Recorded live and released by Deroy record label in a pressing of 100 copies (of which apparently only two are now said to exist) in 1972, this self-titled work is the sole album of UK psychedelic prog jazz rockers Motiffe. Revolving around brothers John and Mark Pasterfield, the group’s personnel changed a fair bit during its short life and by the time the album was released, the band had already broken up and the various members had gone their separate ways to find fame and fortune. The most outstanding ex-member was guitarist John Grimaldi who formed Flux and various other bands playing jazz rock, and wrote and played music until his early death from multiple sclerosis at age 28 years in 1983.
There are five tracks of mostly instrumental music featuring guitar, piano, saxophone, drums and flute, starting with the shortest, most structured and pop-friendly pieces “Grotesque Piece” and “Analogy”, where the melodies are most clear and listeners can even predict what’s going to happen over the next ten seconds, to longer, more meandering and less structured tracks. While the music is energetic and even soulful at times, the long tracks do suffer from a lot of self-indulgent guitar and any interaction from guitar and saxophone, or from guitar and flute, or even from flute and saxophone, tends to be more meandering and less spitfire competitive. The home-studio production quality level perhaps blunts the sound so that it is less sharp and vibrant than it should be, and there are long passages where the music seems flat due to the poor quality sound. On the upside, the production quality adds a dark, forlorn mood to the music, especially in the last few moments of “Life Reciprocal” where the sax-dominated music with the meandering bass acquires a smoky flavour.
Virtuoso guitar playing is highlighted across all tracks, the long loose ones like “To George” and “Mind & Body” in particular. There’s less flute and saxophone than I would have expected on a prog jazz rock album like one – I’d have thought the sax would be the lead instrument right across one track. The music on the vocal parts on “Mind & Body” has a slight energetic Latino feel – this is where the production quality really lets down the track, the energy and zest and the hard edge of the music being less than what they should be.
Even though there’s considerable filler here, Motiffe’s one and only album makes for quite good listening. If you happen to be in the mood for some (perhaps unintentionally) slightly dark progressive jazz rock.
The Sound Projector
Tracks
1. Grotesque Piece (Mike Avery) - 5:13
2. Analogy - 6:16
3. Life Reciprocal - 10:34
4. To George - 8:26
5. Mind And Body - 15:24
All compositions by John Grimaldi except where indicated
The bare facts about the California-based band People! are known to every long-time follower of Christian rock as the '60s band that launched the music career of The Father Of Christian Rock, Larry Norman.
People! were signed to Hollywood's Capitol Records (the label that made countless millions with the Beatles and repeated the trick with The Beach Boys) in 1966. After two unsuccessful singles, the band, consisting of singers Larry Norman and Gene Mason, along with guitarist and founder Geoff Levin, his brother Robb Levin on bass, Albert Ribisi on organ and Denny Fridkin on drums, had a hit with the single "I Love You" - a cover of a flipside by Britain's The Zombies. The single made number 14 in the US charts and went on to become a number one hit in Japan, Italy and Israel, with People! going on to play gigs alongside the top names in rock and pop. But People!'s debut album didn't sell. And there were no more hits for the band, who parted company with Larry shortly after most of the band embraced the Scientology cult.
by Tony Cummings
Tracks
1. 1000 Years B.C. (Larry Norman, Robb Levin) - 3:05
2. Nothing Can Stop The Elephants (Albert Ribisi, Denny Fridkin) - 2:59
3. Ashes Of Me (Albert Ribisi) - 3:18
4. Crying Shoes (Denny Fridkin) - 2:43
5. I Love You (Chris White) - 4:32
6. What We Need Is A Lot More Jesus (And A Lot Less Rock 'n' Roll) (Wayne Raney) - 2:02
As Glenn A. Baker put it, Doug Parkinson (b. 1949) is recognised as one of the great, distinctive Australian voices and one of the country's most respected musical mainstays. Indeed, Parkinson conveyed considerable charisma with his imposing presence, `Lucifer' beard and gruff, raspy voice. He also surrounded himself with mature, seasoned musicians who added to his appeal. Yet between 1966 and 1997, Parkinson only scored six hit singles.
