Rockasteria

Birminghams Fairfield Ski are one of the greatest lost UK psych/prog bands ever. With a line- up which included ex- Terry Reids band Bill Bonham (cousin of Led Zepp John Bonham) on keyboards, their only recorded legacy is one of the rarest artifacts from the first UK psych- prog era: only 3 copies are known to exist of the Fairfield Ski acetate album, recorded in 1973 at top London studios such as Trident, Abbey Road and Apple. A perfectly played and professionally produced record which ranges from full- blown psychedelia to glam, hard- rock, progressive- pop and dreamy psych. Echoes of Forever Amber, Five Day Rain, Octopus, Deep Purple, Procol Harum, Abbey Road era Beatles and Appletree Theatre can be heard on the grooves of this lost classic.

Gu/sen

Tracks
1. Silver Tavern - 4:04
2. Circus - 3:12
3. Would You Mind / The Warrior - 11:19
4. Man From Galillee - 3:26
5. Something On Your Mind - 3:13
6. Meet Me At The Station - 3:16
7. Suddenly I'm Sure - 5:17
8. Si Te Dois Partis - 3:56
9. Time Is Fast Approaching / Goodnight - 4:49
All songs by Fairfield Ski

Fairfield Ski
*Matt Bridger - Bass, Vocals
*Dave Hynds - Drums, Vocals
*Nigel Wright - Vocals
*Bill Bonham - Keyboards, Vocals

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An oft-overlooked curio, Live Cream, Vol. 2 appeared at a very odd time, with very little warning, almost two years after its predecessor -- and at virtually the same time as the related (though not overlapping) History of Eric Clapton. And both showed up, not coincidentally, at a point when Clapton, unbeknownst to most of the public, was sidelined with a crippling heroin addiction -- this album helped keep him in the public eye, as a singer as well as a guitarist.

On its face, Live Cream, Vol. 2 is a more ambitious album that its predecessor, offering more songs and including concert versions of two of the group's AM radio hits (as opposed to the album tracks that comprised the repertory on Live Cream, Vol. 1). And it is just about essential listening for anyone who wants to understand what Cream was about, which was live performance. Utilizing -- for the time -- state of the art mobile recording equipment, it was a significant achievement at the time in capturing the genuine sound of a high-wattage power trio on-stage, playing away at full volume; and the overall sonic excellence here must surely be credited to engineers Tom Dowd and Bill Halverson.

The feeling that you are in the front row is very much in evidence, and this is largely due to their ability to capture the band's live fury with clarity and intimacy, down to every nuance of Ginger Baker's playing. As for the performances, this record does capture the band at their peak, though perhaps not at the very best moments of that peak -- the group made their reputation as a live act with epic, lengthy jams that verged on jazz, but the repertory represented here (as opposed to that on Live Cream, Vol. 1) is more focused on their pop/rock efforts, such as "White Room,""Sunshine of Your Love,""Tales of Brave Ulysses," etc., which don't lend themselves as easily (or at all) to opening out in extended jams, in the manner of, say, "N.S.U." or "Sweet Wine," or the legendary "Spoonful"; additionally, numbers such as "Sunshine of Your Love" and, in particular, "White Room," require more vocal dexterity than Clapton and bassist/singer Jack Bruce could muster in this kind of concert setting -- their singing, especially on "White Room" comes close to breaking down ("Sunshine of Your Love" fares better), whereas their playing holds together, almost better than perfect at times.

"Deserted Cities of the Heart" -- which opens the album -- comes off exceptionally well as a concert piece, the bass and guitar actually combining to overcome the absences of swooping cellos, acoustic guitars, and other accompanying instruments from the studio rendition. And there is one priceless example of Cream in a full-tilt jam, on the 13-plus-minute closing cut, "Steppin' Out" -- the band's sheer energy overcomes what minor deficiencies there are in the overall sound quality. And coupled with the compact, four- to five-minute versions of "Deserted Cities of the Heart" and "Tales of Brave Ulysses," among others, the album is a vital, intense, and enjoyable listen that is ultimately rewarding. The original LP had its sonic limitations, but this remastered version offers the best sound ever heard for this album.

by Bruce Eder

Tracks
1. Deserted Cities Of The Heart (Jack Bruce, Pete Brown) - 4:32
2. White Room (Jack Bruce, Pete Brown) - 5:38
3. Politician (Jack Bruce, Pete Brown) - 5:06
4. Tales Of Brave Ulysses (Eric Clapton, Martin Sharp) - 4:45
5. Sunshine Of Your Love (Eric Clapton, Jack Bruce, Pete Brown) - 7:20
6. Steppin' Out (James Bracken) - 13:38 (Mistitled As Hideaway)
Track 5 recorded 9 March 1968 at the Winterland, San Francisco
Tracks 4, 6 recorded 10 March 1968 at the Winterland, San Francisco
Tracks 1 - 3 recorded 4 October 1968 at the Oakland Coliseum Arena, Oakland

Cream
*Eric Clapton - Vocals, Guitar
*Jack Bruce - Vocals, Bass, Harmonica
*Ginger Baker - Drums

1966 Cream - Fresh Cream (SHM remaster)
1967 Cream - Disraeli Gears (SHM remaster)
1969 Cream - Goodbye (2010 SHM remaster)
1967-68 Cream - Live Cream (2010 SHM remaster)
1969 Jack Bruce - Songs For A Tailor
1971 Jack Bruce - Harmony Row

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The British band Cockney Rebel, founded by singer-songwriter Steve Harley, entered the rock scene in 1973 after signing with EMI. Their debut The Human Menagerie contained the single Sebastian with its classical keyboard arrangements. This single definitely generated interest in the band and it was a big international success. It paved the way for their second album The Psychomodo (1974), which was a great success either charting the top-ten in the UK along with the hit singles Judy Teen and Mr Soft. Recently these two albums were re-released in a 4CD anthology set. Beside these two albums this set includes all the singles and flip sides, recently discovered early alternative versions, mixes of tracks from both albums and various BBC concerts and sessions, including two tracks from The Old Grey Whistle Test. All these tracks were previously unreleased on CD.

On Cavaliers (An Anthology 1973-1974) Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel cover a range of musical genres from pop to progressive rock and even classical music. The first disc contains the entire debut album plus two singles and their flip sides. The Human Menagerie was recorded in June and July 1973 in the Air Studios in London and produced byNeil Harrison. All songs were written by Steve Harley. It was released by EMI Records in November 1973, but failed to chart in the UK and the USA. The line-up consisted of Steve Harley (vocals), Stuart Elliott (drums, percussion), Paul Jeffreys (bass), Milton Reame-James (keyboards) and Jean-Paul Crocker (electric violin, mandolin, acoustic guitar). Engineer was the well-known Geoff Emerickwho had worked with The Beatles, while Andrew Powell (The Alan Parsons Project, amongst others) did all the string arrangements.

The album features no electric guitars. Although the band originally had several guitar players, Harley felt that the Cockney Rebel sound didn't need an electric guitar. They settled on the combination of Crocker's electric violin and the Fender Rhodes piano of keyboardist Reame-James sharing the lead. Their first single Sebastian was an immediate success in Europe, although it failed to score in the UK singles charts. The band attracted a growing following in London with their debut album on which Sebastian undoubtedly is the ultimate highlight. This song is mostly performed on the acoustic piano, but has a lot of bombastic passages thanks to the use of a classical orchestra and a choir.

Two other musical highlights on The Human Menagerie are the short piece Chameleon, which is a kind of intro to Death Trip. The classical arrangements elevate this piece to a high level. It beautifully moves towards an excellent climax where the choirs sound absolutely stunning! The bonus tracks are a DJ edit of Sebastian and Rock And Roll Parade, the flip side of this single, which is a happy pop tune like many other songs on their debut. The next single that was recorded as Cockney Rebel has been added as well. The non-album track Judy Teen and its flip side Spaced Out end the first disc. This is a rather good single with fine playing on the violin. Judy Teen became their first hit in the UK; the flip side is a rather pop-like song.

The second disc contains the entire second album The Psychomodo complemented with two singles. This time the album was produced by Steve Harley and Alan Parsons, who produced the famous album Dark Side Of The Moon by Pink Floyd. He also worked with The Beatles. It was released by EMI Records on the 2nd of June 1974. The album failed to chart in the USA, but charted at number eight in the UK. The line-up was similar to their debut and once more Andrew Powell did all the string arrangements. You could say that The Human Menagerie was a journey into the decadence of mankind, while The Psychomodo is like a trip to the circus.

On the latter album different musical elements of the circus can be heard throughout. Maybe this album has even more to offer than the band's debut. In my opinion the highlights are Ritz, Cavaliers and Tumbling Down. These pieces contain more prog rock influences compared to the other compositions. They also used more keyboards beside the usual piano parts. Especially Tumbling Down sounds very good thanks to the fine string arrangements. This disc contains rather strong bonus material as well like Such A Dream, the flip side of Mr Soft. Big Big Deal was the first solo single by Steve Harley released in 1974. It never appeared on an album. In 1975 Cockney Rebel scored a big hit in the UK with Make Me Smile (Come Up And See Me). The song preceded the formation of a new line-up, because after a successful UK tour all musicians, with the exception of Stuart Elliott, quit.

