rep>>> Various Artists - The IKON Records Story (1964-66 us, cool cryptic garage pearls, double disc set)

Sacramento-based Ikon Records is one of those labels that makes obsessive garage collectors squirm and sweat, stammering phrases to each other like "only three known copies, dude" or that most dreaded, tear-choked revelation: "there's only one known copy!" Because of their scarcity, even by local indie garage label standards, Ikon 45s have largely eluded the garage compilation-makers, so the label's output has been something of a secret shared by just a few elite high rollers and clued-in Sacramento locals. 

No hype, my friends: YES! This is hands-down the best '60s garage reissue of the year, filling the requirements of both historical significance and, more importantly, musical excitement. The Madd, Inc provide the immediate standout with the jaw-dropping "I'll Be the One." It's got an assertive lead vocal, two cool, locked-in guitar parts, a tight, rhythmic groove, and a dangerously tense mood snapped apart by a killer fast-fingered Drake Levinesque guitar break. No two ways about it: it's a frickin' MONSTER. While not in the same league as "I'll Be the One," the same band's secret agent themed "Sooperspy" and the wiry instrumental "Batman A Go Go" are also rather good.

More fantastic garage band thrills are drummed up by the Mergers ("Love, You Funny Thing"), the Kee-Notes (a great arrangement of "St James Infirmary"), the Styx ("My Girl"; not the Temptations song), the Knightsmen ("Daddy Was A Rolling Stone"; not the Temptations song either), the Denny & Kenny Duo (the ultra rockin' "Meet My Little Sweety"), the Sons of Sound ("I'm Coming Home"), and the Prophets (the up-tempo but oddly plaintive "You Wonder Why"). Bluesier fare is dished out by the Parish Hall Blues Quintet ("Smokestack Lightning" and a decent cover of the Pretty Things' "I Can Never Say") while solid surf/instro sounds are provided by the Nervous Kats, the Cautions, the Avanti's and the Marauders.

Those looking for minor key magic will be well-pleased too when they get a load of jewels like the Yo Yoz' exceptional, Zombies-flavored "Leave Me Alone," the Bristols' "She's Gone Away," the Shondells "It's True" and the Mergers' "I'll Be On My Way." This two-disc set come with a 28-page booklet jammed with full-color photos, label shots and abundant liner notes by Alec, Joey and others.

