Damned if this isn’t the story that rock ’n’ roll dreams are almost made of. In 1973, Wilson, an unknown 26-year-old Indiana native, had a batch of songs he’d written and wanted to record. Being a Dylan fan, he decided to knock on the door of Bob Johnston, producer of several Dylan albums as well as seminal Leonard Cohen and Johnny Cash albums, and ask him to make a record.
Although having no idea who Wilson was, Johnston put common sense aside and asked Wilson to play one of his songs on the spot; that same evening, Bill Wilson was in Ray Stevens Sound Lab Studio in Nashville, and Johnston producing his first album! There with him was a selection of Johnston’s “go to” Nashville session players – Kenny Buttrey (drums), Charlie Daniels and Jerry Reed (guitars), Charlie McCoy (harmonica), Mac Gayden (slide), Pete Drake (pedal steel), singer Cissy Houston, and Bob Wilson on piano. It has the makings of a fairy tale of Disney proportions.
What is beyond argument is that Bill Wilson was an extraordinarily gifted songwriter and recording artist just waiting for the “big break.” Although recorded in Nashville, the 11 songs are more steeped in the influences of Austin’s outlaw country with a faint Southern tinge; there are echoes of Townes Van Zandt, Guy Clark, Mickey Newbury, and even Mike Nesmith’s 1st National Band (check out the exhilarating opener ‘Rainy Day Resolution’).
As is usual, the lyrics are about the themes that generally run through the genre – heartbreak, social commentary, tales of drifters and lost love (the abject pain in ‘Long Gone Lady’ is palpable). There’s even some country gospel thrown in for good measure, Cissy Houston harmonising gloriously on ‘Following My Lord’ and ‘Father Let Your Light Shine Down’. Gayden’s slide playing is sublime throughout, particularly on ‘Ballad Of Cody’ and ‘Pay Day Give Away’; neither would be out of place on an Allman Brothers album. All that’s needed is the “happily ever after” flashing neon and the fairy tale is complete.
Sadly, that never transpired. Wilson took his album to Columbia where it sank almost without trace; Wilson himself struggled to actually find a copy of his own album. As he somewhat prophetically sings in the title track: “another crazy dream had come undone.” Josh Rosenthal (Tompkins Square founder) stumbled across the album in a vinyl bargain bin at a San Francisco record fair in January and bought it for 25 cents, purely on the strength of the producer’s name.
When contacted by Rosenthal, Johnston recalled that he never saw or spoke with Wilson again after the recording session, but “the fucker could really write.” Bill Wilson died from a heart attack in 1993, aged 46, having made less than $100 from his record and never seeing its resurrection. Not all fairy tales have happy endings.
by Trevor J. Leeden
Tracks
1. Rainy Day Resolution - 3:33
2. Pay Day Give Away - 4:00
3. To Rebecca - 5:54
4. Black Cat Blues - 5:13
5. Father Let Your Light Shine Down - 2:58
6. Long Gone Lady - 3:33
7. Following My Lord - 4:13
8. Ballad Of Cody - 4:27
9. The Good Ship Society - 2:59
10.Ever Changing Minstrel - 3:06
11.Monday Morning Strangers - 3:50
Words and Music by Bill Wilson
A short lived British band strongly inspired by American rural southern rock bands. The album illustrates excellent examples of swamp and British rock backed up by nice electric guitar.
Coast Road Drive s brief glimpse of success transpired with Delicious and Refreshing released on Decca s progressive arm, Deram, in 1974. The band itself boasted an impressive cast of musicians most of whom had already enjoyed a varied musical career in the late Sixties revealing a depth of musical prowess that had come together from psychedelic acts such as Methuselah, Distant Jim, Ray Owen s Moon, Quintessence and Judas Jump. Delicious and Refreshing finally receives its deserved retrospective re issue with analytical liners detailing the band s brief existence and the musical pedigree behind it.
Tracks
1. Sail Away (L. Nicol, S. Chapman, S. Krieger) - 3:35
2. Coal Black Night - 4:38
3. It's All So Easy - 5:02
4. Take My Time - 3:20
5. Jason - 3:33
6. This Time Around (Cox) - 4:26
7. Hard To Handle (Charlie Harrison) - 3:13
8. If You Ain't Got The Key (Cox) - 4:25
9. Keep On (Les Nicol) - 3:13
10.Over The Mountain - 4:55
All songs by Steve Krieger except where stated
Coast Road Drive
Craig Austin - Vocals
Steve Chapman - Drums, Vocals
Charlie Harrison - Guitar, Bass, Vocals
Les Nicol - Guitar, Vocals
Steve Krieger - Guitar, Vocals With
Henry Lowther - Trumpet
Chris Mercer - Sax
Mick Weaver - Keyboards
Nicky Hopkins - Piano
Completing the two-fer reissues of the Sensational Alex Harvey Band's 1970s LP catalog, this final package brings together the band's final, dying breaths. Cut less than a year after "Delilah" finally broke the band into the U.K. pop mainstream, SAHB Stories is the strongest of the pair; indeed, at its greatest, it shines alongside the very best of the band's past. The closing "Dogs of War," is a bombastically overwrought examination of the mercenary mindset, while the twisted history of "Boston Tea Party" -- quite likely the only U.K. hit to mention George Washington's wooden teeth -- is set to a pounding tomahawk guitar riff, and an extraordinarily contagious chorus.
A positively spellbinding interpretation of Jerry Reed's "Amos Moses," meanwhile, drops the listener head first into the Louisiana bayou, hunting alligators and police chiefs alike. Rock Drill, on the other hand, was recorded almost two years later, with the band's career and momentum alike having been irreparably hamstrung first by Harvey's illness and "retirement"; then by the rise of punk rock, to file the group firmly into the box marked "has-beens." It was precisely the kind of challenge Harvey ordinarily relished, but he was tired and still unwell; the comeback came a few months too soon, and the songwriting came slowly. "Mrs Blackhouse," cut as a single during 1977.
