The Sidekicks – Fifi The Flea (1966 us, beautiful garage sunny beats)

The Sidekicks were a garage/pop rock band from Wildwood, NJ. First known as The Redcoats, the lineup consisted of John Spirt, Mike Burke, and brothers Randy and Jack Bocelle. Spirit and Burke co-wrote the band's 1966 hit, "Suspicions."

Tracks

1. Suspicions (John Spirit, Mike Burke) - 2:34

2. Up On The Roof (Carole King, Gerry Goffin) - 2:37

3. You’re A Girl (David White, John Madara, Ray Gilmore) - 2:13

4. More (Theme from “Mondo Cane”) (Nino Oliviero, Norman Newell, Riz Ortolani) - 2:28

5. Not Now (John Spirit, Mike Burke) - 2:40

6. Ask Your Friend (John Spirit, Mike Burke) - 2:36

7. Fifi The Flea (Allan Clarke, Tony Hicks, Graham Nash) - 2:37

8. Sight And Sound (Jimmy Wisner, Norma Mendoza) - 2:25

9. Out Of The Dark (Joe Renzetti, Neal Brian) - 2:27

10.He’s My Friend (John Spirit, Mike Burke) - 2:23

11.The Best Things (Bobby Lance, Fran Robins) - 2:01

12.Ollie Wong (The Same) (Jimmy Wisner, Norma Mendoza, Samuels, Bocutto) - 2:38

The Sidekicks

*Zach Bochelle - Lead Vocals, Rhythm Guitar

*Randy Bochelle - Bass Guitar

*Mike Burke - Lead Guitar, Vocals

*John Spirit - Drums

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Steve Gibbons - Short Stories / Stained Glass (1971/1996 uk, superb roots 'n' roll, pub rock, 2001 double disc remaster and expanded)

Rock n’ roll sometimes isn’t fair with some of its representatives. Rock n’ roll isn’t giving everybody what he/she deserves. However, even if they are regarded as obscure or cult acts, these not so well-known artists aren’t lost in oblivion. Steve Gibbons is such a rock n’ roll representative, a true rock n’ roll hero, who never got famous, however, his work is here for us to enjoy. 

Steve Gibbons was born in Harborne, Birmingham (England), on the 13th of July, 1941, and belongs to the great Birmingham rock scene (Moody Blues, Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, Electric Light Orchestra among others). His first occupation was a plumber's apprentice in his hometown – nevertheless, he started his musical career in 1960 as the lead singer of The Dominettes. His first performance with The Dominettes was at The California Public House, near Weoley Castle. According to music historians, The Dominettes were a rhythm and blues act, with a rough image and quite a following. They played numerous shows in Birmingham, in music venues like The Grotto Club, The Sicilia Coffee Bar etc., but sometimes they were hired to back strippers at some of the more seedy establishments. The Dominettes didn’t last too long, since in 1963 they were renamed The Ugly’s.

Contrary to The Dominettes, The Ugly’s left a considerable work behind them. They secured a recording deal with Pye Records and their first single was “Wake Up My Mind” (1965), an original composition, co-written by Gibbons, advanced for its time, featuring some socially conscious lyrics, not a hit in England but a big hit on the national Australian chart, reaching No. 14. The Ugly’s were a psychedelic pop/rock band, with very interesting songs, like “It’s Alright”, “A Quiet Explosion”, “This is Your Mind Speaking”, “Real Good Girl” etc. They even covered a Kinks song (“End of the Season”), but failed to succeed. Besides that, the band suffered many line-up changes – in 1968 Richard Tandy, a keyboards player, joined The Ugly’s, however, he tasted worldwide success, only when he became a member of Electric Light Orchestra. By the end of 1968, Steve Gibbons was the only remaining original member of The Ugly’s – the last line-up of the band included, apart from Gibbons, Will Hammond, Dave Morgan (later in Electric Light Orchestra, Tandy/Morgan etc.), Keith Smart and Richard Tandy – with these members, The Ugly’s recorded the song “I See The Light”.

That single was the last The Ugly’s song, because by April of 1969, Gibbons formed with The Move guitar/bass player, Trevor Burton, a new band called Balls, a Birmingham supergroup, since apart from Gibbons/Burton, it featured Richard Tandy, Keith Smart and Dave Morgan. The summer of 1969 Morgan was replaced by Denny Laine (vocals, guitar, ex-Moody Blues) and after some personnel changes, Gibbons left the band in February 1971. Balls recorded only one single in 1971, the Trevor Burton-penned “Fight for my Country” (the b-side was “Janie Slow Down”), and then dissolved.

