Gun - Gunsight (1969 uk, great hard rock, 2nd album, japan 2008 remaster)

The orchestral arrangements from the debut were gone on "Gunsight", resulting in a more basic and less intricate sound. The material was not of the same standard either, but still good enough to make the album a worthy encore to Gun's short career. The opener "Head in the Clouds" is probably the best song here, being a simple and straightforward hard rocker, but with a good melody and punch.

The partly acoustic blues of "Drown Yourself in the River" is less interesting, even when it powers up to a much more electric rocker in the middle. The strings on the ballad "Angeline" are the only remains of the orchestral arrangements from the debut. The hardest, most aggressive and noisiest track the band recorded comes in "Dreams and Screams" where Farrell hits the drums like it's the last thing he'll ever do in his life. "Situation Vacant" features interestingly enough a riff that Hawkwind later would borrow in "Sea of Holes" from their masterpiece "Warrior on the Edge of Time".

"Hobo" is a nice little pop tune with slight country and blues influences. The trio also went into pure folk-territory in the acoustic "Oh Lady You" that is sandwiched in between the two parts of the instrumental "Lady Link" where Adrian Curtis again delivers some flamenco-styled playing. The closer "Long Hair Wild Man" is basically a hard rocker with a pop melody and showed that the band perhaps was starting to occasionally be a bit dated and stagnated, especially when Led Zeppelin released their two first albums the same year. Still, Gun were far more interesting and sophisticated than most others of the many late 60's power trios. "Gunsight" is not a bad album at all, but be sure to start with the debut.

Tracks
1. Head in the clouds - 4:40
2. Drown yourself in the river - 2:56
3. Angeline - 5:36
4. Dreams and screams - 5:16
5. Situation vacant - 4:07
6. Hobo - 3:39
7. Lady link pt. 1 - 0:51
8. Oh lady you - 5:27
9 .Lady link pt. 2 - 0:38
10.Long hair wildman - 3:52

Gun
*Adrian Curtiss-Gurvitz - Guitar, Vocals
*Paul Curtiss-Gurvitz - Bass
*Louis Farrell - Drums

Gun 1st album 1968

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Blast Furnace - Blast Furnace (1971 denmark, awesome progressive rock, 2002 bonus track edition)

The Danish music scene is often underestimated but Rock 'n' Roll, Rhythm and Blues and the Beatles had also arrived in Denmark Apart from this there was a small but good Jazz and Folk scene. At the end of the 60s Progressive- and Psychedelic rock bands developed from these differing styles with an unmistakeable individuality Danish bands were also brave enough to sing in their own language as well as English. Dag Erik Asbjornsen's book 'Scented Gardens Of The Mind' (Borderline) gives an overview of the Danish Beat and Rock scene and is recommended reading for music fans.

The widespread interest in Danish and Scandinavian Progressive and Psychedelic music led LONG HAIR to release a new series from these bands whose music deserves a second listen. BLAST FURNACE'S eponymous debut album was released in 1971 on Polydor/Denmark and is our first in the series with the original album on CD plus their single from 1971 "Lister Du Omkring Hjorner" as a bonus track BLAST FURNACE were 3 lads from Copenhagen and a singing drummer from Britain called Tom McEwan who ended up in the Danish capital.

Arne Wiirgler (bass, cello) played previously in Jazz formations and also, interesting for Progressive Rock fans, with PAN who released a wonderful LP on Sonet in 1970, Thor Backhausen (organ, piano, flute) a multitalented musician and the then 18-year-old Niels Vangkilde (guitar) completed BLAST FURNACE. This was the 1971 line-up who recorded the eponymous album in Copenhagen's Rosenberg studios for Polydor/Denrnark. "Lister Du Omkring Hjorner" was also recorded for a planned single release.

Album sales did not match the high musical quality of the record and the fact that everyone in Copenhagen's small music scene played and jammed with everyone else meant that the band's life was short-lived. Bands came and went and the musicians found themselves in other groups. Tom McEvvan and Niels Vangkilde joined the cult band Culpeper's Orchard and played on their third LP, 1972's ''Going for a Song" on Polydor/Denmark; also a good and recommendable Album. Arne Wurgler worked with Benny Hoist and Thor Backhausen carried on with Delta Blues Band and Culpeper's Orchard. BLAST FURNACE'S music shines through excellent song writing and musical competence.

Balanced instrumental passages with razor edged guitars, harmonious Hammond organ and flute with a touch of aggressive singing are the ingredients for an impressive and pleasureable listening experience. Contrary to their counterparts, BLAST FURNACE chose not to indulge in long instrumental or long drawn out improvisation. The songs are clearly structured, lively and rounded off with intelligent and critical lyrics.

They are a product of their time and still, even with their clear structuring, definitely to be categorised under the label "Progressive-Rock''. Dag Erik Asbjornsen praised the LP as one of the best Danish productions, a classic album in the tradition of the Beatles, Traffic and Jethro Tull.
Translation by Trevor Wilson

 Tracks
1. First and Last (Arne Wurgler, Tom McEwan) - 4:08
2. Ginger Cake (Niels Vangkilde, Tom McEwan) - 5:34
3. Jaywalker (Arne Wurgler, Tom McEwan) - 4:14
4. B-MajOr Blast (Arne Wikgler) - 0:20
5. This Time of Year (Ole Kjaer, Arne Wiirgler, Ken Tindall) - 4:14
6. Toy Town (Thor Backhausen, Tom McEwan) - 7:17
7. Man bites Dog (Tom Me Ewan) - 2:07
8. Long Distance (Niels Vangkilde, Tom McEwan) - 4:03
9. Goodbye Mr. Bobo (Thor Backhausen, Tom McEwan) - 2:41
10.Dr. Night (Thor Backhausen, Tom McEwan) - 4:59
11.Bye Bye Bobo (Thor Backhausen, John McEwan) - 1:28
12.Lister Du Omkring Hjorner (Bonus track) (Arne Wurgler) - 4:23

Blast Furnace
*Thor Backhausen - Organ, Piano, Flute, Vocals
*Tom McEwan - Drums, Congas, Percussion, Piano, Lead Vocals
*Niels Vangkilde - Acoustic, Electric Guitars, Background Vocals
*Arne Wurgler - Bass, Cello, Acoustic Guitar, Harmonica, Vocals
*Terese Damsholt - Background Vocals
*Anne-Lise Rosberg - Background Vocals

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Jungle - Jungle (1969 us, amazing and fluid heavy fuzz psychedelic rock)

This is one of the best and most sought after psychedelic gems ever recorded, with amazing and fluid heavy fuzz guitars, superb organ, drums and fantastic songwriting. Recorded in New York in 1969 while the band was living in a farm in Vermont.

The original was pressed in a run of 50 demo copy/s only! No names or hints are given on the original LP but after over a decade of excrutiating search, Miguel Rodriguez, the man behind finding DARIUS, GARRETT LUND, STONEWALL and many more, finally found the band members!

So here is your chance to listen to one of the great mystical Albums of the Psychedelic Private Press Collectors realm at the fraction of the cost of the original, in AMAZING sound. This gem comes in a gatefold cover with unseen pictures and full band history, released in full colaboration with the surviving Band members.

