Issued in the UK in 1972 by York Records,which was a subsidiary of Decca Records,this is the debut album from Wooden Horse.
Progressive Folk with a somewhat commercial edge in places making it a very accessible album overall. Beautifully constructed songs played out with feel and warmth. This group featured the engaging voice of Susan Traynor who went on to mid 70s Fox fame.
Tracks
1. Crazy Thoughts - 3:00
2. Wake Me In The Morning - 3:08
3. Trees (Malcolm Harrison, Dave Mateer) - 3:28
4. Nothern Beaches - 5:05
5. This Is A Song - 3:28
6. Broken Bottles - 3:46
7. Earthbound Train - 2:49
8. Gentle Mind - 3:02
9. Come Around - 3:31
10.Feel - 4:03
11.Letter - 3:31
13.Loving Man (Malcolm Harrison) - 3:16
All songs by Dave Mateer except where stated
Jerry has toured and performed concert venues world-wide and has appeared with such artists as Kenny Rogers, Waylon Jennings, Neil Diamond, James Brown, Chuck Berry, Charlie Daniels, Bonnie Raitt, Judy Collins, America, Jesse Colin Young, and many others. His performances have included many network television venues and specials.
Jerry has achieved chart and air-play success as a writer, artist, and independent producer. Among his most successful works are “Grizzly Bear” (written by Jerry) and “Get Together” with the Youngbloods, “Castles in the Air” b/w “Vincent” (Starry-Starry Night) with Don McLean, “Great Big Bunches of Love” with Charlie Daniels, and “Country Boy Blues” and “Snow Job” as a solo artist.
His credits over the 30 years of his career involve works that have sold over 20 million records, tapes and CD’s. His recording and other projects include albums with Pete Seeger, Norton Buffalo, Charlie Daniels, Cypress Hill, Buffie St. Marie, Rooftop Singers, David Wiffen, Doug Kershaw, Charlie McCoy, Jesse Colin Young, Ramblin'Jack Elliot, The Greenbriar Boys, Joy of Cooking, Brad Bailey, Jennie Muldar, Peter Rowen, Sonny Terry and Brownie MaGee, Billy Cox, Bobby Scott, Bob Johnston, Harrison Calaway, and projects with Michael James Jackson, Felix Pappalardi, and Robert Cullen, and many others.
His feature film credits include such memorable works as “Radio Flyer”, “Forrest Gump”, “Target”, Ernest Thompson’s “1969, “Pontiac Moon”, “Zabriskie Point”, “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas”, “Jack the Bear”, “Bullworth”, “Millennium”, “The Dish”, and the soundtrack albums for these films. His other works include many TV sound tracks, including “The Simpsons”, “Tour of Duty”, “China Beach”, “In Living Color” and “Beverly Hills 90210”, as well as many documentary films, and numerous national television and radio commercials, including spots for General Motors, Levi Strauss, Pepsi, The Gap, Shell and Chevron. Jerry is currently providing music for the new Fox series "Lucky".
Jerry was an A & R representative for Vanguard Records for 2+ years , and was later courted by Warner Bros. for an A & R position. He turned them down since he was in the process of going independent in his production. He did not want to tie himself to one label since, as an independent producer, he was able to do work for a number of different labels, and was contracted at the time to produce albums of such artists as Charlie Daniels and Don McLean and Janis Ian. Jerry has produced albums for most of the major record labels.
Jerry Corbitt died of lung cancer on March 8, 2014. He was 71...
Tracks
1. Great Big Bunches Of Love (C. Daniels) - 3:44
2. Sweet, Gentle Lovin' (J. Corbltt) - 3:40
3. Till You Come Back Home Again (Jessie Collin-Young) - 3:30
4. Thirteenth Hour (C. Daniels) - 5:28
5. Caldonia (C. Daniels) - 4:39
6. Stormy Monday (Part 1) (Louis Armstrong) - 10:06
7. Orange Blossom Special (Ervint Rouse) - 3:12
8. Thirty-Nine Miles From Mobile (C. Daniels) - 4:55
The Puerto Rican band Kaleidoscope, who recorded their album in the Dominican Republic and saw it issued in a promotional run of two-hundred copies on Mexico’s Orfeon label. It’s gone on to become one of the sought after artifacts of the late 60s world-rock scene, with clean copies – when the surface – selling for upwards of $8,000.
Like many American '67-'68 psych-garage obscurities in its morose, frequently minor-keyed blend of ominous organ and fuzz guitars. Yet mucho eccentricity and spontaneity make it more interesting than many such relics. That organ really vibrates with a menace, sometimes like a distant cousin to the Doors, but with a more adolescent, untutored sensibility. Although the vocals (all in English) are often lovelorn laments, they drip with snarling attitude veering from don't-give-a-damn bluesiness to abject self-pity, mixing in a psychedelic sense of disorientation that sets the songs aside from the more conventional romantic lyrics of earlier mid-'60s garage bands.
by Richie Unterberger
Cover artwork was created by Bob Molidor an Austrian/German hippy who lived in Mexico that time and also released an album the same year titled "Hits Internacionales"
Tracks
1. Hang Out - 2:15
2. Ps Come Back - 2:05
3. A Hole In My Life - 2:29
4. Let Me Try - 3:31
5. I Think It's All Right - 2:55
6. Colours - 2:30
7. Once Upon A Time There Was A World - 8:10
8. A New Man - 2:35
9. I'm Crazy - 3:30
10.I'm Here, He's Gone, She's Cryin' - 2:28
All songs by Kaleidoscope.
