Monday, June 30, 2008

CAMPEONES, REYES DE EUROPA, VIVA ESPAÑA...


Μπράβο στους Σπανιόλους. Απόλυτα δίκαια σήκωσαν το ασημικό. Ηταν η ομάδα που έπαιξε την καλύτερη μπάλα από την αρχή μέχρι το τέλος του τουρνουά. Ο Θεός αυτή την φορά ήταν δίκαιος στην απονομή δικαιοσύνης. Να μην ξεχνάμε ότι το ποδόσφαιρο είναι το πιο άδικο ομαδικό άθλημα...για αυτό είναι και το ομορφότερο.
Μπράβο στους Ισπανούς.

¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡Gooooooooooooooollllllllll!!!!!! ¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡Gooooooooooollllllllllll!!!!!!!!!! ¡¡¡¡¡¡El Niño!!!!!! ¡¡¡¡¡¡The Kid!!!!!!! ¡¡¡¡¡¡¡Qué grande eres!!!!!!!! ¡¡¡¡¡¡¡Cómo te queremos!!!!!!!

Saturday, June 28, 2008

Traffic - Mr. Fantasy (1968)


Σειρά πήρε το ντεμπούτο άλμπουμ των διάσημων Traffic. Η παρέα των Jim Capaldi, Steve Winwood, Chris Wood και Dave Mason (απεχώρησε πριν βγει ο δίσκος) κυκλοφόρησε σε άλλη μορφή τον δίσκο στην Αγγλία (αυτή που βλέπουμε) και άλλη στην Αμερική.Ο δίσκος στην Αμερική κυκλοφόρησε με τίτλο "Heaven Is In Your Mind" έχοντας διαφορετικό εξώφυλλο, άλλα κομμάτια και χωρίς την αναγραφή του Dave Mason στην σύνθεση του γκρουπ.
Στις περιοχές της ψυχεδέλιας κινήθηκαν στο ξεκίνημα τους, αφού αμέσως μετά πήραν άλλη κατεύθυνση. Πνευστά και σιτάρ (λόγω Dave Mason) όπως στο πολύ καλό "Utterly Simple" περιέχονται στις συνθέσεις τους στο ξεκίνημά τους. Και μία και ο λόγος για το "Utterly Simple", προσωπικά το προτιμώ λίγο περισσότερο από την διασκευή των The Smoke. Προφανώς στο δίσκο ξεχωρίζει η κομματάρα "Dear Mr. Fantasy", τα έξοχα φωνητικά στο "No Face, No Name, No Number" αλλά και το "Heaven Is In Your Mind". Στην Αμερικάνικη έκδοση ξεχωρίζει το Paper Sun, το Giving To You αλλά και η «Τρύπα στο παπούτσι μου».

Τracks:

"Heaven Is in Your Mind" (Jim Capaldi, Steve Winwood, Chris Wood) – 4:16
"Berkshire Poppies" (Capaldi, Winwood, Wood) – 2:55
"House for Everyone" (Dave Mason) – 2:05
"No Face, No Name, No Number" (Capaldi, Winwood) – 3:35
"Dear Mr. Fantasy" (Capaldi, Winwood, Wood) – 5:44
"Dealer" (Capaldi, Winwood) – 3:34
"Utterly Simple" (Mason) – 3:16
"Coloured Rain" (Capaldi, Winwood, Wood) – 2:43
"Hope I Never Find Me There" (Mason) – 2:12
"Giving to You" (Capaldi, Mason, Winwood, Wood) – 4:20

Traffic - Heaven Is In Your Mind (1968)


Στην Αμερικάνικη έκδοση η οποία το 1970 πήρε και αυτή τον τίτλο Mr. Fantasy, ξεχωρίζει βέβαια το Paper Sun, το Giving To You αλλά και η «Τρύπα στο παπούτσι μου».

Τracks:

"Paper Sun" (Capaldi, Winwood) – 3:26
"Dealer" (Capaldi, Winwood) – 3:13
"Coloured Rain" (Capaldi, Winwood, Wood) – 2:46
"Hole in My Shoe" (Mason) – 3:04
"No Face, No Name, No Number" (Capaldi, Winwood) – 3:38
"Heaven Is in Your Mind" (Capaldi, Winwood, Wood) – 4:22
"House for Everyone" (Mason) – 2:05
"Berkshire Poppies" (Capaldi, Winwood, Wood) – 2:59
"Giving to You" (Capaldi, Mason, Winwood, Wood) – 4:18
"Smiling Phases" (Capaldi, Winwood, Wood) – 2:44
"Dear Mr. Fantasy" (Capaldi, Winwood, Wood) – 5:33
"We're a Fade, You Missed This" (Capaldi, Winwood) – :53

Thursday, June 26, 2008

Blues Magoos - Electric Comic Book (1967)


Κατά καιρούς όπως έχω γράψει στο παρελθόν, οι Ελληνικές εταιρείες δίσκων μας αιφνιδίαζαν ευχάριστα. Ένας τέτοιος αιφνιδιασμός προήλθε με τις ανατυπώσεις των δύο πρώτων δίσκων των Blues Magoos από την Polygram με label της Mercury. Από τα δύο Lp ξεχωρίζω το δεύτερο ως σαφέστατα καλύτερο. Στέκομαι στο Queen Of My Nights, στο Sometimes I Think About και στο One By One από το Psychedelic Lollipop (μαρεσει όλος ο δίσκος) αλλά και στα Life Is Just A Cher o' Bowlies και Summer Is The Man από το Electric Comic Book.
Σύμφωνα με όσα διάβασα πρόσφατα έχουν επανασυνδεθεί και δίνουν συναυλίες.

Tracks
"Pipe Dream" (Gilbert, Scala)
"There's a Chance We Can Make It" Gilbert, Scala)
"Life is Just a Cher O'Bowlies" (Gilbert, Scala)
"Gloria" (Van Morrison)
"Intermission" (Esposito)
"Albert Common is Dead" (Gilbert, Scala)
"Summer is the Man" (Esposito, Scala)
"Baby, I Want You" (Gilbert, Theilhelm)
"Let's Get Together" (Reed)
"Take My Love" (Gilbert, Scala)
"Rush Hour" (Daking, Gilbert, Esposito)
"That's All Folks" (Blues Magoos)

Blues Magoos - Psychedelic Lollipop (1967)


Personnel:
GEOFF DAKING drms A
MIKE ESPOSITO gtr A
RON GILBERT bs A
RALPH SCALA vcls, organ A
EMIL THIELHIEM vcls, gtr A B C
RICHIE DICKON perc B
ROGER EATON bs, vcls B
ERIC KAZ hrmnca, vcls, keyb'ds B C
JOHN LIELLO vibes, perc B C
COOKER LO PRESTI bs C
JOEY STEC gtr, vcls

ALBUMS:
1(A) PSYCHEDELIC LOLLIPOP (Mercury SR 61096) 1966 21
2(A) ELECTRIC COMIC BOOK (Mercury MG 21104) 1967 74
3(A) BASIC BLUES MAGOOS (Mercury ST 61167) 1968 -
4(B) NEVER GOIN' BACK TO GEORGIA (ABC S697) 1969
5(C) GULF COAST BOUND (ABC S710) 1970
NB: (1) has been reissued on CD.

45s:
1 So I'm Wrong And You Are Right/People Had No Faces (Verve Folkways 5006) 1966
2 Tobacco Road/Some Times I Think About You (Mercury 72590) 1966 -
3 (We Ain't Got) Nothing Yet/Gotta Get Away (Mercury 72622) 1966 5
4 Let Your Love Ride/Who Do You Love? (Ganim 100) 1967 -
5 Let Your Love Ride/Love Seems Doomed (Ganim 100) 1967 -
6 Pipe Dream/There's A Chance We Can Make It (Mercury 72660) 1967 60/81
7 One By One/Dante's Inferno (Mercury 72692) 1967 71
8 I Wanna Be There/Summer Is The Man (Mercury 72707) 1967 133
9 Life Is Just Cher O'Bowlies/There She Goes (Mercury 72729) 1967 -
10 Jingle Bells/Santa Claus Is Coming To Town (Mercury 72762) 1967
11 I Can Hear The Grass Grow/Yellow Rose (Mercury 72838) 1968 -
12 Heartbreak Hotel/I Can Feel It (Feelin' Time) (ABC 11226) 1969 -
13 Never Goin' Back To Georgia/Feelin' Time (I Can Feel It) (ABC 11250) 1969 113
14 Gulf Coast Bound/Sea Breeze Express (ABC 11 283) 1970 -
NB: (1) also reissued by Verve Folkways in l967. There's also: a rare French EP with PS: (We Ain't Got) Nothing Yet/I'll Go Crazy/Love Seems Doomed/Tobacco Road (Mercury 126221) 1967; and a rare promo only EP from Brazil (We Ain't Got) Nothing Yet/Love Seems Doomed/One By One/Dante's Inferno (Mercury DC 68.000) 1968.

