Camel - Moonmadness (1976 uk, prog rock masterpiece, 2009 japan SHM double disc remaster)

It is very difficult to select just one record to cover from such a fantastic and underrated band, but we’d be here till the second coming if I were to go through all of Camel’s fourteen studio albums in detail. Instead, I’d have you take a look at the first one I ever picked up, and the one I consider to be the group’s very best.

Founded in 1971 (as The Brew) by guitarist Andrew Latimer, bassist Doug Ferguson, and drummer Andy Ward, the band eventually drafted keyboardist Peter Bardens, changed their name to Camel and released their self-titled debut in 1973. Debut albums from this period seem to be bloody solid and Camel was no exception. Bardens shows off his formidable writing (and playing) with cuts like the awesomely gloomy “Mystic Queen,” and Latimer presents his own equally fantastic skills in tunes like “Never Let Go.” The second record, Mirage, was released the following year and saw the band fall steadily into the groove of their own original sound with the addition of Latimer’s flute. A purely instrumental album, inspired by Gallico’s novella The Snow Goose, followed in 1975 and a year after that we arrive at the subject at hand.

The fourth, and final, album to feature Camel’s original line-up of Latimer, Ferguson, Ward, and Bardens, is in this writer’s opinion one of those masterpieces that rarely happens when a band is on the eve of fracture. Allow me to explain. Often times, an educated ear can hear when a band is about to change or loose something. Usually, one or more members of the band develops an idea of what the band should sound like and if they’re loud or influential enough, they dominate and the record careens awkwardly for the transitional record until the rest of the band catches up. If they are one or two of the quiet members, it is done with a less obvious, passive-aggressive approach and the transitional album shows it in their lack of enthusiasm for the old sound. If both sides are loud, you end up with something completely disjointed or over-the-top (methinks maybe Rammstein’s last album Liebe ist für alle da), if both sides are quiet you end up with an uninspired mess that is a rehash of older elements. I feel that 1976’s Moonmadness is more like the band coming together for one final bit of perfect sweetness before things were to change.

The record opens with the short and sweet moog-dominated instrumental track “Aristillus.” This was the first song I ever heard by Camel and I was immediately entranced. From there, we transition to the superb Latimer/Bardens venture “Song Within a Song.” With soaring moog work and epic keys from Bardens, soft and stunning flute from Latimer, and delightfully wistful vocals from Ferguson, this tune is totally a triumph of golden age prog. Latimer’s guitars come in later to shift the mood a little bit before we are treated to a driving moog solo and a softly triumphant coda.

To me, “Chord Change” shows off Andy Ward’s talents behind the drum kit. He frantically keeps pace while Latimer and Ferguson stride all over it with an adeptness that makes it all seem so easy. Bardens comes in during and after the mood change with organ to complete the picture. I must note that the instrumental tracks on the album illustrate well how this configuration of Camel played together. They are as exciting and as breathtaking as any awesome prog jam, but with the skill and hooks that transform a mere jam into a thing of legend. “Spirit of the Water” is a Peter Bardens solo piece, with his sombre vocals bubbling soothingly beneath beautiful piano work. It is a nice, quiet end to the first side of the record.

Side two starts with a bang. The riveting “Another Night” reminds me strongly of Pink Floyd’s most powerful work, or perhaps of the energy of Manfred Mann’s Earth Band’s “Road to Babylon.” This track features the entire band writing and it shows. It starts of softly enough, but builds into a magnificently gnarly riff. Andrew Latimer’s vocals glide marvellously over top of the grim musical landscape and take us to a charged pre-chorus guitar riff that leads into a soft chorus line eerily reminiscent of some of David Gilmour’s (in style only, nothing is ripped off). Midway through, we get to hear a wonderful coming together of all four players. Ferguson’s bass creeps around beneath Ward’s stready drumming while Bardens’ organ and Latimer’s guitars soar overhead. The song returns to its epic verse before Bardens delivers with a wicked organ solo, and shortly after Latimer whips out a sweet guitar solo of his own before the song fades out, leaving me wishing it had have been a twentyminuter!

“Air Born” begins with a short flute and piano segment before the entire band comes in. More sombre vocals from Latimer follow a gorgeous melody with a sweet hook. A brisk, folky acoustic guitar/flute section follows and takes us into an early Genesis-like pastoral setting (I’m thinking Foxtrot). We return to the sweet vocal section once more before the song comes to its Genesis-like conclusion (now I’m thinking Trespass).

The final track, “Lunar Sea” is a thing of atmospheric beauty. It carries on almost eighites-like until a charged jam with Bardens, Ward, and Ferguson driving and Latimer’s guitar wailing away in all its glory. Ward and Ferguson form up a groovy little rhythm section and pave the way for another great Peter Bardens moog section. We return to the original riff for a heated guitar solo that lasts a glorious amount of time before the band comes together again for paced outro jam. The intro returns for a time but fades into a trippy effect that, if you listen to it on vinyl, carries on forever, thanks to a built-in feature on the record’s groove that kicks the needle back to the beginning of the effect. On CD, it simply fades out after a while.

Following the release of Moonmadness, the great Mel Collins, formerly of King Crimson, joined Camel on tour before joining the band officially. Stylistic disagreements led to Doug Ferguson’s departure. He apparently played in a band called Headwaiter before dropping out of professional music. Peter Bardens left in 1978 and played on Van Morrison’s Wavelength album before going it solo. We unfortunately lost his great talent in 2002 due to cancer. Andy Ward ran into substance abuse problems and parted ways with the band. He did a short stint with Marillion before their Fugazi album. After this, Andrew Latimer became the sole remaining original member of Camel (although he released the album The Single Factor in 1982, which featured Bardens as a guest, as well as Genesis alumnus Ant Phillips) and carried the torch until 1984. Latimer later revived the band in 1991.

