Saturday, February 16, 2008

The Serpent Power - The Serpent Power (1967)


Αυτό είναι το μοναδικό album των Serpent Power από το San Francisco που κυκλοφόρησε το 1967. Πανέμορφο δείγμα από ψυχεδελική folk και όχι μόνο που εκτός των άλλων σε μερικά σημεία μοιάζουν με τους Country Joe & the Fish (ίσως έφταιγε το γεγονός ότι ηχογράφησαν και αυτοί στην Vanguard Records) όπως για παράδειγμα στο Nobody Blues. Συνιστώ το Lp ανεπιφύλακτα. Τα δικά μου υποκειμενικά πάντα κριτήρια το βρίσκουν πάρα πολύ καλό.

Fronted by San Franciscan poet David Meltzer, the Serpent Power was a sunshiny folk-rock group, whose songs were musical translations of Meltzer's poetry. They were first noticed by Ed Denton, manager of Country Joe and the Fish, when he saw them perform at their first-ever gig, a benefit for the Telegraph Neighborhood Center. This was in November of 1966 -- Denton recommended them to Vanguard Records (Country Joe's label) and by 1967 the band was signed and had released their first and only album.

The Serpent Power was formed by Meltzer and his wife Tina (who sang both lead and harmony vocals), and also included Denny Ellis and David Stenson on lead guitar and bass, respectively, both of whom had gotten their start with San Francisco folksters the Grass Roots. The band became a full rock outfit with the inclusion of John Payne on organ and Clark Coolidge on drums. The album, also entitled The Serpent Power, received a somewhat limited pressing and, despite featuring some excellent examples of folk-rock, the band never got that big, known mostly within the San Francisco area. The album's last track was a raga-rock epic which included electric banjo player JP Pickens, who stayed on as a permanent member as the band entered its second incarnation.

Ellis, Stenson, and Payne left shortly after The Serpent Power was recorded, replaced by Bob Cuff (who'd come over from folk-pop band the Mystery Trend), on lead guitar and Jim Mocoso on bass. Although they continued reaching in ever-more exploratory directions, the band didn't record another album, and disbanded in 1968. David and Tina Meltzer went on to record another album, Poet's Song, under their own names.

Members:
Tina Meltzer (Vocals)
Clark Coolidge (Drums)
Denny Ellis (Guitar (Rhythm)
David Meltzer (Guitar, Harmonica, Vocals)
David Stenson (Bass)
John Payne (Organ)

Tracks:
Don't You Listen to Her (2:20)
Gently, Gently (2:36)
Open House (3:31)
Flying Away (4:26)
Nobody Blues (3:50)
Up and Down (3:37)
Sky Baby (2:32)
Forget (3:34)
Dope Again (:47)
Endless Tunnel (13:14)

3 comments:

Unknown said...

Mia mikri kai tapeini prospathia kano edo http://psychspaniolos.blogspot.com/. Tha itan timi moy na exo merikoys apo sas episkeptes kapou kapou.

Μικρή και ταπεινή ;
Με 3-4 album την ημερα και full πληροφορίες ; (δικες σου και όχι του all music gay)

Εμείς σε ευχαριστούμε !
Συνέχισε έτσι !!!

A και κάπου είδα κάποιον να λέει για μια εμμονη σου στους Ultimate Spinach...
Και γω μαζί σου είμαι !!!

Psych-Spaniolos said...

Tapini einai eilikrina xoris ixnos iperbolis. Kano to kefi moy gia tin agapimeni moy moysiki.
Ayti tin periodo brika to xrono na kano ena blog kai na balo oti exo kai oti apokto stin poreia.
Nase kala kai naxoyme tin igia mas...kai tin akoi mas na akoyme

edlorado said...

Ευχαριστώ!