Little Free Rock - Time Is Of No Consequence (1969-71 uk, standout acid blues rock, demos and unreleased material)

In my own personal scheme of things, Little Free Rock are pretty doggone important. I grew up with them. They were my first grass-roots contact with the underground rock'n'roll culture. Formed in Preston, Lanes in 1966 by guitarist Pete Illingworth after he'd recovered from the demise of fabulous local legends, David John & The Mood, the band emerged in the heady climate of 1967 as the trio, Purple Haze with Pal Varley on drums and Frank Newbold on bass.

Taking their cue from Hendrix and The Cream, they built up a hardcore following in the Northwest. From humble beginnings with a live set comprising entirely cover versions - material by The love, Creation and Tomorrow amongst others - the trio soon began to write original songs. A five-track demo Bade in London in early 1969 (reproduced here), led to an eponymous debut LP on Transatlantic Records, a relocation to 'The Smoke' and a name change. Within months of their arrival they were changing musical direction.

Their manager, having been knocked out with Ginger Johnson & His African Drummers jamming with The Stones in Hyde Park this summer, suggested a similar collaboration. The experiment worked wonders and at ensuing gigs LFR would regularly be joined by as many as 25 percussionists, the lads from Preston, the only white faces on stage! Caspar Laval, Speedy Acquaye, Lofty and Mac (from Osibisa) all played with the band. They even attracted Peter Green to play a couple of gigs and were invited to play sessions for his first solo LP (which were sadly unused).

Record company wrangles and personnel disputes - ex-Killing Floor bassist, John Taylor permanently replacing Newbold, Lord Eric coming in on hand-drums - meant that another LP was not forthcoming. Fortunately managerial involvement with Robert Stigwood saw them record six songs in their new style, all of which appear here and ooze with an excitement sorely lacking on the Transatlantic release.

LFR eventually split in 1974 with no original members still here - a disastrous period as back-up S4I queen Sarah Gordon was followed by Varley leaving for fame and fortune with teen stars The Arrows and the sacking of Illingworth! It's good to finally have all this stuff available and it's a fitting tribute to a band who really did deserve better.
by Nigel Cross

Tracks
1. Money On Your Mind (Peter Illingworth) - 4:19
2. Evil Woman (Frank Newbold, Peter Illingworth) - 4:33
3. Time Is Of No Consequence (Peter Illingworth) - 5:08
4. Tiego (Peter Illingworth) - 4:13
5. Talking To The Trees (Peter Illingworth) - 3:45
6. Big Bird (Peter Illingworth) - 4:00
7. Money On Your Mind (Peter Illingworth) - 4:37
8. Evil Woman (Frank Newbold, Peter Illingworth) - 4:33
9. Time Is Of No Consequence (No Vocals) (Peter Illingworth) - 5:07
10.Roman Sumer Nights (as The Purple Haze) (Frank Newbold) - 2:32
11.Wait A While (as The Purple Haze) (Peter Illingworth) - 2:17
12.Blud (as The Purple Haze) (Peter Illingworth) - 3:50
13,Dream (as The Purple Haze) (Frank Newbold) - 2:24
14.Evil Woman (as The Purple Haze) (Frank Newbold, Peter Illingworth) - 2:47 Little Free Rock *Frank Newbold - Bass (The Purple Haze) *John Taylor - Bass *Paul Varley - Drums *Peter Illingworth - Guitar *Eric Carboo - Percussion
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Little Free Rock - Little Free Rock (1969 uk, superb heavy psych blues rock)

Little Free Rock was a Heavy Rock Trio from Preston in Lancashire, England. Peter Illingworth, Lead Guitar and Vocals, Paul Varley, Drums and Frank Newbold, Bass Guitar and Vocals.

Their Eponymous Album was released in November 1969, and they were an evolution of Purple Haze whose psychedelic nuances created great interest from their conception in early 1968. Purple Haze were a highly respected three piece outfit formed originally performing covers of songs from bands like The Who, Creation, Tomorrow etc but quickly developing a style and presentation of their own. To avoid association with Jimi Hendrix's Purple Haze, the name was changed to Little Free Rock from the meaning of their names. Paul means 'Little', Frank means 'Free' and Peter the 'Rock'.

Little Free Rock went on to work with Ginger Johnson's African Drummers, whose appearance with the Rolling Stones at the 1969 Hyde Park Concert in Sympathy for the Devil has created much interest. Drummers who appeared from time to to included Gaspar Lawal (Ginger Baker's Airforce), Remi Salaka (Rolling Stones), Speedy Aquay (Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames), Lofty and Mac Tonto (Osibisa), and 'Lord' Eric Carboo. On one occasion at the Chalk Farm Roundhouse there were 26 African Drummers and a Witchdoctor.

The band performed regularly at the Roundhouse Sunday Night 'Implosion' Events and had numerous residencies at the Wardour Street Marquee Club. As well as performing all over Belgium, Continental Trips included the Star Club in Hamburg, Essen Jazz and Blues Festival, and festivals in Frankfurt, San Tropez and Santa Margarita de la Costa in Italy.

CBS and Warner Brothers were becoming exceedingly interested in this new Afro Rock but only six weeks after the release on the LFR Album, Transatlantic started Breach of Contract proceedings. When CBS and Warner Brothers heard this they backed off, however, CBS said that the band was too much like Santana, whom they already represented. Unfortunately, LFR were then unable to record for Transatlantic or anyone else for that matter, which was sad as the original Contract was for 6 Albums over a three year period.

Peter Green (Fleetwood Mac) joined the band for a short period, with gigs arranged at The Marquee and The Lyceum, and invited LFR to perform on sessions for his Solo Album. Sadly, after only one gig at a club called The Night Angel Club in Soho, Peter decided that he was having too much hassle with Ginger Johnson about fees for the recording and he backed out. The tracks were never released.

Tracks
1. Roman Summer Nights -  2:47
2. Lost Lonely - 4:15
3. Blud - 3:55
4. Castles In The Sky - 3:49
5. Dream - 3:46
6. Tingle - 3:59
7. Evil Woman - 2:43
8. Age Of Chivalry - 4:24
9. Making Time - 10:20

Little Free Rock
*Peter Illingworth - Guitar, Vocals
*Frank Newbold - Bass, Vocals, Percussion
*Paul Varley - Drums

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Keef Hartley Band - The Time Is Near (1970 uk, spectacular psych blues rock with jazz drops, 2008 Esoteric remaster)

The core of Keef Hartley Band, along with Hartley and guitarist/vocalist Miller Anderson, was bassist Gary Thain. He was heavily influenced by bassist Duck Dunn from Booker T. and the MGs but, like Anderson and Hartley, possessed a clearer jazz spirit. The Time is Near... features a number of different horn and keyboard players, with its line-up settling down considerably for Overdog.

If Overdog is generally heavy, The Time is Near... is a lighter affair, with Anderson found on acoustic guitar as often as electric and songs like "Morning Rain sounding almost schizophrenic. Opening with a psychedelic reverse-attack collage of drums and horns, it's a song whose changes could find a place in the repertoire of roots rockers The Band if it weren't for Thain's funky bass line and trumpeter Henry Lowther's soul-drenched horn arrangement. "From The Window could easily have come from Motown, but the shifting tempo and more complex horn parts that ultimately resolve into a sunnier, ambling groove are indicative of greater depth and complexity. 

