rep>>> Raiders - Country Wine...Plus (1971-74 us, spledind melt of classic rock, country and r 'n' b, 2010 remaster and expanded)

The band had started to diversify and develop its sound on the albums Collage (1970) and Indian Reservation (1971), something they continued with the final studio album for Columbia Records, Country Wine. Lead singer Mark Lindsay had also taken over production duties from the band's 1960s mentor, Terry Melcher (eulogised in the groovy soul-jazz instrumental Terry's Tune', the B-side to Indian Reservation'), and his confidence in the studio was reflected in the quality of the material on offer, 'Country Wine' was an up-tempo pop-rock number, the equal of anything they'd  recorded previously. 

The single B-side, Lindsay's 'It's so Hard Getting Up Today', was a smouldering jazz-blues number not that far removed from what Leon Russell was doing at the same time. The crunching “Powder Blue Mercedes Queen', also written by Lindsay, found the band taking on the riff-heavy sound of Mountain's 'Mississippi Queen' and coming up with an effective example of the heavy metal form. The irony here is that Columbia was intent on promoting new hard rock signings like Blue Oyster Cult and Aerosmith while the Raiders' Country Wine album and subsequent singles got lost in the rush.

It's worth investigating the band's line-up changes circa the early to mid 1970s, The back cover of the Country Wins album shows the band comprising Mark Lindsay (lead vocals), Paul Revere (keyboards), Keith Allison (bass and guitar, who had replaced Phil Volk), Freddy Weller (guitar, who had replaced Jim Valley) and Mike "Smitty" Smith (drums, who had replaced Joe Correro Jr. in 1970 and had already been a member during the 1960s).

After 'Indian Reservation' had become a hit, they added musicians to the live band so they could more readily reproduce the sound of the record. Omar Martinez (drums) and Bob Wooley (keyboards), both ex- Peach, joined the touring Raiders In late 1971.  

Smitty left at the end of 1972 and Martinez became an official band member. Weller departed in early 1973 to be replaced by Doug Heath, whose first session with the band was for the'... All Over You' single. 

Lindsay left in early 1975 and Martinez was promoted to lead singer (from behind the drums), Allison left in April to be replaced by Ron Foos. The band reverted to the moniker of Paul Revere and the Raiders, with the line-up of Revere, Martinez, Wooley, Heath and Foos touring until the end of 1976. The final single for Columbia, 'Your Love (Is the Only Love)' b/w 'Gonna Have a Good Time', featured this post-Lindsay line-up and doesn't fit on this collection.

Over the decades, a large amount of mystique has built up around the Raiders’ final Columbia album. Between 1972 and 1973, the Raiders had recorded enough material for a full album which the label chose not to release. The tracks were: “Song Seller”, “A simple Song”., “Love Music”, Goodbye No9”, “seaboard Line Boogie”, “Tobacco Road”, “Angels of Mercy”, “Chain Of Fools”, “Kept It In The Family”, “Billy Come Down” and “Union Man”

A number of the tracks appeared on singles; 'A Simple Song' as the B-side to 'Song Seller' and 'Goodbye, No. 9' as the B-side to love Music', white the jaunty R&B country song 'Seaboard Line Boogie' later showed up as the B-side to'.,. “All Over You” although that was a totally different take. Much later, the terrific covers of John D. Loudermilk's 'Tobacco Road', Rallene Ellison's 'Angels of Mercy' and Don Covay's 'Chain of Fools' saw release on the 1990 double CD collection The Legend of Paul Revere.

From the late 1970s onwards, various groups from the punk movement, the Paisley Underground and the garage rock revival have acknowledged the Raiders' influence (specifically their 1965-1967 recordings). Tracks such as 'Steppin' Out', 'Just Like Me', 'Kicks', 'Hungry', 'I'm Not Your Stepping Stone', 'Good Thing', 'Him or Me - 'What's it Gonna Be' and 'Ups and Downs' still hold up as bold and unpretentious pop classics, as durable as anything by the Roiling Stones, Them, the Who, the Kinks, the Standells, the Music Machine and dozens of other 1960s bands of that ilk.

The Raiders’ latter day albums displayed a more mature pop-rock direction but have tended to be overlooked. So alongside Collage and Indian Reservation, Country Wine is now ripe for serious re-evaluation.

by Ian McFarlane

Tracks
1. Country Wine (Ed Villareal, Wanda Watkins) - 2:33
2. Powder Blue Mercedes Queen (Mark Lindsay) - 3:07
3. Hungry For Some Lovin' (Robert Siller) - 3:16
4. Baby Make Up Your Mind (John P'Andrea, John Porter) - 3:17
5. Take A Stand (Mark Lindsay, Keith Allison) - 4:05
6. Where Are Your Children (Leslie Ward Chandler) - 2:46
7. Ballad Of The Unloved (Scott English, Larry Weiss) - 3:29
8. American Family (Alan Earle O'Pay) - 3:43
9. Golden Girls Sometimes (Mark Lindsay, Keith Allison) - 2:38
10.Farewell To A Golden Girl (Mark Lindsay) - 2:46
11.Terrystune (Mark Lindsay) - 3:19
12.It's So Hard Getting Up Today (Mark Lindsay) - 2:42
13.Song Seller (Jimmy Webb) - 3:33
14.A Simple Song (Mark Lindsay, John D'Andrea) - 3:01
15 Love Music (Dennis Lambert, Brian Potter) - 3:43
16.Goodbye, No. 9 (Mark Lindsay) - 2:58
17.(If I Had To Do It All Over Again, I'd Do It) All Over You (Bob Dylan) - 2:43
18.Seaboard Line Boogie (Mark Lindsay, Keith Allison) - 3:10
19.Tobacco Road (John D. Loudermilk) - 3:30
20.Angels Of Mercy (Rallene Ellison) - 3:30
21.Chain Of Fools (Don Covay) - 3:12

The Raiders
*Mark Lindsay - Lead Vocals
*Paul Revere - Keyboards
*Keith Allison - Bass And Guitar
*Freddy Weller - Guitar
*Mike "Smitty" Smith - Drums
*Omar Martinez - Drums
*Bob Wooley - Keyboards
*Doug Heath - Drums
*Ron Foos - Guitar

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rep>>> Blues Image - Blues Image • Red White and Blues Image (1969-70 us, exciting blues rock with latin jazz shades, 2005 remaster)

The Blues Image formed in Tampa, FL, in 1966 by Michael Pinera (b. September 29, 1948, Tampa, FL) (guitar, vocals), Manuel Bertematti (b. 1946, Tampa, FL) (percussion), and Joe Lala (b. Tampa, FL) (drums). Malcolm Jones (b. Cardiff, Wales) (bass) joined in 1966, followed in 1968 by Frank "Skip" Konte (b. Canyon City, OK) (keyboards).

The band moved to New York City in 1968 and managed a club called the Image. Then they moved to Los Angeles, where they signed to Atlantic Records' Atco division in February 1969, and released their self-titled debut album. This was followed by Open (1970), which featured "Ride Captain Ride." But the Blues Image never followed their hit. Pinera left, replaced by Kent Henry (guitar) and Dennis Correll (vocals).

