Monday, July 28, 2008

Psychspaniolos is going for holidays…






















Agiassos Beach














Filoti

















Tragea














Koronos



























Traditional way....














I hope to see you in 3 weeks again...

Paul Revere and The Raiders - Revolution! (1967)


Το συγκεκριμένο δισκάκι είναι ένα από τα λίγα original που καμαρώνω πως έχω και εγώ. Γενικά όπως έχω πει τα χρόνια εκείνα τα οικονομικά δεν επέτρεπαν ανδραγαθήματα με original.

Tracks:
1. Him Or Me-What's It Gonna Be?
2. Reno
3. Upon Your Leaving
4. Mo'reen
5. Wanting You
6. Gone-Movin' On
7. I Had A Dream
8. Tighter
9. Make It With Me
10. Ain't Nobody Who Can Do It Like Leslie Can
11. I Hear A Voice

Paul Revere and The Raiders - Greatest Hits (1967)


Για την ώρα το μόνο που έχω να πω για αυτό το γκρουπ είναι ότι ακόμα παίζουν μουσική. Είναι με τις κλασικές στολές του Revolutionary War, άσπρα μαλλιά και κοιλιές. Προφανώς δεν ήταν αυτή η εικόνα του γκρουπ που ξεκίνησε από το Idaho την δεκαετία του 60, δεκαετία (στο ξεκίνημα έπαιζαν ροκάκια instrumental) στην οποία σάρωναν τα πάντα στο διάβα τους. Στους «γκαραζάκηδες» πιο πολύ έκατσε το κλασικό Just Like Me, ωστόσο όποιος τους ψάξει θα βρεί και άλλες κομματάρες. Με τους Raiders θα τα πούμε αρκετές φορές ακόμα…καλά να είμαστε μόνο, όσον αφορά ένα σύντομο ιστορικό τους, μπορείτε να το ακούσετε στο τελευταίο κομμάτι (Legend Of Paul Revere)

Tracks:
1. Louie, Louie 2:44
2. Louie Go Home 2:41
3. Steppin' Out 2:14
4. Just Like Me 2:26
5. Melody For An Unknown Girl 2:04
6. Kicks 2:28
7. Hungry 2:59
8. The Great Airplane Strike 3:08
9. Good Thing 3:04
10. Ups And Downs 2:52
11. Legend Of Paul Revere 3:12

Red Crayola - God Bless The Red Krayola And All Who Sail With It (1968)


Σκούρα τα πράματα με τις μουσικές των Red Crayola. Πειραματική ψυχεδέλια είτε για εξάσκηση είτε για «ταξιδεμένους». Ομολογώ πως δυσκολεύομαι αρκετά να τους ακούσω, αλλά γενικά τους ακούω. Όσοι έτυχε να έχουν εκείνη την διπλή συλλογή της International Artist, θα παρατήρησαν ότι εκεί έχουμε κάποιους διαφορετικούς Red Crayola…πιο «ομαλούς» θα έλεγα.

Tracks:
1. Say Hello To Jamie Jones
2. Music
3. The Shirt
4. Listen To This
5. Victory Garden
6. Coconut Hotel
7. Sheriff Jack
8. Free Piece
9. Ravi Shankar: Parachutist
10. Place For Piano And Electric Bass.mp3
11. Dairymaid's Lament
12. Big
13. Leejol
14. Sherlock Holmes
15. Dirth Of Tilth
16. Tina's Gone To Have A Baby
17. The Jewels Of The Madonna
18. Green Of My Pants
19. Night Song

Red Crayola - The Parable Of Arable Land (1967)


Personnel:
RICK BARTHELME drms A B
STEVE CUNNINGHAM bs A B C
BONNIEE MERSON gtr A
DANNY SCHACT hrmnca A
MAYO THOMPSON gtr, vcls A B C
TOMMY SMITH C
JESSE CHAMBERLAIN
GUY CLARK

ALBUMS:
1(B) THE PARABLE OF ARABLE LAND (International Artists 2) 1967
2(C) GOD BLESS THE RED KRAYOLA AND ALL WHO SAIL WITH IT (International Artists 7) 1968
NB: (1) reissued on Radar (RAD 12) 1978 and Decal (LIK 20) 1988. (2) reissued on Radar (RAD 16) 1979 and Decal (LIK 29) 1989. (1) and (2) have also been issued together on a European CD and in the U.S. by Collectables. Later releases include:- Soldier Talk (Radar RAD 18) 1978, Black Snakes (with Art and Language) (Recommended) 1983; THREE SONGS ON A TRIP ACROSS THE U.S. (mini) (Recommended) 1985; The Male Factor Die (Glass) 1989. There is also a very strange, live album recorded in 1967, (B) Coconut Hotel (DC 62) 1996.

Red Crayola were established in Houston in September 1966. line-up 'A' was very much embryonic. They began playing straight rock numbers like Hey Joe but by December 1966 they had developed the improvised music style - the Freeform Freak-out - that they are best remembered for. All interested parties were invited to perform in their shows and in effect a companion group (known as The Familiar Ugly) was established. When International Artists invited Thompson, Barthelme and Cunningham to record their debut album in March 1967 The Familiar Ugly were featured in the Freeform Freak-outs between each track. Quite aside from the Freak-outs the album included some very strange material - formless and improvised, the psychedelia of tracks like Hurricane Fighter Plane (which Roky Erickson played organ on), Transparent Radiation (which Roky played harmonica on) and Pink Stainless Tail was very different to that of other Texas bands of the era. On stage, too, the Red Crayola were very much an acquired taste.

Lacking natural rhythms and structure their music was practically impossible to dance to. They were once paid ten dollars (to split three ways) and asked to leave a gig at the New Orleans House in Berkeley after 20 minutes! They were, however, invited to play at the Berkeley Folk Festival in the Summer of 1967. Once again their performance did not go down well and the band fell apart with Thompson spending time in New York and Los Angeles. One of their live performances was released in the nineties as Coconut Hotel, but it isn't recommended unless you're into avant garde/ambient noises.

In 1968 Thompson and Steve Cunningham returned to Texas and along with a new drummer Tommy Smith, who had briefly played with Bubble Puppy, began recording their second album, which consisted of numerous one and two minute tracks of simple but experimental acoustic weirdness. They were now spelling Krayola with a k. Surprisingly perhaps, this album was even less successful than their first and the band became dormant for many years. They did apparently record a double album with guitarist John Fahey but the tapes were lost.
Mayo Thompson has continued to enjoy an active solo career. He fronted a temporary group called Saddlesore and recorded a solo album. He met Jesse Chamberlain in New York in the Winter of 1974/75 and later reformed Red Krayola with Jesse as a two-piece. This line-up gigged in London in 1978. The band were signed by Radar who reissued (1) and (2) and put out (3), an album of new wave material. On (3) the two-piece was assisted by Lora Logic and Pere Ubu. Indeed Thompson went on to join Pere Ubu until they temporarily dissolved. Thompson has also worked as or with Art and Language who straddle his other projects, indeed Art and Language assisted on their fourth album Black Snakes which is full of Thompson's dramatic vocals and included Allen Ravenstine (of Pere Ubu) on sax and synthesizer.

Compilation appearances have been confined to:- Hurricane Fighter Plane on Austin Landing (LP) and Born Bad, Vol. 4; Hurricane Fighter Plane (demo) on Acid Dreams Vol. 2 (LP); plus five cuts on the Epitaph For A Legend (Dble LP) compilation. Two - Nickle Niceness and Vile Vile Gross - were previously unissued. The other three were different recordings of Hurricane Fighter Plane, Pink Stainless Tail and Transparent Radiation. They do also have Hurricane Fighter Plane on a 7" flexi-disc (Radar SFI.347) issued in 1978. The other three cuts are by the 13th Floor Elevators. They also have one cut Pink Stainless Tail on a 7" promotional release (Radar SAM-88) that came out the same year. Copies were given away at a 1978 reunion concert along with the magazine 'Howdy From Texas The Lone Star State'.
Jesse Chamberlain is also a member of Necessaries and Steve Cunningham later played for Malachi.

