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Plain and Fancy

Music gives soul to universe, wings to mind, flight to imagination, charm to sadness, and life to everything.

Plato

Friday, March 15, 2024

Ronnie Barron - Reverend Ether (1971 us, splendid rhythm 'n' blues, swamp rock, 2022 korean remaster)



Born Ronald Raymond Barrosse in 1943, Barron worked with Rebennack during his early days as an A&R man for Specialty and Ace records in the late 1950s and early '60s. Rebennack produced Barron's first single, "Bad Neighborhood," which was credited to Ronnie and the Delinquents. The pair later recorded "Talk That Talk" under the name "Drits and Dravey" for Harold Battiste's AFO label. Barron also served some time in a group called the Prime Ministers, featuring fellow New Orleanians Freddie Staehle (drums), Bobby Lonero (guitar), Eddie Zip (bass), Jerry Jumonville (tenor sax), and Wayne DeVilliere (organ).

After moving to California and declining the Dr. John role, Barron worked for Louie Prima for several years and concocted his own mystical stage persona, "Reverend Ether," recording an album by that name for Decca.

By the 1970s, Barron had moved to Woodstock, N.Y., where he worked again with Rebennack as well as fellow Louisiana expatriate Bobby Charles, joining harmonica wizard Paul Butterfield's Better Days group. This group cut a couple of standout albums - "Better Days" and "It All Comes Back" - featuring Charles and Barron compositions like "Small Town Talk" and "Louisiana Flood," as well as great vocal performances from Barron. Besides doing some acting, Barron worked with BB King, Ry Cooder, John Lee Hooker, Big Joe Turner, Canned Heat, and Tom Waits.

He was married to Linda Kelly and had two children, Ronald Raymond, Jr. and Ava. He died in 1997 from complications of heart problems.
Liner-notes


Tracks
1. Ol' Chatnooga - 3:24
2. Duke Of Crenshaw - 3:44
3. Don't Let My Husband Catch You - 3:29
4. Sweet Simplicity - 2:35
5. Freeway Mamma - 6:06
6. Lousianna Flood - 3:08
7. Mamma's Kind Of Song - 3:26
8. Happy, Happy, Happy - 3:47
9. Let It Shine - 3:09
10.Eighteen Sixty Two - 3:39
All compositions by Ronnie Barron

*Ronnie Barron - Vocals, Keyboards

Saturday, March 9, 2024

Gillian McPherson - Poets And Painters And Performers Of Blues (1971 ireland, divine jazzy bluesy baroque folk rock, 2017 korean edition)



Gillian McPherson, was a folk singer from Northern Ireland who had her first (and only) major label release out*‘Poets, Painters and Performers of Blues’ on RCA.  She came out looking the part with long hair and long skirt.  She played a short set in a jazzy folk vein of which I can remember ‘They All Want Somebody To Blame’ with an emotive lyric and the album’s title track.  The set was received politely.  McPherson’s album was out of print for decades.

The session team on the record was the Mark-Almond band who were, coincidentally, the second show I went to, and included Tommy Eyre on keyboards who later went on to marry Scarlet Rivera of ‘Desire’ and Rolling Thunder fame. Gillie McPherson later moved to south-east France where she continues to perform and issue the occasional recording still in the jazz-folk zone.
Richard Parkinson, February 22, 2023

Just like the cool front cover photo, it is a very beautiful work that looks like it is being played on the waterside deep in the forest. Produced by Pentangle's Danny Thompson. Perhaps because of this, there's a cool, jazzy feel to the whole thing, which seems to play a role in the popularity of this work. The backing team is also gorgeous, with Marc Almond, Dave Cousins, Tommy Eyer, etc., and the string arrangements for some songs are done by Robert Kirby.

All of the songs are self-produced, the arrangement of the talented back team is also good. It's definitely a plain work compared to the top-class British female singer-songwriters, an irresistibly lovely album with an atmosphere that feels like it's a moss-covered arrangement of pop songs. 


Tracks
1. Muff The Gong - 4:52
2. It's My Own Way - 3:19
3. Look What We've Got To Do - 3:52
4. They All Want Somebody To Blame - 4:36
5. Who's At The Deceiving End - 3:56
6. I Am The Runner - 3:19
7. Is Somebody In Tune With My Song ? - 5:04
8. We Can't Be The Last Line - 3:44
9. Flight - 3:40
10.Lazy Dreamer - 2:51
11.Poets And Painters And Performers Of Blues - 2:25
Music and Lyrics by Gillian McPherson

Personnel
*Gillian McPherson - Vocals, Acoustic Guitar
*Jon Mark - Acoustic Guitar, Twelve-String Guitar, Congas
*Dave Cousins - Acoustic Guitar
*Spike Heatley - Double Bass
*Tony Carr - Percussion
*Brian Spring - Drums
*Roy Babbington - Electric Bass
*Tommy Eyre - Organ, Piano
*Johnny Almond - Vibraphone, Flute, Tenor Sax
*Peter Halling - Cello