The Kaleidoscope
Rafael Cruz - Drums
Julio Arturo Fernández - Organ
Pedrín García - Guitar
Frank Tirado - Bass, Vocals
Orly Várzquez - Bass, Guitar, Vocals
In spite of the name, these guys were apparently a full fledged band showcasing the talents of namesake singe/keyboardist Paul Kent, multi-instrumentalists David Richards and Gavin (Spencer) Watson, and drummer John Ward. The four apparently met while attending school in London, somehow attracting the attention of RCA Victor.
Produced by Sandy Robertson, 1970's "P.C. Kent" featured all original material; Kent, Richards and Watson responsible for penning all eleven tracks. Musically the set's quite an early-1970s timepiece, bouncing all over the musical spectrum. As lead singer Kent had a likable and versatile voice, that displayed a bit more Cockney accent than normally encountered on Brit LPs. That Brit sense of humor was best displayed on the wild 'drunk driving' ode 'One for the Road'. In spite of the clumsy title 'Little Baby Won't You Please Come Home Honey Child Won't You Just Allow Me One More Chance, Please' started the set off on a commercial high note.
A killer melody and performance would have made this a dandy single. Similarly, 'Sweet Suzie Brown Boots', 'I'm Hanging On' and 'After Dark' all had commercial potential. Like any early-1970s outfit these guys also felt the need to show off their blues chops. Judging by 'Please Please Time' and 'Blues Railway Field' the results were competent, though nowhere near as impressive as their pop moves. Elsewhere the weird hybrid of English music hall and experimental sound collage moves on 'We Are the Police' would not have sounded out of place on The Beatles' "White Album". (Kind of neat cover courtesy of Tony Bond. Obscure yet commercial and strange enough that this one should appeal to quite a few folks ...
Tracks
1. Little Baby Won't You Please Come Home Honey Child Won't You Just Allow Me One More Chance, Please (David Richards, Paul Kent, Gavin Watson) - 2:36
2. Sweet Suzie Brown Boots (Paul Kent) - 3:15
3. Broadened (Ιnstrumental) (David Richards, Gavin Watson) - 1:36
4. Please Please Time (Paul Kent) - 3:31
5. I'm Hanging On (Paul Kent) - 3:05
6. We Are the Police (David Richards, Paul Kent) - 5:07
7. Prelude To Brighton (Paul Kent) - 1:34
8. One for the Road (Paul Kent) - 2:03
9. Suzy (David Richards) - 3:37
10.After Dark (David Richards, Paul Kent) - 2:41
11.Blues Railway Field (Ιnstrumental) (David Richards, Gavin Watson) - 3:25
12.Plastic Wedding (David Richards, Paul Kent) - 4:20
The Hot Dogs featured the talents of Memphis-based musicians Greg Reding and Bill Rennie. keyboardist/guitar player Reding had previously been a member of Village Sound, while singer/bass player Rennie had been in The Poor Little Rich Kids (he was known as Bill Renni). Along with former Piccadilly Circus guitarist Jack Holder, in 1970 the pair started playing together under the moniker Silver. The same year the trio went into Memphis' famed Ardent Studios to record some demos. The demos caught the attention of producer Terry Manning who brought in sessions drummer Prouty for backup. Unfortunately Silver fell apart before anything could come of it, with Reding and Rennie subsequently paying their bills as touring sidemen for Albert King.
Back in Memphis, 1972 saw Reding and Rennie renew their relationship with producer Manning and with his support went into the Stax-affiliated Ardent Studios to record an album. With backing from Holder, guitarist Robert Johnson, and Prouty, 1973's Manning-produced "Say What You Mean" was a surprisingly likeable set of British-influenced power pop. With Reding and Rennie responsible for much of the material (Manning also contributed several tracks), these guys clearly had an affection for English-styled pop with more than a passing nod to the Fab Four. In fact, imagine what Badfinger would have sounded like if they'd been from Memphis and you'd be in the right aural ballpark.
The title track 'Say What You Mean' was a gorgeous ballad with a haunting melody and some beautiful harmony vocals. Even better were the stunning guitar solos (I'm guessing Holder and Johnson were the featured performers). You had to wonder how this was overlooked as a single. Kicked along by a xylophone (?), 'Morning Rain' started out with a beguiling laidback tropical feel, before taking brief detours into Uriah Heep organ terrain, following by a Hammond B3 cocktail jazz interlude, and ending with a tasteful lead guitar (Terry manning?). For some reason this one's always reminded me of an early Steely Dan track. It would have slotted nicely on "Can't Buy a Thrill".
Shifting gears 'When I Come Home Again' displayed the group's proficiency in the country-rock department. Nice melody with an incidiously catchy chorus be forewarned that this one will stick in your head. Time Is All' started out as an acoustic ballad, but exploded into an outright rocker before returning to it's roots. Not my favorite track, though the guitar solo was pretty hot.
'Another Smile' has a pretty melody and some wonderful harmony vocals from the pair. Always liked the chiming twelve strings and the handclap percussion on this one. 'Thanks' was one of the track that reminded me of something out of the Badfinger catalog. Pretty melody and a dazzling guitar solo made this one of the best songs on the album. Great Rennie bass pattern to boot.
'Take the Time To Let Me Know' was another pretty ballad, but it didn't really go anywhere. Once again the highlight came in the form of the tasty guitar solo. Manning's 'Feel Real Fine' offered up a weird mix of country and rock influences. It was definitely weird and almost sounded like a "White Album" outtake. Kicked along by some acoustic slide guitar and harmonica, this was actually one of the catchiest numbers.
Starting off as another country-tinged number the mandolin-propelled 'Let Me Look At the Sun' came as another major surprise. Showcasing a fabulous melody and the album's best lead guitar, this was another lost single. Following a pattern, 'Way To Get To You' opened up with spare acoustic guitars before bursting into a fuller rock arrangement. Another pretty melody with glorious harmony vocals.
