Ian Campbell Thomas, singer, songwriter, guitarist, producer, actor (born 23 July 1950 in Hamilton, ON). A Juno Award-winning singer-songwriter, Ian Thomas is best known for the hit single "Painted Ladies" (1973), and for his role as Dougie Franklin in the first six seasons of Steve Smith's cult TV program The Red Green Show (1991–2006).
Thomas began his career as a member 1969–71 of the rock band Tranquility Base (the pop group-in-residence 1970–71 with the Hamilton Philharmonic). As a CBC producer 1972–74 in Toronto, Thomas was responsible for the radio program National Rock Works and for CBC LM-series recordings by more than 20 performers, including Bearfoot, Bim (Roy Forbes) and Cal Dodd. He produced commercially released recordings by James Leroy, D'Arcy Wickham and others. Throughout his career he has also written, produced and performed many jingles.
His debut album, Ian Thomas (1973, GRT 9230-1037), included the song "Painted Ladies," which was popular in Canada and the Unites States.
by Andrew Mcintosh, March 22, 2009
Tracks
1. Painted Ladies - 3:32
2. Another - 3:12
3. One Of Those Days - 3:08
4. Will You Still Love Me - 3:58
5. Coming For My Life - 3:55
6. Come The Son - 3:44
7. When You Have Love - 3:49
8. Evil In Your Eyes - 3:37
9. Insecurity - 3:58
10.White Clouds - 4:55
Lyrics and Music by Ian Thomas
Personnel
*Ian Thomas - Bass, Acoustic, Electric Guitars, Keyboards, Vocals
Joyfull Noise were an early hippie rock crew with a melodious double guitars & keyboard line up, not unlike others from the "Bosstown Sound" sector which was a spin off of the West Coast rock scene of the era...
Their self-titled 1968 album was recorded in RCA's New York Studio. Featuring all original material (largely penned by the group), a couple of tracks like 'People Get Together', 'Animals, Flowers and Children' and 'Mirrors' had a light Beatlesque psych flavor, but for the most part the album was better described as being rock oriented. While their psych moves are successful (check out "Onyx Green Glass"), those numbers are stronger than their pop/rock moves. Highlights include the tougher sound like 'Yes She Did' and the catchy 'What Me Worry?' showing that the band certainly had the talent to do well ..
Tracks
1. People Get Together (John C. Rowe) - 2:03
2. Make A Joyfull Noise Tonight - 2:53
3. Onyx Green Glass - 2:32
4. Puppets And Pearls - 2:45
5. Adam And Eve - 2:05
6, Yes She Did (John C. Rowe) - 2:00
7. Animals, Flowers And Children - 2:40
8. Mirrors - 3:20
9. Wrapped In The Hide Of A Yellow Cow - 4:13
10.What, Me Worry? (David W. Hanni) - 2:48
11.Bundle Of Joy (John C. Rowe) - 2:58
All songs by John C. Rowe, David W. Hanni except where indicated
Despite the familiar cover artwork, this is allahtogether a different animal than the Dead’s last album, featuring a mix of country, soft rock and a few tunes with Bob Weir on vocals that, yes, inevitably draw comparisons to the Dead and New Riders. In fact, the opening “Lazy Lightnin’/Supplication” actually made its way into the Dead’s live set for a short time. For my money, Weir’s contributions to Kingfish form the highlights of their first album. “Lazy Lightnin’” and “Home To Dixie” blow by like a cool breeze, and his reading of Marty Robbins’ “Big Iron” is country at its best. Even the closing “Bye And Bye,” which gets a reggae reading reminiscent of Jerry Garcia, is likely to please Deadheads.
The rest of the record, sung and written mostly by Matthew Kelly, Dave Torbert and Tim Hovey (plus a couple of John Carter/Tim Gilbert songs held over from their old Horses days), is occasionally interesting but generally uneven. “Wild Northland” and “Good-Bye Yer Honor” feel like holdovers from the old NRPS days, while songs like “This Time,” “Hypnotize” and “Jump For Joy” are unremarkable in an era that produced Poco, Firefall and, of course, Eagles.
