Volume 2 covers the rock and prog rock period from 1970 to 1975.In 1971 work had already begun on Astral Navigations. Thundermother came to record in 1970. In the summer Global Village were recorded live in Wakefield's Thornes Park, and in the studio Jumble Lane was started. A to Austr was released in September. The rest of Astral was recorded in 1971. Some of this was captured on film by Mike's brother, Kevin, and released as the Astral Windows video in 1991. Jumble Lane was released in July 71. Mike got Bill Nelson in to record what was to be Northern Dream. This period saw the recording of Gygafo's Legend of the Kingfisher, Northern Dream, and the start of the Ode LP. Many local bands were recorded. In 1975 Mike closed Holyground, recording Tears On The Console as its swansong.In 1988 Mike started to reissue Holyground records, with this soon turning into writing and recording new music. Music from the 1990's was released on And Strangeness And Charm, and a new album, In And Out Of Time was begun in 2000.Mike Levon, owner of Holyground Records, died peacefully on 4th September 2011.
Tracks - Composers - Artists1. Country Lines 1970 (Dave Wilkinson, Dave Smith) 2. Watch Your Step (Live) 1970 (Bobby Parker) 3. Rock Me Babe 1970 (Accatino, Farina, Crivellente)
Thundermother : David John (Miffy) - Vocal, Jaws Harp / Dave Millen (Ginner) - Guitars / Dave Smith (Daz) - Bass / Fred Kelly - Drums / Dave Wilkinson - Piano 4. From King John's Christmas 1972 (Chris Coombs)
Chris Coombs Harmonium / Bill Nelson Guitar / Biff Byford Flute 5. Aren't You Glad You Stayed? 1972 (Mike Levon, Brian Calvert)
Chris Coombs - Vocal / Brian Calvert - Guitar / Brian Wilson - Bass, Swinging Cat Guitar / Ted Hepworth - Drums 6. Goin' Downhill 1972 (Dave Wilson)
Dave Wilson - Vocal, Guitars / John Harvey - Vocal / Johnny Gladstone - Bass / Brian Trigg - Drums 7. Hold Me (I'm Burning) 1972 (Dave Wilson) 8. Retrospect 1972 (Eddie Stringer, Charlie Staniforth)
Charlie Speed - Guitars / Eddie Stringer - Keyboards / Paul Kent - Bass / Pete Nickson - Drums / Jon Atkinson - Flute 9. Alice Dee's Electric Outlaw Band 1973 (Graham "Grom" Kelly, Alan Robinson)
Lazy Days : Alan Robinson - Guitars, Bass, Vocals / Dave Wilson - Guitars, Steel Guitar, Bass, Piano, Vocals / John Shepard - Drums, Vocals 10. Lazy Days 1973 (Dave Wilson) 11. Free Night Riders 1973 (Dave Wilson, John Shepard) 12. Wait For Me 1973 (Alan Robinson, John Shepard) 13. Excerpt From Look Away 1975
(Written And Played By Members Of Warlord) 14. Justice 1974 (Written And Played By Mother's Pride, Includes Part Of Crown Imperial By William Walton : Oxford University Press) 15. I Feel I'm Down 1975 16. Dawning Of Another Age 1975 17. Curious 1975 (Written And Played By Members Of Qyl) 18. Tears Blues 1975 (Steve Channing, Dave Wilson, Alan Robinson, John Shepard, Mike Spurr) 19. Part Of Over The Green Hills 1975 (Ade Wilson, Paul Johansson, Peter Higginbottom)
Ade Wilson - Guitars / Paul Johansson - Bass / Peter Higginbottom - Drums / Mike Levon - Effects 20. No Point At All 1975 (Steve Channing. Includes Part Of It Takes A Lot To Laugh, It Takes A Train To Cry By Bob)
Steve Channing - Guitar, Vocal, Lead Guitar / Alan Robinson - Bass / John Shepard - Drums / Chris Coombs - Keyboard, Vocal 21. In The Fashion 1975 (Steve Channing)
Steve Channing - Guitars, Vocals / Trevor Holroyd - Keyboard, Bass / Robin Garside - Violin / 'Piggy' Nophaled - Congas 22. Silence On The Wires 1995 (Mike Levon, Chris Coombs, Strings Written And Arranged By Phil Wilby, Nik Coombs, And Chris Coombs)
Chris Coombs - Vocals, Piano, Guitar, Keyboards / Pete Taylor - Guitar, Bass / Eno And Raimonda Koco - Violas, Violins / Mike Levon - Drums, Percussion, Sound Effects.[ Rip and Scans by MIGUEL ANGEL ]
Holyground was founded by Mike Levon in 1965 and is a collectable label offering music from the 60's and 70's and now recording again!LOOSE ROUTES volumes 1 and 2 cover the whole of the early HOLYGROUND from before 1966 to 1975. Volume 1 covers the folk and folk rock period from 1966's EPs to Thundermother in the '70s. Pre 1965, Mike Levon began recording his Shadows covers band in Grantham, Lincolnshire, England. Whilst at college in Yorkshire, 1965-66, he recorded and released a folk LPs and EPs, including Last Thing On My Mind. In 1966, Mike and Dave Wood set up Holyground, recording Number Nine Bread Street during 1966-67. In 1967 Mike moved into Cass Yard, where he set up the studio. All Holyground recordings till 1975 were made in this room, including Mike's first electric session, with Bill Nelson and Global Village. A to Austr was started in 1968, and the name Holyground Enterprises was registered.
Mike Levon, owner of Holyground Records, died peacefully on 4th September 2011.