'Lowdown' ended the album with another out-and-out rocker. While the song was quite good (another killer guitar performance), on this one Reding and Rennie seemed somewhat uncomfortable singing in the high key. This one was tapped at their third and final single. All hyperbole aside, this was one of those rare albums that actually seemed to get better the more often you listened to it.
Tracks
1. Say What You Mean (Steve Smith, S.T. Smith) - 6:36
2. Morning Rain (Greg Reding, Bill Rennie, Terry Manning) - 4:50
3. When I Come Home Again (Steve Smith, S.T. Smith) - 2:25
4. Time Is All (Bill Rennie, Jack Holder, Terry Manning) - 3:33
5. Another Smile (Bill Rennie, Terry Manning) - 2:56
6. Thanks (Greg Reding, Bill Rennie) - 5:38
7. Take the Time To Let Me Know (Greg Reding, Jack Holder, Bill Rennie) - 3:35
8. Feel Real Fine (Terry Manning) - 2:59
9. Let Me Look At the Sun (Bill Rennie, Terry Manning) - 2:26
10.Way To Get To You (Greg Reding, Bill Rennie) - 2:24
11.Lowdown (Greg Reding, Bill Rennie, Terry Manning) - 3:41
The Hot Dogs
*Greg Reding - Vocals, Keyboards, Guitar
*Bill Rennie - Lead Vocals, Bass Guests Musicians
*Jack Holder - Lead Guitar
*Steve Holt - Drums
*Robert Johnson - Lead Guitar
*Terry Manning - Lead Guitar
*Fred Prouty - Drums
*Richard Rosebrough - Drums
*Steve Smith - Keyboards
Born Rossignuoli Rossi in Naples, Italy in 1948, Walter Rossi and his family moved to Montreal when he was a child, and grew up listening to his mother sing and admired his carpenter father's guitar playing in his spare time. Walter didn't pick up the guitar until after finishing grade school, but soon began spending endless hours on it, taking his first and only guitar lesson at the age of 15.
Barely a year later he began playing at two of the city's biggest R&B clubs with The Soul Mates - at The Grand National and the Esquire Show Bar, where he also saw some of his mentors playing, including King Curtis and TV Mama. The drummer of that band was Buddy Myles, taking a break from Wilson Pickett's touring schedule.
From the ensuing meeting, a week before his 19th birthday, he was auditioning for Pickett during a live show at Toronto's Massey Hall. He was hired as his new guitar player (making him the only white member of the band) after one song. At first he found it difficult to move to New York. His father didn't approve of it and he didn't have a green card, so he simply shipped his guitar to New York ahead of himself, and followed on a bus full of weekend tourists.
He spent nearly two years with Pickett's band before tiring of the road rigors. That, plus his father's failing health prompted Rossi to move back to Montreal, turning down offers to play with Little Richard and Janis Joplin in the process. He joined The Influence, moved to Toronto, and before long were opening for Steppenwolf and The Doors. They cut one self-titled album at Bell Studios in New York.
But when that band ran its course after a little more than a year, he moved back to New York and got reacquainted with Buddy Myles, joining The Buddy Myles Express. They recorded toured the college circuit and recorded one album, producing the hit "Them Changes" (later covered by Jimi Hendrix). But by 1971 he decided to strike it out on his own, moved back to Canada, settling in Toronto. Putting together the power trio Charlee, they were signed to RCA and they recorded an eponymous debut album, launched on CHOM FM. They sold 6,000 copies of the record from only one local record store in one week. "Lord Knows I've Won" was released as a single and got decent airplay at home and in pockets in the US (most notably Dayton, Ohio), but spent three weeks in the #1 spot in Australia.
Tracks
1.Wizzard (Walter Rossi, Danny Ippersiel) - 3:29
2.Lord Knows I've Won (Walter Rossi, Danny Ippersiel) - 2:45
3.Just You and Me (Walter Rossi) - 3:32
4.A Way to Die (Walter Rossi, Danny Ippersiel) - 6:50
5.Let's Keep Silent (Walter Rossi, Danny Ippersiel) - 3:28
6.Wheel of Fortune Turning (Walter Rossi) - 6:32
7.It Isn't the First Time (Jack Geisinger) - 6:09
8.Let's Keep Silent (Walter Rossi, Danny Ippersiel) - 1:57
Fuse offers a fascinating glimpse into the musical beginnings of Rick Nielsen and Tom Petersson before superstardom beckoned as members of Cheap Trick, but it also stands on its own as a prime example of keyboard driven psychedelic pop, circa 1969.
Fuse was the predecessor of the famous 70's hard rock american band Cheap Trick, earlier called The Grim Reapers. As Fuse a solitary album was issued prior to guitarist Rick Nielsen and bassist Tom Petersson allying themselves with ex NAZZ members vocalist Robert 'Stewkey' Antoni and drummer Thom Mooney for a revised NAZZ.
Great tunes, my favorites being 4/4 3/4, Show Me and To Your Health. Rick Nielsen mainly plays Keyboards on this, but he does display some early signs of songwriting ability as in Show Me and To Your Health.
The singer was only 17 years old when this was released, what a strong voice for a kid!!! Tom Peterson has to be one of the most UNDERrated Bass players in popular rock.
Just listen to his tight, chunky-bass on this album, and he was only 19 years old! Each track is different, nothing seems repetitive. That is to say, the guitarist, keyboards everyone sounds different on each track. Do not expect to hear any "Cheap Trick sounding" material on this album. It is Hard-rock, a bit progressive, hard hitting music.
