rep>>> Iveys - Maybe Tomorrow (1969 uk, baroque psych pop, 2010 reissue)

The story is well-known: south Wales pop group, the Iveys, are discovered by the Beatles' aide-de-camp Mal Evans, who not only signs them to Apple Records but produces their first sessions. Their first single, the glorious Bee Gees-like ballad "Maybe Tomorrow," is released in November 1968, yet it unaccountably stiffs. Disheartened, Apple shelves the planned U.S./U.K. release of the Iveys' debut album, though it does eventually sneak out in Japan and Germany.

The group replaces bassist Ron Griffiths with Liverpudlian Joey Molland and, at label exec Neil Aspinall's suggestion, changes their name to Badfinger, swiped from Paul McCartney's working title for "With a Little Help From My Friends." (John Lennon wanted to call them "Prix," preferably with the final letter pronounced.) Despite their early success, Badfinger goes on to become probably the unluckiest and one of the most tragic bands in pop music history.

However, very few people have ever heard the Iveys' Maybe Tomorrow album; copies of the original Japanese and European pressings were hens-teeth rare, and even the 1992 CD reissue with bonus tracks was seemingly in print for about 35 seconds. This is a shame, because Maybe Tomorrow ranks with Badfinger's best; in some ways, it's actually preferable to Badfinger's albums, because the production (four tracks by Mal Evans, the rest by a then-unknown Tony Visconti) is much fresher and less precise than it would be on Badfinger's slicker later albums. (Even the six tracks that eventually ended up in remixed form on Badfinger's debut, Magic Christian Music, sound better here.)

Though the party line has always been that the Iveys sounded like the Beatles, in reality, these 12 tracks have much more in common with the minor-key mopery of the early Bee Gees, from the heartbreaking "Dear Angie" (Griffiths' only writing contribution, which ironically would show up again on the first Badfinger album after he was kicked out of the group) to the frankly rather silly music hall-style "They're Knocking Down Our Home," a Pete Ham exercise in maudlin sentimentality that makes "She's Leaving Home" look subtle, though it does feature a nice clarinet part. Mike Gibbins' Kinks-like "Think About the Good Times" is the album's undiscovered gem, though the Ham and Tom Evans co-write "Yesterday Ain't Coming Back," with its weird staccato reeds section and unexpectedly aggressive middle eight, complete with burping, frog-like bass vocals, is probably the best track.

Of the four bonus tracks, the extremely silly "Looking for My Baby," from the Iveys' 1967 Apple demo, and the Creation-like rocking flip of the "Maybe Tomorrow" single, "And Her Daddy's a Millionaire," are the best, with "No Escaping Your Love" and the previously unreleased "Mrs. Jones" there for completists' sake.

by Stewart Mason

 

Tracks

1. See-Saw Granpa - 3:33

2. Beautiful And Blue - 2:38

3. Dear Angie  (Ron Griffiths) - 2:39

4. Think About The Good Times (Mike Gibbins) - 2:21

5. Yesterday Ain't Coming Back (Pete Ham, Tom Evans) -  2:57

6. Fisherman - 3:09

7. Maybe Tomorrow - 2:52

8. Sali Bloo - 2:35

9. Angelique - 2:26

10.I'm In Love - 2:25

11.They're Knocking Down Our Home - 3:41

12.I've Been Waiting - 5:15

13.No Escaping Your Love - 2:12

14.Mrs. Jones - 2:15

15.And Her Daddy's A Millionaire (Pete Ham, Tom Evans) - 2:08

16.Looking For My Baby - 2:08

Songs 1,8,10,11,12,14,16 by Pete Ham

Songs 2,6,7,9,13 by Tom Evans

Iveys
*Pete Ham - Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals
*Tom Evans - Guitar, Vocals
*Ron Griffiths - Bass, Vocals
*Mike Gibbins - Drums, Vocals

1970  Badfinger - Magic Christian Music (Japan issue)
1970  Badfinger - No Dice (24karat Gold disc)
1971  Badfinger - Straight Up (24karat gold disc)

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rep>>> The Who - Live At Fillmore East (1968 uk, high energy rock 'n' roll, japan press, 2001 edition excellent sound quality)

The second night of The Who's first run ever playing at the Fillmore East is an unbelievably great document of the band in its early prime, still full of the punk attitude that they would initially define while beginning to venture off into more artistic and experimental territory. Every minute of this performance is fascinating and much of this material cannot be found, in better quality or at all, on any other Who recordings. This set captures the entire band fully engaged in their music. Although many songs were still short and concise during this stage of their career, the intensity level is undeniable. Opening the show with Eddie Cochran's "Summertime Blues," they immediately set a bar that most other bands could never even approach.

