Plain and Fancy

1970 Atomic Rooster - Atomic Rooster (2016 Japan Mini LP SHM remaster)

Tuesday, December 2, 2025

Spirit - Salvation... The Spirit Of '74 (1974-75 us stunning hard psych, 2007 three disc release)

Any acquisition of live recordings from the late 'sixties and/or early 'seventies is fraught with danger as you never really know what the quality is going to be like. But as it turned out, there was no need for me to be apprehensive about this collection. The two live CD's offer excellent sound which is quite acceptable played in the car. Sometimes with these type of "newly discovered" tapes the only way you can listen is on a good domestic sound system cranked up to 11, close your eyes and pretend you were there. In fact I certainly wish I had been at Ebbetts Field Denver or the Agora Ballroom in Cleveland when these gigs happened in '74 & '75.

Spirit were down to a trio by this time but that trio did consist of three original members - Mark Andes, Ed Cassidy and of course Randy California. These three guys go back a ways and they know intuitively what each other is going to do. The playing is quite simply sublime with a plenty of invention from all three. Andes and Cassidy do a lot more than just keep the beat behind Randy's solos and special effects. The spirit of the west coast circa '67 is very much in evidence in the feel of the music, and yes they do play a lovely version of "Fresh Garbage" from that classic first album. This one clocks in at just over 4 minutes - longer than the original studio version but well short of the extended rendition on "Live from the Time Coast" - still great though. However, if its improvisation you're looking for we are treated to 9 minutes of "Like a Rolling Stone" and over 13 minutes of "All Along the Watchtower". There are also some fine Randy California originals I'd never heard before and a few covers - "Satisfaction", "Happy" and "On the Road Again" - I'd never heard them play either. The way they do the intro to Canned Heat's "On the Road Again" you'd swear they were going to break into the Norman Greenbaum number 1 hit "Spirit in the Sky". They'd probably have done a killer version of that as well come to think of it.

The third CD is all studio material and in effect fills in a gap of several years during which we had no official releases from Randy California prior to "Spirit of '76". We are treated to all of 25 tracks on this CD and most of them are simply beautiful regardless of whether they're uptempo or more laid back. Randy California was going through a distinctly spiritual phase and that is reflected in the music and lyrics. Several tracks are predominately acoustic but there is tasteful and creative use of special effects and a couple of whimsical dialogues featuring a conversation with a "visitor" from the planet Neptune, and an interview with a bogus Indian guru which segues into one of the best cuts on the CD entitled "Holy Man".

Some Spirit purists may argue that Randy's vocals aren't up to Jay Ferguson's standard, or that they miss John Locke's keyboards. That may be true, but their absence certainly does allow for more of California's wondrous guitar work (both electric and acoustic) so that's okay by me. In fact if you play this and then slip on an album by Jo Jo Gunne it will be all too clear why Ferguson and California were no longer interested in working together on a permanent basis. To be honest I'd happily take the Spirit trio's amazing reworking of Dylan's "Positively 4th Street" in exchange for Jay Ferguson's entire post Spirit output - but that's just me.

If I have a criticism it might be that there are two or three acoustic numbers after track 21 which sound a bit muddy and distinctly unfinished, and that's why I'm knocking off a star. A couple of those could perhaps have been omitted but I guess Randy California completists wouldn't want to be deprived of even these slightly substandard offerings.

Anyone who ever enjoyed anything by Spirit in any of their incarnations will love this 3CD set, and it's very reasonably priced right now so a good opportunity to grab a bargain. Also any younger students of psychedelic guitar who don't know about one of the genre's unsung heroes really need to hear Randy California in his prime. When the music magazines compile those lists of "top 50 guitarists of all time" he rarely figures, yet he should be permanently in the top 3 at the very least.

by Michael Pearson-Smith Melbourne,Australia

As of 2007, ten years had passed since the accidental death of singer/songwriter and guitarist Randy California, the primary musician in Spirit. California left behind an extensive, if disorganized, cache of unreleased live and studio recordings that producer Mick Skidmore has been working through ever since, emerging periodically with albums of previously unheard material. Salvation...The Spirit of '74 is a three-CD set that, as Skidmore notes in his annotations, helps to fill in a gap in the band's history. The original quintet of California, drummer Ed Cassidy, bassist Mark Andes, keyboardist John Locke, and singer/songwriter Jay Ferguson splintered in the early '70s, after which various configurations, including one that featured none of them, toured the country.

