The Blues is an art form born of travail and hardship. The colorful and passionate folk of the Old South, bearing decades of mistreatment on their backs, found catharsis in a new art form - the Blues was born. As industry grew in the North, they moved to the cities. It was in the slums of these northern industrial centers that the Blues became set to the raucous, electrified tempo of modern urban life. Alexander's Timeless Bloozband has done more than merely copy older Blues styles. It has really investigated and branched out from the neuro-psychological, sociological, anthropological, bio- logical roots of Blues music. Alexander's has created a totally new music with all the emotional impact of the Blues and all the class of modern computerized American society. Here, truly, is a new art form - Alexander's timeless gift to the ages.
Liner-Notes
Tracks
1. Help Me - 5:46
2. Killing Floor (Howlin' Wolf) - 3:12
3. Guitar Song - 2:55
4. Favorite Things - 5:25
5. Sloppy Drunk (Lucille Bogan) - 4:24
6. #1 - 5:14
7. Swannoa Tunnel (Traditional) - 4:38
8. Sweet Little Angel (B.B. King) - 2:52
All songs by Tony Cary, Fritz Ashauer except where stated
Recorded Live At The Brother's Gallery in Goleta, August 1967
For a man who’s enjoyed a solid five-decade membership of the British rock establishment, Billy Nicholls must be one of its least-known figures. From being engaged as a staff songwriter to Andrew Loog Oldham’s upstart Immediate Records at the tender age of eighteen, to composer of I Can’t Stop Loving You (Though I Try), the royalties from the multiple cover versions of which should assure his pension, to MD of the Who’s and Pete Townshend’s concert activities for the last thirty-odd years, Nicholls has enjoyed a fruitful but surprisingly low-profile relationship with the industry, only recently achieving acclaim as the author of one of psychedelia’s great lost gems.
The history of Would You Believe is as engaging a tale as that of Nicholls himself. When Oldham fell out with the Stones in 1967 he redirected all his resources into making the youthful Nicholls a star of the psychedelic pop scene. The results were the single Would You Believe, which hit the racks in January 1968, and the like-titled album that followed in short order. The single has been described as the most over-produced record of the sixties, and with reason; a modest psych-pop love song, it’s swathed in overblown orchestration including baroque strings, harpsichord, banjo (!), tuba (!!), and demented answer-back vocals from Steve Marriott. A trifle late for the high tide of UK psych, it failed to trouble the charts. Unfazed, Oldham and Nicholls pressed on with the album, Nicholls providing a steady stream of similarly well-crafted ditties and a bevy of top-rated London sessionmen providing the backings, thankfully with somewhat more subtlety than on the prototype cut. The album was ready for pressing just as the revelation of Oldham’s reckless financial overstretch brought about Immediate’s overnight demise, and only about a hundred copies ever made it to wax, most of which somehow surfaced in Sweden. The album became one of the mythical lost albums of the sixties, and original copies now fetch over a grand in GBP.
The record itself was heralded then, and is still often described today, as the English answer to Pet Sounds, with Nicholls’s songwriting being compared to Brian Wilson’s. This is blatant hype, and the writing certainly doesn’t get close, but the album is still the epitome of sixties Britsike, a bunch of fine acid-pop songs rendered with glorious harmonies and superb lysergic arrangements that wouldn’t have disgraced George Martin. Put it this way, if you like Ogden’s Nut Gone Flake or A Teenage Opera or even The Who Sell Out you’ll enjoy this. The sound and the production are sometimes closer to the Stones’ We Love You / Satanic Majesties output, unsurprising since it was recorded in the same studio with many of the same sessioneers, including the incomparable Nicky Hopkins on assorted keys, though this is – the title track apart – a far more taut and less self-indulgent collection than the Glimmer Twins’ psychedelic endeavours. Sundry Small Faces hung around, with Marriott contributing huge fuzz-psych guitar to Girl From New York. Indeed there’s plenty of sonic variety, from the tight structure and Townshend-style telegraph guitar of London Social Degree (go figure the acronym there, folks), through the lush Byrdsy 1string-driven (Cut And) Come Again which garnered a cover from Del Shannon, to the full-on acid rock treatments of Being Happy and It Brings me Down with its trippy false ending.