Tracks
1. House Of Rooms - 7:09
2. Somewhere Sweet Memories - 4:35
3. Gray Picnic - 8:05
4. Changes I'm Going Through - 3:40
5. Early Morning Rising - 9:13
6. Slave Ship - 8:11

Jungle
*Virgil "Butch" Daniels - Guitars
*Jay Mierly - Vocals
*John Dawson - Bass
*James Ryan Clark - Lead Guitar
*Delbert Lang - Drums

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Savoy Brown - Boogie Brothers (1974 uk, super blues rock with Stan Webb, Miller Anderson and Kim Simmonds)

Although the membership of Savoy Brown had always been a somewhat unstable institution - guitarist Kim Simmonds excepted - when the latter announced in 1973 that he was finaiy laying the group to rest there were many glum faces among blues enthusiasts around the world. Few believed that workaholic Kim would cease to function as a musician, but just before Christmas that term and when the Savoyians last album, LION'S SHARE (U.K.: Decca TXS 112. Re!.: 7th September 1973; U.S.: Parrot XPAS 71059), had barely departed the American Top 200, there were numerous shocked – and delighted - aficionados who heard that a new S.B. was about to be bom.

As expected. Simmonds was its leading light, but now the band would boast no less than three top-drawer axmen and frontlines with the recruitment of one-time Chicken Shack leader Stan Webb and Scot Miller Anderson. For most of their lifetime Savoy Brown had concentrated, very successfully, on the Stateside market, but as they built their act this time around Britain benefitted by receiving their early concert dates; indeed two of their five London gigs set box-office records with hundreds of fans having to be turned away as the “House Full” notices were erected. Kim was exuberant in his press conferences: "We re-formed to create a stronger image and more forceful music.

With this unit, I've already been told that I'm playing better than I've done for years. This is because members of the group are working for each other. The current band has possibilities that are boundless, a defined image. At last I believe Savoy Brown wilt achieve all the things I have always wanted it to." This latest incarnation was a quintet completed by bassist Jimmy Leverton and trap-rattier Eric Dillon, but how did it come about? Kim's brother/manager, Harry, approached the Glaswegian Anderson who, with Jimmy and Eric amongst others bitted as Hemlock, acted as a support act for one of Savoy Brown's recent cross-state crusades on the other side of the Atlantic.

Anderson's pedigree already included playing on such as Dave Cousins* TWO WEEKS LAST SUMMER (A&M. 1972). and being a long-time kingpin of Keef Hartley's entourage, as well as issuing a solo album on Deram, BRIGHT CITY (U.K.: SOL 3. 10th September 1971; U.S.: DES 18062, April 1972), while Hemlock had been similarly-blessed by the Decca U.KTLondon Records U.S.A. offshoot when their eponymous LP effort was unveiled in Britain only as SML 1102 on 12th October 1973. Harry Simmonds took over the reigns for their business affairs also but, as Miter was wont to point out, the seven-piece Hemlock while being an excellent band technically somehow lacked excitement.

Since the three compatriots wished to stay together and hopefully progress, Simmonds proposal of Savoy Brown incumbency was soon accepted. Difton and Leverton had been in harness as a rhythm section for a long time, the former beginning his drumming obsession at 13 and being expelled from school for pursuing stick work at the expense of all else. At 15 he was signed by Gerry Dorsey - later to find superstardom as Engelbert Humperdinck - as skin-beater in the singer's regular backing crew, and from there he and Leverton liaised after becoming members of ex- Jimi Hendrix four-stringer Noel Redding's prefect.

Fat Mattress, which took them to see Uncle Sam. As Mattress failed to emulate the Hendrix Experience's acclaim, so both quit to spend two years in session work prior to throwing in their lot with Anderson. Leverton's pedigree was not dissimilar to Dillon's, both having served an apprenticeship in the seething hotbed of talent that was the German bierkellers of the 1960's; performing with Redding in The Loving Kind and clinching a spelt in Engetoert's band, so that when Noel requested he join Fat Mattress Jimmy recommended Eric too.

Keeping it in the family, eh? Anyway, by this means having restored Savoy Brown to a four-piece, it seemed a great idea to go the whole hog and get Stan Webb in on the act, since Chicken Shack were also in a state of turbulence and indecision. Webb, who was always somehow bigger than the group he fronted, but which he declined to headline his name over during their lengthy existence, liked the idea of pooling resources with his 'rival' Stmmonds when courted, and thus Savoy Brown Mk. Heaven-Knows-What bounced into view. Stiff signed to Decca/London, they wasted no time in getting the contents of their proposed long-player down on tape, the prolific Anderson penning most of the numbers to be promoted along with one from Stan, a brace from Kim and a tilt at Bias McDaniel - alias Bo Diddley's - YOU DON'T LOVE ME.

Cut in London at Island Records' Basing Street establishment, the whole shebang was christened, aptly, BOOGIE BROTHERS, and rush-released in America as London XPS 638, thereby removing them from the subsidiary Parrot imprint which had played host to Savoy wares to date. A single was pulled in EVERYBODY LOVES A DRINKING MAN - coupled with RIDE ON BABE from JACK THE TOAD - as 45-206, which failed to breach the best-setters, but on April 20th 1974 B.B. entered the chart to initiate an 8-week stay whose high point would be No. 101.

An accompanying tour there was greeted with the usual euphoric reception as Webb later recalled in print: 'Yen, it went well - we took Madison Square Garden in New York by storm...' In the United Kingdom Decca responded by scheduling their identical BOOGIE BROTHERS for May 24th unveiling as SKL 5186, thereby relegating the combo once again to the label's standard full-price series from the luxury TXS line which they'd latterly occupied.

Missing this time also was the attendant expansive gatefold sleeve. Decca declined to pull a seven-inch extract from the parent, but were exasperated that even with this powerful personnel a notation on the published hot sates register eluded the Brown's yet again. Sadly, future company policy would ensure this could never be bettered, for BOOGIE was to be the last of their 'official' albums ever accorded U.K. issue by The Supreme Record Company'; from that point onwards they became a truly American - and elsewhere - phenomenon.

Perhaps a little surprisingly, bearing in mind that Simmonds, Webb and Anderson were ail forthright figures, this Savoy Brown remained together for almost a year before fragmenting. In 1975 Stan and Miller went off to form Broken Glass with keyboarder Tony Ashton; Jimmy ensconced himself on Henry McCuHough's album for George Harrison's Dark Horse set-up, MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS, and Eric found himself playing with Dog Soldier - where Miller Anderson and Keef Hartley would at one time or another also put in an appearance.

And Kim? in '75 Mr. Simmonds re-united with ex-Savoyians Paul Raymond (Keyboards, Guitar. Vocate) and drummer/percussionist Dave Bidwell, bringing in also Andy Rae (Bass. Vocals) and, following Bidwll's tragic drug-related demise. Tommy Fame* as replacement, and headed back on down the road towards an LP billed as WIRE FIRE. That wheel was turning once more...
by John Tracy, London 1991

Tracks
1. Highway Blues (Kim Simmonds) - 4:04
2. Me And The Preacher (Miller Anderson) - 3:34
3. My Love's Lying Down (Stan Webb) - 5:53
4. You Don't Love Me (You Don't Care) (E. McDaniel) - 4:56
5. Always The Same (Miller Anderson) - 2:00
6. Everybody Loves A Drinking Man (Miller Anderson) - 3:04
7. Rock 'N' Roll Star (Miller Anderson) - 7:08
8. Boogie Brothers (Miller Anderson) - 5:20
9. Threegy Blues (Kim Simmonds) - 2:12

Savoy Brown
*Jimmy Leverton - Bass, Vocals
*Miller Anderson - Lead, Rhythm, Acoustic Guitar, Vocals
*Kim Simmonds - Lead, Rhythm, Slide, Steel, Acoustic Guitar
*Stan Webb - Slide, Rhythm Guitar, Vocals
*Eric Dillon - Drums

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Satisfaction - Satisfaction (1971 uk, splendid progressive jazz rock, extra tracks esoteric remaster release)

In the early I970's the musical changes taking place within the world of rock seemed to be in a constant state of evolution. For those musicians schooled in a background of blues, jazz or R&B the advent of "progressive" music lead to a re-thinking of direction. As a result many short-lived bands appeared, recording albums for the newly established "underground" imprints such as Pye's Dawn label, Philips* Vertigo label and Decca's own identity and their offshoot, Deram.