Tracks - Composers - Musicians1. (Quite So! (The Trends) 1965(Mike Levon - Bob Simmonds) Bob Simmonds & Mick Woodhouse guitars / Mike Levon drums 2. Don't Think Twice 1965 (Bob Dylan)
Terry McCann vocal / Marilyn Collins guitar / John Williams bass / Jane Westlake tambourine 3. I Still Miss Someone 1966 (J. Cash)
Jane Westlake vocals, guitar 4. I Don't Believe You 19655. I Don't Believe You (Live) 1966 (Bob Dylan)
Dave Nuttall vocal / Clive Colling piano / John Williams guitar / Brian Wilson bass / Mike Levon drums 6. Recording Corrina, Corrina 1966 7. Corrina, Corrina 1966 (Mississippi John Hurt)
Chris Coombs vocal, harmonica / Jane Westlake guitar / Jim Reed lute / Richard Smith flute / Clive Colling virginals / John Williams bass / Ian Jones drums 8. Song Of Black Glass 1966 9. San Francisco Bay Blues(Bob Hart, Mike Levon)
Bob Hart vocal / Jane Westlake vocal / Jim Reed lute / Clive Colling virginals / John Williams guitar 10. A Little Bit Of Nelson (Bill Nelson)11. Outro To The Friend(Chris Coombs, Bill Nelson)12. Dear Mr. Fantasy(Al Quinn, Bill Neson, Global Village)13. It's Alright(Chis Coombs)14. Super Judy 1968 (Mike Levon, Brian Calvert)
Chris Coombs vocal / Brian Calvert guitar / Brian Wilson bass / Ted Hepworth drums / Chris Heinitz brass 15. Working On Between The Road 1969 (Chris Coombs)
Chris Coombs vocal, guitar / Brian Wilson bass / Ted Hepworth drums 16. I Slept Clear Thru 1971 (Ark)
Paul Travis vocal 17. Nearly Home 1971 (Ark) 18. Horse Rehearsing 1971 (Horse)
Chris Roddick guitar, vocal / Pete Ball fiddle / other musicians unknown 19. Down By The River (Steve Channing)
Steve Channing vocal, guitar20. Those Old Arabian Nights 1970 21. White Knight 1970 (Steve Channing)
Steve Channing vocal, guitar22. Hold Me In Your Arms 1971 (The John Perfect Jazz Group)
John Perfect saxes / Mike Gould trumpets / Marcia vocal Linda King vocal / Martin Snell piano / Liam Arthurs bass Nick Dew drums23. Feed Your Head (Out-Take) 1971 (unknown group, could be 'Noah')24. Play The Game 1971 (Method)
played by the group Method - names unknown25. Shabby Tiger 1973 (Andy Diggle, 'Loz' Laurence)
Gemma & Julia vocals / Andy Diggle guitar, vocal / 'Loz' Laurence piano, lead guitar, vocal / unknown bassist & drummer26. Boogie Music Version 1 1971 (L. T. Tateman III)
Dave Millen vocal, lead guitar / Daz bass / Fred Kelly drums [ Rip and Scans by MIGUEL ANGEL ]
INTERMEZZO
LIVE DATING
Originally released on Marmalade in 1969, Jackson 's lone solo album is the initial salvo from the new UK reissue label, Sunbeam, the brainchild of Steve Carr and rock scribe Richard Morton Jack.
Marketed (somewhat correctly) as a long lost Traffic album, the release was produced by Jackson's Worcester neighbour, Dave Mason and features various Traffic permutations (Mason, Chris Wood, Jim Capaldi, and Steve Winwood) throughout, with the entire quartet backing Jackson on the first single, "Me and My Dog" c/w "A Day at The Cottage," whose non-LP B-side, which is included among several bonus tracks, is a reference to Traffic's cottage in Berkshire, where blueprints for many of the album's tracks originated from all night jam sessions).
The album's personnel reads like a Family tree of late 60's UK rockedelica, including future Traffic bassist, Ric Gretch, along with his then-current partners in Family, Jim King and Poli Palmer (who also played with Blossom Toes, who appear on backing vocals), Luther Grosvenor (future Spooky Tooth guitarist who later changed his name to Ariel Bender and enjoyed much fame with Mott The Hoople), Julie Driscoll, and Reg King from The Action. In fact, Jackson originally played alongside Capaldi and Mason in the primordial Traffic lineups, The Hellions and Deep Feeling, the latter also featuring Palmer and Grosvenor.Rock history aside, the album itself is a wonderful amalgamation of jazz, psychedelia, and folk influences, with the opening track "The Journey" driven by Rob Blunt's electric sitar and Mason's throbbing basslines and "My Ship, My Star" softly drifting along the open seas like an early, acoustic version of Jethro Tull.
The tearfully reflective "When You Are Small," featuring Jackson on sitar and Winwood on bass, provides the lyrical inspiration for the album's title and cover photo, a snapshot of Jackson 's pouting daughter Cherie shedding a tear. And despite some warbly playback in the transfer from the original ?" analog master tapes, the song perfectly captures the lost yearning for youthful innocence, occasionally reminding me of the later solo work of the Moody Blues' Ray Thomas (cf., 1975's "From Mighty Oaks").
