Chet Nichols - Time Loop (1972 us, impressive folk counrtry psych rock)

In America and really worldwide in the early to late 70s the solo artist or if you like "Singer Songwriter" came into his or her own with classic releases by the likes of Emmit Rhodes, Carole King, Todd Rundgren, and lesser known masterful artists like Pete Dello and Clifford T. Ward who himself is only lesser known a bit in America. Now there didn't have to be a whole band it could be one person with a whole lot to say and a great melodic sense. If you take away the valuable content and the great melodic or creative sense you end up with some of the worst rubbish ever, but in my mind at least the vast array of early 70s solo artists could come up with some really brilliant and interesting results.

Chet Nichols probably got signed to Kama Sutra not because he was a later west coast San Francisco progressive folk psych mastermind who came up by himself with a full band sound on his one album TIME LOOP, but probably because Kama Sutra thought his eccentricities would be overlooked for the very pleasant and inventive voice he has. Far removed from James Taylor, Jim Croce, Leonard Cohen and the like Chet's music is more comparable to British pastoral on-the-edge folk psych progressive acts like Nick Drake, Northwind and their lead vocalist Brian Young and Dog That Bit People's John Caswell. 

Back in the beginning with Paul Major we didn't agree on everything and certainly he always had a weakness for the inept, but he loved and hopefully still loves great British records and that may be just one reason why he raved about Chet Nichols ages later championing his album TIME LOOP as a work of stunning somewhat strange folk psych.

When I first heard Nichols in 2002 I was very impressed by the album, but I couldn't believe despite the sparse nature that this was all one guy. Hearing him again now I can say that my opinion hasn't changed. That means something. Paul was onto something that really had merit with Chet Nichols and its a shame that some other dealers don't share his views on the album and have unjustly slammed it. Well to each his own pleasures and prejudices and I'd say this album belongs in every collection in my opinion.

by Blake Mitchner, Friday, March 1, 2013

Tracks

1. Electra - 2:28

2. Water Sand Castles - 4:22

3. Who Stole The Ivy - 5:08

4. Lonely Women - 5:44

5. The Ballad Of Diamond Joe - 5:45

6. (Spinning On The) Time Loop - 3:18

7. Tell Me What The Count Is - 4:50

8. The Offing - 3:41

9. The Beetles Are Coming - 7:42

10.Quasar Sleeper - 1:42

Words and Music by Chet Nichols

Personnel

*Chet Nichols - All Instruments except

*Nicky Hopkins - Piano

*Dave Garibaldi - Drums

*Pete Sears - Bass

*Leo Collignon - Electric Guitar

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Jefferson Airplane - Bark (1971 awesome psych classic rock, 2013 remaster)

Bark is the beautiful unraveling of Jefferson Airplane. Founding member Marty Balin had bailed, following the departed Spencer Dryden (who actually left during Volunteers), and the remaining members (which now included violinist Papa John Creach from Joey Covington’s previous band) embarked on their strangest journey to date. The Airplane had essentially splintered into three different parts: Jorma Kaukonen’s inner battle between Jimi Hendrix and gentleman farmer, Grace Slick’s trained monsters and Paul Kantner’s groupthink apocalypse. 

On a paper-bag poster, it might have looked messy. On vinyl, it was exciting as hell. In my opinion, this is the first Jefferson Airplane album that could be filed under progressive rock, as the psychedelic label has now completely worn off. You’ll hear the influence of Frank Zappa (“Wild Turkey” is their approximation of Hot Rats), Santana (compare “Pretty As You Feel” to “Oye Como Va”) and even The Beach Boys (on both Kantner’s “Rock And Roll Island” and Covington’s “Thunk”). And then there are Grace Slick’s songs, which defy description. “Crazy Miranda” is in line with earlier songs about foolish girls, but “Law Man” is like a shotgun blast of rock & roll in the face and her “European Song” is Marlene Dietrich genius mit more than a touch of madness. That the band couldn’t sustain this level of intensity is made plain in Kaukonen’s “Third Week In Chelsea,” which explains his change of heart in a song that might have stepped off a Lou Reed record. 