Final score: Moonmadness is a must have for any and every progressive rock fan’s collection. It’s one of those solid, magical discs that includes everything that made seventies progressive music so effing incredible! Although I’m sure I’ll anger more than a few people with this, musically I prefer Moonmadness over Dark Side of the Moon (Dark Side is still a technological wonder, however). I guess it’s like this: just as with King Crimson’s Red, I love it when a line-up’s swan song ends up being the biggest and the best – a final, passionate hurrah from extremely talented musicians who would never again record an album together.

by Ryan Smith, March 21, 2013 

Tracks

Disc 1

1. Aristillus (Andrew Latimer) - 1:56

2. Song Within A Song (Andrew Latimer, Peter Bardens) - 7:16

3. Chord Change (Andrew Latimer, Peter Bardens) - 6:45

4. Spirit Of The Water (Peter Bardens) - 2:07

5. Another Night (Andrew Latimer, Peter Bardens, Andy Ward, Doug Ferguson) - 6:58

6. Air Born (Andrew Latimer, Peter Bardens) - 5:02

7. Lunar Sea (Andrew Latimer, Peter Bardens) - 9:11

8. Another Night (Andrew Latimer, Peter Bardens, Andy Ward, Doug Ferguson) - 3:22

9. Spirit Of The Water (Peter Bardens) - 2:13

10.Lunar Sea (Andrew Latimer, Peter Bardens) - 9:51

Bonus Tracks 8-10

Disc 2

1. Song Within A Song (Andrew Latimer, Peter Bardens) - 7:13

2. Excerpts From The Snow Goose (Peter Bardens) - 10:41

3. Air Born (Andrew Latimer, Peter Bardens) - 4:58

4. Chord Change (Andrew Latimer, Peter Bardens) - 6:49

5. The White Rider (Andrew Latimer) - 8:51

6. Preparation / Dunkirk (Andrew Latimer, Peter Bardens) - 9:32

7. Another Night (Andrew Latimer, Peter Bardens) - 6:27

8. Lady Fantasy (Andrew Latimer, Peter Bardens, Andy Ward, Doug Ferguson) - 16:05

Disc 1 Track 10 and Disc 2, recorded live at Hammersmith Odeon 14 April 1976

Camel

*Andrew Latimer - Electric, Acoustic, Slide Guitars, Flute, Vocals

*Peter Bardens - Keyboards, Vocals

*Doug Ferguson - Bass, Vocals

*Andy Ward - Drums, Percussion, Voice (Track 1)

1973  Camel - Camel (2013 japan SHM remaster)  

1974  Camel - Mirage (2013 japan SHM)

1975  Camel - Music Inspired By Snow Goose (2009 japan SHM double disc remaster)

Related Acts
1970  The Answer (2010 esoteric remaster with extra tracks)
1971  Write My Name In The Dust (Japan remaster)

1979  Peter Bardens - Heart To Heart (Japan remaster)

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Elephants Memory - Angels Forever (1974 us, groovy classic rock)

The Elephant's Memory's Angels Forever has the five men looking more like saints than angels on the cover. Stan Bronstein's vocals on "Running Man" are as lightweight as the song. The late Jimmy Miller tracked a killer version of "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" with this group in the '80s, a female vocalist over mesmerizing instrumentation. This music from a decade before represents a band with much potential still struggling for identity. 

After releases on Buddah and Metromedia in the late '60s and 1970, this is a different and revamped EM. Only Bronstein and drummer Rich Frank remain (he was listed as Reek Havoc on the Take It to the Streets release), and the changes in lineup were not as beneficial as those that would make a band like Blue Cheer so interesting. "Face the Day" and "Going to a Party" show little musical expertise and less songwriting intrigue, making for really tough stuff -- tough to listen to.

"Rock & Roll Streaker" is the bastard-son sequel to Ray Stevens' "The Streak" from this very same year, and if one song did not need a sequel, "The Streak" was it. "La Sopa" is the most interesting thing on side one, a Spanish-flavored instrumental showing that this version of the group actually had chops not seen on the more frivolous previous tracks. Side two is much more interesting, a cover of the Otis Redding/Ray Charlesnugget "Tell the Truth" (by songwriter Lowman Pauling) sounds like it could be Delaney & Bonnie by way of Derek & the Dominoes -- and with the flavor of the Dominoes "Tell the Truth," though that Clapton composition is an entirely different tune. Bronstein and Frank's "First to See the Last of Me" is reggae-pop, and here the band as an anachronism works and works well. 

