Sweet Smoke was an American music group living and playing in Europe from 1970 till 1974. Originally from N.Y. the group moved to Germany where they lived as a family commune. Within a year of their arrival they recorded their first L.P. Just a Poke which almost immediately turned them into a sort of cult icon of the underground scene which was beginning to emerge as Europe’s response to the American hippy scene.
An extremely resourceful and creative group, they took the art of spontaneous improvising to new heights, very often involving their audiences in their music. Words like rock jazz, acid rock, raga rock, hard rock, experimental music are only some of the words used to describe their music. Looking back one can see the early roots of fusion and new age music beginning to manifest through them.
Though the basic group consisted of 5 musicians, they came to most of their concerts with their communal family (10-15 of their friends) who helped them on and off stage to create an atmosphere of a musical happening
A Live that sounds like a studio record, with lots of rhythm and melodic changes, very well chained. First Jam, in the beginning lets the feeling of an improvisation, and you may ask yourself if the song was really written.
Guitar soli are really remarkable, with unbelievable texture and rich harmony. You may note that Kaminowitz seems really at ease during all the live. This First Jam gives 19 minutes of a great pleasure, with a magic feeling between the players.
Shadout Mapes is the second song of the disc. There again, you find lots of wealthy melodies, but as the track is shorter than the first one ("only" 11 minutes), there are less harmonies. You may notice that Kaminowitz and Greenberg play with a great commitment.
A strange solo concludes the song, that sounds again like an improvisation, and then plays the initial theme, flirting with blues and jazz. Ocean of Fears will expose you a different kind of music, more peaceful, in the style of From Darkness to Light, but Kaminowitz still dominates the music. Dershin reveals its essential presence during the play, and particularly during the soli. Very nice !
To Sweet Smoke music was not simply a collection of songs that the audience would sit back and listen to, but rather it was a living vehicle through which they could share with everyone their vision and joy of life. To sweet smoke music was magic, their concerts were an interaction between them and their audiences, and their group was like a Cosmic Space Ship forever exploring the unknown regions of our musical universe."
by Mike Paris
Tracks
1. First Jam (Sweet Smoke) - 19:04
2. Shadout Mapes (Rick Greenberg) - 11:04
3. Ocean Of Fears (Marvin Kaminowitz) - 6:23
4. People Are Hard (Rick Greenberg) - 7:59
5. Schyler's Song (Marvin Kaminowitz) - 8:52
6. Final Jam (Sweet Smoke) - 13:47
"You look like a real human being but . . ." "He got feet/ Down/ below his knees/ Hold you in his arms yeah you can feel his disease . . ."
It's all over for England. They've had their history and it's been written in books; they've fought their wars and buried their heroes. The English have owned the world and jettisoned their empire, and all that's left is — rock and roll. "England has got all the bad points of Nazi Germany, all the pompous pride of France, all the old fashioned patriotism of the old Order Of The Empire. It's got everything that's got nothing to do with music . . . the poxy little shit-stained island." So said Pete Townshend.
And the Kinks' answer, like the Band's answer to the American questions, is that a band makes its music out of whatever history has to offer. Arthur has the same guts as the Band's new album, that same reach back into the past, the same sense of age — like the Band, the Kinks can play the role of man near the end of his life when they themselves are merely in their twenties. Arthur is more fun, more cutting, and in the end simply hilarious because whatever England was, it isn't any more, and the Kinks are set free of all responsibilities. Christine Keeler died for their sins.
The Kinks are fun. Ray belts out "Victoria," and manages to sound pompous and fat — just like the girl herself — while doing so. The band drops off all restraints and finally performs like a real rock and roll band instead of like a bunch of old ladies. Dave Davies takes solos with delightful horns as a back-up, not to display virtuosity (which he has) but because the songs are too much fun to stop. On "Mr. Churchill Says" the band moves effortlessly into a three or four part number, changing the tempo, the mood, and the melody while never losing a superb dancing beat. Many of the songs display that sort of genius: "Shangri-la," "Australia," and more. The complexity of the compositions doesn't intrude because these delights are composed, not constructed, as were "Happiness Is a Warm Gun," "A Day in the Life," or the collages on Abbey Road. The music's like a verbal and instrumental jam session with divine inspiration as a rhythm section.
The music will move anyone who listens, because there is such an enormous mount of pathos in what Ray Davies has done. He's presented the last hundred years of English history through the eyes of one little man who never meant a thing to the rest of the world — as if Sinclair Lewis had followed Babbitt from birth to death and then made it into a musical comedy.
Less ambitious than Tommy, and far more musical — no fillers, no waste tracks, not a matter of ideas but of perceptions worked out by bass, drums, voices, horns and guitars — Arthur is by all odds the best British album of 1969. It shows that Pete Townshend still has worlds to conquer, and that the Beatles have a lot of catching up to do.
Perhaps a week or two ago, a very wise kid shuffing about in an old pawn shop was approached by an aging but slick pawnshop keeper. The old man watched with amusement as the young longhair looked through all the shiny and not so shiny instruments hanging in the yellowed window and stuffed into the backroom.
"What can I do for you, young man," the keeper said, rolling back on his heels, his hands in his pockets, the standard toothpick hanging out of the corner of his tight dry lips.
"Looking for something to play," the kid answered with nary a glance up to the sly old man. The kid's fingers were busy threading their way into the darkest recesses of all the back corners of the room, in quest of some forgotten treasure.
"Ah," the shopkeeper smiled, rolling his eyes toward the ceiling. "A tuba; perhaps, so you can join the high school band." He paused chuckling for a second, and then leaned forward, his sallow eyes quickly ablaze, his voice close and whispering loudly. "Or a guitar, an electric guitar, a Gibson Les Paul so you can make loud noises and maybe next week be a big star? Eh?"
The kid pushed the hair out of his eyes and grimaced at the pawnshop keeper. "No," he said.
"No? That's not it?" The old man drew back askance. "You don't want to learn to play the guitar?"
"Naw," the kid answered without any apparent interest, adding what seemed mere token explanation. "A lot of guys can play the guitar, and play it real well." He was silent for a moment as his hand settled gently on an old red Les Paul Junior. The kid turned, looked up at the aging keeper, and said in a very strange and remorseful voice, "What's the use anyway? And ten years after what could I do that a million guys can't do now?" The kid smiled, obviously struck by something he had said. "Ten Years After. Ha. Isn't that funny. I'd almost forgotten." And he laughed once more.