Although it’s tempting to see Kingfish as New Riders Mk. II, the Riders had a raison d’être outside of Jerry Garcia and the Dead. Kingfish lacks the strong presence of a John Dawson or the sterling performance of a Buddy Cage (lead guitarist Robby Hoddinott seems like a fish out of water most of the time). Although it’s not on a par with the first NRPS album, Deadheads fishing for something Weir’d should be happy enough with the net results, especially given their dearth of options after Ace, but the first NRPS album is the better of the ancillary Dead adventures.
by Dave Connolly, August 2, 2013
Tracks
1. Lazy Lightnin' (John Perry Barlow, Bob Weir) - 3:02
2. Supplication (John Perry Barlow, Bob Weir) - 2:56
3. Wild Northland (Tom Hovey, Dave Torbert) - 2:24
4. Asia Minor (John Carter, Tim Gilbert, Tom Hovey, Scott Quigley) - 3:32
5. Home To Dixie (John Perry Barlow, John Cutler, Matt Kelly, Weir) - 3:52
6. Jump For Joy (John Carter, Tim Gilbert) - 3:49
7. Good-Bye Yer Honor (Tom Hovey, Matt Kelly, Dave Torbert) - 2:56
8. Big Iron (Marty Robbins) - 4:30
9. This Time (Matt Kelly, Dave Torbert) - 4:23
10.Hypnotize (Matt Kelly, Dave Torbert) - 4:35
11.Bye And Bye (Trad., Arr. John Perry Barlow, Bob Weir) - 4:03
Kingfish
*Bob Weir - Guitar, Vocals, Lead Vocals (Tracks 1,2,5,8,11)
Jefferson Airplane’s concerts were wildly erratic affairs that typically ranged from the cluttered and chaotic to the poignant and powerful — often within the span of just a few minutes. Such was the nature of the group’s democratic approach to music and the tenuous order that often resulted from six strong-willed and opinionated artists, all of whom were trying to outdo one another while traveling down the road to collective enlightenment. In essence, its concerts were a form of performance art, and therefore, plucking tunes out of context in an effort to craft a live album ordinarily was an utter waste of time simply because the magical thread that bound an entire show together would be lost in the process.
This theory held true, at least in part, on Jefferson Airplane’s first concert recording Bless Its Pointed Little Head, but from within the jumbled mayhem crept something greater. Recorded over the course of six nights, split evenly among appearances at the Fillmore East and the Fillmore West in the Fall of 1968, the collection sparkles in its recently remastered state, adding further emphasis to the manner in which the original vinyl rendition ever so carefully highlighted Jefferson Airplane in all its resplendent glory. It’s No Secret and 3/5’s of a Mile in 10 Seconds were unleashed at an intensely supersonic speed, and even the hit single Somebody to Love became a ragged and raw blast of punchy funk-rock. Elsewhere, Rock Me Baby was a scorching slice of blues heaven; Fat Angel — the tune by the Scottish-born bard Donovan that paid tribute to the Bay Area ensemble — unraveled at a more relaxed pace, twisting and turning around Jorma Kaukonen’s mind-bending lead guitar; and Bear Melt was a strangely alluring concoction of churning improvisational fury.
The trio of tracks that serve as bonus material on the restored rendition of Bless Its Pointed Little Head were all intended for release on the original album, but due to the time limitations of vinyl, the songs were left on the cutting room floor. Each — from the soft and sweet progressive folk of Today to the hard-charging Watch Her Ride to the hippie anthem Won’t You Try/Saturday Afternoon — is stellar and augments an already well-rounded collection that concisely capture the precipitous high-wire act that took place at each and every concert that Jefferson Airplane performed.
by John Metzger, October 2004
Tracks
1. Clergy - 1:32
2. 3/5's Of A Mile In 10 Seconds (Marty Balin) - 4:37
3. Somebody To Love (Darby Slick) - 3:46
4. Fat Angel (Donovan Leitch) - 7:29
5. Rock Me Baby (Traditional) - 7:40
6. The Other Side Of This Life (Fred Neil) - 6:35
7. It's No Secret (Marty Balin) - 3:22
8. Plastic Fantastic Lover (Marty Balin) - 3:40
9. Turn Out The Lights (Grace Slick, Jack Casady, Jorma Kaukonen, Paul Kantner, Spencer Dryden) - 0:58
10.Bear Melt (Grace Slick, Jack Casady, Jorma Kaukonen, Paul Kantner, Spencer Dryden) - 11:06
Tracks 1, 4, 9 and 10 Recorded November 28-30, 1968 at Fillmore East, New York.
