The Winnipeg quintet (singer George Belanger, guitarist Ralph Watts and organist James Grabowski, with Brian Sellar and Al Johnson handling bass and drums, respectively) formed out of the ashes of the Fifth, whose handful of excellent singles kept them at the top of the local pop heap for much of the latter 1960s. The guys even travelled to Toronto to record at the venerable Eastern Sound Studio, which at the time had some of the most state-of-the-art equipment in the country and had already recorded albums by Bruce Cockburn, Anne Murray, Murray McLaughlin and Lighthouse.
What's more, Dusty Shoes was feted by none other than Lieutenant-Governor W. J. McKeag. RPM reported in its Feb. 12th, 1972 issue that "for the first time in the history of the staid old office of Manitoba's Lieutenant-Governor, his official residence was opened to a people's group, Warner Bros' Next," adding that "the Winnipeg group has become something of a phenomenon in Manitoba". Also flown in for the party were Kinney Music president Ken Middleton and the record's producer John Pozer.
Dusty Shoes rocks hard right from the get-go. The opening track, 'Which Way', kicks things off with a dog bark, some hefty guitar/organ riffs and a high-pitched caterwaul that places it somewhere between Deep Purple and Foghat. The fun continues with the five-and-a-half-minute 'Take Me with You', a ripping slab of blues-boogie where Watts and Belanger play off each other brilliantly. Frampton and Marriott would have been proud. 'Be Free', the record's single, is predictably more accessible, with melodic guitars and lithe harmonies that point the group more in the direction of Grand Funk and their then-current FM staple 'Closer to Home'.
Dusty Shoes unfortunately tanked. Next kept at it for a good four years, issuing several singles in the mid-seventies before packing it in. Of the five, Belanger was the only one to achieve rock 'n' roll stardom. He joined pop-rockers Harlequin in 1975 and sang on all their hits right into the mid-eighties and beyond.
by Michael Panontin
Tracks
1. Which Way - 3:12
2. What Have I Done - 2:45
3. Take Me With You - 5:58
4. They Should Care - 2:36
5. Strange Mood - 4:13
6. Dreams - 3:03
7. Be Free - 2:44
8. Don't Let Go - 3:03
9. Dusty Shoes - 9:28
All compositions by Al Johnson, Brian Sellar, George Belanger, James Grabowski, Ralph Watts
When I arrived at High School in 1971, I was the only person I knew at the time that ever listened to Lizard by King Crimson, Spirit and Beethoven in one sitting. I met a girl named Dianne Barreyre who had heard of Crimson. We became friends and she introduced me to her older brother Michael Barreyre. He was into all sorts of strange music that I had not heard, and was also studying the guitar in a serious way. After a time Michael and I decided to form a band and play some of the music we'd been listening to. He had a friend, David Carlisle, who had a Rickenbacker bass and was into Yes, the Moody Blues and Crimson.
We used to hang out together with some of my friends from high school (Michael and David were older and long out of high school) and formed a sort of artist clique, you might say. We called ourselves the Crimson Cult after King Crimson. We were very much into Abstract Jazz like early Herbie Hancock, Weather Report, and progressive bands such as Yes, KC and the like. The one album that we held up as a milestone and played the grooves off was Close to the Edge. One night at a party we were fortunate enough to hear Three Friends by Gentle Giant. That had an immediate effect on our cult and it swayed us more in the direction of tight, composed rock rather that the loose, abstracted jazz we were so fond of. Classical music was also a big part of our listening experiences those days. Michael was very knowledgeable about classical as was I and those standards were our guide in terms of discipline and dedication. So there was always a lot of respect and admiration for schooled, trained musicians.
I had met guitarist Ernie Myers at a mutual friend's party. He had been playing with John Rousseau, a drummer, and some others above a drive-in movie theatre projection room. They had also been playing outdoor gigs at East Hill, a popular place at the lake for kids to get stoned and what not. So Michael Barreyre, David Carlisle, John Rousseau and myself decided to get a band together. I asked my good friend Sonny Solell to play sax in the band and that was the beginning of the decade of progressive music.
