Oldish Psych and Prog

 

Tapestry of Delights:
This New York psychedelic rock group, named after a popular American Ice Cream, formed in 1966 out of the ashes of (Mark Stein and) The Pigeons and began by specialising in doing slowed down version of other peoples' compositions. Their debut album included organ dominated versions of Lennon-McCartney's Ticket To Ride and Eleanor Rigby, Rod Argent's She's Not There and Curtis Mayfield's People Get Ready- The remake of The Supremes' hit You Keep Me Hanging On reached No 18 in the U.K. in the Summer of 1967 and was later a U.S. hit. Their treatment of these songs was characterised by organ melodramatics and extravagant productions; the album sold quite well and the group had an uniquely distinctive sound. It is said that The Beatles were impressed with the band, with George Harrison playing their version of Ticket to Ride and Eleanor Rigby for anyone that visited them. Eleanor Rigby Pts I & 2 (Atlantic 584, 139) failed as a single in the UK, as did Where Is My Mind/The Look Of Love (Atlantic 584.170), a 1968 release. Their first album reached No 6 in the U.S. Album Charts.
Their next album, however, was over-ambitious and pretentious, failing in its attempt to provide a history of 25 years of musical development on one LP! Nonetheless it still climbed to No 17.
Rennaissance, which was released in 1968 and reissued in 1974 by WEA, showed some improvement, largely on account of their typically melodramatic nine-minute version of Donovan's Season Of The Witch which was somewhat surprisingly a minor hit in the U.K. in 1969. However, when the band attempted to write their own material, the result was usually a dismal failure. Vanilla Fudge described their music as 'psychedelic symphonic rock'. The 'symphonic' was an exaggeration, although one can detect a slight classical influence in their music. Rennaissance reached No. 20 in the Album Charts and Near The Beginning made No. 16. Side two was live.
As the psychedelic era drew to a close, the band moved towards a more conventional heavy rock sound, finally splitting after their fifth LP which reached No. 34 in 1970. Appice and Bogert went on to play with Cactus then Beck, Bogert and Appice and then Rod Stewart, while Stein formed an abortive band called Boomerang.

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"The Hurlyburly" - 4:38
"Interference Patterns" - 3:52
"The Final Reel" - 5:49
"Lifetime" (Hammill) - 4:47
"Drop Dead" - 4:53
"Only in a Whisper" - 6:44
"All That Before" - 6:29
"Over the Hill" - 12:29
"(We Are) Not Here" - 4:04

All songs by Hugh Banton, Guy Evans and Peter Hammill except where noted.

Peter Hammill – voice, piano, electric guitar
Hugh Banton – organs (including bass pedals), bass guitar
Guy Evans – drums, percussion

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genre: heavy, fusion

country: uk

quality: lossless (ape, cue, log, scans)

time: 35'57"  size: 233 mb

misc.: japan

 

Side one
"The Right Side" (Kirkby Gregory, John Cook) - 3:50
"Jekyll & Hyde" (Gregory, Cook) - 4:38
"Sooner or Later" (Gregory, Elmer Gantry) - 3:02
"Living a Lie" (Cozy Powell, Bernie Marsden, Don Airey) - 5:37
Side two
"Cat Moves" (Jan Hammer) - 5:12
"Sunset" (Gary Moore) - 4:32
"The Blister" (Moore, Airey) - 4:22
"Hot Rock" (Hammer) - 4:36

Cozy Powell - drums
Elmer Gantry - lead vocals on "Right Side", "Jekyll & Hyde" and "Sooner or Later"
Frank Aiello - lead vocals on "Living a Lie"
Kirkby Gregory - guitar on "Right Side", "Jekyll & Hyde" and "Sooner or Later"
Bernie Marsden - guitar on "Living a Lie"
Jeff Beck - guitar on "Cat Moves" and "Hot Rock"
Gary Moore - guitar on "Sunset" and "The Blister"
Chris Glen - bass on "Right Side", "Jekyll & Hyde" & "Sooner or Later"
Neil Murray - bass on "Living a Lie"
Jack Bruce - bass on "Cat Moves"
John Cook - keyboards, Moog Taurus on "The Blister" and "Hot Rock"
Don Airey - keyboards on "Sunset" and "The Blister"
Mel Collins - saxophone on "The Right Side"
David Sancious - synthesiser on "Cat Moves"