The previous year, two members of The Rolling Stones were arrested on drug charges under questionable circumstances, and were victimized by the U.K. courts. They were harshly sentenced in an attempt to make an example out of them, which immediately caused an uproar that shook London to the core. Following Jagger and Richards' ridiculous sentencing, The Who quickly recorded two of their more popular songs in support and vowed to record nothing but Stones songs until the two were released. Their second song of this set is the Stones' cover of the Allen Toussaint penned "Fortune Teller," which they had just performed for the first time ever the previous night.

They continue with "I Can't Explain," one of the few songs American audiences were familiar with at the time, but with a new level of aggression that wasn't apparent on that early single. Next up is their current single at the time, "Happy Jack," a tune that found them exploring new directions and beginning to experiment with dynamic changes. Extremely rare live performances of "Relax" and "My Way" follow and continue to explore and expand on the boundaries within the band's music. "Relax" surprisingly turns out to be one of the heavier numbers on this set and the band takes flight into some inspired jamming following the verses. Unfortunately, the jam fades out and is incomplete.

John Entwistle then steps up for his defining song, "Boris The Spider," lending his dark sense of humor to the proceedings. At this point, the band launches into "My Generation" and this version is amazing. The improvisational section following the verses is a great early example of the band letting the music propel itself. Although at times it seems like they are on the verge of being out of control, they never are, and early signs of Townshend developing themes within a jam are also surfacing. The approach to their instruments and the sound they create as a unit is utterly unique and unlike any other band at that time. The reels were changed during this jam, so a small part of it is missing on this recording.

This surely must have left the audience breathless, so while they were recovering, the band embarks on their most experimental composition yet, "A Quick One While He's Away," which is incomplete and begins in the middle of the song. This adventurous suite of songs, loosely tied together, is a hint at Townshend's future aspirations that would eventually be realized in his first full-blown rock opera, Tommy. This is a fascinating performance for its entire eight minutes.

They close their set this night with another propulsive jam on "Shakin' All Over," again letting the music propel the band through several pulverizing jams, including spontaneous flailing of riffs familiar from other songs. Again, the raw energy is astounding. This and the previous night's performance must have gone a long way towards cementing their reputation in New York City. This should be required listening for anyone interested in that era of rock music and especially for anyone interested in The Who - absolutely essential.

The Wolf-gang

Tracks
1. Summertime Blues - 4:17
2. Fortune Teller - 2:29
3. Tattoo - 4:01
4. Little Billy - 2:32
5. I Can't Explain - 2:20
6. Happy Jack - 3:00
7. Relax - 8:07
8. A Quick One While He's Away - 8:03
9. My Way - 2:31
10.Shakin' All Over - 9:28
11.Boris The Spider - 2:52
12.My Generation - 9:28
13.I'm A Boy - 2:53
14.Substitute - 2:51
15.My Generation - 4:50
Tracks 13-15 recorded Live at The Pier Pavillion, Felixstowe, UK.

The Who
*Pete Townshend - Guitar, Vocals
*Roger Daltrey - Vocals
*John Entwistle - Bass
*Keith Moon - Drums

1965  The Who - My Generation (Japan SHM Remaster)
1966  The Who - A Quick One (Japan SHM Remaster)
1967  The Who - Sell Out (Japan SHM Remaster)

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rep>>> Sons of Champlin - The Sons (1969 us, fabulous psych jazz rock, 2005 japan issue)

The Sons of Champlin's sprawling, double-LP debut album, Loosen Up Naturally, had its launch marred by the discovery of an obscenity in the cover art that resulted in a mass recall and ruined its commercial chances. 

They were also beset by internal strife, and when the time came to release their second album only six months later, they chose to de-emphasize the primacy of lead singer and main songwriter Bill Champlin by shortening their name to "the Sons" and also giving that name to the record. But their music remained essentially the same, a mixture of Champlin's thoughtful lyrics and gritty singing with Terry Haggerty's inventive lead guitar work and the two-man horn section of Tim Caine and Geoffrey Palmer. 

As usual, there was almost too much going on in the arrangements, which gave the songs touches of folk, rock, jazz, and psychedelia, often in the same song, as a couple of the tunes extended beyond ten minutes in length, changing tempo and feel in mid-flight. Clearly, this was a band that was accustomed to using its songs as frameworks for free playing in concert, but the bandmembers still hadn't quite figured out how that worked in the studio, and their arguments about musical direction could be heard in the music itself. 