This group came from New York's Bronx area, were originally known as Bloos Magoos and gigged regularly around Greenwich Village before Mercury offered them a recording contract in 1966. Their title is misleading, for they specialised in quasi-psychedelic electrical music rather than the blues.
Their best moments are on their early albums and (We Ain't Got) Nothing Yet from their first album was a U.S. No. 5 in 1966. It also contained a fine version of J. D. Loudermilk's Tobacco Road.
The second album contained a thin comic book full of all sorts of offers to turn you on whilst you played the album. Musically it was their magnum opus. The opening cut, Pipe Dream, had a good garage organ sound; There's A Chance We Can Make It featured some fine psychedelic guitar work; Life Is Just A Cher O'Bowlies had a gorgeous beginning followed by more guitar mayhem and Side One also contained a discordant, extended cover of Van Morrison's Gloria. Side two was more restrained, although Take My Love was an uptempo song with catchy organ work and the penultimate track, Rush Hour, included a storming electric guitar extravaganza.
On stage they appeared in Vidal Sassoon hairstyles and specially designed 'electric' suits. The fifth album, made with a changed personnel, marked a downward turn however, which was not arrested by subsequent studio efforts. In their final days, however, Joey Stec from The Millenium joined the band which coincided with a resurgence as a live attraction.
When the group disbanded, Eric Kaz went solo and recorded two lame seventies pop rock albums. In 1976, he also formed American Flyer, a country pop group produced by George Martin, with Craig Fuller (ex-J.D. Blackfoot and Pure Prairie League), Steve Katz (ex-Blues Project and Blood, Sweat and Tears) and Doug Yule (ex-Velvet Underground). He kept on working with Fuller in Fuller/Kaz (CBS, 1978). Cooker Lo Presti went on to play with Ringo Starr.
In 1967 (We Ain't Got) Nothing Yet was covered by England's Spectres who soon became Status Quo.
Compilation appearances have so far included: (We Ain't Got) Nothin' Yet on Nuggets, Vol. 1 - The Hits (LP); Excerpts From Nuggets (CD); More Nuggets (CD); Nuggets From Nuggets (CD); Battle Of The Bands (CD); Tobacco Road on Nuggets - Original Artyfacts From The First Psychedelic Era 1965-1968 (Dble LP) and Nuggets Box (4-CD); I Can Hear The Grass Grow on Nuggets, Vol. 11 (LP); Dante's Inferno on Songs We Taught The Fuzztones (LP & CD); Jingle Bells on Turds On A Bum Ride, Vol. 1 (Dble LP); Who Do You Love on Turds On A Bum Ride, Vol. 2 (Dble LP); Jingle Bells and Who Do You Love on Turds On A Bum Ride Vol. 1 & 2 (CD); Let Your Love Ride on Turds On A Bum Ride Vol. 4 (CD); There She Goes and Rush Houron Electric Food (LP); and Dante's Inferno, Jingle Bells, Let Your Love Ride, People Had No Faces, So I'm Wrong, Who Do You Love on Filling The Gap (4-LP); The band also recorded a commercial for Great Shakes which was based around the riff of We Ain't Got Nothin' Yet. It has resurfaced on Psychotic Reactions and Great Shakes Shake-Out (EP).
(Vernon Joynson/Max Waller/Joe Foster/Stephane Rebeschini/Marcelo Lilienheim)


Tracks
"(We Ain’t Got) Nothing Yet" (Esposito, Gilbert, Scala) – 2:10
"Love Seems Doomed" (Esposito, Gilbert, Scala) – 3:02
"Tobacco Road" (John D. Loudermilk) – 4:30
"Queen of My Nights" (Blue) – 2:52
"I’ll Go Crazy" (James Brown) – 1:58
"Gotta Get Away" (Adams, Gordon) – 2:35
"Sometimes I Think About" (Esposito, Gilbert, Scala) – 3:35
"One by One" (Gilbert, Theilhelm) – 2:45
"Worried Life Blues" (Marriweather) – 3:45
"She’s Coming Home" (Atkins, Miller) – 2:36

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

The Fredric - Phases And Faces (1968)



Ένα ευχάριστο άκουσμα μας προσφέρουν οι Fredric στο μοναδικό έργο τους που κυκλοφόρησε πριν 40 χρόνια. Μπορεί να μην είναι ΤΟ συνταρακτικό Lp, εντούτοις σε τραβάει να το ακούσεις μέχρι το τέλος αφού περιέχει όμορφες συνθέσεις σε γενικά soft-pop ρυθμούς με κάποιες ψυχεδελικές αποχρώσεις. Το «γενικά» κολλάει στο γεγονός ότι υπάρχουν και λίγες συνθέσεις σε πιο δυνατό τέμπο, εξίσου όμως ευχάριστες. Τα κομμάτια που ακούγονται ευχάριστα είναι αρκετά όπως το The Girl I Love ή το All About Judi ή το γλυκήτατο Red Pier.
Απορίας άξιον αποτελεί το γεγονός που βρήκε η Arf! Arf! το 17ο κομμάτι που αναγράφει στο οπισθόφυλλο του cd για να μας το πει και μας. Σύνθεση με το όνομα Country δεν υφίσταται μέχρι στιγμής.

Personnel:
RON BERA keyb'ds, trumpet, horn A
BOB GEIS gtr A
DAVE IDEMA drms, clawes, bongos A
JOE McCARGAR vcls, perc A
STEVE THRALL gtr, melodica, sitar, olivefte A

ALBUM:
1(A) PHASES AND FACES (Forte 80461) 1968
NB: (1) has been repressed and issued on CD with bonus tracks (Arf! Arf! AA 061) 1996.

45s:
1 5 O'Clock Traffic/Red Pier (Evolution 1001) 1968
2 5 O'Clock Traffic/Red Pier (Forte 3001) 1968

Pleasant minor league soft pop-rock with some psychy moments. From Grand Rapids, Michigan, this outfit would evolve into Rock Garden (who cut one 45 - Johnny's Music Machine/Love Is A Good Foundation on (Capitol 2806) 1970) then Garden (The Winds Of South Chicago/The First Day Of My Life (Capitol 2919) 1970). Both these 45s are best avoided.
Lead vocalist Joe McCargar and guitarist Bob Geis were high school mates playing in a local band. When their existing drummer and guitarist quit, shortly before a gig, they drafted in Steve Thrall, with whom they immediately struck up an accord. In the days that followed, David Idema - a family friend - and Ron Bera were added, and the band began to rehearse extensively.
They soon caught the eye of a booking agent, who got them a support slot for U.K. duo Harper and Rowe, who were doing a U.S. promotional tour. Harper and Rowe, didn't want to be upstaged by a local support, so the band changed their name to The Fredric on their way to the first gig in Fredric, Michigan. They soon developed a good local reputation, and opened shows for The Box Tops, Tommy James and The Shondells, and Yellow Balloon amongst others.
The oft-hyped-as-a psych-megabuck-rarity LP has seen a boot reissue, but even better is the Arf! Arf! CD reissue, which includes the non-LP Five O'Clock Traffic plus three cuts recorded for an aborted second album.
It should be said that, while the LP may not blow your mind, the music is of a consistently high quality throughout.
Compilation appearances have included: Federal Reserve Bank Blues on The Arf! Arf! Blitzkrieg 32 Track Sampler (Dble CD); Five O'Clock Traffic on Echoes In Time Vol's 1 & 2 (CD), Echoes In Time, Vol. 2 (LP), Filling The Gap (4-LP) and Gathering Of The Tribe (CD).
(Max Waller).

Tracks:
1. Federal Reserve Bank Blues
2. Girl I Love, The
3. All About Judi
4. Henry Adams
5. Morning Sunshine
6. Taggin'
7. Cousin Mary Knows
8. My Yellow Tree
9. Red Pier
10. Old Fashioned Guy
11. Born in Fire
12. Saturday Morning With Rain
13. Five O'Clock Traffic
14. Postmarks
15. Bob's Songs
16. Lori Lee Loveland

http://www.shareonall.com/The_Fredric_-__Phases_And_Faces_ifdk_rar.htm

The New Mix - The New Mix (1968)



Η Ιταλική Akarma πριν λίγα σχετικά χρόνια έβγαλε από την αφάνεια αυτό το καθόλα άγνωστο γκρουπ, του οποίου ο δίσκος άξιζε μεγαλύτερης προβολής. Λόγω της αναγραφής των D. Brown και H. Steele έχουμε απλά «γνωστά» δύο από τα 4 μέλη του γκρουπ καθώς και τον παραγωγό Tommy Kaye αλλά τίποτα παραπέρα. Ξεχωρίζω το κομμάτι « The Man».
Και μία μικρή απολογία επειδή δεν μπορώ να ανεβάζω κάτι κάθε μέρα…ναι μεν το σχολείο τέλειωσε οπότε οι υποχρεώσεις ελαφρύνθηκαν αλλά ένα σπιτάκι που δημιουργείται, μου τρώει πάρα πολύ χρόνο. Όσοι έχουν την εμπειρία θα νοιώθουν τι λέω…ου μπλέξεις.

ALBUM:
1 THE NEW MIX (United Artists UAS 6678) 1968
NB: (1) reissued on 10" (Akarma AK 2016) 2001.

A fresh-sounding psychedelic rock/pop album. The opening cut, While We Waited, has a melodramatic intro and wailing guitar, but for the most part the album consists of pleasing vocal harmonies and nicely blended keyboards. The music is quite Beatle-ish at times, particularly on Side Two. Recommended.
All the material on this album was written by D. Brown and H. Steele but the group still remain enigmatic. No 45s can be found by this band on United Artists or elsewhere. It may explain why their album seems to have made little impact and remains obscure and unappreciated.
Compilation appearances include: While We Waited on Songs Of Faith And Inspiration (CDR & CD).
(Vernon Joynson / Max Waller)

Τracks:
1. While We Waited (D. Brown - H. Steele) - 3:08
2. Ursla (D. Brown - H. Steele) - 2:59
3. The Man (D. Brown - H. Steele) - 2:49
4. Nothing Matters More (D. Brown - H. Steele) - 2:04
5. The New Harpoon Song (D. Brown - H.Steele) - 2:25
6. Ever Brighter (D. Brown ) - 2:08
7. Get Me Out (D. Brown - H. Steele) - 2:39
8. Sun Down (D. Brown ) - 2:33
9. Doorway To An Open Light (D. Brown - H. Steele) - 3:02
10. Follow Me (D. Brown) - 2:46

Friday, June 20, 2008

Fapardokly - Fapardokly (1968)



Αφού υπάρχει και μου βρέθηκε από το πουθενά λίγος ακόμα χρόνος ας ανέβει, έστω και «μεταχρονολογημένα» όπως ανέφερε ο φίλος haris. Θα συμφωνήσω επίσης μαζί του όπως πολύ εύστοχα ανέφερε ότι αυτή η δουλειά του Fankhauser είναι ανώτερη από αυτή στους Bounty.