Keef Hartley Band may not have been considered a progressive rock group by connotation, but its combination of soul, jazz, rock and folk here are progressive by stricter definition. Hartley was fortunate to find Miller, who writes all but one song on The Time Is Near.... Possessing enough grit to deliver the stronger message of the nearly ten-minute title track but equally capable of carrying the gentler classical guitar/trumpet duo of "Another Time Another Place," his voice is so versatile that these two tracks almost sound as if they're being sung by different people. 

An equally versatile guitarist, he delivers a gritty, blues-drenched solo on the title track and the final part of "You Can't Take It With You, which also features a blistering saxophone solo from Lyle Jenkins during its lithely swinging 6/8 middle section. The only non-Miller track on the disc is "Premonition, an instrumental by trumpeter Dave Caswell, another fine player who seems to have disappeared without a trace. It's essentially a light two-chord vamp with a brief chorus that paves the way for strong solos from both Caswell and Jenkins.

The rhythm section team of Hartley and Thain powers the material throughout. It's hard to judge which of these two reissues is a better record since they're both so different (while remarkably still managing to sound like the same group), but The Time Is Near... gets a subtle nod for its broader mix of styles and a group sound that's as distinctive as its American counterparts, while feeling less like a group looking for a hit. Instead, Keef Hartley Band seems to have hoped that the audience would come to it, and while it had its brief moment in the spotlight, there's no musical reason why it should have been less successful than Chicago or BS&T other than the fact that it never got the international promotion it deserved.

by John Kelman

Tracks
1. Morning Rain - 3:00
2. From The Window - 3:28
3. The Time Is Near  - 10:09
4. You Can't Take It With You  - 7:19
5. Premonition (Dave Caswell) - 4:24
6. Another Time, Another Place  - 2:35
7. Change  - 4:00
All songs by Miller Anderson except where noted.

Keef  Hartley Band
*Keef Hartley - Drums, Percussion
*Miller Anderson - Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar
*Henry Lowther - Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Violin, Piano, Brass Arrangements
*Jim Jewell - Tenor Saxophone
*Gary Thain - Bass Guitar
*Dave Caswell - Flugelhorn, Euphonium, Trumpet, Electric Piano, Brass Arrangements
*Lyle Jenkins - Tenor Saxophone, Flute, Baritone Saxophone
*Stewart Wicks - Piano, Organ
*Del Roll - Percussion

Keef Hartley's brands
1968-72  Not Foolish Not Wise
1969  Halfbreed (2008 Esoteric)
1969  The Battle Of North West Six  (2008 Esoteric)
1970  Overdog (2005 Eclectic)
1971  Little Big Band
1972  Seventy Second Brave (2009 Esoteric)
1972  Lancashire Hustler (2008 Esoteric)

Related Act
1971  Miller Anderson - Bright City

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Various Artists - Fading Yellow Vol.10 (60-70's worldwide, the better side pop-sike and other delights)

After a lengthy absence FY is back with a lush chorus of “Huzzah’s” and a blizzard of scented rose petals (faded, naturally). “No Elvis, no Beatles, no Rolling Stones.” OK, that’s from a Clash song, but the principle applies here too – albeit from the opposite direction – because here we have a parallel pop dimension in which it appears that every musician aspired to be… Justin Hayward! Just listen to Candle’s ‘Matthew, Little Man’ or Gerry Morris’ ‘When It Comes To Love’ for proof. That catch-in-the-throat, yearning yet soothing vocal style; always calm and assured even when apparently in the depths of despair.

Standards are tip-top from the second that the electric sitar/sweet ’n’ sour strings combo of Ted Mulry’s ‘Remember Me’ oozes from the speakers, but extra Michelin stars should be awarded to Ronnie Bird’s Mick Jones/Tommy Brown-produced ballad ‘De L’Autre Cote Du Miroir’, Gallic folk giant Antoine’s post-Apocalyptic ‘Where Did Everyone Go To?’ and Aussie group The Strangers (featuring John Farrar of Marvin, Welch &…), who turn in a gorgeous ‘Take The Time’. 

Oh, and Paul King of Mungo Jerry infamy (now re-named P Rufus King) finally atones for blowing that damned jug on ‘In The Summertime’ with the slightly skewed but completely wonderful ‘Nobody Knows’. Mustn’t forget the splendid Robin Gibb-isms of ‘Welcome To My House’ by Volendam’s very own Leftside either.

So, if turning it up to 11 strikes you as being tantamount to treason then here are 24 more slices of heaven just for you. Anyone suspecting that FY could be running out of steam can rest assured, there’s no drop in standards here. Better grab it fast.

by Mick Capewell

Just been playing the latest FY volume and I must say even though they are all good, I think it is the best volume since Vol.1. The first four tracks make a really strong start; Ted Mulry’s ‘Remember Me’ a geat electric sitar number, Explicit Souls ‘Rebecca’s Shop’ (from a Swedish sampler album) is all harmony, Wilfred’s ‘Candle In The Wind’ (no, not that one), is a really good UK surprise. and Dutch band OPMC’s ‘Love Song For Diana’ are really strong attention grabbers. Gerry Morris’s ‘When It Comes To Love’ is from his scarce LP and I would really love to hear that now after this - anyone got it??.

Two Swedish songs that are really catchy, just because they are so repetitive and melodic are Darling’s ‘Smiling’ and Bengt & Pontus’s ‘Don’t You Hear Me’ and There’s plenty of other great stuff here and only a one or two I’ve heard before. Already on my MP3 player I’m grooving in my head like a Summer’s day despite the Arctic conditions in Britain at the moment. This is great! 

by Paul Martin

Artists - Tracks
1. Ted Mulry - Remember Me - 4:01
2. Explicit Souls - Rebecca's Shop - 3:17
3. Wilfred - Candle In The Wind - 3:28
4. O.P.M.C. - Love Song For Diane - 3:06
5. Twilights, The - It's Dark - 1:55
6. Freedom - The Better Side - 4:35
7. Ola And The Janglers - Oh What A Lovely Day - 3:17
8. Gerry Morris - When It Comes To Love - 3:00
9. P. Rufus King - Nobody Knows - 3:33
10.Candle - Matthew, Little Man - 3:02
11.Antoine - Where Did Everyone Go To? - 3:01
12.Greenfield And Cook - A Day Begins - 2:18
13.Dave Berry - I'm Gonna Take You There - 2:30
14.Los Angeles - Please Believe Me - 2:34
15.Scott Harris - Morning Sun - 2:20
16.Darling - Smiling - 2:39
17.Ronnie Bird - De L'Autre Cote Du Miroir - 3:03
18.Leftside - Welcome To My House - 2:53
19.Bengt And Pontus - Didn't You Hear Me - 2:38
20.Lee Kings - Coming From The Ground - 2:36
21.Countdown - Georgia - 3:00
22.Strangers - Take The Time - 3:02
23.John O'Hara And His Playboys - Sister Rae - 3:56
24.Saft - Albertine Hall - 3:46

Fading Yellow series..
1965-69 Vol.1 - Timeless Pop-Sike And Other Delights
1965-69 Fading Yellow Vol. 2 US Pop Sikes
1965-69 Fading Yellow - Vol. 3
1965-69 Fading Yellow - Vol. 4
1970-73 Fading Yellow - Vol. 5
1966-70 Fading Yellow - Vol. 6 
1968-72 Fading Yellow - Vol. 7
1968-75 Fading Yellow - Vol. 8
1966-72 Fading Yellow - Vol. 9

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Various Artists - Fading Yellow Vol.9 (1966-72 uk, the other side of life timeless pop-sike and other delights)

Sticky baroque delights abound in this scarce and peerless series that showcases the frilliest UK popsike. This volume concentrates on singles from London, and even has an unreleased Bill Fay acetate. 