After the failure of Would You Believe Nicholls took a back seat from stardom and began a belated apprenticeship in the music industry, initially working on low-profile projects with Ronnie Lane and old acquaintance Townshend whilst gaining an understanding of all its facets that would stand him in good stead for the next forty years. He released nothing new under his own name until 1974’s Love Songs, a solid soft-rock venture that deserves a review of its own here, and may well get one. Meanwhile Would You Believe is readily available as a CD reissue, or you can get seven of its eleven songs “ plus three outtakes from the album’s sessions, which are every bit as good as those eventually used “ on Nicholls’s fine career retrospective Forever’s No Time At All.
by Len Liechti
Tracks
Disc 1
1. Would You Believe (Jeremy Paul) - 2:44
2. Come Again - 2:36
3. Life Is Short - 3:10
4. Feeling Easy - 3:15
5. Daytime Girl - 2:45
6. Daytime Girl (Coda) - 1:39
7. London Social Degree - 2:22
8. Portobello Road - 2:08
9. Question Mark - 2:29
10.Being Happy - 2:21
11.Girl From New York - 3:22
12.It Brings Me Down - 4:40
13.Would You Believe (Jeremy Paul) - 2:45
14.Daytime Girl - 2:44
15.I Want To Be Friendly With You - 1:57
16.Always On My Mind - 2:23
17.Would You Believe (Jeremy Paul) - 2:45
All compositions by Billy Nicholls except where noted
Tracks 1-17 "Would You Believe" (The Original 1968 Album)
Disc 2
1. Would You Believe (Jeremy Paul) - 2:29
2. Happiness Song - 1:51
3. Cut And Come Again - 2:21
4. Casey Jones - 0:26
5. Always On My Mind - 2:31
6. I'm To Blame (Caleb Quaye) - 3:13
7. Feeling Easy - 2:37
8. Back About Four - 2:03
9. Umbrella Song - 1:39
10.It Brings Me Down - 2:25
11.Life Is Short - 3:00
12.Haven't Any Money - 1:36
13.Good Day Goodnight - 2:14
14.The Fortune Teller - 2:19
15.London Social Degree - 2:03
16.I Want To Be Friendly With You - 1:38
17.Being Happy - 2:05
18.Love Is All Around - 2:31
19.Walking Through The Park - 2:48
20.Portobello Road - 2:13
21.The Rest Of My Life - 1:31
22.It Brings Me Down - 5:06
All compositions by Billy Nicholls except where noted
Janus (the name of the guardian god of duality, the beginnings, the gates, with two different faces in Greek-Roman mythology, the month of January is named for Janus), is the third -and some say best- album by this great Norwegian band is a rarity and much sought-after among collectors of 70s progressive rock, both for its excellent musical content as well as its cover art. The first three tracks flow together as a kind of musical suite that is over 12 minutes long, and in which the musicians mix hard-rock with inspired progressive inflections. The captivating, guitar-heavy and bluesy style of Bjorn Christiansen plays a leading role, weaving aural tapestries with the moog and organ playing.
Michael Wendroff began his musical career performing on the streets, alleys, and subway stations of New York. He also endured the long, cold nights in New York by working in an a cappella group that created amazing music using only the sound of his voice and two fingers hitting together.Τhe group he was a member of, "The Holidays", caught the eye of a record company and signed a recording contract. This happened when Michael was 16 years old.