Personnel:
BILL DODD ld gtr A
MERRELL FANKHAUSER gtr A
DICK LEE drms A
JOHN OLIVER bs A

ALBUM:
1(A) FAPARDOKLY (UIP 2250) Feb. 1968
NB: (1) Reissued in 1983 (Psycho 5), 1987 (5 Hours Back Tock 003) and on CD (Sundazed SC 6059) 1995.

The above album was issued in Feb. 1968, but consists of recordings made between 1964-67, during which time the band played in Lancaster, California. It includes material released on 45s with Fankhauser's previous band, The Exiles, which by the time of the album's release was patchy and rather dated. The remainder of the album consists of folk-rock and soft psychedelia. Examples of the latter are the mysterious Gone To Pot and No Retreat. The Fapardokly album remains extremely sought-after.
The recent Sundazed CD includes three previously unreleased tracks The War, Yes I Love You and Run Baby Run.
Compilation appearances include: Supermarket on Sundazed Sampler, Vol. 2 (CD); Gone To Pot and No Retreat on Echoes In Time, Vol. 1 (LP & CD); and Gone To Pot on We Have Come For Your Children.
(Vernon Joynson/Clark Faville)

Tracks:
1. Lila
2. The Music Scene
3. Sorry For Yourself
4. Glass Chandlier
5. Tomorrow's Girl
6. Suzie Cryin'
7. Mr. Clock
8. Gone To Pot
9. No Retreat
10. Too Many Heartbreaks
11. When I Get Home
12. Super Market
13. The War Listen
14. Yes I Love You (Bonus)
15. Run Baby Run (Bonus)

H.M.S. Bounty – Things (1968)



Personnel:
BILL DODD gtr A
MERRELL FANKHAUSER gtr, vcls A
JACK JORDAN bs A
LARRY MEYERS perc A

ALBUM:
1(A) THINGS (Shamley SS 701) 1968
NB: (1) reissued on Time Stood Still (TSSLP2) 1985, and CD (Afterglow 015) 1995. Sundazed have also reissued the album on CD with extra tracks.

45s:
1 Things/Rich Man's Fable (Shamley 44006) 1968
2 I'm Flying Home/Girl (I'm Waiting For You) (Shamley 44008) 1969

This brief Fankhauser project was based in Los Angeles in 1968, after he and Dodd had earlier played with Fapardokly. In their time, H.M.S. Bounty often opened for Canned Heat, Electric Flag and the Paul Butterfield Blues Band. They split in early 1969 when Meyers and Dodd left.
This album, which was reissued in 1985 by Cherry Red's subsidiary Time Stood Still, is a melodic amalgam of both folk and acid rock. The latter being represented by the paranoid Lost In The City and Drivin' Sideways (On A One Way Street) with the vocalist recounting a bad trip, and mystical numbers like Madame Silky and A Visit Wlth Ashiya. The album is full of hooks, harmonies and sound effects that were typical of the period. The re-issue includes an additional track, I'm Flying Home - the 'B' side from a 1969 45.
Fankhauser went on to form Mu, who also included Jeff Cotton, formerly of Captain Beefheart.
Fankhauser was one of the more interesting rock figures to emerge from Los Angeles in the sixties. Moving to the West Coast from his birthplace of Louisville, Kentucky, he played with surfing outfits like The Sentinels and The Impacts (with Jack Jordan) and later with (Merrell and) The Exiles, prior to forming Fapardokly. Mu spent much of their time in Maui, Hawaii and were a pretty weird bunch. Fankhauser has also cut solo albums in 1976, 1983, and 1985, which are well worth investigation.
Fankhauser suffered a heart attack following a concert appearance in Pismo Beach, California in 1987 and for a while it was touch and go, but he did fully recover.
Compilation appearances have included: Things (Goin' Round In My Mind) and A Visit With Ashiya on Baubles - Down To Middle Earth (LP).

Tracks:
1. Things (Goin' Round In My Mind)
2. Girl (I'm Waiting For You)
3. What Does She See In You
4. Lost In The City
5. Your Painted Lives
6. Drivin' Sideways (On A One Way Street)
7. In A Minute Not Too Soon
8. A Visit With Ashiya
9. The Big Gray Sky
10. Rich Man's Fable
11. Ice Cube Island
12. Madame Silky
13. I'm Flying Home
14. Everybody's Talkin'
15. Tampa Run

The Artwoods - Art Gallery (1966)


Αν στο γκρουπ δεν υπηρχε ο Jon Lord, θα είχαν ασχοληθεί όπως τώρα? Από την άλλη βέβαια αν επισκεφθεί κανείς το επίσημο site του Lord και ψάξει στην δισκογραφία του όλα ξεκινάνε από τους Purple. Μόνο στην βιογραφία υπάρχει μία μικρή αναφορά.

Personnel:
DEREK GRIFFITHS gtr A
KEEF HARTLEY drms A
JON LORD organ A
MALCOLM POOL bs A
ARTHUR WOOD vcls A

ALBUMS:
1(A) ART GALLERY (Decca LK 4830) 1966 R3
2(A) THE ARTWOODS (Spark SRLM 2006) 1973 R1
3(A) 100 OXFORD STREET (Edsel ED 107) 1983
NB: (1) reissued on Decca Eclipse (ECS 2025) in different sleeve (R1). (3) also issued on CD.

EP:
1 JAZZ IN JEANS (Decca DFE 8654) 1966 R3
NB: There also is a rare French EP (Decca 457.076) which contains their first two UK 45s.

45s:
1 Sweet Mary/If I Ever Get My Hands On You (Decca F 12015) 1964
2 Oh My Love/Big City (Decca F 12091) 1965
3 Goodbye Sisters/She Knows What To Do (Decca F 12206) 1965
4 I Take What I Want/ I'm Looking For A Saxophonist Doubling French Horn Wearing Size 37 Boots (Decca F 12384) 1966
5 I Feel Good/Molly Anderson's Cookery Book (Decca F 12465) 1966
6 What Shall I Do/In The Deep End (Parlophone R 5590) 1967

The Artwoods formed in London in 1964. Arthur Wood (the eldest brother of Rolling Stones and Faces guitarist Ronnie) had previously played with The Art Wood Combo, a swing and blues combo, and was later a member of Blues Incorporated. Indeed, Wood used the name The Art Wood Combo for an earlier line-up of The Artwoods which featured a guy called Reg Dunnage on drums, although by the time their name was shortened to The Artwoods, he had been replaced by Keef Hartley from Rory Storm and The Hurricanes. By now the band had secured a residency at London's 100 Club and a recording deal with Decca. Decca decided not to release their first recording, a cover of Muddy Waters' Hoochie Coochie Man, although acetates do exist and are very expensive collectors' items. Indeed a Leadbelly cover, Sweet Mary, a heavy laid back blues number was chosen as their first single. Although it failed to Chart it got sufficient airplay to bring them a lot of live work and an appearance on the first live edition of 'Ready, Steady, Go!' The follow-up, Oh My Love, was another blues cover with a Jon Lord composition on the flip. It didn't Chart but they continued to get plenty of live work touring England with P.J. Proby, Europe with Petula Clark and backing US blues singer Mae Mercer. Their third single was Goodbye Sisters, a smoother R&B number backed by a self-penned group composition. It also failed to Chart, but they finally achieved some commercial success with their fourth 45, a pulsating cover of Sam and Dave's I Take What I Want.
The Jazz In Jeans EP consisted of three cover versions - Our Man Flint, These Boots Are Made For Walking and A Taste Of Honey and one original, Routine. Originally recorded for release in France it didn't comprise their usual R&B covers and its release in England could easily have damaged their R&B credentials. It is now their rarest and most expensive item.
The Art Gallery album was entirely comprised of cover versions and sold badly, as did the I Feel Good single which was used to promote it. However, I Feel Good was definitely one of their more interesting singles.
In view of their disappointing sales the band were dropped by Decca at the end of 1966 but negotiated a one-off deal with Parlophone who didn't take up the option to extend it when the resultant What Shall I Do 45 flopped.
The group finally split on a tour of Denmark but returned to the UK to find that their booking agent had secured another one-off deal with Fontana. To honour this the group were relaunched under the new name of St. Valentine's Day Massacre. It was to be their final 45 as they split shortly after its release.
Keef Hartley, who was sacked in the final days of The Artwoods later joined John Mayall's Bluebreakers and then formed his own Keef Hartley Band. He later formed Dog Soldier who also included guitarist Derek Griffiths who in the interim had played with Mike Cotton Sound and Satisfaction. Malcolm Pool played with Jon Hiseman's Colosseum and the Don Partridge Band and then started a graphic design studio in Hillingdon. Jon Lord, of course, was later in Deep Purple and Whitesnake. Art Wood formed the short-lived Quiet Melon, who later had two tracks issued on CD in April 1995 and then quit the music business eventually to become a graphic designer.
For those into mega collectables, there's an unissued album, Zetas Twigs, a mix of R&B, music hall and Art's zany Goon Show type humour and also a one-sided acetate of What Shall I Do Now on EMI. Various members of the band also appeared uncredited on the album The Fantastic Freddie Mack Show on Raynik Records in 1966. Freddie Mack was managed by Johnny Jones, The Artwoods' manager, who produced this 'live' recording. Various session men were required to improve the performance of Freddie's original band - enter The Artwoods. The album, a R&B style offering with a Geno Washington feel flopped.
There's also one fake 'collectable' - an acetate of the band playing live in a club in North Wales which was sold by a dealer a few years back for big money. This gig was actually recorded in 1964 by an aquaintance of the band and copied to the band members. Subsequently someone has made an acetate from a couple of tracks on the tape and passed it off as an old demo. Further live tapes do exist.
It's really been the subsequent success of Jon Lord and Keef Hartley that has kept some level of interest in The Artwoods. Decca reissued the Art Gallery album on their budget Eclipse label in 1970. In 1973 Spark put out a compilation comprising eight songs from Art Gallery and all the tracks (except These Boots Are Made For Walking) from the Jazz In Jeans (EP). More recently, Edsel have released a 16 track compilation consisting of all their Decca 'A' and 'B' sides (except Molly Anderson's Cookery Book) and seven cuts from the Art Gallery album. The album came with a four page history of the group written by former member, Derek Griffiths. Repertoire too have an excellent 26-track CD compilation entitled Art Gallery (REP 4533-WP) 1995.
Compilation appearances have included: Shake on Justification (LP); What Shall I Do on My Generation (LP); Chicago Calling and Hoochie Coochie Man on Made In England, Vol. 2 (CD) and Incredible Sound Show Stories, Vol. 5 (LP); In The Deep End, What Shall I Do, Daytripper, Steady Getting' It and Devil With The Blue Dress On/Good Golly Miss Molly on Deep Purple - Odd Ditties (CD).