Parkinson's first amateur band was Strings and Things, which he formed in 1965 while still at high school. By the end of the year, the band had evolved into amateur folk group The `A' Sound. The line-up comprised Parkinson, David Lee (guitar), Helen Barnes (bass) and Syd Barnes (drums). Syd (junior) and Helen were the son and daughter of cricketer Syd Barnes. In 1966, The `A' Sound issued one pleasant folk single (in The -Seekers vein) for Festival `Talk About That'/ `Tomorrow I Meet You' before breaking up at the end of that year. Parkinson went on to join The Questions which comprised Duncan McGuire (bass), Billy Green (guitar), Rory Thomas (Hammond organ) and Bill Flemming (drums; ex- Midnighters, Roland Storm and the Statesmen, Max Merritt and the Meteors). McGuire had started out in the late 1950s in The Phantoms before joining Roland Storm and the Statesmen in 1963.
McGuire first teamed up with Green in instrumental band The Epics during 1964. Peter Maxworthy (drums) completed the line-up. As well as backing singer Roland Storm on the single `Zip a Dee Doo Dah'/`Shakin' All Over' and Peter Wright on `I Couldn't Keep Your Heart'/`Once I had Your Love', The Epics recorded two singles for HMV `Caravan'/`Around and About' (September 1964) and `Too Late'/`Please Tell' (June 1965). By the end of 1965, McGuire and Green had moved on to The Questions. The Questions were a musically substantial bunch, but their one album, What is a Question?, and single, `Karelia'/`Wheels' (October 1966), were sub-Herb Alpert pastiches and failed to chart. Parkinson joined in early 1967. With his facility for soul and blues, he immediately lifted The Questions into the premier league of Australian mid-1960s pop alongside the likes of Max -Merritt and the Meteors and The Groop. In July 1967 The Questions were placed second to The Groop in the Hoadley's National Battle of the Sounds final.
The Questions with Parkinson issued three singles that remain minor psychedelic pop classics, `Sally Go Round the Roses'/`Hey Gyp (Dig the Slowness)' (#14 in Sydney, July 1967), `And Things Unsaid'/`I Can't Hear You' (October) and `Something Wonderful'/`We Got Love' (February 1968), plus the EP `Sally Go Round the Roses' (`Sally Go Round the Roses', `Hey Gyp (Dig the Slowness)'/`Deep Purple', `How High the Moon') (all on Festival). In January 1968, Ray Burton (guitar; ex-Delltones) and Les Young (bass; ex-Chessmen) replaced Green and McGuire respectively. The new, short-lived Questions line-up toured as support band to the `Big Show' tour of UK visitors The Who, The Small Faces and Paul Jones. By February 1968, The Questions had disbanded; a month later, Parkinson, Green, McGuire, Thomas and newcomer Doug Lavery (drums; ex-Andy James Asylum, Running Jumping Standing Still) relaunched themselves as Doug Parkinson In Focus.
The band swiftly issued the psychedelic-tinged `I Had a Dream'/`Advice' single (May 1968), and then came in third at the 1968 Hoadley's National Battle of the Sounds final (behind The Groove and The Master's Apprentices). Doug Parkinson In Focus Mark I fell apart in August 1968; Thomas joined The Affair and Lavery joined The Valentines. By September 1968, Parkinson had In Focus Mark II on the road with Green, McGuire and Johnny Dick (drums; ex-Max Merritt and the Meteors, Billy Thorpe and the Aztecs). Fired by Green, McGuire and Dick's superb musicianship, the new In Focus was perfectly in sync with the tempo of the times. The band became one of the most popular outfits on the Melbourne suburban dance/ inner-city discotheque circuit.