Kantner tries to rally the troops one more time for “War Movie,” but it’s clear that the Airplane’s journey is coming to an end. Yet Bark also makes clear that the band members still have plenty to say. I find myself wishing they’d extended this into a double album so I could hear more from Slick, Kaukonen, Kanter and even Covington, with Jack Casady and his unbreakable bass holding it all together.

by Dave Connolly, April 25, 2018

Tracks

1. When The Earth Moves Again (Paul Kantner) - 3:53

2. Feel So Good (Jorma Kaukonen) - 4:36

3. Crazy Miranda (Grace Slick) - 3:22

4. Pretty As You Feel (Joey Covington, Jack Casady, Jorma Kaukonen) - 4:28

5. Wild Turkey (Jorma Kaukonen) - 4:44

6. Law Man (Grace Slick) - 2:41

7. Rock And Roll Island (Paul Kantner) - 3:43

8. Third Week In The Chelsea (Jorma Kaukonen) - 4:33

9. Never Argue With A German If You’re Tired or European Song (Grace Slick) - 4:32

10.Thunk (Joey Covington) - 2:58

11.War Movie (Paul Kantner) - 4:42

Jefferson Airplane

*Jack Casady - Bass Guitar, Bass Balalaika

*Joey Covington - Percussion, Drums, Vocals

*Paul Kantner - Guitar, Vocals

*Jorma Kaukonen - Lead Guitar, Vocals

*Grace Slick - Piano, Vocals

*Papa John Creach - Violin ((Tracks 1, 4, 5) 

With

*Bill Laudner - Vocals (Track 11)

*Will Scarlett - Harmonica (Track 8)

*Carlos Santana - Guitar (Track 4)

*Michael Shrieve - Drums (Track 4)

1966  Jefferson Airplane - Takes Off (2013 audiophile remaster)

1967  Jefferson Airplane - Surrealistic Pillow (2013 audiophile and 2003 xpanded)

1967  Jefferson Airplane - After Bathing At Baxter's (2013 audiophile and 2003 xpanded)

1968  Jefferson Airplane - Crown Of Creation (2013 audiophile and 2003 xpanded issue)

1969  Jefferson Airplane - Volunteers (2013 Audiophile, 2003 xpanded)

1972  Jefferson Airplane - Long John Silver (2013 audiophile remaster)

1972  Jefferson Airplane - Last Flight (2007 double disc remaster)

1973  Jefferson Airplane - Thirty Seconds Over Winterland (2013 Audiophile and 2009 expanded)

Related Acts

1965-66  The Great Society - Born to Be Burned
1968-71  Grace Slick And The Great Society - Conspicuous Only By Its Absence / How It Was

1971  Grace Slick With Paul Kantner - Sunfighter

1973  Paul Kantner, Grace Slick, David Freiberg - Baron Von Tollbooth And The Chrome Nun  

1972  Hot Tuna - Burgers (2012 audiophile Vinyl replica)  

1975  Hot Tuna - Yellow Fever (2012 Audiophile)

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Jefferson Airplane - Long John Silver (1972 us, exceptional psych classic rock, 2013 audiophile remaster)

Long John Silver is the last adventure of the Jefferson Airplane. The album cover was designed to shock: it converted into a box to store your weed. The music is also designed to shock: “Easter,” “Son of Jesus,” “Eat Starch Mom.” If you haven’t been offended by Grace Slick already, I can’t imagine being offended now. I felt that Bark showed a band moving in different directions, while LJS is the same band expending the last of its increasingly directionless energy. 

The record does make a strong case for bringing Papa John Creach on board, as his violin mixes sweetly with the rest of the band and gives the songs a strange, spectral and almost elegiac quality. It had become clear, however, that Slick, Kantner and Kaukoken, Casady had split into separate factions. Kaukoken’s “Trial By Fire” and Kantner’s “Alexander The Medium,” for example, sound like the work of different bands. Slick and Kantner had grown long in the tooth by this stage, writing meandering protest songs and science-fiction fairy tales that felt like Hawkwind transported to an alternate, acoustic universe. As unfocused as it is, LJS is seldom less than interesting. 