Tracks:
1.Can You Hear Me?
2.Down In The Valley
3.Things Get Better
4.Walk On The Wild Side
5.I Keep Forgetting
6.Keep Looking
7.One More Heartache
8.Work Work Work
9.Be My Lady
10.If You Gotta Make A Fool Of Somebody
11.Stop And Think It Over
12.Don't Cry No More

Paper Garden - Paper Garden Presents…(1969)


Το μόνο που προλαβαίνω μετά βίας σήμερα είναι να σταθώ στο "Raven". Εξαίσιο.
Personnel:
JIMMY perc A
JOE bs A
JOHN keyb'ds A
PAUL ld gtr A
SANDY gtr A

ALBUM:
1(A) THE PAPER GARDEN PRESENTS... (Musicor MS 3175) 1969
NB: (1) reissued (Antar 3) 1986 in new sleeve. Later reissued in original sleeve 2002.

A varied album of Eastern-style psychedelia but with some jazz influence too. It's become a minor collectors' item and the reissue in 1986 is worth a listen. The group were from the New York area.
Compilation appearances include: I Hide on Pepperisms Around The Globe (LP & CD); and Man Do You on Electric Psychedelic Sitar Headswirlers Vol. 2 (CD).
(Vernon Joynson / Max Waller)

Tracks:
1. Gypsy Wine
2. Sunshine People
3. Way Up High
4. Lady's Man
5. Mr. Mortimer
6. Man Do You
7. Raining
8. I Hide
9. Raven
10. A Day
http://www.shareonall.com/Paper_Garden_-_Paper_Garden_Presents1969_cbln_rar.htm

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Piccadilly Line - The Huge World Of Emily Small (1967)



Η Βρετανική σκηνή ανέδειξε το group των Piccadilly Line, οι οποίοι έβγαλαν ένα και μοναδικό δίσκο με αυτό το πανέμορφο εξώφυλλο. Θα έλεγα από τα ομορφότερα που έχω δει από εκείνη την περίοδο. Το μουσικό περιεχόμενο είναι σε γενικές γραμμές επίσης όμορφο και ήρεμο. Ψυχεδελική pop τολμώ να χαρακτηρίσω την μουσική τους, με πολύ γλυκές μπαλάντες που συνθέτουν ένα όμορφο σύνολο. Σαφώς και ξεχωρίζει το At The Third Stroke, ένα κλασικότατο δείγμα Βρετανικής μουσικής, το οποίο είναι πράγματι εξαιρετικό από πάσης πλευράς. Μέσα στα 12 κομμάτια υπάρχει το Visions Of Johanna του Dylan και το Gone, Gone, Gone των Everly Brοthers το οποίο μου φαντάζει αρκετά ξεκάρφωτο μέσα στο δίσκο τους.

Personnel:
ROD EDWARDS vcls, gtr, keyb'ds A B
ROGER HAND gtr, vcls A
KEITH HODGE drms A
NORRIE McLEAN bs A B
JAN BARBER vcls B
GEORGE BUTLER drms, vcls B

ALBUM:
1(A) THE HUGE WORLD OF EMILY SMALL (CBS (S)BPG 63129) 1967 R1

45s:
1 At The Third Stroke/How Could You Say You're Leaving Me (CBS 2785) 1967
2 Emily Small (The Huge World Thereof)/Gone, Gone, Gone (CBS 2958) 1967
3 Yellow Rainbow/Evenings With Corrina (CBS 3595) 1968
4 Evenings With Corrina/My Best Friend (CBS 3743) 1968
NB: (1) and (3) As Picadilly Line. Also issued as a demo with a different flip side I Know, She Believes.

Their album had a superb 'period' cover. Musically, whimsical toytown pop-psych is on offer. In the early seventies Rod Edwards and Roger Hand formed Edward Hand. Of their 45s, Yellow Rainbow was written by Graham Nash.
Keith Hodge later worked with Duncan Browne, Suzi Quatro and Deke Leonard.
Compilation appearances include: Yellow Rainbow on Psychedelic Voyage Vol. 1 (LP) and Psychedelic Voyage (CD).
(Vernon Joynson/Stephane Rebeschini)

Tracks:
1. Emily Small
2. Silver Paper Dress
3. At The Third Stroke
4. Can You See Me
5. Your Dog Won't Bark
6. How Could You Say You're Leaving Me
7. Gone, Gone, Gone
8. Twiggs
9. Tumble Down World
10. Visions Of Johanna
11. Come And Sing Along
12. Her Name Is Easy

Tudor Lodge - Tudor Lodge (1970)



Ενόψει η δεύτερη επίσημη και πολύ προσεγμένη επανέκδοση (η πρώτη ήταν το 88 από Zap) του μοναδικού Lp των Tudor Lodge το 1990, από την Repertoire (RR 2064-LX) την οποία γενικά βλέπω να παραλείπεται στις δισκογραφίες του group.
Εκτιμώ πως όσοι ακούν και τους αρέσει folk είναι αδύνατον να μην έχουν ακούσει τον συγκεκριμένο δίσκο. Είναι στην κυριολεξία πανέμορφος. Μία γλυκύτατη και συνάμα ονειρική δημιουργία, η οποία παίρνει αυτά τα χαρακτηριστικά λόγω των εξαιρετικών γυναικείων φωνητικών αλλά και του φλάουτου που δένει απόλυτα αρμονικά.
Όσοι φίλοι δεν έχουν ακούσει το δίσκο ας μπουν στον κόπο να το κανουν.

Personnel:
BRITS LYNDON GREEN vcls, gtr A
ANN STEUART gtr, piano, vcls, flute A
JOHN STANNARD vcls, gtr A

ALBUM:
1(A) TUDOR LODGE (Vertigo 6360 043) 1970 R3

NB: (1) reissued on Zap! (ZAP 4) in 1988; and on CD (Red Bus RR 4064-CX) 1990 and on Repertoire (REP 4064-WP) 1991. Recently, three new CD's have been released by the band. It All Comes Back (Scenescof SCOFD 1005) 1998, is a collection of previously unissued recordings from 1970 - 97, including their 1971 non-LP 'B' side. A reformed band have also released Let's Talk (Cast Iron CIRCD 010) 1998, and Dream ( ) 1999.

45:
1 The Lady's Changing Home/The Good Times We Had (Vertigo 6059 044) 1970

A progressive folk-influenced trio whose album is now very rare and sought-after. They were named after a Reading pub and became a popular folk attraction, appearing at the 1971 Cambridge Folk Festival.
The album sleeve folds out into a striking poster. The 'A' side of their 45 was one of the better tracks from the album. The flip side was a not on the album making the 45 of interest too.
The group's vocalist was born in the States. The material on the album is rather delicate and whimsical. It contains nice vocal harmonies and its finer moments include a version of Ralph McTell's Kew Gardens, John Stannard's It All Comes Back To Me, Lyndon Green's Recollections, the traditional instrumental Madeline, as well as the opening cut, Willow Tree, a fine slice of acid-folk which captures Stewart's vocals at their best. This last-mentioned track was also included on Vertigo's 1971 Heads Together, First Round compilation.

Tracks:

It All Comes Back To Me (Stannard)
Would Yoy Beleive (Stannard)
Recollection (Green)
Two Steps Back (Steuart)
Help Me Find Myself (Stannard)
Nobody’s Listening (Stannard)
Willow Tree (Green/Stannard/Steuart)
Forest (Green)
I See A Man (Stannard)
The Lady’s Changing Home (Green/Stannard)
Madeline (Green)
Kew Gardens (Ralph McTell)

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

The Creation - How Does It Feel To Feel


Περνάμε στο Βρετανικό νησί για να ακούσουμε μία έκδοση της πανέμορφης εταιρείας (πολλές καλές ανατυπώσεις) EDSEL (ED 106) από τους Creation που κόστισε τότε μόνο 1780 δραχμούλες. Κυκλοφορεί βέβαια και το We Are The Paintermen με bonus κομμάτια, ωστόσο αυτό το δισκάκι περιέχει το The Girls Are Naked που δεν είναι στο δίσκο. Συνεπώς αξίζει να «αποκτηθεί» ώστε να υπάρχουν τα «άπαντα».
Ας βάλετε στο μυαλό σας τους Who, τους Kinks και τους Small Faces θα καταλάβετε τι εστί The Creation.