Tracks:
1. Free Form Freakout: Hurricane Fighter Plane
2. Free Form Freakout: Transparent Radiation
3. Free Form Freakout: War Sucks
4. Free Form Freakout: Pink Stainless Tail
5. Free Form Freakout: Parable Of Arable Land

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

John Parker Compton - To Luna (1971)


Θα θυμάστε ενδεχομένως τον καταπληκτικό δίσκο των Appaloosa. Εδώ έχουμε τον προσωπικό δίσκο της «φωνής» αλλά και τους συνθέτης τους, John Parker Compton. Το ύφος βέβαια και το περιεχόμενο του δίσκου δεν έχουν μεγάλη σχέση με τους Appaloosa. Υπάρχουν οι έξοχες μπαλάντες (Short Lands) αλλά υπάρχουν και πιο δυνατές στιγμές (Listen)

Tracks:
1. Colano Sound
2. Short Lands
3. Lookout
4. Verandas
5. Maker
6. Listen
7. Yorkshire Pines
8. Hot Cross Buns
9. One Find Me Home
10. Leave My Casos in Laos

Monday, July 21, 2008

The Sunshine Company - The Sunshine Company (1968)



Απογευματάκι στο Παγκράτι για την κλασική βόλτα στο δισκάδικο του Νίκου (κάτω από τον Ρυθμό του Γιάννη) μπας και πετύχουμε τίποτα (πόσο μου έχουν λείψει αυτές οι βόλτες). Η τύχη μεταξύ άλλων με έφερε σε αυτά τα δύο original δισκάκια των The Sunshine Company. Εξαιρετικά ευχάριστο γκρουπ που από το όνομά τους και μόνο προδίδουν το περιεχόμενο της μουσικής τους. Ότι πρέπει για καλοκαιράκι. Αξίζουν τον κόπο να ακουστούν από όσους νοιώθουν ευχάριστα με την sunshine pop. Σήμερα το βράδυ πάντως στο μπαράκι θα έχουν την τιμητική τους.

Άρχισαν να έρχονται «τουρίστες», ελάχιστοι εκ των οποίων εντυπωσιάζονται ευχάριστα όπως είναι φυσικό, με αυτά που ακούγονται στο μπαρ. Όπως συνήθως συμβαίνει τα καλοκαίρια (αλλά και όλο το χρόνο) τα «μπαπαμπουκάδικα» δονούν το σύμπαν. Κρατάω όσο γίνεται ένα μουσικό «ανάχωμα» για ένα και μόνο λόγο…να ακούν οι νεώτεροι από πού προήλθε η μουσική. Κάτι σαν μάθημα, το οποίο δυστυχώς ελάχιστοι ακούν… Φυσικά δεν πτοούμαι και εφόσον το μπαράκι μου το επιτρέπει παίζω τα «παλιά». Όποιος θέλει τα «σύγχρονα», πάει παρακάτω τις Δευτέρες…ο κόσμος είναι γεμάτος από δαύτα.
Να περνάτε όλοι καλά όσο μπορείτε…

Tracks:
1.Look, Here Comes The Sun
2.Reflections Of An Angel
3.Love, That's Where It Is
4.Sunday Brought The Rain
5.I Can't Help But Wonder
6.I,To,We And Back Again
7.It's Sunday
8.You Don't Know Her Like I Do
9.You're Heart Is Free Just Like The Wind
10.If You Only Knew
11.Darcy Farrow
12.Without Really Thinking

The Sunshine Company - Happy Is The Sunshine Company (1967)



Personnel:
MERLE BREGANTE drms, vcls A B
MAURICE MANSEAU vcls, keyb'ds, gtr A B
DOUGLAS MARK gtr, violin, vcls A B
MARY NANCE vcls, perc A B
LARRY SIMS gtr, vcls A B
DAVE HODGKINS gtr

ALBUMS:
1(A) HAPPY IS THE SUNSHINE COMPANY (Imperial 12359) 1967 126
2(A) SUNSHINE COMPANY (Imperial 12368) 1968
3(B) SUNSHINE AND SHADOWS (Imperial 12399) 1968
NB: There's also a compilation The Sunshine Company (Rev-Ola CREV 061CD).

45s:
1 Up Up And Away/Blue May (unreleased) (Imperial 66241) 1967
2 Happy/Blue May (Imperial 66247) 1967 50
3 Back On The Street Again/I Just Want To Be Your Friend (Imperial 66260) 1967 36
4 It's Sunday/Reflections On An Angel (unreleased) (Imperial 66278) 1968 -
5 Look Here Comes The Sun/It's Sunday (Imperial 66280) 1968 56
6 Let's Get Together/Sunday Brought The Rain (Imperial 66298) 1968 112
7 On A Beautiful Day/Darcy Farrow (Imperial 66308) 1968 106
8 Willie Jean/Love Poem (Imperial 66324) 1968 111
9 Only Thing That Matters/Bolero (Imperial 66399) 1969

This Los Angeles-based harmony pop group's music was characterised by happy harmonies. They enjoyed some minor chart successes including Back On The Streets Again and Happy.
Produced by Joe Saraceno and arranged by George Tipton, their third album offered 14 tracks including covers of Chet Powers's Let's Get Together and Hoyt Axton's Willie Jean and On A Beautiful Day, a song penned by Gene Stashuk before he formed The Unspoken Word. Larry Sims and Maury Manseau wrote most of their original material.
They won't be of interest to garage and psych fans though.
Doug Mark had earlier recorded one 45 with The Grains Of Sand, whilst Merle Brigante and Larry Sims went on to form Loggins and Messina's rhythm section. Dave Hodgkins' next venture was Red Eye.
Compilation appearances include: Back On The Street Again on Nuggets, Vol. 10 (LP) and Even More Nuggets (CD); Happy on Nuggets, Vol. 11 (LP).
(Vernon Joynson/Stephane Rebeschini/Gary Myers)

Tracks:
1.Children Could Help Us Find The Way
2.Up,Up And Away
3.I Need You
4.Just Beyond Your Smile
5.I Just Want To Be Your Friend
6.Four In The Mornin'
7.Warm In My Heart
8.A Year In Jaine Time
9.Rain
10.Love Is A Happy Thing
11.Back On The Street Again
12.Happy
or

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

New York Rock'N'Roll Ensemble - New York Rock & Roll Ensemble (1968)


Personnel:
BRIAN CORRIGAN gtr A
MARTIN (MARTY) FULTERMAN drums, oboe A B C
MICHAEL (MIKE) KAMEN keyb'ds, oboe A B C
CLIFTON (CLIFF) NIVISON lead guitar A B C
DORIAN RUDNYSTSKY bs, cello A B C
(HANK DEVITO oboe B)

ALBUMS:
1(A) THE NEW YORK ROCK AND ROLL ENSEMBLE (Atco SD33-240) Aug. 1968
2(A) FAITHFUL FRIENDS... (Atco SD 33-294) Aug. 1969
3(A) REFLECTIONS (Atco SD 33-312) 1970
4(B) ROLL OVER (Columbia C 30033) 1970
5(C) FREEDOMBURGER (Columbia KC-31317) 1972
NB: (4) and (5) released as The New York Rock Ensemble. (3) reissued on CD (Atlantic 75678 06352). (4) and (5) issued on one CD.

45s:
1 Biji/Biji Rock (Atco 6467) Feb. 1967
2 Kiss Her Once/Suddenly (Atco 6501) July 1967
3 The Thing To Do/Pick Up In The Morning (Atco 6584) May 1968
4 Wait Until Tomorrow/The Brandenburg (Atco 6671) Mar. 1969
5 Running Down The Highway/Law And Order (Columbia 45242) Sept. 1970
6 The King Is Dead/Beside You (Columbia 45288) Dec. 1970
7 Fields Of Joy/Ride, Ride My Lady (Columbia 45367) Mar. 1971
8 Roll Over/A Whiter Shade Of Pale (Columbia 45574) Feb. 1972

The story goes that three members of this act were classically trained at Juilliard Music Conservatory (arguably the most prestigious American music school) and that at some point they "realized" that they could make more money being rock stars than classical musicians. The music on their first two albums is distinctive in that they used classical instruments (usually oboes and string quartets) in their rock songs and then might play a classical Bach piece using modern rock instruments. Their third album was a unique collaboration with Manos Hadjidakis, who is best known for composing the music for the movie "Never On Sunday". This album has a distinctive Greek flavor and is quite unique - very beautiful, relaxing. After their third album, they shortened their name to become The New York Rock Ensemble, switched record companies (from Atco to Columbia), and Brian Corrigan left.
The fourth album was less original, but was ironically their best selling album. I have a personal theory that this was related to a free or inexpensive sampler album, called Different Strokes, that Columbia distributed and which featured a cut from this album. In my humble opinion, their fourth and fifth albums were much less interesting and qualify only as average rock music.
Michael Kamen went on to have a successful career producing film scores, working with artists such as Pink Floyd, Roger Waters etc. In 1991 he won two Grammy's: "Best Pop Instrumental Performance" for the Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves album conducting the Greater Los Angeles Orchestra and "Best Song Written Specifically For A Motion Picture Or For Television" for (Everything I Do) I Do It For You from Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves.
(Charlie O'Bannon / Lloyd Peasley)

Tracks:
1. Intro
2. Sounds of Time
3. Began to Burn
4. Monkey
5. Trio Sonata No. 1 in C Major 2nd Movement-Alla Breve Fugue
6. She's Gone
7. Poor Pauline
8. "?"
9. Mr. Tree
10. You Know Just What It's Like
11. Studeao Atlantis
12. Pick up in the Morning
13. The Seasons: Fall / Winter / Spring / Summer

The Humblebums - The New Humblebums (1969)


Personnel:
BILLY CONNOLLY A B C
TAM HARVEY A B
GERRY RAFFERTY B C

ALBUMS:
1(A) A COLLECTION OF MERRIE MELODIES (Transatlantic TRA 186) 1969
2(C) THE NEW HUMBLEBUMS (Transatlantic TRA 201) 1969
3(C) OPEN UP THE DOOR (Transatlantic TRA 218) 1970
4(-) THE COMPLETE HUMBLEBUMS (Transatlantic TRA 288) 1974
NB: (4) is a box set of (1)-(3). (2) and (3) reissued on one CD (Castle ESMCD 498) 1997. There's also a CD Humblebums (Line TACD 900551) 1989.

