Mott's last album for Island is a belter. Needing an injection of craziness that was lacking on Wildlife they reluctantly joined forces with Guy Stevens once again and the result is a raw, heavy metal punk album six years ahead of its time.
Of the pre-Bowie albums, this is easily the fans' favourite. Like Mad Shadows, this was recorded live in the studio, and all the tracks were laid down in about four days. Live tapes from the time show just how well this album captured their live sound.
Opener Death May Be Your Santa Claus is frantic (check out the exuberant "Wooo!" at the end). Darkness Darkness features Mick Ralphs on vocals and is a guitar-driven rocker and noteworthy for not featuring Verden at all. The Journey is one of Ian's epic ballads and it is an interesting exercise to compare this to the alternate version recorded a few weeks earlier (included as a bonus track).
Sweet Angeline is another rocker, one that would remain in the live set to the end. Second Love is interesting - the first of Verden Allen's compositions Mott recorded and beautifully sung by Ian. The Moon Upstairs is another full-tilt rocker with is in part a message of defiance to Island: "We ain't bleeding you, we're feeding you, but you're to f***ing slow".
The LP closed with The Wheel Of The Quivering Meat Conception, with is another end-of-session-jam tape reclamation job, this time as an earlier take of The Journey descends into complete chaos.
Bonus tracks here are the non-LP single Midnight Lady and an earlier version of The Journey (which is more acoustic than the LP version).
Sleeve notes as always are excellent, as is the sound quality. The CD also reproduces the original LP cover .
Tracks
1. Death May Be Your Santa Claus (Ian Hunter, Verdun Allen) - 4.55
2. Your Own Back Yard (Dion Dimucci) - 4.13
3. Darkness, Darkness (Jesse Colin Young) - 4.33
4. The Journey (Hunter) - 9.15
5. Sweet Angeline (Hunter) - 4.53
6. Second Love (Allen) - 3.46
7. The Moon Upstairs (Hunter, Mick Ralphs) - 5.07
8. The Wheel Of The Quivering Meat Conception (Hunter, Stevens) - 1.21
9. Midnight Lady (Hunter, Ralphs) - 3.33
10.The Journey (Hunter) - 9.47
Don McLean's second album, American Pie, which was his first to gain recognition after the negligible initial sales of 1970's Tapestry, is necessarily dominated by its title track, a lengthy, allegorical history of rock & roll, because it became an unlikely hit, topping the singles chart and putting the LP at number one as well. "American Pie" has remained as much a cultural touchstone as a song, sung by everyone from Garth Brooks to Madonna, its title borrowed for a pair of smutty teen comedies, while the record itself has earned a registered three-million plays on U.S. radio stations.
There may not be much more to note about it, then, except perhaps that even without a crib sheet to identify who's who, the song can still be enjoyed for its engaging melody and singable chorus, which may have more to do with its success than anything else. Of course, the album also included "Vincent," McLean's paean to Van Gogh, which has been played two-million times. Nothing else on the album is as effective as the hits, but the other eight original songs range from sensitive fare like "Till Tomorrow" to the sarcastic, uptempo "Everybody Loves Me, Baby."
American Pie -- the album -- is very much a record of its time; it is imbued with the vague depression of the early '70s that infected the population and found expression in the works of singer/songwriters. "American Pie" -- the song -- is really a criticism of what happened in popular music in the '60s, and "Vincent" sympathizes with Van Gogh's suicide as a sane comment on an insane world. "Crossroads" and "Empty Chairs" are personal reflections full of regret and despondency, with the love song "Winterwood" providing the only respite. In the album's second half, the songs get more portentous, tracing society's ills into war and spiritual troubles in "The Grave" and "Sister Fatima."
The songs are made all the more poignant by the stately folk-pop arrangements and McLean's clear, direct tenor. It was that voice, equally effective on remakes of pop oldies, that was his salvation when he proved unable to match the songwriting standard set on Tapestry and this collection. But then, the album has an overall elegiac quality that makes it sound like a final statement. After all, if the music has died, what else is there to say?
by William Ruhlmann
Tracks
1.American Pie - 8:33
2.Till Tomorrow - 2:11
3.Vincent - 3:55
4.Crossroads - 3:34
5.Winterwood - 3:09
6.Empty Chairs - 3:24
7.Everybody Loves Me, Baby - 3:37
8.Sister Fatima - 2:31
9.The Grave - 3:08
10.Babylon (Trad., arr. Hays and McLean)1:40
11.Mother Nature - 5:10
12.Aftermath - 4:03
All songs written and composed by Don McLean except where noted
Musicians
*Don Mclean - Vocals, Guitar, Banjo
*Warren Bernhardt - Piano
*Ray Colcord - Electric Piano
*Tom Flye - Drums
*Ed Freeman - String Arrangements
*Paul Griffin - Piano
*Lee Hays - Arranger
*Mike Mainieri - Marimba, Vibraphone
*Roy Markowitz - Drums, Percussion
*Gene Orloff - Concert Master
*Bob Rothstein - Bass, Vocals
*David Spinozza - Electric Guitar
*West Forty Fourth Street Rhythm And Noise Choir - Chorus
Liberty executives were returning to L.A. from the Monterey Pop Festival in full psyche regalia, having been 'enlightened' while at Monterey, bringing with them the latest fashions to the L.A. music scene. Gone were the suits and ties. In was 'freaking out' and an 'anything goes' concept. Shannon was encouraged and pushed into doing a psychedelic album. He was strongly encouraged to write the songs this time, and 'The Further Adventures of Charles Westover' began taking shape.
