Country Joe And The Fish - Live! Fillmore West (1969 us, great psychedelic west coast)

When i look back on the last few months Country Joe & The Fish  were still trying to keep the band together and go on in touring I remember all the confusion and all the arguments and all the exasperation—but also I remember so many nights when they played with all their old magic and uniqueness. Since I'd been working with them for four years as their producer for Vanguard Records, I wanted to try to capture some of these last moments on tape, so with engineer Ed Friedner—who had worked with me on the albums they did in New York—I stalked them for a number of nights on their last gigs.

We did the first recordings of them live at the Fillmore East, but we couldn't catch them at their nest. They were headlining a bill that opened with Procol Harum, continued with Ten Years After, and ended with Country Joe & The Fish. By the time the first two bands had finished it was the middle of the night, and both the audience and Joe and the Fish were too wiped out to make their music happen. We decided to make another try, so with Ed bribing his way on to an airplane with several hundred pounds of recording equipment as carry -on luggage we flew out to San Francisco to record what was going to be their last gig together. Ed rented a large moving van and set everything up outside the Fillmore Auditorium on Market Street.

The opening act was a new English band called Led Zeppelin, so we thought there was a chance the audience wouldn't be as limp for Joe and the Fish as they'd been in New York. Since it was going to be a final night on stage together the band decided to invite all their friends to join them, and backstage there was a long party before they went out to play. Ed was sitting in Ms van on the street outside, with Bill Belmont, who did a number of things with the Fish, helping htm keep track of what was happening on stage. A small TV monitor had been rigged up so Ed could see what the band was doing, but he had to keep watching the needles on the machines. It also turned out he had to watch his back.

A street gang tried to take over the van and Ed—who had learned a lot in his youth on New York streets—had to back them off with a broken bottle. Back stage the party went on so long that the band and their friends finally came out to play in a blaze of excitement and a heavy accumulation of controlled substances. But OR stage all of them immediately became the stars that they were, and after I'd made sure that everybody was playing and the sound to the van was working I went out front and looked up at the stage.

Here was one of the greatest line-ups of San Francisco's musicians I had ever seen—and each of them was into his own stage personality. Jorma was bent over his guitar, Steve was swaying up and down, Jerry was studying his strings, Joe was half-smiling, Barry was striding around his end of the, stage. It was as much show business as music, and at that moment I realized how far we all had come since I'd first seen everybody playing in Berkeley parks and in little clubs only a few years before.

I don't remember that everybody ever got in tune. I don't remember that most of the time the rhythm was that tight, but it didn't matter. It was one of those moments of the 60's that would never come again—and listening to it again after all these years, brings back that moment and so much of the mood of those chaotic years.
by Sam Charters

Tracks
1. Introduction/Rock And Soul Music/Love (Joe McDonald, Barry Melton) - 6:15
2. Here I Go Again (Joe McDonald) - 4:42
3. It's So Nice To Have Your Love (Joe McDonald) - 6:31
4. Flying High (Joe McDonald) - 12:36
5. Doctor Of Electricity (Barry Melton) - 9:10
6. Donovan's Reef Jam (Joe McDonald, Steve Miller) - 38:18

Country Joe & The Fish
*Country Joe McDonald - Vocals, Guitar
*Barry Melton - Vocals, Electric Guitar
*David Cohen - Guitar, Keyboards
*Gary "Chicken" Hirsch - Drums, Percussion
*Jack Casady - Bass
Guest Musicians
*David Getz - Drums
*Mickey Hart - Drums
*Jerry Garcia - Guitar, Harp
*Jorma Kaukonen - Guitar
*Steve Miller - Guitar

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Gordon Lightfoot - Summertime Dream (1976 canada, remarkable folk rock)

  With Summertime Dream, Gordon Lightfoot produced one of his finest albums, and wrapped up a six-year period of popularity that he would not recapture. Propelled by his second biggest hit, "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald," Summertime Dream summed up the sound that had served Lightfoot so well in his post-"If You Could Read My Mind" days.

This distinctive sound featured Lightfoot's strummed six- or 12-string guitar complemented by Terry Clements' electric guitar lines and Pee Wee Charles' pedal steel guitar accents. The material here is excellent, and the singer's voice is at its strongest. Mixing upbeat songs like "Race Among the Ruins," "I'd Do It Again" and the title track with beautiful ballads such as "I'm Not Supposed to Care" and "Spanish Moss," Lightfoot and his band deliver a tasty smorgasbord of intelligent, grown-up music.

As for "Edmund Fitzgerald," its continued popularity more than 30 years after its release attests to the power of a well-told tale and a tasty guitar lick.
by Jim Newsom

Tracks
1. Race Among the Ruins - 3:21
2. The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald - 6:32
3. I'm Not Supposed to Care - 3:31
4. I'd Do it Again - 3:14
5. Never too Close - 3:04
6. Protocol - 4:02
7. The House You Live In - 2:55
8. Summertime Dream - 2:30
9. Spanish Moss - 3:51
10.Too Many Clues in this Room - 4:49
All songs composed by Gordon Lightfoot.

Musicians
*Gordon Lightfoot - Vocals, 6- & 12-String Guitar, Piano
*Pee Wee Charles - Pedal Steel Guitar
*Terry Clements - Lead Guitar
*Rick Haynes - Bass
*Barry Keane - Drums, Percussion
*Gene Martynec - Moog Synthesizer
*Jim Gordon - Drums on "The House You Live In"

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Gordon Lightfoot - Lightfoot! / The Way I Feel (1966-67 canada, marvellous folk rock)

Gordon Lightfoot was born on November 17, 1938 in Orillia, Ontario, Canada. His parents recognized and encouraged his interest in music; his first appearance as Massey Hall in Toronto, now a revered standard in his tour schedule, was just before he turned 13, as the winner of a competition for boys with unchanged voices.

After a background in barbershop quartets, and as a member of a duo, Lightfoot struck out on his own in the early 60s. He had written perhaps 75 songs, when he was caught up in the country music scene and folk revival of the time; Bob Dylan's music and a song by Merle Travis, Dark As A Dungeon, combined with his sensitivity, inventiveness and beautiful voice, resulted in his unique songwriting and singing style. In less than two years, between late '61 and some time in 1963, his sound and his life changed forever.

Lightfoot was already 27 at the time of his solo debut, which might have accounted in part for the unusually fully developed maturity and confidence on this recording, in both his songwriting and vocals. Contains some of his best compositions, including "Early Mornin' Rain," "I'm Not Sayin'," "The Way I Feel," "Lovin' Me," and "Ribbon of Darkness." At this point Lightfoot was still including some covers in his repertoire, and he handles numbers by Phil Ochs ("Changes"), Ewan McColl ("The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face"), and Hamilton Camp ("Pride of Man") well. The whole album is included on The United Artists Collection.