This is a very good album, played by a bunch of Rockford kids, and is highly recomended.
by J.D. Kammerer
Tracks
1. Across The Skies (Rick Nielsen, Joe Sundberg) - 4:35
2. Permanent Resident (Joe Sundberg, Craig Myers) - 4:24
3. Show Me (Rick Nielsen) - 4:17
4. To Your Health (Rick Nielsen) - 6:00
5. In A Window (Rick Nielsen, Joe Sundberg) - 5:54
6. 4/4 3/4 (Joe Sundberg, Craig Myers) - 4:2
7. Mystery Ship (Rick Nielsen) - 3:23
8. Sad Day (Rick Nielsen) - 5:49
9. Hound Dog (Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller) - 2:55
10.Cruisin' For Burgers (Joe Sundberg, Craig Myers) - 5:01
Taste Of Blues was formed in Malmö in 1967. American singer Don Washington replaced Stridsberg in time for the recording of Schizofrenia. The psychedelic title track takes up the entire first side of the album and features creative guitar work from Rolf Fredenberg. The other highlight is the more structured "Another Man's Mind". The band broke up soon after the album’s release and Claes Ericsson and Patrik Erixson went on to form Asoka.
Taste of Blues challenges their listeners with a saucy concoction of the late 60s psych sound as well as something entirely original and free. It might just be a stretch to call this one Krautrock, but when one jumps in at the deep end here, the overt improvisations beyond the relative blues banner up front, is downright uncanny. Loads of CAN reminding moments, and this is well before CAN even developed their legendary monotonous rhythm based structure.
Schizophrenia opens with the title track, which is a feast of krautocking hypnotising rhythms and then flips over to a more bluesy style on the 2nd side whilst still retaining a sonic playfulness. The booklet holds a complete history of the band.
Tracks
1. Schizofrenia (Claes Ericsson, Rolf Fredenberg) - 16:52
2. A Touch Of Sunshine (Claes Ericsson, Don Washington) - 03:16
3. On The Road To Nidaros (Claes Ericsson, Rolf Fredenberg) - 01:33
4. Another Kinda Love (John Mayall) - 04:05
5. Another Mans Mind (Claes Ericsson, Rolf Fredenberg, Don Washington) - 04:50
6. What Kind Of Love Is That (Claes Ericsson, Don Washington) - 02:11
The Taste Of Blues
*Don Washington - Vocals
*Rolf Fredenberg - Guitars
*Claes Ericsson - Organ, Violin
*Robert Moller - Bass
*Patrik Erixson - Drums
Boasting all of the Rascals' essential hits as well as many enjoyable album tracks, this two-CD set does a fine job of summarizing the New Yorkers' accomplishments. Whether the Rascals are tearing into rockers like "You Better Run" (covered by Pat Benatar in 1980) and the Olympics' "Good Lovin'" (a frat rock staple) or expressing their love of soul music (both Northern and Southern) on "Groovin'," "A Beautiful Morning" and "I've Been Lonely Too Long," the package shows us just how dynamic they could be.
The Rascals' cover of Wilson Pickett's "In the Midnight Hour" is hard to resist, and it should be noted that their version of Sir Mac Rice's "Mustang Sally" was recorded before the song became a major hit for Pickett. Sadly, things broke down for the Rascals commercially in the early '70s, but the socially aware soul-pop songs "Love Me," "Saga of New York" and "Brother Tree" show that they still had some creative life left in them. And they indicate that with the right guidance and input (working with someone like Curtis Mayfield, maybe?), the band could have made a comeback and become an important part of the '70s soul-pop scene. From obvious choices to surprises, Anthology: 1965-1972 is a package that both rock and soul aficionados should savor.
by Alex Henderson
Tracks
Disc 1
1. I Ain't Gonna Eat Out My Heart Anymore (Lori Burton, Pam Sawyer) - 2:46
2. Good Lovin' (Rudy Clark, Arthur Resnick) - 2:32
3. Do You Feel It (Felix Cavaliere, Gene Cornish) - 3:24
6. In the Midnight Hour (Steve Cropper, Wilson Pickett) - 4:05
7. You Better Run - 2:28
8. What Is the Reason - 2:26
9. I've Been Lonely Too Long - 2:07
10.Come on Up (Felix Cavaliere) - 2:45
11.Too Many Fish in the Sea (Eddie Holland, Norman Whitfield) - 2:19
12.Love Is a Beautiful Thing - 2:34
13.Groovin' - 2:31
14.A Girl Like You - 2:48
15.Find Somebody - 3:42
16.How Can I Be Sure - 2:55
17.If You Knew - 3:07
18.I'm So Happy Now (Gene Cornish) - 2:50
19.Easy Rollin' - 2:55
20.Rainy Day - 3:29
21.It's Wonderful - 3:24
22.Silly Girl - 2:44
23.Finale: Once upon a Dream - 3:53
24.A Beautiful Morning - 2:34
All songs by Eddie Brigati, Felix Cavaliere xcept where indicated
Disc 2
1. People Got to Be Free - 3:01
2. Island of Love - 2:23
3. Look Around - 3:03
4. A Ray of Hope - 3:43
5. Heaven - 3:24
6. See - 4:48
7. I'd Like to Take You Home - 2:37
8. Temptation's Bout to Get Me (James Diggs) - 3:31
9. Nubia - 3:44
10.Real Thing - 2:45
11.Carry Me Back - 2:52
12.Right On - 3:48
13.Ready for Love - 3:09
14.I Believe - 3:58
15.Glory, Glory - 3:33
All songs by Felix Cavaliere except where noted
Hailing from Greeley, CO, the Monocles served as an unwitting example of the strange effect LSD had on America's youth during the mid- to late 1960s. Early on, the Monocles started out as a fairly ordinary pop-rock outfit, playing stuff like "Sound of the Surf," "Heartbreak Hill," and "Treat Me Nice" that would raise no eyebrows at a typical teen club gig or high school dance. Then in mid-1966 the Monocles began to change; they cut a tune called "Psychedelic (That's Where It's At)" that doesn't sound all that freaky until you get to the guitar solo, but it led to some truly bent sessions later on, most notably the twisted psychodramas of "The Spider and the Fly," "The Boogie Man," and "The Diamond Mine" (the theme song for Dave Diamond's Los Angeles radio show).
