Hailing from Glasgow and previously known as The System, they released their debut album ‘Act One’ in 1970 via the Vertigo label. However, what they presented on this debut was music in the style of The Nice or ELF, which meant their work lacked much of the appeal needed to capture the attention of a large fanbase. As is well known, British music in the 1970s was truly a ‘Renaissance of Rock’, with a diverse array of genres being explored by talented artists and groups. Without any real originality, simply being a copy band of another group was insufficient to appeal to fans with discerning tastes. However, thanks to the assistance of Stuart Henry, a radio DJ at the time, they had to content themselves with the modest success of the track “Sarabante”. Resolving to do better, they released their ambitious second album, ‘Water Of Chanpe’, the following year in 1971 via the Vertigo label. Moving away from the styles of The Nice or E.L.F heard on their debut, they showcased their own distinct character. It was a work where Martin Griffiths' powerful vocals, Alan Park's aggressive guitar playing, and the Mellotron sounds handled by female member Gordon Sellar stood out.
Buoyed by the success of their second album, they released their third album, ‘Pathfinder’, in 1972, a year later. This is widely regarded as Beggars Opera's masterpiece. Released on the Vertigo label with one of its rare poster covers, this third album featured a more advanced sound. Its striking cover art, depicting an astronaut in lunar attire riding a horse, strongly appealed to fans and stimulated their desire to purchase the record. Completed by Peter Goodfellow's illustration and the design collective Blmmsbury Group, this cover exudes a strong progressive aesthetic. Comprising the quintet line-up of Martin Griffiths (vocals), Alan Park (keyboards), Ricky Gardiner (guitar, vocals), Gordon Sellar (vocals), and Ray Wilson (drums), Beggars Opera's sound possesses the earthy charm unique to British rock, coupled with simple yet beautiful melodies that anyone can easily become familiar with upon a single listen.
The opening track “Hobo”, beginning with a lively rhythm, tells the story of a dying wanderer. Martin's vocals, delivered in a matter-of-fact tone, unfold while maintaining an up-tempo pace throughout. The latter part sees Alan's piano (which changes to organ towards the end) and Ray's supporting drums create a splendid ensemble. The next track is the famous “Macarthur Park” by Jim Webb. This song has been arranged by numerous artists and orchestras, including Andy Williams, Frank Sinatra, Donna Summer, Justin Hayward, the London Symphony Orchestra, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Mantovani Orchestra, involving up to 40 performers. Bepsars Opera, true to their progressive roots, incorporate Alan's harpsichord playing to enrich the melodic sound further. Moreover, by adding Mellotron sounds in the latter part, they deliver a rendition far superior to those by previous artists. The third track, “The Witch”, showcases the dynamic yet delicate playing of Ricky's aggressive guitar and Alan's Hammond organ, characteristic of a British group.
Next comes the album's title track, “Pathfinder”. Over a simple rhythm, Ricky's guitar evokes the spirit of late 60s beat sound hits, while the members' restrained harmonies flow forth, true to the group's name. On the back cover of this album, lead vocalist Martin has written brief notes about the songs featured. The next track, “From Shark To Haggis”, unfolds in a Scottish jig-like dance style, as he describes, seemingly born of a mood heightened by drink. Listening to it, one becomes utterly absorbed in the melody, which builds to a climax, even without the aid of alcohol. 'Stretcher' is the sole instrumental piece on this work. Following a sweet piano melody, Ricky's guitar playing emerges, soothing the listener's heart. Then, “Madame Doubtfire”, with its impressively deep, resonant vocals, is shrouded in such a thick layer of eerie effects that it could easily serve as a horror film soundtrack.
Following this album, the band underwent a line-up change, recruiting Linnie Peterson, vocalist of the psychedelic group Writing On The Wall, before releasing one final album and disbanding. Showcasing the true essence of poster art, this album contains tracks as outstanding as its cover, and will be remembered as a standout release on the Vertigo label.
by Lee Chun
Tracks
1. Hobo (Alan Park) - 4:24
2. MacArthur Park (Richard Harris) - 8:18
3. The Witch (Virginia Scott, Ricky Gardiner) - 6:01
4. Pathfinder (Ricky Gardiner) - 3:41
5. From Shark to Haggis (Virginia Scott, Ricky Gardiner) - 6:40
6. Stretcher (Ricky Gardiner) - 4:48
7. Madame Doubtfire (Alexander McFreddries, Martin Griffiths) - 4:18
Here’s an interesting album of folk blues with a tinge of country all played superbly by Frank Kinsel and various other famed musicians including Bill Wolfe (6 string guitar) Kevin Kelley (drums) Red Rhodes (steel guitar) and Wolfgang Melz (bass guitar).
My taster for the album is the loner vibration blues of ”Gamer.” This long player rarely turns up and not a great deal of information about it has ever surfaced. An obscure release on Epic.
The Monocled Alchemist
”There I was in the middle of the grey on beige fifties and my older brother was diggin’ Etta James singing ’Roll With Me Henry’ (Dance With Me Henry was the successful mass media cop out).
music as an expression
There was some kind of a beginning for me in music as an expression, feeling, or movement at that time. It was the only way out – or in. It was either tan shoes and a clean smile or a beer and a ’50 Merc.