We called ourselves Ibis after "Flight of the Ibis" by Ian McDonald and Michael Giles. We played one or two gigs, I think, and after the second gig which was at a place called Deb's Danceland, we decided that Carlisle wasn't going to cut it. In the meantime, Dianne Barreyre, who had introduced me to her brother Michael, was dating a very talented guitarist and singer named Steve Parker. He came and sat in at the last gig of Ibis and when we got rid of David he agreed to come on as the bassist. He was not really a bassist but had a great voice and learned the bass very quickly. We changed our name to Prism shortly after that. Prism had a few original tunes but mostly we did covers. John Rousseau searched through the paper and found Paul Bunker, an ex SMU violinist. Paul played viola mostly and he read music very well. We had a few jams at John Rousseau's house and afterwards Paul joined permanently.
The band played several club gigs and did very well with our strange set list of Zappa, Mahavishnu Orchestra, King Crimson, and Jethro Tull, as well as Johnny Winter, Allman Brothers, ZZ Top etc. Tensions at this point between Michael Barreyre and the rest of the band reached an unworkable stage. While all this was happening, Ernie Myers had moved to Los Angeles, California, where he met Skip Durbin, excellent woodwind player, at a party thrown by some of the Eagles. They hit it off and Ernie convinced Skip to move to Texas saying that they would eventually be part of Prism. Not long after Ernie's return to Texas Michael Barreyre left the band, and we subsequently replaced him with Ernie. Long before Michael left, Sonny Solell had decided to leave the group but he still let us rehearse at his place. He remained an ally of the band for years to come. The band added Skip on woodwinds and Prism was complete. We played several gigs and slowly the cover tunes faded and originals took over.
After moving rehearsal venues two more times we then heard of the Canadian band Prism, who were going to release their debut soon. Since we didn't have a deal at that point, and being afraid of reprisals by their label Arista, we decided to change our name. After what seemed like an eternity we decided upon Hands. We were playing all original music by that time and had done a couple of high profile gigs, sow e changed our name roughly around the time that we were finishing up the first recordings for what would become the first CD, Hands. Later on we added Tom Reid on vocals and became a seven- piece. After a while, in 1979, I decided to leave the band. Paul Bunker left some time after that and Hands then hired Mark Menikos on violin and Shannon Day on keyboards. The band recorded several of the tunes we'd worked on while PauI, Skip and I were still part of the band. The songs they recorded are many of the tunes that make up Palm Mystery. Hands finally disbanded in late 1980.
Of the numerous British blues-rock bands to spring up in the late '60s, the Aynsley Dunbar Retaliation was one of the better known, though solid reception on tours did not translate into heavy record sales. Musically, the group recalled John Mayall's Bluesbreakers during the 1966-1967 era that had produced that group's A Hard Road album, though with a somewhat more downbeat tone. The similarities were hardly coincidental, as the band's founder and leader, drummer Aynsley Dunbar, had been in the Bluesbreakers lineup that recorded the A Hard Road LP. Too, bassist Alex Dmochowski would go on to play with Mayall in the 1970s, and guitarist Jon Morshead was friendly with fellow axeman Peter Green (also in the Bluesbreakers' A Hard Road lineup), whom he had replaced in Shotgun Express.
Though he was only 21 when he formed the Aynsley Dunbar Retaliation, the drummer had already played with several bands of note in both his native Liverpool and London. Stints in several Merseybeat groups had culminated in his joining the Mojos, and Dunbar played on a couple of singles by the group, though these were cut after their British chart hits. Shortly after leaving the Mojos, he did his stint with the Bluesbreakers, after which he played for a few months in the Jeff Beck Group, also appearing on their 1967 single "Tallyman"/"Rock My Plimsoul." Wanting to lead his own band, in mid-1967 he formed the Aynsley Dunbar Retaliation, joined by Morshead, who'd previously been in the Moments (with a pre-Small Faces Steve Marriott), Shotgun Express, and Johnny Kidd & the Pirates; singer/guitarist/keyboardist Victor Brox, who worked for a while with British blues godfather Alexis Korner; and bassist Keith Tillman. Shortly after forming, however, Tillman left to join John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, replaced by Dmochowski, who'd played in Neil Christian's Crusaders and Winston's Fumbs.