California, who had left the group for a solo career, rejoined Cassidy for a European tour in 1973, then left again. In 1974, the two reconnected and again performed as Spirit, sometimes adding Andes and occasionally Locke. In May 1975, a trio of California, Cassidy, and bassist Barry Keene finally released a new Spirit album, Spirit of '76. Salvation...The Spirit of '74 chronicles the band's live and studio work during a period of about a year, from the summer of 1974 to the summer of 1975, including preliminary work on a never-completed album intended to be called Spirit of Salvation.

On the first two discs, drawn from live performances given in October and November 1974 (with Andes) and in June 1975 (with Keene), Spirit play some of their familiar songs ("Fresh Garbage," "Mr. Skin," "It's All the Same," "I Got a Line on You") along with covers that emphasize California's debt to his mentor, Jimi Hendrix ("Like a Rolling Stone," "All Along the Watchtower," "Hey Joe"); some songs California probably picked up while hanging around the Ash Grove folk club in Los Angeles as a child ("Old Blue," "Run Sinner Run," "Cripple Creek"); some one-off oddities (seemingly impromptu readings of the Rolling Stones hits "[I Can't Get No] Satisfaction" and "Happy," a version of Canned Heat's "On the Road Again" that apparently was a nod to Andes' brief tenure in that group); and some of the new songs California was writing at the time. More of those new songs, along with novelties and more covers, are included on the third disc, which consists of studio recordings.

That all adds up to 56 tracks running more than three and a half hours. It doesn't entirely fill in the gap between the releases of California's solo album Kapt. Kopter & the (Fabulous) Twirly Birds in the fall of 1972 and Spirit of '76 two and a half years later, but California spent much of that period musically inactive or working on the subsequently released Potatoland album, and his return to Spirit, the band he would lead for much of the next two decades, is now well documented here. As Skidmore notes, this is an album for loyal, even die-hard Spirit fans, but it contains enough strong performances to make the case for California and his bandmates as what an MC calls them at the outset: "one the greatest names in the history of rock & roll."