A plethora of these bands could be deemed as being "jazz influenced progressive", fusing brass sections with the traditional guitar, bass, drums and keyboards line-up of the typical rock band. Of these groups, acts such as Colosseum, Keef Hartley Band and Juicy Lucy achieved notable success. Alongside these bands there were those who succeeded in recording a solitary album before breaking up due to a lack of commercial success. Of these Heaven,Walrus and Galliard have since caught the attention of record collectors focussing on this classic era.

Another such outfit was Satisfaction. In many ways, Satisfaction were typical of their contemporaries, having a line-up firmly rooted in the British blues and beat boom of the mid-!960s.The group was formed by trumpet player Mike Cotton, a musician who had fronted bands since the late 1950's. Cotton began his musical life as leader of the Mike Cotton Jazzmen, but changed musical direction with the advent of the Rhythm and Blues explosion in 1963.The Jazzmen soon became the Mike Cotton Band and within months were known as the Mike Cotton Sound. Signing to EMI's Columbia label, the band recorded two EP's, a string of singles and an album over the next two years.

Aside from a UK top forty single, the real reputation of the Mike Cotton Sound lay in the fact that they were one of the hardest working acts on the British live circuit in the mid-1960*5. Not only did they perform in their own right, they also acted as a backing group for visiting American musicians such as Solomon Burke, Gene Pitney, the Four Tops and Stevie Wonder. By 1966 the Mike Cotton Sound had evolved into an accomplished Soul outfit, recording cover versions of US R&B classics such as "Harlem Shuffle" for Polydor, before moving to Pye records for their final single.

The group then teamed up with American singer (and ex-serviceman) Bruce MacPherson Lucas to record a further single for Pye, followed by two singles for MGM Records. The emergence of Psychedelia and "underground" music soon caused a downturn in the band's fortunes. Soul music was no longer a popular attraction on the live music scene in Britain and, like countless other acts; this led to the disbanding of the Mike Cotton Sound. Cotton remained a noted session player, but by 1970 he had taken note of the changing musical climate and assembled a group of musicians to head in a new and progressive direction.

Together with former Artwoods guitarist Derek Griffiths, Cotton created Satisfaction, featuring John Beecham on trombone, Lem Lubin and Nick Newell (saxophones) and Bernie Higginson (drums).This new band, although jazz influenced, also had a stronger rock edge to their approach and soon secured a contract with Decca records in 1970. The CD you hold in your hands features the fruits of a series of recording sessions for Decca, all produced by staff A&R man David Hitchcock (who would later find acclaim as producer of Caravan, Camel and Genesis).

The album "Satisfaction" (released as Decca SKL 5075) gained very favourable reviews upon its release. The record featured excellent musicianship and imaginative compositions. Highlights included the excellent "Sharing", "Call You Liar, Liar" and the superb closing track "Go through Changes", all of which highlighted the musical dexterity of the band. Sufficiently enthused by the response to the release of their eponymous album, Decca released two singles in quick succession in an attempt to try to break the band into the UK singles chart.The first of these, "Love it is" b/w "Cold Summer" enjoyed a very positive response from the British music press but failed to secure a chart placing. "Don't Rag the Lady" b/w "Gregory Shan't" shared a similar fate, gaining good notices but attaining few sales.

Within months of the appearance of the album and singles, Satisfaction had ceased to exist, leaving behind them the recorded legacy you can hear on this CD. For the first time the "Satisfaction" album and the band's non-album singles have been remastered from the original Decca master tapes and are now available in the digital form. Savour the Satisfaction.
by Mark Powell

Tracks
1. Just Lay Back And Enjoy It (M. Cotton, D. Griffiths) - 7:35
2. She Follows The Band (L. Lubin) - 3:50
3. Cold Summer (B. Higginson) - 5:09
4. Sharing (J. Beecham, D. Griffiths) - 6:15
5. Call You Liar Liar (L. Lubin) - 4:16
6. You Upset The Grace Of Living When You Lie (T. Hardin) - 6:24
7. Just Like Friends (D. Griffiths) - 4:01
8. Go Through Changes (L. Lubin, D. Griffiths) - 7:13
9. Love It Is (Bonus Track) - 3:00
10.Dont Rag The Lady (Bonus Track) - 3:16
11.Gregory Shan't (Bonus Track) - 4:21

Satisfaction
*Mike Cotton - Vocals, Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Pocket Cornet, Harmonica
*John Beecham - Trombone, Tuba
*Derek Griffiths - Lead Guitar, Vocals
*Bernie Higginson- Drums, Vocals, Bongos
*Lem Lubin - Vocals, Bass Guitar, Acoustic Guitar
*Nick Newell - Flute, Alto, Tenos Saxophone, Trumpet

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Hunt And Turner - Magic Landscape (1972 uk, fabulous groovy folk rock, 2007 korean remaster)

Fabulous grooving folk rock sounds with plenty of atmosphere, first released by the much beloved Village Thing label in 1972. Ian Hunt and John Turner first teamed-up in the late summer of 1970, the inevitable collaboration of two of the West Country's most sought-after session musicians.

String bassist and guitarist Turner had just left the infamous Pigsty Hill Light Orchestra and Hunt, a wizard guitarist and song writer who was already a 'big-name' on the Bristol scene, was looking for a new vehicle for his talents. Both had been spawned by the legendary Bristol Troubadour Club, which Turner had run for several years, and within months the new duo was picking up fans and followers around the UK and in Europe.

This album went straight to number six in the Melody Maker folk charts upon its original release. Years later, Ian Hunt is still making stunning music and is rated amongst the finest guitarists in the land, while John Turner, ever the entertainer and entrepreneur, as well as being in his own words a "part-time rake and bon viveur," was until recently one of Britain's most respected BBC radio and television presenters.

Crystalline acoustic and electric guitars and delicious vocals, backed with electric and string bass and bongos; imagine if you will British band Magna Carta with a guitarist as skilled as Wizz Jones or John Martyn: acoustic instrumentation and strong songs.

 Tracks
1. Hold Me Now - 3:14
2. Silver Lady - 4:11
3. We Say We're Sorry - 4:04
4. Magic Landscape - 2:04
5. Mr. Bojangles - 5:21
6. Living Without You - 3:21
7. Man Of Rings - 2:28
8. Older Now and Younger Then - 6:09
9. Morning For Eve - 4:14
10.Rockfield Rag - 1:24
All songs by John Turner and Ian Hunt.

