Coldwater Army - Peace (1971 us, remarkable brass psych classic rock with prog shades, 2017 reissue)

Singer/guitarist Bobby Golden and his older brother/bassist Kenny Golden grew up outside of Macon, Georgia.  While in their teens, they started forming and playing in local bans such as The Golden Boys and The Golden Arcade.   By 1969 they'd expanded their repertoire beyond top-40 covers and soul revue, to  include original material as the Coldwater Army.  I'm guessing the name was inspired by the American temperance movement, though it was interesting name choice for a band that was formed near Warner Robbins Air Force Base.

1971 found Coldwater Army signed to the Nashville-based Starday-King affiliated Agape label.  With a line-up consisting of singer Bob Garrett, lead guitarist Bobby Golden, bassist Kenny Golden, drummer Richard Hughes, trumpet player Nick Jones, sax player Dale Miller, and keyboardist  Bob Spearman, the band went into the studios with producer Bobby Smith.  Allowing an unknown band to record an album of original material seemingly reflected one of two things- Agape had significant faith in the band's commercial potential or, 2.) Agape had no interest in the band.   Having listened to "Coldwtaer Army" dozens of times over the years, my guess is the latter category.

Not that you're going to find a lot of on-line reviews for this obscurity, but the ones you'll stumble across routinely tag this one as Southern rock.  On tracks like 'Dreams' and 'Today, Tomorrow, Yesterday' there were clearly Southern rock influences, but don't be mislead, this really wasn't a Southern rock album.  Remember that when the album was recorded, the majority of the band members were still in their late teens.  They had come out of bands that focused on top-40 and soul covers so originality wasn't something they'd necessarily gotten around to.  That made much of this album one of those fun, spot-the-influences collections.  It's all here - Blood, Sweat and Tears horn charts, Chicago blues-rock ('Away'), even Paul Revere and the Raiders top-40 ('Smiling Faces').  

"Dreams" starts with a funky little guitar riff, 'Dreams' found the band dipping their collective toes into the blues-rock arena - imagine a hybrid of The Allman Brothers and The Atlanta Rhythm Section, awesome track.  'To Pamela' is a hyper-sensitive ballad that included a touch of Cream influence in the  middle of the song. The bouncy, blue-eyed soul-ish 'Hey People' is most commercially feasible song.  Imagine The Young Rascals had they grown up in Macon, Georgia rather than New Jersey. I'm not a big fan for social relevancy, but I'll make an exception for this one.  The lyrics may not have been the most subtle you've ever heard, but kudos to an early '70s  Southern band being willing to taken on the subject of equality.  Always liked Golden's melodic solo on this one.

'Today, Tomorrow, Yesterday' was a nice baseline for another sound of spot-the-influences - My answer was Spooky Tooth's 'Evil Woman' meets The Dixie Dregs.  Again, not particularly original, but I liked Garrett's growling vocals and the song's jamming flavor. 'Smiling Faces' was a radio-friendly pop ballad that could have easily slotted on a Paul Revere and the Raiders album.  Seriously, the lead vocal actually reminded me of Mark Lindsay.  Very catchy refrain. Penned by drummer Hughes, 'In Thought ' was another Bobby Golden and Bill Spearman-powered rocker.  Complete with lots of church organ, the lyrics also seemed inspired by the loss of their friend David Allen.

Powered by some of Spearman's prettiest keyboards and Golden's sustained fuzz guitar, 'Time for Reason' probably came the closest to showing off the band's true musical orientation.  With a haunting, slightly lysergic edge, once again, Dale Miller's jazzy, discordant sax solo was at odds with the rest of the song, but it was such a strange juxtaposition that it was kind of neat.  Shame the song faded out so early. With little promotional support from their record label,  shortly after the album was released, the band split up.  

Bad-Cat

Tracks
1. I Just Can't See You Anymore (Bob Garrett) - 2:02
2. Away (Bob Spearman, Bobby Golden, Nick Jones, Ricky Hughes) - 3:40
3. Dreams (Bob Garrett, Bobby Golden, Ricky Hughes) - 4:57
4. To Pamela (Bob Spearman, Bobby Golden, Nick Jones) - 3:06
5. Hey People (Bob Garrett, Bobby Golden) - 2:30
6. Today Tomorrow, Yesterday (Bob Garrett, Bobby Golden) - 2:51
7. Smiling Faces (Bob Garrett) - 2:40
8. By Your Side (Bob Garrett, Bobby Golden) - 3:59
9. Time Is Lost (Ricky Hughes) - 2:52
10.In Thought (Bob Garrett) - 4:50
11.Get It Together (Bob Garrett, Bobby Golden) - 3:36
12.Time For Reason (Bob Garrett) - 3:52

Coldwater Army
*Bob Garrett - Lead Vocals, Keyboards, Trumpet
*Bobby Golden (Aka Robert Goldne) - Lead Guitar, Vocals
*Kenny Golden - Bass
*Richard Hughes - Drums, Percussion
*Nick Jones - Vocals, Trumpet
*Dale Miller - Sax
*Bob Spearman - Vocals, Keyboards
With
*Calvin Arline - Bass
*Stanley Kimball - Guitar
*John Simmons - Keyboards

Related Acts
1977  Stillwater - Stillwater (Vinyl edition) 
1978  Stillwater - I Reserve The Right (2007 remaster) 

Free Text
the Free Text

Swampwater - Swamp Water (1971 us, amazing country folk swamp rock, 2019 korean remaster)

Their last album and another really good country-rock outing. This self-titled effort was released off RC

A in 1971 and came packaged in a strange jacket. Swampwater’s lineup had remained the same since their self-titled 1970 debut.

In comparison to that debut, there were a few more rock n roll tracks like the album opener Ooh-Wee California, the raw Dakota, and Ol’Papa Joe. These songs were good though, with well constructed guitar solos and strong bluegrass and cajun flavors. There were a few covers too but all were standouts like the excellent heartfelt version of One Note Man, a track with nice jangly Byrdsian guitar solos and pretty fiddle, which gave the song real atmosphere. Guilbeau also resurrected Gentle Ways of Lovin’ Me, a track he had recorded on numerous occasions with many different bands. Swampwater turned in one of the best versions of this song which is highlighted by barrelhouse banjo and a delicate, sincere arrangement. Another great track, Headed For The Country, compared favorably with the country-rock era Byrds, and had beautiful, sad folk-like harmonies and fine guitar playing.