"Ha. Do you know what I said? Do you know that last week I was really tired of listening to the guitar, no matter who was trying to get it on?" The hair settled back over his eyes, and the old man drew his hands from his pockets and cocked a thick finger under his chin. "Clapton, B.B., Page, all of them. The same old stuff. They weren't moving, ya know? Refinements, not extensions. I really thought the days of the guitar were numbered." The kid picked up the smooth red axe and plucked the metal strings lightly. "Then I heard the new album."
"New album?" the old man quizzed, puzzled by the whole thing. "What new album?"
"Sssh," the kid said with a smile, "Ten Years After."
"What?" The man looked around suspiciously. "When? Who?"
"Ten Years After," the kid said again.
"Ten Years After?" the old man asked, furrowing his eyebrows. "And whom pray tell is that?"
"Ten Years After is . . ."
There was a singularly long pause, with not so much as the blinking of an eye. The boy lowered the guitar to its resting place, and then added his last words.
"And Alvin Lee . . . I think perhaps he is God."
The boy smiled at the old man for the final time and turned toward the front entrance. Just before closing the door, he paused and looked back in, still smiling, and said, "What's left for me to do but pass the Word? Why do I have to play? Why does anyone? It's already been done."
He closed the door and slipped out, humming an Alvin Lee run. A passing freak and businessman both nodded.
"Mellow," they said in unison.
"Yeh," the kid answered. "Mellow."
And as they moved by one another, the kid hoped that they understood, and were not just talking as so many are prone to do.
by J.R. Young, November 1, 1969
Tracks Disc 1
1. Victoria - 3:36
2. Yes Sir, No Sir - 3:46
3. Some Mother's Son - 3:23
4. Drivin' - 3:18
5. Brainwashed - 2:34
6. Australia - 6:46
7. Shangri La - 5:18
8. Mr. Churchill Says - 4:43
9. She's Bought A Hat Like Princess Marina - 3:07
10.Young And Innocent Days - 3:21
11.Nothing To Say - 3:08
12.Arthur - 5:24
13.Plastic Man - 3:04
14.This Man He Weeps Tonight (Dave Davies) - 2:42
15.Mindless Child Of Motherhood (Dave Davies) - 3:16
16.Creeping Jean (Dave Davies) - 3:14
17.Lincoln County (Dave Davies) - 3:09
18.Hold My Hand (Dave Davies) - 3:18
19.Victoria - 3:37
20.Mr. Churchill Says - 3:31
21.Arthur - 3:19
All songs by Ray Davies except where stated
Tracks 1-12 The Original Mono Album
Tracks 13-18 Original Mono Singles
Tracks 19-21 Studio Recordings For The BBC
Disc 2
1. Victoria- 3:40
2. Yes Sir, No Sir- 3:47
3. Some Mother's Son- 3:25
4. Drivin'- 3:22
5. Brainwashed- 2:34
6. Australia- 6:46
7. Shangri La- 5:20
8. Mr. Churchill Says- 4:42
9. She's Bought A Hat Like Princess Marina- 3:09
10.Young And Innocent Days- 3:21
11.Nothing To Say- 3:08
12.Arthur- 5:27
13.Plastic Man- 3:02
14.This Man He Weeps Tonight (Dave Davies) - 2:39
15.Drivin' (Alternative Mix) - 3:22
16.Mindless Child Of Motherhood (Dave Davies) - 3:10
17.Hold My Hand (Alternative Take) (Dave Davies) - 3:13
18.Lincoln County (Dave Davies) - 3:21
19.Mr. Shoemaker's Daughter (Dave Davies) - 3:08
20.Mr. Reporter - 3:37
21.Shangri La - 5:29
All songs by Ray Davies except where noted
Tracks 1-12 the Original Stereo Album
Although she would eventually become most known as a blues singer, at the outset of her recording career in the mid- to late '60s, Dana Gillespie flirted with pop/rock, folk-rock, and mildly psychedelic baroque pop. All of those styles can be heard on her obscure 1968 debut album, Foolish Seasons, which was oddly issued in the U.S. but not in the U.K., despite the heavily British-European cast to the production and arrangements. The melange of approaches makes for an indecisive direction and uneven quality in certain respects. Yet at the same time, it makes the record an undeniably interesting, at times even exhilarating, slice of eclectic late-'60s Swinging London-tinged pop.
Very roughly speaking, Gillespie echoed the material and vocals of fellow British woman pop/rock singers such as Marianne Faithfull and Dusty Springfield at points, though her voice was at once both huskier and smokier than the young Faithfull's, and gentler and more whispery than Springfield's. The styles tried on for size include the breezy psych-pop of "You Just Gotta Know My Mind," a Donovan composition that Donovan himself never recorded; the very Faithfull-esque (in the good sense) wispy folk-pop of "Tears in My Eyes" and Gillespie's own composition "Foolish Seasons"; the sunshine pop-influenced orchestral arrangements of "Life Is Short" and "London Social Degree," both penned by cult British pop/rocker Billy Nicholls; the gothic Euro-pop of "Souvenirs of Stefan," which vaguely recalls the likes of Françoise Hardy; and the downright catchy, sexy, mod pop of "No! No! No!" Further unexpected turns are taken with the almost pre-goth blues-pop death wish "Dead," and the haunting, eccentric cover of Richard Fariña's "Hard Lovin' Loser."
Sure, there are a couple of icky-sweet pop clunkers along the way (including Gillespie's sole other self-penned number on the album, "He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not"). On the whole, though, it's an extremely likable (if somewhat stylistically confused) album, with nonstop unpredictably luscious and imaginative production. The U.K. 2006 CD reissue on Rev-Ola has thorough historical liner notes, including many quotes from Gillespie herself.
by Richie Unterberger
Tracks Foolish Seasons 1968
1. You Just Gotta Know My Mind (Donovan Leitch) - 2:09
2. Tears In My Eyes (Tony Waddington, Wayne Bickerton) - 2:28
3. Life Is Short (Billy Nicholls) - 2:32
4. Souvenirs Of Stefan (Les Reed, Les Vandyke) - 3:40
5. Can't You See I'm Dreaming (Tony Waddington, Wayne Bickerton) - 2:58
6. No! No! No! (Michel Polnareff) - 2:49
7. He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not (Dana Gillespie) - 2:01
8. London Social Degree (Billy Nicholls) - 2:08
9. Dead (Joe Huffman, Moses Dillard) - 3:09
10.Foolish Seasons (Dana Gillespie) - 2:12
11.Where Will You Be (Andy Kim, Jeff Barry) - 2:10
12.Hard Lovin' Loser (Richard Farina) - 3:50
*Dana Gillespie - Vocals
On her ’69 sophomore longplayer, Dana takes over the songwriting credits, taking full advantage of it. With Savoy Brown behind her, and Mike Vernon in the producer’s chair, one would guess that the result must’ve been as blue as blues can get, while it’s just as stylistically varied as Foolish Seasons.
