High Treason - High Treason (1969 us, west coast psych sound with baroque touches, Gear Fab release)

The seeds of High Treason started at Temple University in Philadelphia, circa 1967. Edgar Koshatka started jamming with an assortment of "alternative music types" that were fairly commonplace in those days of sit-ins, protests, and general mayhem. Edgar was a jazz guy-at heart and a by-then-halfhearted classical guy as a music major. 

Edgar always kept half-an-ear cocked to some of the innovative new rock radio stations springing up, and was completely "blown-away" (hey, it was the sixties, right?) when the rich textures, modal harmony, and sonic power of the Jefferson Airplane, circa "After Bathing At Baxters". In mid-'68 or so,, Edgar met Marcie Rauer and Saul Goodman, and many musical ideas began to be exchanged. 

The eclectic, multi-style musical mix that was to be the band's trademark began to emerge, based around the writing of Edgar and the instrumental and vocal contributions of all. Joe Cleary, a successful top-40 type who had seen "the light" came aboard, and various bass players and drummers came and went with regularity (a problem that was to plague the band; there are also more than one-of-each on the album). The instrumental and vocal nucleus of Edgar, Marcie, Saul, and Joe remained constant, however. 

By late '68, the band had become a full-fledged effort, with a manager, a bunch of equipment, roadies, a band house, and lots of record company inquiries. Along with that came many gigs at scores of PA, NY, NJ, DE, and occasionally furtherafield concert halls, coffee houses, and especially at the symbolic late 60's venues that would later be dubbed "psychedelic garages". These, of course, were the arch typical social and music centers of the time for the alternative culture that had wafted from west coast to east. 

The band finally signed a record deal in 1969 with, of all things, a label that was best known for recordings of children books (American Flag rolling papers on the front cover must have been an eyeopener for them!) The group spent a good part of 1969 in New York, recording the album, which was produced by Howard Massler, son of the record company founder and owner. By the early 70's, the band found itself with a record out, a hefty spate of gigs like the Electric Factory, Cafe Au Go Go, Electric Circus, and even The Filmore East (back of booklet). 

However, simultaneously, some budding strife along with the realization that their record company didn't have much of a promotional clue in the rock-music-biz, began to take its toll. The band still couldn't lasso the perfect rhythm section (players who understood classical, bop, country, acid, modal/Trane, Miles, and whatever else might come along). Saul, the longtime guitar stalwart, along with Ron, the band's longestlived drummer, began drifting further and further into the Shri Chinmoy/Mahavishnu Orchestra cult, following them around more and more, not exactly a shot in the arm for the High Treason gig or rehearsal commitment. 

Edgar went back to school to finish his last few hours for a music degree. Marcy went back to school too, and Joe, always the "straight guy", went back to work. And the infamous band-house fell victim of a sale to a well-known bug and pest eradication service for an office. The last High Treason incarnation, circa '71-73, featured NO guitar (how's that for a rock and roll statement), and just four members-Edgar, Marcy, bassist Terry Morrissey, and drummer Richard Ormsbee. Everybody thought that was the really accessible version of the group, with funky, melodic songs (again, mostly penned by Edgar) and a much less manicdepressive group fit. 

They continued playing a lot of mostly local gigs, and rehearsed in a large center-city rehearsal hall. But, the halycon days were over, the rolling papers were all used up, and times were a " changin'" once again. The Nixon recession was in full bloom, and by 1973, record companies weren't in the mood to do much signing. A burglary of just about all the band's equipment in March of 1973 effectively ended High Treason for good.

by Edgar Koshatka Philadelphia, January, 2001

Tracks
1. Leo - 4:37
2. Maybe, Maybe - 8:59
3. Subterranean Homesick Blues (Bob Dylan) - 5:14
4. Circadian Rhythm - 2:01
5. The Witch - 4:41
6. Fallin' Back - 12:24
All songs by Edgar Koshatka except where noted.

Musicians
*Bobby Blumenthal - Percussion
*Joe Cleary - Vocals
*Marcie Rauer - Vocals
*Saul Goodman - Guitar
*Edgar Koshatka - Keyboards
*Terry Morrissey - Bass (Tracks 4-6)
*R. Margolis - Bass  (Tracks 1-3)
*Dennis Greller - Drums
*F. Masica - Drums

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Country Joe McDonald - Paris Sessions (1973 us, amazing folk blues jazz rock, Akarma limited edition)

The title of this Country Joe recording is at best a bit deceptive. It was actually recorded at Strawberry Studios in the town Herouville about 50 KM NE of Paris. The stories behind the reason for the recording abound, but the simplest explanation can be easiest. Joe had this large group together and he wanted to record it. In September of 1972 Joe was booked at the prestigious 'Fete De L'Humanite", an annual open air fair cum festival that featured both French folk performers and international artists. 

Organized by the French newspaper L'Humanite, the fair took place on the last weekend of the traditional French August holiday month. It's held in Paris and attracts between 300,000 and 500,000 people on the 2 day run. The 1972 headliners were Country Joe followed by the Who. As an attempt to kill two birds with one stone we tried to record the show. It was a dismal failure as there was a strange hum evident throughout the entire performance. As Joe had agreed to do three television shows in Paris, we decided to record the band in the interim. 

Strawberry Studios were recommended by the Vanguard's French licensee and we set out to do this. A brief note on the Studio. It was located in an old Chateau; self contained it provided three meals a day, and could accomodate at least two bands and crews. Of course in those days crews were only one or two people. Joe's band in France at that time consisted of Anna Rizzo (from Grootna) and David Getz (from Big Brother and the Holding Company) on drums, Sebastian on Conga, Peter Albin (also from Big Brother) on Bass, Phil Marsh on guitar and Dorothy Moskovitz on Piano, (founder of the United States of America) & Tuki Bailey on various reeds. 

Tucki later played in a couple of Sylvester's bands, and wrote music for some very classy soft core movies (along with Michael Bloomfield). As can be expected this was a difficult bunch to keep entertained. As a matter of efficiency we brought Sam Charters (who had produced most of the Fish records for Vanguard) down from Sweden and for the duration along with his wife Anne (the renowned biographer of Kerouac and compiler of the recent "letters" and the "Portable Beat Readers") tried more or less to keep order. One must also imagine the scene. 

In one wing of the Chateau was Joe and his band - very Berkeley - the only thing we have in common was the evening meal and the endless (losing on our part) games of "fussball" - the table soccer game popular in Europe). There had been some curious weirdness between Tull and the Fish, which I found out about much later. It turns out that when Beck canceled out of "Woodstock" his agency had pressured Michael Lang to hire lull instead. We never found out why he didn't, but the slot was filled by Country Joe and the Fish and Butterfield – leaving the possibility open for Joe's now legendary solo performance, lull wasn't very pleased about it even then, three years later. 

