rep>>> Clover - Clover • Fourty-Niner (1970-71 us, nice rural psych, 2012 remaster)

Clover was a Marin County, California four-piece that formed in the late ‘60s and recorded this pair of albums for Fantasy Records in 1970-71. Their renown, however, stems from later exploits, including the slot as Elvis Costello’s backing band on his 1977 debut, My Aim is True, as well as spinning off Huey Lewis and the News, and launching the solo and songwriting (including Tommy Tutone’s “867-5309/Jenny”) career of Alex Call. Their original albums didn’t catch on upon initial release, and have been tough to find. Reissued on this two-fer, the performances reveal a band drawing inspiration from both the San Francisco scene and the country-rock wafting up from Los Angeles, and with additional dashes of blues and soul Clover was ready to rock the local clubs and bars.

The albums, like the band’s set list, sprinkled covers (Jr. Walker’s “Shotgun” Rev. Gary Davis’ “If I Had My Way” and a Creedence-styled jam on the spiritual “Wade in the Water” that surely stretched out to fifteen minutes on stage) amid originals that included country, electric blues, and jazz- and funk-rock. The former comes in several varieties, including the traditional-sounding lament “No Vacancy,” Bakersfield-influenced “Monopoly,” Clarence White-styled guitar picking of “Lizard Rock and Roll Band,” and bluegrass “Chicken Butt.” Guitarist John McFree shows off his steel playing on “Howie’s Song,” and drummer Mitch Howie adds funky beats to “Love is Gone.” In the end, Clover was a good band, though not particularly distinct, and their albums provide a reminder of just how deep the bench was in the San Francisco scene.

No Depresion

You know Clover, even if you think you don’t. In 1977, they backed Elvis Costello on My Aim Is True. Later, a slightly altered version of the band became Huey Lewis & the News. Members played with the Doobie Brothers, and also played with the likes of John Prine and Lucinda Williams. This is all to say that Clover has quite the musical pedigree. But before all that, they were their own band, making their own tunes and trying to make a name for themselves as nothing more than the country-soul-rock outfit Clover.

Real Gone Music has collected the band’s first two records – 1970’s Clover and 1971’s Fourty-Niner – together on one disc, and they show a band far removed from the angry power-pop of Costello or the ’80s soul-pop of Lewis & the News. Instead, Clover fell right into the thick of early ’70s, country-tinged rock music. They sounded like a more pop-oriented version of the Band, and their twangy, swampy sound is nothing if not catchy. Clover clocks in at just over a half-hour, and doesn’t waste a minute, fitting in rangy hooks and tight melodies at every turn. Opener “Shotgun” has crunchy, funky guitars and lively vocals that give the song a lean power. Love song “Monopoly” is closer to Flying Burrito Brothers’ turf, but it’s extended metaphor – which is either about government or business practice, it’s hard to tell – is charming even if it doesn’t quite hold together. The most spacious song on the record, “Wade in the Water”, dips into more bluesy sounds, dragging the guitars through the low mud and giving their riffs some space to echo out.

Fourty-Niner takes the taut energy of Clover and eases up a little, giving us a more introspective sound. Even the bouncy pop of “Harvest”, which opens the record, has a soulful, shuffling chorus backed by shadowy organs and built up by bittersweet vocal harmonies. “Keep on Trying” is an R&B-influenced heartbreak tune. The title track is a country-soul jam that gives the vocals room to stretch out and vamp. In fact, the whole record feels looser, more confident than its predecessor, and if that slows the frenetic tempo of the first record, it delves deeper emotionally and we get a better feel for who the band is.

And who the band is might be the main issue for Clover. While these two records are charming and catchy, history has done them no favors. As it stands, these feel like second-tier country-soul records, ones with energy but not much unique personality. As hook-filled as these songs are, those hooks are also often by the numbers. So it’s no real wonder Clover ended up attaching itself to move distinct musical voices later. Make no mistake, these guys can play and play well, and the best parts of these albums do show them playing their hearts out. But too often these two albums feel like exercises, like practicing getting these rock and country-western and soul sounds down perfectly instead of getting the feel of them right. In the end, then, Clover/Fourty-Niner is a pleasant, interesting listen, but in terms of significance it’s little more than a musical footnote, the solid sound of players that went on to play others’ songs better.

by Matthew Fiander / 10 December 2012 

Tracks

1. Shotgun (Autry DeWalt) - 2:10

2. Southbound Train (Alex Call, John McFee) - 3:38

3. Going To The Country (Alex Call, John Ciambotti) - 2:29

4. Monopoly (John Ciambotti) - 2:00

5. Stealin' (Alex Call, Ed Bogas) - 4:33

6. Wade In The Water (Traditional) - 4:31

7. No Vacancy (John Ciambotti) - 3:09

8. Lizard Rock And Roll Band (Alex Call, Ed Bogas) - 2:57

9. Come (Alex Call) - 3:45

10.Could You Call It Love (Alex Call, John McFee) - 2:30

11.Harvest (Ed Bogas, Johnny Ciambotti) -  2:24

12.Keep On Tryin' (Johnny Ciambotti) - 3:21

13.Old Man Blues (Alex Call) - 3:36

14.Forty-Niner (Alex Call, John Ciambotti) - 2:25

15.Sound Of Thunder (Alex Call) - 2:33

16.Chicken Butt (Alex Call, John McFee, John Ciambotti) - 2:24

17.Mr. Moon (Alex Call) - 2:49

18.Love Is Gone (Alex Call) - 2:31

19.Mitch's Tune (Alex Call, Mitch Howie) - 3:12

20.Sunny Mexico (Alex Call) - 2:06

21.If I Had My Way (Rev. Gary Davis) - 3:07

Tracks 1-10 from "Clover" released 1970

Tracks 11-21 from "Fourty Niner" released 1971

Clover

*lex Call - Guitar, Liner Notes, Piano, Vocals

*ohn Ciambotti - Bass, Guiro, Guitar, Vocals

*itch Howie - Drums

*John McFee - Guitar, Organ, Pedal Steel, Piano, Vocals 

With

*Bruce Campbell - Banjo

*Ed Bogas - Fiddle, Guitar, Marimba, Organ, Piano, Producer

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rep>>> Holy Mackerel – Closer To Heaven (1973 uk, magnificent blend of classic rock folk and prog rock)