Artists - Tracks
1. Pop Workshop - Fairyland -  3:10
2. The Marianne - As For Marionettes - 2:55
3. Susie Klee - Punch And Judy Girl - 2:44
4. Brendan Phillips - Is It Worth A Try? - 2:42
5. Pussyfoot - Hasty Words - 2:26
6. Hogarth - Suzie's Gettin' Married - 2:44
7. Tony Ritchie - Rain On My Window - 2:47
8. Jumbo - Promises - 3:13
9. John Pantry - Wash Myself Away - 2:15
10.Paul Vigrass - Stop! - 3:00
11.Dave Christie - Penepole Breedlove - 2:29
12.Christian - Other Side Of Life - 2:28
13.Christian - She - 2:44
14.Tapestry - Like The Sun - 2:58
15.Andy Forray - Sarah Jane - 2:54
16.Rodney Bewes - Dear Mother Love Albert - 3:20
17.Gary Hamilton – Let The Music Play - 2:17
18.Mike Leslie - Office Girl - 3:28
19.Micky Jones And Tommy Brown - If I Could Be Sure - 3:13
20.Jon - Polly Sunday - 2:15
21.Timon - And Now She Says She Is Young - 3:09
22 Wishful Thinking - Clear White Light - 2:58
23.Brendan Phillips - When She's Kissing Me - 3:00
24.Bill Fay - Unrelesed Acetate - 3:00
25.Paul Layton - Sing Sadman Sing - 2:51

Fading Yellow series..
1965-69 Vol.1 - Timeless Pop-Sike And Other Delights
1965-69 Fading Yellow Vol. 2 US Pop Sikes
1965-69 Fading Yellow - Vol. 3
1965-69 Fading Yellow - Vol. 4
1970-73 Fading Yellow - Vol. 5
1966-70 Fading Yellow - Vol. 6 
1968-72 Fading Yellow - Vol. 7
1968-75 Fading Yellow - Vol. 8

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A Foot In Coldwater - The Second Foot In Coldwater / All Around Us (1973-74 canada, excellent hard rock)

The band released A Second Foot In Cold Water the next year. Two singles were released, "Love Is Coming" and "Isn't Love Unkind", their second crack in the top 25 on Billboard. All Around Us hit the shelves in '73 and contained only 5 new songs, along with new versions of 4 tracks from the previous 2 lp's. "(Make Me Do) Anything You Want" hit the airwaves again and this time cracked Billboard's Top 10, as did the second time 'round for "Isn't Love Unkind". 

More of the unique stylings of this group including the hit single"(Isn't Love Unkind) In My Life" and "Love Is Coming", both hits displayed this band's unique combination of power, subtlety and taste. The bands producer was reputed to have spent as much time as most artists spend recording their entire albums, on just the mixing of the first hit (In My Life) alone, Island Records in the UK signed the group on the strength of the one track "In My Life". The classical guitar intro to one of the heaviest tracks ever recorded in this country (Coming Is Love) is worth the price of the album though the lyrics to this and other cuts on the album were criticized for being sexist and too explicit.

Following the record's dismal showing and dwindling concert draws, the band found themselves without a deal in '74 but continued on. In 1975 they were picked up by Anthem, label for such heavy hitters as Rush and Max Webster, which prompted the release of the single "Midnight Lady". 

After their deal with Island outside of Canada, Daffodil signed the group to Jac Holzman at Elektra/Asylum in the US and this album was the result of that deal. Produced primarily by Queen's English producer John Anthony, the album included re-recorded versions of the best songs from their first two Canadian albums and added some newly written material by the group. It was a critical sussess but shortly after it's release Jac departed from Elektra, David Geffen took over and the group was let go.

Tracks
1974 All Around Us
1. I Know What You Need (B. Horne, H. Leggat, A. Machin, P. Naumann, D. Taylor) - 3:25
2. All Around Us (B. Horne, H. Leggat, A.M. Naumann, D. Taylor) - 4:02
3. (Make Me Do) Anything You Want (P. Naumann, D. Taylor) - 3:06
4. It's Only Love (B. Horne, H. Leggat, A. Machin, P. Naumann, D. Taylor) - 2:51
5. Love Is Coming (H. Leggat) - 4:17
6. How Much Can You Take (H. Leggat, A. Machin) - 3:16
7. He's Always There (B. Horne, H. Leggat, A. Machin, P. Naumann, D. Taylor) - 4:44
8. Yalla Yae (H. Leggat) - 3:54
9. (Isn't Love Unkind) In My Life (P. Naumann, D. Taylor) - 4:33
10.Para-Dice (B. Horne, H. Leggat, A. Machin, P. Naumann, D. Taylor) - 3:12
1973 The Second Foot In Coldwater
11.Coming Is Love (P. Naumann) - 8:29
.....a/ Mose Into E
.....b/ Coming Is Love
12.So Long (P. Naumann, D. Taylor) - 3:12
13.Suzy (A. Machin, P. Naumann) - 5:05
14.How Much Can You Take (H. Leggat, A. Machin) - 4:00
15.(Isn't Love Unkind) In My Life (P. Naumann, D. Taylor) - 4:40
16.Sailing Ships (H. Leggat, A. Machin, P. Naumann) - 5:26
17.Love Is Coming (H. Leggat) - 6:04

A Foot In Coldwater
*Alex Machin - Vocals
*Paul Naumann - Guitars, Vocals
*Bob Horne - Keyboards
*Hugh Leggat - Bass, Acoustic Guitar, Vocals
*Danny Taylor - Drums

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A Foot In Coldwater - A Foot In Coldwater (1972 canada, great hard rock, 2003 remaster)

The debut album by a great Canadian band. It includes their best known and much loved classic hit "(Make Me Do) Anything You Want", will a staple of gold rotation through out the country and containing perhaps the best known guitar solo in Canadian rock music; in addition to, some of the tightest playing of any band to ever grace the Canadian rock scene. The group were a cult favorite of legions of biker gangs yet mixed with their powerful 'heavy' rock stylings reminisent of Deep Purple and Zeppelin was their unique approach to rock ballads which combined power with strings and other acoustic elements. At their peak they were among the best groups Canada has spawned. 

In 1971 Paul Naumann left his band Leather and got together with fellow Torontonian Alex Machin, forming the group Island. Around the same time the remnants of another progressive rock group Lords Of London, in bassist Hughie Leggat, drummer Danny Taylor and Bob Horne on organ were looking for a change, forming Nucleus.