When it was determined that most of the material was not salvageable (one tune was used, in the Best of Country Joe McDonald collection on Vanguard, I used "St. Tropez"-VCD 1 19/20). Joe recorded all of the songs that the group knew. Most of the recording was fairly odd, and when Joe got back to the Bay Area, he went into Different Fur Recording in San Francisco and recorded some more. All of the songs on this album were performed at one time or another by the entire larger band which at times included Barry Melton on lead guitar. 

"Fantasy", had been released as a 45 in 1971 having been recorded by Joe in London, backed by the English group "Pretty Things". "Zombies In A House of Madness" written by Michael Beasley is a poem given to Joe while appearing at San Quentin Prison - Beasley has since disappeared, but performs sporadically from time to time. 

This was one avant-garde band. During its brief life from 1972 to the fall of 1973, its obnoxious biting attitude; or as Joe puts it; "the trash can sounding drums and spoken sort - of sung lyrics filled with street language was just a bit too much for 1973". As he puts it, the audiences could not really get the concept behind "Sexist Pig" or "Coulene Anne". The fact that women were playing in the band and weren't just background singers was upsetting to many promoters. In one incident as described by Joe, while returning to the hall after dinner (in those days the promoter barely provided sodas and beer) the back stage guard insisted that "chicks had to have passes". 

Though it was repeatedly explained to him that they were in the band, it took a front office person to get them in, narrowly avoiding Joe a trip to the local station for harassing the security personnel. All in all the band was ahead of its time. As with all cutting edge events, its relevance is always more historically important than commercial. All in all an interesting recording.

by Bill Belmont, Berkeley, May 1996

This is the last part of a four CD limited box set, released through Akarma label in 2002, it contains also a 36page Book with detailed informations about Country Joe McDonald and Lyrics from these specific albums.

Tracks

1. Fantasy (Joe McDonald) - 3:37

2. Movieola (Joe McDonald) - 2:51

3. I'm So Tired (Joe McDonald) - 4:53

4. Moving (Joe McDonald) - 3:04

5. I Don't Know Why (Joe McDonald) - 1:53

6. Zombies In A House Of Madness (Michael Beasley, Joe McDonald) - 1:39

7. Sexist Pig (Joe McDonald) - 3:50

8. Colorado Town (Barry Melton, Joe McDonald) - 3:09

9. Couleene Anne (Joe McDonald) - 3:41

10.St. Tropez (Joe McDonald) - 2:29

Musicians
*Joe McDonald - Acoustic Guitar And Vocals
*Ann Rizzo - Steel Guitar, Spoons, Drums, Vocals
*Dorothy Moscowitz - Piano And Vocals
*Tucki Bailey - Saxophone, Flute
*Peter Albin - Bass

Country Joe discography
1965-71  The First Three E.P's
1967  Electric Music For The Mind And Body
1967  I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin'-To-Die
1968  Together
1969  Live! Fillmore West
1969  Here We Are Again
1970  CJ Fish
1970  Tonight I'm Singing Just For You
1971  Hold On It's Coming
1971  War War War

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Peter Ivers' Band - Knight Of The Blue Communion (1969 us, inspired experimental avant-garde, jazz rock, rhythm 'n' blues)

Many music fans will know Peter Ivers as the writer of 'In Heaven (Lady in the Radiator Song)', which he originally composed for David Lynch's classic film, Eraserhead. The song was later immortalised, of course, by fellow Bostonians, the Pixies.

Ivers may not be a household name, but during his short life he made an impact on many fronts. He was a musician, arranger, composer, screenwriter, catalyst, TV presenter, spotter of new talent, a black belt in karate and a yoga master. Talking to people who knew and worked with him even 24 years after his untimely death, the superlatives still come gushing forth: such epithets as 'perfect'; 'a totally unique and refreshing individual'; 'a legend in the making'; 'a genius in many fields' freely trip off the tongue about him.

Peter's first big music industry break came in 1969, when Epic Records signed him to record his debut solo LP, Knight of the Blue Communion, the first ever legitimate CD reissue of which is now released on Hux Records.

In addition to playing harmonica and providing backing vocals, Peter acted as arranger and composer, while his friend Tim Mayer provided all the lyrics. Ivers assembled a fascinating group of musicians to play on his record. On drums was Cleve Frank Pozar, with Richard Youngstein on contrabass, and Tony Ackerman on guitar. The horn section featured Steve Kowarsky on bassoon, Henry Schuman on oboe and Paul Balmuth on sax. 

However, the icing on the cake was chanteuse Yolande Bavan, and the way in which Peter used her as lead vocalist on the album. Bavan was a singer and actress who was born in Sri Lanka and had started her professional career working as a vocalist with renowned pianist Graeme Bell. Later, she met and was befriended by the legendary singer Billie Holiday. Holiday took the young Bavan under her wing and in addition to mentoring Yolande, developed a close friendship with her. Subsequently, Yolande found her way to America where she replaced Annie Ross in the renowned jazz vocal trio, Lambert, Hendricks and Ross. 

On its original release in 1969, Knight of the Blue Communion drew comparisons with Captain Beefheart and Frank Zappa, with Yolanda appearing to be the conventional vocalist cast in what was often a sea of avant-garde madness, the music a blend of blues, rock & jazz. The LP was produced by the veteran US pop producer Sandy Linzer, who had written and produced the hit 'Let's Hang On To What We Got'.

Yolande left the band the following year and was replaced by Asha Puthli, a forward thinking, boundary breaking vocalist who'd trained in Indian classical singing and was a natural jazz improviser, whom the New York Times described as 'a sound like raga meeting Aretha Franklin'.

With Asha now on vocals, the Peter Ivers Band released their debut single in 1971, a cover of the Marvin Gaye number, 'Ain't That Peculiar', backed by the Ivers' original, 'Clarence O'Day'. Both titles, previously unavailable on CD, are included here as bonus tracks.

As Puthli recalls, the single 'received glowing reviews from all three major industry magazines, Billboard, Cashbox & Record World and briefly entered the Top 100 Singles Billboard charts'. Asha Puthli went on to sing on Ornette Coleman's Science Fiction album and won Downbeat poll award for best female jazz vocalist for her sterling contribution to that classic album. 

This special 'digi-pack' format features a reproduction of the original LP sleeve. The accompanying 20 page CD booklet features extensive liner notes, including interviews with the featured singers and musicians, along with the original LP liner note by Peter Ivers, full lyrics to every track and rare photos.

Tracks
1. Cat Scratch Fever - 7:41
2. Water Curtain - 3:38
3. Dark Illumination - 4:16
4. Confession - 2:32
5. Travelling Lightly - 8:17
6. Showroom Model - 4:31
7. Tobacco - 2:20
8. Lord God Love - 5:04
9. Knight Of the Blue Communion - 2:50
10.Gentle Jesus (Smokey Robinson) - 9:00
11.Ain't That Peculiar - 2:58
12.Clarence O'Day - 2:31
Music by Peter Ivers, Lyrics by Timothy Mayer, unless as else stated.

