Mott The Hoople - Two Miles From Heaven (1969-72 uk, tough classic rock with some glam shades, 2003 issue)

After British Lions broke up, Dale Griffin (and Morgan) went in the studios to put together this compilation of rare and unreleased Mott The Hoople material from Island's vaults.  Mott recorded virtually everything they wrote, and just about any day not spent gigging was spent in the studio.  As a result, there is a lot of unreleased (and unfinished) material in there.

What an absolute peach this collection is. Unreleased tracks, rare b-sides and early versions of songs that would be recorded later on... this album has long been sought after by fans,  and is now at long last available on CD.

It starts with a rare vocal version of the Kinks' You Really Got Me.  Next up is Ian's first stab at social commentary, Road To Birmingham which was the b-side to Rock And Roll Queen, Mott's first single.  Then there's the alternate version of Thunderbuck Ram, with Verden's organ featuring much higher in the mix.  The studio version of Keep a Knockin' is fast and furious, and an absolute belter.

Movin' On is next - slated for the original vinyl but withdrawn at the last minute is a medium-paced rocker that Mick Ralphs would eventually re-record with Bad Company.  Ride On The Sun is beautiful - this again would be re-recorded (as Sea Diver) later on - and is possibly one of Ian's best ballads. 

Growin' Man Blues is another fast rocker which I never grow tired of hearing.  Till I'm Gone is another ballad, beautifully sung by Mick Ralphs (for a version of him sharing the vocals with Ian, check out the Anthology).  One Of The Boys is an acoustic version of the song that would be re-recorded later on.  Black Scorpio (Momma's Little Jewel) is faster than the version that would be recorded for the Dudes album.

Two more bonus tracks close the album, The Debt (which was the b-side to Midnight Lady) and the non-LP single Downtown,  with Mick Ralphs again supplying the vocals for this Neil Young/Crazy Horse cover.

As always with Angel Air, packaging is excellent with excellent and informative sleeve notes by Dale Griffin. Sound quality throughout is excellent (a lot better than the original LP).  Strangely, tho' the running order on the Bald At The Station side is different from the original LP.  No matter - this is an important album in Mott's history.

Hunter-Mott

Tracks
1. You Really Got Me (Ray Davies) 3.08
2. The Road to Birmingham (Ian Hunter) 3.30
3. Thunderbuck Ram (Mick Ralphs) 4.41
4. Going Home (Mick Ralphs) 3.00
5. Little Christine (Mick Ralphs) 3.06
6. Keep a Knockin' (Richard Penniman) 3.25
7. Black Hills (Mick Ralphs) 1.32
8. Movin' On (Mick Ralphs) 2.44
9. Ride On the Sun (Ian Hunter) 3.38
10.Growin' Man Blues (Ian Hunter) 2.46
11.Until I'm Gone (Mick Ralphs) 3.14
12.One of the Boys (Mick Ralphs, Ian Hunter) 4.19
13.Surfin' U.K. (Mick Ralphs) 2.37
14.Black Scorpio (Ian Hunter, Peter Overend Watts) 3.36
15.Ill Wind Blowing (Ian Hunter) 3.53
16.The Debt (Ian Hunter) 4.15
17.Downtown (Danny Whitten, Neil Young) 3.03

Mott The Hoople
Ian Hunter - Vocals, Piano, Guitar
Mick Ralphs - Guitar, Vocals
Peter Watts - Bass Guitar, Vocals
Dale Griffin - Drums
Verden Allen - Organ

1966/90  Doc Thomas Group And The Silence - The Italian Job / Shotgun Eyes
1969  Mott The Hoople - Mott The Hoople (2003 bonus tracks remaster)
1970  Mott The Hoople - Mad Shadows (2003 Extra Tracks Remaster)
1971  Mott The Hoople - Wildlife (2003 japan bonus tracks remaster)
1971  Mott The Hoople - Brain Capers (bonus tracks remaster)
1972  Mott The Hoople - All The Young Dudes (2006 bonus tracks remaster)
1973  Mott The Hoople - Mott (2006 remaster and expanded)
1974  Mott The Hoople - Hoople (2006 remaster and expanded)

Free Text
Text Host

Mott The Hoople - Hoople (1974 uk, power glam rock, 2006 remaster and expanded)

The Hoople was Mott's third album release on CBS/Columbia Records and the band had much to live up to after their two previous studio work outs. All the Young Dudes had taken the group in an exciting new direction under David Bowie's tutelage and the self-produced Mott was so strong that its sequel inevitably faced unjust criticism. However, there were some mitigating circumstances. Organist Verden Allen and founder/lead guitarist Mick Ralphs had both left Mott in 1973. The group considered Joe Walsh, Tommy Bolin and Ronnie Montrose as Ralphs' replacement but opted for Luther Grosvenor, who joined as 'Ariel Bender'. 

These developments changed the character of the band quite significantly firstly because vocalist Ian Hunter was now the undisputed group leader, secondly because Grosvenor was not a musical collaborator as Ralphs had been and thirdly because Ian effectively became sole writer. But Mott's front man had composed some fearsome new songs and The Hoople marked a solid progression. In retrospect, the album deserves greater merit for the diversity and power of Hunter's material. The 'updated' top ten hit single "Roll Away the Stone" and its follow up, "The Golden Age Of Rock ln' Roll", closed and opened the LP, acting as bookends to the eclectic material within. In 1974 there was a strong UK lobby to limit the noise level at rock concerts to 96 decibels and 'Golden Age' was an expression of Hunter's annoyance but also a celebration of the glamorous and buoyant music scene that was thriving at that time. 

Roxy Music's Andy Mackay contributed rousing saxophone to the new single and he also played to great effect on "Pearl 'n' Roy (England)", a tale of social and political frustration referencing the British Conservative Prime Minister of the time, Ted Heath. Mott was renowned for its passion towards guitars and cars. After "Drivin1 Sister" and "I'm a Cadillac" on the Mott album, bassist Overend Watts contributed "Born Late '58," a very credible rocker that Ian thought was a potential single at the time. It was the only Mott track not to feature their front man who was in America when the band cut the song Ian also extended his tales of New York City with "Alice" which trod in the tracks of Mott's "Whizz Kid". Hunter's lyrical outpouring on "Alice" was unprecedented and consequently the song was performed only once in concert. Morgan Fisher, Verden Allen's replacement, fitted the band like a glove, as exemplified by his fantastic organ playing on this cut. 

"Through the Looking Glass" is unique in the Mott canon with its stunning dynamics and orchestral arrangement rising and falling dramatically behind Hunter's expressive vocals. "Trudi's Song", a beautiful ode to lan's wife, inspired by Dylan's Nashville Skyline album, is a gentle contrast to much of The Hoople's hard edge. With the headlines 'Fragments of Madness' and 'Hoople's Blood and Thunder', two British rock journals were clearly startled by Hunter's powerful and highly charged masterpieces, "Crash Street Kidds" and "Marionette". Echoing "Violence" from Mott, "Crash Street Kidds" tells the tale of a street gang who have become so socially disenchanted that they decide they are going to take over Britain. In the end, youth fails with lan's transformed 'dalek voice' and a 'machine gun' heralding the gang leader's demise. Originally conceived as "The Bash Street Kidds", it was to be the album's theme and title but the publishers of the Beano comic (which featured the Bash St characters) would not countenance Hunter's concept. 