Doug Parkinson In Focus signed a new deal with EMI/Columbia, and the band's version of The Beatles' `Dear Prudence'/`This Must Be the End' (May 1969) shot to #5 on the national chart in June. A month later, the band took out Australia's premier pop prize as first placegetters in the Hoadley's National Battle of the Sounds final. EMI deemed the band's proposed new single, `Today (I Feel No Pain)'/`Theme from Twelfth House', to be non-commercial and withdrew it from release. `Today (I Feel No Pain)' was an inventive slice of psychedelia replete with Green's backwards guitar, and it duly appeared on the rare Doug Parkinson In Focus EP alongside `Dear Prudence' and the band's next single, `Without You'/`Hair'. `Without You' returned the band to #5 on the chart in October. A month later, just as the band was riding the crest of a wave of popularity, Green and McGuire left to form short-lived `supergroup' Rush with Malcolm McGee (vocals; ex-Wild Cherries, Python Lee Jackson, Virgil Brothers), Steve Yates (keyboards) and Kevin Murphy (drums; ex-Wild Cherries).
In December 1969, Parkinson and Dick recruited two guitarists, Englishman Mick Rogers (ex-Procession) and Melbourne legend Les Stacpool (ex-Chessmen, Merv Benton and the Tamlas, Levi Smith's Clefs, Rockwell T. James and the Rhythm Aces, Browns), for a new line-up. With Rush having unceremoniously folded, Green returned to the fold in January 1970 and the reconstituted In Focus line-up appeared at Australia's first rock festival, Pilgrimage for Pop at Ourimbah (NSW). In February, McGuire also returned, and Rogers and Stacpool duly departed. The band issued another excellent slice of psychedelic pop as its next single, `Baby Blue Eyes'/`Then I Run', but it only reached #36 on the national chart during May 1970. In June, guitarist Vince Melouney (ex-Aztecs, Bee Gees) invited Dick and Parkinson to join his new band, Fanny Adams, in the UK. Green and McQuire joined Leo De Castro in King Harvest.
When the ill-fated Fanny Adams fell apart in February 1971, Parkinson recalled Green and McGuire for a new In Focus line-up. McGuire brought in drummer Mark Kennedy (ex-Spectrum, King Harvest), and the band picked up where it had left off the previous August. Fable Records issued a new In Focus single, the adventurous hard rock outing `Purple Curtains'/`Pour Out All You've Got', which had already been in the can for a year and featured the previous line-up. The Fanny Adams break-up meant that Parkinson was unable to record for two years. This effectively hampered In Focus's progress, and in December 1971 McGuire and Kennedy left to join Friends and Green joined Gerry and the Joy Band. Parkinson spent the next two years attempting to get his solo career off the ground. He issued one single in August 1972, `Lonely'/`Taking It Easy'. In March 1973, he appeared in the Australian stage production of The Who's rock opera Tommy alongside Billy Thorpe, Daryl Braithwaite, Colleen Hewett, Broderick Smith, Jim Keays and Keith Moon.
With the help of John Capek (piano; ex-Carson), drummers Graham Morgan, Peter Figures and Russell Dunlop, Tim Partridge (bass), guitarists Kevin Borich, Billy Green, Ross East and Jimmy Doyle, Roger Sellers (percussion), Don Reid (flute, sax) and Terry Hannagan (vocals), Parkinson completed his debut solo album, No Regrets (May 1973). Parkinson also formed Life Organisation to play 1940s-styled big band jazz. The line-up included the likes of Teddy Toi, Graham Morgan, Peter Martin (guitar; ex-SCRA), Warren Ford (guitar, piano), Bill Motzing (trombone, keyboards) and briefly Wendy Saddington (vocals). The Life Organisation single `In the Mood (Forties Style)'/`Beyond the Blue Horizon' (June 1973) reached #36 in Sydney. The second single, `Boogie Woogie'/`Little Brown Jug' (November), was not successful. Life Organisation also backed Parkinson on his second solo single (lifted from No Regrets), `Love Gun'/`Dear Prudence' (April 1973). Parkinson also worked as A&R; manager for WEA during this period.