Rhythm and Blues groups were a way of life and every party had a basement group composed of four or five guys who could carry on the most.
Detroit, I remember you. Expressways turned to freeways and time went by. Michigan, you looked very pretty when it snowed or when the sun set on your lakes. I sang songs for a while there: some were about you and some were about me, then I moved west.
California and San Francisco were like a new energy force that I hadn’t felt before, so I stayed and wrote and sang and experienced and experienced some more and came up with ideas to record. So I moved to the south into a somewhat populated city (plug for my new album) named Los Angeles.
This is a rather short summary of where I have been for awhile. If it seems incomplete, fill it in with your own life. Have a good day.”
by Frank Kinsel
Tracks
1. You Know Why (Part 1) - 0:13
2. Gamer - 3:00
3. Revelations 100 - 3:14
4. Have A Good Day - 2:08
5. Like A Child - 2:43
6. "1964" - 2:05
7. Sparrow - 3:38
8. Overpopulated City - 5:19
9. Good Life Folk Bossa #1 - 2:38
10.You Know Why (Part 2) - 2:07
11.White Port And Lemon Juice (Donald Woods, Randolph Bryant, Willie Graham) - 1:23
Euclid's one and only album is among the very best of the late 1960's - early 1970's heavy rock albums of all time. Based out of Haverhill, Massachusetts, the musicians themselves come from a diverse New England garage & psych-rock background. Bassist Harold Perino Jr. (aka "Maris"), came from The Ones, a central Mass. garage band who also had a rare garage LP on the Ashwood House label. The other members were from southern Maine. Garage rockers Gary Leavitt on lead vocals & guitar, and his brother Jay Leavitt on drums were in the Cobras together. Ralph Mazzota from the psych-tinged Maine group Lazy Smoke is outright dazzling on blistering lead guitar.
Pedigree aside, this is a powerful and inventive psychedelic heavy rock album that stands on its own as a great work. Euclid was signed to Bob Thiele's Flying Dutchman Records subsidiary label, Amsterdam Records, distributed by Mainstream Records, and was one of the few, if not only "rock" releases on either label (a notable exception being the rare Minx soundtrack by The Cyrkle). With its tremendous rumbling in-your-face riffing fuzz guitars; screaming solos, backwards bits, thick fuzz bass, pounding drums and oddly-effected vocals, the album, produced by the legendary Bobby Herne, with finishing touches to the mix by Les Paul, Jr; stands proudly with one foot in the 1960s & one in the 1970s, crafting their sound with a heavy-handed metallic attitude.
One of the coolest things about this album is the overall evidence of the various background influences brought in by each of the group members. In Euclid, you get the very best of it all. You have the raw & ferocious high energy garage element mixed with a very clear and real psychedelic conviction of the drug saturated times. These characteristics combined with a new heavy/hard rock discipline & focus, resulted in one of the best early heavy rock albums ever recorded in the United States. The combined members' various instrumental contributions are equally matched by their amazingly supportive crystalline four-vocal harmonies. The background vocal quality is quite effectively offset by the lead vocals "take no prisoners" brutal male vocal styling. Bobby Herne's production on this record, with lots of twists & turns, is absolutely top notch and gives the music its deep unstoppable heavy forward momentum. The first track is a real winner, clocking in at over 11 minutes, blasting forth with super heavy monster riffs.
There's also hints of an eastern psych groove with cool sitar playing, and their version of "Gimme Some Lovin'" sounds as if it were done by The Jimi Hendrix Experience. With their old friend Bobby Herne in the producer's chair (he also produced The Shaggs "Philosophy Of The World" LP), they create a "bad trip" spiked with backwards tape effects, darkly-phased vocals, all instruments set from overkill to "pummel", and an album title certainly eligible for the 'truth-in-advertising' award with its 'earth moving' characteristics. Their original songs are incredibly inventive with lots of twists and turns. The album itself stands as a perfect monument which musically represents the transition from hard heavy psych to hard heavy rock. This is an LP you'll play over & over, and never get tired of! In short, the group Euclid was one of the true "unsung" cornerstones that really helped pave the way for the up and coming US hard rock movement. This is an LP you'll play over & over and never get tired of it!
Gary Leavitt, Bobby Hearne, and Maris have all passed on due to various circumstances over the years. Gary Leavitt was killed in a 1975 motorcycle accident, which effectively ended the band, who were a popular live attraction in the Northeast up until then. Jay Leavitt still performs occasionally with his group Bluezberry Jam in the Maine area. The Leavitt brothers along with Bobby Herne, first appeared together in 1966 as the Cobras, releasing the New England garage classic "I Wanna Be Your Love" bw/ "Instant Heartache" on the Big Beat label, one of the most incredible and out of control garage 45's ever recorded.