Shannon took a risk and allowed junior producers Dugg Brown (formerly known as Doug Brown of Bob Seger affiliation) and Dan Bourgoise to produce the album. 'The Further Adventures' began with a session in September 1967 that yielded "Thinkin' It Over," a song that had been written on a piano at Shannon's home by Del and Dugg Brown. A cover of the Box Tops' "The Letter" was also recorded for release as a single in the Philippines.
November 13, 1967 brought four additional tracks needed for 'The Further Adventures of Charles Westover' album. "River Cool," "Colour Flashing Hair," "Conquer," and "New Orleans (Mardi Gras)" included Dr. John on keyboards and Bob Evans (later of 'Smith' fame) on drums. Don Peake arranged, and Shannon poured everything into the sessions. Bourgoise remembers, "We found this great tape loop at Liberty, called 'Mardi Gras,' and we used it on the tail of Del's 'New Orleans' track. Del whispered and chanted throughout the song. Ahhh, it was great! Dugg Brown contributed the song to the session. He produced a band called 'Southwind' on Blue Thumb (Records). Jim Pulte wrote the song. Their version is pretty good too!"
December 5, 1967 Shannon returned to Liberty Studio to finish off seven more tracks necessary for completing the 'Charles Westover' album. "Be My Friend" was written and contributed by Dugg Brown. "Silver Birch" and "Magical Musical Box" were recorded as well, a co-share on the writing credits by Del with Jonathan M. Perkins of Britain (they also penned "River Cool" together). Shannon brought "I Think I Love You" and "Gemini" to the table solo, and Shannon and Brian Hyland co-wrote "Been So Long." One great writing effort was the brief collaboration Shannon had with ex-Eddie Cochran girlfriend Sharon Sheeley. Together they cranked out "Runnin' On Back," a bitchin' tune that reflected awesome anger and reminded us of Del's short-lived "Move It On Over" style. Both the song and production work were hot on this side!
"Thinkin' It Over"/"Runnin' On Back" and "Gemini"/"Magical Musical Box" were the only two singles from the album. Neither charted, but both became instant cult favorites. There was an oddness to "Magical Musical Box": lots of harpsichord and paranoia. "Thinkin' It Over" included a picture sleeve, the only Shannon 45rpm to have one in the United States. 'Further Adventures' was Shannon's first album to be pressed with the majority of LP's slicked in stereo. Only Disc Jockey copies were pressed in mono.
Tracks
1 Thinkin' It Over (Shannon, James) - 2:57
2. Be My Friend (Brown) - 2:29
3. Silver Birch (Shannon, Perkins) - 3:07
4. I Think I Love You (Shannon) - 4:19
5. River Cool (Shannon, Perkins) - 3:22
6. Colour Flashing Hair (Shannon) - 3:50
7. Gemini (Shannon) - 3:23
8. Runnin' On Back (Shannon, Sheeley) - 3:41
9. Conquer (Shannon) - 3:13
10. Been So Long (Shannon, Hyland) - 3:04
11 Magical Musical Box (Shannon, Perkins) - 3:39
12. New Orleans (Mardi Gras) (Putte) - 5:15
13. What's A Matter Baby (Otis, Byers) - 2:54
14. Early In The Morning (Shannon) - 2:29
15. In My Arms Again (Shannon) - 2:29
16. She (Boyce, Hart) -2:38
17. Runaway '67 (Crook, Shannon) - 3:25
18. Stand Up (Shannon) - 2:39
19. The House Where Nobody Lives (Shannon) - 2:34
20. You Don't Love Me (Shannon, Hyland) - 3:00
Information belongs to the mind. It can be gathered, coded, processed, and decoded, and used for any number of purposes. Inspiration comes from the soul. It is an elusive spark, one that cannot be bought or sold, nor artificially triggered. It is a gift. That the two can be combined into something quietly exciting is proven by the music on this, Shuggie Otis' third solo album.
There is some old (several of the basic tracks were recorded over the last two years), and some new (for the first time, Shuggie has assumed complete artistic control. Handling almost all of the production and arrangements). Most present, however, is the sense and beginning of a totally new struggle for Shuggie. The thirteen-year-old who made his recording debut with the Johnny Otis Show, and later came to National attention through the Al Kooper Sessions, is a man and an artist now.