What happened to these guys? It's anyone's guess if they were ingesting the dreaded lysergic acid, but they certainly learned the benefits of sounding like you were gobbling the stuff by the fistful, and there are some prize moments of small-town psychedelia lurking on The Spider, the Fly and the Boogie Man, a collection of 31 rare and unreleased sides from the band. In the summer of 1967, the Monocles changed their name to the Higher Elevation, but while the new name may have sounded a bit more trippy, by this time the band had scored a deal with Liberty Records and their material developed a far greater degree of polish, with sharper playing and exacting harmonies, though there are some fine examples of psychedelic pop ("Odyssey" and "Crazy Bicycle") and sunshine pop ("Here Comes Sunshine" and "Summer Skies") featured here, as well as a solid cover of the Lovin' Spoonful's "Good Time Music" which supposedly features John Sebastian on tambourine and backing vocals.
Given that neither the Monocles or the Higher Elevation ever released an album, this is a surprisingly thorough summary of their career, including a well-detailed liner essay by Les Peterson (though someone needs to tell the folks at Fab Gear that small grey type on a black page doesn't make for easy reading), and is likely to remain the definitive anthology of their recorded work.
by Mark Deming
Tracks
1. KLZ Jingle (The Monocles) - 0:19
2. Let Your Lovin' Grow (The Monocles) - 1:57
3. You Don't Know (The Monocles) - 2:18
4. A Little Bit Less (The Monocles) - 2:54
5. On The Other Side Of Happiness (Jon Floth, John S. Carter Jr) - 2:50
6. Looking Glass (The Monocles) - 2:38
7. Boogie Man (Jon Floth, Don Hirschfield, Tom Behm, Rick Hull) - 1:54
8. Psychedelic (That's Where It's At) (Jon Floth, Robb Casseday, Don Hirschfield, Tom Behm, Rick Hull) - 2:19
9. The Spider And The Fly (Stevens, Strong) - 2:06
10.The Diamond Mine (Dave Diamond) - 2:15
11.Crazy Bicycle (Jon Floth, John S. Carter Jr) - 2:48
12.Here Comes Sunshine (William R Baughn, Frank Slay Jr) - 2:52
13.Thoughts Of Lila (Jon Floth) - 2:20
14.Country Club Affair (John S. Carter Jr, Timothy B. Gilbert) - 2:18
15.Summer Skies (John S. Carter Jr, Timothy B. Gilbert) - 2:08
16.Odyssey (Jon Floth, John C. Phillips) - 2:55
17.Highway 101 (Jon Floth, Roy Robert Freeman, John C. Phillips, Frank Slay Jr) - 2:32
18.Crazy Bicycle (Alternate) (Jon Floth, John S. Carter Jr) - 2:46
19.Wizard Of Love (Charles Hatfield, Paul O'Lone, Gary Young) - 2:20
20.Good Time Music (John Sebastian) - 3:03
21.Country Club Affair (Alternate) (John S. Carter Jr, Timothy B. Gilbert) - 2:16
22.What Is It (The Monocles) - 1:44
23.Sound Of The Surf (The Monocles) - 3:16
24.Heartbreak Hill (The Monocles) - 2:07
25.Where Is My Life (The Monocles) - 2:31
26.Treat Me Nice (The Monocles) - 2:30
27.Boogie Man (Instrumental) (Jon Floth, Don Hirschfield, Tom Behm, Rick Hull) - 1:55
28.Looking Glass (Instrumental) (The Monocles) - 2:39
29.A Little Bit Less (Instrumental) (The Monocles) - 2:55
30.Psychedelic (That's Where It's At) (Instrumental) (Jon Floth, Robb Casseday, Don Hirschfield, Tom Behm, Rick Hull) - 2:19
31.Boogie Man (Alternate) (Jon Floth, Don Hirschfield, Tom Behm, Rick Hull) - 2:47
Tracks 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19, 20, 21 as The Higher Elevation.
The Monocles
*Jon Floth - Lead Guitar, Vocals
*Rick Hull - Bass, Vocals
*Robb Casseday - Rhythm Guitar, Vocals
*Don Hirschfield - Piano
*Kevin McIlhenny - Drums
*Tom Behm - Drums, Vocals
*Peter Johnson - Keyboards
The Higher Elevation
*Jon Floth - Lead Guitar, Vocals
*Rick Hull - Bass, Vocals
*Peter Johnson - Keyboards, Vocals
*Tim McDonald - Vocals
*Bob Saunar - Drums
*Rich Sallee - Bass
*Jim Krug - Drums
Charlie Daniels found his sound on 1974's Fire on the Mountain, but with its 1975 follow-up, Nightrider, he found the definitive lineup of the Charlie Daniels Band and, with it, crystallized the group's sound and entered into his golden era. Guitarist Barry Barnes and drummer Gary Allen are replaced by Tom Crain and Don Murray, respectively, and the result is a band that sounds fuller and more adventurous than before, capable of following all the paths that the country and blues-rock fusion on Fire on the Mountain suggested.