On their self-titled debut album, the Aynsley Dunbar Retaliation flashed a British blues-rock approach that was rather similar to that of John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers circa 1967. That was unsurprising considering that leader and drummer Dunbar had played on the Bluesbreakers' 1967 A Hard Road album, and that bassist Alex Dmochowski would later play with Mayall himself. Although everyone in the Aynsley Dunbar Retaliation was a skilled player, the record ultimately comes off as rather second-division late-'60s British blues, though in a little heavier and darker a style than Mayall's. That's not to say it's mediocre, but the material (mostly original) is only average, and not quite up to the level of the musicians' instrumental proficiency. Too, Victor Brox isn't the greatest singer, though he's okay, and while Jon Morshead plays guitar well, his style sometimes seems quite influenced by Peter Green (listen especially to his work on the cover of Percy Mayfield's "Memory of Pain").
Additionally, some of the original material wasn't all that original; the work song-style "Watch 'N' Chain" certainly bears similarities to the tune that Donovan popularized under the title "Hey Gyp" (itself similar to a song that Lonnie Young, Ed Young, and Lonnie Young, Jr. had recorded under the title "Chevrolet" on Atlantic's 1960 Roots of the Blues LP of Alan Lomax field recordings [reissued in 1993 under the title Sounds of the South]). It's not a bad record overall, however, with the players getting a chance to take extended solos on the instrumentals "Sage of Sidney Street" and "Mutiny."
The Aynsley Dunbar Retaliation's second album was much the same as their first, offering competent late-'60s British blues, given a slightly darker cast than was usual for the style via Victor Brox's somber vocals. Like their debut, it was dominated by original material, and as on its predecessor, the compositions were rather routine blues-rock numbers, though they benefited from arrangements by highly skilled players.
The best of these tracks were the ones that utilized Brox's gloomy, almost gothic organ, if only because it made them stand out more among the company of the many similar bands recording in the prime of the British blues boom. Otherwise the main fare was straightforward blues-rock that was well played, but rather average and forgettable, the most distinguished ingredient being Dunbar's hard-hitting, swinging drums. If only because it has some original songs that were better than anything on the first album ("Fugitive," "Till Your Lovin' Makes Me Blue," and "Tuesday's Blues," the last of which has some songwriting and guitar work quite similar to Peter Green's late-'60s style in those departments), it's a slightly better listen, though not up to the standards of somewhat similar groups like Fleetwood Mac and John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers.
by Richie Unterberger
Tracks
Disc 1 The Aynsley Dunbar Retaliation 1968
1. Watch 'N' Chain (Aynsley Dunbar, Jon Morshead, Alex Dmochowski, Victor Brox) - 2:36
2. My Whiskey Head Woman (Aynsley Dunbar, Jon Morshead, Alex Dmochowski, Victor Brox) - 4:24
3. Trouble No More (Jon Morshead, Alex Dmochowski, Victor Brox) - 2:56
4. Double Lovin' (Jon Morshead, Victor Brox) - 3:52
5. See See Baby (Ma Rainey) - 2:20
6. Roamin' And Ramblin' (Victor Brox) - 3:00
7. Sage Of Sidney Street (Aynsley Dunbar) - 4:57
8. Memory Of Pain (Percy Mayfield) - 6:06
9. Mutiny (Aynsley Dunbar, Jon Morshead) - 7:25
Disc 2 Doctor Dunbar's Prescription 1969
1. Change Your Low Down Ways (Aynsley Dunbar, Jon Morshead, Victor Brox) - 2:23
2. Fugitive (Victor Brox) - 4:35
3. Till Your Lovin' Makes Me Blue (Victor Brox) - 4:57
4. Now That You've Lost Me (B.B. King) - 3:31
5. I Tried (Larry Davis, Don Robey, Joseph Scott) - 2:52
6. Call My Woman (Jon Morshead) - 3:07
7. Devil Drives (Victor Brox) - 2:46
8. Low Gear Man (Victor Brox) - 2:58
9. Tuesday's Blues (Victor Brox) - 3:37
10.Mean Old World (Walter "Little Walter" Jacobs) - 3:03
Every now and then an obscure nugget from rock’s rich history will pop up on reissue that will pique your interest and curiosity, regardless of whether you know much, or anything, about the artist. Such is the case with ‘Space Rangers’, a 1974 album from Canadian maverick Neil Merryweather, a cult classic given a long overdue reissue this week. So, strap yourself in and prepare to explore Neil Merryweather & the Space Rangers’ weird and wonderful world of glam space prog…
In fact, it’s correct to add a healthy dose of hard rock and a smattering of funk into the mix too on this space-themed concept album with a cover like a poster for a fifties sci-fi horror film. The smattering of funk is most prevalent on a radical re-working of Donovan’s ‘Sunshine Superman’, so radical it renders it almost unrecognisable aside from the lyrics. Similar radical treatment is also given to an excellent cover of the Byrds’ ‘Eight Miles High’, which turns the psychedelia up to 11 on this version. ‘Neon Man’, ‘Escape’ and ‘High Altitude Hide’n’Seek’ take a powerful, grooving and heavy hard rock approach, whilst the likes of ‘Hollywood Blvd’, ‘King of Mars’, ‘Road To Hades’, the soulful ‘Step In The right Direction’ and the closing epic ‘Sole Survivor’ head more in a mellotron-soaked progressive direction, but still with a powerful punch.