by William Ruhlmann

Tracks

Disc 1

1. Veruska (Ed Cassidy, Mark Andes, Randy California) - 5:34

2. Storm In The Night (Randy California) - 4:48

3. Like A Rolling Stone (Bob Dylan) - 9:01

4. I've Got To Use My Imagination (Barry Goldberg, Gerry Goffin) - 3:57

5. Fresh Garbage (Jay Ferguson) - 4:01

6. Devil (Randy California) - 2:50

7. Kristee (Ed Cassidy, Mark Andes, Randy California) - 1:46

8. My Road (Randy California) - 3:31

9. Old Blue (Traditional) - 2:30

10.Joker On The Run (Randy California) - 3:38

11.So Little Time To Fly (Randy California) - 2:26

12.All Along The Watchtower (Bob Dylan) - 13:46

13.I Can't Get No (Satisfaction) (Mick Jagger, Keith Richards) - 4:14

14.Same Old Thing, Urantia (Randy California) - 5:16

15.Downer (Randy California) - 3:14

Tracks 1, 8, 12, 13, 14 Ebbetts Field, Denver, Colorado 10/30/74

Tracks 3, 5 Agora Ballroom, Cleveland 6/30/75

Tracks 6, 7, 11 Ebbetts Field, Denver, Colorado 10/31/74

Tracks 9, 10 Armadillo World Headquarters, Austin, Texas 6/19/75

Disc 2

1. Hey Joe (Billy Roberts) - 7:37

2. Guide Me (Randy California) - 3:28

3. Electro Jam - Mr. Skin.7:38

3a.Electro Jam (Ed Cassidy, Randy California) - 4:10

3b.Mr. Skin (Jay Ferguson) - ) - 3:28

4. Run Sinner Run (Mance Lipscomb) - 4:43

5. Sunrise (Ed Cassidy, Randy California) - 3:01

6. Cripple Creek (Traditional) - 0:56

7. It's All The Same (Ed Cassidy, Randy California) - 5:34

8. I Got A Line On You (Randy California) - 3:09

9. Ebbetts Crowd (Applause) (Randy California) - 2:29

10.Doin' Fine (Randy California) - 2:19

11.Veruska (Ed Cassidy, Mark Andes, Randy California) - 4:45

12.Victim Of Society (Randy California) - 4:54

13.On The Road Again (Alan Wilson) - 4:46

14.Happy (Mick Jagger, Keith Richards) - 5:33

15.Goin' Down (Don Nix) - 4:46

16.All Along The Watchtower (Short Version) (Bob Dylan) - 5:27

Tracks 1, 2, 12, 13, 14 Agora Ballroom, Cleveland 11/18/74

Track 3 Agora Ballroom, Cleveland 6/30/75

Tracks 4, 5, 6 Ebbetts Field, Denver, Colorado 10/30/74

Tracks 7, 8, 9, 10, 11,16 Ebbetts Field, Denver, Colorado 10/31/74

Track 15 Armadillo World Headquarters, Austin, Texas 6/19/75

Disc 3 Unreleased Studio Material
1. Sunrise (Ed Cassidy, Randy California) - 6:45
2. Kathy (Randy California) - 2:17
3. I've Got To Use My Imagination (Barry Goldberg, Gerry Goffin) - 3:13
4. Looking Into Darkness (Ed Cassidy, Randy California) - 2:54
5. Neptune Caper (Ed Cassidy, Randy California) - 2:57
6. Positively 4th Street (Bob Dylan) - 3:46
7. Jimmy Brown (Traditional) - 1:36
8. Wake Up America (Randy California) - 3:00
9. Family (Randy California) - 3:10
10.Magic Fairy Princess (Randy California) - 3:17
11.Cass Drums (Ed Cassidy, Randy California) - 1:50
12.Salvation (Randy California) - 1:21
13.The Maharaji Speaks (Dialouge) (Randy California) - 1:19
14.Holy Man (Randy California) - 2:55
15.Maybe You'll Find (Randy California) - 2:57
16.Future In My Hands (Randy California) - 3:05
17.You're So Beautiful (Going Away) (Randy California) - 3:01
18.Circle (Randy California) - 3:13
19.It's Time Now (Randy California) - 4:45
20.So Happy Now (Randy California) - 1:20
21.Miss Lani (Randy California) - 2:31
22.Sparkling Sands (Randy California) - 2:48
23.High With You (Lani Pidot, Randy California) - 2:19
24.Seven Fires (Randy California) - 2:26
25.Bad Luck And Troube (The Stars Are Love) (Randy California) - 3:17

The Spirit
*Randy California - Guitar, Vocals, Bass , Harmonica, Keyboards
*Ed Cassidy - Percussion , Drums,
*Mark Andes - Bass
*John Locke - Keyboards
*Barry Keene - Bass, Vocals

1968-72 Spirit - It Shall Be-Ode And Epic Recordings (2018 five disc box set remaster with extra tracks)

1971 Spirit - Feedback
Related Acts
1972-74 Jo Jo Gunne - Jo Jo Gunne / Bite Down Hard / Jumpin' the Gun / So... Where's the Show? (double disc 2011 issue)
1976-78 Firefall - Firefall / Luna Sea / Elan (2016 double disc set)

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Sunday, November 30, 2025

Atomic Rooster - Made in England (1972 uk, vibrant heavy psych prog rock, 2004 remaster and expanded)

The third incarnation of English prog rockers, Atomic Rooster make their debut on Made in England (1972). The group began as a trio featuring former Crazy World of Arthur Brown member Vincent Crane (organ), Nick Graham (bass), and Carl Palmer (drums). After a few significant shuffles within the lineup, only Crane continued with the name, recruiting Mick Jagger protégé Chris Farlowe (vocals), Rick Parnell (percussion), and Steve Bolton (guitars) as the next generation. They have an edgy and somewhat brooding sound, recalling early Mott the Hoople discs such as the highly underrated Mad Shadows (1970).

Much of the material reveals the quartet's slightly funky groove, such as the pulsating "Stand by Me," or the gospel-inflection on the spoken "Introduction," which prefaces the Crane instrumental "Breathless." Somewhat misplaced is the orchestration -- especially on "Time Take My Life" -- which tends to congest the otherwise driving arrangement. Parnell penned a pair of the finest contributions on Made in England, the slinky "Little Bit of Inner Air," as well as the Southern rock-tinged "All in Satan's Name." The latter comes off like a blend of the Allman Brothers and Deep Purple. Bolton supplies the power ballad "Never to Lose," as well as "Space Cowboy," which develops into an electric hoedown following a somewhat off-balance and synth-heavy keyboard intro. Bolton would be the next casualty of the combo, leading to the formation of the criminally underrated Headstone.