45s:
1 Saturday Roundabout Sunday/Bed Of Mossy Green (Big T BIG 122) 1969
2 Shoeshine Boy/My Appartment (Big T BIG 130) 1970
3 Coconut Tree/Shoeshine Boy (Big T BIG 520) 1972

This Glaswegian folk duo formed in the late sixties. Not surprisingly with Billy Connolly in their line-up they were known for their humourous songs. Their first album made quite an impact and after this Gerry Rafferty was asked to join them. They worked as a trio for six or seven months before Harvey was pushed out of the band. Connolly and Rafferty proceeded to record three more albums. The first of these, A Collection Of Merrie Melodies, was performed entirely on acoustic instruments, most notably the banjo and guitar and reflected Connolly's traditional folk inclinations. The New Humblebums contained some good material, particularly Please Sing A Song For Us and Her Father Didn't Like Me Anyway. It was more melodic than the debut and featured some fine melodic woodwind and brass arrangements. Open Up The Door veered more towards pop and the duo used session musicians to achieve a fuller sound. The album featured Barry Dransfield and Bernie Holland of Jody Grind. However, this created difficulties for the duo in reproducing many of their songs on stage. Under pressure from their record company to form a backing group the two of them agreed to go their separate ways... not a bad decision as Connelly became a successful comedian and Rafferty a successful solo artist after first joining Stealer's Wheel.

Tracks:
01 - Look Over The Hill & Far Away
02 - Saturday Round About Sunday
03 - Patrick
04 - Everybody Knows That
05 - Rick Rack
06 - Her Father Didn't Like Me Anyway
07 - Please Sing A Song For Us
08 - Joe Dempsey
09 - Blood & Glory
10 - Coconut Tree
11 - Silk Pyjamas
12 - Good-Bye-Ee!

Monday, July 14, 2008

The Animals – Love Is (1968)




Και αφού ξεκίνησα με Animals ας κλείσω κιόλας. To Lp ξεκινά με το πολυτραγουδισμένο River Deep, Mountain High των Ike & Tina Turner, μόνο που αυτή η διασκευή είναι απόλυτα στα «μέτρα» μας. Από κει και κάτω η συνέχεια μάλλον σας είναι γνωστή έχοντας διασκευές από Johnny Cash στο κλασικό country Ring Of Fire, από Βee Gees το To Love Somebody κλ.π.

Love Is is a double album by Eric Burdon and The Animals which was released in 1968 in both the United Kingdom and United States. It was the last album released before The Animals' second dissolution in 1969.This album captured the only studio work of Animal and future Police guitarist Andy Summers; he later wrote that this recording of Traffic's "Coloured Rain" contained "one of the longest guitar solos ever recorded until this point ... a 'soaring hymn to ecstacy' style solo that is so long that I find it impossible to play in a full trance state and still come out at the right place, so Zoot [Money] stands in the studio, counting the whole way, and at bar 189 he gives me the cue out." Supposedly this solo earned Summers a "slight legendary reputation."

Personnel:
Eric Burdon — vocals
John Weider — vocals, guitar
Zoot Money — vocals, piano, organ, bass
Andy Summers — guitar
Barry Jenkins — drums

Tracks:
Side 1
"River Deep, Mountain High" – 7:23
"I'm an Animal" – 5:34
"I'm Dying (Or Am I?)" – 4:28
Side 2
"Ring of Fire" – 4:58
"Coloured Rain" – 9:38
Side 3
"To Love Somebody" – 6:55
"As the Years Go Passing By" – 10:13
Side 4
"Gemini" – 11:53
"The Madman (Running Through the Fields)" – 5:23

Sunday, July 13, 2008

The Animals - Every One of Us (1968)


Ήταν να μην πάει στην Αμερική ο Eric. Αφότου πήγε «ξέφυγε» εντελώς με τα πάντα και σε όλα τα επίπεδα. Το ότι γύρισε ζωντανός κάποια στιγμή στην Αγγλία μάλλον ήταν θαύμα.
Αυτό είναι το δεύτερο από τα τρία Lp που κυκλοφόρησε στην Αμερική το 1968. Προηγήθηκε το The Twain Shall Meet και ακολούθησε το Love Is, σε μία εξόχως παραγωγική χρονιά για το γκρουπ που βρέθηκε στο απόγειο της δημιουργίας του.

Έκανα αρκετές φορές την απόπειρα να αγοράσω χρόνια πριν τον δίσκο οριτζιναλ (θυμάμαι κάποια παζάρια στο Ρόδον τα οποία δεν ξέρω αν γίνονται ακόμα), ωστόσο ζήταγαν την μάνα τους και τον πατέρα τους (π.χ. Ζαχαρίας) για κόπιες σε κατάσταση σχεδόν άθλια. Βολεύτηκα τελικά με το cd διότι και η «μαλακία» μας έχει κάποια όρια τα οποία κάποιοι εκτίμησαν πως δεν υπάρχουν.

Είναι γεγονός πως αυτά τα όρια έγιναν ελατήρια μόνο που βάση του νόμου του Χουκ περάσαμε την ελαστική περιοχή οπότε η παραμόρφωση έγινε μόνιμη και «στραβώσαμε». Θυμάμαι για παράδειγμα τον «χοντρό» στα Εξάρχεια. Όποιος πήγαινε στο μαγαζί του έψαχνε μετά το δέρμα του διότι του το είχε γδάρει. Πήγα μία φορά στο μαγαζί του, είδα τι έπαιζε και δεν ξαναπήγα. Τους κάναμε μάγκες κάτι τέτοιους κυρίους διότι γεννηθήκαμε σε λάθος εποχή.

Personnel:
Eric Burdon (lead vocals),
Vic Briggs (guitar, bass),
John Weider (guitar, celeste),
Danny McCulloch (bass,12-string, vocals),
Barry Jenkins (drums, percussion),
Zoot Money keyboards and vocals.

Tracks:
01-White Houses
02-Uppers And Downers
03-Serenade To A Sweet Lady
04-The Immigrant Lad
05-Year Of The Guru
06-St. James Infirmary
07-New York 1963 - America 1968

The Band - The Band (1969)


Όχι μόνο για αυτό το δίσκο που θεωρείται σταθμός για το γκρουπ, αλλά γενικά για τους Band, παραθέτω μία φράση από το κείμενο στο wikipedia με το οποίο συμφωνώ απόλυτα… Although the Band was always more popular with music journalists and fellow musicians than with the general public, they have remained an admired and influential group.

The Band peaked at #9 on Billboard's Pop Albums chart. In 2000, it recharted on Billboard's Internet Albums chart, peaking at #10. The singles "Rag Mama Rag" and "Up on Cripple Creek" peaked on the Pop Singles chart at #57 and #25 respectively.
In 1998 Q magazine readers voted The Band the 76th greatest album of all time. In 2003, the album was ranked number 45 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.

According to the liner notes to the 2000 reissue of "The Band" by Rob Bowman, the album, "The Band", has been viewed as a concept album, with the songs focusing on people, places and traditions associated with an older version of Americana.
Greil Marcus suggests that "King Harvest" might be The Band's finest song, and the best example of their approach to songwriting and performing. The song's structure is unusual: the choruses (sung by Manuel and Helm) are subdued while Manuel's verses are more energetic. With increasing desperation, the narrator (an unnamed, poverty-stricken farmer) details the misfortune which has befallen him: there was no rain and his crops died, his barn burnt down, he ends up on skid row. A union organizer appears, promising to improve things, and the narrator tells his new associates "I'm a union man, now, all the way", but, perhaps ashamed of his station, begs them "just don't judge me by my shoes."

This is the album where Robbie Robertson emerged as The Band's primary songwriter. While Robertson and Richard Manuel largely shared songwriting duties on Music From Big Pink, Robertson wrote or co-wrote every song on this album, with Manuel receiving co-writing credit on three tracks. Robertson would write the majority of The Band's material after this album.
The Cripple Creek Theatre Company in New Orleans, LA is named after the song "Up on Cripple Creek".