The odd "Water Beastie," truly hinted at the deranged variety and complexity that had hallmarked past SAHB albums and it's revealing that, 25 years on, Harvey's Considering the Situation anthology considered that song alone worth excerpting from Rock Drill. In truth, the album is not quite that dispensable. But it does come close.
by Dave Thompson
Tracks
Disc 1 "Stories" 1976
1. Dance To Your Daddy (D. Batchelor, A. Cleminson, C. Glen, A. Harvey, H. McKenna) - 5:45
2. Amos Moses (Jerry Reed) - 5:18
3. Jungle Rub Out (D. Batchelor, A. Cleminson, C. Glen, A. Harvey, H. McKenna) - 4:27
4. Sirocco (Hugh McKenna) - 6:51
5. Boston Tea Party (Alistair Cleminson, Alex Harvey, Hugh McKenna) - 4:36
6. Sultan's Choice (Alistair Cleminson, Alex Harvey) - 4:06
7. $25 For A Massage (Alistair Cleminson, Chris Glen, Alex Harvey) - 3:18
8. Dogs Of War (Alistair Cleminson, Alex Harvey, Hugh McKenna) - 6:13
Disc 2 "Rock Drill" 1978
1. Rock Drill (Alex Harvey, Tommy Eyre) - 6:24
2. The Dolphins (A. Harvey, A. Zal Cleminson, C. Glen, H. McKenna) - 6:09
3. Rock 'N' Roll (Alex Harvey, Alistair Cleminson, Hugh McKenna) - 3:39
4. King Kong (Max Steiner) - 3:16
5. Booids (Traditional Arr. By A. Harvey, A. Cleminson, C. Glen, E. McKenna, T.Eyre) - 1:38
6. Who Murdered Sex? (A. Harvey, A. Cleminson, T. Eyre) - 5:17
7. Nightmare City (Alex Harvey) - 3:48
8. Water Beastie (Alex Harvey, Chris Glen, Hugh McKenna) - 4:51
9. Mrs. Blackhouse (Alex Harvey) - 3:36
The Sensational Alex Harvey Band
*Alex Harvey - Lead Vocals, Guitar
*Zal Cleminson - Guitar
*Chris Glen - Bass Guitar
*Hugh McKenna - Keyboards, Synthesizer
*Ted McKenna - Drums
Sometimes, albums become far more interesting because of their back story. Case in point: Agnes Strange. This heavy trio from Southampton, England, led by singer-guitarist John Westwood, somehow didn't make a splash on the early '70s boogie circuit despite their obvious similarities to beloved acts like the Groundhogs, Budgie and Status Quo.
Despite some heavy names in their corner, including management company DJM (led by Dick James, who had made a mint off the Beatles' publishing) and A&R folks at Pye Records, some bad luck and inexplicable business decisions led them off course. Foremost among these was a fundamental misunderstanding of the term "pub rock," which led Pye to release Strange Flavour on a one-off label called Birdsnest, which was affiliated with a chain of theme pubs of the same name, owned by the beer manufacturer Watney's.
The existing heavy rock audience at the time reacted much as straight-edge punks would if McDonald's and Sony BMG joined forced to release a hardcore album available only at fast food restaurants, and Strange Flavour disappeared without trace, as did Agnes Strange.Funny thing, though: it turns out that Strange Flavour is actually pretty good. Produced by Dave Travis, whose remarkably cheesy country albums from the '60s are much beloved by Anglo-kitsch collectors, and engineered by Colin Thurston, who was about a half decade away from his heyday as a name post-punk and new romantic producer, Strange Flavour is comfortably pitched between the old and the new, or at least the new iterations of the old.
"Clever Fool" is a basic bluesy shuffle that would sound right at home on one of Dave Edmunds' Rockpile-era albums, while "Motorway Rebel" is tailor-made for the Foghat crowd, with its faux bluesy riffage and a hackneyed opening line "Well, I been to New York City/You know I been to L.A." delivered in a voice that screams that its owner has never been further west than Liverpool. On side two, things get a lot spacier, culminating in the epic freak-out "Children of the Absurd," complete with Pink Floyd-style sonar guitar pings and rampant wah-wah abuse.
Westwood and his compatriots, bassist Alan Green and drummer Dave Rodwell, may not have been able to solidify a trademark Agnes Strange sound, but the "see if it works" variety and generally tasteful playing makes Strange Flavour an interesting listen for rock obscurantists and old boogie fans alike. This reissue features remastered sound, full liner notes of the whole odd story and four bonus tracks including the punchier 45 single mix of the anthemic opening track "Give Yourself a Chance."
by Stewart Mason
Tracks
1. Give Yourself A Chance (J. Westwood, A. Green) - 3:30
2. Clever Fool (J. Westwood) - 3:23
3. Travelling (J. Westwood) - 2:53
4. Alberta (D. Travis) - 5:44
5. Loved One (A. Green) - 6:00
6. Failure (D. Rodwell) - 5:19
7. Children Of The Absurd (D. Rodwell, A. Green, D. Barber) - 7:47
8. Odd Man Out (J. Westwood) - 3:53
9. Highway Blues (J. Westwood) - 5:31
10.Granny Don't Like Rock 'N' Roll (J. Westwood) - 5:21
11.Interference (D. Travis) - 1:44
12.Give Yourself A Chance (J. Westwood, A. Green) - 3:28
13.Motorway Rebel (J. Westwood) - 4:04
14.Strange Flavour (J. Westwood, A. Green, D. Rodwell) - 3:56
Track 12 Single Version
Tracks 13-14 Album Outtakes
Booker T. Jones exited Stax Records before it came to a complete crash and married singer Priscilla Coolidge, Rita's sister, and the two hooked-up musically as well. Great things were expected from this project. Jones led his namesake, Booker T. & the MG's, to some success at Stax. The four-pieces also served as the label's most prominent house band, and, in addition, Jones shared co-writer credit on some great songs. Coolidge, like her sister, sang with an abundance of soul. Rita recorded for A&M, and the label had issued a solo album on Priscilla, which originally came out on Sussex Records. Few people will tell you this is a bad album, cause it's not. The lovebirds are all over the place theme-wise -- love, social problems, ethnic issues, and other twists and spins on a multitude of subjects.
by Andrew Hamilton
Tracks
1. On The Road - 3:55
2. Let It Shine - 3:08
3. Gypsy King - 3:39
4. Come On Sweet - 2:59
5. Salty Haze 2:58
6. T My T - 2:07
7. Good Morning Freedom (Roger Cook, Roger Greenaway, Albert Hammond) - 4:02
8. Now The Children Remind You (Weiss, Unobsky) - 2:48
9. Long Rivers Flow (Ray Stinnett) - 3:18
10.Spring Rain (Ray Stinnett) - 2:26
11.Hummingbird (Leon Russell) - 6:00
All songs by Priscilla Coolidge except where stated.