Champlin remained the strongest presence in the band, but his songs (all of which were credited to the Sons communally) took a backseat to the group that was playing them any way it wanted to. The results could be exhilarating, if in a somewhat anarchic way.

by William Ruhlmann

Tracks
1. Love Of A Woman - 7:54
2. Terry's Tune - 3:47
3. Boomp Boomp Chop - 10:08
4. Why Do People Run From The Rain - 3:29
5. It's Time - 3:57
6. Country Girl - 1:49
7. You Can Fly - 11:33
All compositions by Jim Beem, Bill Bowen, Tim Caine, Bill Champlin, Terry Haggerty, Geoffrey Palmer, Al Strong

The Sons of Champlin
*Jim Beem  - Trumpet
*Bill Bowen  - Drums
*Tim Caine  - Saxophone
*Bill Champlin  - Guitar, Keyboards, Saxophone, Vocals
*Terry Haggerty  - Guitar, Vocals
*Geoffrey Palmer  - Bass, Keyboards, Saxophone, Vocals
*Al Strong  - Bass

1966-67  The Sons Of Champlin ‎- Fat City (1999 Big Beat)

1969  The Sons Of Champlin - Loosen Up Naturally (2003 Acadia)

1971  The Sons Of Champlin - Follow Your Heart (2002 Acadia)
1973  Sons Of Champlin - Welcome To The Dance (2001 Acadia)

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rep>>> Wizards From Kansas - Wizards From Kansas (1970 us, splendid rural psych folk rock with west coast breeze, 2007 digi pak remaster and 2012 expanded edition)

Truly The Wizards From Kansas are America’s finest horseman to gallop the spirited clouds of the Cherokee.The Wizards started their journey as Pig Newton launching their 1968 debut album Still In Kansas that pushed out a wah wah sapped version of Dylan’s “All Along The Watchtower” and the speckled “Exchange Of Clouds”. Wizards From Kansas blew Bill Graham’s mind during their enduring gifted sets at the Fillmore East in the summer of 1970. These convincing live performances gave the group a recording break which put out their self titled masterpiece.

The lineup now slightly changed has John Paul Coffin playing some of the most exact lead breaks ever to slit the Stars & Stripes particularly on the galloping “Ride With The Witches” where the vox command of Robert Joseph Menadier and his fortified bass takes full charge and authority.The obvious strength of the group was ex Little Boy Blues drummer Marc Evan Caplan who rolls with an incredibly deliberate shuttle, often in jazz restrain. The songsmith behind the Wizards was twelve- string guitarist Robert Manson Crain who wrote six tracks while guitarist Harold Earl Pierce often helped out on vox when Caplan took percussion.

The Wizards were in the same esoteric drift as Clear Light or Emitt Rhodes without Coffin’s fiery breaks.The acoustic tranquility is crystalline as it flows through “Misty Mountainside” and even more meditated upon is the spaced version of Bill Wheeler’s “High Flying Bird” far more voluptuous than We Five or Judy Henske. A stimulating edge spits through Buffy Sainte-Marie’s “Codine” influenced by the Quicksilver jam session with Blood Sweat & Butterfield Mark Naftalin on keyboards.

by Shiloh Noone

Tracks

1. High Flying Bird (Billy Edd Wheeler) - 5:07 

2. High Mister (Harold Earl Pierce, M.A. Heiman) - 2:36

3. 912 1/2 Mass (Robert Joseph Menadier, Robert Manson Crain, T. Crain) - 5:00

4. Codine (Buffy Sainte Marie) - 5:56

5. Freedom Speech (Robert Manson Crain) - 3:42

6. Flyaway Days (Ronald Sandhauss) - 4:07

7. Misty Mountainside (Robert Manson Crain) - 3:38 

8. Country Drawn (Robert Manson Crain) - 2:22

9. She Rides With Witches (Robert Manson Crain) - 4:06

Bonus Tracks 2012 Sunbeam Expended edition

10.All Along The Watchtower (Bob Dylan) - 4:04

11.Codeine (Buffy Sainte Marie) - 5:44

12.Clouds Of Exchange (Ronald Sandhauss) - 5:16

13.High Flying Bird (Billy Edd Wheeler) - 5:18

14.Country Dawn (Robert Manson Crain) - 2:36

15.Flyaway Daze (Ronald Sandhauss) - 4:34

16.She Rides With Witches (Robert Manson Crain) - 3:36

17.Misty Mountainside (Robert Manson Crain) - 3:23

18.River Road (Robert Manson Crain) - 3:35

Bonus Tracks 10-18 only on 2012 edition

Track 18 from reunion on 2010

The Wizards From Kansas
*Robert Joseph Menadier - Bass, Vocal
*Marc Evan Caplan - Drums, Percussion
*John Paul Coffin - Lead Guitar
*Robert Manson Crain - Guitar, Vocals
*Harold Earl Pierce - Guitar, Vocals

With 

*Mark Naftalin - Keyboards

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rep>>> Morse Code Transmission - Morse Code Transmission II (1972 canada, tremendous heavy progressive rock, 2012 O-Music edition)

One of Quebec's most experimental psychadelic rock bands, Morse Code Transmission was formed in the late 1960s by Montreal natives guitarist Michel Vallee and drummer Raymond Roy. Then going by the name of Les Maitres (The Masters), they released a string of unsuccessful singles in English before the turn of the decade, though they also incorporated French songs into roughly half their live sets.