Lightfoot had used additional guitar and bass on his debut, but for his second LP he went for a fuller band sound, using a couple of the noted Nashville sessionmen (Charlie McCoy and Ken Buttrey) who had played on Bob Dylan's Blonde on Blonde. The result was a brighter and more accesible sound, with the country elements more to the fore. The songs weren't quite as impressive as his first batch, but they were still very good, highlighted by the epic "Canadian Railroad Trilogy" and an electrified remake of "The Way I Feel." The whole album is included on The United Artists Collection.
by Richie Unterberger

Tracks
1966 Lightfoot!
1. Rich Man's Spiritual - 2:44
2. Long River - 2:46
3. The Way I Feel - 3:43
4. For Lovin' Me - 2:25
5. The First Time Ever I saw Your Face (Ewan MacColl) - 3:10
6. Changes (Phil Ochs) - 2:30
7. Early Mornin' Rain - 3:04
8. Steel Rail Blues - 2:48
9. Sixteen Miles - 2:05
10.I'm Not Sayin' - 2:28
11.Pride Of Man (Hamilton Camp) - 2:41
12.Ribbon Of Darkness - 2:39
13.Oh, Linda - 3:09
14.Peaceful Waters - 2:01

1967 The Way I Feel
1. Walls - 2:53
2. If You Got It - 2:31
3. Softly - 3:26
4. Crossroads - 2:58
5. A Minor Ballad - 3:15
6. Go Go Round - 2:40
7. Rosanna - 2:42
8. Home From The Forest - 3:04
9. I'll Be Alright - 2:27
10.Song For A Winter's Night - 3:01
11.Canadian Railroad Trilogy - 6:22
12.The Way I Feel - 3:02
All songs written by Gordon Lightfoot except where indicated.

Musicians
1966 Lightfoot!
*Gordon Lightfoot - Guitar, Piano, Vocals
*David Rea or Bruce Langhorne - Second Guitar (Tracks 2 and 14)
*Bill Lee - Bass
1967 The Way I Feel
*Gordon Lightfoot - Guitar, Piano, Vocals
*Kenneth A. Buttrey - Drums
*Red Shea - Guitar
*John Stockfish - Bass
*Charlie McCoy - Harmonica, Celeste, Bells

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Killing Floor - Out Of Uranus (1971 uk, impressive heavy blues rock, japan remaster issue)

In the Summer of 1970 Killing Floor picked up one of those dream gigs that don't come along very often - a six week residency in the South of France! In the course of the holiday (sorry, engagement) yours truly got seriously sunburnt and the club went bust. However we all had a jolly good time, and more importantly, we were able to use the empty club each afternoon to rehearse for our new album, "Out of Uranus".

Where the hell did that name come from? Well as usual it was me and my big mouth - overhearing talk of a college band with that name I repeated it innocently at a band meeting. Immediately it was taken up as the name for the next album and I've had to live with it ever since. Well, it was at least memorable, and Bill wrote a pertinent lyric for the opening track of the album.

We were by now a four-piece band - Lou being involved in other projects. We had actually split completely a few months earlier, but drifted back together one by one. By now the British "Blues Boom" was all over and blues was not saleable in the U.K. Instead we'd travelled several times to Germany and Switzerland, playing mainly residencies with occasional club or festival dates.

For the new album we had a whole set of original new material which could roughly be described as progessive blues, veering towards the "heavy" side. Bands like Free and Led Zeppelin were waving the "heavy" banner pretty hard at the time - it seemed like the way to go.

So it was back to Pye studios near Marble Arch, this time the larger No.1 room. The sessions, as always, were late night all night affairs. Lou came in and played some piano on "Call For the Politicians" and we featured a mellotron and violin on "Soon There Will Be Everything".

The cover had already been designed for another "Penny Farthing" project, and was generously donated to our album - at once distinctive, memorable and completely tasteless!

"Politicians" was a single, and with Larry Page behind it there seemed a fair chance of success. Larry had been involved in chart hits for the Kinks and the Troggs in the sixties. "Politicians" did make it on to the Radio One playlist, and we heard it quite often on the radio. We even went up to the West End one afternoon and guested on the "Radio One Club", being interviewed by Annie Nightingale and getting screamed up by the young audience. We met Gilbert O'Sullivan in the dressing room, a friendly chap who looked quite normal until he slipped into his schoolboy stagegear. My greatest regret was leaving before the arrival of Ken Dodd.

But "Politicians" wasn't a hit and life carried on as normal. Later we found out that it had sold several thousand copies in Germany, but nobody told us at the time. We performed "Milkman" on BBC TV as the closing track of "Disco 2", a programme which was the fore-runner of The Old Grey Whistle Test. We mimed to the backing track while Bill sung live - Bazz thrashing away on the BBC plastic imitation cymbals.

"Out of Uranus" is an interesting and at times exciting record, although parts of it sound dated and can be clearly pegged to those "progressive" days of the early seventies. Listening to it again for the first time in many years I found it entertaining and enjoyable, and was struck by the wealth of ideas it contains.
by Mick Clarke

Tracks
1. Out of Uranus - 4:41
2. Soon There Will Be Everything - 3:56
3. Acid Bean - 4:30
4. Where Nobody Ever Goes - 5:25
5. Sun Keeps Shining - 4:22
6. Call For the Politicians - 2:20
7. Fido Castrol - 4:36
8. Lost Alone - 5:05
9. Son of Wet - 5:20
10. Milkman - 5:35
All titles by Stuart MacDonald, Bill Thorndycraft and Mick Clarke.

Killing Floor
*Bill Thorndycraft - Lead Vocals, Harp
*Mick Clarke - Lead Guitar
*Stuart McDonald - Vocals, Bass Guitar
*Bazz Smith - Drums
With
*Lou Martin - Piano
*Paul Spencer Mac - Violin, Special Effects

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Elias Zaikos - Off The Box (1997 greece, fantastic instrumental electric blues rock)

I met Elias Zaikos (in person) few months back, I follow him from his early beginning, he's one of a hell great guy, he loves his music, loves his guitar, (he can play the guitar like most of the people can walk), loves the Blues, well this great magma from Chicago style to Mississippi air and from the Brit tones to Mediterranean smooth.

“Off The Box” is late ‘90’s release with outtakes, live recordings and previously unreleased material. A really enjoyable album with the original Blues feeling, take us back to the sixties Electric sound, the  Band is outstanding, they found a way to talk each other through the instruments, and they are plenty of them, this excellent view of Green’s “Slabo Day” is fascinating with the use of the violin, all the other songs (except “Summertime” which also has the same expressive violin) was written by Elias.

I hope you will love this record and stuck with it, it has something that makes you to hear it again and again, it sounds so familiar but sometimes surprising with unexpected musical passages.
Be well and take care my friend.
Να ‘σαι καλά όπου και να ‘σαι φίλε μου.
(Both of my posts are by his kind permission)

Elias Zaikos was born in 1960 in Thessaloniki , Greece , where he is permanently based. During his early teen years, he showed relatively little interest in music and listened mainly to Greek traditional and popular songs. Sometime around 1976, he was introduced to soul and to rock and roll music. Little by little he got so involved with music that being a listener just wasn't enough. A friend of local rock musicians, he followed them on to their gigs and got a first hand knowledge of the pleasures - but also the difficulties - that are all part of a musician's lifestyle. He soon found out what it really means to express oneself through an instrument.

As he turned twenty, he picked up the guitar for the first time. The six strings became his constant companion and he devoted his time to practicing and playing. Around the same time he discovered the blues, the musical genre that had such a powerful and profound effect on him that he dedicated himself to it completely. A self-taught musician, Elias Zaikos developed a particular technique on the guitar, using a thumbpick together with the bare fingers of his right hand - something he saw for the first time on a live Muddy Waters video.