Holy Mackerel were formed in 1970 from the ashes of Kent-based psychedelic band Jason Crest. Three members of that highly regarded outfit - singer and chief songwriter Terry Clark, drummer Roger Siggery and guitarist Derek Smallcombe joined forces with local musicians Tony Wood and Chris Ware in an attempt to move towards a more contemporary rock sound. After a brief flirtation with the name Highway, the band settled for the more distinctive soubriquet of Holy Mackerel. They gigged incessantly, occasionally as headliners but often as support act to bands as diverse as Three Dog Night and the Sweet. As a result of their punishing live schedule, Holy Mackerel slowly established a considerable reputation on the thriving college and university circuit; indeed, the sheer volume of live work undertaken by the band ensured that they were financially secure enough to survive without the aid of a recording contract.

By 1972 Holy Mackerel were attracting capacity crowds in their own right, an achievement that did not go unnoticed within the music industry. The band finally accepted an offer from management agency General Artistes, who also handled unabashed pop acts like Vanity Fayre and Chicory Tip. Fronted by high profile entrepreneur Roger Easterby, General Artistes succeeded in obtaining a recording contract for Holy Mackerel from CBS Records.

The first of Holy Mackerel's four singles appeared on 27 October 1972 ('Rock-A-Bye' c/w 'New Black Shoes', CBS 8447). However, this was merely a taster for the band's eponymously-titled debut album which emerged three weeks later. 'Holy Mackerel' (CBS 65297) was a slightly tentative first step that bore the familiar hallmarks of a popular live band struggling to adapt to the differing demands of the recording studio environment. Nevertheless there were sufficient glimpses of quality to suggest that a second album might prove to be an altogether more substantial affair.

Shortly after the release of the Holy Mackerel album, Roger Easterby formed a new label entitled Santa Ponsa. Naturally enough Holy Mackerel were enticed away from CBS to become one of Santa Ponsa's first signings: the perils of a joint management and recording contract would only become evident at a later date. At the time a brave new world beckoned, particularly when Santa Ponsa quickly hit paydirt with the chart success of Guy Darrell's 'I've Been Hurt' (a mid-1960's recording leased with delicious irony from CBS).

Flushed with this early success, Easterby instructed Holy Mackerel to record a version of an old Bruce Channel song called 'We Got It Nailed Down' (Santa Ponsa PNS6). This track failed to register commercially when issued as a single in September 1973, as did the country chestnut 'Tennessee Waltz' (Santa Ponsa PNSI1) a few months later.

Undeterred, Easterby urged the band to proceed with the recording of their second album. They responded enthusiastically, with three members writing material of sufficient calibre to ensure that this album (given a working tide of 'Take A Deep Breath And Smile') would represent a quantum leap forward from their CBS debut. Holy Mackerel were already established as a crowd-pulling live act: with the aid of a supportive record company and some outstanding new material, surely this album would prove to be the vinyl breakthrough that they needed?

By the time that the album had been painstakingly pieced together in the studio, Santa Ponsa were floundering badly. Guy Darrell's unexpected hit had proved to be a one off rather than the start of something big: the label subsequently released a further two dozen singles without securing a second success. As a result, Easterby wasn't in a position to gamble with the release of an album without the financial safety net of a hit single. One of the more commercial tracks - Terry Clark's 'Ballad of Joe McCann', fortunately a better song than the tide would suggest - was selected as a single (Santa Ponsa PNS18) in early 1974. Its lack of success ensured that, by the time Santa Ponsa ceased trading later that same year, the second Holy Mackerel album had still not emerged.

Having lost both their management  and recording company in one fell swoop. Holy Mackerel's career was plunged into a protracted state of limbo. They briefly delayed the inevitable by electing to struggle on, although drummer Roger Siggery hailed out and was replaced by Dennis Elliott, who would subsequently join Foreigner. Terry Clark recorded a handful of solo singles under a variety of ludicrous aliases, the most notable being a version of 'Best Part of Breaking Up' credited to Eddie Fontana (Santa Ponsa PNS23 in October 1974). Overwhelmed by events. Holy Mackerel had slowly disintegrated by this stage: ironically the album that may have been their salvation remained unissued.

Twenty years later, 'Closer to Heaven' (which has been digitally remastered from the sole surviving acetate copy) is a fascinating but frustrating glimpse of what might have been. Perhaps the band were too eclectic for their own good, but their consummate mastery of various musical styles enabled them to mould a wide variety of disparate elements into a distinctive and fully coherent sound. Many rock bands of the era may have laid claim to the raging dual guitar onslaught of 'Judgement Day', but few would have been equally well-equipped to tackle the delicate beauty of 'Walk Through The Valley' without stumbling into mawkishness or parody.

Had "Closer to Heaven' been released at the time, the Holy Mackerel story may have had a rather differentending. This belated issue at least provides the band with a suitably impressive epitaph.

by David Wells, September 1993

Tracks
1. Gemini (Derek Smallcombe) - 3:27
2. Ballad Of Joe McCann (Terry Clark) - 3:28
3. Burglar Man (Derek Smallcombe, Terry Clark) - 3:56
4. Blue Eyed Redeemer (Chris Ware) - 2:52
5. (Closer To Heaven On) Judgement Day (Terry Clark) - 4:11
6. Hard Times, Good Times (Terry Clark) - 2:57
7. Near You (Terry Clark) - 4:17
8. Walk Through The Valley (Derek Smallcombe, Terry Clark) - 2:51
9. Waterfall (Derek Smallcombe) - 7:46

The Holy Mackerel
*Terry Clarke - Lead Vocals
*Derek Smallcombe - Guitars, Vocals
*Chris Ware - Guitars
*Tony Wood - Bass
*Roger Siggery - Drums

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rep>>> Aqua - Aqua (1972/78/81 germany, spectacular organ drivin' prog krautrock, 2008 release)

In the 70s, Krautrock was not only played in the big cities, not only in Berlin, Munich and Düsseldorf, but also in the provinces. Krautrock wasn't just Tangerine Dream, Amon Düül or Kraftwerk, it was also Dom, Electric Sandwich, Join In, Kalacacra, Mammut, Morpheus and whatever they were all called... There were young musicians all over Germany who were infected by the spirit of Krautrock and dared to create their more or less own version of progressive rock music.