With Christian Simard on vocals and keyboards, and guitarist Jocelyn Julien, they became a hot commodity on the Quebec bar circuit and after signing a deal with RCA Records, and on the label's insistence, changed their name. They also dropped the original French material they'd written from their playlist, and began work with producer/songwriter Bill Meisener.

They released their self-titled debut album in the summer of '71, and although the single, "Oh Lord" b/w "Fire Sign" went nowhere, it was complimented by other heavy organ vibes and slick guitar solos in songs like "It's Never Easy To Do," "Souvenirs of Our Days," and "Freedom Train" still meant decent album sales. Although heavy on the organ and deep on bass, the music was diverse - from the grungy "Never Easy To Do" to the Beatlesesque "Today I'm Alive," cello solo compliments of Peter Schenkman, and a full strings accompaniment to Al Cherney's fiddle in "Hunting and Laughing."

By the time they were in the studios recording a follow-up, Berny Tapin had replaced Julien on guitars, and Morse Code Transmission II was released in '72. Simard was once again the chief writer, and more crunchy vocals and a pounding backbeat served up the only single, "Cold Society" b/w "Satan's Song." It failed to make a dent in the charts, but other cuts like the lead-off "Funk Alley," "Soul Odyssey," and "Sky Ride" were indicative of the more all-encompassing sound the band was trying to achieve.

The  album was housed in a superbly colourful gatefold sleeve which pictures a woman lying under a tree. They play a fairly exciting organ-driven hard rock. Later the band changed their name to Morse Code and sang in French.

Canadian-bands

Tracks
1. Funk Alley - 8:14
2. Soul Odyssey - 3:34
3. Graveyard Of Man - 4:54
4. Stick The Fork In - 8:39
5. Liberty, Freedom, Man - 9:29
6. Cold Society - 4:40
7. New Woman Kind - 4:33
8. Sky Ride - 4:31
9. Satan Song - 3:24
Songs 1-4 by Christian Simard
Songs 5-9 by Christian Simard and Michel Vallée

Morse Code Transmission
*Raymond Roy - Drums, Percussions
*Michel Vallée - Bass, Vocals
*Berny Tapin - Lead Guitar, Acoustic Guitar
*Christian Simard - Piano, Organ, Tonga, Lead Vocals

1971  Morse Code Transmission - Morse Code Transmission (2012 O-Music)

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Leon Russell - Will O' The Wisp (1975 us, warm adventurous enjoyable firmly rooted in rock and pop tradition)

With jazz and country meanderings apparently out of his system, Leon Russell has returned to a solid rock footing and made his best album since the three-year-old Carney. Distinguished by some of the singer’s most striking and seemingly most deeply felt compositions, Will o’ the Wisp also profits from superb use of synthesizer, a complementary Russell/Denny Cordell production, Mary McCreary’s multitracked backup vocals, and instrumental assists from Jim Horn, Steve Cropper, J.J. Cale, and others. Particularly on the album’s dream-like romantic excursions - e.g., “Little Hideaway,” “Back to the Island”, Russell solidifies his position as one of rock’s most important and distinctive creators.

by Jeff Burger, July 9, 1975 

Tracks

1. Will O' The Wisp - 0:55

2. Little Hideaway - 4:18

3. Make You Feel Good - 2:10

4. Can't Get Over Losing You - 6:31

5. My Father's Shoes - 4:20

6. Stay Away From Sad Songs - 4:08

7. Back To The Island - 5:25

8. Down On Deep River - 4:00

9. Bluebird - 3:59

10.Laying Right Here In Heaven - 2:55

11.Lady Blue - 3:32

All compositions by Leon Russell

Musicians

*Leon Russell - Lead Vocals, Backing Vocals, Piano, Clavinet, RMI Electronic Pian, Organ, Synthesizer, Lead Guitar, Electric Guitar, Dobro Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Bass, Percussion, Vibraphone

*J. J. Cale - Electric Guitar

*Steve Cropper - Electric Guitar, Slide Guitar

*Don Preston - Electric Guitar

*Donald Dunn - Bass Guitar

*Patrick Henderson - Organ, Tambourine

*Bobby Manuel - Electric Guitar

*Tommy Allsup - Electric Guitar Solos, Acoustic Guitar

*Masako Hirayama - Biwa

*Carl Radle - Bass Guitar

*Teddy Jack Eddy - Drums

*Al Jackson Jr. - Drums, Percussion

*Richard "Moon" Calhoun - Drums, Drum Ending

*Carl Himmel - Drums, Percussion

*Jim Keltner - Drums, Percussion

*Ambrose Campbell - Drums, Percussion

*Jim Horn - Alto Saxophone Solo

*Minoru Muraoka - Shakuhachi

*Mary McCreary - Lead Vocals, Backing Vocals, Tambourine

*Roger Linn - Synthesizer Programming

1968  The Asylum Choir - Look Inside (2007 remaster)

1970  Leon Russell - Leon Russell (2014 Japan SHM-CD)

1971  Leon Russell And Marc Benno - Asylum Choir II (japan SHM 2016 remaster)
1971  Leon Russell - Leon Russell And The Shelter People (2016 Audio Fidelity)
1972  Leon Russell - Carney
1979  In Session At The Paradise Los Angeles With J.J. Cale (2003 remaster) 