In 1974, Parkinson contributed vocals to two songs, `Cosmic Flash' and `Do Not Go Gentle' (based on a Dylan Thomas poem, and a song In Focus had also played), on Billy Green's film soundtrack to Sandy Harbutt's cult Oz biker film Stone. Parkinson's 1974 touring band comprised Mick Liber (guitar; ex-Python Lee Jackson), Ray Vanderby (keyboards), Rod Coe (bass) and New Zealander Bruno Lawrence (drums, ex-Max Merritt and the Meteors, BLERTA). Lawrence later earned acclaim as an actor in such films as The Quiet Earth and The Delinquents, plus television series Frontline. Parkinson enjoyed his first solo hit single with a cover of Love Affair's `Everlasting Love'/`All I Need is a Song' (November 1974). The single peaked at #22 in Sydney and #14 in Melbourne during March 1975. He issued two singles in 1975, a cover of Vanda and Young's `Love is Like a Cloudy Day'/`One Track Mind' (May) and `Raised on Rock'/`I'm Gonna Get You' (September), but neither charted. Doug Parkinson passed away suddenly at home, on March 1st,2021,
Based in San Benardino, Califorinia this short lived early 1970s band traced its roots to The Torquays. Under the guidance of record label owner/producer/writer Bill Bellman, The Torquays released a series of five singles during their 1964-1967 lifespan. Though they enjoyed some regional success, The Torquays never broke nationally and by 1968 they were history.
A year later band members Ron Casdin, Eddie Perez, Danny Rentz, and Lance Sanvik reappeared as Travellers Aid. Produced by Bill Bellman (he also wrote, or co-wrote four of the ten songs), 1970's "Corduroy Roads" was originally released on the small Rock label. The first couple of times I listened to this one I couldn't figure out what all the excitement was about. Frequently described as The Torques-go-psychedelic, that tagline was complete misleading. In fact the closest this came to be psychedelic were Casdin's fuzz guitar on 'Makin' Tracks'.
nstead the overall feel was a mixture of bar band and country-rock moves. Coupled with low-fi production and basic songwriting skills, I was thoroughly put off by the results. Why would anyone pay mega dollars for this one? Well I can't answer that, but I'll admit that the album's subsequently grown on me. No way I'd ever shell out the asking price for an original, but for the reissue - sure.
Perez and Sanvik provided a steady and uncomplicated base throughout. Casdin's rough hewn voice wasn't fantastic, but he had a gritty edge that was quite likeable and well suited for the rockers like 'Bad Sign'' and 'Deep Water'. Similarly he wasn't the fanciest lead guitarist you've ever heard, but he made the most of his time, turning in solos that were consistently entertaining, but simple enough that you could probably figure out the patterns. Casdin's solo on 'Moonlight' was a perfect example of his telent and limitations. Casdin's rough hewn voice wasn't fantastic, but he had a gritty edge that was quite likeable and well suited for the rockers like 'Bad Sign'' and 'Deep Water'. Similarly he wasn't the fanciest lead guitarist you've ever heard, but he made the most of his time, turning in solos that were consistently entertaining, but simple enough that you could probably figure out the patterns. Casdin's solo on 'Moonlight' was a perfect example of his telent and limitations.