Personnel:
Robbie Robertson – guitar, vocals
Rick Danko – bass, vocals
Levon Helm – drums, vocals
Richard Manuel – keyboards, vocals, drums
Garth Hudson – keyboards, saxophone

Tracks:
"Across the Great Divide" (Robertson) – 2:53
"Rag Mama Rag" (Robertson) – 3:04
"The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" (Robertson) – 3:33
"When You Awake" (Manuel/Robertson) – 3:13
"Up on Cripple Creek" (Robertson) – 4:34
"Whispering Pines" (Manuel/Robertson) – 3:58
"Jemima Surrender" (Helm/Robertson) – 3:31
"Rockin' Chair" (Robertson) – 3:43
"Look Out Cleveland" (Robertson) – 3:09
"Jawbone" (Manuel/Robertson) – 4:20
"The Unfaithful Servant" (Robertson) – 4:17
"King Harvest (Has Surely Come)" (Robertson) – 3:39
"Get Up Jake" (outtake - stereo mix) (Robertson) – 2:17
"Rag Mama Rag" (alternate vocal take - rough mix) (Robertson) – 3:05
"The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" (alternate mix) (Robertson) – 4:16
"Up on Cripple Creek" (alternate take) (Robertson) – 4:51
"Whispering Pines" (alternate take) (Manuel/Robertson) – 5:09
"Jemima Surrender" (alternate take) (Helm/Robertson) – 3:48
"King Harvest (Has Surely Come)" (alternate arrangement) (Robertson) – 4:28
http://www.shareonall.com/The_Band_-_The_Band_1969_usaj_rar.htm

Friday, July 11, 2008

Thunderclap Newman - Hollywood Dream (1970)


Είναι βέβαιο ότι οι πάντες γνωρίζουν την κομματάρα Something In The Air, σχεδόν οι πάντες ότι την παραγωγή έκανε ο Pete Townshend που τους ανακάλυψε και μάλλον αρκετοί ότι παίζει το μπάσο στην στούντιο εκτέλεση. Η ειρωνεία βέβαια της υπόθεσης είναι ότι ο Πιτ δεν είχε ποτέ ένα Νο1 με τους Who, το οποίο όμως κατάφερε για τρεις βδομάδες μάλιστα με τους Thunderclap Newman. Τραγική φιγούρα ο μόλις 16χρονος κιθαρίστας Jimmy McCulloch (μετά την διάλυση του γκρουπ που δεν άργησε, πήγε στους Wings αλλά και στους Stone The Crows) ο οποίος πέθανε λίγα χρόνια αργότερα από καρδιακό νόσημα.

Τέτοια κομμάτια δεν πρέπει να τα ξεχνάμε ποτέ διότι εκτός του ότι προήγαγαν την μουσική που λατρεύουμε, παραμένουν διαχρονικά και επίκαιρα.

Something In The Air
Call out the instigators
Because there's something in the air
We've got to get together sooner or later
Because the revolution's here, and you know it's right
And you know that it's right

We have got to get it together
We have got to get it together now

Lock up the streets and houses
Because there's something in the air
We've got to get together sooner or later
Because the revolution's here, and you know it's right
And you know that it's right

We have got to get it together
We have got to get it together now

Hand out the arms and ammo
We're going to blast our way through here
We've got to get together sooner or later
Because the revolution's here, and you know it's right
And you know that it's right

We have got to get it together
We have got to get it together

Personnel:
John 'Speedy' Keene Gtr, Vcls, Drms A B
Jimmy Mcculloch Gtr A B
Andy 'Thunderclap' Newman Keyb'ds A B
Jim Avery Bs B
Jack Mcculloch Drms B

ALBUMS:
1(A) HOLLYWOOD DREAM (Track 2406 003) 1970 SC
NB: (1) reissued on CD Repertoire (REP 4065-WP) in 1991 and on Polydor (833 794 2) 1991. Later reissued on CD (Touchwood TWCD 2013) 1997 in the States with six bonus tracks:- the 45 version of Something In The Air, a shortened version of Accidents and The Reason, along with their 45 'B' sides.
45s:

1 Something In The Air/Wilhelmina (Track 604 301) 1969 1
2 Accidents/I See It All (Track 2094 001) 1970 46
3 Wild Country/Hollywood (Track 2094 002) 1970 -
4 The Reason/Stormy Petrel (Track 2094 003) 1970 –
Reissue 45s:
5 Something In The Air/Other tracks by other artists (PS) (Track 2094 011) 1973 -
6 Something In The Air/Fire (Arthur Brown) (Track 2094 017) 1975 -
7 Wild Country/Hollywood (PS) (Track 2095 002) 1979 -
8 Something In The Air/Accidents (Old Gold OG 9435) 1984 -

The Who's Pete Townshend put together this group as a studio outfit in the late sixties. Guitarist Jimmy McCulloch was just a sixteen at the time, 'Speedy' Keen was an untried songwriter from the Ealing/Perivale area of London who'd previously been in pre-July act The Tomcats in 1965, as drummer and Andy 'Thunderclap' Newman was a plump ex-Post Officer engineer. The last thing they represented was a slick rock group, but their debut 45, Something In The Air, written by Keen, remains an all-time classic, a wonderfully atmospheric song which superbly captured the changing mood of the late sixties and simply boiled over with optimism. When it rapidly climbed to No 1, Avery and McCulloch's younger brother Jack were rapidly added to the line-up for touring purposes, but after one minor hit with Accidents, further commercial success eluded them and they broke up in mid-1970. Their Hollywood Dream album has become a minor collector's item, but is largely disappointing in comparison to the magic of Something In The Air. It has some good moments:- Hollywood #1 has some good honky tonk piano playing; The Reason is certainly one of 'Speedy' Keen's stronger compositions and features a good vocal performance by him and more good piano from Andy Newman; Jimmy McCulloch's instrumental title track is a pleasant little ditty and Wild Country is worth a listen.
Accidents was also included on Polydor's Pop Party sampler in 1970 and their classic Something In The Air resurfaced on Backtrack 2.
Jimmy McCulloch went on to join Stone The Crows and Wings, whilst Newman and Keen both made solo albums but with little success.

Tracks:
Something In The Air
Hollywood #1
The Reason
Open The Door, Homer
Look Around
Accidents
Wild Country
When I Think
Old Cornmill
I Don't Know
Holllywood Dreams (Instrumental)
Hollywood #2
Something In The Air (Single Version)
Wilhemina
Accidents (Single Version)
I See It All
The Reason (Single Version)
Stormy Petrel

Country Joe and The Fish - Together (1968)


Ενόψει το 3ο κατά σειρά Lp των Country Joe & The Fish το οποίο αποδείχτηκε και το πιο εμπορικό από άποψη πωλήσεων αφού συνδυάστηκε και με πολλές συναυλίες μετά την κυκλοφορία του. Αυτή τους η δημιουργία ήταν και η τελευταία με την αρχική σύνθεση του γκρουπ. Σατιρικό, πολιτικό, αντιπολεμικό και ποιητικό είναι το περιεχόμενο και αυτού του δίσκου των Fish που σε γενικές γραμμές διαφέρει από τα δύο πρώτα (όχι πως δεν υπάρχουν κομμάτια να τα θυμίζουν όπως το Susan). Προσωπικά μου αρέσει πολύ περισσότερο η δεύτερη πλευρά.

Tracks:
01 - Rock and Soul Music
02 - Susan
03 - Mojo Navigator
04 - Bright Suburban Mr. & Mrs. Clean Machine
05 - Good Guys-Bad Guys Cheer and the Streets of Your Town
06 - The Fish Moan
07 - The Harlem Song
08 - Waltzing in the Moonlight
09 - Away Bounce My Bubbles
10 - Cetacean
11 - An Untitled Protest

Thursday, July 10, 2008

Omnibus - Omnibus (1970)



Οι πειρατές σημάδεψαν την ζωή μας αλλά και την τσέπη μας. Ιδού ένας ακόμα από το 7+7. Στο Αγγλικο κείμενο παρακάτω γράφει...was pirated in 1996...για μας λέει.

Personnel:
J. POLT A
A. RAIMONDI A
R. WEGRZYN A

ALBUM:

1(A) OMNIBUS (United Artists UAS 6743) 1970
NB: (1) was pirated in 1996.