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rep>>> Jack Bruce Band - Live At Manchester Free Trade Hall (1975 uk, magnificent blend of jazz blues prog and classic rock, 2003 edition)

This double-CD set was one of the unexpected bonuses of the 2001/2002 remastering of Jack Bruce's RSO/Polydor catalog -- amid a search of the vaults, a tape of this performance, the only official live recording of the Jack Bruce Band, was unearthed. They were news to Bruce at the time of their discovery, rough mixes done in contemplation of a concert album that was abandoned. It has its technical problems, but it was possible to clean up most of the sound to a fully professional modern standard, except for a couple of spots where extraneous noise does intrude, especially on the opening of disc two. But those are insignificant flaws in relation to the overall content of these tapes, which capture the band in fine form, especially Bruce, lead guitarist Mick Taylor, and keyboardist Carla Bley -- Ronnie Leahy fills out the keyboard sound and Bruce Gary handles the drumming. Their sound is surprisingly tight and their playing rich and crisp, doing a mix of progressive rock and blues-rock in which there are at least four potential lead instruments beyond Bruce's voice, which is extremely powerful throughout and, indeed, more expressive on-stage than it ever seemed amid the cacophony of Cream's concerts. 

The repertory is drawn almost entirely from his solo catalog (though they do close with an extended version of "Sunshine of Your Love"), with a special emphasis on songs from Out of the Storm. Though Carla Bley gets a lot of the spotlight for her work on piano, organ, Mellotron, and various other keyboard instruments, Leahy gets an extended featured spot on the piano for the medley of "Tickets to Waterfalls"/"Weird of Hermiston"/"Post War." Although there are a few standard-length songs here, this was a band that mostly preferred to stretch out, a fact illustrated by the presence of only four numbers on the second CD, which runs the better part of an hour. What made it work was that they had enough to say to fill that length, even on the 23-minute "Smiles and Grins," and the otherwise familiar "Sunshine of Your Love," here flexed out to over 13 minutes. They switch gears effortlessly between vocal numbers like "One" and instrumental-driven jams such as "You Burned the Tables on Me," without skipping a beat or letting the listener go. 

It's difficult to imagine how RSO would have released this recording reasonably intact in its own time -- there are too many tracks here that would have taken up a full side of an LP, and while Leon Russell and a few others had made the triple-live album a reality in rock, one is hard-put to imagine RSO springing for that with Bruce, whose critical notices were fantastic but whose sales -- especially in England -- had never matched his reviews. So perhaps it's just as well that this recording was forgotten but not lost, to show up today. 

The mix of blues, jazz elements, and hard rock, all in a free-form jam format, now seems all the more bracing and the CD market allows it to be kept intact. It's also doubly fortunate that this show was recorded during the period in which technology had finally mastered the art of capturing the sound of various electronic keyboard devices on-stage intact -- it's a small matter, but fans of the Mellotron will probably love this release. 

by Bruce Eder

Tracks

Disc 1

1. Can You Follow? - 1:43

2. Morning Story - 7:27

3. Keep It Down - 5:30

4. Pieces Of Mind - 5:42

5. Tickets To Waterfalls / Weird Of Hermiston / Post War - 24:21

6. Spirit (Tony Williams) - 10:44

Disc 2
1. One / You Burned The Tables On Me - 16:41
2. Smiles And Grins - 23:56
3. Sunshine Of Your Love (Eric Clapton, Jack Bruce, Pete Brown) - 12:07
All songs by Jack Bruce, except where stated

Musicians
*Carla Bley - Clavinet, Mellotron, Organ, Electric Piano, Synthesizer
*Jack Bruce - Bass Guitar, Piano, Vocals
*Bruce Gary - Drums
*Ronnie Leahy - Piano, Electric Piano, Synthesizer
*Mick Taylor - Guitar

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The Mob - The Mob (1970-72 us, exciting jazz funky brass rock)

The MOB was the first band in Chicago to have a full horn section. Prior to The MOB (early-to-mid ’60’s), Gary Beisbier and Jimmy Holvay had horns in all of their line-ups. “Beatle Time” was recorded in December of 1963 and charted on WLS. Gary and Jimmy recorded as a group called The Livers, previously The Chicagoans. The song carries the melody with a horn section.

In June of 1966, The MOB was playing at a club in Schiller Park on River Road called the Wine and Roses. Coming to see The MOB were every rock band musician in town including The Missing Links, The Exceptions and Carl Bonafede. The MOB’s very first release [”Wait (Please Don't Walk Away)” b/w “Mystery Man”] was on Cameo / Parkway Records in May of 1966. “Kind Of A Drag” by The Buckinghams was released in 1967, later Blood Sweat & Tears, CTA, the Ides Of March and Chase all featured horns.