Sunday, March 3, 2024

The Daily Flash - The Legendary Recordings (1965-67 us, superb electrifying blend of folk-rock, pop, blues and jazz, 2023 release)



In 1965, the “music scene” in America was often conservative yet diverse, similar throughout many regions. University students had access to international touring artists like Ravi Shankar, and the general public to Broadway musicals, ballet and orchestras. Additionally Black R&B clubs were active, and White Teen Dance clubs focused on original, local R&R/R&B bands. A folk scene in the University District brought musicians, poets, beatniks who performed evenings and sat around in coffee shops during the day. Seattle had Jazz clubs, top quality Symphony Orchestras, Opera, Ballet, etc, and radio stations were starting to widen their scope with emerging British rock groups. 

I studied music at University, played in the Seattle Symphony, with several jazz groups and joined a R&B club band called The Frantics, that owing to my injury from a car accident, the band found a new drummer. Steve Lalor and Don MacAllister found me recuperating. We talked about making new music. We located Doug Hastings, rehearsed here and there, and continued to meet at coffee houses in the University District. News of a psychedelic underground in San Francisco began to filter northward. Brave new ‘explorers’ (consciousness-pioneers) soon arrived in Seattle whereupon the University area became a gathering place for an emerging youth culture that included university students, as well as those who hadn’t figured out what they wanted to do. 

Here, musicians wanted something different; police wanted to keep abreast of it all; artists wanted to design it all; journalists wanted to publish information on it all; rich fraternity boys wanted to chop-off longhair from freaky menfolk, grab the girls and run. Despite all that there were few venues that wanted longhaired musicians, certainly not weird mixed-music groups such as The Daily Flash. Finally, The Daily Flash decided to create a series of moveable venues in Labor Union halls, and Blaise LeWark opened Seattle’s BFD club.


Tracks
1. The French Girl (Ian Tyson, Sylvia Fricker) - 2:57
2. Green Rocky Road (Don MacAllister, Doug Hastings, Jon Keliehor, Steve Lalor) - 2:38
3. Queen Jane Approximately (Bob Dylan) - 4:29
4. Jack Of Diamonds (Traditional) - 2:40
5. The Bonny Ship The Diamond (Traditional) - 2:57
6. When I Was A Cowboy (Huddie Ledbetter) - 2:46
7. The Girl From North Alberta (Billy Roberts) - 2:56
8. C.C. Rider (Gertrude "Ma" Rainey) - 2:39
9. Violets Of Dawn (Eric Anderson) - 3:15
10.Again And Again (Steve Lalor) - 2:17
11.Queen Jane Approximately (Bob Dylan) - 2:54
12.Grizzly Bear (Traditional) - 3:10
13.Blackstone Ferry (Danny O'Keefe) - 2:35
14.Barbara Flowers (Steve Lalor) - 1:57
15.If I Were A Carpenter (Tim Hardin) - 2:23
16.Let Me Die In My Footsteps (Bob Dylan) - 2:37
17.Queen Jane Approximately (Bob Dylan) - 2:48
18.Birdses (Dino Valenti) - 2:46
19.Cantaloupe Island (Herbie Hancock) - 13:09

The Daily Flash
*Don MacAllister - Bass, Vocals
*Doug Hastings - Guitar, Vocals
*Jon Keliehor - Drums, Percussion
*Steve Lalor - Guitar, Vocals

Related Acts

Thursday, February 29, 2024

rep> Truk - Truk Tracks (1971 us, strong heavy psych rock, 2008 Retro Disc remaster)



Truk hailed  from Oklahoma, and played a high energy  Hard Rock magma punctuated with stunning heavy organ, there is a good cover of Gun's " Yellow Cab man", some acoustic melodic passages and few glamour glimpses.

Truk obviously had a pretty strong affinity for the trailblazing trudge of titans like Cream, and the powerful, messy drunken genius of early Guess Who.It's the kind of record where the drums and electric guitar crunch buries the sound right into the middle of your chest when it's played loud enough.

The sound was surely found at a dime-a-dozen in '71, but they sure don't make them like this today! 10 tracks, including "Country Woman", "Got To Find A Reason", "Pretty Lady", "Yellow Cab Man", "Silence Ending", "Max", "Sun Castle Magic" and more."

In 1973 Glenn Townsend resurfaced with Johnny Rivers and later Willy Daffern played with the reformation of Captain Beyond.  Truk Traks  Album cover picture shot at the East-West Truck Terminal in Orange County during a strike by the Teamsters.  The L. A. P. D.  was called by the security dude, who was not told we had permission to shoot the pictures.  

"Dewey Martin produced Truk and later became a mechanic. In the late '70s he also played sessions on a Hoyt Axton album. Buddy Emmons kept on recording hundreds of country sessions, Harvey Kegan rejoined Doug Sahm and Augie Meyer, and Steve Lefever became a session man, notably with Alexander Harvey.