Tracks
1.a. Shadows Of Life - 3:02 b. On The Way (Ralph Mazzota) - 4:37 c. Bye Bye Baby - 4:38
2. Gimme Some Lovin' (Spencer Davis,Stevie Winwood) - 4:24
3. First Time Last Time - 3:37
4. Lazy Livin - 5:57
5. 97 Days - 3:10
6. She's Gone - 2:47
7. It's All Over Now (Bobby Womack, Shirley Womack) - 4:24
All songs by Gary Leavitt except where indicated
This progressive pop-rock quartet was led by lead guitarist/vocalist Dennis Tracy, along with lead vocalist / organist Scott Thurston, bassist Mark Spiwak and drummer Don Gorman. They'd met on the Sunset Strip in Los Angeles one night, and quickly found management in the shape of The Doors' right-hand man Bill Siddons (who had time on his hands while The Doors were on hiatus following the recording of LA Woman.) After a week's rehearsals, they signed to Janus (a subsidiary of Chess) at the Beach House in Santa Monica, California, and flew to San Francisco to cut an album at the legendary Wally Heider's Studios before they'd so much as played a gig. Overseen by Fred Catero – famed for his work with Bob Dylan, Santana and others – the sessions took three weeks (and were filmed by UCLA film student Reed Hutchinson, though it has yet to resurface).
Their first gig was in front of 5000 people at San Bernardino's Civic Auditorium. Following the album's release on the Janus label in the summer of 1971, they undertook two nationwide tours, including a performance at the massive week-long Celebration Of Life festival in Macrea, Louisiana that June. Despite a strong, commercial sound (and a German release for the LP on Bellaphon), they split later that year over musical direction (Thurston and Spiwak favored a more traditional rock / blues sound, while Tracy was more interested in classic songwriting). After their split, Tracey embarked on a solo career, including a 1974 album on which he was backed by Thurston and Spiwak. Thurston, meanwhile, became a leading session musician and a long-time member of Iggy Pop and Tom Petty's bands.
CD Liner-notes
Tracks
1. Love Wit Chu Mama (Dennis Tracy, Mark Spiwak, Don Gorman) - 2:57
Sacramento-based Ikon Records is one of those labels that makes obsessive garage collectors squirm and sweat, stammering phrases to each other like "only three known copies, dude" or that most dreaded, tear-choked revelation: "there's only one known copy!" Because of their scarcity, even by local indie garage label standards, Ikon 45s have largely eluded the garage compilation-makers, so the label's output has been something of a secret shared by just a few elite high rollers and clued-in Sacramento locals.
No hype, my friends: YES! This is hands-down the best '60s garage reissue of the year, filling the requirements of both historical significance and, more importantly, musical excitement. The Madd, Inc provide the immediate standout with the jaw-dropping "I'll Be the One." It's got an assertive lead vocal, two cool, locked-in guitar parts, a tight, rhythmic groove, and a dangerously tense mood snapped apart by a killer fast-fingered Drake Levinesque guitar break. No two ways about it: it's a frickin' MONSTER. While not in the same league as "I'll Be the One," the same band's secret agent themed "Sooperspy" and the wiry instrumental "Batman A Go Go" are also rather good.
More fantastic garage band thrills are drummed up by the Mergers ("Love, You Funny Thing"), the Kee-Notes (a great arrangement of "St James Infirmary"), the Styx ("My Girl"; not the Temptations song), the Knightsmen ("Daddy Was A Rolling Stone"; not the Temptations song either), the Denny & Kenny Duo (the ultra rockin' "Meet My Little Sweety"), the Sons of Sound ("I'm Coming Home"), and the Prophets (the up-tempo but oddly plaintive "You Wonder Why"). Bluesier fare is dished out by the Parish Hall Blues Quintet ("Smokestack Lightning" and a decent cover of the Pretty Things' "I Can Never Say") while solid surf/instro sounds are provided by the Nervous Kats, the Cautions, the Avanti's and the Marauders.
Those looking for minor key magic will be well-pleased too when they get a load of jewels like the Yo Yoz' exceptional, Zombies-flavored "Leave Me Alone," the Bristols' "She's Gone Away," the Shondells "It's True" and the Mergers' "I'll Be On My Way." This two-disc set come with a 28-page booklet jammed with full-color photos, label shots and abundant liner notes by Alec, Joey and others.