After one album, they hooked up with Nauman and Machin. They caught the attention of Frank Davies, who signed them to his new Daffodil Records in early '72 and A Foot In Cold Water was born. An offbeat British slang for 'a shocking experience', their debut was exactly that, striking gold the same year. Backed by the future classic "(Make Me Do) Anything You Want" which scored in Billboard's Top 25, the album gained critical reviews, despite the length of most of the tracks being too long for conventional airplay. Also on the record were the sleeper hits "On The Wind" and "Deep Freeze".

by Frank Davies and Paul Leask 

Tracks
1. On the Wind (Paul Naumann) - 4:05
2. Yalla Yae (Hugh Leggat) - 3:49
3. Deep Freeze (Hugh Leggat) - 3:14
4. (Make Me Do) Anything You Want (Paul Naumann, Danny Taylor) - 5:13
5. Who Can Stop Us Now (Paul Naumann) - 3:21
6. Alone Together (Paul Naumann) - 3:05
7. Fallen Man (Paul Naumann, Alex Machin) - 3:56
8. In Heat (Paul Naumann) - 6:08
9. Lady True (Paul Naumann,  Alex Machin) - 2:27

A Foot In Coldwater
*Alex Machin - Vocals
*Paul Naumann - Guitars
*Bob Horne - Keyboards
*Hugh Leggat - Bass
*Danny Taylor - Drums

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Nucleus - Nucleus (1969 canada, exciting hard rock with prog touches)

The origins of Nucleus lay in late- 60s Toronto combo The Lords Of London.  They were a popular live attraction and appeared at the Canadian National Exhibition in Toronto, which ran from 15th August to 2nd September 1967, alongside The Guess Who and Kensington Market, as well as US bands including Moby Grape. 

Though they'd had minor Canadian hits with Cornflakes And Ice Cream, The Popcorn Man and Candy Rainbow in 1967-68, a US breakthrough never came, and by September 1968 they were evolving into a different sort of act. Agnello was replaced by Bob Home, and - having changed their name to Nucleus and adopted a jazzier, more improvisational approach in daylong rehearsals - they recorded their sole LP for Chicago's Mainstream label, with all songs penned by Fitzpatrick. 

Musically it ranges from the deranged Jenny Wakes Up to the intense Communication. Issued as Mainstream S-6120 in April 1969 (its release having been briefly delayed by what Billboard described as 'a technical complication'), the album sold poorly, though it attracted considerable cult interest, with the single version of Communication receiving heavy underground airplay. 

On May 24th 1969 Billboard reported that 'Nucleus seem to be on the verge of breaking through internationally', but it wasn't to be. By 1970 the band was frustrated with their failure to make commercial headway, and though further 45s had appeared (Johnny Peace / Ernie's Gone and Wonder Girl / Help Me Find Some Peace), they split at the end of the year, with Taylor, Leggat and Home joining ex-Leather members Alex Machin and Paul Naumann to become A Foot In Coldwater.

Tracks
1. Jenny Wake Up  - 8:57
2. All About Me And The Spidery Bass  - 3:25
3. Judgment Day  - 6:24
4. Lost And Found  - 6:41
5. Share Your Color  - 2:59
6. Communication  - 10:57
All songs by Greg Fitzpatrick.

Nucleus
*Greg Fitzpatrick - Vocals, Keyboards, Bass
* Bob 'Tonto' Horne - Organ
* Hughie Leggat - Rhythm Guitar, Vocals
* John Richardson - Lead Guitar
* Danny Taylor - Drums

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Various Artists - Fading Yellow Vol.8 (1968-75 uk, hymns for today, timeless LP delights)

This limited-edition (1,000 copies) compilation brings together 21 U.K. pop-psych-folk rarities from 1968-1975. And you'd better believe some of these are really rare, especially when it gets down to something (John Pantry's "Long White Trail") taken from a 1972 soundtrack to a film about a team of sled dogs. 

A few of these artists have connections to much bigger names, and a few are recognizable names in their own right, like British folk legend Wizz Jones; Fleetwood Mac guitarist Danny Kirwan; Tony Hazzard, who wrote hits for Manfred Mann and the Hollies; and Andy Roberts of Plainsong/the Liverpool Scene. Overall, however, you wonder whether more than a dozen people worldwide have all of the original releases from which these were taken in their private collections. 

That's part of the utility of an anthology such as this, of course, for those who are pretty deeply interested in the genre but don't have the time or money to chase down all of these obscurities. Though pretty diverse as a whole, what these tracks share is a general simultaneous folky base and willingness to stretch outside usual folk-rock and singer/songwriter conventions of the era into something a bit stranger and freakier, without actually getting too freaky or electric. 

Certainly there are heavy echoes of some of the much bigger names exploring somewhat similar territory, like Donovan, Bert Jansch, Al Stewart, Nick Drake, or Sandy Denny; traces of major rock songwriters who sometimes approached the edges of whimsical folkiness, like Ray Davies or Roy Wood, can also be detected. If nothing here is as good as the finer work of those esteemed artists, usually these songs possess a quite engaging haunting and tremulous ambience, often embellishing reasonably melodic songs with interesting eccentric sounds, production touches, orchestration, and odd (if sometimes overly precious) lyrical viewpoints. 

The level of quality is high enough that there aren't many obvious high points, but certainly Nadia Cattouse's melancholy "All Around My Grandmother's Floor" will be heartily embraced by anyone who likes Vashti Bunyan or Bridget St. John; Trevor Billmuss' "Sunday Afternoon in Belgrave Square" will likewise appeal to those who love the most ornate early Donovan/Stewart arrangements; and Vigrass & Osborne's "Ballerina" is first-rate dreamy pop-folk-psych. 

While some collectors might object to the following observation, frankly, compilation CDs such as this make for much better listening than most of the original releases from which they're collated, as these intelligently culled highlights are far more consistently enjoyable and diverse than most single-artist LPs in this field. If you do want to track down more of the same on those original releases, the detailed liner notes give you a good starting point. 

by Richie Unterberger

Artists - Tracks
1. Harvey Andrews - England My England - 3:30
2. Jan And Lorraine - Bird Of Passage - 3:59
3. Raw - What To Do - 3:34
4. Michael Blount - Aeorn Street - 1:36
5. Danny Kirwan - Lovely Days - 2:31
6. Fuchsia - Me And My Kite - 2:37
7. P.C. Kent - After Dark - 2:40
8. Vigrass And Osborne - Ballerina - 3:45
9. Gothic Horizons - Thoughts - 2:52
10.Marc Brierley - Today I Feel Like Leaving You - 2:25
11.Storyteller - Alice Brown - 2:49
12.Andy Roberts - I've Seen The Movie - 5:44
13.Nadia Cattouse - All Around My Grandmother's Floor - 2:28
14.Jan And Lorraine - Snow Roses - 3:08
15.Evensong - The Smallest Man In The World - 3:33
16.Trevor Billmuss - Sunday Afternoon In Belgrave Square - 3:02
17.John Pantry - Long White Trail - 2:27.
18.Michael Blount - Ceaicles Micellaneous - 2:17
19.Alan James Eastwood - Hymns For Today - 4:27
20.Wizz Jones - One Grain Of Sand - 3:40
21.Tony Hazzard - Loudwater House - 4:41

Fading Yellow series..
1965-69 Vol.1 - Timeless Pop-Sike And Other Delights
1965-69 Fading Yellow Vol. 2 US Pop Sikes
1965-69 Fading Yellow - Vol. 3
1965-69 Fading Yellow - Vol. 4
1970-73 Fading Yellow - Vol. 5
1966-70 Fading Yellow - Vol. 6 
1968-72 Fading Yellow - Vol. 7

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Various Artists - Fading Yellow Vol.7 (1968-72 us, pop sike and other delights)

Fading Yellow Vol. 7 brings things back to these shores after a number of cds spent in the UK and I have to say that this is my favorite volume yet. It helps having some favorites of mine like The Gordian Knot, The Glitterhouse, The Peppermint Trolley Co., The New Wave, The Smoke, and Alzo. All of these are groups that put out albums that still remain unissued on cd (or in some cases obscure and expensive Japanese imports on cd - or internet bootleg cds)

All in all, I have to say that Fading Yellow Vol. 7 is my favorite of the bunch thanks to a sampling of obscure album tracks. The fact that this volume emphasizes bands that went so far as to make albums (rather than the 45s like many of the other groups compiled on previous Vols) ratchets the quality up on this volume.