Tracks
1. Country Woman - 4:29
2. Got To Find A Reason - 3:02
3. Pretty Lady (James Patrick Graham) - 3:56
4. Winter's Coming On - 2:46
5. Sun Castle Magic - 5:12
6. Yellow Cab Man (Adrian Curtis, Jimmy Parsons) - 3:01
7. Five Is Together (Glenn Ray Townsend, James Patrick Graham) - 3:41
8. You (George Michael Graham, Glenn Ray Townsend) - 4:02
9. Silence Ending (Glenn Ray Townsend, James Patrick Graham) - 2:43
10.Max (Glenn Ray Townsend) - 3:52
Songs written by James Patrick Graham, Glenn Ray Townsend, George Michael Graham, J. Martin Anderson, William Daniel Daffern except where noted.

Truk
*J. Martin (Moby) Anderson - Bass, Vocals
*Danny Cornett -  Drums, Vocals (original drummer)
*William Daniel Daffern -  Drums, Vocals (on last 4 songs cut--lead vocal on Winter's Coming On)
*George Michael (Mike) Graham - Lead Vocals
*James Patrick (Pat) Graha - Organ, Vocals
*Glenn Ray Townsend - Guitar, Vocals

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Sunday, February 25, 2024

Ned - Ned (1973 us, refreshing soothing melody and harmony, 2023 korean remaster)



Ned four young men who chance brought together in a Harvard dorm in 1969. Rokko Jans and Jeffrey Parsons were attending Harvard while Nick Talantis and Norman Reim were just passing through Boston on their way to Greece. They ended up many-a-night jamming till dawn and as quickly as that plans were changed: Rokko and Jeff forsook the scholarly life and Nick and Norman have yet to make it to Greece. The four have been making music together, off and on, ever sinc
Capricorn 

Work in a mellow, pickin', strummin' and grinnin' style more reminiscent of Poco, the Eagles and CSN&Y. Most endearing for their very casualness, whether up tempo pieces or down-to-earth ballads... It is almost impossible to dislike Ned, four smiling long-haired geeks, each holding in his arms an absolutely massive looking dog, in the picture on the back of their first album."
Rolling Stone

Ned has performed throughout the US and Canada since 1969. Very active in concert halls and on college campuses in the early seventies, they opened for a wide variety of acts, including: Sly and the Family Stone, The James Gang, B.B. King, The Supremes, Ramsey Lewis, Rare Earth, B.J. Thomas, Richie Havens, Wilson Pickett, The Dells, The Kinks, Wishbone Ash–-and many more.
Nedband


Tracks
1. Feelings To Hide (Jeff Parsons, Nick Talantis, Norman Reim) - 3:43
2. Above The Storm (Alaric Jans, Nick Talantis) - 2:00
3. Rosemary May (And Little Baby Blue Jeans) (Nick Talantis) - 3:38
4. Time (Alaric Jans) - 2:29
5. I Got A Conflict (Nick Talantis, Norman Reim) - 6:45
6. Matinee Movie (Alaric Jans, Nick Talantis, Norman Reim) - 3:17
7. Mississippi Streams (Alaric Jans, Nick Talantis, Norman Reim) - 6:29
8. My Heart Song (Alaric Jans, Nick Talantis) - 3:40
9. I Seen The Glory (Nick Talantis, Norman Reim) - 3:01
10 Home (Alaric Jans, Nick Talantis, Norman Reim) - 3:45

Ned
*Norman Reim - Vocals
*Jeff Parsons - Vocals, Guitar 
*Nick Talantis - Vocals, Guitar
*Alaric Jans - Vocals, Keyboards 
With
*Doug Mazique - Vocals, Bass
*Richie Morales- Drums 
*Paul Hornsby - Organ, Vibraphone
*Tommy Talton - Guitar 
*Sammy Creason- Drums

Tuesday, February 20, 2024

Graham Bell - Graham Bell (1972 uk, fabulous rhythm 'n' blues, 2016 korean remaster)



Bell's father, Jimmy, who died in 2010, was a well-known local singer, and his late mother, Leonora Rogers, was in show business prior to marriage, after which she was heavily involved in local music and dance.

Graham made a solo single in 1966 and one year later replaced Alan Hull as the singer of psychedelic rock band Skip Bifferty (later renamed Heavy Jelly). In 1969 he was singer in another psychedelic rock band Griffin. In 1970 he began his stint with Charisma Records, joining Every Which Way, a band formed by Brian Davison formerly of The Nice, as singer and principal writer. Musical style was jazzy progressive rock with guitar from John Hedley (who was later part of Last Exit, with Sting) playing call and response with Bell's blues shout vocals. Bell then rejoined his old mates from Skip Bifferty, now known as Arc, to form Bell & Arc in July 1971, with John Turnbull, Mick Gallagher, Bud Beadle, Kenny Craddock, Steve Gregory, Tom Duffy and Alan White. Bell was then tempted to leave the group to record an album as a solo artist in 1972. Featuring Tim Hinkley, Mel Collins and lan Wallace, it was produced by Bob Dylan associate Bob Johnston.