He is creating in the seventies, a time whose conflicts are being shaped by information - and the lack of it. One gets the feeling that even as the information changes, so will the inspiration.
by Winston Cenac (Scoops), 1974
Tracks
1. Inspiration Information - 4:12
2. Island Letter - 4:41
3. Sparkle City - 5:58
4. Aht Uh Mi Hed - 4:16
5. Happy House - 1:16
6. Rainy Day - 2:42
7. XL-30 - 2:09
8. Pling! - 4:28
9. Not Available - 2:31
10.Strawberry Letter 23 - 3:59
11.Sweet Thang (words by Johnny Otis) - 4:03
12.Ice Cold Daydream - 2:30
13.Freedom Flight - 12:56
Words and Music by Shuggie Otis except where indicated.
Musicians
*Shuggie Otis - Vocals, Guitar, Bass, Drums, Organ, Piano, Vibraphone, Percussion, Analog Drum Machines
*Jack Kelso - Saxophones, Flute
*Jeff Martinez - French Horn
*Carol Robbins - Harp
*Doug Wintz, Jim Prindle - Trombone
*Curt Sleeten, Ron Robbins - Trumpet
*B. Porter, B. Asher, D. Jones, J. Parker, L. Rosen, M. Zeavin, N. Roth, S. Boone, T. Ziegler - Strings
*Jim "Supe" Bradshaw - Backing
*Johnny Otis - Vocals, Percussion
*Wilton Felder - Bass
*Aynsley Dunbar - Drums
*George Duke - Organ
*Mike Kowalski - Drums
*Richard Aplanalp - Tenor Saxophone, Oboe
While listening to these tracks it s important to keep in mind that the music reflects not only Shuggie's self taught mastery of so many instruments, his abilities as an arranger for strings and horns, his composing capabilities and an innate gift for seamlessly blending funk, rock. pop. jazz and R’n’B into his own sound, but also that he was just 15 when the first of these sessions was recorded.
His debut album Here Comes... is, not unexpectedly, more tentative than its follow up, as evidenced by Johnny Snr's previously mentioned contributions. What these tracks reveal conclusively is Shuggies musical skills as an improvising instrumentalist, in particular as a guitarist who never bowed to speed or technical trickery when imagination and feel arc obviously that for which he was striving.
The seven-minute instrumental Oxford Cray provides a spectacular introduction to the fertile musical mind of Shuggie Otis. The arrangement allows for his soulful electric guitar to spar with organ and harpsichord, before an orchestral swell of pizzicato strings and brass subsides to unveil a lovely acoustic bottleneck solo. The track concludes with more strings and electric guitar. Jennie Let is graced by Shuggies gentle vocals, Rootle Cooler is a funky instrumental featuring guitar and organ, and Knowing (That You Want Him), written by his dad, is blatant erring-laden pop and a potential #1 single I had it found its way to Bobby Vee.
Meanwhile, the knowingly titled Funky Thither allows for organ, piano and guitar interplay. Shuggie’s Boogie opens with him reminiscing about some of his earliest influences - guitarists Jimmy Nolan, Pete Lewis and Mel Brown who played in his lather's band. He pays tribute to B.B. King, Elmore James, T Bone Walker and the other blues masters from whom he's borrowed and goes on to reveal how he wore dark glasses and a painted-on moustache when playing bars while under age in his lather's band. The track then moves into an up-tempo blues workout, with Shuggie's guitar playing revealing an amazing maturity.
Hurricane could have been in James Brown's repertoire (riffing horns, punctuated by organ and guitar). Gospel Groove is actually a slow blues with Shuggie soloing Throughout over a sanctified piano and organ. Baby I Need You shines with an Al Kooper-like vocal and cruising organ/guitar arrangement. A final instrumental. the Hawks, suggesting a warm-up song from the band before B.B. King hits the stage, concludes one of the most impressive debuts of its era.
Shuggie's second album. Freedom Flight, released the following year (1971) finds the young musician confident enough to handle all the arranging and most of the song writing, leaving dad to concentrate on the production. Side one opens with Ice Cold Daydream, a full throttle funk rock vehicle with a convincing vocal and red hot guitar from Shuggie, hut it's the following track that would put him on the map as a songwriter. Strawberry Letter 23. written for his girlfriend who used strawberry scented paper for her letters to him. is one of those gorgeous, uplifting songs with a hook that just wont let go.
Beginning with orchestral bells and acoustic guitar. Shuggie delivers a hippy, trippy love anthem in his most assured vocal performance to date. l:loaring gently on subtle background vocals and a soothing rhythm, the arrangement makes a sudden left hand turn, moving into a psychedelic coda, complete with sleigh bells and and electric guitar rift. In 1977 the Brothers Johnson covered Strawberry Letter 23, their version becoming a US Top 5 single, and selling over a million copies In 1997 Quentin Tarantino brought Shuggie to the attention of a new generation of music tans (albeit anonymously, it must be said) when die film-maker utilized the Brothers Johnson cover of the song on the soundtrack to his stylish crime thriller Jackie Brown.
Shuggie's most famous song is followed by a bluesy, electric slide guitar workour (Sweet Thang), a nod to B.B. King (Me and My Woman) and a romantic R’n’B ballad {Someone's Always Singing). Then comes another complete change of direction. Purple cloaking in at over seven minutes, showcases Shuggie's deep understanding of blues guitar. His passionate soloing, interspersed with harmonica and understated organ and piano, is sensational. The albums finale reveals another instrumental tour de-force.