As such, Nightrider focuses much more on the playing as opposed to the songs -- which is kind of ironic, considering that this brought Daniels his first big hit in "Texas." Then again, the jamming, while heavy, never overwhelms the songs. In fact, it enhances the songs, opening them up to new vistas in how rock, blues, hillbilly country, and bluegrass sit next to each other, and when the group just lays back and plays, there's the kinetic excitement of hearing these musicians learn how they interact together. Fire on the Mountain remains the Charlie Daniels Band's classic album, but this damn fine album comes in as a close second.
by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Tracks
1. Texas - 3:04
2. Willie Jones - 3:14
3. Franklin Limestone (Tom Crain) - 5:40
4. Evil - 2:53
5. Everything Is Kinda All Right - 5:11
6. Funky Junky - 5:06
7. Birmingham Blues - 4:43
8. Damn Good Cowboy - 4:35
9. Tomorrow's Gonna Be Another Day - 3:31
All Songs by Charlie Daniels except where stated
Founded in the late 1950s, Vanguard Records quickly established itself as a stalwart folk and blues label, issuing Joan Baez, Odetta, the Weavers, Charlie Musselwhite, Buddy Guy and the Newport Folk Festival recordings. Many of these successes were unconventional, showcasing a daring A&R vision held by Sam Charters and Maynard Solomon, amongst others. Yet, alongside the label’s hits, these early visionaries signed, produced and released other challenging and genre-pushing records that came and went without a whimper or a prayer.
Charters and Vanguard scouted the cutting edge (and at times the cutting-cutting-edge) of music from the greatest counter-cultural scenes of 1960s America. From the East Village of New York to the Jabberwocky crazed-folk of Berkeley and the auto-factory clang and chop of Detroit, Vanguard schizophrenically strove to present to its audience new sounds and new grooves. And while the wild experimentation of John Fahey’s “Requia” and the crazed jams of Country Joe are still beloved by audiences and readily available, those records present only a small part of the story.
This compilation marks the first time the Vanguard label has gone through its archives to hand-select tracks from their best “lost” records and 45s. Many of the bands featured here only released one record, or a smattering of singles, before drifting into obscurity, although many of the artists went on to greater fame after their stint at Vanguard was done. And while they are stylistically varied, there lies a common thread of musical proficiency and integrity that represents the trademark of quality Vanguard strived to uphold…no matter how bombastic, fuzz-soaked or outer-worldly the music may have seemed.
Ultimately, this record isn’t about digging for “Nuggets” or “Pebbles”, but rather about mining gems from the Vanguard vaults. I invite you to “Follow Me Down” and discover the treasures that have emerged from the excavation. I assure you that you won’t be disappointed.
by Isaac Slusarenko
Artists - Tracks
1. The Third Power - Getting Together (Drew Abbott, Jem Targal) - 4:22
2. Erik - You Said/But I've Got My Way (Eric Heller) - 5:48
3. Listening - Stoned Is (Gilbert Moses, Michael Tschudin) - 4:43
4. The 31st Of February - A Nickel's Worth Of Benny's Help (Scott Boyer) - 4:24
5. Elizabeth - You Should Be More Careful (Robert Patterson) - 4:06
6. Jeff Monn - I Can Understand Your Problem (Jeff Monn) - 2:28
7. Listening - See You Again (Ernie Kamanis, Peter Malick, Walter Powers, Michael Tschudin) - 3:46
8. Circus Maximus - Travelin' Around (Bob Bruno) - 4:00
9. The Frost - Take My Hand (Dick Wagner) - 4:23
10.Notes From The Underground - Where I'm At (Mike O' Connor, Skip Rose) - 3:01
11.The Vagrants - I Can't Make A Friend (Trade Martin, Jerry Storch) - 2:35
12.Serpent Power - The Endless Tunnel (David Meptzer) - 13:16
13.The Family Of Apostolic - Saigon Girls (Garry Bonner, Alan Gordon) - 2:25
14.The Third Power - Persecution (Drew Abbott) - 3:26
15.Notes From The Underground - Why Did You Put Me On (Mark Mandell) - 2:42
16.The Hi-Five - Did You Have To Rub It In? (Ted Baron) - 3:08
17.The Far Cry - Hellhound (Jerey Whiting) - 3:44
18.The Frost - Big Time Spender (Dick Wagner) - 4:32
The Serpent Power were amongst the many bands that emerged during those heady days of 1967 but, unlike many of their contemporaries who went on to build solid careers, their arrival was only to be a brief spell in the sun as this delightful album was to prove their sole release as a full band. There is no doubt that it stands proudly alongside other better known works of that time.
The group was formed by David Meltzer and his wife Tina, intending for it to be a vehicle for his poems. David had recently had a volume of his poems published by Oyez as The Dark Continent, some of which are reproduced in the notes for this CD reissue, and with this new venture he was very much in the driving seat writing all the music and lyrics and playing guitar and harmonica as well as sharing the vocals with Tina.
The album is linked to the sunshine pop and folk-rock genres on at least one internet site, but it was certainly not following those commercial labels despite the group containing two ex-Grass Roots in Denny Ellis and David Stenson. Rather it is representative of that small group of releases (including Fairport Convention's first album) which were genuinely seeking new musical forms. Perhaps most closely rooted in folk, they were following some of the same paths that acts like Country Joe & The Fish and early Jefferson Airplane were moving along. They were electrified but in a restrained way, and they were intent on letting the lyrics carry the songs rather than over-complicating them with any vocal arrangements. The end result quickly marks this out as a lost gem of the period.
Opening with the upbeat organ-led ‘Don't You Listen To Her’, arguably the most commercial track, they then move to ‘Gently, Gently’, a lovely quiet song led by Tina that is very reminiscent of early Fairport as it drifts on restrained drums. The organ returns effectively on the mid-tempo ‘Open House’, before Tina again leads on the relaxed and summery ‘Flying Away’ that features some beautiful guitar work. ‘Nobody Blues’ offers strong lyrics against adventurous blues guitar lines, while ‘Up And Down’ and ‘Sky Baby’ both have a Lovin' Spoonful feel to them. ‘Forget’ and the short ‘Dope Again’ continue the adventurous work before ‘Endless Tunnel’ closes the album. At over thirteen minutes, this was their obligatory-for-the-period long track, and they carry it off far better than most, with it being enhanced by the fascinating raga-like electric banjo work from JP Pickens
They had played their first gig, a benefit for the Telegraph Neighbourhood Center, in November 1966, and struck lucky as there they were spotted by Country Joe & The Fish's manager, ED Denson, who immediately recommended them to Vanguard Records where they worked with producer Samuel Charters. However the release suffered from limited distribution and they never managed to break out of their immediate San Francisco area, leading to the group breaking up in 1968, leaving us with a major 'what might have been' question.