After Bell's appearance in the London Symphony Orchestra version of Tommy it was reported that Pete Townshend produced an album for him, but it never saw the light of day. In 1974 he contributed backing vocals on Carol Grimes' Warm Blood also featuring Tommy Eyre, Jess Roden, John 'Rabbit' Bundrick and Henry Lowther. In the late 1970s Graham Bell was featured on the front page of Sounds music paper as a "the man -most likely to", but sadly his profile was affected by the rise of punk and the new wave. Bell moved to America, where he toured with Long John Baldry, and was the co- front man along with Jackie Lomax of a band of LA Brit expatriates known as the Tea Bags, among others, before returning to his native Northeast England in the mid 1980s. He also lived for a while in Cumbria before finally heading for London again and cropping up in Snowy White's Blues Agency in 1988/89. In 2008 he died of cancer shortly after his 60th birthday.
Liner-Notes


Tracks
1. Before You Can Be A Man (Graham Bell) - 4:01
2. The Thrill Is Gone (B.B. King) - 4:52
3. After Midnight (J.J. Cale) - 5:32
4. Down In The City (Graham Bell, Tim Drummond) - 5:17
5. Watch The River Flow (Bob Dylan) - 4:38
6. Too Many People (Bob Wilson, Graham Bell) - 4:18
7. How Long Will It Last (Bob Wilson, Graham Bell) - 3:09
8. The Whole Town Wants You Hung (Graham Bell) - 2:27
9. The Man With Ageless Eyes (Graham Bell) - 5:11
10.So Black And So Blue (Kris Kristofferson) - 3:54

Personnel
*Graham Bell - Guitar, Vocals
*Bob Wilson - Keyboards
*Derek Quinn - Percussion
*Gaspar Lawal - Percussion
*Eddie Mordue - Baritone Saxophone
*Ian Wallace - Drums
*Mel Collins - Alto, Tenor, Baritone Saxophones
*Ron Cornelius - Guitar
*Tim Drummond - Bass
*Tim Hinkley - Keyboards
*Kenny Wheeler - Trumpet 
*Mark Charig - Trumpet 
*Nick Evans - Trombone
*Derek Collins - Tenor Saxophone

Related Acts
1966-69  Skip Bifferty - The Story of Skip Bifferty (double disc edition) 
1970  Brian Davison - Every Which Way (2010 edition) 

Saturday, February 17, 2024

rep> Blown Free - Maximum Rock 'n' Roll (1978 us, great hard, rough 'n' raw, pre stoner rock, limited release, 300 copies)



Blown Free were a Houston band active between 1978 and 1982. Their history is almost completely unknown, what is known is that the band's leader and main songwriter, David Matthews, has a long history in music. He got his start in Wisconsin, playing in some underground psyche bands as early as 1968.

When he moved to Houston he immediately put together his own band and the results of this can be heard on this disc, what recordings survived anyway. If there ever was a band that could be classified as "obscure, underground rock" this is surely one. The only known release on this band is a sole 45 released on Excelsior (the label owned by the late Bill Holford, SR. of ACA Studios in Houston).

Mr. Holford would sometimes take a band under his wing and help them through business deals and publishing deals, which is what he did with Blown Free. After the dissolution of the band, and the break-up of Matthews' marriage, David took off for greener pastures back in Wisconsin where he started his own label and put together another version of Blown Free, this time under the monniker of The Matthew Davis Project. Several tracks from that period are included here as "Lemonade and Suzie Tonight", "A Seedy Reefer", and "The Bash".


Tracks
1. Baby Come Back - 2:14
2. My House - 2:57
3. Sweet Love - 3:52
4. The Wizard - 3:56
5. Come Back My Way - 4:58
6. Rock And Roll Band - 2:48
7. A Little Bit At A Time - 3:59
8. My House - 3:11
9. I Feel Free - 3:54
10. Blown Free - 5:47
11. Sweet Love - 4:14
12. Lemonade & Suzie Tonight - 5:30
13. A Seedy Reefer - 3:55
14. The Bash - 4:46
15. The Wizard - 3:18
Tracks 1-4 recorded at ACA Studios in Houston, TX. Track 4 is a different mix than the released version on the 45 (Track 15).
Tracks 5-11 are taken from a rehearsal tape recorded sometime in 1978.
Tracks 12-14 are recordings made by The Matthew Davis Project.
Track 15 taken from the band's only official release, the Excelsior Records 45 recorded at ACA Studios and engineered by Bill Holford, SR.