All in all the album was strong, lacking any weak moments and showcased a great band that should have been at least as well known as Poco or Commander Cody. 

by Jason Nardelli

Tracks
1. Ooh Wee California (Gib Guilbeau) - 2:52
2. Headed For The Country (Larry Murray) - 3:00
3. Ol' Papa Joe (Gib Guilbeau) - 2:34
4. Mama Lou (Larry Murray) - 3:08
5. A Song I Heard (Maury Muehleisen) - 2:23
6. One Note Man (Paul Arnoldi) - 2:41
7. Back On The Street Again (Steve Gillette) - 2:07
8. Dakota (Larry Murray) - 3:15
9. Gentle Ways Of Lovin' Me (Gib Guilbeau) - 2:23
10.Back Porch Harmony (Gib Guilbeau) - 1:58
11.Medley A. Swampdown B. The Merry Go Round C. Broke Down (Traditional, Cliff Friend, Dave Franklin) - 2:06

The Swampwater
*John Beland – Lead, Rhythm Guitar, Dobro, Vocals
*Gib Guilbeau - Fiddle, Rhythm Guitar, Vocals
*Thad Maxwell - Bass, Vocals
*Stan Pratt - Drums
With
*Herb Pedersen - Banjo, Acoustic Guita
*Don Tweedy - Baritone Saxophone
*Curly Chalker - Pedal Steel Guitar
*Jimmy Day - Pedal Steel Guitar
*Glen D. Hardin - Piano

1970  Swampwater - Swampwater 

Free Text
the Free Text

J. Teal Band - Cooks (1977 us, fascinating hard psych blues rock with southern traces, 2012 issue)

The J. Teal Band was formed in 1974, originally called the Jonathan Teal Band, named after a legendary gold prospector from the hills of North Carolina. They were all from Spartanburg, South Carolina. Yes. the same town the Marshall Tucker Band came from. In fact. Joey Cash, one of the guitarists, played with Paul Riddle (Marshall Tucker's drummer) in a band called Stanley and the Star Dusters. Also. Doug Cecil (drums) was a good friend of Riddle, and bought his Gretch drum set that was used in Marshall Tucker's earlier days Doug played that set on J Teal's album, "Cooks". 

Billy Hardy (guitar) and Joey Cash (also guitar) had earlier played in a band called "Magic Weed" that was basically a house band for a road house on Hwy 29 between Spartanburg and Gaffney, SC called Pete's. According to old ledgers, Jimi Hendrix played there but Pete's is no longer there, so that can't be verified. Joey and Billy graduated from Georgia Southern University in 1974 and came back to Spartanburg to team up with Doug Cecil and his friend. Randy Johnson (bass and vocals). In 1975 and 1976. they were playing everything from Al Green to Aerosmith. Funky Southern rock, boogie-blues and a touch of 60's acid rock best describes them. Around this time, they rented a small house in the country on Davis Chapel Rd and turned it into their rehearsal studio. 

After a cult following screamed for their original music, the band recorded "Cooks" in 1977 Hayne Davis was the recording engineer and also the producer who owned the small record company --Mother Cleo Productions. He worked some with Billy Joe Royal. Percy Sledge and Sledge Hammer, Toby King, Sugar and Spice, The Classic Four. High Cotton and others at the time. He did the re-mix of "Cooks" in the MCP Studios located in Newberry. SC near Columbia now called DaviSound. Barry Keel did the final re-master. J Teal signed with the booking agent. Eastern Atlantic Sounds. out of Raleigh. NC. And went on the road with high hopes but after a year or so the original line-up disbanded. 

Doug Cecil left the band and was replaced by Joe Zalack and then J Teal once again hit the road playing full time until they finally broke up in 1979. In 1990 Randy and Billy tried to revive the band but with only minimal success. As Billy put it. "From 1990 to 1999 we went through so many drummers that I can't remember the names of half of them." But now with the re-release of their "Cooks" album, J. Teal Band has once again reformed with all of the original players.

CD Liner Notes

Tracks
1. Brainwasher (Randy Johnson) - 2:53
2. Country Girl (Randy Johnson) - 5:14
3. Coin to Mississippi (Billy Hardy) - 1:55
4. Lost Love (Billy Hardy, Buchannon) - 7:30
5. The Cure (Randy Johnson) - 7:59
6. Born in Chicago (Nick Gravenites) - 2:41
7. Ain't Gonna Cry No More (Billy Hardy) - 4:07
8. Burned (Randy Johnson) - 5:07

J. Teal Band
*Randy Johnson - Bass, Lead Vocals
*Billy Hardy - Guitars
*Joey Cash - Guitars
*Doug Cecil - Drums, Percussion

Free Text
the Free Text

Marc Benno - Ambush (1972 us, superb groovy blues rock, rare and out of print 2006 japan remaster)

Ambush cannot be heard as dated, Ambush appears more raw, more straight, than its procedure, Minnows. Ambush was released as a CD only in Japan first time in 1989, this here is the 2006 24bit remastered Mini LP edition, which is out of print and hard to find.

Ambush is a smooth rock album. Ballads, smoky Jazz Blues, sometimes Soulful and Funky. Jesse Ed joins in, Booker T. Jones helps out with a couple of songs, Bonnie Bramlett shouts the lungs out of her body in Here to Stay Blues, and moreover the tightly matched band consists of Miek Utley (keys), Carl Radle (bass), Jim Keltner (drums and percussion) and Bobby Keys (Saxophone). 

Beside the well written and Marc's personality, it is also the quality of the band that characterizes this record as a timeless. Too bad this album remain unnoticed for so long. 

Tracks
1. Poor Boy (Irving Benno, Marc Benno) - 3:31
2. Southern Women (Marc Benno) - 4:19
3. Jive Fade Jive (Marc Benno) - 4:53
4. Hall Street Jive (Irving Benno, Marc Benno) - 3:20
5. Share (Marc Benno) - 5:18
6. Donut Man (Irving Benno, Marc Benno) - 3:05
7. Sunshine Feelin' (Irving Benno, Marc Benno) - 5:05
8. Here To Stay Blues (Irving Benno, Marc Benno) - 2:59
9. Either Way It Happens (Marc Benno) - 3:02

Personnel
*Marc Benno - Vocals, Guitar
*Mike Utley - Keyboards
*Carl Radle - Bass
*Jim Keltner - Drums
*Bobby Keys - Saxophone
*Jesse Ed Davis - Guitar
*Booker T. Jones - Acoustic Guitar, Horn
*Bonnie Bramlett - Vocals
*Ray Brown - Bass

1970  Marc Benno - Marc Benno (2012 korean remaster)
1971  Marc Benno - Minnows (2016 SHM remaster)
1973  Marc Benno And The Nightcrawlers - Crawlin (with young Stevie Ray Vaughan, 2006 release) 
1979  Marc Benno - Lost In Austin (japan reissue) 
Related Act
1968  The Asylum Choir - Look Inside (2007 remaster)
1971  Leon Russell And Marc Benno - Asylum Choir II (japan SHM 2016 remaster) 

Free Text
the Free Text

Marc Benno - Lost In Austin (1979 us, splendid blues southern rock, japan reissue)

From the first gut-wrenching guitar licks to a spicy south of the border ode, Marc Benno's "Lost In Austin" is full of funk, vibrant vocals and breathtaking instrumentation. It's perfectly produced by Glyn Johns, showcasing Benno's banner writing talent (he wrote or co-wrote all of the songs except Bobby Darin's "Splish Splash"), his soft infectious vocal style and some outstanding instrumental work.

Tha album star Benno on guitar and piano, Alber Lee and Eric Clapton on guitar (placing that instrument out of the relm of critism), Dick Sims keyboards, Carl Radle bass, Jim Keltner drums and Dick Morresey Sax. Recorded in two weeks in London and mastered in Hollywood, the album provides a geographic montage, since Benno spent a decade of wandering, mainly in California before moving back to Texas.