Tina and David Meltzer were the mainstays behind the short-lived, but quite talented Serpent Power. Produced by Sam Charters, "Poet Song" offered up an odd mixture of spoken word poems and artsy folk-rock material. While marketed as a duo, the album largely served as a showcase for David. In addition to writing all 15 selections (both the poems and songs), he was also credited with lead guitar and handling about half of the vocals.
Tina clearly had the better voice, so it shouldn't come as a major surprise to discover she was responsible for most of the highlights. Those included the martial 'I'm So Willing' (kind of a proto-feminist ballad, 'Hymn To Love' and 'Pure White Place' (the latter sounding like an early Jefferson Airplane outtake).
Tracks
1. Don't You Listen To Her - 2:20
2. Gently, Gently - 2:36
3. Open House - 3:31
4. Flying Away - 4:26
5. Nobody Blues - 3:49
6. Up And Down - 3:37
7. Sky Baby - 2:31
8. Forget - 3:34
9. Dope Again - 0:47
10.Endless Tunnel - 13:13
11.I'm The Early Morning Racer (Poem) - 1:39
12.I'll Forget You - 3:44
13.The Bath (Poem) - 0:33
14.I'm A Lover - 2:51
15.Ravel Blues - 4:38
16.The Blackest Rose (Poem) - 0:55
17.It Is For You - 1:50
18.Lullaby - 2:54
19.I'm So Willing - 4:15
20.Lamentation For Hank Williams (Poem) - 1:09
21.Hymn To Love - 3:18
22.Confessin' (Poem) - 2:27
23.Pure White Place - 4:34
24.Poem For My Wife (Poem) - 1:01
25.For Tina - 2:28
All compositions by David Meltzer
Tracks 1-10 from The Serpent Power 1967
Tracks 11-25 from Poet Song 1969 The Serpent Power
*Clark Coolidge - Drums
*Denny Ellis - Lead Guitar
*David Meltzer - Vocals, Guitar, Harmonica
*Tina Meltzer - Vocals
*John Payne - Keyboards
*Jean-Paul Pickens - Banjo
*David Stenson - Bass
An early entry to the horn-rock sweepstakes, this seven piece outfit hailed from Boston, which was in the throes of the notorious "Bosstown hype" when their album was recorded. Featured the talents of bassist Sean Hutchinson, guitarist Paul Lenart, keyboard player Larry Luddecke, sax player Dick Martin, drummer Victor McGill, guitarist David Perry and singer Jere Whitting. Signed by the short-lived New York-based Vanguard Apostolic Records, the band's self-titled debut teamed them with producer Daniel Weiss.
Imagine Blood, Sweat and Tears locked into a closet with Captain Beefheart and Quicksilver Messenger Service's John Cipollina. Largely original (the lone exception being a cover of Riley King's 'Sweet Little Angel'), the album featured a strange blend of jazz, fusion and psychedelic rock moves.
The combination of styles was actually intriguing, blending howling vocals, biting electric guitar and avant-garde saxophone with other instruments such as vibraphone, organ and conga.
Tracks
1. Shapes (David Perry) - 4:29
2. Midnight Juice (Jere Whiting, Larry Luddecke) - 7:19
3. Dream? (Julia Grossman, Victor McGill) - 9:51
4. Hellhound (Jere Whiting) - 3:43
5. Earthlight (David Perry, Paul Lenart) - 3:39
6. Sweet Little Angel (Riley King, Jules Taub) - 8:05
7. Listen To The Walls (David Friedel, David Perry) - 6:51
The Far Cry
*Jere Whiting - Vocals, Harmonica
*Dick Martin - Tenor Saxophone, Congas
*Larry Luddecke - Organ, Piano
*Paul Lenart - Guitar
*David Perry - Guitar, Vocals
*Victor McGill - Drums
*Sean Hutchinson - Bass
To someone who never lived through the 1960’s, it’s hard to comprehend the amount of cultural experimentation that was taking place in America. Nothing it seemed was being taken for granted, almost as though young artists all across the country had made it their mission to try to re-imagine every last aspect of pop culture, especially music. At the epicenter of all this experimentation was, of course, New York’s Greenwich Village, which at that time was not only a hotbed of modern jazz, an art form that had at its very core, experimentation, but also the country’s budding folk music scene.
As an outgrowth of that Greenwich Village mix of jazz and folk, a group calling itself Circus Maximus emerged, formed when Bob Bruno, a young jazz piano player, happened to meet a young guitarist and recovering pop star wannabe named Ronny Crosby. A few months earlier, Crosby had come to the City from Upstate and reinvented himself as a wandering folk troubadour who went by the name Jerry Jeff Walker. Bruno had been playing piano since the age of five and had, literally, been hanging around jazz clubs his whole life.
Jerry Jeff Walker, on the other hand, had played ukulele as a kid, and eventually formed a garage band in his small hometown of Oneonta. Though his band was good enough to score an American Bandstand audition, rock and pop were not near and dear to Walker’s heart. Over the years he had fallen in love with country and folk, and knew that’s where he wanted to focus his creative energies.
So when Bruno, Walker and Circus Maximus went into the studio in 1967 to record the first of their two albums, what they came out with was an offbeat, uneven, but occasionally inspired hybrid of both jazz and folk. Around the same time that all this musical whimsy and cross pollination was taking place, there was something nearly as interesting occurring in the world of radio. The criminally underutilized FM band, with its rich, full, static-free sound, started to slowly give rise to a growing number of non-commercial “underground” stations across the country, particularly in college towns like Berkeley and Austin.