It was said in Danny Seraphines’ book, that the MOB inspired Danny, Terry and Wally to add horns to their group, which was originally called The Missing Links, which then became The Big Thing (now known as Chicago).  In March of 1966, Jimmy Holvay was asked to write and produce a two sides for The Missing Links. It was a single called “Makin’ Up And Breakin’ Up” b/w “You Hypnotize Me” on Ivanhoe Records, when they were a four piece band, prior to them adding a horn section and re-forming as The Big Thing.

The Buckinghams also recorded their version of “Makin’ Up And Breakin’ Up” for their first USA LP. It was the producers (Dan Belloc and Carl Bonafede) who added horns to The Buckinghams tracks. The Buckinghams did not have horns in their band.

n early 1967, manager Joe DeFrancesco (in his quest to secure The MOB a recording contract with a major label) came up with a strategy. He directed The MOB to record at a top studio in New York City. The studio was A & R Recording, and the engineer was Brooks Arthur. The MOB recorded: "Disappear", "Blowin' My Mind", "I Wish You'd Leave Me Alone" and "Everybody's Got To Have Somebody", a newer version than the one recorded at Capitol Records' Studio B in Hollywood.

While in New York, Joe had a marketing brainstorm. A few months previously, Joe had seen a Las Vegas act, The Kirby Stone 4, perform at the Scotch Mist on Chicago's Rush Street. He befriended one of its members, Larry Foster, who was a celebrity voice impersonator.

While Joe was sitting in A & R Recoding's control room and mixing the tracks, he came up with an ingenious marketing plan of how he would launch the next super group to the world. He contacted Larry Foster, with whom he created a radio spot campaign titled "WHO IS THIS MOB?!" The twist was not only that these mobsters weren't gangsters but also that "they were clean". They were a musical group.

The mobsters and Joe secured a major record deal with Mercury. The single chosen to be released in 1968 was "Disappear" (Holvay/Beisbier) b/w "I Wish You'd Leave Me Alone" (Holvay/Beisbier). The February 14th holiday was also known in Chicago for the St. Valentine's Day Massacre, which occurred in the 1920's. It was decided to purchase numerous ads (with the royalties from The Buckingham's hits) on the local Top 40 power house radio station WCFL, which ran the radio spots for weeks; all building up to the release of Mercury Records #72791 1-40785 and 1-40786 Bag-O-Tunes (BMI).

There were five radio spots Foster recorded: James Cagney, Walter Winchell, Humphrey Bogart, Al Capone and Edward G. Robinson. Each radio spot did not include any clip from The MOB’s single but instead teased that “they were clean”.

The Mob 

Tracks

1. Maybe I'll Find A Way - 2:44

2. Once A Man, Twice A Child - 4:11

3. (I’d Like To See) More Of You - 3:37

4. Lost - 3:57

5. Give It To Me - 3:04

6. For A Little While - 4:03

7. Goodtime Baby - 2:20

8. I Dig Everything About You - 2:34

9. Love Has Got A Hold On Me - 2:54

10.Back On The Road Again - 3:19

11.Savin' My Lovin' For You - 3:43

12.Medley: Everyday People (Sylvester Stewart) / Love Power (Teddy Vann) - 4:26

13.Make Me Yours - 3:00

14.All I Need - 2:46

15.I Feel The Earth Move (Carol King) - 2:52

16.Money (That's What I Want) (Berry Gordy, Janie Bradford) - 2:47

17.Where You Lead (Carole King, Toni Stern) - 2:22

18.Two And Two Together - 2:52

19.Uh-Uh-Uh-Uh-Uh-Uh - 2:52

All compositions by Gary Beisbier, James Holvay except where stated

Tracks 1-10 from 1970

Tracks 11-19 from 1971-72

The Mob

*Little Artie Herrera - Lead Vocals

*Al Herrera - Tenor Sax, Lead Vocals

*Gary Beisbier - Tenor, Alto, Baritone Sax, Background Vocals

*Mike Sistak - Trombone, Guitar, Lead Vocals

*Jim Holvay - Guitar, Fender Bass, Lead Vocals

*Tony Nedza- Hammond B3, Background Vocals

*Bobby Ruffino - Drums

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rep>>> Various Artists - Fantasio Daze (1968-72 holland, rare killer psych prog rock, 2010 release)

Those crazy Dutch! What with their pancakes, pornography and “specialist” coffee shops; they are a nation whose very fabric is cut from the most permissive of cloths. It pervades the culinary, the literary and what gets sprinkled on the Old Holborn. Let it be a lesson to us all: part a man from his bicycle and he’ll cock the proverbial snook at your fascist agenda ten millionfold.