The cornerstone of The Hoople is unquestionably "Marionette", lan's five minute mini opera describing the corporate side of rock music and its effect on artists. Crazed violin, frantic saxes, staccato cellos, Quasimodo choruses and manic laughter surround Hunter's nightmare of a rock star driven to submission. Ian was often ahead of the field and within 18 months Queen had written a certain smash hit operetta and 'marionette' was used to describe David Essex in his portrayal of a fading pop star in the movie Stardust. Within nine months Ian Hunter would be confined to a hospital bed. Before then, "The Golden Age Of Rock 'n' Roll" hit #16 in Britain and The Hoople reached #11. Mott played a 6week American tour with Queen as support and became the first rock band to sell out a week of Broadway concerts in New York's theatre land. Hunter's acclaimed book Diary of a rock 'n' roll Star was also published around this time. It was a peak period for the group. 

During The Hoople sessions the band recorded the reflective "Rest In Peace" and a further Spector-style single "Foxy Foxy" for summer release. In the autumn of '74 it was felt that Ariel Bender did not suit Mott as lead guitarist and in spite of his whirlwind energy and the renewed spirit he had injected into the group, Grosvenor left, turned down an offer to join Sparks and formed Widowmaker instead. Bender's replacement was the brilliant Mick Ronson whose recruitment by   Hunter was a masterstroke. 'Ronno' laid down guitar for a single entitled "(Do You Remember) The Saturday Gigs?" and an intended B side, "Lounge Lizzard". The self-referential "Saturday Gigs" was deemed a huge potential hit but it stalled inexplicably at #41 in the UK. 

European concerts with Ronson were highly praised but there were increasing tensions in the band and Hunter's subsequent breakdown led to the cancellation of a sold out British tour. Mott ceased to exist. The Hoople is Mott the Hoople's final creative offering and one of their most under-rated albums lying as it does in the wake of Brain Capers, AH the Young Dudes and Mott. It is still a remarkable record and Hunter's compositions "Crash Street Kidds" and "Marionette" pointed the group in a new and exciting direction that sadly they were unable to follow. Little wonder that Ian had planned to feature a straight jacket on the cover of their next album. 'Fragments of Madness' indeed!

by Campbell Devine

Tracks
1. The Golden Age of Rock 'n' Roll  - 3:26
2. Marionette  - 5:08
3. Alice  - 5:20
4. Crash Street Kidds - 4:31
5. Born Late '58 (Overend Watts) - 4:00
6. Trudi's Song - 4:26
7. Pearl 'N' Roy (England) - 4:31
8. Through the Looking Glass - 4:37
9. Roll Away the Stone - 3:10
10.Where Do You All Come From (B-side) (Dale "Buffin" Griffin, Ian Hunter, Mick Ralphs, Peter Watts) - 3:26
11.Rest in Peace (B-side of "The Golden Age of Rock 'n' Roll" single) - 3:55
12.Foxy, Foxy (Non-LP single A-side) - 3:31
13.(Do You Remember The) Saturday Gigs (Non-LP single A-side) - 4:20
14.The Saturday Kids (Work in progress mixes) - 6:03
15.Lounge Lizzard (Aborted single b-side) - 4:19
16.American Pie/The Golden Age of Rock 'N' Roll (Live from Broadway)  (Don McLean, Ian Hunter) - 4:15
All tracks written by Ian Hunter except as noted.

Mott The Hoople
*Ian Hunter - Vocals, Rhythm Guitar, Keyboards
*Pete "Overend" Watts - Bass Guitar, Vocals, Riff Guitar, 12-String Guitar
*Dale "Buffin" Griffin - Drums, Vocals, Percussion
*Ariel Bender (Luther Grosvenor) - Lead Guitar, Vocals, Slide Guitar
*Morgan Fisher - Organ, Synthesizer, Piano
Guest Musicians
*Howie Casey - Tenor Saxophone
*Jock McPherson - Baritone, Tenor  Saxophone
*Mike Hurwitz - Cello
*Lynsey De Paul - Backing Vocals
*Mick Ralphs - Backing Vocals, Rhythm Guitar
*Graham Preskett - Violin, Tubular Bells
*Sue Glover, Sunny Leslie - Backing Vocals
*Barry St. John - Backing Vocals
*Thunderthighs (Karen Friedman, Dari Lalou, Casey Synge) - Backing Vocals

1966/90  Doc Thomas Group And The Silence - The Italian Job / Shotgun Eyes
1969  Mott The Hoople - Mott The Hoople (2003 bonus tracks remaster)
1970  Mott The Hoople - Mad Shadows (2003 Extra Tracks Remaster)
1971  Mott The Hoople - Wildlife (2003 japan bonus tracks remaster)
1971  Mott The Hoople - Brain Capers (bonus tracks remaster)
1972  Mott The Hoople - All The Young Dudes (2006 bonus tracks remaster)
1973  Mott The Hoople - Mott (2006 remaster and expanded)

Free Text
Text Host

Leviathan - The Legendary Lost Elektra Album (1969 uk, amazing beat psych rock, 2016 remaster)

The Brighton band Leviathan, previously known as Mike Stuart Span, featured in one of the very best TV programmes ever about Pop Music. It is also unintentionally very funny indeed. In their episode “Big Deal Group”, part of BBC’s “A Year In The Life” series, “the Span” begin as a group on the up being managed by the hapless Mike Clayton, who demonstrates his acumen early on by signing away an extra 5% of their earnings to a booking agency for seemingly doing nothing much at all. Clearly way out of his depth when it came to the London Showbiz mafia and not exactly a Peter Grant figure, it was no surprise when he and the group parted company after a series of mishaps, including an underwhelming television appearance and unwisely buying a record shop on the royalties from a non-selling single. This left the Mike Stuart Span forlornly rehearsing at a local Youth Club, contemplating a spell working on building sites instead of the glamour in the last dying breathes of Swinging London. Of Clayton, we saw no more.

After this inevitable parting of the ways, something new was needed for the band. Luckily a deal with US label Elektra, home of the Doors and Love amongst others, came out of the blue on the proviso that the group’s name be changed to the more 1969 sounding Leviathan. Though not that enamoured with the new moniker (and the decision on this came right from the top, from none other than Jac Holzman, Elektra president), the band generally welcomed this unexpected upswing in fortune.

The tail end of “Big Deal Band” shows Clive Selwood, John Peel’s mate and now the band’s handler, attempting unsuccessfully to hustle the newly rechristened Leviathan some air time on the Kenny Everett radio show. Presumably it was also Selwood’s idea to release two singles by the band on the same day – the kind of ploy that rarely worked, but I suppose desperate times called for desperate measures. By the time the documentary aired, the band were no more, their dreams of UK and Stateside success dashed when Elektra (and Holzman again being personally involved) rejected their first attempt at making an album. They told them to go back and try again, but by this time Leviathan had run out of money and with nothing forthcoming from the US, that was that.

The LP that they recorded has remained in limbo ever since, apart from a brief vinyl release a short while back, but now we can hear it in all its glory, nearly 50 years after it was recorded. And, despite at times taking rather too strongly an influence from the preeminent UK band of the time Cream, it is a beaut. Though looked upon as a change from the “Psychedelic” Mike Stuart Span to a more “Progressive” sound, it’s not a startling alteration of style. Leviathan do occasionally fall back on the kind of “Blues” jamming that tended to rule in Blighty at the time – but for the most part inventive, catchy Heavy Psych/late period Freakbeat is the order of the day.