And the music the “hosts” on such underground stations played was the stuff the Top 40 stations wouldn’t touch; the experimental gumbo being offered up by groups like Love, the Fugs, the Holy Modal Rounders and Circus Maximus. And one of the first (and only) national “hits” of that underground era was a song written by Bruno called “Wind,” which proved to be particularly popular in New York and a handful of West Coast markets.
“Wind” featured an infectious jazz hook, some too-cool-for-school vocals by Bruno, and a few bars of free-form, almost atonal improvisational piano playing. It maintained, however, the unmistakable sound and feel of a folk tune, which made it perfect for an era whose musical iconography included folk legends like Bob Dylan, Donovan, Joan Baez and Barry Maguire. In part because it clocked in at just over eight minutes long, “Wind” never came close to charting as a single.
Nevertheless, for many children of the Sixties, “Wind” remains both a touchstone of their lives and an essential building block of the desert island jukebox of their minds. Because just like any magic carpet ride of youth, the song has maintained its remarkable ability, despite the passing of the years, to transport certain people of a certain age to a simpler place and time, when life was defined not so much by the choices made, but by the possibilities that lie ahead.
Glory was probably San Diego's longest-lived underground rock band. Formed in the late sixties, Glory played their brand of straight ahead, kick ass rock and roll until the early 80's at which time guitarist Jerry Raney formed the prolific Beat Farmers.
"On The Air" was recorded live in 1970 during a broadcast from the studios of San Diego's "underground" radio station KPRI. The result is an "in your face" performance built around their amazing rhythm section and led by wailing guitars and incredibly powerful vocals.
Great original tunes like "Morning Ride", "Slow Back" and "Another Man Done Gone" shows that these boys were street wise and nail tough. They also do justice to classic rock tunes like Bo Diddley's "Who Do You Love" which they transform into what sounds like an evil threat from a serial killer.
Overall the LP is dark but energetic and shows why Glory earned their well deserved reputation as rock and roll mercenaries
Rockadelic
Tracks
1.Mornin' Ride (Jerry Raney, Jack Butler, Mike Millsap) - 3:23
2.Who Do You Love (Ellis McDaniels) - 4:22
3.Slow Back (Mike Millsap, Jerry Raney, Jack Butler, Jack Pinney) - 5:43
4.Another Man Done Gone (Public Domain) - 5:36
5.It Really Doesn't Matter (Jerry Raney) - 4:15
6.Come On Down (Mike Millsap, Jerry Raney, Jack Butler, Jack Pinney) - 4:30
7.Cantaloupe Moon (Jerry Raney) - 3:24
8.Bird Run (Jerry Raney) - 3:46
9.Little Queenie (Chuck Berry) - 5:51
Ancient Grease is a clever moniker for a band, although Strawberry Dust were rather baffled to find themselves so named on their 1970 debut album, Women and Children First. Dust's reputation as a rousing live act was already cemented by several years of plying cover songs around the South Wales club circuit, which is where drummer John Weathers came across them. Impressed, he oversaw their demo, which landed Dust a deal at Mercury, then co-wrote, arranged, and co-produced their full-length. And thus begins the Racing Cars story, for Dust/Grease featured both the band's future frontman, Gareth "Morty" Mortimer, and guitarist, Graham Williams.
However, this album is very much a child of its time, only hinting at what's to come. It's a heady mixture of pub rock, hard-rocking R&B, blues, psychedelia, and San Francisco prog rock, with nods to the British hard rock scene along the way, Dust/Grease hit just about every musical touchstone of their day. Incidentally, Weathers' Eyes of Blue bandmate, Phil Ryan, provides the fabulous keyboard work on the gorgeous "Where the Snow Lies Forever," the genre-bending "Odd Song," and presumably the rest of the album, although no keyboardist is actually credited.
The album's title track captures the excitement they engendered on-stage, "Freedom Train" their propensity to roam around genres, "Mother Grease the Cat" their proggy best, "Prelude to a Blind Man" their pubby predilections and bluesy flair, "Time to Die" their emotive power, and "Mystic Mountain" their pop sensibilities. Dust/Grease were ferociously talented musicians, but they were still a covers band struggling to find their own sound. They never got the chance. Mercury failed to publicize Women, and it sank without a trace. The band followed it into oblivion, as the members swiftly departed for new projects. Morty and Williams, of course, reunited later in the decade, and the rest is history.
by Jo-Ann Greene
Tracks
1. Freedom Train (John "Pugwsh" Weathers) - 4:04
2. Don't Want (John "Pugwsh" Weathers, G. Stevens) - 5:04
3. Odd Song (Gary Pickford Hopkins, John "Pugwsh" Weathers) - 5:49
4. Eagle Song (John "Pugwsh" Weathers) - 4:55
5. Where The Snow Lies Forever (Phil Ryan) - 5:06
6. Mother Grease The Cat (G. Stevens) - 5:11
7. Time To Die (John "Pugwsh" Weathers, G. Stevens) - 4:03
8. Prelude To A Blind Man (Curran) - 4:59
9. Mystic Mountain (John "Pugwsh" Weathers) - 2:55
10.Women And Children First (John "Pugwsh" Weathers) - 6:32
11.Freedom Train (Alternate Take) (John "Pugwsh" Weathers) - 3:28
The Ancient Grease
*Graham "Morty" Mortimer - Vocals
*Graham Williams - Lead Guitar
*Jack Bass - Bass Guitar
*John "Pugwsh" Weathers - Drums Additional Musicians
*Phil Ryan - Keyboards
*Gary Pickford Hopkins - Vocals