In the early eighties, Elias Zaikos founded Blues Wire (or Blues Gang, as they were initially named). In 1983 the band recorded the first blues album in Greece , which paved the way for a long series of successful albums that followed. Performing an average of two hundred nights every year in a small country like Greece is an achievement indeed, but Blues Wire have done just that, confirming thus the band's hard work and also its enduring popularity.

The band has played in clubs and festivals in most European countries and received a well-deserved enthusiastic response from audiences everywhere. Renowned guitar players such as Buddy Guy, Louisiana Red and Gypie Mayo have been impressed by E.Z.'s chops and style, and so were the diverse audiences throughout Europe while E.Z. was handing them his fiery and passionate solos: from the singing crowd of Athens to the dancing gig-goers in Trieste and the standing ovation in Austria .

Over the last fifteen years Elias Zaikos has worked together with a great number of artists and earned the respect and admiration of his fellow musicians and peers. Nowadays he is considered to be the most important blues musician in Greece - a guitarist of rare talent and expressiveness, a strong and passionate singer and a charismatic performer. The elements that prevail in his live and recorded work are his complete love for the guitar and an endless quest for the spirit behind the music at all times away from ego trips and other pretensions

Tracks
1. Charlie's On The Move - 4:40
2. Ice Delivery - 3:29
3. Mediterranean Blood - 5:10
4. Extra Jalapenos - 3:28
5. Slabo Day - 5:22
6. Please Lord, Let My Guitar Talk - 5:17
7. Onion Stew - 3:29
8. Rivermoon Waltz - 3:53
9. Kuma-Goo - 4:50
10. Summertime - 9:10
11. Off The Box - 4:48
12. Steel String Parade - 4:13
13. Read Roses For My Love (Part I) - 2:28
14. Read Roses For My Love (Part II) - 2:50
15. F.A.N.O. - 3:03
16. Lazy Swing - 2:02
17. Blues For Ronnie Earl (Live) - 5:58
All music my Elias Zaikos except "Slabo Day" by Peter Green, Snowy White and "Summertime" by George Gershwin

Musicians
*Elias Zaikos - Guitars
*Sotiris Zissis - Bass
*Alex Apostolakis - Drums
*Akis Katsoupakis - Keyboards
*Jason Yeremtzes - Percussion
*Kostas Tsougras - Accordion (track 12)
*Nick Dounoussis - Rhythm Guitar (track 17)
*Dimitris Goumberitsis - Fretless Bass (track 8)
*George Bandoek - Harmonica (tracks 4, 7)
*Kostas Karakatsanis - Violin (tracks 5, 9)
*Haris Kapetanakis - Tenor Sax (track 1)
*Yorgos Gotsis - Soprano Sax (track 8)
*Yannis Economidis - Trumpet(track 1)
*Christos Kilias - Drums (track 8)

More Elias Zaikos releases
Blues Wire - Take My Hand To The Sky 1983-2007 

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Fleetwood Mac - Shrine '69 (1969 uk, classic blues rock)

Prior to becoming a pop sensation, Fleetwood Mac was a powerhouse blues act that was fueled by the guitar wizardry of Peter Green. He had met band leader Mick Fleetwood several years earlier in a group called Peter B's, which Green had joined at the age of 19. Shortly thereafter, he replaced Eric Clapton in John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, where he met Fleetwood Mac's future bassist John McVie.

After leaving Fleetwood Mac in 1970, Green suffered a mental collapse, and only sporadically has returned to recording and performing. His most recent project Splinter Group finds him rediscovering the vibrant electric blues that he helped to pioneer in the '60s -- most notably with Fleetwood Mac. This, along with Fleetwood Mac's recent induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame certainly have helped him to rebuild his image and recapture his legacy.

For those who yearn for the Fleetwood Mac of old and for those who have yet to experience the magic inherent in Green's guitar playing, Rykodisc has delved deep into the archives to produce an officially sanctioned live recording of the band titled Shrine '69. The performance was captured by the group's soundman Stuart "Dinky" Dawson at Los Angeles' Shrine Exposition Hall, and this disc shows why Fleetwood Mac was regarded as one of the finest white blues bands of the 1960s.

Green's guitar playing shines throughout Shrine '69, most notably on a cover of B.B. King's Need Your Love So Bad and his own composition Rolling Man. He flooded the former tune with emotion, while paying homage to one of his earliest influences. On the latter, Green attacked the song with a biting lead while the band churned out a spirited groove that was reminiscent of some of the music that John Mayall was creating at the time. Considering that he was only 22 years old at the time of this recording, both his playing and singing convey a supernatural essence.

Clapton fans would do well to give Shrine '69 a listen, too — not just for the guitar playing but also for the vocals. Over the past decade, Clapton has really come into his own as a blues singer, and his vocal style is undeniably similar to that of Green. Just examine the versions of Before the Beginning and Need Your Love So Bad from this disc for proof.

Despite all this, Green isn't allowed to fully steal the show as Jeremy Spencer turned in a few noteworthy performances of his own. His slide guitar fueled the free-flowing rhythm of My Baby Sweet, and he pounded out piano chords and sang furiously to turn Jerry Lee Lewis' Great Balls of Fire into a raging inferno.

Shrine '69 is nearly perfect in every aspect. Simply put, Shrine '69 is simply too good to pass up.

  
Tracks
1. Tune Up - 2:10
2. If You Be My Baby (Green, Adams) - 4:28
3. Something Inside of Me (Kirwan) - 4:03
4. My Sweet Baby (Williamson) - 4:26
5. Albatross (Green) - 3:26
6. Before the Beginning (Green) - 3:05
7. Rollin' Man (Green, Adams) - 5:33
8. Lemon Squeezer (Lane) - 5:29
9. Need Your Love So Bad (John) - 6:59
10. Great Balls of Fire (Blackwell, Hammer) - 2:59

Fleetwood Mac
* Peter Green - Guitar, Vocals
* Jeremy Spencer - Guitar, Vocals, Piano
* Danny Kirwan - Guitar, Vocals
* John McVie - Bass
* Mick Fleetwood - Drums, Percussion

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The Casuals - The Very Best Of (1968-71 uk, fine psychedelic pop)

In Britain, The Casuals are best remembered for 'Jesamine1, which came within an ace of topping the charts in September, 1968, This triumph, however, was the result of much hard graft in the clubs of central Europe.

Indeed, the group had been based in Italy in Milan for several years, which was convenient for a demanding work schedule after they had, according to contemporary reports, briefly - momentarily - replaced The Beatles as the top British act in Italy. By the time they returned to England in 1967, the line-up of the group consisted of Scottish drummer Robert O'Brien, bass player Alan Taylor from Halifax in Yorkshire, guitarist Howard Newcombe from Lincoln, and the group's unique selling point, 22 year old vocalist/organist John Tebb.

Tebb was blessed with a strong lead voice, and was considered handsome, sexy even. Tebb's attributes plus the overall professionalism of The Casuals ensured victory for three consecutive weeks on the TV talent show, 'Opportunity Knocks'. They were, therefore, perfectly placed for a climb into the Top 10 in the summer of 1968 with 'Jesamine1, which was co-written by Marty Wilde and had previously been recorded by Welsh combo, The Bystanders.