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Friday, February 16, 2024

rep> Birmingham Sunday - A Message From Birmingham Sunday (1968 us, nice sunny folk psych, akarma edition)



Birmingham Sunday was formed in September 1966, and they were named after the Sunday concerts that took place in Birmingham, England. The original lineup of Birmingham Sunday featured bassist John Kvam, drummer Monty Johns, guitarist (and Monty's brother) Ward Johns, organ/sax player Phil Gustafson and guitarist Joe LaChew.

Monty and Ward Johns had been in The Contrasts, who covered popular Beatles and Beach Boys tunes. John Kvam was a guitarist in the folk rock group The Scroachers, and learned bass after joining Birmingham Sunday. Phil Gustafson was the keyboardist and sax player for the rock band The Kensingtons. Gustafson was trained as a pianist and sang in the church choir, and he played sax in his high school band. Even though Phil's voice could easily handle the demands of opera, he preferred to sing background harmony with Birmingham Sunday. Joe LaChew was the guitarist and vocalist for the group The Freedom Five, who covered the blues-based output of British bands like The Rolling Stones, The Kinks and The Animals. At the age of 15, LaChew earned his stripes as a songwriter when he wrote a campaign song for the Nevada governor at the time, Grant Sawyer. The Freedom Five recorded a single of Joe's song and sold it at various campaign sites throughout the state.

Birmingham Sunday started to play teen dances throughout northern Nevada. Their biggest crowds were at the Civic Auditorium in Carson City and at Genoa Town Hall. The group put on dances and rented halls in Carson City, Genoa, Minden and Reno to cover their increasing fan base.

In 1967, Birmingham Sunday was poised for their breakthrough. Joe LaChew and Monty Johns were attending the University of Nevada in Reno, and their band had a much greater following – especially since the university dorms and fraternities now had their own party band!

That summer season, Birmingham Sunday landed a house band gig at American Legion Hall in South Lake Tahoe, California. This involved playing five days a week at the hall, plus performing as the opening act for each weekend's entertainment. The venue was filled every summer night with Californians from the Sacramento and the San Francisco Bay area. Weekend shows were extravaganzas, as well-known San Franciscan acts like The Grateful Dead and Sly And The Family Stone were frequently brought in with local favorites The Family Tree and Jim Burgett.

The American Legion Hall's weekend festival on July 28-29, 1967 was headlined by The Grateful Dead and Jim Burgett, with Birmingham Sunday, The Justice Five and Velvet Chain on the bill. This festival is where Birmingham Sunday first heard Debbie Parke sing. Debbie was performing a guest spot with The Justice Five at the shows.

A few months later, Debbie Parks joined Birmingham Sunday, adding her strong voice to the mix. She was only 15 and a sophomore in high school. Even though Debbie's voice was overpowering, she did not try to dominate the band. Instead, her voice blended well with the rest of the singers in the band. Birmingham Sunday was now playing more originals as part of their sets. They began attracting interest from numerous managers and record company scouts.

Phil Gustafson left for the summer to attend National Guard camp, and he was replaced by his younger brother Dave. Dave Gustafson was a child prodigy that could play any style from Beethoven and Bach to Jimmy Smith. In addition, Dave could read and copy nearly everything he heard. His great playing impressed crowds with a note-for-note rendition of The Doors' "Light My Fire."

Birmingham Sunday's success carried them into 1968. Everyone's favorite hipster, Pat Boone (!), co-sponsored a "Teen Scene" local battle of the bands with promoter Bruce Blaylock. This two-day event was held at Reno’s Centennial Coliseum, where groups like The Kinks, Buffalo Springfield, The Zombies, The Beach Boys and many others had played. The judges were the members of The Sunshine Company, who had recently enjoyed some success. The Sunshine Company had a similar approach and appreciated Birmingham Sunday's vocal tapestry.

Birmingham Sunday was chosen with the top bands to travel to Las Vegas for the finals. The Las Vegas judges were Strawberry Alarm Clock and their manager/producer Bill Holmes. The Las Vegas band London Fogg won the battle, but Bill Holmes greatly preferred Birmingham Sunday's original songs and he was very impressed by their vocals.

Birmingham Sunday was invited by promoter Bruce Blaylock to do some recordings in Hollywood. Blaylock was shopping the band to Nitty Gritty Dirt Band manager Bill McEuen as well as a representative of that group's label, Liberty Records. Birmingham Sunday did an audition and received a record deal from Liberty. The record label had a song that they wanted Birmingham Sunday to record – the "Love Theme From Romeo & Juliet," also known as "A Time For Us." It was later recorded by Henry Mancini, Andy Williams and Johnny Mathis.

After hearing the demos, Bill Holmes took on Birmingham Sunday as their producer and manager. Holmes turned down the Liberty deal, which proved to be a big mistake when Henry Mancini's recording became a big pop hit. Instead, Birmingham Sunday was signed to Bill Holmes' All-American label.