Personnel:
BOB GARNER bs, vcls A B C
JACK JONES drms A B C
EDDIE PHLLIPS ld gtr A B
KENNY PICKETT vcls A C
KIM GARDNER bs B C
RONNIE WOOD ld gtr B

ALBUMS: 1(A) WE ARE PAINTERMEN (Hit-ton 340037) 1967 R4
2 BEST OF (Pop-Schallplatten 101678) 1968 R3

NB: (1) and (2) German only releases. (1) was reissued in 1982 (OutLine OLLP 5234 AS). A companion volume of their non-LP cuts and rarities entitled The Rest Of The Creation (Outline OLLP 5242 AS), collected together most of their other recordings using a similar cover to (2). Other compilations have included: Creation '66-'67(Charisma CS 8) 1973 R1; The Mark Four/The Creation (Eva 12005) 1983; How Does It Feel To Feel (Edsel ED 106) 1983, later reissued on CD (Edsel EDCD 106) 1990 with four extra cuts; Painter Man (Edsel NESTCD 904) 1993 - a mini-CD which duplicates much of the superior How Does It Feel To Feel compilation. Finally there's Creation - The Complete Collection, Vol. 1 (Making Time) (Retroactive RECD 9002) 1998 and Creation - The Complete Collection, Vol. 2 (Biff Bang Pow) (Retroactive RECD 9003) 1998 which collect together all the existing Creation recordings from the '60s, including rare stereo mixes, previously unreleased and live material.

45s:1 Making Time/Try And Stop Me (Planet PLF 116) 1966
2 Painter Man/Biff Bang Pow (Planet PLF 119) 1966
3 If I Stay Too Long/Nightmares (Polydor 56177) 1967 -
4 Through My Eyes/Life Is Just Beginning (Polydor 56207) 1967 -
5 How Does It Feel To Feel/Tom Tom (Polydor 56230) 1968 -
6 Midway Down/The Girls Are Naked (Polydor 56246) 1968 -

Reissue 45s:
7 Making Time/Painter Man (Charisma CB 213) 1973 -
8 Making Time/Painter Man (PS) (Raw RAW 4) 1977 -
9 Making Time/Uncle Bert (PS) (Edsel E 5006) 1984 -

This group evolved out of The Mark Four, which featured Phillips, Pickett and Jones, with John Dalton on bass. The Mark Four recorded four singles, which are now very sought-after, primarily because they were the first recordings by this personnel. When Dalton departed to join The Kinks, Bob Garner joined from Tony Sheridan's Band as a replacement.
The group then changed their name to The Creation and had two minor UK hits with Making Time, which reached No 49 in July 1966 and Painter Man, a No 36 in November 1966. Both featured fine guitar work from Phillips who was the first musician to use a violin bow on his guitar. Both were reissued on a double-sided single in 1973 and 1977. They appeared at the 14-Hour Technicolour Dream in London's Alexander Palace in May '67.
Kenny Pickett now left the group for a while. Bob Garner took over on vocals and Kim Gardner (from The Birds) came in on bass.
After Planet folded they switched to Polydor for whom they released four further singles. All of The Creation's singles are sought-after.
The Creation made far more impact on the Continent, where two albums were issued, than in the UK. Both albums are good, containing many of their singles and other strong material such as Hey Joe, Nightmares and Can I Join Your Band?:-
'Can I join your bandI'm a hippy guyAlways stonedAnd eight miles high'(from Can I Join Your Band?)
In 1968, Ronnie Wood (later of The Faces and Rolling Stones) replaced Phillips on guitar, although later that year the whole group disintegrated. They made a further single, For All That I Am/Uncle Bert, which was not released in Britain, before splitting in the Summer of 1968. Both of their Continental albums are extremely rare, particularly copies of We Are Paintermen. However, for the less affluent, there have been a number of compilations, and any of these will serve as a good introduction to the band.
The Creation were rather special and this explains collectors' interest in them. They were innovative and talented. Pickett's vocals were powerful, Phillips' guitar work was inventive and they composed some excellent songs. They were a theatrical live attraction, too, Pickett often sprayed aerosol paint onto a white screen and burnt it. It is surprising that the success they achieved on the Continent eluded them here - perhaps they spent too little time in the UK.
After they split, Kenny Pickett co-wrote Clive Dunn's 1970 No 1 Grandad! and was a roadie for Led Zeppelin. Gardner later became part of Ashton, Gardner and Dyke who had a 1971 hit with Resurrection Shuffle.
The Creation reformed in May 1987 and issued a single, A Spirit Of Love, backed by an update of their sixties hit, Making Time. They reformed again in the nineties (line-up Bob Garner, Eddie Phillips, Kenny Pickett and Jack Jones) issuing a live album, Lay The Ghost (Cohesion COCRE 1) 1993, which captures their excellent re-union gig at London's Mean Fiddler venue that year. The CD package comes in an LP-sized sleeve, with a pop-art poster and detailed liner notes by Kenny Pickett. The band also recorded a single Creation, in 1994 and started recording an album of new studio material in 1995. They've also did some further gigs and had a BBC Radio One session on 'The Mark Radcliffe Show'.
Sadly, Kenny Pickett, the band's much loved singer and principal songwriter died on 10th January, 1997.
Compilation appearances have included: Painter Man and That's How Strong My Love Is (both live from German TV) on Made In England, Vol. 1 (CD); Making Time on Psychedelic Visions (CD); That's How Strong My Love Is (live on German TV) on Sound Of The Sixties (Dble LP) and Sixties Archive Vol. 1 (CD); Sweet Helen (prev. unreleased) on Artefacts From The Psychedelic Dungeon (CD); Making Time, Try And Stop Me, Painter Man and Biff Bang Pow on The Best Of Planet Records (CD).
(Vernon Joynson / Wolfgang Duringer)

Tracks:
1. How Does It Feel to Feel
2. Life Is Just Beginning
3. Through My Eyes
4. Ostrich Man
5. I Am the Walker
6. Tom Tom
7. The Girls Are Naked
8. Painter Man
9. Try And Stop Me
10. Biff Bang Pow
11. Making Time
12. Coll Jerk
13. For All That I Am
14. Nightmares
15. Midway Down
16. Can I Join Your Band


http://www.shareonall.com/The_Creation_-_How_Does_It_Feel_To_Feel_ktfm_rar.htm

Tim Buckley – Greetings From LA (1972)

Σε λίγες μέρες συμπληρώνονται 33 χρόνια από τον θάνατο του Timothy Charles Buckley III (29 Ιουνίου 1975). Δυστυχώς η μάστιγα όχι μόνο εκείνης της εποχής αλλά όλων σχεδόν των μεταπολεμικών εποχών για την νεολαία βασικά, πήρε πρόωρα και αυτόν τον τόσο χαρισματικό καλλιτέχνη. Είναι μαθηματικά βέβαιο πως τα χημικά και στο μέλλον θα συνεχίσουν να αφαιρούν ζωές από νέους βασικά ανθρώπους.
Όπως ίσως γνωρίζεται κάποιοι φίλοι του Blog, είμαι καθηγητής σε σχολείο όπου εκτός των τυπικών μου υποχρεώσεων, οφείλω ως χρέος, να ενημερώσω τους μαθητές μου και για αυτό το θέμα, με την «ευτυχώς» μικρή εμπειρία που έχω. Δεν είναι εύκολο, τουλάχιστον όμως έχω την δυνατότητα να είμαι αντικειμενικός χωρίς να μπαίνω σε λεπτομέρειες και ταυτόχρονα να είμαι κάθετα αποτρεπτικός έστω και ως απόπειρα περιέργειας.
Η σχολική κοινότητα όμως έχει ακόμα ταμπού σε τέτοια πράγματα, όταν δε οι συζητήσεις μεταφερθούν από τους μαθητές στο οικογενειακό περιβάλλον (με το δάσκαλο κουβεντιάζαμε για τα ναρκωτικά) κινδυνεύεις να βρεις τον μπελά σου (που να έχεις δηλαδή και μακριά μαλλιά όπως εγώ και που να μάθουν ότι βάζεις και σε μπαρ μουσική…..πίσσα και πούπουλα).
Μόνον αν έρθουν έγγραφα από το Υπουργείο ή από άλλους κρατικούς φορείς που να επιβάλλουν κάποια γενική ηλίθια όπως πάντα ενημέρωση των μαθητών πάνω στο θέμα, επιτρέπονται ακίνδυνα οι συζητήσεις. Δηλαδή από σπάνια έως ποτέ.
Δυστυχώς τα παιδιά ζουν στο μύθο των όσων ακούν για τα ναρκωτικά, μερικά έχουν βέβαια δοκιμάσει για μαγκιά, για να «μεγαλώσουν» πρόωρα κ.λ.π. Δεν κρύβω να πω πως σε παλαιότερο μεγάλο σχολείο που ήμουν, γινόταν ανοιχτά διακίνηση υπό την ανοχή όλων την ώρα του διαλλείματος. Ουκ ολίγους μαθητές μετέφερα τότε στο ιατρείο του σχολείου λιώμα. Η κατάσταση ξεφεύγει ολοένα και περισσότερο, αλλά ουδείς μπαίνει στο κόπο να δώσει σημασία. Όταν εμφανίζεται κάποιο πρόβλημα επικρατεί το κουκούλωμα έτσι ώστε να καλύψουν τους κώλους τους οι κάθε λογής προϊστάμενοι. Αυτή είναι δυστυχώς η κατάσταση, η οποία με όσα βλέπω και μαθαίνω καθημερινά είναι μη αναστρέψιμη.
Ο Tim Buckley όπως και τόσα αστέρια της εποχής, έπεσαν θύμα αυτού του χημικού κόσμου που έχει φαινομενικά διάφορες πόρτες «διαφυγής». Ουσιαστικά όμως έχει μόνο μία για τους περισσότερους… για τον Άδη.
Όσον αφορά το Lp, ήταν από τα πλέον αντιεμπορικά του, με περιεχόμενο ένα κράμα από blues, soul και funk σε μερικές στιγμές. Ξεχωρίζω το Get On Top.