45:
1 It's All In Your Heart / Man Song (United Artists 50631) 1970

This trio hailed from Boston. The album, which was recorded in New York and produced by Steve and Eric Nathanson (who were the producers of Boffalongo) has recently been pirated. All the songs on the album were written by R. Wegrzyn. It's really pretty mediocre, the most psychedelic thing about it being the cover.
(Vernon Joynson / Max Waller)

Tracks:
01 - The Man Song - 3.26
02 - It΄s All In Your Heart - 6.03
03 - Shake It Off - 3.58
04 - Understand - 3.52
05 - Above Me - 2.45
06 - Den Of Sin - 2.10
07 - Boogus Black And Blues - 5.08
08 - Spring - 3.02
09 - Winding Thru Your Heart - 2.30
10 - Harmony - 2.32
11 - Big Daddy Slave - 2.37
12 - Tired Of Screaming - 2.45
http://www.shareonall.com/Omnibus_-_Omnibus_akbn_rar.htm

The Open Mind - The Open Mind (1969)


Δυστυχώς το 24ωρο δεν με φτάνει πλέον για αυτό και η «ασυνέπεια». Όπως και να έχει, ισχύει απόλυτα το όποιος δεν έχει παντρέψει, δεν έχει κηδέψει και δεν έχει χτίσει δεν έχει καταλάβει τη ζωή. Ολοκληρώνω το τρίπτυχο. Μεσολάβησαν και μερικές νύχτες μουσικής στη ΦΑΙΔΡΑ αλλά και σε ένα άλλο μπαράκι (ROCK CAFÉ ΕΝ ΠΛΩ) σε μία έκτακτη συμμετοχή και έδεσε το γλυκό. Αυτά ως απολογία.

Περνάω σε κάτι από την Βρετανία το οποίο όπως βλέπετε στις φωτό απέκτησα κατά καιρούς όλες μάλλον τις επανεκδόσεις σε βινύλιο. Πρώτα ήρθε αυτή από την ANTAR (Antar 2) to 1986 και μετά αυτή η μάλλον πειρατική αλλά καλής έκδοσης. Και στις δύο εκδόσεις υπάρχουν τα κομμάτια και από το δεύτερο σινγλ που έβγαλαν τα οποία είναι πολύ καλά. Γενικά ο δίσκος των Open Mind είναι από τις πολύ καλές στιγμές της Βρετανική ψυχεδέλιας. Αν τώρα κάποιος αναρωτηθεί βλέποντας τις φωτο γιατί αγόρασα δύο φορές το δίσκο δεν έχω να του δώσω σαφή απάντηση. Θα απαντήσω μάλλον με ερώτημα…σας έχει τύχη ποτέ να πάτε να δείτε σινεμά ξανά το ίδιο έργο?

Personnel:
MIKE 'BRYAN' BRANCACCIO gtr, vcls A
TIMOTHY DU FEU bs A
PHIL FOX drms A
TERRY MARTIN gtr, vcls A

ALBUM:
1(A) THE OPEN MIND (Philips SBL 7893) 1969 R4
NB: (1) reissued on Antar (ANTAR 2) 1986. (SC) Also reissued on CD in it's original sleeve, and with the non LP 45 cuts Magic Potion and Cast A Spell as bonus tracks (Second Battle 514 384 2 SB 024) 199?.

45s:
1 Horses And Chariots/Before My Time (Philips BF 1790) 1969
2 Magic Potion/Cast A Spell (Philips BF 1805) 1969

This band produced one of the finest UK psychedelic albums, which is excellent throughout and hardly contains a bad track. The music is characterised by some particularly strong psychedelic guitar work and good vocals. It's impossible really to pull-out particular tracks as highlights - they're almost all equally good. The Antar reissue, which came in a redesigned sleeve, includes their second rare 45 release, which unlike the first wasn't taken from the album and is superb. A blistering 45 with tasty psychedelic fuzz guitar work.

The Antar/Second Battle reissue is strongly recommended.
Compilation appearances have included: Magic Potion on Perfumed Garden, Vol. 1 (CD) and Psychedalia - Rare Blooms From The English Summer Of Love (CD); Cast A Spell and Magic Potion on Rubble, Vol. 1 - The Psychedelic Snarl (LP), Rubble, Vol. 1 (CD) and British Psychedelic Trip, Vol. 3 (LP).

Tracks:
1.Dear Louise
2.Try Another Day
3.I Feel The Same Way Too
4.My Mind Cries
5.Cant You See
6.Thor The Thunder God
7. Magic Potion
8.Horses And Chariots
9.Before My Time
10.Free As The Breeze
11.Girl Im So Alone
12.Soul And My Will
13.Falling Again
14. Cast A Spell

Wednesday, July 09, 2008

The Jim Morrison Seance Tapes


Via a medium, stoner college jam band We’re Late For Class performed a 14 minute improvisational space jam along with the disembodied voice of Jim Morrison, the late singer of The Doors.“Why not!?,” said a We’re Late For Class spokesman. “It's cheaper than a living singer, what with classified ads, lodging and alcohol... and besides, you know how lead singers are to deal with.”It’s entitled The Jim Morrison Seance Tapes and is their 30th.
It’s available for free at the band’s blog, http://werelateforclass.blogspot.com“So you don't think this is just something we slapped together with old recordings and ProTools... (you can hear) the engineer ask Jim for the ‘post-death stuff... the stuff without copyrights,’” the spokesman persisted. “In the end,” he said, ”it went smoother than our Screamin' Jay Hawkins seance.”The free download also includes a 14 minute instrumental version for those that don’t buy the premise.contact: werelateforclass@hotmail.com.

Saturday, July 05, 2008

The Leaves - All The Good That's Happening (1967)



An uneven album, and understandably so because the group was disintegrating at the time it was made. The band's folk-rock sound is still its strongest side, and they play hard on numbers like "Twilight Sanctuary" and "With None Shoes," and give good accounts of Donovan's "To Try For the Sun" and Buffy St. Marie's "Codine." They get into a good dance groove on a cover of Jimmy Reed's "Let's Get Together" and the band original "Officer Shayne" (spoiled by a silly chorus), and achieve a sweet, languid spaciness on "On the Plane." Much of the rest is weak, however, and the group's psychedelic efforts here, "The Quieting of Oliver Tweak" and "Lemmon Princess," are embarrassingly fey compared with the psychedelic numbers on their prior album. Only Bobby Arlin was left at the finish of the sessions, and he padded the album out with the guitar-dominated, almost totally instrumental blues-oid "Flashback." The sound on the One Way CD is good and crisp.
~ Bruce Eder, All Music Guide

Tracks:
Twilight Sanctuary (2:50)
One in the Middle (2:30)
On the Plane (2:33)
Officer Shayne (2:50)
Let's Get Together (3:20)
Introduction to a Cartoon Show (:35)
With None Shoes (2:17)
To Try for the Sun (2:53)
Codine (3:54)
Flashback (The Rhythm Thing) (4:30)
The Quieting of Oliver Tweak (The Stone Freak) (2:20)
Lemon Princess (2:13)

The Pretty Things - The Pretty Things (1965)


A lot of air-play resulted in The Pretty Things' first hit singles ("Rosalyn", "Don't Bring Me Down" and "Honey I Need"). "Don't Bring Me Down" climbed to an encouraging number 10 in the chart. Mainly because of this Fontana, a subsidiary of Philips, offered the band the possibility to record their first album.In the LP they made during some frantic 48 hours, and especially in the clutch of the dramatic hit singles it contais, they defined a pivotal moment in rocks development. There was already a tradition of white acts making hits from smoothed-out versions of black originals, but the Pretties could actually sound more savage than the models they copied. They were arguably the prototype for a whole generation of garage bands. Even more than their peers The Rolling Stones, The Pretty Things brought the raw intensity of black American music into the mainstream of British pop.
Tracks:
1. Roadrunner
2. Judgement Day
3. 13 Chester Street
4. Big City
5. Unknown Blues
6. Mama Keep Your Big Mouth Shut
7. Honey I Need
8. Oh Baby Doll
9. She's Fine She's Mine
10. Don't You Lie To Me
11. Moon Is Rising
12. Pretty Thing

The Pretty Things - Get The Picture (1965)

Get The Picture is a logical follow-up for the debut, although this time without the possibly highly necessary hit singles.They were allowed a magnificent four days to record this 2nd album. The sound is therefore more polished (guitars), and here and there influences of The Beatles can be detected. There are lots of backing vocals and the scratchy sound of the first album has disappeared. The fruits of their new familiarity with the studio can be heard on a track like "Can't Stand The Pain": echoey and atmospheric, it's ultra-sophisticated by early Pretties standards, conceived directly for recording, rather than adapted from the live set. After the bruising blues-rock of their first efforts, "Get The Picture" displays the beginnings of stylistic diversity. Taylor's "London Town" has a quasi-folk feel to it, perhaps, but the biggest new influence was soul music. Even so, as their current producer/manager Mark St John observers: "Nobody worried much about production then. These first couple of albums are real attacking, monster records. You can hear exactly what was happening, because there was no way to mask anything".


