rep> Sweet Maya – Sweet Maya (1977 us, fabulous funky jazz prog silky rock, 2016 bonus tracks digipak remaster)

The story of Sweet Maya is one that spans 36 years and involves a set of relationships that have remain strong despite time and distance. The first chapter started in 1968 when Gail met John. As she recalls it "I met John prior to graduation and my most favorite memories involve a trip to a nightclub to hear a hot band, John being invited on stage to jam, and his horn turning the crowd upside down!"

It was after Gail and John came to Kalamazoo that the third piece of the Sweet Maya puzzle moved into place. As Gail describes it "I met Janice Lakers in a music theory class, we were the top two students. We got together one evening to sing and that's all it took. In short time we formed a folk duo, both of us playing guitars and Janice doubling on flute and percussion. John was always on the sidelines of our duo, helping us with arrangements, and sitting in with us when he could." It was with the formation of this trio that the core of Sweet Maya was formed and plans for expansion were laid. Tom Davis, a drummer John worked with in a previous group quickly followed by guitarist/bassist Tom Hill. 

Thus Sweet Maya was born. Where there had only been two now there were five but the sound of the band continued to be a work in progress. Feeling the need for a dedicated bassist and a more driving sound, the core Mayans sent out a call to audition bass players from around the area. Many tried out and all had their advantages yet in the end one player stood out among the rest, securing a sought after place in a successful local band. 

The one selected was Mark Bowen completing the six member, multiinstrumentalist band. Maya strived towards continuous improvement and as the rhythm section continued to strengthen the inherent weakness became the lack of a solid guitar soloist. Tom Hill, who had several creative differences with the core group, left the band as Sweet Maya ushered in the last piece of the puzzle, Rob Hayes. This formed the band that most remember as Sweet Maya and its performances drew huge audiences earning it a reputation as one of the foremost musical groups in the mid-western United States.

One of the lasting results of this musical endeavor was the recording and production of this LP, originally pressed in vinyl in 1977. And thanks to a still thriving fan base Sweet Maya continues to gather every few years to perform in concert with the next scheduled for fall of 2011. The band will be celebrating its 40th anniversary and plans to introduce several new compositions to delight their fans.

by Mark Bowen, 2010

Tracks

1. Good Day (Rob Hayes) - 2:29

2. Louisiana Song (Gail Baker)  - 3:30

3. Gotta Find Out (John Chamberlin)  - 5:25

4. Crazy Coldness (Gail Baker)  - 4:36

5. Surround Me (Gail Baker, Rob Hayes)  - 3:11

6. The Earth Has Music (Rob Hayes)  - 3:56

7. Papa Taco (Rob Hayes)  - 2:45

8. Illusion (John Chamberlin)  - 5:04

9. People Suite (Instrumental) (Rob Hayes, John Chamberlin, Mark Bowen)  - 7:11 

10.Angisa Alusa (Traditional) - 4:17

11.Povo (Freddie Hubbard) - 6:18

Sweet Maya
*Janice Lakers - Vocals, Flute, Guitar, Percussion
*Gail Baker - Guitar, Vocals
*John Chamberlin - Vocals, Flute, Saxophone, Piano
*Tom Davis - Drums
*Mark Bowen - Bass
*Rob Hayes - Guitar, Keyboards, Flute, Harmonica, Vocals

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rep> Quincy Conserve - Aire Of Good Feeling Best Of (1968-74 new zealand, awesome jazzy groovy psych brass rock, 2008 remaster)

The Quincy Conserve was formed in Wellington in late 1967 by Malcolm Hayman. Malcolm was an extremely talented musician who had already been on the music scene for twelve years by that stage. Hayman was only 15 years old when he arrived in Wellington in 1955 as a member of the Maori Hi Fives showband. The following year the singer-guitarist formed the Trademarks, long-time residents at the Mexicali, a popular nightspot owned by American expatriate Harry Booth.

The Trademarks were very popular, and after four years of constant playing, queues formed to see them every time they played. Over the years, 30-odd musicians passed through the ranks of the Trademarks, before Malcolm disbanded the group in 1961. The Trademarks owed more than a little to the Maori showband tradition, where Hayman had learnt his licks, but the group gave Wellingtonians their first taste of rock'n'roll. One member of the Trademarks was Rodney "Dody" Potter, who was later a member of the Keil Isles and Dallas Four.

Following the demise of the Trademarks, Malcolm spent 18 months at the New South Wales Conservatorium of Music, followed by two years on the Australian-Pacific cabaret circuit with a variety of bands. Malcolm was a severe diabetic and in 1965, during a residency in New Caledonia, he came down with tuberculosis, spending the next 14 months in a Noumea hospital. He returned to Wellington in the middle of 1966 and formed a new band called the Soundells.

The Soundells had a residency at the Downtown Club in Wellington and at the end of 1967 they were enticed to go to Auckland to play there. They accepted the offer, but Malcolm decided not to go. Now without a resident band at the Downtown Club, owner Roy Young had enough faith in Malcolm to give him a budget to recruit, equip and rehearse a new band for his club. Malcolm immediately tried the rhythm section of Sounds Unlimited, who had just dissolved, but at rehearsals found that they were not appropriate. He then started scouring the countryside, looking for the best musicians, with a promise of a regular gig and a steady wage.