Around that time, Michael began learning the guitar and became involved in the explosively growing folk scene centered in Greenwich Village, where he met Bob Dylan, Tom Paxton, Eric Anderson, and Phil Ochs. In addition to listening to Ochs' music, he also performs his own songs. While attending Queen's College, Michael formed a rock group called "Sly Boots" with his friend David Greenberg and performed mainly his own songs. Οne day, Michael visited the Record Plant studio in New York to record (Notes On A Journey), which was scheduled to be released by Records, and while looking around the building, he discovered Jimi Hendrix recording a guitar solo. Jimmy asks Michael, who unexpectedly attends the session recording, which is the best, after playing three different solos, and they both agree that the second one was the best. Michael was mesmerized. Jimmy's solo, -which he enjoyed-, is included in "All Along the Watchtower."
After graduating from college with a bachelor's degree in sociology, another fateful encounter approaches Michael. He produces Van Morrison's legendary album (Astral Weeks), Lewis Merenstein showed interest in his music and introduced Michael to Buddha Records president Neil Bogart. Neil immediately signed Michael to a long-term contract and released three albums, "Michael Wendroff" 1973, "Southpaw" 1974, and "Recorded Live" 1976, all produced by Merenstein. In addition, French/Moroccan hard rock band Les Variations Co-produced Sion's album (Caf é de Paris) with Merenstein, was in charge of lyrics for Ray Charles' "Just Because " , and was the backing vocalist for Lou Reed's "Sally Can't Dance" We are expanding our activities in many ways, including participating in and co-mixing “Coney Island Baby.”
After leaving Buddah Records, Michael worked with various musicians in Woodstock, New York, while composing many songs on the piano . It is contained in the beautiful 1978 album "Kiss The World Goodbye" (Ariola America Records), created in a small villa in Woodstock and Michael's apartment in Brooklyn Heights.
Arc formed when guitarist John Turnbull and keyboardist Micky Gallagher, both recently of Skip Bifferty, teamed with bassist/singer Tom Duffy and drummer David Montgomery.
Turnbull and Gallagher first partnered up in 1966 when their respective bands, The Primitive Sect and The Chosen Few, merged into a new band, Skip Bifferty. That band endured itself to the psychedelic underground with three singles and a 1968 self-titled album on RCA Victor. Breaking from their management, they masqueraded as Heavy Jelly for the epic 1969 Island single “I Keep Singing That Same Old Song.” Later that year, the Bifferty camp split in two when bassist Colin Gibson and singer Graham Bell formed the short-lived Griffin.
In 1970, Turnbull and Gallagher recorded an album of covers by American singer/songwriter Tim Harding. (Though initially shelved, a 1972 single on Peacock Records acquitted two cuts, “Smugglin Man” and “Misty Roses,” under the name Turnbull and Arkwright.)
The album features nine originals, eight co-written by Turnbull and Gallagher, including “Hello, Hello, Monday,” “Great Lager Street,” “Let Your Love Run Through,” “You’re In the Garden,” “Sophie’s Cat,” and “Four Times Eight.” Duffy contributed the second track on side one, “It’s Gonna Rain.”
… at This is a self-produced effort. Gallagher plays guitar on select passages, in addition to piano and organ. The three writers share vocal duties. The cover sports a black-framed group photo, taken in a football field by Decca photographer David Wedgbury.
Later in 1971, Montgomery cleared out for drummer Rob Tait, formerly of the Battered Ornaments and Pete Brown and Piblokto! He also played on recent albums by Kevin Ayers and Paul Korda.
Bob Hardy and Cristopher Quinn met at River Junior College in Sacramento in the late sixties and formed Good Medicine in 1969, with which they played in their area and on the radio. Years later they joined Tim Timmermanns in 1973 (drums, flute, guitar...) and created Songs. Bob played guitar, bass, synthesizer, and sang, and Christopher Quinn was lead vocals. This trio recorded these songs between 1973 and 1975, which are collected for the first time on an album, released by Guerssen with the generic title of "Vertigo".
Already in the eighties, Chris and Bob were part of bands called The Impulse or The Power. Tim continued to collaborate with Craig Chaquico’s band and John Cipollina in the late seventies. Hardy is currently recording songs under the name Forth Dimension Meditations Sounds that you can hear on his bandcamp while he claims to recover his beginnings. The Songs album is remastered from the original tapes, with photo inserts and liner notes.