Who could not share the elation - and then the dismay - felt by The Casuals when their chart debut, which looked odds-on to go to the very top, ultimately failed to outsell 'Those Were The Days' by Mary Hopkin, who was also a multiple 'Opportunity Knocks' winner ? Nevertheless, future prospects looked good when 'Toy' also reached the UK Top 30 at the end of 1968, and the group's 1969 album, 'Hour World', received favourable reviews. However, success in Britain thereafter was non-existent, even with the great Roy Wood, the writer of all the hits by The Move, writing and producing 'Caroline' for The Casuals, although in continental Europe, the single was better appreciated.

The Casuals remained well-appreciated in much of the rest of Europe when their fleeting British success came to an end, but even so, their moment of glory with 'Jesamine' is well-remembered, and it would surprise no-one if this virtually perfect piece of pop became a reissued hit
by Brian Gammidge

Tracks
1. Jesamine (Manston, Gellar) - 3:38
2. Toy (Andrews) - 3:13
3. Fool's Paradise (Arnold, Martin, Morrow) - 2:27
4. Hey-Hey-Hey (Tebb) - 2:09
5. Hello It's Me (Hazzard) - 2:35
6. Toyland (Roben, Catchpole) - 3:00
7. Sunflower Eyes (Manston, Gellar) - 2:25
8. Now You Can Be (Lynton) - 2:21
9. Daddy's Song (Nilson) - 2:39
10. Love Me Tonight (Pace, Pilat, Penzeri, Mason) - 2:57
11. Someday Man (Williams, Nichols) - 2:36
12. Seven Times Seven (Trovajoli, Fishman) - 3:34
13. Weather Vane (Tebb) - 3:13
14. Never My Love (Addrisi, Addrisi) - 2:30
15. My Name Is Love (Colyzer, Adrews, Swettemham)- 3:22
16. Adios Amour (Goodbye My Love) (Springfiled, Newell) - 2:57
17. I've Got Something Too (Greenway, Cook) - 3:36
18. Caroline (Wood) - 3:36
19. Someday Rock 'N' Roll Lady (Tebb) - 2:44
20. Naughty Boy (Tebb) - 2:55

The Casuals
*Howard Newcombe - Guitar, Trumpet, Vocals
*Alan Taylor - Bass
*Johnny Tebb - Keyboards
*Bob O'Brien - Drums

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Vacations are Over....

My friends, I'm leaving for my summer vacations, I'm going to the Greek West Coast with my children.
Few days to relax together with sea, beaches, freddos, lot of ouzo, souvlaki,  and feta.
Stay well and keep on Rockin'..
Marios

The Ides Of March - Common Bond (1971 us, fusion jazz rock, magic records extra tracks issue)

With the 1970 hit single "Vehicle" and the album of the same name, the Ides of March became one of the most popular bands of the era to incorporate soul-oriented horn arrangements into a rock setting, without sacrificing the rich vocal harmonies they'd employed since they began to release records in the mid-1960s. On their 1971 LP Common Bond, the group continued to explore not just brassy rock, but also some of the polished folk-rock harmonies and lengthy progressive workouts they'd flashed from time to time on the Vehicle album. Common Bond, however, would not produce a national hit single on the order of Vehicle, though there are indications they might have had one had one of the tracks in particular been pushed harder.

The story of Common Bond actually begins with the single they recorded as a follow-up to "Vehicle," which had gone all the way up to #2 on the national charts in spring 1970. Initially the band had hopes that "Aire of Good Feeling," a track that wound up on the Vehicle LP, would be the next single. But as lead guitarist, lead singer, and principal songwriter Jim Peterik remembers, "Warner Brothers did not think so. They called our management and said, would you please record another song that's more like 'Vehicle'? That was in the days when follow-ups sounded very similar to the prior one, a la Jackson Five or whatever. So I went to my lab, and I wrote 'Superman.' That kind of became the first song we recorded for the second album.

"We went to the West Coast to record 'Superman.' It was very exciting, because we were now at Sunset Sound, which was like us going to Mecca or something. It was just the holy grail of studios. We were just mesmerized. And sure enough, the sound that came back from those playback speakers was like nothing we had heard. It was so powerful, so punchy. And right in the middle of my vocal take, all the members of the group Chase" -- another group with a horn section, who'd score a big hit single in 1974 with "Get It On" -- "walked in. And then we were all so amped up, because Bill Chase and the whole band were there spurring us. That really set the tone for the second record." Despite fulfilling Warners' request for a made-to-order follow-up, however, "Superman" didn't reach the charts.

Though Common Bond generally stuck to the same approach as the Vehicle album, there were a few changes this time around. The band was slightly reduced in size, from a seven-piece to a six-piece, with the departure of guitarist-bass-singer Ray Herr. They were able to do sessions at RCA Recording in their home base, Chicago, with engineer Brian Christian, who in the early '70s also worked on records by the Guess Who, Alice Cooper, and Poco. "When we heard playbacks, like [for the track] 'Tie-Dye Princess,' we were like totally blown away, and much more happy with the sound than we had been on the first record," enthuses Pederik.

While the album did have some aggressive, horn-fueled soul-rock a la "Vehicle" in cuts like "Superman," "Ogre," and "Giddy-Up Ride Me," there was also some quite different, gentler California-flavored harmony folk-rock, in the mold of Crosby, Stills, and Nash. Foremost among those tracks was "L.A. Goodbye," which became their final chart single, peaking at #73. That modest position doesn't tell the whole story, however, as the single topped the Chicago charts for five weeks -- "the test of a real hit record, to me," asserts Pederik. "Chicago used to be the test market. If it made it in Chicago, it was a pretty good chance it would make it everywhere. Well, it didn't happen. Apparently Warner Brothers was going through a shift in distribution, from being distributed by another major to independent distribution. The story we got [was] that 'L.A. Goodbye' really got lost in the shuffle between distributors."

That doesn't diminish his pride in his track, as Jim continues, "The studio had this Neve console. That created the sound, with the vocal harmonies, for 'L.A. Goodbye,' which of course is really the touchstone of that record in my mind. The vocal blend just was incredible." Adds multi-instrumentalist and fellow Ides of March founder-member Larry Millas, "We triple-tracked the vocals. That was the secret. If you double-tracked them, they were real good. If you triple-tracked them, it was something else. We looked at each other and it was like, 'Alright Carpenters, take that!'"

It's something of a surprise that the same voice responsible for the gravelly blue-eyed soul of "Vehicle" could switch to a much softer tone for folk-rockish material such as "L.A. Goodbye." But Jim Pederik was gifted with a vocal versatility enabling him to walk both sides of that line. "People think I was like a Camel smoker or something," he observes with amusement. "I didn't smoke at all. My voice was able to kind of split its vocal cords a little bit for that rougher sound. Within one album, I could be as clear as a bell, or as gruff as I wanted. It was just part of the way I sang. My dad used to say, 'Jim, you're going to ruin your voice singing that.' I didn't. Not yet, anyway."

Another highlight for the band was the eleven-minute "Tie-Dye Princess," in which the group got to blend several of the styles closest to their hearts -- horn-rock, folk-rock, and elaborate, progressive song construction -- into an extended piece. "Like most songs with the Ides, they start with a germ, usually a song that I bring to the table," is the explanation Jim gives for how such lengthy tracks developed. "Then it gets Ides of March-ized in rehearsal, and it's just what happened with the band. We would be down in Larry's basement, we would learn the basic song, and then we'd jam and jam and jam, and figure out ways to expand it. Sometimes the arrangements even unfolded onstage. We would try a song onstage, and then we would take a section and just interact and go, 'Hey, that was cool. Let's make that a part of the permanent arrangement.' That's how most of our arrangements developed, kind of organically, actually."

