The Spectrum - London Bridge Is Falling Down - 3:06
5. Dave Justin - Lincoln Green - 3:44
6. Pythagoras Theorem - Free Like Me - 2:17
7. Dead Sea Fruit - Kensington High Street - 2:02
8. Studio Six - I Can’t Sleep - 1:54
9. Mighty Joe Young - By My Side - 2:16
10. Tim Andrews And Paul Korda - Waiter, Get Me A Drink - 2:46
11. Jiminy Crikitt - Isabella - 2:49
12. Cupids Inspiration - Look At Me - 2:18
13. J. A. Freedman - Dance With The Man In The Teapot - 2:31
14. Episode Six - Lucky Sunday - 3:41
15. Jerry St. Clair - Mrs. Jensen Sits Alone - 6:17
16. Dukes Noblemen - Thank You For Your Loving - 2:59
17.The Spectrum - Portobello Road - 2:19
18.John Bryant - She’s In Need Of Love - 3:21
19.Ottilie Patterson - Spring Song - 2:29
20.Howard Walker Feat. The Bombthrowers - Eat Me - 1:54

The Piccadilly Sunshine flavours 
1968-70  Piccadilly Sunshine Part 1
1966-71  Piccadilly Sunshine Part 2

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Shuggie Otis - In Session Information (1973-77 us, spectacular blues, funky soul, roots rock, RPM digipack edition)

Around about the time that Shuggie Otis was finishing recording work for what would become his DIY soul funk magnum opus, Inspiration Information, he was also hard at work producing and appearing on a number of sessions for father Johnny Otis’ Blue Spectrum series.

Otis Sr launched the series with six titles in 1974 and followed these up with a further seven in 1977, from household R'n'B names including Charles Brown, Big Joe Turner, Eddie ‘Cleanhead’ Vinson and, inevitably, Johnny Otis himself. The 15 tracks here are drawn from the entire Blues Spectrum catalogue, with each designed to “spotlight the contribution of Shuggie as featured artist, rock steady guitarist, bass guitar pattern weaver and ‘sound stylist’”. 

With all tracks laid down at Hawk Sound Studios in LA, Otis flavours his various collaborations with a roll-call of R'n'B greats who made their name long before the funk era dawned, with generous servings of his trademark downhome funkiness. It’s an inventive cross-generational approach that pays handsome dividends, most notably on Johnny Otis’ Country Girl and The Signifying Monkey, Roy Milton’s I’ve Got A Big Fat Mama and Charles Brown’s Black Night 'n' Trouble.

by Grahame Bent

Tracks
1. Doin' It (R. Berry, J. Otis) - 3:16
2. Country Girl (J.Otis, D.Evans) - 2:35
3. The Signifying Monkey (J.Otis, D.Evans) - 3:04
4. I've Got A Big Fat Mama (R. Milton) - 2:58
5. Sugar (J.Otis) - 3:07
6. Trackin' Machine (R.Berry, J.Otis) - 2:41
7. I Wanna Make You Happy (R.Berry) - 3:13
8. Black Night (Robinson) - 3:07
9. Louie Louie (R.Berry) - 2:16
10. Willie And The Hand Jive (J.Otis) - 2:44
11. Big Legged Woman (J.Otis, S.Otis, C.Brown) - 2:53
12. Trouble (C. Brown) - 2:41
13. Ooh Baby I Love You (R.Berry) - 3:48
14. Round About Midnight (R.Berry) - 4:03
15. Boom-Chick-A-Boogie (J.Liggins, J.Otis) - 3:44

Musicians
*Shuggie Otis - Guitar, Piano, Bass
*Richard Berry - Vocals, Keyboards
*Johnny Otis - Drums, Piano, Vocals
*Kurt Sletten, Doug Wintz - Horns
*Gene Conners, Melvin Moore, John Ewing - Brass
*Jack Kelos, Rene Bloch, Freddy Clark - Reeds
*Hootie Galvan - Drums
*Melvin Wonder - Guitar
*Al Edgar Willis - Bass
*Mighty Mouth Evans Dlemar - Vocals
*Roy Milton - Vocals
*Melvin Preston Lovi - Horns
*Larry Reed - Piano
*Eddie Vinson - Vocals, Saxophone
*Charles Brown - Vocals, Piano, Organ
*Joe Liggins - Vocals, Piano
*Little Willie Jackson - Alto,  Baritone Saxophone
*Jack Kelso - Tenor Saxophone, Horns

Shuggie Otis releases
1969  The Kooper Sessions
1969-71  Plays The Blues
1970-71  Here Comes / Freedom Flight

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Al Kooper And Shuggie Otis - The Kooper Sessions With Shuggie Otis (1969 us, superb psych blues rock)

Well, who is Shuggie Otis? No doubt the thought's crossed your mind if you've gotten this far. It crossed mine when I picked up a Kent LP earlier this year called 'Cold Shot' featuring the Johnny Otis Show. Johnny, as you should know, is one of the pioneers of R'n'B music, bandleader, disc jockey, musician, singer, writer, arranger and now proud father. Shuggie is Johnny's son. 