With the above personnel made obvious only by the title tune, there’s also at least two tracks (Like I’m A Clown, I Was A Book) worthy of the mod-stompin’ shoulda-been-a-hit tag , already stuck firmly onto previous year’s You Just Gotta Know My Mind.
She revisits the acid folk of the debut LP’s title tune, and gets even moodier with the pair of ballads recalling The Zombies (When Darkness Fell), or The Swinging Blue Jeans’ take on You’re No Good with and additional Eastern touch to it (I Would Cry).
As a bonus, we get four sides of pre-debut singles, of which Page’s freaked-out fuzz solo in ‘65’s Thank You Boy makes the addition worthwhile on it’s own.
by Garwood Pickjon
Box Of Surprises 1969
1. Box of Surprises - 4:26
2. Like I'm a Clown - 2:16
3. Taffy - 3:13
4. When Darkness Fell - 4:21
5. For David, The Nest Day - 4:29
6. If You're Dreaming - 2:13
7. Foolish Seasons - 2:30
8. Grecian Ode - 3:34
9. By Chasing Dreams - 3:06
10.I Was a Book - 2:03
11.Describing You - 3:04
12.I Would Cry - 4:41
13.Thank You Boy (Barry Mason, John Carter, Ken Lewis) - 2:05
14.You're a Heartbreak Man - 2:20
15.Pay You Back With Interest (Allan Clarke, Graham Nash, Tony Hicks) - 2:50
16.Adam Can You Beat That - 1:53
All compositions by Dana Gillespie except where stated Musicians Box Of Surprises 1969
*Dana Gillespie - Vocals, Guitar, Keyboards
*Chris Youlden - Guitar, Piano, Vocals
*Lonesome Dave Peverett - Guitar, Vocals
*Kim Simmonds - Guitar, Harmonica, Piano
*Bob Hall - Piano
*Rivers Jobe - Bass
*Tony Stevens - Bass, Percussion
*Roger Earl - Percussion, Drums
*Jimmy Page - Guitar (Track 13)
Backstage Pass recorder at Ontario Place and released before year's end. A sold-out crowd of 13,000 fans, capturing their live presence, which was always one of their trademarks, the record featured live versions of "Devil You", "Johnny Lightning" and a cover of "Blue Suede Shoes". "I used to ask the guys if we have to play music when we're on stage. It always got in the way of my comedy routine," King quipped. Slick editing (for the time anyway) stripped the gags out of the record and left one of the purest live albums of its day, showcasing the band in its most familiar stage - in front of screaming fans.
Tracks
1. Devil You - 3:40
2. Marigold - 5:08
3. Goodbye Goodbye (Kim Berly) - 3:05
4. Sweet City Woman - 6:04
5. Running Wild - 5:50
6. Then Came The White Man - 2:51
7. Manitou - 7:15
8. Intro - 1:18
9. Blue Suede Shoes (Carl Perkins) - 2:33
10.In The Shadows - 2:43
11.Somebody Help Me - 1:48
12.In The Shadows (Reprise) - 2:18
13.Rocky Mountain Home (Kim Berly) - 3:36
14.Wild Eyes - 4:58
15.Johnny Lightening - 3:12
All songs by Rich Dodson except where indicated
The Stampeders
*Kim Berly - Drums, Vocals
*Ronnie King - Bass
*Rich Dodson - Guitar, Vocals
No seventies group represented Canada's musical identity to the world like The Stampeders. A quick look at Canada's music scene from 1971 until 1976 confirms The Stampeders were truly the country's international musical ambassadors. Instead of trying to blend into any specific format, they developed their own identity, which was both entertaining to watch in concert, and to listen to on radio and records. The Stampeders also toured more extensively in Canada and overseas than any other Canadian group of the same period.
While there were various line-ups of the group during their 15-year run, the three-man line-up of Rich Dodson, Kim Berly and Ronnie King was, by far, the most successful and most widely-adored by the fans.
The group's beginnings can be traced back to Calgary in 1964 with a band called The Rebounds, formed when drummer, Kim Meyer (Kim Berly), answered an ad placed in the paper by bassist, Brendan Lyttle, and guitarist, Rich Dodson. The Rebounds consisted of Rich Dodson (lead guitar), Len Roemer (rhythmn guitar), Brendan Lyttle (bass guitar), Kim Berly (drums) and Kim's brother, Al Meyer (Race Holiday), on lead vocals.
In January of 1965, The Rebounds entered into a relationship with manager, Mel Shaw, and officially became The Stampeders. Len Roemer was replaced by Cornelis Van Sprang, known professionally as Ronnie KIing, and his brother, Emile, who used the stage name Van Louis. The six-man group started wearing assorted-coloured denim outfits and cowboy hats with the idea of promoting a group of cowboys playing rock 'n roll. During their first year as a band in Calgary, they had one single release on the SOTAN label entitled "House of Shake" b/w "Don't Look At Her."
Anticipating better things to come, The Stampeders decided to move to Toronto in 1966. At the invitation of Bigland booking agent, Ron Scribner, the six-man group, along with Mel Shaw and his family, loaded up their $800, used, '62 Cadillac limousine and U-Haul trailer, and left Calgary heading east to the 'big lights' of Toronto. Though most of the members were under the legal drinking age, they managed to beg, borrow and work their way across Canada, playing bars and various one-nighters. Upon their arrival in Toronto, the Western-Canadian band, with their yellow denim T-Kays, cowboy boots and hats, became an immediate curiosity in the folk-oriented, hippie clubs of the Yorkville district. Though the first year was an extremely lean one, the band managed to survive the six-month, Toronto Musician's Association's initiation and find work in the bustling Toronto club scene.