Tracks:
1. You Don't Believe Me
2. Buzz the Jerk
3. Get the Picture?
4. Can't Stand the Pain
5. Rainin' in My Heart
6. We'll Play House
7. You'll Never Do It Baby
8. I Had a Dream
9. I Want Your Love
10. London Town
11. Cry to Me
12. Gonna Find a Substitute
13. Get a Buzz
14. Sittin' All Alone
15. Midnight to Six Man
16. Me Needing You
17. Come See Me
18. L.S.D.
http://www.shareonall.com/The_Pretty_Things_-_Get_The_Picture_lpxo_rar.htm

The Glass Prism - Poe Through the Glass Prism (1969)



Personnel:
AUGGIE CHRISTIANO bs A
RICK RICHARDS drms A
CARL SIRACUSE keyb'ds A
TOM VERANO gtr A

ALBUMS:
1(A) POE THROUGH THE GLASS PRISM (RCA LSP 4201) 1969
2(A) ON JOY AND SORROW (RCA LSP 4270) 1970

45:
1 The Raven/El Dorado (RCA Victor 74-0205) 1969

Their first album is an attempt to set poems by Edgar Allan Poe to a rock format. Although they don't really pull it off the music isn't bad on cuts like The Raven. Much more relevant is the second album, which features some great guitar work, especially on Extention 68. Both albums are available quite cheaply. The band were mostly Italian Americans who came from the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre area of Pennsylvania. They were previously known as El Caminos and also made recordings under that name.
Tom and Rick later formed a power trio called Shenandoah with bassist Lou Cossa. Later still Cossa and Carl Siracuse joined 'one-hit' wonder band The Buoys, the nucleus of which then became Dakota.
(Vernon Joynson / Tom Truszkowski / Chris Kraynak)

Tracks:
The Raven
To-
To One in Paradise
Eldorado
The Conqueror Worm
A Dream Within a Dream
“The Happiest Day, The Happiest Hour”
Alone
Beloved

Purple Overdose









Δημιουργήθηκαν το 1987 στην Αθήνα. Την αρχική σύνθεση αποτελούσαν οι Κώστας Κωνσταντίνου (ex "Poison Pen", "Frog's Eye") κιθάρα και φωνή, Ζαχαρίας Βρελιανάκης (ex "X- Mandarina Duck") μπάσο και Νίκος τύμπανα (πέθανε το '90 από υπερβολική δόση). To καλοκαίρι του '87 ο Βρελιανάκης φεύγει και στη θέση του έρχεται ο Γιώργος 'Sugar' Παπαγεωργιάδης που ήταν βασικό μέλος των "No Man's Land". Στο συγκρότημα υπήρχε και τραγουδιστής, κάποιος Νίκος, που έμεινε μόνο τρεις μήνες. Αμέσως μετά τον Παπαγεωργιάδη, ο ντράμερ Νίκος αντικαταστάθηκε από τον Γιώργο Νίκα, που ήταν κι αυτός βασικός των "No Man's Land". Εμφανίζονται για πρώτη φορά στο κοινό το καλοκαίρι του '87 σε μια συναυλία στo Αιγάλεω. Αμέσως μετά φεύγει ο τραγουδιστής και το συγκρότημα παραμένει τρίο με τον Κωνσταντίνου να αναλαμβάνει και χρέη τραγουδιστή. Η δεύτερη εμφάνισή τους έγινε στην Χαλκίδα, το ίδιο καλοκαίρι, μαζί με τους "No Man's Land" και τους "Yeah!".

Μετά κι από την εμφάνισή αυτή, άρχισαν να κερδίζουν το ενδιαφέρον του κόσμου. Μπήκαν στο studio τον χειμώνα του '87 κι έγραψαν το πρώτο τους demo, το οποίο έτυχε να το ακούσει κι ο Πέτρος Κουτσούμπας, ιδιοκτήτης της μικρής ανεξάρτητης εταιρίας "Pegasus". Ενθουσιάστηκε με το υλικό και τους πρότεινε να τους κάνει το πρώτο τους άλμπουμ και ανέλαβε την προώθηση του συγκροτήματος. Τον Νοέμβριο του '87 δίνουν μια σειρά επιτυχημένων συναυλιών στα πιο γνωστά clubs της Αθήνας με πρώτη στο "Vitraux" κι εν συνεχεία στο "Ροδον" μαζί με ένα ακόμη συγκρότημα της "Pegasus", τους Θεσσαλονικείς "Mushrooms". Στις αρχές του '88, ο ντράμερ Γιώργος Νίκας αντικαταστάθηκε από το Χριστόφορο Τριανταφυλλόπουλο, ντράμερ με συμμετοχή σε αρκετά τζαζ σχήματα της εποχής. Επίσης έρχεται ο οργανίστας Μιχάλης Βασιλείου (μέλος των"Λευκή Συμφωνία" και ex "-273°C", "Enallaktiki Lissi 3"). 'Ετσι το συγκρότημα γίνεται τετραμελές κι αρχίζει να ηχογραφεί. Τα τραγούδια του demo συμπληρώνονται με το όργανο του Βασιλείου, προστίθενται κι άλλα νέα τραγούδια που είχε συνθέσει ο Κωνσταντίνου και ηχογραφήθηκαν Απρίλιο-Μάιο, το τελικό remix έγινε τον Ιούνιο του '88 και το πρώτο άλμπουμ είναι έτοιμο. "Exit #4" (Peg LP 005).

Για την προώθηση του, το συγκρότημα όλο το '88 έδωσε πολλές συναυλίες. Το '89 δημοσιεύεται κριτική του δίσκου τους στο Αγγλικό fanzine "Freak Beat" με πολύ κολακευτικά σχόλια. Ταυτόχρονα έγιναν και δύο αλλαγές στην σύνθεσή τους, φεύγει ο Παπαγεωργιάδης και την θέση του παίρνει ο Ανδρέας Ανδριόπουλος, ο οποίος έκτοτε παραμένει βασικός μπασίστας, και ο οργανίστας Βασιλείου φεύγει και στην θέση του έρχεται ο 'Αρης Κοντοάγγελος που είχε επαφή με τους "Purple Overdose" από το '87. Ο Κωνσταντίνου εκείνη την εποχή είχε μία ιδιαίτερη συναισθηματική φόρτιση με αποτέλεσμα να γράφει συνεχώς νέα τραγούδια. Το υλικό αυτό αποτέλεσε το δεύτερο demo τους που ηχογραφήθηκε σαν προσχέδιο για ένα επόμενο lp. Τελικά μόνο πέντε από τα παραπάνω τραγούδια μπήκαν στο επόμενο άλμπουμ, και αλλαγμένα σε πολλά σημεία. Δύο από τα κομμάτια αυτά υπάρχουν στην κασέτα του περιοδικού "Ψυχαγωγός" (τεύχος 10/11,1991) που εξέδιδε ο Νίκος Κοντογούρης. Με την είσοδο του '90, είναι έτοιμοι για την ηχογράφηση του δεύτερου lp τους. Tον Απρίλη του '90 ηχογρaφουν το δεύτερο lp τους με τίτλο "Indigo" (Peg LP 007).
Ακολουθούν και πάλι πολλές συναυλίες ενώ η ανταπόκριση τόσο του κοινού όσο και των μουσικοκριτικών ξεπερνούν τις προσδοκίες του συγκροτήματος. Το Αγγλικό "Freak Beat" δημοσιεύει τον Απρίλιο του '93 (τεύχος #8) δισέλιδη παρουσία του καθώς και συνέντευξή τους


Τον Ιούνιο του '91 ο ντράμερ Χρ. Τριανταφυλλόπουλος πηγαίνει στρατό αφήνοντας δυσαναπλήρωτο κενό. Ο 'Αρης Κοντοάγγελος αφήνει το '91 το συγκρότημα και το κενό του έρχεται να καλύψει ο Βασίλης Καπανίκης, σαν session οργανίστας. Παράλληλα ο μέχρι τότε session φλαουτίστας Απόστολος Λαμπούρης γίνεται κανονικό μέλος.
Την άνοιξη του '92 δέχονται τη πρόταση για την κυκλοφορία ενός 7ιντσου από την ανεξάρτητη "Fifth Dimension" που είχε έδρα το Κιάτο. Ηχογραφούν λοιπόν το "You Lose It/2008 Old View", το οποίο κυκλοφόρησε το '93 και ήταν ο προάγγελος του 3ου άλμπουμ που θα κυκλοφορούσε ένα χρόνο μετά. Μετά την κυκλοφορία του 7ιντσου, ο 'Aρης Κοντοάγγελος επιστρέφει στο συγκρότημα και ύστερα από λίγους μήνες αποχωρεί οριστικά. Την θέση του παίρνει επίσημα πλέον ο Βασίλης Καπανίκης. 'Οταν όλα είναι πλέον έτοιμα και με την απόλυση του ντράμερ τους από τον στρατό, αρχίζουν τις ηχογραφήσεις, δημιουργούν ένα δίσκο που προτίμησαν να τον ονομάσουν απλά με το όνομά τους, πράγμα που συμβόλιζε το νέο τους ξεκίνημα.