"Hotfoot Blues" is a kickoff number with enough slapback guitar and turned on percussion to challenge a heady brew of r 'n' b Muddy Waters style. The guitars sound as though they were stolen from King Kong's closet and are being attacked with pick axes. But it works providing a mighty mean sound that paves the way for Benno's vovcal and the finale.

It's followed by a catchy number "Chasing Rainbows". Again the guitar shine, only now they're muted into a subtly romantinc mood as they're mellowed by strings. Heavy percussion and bluesy organ power "Me And A Friend Of Mine". The highlight of the album -and title song- "Lost In Austin" is a beguiling number with it's autobiographical overtones has Benno bemoaning. "I hope words don't hex us/Down in Austin Texas?Lord I'm lost in Austin again/One town I thought I'd never/Be lost in, that was Austin/And then I was lost in/Austin again".

The soul romp is reminiscent of the brilliant peaks Bob Dylan reached in his "Blood On The Tracks" album. Damn good is Benno at his best. "Monterrey Pan" is another Dylanesque effort, sharp stabs of guitar, impeccably rendered, shape this bouncy ballad. Organ electric guitar and Benno's voice colot "The Drifter", then the album ends with "Hey There Senorita". Close your eyes and Dylan is bleeding on the tracks again. But the comparsion is unfair, Benno is not Dylan, and vice versa.

by Gerry Wood

Tracks
1. Hotfoot Blues (Marc Benno, Irvin Benno) - 5:01
2. Chasin' Rainbows - 4:15
3. Me And A Friend Of Mine - 3:07
4. New Romance - 4:08
5. Last Train (Marc Benno, Irvin Benno) - 4:06
6. Lost In Austin - 5:08
7. Splish Splash (Bobby Darin, Jean Murray) - 3:08
8. Monterrey Pen - 3:23
9. The Drifter - 4:30
10.Hey There Senorita - 5:07
All songs by Marc Benno except where noted

Musicians
*Marc Benno - Vocals, Guitar, Piano
*Eric Clapton - Guitars, Slide Guitars, Vocals
*Albert Lee - Guitars, Vocals
*Jim Keltner - Drums
*Carl Radle - Bass
*Dickie Morresey - Saxphone, Flute
*Brian Rogers - String Arrangement

1970  Marc Benno - Marc Benno (2012 korean remaster)
1971  Marc Benno - Minnows (2016 SHM remaster)
1973  Marc Benno And The Nightcrawlers - Crawlin (with young Stevie Ray Vaughan, 2006 release) 
Related Act
1968  The Asylum Choir - Look Inside (2007 remaster)
1971  Leon Russell And Marc Benno - Asylum Choir II (japan SHM 2016 remaster) 

Free Text
the Free Text

Ambergris - Ambergris (1970 us, marvelous jazz brass rock with latin shades, 2018 korean remaster)

Ambergris, as it turned out, was a one-shot album from a band formed by Jerry Weiss, who’d played keyboards with the first version of Blood, Sweat and Tears. Leaving before the group recorded the second album, he formed Ambergris and got Steve Cropper of MG’s fame to produce it. It’s not groundbreaking in the way that the first BST album was or in the way that Chicago’s first two albums were. There are hints of Latin influences in some of the tracks, while some of them sound as if they could easily have been lifted from sessions by BST or Chicago. Highlights, from my listening, are “Play On Player” and “Walking on the Water.”

Jimmy Maelen (vocals & percussion) who played with John Lennon, the Jacksons, Talking Heads, Alice Cooper, Marlena Shaw, Jimi Hendrix, Peter Gabriel, Buddy Rich & too many others to mention. Lewis Kahn (trombone / violin) who later played live with Tito Puente. Larry Harlow (piano, organ & percussion) who had previously put out releases on the lauded Fania label and would much later record with the Mars Volta. 

Tracks
1. Something Happened To Me (Jerry Weiss) - 2:50
2. Play On Player (Calvin Clash, Larry Harlow Kahn) - 3:23
3. Gotta Find Her (Arthur Miller, Jerry Weiss) - 3:54
4. Chocolate Pudding (Arthur Miller) - 4:27
5. Forget It, I Got It (Jimmy Miller, Gary Wright) - 4:20
6. Walking On The Water (Herbert L. Lewis, Fred Lewis) - 5:45
7. Sunday Lady (James Maeulen, Jerry Weiss) - 3:20
8. Home Groan (Jerry Weiss) - 3:14
9. Soul Food (Fred Lewis) - 3:15
10.Endless Night (Jerry Weiss) - 5:27

Ambergris
*Larry Harlow - Piano, Organ, Percussion
*Jerry Weiss - Fender Bass, Piano
*Charlie Camilleri - Lead Trumpet
*Harry Max - Trumpet, String Bass,, Violin
*Jimmy Maeulen - Vocals, Conga Drum
*Billy Shay - Guitar, Harmonica
*Lewis Kahn - Trombone, Violin
*Glenn John Miller - Trombone
*Gil Fields - Drums

Free Text

Just Paste

Mars Bonfire - Faster Than The Speed Of Life (1968 canada, fascinating acid psych rock, original vinyl, 2007 rev ola and fallout editions)

Mars Bonfire has earned himself rock 'n' roll immortality, not to mention lifetime royalty checks, for penning Steppenwolf's inescapable classic "Born to Be Wild," that eternal anthem of would-be bikers and weekend hellraisers worldwide. 

The power of the song has been blunted over the years, thanks to endless cover versions (including a duet between Ozzy Osbourne and Miss Piggy on the Kermit Unpigged album), and ironic use in sitcoms, films, and TV commercials. A listen to Bonfire's own recording of "Born to Be Wild" on this solo outing can remind one just how powerful the song really is. 

Bonfire's take is druggier than the balls-out Steppenwolf hit, a slippery psychedelic tone without the dramatic dynamics and steamroller rhythm. It's still an upbeat rocker with twisting fuzz guitar leads, but Bonfire's vocals suggest a college kid dropping acid at a house party, while John Kay makes the same lyric into a threat. Bonfire didn't possess the macho bombast of his ex-bandmates; his self-titled debut is a lost masterpiece of introspective psych-pop full of great tunes. 

The lead track, "Ride With Me, Baby" lays out everything on his mind with a groovy, dirty, Sunset Strip vibe. Bonfire manages to get out lines like "the beautiful thing has fallen thru with cancer, death, deformity" without sounding clumsy, and he catalogs his worries, woes, and hopes over six minutes of overdriven organ and guitar. "Night Time's for You" is another great rocker, a rather sinister celebration of the dark, while "Sad Eyes" and "Christina's Arms" are sweeter pop numbers. 

Even at his most sensitive, Bonfire never drifts into the ether, keeping things grounded in hard rock instrumentation, so that even ballads like "Tenderness" and "How Much Older Will We Grow?" are loud, full-band affairs. Bonfire's talent as a songwriter was obvious to Steppenwolf, as they would go on to raid this album for a full four songs over the course of their career ("Tenderness," "Ride With Me, Baby," and "The Night Time's for You" all appeared on For Ladies Only). 

