Chris Coombs And The Lightyears Away / Thundermother - Gagalactyca (1971 uk, exceptional spacey acid psych folk rock, 2000 reissue)

"GAGALACTYCA" is a sister album to Astral Navigations. Lightyears Away has pretty much the same line-up, though with less from Brian Wilson and Brian Calvert who had both left the country. Four songs were destined for Astral Navigations when it was to be called Windows Of Limited Time : Save The Big Jam Roll, The People Show and Woman In My Life.  Aren't You Glad You Stayed? was intended to open the album, which is why it is heard at the end of A - Austr.

1970 and 1971 were prolific times for Holyground - a lot of their very best work was from this period. ASTRAL NAVIGATIONS had been released and yet there were tracks un-issued : such as Chris Coombs' THAT IS WHAT WE NEED, and several THUNDERMOTHER tracks. At one time or another several of these tracks were destined for Astral, but were left off for others. The solution was obvious: Astral Part Two!

Although planned, the album was not actually released until the early 1990's when a vinyl version was released with the help of Hugo Chavez' 'Magic Mixture' label. Only 450 of these were made, most signed by Dave Wood and Mike Levon. 

shirl, slyv & jan, esme & jumping jack flash, cath & linda, anne, fuckface the eagle, super judy, sonja, arkle, norfolk jim, mitchell deaver, gifford and andrew, 'goth' caxton, jim alexander, dave wood, pete duce, kevin young, mal gill & cass yard angels

'shirl' is Shirley Levon; 'slyv' was Dave Wood's partner; 'jan' is married to Chris Coombs, and 'anne' is Kevin Young's wife. Esme was Mike and Shirley's cat, (as was Jumping Jack Flash), and her purr lives on at the start of the THUNDERMOTHER tracks. Cath and Linda were usually to be found hanging around the studio or Mike's flat. They can be seen in the video of the making of ASTRAL NAVIGATIONS too. 'Mitchell Deaver' is Mike and Shirley's electric fire

HolyGround

Tracks

1. Save The Big Jam Roll (Mike Levon, Chris Coombs) - 8:28

2. This Is What We Need (Chris Coombs) - 2:16

3. Cold Tired And Hungry (Chris Coombs) - 2:06

4. Melanie- Merlin Est (Mike Levon, Chris Coombs) - 6:11

5. Aren't You Glad You Stayed (Mike Levon, Brian Calvert) - 3:59

6. February (Chris Coombs) - 3:49

7. Pretty Anne (Original Mix) (Mike Levon, Chris Coombs) - 3:54

8. Pretty Anne (Remix) (Mike Levon, Chris Coombs) - 5:07

9. Woman (Andy Fraser, Paul Rodgers) - 3:27

10.Lady (Lay By Me) (David John, Dave Millen) - 3:36

11.The People Show (David John, Dave Millen, Frank Newbould) - 3:56

12.Come On Home (Dave Millen) - 7:30

13.Woman In My Life (David John, Dave Millen, Frank Newbould) - 4:22

14.Main Line Woman Blues (Traditional) - 2:43

Tracks 1-8 as Lightyears Away

Tracks 9-14 as Thundermother

Lightyears Away

*Chris Coombs - Crumar Multiman Keyboard, Guitar, Vocals, Harmonium, Tambourine, Clapselectric Guitar, El Condor Pipes

*Mike Levon - Saxophone, Whispers, Drums

*Steve Channing - Lead Guitar, Guitar, Vocals

*Pete Taylor - Bass, Backing Spoken Vocal 

*Multiman - Piano 

*Ted Hepworth - Drums   

*Biff Byford - Flute

*Yvonne Carrodus - Vocals

*Bill Nelson - Guitars     

*Liam Arthurs - Bass

*Phil Harmonic - Keyboards, Bass, Wahs

*Brian Calvert - Guitar 

*Brian Wilson - Bass, Swinging Cat Guitar

Thundermother

*Dave Millen - Guitars, Vocals, Bass   

*Jerusalem Smith - Drums

*David John - Vocals, Percussion     

*Frank Newbould - Bass, Percussion

*Fred Kelly - Drums, Percussion   

*Mike Levon - Steel Pipe

*Daz - Bass

1970  Thundermother / Lightyears Away - Astral Navigations  

1970-71  Thundermother - No Red Rowan  

Related Acts

1965-73  Various Artists – Loose Routes 1, Music From Holyground 

1969  Little Free Rock  

1969-71  Little Free Rock - Time Is Of No Consequence  

1969-75  Rare Bird - Beautiful Scarlet The Recordings (2021 six disc box set)  