Their best single “Remember The Times”, cruelly missed out on the charts despite being on a par with great bands like the Move and there’s a touch of “Sunday Afternoon” era-Kinks in the mix, very agreeable indeed. Though a touch more guitar gung-ho than in their Span years (even further back they started as a Soul band with a full brass section), they still manage to make a catchy concoction of their contradictions (i.e wanting the fame and fortune that success would bring, but also a need to be “taken seriously”). Occasionally they trip over into self-parody, with the multi-section anti-war “War Machine” making one stifle a few giggles but feel a bit mean afterwards, as they were undoubtedly being earnest. “Flames”, another single side, manages to neatly bolt together the Progressive and Pop with a complicated guitar riff dovetailing nicely with a doleful but memorable song. They never lost their Pop smarts, though perhaps “Evil Woman” does go a little too far down the “Clapton Is God” path. “Just Forget Tomorrow”, another side of the ill-fated double single, is another good one. At times they had a bit in common with the Who of the same period, with strong vocals complimenting powerful but fluid instrumentation. Also Leviathan had the advantage of not having to weld their cracking tunes to an unwieldy concept unlike Rog and the boys.

“Leviathan – The Legendary Lost Elektra Album” may well have disappeared without making much of a ripple even if it had seen the light of day back in 1969, knowing the band’s luck, but that is not to blind us from its many good qualities. Though Leviathan were never destined to make the higher reaches of the charts and struggled to even get their records released, they had an innate skill for producing excellent Psychedelic-toned Pop Music and finally, all these years later, we have the proof.

by Ian Canty

Tracks

1. Remember The Times (Stuart Hobday) - 2:46
2. Second Production (Stuart Hobday, Gary Murphy, Roger McCabe, Brian Bennett) - 4:44
3. The War Machine (Stuart Hobday) - 5:19)
4. Through The Looking Glass (Stuart Hobday, Brian Bennett) - 5:45
5. Blue Day (Stuart Hobday, Brian Bennett) - 6:38
6. Time (Gary Murphy, Brian Bennett) - 4:00
7. Flames (Gary Murphy, Brian Bennett) - 4:47
8. World In My Head (Stuart Hobday, Brian Bennett) - 4:29
9. Evil Woman  (Larry Weiss) - 7:57
10.Flames (Single Version) (Gary Murphy, Brian Bennett) - 3:48
11.Just Forget Tomorrow (Single) (Stuart Hobday, Brian Bennett) - 4:19
12.Remember The Times (Australian Single Version) (Stuart Hobday) - 2:41
Bonus tracks 10-12

Leviathan
*Stuart Hobday  - Vocals
*Brian Bennett  - Guitar
*Roger McCabe  - Bass
*Gary Murphy  - Drums

1964-68  Mike Stuart Span - Children Of Tomorrow (2011 Grapefruit remaster)  
Related Act
1967-68  Jason Crest - The Collected Works

Just Paste
Free Text
Text Host

Mott The Hoople - All The Young Dudes (1972 uk, exceptional classic rock with glam shine, 2006 bonus tracks remaster)

On the whole, classic rock radio is a pretty macho affair, full of Hot Legs, Big Balls, and Radar Love. In a certain respect, Mott the Hoople's biggest hit (and only contribution to American classic rock playlists) fits right in: All the Young Dudes is upfront with its sexual desire and horny, twenty-something lust. There is one catch: It's also a celebration of the glam's gender-bending aesthetic.

At the time of its release, Mott the Hoople were wallowing in obscurity despite releasing four albums of high-powered boogie. They were ready to pack it in, but David Bowie encouraged them to soldier on, offering Mott the chance to record Suffragette City. The band, though, wanted Drive-In Saturday, which Bowie wasn't willing to part with. All the Young Dudes was the compromise. In the short term, Bowie came out looking the genius, as the band briefly achieved the stardom they felt was rightfully theirs, kicking out their two best albums in the process. 

But it couldn't last, and by 1974, guitarist Mick Ralphs was off playing in Bad Company and Mott faded back to the margins.Mott the Hoople are still a widely respected and influential band, and it's pretty easy to hear why-- they've got the swagger, confidence, and riffs of glam and the basic approach of punk. 

That's not to mention vocalist Ian Hunter, whose voice was so limited and colorless that he probably made more than a few kids with guitars think if this guy can sing in a band, surely I can. The band, however, found countless ways to work around Hunter, from melodic harmonizing on the choruses that he could yelp and talk-sing over to clever lead guitar parts that Ralphs used to inject hooks into the verses.

So Hunter becomes the everyman, just trying to get by, and the tension between the band's chops and his lack of skill and range is oddly poignant. All the Young Dudes closes with the dejected piano ballad Sea Diver, a crushingly sad song that uses a diving bell as a metaphor for being trapped in a failed relationship. 

Hunter's inability to get through half an octave without cracking or morphing into a dock worker's shout sucks out all the maudlin potential of the piano part and string arrangement, turning them instead into a kind of security blanket. It's a strikingly emotional capstone to an album that mostly trades in funky rock and roll and leather-pantalooned swagger.

Young Dudes highlight Sucker is a slow, cowbell-guided rocker adorned with sax interjections from Bowie; it features a killer call-and-response between a harpsichord and a wordless backing vocal phrase on its chorus. The reissue appends a thunderous live version that suggests the band's true power wasn't really captured on any of its records. However, there's also a live version of Sweet Jane that's as forgettable as the studio version that leads off the original album. 

Conventional revisionist rock crit wisdom says this is a five-star record, but in truth it's not even close, and that song is a big part of the reason.Elsewhere, a primordial version of Ready for Love pales in comparison to the version Bad Company took into the charts two years later, but the band gets in some strong hard boogie tunes on Momma's Little Jewel (the early demo version added here, called Black Scorpio, is even nastier) and One of the Boys, the rocking follow-up single to All the Young Dudes. Bowie-philes will love the version of All the Young Dudes featuring his vocal, even though it's weaker than the version everyone knows.

by Joe Tangari

Tracks
1. Sweet Jane (Lou Reed) - 4:21
2. Momma's Little Jewel (Ian Hunter, Peter Watts) - 4:26
3. All the Young Dudes (David Bowie) - 3:32
4. Sucker (Ian Hunter, Mick Ralphs, Peter Watts) - 5:03
5. Jerkin' Crocus (Ian Hunter) - 4:00
6. One of the Boys (Ian Hunter, Mick Ralphs) - 6:46
7. Soft Ground (Verden Allen) - 3:17
8. Ready for Love/After Lights (Mick Ralphs) - 6:47
9. Sea Diver (Ian Hunter) - 2:53
10.One of the Boys (Ian Hunter, Mick Ralphs) - 4:18
11.Black Scorpio (Ian Hunter, Peter Watts) - 3:35
12.Ride on the Sun (Ian Hunter) - 3:36
13.One of the Boys (UK single version) (Ian Hunter, Mick Ralphs) - 4:21
14.All the Young Dudes (David Bowie) - 4:25
15.Sucker (Ian Hunter, Mick Ralphs, Peter Watts) - 6:27
16.Sweet Jane (Lou Reed) - 5:00
Tracks 10-12 Demos Versions
Tracks 15,16 Live 1973 at the Hammersmith Odeon

Mott The Hoople
*Ian Hunter – Vocals, Piano
*Mick Ralphs – Guitar, Vocals (Except on Tracks 15, 16)
*Verden Allen – Organ, Vocals (Except on Tracks 15, 16)
*Pete Overend Watts – Bass Guitar, Vocals
*Dale Buffin Griffin – Drums, Vocals, Percussion
Additional Musicians
*Ariel Bender – Guitar, Vocals on  Tracks 15, 16
*Mick Bolton – Organ on Track 15
*David Bowie – Saxophones, Vocals on  Track 14
*Morgan Fisher – Organ, Mellotron on Track 12, Piano, Synthesizer, Vocals on Bonus Tracks 15, 16
*Ray Majors – Slide Guitar on  Track 11
*Mick Ronson – Strings, Brass Arrangement on Track 9
*Buddy Bauerle - Pan Flute
*Mike Walls - Hammond B3 Organ
*Jeff Hanover - Vibraslap