This debut was repackaged a year later with a different track order as Faster Than the Speed of Life, but Bonfire was unable to net any hits of his own, and he retreated into private life. 

by Fred Beldin

There are several reasons why the name of Mars Bonfire should be regarded as quite an important entry in every rock’n’roll related encyclopedia, and while being as good as any itself, none of these reasons happen to be his own LP, originally released on the Uni label in 1968, soon to be re-issued on Columbia.

Before actually starting the “bonfire” of his career, along with, among others, Bruce Palmer (soon to join another fellow Canadian in forming Buffalo Springfield), Mars joined Jack London & The Sparrows as Dennis Edmonton. With German émigré, John Kay, replacing their front man, and shortening the name into The Sparrow, the band relocated to New York, releasing a couple of singles, with Mars’ own Tomorrow’s Ship / Isn’t It Strange these days being considered for a minor psychedelic classic.

After yet another move, onto an even hipper coast, the disillusioned Dennis Edmonton, finally becomes Mars Bonfire, while leaving some of his own songs behind, most notably Born To Be Wild, helping his former bandmates reach the long desired heights “faster than the speed of life”, and under a different moniker of another, more appropriate beast ….. without himself present, ironically enough.

Being too tempting to avoid, I suppose Mars just couldn’t help but “cover” his defining number himself, somewhat lacking a ball or two in delivery, compared to the “original”, and it’s a pretty similar kind of a groove that he explores in a more sophisticated way for the album’s title track.

In spite of it not being suggested so, most of the album falls into a lighter, occasionally slightlydelic sound, as heard in Sad Eyes, Lady Moon Walker, She, So Alive With Love or How Much Older Will We Grow?, with the latter being a great Beatle-ish Britsike ballad.

Sometimes he even gets down the folky country round (Tenderness), and on a couple of bluesier tracks, the fragility of the vocal delivery seems to place him somewhere halfway between the Al Wilson-fronted Canned Heat and the Mickey Dolenz-fronted Monkees (Ride With Me Baby, Night Time’s For You).

No less than three more tracks from Faster … were covered by Steppenwolf in 1971, making the legacy of their former bandmate an inexhaustible source, which he hasn’t seemed to be able to take advantage of himself.
by Garwood Pickjon

Tracks
1. Ride With Me, Baby - 6:07
2. Born To Be Wild - 2:58
3. Sad Eyes - 2:25
4. Lady Moon Walker - 2:45
5. Tenderness - 4:26
6. How Much Older Will We Grow? - 5:47
7. So Alive With Love - 2:45
8. In Christina's Arms - 3:15
9. Little Girl Lost - 2:35
10.Time To Fly - 2:32
11.Night Time's For You - 2:16
All compositions by Mars Bonfire.

Tracks
1. Faster Than The Speed Of Life - 2:59
2. Born To Be Wild - 2:59
3. Sad Eyes - 2:19
4. Lady Moon Walker - 2:39
5. Tenderness - 4:26
6. She - 2:584
7. Ride With Me Baby - 6:01
8. How Much Older Will We Grow? - 5:48
9. So Alive With Love - 2:40
10.In Christina's Arms - 3:11
11.Night Time's For You - 2:16
All songs by Mars Bonfire

*Mars Bonfire - Guitar, Vocals

Related Acts
1968  Steppenwolf (2013 japan SHM bonus tracks and 2014 SACD)
1968  Steppenwolf - Second (2013 japan SHM with extra track)
1969  Early Steppenwolf (1967 Live, Japan SHM mini lp)
1969  At Your Birthday Party (Japan SHM 2013 remaster)
1969  Monster (2013 japan SHM issue)
1970  Steppenwolf - 7 (2013 japan SHM remaster)
1970  Live (2013 Japan SHM edition)
1971  For Ladies Only (Japan SHM 2013 remaster)
1968  John Kay and the Sparrow
1972  John Kay – Forgotten Songs and Unsung Heroes
1986  Sky "Sunlight" Saxon And Firewall - Destiny's Children (Vinyl issue)

Free Text
the Free Text

Curt Newbury - Half A Month Of Maydays (1970 us, tremendous west coast folk psych rock)

Curt Newbury was born and raised in Texas, but while one can hear traces of his Western heritage in his voice, his sole album, 1970s Half a Month of May Days, is an archetypical example of West Coast singer/songwriter-oriented country-rock in its formative stages. Half a Month of May Days features several members of the celebrated psychedelic group Kaleidoscope backing Newbury, and though these sessions lack the sense of trippy adventure that marked that band's best work, Newbury's elliptical wordplay and gently loping melodies mesh nicely with the chiming guitars, fiddles, and organ lines of the studio band, and they turn these tunes into something truly memorable. 

Newbury's songs sometimes sound poetic in all the worst ways, but while there are a few flashes of nearly terminal pretension here, most of the time Newbury has the good sense to reign himself in, and his broad celebrations of women, good times, and the mysteries of the universe (as well as decrying the war in Vietnam that was still raging) are well served by his ambitious phrasing and strong, supple tenor voice. And given Newbury's later career as a photographer specializing in glamor shots of teenage models, "Let's Hang Some Pictures Tonight" sounds more than a little prescient. Half a Month of May Days is a good bit short of a lost masterpiece, but it's certainly the work of a talented artist who was well-served in the studio as he was working out a rather ambitious musical vision, and folks with a taste for the acid-tinged side of country-rock will find it well worth investigating. 

by Mark Deming

Tracks
1. S And C See Me - 4:43
2. Christ, How Easy Could It Be? - 4:03
3. To Marcia - 2:42
4. Highchair Blue - 3:17
5. Let's Hang Some Pictures Tonight - 4:01
6. Half A Month Of Maydays - 4:51
7. Colonel Haygood - 3:39
8. A Girl Is Just Too Much - 4:32
9. Maybe Summer Bells - 3:35
10.Private Jackson Regrets - 2:10
All songs by Curt Newbury

Musicians
*Curt Newbury - Vocals, Guitar
*Jeff Kaplan - Guitar, Organ, Bass, Piano
*Ron Johnson - Bass
*Paul Lagos - Drums
*Coffi Hall - Percussion
*Rick Matthews - Percussion
*Templeton Parsley - Electric Violin
*Max Buda - Harmonica
*Richard Aplanalp - Clarinet
*Mike Deasy - Guitar, Mandolin
*Howard Johnson - Tuba
*Pat Smith - Bass, Fiddle

Free Text
the Free Text

Paul Pena - New Train (1973 us / cape verde, magnificent melt of funky blues folk psych classic rock, 2000 release)

Paul Pena came from a Cape Verdean background and learned the Afro-Portuguese music of those islands, including morna. His musician father also sent him to Spain and Portugal to study flamenco. He began to get interested in blues, though. Because of the folk movement in the '60s, he managed to work his way up and sideways, and started to to play with T-Bone Walker and John Lee Hooker. He released a solo album on Capitol in 1972 which did fairly well critically, if not commercially. He moved to San Francisco and began opening gigs for the Grateful Dead. All the while, Pena was impressing many of the musicians with whom he came in contact. He began work on a second album in 1973, but mismanagement conspired to keep it from ever being released. Among the special guests on the album are Jerry Garcia, Merle Saunders, Ben Sidran, and The Persuasions. 