Then the Blues Image broke up. A third album, Red White & Blues Image, was compiled from outtakes. Skip Konte joined Three Dog Night, while some other band members reformed as Manna. Pinera later was a member of Iron Butterfly, then Ramatam, and, with Bertematti, the New Cactus Band.  He also formed a band called Thee Image and worked as a solo artist. Lala became a Los Angeles session player and worked with Joe Walsh and the various manifestations of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, among others.

by William Ruhlmann

Tracks

1. Take Me to the Sunrise - 4:14

2. Leaving My Troubles Behind - 3:49

3. Outside Was Night - 3:56

4. In Front Behind You - 3:13

5. Lay Your Sweet Love on Me - 2:14

6. (Do You Have) Somethin' to Say - 3:58

7. Lazy Day Blues - 4:50

8. Yesterday Could Be Today - 2:10

9. Reality Does Not Inspire - 9:09

10.Rise Up (Dennis Correll, Malcom Jones, Frank Konte) - 4:16

11.Behind Every Man (Dennis Correll, Frank Konte) - 3:17

12.Gas Lamps and Clay (Dennis Correll, Frank Konte) - 2:39

13.Take Me Back (Dennis Correll, Frank Konte) - 3:33

14.It Happens All The Time (Kent Henry, Malcom Jones) - 4:01

15.Good Life (Dennis Correll, Frank Konte) - 3:35

16.It's the Truth (Malcom Jones) - 3:42

17.Let's Take a Ride (Frank Konte) - 2:52

18.Ain't No Rules in California (Malcom Jones) - 7:50

Tracks 1-9 written by Mike Pinera, Frank "Skip" Konte, Joe Lala, Manuel Bertematti, Malcom Jones

Tracks 1-9 from the LP "Blues Image" 1969

Tracks 10-18 from the LP "Red, White and Blues Image" 1970

Blues Image

*Mike Pinera - Vocals, Guitar (Tracks 1-9)

*Frank "Skip" Konte - Vocals, Piano, Organ

*Joe Lala - Vocals, Drums, Percussion, Congas

*Manuel Bertematti - Drums, Congas, Tumba

*Malcom Jones - Bass

*Dennis Correll - Vocals (Tracks 10-18)

*Kent Henry - Guitar (Tracks 10-18)

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rep>>> Various Artists - The Electric Asylum Vol. 3 (1970-74 uk, rare psych mod glam rock)

The title of this 20-track compilation might mislead some listeners to expect too much in the way of psychedelic music. Certainly there's some lingering influence from mod rock and psychedelia on this collection of early-'70s cuts. 

But really, it's more pop than anything else, and arguably glam rock is more of a factor than mod psychedelia, even of the slightly retro sort. It's not a genre easy to pigeonhole or, one would think, to market. That hasn't stopped Past 'n' Present from dedicating a whole series to it, however, and this anthology is actually fairly entertaining and amusing on the whole, if lacking in killer songs and somewhat on the lightweight side overall. 

Certainly it's not stuff you're likely to have encountered before; one look at the track listings will be enough to zap any "seen that, heard that" collector smugness you might have out of your system, with only Roger Ruskin Spear (formerly of the Bonzo Dog Band) and the novelty group the Barron Knights likely to be familiar names even to Anglophiles. 

Occasionally the material is obviously derivative, if never quite annoyingly so. Part of M.A.S.K.'s "Gotta Get Away" can't fail to recall the Beatles' "Dear Prudence," for instance, while Shakane's "Rhona" sounds a little like a hybrid of "Honky Tonk Women"-era Rolling Stones and Creedence Clearwater Revival, and T. Rex is echoed on a number of tracks. But there are some quite cool more offbeat things here, like Spode's "Cincinnati Woman," which is an uncanny, eerie early-'70s update of Joe Meek's productions; 1984's weird and wobbly cover of the Syndicate of Sound's mid-'60s garage rock hit "Little Girl"; and Roger Ruskin Spear's predictably absurd, monstrous, heavy rock satire "Drop Out."

 There are also some connections to much more familiar names in some of these tracks, like Wheels' respectable modish groover "She Don't Mean It," featuring Crispian St. Peters. 

by Richie Unterberger

Artists - Tracks

1. Renegade - Lovin' And Forgiving (Roger Lomas, Virginia Williams) - 2:40

2. Primitive Man - Animal Love (Ray Davies, Steve Fenwick, Tony Rockliff) - 2:28

3. The Sensations - Oh My Eli (John Edward) - 3:37 

4. Puzzle - Houla (Dion Wesley Martin) - 3:06 

5. Barracuda  - I Feel So Down (Peter Shelley) - 2:38

6. Grumbleweeds - Hey Babe) Follow Me (Albert Sutcliffe) - 2:52 

7. Boneshaker  - Sweetness (Bill Parkinson) - 3:00

8. Barron Knights - You re All I Need (Peter Langford) - 3:12 

9. Dynasty  - Tutankhamun (Ray Dexter) - 3:46 

10.M.A.S.K.  - Gotta Get Away (Barry Wigley, Ian Sutherland, Peter Mizen, Robert Long) - 3:37 

11.Shakane - Rhona (Brian Trusler) - 3:01

12.Wheels  - She Don t Mean It (Brian Hatt) - 3:00

13.Spode  - Cincinatti Woman (William Filby) - 2:47 

14.1984  - Little Girl (Bob Gonzales, Don Baskin) - 2:38 

15.Greg Robbins - Virginia Creeper (Greg Robbins) - 2:20  

16.Things Fall Apart - Bye Bye My Rose (Rauf Adu) - 2:56 

17.Roger Ruskin Spear - Drop Out (Roger Ruskin Spear) - 2:03  

18.Don Crown - The Flying Machines (Don Crown) - 2:02 

19.Zebedee  - She Couldn t Make Gravy (Docker, Matthews) - 3:43 

20.Amazon Trust - Sheila Lee (Veness, Holland) - 2:36 

The Electric Asylum series

1970-74  Volume One (2009 P&P)

1969-74  Volume Two (2009 P&P)

1970-75  Volume Four (2009 P&P)

1969-75  Volume Five (2009 P&P)

1971-76  Volume Six (2014 Particles)

other Past and Present compilations
60-70's  Floor Filler Killers / New Directions Vol. 3
60-70's  Mind Expanders Vol.2

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rep>>> The Daily Flash - The Legendary Recordings (1965-67 us, superb electrifying blend of folk-rock, pop, blues and jazz, 2023 release)

In 1965, the “music scene” in America was often conservative yet diverse, similar throughout many regions. University students had access to international touring artists like Ravi Shankar, and the general public to Broadway musicals, ballet and orchestras. Additionally Black R&B clubs were active, and White Teen Dance clubs focused on original, local R&R/R&B bands. A folk scene in the University District brought musicians, poets, beatniks who performed evenings and sat around in coffee shops during the day. Seattle had Jazz clubs, top quality Symphony Orchestras, Opera, Ballet, etc, and radio stations were starting to widen their scope with emerging British rock groups. 

I studied music at University, played in the Seattle Symphony, with several jazz groups and joined a R&B club band called The Frantics, that owing to my injury from a car accident, the band found a new drummer. Steve Lalor and Don MacAllister found me recuperating. We talked about making new music. We located Doug Hastings, rehearsed here and there, and continued to meet at coffee houses in the University District. News of a psychedelic underground in San Francisco began to filter northward. Brave new ‘explorers’ (consciousness-pioneers) soon arrived in Seattle whereupon the University area became a gathering place for an emerging youth culture that included university students, as well as those who hadn’t figured out what they wanted to do. 

Here, musicians wanted something different; police wanted to keep abreast of it all; artists wanted to design it all; journalists wanted to publish information on it all; rich fraternity boys wanted to chop-off longhair from freaky menfolk, grab the girls and run. Despite all that there were few venues that wanted longhaired musicians, certainly not weird mixed-music groups such as The Daily Flash. Finally, The Daily Flash decided to create a series of moveable venues in Labor Union halls, and Blaise LeWark opened Seattle’s BFD club.

