West Coast Natural Gas

We want to hear these stories Jeff LaBrache ….

Καθώς ξεσκάλιζα τα παλια post , επειδή όλο και κάποιος θα ήθελε να ανεβασω ξανα κάποιο αρχείο που δεν πρόλαβε διότι πολλά από αυτά είναι dead, έπεσα στο post για τους West Coast Natural Gas
Και ξαφνικά διαβάζω στα comments:

Jeff LaBrache Drummer WCNG

We went to San Francisco because there seemed to be nothing left for us to do in Seattle. We had played the first "trips festival", the first lazor light show and had been widely accepted in the "fringe" of Seattle. The "Pat Odea's" of the world would not let us get into the mainstream that was dominated by groups like The Frantics, etc so we went to San Francisto to be the opening act for the Yardbirds at the Filmore. The gig never happened as one of the Yardbirds got sick just before the show, so we moved our first gig in Frisco to the panhandle of Golden Gate Park and played along with the Airplane, Dead, Big Brother, etcLots to say...lots to remember, more if anyone wants to hear...
http://psychspaniolos.blogspot.com/search/label/West%20Coast%20Natural%20Gas
Ομολογώ πως ψάρωσα και ανατρίχιασα που μέλος ενός γκρουπ εκείνης της εποχής μπήκε και άφησε σχόλιο. Το ανεβάζω ξεχωριστά να το διαβάσουν όλοι ως πληροφορία από την πηγή του group.

Thanks a lot Jeff LaBrache

Are there any other songs from you, any tapes, demos, anything to hear....



Ψάχνοντας για φωτογραφίες του γκρουπ βρήκα μερικές αλλά και το κείμενο που παραθέτω.

West Coast Natural Gas became Indian Puddin' and Pipe after we had recorded in San Francisco in 1968. Just after the tracks were recorded, the band basically broke up and Matthew Katz changed the name to Indian Puddin' and Pipe. Then in late 1968 Pat Craig went back to San Francisco, called Steve Mack and he went down to put together the performing version of Indian Puddin' and Pipe which was: Pat Craig, Steve Mack, Rex Larsen, Paul Trousdale, Dennis Lannigan, Steve Jackson, Barry Lewis. The most well known version of Indian Puddin' and Pipe lost Lewis and added Rick Quintanal on Drums and Jock Ellis on Trombone. Lydia Moreno did some sessions with us.
Pat Craig, November 2002
Here are a couple of long lost photos of West Coast Natural Gas. The bottom one is actually the the group that went to San Francisco, but the picture was taken just before we found Pat Craig. The very top photo is is almost the original band at Volunteer Park, Seattle, in front of the old art museum.
Here's the story as I recall it:
Steve Guinn and Dean Herrick knocked at my door, one night after I got home from my job at Lockheed Shipyard. Steve said they were forming a band called West Coast Natural Gas, and had already recruited Jeff Labrache (drummer) and Dave Burke (bassist). As it turned out, both Steve and Dean played guitar, but they wanted me for the twelve string / folk rock sound. I don't have any idea how they located me, and I had never even heard of either of them before.
I hated the name they chose but decided "what the he--", I'll try anything. In actuality, Jeff nor Dave had actually been recruited as yet, but Steve finally got all five of us together, somehow. Dave, Jeff and I were not satisfied with entire group but still wanted to play folk rock, so, we located two other guitarists, Mike Kepley "Kep", and Chuck Bates, who was sharing an apartment with Doug Hastings (Daily Flash) at the time. We figured we were really on our way then. All of a sudden, Chuck left and I believe joined the Air Force, or maybe the Army. We somehow found Steve Mack and got back on track. A short time later, Kep contracted hepatitis and since none of us were real proficient at vocals, we added Pat Craig, who had been strumming his guitar and singing, on University Ave. (The Ave.) for spare change.
So, there we were, an actual band, still with the name WCNG, and we headed out for San Francisco and the brilliant management of Matthew Katz (pronounced Kaytes). He signed us for management, booking and production, and now owned the name West Coast Natural Gas, as he also did with "Jefferson Airplane", "Moby Grape", and "It's A Beautiful Day".
That's my story and I'm stickin' to it.
Christopher Larson, September 2008

Και επειδη το αρχειο πέθανε μαζί με την μηχανή που τα ανέβαζα, έβαλα ξανά το αρχείο με το πανέμορφο 45αρι τους

http://sharebee.com/d7bf1c0b

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

http://www.shareonall.com/West_Coast_Natural_Gas_-_45ari_yooe_rar.htm