Tracks:
1. Move With Me 4:52
2. Get On Top 6:32
3. Sweet Surrender 6:47
4. Nighthawkin' 3:22
5. Devil Eyes 6:50
6. Hong Kong Bar 7:07
7. Make It Right 4:10
http://www.shareonall.com/Tim_Buckley__Greetings_From_LA_moiz_rar.htm

Monday, June 16, 2008

Animals Anthology – 1964/1965


Κάπου στην Ηλιούπολη το 1986, στο μπαράκι Doors για όσους το ήξεραν με «παράρτημα» στην Αντίπαρο τα καλοκαίρια, πάρθηκε η απόφαση με δύο φίλους για ένα μεγάλο ταξίδι. Ένα ταξίδι ζωής. Προορισμός η Ισπανία. Μέσον, ένα αμαξάκι Σκόντα μικρού κυβισμού με την μηχανή πίσω. Το αλησμόνητο αυτό ταξίδι με τις ατέλειωτες περιπέτειες που ως ένα σημείο τολμώ να πω πως θύμιζαν Κέρουακ, κράτησε κάτι παραπάνω από ένα μήνα, με την επιστροφή του να περνά από την πανέμορφη Ανδόρα. Τα χρήματα για την επιστροφή ήταν ελάχιστα, ικανά όμως να με φέρουν να ψάχνω δισκάδικα. Βρήκα ένα με φτηνούς δίσκους από το οποίο «σκούπησα» ότι βρήκα από Animals και J.Airplane. Όπως καταλαβαίνεται προτιμώ να μου βγάλουνε το μάτι παρά να χάσω αυτά τα βινύλια.

Δεν έχω να σχολιάσω κάτι για τον συγκεκριμένο δίσκο. Κλασικά κομμάτια, διαμάντια από τους αξεπέραστους Animals. Στην πορεία θα ανεβάσω και τα υπόλοιπα.

Tracks:
1.Baby Let Me Take You Home
2.Gonna Send You Back To Walker
3.The House Of The Rising Sun
4.Talkin’ Bout You
5.I’m Crying
6.Dimples
7.She Said Yeah
8.I’m In Love Again
9.Boom Boom
10.Club-A-Gogo
11.Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood
12.Roadrunner
13.Bury My Body
14.Around And Around
15.The Girl Can’t Help It
16.The Right Time
17.Memphis Tennessee
18.The Story Of Bo Diddley
19.I’m Mad Again
20.Roberta
21.Bring It On Home To Me
22.Hallelujah I Love Her So
23.For Miss Caulker
24.Mess Around
25.We’ve Gotta Get Out Of This Place
26.I Ain’t Got You
27.How You’re Changed
28.Worried Life Blues
29.It’s My Life
30I Believe To My Soul
31.I’m Gonna Change The World
32.Let The Good Times Roll

Thursday, June 12, 2008

The Collectors - The Collectors (1967)


Είναι το δεύτερο post που κάνω για τους Collectors όπου αυτή την φορά έχουμε το ντεμπούτο τους. Ποιοτικότατη ψυχεδέλια από αυτό το Καναδέζικο γκρουπ, με εξαιρετικές αρμονίες και όμορφα φωνητικά. Θα ξεχωρίσω το πανέμορφο She (The Will O'The Wind) από ένα δίσκο που προτείνω ανεπιφύλαχτα να ακούσουν όσοι δεν έτυχε. Όπως έχω γράψει στο παρελθόν, όπου βλέπεται Καναδούς να τους ακούτε. Εκτιμώ πως σαν κράτος ήταν περισσότερο κοντά στην δυτική κουλτούρα, για αυτό και η μουσική τους είναι πιο «περίπλοκη».

Personnel:
BILL HENDERSON gtr, keyb'ds A
CLAIRE LAWRENCE keyb'ds, sax, flute A
GLEN MILLER bs, vcls A
ROSS TURNEY drms A
HOWIE VICKERS vcls A

ALBUMS:
1(A) THE COLLECTORS aka NEW VIBRATIONS FROM CANADA (New Syndrome/Warner Bros WF 1746) 1967 SC
2(A) GRASS AND WILD STRAWBERRIES (New Syndrome/Warner Bros WF 1774) 1968 SC
3(A) SEVENTEENTH SUMMER (Edsel ED 214) 1987-U.K.
NB: (1) and (2) issued on Warner Bros in 1968 and 1969 respectively. (1) and (2) also reissued on CD (Line LECD 9.01009 O) 1991 and (Line LECD 9.01013 O) 1990.

45s:
1 Looking At A Baby/Old Man (New Syndrome 16) 1967 23
2 Fisherwoman/Listen To The Words (New Syndrome 19) 1967 18
3 Fat Bird/Make It Easy (Warner Bros 7159) 1968 99
4 Lydia Purple/She (Will O' The Wind) (Warner Bros 7194) 1968 55
5 Early Morning/My Love Delights Me (Warner Bros 7300) 1969 84
6 I Must Have Been Blind/Beginning Part I (London M 17379) 1970 56
7 Sometimes We're Up/Beginning Part 2 (London M 17383) 1970 63
NB: (1) Also issued on (Valiant V-760) in the U.S.. (2) Also on (Warner Bros 7059) in the U.S.. (7) Also on (London HLU 10304) in the U.K..

This Vancouver, B.C., band formed as the C-Fun Classics in 1961 and set out playing cover versions of current and past hits. Also known as The Classics they soon reverted to their own material and put out two 45s: Ace's High/Comin' Home Baby (Jaguar J 2001) 1963 and Till I Met You/I Didn't Take Much (Jaguar J 2002) 1964. The second of these was picked up by Jerden for national distribution in the U.S. (Jerden 742) 1964. Having appeared as a back-up band to local DJ Fred Latremouille on his 45, Latromotion/Good Lovin' (London M17339), the band travelled to Los Angeles to cut a 45, I Don't Know/Gone Away (Valiant V 723) in 1965 as The Canadian Classics to differentiate them from the other Classics around. The same coupling was issued in Canada on Jaguar 2003. It was only a minor success but helped establish The Classics at a time when other Canadian bands like Sparrow were beginning to attract attention in California. The Classics became known as The Collectors during 1967. Their first 45 was picked up by Valiant and after the follow-up, Fisherwoman, reached No. 15 in the Canadian Hot 100, they travelled to Los Angeles to record their brilliant debut album. One side was given over to the What Love (Suite), an ambitious live 19-minute piece which is at times brilliant and at other times flawed. The other side contained songs like She The Will O'The Wind which had a beautiful flute piece; the more strident Howard Christman's Older which bordered on the menacing; the melodic Lydia Purple and the beautifully haunting One Act Play. What Love was later commissioned as a film soundtrack by the Canadian Film Board and they were also invited to write music for their country's Pavilion at the 1970 World Exposition in Osaka, Japan.
Fans of the band should also check out the internet distributed U Spaces: Psychedelic Archaeology Vol. 4 CDR. This includes two tracks by The Collectors originally broadcast on the CBS 'Let's Go - Music Hop' TV show, Ring The Bells and Uncle Wiggley in '67/'68. The band got to lip-sync six numbers, which were recorded prior to transmission - the other four being, Fly Too High, Fat Bird, Curse Of The Universe and Adanac.
(Vernon Joynson/Ben Chaput/John Melbourne/Gert Veltinkby)

Tracks:
1 What is Love? (3:51)
2 She (Will-O-the-Wind) (3:51)
3 Howard Christman’s Older (5:08)
4 Lydia Purple (2:47)
5 One Act Play (3:42)
6 What Love (Suite) (19:06)

Spirit - Twelve Dreams of DR. Sardonicus (1970)


Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus was a largely successful, and decently grossing, album released by the psychedelic rock ensemble Spirit. Produced by David Briggs, who is best known for his work with Neil Young, its 1970 publication, undertaken by record label Epic, came shortly before the original group disbanded.
This loosely-based, sci-fi concept album is a diverse yet cohesive effort, and long considered by fans, critics and musicians alike to be one of the finest albums ever recorded The album's second song is the keynote track "Nature's Way", the most notable hit (along with "I've Got a Line on You") the band would ever produce. "Mr. Skin" also became a hit single in the U.S., three years after the album's release. The album also includes several other lesser-known tunes which are considered to have had an impact on the genre of experimental rock in the United States.
The album evidently had an influence on other groups -- the track "Morning Will Come" presaged the emerging glam rock trend and sounds strikingly similar to the music of Marc Bolan and T. Rex. The piano figure that opens the instrumental track "Space Child" so closely resembles the piano intro of the 1978 Steely Dan hit "FM" that it is almost certain that Steely Dan was making a musical reference to Spirit. A modern nod to Spirit was given by Sam Beam of lo-fi indie band Iron and Wine. The breakdown in "Wolves(Song of the Shepherd's Dog)" matches that in "Prelude-Nothing to Hide".
Just as in previous attempts, Spirit fused aspects of jazz and folk together with their traditional rock stylings, but unlike them, they introduced added elements of space rock, or popular music's science-fiction subset. This innovative LP is also notable as one of the first rock albums to use the newly-developed Moog synthesizer.
(Wikipedia)