1973  Rare Bird - Somebody's Watching (2008 remaster)  

1975-75  Rare Bird - Born Again (2008 bonus tracks remaster)  

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Thundermother / Lightyears Away - Astral Navigations (1970-71 uk, remarkable acid folk psych blues rock)

“Lightyears away: melting off the sea by the Coastroad / in the dead land. You can hear, almost hear that place, softly, naked, unknown / voices appear behind distant mountains / and now simple beauty. Time ticks by. Reality, but we’ll do what we can do. We are there but so many of us are not, how to make them understand? The Astral Navigator is here - he’ll tell them. Yesterday: Your whole mind is suddenly jerked and slowed down, only to be speeded up and thrust back / through to the new North Country Cinderella - then Coombs’ Surprise Symphony. Now the spaceship talks . . .

Thundermother: Gentle heavy chords pump the brain / take the ride again and we do. Rock Banshees. It’s a long, long way back home. But it’s really nice here / Boogie! Solid driving bass cracks the ground beneath your feet, and maybe at the end all those things they bin shakin’ about have just slipped through the cracks / Fucking good, go on sell a piece of your mind to Holyground”.

by Pete Ball, from STYNG, Yorkshire’s underground newspaper,1971

The album is divided into three - Mike's songs with Brian Calvert; Chris's songs; and on side two Thundermother. Mike labeled the SIDES of the album 'Lightyears Away' (side one Mike, Brian and Chris); and 'Heavyside Layer' (side two, Thundermother). There is thus no single artist, and like A to Austr, Astral doesn't really have one. Over time the idea that there were two groups had arisen 'Lightyears Away' and 'Thundermother'. A to Austr had a by-line: "Musics from Holyground" . Astral had a similar one on a couple of posters: "Music For The Human Mind".

To mark the split between Mike's / Brian's songs and Chris's songs Mike added the Apollo rocket launch sound effect.

Tracks

1. Fourth Coming (Mike Levon, Brian Calvert) - 5:18

2. Path Of Stone (Mike Levon, Brian Calvert) - 3:38

3. Windows Of Limited Time / The Astral Navigator (Mike Levon, Brian Calvert) - 1:50

4. Yesterday (Chris Coombs) - 3:06

5. Today (North Country Cinderella) (Chris Coombs) - 2:42

6. Tomorrow (Buffalo) (Chris Coombs) - 4:15

7. Someday (Frank Newbold, Peter Illingworth) - 13:43

8. Country Line (David John, Dave Millen, Dave Wilkinson) - 0:58

9. Boogie Music (L. T. Tateman III) - 5:40

10.Rock Me (Dave Millen, Dave Smith, Fred Kelly) - 6:02

11.Come On Home (Dave Millen) - 7:29

Tracks 1-9 as Lightyears Away 

Tracks 7-11 as Thundermother 

Lightyears Away

*Chris Coombs - Piano, Treated Pianos, Vocals, Organ, Steel Guitar, Stylophone

*Bill Nelson - Guitars, Vocal

*Martin Snell - Piano

*Ron Double - Bass

*Mike Levon - Drums, Tape Loops

*Ted Hepworth - Drums

Thundermother

*David John - Vocals

*Dave Millen - Guitar

*Frank Newbold - Guitar, Bass

*Dave Smith - Bass

*Fred Kelly - Drums

1970-71  Thundermother - No Red Rowan  

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Magic Sam - West Side Soul (1967 us, impressive chicago electric blues, 2011 digipak)

Samuel Maghett was born February 14,1937 on a farm in central Mississippi, eight miles east of Granada. By the time he was thirteen, like most other kids his age, he was doing a full day's work, but found time to start learning how to play the guitar by stretching strings tied to nails driven into a wall in a manner similar to Big Joe Williams' primitive one-string guitar (described in the notes of Delmark's Piney Woods Blues, DL-602).

The Maghett family got its first taste of big-city life when they moved to Chicago in i960 Sam decided he never wanted to live again in the South — the relative freedom of the city life changed his mind once and for all. When he attended Drake elementary school on Chicago's South Side he often took his guitar with him. His classmates used to tease him about it but one morning Sam played before all the students at assembly, caught the fancy of the girls and "went home with a pocketful of telephone numbers."