Even though there was a Krautrock boom at the record companies in the early 70s, not every band was signed. This didn't necessarily have anything to do with musical quality. There were just a lot of bands. And some are still being unearthed... 

One of these bands that simply didn't make it back then was Aqua from the provincial metropolis of Kassel in northern Hesse. The roots of Aqua go back to 1968. In 1972, musicians from the bands Inaction and Praeludium Magnum came together to form Aqua. In the 70s, Aqua were one of the most popular live acts in Kassel, alongside such illustrious names as Rattengift and Hugo's Rockhoppser. It wasn't enough to get a record deal, but Aqua recorded a demo tape with four songs on a 4-track tape recorder in their founding year. These form the core of this Garden of Delights release. In addition, the only single from 1978 is also included, although single does not mean that Aqua were represented in the charts with it, but that they sold it at their concerts. Finally, the CD also contains two tracks from the 1981 LP Sexy Boy. The band broke up in 1984.

However, these two songs from their 1981 LP are the least interesting for Krautrock fans. When the LP was released, the disappointment among Aqua fans was also quite big, as the sound - as with many other bands of those years - had become much flatter in comparison to the 70s and the jazz-rock, herbaceous, psychedelic elements of the Aqua sound had given way to a more pleasing, slightly proggy soft rock. However, the two tracks on the album represent the best of this “musical misstep”.

The single (released 1976) reflects the band's previous phase, which was characterized by organ-heavy hard rock and may bring to mind Uriah Heep. The band certainly gave this impression in their live performances towards the end of the 70s.

The real jewel of this CD, however, are the first four tracks, which are the complete demo from 1972! The sound quality here is a little muffled, but still easy to hear. And what you hear here is also musically convincing, not inferior to the more successful bands of the early 70s: a krautrock sound, sometimes dominated by organ, sometimes by guitar, with elements of jazz rock and psychedelic. Klaus Borucki's vocals come across as somewhat whiny.

Due to the different years of origin of the collected material, it is difficult to give a unanimous verdict. This CD colors another blank spot on the map of 70s Krautrock. For me personally, however, this release was a particular pleasure, as I had previously only known the LP Sexy Boy. Unfortunately, it presented a rather sterile picture of the band, which I personally got to know as a rousing live act at a few concerts at the end of the 70s. So it's all the more pleasing that Aqua's story has finally been edited in a way that is convincing both musically and in terms of the design of the booklet. Here, too, Garden of Delights remain true to their standard and provide detailed background information on the band's history, illustrate record covers and offer a successful selection of band photos. A recommendation for the collector!

by Christian Rode, 30-8-2008

Tracks

1. Bolero (Martin Ulrich, Martin Großkurth) - 5:24

2. Soul Of My Soul (Martin Ulrich, Martin Großkurth) - 7:09

3. Tempest (Martin Ulrich, Martin Großkurth) - 5:53

4. There Is A Place (Martin Ulrich, Martin Großkurth) - 9:37

5. Going My Way (Martin Ulrich, Klaus Borucki, Jörg Wiesner) - 3:20

6. Teenage Feelings (Martin Ulrich, Mandy Turner, Jörg Wiesner) - 3:35

7. No Use To Live On (Martin Ulrich, Jörg Wiesner, Mike Fajgel) - 6:05

8. No More Love  (Martin Ulrich, Jörg Wiesner, Mike Fajgel)- 5:58

Tracks 1-4 from 1972

Tracks 5,6 from 1978

Tracks 7,8 from 1981

Aqua

*Martin Ulrich - Guitar

*Martin Großkurth - Organ (Tracks 1-4)

*Klaus Borucki - Vocals (Tracks 2-6)

*Georg Röber - Bass (Tracks 1-4)

*Bernd Billhardt - Drums (Tracks 1-4)

*Jörg Wiesner - Keyboards, Vocals (Tracks 5-8)

*Wolfgang Eckhardt - Bass, Vocals (Tracks 5-8)

*Roy Kaleve - Drums, Vocals (Tracks 7-8)

*Mike Fajgel - Lead Vocals (Tracks 7-8)

*Jürgen Steinbrecher - Bass, Vocals (Tracks 7-8)

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rep>>> Bobby Charles - Bobby Charles (1972-74 us, fantastic blend of blues dixie country folk classic rock, 2011 three disc box set remaster)

When he was around 13, Robert Charles Guidry began singing with a band around his hometown of Abbeville, La., deep in the Cajun swamps. The group played Cajun and country music and, after he passed through town and played a show, Fats Domino's music. It was a life-changing experience for the young man, and he found himself with a new ambition: to write a song for Fats.

One night as he left a gig, Charles said to his friends, "See ya later, alligator," and one of them yelled back, "In a while, crocodile." Charles stopped in his tracks. "What did you say?" he asked. The friend repeated it. At that moment, as would happen countless times in the future, the song "See You Later, Alligator" came to him, fully formed.

Fats didn't want the song, and told the young man he didn't want to sing about alligators. Somehow, though, the kid wound up singing the song over the phone to Leonard Chess, whose Chess Records in Chicago was the hottest blues label in town. Chess didn't hesitate: He sent the kid a ticket, and when Charles showed up at his office, Chess said something I can't say on the air. The sentence ended with the word "white" and a question mark, though.

Chess recorded him, though, and put the song out, changing Guidry's name to Bobby Charles; almost immediately, Bill Haley grabbed it for himself. Haley's record was one of the best sellers of 1956, and both Chess and Charles made some decent money from it. They tried follow-ups called "Watch It, Sprocket," which wasn't something people actually said, and "Take It Easy, Greasy," which was, but the record was a little too, well, greasy to be too popular. Charles recorded for Chess until 1958, but his records only sold locally. Along the way, though, he seems to have pioneered a genre called swamp pop.