The Stampeders finally had a breakthrough late in '68 with a single they recorded while on a sight-seeing trip to New York. Released on the independent label, CARAVAN, "Morning Magic" b/w "All The Time" wasn't much of a sales success, but critical acclaim earned the group a BMI (Broadcast Music Incorporated) Award.
The first major-label single release, "Be A Woman" b/w "I Don't Believe," came in 1968 on the MGM label in the U.S. The Stampeders played the rhythm tracks and sang the vocals while an inhouse MGM producer added a 16 piece string section. This was to be The Stampeders' final release as a six-member group. Late in 1968, the three oldest members - Brendan Lyttle, Van Louis and Race Holiday -left the band, leaving the line-up of Rich Dodson, Kim Berly and Ronnie King.
The period from late '68 to the mid '70's was a time of evolution for the new, three-man Stampeders in which they would develop their own sound, a sound that would take them around the world. The stage set-up had Dodson on guitar, King on bass and Berly on drums, while all three members shared lead vocals. With the exception of Dodson, the cowboy hats came off, they all still wore boots, but the colored T-Kay denim outfits became history. During this period, the band toured around Ontario and Quebec developing their stage show with the help of their new road man, lighting-wizard, Stan Whitcher, winning fans and becoming an in-demand club and one-nighter attraction.
The Stampeders' only release during 1969 was "Cross-Walk" b/w "I Don't Know Where I'm At Sometimes" on the Melbourne label, distributed by London Records. Quality Records, then a major independent label in Canada, became interested in the band. By mid-1970, The Stampeders were in the studio working on their first album, "Against The Grain".
"Carry Me", the first single from this session, quickly hit the top of the Canadian charts, garnering the band it's first gold record. Simultaneously released on Polydor in the U.S., the single got lots of play but didn't quite make the charts. Canadian success, however, allowed the band to complete the album with one of their favorite recording engineers, Terry Brown. The resulting LP, "Against The Grain," was concurrently released with the next single, "Sweet City Woman" b/w "Gator Road." The band, along with it's new road crew -- Bob Luffman, Joel Wikhammer and Ian 'Snake' Dunbar -- was finally on it's way.
The summer of 1971 saw "Sweet City Woman" climb the charts to the Number One position across Canada, catching the attention of the American label, Bell Records. The band was signed immediately and Bell rush-released the single in the U.S. Even though it was up against classic songs like The Doors' "Riders On The Storm," Paul and Linda McCartney's "Uncle Albert," and James Taylor's "You've Got A Friend," "Sweet City Woman" climbed the Billboard charts, reaching the Number Eight spot on September 11, 1971.
The band recalls the time they pulled over to the side of the road at four-o'clock in the morning, while enroute back to Toronto from a gig, and jumped around the car with excitement after hearing "Sweet City Woman" fading in on radio station WABC in New York City as the Number One record of the week. Bell records renamed the album "Sweet City Woman" for the U.S. market to capitalize on the success of the single. Next came 'Juno Awards' (Canada's version of 'The Grammy') for 'Best Vocal Instrumental Group', 'Best Producer', 'Best Single' -- and their first European tour.
1971 also saw the release of The Stampeders' second album "Carryin' On", featuring the lead-off single, "Devil You" b/w "Giant In The Streets". Although it was the last record released in the U.S. on Bell, the album gained a release in Europe on Regal Zonophone. It featured hard rocker "Wild Eyes", a song that gave their sound more edge and introduced the band to a whole new audience. Part of the appeal of The Stampeders was their musical versatility.
In 1972, at the request of their U.K. label, EMI, The 'Best Composer' Stampeders toured The United Kingdom. Upon their arrival, they discovered that their American hit, "Sweet City Woman", had already been covered by The Dave Clark Five. Dates included the Marquee in London, the Hard-Rock Theatre in Manchester and appearances on BBC Radio and "Top Of The Pops." Both Phillips and Bovema-EMI Records helped support the balance of the tour through Holland, Germany, Denmark, France and the rest of Europe with British rock band, Steam Hammer. Holland was especially receptive to the band, partly due to the fact that Ronnie King (Cornelis Van Sprang) was a fellow Dutchman, having been born in Rotterdam.
In Holland, The Stampeders received the prestigious 'Edison Award' for "Most Promising Group," along with Ry Cooder and Beach Boy, Carl Wilson. Carl was in session at the time, along with the rest of The Beach Boys, recording their classic "Holland" album. During this visit, The Stampeders had the privilege of staying at Amsterdam's Hotel Weichman with the infamous Eagles. While Kim and Rich shared road experiences with Eagle drummer, Don Henley, Ronnie King and some of the other band members spent their time window-shopping in the famed, Amsterdam red-light district, only to find themselves locked out of the hotel upon their return.
1972 also took The Stampeders to Los Angeles to perform at the legendary "Whisky A-Go-Go" and tape their appearances on "Don Kirshner's Rock Concert" and "The Dating Game." While hanging out at The Troubadour in Hollywood, Ronnie King met Keith Moon, drummer of The Who. Keith took a liking to Ronnie and asked him what he and The Stampeders were doing the next night. It happened to be Keith's birthday and he wondered if The Stampeders might be available to play at his party at The Beverly Hills' Wiltshire Hotel. Ronnie quickly replied, "Of course," and The Stampeders ended up on stage performing for some of Hollywood's rock elite and jamming with Keith Moon. Attendees at the party included Beach Boy, Brian Wilson, Neilson, Rod Stewart, Ron Wood and the then-infamous porno star, Linda Lovelace.
Signing with U.S. booking agency, Premier Talent, in 1971 led to American tour appearances with Jim Dandy and Black Oak Arkansas, Santana, Joe cocker, Steve Miller, The James Gang, Robin Trower, Steely Dan, Sonny and Cher, The Beach Boys, ZZ Top, The Eagles, Earth, Wind And Fire, Mountain, America, Tower Of Power, Blood, Sweat and Tears and Genesis. Establishing themselves as a good concert draw in the U.S., The Stampeders played everywhere from New York to Hawaii, including Los Angeles, Reno, Disneyland and the much-sought-after southern-college circuit.