Freedomm Flight is a sprawling 13-minute foray into free jazz. replete with swirling guitars, wind chimes, organ, electric piano, tenor saxophone and oboe. The final cut on this CD, One Room Country Shack (popularised by Mose Allison) from Kooper Sessions, adds to the experience of revisiting the world of this enormously talented musician, an enigma, who for whatever reason, decided not to record his own music after 1975. Maybe the intetest shown in the re release of these albums and Inspiration Information.
by Billy Pinnell
Tracks Here Comes... 1970
1. Oxford Gray (Otis, S. Otis, W. Felder, N. Hooper) - 6:53
2. Jennie Lee (Otis, S. Otis, W. Felder) - 2:09
3. Bootie Cooler (J. Otis, S. Otis) - 2:39
4. Knowing (That You Want Him) - (J. Otis, D. Aidrich) - 2:29
5. Funky Thithee (Otis, S. Otis) - 3:11
6. Shuggie's Boogie (J. Otis, S. Otis) - 5:32
7. Hurricane (J. Otis, S. Otis, W. Felder) - 2:16
8. Gospel Groove (J. Otis, S. Otis) - 4:13
9. Baby, I Needed You (J. Otis, S. Otis) - 3:41
10.The Hawks (J. Otis, S. Otis) - 2:26 Freedom Flight 1971
11. Ice Cold Daydream (Shuggie Otis) - 2:27
12. Strawberry Letter 23 (Shuggie Otis) - 3:55
13. Sweet Thang (S. Otis, J. Otis) - 4:09
14. Me And My Woman (Gene Barge) - 4:14
15. Someone's Always Singing (S. Otis, K. Kahri) - 3:20
16. Purple (Shuggie Otis) - 7:05
17. Freedom Flight (Shuggie Otis) - 12:55 Kooper Introduces Shuggie 1969
18. One Room Country Shack (M. D Walton) - 3:55
A surprisinly nice discovery for the time and place, and one of the big time Belgian rarities up there with Irish Coffee and Waterloo. Laurelie, musically speaking, could be considered the next level up from the large freakbeat movement that was all the rage in The Netherlands and Belgium in the late 1960s (groups like the Wallace Connection, for example).
English vocals are a bit suspect, but the sophistication and exploration of ideas is considerably more than what is normally found in Continental Europe at such an early date. Wonderful fuzz guitar, old keyboard sounds and especially the flute drive the melodic and tonal contents. The 20 minute, multi-part closer has many great ideas. Holds up better than most in this genre.
This LP it is highly sought after in the collectors circuit. Appears listed in the bible records sought '1000 Record Collector Dream', 1 star of 5, ie, its price should not exceed 90 euros ... what do I get? is that with great surprise I noticed (some time ago)the price of this LP on eBay: 400 euros!
Coming out of Eastern Belgium’s Ardennes, quintet Laurelie released a single album in 1970 and was in its ranks some Raepsaet Pierre on vocals and guitar, better known under the name of Pierre Rapsat. This self-titled album, published by Triangle a sub-brand Barclay (as LP Irish Coffee) is a swinging sixties psychedelic pop between a close Beatles, including Pierre Rapsat was a fan, and a nascent progressive rock of the 70s.
The merger of these two types will operate with magic shows and a European pop that wanting to emancipate American influences will incorporate jazz, folk and classical music. Laurelie music can be compared to Moody Blues at Procol Harum, Traffic but also quirky pop of Syd Barrett. Together with Irish Coffee and Waterloo one of the most sought after progressive groups from the early seventies Belgian rock scene." well i called it psych folk rock, maybe prog jazz rock is more true..whatever it is,is good!
This album presents the flute is a lot. It appears in virtually all securities and is both jazzy and symphonic or rock. In "Remember Ronny," she leads us in the great outdoors with the percussion support. Closing his eyes, we are transported into the Andes. We will find this theme in the intro and the final "Deborah Jane And Laurelie." Two pieces will highlight after listening to "Sad Stone" and "Deborah, Jane And Laurelie." "Sad Stone" which opens "Laurelie" is a title that is changing the rhythm and blues in the garage through the sixties pop.
In the middle it has a beautiful and long passage hovering with this psychedelic organ, the bass solo and the guitar and latent acid. But the best is of course the long series of more than 20 minutes what "Deborah Jane And Laurelie" perhaps dedicated to our friends girlfriends musicians. Worthy of a great Procol Harum, this piece is a beautiful blend of jazz, psychedelic pop, rhythm & blues, folk and symphonic place supported by a string orchestra and beautiful vocals.