Το τρίτο άλμπουμ "Purple Overdose" (Peg LP 015) κυκλοφόρησε το '94. Λίγο μετά την κυκλοφορία αυτή η "Pegasus" επανεκδίδει τα δύο πρώτα άλμπουμ, το "Exit #4" σε κίτρινο και το "Indigo" σε κόκκινο βινύλιο. Το '95 κυλά με την σύνθεση νέων κομματιών και συναυλίες. Τον χειμώνα της ίδιας χρονιάς αρχίζουν να ηχογραφούν το νέο τους άλμπουμ. Η νέα δουλειά τους κυκλοφορεί το Μάιο του '96. Ο τίτλος του είναι "Solemn Visions" (Peg LP 023). Το '97 ήταν η χρονιά μιας σημαντικής μεταβολής στην σύνθεση του συγκροτήματος που σηματοδότησε την αλλαγή του ήχου τους προς πιο progressive φόρμες. Ο φλαουτίστας Α. Λαμπούρης αποχωρεί. Παράλληλα γνωρίζονται με ένα νεαρό περκασιονίστα που είχε συνεργαστεί το '95 με τον Καπανίκη στο συγκρότημά του "Δύσκολη Στιγμή", τον Σταύρο Ελευθερίου, ο οποίος γίνεται το νεαρότερο σε ηλικία μέλος στο συγκρότημα. Νέες ιδέες, πιο progressive-acid rock ήχος, πολυπλοκότερες ενορχηστρώσεις φέρνουν στην επιφάνεια τους νέους "Purple Overdose".

Στα μέσα του '98 συζητούν και συμφωνούν με την ανεξάρτητη "Action Records" του κιθαρίστα Τάκη Μπαρμπαγάλα ("Λευκή Συμφωνία", "Red Mist", "Will-O-The Wisp"). Τον Απρίλιο του '99 κυκλοφορεί το πέμπτο άλμπουμ του συγκροτήματος που ονομάζεται "Reborn" (Act CD 002). Για πρώτη φορά το γκρουπ αποφασίζει να αλλάξει το φορμά του δίσκου από βινύλιο σε cd. Στις 13 Ιουλίου 1999, ανεβαίνουν στην σκηνή του "Rockwave Festival" στην πλαζ του Αγ.Κοσμά, δίπλα στα πιο φημισμένα ονόματα της διεθνούς σκηνής. Τον Δεκέμβριο του '99 συμφωνούν με την "Onion Music" για την πραγματοποίηση ενός άλμπουμ ηχογραφημένου ζωντανά που θα περιέχει τα καλύτερα τραγούδια της δωδεκάχρονης ιστορίας τους. Με το ξεκίνημα της νέας χρονιάς αρχίζουν οι συναυλίες για την ηχογράφηση του υλικού που θα αποτελέσει την επόμενη δισκογραφική τους δουλειά.

Τον Φεβρουαρίου του '01 κυκλοφορεί το "The Salmon's Trip..Live!" σε cd και τέσσερις μήνες μετά, σε βινύλιο, με διαφορετικά τραγούδια. Την ίδια εποχή ανακοινώνεται η αποχώρηση του οργανίστα Β. Καπανίκη και η προσχώρηση του Κώστα Στεργίου. Στις 12 Οκτωβρίου του '02, ανοίγουν την συναυλία στο "Ρόδον" των "Electric Prunes", οι οποίοι επανασυνδέθηκαν μετά από τριανταπέντε χρόνια. Λίγες μέρες μετά αποφασίζουν να αποσυρθούν από τα μουσικά δρώμενα μετά από δεκαπέντε χρόνια πορεία.Την άνοιξη του '04, κυκλοφορεί από την Θεσσαλονικιά "OnStage Records" ένα άλμπουμ σε βινύλιο με τίτλο "Painting The Air". Περιείχε ανέκδοτο υλικό και demo ηχογραφήσεις του '87 και '89.
Μετά τη διάλυση της μπάντας οι Τριανταφυλλόπουλος, Ανδριόπουλος και Στεργίου παίζουν στους "Allison", μια μπάντα η οποία μουσικά διέφερε από τον ήχο των "Purple Overdose". Ο Βασιλείου έπαιξε στους "Νυχτερινή Περίπολος" και "Interplay". Συναντήθηκαν και ξαναπαίξαν μαζί σαν "Purple Overdose", για μια μόνο συναυλία, το Σεπτέμβριο του '05 στο "2ο Φεστιβάλ Ροκ Τρίπολης".


Purple Overdose are considered among their fans as the one and only local group that revives and improves the fine psychedelic music of the great 60s artists.The group was formed in Athens, Greece in 1988.Their leader, Costas Constantinou, is one of the most talented musicians in Greece. He is the man who formed the group, the lead guitarist, the vocalist, the light spirit who writes their music and his inspiration creates lyrics of exceptional beauty and sensitivity, forming poems beyond any imagination, exactly in the fine tradition of the futuristic psychedelic era.Purple Overdose, during their 12 years of existence, have already released 5 albums, prooving their big talent and knowledge in psychedelic music.

Their first LP "EXIT #4" was released in 1988, by the small independent label Pegasus Records. It was a superb album, capable of puting you into a colorful psychedelic vechicle and leading you beyong the well known horizons. "Oramge Drive", "Are You There" and "Rooby Go Round" are fine examples of the stuff contained in this album.

Purple Overdose's second LP "INDIGO" came out in 1990, featuring a painter of Salvador Dali on the cover. The group has improved it's music more than anyone could expect. Songs of exceptional beauty and matured poem-lyrics can trap you in the sentimental soul oceans of Costas Constantinou, as soon as you put the LP on your deck. With a composition like "Golden Eyes" you'll love them and accept their talent forever. "Cosmic Ladder", "White Colors" and the marvelous "Magic Forest" can steal your heart at once.

On 1993 Purple Overdose released a double A sided single, with the tracks "2008 Old View" and "You Loose It" . The single was recorded for another small independent label, Fifth Dimension Records, featuring unique cover artwork too.
Soon after the release of the single, it was time for the group's 3rd album to hit the stores. Simply titled with their name, this LP had the most extraordinary cover ever seen before. A giant size folded wall poster of colorful psychedelic artwork, painted by Iliana Noea. Inside, the vinyl contained 8 psychedelic classics, able to satisfy every soul dedicated to listening this kind of music. Great compositions like "Fell From The Stars" (a great opening for such an album), "My Little Elf", "Lord IT's Me", "Chase The Shadow" comprise an excellent album, that all the major music magazines of Greece rated with the highest possible rates.

On the Spring of 1996 Purple Overdose's long awaited 4th album "SOLEMN VISIONS" was releases by Pegasus Records once more. Here the group reached the maximum of psychedelic power and sounded better and more mature than even before. The LP was again accompanied by a multicolored futuristic cover artwork, created by Iliana Noea, showing thousands of strange creatures over and under unknown lands and oceans playing games with fairies. The music was evolving into uncharted paths of psychedelia and the use of sitar in some tracks gave an oriental touch to the overall result. Great compositions like "Pulsating The Door Of My Dreams", "Funny Decoration" and "Solemn Visions" gave again the chance to many local magazines for voting this album with 9s ans 10s.

Finally by the end of April 1999, Purple Overdose released their 5th album "REBORN", this time only on CD, through Action Records . With this superb concept work the group is stealing hearts everywhere in and out of Greece. Everybody, public and experts in the music industry, agreed that this unexpected masterpiece is destined to be the best closing act of the century for the psychedelic/progressive rock era.
Soon after Purple Overdose gave an unforgetable performance at the "Rockwave Festival 99", on July 13th in Athens. It was the start for a broad acceptance by major agancies in order to be promoted more actively and get the global recognition the really deserve.