Musicians
*Priscilla Coolidge - Vocals
*Booker T. Jones - Organ, Piano, Harmonica
*Joel Scott Hill - Guitar
*Herb Ellis - Guitar
*Ray Stinnett - Guitar
*Ray Brown - Bass
*Chris Ethridge - Bass
*Earl Palmer - Drums
*Jim Gordon - Drums
*Sam Watson - Drums
*Rita Coolidge - Vocals
*Donna Weiss - Vocals
Along with Bob Dylan's emergence came countless other folk-based "protest singers" in the early to mid-'60s, including Barry McGuire. Born in Oklahoma City during 1937, McGuire had relocated to New York City and joined up with folk revivalists the New Christy Minstrels by the early '60s.
He was anointed the band's lead singer and appeared on several albums and their first hit single, "Green, Green" (which was co-penned by McGuire). Soon after, however, McGuire caught the attention of both record producer Lou Adler and singer/songwriter P.F. Sloan, resulting in the guitarist/singer leaving the New Christy Minstrels and launching a solo career, signing on with Adler's Dunhill Records.
McGuire's solo debut, The Barry McGuire Album, was released in 1963, but it wasn't until two years later that McGuire scored a massive hit with the Sloan-penned track "Eve of Destruction," which topped the U.S. charts (peaking at number three in the U.K.) and was taken from his sophomore full-length, Barry McGuire Featuring Eve of Destruction.
McGuire became good friends with another Adler-guided outfit, the Mamas & the Papas (who mentioned him in some of their song lyrics), while further solo albums were issued, including This Precious Time and The World's Last Private Citizen, but none spawned any singles as successful as "Eve."
By the early '70s, McGuire had turned his back on folk music and he re-appeared as a Christian/gospel artist, signing on with the Myrrh label and issuing such standout albums as 1973's Seeds, 1975's Lighten Up, and a live recording, 1982's To the Bride, among countless others.
McGuire put his music career on hold and moved to New Zealand in the mid-'80s with his wife, where they remained until 1990, working with the poverty organization World Vision.
Upon his return, McGuire began issuing albums once more, including such titles as El Dorado, Let's Tend God's Earth, Adventures on Son Mountain, and Journey to Bible Times, before teaming up with another gospel singer/guitarist, Terry Talbot, to form an outfit called Talbot McGuire.
by Greg Prato
"The World's Last Private Citizen" album is Barry's 1967 release, and his final on the Dunhill label. The album contains many good tracks. The production is no longer the potentially annoying voice on one channel, music on the other. The songs are from a variety of songwriters, from Barry and an ex-New Christy minstrel, to members of Paul Revere and the Raiders. Highlights include, "Top of the Hill," "Cloudy Summer Afternoon" and the ultra cool "Grasshopper Song." Included is a song from the movie The President's Analyst, "Inner Manipulations." Barry's career is slowing down here. There are a few repeats from earlier albums, such as "This Precious Time," and "Hang on Sloopy."
"Barry McGuire and the Doctor" is Barry's final secular album, on the Ode label. For this album Barry teamed up with Eric Hord ("The Doctor"), as well as members of the Byrds (Chris Hillman, Michael Clarke), Flying Burrito Bros (Sneaky Pete Kleinow), Dillard and Clark (Byron Berline), and the Eagles (Bernie Leadon). The album has a very different feel to it than his earlier Dunhill material. The songs are longer and have a more bluegrass feel to them at times, which means they are quite good. This is perhaps his most critically acclaimed album he has ever made, although sales were weak. Highlights include "Too Much City" and "South of the Border" where drug references abound. Barry noted that he doesn't remember much about the album, except the mounds of cocaine he and others consumed while recording it. Barry would soon undergo a powerful change in his life.
Tracks
1. Top O' The Hill (M. Smith) - 2:22
2. Cloudy Summer Afternoon (T. Edmonson) - 2:55
3. Secret Saucer Man (P. Potash, B. McGuire) - 2:43
4. There's Nothin' Else On My Mind (E. Pistilli, P. Cashman) - 2:52
5. Walkin' My Cat Named Dog (N. Tanega) - 2:07
6. Hang On Sloopy (B. Russell, W. Farrell) - 4:02
7. Masters Of War (Bob Dylan) - 2:33
8. Inner-Manipulations (P. Potash, B. McGuire) - 3:40
9. The Grasshopper Song (D. Levin) - 3:18
10.This Precious Time (S. Barri, P.F. Sloan) - 2:48
11.Why Not Stop And Dig It While You Can (B. McGuire) - 2:16
12.Eve Of Destruction (P.F. Sloan) - 3:35
13.South Of The Border (B. McGuire, Riley Wildflower) - 5:45
14.Old Farm (Dr. Eric Hord, B. McGuire) - 5:33
15.Too Much City (Dr. Eric Hord, B. McGuire) - 8:50
16.Train (Dr. Eric Hord, B. McGuire) - 6:40
17.Electric Train (Dr. Eric Hord, B. McGuire) - 6:50
18.Meet Me At The Bottom (B. McGuire, Howlin' Wolf) - 6:06
19.Lollipop Train (Single Version) (S. Barri, P.F. Sloan) - 2:47
Toni Vescoli is a pioneering Swiss singer/songwriter/guitarist of the classic rock era who over the course of his long career performed a variety of styles, from English-language pop/rock to Dylanesque folk music. Born on July 18, 1942, in Zürich, Switzerland, Vescoli formed the trailblazing rock band Les Sauterelles in 1962. Comprised of Vescoli (rhythm guitar, lead vocals), Rolf Antener (lead guitar, vocals), Heinz Ernst (bass guitar, vocals), and Düde Dürst (drums, vocals), Les Sauterelles were sometimes referred to as the "Swiss Beatles" and recorded on Columbia Records during the mid-'60s.