A year later, while playing his guitar under a tree in his backyard at 27th and Calumet. Sam attracted the attention of a gambler named Cadillac Jake who happened to be walking by Jake encouraged Sam and they were to meet again years later when the gambler had himself become a blues-singer and harmonicaplayer By that time Sam had already formed his first band with Syl Johnson (most recently noted for his recording of Sock It To Me) and Mack Thompson who still plays with Sam on a lot of jobs It was Thompson who nicknamed Magic Sam by rhyming his last name.

Even when still a gambler. Shakey Jake "followed Muddy Waters around" and when he again met Magic Sam in 1954, encouraged him to sing as well as play Up to that time Sam was more interested in playing guitar but, after he overcame the usual initial shyness, he was good enough to make it as an R’n’B-singer in the commercial music world. However, he took great pride in the blues heritage and "decided to stick to the blues." He continued to practice with Shakey Jake and another harp-blower named Blues King and developed his vocal style by singing with a family gospel group, the Morning View Special.

By 1955 Sam was ready to play the blues clubs. One night Jake took him to the 708 Club on East 47th Street where Muddy Waters was playing Jake persuaded Muddy to let Sam sit in for a set after which the owner of the club hired him to follow Muddy's engagement In 1957 he made his first recordings for the Cobra label. Sam recalls that Eli Toscano, the label's owner, had a way of sending the sound through some pipes in a back room and back again to gel just the right amount of reverberation.

After a hitch in the army Sam again recorded for the Chief label in 1960 and 1961, playing clubs on the West and Near North sides. His guitar-playing matured and his voice steadily improved in depth as he concentrated on his singing. He later moved to the Club Alex on West Roosevelt Road where he sometimes doubled with Muddy Waters band He also broadcast frequently on Big Bill Hill's shows on WOPA from the Copacabana. At the time of this recording he was working more frequently opposite Muddy Waters and Howling Wolf at Sylvio's famous blues club at Lake and Kedzie and doing off nights occasionally at Mother Blues on Wells Street His most recent 45's were Al Benson's Crash label in 1966.

by Bill Lindemann

To call West Side Soul one of the great blues albums, one of the key albums (if not the key album) of modern electric blues is all true, but it tends to diminish and academicize Magic Sam's debut album. This is the inevitable side effect of time, when an album that is decades old enters the history books, but this isn't an album that should be preserved in amber, seen only as an important record. Because this is a record that is exploding with life, a record with so much energy, it doesn't sound old. 

Of course, part of the reason it sounds so modern is because this is the template for most modern blues, whether it comes from Chicago or elsewhere. Magic Sam may not have been the first to blend uptown soul and urban blues, but he was the first to capture not just the passion of soul, but also its subtle elegance, while retaining the firepower of an after-hours blues joint. Listen to how the album begins, with "That's All I Need," a swinging tune that has as much in common with Curtis Mayfield as it does Muddy Waters, but it doesn't sound like either -- it's a synthesis masterminded by Magic Sam, rolling along on the magnificent, delayed cadence of his guitar and powered by his impassioned vocals. 

West Side Soul would be remarkable if it only had this kind of soul-blues, but it also is filled with blistering, charged electric blues, fueled by wild playing by Magic Sam and Mighty Joe Young -- not just on the solos, either, but in the rhythm (witness how "I Feel So Good [I Wanna Boogie]" feels unhinged as it barrels along). Similarly, Magic Sam's vocals are sensitive or forceful, depending on what the song calls for. Some of these elements might have been heard before, but never in a setting so bristling with energy and inventiveness; it doesn't sound like it was recorded in a studio, it sounds like the best night in a packed club. 

But it's more than that, because there's a diversity in the sound here, an originality so fearless, he not only makes "Sweet Home Chicago" his own (no version before or since is as definitive as this), he creates the soul-injected, high-voltage modern blues sound that everybody has emulated and nobody has topped in the years since. And, again, that makes it sound like a history lesson, but it's not. This music is alive, vibrant, and vital -- nothing sounds as tortured as "I Need You So Bad," no boogie is as infectious as "Mama, Mama Talk to Your Daughter," no blues as haunting as "All of Your Love." No matter what year you listen to it, you'll never hear a better, more exciting record that year.

by Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Tracks
1. That's All I Need (Magic Sam) - 3:14