Fading Yellow Vol. 7 starts out with The Eight Day's Building With A Steeple which is from an album co-produced and co-written by Ronnie Dante and arranged by Artie Butler in 1967 on Kapp. I'd always been curious to hear The Eight Day and they have that awesome sound that combines The Mamas and Papas vocals with a spiritual sound about going to church (sort of like in California Dreamin').

Del Shannon produced and co-wrote the wonder that is On The East Side by the pop teen idol Brian Hyland in 1970 on Uni which sounds a lot like Del Shannon's work from 1968's The Further Adventures of Charles Westover.

The Gordian Knot's Carraway Stream is a vastly under-rated piece of Beach Boys inspired pop with delicate harpsichord and Arbors' meets Simon and Garfunkel like harmonies from this album track. The group were featured on the album cover for their album Tones all tied up in rope. Somehow this group has been overlooked through the years. The Year Of The Sun by The Gordian Knot is also included here and is a gorgeus sun-soaked pop nugget with soaring flutes and harmony vocals.

Federal Duck's Peace In My Mind has a similar sound to that found on Freeborne's Peak Impressions album which has been reissued on the Distortions label. The group's name was derived from the Federal Duck Stamp Program which was enacted in 1934 by conservationist Jay "Ding" Darling and President Franklin D. Roosevelt. George Stavis (who also had an album on Vanguard) from Federal Duck later formed the Santa Cruz blue-grass rock jam band cicra 1970-73.

I wrote about the Glitterhouse extensively in my gullbuy Barbarella review. The liner notes here are misinformed stating that this group were probably a studio group for Bob Crewe. This Bob Crewe website has a lot of information (and a cd you can buy) which sets the record straight. Along with helping record the Barbarella soundtrack the boys in the Glitterhouse also released one lp (along with various singles under other names) with side one veering more towards the psychedelic arena of bands like Procol Harum or Quicksilver Messenger Service, with songs like Tinkerbell's Mind (the track included here) and its crazy psych lyrics

Tinkerbell's mind is a crazy machine at the best, and her headset's a flame, all the things her body loves the best...a pronounced organ and fuzz guitar sound, and harmony vocals galore.

The Peppermint Trolley Co.'s Pat's Song is one of the more mellow and introspective tracks from an excellent album riddled with some other goodies like their version of the Paul Williams/Roger Nichols Trust. This track reminds me of work on Paul Parrish's The Forest of My Mind album.

3's A Crowd album Christopher's Movie Matinee was produced by Mama Cass and Steve Barri for Dunhill in 1968. I Don/t Wanna Drive You Away has that Mamas and Papas styled harmony and cool Beatlesque strummed guitar lines.

Lee Michaels' My Friends is a druggy inspired pop nugget which was recorded for his A&M solo album Carnival of Life in 1968. This tune can also be found on the cd Best of Lee Michaels on One Way Records from 1997 which compiled tracks from his 6 A&M albums from 1968-72. This track (and the album it's from) was produced by Larry Marks (producer for Tape From California by Phil Ochs, American Dream by Emitt Rhodes, Cowboy in Sweden by Lee Hazlewood, Painted Dayglow Smile and Distant Shores by Chad & Jeremy, and work by the Flying Burrito Brothers and Dillard & Clark) features the excellent guitarist Hamilton W. Watt but is predominately filled with psyhedelic keyboard and eletric piano work. Sadly, Lee Michaels suffered from tinnitus so he left the music business and now lives in Hawaii.

Alzo released a handful of wonderful gems from the late 1960s and early 1970s including work with Jeff Barry as The Keepers of Light, as the singing duo Alzo & Udine and solo for Bell in the early 1970s. You/re Gone is a mystical tune from Alzo's solo album Looking For You which is all the more haunting since Alzo's passing in Feburary, 2004. Alzo had a knack for writing songs that seem to read your mind with a contemporary soul rhythm style that makes is melodies dance in your mind. He will be sorely missed by me. Vastly underated at the time and disenchanted with the music industry in the mid-1970s, Alzo disappeared before his rediscovery in recent years by a huge Japanese fanbase and the few faithful stateside.

The Cowsills were the real-life inspiration behind The Partridge Family, but their story has never really been told. It was awesome to see them sing the national anthem at a Red Sox playoff game this past fall and it remains a mystery of life why their work is still so hard to find. Mystery Of Life is from their On My Side album from 1971.

Produced by David Brigg's (the producer who worked with Neil Young on many albums, on Spirit's Twelve Dream of Dr. Sardonicus, as well as with Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds and Royal Trux before his death in 1995) for Bill Cosby's Tetragrammaton Records in 1968, Friday Morning Paper from Summerhill's sole lp is that mix of psychedelia and the Neil Young sound that I think Buffalo Springfield never really reached for but should have tried.

Bob Ray sounds just like Donovan on (Girl With The) Cameo Ring, a track taken from his Initiation of a Mystic which was released on Johnny River's Soul City label in 1969.

The New Wave were really a couple of kids named Tommy Andre and Reid King who released a wonderful bossa inspired folk rock album on the Canterbury label (the label that also put out the Yellow Balloon album) and Little Dream is one of the highlights from this album. Little is known about these two guys.

The North Wind Blew South is the title track from Philamore Lincoln's (from the UK) solo album released in the US on Epic in 1970 which featured a post Jeff Beck Yardbirds for backing. Not sure how much they appear on this soft Paul Simon inspired dreamer which wofts by in a orchestrated haze.

National Gallery's Diana In The Autumn Wind is from a concept album oddity called The Interpretions Of The Paintings Of Paul Klee. Featuring one female solo vocalist and some male vocalists. This oddity involved Charles Mangione who later recorded jazz versions of some of the tunes from this album on his own Diana In The Autumn Wind album. You can hear samplings from the National Gallery album (as well as see the sleeve art) at Frank's Vinyl Museum - it's farout and pretensious - sort of like a folk/psych version of Stereolab and it reminds me of the early 70s group Design.