Malcolm recruited bass player Dave Orams from the Underdogs, keyboardist Rufus Rehu from the Quin Tikis, another previous member of Sounds Unlimited, saxophonist Johnny McCormick, and an inexperienced saxophonist, Dennis Mason. On drums was Bryan Beauchamp, from Bari and the Breakaways, but he was quickly replaced by another former Quin Tikis, Earl Anderson.

Rehearsals over, the Quincy Conserve debuted at the Downtown Club in February 1968. They were one of the most talented and professional groups to appear on the New Zealand music scene in the late sixties. They were Wellington's first 'supergroup'.

Malcolm continued playing for a number of years, but finally his diabetes caught up with him and he died as a result of complications on the 5th November 1988.

Quincy Conserve were never a true pop group, they were more of a musicians band, with Malcolm Hayman possessing one of the most distinctive voices in Kiwi Rock.

In 2008 EMI released a newest verion of their "Best Of ",  under the title "Aire Of Good Feeling" which contained more songs, singles and some good album tracks.
Sergent-au

Tracks

1. Aire Of Good Feeling (Jim Peterik) - 4:15

2. Ride The Rain (Bruno Lawrence) - 2:51

3. All Right In The City (Don Dunn, Tony McCashen) - 2:38

4. Roundhouse (D. Miller) - 3:18

5. Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is (Robert Lamm) - 3:24

6. I Feel Good (James Brown) - 2:49

7. Somebody Somewhere Help Me (Steve Miller) - 2:41

8. Purple Frustration (Dave Orams) - 2:42

9. Don't Arrange Me (Dave Orams, Bruno Lawrence, Kevin Furey, Malcolm Hayman, Rufus Rehu, Dennis Mason, Johnny McCormick) - 2:04

10.Lazy Kind Of Day (Dave "Smokey" Smelko, George Sopuch, Mike "The Frist" Geraci, Don Nagy, Marc Spirou, Vic Walkus, Dave Myles, John Taylor) - 3:26

11.Hallelujah (David White, Johnny Caswell) - 2:26

12.Lovin Look (Robert Leslie Emmerson) - 2:35

13.Soul Thing (Keith Mansfield) - 3:15

14.Everybody Has Their Way (Bruno Lawrence) - 4:00

15.Keep On Pushing (Dave "Smokey" Smelko, Mike "The Frist" Geraci, Tony Corrao) - 3:11

16.Going Back To The Garden (Dennis Mason) - 4:19

17.I'm So Proud (Darlene Irra Landan) - 2:15

18.I Saw The Light (Todd Rundgren) - 2:59

19.Volcano (Robbie Robertson) - 2:34

20.Lulu Belle (Gary Coleman) - 3:05

21.I've Been Loving You Baby (Elton John) - 2:51

22.Here's To The Next Time (Elton John, Bernie Taupin) - 2:40

23.My Michell Chan (Johnny McCormick) - 3:47

24.Slut (Todd Rundgren) - 4:16

25.Keep On Playing That Rock And Roll (Edgar Winter, Jerry LaCroix) - 3:52

Quincy Conserve

*Malcolm Hayman - Lead Guitar, Laed Vocals 

*Dave Orams - Bass Guitar

*Rufus Rehu - Organ, Backing Vocals, Piano, Alto Horn

*Johnny McCormick - Tenor, Baritone Saxophones, Flute, Trumpet, Woodwind

*Dennis Mason - Tenor, Alto Saxophones, Backing Vocals

*Brian Beauchamp - Drums

*Bruno Lawrence - Drums

*Kevin Furey - Guitar, Trumpet, Vocals

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Various Artists - Blow My Mind The Doré Era Mira Punk And Psych Legacy (1965-69 us, tremendous garage psych rock, 2021 remaster)

Three of the quirkier imprints from Hollywood’s heyday in the mid-1960s were the record labels Doré, Era and Mira. Like most seasoned indie producers in that epoch, their owners Lew Bedell, Herb Newman and Randy Wood struggled to get to grips with the onslaught of rock’n’roll activity that followed in the wake of the British Invasion. But amongst each company’s catalogue of R&B, pop schlock and novelty discs were a number of outstanding garage and proto-psych 45s that today are sought-after collectors’ items.

 

“Blow My Mind: The Doré-Era-Mira Punk & Psych Legacy” collects together the best of this venerated repertoire in a power-packed set that also constitutes the first official reissue for many oft-bootlegged titles. Cuts like ‘The Thief’, ‘Slander’ and ‘I’ll Blow My Mind’ would be expensive to acquire in their original, minutely-pressed incarnation. Here, with top-notch sound and extensive annotation, these totemic garage rock items shine brighter than ever.

 

There is the expected quota of attitude-laden classics such as ‘My Baby’s Barefoot’, ‘Just Wanna Be Myself’ and the incredibly snotty ‘So What!!’, along with less heralded gems by bands such as South Hampton Story, the Puddin’ Heads, Yesterday’s Tomorrow and the Search. An unexpected bonus is a superb unreleased cut by ‘Hey Joe’ hitmakers the Leaves, along with off-beat garage-psych titles by Simon T Stokes, the Outlaw Blues and the Wrench.