He also got to realize a dream. One evening, Fats Domino played Abbeville, and Fats invited Charles to a show in New Orleans. The young singer said he had no way to get there. "Well," the fat man said, "you'd better start walking." And sure enough, a song popped into Charles' head: "Walking To New Orleans."

Bobby Charles signed with Imperial, Fats' label, but again, nothing hit. He admitted freely that he was part of the problem. He didn't enjoy touring, and he had a jealous wife who didn't like him leaving town. He continued writing and selling songs, and recorded for some local Louisiana labels. He and his wife parted company, and then, in 1971, he got busted for pot in Nashville. Rather than risk jail, he disappeared; he wound up in upstate New York, and saw the name Woodstock on a map. He'd never even heard of the famous festival, but the name appealed to him.

Arriving in town, he asked a real-estate agent about a place to rent and wound up in a house shared with two other musicians. They introduced him around, and Albert Grossman, who'd managed Bob Dylan, Janis Joplin and many others, got interested. The next thing he knew, Charles was back in the studio with members of The Band, Dr. John and lots of other Woodstock musicians. The resulting album has some truly memorable moments.

It didn't sell, though. Charles focused on songwriting, but he wasn't comfortable in Woodstock, and in the end he went back to Abbeville, where he disappeared from public view for an entire decade. He had a good income from his songs, but a run of bad luck: His house burned down, and then his next house blew away in a hurricane. He kept writing songs, and he entertained visitors who came to Abbeville to meet him — people like Bob Dylan and Neil Young and Willie Nelson. His record label, Rice 'N' Gravy, put out several homemade albums, which mixed his old and new songs.

At 70, Bobby Charles was diagnosed with cancer, and he died in January 2010, unknown to most of the world he'd enriched with his songs.

by Ed Ward

Reissued here as a wood-paneled box set with 25 bonus tracks, Louisiana singer Robert Charles' lone album from the 1970s, featuring four members of the Band as his backup group, is one of the most sublime Americana records ever cut.

On the third disc of this wood-paneled box set of Louisiana singer Robert "Bobby" Charles Guidry's lone album from the 1970s, there's a half-hour interview with radio disc jockey Barry Hansen, better known as Dr. Demento. They laundry-list the records released that week in 1972, ranging from a posthumous Jimi Hendrix LP to John Fahey, Tim Buckley, Bonnie Raitt, Nazareth, Wet Willie, and Martin Mull. To which Bobby Charles comments in his gentle, stoned Cajun drawl: "It's too bad, a lot of good ones just have to get lost. It's unexplainable, but they just do." To which Hansen replies: "Well... a lot of times they get picked up the second or third time around."

Warm and crackling as a campfire, easeful and understated, all of it suffused with Charles' nuanced blend of humor and empathy, this 1972 eponymous album was one of the "good ones" that got lost. Think of this as the second or third time around for the album to finally find its people-- and there should be plenty of them. Considering that 4/5ths of the Band served as Charles' back up group here (augmented by Dr. John and Neil Young pedal steel guitarist Ben E. Keith), this is-- simply put-- one of the most sublime Americana records ever cut.

Charles' story started two decades earlier, when he wrote and recorded R&B standards like "See You Later, Alligator" and "Walking to New Orleans". The story goes that Chess Records signed the then-14-year-old sight unseen after he sang them "Alligator" over the phone. When he arrived in their Chicago offices, though, Leonard Chess flipped out: Not because Charles was underage, but because he was white. After touring through a pre-integration South, he wound up in Nashville by the late 1960s. A marijuana rap led him to head further north, where he ultimately fell in with the musical community centered around Woodstock, N.Y., recording at Dylan manager Albert Grossman's Bearsville Studios.

From the opening twang and snare snap of "Street People", it's clear Charles' songwriting acumen had grown beyond his early R&B roots. Over the slinking beat, he details an itinerant life of what one would label a "bum." But rather than spin some tale of hard luck and woe, Charles makes drifting from town to town and panhandling for spare change sound idyllic. "Wouldn't trade places with no one I know/ I'm happy with where I'm at," he drawls. A cowbell accents the punchline: "Some people would rather work/ We need people like that."

Elsewhere, there are organ-gurgling numbers about new love and community gossip, lilting ballads about watching butterflies, honking barroom numbers about growing old, and gentle, country-tinged numbers about spending all day in bed with your honey. And then there's the ode to Jesus to save him from his followers. All of it gets delivered with a sly grin and at a pace with which you might sip a beer on a back porch, cast a fishing line into a creek, or barbecue a rack of ribs: slow, unhurried, a sunny afternoon ahead of you.

Some 25 previously unreleased tracks augment the original 10-song album, ranging from the pleasant to revelatory. There are differently mixed singles, three songs released only on a Japanese box set, some half-baked songs, but also the sound of Charles' shuffling toward a follow-up album that he never quite got around to finishing. Or, as he put his M.O. on one chorus: "(I'm) staying stoned and singing homemade songs." There's the Band's telltale funk on "Why Are People Like That?", Dr. John's piano commingling with Garth Hudson's gospel organ swells on the elegant crest of "You Came Along". Fans of Will Oldham's Arise Therefore will swoon for demos of Charles dueting with the Band's Rick Danko over a sputtering drum machine.

When this set was originally made available through Rhino Handmade back in August (it's in stores now via distribution partner Light in the Attic), mid-album track "He's Got All the Whiskey" was already an album highlight. So it's uncanny hearing both it and "Street People" in a post-Occupy mindset. About as loud as "Chappelle's Show"'s intro, Dixieland horns, Danko's bass, and a snare's pop skitter about as Charles gripes: "He got all the money." It, of course, follows that "The Man" also has all the "whiskey/ power/ women," the biggest crime of it being that "he won't give me none." It's a simple protest from Bobby Charles-- good-natured at its heart-- and hopefully it won't get ignored this time around.