Musicians
*Ian Hunt - Vocals, Acoustic, Electric Fuitar, Bongos
*John Turner - Vocals, Guitar, Electric Bass
*Rodney Matthews - Percussion

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Rex Foster - Roads Of Tomorrow (1970 us, marvelous texas acid folk psych, 2007 korean remaster edition)

My name is REX FOSTER, I am from Texas. Came via caravan movie of Francois Reichenbach, who got dosed, heard my music and introduced me to Herve Mille, who, being a lover of strange people introduced me to Eddie Barclay, and Leo Missir, and the next day I met Jean Fernandez who has spent time in the USA with people of a familiar background and after hearing one bar of "Don't throw your life away" knew he wanted to produce this album. So we did, and got my musical alter ego from Texas, a fellow name DON HARDING (now, this may be my album, because my energy brought it into being – but he and I have been together for five years and willn be together for years ahead).

We both came from a family of people named Rachel's Children and MERRILY WEEBER through years of hiding come to say hello, to sing, to cry (and the Elephant Lady is getting it together). We live and record at Michel Magne's studio which is a chateau in the country near Paris, an ashram, a peaceful break from the bullshit. "Odie", an English lad (Keith Harwood) comes to sit at the combine hine thing on the machine. This album was recorded during the period when the Burgos trial and the north Poland riots were happening.

P.S. Thanks to Andre, Haedrich, my good friend of words, and to Ed Swan, Lucia Foster, and Judy Thomasson for their help in writing "Lemon Aide Ditty". The final mtx of this album was made in London at Olympic studios by Keith Harwood and Jeremy Jee.
Rex Foster

Tracks
1. Roads of Tomorrow - 3:13
2. Today's a Sunny Day - 1:32
3. Turn the Page Over - 2:37
4. In the Spring - 3:27
5. Guadalupe River Song (Will Bellamy, Rex Foster) - 6:56
6. Lighted Window Lady - 5:15
7. Lemon Aid Ditty - 1:59
8. Busted in the Grass Blues - 2:36
9. Dont Throw Your Life Away - 3:08
10.Climb - 2:57
11.Friend - 1:52
All songs by Rex Foster, except otherwise.

Musicians
*Rex Foster - Vocals, Guitar
*Don Earl - Guitar, Vocals
*Merrily Bellamy - Vocals
*Will Bellamy - Guitar, Bass. Vocals
*Christian Devaux - Drums
*Andre Herve - Keyboard
*Michel Herve - Bass

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Freak Out - Life (1971 austria, fine progressive fusion jazz/blues rock, 2002 bonus tracks edition)

Freak Out, named after the first Mothers of Invention record, came from Knittelfeld, located in the Aichfeld on the banks of the river Mur in the Austrian region of Steiermark. The band was formed in the late 1960s by Robert Musenbichler (born m Knittelfeld on 17 January 1955) on guitar and vocals, Mike Gartner on bass and occasional saxophone, and Karl-Michael "Charly" Dienes on drums.

Knittelfeld also saw their first gig with self-made amplifiers in front of 400 people and stopped by the police, which rather helped the band establish a certain reputation. Subsequently, Max WeiBenback joined on saxophone, giving the band a slight jazzy touch, in the spring of 1970, Robert's brother Peter (born in Knittelfeld on 8 August 1949) joined the outfit on guitar and vocals after having spent some time with Feelin'. Ivan Miholic. the only member not to come from Knitteifeld, was the last addition on percussion.

Freak Out had meanwhile become so popular that Gerd Kernmayer from Friesach m Karnten became interested and suggested recording a 7 single and an LP on his small Cosmos label The band agreed And recorded two tracks written by the Musenbichler brothers in a Klagenfurt studio, in the spring 1971. The single entitled "Jaming brother/"Crazy colours of life'' was released in June 1971 with a very small circulation. Unfortunately, the spelling error in gaming" was never corrected. The sides of the cover were neither folded nor glued but remained open in the Swedish style of that time, which meant that it was put into a transparent plastic cover for selling purposes.

The photos on the back cover feature Peter Musenbichler, Charly Dienes and Ivan Miholic on top from left to right, with Robert Musenbichler, Max Weissenback and Mike Gartner below. The single was even presented by Meinrad Nell on QRF (Austrian Radio) on 3 July 1971. Recordings for their live LP had meanwhile been completed produced by Georg Regatschnig. it was recorded in front of around 1000 people in auditorium of the Klagenfurt Concert Hall, about 80 kilometers south of Knittelfeld near the Slovenian border on Saturday, 24 April 1971.

During the two-hour gig, they played mainly well-known cover versions in the following sequence: "Evil ways" (Santana), Same old story" (Blodwyn Pig). "See my way'; (Blodwyn Pig). "Sing me a song that I know" (Blodwyn Pig), "Crazy colours of life" (their own song), "To rassman" (Blodv Pig), ''Leaping beauties for Rudy" (East of Eden), '"Jamming brother" (by themselves) "Oye como va" (Tito Puente/Santana), "Looking back" (Jonn Mayall), "Fresh garbage” (Spirit), "Livin' trunk' (Keef Hartley Band), "Paint it, b!ack;' (Rolling Stones), "It's happened before, it'll happen again* (Taste), Sinning for you" (Keef Hartley Band), "Son of Mr. Green Genes'1 (Mothers of Invention), "Everybody needs somebody to love" (Solomon Burke/Roiling Stones) and "Ramadhan part hi" (East of Eden).

Nine of these eighteen tracks were selected for the LR which appeared with a circulation of a few hundred copies on 1 August 1971 as "Life" (Cosmos 2235). Just like in the case of the single, precise information is no longer available, but expert opinion puts the number at around 200 copies, which makes one wonder how such a small circulation could have been financially viable. According to the band members, money was not the primary thought behind the venture; the publication itself was the objective, designed to increase the degree of the band's popularity. On top of that, they wanted to have something solid to show to the organizers of concerts.

Nobody knows what Gerd Kernmayer had In mind when he decided on the title. This time at least they got the spelling of "jamming" right. Both the single and the LP were manufactured {n Austria, with the publishing rights for the band's own compositions still belonging to GKMV (Gerd Kernmayer Musik- und Schallplattenverfag). in spite of such a small equation of their records. Freak Out gradually managed to strengthen their popularity in the Steiermark and in Karnten ) by playing about 100 gigs. As a result. they appealed various times on Austrian television and radio, Gerd Kernmayer had arranged for most of these gigs, a sign of his dedication. At some stage.

Mike Gainer left the band and Peter Musenbichler took over on bass. Freak Out finally dissolved in 1974. At the end of 2001. on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the band's first record release, they came together again for one gig in Rachau near Knittelfeld. The line-up was: Peter Musenbichler, Robert Musenbichler Max Weiftenback. Reinhara Hormann (former Feelin guitarist) and four other musicians. Today. Mike Gartner works as a lawyer Peter Musenbichler is a teacher and Gerd Kernmayer has gone into old-age retirement. Robert Musenbichler is the only one still active as a musician.

Apart from his own band named Robby & The Splash (Lenny Kravrtz style) he plays guitar with Reinhard Fendrich and occasionally with Steve Lukather. He also runs his own studio, Due to the fact that their records are real rarities, Freak Out became known to very few collectors only. The second edition of "Die deutschen Beatbands" by Heinz Dietz and Mathias Buck (Rockenberg/Bad Nauheim 2002), which is not strictly limited to beat music, at least features the single as a sleeve repro Hans Pokora's "1001 record collector dreams" (Vienna 1997) only shows the label of the LR which means that even this probably most accomplished of all Austrian record collectors did not have the cover.