2. I Need You So Bad (B.B. King, Sam Ling) - 4:53
3. I Feel So Good (I Wanna Boogie) - 4:43
4. All Of Your Love (Magic Sam, Otis Rush) - 3:47
5. I Don't Want No Woman (Don Robey) - 3:34
6. Sweet Home Chicago (Robert Johnson) - 4:13
7. I Found A New Love (Little Milton, Bob Lyons) - 4:03
8. Every Night and Every Day (Jimmy McCracklin) - 3:07
9. Lookin' Good (Instrumental) (Magic Sam) - 3:13
10.My Love Will Never Die (Willie Dixon) - 4:07
11.Mama Talk To Your Daughter (J.B. Lenoir) - 2:42
12.I Don't Want No Woman (Alternate Take) (Don Robey) - 3:30

Musicians
*Magic Sam - Vocals, Guitar
*Mighty Joe Young - Guitar
*Stockholm Slim - Piano
*Earnest Johnson - Bass
*Odie Payne - Drums
*Mack Thompson - Bass (only on Tracks 1, 3, 8)
*Odie Payne III – Drums (only on Tracks 1, 3, 8)

1968-69  Magic Sam Blues Band - Blac Magic (2015 digipak remaster and expanded)

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Magic Sam Blues Band - Blac Magic (1968-69 us, effective electric blues, 2015 digipak remaster and expanded)

This album's color cover photo is an action shot, showing Magic Sam in the process of choking and bending his strings, a good hike up the fretboard. It isn't clear exactly what he is playing from the picture, although that certainly didn't stop dozens of pimply hippie guitar players from trying to figure it out. In the meantime, the record goes on and the first soloist out of the gate is Eddie Shaw, playing tenor sax. He is blowing over the top of an R&B riff that, although not out of the syntax of Chicago blues, would also have been quite fitting on a Wilson Pickett record. 

It is unfortunate that Magic Sam's recording career came to such an abrupt end, as he was one of the best artists working in the musical area between the urban blues tradition and newly developing soul music forms. This fusion was on the minds of many blues artists during the late '60s, and not just because it was aesthetically conceivable. It was also a matter of commerce, as audiences -- particularly black audiences -- didn't want to hear any blues that sounded too much like something their parents might have listened to. The harmonica player Junior Wells was another one who decided to get a bit of James Brown into his act, not always with great results. 

What listeners have here, on the other hand, is frankly delicious, the results of the surplus of talent Magic Sam possessed, a triple threat as a guitarist, singer, and songwriter. Yet with all this talent, the label should also get some credit. This period of the Delmark discography set a high standard for blues recordings, the sound quality and tight interplay among the musicians every bit the equal of the classic jazz recordings on labels such as Blue Note and Prestige. There is nothing fancy about the production, and no gimmicks. It is just a great band, allowed to play the music exactly the way it wanted to. The musicians have obviously worked together a great deal and either had these arrangements down cold from live gigs or had plenty of time to get things tight. This doesn't mean that the music doesn't breathe, as there are plenty of little touches such as drum fills and turnarounds that show the presence of musicians thinking on their feet.

The passage of time also increases the musical value of this music, as the eventual popularity of commercial projects such as the Blues Brothers has only served to dilute the power of urban blues. Labels big and small have forsaken this type of honest and straightforward production, preferring to try concocting a higher level of funkiness through extravagent over-production, boring superstar guest appearances, and insipid studio practices such as prerecorded rhythm tracks and dipstick guitar solos punched in a note at the time. Forget all this jive and check out a track such as "You Belong to Me," where the guitarist cuts loose with a restrained solo that sometimes dances ahead of the beat like a country fiddler while the band pumps away on a superb riff. 

The players here, including the fine guitarist Mighty Joe Young, pianist Lafayette Leake, and a muscular rhythm section, are the best of the best. No information is provided on the songwriting, so the assumption is that these tunes are all originals by Magic Sam. None are too obviously adopted from standards, but the opening "I Just Want a Little Bit" was much copied by other blues artists. "I Have the Same Old Blues" has a medium, loping blues tempo that swings so perfectly it should be used as an instruction course for lame blues bar bands.