The third disc features several early versions, stereo mixes and alternate mixes of songs that later appeared on the first two albums. It's nice to listen to different versions of a number of tracks, especially the more well-known numbers like Sebastian, Mr Soft and Judy Teen. This time no orchestral arrangements can be heard. These versions sound purer as if they were recorded in a rehearsal room. The final and fourth disc is actually the most interesting one, because it contains the live versions of the rather sterile songs. If you listen to Cockney Rebel during performances for a BBC concert, The Old Grey Whistle Test and a John Peel session you just feel the energy. The songs are more lively thanks to a strong playing band. Even the two songs with the classical arrangements sound perfect. You hardly miss the string sections on Sebastian and Death Trip.

After the first split, Cockney Rebel was in fact a Steve Harley solo project. In 1974, The Best Years Of Our Lives was released again produced by Alan Parsons. This album included the aforementioned track Make Me Smile (Come Up And See Me) which became a number one single in February 1975. It was the band's biggest hit that sold over one million copies globally. More albums followed, but they never got the success of this one. In 2010, Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel began to tour again in England, Ireland and Northern Ireland following the release of Stranger Comes To Town, a new studio album.

Cavaliers (An Anthology 1973-1974) is a fine 4CD compilation comprising the early days of Cockney Rebel. I think this set will be enjoyed by many lovers of progressive rock music since songs as Sebastian and Death Trip are real beauties.

by Henri Strik (edited by Peter Willemsen)

Tracks

Disc 1

The Human Menagerie

1. Hideaway - 3:48

2. What Ruthy Said - 2:19

3. Loretta's Tale - 4:10

4. Crazy Raver - 3:44

5. Sebastian - 6:59

6. Mirror Freak - 5:11

7. My Only Vice - 2:49

8. Muriel the Actor - 4:09

9. Chameleon - 0:51

10.Death Trip - 9:51

11.Sebastian (DJ Edit) - 3:52

12.Rock And Roll Parade - 2:55

13.Judy Teen - 3:43

14.Spaced Out - 2:59

Disc 2

The Psychomodo

1. Sweet Dreams - 2:08

2. Psychomodo - 4:04

3. Mr Soft - 3:17

4. Singular Band - 3:02

5. Ritz - 7:14

6. Cavaliers - 8:35

7. Bed In The Corner - 3:34

8. Sling It! - 2:44

9. Tumbling Down - 5:58

10. Such A Dream - 5:08

11. Big Big Deal - 4:30

Disc 3

Special Versions

1. Sebastian - 8:20

2. Hideaway - 4:03

3. Chameleon - 0:42

4. Death Trip - 8:52

5. Loretta's Tale - 4:48

6. Crazy Raver - 4:01

7. Mirror Freak - 5:40

8. My Only Vice - 2:54

9. Rock And Roll Parade - 3:30

10.Judy Teen - 4:10

11.Crazy Raver - 3:48

12.Rock And Roll Parade - 3:30

13.Mr Soft - 3:23

14.Big Big Deal - 5:34

Disc 4
Concerts And Sessions
1. Hideaway - 5:03
2. Crazy Raver - 3:51
3. Loretta's Tale - 4:40
4. Sebastian - 7:38
5. Death Trip - 11:24
6. Hideaway - 4:16
7. My Only Vice - 2:48
8. Bed In the Corner/Sling It! - 6:07
9. Mr Soft - 3:15
10.Sweet Dreams/Psychomodo - 5:44
All compositions by Steve Harley

Cockney Rebel
*Steve Harley - Vocals, Acoustic Guitar
*Stuart Elliott - Drums, Percussion
*Paul Jeffreys - Bass
*Milton Reame-James - Keyboards
*Jean-Paul Crocker - Electric Violin, Mandolin, Guitars

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Though it was released on a major label (Columbia's Epic subsidiary) in the late '60s, Leonda's sole album, Woman in the Sun, is extremely rare, and little known even among fans of singer/songwriters of the era. Because Leonda is Native American, and sometimes uses prominent vibrato in her vocal phrasing, she might generate comparisons to the most well-known Native American singer/songwriter of that era, Buffy Sainte-Marie. Actually, however, she's almost as similar to Annisette of Savage Rose or (more distantly) Melanie, or perhaps some of the gutsier woman singers from late-'60s West Coast rock bands.

While Leonda has an appealing, somewhat raspy voice, her folk-bluesy material (with backup help from members of the Canadian rock band the Paupers) is less impressive. The songs are fairly meandering and not all that tuneful, if good-natured with a vaguely hippie uplifting vibe. Things are better when she moves away from a blues base to a folkier one, as she does with the orchestrated "When I Lived in My Grandmother's House" and the acoustic "Zono My Bird."

by Richie Unterberger

Tracks
1. Mist In The Sky - 3:39
2. Somebody´S Gonna Ask Me Who I Was (Leonda, Mike Baish) - 4:59
3. When I Lived In My Grandmothers House (Michael Peter Smith) - 4:34
4. Blue Diamond In Platinim Setting - 3:26
5. Mother In Love - 3:48
6. Come Take A Waltz Through My Heart - 3:38
7. Peace And Pipes - 6:46
8. Zono My Bird - 3:39
9. Head Country (Tothe Lost City OF Zoozoo) - 3:39
10.Make It All Right - 4:06
All songs by Leonda unles as else stated

Personnel
*Leonda - Vocals
*Brad Campbell - Bass
*Teddy Irwin - Guitar
*Sammy Lawhorn - Guitar
*Adam Mitchell - Organ
*Kermit Moore - Cello
*John Ord - Organ, Piano
*Skip Prokop - Drums

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The final three Top 40 hits for the Grass Roots materialize on Move Along, a consistent album under the aegis of original co-producer Steve Barri with the band's future producers Dennis Lambert and Brian Potter writing two of the new hits. Slick arrangements and big production eliminate the charm of the earlier recordings, where P.F. Sloan and Steve Barri gave the group a nice mixture of the frosting poured atop once folky Simon & Garfunkel tracks by Clive Davis and the Top 40 shine Mickey Most gave to Herman's Hermits. That Sloan and Barri worked on Peter Noone's Hold On movie soundtrack, including their composition "A Must to Avoid" and an earlier version of "Where Were You When I Needed You," is a little proof of how they steered the original Grassroots. Peter Noone hit in January of 1966 with his Sloan/Barri material, the Grassroots in July of that year.

by Joe Viglione

Given that they were perceived as being long past their prime, the appropriately titled Alotta Mileage (the group's seventh album) is a truly astonishing album to have come from the Grass Roots in 1973, the first side of Alotta Mileage is a fine, smooth, delightfully hook-laden and beautifully produced body of soulful pop music. The vocalizing by Rob Grill and the playing by -- well, who knows, as the group was always relying on session musicians -- are first-rate, and the songs are catchy and executed spot-on, with a wide variety of sounds from solo acoustic guitar to horn-accompanied choruses in all the right spots.

In one respect, it's no surprise that the group could still deliver like this on record, what with veteran members Grill and Warren Entner sharing the production chores alongside co-founder/original co-producer Steve Barri. Between them, they wrote the book on the group's post-1967 sound. Sad to say, side two is a bit less successful, as the material isn't as strong; most of what's there is predictable, by-the-numbers pop-soul, and the one minor chart single off the album, "Love Is What You Make It," sounds too much like a warmed-over Partridge Family leftover. But the fact that two-thirds of this record is as good as it is will be a pleasant treat to anyone who tracks it down.

The other amazing element of this release is the wretched cover art -- Dunhill either had the worst art department in the business or someone there felt it was appropriate to go through the motions of doing his or her job: in place of anything indicating that this is a soul-based rock album by a band with more than a dozen hit singles to its credit, there is an image of footwear on the cover.

by Bruce Eder

Tracks
1. The Runway (B. Potter, G. Lambert) - 2:51
2. Monday Love (D. Provisor) - 3:23
3. Anyway The Wind Blows (B. Potter, G. Lambert) - 2:53
4. Runnin' Just To Get Her Home Again (D. Provisor, W. Entner) - 3:25
5. Two Divided By Love (B. Potter, M. Kupps) - 2:35
6. Someone To Close (D. Provisor) - 3:17
7. Face The Music (D. Walsh, H. Price) - 3:08
8. Move Along (D. Provisor) - 3:19
9. One Word (A. Roberts, C. Welch) - 2:32
10.Only One (D. Provisor) - 4:57
11.Glory Bound (D. Walsh, H. Price, D. Provisor, S. Barri) - 2:33
12.Where There's Smoke There's Fire (D. Walsh, H. Price) - 2:57
13.Pick Up Your Feet (E. Villareal, W. Watkins) - 2:56
14.You've Got To Bend With The Breeze (D. Walsh, H. Price, R. Grill, W. Entner) - 2:45
15.Just A Little Tear (D. Walsh, H. Price, R. Grill, W. Entner) - 3:15
16.Ain't No Way To Go Home (B. Mann, C. Weil) - 2:55
17.Claudia (V. Weber, W. Entner) - 3:27
18.Love Is What You Make It (D. Walsh, H. Price) - 2:52
19.Look But Don't Touch (W. Entner) - 3:08
20.Ballad Of Billy Joe (C. Rich) - 5:03
21.We Almost Made It together (D. Provisor, W. Entner) - 3:40
22.Little Bit Of Love (A. Fraser, P. Kossoff, P. Rodgers, S. Kirk) - 2:45
23.Medley-I'd Wait a Million Years/Midnight Confessions/Let's Live For Today/Temptation Eyes (M. Bottler, G. Zekley / L. Josie / M. Julien, I. Mogol, D. Shapiro / D. Walsh, H. Price) - 4:16

The Grass Roots
*Rob Grill - Vocals, Bass
*Warren Entner - Guitar, Vocals
*Virgil Weber - Keyboards
*Reed Kailing - Guitar
*Joel Larson - Drums

1969 The Grass Roots - Leaving It All Behind (2010 edition)

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The first name of James among popular musicians of the pre-punk rock era appears in retrospect to be somewhat of a poisoned chalice. Surely everyone is familiar with the cases of Jimi Hendrix and Jim Morrison, acclaimed superstars due to their envelopepushing talents, but in the quieter world of the troubadour or singer/songwriter, both Jim Croce and Jimmie Spheeris died violent but accidental deaths, Croce in a plane crash and Spheeris when a drunken driver knocked him off his motorcycle in Santa Monica on American Independence Day, 1984.