The Smoke released an incredible Beatles' inspired album here in the US that was co-produced by Michael Lloyd and Kim Fowley. Similar to Michael Lloyd's other production for October Country, Gold Is The Colour Of Love is a Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds sound-a-like. It's a crime this awesome album is still not available on cd.
by Patrick  (Gullbuy)

 Artists - Tracks - Composer
1. The Eighth Day - Building With A Steeple (Gene Allan, Ron Dante) - 2:36
2. John Randolph Marr - Raggedy Ann - 2:27
3. Brian Hyland - On The East Side (Brian Hyland, Del Shannon) - 2:27
4. Gordian Knot - Carraway Stream - 2:49
5. Fargo - Talks We Used To Have - 2:29
6. Federal Duck - Peace In My Mind - 3:00
7. Glitterhouse - Tinkerbell's Mind - (Michael Gayle) - 4:42
8. The Peppermint Trolley Co. - Pat's Song - 2:26
9. 3's A Crowd - I Don't Wanna Drive You Away - 2:41
10.Lee Michaels - My Friends - 2:42
11.Richard Twice - If I Knew You Were The One - 4:45
12.Alzo - You're Gone - 2:40
13 Cherry People - Imagination - 1:56
14.Cowsills - Mystery Of Life - 3:55
15.Summerhill - Friday Morning's Paper - 2:35
16.Bob Ray - (Girl With The) Cameo Ring - 3:53
17.New Wave, The - Little Dreams - 2:30
18.Philamore Lincoln - The North Wind Blew South - 3:15
19.National Gallery - Diana In The Autumn Wind (Charles Mangione, Roger Karshner) - 2:43
20.Condello - The Other Side Of You - 4:17
21.The Smoke - Gold Is The Color Of Thoughts - 3:06
22.Gordian Knot, The - The Year Of The Sun - 3:03
23.Ellie Pop - Oh My Friend - 2:25
24.Bert Sommer - And When It's Over (Bert Sommer) - 3:10

Fading Yellow series..
1965-69 Vol.1 - Timeless Pop-Sike And Other Delights
1965-69 Fading Yellow Vol. 2 US Pop Sikes
1965-69 Fading Yellow - Vol. 3
1965-69 Fading Yellow - Vol. 4
1970-73 Fading Yellow - Vol. 5
1966-70 Fading Yellow - Vol. 6 

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Think Dog - Dog Days (1969-70 us, brilliant art progressive rock with jazz, blues and folk shades, Shadoks remaster)

In 1966, the whole world was drunk on the music of the Beatles and the social and cultural changes of the era. Students everywhere were dropping out of school and joining bands or becoming hippies or both. In that year, as a graduate student of music composition at the University of Illinois in Urbana, I, too, became infatuated with the notion of forming a rock and roll band. 

As a lifelong lover of chamber music, I believed then, as I still believe in the magic and power that can be summoned by a small group of fine musical minds working closely together over a period of years. I also believe that the optimum number of musicians in an ensemble is four. In my mind the Beatles were just another embodiment of the ideal represented in the model of the classical chamber music quartet - four creative souls working together to produce something immensely greater than the sum of its parts I theorized that the right combination of musicians, having deep classical background, appreciation for and experience with so-called "new music." and love for the best rock and popular music of the time, might create the chemistry necessary to produce music that was genuinely different and memorable. 

Whether that hope was naive is a moot question three decades later. The tale that follows is a greatly simplified and sanitized version of  the basic facts concerning the band finally known as Think Dog!, reconstructed to the best of my ability from memory. Some of the details, particularly regarding the sequence of events, and dates of the recording sessions, ma, be slightly jumbled. 

The band had problems throughout its existence - problems with getting enough money to live, problems with thieves stealing our means of living problems with playing well together, problems with keeping the personnel stable, problems with personality conflicts, problems with the draft, problems with drugs, problems with health, problems with our love lives - you name it. The environment we lived and worked in was not conducive to intelligent disciplined, artistic growth. 

That some took place despite it is a miracle For me the three-year history of Think Dog! is partly a story of personal failure. Suffice it to say that I bet the farm on this venture, as did at least one other member, but we were unable to make it work. Some of the blame can be put upon me, though by no means all of it. The times were hard. The year 1968 was one of the worst of the century for almost everyone. That I just happened to pick that inauspicious year to make a start in my professional life in New York City did not make it any easier. 

New York City, September 1968—Winter 1969

It was in this time frame that we changed our name from Time to Think Dog! We always had to explain that the name includes the exclamation point; it's an imperative. We struggled for months trying to create a good name. One night, while gathered at Richard's apartment, I told an anecdote about how a friend was told to write Spanish-flavored music by telling himself: "Think Spanish!" which everyone thought was hysterical. Later, for reasons I have long forgotten, someone asked: "How do you act like a dog?" I replied: "Think dog!" We thought it was funny and relevant at the time. The rest is history. 

A friend says that Think Dog! sounds like a dyslexic way of saying Thank God! While doing research for these notes I discovered on the Internet that there is now a book in print called Think Dog! - yes, with the exclamation point. Appropriately, the subject is dog training. I considered buying it just for the fun of having the title on my shelf. Something else we needed was a stronger guitarist. Richard did a fine job of learning his parts, but he was neither a rocker nor a soloist. 

It was the era of guitar bands; every group had to have a strong lead player, preferably an Eric Clapton or a Jimi Hendrix. We decided to look for a fifth person, though we did not know where we might find one. One afternoon I was working alone in the loft, when Ron Renninger, then an eighteen-year-old kid from the Bronx, walked in with his Fender Telecaster. We talked, and soon he took out his instrument and started to play. I was astonished by his spectacular talent. He wasn't just good—he was a genuine original, and he was available. I had him come back, and immediately told the others about him. 

After one session together, we invited him to join the band. We learned quickly that Ron was also a prolific songwriter, and an undisciplined but passionate singer. For the first time we started to sound like a real rock and roll band. Ron and I began playing as a duo at a small coffee house in the West Village where we would get up and do nothing but jam for a half hour or more at a time, and then pass a basket. Whatever customers saw fit to throw in would be our pay. Sometimes it barely covered subway, but it gave us a great opportunity to get to know each other's playing very well. I played mostly bass on those jobs, though I think I must have played some guitar, too.

by Lynn David Newton

Tracks
1. No Julia No - 2:29
2. Good Time Jimbo (Tom McFaul) - 2:32
3. Can't Begin To Be Happy (Ron Renninger) - 4:06
4. Very Natural - 2:28
5. For Peace (Tom McFaul) - 2:17
6. Sunday Brings Another Day (Tom McFaul) - 2:09
7. For A Dime Or So (Tom McFaul) - 1:01
8. Lovely Lady - 3:48
9. How Shall I Speak To You? - 2:30
10.Untitled - 3:18
11.We Waited For Nothing - 3:38
12.Maybe In December - 2:58
13.Let's Take It Home (Tom McFaul) - 3:09
14.The Perfect Believer - 4:30
15.I Wish I Could Cry For You - 3:56
16.Let The Sun Shine Through (Bonus Track) (Ron Renninger) - 3:44
17.Green Fields (Bonus Track) - 2:10
18.My Toy Soldiers (Bonus Track)  (Ron Renninger) - 2:45
19.I Wanna Be Free (Bonus Track) - 2:49
20.Tell Me A Story (Bonus Track) - 3:34
21.Sitting (Bonus Track)  (Bob Stuhler) - 1:49
All songs by Lynn David Newton except where indicated.