by Eugene Chadbourne

Tracks

1. I Just Want A Little Bit (Roscoe Gordon) - 3:00

2. What Have I Done Wrong (Samuel Maghett) - 3:07

3. Easy, Baby (Willie Dixon) - 4:20

4. You Belong To Me (Samuel Maghett) - 4:04

5. It's All Your Fault (Lowell Fulsom) - 4:52

6. Same Old Blues (Don Nix) - 3:31

7. You Don't Love Me Baby (Willie Cobb) - 3:28

8. San-Ho-Zay (Freddy King, Sonny Thompson) - 3:53

9. You Better Stop (Andrew Brown, Al Perkins) - 4:48

10.Keep Loving Me Baby (Otis Rush) - 3:54

11.What Have I Done Wrong (Samuel Maghett) - 3:20

12.I Just Want A Little Bit (Roscoe Gordon) - 3:12

13.Everything's Gonna Be All Right (Samuel Maghett) - 4:04

14.Keep On Doin' What You're Doin' (George Butler) - 2:54

15.Blues For Odie Payne (Samuel Maghett) - 4:44

16.Same Old Blues (Don Nix) - 3:41

17.What Have I Done Wrong (Samuel Maghett) - 2:51

18.Keep On Loving Me, Baby (Otis Rush) - 3:23

Bonus tracks 11-18

Band
*Magic Sam - Vocals, Guitar
*Eddie Shaw - Saxophone
*Odie Payne, Jr. - Drums
*Mack Thompson - Bass
*Mighty Joe Young - Guitar
*Lafayette Leake - Piano

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Link Wray - Be What You Want To (1973 us, awesome country guitar rock, 2003 remaster)

Link Wray's release prior to Be What You Want To had proven the man's versatility. The self-titled album had obvious influences coming from many different genres including R&B, country, blues, and, of course, rock. Be What You Want To continues this trend. Country-rock, country, rock & roll; it's all here. This diverse range of genres may not be to everyone's liking, however, and the album must be approached with an open mind.

Wray employed a huge number of musicians to play on Be What You Want To, including Grateful Dead guitarist Jerry Garcia. Of course, the main part of the talent comes from Link Wray himself. His amazing ability as lyricist, songwriter, and musician is noticeably brought to the fore on this album. Be What You Want To is consistently enjoyable to listen to and always impressive musically. The man's growling vocals and rocking guitar will undoubtedly enthrall many first-time listeners and also keep longtime fans happy. 

by Ben Davies

Tracks

1. Be What You Want To - 5:57

2. All Cried Out (Mann P. Curtis, Michel Deborah) - 3:48

3. Lawdy Miss Clawdy (Lloyd Price) - 2:41

4. Tucson, Arizona (Doug Wray) - 4:18

5. Riverbend - 2:40

6. You Walked By - 3:17

7. Walk Easy, Walk Slow - 5:20

8. All the Love in My Life - 4:05

9. You Really Got a Hold on Me - 4:04

10.Shine the Light - 4:43

11.Morning - 2:02 

All compostions by Link Wray except where indicated

Musicians

*Link Wray - Guitar, Vocals 

*Teressa Adams - Cello

*Paul Barlow - Bass

*Bobby Black - Steel Guitar

*David Bromberg - Electric Guitar

*Jules Broussard - Alto, Tenor Saxophones

*David Coffin - Background Vocals

*Henry Coleman - Background Vocals

*Commander Cody - Piano

*Keith Crossan - Background Vocals

*Frank Demme - Background Vocals

*Lance Dickerson - Drums

*Greg Douglass - Slide Guitar

*Diane Earl - Background Vocals

*George Frayne - Keyboards

*Robert Frost - Background Vocals

*Jerry Garcia - Guitar, Pedal Steel

*Tom Harrell - Trumpet

*Zeller Hurd - Background Vocals

*Carl Johnson - Background Vocals

*Peter Kaukonen - Electric Guitar

*Thomas Jefferson Kaye - Background Vocals

*Greg Kenney - Background Vocals

*Kip Maercklein - Bass

*Barbara Mauritz - Background Vocals

*John McFee - Guitar (Electric)

*Chris Michie - Acoustic, Electric Guitars, Vocals

*Dorothy Morrison - Background Vocals

*Ralph Payne - Background Vocals

*Jules Rowell - Trombone 

*Nathan Rubin - Violin

*Tom Salisbury - Clavinet, Horn Arrangements, Organ, Piano, String Arrangements, Background Vocals

*Jack Schroer - Baritone Sax

*Rick Shlosser - Drums

*Andy Stein - Fiddle

*Bruce Steinberg - Harmonica

1972  Mordicai Jones - Mordicai Jones (2010 korean remaster) 

  

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Hustler - Play Loud (1975 uk, tough boogie hard 'n' roll, 2002 reissue)

This second album by Hustler was immediately recorded following a series of grueling continental tours. As opening act for some of Britain’s popular names (like Queen), Hustler was forced to edit, redefine, alter, amplify and sophisticate its particular brand of Rock ‘n’ Roll to Grab an audience.