However, it is probably more accurate to suggest that the poisoned chalice refers to those who abbreviated their correct name of James - James Taylor, for example, is still very much with us and has enjoyed a long and distinguished career which continues today. According to the best information available, James Spheeris was born on Guy Fawkes day (that's 5th November, for the uninitiated), 1949, in Phenix City, Alabama, a few miles west of the border with Georgia and around 200 miles north of Florida and the Gulf Of Mexico. His parents, Andrew, a Greek immigrant, and Juanita (whose nickname was Gypsy) owned and ran what Wikipedia calls "a travelling carnival called The Majick Empire", which probably inspired his often impressively poetic lyrics.

He was one of four children, arguably the best known of whom was/is his older sister Penelope, who became a film-maker, among whose credits are the 1981 punk/rock documentary feature movie, 'The Decline Of Western Civilization', and its 1988 sequel, 'The Decline Of Western Civilization II – The Metal Years', which centred on the Los Angeles heavy metal movement, and included participation by the likes of Motorhead, Ozzy Osbourne and Aerosmith. She was also a writer for almost ten years on the TV series, 'Roseanne', and directed 'Wayne's World', the 1992 feature movie starring Mike Myers which grossed over $120 million!

A 1986 Santa Monica newspaper article on Jimmie Spheeris revealed that his father was murdered by "a belligerent carnival-goer". after which Gypsy Spheeris moved the family to San Diego, then to Venice, California. By the late 1960s, Jimmie had left home and moved to New York, which he felt would allow him to further develop his chosen career as a songwriter. He became friendly with Richie Havens, probably after they had worked together, and Havens introduced him to Clive Davis, the big cheese at Columbia Records, who was responsible for signing Big Brother & The Holding Company (fronted by Janis Joplin), Santana, Bruce Springsteen, Blood, Sweat & Tears, Electric Flag (featuring Mike Bloomfield), Chicago, Laura Nyro (with whom Spheeris shared a New York City apartment around the time of his debut album), Billy Joel and several others - including Jimmie Spheeris, who was the beneficiary of a four album deal with Columbia/CBS. It probably didn't help Spheeris when Davis left Columbia in 1973, but subsequently Davis became the head honcho at Arista Records, to which he signed Patti Smith and Whitney Houston, among many others. Havens is one of several, also including Davis, who get "thank you" credits on 'Isle Of View', the earlier of the two albums which make up this reissue.

In 1971, Spheeris was assigned Paul Leka as producer of this debut LP. Leka was not only a producer, but also a songwriter (of 'Green Tambourine', the million-selling 1967 US chart-topper for The Lemon Pipers, and of 'Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye', the million-selling 1969 US chart-topper by Steam, a studio group of which he was a member), an arranger and an orchestrator. As a producer, his credits included The Left Banke's Too'album, the first two albums by R.E.O. Speedwagon, and after working with Spheeris, three Harry Chapin albums. His expertise as arranger/orchestrator is evident on 'Isle Of View', although the excellent arranging and conducting work of David Campbell, who also played violin and viola, was similarly significant. Campbell appeared live with Spheeris "on special occasions" throughout the 1970s, playing viola and conducting when an orchestra was used onstage. However, perhaps even more significant was guitarist Geoff Levin, who appears on both the albums here, and was also in the Jimmie Spheeris Band until 1976.

After the two album presented here, Spheeris released two further albums, 'The Dragon Is Dancing' (Epic, 1975) and 'Ports Of The Heart' (CBS, 1976), but hindsight tells us that these would probably have been overlooked commercially because the era of the singer/ songwriter was in decline during the mid-1970s. Ultimately, Jimmie Spheeris seems likely to remain a cherished memory among those who experienced his music many years ago, when he was clearly a contender, but perhaps the timing was wrong...

by John Tobler, Washington (UK), 2008

Tracks
1. The Nest - 4:04
2. For Roach - 2:48
3. Monte Luna - 3:04
4. Seeds Of Spring - 3:52
5. I Am The Mercury - 4:59
6. Long Way Down (L. Nicolai) - 4:40
7. Let It Flow - 3:22
8. Seven Virgins - 2:58
9. Come Back - 4:43
10.Esmaria - 5:48
11.Beautiful News - 2:45
12.Shirtful Of Apples - 3:17
13.Open Up - 3:03
14.Streets Of The Harbour - 2:52
15.The Original Tap Dancing Kid - 3:31
16.Sweet Wahini Mama - 2:56
17.Keeper Of The Canyon - 3:19
18.Soul Tumbleweed - 3:02
19.Long Way From China - 4:09
20.Village Vapors - 2:48
21.Moon On The Water - 2:38
All songs by Jimmie Spheeris except where indicated

Musicians
Isle Οf View 1971
*Jimmie Spheeris - Guitar, Piano, Vocals
*Geoff Levin - Guitar
*David Campbell - Violin, Viola
*Lee Calvin Nicolai - Flute, Bass, Guitar, Backing Vocals
*David Harowitz - Piano On 'Monte Luna'and Tracks 6-10
*Emil Latimer - Conga
*Buddy Salzman - Drums
*Bill La Vornia – Drums
The Original Tap Dancing Kid 1973
*Jimmie Spheeris - Acoustic Guitar, Piano, Vocal
*Felix Cavaliere - Piano, Organ, Backing Vocals
*Russ Kunkel - Drums, Tambourine
*Leland Sklar - Bass
*Geoff Levin - Electric Guitar, 12-String Acoustic Guitar
*Bobby Hall - Conga
*Sneeky Pete - Pedal Steel
*Doreen Davis - Backing Vocals
*Jane Getz - Celeste, Piano, Backing Vocals
*Vinnie Johnson - Drums
*John Summers - Bass
*Jim Calgar - Flute
*Harvey Mason - Drums
*David Campbell - Fiddle
*Norma Trotter - Tap Dancing
*Charlie Larkey - Bass

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It’s too easy to think in stereotypes about bands. The Byrds will, for most people, be the studio band of the first few albums, a beautiful execution of great songs peaking with Sweetheart Of The Rodeo. Then it was all downhill as Roger McGuinn kept the name alive through successive personnel.

Except it wasn’t like that, as this album makes abundantly clear. Taken from a tape discovered in McGuinn’s garage, it captures Big Chief Byrd with Gene Parsons (drums), Skip Battin (bass) and, crucially, Clarence White on guitar. They are smoking hot; together, tight harmonies and razor-like guitar. The songs are given a heavier rock feel that does not drown the more delicate moments, but the show also encompasses an acoustic set that allows White to show off his bluegrass licks, and McGuinn his deft banjo picking.

It goes a bit Hawkwind during the drum-and-bass solo bit of Eight Miles High (anyone seen that German DVD?) and, by the time the vocals come in after approximately 15 minutes, the whole thing has careened irredeemably out of control. It’s the only duff moment in 19 numbers.

White was killed in a road accident two years later. There could be no better way to remember him than this.

by Tim Holmes

Tracks
1. Lover Of The Bayou (Roger McGuinn, Jacques Levy) - 3:35
2. You Ain't Goin' Nowhere (Bob Dylan) - 2:47
3. Truck Stop Girl (Lowell George, Bill Payne) - 3:21
4. My Back Pages (Bob Dylan) - 2:22
5. Baby What You Want Me To Do (Jimmy Reed) - 3:38
6. Jamaica Say You Will (Jackson Browne) - 3:33
7. Black Mountain Rag/Soldier's Joy (Traditional, Arranged Clarence White, Roger McGuinn) - 2:02
8. Mr. Tambourine Man (Bob Dylan) - 3:38
9. Pretty Boy Floyd (Woody Guthrie) - 2:34
10.Take A Whiff (On Me) - (Huddie Ledbetter, John Lomax, Alan Lomax) - 2:39
11.Chestnut Mare (Roger McGuinn, Jacques Levy) - 5:24
12.Jesus Is Just Alright (Arthur Reynolds) - 3:03
13.Eight Miles High (Gene Clark, Roger McGuinn, David Crosby) - 18:38
14.So You Want To Be A Rock 'N' Roll Star (Chris Hillman, Roger McGuinn) - 3:07
15.Mr. Spaceman (Roger McGuinn) - 2:57
16.I Trust (Roger McGuinn) - 5:31
17.Nashville West (Gene Parsons, Clarence White) - 2:43
18.Roll Over Beethoven (Chuck Berry) - 2:59
19.Amazing Grace (Traditional) - 2:31

The Byrds
*Roger McGuinn - Guitar, Vocals
*Clarence White - Guitar, Vocals
*Skip Battin - Electric Bass, Vocals
*Gene Parsons - Drums, Vocals

1964 The Byrds - Preflyte (2012 Retro World double disc release)

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The Amsterdam-based combo were one of the most popular homegrown bands in the Netherlands from 1965 to 1967, and have since become a favorite among historians of the beat music era; Richie Unterberger wrote that The Outsiders "could issue a serious claim for consideration as the finest rock band of the '60s to hail from a non-English-speaking nation," and Richard Mason penned an essay on the group calling them "the most underrated band ever."