 

“Blow My Mind!” is the natural sequel to Big Beat’s recent, well-received collection “Lost Innocence” and is an essential purchase for the dedicated garage head.

Big-Beat

Artists - Title - Composer

1. The Syndicate -.My Baby's Barefoot (Bill Rash) - 2:42

2. The Leaves - Do Me A Favor (Unknown Artist) - 1:50

3. The No-Nâ-Mee's–.Gotta Hold On (Doug Wareham) - 2:33

4. The Motion - The Thief (Stanley House) - 2:26

5. The Lyrics - So What!! (Christopher Gaylord) - 2:49

6. South Hampton Story - Leave Me Behind (Dick Garcia, Tony Ponzo) - 2:39

7. Simon T Stokes -.Big City Blues (Simon T Stokes) - 2:16

8. Yesterday's Tomorrow–.The Other Half (RW Chandler, Anthony Bertolet) - 2:21

9. The Regents - Worryin' Kind (Mike McDonald) - 2:48

10.John Winfield Jr.- She Touched My Soul (John Winfield Jr.) - 2:26

11.Ty Wagner -.Slander (Ty Wagner) - 2:08

12.The Puddin' Heads - Now You Say We're Through (David Russell, John Greek) - 2:03

13.The Lyrics - They Can't Hurt Me (Christopher Gaylord) - 2:48

14.Spencer's Van Dykes–.I'll Blow My Mind (Edward E. Spencer) - 1:54

15.The Decades - I'm Gonna Dance (The Decades) - 1:56

16.The Wrench - The Day Is Hard (Gary Scott) - 2:16

17.The Search - Climate (Jim Mannino) - 2:32

18.The No-Nâ-Mee's - Just Wanna Be Myself (Doug Wareham) - 2:21

19.The Outlaw Blues - Non-Stop Blues (Victor Aleman) - 2:41

20.The Front Page And Her - Shame (Bobby Mell, Randy Larkin) - 2:15

21.The Bees - Forget Me Girl (Robert Zinner) - 2:17

22.The Tormentors - She's Gone (Lee Harper) - 2:25

23.Basil And The Baroques - It's No Use (Gene Clark, Roger McGuinn) - 2:57

24.Unknown Artist - To Make A Lie (Unknown Artist) - 2:31

25.Simon T Stokes - Cobwebs (Christian Wilde) - 2:22

The Syndicate

*Bill Patapoff - Bass  

*Bob Bourbon - Drums  

*Rick Cronin - Lead Guitar  

*Bill Rash - Lead Vocals  

*Jim Kobzeff - Rhythm Guitar  

The Leaves

*Jim Pons - Bass  

*Tom "Ambrose" Ray - Drums  

*Bobby Arlin - Lead Guitar  

*Robert Lee Reiner - Rhythm Guitar  

*John Beck - Vocals, Harmonica

  

The No-Nâ-Mee's

*Dewayne Wareham - Bass  

*Rod Williams - Drums  

*Clay Ice - Organ  

*Cliff Davis - Rhythm Guitar  

*Doug Wareham - Vocals, Guitar 

 

The Motion  

*Lee Bickford - Bass  

*Bill House - Guitar  

*Mark Shinbrott - Organ  

*Stan House - Vocals, Drums 

 

The Lyrics  

*Danny Garcia - Bass  

*Gary Neves - Drums  

*Michael Allen - Lead Guitar  

*Chris Gaylord - Lead Vocals, Keyboards  

*Craig Carll - Rhythm Guitar  

*Steve Khailer - Vocals  

South Hampton Story

*Danny Beckon - Bass  

*Leon Beckon - Drums  

*John Valenzuela - Guitar  

*Danny Garcia - Keyboards, Lead Vocals  

*Tony Ponzo - Lead Guitar  

The Regents  

*John Harris - Bass  

*Craig Boyd - Drums  

*Tom Baker - Guitar  

*Mike McDonald - Guitar  

*Jerry Rosa - Organ  

The Puddin' Heads

*John Greek - Guitar  

*Denny Reed - Vocals  

The Lyrics  

*Danny Garcia - Bass  

*Gary Neves - Drums  

*Michael Allen - Lead Guitar  

*Chris Gaylord - Lead Vocals, Keyboards  

*Craig Carll - Rhythm Guitar  

*Steve Khailer - Vocals  

The Bees 

*John York - Bass  

*Cary Slavin - Drums  

*Bob Zinner - Guitar  

*Peter Ferst - Guitar  

*George Caldwell - Vocals  

The Tormentors

*Dan Davis - Bass  

*Tim Daley - Drums  

*Lee Harper - Guitar  

*Mark Davis - Lead Guitar  

Basil And The Baroques

*Jim Messina - Bass  

*Roger Brennan - Drums  

*John Hartnett - Lead Guitar  

*Bruce Miller - Lead Vocals  

*John Cahners - Rhythm Guitar 

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Catfish - Live Featuring Bob Hodge (1971 us, rough blues rock, roots 'n' roll)

Catfish has been called an “American folk blues hero” and has been a mainstay on the American Blues music scene for three decades now! He has twenty four albums to his credit, comprised almost totally of original material. “Catfish Blues” and “Like A Big Dog Barkin’” on the Wildcat label, and “Eyewitness Blues” on Genes CD were released in 1994 and 1995. His first album of children’s songs “Adventures at Catfish Pond”, on Music for Little People label was released in May of 1996. The album won the NAPA Golden Award as best children’s music of 1996. His 1998 release “Bare Necessities”(on Chicken Legs Music) finds him in a solo acoustic setting, with lowdown funky blues and soulful ballads. 