"Sing To Me Woman" features some tastefully blistering guitar solos from Mason and is included here in both album and single mixes, as is "Song For Freedom," while the extended jam version of "Me and My Dog" finds Traffic firing on all cylinders and is practically worth the price of admission alone, despite its annoying, midflight dropoff, as if the tape (or musicians) ran out of steam! Nevertheless, this is an essential purchase for Traffic and Family completists, as well as anyone interested in late 60's UK rockedelica.by Jeff Penczak
Tracks1. The Journey - 4:522. My Ship, My Star - 6:133. Me And My Dog - 4:124. Song For Freedom - 4:525. Sing To Me Woman - 5:276. When You Are Small - 7:167. Snakes And Ladders - 5:578. A Day At The Cottage (non-album B side) - 3:349. My Ship, My Star (demo version) - 4:2910. Song For Freedom (single mix) - 3:5611. Sing To Me Woman (single mix) - 4:3012. Me And My Dog (long version) - 7:09All songs by Gordon JacksonMusicians*Gordon Jackson - Vocals, Acoustic Guitar*Rob Blunt - Electric sitar, Acoustic Fingerstyle Guitar *Dave Mason - Electric Guitar, Slide Guitar, Bass *Remic Abacca - Tabla *Jim Capaldi - Drums, Backing Vocals*Jim King - Soprano Sax *Poli Palmer - Piano, Organ, Backing Vocals *Rocky Dzidzorni - Conga *Cnris Wood - Flute, Tenor Sax*Steve Winwood - Bass, Piano[ Rip and Scans by MARIOS ]
The film of the Woodstock Festival was prepared for release in the spring of 1970, they also appeared in and performed music for underground cult film Zachariah where Joe is the leader of a band of outlaws in the old west, carrying amplifiers on their horses and calling themselves "The Crackers."
When Woodstock, the movie hit the theaters, "Fixin' To Die Rag" was in the middle of the film, with its lyrics spelled out, highlighted with a bouncing ball, including the "Cheer" and copious remarks about how many people seemed to be in the audience. So what a recording, some airplay and countless performance could not do, the film did instantly. It brought the band's anti-war message and the "get stuffed," we-don't-like-what-you're-doing-ness of the "Cheer" into movie theaters all over the world. In short, all of a sudden 5 years after its debut at a demonstration in Oakland it became an anthem.At the same time, they released their last LP for Vanguard C. J. Fish which with a new keyboard player and rhythm section was produced by Tom Wilson. They retained, however, their primary composers Barry Melton and Country Joe MacDonald, keeping the sound and style of the original band. Most of the lyrics are thoughtful and bright; many are in rhyme as many of that time were.
The overall timbre is interesting, being both joyful and sobering at the same time. Some bright spots in the material are "Hey Bobby," "She's a Bird," and "Hang On," which are delightfully Country Joe. Overall it's not a bad album and no Country Joe and the Fish collection is complete without it.
Tracks1. Sing Sing Sing - 3:012. She's a Bird - 4:333. Mara - 2:574. Hang on - 4:085. The Baby Song - 2:506. Hey Bobby - 2:067. Silver and Gold - 2:478. Rockin' Round the World - 4:549. The Love Machine - 5:4810.The Return of Sweet Lorraine - 3:4611.Hand of Man - 2:50All tracks written by Joe McDonald except 1 & 7 written by Barry MeltonCountry Joe And The Fish*Joe McDonald - Vocals, Guitar*Barry Melton - Vocals, Guitar*Mark Kapner - Keyboards*Doug Metzner - Bass*Greg Dewey - Drums For More Country Joe & The Fish here:1965-1971 The First Three E.P's1967 Electric Music For The Mind And Body 1969 Here We Are Again[ Rip and Scans by MARIOS ]Click here
Actor Rex Holman is perhaps better-known to Star Trek and Monkees, the Man from U.N.C.L.E., Gunsmoke, Charlie's Angels, etc. His weeningly smooth baritone & downer lyrics also caused local record connoisseur Rob T. to appropriately christen him 'Gordon Darkfoot'. For fans than music enthusiasts, but connoisseurs of acid folk have long treasured this, his sole album, which originally appeared in 1970 (when he was almost 42 years old). A hypnotic blend of melodic, contemplative songs (set to acoustic guitar, sitar and tabla) and philosophical lyrics sung in a quavering voice that has been compared to Tim Buckley’s, it’s nothing short of an overlooked gem, and is sure to appeal to fans of artists such as Damon, Pat Kilroy and Mark Fry. "Here In the Land of Victory" featured all original material, though the mix of Indian-flavored instrumentation and Holman's hyper serious lyrics sounded like something that was recorded circa 1967. Holman's vibrato-drenched vocals (which were an acquired taste) and his over-the-top lyrics certainly weren't for everyone. Imagine Richard Harris reincarnated as Donovan and you'll have a feel for tracks like 'Listen To the Footsteps', the sitar and flute propelled 'Sit and Flatter Me' and 'Come On Down'. Ironically if you could get over those characteristics, then the album rewarded you with quite a bit of memorable material. Holman's uber earnestness was somehow charming and most of the lyrics were no worse than your standard college English paper (okay, 'The Chosen One' was far worse). Certainly a reflection of my personal tastes, but Holman was at his best when backed by a full rock ensemble. As such personal highlights included 'Pink Lemonade', 'Today Is Almost Here', and the bluesy 'Red Is the Apple'. Bad Cat
Tracks1. Here In The Land Of Victory - 3:192. Pink Lemonade - 2:123. Rowin’ (Rex Holman, Terry Fulman) - 2:204. Today Is Almost Here - 3:495. Listen To The Footsteps - 2:326. Red Is The Apple - 4:167. Sit And Flatter Me - 3:308. Copper Kettles - 2:229. Come On Down - 2:2810. Debbie - 2:2711. The Chosen One - 2:5312. I Can’t Read My Name - 2:26All songs by Rex Holman except where noted.*Rex Homan (aka Rexford Holman) - Vocals[ Rip and Scans by MARIOS ]Click here
Originally released only in Holland, this is the first CD reissue of the superb 1970 solo LP from the lead guitarist of legendary Dutch blues / psych-rockers Q65. A moody blend of folk, pop and psychedelia, with some blazing guitar leads, the album also features his Q65 bandmate Jay Baar, as well as Dick Beekman (Cuby & the Blizzards), Francois Content (Swinging Soul Machine) and other leading Dutch musicians on flute, vibes, congas and other instruments. It's the first and only solo album by Frank Nuyens in close cooperation with band mate’s Q65 drummer Jay Baar. For these Q65 lovers I must warn that stylistically there is little to find of a Q65 association (although I didn’t hear their work later than the 60s).By this time, Frank had already left Q65 for a while, and together with Jay he had played before with Kjoe and after Q65 also one year with Circus, but he felt he wanted a platform for his own songs, so with all the time and investment he got he took the opportunity to record this album which was meant to reach the English, I think especially the American market. The album is co-produced by Cuby & the Blizzards drummer Dick Beekman.It is a well hung together song album, a strong collection of, often gentle, songs with nice rock arrangements. “Natural Man” has small American/Nashville associations and progressive touches on flute and electric guitar solos. “Don’t” is a beautiful song which sound more like folk-pop like Donovan, led by acoustic guitar and Spanish acoustic guitar while “Get you..” directs slightly towards Al Stewart’s pop reaching abilities during the same years.