Members
Costas Constantinou: Lead Guitar,Vocals
Vasilis Kapanikis: Keyboards
Chris Triantafilopoulos: Drums, Percusion
Andreas Andriopoulos: Bass
Stavros Eleftheriou: Congas,Additional Percussions
Vasilis Kapanikis : (1993 - 2001)
Aris Kontoangelos : (1989 - 1991)
Tolis Labouris :(1990 - 1996)
Michalis Vasiliou : (1988 - 1989)
Giorgos Papageorgiades : (1987 - 1989)
Giorgos Nikas : (1987 - 1988)
Makis Mpellos : (1993)

Albums
1.Exit #4 [1988 - Lp]
2.Indigo [1990 - Lp]
3.Live & Demos [1991 - Tape]
4.You Lose It/2008 Old View [1993 - Ep]
5.Purple Overdose [1994 - Lp]
6.Solemn Visions [1996 - Lp]
7.Reborn [1999 - Cd]
8.The Salmon's Trip Live [2001 - Cd]
9.The Salmon's Trip Live Lp [2001 - Lp]
10.Painting The Air [2004 - Lp,Cd]

Purple Overdose - Exit #4 (1988)



The beauty of psychedelic music lies in its potential for genuine magic to occur. And if you focus your mantra in the direction of Athens, Greece you will find something very magical indeed. Purple Overdose is a band who unabashedly wear their passion for 1960's/70's era psychedelia on their shirtsleeves, creating some of the most beautiful and passionate progressive influenced psychedelia of the last several years. Formed in 1987 by guitarist, vocalist and songwriter Costas Constantinou, Purple Overdose have released five studio albums and one live album of cosmic sounds that recall the glory of days gone by, while retaining a freshness and excitement that shrugs off any accusations of being "retro".

Purple Overdose's debut album - Exit #4 - was released in 1988 on Pegasus Records. At this time a quartet, the band consisted of Costas Constantinou on guitars and lead vocals, Christophoros Triantaphilopoulos on drums & percussion (George Nikas is the drummer on 5 tracks), "Sugar" George Papageorgiades on bass and backing vocals, and Michalis Vasiliou on organ, piano and backing vocals.

On this release we hear a rawer version of Purple Overdose though the seeds of exciting things to come are firmly planted. The songs reveal the bands passion for 60's era psychedelia combining elements of Jefferson Airplane, The Doors, and go-go flower power psych. The San Francisco sound really comes out on songs like "Are You There". "Yellow Mole" and "Roobie Go Round" feature classic 60's psych styled organ and keys. Listening to "Yellow Mole" conjures up visions of go-go- girls grooving high above the dance floor. "Orange Journey" is the most Doors flavored song of the set and we're treated to the band taking off into jam territory (dig those Ray Manzarek keyboards!). "Holes" combines a Jefferson Airplane sound with Costas Constantinou's unmistakable vocals. "When You Talk About Me" is one of the heavier and intense songs on the album though the verses are classic 60's psychedelia. And "Blue Torture" is a cool trippy Blues tune. An impressive debut.

Tracks:
1. Exit#4 (Intro)
2. Are you there?
3. Yellow Mole
4. Holes
5. When you talk about me
6. Rooby go around
7. Elevation
8. Blue torture
9. Orange journey
10. Exit#4 (Outro)

Purple Overdose - Indigo (1990)




The bands sophmore album - Indigo - was released in 1990, again on Pegasus Records and sporting a Salvadore Dali painting on the cover. Still a quartet, joining Constantinou and Triantaphilopoulos were two new members: Andreas Andriopoulos on bass and Aris Kontoangelos on keyboards. Better production, a fuller sound, and rife with progressive rock influences, Indigo showcases a band that had clearly developed and matured in both composition and musicianship in the two years since Exit #4.

A much welcome element of Indigo is the inclusion of more instrumental passages and even an entire instrumental track in the form of "Suite For A Sunshine Day". One of the more prog rock oriented songs on the album, the music moves through multiple themes, touching on bits of trippy jazz and includes some organ sounds that will make fans of late 60's/early 70's prog-psych drool. "Moonlight Sunshine" is a floating psychedelic song with dancey, almost tribal rhythms and includes a beautiful singing guitar solo. "Cosmic Ladder" is a sweeping mildly acidic song with yet another seductive guitar solo from Costas and mind-bending organ from Aris. "Golden Eyes" is a standout song being an easy-paced journey with shimmering guitar blasts and slow cosmic solos.

The music reaches subtle levels of intensity but gently cradles the listener at all times. "Rain Without Storm" is another flowing prog-psych song with a Renaissance sound and flute embellishment from guest Tolis Labouris. "White Colours" is an excellent song that sets a psychedelic Beat jazzy groove lead by the organ and another flute contribution from Labouris. Finally, "(shady reflections at the) Magic Forest" features more Renaissance influences including violin and harpsichord. The band then take off into one of the heaviest rockin jams on the album that closes the set on ultra high note.

Tracks:
1. Moonlight Sunshine
2. Cosmic Ladder
3. Suite For A Sunshine Day
4. Rain Without Storm
5. White Colours
6. (shady reflections at the) Magic Forest

Thursday, July 03, 2008

Orphan Egg - Orphan Egg (1968)


Κάνοντας ένα σύντομο σχόλιο θα έλεγα πως είναι κρίμα που το γκρουπ έβγαλε μόνο ένα δίσκο. Εκτιμώ πως είχαν κι άλλα να «δώσουν» και να «πουν». Σύμφωνα με τις πληροφορίες που υπάρχουν, η αιτία που μπήκαν σε στούντιο οι μαθητές του Λυκείου, δόθηκε λόγω της πρώτη θέσης που κέρδισαν άξια σε ένα μουσικό διαγωνισμό (διαγωνισμό στον οποίο έπαθλο κέρδισαν και οι Seeds) που απέφερε ως έπαθλο την κυκλοφορία του δίσκου. Ξεχωρίζω με δυσκολία ανάμεσα σε πολύ καλές συνθέσεις τα κομμάτια That's the Way Love Is, It's Wrong, Falling και Unusual State of Mind.

Personnel:
JIM BATES vcls A
GEORGE C. BRIX drms A
PAT GALLAGHER ld gtr, vcls A
DAVE MONLEY keyb'ds, gtr A
BARRY SMITH bs A

ALBUM:
1(A) ORPHAN EGG (Carole CARS 8004) 1968
NB: (1) also released in Germany (Carole 9621).

A San Jose band who formed at Saratoga high school. They played at local dances and won a battle of the bands contest at their school, which led to the above album. Produced by Guy Hemric and Jerry Styner, it is quickly becoming a significant collectors' item. Probably the two most promising tracks on a rather disappointing LP are Falling and It's Wrong. Circumstance is also notable for some wild, early Blue Cheer-style guitar pyrotechnics.
The band also had tracks on the Original Soundtrack of Cycle Savages and there's rumours of an album called Don't Say No (OMI M-7002) in 1980 (although this could easily be the work of a different band).
Compilation appearances include: Falling and It's Wrong on Turds On A Bum Ride Vol. 1 & 2 (Dble CD); Falling on Turds On A Bum Ride, Vol. 1 (Dble LP); and It's Wrong on Turds On A Bum Ride, Vol. 2 (Dble LP).
(Vernon Joynson/Stephane Rebeschini/Doug Creager)

Tracks:
1. Falling
2. That's the Way Love Is
3. Mourning Electra
4. Bird Dog
5. It's Wrong
6. Ain't That Lovin' You Baby
7. Look at Me
8. Deep in the Heart of Nebraska
9. Don't Go to Him
10. Circumstance
11. Unusual State of Mind
12. Rock Me Baby

Wednesday, July 02, 2008

5th TRIPolis Rock Fest - 5th and 6th of July 2008


Αδυνατον να βρεθω οσο και αν θα το ηθελα. Ωστοσο οφείλω να συμβαλω σε αυτη την προσπαθεια όπως μπορω και γω. Εύχομαι καλη επιτυχία στους διοργανωτές και καλή διασκέδαση σε όσους παρεβρεθούν στην όμορφη Τριπολη.

On the 5th (Sat) and 6th (Sun) of July ’08, in ancient Pan’s homeland, Tripolis, Peloponnesus, Greece!
5th TRIPolis Rock Fest - 5th and 6th of July 2008
Summer time here kitties and it’s time to take a TRIP on the 5th TRIPolis Rock Festival,
on the 5th (Sat) and 6th (Sun) of July ’08, in ancient Pan’s homeland, Tripolis, Peloponnesus, Greece! This year, our fest becomes “International”, now that, bands are coming from Germany and Italy, visiting for the very first time our country, Greece!
The schedule of the 2-days festival goes like this:Headliners of the first day (Sat 5 July) will be the band of Vibravoid coming straight from Düsseldorf (Germany). 3 other Greek bands are gonna play the same day, Drug Free Youth (Athens), The Snails (Athens) and Anthi Antekdikisis (Tripolis). Atomic Workers (with members from Italy, Netherlands and England) are headlining the 2nd day of the fest (Sun 6 July), supported by 3 other Greek bands, Warehouse (Patra), Flames Of Love (Tripolis) and Sleepwalkers (Tripolis).Heavy doses of Psychedelic Space Rock along with sixties garage beats alternating with more indie even classic shades of pure rock .Doors Open at……I Forgot…..There are No Doors! … The Place is a replica of an ancient Greek Theater … and the Admission is FREE!!!Be there at 19:00.