The opening pair of tracks, “Long John Silver” and “Aerie,” are fearless in their freedom and artfully conceived in spots. You’ll find exciting instrumental passages, thought-provoking themes and blows against the establishment—in other words, the same ingredients that are synonymous with the best of Jefferson Airplane. What you won’t find on here is a hit single or definitive moment in the history of the Airplane, making it one of the least essential (if not the least essential) -  album from the original group. But even a bad Jefferson Airplane album is better than most things, including nearly all of the Jefferson Starship albums that came after.

by Dave Connolly, June 16, 2018

Tracks

1. Long John Silver (Jack Casady, Grace Slick) - 4:22

2. Aerie (Gang Of Eagles) (Grace Slick) - 3:52

3. Twilight Double Leader (Paul Kantner) - 4:41

4. Milk Train (Papa John Creach, Grace Slick, Roger Spotts) - 3:17

5. The Son Of Jesus (Paul Kantner) - 5:26

6. Easter? (Grace Slick) - 4:00

7. Trial By Fire (Jorma Kaukonen) - 4:30

8. Alexander The Medium (Paul Kantner) - 6:37

9. Eat Starch Mom (Jorma Kaukonen, Grace Slick) - 4:33

Jefferson Airplane

*Grace Slick - Vocals, Piano

*Jack Casady - Bass

*Paul Kantner - Vocals, Rhythm Guitar

*Jorma Kaukonen - Lead Guitar, Vocals

*Papa John Creach - Electric Violin

*John Barbata - Drums, Tambourine

*Joey Covington - Drums (Tracks 3,5)

1966  Jefferson Airplane - Takes Off (2013 audiophile remaster)

1967  Jefferson Airplane - Surrealistic Pillow (2013 audiophile and 2003 xpanded)

1967  Jefferson Airplane - After Bathing At Baxter's (2013 audiophile and 2003 xpanded)

1968  Jefferson Airplane - Crown Of Creation (2013 audiophile and 2003 xpanded issue)

1969  Jefferson Airplane - Volunteers (2013 Audiophile, 2003 xpanded)

1972  Jefferson Airplane - Last Flight (2007 double disc remaster)

1973  Jefferson Airplane - Thirty Seconds Over Winterland (2013 Audiophile and 2009 expanded)

Related Acts

1965-66  The Great Society - Born to Be Burned
1968-71  Grace Slick And The Great Society - Conspicuous Only By Its Absence / How It Was

1971  Grace Slick With Paul Kantner - Sunfighter

1973  Paul Kantner, Grace Slick, David Freiberg - Baron Von Tollbooth And The Chrome Nun  

1972  Hot Tuna - Burgers (2012 audiophile Vinyl replica)  

1975  Hot Tuna - Yellow Fever (2012 Audiophile)

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Windsor Tunnel - Windsor Tunnel (1970 canada, nice sunny folk psych rock)

For the Viscounts, a move from Amherst, Nova Scotia to the gritty Detroit area in 1966 - in this case to Windsor, Ontario on the Canuck side of things - proved to be just the thing Clayton Moore and company needed. After setting up in Canada's motor city, the band must have endeared themselves to the locals with a name change to the more geographically relevant Windsor Tunnel. What's more, their maritime accents proved to be more exotic than expected. Moore recalls, "The band became very popular because being from Nova Scotia we talked funny and people here thought we were from England." With the musical vortex of the late-sixties Motor City just a short hop over the border, the guys wasted little time, gigging first in bars, and then later at the venerable old Tiger Stadium. "(We) got picked up by a Detroit bar owner who became our manager and got us a recording contract with the Avco Embassy label", which thus led to the recording of this, there only LP.