The only cover is a song from Tim Hardin, “Don’t Make Promises”, in well done, and more up tempo and poly-rhythmic accompaniment than the original. Tim Hardin was a popular choice to cover, but the choice tells also something of the direction what he wanted to achieve. Only the last track is a bit weak ending for an overall really fine song album. The only other single track which he recorded is also included.After this project, he played almost two years with the group Lynx, who recorded one single which was never released. After this he played with the Red White and Blue band (with Supersister drummer Herman van Boeyen), who recorded another LP. Later 70s groups with more singles were the Cuby & Blizzards and The Freelance Band
Tracks1. Rainman - 2:332. Natural Man - 4:023. Don't - 2:434. Vicious Circle - 2:425. Don't Make Promises - 2:446. You Will Be Freed By Me - 2:257. Money Means Nothing At All - 2:408. Get You To Come Through - 5:299. She Told Me So - 3:2810. They Didn't Feel - 4:0011. The Joy That Is Inside - 3:0412. The Bird (Bonus track) - 3:16All songs by Frank Nuyens and Jay Baar except track 12 by Frank Nuyens.Musicians*Frank Nuyens - Vocals, Acoustic, Electric, Bottleneck Guitars, Bass*Philip Peters - Keyboards*Piet Kuyters - Piano*Enno Velthuys - Bass, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, Background Vocals *Dick Beekman - Drums*Jay Baar - Drums, Maracas, Vibes*Francois Content - Flute, Cowbell *Co Co - Congas *E. Stoffel - Acoustic, Electric Guitars*Eugene Farago - Drums*H. Staalmeester - Bass[ Rip and Scans by MARIOS ]Click here
Frustratingly little is known about Alan Trajan, whose sole LP has become one of the rarest singer-songwriter recordings of the late 1960s. Born Alan Robertson in Livingston, outside Edinburgh, he became an accomplished barrelhouse / boogie-woogie pianist in his teens and was part of Edinburgh’s fertile music scene in the late 1960s, where he made friends with David McNiven, leader of the much-loved folk trio (later duo) Bread, Love & Dreams.
When Decca producer Ray Horricks (perhaps best known for his seminal work with guitarist Davy Graham) spotted the latter at the Edinburgh Festival in 1968, he signed them up, and McNiven introduced him to Robertson. Much taken by his distinctive keyboard style and soulful voice, Horricks offered him the chance to record too.Featuring heavy organ and searing electric guitar parts on tracks like Speak To Me, Clarissa (addressed to a girl who has OD’d) and the propulsive One Tends To Get Bitter Now And Again, mellower numbers such as the beautiful Thoughts (featuring Graham) and a heartfelt cover of David Ackles’ Down River, as well as three good-timey Dylan covers, which reflected his long apprenticeship playing in pubs, it’s a varied and unusual collection whose surreal lyrics and frequently despairing atmosphere ensured poor sales when it appeared on MCA in 1969.
Robertson was prevailed upon by his manager to change his name to Trajan for the LP’s release (he believed Robertson sounded too Scottish, and decided that the expansionist Roman Emperor’s name was more distinctive), but neither it nor the extracted 45 (Speak To Me, Clarissa / This Might Be My Last Number) sold, and he soon reverted to his real name.Having contributed memorable organ parts to Bread, Love & Dreams’s classic Amaryllis LP in 1970, he went on to forge a partnership with Scottish blues singer Tam White, with whom he made a musical TV series for Grampian in the early 70s, before relocating to London. There he played in innumerable pubs and became part of legendary jazzer George Melly’s band for many years, but his hard-drinking landed him in prison and he died of liver disease at the start of this century.
It is to be hoped, however, that this first CD issue of Firm Roots will focus attention on his overlooked gift as a musician and singer-songwriter, one whose idiosyncratic compositions straddled soul, folk, pop, psychedelia and progressive rock at a time when few were daring to be as diverse.