The Outsiders were formed in 1964 by Wally Tax (vocals and rhythm guitar), Ronald Splinter (lead guitar), Appie Rammers (bass), and Lendert "Buzz" Busch (drums); the band embraced an eclectic style that made room for R&B, folk-rock, pop, and beat influences, as well as psychedelic accents as the decade wore on. After earning a reputation as a powerful live act (and adding additional guitarist Tom Krabbendam), The Outsiders made their recoding debut in 1965 with "You Mistreat Me" b/w "Sun's Going Down," which was released by the Muziek Express label. Both songs were originals, and The Outsiders were unusual among beat groups of the era in that they never recorded cover tunes.

As the band's reputation as a striking live act grew (their show was frantic enough to get them banned from several major venues), The Outsiders found themselves opening for many leading U.K. beat groups touring the Netherlands, including the Pretty Things and the Rolling Stones, and after releasing a second single for Muziek Express, they signed a deal with Relax Records. After a handful of singles and an EP, they released their first full-length album in 1967, simply called The Outsiders, which featured one side of studio recordings and another taken from live performances.

That same year, the single "Summer Is Here" b/w "Teach Me to Forget You" went Top Ten in the Netherlands, and a second album that compiled the group's single sides was issued. In 1968, Tom Krabbendam and Appie Rammers left the group; Frank Beek was recruited to play bass and keyboards, and the band opted not to replace Krabbendam. The same year, Relax Records was absorbed by Polydor, who released the third Outsiders album, CQ. Named for an amateur radio term meaning "Is anyone listening?," CQ was an ambitious set that combined the band's beat music influences with outré psychedelia and avant-garde sounds that were far ahead of the curve for the era. However, Polydor failed to promote the album properly -- the initial pressing was reportedly a mere 500 copies -- and The Outsiders disbanded in 1969.

Ronnie Splinter dropped out of the music business, while Wally Tax and Lendert Busch started a new band, Tax Free. The Outsiders staged a successful reunion tour in 1997, but the group's story came to a permanent close with the death of Wally Tax in 2005.

by Mark Deming

Tracks
1. Introduction - 1:51
2. Story 16 - 6:38
3. Tears Are Falling From My Eyes - 3:36
4. Ain't Gonna Miss You - 2:11
5. I Wish I Could - 4:10
6. Afraid Of The Dark - 3:24
7. Teach Me To Forget You - 3:13
8. Filthy Rich - 2:41
9. I Would Love You - 2:48
10.Don't You Cry - 2:22
11.Won't You Listen - 2:50
12.If You Don't Treat Me Right - 2:10
13.Lying All The Time - 3:14
14.Thinking About Today - 2:46
15.Keep On Trying - 2:58
16.That's Your Problem - 2:36
17.Touch - 3:12
18.Bird In A Cage - 3:03
All songs by Ronnie Splinter, Wally Tax
Bonus Tracks 13-18

The Outsiders
*Wally Tax - Vocals, Guitar, Harmonica
*Ronnie Splinter - Lead, 12String Guitars, Bass, Vocals
*Appie Rammers - Bass
*Tom Krabbendam - Guitar
*Leendert "Buzz" Busch - Drums

1968 The Outsiders - CQ (remaster and expanded)
Related Act
1970 Tax Free - Tax Free

Free Text

The Outsiders were formed in Amsterdam in the early 1960's. The line-up initially was Vladimir 'Wally' Tax, who sang and played rhythm guitar, lead guitarist Ronald Splinter, bassist Appie Rammers and drummer Leendert "Buzz" Busch. Maybe you've heard of them, maybe not. Chances are if you have it was something along the lines of 'they were to the Pretty Things what the Pretty Things were to the Rolling Stones'. Chances are you heard wrong. This was an extraordinary, incomparable group who've remained unduly neglected for too long. Why? The usual reasons - not commercial enough, going against the grain of the prevailing musical climate, not prepared to compromise - but there was one other serious problem. They were from Holland, and as such didn't exist at the time. Of course, if they'd been prepared to push their luck with a few gimmicks, the Dutch angle might have told in their favour. But no. They didn't even have the decency to record a single cover version in their entire career, during which they recorded about 50 songs. Talk about asking for trouble.

By the time they recorded their first single "You Mistreat Me"/" Sun's Going Down" on the Dutch label Musiek Expres in 1965 the above line-up had added Tom Krabbendam on second guitar (though according to Wally Tax he was "a lousy musician", a fact confirmed by Ronald Splinter, who added that it didn't really matter as Tom's amp was always turned right down!) and had acquired a reputation as a live act that was second to none, not even the UK and US acts who were foolish enough to let The Outsiders support them.

Their following was as committed and wild as their music and stage act, with the result that the band and their fans were banned from several Dutch venues. Still incredibly young (Rammers was the eldest at 19, with Tax, Splinter and Krabbendam being only 17) they released their second 45 on Musiek Expres the following year and then signed to Relax, a subsidiary of a Dutch classical label. Around the same time in Amsterdam they had supported (and, according to Tax, blew off stage) the Rolling Stones, which lifted their national profile to the extent that "Lying All The Time", their first 45 on Relax, reached #45 in the Dutch charts, not bad for a Dutch act apparently! To give the lie to the 'Dutch Pretty Things' tag utterly, the single featured Splinter's exquisite folk-rock 12-string, a strange, almost atonal bassline from Rammers and the by now trademark impassioned yet low-key (i.e. sung rather than screamed) vocal from Tax. Sure, they were influenced by groups like the Stones and the Pretties, though Tax has pointed out that as he and Phil May were friends the influencing may also have been in the other direction, but also by Love, the Byrds, Tim Hardin, Buddy Holly (very evident in the sound of some of the early Tax/Splinter songwriting collaborations) and European songwriters like Jacques Brel and Charles Aznavour. "Lying All The Time" was the first in a line of classic singles on Relax that included "Touch", "Keep On Trying" and "Monkey On Your Back", a series of 45s that compares more than favourably with the output of any contemporary UK or US outfit, passionate, raw songs that sounded like no-one else.

By autumn of 1969, Ronnie Splinter had had enough and quit music altogether for a while. The band disintegrated, with Tax and Busch forming Tax Free. Over the years, Wally Tax continued to write and perform in both solo and group formats, but with little or no recognition outside his native land. Long since deleted, original copies of Outsiders' records began to change hands for what might conveniently be described as Monopoly money prices. Only in recent years has it been possible to acquire CD reissues of the aforementioned records. The CD of the first LP features six tracks from the Relax 45s, whereas the CQ CD opens with the "I Don't Care"/"You Remind Me" 45 and finishes with "Do You Feel Alright" and two Tax Free tracks. Also, a double CD set entitled CQ Sessions was released which included three previously unreleased tracks from the CQ era plus 26 alternate takes or demo versions, some without vocals, thus giving a new slant to the tracks in that instrumental versions of tracks like "The Bear" and "Doctor" develop a life of their own. Also included are the first two singles on Musiek Expres, so despite a lack of attention chronology-wise the vast majority of the Outsiders' catalogue is at least in theory currently available through the Dutch label Pseudonym.