They go back to their '60s sound and all is not lost. The title track is a failed experiment but everything else on side two really works, keyboard player Chris Robison's "Tonite" the best original on the disc. With the right production it could have been a big '70s hit, a surprising diamond in the rough that demands repeated spins. The fabulous Thunderthighs (who backed Lou Reed, Genya Ravan, and many others) shows up, adding something special to the mix. Boy, if there were a few "Tonite"-type songs on this, Angels Forever would almost get the fame of the group's recordings with John Lennon, Yoko Ono, and David Peel. "Hoochie Coochie Rockin Information Man" ends the album and sounds a lot better than the title may indicate. Angels Forever is a real Jekyll & Hyde project, but has enough good stuff to make it a keeper. 

by Joe Viglione

Tracks

1. Running Man (Chris Robison, Jon Sachs, Rick Frank, Stan Bronstein) - 3:06

2. Face The Day (Gary Van Scyoc) - 3:51

3. Going To A Party (Adam Ippolito, Gary Van Scyoc, Rick Frank, Stan Bronstein) - 4:44

4. Rock 'n' Roll (Chris Robison, Rick Frank, Stan Bronstein) - 3:15

5. La Sopa (Adam Ippolito, Stan Bronstein) - 3:45

6. Angels Forever (Gary Van Scyoc, Rick Frank, Stan Bronstein) - 4:00

7. Tell The Truth (Lowman Pauling) - 3:02

8. Firt To See The Last Of Me (Rick Frank, Stan Bronstein) - 3:16

9. Tonite (Chris Robison) - 3:47

10.Hoochie Coochie Rockin Information Man (Chris Robison, Rick Frank) - 2:55

The Elephant's Memory

*Gary Van Scyoc - Bass, Lead Vocals (Tracks 2,9)

*Rick Frank - Drums, Lead Vocals (Track 10), Percussion

*Jon Sachs - Guitar

*Chris Robison - Keyboards

*Stan Bronstein - Saxophone, Lead Vocals (Tracks 1,3-8)

With

*Terry Bronstein - Backing Vocals

*Casey Synge - Backing Vocals

*Dari Lalou - Backing Vocals

*Karen Friedman - Backing Vocals

1969  Elephant's Memory - Elephant's Memory

1969  Elephant's Memory - Songs From Midnight Cowboy (2006 remaster)

1970  Elephant's Memory - Take It To The Streets
1972  Elephant's Memory - Elephant's Memory

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Roy Buchanan - Live Stock (1975 us, thrilling blues rock)

By the time this long-player hit the street, Roy Buchanan (guitar/vocals) had already departed from his oft-acrimonious relationship with Polydor Records. To their credit, the label issued Live Stock (1975), which captured the artist in performance at Town Hall in New York City on November 27, 1974. This disc features the recently corralled combo of Bill Price (vocals), John Harrison (bass), Malcolm Lukens (keyboards), and Byrd Foster (drums/vocals). Interestingly, the instrumentalists would reconvene behind Buchanan for his next two studio albums, A Street Called Straight (1976) and Loading Zone (1977), as well as the thoroughly superior, import-only Live in Japan (2003). 

With the exception of the seminal Snakestretchers, this aggregate would stay with the guitarist for longer than any of his numerous other support bands. Practically by default, having returned Buchanan to the stage, the music instantly becomes more conducive to inspiration. The set list highlights both a sampling from earlier efforts, as well as a few covers that are personalized by Buchanan's inimitable stringed artistry. Whether by design or serendipity, each track focuses on his animated solos. Ranging from the driving boogie of Roy Milton's "Reelin' and Rockin" [note: not to be confused with Chuck Berry's rock & roll anthem of virtually the same name] to the stinging fretwork that commences the Memphis soul of Al Green's slithery "I'm a Ram," Buchanan is undeniably at the peak of his abilities. 

The spirited reading of "Further on up the Road" is particularly worthwhile, as his leads alternately from a rapid-fire slide action to emphatic wails that punctuate the melody with equal measures of deadly accuracy and limber precision. Live Stock is a primary recommendation for all dimensions of blues guitar lovers and those interested in experiencing the craftsmanship of the man once hailed as "The Greatest Unknown Guitarist In The World." Hardcore collectors and the like should also be aware of the essential nine-plus minute rendering of Neil Young's "Down by the River," which was recorded at this show, yet remained unissued until its inclusion on Sweet Dreams: The Anthology (1992) double-disc set. Equally as impressive, and as highly recommended, is the posthumously released archival American Axe: Live in 1974 (2003), as well as the previously mentioned Live in Japan (2003) -- both of which have the same musicians and similarly exceptional results. 

by Lindsay Planer

Tracks

1. Reelin' And Rockin' (Roy Milton) - 2:25

2. Hot Cha (Willie Woods) - 4:20

3. Further On Up The Road (Bill Mack) - 3:39

4. Roy's Bluz (Roy Buchanan) - 8:10

5. Can I Change My Mind (Barry Despenza, Carl Wolfolk) - 6:38

6. I'm A Ram (Al Green, Mabon "Teenie" Hodges) - 4:23

7. I'm Evil (Roy Buchanan) - 6:17

Tracks 1-6 recorded at Town Hall, New York City, November 27, 1974

Track 7 recorded at Amazingrace Coffeehouse, Evanston (IL)

Personnel

*Roy Buchanan - Lead Guitar, Vocals (Tracks 4,7)

*Billy Price - Lead vocals 

*John Harrison - Bass

*Malcolm Lukens - Keyboards

*Byrd Foster - Drums, Vocals

1969-71  Roy Buchanan - The Prophet

1969-78  Roy Buchanan - Sweet Dreams The Anthology
1972-73 Roy Buchanan - Roy Buchanan / Second Album
1974  Roy Buchanan - Live At Town Hall (2018 double disc set)

1975  Roy Buchanan - Telemaster Live In '75 (2017 remaster) 
1977  Roy Buchanan - Loading Zone (2005 remaster)
1978  Roy Buchanan - Live In Japan (2003 remaster)

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Ellen McIlwaine - We The People (1973 us, brilliant jazzy bluesy folk rock)

Brilliant work from the great Ellen McIllwaine! Ellen's certainly not a soul artist -- but she's got a particularly soulful approach to folk rock -- one that's made her a favorite of groovers worldwide in the past few decades, thanks to a big push from Gilles Peterson, and the club scene in Tokyo and Germany! The approach on this record is kind of like a mixture between Chaka Khan and Joni Mitchell -- lots of upbeat grooves, mixed with jazzy acoustic guitar and some wonderfully soaring vocals -- in a style that needs to be heard to be fully understood. The standout cut is the amazing "Jimmy Jean", a soaring jazzy dance cut with unbelievable vocals -- and other nice ones include "Sliding", "Ain't No Two Ways", and "All To You".