He awards the LP four units, which, in prime condition, corresponds to a collectors1 value of 650 DM (US$300) to 1150 DM (US$550). The next edition foresees five units. Complete IPs with cover all m mint condition, are sold for a price of 1200 DM to 1300 DM (US$600), The well-known anthologies on German progressive rock by Dag Erik •Asbjenwan'.-and the Freeman brothers do not mention Freak Out at all because collectors have simply failed to discover the band so far, Even the price catalogue of the "Oldie-Markt” record collectors1 magazine does not mention them, nor does the otherwise very complete and competent "Austro-Rock-Lexikon" by Wolfgang Zmk (Hirm 1989).

All of this seemed to be a very good reason to make the band's music available to a larger audience today. All licenses have been obtained from Gerd Kernmayer. Who has also kept the master tapes in perfect condition. Unfortunately, the remaining nine tracks of the live concert were recorded over so that this CD can only offer the two songs from the single as bonus tracks. This means that "Jamming brother" is now available as a live recording taken from the LP and in its studio version taken from the single.

Unfortunately, the master tapes of the two bonus tracks have also been lost in the course of time, which means that an LP in prime condition was used and subjected to the Cedar NoNoise System, the best available on the market, to get rid of all crackling groove noise without changing the sound in any considerable way As usual, the cover design of the original LP although quite plain in its glossy outfit, was adopted for this GO production without any changes, Some critics may doubt the musical quality of this CD since eight of the eleven tracks were cover versions.

The performance, however, was very good and not lacking in original arrangements. Apart from that, the extreme rarity of these records alone would justify a re-issue on CD, Many thanks to Peter Musenbichler, Gerd Kernmayer and Wolfgang Zmk for their friendly help,
by M. Thurn

Tracks
1. Evil Ways - 3:40.
2. See My Way - 3:33
3. Sing Me A Song That I Know - 2:07
4. Leaping Beauties For Rudy - 4:43
5. Jamming Brother - 3:53
6. Son Of Mr. Green Genes - 4:41
7. Fresh Garbage - 9:56
8. Everybody Needs Somebody To Love - 10:57
9. Ramadhan Part III - 0:25
10.Jaming Brother - 3:24
11.Crazy Colours Of Life - 3:15

Freak Out
*Robert Musenbichler - Guitar, Vocals
*Peter Musenbichler – Guitar, Lead Vocals
*Max Weibenback – Sax
*Charly Dienes – Drums
*Mike Gartner – Bass
*Ivan Miholic - Percussion

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Gun - Gun (1968 uk, classic heavy rock, debut album, repertoire edition with bonus tracks)

Led by brothers, Adrian and Paul Curtis nee Gurvitz, Gun was a shortlived hard rock trio in the vein of Cream and the Jimi Hendrix Experience. Comprised of guitarist/songwriter Adrian, bassist/lead vocalist Paul, and drummer Louis Farrell, Gun recorded only two albums in their short career-span of 1968-69, and Beat Goes On Records has compiled both lps onto this single 18 track, 75 minute disc.

 Opening with the bands UK hit Race With The Devil the disc immediately lets the listener know that they are in for an all out assault on their auditory senses. Ranging from straight-out rock and roll to rather reserved ballads, and filled with plenty of psychedelic tinges, Guns recordings are never boring, and through the entire 75 minutes, Adrians guitar work remains crisp and interesting.

The highlight of the disc may well be Yellow Cab Man from the groups debut album, while the extended jam Take Off has lots of tasty bits from Adrian. The groups second album may be somewhat less inspired than the debut, but it still contains loads of interesting guitar work.

The Curtis brothers began using their birthname Gurvitz not long after the demise of Gun, and went on to record 3 albums as the Three Man Army and later an additional 3 lps with former Cream drummer Ginger Baker, as the Baker Gurvitz Army. While the Gun albums may not be the work of the most original band, the guitar work of Adrian Curtis (Gurvitz) alone makes for enough listening pleasure to make the purchase of this disc worthwhile.

This album's front cover was the first designed by Roger Dean. Musically, it was very much part of the first wave of British hard-rock.

Tracks
1. Race With the Devil - 3:36
2. The Sad Saga of the Boy and the Bee - 4:51
3. Rupert's Travels - 2:15
4. Yellow Cab Man (Adrian Curtis, Jimmy Parsons) - 4:17
5. It Won't Be Long (Heartbeat) - 4:29
6. Sunshine - 4:27
7. Rat Race - 3:58
8. Take Off - 11:02
9. Drives You Mad (Bonus Track) - 2:39
10.Don't Look Back (Bonus Track) - 3:06
11. Runnin' Wild (Bonus Track) - 2:49
All tracks by Adrian Curtis except where indicated

Gun
*Adrian Curtiss-Gurvitz - Guitar, Vocals
*Paul Curtiss-Gurvitz - Bass
*Louis Farrell - Drums

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Fleetwood Mac - The Best Of Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac (1968-71 uk, classic hard blues remaster edition)

Peter Green has always been a modest man.That's why his group was named after two of its members, although venues tended to advertise their early appearances as by'Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac'.The magic that fell from his fingers in the songs collected here, he treated as a gift, a gift of which sometimes he felt unworthy to be custodian. Even so, he was eager to share this gift with those that wanted to hear it and that number swelled as his talent took wings.

Fleetwood Mac was a phenomenon of the late Sixties. The advent of the Rolling Stones, the Yardbirds and John Mayall's Bluesbreakers made blues commercially viable in Britain but the wave had peaked by the time Fleetwood Mac's self-titled debut album was released in February 1968. Nevertheless, such was its impact that it remained on the album chart for an astonishing nine months after topping out at no. 4. By that time a second album, 'Mr Wonderful', had been released in August and reached a very respectable no. 10. Two singles, Peter's own 'Black Magic Woman' and 'Need Your Love So Bad', emerged during these months and frequented the lower reaches of the Top Forty.

The statistics were impressive but there was one further to add to the list. The instrumental, 'Albatross', came out in November 1968 and climbed the charts relentlessly while Scaffold's 'Lily the Pink' and Marmalade's 'Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da' exchanged the no. I spot over Christmas and New Year. Finally, in the week ending February 1st, 1969,'Albatross', a masterpiece of atmosphere and control - an unlikely product of a blues band - became the best-selling single in Britain. But Fleetwood Mac were always more than just a blues band, even when in their early days they were, as Mike Fleetwood wrote later,'... a funny, vulgar, drunken vaudeville blues band . . . playing music as much to amuse ourselves as to please an audience and make money'.

Their camaraderie was tight, a closeness to which they could retreat when the pressure got too much. More than other bands of the time, each man had a distinct personality with enough rough edges to guarantee a healthy friction in the inevitable clashes. Although democracy was the watchword, everyone looked to Peter to have the final say on and off-stage. Peter was a complex individual; the modesty already noted was counteracted by a fierce sense of his own worth. It enabled him to both bathe in and shun the limelight that focussed upon him.

