rep>>> Colosseum - Colosseum Live (1971 uk, fascinating heavy fusion prog rock, 2016 double disc set remaster)

A remarkable feature of Colosseum Live was the inclusion of one of the more unusual numbers in the band's repertoire, namely Michael Gibbs's outstanding composition "Tanglewood '63." This was a brave piece for a six piece jazz rock band to tackle since the original version (aside from a version recorded by Gary Burton's quartet in 1982) was made by Gibbs for his second big band album for Deram in 1971. But Gibbs plus Colosseum members Jon Hiseman, Dick Heckstall-Smith and Dave Clempson had also performed this track, as members of the New Jazz Orchestra, at the Jeanetta Cochrane Theatre, London on 26 May 1970 (a CD of the concert eventually being released on the Dusk Fire label in 2008 and going under the title of Camden '70). The version of "Tanglewood '63" heard on this re-mastered Colosseum Live album meticulously reflects the labyrinthine and complex arrangement of the piece. The Colosseum version also utilises vocal harmonies to replace some of the original instrumentation and most notably the voice of Chris Farlowe, whose ability to sing intricate melody lines proves beyond doubt that he was not merely an impressively powerful rhythm and blues singer.

The original Colosseum Live LP was released in 1971 on the Bronze label, the content gleaned from concerts recorded in the United Kingdom. Tracks included Jack Bruce's "Rope Ladder To The Moon" and Graham Bond's "Walking In The Park" which was Colosseum's hugely popular signature tune. Then there were some frenetic blues tracks, "Skellington" and the blistering "I Can't Live Without You" (not included on the original 1971 Bronze label double vinyl release but included as a bonus track on the 1992 Sequel CD reissue). The mood was taken down a little with the classic T-Bone Walker number "Stormy Monday Blues," Farlowe's barnstorming vocals positively shining through. The Greenslade, Heckstall-Smith and Farlowe-penned "Lost Angeles" is another genuine highlight of the album, a fifteen minute tour de force proving that the band could write effective and dynamic numbers when they set about it.

This Esoteric release includes an extra CD of bonus tracks recorded in Brighton, Bristol and Manchester. Significantly there is the addition of several tracks not included on the original release including a full length version of "The Valentyne Suite," a very rare treat to hear live. Also, sandwiched between "I Can't Live Without You" and "The Machine Demands A Sacrifice" is "Time Machine," a stupendous twelve minute drum solo—where Hiseman, egged-on by a increasingly hysterical audience, proves what a technically brilliant drummer he is; towards the climactic ending of his solo he kicks his twin bass drums at almost superhuman speed. His drumming far outstripped the capabilities of the average rock drummer, which he most certainly was not. The bonus CD on this release makes this an absolutely essential purchase for all Colosseum fans, who will undoubtedly already possess a version of the original Colosseum Live.

Those who haven't heard this band before will be mightily impressed at the virtuosic talent of all the members of the group and the timeless quality of the music presented here. Therefore this is a very welcome reissue indeed from one of the pre-eminent pioneering British jazz rock outfits and one of the genre's most well-loved bands.

by Roger Farbey

Tracks
Disc 1 (Original Album)
1. Rope Ladder To The Moon (Jack Bruce, Pete Brown) - 9:45
2. Walking In The Park (Graham Bond) - 8:22
3. Skelington (Dave "Clem" Clempson, Jon Hiseman) - 14:57
4. I Can't Live Without You (James Litherland) - 7:49
5. Tanglewood '63 (Michael Gibbs) - 10:13
6. Stormy Monday Blues (Aron T. Walker) - 7:29
7. Lost Angeles (Chris Farlowe, Dave Greenslade, Dick Heckstall-Smith) - 15:48
Tracks 1-7 recorded at Manchester University, Manchester, UK (March 18, 1971) and the Big Apple, Brighton, UK (March 27, 1971), on the "Daughter of Time" tour.

Disc 2
1. Rope Ladder To The Moon (Jack Bruce, Pete Brown) - 10:56
2. Skellington (Dave "Clem" Clempson, Jon Hiseman) - 14:41
3. I Can't Live Without You (James Litherland) - 21:39
.a.Time Machine (Jon Hiseman)
.b.The Machine Demands A Sacrifice (Jon Hiseman, James Litherland, Dick Heckstall-Smith, Pete Brown)
4. Stormy Monday Blues (Aron T. Walker) - 5:12
5. The Valentyne Suite - 21:20
.I.January's Search (Jon Hiseman,  Dave Greenslade)
.II.Theme Two - February's Valentyne (Jon Hiseman,  Dave Greenslade)
.III.Theme Three - The Grass Is Greener (Jon Hiseman, Dick Heckstall-Smith)
Tracks 1-2 recorded at The Big Apple, Brighton, 1971
Track 3 recorded at Manchester University, March 1971
Track 4 recorded in Bristol, 1971
Track 5 recorded at Manchester University, March 1971.

The Colosseum
*Mark Clarke - Bass, Vocals
*Dave "Clem" Clempson - Guitars, Vocals
*Chris Farlowe - Vocals
*Dave Greenslade - Organ, Vibes
*Dick Heckstall -Smith - Saxophones
*Jon Hiseman - Drums

1969 Colosseum - Valentyne Suite (2004 deluxe expanded edition) 
1969  Colosseum - Those Who Are About To Die Salute You (2004 remaster and expanded)
1970  Colosseum - Daughter Of Time (remaster with bonus track)
Related Acts
1969  Sweet Pain - Sweet Pain
1969  Jack Bruce - Songs For A Tailor (expanded edition)
1970  Keef Hartley Band - Overdog (extra track remaster edition)
1970  Mogul Thrash - Mogul Thrash
1970 Chris Farlowe With The Hill - From Here To Mama Rosa (2010 Flawed Gems extra tracks remaster)
1972  Dick Heckstall Smith - A Story Ended (2006 Japan Remaster)
1973  Tempest - Tempest
1973-82  Bob Theil - So Far...