That Grab is at the heart of “Play Loud”, and it’s omnipresent on several of the band’s raver/boogie cuts including “Money Maker”, “Who D’Yer Think Yer Foolin’”, and “Little People”. Also on the straight rock ‘n’ rollers (with the tip of the hat to the Free school), “You Had It Coming To You”, and the incredible “Night Creeper”, which features the dynamic vocals of Steve Haynes, and searing guitar work of Micky Llewellyn.

Tracks

1. Money Maker (Steve Haynes) - 3:38

2. You Had It Coming To You (Micky Llewellyn, Steve Haynes) - 3:56

3. Boogie Man (Steve Haynes, Tigger Lyons) - 4:47

4. Break Of Day (Steve Haynes, Tigger Lyons) - 3:58

5. Who D’Yer Think Yer Foolin’ (Micky Llewellyn, Steve Haynes) - 2:41

6. Goin’ Home (Micky Llewellyn, Steve Haynes) - 3:01

7. Strange Love (Steve Haynes, Tigger Lyons) - 4:21

8. Little People (Micky Llewellyn, Tigger Lyons) - 3:46

9. Night Creeper (Hidden Track) (Steve Haynes) - 6:45

Hustler

*Steve Haynes – Lead Vocals

*Micky Llewellyn – Guitars, Vocals, Harmonica

*Tigger Lyons – Bass Guitar, Vocals

*Henry Spinetti – Drums, Percussion

*Kenny Daughters – Keyboards, Birdwhistle

With

*Roy T. Baker - Castenettes

1974  Hustler - High Street (2002 edition)  

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Hustler - High Street (1974 uk, astonishing boogie funky hard rock, 2002 edition)

Among the early pioneers of UK hard rock, Hustler comprised Steve Haynes (vocals), Micky Llewellyn (guitar, vocals), Tigger Lyons (bass, vocals), Kenny Daughters (keyboards) and Tony Beard (drums, percussion). At a time when the UK music scene still related anything from the rock field with complex, multi-layered progressive recordings, Hustler seemed somewhat of place with their straightforward rock hooks and ‘good-time boogie’ style. Nevertheless, both High Street and Play Loud remain excellent examples of the back-to-basics.

Steve Haynes, the singer, was an American Paul Rodgers type living in South Ruislip and his dad worked at the US Army base back then. He now lives, records and gigs in the US. The band split in 1976, drummer Tony Beard played and toured with the likes of Mike Oldfield, Jeff Beck, Chris Rea, Go West and many more. Tigger Lyons, the bass player, became an architect. Guitarist Micky Llewellyn died in 2014. In 2020 Steve Haynes and Kenny Daughters reunited to record and release on album under the title "Reloaded" with two new guitarists to the band, Tick Brown and Tony Miles.

Tracks

1. Just Leave A Good Man (Micky Llewellyn, Tigger Lyons) - 4:12

2. Piranhas (Micky Llewellyn) - 5:40

3. Let The Wind Blow (Steve Haynes) - 3:40

4. Uptight Tonight (Steve Haynes) - 3:43

5. Get Outa Me`Ouse (Tigger Lyons) - 3:08

6. Jack The Lad (Micky Llewellyn, Kenny Daughters, Steve Haynes) - 5:23

7. Midnight Seducer (Micky Llewellyn, Tigger Lyons) - 5:38

8. Miranda (Tigger Lyons) - 5:02

9. The Hustler (Steve Haynes) - 5:28

The Hustler

*Micky Llewellyn - Guitar

*Tigger Lyons - Bass

*Steve Haynes - Vocals

*Kenny Daughters - Piano, Moog Synthesizer, Organ

*Tony Beard -  Drums

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Axcraft - Dancing Madly Backwards (1974 us, nice prog rock, 2000 digipak)

Axcraft was a mid-'70s band from California around whom legends were built. Originally recorded for Bill Holmes' All American Records label, Dancing Madly Backwards was never officially released but an acetate of the album made its way onto the collector's market, causing quite a stir. The sound of the band was progressive hard rock and many who heard it thought they were a British band. In the genre of such bands as Yes, Gentle Giant, Strawbs, Wishbone Ash, or many more similarly styled acts, Axcraft is now set to take its place in music history with the first legitimate release of this album through Akarma Records. 