Heavy airplay and extensive touring, coupled with many guest appearances on the popular Canadian TV shows of the time (Anne Murray, Miss Teen Canada, Kenny Roger's "Rollin' On The River" and The Ian Tyson Show), eventually led to The Stampeders' starring in their own CBC-TV special, "A Short Visit To Planet Earth".
Tracks
1. Devil You (Rich Dodson) - 2:56
2. The Difference It Makes (Kim Berly) - 3:05
3. Stone Blind (Rich Dodson) - 2:32
4. Monday Morning Choo Choo (Rich Dodson) - 2:12
5. Carryin' On (Ronnie King) - 2:58
6. Stick By You (Rich Dodson) - 2:51
7. Dead Man's Hand (Rich Dodson) - 2:45
8. Giant In The Street (Kim Berly) - 4:02
9. Then Came The White Man (Ronnie King) - 3:44
10.Wild Eyes (Rich Dodson) - 4:01 The Stampeders
*Kim Berly - Drums, Vocals
*Ronnie King - Bass
*Rich Dodson - Guitar, Vocals
Since the first Nuggets in 1972, the entire series has been grounded in the gritty, dirty sound of garage rock, so much so that Rhino's 2001 box set of British and foreign psychedelic nuggets favored harder rock over the fruity, precious side of British psych. Collectors treasured rare singles before Nuggets, but the series created an aesthetic that emphasized the raw, trippy, wild, and woolly over the soft, lush, harmony-laden psychedelicized sounds of AM pop radio. The Rubble Collection, Mindrockers, The Trash Box -- all of them were dedicated to freaky guitar rock, and that mindset ruled until the latter half of the '90s, when the well had started to run dry, as labels like Sundazed issued the complete recorded works of obscure garage rockers who had released only one single during their lifetimes.
Around this time, collectors -- including many third-generation music fanatics raised in the era of CD reissues rather than record fairs -- began to favor the soft sunshine pop of the late '60s, when square vocal groups started to get hip and record trippy music. Bands like the Millennium, the Association, and Yellow Balloon became hip currency, as did producers like Curt Boettcher and songwriters like Paul Williams. This was close to anathema for the hardcore garage rock fiends because this was not rock & roll, it was pop music whose commercial aspirations failed. Nevertheless, most hardcore record geeks have a fondness for this stuff, since it's not only melodic and well produced, but it's terribly interesting to hear how underground ideas were borrowed and assimilated into mainstream music; often, it's as strange as it was in the underground, if not stranger.
Fans of this breed of psychedelic pop were insatiable, and there was a certain thrill to the fact that it was hard to track down, since it was either issued in Japan, buried as album tracks on reissues, or never made it to CD at all. That's why Rhino Handmade's foray into the sound with Hallucinations: Psychedelic Pop Nuggets from the WEA Vaults and its companion release, Come to the Sunshine: Soft Pop Nuggets from the WEA Vaults, is so welcome -- while they're only available as limited editions (primarily sold via www.rhinohandmade.com), they're also the first widely available American samplers of this style. That alone would make them noteworthy, but what makes them essential (at least for hardcore record collectors), is that they're expertly done.
Where previous installments of Nuggets concentrated on singles, Hallucinations is a true excavation of the vaults, picking overlooked album tracks and neglected singles from a cornucopia of WEA-owned labels, including Warner Bros., Cotillion, Jubilee, Valiant, Reprise, and Atco. While the focus is on acts that released a single or forgotten album, there are a handful of recognizable names -- the Association, Kim Fowley, the Electric Prunes, the Bonniwell Music Machine, the Tokens, the West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band -- and in the Monkees' "Porpoise Song," there's even a genuine hit. But that song is the exception to the rule: most of these are quite obscure, and it's even arguable that because they were released on major labels (or at the very least, high-profile labels), the songs haven't been given the attention or respect as psychedelia released on smaller, regional labels.
That argument is laid out in the introduction of the excellent liner notes, and the music on Hallucinations supports it strongly. Often, collections of rare heavy psychedelia and garage rock can grow a little samey even when the musical quality is high, since bands tended to emulate the same sounds and ideas, using the same production techniques as their peers. Hallucinations is a much more interesting listen than the average psychedelic rarities collection since these underground ideas are applied in bizarre, unpredictable ways to professionally written, melodic songs that were designed for mainstream radio.
Where its companion collection, Come to the Sunshine, is heavy on lush surfaces and harmonies, Hallucinations is overtly trippy and psychedelic, filled with fuzz guitars, echoes, phased vocals, organs, studio effects, and minor-key drones. This brings it closer to familiar Nuggets territory, but there's a much heavier emphasis on studiocraft and production here than there is on anything on the original double-vinyl Nuggets or Rhino's original box set; again, the focus is on the record, not the song, even though there are some excellent songs here. Nevertheless, the sound and effects of the productions are the most memorable aspects, such as the way the vocals and guitars swirl through the Next Exit's Tokens-produced "Break Away" or how Jeff Thomas' "Straight Aero," quite likely the trippiest square anthem ever recorded, has a weird undercurrent of menace in its hiccupping bass and clanging piano. Hallucinations is filled with moments as strong as this, and it makes a convincing argument that psychedelic pop is at its best when it's pure, undiluted ear candy like this. It's not just a good introduction to the charms of psychedelic pop; it holds its own next to any collection of freaky, guitar-fueled garage-psychedelic rarities.