Tracks1. Speak To Me, Clarissa - 4:09
2. One Tends To Get Bitter Now And Again - 2:18
3. Thoughts - 2:36
4. Highway 51 Blues (Bob Dylan) - 1:57
5. This’ll Drive You Off Your Head - 2:16
6. Mental Destruction - 2:35
7. Time - 3:08
8. Down River (David Ackles) - 3:43
9. Corinna, Corinna (Bob Dylan) - 2:40
10.This Might Be My Last Number - 2:30
11.Girl From The North Country (Bob Dylan) - 2:19
12.Charles Russell, Gtr., Vcl. & Harmonica - 4:00All songs by Alan Trajan except where noted.
Musicians
*Alan Trajan - Vocals, Keyboards, Piano, Organ
*Davy Graham - Acoustic Guitars
*David McNiven - Guitars, Keyboards
[ Rip and Scans by MARIOS ] Click here (password is Alan+phrockblog)
Even lesser known is Tim Dawe's 1969 Straight LP Penrod, which perhaps holds the distinction of the most obscure release ever to appear on the label. If there was only one thing predictable about a Straight release, it's that contrary to what the label name might lead the unsuspecting to expect, it would never be a "straight" or conventional rock record. Such was the case with Penrod, which boasted an enigmatic mixture of psychedelia, early singer-songwriter moves, almost crooning troubadour folk, baroque classical influences, and inventively florid arrangements and orchestration. Such is the rarity of original copies today that it seems unlikely it sold much upon its first appearance, or that the musicians who recorded it stayed together much longer after its release.Many releases on the Straight label had a direct connection to Frank Zappa and/or Herbie Cohen, whether the artists (such as Buckley) were also managed by Cohen, or whether the musicians had at times played with Zappa (like Captain Beefheart and one-time Mothers of Invention bassist Jeff Simmons). It was a similar deal with Penrod, which was produced by Jerry Yester, who'd issued a late-'60s psychedelic cult classic on Straight with then-wife Judy Henske, Farewell Aldebaran. Yester and Henske were also managed by Cohen, and Yester had also produced or co-produced two late-'60s albums for fellow Cohen client Tim Buckley, Goodbye and Hello and Happy Sad. When Cohen was considering having Tim Dawe cut an album, he sought out Yester's input.Tim Dawe, believes Yester, was probably first seen by Cohen at a hootenanny night at the famed Los Angeles club the Troubadour, as "that's where Herbie found a lot of his artists. I think he first saw [Tom] Waits [whose first album Yester would produce] there, for example. Herbie called me and said, 'Listen man, I saw this group at the hoot. I want you to go down to San Diego and listen to them, and see if we need to make a record of them.' As soon as he said that, I decided that he needed to make a record of it, because I was out of work at the time," he laughs. "They would have had to have been pretty bad for me to say 'No go.' Judy and I went down [to San Diego to see Dawe], we were still together then. As it turns out, they were very good. So it was with some relief" that Jerry took the job of producing the album.To clear up some confusion, though it's sometimes been reported that Dawe had previously been in Iron Butterfly and Rhinoceros, that appears not to be the case. There was a Jerry Penrod who played bass in those groups, and the assumption seems to have arisen from the mysterious Penrod title of Dawe's LP. Penrod, says Yester, was actually the name of the group Dawe fronted as singer-songwriter (as well as playing acoustic guitar).Indeed, the actual LP sleeve seems indecisive as to whether the name of the artist is Penrod or Tim Dawe, putting the name Penrod in large all-caps lettering on top, and printing the name (and a tiny picture) of Dawe in much smaller type in the lower left-hand corner. The four other musicians were not session guys using pseudonyms, as has sometimes been speculated by collectors, but Dawe's actual band, including keyboardist Arnie Goodman, drummer Claude Mathis, electric guitarist Chris Kebeck, and bassist Don Parrish. Goodman, says Yester, is brother of violinist Jerry Goodman, famous for playing in the late-'60s Chicago rock group the Flock, and later as a member of the Mahavishnu Orchestra with guitarist John McLaughlin.When he heard Dawe and his band, remembers Yester, "I said, 'This is going to be a piece of cake.' I don't know how long they'd been together, but they were pretty tight. They had their parts down. They'd rehearsed the stuff a lot, and it was like record-ready. I remember taping them on a really early cassette machine in a place where they rehearsed, and listening to it, it just seemed like it was taken off a record. So it seemed like not a lot of work to do."In the studio, Jerry continues, "it took a very short time to do. Maybe a couple of weeks, and we were finished with everything—mixing and mastering and everything. There might have been a couple of things where I suggested something here and there, but they were pretty together. Getting their sound was just no problem, because they were so well-rehearsed. We just set up the mikes and bingo, it was like one- or two-take kind of stuff. The guitar player was really good and really proficient—none of the problems usually associated with guitar players!" he laughs.Dawes himself, Yester adds, was "a really nice fellow and easy to get along with. He seemed unlikely as a rock'n'roll singer. His approach was just way different than anybody else. He had a real kind of formal-sounding voice, is the only way I can put it." Though Dawes's vocal style has sometimes been compared (by the relatively few people who've heard and written about Penrod) to Tim Buckley, perhaps because of the Yester/Straight association, to Jerry "it never struck me that way at all. Tim [Buckley] was real moody and a lot more bohemian. Tim [Dawes] just seemed crisp and such an upstanding guy. I'm not saying that [Buckley] wasn't. But [Buckley] really had no regard at all for convention. And [Dawes] could have been a scoutmaster."Like the Straight album Yester had recently done with Judy Henske (Farewell Aldebaran), Penrod was in some respects so eclectic as to defy classification. Parts were reminiscent of earnest mid-to-late-1960s folk-rock singer-songwriters like Eric Andersen, Phil Ochs, and Tim Hardin, yet with edgier, harder-rocking