Tracks 2, 3 and 5 to 8 Recorded October 24-26, 1968 at Fillmore West, San Francisco.
Bonus Tracks 11-13 on 2004 edition
11.Today (Marty Balin, Paul Kantner) - 3:45
12.Watch Her Ride (Paul Kantner) - 3:19
13.Won't You Try (Paul Kantner) - 5:29
Tracks 11-13 Recorded November 5, 1968 at Fillmore West, San Francisco
Jefferson Airplane
*Marty Balin - Vocals, Bass (Track 4)
*Jack Casady - Bass, Rhythm Guitar (Track 4)
*Spencer Dryden - Drums
*Paul Kantner - Vocals, Rhythm Guitar, Second Lead Guitar (Track 4)
This double CD from Rhino offers a re-mastered version of Zevon’s classic 1976 album together with a bonus CD of demos and alternate versions. The latter stand up surprisingly well in their own right but we’ll come to those later.
To all intents and purposes “Warren Zevon” was the singer/songwriter/pianist’s debut album. A little known 1969 recording “Wanted; Dead Or Alive” had long since been deleted and when “Warren Zevon” finally emerged the critics fell over themselves praising the “new discovery”. And rightly so. Zevon mixed memorable melodies with barbed, often autobiographical lyrics that displayed intelligence, a sharp observational eye and a black sense of humour. Zevon was significantly different to the regular cast of California singer/songwriters that he was often associated with, due in part to his recording for the Asylum label, home of The Eagles, Jackson Browne, Linda Ronstadt etc.
Zevon’s life story is well told by Bob Mehr in the CD booklet. Born in Chicago in 1947 he had a troubled childhood before moving to California and scrabbling around the music scene in Los Angeles. After “Dead Or Alive” sunk without trace Zevon worked as pianist and musical director for the Everly Brothers and also struck up a friendship with fellow songwriter Jackson Browne. It was Browne who helped Zevon to secure a contract with David Geffen’s Asylum label, ironically at a time when Zevon was thinking of quitting the business. Browne was to go on to produce the “Warren Zevon” album.
A self destructive character Zevon had difficulty coping with success. He had several spells in rehab for alcohol and drug abuse and died of cancer in 2003. Despite his problems he produced a series of fine albums such as “Excitable Boy” (1978) which contained probably his most famous song “Werewolves Of London”. This was followed by “Bad Luck Streak In Dancing School” and the live album “Stand In the Fire” (both 1980), “The Envoy” (1982), “Sentimental Hygiene” (1987) and “Transverse City” (1989). The nineties were less productive with “Mr Bad Example” (1991) followed by the live acoustic “Learning To Flinch” (1993), an interesting retrospective of his career to date, and “Mutineer” (1995). There was then a flurry of new releases before Zevon’s untimely demise beginning with the prophetically titled “Life’ll Kill Ya” (2000), My Ride’s Here” (2002) and “The Wind” (2003). Ironically after year of commercial decline his final album was to be his biggest seller since “Excitable Boy”. There are also several “best ofs” available including “A Quiet Normal Life” (1986) and the doubles “I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead” and “The Genius Of”.
Zevon left Asylum after “The Envoy” and subsequently recorded for Virgin among others. Although mainstream success largely eluded him the quality of his output was generally very high and he maintained a dedicated cult following.
“Warren Zevon” and “Excitable Boy” are generally held to be his high water marks although I must admit I’d not listened to him in years until this review copy of “Warren Zevon” dropped through my letter box. I have to say that I’ve thoroughly enjoyed rediscovering this music and had forgotten just how good this album is.
“Warren Zevon” begins with Zevon’s paean to “Frank And Jesse James” casting the brothers as heroic Robin Hood figures in a mythic wild west. The song borrows from Aaron Copland’s “Rodeo” for some of it’s structures but is none the worse for that. With sharply observational/narrative lyrics and a stirring chorus it’s something of an epic and a memorable way to kick start an album. Apparently Zevon used to perform this with the Everlys long before it was committed to vinyl. In it’s way it’s a homage to Phil and Don too.
The autobiographical “Mama Couldn’t Be Persuaded” is darker in tone but no less memorable. There’s a strong tune and chorus to offset the bitterness of the lyrics. It’s not easy to make a song that is both catchy and cathartic but Zevon does it brilliantly here.