A successful North American tour resulted in Made in England, which charted briefly in the U.S., and would be the final Atomic Rooster album to do so. The band would successfully continue under Crane's tutelage until the early '80s, when he joined up with a post-"Come on Eileen" Dexys Midnight Runners.

by Lindsay Planer

Tracks

1. Time Take My Life - 6:01

2. Stand By Me - 3:47

3. Little Bit Of Inner Air (Ric Parnell) - 2:39

4. Don't Know What Went Wrong - 4:00

5. Never To Lose (Steve Bolton) - 3:17

6. Introduction • Breathless - 5:16

7. Space Cowboy (Steve Bolton) - 3:20

8. People You Can't Trust - 3:53

9. All In Satan's Name (Ric Parnell) - 4:44

10.Close Your Eyes - 3:49

11.Stand By Me - 3:24

12.Breakthrough (Vincent Crane, Pat Darnell) - 3:07

13.Save Me Aka Friday The 13th - 3:42

14.Close Your Eyes - 2:41

15.Stand By Me - 5:00

16.People You Can't Trust - 4:40

17.All In Satan's Name (Ric Parnell) - 4:01

18.Devil's Answer (John Du Cann) - 7:12

All songs by Vincent Crane except where stated

Bonus Tracks 11-18 recorded on BBC

Atomic Rooster

*Vincent Crane - Hammond Organ, Piano, ARP Synthesizer, Keyboard Bass

*Chris Farlowe - Vocals

*Steve Bolton - Guitars

*Ric Parnell - Drums, Percussion, Vocals (Track 3)

With

*Bill Smith - Electric Bass (Track 2)

*Doris Troy - Backing Vocals (Tracks 2,9)

*Liza Strike - Backing Vocals (Tracks 2,9)

1970 Atomic Rooster - Death Walks Behind You (2016 Japan SHM)

1970-72/81 Atomic Rooster - Devil's Answer / Rare Live Recordings

1971-72 Atomic Rooster - In Hearing Of (2004 & 2016 SHM)
Related Acts
1967-68 The Attack - About Time (2006 remaster with unreleased material)
1967-69 The Attack - Magic In The Air
1967-69 Andromeda - The Definitive Collection
1968 The Five Day Week Straw People - The Five Day Week Straw People

1965-2003 Arthur Brown - The Story Of Arthur Brown (2003 double disc remaster)

1970-71 Paul Williams - Just An Old Fashioned Love Song

Thursday, November 27, 2025

Paul Williams - Someday Man (1970 us, wonderful folk baroque sunny psych, 2010 deluxe expanded edition)

There are certain albums a person returns to, over and over again. These albums often transcend time and genre, and chances are you can name a few of them that reside in your own music collection. I'm talking about that special album you might play when you're down, or when you just need a visit from an old friend to remind you of another time. At The Second Disc, we frequently strive to remind you of those albums.

Through the years, one such record for me has been Paul Williams' Someday Man. No matter how many times I listen, it still strikes me as a perfect pop album. Yet upon its release in May 1970 as Reprise 6401, Someday Man appeared and disappeared, and that was that, for roughly 30 years. One of its songs is entitled "Mornin' I'll Be Movin' On," and both Paul Williams (lyrics/vocals) and Roger Nichols (music/production) did indeed move on. Before dissolving their songwriting partnership in 1972, Williams and Nichols composed hits for a number of artists but perhaps most memorably the Carpenters: "Rainy Days and Mondays." "We've Only Just Begun." "I Won't Last a Day Without You." "Let Me Be the One." While those songs practically created the soundtrack of the seventies, they in fact owe a great debt to the sounds developed on Someday Man.

Following up its recent deluxe reissue of The Holy Mackerel's only LP (Now Sounds CRNOW 21), Williams' early band, Now Sounds has delivered an expanded edition of Someday Man (CRNOW 22) and it won't disappoint both longtime fans of the album and those who have only just begun (pun intended) to discover the charms of this great lost sunshine pop classic.

Now Sounds' new Someday Man offers twelve additional tracks (two more than are actually on the album itself!) including four mono single mixes, two demos, four revealing instrumental backing tracks (check out the optimistic horn punctuation after the title song's chorus), and most fascinatingly, the sessions for "Someday Man" and a song that didn't make the album, "The Drifter." The latter song did appear as a single by Nichols' group Roger Nichols and the Small Circle of Friends in a version apparently utilizing the same backing track as heard here. The infectiously jaunty "Drifter" also received a number of cover versions from artists as disparate as Kenny Lynch and Steve Lawrence. Of course, Rev-Ola's expanded reissue of Small Circle of Friends (Rev-Ola CRREV 86) is another must-have for any fan of vocal harmony, sunshine pop or just great songs played with superb musicianship.

