Earth Opera - Earth Opera (1968)

Personnel:
PAUL DILLON drms, vcls, perc, gtr A B
DAVID GRISMAN mandolin, piano, sax, vcls A B
JOHN NAGY bs, cello A B
PETER ROWAN gtr, sax, vcls A B
BILL STEVENSON vibes, keyb'ds A
(BILL MUNDI drms A)
(WARREN SMITH drms A)
(JACK BONUS sax B)
(HERB BUSHLER double bs B)
(JOHN CALE viola B)
(DAVE HOROWITZ keyb'ds B)
(RICHARD GRANDO sax, bass recorder B)
(BILL KEITH pedal steel gtr B)

ALBUMS:
1(A) EARTH OPERA (Elektra EKS-74016) 1968 -
2(B) THE GREAT AMERICAN EAGLE TRAGEDY (Elektra EKS-74038) 1969 181
NB: (1) and (2) also released in France (Vogue/Elektra EKS74016 and CLVLXEK 354 respectively). (2) reissued (Edsel ED215) 1987. (1) reissued on CD (Wounded Bird WOU 4016). (2) reissued on CD (Wounded Bird WOU 4038).

45s:
1 American Eagle Tragedy/When You Were Full Of Wonder (Elektra 45636) Mar. 1968 -
2 Home To You/Alfie Finney (Elektra 45650) 1969 97

Another of the Boston wave of rock groups, Earth Opera certainly possessed talent. However, they arrived on the scene a little too late to make a sustained impact.
The origins of the group lay in the rich Boston folk scene in the early sixties with the first experiences of Rowan and Grisman. A gifted songwriter, singer, mandolin and guitar player, Peter Rowan began playing in the early sixties doing bluegrass and string band music with Bill Monroe and the Bluegrass Boys and the Mother Bay State Entertainers. A master of mandolin, David Grisman had similar roots and played with Siegel, Grisman, Rose and Lewinger. Some recordings of these early Rowan and Grisman bands can be found on The String Band Project (Elektra EKS-7292) 1965.
Earth Opera was formed at the end of 1967 by Rowan and Grisman and their first album was housed in a strange gatefold sleeve with pictures probably taken inside an Indian temple. All the songs were credited to Rowan (Time And Again being co-written with Grisman) and the use of vibes, harpsichord or mandocello help creating a gloomy atmosphere on songs like Death By Fire or As It Is Before. The following year The Great American Eagle Tragedy pursued a similar direction. Bill Halverson had left but the four remaining members were helped by various guests, including Velvet Underground's John Cale on viola, Jim Kweskin Jug Band's Bill Keith and Jefferson Airplane's friend Jack Bonus. Once again the sleeve was notable, this time with a collage combining a skull with the American Eagle symbol.
Both albums were produced by Peter Siegel, formerly with The Even Dozen Jug Band and Siegel, Grisman, Rose and Lewinger.
Commercially unsuccessful, Earth Opera broke up in 1969. Grisman and Rowan went to California and joined two bluegrass outfits: Muleskinner with Clarence White of the Byrds and Old And In The Way with Jerry Garcia (Grisman also played on The Grateful Dead's American Beauty).
Peter Rowan would later join Seatrain and form the Rowan Brothers with his brothers Chris and Lorin. He also released several solo albums mixing rock, bluegrass and country. In the mid seventies, David Grisman formed the David Grisman Quintet and spearheaded the Dawg Music movement, mixing bluegrass and jazz. Both are still recording.
John Nagy became a studio musician and also played with Michael Hurley.
You can also find Home To You and The Red Sox Are Winning (from their first album) on the compilation Elektrock The Sixties (4-LP), Close Your Eyes And Shut The Door on the Elektra compilation Elektrifying; The American Eagle Tragedy on Hallucinations, Psychedelic Underground (LP) and Home Of The Brave on Kings Of Pop Music Vol. 2 (LP). Retrospective compilation appearances have included The American Eagle Tragedy and The Red Sox Are Winning on The Best Of Bosstown Sound (Dble CD).
(Stephane Rebeschini/Vernon Joynson)

Tracks:
The Red Sox Are Winning 3:30
As It Is Before 7:21
Dreamless 2:50
To Care At All 3:34
Home Of The Brave 4:46
The Child Bride 4:40
Close Your Eyes And Shut The Door 2:45
Time And Again 5:45
When You Were Full Of Wonder 3:55
Death By Fire 6:05

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