Ugly-Things

Artists - Tracks - Composer

Disc 1

1. Ikon - Intro - 0:47

2. Madd Inc. - I'll Be The One (Gary Baermann, Rick Leal) - 2:38

3. Shondells - Something's Got A Hold Of Me (Etta James, Leroy Kirkland, Pearl Woods) - 2:39

4. Eirik Wangberg - Every Night I Dream A Little (Eirik Wangberg) - 2:25

5. Nervous Kats - Surf Express (Bob Smith) - 2:05

6. Bristols - She's Gone Away (Ron Meyer) - 2:14

7. Mergers - Love, You Funny Thing (Ron Andre) - 2:44

8. Avanti's - Countdown (Alan Cheney) - 1:48

9. Bobbies - Truck (Dirk Hamilton) - 2:19

10.Yo Yoz - Leave Me Alone - 3:11

11.The Knightsmen - Fever (Eddie Cooley, John Davenport) - 2:55

12.The Styx - My Girl (Don Branch) - 2:32

13.Kee-Notes - St. James Infirmary (Traditional) - 2:53

14.R.C. And The Tambourines - Quirk (Rich Clark) - 2:23

15.Shondells - I Cried Last Night (Perry Jones, Rick De Long) - 1:54

16.Cautions - Surfer's Beach (Joe Puliz, Pete Andrews) - 2:18

17.John Rosasco Quartet - Come Running To Me (John Rosasco) - 2:15

18.Townsmen - High Heel Sneakers (Robert Higginbotham) - 2:36

19.Moss And The Rocks - There She Goes (David Houston) - 4:46

20.Nervous Kats - Simba (Bob Smith) - 2:05

21.Prophets - It's All Over Now (Bobby Womack, Shirley Womack) - 3:28

22.Parish Hall Blues - Smokestack Lightning (Chester Burnett) - 4:09

23.Versatiles - Pretty Girls (Eugene Church, Thomas Williams) - 3:01

24.Unknown Artist - Gloria (Van Morrison) - 2:40

25.Russ Olson - Sorry About That (Eirik W. Wangberg, Russ Olson) - 2:09

26.Denny And Kenny Duo - I Love You So (Kenny Whitcombe) - 2:49

27.Madd Inc. - Batman (Gary Baermann, Rick Leal) - 2:49

28.Avanti's - Too Much (Alan Cheney) - 2:37

29.Marauders - Intro-Surf Jam (Carl Wilson) - 2:24

30.Marauders - Carol (Chuck Berry) - 2:56

Disc 2 1. The Knightsmen - Daddy Was A Rolling Stone (Louise Acuna, Sammy Acuna) - 2:51 2. Denny And Kenny Duo - Meet My Little Sweety (Kenny Whitcombe) - 2:53 3. Prophets - You Wonder Why (Sterling Bunnell, Terry Taylor) - 2:58 4. Madd, Inc. - Sooperspy (Lee G. Downing) - 2:59 5. Unknown Artist - Searching - 2:32 6. Nervous Kats - Chong (Bob Smith) - 2:16 7. Parish Hall Blues Quintet - I Can Never Say (Dick Taylor, Phil May) - 2:58 8. Shondells - It's True (Perry Jones, Rick De Long) - 2:51 9. Eirik Wangberg - You Woman (Eirik Wangberg) - 2:33 10.Townsmen - Leaving Me (Bob Troyan) - 2:30 11.John Rosasco Quartet - The Shift (Gladys Cotton) - 1:47 12.Sons Of Sound - I'm Coming Home - 3:16 13.Cautions - Groovin' (Joe Puliz) - 2:26 14.Yo Yoz - Stay With Me - 2:36 15.Avanti's - What's Wrong With Me (Alan Cheney) - 2:12 16.Sel-Sync - The Fire Is Gone (Jerry Pine, Steve Squires) - 2:13 17.Beau Jesse - Tell Her That You Love Her (Ric Myers) - 1:55 18.Kee-Notes - Please Don't Tell Me No (Cliff Maurer) - 2:31 19.Eirik And The Secret Agents - Sorry About That (Eirik W. Wangberg, Russ Olson) - 2:33 20.Townsmen - What Have I Done (Bob Troyan) - 3:23 21.Fabulous Futuras - When You Ask About Love (Jerry Allison, Sonny Curtis) - 1:47 22.Dirk Hamilton - Happiness (Dirk Hamilton) - 3:24 23.Bobbies - Orangutang (Houston Box) - 2:04 24.Mergers - I'll Be On My Way (Ron Andre) - 2:32 25.Mymes - You Lose Girl (Bill Wallace, Pat Brusa) - 2:20 26.Moss And The Rocks - Please Come Back (David Houston, Pat Minter) - 3:23 27.The Styx - Stay Away (Don Branch) - 2:56 28.Madd, Inc. - Batman A Go Go (Gary Baermann, Rick Leal) - 2:42 29.Checkmates Ltd. - Do It To Deff (Bob Stevens) - 4:06 30.Ikon - Outro - 0:39

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Bear - Greetings Children Of Paradise (1968 us, exceptional psych rock)

A very cool set from the Boston scene of the 60s – one that's got a slightly lighter, groovier sound than some of the other Beantown bands of the period – almost Sunshine Pop at times, but a bit wittier and with occasional baroque elements that gives the record a very unique sound! The trio boasts work from Erik Kaz and Artie Traum – who'd both go on to other projects – and there's some added instrumentation on a number of tracks that steps up the sound in a great way – psych-influenced, but more serious in terms of the arrangements – opening up the excellent vocals of singer Steve Soles. Titles include "It's Getting Very Cold Outside", "What Difference", "Like Cats", "So Loose & So Slow", "The Hungry Dogs Of New Mexico", and "Don't Say A Word". 