The original Fleetwood Mac was very nearly a trio; Peter was more than capable of handling rhythm and lead guitar. But perhaps he decided that was just too much pressure and so Jeremy Spencer became his on-stage foil. Jeremy's eerily accurate Elmore James vocals and slide guitar on 'Shake Your Moneymaker' or'My Heart Beat Like A Hammer' made a brash contrast with the emotional rigour of Peter's 'Merry Go Round' and 'Worried Dream'. And it helped that Jeremy's gift of mimicry included rock'n'roll slob Earl Vince, for whose splenetic mini-dramas the band became the Valiants. Jeremy was a man of even sharper contrasts. A livewire when performing on stage, he could be obsessively moody and morose backstage. Spectacularly vulgar at times, there was always a Bible close by. He and Mick would argue over who would wear Harold, the sixteen-inch" pink dildo, on stage, but then Mick habitually had two wooden balls dangling from his belt.

Although he usually deferred to Peter, Mick also had a head for business when he wasn't drunk or otherwise incapable. It was a facet of his character that took a while to properly manifest itself with later incarnations of the band. The original quartet was complete by John McVie, the bass player personified. A drinker of Falstaffian proportions, his taste for a wet had often got him sacked from the Bluesbreakers. But the Mac were more tolerant. Quiet, unassuming and doggedly set in his ways, he was the rock on which the band's cohesion relied. 'I play slightly behind the beat,' Mick asserted, 'while John plays slightly ahead of it. We meet somewhere in the middle and to us it sounds just right.' Together, they made a formidable and durable team.

Then, in between the band's first and second tours of America, Danny Kirwan arrived. Young, talented, in awe of Peter at first but soon his accomplished foil on stage. Through his interest in musicians like Django Reinhardt, Danny's heightened sense of melody was something to which Peter eagerly responded.The composer credit for 'Albatross' went to Peter but without Danny's help it might not have been realised nor become the timeless classic it has grown to be. Soon their twin guitars would be turning'Rattlesnake Shake' into an extended jam session that rivalled the Grateful Dead at their best. But it was while the band was at a creative peak that it began to fall apart.

The seeds of its destruction were in Peter's 'Man Of The World' and "Green Manalish", which despite being Top Ten hits spoke of his inner turmoil, his disillusionment with the business of music and fame. Between them, the twopart 'Oh Well', with its heavy rock beginning, its long acoustic denouement and its self-deprecating lyrics telegraphing the crisis that was at hand. First Peter and then Jeremy quit the band amidst sensational press coverage. Helping out on some of the Mac's later sessions had been pianist Christine Perfect, who took the lead vocal on her band Chicken Shack's biggest hit, 'I'd Rather Go Blind'.

In August 1968 she became Christine McVie and after a brief and abortive solo career joined Fleetwood Mac in the summer of 1970 as Mick and John rebuilt the band that would become a major force in popular music. Peter entered a long period of retreat from music that has happily come full circle. Now he and the Splinter Group are regaining some of the prestige and acclaim to which he was treated so many years ago. A new version of 'Albatross' by Chris Coco features Peter's signature guitar tone.  It's a sound for the new century but it can't eclipse the perennial impact of the 1968 original.

The first flush of Fleetwood Mac's fame covered just four brief years but in that time its records charted the move from blues into the broader sweep of popular music. This is the soundtrack of those times.
by Neil Slaven

Tracks
1. Albatross - 3:11
2. Black Magic Woman - 2:53
3. Need Your Love So Bad (USA Version) - 6:15
5. My Heart Beat Like a Hammer - 2:58
5. Rollin' Man - 2:54
6. The Green Manalishi (with the Two Prong Crown) - 4:36
7. Man of the World - 2:51
8. Something Inside of Me - 3:56
9. Looking for Somebody - 2:51
10.Oh Well (Parts 1 & 2) - 9:05
11.Rattlesnake Shake - 3:31
12.Merry-Go-Round - 4:09
13.I Loved Another Woman - 2:57
14.Need Your Love Tonight - 3:28
15.Worried Dream - 5:23
16.Dragonfly - 2:47
17.Stop Messin' Round - 2:21
18.Shake Your Moneymaker - 2:56
19.I'd Rather Go Blind (by Chicken Shack) - 3:15
20.Albatross (by Chris Coco featuring Peter Green) - 5:26

Musicians
*Peter Green - Vocals, Guitar
*Jeremy Spencer - Vocals, Guitar
*Bob Brunning - Bass
*Mick Fleetwood - Drums
*John McVie - Bass
*Danny Kirwan - Guitar, Vocals
*Christine McVie - Keyboard, Vocals


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Oriental Sunshine - Dedicated To The Bird We Love (1970 norway, dreamy exotic folk psychedelia, 2006 remaster)

Album it being described as a "sitar kissed cruise through the gentler side of 60s psychedelia", and I couldn't have said it better myself! This is probably one of the most mellow relaxing albums very delicate and beautiful and is a most rewarding listen. Oriental sunshine are a Norwegian psych-folk group, although the songs are in English (except for a few lyrics presumably in some indian dialect).

The vocals do have a very charming Norwegian lilt though which if anything adds to the sound. The vocals are shared by Nina Johansen and Rune Walle, and their boy-girl harmonies sound. Here's a group of folk hippies from Norway who seem to have taken a trip to India in their minds, and returned with a sitar, tabla, and an Indian flute found in the local pawn shop.

The album opens with across your life, which sort of sets the scene for the album. It's quite a dark sounding song actually, which can be attributed to the organ and the vocals. The sitar features prominently on this track, as it weaves about in the background, and even gets a solo. They sound a little like a jazz band towards the end as the song picks up pace. It's a good opener, but a little darker than the rest of the album. The lyrics are quite A Whiter Shade of Paleesque actually "you turn your face again, its very strange and pale/the room begins to sway and becomes the mighty ocean", but good nevertheless.

The very gentle mother nature comes next. The instrumentation is very soft, mainly driven by the sitar with some acoustic guitar and flute in the background. The harmonies sound really great on this track, as does the flute. The lyrics are your typical psychedelic fairytale sort of affair "I went to the forest in a far away land, talked to the trees, talked to the trees/Criend tears of joy as I whistled to the bees, whistled to the bees". It's a very nice song, one of the highlights of the album.

Look at me is quite similar to Mother Nature, it also features the sitar/flute/guitar/tabla combination and the pretty harmonies. It's more uptempo and sunny though. unless comes next and it begins with a lovely cascade of notes on the sitar. It's actually more of a piano driven track though, but theres still plenty of sitar going on. It's a really pretty track, the melody is very charming. The song can be quite hypnotic actually, especially on the chorus as the sitar drones away. It sounds great, really takes you away to some other land. I feel like i'm on a flyinc carpet when I listen to this album!

Land of wisdom is very very eastern sounding. It's really magical, and very spiritual wich lyrics about Rishi and Krishni, and it opens with what sounds like a prayer in an Indian dialect or something before the song kicks in with the line "sing my prayers to the evening sun". I like this track a lot.

The album continues with let it be my birth, which is very upbeat and cheerful, and is surprisingly sitar-less! The indian vibe is kept up with the tablas and flute however. The lyrics are very poetic; "Bird song enchanting the green hills/lillies caressing the water", this song should put a smile on your face! can anybody tell is an interesting song, it starts off with some very slow singing with dark lyrics accompanied only by sitar, but then the organ makes a return and the song becomes.... slightly less dark and slow. Towards the end the tempo changes once again, and things go a bit jazz once again. It's not really a standout song on the album or anything though, it sounds too much like what has been heard already.