Throughout the 10 original tracks that comprise Someday Man, the arrangements (by some of the business' best, including Perry Botkin, Jr., Bob Alcivar, John Andrew Tartaglia, Artie Butler and Chad Stuart of Chad and Jeremy!) and production by Nichols are beautifully married to Williams' conversational, direct lyrics. The wistful horns that open "Do You Really Have a Heart?" (also recorded by Dobie Gray on White Whale in 1969) speak volumes, while "To Put Up with You" employs relaxed brass to point up the irony of the irresistible put-down lyric. Like "The Drifter," "To Put Up with You" is one of those songs that you simply won't believe wasn't a big AM radio hit. Of course, Williams delivers his own words in the kind of modest and warm voice that is characteristic of many songwriters, making up for lack of technique with immense honesty.

The title song may be familiar to Monkees fans, as the group recorded it to little commercial success despite a terrific Bones Howe production. "Someday Man" espouses what strikes me as a wonderful, positive philosophy, and one that's very "Paul Williams": "Some people always complain that their life is too short/So they hurry it along...Their worries drive them insane/But they still go along for the ride/As for me/I have all the time in the world...Tomorrow's a new day, baby/Anything can happen at all!" Nichols' music builds to the chorus' great release, matching Williams' vivid imagery each step of the way.

Not that this bona fide sunshine pop classic is all light. There are a full range of emotions on display in the song cycle, which has a recognizable late-sixties aesthetic despite the phenomenal success its creators would go onto in defining the style of seventies pop. Written in the shadow of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and with a sobering reference to the slain leader in its lyric, "So Many People" is set to a tough acoustic guitar riff and is tastefully enhanced by producer Nichols' graceful strings and subtle horns. It's still poignant and all too relevant today. It's heartening to read in producer Steve Stanley's excellent liner notes that Williams is still proud of this socially aware song: "So many people and all in a hurry/Living in circles of worship and worry/Dressing so long that they're usually late for the show...So busy judging the heads that they're turning/So busy fighting there's no time for learning/Turning their backs on the people they might like to know." The pensive "Trust," colored with baroque strings, is another standout track, though there's no weak link in the entire tunestack. "I Know You" and "Time" (the latter a prescient rumination on mortality from its young songwriters) are both haunting melodies, but there's an undercurrent of hope in the music and orchestration. This balance is redolent of many of the finest works of the era, and on Someday Man, Nichols and Williams found beauty amidst all the upheaval. The use of the sitar on "Time" places it in the era it was recorded but still sounds fresh today; it's no surprise that the famed Los Angeles "Wrecking Crew" worked their magic on this album.

The cinematic quality of the songs on Someday Man evinces the talent that would lead Williams into a successful career writing songs for both the screen and the stage. While none of the songs are particularly long, they linger in the memory thanks to their strong melodic hooks, inventive arrangements and simple, truthful lyrical sentiments. One can only wonder where the Nichols/Williams partnership would have led had they continued to work together; upon their breakup, Williams would flex his muscles more as both lyricist and composer, as well as form another successful partnership with Kenny Ascher. Nichols would go on to pen more standards including "Times of Your Life," as recorded by Paul Anka. The songs they wrote together between 1968 and 1972, however, continue to be recorded and anthologized, testament to their craft and timeless quality. (Hmmm, wouldn't an Ace Songwriters Series-style volume featuring Paul and Roger's songs interpreted by others be a fine candidate for future release? One can only hope!)

Now Sounds' definitive reissue boasts a customarily strong essay by Stanley drawing on interviews with both Nichols and Williams, and information on all of the bonus tracks. It's delightful to see the old Reprise logo on the orange label resurrected on the disc with a Now Sounds twist, and the album's cover art, with the diminutive Williams dwarfed by an enormous, rather foreboding house, is as striking as ever.

If you're still looking for that perfect holiday gift for the music lover in your life, you couldn't do much better than this expanded version of Someday Man. To steal from Nick Lowe, it's pure pop for now people, and it's a gift that with time, will just keep on giving.