D&G

In 1968, Steven Soles, Artie Traum, & Eric Kaz would come together to form one of the finest and most underrated bands of the 1960s and of all time. They would come together as The Children Of Paradise. With little reception, Bear wasn't too famous. They sang in clubs now and again, but nothing special. Then came the day that Brian De Palma discovered them and used them to perform multiple musical pieces for his 1968 underground film "Greetings". 

The film starred an extremely young Robert De Niro and had Bear perform 3 of their songs, "Greetings", "So Loose And So Slow", & "Like Cats". The film made approximately $1,000,000. A great amount of money at the time which helped launch the second film "Hi, Mom!" in 1970. Bear had different plans however, they decided to go all the way and release their own album. They recored for Verve Forecast and managed to release the album titled "Greetings". By that time they had changed their name to Bear, but in hopes of cashing in on the movie, still kept the name "Children Of Paradise" on the album. The album sold poorly and to this day has never had an official CD release and is only available as LP. The album is an interesting span of songs ranging from Psychedelic, to Jazz, To Folk. It was certainly one of the most unique albums of the time and of all time for that matter.

Tracks

1. Greetings! (Artie Traum, Eric Kaz, Michael Soles, Steven Soles) - 2:34

2. So Loose And So Slow (Michael Soles, Steven Soles) - 2:17

3. Like Cane (Michael Soles, Steven Soles) - 3:42

4. Happy Days (Eric Kaz) - 2:14

5. What Difference? (Artie Traum, Marc Silber) - 6:28

6. It's Getting Very Cold Outside (Michael Soles, Steven Soles) - 3:09

7. I Won't Be Hangin' 'round (Eric Kaz) - 3:04

8. Don't Say A Word (Michael Soles, Steven Soles) - 2:33

9. Don't You Ever Want To Think About Them? (Eric Kaz, John Boylan) - 3:28

10.The Hungry Dogs Of New Mexico (Artie Traum) - 4:01

Bear

*Artie Traum - Acoustic, Lead, Rhythm Guitars, Percussion

*Eric Kaz - Piano, Orga, Guitar, Bass

*Steven Soles - Vocals

With

*Darius Davenport - Drums

*Skip Boone - Bass

Related Acts

1969  Happy And Artie Traum - Happy And Artie Traum  (2010 Big Pink Korea)

1971  Happy And Artie Traum - Double Back (2010 Big Pink Korea) 

1970  Blues Magoos - Gulf Coast Bound (2020 Big Pink Korea) 

1973/76  Steven Soles And Friends - Steven Soles And Friends  

1976-77  American Flyer - American Flyer / Spirit Of A Woman (2003 remaster)

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rep>>> The Youngbloods - The Youngbloods / Earth Music / Elephant Mountain (1967/69 us, amazing west coast psych, two disc set remaster and 2014 japan blu spec issues)

The Youngbloods could not be considered a major '60s band, but they were capable of offering some mighty pleasurable folk-rock in the late '60s, and produced a few great tunes along the way. One of the better groups to emerge from the East Coast in the mid-'60s, they would temper their blues and jug band influences with gentle California psychedelia, particularly after they moved to the San Francisco Bay Area. For most listeners, they're identified almost exclusively with their Top Ten hit "Get Together," but they managed several respectable albums as well, all under the leadership of singer/songwriter Jesse Colin Young.

Young got his start on the folk circuits of Boston and New York, and had already cut a couple of solo albums before forming The Youngbloods. John Sebastian was one of the supporting musicians on Young's second LP, and comparisons between the two -- and between The Youngbloods and the Lovin' Spoonful -- are inevitable. Both groups offered good-timey folk-rock with much stronger jug band influences than West Coast rivals like the Byrds, though The Youngbloods made greater use of electric keyboards than the Spoonful, courtesy of the enigmatically named Lowell "Banana" Levinger. The Youngbloods didn't craft nearly as many brilliant singles as the Lovin' Spoonful, but (unlike the Spoonful) endured well into the hippie/psychedelic era.