The rest is not bad either, especially "Have A Coke" and "Ugly Dirty Man". These two titles (which in fact form a single piece) are the rhythm & blues, almost garage, heated red-hot iron, when the voice in "Ugly Dirty Man" tries to keep pushing the guitar in the treble. It is great to loop the morning before going to work. Despite the success,Laurelie separates. Pierre Rapsat try the adventure with Jenghiz Khan next year then opt for a solo career in 1973, between rock and variety. Famous in Belgium, he died of cancer. in April 2002.
by Adamus67
Tracks
1. Sad Stone (Haertert, Raepsaet) - 8:43
2. Remember Ronny (Vion, Raepsaet) - 2:15
3. Dracula's Way of Makin' Love (Vion, Raepsaet) - 0:55
4. Have A Coke (Vion, Raepsaet) - 2:30
5. Ugly Dirty Man (Vion, Raepsaet) - 3:12
6. Tower of Illusion (Vion) - 1:44
7. Spiders in Your Hair (Haertert, Raepsaet) - 2:56
8. Deborah Jane and Laurelie
....a.Chapter 1: Deborah (Haertert, Raepsaet) - 5:03
....b.Chapter 2: Fish (Haertert, Raepsaet)- 2:50
....c.Chapter 3: Days, Dreams, Hopes (Haertert, Raepsaet) - 3:14
....d.Chapter 4: Pink Clouds (Haertert, Raepsaet) - 3:15
....e.Chapter 5: Laurelie, Laurelie (Vion, Raepsaet) - 3:34
Blackfeather were one of the most popular and successful groups of the early '70s, and produced one of the landmark Aussie progressive rock albums, but a major split early in the group's history disabled what should have been a promising career for founder John Robinson. With Blackfeather going through at least six major incarnations between 1970 and 1983, with a huge personnel list for each version. The list is a veritable 'Who's Who' of the 70s rock scene. However it's the first two lineups - 'Mark I', who made At The Mountains Of Madness and 'Mark II' who recorded "Boppin' The Blues" - that are the best known.
Blackfeather (Mk I) formed in April 1970 with the original lineup being John Robinson (gtr), Neale Johns (vcls), Leith Corbett (bs) and Mike McCormack (dr). All but Johns had come straight from the split of the highly-rated Dave Miller Set, who were one of NSW's most popular live groups in the late 60s, and whose classic version of "Mr Guy Fawkes" was Go-Set's pick for the Best Single of 1969.
The new band had lots going for it -- although only 18, Neale Johns was a powerful vocalist, and Robinson has already developed a strong following as a 'guitar hero', along with players like Lobby Loyde, Kevin Borich, Dennis Wilson and Tim Gaze. Corbett and McCormack were a powerful rhythm section in the Free/Led Zeppelin mould and Robinson and Johns quickly formed a strong writing unit, jointly composing all the material on their first LP.
Leith and and Mike left shortly after the band was formed, and were replaced by Fortesque and Kash. (Corbett reunited with Dave Miller and together they recorded the sought-after Reflections Of A Pioneer LP the following year (re-released in 2000 by the Vicious Sloth label.)
Blackfeather began working consistently around the traps, cementing the strong fan base and critical interest that the Dave Miller Set had built up over the previous three years. As John noted, they became one of the first acts signed to Festival's newly-formed Infinity subsidiary.
It was this second lineup -- Robinson, Johns, Fortesque and Kash -- which featured on their debut album, the Australian progressive classic At The Mountains Of Madness, recorded in late 1970 and released early the following year. The LP was produced by Richard Batchens, who later worked with Sherbet and Richard Clapton. Fraternity's singer Bon Scott guested on recorder and percussion, and their keyboard player John Bissett also contributed.
At The Mountains Of Madness was released in April 1971and was a national Top 10 LP (#7) in May. The album has perhaps not aged as well as some others from the period; the title track and the ambitious suite "The Rat" sound a little dated now, although there is sterling playing by Robinson throughout. Still, there are plenty of highlights, including the heavy-riffing "Long Legged Lovely" (with some of the heaviest bass yet captured on an Aussie recording) and the classic "Seasons Of Change", one of the most memorable and adventurous singles of the period. (Both songs were included on Raven's Golden Miles CD compilation in 1994).
Tracks
1. At The Mountains Of Madness (Robinson) - 3:31
2. On This Day That I Die (Robinson) - 3:59
3. Seasons Of Change Part 1 (Robinson, Johns) - 3:52
4. Mangos Theme Part 2 (Robinson) - 8:07
5. Long Legged Lovely (Robinson, Johns) - 7:32
6. The Rat (Suite) - 13:55
..a. Main Title (The Rat)
..b. The Trap
..c. Spainish Blues
..d. Blazwaorden (Land Of Dreams)
..e. Finale (The Rat) (Robinson, Johns)
Blackfeather
*Alexander Kash - Drums And Footsteps
*Neale Johns - Vocals
*Robert Fortescue - Bass Guitar
*John Robinson - Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Effects Additional Musicians
*Bon Scott - Timbalis, Tambourine
*John Bisset - Electric Piano
Although a Texas, USA-based act, Fever Tree made its mark with a tribute to the Summer of Love’s host city with their 1968 anthem ‘San Francisco Girls (Return Of The Native)’. Comprising Rob Landes (keyboards), Dennis Keller (vocals), E.E. Wolfe (bass), John Tuttle (drums) and Michael Knust (guitar), the psychedelic band formed in Houston, Texas, in the mid-60s as Bostwick Vine. The name change came in 1967 and the band subsequently signed with the Chicago-based Mainstream Records.