Jon Keliehor's interview to Klemen Breznikar, January 30, 2024

Tracks

1. The French Girl (Ian Tyson, Sylvia Fricker) - 2:57

2. Green Rocky Road (Don MacAllister, Doug Hastings, Jon Keliehor, Steve Lalor) - 2:38

3. Queen Jane Approximately (Bob Dylan) - 4:29

4. Jack Of Diamonds (Traditional) - 2:40

5. The Bonny Ship The Diamond (Traditional) - 2:57

6. When I Was A Cowboy (Huddie Ledbetter) - 2:46

7. The Girl From North Alberta (Billy Roberts) - 2:56

8. C.C. Rider (Gertrude "Ma" Rainey) - 2:39

9. Violets Of Dawn (Eric Anderson) - 3:15

10.Again And Again (Steve Lalor) - 2:17

11.Queen Jane Approximately (Bob Dylan) - 2:54

12.Grizzly Bear (Traditional) - 3:10

13.Blackstone Ferry (Danny O'Keefe) - 2:35

14.Barbara Flowers (Steve Lalor) - 1:57

15.If I Were A Carpenter (Tim Hardin) - 2:23

16.Let Me Die In My Footsteps (Bob Dylan) - 2:37

17.Queen Jane Approximately (Bob Dylan) - 2:48

18.Birdses (Dino Valenti) - 2:46

19.Cantaloupe Island (Herbie Hancock) - 13:09

The Daily Flash

*Don MacAllister - Bass, Vocals

*Doug Hastings - Guitar, Vocals

*Jon Keliehor - Drums, Percussion

*Steve Lalor - Guitar, Vocals

Related Acts

1969  Bodine - Bodine   

1968  Rhinoceros - Rhinoceros (2002 remaster)  

1969-70  Rhinoceros - Satin Chickens / Better Times Are Coming (2003 remaster)  

1968  David Ackles - David Ackles  

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rep>>> Kevin Vicalvi - Songs From Down The Hall (1970-74 us, fantastic folk bluesy psych rock, 2002 remaster and expanded)

During the late 60's - early 70's my hometown of Worcester, Massachusetts was not very receptive to local bands that played songs they had written themselves. If you were a band that wanted work, you played the hits of the day with some oldies thrown in - not too bad a gig for someone in his late teens (me), because the AM pop and FM "underground" music that prevailed included The Beatles, The Stones, Hendrix, Dylan, Cream, The Kinks, Buffalo Springfield, The Byrds, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Procol Harum, etc., etc....

But I began to write my own songs, and soon I had a few that I considered good enough to perform and record. In the "cover tune" climate of that time, performing these songs live was out of the question - although we'd sneak one or two into a performance unannounced. In 1969, I began recording these songs with my bandmates at Northeast Recording, a 2-track studio in the nearby town of Shrewsbury. Over the course of a year of so I had amassed about 30 demo tapes of songs, most of them amateurish at best. I tried to improve, writing more tunes on my own time while still "playing the hits" on weekends with the band. Here I was with all these songs and no outlet for them except on tape.

In 1973, I ran into Dwight Glodell at Union Music, the local music retailers. Dwight was an acquaintance he was a friend of one of my cousins. We had jammed once or twice and we respected each other's musical abilities. I mentioned that I had all these original songs with no means of exposing them to the public, and when I expressed an interest in possibly cutting my own LP he told me that he was beginning his own small studio above Union Music in the same building. He suggested that we work on my LP project together, and I agreed.

Dwight's studio was a cramped office suite sitting three floors above Main Street in Worcester. There was a tiny control room with homemade speakers for monitors, Ampex preamps and an Ampex 4-track machine, a mixing board with APSI Modules, a few high-quality microphones, a good baby grand piano, an ARP 2600 synthesizer, some insulation stuffed into the windows, and not much else. Armed with these tools and Dwight's fledgling recording chops, we set to work on the recording you are holding in your hot little hands. Oh, did I mention that the studio was named Starizon?

Anyway, as I said before, this was an office suite - surrounded by other office suites filled with 9-to-5 people who wouldn't appreciate someone banging on musical instruments during the day. We could work on weeknights and weekends when I wasn't "playing the hits", so we settled into this schedule immediately. I enlisted Dave Rice to play drums, my then-girlfriend Dorrie Powers to help with graphics and background vocals, and my buddy and musical right-hand man Denis delaGorgendiere to help on vocals and bass.

We worked with the attendant difficulties of recording 4-track analog - - - calibration problems, tuning problems, noise problems (both environmental and electronic), overheating problems, humidity problems, string players who couldn't read charts properly, running-out-of-tracks problems....AAARRRGGHHHHH!!!!!!!!

In order to have more tracks to record on, we eventually transferred this never-ending project to a Scully 8-track professional 1-inch recorder.

I don't even remember how long it took to record these songs. Tracks were scrapped. Tracks were accidentally erased. Tracks that sounded perfect the day before now refused to play in tune. The string section for "Michael Henchard" had to be scrubbed and replaced with the ARP synth. We laughed; we cried. And then towards the end of the project Dwight approached me with the idea of scrapping the whole thing and starting over, no extra charge. I couldn't do it. I couldn't return to that circus of temperamental equipment and human error. I had new songs to record with more ambitious arrangements, and I was chomping at the bit to move on. I decided to release it, even if parts of it were unfinished. The year was 1974.

In the early to mid 70's a local independently released LP in Central Massachusetts didn't stand a chance. Most record stores would not carry a record that wasn't handled by a distributor. Distributors wouldn't touch a record that was on an ad hoc label. Publicity was the "local boy makes his own LP" story in the Worcester Telegram & Gazette. "Songs From Down The Hall" died on the streets after a few months and even fewer initial sales.

Denis, Dorrie, Dwight and I began recording new songs, and when Starizon Studios folded in the mid 70's we moved the new recording project into Northern Recording Studios in Maynard, Massachusetts. The Starizon LP was becoming an afterthought, and as the new project took shape I abandoned "Songs", a record that I believed was an important learning experience, but a dead issue commercially and not as good as the new recordings.

Skip ahead about 25 years. With the advent of internet directories, letters about "Songs From Down The Hall" started appearing in my mailbox. I began to get requests for copies of the LP from places like Texas, New England, New Jersey, The United Kingdom, Austrailia and Switzerland. Who'd-a thunk it? The thing took on a life of its own, finding a home in record collections across the planet. I began to receive requests for any additional unreleased recordings, too. So consider this re-release on CD the first chapter. There are a few 2-track demos from the Northeast sessions with Denis on bass and Dave on drums, demos of two unreleased songs that aren't TOO embarrassing, and a finished version of "Old Richard" (released in an unfinished version on the LP because of tuning problems with the harmonica).

by Kevin Vicalvi, 2002

Tracks

1. Prologue: A Song From Down The Hall - 2:24

2. Another Day, Another Time - 4:33

3. You Just Don't Know - 2:43

4. Achin' In My Heart - 5:45

5. Lost Or Going Home - 3:36

6. Rude Awakening - 3:32

7. Lover Now Alone - 3:08

8. More Than I Could See - 2:31

9. Letter To Michael Henchard - 3:56

10.Old Richard - 4:28

11.Letter To My Big Brother - 5:15

12.All My Love - 3:29

13.The New Shadow Show - 4:04

14.Another Day, Another Time - 4:25

15.You Just Don't Know - 2:16

16.Lover Now Alone - 3:15

17.More Than I Could See - 2:27

18.Old Richard - 4:26

All Music, Lyrics by Kevin Vicalvi 

Bonus Tracks 12-18

Musicians

*Kevin Vicalvi - Guitars, Piano, Harmonica, Synthesizer, Vocals

*Denis delaGorgendiere - Bass, Vocals

*Dave Rice - Drums, Percussion

*Dorrie Powers - Vocals

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rep>>> Brevity - Home Is Where Your Dog Is (1970 us, fantastic mosaic of baroque power pop folk psych rock, 2024 remaster)