“Backs Turned Looking Down The Path” combines further autobiographical detail with a country tinged arrangement. Somewhat overlooked, Zevon considered this to be one of his finest songs.
“Hasten Down The Wind” heads further into country territory with keening pedal steel guitar and bleak lyrics. Linda Ronstadt enjoyed a hit with her version of the song but Zevon’s version brings out the essential hopelessness of the protagonist in the lyrics.
Ronstadt also covered “Poor, Poor Pitiful Me” delivered here as a pounding rock ‘n’ roll stomp with some salacious lyrical content. This was an example of Zevon’s black humour at it’s best. Great, if slightly warped fun.
“The French Inhaler” is a bitter put down of a former lover with Zevon delivering the scabrous lyrics with relish. Bob Dylan was another big influence on Zevon and this is reminiscent of Dylan at his most vindictive, a cousin to “Idiot Wind”.
The enigmatic “Mohammed’s Radio” also owes something to Dylan in it’s surrealistic imagery. With it’s naggingly catchy chorus this proved to be one of Zevon’s most popular compositions. It’s strange looking back on this song post 9/11when the title and lyrics could be interpreted with a very different slant.
“I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead” is a pounding bar room fuelled roar of defiance complete with barbed lyrics and a Spanish sub text courtesy of Jorge Calderon. Slightly throwaway by Zevon’s standards but great fun nevertheless.
By way of contrast “Carmelita” is a tender and convincing ballad telling the tale of a junkie “all strung out on heroin on the outskirts of town”. The detail in the writing is quintessential Zevon right down to the narrator meeting his supplier by the “Pioneer Chicken stand”.Zevon manages to capture the hopelessness of the situation without ever descending into bathos. The use of Spanish guitar gives the song a distinctive flavour that helps to implant it in the listener’s consciousness. This is a great song even if it’s structure sometimes seems to borrow from Dylan’s “Desolation Row”.
“Join Me In L.A.” combines a skeletal funk beat with honeyed vocal harmonies courtesy of Bonnie Raitt and Rosemary Butler. Prominent guest artists appear throughout the album, among them Phil Everly and J.D. Souther plus Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham from Fleetwood Mac. Good as Mehr’s liner notes are it would have been good to have a full track by track listing detailing who did what plus a transcription of the lyrics. There may be legal reasons for this omission but I can’t help feeling that Rhino missed a trick here. There is some excellent guitar work on this record, presumably from Zevon’s ex Everlys colleague Robert “Waddy” Wachtel but it would have been nice for this to have been properly accredited.
The album closes with the epic “Desperadoes Under The Eaves” buoyed by a vocal arrangement by the Beach Boys’ Brian Wilson. There is a true sense of ennui and existentialist despair as California sits waiting for the big one. Lines like “Don’t the sun look angry through the trees” evoke the coming apocalypse and the hum of the air-conditioning is transformed into some kind of valedictory hymn.
There isn’t really a weak song on “Warren Zevon” and this sophisticated album wears it’s age well. Lyrically it still stands up, Zevon was a highly talented wordsmith inspired by his literary heroes from Raymond Chandler and Mickey Spillane to Graham Greene, Ernest Hemingway and Norman Mailer, the latter name checked on “The French Inhaler”.
Bonus discs are often superfluous, with sub standard material exhumed from the vaults to fleece over enthusiastic fans. Often it’s quite apparent why the stuff wasn’t released first time around-it wasn’t fit to hear in the first place.
The second CD in this package is something of an exception. There is no “new” unreleased material but there are credible alternative versions of songs from the original album.
Several of these are for piano and voice only and it is a testimony to the strength of Zevon’s writing that songs like “Frank And Jesse James”, “The French Inhaler” and “Mohamed’s Radio” still stand up in this format. It also brings into focus Zevon’s ability as a pianist (as something of a child prodigy he was introduced to Igor Stravinsky) and although not a classically “great” singer his voice sounds pretty good in this exposed situation. As a vocalist he was capable of dispensing withering scorn on some songs and a strong degree of empathy and compassion on others.
There are interesting band versions and alternative takes of “Hasten Down The Wind”, “Carmelita”, “Join Me In L.A.” “Poor, Poor Pitiful Me” “Frank And Jesse James”, “Mohammed’s Radio”, “The French Inhaler”, “Desperadoes Under The Eaves”, “Mama Couldn’t Be Persuaded” and “I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead”. Pretty much the whole album in other words.