His 1999 release “Twenty Years” features performances from concerts and radio broadcast and includes the only version now available of “Boogie Man Gonna Git Ya”, as well as other rare gems. His 2002 release “Let’s Eat” is a best of collection of his best known food songs of which there are many! Both of his latest albums are available on Chicken Legs Music. All of his albums prior to the 1990’s are hard to find except for the first Catfish Band album “Get Down”, which Sony/Epic re-released in the mid 1990’s, due to demand for it overseas.

Catfish found his calling early on. While growing up in Detroit, he was sneaking into Motown Records Hitsville studio to catch the Four tops and the Supremes and grooving to R&B and Blues while his contemporaries gravitated to the Beatles. In the late 1960’s he formed the Catfish Band and led them out of Detroit into national prominence.

1971’s Live Catfish, capturing the next line-up at Detroit’s Eastman Theatre on rollicking covers of Martha & The Vandellas’ Nowhere To Run, Barrett Strong’s Money (That’s What I Want) and Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On, alongside originals including the accusatory diatribe Letter To Nixon and the stonking Mississippi River.

Though they can be appreciated as long-lost minor classic relics from that incendiary period, these first forays weren’t the last the world heard of the mighty ‘Catfish’ Hodge, who carried on testifying his beloved blues for the next 35 years.

Tracks

1. Nowhere To Run (Brian Holland, Edward Holland, Jr., Lamont Dozier) - 3:49

2. Money (That's What I Want) (Berry Gordy, Jr., Janie Bradford) - 4:48

3. 300 Pound Fat Mama (Bob Hodge) - 14:37

4. Mississippi River (Bob Hodge) - 6:50

8. Letter To Nixon (Bob Hodge) - 11:31

6. Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On (Dave Williams, Sunny David) - 3:19

Catfish

*Bob Hodge - Vocals

*Dallas Hodge - Guitar  

*Harry Phillips - Keyboards

*Dennis Cranner - Bass 

*Jim Demers - Drums 

with

*John Hill - Piano (Track 1)

1970  Catfish - Get Down  

1972/75  Bob "Catfish" Hodge - Different Strokes The Complete East And Westbound Recordings (2014 double disc)  

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Blackstone - Blackstone (1971 us, solid hard classic rock, feat Max Weinberg from the E Street Band fame)

New Jersey-based hard rock band who recorded an eponymous album for Epic Records in 1970. The drummer was Max Weinberg, later of The E Street Band.

"Noise proves nothing," Mark Twain once wrote, "often a hen who has merely laid an egg cackles as if she had laid an asteroid.

Blackstone, the young men who make their debut with this album, are destined to make a lot of noise in the music business, but not in the sense described above. After five months of intensive rehearsals in a New Jersey garage, they came to the studio and laid the  asteroid contained herein.

It's an impressive beginning. Blackstone has revealed its mettle, they've got what it takes and it's up to you to turn this asteroid into a star in the rock firmament.

(from Original Liner Notes)

Tracks

1. Love Love Love (Dave DesRochers, Tom Butler, Kevin Collins, Tom Flynn, Max Weinberg) - 4:26

2. Sing - 3:44

3. Moondog - 4:19

4. Freedom Rider (Dave DesRochers, Tom Flynn) - 2:53

5. Time - 3:40

6. K.C. Funk (Whole Lotta Livin' Lovin') (Dave DesRochers, Tom Butler, Kevin Collins, Tom Flynn) - 4:12

7. Sleep Tonight - 3:33

8. Thinking (Dave DesRochers, Tom Butler) - 5:56

9. Woman Who Lives Alone - 6:08

All songs by Dave DesRochers except where noted

Blackstone

*Tom Butler - Bass, Vocals

*Kevin Collins - Organ, Piano

*Dave DesRochers - Guitars, Vocals

*Tom Flynn - Vocals8

*Max Weinberg - Drums, Percussion 

with

*Don Oriolo - Strings, Horns Conductor, Arranger  

*Lor Crane - Strings, Horns Conductor, Arranger (Track 7)

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rep> Group Image - A Mouth In The Clouds (1968 us, wild acid psych rock, 2007 fallout reissue)

As much as collectors and critics can try to approach obscure albums on their own merits without unfairly comparing them to the giants of their era, sometimes a band's inspiration is just too blatant to ignore. So let's lay it on the line here: the Group Image's sole LP would not have existed were it not for the prior existence of the early Jefferson Airplane albums and concerts. It's not just the male-female vocal blend, with Sheila Darla approaching her singing very much like Grace Slick did, or the very specific echoes of Jorma Kaukonen's wiggly guitar tone. 