Meanwhile, the band had changed. Monty Wards left after the "Teen Scene" contest for a rigorous, pre-med schedule at the University of Nevada. Birmingham Sunday auditioned singing drummers, but no one materialized. With concert bookings to be fulfilled and not much time to prepare, Joe LaChew took over as the drummer. Monty had been teaching Joe all the drum parts for their original songs, so LaChew had no problem in this transition period. Since Joe gave up his guitar to play drums, the group had to find another guitarist who could sing well. They found Jean Heim, who played rhythm guitar and a little lead guitar. Heim could also sing lead with his pure, light tenor tone.

The group perfected ten original songs and recorded them in December 1968 with Bill Holmes producing at Original Sound Recording Studios. The studio was located on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood, and it was owned by multiple award winning DJ and promoter Art Laboe. The legendary Paul Buff, who previously ran Pal Recording Studio before selling it to his recording partner Frank Zappa, was Original Sound's engineer. The album "A Message From Birmingham Sunday" was recorded in five days using Buff's own ten-track studio equipment. Paul Buff also played a Chamberlin keyboard, the American precursor to the mellotron, on the entire album. Buff's string arrangements on the Chamberlin were essential parts of each song.

All-American selected "Prevalent Visionaries" and "Egocentric Solitude" as the respective A- and B-sides of a single released in early September 1969. The album was released the same month. Before the album was released, Bill Holmes sent a tape of the single to radio stations in Nevada.

"Egocentric Solitude" was first tracked for the week ending August 16, 1969 by Reno, Nevada radio station KIST. It reached the Top 10 in Reno that September 10, and it was #5 on KCBN. Although the single did not receive wide distribution, it did well in Sacramento, Chicago, Seattle, and especially Santa Barbara, where it made #1! The lack of distribution made the album extremely rare, even at the time. About 10 to 20 copies of the original LP are known to exist today.

Many of Bill Holmes' All-American acts played concerts on July 18-19, 1969 at Kings Beach on the North Shore of Lake Tahoe. On the first day, Birmingham Sunday was the opening act. However, the popularity of the band enabled Birmingham Sunday to close the second night's show. Holmes had lost control of Strawberry Alarm Clock, so he had the replacement group Strawberry SAC play instead. Gary Solomon, the lyric writer of "Egocentric Solitude," was in that band. Birmingham Sunday ruled the weekend event!

Birmingham Sunday played concerts throughout 1969, but they split up in 1970 due to a number of forces pulling band members in different directions. Joe LaChew and Monty Johns stayed in college to continue their education. Both Joe and Monty formed the college rock band Brother Rock with Ward Johns. This nine-piece horn band opened for concerts at the college, including shows by Cold Blood, Tower Of Power, The Sons Of Champlin, and most notably, Derek And The Dominoes.

Brother Rock did a recording for the Mercury label in San Francisco, but the tracks have been lost. While influenced by Chicago and The Sons Of Champlin, Brother Rock played original songs by Monty Johns and Joe LaChew.

Debbie Parke, Jean Heim, John Kvam and the Gustafson brothers joined well-known Nevada casino lounge singer Frankie Fanelli. They recorded an album with Fanelli before splitting with him in August 1970. The band members went into different directions:

Joe LaChew continued playing guitar with The Drifters, The Coasters, Billy Preston, The Righteous Brothers, Rose and Joe Maphis, Merle Travis, Dorsey Burnett, Jimmy Dickens, Zella Lehr (an RCA artist), Kathy O'Shea (for MCA) and comedian Rich Little. Joe is now a music teacher in Nevada and still plays shows in the Reno and Lake Tahoe areas. He still enjoys writing music and has done commercials, film music and solo albums. Joe still writes songs for the more recent Birmingham Sunday reunions. Two of those tracks, "Raw Rhythm" and "C'Est La Vie Blues," are included here for the first time. The famous Birmingham Sunday parties continue to this day!

Debbie Parke became an elementary school teacher and counselor in Lewiston, Idaho. She is now retired. Phil Gustafson retired from the Nevada National Guard. John Kvam was a bartender and journeyman cabinet maker before his retirement. Jean Heim became a country musician and has also retired. Monty Johns is a doctor in West Virginia. Ward Johns was the Vice President of Missile Records. He passed away from compilations due to a stroke in December 2009. Dave Gustafson became a successful musician and very wealthy real estate agent. He passed in January 2010.
by Joe LaChew (Birmingham Sunday)


Tracks
1. Egocentrick Solitude - 3:17
2. Wondering What to Feel - 2:36
3. Prevalent Visionaries - 2:51
4. You're Out of Line - 2:55
5. Medieval Journey - 2:36
6. Mr. Waters (The Judge) - 2:52
7. Fate and the Magician - 1:58
8. Peter Pan Revisted - 2:15
9. Time to Land - 3:03
10. Don't Turn Around - 2:41