by Joe Marchese, November 30, 2010

Tracks

1. Someday Man - 2:52

2. So Many People - 2:18

3. She's Too Good To Me - 2:15

4. Mornin' I'll Be Movin' On - 2:49

5. Time - 2:54

6. Trust - 2:49

7. To Put Up With You - 2:54

8. Do You Really Have A Heart - 2:50

9. I Know You - 2:43

10.Roan Pony - 3:45

11.Someday Man - 2:52

12.So Many People - 2:23

13.Mornin' I'll Be Movin' On - 2:53

14.To Put Up With You - 3:14

15.Someday Man - 5:56

16.The Drifter - 6:51

17.Someday Man - 2:53

18.Mornin' I'll Be Movin' On - 2:49

19.So Many People - 2:16

20.To Put Up With You - 3:00

21.So Many People - 2:20

22.I Know You - 2:29

All compositions by Paul Williams, Roger Nichols

Musicians

*Paul Williams - Vocals

*Roger Nichols - Guitar, Piano, Harpsichord

*Hal Blaine, Earl Palmer - Drums

*Joe Osborn, Jack Conrad, Roger Nichols - Bass

*James Hughart – Double Bass

*David Cohen, Mike Deasy - Guitar

*Chad Stuart - Guitar

*Larry Knechtel, Lincoln Mayorga - Piano, Harpsichord

*Gale Robinson, Alan Robinson - French Horns

*Robert Bryant, Raymond Triscari - Trumpet

*Jules Chaikin, Buddy Childers - Trumpet

*Dick Hyde, George Bohanon - Trombones

*Dick Mcquary, Harry Betts, Lew McCleary - Trombones

*Paul Hubinon, Anthony Terran - Flugelhorn

*Jules Jacob, James Horn - Flutes

*Lanny Morgan, Jay Migliori - Saxophone

*Samuel Boghossian, Wilbert Nuttycomb - Viola

*Harry Hyams, Jan Hlinka, James Getzoff - Viola

*David Burk, Jack Gootkin, Mischa Russell - Violin

*Norman Serkin, Gerald Vinci, Paul Shure - Violin

*Bonnie Douglas, Henry Ferber, Jay Rosen - Violin

*Varoujan Kodjian, William Henderson, Assa Drori - Violin

*Marshall Sosson, Miran Kojian, James Getzoff - Violin

*Erno Neufeld, Jack Shulman, Stanley Plummer - Violin

*Murray Adler, Robert Sushel, Nathan Ross - Violin

*Marvin Limonick, William Hymanson - Violin

*Harold Bemko, Anne Goodman, Jerome Kessler - Cello

*Raphael Kramer, Freddie Slatkin, Armand Kaproff - Cello

*Jacqueline Lustgarten, Edgar Lustgarten - Cello

Tuesday, November 25, 2025

Universe - Universe (1971 uk, superb heavy blues rock, 2014 remaster with extra tracks)

Universe was a Welsh rock band formed in the late 1960s, marrying progressive and blues musical elements with a powerful sound. Guitarist Steve Finn, bassist John Healen, and drummer Rob Reynolds formed the nucleus of the band, initially playing under the name Deep Blue Centre, then Spoonfull, rehearsing a set that included covers and originals influenced by acts like Cream, John Mayall, and Jimi Hendrix. By 1970, they had become Universe, the name reflecting the expansive ambition of their evolving music.

Universe became known for their stellar live performances, playing countless gigs across Wales and well beyond. They shared stages with acts such as Jethro Tull, Yes, and Graham Bond, while also enduring a character-building but arduous tour of Hamburg and Norway.

The constant touring polished their sound and inspired original material such as "Twilight Winter" and "A Woman's Shape." In 1971, the band recorded an album and a single, both self-titled, in Norway; these recordings later became prized finds among collectors. Though Universe's time was brief, their music endures as a fascinating chapter of the underground rock scene in Wales. With Steve Finn's ongoing solo work and the reissue of their recordings, Universe holds a unique place in early '70s rock history.

These recordings later became prized finds among collectors. Though Universe's time was brief, their music endures as a fascinating chapter of the underground rock scene in Wales. With Steve Finn's ongoing solo work and the reissue of their recordings, Universe holds a unique place in early '70s rock history.

Ancient•Grease•Records

Tracks

1. Twilight Winter - 7:03

2. Cocaine (Traditional) - 6:52

3. Universe - 3:36

4. Rolling - 3:57

5. Spanish Feeling - 10:39

6. The Annexe (Mike Jones, Steve Finn, Mike Blance, John Healan, Steve Keelev) - 6:22

7. Bleak House - 2:52

8. Track Four (Mike Jones) - 1:07

9. A Woman's Shape (Steve Finn) - 3:24

10.Shadows Of The Sun - 3:29

11.Waiting For The Summer - 7:50

Songs 1,3-5,7 written by Mike Jones, Steve Finn

Bonus Tracks 9-11

Universe

*Mike Jones - Guitar, Slide Guitar, Vocals

*Steve Finn - Guitar, Harmonica, Piano, Vocals

*Mike Blance - Keyboards, Vocals

*John Healan - Bass Guitar, Vocals

*Steve Keelev - Drums, Percussion, Vocals

Saturday, November 22, 2025

rep>>> Masters Of Deceit - Hensley's Electric Jazz Band And Synthetic Symphonette (1969 us, amazing psych jazz prog rock, 2001 hard sleeve release)

Masters of Deceit were an Indianapolis band that had its only release, “Hensley’s Electric Jazz Band & Synthetic Symphonette” on the highbrow east coast major label Vanguard Records.