In 1971 Steve Gibbons released his first solo album, called “Short Stories” via the Wizard label (through which also Balls released their only single), produced by Gary Wright (one of the founding members of Spooky Tooth) and Jimmy Miller (worked also with Blind Faith, Motörhead, Traffic, The Rolling Stones etc.) and composed by Gibbons himself (in collaboration with Burton in three tracks). Several artists helped Gibbons in his first effort, for example Alan White (drums, became a member of Balls and later of Yes), Greg Ridley (bass, Spooky Tooth, Humble Pie) and Albert Lee (one of the greatest rock/country session guitarists). “Short Stories” is a fantastic rock n’ roll album, with a lot of blues and folk elements, very inspired compositions and outstanding performances from Gibbons and his accompanying musicians.

Steve Gibbons released his second solo album in 1996 (“Stained Glass”). Steve Gibbons belongs to the pantheon of British rock n’ roll of the 70s; he started his career in the psychedelic 60s and became a rock n’ roll band leader in the 70s, releasing some wonderful albums and touring endlessly around the world. The characteristics of Steve Gibbons, his tough, filthy voice, the way he spitted the words, his sincere sense of original rock music, are always there to remind us how beautiful is the story of Steve Gibbons and his band. They say that Gibbons is the English Bob Seger, one of the influences of bands like Dire Straits, a more electrifying version of Bob Dylan. Call it how you like it, Steve Gibbons is an underrated rock n’ roll icon, whose music shines brightly and will shine forever!

by Dimitris Zacharopoulos

Tracks

Disc 1 Short Stories 1971

1. Leader Of The Band - 3:38

2. Now You're Leaving (Steve Gibbons, Trevor Burton) - 4:28

3. The Last Farewell (Steve Gibbons, Trevor Burton) - 2:44

4. One Of Those Days - 3:56

5. Alright Now - 5:39

6. You've Gotta Pay - 3:26

7. Bye Bye Buffalo (Steve Gibbons, Trevor Burton) - 4:30

8. Brown Girl - 3:46

9. Until She Comes Home - 5:05

10.Don't Wanna Let You Down - 3:16

11.Trouble - 3:24 - 

12.Lamb To The Slaughter - 4:53

13.I'm Going Home - 2:40

14.Tired Clock - 2:12

All compositions by Steve Gibbons except where stated

Bonus Tracks 12-14

Disc 2 Stained Glass 1996

1. Take It Easy - 3:32

2. You're A Big Girl Now (Bob Dylan) - 4:47

3. The Last Farewell (Steve Gibbons, Trevor Burton) - 3:15

4. Oh What A Thrill (Chuck Berry) - 3:10

5. Grace - 3:33

6. Looking Glass In The Rain - 3:20

7. One Day - 3:20

8. Looking For The Heart Of Saturday Night (Tom Waits) - 4:33

9. New Leather Shoes - 4:05

10.Stolen Hearts - 3:35

11.Hey Buddy - 3:23

12.Man In The Long Black Coat (Bob Dylan) - 3:35

13.Immaculate Conception - 2:38 

14.Where Was I Last Night? - 3:27

15.Smoky Joe's - 3:54

All songs by Steve Gibbons except where indicated

Bonus Tracks 14-15

Personnel

Disc 1 Short Stories 1971

*Steve Gibbons - Vocals, Guitar, Harmonica

*Doris Troy - Backing Vocals (Tracks 2,5,8) 

*Gary Wright - Backing Vocals (Track 5), Piano (Tracks 1-5,3-4)

*Madeline Bell - Backing Vocals (Tracks 2,5,8)

*Greg Ridley - Bass (Track 8)

*Trevor Burton - Bass (Tracks 1,3-5), Guitar (Track 10)

*Pat Donaldson - Bass (Tracks 2,6-8,11)

*Larry Fallon  - Brass, Flute (Track 8)

*Claire Deniz - Cello (Track 9)

*Bill Povey - Clarinet

*Alan White - Drums (Tracks 8,10), 

*Mike Kellie - Drums (Tracks 1-9, 11)

*Alan White - Bass Drum, Flute (Track 10)

*Albert Lee - Electric Piano (Track 10), Guitar (Tracks 1-9, 11)

*Hugh McCracken - Guitar (Track 10) 

*Gerry Donahue - Guitar 

*Ginger Johnson - Percussion (Track 5)

*Jimmy Miller - Percussion (Track 5) 

*Rocki Dzidzornu - Percussion (Track 5)

*Ian Whiteman - Piano (Tracks 6-7,9)

*Gerry Conway - Steel Guitar (Tracks 2-4)

*Johnny Van Derek - Violin (Tracks 6,9)

Disc 2 Stained Glass 1996

*Steve Gibbons - Vocals, Guitar, Harmonica

*Bob Lamb - Drums

*Bob Griffin - Bass (Tracks 1,3,9)

*John Caswell - Guitar (Tracks 2,5,6,8,10-13) Bass (Tracks 2,6,10-13)

*Steve Dolan - Bass (Track 4)

*Roger Inniss - Bass (Tracks 5,7-8)

*Phil Bond - Keyboards (Tracks 1-2,5-6,8,10,12), Accordion (Tracks 11,13)

*Bob Wilson - Guitar (Tracks 3,5-7,9,11)