Two unsuccessful singles were recorded, and the unit then signed to Uni Records, and recorded their self-titled debut album in 1968. ‘San Francisco Girls (Return Of The Native)’ was penned by Vivian Holtzman, one of the band’s producers. Although only a minor chart hit, it received much airplay on the new USA FM rock stations and on John Peel’s Top Gear radio programme in the UK. Fever Tree recorded four albums, three of which charted in the USA, before splitting up in 1970. Interest in the band was renewed in the mid-80s psychedelic revival, and compilation albums were issued in both the USA and UK.
by Colin Larkin
Their third and fourth albums presented here, find the legendary Houston '60s psych band moving away from their pop/psych West Coast leanings and developing an introspective darker edge. Both albums include some great sounds, with a monster 13 minute cover of "Hey Joe" being the highlight....
For Sale is first, Though credited as a Fever Tree release, 1970's ironically-titled "For Sale" was little more than a collection of the earlier Mainstream sides (which may have been rerecorded) and leftover Uni-era odds and ends. A quick glance at the liner notes indicated the band had basically collapsed with keyboardist Rob Landis and drummer John Tuttle credited as 'formerly of Fever Tree'.
Their places were taken by former Byrds drummer Kevin Kelley, keyboardist Grant Johnson, and various members of the Wrecking Crew and The Blackberries on ill thought out backing vocals and Dennis Keller's vocals shine on the old standard "I Put a Spell on You," (not to mention some luscious background singing by the Blackberries, who later warbled in Humble Pie) and the Love song, "She Comes In Colors." Two of the cuts, "Girl Don't Push Me" and "Hey Mister" are actually early singles;(For Sale was the band's fourth album and was put together as they were breaking up.) In short For Sale is good but not great.
Again produced by husband and wife team of Scott and Vivian Holzman in 1969 Creation:starting with "Woman, Woman" (not the Gary Puckett song), the remaining cuts are from Creation and are all excellent, particularly "Wild Woman Ways," "Catcher in the Rye", "Run Past My Window", and "Time is Now," the latter featuring excellent guitar work by future ZZ Top frontman Billy Gibbons.
All of the band's work is first-rate, particularly that of Dennis Keller and superb keyboardist Rob Landes. (Note: Landes is serving as organist and musical director at a church in Houston; not surprising, since many Fever Tree songs are reminiscent of liturgical music at it's finest.)
In conclusion, a must-have purchase for your Fever Tree collection, particularly for those beautiful, melodic gems from the Creation album.
by Adamus67
Tracks
1. I Put A Spell On You (Slotkin, Hawkins) - 3:23
2. You're Not The Same Baby (S. Holtzman, V. Holtzman) - 3:46
3. She Comes In Colors (Arthur Lee) - 3:04
4. Hey Mister (S. Holtzman, V. Holtzman) - 2:06
5. Come On In (Sean Bonniwell) - 2:50
6. Girl Don't Push Me (S. Holtzman, V. Holtzman) - 2:39
7. Hey Joe (Billy Roberts) - 12:56
8. Woman, Woman (Woman) (Jancy Lee Tyler) - 2:33
9. Love Makes The Sun Rise (F. Davis, S, Holtzman, V. Holtzman) - 2:32
10.Catcher In The Rye (R. Landes, S, Holtzman, V. Holtzman) - 3:12
11.Wild Woman Ways (Jancy Lee Tyler) - 4:05
12.Fever Blue (S, Holtzman, V. Holtzman) - 3:33
13.Run Past My Window (Jancy Lee Tyler) - 3:25
14.Imitation Situation (Complete And Unabridged) (R. Landes, S, Holtzman, V. Holtzman) - 4:47
15.Time Is Now (S, Holtzman, V. Holtzman) - 4:05
16.The God Game (R. Landes, S, Holtzman, V. Holtzman) - 4:35
In the late '60s, the Deviants were something like the British equivalent to the Fugs, with touches of the Mothers of Invention and the British R&B-based rock of the Yardbirds and the Pretty Things. Their roots were not so much in the British Invasion as the psychedelic underground that began to take shape in London in 1966-1967. Not much more than amateurs when they began playing, they squeezed every last ounce of skill and imagination out of their limited instrumental and compositional resources on their debut, Ptooff!, which combined savage social commentary, overheated sexual lust, psychedelic jamming, blues riffs, and pretty acoustic ballads -- all in the space of seven songs.