11.The Knightsmen - Fever (Eddie Cooley, John Davenport) - 2:55
12.The Styx - My Girl (Don Branch) - 2:32
13.Kee-Notes - St. James Infirmary (Traditional) - 2:53
14.R.C. And The Tambourines - Quirk (Rich Clark) - 2:23
15.Shondells - I Cried Last Night (Perry Jones, Rick De Long) - 1:54
16.Cautions - Surfer's Beach (Joe Puliz, Pete Andrews) - 2:18
17.John Rosasco Quartet - Come Running To Me (John Rosasco) - 2:15
18.Townsmen - High Heel Sneakers (Robert Higginbotham) - 2:36
19.Moss And The Rocks - There She Goes (David Houston) - 4:46
20.Nervous Kats - Simba (Bob Smith) - 2:05
21.Prophets - It's All Over Now (Bobby Womack, Shirley Womack) - 3:28
22.Parish Hall Blues - Smokestack Lightning (Chester Burnett) - 4:09
23.Versatiles - Pretty Girls (Eugene Church, Thomas Williams) - 3:01
24.Unknown Artist - Gloria (Van Morrison) - 2:40
25.Russ Olson - Sorry About That (Eirik W. Wangberg, Russ Olson) - 2:09
26.Denny And Kenny Duo - I Love You So (Kenny Whitcombe) - 2:49
27.Madd Inc. - Batman (Gary Baermann, Rick Leal) - 2:49
28.Avanti's - Too Much (Alan Cheney) - 2:37
29.Marauders - Intro-Surf Jam (Carl Wilson) - 2:24
30.Marauders - Carol (Chuck Berry) - 2:56
Disc 2
1. The Knightsmen - Daddy Was A Rolling Stone (Louise Acuna, Sammy Acuna) - 2:51
2. Denny And Kenny Duo - Meet My Little Sweety (Kenny Whitcombe) - 2:53
3. Prophets - You Wonder Why (Sterling Bunnell, Terry Taylor) - 2:58
4. Madd, Inc. - Sooperspy (Lee G. Downing) - 2:59
5. Unknown Artist - Searching - 2:32
6. Nervous Kats - Chong (Bob Smith) - 2:16
7. Parish Hall Blues Quintet - I Can Never Say (Dick Taylor, Phil May) - 2:58
8. Shondells - It's True (Perry Jones, Rick De Long) - 2:51
9. Eirik Wangberg - You Woman (Eirik Wangberg) - 2:33
10.Townsmen - Leaving Me (Bob Troyan) - 2:30
11.John Rosasco Quartet - The Shift (Gladys Cotton) - 1:47
12.Sons Of Sound - I'm Coming Home - 3:16
13.Cautions - Groovin' (Joe Puliz) - 2:26
14.Yo Yoz - Stay With Me - 2:36
15.Avanti's - What's Wrong With Me (Alan Cheney) - 2:12
16.Sel-Sync - The Fire Is Gone (Jerry Pine, Steve Squires) - 2:13
17.Beau Jesse - Tell Her That You Love Her (Ric Myers) - 1:55
18.Kee-Notes - Please Don't Tell Me No (Cliff Maurer) - 2:31
19.Eirik And The Secret Agents - Sorry About That (Eirik W. Wangberg, Russ Olson) - 2:33
20.Townsmen - What Have I Done (Bob Troyan) - 3:23
21.Fabulous Futuras - When You Ask About Love (Jerry Allison, Sonny Curtis) - 1:47
22.Dirk Hamilton - Happiness (Dirk Hamilton) - 3:24
23.Bobbies - Orangutang (Houston Box) - 2:04
24.Mergers - I'll Be On My Way (Ron Andre) - 2:32
25.Mymes - You Lose Girl (Bill Wallace, Pat Brusa) - 2:20
26.Moss And The Rocks - Please Come Back (David Houston, Pat Minter) - 3:23
27.The Styx - Stay Away (Don Branch) - 2:56
28.Madd, Inc. - Batman A Go Go (Gary Baermann, Rick Leal) - 2:42
29.Checkmates Ltd. - Do It To Deff (Bob Stevens) - 4:06
30.Ikon - Outro - 0:39
A very cool set from the Boston scene of the 60s – one that's got a slightly lighter, groovier sound than some of the other Beantown bands of the period – almost Sunshine Pop at times, but a bit wittier and with occasional baroque elements that gives the record a very unique sound! The trio boasts work from Erik Kaz and Artie Traum – who'd both go on to other projects – and there's some added instrumentation on a number of tracks that steps up the sound in a great way – psych-influenced, but more serious in terms of the arrangements – opening up the excellent vocals of singer Steve Soles. Titles include "It's Getting Very Cold Outside", "What Difference", "Like Cats", "So Loose & So Slow", "The Hungry Dogs Of New Mexico", and "Don't Say A Word".
D&G
In 1968, Steven Soles, Artie Traum, & Eric Kaz would come together to form one of the finest and most underrated bands of the 1960s and of all time. They would come together as The Children Of Paradise. With little reception, Bear wasn't too famous. They sang in clubs now and again, but nothing special. Then came the day that Brian De Palma discovered them and used them to perform multiple musical pieces for his 1968 underground film "Greetings".
The film starred an extremely young Robert De Niro and had Bear perform 3 of their songs, "Greetings", "So Loose And So Slow", & "Like Cats". The film made approximately $1,000,000. A great amount of money at the time which helped launch the second film "Hi, Mom!" in 1970. Bear had different plans however, they decided to go all the way and release their own album. They recored for Verve Forecast and managed to release the album titled "Greetings". By that time they had changed their name to Bear, but in hopes of cashing in on the movie, still kept the name "Children Of Paradise" on the album. The album sold poorly and to this day has never had an official CD release and is only available as LP. The album is an interesting span of songs ranging from Psychedelic, to Jazz, To Folk. It was certainly one of the most unique albums of the time and of all time for that matter.