1976  The Steve Gibbons Band - Any Road Up 
1977  The Steve Gibbons Band - Rollin' On 

Related Act

1965-69  Uglys - The Quiet Explosion (2004 remaster)  

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The Hollies - Bus Stop / Stop! Stop! Stop! (1966 uk, marvellous folk beat, 2011 remaster)

The Hollies scored their first American smash in 1966, when “Bus Stop” (written by Graham Gouldman, a future member of 10cc) cracked the Billboard Top Ten. Looking to cash in on that song’s success, Imperial Records threw together a quick compilation, Bus Stop, which combined the titular tune with several older Hollies songs. Some of the tracks were two years old, and  -- who often released several albums a year during their heyday -- became angry with the label’s decision to exploit their success with a collection of old material. 

They left Imperial the following year, but not before releasing Stop! Stop! Stop! (issued in Europe under the title For Certain Because…), the first Hollies album written entirely by the bandmates themselves. Spliced together on this two-for-one compilation, the albums mark a turning point for the band, documenting the point at which  transformed their straightforward Merseybeat sound into an experimental pop hybrid. All 24 tracks are remastered, and the presence of the original sleeve notes (“Allan Clarke is a mischievous, grinning person with nomadic eyes which have surely tormented many a female heart”) should attract those who already own copies of both records.

by Andrew Leahey

Tracks

1. Bus Stop (Graham Gouldman) - 2:51 

2. Candy Man (Fred Neil, Beverly "Ruby" Ross) - 2:28 

3. Baby That's All (Chester Mann) - 2:15 

4. I Am a Rock (Paul Simon) - 2:50 

5. Sweet Little Sixteen (Chuck Berry) - 2:22 

6. We're Through - 2:15 

7. Don't Run and Hide - 2:33 

8. Oriental Sadness (She'll Never Trust in Anybody No More) - 2:35 

9. Mickey's Monkey (Lamont Dozier, Brian Holland, Eddie Holland) - 2:30 

10.Little Love (Allan Clarke, Graham Nash) - 2:00 

11.You Know He Did (Al Ransom) - 2:02 

12.What'cha Gonna Do About It? (Gregory Carrol, Doris Payne) - 2:17 

13.What's Wrong with the Way I Live - 2:02 

14.Pay You Back with Interest - 2:44 

15.Tell Me to My Face - 3:08 

16.Clown - 2:13 

17.Suspicious Look in Your Eyes - 3:36 

18.It's You - 2:12 

19.High Classed - 2:21 

20.Peculiar Situation - 2:54 

21.What Went Wrong - 2:11 

22.Crusader - 3:49 

23.Don't Even Think About Changing - 2:08 

24.Stop! Stop! Stop! - 2:50

All songs by Allan Clarke, Tony Hicks, Graham Nash except where noted

The Hollies

*Allan Clarke - Vocals, Harmonica

*Tony Hicks - Lead Guitar, Vocals

*Graham Nash - Rhythm Guitar, Vocals

*Bobby Elliott - Drums    

*Eric Haydock - Bass 

*Bernie Calvert - Bass (Track 1)

1966  The Hollies - Bus Stop (2012 japan remaster) 

1974  The Hollies - Hollies (2009 remaster with extra tracks)  

Related Acts

1971  Graham Nash - Songs For Beginners (2008 digipak remaster)

1973  Graham Nash - Wild Tales

1972  Graham Nash David Crosby - Graham Nash David Crosby (2008 remaster)

1971  Crosby Stills Nash And Young - 4 Way Street (2016 japan double disc remaster)
1974  Crosby Stills Nash And Young - Live (2013 four discs box set)

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White Lightning - Strikes Twice (1968-69 us, raw garage heavy psych rock)

Hard fuzz trio featuring the blazing leads of Zippy Caplan (ex-Litter). The band was less garagy and more pounding hardrock than the Litter. "Under the Screaming Double Eagle" collects studio tracks from 1969. White Lightning was a slang term for LSD at the time (and bootleg whiskey prior to that). The group added two new members and shortened their name to Lightning. They continued in the hardrock mode but now with dual leads. "Lightning" is another excellent effort, just missing the certain magic they possessed as a power trio.

"White Lightning" was formed in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1968 by ex-"Litter" guitarist "Zippy" Caplan and bassist Woody Woodrich. The two musicians had been jamming together for close to a year before they decided to become a group. 

The name "White Lightning" was picked by "Zip" Caplan and Woody Woodrich during their drive back from the "Litter's" filming of "Medium Cool" because it was another name for acid. "White Lightning's" original drummer, Garr Johnson, quit the group after only a months rehearsals because he didn't believe a three-piece act could make it in Minneapolis. Mick Stanhope was immediately brought in from Chicago by Ronn Roberts to fill the empty drummer's chair. 