The band's first hit was "Hong Kong" (1965), written by Vescoli; also in 1965, the band was featured on the compilation album Swiss Beat Live! alongside fellow Swiss bands the Counte and the Dynamite. Les Sauterelles released several singles during the latter half of the '60s, including the number one hit "Heavenly Club," and they released a couple albums, too. Vescoli broke up the band in 1970.
by Jason Birchmeier
When Les Sauterelles split, Toni Vescoli, decided to start a solo career. At first, inspired by Dylan, he thought of going strictly acoustic, but he soon changed his mind and started incorporating psychedelic and electric elements to his sound, such as feedback, primitive drum machines, guitars and vocals filtered through Leslie speakers etc., as he was also influenced by bands like Pink Floyd and King Crimson. He also incorporated to his repertoire some of the songs he had written for the never recorded Sauterelles concept album, “Seven Deadly Sins”.
In 1971, Toni released his debut solo album, “Information”. A folk-rock / psychedelic gem which reflected his influences at the time: folk, rock, psychedelia, progressive-rock, from fragile acoustic numbers to dark, wigged-out psychedelic tracks.
Tracks
1. Dying Land - 3:22
2. Idleness - 2:50
3. Happy Family - 1:13
4. Hatred And Love - 5:21
5. Information - 4:43
6. Beautiful Morning - 4:35
7. There's A Bird - 3:36
8. Hypocrites - 3:17
9. Intermezzo - 0:28
10.Do Hurry - 5:37
Words and Music by Toni Vescoli
*Toni Vescoli - Vocals, Guitars, Various Instruments
Although the Sensational Alex Harvey Band showed off plenty of sonic firepower on studio outings like Next and Tomorrow Belongs To Me, they were always at their most ferocious in the concert arena. As a result, Live is an especially rousing and engaging addition to the group's catalog. Since the set list is almost entirely composed of time-tested favorites, it also one of their most consistent albums. The album's contents are taken from a single night's performance at the Hammersmith Odeon, and this gives it a sonic coherence that other live albums rarely capture.
A totally committed performance from the band seals the album's appeal with its thrilling combination of heavy metal bombast and tight arrangements that carefully deploy keyboard shadings to flesh out the guitar-heavy sound. The proceedings start powerfully with "Faith Healer," an ominous rocker whose thunderous riffs take on a new level of muscle in the live arena. Other highlights include "Give My Compliments to the Chef," a sci-fi-influenced tale of societal breakdown that slowly but surely builds into a hard-rocking frenzy, and the group's cover of "Framed," which transforms the classic Leiber-Stoller tune into a twisted psychodrama where Harvey debates with the audience over his innocence.
However, the finest track on the album is a cover: the group's surprisingly subtle version of the Tom Jones hit "Delilah" tones down the original's fevered psychodrama to create a waltz-like tune with a tongue in cheek circus atmosphere. This track is also notable because it was released as a single and became one of the group's biggest hit singles in Europe. To sum up, Live is a double-triumph for the Sensational Alex Harvey Band because it functions both as a strong live souvenir for the group's fans and also as a solid introduction to the group's highlights for the novice.
Their 1976 "Penthouse Tapes" allowed the group to give full vent to this obsession: three of the tracks are band originals, but the rest are a series of covers that hit everything from Irving Berlin to the Osmonds to Alice Cooper. The highlight of the band originals is"Jungle Jenny," a gender-switched Tarzan tale that sets lyrics about a lusty white goddess who drives the apes mad over a tune that mixes glam rock guitar with tribal drums.
In terms of covers, the standout tracks include a moody mid-tempo take on Jethro Tull's "Love Story" and "Crazy Horses," which utilizes Harvey's larynx-shredding wail to bring out the apocalyptic overtones in this surprisingly hard-rocking Osmonds tune.The band also takes some surprisingly effective stabs at country rock with their boozy sing-along cover of "Gamblin' Bar Room Blues" and "Say You're Mine (Every Cowboy Song)," a Harvey original.
by Donald A. Guarisco
Tracks Disc 1 Live 1975
1. Fanfare (Justly, Skillfully, Magnanimously) (Derek Wadsworth) - 1:24
2. Faith Healer (Alex Harvey, Hugh McKenna) - 6:50
3. Tomahawk Kid (Alex Harvey, Hugh McKenna, David Batchelor) - 5:50
4. Vambo (Alex Harvey, Hugh McKenna) - 9:29
5. Give My Compliments To The Chef (Alex Harvey, Hugh McKenna, Alistair Cleminson) - 6:37
6. Delilah (Les Reed, Barry Mason) - 5:17
7. Framed (Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller) - 11:08
Disc 2 The Penthouse Tapes 1976
1. I Wanna Have You Back (Alex Harvey, Zal Cleminson, Chris Glen, Hugh McKenna, Ted McKenna) - 2:39
2. Jungle Jenny (Alex Harvey, Zal Cleminson, Chris Glen, Hugh McKenna, Ted McKenna, David Batchelor) - 3:59
3. Runaway (Del Shannon, Max Crook) - 2:44
4. Love Story (Ian Anderson) - 5:03
5. School's Out (Alice Cooper, Michael Bruce, Glen Buxton, Dennis Dunaway, Neal Smith) - 4:55
6. Goodnight Irene (Leadbelly, John A. Lomax) - 4:32
7. Say You're Mine (Every Cowboy Song) (Alex Harvey) - 3:21
8. Gamblin' Bar Room Blues (Jimmie Rodgers, Shelly Lee Alley) - 4:06
9. Crazy Horses (Alan Osmond, Wayne Osmond, Merrill Osmond) - 2:50
10.Cheek To Cheek (Irving Berlin) - 3:32
The Sensational Alex Harvey Band
*Alex Harvey - Lead Vocals
*Zal Cleminson - Guitars
*Chris Glen - Bass Guitar
*Hugh McKenna - Keyboards, Synthesizer
*Ted McKenna - Drums, Percussion
*B.J. Cole - Pedal Steel Guitar
Having learnt his craft on London's jazz scene at Lichfield Street's Cottage Club and later at (he Flamingo, Auger first scored hits in France but it wasn't until he teamed with Julie Driscoll in Julie Driscoll, Brian Auger and the Trinity that he made his name in the UK with two albums -1967's Open and 1969's Streetnoise - plus a Top 5 single, a lysergic rock reading of Bob Dylan's 'This Wheels On Fire'.