Although the Vehicle LP had made the middle of the top hundred of the album charts, Common Bond missed the listings altogether. "The record company was not real supportive of diversity," feels Millas. "They wanted it to be one thing. Like, 'Be that, just do that.' And we were doing all kinds of music on our albums. So it kind of made the marketing a little confused for them."

Despite its lack of chart success, the Ides of March found reasons to be pleased with the music on the record. "I think what I liked most is that we could take the time and our acquired knowledge up to that point, and come up with something as satisfying as 'L.A. Goodbye,'" states Millas. "That record is kind of a quintessential pop-folk, really well-done single, and I'm really proud of that." Adds Peterik, "It's probably got some of the high points, and maybe the one low point of my memory. The high point is, like Larry said, 'L.A. Goodbye.' 'Tie-Dye Princess,' to me, that stands, [despite] a couple lyrics that I wish weren't in there. But overall, it's a nice piece. But when I get interviewed, people say, 'What is the worst song you ever wrote?' I usually say, 'Ogre.' It's horrible. It's just a bad song."

Common Bond was the second and final Ides of March LP for Warner Brothers, the band departing for RCA soon afterward. After a couple more albums, they broke up at the end of 1973. Peterik went on to more commercial success as part of Survivor, as well as writing or co-writing hits for .38 Special. For the past 15 years, he's also been playing with a reunited Ides of March, who, remarkably, still include all six members who played on Common Bond.

As Larry says, "We're still the Ides of March, and we're taking Jim's song seeds and working on 'em." Picks up Jim: "And doing the same thing we always did. We're just having a ball doing it. We always look to those times, especially those first two albums, for inspiration. Trying to take what's good about those, and keep expanding that. I really think, no matter what the diversity is, there is an Ides of March sound. It doesn't have to do, necessarily, with the brass -- 'Is there brass in the song? Is there harmony?' It's a spirit. It's very positive music. We don't dwell on the negative stuff. That's the kind of people we are, and that's the kind of band we are. That's kind of been the common thread."
by Richie Unterberger

 Tracks
1. Friends of Feeling - 3:41
2. Orge - 4:07
3. L.A. Goodbye - 2:44
4. Hymn for Her - 3:56
5. Mrs Grayson's Farm - 5:09
6. Superman - 2:56
7. We Are Pillows - 3:12
8. Prelude to Freedom - 0:28
9. Freedom Sweet - 3:26
10.Tie-Dye Princess - 11:25
11.Superman (Single Mono Version) - 2:52
12.Melody - 2:36
All songs by Jim Peterik

Ides Of March
*Larry Millas - Vocals, Guitar, Organ, Bass
*James Michael Peterik - Lead Vocals, Guitar, Saxophone, Piano
*Bob Bergland - Vocals, Bass, Saxophone
*Mike Borch - Vocals. Drums
*Chuck Soumar - Trumpet, Vocals, Odds, Ends
*Ray Herr - Guitar, Bass, Vocals

more Ides Of March
1965-68 Ideology
1970 Vehicle

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The Ides Of March - Ideology (1965-68 us, beat psychedelia, sunshine pop, sundazed remaster edition)

This collection of 1965-1968 material, taken from rare regional singles along with a couple of previously unreleased tracks, is far removed from the Ides of March's horn-rock era (as heard on their 1970 hit "Vehicle"), both chronologically and stylistically.

When they started, the Ides were a Chicago teen band, recording mostly original songs heavily influenced by folk-rock and the British Invasion, although a few of these cuts do use brass. In general that's good news (and preferable to the horn-rock of their later career), but the harmony-heavy pop/rock of this early work isn't too exciting. In common with several other groups from the Chicago and Midwest areas, the group favored a rather clean-cut, Americanized take on British Invasion bands like the Beatles and the Hollies, though the folk-rock of the Byrds is heard in the guitar arrangements especially.

The local Chicago hits "You Wouldn't Listen" (which made number 42 nationally) and "Roller Coaster" are here, but to be tough about it, there's not enough light and shade here to put the Ides on the level of good British Invasion bands, or even of good British Invasion-influenced bands from the same region, such as the New Colony Six.

More to the point, there's too much light and not enough shade; although the harmonies are fairly impressive and the execution polished, the material is too often sunnily bland. The great exception to that is the riveting, raw folk-rocker "I'll Keep Searching," buried on a B-side, which has great bittersweet melodic hooks, melancholy harmonies, and dramatic stop-start tempos.

The disc includes two 1965 songs that they recorded as the Shondels on a super-rare self-released 45, as well as the previously unreleased originals "One and One Does Not Make Three" and "I'll Take You Back." The latter of these, an uncommonly moody tune, is actually a highlight of the collection.
by Richie Unterberger

Tracks
1. You Wouldn't Listen (Borch, Millas, Peterik) - 2:33
2. Girls Don't Grow on Trees - 2:58
3. You Need Love - 2:47
4. Roller Coaster - 2:33
5. I'll Keep Searching (Millas, Peterik) - 2:25
6. One and One Does Not Make Three - 2:23
7. Give Your Mind Wings - 2:55
8. Things Aren't Always What They Seem - 2:29
9. The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine (Anymore) (Crewe, Gaudio) - 2:21
10.Hole in My Soul - 2:54
11.I'm Gonna Say My Prayers - 3:01
12.Sha-La-La-La-Lee (Lynch, Shuman) - 2:59
13.My Foolish Pride - 2:19
14.I'll Take You Back - 2:05
15.Like It or Lump It (Peterik, Millas) - 3:28
16.No Two Ways About It (Peterik, Millas) - 2:13
17.Hole in My Soul (Stereo Mix) - 2:52
18.Girls Don't Grow on Trees (Stereo Mix) - 2:54
All Songs Written by Jim Peterik, except wher indicated

Ides Of March
*Bob Bergland - Bass
*Jim Peterik - Vocals, Guitar
*Mike Borch - Drums, Percussion
*Larry Millas - Guitar

more Ides Of March
1970 Vehicle

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Creme Soda - Tricky Zingers (1975 us, psychedelic rock, west coast touches)

Hailing from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Creme Soda generated a fanatical following based on their legendary single '(I'm) Chewin' Gum/Roses All Around' which appeared on the Trinity label in 1975. Creme Soda are not an easy band to categorize as they were able to play virtually any musical genre with consummate ease.

Their only full-length album, Tricky Zingers (which also includes their 'hit' singles), also made its appearance on Trinity (Trinity CST11) in 1975 and despite the considerable interest the record generated, the band, perhaps mindful of the adage 'quit while you're ahead,' did exactly that, never to be heard of again. Tricky Zingers is an impressive and relatively overlooked recording, which, despite being recorded in 1975, has a decidedly mid-'60s feel about it.

The eleven self-penned songs range from very good to brilliant, particularly 'Tonight,' 'Keep It Heavy' and 'Roses All Around.' The album's style ranges from folkrock to wasted psychedelia, with two experimental tracks featuring drone effects and backwards guitar thrown in for good measure, as well as a couple of rootsy rock'n' roll numbers."