There is some really nice upright bass playing to be found though. visions is a really good track. They use the sitar differently here, instead of random noodling it plays a repetative riff which totally hypnotises you! my way to be hurt is the second sitar-less song here, its another great one. The guitar playing which is usually buried under flute and sitar is allowed to come out, and its actually very good where you went wins the award for most eastern sounding song on an already exceedingly eastern album. Its all in whatever language the bands genuine Indian member speaks. Even the organ sounds Indian!

The album ends in wondeful form with the short but extremely sweet i'm going. Its just piano, guitar and a wonderful Norwegian lady singing to you. Very beautiful but at 57 seconds long it leaves you wanting more!

by Adamus67

Tracks

1. Across Your Life (Nina Johansen) - 3:31
2. Mother Nature (Hans Jorgen Hoines) - 2:25
3. Look At Me (Nina Johansen) - 1:41
4. Unless (Nina Johansen) - 2:51
5. Land Of Wisdom (Hans Jorgen Hoines) - 1:48
6. Let It Be My Birth (Hans Jorgen Hoines) - 2:11
7. Can Anybody Tell? (Nina Johansen) - 5:49
8. Visions (Nina Johansen) - 2:47
9. My Way To Be Hurt (Nina Johansen) - 3:05
10. Where You Went (Tum Kahan Gaye) (Satnam Singh) - 2:51
11. I'm Going (Nina Johansen) - 0:58

Oriental Sunshine
*Nina Johansen - Vocals, Guitar
*Rune Walle - Sitar, Vocals, Guitar
*Satnam Singh - Bamboo Flute, Tablas, Vocals
With
*Helge Grosli - Keyboards
*Sture Janson - Bass
*Espen Rud - Drums, Percussion

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Igginbottom - Igginbottom's Wrench (1969 uk, outstanding jazzy fusion prog rock, 2009 remaster)

This is one weird-ass album, and one that will probably become better known as time goes on and more people discover that it's a very early musical document of Allan Holdsworth — he was part of 'Igginbottom's Wrench along with David Freeman on bass, Steve Robinson on the other guitar, and Mick Skelly on drums. 'Igginbottom's Wrench, their one and only album, bears about the same relationship to Holdsworth's later work that The Cheerful Insanity of Giles, Giles & Fripp does to Robert Fripp's work, and it's curious that both albums are on the same label. 'Igginbottom's Wrench also sounds a lot like GG&F, kind of arty, theatrical psychedelia with some prominent jazz influences weaving in and out, but none of it taken seriously enough to be played or sung especially well, and it's easy to see how this recording got overlooked in 1969. 

It's mostly notable for the presence of "Golden Lakes," which evolved into "Velvet Darkness" and loomed ever larger in the decades to come. This shows Holdsworth at his least precise and pretentious, not in great form instrumentally or vocally (but not bad, either), noodling around in a less-than-formal setting and calling it an album. It's great fun and it will probably delight Holdsworth's fans, and anyone into late-'60s progressive rock or jazz/rock fusion. 

by Bruce Eder

Tracks

1. The Castle (Allan Holdsworth) - 2:55

2. Out Of Confusion (Dave Freeman, Steve Robinson , Allan Holdsworth, Mick Skelly) - 2:09 

3. The Witch (Allan Holdsworth) - 3:03

4. Sweet Dry Biscuits (Allan Holdsworth) - 2:54

5. California Dreamin' (John Phillips, Michelle Phillips) - 4:00 

6. Golden Lakes (Allan Holdsworth) - 5:12

7. Not So Sweet Dreams (Allan Holdsworth) - 5:00

8. Is She Just A Dream? (Allan Allan Holdsworth, Mick Skelly) - 4:33

9. Blind Girl (Steve Robinson) - 3:46

10.The Donkey (Steve Robinson) - 10:42

Igginbottom
*Dave Freeman - Drums
*Allan Holdsworth - Guitar, Vocals
*Mick Skelly - Bass
*Steve Robinson - Guitar, Vocals

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Aorta - Aorta 2 (1970 us, excellent classic rock tunes with psychedelic touches)

During the mid-'60s, the members of Aorta -- originally hailing from Rockford, IL -- had previously been in a group called the Exceptions. Early members of this group included Kal David (later of Illinois Speed Press and H.P. Lovecraft), Marty Grebb (the Buckinghams), and Peter Cetera (Chicago). The Exceptions were a soulful, if unremarkable, Top 40s cover group who were nevertheless acclaimed for their "exceptional" musicianship.

They were one of the more popular acts on the greater Chicago local scene, and released a handful of singles on numerous Midwest labels -- Tollie, Cameo, Quill -- and for L.A.-based Capitol. For the last of these releases, the band dropped the "s" from their name and began calling themselves the Exception (a compilation for the Collectables label, The Quill Records Story, collects two of their singles).

They also recorded an EP called "A Rock & Roll Mass for the Flair label; it featured six different rock songs with words taken from various religious prayers. As each member of the group -- with the exception of bassist Peter Cetera -- already had an eye toward expanding their original material to include a more "psychedelic" sound, they soon reconfigured themselves as Aorta, and, in late 1968, recorded a single for Atlantic.

Eventually, producer Bill Traut (American Breed) approached them on behalf of Dunwich Productions, Inc., and -- with Bobby Jones taking over on bass after Cetera's departure -- they accepted his offer to record their debut album for Columbia in 1969. They recorded two albums under the name Aorta. The first of these, the self-titled Aorta, is today highly acclaimed as a lite-psych album of some minor renown, and though it managed to chart on Billboard's album charts, it failed to do what was expected.

A revised version of the group -- still led by Jim Donlinger and now featuring Michael Been on bass/guitar/vocals -- recorded the drastically different second album, Aorta 2, for the Happy Tiger label. Jim Donlinger -- who along with his brother and Jim Nyeholt (during a brief period between the two albums), had all played in the Rotary Connection -- later left Aorta to join Lovecraft (formerly H.P. Lovecraft, who were signed to Reprise at the time), while Billy Herman would eventually move on to join New Colony Six.

Michael Been later played with Moby Grape members Jerry Millerand Bob Mosley in Fine Wine, and ultimately achieved his biggest success with the Call. Been is also the father of Robert Turner of Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. The original Aorta later re-formed (joining another great Chicago-area group, the Cryan' Shames) to do promo spots for the U.S. Armed Forces on a very rare promotional LP. They've appeared on numerous compilations over the years.

Garage Bands

Tracks
1. Willie Jean (Traditional, Arranged By – J. Donlinger, M. Been) - 3:03
2. Little Bonnie - 4:18
3. Blythe Spirit - 2:49
4. Beg For His Forgiveness - 4:55
5. Egypt (J. Donlinger) - 4:06
6. His Faith In Men - 5:09
7. Devil, Maggot & Son - 2:48
8. Sandcastles - 2:55
9. Pickin' Blues - 3:12
10.Fallin' Behind - 3:25
All songs by J. Donlinger and M. Been except where noted.