How many of you actually look at the section in PSF where all us 'rock journo types' tell you what are, no honestly, the 10 best records ever so you can all go out and buy them? If you're one of them, you might have noticed that my 10 changes from time to time. You know how it is. One thing doesn't change though; I really don't think I could ever come up with 10 LP's that I get more out of than CQ. I really can't emphasise enough that all this sub-Pretty Things business is so much shite. Nor is it even vaguely near the truth that they were the top of the 2nd division garage heap or some other condescending sort of 'compliment'. To say they never got the credit they so richly deserved is a bit like saying Charlie Parker used to play the alto saxophone a bit. Fact of the matter is, those responsible for the documentation of rock musical history as we know it OWE people like The Outsiders and always will. Do yourself a favour; seek out and obtain, by fair means or foul, the aforementioned reissues of their records. If you find that you regret it, don't come bleating to me about how I sold you short or whatever. I shall wash my hands of you utterly. On that you can rely. The Outsiders were one of the all-time greats of rock music and anyone who says different had better be outside in the car park in 10 minutes. I'll be waiting.

by Richard Mason, September 1998

Tracks
Disc 1
A Sides
1. You Mistreat Me - 1:57
2. Felt Like I Wanted To Cry - 2:44
3. Lying All The Time - 3:13
4. Keep On Trying - 2:58
5. Touch - 3:12
6. Monkey On Your Back - 3:43
7. Summer Is Here - 3:26
8. I'Ve Been Loving You So Long - 3:22
9. Don't You Worry About Me - 3:25
10.A Cup Of Coffee - 3:17
11.I Don't Care - 2:45
12.Do You Feel Alright - 3:26
13.Wally Tax - I Sat And Thought And Wondered Why (Wally Tax) - 2:59
14.Wally Tax - Let's Forget What I Said (Wally Tax) - 3:30
15.Wally Tax - I Won't Feel Alone (Wally Tax) - 2:41
16.Wally Tax Bamboulé - Crown Of Creation (M. Duiser, W. Tax) - 3:19
17.Wally Tax - Miss Wonderful (Wally Tax) - 2:28
18.Wally Tax - It Ain't No Use (Wally Tax) - 3:18
19.Wally Tax - Evidently (Wally Tax) - 2:26
20.Wally Tax - Bridges Are Burning (Wally Tax) - 2:52
21.Wally Tax - The Girl Is Mine (Wally Tax) - 2:50
22.It's Too Late (Wally Tax) - 3:03
23.Let's Dance (Wally Tax) - 2:56
24.Talk To Me - 2:56
25.Lying All The Time - 3:22

Disc 2
B Sides
1. Sun's Going Down - 2:40
2. I Love Her Still Always Will - 3:24
3. Thinking About Today - 2:46
4. That's Your Problem - 2:36
5. Ballad Of John B - 5:56
6. What's Wrong With You - 3:16
7. Teach Me To Forget You - 3:13
8. I'm Only Trying To Prove Myself That I'm Not Like Everybody Else - 2:30
9. Bird In A Cage - 3:03
10.Strange Things Are Happening (F. Beek, W. Tax) - 2:32
11.You Remind Me - 2:46
12.Daddy Died On Saturday - 3:02
13.Wally Tax - You Don't Have To Tell Me (Wally Tax) - 2:47
14.Wally Tax - Last Night (Wally Tax) - 2:02
15.Wally Tax - Come Closer (Wally Tax) - 2:27
16.Wally Tax with Bamboulé - Tomorrow (Wally Tax) - 3:52
17.Wally Tax - Take Me For What I Am (M. Duiser, W. Tax) - 3:04
18.Wally Tax - Oh Mama (M. Duiser, W. Tax) - 3:14
19.Wally Tax - She's As Lovely As A Breeze (M. Duiser, W. Tax) - 3:16
20.Wally Tax - Lots Of Luck (Wally Tax) - 2:58
21.Wally Tax - Not Love At All (Wally Tax) - 2:43
22.Wally Tax - Do It All Over (M. Duiser, W. Tax) - 2:49
23.Wally Tax - She Went Like She Came (Wally Tax) - 2:22
24.If You Don't Treat Me Right - 2:41
25.I Want To Know - 2:11
26.Me Song - 2:28
All songs by Ronnie Splinter, Wally Tax except where stated

The Outsiders
*Wally Tax - Vocals, Guitar, Harmonica
*Ronnie Splinter - Lead, 12String Guitars, Bass, Vocals
*Appie Rammers - Bass
*Tom Krabbendam - Guitar
*Leendert "Buzz" Busch - Drums
*Frank Beek - Bass

1966-67 The Outsiders - The Outsiders
1968 The Outsiders - CQ (remaster and expanded)
Related Act
1970 Tax Free - Tax Free

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Finn mac Cuill began at Stirling University in 1972 when Tony Ireland met Nick Keir and started playing gigs together. The first residencies were in Edinburgh, notably the St Clair and Doric Hotels. After a spell with Miriam Titteron as vocalist, Tony and Nick returned to playing as a duo, working with John Cairney and in a Folk and Poetry programme with Norman McCaig, as well as the usual round of pubs and clubs.

Soon they formed the Finn mac Cuill Folkshow with actors Colin Brown, and (latterly) Megg Nicol and Avril Stewart. This theatre group toured quite extensively in Scotland, and although the scripts were, with hindsight, crap, they were often quite well received. The logistical problems and personality conflicts in the Folkshow became too much, and after the infamous "Battle of Carrubbers Close" Keir and Ireland decided to return to a purely music- based act.

To this end they were joined by John Wilson.... a fine singer... on vocals, guitar and bass This line up produced the flawed LP "Finn mac Cuill".but toured reasonably successfully in the UK, Germany and Holland. It was not until Madelaine Taylor joined the group that the band really took off. The picture above shows that line-up at Blackford Hill Pond circa 1976...left to right: Ireland, Keir, Taylor, Wilson.

Together they produced the much better "Sink Ye Swim Ye" album. Before it could be released the band was involved in a nasty van accident and, although no one was seriously hurt, the bands finances and morale never recovered. Keir and Taylor played some gigs as a duo, but soon even that ceased. A hiatus of about a year followed until Keir and Ireland met again and , lured by the prospect of a tour of Germany persuaded Wilson back on the road and the last throes of the band began.

The tour of Germany, marked as it was by vile hotels, food poisoning, eccentric management and unsuitable venues proved nearly as devastating as the van accident, but a lifeline was thrown by 7:84 Theatre Scotland and the band joined them for tours of "Joe's Drum" and "Swings and Roundabouts", a happier experience altogether. With Ireland deciding to leave the UK and live in Germany the group was joined by Richard Cherns (later of RunRig and Theatre Alba). Cherns' undoubted instrumental skills failed to gel with the other members' music and when Keir left to pursue a solo career the band came to a halt.

Rare-records

Tracks
1. Birnie Bouzle - 1:42
2. Newry Town - 2:59
3. Mary Hamilton - 4:07
4. The Friar Well Fitted - 3:06
5. The Shearing - 6:16
6. New Jigs - 3:16
7. The Minstrel (Nick Keir) - 3:43
8. The Little Drummer - 3:12
9. The Gaberlunzie Man - 3:19
10.The Poachers - 4:10
11.The Dancers Of Ruhendorf (John Wilson, Nick Keir) - 6:23
All songs are Tradional unless as else stated

Finn MacCuill
*Madelaine Taylor - Vocals, Guitar, Spoons
*Tony Ireland - Guitar, Dulcimer, Vocals
*John Wilson - Bass, Guitar, Vocals
*Nick Keir - Mandolin, Vocals, Recorders, Whistle

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From the outgrowth of Steampacket, a band that included not only Brian Auger and Julie Driscoll, but also a young Rod Stewart, came Auger and Driscoll's collective effort that produced two albums. When Driscoll left in 1969 to pursue a solo career, Auger, drummer Clive Thacker, and bassist Dave Ambrose continued as Brian Auger & the Trinity. Open has been unfairly characterized as a kind of groove jazz rip, one that combines Wes Montgomery, Jimmy McGriff, and the rock sensibilities of the psychedelic era. Whatever. There are many tracks here, from deep grooved funky jazz to lilting ballads and greasy blues numbers and the skronky exotica number "Goodbye Jungle Telegraph."

Auger may not have been as gifted an organist as Alan Price technically, but he could more than hold his own on the Hammond B-3 (as evidenced by the first two tracks here which are instrumentals, "In And Out" and "Isola Nate"). He was also able to pull more sounds out of the instrument than any of his peers. Auger wasn't much of a vocalist, but he could dig deep and get the emotion out of a song -- especially in a funky number like "Black Cat," which featured a killer though uncredited studio horn section. Driscoll's contributions are all on the second half of the album, beginning with the shuffling choogle of Lowell Fulsom's "Tramp," continuing through a moving reading of Pops Staples'"Why (Am I Treated So Bad)," two Auger originals, and concluding in a reading of Donovan's "Season of the Witch" that single-handedly established her reputation as a vocalist of great interpretative ability and emotional dexterity. Almost eight minutes in length, it is the perfect interplay for the quartet with its dark, smoky swirling energy and extant soul groove, and capos the album on a high note, making it a delightful precursor to the classic Streetnoise which was to follow.

by Thom Jurek

The debut LP from the team of Julie Driscoll (vocal) and Brian Auger & the Trinity's (organ/vocals) -- took less than six hours to complete. Under the care and watchful eye of legendary producer Giorgio Gomelsky, the ten performances were essentially cut live at Chappell Studios, London, in front of a small group of friends attending the sessions, who are audible between tracks. They took the novel approach of having Auger and company on one side, with Driscoll joining in for the second. An obvious influence on Auger's keyboarding, if not choice for material, is the legendary Jimmy Smith (organ).

Auger commences his section with an inspired reading of Wes Montgomery's limber "In and Out." His ostentatious original rave-up "Black Cat" kicks off with a full frontal brass-fuelled blast, recalling the Miracles' Motown classic "Going to a Go-Go" before Auger launches into his (thankfully) one-off vocal. Granted, his singing isn't as incendiary as his playing, but it does give him the rare opportunity to pull double duty. For a direct contrast, the lovely and languid "Lament for Miss Baker" is a pining, introspective acoustic piano outing. While conspicuous when compared to the majority of Open, it is an apt illustration of Auger's remarkable sensitivity and stylistic diversity. The tribal vibe of "Goodbye Jungle Telegraph" flows freely as the driving percussive rhythm is similar -- if not a foreshadowing -- of Ginger Baker's excursions with Fela Kuti. Especially the definite undercurrents of the early-'60s Afro-Cuban pop scene.