Tracks
1. Greetings! (Artie Traum, Eric Kaz, Michael Soles, Steven Soles) - 2:34
2. So Loose And So Slow (Michael Soles, Steven Soles) - 2:17
3. Like Cane (Michael Soles, Steven Soles) - 3:42
4. Happy Days (Eric Kaz) - 2:14
5. What Difference? (Artie Traum, Marc Silber) - 6:28
6. It's Getting Very Cold Outside (Michael Soles, Steven Soles) - 3:09
7. I Won't Be Hangin' 'round (Eric Kaz) - 3:04
8. Don't Say A Word (Michael Soles, Steven Soles) - 2:33
9. Don't You Ever Want To Think About Them? (Eric Kaz, John Boylan) - 3:28
10.The Hungry Dogs Of New Mexico (Artie Traum) - 4:01
The Youngbloods could not be considered a major '60s band, but they were capable of offering some mighty pleasurable folk-rock in the late '60s, and produced a few great tunes along the way. One of the better groups to emerge from the East Coast in the mid-'60s, they would temper their blues and jug band influences with gentle California psychedelia, particularly after they moved to the San Francisco Bay Area. For most listeners, they're identified almost exclusively with their Top Ten hit "Get Together," but they managed several respectable albums as well, all under the leadership of singer/songwriter Jesse Colin Young.
Young got his start on the folk circuits of Boston and New York, and had already cut a couple of solo albums before forming The Youngbloods. John Sebastian was one of the supporting musicians on Young's second LP, and comparisons between the two -- and between The Youngbloods and the Lovin' Spoonful -- are inevitable. Both groups offered good-timey folk-rock with much stronger jug band influences than West Coast rivals like the Byrds, though The Youngbloods made greater use of electric keyboards than the Spoonful, courtesy of the enigmatically named Lowell "Banana" Levinger. The Youngbloods didn't craft nearly as many brilliant singles as the Lovin' Spoonful, but (unlike the Spoonful) endured well into the hippie/psychedelic era.
While Young was always the focal point of the band, their first two albums also had songwriting contributions from guitarist Jerry Corbitt. Produced by Felix Pappalardi (who also worked with Cream), these records (The Youngbloods and Earth Music) were engaging and mature, if inconsistent, folk-rock. Corbitt's "Grizzly Bear" was a small hit, as was "Get Together," a Dino Valenti song that had previously been recorded by Jefferson Airplane. The Youngbloods' slow, soulful interpretation of "Get Together" was definitive, but it wouldn't reach the Top Ten until it was re-released in 1969, after the song had been used in a television public service ad.
by Richie Unterberger
The Youngbloods' second long-player built on the strength of their self-titled debut by once again creating a blend of captivating songwriting with an infectiously fun delivery. Although the album failed to produce a definitive single -- as "Get Together" had done on their previous effort -- there are a handful of equally definitive sides scattered throughout Earth Music (1967). Featuring Jesse Colin Young (guitar/bass/vocals), Jerry Corbitt (lead guitar), Joe Bauer (drums), and Lowell "Banana" Levinger III (piano/guitar), The Youngbloods recall the uptempo good-time sound of their East Coast contemporaries, the Lovin' Spoonful, on the opening cover of the Holy Modal Rounders' "Euphoria."
The first of several stellar compositions from Young follows with the laid-back "All My Dreams Blue." In addition to the affective songcrafting, Banana's upfront piano fills provide a jazzy counterpoint to the interlocking Bauer/Young rhythm section. This refined power trio would become the mainstay of their later post-Corbitt recordings. "Dreamer's Dream" highlights Corbitt's inimitable contributions to the band with a highly affective melody as well as his unencumbered vocals, which effortlessly intertwine with Young. The countrified interpretation of the traditional "Sugar Babe" is a precursor to the direction that the band's sound would take after their relocation to the West Coast. The track became an international hit no doubt due to its inclusion in the Michelangelo Antonioni film Zabriskie Point (1970). Other standout tracks include the high-steppin' "Wine Song" and one of the better revisitations of Tim Hardin's "Reason to Believe."
Elephant Mountain (1969) is the Youngbloods' third long-player and marks their debut as a trio -- featuring Jesse Colin Young (bass/guitar/vocals), Joe Bauer (drums), and Lowell "Banana" Levinger (keyboards) -- after the departure of co-founder Jerry Corbitt (guitar/vocals). Although the band initially formed out of the early '60s Northeast folk scene, by the time this set was issued they had relocated to the pastoral Northern California county of Marin. Blending affective pop/rock melodies and lyrics with their good time jug band roots, the Youngbloods were instantly embraced by the already blossoming Bay Area music community.
This effort contains some of the band's strongest material to date, building on the considerable momentum of their 1967 self-titled release and further enhanced by their remarkable instrumental capabilities. Young's contributions are particularly notable as he vacillates between the edgy and electric "Darkness, Darkness" to the light and earthy "Sunlight" and "Ride the Wind," or the bouncy tales "Smug" and "Beautiful." Banana honors his new surroundings with the gorgeous and catchy instrumental "On Sir Francis Drake" (named after a heavily traveled Bay Area motorway). On this cut the textural combination of electric piano and harpsichord provides a jazzy counterbalance to Young's propulsive basslines and Bauer's nimble drumming.