Contained here are the original five songs (all clocking in at over five minutes!) from the album, together with two bonus live tracks recorded by the band themselves during their heyday. Officially sanctioned by band members and taken from original tapes supplied by band producer Bill Holmes, who also designed the album cover from original designs, this album is a must for any fans of the '70s progressive music. A superb album, it has finally been made available for all to hear and realize what the excitement was all about.

by Keith Pettipas

Tracks

1. So Far Away (C. Austin) - 6:13

2. Astral Love (Dan Gerard) - 7:05

3. 727 Suite (Michael Carroll) - 6:39

4. Firewheel (Paul Skylar) - 5:39

5. Dancing Madly Backwards (Dan Gerard) - 9:09

6. Vahalla (Byron Daugherty) - 7:42

7. Love Is Blue (Byron Daugherty) - 5:20

Axcraft

*Jim McClellan - Lead Vocals

*Dan Gerard - Lead Guitar

*Paul Skylar - Rhythm Guitar

*Randy Ballard - Keyboards

*Michael Carroll - Bass

*Gary Gossett - Drums

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Caravan - The Show Of Our Lives The BBC Recordings (1968-75 uk, outstanding canterbury prog rock, 2007 double disc edition)

While this two-CD, nearly two-and-a-half-hour collection doesn't include all of Caravan's BBC recordings, it's indisputably the finest collection of the band's radio performances yet assembled. It doesn't quite include all of the BBC tracks that have appeared on previous releases; a couple songs from their first 1968 session are missing, as are most of the cuts from the Ether Way: BBC Sessions 1975-77 compilation. This is more than compensated for, however, by the inclusion of a half-hour August 2, 1973 session that appears for the first time anywhere on this anthology, as well as the much-improved fidelity on some material first issued as part of the Green Bottles for Marjorie: The Lost BBC Sessions set. 

Too, the absence of some mid- to late-'70s material isn't a big blow, as it was during the period covered by this collection, in which Caravan were truly at their peak. As for the music itself, while these tracks aren't radically different from the more familiar studio versions, they're fine testimony to the band's ability to deliver complex progressive rock with deft spontaneity in a live setting. The first disc is far more impressive than the second, the band sounding like a cousin to early Soft Machine (with whom, of course, they shared deep roots) in their ability to make the transition from psychedelia to progressive rock sound playful, humane, and for the most part, based in strong songs and vocals. 

The most pleasing treasure is their fine nine-minute stretched-out cover of the early Soft Machine B-side "Feelin', Reelin', Squealin,'" which Caravan never recorded on their studio releases. The second disc, alas, finds the group becoming steadily less interesting with the onset of several personnel changes, documenting the band's (and indeed the entire serious British progressive rock genre's) growing inclination toward slicker virtuosity and less acute, distinguished songwriting. Nonetheless, the better portions are delightful and Mark Powell's annotation (which almost amounts to a band history in itself) excellent, and the compilation as a whole belongs in every serious Caravan fan's collection. 

by Richie Unterberger

Tracks

Disc One

1. Place Of My Own - 4:12

2. Ride - 4:17

3. If I Could Do It All Over Again, I'd Do It All Over You - 2:45

4. Hello, Hello - 3:10

5. As I Feel I Die - 6:23

6. Love To Love You - 3:12

7. Love Song Without Flute - 3:33

8. In The Land Of Grey And Pink - 3:43

9. Nine Feet Underground - 14:27

10.Feelin' Reelin' Squealin (Kevin Ayers) - 9:30

11.A Huntin' We Shall Go (Pye Hastings) - 9:15

12.Waffle Part One: Be Alright / Chance Of A Lifetime (Pye Hastings) - 6:46

All selections composed by Richard Coughlan, Pye Hastings, David Sinclair, Richard Sinclair except where stated

Tracks 1-2 recorded for John Peel's "Top Gear" Radio Show 31 December 1968 ("Off-Air" Recordings)

Tracks 3-5 recorded for the BBC Transcription Service "Top of the Pops" 19 August 1970.

Tracks 6-8 recorded for "Sounds of the Seventies" 11 March 1971.

Tracks 9-10 recorded for John Peel's "Sunday Concert" at the Paris Theatre, London 6 May 1971.

Tracks 11-12 recorded for the BBC "In Concert" at the Paris Theatre, London 2 August 1973.

Disc Two

1. Memory Lain Hugh (Pye Hastings) - 5:04

2. Headloss (Pye Hastings) - 4:27

3. The Love In Your Eye (Richard Coughlan, Pye Hastings, David Sinclair) - 13:54

4. Mirror For The Day (Pye Hastings) - 4:15

5. Virgin On The Ridiculous (Pye Hastings) - 7:01

6. For Richard (Richard Coughlan, Pye Hastings, David Sinclair, Richard Sinclair) - 15:04

7. The Dabsong Conshirto (David Sinclair) - 15:11

8. Stuck In A Hole (Pye Hastings) - 3:14

9. The Show Of Our Lives (David Sinclair, John Murphy) - 4:54

Tracks 1-2 recorded for the BBC "In Concert" at the Paris Theatre, London 2 August 1973.

