Although sometimes overlooked in favour of bigger Canadian classic rock mainstays, Chilliwack (from Vancouver, a couple cities away from their namesake) definitely belong in the CanCon pantheon. Like many of the bands who had their heyday around the same time, they still play about a thousand casinos a year. However, up until now, the only way dreamsto get your hands on their three classic albums, Dreams Dreams Dreams, Lights from the Valley and Breakdown in Paradise, was to raid your dad’s record collection. Their label, the independent Mushroom Records, folded around 1979 and the albums never made it to CD. The albums have recently each been reissued with new liner notes written by frontman and sole original member Bill Henderson.
The new liner notes provide an insight into the making of each album and the inner turmoil of the band during the peak of their success, including the well-worn rock ‘n’ roll tropes of egos clashing, heartbreak and financial troubles. There’s other interesting trivia, like the fact that the band were all Scientologists during the making of Dreams Dreams Dreams, which has the best and maybe only classic rock song written about Scientology, a galloping acoustic number called “Something Better.”
Aside from the Scientology song, the three albums are pretty standard fare in the lyrics department. They’re about breakups, love, life on the road and contain a lot of references to airplanes, all supported by acoustic guitars andadorned with harmonies that would make the Beach Boys swoon. Dreams is very folky and acoustic-based, Breakdown rocks out with its riffs out a bit more, and Lights falls somewhere in the middle.
The three reissues are treasures for the devoted Chilliwack fan. For the uninitiated, they’ll serve as an introduction to a band that probably never got the success they deserved. Catch them soon at a casino near you.
by Dylan S. Keating
Tracks
1. Fly At Night (Bill Henderson, Ross Turney) - 4:51
2. Baby Blue (Bill Henderson, Ross Turney) - 5:24
3. Rockin' Girl (Bill Henderson, Glenn Miller) - 3:34
4. California Girl (Bill Henderson) (5:14
5. Roll On (Bill Henderson, Ross Turney) - 5:50
6. Something Better (Bill Henderson, Ross Turney) - 6:09
7. Rain-O (Bill Henderson, Ross Turney, Glenn Miller, Claire Lawrence) - 5:44
8. Fly At Night (Reprise) (Bill Henderson, Ross Turney) - 0:52
9. 'Reach (Demo) (Bill Henderson, Ross Turney) - 2:47
10.Something Better (Songwriting Tape) (Bill Henderson, Ross Turney) - 1:52
The Chilliwack
*Bill Henderson - Guitar, Vocals, Solina
*Glenn Miller - Bass, Vocals
*Ross Turney - Drums, Percussion
*Howard Froese - Guitar, Vocals, Solina, Piano
The heart of James Taylor's appeal is that you can take him two ways. On the one hand, his music, including that warm voice, is soothing; its minor key melodies and restrained playing draw in the listener. On the other hand, his world view, especially on such songs as "Fire and Rain," reflects the pessimism and desperation of the 1960s hangover that was the early '70s. That may not be intentional: "Fire and Rain" was about the suicide of a fellow inmate of Taylor's at a mental institution, not the national malaise. But Taylor's sense of wounded hopelessness -- "I'm all in pieces, you can have your own choice," he sings in "Country Road" -- struck a chord with music fans, especially because of its attractive mixture of folk, country, gospel, and blues elements, all of them carefully understated and distanced.
Taylor didn't break your heart; he understood that it was already broken, as was his own, and he offered comfort. As a result, Sweet Baby James sold millions of copies, spawned a Top Ten hit in "Fire and Rain" and a Top 40 hit in "Country Road," and launched not only Taylor's career as a pop superstar but also the entire singer/songwriter movement of the early '70s that included Joni Mitchell, Carole King, Jackson Browne, Cat Stevens, and others. A second legacy became clear two decades later, when country stars like Garth Brooks began to cite Taylor, with his use of steel guitar, references to Jesus, and rural and Western imagery on Sweet Baby James, as a major influence.