Tracks

1. Ain't No Two Ways About It (It's Love) - 4:26

2. All To You - 3:05

3. Sliding - 2:52

4. Never Tell Your Mother She's Out Of Tune (Jack Bruce, Pete Brown) - 2:25

5. Farther Along (Traditional) - 3:44

6. I Don't Want To Play - 3:20

7. Underground River - 3:54

8. Everybody Wants To Go To Heaven (But Nobody Wants To Die) (Al Fields, Timmie Rogers, Tom Delaney) - 2:25

9. Jimmy Jean - 2:59

10.We The People - 3:23

All songs by Ellen McIlwaine except where stated

Track 10 Recorded Live At Carnegie Hall, New York

Musicians

*Ellen McIlwaine - Guitars, Vocals

*James Madison - Drums

*Don Payne - Bass

*Gerry Mercer - Drums

*Don Moore - Bass

*Thad Holiday - Bass, Vocals

*Don Kaplan - Piano

*Colin Tilton - Saxophone

*Candido - Conga

*Bill Curtis - Conga

*Bill Keith - Pedal Steel

1972  Ellen McIlwaine - Honky Tonk Angel   

Related Act

1968  Fear Itself - Fear Itself (2006 edition)

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The Briks - Singles Plus (1966-67 us, texas garage punk)

In early 1965, a band formed at Texas Tech called The Embers. Most of the band members were around 18 years old. During the summer break the group shifted to Dallas and changed their name to The Briks. Their rehearsals consisted of covers of the then popular British sound as exemplified by The Beatles, Kinks, Zombies, Stones, and Animals. As the band improved, they began to play at popular clubs in Dallas, becoming the house band at The Studio Club and Louanns.

At the start of 1966, The Briks entered the studio to record a couple of original songs ("It's Your Choice" and "I'm Losing"). Although not released commercially, the tunes displayed the bands versatility in tackling both folk-rock and hard-rock (on par with The Stones). In the spring of 1966, The Briks once again went into the studio, this time to cut two more originals for a single release ("Foolish Baby" and "Can You See Me"). The songs were released on Bismark Records (#1013). Although the band wanted "Foolish Baby" as the A-side, the local. radio stations preferred "Can You See Me". On KLIF(AM) it rose to #15 on the top 40 hit list. Final sales were around 5,000 copies, but The Briks only received a $16.00 royalty check from Dot records who bought the master from Bismark and released it nationally.

The success of "Can You See Me" led to The Briks appearance on The Sump 'N Else TV show, a couple of times. Their first appearance came a day after Frank Zappa and The Mothers Of Invention (Zappa didn't think much of the show and it's host, later insulting him at a concert that night). Once on the show, The Briks lip synched to "Can You See Me". On their next appearance they did "Baby Let Me Take You Home" (Animals song) and "I'm A Man" (Yardbirds style). In Houston, The Briks appeared on The Larry Kane TV show. A big moment for the group was opening for The Beau Brummels at Louanns.

In the summer of 1966, The Briks original lineup was disrupted by Uncle Sam as lead singer Cecil Cotten, drummer Steve Martin, and manager Reggie Lange left for the Air Force. They were replaced by lead singer Paul Ray, and drummer Chris Vandercolt. With this new lineup the band cut the manic "Keep Down" and "From A Small Room" (which would later surface as the b-side to The Briks second. single).

In January of 1967, Cecil re-entered The Briks and took over his original task of lead vocals. Paul Ray went on to form his own band The Cobras. Later in 1967 a live tape was made of The Briks performance at the Northwood Country Club in Dallas. Needless to say the bands high voltage energy is perfectly captured on this live tape. 1967 was also the year Cream released their first album, "Fresh Cream", and it influenced The Briks to release another single on the Bismark label (#1020). It was a cover version of Creams NSU. Sadly this single failed to have the same success as their first one and the band began to split up by 1968. Fortunately, The Briks phenomenal sounds are captured on this release.

The In Cave

Tracks

1. Over You (Jamie Herndon) - 2:40

2. Can You See Me (Cecil Cotton, Richard Borgens) - 2:28

3. Foolish Baby (Cecil Cotton, Richard Borgens) - 2:43

4. Baby, Let Me Take You Home (Traditional) - 2:08

5. Keep Down (Unknown) - 2:18

6. N. S. U. (Jack Bruce) - 2:25

7. Everybody Needs Somebody To Love (Bert Berns, Jerry Wexler, Solomon Burke) - 3:38

8. Till The End Of The Day (Ray Davies) - 2:19

9. The Nazz Are Blue (Chris Drega, Jeff Beck, Jim McCarthy, Keith Relf) - 2:59

10.Heart Full Of Soul (Graham Gouldman) - 3:11

11.I'm A Man (Doc Pomus, Mort Shuman) - 4:09

12.N. S. U. (Jack Bruce) - 2:29

Tracks 7-12 recorded live at Northwood Country Club, 1967.