by Andy Beta

Disc 1
1. Street People - 3:44
2. Long Face - 3:35
3. I Must Be In a Good Place Now - 4:10
4. Save Me Jesus - 5:16
5. He's Got All the Whiskey - 5:17
6. Small Town Talk (Bobby Charles, Rick Danko) - 3:29
7. Let Yourself Go - 4:12
8. Grow Too Old (Bobby Charles, Dave Bartholomew, Fats Domino) - 4:04
9. I'm That Way - 4:03
10.Tennessee Blues - 5:01
11.Small Town Talk (Single Version) (Bobby Charles, Rick Danko) -3:31
12.Save Me Jesus (Mono Single Version) - 5:10
13.He's Got All The Whiskey (Long Version) - 6:45
14.New Mexico (Bobby Charles, Rick Danko) - 2:26
15.Homemade Songs - 3:44
16.Rosie - 2:51
17.Don't Be Surprised - 2:29
18.You Were There - 6:25
19.'Radio spot' (not listed on cover) - 1:03
All songs by Bobby Charles excepr where stated

Disc 2
1. He's Got All The Whiskey (Take 1) - 6:20
2. New Mexico (Demo) (Bobby Charles, Rick Danko) - 2:20
3. Homemade Songs (Long Version) - 7:56
4. Done A Lot Of Wrong Things - 8:17
5. Ain't That Lucky - 3:04
6. Better Days - 3:38
7. You Came Along - 6:21
8. Jealous Kind - 3:52
9. Whatever Happened - 3:27
10.Livin' In Your World - 3:40
11.Nickles Dimes Dollars - 4:01
12.Why Are People Like That - 3:43
13.Please Please - 2:49
14.Little Town Tramp - 2:58
15.Keep Cookin' Mama - 4:12
16.What Are We Doing? - 2:16
17.Cowboys And Indians (Bobby Charles, Ben Keith) - 3:01
All songs by Bobby Charles excepr where noted

Disc 3
1. The Bobby Charles Interview - 30:57

Musicians
*Bobby Charles - Vocals, Piano
*Jim Colegrove - Bass
*Rick Danko - Bass
*Dr. John - Keyboards
*Amos Garrett - Guitar
*Norman D. Smart - Drums
*Ben Keith - Guitar, Steel Guitar
*Billy Mundi - Drums
*Bob Neuwirth - Vocals, Guitar
*Bugsy Maugh - Bass
*David Sanborn - Alto Saxophone
*Garth Hudson - Keyboards, Accordion, Saxophone
*Geoff Muldaur - Guitar, Vocals
*Harry Lookofsky - Violin, Viola
*Hymie Schertzer - Saxophone
*Jim Colegrove - Guitar
*Joe Newman - Trumpet
*John Simon - Tenor Saxophone
*John Till - Guitar
*Levon Helm - Drums
*Norman Don Smart II - Drums
*Richard Manuel - Piano, Drums

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rep>>> The Nick Gravenites John Cipollina Band - Monkey Medicine (1982 us, solid blues rock)

There's nothing new in the idea that some of the best rock musicians of the last 15 or 50 years are not as famous as they ought to be; genuine talent has always counted for less than image, hype or sheer luck. Nick Gravenites (or if you prefer Nick da Greek) is a classic case; despite being a great guitarist, songwriter and producer, (as well as being in possession of one of the most powerful voices in the business) genuine success has always eluded him, which is a pity because few white people have the knowledge or feeling for the blues that he does; he's got so much of it, it's coming out of his ears.

Gravenites was originally part of a thriving folk and blues scene in Chicago in the early '60s but in 1962 he travelled out west to San Francisco.

The Beats had gone but folk was booming and Gravenites was able to gig regularly at places like The Fox and Hound and The Coffee Gallery, both in the city's North Beach district. Quite often sharing the bill was a young fresh in from Texas, called Janis Joplin. Many musicians, later to attract the attention of the world's press during the 'Summer of Love', were also on the circuit - pre-electricity and, largely pre-acid.

Within in a couple of years Gravenites was in Chicago running a blues club called the Burning Bush, amongst other things, however when '67 rolled around, with every musician in the States heading out to San Francisco, Nick did likewise. Things were different from '62 everywhere was peace, love and good vibes, for a couple of months at least. Gravenites was there primarily to join Mike Bloomfield's new band, known at the time as An American Music Band but shortly to change their name to The Electric Flag. The Flag became the definitive blues/funk outfit of the late '60s, albums like 'A Long Time Coming' were required listening for anyone remotely interested in the 'new rock'. Gravenites' amazing gravelly voice was heard on hi-fi's all over the western world. After a couple of years the band ground to a halt, he made a solo album 'My Labors' and joined a last gasp, post Janis version of Big Brother.

The '70s proved a lean time for Gravenites, until it became apparent that people in Europe still wanted to hear him play, especially as he'd teamed up with the ubiquitous John Cipollina, guitar picker extra-ordinaire, wolf fetishist and refugee from the pioneering acid-rock outfit, Quicksilver Messenger Service. QMS were the definitive proponents of the guitar-based San Francisco sound, who should have conquered the world but failed to, owing to a seemingly in-built self destruct mechanism. Their music owed much to Cipolllina's playing, at times menacingly growling, at other times hard edged and bluesy.

Quicksilver staggered on into the mid '70s but Cipollina wisely quit at the end of 1970, taking his distinctive playing into Copperhead and then on to various loose aggregations, notably Terry & the Pirates. The link up with Gravenites came in 1979 when it seemed that neither of them were likely to play live in Europe again. However, since then they have been fairly regular visitors, especially to Germany and Italy where they are able to fill concert halls night after night.

This album was recorded during a recent tour, when they were augmented by Marcus David on drums and Al Staehely on bass. Staehely is notable for having the distinction of having played in a bogus line-up of Spirit, he now doubles as a lawyer in L.A.

This album is, of course, blues based and displays Gravenites' interpretations of a couple of standards plus some fine new songs, not to mention a reworking of his own classic 'Buried Alive in the Blues'.

Staehely also contributes a couple of excellent originals and needless to say Cipollina's guitar is as fiery as ever, notably on 'Bad Luck Baby' which has echoes of the old Quicksilver and the reworking of 'Pride of Man', the Hamilton Camp number, which was an integral part of the old QMS set.

In terms of chart success this album is unlikely to compete with Soft Cell, which is a pity because music played with this kind of integrity and ability is all too rare these days. I, for one, am glad that these guys are still doing it.

by John Platt, (Editor, Comstock Lode magazine)

Nicholas George Gravenites passed away in Santa Rosa, California on September 18, 2024, at the age of 85.