1966/90  Doc Thomas Group And The Silence - The Italian Job / Shotgun Eyes
1969  Mott The Hoople - Mott The Hoople (2003 bonus tracks remaster)
1970  Mott The Hoople - Mad Shadows (2003 Extra Tracks Remaster)
1971  Mott The Hoople - Wildlife (2003 japan bonus tracks remaster)
1971  Mott The Hoople - Brain Capers (bonus tracks remaster)

Free Text
Text Host

Mott The Hoople - Mott The Hoople (1969 uk, superb debut album, 2003 bonus tracks remaster)

Enough works on Mott the Hoople's eponymous debut album, and enough is so imaginatively freewheeling, that it's easier to think of the record as a bit more successful than it actually is. After all, their combination of Stonesy swagger, Kinks-ian crunch, and Dylanesque cynicism is one of the great blueprints for hard rock, and its potential is apparent the moment their monumental instrumental "You Really Got Me" kicks off the record. This is followed by two covers, Doug Sahm's "At the Crossroads" and Sonny Bono's "Laugh at Me," that demonstrate their musicality more than their depth, since all three of these songs sound like they derive from the same vantage point. 

Then, to cap it off, Ian Hunter turns in "Backsliding Fearlessly" and Mick Ralphs gives Mott their first anthem with the pile-driving "Rock and Roll Queen." Up to this point, Mott the Hoople is wildly imaginative and invigorating, and that's enough to make this a fine debut, even if it falls off the tracks during the second side. The first side and those two originals reveal a band whose rowdy power is matched by sly humor, clever twists, and fierce intelligence -- all qualities they built a career on, and this blueprint still stands the test of time. 

by Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Tracks
1. You Really Got Me (Ray Davies) 2.55
2. At the Crossroads (Doug Sahm) 5.33
3. Laugh at Me (Sony Bono) 6.32
4. Backsliding Fearlessly (Ian Hunter) 3.47
5. Rock and Roll Queen (Mike Ralphs) 5.10
6. Rabbit Foot and Toby Time (Mike Ralphs)2.04
7. Half Moon Bay (Mike Ralphs, Ian Hunter) 10.38
8. Wrath and Wroll (Guy Stevens) 1.49
9. Ohio (Neil Young) 4.26
10.Find Your Way (Mike Ralphs) 3.30
Bonus Tracks 9-10

Mott The Hoople
*Ian Hunter - Lead Vocals, Piano
*Pete "Overend" Watts - Bass
*Mick Ralphs - Lead Guitar, Vocals
*Verden Allen - Organ
*Dale Griffin - Drums

1966/90  Doc Thomas Group And The Silence - The Italian Job / Shotgun Eyes
1970  Mott The Hoople - Mad Shadows (2003 Extra Tracks Remaster)
1971  Mott The Hoople - Wildlife (2003 japan bonus tracks remaster)
1971  Mott The Hoople - Brain Capers (bonus tracks remaster)

Free Text
Text Host

Trapeze - Live At The Boat Club (1975 uk, strong tight hard classic rock with funky feel, 2003 release)

Trapeze began in Wolverhampton, England in March 1969. The original five piece band consisted of Mel Galley, Glen Hughes, Dave Holland and ex-Montanas John Jones and Terry Rowley. They made their television debut on July 7th 1969 on the BBC show 'Colour Me Pop' which showcased new talent in the music industry. It was eagerly viewed by the A&R departments of record companies looking to sign new bands to their roster. Trapeze walked off with the 'Most Popular Group' award and were besieged by offers of recording contracts. They eventually settled with the Moody Blues label Threshold and recorded their first album simply titled Trapeze' in 1969, which received rave reviews and important airplay on the BBC's Radio 1.

With tours booked to take in both Europe and America, an underlying change of direction started to develop in the camp. The gentler harmonies on their first album were to get heavier and this led to both Rowley and Jones leaving the band. Trapeze then became a trio of Mel Galley, Glen Hughes and Dave Holland, which played with a higher energy, harder rock approach. Their second album 'Medusa' containing the classic tracks 'Black Cloud' and 'Jury' was released on 13th November 1970 to excellent reviews. It proved to be the watershed of their career and it started a growing interest in the USA with big demand from concert promoters and radio stations. The largest fan base developed in the South as Trapeze shared equal billing with bands like ZZ Top, headlining large arenas. In Houston, they sold out two shows in one night, literally bringing the house down as the balcony collapsed due to excess fans and weight.

The demand from America meant that Trapeze made fewer appearances in their native UK, although when they did return, Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham would always try and catch up with the band, often joining them on stage for the encore. He once said that "Trapeze are the best three piece band I have ever seen". Other fans of the band included: Gary Moore, Jimmy Page, Bonnie Rait, David Bowie, Chaka Khan and Stevie Wonder. Due to their hectic touring schedule, there was no new album from the band in 1971 as they didn't have time to write new material. However, in the summer of 1972, sessions with a new producer began for their next album, which was finished by December. The third I album titled 'You Are The Music..We're Just The Band' was a classic and again received universal critical acclaim. The new material added depth and merged funk and soul with " white power rock. In just three and a half years, the band had notched up six tours of America and two classic rock albums. It was regarded in the States that Trapeze were just one album away from superstar status but in June 1973, things were about to change. After : watching the band several times, Deep Purple 3 on the look-out for someone to fill the vacancy left by departing bass guitarist Roger Glover,  made Glen Hughes an offer few could have refused. Glenn joined Purple in time for the 'BURN' sessions and tour, initially seen as a . devastating blow to Trapeze.

Having finished with Warners, Trapeze then played a series of live gigs to complete their existing commitments as a band before they temporarily disbanded. This live set was recorded during that period, originally for a live radio broadcast. It captures the band in fine form playing funky riffs and favourite songs to a small enthusiastic audience at Nottingham's legendary Boat Club, a venue which has seen many major British rock bands pass through. Just weeks later, Mel Galley and Dave Holland had joined up with ex-Moody Blues John Lodge and Justin Hayward in The Blue Jays. Trapeze reformed in late 1976 with Pete Goalby taking over the vocals for the album 'Hold On'. In 1979 original drummer Dave Holland decided to quit the band and join heavy metal band- Judas Priest, notching up seven albums and countless world tours. Trapeze finally disbanded again in 1981 when guitarist Mel Galley joined David Coverdale's Whitesnake touring the world non stop for the next two years. In 1994, to celebrate their 25*n anniversary, Trapeze reformed once more with the 'Medusa' trio of Galley, Hughes and Holland touring both the UK and their old stomping ground the USA.