Driscoll's selections are observant of her distinct phrasing and full-bodied persona, ranging from the soulful lead on the remake of Lowell Fulson's "Tramp" to the intricate jazz changes peppered throughout the unhurried "Why (Am I Treated So Bad)." She's arguably at her peak, however, on the noir and trippy cover of Donovan's "Season of the Witch." More accurately, the pair are at their collective peak with an intensity that ebbs and flows over the simmering and meditative support. The four bonuses are of particular interest as they include a newly unearthed pulsating, up-tempo Felix Pappalardi composition titled "I've Gotta Go Now" circa 1967, as well as their incendiary overhaul of Bob Dylan's "This Wheel's on Fire" -- which was a Top Five U.K. single -- David Ackles' lonesome "Road to Cairo" and the Franklin Sisters' (as in Aretha, Carolyn and Erma) "Save Me." The remastered audio bests all previous incarnations, while the dozen-panel liner insert contains lots of memorabilia eye candy surrounding an essay from Mojo Magazine's Lois Wilson.

by Lindsay Planer

Tracks
1. In And Out (Wes Montgomery) - 3:20
2. Isola Natale - 5:14
3. Black Cat - 3:23
4. Lament For Miss Baker - 2:38
5. Goodbye Jungle Telegraph - 6:19
6. Tramp (Jimmy McCracklin, Lowell Fulsom) - 4:15
7. Why (Am I Treated So Bad) (Mavis Staples) - 3:33
8. A Kind Of Love In (Brian Auger, Julie Driscoll) - 2:34
9. Breal It Up - 3:02
10.Season Of The Witch (Donovan) - 8:02
11.I've Got Go Now (Felix Pappalardi) - 4:11
12.Inside Of Him - 4:05
13.Save Me (A. Franklin, C. Franklin, C. Ousley) - 4:02
14.I Am Lonesome Hobo (Bob Dylan) - 4:04
15.This Wheel's On Fire (Bob Dylan, Rick Danko) - 3:33
16.I Don't Know Where You Are - 2:18
17.Road To Cairo (David Ackles) - 5:15
18.Shadow Of You (Brian Auger, Julie Driscoll) - 3:38
All songs by Brian Auger except where indicated

Personnel
*Julie Driscoll - Vocals
*Brian Auger - Keyboards, Vocals
*Gary Boyle - Guitar
*Dave Ambrose - Bass, Guitar Bass
*Roger Sutton - Guitar Bass
*Clive Thacker - Drums

Brian Auger's Oblivion Express
1970 Brian Auger's Oblivion Express (2013 Japan SHM edition)
1971 A Better Land (2006 japan remaster)
1972 Second Wind (2006 japan remaster)
1973 Closer To It (2006 japan remaster)

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Roger McGuinn's 1973 self-titled solo debut was in most respects a breath of fresh air after the final days of the Byrds, in which the group was floundering in directionless mediocrity. In a sense, it's a back-to-basics album that emphasizes much of what McGuinn does so well: his forceful reedy vocals, his guitar playing, and his skills at both writing earnest folk-rock material (usually with future Bob Dylan collaborator Jacques Levy here) and interpreting unusual traditional and contemporary songs. Never was it folkier than on the acoustic "I'm So Restless," which benefited from harmonica by Dylan himself (about whom the song was partially about).

All four of the other original Byrds play on "My New Woman," which is virtually a reunion of the original quintet, with the addition of saxophone by jazzman Charles Lloyd; David Crosby makes unobtrusive cameos on some other tracks. As likable as it is, however, the album isn't an unqualified triumph. Some of the songs aren't so hot, some of the Moog synthesizer (by McGuinn) is unnecessary, his vocals sometimes seem to have been recorded with too much brittleness, and none of this is as good as the best of the Byrds. Unexpected influences make themselves heard in the Beach Boys harmonies of "Draggin'" (with Bruce Johnston of the Beach Boys on piano and backup harmonies), the Vietnam blues of "Hanoi Hannah," and the gospel-rock of "Stone."

by Richie Unterberger

Tracks
1. I'm So Restless - 3:05
2. My New Woman - 3:10
3. Lost My Drivin' Wheel (David Wiffen) - 3:27
4. Draggin' - 3:36
5. Time Cube (McGuinn, R. J. Hippard) - 3:15
6. Bag Full Of Money - 3:19
7. Hanoi Hannah - 2:50
8. Stone (Spooner Oldham, Dan Penn) - 2:59
9. Heave Away (Trad., Arranged By McGuinn) - 3:03
10.M' Linda - 2:42
11.The Water Is Wide (Trad. Arranged by McGuinn) - 3:05
All compositions by Roger McGuinn and Jacques Levy except where noted.

Musicians
*Roger McGuinn - Vocals, Guitar, Banjo, Moog Synthesizer, Harmonica
*Buddy Emmons - Pedal Steel Guitar
*Chris Hillman - Bass
*Bob Dylan - Harmonica
*Jerry Cole - Guitar
*Bruce Johnston - Piano, Voices
*Jim Gordon - Drums
*Hal Blaine - Tambourine
*Michael Clarke - Drums
*Chris Ethridge - Bass
*John Guerin - Drums
*Spooner Oldham - Organ, Piano
*David Vaught - Bass
*Spanky McFarlane - Vocals
*Charles Lloyd - Saxophone
*Leland Sklar - Bass
*David Crosby - Guitar, Harmony Vocals
*Graham Nash - Guitar, Harmony Vocals

1964 The Byrds - Preflyte (2012 Retro World double disc release)
1971 The Byrds - Live At Royal Albert Hall (2008 issue)

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The Outsiders were without a doubt the most prolific and exciting band from a non-English speaking country to come out of the 1960s. It's great to see that this Dutch band are finally getting their due with this much needed compilation which collects every single (A + B sides both) they recorded between 1965 and 1969.

The key to the incredible sound of the Outsiders is thanks to lead singer Wally Tax who certainly doesn't sound like he (as were the others in the band) was from Holland in that all of their songs were sung in perfect English. Couple his unique songwriting and vocal skills with that of the amazing music - especially the off kilter-ness that the early sides have in the rhythm section - where the bass and drums are often played against the rhythm of the song to an amazing affect.

The end result is a quite original sound which shows the hints of their musical influences, great ones from the time including the Pretty Things in their Bo Diddley-inspired moments - and the Byrds and Arthur Lee and Love filtered through their unique sound. Somehow they are able to combine the Bo Diddley rhythms with the more pensive sounds of folk rock for one of the most interesting combinations of sounds.

Just about every song on this collection is worthy of being a favorite - there's not a bum track here - but special mention should go to the following tracks.

Track 1 - You Mistreat Me starts out the cd with the incredible scratchy guitar, heavy bass and propulsively spastic drums of their early sound and is just about as perfect as you can get.

They really get an amazing folk rock buzz going on Track 5 - Lying All the Time which has a good portrait of their more somber perspective (and is indeed part of why the Outsiders weren't bigger than they were - because of their songs which are wracked with downers).

Track 9 - Touch has a great Pretty Things inspired riff and harmonica along with some incredible angst-ridden lead vocals and drum patterns.

Track 10 - Ballad of John B (one of my all time favorites on the disc) is a longer folk rock ballad at 6 minutes which brings to mind the best of Bob Dylan. We would surely be hearing this one more today if the Outsiders weren't so criminally over-looked in their day.

Track 13 - Summer Is Here is a nice change of pace thanks to the twee folk rock sound and the plucking of the balalaika - it might as well be a lost Donovan song.

Track 14 - Teach Me to Forget sounds like it could've come out of the mid- west of the USA and not from a Dutch rock band - thanks to it's multi-sectioned harmonies and extended melody of longing.

You can hear the Outsiders begin to fall apart in wonderful but ultimately failed sides like Don't You Worry About Me - Track 17. They were simply at odds with the times: combining rocked out drumming with Pink Floyd styled vocals and flute solos was sadly not the way to get a hit in 1967. I think the Outsiders sensed this, and attempted a change in sound with the last of their singles with interesting but again failed chart results.

From the over-arranged strings (which I like but certainly seem out of place) on Track 19 - Cup of Hot Coffee and Track 20 - Strange Things Are Happening which were added after the band even recorded the songs - to the return to form of Track 21 - I Don't Care which could be a lost Zombies melody and Track 22 - You Remind Me which is straight out of the Arthur Lee and Love song book of inspiration right down to the guitar riff.

There was one last gasp single-wise for the Outsiders before calling it quits with Track 23 - Do You Feel Allright which is an inspired rocker with an amazing pounding sound but alas the Outsiders were done.

Thanks to this cd reissue, the Outsiders great music no longer need languish in the vaults - the people at RPM have seen to that with this tremendous and eye-opening compilation of one of the great lost treasures of the 1960s. These singles plus the albums the Outsiders recorded are what define them as one of the great over-looked bands from the 1960s.