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rep>>> Gordon Lightfoot - Sundown (1973 canada, brilliant folk rock, audio fidelity vinyl issue)

Sundown is a fine album which weaves conventional folk and pop strands into a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts. The polish of Lightfoot's singing has tended in the past to undermine the seriousness of his songs, inviting the listener to appreciate his records mainly as aural artifacts rather than explore their contents. But most of Sundown's 12 songs are so evocative that they prohibit such easy perusal.

Lightfoot's singing is almost crooning—a style which under-states and redeems the rhetorical and sentimental conventions intrinsic to all formal songwriting. Producer Lenny Waronker has outdone himself helping Lightfoot achieve a balance between surface and substance, by providing a varied instrumental palette, richly acoustic and adorned by some excellent string charts from Nick DeCaro.

Lightfoot's reflections are those of a mature man, capable of strong romantic and political emotions, tempered by a suave sexuality and an elegiac mysticism. "Somewhere U.S.A." is a lovely evocation of romantic complications experienced during the daze of travel. "High And Dry" also celebrates travel and uses the image of a ship and its different skippers to affirm continuities. The six-minute "Seven Island Suite" is the album's most ambitious cut, and presents an elusive apocalyptic vision. More incisive are "Sundown," an ominous assertion of sexual jealousy, and "Circle Of Steel," a protest song about the antagonisms of welfare and poverty.

The album's last and most powerful cut, "Too Late for Prayin'" is perhaps Lightfoot's finest creation. A modified hymn, somewhat reminiscent of Paul Simon's "American Tune," "Too Late" is both a prayer for our spiritual restoration and a lament for its absence. It is the work of a master craftsman whose endurance and prolificacy have yet to receive just recognition in the United States.

by Stephen Holden

Tracks
1. Somewhere U.S.A. - 2:55
2. High, Dry - 2:17
3. Seven Island Suite - 6:03
4. Circle Of Steel - 2:49
5. Is There Anyone Home - 3:19
6. The Watchman's Gone - 4:20
7. Sundown - 3:37
8. Carefree Highway - 3:45
9. The List - 3:10
10.Too Late For Prayin' - 4:15
Words and Music by Gordon Lightfoot

Musicians
*Gordon Lightfoot - Lead, Backing Vocals, Six, Twelve String Acoustic Guitars, Chimes, Bells, High String Guitar
*Terry Clements - Acoustic Guitar
*Nick De Caro - Accordion, Horns, Orchestration, Piano, Strings
*Jim Gordon - Percussion, Drums
*Rick Haynes - Bass Guitar
*Milt Holland - Percussion, Congas
*Gene Martynec - Moog Synthesizer
*Red Shea - Dobro, Electric, Acoustic, Classical Guitars, Slide Dobro
*Catherine Smith - Harmony Vocals
*John Stockfish - Bass Guitar
*Jack Zaza - English Horn, Recorder

more Gordon Lightfoot
1965-84  Complete Greatest Hits
1966-67  Lightfoot! / The Way I Feel
1976  Summertime Dream  

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rep>>> Sweet Pain - Sweet Pain (1969 uk, stunning blues rock, 2018 korean remaster)

  

The now highly sought after Sweet Pain sessions (1969) featured the precursor line-up to the Bluesblasters and Mainsqueeze, representing a truly fundamental collaboration of musical protagonists.

 

Members of Alexis Korner’s Blues Incorporated and John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers assembled to record some impromptu blues sessions, released on Mercury.

 

The Melody Maker summarised Sweet Pain as simply a, “Hot and heavy blues set from British musicians Dick Heckstall-Smith, John O’Leary, Keith Tillman and Annette Brox.”

 

An air of competence pervaded the LP and reviews received, but the consensus was undoubtedly that these aficionado blues musicians at this stage lacked a degree of commercial appeal, utilising rather raw and ‘primitive’ rhythms.

 

Like an experienced vintage the line-up continued under further guises, evolving to The Famous Bluesblasters, whom provided Dick with a semi- professional unit playing as he recalls mainly at weekends, thus caught in the rather lack lustre cultural climate of the time towards cutting edge blues

Grahambond.net

Tracks
1. The Steamer (Annette Brox) - 2.27
2. Changin´ Your Mind (John O´Leary, Keith Tilman, Stuart Cowell, Annette Brox) - 2.25
3. Rubbin´ And Scrapin´ (John O´Leary, Keith Tilman, Stuart Cowell, Annette Brox) - 5.40
4. Sick And Tired (Annette Brox) - 2:50
5. The Rooster Crows At Midnight (Annette Brox) - 2.28
6. Troubles Trouble (Annette Brox) - 3.52
7. Don´T Break Down (John O´Leary, Keith Tilman, Stuart Cowell, Annette Brox) - 5.17
8. It´S A Woman´S Way (Annette Brox) - 2.52
9. General Smit (John O´Leary, Keith Tilman, Stuart Cowell, Annette Brox) - 6.44
10.Trouble In Mind (Richard M. Jones) - 5.27
11.Song Of The Medusa (Brian Shepherd) - 1.40

Sweet Pain
*Annette Brox - Vocals
*Stuart Cowell - Guitar
*Sam Crozier - Perc, Vocals, Keyboards, Trumpet
*Junior Dunn - Drums
*Alan Greed - Vocals
*Dick Heckstall-Smith - Sax
*John O'leary - Harmonica
*Keith Tillman - Bass

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rep>>> Duffy - Just In Case You're Interested (1972 uk, exceptional hard psych prog rock, 2010 remaster)

Duffy were formed in London in the early 1970s by five guys in their late twenties: Stuart Reffold, vocalist, Barry Coote, guitarist, Joe Nanson, keyboardist, Patrick Sarjeant, bassist and Will Wright , drummer, they met in the university circuits of Cambridge and London.