It was great fun recording and touring with the band throughout the 1970s. I suppose overall, my favourite album was 'You Are The Music' but when Glen left the band, we still had much to offer and decided to become a four piece adding Rob and Pete who quickly gelled together. After a short period of rehearsals, we left for a US  tour and then went in to record studio sessions for our 1974 album 'Hot Wire'which I still think is a great album. Our sound while still funky, became more harder, rockier and less souly. We introduced some of the new songs and I took over all the vocals and, shared lead guitar with Rob using as always my black Les Paul. I didn't really go for effects but used an occasional wah wah. One of my favourite tracks to play live was 'Black Cloud' which remained in the set throughout the 1970s. We were playing large 10-20,000 seater venues in the southern states where we had a strong following. One of the highlights I guess, was playing the Cotton Bowl in Dallas with The Stones, The Eagles and Montrose. Although we played smaller venues when returning back home, it was good to play venues like The Marquee and The Boat Club where there was always a great noisy crowd and good rocking atmosphere. This recording was made just before we decided to take a break. Our record contract had finished and we wanted time to write new material. It was one of the last gigs by the four piece of Dave, Pete, Rob and myself. Hope you like it.

by Mel Galley 2003

Tracks
1. Back Street Love (Mel Galley, Tom Galley) - 5:13
2. You Are The Music (Mel Galley) - 5:20
3. Jury (Mel Galley) - 14:00
4. Star Breaker (Mel Galley) - 3:37
5. Way Back To The Bone (Glenn Hughes) - 9:45
6. Medusa (Glenn Hughes) - 8:08
7. Black Cloud (Mel Galley, Tom Galley) - 15:30
8. Sunny Side Of The Street (Mel Galley, Tom Galley) - 2:58
9. The Raid (Mel Galley) - 3:55

Trapeze
*Mel Galley - Guitars, Lead Vocals
*Rob Kendrick - Guitars
*Pete Wright - Bass
*Dave Holland - Drums, Percussion
With
*Terry Rowley - Synthesiser

1974  Trapeze - Hot Wire (2015 remaster)
1975  Trapeze - Trapeze (2015 remaster)

Just Paste
Free Text
Text Host

Jimmy Campbell - Half Baked (1970-71 uk, magnificent folk rock with baroque psych and classic rock shades, 2009 extra track remaster)

1970's Half Baked (released on Philips' subsidiary Vertigo), is an upbeat and somewhat raucous album. It has more of a 'band' feel than "Son of Anastasia" which is the benefit of using musicians that Jimmy knew - Merseybeats members Tony Crane, Billy Kinsley and drummer Pete Clarke. Another Merseybeats drummer, Phil Chittick, appeared on some of the tracks too and there were lush orchestral arrangements by Nick Ryan and Donald Fraser.

The countrified opener 'Green Eyed American Actress' highlighted words that Campbell would have been justified to repeat in years to come after commercial success had eluded him. The lyrics "I could have made it easily, why I didn't - well I really don't know" were, in hindsight, quite poignant. In reality, Campbell's reluctance to spend more time away from home ultimately prevented him making a real breakthrough - Billy Kinsley states in the sleevenotes that "I think Jimmy would have preferred just being a songwriter and not having to be bothered by a solo career".

Elsewhere on "Half Baked, the sonically superb tour-de-force 'So Lonely Without You' is comfortably on a par with anything recorded by the Plastic Ono Band - it boasts a Phil Spector-esque production and one of Jimmy's strongest ever vocals. It's testament to the strength and diversity of the album that it can veer from a track like this, and the epic piano-led rocker 'That's Right, That's Me', to the plaintive and reflective nature of songs such as 'In My Room', 'I Will Not Mind' and 'Closing Down The Shop'.

Other highlights are the brooding title track, which explodes into a driving monster of a chorus that features Badfinger's Joey Molland on guitar, and the melodramatic and impressively orchestrated single 'Don't Leave Me Now'.

There's a bonus track in the form of the stomping 'Lonely Norman' that uses a similar groove to Nilsson's 'Jump Into The Fire' and features some wild guitar playing by Eddie Grant from The Equals. This song originally appeared on the Vertigo sampler "Heads Together, First Round". Compared to Repertoire's "Half Baked" CD reissue of a few years ago, Esoteric's version sounds vastly superior and is probably the best entry point to Campbell's work for a newcomer.

by Jim Henderson

Tracks
1. Green Eyed American Actress - 2:47
2. Loving You Is All I Do - 3:17
3. So Lonely Without You - 2:56
4. In My Room - 4:22
5. That's Right That's Me - 3:51
6. I Will Not Mind - 3:22
7. Dulcie - It's December - 2:49
8. Forever Grateful - 2:35
9. Half Baked - 4:38
10.Closing Down the Shop - 2:41
11.Don't Leave Me Now - 5:55
12.Lonely Norman - 3:23
Words and Music by Jimmy Campbell

Musicians
*Jimmy Campbell - Guitar, Vocals
*Pete Clarke - Drums
*Tony Crane  - Guitar
*Billy Kinsley - Bass
*Phil Chittick - Drums
*Nick Ryan - Orchestral Arrangements
*Donald Fraser - Orchestral Arrangements

1965-67  The 23rd Turnoff - The Dream Of Michaelangelo (2004 remaster)
1969  Jimmy Campbell - Son Of Anastasia (2009 remaster bonus track issue)
1972  Jimmy Campbell - Jimmy Campbell's Album (2009 remaster)

Free Text
Text Host

Year 2000 - A Musical Odyssey (1969 us, awesome groovy soulful psych rock, 2013 remaster)

Florida-based band Year 2000 released a full length album in 1969 called, A Musical Odyssey which had small regional success with their tune “Pop Goes The Weasel”. They dissolved later that same year. “Spooky” is a serious slow-burner that drags one foot in soul, the other in pop. The deep haunting organ swirls effectively around a simple beat and scratchy guitar.

The sound is similar to the Long Island groups of the era (Vanilla Fudge, Hassles, Rascals etc.) heavy on the Hammond organ, soulful vocals, with a touch of psychedelia.

Tracks
1. Working So Hard (Artie Alice) - 2:44
2. Spooky (Ron Hirsch) - 4:05
3. Love Love Love (Artie Alice) - 2:52
4. Something About You (Artie Alice) - 2:28
5. Midnight Hour (Wilson Pickett, Steve Cropper) - 4:09
6. Walking In Dry Rain - 3:11
7. Perfect Love (John Lacentra) - 3:21
8. Get Ready (William "Smokey" Robinson) - 3:26
9. Tell Nobody (Alex Bradford) - 2:31
10.Of Hallowed Minds (Mike Hilliker) - 3:06
11.Life In Confusing (Mike Hilliker) - 4:14
12.Cheetah (Gonzalo Vazquez) - 4:20
13.Little Child - 2:53
14.La Bamba (Traditional) - 2:42
15.Pop Goes The Weasel - 2:17

The Year 2000
*Artie Alice - Drums
*Billy Adams - Bass
*Mickey ? - Lead Guitar
*Michael ? - Hammond Organ
*? - Vocals
*Little Guy ? - Guitar

Free Text
the Free Text

The Bleu Forest - A Thousand Trees Deep (1968 us, tremendous garage psychedelia, 2016 release)

In late 1965, drummer Jack Caviness was recruited by guitarists and vocalists Michael Cullen and Gary Heuer. All were from the same small town, Moorpark, CA. The three of us worked on original songs written by Michael for 6 months. At that point we added Ed Steele on bass guitar and spent time bringing him into the fold.

When ready we began playing small gigs around Moor parkand surrounding areas and received a good reception on the original music. Then we were booked into 'an open mic night at the Troubadour in Hollywood. That is where we were discovered by future music icon Jimmy Haskell. Mr. Haskell immediately scheduled us to record a demo at his home studio which we did. We could never have believed what happened next.

Both Gary and Michael were drafted were drafted into the armed service as Vietnam war was going strong. Both evacuated themselves to Canada, they were there several months prior to Gary's return. We then reformed the original members less Michael, added Larry Wiseman on keyboards and Rohn Barkley on le guitar and vocals. With Michael's blessing we used the original music written by him and added more original songs to our set. We were now off and running as the Bleu Forest heard on this album. That's when Jimmy Haskell called.