Having parted company with Driscoll after a disastrous US tour and feeling straitjacketed by the his trio. The Trinity, who had just seen 1970s Sefouralbum commercially flop, Auger decided to disband in the summer and take a break, "I went on holiday with my wife and our son Karma. When I came back there were calls waiting at the agency, musicians asking to work with me. Wanting to fry out tor the new band- Guitarist Jim Mullen was one of those guys. He was hired. Then we auditioned a few bassists and found Barry Dean and finally discovered Robbie Mclniosh playing in a casino in Nice in a band called the Piranhas. Later when Robbie left the Express to join the Average White Band, we went straight back to the casino and nabbed his replacement in the Piranhas' Steve Ferrone I don't think I was very welcome in the casino after that."
Their 1970 eponymous debut set their manifesto. "I wanted to wipe the slate clean but continue developing the idea of jazz rock. I heard 'In A Silent Way' by Miles Davis, he'd recorded it while we were doing Streetnoise (with Julie Driscolland the Trinity) and it gave me hope and direction. Here was my idol taking basslines from rock and combining them with /azz. I knew I was on the right path musically. I looked on the Oblivion Express as a school, a place where we could learn and experiment but because we were going against the musical tide I thought it was the quickest way to oblivion hence the name."
Recorded in London's Advision Studios over a twoweek period the album revealed a group keen to find their own identity. "I realised the key to this was writing my own material. I was listening to Eddie Ham's and Les McCann but my writing took me in a more rock direction There weren't that many musicians doing what we wanted to do so we basically/list explored. I also see myself primarily as a live player so I wanted to get in the studio and get it down in a couple of takes and get the best feel to it. I hoped to preserve some live-ness' about the album."
One artist who Auger did turn to for inspiration, however, was John Mclaughlin, whose 'Dragon Song' provides the album's opening cut. "John was an old friend of mine. When I was in New York in 1970 he asked me to drop by the studio and listen to the mix of his new LP. Devotion. I heard 'Dragon Song' and thought, wow! I'd like to try a version of that and that was one of the first things we went into the studio to cut ourselves."
A tumultuous onrush of progressive rock it introduced the Express at their heaviest with an exhilarating fusillade of melodramatic, gothic organ stabs, fills and runs, revealing Auger at his most accomplished to date. Self penned cuts: 'The Sword', 'The Light' and the title cut meanwhile looked more to Miles Davis for their spirit.
"I was aware that Miles' LPs were incredibly diverse, he went from one thing to something totally different each time out. you can see the progression of the artist growing in his work. As I had a free reign and my artistic development in my own hands I decided this was the time to explore. The debut really shows this, with me being the main writer. By its follow up A Better Land I was taking a more soft approach. I began to write a lot with Jim Mullen."
'The Light', propelled by Barry Dean's driving bassline provided a platform for Auger's vocal and Hammond organ prowess, mixing pulsating rhythms with euphoric, uplifting lyricism, while 'On The Road' delivers a note perfect blueprint for fusion. 'The Sword', as its title suggests is a vitriolic slice of heavy Hammond rock and the blazing title cut is piloted by raging guitars and Auger's gravelthroated vocal. While Auger was immensely pleased with his statement, the music press weren't.
Sadly both Oblivion Express and its follow up. 1971's A Better Land while securing the group a strong fanbase both in the UK and the US, were slated. "We took a real shellacking by the press. They hated me. If you weren't making prog rock like ELP. Yes and Genesis at the time you were seen as a has been."
Auger, however, was anything but. His third LP, Second Wind (which featured singer Alex Ligertwood) charted in the US and by 1973 the Oblivion Express1 future was cemented. Their fourth album, Closer Jo It appeared simultaneously on the US Billboard rock, jazz and R'n'B charts.
by Lois Wilson, MOJO magazine
(Thanks to Jon Harrington and Brian Auger)
Tracks
1. Dragon Song (McLaughlin) - 4:27
2. Total Eclipse (Ball) - 11:35
3. The Light (Auger) - 4:24
4. On The Road (Mullen, Auger) - 5:26
5. The Sword (Auger) - 6:35
6. Oblivion Express (Auger) - 7:51
7. Dragon Song(Live, Reutling, Germany, Feb 1972) (McLaughlin) - 5:32
The Oblivion Express
*Brian Auger- Lead Vocals, Keyboards
*Jim Mullen - Guitar, Vocals
*Barry Dean - Bass, Vocals
*Robbie McIntosh - Drums
After releasing three classic garage blue-eyed soul records, the Rascals felt a need to expand their sound, become a bit more ornate, and take in the influence of psychedelia. In early 1968 they released Once Upon A Dream, a vague concept lp inspired by recent albums Pet Sounds and Sgt. Pepper’s. The concept is a bit unclear to me but I believe each track is supposed to represent a different dream. The group’s vocal arrangements were some of their most ambitious to date and where the previous three albums had been excellent collections of album tracks and singles, Once Upon A Dream hangs together quite well as an album – a finished product if you will.
Once Upon A Dream opens up with a fairly well known track, Easy Rollin’. Easy Rollin’ is one of the mini classics on this album and stands out from previous Rascal outings in that it’s more roots influenced with edgy acoustic guitars, harmonica, and B-3. The production on this song is remarkable: one can hear birds chirping in the background and the band itself seems to have more space and breathing room. Other tracks like the dreamy Silly Girl and zany Rainy Day are psychedelic pop songs that have strings and horns in the mix.
These sweet, confectionery treats give way to harder edged psych rockers Please Love Me and It’s Wonderful. Please Love Me harks back to the band’s mid 60s garage soul period but has wonderful flute and swirling fuzz guitar effects. Other great songs are the soul-blues of Singin’ The Blues Too Long which has a clear Ray Charles influence, and the great, overlooked blue-eyed soul classic, My World. My World is notable for including female backup singers as well as the Rascals’ own excellent vocal arrangement.