Meet Brevity, the '70s Chicago band that took their name seriously. Rick Vittenson and Mark Breyer mashed up their surnames faster than you can say "power pop pioneers." Imagine the Byrds and Everly Brothers had a love child raised by the British Invasion – that's Brevity's sound in a nutshell. They were so good, they drew comparisons to Badfinger and Harry Nilsson. Not too shabby for a band you've probably never heard of... until now! Island Records and Frank Zappa's Bizarre/Straight label were sniffing around, but Brevity's tunes remained locked in a vault. Talk about a tease! Fast forward to now, and Think Like A Key is playing musical archaeologist, unearthing Home Is Where Your Dog Is. It's not just an album; it's a time capsule of proto-power pop goodness. But wait, there's more! Vittenson and Breyer (with drummer David Winogrond) weren't done. They went on to shape the Chicago/LA scene with Athanor and Skooshny. Because when you're this talented, one band just isn't enough. Brevity: They may have been short-lived, but their impact? Anything but brief. Proof that sometimes, the best things in music come in small packages!

Rough-Trade

Tracks

1. Oleoleo - 2:17

2. Aslan And You - 2:51

3. Very Truly Yours - 3:18

4. Snow Joke - 3:09

5. Better Dead Than In The Red - 4:09

6. For Lack Of A Smile - 3:10

7. Come See Paris (In The Fall) - 4:33

8. Lullaby - On Vacant Eve - 3:12

9. Cakewalk - 3:07

10.A Niche In Time - 4:05

11.Home Alone - 2:25

12.Everybody's Very Nice - 2:02

13.Friends Of Mine - 4:26

14.Little Fawn - 2:33

15.So And So Equals Zero - 2:36

16.Soaring So High - 2:52

17.Pets - 2:32

18.Pussycat, Pussycat - 3:01

19.Try To Forget - 3:58

20.Cakewalk (Secret Tape) - 1:37

Tracks 1,3,5,7,9,11-13,15,20 written by Mark Breyer

Tracks 4,6,8,10,14,16-19 written by Rick Vittenson

Brevity

*Jeff Peters - Bass

*Rick Vittenson - Guitar, Vocals

*David Winogrond - Drums

With

*Mark Breyer - Vocals, Composer

*Jack Burchall - Bass

*Joan Burnstein - Guitar

*Gary Gand - Keyboards, Mandolin

Related Act

1973-81  Athanor - Flashback (2013 release)  

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rep>>> Mortimer - On Our Way Home (1969 us, wondrous baroque folk country light psych rock, 2017 release)

I can remember seeing a while back an old reprint of advertisement for the Beatles Apple label, showing a one man band who in the ad copy signed to the Fabs label and subsequently made enough to run a Bentley. Looking back now, it seems very much the only people who actually struck gold via Apple were the lawyers. New Yorker trio Mortimer certainly didn’t. They did however manage to get their eponymous debut released on Phillips in 1968, but despite the personal intervention of George Harrison to get the band on board at Apple, the follow up recorded for the label was left to languish unloved for nearly 50 years until its release now. Originally intended to be released after the Iveys album (the future Badfinger got stiffed in the same way too) in the summer of 1969, this record was produced by Peter Asher (Macca’s the girlfriend Jane’s brother), but for reasons we will go into later never managed to reach the pressing plant.

Mortimer had their roots in Garage quintet the Teddy Boys, who cut four well-received singles for Cameo Parkway in 1966. On the back of that they offered the chance to record an album which was duly completed, but Cameo were taken over by Abkco (the company of one Allen Klein, who will loom large in the Mortimer story unfortunately) and the record was junked. The Teddy Boys were aghast at this setback after their hard work, but slimming down to a three piece they threw themselves into work on the New York Folk circuit (even though they were hardly a folk band at all). This got them noticed by manager Danny Secunda (brother of The Move’s handler Tony), who after organising their debut album with Phillips, decided that they would be able to make more impact in the UK.

Details are sketchy but as to why “On Our Way Home” was not released at the time, but a key element seems to have been the arrival of Allen Klein (lightning did strike twice for Mortimer unfortunately) at Apple replacing their fervent backer Ron Kass. One might have thought Klein was nurturing some sort of grudge against the Mortimer boys and drummer Guy Masson was unceremoniously escorted out of Apple by Klein’s “business associates” when he tried to find out if that was the case. Whatever the reasons, in the can the LP remained ever since.

Which is a great shame, because the majority of the LP is jolly good, in fact a bit of a masterclass in late 60s Soft Pop Sike. Mortimer came on like an acoustic Beach Boys/Bee Gees mix up, lots of tight harmony singing with fans of the Lovin’ Spoonful finding much to enjoy here I would think too. Though Mortimer specialised in lazy, hazy sunny day Pop occasionally they did produce the odd tougher offering – “You Do Too” is faster, harder hitting and there is some stinging fuzz guitar, perhaps as a look back to their Teddy Boys days. Singer Tom Smith’s voice is a little reminiscent at times of Mickey Dolenz, no bad thing of course and this song does recall one of the Monkees’ more “out-there” efforts. “Don’t Want To See You Anymore” is a sparsely accompanied beauty and “I Don’t Know” seems in a mad rush to cover as many Pop modes as possible, with orchestral strings jostling with MOR/Easy Listening and Beat to dazzling effect.

Of the bonus tracks “Christine Tildsley” is a very pretty Harmony Pop character portrait, “Last Of The H” starts with an atypical chant/bongo combination and “Ingenue’s Theme” is a lovely piece of John Sebastian/Paul Simon-style slowly drifting Folk Rock. The title track here was given to them by Paul McCartney (later cut by the Fabs as “Two Of Us”)”, but otherwise the entire record was all self-penned by the three band members, showing such a sure talent for composition that Macca’s effort doesn’t over-shadow the other writing here at all.

Sadly the set-back from Apple HQ was the final straw for the band as Mortimer split and though Smith and bass player Tony Van Benschoten stayed in the UK (mindful of possibly being drafted to ‘Nam on their return home), Guy Masson did go back to the Big Apple to play on the Van Morrison LP “Moondance”. It’s a real shame as that was the last time any of the trio recorded, as they were clearly a talented bunch, thwarted by business concerns rather than any fault on their part. “On Our Way Home” stands up in 2017 as a gentle but alluring 60s Pop album of no small charm and merit.

by Ian Canty

Tracks
1. On Our Way Home (John Lennon, Paul McCartney) - 3:06
2. I Didn't Know - 3:38
3. You Do Too - 3:12
4. Dolly - 4:43
5. People Who Are Different - 5:41
6. You Don't Say You Love Me - 3:03
7. Miles Apart - 3:12
8. Don't Want to See You Anymore - 3:58
9. No Business Being Here - 3:06
10.In Memory Of Her - 3:15
11.Pick Up Your Heart - 4:50
12.Christine Tildsley - 3:39
13.Last Of The "H" - 4:22
14.Laugh Children Laugh - 2:46
15.Ingenue's Theme - 2:24
All compositions by Guy Masson, Tom Smith, Tony Van Benschoten

Mortimer
*Guy Masson - Vocals, Drums, Percussion
*Tom Smith - Vocals, Guitar
*Tony Van Benschoten - Vocals, Bass, Guitar
With
Richard Hewson - Piano, Arrangements

1967-68  Mortimer - Mortimer  (2006 Rev-Ola)

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rep>>> Marc Jonson - Years (1972 us, splendid baroque folk rock, 2017 remaster and expanded)

The Real Gone Music label has just rereleased the out-of-print 1972 cult album Years by Marc Jonson. Real Gone touted the work as one of the most obscure cult albums ever as its initial vinyl release was quite limited. The newly remastered edition was sourced from original tapes dug out of the Vanguard label vaults. Years is difficult to classify by genre, roughly fitting into the category of psych-folk. The album has a transcendental, brooding feel that incorporates the intimacy of the singer-songwriter era with baroque elements prevalent in some 1960s recordings, but ultimately sounds ahead of its time - 1972 in a way that looks forward to the alternative music of the 1980s and ‘90s.