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genre: rock, fusion

country: uk

quality: lossless (ape, cue, log, scans)

time: 39'00"  size: 239 mb

 

 

"Theme One" - 3:36 (George Martin)
"Killer" - 7:16 (Don Airey/Gary Moore)
"Heidi Goes to Town" - 2:57 (Cozy Powell/Don Airey)
"El Sid" - 5:09 (Bernie Marsden)
"Sweet Poison" - 8:24 (Max Middleton)
"The Loner" - 4:50 (Max Middleton) (Dedicated to Jeff Beck)
"Over The Top" - 8:39 (Don Airey/Cozy Powell)

Cozy Powell - drums - All tracks
Gary Moore - Guitar - Track 2
Clem Clempson - Guitar - Track 5, 6
Bernie Marsden - Guitar - Track 4
Jack Bruce - Bass guitar - All tracks
Don Airey - Keyboards - All tracks except 6
Max Middleton - Keyboards - Track 6

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genre: psych, garage

country: us

quality: mp3 (320k, scans)

time: 14'33"  size: 35 mb

misc.: ep

 

Fuzz Acid & Flowers:

A New York outfit. Their name, chosen by lead singer Jeffrey Moon and extracted from the 'The Tibetan Book of the Dead', reters to a "return to reality". The inclusion of I'm Five Years Ahead Of My Time on Pebbles, Vol. 3 has made it something of a classic among collectors of psychedelic punk. Deservedly so in view of its haunting intro. and fine fuzztone guitar work. Subsequently it has resurfaced on other compilations:- Born Bad (The Songs The Cramps Taught Us), Songs We Taught The Cramps and Get Primitive (The Best Of Pebbles). Rusty Evans of The Deep/Freak Scene wrote the 45 for The Third Bardo along with songwriter Victoria Pike, who was married to The Third Bardo's producer Teddy Randazzo (of Roulette Records) at the time. The excellent flip side of the 45 can also be heard on Vile Vinyl, Vol. 2 and Magic Carpet Ride whilst another version of it appears on Freak Scene's Psychedelic Psoul LP. If that wasn't enough, David Walters (author of the excellent "Children of Nuggets" book) has pointed out that the version of My Rainbow Life on Glimpses Vol. 4 is an acetate version, 20 seconds shorter than the final single and with a different mix! Both sides of the 45 can also be now heard on Psychedelic Microdots, Vol. 3 (CD).

In the early seventies, their lead singer Neufeld released an album under another pseudonym, Chris Moon. In the 1980s The Nomads did a fine cover version of I'm Five Years Ahead Of My Time and Kenne Highland's Majestic Gizmos reworked it into He's Five Beers Ahead Of Your Time (!) on the LP of that name.

In 1999, Rusty Evans has helped re-record I'm Five Years Ahead Of My Time, My Rainbow Life and a number of other tracks with his son's band Kaos. Although currently unreleased, the new recordings are great, capturing the spirit of the originals. Rusty may also be writing some new material for The Third Bardo themselves, who played live again on May 16^th 1999 with a line-up of Jeff Moon aka Neufeld, Damian Kelly and Ricky GoldClang from the original band. As for former drummer Bruce Ginsburg his whereabouts are unknown - somewhere in California, whilst Richie Seslowe sadly died of a drug overdose in the eighties.

(Vernon Joynson / Max Waller / John P. Melendez)

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bonus:
12. Livin' On (A-side IA 130, mono 45 rpm mix) 3:25
13. Scarlet and Gold (B-side IA 130, mono 45 rpm mix) 4:59
14. May the Circle Remain Unbroken (B-side IA 126, mono 45 rpm mix) 2:42
15. Livin' On (Alternate Horn Arrangement) 3:24
16. Bull of the Woods (West Coast Radio Spot) 1:03
 

 

ROKY ERICKSON - vcls  
TOMMY HALL - jug, vcls
STACEY SUTHERLAND - ld gtr, vcls
DAN GALINDO - bs
DANNY THOMAS - drms
 

genre: kraut, jazz

country: germany

quality: lossless (flac, cue, scans)

time: 36'13"  size: 237 mb

 

Cosmic Dreams:

This sextet began their recording career as Thrice Mice. As such, they made one album for Phillips in 1971 and were also included on the Festival samplers Love & Peace (1970) and Pop & Blues Festival '70. Some years later they renamed themselves Altona, now expanded to a septet. Altona was the name of a suburb of Hamburg (perhaps this was the place where they came from?). A typical Altona song lasted for 5-7 minutes, had lots of sax and guitars and was largely based on blues and jazz rock. The first album had a funny cover of ugly tourists wearing Hawaiian-shirts wandering around in Hamburg. Their albums were produced by one Klaus Bohlmann. Altona were among the better jazz-rockers of the mid-seventies, although they never really excelled. Check them out if progressive jazz-rock appeal to you. Their albums can still be acquired cheaply.