Birmingham Sunday
*Ward Johns - Guitar
*Debbie Parks - Vocals
*John Kvam - Bass
*Jean Heim - Rhythm Guitar
*Joe LaChew - Drums, Guitar
*Phil Gustafson - Keyboards, Saxes
*Monty Johns - Drums

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Monday, February 12, 2024

Winterhawk - Dog Soldier (1980 us, awesome hard rock, 2021 hard sleeve remaster)



San Francisco band Winterhawk were years ahead of their time. They’re best remembered for frontman/guitarist Nik Alexander’s distinctive mashups of 70s acid rock and Cree Indian folk music. Alexander was fiercely proud of his heritage, and that connection to the land resonates potently in the band’s many politically-oriented songs. In addition to rocking out ancient folk melodies, they sometimes employed indigenous instruments like shakers and wood flute. Drummer Alfonso Kolb would frequently diverge into native rhythms as well.

On Dog Soldier, the group are tighter. Fringed leather tunics, furs, feathers, and loincloths are not the standard garb of the average rock band, and neither were many popular bands quite literally gushing with Indian blood and heritage. Likewise, few bands indeed carry high the philosophies, and traditions of their forefathers cultures as did Winterhawk. A Native American foursome that specialized in rapidfire, hard rock and roll. But the striking thing about this band is not so much the warrior beliefs, but their sincerity and genuine faith in themselves and their culture. Winterhawk appeared in the 1983 US Festival and has opened for such big names as Tina Turner, Santana, Country Joe and the Fish, Steve Miller, Van Halen and Motley Crue. The Electric Warriors LP was produced by Tom Bee of XIT, AKA Lincoln St Exit. A must have for Native American, Hard Rock, Metal music fans. Nik Alexander's song writing and guitar playing skills are the best. 

We Are the People is a towering, defiantly timeless reminder of how much more civilized the North American natives were, compared to the imperialist invaders. There’s also Crazy, shifting between hammering riffage and a spare, cantering native rhythm; We’re Still Here, a surreal attempt at politically-fueled disco; Warriors Road, a subdued acoustic freedom-fighter anthem; and I Will Remember. a stark, mystical folk tune. Good to have this distinctive band back in print.

Unfortunately, Nik Alexander passed away in July 5, 2017 after battling with cancer.  His memory lives on through the timeless compositions he created, that will surely be remembered and enjoyed by every serious music fan and collector unto the ages of the ages.


Tracks
1. Our Love Will Last - 3:11
2. Honey Lady - 3:41
3. Crazy - 4:50
4. Loser - 4:14
5. Lady Blue - 4:04
6. We're Still Here - 3:46
7. Warriors Road - 3:15
8. We Are The People - 5:45
9. I Will Remember - 3:12
All compositions by Nik Alexander

Winterhawk
*Nik Alexander - Guitar, Vocals
*Doug Love - Bass, Vocals
*Gordon Campbell - Bell
*Jon Gibson - Drums, Vocals


Thursday, February 8, 2024

rep> Various Artists - With Love A Pot Of Flowers (1965-67 us, fantastic garage psych folk rock, 2010 remaster and expanded)



“With Love: A Pot Of Flowers” was originally issued in late 1967 by Mainstream Records. It is testament to the quality of the groups and songs included, not to mention the A&R proclivities of Mainstream head honcho Bob Shad – as irascibly indefatigable as anyone you might choose in the hothouse atmosphere of the independent record business of that era – that the album plays so well and, if you’ll pardon the pun, really grows on you. That in hindsight it also plucked four bands from within the vortex of 1966 nascent psychedelia and places them in a historically fascinating context, is equally remarkable. This expanded version of “A Pot Of Flowers” includes additional material by other relevant groups released on Brent or Mainstream from 1965 to 1967, as well as the mono single mixes of selected tracks from the album and some unreleased cuts.

The collection was amongst the first of a swathe of rock albums that Mainstream issued towards the end of the 1960s, the result of a remarkable A&R odyssey conducted by Shad across the United States, in much the same fashion as the location recording expeditions the producer had made to the south in the late 1940s in search of blues and R&B acts. Whether by luck or design, Shad decided to make one of his first ports of call San Francisco, which in early 1966 was well into the honeymoon period of its own socio-cultural renaissance, with the entire Bay Area awash with rock’n’rollers of all shapes and sizes.

As our extensive liner note details, he had initially issued several unsuccessful singles by Bay Area groups on both Mainstream and Brent, but by subsequently collecting the best of these together on “A Pot Of Flowers” he unwittingly created one of the more satisfying surveys of the scene at the time. The acts in question were the Wildflower, pioneering folk-rockers who were an early fixture at the Fillmore and Avalon; San Jose’s popular garage band the Otherside; legendary East Bay punks the Harbinger Complex; and, from southern California via Texas, the idiosyncratic Euphoria, whose pathfinding, off-beat take on psychedelia has given the group a cult reputation.