by William Ruhlmann
Tracks
1. Sweet Baby James - 2:48
2. Lo And Behold - 2:34
3. Sunny Skies - 2:15
4. Steamroller - 2:55
5. Country Road - 3:21
6. Oh, Susannah (Stephen Foster) - 1:58
7. Fire And Rain - 3:20
8. Blossom - 2:10
9. Anywhere Like Heaven - 3:23
10.Oh Baby, Don't You Loose Your Lip On Me - 1:45
11.Suite For 20 G - 4:45
All songs by James Taylor except where stated
The rarest, and I would dare to say best, folk/psych album from Peter Howell and John Ferdinando, musical brainchildren behind Ithaca, Agincourt, Alice Through the Looking Glass, and Tomorrow Come Someday. This fifth Howell/Ferdinando album had just been completed in or around 1974 when the partnership came to an end. Howell had been working at the BBC as a studio manager since 1970 (he'd provided a stiff upper lip voiceover for John Peels Top Gear shows), but he was now offered a position with the BBC Radiophonic Workshop, which he accepted, and still holds. An album so incredibly rare (only a single acetate exists), that many have doubted the album’s existence… until now! “Friends” still has the recognizable Ithaca and/or Agincourt sound, with lead vocals mainly by Peter Howell mostly, but with all the same elements and participants, and four tracks featuring the lovely vocals of Ruth Cubbin. A pastoral psychedelic folk stroll in the sunshine, with a few tracks reminiscent of 60's soft psych. Very good!!”
Tracks
1. You Need Friends - 3:00
2. A Tale Of Your Life (Ruth Cubbin, Peter Howell) - 2:39
3. Summer Sunday Blues - 2:20
4. One Sweet Day - 2:17
5. Memories - 2:10
6. Lonely Road - 3:10
7. In The Morning - 3:22
8. Come Inside - 2:43
9. Take A Walk - 3:31
10.River Song - 2:41
11.Once In A Winter Town (Ruth Cubbin, Peter Howell) - 2:02
12.Time To Run - 3:01
All compositions byPeter Howell except where noted
This is an amazing reissue, three times over -- for psychedelic music buffs, British R&B and soul enthusiasts, and fans of the progressive rock band Gentle Giant (which evolved out of Simon Dupree & the Big Sound). And it's also incredibly long overdue. Best-known for their Oriental ersatz pop-psychedelic classic "Kites," Simon Dupree & the Big Sound actually started out as a blues and R&B-based outfit, not too different from the Spencer Davis Group. This double-CD set covers their complete EMI output, most of which has never been reissued, and almost all of which is very impressive (and even manages to intersect obliquely with Apple Records' orbit).
The group's early soul-oriented sides are killers, exciting, totally convincing pieces of British-made R&B that, in the case of "Love" and "Medley: 60 Minutes of Your Love/A Lot of Love," should have placed them head-to-head with the likes of Steve Winwood and the Spencer Davis Group. Even when they move into a slightly trippier sound, on "There's a Little Picture Playhouse," the group still utilizes a basic soul backing. And "Kites," coming along in the middle of the first disc, is such a radical departure from everything before it, that it's astonishing to hear in this context, even knowing the song well -- the rest of the CD is made up of trippy psychedelic ballads with Mellotron accompaniment, often with punchy acoustic rhythm guitars. It's all very pretty and inventive in a pop context, and rivals or surpasses the psychedelic sides of Rainbow Ffolly and most other EMI artists of the era this side of the Beatles and maybe the Move.
The highlight of the group's post-"Kites" output was the single "Part of My Past," which was recorded during sessions for what was to have been their second album, Once More Unto the Breach, Dear Friend. That entire unreleased album is here, as the first 16 tracks on Disc Two, and they are a wonder -- the best parts include a gorgeous pop-psych ballad called "What in This World" that doesn't even have a songwriting credit; "Wha Cha Gonna Do," with its "Strawberry Fields Forever" opening and impassioned vocals; the almost-lewd "Don't Make It So Hard (On Me Baby)," with a vocal that was a holdover from the group's soul era; the bouncy, vaguely Bee Gees-like "Kindness"; and the trippy, spacey "Castle in the Sky," one of the finest pieces of psychedelic pop/rock ever to come out of EMI (or, more properly, never to come out from EMI -- until now).