Note - do not confuse this Outsiders (from Amsterdam, Holland) with the Cleveland top ten act who hit in 1966 with Time Won't Let Me.

by Patrick "Gullbuy", Febraury 18, 2003

Tracks
1. You Mistreat Me - 1:59
2. Sun's Going Down - 2:40
3. Felt Like I Wanted to Cry - 2:45
4. I Love Her Still, I Always Will - 3:24
5. Lying All the Time - 3:14
6. Thinking About Today - 2:46
7. Keep on Trying - 2:58
8. That's Your Problem - 2:36
9. Touch - 3:12
10.Ballad of John B - 5:56
11.Monkey on Your Back - 3:43
12.What's Wrong With You - 3:17
13.Summer Is Here - 3:26
14.Teach Me to Forget - 3:13
15.I've Been Loving You So Long - 3:22
16.I'm Only Trying to Prove to Myself That I'm Not Like Everbody Else - 2:31
17.Don't You Worry About Me - 3:26
18.Bird in a Cage - 3:02
19.Cup of Hot Coffee - 3:17
20.Strange Things Are Happening (Wally Tax) - 2:32
21.I Don't Care - 2:42
22.You Remind Me - 2:49
23.Do You Feel Allright (Frank Beek, Ronald Splinter, Wally Tax) - 3:27
24.Daddy Died on a Saturday - 3:02
All songs by Ronald Splinter, Wally Tax except where stated.

The Outsiders
*Wally Tax - Vocals, Guitar, Harmonica
*Ronnie Splinter - Lead, 12String Guitars, Bass, Vocals
*Appie Rammers - Bass
*Tom Krabbendam - Guitar
*Leendert "Buzz" Busch - Drums
*Frank Beek - Bass

1966-67 The Outsiders - The Outsiders
1968 The Outsiders - CQ (remaster and expanded)
1967-94 The Outsiders - Singles A's And B's
Related Act
1970 Tax Free - Tax Free

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The story goes that Ronnie Lane’s Slim Chance were formed after he walked into a bar after the last ever Faces show in June of 73 and shouted at Marc Bolan asking if he had an opening for an unemployed bass player. Bolan did not take him up on the offer and he retreated to his farm in Wales to begin putting together a new band called Slim Chance. The sound was mainly acoustic driven over flowing with warmth and quality and revealed the heart and soul of one of Britain’s most under rated songwriters. During his time with The Faces, Lane’s talents shone with songs he penned like ‘Just For A Moment’, Ooh La La and ‘Debris’.

Eschewing the rock sound of his era, Lane created a personal organic sound, propelled by melody and mandolins, violins and squeeze boxes, the sound that conjures up the sun at dawn and the beauty of the fading afternoon horizon.

Lane would record four solo albums with Slim Chance plus albums with Ronnie Wood, Mahoney’s Last Stand & Pete Townshend Rough Mix. In 1976 he briefly joined a re-formed Small Faces but quit after two weeks and again teamed up with Steve Marriott in 1981 to cut an album called the Magic Mijits album.

Contracting MS in 1982, he kept going and in a massive showing of affection by his musical contemporaries a benefit show for MS charity was put together featuring Eric Clapton, Pete Townshend, Steve Winwood, Jimmy Page, Charlie Watts, and Andy Fairweather Low and raised millions for the charity.

Ooh La La: An Island Harvest looks at Ronnie and Slim Chance’s time with Island Records where Ronnie released two albums – Ronnie Lane’s Slim Chance and One for The Road. This collection features highlights from those albums as well as covers of classic tracks delivered in the inimitable “Plonk” style. Tracks such as ‘Tin and Tambourine’ , ‘One For the Road’ and ‘Burnin’ Summer’ showcase Ronnie’s beautiful melodies and imaginative lyrics.

It is easy to see why Lane was and still is admired by so many. The collection also unearths some previously unreleased alternate takes of classic Ronnie compositions such as Ooh La La, The Poacher and Anniversary. Also included is the BBC concert Ronnie performed in 1974 which features Faces classics as well as a rip roaring version of How Come and a cover of Gallagher and Lyle’s I Believe In You who were part of the original Slim chance line up and incidentally perform alongside Ronnie at this concert.

Ronnie passed on June 4th, 1997 at the age of 51 . He had stars in his eyes and love in his smile.

by Paolo Hewitt

Tracks

Disc 1

1. Ooh La La (Alternative Studio Take, Take 4) (Ronnie Lane, Ron Wood) - 3:18

2. Don't Try And Change My Mind - 3:06

3. One For The Road - 4:47

4. Buddy Can You Spare Me A Dime (Alternate Studio Version, Take 5) (Jay Gorney, E.Y. "Yip" Harburg) - 4:10

5. Steppin' And Reelin' - 6:26

6. Harvest Home (Charlie Hart, Ronnie Lane) - 5:52

7. 32nd Street - 4:36

8. Give Me A Penny - 3:01

9. I'm Gonna Sit Right Down (And Write Myself A Letter) (Alternate Studio Take) (Fred E. Ahlert, Joe Young) - 3:10

10.You Never Can Tell (Take 1) (Chuck Berry) - 6:59

11.Back Street Boy (Jam Version) - 4:57

12.Snake - 3:30

13.Burnin' Summer - 4:07

14.Anniversary - 3:00

15.Country Boy (Alternate Take) (Marshall Barer, Fred Brooks) - 3:34

16.What Went Down (That Night With You) - 3:29

17.Tin And Tambourine (Kathy Lambert, Ronnie Lane) - 4:12

18.Little Piece Of Nothing - 2:26

Disc 2
1. The Poacher (Take 2) - 3:51
2. Street Gang (Ronnie Lane, Ruan O'Lochlainn, Steve Simpson) - 4:08
3. Nobody's Listenin' - 3:57
4. Stone - 4:10
5. G'morning - 4:02
6. Bottle Of Brandy (Isaacs Family) - 2:50
7. Single Saddle (Arthur Altman, Hal David) - 2:03
8. Lovely - 3:29
9. Ain't No Lady (Kathy Lambert, Ronnie Lane, Ruan O'Lochlainn) - 4:26
10.Blue Monday (Dave Bartholomew) - 4:09
11.Anniversary (Alternate Mix) - 3:07
12.Last Orders (BBC In Concert) - 4:26
13.Done This One Before (BBC In Concert) - 3:58
14.Flags And Banners (BBC In Concert) (Ronnie Lane, Rod Stewart) - 4:06
15.Tell Everyone (BBC In Concert) - 3:40
16.How Come (BBC In Concert) - 3:55
17.I Believe In You (BBC In Concert) (Bernard Gallagher, Graham Lyle) - 4:53
18.Debris (BBC In Concert) - 6:29
19.Ooh La La (BBC In Concert) (Ronnie Lane, Ron Wood) - 3:48
All songs written by Ronnie Lane unless as else noted.

Personnel
*Ronnie Lane – Guitar, Bass, Vocals
*Steve Simpson – Guitar, Mandolin, Violin, Keyboards, Harmonica
*Graham Lyle - Banjo, Twelve String Guitar, Guitar Bottleneck, Mandolin
*Benny Gallagher - Bass, Guitar, Accordion
*Steve Bingham - Bass
*Ken Slaven - Fiddle
*Kevin Westlake - Guitar
*Bruce Rowland - Percussion
*Jimmy Jewell - Saxophone
*Bill Livesey - Keyboards
*Ruan O'Lochlainn – Organ, Piano, Saxophone
*Charlie Hart – Violin, Keyboards, Piano, Accordion
*Brian Belshaw – Bass
*Glen LeFleur – Drums
*Jim Frank – Drums
*Charlie Hart – Violin, Keyboards, Harp, Whistle
*Brian Belshaw – Bass, Vocals
*Colin Davy – Drums
*The Tanners Of Montgomery - Vocals

1965-69 Small Faces - The Immediate Years (four discs box, 1st edition)
1967 Small Faces - Green Circles / First Immediate Album (rare Sequel release)
1968 The Small Faces - Ogden's Nut Gone Flake (2006 three disc box set)

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US 69 were psychedelic rock group from the Hartford Connecticut area with tripped-out jazz undercurrents and rough funky edges.

They started out as the Mustard Family, and changed their name to US ’69 before the release of any of their material. Signing with the Buddah label, US ’69′s album Yesterdays Folks from 1969.

The band combines a great mix of eastern-influence music with sitar along with psychedelic, jazz, rock, soul, and funk. Just let your senses loose, and the feeling will go up much higher, after every spin.

Tracks
1. I'm On My Way (A Patch Of Blue) (Bill Durso, Alan Bushman) - 6:14
2. Yesterday's Folks - 3:18
3. I'm A Nobody - 2:31
4. African Sunshine - 7:28
5. I Hear You Talkin' - 2:57
6. Miss Goodbody - 3:25
7. Never A Day Goes By - 4:54
8. 2069: A Spaced Oddity - 10:22
All songs by Bill Durso except where stated

US 69
*Bill Cartier - Drums
*Bill Durso - Vocals, Guitar
*Bob DePalma - Saxophone
*Don DePalma - Piano, Trumpet
*Gil Nelson - Bass, Flute

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In mid-60s America, every major city had at least one rock’n’roll band that ruled the town. Such top-dogs enjoyed a rabidly partisan audience that packed the teen centres, populated the fan clubs and pushed their records to the top of the local charts. In the major metropolis of Houston,Texas, that group was Neal Ford and the Fanatics.