At 21 years old Jonson sang, played guitar, drums, keyboards, produced, and wrote all the songs on Years. The album cover art features a black and white photo of Jonson with long hair, a somber expression, and facial features that resemble Neil Young, who in 1972 released his legendary Harvest album. Years sounds at times like Harvest, particularly the two songs on which Young was accompanied by the London Symphony Orchestra. According to Jonson, there was a classical recording session going on in the studio where he was working so he decided to incorporate some harpsichords that were left lying around and hired some of the classical musicians to play on string arrangements.

The baroque elements on Years, complemented occasionally by a few good solid drum whacks, bring to mind sounds that an early Elton John explored on works like his 1970 self-titled album. Jonson’s melodic intonations and quasi-classical accompaniment sound at times like an early Leonard Cohen, as do his impressive, often dark, lyrics, which are probably not quite Cohen’s level since nothing really reaches that standard, but are impressive nonetheless.

Jonson said he was influenced in the making of Years by Van Morrison’s 1968 classic, Astral Weeks. The classical styling and unusual time signatures on both of the albums could certainly be compared, but Morrison is apparently also an influence on Jonson’s vocals. Jonson’s voice is very different from Morrison’s, but Jonson puts his own take on Morrison’s soaring wails. Jonson’s vocal style is similar to that of Chris Bell, a member of Big Star. Years has frequently been compared with the work of Big Star and indeed has the spirit of angst that characterizes much of the power pop genre that the band pioneered. But while the album fits in with the melancholic, reflective side of Big Star, there is not much in the way of the hard rock riffing side of the band captured on songs like “In the Street.”

Years kicks off with “Rainy Dues,” a song that begins with an acoustic guitar riff that is very similar to the riff in the Bruce Springsteen song “Growin’ Up.” Jonson’s release, however, slightly predates Springsteen’s and in the liner notes to Years, Jonson claims he was playing the Gaslight in Greenwich Village with jazz guitar legend Larry Coryell in 1972, and it is very possible that a young Springsteen heard “Rainy Dues” at one of those gigs. The beautifully melancholic piece builds from its acoustic beginning in a dramatic Springsteen-like fashion into its bridge as Jonson’s vocals become increasingly intense right before the mid-tempo rhythm comes in with drums and a few John Entwistle-like audible melodic bass notes. The song ends with Jonson moaning a few transcendent “oohs” before one final anguished scream similar to Springsteen’s vocals at the end of “Jungleland.”

Later in the album, “Mary” provides a showcase for a powerful vocal from Jonson backed initially by nothing but a funky drum beat that Jody Stephens could have laid down for Big Star. Even though Jonson is American, Years often sounds like the dreary British symphonic rock of the era. His voice sounds a lot like Elton John on “Mary,” and the instrumentation and time on the song are highly unusual as harpsichords and string orchestrations make up the bridge before the song closes with Jonson’s high wailing, which sounds similar to John’s higher range.

“Mother Jane,” a subtle, smart antiwar song features acoustic picking similar to Neil Young’s “Old Man.” However, it seriously diverges from the musical path of “Old Man” when it reaches the middle of the song in which the bridge is signaled by the beautiful strum of harps. The song contains the powerful line, “England’s at war oh my it’s 1805/To print the news you have to risk your life,” possibly in reference to the then current publishing of the Pentagon Papers that showed that the American government covered up the truth about the Vietnam War.

“A Long Song” features interesting classical accompaniment of flute. The album title comes from a lyric in the song, “Years pass as they grow out.” A bizarre chorus of “bum-bum-bum” sang by a few men or multi-tracked vocals starts as the song winds to a close before the chorus fades and the flute closes it out.

“The Return To The Relief” features a jingle-jangle, Byrds influenced riff at the beginning. The lyrics are particularly strong, including at a certain point a creepily repeated goblin-like phrasing of “and then kill you,” in reference to what the speaker will do to the people who have destroyed the world if he is the first person born after the world is destroyed. The song is ultimately hopeful, though, preaching love as an alternative. It has a few movements that segue into each other, but ends with an uplifting, sweeping orchestration. “Munich” is an odd song that features a lot of outlandish studio tricks with vocals. The song is particularly eerie because it features what sounds like an abrupt gunshot. The Real Gone reissue features a non-LP bonus track, “I’m Coming Up To Boston,” a beautiful Tim Buckley-like song with a hazy, harmonized chorus that sounds like the alternative music of later decades.

Years is a worthy rerelease from the Real Gone label. Its baroque orchestration references the most sophisticated sounds of the ‘60s in a psych-folk vibe, which was a bit anachronistic to 1972 as a few years are a lifetime in the music industry. By drawing on the best influences of the then recent past and fusing it with the subtly expressive singer-songwriter idiom, Jonson made an album that was years ahead of its time and a classic, cult or otherwise.

by Jeremy Goldstein,  Apr 30, 2017 

Tracks
1. Rainy Dues - 3:52
2. Mary - 5:52
3. Mother Jane - 2:11
4. Fly - 3:35
5. A Long Song - 5:10
6. Autopsy - 1:41
7. The Return To Relief - 5:50
8. Munich - 2:40
9. The Tredmill - 2:51
10.I’M Coming Up To Boston - 3:07
11.Rainy Dues - 3:56
12.Mother Jane - 2:11
13.Fly - 3:35
Lyrics and Music by Marc Jonson

Personnel
*Marc Jonson - Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Drums, Organ, Harpsichord, Autoharp, Timpani
*Blair Lew - Electric Bass, Electric Guitar
*Scott Lang - Percussion
*George Duvivier - Acoustic Bass
*Fred Mollin - Drums
*Jonathan Bart - Piano, Hammond Organ
*H. Wayne Ashdown - Acoustic Guitar
*John Frangipane - Strings Arrangements
*Timothy Brady - Pedal Steel Guitar
*Fred Mollin - Vocals
*Maynard Solomon - Vocals
*Jeff Wayne - Drums
*Hurling - Bass

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rep>>> Colin Scot - Colin Scot (1971 uk, remarkable progressive folk rock, 2006 remaster, korean Limited Edition)

In later years, this singular set would leave a new generation of classic rock fans scratching their heads. Just what were so many superstars doing backing this unknown singer? However, in 1970, Colin Scot was at least as famous as any of those now legendary names that guested on this his debut solo album, with the singer/songwriter regularly packing the house for his frequent live shows. 

Of course, those gigs brought Scot into the orbits of a host of other folk-tinged groups from the day, but it seems to have been producer John Anthony who brought most of this crew together. This included Brinsley Schwarz of the eponymous band, Genesis' Peter Gabriel and Phil Collins, Van Der Graaf Generator's Peter Hammill and David Jackson, King Crimson's Robert Fripp, then-Strawbs' organist Rick Wakeman, and his future bandmate Yes frontman Jon Anderson (the pair met at these sessions), and the list goes on and on.