by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Artists - Tracks
1. Baker Knight And The Knightmares - Hallucinations (Thomas Baker Knight) - 2:54
2. The Misty Wizards (Ted Lucas) - It's Love - 2:09
3. The Next Exit - Break Away (Brute Force, Paul Kahan) - 2:45
4. The Collectors - Looking At A Baby (Howard Vikberg, Bill Henderson) - 2:16
5. Adrian Pride - Her Name Is Melody (Bernie Schwartz, Terry Slater) - 3:02
6. The Association - Pandora's Golden Heebie Jeebies (Gary Alexander) - 2:52
7. The World Column - Lantern Gospel (Joel Kaplan, Dave Meyer) - 3:28
8. Tom Northcott - Who Planted Thorns In Alice's Garden (Tom Northcott) - 2:49
9. John Wanderling - Man Of Straw (John Wonderling, Carey Budnick, Edward Goldfluss) - 2:49
10.Ellen Marguiles - The White Pony (Roger Joyce, Danny Secunda, Steve Steinberg) - 2:23
11.Jeff Thomas - Straight Aero (Jeff Thomas) - 3:12
12.M.C.² - My Mind Goes High (Michael Clough, Michael Crumm) - 2:38
13.Brass Buttons - Hell Will Take Care Of Her (Jay Capozzi) - 2:58
14.The Salt - Lucifer (Joey Levine, Marc Belleck) - 3:03
15.Kim Fowley - Strangers From The Sky (Kim Fowley, Michael Lloyd) - 2:56
16.The Electric Prunes - Antique Doll (Nancie Mantz, Annete Tucker) - 3:13
17.The Bonniwell Music Machine - Astrologically Incompatible (Sean Bonniwell) - 2:23
18.The Tokens - How Nice? (Phil Margo, Mitch Margo, Hank Medress, Jay Siegel) - 2:56
19.The Coronados - Your Love Belongs To Everyone (Reuben Ortiz, Steve Ortiz) - 2:33
20.Lee Mallory - That's The Way It's Gonna Be (Samuel Robert Gibson, Phil Ochs) - 2:56
21.The Glass Family - House Of Glass (Ralph Parrett) - 3:13
22.The Holy Mackerel - Wildflowers (Robert Harvey) - 3:59
23.The Monkees - Porpoise Song (Theme From Head) (Gerry Goffin, Carole King) - 4:03
24.The West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band - Smell Of Incense (Bob Markley, Bruce Morgan) - 5:47
The year was 1966. The city was Charleroi in Belgium, where the two Portugese brothers Toni and Fernando Lameirinhas (alias Tony and Wando Lam) founded the band “Jess & James” as Belgiums` answer to soul music. They had lived in England before, catching the soul virus while playing in various beat bands like “Screaming Lord Sutch”. Their song “Move” suddenly became a massive hit all over Europe in 1967 and the band consequently produced three soul pop albums under the name of “Jess & James” until 1969 for the Palette/ Belter label. The boys were being discovered as a sure-fire commercial attraction in Belgium and Spain, but the fast success soon led to musical dissension within the group.
At the same time, the backing band of “Jess & James” started to separate under the name “J.J. Band” to experiment with new sounds, finally developing into a more soul jazz orientated outfit. A constant creative growth lyrically and musically within the group was self-evident in this first album simply entitled “The J.J. Band”. The new formation was led by arranger Ralph Benatar (Sax and Flute), Douglas Lucas (Trumpet) and Francis Weyer (aka Francis Goya/ Guitar), who all played leading roles on most of the “El Chicles” and “Chakachas” related releases of the times.
The minds behind the J.J. Band, Benatar and Lucas, started to write own material for the first longplay release aswell as taking famous songs and truely give them a new and more complex sound, with small horn & flute section, very diverse guitar moods and eclectic but excellent percussion sounds throughout. The LP was produced in 1970 by Roland Kluger, brother of composer and producer Jean Kluger, and solely pressed in small amounts by Polydor Records in Belgium and Canada. Two bonus tracks were pulled from the bands` first 7inch single “Cousins Jack” especially for this reissue, recorded 1968 in mono and with a pure boogaloo and hammond soul arrangement, that shows the straight forward sound of their earlier attempts.
Gamble & Huffs`“Love In Them There Hills” had been a big hit for the Pointer Sisters or The Three Degrees and is presented here in the progressive sound design of the times and with very tight guitar work. “Norwegian Wood” gets an unusual jazz treatment with nice breaks, mostly reminding us of some jazz waltz played by a street marching band, while the version on the Bee Gees`“To Love Somebody” shows a band capable of evoking a mood similar to the best moments of the Byrds or the Flying Burrito Brothers. And did we already mention, that the drummer goes nuts most of the time to create this special sultry tenderness?
It is the integration of various musical styles, strong rhythms and a deep feeling that makes this vanished album worthwhile. Most of the songs are originals, completed by the mentioned renditions of well known tunes in a modernized dress.That three of the songs are well known hits is obvious. But that they particularly lend themselves to an excellent soul jazz treatment with open drum breaks is obvious only upon listening. What was successfully attempted here was to adapt some soul and pop tunes to a jazz and progressive rock tempo, with a band capable of “quick changing” for another style within the same song and thus lifting it to a higher standard.
Jess & James aka the Lameirinhas brothers themselves moved to Amsterdam and transformed into the unsuccessful Latin Jazz band “Sail Joia” in 1975. At this point the short career of the J.J. Band was already finished. In 1971 the famous drummer Bruno Castellucci helped out on the sessions for the J.J. Bands` second album, also entitled “The J.J. Band”, recorded at Chappell Studios London. Their style had developed more and more towards progressive rock and although this final album was produced by the great Brian Bennett and released on CBS Records in the UK, it passed rather unnoticed. Then the musicians changed their name to “Plus” in 1972 and released a “real final” album on the label Pink Elephant, that should become another impossible to find collector`s item in our times. Now listen to the fascinating and lost debut album of this unjustly forgotten band from Belgium with depth and excitement.
Tracks
1. Love In Them There Hills (Kenneth Gamble, Leon Huff, Roland Chambers) - 2:54
2. Cousins Jack (Ralph Benatar, Wando Lam) - 3:11
3. Mow I've Found Out (Douglas Lucas, Ralph Benatar) - 3:42
4. Leaving You (Douglas Lucas) - 2:53
5. Norwegian Wood (John Lennon, Paul McCartney) - 5:14
6. Intro (Ralph Benatar, Douglas Lucas) - 8:36
a.We've Been So Happy
b.Into A World
7. Bip Bop (Garcia Morales, Ralph Benatar) - 2:49
8. Nicky's At The P.C. (Wando Lam, Tony Lam) - 3:13
9. To Love Somebody (Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb, Maurice Gibb) - 4:02
The roots of San Diego jazz-rock trio Formerly Anthrax lie in the psychedelic band the National Debt, formed in 1967 by singer/guitarist/flutist Jerry McCann, keyboardist Jack Jacobsen, and drummer Rick Cutler. When McCann exited later that same year to join Framework, which later issued the underground classic "I'm Gonna Give," Jacobsen and Cutler continued collaborating as Anthrax, moving toward an instrumental fusion approach that earned the notice of Elektra Records producer Russ Miller.