While Young was always the focal point of the band, their first two albums also had songwriting contributions from guitarist Jerry Corbitt. Produced by Felix Pappalardi (who also worked with Cream), these records (The Youngbloods and Earth Music) were engaging and mature, if inconsistent, folk-rock. Corbitt's "Grizzly Bear" was a small hit, as was "Get Together," a Dino Valenti song that had previously been recorded by Jefferson Airplane. The Youngbloods' slow, soulful interpretation of "Get Together" was definitive, but it wouldn't reach the Top Ten until it was re-released in 1969, after the song had been used in a television public service ad. 

by Richie Unterberger

The Youngbloods' second long-player built on the strength of their self-titled debut by once again creating a blend of captivating songwriting with an infectiously fun delivery. Although the album failed to produce a definitive single -- as "Get Together" had done on their previous effort -- there are a handful of equally definitive sides scattered throughout Earth Music (1967). Featuring Jesse Colin Young (guitar/bass/vocals), Jerry Corbitt (lead guitar), Joe Bauer (drums), and Lowell "Banana" Levinger III (piano/guitar), The Youngbloods recall the uptempo good-time sound of their East Coast contemporaries, the Lovin' Spoonful, on the opening cover of the Holy Modal Rounders' "Euphoria." 

The first of several stellar compositions from Young follows with the laid-back "All My Dreams Blue." In addition to the affective songcrafting, Banana's upfront piano fills provide a jazzy counterpoint to the interlocking Bauer/Young rhythm section. This refined power trio would become the mainstay of their later post-Corbitt recordings. "Dreamer's Dream" highlights Corbitt's inimitable contributions to the band with a highly affective melody as well as his unencumbered vocals, which effortlessly intertwine with Young. The countrified interpretation of the traditional "Sugar Babe" is a precursor to the direction that the band's sound would take after their relocation to the West Coast. The track became an international hit no doubt due to its inclusion in the Michelangelo Antonioni film Zabriskie Point (1970). Other standout tracks include the high-steppin' "Wine Song" and one of the better revisitations of Tim Hardin's "Reason to Believe." 

Elephant Mountain (1969) is the Youngbloods' third long-player and marks their debut as a trio -- featuring Jesse Colin Young (bass/guitar/vocals), Joe Bauer (drums), and Lowell "Banana" Levinger (keyboards) -- after the departure of co-founder Jerry Corbitt (guitar/vocals). Although the band initially formed out of the early '60s Northeast folk scene, by the time this set was issued they had relocated to the pastoral Northern California county of Marin. Blending affective pop/rock melodies and lyrics with their good time jug band roots, the Youngbloods were instantly embraced by the already blossoming Bay Area music community. 

This effort contains some of the band's strongest material to date, building on the considerable momentum of their 1967 self-titled release and further enhanced by their remarkable instrumental capabilities. Young's contributions are particularly notable as he vacillates between the edgy and electric "Darkness, Darkness" to the light and earthy "Sunlight" and "Ride the Wind," or the bouncy tales "Smug" and "Beautiful." Banana honors his new surroundings with the gorgeous and catchy instrumental "On Sir Francis Drake" (named after a heavily traveled Bay Area motorway). On this cut the textural combination of electric piano and harpsichord provides a jazzy counterbalance to Young's propulsive basslines and Bauer's nimble drumming. 