Minneapolis Music

Tracks

1. Prelude To Opus IV (Mick Stanhope, Tom Caplan, Woody Woodrich) - 2:02

2. (Under The Screaming Double) Eagle (Denny Waite, Tom Caplan, Woody Woodrich) - 3:22

3. Born Too Rich (Mick Stanhope, Tom Caplan, Woody Woodrich) - 3:59

4. Coming Down (Larry Loofbourrow) - 3:32

5. Borrowed And Blue (Mick Stanhope, Tom Caplan) - 3:01

6. Bogged Down (Mark Gallagher, Tom Caplan, Woody Woodrich) - 2:31

7. Let Me Feel It Too (Larry Loofbourrow) - 3:17

8. Only Love (Larry Loofbourrow) - 1:45

9. Age (Mick Stanhope, Tom Caplan) - 3:36

10.Fantasy Days (Mick Stanhope, Tom Caplan, Woody Woodrich) - 3:25

11.No Time For Love (Mick Stanhope, Tom Caplan, Woody Woodrich) - 11:18

12.William Tell (Gioacchino Rossini) - 5:15

13.Prelude To Opus IV (Mick Stanhope, Tom Caplan, Woody Woodrich) - 4:18

14.Freedom (Mick Stanhope, Ronn Roberts, Tom Caplan) - 5:15

15.Groundhog (Mick Stanhope, Tom Caplan, Woody Woodrich) - 3:38

16.1930 (Mick Stanhope, Ronn Roberts, Tom Caplan) - 4:11

17.Just Let The World Roll On By (Mick Stanhope, Tom Caplan) - 1:46

18.Before My Time (Bernie Pershey, Mick Stanhope, Ronn Roberts, Tom Caplan, Woody Woodrich) - 3:12

19.Age  (Mick Stanhope, Tom Caplan) - 3:50

20.Fantasy Days  (Mick Stanhope, Tom Caplan, Woody Woodrich) - 2:31

White Lightning

*Mick Stanhope - Vocals, Drums, Percussion

*Tom "Zippy" Caplan - Guitar

*Woody Woodrich - Bass, Vocals

*Bernie Pershey - Drums (Tracks 13-20)

*Ronn Roberts - Guitar (Tracks 13-20)

With

*Barbara Hess - Vocasl (Tracks 15,17)

Related Acts
1966-68  The Litter - Distortions / Live At The Electric Theatre 
1968  The Litter - One Hundred Dollar Fine

1969  The Litter - Emerge (2009 edition)  

1968-71  Lightning - Lightning

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Strider - Misunderstood (1974 uk, good hard rock, 2009 digipak remaster)

Misunderstood, is well worth the effort; hard rock without being overbearingly heavy, it's got great songs, all-round good musicianship and superb dynamics (listen to opener Open Your Eyes for proof). A couple of tracks on side two feature Mellotron strings from Ian Kewley, but they're not exactly classics of the genre; Wing Tips is excellent, a bit of a mini-epic, in fact, while Take It Or Leave It is more of a rocker, with a quick burst of Mellotron in the slow middle-eight and its reprise. 

Tracks

1. Open Your Eyes (Gary Grainger, Ian Kewley, Rob Elliott) - 4:57

2. Misunderstood (Gary Grainger, Ian Kewley, Lee Strzelczyk, Rob Elliott) - 5:53

3. Crossed Line (Gary Grainger, Jack Noton, Rob Elliott) - 3:44

4. Seems So Easy (Brian Leigh, Gary Grainger, Rob Elliott) - 5:23

5. Already Monday (Gary Grainger, Rob Elliott) - 5:03

6. Wing Tips (Ian Kewley, Jack Noton) - 6:17

7. Take It Or Leave It (Gary Grainger, Rob Elliott) - 4:23

8. Searching The Clouds (Gary Grainger, Ian Kewley, Rob Elliott) - 4:38

Strider

*Rob Elliott - Lead Vocals

*Gary Grainger - Lead, Rhythm Guitar

*Ian Kewley - Electric Piano, Grand Piano, Hammond, Mellotron, Moog, French Horn, Backing Vocals

*Tony Brock - Drums, Vocals 

*Lee Strzelczyk - Bass 

With

*Jennie Haan - Backing Vocals

1973  Strider - Exposed (2007 digipak)  

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Stack - Above All (1969 us, solid heavy psych hard rock with ultra loud guitars)

Don't let the murky sound quality, almost certainly a result of imperfect source tapes, fool you; Above All is an above-average slab of snotty garage psychedelia. The cloudy sound actually enhances the album in certain ways. The stab at "Da Blues" gives the song not exactly an authenticity but a grittiness that gives the performance the sound and texture of a live recording. The psychedelic cuts, on the other hand, have an enveloping claustrophobic sound that traps the listener beneath the music. While probably meant to be experienced under the influence of certain chemical enhancers, the music is trippy enough on its own to send the listener on a trip of sorts. 