Bad-Cat
Tracks
1. Slow Freight (Bill Bellman) - 3:58
2. Barefoot Boy (From Bearfoot Creek) (Ron Casdin, Bill Bellman) - 2:34
3. Bad Sign (Lance Sandvik) - 3:24
4. Rock And Roll Is Spoken Here(Lance Sandvik) - 2:45
5. Makin' Tracks (Bill Bellman) - 2:45
6. Electric Blues (Gerome Ragni, Galt MacDermot, James Rado) - 2:39
Camel's classic period started with The Snow Goose, an instrumental concept album based on a novella by Paul Gallico. Although there are no lyrics on the album -- two songs feature wordless vocals -- the music follows the emotional arc of the novella's story, which is about a lonely man named Rhayader who helps nurse a wounded snow goose back to health with the help of a young girl called Fritha he recently befriended. Once the goose is healed, it is set free, but Fritha no longer visits the man because the goose is gone. Later, Rhayader is killed in battle during the evacuation of Dunkirk.
The goose returned during the battle, and it is then named La Princesse Perdue, symbolizing the hopes that can still survive even during the evils of war. With such a complex fable to tell, it is no surprise that Camel keep their improvisational tendencies reined in, deciding to concentrate on surging, intricate soundscapes that telegraph the emotion of the piece without a single word. And even though The Snow Goose is an instrumental album, it is far more accessible than some of Camel's later work, since it relies on beautiful sonic textures instead of musical experimentation. The Snow Goose reached 22 in the UK charts
by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Tracks
Disc 1
1. The Great Marsh - 2:04
2. Rhayader - 3:02
3. Rhayader Goes To Town - 5:20
4. Sanctuary - 1:05
5. Fritha - 1:19
6. The Snow Goose - 3:12
7. Friendship - 1:44
8. Migration - 2:01
9. Rhayader Alone - 1:50
10.Flight Of The Snow Goose - 2:41
11.Preparation - 3:54
12.Dunkirk - 5:25
13.Epitaph - 2:07
14.Fritha Alone - 1:30
15.La Princesse Perdue - 4:56
16.The Great Marsh - 1:15
17.Flight Of The Snow Goose - 2:05
18.Rhayader - 3:11
19.Rhayader Goes To Town - 5:07
20.The Snow Goose/Freefall - 11:02
Tracks 1-16 Original Album, released 1975
Bonus Tracks 17-20
Disc 2
1. Rhayader Goes To Town - 5:08
2. Sanctuary - 1:12
3. The Snow Goose - 3:03
4. Migration - 3:31
5. Rhayader Alone - 1:43
6. Flight Of The Snow Goose - 2:56
7. Preparation - 2:04
8. Dunkirk - 5:10
9. Epitaph - 1:16
10.La Princesse Perdue - 4:40
11.The Great Marsh - 1:57
12.Selections From "The Snow Goose" (A. The Snow Goose, B. Friendship, C. Rhayader Goes To Town)
Written by Peter Bardens, Andrew Latimer
Tracks 1-11 Recorded Live For BBC Radio One "In Concert" 1975
Track 12 From BBC 2 "The Old Grey Whistle Test" 1975
From Denver, Colorado, this outfit started out as a fine punk band releasing four 45s for Tower. Amongst these are the frantic garage-punker You'll Come Back, plus excellent covers of I'm All Right and Baby, Please Don't Go. The flip to their fourth 45 was also a cover of The Guilloteens' folk-rocker.The Moonrakers evolved out of surf act The Surfin' Classics, when vocalist/guitarist Doug Dolph was replaced by Denny Flannigan. As The Surfin' Classics, they'd performed a lot of Beach Boys/Ventures material, but their name change came about when they got matched in a Battle of The Bands with Colorado's Astronauts and needed a more 'with-it' name.
Bob MacVittie thus renamed themselves after the book he was reading at the time, Ian Fleming's novel "Moonraker".The band obtained their deal with Tower through their manager Roger Christian, a well-known L.A. disc jockey. Christian (who co-wrote Little Deuce Coupe and Don't Worry Baby with Brian Wilson), had 'connections'... The Moonrakers thus got to open for many major groups in Denver, including The Dave Clark Five, the Righteous Brothers and Sonny and Cher. The even got to meet The Beatles and Bill Haley and The Comets when they played for 50,000 screaming fans at Red Rocks Amphitheatre, in the Foothills of the Rocky Mountains.