The "Rain Song (Don't Let the Rain Bring You Down)" is left over from Corbitt's tenure and recalls the earlier Youngbloods' sound which was more akin to the Sopwith Camel or the Lovin' Spoonful than the trio's then-current folk-rock leanings. "Trillium" is a hidden gem of a jam that examines the band's remarkably strong improvisational interaction. "Sham" is perhaps the most straightforward rocker on the album and recalls Bay Area acts like the Sal Valentino-led Stoneground. The disc concludes with the sublime "Ride the Wind" which sports a very sophisticated and slightly Latin-flavored melody. 

by Lindsay Planer

Tracks 

Disc 1 

The Youngbloods 1967

1. Grizzly Bear (Jerry Corbitt) - 2:20

2. All Over The World (La La) (Corbitt) - 3:!3

3. Statesboro Blues (Blind Willie McTell) - 2:18

4. Get Together (Chet Powers) - 4:39

5. One Note Man (Paul Arnold) - 2:24

6. The Other Side Of This Life (Fred Neil) - 2:28

7. Tears Are Falling (Jesse Colin Young) - 2:25

8. Four In The Morning (George Remailly) - 2:51

9. Foolin' Around (The Waltz) (Young) - 2:50

10.Ain't That Lovin' You (Jimmy Reed) - 2:39

11.C.C. Rider (Mississippi John Hurt) - 2:37

Earth Music 1967

12.Euphoria (George Remailly) - 2:15 

13.All My Dreams Blue (Jesse Colin Young) - 3:17 

14.Monkey Business (Chuck Berry) - 2:49 

15.Dreamer's Dream (Jerry Corbitt, Lowell Levinger) - 3:35

16.Sugar Babe (Young, Jackie Lomax) - 2:08 

17.Long And Tall (Young) 4:05 

18.I Can Tell (Chuck Willis) - 4:29 

19.Don't Play Games (Corbitt) - 2:12 

20.The Wine Song (Young) - 2:24 

21.Fool Me (Levinger) - 2:57 

22.Reason To Believe (Tim Hardin) - 2:25

Disc 2
Elephant Mountain 1969
1. Darkness, Darkness (Jesse Colin Young) - 3:51
2. Smug (Young) - 2:13
3. On Sir Francis Drake (Lowell Levinger) - 6:44
4. Sunlight (Young) - 3:07
5. Double Sunlight (Levinger, Young, Joe Bauer) - 0:41
6. Beautiful (Young) - 3:49
7. Turn It Over (Levinger, Young, Bauer) - 0:15
8. Rain Song (Don't Let The Rain Bring You Down) (Corbitt, Pappalardi, Collins) - 3:13
9. Trillium (Levinger, Young, Bauer) - 3:08
10.Quicksand (Young) - 2:41
11.Black Mountain Breakdown (Levinger, Young, Bauer) - 0:40
12.Sham (Young) - 2:44
13.Ride The Wind (Young) - 6:37

The Youngbloods
The Youngbloods/Earth Music 1967
*Jesse Colin Young - Bass Guitar, Guitar, Vocals
*Jerry Corbitt - Guitar, Vocals
*Lowell "Banana" Levinger - Guitar, Pedal Steel Guitar, Electric Piano
*Joe Bauer - Drums, Percussion
With
*George Ricci - Cello On "Foolin' Around"

Elephant Mountain 1969
*Jesse Colin Young - Bass, Acoustic Guitar , Vocals
*Lowell "Banana" Levinger - Guitar, Electric Piano, Backing Vocals
*Joe Bauer - Drums
With
*David Lindley - Fiddle
*Plas Johnson - Tenor Saxophone
*Joe Clayton - Trumpet
*Victor Feldman - Vibraphone

1969  Elephant Mountain (Sundazed 2008)
1970  The Youngbloods - Rock Festival (2003 Sundazed)
1971  Beautiful! Live In San Francisco (2005 Sundazed)