In the essays, their music had clear influences from the early sonority of Deep Purple, Uriah Heep, Humble Pie and Jethro Tull, the kind of sound that was in vogue among early British youth of the era. It did not have the heavy mark of the Birmingham scene, which was already outlining the primitive heavy metal, not as progressive as the London scene, which was beginning to see the fuse of Pink Floyd and Yes. It was a sound of convergence.

They often played in university circuits, pubs and nightclubs across the central north-central axis of England, such as the Marquee, Fishmongers Arms and Eel Pie Island in London, The Star Hotel in Croydon, The Mothers in Birmighan, among others.

After getting a name in the local scenes, they were invited to attend major rock festivals, even opening for Deep Purple at the Pop Monster in 1971, until they met, -during one of those shows-, the Swiss producer Stephen Sulke, who had already worked with Santana, Melanie, Aretha Franklin and Buddy Miles.

Sulke became interested of their songs and invited them to record their debut album in Switzerland, where he had contacts with studios, sound engineers and others connected to the music industry, anyone who could be interested in the work of the group. The result was the album "Just in Case You're Interested", originally released by the German label Mabel Records in 1971. At that time they did not manage to release their LP in UK, but only in some European countries, South Africa and South America.

Tracks
1. Matchmaker - 2:42
2. Long Lost Friend - 3:00
3. Judgement Day - 4:21
4. Amie - 2:30
5. It's My Life - 2:50
6. Rock Solid - 3:13
7. Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood (Bennie Benjamin, Horace Ott, Sol Marcus) - 5:49
8. Tell Me - 3:03
9. Riverside - 2:58
10.Place To Die - 2:13
All songs by Patrick Sarjeant, Will Wright, Barry Coote, "Leslie" Joe Nanson, Stuart Reffold except track #7

Duffy
*Patrick Sarjeant - Bass
*Will Wright - Drums
*Barry Coote - Electric Guitar
*"Leslie" Joe Nanson - Keyboards
*Stuart Reffold – Vocals

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Stackridge - Stackridge (1971 uk, exceptional baroque folk prog, 2006 bonus tracks and 2023 remaster and xpanded)

Among the most legendary names of the British folk rock movement, this Bristol-based band were formed in 1969 by Andy Creswell-Davis and James Warren as Stackridge Lemon, soon to be named simply Stackridge. 1970 finds the band having an intense live activity, playing at the first Glastonbury Festival and, a year later, supporting Wishbone Ash on their UK tour and signing with the MCA Records.

“Stackridge” is actually a mixed bag of short Beatles-esque pop tunes and longer arrangements played in some sort of symphonic/folk style. Even the short accesible tunes are well-played with rich instrumentation and good multi-vocals, blended nicely with folsky violins, tracks which even The Beatles would be proud of creating. But it is these long arrangements which make this album so special like the great “The Three Legged Table”, starting off like Phillips-era Genesis, pastoral acoustic-driven musicianship later to become a catchy brass/violin-rock heaven with perfect vocal lines. “Essence of Porphyry” is another instrumental highlight with complex instrumentation featuring violin and cello in a medieval style and excellent acoustic passages with fantastic flute work, always under a classical nature, like a cross between Genesis and Gentle Giant…or the 14-minute long “Slark”, which closes the album, a beautiful composition split between folk ballad, medieval music and symphonic rock with again some superb vocals. A real treasure.

Stackridge’s debut is more than simply a great album. Even the easy-listening side of the band contains unbelievable professionalism and unmet personality, marking this effort as one of the most significant and impressive debut’s in UK’s prog history. 

Jive-Time

Tracks
1. Grande Piano (Andrew Davis, James Warren) - 3:20
2. Percy The Penguin (Andrew Davis, James Warren) - 3:41
3. The Three Legged Table (James Warren) - 6:49
4. Dora The Female Explorer (Andrew Davis, James WarrenMichael Evans, Michael Slater, Billy Bent) - 3:46
5. Essence Of Porphyry (James Warren) - 8:07
6. Marigold Connection (James Warren) - 5:00
7. 32 West Mall (Andrew Davis, James Warren) - 2:27
8. Marzo Plod (James Warren) - 3:07
9. Slark (Jim Walter, Andrew Davis) - 14:10

10.Let There Be Lids (Traditional) - 3:18

11.Slark (Jim Walter, Andrew Davis) - 4:41

Bonus Tracks 10-11

Bonus Tracks 2023 Esoteric

10.Everyman (Andrew Davis, James Warren) - 4:25

11.Let There Be Lids (Traditional) - 3:19

12.The Three Legged Table (Part Three) (James Warren) - 3:05

13.Slark (Jim Walter, Andrew Davis) - 14:48

Track 10 Single B-Side, May 1971

Tracks 11-13 Live, BBC Radio One, John Peel Top Gear Session, 21 September 1971

The Stackridge
*Andy Cresswell-Davis - Electric, Acoustic Guitars, Lead, Backing Vocals, Piano, Harmonium
*James Warren - Electric, Acoustic Basses, Lead, Backing Vocals, Acoustic Guitar
*Michael Evans - Violin, Backing Vocals
*Michael "Mutter" Slater - Flute, Backing Vocals
*Billy "Sparkle" Bent - Drums, Triangle

1972  Stackridge - Friendliness (2006 remaster and expanded)
1973  Stackridge - The Man In The Bowler Hat (2007 remaster)

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rep>>> Stu Nunnery - Stu Nunnery (1973 us, wide range of country rock, Vinyl edition)

If you’ve never heard of Stu Nunnery, you’re probably not alone, but it would be your loss. Nunnery is a singer/songwriter who released one self-titled album on the short-lived Evolution label in 1973. The nine-song LP showcased a heady talent, playing a mix of folk-rock that fans of Dan Fogelberg, James Taylor, Gordon Lightfoot and Jackson Browne should connect with immediately. 