Produced by Ben Sidran (Steve Miller, Mose Allison), New Train is being released after its sudden discovery among Pena's personal possessions. Among the songs on the album is the track "Jet Airliner" which was originally penned and sung by Pena and later was a hit for the Steve Miller Band in the 1970s. Performing on the album is the late Jerry Garcia who played the pedal steel guitar on "Venutian Lady" and "Taking Your Love Down." Merle Saunders played keyboards on "Venutian Lady" and "New Train" and R&B greats The Persuasions sang background vocals on "Gonna Move" and "Let's Move and Groove." 

Pena, who was born blind and is currently suffering from a terminal illness, studied the piano, guitar, upright bass, violin, and "a little trumpet." Cutting his teeth in coffee houses in and around New England he was soon playing the Newport Folk Festival with such artists as James Taylor, Joni Mitchell, and Kris Kristofferson. As his career furthered, he began playing with B.B. King, Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, and Bonnie Raitt. He eventually decided to relocate to San Francisco, where he recorded and released an album on Capitol Records and began working with T-Bone Walker. 

Raitt says of Pena, "I've loved Paul and his music since I used to open gigs for him in Worcester, MA thirty years ago. He was then as he is now, one of the most extraordinarily gifted singers, guitarists and songwriters I've ever heard. It was like finding my very own Jimi Hendrix - there's simply nothing he can't play well. Long deserving of wider recognition, I'm glad the film Genghis Blues exposed the rest of the world to his genius. But the real cause for celebration is the long overdue release of his extraordinary album - Paul is a treasure. One of the most unique and soulful artists you'll ever hear." 

As the subject of the Academy Award nominated documentary Genghis Blues, Pena first heard Tuvan throat singing, a technique in which a singer produces two or three tones simultaneously, in 1984 and soon taught himself the difficult vocal techniques and language. After meeting performer Kongar-ol Ondar in 1993, Paul was invited to perform at the second international Khoomei Symposium and contest held in the capital - Kyzyl, Tuva and won the contest in the Kargyraa division as well as the "audience favorite" category. 

In an article published in 1973 by The Times (MA), Pena is "reminiscent of a young Jimi Hendrix, a dramatic and stylized guitar player. His voice has a touch of pain, humor, and loneliness that is characteristic of a folk singer. Pena is his own master and this becomes readily apparent as he eases through his intense compositions. Pena is a musician's musician." Touching people wherever he goes, Pena was named "San Francisco's Tuvan Blues Ambassador" and July 11, 1999 was declared "Paul Pena Day" by the mayor.  Paul Pena passed away on October 4th 2005, due to complications of diabetes and pancreatitis.

by Julie Lichtenstein

Tracks
1. Gonna Move - 4:31
2. New Train - 4:54
3. Jet Airliner - 5:42
4. Wait On What You Want - 3:29
5. Venutian Lady - 4:43
6. Cosmic Mirror - 5:24
7. Let's Move And Groove Together - 4:13
8. Indian Boy - 4:38
9. A Bit Of All Right - 3:44
10.Taking Your Love Down - 2:53
All Music and Lyrics by Paul Pena

Musicians
*Paul Pena - Guitar, Piano,Vocals
*Ben Sidran - Piano,Organ
*Harvey Brooks - Bass Guitar
*Gary Mallaber - Drums,Percussion
*Jerry Garcia - Pedal Steel Guitar (Tracks 2, 5)
*Merl Saunders - Keyboards (Tracks 2, 5)
*The Persuasions - Background Vocals (Track 1)
*Charles Greene - Background Vocals (Track 7)
*Arthur Adams - Guitar (Track 9)
*Dave Woodward - Saxophone (Track 6)
*Nick Decaro - Arranged Strings
*The Funky Ladies - Background Vocals

Just Paste

Text Host
Free Text

Wings - Wings (1968 us, marvelous folk sunny psych, 2018 korean remaster)

The American folk-rock group Wings -- not to be confused with Paul McCartney's 1970's-era band -- is one of the more enigmatic recording outfits of their era, partly owing to the fact that although they managed to cut an entire album, nowhere on its packaging were any credits or other information about the group, just a photo. They were actually an off-shoot of Spanky & Our Gang and the Serendipity Singers, with members who had played in the early incarnations of groups such as the Jefferson Airplane and who would later go on to work with bands such as Mountain. 

The group initially came together as a trio consisting of Oz Bach (ex-Spanky & Our Gang), Pam Robins (ex-Serendipity Singers, and Eddie Simon, but the latter was subsequently replaced by guitarist/singer Jim Mason (co-author of the Peter, Paul & Mary hit "I Dig Rock And Roll Music"). Their line-up was rounded out by keyboard player Steve Knight, lead guitarist Jack McNichol, and drummer Jerry Peloquin. The group spent most of late 1967 and a big chunk of 1968 performing, and got to play as the opening act behind bands like Big Brother & The Holding Company, and got a recording contract with ABC-Dunhill Records -- at the time, they seemed like a potential successor to the Mamas & The Papas, especially once producer Steve Barri heard Pam Robins' powerful vocals. 

Despite a nicely honed sound and a year of work together, however, the group never got their act together or their signals straight; even the selection of the name "Wings" was sheer serendipity, after an extended period of disagreement, a suggestion by one of Jim Mason's friends. The finished album, produced by Steve Barri -- who, with his backgound as a member/producer of the Grass Roots, knew a thing or two about the folk-rock sound -- never sounded as good as it might have, reportedly due, in part, to the way that it was mastered, and they were unable to agree on a direction or a sound to emphasize when it came time to tour behind it. 

Despite some minimal success for the song "General Bringdown", the LP and the group vanished into history -- Peloquin, who had played with the Jefferson Airplane in its earliest days, continued working into the 1970's with various bands before giving up music, and Steve Knight later played with Mountain, while Oz Bach, who passed away in 1998, went on to form Tarantula and to a career as an actor and filmmaker. Paul McCartney later picked up on the group's name for his own uses, which has resulted in the occasional spectacle of unknowing vinyl enthusiasts finding the American group Wings' self-titled album and thinking they may have latched on to a McCartney-related rarity. Their sound was actually closer to that of the Mamas & The Papas or the Stone Poneys. 

by Bruce Eder

Tracks
1. See Someone Hangin' (Oz Bach) - 4:11
2. That's Not Real (Jim Mason, Pam Robins) - 3:30
3. General Bringdown (Jim Mason, Oz Bach, Jack McNichol) - 2:34
4. First Time Is The Last (Oz Bach) - 3:04
5. What Do I Know (Jim Mason) - 2:43
6. Pretty Little Girl (Oz Bach) - 3:48
7. Takin' It Lazy (Oz Bach) - 3:09
8. Shrinking Violet (Jim Mason, Felix Pappalardi, Gail Collins) - 2:09
9. Different Kind Of Woman (Pam Robins, Seth Evans, Joe Piazza) - 2:43
10.Changes (Keep Coming About) (Oz Bach) - 2:26
11.Give Me Your Love (Jim Mason) - 2:14

Wings
*Paul "Oz" Bach - Bass, Vocals
*Jim Mason - Guitar, Vocals
*Pam Robins - Vocals
*Jack McNichol - Lead Guitar
*Steve Knight  - Keyboards
*Jerry Peloquin - Drums

Related Act
1966-70  Spanky And Our Gang - The Complete Mercury Recordings (2006 four discs box set) 

Free Text
Just Paste

Marc Ellington - Marc Time (1975 uk, splendid country folk classic rock, 2011 bonus tracks remasters)

I like the way how Marc Ellington approaches his songs and choices, Sandy Roberton's flawless production, great song adaptations, excellent musicians, and beautiful sound collages, which makes it possible for Marc Ellington  to embody and interpret the songs perfectly by smartly slipping from traditional country to folk and blues into straight rock tunes.