psychedelic-influenced backing. "Sometimes Alone" and "Didn't We Love" climaxed with psychedelic distorted dissonance, yet "Some Other Time" featured gorgeous classical-influenced keyboards by Goodman. And as he had on Goodbye and Hello, Yester added some orchestration to the folk-rock-psychedelic core. "That was still pretty early in my orchestration career, and I liked to do it every time I could," he notes. "I didn't force it on people, certainly, but if I thought it could use it, I suggested it."Perhaps the standout cut on the record is the seven-and-a-half-minute "Junkie John," a brooding downbeat tale set against haunting funereal organ, wailing backup vocals, and a languid yet mordant jazzy groove. "The best line in that [is] in the spoken intro that he does—'when he walked into a room, you got the feeling that somebody just left'," feels Yester. "I've used that over the years, 'cause I've known people like that. I knew what he meant. That was a pretty good line."The Penrod album went virtually unnoticed, however, and Dawes and the musicians would never issue another album together. With the exception of one occasion on which Arnie Goodman got Yester a job teaching a two-week intensive course at Chicago's Columbia College around a couple years or so later, in fact, Jerry would never see any of them again. "I have a feeling they didn't really perform very much," Yester concludes. "I think if they did, they would have developed a following, because they had a really interesting collection of tunes. It seems they would have been appealing. It was just an odd kind of a thing. It came and went in my life in less than a month." by Richie Unterberger
Tracks1. Scarlet Women - 2:252. Nite Train Home - 3:453. Nothing At All - 4:204. Little Boy Blue - 2:155. Junkie John - 7:206. Sometimes Alone - 4:107. No Exit (Cafe and Gallery) - 5:208. I'm Comin' - 3:459. Some Other Time - 3:4810.Didn't We Love - 4:46All compositions by Tim DaweMusicians*Tim Dawe - Guitar, Vocals*Arnie Goodman - Keyboards*Chris Kebeck - Guitar*Claude Mathis - Drums*Don Parrish - Bass [ Rip and Scans by MARIOS ]CODE: 59659 or click here (password is code_number+phrockblog)
This enigmatic duo from Marion, Indiana only made one album, which appeared in 1970 and stands as one of the most appealing underground folk-rock recordings of its time. Certain songs were used in contemporary TV and film productions, but their origins and subsequent history remains unknown. Full of beautiful melodies and hazy harmonies, as well as poetic lyrics and psychedelic flourishes such as recorder and fuzz guitar, the LP bears more than a passing resemblance to the work of Simon & Garfunkel, and is sure to appeal to fans of fellow hippie folk heroes such as Fresh Maggots, Linda Perhacs and Lambert & Nuttycombe.
Tracks1. Story Street (Jack Ross) - 2:432. Me Love (Jack Ross) - 2:273. Jean-Claude What’s-His Name (Robert Riger, Jack Ross) - 3:424. To Sylvia (Jack Ross) - 2:155. Summer Clouds (Jack Ross) - 2:176. My Song (Art Titus) - 2:207. Thing I Wrote #1 (Jack Ross) - 1:578. For Beauty (Jack Ross) - 2:079. Cycle Song (Jack Ross) - 2:4210. Marjane (Art Titus) - 2:3911. What’s On Your Mind? (Jack Ross) - 2:0512. Find An Answer (Jack Ross) - 2:41Track 3 written and performed for ABC Wide World Of Sports coverage of the slalom competitions, December 13th 1969, Val D’Isere, France (aired December 20th 1969).
Track 5 written and performed for an industrial film for Eastern Airlines.
Track 8 adapted from the poem by Emily Dickinson.
Track 9 written and performed for ABC Wide World Of Sports coverage of the Motocross motorcycle competitions, October 26th 1969, from Pepperell, Mass., aired December 13th 1969 (first time original music ever used for an ABC sports presentation).MusiciansArt Titus – Bass, Recorder, PianoJack Ross – Lead, Rhythm GuitarTommy Wells – Percussion[ Rip and Scans by MARIOS ]CODE: 59038 or click here (password is code_number+phrockblog)
“I remember watching television – educational television – in mid-1967, to see a program called ‘Eavesdropping On The New Rock’ and a group called The Steve Baron Quartet. It was really strange: the jazz group name, a person with a deep, friendly voice singing very melodic folk songs accompanied by three jazz musicians. Jazz folk? Whatever it might be called, it was incredibly good. It’s 1969 now. The Steve Baron Quartet have made their first album. Of course, it’s good.Steve came to live in New York during the folk revival of the early 60s, and has been writing ever since. His material is among the strongest I have ever heard. Of all the contemporary folk singers, he is one of the very few who knows how to write melodies. Poets they may be, but they usually cannot write songs that keep you awake. The songs on this album have some of the finest melodies and most sensitive thoughts written in the past few years. My picks are Goodbye Road and Don't You Hate The Feeling?, but all the others are exceptional. The group’s playing leaps in and out of the songs like tiny silver sparks. It all works so well. You may find Steve Baron sneaking up on Paul Simon one day, some day soon” by Mike Jahn, music critic, the New York Times “After a long wait, this album finally appears. A few of us have been lucky enough to have heard the music of the Steve Baron Quartet before, but living with it ourselves has only made us more anxious to let others hear. I’m afraid, despite my usual abundance of categories, I fail to operate here. My favourite category is Rock and Roll. The Quartet is definitely that, but also jazz, also folk. Mainly, I think the Quartet is a sound that can be recognised and loved. All the musicians are in perfect harmony, all the songs are full of life, all the sounds spontaneously and simultaneously imploding and exploding. Just like nature! The Steve Baron Quartet make (here’s the category!) Natural Music. Jai Baba!” by Pete Townshend, The WhoDespite boasting enthusiastic sleevenotes from Pete Townshend of the Who, this superb fusion of jazz, folk and psychedelic rock failed to connect when it first appeared in 1969. Featuring superb musical interplay and stunning guitar leads, as well as a handful of haunting acoustic tracks, it’s a lost classic that finally makes its CD debut here.