Album begins with “Vertigo” between sound effects that lead us to a display of acoustics, powerful drums and enveloping vocals halfway between folk and acid rock with an abrasive guitar solo. Next, we hear “No Time Out For Blues” with Arthur Juncker on piano. Song with a notable presence of guitar plus voice dialogue with lysergic phrasing with the support of drums and bass. “Songs (for Chris)” follows with a moving piano entry plus synthesizer covering a passionate lead voice that is supported by the flute and the plucking of the acoustic. A more progressive part with flute solo is included. The side ends with “We Are” based on an atmospheric synthesizer and ethereal vocal games that fill the space with sound beauty with a rough guitar ending.
“Too Much, Too Fast” with Bob Bryzandine on bass. A tough psychedelic song with powerful guitars, an intense solo, great voices, sound effects and sharp drums. It continues with the melodious “Song For Me” with acoustic guitar, voice and flute accompaniment. The drums incorporate a jazzy air that is perfectly complemented by the folk, vocal and instrumental arrangements. There is also no shortage of acid guitar phrasings that perfect, even more so, such a suggestive song. The album closes with “On This Day”, a sensitive framework of synthesizer, guitar plucks, effects and ethereal voices that are combined with great skill and abundance of emotion. A song that advances inexorably with the refined presence of the flute, the flowing lines of the synthesizers, the weightless vocal experiments, and the ingenious rhythm of the percussion.
Guerssen
Tracks
1. Vertigo (Craig Chaquico, Tim Timmermans) - 3:41
2. No Time Out For Blues (Arthur Juncker) - 2:03
3. Songs (For Chris) - 4:14
4. We Are - 5:04
5. Too Much, Too Fast (Chris Quinn, Bob Hardy) - 5:07
6. Song For Me - 4:39
7. On This Day - 7:29
Songs written by Tim Timmermans except where stated
Black Widow may have enjoyed a reasonably long and defiantly varied career. But to anyone who cares, they will be remembered for just one song, "Come to the Sabbat" -- not a hit single, but a standout on a cheapo label compilation in the early '70s, and destined to live on for decades after the band. Naturally, the accompanying Sacrifice album has bounced along in its wake, first as an increasingly expensive vinyl collectors' item, more recently as a regular on the CD reissue circuit, and here it comes again, this time bearing more primal Black Widow than you could ever have dreamed of hearing.
Ultimate Sacrifice: One opens, naturally, with the original seven-song album. More fascinating, however, is the chance to hear five of the seven ("Way to Power" and "Attack of the Demon" are absent) in their original demo form, where they are revealed, if anything, to be even more dramatic than on the final vinyl. "In Ancient Days" in particular profits from the looseness of the performance, while "Come to the Sabbat" packs a feel of abandonment that makes the familiar version seem quite sedate. Of course, the bonus tracks are really only of interest if you truly worship the original record, and, once past "Come to the Sabbat," there probably aren't many people who feel that strongly. But the liners tell the band's tale well, the remastering is impressive, and if you're not doing anything next weekend, you might well want to drop by Black Widow's house. They've got somebody visiting, you know. In 2004, Castle reissued Sacrifice on CD with five bonus tracks, retitling it Ultimate Sacrifice: One.
by Dave Thompson
Tracks
1. In Ancient Days - 7:36
2. Way To Power - 4:05
3. Come To The Sabbat - 4:51
4. Conjuration - 5:41
5. Seduction - 4:31
6. Attack Of The Demon - 3:48
7. Sacrifice - 11:09 -
8. In Ancient Days - 9:27
9. Come To The Sabbat - 4:07
10.Conjuration - 5:49
11.Seduction - 4:38
12.Sacrifice - 10:52
All songs by Jim Gannon except traks 3,9 co-written with Clive Jones
Back in the '60s, when every town in America seemed to have its own burgeoning music scene, Austin was strangely quiet. Long before the city became filled with clubs and began its hosting of the SXSW music festival, there wasn't much happening on the cool Texas plateau. Not much at all -- save for one group that all but dominated the scene from the late '60s to the early '70s.