The latter should have been another "King Midas in Reverse," but thanks to the failure of "Part of My Past," the whole LP was shelved. The rest of the second disc is comprised of a short string of disappointing pop/rock singles -- vaguely reminiscent of the late-'60s Hollies -- imposed upon the group by their management, concluding with their extrovert rendition of the James Taylor-authored "Something in the Way She Moves Me," backed with a progressive-sounding, organ-heavy B-side, "I'm Going Home," authored by Reginald Dwight in the period before he became Elton John. This is followed by the complete contents of the group's only released LP, Without Reservations, which repeats the same R&B-era singles and B-sides (i.e., their pre-"Kites" work) from Disc One, only in their punchier mono mixes. The remastering is impeccable, the packaging beautifully illustrated with period photos of the band, and thorough annotation by David Wells.
by Bruce Eder
Tracks
Disc 1
1. I See The Light (John Durrill, Michael Rabon, Norman Ezell) - 2:16
2. It Is Finished (Evelyn King, Paul Smith) - 3:01
3. Reservations (Albert Hammond) - 2:24
4. You Need A Man (Evelyn King, Paul Smith) - 2:30
5. Day Time, Night Time (Mike Hugg) - 2:15
6. I've Seen It All Before (Evelyn King, Paul Smith) - 2:47
7. Medley: 60 Minutes Of Your Love / A Lot Of Love (David Porter, Isaac Haye, Homer Banks) - 4:35
8. Love (Jackie Edwards) - 3:04
9. Get Off My Back (Evelyn King, Ray Shulman) - 2:01
10.There's A Little Picture Playhouse (Eric Hine) - 2:13
11.What Is Soul (Ben E. King, Bob Gallo) - 2:35
12.Teacher, Teacher (Derek Shulman, Philip Shulman, Ray Shulman) - 2:04
13.Amen (Sam Cooke) - 2:25
14.Who Cares (Evelyn King, Ray Shulman) - 2:34
15.Kites (Hal Hackaday, Lee Pockriss) - 3:44
16.Like The Sun Like The Fire (Evelyn King, Paul Smith) - 2:26
17.For Whom The Bell Tolls (Evelyn King, Paul Smith) - 3:06
18.Sleep (Derek Shulman, Eric Hine) - 3:01
19.Part Of My Past (Evelyn King, Paul Smith) - 3:17
20.This Story Never Ends (Eric Hine, Ray Shulman) - 2:08
21.Thinking About My Life (Derek Shulman, Ray Shulman) - 2:34
22.Velvet And Lace (Derek Shulman, Ray Shulman) - 2:11
23.We Are The Moles (Part 1) (Derek Shulman, Ray Shulman) - 4:30
24.We Are The Moles (Part 2) (Derek Shulman, Ray Shulman) - 2:43
26.She Gave Me The Sun (Derek Shulman, Philip Shulman, Ray Shulman) - 2:36
27.The Eagle Flies Tonight (Tony Hazard) - 2:22
28.Give It All Back (Derek Shulman, Philip Shulman, Ray Shulman) - 2:41
Disc 2
1. Stained Glass Window (Don Grady, Gary Zekley) - 2:05
2. Please Come Back (Yaniv Shulman) - 2:41
3. Light On Dark Water (Evelyn King, Paul Smith) - 1:52
4. What In This World (Unknown) - 3:11
5. What Cha Gonna Do (Evelyn King, Paul Smith) - 2:46
6. Don't Make It So Hard (On Me Baby) (Willia Parker, Eddie Floyd) - 3:01
7. Kindness (Unknown) - 2:30
8. Castle In The Sky (Evelyn King, Paul Smith) - 2:44
9. Loneliness Is Just A State Of Mind (Evelyn King, John King, Paul Smith) - 2:55
10.Laughing Boy From Nowhere (Derek Shulman, Philip Shulman, Ray Shulman) - 2:48
11.You (Derek Shulman, Philip Shulman, Ray Shulman) - 2:11
12.Can't You See (Derek Shulman, Philip Shulman, Ray Shulman) - 2:49
13.Now (Derek Shulman, Philip Shulman, Ray Shulman) - 2:27
14.Rain (Derek Shulman, Philip Shulman, Ray Shulman) - 3:18
15.Something In The Way She Moves (James Taylor) - 2:35
16.I'm Going Home (Elton John, Bernie Taupin) - 3:42 Without Reservations LP (Mono) 1967
17.Medley: 60 Minutes Of Your Love / A Lot Of Love (David Porter, Isaac Hayes, Homer Banks) - 4:35
18.Love (Jackie Edwards) - 3:04