There’s some T-Rex, some Bowie and definitely some Todd Rundgren in here. At times I can also hear a blueprint for what Big Elf went on to do decades later. It all adds up to a quite wonderful album, and a true gem if you’re prepared to dig deep enough.
‘Space Rangers’ is available on a limited run of coloured and black vinyl (with a bonus 7” of previously unreleased tracks), digipak CD, cassette and download. It’s also issued alongside the follow up to this album, ‘Kryptonite’, which was released the following year in 1975, but sadly wasn’t available for review here. On the strength of this golden nugget, that’s an album I will most certainly be seeking out too. If this kind of thing is your bag, so should you.
by Jim Rowland, Apr 12, 2021
On March 29, 2021, Merryweather died in Las Vegas, Nevada, after a short illness
Tracks
1. Hollywood Blvd - 5:39
2. Step In The Right Direction - 3:43
3. Eight Miles High (Gene Clark, Jim McGuinn, David Crosby) - 3:40
4. King Of Mars - 3:35
5. Neon Man - 4:05
6. Sunshine Superman (Donovan Leitch) - 3:45
7. Road To Hades - 4:12
8. High Altitude Hide N' Seek - 3:24
9. Escape - 2:50
10.Sole Survivor - 8:14
All songs written by Neil Merryweather except where noted.
The album is presented this time in a rock atmosphere more melodious than the with 9 new titles, all of which The texts are in French. Not easy to Triangle and their record label to create a second opus when we sold the still wondering what title locomotive will be able to promote the new album? The bet was met! The first 45 rpm record "Viens avec nous", from the album, takes a path comparable to "Maybe Tomorrow".
Even if the sales score doesn't reach its predecessor, this single will allow the public to to continue to love and to make people discover the Quartet. Among the 9 new compositions, These include the superb song "Litanies", certainly the prettiest melody of the band's career and "J'ai vu" which masterfully opens this album and which became the second single to which we added on the B side the last track "La pâte grise".
Although excellent this album, will not have the popular reception of "Peut-être demain" or of "Come with us". This release offers 7 other bonus tracks that are "The Old Man's Tales" and "The brumes de Chatou" (1971), single that followed "Maybe tomorrow" and which precedes "Come with us". Let us nevertheless point out a very great success for "Les brumes de Chatou", one of the best titles in the repertoire of Triangle. Then "L'arbre de juin" and "A cor and screaming" were also marketed in 1972 behind the single "J'ai vu" while "Confusion", which is not among the 9 tracks of the album, is engraved on the B-side of "Viens with us". Finally, 2 titles from 1971, the Spanish versions of "Come with us" and "The confusion".
Power of Zeus was formed in 1968 by Detroit vocalist / guitarist Joe Periano shortly after his release from the Marine Corps. Joe was joined by bassist/vocalist Bill Jones, drummer Bob Michalski & Hammond organist Dennie Webber. Initially going by the name of Gangrene, the Cream/Zeppelin/Sabbath inspired heavy rock quartet became the unofficial house band at the Wooden Nickel club, where they were eventually spotted by a local manager.
Motown psyche-oriented subsidiary Rare Earth signed the band on the condition they find a new name. Having decided upon Power of Zeus they began work on what would become their sole release, 1970's The Gospel According to Zeus LP. The relationship between band and label was strained, with the former claiming that the latter had no experience of recording a heavy rock act, and that the Motown producers had failed to nail their crunchier live sound on tape.