His 5th album titled "Marc Time" released 1975, -with contributions from some of the U K's top session players-, stands out the powerful "Ad Man", the self penned (along with Sandy) guitar acid funk "You Just Can't Believe What You See", the blues killer "Stealin" and the beautiful country song "Streets Of Baltimore", written by Harlan Howard, Tompall Glaser -first covered by Bobby Bare-, in any case the whole album moves in high level

.

Tracks
1. Wild About My Lovin' (Traditional) - 3:29
2. The Answer Is You (Marc Ellington, Sandy Roberton, Paul Kent) - 3:16
3. Stealin' (Traditional) - 2:43
4. Streets Of Baltimore (Harlan Howard, Tompall Glaser) - 2:46
5. Ad Man (Marc Ellington, Sandy Roberton) - 2:11
6. I Miss The Mississippi And You (Bill Halley) - 2:46
7. Shady Lies (Richard Thompson) - 2:34
8. Borrowing Time (Chris Hillman, Joe Lala) - 2:14
9. Close The Door (Sandy Roberton, Paul Kent) - 2:49
10.You Just Can't Believe What You See (Marc Ellington, Sandy Roberton) - 3:46
11.Anyday Woman (Paul Siebel) - 2:11
12.Peggy Gordo (Traditional) - 3:18

Musicians
*Marc Ellington - Vocals, Guitar
*BJ Cole - Dobro, Steel Guitar
*Jerry Donahue - Electric Guitar
*Dave Mattacks - Drums
*Gerry Conway - Drums
*Roger Swallow - Drums
*Timmy Donald - Drums
*Pat Donaldson - Bass
*Sandy Robertson - Acoustic Guitar
*Simon Nicol - Acoustic Guitar
*Steve Ashley - Harmonica
*David Richards - Piano
*Ian Whiteman - Piano
*Tony Cox - Strings
*Katie Kissoon - Vocals
*Richard Thompson - Vocals
*Linda Thompson - Vocals
*Mac Kissoon - Vocals

1969  Marc Ellington - Marc Ellington (2009 korean remaster)
1971  Marc Ellington ‎- Rains-Reins Of Changes (2004 remaster)
1972  Marc Ellington - A Question Of Roads (2010 korean remaster)
1972  Marc Ellington - Restoration (2011 remasters)

Just Paste
Free Text
Text Host

Fantasy - Beyond The Beyond Plus... (1974 uk, remarkable prog rock, 2015 remastered edition)

Hailing from Gravesend in Kent, Fantasy formed in 1970 and were originally known as Chapel Farm, after their rehearsal space. The original line-up was Dave Metcalfe (keyboards), Paul Lawrence (guitar / vocals), Bob Vann (guitar), Dave Read (bass) and Brian Chatham (drums). Initially they focused on cover versions, then began to develop their own material, and decided to enter themselves in Melody Maker's annual 'Search' talent contest. On the day of their heat at a hotel in nearby Cliftonville, the band became concerned when they lost sight of Vann, who had been celebrating his 18th birthday with various drinks. To their horror they realized that he had fallen off a cliff and was lying on the beach below. An ambulance was summoned, but he died on the way to hospital.

Following that blow Chatham also departed their ranks, but the band decided to persevere with new members Pete James (guitar) and Jon Webster (drums), both recruited from a local band named Joy. With a new name of Firequeen, they rehearsed hard and scored support slots with bands including

the Pink Fairies and the Edgar Broughton Band. When they sent a demo tape to numerous labels, Polydor expressed an interest, on the understanding that they changed their name to Fantasy – a name they never liked, but decided to put up with. 

A contract was duly signed in the spring of 1973, and the band set about recording their LP in Chipping Norton Studios, Oxfordshire, with producer Peter Sames (who'd recently overseen another cult favourite, Bored Civilians by Cross & Ross, as well as collaborating with hitmaker Peter Skellern).

The album they cut was a superb piece of Moody Blues-inspired prog rock, featuring beautifully textured songs with strong melodies and sublime Mellotron flourishes. Especially notable was The Award', a tribute to their late guitarist Vann. Trailed by an equally rare brass-laden 45, 'Politely Insane' / 'I Was Once Aware' (Polydor 2058 405), which appeared in October (and features a non-LP B-side), the album appeared that winter as Polydor 2383 246, clad in a colourful gatefold sleeve. Its working title was Virgin On The Ridiculous, but fortunately they ended up retitling it. It could have done very well, but Polydor chose not to promote it - perhaps because the band had not committed to music full-time (they still had day-jobs).

Following its release they played a few gigs, including one at the Marquee supporting Queen, but momentum failed to build. Nonetheless, they remained upbeat, returning to the studio with Sames in July 1974  The sessions, The tracks finally emerged two however, did not go smoothly, decades later, as Beyond The and when Polydor rejected the Beyond, confirming that justice is tapes, Metcalfe decided to quit, rarely done in the music business...

CD Liner Notes

Tracks
1. Introduction - 2:12
2. Beyond The Beyond - 5:38
3. Reality - 2:59
4. Alanderie - 9:01
5. Afterthought (David Metcalfe, David Read, Geoff Whitehorn, Paul Petley) - 5:52
6. Worried Man - 2:57
7. Just A Dream - 3:34
8. Winter Rose - 3:29
9. Church Clock - 3:51
10.Fire-Fire (Geoff Whitehorn) - 6:47
11.Vacuum (David Read) - 4:09
12.Alone (David Read)  - 4:38
13.Afterthought (David Metcalfe, David Read, Geoff Whitehorn, Paul Petley) - 7:30
14.Church Clock - 3:38
All songs by David Metcalfe, David Read, Paul Lawrence except where stated

Bonus Tracks 10-14

Fantasy
*Paul Lawrence - 12 String Guitar, Lead Vocals
*David Read - Bass, Double Bass, Vocals
*David Metcalfe - Keyboards, Clarinet, Vocals
*Peter James - Lead Guitar, Vocals
*Jon Webster - Drums, Vocals
*Geoff Whitehorn - Lead Guitar (Tracks 10-13)
*Paul Petley - Lead Vocals (Tracks 10-13)
*Brian Chattam - Drums (Tracks 10-13)

1973  Fantasy - Paint A Picture (2005 remaster with bonus tracks) 

Just Paste
Free Text
Text Host

Humble Pie - Street Rats (1975 uk, great groovy classic rock, 2016 japan SHM remaster with extra tracks)

Humble Pie endured their share of turbulent times early in the band's existence, overcoming the early departure of guitarist Peter Frampton through a steady diet of regular album releases and a seemingly never-ending series of tours arranged by manager Dee Anthony. By the mid-'70s, they'd attained a measure of commercial success, sending a string of LPs into the American Top 40 and notching a handful of hit singles along the way -- but they were also flat broke, tired of life on the road, and coming apart at the seams.