Considering all the talent and egos in the studio, producer Anthony must have run an extremely tight ship, for he never allows any of the virtuosos to get in Scot's way or their excesses to overwhelm his songs. Nevertheless, the musicians left their marks, be it the shimmering guitars on "Do the Dance Now, Davey" that foreshadow the ones that strew glitter across Genesis' "The Music Box," or the quintessential Fripp chords that empower "Here We Are in Progress." "The Boatman" is buffeted by gusting wind, lapping waves, and exquisite guitar work, "Lead Us" sweeps listeners along with a choir of singers, while "Hey! Sandy," features some of the angriest acoustic guitars one's ever likely to encounter. 

All four of those songs were well-chosen covers, while the country-tinged "My Rain," the brooding "Take Me Away," and the psychedelic laced "Nite People" showcased the strength of Scot's own pen. The finished album was handed to United Artists, at the time, a relatively new and adventurous label, and upon release sold respectably in its day, but has cried out for reissue since. Boosted by a quartet of alternate takes of album tracks, the return of Colin Scot will be welcomed by prog and folk fans around the world.

by Jo-Ann Greene 

Tracks 
1. Do The Dance Now, Davey - 5:28
2. My Rain - 3:07
3. Take Me Away - 3:23
4. Confusion  - 2:55
5. Baby In My Lady (Mike Newbury) - 4:07
6. Lead Us (Neil Innes) - 4:34
7. You're Bound To Leave Me Now  - 4:36
8. The Boatman (Davy Johnstone) - 3:08
9. Nite People - 4:15
10.Hey! Sandy (Harvey Andrews) - 4:14
11.Here We Are In Progress  - 4:27
12.Long Time Gone  - 3:26
13.Do The Dance Now, Davey (Take 3)  - 5:42
14.My Rain (Take 1)  - 3:51
15.Nite People (Take 2)  - 4:42
All compositions by Colin Thistlewaite except where indicated
Previously Unreleased Bonus Tracks 12-15

Musicians
*Colin Scot - Guitar, Vocals
*David Jackson - Saxophone
*Ian Thornton - Trumpet
*Brinsley Schwarz - Guitar
*Robert Fripp - Guitar
*Davey Johnstone - Guitar
*David Kaffinetti- Keyboards
*Rick Wareman - Keyboards
*Bob Andrews - Keyboards
*Nic Potter - Bass
*Rod Clements - Bass
*Guy Evans - Drums
*Billy Rankin - Drums
*Peter Hammill - Vocals
*Steve Gould - Vocals
*Peter Gabriel - Vocals
*Phil Collins - Vocals
*Anne Stuart - Vocals
*Jane Reif - Vocals
*Jon Anderson - Vocals
*Linda Hoyle - Vocals
*Alan Hull - Vocals

1973  Colin Scot - Just Another Clown (2017 Big Pink)

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rep>>> The Search Party - Montgomery Chapel (1969 us, wonderful spiritual trippy mindmelter west coast psych)

If you think that all Christian rock blows, then you haven't heard the kids in Search Party. And if you think that 99.9 percent of Christian rock blows, then I guess you have. This, my little lambs, is the 0.1 percent that doesn't. You can usually file "Christian rock" alongside those other oxymoron, like "jumbo shrimp", "honest politician" or "parttime record collector." 

Maybe it's because most Christian music is made by twin brothers who dress identically, families who travel the South in silver motor homes, or pastors who've had half their faces burned off yet still manage to spread the message of hope. But perhaps the message might be spread more effectively if someone with even a modicum of hipness (not to mention a few vocal lessons) would step forward and sing the praises on electric guitar. 

Well, back in 1968, that's exactly what The Search Party did. On "Montgomery Chapel", you can tell these Christian kids were ignoring their parents' warning and listening to the latest Doors, Jefferson Airplane and Janis Ian records behind closed doors. So much so, that if you didn't know this was a Christian rock record, you might actually dig it. But don't let that stop you. 

These kids were good, and they even owned one of Satan's fuzz pedals. The Search Party weren't afraid to "rock out," as the heathens say, and filled their West Coast acid rock sound with loud, invasive blasts of heavenly fuzz on the blistering "You and I." Vocalist Joanie Goff had the same command and range as Dorothy Moskowitz of the United States of America, or Chris Christman from Ivory. 

Although occasionally...okay, frequently...she strayed into this possessed high-pitched shriek/yelp mode, like Gal Costa in the middle of a Pentecostal revival. When she's able to holster herself, though, things get downright trippy - check out the moody, ethereal "When He Calls" for some good smokefilled God-fearing acid rock sounds. With its jangly Roger McGuinn guitar and quivery psychedelic organ, I'd be tempted to say the band sounds "stoned" if I didn't know better. 

But as a languid leisurely stroll through the sounds of Haight- Ashbury, this is the Christian rock equivalent of a good It's a Beautiful Day ballad, complete with bof male and female harmony vocals. Joanie loses it near the end, sadly, and things unravel a bit, but when she keeps her cool, it's about as good a head-trip for Jesus as you'll hear. She's much more effective on the moody "Renee Child", adding some unsettling but very evocative banshee cries behind the male lead singer, who also subscribes to the school of vocal melodrarr; 

But it all works well together, and things are kept to a bare minimum - just vocals, two acoustic guitars and some occasional shots of xylophone – creating a very effective, ethereal and downright spooky slice of otherworldly sounding acid rock. It's not very often you'd apply the term "trippy mindmelter" to Christian music, but in this case, you would. And you'd be correct too, because there's no doubt that the boys and girls in Search Party listened to their share of Doors albums when recording "So Many Things Have Got Me Down" - at 9 minutes, riding a trancelike repetitive and very similar guitar riff, this absolutely has to be influenced by "The End". 

Side 2 loses the point a bit - "All But This", "Poem By George Hall" and "The Decidedly Short Epic of Mr. Alvira" all get bogged down in some fancy-schmancy Renaissance Faire medieval prog folk, far too quiet and moody for a band who owns a fuzz guitar and a female singer prone to sudden histrionics, unless you're a big fan of the folkier aspects of Jefferson Airplane (i.e. "Comin' Back to Me). 

However the big finale, the band's welcome return to fuzz and fury, is the closer "The News is You". A monster fuzz ripper of the Camera variety, which means it's a big, loud fire-breathing papier-mache tortoise. And Japanese kids like to hitch a ride on its back. Only thing is. Joanie's in full shriek and yelp mode here, wailing and screaming like Yoko Ono under demonic possession, which helps to end this strange little Jesus rock album on the most demented note possible. 

Not that a fuzz-shredding, mind-melting Christian rock band with a Jones for the Doors isn't already demented enough. And there's nary a Winnebago or red velour sports jacket in sight. If anything, the Search Party proved that you could love Jesus and also be a legitimate acid rock band. They looked and sounded just like the nondenominational co-ed West Coast bands - Jefferson Airplane, the United States of America. Ivory, Stoneground - only they sang about Jesus and their lead singer flew off the handle more often than Joan Crawford in "Mommy Dearest." But that only makes 'em all the more interesting. You've heard of the School of Rock. Now grab yoursetf a Psalter and a tab of acid, and check out the Chapel of Rock.