Certainly the LP is pretty far removed from the distorto-trash rock of fellow Detroit rockers The MC5 and The Stooges, but what it lacks in grime it makes up for in Super Heavy Funkiness - hammond, bass & drums are to the fore, with production as fat & full as you would expect from the Motown studios. The LP was pretty much a flop at the time, but has since become a highly sought after item, attaining genuine legendary status amongst record collectors - especially those of a hip-hop / breaks orientation, for whom the incredible 'The Sorcerer of Isis (Ritual Of The Mole)' drum & bass break is like manna from Zeus himself. The definition of The Super Heavy Psychedelic Funk Rock Sound.
Tracks
1. It Couldn't Be Me (Jones, Weber) - 3:52
2. In the Night (Periano)- 3:53
3. Green Grass & Clover (Jones) - 3:08
4. I Lost My Love (Periano) - 2:08
5. The Death Trip (Periano) - 7:37
6. No Time (Robinson) - 3:26
7. Uncertain Destination (Jones, Periano) - 4:50
8. Realization (Jones) - 2:47
9. Hard Working Man (Michalski) - 2:12
10.The Sorcerer of Isis (The Ritual Of The Mole)(Jones, Michalski, Periano) - 5:43
Power Of Zeus
*Joe Periano - Vocals, Guitar
*Bill Jones - Bass, Vocals
*Bob Michalski - Drums, Backing Vocals
*Dennie Webber - Hammond Organ, Harpsichord, Piano
Motherheast Ohio USA, is a place where the waves of media influence from the east and the west coasts seem to come crashing in and collide, the result being a splashing forth of some unique talent individuals.
It was there, in 1969 midway between the towns of Warren and Cortland, that five determined young musicians, Ray Escott - Lead Vocals, LJ Fortier - Drums, John Harrow - Lead Guitar, Vocals, "Buster" McCarthy - Bass, Vocals, and Kurt Sunderman - Rhythm Guitar, Vocals, started getting together in the damp basement of LJ's parents home on Sunday mornings in aa effort to try to carry on with their dreams of being in a successful Rock band.
Having won the Starshine Productions' "Battle of the Bands" in 1970, the five-member Freeman Sound was established as the most popular of several bands (including Morly Grey), that had records released on the Starshine label. This special collection of original songs and sounds is an exciting bit of rock history that documents some of the charm, wit and depth of talent that made Freeman Sound the special local phenomenon they were.
This release includes 12 great, quality tracks with bio and photos. You'll get stoned on some mind-bending vocals backed by instrumentation that includes some very intense, heavy fuzz and wah pedal guitar sounds, solid drums and a screaming organ, with flashes of famous British groups. Prepare to get off on cuts like the 17 minute "Heavy Trip #70", the Hendrix-like "Tomorrow Is Plastic" and what we would venture to say is the heaviest version of Merle Travis' "16 Tons" ever recorded! This band broke up before they were able to make the most of their popularity.
L.J. Fortier's - page
Tracks
1. Tomorrow Is Plastic - 4:13
2. Heavy Trip #70 - 17:25
3. All I Need - 4:38
4. If I Could Only - 5:17
5. Wanting To Be Free (John Harrow) - 3:57
6. All Roads Lead Home - 5:37
7. 16 Tons (M. Travis) - 3:50
8. Singing My Own Song - 3:20
9. On The Way - 3:34
10.Get It While You Can - 2:24
11.I Just Can't Stop Lovin' You Babe - 3:52
12.Christmas Card - 2:24
All songs by L.J. Fortier except where indicated.
The band that called itself Savage Grace was biting off a lot, even by heightened late 60's standards. As their name suggests, they aimed to contain all the extremes of that heady era. Tempered by the famously discerning and demanding Michigan audiences of the time, the group's live performances made full use of the high energy principles that distinguished the Detroit scene.
But that was only a part of of Savage Grace’s sublime design. The core trio that began playing bars on the Motor City's east side as the Scarlet Letter couldn't have been less like your customary neighbourhood rock band. Guitarist/vocalist Ron Koss was a streetwise kid who’d cut his teeth playing with local r&b heavyweights the Midnighters, Marv Johnson and Wilson Pickett. Keyboard maestro John Seanor was the product of classical education, while drummer Larry Zack aspired to Jazz.