Tracks:
"Prelude – Nothin' to Hide"
"Nature's Way"
"Animal Zoo"
"Love Has Found a Way"
"Why Can't I Be Free?"
"Mr. Skin"
"Space Child"
"When I Touch You"
"Street Worm"
"Life Has Just Begun"
"Morning Will Come"
"Soldier"

Monday, June 09, 2008

Crystal Chandelier – Singles (68-69)


Νομίζω πως θα συμφωνείτε πως δεν πρέπει πάντα να ασχολούμαστε με τα γκρουπ που έβγαλαν μεγάλο δίσκο. Εξίσου μεγάλα συγκροτήματα αναδείχθηκαν μόνο μέσα από τις 45 στροφές. Αν μάλιστα ήταν σαν τους Crystal Chandelier τότε προφανώς έμειναν στην αφάνια. Με ένα παντελώς άσημο γκρουπ καταπιάνομαι σήμερα για το οποίο δυστυχώς όσο και αν έψαξα δεν βρήκα πληροφορίες. Οι ελάχιστες που υπάρχουν αναφέρονται παρακάτω στο Αγγλικό κείμενο.
Η αιτία που ασχολούμαι μαζί τους είναι το καταπληκτικό κομμάτι The Setting Of Despair, όπου για αυτό και μόνο αξίζει να μνημονεύονται για την προσφορά τους στην μουσική. Υποκειμενική σαφώς αυτή η άποψη, αλλά έτσι πιστεύω.
Μία πανέμορφη από πάσης πλευράς σύνθεση είναι στην πρώτη πλευρά του πρώτου τους σινγκλ και ένα πιο «γκαραζοειδές» στην δεύτερη.
Το δεύτερο και τελευταίο σινγλ της καριέρας τους περιέχει το Suicidal Flowers το οποίο θυμίζει Doors. Τα φωνητικά παραπέμπουν ξεκάθαρα στον Jim Morrison και τα keyboards στον Ray Manzarek. Πιστέυω ότι αν το έλεγαν οι Doors θα είχε γίνει μεγάλη επιτυχία. Πιο ήρεμο και με τα ίδια γνωρίσματα είναι το επίσης ποιοτικότατο Land Of Love της πίσω πλευράς.
Νομίζω ότι δεν θα βρείτε εύκολα τα «άπαντα» των Crystal Chandelier (βασικά υπάρχουν παντού μόνο τα The Setting Of Despair και Suicidal Flowers, όχι όμως τα άλλα δύο), τα οποία αξίζει τον κόπο να έχετε. Κρίμα που ένα τέτοιο γκρουπ περιορίστηκε σε δύο μόνο σινγκλ. Εκτιμώ πως είχαν τεράστιο ταλέντο που θα τους επέτρεπε να λάμψουν σαν "κρυστάλλινος πολυέλαιος", ωστόσο δυστυχώς χάθηκαν. Στην φωτο από το σινγκλ που βρήκα στο νετ θα δείτε ότι έχουν «φάει» ένα γράμμα από το όνομα του γκρουπ.

45s:
1 The Setting Of Despair/It's Only You (United Artists 50284) 1968
2 Suicidal Flowers/Land Of Love (Cobblestone 730) 1969

A psychedelic punk outfit from Providence, Rhode Island. Suicidal Flowers had a distinctively Eastern flavour, and is well worth checking out.
Compilation appearances have included: Suicidal Flowers on Pebbles, Vol. 3 (LP), Pebbles Vol. 3 (CD), Pebbles, Vol. 2 (ESD) (CD), Pebbles Box (5-LP), Acid Dreams - The Complete 3 LP Set (3-LP), Acid Dreams Epitaph (CD), Trash Box (5-CD) and Great Pebbles (CD); The Setting Of Despair on Punk Ballads Sampler (LP), Sixties Archive Vol. 5 (CD), Son Of The Gathering Of The Tribe (LP) and Acid and Flowers (CD).
The Suicidal Flowers track later gave name to the psychedelic necro-folk-rock band The Suicidal Flowers from York in the UK.
(Vernon Joynson / Max Waller / Erik Lindgren)

Tracks:
1. The Setting Of Despair
2. It's Only You
3. Suicidal Flowers
4. Land Of Love

Saturday, June 07, 2008

The Chob (Choab) - Singles


Από ελάχιστες έως ανύπαρκτες είναι οι πληροφορίες για αυτό γκρουπ. Βρήκα ελάχιστα πράγματα που αφορούσαν κυρίως τα σινγκλάκια τους από εδώ http://www.finerecordingstudio.com/g45/ ( βάζω τα κείμενα) παρά βιογραφικά στοιχεία

Τhe most important thing to know about this 45 is how to spot the phoney. It has "5016" and a squiggle in the deadwax area, on the a-side. The real thing has "LAVETTE LA 5016" and "SJW - 9190". As well as the neat extra numbers, you get double the volume and clarity when you shell out your megabucks for an original copy. Otherwise, the ring-in is almost indistinguishable from the real thing. The appearance of a flood of bootleg copies did little to affect the value of the original (and therefore the position on the G45). More damaging (or thrilling if you got one of them) was the discovery of a small cache of mint copies 2 years ago which we think may have come from Lindy Blaskey's personal stock. Hear it on Teenage Shutdown TS-6604, plus a host of other compilations (M&P1, CF1, SA4, etc.) The flip is a killer version of the Young Rascals classic.

Θεωρώ ότι το We're Pretty Quick δεν σας έχει «ξεφύγει». Μιλάμε για ένα garage killer πραγματικό. Πολύ καλό επίσης είναι το Why Am I Alone? που αναρωτιέται ο καλλιτέχνης το οποίο κυκλοφόρησαν ως The Choab.
Τhe classic example of a track elevated by a killer lead break with scream. Until the break, it's a fine but standard garage mover, nothing too special. When the break hits, the energy level peaks, and stays high for the rest of the track. This is the second 45 by the band, who released an even better (but not as rare) 45 on the Lavette label as the Chob. The second 45 shows how the guys wanted their name to be pronounced. From Albuquerque, New Mexico. Hear it on Teenage Shutdown TS-6603. The flip is one of the best versions of the Boyce & Hart classic.

Προφανώς και δεν έχω τα σινγκλάκια (τα «άπαντα» των Chob ουσιαστικά) ωστόσο τα μάζεψα ως mp3 αφού αξίζουν απόλυτα τον κόπο να τα έχουμε και να τα ακούμε.

Personnel:
KEITH BRADSHAW bs A
ROBBIE CRNICH keyb'ds A
DAVE ELLEDGE drms A
DICK HANSON vcls, gtr A
QUINTON MILLER ld gtr A

45s:
1 We're Pretty Quick/Ain't Gonna Eat Out My Heart Anymore (Lavette LA 5016) 1966
2 Why Am I Alone?/I'm Not Your Steppin' Stone (QQ 724) 196?

Arguably their first 45 was one of the best 45s to come out of New Mexico in the mid-sixties. They came from the Albuquerque and were also responsible for Why Am I Alone? credited to Choab (a euphemism for pimple!).
Compilation appearances have so far included: We're Pretty Quick on Mayhem & Psychosis, Vol. 1 (LP), Mayhem & Psychosis, Vol. 1 (CD), The Chosen Few, Vol. 1 (LP), Chosen Few Vol's 1 & 2 (CD), Songs We Taught The Fuzztones (Dble LP & Dble CD) and Teenage Shutdown, Vol. 4 (LP & CD); We're Pretty Quick and Ain't Gonna Eat Out My Heart Anymore on New Mexico Punk From The Sixties (LP) Sixties Archive Vol. 4 (CD); and Why Am I Alone? on Punk Classics, Vol. 1 (7" EP), Punk Classics (CD) and Teenage Shutdown, Vol. 3 (LP & CD).

Tracks:
1. We're Pretty Quick
2. Ain't Gonna Eat Out My Heart Anymore
3. Why Am I Alone?
4. I'm Not Your Steppin' Stone

Friday, June 06, 2008

West Coast Natural Gas - Go Run And Play / A Favor (1967)


Πολλές φορές αναρωτιέμαι, τι μπορεί να έφταιξε και τέτοιου είδους γκρουπ που έστω από ένα και μόνο 45αρι που κυκλοφόρησαν δείχνουν εξαιρετικοί από πάσης πλευράς, εξαφανίστηκαν. Όσοι δεν έτυχε να τους προσέξουν ή να τους ακούσουν ας μπουν στον κόπο. Πραγματικά το σινγκλάκι τους είναι διαμάντι.
Συμπληρώνω στο Αγγλικό κείμενο, τις πληροφορίες ότι η 8μελής jazz μπάντα των Indian Puddin' and Pipe περιείχε μουσικούς από τους The Don Ellis Orchestra, West Coast Natural Gas, Sonny and Cher Band καιBrave New World.
Χρήσιμες πληροφορίες για το γκρουπ θα βρείτε εδώ σε μία συνέντευξη του Kris Larson http://members.aol.com/Velvetfogg/HTML/WCNG.html

Personnel:
CHUCK BATES ld gtr A
DAVE BURKE A B C
KEP gtr, vcls A B
JEFF LaBRACHE drms A B C
KRIS LARSON gtr A B C
STEVE MACK ld gtr B C
PAT CRAIG vcls C