The Briks

*Cecil Cotton - Lead Vocals

*Richard Borgens - Lead Guitar

*Steve Martin - Drums

*Lee Hardesty - Rhythm Guitar

*Mike Maroney - Bass

*Chris Vandercolt - Drums

*Jamie Herndon - Lead Guitar

*Paul Ray - Vocals (Track 5)

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Society's Children - Mister Genie Man (1968-74 us, rough fuzzy garage psych, 2023 release)

Society’s Children after the Shamrocks split up, Pat Sassone recruited two brothers and a friend of theirs to start the first version of Society’s Children. His mother, Doreen, had suggested the name. Doreen took over on vocals and continued to pitch in with lyrics. I can’t think of a single other 60s garage band that included a parent and child

Society’s Children recorded “Mister Genie Man” at Columbia Records Studios in Chicago on December 13, 1968. It’s now considered a “punkadelic” masterpiece: sounding like Grace Slick, Doreen wails doomy lyrics (Patrick described the tune as “basically about someone having a terrible nightmare”) while blasts of fuzz guitar and propulsive Farfisa organ double down hard. 

Tiny local imprint Cha Cha Records, which had distribution through Chess, released the 45 before the end of the year. Cha Cha had its own small recording studio on West Randolph in the Loop, but Society’s Children never used it. The single didn’t take off, but if everything Sassone says about Cha Cha owner Donald DeLucia is true, that’s no surprise. 

In 1974 Society’s Children recorded what was supposed to be their second single, “Listen” b/w “I Don’t Wanna See Tomorrow,” at the studio operated by Palos Records (which released mostly blues artists such as Lonnie Brooks, Bobby Rush, and Eddie Boyd). The interview at It’s Psychedelic Baby includes a photo of hub labels apparently from this single, but I have to assume they’re from a test pressing—the record never came out. 

The band would keep recording in a home studio with various rhythm players, but in 1976 Sassone and his family (including Doreeen) moved to California. They soon moved to Arizona and tried again, but we had trouble keeping musicians. In 1977 the band ended for good.Patrick Sassone never stopped making music, and he’s been putting out solo material since 2010. Sadly, Doreen passed away in 2017. 

The story of Society’s Children also continues to unfold. Because Sassone held onto the band’s unreleased recordings (including a “gospel rock” album from the early 70s), he could help assemble a new archival release, Mister Genie Man, that compiles the Cha Cha single with never-before-heard tracks from between 1968 and 1974.

by Steve Krakow, August 7, 2023

Tracks

1. Can It Be - 2:17

2. People, People - 3:14

3. Mister Genie Man - 2:33

4. Darkness - 3:05

5. Love Hour - 2:23

6. I Don't Wanna See Tomorrow - 2:19

7. Help - 3:00

8. Slippin' Away - 2:22

9. Velvet, Love, And Lace - 3:05

10.Bells Of St. Peter's Square - 2:23

11.I Am A Minstrel - 2:55

12.Goodbye Baby - 4:00

13.Listen - 2:39

14.Light Of My Gargen - 3:17

15.Wanna Gotta - 2:20

All compositions by Patrick Sassone

Society's Children

*Patrick Sassone - Electric Guitar, Organ, Backing Vocals

*Doreen Sassone - Lead Vocals

*John Kolada - Bass

*Fred Sudlow - Drums

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Dirty Tricks - Hit 'n' Run (1977 uk, tough heavy rock, 2004 remaster)

Dirty Tricks made its San Antonio debut at a Southside bar known as Randy's Rodeo late in 1976, to rave reviews. It was there that they debuted songs from the upcoming "Hit and Run" and finished the crowd off with an explosive version of the Kinks' "You Really Got Me", a year before Van Halen released their first album with that same song. The next year Joe Anthony (the Godfather - widely respected in the 'Business', having used his experimental, risk-tak- ing style to break bands such as Judas Priest, Rush and Triumph in the U.S.) gave the same treatment to "Hit and Run", playing both sides in their entirety- sometimes for days on end. Unfortunately, from what I've gathered, other markets did not have 'champions' of new music with the same stature as the Godfather, and Dirty Tricks did not take off as they did in south Texas. What a shame for the others.

This album is the perfect bridge between Classic U.K. rock and the NWOBHM. The title track, along with "Get Out On The Street" and "The Gambler" (no, not THAT song, Kenny Rogers fans) grind out blues- driven rock to which to punch your fist in the air. On the other side of the coin, "I've Had These Dreams Before" and "Lost In The Past" invoke an air of a certain, shall we say, smoke-filled reverie... This album received massive airplay in Texas and regions beyond. Andy Bierne replaces John Lee on the drum kit for this outing. Interestingly, this incarnation of the band rehearsed with Ozzy Osbourne as the first Blizzard of Oz before the poor Oz Man had to leave the Motherland due to tax issues. He fled to America, met Randy Rhoades, and the rest, as they say, is history. But, we're left to wonder, What Might Have Been?