That wouldn't matter, of course, if the songs were not strong or were less than fully formed, but that is not the case. The album opens with a fuzzed-up version of Lieber and Stoller's "Poison Ivy," but the rest of the album is given over to standout originals by Stack, with lead guitarist Rick Gould penning five of the nine cuts. "Only Forever" is a power pop/psychedelic hybrid with some nice fuzz guitar by Gould, and Bob Ellis' vigorous, potent drumming is perhaps the band's secret weapon. Buddy Clark's robust bass, too, is terrific and helps songs such as "Cars," "Everyday," and "Valleys" get completely inside the listener with uncommon force. 

On top of the psychedelic cacophony, Bill Sheppard's vocals simply wail. Stack was obviously skilled, as their resumé bears out, and it is apparent through the subpar sound that the band could be quite powerful. Gear Fab's CD is well worth hearing for fans of garage and psychedelia and may even qualify for the top echelon of unearthed psychedelic obscurities. 

by Stanton Swihart

Tracks

1. Poison Ivy (Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller) - 3:20

2. Only Forever (Rick Gould) - 3:37

3. Da Blues (Rick Gould, Bill Sheppard, Bob Ellis, Buddy Clark, Kurt Feierabend) - 7:00

4. Cars (Rick Gould) - 3:36

5. Everyday (Rick Gould) - 6:54

6. Valleys (Bill Sheppard, Rick Gould) - 2:53

7. Time Seller (Rick Gould) - 5:07

8. Hot Days (Steve Hoffman) - 2:53

9. Do It (Kurt Feierabend) - 2:54

Stack

*Bill Sheppard - Lead Vocals

*Bob Ellis - Drums

*Buddy Clark - Bass

*Kurt Feierabend - Rhythm Guitar

*Rick Gould - Lead Guitar

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Phil Ochs - Tape From California (1968 us, astonishing baroque folk psych, 2000 remaster)

With his first album for A&M, Pleasures of the Harbor (1967, also reissued on CD by Collectors' Choice Music), Phil Ochs made a daring entry into both full band arrangements and complicated near-art songs, in styles ranging from Dixieland jazz and lounge music to classical orchestration and musique concrete. The transition might have been too abrupt for much of his audience, coming from an artist that had made his name with protest folk songs, performed solo on acoustic guitar. Ochs perhaps bore that in mind when he made his next record, 1968ís Tape from California, a simpler affair, recorded quickly with notably less elaborate backing. 

"In my new album," he told Broadside, "Iím going to make the next step, which will be a comment on the spiritual decline of America, with some of the musical elements I had in Harbor but somewhat played down. And the words are coming to the fore again. Essentially, Iím going to try and get a balance between the Harbor record and the (solo guitar 1966) Concert one that preceded it." 

As a composer, however, Ochs was not going to regress to the topical folk songs that had dominated his mid-1960s Elektra albums to the exclusion of almost all else. Tape in Californiaís eight songs were as varied a lot as those on its predecessor, jumping from his artiest poetry to numbers that could have just about fit into his pre-1967 repertoire. Pleasures of the Harbor producer Larry Marks would once again work on the sessions, as would pianist Lincoln Mayorga and, for "The Floods of Florence" at least, arranger Ian Freebairn-Smith, who had devised much of the settings that gave Pleasures its diverse, ornate character. 

Ochs never played rockíníroll in as straightforward a fashion as he did on the six-minute title cut. Musically straightforward, that is. Lyrically, it was the sort of epic found on much of Pleasures for the Harbor (and some of his subsequent work), a drifting narrative that most likely contained some autobiographical elements, as it was written around the time he moved from New York to Los Angeles. "White Boots Marching in a Yellow Land," in contrast, found Ochs returning to the anti-war statements that comprised much of his bread-and-butter in his folkie rise to fame. However, it had a more observational tone and more poetic imagery than his early strident tunes of the sort. "Weíre fighting in a war we lost before the war began," he lamented, accurately mirroring the despair of the counterculture as the United States sank deeper into the quicksand of the Vietnam War in 1968, with no end to the senseless escalation in sight. The track nonetheless boasted a characteristically gentle, memorable Ochs melody and understated vocals, as well as clever insertions of martial bugles and gunfire. 

"Half a Century High" had actually been in Ochsí repertoire for some time, as a 1966 concert version was included on his posthumously released Phil Ochs at Newport CD. It could be said that, as with the avant-garde/electronic treatment of "Crucifixion" on Pleasures of the Harbor, the singer tried to be too clever for his own good with the studio version. His voice was distorted so that it sounded like it was indeed playing through a 50-year-old wind-up gramophone, although the harpsichord tinkles added some nice color. "Joe Hill," likewise, had been written some time before it was recorded. The ode to the legendary labor hero, set to the melody of Woody Guthrieís "Pretty Boy Floyd," could have fit onto a 1964 Phil Ochs LP with its leftist topicality and unadorned acoustic guitar-vocal arrangement. The flat-picked guitar on this track was by Rambliní Jack Elliott, whose drunkenness, Larry Marks has recalled, made the tune difficult to complete. 