45:
1(C) Go Run And Play / A Favor (San Francisco Sound EU-2048) Nov. 1967

From Seattle, this act later went to San Francisco, met Matthew Katz, and became the "definitive" vesion of Indian Puddin' and Pipe! This 45, produced by Katz under the bands original moniker, has a fantastic 'B' side, written by Steve Mack, with an irresistable rhythm and a great guitar break.
Curiously West Coast Natural Gas (before they moved to 'Frisco) had played a gig in Seattle with the "original" Indian Puddin' and Pipe (who became Easy Chair)...
The band also made at least one other recording, The Jumping Frog, an original by Pat Craig, which has yet to see the light of day.
Jeff LaBrache had earlier played with The Imperials (one 45 on Jerden), The City Limits and Rocky and His Friends.
Compilation appearances include: A Favor and Go Run And Play on U-Spaces: Psychedelic Archaeology Vol. 1 (CDR).
Tracks:
1. A Favor
2. Go Run And Play

Magic Carpet - Magic Carpet (1972)


Η περιορισμένης ανατύπωσης επανέκδοση (είναι το 2ο νούμερο της εταιρείας) της Magic Carpet Records που έγινε το 1995, μας απασχολεί σήμερα σε μία βροχερή τουλάχιστον εδώ, μέρα από το folk γκρουπ των Magic Carpet. Σύμφωνα με τις πληροφορίες που βρήκα βγήκαν συνολικά 1000 κόπιες ενώ μόνο οι 500 έχουν τις υπογραφές του γκρουπ. Έχω την «τιμή» να κρατώ την κόπια Νο 362 σε mint κατάσταση.

Ανατολίτικοι ήχοι, Ινδικοί ουσιαστικά, διανθισμένοι από σιτάρ που παίζει ο Clem Alford, με ποιητικούς στίχους οι οποίοι περιέχονται στη έκδοση του Lp αλλά και πανέμορφα φωνητικά. Περισσότερες πληροφορίες πέραν του Αγγλικού κειμένου θα βρείτε εδώ http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/1997_articles/apr97/magiccarpet.html?print=yes αλλά και εδώ http://members.aol.com/Magiccarpetdiscs/AlishaSufit.html

Personnel:
CLEM ALFORD sitar, esraj, tamboura A B
JIM MOYES gtr A
KESHAV SATHE tabla, perc A
ALISHA SUFIT vcls, gtr A B
PANDIT DINESH tabla B
ESMAIL SHEIKH tabla B

ALBUMS:
1(A) MAGIC CARPET (Mushroom 200 MR 20) 1972 R2
2(B) ONCE MOOR - MAGIC CARPET II (Magic Carpet Records MC 1004) 1996
NB: (2) as Magic Carpet II. (1) has been counterfeited and also reissued on CD (Essex 1005 CD) 1993, and on LP and CD (Magic Carpet MC 1001) 1995.

A mystical Eastern-sounding psychedelic folk album which was produced and engineered by Vic Keary at Chalk Farm Studios in the Winter of 1971/2. All the tracks are self-penned, half of them by the vocalist Alisha alone.
The band had formed at the beginning of the seventies. Alisha Sufit had a haunting voice ideally suited to the blend of Indian and Western music available on this album. Clem Alford was a classically-trained sitar player who'd travelled to India to learn more about Indian classical music. In 1971 they discovered Mushroom Records, which specialised in Indian-related recordings and has gone on to become a very collectable label. Sadly the band split up before the resulting album was released so it was never properly promoted. Mushroom were getting into financial difficulties in any case and could only afford to finance a limited pressing of 1,000 copies, which sold slowly over the next half dozen years.
What of the album? Well, the tracks are basically of two types. There are the pleasant, Eastern-sounding instrumentals typified by the title track, Alan's Christmas Card and Take Away Kesh and the tracks that showcase Alisha Sufit's delicate vocals like The Phoenix, Black Cat, Peace Song and High Street.
After the band's demise, Clem Alford went on to record a couple of solo albums and also issued an album as Sargam (misspelt as Sagram on the record). Alisha Sufit developed her interest in art but did eventually return to the recording studio in 1992 with some respected backing musicians to record Alisha Through The Looking Glass (Sufit 010 CD/MC), which was issued on CD and cassette.
Alisha Sufit and Clem Alford recorded a stylistically similar second album Once Moor as by Magic Carpet II in 1996.
Compilation appearances include: Father Time on Electric Psychedelic Sitar Headswirlers Vol. 5 (CD).
Tracks:
1. The magic carpet
2. The phoenix
3. Black cat
4. Alans Christmas Card
5. Harvest Song
6. Do you hear the words
7. Father Time
8. La La
9. Peace Song
10. Take Away kesh
11. High Street
12. The Dream

Tuesday, June 03, 2008

The Souls Of Inspyration - The Souls Of Inspyration (1970)


Οριακά και σήμερα λόγω αυξημένων υποχρεώσεων, πρόλαβα να ανεβάσω ακόμα κάτι. Είμαστε σε περίοδο που οι μαθητές μας γράφουν εξετάσεις, οπότε μεσολαβούν διορθώσεις, θέματα κ.λπ. Πάντως μην ανησυχεί κανείς θα τους περάσω όλους. Είναι καλά παιδιά όλα τους (και τα 220 ζωή ναχουνε). Ομολογώ πάντως πως ενώ ξεκίνησα το Blog από καθαρό ψώνιο με έχει αγχώσει πολύ. Μπορεί να μην δίνω λογαριασμό σε κανένα για το πότε θα ανεβάζω ή όχι ένα αρχείο, ωστόσο νοιώθω την υποχρέωση πως πρέπει να το κάνω κάθε μέρα, λόγω των φίλων που κάνουν τον κόπο να μπαίνουν κάθε μέρα στο blog. Το Ιούλιο πάντως σκέφτομαι να πάρω «ρεπό» ωστόσο αν βρω χρόνο θα έχω ετοιμάσει από πριν μερικά αρχειάκια να τα ανεβάζω από τις διακοπές που έχω να κάνω 3 χρόνια.

Άντε λοιπόν και ένας «πειρατής» με το χαρακτηριστικό label για σήμερα από αυτούς που «ζύγιζαν» πολύ. Όταν εννοώ ζύγιζαν πολύ, εννοώ το βάρος του βινυλίου ήταν «κάμποσο». Δισκάδικο της Αθηνας με 4000 δρχ αγοράζατε την συγκεκριμένη κόπια από αυτό Καναδέζικο γκρουπ.Με τον συγκεκριμένο δίσκο γίνεται το εξής. Ακούγοντας τον ναι μεν δεν εντυπωσιάζεσαι αλλά δεν πάει το χέρι σου και να τον βγάλεις. Περιμένεις συνέχεια το επόμενο κομμάτι. Θα ξεχωρίσω το Sun Shines in the Winter και το Eyes of Nature που έχει πανέμορφη κιθάρα. Αξίζει τον κόπο να ακούσουν το δίσκο όσοι δεν έτυχε ως τώρα. Τελειώνοντας θα συμπληρώσω λέγοντας πως γενικά δεν με έχει απογοητεύσει σχεδόν ποτέ κανένα γκρουπ που να έχω ακούσει και να προέρχεται από τον Καναδά. Στα ονόμα του γκρουπ βλέπω το όνομα του ντράμερ που θυμίζει κάτι Ελληνικό δεν νομίζεται?

Personnel:
RAYMOND CLOUTIER piano, organ, vcls A
JOHN MACIEJEWSKI lead vcls, lead gtr A
MARK PARADIS drms, vcls A
DON WILSON bs A

ALBUM:
1(A) THE SOULS OF INSPYRATION (Columbia ES 90061) 1970 R3
NB: (1) has been counterfeited.

45:
1 Pursuit/Eyes Of Nature (Barry 3524) 1970

Τhe honour of playing at Canada's award winning pavilion at Expo '70 and being the group to close out activities in the musical presentations will be "SOULS OF INSPYRATION". A Group that has begun to implant their name on an International basis before their first record has been released.
Originating from Red Lake, Ontario (near the Manitoba border), Mark Paradis (drums/bgrd vocals), John Maciejewski)guitar/vocals), and Don Wilson(bass), traveled throughout Canada's midwest and on a tour east, came to roost in the city of Sherbrooke, Quebec, in September of 1968, They took on a new member, Raymond Cloutier, and began working toward a solid foundation that could spring them into a successful career. The popularity of the group spread throughout Quebec. They were fortunate to appear with groups like the Vanilla Fudge and Tommy James and the Shondells. At each per­formance, their style, termed by a newspaper reviewer as "an evolution of Classical rock", gained them fans and wide acceptance.
Bringing The SOULS OF INSPYRATION, to the surface of National exposure, was a group competition, held in Montreal, Quebec, Canada at "Man and his World"(Site of Expo 67) on July 7th and 8th 1970. Meeting and competing with groups from across Canada, the SOULS OF INSPYRATION were proclaimed the foremost group at the event and won a two week engagement at Expo '70 in Osaka, Japan.
With interest high from several record companies, two progressive record producers Chuck Williams and Don Grashey, inked the group to a contract and set plans in motion to produce their first session. The results of the first "Souls of Inspyration" get together in a studio, have produced their first L.P. on the Columbia label. With their name and popularity spreading, the Souls of Inspyration will be heard from on a National basis from now on. The groups energetic manager, Joe Vargo, has them working steady, with a western Canadian tour planned for late '70.

Tracks:
1 Pursuit (2.40)
2 Stranger (2.59)
3 Sun Shines in the Winter (3.10)
4 Dil Kusha (Heart's Happiness) (6.42)
5 Of Lams & Wolves (6.10)
6 Eyes of Nature (3.29)
7 Seasons of Change (5.18)