Which leads us to today. Although the band has a great following in the U.K. as the Led Zeppelin tribute band, Stairway To Zeppelin, Dirty Tricks has once again found a new cham- pion in Geoff Gillespie and Majestic Rock. Geoff has had a 'thing' for Dirty Tricks, just as I have, for all these years. The difference is that he's in a position to do something about it. I've tried to lend a hand to him as much as I can, with recordings and artwork he may find use- ful. But it is he who has commandeered the master tapes to breathe new life into this proud, 'vintage' engine of Rock N' Roll that is Dirty Tricks. And it is I, along with you reading this, that should offer a 'thanks' and a tip of the hat, if you will, to Geoff and Majestic Rock for making this dream a reality. And with that, I'll end with a heartfelt, if not cliché, "Long Live Dirty Tricks!"

by Zach Hammock, March 2004

Tracks

1. Hit And Run (Andy Beirne, John Fraser Binnie, Kenny Stewart, Terry Horbury) - 3:15

2. Get Out On The Street (Andy Beirne, John Fraser Binnie, Kenny Stewart, Terry Horbury) - 5:43

3. The Gambler (John Fraser Binnie, Kenny Stewart) - 5:24

4. Road To Deriabah (Terry Horbury) - 4:16

5. I've Had These Dreams Before (John Fraser Binnie, Kenny Stewart) - 6:20

6. Walkin' Tall (John Fraser Binnie, Kenny Stewart) - 3:54

7. Last Night Of Freedom (Andy Beirne, John Fraser Binnie, Kenny Stewart, Terry Horbury) - 3:57

8. Lost In The Past (John Fraser Binnie, Kenny Stewart) - 4:39

9. You Really Got Me (Ray Davies) - 3:41

10.Get Out On The Street (Andy Beirne, John Fraser Binnie, Kenny Stewart, Terry Horbury) - 6:53

Bonus Live Tracks 9-10

Dirty Tricks

*John Fraser Binnie - Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals

*Terry Horbury - Bass, Vocals

*Andy Beirne - Drums, Percussion, Vocals

*Kenny Stewart - Vocals

1975  Dirty Tricks - Dirty Tricks (bonus tracks issue)

1976  Dirty Tricks - Night Man (2004 remaster and expanded)

Related Act
1973  Renia - First Offenders (2012 Remaster)

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Ellen McIlwaine - Honky Tonk Angel (1972 us, impressive jazzy bluesy folk rock, bonus track remaster)

There’s a select coterie of artists whose voices are recognised as musical instruments in their own right, their unique vocal deliveries transcending lyrics and, without being pure, trained or operatic, tantalising the ear wordlessly like a breathy tenor sax or a sobbing Dobro. Ella Fitzgerald, Richie Havens, Tim Buckley, the late John Martyn all had this talent. Add to this rare gift an astonishing propensity for producing the deepest funk and the most soulful blues on an acoustic guitar, and you’ve got Ellen McIlwaine.

Born in 1945, Ellen grew up in Japan, the daughter of American missionaries, where she listened to AFN and learned to play New Orleans piano after Fats Domino and Professor Longhair. On the family’s return to Atlanta she switched to guitar, rapidly assimilating all the fiery Southern styles. For several years from 1966 she worked around NYC’s East Village, rubbing shoulders with the likes of Muddy, Wolf, Hardin and Hendrix. After a brief unproductive spell leading her own rock band, Fear Itself, she signed to Polydor in ’72 as a solo artist and produced her freshman album, Honky Tonk Angel.

The comparison with Richie Havens is more than appropriate here. As with the bulk of his early work, her primary mission on this album is to take familiar and unfamiliar songs by other artists and cover them in an idiosyncratic and totally individual vocal fashion, accompanied by a fluid and relentlessly rhymthic acoustic guitar. She’d develop her own songwriting on the follow-up and later albums, but here there are only two originals alongside the eight borrowed songs “ but her choice is impeccable, taking in some of the finest writers of the late 60s and early 70s in a plethora of genres. 

She covers Isaac Hayes (Toe Hold), Jack Bruce (Weird Of Hermiston), Jimi Hendrix (Up From The Skies), Steve Winwood (Can’t Find My Way Home), Bobbie Gentry (Ode To Billy Joe) and Ghanaian jazz maestro Guy Warren’s Pinebo (My Story), culminating with a momentous retread of the traditional Wade In The Water. Most of the tracks are marked by her jazzy, strident Guild guitar, chock-full of scratchy percussive flatpicking, earsplitting eleventh chords and occasional soaring slide, complementing her astonishingly confident, melismatic, androgynous vocal as she plays shamelessly with the lyrics, frequently wandering into pure scat or an ululating African dialect. 

By contrast the gentle Pinebo is a multi-tracked, stereo-separated acapella tour-de-force in Swahili, whilst her reading of the Winwood ditty is masterful and sensitive with immaculate fingerstyling. Half the album was recorded live at NYC’s Bitter End with McIlwaine’s voice and acoustic set off only by adventurous bass guitar and rattling Latin percussion, the remainder at The Record Plant with scarcely denser backing, but McIlwaine’s fretboard pyrotechnics and vocal gymnastics make the whole collection sizzle with excitement. The only sore thumb to stick out from this otherwise homogenous collection is the inexplicable inclusion of the old Kitty Wells country chestnut (It Wasn’t God Who Made) Honky Tonk Angels, done in a po-faced, almost caricatured Bakersfield style with full backing band including wailing pedal steel.