19.Get Off My Bach (Evelyn King, Ray Shulman) - 2:00
20.There's A Little Picture Playhouse (Eric Hine) - 2:13
21.Day Time, Night Time (Mike Hugg) - 2:31
22.I See The Light (John Durrill, Michael Rabon, Norman Ezell) - 2:21
23.What Is Soul (Ben E. King, Bob Gallo) - 2:34
24.Teacher, Teacher (Derek Shulman, Philip Shulman, Ray Shulman) - 2:11
25.Amen (Sam Cooke) - 2:24
26.Who Cares (Evelyn King, Ray Shulman) - 2:31
27.Reservations (Albert Hammond) - 2:30
The Simon Dupree And The Big Sound
*Phil Shulman - Alto, Tenor Saxophone, Flute, Clarinet, Trumpet, Mellophone, Piano, Percussion, Vocals
*Eric Eric Hine - Keyboards, Mellotron
*Derek Shulman - Vocals
*Tony Ransley - Drums
*Ray Shulman - Bass
*Peter O'Flaherty - Bass
Tracy Nelson doesn't touch everyone, but once she does, she carries you away. She can be sexual and spiritual not successively but on the same note and breath; she seems to suffer and to transcend suffering simultaneously. Vocally, Mother Earth is now Tracy Nelson, and although in theory I miss the male voices--especially Robert St. John's, whose songwriting always added something too--I'm not really complaining. Yet this record is a slight disappointment. I love it, but I know that my prejudices are strong and that only once--on her own composition, "Andy's Song"--does Tracy burst calmly into free space as she does so often on the two previous Mother Earth lps and on Tracy Nelson Country. Recommended unequivocally to her cadre and equivocally to the benighted.
by Robert Christgau
Tracks
1. Satisfied (Martha Carson) - 3:59
2. Groovy Way (S. Taylor) - 4:20
3. Get Out Of Here (Bobby Charles) - 4:23
4. Ruler Of My Heart (Naomi Neville) - 6:24
5. Andy's Song (Tracy Nelson) - 4:31
6. Take Me In Your Arms, Rock Me A Little While (Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier, Eddie Holland) - 3:11
7. You Won't Be Passing Here No More (J. Thomas) - 5:00
8. This Feeling (Scott Miller) - 6:30
Personnel
*Tracy Nelson - Vocals
*Andy Mcmahon - Piano, Organ
*Bob Cardwell - Guitar
*John Andrews - Guitar
*James Day - Pedal Steel
*Ben Keith - Dobro
*Dave Zettner - Bass
*Karl Himmel - Drums
*Farrell Morris - Percussion
*The Earthmen (Dave Zettner, Bob Cardwell, Andy Mcmahon) - Backing Vocals
This Boston based psychedelic / early progressive band known as The Bead Game originated in 1968 at Harvard and was conceived by Newton native and classical musician Robert Gass who then gave up the classical for Rock and Roll. The name came from the book The Glass Bead Game by Herman Hesse. Eastern spirituality was the theme then and band leader Robert Gass continues that theme nearly 50 years later as an internationally recognized coach with leaders fostering organizational transformation, and enabling human development. Don’t ever let anyone tell you that Rock & Roll doesn’t prepare you for a successful career in both organizational and personal transformation.
The Bead Game were managed by Ray Paret (Amphion) who managed and developed many groups and individual artists including the J. Geils Band, Andy Pratt, Ultimate Spinach, Quill, and Bob McCarthy among many others—most of whom are featured elsewhere on this website. The group built a local following before attracting the attention of Avco/Embassy Records and producer Gary Katz. In 1970 they appeared in the film The People Next Door. It was also in 1970 that saw the release of the band’s only proper album, Welcome, on the Avco/Embassy label. This album showcased a late crossover sound and featured drummer Jim Hodder (December 17, 1947 – June 5, 1990) singing lead vocals on all tracks.