Their subsequent '60s albums had plenty of outrage, but not nearly as strong material as the debut. Lead singer Mick Farren recorded a solo album near the end of the decade, and went on to become a respected rock critic. He intermittently performed and recorded as a solo artist and with re-formed versions of the Deviants.
by Richie Unterberger
The third and, for the time being, final Deviants album is also, according to frontman Mick Farren, the record that they should never have made. Writing in his 2001 autobiography, Give the Anarchist a Cigarette, Farren observes that even the album's title encapsulated the group's state of mind -- "so creatively tapped out we couldn't even come up with a snappy name for the damned record." He is being harsh. While The Deviants, No. 3 is still a fascinating glimpse into the state of the British underground in 1969.
A few of the songs are indeed as unrehearsed (and certainly undeveloped) as Farren has since complained -- "Death of a Dream Machine" is little more than a jingle, when it ought to be a masterpiece. But it's also a considerably more coherent album than the group's speed-freak monster mash reputation might allow you to expect, and it doesn't even sound that horribly dated. At its most seething, "Billy the Monster," the sinister Zappa-esque chant with which the album opens, captures the archetypal hippie-freak. Then, skip over the somewhat Airplane-y "Broken Biscuits" and "First Line," and you reach "The People's Suite" -- and what could be more brilliant than a suite that lasts just two and a half minutes? "We are the people who pervert your children, lead them astray from the lessons you taught them":
Again, Zappa hangs heavy over the proceedings, but if the tabloids of the day ever needed to have their worst fears confirmed, the Deviants were pleased to oblige. Musically, The Deviants, No. 3 hangs in a void somewhere between the early Edgar Broughton Band, with whom they enjoyed the wildest rivalry, and the incipient Pink Fairies, to which all the members bar Farren soon fled. Culturally, however, it is a brutal reminder of that moment when the '60s dream teetered on the brink of the precipice, and the planet went to hell in a handcart around it.
by Dave Thompson
Tracks
1. Billy the Monster - 3:26
2. Broken Biscuits - 2:10
3. First Line (Seven The Row) - 2:44
4. The People Suite - 2:24
5. Rambling B(l)ack Transit Blues - 5:37
6. Death of a Dream Machine - 2:50
7. Playtime - 3:06
8. Black George Does It With His Tongue - 1:20
9. The Junior Narco Rangers - 0:28
10.Lets Drink To the People - 1:32
11.Metamorphosis Explosion - 8:57
All songs by Deviants
The Deviants
*Mick Farren – Lead Vocals
*Paul Rudolph – Guitar, Vocals
*Duncan Sanderson – Bass And Vocals
*Russell Hunter – Percussion, Vocals Additional Personnel
*Tony Ferguson – Organ
*Tony Wiggens –Lead Vocal On "First Line"
*David Goodman –Backing Vocals
*Jenny Ashworth – Vocals
The Nashville Teens were one of a brace of British acts competing for attention in the booming days of the early British Invasion and its early purely English phenomenon, the British beat boom. They were distinguished from most of the others by scoring a memorable and serious hit, "Tobacco Road." This put them on the map internationally (even getting them into an American jukebox movie, Beach Ball, that also featured the Supremes) before they gradually faded away in popularity.
The sextet first got together in Weybridge, Surrey, in 1962 with Art Sharp and Ray Phillips on vocals, John Hawken on piano, Pete Shannon on bass, Michael Dunford on guitar, and Roger Groom on drums. In those days, they played basic American rock & roll with perhaps a bit more abandon even then than their competition.
Dunford exited along with Groom in 1963 to be replaced by John Allen and Barry Jenkins, respectively, and a seventh member, vocalist Terry Crow, joined during the group's extended stay in Hamburg, West Germany, in 1963. (Crow and Dunford later co-founded the Plebs, who recorded for Deram Records, and Dunford subsequently became a key member of the second lineup of Renaissance).
During their Hamburg engagement, the group got pegged to play as backup band to visiting American rock 'n' roll superstar Jerry Lee Lewis, which resulted in the recording of one of the great live albums of the era, Jerry Lee Lewis Live at the Star Club; they later played gigs backing Bo Diddley, and it was at one of those shows that they were spotted by Mickie Most (then still a performer). After the band was signed to English Decca in 1964, Most became their producer for their debut single, "Tobacco Road," released in the summer of 1964, which charted high on both sides of the Atlantic.
A composition by North Carolina-born songwriter John D. Loudermilk -- who was also responsible for "Sittin' in the Balcony" (Eddie Cochran's first single), "Ebony Eyes" by the Everly Brothers, and "A Rose and a Baby Ruth" by George Hamilton IV -- "Tobacco Road" was itself inspired by Erskine Caldwell's 1932 novel, which had been transformed into a hit play and a less successful movie depicting dire rural poverty among white southerners.
Somehow, the English band managed to sound convincing with their pounding performance, which featured both singers prominently, a bold boogie-woogie attack on the piano by Hawken, and Allen, Shannon, and Jenkins slashing and thumping away on their respective instruments. Their follow-up song, "Google Eye," also written by Loudermilk, reached number ten in England in the fall of 1964 but wasn't noticed too much in America.