Musicians
*Yolande Bavan - Vocals
*Cleve Pozar  - Drums
*Robert Pozar - Percussion
*Peter Ivers - Harmonica
*Tony Ackerman  - Guitar
*Paul Balmuth - Sax  Soprano
*Paul Balmuth - Sax Tenor
*Steve Kowarsky - Bassoon
*Henry Schuman - Oboe
*Richard Youngstein - Clarinet, Contrabass

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Oscar And The Majestics - No Chance Baby (1963-68 us, great garage beat, 2011 sundazed edition)

Gary, Indiana is not a town known for being a rock 'n' roll hot spot, so Oscar and the Majestics' status as the best band in town in the mid-'60s might not seem like much, but the recordings they left behind suggest they could have moved to a number of bigger, cooler cities and still been close to the top of the heap. 

Leader Oscar Hamod has a voice that capably fused soul and garage rock influences, his fierce, agile guitar work roared with energy and attitude, and his backing combo -- Robert Wheeler on rhythm guitar, Sam Hamod on bass, Vince Jacim on drums -- was a rock-solid rhythm section that could also deliver great harmonies. 

Oscar and the Majestics cut a handful of fine tunes for Chicago's USA Records label, which were included on Sundazed Records' 2009 collection 2131 South Michigan Avenue: 60's Garage & Psychedelia from USA and Destination Records; on No Chance, Baby!, Sundazed fills the gaps in the band's history by including all their USA releases, as well as the singles the band released on their own label, delivering everything they released in the decade. 

This collection follows the Majestics as they evolved from R'n'B and blue-eyed soul into tougher rock 'n' roll material, ending with their proto-psychedelic cover of "House of the Rising Sun." Despite the presence of red-hot covers of "I Can't Explain" and "Soul Finger," originals dominate this collection, though you might not guess that on first listen; while Oscar and the Majestics were clearly a talented band, their songwriting was quite derivative, and "Why-O" bears a certain resemblance to "Stranded in the Jungle," "I Feel Good" favors "Til the End of the Day," "Fanny Brown" pretty much is "Farmer John," and "Come on Willie" could pass for a speeded-up "Hang on Sloopy" in dim light. 

But if the band didn't have a gift for dreaming up great riffs, they could play the hell out of anything they approached, and No Chance, Baby! proves that Gary's finest were one of the great acts on the Midwest teen scene in the mid-'60s. If you dig pre-psych raunch played with fire and precision, this will earn a favored spot on your personal playlist. 

by Mark Deming

Tracks
1. Got to Have Your Lovin’ (Oscar Hamod) - 2:35
2. Soulfinger (King, Jones, Cunningham, Cauley, Caldwell, Alexander) - 2:30
3. My Girl is Waiting (Oscar Hamod) - 2:23
4. Baby Under My Skin (Oscar Hamod) - 2:23
5. I Can’t Explain (Pete Townshend) - 2:12
6. Jackie Jackie (Oscar Hamod) - 2:12
7. Why-O or Jungle Beat (Oscar Hamod) - 2:31
8. No Chance Baby (Oscar Hamod) - 2:34
9. I Feel Good (Oscar Hamod, Sam Hamod) - 2:29
10. Come On Willie (Oscar Hamod) - 2:10
11. Top Eliminator (Oscar Hamod) - 2:01
12. Fanny Brown (Oscar Hamod) - 2:14
13. Dawn (R.C. Robinson) - 2:16
14. House of the Rising Sun 1969 (Traditional Arr. Oscar Hamod) - 2:39

Oscar And The Majestics
*Oscar Hamod - Lead Guitar, Lead Vocals
*Sam Hamod - Bass, Vocals
*Robert Wheeler - Rhythm Guitar, Vocals
*Vince Jacin - Drums

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Pugsley Munion - Just Like You (1970 us, fine heavy psychedelic rock, Gear Fab issue)

The band was started mid 1969, under the name "Mask", as a vehicle for the members to play their original material which they had been writing while in other high school cover bands. All three members were already playing club gigs while still in school, but wanted to pursue their dream of writing all of their own music. By chance a homemade demo tape fell into the hands of J&S records, a small R&B record label that had been somewhat out of the scene for a few years. 

After putting up some cash to help offset recording costs, they brought the band to NYC to record a true demo, and immediately started the process of signing them to a single album deal. A short time after the demo was completed, it was discovered that the name "Mask" had already been registered. The concept and original title for the album was Three in One, representing the three member's close musical ties (the original album jacket has the name "3 in 1 Records" printed on the spine, in error). 

A fictional name for this imaginary person was needed. The name Pugsley Munion was created by the bands road crew late one night after a gig, in a local donut shop while getting dirty looks from a local cop named Munion. Pugsley came later by chance after seeing it on a street sign out side of NYC. The band put the two names together as a joke for a local gig, and the name stuck by popular demand. The band went to NYC to record the album in mid 1970.  The band was booked for two days into Bell Sound Studios, one of NYC's first 8 Track Studios. 

Because the band played live as an Organ, Bass Pedal, Guitar, Drum trio for most of the songs, it was thought that bass guitar would be added for the recording to get a better sound in the studio. As the songs were being recorded, bass parts were being experimented with, and were supposed to be replaced at a later session. At the end of the two day recording session rough mixes were prepared and the band was expecting to come back in to redo the base parts, some vocals and mix the project. 

Much to the bands surprise the record company released the album as is, in its unfinished form. They also "Lost" the original art work for the cover, an original ink drawing of the band by one of its road crew, messed up the liner notes by forgetting to include Ed Kelly's last name, and renamed the album after the song that they released as a single "Just like You". Needless to say, even as a young band they realized that they were getting less than professional treatment from the label and quickly but unsuccessfully tried to stop the record from being released.

The record did get released and actually got some air play, but shortly after its release John got drafted and the whole project ended. After a very short stint in the Navy due to medical problems, John returned home and rejoined the band who had in his absence added a bass player and a front man. The band played locally for a couple of years in local clubs and developed quite a regional following. Today, all three members have remained active in the business. John played in many touring club bands throughout the 70's and 80's. 

He also spent lots of time producing and engineering local bands, writing, collaborating and recording demos with many regional and national artists. During the early 80's he became involved heavily in sequencing and drum programming for his own band, and for his collaborators. In 1984 he recorded "Orion the Hunter" with members of the band "Boston" and "Heart". Currently he is working on plans for an upcoming music project.

In the years after "Munion's " release, Ducky took up Pedal steel and quickly became one of the areas most sought after session players. He recorded and toured with many nationally known acts including "Rubber Rodeo" (1986), John Cafferty and the Beaver Brown Band (Road House, 1990), Terence Trent D'Arby (Symphony or Damn, 1993), Swinging Steaks Peter Wolfe's solo album (Long Line 1996). He also has and still tours occasionally with John Lincoln Wright, Angela West & Showdown and many other rock and country acts.