The Rascals would release other good albums after Once Upon A Dream but few pop records from the time are as instantly memorable and sophisticated as this. At the time, the album’s production and sound were considered a triumph. This is a true classic and should be part of any serious rock n roll collection.
by Jason Nardelli
Tracks
1. Intro: Easy Rollin' – 3:14
2. Rainy Day – 3:39
3. Please Love Me – 2:03
4. Sound Effect / It's Wonderful – 3:24
5. I'm Gonna Love You (Gene Cornish) – 2:33
6. Dave & Eddie / My Hawaii – 4:13
7. My World – 2:54
8. Silly Girl – 2:42
9. Singin' The Blues Too Long – 5:10
10.Bells / Sattva – 4:23
11.(Finale): Once Upon A Dream – 3:53
12.Intro: Easy Rollin' – 3:14
13.Rainy Day – 3:39
14.Please Love Me – 2:03
15.Sound Effect / It's Wonderful – 3:24
16.I'm Gonna Love You (Gene Cornish) – 2:33
17.Dave & Eddie / My Hawaii – 4:13
18.My World – 2:54
19.Silly Girl – 2:42
20.Singin' The Blues Too Long – 5:10
21.Bells / Sattva – 4:23
22.(Finale): Once Upon A Dream – 3:53
All songs by Felix Cavaliere, Eddie Brigati except where noted.
Tracks 1-11 Stereo, Tracks 12-22 Mono.
In 1975 Argent made his most progressive and balanced album entitled "Circus". The Hammond organ (omnipresent on earlier records) has almost disappeared in favour of the electric piano (Fender Rhodes and Hohner), Mellotron, Grand piano and the famous Moog synthesizer.
The album shows great sense of dynamics and splendid shifting moods: lush symphonic in "Circus" (swirling piano and flowing, a bit fiery electric guitar) and "Highwire" (great guitarsolo, culminating in a duel with Rod's Moog), slow and dreamy in "Clown" and "Shine On Sunshine" and fluent and powerful in the swinging "The Trapeze" (great skills on the Fender Rhodes piano) and "The Jester" (biting guitar and a funny piece of boogie woogie piano). Despite good critics the sales were poor but nowadays this fine album deserves renewed attention.
by Erik Neuteboom
Tracks
1. Circus - 3:45
2. Highwire - 9:05
3. Clown - 5:50
4. Trapeze (Jim Rodford) - 8:48
5. Shine On Sunshine - 4:02
6. The Ring - 1:20
7. The Jester - 3:35
All compositions by Rod Argent except where noted
Frankie Miller made his name on the English pub rock circuit of the early '70s, and spent around a decade and a half cutting albums of traditional R'n'B, rock 'n' roll, and country-rock. In addition to his recorded legacy as an avatar of American roots music, his original material was covered by artists from the worlds of rock, blues, and country, from Bob Seger and Bonnie Tyler to Lou Ann Barton and the Bellamy Brothers. And Miller himself scored a surprise U.K. Top Ten smash in 1978 with "Darlin'," giving his likable, soulful style the popular airing many fans felt it deserved all along.
Frankie Miller was born November 2, 1949, in Glasgow, Scotland; he began singing with local bands beginning in 1967, in a style influenced by American soul singers like Sam Cooke, Ray Charles, and Otis Redding. After a few years, he moved to the more fertile music scene in London, where he soon met ex-Procol Harum guitarist Robin Trower in the summer of 1971. Impressed with Miller's talents as a raw soul belter in the vein of a Rod Stewart or Joe Cocker, Trower offered him a job as lead vocalist of his new band Jude. It wasn't to be Miller's big break, though; internal conflicts split the group apart by the following year, and Miller returned to the London pub rock circuit.
During 1972, he made frequent appearances at the Tally Ho in Kentish Town, often sitting in with Brinsley Schwarz, and signed a solo record deal with Chrysalis. Using the Brinsleys as a backing band, Miller recorded his debut album, "Once in a Blue Moon". That alone is reason enough to own this record. Add to that a nice batch of songs (mostly originals) and you have an enjoyable album.
by Steve Huey
Tracks
1. You Dont Need To Laugh (To Be Happy) - 3:32
2. I Can't Change It - 3:11
3. Candlelight Sonata In F Major - 2:35
4. Ann Eliza Jane - 3:05
5. It's All Over - 2:39
6. In No Resistance - 3:02
7. After All (I Live My Life) (J.Doris, Frankie Miller) - 3:43
8. Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues (Bob Dylan) - 4:04
9. Mail Box - 3:15
10.I'm Ready (Willie Dixon) - 3:10
All compositions by Frankie Miller except where stated
Combining the Sensational Alex Harvey Band's third and fourth albums, The Impossible Dream and Tomorrow Belongs To Me, offers perhaps the archetypal vision of Alex Harvey, as his long-nurtured alter-ego, the comic book hero Vambo, finally burst out of imagination to take on a life of his own on stages across the world. Yet what would become the group's most successful albums also stand as their patchiest.
From The Impossible Dream, "River Of Love," "Long Hair Music," and "Weights Made Of Lead" seem particularly throwaway; casualties, perhaps, of the sheer volume of live work which the band was putting in. Certainly there was nothing to rival its predecessors' "Faith Healer," "Next," or "Isabel Goudie," although when the album was good, it was great. The sparkling "Sergeant Fury" and "Tomahawk Kid," a dramatic (if slightly off-kilter) tribute to Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island were already live staples, while the impossibly moving, and so aptly-titled "Anthem" would allow Harvey to live out all his Scottish pride -- when SAHB toured the US in early 1975, he even arranged for a couple of bagpipers to join them on stage for the closing minutes of the song.
Tomorrow Belongs To Me is weaker still, despite the uniform excellence of its contents onstage. Indeed, like Impossible Dream's "Hot City Symphony," the epic "Give My Compliments To The Chef" and "Tale Of The Giant Stone-Eater" were surely designed with live, as opposed to studio, dynamics in mind, while the bulk of the shorter pieces once more tend to be throwaways. Again, however, there are exceptions -- one can readily imagine "Sgt. Fury" swaggering carelessly down through menacing shadows of "Action Strasse," while the almost religious intensity with which Harvey emotes the title track (from the stage show Cabaret) is virtually worth the price of admission alone.