Ellen McIlwaine would go on to an uneven but uncompromising career, her commercial appeal blunted by her determination to make music her own way, but she continues to tour and to release albums at intervals. 

by Len Liechti, June 25th, 2012 

Tracks

1. Toe Hold (David Porter, Isaac Hayes) - 4:22

2. Weird Of Hermiston (Jack Bruce, Peter Brown) - 5:06

3. Up From The Skies (Jimi Hendrix) - 4:38

4. Losing You (Ellen McIlwaine) - 2:00

5. It's Growing (Smokey Robinson, Warren Moore) - 3:05

6. Ode To Billy Joe (Bobbie Gentry) - 3:48

7. Pinebo (My Story) (Guy Warren) - 2:41

8. Can't Find My Way Home (Steve Winwood) - 3:41

9. Wings Of A Horse (Ellen McIlwaine) - 4:02

10.It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels (Joseph Delton Miller) - 2:38

11.Wade In The Water (Traditional) - 4:50

Tracks 1-6 recorded ''Live'' at The Bitter End, New York City, using facilities of The Record Plant/Wally Heider recording van.

Tracks 7-11 recorded at The Record Plant, New York City, except for ''Can't Find My Way Home'' which was recorded at the studios of Burmese Records, Inc.

Bonus Track 5

Personnel

*Ellen McIlwaine - Vocals, Background Vocals, Guitars

*Thad Holiday - Bass, Background Vocals

*Don Payne - Bass (Track 4)

*Billy Curtis - Congas (Tracks 1,6)

*Candido - Congas (Tracks 6,8,11)

*Don Kaplan - Piano

*James Madison - Drums

*Bill Keith - Pedal Steel Guitar

Related Act

1968  Fear Itself - Fear Itself (2006 edition)  

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Moby Grape - Dark Magic (1965-69 us, amazing west coast psych folk country blues rock, double disc issue)

Several rungs down the ladder from The Whiskey or The Trip, Gazzari's on Sunset Strip was a joint whose slick- haired clientele wore sharkskin suits, skinny ties and an eloquent sneer that said, "Pinko liberal commie faggots not welcome".

But Peter Lewis, the son of film star Loretta Young, had been to hell and back before his band, Peter And The Wolves, ever took the stage at Gazzari's. At 11, his parents' divorce had driven him to a failed suicide attempt and left him in a psychiatric ward where "they shot me full of Thorazine and locked me up until I promised to go to school". The ward also had a guitar, which Lewis appropri- ated: "If I had the guitar they left me alone because I looked occupied".

Peter And The Wolves churned out efficient pop and rock covers but Lewis wanted to do more. "I'd seen The Byrds opening for The Stones at Long Beach Arena and it flipped me out, like Mr. Toad seeing the motor car." His tick- et out of Gazzari's arrived in mid-'66 in the shape of LA club band the Joel Scott Hill Trio, who shared Lewis' ambition. "The idea was to write our own songs and introduce a soul vocal sound into folk-rock." They suggested he meet their old guitarist Bob Mosley but warned that he was crazy.

When Lewis first encountered Mosley at the bar in LA airport it felt like chalk meeting cheese. "I had bell-bottoms and long hair, and he had Bermuda shorts, red sneakers with white socks, a goatee beard, shades and his hair combed back." As Lewis' car sped towards his Laurel Canyon house, the taciturn Mosley suddenly growled, "I can play like a motherfucker and sing anything up to high C. What the hell can you do?"

That night, along with the Joel Scott Hill Trio, they plied Mosley with acid and waited to see what might emerge. "About dawn, when Bob was really smashed, I stated play- ing this Rickenbacker 12-string lick and Bob latched right onto it. We wrote one of our first songs, Bitter Wind, right then and I knew we had something special."

Introduced to former Jefferson Airplane member Skip Spence by that group's ex-manager Matthew Katz, they moved to San Francisco and recruited Don Stevenson. "We wanted a lot of harmonies so we needed a drummer who could sing, and Don's voice could stop you in your tracks, like Steve Winwood with a high vibrato." Don brought in a third guitarist, Jerry Miller, and, after one half-hour rehearsal, voila, Moby Grape. Two months of solid rehearsal followed before the band started playing at a beached Sausalito houseboat which had been turned into a club, The Ark. Columbia Records producer David Rubinson came one night to see headlining act The Sparrow (later known as Steppenwolf). "They got blown offstage by the opening band," recalls Rubinson. "This group was staggering, unbelievable. I said, Who are these guys?" They were, of course, Moby Grape.

"Another night, two guys walked in looking for Skip." says Lewis, "and it was Neil Young and Stephen Stills of Buffalo Springfield." Forming an immediate bond of friendship, Stills and Young returned almost daily for a fortnight, then went off to spread the word about Moby Grape. They also recorded a single, For What It's Worth, which, as Stills later confided to Lewis, was based on two Moby Grape songs, Murder In My Heart For The Judge and On The Other Side. "But, hey," says Lewis, "they were cool."

After a showcase at The Matrix, every West Coast A&R man was hustling to sign Moby Grape. "Paul Rothschild of Elektra wanted us so bad he offered us 50 per cent of the stock of the label to sign." But manager Matthew Katz had other plans. "He virtually blackmailed us into signing with Columbia by threatening to stop paying for Bob and Skip's flat and have them thrown out," recalls Lewis. Before the year was out, Katz had inked a deal with Columbia Records and the career of a band with the potential to be California's finest, was locked into a down- hill course.

by Johnny Black

Tracks

Disc 1

1. Introduction At Monterey Pop Festival - 1:21

2. Indifference (Alexander "Skip" Spence) - 3:10

3. Mr. Blues (Bob Mosley) - 1:50

4. Sitting By The Window (Peter Lewis) - 2:50

5. Omaha (Alexander "Skip" Spence) - 2:33

6. Millers Blues (Jerry Miller) - 7:40

7. Hey Grandma (Jerry Miller, Don Stevenson) - 2:21

8. Sitting By The Window (Peter Lewis) - 3:07

9. Omaha (Alexander "Skip" Spence) - 1:59

10.Going Nowhere (Jerry Miller, Don Stevenson) - 2:30

11.Sweet Little Angel (B.B. King, Jules Taub) - 4:47

12.I Am Not Willing (Peter Lewis) - 4:00

13.Honky Tonk Blues (Bill Doggett, Clifford Scott, Shep Shepherd) - 8:47

14.Bitter Wind (Bob Mosley) - 4:44

15.Murder In My Heart For The Judge (Don Stevenson) - 18:25

16.Dark Magic (Alexander "Skip" Spence) - 6:49

Tracks1-5 recorded at The Monterey Pop Festival, Monterey, Ca., June 16, 1967.