Tracks

1. Blues In The Bottle (Sam Hopkins) - 4:07

2. Six Weeks In Reno (Nick Gravenites) - 4:33

3. I'll Pull The Trigger (Nick Gravenites) - 3:34

4. Trust Me (Al Staehely) - 3:52

5. Buried Alive In The Blues (Nick Gravenites) - 5:18

6. Born In Chicago (Nick Gravenites) - 4:14

7. Bad Luck Baby (Nick Gravenites) - 7:36

8. Signs Of Life (Al Staehely) - 3:51

9. Pride Of Man (Hamilton Camp) - 3:54

10.Hot Rods And Cool Women (Al Staehely) - 3:36

11.Small Walk-In Box (Nick Gravenites) - 7:48

Personnel

*John Cipollina - Guitars

*Nick Gravenites - Guitars, vocals

*Marcus David - Drums

*Al Staehely - Bass, vocals

1967  Electric Flag - The Trip
1968-69  Electric Flag - An American Music Band / A Long Time Comin'  
196?-7?  The Electric Flag - Live 

1974  The Electric Flag - The Band Kept Playing (2002 edition)
1969  Michael Bloomfield with Nick Gravenites And Friends - Live At Bill Graham's Fillmore West
1969  Nick Gravenites - My Labors 

1968  The Barry Goldberg Reunion - There's No Hole In My Soul

1969  Barry Goldberg - Two Jews Blues (vinyl edition)
1970-71  Big Brother And The Holding Company - Be A Brother / How Hard It Is 

1972  Nick Gravenites And Mike Bloomfield - Steel Yard Blues (2015 remaster)
1973  Bloomfield, Hammond, Dr.John - Triumvirate (Japan remaster)
1976  KGB - KGB
1976-77  Michael Bloomfield - Live at the Old Waldorf
1977  Prescription For The Blues
1972  Various Artists - Mill Valley Bunch Casting Pearls

1973  Mike Bloomfield - Try It Before You Buy It
1967-68  Quicksilver Messenger Service - Lost Gold And Silver (double disc issue)
1968  Quicksilver Messenger Service (2012 audiophile mini LP replica)
1969  Quicksilver Messenger Service - Happy Trails (2012 Audiophile remaster)
1969  Quicksilver Messenger Service - Shady Grove (2012 Audiophile remaster)
1969  Quicksilver Messenger Service - Castles In The Sand
1970  Q. M. S. - Just For Love  (2012 audiophile mini Lp replica)  
1970  Q. M. S. - What About Me (2012 audiophile mini LP replica)
1971  Quicksilver Messenger Service - Quicksliver (2012 Audiophile Vinyl replica)
1972  Quicksilver Messenger Service - Comin` Thru (2012 Audiopfile mini LP replica)  
1975  Quicksilver Messenger Service - Solid Silver
1973  Copperhead - Copperhead (2001 reissue)
1975  Man With John Cipollina - Maximum Darkness (2008 remaster)
1975-76  John Cipollina - Raven (2006 remastered and expanded) 
1973-80  Terry And The Pirates - Comanche Boots (2008 release)

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rep>>> Tim Rose - Tim Rose • Love, A Kind Of Hate Story (1970•72 us, outstanding classic rock melted with folk psych)

Born in September of what was, at the time I originally wrote this, an indeterminate year ("age is a personal thing - maybe someone will find it out for my obituary.") and brought up in Washington where he won the top music award at High School, Tim first came to prominence in 1967 with his first album on CBS (Columbia). Prior to that, he had trained for the priesthood (but got thrown out for inappropriate behaviour  - smoking) and been a navigator for Strategic Air Command before becoming involved in the music business.

His first notable group was The Journeymen, along with John Phillips and Scott McKenzie, both of whom went on to musical fame. He then teamed up with fellow members of the New York folk scene, James Hendricks and Cass Elliott, to form The Big Three (not to be confused with the British group of the same name).

CBS, in the wake of their success with Bob Dylan, sought out artistes looking for record deals and the first solo album was born. The blues, folk and rock influences made it a classic, with session musicians of a high quality brought in by CBS to ensure their product was a success. However, the record company didn't seem to have a clue about how to market the album and Tim got lost amongst a host of new acts that had been signed. Jimi Hendrix picked up Tim's version of  Hey Joe and made a hit out of it. Because Tim didn't actually write it, he never got a penny in royalties.

More successful in the UK and Europe than in his home country, Tim moved to England in the mid-seventies, performing occasionally in clubs around London, sometimes with fellow expatriate Tim Hardin. These appearances were often shambolic, probably because of the uncertain state that Hardin was in. His heroin and alcohol addiction meant that while he could sing brilliantly, he was unpredictable and therefore grossly unreliable.

The first CBS album was followed by several more excellent recordings, but the one elusive thing that Tim faced was chart success. This led to a variation in styles in the hope of capturing a different market, but no matter whether he rocked, sang ballads or played country, the record sales were getting less as the years went on. Meanwhile, he was messed around by people in the music business and he became soured by the way things were going.

After The Musician, Tim retired from the music business for a number of years before The Gambler was eventually released in 1991. During that time, he was involved in construction work, did some TV commercials that paid for his degree, did some geography teaching and was a Wall Street stockbroker.

In the late 1990s, encouraged by Nick Cave and Jacques Laureys, he started playing live again, supporting Cave at the Royal Albert Hall in London. This collaboration led to a new album, Haunted,  a mixture of older material, recorded live, and new material produced by Cave. His older albums started being re-released as double CDs and a further album of new material came out in 2002. Tim had managed to get back to touring, with a substantial tour of England and European venues in 1999 and further sporadic gigs from then on. Another interesting development was that Brook Guitars of Exeter, Devon, designed and manufactured a Tim Rose guitar. Made of ebony and spruce, with rosewood sides and a mahogany neck, the guitar had Tim's autograph on it. The price? £1795. Not the kind of thing one would smash up on stage.

Tim went into hospital to have a bowel complaint investigated.  His heart didn't survive the second of two operations and he died on  24 September 2002, his age now admitted as 62.