Aorta
*Michael Been - Bass, Acoustic Guitar, Vocals
*Tom Donlinger - Drums, Bongos, Marimba, Congas, Percussion
*Jim Donlinger - Lead Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Vocals
*Jim Nyeholt - Piano, Organ
Guest Musicians
*Howard Levy - Congas
*Michael Ayre - Congas
*Kenneth Elliot - Cowbell
*George Edwards - Vocals (on track 1)

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The Smoke - It´s Smoke Time (1967 uk, fabulous mod beat , repertoire bonus tracks edition)

The story of The Smoke began back in 1965 in Yorkshire when millionaire and entrepreneur Alan Brush discovered a local Mod/Beat band called The Shots supporting PJ. Proby. Brush was looking to get into the music business and so approached the band - (Geoff Gill, drums, Malcom Luker, guitar, Mick Rowley, vocals, John "Zeke" Lund, bass and Phil Peacock, guitar) - with a view to management.

The band accepted and Brush secured them a deal with Columbia Records who released the single "Keep Hold Of What You've Got'V'She's A Liar" (DB 7713) in October 1965. However, with the single failing to take off, Brush's interest waned, Peacock left, and the remaining four members were left to consider their future. Presenting their newer more psychedelic demos to producer Monty Babson, the band changed their name to The Smoke and released the "My Friend Jack'TWe Can Take It* single (Columbia DB 8115) in February 1965.

With the single climbing the charts in the UK7 eventually reaching No. 45, the record promptly became banned by the national radio stations because of the line "my friend jack eats sugar lumps" which they felt was a reference to the taking of LSD! Nonetheless, the underground press and radio picked up on the song and it became a massive hit throughout Europe and in particular Germany, where it reached No. 2 and stayed in the charts for sixteen weeks.

Indeed it was on the European mainland that The Smoke became successful, so much so that their one official LP "It's Smoke Time" (GULL INT 128301) was released in Germany only.The follow up single "If The Weather's Sunny"/"! Would If I Could, But I Can't" (Columbia DB 8252) however, wasn't a hit and the band left Columbia shortly after it's release in August 1967. By this time The Smoke had become managed by Chris Blackwell, owner of Island Records and so it was to that label that they signed.

Running parallel to The Smoke at the same time was an outfit called Chords Five who just so happened to be The Smoke under a different name. Their debut single "I'm Only DreamingVUniversal Vagrant" (WIP 3044) had been released in May 1967 and for two years the two "bands" would alternate their releases. The first release on Island to feature The Smoke name was "It Could Be Wonderful"/ "Have Some More Tea" (WIP 6023) which came out in November 1967 but once again failed to chart.

The Smoke's next single "Utterly Simple (written by Dave Mason of Traffic)/ "Sydney Girl" (WIP 603) didn't actually get a proper release and any copies that do exist currently fetch around £200 on the collectors market. The next two Chords Five singles "Same Old Fat ManV'HoId On To Everything You've Got" (POLYDOR 56261 May 1968) and "Some People" (written by Graham Gouldman, later of 10cc/ "Battersea Fair" (JAYBOY BOY 6 march 1969) also failed to chart, so Lund, Luker and Gill took up an offer to become resident musicians at Morgan Sound Studios.

With a variety of guest musicians they released records throughout the early 70s - "Dreams Of DreamsV'My Birth" (Revolution Pop REVP 1002), "Sugar Man"/ "That's What I Want" (Regal Zonophone RZ 3071) and "Ride Ride Ride7"Guy Fawkes" (Pageant SAM 101) - though once again they never repeated the success of "My Friend Jack".

Of all the members, Geoff Gill has remained the most successful. Having worked with the likes of Jenny Darren and the Beaver Brothers he became a producer/songwriter for Boney M who themselves scored a No. 57 chart placing in April 1980 with their version of "My Friend Jack".

by Mark Brennan

Tracks
1. My Friend Jack (Rowley, Gill, Luker, Lund) - 3:03
2. Waterfall (Rowley, Gill, Luker, Lund) -  2:41
3. You Can't Catch Me (Rowley, Gill, Luker, Lund) - 3:17
4. High In A Room (Rowley, Gill, Luker, Lund) - 3:00
5. Wake Up Cherylina (Rowiey, Gill Luker, Lund) - 2:19
6. Don't Lead Me On (Brown, Reno) -  2:17
7. We Can Take It (Rowley, Gill, Luker, Lund) - 2:43
8. If The Weather's Sunny (Rowiey, Gill, Luker, Lund) -  2:50
9. I Wanna Make It With You (Rowiey, Gill, Luker, Lund) - 3:10
10. It's Getting Closer (Rowiey, Gill, Luker, Lund) -  2:33
11. It's Just Your Way Of Lovin' (Rowiey, Gill, Luker, Lund) - 2:25
12. I Would If I Could But I Can't (Rowley, Gill, Luker, Lund)  - 2:14
13. Have Some More Tea (Single A-Side) (Rowiey, Gill, Ridiey) - 2:13
14. Victor Henry's Cool Book (Single B-Side) (Gill, Rowiey) - 2:28
15. Sydney Gill (Single A-Side) (Gill, Rowley) - 3:32
16. It Could Be Wonderful (Single B-Side) (Miller, Rowiey, Gill) - 2:18
17. Keep A Hold Of What You've Got (Single A-Side released as "The Shots") (Maidon) - 2:06
18. She's A Liar (Single B-Side released as "The Shots") (Maidon) - 2:21
19. I Am Only Dreaming (Single A-Side released as "Chords Five") (Rowiey, Gill, Luker, Lund) - 1:57
20. Universal Vagrant (Single B-Side released as "Chords Five") (Feldman, Goldstein, Gottehrer, Farrel) - 2:50
21. Dreams Of Dreams (Single A-Side) (Vaughan, Williams, Chapman) - 2:28
22. My Birth (Single B-Side) (Francis) - 2:38
23. Jack IS Back (Single A-Side) (Gill, Berckerman) - 3:16
24. That's What I Want (Single B-Side) (Gill, Luker, Malone, Lund) - 2:23
25. Playing With Magic (previously unreleased) (Gill, Luker, Malone, Lund) - 3:06
26. My Friend Jack (Single A-Side) (Rowiey, Gill, Luker, Lund) - 3:40

The Smoke
*Geoff Gill - Drums,
*Malcom Luker - Guitar
*Mick Rowley - Vocals
*John "Zeke" Lund - Bass
*Phil Peacock - Guitar

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Chariot - Chariot (1971 us, great hard blues rock)

Hard rocking US power trio spun off from '66-'68 Los Angeles Knack. Dates of release are usually given as 1968, but it is believed to have been as late as 1971 Straight forward, hard rock with soulful raspy vocals, tight playing, tight songs Hard rocking, not really psychy.

A mainstream play at a radio friendly Grand Funk/ James Gang sound Guitar playing is tasteful, and in service to the song, therefore, no long crazed solos Overall, a solid and enjoyable late 60's/early 70's hard rock album.

by zphage

Tracks
1. Yolanda Jones - 3:32
2. You Let Me Love You - 3:50
3. Gamblin' Man - 7:09
4. The War Is Over (Larry Gould) - 2:59
5. Home Wreckin' Mama - 1:55
6. Hey People - 3:25
7. Variety Woman (Larry Gould) - 3:09
8. Got To Be A Lover - 3:08
9. Poor Man Blues (Larry Gould) - 6:47
All Selections Written by Michael Kaplan except where indicated

Chariot
*Michael Kaplan - Vocals, Guitar
*Pug Baker - Drums
*Larry Gould - Vocals, Bass

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