Led by keyboardist Tom Hensley, who also handled most of the vocals, the band also included Steve Blum on guitar, Gary Campbell, bass and vocals, and Stan Gage on drums. I believe the record was recorded in NYC.

Soon afterwards, Hensley relocated to Los Angeles and became a successful session keyboardist, playing with many big names, including Neil Diamond, Helen Reddy, Cher, David Cassidy, The Carpenters–to name but a few.

The Masters of Deceit LP is relatively obscure today. Original LP copies can be found for less than $50 but are not common.

Musically, Masters of Deceit occupy an end of 60’s/beginning of 70’s transitional niche, drawing from psychedelia, jazz-rock and progressive rock. If you’re a fan of such genres, you’ll likely find a lot to like here.

Indiana-Vinyl

Tracks
1. Shining (Tom Hensley, Cradoc Bagshaw) - 4:31
2. Boxes - 4:52
3. The Grand Illusion (Tom Hensley, Cradoc Bagshaw) - 3:34
4. The Long Hard Journey - 7:22
5. Mirror - 4:32
6. Pieces/ Together/ Pieces - 15:09
All songs by Tom Hensley except where noted

The Masters Of Deceit
*Tom Hensley - Organ, Clavinet, Piano, Vocals
*Gary Campbell - Bass, Vocals, Tenor Saxophone
*Stan Gage - Drums
*Steve Blum - Guitar, Bass

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Friday, November 21, 2025

Rubicon - Rubicon (1978 us, nice brass funk classic rock, 2011 japan remaster)

The distinctive bass guitar sound that highlights RUBICON is supplied by Jack Blades who has been playing bass since the age of twelve . A native of Palm Springs, California, Jack's genuine enthusiasm for his music saw him join many local bands in Southern California. Jack was a pre-med student at San Diego State University when he first met Jerry who was so impressed with Jack's playing that he decided to put a band together structured around Jack's style of playing and convinced him to move to San Francisco and work there until Jerry was ready to put the group together.

Jack's friendship with RUBICON's drummer and lead vocalist, Greg Eckler, predates the birth of RUBICON. Greg and Jack have played together a number of years ago and were familiar with each other's musical styles prior to joining forces in RUBICON. Born in Kentucky, Greg played the trumpet in high school and college where he learned to read and write music. A great showman, his facial appearance bears a striking resemblance to Elton John, but Greg's way around his double bass drum set is uniquely his own.

Jim Pugh, keyboardist, has an intense driving passion for music. With substantial formal training, Jim is the group's most technically proficient member. Jim's enthusiasm for music is only paralleled by his passion for sports. Born in Chicago, Illinois, Jim has been a resident of the Bay Area since the early 70's. His interest in music knows no barriers and at one time in his career he was a member of a band that played only Mexican music. His wild, exuberant personality lies in perfect contrast to that of Max Haskett, the mellow introspective, pipe-smoking, trumpet player of RUBICON. Max's soaring vocal range and sensitive interpretation of material makes him the choice to handle the greatest portion of the singing. Max was born and bred in the Bay Area an has been part of its music scene for many years. Most recently he was a member of Lydia Pense and Cold Blood and recorded several albums. Together these seven musicians form RUBICON, a new direction and innovative expression of what they care about music.

Twanna•Turner

Tracks

1. And The Moon's Out Tonight (Gerald Martini) - 3:18

2. Far Away (Max Haskett) - 4:49

3. Closely (Dennis Marcellino) - 5:23

4. Vanilla Gorilla (Gerald Martini, Max Haskett) - 4:45

5. I'm Gonna Take Care Of Everything (Max Haskett) - 3:28

6. I Want To Love You (Jack Blades) - 3:02

7. Cheatin' (Gregory Eckler, James Pugh) - 3:44

8. It's All For The Show (Gregory Eckler) - 3:39

9. That's The Way Things Are (Gerald Martini, Lynn Medeiros) - 5:35

Rubicon

*Jerry Martini - Saxophone, Vocals

*Max Haskett - Trumpet, Vocals

*Dennis Marcellino - Saxophone, Tambourine, Flute, Vocals

*Jack Blades - Bass, Vocals

*Bradley Gillis - Guitar, Vocals

*Greg Eckler - Drums, Vocals

*Jim Pugh - Keyboards, Vocals

1968-69 Brunning Sunflower Blues Band - Bullen St. Blues • Trackside Blues (2003 remaster)

Thursday, November 20, 2025

Brunning Hall Sunflower Blues Band - I Wish You Would • Brunning Sunflower Blues Band (1970-71 uk, fine blues rock, 2003 remaster)

Bob Brunning and Bob Hall should be well known for their contributions to albums by Savoy Brown and Fleetwood Mac. They are less well known for their solo projects. After their adventures with Fleetwood Mac and Savoy Brown, the two musicians joined forces and founded the Brunning Sunflower Blues Band in 1968. In addition to Hall and Brunning, the band included Peter French on vocals, Colin Jordan on guitar, Jeff Russel on drums and Mick Hall on guitar. The result was ‘Bullen Street Blues’.