These versions stand up well enough but are probably of interest to hard core fans only as they add little to the finished album versions. The solo piano pieces are the most interesting items on the second disc as they show the songs in such a radically different light.
If you missed out on “Warren Zevon” first time round, worn out your vinyl copy or just drifted away this welcome re-issue is well worth searching out.
Fusion/prog rock band Zzebra recorded two studio albums in the mid 70s (and a 3rd in 1975 that remained unreleased for 35 years), and some wonderful music that should have been much more in the public eye. And a band I was introduced to by bassist and good friend John McCoy, who played with the band before joining Gillan in 1978.
The two studio albums, Zzebra (1974) and Panic (1975) were well received, and the band toured across the UK and Europe, and recorded a BBC live session too. This set, recorded in Germany, features tracks from both albums.
The band consisted of vocalist Alan Marshall, saxophonist/vocalist Lasisi Amao, saxophonist/flutist David Quincy, keyboard player Tommy Eyre (later of Alex Harvey, Ian Gillan), guitarist Steve Byrd, drummer Liam Genocky and bassist John McCoy. Byrd and McCoy would later play together in Neo, before (with Genocky) joining Gillan.
The set here opens with ‘Panic’, a mix of blues/prog with jazz overtones and vocal harmonies, the rhythm section providing a fine groove while the guitar and saxophones trade solos; a wonderful mix of jazz and hard rock.
A warm reception from the crowd before the band launch into ‘Mr J’, more funky in both rhythm and vocal structure. The mix on the set is excellent, you can pick out the drum, guitar and bass lines well, although the guitar is a little low at times. Then ‘No Point’ which has a slow build, a heavy rhythm, the lead saxophone playing what would be a guitar line in a more mainstream rock band. A distinct funky feel.
There’s a wonderful instrumental version of ‘You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling’, adding a balladic rhythm’n’blues feel to the jazz rock. A gentler song but a chance for the guitar to shine through. It really showcases what a wonderful guitarist Steve Byrd was. A few paces faster is The Poverty Song, a more 70s rock/pop feel.
The 16 minute closing track Hungry Horse is a must-listen. At times it sounds like a jam, there’s some blistering shred, some more whimsical keyboards, and the extended percussion solo reminiscent of (Eric Burdon’s backing band) War. Sleevenotes from John McCoy add to the history and quality of the release.
A wonderful album, shows the musicians’ quality and versatility, and alongside the material previously reissued by Angel Air, there’s a fantastic if small catalogue well worth checking out.
by Joe Geesin
Tracks
1. Panic (John McCoy) - 5:42
2. Mr. J (Loughty Amao) - 4:47
3. No Point (John McCoy) - 5:41
4. You've Lost That Loving Feeling (Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil, Phil Spector) - 6:19
5. Poverty Song (Tommy Eyre) - 5:10
6. Liamo (Dave Quincy, Loughty Amao) - 6:32
7. Society (Alan Marshall) - 7:33
8. Hungry Horse (Loughty Amao, Dave Quincy, Terry Smith, Ted Yeadon) - 16:59
Many people thought Crawler were over once Paul Kossoff had sadly passed away. There was even a story of them coming off stage from one gig and finding a coffin in the dressing room.
The first Crawler album to me is a classic. The second one is rockier but it is the first one I always come back to. Geoff Whitehorn was a very different guitar player to Kossoff but still played with tremendous feel and emotion. Hie guitar solo on ‘Pasttime Dreamer is sublime. The band should have been more successful than they were especially in the USA where ‘Stone Cold Sober got a lot of airplay.