The "Rain Song (Don't Let the Rain Bring You Down)" is left over from Corbitt's tenure and recalls the earlier Youngbloods' sound which was more akin to the Sopwith Camel or the Lovin' Spoonful than the trio's then-current folk-rock leanings. "Trillium" is a hidden gem of a jam that examines the band's remarkably strong improvisational interaction. "Sham" is perhaps the most straightforward rocker on the album and recalls Bay Area acts like the Sal Valentino-led Stoneground. The disc concludes with the sublime "Ride the Wind" which sports a very sophisticated and slightly Latin-flavored melody.
Disc 2 Elephant Mountain 1969
1. Darkness, Darkness (Jesse Colin Young) - 3:51
2. Smug (Young) - 2:13
3. On Sir Francis Drake (Lowell Levinger) - 6:44
4. Sunlight (Young) - 3:07
5. Double Sunlight (Levinger, Young, Joe Bauer) - 0:41
6. Beautiful (Young) - 3:49
7. Turn It Over (Levinger, Young, Bauer) - 0:15
8. Rain Song (Don't Let The Rain Bring You Down) (Corbitt, Pappalardi, Collins) - 3:13
9. Trillium (Levinger, Young, Bauer) - 3:08
10.Quicksand (Young) - 2:41
11.Black Mountain Breakdown (Levinger, Young, Bauer) - 0:40
12.Sham (Young) - 2:44
13.Ride The Wind (Young) - 6:37
The Youngbloods The Youngbloods/Earth Music 1967
*Jesse Colin Young - Bass Guitar, Guitar, Vocals
*Jerry Corbitt - Guitar, Vocals
*Lowell "Banana" Levinger - Guitar, Pedal Steel Guitar, Electric Piano
*Joe Bauer - Drums, Percussion With
*George Ricci - Cello On "Foolin' Around"
Elephant Mountain 1969
*Jesse Colin Young - Bass, Acoustic Guitar , Vocals
*Lowell "Banana" Levinger - Guitar, Electric Piano, Backing Vocals
*Joe Bauer - Drums With
*David Lindley - Fiddle
*Plas Johnson - Tenor Saxophone
*Joe Clayton - Trumpet
*Victor Feldman - Vibraphone
The Chosen Few were a horn-rock group from Muncie Indiana and consisted of Carl Storie (lead vocals-percussion), Jack Hamilton (bass), Dave Bennet (electric/acoustic 12 & 6 string guitars), Dave Barnes (drums) and John Cascella (keyboards).
The group, originally a garage band, had earlier recorded for the local Denim label, releasing four singles among them "It Just Don't Rhyme" and then released a single on the Talun label which led to their contract with RCA.
Surely inspired by the success of such bands as Blood, Sweat & Tears, (and the sound that was popular in the Chicago area at the time), the group changed musical direction and with the help of Pete Dino and Lee Holdridge added horn arrangements to their sound. Speaking of B, S &T and Chicago, there are early remakes of “You Make Me So Very Happy” and “Beginnings” here, but the redeeming cuts here are “Safrowillie” (wish there were more cuts like this) and the album's closer "I Will Miss You".
by Jack Dominilla
Tracks
1. Talk With Me (Carl Storie, David "Benny" Bennett, John Cascella) - 2:45
2. You Make Me So Very Happy (Berry Gordy, Brenda Holloway, Frank Wilson, Patrice Holloway) - 3:24
3. Maybe The Rain Will Fall (Carl Storie) - 3:05
4. Sea Of Tranquility (Carl Storie, Jack Hamilton) - 3:49
5. Spend One Night (Carl Storie, Dave Barnes, David "Benny" Bennett, John Cascella) - 2:35
6. Beginnings (Robert Lamm) - 3:27
7. Safrowillie (Carl Storie, Jack Hamilton) - 4:50
8. I'll Never Change You (Carl Storie, David "Benny" Bennett, John Cascella, Jack Hamilton) - 2:24
Phillips takes folk and throws it together with prog rock, with touches of jazz and classical. This album is titled Collaboration and the jacket describes it as a collaboration by Shawn Phillips with Paul Buckmaster and Peter Robinson.
Songs like “Moonshine” have some nice keyboards from Robinson too, with a dexterity and morose ease that works very well. The side one closer “Armed” brings all the instrumentalists’ talents together best.