There are also echoes of specific Airplane songs, sometimes in passing references to the Airplane's arrangements of "The Fat Angel" or "Coming Back to Me," and sometimes in more obvious cops of "3/5 of a Mile in Ten Seconds," "It's No Secret," and (particularly in "Hiya") the Airplane's arrangement of "The Other Side of This Life." It's not all a trip in Jefferson Airplane economy class, but alas, there are also heavy imprints of the Mamas & the Papas, albeit in a more acid-folk-rock style, and a bit of the harmonies of the Association and the good-time cheer of the Lovin' Spoonful. 

If you're just an absolute sucker for those sounds, the record has its pleasant qualities as a psychedelicized folk-rock album of sorts, with heavily West Coast-influenced bittersweet melodies that are broken up by some freakier passages with jazzy tempo changes and searing distorted guitar. It's not just a lack of originality that disqualifies the record as a notable obscurity, however, but the fairly unexceptional quality of the songs, though it's better than many such largely forgotten psychedelic releases. 

by Richie Unterberger

Tracks
1. Hiya - 5:00
2. A Way To Love You All The Time - 2:50
3. Moonlit Dip - 5:45
4. Voices Calling Me - 3:30
5. New Romancing - 2:50
6. Aunt Ida - 6:08
7. Banana Split - 6:15
8. My Man - 1:55
9. Grew Up All Wrong - 2:50
10.The Treat - 5:30
All songs by the Group Image

The Group Image
*Sheila Darla - Vocals
*Dr, Hok - Lead Guitar
*Freddy Knuckles - Rhythm Guitar
*William Guy Merrill - Rhythm Guitar
*Black Doug - Bass
*Professor Leon Luther Rix - Drums

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Brothers Unlimited - Who's For The Young (1970 us, remarkable soul funk psych, 2008 edition)

This group of musicians and vocalist came to together in Memphis, Tennessee in 1968, with a unique live sound blending funk, soul, rock, funkadelic, and smooth vocals. The group was organized by John "Kousi" Harris from Pensacola, Fl., formerly of the group J Robinson and The Dynamics who recorded on the MALA label, and Jerry Jones a local Memphis Vocalist. Curtis Johnson, and brother Harold "Quake" Johnson had formerly been members of The Chips/Astors, that recorded with Stax Records.

The musicians had been playing locally with several groups, when John and Jerry had and idea to join these different talents to create a new sound. The group was self managed, with Curtis doing the booking and creating tours throughout Memphis night clubs, and on the Florida, and Alabama Gulf Coast. The group also traveled north to the Michigan area, but spent most of their time in the lower south east. In 1970, the group produced (with Fame Records) and recorded an album that was released on the Capitol Records label, "Who's For the Young".

The Memphis Sound on acid" is how Brothers Unlimited's lone release has been billed by feverish vinyl collectors. The album was notoriously talked about back in the day due to its rarity, especially for being on a major label like Capitol records. As for the music, Brothers Unlimited consisted of veterans from the Muscle Shoals camp who blended funk, soul, and psych rock to a tee. Stand out cuts include tracks like the soulful title cut, the funkadelic-esque "Hey Little Rich Boy", and their cover of "Spoonful".

Tracks

1. Who's For The Young? (Robert Owens) - 3:03

2. A Change Is Gonna Come (Sam Cooke) - 3:44

3. Got To Get Over (Robert Owens) - 2:53

4. Hey Little Rich Boy (Earl CAge Jr., Lieutenant Wilks, Robert Owens) - 3:33

5. Get Away (Robert Owens) - 2:49

6. Life Dreams Death (Robert Owens) - 5:40

7. Spoonful (Willie Dixon) - 3:33

8. Take Me Back (George Jackson, Larry Chambers, Melvin Leakes) - 2:09

9. What We Need Is Harmony (Robert Owens) - 2:48

Brothers Unlimited

*Curtis Johnson - Vocals, Percussion, Washboard 

*Harold Johnson - Vocals, Percussion 

*Harold "Quake" Johnson - Vocals, Percussion 

*Jerry Jones - Lead Vocals 

*Alvin Potts - Keyboards, Vocals 

*Lee Cox - Tenor Saxophone, Vocals 

*Ronald Echols - Baritone Saxophone, Vocals 

*Oscar Smith - Guitar, Vocals 

*Charles Alridge - Drums, Percussion, Vocals 

*Charles Allen - Trumpet, Vocals 

*Leon Alridge - Bass, Vocals 

*Larry Lee - Guitar, Vocals

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Hamilton Streetcar - Hamilton Streetcar (1969 us, gorgeous melodic brass rock, sunny psych)

Bassist Bart Conway and guitarist Tom Fannon had been members of a high school surf band The Regents.  By 1965 they'd expanded their repertoire to more conventional rock, added keyboardist John Burge (aka Ian Hamilton), drummer Barry McGuire (quickly replaced by Danny Fantz, who was then replaced by Greg Hart) and singer Ralph Plummer to the lineup.  They also picked up a new name - The Chosen Few.  Within a short period they'd mutated into Rollin' Machine (the name supposedly inspired by their drummer's recreational habits), replaced Conway with Jay Alan and started to attract attention on the local club scene and by serving as opening for various national touring acts.  