The vocals are soulful and emotive, Terry Wilson-Slesser is a brilliant vocalist. The rhythm section from Terry Wilson and Tony Braunagel is inventive and with many of the songs written by John ‘Rabbit’ Bundrick, you cannot help but think this is what FREE might have sounded like if they had continued. Live they were brilliant, they basically played this whole album with a couple of Free tracks thrown in. I chatted to the band afterwards and they were really friendly.
by Phil Aston, 5th April 2019
Tracks
1. Without You Babe (Terry Wilson) - 3:30
2. You Got Money (John "Rabbit" Bundrick) - 3:31
3. Sold On Down The Line (Terry Wilson, Tony Braunagel) - 3:47
4. One Too Many Lovers (Geoff Whitehorn, Mike Rutherford) - 4:03
5. You Are My Saviour (John "Rabbit" Bundrick) - 4:50
6. Pastime Dreamer (Terry Wilson) - 4:34
7. Never Loved A Woman (Terry Wilson) - 4:15
8. You And Me (John "Rabbit" Bundrick) - 4:08
9. Stone Cold Sober (John "Rabbit" Bundrick) - 5:38
The hot new Burrito didn’t stick around for very long, leaving after one album (The Flying Burrito Bros) to strike out on his own. Rick Roberts was the best part of the Burritos’ last record and he continues to impress as an up-and-coming country-rock singer/songwriter on Windmills. Produced by David Anderle (who also produced Mother Hen’s eponymous album from the previous year) and featuring a who’s who of country-rock stars including three Eagles, two Burritos and two members of CS&N, Windmills is the kind of breezy endeavor that forecasts smooth sailing for the future.
Roberts has a good voice (sometimes reminiscent of James Taylor) and an ear for mellow country-rock. His first album arrives at more or less the same place as Chris Hillman’s debut, Slippin’ Away; not surprising, since many of the same players are involved. You have the tasteful pedal steel of Al Perkins, the occasional fiddle of Byron Berline and the percussion of Joe Lala on both records. There are also some impressive vocal cameos on Windmills, including harmony vocals from David Crosby (In a Dream), Jackson Browne (Drunk and Dirty), Jane Getz (Pick Me Up On Your Way Down) and Don Henley (Davy McVie).
What’s missing on Windmills is a standout single. Honestly, Roberts’ material on the last Burritos album (“Colorado,” “Why Are You Crying”) was better. Deliver Me isn’t a bad song, but in a crowded market and with a name like Rick Roberts, it would take more than a middle-of-the-road country-rock song to make him a star. And, so, what you’re left with is a pleasant album with some pretty songs from a fresh face and some familiar faces behind it. Windmills isn’t the breakthrough debut I would have predicted after hearing The Flying Burrito Bros. Still, it’s solid enough.
While Mount Airy is best known as the hometown of American actor Andy Griffith - and the prototype for the fictional town, Mayberry, it has always had an underground. Founded in 1948, hometown station WPAQ served as a sanctuary and tributary for the early bluegrass pickers that emerged from the surrounding hills and hollers. By the mid-1960’s, Mount Airy had a handful of record labels to circulate the sounds of regional artists. One such label, Tornado Records, holds the distinction of issuing “Thoughts of a Madman” by the Nomads, which became canon in the genre of garage rock.
Founded in the late 1960’s, the Brotherhood of Peace began as a rhythm section for the New Americans—a faith-based assemblage of vocally inclined Surry County high schoolers. Traveling through the Southeast with a repertoire of religious and patriotic standards, guitarist Dennis Tolbert would be encouraged by musical director and county sheriff Jim Taylor to contribute an original to the collective’s songbook. With its message of unity, Tolbert’s uplifting “Brotherhood of Peace” would give the power trio its enduring handle.
After striking out on their own in 1974, the Brotherhood of Peace started trafficking in heavier fare, finding a lane in the emerging Southern Rock movement being pioneered by breakout acts like Allman Brothers, Marshall Tucker Band, and ZZ Top. After playing at Winston-Salem’s Rittenhouse Square in 1974, club owner Bobby Locke suggested the group meet with Don Dixon, bassist for the prominent Chapel Hill rock combo Arrogance and freelance engineer at Charlotte’s Reflection Sound. With Dixon at the controls, Brotherhood of Peace entered Reflection in October to assemble Cuttin’ Loose, a progressive mélange of power pop and Southern rock that put the Mount Airy group in a league of their own.