When they added precipices 18 year old bassist/vocalist Al Jacquez to complete the quartet rechristened Savage, his unschooled hard rock energy was the ideal complement to this perfectly imperfect union of styles. The collective sound forged by these four individuals was not simply a composite. It was a fluid changing thing, as each musician’s voice challenged for a place in the stylistic mix. The resulting tension was not always confined to the art, but it produced a music that, although meticulously composed, sounded like it was being redefined each time it was played.
Commercially speaking of course Savage Grace left themselves an awful lot of cracks to fall though, and fall they did after only two albums. Luckily we have the safety net of history, from which nothing of merit escapes. And now that dreams seem at a premium, it becomes increasingly important to remember a time when people didn't worry about living large, they dreamed large, and the rest followed.
by Ben Edmonds
Tracks
Disc 1
1. Come On Down (Ron Koss) - 4:22
2. Lady Rain (John Seanor) - 5:10
3. Dear Lenore (Ron Koss) - 5:27
4. All Along The Watchtower (Bob Dylan) - 5:46
5. Hymn To Freedom (Oscar Peterson, H. Hamilton) - 5:24
6. 1984 (Ron Koss, John Seanor) - 3:22
7. Night Of The Hunter (Ron Koss) - 4:34
8. Turn Your Head (Ron Koss) - 5:57
9. Ivy (Ron Koss) - 4:08
Disc 2
1. Mother's Son (JohnSeanor) - 3:48
2. Tinboy (John Seanor) - 3:39
3. Sandscript (Al Jacquez, Jeff Jones) - 3:19
4. Roll River Roll (Ron Koss, John Seanor) - 1:59
5. Yonder (Ron Koss) - 5:10
6. She's A Woman (Ron Koss) - 4:05
7. Macon, Georgia (John Seanor, Ron Koss) - 3:54
8. Blindman (John Seanor, Ron Koss) - 3:55
9. She Comes And Goes (Ron Koss, John Seanor) - 3:12
10. E'lana (John Seanor) - 1:46
11. Lady Of The Mountain (John Seanor) - 4:43
Savage Grace
*John Seanor - Piano, Harpsichord
*Larry Zack - Drums, Percussion
*Al Jacquez - Lead Vocals, Bass
*Ron Koss - Lead Vocals, Guitar
Top-notch psychedelic box set capturing the far out sound of 1967, focussing mainly on classic underground bands, such as The Pretty Things, Human Instinct, Tintern Abbey and Fleur De Lys, who blend with some who became household names later, such as David Bowie and Marc Bolan.
The psychedelic road has always taken many twists and turns, and this was just as true in 1967 as it is now. The art of a good psychedelic box set is balance and variety, and Cherry Red have definitely succeeded in both, as they did with their Love Poetry and Revolution box set, a couple of years ago. Every shade is included here.
Although Let’s Go Down deals mainly with the underground sounds of 1967, a few familiar-to-most names pop up, such as The Move (Vote For me), The Moody Blues (Life’s Not Life) and Dave Davies from The Kinks (Funny Face), all with lesser-known songs than the ones that made them superstars. And amongst the more underground acts, you can see how some of the featured selections echo their more famous counterparts. Take Turquoise, here under an alias, The Brood, with Village Green. It’s a different Village Green to the song by The Kinks, but it’s along the same lines. Bandwagon jumpers? Or did they record theirs first? Who cares: just enjoy the music!
And in a similar way, it’s interesting to see that during this time of high creativity and experimentation, certain records like say Rain by The Beatles or A Whiter Shade of Pale by Procul Harum set blueprints, forming their own sub-genres within the psychedelic spectrum. Check out The Mirage: Lazy Man and Rupert’s People: Reflections of Charlie Brown, respectively. And then there’s joyous freakbeat shenanigans from the likes of Human Instinct, with A Day In My Mind’s Mind – from a totally different end of the psych spectrum
Balancing the rocking stuff with the more laidback, it’s great to see Jason Crest here under their previous name The Good Thing Brigade, with the lazy organ-fuelled My House Is Burning. You think you know Arthur Brown, he of The Crazy World and the God of Hell Fire? Think again! On Give Him a Flower, the wonderfully camp and distinctly English song of his on this box set, he sounds more like Kevin Ayers. And while we’re on the bonkers British tip, check out Granny Takes a Trip by Purple Gang
Marc Bolan pops up from his pre-fame days as a member of the Mod-psych warriors, John’s Children, with Desdemona. And speaking of pre-fame, David Bowie is here too as The Riot Squad, with Toy Soldier, a slightly dodgy ode to S&M, with lyrics that echo the Velvets’ Venus in Furs.