The band also helped promote a Denver concert with The Byrds around the time of Mr. Tambourine Man in the Ballroom at Lakeside Gardens Amusement Park, home of one of the greatest old-time rollercoasters in the world. Veeder Van Dorn:- "The Byrds parked their tour bus at the Moonraker's bass player's parents house for a few hours while they prepared for the concert, but when they all arrived at the Amusement Park, Joel's hair was dyed orange and he was mumbling 'the colors are flowing.... can you see them... can you see them?' about all the rainbow colors flowing around the Concert Hall!"With the onset of the psychedelic era came a dramatic charge of style in The Moonrakers music which is apparent on their album. Full of psychedelia with religious overtones, the cover shows the group below an altar and there is some good psychedelic guitar work plus great lyrics on The Pot Starts To Boil.Veeder Van Dorn, also claims to be the first person to play an electric banjo in a rock band:- "I purchased a steel-rimmed Ode banjo at the Denver Folklore Center from the owner Harry Tufts, and installed a simple magnetic pickup under the wooden bridge. It was used on the Moonrakers' Tower release Time And A Place, which was selected by the radio stations in Colorado Springs, sixty miles South of Denver, as the A side instead of Trip And Fall, and went to No. 1 there".During the recording of the album, Webber (ex-The Soul Survivors) and MacVittie left being replaced by Randy Walrath and Bob Sauner.
Van Dorn also quit to join The Poor, where he got to know Bruce Palmer at a gig with Buffalo Springfield at Hollywood's 'Whisky A-Go-Go'. Shortly afterwards, Van Dorn, MacVittie, Corbetta and Webber formed Sugarloaf, although Van Dorn left after a few months (he wrote one song Things Gonna Change Some on their debut album Spaceship Earth). He then formed Mescalero Space Kit with Sam Fuller and Kip Gilbert (both ex-Rainy Daze), and Mark Kincaid (ex-Electric Prunes). Van Dorn:- "Kip Gilbert's brother Tim, who'd had a songwriting hit with Incense And Peppermints, arranged a demo session with Saul Zaentz at Fantasy Records in Berkeley. At the time Fantasy was having a huge success with Creedence Clearwater Revival. One of the original songs we recorded Earth Ain't A Jail was soon translated into I'm Just A Singer In A Rock And Roll Band by the Moody Blues...".Joel Brandes later went on to manage Eric Burdon and War.
Tracks
1. Talk To The Soldier's Son (Veeder Van Dorn) - 4:08
2. He Knows Why (Veeder Van Dorn) - 3:37
3. Not Hidin' Anymore (Veeder Van Dorn, Bob Webber) - 3:00
4. He's A Comin' My Lord (Veeder Van Dorn) - 2:52
5. The Pot Starts To Boil (Veeder Van Dorn) - 3:50
6. No Number To Call (Denny Flannigan, John Collingwood Phillips) - 3:14
7. Look Outside At The Sun (Veeder Van Dorn) - 3:52
8. Take A Friend (Veeder Van Dorn, John Collingwood Phillips) - 3:54
9. Love Train (Veeder Van Dorn, John Collingwood Phillips) - 2:48
10.Find Me (Veeder Van Dorn) - 3:36
11.Together With Him (Denny Flannigan) - 3:48
The Moonrakers
*Denny Flannigan - Piano, Organ, Vocals
*Joel Brandes - Bass
*Randy Walrath - Guitar, Vocals, Harmonica
*Veeder Van Dorn - Vocals, Rhythm Guitar, Harmonica
Wallace Collection founded from the ashes of a band called "Sylvester's Team". Three of the original members (Sylvain Vanholme, Freddy Nieuland and Marc Hérouet) went on to form the band 16th Century, together with bass-player Christian Janssens and the classical musicians Raymond Vincent and Jacques Namotte. These two were members of the Belgian National Philharmonic Orchestra, but had been flirting with popular music already in a band called Stradivarius.