This liberal mindset made the Dutch music scene of the late 60s and early 70s a hotbed of psychedelic and progressive experimentation, and Fantasio Daze is a fruity selection of some of the rarest English language singles to hit the Netherlands during this era.

It’s safe to say that every artist appearing on Fantasio Daze is new to HFoS and, as is the case with the majority of compilations, the spectrum of ‘fro-frazzlingly good, to knee-shreddingly awful is enthusiastically covered.

It’s the good that leads the charge, with the thoroughly disturbing ‘The Killer’ by Names & Faces. As an opener, it grabs the able listener by his able undercarriage and squeezes tight, refusing to let go for its five minute duration and rendering everything that follows pretty much redundant.

Yes indeed, the battle is won with barely a shot fired and even the enemy’s secret weapon, the gut-blisteringly dreadful ‘Ode to Jimi Hendrix’ by Phoenix, can’t put a downer on ‘The Killer’s’ victory parade.

Of course, these are just the two extremes of Fantasio Daze and though the earlier assertion of the remainder being “redundant” might seem a little on the harsh side, such is the glorious shadow cast by the ‘The Killer’, it may as well be. Nevertheless, a healthy mix of the sublime and the mediocre jockey for position, looking to win over the hearts, heads and minds of our good selves.

Worthy of recognition are Cinderella’s ‘From Town to Town’, with its all female psychedelic folk harmonies; the wonderfully mad ‘The Doting King’ by The Dream; and the tempered edge of Crying Wood’s ‘Blue Eyed Witch’.

Elsewhere, there’s a curio from Adjeef The Poet, who appears to be a Netherlandic Kim Fowley. His ‘Eek, I’m a Freak’ is as worthy as anything his US counterpart recorded during the psychedelic age. Read into that what you will.

Overall though, Fantasio Daze offers one fantastic song right at the start, followed by the occasional obscure lovely; the festival of fair-to-middling fodder; and a reet bad lot trying its hardest to up heave the uneasy truce holding it all together.

Needlessly offensive national stereotypes aside (see the beginning of review), Fantasio Daze offers an enticing window on the pre-prog stage of the Dutch music scene that resided on the 60s/70s cusp. For that reason alone – and despite the intermittent lapses in quality control – this makes for an intriguing and, nonetheless, enjoyable listen to the connoisseur of psychedelic rock in all its manifold forms.

by Nick James

Artists - Tracks - Composer

1. Names 'n' Faces - The Killer (Boudewijn De Groot) - 5:08

2. Sense Of Humour - Sunset Show (Arti Kraaijeveld) - 2:45

3. Cinderella - Town To Town (Betty Raatgever) - 3:04

4. Crown's Clan - No Place For Our Minds (Jan Kroon, Wim Ras) - 2:10

5. Human Orchestra - The Silly One (Bas Munninksma, Ruurd Pegman) - 2:08

6. St Giles System - Swedish Tears (R. Broomfield)  - 3:49

7. Sound Of Imker - Train Of Doomsday (Peter Homan, Remco Imker) - 2:40

8. Bag - Tripdream (Michiel Krijnen) - 3:03

9. Phoenix - Ode To Jimi Hendrix (John Kruse, Victor Pattiasina) - 5:08

10.The Tykes - Hey Girl (Lourens Leeuw) - 2:30

11.Turqoise - Daughter Of Johnny Ray (Jan Pieter den Tex, Matheus Josephus Lau)  - 3:35

12.The Dream - The Doting King (Floris Kolvenbach) - 2:46

13.Bag - Nothing Will Remain (Leo Schelvis) - 3:08

14.Crying Wood - Blue Eyed Witch (Hennie Backers, Ben Groote, Cor Mestebeld, Andre Groote, Henk Groote) - 3:28

15.The Eddysons - Cousin Pretty (Fred de Groot) - 3:23

16.OPMC - Firechild (Barrie Webb, Teun van der Slikke) - 3:39

17.Adjeef The Poet - Eek, I'm A Freak (Ad Visser, John Hatton) - 2:50

18.Opus - Master Of My Fate (Larry Weiss) - 3:09

19.Bobby Green Selection - I Never Saw The Love So Clear (Bobby Green, Nars Rous) - 2:29

20.Group 1850 - Don't Let It Be (Daniel Van Bergen, Dave Duba, Peter Sjardin) - 3:09

21.Jeep - The Rain (Floris Kolvenbach) - 2:29

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Crazy Elephant - Crazy Elephant (1969-70 us, wondrous colorful beats, 2006 remaster and expanded)

"There is no Crazy Elephant," insists writer-producer Ritchie Cordell. "That was just Bob Spencer." Robert Spencer was a member of the Cadillacs, who recorded the rock and roll classic "Speedo," a #14 hit from 1955. In the years that followed, Spencer kept active in the industry, often penning songs and selling them off without just compensation, according to Cordell. In 1969, Spencer linked up with Kasenetz and Katz just as their Super K bubblegum machine was churning out the hits full-throttle.