He had scheduled us to go into Valley Recording Studios in North Hollywood, CA. to record what you are hearing on this album, A Thousand. Trees Deep. Upon arriving there we met our engineer, Freddie Piro, another future icon of the LA recording industry. Freddie had produced The Grassroots previously and would go on to work with Ambrosia and many others. We spent over six months recording the album and another month was spent mastering.

This album was recorded on a very  but new for the time period Ampex 8 track 2" recorder. At that time, it was state of the art. I don't recall the brand of mixer used, but it did take up quite a great deal of space at the engineer’s console.  When we first came in to begin recording, we attempted to play at the volume we used live and the engineer freaked out and demanded we lower the volume. This was very confusing to us because it altered our sound dramatically. That is where the fuzz tone came into play. Our live sound was based more on very loud overloaded amplifiers for distortion rather than on devices. In a live environment, the fuzz was only used as an overdrive, not as a fuzz tone. The actual studio was only one room, 20' x 30', with one isolation booth at the rear. The booth was only used for overdubs (I wanted to isolate the drums but to no avail).

They used one mic per amplifier with no baffles between and three mics on my drums. I played a state of the art set of Ludwig "Super Hollywood" drums with a Rogers dyna-sound snare and all Zildgen cymbals. They were awesome sounding live but are not as pronounced on the recordings insofar none of the cymbals were individually miked.

To expand a bit on the abrupt beginning on the opening track: During the time period in which this was done, engineers and producers were trying many things that make no sense today. For instance, tracks played in reverse and recorded were very popular such as the one heard on Bitter Sweet, which, by the way, was entirely rearranged from the live version. They did not like all of the stops and starts from the live version which added greatly, in my opinion, to the dynamics of the song. 

When I really think back on the recording process one thing comes to mind: The entire six month process was completely paid for by both Freddie Piro and Jimmy Haskell because of their belief that the band could become something far more than a "garage band". They believed enough in us to really go on and hit the big time. They personal accepted all of the costs themselves. This is why we simply went along with what we were told would work or not work in the studio. The abrupt ' ginning to track one was simply something that had not been done before and they believed it would be accepted as different and unique.

There was much interest from various major companies  in Hollywood. We had a tentative deal with Tower Records pending some remastering. Several months passed during this period and Rohn left the group for personal reasons. Without our vocalist, we had no record deal. Although there were some creative ideas brought forth to a few of the songs during mastering, I believe that these tracts give a general idea of our sound, although our live sound was much heavier as it was performed much louder. I hope everyone enjoys this as much as I enjoyed performing it.

by Jack Caviness

Tracks
1. A Thousand Trees Deep (Lorrainene Lopez) - 2:01
2. Look At Me Girl (Michael Cullen) - 3:32
3. Bitter Street (Michael Cullen) - 2:41
4. Story Of A Sort (Michael Cullen) - 3:43
5. That’s When Happiness Began (Rohn Barkley) - 2:24
6. Words In My Mind (Jack Caviness) - 2:59
7. Through With You (Rohn Barkley) - 2:43
8. She Said She’s Leaving (Michael Cullen) - 4:00
9. Knock Knock (Rohn Barkley) - 2:46
10.Trouble (Rohn Barkley) - 2:40

The Bleu Forest
*Mike Cullen - Guitar, Lead Vocals
*Jack Caviness - Drums
*Rohn Barkley - Lead Guitar, Vocals
*Gary Heuer - Guitar, Vocals
*Ed Steele - Bass
*Larry Wiseman - Keyboards

Just Paste

Text Host

Free Text

Elephant's Memory - Songs From Midnight Cowboy (1969 uk, fantastic psych rock with jazz and folk shades, 2006 remaster)

After original vocalist Carly Simon left Elephant's Memory for her own fame and fortune, the band recorded their self-titled Buddah debut, Elephant's Memory, with Michal Shapiro handling the female lead. That disc is not their John Lennon/Yoko Ono/David Peel Apple Records debut from 1972, which was also named after this ensemble. When two Elephant's Memory songs from the 1969 Buddah Records album appeared in the Capitol Records soundtrack to the film Midnight Cowboy, Buddah vice president Neil Bogart revamped and re-released the original LP, most likely and understandably, to cash in on the attention the band was getting from the hit film. "Old Man Willow" and "Jungle Gym at the Zoo" from the first LP appeared in Midnight Cowboy, and they show up again on side one of this disc along with a different spin on the Nilsson hit "Everybody's Talkin'."

Here Michal Shapiro gives a woman's take on the classic Fred Neil composition over a poppy/folksy Wes Farrell production. There's a strange instrumental version of John Barry's theme to "Midnight Cowboy," jazzy rock with a female vocal, most likely Michal, adding a nice eerie resonance to the spirited and jumpy rendition, a far cry from the version that contained Vinny Bell's elegant guitar, the Top Ten hit for Ferrante & Teicher in 1969. The two new titles as well as the Elephant's Memory material from the movie make up side one. Side two contains seven more titles from the first LP, including the singles that were released from that disc, "Crossroads of the Stepping Stones" and "Don't Put Me on Trial," two excellent slices of '60s pop. Over 40 minutes of music graces Songs From Midnight Cowboy Plus Their Hit Singles, the two new titles plus everything from the Buddah debut minus the songs "Band of Love" and "Hot Dog Man" (which was the flip of the 45 rpm "Jungle Gym at the Zoo"). 

The album could have been even more interesting had their 45 rpm "Keep Free, Pts. 1 & 2" from November 1968 found its way onboard rather than the reissue of "Yogurt Song," a composition from keyboardist Richard Sussman and drummer Rick Frank which sounds like a Frank Zappa nightmare. Other than that, the album actually is quite consistent and is lots of fun. Later releases Take It to the Streets and Angels Forever don't have the pop meets psychedelia underground feel of this neo-bubblegum period piece. 

by Joe Viglione

Tracks
1. Everybody's Talkin (Fred Neil) - 3:50
2. Old Man Willow (Richard Sussman, Michal Shapiro, Myron Yules, Stan Bronstein) - 7:07
3. Midnight Cowboy (John Barry) - 2:58
4. Jungle Gym At The Zoo (Richard Sussman, Rick Frank, Stan Bronstein) - 2:15
5. Crossroads Of The Stepping Stones (Michal Shapiro, Stan Bronstein) - 2:56
6. Don't Put Me On Trial No More (Richard Sussman, Rick Frank) - 2:52
7. Super Heep (Siegrid Visconti, Stan Bronstein) - 5:32
8. R.I.P (Stan Bronstein, Richard Sussman) - 1:43
9. Yogurt Song (Richard Sussman, Rick Frank) - 2:58
10.Band Of Love (Myron Yules, Stan Bronstein, Tony Visconti, Siegrid Visconti) - 4:11
11.Takin' A Walk (Richard Sussman, Rick Frank, Michal Shapiro, Stan Bronstein) - 3:49
12.Hot Dog Man (Tony Visconti, Siegrid Visconti) - 3:34
13.Brief Encounter (Richard Sussman) - 4:38

Elephant's Memory
*Michal Shapiro - Vocals
*Stan Bronstein - Saxophone, Clarinet, Flute, Vocals
*Rick Frank - Drums
*John Ward - Bass
*Chester Ayers - Guitar
*Myron Yules - Bass, Trombone
*Richard Sussman - Piano, Organ
*Leonard Allcock - Harmonica
*Guy Peritore - Guitar, Vocals
*David Cohen - Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals

1969  Elephant's Memory - Elephant's Memory
1972  Elephant's Memory - Elephant's Memory

Free Text
Just Paste

Marvin Gardens - Marvin Gardens (1968 us, magical psych folk rock, 2016 release)

A phenomonal anthology of rare demos, studio and live recordings from late-60s, second-wave, San Francisco, Electric-Folk pioneers Marvin Gardens. All live tracks recorded by Peter Abram (Velvet Underground The Matrix Tapes) at the legendary Matrix Club in San Francisco. 1968 includes virtually every note Marvin Gardens recorded, and provides a tantalizing glimpse at a uniquely wonderful group. With a powerful female lead singer, Carol Duke, on par with Janis Joplin and Grace Slick, and a versatile and mesmerizing band that goes from playful folk to Latin-tinged jazz vamps to searing, guitar-fuelled garage rave-ups, Marvin Gardens could have been a major artist if the stars had been aligned.