One can also safely say that, linked on one CD, the two albums work better as a whole than they ever did alone -- again, testament to the sheer dynamic of SAHB-period live shows. That the best of that show is preserved only on the criminally short album Live on the Test only adds to this set's vitality. Live on the Test showcases the best, but you should hear the rest.
by Dave Thompson
Tracks
Disc 1 The Impossible Dream 1974
1. Hot City Symphony Part 1: Vambo (A. Harvey, H. McKenna, Z. Cleminson) - 5:03
2. Hot City Symphony Part 2: Man In The Jar (A. Harvey, H. McKenna, D.Batchelor) - 8:17
3. River Of Love (A. Harvey, H. McKenna, Z. Cleminson) - 3:11
4. Long Hair Music (A. Harvey, H. McKenna, Z. Cleminson) - 4:36
5. Hey (A. Harvey, H. McKenna, D.Batchelor) - 0:38
6. Sergeant Fury (A. Harvey, H. McKenna, D.Batchelor) - 3:28
9. Tomahawk Kid (A. Harvey, H. McKenna, D.Batchelor) - 4:34
10.Anthem (A. Harvey, H. McKenna, D.Batchelor) - 7:45
Disc 2 Tomorrow Belongs to Me 1975
1. Action Strasse (A. Harvey, H. McKenna, Z. Cleminson) - 3:16
2. Snake Bite (A. Harvey) - 3:55
3. Soul In Chains (A. Harvey, H. McKenna, Z. Cleminson, D.Batchelor) - 3:54
4. The Tale Of The Giant Stoneater (A. Harvey, H. McKenna) - 7:20
5. Ribs And Balls (A. Harvey, G. Glen) - 1:53
6. Give My Compliments To The Chef (A. Harvey, H. McKenna, Z. Cleminson) - 5:32
7. Shark's Teeth (A. Harvey, Z. Cleminson) - 4:54
8. Shake That Thing (A. Harvey) - 4:05
9. Tomorrow Belongs To Me (Fred Ebb, John Kander) - 3:47
10.To Be Continued...(Hail Vibrania!) (A. Harvey, Z. Cleminson) - 0:56
The Sensational Alex Harvey Band
*Alex Harvey - Lead Vocals, Rhythm Guitar
*Zal Cleminson - Guitar
*Chris Glen - Bass Guitar
*Hugh McKenna - Keyboards, Synthesizer
*Ted McKenna - Drums With
*Vicky Silva - Vocals
*Barry St. John, Liza Strike, Vicki Brown – Backing Vocals
Whether it was creative fervor or contractual obligation, Jesse Colin Young was back with a new album only six months after his commercial and artistic breakthrough with Song for Juli, and though the album featured more original songs, Young seemed to be stretching for material, turning the three tunes on side one into a "California Suite" with lots of jazzy instrumental work. Many of Young's backup musicians -- notably drummer Jeffrey Myer, keyboardist Scott Lawrence and reed player Jim Rothermel -- had been with him for a while now and were playing like a tight band.
Some of the songs were little more than weather reports ("Grey Day") or travelogues ("Barbados"), and when Young did have a message to convey, as in the title song (repeated from the Youngbloods' Good and Dusty album), he could come off as preachy, but the music was so delightful that none of that mattered much. Fans made it Young's highest-charting album yet, and it ranks with Song for Juli as his biggest seller.
by William Ruhlmann
Tracks
1. California Child - 2:23
2. Grey Day - 11:19
3. Light Shine - 5:25
4. Pretty And The Fair - 2:37
5. Barbardos - 2:58
6. Motorcycle Blues - 2:40
7. The Cuckoo (Traditional) 6:53
8. Susan - 4:21
All songs by Jesse Colin Young except where indicated
Musicians
*Jesse Colin Young - Vocals Guitar
*Jeffrey Myer - Drums, Congas, Percussion
*Scott Lawrence - Piano, Keyboards, Harmonies
*Kelly Bryan, Bass
*Jim Rothermel - Alto, Soprano Sax, Flute, Clarinet, Recorder, Harmonica
*Ozzie Ahlers - Electric Piano
*Marty David - Bass
*Jerry Corbitt, Suzi Young - Harmonies
Though Paul Revere and the Raiders was a quintessentially American band, it’s the Australian label Raven Records that’s bringing the first Raiders-related release of 2013. The group’s first five Columbia Records albums, originally released between 1965 and 1967, are being compiled on two discs as Evolution to Revolution: 5 Classic Albums 1965-1967. Available on March 12, Evolution contains the entirety of Here They Come! (1965), Just like Us! (1965), Midnight Ride (1966), The Spirit of ‘67 (1966) and Revolution! (1967).
Led by Paul Revere (born Paul Revere Dick) on piano and organ, and Mark Lindsay on vocals and saxophone, The Raiders were doubtless one of the most successful bands to come out of the fertile Pacific Northwest music scene. It was a bumpy start; the group first rose to prominence in 1963 on the strength of their rendition of Richard Berry’s controversial rocker “Louie, Louie.” But The Kingsmen got to it around the same time, recording it in the very same Portland, Oregon studio as Revere’s band. It’s lost to time as to which version was released first, but one fact is clear:
The Kingsmen’s version reached No. 2 on the charts, while The Raiders’ version stalled at No. 103. You can’t keep a good band down, though, and 1965’s “Steppin’ Out,” co-written by Revere and Lindsay and produced by Terry Melcher, set the wheels in motion for the group’s biggest successes. The Raiders were selected by Dick Clark to appear on his ABC after-school program, Where the Action Is!, bringing to television as well as records their blend of proto-punk garage rock, strong R&B roots, and irresistible pop sensibility.
The band – also including Phil “Fang” Volk, Mike “Smitty” Smith and Drake Levin in its heyday - memorably defied the British invasion, going so far as to make Revolutionary War costumes (inspired by Revere’s name, natch) their eye-catching attire. After “Steppin’ Out” (included on 1965’s sophomore Columbia album Just Like Us!) and its No. 65 chart placement, the hits just kept on coming for Paul, Mark and the band. “Just Like Me” topped its predecessor at No. 11, with a prominent organ part keeping the band true to its garage sound.