Ed, who became one of the areas top drummers, is still the drummer of choice for many area bands who rely on his ability to provide rock steady support, creative feel and dynamic sound for their projects, usually gigging with more than 2 or 3 bands at the same time.

by John Schuller, Leominster, Mass. December, 1999

Tracks
1. What's Right For Me (John Schuller) - 6:57
2. Second Time For Me (John Schuller) - 3:37
3. Take My Soul (John Schuller, Tom Belliveau) - 5:46
4. Just Like You (John Schuller) - 2:59
5. Slumberland Blues (John Schuller, Tom Belliveau) - 2:12
6. No Time Tomorrow (John Schuller, Tom Belliveau) - 6:08
7. Trouble (John Schuller) - 5:13
8. Collage Thought (John Schulfer) - 4:21
9. I Don't Know Who To Blame (J. Schuller, T. Belliveau) - 5:21
10.What's Right For Me(J. Schuller) - 6:15
11.Second Time For Me (J. Schuller) - 4:29
12.What's Right For Me (J. Schuller) - 7 53
Tracks 10-11 Alternate Demo Versions from 1970
Track 12 Recorded Live, 2, 71

The Pugsley Munion
*John Schuller - Hammond B-3, Piano, Fender Bass, Acoustic Guitar, Lead Vocals
*Thomas (Ducky) Belliveau - Electric, Acoustic Guitars, Bass, Vocals
*Edward Kelly - Drums, Percussion, Vocals
*Gary Lanuzzi - Bass (Track 12)

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Country Joe McDonald - War War War (1971 us, brilliant protest folk painted with traditional colours, Akarma limited edition)

The Canadian poet Robert Service, is best know for his poem "The Ballad of Yukon Jack"; but his most striking collection of work is contained in the small book of poetry published after the Great War (World War I) ~ "Rhymes of A Red Cross Man". 

Service was in the ambulance service during the War and this collection of poems put to music represent the experiences he had while serving in France. Each one of them is evocative of an era, a time that few alive today can understand. Perhaps best illustrated by the film version of "All Quiet On The Western Front" the horrors of trench warfare cannot be described to the young people of today. 

Service had a way of talking about situations that in many ways is very much in keeping with late 20th century writing- -the indirectness of "The Man From Athabaska" and the directness of "Jean Desprez" illustrate best the style made more popular by "Yukon Jack" and his poems of the Northwest Territories. "Jean Desprez" was performed in 1971 on the BBC's "Late Night Lineup" in a show that also featured Mick Jagger. We had a copy of the performance, but it was lost. 

The album has been a modest underground favorite for many years. It reissue by One Way a few years ago sold out its pressing run.

by Bill Belmont, Berkeley, June 2001

Tracks
1. Foreword - 4:39
2. The Call - 2:35
3. Young Fellow, My Lad - 3:47
4. The Man From Athabaska - 6:28
5. The Munition Maker - 4:22
6. The Twins - 1:53
7. Jean Desprez - 9:48
8. War Widow - 2:02
9. The March Of The Dead - 6:27
Music composed by Country Joe McDonald,
based on poems written by Robert Service

*Country Joe McDonald - Vocals, Guitar, Harmonica, Footstomping, Harmony Vocal, Tambourine, Organ

Country Joe discography
1965-71  The First Three E.P's
1967  Electric Music For The Mind And Body
1967  I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin'-To-Die
1968  Together
1969  Live! Fillmore West
1969  Here We Are Again
1970  CJ Fish
1970  Tonight I'm Singing Just For You
1971  Hold On It's Coming

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The Human Beinz - Nobody But Me / Evolutions (1968 us, spectrum of sunny beat psychedelia, Collectables 2006 release)

Ohio's Human Beinz are remembered today for their one and only hit, a hot-wired and feedback-fueled cover of the Isley Brothers' "Nobody But Me" that hit the charts in 1968, but the two albums they cut for Capitol Records are most remarkable in that if you removed the title track from Nobody But Me, you'd be hard-pressed to imagine that they were recorded by the same band responsible for that single. 

Both Nobody But Me and the follow-up, Evolutions, released later the same year, are paired up on this two-fer CD from Collectables. Nobody But Me features a few token blasts of high-attitude rock, but producer Lex De Azevedo seemed more interested in conjuring up some ambitious psychedelic production numbers for the group, including a lavish and brooding cover of "Black Is the Color of My True Love's Hair," a slice of semi-witty social protest called "It's Fun to Be Clean," and several low-key meditations on lost love. 

De Azevedo and the Human Beinz took things a good bit further with their second LP, Evolutions; the trippy psychodrama of "My Animal," the acoustic-based plea for compassion of "Close Your Eyes," the Mellotron-accented smirk of "If You Don't Mind, Mrs. Applebee," and the noisy freak-out coda of "Two of a Kind" (complete with the sound of a piano being dismantled) make this album some sort of landmark among frat rock guys who discovered the wonders of LSD. 

The album also gave lead guitarist Richard Belley a lot more room for his fuzzed-out solos, and if he was no Hendrix (or even Leigh Stephens), his sound brings a bit of welcome sonic unity to this wildly eclectic LP. Despite the presence of the Nuggets-approved hit single, Nobody But Me/Evolutions is probably more interesting for fans of the lesser-known branches of '60s psychedelia than anyone else, and if the Human Beinz's exploration of inner space was a bit cheesy, it's also amusing and still makes its case well all these years later. 

by Mark Deming 

Tracks
1. Nobody But Me (Isley, Isley) - 2:16
2. Foxey Lady (J. Hendrix) - 2:26
3. Shaman (De Azevedo) - 2:14
4. Flower Grave (Belley) - 2:14
5. Dance on Through (Whittington) - 3:03
6. Turn On Your Love Light (Malone, Scott) - 2:13
7. It's Fun to Be Clean (De Azevedo) - 2:06
8. Black Is the Color of My True Love's Hair (Trad. arr. by De Azevedo) - 4:24
9. This Lonely Town (Leatherwood, Scheri) - 2:22
10.Sueno (Belley, Markulin, Pachuta, Tatman) - 2:06
11.Serenade To Sarah (De Azevedo) - 1:58
12.Face (De Azevedo) - 2:41
13.My Animal (De Azevedo) - 2:44
14.Every Time Woman (De Azevedo) - 2:06
15.Close Your Eyes (Murray) - 2:26
16.If You Don't Mind, Mrs. Applebee (De Azevedo) - 2:08
17.I've Got to Keep On Pushing (De Azevedo) - 2:35
18.Cement (Belley) - 2:10
19.Two Of A Kind (Murray, Kruck) - 5:05
20.April 15th (Belley, De Azevedo) - 7:05

The Human Beinz
*John "Dick" Belley - Vocals, Guitar
*Joe "Ting" Markulin - Vocals, Guitar
*Mel Pachuta - Vocals, Bass
*Mike Tatman - Drums

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Human Instinct - Pins In It (1971 new zealand, effective acid psych guitar rock, 1997 digipak and 2011 bonus tracks edition)

On their return to New Zealand (early 1969), they began recording an album at Stebbing's studios. About half way through it Peter Barton left the group and Larry Waide was brought in to complete the album. Released late 1969, the album was called "Burning Up Years". From it came the single "I Think I'll Go Back Home"/"You Really Got Me".