Their big break came as a result of playing a UCLA frat party.  The performance attracted the attention of Forrest Hamilton (son of jazz drummer Chico Hamilton), who signed on as group manager.  Obviously time for a new name - briefly Hamilton Omnibus, followed by Hamilton Streetcar.  Their initial efforts to attract the attention of major labels went nowhere.  

Steady work in local clubs did little to attract the attention of major labels, but that changed when the group somehow caught the attention of the ever eccentric Lee Hazlewood who promptly signed the band to his newly established LHI label where they recorded to psych-tinged singles:

Former Challengers drummer Richard Delvy signed the band to Dot.  Unfortunately Delvy apparently had little interest in the group's original sound, rather was interested in using them as a backing group for material written by former Appletree Theatre fron tman John Boylan.  Perhaps not a major surprise, but dreaded creative differences quickly arose within the band and in a matter of months the band had fallen apart leaving Plummer  and keyboardist Hamilton to carry on as the sole survivors.  Boylan, Plummer and Hamilton quickly recruited singer/guitarist Buzz Clifford (who'd enjoyed an early 1960s hit with 'Baby Sittin' Boogie') and finished the album with backing from sessions players.

Described by Plummer as a "contractual obligation" project, 1969's "Hamilton Streetcar" found the survivors reluctantly continuing to work with producer Delvy.  The impact on creativity was obvious.  Whereas Plummer had previously written all of the band's material (he'd reportedly written some 50 tracks for their catalog), on the album his contributions were limited to handling lead vocals and penning the pop-flavored 'Silver Wings'.  That left Delvy to stitch together an album mixing popular covers with  new recruit Buzz Clifford picking up the creative slack with a series of four tunes.  Structurally the set was certainly odd, largely forsaking conventional three minute song structures in favor of a pair of side long, multi-part suites that frequently interweaved main themes with shorter refrains (examples included Clifford's 'Welcome into Your World' and a cover of Tim Buckley's 'Pleasant Street').  

Heavily orchestrated tracks like their cover of Lee Michael's 'Streetcar', Boylan's 'Brother Speed' (which the original band line up included in their live repertoire) and 'I See I Am' featured an engaging mixture of lounge act, MOR pop, with occasional psych moves.  The song quality bounced all over the place (Plummer himself has slammed the LP - see below), but several of the tracks were simply great - 'Wouldn't It Be Nice (To Have Wings and Fly)' and Plummer's 'Silver Wings' were personal favorites.  Not a perfect comparison, but songs like 'Now I Taste the Tears' and the instrumental 'Entre Acte' sounded a bit like Curt Boetcher and Gary Usher's work with Sagittarius.  It certainly wouldn't appeal to everyone, but folks into sunshine pop, or Boylan's work with Appletree Theatre would probably find a great deal to like.

Bad-Cat

Tracks

1. Overture / Streetcar (Lee Michaels) - 5:49

2. Brother Speed (John Boylan) - 2:55

3. I See I Am (Buzz Clifford) - 4:41

4. Where Do I Go (Galt MacDermot, Gerome Ragni, James Rado) - 3:32

5. Now I Taste The Tears (Buzz Clifford) - 2:40

6. Welcome Into Your World (Buzz Clifford) - 2:16

7. Entre Acte - 4:01

8. Wouldn't It Be Nice (To Have Wings And Fly) / Silver Wings (Buzz Clifford / Ralph Plummer) - 7:08

9. Honey And Wine (Carole King, Gerry Goffin) - 3:18

10.Pleasant Street (Tim Buckley) - 4:25

11.Wasn't It You (Carole King, Gerry Goffin) - 3:15

Hamilton Streetcar

*John Boylan - Vocals

*Ralph Plummer - Vocals

*Ian Hamilton "John Burge" - Keyboards

*Buzz Clifford - Guitar, Vocals 

*Greg Hart - Drums

*Jay Alan - Bass

With 

*Dave Roberts - Horns

*Richard Delvy - Orchestral Arrangements

Related Act

1968  The Appletree Theatre - Playback (2009 remaster)  

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The Butts Band - The Complete Recordings (1973-75 us / uk, excellent classic rock, soul, rhythm 'n' blues and reggae tunes, feat. Robby Krieger, John Densmore, Jess Roden)

The 1973 debut of Butts Band, produced by Doors engineer turned producer Bruce Botnick, is -- along with Ray Manzarek's 1974 release, The Golden Scarab (also produced by Botnick) -- the true fulfillment of what Other Voices and Full Circle initiated. A release of Golden Scarab and The Butts Band on one CD would be a good companion piece to the aforementioned post-Morrison Doors releases; it's most likely what would have evolved had the Doors' trio given us a third album in the early '70s. Make no mistake, this is very musical and great stuff, it just had no image, introduced us to new personalities, and was saddled with a terrible name (c'mon, the Butts Band? What was Jimmy Castor's line in "Troglodyte"? "Bertha Butt, one of the Butt sisters." It's just plain silly with the world watching the Doors' legacy). Before Robbie Krieger went on his jazz tangent, this folky blues group may have been a necessary diversion. 