Yet, Nunnery sounded like no one else. And if you’ve never heard him, read and listen on, for there’s plenty of great music to discover here.

Stu Nannery

"My story is a simple one. I did one album in 1973-74. Over the next couple of years, two of the cuts from that album“Madelaine” and “Sally From Syracuse”reached the Top 100 on the American charts. And in 1976 after I had left the company I was with“Lady It’s Time To Go,” which is on the flip side of the album, became the #1 Record in Rio de Janeiro and San Paulo, Brazil. 

And it was my recording of it, sold to a label called Copacabana Records, which was part of the RCA stable. And in 1976, I got a phone call after I had left the record company I was with, telling me I was a big star in South America, and, “Can you come down here and perform?”

Tracks
1. The Isle Of Debris - 5:30
2. And That's Fine With Me - 3:35
3. Sally From Syracuse - 3:58
4. Madelaine - 3:30
5. Lady It's Time To Go - 3:30
6. Your Rise - 2:51
7. Diminished Love - 3:23
8. The Lady In Waiting - 3:28
9. Roads - 5:10
All songs by Stu Nunnery

Musicians
*Andy Muson, Kirk Hamilton, Stu Woods - Bass
*Alan Schwartzeberg, Rick Marotta - Drums
*Eric Weissberg, Ken Kosek - Fiddle
*Al Gorgoni, David Spinozza, Elliot Randall, Hugh McCracken, John Tropea - Guitar
*Buzzy Feiten - Bass
*Paul Griffin - Keyboards, Synthesizer
*Stu Nunnery -  Guitar, Vocals

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rep>>> Mountain Bus - Sundance (1971 us, outstanding psych with a west coast breeze)

Mountain Bus had its humble beginnings way back in 1962, when Ed Mooney. Tom Jurkens, and Stave Krator were students at Loyola University on the North side of Chicago. Mooney had a band called Moons and the Stars from 1962- 1964. Jurkens was in another group called Jurk & The Bushman in 1965 when, upon their dissolution that same year. Mooney and Jurkens formed a rock and blues band called Rhythms Children, enlisting the services of Steve Titra». Joe Wilderson, and Steve Krater to round out the group.

The band disserved m 1967 when Wilderson opted to leave for Canada to avoid the increasingly unpopular Vietnam War draft. The Chicago scene, like many other musically progressive areas of the country during this time, draw upon the increasingly popular and talented base of musicians coming out of the communal scene. Bill Kees. formerly of the bands ‘Fantasy' and "Hearts of Soul' fomed the band along with Mooney. Jurkens, and Krater and at this time, took the name "Mountain Bus", a tact and data point largely and conveniently ignored in the tad of 1971 (BE PATIENT, YOU LL GET TO THE GOOD PART IN A FEW MINUTES)

This incarnation of the band lasted until April of 1970, when Krater left for a two week honeymoon While he was gone. Lee Sims filled in for him; upon Kraters' return, their decision was made to go with both drummers. Both free and very low paying jobs haunted Mountain Bus for years; they had played to almost empty houses in and around Roger's Park and the Loyola campus since 1967 but as 1971 approached, they began to branch out around Chicago and played quite a few gigs at Alice's Revisited at Lincoln and Wrightwood. Their favorite place to practice for many years was a dungeon at 187 Wacker Drive. After a while, though, they couldn't stand the filth and rats anymore.

They had, managed to the secure the back room of a little king restaurant which greatly improved the aesthetics But Mountain Bus never made any great money during those days; the band members supported themselves with full-lime jobs just to constantly fund the band's activities, equipment, and, later on, legal costs. Some of the members worked at local record stores, one of which. Round Records, was owned by David Solomon. The store eventually ended up becoming the bands Headquarters and Solomon assumed the role as manager/bookings agent One of Solomon's colleagues, Al Krocky. also owned a record store.

At this time, record companies wers driving up prices to maximize their profits Al, however, saw an opportunity to start a record label which would sponsor local bands and put out records at much lower prices than the major labels were cranking them out at. in part caused by the mark-ups created by the record passing through three or four hands before getting to the general public Their plan was quite simple: Sell directly to the stores from the record label for the wholesale price of about $1.50 and retail the album for $2.98. instead of the standard $5.96.

The store would make just as much margin as before, but the records would be more affordable to the people. So Krockey, another record store owner named Steve Nakon. and Dave Lissner decided to form Good Records, a division of the "parent company" People's Art Corporation. In the Spring of 1971. Good Records struck up a deal with Streetervite Recording Studios for 60 hours of recording and mixing time for $3.500. After going through seven 16 track 2” reels of tape at $75.00Vreei. coupled with additional hours over the initial 60, the total biff came to about $4,500 Throw in a few more bucks for the album covers and design, and the project was finished.

The LPs were pressed at an RCA plant, while the tapes (both cassette and 8 track) were manufactured by Ampex Good Records had been busy establishing accounts in over twenty stales, banking on then philosophy that 1) because they were small, they could release only about four records a month, with each and every release really amounting to a major one and 2) Good Records was offering its musicians a larger slice of the revenue pie. at 25 per LP sold, versus the industry 'standard" of .22. The release of the LP started out slowly and then caught the attention of a lot of music critics both in Chicago and a few nationally. But then, suddenly, on 2 November, 1971, a temporary restraining order was served on Good Records.