Tracks1. Bertha Was The Mother Of Us All - 3:402. Don't You Hate The Feeling - 5:553. I Sang About My Lady - 3:154. In The Middle (Steve Baron,Tom Winer) - 2:365. Lonely River - 3:246. Goodbye Road - 2:467. Mr. Green - 3:598. Love Me Laura - 2:539. God Never Lived For Me - 2:2410. Shadow Man (Steve Baron, Tom Winer) - 11:04All songs by Steve Baron except where indicated.The Steve Baron Quartet*Steve Baron - Acoustic Guitar, Lead Vocals*Bill Davidson - Lead Guitar, Vocals*Jef Lowell - Bass, Vocals*Tom Winer - Piano, OrganGuest Musicians*Bill La Vorgna - Drums on Tracks 2, 3, 4 & 6*Herb Lovelle - Drums on Tracks 7 & 10[ Rip and Scans by MARIOS ]CODE: 57823 or click here (password is code_number+phrockblog)
NYC’s finest followed up their hit-heavy debut with this knockout 1966 LP, their highest charting original album. While Daydream whistled its way up the charts, the band showed their versatility on signature tune “Jug Band Music” and reaffirmed their hit-making moxie with “You Didn’t Have to Be So Nice” and “Didn’t Want to Have to Do It.”Along with another superb set of Sebastian originals, the other three band members pitched in on the songwriting efforts and Joe Butler and Zal Yanovsky contributed lead vocals to some tracks. More than anything, Daydream marked the emergence of a triple-threat band that could write, sing and play as well or better than any of their contemporaries.This Japan edition is loaded with 5 bonus tracks, including 12page booklet artwork plus a 16page gate-fold with japanese liner-notes and songs lyrics, this is truly the stuff daydreams are made of.
Tracks1. Daydream (Sebastian) - 2:212. There She Is (Sebastian) - 1:583. It's Not Time Now (Sebastian/Zal Yanovsky) - 2:494. Warm Baby (Sebastian) - 2:035. Day Blues (Joe Butler/Sebastian) - 3:156. Let the Boy Rock and Roll (Butler/Sebastian) - 2:347. Jug Band Music (Sebastian) - 2:538. Didn't Want to Have to Do It (Sebastian) - 2:399. You Didn't Have to Be So Nice (Steve Boone/Sebastian) - 2:2910.Bald Headed Lena (Willy Porryman/Edward Sneed) - 2:2511.Butchie's Tune (Boone/Sebastian) - 2:3712.Big Noise from Speonk (Boone/Butler/Sebastian/Yanovsky) - 2:21 13.Fishin' Blues (Traditional) - 2:3214.Didn't Want to Have to Do It (Sebastian) - 2:4915.Jug Band Music (Sebastian) - 2:5416.Daydream (Sebastian) - 3:1917.Night Owl Blues (Boone/Butler/Sebastian/Yanovsky) - 4:40The Lovin' Spoonful*John Sebastian – Vocals, Guitar, Autoharp*Steve Boone – Bass, Vocals*Joe Butler – Drums, Percussion, Vocals*Zal Yanovsky – Electric, Acoustic Guitar, Vocals[ Rip and Scans by MARIOS ]Previous posted at PHROCK on Friday, October 02, 2009CODE: 57553 or click here (password is code_number+phrockblog)
This Trenton New Jersey band was lead by brothers Lon and Derrek Van Eaton, who previousle played with local garage band The Tree, along with drummer Tim Case and are best-known for the subsequent music they made for The Beatles’ Apple label.
They added guitarist Steve Burgh and singer guitarist Bruce Foster to form Elisium in 1968, which morphed into Jacobs Creek. Basing themselves in New York, they played at Andy Warhole's Factory, opened the Doors and soon signed to Columbia, who placed them with producer Al Lawrence (perhaps best known for his work with Santana).
The quintet's resulting album was issued in August 1969 complete with a lyric insert and touched on pop, rock, country, blues, psychedelia and Folk. With arrangements encompassing electric guitars, horns and sitar, unfortunately the label didn't promote it, and (despite encouranging radio play) didn't sell.
The band continue to play around New Jersey finally splitting in March 1971. Brothers Lon and Derrek Van Eaton put together some home recorded demos as a duo, Apple's manager Tony King liked what he heard and recommended the duo to George Harrisson who arranged for them to singed to Apple in September 1971 and went on to produce their album, Brother, released next year.
Jacob's Creek is an eclectic treat for fans of psychedelia, and makes its long-overdue CD debut here.