The bonus material included on this Big Beat reissue doubles the track list of “A Pot Of Flowers” y adding appropriate folk-rock and proto-psych sides from other West Coast acts on Mainstream such as the New Dawn, the Word, the Ariel and Thee Unusuals, the latter a Northwest group featuring blue-eyed chanteuse Kathi McDonald, who would later to take Janis’ spot in Big Brother & the Holding Company (who were also signed by Bob Shad during his California sorties). We are also proud to include several stellar unissued garage rockers from the Ban and the Montells, as well as the original mono singles mixes of selected tunes. 
by Alec Palao


Tracks
1. Wildflower - Baby Dear (Michael McLure, Stephen Ehret) - 2:23
2. Wildflower - Wind Dream (Stephen Ehret) - 2:18
3. Euphoria - Hungry Women (Wesley Watt) - 3:20
4. The Otherside - Streetcar (Marty Battey, Alan Graham) - 2:19
5. Wildflower - Coffee Cup (Stephen Ehret, Tom Ellis) - 2:19
6. The Harbinger Complex - I Think I'm Down (Jim Hockstaff, Bob Hoyle) - 2:26
7. Wildflower - Jump In (Stephen Ehref, Tom Ellis, Michael McCausland) - 2:48
8. The Otherside - Walking Down The Road (Al Schackman) - 2:24
9. The Harbinger Complex - When You Know You're In Love (Jim Hockstaff, Bob Hoyle) - 2:14
10.Euphoria - No Me Tomorrow (Bill Lincoln, Wesley Watt) - 3:11
11.The Harbinger Complex - Time To Kill (Jim Hockstaff, Bob Hoyle) - 2:11
12.The Harbinger Complex - My Dear And Kind Sir (Jim Hockstaff, Bob Hoyle) - 2:26
13.New Dawn - Slave Of Desire (Tony Supnet, Mike Leonti) - 2:34
14.The Word - Now It's Over (Bill Lincoln, Wesley Watt) - 2:47
15.The Ban - Thinking Of Your Fate (Tony McCuire) - 2:17
16.The Montells - I'm Lonely (Rick Dorenzo, Alan Feia) - 2:56
17.Thee Unusuals - I Could Go On (Bill Capp) - 2:02
18.The Ban - Bye Bye (Tony McCuire) - 2:50
19.The Ariel - It Feels Like I'm Crying (Jack Walters) - 2:04
20.The Word - So Little Time (Bill Lincoln, Wesley Watt) - 2:42
21.The Montells - You're Wrong To Think It (Rick Dorenzo, Alan Feia) - 1:54
22.The Ban - Place Of Sin (Tony McCuire) - 2:40
23.Wildflower - Wind Dream (Mono Single Version) (Stephen Ehret) - 2:18
24.The Otherside - Streetcar (Mono Single Version) (Marty Battey, Alan Graham) - 2:21
25.Euphoria - Hungry Women (Mono Single Version) (Wesley Watt) - 3:02
26.The Harbinger Complex - I Think I'm Down (Mono Single Version) (Jim Hockstaff, Bob Hoyle) - 2:27

The Wildflower 
*Tom Ellis - Drums
*Teddy Schneider - Percussions
*Stephen Ehret - Lead Guitar, Vocals
*Michael Brown - Guitar
*John Jennings - Bass

Euphoria
*David Potter - Drums
*Hamilton Wesley Watt - Vocals
*Peter Black - Bass
*James Harrell - Guitar

The Other Side
*Allen Graham - Guitar, Vocals
*Danny Phay - Vocals
*Ken Matthew - Drums
*Marty Battey - Bass
*Ned Torney - Keyboards, Guitar, Vocals
*Tom Antone - Bass

The Harbinger Complex
*Gary Clarke - Bass
*James Hockstaff - Vocals
*Jim Redding - Drums
*Robert Hoyle - Guitar
*Ron Rotarius - Lead Guitar

The Montells
*Rick Dorenzo - Vocals, Guitar
*Bob Mullong - Guitar
*Bob Trevorrow - Guitar
*Alan Feia - Bass
*Dave Ditto - Drums

The Unusuals
*Terry Allan - Bass
*Vic Bundy - Keyboards
*Bill Capp - Guitar
*Pat Jerns - Drums
*Kathi McDonald - Vocals
*Gary Ramsey - Drums
*Harvey Redmond - Bass
*Laurie Vitt - Guitar

The Ban
*Randy Gordon (Guzman) - Drums, Vocals
*Tony McGuire - Guitar, Vocals,
*Oliver McKinney - Keyboards, Vocals,
*Frank Straight - Bass

The Ariel
*Jack Walters - Guitar
*Chris Guiver - Sax, Guitar
*Paul Studebaker - Bass
*DennisStudebaker - Drums

The New Dawn
*Tony Supnet - Vocals
*Mike Leonti - Vocals
*Donnie Ordiniza - Vocals

Related Acts
1969  Euphoria - A Gift From Euphoria

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