People's Art Productions, and the band members themselves to keep them from using the name "Mountain" as part of an ugly, aggressive and methodical effort by Windfall Music In New York, which legally represented the band know as “Mountain" (Leslie West, Felix Papalardi. Corky Lang, Steve Knight) ' who had gained National attention since their appearance at the 1969 Woodstock Music Festival. The lawsuit demanded that all record sales, promotions, air play, etc be halted, in that it was infringing on the established trademarks of Mountain, confusing and deceiving the general public, and diverting sales of Mountain's LPs , thereby causing "Irreparable toss" of their revenue stream.

But the real crux of this lawsuit was not that Mountain Bus had caused confusion with the Mountain name nor diverted one cent of Mountain's $1.5 million in revenues earned between July 1969 through October 1971; it was the plain and simple matter that the major record labels at this time (Columbia owned Mountain) were not going to allow nor put up with upstart companies like Good Records or any others that offered good quality music at an affordable AND lower price than the majors. The facts were simple 1) Mountain Bus had been together for over 4 years, two years longer than Mountain using their name 2) Mountain Bus was a local band, very few people outside the Chicago area had even heard ot them before the release of the LP and 3)Mountain Bus had never reaped any significant profits over these years- the band were paid very small wages and many of their performances were for benefits and other non-profit organizations.

Even more laughable was the 'Exhibit 3' used by Windfall to claim Mountain Bus had taken away business Mountain could have benefited from- A advertisement for Mountain Bus playing a Halloween benefit dance for the Parents School!! But this was serious business and a ton of money was thrown at this by Windfall.- they knew Good Records and the band couldn't sustain a long, drawn out legal battle Good Records had no reserve money with which to fight the lawsuit, and they went bankrupt. In its brief existence. Good Records had sold less than 3,5OO Mountain Bus albums m contrast to Mountain's 1.3 million. A record company founded with the express purpose of providing people with good quality music at reasonable prices was run nut of business And a great band broke up as a result of these bullying actions It was a loss for the public and a big gain for the record companies.

The negotiated settlement called for dropping of an charges in return for the band ceasing to use the name "Mountain" In any of their performances alter a grace period of June 1972. In addition, they had to commit not to encourage, participate in, nor condone any publicity, demonstrations, or other adverse activities regarding Windfall Music or Mountain (there had been quite alot of threats and negative publicity at Mountain concerts and in many of the local and National papers (Rolling Stone for one). In addition, the disclaimer which also appears on this Compact Disc was required wording on the LP and tape releases of Sundance In the end the real losers were the people which Good Records had intended to reach.

One wonders how many other great bands and music would have come out of this venture should Windfall Music have left well enough alone" Leslie West and Felix Papalardi insisted they knew nothing of the lawsuit when confronted with it by reporters and were purportedly upset about it, this of course then begs the question as to to why, if they m fact were so sympathetic to the plight of Good Records and Mountain Bus did they not themselves legally pursue Windfall over the bad press they personalty received over it?? The band known as "Mountain" officially broke up less than one year later. Leslie West is still active in the music business today; Felix Papalardi was shot and killed by his wife in 1984.

All members of the band Mountain Bus assisted In the preparation of this Compact Disc but many thanks go to Bill Keel and Ed Mooney and Craig Takehara for taking the time out and providing Gear Fab with photos, clippings, biographies, and. most importantly, the Master Tapes of these sessions. And special thanks to Good Records and their founding members who had a good idea back then and inspired many of today's small and independent labels to persevere and get the music out to the people!!" And another special note: There is amongst the music world another version of 'Sundance" on CD which has its origins in the country of France. No members of Mountain Bus nor People's Art Corporation participated in that project, nor ware they paid any fees, licenses, or royalties, as required by international Law.

This is the official and only authorized legal release for Mountain Bus!!!' Last Note: The live material contained herein was recorded at various live gigs throughout the Chicago area; the band at times were hoarse, tired, stoned, drunk, and in general, in a state of euphoria so common to these times. So please, understand that it captured the essence of the moment.

CD Liner-notes

Tracks
1. Sing ANew Song - 3:49
2. Rosalie - 6:33
3. I Don't Worry About Tomorrow - 3:01
4. Sundance - 7:12
5. I Know You Rider - 10:15
6. Apache Canyon - 2:50
7. Hexahedron - 9:10
8. The Bus Keeps Rolling - 3:46
9. Six Days On The Road - 3:39
10.(Meet Me) Down In The Bottom - 3:36
11.Ticket In My Pocket - 6:37
12.Young Man's Blues - 8:28

All songs written by Bill Kees, Craig Takehara, Ed Mooney, Lee Sims, Steve Krater, Tom Jurkens
Tracks8- 10 previously unreleased live recordings from 1970
Track 11-12 previously unreleased studio recordings from 1970

Mountain Bus
*Bill Kees - Electric, Acoustic 12 String, Bottleneck Guitars
*Ed Mooney - Electric, Acoustic Guitars
*Tom Jurkens - Vocals
*Steve Krater - Drums, Percussion
*Lee Sims - Drums, Percussion
*Craig Takehara - Bass, Banjo

Related Act
1973-75  Sky Farmer - Amazing Grace (2002)

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rep>>> Duncan Browne - Give Me Take You (1968 uk, lovely baroque folk psych, 2001 japan issue and 2009 extra tracks remaster)

As a boy, Duncan Browne intended to follow his father, an Air Commodore (British equivalent of a one-star Air Force general), into the Royal Air Force, but his poor health even as a youth precluded this as a possibility. Instead, he chose to pursue his interests as an actor -- he played the clarinet and studied music theory, but wasn't possessed to consider a career in music until, at age 17, he saw Bob Dylan in an appearance on a BBC drama called The Madhouse on Castle Street, during the American folk-rock star's first tour of the U.K. It was Dylan's guitar playing rather than his singing that served as Browne's inspiration and entryway to rock music. "Most people find that odd," he recalled in a 1991 interview from his home in London, "but I was interested in the way he tuned and played his guitar, especially on The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan." In response, he bought a Yamaha acoustic model and taught himself to play in a technique that was heavily classically influenced. 