 

see also:

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genre: fusion / prog

country: italy

quality: lossless (ape, cue, log, scans)

time: 1:15'30"  size: 517 mb

misc.: japan

 

'Tilt' suite:
01. Gravita 9,81 4:35
02. Strips 4:26
03. Corrosione 1:30
04. Positivo / Negativo 3:41
05. In Camino 6:14
'Cito di Valzer per Domani' suite:
06. Valzer Per Domani 4:13
07. Mirafiori 5:53
08. Nove Lune Prima 0:56
09. Mescal / Mescalero 2:36
10. Nove Lune dopo 1:07
11. Aria Pesante 4:10
12. Dimensione Terra 3:53
13. Kawasaki 6:11
14. Glory 2:45
15. Marilyn 5:25
16. Arcenciel 3:54
17. Alba Mediterranea 4:37
18. 2000 9:23

Beppe Crovella / Hammond organ, Mellotron, synthesizers, Fender Rhodes electric piano, acoustic piano
Furio Chirico / Drums, percussion
Alfredo Ponissi / tenor-alto-baritone sax, flute
Roberto Cassetta / electric bass, back vocals
Marco Roagna / electric & acoustic guitars
Lautaro Acosta / violin
Iano Nicolò / lead vocals, percussion

see also:
1975 - Giro Di Valzer Per Domani

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genre: heavy

country: us

quality: lossless (ape, cue, log, scans)

time: 34'12"  size: 213 mb

misc.: 2003 remaster

 

Side one
"Summertime Blues" (Jerry Capehart, Eddie Cochran) – 3:47
"Rock Me Baby" (Josea/B.B. King) – 4:22
"Doctor Please" (Dickie Peterson) – 7:53
Side two
"Out of Focus" (Peterson) – 3:58
"Parchment Farm" (Mose Allison) – 5:49
"Second Time Around" (Peterson) – 6:17
Bonus Track (Akarma CD version 2003)
"All Night Long" (Ralph Burns Kellogg) – 2:02

Dickie Peterson – bass, vocals
Paul Whaley – drums
Leigh Stephens – guitar

see also:
1969 - New! Improved!

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genre: prog

country: italy

quality: lossless (flac, cue, log, scans)

time: 40'54"  size: 257 mb

 

ItalianProg:

One of the bands mentioned here that had no records released during their lifespan, Buon Vecchio Charlie had an album ready, but it was only recently unearthed, first on CD then on LP, and it's a very good one, well worth buying, even because of its availability at low prices!

The band was formed in Rome in 1970 with a five-piece line-up featuring, along with Calabrò, Centofanti and Sangiorgio, bass player Walter Bernardi and percussionist Carlo Visca.
After some first demos they could record with the new six-piece line-up the tracks for an album in Suono label's (of Opus Avantra fame) recording studio near Venice in 1972, with the help of Venetian Power guitarist Claes Cornelius, also an important session man at the time.

Despite the good quality, and the interest shown for the band by many producers, the album never saw the light and was shelved until its first CD release in 1990 in a limited pressing.

The LP is very well made, and with a better production it could have been a classic in its style. Dominated by the flute, with strong classical influences, like in the opening Venite giù al fiume it's still an original work, with very interesting moments.

The band split after the recording, probably disillusioned by the lack of chances connected to their album release. 
Almost all the musicians kept playing: guitarist Benson released some solo albums and is still active and popular in the Rome area, keyboardist Centofanti followed his career with singer-songwriter Claudio Baglioni and in Libra, while three of the others, Calabrò, Sangiorgio and Damiani, formed with two other musicians a jazz-rock group called Bauhaus.

This group, that received the Best Italian Band prize at the Rome Villa Pamphili festival in 1974, was strongly influenced by Miles Davis' jazz-rock fusion experiments, and only produced a 7-track recording that has been recently issued by Akarma on CD for the very first time. With a very good quality the instrumental-only group has much in common with Perigeo and similar Italian bands, but very little traces left of their progressive rock past.

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