As one critic was moved to write ?this is a major album worthy of a high quality reissue. This is another band that lends credence to the theory that the very best psychedelia was made in the `70s

Tracks
1. Give It Up (Man) - 4:06
2. Tonight - 2:58
3. Numero Uno - 4:53
4. (I'm) Chewin' Gum - 2:41
5. Deep In A Dream - 4:28
6. The Nazz Are Blue - 3:07
7. Keep It Heavy - 2:46
8. Roses All Around - 2:11
9. And That Is That - 2:02
10.The Beat Song - 3:43
11.When It Sun Shines - 5:41
12.Daydreamin' - 2:23

Creme Soda
*Jim Wilson - Bass, Piano, Percussion, Vocals
*Bill Tanon - Guitar, Bass, Harp, Mandolin, Bowed Guitar, Vocals
*Ron Juntunen - Electric, Acoustic, Slide Guitar, Bass
*Art Hicks - Drums, Bongos

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Spring - 2 Untitled (1972 uk, smart prog rock, 2007 digipak remaster)

It took me a couple of years, but I eventually made the effort to track down a copy of "Spring 2". I would have loved a vinyl copy (not sure they exist), but all I could find was the 2007 Second Harvest CD version (Second Harvest catalog number 417). While I was happy to have the music, the rest of the package was disappointing - little in the way of liner notes, performance credits, or biographical information. At least to my ears the sound quality was also a little on the flat side.

Whereas I was instantly attracted to "Spring", I'll readily admit it took me a couple of spins to warm up to the sophomore album. Musically it wasn't really that much different than the debut, but unlike the debut only one or two of the twelve performances jumped out at you with the same vigor as the debut. That said, the album proved to be one of those that rewarded repeated spins.

'Jack and Jill' started out with a rollicking keyboard propelled rhythm pattern before Pat Moran's instantly recognizable vocals kicked in and the song started a torturous series of tempo changes. The start and stop tempo was initially kind of jarring, but once you got into the groove it was actually kind of cool Moran's voice has always fascinated me. Technically he wasn't any great shakes as a singer, but his odd Scottish accent made for some interesting performances. 'Hendle Mews' started out as a stark, keyboard dominated ballad, but about halfway through morphed into a strange pseudo-jazzy riff. Totally unexpected and not nearly as bad as you would have thought, it actually reminds me a bit of something Vince Guaraldi might have written for a Peanuts animated special.

Another ballad, 'A Painted Ship' was probably the album's most commercial track. Sporting a beautiful, haunting melody and one of Moran's least labored vocals, this one actually had commercial potential. Opening with Kipps Brown wall-of-sound organ and Pick Withers frenetic drums, 'High Horse' found the band taking their best shot at becoming ELP clones. Moran's Greg Lake impression was quite impressive though the song itself was mediocre (like most of the ELP catalog). Nice Ray Martinez guitar solo at the end of the track.

Another of the album's more commercial track, 'Feneley Avenue' benefited from a beautiful, easygoing melody and Martinez's nicest guitar solo. Great song to ponder Martin's quirky accent.  'Helping the Helpless' came about as close to being a pop song as these guys ever came.   'A Word Full of Whispers' brought the group's renown mellotrons out in full force. Nice mid-tempo rocker which sported another tasty Martinez acoustic guitar solo. Shame the song faded out just as it was starting to pick up some steam.

The first outright disappointment, the piano-propelled ballad 'Loser' never generated much in the way of energy, sounding like a demo that the band never got around to finishing up. rating:  Overlooking the awful fidelity, the song sounded like it had been recorded with the sound meters all the way in the red, 'Get My Share' was probably the album's most progressive sounding performance. Kicked along by Withers drums the track provided plenty of room for Brown to stretch out on organ and mellotron. At the same time, the song was surprisingly catchy.

An alternative version of 'Hendre Mews' this time out the song was given a much more rock oriented sound, complete with lots of Martinez lead guitar. And guess what ... This versions far superior to the other. Ironically, the alternative version of ''A Word Full of Whispers' wasn't as good. I'd place the blame on the group's decision to give this version a mild country flavor and the fact Moran's vocals came out sounding distorted.

'Fool's Gold' started out as a pretty acoustic ballad, but Martinez' chunky lead guitar quickly kicked in giving the song a much need kick in the pants. The song then opened up into a jazzy instrumental segment with some nice Martinez fuzz guitar, before closing out with a return to the original melody and an abrupt conclusion.

Not the classic the debut was, but when you consider the circumstances surrounding this one, the end results were actually surprisingly enjoyable..

BadCat

Tracks
1. Jack And Jim - 5:21
2. Hendre Mews - 4:38
3. A Painted Ship - 4:11
4. High Horse - 5:46
5. Fernley Avenue - 4:03
6. Helping The Helpless - 4:25
7. A World Full Of Whispers - 4:02
8. Losers - 4:00
9. Get My Share - 3:37
10.Hendre Mews (Bonus Track, Completely Different Mix) - 7:14
11.A World Full Of Whispers (Bonus Track, Different Version) - 3:57
12.Fool's Gold (Bonus Track) - 6:26
All songs by K. Brown, A. Maloney, R. Martinez, P. Moran, P.Withers.

 Spring
*Kipps Brown - Keyboards
*Adrian Maloney - Bass, Guitar
*Ray Martinez - Guitar, Keyboards
*Pat Moran - Vocals, Keyboards
*Pick Withers - Drums

1971  Spring (Akarma edition)

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Spring - Spring (1971 uk, excellent psych, prog rock, feat Pick Withers from Dire Straits fame, 2002 remaster)

Mention the name Spring to devotees of early 70s progressive rock and you'll be met with quotes like "amazingly professional live" and "one of the first bands to use the mellotron as an integral part of their sound". However equally as many people will say "Spring? Who?" as so little is known about the band.

Formed in 1970 and based in Leicester, vocalist Pat Moran, guitarist Ray Martinez, drummer Pick Withers, bassist Adrian Maloney and keyboardist Kipps Brown had all previously played in local bands. Following a gig in Cardiff the Spring touring van broke down on the way home leaving the band stranded 'somewhere in Wales'. It was then that fate dealt one of its kinder blows for the first car to stop and help them was one driven by Kingsley Ward who owned Rockfield Recording Studios.

Recalls Ward: "I'd spent months trapesing around the country in search of new talent and here I meet a group in a broken down truck in my own home town". Inviting the band to audition, Ward snapped them up for management, heavily influenced by their mellotron-driven progressive rock. Prior to the release of their self-titled debut album (NEON NE6), produced by Elton John cohort Gus Dudgeon, Spring toured the UK supporting Velvet Underground also played with the likes of Keith Christmas and The Sutherland Brothers. This highly collectable LP, released in a triple gatefold sleeve, remained their only official release as the band went their separate ways in 1972. The second, unreleased, album, "Spring 2", has finally seen light of day in 2007 via Second Harvest.