Musicians
*Tom McFaul - Lead Vocal, Wah-Wah Piano,  Organ, Guitar, Harpsichord
*Lynn David Newton – Guitar, Bass, Backup Vocal, Bass Trombone
*Richard Stanley - Guitar
*Bob Stuhler - Drums, Backup Vocal, Piano
*Ron Renninger - Lead Vocal, Guitar
*David Rosenboom - Drums, Chimes, Trumpet

Related Act
1968  Time - Before There Was

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The Organgrinders - Out Of The Egg (1968 us, bright psychedelic sunshine flower pop with experimental mood, 2008 Bull's Eye digi pack issue)

Up until this recording was completed, the Organgrinders were spending almost all the time in their hometown, Baltimore. But they came to the realization that if their message was to get to the people and that message is that there must be truth...honesty...peace -then they must meet as many people as possible.

So the Organgrinders have decided to become messengers, to travel the country in a brightly-painted 1954 Ford school bus, performing whenever and wherever possible. "We just want to offer our help the best we can in opening people's heads up to the truth.  Right now, what we know is to play music, so that's how we'll communicate - with our music”

A flower-pop quintet from Baltimore. Their to date unheralded album is a fine example of this genre. There are very few week cuts on it, but mostly bright and breezy pop with some delightful woodwind, like Shady Tree.  Most of the finer moments are the tracks: Halls Of Hours, New Day Holiday, Reach For The Sky and 8th Day In Heaven, although Smile For The Sun is also a gem.

Frank Eventoff had earlier been in The Seventh Sons. Nisan Eventoff, “With my four brothers, Richard, Franklin, Paul, and Maury, and with my parents, Joseph and Ethel Eventoff, we had a music and magic show.  We called ourselves The Seven Evens and our theme song was called The Magic Genie. We all studied at the Peabody Conservatory of Music and had scholarships". “I am the youngest, then Richard (he played stand up bass), Frank (woodwinds), Paul (drums) and Masiry (piano). Mom still plays piano at 93 years ofel. Dad played piano, violin, mandolin and danced. He passed away when I was 14”.

On The Organgrinders Nisan tells us, “Frank played woodwinds, flute, sax, and he also invented several instruments that were used. Frank and I did most of the lead vocals, however the whole band sang. Henry also sings Honey Bee on the album. After the Organ Grinders we formed a “gypsy rock” band called Romany. We sent demos out and Mercury was interested as were a few others including Decca. Maury, my oldest brother called Bob Reno who was head of A & R at Mercury and convinced him we were the next Beatles. They signed us and we ended up as opening act for many name groups. We played at colleges, clubs, arenas, Strawberry Fields Festival and did some T.V. and movie work. We stayed together for 15 years. At my moms 90th birthday, we all played together, it was great! Nowadays Nisan is a professional magician, balloon sculptor and musician.

Tracks
1. Halls of Hours - 3:33
2. New Day Holiday - 3:44
3. Freedom Song - 3:02
4. Pleasant Song - 2:22
5. Reach for the Sky - 2:37
6. New Beginning - 0:43
7. 8th Day in Heaven - 2:48
8. Smile for the Sun - 3:00
9. And I Know What Love Is - 2:00
10.Shady Tree - 2:36
11.Honey Bee - 2:37
12.William - 3:40
13.Kama Kazie Woman - 2:02

The Organgrinders
*Frank Eventoff - Woodwinds, Flute, Sax, Lead Vocals
*Nisan Eventoff - Lead Vocals, Guitar
*Richard Eventoff - Bass
*Paul Eventoff - Drums
*Masiry Eventoff - Piano

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Various Artists - Fading Yellow, Vol. 6 (1966-70 us / canada, another rich smorgasbord of timeless pop-sike and other delights)

Fading Yellow returns to the US (and Canada) for Volume 6 after visiting the UK for a couple of volumes (Fading Yellow Volume 4 Timeless UK Popsike & Other Delights and Fading Yellow Volume 5 - Gone Are The Days). Like the companion compilations, Volumes 2 and 3, Fading Yellow Volume 6 combines together some obscure 1960s sike-pop, and while this volume doesn't seem as consistent as the previous two, there's still plenty of obscure gems to keep us interested.

Things start out shaky with two tracks from Canada (The Five Shy's Try To Be Happy and The Unforscene's These Are The Words) which didn't do much for me.

It's not until the third track and Lynn Castle's pensive Rose Colored Corner where she gets help from Last Friday/s Fire that things get going. Lynn Castle was a songwriter who co-wrote (with Wayne Erwin) Teeny Tiny Gnome for The Monkees. This song as produced by Tommy Boyce & Bobby Hart was left off of The Monkees' second album, 1967's More of The Monkees and was not issued until The Monkees' Missing Links Vol. 1 came out in the 80s. Rose Colored Corner was her own release in 1966 on the LHI Records label along with a tune called The Lady Barber, both produced by Lee Hazlewood. This single is a lost hazy gem of femme fuzzed sike-pop.

Tucked away on the b-side of a Buddah 45, the Nebraska band The Smoke Ring give us Waiting for Love to Come My Way. Portait of My Love, the a-side was featured on the Buddah compilation lp Dial-A-Hit, while the subdued magic of Waiting for Love to Come My Way has wallowed in obscurity.

Hank Shifter's Saturday Noontime was a Jeff Barry production for his Steed label. It was amongst a bevy of sides Jeff Barry worked on all released on Steed inspired by Neil Diamond's success along with the likes of The Rich Kids (with Danny Belline), Keepers Of The Light (featuring Alzo Fronte), and even the Alzo & Udine album. Saturday Noontime typifies that great sound Jeff Barry was evoking from his artists.

The Scene's Scenes From Another World was released on a BT Puppy single and has recently appeared on Rev-Ola's Night Time Music: The BT Puppy Story, as well as Hen's Teeth Vol. 3 Catherine on the Wheel Psychedelia Memories Vs. the Great Ramses in His Egyptian Temple of Mysteries. This track has a group out of Montreal working with The Tokens on a whirling sike-pop number that has definitely earned its compilation rights.

Friends Of The Family's Can't Get Home has a really fresh harmony pop sound with sweet harpsichord orchestration and a really unique fuzz sound and rhythm thanks to it being a Joe Renzetti production (arranger on Bobby Hebb's Sunny, Jay and The Techniques' Apple-Peaches-Pumpkin Pie, The Intruders' Cowboys to Girls, and with Spanky & Our Gang and Tiny Tim). Friends Of The Family featured Ted Mundy of The Enfields and Get Hip has reissued both Friends Of The Family and The Enfields' music.

Bob Dileo recorded some interesting records under his own name and as The Giant Jellybean Copout. Here we hear Bob Dileo's Band in Boston which has a Mark Eric / Fifth Dimension / Jan & Dean kind of groove to it that is fantastic.

Geoffrey Stevens's Grape Jelly Love has a great Harold Battiste arrangement and a sound that reminds me of Paul Parrish's Forests of My Mind - too bad it was relegated to a b-side (to Geoffrey Stevens' Do That Again, not included here). The tune was a York Pala Production (Brian Stone & Charles Greene), the same company Cher recorded 60 songs for, who also worked with arranger Harold Battiste. Harold Battiste had moved to LA from New Orleans where he became musical director for the Sonny & Cher Show later in the 1970s.