“Had the Charlatans been joined by Country Joe’s keyboard player and fronted by an earthy female singer, they might’ve sounded like Marvin Gardens…”  

by Mike Stax

Tracks
1. Down The Line (Bob Dylan) - 3:08
2. Titanic (Huddie Ledbetter) - 2:08
3. Close The Door Lightly (Eric Andersen) - 3:45
4. Duncan And Brady (Traditional) - 3:03
5. 97 Men (Buffy Sainte-Marie) - 3:29
6. Whips And Leathers (Dave Ray Costuros, Carol Duke, Tim Hazen, Michael Lindner, Fred Waxler) - 3:29
7. Down The Line (Bob Dylan) - 3:23
8. Larry Welz Dedication- 0:32
9. Gloryland (Traditional) - 5:00
10.I Know You Rider (Traditional) - 4:32
11.Baltimore Oriole (Hoagy Carmichael, Paul Francis Webster) - 6:47
12.Titanic (Huddie Ledbetter) - 2:53
13.Richland Woman Blues (Mississippi John Hurt) - 5:17
14.Duncan And Brady (Traditional) - 3:39
15.The Whisper Song (Cliff Friend) - 2:39
16.Ananias (Buffy Sainte-Marie) - 6:39
17.97 Men (Buffy Sainte-Marie) - 3:55
18.Have A Drink On Me (Peter Buchanan, Lonnie Donegan, Huddie Ledbetter, Alan Lomax, John A. Lomax) - 4:22
19.Good Night Ladies (Edwin Christy) - 2:15

The Marvin Gardens
*Dave Ray Costuros - Drums, Vocals, Trumpet
*Carol Duke - Vocals, Guitar
*Tim Hazen - Farfisa, Hammond Organ, Piano, Guitars, Vocals, Mandolin
*Michael Lindner - Bass
*Fred Waxler - Guitars, Clarinet

Free Text
the Free Text

Lighthouse - Good Day (1974 canada, brilliant prog rock, 2016 remaster)

Having been named "Vocal/Instrumental Group of the Year" for the third time at Canada's prestigious Juno Awards in 1973, Lighthouse entered Thunder Sound in Toronto the following year to record their final album. Downplaying the horn-heavy sound that had previously defined them, it's a taut set of progressive rock with prominent synth and it sees founder member and drummer Skip Prokop switching to lead guitar. 

Vocalist Bob McBride curiously failed to show up to the studio where Lighthouse was recording its 1973 album Can You Feel It, Skip Prokop and Ralph Cole shared singing duties for the band’s ninth studio album. Still, 1974’s Good Day featured “Wide Eyed Lady" a psychedelic ballad co-penned by McBride. Good Day rocks noticeably harder than most preceding Lighthouse albums. This is softened by the pillowy layers of backing vocals and the band’s propensity to infuse orchestral string arrangements (as heard in the opening epic, “White Buffalo”). 

Tracks
1. White Buffalo (Skip Prokop) - 5:46
2. Wide Eyed Lady (Skip Prokop, Don Dinovo, Bob Mcbride) - 5:12
3. Got A Feeling (Ralph Cole) - 3:50
4. Be Here Now (Sam See, L. J. Reid) - 3:29
5. Good Day (Ralph Cole) - 4:46
6. Man, Woman, Child (Skip Prokop) - 3:20
7. Mighty Waters (Ralph Cole) - 5:06
8. Going Downtown (Skip Prokop) - 6:40
9. Reincarnate Nation (Skip Prokop) - 7:09

The Lighthouse
*Skip Prokop - Guitar, Vocals
*Ralph Cole - Guitar, Vocals
*Terry Wilkens - Bass, Vocals
*Sam See - Keyboards
*Billy King - Drums
*Don Dinovo - Violina
*Dick Armin - Cello
*Dale Hillary - Saxophones, Flute
*Rick Stepton – Trombone

Lighthouse
1969  Lighthouse (2012 extra tracks edition)
1969  Lighthouse - Suite Feeling (2010 Korean remaster)
1970  Peacing It All Together (2010 korean remaster)
1971  One Fine Morning
1971  Thoughts Of Movin' On (2016 edition)
1972  Sunny Days (2008 RDI issue)
1973  Can You Feel It?  (2008 RDI issue)
Related Acts
1967  The Paupers - Magic People
1968  The Paupers · Ellis Island  (2008 remaster)
1969  The Live Adventures Of Mike Bloomfield And Al Kooper
1969  Michael Bloomfield with Nick Gravenites And Friends - Live At Bill Graham's Fillmore West (2009 remaster and expanded) 

Just Paste
Free Text
Text Host

Pugma Ho! - Pugma Ho! (1969-2004 uk, rough downer rock with experimental mood, 2004 release)

It started in 1968 as a Jo Wright Art School band the Incas with Chris Camm guitar and Dave Coxon bass joined eventually by Keith Gotheridge on drums and Cliffe Simms on keyboards playing pop around the local pubs and clubs.  As the band moved towards the rock influences we decided to recruit vocalist Bev Staley who promised to be a good front man.  Bevs arrival was soon followed by Cliff's departure as the bands influences started to change.  With original material and a heavier rock sound it was decided a name change was called for, Pugma-Ho (kiss my arse, in Gaelic)  was born.  

We started to establish ourselves on the rock circuit, playing the top London gigs like The Marquee Club, The Temple, The Roundhouse and The Greyhound.  We also played several gigs at the Liverpool Cavern rock nights, usually followed by gigs at Liverpools Mardi Gras.  In 1972  we were the midlands representatives for the MELODY MAKER National Rock Contest, playing in the finals at the Roundhouse.  By the mid 70,s the music was changing towards punk.  Athough the band continued with changes in personel and music styles, we decided to call it a day.

In 2003 Pugma-Ho got together again for the hell of it, minus Bev,  who now resides in Australia.  Steve Curzon's, Bevs replacement, immediately became part of the band, and we are once again building a reputation for playing classic rock, the way it used to be played.

Clive Wellings took over drumming duties, after Keith retired from the band and did a sterling job for a year. The band was moving away from its original style so we recuited Tim Cox who's technique was more in line with the bands aims.

February 15th, 2013, Tim made his debut at the New Inn, Ilkeston, playing drums with Pugma Ho and now has played several gigs with the lads.

Before joining the band, his love of music took him on a vocational course by being a roadie and a pyrotechnic technician, using his creative skills at events and festivals.

Being an accomplished drummer, in 2008 he joined the post - punk rock band Wicker Sunday, providing the group with powerful, solid drums. It was in this band where he met Dave who was guesting on bass for some time.