That group was the eclectic, country-fried psychedelic outfit known as Shiva's Headband. Leader, violinist, guitarist, and vocalist Spencer Perskin was (and still is) the quintessential Austin hippie, who not only lobbied for city-based cultural support for local artists (and succeeded, by founding the Armadillo World Headquarters) but also put Austin on the world-wide music map with the release of Shiva's first major-label effort, Take Me to the Mountains on Capitol (the first ever major-label release by an Austin band).
The album is formidable, and its influence on the "galactic cowboy" genre was as great as, say, Love's Forever Changes was to the West Coast rock scene. It laid the groundwork for psychedelic twang and brought the world's attention to the creatively diverse (yet firmly rooted) music that was beginning to blossom back in those Texas heyday. Unlike their peers the 13th Floor Elevators, Shiva's Headband never took off into the stratosphere completely, though. Their rock was honest country-rock all the way, but not to the point that it was ever just a pedestrian rehash. Songs like "My Baby" and "Kaleidescoptic" may feature sawing violin and Texas drawl, but there's no denying that their main trajectory is rock.
by J. Scott McClintock
Tracks
1. My Baby - 3:30
2. Take Me To The Mountains - 3:33
3. Homesick Armadillo Blues (Susan Perskin) - 2:37
4. Ripple (Shawn Siegel) - 3:55
5. Song For Peace - 4:31
6. Ebeneezer - 2:54
7. North Austin Strut - 3:01
8. Come With Me - 5:04
9. Good Time (Kenny Parker) - 2:59
10.Kaleidoscoptic - 3:30
11.Lose The Blues - 2:47
12.Lose The Blues - 4:55
13.Hi Love - 17:12
All songs by Spencer Perskin except where indicated
Chicago based Zazu released this only album which quickly fell out of site due to their label’s lack of promotion. Music is Symphonic prog rock, nice guitars and lot of keyboards, good vocals and all -except one- are original compositions. The record label disinterested in anything the band did and a second album never released as well as Zazu’s guitarist ending up in a 'Hospital' years later.
Tracks
1. Country Eyes (Randy Curlee, Paul Ripurero) - 3:41
2. Upon The Island Unisphere (John Melnick, Randy Curlee) - 6:41
3. Just Friends (John Melnick, Bill Traut) - 3:48
4. Midnight Train (Rick Marotta, Stu Woods, Tom Cosgrove) - 3:59
5. Ittsanottasonatta, But It's Close (John Melnick, Paul Ripurero, Mickey Lehockey, Randy Curlee) - 10:23
Latin rock jazz progressive fuzz acid folk oughta describe this. God knows who was running the Myrrh-Label in 1972 but they score an authentic winner with this horn-based band. Vocals remind greatly of David Clayton Thomas and arrangements of Blood Sweat & Tears - a huge band at the time of this album. Gary Rand-composer of the ambitious side-long 'Suite In Three Parts' - will surface with an album of worship choruses in the 80's. Touches of scatting Swingle Singers, Elton John, Santana, and Broadway are in here. Much better than most major label stuff and not too hard to find. Awful cover. Crimson Bridge also had a 45 out; Livin' In The Love O' The Lord/Now Is The Time.
Liner-notes
Tracks
1. Better Times (Russ Gregory) - 3:15
2. Easy Ways (Russ Gregory) - 2:34
3. Comin' (Terry Winch) - 4:07
4. He's Alive (Terry Winch) - 4:10
5. Birthright (Russ Gregory) - 3:45
6. First Suite: First Movement (Searching in Reality) (Gary Rand) - 6:16
7. First Suite: Second Movement (Experience) (Gary Rand) - 5:26
8. First Suite: Third Movement (The Beginning of Joy) (Gary Rand) - 8:26