Work then began immediately on the second album. It was recorded in June 1970 and released as "Stoned Guitar". From it came the singles "Midnight Sun"/"Idea" and "Black Sally"/"Tomorrow".

Larry Waide left the group after recording the second album, as musical directions began to change. His position was filled in February 1971 by former Underdogs bass player Neil Edwards. No sooner had he joined and the group was back in the studios to record their third album. This was called "Pins In It" and was released in June 1971. One single, "Rainbow World"/"Highway", was issued from this album.

Firmly established as one of the rarest LPs of the period, it's presented here complete with exclusive photographs, six bonus tracks and detailed notes by Greer himself, making it truly essential for fans of hard psychedelic rock. 

At the same time as its release, the group headed to Sydney for a three month tour. It was not a happy time for the band and at the end of the visit, Billy TK announced that he was remaining in Australia. This basically signalled the end of Human Instinct as a heavy rock band. Instead of replacing Billy with another guitarist, Maurice decided to go for a totally different sound and added Graeme Collins on keyboards. 

This configuration didn't last very long and in 1972 Maurice started again with a completely new line-up which consisted of himself, Martin Hope, from the Fourmyula, and John Donoghue, from Timberjack, both on guitar, and Glenn Mickelsson (also known as Zaine Griff) on bass. From late 1971, Maurice divided his time between his music and nightclub construction with his brothers, Barry and Frank. They were responsible for opening quite a few clubs in Auckland, notably Hatchett's, Granny's, Shantytown, Ruby's Saloon and Croft's, as well as quite a number of others around the country.

Tracks
1. Pinzinet (Neil Edwards, Khayam) - 4:02
2. Stand Up (Neil Edwards, Maurice Greer, Tiny Thompson) - 3:44
3. Duchess of Montrose (Neil Edwards) - 3:56
4. Hazy Days (Billy Te Kahika) - 3:36
5. The Washing Song (Neil Edwards) - 2:50
6. The Nile Song (Roger Waters) - 3:17
7. Play My Guitar (Billy Te Kahika) - 2:53
8. Highway (Billy Te Kahika) - 2:22
9. Rainbow World (G. R. Edwards, Neil Edwards, Maurice Greer) - 4:27

Bonus Tracks

10.Play My Guitar (Billy Te Kahika) - 2:52

11.The Nile Song (Roger Waters) - 3:08

12.Duchess Of Montrose (Neil Edwards) - 2:43

13.Rainbow World (G. R. Edwards, Neil Edwards, Maurice Greer) - 4:13

14.Texas Sparrow (Mike Rabon) - 2:43

15.Children Of The World (Neil Edwards, Tiny Thompson) - 2:30

Tracks 10-13 recorded in 1971 for the Australian TV show "Getting To Know"

Tracks 14-15 single 45' 1971 release

Human Instinct
*Maurice Greer - Lead Vocals, Drums, Percussion
*Neil Edwards - Bass
*Billy Te Kahika - Guitars

With

*Dick Hopp - Flute (Tracks 6,9)

*Robert Hooper Smith - Organ (Tracks 7,8)

*Graeme Collins - Keyboards (Tracks 14,15) 

Other Humans
1975  Peg Leg / The Lost Tapes

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The Human Expression - Love At Psychedelic Velocity (1966 us, raw garage psych, 2010 Cicadelic bonus tracks edition)

In 1966, four high school students from the Los Angeles suburbs formed The Human Expression, and by January 1967, their first single, Love At Psychedelic Velocity b/w Every Night, was released to an unsuspecting public.

It was a dazzling, driving, opus of mind-bending sounds, and a harbinger of things to come.

Their second single, Optical Sound b/w Calm Me Down, released in the Summer Of Love, was a two-sided tour de force, with brooding introspective lyrics by lead singer, Jim Quarles.

The Human Expression's edgy bad boy image was the antithesis of the flower-children image so prevalent for groups in 1967.

The Human Expression's third single was Sweet Child Of Nothingness, written by Mars Bonfire, who offered the band another new song, Born To Be Wild.

Quarles thought the lyrics trite, and since he was the lead singer, the band rejected the song, even before Steppenwolf recorded it.

Nevertheless, the three singles The Human Expression released during their short-lived career, would burnish their reputation as one of the finest garage bands to emerge from the mid-60's Los Angeles music scene.

Compiled on this CD are all the surviving demos and tapes of The Human Expression, along with rare band memorabilia, and demos by Quarles from 1965 (recorded just before The Human Expression).

Tracks
1. Readin' Your Will (Jim Quarles, Jim Foster) - 2:45
2. Love at Psychedelic Velocity (Human Expression) - 2:37
3. Every Night (Demo Version) (Human Expression) - 2:43
4. Calm Me Down (Single Version) (Jim Quarles, Jim Foster) - 2:28
5. Optical Sound (Single Version) (Jim Quarles, Jim Foster) - 2:37
6. Sweet Child of Nothingness (Mars Bonfire) - 3:08
7. Room of Shadows (Complete Version) (Jim Quarles) - 2:22
8. Calm Me Down (False Start) (Jim Quarles, Jim Foster) - 0:14
9. Calm Me Down (Unreleased Version) (Jim Quarles, Jim Foster) - 2:27
10.Every Night (Single Version) (Human Expression) - 2:36
11.Optical Sound (Promo Version) (Jim Quarles, Jim Foster) - 2:33
12.Calm Me Down (Promo Version) (Jim Quarles, Jim Foster) - 2:25
13.I Don't Need Nobody (Mike Verlingien) - 2:56
14.I Told Her (Jim Quarles) - 1:57
15.Return Nevermore (Jim Quarles) - 1:58
16.Judgement of Rejection (Jim Quarles) - 2:05

The Human Expression
*Jim Quarles  - Lead Vocals
*Jim Foster  - Rhythm Guitar
*Martin Eshleman  - Lead Guitar
*Tom Hamilton  - Bass
*Armand Poulin  - Drums

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The Human Zoo - The Human Zoo (1970 us, rough garage psych with r 'n b blinks, Cicadelic 2010 issue)

Originally known as The Circus, The Human Zoo were a rock band from Westminster, California. Featuring Jim Cunningham and Roy Young on vocals, John Luzadder on guitar, Larry Hanson on guitar and keyboards, Bob Dalrymple on bass and Kim Vydaremy on drums, the group was discovered by Jim Foster, guitarist with the Los Angeles-based psychedelic band The Human Expression, whose single "Optical Sound" had been a regional hit. 

On Foster's suggestion, the band changed their name from The Circus to The Human Zoo and they landed a recording deal with Accent Records, a small label based out of Hollywood. While Accent released their debut album in 1970, it was pressed in very small quantities; it's been speculated that the label's management believed the group had the potential to be signed to a larger label and pressed the LP primarily as a promoti...