Tracks1. Colors - 5:202. Anonymous Verdict Suite (Jesus' Return / Christian Man) - 7:183. Everything's Gonna Be Alright - 2:264. Coming… The River - 5:045. Do You Understand? - 3:096. What's Around - 3:027. A Love Song - 2:088. Behind The Door - 4:069. What You Hear (Lon Van Eaton, Bruce Foster) - 2:5310. Lonely Fire - 4:1011. The Circle - 6:1012. Katharine - 1:01All songs written by Lon Van Eaton, except where noted.Jacobs CreekLon Van Eaton - Keyboards, Guitars, VocalsSteve Burgh - Guitars, Organ, VocalsDerrek Van Eaton - VocalsTim Case - DrumsBruce Foster - Guitar, Banjo, OrganSteve Mosley - DrumsGuest MusicianDenny Storley - Congas[ Thank you TUTULIOS for sending this post]
CODE: 57256 or click here (password is code_number+phrockblog)
So much has already been written in an attempt to describe the music Trees play, and Trees themselves hope that they have now reached a degree of originality that defies the usual terms such as 'folk orientated rock.' Melody Maker writes of them, 'Their depth of character causes the group concern over categories to the extent where they are cautiously rejecting the label of 'folk rock' while still clinging to the stable foundation of traditional material.
Much of this is misunderstood in the hands of more staid folk figures, and it can only be hoped that Trees' visually contemporary image will encourage audiences to pay more attention to the lyrics'. All one can do now is give a brief synopsis of Trees' past, tell you what they are doing at the moment and give you a quick glimpse of their future.
Bias Boshell (bass guitar and keyboard), Unwin Brown (drums), Barry Clarke (lead guitar, acoustic guitar, dulcimer and mandolin), David Costa (Electric 12 string, acoustic guitar, dulcimer, and mandolin), and Celia Humphris (vocals) have always attracted a great deal of favourable attention from the press, in fact when they first formed, well before 'The Garden Of Jane Delawney' (their first album) was released they had a very good feature in Zigzag. Since then Trees have received a far wider press coverage, with features and interviews in all the leading music and 'underground' press, and also The Express, The Mail and The Times.
Despite all these good words being written about Trees, things haven't always been easy for them, not that they are for any new group, but they seem to have had more than their fair share of bad luck... Even when they first started playing together, their first public performance had to be cancelled because their van broke down 20 miles away from the gig, and David and Barry had to stay in the van all night to guard what little equipment they had.
However, things gradually improved, and Trees got some support bookings at the larger universities and colleges, and at the beginning of 1970 topped the bill for the first time at a folk concert put on by the St. Ives Art Festival, also receiving their first standing ovation. The next major step forward in Trees' career was a bottom of the bill appearance at Queen Elizabeth Hall, appearing with Matthews' Southern Comfort in their first London concert.
Although Trees playing time allowed them to do only four numbers, their performance brought them more acclaim than anything they had done to date, as most of the trade press were there. Karl Dallas, a leading expert on their type of music wrote of them 'Trees have a beautiful girl as lead singer, a lively lass who bends her rich voice round the complexities of folk ballads with increasing assurance, a hard rock guitarist and a folk-club-trained acoustic man, a good bass guitarist and a tasteful drummer... Trees are significant for a number of reasons.
First, because in the persons of its three guitar-players it is introducing three virtually unknown artists on to the scene - artists who have an individual brilliance and collective rapport that is nothing less than phenomenal'. Trees received more and more bookings, and luck seemed to be going their way, but they were to suffer another major setback. In the autumn of last year they had all their equipment stolen, and spent all the money they had earned, plus a lot more on some second-hand equipment, and carried on playing the best they could, for even their van was falling to bits.
They have suffered the repercussions of this theft until very recently when they thought they had secured a reliable financial backer to a) expand the band, and b) buy new equipment. Unfortunately the backer pulled out in the middle of the university term, and Trees had to cancel some of their most precious gigs until the money was found to buy more instruments. Don't think that this affected them as a group, for they have always been very close as people. Beat Instrumental sums them up very well: 'Trees are a tightly-knit group.
They weren't assembled by some Svengali manager hoping to amass quick wealth, but had all been friends for some time when, all having musical experience and ambitions, they decided on becoming a band... The closeness also shows in the music. Trees songs are meticulously and precisely arranged, yet such is the sympathy between them that the whole thing seems as easy as pie. Anyone attempting to jam with them would be left helpless'. Fast and furious rumours have been circulating that Trees are breaking up.However, having come to a very amicable financial agreement with CBS they are now re-equipped, with more enthusiasm than ever, and back on the road again.
From "Together"! Issue #1, April 1971.
‘A peerless debut, combining extended psychedelic rock jams and traditional ballads with unbridled enthusiasm’
"Mojo" magazine. ‘
A twin-guitar line-up allowed Trees to add a psychedelic dimension to traditional folk songs. But it’s their original compositions that justify their cult allure’
"Q" magazine.
Tracks1. Nothing Special (Boshell, Unwin Brown, Barry Clarke, David Costa, Celia Humphris) - 4:29 2. The Great Silkie - 5:13 3. The Garden Of Jane Delawney - 4:05 4. Lady Margaret - 7:11 5. Glasgerion - 5:15 6. She Moved Thro' The Fair - 8:07 7. Road - 4:35 8. Epitaph - 3:23 9. Snail's Lament - 4:38 10.She Moved Thro' The Fair (Bonus Track, Demo Version) - 5:26 11.Pretty Polly (Bonus Track, Demo Version) - 4:50 12.Black Widow (Bonus Track) - 3:22 13.Little Black Cloud (Bonus Track, Suite) - 1:39All songs written by Bias Boshell except where noted. (Tracks 12 and 13 recorded July 2008).TreesCeilia Humpris - Vocals, KeyboardsBias Boshell - Bass, Acoustic Guitars, Backing VocalsBarry Clarke - Lead, Acoustic AuitarsDavid Costa - Acousitic, 12-String GuitarsUnwin Brown - Drums[ Rip and Scans by MARIOS ]CODE: 53040
Volume 2 covers the rock and prog rock period from 1970 to 1975.
Tracks - Composers - Artists