The group was launched from Britain, and a new name was found in a museum next to the EMI-headquarters : The Wallace Collection. The Australian David Mckay did the production of the first record of the band "Laughing Cavalier" They had an instant success due to the single "Daydream". It became a hit in over 20 countries and sold millions of copies.
Sylvain Vanholme recalls how this breakthrough was also responsible for the downfall of the band in "Wit-Lof from Belgium" : "There was chaos. One day we would be playing in the North of Holland, the next day in Spain. We didn't have time to rehearse or write new material. Between two concerts, they booked us a studio and said : quickly record a song like "Daydream". The quality of the singles that followed went steadily downward. "Love" and "Serenade" at least made it to the Belgian Top 30.
In 1971 the band decided to split. Freddy Nieuland however has continued to record under the name Wallace Collection. Raymond Vincent later on formed a band called Esperanto (with German and British strings, Italian keyboards, with singers from Hawaï, Papoea and Australia. After four records the band was dumped by A&M label in 1975. Marc Hérouet, the organ-player of the band, enjoyed some success with his group Salix Alba.
The most succesful career in the years to come had Sylvain Vanholme, who has had huge hits with Two Man Sound and has produced a large number of Belgian records since (e.g. Octopus, Salix Alba, The Machines, Gorky, Jo Lemaire and Flouze, The Kids ... ).
The drummer Freddy Nieuland passed away on January 10th 2008, Raymond Vincent the violinist died 5th November 2018, and cellist Jacques Namotte died 13th December 2012.
Before they were on par with Rush as Canada's prog-rock heroes, Triumph were earnestly forging away to develop their sound. Triumph (later released as In the Beginning...) captures just that: the band's debut recording while they were still finding and developing the formulas that would make them so successful. The opening "24 Hours a Day" wouldn't sound out of place during the finest moments of Boston's catalog, but the majority of the tunes found herein are highly informed by the presence of Led Zeppelin. Gil Moore's take on the infamous Bonham stutter kick of the bass drum, the exact chord progression found on the climax of "Stairway to Heaven" is also the anchor to "Don't Take My Life", and the comparisons go on and on. But that's not to say In the Beginning... is a total loss -- far from it. It's the cornerstone from which their house of prog-rock greatness was built.
by Rob Theakston
Tracks
1. 24 Hours A Day (Rik Emmett) - 4:29
2. Be My Lover (Rik Emmett) - 3:19
3. Don't Take My Life (Gil Moore) - 5:02
4. Street Fighter (Gil Moore) - 3:28
5. Street Fighter Reprise (Gil Moore) - 3:02
6. What's Another Day Of Rock 'N Roll (Gil Moore, James Brian Maloney, James Richard Huff, Mike Levine, Rik Emmett) - 4:51
Formed in Brussels back in 1969, Doctor Downtrip were to debut with a single for the Vogue label. The outfit’s slightly “psychedelic” leanings (with regards to their use of saxophone on “gravitation” and flute on “music for your mind”), gained them quite some attention. Who exactly was in the band remains a mystery, although the Dutchman J. Van Wagensveld did compose both songs on this effort. In june 1970 they played the “Puzzle P-festival”(a famous Brussels club in the Rue De Bouchers) with many Belgian hardrock bands as well as headliner Wallace Collection. But the first highlight of their relatively brief career was their appearance at the Bilzen Rock & Jazz festival in august 1970 along such acts as Badfinger and Screaming Lord Sutch. Both festivals also had another Brussels band, Burning Plague on the bill.