The tepid AM-fare on Windsor Tunnel was rightfully ignored by local AM radio juggernauts CKLW in Windsor and the long-forgotten WKNR over in the 'D' (the hoary folk pop of 'First Night Alone' as the lead single was probably an unwise choice). Still, with some lithe arrangements a la the Free Design and perhaps a little payola, the spry soft pop of 'Things You Do for Me' or maybe even the band's bold cover (this was 1970 after all) of the Ronettes' 'The Best Part of Breaking Up' might have eked out a place on the airwaves.

by Michael Panontin

Tracks

1. Intro - 0:04

2. We Gotta Get Out Of This Place (Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil) - 3:31

3. The Ballad Of Sharon's Birthday (Rahnnafritzen, Bagel) - 3:02

4. A Wednesday In Your Garden (Randy C. Bachman) - 3:21

5. I've Been Down (Danny Thibodeau) - 2:34

6. Things You Do For Me (Danny Thibodeau) - 3:01

7. Love Is A Word (Bill Hudson, Brett Hudson, Mark Hudson) - 2:33

8. The Best Part Of Breakin' Up (Phil Spector, Pete Andreoli, Vince Poncia) - 2:56

9. My Friends (C. Moore) - 2:44

10.Down River Girl (Rahnnafritzen, Bagel) - 2:27

11.Kites (Rahnnafritzen, Bagel) - 1:55

12.First Night Alone (Merrill Mills, Danny Thibodeau) - 2:26

13.Exit - 0:18

Windsor Tunnel

*Clayton Moore - Organ, Vocals 

*Danny Thibodeau  - Guitar, Vocals 

*Ron Patrick - Guitor. Vocals 

*Merrill Mills - Bass, Vocals 

*John Dominas - Drums, Vocals 

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Hush - The Best Of (1973-77 australia, strong glam boogie classic rock, 2000 remaster)

History doesn't always show the full story, and this is certainly the case with Hush. The band had it's beginnings in 1970 and continued in various forms until the end of the 70s, with 1975being their most successful time. Their biggest hit was Bony Moronie, an energetic cover of the Larry Williams US hit from eighteen years earlier, and it was the one of the ten bestselling singles in Australia during that year. No mean feat when you consider that Hush were competing for chart space with the likes of Abba and The Bay City Rollers, plus the local dynamic duo of Sherbet and Skyhooks, the only Australian acts to do better than the this Sydney based quartet. Lead singer and founder Keith Lamb was a charismatic front man, demanding attention from his audiences, and Hush were nothing like any of the other home grown rock bands. They were rockers, no doubt, but they had their own persona. Hush is probably the closest Australia ever got to having its own glam rock band.

For several years the band decked themselves in tight fitting satin pants (flares of course!) and shirts, scarfs and sequins, and the tallest platform shoes, looking like they had just done a stint backing David Bowie or Gary Glitter, but the sound was pure rock and roll. Across a chart career spanning five years they scored ten Top 100singles, all of which are included here, and six Top 100 albums.

By 1978 the band had split up. Whether it was the fact that the group could not endure another line up change, or that their biggest hits were cover versions (Bony Moronie was followed into the Top 10 in 1975 by their creditable version of Dave Clark Five's Glad All Over), the spark of Hush had disappeared. Keith Lamb continued to front bands for a few more years (the Keith Lamb Band and Airport were two of them) and lead guitarist Les Gock has set up a successful production company.

As one of their songs states, nothing stays the same forever, but what remains are fine examples of good time Australian rock and roll songs from the music scene of the 70s, which was always exciting and interesting.

by Steve Scanes

Tracks

1. Bony Moronie (Larry Williams) - 3:11

2. Glad All Over (Dave Clark, Mike Smith) - 3:19

3. Get Rocked  - 3:27

4. Caroline - 4:21

5. Rough Tough 'n' Ready - 3:47

6. Rockin' Gypsy King - 5:05

7. Walking - 3:19

8. C'mon We're Taking Over - 5:04

9. Too Young To Know (Les Gock, Lamb, Robie Porter) - 3:17

10.The Exit - 3:23

11.Lies - 3:26

12.You Really Got A Hold On Me - 2:59

13.Sunday - 3:21

14.Nunchuka Man - 3:27

18.Nothing Stays The Same Forever - 6:06

16.9-5'er - 4:32

17.Messin' Around - 4:12

18.China Doll - 3:45

All songs by Les Gock, Keith Lamb except where stated

Hush

*Keith Lamb - Lead Vocals (1971-77, 1979)

*Robin Jackson - Lead Guitar (1971-72)

*John Koutts - Drums (1971-72)

*Rick Lum - Bass Guitar (1971-76)

*Chris Nolan - Keyboards (1971-72)

*Les Gock - Lead Guitar (1972-77)