Song-singer

Tracks

1. It Takes A Little Longer (Gary Wright, Kristina Uppstrom) - 2:43

2. Ode To An Old Ball - 3:36

3. Boogie Boogie - 1:11

4. If I Were A Carpenter (Tim Hardin) - 2:52

5. Boogie Boogie (Reprise) - 0:58

6. I Know These Two People - 3:36

7. Georgia By Morning (Brian Cadd, Don Mudie) - 4:13

8. Dim Light A Burning - 3:14

9. Sympathy (Dave Kaffinetti, Graham Field, Mark Ashton, Steve Gould) - 2:39

10.You Can't Stop Yourself - 2:46

11.Sad Song (George S. Clinton) - 4:40

12.Crying Shame (Garry Wright) - 3:37

13.You've Got To Hide Your Love Away (John Lennon, Paul McCartney) - 5:05

14.Jamie Sue - 3:55

15.Cotton Growin' Man (Garry Wright) - 4:10

16.You Can't Keep Me - 3:47

17.I Gotta Get A Message To You (Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb, Robin Gibb) - 2:26

18.Darling You Were All That I Had (John Bettis, Kerry Chater) - 4:26

19.Where Do You Go My Lovely (Peter Sarstedt) - 6:16

20.Goin' Down In Hollywood (John Bettis, Tim Rose) - 4:49 

Somgs, 2,3,5,6,5,10,14,16 written by Tim Rose

Musicians
*Tim Rose - Vocals, Guitar
*Alan Parker - Guitar (1970)
*Herbie Flowers - Bass (1970)
*Alan Haekshaw - Keyboards (1970)
*Clem Cattini - Drums (1970)
*Peter Lee Stirling - Vocals (1970)
*Garry Wright - Keyboards, Vocals (1972)
*Mick Jones - Guitar (1972)
*Archie Leggett - Bass (1972)
*Bryson Graham - Drums (1972)

Tim Rose 
1967•1969  Tim Rose • Through Rose Coloured Glasses
1976  Tim Rose - The Gambler

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rep>>> Crow - Music (1969 us, hard 'n' heavy psych blues rock, 2022 remaster)

 Crow formed in Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.A. in August, 1967. Originally known as the "South 40", they were former members of the Rave-Ons and the Jokers Wild. The original band members were Dave Wagner (vocals), Larry Wiegand (bass/vocals), Dick Wiegand (guitar), Dave (Kink) Middlemist (Hammond organ/vocals)  and Harry Nehls (drums/vocals). They released the "South 40 Live at Someplace Else" LP in 1968.

In 1969 they added Denny Craswell (Castaways) on drums/vocals, changed their band name to Crow, and released the album "Crow Music" on the Amaret label. They had a number of Top-40 hits from 1969 to 1972, including "Evil Woman", "Slow Down", "(Don't Try To Lay No Boogie Woogie) On the King of Rock n' Roll" and "Cottage Cheese" among others.

They disbanded in 1972 but reformed again in 1988. They continue to play select concerts all over the United States and have released numerous CD's. All the members have won Minnesota Music Awards for their own individual instruments. In 2005 they were inducted into the Minnesota Rock/Country Hall of Fame and in 2009, the Iowa Rock & Roll Music Hall of Fame. 

The Crow

Tracks
1. Evil Woman (Don't Play Your Games With Me) (Larry Wiegand, Dick Wiegand, David Waggoner) - 3:10
2. White Eyes (Larry Wiegand, Dick Wiegand) - 4:13
3. Thoughts (David Waggoner) - 4:48
4. Da Da Song (Dave Middlemist) - 3:19
5. Busy Day (Larry Wiegand) - 2:30
6. Time To Make A Turn (Larry Wiegand) - 2:47
7. Rollin' (Dick Wiegand, David Waggoner) - 3:20
8. Listen To The Bop (Larry Wiegand, Dick Wiegand, David Waggoner) - 3:07
9. Gonna Leave A Mark (Larry Wiegand) - 2:53
10.Sleepy Woman (Larry Wiegand) - 9:53

The Crow
*David Wagner - Lead Vocals
*Dick Wiegand - Lead Guitars
*Larry Wiegand - Bass
*Kink Middlemist - Keyboards
*Denny Craswell - Drums

The Crow
1971  Mosaic

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rep>>> Andwella - World's End (1970 n. ireland, incredible mosaic of psych, folk, blues and prog rock, 2017 japan remaster)

Formerly known as The Method, they signed with CBS in London for whom they recorded three albums and several singles. Their stunning debut LP "Love & Poetry" (1969) is regarded as a psychedelic classic by many collectors around the world. Their name was shortened to Andwella in 1970 and their further long players "World's End" (1970) and "People's People" (1971) were issued under this moniker.

by Clark Faville

Tracks
1. Hold On To Your Mind - 3:50
2. Lady Love - 4:16
3. Michael Fitzhenry - 3:32
4. I'm Just Happy To See You Get Her - 2:57
5. Just How Long - 3:18
6. World's End Part I (Bobby Scott) - 3:00
7. World's End Part II - 2:25
8. Back On The Road - 3:24
9. I Got A Woman - 2:56
10.Reason For Living - 3:10
11.Shadow Of The Night - 3:39
All compositions by David Lewis except where stated.

Andwella
*David Lewis - Guitar, Piano, Organ, Vocals, Flute
*Dave McDougall - Piano, Organ, Vocals
*Nigel Smith - Bass, Vocals
*Gordon Barton - Drums, Percussion
Additional Personnel
*John Hawkins - Orchestral Arrangements

1969  Andwellas Dream - Love And Poetry (2009 Sunbeam extra tracks edition)
1971  Andwella - People's People (japan remaster issue)

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rep>>> Andwella - People's People (1971 ireland, splendid folk rock, 2017 japan remaster)

Originally known as The Method, a heavy psych/blues trio led by David Lewis (and the band Brush Shiels first saw Gary Moore play with when Gary subbed for David when the Method played a Dublin club in 1967?). 

The Method became Andwella's Dream when they moved from Belfast to London in 1968. They signed to CBS and recorded a stunning debut LP "Love & Poetry". The original drummer only plays on one track ("Felix") as he got homesick and returned to Belfast. Gordon Barton then joined the band. 