He spent some time busking around London and later traveled across Europe on 30 pounds borrowed from his father, before entering the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. During his three years there, in addition to studying drama, he kept up with his guitar playing and developed a greater command of music theory -- which he'd begun studying as a teenager -- and formed a folk-rock trio called Lorel. They were later signed to Andrew Oldham's Immediate Records and cut one single, ironically enough an original song that had the bad luck to use as its source the same Bach-originated tune that Procol Harum had utilized for "A Whiter Shade of Pale" -- Immediate saw no point in releasing the single, and the trio soon dissolved.

Browne was able to salvage his own career out of the debacle, however -- he had done some arranging for other acts on the label and Oldham was impressed with what he'd seen, and wanted a solo album from him. He turned to a former student friend of his, David Bretton, to serve as lyricist, and the two composed a dozen songs together. The resulting album, Give Me Take You, was one of the jewels of the Immediate Records catalog, a quietly dazzling work that embraced elements of folk, rock, pop, and classical, all wrapped around some surprisingly well-crafted poetry and Browne's stunning voice. Over the decades,

Many who only discovered it well after its original release compare its dulcet introspective tone to Nick Drake's albums. It does fall into a similar English folk vein, though Browne's arrangements are, on the whole, more Baroque, giving the album a semi-classical, regal feel. Browne charted his own classical arrangements and wrote out vocal charts for a choir, but turned to his art school friend David Bretton for song lyrics. It's Bretton's lovely Pre-Raphaelite-style phrases, used here in the guise of lyrical content, that fans of this album often react strongly to, one way or another. True, there's a youthful innocence and melancholy that come off as somewhat naïve-sounding, mawkish, and awkward in our modern age -- "Better a tear of truth than smiling lies" is one example -- but this is a minor quibble. Immediate issued only one single from the album, "On the Bombsite," but it failed to connect with listeners.

 At the time of its release, Oldham's Immediate Records was reportedly falling apart. He was in financial ruin and reportedly cut the sessions short to save money. Apart from a hard to find Canadian LP reissue in the mid-'70s (on which the original cover art was reproduced in tinted monochrome against a silver background).

by Bruce Eder

Tracks
1. Give Me Take You - 3:17
2. Ninepence Worth Of Walking - 3:40
3. Dwarf In A Tree (A Cautionary Tale) - 3:40
4. The Ghost Walks - 5:39
5. Waking You (Part One) - 1:50
6. Chloe In The Garden - 5:14
7. Waking You (Part Two) - 0:58
8. On The Bombsite - 2:44
9. I Was You Weren't - 2:21
10.Gabilan - 4:04
11.Alfred Bell - 4:36
12.The Death Of Neil - 4:36
13.On The Bombsite - 2:47
14.Alfred Bell - 4:35
Music by Duncan Browne, Words by David Bretton
Bonus Tracks 13,14

Bonus Tracks 2009 Grapefruit edition 

13.On The Bombsite - 2:38

14.The Cherry Blossom Fool - 4:41

15.Give Me, Take You - 1:46

16.Ninepence Worth Of Walking - 3:44

17.On The Bombsite - 2:50

18.I Was, You Weren't - 4:41

19.The Death Of Neil - 4:11

20.On The Bombsite - 2:45

21.Alfred Bell - 4:32

22.Here And Now - 2:52

Music by Duncan Browne, Words by David Bretton

Track 13 Demo, first released on Give Me Take You CD (Castle CMRCD 057, 2000).

Track 14 Album outtake, first released on Journey: The Anthology 1967-1993 (Castle CMEDD 753, 2004).

Tracks 15-19 Album rehearsals, previously unreleased.

Track 20 A-side of Immediate IM, released July 1968.

Track 21 B-side of Immediate IM 070.

Track 22 Demo, recorded 1967 as Lorel, first released on Journey: The Anthology 1967-1993 (Castle CMEDD 753, 2004).

Musicians
*Duncan Browne - Vocals, Guitars
*Nicky Hopkins - Keyboards

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rep>>> Joe Byrd and the Field Hippies - The American Metaphysical Circus (1969 us, sensational experimental psych lunar rock, 2007 reissue)

This album has a huge reputation to live up to, so I go into this review expecting something truly special, and from the start there is already the huge sense of experimentation that I was expecting. It is clearly very ahead of it’s time, it sounds fresh even by todays standards. In Kalyani there is already some very interesting effects being put to good use and it makes for a very intense, refreshing listen. The end of the track and the transition into the next track is beautifully crafted and creates a very intense feeling.

You Can’t Ever Come Down introduces some well played guitars and some brilliant vocal looping. There is an obvious psychedelic feel that is good enough to even define the genre, however it does it in a way that is so far above that of the normal psychedelic bands that it sets itself very much apart. All the first three songs act as parts of one larger piece “The Sub-Sylvanian Lithanies” it feels like a very concious attempt to create something so different, so fresh and it does just that. It is very obvious already why this album is held in such high regard. The unusual effects and instruments create an incredibly eclectic mix that simply drives the album forwards and makes in incredibly interesting.

Right now I am wishing as must everyone else that has ever heard this album not under the influence that I had some acid or a big fat joint to truly appreciate everything as it was meant to be appreciated, then again I doubt I’d be able to review it as well. As moonsong ends you are thrust into American Bedmusic and Patriot’s Lullabye, which is a lushly arranged piece with some beautifully delivered vocals featuring some brilliantly executed effects. The whole feel is very sobering, it brings you back down to earth, and true to it’s name relaxes you as any lullaby should.