Much as he helped foment the folk-rock sound with The Byrds, producer Terry Melcher surely deserves much of the credit for shaping the sonic signature of Paul Revere and the Raiders, although he never boxed them into one style. Brill Building mainstays Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil were tapped, and delivered to the Raiders their most enduring hit: 1966’s No. 4 single “Kicks,” inspired by their real-life observation of a friend in thrall to drugs. “Kicks” was included on 1966’s Midnight Ride (spread across both discs of the new Raven set due to CD time constraints) along with another signature song, Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart’s snarling “I’m Not Your Steppin’ Stone.” The Monkees had the hit version just a few months after the release of Midnight Ride, but The Raiders had the original.
The band again turned to Mann and Weil’s songbook for “Hungry” (No. 6), which appeared on The Spirit of ’67 (actually released in November 1966) but sax-playing frontman Mark Lindsay was blossoming as a songwriter in his own right. “Good Thing,” co-written with their producer Terry Melcher, was another Top 5 smash for Paul Revere and the Raiders from the same Spirit album, with a dreamy (Beach Boys-inspired?) harmony interlude and an overall more sophisticated sound. Lindsay and Melcher’s “Him or Me – What’s It Gonna Be?” (No. 5) from 1967’s Revolution! even added a country flavor to the guitar-heavy framework.
Though Revolution! is the final album contained in the new Raven set, it was far from the end of Paul Revere and the Raiders. Personnel changes ensued, and the band name was eventually shortened simply to The Raiders. More albums followed for Columbia through 1972, including one pair already collected on CD as a two-fer from Raven in 2009, 1970’s Collage and 1971’s Indian Reservation, and label swansong Country Wine (1972, reissued by Raven in 2011). “Indian Reservation” became one of the group’s most enduring songs, climbing all the way to No. 1.
Raven promises a 12-page booklet with new liner notes for Evolution to Revolution. All of these albums have appeared on CD in the past, though some are particularly difficult to find and rather expensive secondhand (especially Midnight Ride and Revolution!). Though none of the bonus tracks from previous editions have been carried over, Raven’s new set is an affordable way to obtain these out-of-print albums on CD.
by Joe Marchese
Tracks
Disc 1
Here They Come! 1965
1. You Can't Sit Down (Clark, Mann, Muldrow) - 4:05
2. Money (That's What I Want) - (J.Bradford, B. Gordyjr.) - 3:15
3. Louie, Louie (Richard Berry) - 2:51
4. Do You Love Me (Berry Gordyjr.) - 3:53
5. Big Boy Pete (D. Harris, D. Terry Jr) - 2:42
6. Oo Poo Pah Doo (Jesse Hill) - 3:11
7. Sometimes (Gene Thomasson) - 2:44
8. Gone (B Johnson, T. Melcher) - 1:48
9. These Are Bad Times (For Me And My Baby) (S. Barri, P F. Sloan) - 2:55
10.Fever (E.Cooley, J. Davenport) - 2:53
11.Time Is On My Side (N. Meade, J. Ragovoy) - 2:39
12.A Kiss To Remember You By (Lindsay, Revere) - 2:16
21.(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction (M. Jagger, K. Richards) - 3:18
22.I'm Crying (E. Burdon, A. Price) - 3:05
23.New Orleans (F. Guida, J. Royster) - 2:57
24.Action (T. Boyce, S. Venet) - 1:28
Midnight Ride 1966
25.Kicks (Mann, Weil) - 2:28
26.There's Always Tomorrow (Levin, Smith) - 2:39
27.Little Girl In The 4th Row (Lindsay, Revere) - 2:58
28.Ballad Of A Useless Man (Levin) - 2:08
Disc 2 Midnight Ride 1966
1. (I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone (Boyce, Hart) - 2:31
2. There She Goes (Lindsay, Revere) - 1:47
3. All I Really Need Is You (Lindsay, Revere) - 3:27
4. Get It On (Levin, Volk) - 3:12
5. Louie, Go Home (Lindsay, Revere) - 2:41
6. Take A Look At Yourself (Lindsay, Revere) - 1:48
7. Melody For An Unknown Girl (Lindsay, Revere) - 1:59
The Spirit of ’67 1967
8. Good Thing (M. Lindsay, T. Melcher) - 3:04
9. All About Her (R. Gerhardt, M. Lindsay, T. Melcher) - 3:01
10.In My Community (P. Volk) - 2:10
11.Louise (L. Kincaid) - 2:09
12.Why? Why? Why? (Is It So Hard) (P. Volk) - 2:57
13.Oh! To Be A Man (M. Lindsay, P. Revere) - 3:04
14.Hungry (B. Mann, C. Weill) - 2:57
15.Undecided Man (P. Revere, M. Lindsay) - 1:49
16.Our Candidate (M. Smith) - 2:52
17.1001 Arabian Nights (M. Lindsay, T. Mercher) - 4:26
18.The Great Airplane Strike (P. Revere, T. Melcher, M. Lindsay) - 3:10
Revolution! 1967
19.Him or Me (What's It Gonna Be?) (M. Lindsay, T. Melcher) - 2:50
20.Reno (M. Lindsay, T. Melcher) - 2:24
21.Upon Your Leaving (M. Lindsay, T. Melcher) - 3:12
22.Mo'reen (M. Lindsay, T. Melcher) - 2:30
23.Wanting You (M. Lindsay, T. Melcher) - 2:52
24.Gone - Movin' On (M. Lindsay, T. Melcher) - 2:34
25.I Had a Dream (Isaac Hayes, Lindsay, Melcher, David Porter) - 2:20
26.Tighter (M. Lindsay, T. Melcher) - 1:59
27.Make It With Me (M. Lindsay, T. Melcher) - 3:07
28.Ain't Nobody Who Can Do It Like Leslie Can (M. Lindsay, T. Melcher) - 2:19
29.I Hear a Voice (M. Lindsay, T. Melcher) - 2:49
The Raiders
*Drake Levin - Lead Guitar, Vocals
*Mark Lindsay - Lead Vocals, Saxophone
*Paul Revere - Organ, Vocals
*Mike "Smitty" Smith - Drums, Vocals
*Phil "Fang" Volk - Bass Guitar, Vocals
*Jim "Harpo" Valley - Guitar