Pugma-Ho

Tracks
1. Intro...Alert ! - 1:02
2. Life Is Crazy - 7:23
3. Who Will You See - 9:31
4. Blinding Lights - 7:58
5. Only A Fool - 4:06
6. You Know - 7:14
7. What's Your Desire - 3:08
8. Outro...All Clear - 0:48
9. German Love Song - 8:08
10.The Way I Feel - 9:53
11.War And Hate - 2:45
12.Alone In A Dream - 2:57
13.221 - 4:40
14.Junior's Wailing - 3:47
15.Highway 101 - 3:26
Tracks 2-7 recorded 1973
Track 9 recorded 1975
Tracks 10-12 recorded 1969 as The Incas
Tracks 13-15 recorded 2003-04

The Pugma Ho!
*Chris Camm - Guitar (1971)
*Dave Coxon - Bass (1971-72)
*Keith Gotheridge - Drums (1971-75)
*Pete Greaves - Guitar, Vocals
*Mel Levis - Bass
*Bev Staley - Vocals
*Spike Miller - Bass (1971)
*Sam Samways - Bass
*Richopino Ricardo - Bass
*Chinese Charly - Bass
*Neil Wright - Bass
*Gordon Reaney - Vocals
*Margo Buchanan Reid - Vocals
*Sam Kenny - Keyboards (1975)
*Geoff Meakin - Drums (1975)
*Steve Curzon - Vocals (2003)

Free Text
the Free Text

Golden Earring - Golden Earring (1970 holland, exceptional hard classic rock with psych and prog shades, 2001 reissue)

Golden Earring found the titular Dutch quartet forging the unique style that would later pay off in successful albums like Moontan and Cut. At this point, the group's sound is best described as post-psychedelic FM rock with a pronounced hard rock element (strong, gutsy guitar riffs about on this record -- just check out "The Loner" or "Back Home"). A lot of the songs have the atmosphere and elaborate arrangements associated with prog rock, but the group keeps the arrangements and the running times tight (the album's lengthiest song is just a little over six minutes). 

The most overtly artsy track on the album is "Big Tree, Blue Sea," an energetic and complex rock tune that includes Jethro Tull-style flute and packs a dizzying array of tempo and stylistic changes into a tune only half as long as the average prog tune. Other highlights on Golden Earring include "This Is the Time of the Year," a song whose effect arrangement juxtaposes quiet verses with spare instrumentation with dramatic chorus powered by a powerful guitar riff and "Back Home," a solid example of the kind of good-time rocker that would dominate Golden Earring's late-'70s albums. 

The strong music and the band's tight musicianship makes a tuneful effort that is well worth a listen. 

by Donald A. Guarisco

Tracks
1. Yellow And Blue - 3:45
2. The Loner - 3:29
3. This Is The Time Of The Year - 3:33
4. Big Tree Blue Sea (George Kooymans, Barry Hay) - 6:12
5. The Wall Of Dolls (George Kooymans, Barry Hay) - 3:33
6. Back Home - 3:52
7. See See (Barry Hay) - 3:13
8. I'm Going To Send My Pigeons To The Sky - 5:59
9. As Long As The Wind Blows - 5:17
All songs by George Kooymans except where noted

The Golden Earring
*Rinus Gerritsen - Bass, Keyboard
*Barry Hay - Flute, Vocals
*George Kooymans - Guitar, Vocals
*Cesar Zuiderwijk - Drums

The Golden Earring 
1965 Just Ear Rings (2009 extra tracks edition)
1966  Winter-Harvest (2009 extra tracks issue)
1968-69  Miracle Mirror (2009 bonus tracks edition)
1969  On The Double
1969/71 Eight Miles High / Seven Tears
1972  Together
1973  Moontan
1977  Live (Double Disc)

1971  George Kooymans - Jojo
1972  Barry Hay - Only Parrots, Frogs And Angels

Free Text
Just Paste

Marc Brierley - Hello (1969-70 uk, marvelous diverse folk rock, 2014 bonus tracks remaster)

A minor player on the late-'60s British folk-rock scene, guitarist and singer/songwriter Marc Brierley made a couple of albums in the late '60s that were somewhat in line with the folk-pop-rock Donovan was making around the same time, though they were milder and far less distinctive. Brierley made his recording debut in 1966 with a five-song acoustic EP for Transatlantic Records that was similar in nature to the early acoustic recordings of Donovan and Bert Jansch. 

by Richie Unterberger

Hello might be described as a bit more ambitious than the first LP, and certainly more commercial. The arrangements are a lot bigger, with the string section from the London Symphony Orchestra hired to play on a couple of tracks and a lot of well-placed Hammond organ. There's a lot more stylistic variety from one song to the next, the tongue-in-cheek, honky-tonk shuffle of "O Honey" (featuring Dudley Moore, Arthur himself, on the piano!) transitioning into "A Presence (I Am Seeking)" with sparse acoustic guitar, flute, and Eastern hand percussion. The poppier songs on Hello remind me a little bit of some of the stuff on Cat Stevens' first two records, although nothing Brierley wrote is nearly as infectious as "Here Comes My Baby." If anything comes close, its his hugely uplifting final single "Be My Brother," which sounds to me like it should've been a massive hit. The other single, "Stay A Little Longer Merry Ann," is pretty damn good, too, and is notable for its now infamous producer and arranger: a teenage Andrew Lloyd Webber, believe it or not.

Brierley, today a freelance photographer and journalist, wrote the reissue's great liner notes, in which he reminisces about the minutia of his career. He talks about having a terrible cold the week he was in the studio for Welcome To The Citadel and about the tremendous difficulty he had with recording his vocals and guitar parts separately. He also has a word or two to say about his influences and about the ideas behind some of his songs. His thoughtful and charming remarks are merely the icing on the cake of this near-perfect package, a long overdue introduction to a unique and remarkable artist whose music is more than worthy of a prime spot in the folk-rock canon.

by Rob Hatch-Miller

Tracks
1. Sunny Weather - 2:44
2. Lady Of The Light - 2:52
3. Today I Feel Like Leaving You - 2:22
4. O Honey - 3:42
5. A Presence (I Am Seeking) - 6:46
6. The Room - 7:42
7. Byrd Lives - 1:28
8. Hello - 2:48
9. Lookin' Around The Room - 3:23
10.When Martha Comes - 4:33
11.Be My Brother - 3:26
12.If You Took The Bandage Off Your Head You Wouldn't Be So Blind - 3:29
13.The Best Part Of The Night - 3:29
14.In This Hour Of Love - 2:52
15.One Fine Morning (You Will Wake Up) - 3:01
16.Screaming Schizophrenia Blues - 3:02
17.Abide With You - 3:36
18.Brown Ships - 4:45
19.For People Who Are Parted - 4:45
20.Sweet Summer - 2:25
21.Be My Brother - 3:15
Words and Music by Marc Brierley
Original Album Tracks 1-10
CBS Singles Tracks 11-12
Island Records Demos Tracks 13-20
Rehearsal Demo Track 21

Musicians
*Marc Brierley - Acoustic Guitar, Vocals
*Harold McNair - Flute
*Dudley Moore - Piano
*Graham Todd - Organ
*Mox - Mouth Harp
*John Fiddie - Bass
*Tony Carr - Percussion
*Dougie Wright - Drums
*Billy Butler - Guitar, Vocals
*Andy Bown - Piano
*London Symphony Orchestra - Strings

1966-69  Marc Brierley - Welcome To The Citadel (2014 remaster)

Just Paste

Free Text

Text Host