CD-Liner-Notes

Tracks

1. Speak To Me (Nicholas T. Freund, Jim Carvalho, Joanie Goff, Pete Apps, Tim King) - 2:54
2. Renee Child (Nicholas T. Freund, Jim Carvalho, Joanie Goff, Pete Apps, Tim King) - 2:43
3. Melanya (Pete Apps) - 1:46
4. When He Calls (Nicholas T. Freund, Jim Carvalho, Joanie Goff, Pete Apps, Tim King) - 4:26
5. So Many Things Have Got Me Down (Nicholas T. Freund, Jim Carvalho, Joanie Goff, Pete Apps, Tim King) - 9:19
6. You And I (Pete Apps, Jim Carvalho, Joanie Goff, Pete Apps, Tim King) - 3:11
7. All But This (Jim Carvalho) - 3:23
8. Poem By George Hall (Pete Apps, George Hall) - 3:46
9. The Decidedly Short Epic Of Mr Alvira (Jim Carvalho) - 3:36
10.The News Is You (Pete Apps) - 4:39

The Search Party
*Joanie Goff - Vocals, Guitar
*Jim Carvalho - Bass Guitar, Vocals
*Pete Apps - Lead Guitar, Vocals
*Tim King - Drums

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rep>>> John Wonderling - Day Breaks (1973 france / us, extraordinary spaced out folk psych rock, 2017 issue)

Johnny Wonderling was born in France on February 18th 1945, and moved to Queens, New York, at the age of five. Always a music enthusiast, he began his career at Cameo-Parkway Records in the mid- 605, before finding a job at Alouette, an independent NY music production publishing company best-known for having signed up Quincy Jones, Lesley Gore and Janis Ian, and run by Artie Wayne and Sandy and Kelli Ross, towards the end of 1967. At the same time, he set about writing songs himself. Sadly, Ross barely remembers him: "His name and face are familiar, but I cannot recall how I was involved," she says. "Wish I had more to tell..." "I met Johnny when I was a teenager, and it completely changed my life," says Carey Allen Budnick, who first encountered him backstage at a Hullabaloo dance show in Manhattan. '"He was a song plugger, and introduced me to various publishers. He taught himself autoharp, and we began to write songs together, which we sold for $25 to $50 a time. He was a very well-liked guy, a wheeler-deler who knew everyone - I remember him introducing me to Tiny Tim one day..."

In April 1968 Wonderling's song Midway Down - co-written with Lou Shapiro – was recorded by the Creation in the UK, via his publishing connections, but didn't sell. That June, a song by Wonderling, Budnick (under the alias Allane) and their pal Ed Goldfluss, Ask The Children, was included on the Cherry People's sole LP. It was also released by the Cowsills on their Captain Sad & His Ship Of Fools LP in September - but, for nefarious reasons, the writers never saw any royalties. That autumn Wonderling became the first pop artist to sign to Jerry Ragovoy's Loma Records [a subsidiary of Warner Brothers), which had previously devoted itself to R’n’B. On September l1th he recorded his only 45 for the label at Ragovoy's Hit Factory studio in New York. 

He produced it himself, aided by engineer Bill Szymczyk (who went on to earn immortality with the Eagles and others) and a crack backing band consisting of Hugh McCracken (guitar) Paul Harris (keyboards), Chuck Rainey (bass) and Bernard Purdie (drums). Coupling Wonderling's own rendition of Midway Down with Man Of Straw (written by him, Budnick and Goldfluss), the disc was issued at the end of the month, both on Loma and Warner Brothers, one pressing for each Coast. 'New artist shows certain savvy about the current market,' hedged Record World in a brief review on October 12th. 'Has a certain sell quality.' Cash Box, meanwhile, raved that a 'Distorted carnival atmosphere gives this track a staying power which will peg it for immediate response. Song is the first pop-flavored release from Loma, and has outstanding appeal for teen and progressive listeners. Should be welcomed by radio spots for exposure that should create a sales explosion.'  In fact, the disc barely made a whimper in the marketplace. 

Wonderling therefore became studio manager at the Hit Factory, at a time when Jimi Hendrix, the Stooges, the James Gang and countless others were working there. He hadn't abandoned his own creative ambitions, however. In 1971 his haunting song Jessica Stone - co-written with Szymczyk – was recorded by Jimmie Haskell on his eccentric California '99 LP. The same year, he set about making an album of his own, in collaboration with Szymczyk.

Drawing on his many studio contacts, the initial sessions for Day Breaks took place at the Hit Factory, and subsequently at Sun West in Los Angeles (after he'd moved from New York to Laurel Canyon, where he lived with his girlfriend Cindy). Few musicians, even superstars, commanded such a roll-call of talent: Aynsley Dunbar, Tim Rose, Jesse Ed Davis, Jim Gordon, Jim Pons, Bernard 'Pretty' Purdie, Chuck Rainey, Hugh McCracken, Paul Harris, Jim Keltner, Danny Kortchmar, Paul Griffin, Gloria Jones and numerous others were all involved.  Despite such a large and stellar cast, however, the arrangements are restrained, albeit more layered than it seems at first, with piano, organ, steel guitar, wah wah, backing vocals and more adding subtle texture.

Most of the LP consists of spacey, acoustic guitar-led ballads, sung in Wonderling's appealingly warm, world-weary voice. It opens with the reflective Long Way Home, referencing a backpacking trip Budnick had made around Europe in the 60s. Next is the beautiful, wistful Jessica Stone (co-written with Szymczyk). Its mood is sustained on the reflective Someone Like You, M'lady, and Shadows. Perhaps surprisingly, a faithful re-recording of the eerily psychedelic Man Of Straw is included (its B-side, Midway Down, is absent). Cowboy Lullaby is a gentle instrumental; 'Just close your eyes and listen,' instruct the credits.

The bouncy Follow Me breaks the album's thoughtful mood, but its levity is quickly reined in on the touching closing track, Reach The Ground, in which Wonderling hopes that his fragile subject will "someday make your way down, without breaking when you finally reach the ground..." 'John was a fascinating fellow and a great guy," says engineer Bruce Alblin, who worked on overdubbing mixing, and editing the LP at Golden West Sound in Hollywood. "He was very much a man of the world - charismatic, sophisticated, smart, and fun to work with in the studio. As well as being a talented musical artist, he was also well-versed in the 'business' side of the music business - a very rare combination."

With the album finally completed, in December 1972 Paramount trailed its release with a radio promo 45, offering mono and stereo mixes of Shadows, in a picture sleeve. The LP was scheduled to follow in mid- 1973 (judging from its catalogue number, PAS 6063) - but something went awry. The singer-songwriter scene was at its commercial peak, but Day Breaks seems not to have been distributed, and was effectively stillborn. Only a handful of copies are known to exist, and no promo material or references to it in the contemporary press (including trade papers) have yet surfaced. It was clearly expensive to make, and was packaged with a custom lyric inner sleeve, so the reason for its evidently tiny pressing size is baffling.

"From what I gathered at the time, there was some kind of politics / machinations at the label that delayed and inhibited its release," recalls Ablin. "It was held up quite a I while, and from what I recall, the release was extremely small, 100 or fewer albums total." Wonderling is not known to have performed live, which can't have assisted his prospects as a recording artist, and the album got no traction whatsoever. Ablin, however, was always a fan: "Of all the countless projects I've worked on over the years, Day Breaks is one of my favorites, if not my favorite, musically. It's that good.  Truly brilliantly creative and unique. I'm amazed at how well the songs, arrangements and production hold up after all theseyears."

Following its release Wonderling is known to have made numerous demos, only one of which – the melodic Penelope - is known to survive, and is included in this set. Despite his considerable abilities, he released no further records under his own name. Instead, he joined Arista Records as'General Professional Manager, East Coast' in February 1978, subsequently becoming their 'Director of Creative Affairs' and 'Publishing Director, East Coast' working with stars such as Aaron Neville, Chaka Khan and Pat Benatar.