Who knew that the band would be so influential and an eventual catalyst for a band of far wider significance. In 1972, Hodder accepted an invitation from Gary Katz and Boston guitarist Jeff “Skunk” Baxter to relocate to Los Angeles and join the newly forming Steely Dan. Hodder appeared on their first three albums, left the group in 1974, and worked as a session musician before his untimely death.
What’s interesting is that The Bead Game were most definitely a sum of the parts of the group than any one individual’s showcase—Robert Gass (keyboards), John Sheldon (lead guitar), Lassie Sachs (bass), Kenny Westland-Haag (rhythm guitar), Jim Hodder (lead vocals and drums).
A review of The Bead Game that appeared within the Harvard Crimson on May 9, 1969 pretty much sums it up. “Very few rock groups, and even fewer American ones, manage to make music that is not only complex in its musical structure but at the same time retains the visceral, frantic dynamism that one associates with true rock & roll. The Bead Game is one of the finest groups in the country precisely because its music is just such an extraordinary synthesis of complexity and dynamics.”
Copies of both the Bead Game’s Welcome as well as their 2nd self-titled album, which was recorded in 1971 but got shelved until its release 44 years afterward, are both currently available from Amazon.
by Karl E. Sharicz
Tracks
1. Punchin' Judy (Joel Sachs, Ken Haag) - 5:21
2. Lady (Bob Gass, Ken Haag) - 4:29
3. Wax Circus (Ken Haag) - 4:35
4. Mora (Ken Haag) - 4:25
5. Natural Song (Ken Haag) - 4:00
6. Country Girls (Ken Haag) - 2:42
7. Amos And Andy (Joel Sachs, Ken Haag) - 4:51
8. Slipping (Joel Sachs, Ken Haag) - 8:40
9. Sweet Medusa (Scott English, Larry Weiss, Ken Haag) - 3:10
10.Echoes of Sweet Medusa (Scott English, Larry Weiss, Ken Haag) - 2:25
11.My Life in Review (Ken Haag) - 1:56
Bonus Tracks 9-11
The Bead Game
*Ken Haag - Rhythm Guitar
*John Sheldon - Lead Guitar
*Robert Gass - Keyboards
*Jim Hodder - Drums, Percussion, Lead Vocals
*Joel Sachs - Bass
Born in Walnut, Mississippi, he began his professional music career when he wrote and recorded his first record at the tender age of eleven, and also became the youngest member ever voted into the musicians union. After moving to Memphis, Tennesse, the young guitarist made his mark on the music world at the age of sixteen with his 1963 number one hit “Scratchy”.. By 1969, Wammack’s skills landed him in Muscle Shoals, Alabama where he teamed with legendary producer Rick Hall at Hall’s FAME Records. Travis’ guitar licks can be heard on hit records recorded by artists such as Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett, Little Richard, Mac Davis, Clarence Carter, the Osmond Brothers, Bobbie Gentry, Candi Staton, Delbert McClinton, Liza Minnelli, Narvel Felts and many more. Wammack’s solo artist career (produced by Hall) also sky rocketed with the release of albums in 1971 and 1975. His second album titled "Not For Sale" was recorded at Muscle Shoals produced by Rick Hall and released on Capricorn Records.
by Greg Shaw
Tracks
1. Cookin' On The Front Burner (Leon Sherrill, Travis Wammack) - 3:14
2. A Lover's Question (Brook Benton, Jimmy Williams) - 2:57
3. Shotgun Woman (Al Cartee, Travis Wammack) - 2:59
4. I Forgot To Remember To Forget (Travis Wammack) - 2:57
5. Looking For A Fox (Clarence Carter, Marcus Daniel, Rick Hall, Wilbur Terrell) - 2:46
6. You've Got Your Troubles (Roger Cook, Roger Greenaway) - 3:43
7. (Shu-Do-Pa -Poo-Poop) Love Being Your Fool (Charlie Whitehead, Jerry Williams Jr.) - 3:19
8. Easy Evil (Alan O'Day) - 3:11
9. Love Rustler (Dennis Linde, Thomas Cain) - 3:23
10.Greenwood, Mississippi (Albert S. Lowe Jr., Travis Wammack) - 3:47
The British-German group introduces us here a lovely, relaxed, but quite complex rock with a clear jazz impact. Especially the middle parts of the songs show strong fusion elements, with brisk solos especially from the sax, pearling e-piano (it remains a mystery who uses this) and playful-nested runs of guitar and bass. In "Destruction", "Volcanoes Under The Sun" and "To Live Again", the music turns into a fast-paced brass rock in places with the participation of a big band or a second saxophonist.