There's none of the Doors' darkness or Ray Manzarek's manic intensity here. It's laid-back, well-played, perfectly recorded music on the Blue Thumb label. What is surprising is that Robbie Krieger was an integral part of the Doors' hit singles. He seems to have put that in the past on these compositions. "Baja Bus," with conga by Larry McDonald, might as well be the Allman Brothers. Side one was recorded in Kingston, Jamaica, with Botnick as engineer, while in London for side two at Olympic Studios they used Keith Harwood on the boards, though Bruce Botnick is the producer of the entire package. More of what you'd expect than the follow-up, Hear and Now, which changes all the musicians save the two Doors and completely reshuffles the sound. Gotta hand it to Krieger and Densmore; they can be as proud of this as Ten Wheel Drive's Zager and Schefrin can be of their post-Genya Ravan disc on EMI. That record wasn't Ten Wheel Drive with Genya Ravan, but it was competent and worth a listen, as is The Butts Band .

In 1975 John Densmore and Robbie Krieger put together a second version of Butts Band for Hear & Now, which is really bizarre because Roy Davies, Phillip Chen, and vocalist Jess Roden did an admirable job on the first disc's folky blues sound. With Mike Berkowitz brought in as a second drummer, Karl Rucker on bass, and Bobbi Hall on congas, the band is expanded and substantially changed. Add Michael Stull and Alex Richman, both on keyboards and vocals, with Stull on guitar as well, and you may think you have what the Doors were up to on Other Voices. Almost, but not quite. The jazz element is definitely there, but subdued, for this is a soul record, an honest to God soul record by two of the guys who backed up Jim Morrison. 

Krieger and Densmore sound like they are sponsoring Barry White doing the songs of Percy Sledge. "If You Gotta Make a Fool of Somebody" is pure rhythm & blues, as is "Livin' and Dyin'," but it is not Butts Band that producer Bruce Botnick worked with. Sure it is dynamite stuff, but as the first go round for Butts Band had no image, this must have confused the hell out of radio programmers, retail workers, critics, and fans of the Doors. Botnick has been replaced by Jerry Fuller and is truly is the anomaly when it comes to Doors spin-off projects. Heck, even Ray Manzarek's work with poet Michael McClure contains Jim Morrison American Prayer elements, but the quasi-Steely Dan sound of "Caught in the Middle" could be early Lou Rawls cutting his teeth backed by a pseudo-pop band. It's commendable that Blue Thumb allowed rock stars to stretch like this, but no one familiar with Densmore and Krieger could get a handle on where Hear & Now was going. 

What might have been a nice calling card would be to take the Doors' "Touch Me" and let this crew send it up the R&B charts. For two members of a totally established group to create a new entity then switch genres is totally original and quite obscure. Butts Band would have been better off trying to get Towerof Power to do this arrangement of Bob Marley and Peter Tosh's "Get up, Stand Up." Robbie Krieger writes a majority of the songs, and female vocalist Alex Richman has a bit of Kathi McDonald in her for her composition "Everybody's Fool," but it is territory not embraced by most Doors aficionados. Labelmates with the Four Tops, this was moved to the Blue Thumb/ABC imprint (the Four Tops were on sister label Dunhill for their "Keeper of the Castle" phase). Gotta have it for the collection, but Manzarek's The Golden Scarab will get more spins. 

by Joe Viglione 

Tracks 

1. I Won't Be Alone Anymore - 4:29

2. Baja Bus - 4:40

3. Sweet Danger (Jess Roden) - 4:52

4. Pop-A-Top (Jess Roden, Phillip Chen) - 3:22

5. Be With Me - 4:21

6. New Ways (Jess Roden) - 3:55

7. Love Your Brother - 4:53

8. Kansas City (Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller) - 4:06

9. Get Up, Stand Up (Bob Marley) - 3:36

10.Corner Of My Mind - 4:36

11.Caught In The Middle - 3:22

12.Everybody's Fool (Alex Richman) - 2:45

13.Livin' And Dyin' (Lydia Tegret, Robby Krieger) - 3:13

14.Don't Wake Up - 4:13

15.If You Gotta Make A Fool Of Somebody (Rudy Clark) - 4:04

16.Feelin' So Bad (Alex Richman) - 4:18

17.White House (Michael Stull) -  - 4:27

18.Act Of Love - 3:05

19.That's All Right - 3:18

20.Lovin' You For All The Right Reasons - 2:32

All compossitions by Robby Krieger except where stated

Tracks 1-8 from "Butts Band " 1973

Tracks 9-20 from "Hear And Now!" 1975

The Butts Band

1973 (Tracks 1-8)

*John Densmore - Drums

*Robby Krieger - Lead Guitar

*Jess Roden - Rhythm Guitar, Vocals

*Phillip Chen - Bass

*Roy Davies - Keyboard, ARP Synthesizer 

With

*Mick Weaver - Wurlitzer Piano, Organ

*Larry McDonald - Congas

*Allan Sharp - Congas

1975 (Tracks 9-20)