1971  Youngbloods - Ride The Wind (2003 Sundazed) 
1972  High On A Ridge Top (Sundazed remaster)

Related Acts

1972  Banana And The Bunch - Mid-Mountain Ranch (2015 Real Gone)

1973  Jesse Colin Young ‎– Song For Juli (2009 remaster)

1974  Jesse Colin Young ‎– Light Shine

1976  Jesse Colin Young ‎– On The Road (Japan remaster)

1972  Jesse Colin Young ‎– Together

1975  Jesse Colin Young - Songbird

1982  Jesse Colin Young - The Perfect Stranger  (Edsel)

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rep>>> The Chosen Few - The Chosen Few (1969 us, magnificent jazz brass rock)

The Chosen Few were a horn-rock group from Muncie Indiana and consisted of Carl Storie (lead vocals-percussion), Jack Hamilton (bass), Dave Bennet (electric/acoustic 12 & 6 string guitars), Dave Barnes (drums) and John Cascella (keyboards).

The group, originally a garage band, had earlier recorded for the local Denim label, releasing four singles among them "It Just Don't Rhyme" and then released a single on the Talun label which led to their contract with RCA.

Surely inspired by the success of such bands as Blood, Sweat & Tears, (and the sound that was popular in the Chicago area at the time), the group changed musical direction and with the help of Pete Dino and Lee Holdridge added horn arrangements to their sound. Speaking of B, S &T and Chicago, there are early remakes of “You Make Me So Very Happy” and “Beginnings” here, but the redeeming cuts here are “Safrowillie” (wish there were more cuts like this) and the album's closer "I Will Miss You". 

by Jack Dominilla

Tracks

1. Talk With Me (Carl Storie, David "Benny" Bennett, John Cascella) - 2:45

2. You Make Me So Very Happy (Berry Gordy, Brenda Holloway, Frank Wilson, Patrice Holloway) - 3:24

3. Maybe The Rain Will Fall (Carl Storie) - 3:05

4. Sea Of Tranquility (Carl Storie, Jack Hamilton) - 3:49

5. Spend One Night (Carl Storie, Dave Barnes, David "Benny" Bennett, John Cascella) - 2:35

6. Beginnings (Robert Lamm) - 3:27

7. Safrowillie (Carl Storie, Jack Hamilton) - 4:50

8. I'll Never Change You (Carl Storie, David "Benny" Bennett, John Cascella, Jack Hamilton) - 2:24

9. Deeper In (John Cascella) - 2:47

10.I Will Miss You (John Cascella) - 3:13

The Chosen Few

*Jack Hamilton - Bass 

*Dave Barnes - Drums 

*Dave Bennett - Electric, Twelve-String Guita, Acoustic Guitars

*Carl Storie - Lead Vocals, Percussion

*John Cascella - Piano, Organ, Electric Piano

With 

*Lee Holdridge - Horn Arrangements

*Peter Dino - Horn Arrangements 

Related Act

1973  Faith - Faith

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rep>>> Shawn Phillips - Collaboration (1971 us, magnificent orchestrated folk prog rock)

Phillips takes folk and throws it together with prog rock, with touches of jazz and classical.  This album is titled Collaboration and the jacket describes it as a collaboration by Shawn Phillips with Paul Buckmaster and Peter Robinson.  

Songs like “Moonshine” have some nice keyboards from Robinson too, with a dexterity and morose ease that works very well.  The side one closer “Armed” brings all the instrumentalists’ talents together best. 

by Syd Fablo

Tracks
1. Us We Are - 5:05
2. Burning Fingers - 3:33
3. Moonshine - 4:45
4. For Her - 2:00
5. What's Happenin' Jim! - 3:37
6. Armed - 6:52
7. Spaceman - 3:29
8. Times Of A Madman, Trials Of A Thief - 2:47
9. 8500 Years - 2:31
10.The Only Logical Conclusion - 4:51
11.Coming Down Soft And Easy - 5:17
12.Springwind - 9:37
Music and Lyrics by Shawn Phillips

Musicians
*Shawn Phillips - Vocals, Guitar
*Brian Odgers - Bass
*Paul Buckmaster - Cello, Orchestral Arrangements
*Barry deSouza - Drums
*Martin Ford - French Horn
*Tony Walmsly - Guitar
*Ann Odell - Electric Piano
*Peter Robinson - Piano, Organ, Bass, Orchestral Arrangements
*John Gustafson - Bass
*The David Katz Orchestra