"Love & Poetry" captures the moment when psychedelia was at the point of splintering into progressive and acid folk. There are various styles and moods across the record with consistently strong melodies and some killer Hendrix-esque guitar. It's rightly regarded as a psychedelic classic by many collectors around the world. 

CBS released three singles including two non-LP A-sides "Mrs Man" and "Mister Sunshine" which are worth tracking down. These have not surfaced on CD reissues for some reason. 

In 1970 Dave McDougall joined on keyboards, the band name was shortened to Andwella. They moved to CBS's Reflection imprint (home to Steamhammer & Dogfeet) for subsequent releases. 

A gorgeous Hammond organ sound underpins the two albums released on Reflection. The first of these was "World's End", released in 1970, which is the better of the two. Though it is less psychedelic and less adventurous than the debut and doesn't revisit the same heights, it is more consistent, more measured and contains several outstanding songs. At times recalls the best work of Traffic and early Santana. 

That same year, David Lewis produced another album on Reflection, hippie poet David Baxter's very odd "Goodbye Dave" album. All the music on this LP was written by Lewis and performed by Andwella. 

In 1971 the original rhythm section was replaced by Dave Struthers (bass/vocals) and Jack McCulloch (ex One In A Million & Thunderclap Newman, drums). This lineup recorded the final album, "People's People" (1971) which is a step closer to the mainstream but still an enjoyable album. In 1974 a track from this album was released as a single credited to The Bridge. 

After Andwella split, David Lewis released two solo albums on Polydor in the 70s. 

Dave McDougall later worked with Speedy Keen (ex Thunderclap Newman). Nigel Smith was later in Khan (after their LP), Magna Carta and Pentangle. 

Irish-Rock

Tracks
1. She Taught Me to Love - 3:16
2. Saint Bartholomew - 3:04
3. World of Angelique - 3:35
4. Mississippi Water - 3:28
5. I've Got My Own - 2:45
6. Are You Ready - 2:32
7. Four Days in September - 3:51
8. Lazy Days - 1:26
9. People's People - 3:27
10.Behind the Painted Screen - 3:30
11.All for You - 2:20
All compositions by David Lewis

Andwella
*David Lewis - Guitar, Piano, Organ, Vocals
*Dave McDougall - Piano, Organ
*Dave Struthers - Bass, Vocals
*Jack McCulloch - Percussion

1969  Andwellas Dream - Love And Poetry

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rep>>> Andwellas Dream - Love And Poetry (1969 ireland, brilliand psych, with killer guitar leads, occasionally veering towards progressive rock, 2009 Sunbeam extra tracks edition)

Andwella’s Dream was a thrusting injection of freakbeat that could not be ignored. Their slicing riffs were high core psyche injected from guitarist / keyboardist David Lewis, bassist Nigel Smith and drummer Gordon Barton who started out as The Method that at one time included Gary Moore.They were regulars at the Maritime Club where Van Morrison had his early days with Them.

The Method evolved into Andwella’s Dream and were the primal Irish psyche next to Eire Apparent. Dave Lewis the soaring guitarist who wrote all the songs also recruited keyboardist Dave McDougall, ex McCullochs Struthers & Paterson bassist Dave Stuthers, Nigel Portman Smith and ex One In A Million/Andromeda drummer Jack McCulloch.The bamboo flute and sax was played by future Egg Bob Downes. When Andwella’s Dream moved to London they released their primal 1969 debut Love And Poetry with surging numbers like the thrusty opener “The Days Grew Longer For Love” and guitar razzling “Sunday”.

Dave’s throttling axe exerts fury on “Lost A Number Found A King” with its ancient Indian flute and ambient acoustic textures. The two finest numbers “Cocaine” with McDougall pushing hard and the soaring “Shades Of Grey” where ex Thunderclap Newman Jack McCulloch’s drums are best heard create a furnace of fusion.

Acoustic delights are “Midday Sun”, “Goodbye” and the Hammond rolling “Felix” which opens into crescendo breaks by Lewis. In 1970 they evolved into Andwella and launched a further two albums Worlds End (1970) and Peoples People (1971) plus a bounty of singles. World’s End although a lyrical romantic masterpiece did ignite the past as on the psyche “Michael Fitzhenry” exalting frenetic flute and Dave’s insatiable guitar riffs. The harmonies and melody that bend around the brassy I’m Just Happy To See You Get Her are creative marvels.

Future Bad Company definitely copped the riffs from “Just How Long” while the double linked “World’s End” is just so underplayed. Sterling jazz riffs trip through Steely Dan styled “Back To The Road” with Bob Downes giving it stick in the wind. There’s a bit of Billy Joel in the People’s People or even Tremeloes in the opener “She Taught Me To Love” which crystalises into the spiritual “Saint Bartholomew”.

Lewis was the songwriter extraordinaire having written the award winning film War and songs as varied as “Happy To Be An Island In The Sun”, #1 for ex Aphrodite Child Demis Roussos. David’s 1969 The Songs Of David Lewis remain a collector’s dream.

by Shiloh Noone

Tracks
1.The Days Grew Longer For Love - 3:55
2.Sunday - 3:13
3.Lost A Number, Found A King - 6:03
4.Man Without A Name - 2:41
5.Clockwork Man - 2:44
6.Cocaine - 4:59
7.Shades Of Grey - 3:36
8.High On A Mountain - 2:31
9.Andwella - 3:15
10.Midday Sun - 3:40
11.Take My Road - 3:22
12.Felix - 4:16
13.Goodbye - 2:17
14.Mrs. Mann - 3:59
15.Mister Sunshine - 3:17
16.Every Little Minute - 3:55
17.Michael FitzHenry - 3:42
18.Take My Road - 3:26
19.Man Without A Name - 2:38
20.Paradise Isle - 3:44
21.Miles Away From My Baby - 4:37
All songs by David Lewis
Bonus tracks from 14-21.

Andwella's Dream
*Dave Lewis - Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals
*Nigel Portman Smith - Bass
*Gordon Barton - Drums
with
*Bob Downes - Flute, Percussion, Chinese Bells, Tam Tam
*Wilgar Campbell - Drums

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