The album then slowly progresses towards Nighmare Train which features some very confidently arrogan vocals and more unusual instrumentals and a lovely little rhythm. If Lullaby puts you sleep, this track will very aptly give you nightmares, the album has been perfectly crafted to reflect the outward concepts. You can feel this albums effect on progressive rock which at the time was blundering its way into mainstream, this album would certainly have helped that along.

There is a incredible feel of direction in this album, you are most certainly left feeling that everyone knows their part and exactly how it’s going to turn out. Whether this can be credited to brilliant production, planning, musicianship or all of the above is unknown. The album feels very genuine yet also mechanical and this juxtaposition makes it an increidbly interesting listen. Invisible Man feels very much like a standard jazz song that has had many added layers added above the guitars and rhtyhm section, including the vocals.

American Bedmusic ends with an old-time ragtime tune Mist 4th of July with all effects, including the record scratching effect that makes it feel very genuine. This brings us into part three of the album, Gospel Music for Abraham Ruddell Byrd III. The instrumental Gospel Music very nicely breaks up the album and presents itself as a very well played, if quite outwardly standard seeming jazz song. The whimsical feel of this song will refresh the listener and adds a further direction to the album before Part IV.

The Southwestern Geriatrics Arts and Crafts Festival stats with the Sing-Along Song, which is a perfect and even more whimsical departure from the rest of the album. With a very upbeat melody and an actual sing-along at the start of the song it sets the scene for a very alternatively psychedelic part of the album. Instead of relying on the standard psychedelic feel of the era it sets the scene by creating something that feels very old yet incredibly refreshing and ahead of its time for the type of album that it is.

The fact that it encompasses early 50’s style music as part of the Geriatric concept feels very natural and it shows a form of reverse experimentation that is quite uncommon even today. The Elephant at The Door often feels like standard psychedelia but turns on a penny, there are some lovely uses of silence and time here that make me feel right at home. The extended instrumental jams here can sometimes lose direction but surprisingly it works to it’s favour when it is eventually brough back in line.

The whole album feels a lot shorter than it actually is, it controls time perfectly and runs through in a way that makes you want to listen to it again once it finishes. Leisure World contains narration separated by a soft folk song, and ends with what sounds like something either in intense joy or the death throes of an animal. The album ends with the melodic reprise of the sing-along song.

The album as a whole plays like a masterpiece and very much deserves the hype surrounding it, the use of effects and unusual instrumentals works very well as a whole.

Tracks
1. Kalyani - 3:51
2. You Can’t Ever Come Down - 3:01
3. Moonsong: Pelog - 3:46
4. Patriot’s Lullabye - 2:49
5. Nightmare Train - 3:19
6. Invisible Man - 3:33
7. Mister 4th of July (Lisa Kindred) - 1:47
8. Gospel Music - 4:29
9. The Sing-Along Song - 4:04
10.The Elephant at the Door - 5:13
11.Leisure World - 2:35
12.The Sing-Along Song - Reprise - 0:47
Written and Arranged By Joseph Byrd except where indicated

Musicians
* Pot - Piano, Conductor, Harpsichord
* Ed Sheftel - Trumpet, Flugelhorn
* Christie Thompson - Vocals
* Ernest "Ernie" Anderson - Voices
* Fred Selden - Clarinet, Saxophones, Flute
* Ted Greene - Guitar
* Joseph Hunter Byrd - Organ, Producer, Vocals, Keyboards, Conductor, Synthesizer
* Larry Kass - Tabla
* Michael Whitney - Guitar (Classical)
* Chuck Bennett - Bass Trombone
* Victoria Bond - Vocals
* Ray Cappocchi - Tuba, Tenor Trombone
* Dana Chalberg - Flute, Piccolo
* John Clauder - Percussion, Drums
* Susan de Lange - Vocals, Electronic Voices
* Meyer Hirsch - Flute, Saxophones
* Don Kerian - Trumpet, Cornet
* Gregg Kovner - Drums, Percussion
* Tom Scott - Clarinet, Saxophones, Flute
* Harvey Newmark - Bass (uncredited on album)
* Harihar Rao - Percussion (uncredited on album)

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Gene Clark ‎- The Lost Studio Sessions (1964-82 us, impressive folk rock 2016 SACD)

In a recent MOJO interview, Roger McGuinn hinted that it may not have been a panic attack that led to Gene Clark leaving the Byrds, but the promise of being the next Elvis. For some dumb reason that solo career never took off. But Gene Clark certainly had all the makings. He was Hollywood handsome and a total chick magnet. Not to mention, one hell of a singer-songwriter. Despite not being the next Elvis, his legacy remains groundbreaking. The Fantastic Expedition of Dillard & Clark essentially paved the way for Country Rock. His solo albums, White Light and No Other stand the test of time, defying easy categorization.

However, his catalog remains a bit of a mess. Albums and compilations often go in and out of print, on fly by night labels. At steep prices. Only a haphazard assortment of his output is available for download. All of which makes Clark’s recordings more elusive than they should be. The Lost Studio Sessions 1964-1982 is another wild card to add to this ongoing game of 52 Pickup.

While these previously unheard of studio outtakes and demos are a treasure trove for Clark fans, they by no means make for a good album. While the sound quality is superb, this is far from a cohesive listen. But is a good album the point really? Lost Sessions is essentially a vault dump the producers hope to cash in on. The people who put this together know full well who their target audience is. This collection is conspicuously unavailable for download and fetches for a pretty penny on CD and vinyl. Regardless, this release is a real eye opener for Clark enthusiasts.