Tracks
1. It's Got To Be (Roy Young) - 3:01
2. Na-Na (Larry Hanson) - 2:07
3. Help Me (Jim Cunningham, Larry Hanson) - 3:11
4. I Dont' Care No More (Larry Hanson, John Luzadder) - 2:36
5. Funny (A.Morettini, D.Leonards) - 5:09
6. Late To My Resurrection (A.Morettini) - 3:07
7. When Papa Started Drinking (Bob Dalrymple) - 2:27
8. Gonna Take Me a Ride (Jim Cunningham, John Luzadder) - 3:31
9. Stone Sassy Fox (Jim Cunningham, D.Leonards) - 3:16
10. The Human Zoo (Roy Young, John Luzadder) - 3:12
11. The Time Was Over (Bob Dalrymple) - 2:36

The Human Zoo
*Roy Young - Vocals
*Jim Cunningham - Vocals
*Larry Hanson - Guitar, Horn, Keyboards
*John Luzadder - Guitar
*Bob Dalrymple - Bass
*Kim Vydaremy - Drums

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Filet Of Soul - Freedom (1969 us, groovy acid r 'n' b psych , 2011 release)

The Filet of Soul Story When Mike started his band, they were known in those early days as Attila and the Huns. "While still in High School, we played in dance halls, bars, school dances and the standard band circuit". The Huns managed to make a steady and somewhat lucrative living. 

One year later, the band, put up their own money and produced their first single recording. Recorded on the SARA record label, "Cheryl"(written for a friend who was killed in a car crash), backed with "The Lonely Huns" 45s sold about 20.000 copies locally in the Central Wisconsin area during the bands live performances. A win in a Battle of Bands contest sent the Huns on the way to a national road tour, where the Huns met a Chicago/Milwaukee record producer Lenny LaCour. 

Lenny convinced the Huns to change their name and sign his record contract for 4, 45s and an LP recorded at Chicago's Chess Studios. The new Filet of Soul as the band became known, was about to embark on a two year National road tour and many more adventures which would cover a 20 year slice of time together. During this time they also traveled to the continent of Greenland for a U.S.O. show, where they met and performed for the U.S. and Danish Air forces and Prince Phillip of Wales. 

Returning home they spent nine and a half months performing in the Chicago Playboy Club where they rubbed elbows with and got to know some of the biggest names in show biz. Greats like: Sammy Davis Jr., Mick Jagger, Sony & Cher, Jimmy Durrante, Shelly Berman. Jimmy Rodgers, Kenny Rogers. Buddy Ebsen. Gabe Kaplan. Myron Cohen, Jerry Van Dyke, The Shadows of Knight and the list goes on and on. Michael and his band recorded two albums (One at Chess Studios in Chicago) and eleven 45's a few of which have become collector's items. "Freedom1 was different from a lot of era albums in that it showcased a largely original set of material. 

Mostly penned by member Mike Peace, the album showcased an interesting mix of blue-eyed soul ("Treat Her Right"), top-40 pop ("Here's Where I Get Off") and tougher rock material ("Come To Me"). As lead singer Peace had a great voice that was more than capable of handling the band's diverse repertoire. It was all performed with the kind of naive enthusiasm that more than compensated for whatever performance short comings the band had and for the somewhat low-fi sound and production. 

Interestingly virtually every one of the twelve songs had commercial potential, but these guys were at their best when playing straight ahead rock - the wah-wah guitar propelled title track, "Big City USA", the fuzz -driven 'Standing At the Wrong Machine" and the raging garage screamer "Stepping Into Your Fire". 

There was also a nice cover of the Zombies' "Tell Her No". Certainly not the most original album you've ever heard, but thoroughly charming and one that I continually spin. The b & w cover is due to a color sleeve being beyond the band's means, after purchasing the rights to the album from Chess. who chose not to release it.

by Mike Peace, October 2011

Tracks
1. Freedom (Mike Peace) - 4:25
2 Come To Me (Mike Peace) - 1:55
3. Here's Where I Get Off (Mike Peace) - 2:45
4. Tell Her No (Rod Argent) - 2:03
5. Sweet Lovin' (Mike Peace) 2'46
6. Treat Her Right (Roy Head, Gene Kurtz) - 1:58
7. Big City USA (Rich LaGault, Mike Peace) - 2:51
8. Standing At The Wrong Machine (Lennie LaCour) - 2:25
9. Get Ready (William Robinson) - 2:48
10.Steppin' Into Your Fire (Lennie LaCour) - 3 44,
11.Learn How To Love (Mike Peace) - 3:13
12.Do Your Own Thing (Lennie LaCour, Mike Peace) - 2:58

Filet Of Soul
*Mike Peace - Vocals, Guitar
*Ben Wiesneiwski - Guitar
*Denny Lewan - Bass
*Rich Legault - Drums

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Oxfords - Flying Up Through The Sky - Two (1966-72 us, beautiful beat folk psychedelia, Gear Fab 2007 release)

In 2001 when Gear Fab Records released the Oxfords “Flying Up Through The Sky” reissue CD, I thought that the disc had included all of the material the group had ever recorded. The music on the first CD went from the first time the group set foot in a studio in 1966 to record “There’s Always Something There To Remind Me”, up to 1972 when the group made the last Oxfords recordings (“Tornado Baby”, “Those Winds”, “Sweet Lover Man”, etc.).

At that time I had tried to get the group’s original multi-track masters, but the Allen- Martin (formerly Sambo) Studio, where almost all of the group’s recording had been done, had refused to release the tapes. Because of this, most of the songs on that CD were transfers from the vinyl LP and the 45s.

Then in 2006 the Allen-Martin Studio closed. The property and equipment were sold, and the building was bulldozed. The studio’s tape archives, which had been locked away (some of the tapes for over forty years), were to be thrown into a dumpster.

However, thanks to the efforts of Marvin Maxwell and Walker Ed Amick, all of the master tapes were saved. Marvin was Louisville’s first-call session drummer who played on a large percentage of the recordings done there. He had also played in both Soul Inc. (touring with the Dick Clark Caravan), and with the group Elysian Field. Walker Ed Amick is a rock guitar player who has played with the likes of Delaney Bramlett (Delaney and Bonnie and Friends), Joe Cocker, Eric Clapton, and even Beatle George Harrison!

Marvin then started doing a weekly radio show called “Louisville’s Lost and Found” on public radio station WFPK. The show featured the old music recordings that he and Ed had been transferring from tape to CD. 

Webcasts of any of the shows can be heard by going to www.groovymusicinc.com, and clicking the MEDIA tab. Marvin asked me to be on the show the week they were featuring the Oxfords songs. When Marvin told me what he and Ed had been doing, I volunteered to help transfer (and in many cases) remix years of recordings from the original multi-track masters. I’d go through each box of tapes like a kid looking for the prize in a box of corn flakes.