Kasenetz and Katz hooked him up with Cordell and Joey Levine, who together had penned the soulful "Gimme Gimme Good Lovin'." The searing single, featuring Spencer's scorching lead vocal and an obvious background vocal assist by Levine, was submitted to Buddah Records, the New York-based label with whom Kasenetz and Katz had been so continually successful. "We played it for [Buddah General Manager] Neil Bogart," the Super K boys recall, "but he said, 'No, I don't hear it.'" Undeterred, they walked Crazy Elephant over to Larry Uttal at neighboring Bell Records, who snapped it up. By May 1969, "Gimme Gimme Good Lovin'" hit #12 in Billboard. Its stateside success prompted a British release, where it also peaked at #12.

Kasenetz and Katz recruited a five-piece band of college-age youths to support the single on the road, pose for pictures, and fill out the inevitable album. According to the credits on that sole self-titled LP, the lucky winners of this strange sweepstakes were Larry Laufer (leader, keyboards and vocals), Ronnie Bretone (bass), Bob Avery (drums), Kenny Cohen (flute, sax, and vocals) and Hal King (vocals). The whole process was standard operating procedure for bubblegummeisters Kasenetz and Katz. More often than not, according to Cordell, they would "send five bands [with the same name] out on the road. They'd stick them in a room with the album and have them learn all the songs."

"Gimme Gimme Good Lovin'" was the only Crazy Elephant record for Cordell and Levine. When the Spencer-soundalike follow-ups "Sunshine, Red Wine" and "Gimme Some More" failed to click, Kasenetz and Katz took Crazy Elephant in a new direction overseas to London. In 1970, they brought in future 10cc members Kevin Godley, Lol Creme, and Graham Gouldman to take over the writing and production duties. Despite the ambitious single "(There Ain't No) Umbopo" (which the trio had recorded in an alternate version for Pye UK as Doctor Father), Crazy Elephant had effectively run its course, and was quietly retired.

by Bill Pitzonka

Tracks
1. Gimme Gimme Good Lovin' (Joey Levine, Richie Cordell) - 2:04
2. Respect (Otis Redding) - 7:25
3. Pam (Larry Laufer, Robert Katz, Iver Kasenetz) - 2:33
4. Come To The Farm (Larry Laufer, Robert Katz, Iver Kasenetz) - 3:16
5. Somewhere (Stephen Sondheim, Leonard Bernstein) - 3:45
6. My Baby (Honey Pie) (Larry Laufer, Robert Katz, Iver Kasenetz) - 2:14
7. Sunshine, Red Wine (Jimmy Woods, Bob Levine, Jeff Katz, Jerry Kasenetz) - 2:30
8. (Heartless) Hertie Gertie (Jeff Katz, Jerry Kasenetz) - 3:03
9. Love Strike (Jimmy Woods, Bob Levine, Jeff Katz, Jerry Kasenetz) - 2:23
10.Try This When You're Ready (Larry Laufer, Robert Katz, Iver Kasenetz) - 2:56
11.Higher And Higher (Jeff Katz, Jerry Kasenetz) - 3:37
12.Gimme Gimme Good Lovin' (Joey Levine, Richie Cordell) - 2:01
13.Dark Part Of My Mind (James Buglisi, Neal Foroli, Peter Kraft, Jack Kent) - 2:53
14.Sunshine (Red Wine) (Jimmy Woods, Bob Levine, Jeff Katz, Jerry Kasenetz) - 2:30
15.Pam (Larry Laufer, Robert Katz, Iver Kasenetz) - 2:33
16.Gimme Some More (Jimmy Woods, Bob Levine, Jeff Katz, Jerry Kasenetz) - 2:08
17.My Baby (Honey Pie) (Larry Laufer, Robert Katz, Iver Kasenetz) - 2:18
18.There's A Better Day A Comin' (Na,Na,Na,Na) (Richie Cordell, Robert Katz, Iver Kasenetz) - 3:15
19.Space Buggy (Richie Cordell, Robert Katz, Iver Kasenetz) - 2:25
20.There Ain't No Umbopo (Kevin Godley, Lol Creme) - 3:05
21.Landrover (Richie Cordell, Robert Katz, Iver Kasenetz, Hy Gold, Phillip Schindler) - 2:37
22.Respect Revisited (Otis Redding) - 5:00
23.In A Castle (Bob Avery, Hal King, Kenny Cohen, Larry Laufer, Ronnie Bretone) - 4:55
24.Hips And Flips (Joey Levine, Richie Cordell) - 1:55
25.Splif And Spih (Joey Levine, Richie Cordell) - 1:56

Crazy Elephant
*Kenny Cohen - Flute, Saxophone, Vocals
*Bob Avery - Drums
*Larry Laufer - Keyboards, Vocals
*Hal King - Vocals
*Ronnie Bretone - Bass

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