All the numbers exhale a comforting lightness, which also does not change the earthy-smoky vocals of McGuigano, despite the jazzy arrangements, it suits quite well in the ear. Comparisons? Well, Message sound like "Synapse" maybe like a less poppy version of Steely Dan with a strong jazz rock beat. Or how a mix of Lake and Weather Report? Anyway, "Synapse" is a refreshing, entertaining disc that avoids any shallowness and actually makes a lot of fun, even if the prog factor is not unconditionally overly high! Excellent bizarre cover!
Tracks
1. Fred The Head - 6:01
2. Chessmen - 4:07
3. Destruction - 5:31
4. To Live Again - 4:36
5. Volcanoes Under The Sun - 4:56
6. Triangle - 5:38
7. The Sailor And The Flyer - 7:51
8. The Pharaoh's Leg - 3:17
Music by Message, Lyrics by Tom McGuigan
The Message
*Alan Murdoch - Guitars
*Tommy McGuigan - Vocals, Sax
*Horst Stachelhaus - Bass
*Manfred v. Bohr - Drums, Percussion With
*Tony Greaves - Sax, Flute (Tracks 5, 7)
*The Anonymous Big Brass Band - Brass (Tracks 3, 5)
On Blue Apple, organ is added to the instrumentation, yet the ride does not slow down. A blistering pace is set until "Psalm," a dreamy floating piece so the band can take a breath before fueling the blast furnace for the final assault. Great rock and roll.
The album was recorded in Hamburg at Teldec Studios with Hartmann and Thomas Kukuck engineering. Both Gift albums are fine examples of German heavy progressive rock. Originals of their first album sell for more than 100 Euros.
Tracks
1. Blue Apple (Grischa Batanoff, Grischa Batanoff, Peter Körner) - 4:15
2. Rock Scene (Dieter Atterer, Rainer Baur) - 3:47
3. Don't Waste Your Time (Hermann Lange, Rainer Baur, Uwe Patzke) - 4:02
4. Psalm (Dieter Atterer, Dieter Frei, Hermann Lange, Rainer Baur, Uwe Patzke) - 3:55
5. Everything's Alright (Grischa Batanoff, Grischa Batanoff, Peter Körner) - 4:30
6. Go To Find A Way (Dieter Atterer, Rainer Baur) - 6:39
7. Reflections Part 1 (Hermann Lange, Nick Woodland) - 3:14
8. Reflections Part 2 (Hermann Lange, Nick Woodland) - 3:47
9. Left The Past Behind (Dieter Atterer, Dieter Frei, Rainer Baur, Uwe Patzke) - 6:01
Satin Whale formed in 1971 and featured here is their rather spirited first album, Desert Places, released in 1974. A collection of mostly organ and guitar instrumentals that sound like they have rehearsed arrangements but maintain excitement throughout with memorable tones and musicianship. There’s sporadic vocals, flute and sax from multi-instrumentalist Dieter Roesberg, driving grinding organs from Gerard Dellman with fluid bass lines from Thomas Brück (I think he may be the lead singer, too). The line up is completed by the handy Horst Schöffgen on drums.
by Marty Willson-Pipe
Satin Whale's main influence was definitely Santana, and much of the guitar/organ interplay is similar to Carlos Santana / Gregg Rolie on the early line up from '68-'72. I always have thought that some sort of progression on early Santana rock would be great, and this album in every way is like a great Kraut rock version of that band. While certainly not original, and not really that progressive, this is a superb rock album with great moves and band interplay.
by Mike McLatchey
Tracks
1.Desert Places (Thomas Brück) - 6:58
2.Seasons Of Life - 6:44
3.Remember - 9:38
4.I Often Wondered - 7:17
5.Perception - 13:01
All songs by Dieter Roesberg, Thomas Brück except track #1