"The War Is Over" was the finest song on Tape from California. This was released at a time, of course, when the war in Vietnam seemed as far from being over as was humanly possible. Ochs had a knack for cannily playing disturbing lyrics and images off jaunty melodies and exuberant vocals, a trait heard to brilliant effect on his famous "Outside of a Small Circle of Friends" and this less celebrated composition. Military beats, flutes, and horns set the table for this surreal portrait of the absurdity of war, with its indelible scene of one-legged veterans whistling as they mow the lawn. The war is over, yes, but was that kind of cost worth it? Ochsí own likely sentiments peeped through the irony when he noted that even treason might be worth a try, not just to prevent more deaths, but to keep the country itself from committing suicide. 

Side two of Tape from California found Ochs moving towards the more florid musical settings and lyrics that had typified much of Pleasures of the Harbor. "The Harder They Fall" twisted nursery rhymes into sinister scenes, and though the lyrics were more abstract than cogent, itís undeniably memorable to hear Jack and Jill going up the hill for the kind of thrills not hinted at in the original prose, and Mother Goose cited for stealing lines from Lenny Bruce and killing Jews. The 13-minute "When in Rome" was the Ochs epic to end all Ochs epics, a nightmarish journey through a Boschian landscape that could have been taking place in ancient Rome, twentieth century America, or both. As with Bob Dylanís own 1960s marathons ("Desolation Row" is the song to which "When in Rome" is most likely to be compared), it could be subjected to infinite interpretations, none of them necessarily correct or incorrect. Reportedly the composition was inspired by the Elia Kazan film Viva Zapata!; the relentlessly downbeat lyrics were leavened somewhat by Ochsí lilting vocal and the simple, just-a-man-and-his-acoustic-guitar arrangement. 

"When in Rome" might have been too much of a downer to end the album with, and Tapes from California came to a more graceful close with "The Floods of Florence." Its strings, flute, and harpsichord marked a return to the baroque orchestrated pop that Ochs, Marks, and arranger Ian Freebairn-Smith flirted with throughout Philís first two A&M albums. Actually the lyrics of the song were just as dreamlike and non-linear as those in "When in Rome," but the vibe was more romantic than despairing. 

Despair, however, was a sentiment that would become more prevalent in Ochsí music (and life) as 1968 progressed and American society seemed to edge closer to collapse. It was a mindset that Ochs would explore more fully in his next album, 1969's Rehearsal for Retirement, also reissued on CD by Collectors' Choice. Tape from California, however, captured a juncture at which Ochsí optimism and sensitivity were still to be found, even as the darker sides of personality came to the fore on occasion as well. 

by Richie Unterberger 

Tracks

1. Tape From California - 6:45

2. White Boots Marching In A Yellow Land - 3:30

3. Half A Century High - 2:48

4. Joe Hill - 7:18

5. The War Is Over - 4:20

6. The Harder They Fall - 3:55

7. When In Rome - 13:13

8. Floods Of Florence – 4:53

Music and Lyrics by Phil Ochs

Personnel

*Phil Ochs - Guitar, Vocals

*Joe Osborn - Bass on "Tape From California"

*Lincoln Mayorga - Piano, Keyboards

*Van Dyke Parks - Piano, Keyboards on "Tape From California"

*Ramblin' Jack Elliott - Flat-Picked Guitar on "Joe Hill"

1964  Phil Ochs - All The News That's Fit To Sing  

1967  Phil Ochs - Pleasures Of The Harbor (2000 remaster)  

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Penny Nichols - Penny's Arcade (1968 us, dazzling folk sunny psych with clear crisp vocals, 2006 edition)

Like many musicians in the Sixties, Penny started her career as a folk singer in coffeehouses around Orange County, CA. She shared stages with many legendary artists such as Jackson Browne, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Linda Ronstadt and the Stone Ponies,Jennifer Warnes, Mary McCaslin and others. In 1964 & 65 she sang in a bluegrass band with John, Bill & Alice McEuen (John then took Jackson Browne's place in the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and the rest is history) and then formed a duo with Kathy Smith called the Greasy Mountain Butterballs which toured Vietnam in the fall of 1966. Upon returning, she opened the show for numerous artists at the Troubadour and Ash Grove in Hollywood.

In the spring of 1967, Penny rode up to San Francisco on the back of a Harley motorcycle and decided to stay in the bay area for a while. She performed in concerts and clubs all over the bay area including: the Fillmore, the Avalon, the Matrix and opened for bands such as Big Brother and the Holding Co. (Janis Joplin), Steve Miller, Quicksilver Messenger Service, 13th Floor Elevator, Chocolate Watchband, Jefferson Airplane and others. During the "Summer of Love", Penny played at the Big Sur Folk Festival and recorded her first album, "Penny's Arcade", for Buddha Records. (It eventually sold over 50,000 copies) After touring the U.S. promoting her album in the fall, she toured Europe in the winter of 1968, staying with George & Patty Harrison and recording at Apple Studios while in London. An enjoyable fusion of folk, pop, jazz and psychedelia. Features support from Bob Dylan sidemen Bruce Langhorne and Al Gorgoni as well as members of psychedelic favourites the Peanut Butter Conspiracy.