By the second album, there had already been a change in the line-up. Russel, French and Hall left the band and were replaced by Pete Banham and Peter Green. The album was called Trackside Blues. Both Bullen Street Blues and Trackside Blues, as well as the albums I have, I Wish You Would and Brunning Hall Sunflower Blues Band, have been re-released as two-fers in recent years. Peter Green, Dave and Jo-Ann Kelly, Mel Wrights, Steve Rye, Peter Green and John Altman contributed to these last two albums. Some of the songs were written by Dave Kelly for the albums.

The musicians guarantee quality, resulting in two albums that can hold their own against those by Savoy Brown or Fleetwood Mac. The style is the same: blues and blues rock from the British blues boom of the late 1960s and early 1970s. Nothing new to hear, but that's a very good thing.

If you like this era, you can't ignore the Brunning Hall Sunflower Blues Band.

Rock-zirkus, 9. Juli 2018

Tracks

1. I Wish You Would (Eddy Arnold) - 2:46

2. On The Road (Bob Brunning) - 2:09

3. Checking On My Baby (Sonny Boy Williamson) - 4:28

4. I'm A Star (Bob Hall) - 2:04

5. Broken Hearted (Dave Kelly) - 3:43

6. Bob's Boogie (Bob Hall) - 2:27

7. Mean Old 57 (Bob Hall) - 2:19

8. Uranus (Bob Brunning) - 3:22

9. Bad Luck (Dave Kelly) - 4:07

10.All Right With Me (Steve Rye) - 2:33

11.C&W Blues (Bob Brunning) - 1:22

12.Good Golly Miss Kelly (Dave Kelly) - 2:23

13.Call Me (Pat Grover) - 4:30

14.Gotta Keep Running (Bob Hall, Dave Kelly, Dennis Cotton) - 3:47

15.Put A Record On (Bob Hall, Dave Kelly, Dennis Cotton) - 3:10

16.Once Upon A Time (Bob Hall) - 1:43

17.Be Satisfied (Bob Hall, Dennis Cotton) - 2:27

18.Now Your Crying (Pat Grover) - 4:35

19.Bogey Man (Bob Hall, Dennis Cotton) - 3:30

20.Feel So Bad (Chuck Willis) - 3:49

21.Rolling Down The Highway (Bob Hall, Dennis Cotton) - 4:32

22.Waiting For You (Dennis Cotton, Pat Grover) - 2:36

23.Too Poor To Die (Charles Singleton, Henry Glover, Sidney J. Wyche) - 3:35

24.Things are Getting Better (Pat Grover) - 4:09

Songs 1-12 from "I Wish You Would" LP 1970

Songs 13-24 from "Brunning Hall Sunflower Blues Band" LP 1971

Brunning Hall Sunflower Blues Band

*Bob Brunning - Bass, Vocal

*Bob Hall - Piano, Vocal

*Joann Kelly - Vocal

*Dave Kelly - Guitar, Vocal (Tracks 1-12)

*Mel Wright - Drums (Tracks 1-7, 9-12)

*Pete Banham - Drums (Track 8)

*Steve Rye - Harmonica, Lead Vocal (Track 10)

*John Altman - Alto, Tenor Sax, Flute, Clarinet (Tracks 1-12)

*Peter Blue - Lead Guitar (Track 8)

*Keith Nelson - Banjo, Acoustic Guitar (Tracks 13-24)

*Barry Guard - Drums (Tracks 13-24)

*Leo Manning - Drums (Tracks 13-24)

*Pat Grover - Guitar, Vocals (Tracks 13-24)

*John O'Leary - Harmonica (Tracks 13-24)

*Steve Rye - Harmonica (Tracks 13-24)

1969 Tramp - Tramp (Japan remaster)

1974 Tramp - Put A Record On (2007 Japan)

1968-88 Peter Green - Man Of The World Anthology (2004 double disc)

1967-68 Savoy Brown - Shake Down / Getting To The Point (2005 double disc)

1969 Savoy Brown - Blue Matter (2004 edition)