When by the end of 1970 Plague’s Michael Heslop (who was original from the USA) decided to put his band on hold, the announcement of his entry to Doctor Downtrip quickly followed. After a while this new line-up (John Hastry on bass, Michael Heslop on guitar, Paul Van De Velden on drums, Michel Rorive on vocals and Sylvain Paul on organ) was really rocking as proven on the “summer festival Den Haan “ and the fondly-remembered Jemelle festival on august 8th,1971 where they supported Golden Earring and Genesis.(In april 1972 they supported Genesis a second time when they played in Arlon). It took more than a year before the new five-piece had an impressive armoury of self-penned compositions at their disposal, and the first proof of it, came in 1972 when they released the single “take my place” backed with “depressed” on CBS records. Both songs showed the real potential of this hardrock band as their fine organ/guitar work was finally captured on vinyl. After healthy sales a second two-tracker was scheduled for release, but without haste, as it was already 1973 when “jumpin’ in the air / winter’s coming” saw the light of day.
The “A” side was a radio-friendly rock song (along with sing-along and handclaps) but it was the backside who made impression with yet another heavy song with great solo’s. An appearance as support act for Mark Bolan’s T-REX (on march 24th ,1973) at the big vorst/forest national hall also made impression. Therefore it came as a surprise to hear the band was working on a full-lp with a new singer; Jean Paul Goossens (and Serge Paul on second guitar). This first lp (recorded with Jean Huysmans in five days!) was without any doubt a cracking way to make their mark on the Belgian scene, and capable numbers such as “free morning time”, ”lost city”, “wanted”(heavy!!!) and the uptempo “big blue train” all demonstrated an uncanny knack for creating great hardrock-music.1974 saw the release of another 7” with two reworked songs from that first album but after this, there was only silence from the Doctor’s camp. By the end of 1975 Doctor Downtrip had already undergone a few changes with Heslop & Paul leaving to be replaced by only a guitarplayer: Jose Cuisset who came from Lagger Blues Machine. But it wasn’t only the line-up who’s been changed, also the name was shortened to Downtrip.
After that, the band managed to record their second lp and for the first time produced it themselves (all other recordings were produced by Jean Huysmans). “If You Don’t Rock Now” was released in 1976 on CBS/Epic. Excellent hard-rocking stuff throughout; highlights were “sweet lies” and the awesome “getting louder”. Although they were a regular attraction at nations rock clubs and festivals, from then on, they no longer seem to have been able to get invitations to play the bigger support slots. It took more than two years before another Downtrip album hit the shops, but “Downtown” was a fine third set. Especially the first side had storming numbers such as “scarecrow”, ”shout it out”, “dedicated to you” and the longer title song. Despite this album things started falling apart and by the end of the decade, the Downtrip members concluded that they were fighting a losing battle and had called it a day without making much of a fuss about it.
Pete Dello was the original leader of the Honeybus, a short-lived but wonderful English baroque-pop group who only managed to release one album in 1970 (finally reissued in 2008-). For all the gems available on compilations like Honeybus At Their Best and She Flies Like A Bird: The Anthology, fans of their brand of summery, rootsy pop couldn’t be truly satisfied without an ear on Dello’s fine solo efforts.
Comparisons to the Beatles are somewhat unavoidable, from the next-level songwriting to the double-tracked voice, chamber orchestra production, but assertions of cheap imitation are unacceptable. Dello’s album is a pretty mix, most songs led with a clean acoustic guitar or piano, flavoring the sound with modest string and brass sections. This is where the record gets its baroque tag, but at times the music, like Honeybus, approaches a country-folk-rock sound. Tracks like I’m A Gambler illustrate that perfect mix of rural rock and sunshine pop, blessed with some especially tasteful percussion. The trick to the record’s charm may be the Nilsson inspired vocal treatments, either Dello’s unassuming lead or the lilting vocal turns and harmony parts.
I wouldn’t call it a perfect record, but it gets pretty close and grows to be very solid. Pete scored with his first Honeybus single, I Can’t Let Maggie Go, and gets a chance at a full showcase with Into Your Ears. Only a couple tracks push the British camp too much for my ears, so take note if you’re fond of skipping sillier tracks. If you’re looking for gems, you’ll be right on target.