The band's eighth studio LP, Street Rats, captures Humble Pie mid-implosion; in fact, according to the group's members, it wasn't even supposed to be a Humble Pie record at all. Bandleader Steve Marriott, burned out after one too many tours, wanted to take a break from making the band his top priority, and although their label, A&M Records, was impatient for more Pie product, he opted instead to begin work on three LPs -- a solo album, a duo record with the group's bassist Greg Ridley, and a proper Pie release. Unsurprisingly, between this scattershot creative approach and the musicians' overall burnout, the results weren't exactly coherent.

"Everything was so self-destructive at that point," pointed out drummer Jerry Shirley years later in Dan Muise's book, Gallagher, Marriott, Derringer & Trower: Their Lives and Music. "Everybody was doing everything in a dozen different directions and nothing was getting done." Adding to the band's dire financial straits was their ironclad contract with Anthony, who, as Shirley put it, "had us truly locked up ... it was a nightmare of a time."

Marriott, who ultimately ended up writing or co-writing five of the 11 tracks on Street Rats, dealt with the drama through overindulgence. "Steve's way of dealing with things was buying an ounce of coke every other day and burying himself in his studio," Shirley continued. "When you've got nothing but carte blanche studio time and all the coke in the world, all you do is record." Quantity doesn't necessarily constitute quality, however, especially when you're too addled to make sound decisions about the stuff coming out of the speakers, and so it was with the Street Rats sessions. "There were great bits here and there," argued Shirley, "but there was no one focus on one record."

Ridley, who described himself and Marriott in Muise's book as "two lonely souls," looked back on that period as a sort of sleepless musical haze. "We'd just sit there for almost a week at a time without sleeping," he recalled. "He and I would just go through different things. He'd say, 'Let's try this chord,' and then we'd go off from that."

Eventually, A&M execs grew tired of footing the bill for what appeared to be an increasingly aimless trio of projects and mandated that Marriott and the band bring in a producer to help shepherd the sessions. Their choice, flamboyant former Rolling Stones manager Andrew Loog Oldham, had name value -- and experience with wrangling drugged-out musicians -- but he wasn't really the rough hand that Humble Pie needed at that point. Although he ended up doing a lot of work salvaging the recordings, Street Rats -- and the band itself -- was probably already a lost cause before he even walked through the door of the studio.

"The rot had long since set in," admitted Shirley. "He tried, he failed, let's put it like that. There was all kinds of nonsense going on."

Not that the band were the only parties guilty of nonsense. Insistent on releasing a Humble Pie album and steadfastly disinterested in Marriott's other plans, the label ultimately commandeered the tapes, demanding that an LP's worth of tracks from the period later dubbed the Scrubbers Sessions be cobbled together into the "band's" next effort. Under duress and fairly shady circumstances, Street Rats was born.

In the months after the album's February 1975 release date, Marriott and his bandmates would publicly disavow the results, with Marriott going so far as to insist that the label "stole" the tapes for the title track, which was played with people outside the band and had "nothing to do" with Humble Pie. Prior to the album's completion, however, the members of the group were more resigned than angry.

"No one cared. No one was talking. We'd already broken up," shrugged Shirley. "We'd agreed to allow the album to be released and to do a farewell tour. Other than that we were pretty much done."

And that's essentially the way it went down for Humble Pie during the Street Rats period. When a last-ditch effort to get Marriott and Ridley to clean up and redouble their commitment to the group failed -- along with an attempt to lure Who manager Bill Curbishley into their camp and ditch Anthony -- Shirley and guitarist Clem Clempson felt there was no choice but to walk away.

While Street Rats fared poorly in comparison to its predecessors, peaking at an unimpressive No. 100 on the Billboard albums chart, there was still plenty of demand for Humble Pie -- something that became abundantly clear during the farewell tour, which drew healthy crowds even if Shirley and Clempson were playing with one foot out the door. And although Marriott and Shirley would revive the band name in later years, both together and apart, the group's glory years were firmly behind them. After Marriott died in a house fire in April of 1991, all hopes for any kind of real reunion were permanently quashed.

Although it's easy to paint Humble Pie's story as another tragic tale of bad behavior and financial tomfoolery splitting up a once-promising band, not all of the group's former members agreed with that point of view. Years later, Clempson gave Muise a more philosophical take on what drove the Pie apart, speculating that the lineup might have dissolved no matter what.

"There are hundreds of Humble Pies and they may all have their personal reasons that they attribute to their downfall," he mused. "But it's usually just because they have a creative period and they get popular. They get some hit songs and everybody wants to hear them. And they just fail to live up to it for whatever reasons. The pressures of touring, the internal conflicts of egos, believing their own hype -- all these things are contributing factors."

by Jeff Giles, February 13, 2015

Tracks
1. Street Rat (Steve Marriott) - 2:51
2. Rock And Roll Music (Chuck Berry) - 2:31
3. We Can Work It Out (John Lennon, Paul McCartney) - 3:20
4. Scored Out (Clem Clempson, Steve Marriott) - 2:34
5. Road Hog (Steve Marriott) - 3:09
6. Rain (John Lennon, Paul McCartney) - 4:02
7. Funky To The Bone (Fred Gowdy, Larry Wilkins) - 4:12
8. Let Me Be Your Lovemaker (Betty Wright, Clarence Reid, Willie Clarke) - 5:57
9. Countryman Stomp (Clem Clempson, Greg Ridley, Tim Hinkley) - 2:20
10.Drive My Car (John Lennon, Paul McCartney) - 3:42
11.Queens And Nuns (Unknown) - 3:05
12.Big Black Dog (Peter Frampton) - 4:05
13.Mister Ring (Greg Ridley) - 4:24
14.The Outcrowd (Jerry Shirley) - 2:51
15.I Don't Need No Doctor (Single Version) (Nickolas Ashford, Valerie Simpson, Jo Armstead) - 3:58

The Humble Pie
*Steve Marriott - Guitar, Harmonica, Keyboards, Vocals
*Clem Clempson - Guitar, Slide Guitar
*Greg Ridley - Bass, Vocals
*Jerry Shirley - Drums
With
*Mel Collins - Saxophones
*Tim Hinkley - Keyboards

1969  Humble Pie - As Safe As Yesterday Is (Japan edition)
1969  Humble Pie - Town and Country (2007 remaster and expanded)
1970  Humble Pie (Japan edition)
1971  Humble Pie - Rock On
1971  Humble Pie - Performance, Rockin’ The Fillmore (2013 issue, 4 discs set)
1972  Humble Pie - Smoikin' (Japan edition)
1973  Humble Pie - Eat It (Japan edition)
1973  Humble Pie - In Concert / King Biscuit Flower Hour
1974  Humble Pie - Thunderbox (2011 japan SHM remaster)
Related Act 
1967  Small Faces - Green Circles / First Immediate Album 
1968  The Small Faces - Ogden's Nut Gone Flake (3 discs set)
1965-69  Small Faces - The Immediate Years (four discs box, 1st edition)

Free Text
Just Paste

The Floating Opera - The Floating Opera (1971 us, exceptional psych bluesy rock, 2018 korean remaster)

The Floating Opera is into a Blues-Rock sound made unique by guitarist Steve Welkom's persuasive singing in "Vision", he's joined by Gary Munce on bass, and Artie Alinikoff on excellent drums/vocals, while Carol Less provided driving keyboard counterpoint which consistently defined their sound.