The group's rock & roll credentials were as solid as that of any English band, as was demonstrated by the number of gigs that they played backing visiting American stars. What they lacked, however (apart from solid in-house songwriting talent), was one (or more) interesting personalities in their ranks that could be put before the public and a collective personality that could be defined, musically or any other way. Neither Sharp nor Phillips was as compelling or interesting a singer as, say, Denny Laine of their Decca Records rivals the Moody Blues, much less Mick Jagger, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Eric Burdon, or Roger Daltrey.
Additionally, they were musically flexible to a fault, literally, capable of playing boogie-style rock 'n' roll in the best Jerry Lee Lewis style or slightly bluesier and more folk-influenced songs, and even dabbled in doo-wop, but they never had a sound, beyond the crunching attack on "Tobacco Road," that could be identified. In this regard, they were a lot like the Downliners Sect; they loved American rock & roll, but they couldn't do more than pound away at it, and they didn't even have the Sect's offbeat eccentricity to mark them in people's memories.
As early as 1965, more than sheer enthusiasm for the music was needed to attract listeners, and after a few minor Top 40 British entries, The Nashville Teens followed the route of acts like the Swingin' Blue Jeans and the original Moody Blues to smaller venues and less prestigious opening act spots, apart from the occasional chance to back people like Chuck Berry and Carl Perkins when they came to England.
As late as 1966 and 1967, The Nashville Teens kept trying, and they came close musically to turning their fortunes around. They could do soulful rockers like "That's My Woman" and make it sound like the real article, almost as compelling as the Beatles doing "You Really Got a Hold on Me," or brisk, rousing upbeat numbers like "I'm Comin' Home" -- a piece of good-time music worthy of the Tremeloes -- but somehow they lacked that last bit of personality needed to punch through the competition and get the needed airplay to make their stuff into hits. By 1968, not even a hard, slashing cover of Bob Dylan's "All Along the Watchtower" could get them noticed. And by that time, even their name was a liability, in terms of competing with the likes of the Rolling Stones, the Who, et al., whose images had changed vastly since 1965.
Barrie Jenkins exited the group in 1966 to become a member of Eric Burdon and the Animals, and his 1963 predecessor Roger Groom occupied the drummer's spot for the duration. John Hawken was part of the lineup of the original Renaissance, spun out of the psychedelic-oriented half of the Yardbirds' original membership, and later passed through the lineups of Vinegar Joe and the Strawbs.
Ray Phillips kept the group going long enough into the 1970s that it was able to avail itself of the '60s nostalgia boom, appearing regularly in Europe and the U.K. Decca Records, which never really promoted The Nashville Teens (or, for that matter, any of their other rock acts, which is why they had none left apart from the Rolling Stones and the Moody Blues who handled their own affairs), issued a flawed and very poor sounding compilation LP in at the tail-end of the original group's existence, around 1970, that went out of print very quickly, and there was little else to mark their history for the next two decades apart from live shows by the current group. By the early '80s, however, they'd achieved a certain degree of respect among collectors of British invasion material, even in America where only "Tobacco Road" had ever made any impression.
A version of the group was working British Invasion nostalgia shows well into the 1990s and one imagines that this will be the case as long as Ray Phillips can take the stage. And in the spring of 2000, Repertoire Records issued the definitive CD compilation of their classic work, in the best sound ever heard.
by Bruce Eder
Tracks
1. Tobacco Road (John D. Loudermilk) - 2:27
2. Mona (E. McDaniels) - 4:38
3. Need You (Francis Craig) - 2:56
4. Bread and Butter Man (Hollingworth, Loden) - 2:36
5. Hurtin' Inside (Cirino Colacrai, Teddy Randazzo) - 2:03
6. (I'm Your) Hoochie Coochie Man (Willie Dixon) - 3:37
7. Google Eye (John D. Loudermilk) - 2:20
8. Too Much (Carter-Lewis, John Carter) - 2:47
9. Parchment Farm (Mose Allison) - 2:15
10.I Like It Like That (Chris Kenner, Allen Toussaint) - 2:02
11.How Deep Is the Ocean? (Irving Berlin) - 2:42
12.La Bamba (Ritchie Valens) - 2:09
13.TNT (John Hawken) - 2:53
14.Devil-In-Law (Terry, Davis) - 2:59
15.Find My Way Back Home (Lambert, Pegues) - 2:23
16.What'cha Gonna Do? (Cable, Jenkins) - 1:46
17.I Know How It Feels to Be Loved (Barberis, Joyce) - 2:45
18.Upside Down (Arthur Sharp) - 2:22
19.Forbidden Fruit (Unknown) - 3:01
20.Revived 45 Time (Unknown) - 1:45
21.That's My Woman (Little) - 2:04
22.I'm Coming Home (Keen, Shaw) - 3:05
23.The Biggest Night of Her Life (Randy Newman) - 2:24
24.Last Minute (Arthur Sharp) - 1:57
25.All Along the Watchtower (Bob Dylan) - 2:48
26.Sun Dog (John Allen, John Hawken, Ray Phillips, Arthur Sharp) - 3:10
27.Poor Boy (Unknown) - 2:32
28.Ella James (Roy Wood) - 2:51
29.Tennessee Woman (Potter, Dee) - 3:01