This is Shuggie's second album (the first being 'Cold Shot'), but whereas 'Cold Shot' was a biting, traditional blues album, Shuggie gets a chance to play in many directions here: old-time slide music, straight blues, gospel music, R'n'B and pop.

John Hammond, Sr., a proud father himself, first turned me on to Shuggie. One listen was enough. I wanted to record him. Unfortunately, he was already signed, but fortunately to Epic Records, headed by my friend, blues aficionado Larry Cohn. It was an easy task to "borrow" Shuggie for this record.

Shuggie flew in to New York from LA (where he lives) on September 15,1969. We met at my house that night and sat around listening to records and getting to know each other. I played a lot of records that night, but two stuck out. One of them was an out of print Swan Silvertones gospel album and the other was an old Little Buster single.

Shuggie loved the Silvertones, and we eventually listened to all their albums later on. Because of this, we decided to do a gospel-oriented cut on the album, hence 'Bury My Body'. I also asked Hilda Hams and Albertine Robinson to get some of their friends and come down to the studio. They can be heard on 'Bury My Body'and the old Little Buster tune I mentioned before, 'Lookin' for a Home'. 

'Double or Nothing' is of course a Booker T. tune. 'One Room Country Shack' is an old Mercy Dee Walton tune popularized by Mose Allison and popmusicizBd by Shuggie and me. 'Snuggle's Shuffle' and '12:15 Slow Goonbash Blues' are two post-midnight one take jams. 'Shuggie's Old Time Slide Boogie" is an attempt at re-creating the bottleneck-piano duets available only on old 78's. 

The album is subdivided into "The Songs' and "The Blues". "The Songs' are tour quickly arranged pieces while The Blues" are three unprepared jams. The supporting musicians are important to the success of this album. Stu Woods, formerly of Ars Nova, turns in a fine job on bass.

Wells Kelly, whom I never heard before the first session (everyone recommended him), was a pleasant surprise on drums. Listen to him push holy (no pun intended)  hell out of us in 'Bury My Body". Mark Klingman is featured playing piano on half the album. Mark has played with Ian & Sylvia, Eric Clapton and many others.

I believe that Shuggie is the Star of this album. In this respect, it is a debut album for him. Oh, one more thing, Shuggie is fifteen years old.

Peace, Al Kooper, 1969

Tracks
1. Bury My Body (Al Kooper) - 9:00
2. Double Or Nothing (S. Cropper, B.T. Jones, D. Dunn, A. Jackson Jr.) - 2:29
3. One Room Country Shack (M.D. Walton) - 3:37
4. Lookin' For A Home (E. Forehand) - 5:52
5. 12.15 Slow Goonbash Blues (Al Kooper, Shuggie Otis) - 9:29
6. Shuggie's Old Time Dee-Di-Lee-Di-Leet-Deet Slide Boogie (Al Kooper, Shuggie Otis) - 4:05
7. Shuggie's Shuffle (Al Kooper, Shuggie Otis) - 6:27

Musicians
*Shuggie Otis - Guitar, Bass
*Stu Woods - Bass
*Wells Kelly - Drums
*Mark "Moogy" Klingman - Piano, Keyboards
*Albertine Robinson - Vocals
*Harris Singers Robinson - Vocals
*Hilda Harris - Vocals
*Valerie Simpson - Vocals
*Melvin Jernigan - Wind
*Al Kooper - Organ, Vocals, Ondioline, Guitar, Keyboards, Piano

Shuggie Otis
1969-71  Plays The Blues
1970-71  Here Comes / Freedom Flight

Al Kooper
1970  Easy Does It 
1973  Naked Songs
with Blues Project
1966  Live At The Cafe Au Go Go
1966  Projections
1967   Live At Town Hall
1973  Reunion In Central Park
with Blood, Sweat And Tears
1968  Child Is Father To The Man

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