by Syd Fablo
Tracks
1. Us We Are - 5:05
2. Burning Fingers - 3:33
3. Moonshine - 4:45
4. For Her - 2:00
5. What's Happenin' Jim! - 3:37
6. Armed - 6:52
7. Spaceman - 3:29
8. Times Of A Madman, Trials Of A Thief - 2:47
9. 8500 Years - 2:31
10.The Only Logical Conclusion - 4:51
11.Coming Down Soft And Easy - 5:17
12.Springwind - 9:37
Music and Lyrics by Shawn Phillips
Musicians
*Shawn Phillips - Vocals, Guitar
*Brian Odgers - Bass
*Paul Buckmaster - Cello, Orchestral Arrangements
*Barry deSouza - Drums
*Martin Ford - French Horn
*Tony Walmsly - Guitar
*Ann Odell - Electric Piano
*Peter Robinson - Piano, Organ, Bass, Orchestral Arrangements
*John Gustafson - Bass
*The David Katz Orchestra
Faith Band, like most great groups, evolved through several powerful incarnations. From The Invincibles, to The Chosen Few, with an album on RCA, to Limousine, with an album on GSF, they got strong radio airplay building a large, enthusiastic following. With 1973’s move to Terry Knight’s Brown Bag Records, Faith Band was born. In addition to the debut “Faith” album with Carl Storie, vocals and harp, Dave Bennett, guitar, Dave Barnes, drums and percussion, Johnny Cascella, keyboards, sax and vocals, and Mark Cawley on bass and vocals, they went on to release four more commanding original albums on Village/Phonogram/Mercury records and toured nonstop.
Along the way, Nigel Olsson’s cover of Faith’s “Dancin Shoes” was a Top 20 hit. Carl and Mark formed the duo Blinding Tears, releasing a CD in 1986. Mark has gone on to be an award winning songwriter whose songs have been recorded by an amazing array of artists from Tina Turner and Joe Cocker to Wynonna Judd and Chaka Kahn just to name a few. Carl released a self-titled solo CD in 1992, while Dave Bennett released the jazzy “Out of the Bleu” in 2004. John Cascella moved to John Cougar Mellencamp’s band, where he lit the fuse on “Cherry Bomb” and many more. “Boots” sparkled on accordion and keyboards with Mellencamp until his premature death in 1992. Dave Barnes joined forces with his brother and helped build one of the largest music industry service companies.
Now, the remaining members of Faith Band and John Cooper - Faith Band, Bruce Springsteen, Ringo Starr have revisited their musical vaults and selected these 19 tunes, most never heard before, from the original sessions. Coop assembled all the tracks and with loving care and today’s vastly improved audio technology, mixed them for us as they envisioned them originally. This digital download “Boxed Set” also includes a booklet and three videos taken from live gigs. With liner notes from longtime DJ friend Mike Griffin and brand new cover art from Wille Faust who did the first two Faith Band albums, this is a labor of love and a one of a kind must have for Faith Band fans.
The lucky ones were there, and caught the band live. Most others have only heard the stories. Now, hear the legacy of music and creativity that gave voice to a generation of change. Actually their first album contains songs that already they recorded as "Limousine" renamed with new titles and different track list.
Tracks
1. Sometimes Sometimes - 5:47
2. Freedom - 3:18
3. Answer To The Master - 6:14
4. Looking For A Friend - 4:19
5. Such A Lady Such A Lover - 3:53
6. Dreamy Eyed Lady - 5:08
7. We're All Headed In The Same Way-The Last Song - 5:15
8. The Last Song - 1:05
All songs by Carl Storie, David Bennett, John Cascella, Mark Cawley, Dave Barnes
Any acquisition of live recordings from the late 'sixties and/or early 'seventies is fraught with danger as you never really know what the quality is going to be like. But as it turned out, there was no need for me to be apprehensive about this collection. The two live CD's offer excellent sound which is quite acceptable played in the car. Sometimes with these type of "newly discovered" tapes the only way you can listen is on a good domestic sound system cranked up to 11, close your eyes and pretend you were there. In fact I certainly wish I had been at Ebbetts Field Denver or the Agora Ballroom in Cleveland when these gigs happened in '74 & '75.
Spirit were down to a trio by this time but that trio did consist of three original members - Mark Andes, Ed Cassidy and of course Randy California. These three guys go back a ways and they know intuitively what each other is going to do. The playing is quite simply sublime with a plenty of invention from all three. Andes and Cassidy do a lot more than just keep the beat behind Randy's solos and special effects. The spirit of the west coast circa '67 is very much in evidence in the feel of the music, and yes they do play a lovely version of "Fresh Garbage" from that classic first album. This one clocks in at just over 4 minutes - longer than the original studio version but well short of the extended rendition on "Live from the Time Coast" - still great though. However, if its improvisation you're looking for we are treated to 9 minutes of "Like a Rolling Stone" and over 13 minutes of "All Along the Watchtower". There are also some fine Randy California originals I'd never heard before and a few covers - "Satisfaction", "Happy" and "On the Road Again" - I'd never heard them play either. The way they do the intro to Canned Heat's "On the Road Again" you'd swear they were going to break into the Norman Greenbaum number 1 hit "Spirit in the Sky". They'd probably have done a killer version of that as well come to think of it.
The third CD is all studio material and in effect fills in a gap of several years during which we had no official releases from Randy California prior to "Spirit of '76". We are treated to all of 25 tracks on this CD and most of them are simply beautiful regardless of whether they're uptempo or more laid back. Randy California was going through a distinctly spiritual phase and that is reflected in the music and lyrics. Several tracks are predominately acoustic but there is tasteful and creative use of special effects and a couple of whimsical dialogues featuring a conversation with a "visitor" from the planet Neptune, and an interview with a bogus Indian guru which segues into one of the best cuts on the CD entitled "Holy Man".