*Chris Pailthorpe - Drums (1972-77)

*Jacques De Jongh - Rhythm Guitar, Bass Guitar (1976-77)

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Surprize - Keep On Truckin' (1972 us, groovy psych blues rural rock)

Surprize were a 1970's psychedelic rock band from Philadelphia. After being together for eight months, the band recorded their one and only, album "Keep On truckin'" in one of Philadelphia’s finest recording studios. Upon release the band started to get TV and radio airplay as well as being booked for larger concerts. The band had great success and growing more and more popular every day. A few years later Surprize were approached by a larger and more well-known record label. They wanted to promote and produce the second album and give it a release on their own label which meant the chance of national distribution. 

Shortly after this approach whilst performing out of town, band leader Peter Accardi had a supernatural occurence, which would change the bands. The next morning Peter Accardi, called for a special meeting. At this meeting Peter shared how something supernatural had happened to him, and how he knew he was going to heaven. His life was changed and he tried to share how we all needed the same thing in our lives. Much to everyone's shock, Peter walked away from his career as the lead singer of the band and decided to go to Bible College in order to become a Preacher. A few weeks later keyboard player joined Accardi in his new calling and followed him on his journey to become a Preacher. Not long after the band decided to call it a day. As for Accardi and Bissel both now serve the Lord at the Elkdale Baptist Church, West Clifford, Pennsylvania. Peter Accardi is the church Evangelist and Frank Bissel serves as the Pastor of the church.

Tracks

1. Earth Odyssey (Pete Accardi, Mark Shapiro, Fred Kieffer, Rick Martin, Franck Bissel) - 6:45

2. Sweet Love 4:18

3. Keep On Truckin' 5:10

4. Ev'ry Day 5:15

5. See The Light 6:29

6. Try A Little More

All songs by Howard Stein, Tony Roccia except track #1

Surprize

*Pete Accardi - Vocals, Percussions, Harmonica 

*Mark Shapiro - Guitar, Backing Vocals 

*Fred Kieffer - Drums, Percussions 

*Rick Martin - Bass, Backing Vocals 

*Franck Bissel - Backing Vocals, Keyboard 

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Changó - Honey Is Sweeter Than Blood (1976 us, solid latin jazz psych rock, 2012 reissue)

Changó were an American Latin-rock/funk band from Brooklyn a compilation of beautiful vocals,rhythmic guitar playing and energetic sexual lyrics. Chango is a treasure worth discovering. The band has definitely been slept on because personally I feel Burlin Speakes'guitar playing is better than Carlos Santana's. 

For Chango´s second album, Honey Is Sweeter Than Blood apparently lead singer Pepe Gomez changed all the members except one, changed label to Mercury and went to soul-rock. The album is a little harder and less Latin than their first one. The perfect voice, the guitars screams and the singer agrees with his shrieks as he´s getting murdered. If you love old Santana, only harder with a voice, you´ve never heard before, don´t hesitate.

Above all is representative of unbridled sexuality. There is no Deity more vehement,nor energetic. Could be described as the "God of All". Well this definitely describes this incredible band "Chango". This band lives up to it's name. 

Tracks

1. Life Is A Rainbow (Pepe Gomez, Reinol Andino) - 3:21

2. The Last Ride - 4:50

3. Meeting Of The Gods - 5:30

4. Lady, Lady (Dino Gomez, Pepe Gomez) - 4:23

5. La Rumba (Burlin Speakes, Mike Cruz, Pepe Gomez, Reinol Andino) - 2:50

6. Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde - 6:38

7. Thumbing A Ride - 6:56

8. Woman In Black (Burlin Speakes, Charles Rook, Mike Cruz, Pepe Gomez, Reinol Andino) - 4:05

9. Evil Lady - 2:52

All compositions by Pepe Gomez except where stated

Chango

*Reinol Andino - Congas, Timbales, Percussion, Backing Vocals

*Pepe Gomez - Lead Vocals, Drums, Keyboards, Percussion

*Burlin Speakes - Bass, Acoustic Guitar, Backing Vocals

*Mike Cruz - Timbales, Percussion, Backing Vocals 

*Charles Rook - Rhythm, Lead Guitars

*Ken Weissman - Drums

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Luther Allison - Bad News Is Coming (1972 us, outstanding raw electric blues, 2001 remaster with extra tracks)

You might think of Bad News is Coming as giving life to the strange animal-human hybrids from the Island of Doctor Moreau, animating weird chimeras, beings that emanate from the strings of his Les Paul but enter a register of sound more akin to the human voice than the guitar.