On her return to the U.S., she decided to devote her time exclusively to songwriting for a number of years and studied voice with noted vocal coach, Florence Riggs. In 1975, she began to perform around Los Angeles with her jazz band, the Black Imp, and opened the show for Little Feat in concert. She wrote and performed commercials for Toyota's campaign to plant a tree for every car bought, Carnation Dairies, and produced a public service announcement for the Navajo Nation called "Black Mesa" to protest the misuse of the land around the Four Corners power stations in Arizona.

In 1977, while working with Emitt Rhodes on a record for Elektra, Penny joined Jimmy Buffett & the Coral Reefers. She appeared in the movie FM with the band toured...the U.S. and earned a Platinum Record for her singing on Son of a Son of a Sailor.

In the late 70's & 80's, Penny went back to school and earned degrees in Music & Psychology from Antioch University, and then went on to Harvard University to do research in music & psychology eventually earning a doctorate in Education there. During the same time, she recorded and toured with many performers including: Art Garfunkle (Fate for Breakfast) Suzi Quatro, Danny O'Keefe,Yvonne Elliman, Jennifer Warnes, Albert Brooks, The Credibility Gap, Steve Gillette and earned a Grammy nomination for her work on Arlo Guthrie's album The Power of Love.

In 1990, Penny co-produced her second album, All Life is One. In 1993, she released another record, an album of songs based on the 1000-year-old Buddhist stories, the Jataka Tales. In 1997, Penny and Molly Mason collaborated on the song "The Unbroken Thread" which is included on the CD, the Catskill Collection. She currently lives and teaches in Morro Bay, CA and was awarded the FAR-West Folk Alliance's Best of the West Lifetime Achievement award.   Her most recent ventures include a new album of songs called Golden State; a recollection of growing up in Southern California. She has also recorded a CD of Jackson Browne's early songs; Colors of the Sun, a Harmony and Background Vocal arranging CD's, a book and CD called the 8 Voyages of Nep, songs of grieving and healing through cancer treatments, teaching at SAMW, Colorado Roots, Lamb's Retreat and Moab Music camps, one of the best music camps in the country, and directing four camps per year for songwriters: SummerSongs: A Songwriters Summer Camp and Retrea. Sadly Penny Nichols passed away Oct 29, 2017.

Text from Penny Nichols official

Tracks
1. Wash Day - 2:38
2. Moon Song - 2:26
3. Color Of Love - 1:27
4. Games - 1:40
5. Salton Sea Song - 2:10
6. Sunshine Blues - 2:27
7. Rainy Days - 2:52
8. Summer Rain - 3:03
9. Yellow Chimes - 2:19
10.Look Around Rock - 3:43
11.Mountain Song - 3:05
12.Holy Holy - 2:25
13.Farina - 2:01
All songs composed by Penny Nichols

Musicians
*Penny Nichols - Guitar, Vocals
*Bruce Langhorne - Guitar
*Artie Butler - Piano
*Sal DiTroia - Guitar
*John Merrill - Guitar
*Al Gorgoni - Guitar
*Grant Johnson - Piano
*Joe Grimm - Flute
*Richard Romoff - Bass
*Julio Ruggiero - Bass
*Alan Brackett - Bass
*Joseph Macho Jr. - Bass
*Kerry Magness - Bass
*Alvin Rogers - Drums
*Jimmie Smith - Drums
*Sanford Konikoff - Drums

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Paul Davis - A Little Bit Of Paul Davis (1970-71 us, wondrous blue eyed soul, r 'n' b, soft rock, 2009 bonus tracks reissue)

The very title of Paul Davis’ 1971 debut is a nod toward Bert Berns, the founder of Bang records and author of “A Little Bit of Soap,” the 1961 Jarmels single Davis covered and brought within flirting distance of the Top 40 in 1970. Ironically enough, “A Little Bit of Soap” winds up being the song that seems out of step with the rest of the bubblegum pop-soul on A Little Bit of Paul Davis, as Davis recasts it as a bit of a sleepy groover -- nice enough, but not as appealing as the bright, snappy pop of the rest of the record.

Like a lot of Bang’s late-‘60s/early-‘70s output -- think Neil Diamond and Andy Kim -- this walks a curious line between AM bubblegum and adult contemporary soft rock, with the hooks coming from the former and the smoothness coming from the latter. Davis gives this a dash of Georgian soul in his phrasing, but that’s just flavoring on this batch of bubblegum pop. Impressively, most of the record is written by Davis himself -- only three cuts come from other writers -- and he shows a real talent for propulsive, cheerful pop, but even this has a touch of the laid-back delivery that would become his trademark…just enough to make this distinctive from other Bang LPs and other early-’70s AM pop, and just enough to make this something of an undiscovered little gem of its time. 

by Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Paul Davis was married to Pamela Gayle Jay Davis, who enjoyed a brief career with Bang Records/Web IV Music in Atlanta, where Davis was writing and recording his songs. When their only son Jonathan was born with special needs, Pamela retired from the music world to care for him. She died on March 20, 2017. Paul Davis died of a heart attack at the Rush Foundation Hospital in Meridian, Mississippi, on April 22, 2008, a day after his 60th birthday.