Following the band's demise, vocalist Moran pursued a career in production and his credits include Iggy Pop, Robert Plant, Lou Gramm and Eddie Bickall to name but a few. Ray Martinez became an in-demand session guitarist working with the likes of Alkatraz, Michael Chapman, Gypsy, Tim Rose and Robert Plant. Currently a member of Showaddywaddy, Martinez also played in late 70's rock band Airwaves, whose first LP was produced by Moran. Kipps Brown worked with Ian Anderson and continues to play in local bands in Leicester whilst bassist Maloney retired from music. Pick Withers, like Martinez, took up session work and helped out the likes of Chris Jagger, Bert Jansch, Prelude, Magna Carta and Dave Edmunds before joining Dire Straits in 1978.

by Mark Brennan

Tracks
1. The Prisoner (Eight By Ten) - 5:34
2. Grail - 6:44
3. Boats - 1:53
4. Shipwrecked Soldier - 5:08
5. Golden Fleece - 6:59
6. Inside Out - 4:49
7. Song To Absent Friends (The Island) - 2:47
8. Gazing - 5:54
9. Fools Gold - 6:27
10.Hendre Mews - 7:17
11.A World Full Of Whispers - 3:58

All songs by Kipps Brown, Adrian Maloney, Ray Martinez, Pat Moran, Pick Withers

Bonus tracks 9-11

Spring
*Kipps Brown - Keyboards
*Adrian Maloney - Bass, Guitar
*Ray Martinez - Guitar, Keyboards
*Pat Moran - Vocals, Keyboards
*Pick Withers - Drums

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Stone Garden - Stone Garden (1969 us, outstanding heavy psych, gear fab release)

The Stone Garden's journey began in Lewiston, Idaho in the early 1960's when my brothers and I developed a strong interest in playing music. This interest was fueled in great part to our parent's existing talent for playing organ and piano. Little did they realize the Pandora's Box that was to open shortly after starting our music lessons in grade school. Gary and I took up guitar and Neal, drums and piano.

Dad built us dreadful sounding amplifiers from old stereo gear, but they were large and after all, we were little kids and not exactly child prodigies. Christened "The Three Dimensions," we began our years of vibrating the house and irritating the neighbors with our band practices. Our first paid gig was a major event in my life and set its course from that day forward. A neighbor kid who knew we had a band convinced the local Am radio station, KRLC, to hire us to play at a "Swim and Dance Party" at the city pool. It was a huge success and besides looking cool in front of our friends and all the girls, we came home with $65.00; serious money for kids that were not quite teenagers.

Dan Merrell, a classmate from junior high school, joined the band as our full time bass player. Now a quartet, a new name was necessary. Complete with English style ruffled shirts, we became the "Knights of Sound. " Our first studio recording, "The World is Coming to an End," was made in 1965 in Doug Smith's basement facility in Clarkston, Washington. We were starting to play regularly around Lewiston and attracted the interest of Don Tunnell, a former bass player and now aspiring manager.

Since no one else was offering to make us stars, we thought that was a great opportunity to climb another rung on the ladder of success. Besides that, he lived only a block away and was old enough to buy beer. Don gets the credit for renaming us "Stone Garden" in 1967 when flower power made its impact on the world. He got the idea from a psychedelic poster of the same name and to make sure we weren't infringing on anyone, I secured permission from the publisher for us to use the name. Our hair started getting longer and the ruffled shirts were traded in for Nehru jackets. Yeah, we were hip now.

Besides always doing a few tunes of our own creation, our repertoire consisted of music from the greats of the time: Doors, Hendrix. Cream, Beatles, Creedence. We became a well-known group in the Pacific Northwest and often traveled to play teen dances in Seattle, Portland, Northern California, British Columbia, and Montana. John Purviance, a talented multi-instrumentalist, joined us in 1969 and brought new colors to our sound for the next year. By this time, Doug Smith had a new basement studio with lots more cool gear and convinced us to record a 45. He recorded the two songs, had 300 singles pressed, and only charged us $300.00! It actually received a fair amount of air play and did a lot for the band's notoriety.

Chris Adams, a disc jockey at KRLC, was a big supporter of the band and felt we could make improvements to the music by re-recording "Oceans," so we booked time at Ripcord Studios in Vancouver, Washington, a professional 8-track facility. We didn't end up releasing the material recorded there but it was an important experience for us and I am glad to see the music from those sessions included on this compact disc. In the fall of 1969, Gary left Lewiston and the band to attend college. Russ Pratt was the organ player and lead singer/songwriter of a group from a small town near Lewiston and we persuaded him to replace Gary.

That incarnation lasted only a little more than a year but Russ's vocals and organ textures took the band in an inspiring creative direction. Russ, Dan, and I graduated from high school in 1970 and with that event, major changes occurred. Russ and Dan left the group so Neal and I recruited Charles Weisgerber from another local band to play bass and Rand Harrison, a student at the University of Idaho, to sing lead and play keyboards.

The chemistry with Rand never jelled and Gary rejoined the band in 1971. Feeling that we were limited by remaining in Lewiston, we moved to Seattle and brought into fold fellow Lewistonian David Lee on electric piano and vocals. Charles returned home after awhile and was replaced by John Helton of Moscow, Idaho to complete the lineup of the last incarnation. The group broke up in early 1972 and in those last days we were known as the Speer Brothers Band, but it really was the continuing legacy of the Stone Garden.

Everyone continued in music in either a full or part time capacity. I have been fortunate to have a career as a recording artist, record producer, and studio owner. Regrettably, Dan was killed by a hit and run driver in 1972 and Gary died in 1994. This compact disc is dedicated to their memories.
by Paul Speer

Tracks
1. Oceans Inside Me (Ripcord) - 2:37
2. It's A Beautiful Day - 3:32
3. The World Is Coming To An End, - 2:34
4. Bastard - 6 :05
5. Da Da Da Da Da - 3 :35
6. Stop My Thinking (45 version) - 2:25
7. Assembly Line - 3:30
8. Woodstick - 8:25
9. SF Policeman Blues - 4:29
10.Oceans Inside Me (45 version) - 2:36
All songs by Stone Garden

The Stone Garden
*Gary Speer - Lead and rhythm guitar and lead vocals.
*Paul Speer - Lead guitar
*Neal Speer - Drums and vocals
*Dan Merrell - Bass guitar and vocals
*John Helton - Bass guitar
*David Lee - Keyboards and vocals

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Cressida - Cressida / Asylum (1970-71 uk, superb post psych prog rock, double disc 2009 remaster issue)

In the great lottery of pop, a question that frequently has to be asked is why one group and not another? Why are groups such as The Moody Blues, King Crimson and even dear old Gentle Giant venerated, while equally lyrically and musically powerful bands such as Cressida are left, discarded as the forlorn dummies heads on the beach on the cover of Asylum? It is a hard question to answer at the best of times and even harder when you reacquaint yourself with the group's small but perfectly formed oeuvre.

By 1969, the decade-and-a-half-old form of rock and roll was clearly here to stay. The music had already traveled from the 2:30 jangle about love into song cycles, heavy riffing and, thanks to the proliferation of psychedelic substances, a new mysticism. Summers of love had been and gone and even places like Beckenham in Kent were having free festivals. A man had landed on the moon and on record, the cosmos was the limit. With their name taken from Greek mythology - the daughter of soothsayer Calchas, Cressida betrayed her eternal love Troilus, of whom Shakespeare wrote so eloquently – the group are one of those glorious footnotes that make progressive rock so very interesting.

There may be few today who can recall the power and the glory of Cressida, but the music they offered during the brief sliver of a recording career is truly more than ripe for reappraisal. The group was formed in the late 60s by keyboard and mellotron player, Peter Jennings. Adding Angus Cullen on vocals and guitar, John Heyworth on guitar, Kevin McCarthy on bass and lain Clark on drums, the group gained a reputation as a fierce live act, their music full of delicate passages and interludes of storming complexity. With Cullen's sweet, lyrical voice and an obvious nod to The Moody Blues, Cressida became one of the first signings to Vertigo, the recently-founded progressive rock offshoot of Polydor records.