Far too many gems here to mention: hearing is believing. And as always with Cherry Red, it comes with great artwork & photos, plus all the information you need about the records, captured in a 44 page booklet. Some of the tracks are alternate versions and some are on CD for the first time. And it’s good news for those who already have an interest in the British psych/freakbeat movement, via compilations such as the Rubble series, because there is plenty of material here that won’t overlap, and no really obvious choices.
by Arash Torabi
Artist - Tracks - Composer
Disc 1
1. The Alan Bown - Toyland (Jess Roden, Tony Catchpole) - 2:55
2. The Attack - Magic In The Air (John Du Cann) - 3:38
3. The Tickle - Subway (Smokey Pokey World) (David Stuart Williams, Mick Wayne) - 2:41
4. Episode Six - I Can See Through You (Roger Glover) - 3:24
5. Dantalian's Chariot - The Madman Running Through The Fields (Andy Summers, Zoot Money) - 4:11
6. Geranium Pond - Dogs In Baskets - 2:05
7. The Scots Of St. James - Eiderdown Clown (Alan Gorrie, Graham Maitland) - 2:15
8. George Alexander - Dear Delilah (George Alexander) - 2:53
9. The Sorrows - Pink Purple Yellow And Red (Guido Podesta, Gianfranco Reverberi) - 2:49
10.The Mirage - Lazy Man (David Hynes) - 3:00
11.The Crazy World Of Arthur Brown - Give Him A Flower (Arthur Brown, Vincent Crane) - 3:01
12.Tintern Abbey - Tanya (Dave McTavish) - 2:56
13.Fleur-De-Lys - Prodigal Son (Gordon Hionides, Bryn Haworth) - 1:59
14.The Lomax Alliance - See The People (John Cannon, Tom Peters) - 2:14
15.The Mickey Finn - Time To Start Loving You (Alan Mark, Bernard Jory, Mickey Waller) - 2:40
16.The Fingers - I Hear The Sun (John Bobin, Peter Eden, Richard Mills) - 2:01
17.Crocheted Doughnut Ring - Nice (Bert Pulham, Dave Skates, George Bird, John Chapel, Richard Mills, Gerald Chevin, Peter Eden) - 3:05
18.The Good Thing Brigade - My House Is Burning (Terry Clarke, Terry Dobson) - 3:22
Ultra is a home grown hard hitting classic rock band from San Antonio, Texas. Mixing southern blues, psychedelic rock and pro-metal.
Well-known, Ultra had its beginnings with “Homer”, who was made up of some of San Antonio’s finest musicians. They continue to amaze audiences and players alike after 30 plus years. They are part of the Texas musical elite that found success as musicians, recording engineers and writers. Being a success in the industry even for a short time is difficult. To pass into legend status, is rare. In the 70’s when rock n roll was still exploding, they, as many bands do, went through changes. When Ultra’s line up and signature style evolved to its final incarnation a rich music heritage was born.
Between 1975 through 1978 Ultra released one 5 track EP and recorded several demo tracks, which were never made public. Being an opening band can sometimes be a stepping-stone to stardom but this was not the case for these musicians. The band was never under contract and their roadies were receiving more pay than the band. To make matter worse. By 1978, the band had finally had enough and they decided to disband.
by Tess DeFlori
Tracks
1. Mutants - 3:29
2. Android - 3:10
3. Battery - 4:08
4. Ten Years Since - 4:18
5. Lamp Black, White Fight - 2:51
6. Windjammer - 3:40
7. Diggin' Deep - 4:31
8. Circe - 4:51
9. Seasons Pass - 4:16
10.City on Ice - 4:33
11.The Desert - 4:32
12.Souled There With Care - 3:51
13.Man on the Street - 4:06
14.Get Away - 4:02
15.Compass - 5:16
16.Hot n Cold - 3:40
All songs by Don Evans, Galen Niles, Larry McGuffin