Mark Radice was featured on a previous Fading Yellow (Vol. 3), but here is his true masterpiece, Three Cheers (For The Sadman). Mark's father was Gene Radice, the recording engineer who worked with the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Lovin' Spoonful, the Cowsills, Mamas and Papas, The Tokens and Vanilla Fudge) and Mark eventually ended up joining Aerosmith in the 1970s. Three Cheers (For The Sadman) was recorded and released in 1967 on Decca Records along with 10,000 Year Old Blues (which featured Steven Tyler then wit the last name Tallerico - who was 20 years old at the time) when Mark was only 10 years old. Three Cheers (For The Sadman) is a twee beauty with an orchestrated Brian Wilson feel to it.

Other New Yorkers tunes have appeared on the Northwest Battle of the Bands compilations, but here we hear the wonderfully cheerful Land of Ur which isn't nearly as hard rocking as this future Hudson Brothers group probably would like to be remembered. In fact, it's almost like a lost Kinks' tune.

The Whether Bureau's Why Can't You And I was the a-side to a Laurie 45 from 1968 that was arranged by Al Gorgoni and has a dancing melody line that veers in and out of the harmonies and broken rhythms.

The Highly Successful Young Rupert White by the Chocolate Tunnel was a Gary Paxton production which was later used by Eternity's Children on their tune Rupert White by simply adding new vocals to this backing track. This kind of thing happened a lot in the 1960s (like for instance the two versions of Me About You by Gary Lewis and the version by original songwriter Garry Bonner which both had the same music but different vocals too).

The Sunshine Trolley's Cover Me Baby is an obscurity featuring David Gates from Bread, music by Fred Karlin, and lyrics by Randy Newman from an obscure late 60s movie called Cover Me Babe (aka Run Shadow Run). This 45 version of the theme song came out on the Trump label in 1970 and it definitely has that sweet soundtrack vibe.

The Don Meehan Project featured actor Don Meehan who gives us My Silent Symphony which has an urgent sound like it so easily could've been a hit like the best of The Peppermint Rainbow.

The song Don't Take The Night Away was released by Pleasure featuring Billy Elder and it has this echoey lead vocal which reminds me of British 60s pop and a lovely piano and orchestated backing.

The Rainy Daze release Fe Fi Fo Fum (aka Blood Of Oblivion) was a release by the same group who released That Acapulco Gold (which later appeared on their Uni LP). The Rainy Daze were signed by Phil Spector to a management deal and Fe Fi Fo Fum sounds like it could've been a lost Monkees' track (and it was not featured on the Uni LP).

by Patrick, (Gull-buy)  December 28, 2004 

Artists - Tracks
1. Five Shy - Try to Be Happy - 2:26
2. Unforscene - These Are the Words - 1:57
3. Lynn Castle with Last Friday's Fire - Rose Colored Corner - 2:32
4. Smoke Ring - Waitin' for Love to Come My Way - 2:01
5. Hank Shifter - Saturday Noontime - 2:47
6. Tyme & a Half - Magic Island - 2:45
7. The Scene - Scenes - from Another World - 2:26
8. Friends of the Family - Can't Go Home - 2:37
9. Bob Dileo - Band in Boston - 2:57
10.Fargo - Sunny Day Blue - 2:32
11.Mid Day Rain - Friday Mourning - 2:29
12.Geoffrey Stevens - Grape Jelly Love - 2:35
13.Mark Radice - Three Cheers - for the Sad Man - 2:40
14.New Yorkers - Land of Ur - 2:23
15.Whether Bureau - Why Can't You and I - 2:17
16.Chocolate Tunnel - The Highly Successful Young Rupert White - 2:18
17.Carnival - Four Seasons - 2:41
18.Bill Soden - My Mermaid and Me - 2:29
19.Sunshine Trolley - Cover Me Babe - 3:10
20.Don Meehan Project - My Silent Symphony - 2:37
21.Click - Girl with a Mind - 2:57
22.Billy Elder - Don't Take the Night Away - 2:53
23.Rainy Daze - Fe Fi Fo Fum - 2:40
24.Stephen Hartley - Have You Seen Her - 2:27
25.Stephen Hartley - The Other Side - 2:25

Fading Yellow series..
1965-69 Vol.1 - Timeless Pop-Sike And Other Delights
1965-69 Fading Yellow Vol. 2 US Pop Sikes
1965-69 Fading Yellow - Vol. 3
1965-69 Fading Yellow - Vol. 4
1970-73 Fading Yellow - Vol. 5

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The Gestures - The Gestures (1964-65 us, splendid garage beat, roots 'n' roll, Sundazed release)

The Gestures were absorbed by the madness of the sixties just as they began having fun. The world teas falling apart when the energetic, brilliant youth of this fine group was just taking shape. Their music was infectious. Their live appearances a sight to behold. 

Their young drummer bad to stand in order to pump that big bass drum. Their music was inspired. And they were so young. The world passed them by on the way to Vietnam, assassinations, political treachery and Purple Haze, The world had no time far fun. The Gestures were fun. I smile just thinking about them.

by Lou Waters

The following newspaper editorial introduction, originally appeared in the Mankato Free Press, and best summarized the feelings of local Mankatoians toward their number one Musical acclamation - the Gestures: "Growing up teen in Mankato, Minnesota in the early 1960s gave us three indelible memories: Charlie Poliquin's ark, the flood, and the Gestures. 

Poliquin was the eccentric who beached a homemade houseboat on the riverbank near the Century Club and stocked up on notoriety, 25 cent tour fees and provisions for a float down the Mississippi River to the Gulf of New Orleans." 'The flood of 1965 got all the high school kids out of class to pass sandbags hand to hand in a real adventure - kids united against the elements - and in the 11th hour, the town was saved." 'The Gestures were the local Rock & Roll band that for a few shinning moments made us if not proud at least tolerant of being from Mankato. 

Minneapolis could keep the Trashmen, the Castaways, and the Underbeats... we had the Gestures and 'Run, Run, Run’.

by Tim DeMarce

Tracks
1. Hi-Heel Sneakers (T. Tucker) - 3:14
2. I'm Not Mad (D. Menten) - 2:35
3. Don't Ness Around (D. Menten) - 2:20
4. Run. Run Run (D. Menten) - 1:17
5. Things We Said Today (Lennon, McCartney) - 2:29
6. Can I Get A Witness (Holland, Dozier, Holland) - 2:58
7. Long Tall Texan (H. Strezlechi) - 2:32
8. Don't Let The Sun Catch You Crying (G.Marsden) - 3:21
9. It Seems To Me (D. Menten) - 2:29
10.She Cried (G. Richards, T. Daryll) - 2:17
11.When Does Linda Cry (D. Menten) - 2:19
12.Savage World (Instrumental) (D. Menten) - 2:52
13.Candlelight (D. Menten) - 2:25
14.Things We Said Today (alternate backing track) (Lennon, McCartney) - 2:32
15.I'm Not Nad  (alternate version) (D. Menten) - 2:18
16.Stand By Ne (D. Menten) - 3:21

The Gestures
*Dale Menten - Guitar, Vocals
*Gus Dewey - Guitar, Vocals
*Tom Klugherz - Bass
*Bruce Waterston - Drums

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