From the first mournful notes of the album, the distortion-heavy sound of a cock crowing, we get the sense that the sun is rising on a distorted world: we’ve entered an uncanny plane of shadowy grotesques, a bizarro America, hellish and spectral, and Luther Allison is our Virgil through this post-Vietnam inferno.  The song is “Little Red Rooster,” made famous by Howlin’ Wolf in 1961, and is one of the best songs on the album to showcase Allison’s guitar virtuosity and dramatic vocal skill.  Allison’s menagerie includes barking dogs, howling hounds and general barnyard chaos. It’s both playful and dire.  He ends the song in a desperate staccato solo before opening the next track, “Evil is Going On,” where he growls ‘something just ain’t right.’  This album is PARANOID (not literally, but there must have been something in the air) and that really speaks to Allison’s range, not only vocally — his iconic high-pitched scream punctuates the title track (a giant!) but retains its rich, butter-smooth timbre throughout the album — but in terms of tone, oscillating between sexual optimism and deep suspicion.  

A little heaven and a little hell: we’re out here in the wasteland, so we may as well live a little.  Opening with this homage to Howlin’ Wolf, with whom Allison jammed in the late ‘50s, demonstrates the album’s devotion to a careful curation of well-known standards and early blues tunes: palimpsests of blues history.  Musically, you hear the indelible impact of that great voodoo king Screamin’ Jay Hawkins, especially in the title track. There are hints of delta blues, and whispers of straight ahead Chicago blues undergird some of the later songs, but Allison stitches them together into a violent, rock heavy collage that ranks him with Jimi Hendrix and Led Zeppelin in ferocity and sound.  While only three of the tracks on the album may be original, Allison’s arrangements are all his own.  This shit bangs.

What is most striking about the album historically is Allison’s prescient insight which, by 1972, had already picked up on the tremors of imminent collapse resounding through the American empire of the early ‘70s.  Alluding to the rousing cries of the rooster in the first song, the title track opens with Allison singing “I got the bad news this morning.”  The two upbeat and entendre-rich songs that precede “Bad News is Coming” give way to a fully paranoid, if not quite fully realized prophecy, of impending horror.  But the war was ending, people said; things are looking up – just think of the post-war economic boom of the ‘50s!  Maybe it was growing up Black in Eisenhower’s America, or maybe Allison just saw things clearer than most everybody else, but the future was foreboding from where he was standing.

Luther Allison died in Madison in 1997, aged 57, at the top of his game, having never seen any clearer.

by Ivan Bobanovski, March 4, 2018

Tracks

1. The Little Red Rooster (Willie Dixon) - 4:13

2. Evil Is Going On (Willie Dixon) - 4:38

3. Raggedy And Dirty (Andrew Smith, Joe Peraino, Luther Allison, Ray Goodman, Robert Kreiner) - 3:42

4. Rock Me Baby (B.B. King, Joe Josea) - 5:46

5. Bad News Is Coming (Joe Peraino, Luther Allison, Paul White) - 7:26

6. Cut You A-Loose (Mel London) - 5:59

7. Dust My Broom (Elmore James) - 2:48

8. The Stumble (Freddy King) - 2:23

9. Sweet Home Chicago (Robert Johnson) - 4:13

10.It's Been A Long Time (Luther Allison) - 10:44

11.Take My Love (I Want To Give It All To You) (Mertis John) - 4:21

Musicians

*Luther Allison - Guitar, Vocals

*Garfield Angove - Harmonica

*Andrew Smith - Bass, Drums

*Paul White - Keyboards, Piano

*Ray Goodman -  Rhythm Guitar

1969  Luther Allison - Love Me Mama ( 2015 edition)  

1974  Luther Allison - Luther's Blues (Remaster and Expanded)  

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Luther Allison - Love Me Mama (1969 us, stunning electric chicago blues, 2015 edition)

In his original liner notes, John Fishel noted that Luther Allison has the propulsive force and mastery to totally decimate an audience. I have been a witness to this many times.