The Floating Opera Self-Titled Original 1971 Embryo Records SD-730, has some real moments where the guitar takes off into the stratosphere. They do a nice job with the ballads, and it's cleanly produced. The album is packaged in a nice looking gatefold cover with the lyrics inside, and the group's picture on the front.

Tracks
1. Song Of The Suicides - 4:54
2. The Vision - 6:09
3. Midnight - 3:25
4. Buckwheat Gal - 3:56
5. Fever Day (Carol Lees, John Nemerovski, Steve Welkom) - 4:32
6. Age Of Onan - 4:33
7. Crack On The Wall - 2:46
8. Back On The Street Again - 4:06
9. Angelfood Cake Song (Gary Munce, John Nemerovski, Steve Welkom) - 4:21
10.Soulful Feeling - 5:14
All songs by John Nemerovski, Steve Welkom except where stated

The Floating Opera
*John Nemerovski - Piano
*Steve Welkom - Vocals, Guitar
*Artie Alinikoff - Drums, Vocals
*Carol Lees - Keyboards, Vocals
*Gary Munce - Bass

Free Text
the Free Text

The Hollies - Bus Stop (1966 uk, fabulous beat roots 'n' roll, 2012 extra tracks japan remaster)

When the Hollies -- one of the best and most commercially successful pop/rock acts of the British Invasion -- began recording in 1963, they relied heavily upon the R&B/early rock & roll covers that provided the staple diet for countless British bands of the time. They quickly developed a more distinctive style featuring three-part harmonies (heavily influenced by the Everly Brothers), ringing guitars, and hook-happy material, penned by both outside writers (especially future 10cc member Graham Gouldman) and themselves, eventually composing most of their repertoire on their own. The best early Hollies records evoke an infectious, melodic cheer similar to that of the early Beatles, although the Hollies were neither in their class (not an insult: nobody else was) nor demonstrated a similar capacity for artistic growth. They tried, though, easing into somewhat more sophisticated folk-rock and mildly psychedelic sounds as the decade wore on, especially on their albums (which contain quite a few overlooked highlights).

Allan Clarke (lead singer) and Graham Nash (vocals, guitar) had been friends since childhood in Manchester, and they formed the nucleus of the Hollies in the early '60s with bassist Eric Haydock. In early 1963, EMI producer Ron Richards signed the group after seeing them at the famous Cavern Club in Liverpool. Guitarist Vic Steele left before the first session, to be replaced by 17-year-old Tony Hicks. Drummer Don Rathbone only lasted for a couple of singles before being replaced by Bobby Elliott, who had played with Hicks in his pre-Hollies group, the Dolphins. The lineup changes were most fortuitous: Hicks contributed a lot to the group with his ringing guitar work and songwriting, and Elliott was one of the very finest drummers in all of pop/rock. Although their first singles were R&B covers, the Hollies were no match for the Rolling Stones (or, for that matter, the Beatles) in this department, and they sounded much more at home with pop/rock material that provided a sympathetic complement to their glittering harmonies. They ran off an awesome series of hits in the U.K. in the '60s, making the Top 20 almost 20 times. Some of their best mid-'60s singles, like "Here I Go Again," "We're Through," and the British number one "I'm Alive," passed virtually unnoticed in the United States, where they didn't make the Top 40 until early 1966, when Graham Gouldman's "Look Through Any Window" did the trick. In 1966, Eric Haydock left the group under cloudy circumstances, replaced by Bernie Calvert.

The Hollies really didn't break in America in a big way until "Bus Stop" (1966), their first Stateside Top Tenner; "On a Carousel," "Carrie Ann," and "Stop Stop Stop" were also big hits. Here the Hollies were providing something of a satisfying option for pop-oriented listeners that found the increasingly experimental outings of groups like the Beatles and Kinks too difficult to follow. At the same time, the production and harmonies were sophisticated enough to maintain a broader audience than more teen- and bubblegum-oriented British Invasion acts like Herman's Hermits. Their albums showed a more serious and ambitious side, particularly on the part of Graham Nash, without ever escaping the truth that their forte was well-executed pop/rock, not serious statements.

by Richie Unterberger

Tracks
1. Bus Stop (Graham Gouldman) - 2:55
2. The Very Last Day (Paul Stooky, Peter Yarrow) - 2:57
3. Hard Hard Year (Allan Clarke, Tony Hicks, Graham Nash) - 2:17
4. Sweet Little Sixteen (Chuck Berry) - 2:25
5. That's How Strong My Love Is (Roosevelt Jamison) - 2:47
6. Oriental Sadness (Allan Clarke, Tony Hicks, Graham Nash) - 2:39
7. I Am A Rock (Paul Simon) - 2:52
8. Stop Stop Stop (Allan Clarke, Tony Hicks, Graham Nash) - 2:50
9. I Can't Let Go (Chip Taylor, Al Gorgoni) - 2:27
10.Fifi The Flea (Allan Clarke, Tony Hicks, Graham Nash) - 2:09
11.Stewball (Traditional) - 3:07
12.I've Got A Way Of My Own (Allan Clarke, Tony Hicks, Graham Nash) - 2:15
13.Take Your Time (Buddy Holly, Norman Petty) - 2:23
14.Don't You Even Care (Clint Jr Ballard) - 2:28
15.If I Needed Someone (Saturday Club 13th December 1965) (George Harrison) - 2:18
16.He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother (Top Of The Pops Tv 2nd October 1969) (Bob Russell, Bobby Scott) - 4:11

The Hollies

*Allan Clarke − Vocals, Harmonica

*Tony Hicks – Lead Guitar, Vocals

*Graham Nash – Rhythm Guitar, Vocals

*Bobby Elliott – Drums    

*Eric Haydock – Bass 

*Bernie Calvert – Bass (Track 1)

1974  The Hollies - Hollies (2009 remaster with extra tracks)  

Related Acts

1971  Graham Nash - Songs For Beginners (2008 digipak remaster)

1973  Graham Nash - Wild Tales

1972  Graham Nash David Crosby - Graham Nash David Crosby (2008 remaster)

1971  Crosby Stills Nash And Young - 4 Way Street (2016 japan double disc remaster)
1974  Crosby Stills Nash And Young - Live (2013 four discs box set)

Free Text

Just Paste

Text Host