*John Densmore - Drums

*Robby Krieger - Lead Guitar

*Michael Stull - Guitar, Piano, Vocals

*Alex Richman - Keyboards, Vocals (Track 16)

*Karl "Slick" Rucker - Bass

*Bobbi Hall - Congas

*Mike Berkowitz - Percussion

Related Acts

1970-71 Bronco - Country Home / Ace Of Sunlight (2010 remaster)
1965-67  The Alan Bown Set - Emergency 999 
1969  The Alan Bown! - The Alan Bown! (2010 Esoteric remaster)
1972 Keef Hartley - Lancashire Hustler (2009 esoteric remaster)

1974-80  Jess Roden - The Best Of (2009 remaster)

1976  The Jess Roden Band - Keep Your Hat On / Play It Dirty..Play It Class

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Crack The Sky - Animal Notes • Safety Ιn Numbers (1976-77 us, fine prog rock)

Coming as it did after Crack the Sky's critically acclaimed first album, the darker, more cynical Animal Notes was something of a shock. The grim lyrics are still expressed with a dash of humor, but on the first four songs, the laughs are through clenched teeth. "We Want Mine," the opening cut, is a demand from a third-world native for a share of the world's wealth, a demand he knows will be ignored. "Animal Skins," which may be the best track on the album, skewers organized religion with bitter wit, and "Maybe I Can Fool Everybody Tonight" is told from the viewpoint of someone who is sure that his success is undeserved. Not until halfway through the album is there any lighter material, in the form of "Rangers at Midnight," a goofy pseudo-soundtrack about the Mounties. 

The remainder of the album is lighter in tone but the lyrics are oblique; "Virgin...No" sounds fantastic, all stellar harmonies and guitar hooks, but the vague verses seem to have no relation to the upbeat chorus. After the bright throwaway pop of "Invaders from Mars," lyricist John Palumbo returns to the bleak outlook of the first half with the somber "Play On." Palumbo left the band halfway through their next album and recorded a solo album of pained, introspective material, and his career direction can be seen in most of Animal Notes.

It's generally a bad sign when the lead singer quits a band in the middle of an album, especially when that singer wrote every song on the band's previous two albums. It is therefore somewhat surprising that Safety in Numbers was not merely a good album, but one which rivals Crack the Sky's award-wining first release. Though departing leader John Palumbo contributed a few vocals before quitting the band, new singer Gary Lee Chappell and other bandmembers filled in nicely on a mix of Palumbo's songs and new tunes written by guitarist Rick Witkowski and various partners. 

The two songs written by Palumbo aren't even the best -- that distinction would have to go to "A Night on the Town (With Snow White)," a delightful piece that mixes styles from the 1920s and progressive rock in a way that is probably unique. There are other lyrical gems here too, including the grim title cut and the sarcastic concert favorite "Lighten Up McGraw." Palumbo's "Nuclear Apathy" is five minutes of good song stretched to eight minutes, though the splendid guitar work and inspired arrangement does much to redeem the error. Taken as a whole, Safety in Numbers showed that there was more to Crack the Sky than John Palumbo, and that the band was ready to carry on in high style. 

by Richard Foss

Tracks

1. We Want Mine - 4:53

2. Animal Skins - 3:33

3. Wet Teenager - 3:31

4. Maybe I Can Fool Everybody (Tonight) - 5:56

5. Rangers At Midnight" (Including 'Night Patrol' and featuring 'Let's Lift Our Hearts Up') - 7:35

6. Virgin  No - 4:56

7. Invaders from Mars - 3:30

8. Play On - 3:56

9. Nuclear Apathyn - 8:31

10.Long Nights - 3:58

11.Flashlight (John Palumbo, Joey D'Amico, Joe Macre, Jim Griffiths, Rick Witkowski) - 4:33

12.Lighten Up McGraw (Rob Stevens, Rick Witkowski, Joe Macre) - 5:08

13.Give Myself to You (Rick Witkowski, Rob Stevens) - 3:24

14.A Night on the Town (With Snow White) (Rick Witkowski, Deborah Kucan) - 3:29

15.Safety in Numbers" (Joe Macre, Rick Witkowski) - 6:30

All songs written by John Palumbo except where stated 

Tracks 1-8 from "Animal Notes", 1976

Tracks 9-15 from "Safety In Numbers". 1977

Crack The Sky
*John Palumbo - Lead Vocals, Keyboards, Acoustic Guitar, Harmonies
*Rick Witkowski - Electric Guitar, Harmonies
*Joe Macre - Bass Guitar, Harmonies
*Jim Griffiths - Electric Guitar, Harmonies
*Joey D'Amico - Drums, Harmonies
*Gary Lee Chappell - Lead Vocals, Back-Up Vocals, Acoustic Guitar (Safety In Numbers)
*Rob Stevens - Piano, Minimoog, Oberheim Synthesizer (Safety In Numbers)
Additional Musicians In Animal Notes
*David Sackson - Concert Master
*"Singin' Mounties" - Vocals
*George Marge - Horns
*Robert "Chic" Diciccio - Horns
*Gotham City Swing Band - Horns

1975  Crack The Sky - Crack The Sky

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