In 1981 he moved to Sidstan Music Publishing in New York (owned by former Beatles promoter Sid Bernstein and his brother Stan). The following year he played autoharp on John Gale's Music For A New Society, and produced the near-hit 400 Dragons by Adrian John Loveridge. Wonderling and Loveridge also contributed two songs to the March 1982 debut album by Laura Branigan, Branigan, which reached #34 on the Billboard chart, making it easily the most commercially successful recording of his career. Unfortunately, both Loveridge and Branigan died before their time. Wonderling subsequently set up his own music production and publishing company, Myth America, from the  barn he called home in Woodstock, notably overseeing the 1990 album ^4 Creole Christmas, for which he produced tracks by artists including Aaron Neville and Irma Thomas. He also collaborated closely with the composer Keith 'Plex' Barnhart on advertising jingles for Macy's and others, which became his main source of income for the remainder of his life.

Latterly he was involved with ' the Woodstock Youth Theater, and acted as musical director for The Woodstock Century, an ambitious production mounted at the Woodstock Playhouse in June 2002. His last public statement seems to have been made that October, when he joined a protest against the invasion of Iraq in Woodstock. "The powers that be are the ones pulling all the strings," he told the New York Times. "You've got to keep going, and eventually us gentler people maybe will be heard." Sadly, he succumbed to a heart attack in Amsterdam on September 17th 2003, whilst honeymooning with his third wife, and may well have taken the full story behind the mysterious Day Breaks with him.

"I'm really thrilled to see that it's available at last," concludes Ablin. "For many years after John and I worked together, the only way that I could listen to the record was via my reference cassette from the master tape. But great music, and all great art, has a way of eventually being acknowledged." For now, the last word goes to Wonderling's daughter Jenny, after whom he named his Sweet Jenny Music publishing company: "He was a wonderful man, deeply passionate, with a laugh, naughty wit, intelligence and warmth that was rare. I really miss him."

by Richard Morton Jack, London, March 2017

Tracks
1. Long Way Home (John Wonderling, Carey Budnick) - 4:20
2. Jessica Stone (John Wonderling, Bill Szymczyk) - 3:54
3. Man Of Straw (John Wonderling, Carey Budnick, Ed Goldfluss) - 2:46
4. Someone Like You (John Wonderling) - 4:29
5. M'lady (John Wonderling, Carey Budnick) - 3:41
6. Shadows (John Wonderling, Carey Budnick) - 3:09
7. Cowboy Lullaby (John Wonderling) - 2:55
8. Follow Me (John Wonderling, Carey Budnick) - 3:33
9. Reach The Ground (John Wonderling) - 3:56
10.Midway Down (45 A-Side) (John Wonderling, Los Shapiro) - 2:34
11.Man Of Straw (45 B-Side) (John Wonderling, Carey Budnick, Ed Goldfluss) - 2:49
12.Shadows (Mono) (John Wonderling, Carey Budnick) - 3:11
13.Penelope (Mono) (John Wonderling) - 2:25

Musicians
*John Wonderling - Acoustic, Electric Guitar, Autoharp, Organ, Percussion, Electric Piano, Lead Vocals
*Tim Rose - Acoustic Guitar
*Jerry McGee - Acoustic, Electric Guitar
*Hugh McCracken - Acoustic, Electric, Slide Guitar, Tambourine
*Chuck Rainey - Bass 
*Jim Pons - Bass
*Danny Kortchmar - Electric Guitar
*Jesse Ed Davis - Electric Guitar
*Jordan Stephens - Harmonica, Electric Guitar
*Paul Griffin - Organ, Piano
*Roger Dollarhide - Organ, Piano, Synthesizer
*Paul Harris - Organ, Piano, Electric Piano
*Jim Gordon - Tambourine
*Aynsley Dunbar - Drums
*Bernard Purdie - Drums
*Herbie Lovelle - Drums
*Jim Keltner - Drums
*Clydie King, Gloria Jones, Venetta Fields - Backing Vocals

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rep>>> Bill Wilson ‎- Ever Changing Minstrel (1973 us, outstandind folk rock, 2012 remaster edition)

)

Damned if this isn’t the story that rock ’n’ roll dreams are almost made of. In 1973, Wilson, an unknown 26-year-old Indiana native, had a batch of songs he’d written and wanted to record. Being a Dylan fan, he decided to knock on the door of Bob Johnston, producer of several Dylan albums as well as seminal Leonard Cohen and Johnny Cash albums, and ask him to make a record. 

Although having no idea who Wilson was, Johnston put common sense aside and asked Wilson to play one of his songs on the spot; that same evening, Bill Wilson was in Ray Stevens Sound Lab Studio in Nashville, and Johnston producing his first album! There with him was a selection of Johnston’s “go to” Nashville session players – Kenny Buttrey (drums), Charlie Daniels and Jerry Reed (guitars), Charlie McCoy (harmonica), Mac Gayden (slide), Pete Drake (pedal steel), singer Cissy Houston, and Bob Wilson on piano. It has the makings of a fairy tale of Disney proportions.

What is beyond argument is that Bill Wilson was an extraordinarily gifted songwriter and recording artist just waiting for the “big break.” Although recorded in Nashville, the 11 songs are more steeped in the influences of Austin’s outlaw country with a faint Southern tinge; there are echoes of Townes Van Zandt, Guy Clark, Mickey Newbury, and even Mike Nesmith’s 1st National Band (check out the exhilarating opener ‘Rainy Day Resolution’). 

As is usual, the lyrics are about the themes that generally run through the genre – heartbreak, social commentary, tales of drifters and lost love (the abject pain in ‘Long Gone Lady’ is palpable). There’s even some country gospel thrown in for good measure, Cissy Houston harmonising gloriously on ‘Following My Lord’ and ‘Father Let Your Light Shine Down’. Gayden’s slide playing is sublime throughout, particularly on ‘Ballad Of Cody’ and ‘Pay Day Give Away’; neither would be out of place on an Allman Brothers album. All that’s needed is the “happily ever after” flashing neon and the fairy tale is complete.

Sadly, that never transpired. Wilson took his album to Columbia where it sank almost without trace; Wilson himself struggled to actually find a copy of his own album. As he somewhat prophetically sings in the title track: “another crazy dream had come undone.” Josh Rosenthal (Tompkins Square founder) stumbled across the album in a vinyl bargain bin at a San Francisco record fair in January and bought it for 25 cents, purely on the strength of the producer’s name. 

When contacted by Rosenthal, Johnston recalled that he never saw or spoke with Wilson again after the recording session, but “the fucker could really write.” Bill Wilson died from a heart attack in 1993, aged 46, having made less than $100 from his record and never seeing its resurrection. Not all fairy tales have happy endings.

by Trevor J. Leeden 

Tracks
1. Rainy Day Resolution - 3:33
2. Pay Day Give Away - 4:00
3. To Rebecca - 5:54
4. Black Cat Blues - 5:13
5. Father Let Your Light Shine Down - 2:58
6. Long Gone Lady - 3:33
7. Following My Lord - 4:13
8. Ballad Of Cody - 4:27
9. The Good Ship Society - 2:59
10.Ever Changing Minstrel - 3:06
11.Monday Morning Strangers - 3:50
Words and Music by Bill Wilson

Musicians
*Bill Wilson - Vocals Guitar
*Mac Gayden - Slide Guitar
*Charlie Daniels - Guitar
*Bob Wilson - Piano
*Charlie McCoy - Harmonica
*Kenny Buttrey - Drums
*Jerry Reed - Guitar
*Pete Drake - Steel Guitar
*Cissy Houston - Vocals

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