The duo recorded an LP for the label in 1969, but Elektra president Jac Holzman declared the project too uncommercial for release, allowing that the addition of vocals could change his mind. So Jacobsen and Cutler lured McCann back to the fold, which spelled the end of Framework -- the album was reworked, but Elektra also objected to the name Anthrax, although inexplicably Holzman deemed "Formerly Anthrax" an acceptable moniker.
The revamped LP finally appeared in 1971 as Show of Hands, a title many listeners mistook for the name of the band -- perhaps not surprisingly, the record went nowhere, with the single "Stanley's Theme" generating little interest even on progressive radio. A planned concert LP, Live at the New Orleans House, never made it past the acetate stage, effectively bringing the curtains down on Formerly Anthrax's career -- while McCann later pursued solo projects, Jacobsen eventually resurfaced as a member of Huey Lewis & the News, while Cutler enjoyed fleeting success as a member of Tommy Tutone, the one-hit wonder behind the '80s classic "Jenny (867-5309)."
All three members of Formerly Anthrax reunited in 2000, albeit this time officially collaborating under the Show of Hands aegis.
by Jason Ankeny
Tracks
1. No Words Between Us (Jack Jacobsen) - 4:16
2. Stanley's Theme (Jack Jacobsen) - 3:12
3. Moondance (Van Morrison) - 3:46
4. These Things I Know (Jerry McCann) - 3:21
5. I Want To Fly (Jack Jacobsen) - 6:45
6. No Oppotunity Necessary, No Experience Needed (Richie Havens) - 3:40
7. May This Be Love / One Rainy Wish (Jimi Hendrix) - 3:26
8. Mount Olympus Breakdown (Martin Lanham) - 2:11
9. Like A Child (Jerry McCann) - 5:10
10.Toy Piano (Jack Jacobsen) - 5:00
Show Of Hands
*Rick Cutler - Drums, Percussion
*Jack Jacobsen - Keyboard Bass, Keyboards, Organ, Piano
*Jerry McCann - Flute, Guitar, Vocals
In the progressive rock community there is some controversy regarding the status of Atomic Rooster as a full-fledged prog band. Like many Seventies acts often placed under the ‘heavy prog’ umbrella (Captain Beyond and High Tide to name but two), in the eyes of purists they are little more than glorified hard rock combos with some hints of something more complex, yet more akin to Deep Purple and Black Sabbath than Genesis or Yes. In recent times I have happened to see Atomic Rooster labeled as a ‘dark’ band – a definition that made me think of the likes of The Cure or Siouxsie and the Banshees rather than any of the classic bands of the Seventies.
On the other hand, as both the brilliant title and the iconic cover (depicting William Blake’s “Nebuchadnezzar” on a simple black background) suggest, Death Walks Behind You is a very dark album – a haunting, Hammond-drenched effort which sounds like a encounter between Black Sabbath and Deep Purple with ELP writing the soundtrack. In many ways, it can be seen as the blueprint for the heavier side of prog, a lavish feast for any self-respecting fan of the mighty Hammond organ, and a welcome respite from the pastoral soundscapes of Camel or Genesis, or the mind-boggling intricacy of Yes. Definitely hard-edged, occasionally oppressive, undeniably raw and unpolished, it possesses the kind of power that many more recent albums strive in vain to achieve.
This is one of the rare albums that captured my attention right from the first listen. True, Death Walks Behind You is not perfect, but then very few albums are, even those normally hailed as masterpieces. Vincent Crane’s highly effective, aggressive playing style, perfectly complemented by the expressive voice and blistering guitar lines of John DuCann (formerly with proto-prog outfit Andromeda), is a real treat for the ears of every Hammond lover. The third band member, drummer Paul Hammond (who replaced co-founder Carl Palmer when the latter joined ELP), lays down a powerful backbeat, assisted by Crane’s skillful use of both keyboard and foot pedals to replace the missing bass lines. This idiosyncratic take on the classic power trio unleashes a massive volume of music that, while not as technically impeccable as what ELP or Deep Purple were producing at the time, is brimming with sheer intensity.
A couple of tracks relieve the tension and overall dark mood of the album – namely the catchy, almost upbeat “Tomorrow Night” (originally released as a single), and the heavy rock-goes-commercial “I Can’t Take No More”. Neither are personal favourites: in my view, especially the latter could be scrapped from the album without doing a whole lot of damage. On the other hand, the slow, melancholy number “Nobody Else”, dominated by Crane’s piano, sees a remarkably emotional vocal performance by DuCann, providing a perfect foil for Crane’s despondent, foreboding lyrics (he suffered from mental problems and ended up committing suicide, as did Hammond).
The real highlights of the album, however, are to be found elsewhere. The title-track is introduced by dissonant, menacing piano, then explodes into a memorably hypnotic organ riff punctuated by the obsessive repetition of the title, “Death Walks Behind You”. “7 Streets” is a more structured composition, based on the interplay between organ and guitar, while “Sleeping for Years” is in a similar vein, though with a slightly darker tone – both excellent examples of vintage heavy prog, somewhat influenced by Black Sabbath, but with better vocals and lashings of keyboards replacing Tony Iommi’s monstrous riffing. The two instrumentals, “VUG” and “Gershatzer”, are probably the most progressive offerings on the album, showcasing Crane’s skills as a Hammond player; the latter, which is almost 8 minutes long, has the slightly loose feel of a jam session, intensified by the presence of a short drum solo.
Though not exactly flawless, Death Walks Behind You is an impressive offering that is almost a must-listen for Hammond fans and anyone who likes their prog with a harder edge (though not necessarily metal). A fascinating, almost addictive album by an underrated band, whose long but chequered career ended tragically with Vincent Crane’s death in 1989.
by Raffaella Berry
Tracks
1. Death Walks Behind You (John Du Cann, Vincent Crane) - 7:31
2. Vug (Vincent Crane) - 5:00
3. Tomorrow Night (Vincent Crane) - 3:59
4. 7 Streets (John Du Cann) - 6:43
5. Sleeping For Years (John Du Cann) - 5:28
6. I Can't Take No More (John Du Cann) - 3:34
7. Nobody Else (John Du Cann, Vincent Crane) - 5:01
8. Gershatzer (Vincent Crane) - 8:04
9. Play The Game (John Du Cann) - 4:45
10.The Devil's Answer (1970 Demo) (John Du Cann) - 4:03
11.The Devil's Answer (Alternative Version) (John Du Cann) - 3:28
Bonus Tracks 9-11
Atomic Rooster
*John Du Cann - Guitars, Lead Vocals, Bass
*Vincent Crane - Hammond Organ, Backing Vocals, Piano
*Paul Hammond - Drums, Percussion
Man's second album of 1974 had the unenviable task of competing with the group's highest charting album to date, Rhinos, Winos And Lunatics, released just five months earlier. Unsurprisingly, in that time the band had undergone another line-up change with keyboard player Malcolm Morley jumping ship after the group's first successful American tour. That left the band as a four-piece again with Micky Jones on guitar and vocals, Deke Leonard on guitar, piano and vocals, Ken Whaley on bass and Terry Williams on drums and vocals. Amazingly, after the five-week US tour, the band only had a week off before heading off to Clearwell Castle in Gloucestershire to write the next album, a feat they accomplished in just two weeks! Boy, how times have changed!