Several months into the project, Marvin handed me a box that had what I’d been looking for. It was the Oxfords multi-track masters. Surprisingly though, I now had, not only the songs I had remembered recording, but several other reels with songs that I forgot had existed!

This CD features those songs. I’m not sure why they were never released, but it was probably that the group still had hundreds of unsold LPs! The second production run of the original 2001 re-issue GF-168 “Flying Up Through The Sky” will have the recordings that were remixed from the original multi-track masters (as opposed to transfers from the vinyl LP). Listeners should notice a marked improvement in the sound quality, since all but four songs are from the original tapes.

This disc you’re holding in your hand right now (GF-226) has every song digitally mastered directly from the original analog multi-track. They’re mixed and mastered the way we would have done it, if we’d had unlimited studio time back in the 60’s.

by Jay Petach

Tracks
1. The Harm I Do (By Being Me) (Jill DeMarco) - 2:52
2. Reno, Nevada (Richard Farina) - 2:23
3. Lightnin' Sally (Jay Petach, Jill DeMarco) - 2:27
4. Dance!(Jay Petach, Jill DeMarco) - 2:40
5. I Can't Remember Your Name (Jill DeMarco, Tom Owen) - 3:15
6. Coin' Home (Jay Petach, Tom Owen) - 2:35
7. Year of Jubilo (Intro) (Trad. Henry Clay Work) - 0:11
8. Year of Jubilo (Trad. Henry Clay Work, Music by Jill DeMarco) - 2:49
9. Sit Down (Traditional, Arranged by Jill DeMarco) - 2:35
10.Sunshine Can Still Feel Warm (Jim Guest, Jay Petach) - 3:00
11.Make Me One of Your People (Jim Guest, Jay Petach) - 2:29
12.I Gave You My Name (Jim Guest, Jay Petach) - 3:27
13.When You Decide (To Say Good-Bye) (Jerry Canter)  - 2:56
14.Runaway (Del Shannon, Max Crook) - 1:54
15 Foolin'Around Waltz (Jesse Collin Young) - 2:48
16 Underscore (Keith Spring, Jay Petach) - 4:00

The Oxfords
*Jill DeMarco - Vocals, Guitar, Clavinet
*Jay Petach - Vocals, Guitar, Organ, Flutes, Harmonica, Piano
*Paul Hoerni - Drums
*Larry Holt - Bass
*Dill Asher - Bass
*Donnie Hale - Drums, Percussion
Guest Musicians
*Keith Spring - Piano,  Orchestra Arrangements
*Gary Johnson - Bass
*Jim Guest - Drums, Percussion, Vocals
*Bill Tullis - Guitar, Vocals

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Outlaws – Anthology / Live 'n' Rare (1973-81 us, powerful southern rock, 2012 Purple Pyramid four disc set release)

Southern rock will continue to live and breathe in some fashion, especially as reminders of the genre's glory years -- such as the Outlaws' 2012 four-CD set Anthology (Live and Rare) 1973-1981 -- are issued. There's a treasure trove of material here, with over four hours of previously unreleased material from the Tampa, Florida-based band. the Outlaws could stand on the edge of straight-up country yet turn on a dime and blast out walloping bulldozer-on-steroids hard rock, maintaining memorable melodies and hooks along the way on signature songs like "There Goes Another Love Song," "Green Grass and High Tides," "Hurry Sundown," and the cover of "(Ghost) Riders in the Sky." 

The original lineup included an amazing triple-threat frontline with lead vocalists/guitarists Hughie Thomasson, Henry Paul, and Bill Jones, often referred to as the "Florida Guitar Army." Bass guitarist Frank O'Keefe and drummer Monte Yoho provided the bottom thump, with O'Keefe's work (as well as that of future replacements Harvey Dalton Arnold and Rick Cua) standing out as especially integral to the arrangements. (Latter-era vocalist/guitarist Freddie Salem and drummer David Dix are to be commended as well.) 

Most of the live material comes from the band's first three albums: 1975's Outlaws, 1976's Lady in Waiting, and 1977's Hurry Sundown. Multiple versions of several songs are collected including "There Goes Another Love Song," "Stick Around for Rock and Roll," "Knoxville Girl," "Freeborn Man," "Song in the Breeze," "Gunsmoke," and "Green Grass and High Tides," among others. One stand-out rarity is the cover of Jackson Browne's "Red Neck Friend." Disc one includes performances from 1975 shows in Denver, Colorado; Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania; Cleveland, Ohio, and the Record Plant recording studio in Sausalito, California. 

Disc two features 1976 performances at the Record Plant in Los Angeles, California. Disc three captures 1977 performances in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Passaic, New Jersey; as well as 1981 tracks also from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Disc four is the most interesting for longtime fans because it includes studio demos recorded between 1973 and 1977. Nine demos from the Outlaws, Lady in Waiting, and Hurry Sundown sessions are followed by eight previously unreleased ones. "Never See Your Face" is bouncy country rock, "Windy City Blues" is a smoldering and surprisingly effective 7-and-a-half-minute jam, "Nighttime's Passing Dream" is melodic and easygoing, and "Goodbye Tupelo" is very nearly pure country. 

An informative essay is included in the liner notes, but specific details on the origins and sources of this material -- Radio broadcasts? Soundboard recordings? Venues? Precise dates? Lineups? -- are incomplete. Despite occasional shrillness, the overall sound quality of these recordings is excellent. The studio demos sound like nearly completed recordings; they aren't like some demos that get released and sound like they were primitively recorded at the bottom of a muddy river. Anthology (Live and Rare) 1973-1981 is a sure-fire reminder of the Outlaws' powerful music and their unique contribution to Southern rock. 

by Bret Adams

Tracks

Disc 1

Live in Denver, CO (August 1975)

1. Waterhole (F. O'Keefe, H. Paul, H. Thomasson) - 1:55

2. Stick Around for Rock and Roll (Hughie Thomasson) - 9:01

3. Knoxville Girl (Henry Paul) - 3:40

4. There Goes Another Love Song (Henry Paul) - 2:56

Live in Bryn Mawr, PA (August 1975)

5. Song for You (W. Jones, H. Thomasson) - 3:36

6. Prisoner (W. Jones) - 9:48

7. Redneck Friend (J. Browne) - 3:49

Live in Cleveland, OH (September 1975)

8. There Goes Another Love Song (H. Thomasson, Monte Yoho) - 3:16

9. Freeborn Man (Keith Allison, M. Lindsay) - 5:17

10. Kansas City Queen (Hughie Thomasson) - 8:11

Live in Record Plant Sausalito, CA (November 1975)

11. Song in the Breeze (Henry Paul) - 4:53

12. Knoxville Girl (Henry Paul) - 3:21

13. Cry No More (W. Jones) - 4:13

14. Green Grass and High Tides (Hughie Thomasson) - 12:53

Disc 2

Live in Record Plant Los Angeles, CA (November 1976)