Track 6 recorded at The Avalon Ballroom, San Francisco, Ca., 1968

Tracks 7-9 recorded at Steve Pauls Scene, New York City, 1968

Tracks 10-15 unknown venue, 1967

Track 16 recorded at Winterland, San Francisco, Ca., 1967

Disc 2

1. $20 Blues (Jerry Miller, Don Stevenson) - 11:15

2. Hey Grandma Blues (Jerry Miller, Don Stevenson) - 8:04

3. Changes (Jerry Miller, Don Stevenson) - 4:39

4. Dark Magic Part 1 (Alexander "Skip" Spence) - 5:29

5. Dark Magic Part 2 (Alexander "Skip" Spence) - 11:37

6. Looper (Peter Lewis) - 2:29

7. 8:05 (Jerry Miller, Don Stevenson) - 2:11

8. Learn From Your Mistakes (Peter Lewis) - 3:04

9. Can't Be So Bad (Jerry Miller, Don Stevenson) - 4:00

10.Sitting By The Window (Peter Lewis) - 3:19

11.Fall On You (Peter Lewis) - 2:52

12.It's A Beautiful Day (Bob Mosley) - 7:04

13.Big Boss Man (Jimmy Reed) - 5:44

14.Hey Mama (Jerry Miller, Don Stevenson) - 2:55

15.I Can Only Give You Everything (Phil Coulter, Tommy Scott) - 2:40

Tracks 1-2 recorded unknown venue, july 23, 1968

Tracsk 3-5 recorded at The Avalon Ballroom, San Francisco, Ca., Dec.31, 1966

Tracks 6-7 recorded at Winterland, 1967

Tracks 8-13 recorded at Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, N.Y., 1969

Tracks 14-15 Peter & The Wolves 45,PW#500, Los Angeles, 1965 featuring Peter Lewis

Moby Grape

*Jerry Miller - Guitar, Vocals

*Peter Lewis - Guitar, Vocals

*Alexander "Skip" Spence - Guitar, Vocals

*Bob Mosley - Bass, Vocals

*Don Stevenson - Drums, Vocals

1966-69  Moby Grape - Live (Sundazed digipak issue)

1967  Moby Grape - Moby Grape (2007 remaster)
1967-68  The Place And The Time (2009 Sundazed release)

1967  Moby Grape - Grape Jam (2007 remaster)
1969  Wow (Sundazed Issue)
1969  Moby Grape - Moby Grape 69' (2007 remaster and expanded)

1971  Moby Grape - 20 Granite Creek (2017 japan SHM remaster)

Related Act

1970  The Rhythm Dukes - Flashback (2005 release)

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Ainigma - Diluvium (1973 germany, pure krautrock classic, totally explosive in terms of emotions, heavy rocking and lovely psychedelic, 2006 remaster)

Cool heavy rock from Ainigma, a young trio from Germany, who released this record in 1973. The sound is dirty and sounds a lot like garage. The keyboards roar, the guitar has a fat, hard sound and the loudly mixed drums are played with great power. At the time, Ainigma consisted of the two 15-year-olds Michael Klüter (drums) and Wolfgang Netzer (g) and the 17-year-old Willi Klüter (keys, vocals). The ideas for the songs came from Willi Klüter, too. the great attraction comes from the simple, brute and naively youthful recording. The trio plays the songs clean and hard, between the loudly turned up amplifiers the flat dynamics are not noticeable, the songs rock, are not a bit well-behaved, there are no long solos, but long motifs, so that three songs are over 5 and one even over 17 minutes long. 

These quirks are charming and make up a good part of the appeal of the songs. It's lucky that the songs have been preserved at all! No band can sound like this today. The boys were self-confident enough to take their ideas to the “studio”, the parish hall in Garmisch, record the songs there and release the recordings on LP.

As always, Garden of Delights has once again done a great job and released the production in a comprehensive and informative way. The label has the right philosophy. Each production is excellently documented not only in terms of the music, but also in terms of the history and development of the band and musicians with text and pictures, including alternative covers and labels. Anyone who has ever placed their record with Garden of Delights to see it from the band's perspective will know that their classic from the good old days is well presented.

Tracks

1. Prejudice (Willi Klüter, Wolfgang Netzer, Harry Bowman) - 5:35

2. You Must Run - 7:30

3. All Things Are Fading - 5:10

4. Diluvium - 17:45 - 

5. Thunderstorm - 4:58

6. Diluvium (Instrumental) - 17:45

All songs by Willi Klüter, Wolfgang Netzer except where indicated

Bonus Tracks 5-6

Ainigma

*Michael Klüter - Drums

*Wolfgang Netzer - Guitar, Bass

*Willi Klüter - Keyboards, Vocals

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