The first 6 tracks are startling. Because they’re virtually unrecognizable as Gene Clark. His overwrought vibrato sounding traditionally dated. In another era, Clark could have been Perry Como. These studio demos do however, provide a clear snapshot of Clark’s artistic development from New Christie Minstrel to Byrd. The songs themselves reveal what a precocious talent Clark had for writing. There’s a lyrical complexity and emotional depth that’s way ahead of its time. A far cry from ‘Love Me Do’.  

Despite Leon Russell’s over the top orchestrations, ‘Back Street Mirror’ reveals just how much of an impact Bob Dylan had on Clark. One can hear him marry the Beatles’ melodic smarts with Dylan’s dazzling word play. His vocal delivery owes so much to Dylan, it verges on parody but one can hear flashes of originality. The song’s only release was on the 1967 David Hemmings album, Happens. But Hemmings’ version is nowhere near Clark’s in terms of passion and emotion.

 On ‘Back to The Earth Again’ one can hear Clark finally coming into his own. The ensuing six tracks are stunning. It’s criminal the likes of ‘The Lighthouse’ or ‘The Awakening Within’ never made it on any Clark release. According to the liner notes, Clark may have forgotten having even written them. Such was his level of productivity at the time. Simply put, they’re dazzling. Clark’s maze-like lyrics fraught with mystery, yearning and self-doubt. Time and place become nebulous in ‘The Lighthouse’. It’s more like Clark is writing a letter off the top of his head.  ‘Sweet Adrienne’ is a multi-faceted portrait of a woman who is beyond his grasp.  ‘Walking Through This Lifetime’ and ‘The Sparrow’ keep up the ante. I’ll be damned if ‘Only Yesterday’s Gone’ isn’t a lost classic. Beautiful.

As for the remaining cuts, we’re treated to a rousing, passionate version of ‘She Darked The Sun’. One that surpasses that off The Fantastic Expedition of Dillard & Clark.  ‘Don’t That Road Look Rough and Rocky’ was recorded for a 1972 album that ground to halt when producer Terry Melcher was injured in a motorcycle accident. Many of the tracks resurfaced on the posthumous Dutch release, Roadmaster. The Melcher version here is stunning, eight miles above the version on Roadmaster.

The rest of the collection isn’t nearly as revelatory. Gram Parsons covers and a stab at the Box Tops’ ‘The Letter’ are interesting curios but far from Clark in his prime. Most notable is his take on Roddy Crowell’s ‘No Memories Hanging’ Round’ from the 1982 Nyteflyte sessions.   

At its best, Clark’s talent was completely intuitive, not intellectual. As dreamy as his songs are, they’re undeniably visceral. And instinctively, he knew what all great songwriters know: Great songwriting isn’t about being cool and clever but being emotionally vulnerable. Something Clark delivered in spades. The man could sing the phone book and bring a tear to your eye. Truth of the matter is, Gene Clark fanatics simply cannot afford to pass this one up. A priceless trove of too well kept secrets. Also, an unflinching chronicle of a great artist’s rise and eventual fall. 

by Kevin Orton 

Tracks
1. The Way I Am - 2:39
2. I'd Feel Better - 1:53
3. That Girl - 3:06
4. A Worried Heart - 3:43
5. If There's No Love - 2:33
6. Back Street Mirror - 3:20
7. Don't Let It Fall Through - 3:01
8. Back To The Earth Again - 3:11
9. The Lighthouse - 3:01
10.The Awakening Within - 2:55
11.Sweet Adrienne - 2:23
12.Walking Through This Lifetime - 3:17
13.The Sparrow - 3:35
14.Only Yesterday's Gone - 1:53
15.She Darked The Sun (Bernie Leadon, Gene Clark) - 3:06
16.Roll In My Sweet Baby's Arms (Traditional) - 3:16
17.She Don't Care About Time - 3:06
18.Don't That Road Look Rough And Rocky (Traditional) - 4:30
19.Bars Have Made A Prisoner Out Of Me (Freddy Weller, Michael Hardin, Spooner Oldham) - 3:10
20.One Hundred Years From Now (Gram Parsons) - 2:40
21(The) Letter (Wayne C. Thompson) - 2:45
22.Still Feeling Blue (Gram Parsons) - 2:13
23.No Memories Hangin' Round (Rodney Crowell) - 4:00
24.I'll Feel A Whole Lot Better - 2:38
All songs by Gene Clark except where indicated

Musicians
*Gene Clark - Vocals, Guitars, Harmonica
*Leon Russell - Arranger
*Hugh Masekela - Horn Section
*Chris Hillman - Bass, Vocals
*Gram Parsons - Piano, Vocals
*Bermnie Leadon - Lead Electric Guitar, Vocals
*Sneaky Pete Kleinow - Pedal Steel Guitar
*Michael Clarke - Drums, Vocals
*Clarence White - Electric String Bender Guitar
*Eric White Sr - Harmonica
*Spooner Oldham - Piano
*Byron Berline - Fiddle
*Chris Ethridge - Bass
*Claudia Lennear - Vocals
*Merry Clayton - Vocals
*Herb Peterson - Acoustic Guitar, Vocals
*Al Perkins - Electric, Pedal Steel Guitar

1967  Gene Clark - Sings For You (2018 DigiPak)

1979  McGuinn, Clark And Hillman (2014 Japan SHM Remaster)
1967  Gene Clark - Echoes
1968-69  Dillard And Clark - Fantastic Expedition / Through The Morning, Through The Night
1971  Gene Clark - White Light
1972  Gene Clark - Roadmaster  (2011 Edition)
With The Byrds
1964  The Byrds - Preflyte (2012 Edition)
1973  Byrds - Byrds (2004 issue)

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