1. Waterhole (F. O'Keefe, H. Paul, H. Thomasson) - 2:07

2. Stick Around for Rock and Roll (Hughie Thomasson) - 8:54

3. Song in the Breeze (Henry Paul) - 4:59

4. Lover Boy (Hughie Thomasson) - 4:17

5. Freeborn Man (Keith Allison, M. Lindsay) - 5:11

6. Cry No More (W. Jones) - 4:02

7. Knoxville Girl (Henry Paul) - 3:34

8. Green Grass and High Tides (Hughie Thomasson) - 14:10

9. There Goes Another Love Song (H. Thomasson, Monte Yoho) - 4:17

Disc 3

Live in Stanley Theater Pittsburgh, PA (March 1977)

1. South Carolina (Henry Paul) - 3:11

2. Gunsmoke (Henry Paul, Monte Yoho) - 4:33

3. Song in the Breeze (Henry Paul) - 4:47

Live in Capitol Theater Passaic, NJ (May 1977)

4. Cold and Lonesome (Harvey Dalton Arnold) - 3:34

5. Holiday (W. Jones) - 4:39

6. Hurry Sundown (Hughie Thomasson) - 4:09

7. Lover Boy (Hughie Thomasson) - 3:49

8. Gunsmoke (Henry Paul, Monte Yoho) - 4:05

Live in Pittsburgh Arena  Pittsburgh, PA (November 1981)

9. Angels Hide (Hughie Thomasson) - 6:14

10. Blueswater (W. Jones) - 4:59

11. Keep Prayin' (Frank O'Keefe) - 2:46

12. You Are the Show (Hughie Thomasson) - 5:16

13. (Ghost) Riders in the Sky (S. Jones) - 7:07

Disc 4
“Outlaws” Sessions
1. Song for You (Hughie Thomasson) - 3:57
2. It Follows from the Heart (W. Jones) - 4:18
“Lady In Waiting” Sessions
3. Freeborn Man (Keith Allison, M. Lindsay) - 5:48
“Hurry Sundown” Sessions
4. Gunsmoke (Henry Paul, Monte Yoho) - 3:56
5. Holiday (W. Jones) - 3:57
6. Hurry Sundown (Hughie Thomasson) - 4:12
7. Cold and Lonesome (Harvey Dalton Arnold) - 3:49
8. Night Wines (W. Jones) - 4:05
9. Heavenly Blues (Henry Paul) - 3:23
Unreleased Demos 1973 – 1977
10. Never See Your Face (Henry Paul) - 2:55
11. Windy City Blues - 7:32
12. Nighttime's Passing Dream (Henry Paul) - 3:26
13. True Love at First Sight (Hughie Thomasson) - 2:19
14. Where Does It Go from There - 3:22
15. Goodbye Tupelo (Hughie Thomasson) - 2:37
16. Alone with You Again (Hughie Thomasson) - 2:26
17. Two Time Blues - 2:38

The Outlaws
Original Line Up
*Hughie Thomasson – Guitars, Vocals (Died 9/9/07)
*Henry Paul – Guitars, Vocals
*Billy Jones – Guitars And Vocals (Died 2/7/95)
*Frank O’Keefe – Bass And Vocals (Died 2/26/95)
*Monte Yoho – Drummer
Other Members  1977 - 1981
*David Dix – Drums, Percussion
*Harvey Dalton Arnold – Bass, Vocals
*Freddie Salem – Guitars, Vocals
*Rick Cua – Bass, Vocals

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Mad Curry - Mad Curry (1970 belgium, superb progressive rock with jazz glances, bonus tracks remaster edition)

Machiavel might be Belgium's best known and most successful progressive rock band, but they weren't the first.

Probably the earliest band from that country playing this kind of music is Mad Curry, who released a single called "Antwerp", and then a self-entitled album, both in 1970 on the small Pirates label, meaning LP copies aren't likely to float around, and a legitimate CD reissue hasn't surfaced.

The band came from Antwerp, which is in the nothern half of the country (where the Flemish variety of Dutch is spoken). The band included female vocalist Viona Westra, who sounds remarkably like Curved Air's Sonja Kristina, with saxist Joosk Geeraerts (apparently also known as Giorgio Chitschenko), organist Danny Rousseau, bassist Jean Andore (or Vandooren), and drummer Eddy Kane (or Verdonck).

Notice they don't have a guitarist. Despite the band being Belgian, they stick to a British style of jazzy progressive rock.

Really, Mad Curry is truly one of the great, lost gems of progressive rock. This is simply an incredible collection of music, with some really creative drumming from Eddy Kane, and some killer organ work from Danny Rousseau.

This one of those progressive rock albums that isn't particularly pretentious (for those who run at the thought of this kind of music), as they tend to borrow more from jazz than classical. The music is really full of great twists like on "Beauty", "Music, the Reason for Our Happiness", and "Longhaired Children in a Cave".

"The Worker" is a real interesting one where it the keyboard heard sounds like a cross between a piano and harpsichord. While vocals are largely from Viona Westra, one of the guys (not sure who) do actually share vocal duties on "Beauty" (a song with reference to sex) and he reminds me of the Amon D??l II male vocalist.

Frequently Mad Curry gets compared to Soft Machine and Julian's Treatment, which is understandable, the Soft Machine comparison coming from the jazzy nature of the music, and Julian's Treatment for the female vocals and Hammond organ.

Other groups I get reminded of are Affinity, Catapilla, and even Curved Air (thanks to Viona Westra sounding like Sonja Kristina, which means if you like Sonja's vocals, you'll have little problem warming up to Viona's vocals, although like Sonja, she is an acquired taste).

Really, had Mad Curry been British, they'd likely end up on the Vertigo label, as it's very much in the vein of the more jazzy progressive albums on that label.

But since they were Belgian, they ended up on the Pirates label. Remember, in Belgium, the progressive rock scene hadn't been as so well represented as the progressive rock scenes in the countries that surround it (Netherlands, France, Germany), but Belgium had their share of groups worth your time, and if you're a fan of those British groups I mentioned, I really think you can't go wrong with Mad Curry. I was simply blown away from the first listen! 

by Ben Miler

Tracks
1.Men - 4:08
2.Big Ben - 4:53
3.Beauty - 3:31
4.Music, The Reason Of Our Happiness - 4:05
5.Jack Is Away - 5:17
6.5 Longhair Children In A Cave -
7.The Worker - 3:48
8.Sound For Tomorrow  (Giorgio Chitschenko) - 3:16
9.Antwerp (single A side) - 2:57
10.Song For Cathreen (single B side) - 2:26
All titles by Viona Westra and Giorgio Chitschenko except where noted

Mad Curry
*Viona Westra - Vocals, Percussion
*Giorgio Chitschenko (Joosk Geeraerts) - Varitone Saxophone
*Danny Rousseau - Keyboards, Sounds
*Jean Andore (Vandooren)  - Bass
*Eddy Kane (Verdonck) - Drums

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