The album was written and recorded in an atmosphere described by Jones as "Post American blues" with Leonard stating that the group felt somewhat "displaced and after the wide open spaces [of the US] we felt mildly claustrophobic". As a consequence, the album, particularly in the lyrical department, is quite downbeat, with main lyric writer Leonard stating that his mind was elsewhere - "a really morbid alley-way which is full of death, disease and real black images". This is true of opening number, A Hard Way To Die, as if the title was not somewhat of a giveaway! However, musically it is quite a jolly number and opens up the recording in readiness for the string-laden Grasshopper. The first of two ballads, Grasshopper is a gentle and lovely acoustic number with a complete string section providing most of the impetus of the song. Rock And Roll You Out, a song inspired by Leonard's exclusion from a Welsh night club for wearing jeans, is a bluesy number with a pretty standard beat but with the added attraction of some nifty slide guitar work and even a harmonica solo! Another true incident, the theft of Micky's possessions while on holiday in Italy, was the inspiration behind You Don't Like Us. There is a definite air of Badfinger about this track, ironic as those other fabulous Welsh rockers were to support Man on their next UK tour.
An energetic guitar and synth introduction starts off Bedtime Bone which has quite a few instrumental passages, mostly because the band objected to Leonard's original lyrics about a chap dying whilst in the arms of a prostitute. Attempts at alternative lyrics were no more positive and so the original words were edited leaving space for a somewhat uninspiring synth solo. The lively One More Chance also hides a rather morbid lyric, but one doesn't notice it behind the delightfully cheery chorus and the twin guitar assault that makes the song a classic example of the Man oeuvre. The second ballad is Rainbow Eyes which also benefits from a string section, although not in as prominent a role as in Grasshopper. A more positive number from the pen of Micky complete with choral vocals on the middle eight, it sounds like a pop song from the late sixties, and although fairly distinct in the Man repertoire it is none-the-less a minor gem of a song. They still manage to slip a death into the lyric though! Last track of the original album is the single Day and Night which, at the time, was a favourite of John Peel's; he even nominated it as single of the week when he reviewed it for Sounds magazine. Peely, as ever, was spot on in his assessment and it is surprising that the group didn't even score a minor hit with the song with it being a catchy ditty an all.
As for all the Esoteric Man re-issues, the CD contains a host of previously unreleased bonus tracks, starting with the first mix of Rock And Roll You Out whose main difference is a saxophone, which although barely discernable in the final mix plays a major part in this initial version, featuring in its own solo and in an interesting trade-off with guitar in the end section. The b-side to the Day And Night single, a live version of A Hard Way To Live is an energetic number which first featured on Deke Leonard's solo Iceberg album. Despite the original having been recorded after Leonard being fired from Man over attitude problems, the rest of Man were quite familiar with the material as several of them had played on the album and the band Leonard formed to promote the album (who were also called Iceberg) had supported Man on one of their UK tours. As if in reposte, the next bonus track is a live rendition of Hard Way To Die which comprehensively shows how the group were able to take a good studio song and ramp it up to another level when on stage. Hard Way To Die is the first of four live tracks taken from a concert recorded in California in April 1975, the second, Somebody's Calling (otherwise known as Someone Is Calling) is a relative rarity having only previously appeared on the 'Rare Man' CD and a couple of live bootlegs. Although less than 3 minutes long, the first high quality release of this number is a great bonus for Man collectors and completists.
The final two tracks are the classic Many Are Called, But Few Get Up and another version of A Hard Way To Live. Maybe it would have been better to include another track from this concert instead of the latter track although one can't quibble too much in these matters! The version of Many Are Called... also displays the skill of the band in taking a regularly performed number and rearranging it within the confines of a familiar framework, much in the way that the Grateful Dead were able to do. This explains the popularity of the plethora of live releases, many of which contain similar track listings.
Although not often cited as a pinnacle album in the band's career, that is possibly due to the classic album that came immediately prior to it and the fact that Slow Motion was released so soon after. In addition, the general negative vibes might put some people off. However, all that withstanding, Slow Motion is a worthy addition to any Man collection.
by Mark Hughes
Tracks
1. Hard Way to Die - 5:20
2. Grasshopper - 5:12
3. Rock and Roll You Out - 3:54
4. You Don't Like Us - 4:34
5. Bedtime Bone - 5:55
6. One More Chance - 4:27
7. Rainbow Eyes - 6:06
8. Day and Night - 4:08
9. Rock And Roll You Out (First Mix) - 4:37
10.A Hard Way To Live (Deke Leonard) - 2:59
11.Hard Way To Die - 5:51
12.Somebody's Calling - 2:48
13.Many Are Called, But Few Get Up (Martin Ace, Clive John, Micky Jones, Deke Leonard, Ken Whaley, Terry Williams) - 13:13
14.A Hard Way To Live (Deke Leonard) - 3:16
All songs by Micky Jones, Deke Leonard, Ken Whaley, Terry Williams except where stated
Track 9 recorded at Morgan Studios 30th August 1974 previously unreleased
Track 10 B side of single UP 35739 released in May 1975
Tracks 11 to 14 recorded at the Keystone, Berkeley, California in April 1975
Man
*Deke Leonard – Guitar, Vocals
*Micky Jones – Guitar, Vocals
*Ken Whaley – Bass
*Terry Williams – Drums, Vocals With
*Chris Mercer - Saxophone
*Stuart Gordon - Strings