1970  Shawn Phillips - Contribution / Second Contribution (2009 remaster)
1969-72  Shawn Phillips - Faces (2014 remaster) 

1971-74  Shawn Phillips - At The BBC (2009 release) 

1973  Shawn Phillips - Bright White 
1974  Shawn Phillips - Furthermore (2014 issue)
1976  Shawn Phillips - Rumplestiltskin's Resolve (2013 remaster)
1977  Shawn Phillips - Spaced (2013 remaster)
1978  Shawn Phillips - Transcendence (2015 remaster)

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rep>>> Faith - Faith (1973 us, excellent hard groovy rock)

 

Faith Band, like most great groups, evolved through several powerful incarnations. From The Invincibles, to The Chosen Few, with an album on RCA, to Limousine, with an album on GSF, they got strong radio airplay building a large, enthusiastic following. With 1973’s move to Terry Knight’s Brown Bag Records, Faith Band was born. In addition to the debut “Faith” album with Carl Storie, vocals and harp, Dave Bennett, guitar, Dave Barnes, drums and percussion, Johnny Cascella, keyboards, sax and vocals, and Mark Cawley on bass and vocals, they went on to release four more commanding original albums on Village/Phonogram/Mercury records and toured nonstop.

Along the way, Nigel Olsson’s cover of Faith’s “Dancin Shoes” was a Top 20 hit. Carl and Mark formed the duo Blinding Tears, releasing a CD in 1986. Mark has gone on to be an award winning songwriter whose songs have been recorded by an amazing array of artists from Tina Turner and Joe Cocker to Wynonna Judd and Chaka Kahn just to name a few. Carl released a self-titled solo CD in 1992, while Dave Bennett released the jazzy “Out of the Bleu” in 2004. John Cascella moved to John Cougar Mellencamp’s band, where he lit the fuse on “Cherry Bomb” and many more. “Boots” sparkled on accordion and keyboards with Mellencamp until his premature death in 1992. Dave Barnes joined forces with his brother and helped build one of the largest music industry service companies.

Now, the remaining members of Faith Band and John Cooper - Faith Band, Bruce Springsteen, Ringo Starr have revisited their musical vaults and selected these 19 tunes, most never heard before, from the original sessions. Coop assembled all the tracks and with loving care and today’s vastly improved audio technology, mixed them for us as they envisioned them originally. This digital download “Boxed Set” also includes a booklet and three videos taken from live gigs. With liner notes from longtime DJ friend Mike Griffin and brand new cover art from Wille Faust who did the first two Faith Band albums, this is a labor of love and a one of a kind must have for Faith Band fans.

The lucky ones were there, and caught the band live. Most others have only heard the stories. Now, hear the legacy of music and creativity that gave voice to a generation of change. Actually their first album contains songs that already they recorded as "Limousine" renamed with new titles and different track list.

Tracks

1. Sometimes Sometimes - 5:47

2. Freedom - 3:18

3. Answer To The Master - 6:14

4. Looking For A Friend - 4:19

5. Such A Lady Such A Lover - 3:53

6. Dreamy Eyed Lady - 5:08

7. We're All Headed In The Same Way-The Last Song - 5:15

8. The Last Song - 1:05

All songs by Carl Storie, David Bennett, John Cascella, Mark Cawley, Dave Barnes

Faith

*Carl Storie - Lead Vocals, Harmonica, 

*David Bennett - Guitar

*John Cascella - Keyboards, Saxophone, Vocals

*Mark Cawley - Bass

*Dave Barnes - Drums

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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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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 - Atomic Rooster (2016 Japan Mini LP SHM remaster) 

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

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)

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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

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

Related Act

1968  The Holy Mackerel - Holy Mackerel (2010 bonus tracks remaster)

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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

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