Some Spirit purists may argue that Randy's vocals aren't up to Jay Ferguson's standard, or that they miss John Locke's keyboards. That may be true, but their absence certainly does allow for more of California's wondrous guitar work (both electric and acoustic) so that's okay by me. In fact if you play this and then slip on an album by Jo Jo Gunne it will be all too clear why Ferguson and California were no longer interested in working together on a permanent basis. To be honest I'd happily take the Spirit trio's amazing reworking of Dylan's "Positively 4th Street" in exchange for Jay Ferguson's entire post Spirit output - but that's just me.
If I have a criticism it might be that there are two or three acoustic numbers after track 21 which sound a bit muddy and distinctly unfinished, and that's why I'm knocking off a star. A couple of those could perhaps have been omitted but I guess Randy California completists wouldn't want to be deprived of even these slightly substandard offerings.
Anyone who ever enjoyed anything by Spirit in any of their incarnations will love this 3CD set, and it's very reasonably priced right now so a good opportunity to grab a bargain. Also any younger students of psychedelic guitar who don't know about one of the genre's unsung heroes really need to hear Randy California in his prime. When the music magazines compile those lists of "top 50 guitarists of all time" he rarely figures, yet he should be permanently in the top 3 at the very least.
by Michael Pearson-Smith Melbourne,Australia
As of 2007, ten years had passed since the accidental death of singer/songwriter and guitarist Randy California, the primary musician in Spirit. California left behind an extensive, if disorganized, cache of unreleased live and studio recordings that producer Mick Skidmore has been working through ever since, emerging periodically with albums of previously unheard material. Salvation...The Spirit of '74 is a three-CD set that, as Skidmore notes in his annotations, helps to fill in a gap in the band's history. The original quintet of California, drummer Ed Cassidy, bassist Mark Andes, keyboardist John Locke, and singer/songwriter Jay Ferguson splintered in the early '70s, after which various configurations, including one that featured none of them, toured the country.
California, who had left the group for a solo career, rejoined Cassidy for a European tour in 1973, then left again. In 1974, the two reconnected and again performed as Spirit, sometimes adding Andes and occasionally Locke. In May 1975, a trio of California, Cassidy, and bassist Barry Keene finally released a new Spirit album, Spirit of '76. Salvation...The Spirit of '74 chronicles the band's live and studio work during a period of about a year, from the summer of 1974 to the summer of 1975, including preliminary work on a never-completed album intended to be called Spirit of Salvation.
On the first two discs, drawn from live performances given in October and November 1974 (with Andes) and in June 1975 (with Keene), Spirit play some of their familiar songs ("Fresh Garbage," "Mr. Skin," "It's All the Same," "I Got a Line on You") along with covers that emphasize California's debt to his mentor, Jimi Hendrix ("Like a Rolling Stone," "All Along the Watchtower," "Hey Joe"); some songs California probably picked up while hanging around the Ash Grove folk club in Los Angeles as a child ("Old Blue," "Run Sinner Run," "Cripple Creek"); some one-off oddities (seemingly impromptu readings of the Rolling Stones hits "[I Can't Get No] Satisfaction" and "Happy," a version of Canned Heat's "On the Road Again" that apparently was a nod to Andes' brief tenure in that group); and some of the new songs California was writing at the time. More of those new songs, along with novelties and more covers, are included on the third disc, which consists of studio recordings.
That all adds up to 56 tracks running more than three and a half hours. It doesn't entirely fill in the gap between the releases of California's solo album Kapt. Kopter & the (Fabulous) Twirly Birds in the fall of 1972 and Spirit of '76 two and a half years later, but California spent much of that period musically inactive or working on the subsequently released Potatoland album, and his return to Spirit, the band he would lead for much of the next two decades, is now well documented here. As Skidmore notes, this is an album for loyal, even die-hard Spirit fans, but it contains enough strong performances to make the case for California and his bandmates as what an MC calls them at the outset: "one the greatest names in the history of rock & roll."
by William Ruhlmann
Tracks
Disc 1
1. Veruska (Ed Cassidy, Mark Andes, Randy California) - 5:34
2. Storm In The Night (Randy California) - 4:48
3. Like A Rolling Stone (Bob Dylan) - 9:01
4. I've Got To Use My Imagination (Barry Goldberg, Gerry Goffin) - 3:57
5. Fresh Garbage (Jay Ferguson) - 4:01
6. Devil (Randy California) - 2:50
7. Kristee (Ed Cassidy, Mark Andes, Randy California) - 1:46
8. My Road (Randy California) - 3:31
9. Old Blue (Traditional) - 2:30
10.Joker On The Run (Randy California) - 3:38
11.So Little Time To Fly (Randy California) - 2:26
12.All Along The Watchtower (Bob Dylan) - 13:46
13.I Can't Get No (Satisfaction) (Mick Jagger, Keith Richards) - 4:14
14.Same Old Thing, Urantia (Randy California) - 5:16