Amen! Luther's family moved to Chicago from Forrest City, Arkansas in 1951. He was one of 12 children, and his brother Ollie... played the guitar and had a band on the West Side from 1954 to 1957. A preacher taught Luther to repair shoes... "but when I found out how much money I'd need to set myself up"...So he started out on bass... switched to guitar and in 1957 had his own band... played at the Bungalow on west 15th street for about a year and then went to Earl's place in Argo, IL. It was in Argo that Luther met Freddy King. Freddy and Luther's brother Grant encouraged Luther to start singing. Luther took over a job (from Freddy King) at Walton's Corner with Big Mojo Elem, bass and T.J. McNulty, drums. The gig lasted five years, then Luther began moving around from white clubs on the North Side to the 1815 Club on Roosevelt Rd. and back to Walton's Corners. 

Then in 1967 he moved to Peoria and began playing with an organ trio at Birdland. By the late 1960s we had become familiar with the fabulous West Side blues scene where Howlin' Wolf, Muddy Waters, Magic Sam, and Otis Rush capitalized on their R’n’B record successes at Sylvio's, Club Alex, Avenue. Lesser-known, unrecorded (but no less interesting) talent could turn up any night at smaller clubs such as Ross & Ma Bea's, Walton's Corner, the L&A, the Avenue, Duke's two joints and places ID'd more by their location than a name. We found and recorded Jimmy Dawkins and Carey Bell after such discoveries but were indebted to Shakey Jake's partner Bill Lindeman for the introduction to Luther Allison. They had recorded him for a label that never materialized. 

Their masters make up Sweet Home Chicago (618) and presently we heard him at the Alex. We immediately decided to add Allison to our roster but before we could do so, Luther gravitated to Los Angeles where he worked as a side- man on World Pacific's short-lived blues series and played at the Back Door, Red Velvet and Golden Bear. Delmark had been besieged by entreaties from record producers for Magic Sam's contract. In the absence of concrete proposals (I duck when recordmen ask me to "be a nice guy"), I suggested that they sign.

Luther Allison-Delmark couldn't afford to do sessions in L.A. Luther's present popularity with critics and fans alike indicates those A&R guys had a no understanding of blues. Luther eventually returned to the Chicago area, was signed and his first LP released. [Now that it can be told, John Fishel (chief instigator of the original Ann Arbor Blues Festival) was so high on Luther that he loaned us most of the money for the sessions we had spent our wad on Crudup, Carey, Dawkins, etc.] Love Me Mama outsold any album Delmark had issued by an artist not already established with an R’n’B single.

We were unable to connect Allison with a booker who under- stood the new blues market and after a succession of managers Luther moved to Europe where he had good management, recording regularly. Recently he has returned to the states, becoming the most popular and critically acclaimed blues artist of 1996. As the old saying goes: "You've been a long time coming, but you're welcome here."

by Bob Koester, Jim Fishel

Tracks

1. Why I Love The Blues - 4:01

2. Little Red Rooster (Willie Dixon) - 4:27

3. 4:00 In The Morning (Waiting On You) (B.B. King, Ferdinand Washington) - 2:12

4. You Done Lost Your Good Thing (B.B. King, Jo Josea) - 4:13

5. Five Long Years (Eddie Boyd) - 4:15

6. Dust My Broom (Robert Johnson) - 3:32

7. Every Night About This Time (Fats Domino) - 3:56

8. Love Me Mama - 3:54

9. The Sky Is Crying (Elmore James) - 5:33

10.Help Me (Sonny Boy Williamson II, Ralph Bass, Willie Dixon) - 3:46

11.You Done Lost Your Good Thing Now (B.B. King, Jo Josea) - 3:31

12.Bloomington Closer - 7:18

13.Little Red Rooster (Willie Dixon) - 5:17

14.Walking From Door To Door - 3:46

All songs by Luther Allison except where noted

Bonus Tracks 4, 7, 13,14

Personnel

*Luther Allison - Guitar, Vocals

*Robert "Big Mojo" Elem - Bass

*Jim Conley - Tenor Saxophone (Tracks 2, 6, 13, 14)