Tracks 3-6 recorded for John Peel's Radio Show 7 February 1974.

Track  7 recorded for the BBC "In Concert" at the Paris Theatre, London 21 March 1975.

Tracks 8-9 recorded for John Peel's Radio Show 26 June 1975.

Caravan

*Pye Hastings - Guitar, Vocals

*Richard Coughlan - Drums

*David Sinclair - Keyboards

*Richard Sinclair - Bass, Vocals

*John G. Perry - Bass, Vocals

*Steve Miller - Keyboards

*Jan Schelhaas - Keyboards

*Mike Wedgwood - Bass

*Geoffrey Richardson - Viola

1968  Caravan - Caravan (Japan SHM remaster)  

1970  Caravan - If I Could Do It All Over Again, I'd Do It All Over You (Japan SHM remaster)
1971  Caravan - In The Land Of Grey And Pink (Japan SHM remaster)
1973  Caravan - For Girls Who Grow Plump In The Night (Japan SHM remaster)
1974  Caravan - Caravan And The New Symphonia (Japan SHM remaster)
1975  Caravan - Cunning Stunts (Japan remaster)

1982  Caravan - Back To Front (Eclectic 2004)
1995  Caravan - The Battle Of Hastings

Related Acts

1972  Matching Mole - Matching Mole (2012 double disc and 2013 Blu Spec japan bonus tracks remasters)

1972  Matching Mole - Matching Mole's Little Red Record (2013 japan Blu Spec)

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Zzebra - Take It Or Leave It (1975 nigeria / ghana / uk, extraordinary afro fusion rock)

A three week trip to a rehersal studio in Wales was organized to develop the songs for the third Zzebra's album. Songs were accepted, modified or rejected in an atmosphere of wonderful concentration. Loughty remembered and old Nigerian folksong "Bai La Jo (this is how we dance)", but played it almost like a calypso. It didn't work. The song stuck in Tommy's head and a week later he came up with a slow 6/4 groove. Loughty went back to his room and wrote three verses all in Yuraba dialect. On the finished record Loughty spent hours with Ken and Tommy teaching them the correct pronunciation for their backing vocals. 

Alan Marshall showed Tommy his book of poetry, there were always Buddhist overtones in Alan's lyrics but one especially struck home. "The good is me/ the filth is me/ the devil and the god is me". Searching out lines from other poems, this became "Word Trips".

Tommy showed Steve Byrd a guitar shape that could be a minor 11th. or a major 9th. depending on where the pedal note was. Steve got this glassy look in his eyes and a couple of days later came up with "living". Quincey came up with one of the most beautiful sax solos for this song. Then John McCoy, his big smiling face gave the band two great songs: "No Point" and "Take it Or Leave it".

As usual, the back tracks were recorded at Escape studios and the dubs in Advision. “Bai La Jo” was particulary fun when Loughty invited four of his old friends from Osibisa on percussion This was to be the Zzebra's last album. Loughty moved to New York and was tragically murdered in an argument over a parking space. Dave Quincey decided to work more from business end. Steve Byrd and John McCoy went on to work with Ian Gillan. 

Liam worked with Gerry Rafferty and Tommy worked with among others. George Michael. Gerry Rafferty. Gary Moore. Daryl Hall. BB King and Tracey Chapman. Alan worked on a variety of projects with Tommy, including the legendary Classical Mechanics’ and is now an ordained minister.

by Tommy Eyre, Encino California 1999

Tracks

1. No Point - 5:26

2. Living - 5:08

3. The Poverty Song - 3:48

4. Bai La Jo - 6:59

5. Word Trips - 5:40

6. Take It Or Leave It - 3:48

7. Evacuate My Sack - 5:30

8. Society - 6:08

All compositions by Tommy Eyre, Dave Quincey, Loughty Amao, Liam Genockey, Steve Byrd, Alan Marshall, John McCoy 

Zzebra

*Tommy Eyre - Keyboards

*Alan Marshall - Vocals

*John McCoy - Bass

*Liam Genockey - Drums

*Steve Byrd - Guitar

*Dave Quincey - Saxes

*Lasissi "Loughty" Amao - Vocals, Percussion, Saxes

1974  Zzebra - Zzebra  

1975  Zzebra - Panic

  

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