Tracks

1. I Just Wanna Keep It Together - 2:29

2. Supernatural Power - 2:39

3. If I Wuz A Magician - 2:14

4. Pollyanna - 2:36

5. Sally's Sayin Somethin (Harry Moffitt, Howard Boggess) - 2:09

6. A Little Bit Of Soap - 2:33

7. Mississippi River - 3:05

8. Who's Gonna Love Me Tomorrow (George Soule) - 2:33

9. Rainy Sunday Mornin - 2:45

10.Three Little Words - 2:45

11.When My Little Girl Is Smiling (Carole King, Gerry Goffin) - 3:14

12.I Feel Better - 2:49

All songs by Paul Davis except where stated

Bonus Tracks 11-12

*Paul Davis - Vocals

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One - One (1969 uk, remarkable heavy psych bluesy rock)

In late 1969/early 1970, a motley crew of London-based musicians entered Trident Studios in the heart of Soho to record a lone, rare album for Fontana Records. Helmed by Indian-born musicians and childhood friends, singer Alan Marshall and keyboard player Bobby Sass, One had initially formed in early 1969 after a series of jam sessions at Marshall’s studio flat, located at 6 Denmark Street which he shared with manager Roger Burrow, a friend of Graham Nash’s.

Born in Lahore, Alan Marshall had quite the musical pedigree. Starting out with Bexley Heath, Kent R&B outfit The Loose Ends in the early 1960s, Marshall had cut two excellent singles on Decca before the original formation splintered in October 1966. Forming a new version with members of Croydon band The Subjects and another Bexley Heath area aggregation, Bob ‘N’ All, the new-look Loose Ends landed a short residency at the Bang Bang Club in Milan during January-February 1967.

When the musicians returned to London that March, they were spotted by Otis Redding at the Scotch of St James (or Speakeasy depending on who you speak to) and, ‘blown away’ by Marshall and co-vocalist Bob Saker’s duets, the soul legend took both singers back to the States to record two tracks at Fame Studios in Muscle Shoals – “Johnny B Goode” and “Keep Pushing”. The plan was to couple the two recordings for a single on Atlantic but internal politics led to the tracks being shelved. Tragically, Redding died later that year.

Back in the UK, Alan Marshall reunited with guitarist Peter Kirtley who’d been playing with Alan Price’s band after leaving The Loose Ends the previous October. The pair decided to form a new group, Happy Magazine, and Marshall recommended his childhood friend Bobby Sass (not Bobby Tench under an alias which has often been misreported) to play keyboards. Unfortunately, after some tentative rehearsals, it was decided that Sass didn’t fit the band concept and he was dropped.

One’s storming cover of Havens’ “Don’t Listen To Me”, which opens the LP and third track, “Stop Pulling and Pushing Me” are inspired, extended workouts full of inventive playing and powerful instrumental passages. The musicians also do justice to “Cautiously”, an atmospheric reading of the ballad written by Maurey Hayden, singer, stand-up comedian and wife of Lenny Bruce. Alan Marshall and Bobby Sass’s “Near The Bone”, the band’s lone contribution to the song-writing stakes is also noteworthy.

According to several band members, the sessions at Trident’s studios also featured Alan Marshall’s former band mate from The Loose Ends and Happy Magazine, Peter Kirtley, who provided lead guitar on several cuts.

Fontana duly released the LP in the UK in late 1969, followed by continental releases in France, Germany and Spain. The label also issued several singles but like the LP, none of the releases charted, which is perhaps not surprising considering that One undertook very little live work to promote the records. One notable gig took place on 7 October 1969 when the musicians made a rare appearance on stage at Hatchettes Playground in Piccadilly.

Notes taken from GARAGE HANGOVER

Tracks

1. Don't Listen To Me (Richie Havens) - 6:58

2. Cautiously (Maurey Hayden) - 8:41

3. Stop Pulling And Pushing Me (Richie Havens) - 7:53

4. Near The Bone (Alan Marshall, Bobby Sass) - 4:00

5. Run, Shaker Life (Richie Havens) - 17:37

One

*Alan Marshall - Vocals, Harp, Congas, Talking Drum, Tambourine, Guitar

*Kevin Fogerty - Guitar 

*Bobby Sass - Organ, Piano, Guitar 

*Conrad Isidore - Drums 

*Norman Leppard - Flute, Tenor Saxophone 

*Brent Forbes - Bass

With

*Peter Kirtley - Guitar

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