*Jimmy "Fast Fingers" Dawkins - Guitar (Tracks 2, 6, 8, 9, 13, 14)

*Bob Richey - Drums (Tracks 2, 3, 6, 8, 9, 13, 14) 

*Bobby Davis - Drums (Tracks 1, 4, 5, 7, 10-12)

1974  Luther Allison - Luther's Blues (Remaster and Expanded)  

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Blackfoot - Flyin' High (1976 us, awesome guitar driven hard southern rock, 2000 edition)

Blackfoot began as Fresh Garbage. The hard- rocking band first saw life in the same tough Jacksonville, Florida, club scene that spawned Lynyrd Skynyrd and Molly Hatchet. And, as Skynyrd became international stars, members of Blackfoot would come and go from Skynyrd, including leader Ricky "Rattlesnake" Medlocke. Indeed, as the century wound down, Medlocke was back in Lynyrd Skynyrd, serving as second drummer for that band and also doing some dates with a newly re-configured Blackfoot.

Medlocke has a varied musical background. His grandfather was the renowned bluegrass musician Shorty Medlocke. In the late '60s, Ricky formed Fresh Garbage with Jakson Spires and Greg T. Walker. They were later joined by New Yorker Charlie Hargrett and became regulars in the rough and tumble bar circuit of north Florida playing as Blackfoot.

In 1970, Blackfoot broke up and both Medlocke and Walker joined what was then the constantly changing Lynyrd Skynyrd line-up. Three years later, Medlocke gave up his drummer's chair with Lynyrd Skynyrd to return to a revived Blackfoot, where he played guitar and sang. In 1975 the band debuted on Island Records with No Reservations, a powerful record that reflected both Medlocke's Sioux Indian heritage and his time in Lynyrd Skynyrd. Granddad Shorty appeared, playing on Railroad Man. When No Reservations did not get the attention it deserved, the group went to the Epic division of Columbia Records for one release-Flyin' High-a strong 1976 album that makes up this package.

By 1979, the group was signed to the Atco subsidiary of Atlantic Records. Strikes, their third album, charted in the spring and attained platinum status, helped by constant touring and the Top 40 singles Highway Song and Train, Train. Strikes was followed by Tomcattin' in the summer of 1980. A year later they were back with Marauder, which sported the hit Fly Away. They also charted on Atco with Siogo-which was notable for the debut of former Uriah Heep keyboard ace Ken Hensley-and Vertical Smiles, an '84 release that marked the exit of guitarist Spires. Hensley was gone by the time Rick Medlocke And Blackfoot came out in 1987 on Atco. By the late '80s, Blackfoot was winding down and dropped out of sight for a time. Medlocke was back with the band in 1994, signed to Nalli Records, which issued the blues rock of After The Reign. Not long after that he was back in Lynyrd Skynyrd.

by Mark Marymont, 1999

Tracks

1. Feelin' Good - 2:47

2. Flyin' High (Charlie Hargrett, Jackson Spires, Rick Medlocke) - 4:20

3. Try A Little Harder (Charlie Hargrett, Jackson Spires, Rick Medlocke) - 4:48

4. Stranger On The Road - 2:43

5. Save Your Time - 3:43

6. Dancin' Man (Charlie Hargrett, Jackson Spires, Rick Medlocke) - 3:38

7. Island Of Life - 4:07

8. Junkie's Dream - 3:57

9. Madness - 4:56

10.Mother (Greg T. Walker) - 2:46

All songs by Jackson Spires, Rick Medlocke except where indicated

Blackfoot

*Rickey Medlocke - Lead Vocals, Rhythm, Lead, Acoustic , Electric Guitars, Dobro

*Charlie Hargrett - Lead, Rhythm, Acoustic Guitars

*Greg T. Walker - Bass, Backing Vocals, Keyboards, Triple Guitar (Track 10)

*Jakson Spires - Drums, Backing Vocals, Percussion

With

*Laura Struzick - Backing Vocals

*Suzy Storm - Backing Vocals

1975  Blackfoot - No Reservations 

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