Vertigo were very much in the mould of forward-thinking new record labels, well away from the suited and stuffy mainstream. With an almost arbitrary A&R policy (Patrick Campbell Lyons from the original Nirvana scouted for the label for a while), Vertigo sought to release music by acts that reflected the Zeitgeist perfectly. All with that incredible spiral logo revolving on the label: if the music didn't blow your mind, then the graphics certainly would. So, after releases by Colosseum, Juicy Lucy, Manfred Mann, Rod Stewart and Black Sabbath, Cressida's eponymous debut album, (VO 7) became the seventh release on Vertigo.

Released on the imprint's legendary spiral label in 1970, it was produced by Ossie Byrne and engineered by Robin Thompson. Byrne had previously worked with The Bee Gees and brought some of the economic simplicity of their early productions to the recordings. Its taut, prog-pop melodies won the band a small and fervent following. With tinges of blues and classical in this pungent mix, the album, although evoking King Crimson, Paul McCartney and The Moody Blues, was clearly a highly individual piece of work. From the opening pop rush of To Play Your Little Game to the great, upbeat closer, Tomorrow Is A Whole New Day, Cressida was a much-loved album for those in the know.

The deft touch and George Harrison-esque soloing of Winter Is Coming Again would have made a great pop single. Time For Bed was a whimsical jazz take on Zebedee's then-contemporaneous catchphrase. Although not a huge commercial success, the release slotted in perfectly with Vertigo's ethos, and Cressida were to given the green light to a return to the studio. But not, of course, without a few obligatory personnel changes. This was early 70s rock, after all. Guitarist John Heyworth departed in 1971, and was replaced by John Culley and New Seeker member Paul Martin Layton.

Their second album, Asylum (Vertigo 6360 025) released later that year, was a different beast altogether. The album was a denser, darker affair, relying less on Cullen's vocals. Ex- Donovan, Ginger Baker's Airforce and John Martyn reedsman Harold McNair played on the album, adding to its deeper, lilting feel than its predecessor, which focused more on instrumental passages and elaborate arrangements. The subject matter was also far less mystical than their contemporaries.

Munich (or to give it its full title, Munich 1938; Appeasement Was The Cry, Munich 1970; Mine To Do Or Die) is tremendous fun: with its subtle organ parts and great dual lead guitar as well, it can be seen as the group at their very zenith. Again produced by Byrne, Asylum featured orchestration and musical direction from Graeme Hall – who had recently also worked with Shadows offshoot Marvin, Welch & Farrar. The album remains the jewel in their crown Changes were afoot at Vertigo, and by late 1971, the group found themselves without a contract. Quietly, like so many of the era, they split up.

Drummer lain Clark went on to play with Uriah Heep for a year and John Culley became a member of another lamented prog act, Black Widow. Paul Layton returned to simpler pastures with the New Seekers and the special guest who had so enlivened the instrumentation on Asylum, Harold McNair, was to die tragically from cancer in 1971. Little has been heard from the others since. The Vertigo label, ironically, was reactivated by Universal in 2003 for bands such as The Rapture.

One of the coolest items that autumn was a skinny-fit Vertigo T-shirt with the spiral logo on it, worn by people who had little idea of the imprint's illustrious history. So, what goes around spirals around, and here we have the opportunity to revisit both of Cressida's albums, possession of which have long been an insider sign to the cognoscenti. A small, but thriving collector's market ensures that originals routinely fetch three figure sums.

We may never know why the group failed to ignite as some of their contemporaries; but what we do know, is we have two beautiful, much-loved albums available again, in a delightfully clean remaster, for the delight and delectation of all. And whereas we might be over familiar with our copies of In Search Of The Lost Chord and In The Court Of The Crimson King, Cressida and Asylum are full of sweet, yearning and strange, unfamiliar surprises, yet to be discovered.
by Daryl Easlea

Tracks
1970 Cressida
1. To Play Your Little Game - 3:24
2. Winter Is Coming Again - 4:46
3. Time For Bed - 2:22
4. Cressida - 4:03
5. Home And Where I Long To Be - 4:09
6. Depression - 5:08
7. One Of A Group - 3:43
8. Lights In My Mind - 2:49
9. The Only Earthman In Town - 3:39
10.Spring '69 - 2:20
11.Down Down - 4:20
12.Tomorrow Is A Whole New Day - 5:22

1971 Asylum
1. Asylum - 3:36
2. Munich - 9:37
3. Goodbye Post Office Tower Goodbye - 2:51
4. Survivor - 1:34
5. Reprieved - 2:31
6. Lisa - 5:09
7. Summer Weekend Of A Lifetime - 3:27
8. Let Them Come When They Will - 11:52

Cressida
*Angus Cullen - Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Percussion (Asylum)
*Kevin McCarthy - Bass
*Iain Clark - Drums, Percussion
*Harold McNair - Flute (Asylum)
*John Heyworth - Guitar
*John Cullen - Guitar [Lead Guitar], Acoustic Guitar (Asylum)
*Peter Jennings - Harpsichord (Cressida), Organ, Piano

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The Underdogs - Wasting Our Time (1970 new zealand, splendid guitar rock with various styles)

Well known througout New Zealand and Australia, The Underdogs - on this, their first LP for PYE- entertain with the total comparsion, guts and brilliance of Pig, Mann and Edwards (The Underdogs). With this jacket blurb we want to convince the uninformed that he should have listen.

We know you'll dig it. As the producer i enjoyed every minute of the 3 day session, listening to Harvey, Neil and Glen begin a song and build it on, and punch and polish it here and there -it was like watching a flower unfold. The time was right (recording had been postponed for 2 years), the material was (and is) right, and the mood was warm ebullient.

Executive producer John Kerr wisely decided that if the album was to get off the ground, Harvey, Neil and Glenn would have to do it their way. As a consequence, words and sounds simply fell into place naturally and beautifully. Hear these fantastics: Glen's introdusction to "It's a Blessing" and his extended solo on "Garden of Eden", Harvey's country solo on "Clover In The Air" and his accoustiphonic guitar and singing on his own "Tomorrow's Child", Neil's talking frog Bass on "Is he going to Die?" and his down home singing on "Clover In The Air".

As a close friend of the group, I have seen their ruthless personal huminity blossom into superb musicianship and expression that you will hear on this album.
by Bob Gillet, October 1970, Auckland, New Zealand.

Tracks
1. Tomorrow's Child - 3:18
2. Wasting My Time - 2:18
3. Old Grey Dog - 3:22
4. Name The Day - 2:05
5. It's A Blessing - 3:06
6. Every Little Thing - 5:05
7. Is He Going To Die? - 2:31
8. Duchless Of Montrose - 4:27
9. Clover In The Air - 3:42
10.Garden Of Eden - 7:37

The Underdogs
*Harvey Mann - Telecaster, Gibson, Acoustiphonic Guitars, Vocals
*Neil Edwards - "Talking Frog" Bass, Bass Guitar, Vocals
*Gleny Pig - Drum Kit, Miscellaneous Percussion
with the help of
*Bob Gillett - Glock, Recorder, Voice, Production
*Bruce Duske - Dials, Meters, Tape, Mixmaster
*John Kerr - Crystal Ball, Money

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