Lead singer and songwriter Dennis Tolbert still performs regularly throughout Western North Carolina.
by Jonathan Kirby, December 15, 2019
Tracks
1. Since You've Been Mine - 2:38
2. Holiday - 2:19
3. Mistreater - 4:23
4. Red Sun - 3:42
5. Candyland - 4:47
6. Little Sweet Kiss - 3:39
7. Ready To Go - 4:16
8. Before The Dawn - 5:21
9. Keep On Getting It On - 4:02
All songs written by Dennis Tolbert, track #8 co-written with Ronnie Smith
Discovered by Black Oak Arkansas frontman Jim Dandy working in a bar in Evansville, Indiana, Ruby Starr not only shared the same manager as Black Oak Arkansas (Butch Stone), but actually wound up joining the band. She duly appeared on the 'Jim Dandy' single in 1974. A top 30 hit in the States, the song was mysteriously banned by the BBC in Britain. The strikingly sultry singer nevertheless had made an impact on the Rock media in an unexpected way when an enterprising photographer published an on stage up close and personal shot of Miss Starr minus knickers.
Starr (real name Constance Henrietta Mierzwiac), a native of Toledo, Ohio, had started her singer career aged just nine billed as Connie Little before fronting local Toledo acts such as Connie And The Bluebeats and The Downtowners. Later known as Ruby Jones, she released an eponymous album under that name in 1971 for Curtom Records.
During the summer of 1974 erstwhile Target members drummer Joel Williams and keyboard player Marius Peczner were recruited into Starr's backing band. Other Target personell guitarist Buddy Davis and bassist Tommy Cathey had also rehearsed with Starr but negotiations between them and Butch Stone failed and this pair persevered with Target. Making up the band were guitarists Ronnie Mason and Gary Levin with bassist David Mayo. This band became Ruby Starr & Grey Ghost. The grey ghost in question being a referance to Confederate Civil war hero General Mosby. Heavy touring ensued as support to Black Oak Arkansas, Mountain and Heartsfield.
As 1975 dawned the band gained a major label deal with Capitol Records immediately after a television appearance on the 'Midnight Special' show. The band recorded their debut album at the legendary Muscle Shoals studios produced by former Hombres bassist Jerry Masters with later sessions taking place in Memphis. Throughout 1975 the band was rarely off the road opening frequently for Black Oak Arkansas as well as Todd Rundgren, Oblivion Express, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, and conducted US East Coast support dates in July 1975 with Black Sabbath and Peter Frampton. Later shows had the band guesting for Ten Years After, Robin Trower and Fleetwood Mac. Quite famously, Starr conducted these dates despite having just had an operation to remove her gall bladder.
As the album was released it entered the Billboard charts at number 172. Much in demand Starr and her cohorts were straight back on the road guesting for The Faces, Steppenwolf, Rare Earth, Mahogany Rush and Black Sabbath once again including venues as large as the Long Beach arena. A headline club tour followed before more supports to Peter Frampton, Edgar Winter Group, Bachman Turner Overdrive and reuniting with Black Sabbath
In February 1976 Mike Neff took over the drum stool. Later the same year Penczner and Mayo quit to create the short lived Triple Cross with Williams. RUBY STARR's 1976 'Scene Stealer' album, with the bulk of the songs penned by Penczner, saw Black Oak Arkansas guitarist Jimmy Henderson contributing. Williams, Mayo and Henderson rejoined Starr for her third album 'Smokey Places' before the drummer joined the ranks of Black Oak Arkansas. Starr made her live debut singing with Black Oak Arkansas at the California Jam that year.
During 1977 the singer united with Florida Rockers Blackfoot touring America billed as Ruby Starr And Blackfoot. Starr left Blackfoot after falling in love with the guitarist Fred Hodnik from support band Lucy Grey. Starr wound up joining this band sharing lead vocals with Mike Finding. The other band members were guitarist Pooh (real name Steve Godfriarx), bassist John Kerr and the enigmatically titled Mudslide on drums. The band adopted a new name of Grey Star in 1980 adding ex-Captain Beyond and Iron Butterfly man Robb Hanshaw and would go on to release two albums 'Grey Star' and 1983' 'Telephone Sex'. Finding would quit renaming himself Mike Grey. A further name change was adopted to Chainsaw Caine, a guize in which he fronted Metal band Slave Raider for two albums.
Grey Star split and Ruby put together the Ruby Star Band with Hodnik, Mudslide and new members keyboard player Steve Marino and bassist Cary Kaylan. This unit toured the Mid-West supporting Gregg Allman, Cheap Trick, Van Halen and Robin Trower and recorded a couple of singles. In 1988 the band folded and Kaylan wound up working with Warp Drive at the turn of the decade.
Ruby Starr was diagnosed with brain and lung cancer in 1994 and sadly passed away on 14th January the following year. She was 44.