Led by Ford and featuring talented writers Lanier Greig, Jon Pereles and Johnny Stringfellow, the Fanatics ruled the roost at Houston clubs such as the Catacombs and, once they signed to Nashville indie Hickory in late 1966, seemed destined for national stardom. History has identified such local kingpins as garage bands, simply because of their grass roots appeal. But the Fanatics were a well-oiled professional machine, capable of putting on a memorable show and backing it up with vocals and chops that raised the band far above the calibre of the suburban hop or teen club. Despite the British elements to their music – Kinks chording, Zombies moodiness – theirs was very much an American sound. Lead vocalist Neal Ford had a professed love for vintage rock and R&B, but the group’s real strength vocally was the three-part harmony of Ford, Pereles and bass player Dub Johnson. When allied to the classic organ and fuzz-driven “Vox” sound of the group, it was an unbeatable combination.

Texas has a well-deserved reputation for some of the most acerbic 60s rock on record, but the state also produced a fair tranche of acts such asDallas’ Five Americans who excelled in the commercial pop of the time. The Fanatics straddled the fence. Their songwriting and playing abilities alone made them somewhat above-average, but the band was also willing to experiment. Some of this slipped out – ‘I Will Not Be Lonely’ is one of the earliest British-influenced Texan garage discs, and their Yardbirds-psych opus ‘I Will If You Want To’ seems in hindsight to have been an audacious move. But once they became regionally successful with ‘Gonna Be My Girl’ and a much more lightweight formula, the group’s releases stopped representing anything more than the commercial dictates of the record company.

Thus the standing of Neal Ford & the Fanatics for many years largely resided within the rosy glow of Houston nostalgia, but the truth is that, buried in tape vaults, record company archives and the personal stash of their former manager, lies enough evidence to demonstrate that in the studio, the Fanatics could more than match their repute as a live act.

“Good Men” is a long-overdue survey of their best recorded moments, and runs the gamut from expertly produced and performed commercial pop and folk-rock to freaky psychedelic experiment and the gnarliest of 60s punk. It features several of the Fanatics’ popular singles for Hickory, cuts from their lone album for the label, as well as fantastic earlier sides released on the Houston indies Gina and Tantara. Every track is drawn from master tape, well over half have never appeared on compact disc before, and several are unissued killers that add immeasurably to the group’s reputation.

by Alec Palao

Tracks
1. Good Men (Are Hard to Find) (Lanier Greig) - 2:58
2. I Will Not Be Lonely (Neal Ford, Jon Pereles, John Stringfellow) - 2:46
3. Don't Tie Me Down (Neal Ford, Walter Johnson, John Stringfellow) - 2:21
4. Gonna Be My Girl (Jon Pereles) - 2:43
5. Better Slow Down (Neal Ford, John Stringfellow) - 2:50
6. I Can't Go On (Neal Ford, Lanier Greig) - 2:28
7. I Will If You Want To (Neal Ford, Lanier Greig) - 2:10
8. Woman (Rod Argent) - 2:36
9. Movin' Along (Jon Pereles) - 2:03
10.The Seasons - 2:13
11.Bitter Bells (Neal Ford, Walter Johnson, John Stringfellow) - 1:52
12.Save Your Affection - 2:10
13.Baby, You're Gonna Cry (Neal Ford, Jon Pereles) - 2:23
14.For You (Neal Ford, Lanier Greig) - 2:21
15.Nothing Left to Do (Jon Pereles) - 2:41
16.Pain (John Cravey, Neal Ford) - 2:37
17.I Have Thoughts of You (Jon Pereles) - 3:26
18.One Times One Ain't Two (Mickey Newbury) - 2:45
19.Shame on You (Neal Ford, Walter Johnson, John Stringfellow) - 2:14
20.That Girl of Mine (Jon Pereles) - 2:19
21.Night Time (Bob Feldman, Jerry Goldstein, Richard Gottehrer) - 3:12
22.(I've Got A) Brand New Girl (Neal Ford, Lanier Greig, Jon Pereles) - 2:37
23.Little World Girl (John D. Loudermilk) - 2:23
24.Lucille/I'm Down (Albert Collins, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Richard Penniman) - 2:50
25.The Jones (John D. Loudermilk) - 2:49
26.KTRK Jingle/Every Night a New Surprise (Steve Ames, Lanier Greig) - 3:06

Neal Ford And The Fanatics
*Neal Ford - Vocals
*Lanier Greig - Keyboards
*John Cravey - Drums
*W.T. Johnson - Bass Guitar
*Jon Pereles - Guitar, Vocals
*Johnny Stringfellow - Guitar
*Steve Ames - Keyboards
*Dennis Senter - Keyboards

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Wailing Wall was formed in El Paso, Texas by guitarist Mike Cancellare who up until this time had been playing in a straight blues trio. Mike recruited David Rutledge to play drums and was searching for a bass player when friend and fellow musician (and my brother) Doug Adams recommended me to round out the rhythm section. We started out playing some blues tunes but knew we wanted to expand our sound so Doug was asked to step in as "front man" and Wailing Wall was ready to roll.

We made our "bread and butter" money by playing at Ft. Bliss/White Sands and other Military Bases Teen and Officers Clubs which were booked by Mike through one of his connections. This was during Viet Nam and things were a bit strained between the young people and the Military brass ("Can you boys tone it DOWN a little?"). The Gl's would always come up and talk to us during the shows they seemed really desperate for some kind of connection to the world outside Army life. At these gigs we played mostly cover versions and tried to sneak in an original when we could.

Our mainstay "creative" gig was at a place called "The Free-Holy" (frijole, get it?) across the Rio Grande River in Anapra, New Mexico. When The Free-Holy first opened, we had just gotten our 4-piece version of the band up to speed, and were lucky enough to be one of the bands on opening night (another Mike connection, I think). Our debut was in front of several hundred of the "hippest" people in the area. We became regulars there and had pretty much a free hand to work out our material in front of a receptive audience. The club, a pretty old adobe building, was run by an interesting individual named Mario, who also let us practice there on evenings when they were closed.

We tried to play out as much as possible. We played around the campus of The University Of Texas at El Paso a lot. We even crossed the border and played gigs in Juarez, Mexico. We played anywhere and everywhere south of the border. Bullrings, Rodeo Arenas and even in the middle of a Soccer field. The only bad part about those gigs were bringing our gear back to the U.S. where, naturally, the Customs Agents made us unload EVERY BIT of our equipment from the van and then repack it again. These were the days when long hair = drug smuggler.

As our popularity grew we got to open for some national acts that made the odd stop in El Paso. Since a "big group" came to El Paso only once every few months, opening for these acts was a big deal for us. We opened for Steppenwolf, Bloodrock, The Chambers Brothers, Johnny Rivers and even Doc SeverinsonH! Some of these shows were at the El Paso County Coliseum which was essentially a big cow barn for Rodeo shows. We also played at UT El Paso Stadium and New Mexico State University's Special Events Center in Las Cruces.

Our first venture out on the "road" found us playing gigs in San Antonio and Austin that Doug had landed for us. Around this time we hooked up with a local character named Larry Gorley who fancied himself as a promoter in the vein of his mentor. Bill Horn (ZZ Top fame). Larry took us on a long and winding road (or rather, he came with us while we drove!) to the Celebration Of Life Music Festival in the swamps of Louisiana. The show was highly unorganized and when Larry saw how pitiful the situation was he high tailed it back to El Paso. We spent most of the day hanging out in our tent and standing in a river trying to keep cool while surveying the scores of naked girls with sunburned boobs. Most of the stoned out hippies slept off their hangovers and we waited for our chance to play. We finally did get to play on one of the "side stages" so we can truly say that we played the "Celebration Of Dog Shit" as David called it.

A serious chunk of our creative work was done at the Upper Valley recording studio of Kenny Smith. Kenny recorded us in a smallish building out behind his house. All work was done on an Ampex 3-track tape machine. As we progressed from just a "live recording documentation" of the band, we got more into layering. I think we got a pretty good sound for a 3-track. The music found on this CD is a result of those sessions.

I can't remember why we called an end to the band I'm guessing it was due to the chaotic nature of the times personalities in and out of the band and things like that. Mike has since gone on as the leader of a blues trio in South Central, Texas and plays a variety of music from Freddy King to Cream to Stevie Ray Vaughn ... Mike was always the one who could talk up the girls. After Wailing Wall David joined what was to be a long- lived local group called Moon Pie Daince Band. He is living in El Paso and still writing music. My brother Doug lives in Novato, California and works in several bands including his own Middle Eastern Influenced "Light Rain" which you may be familar with from their "Dream Dancer" and other LP releases. He also played a short stint in one of the incarnations of The New Riders Of The Purple Sage. I currently live in Mill Valley, California where I have a small recording studio in my home and I still make music, mostly for my own pleasure.

by Darrel Adams

Tracks
1. Scissor Tailed Swallow - 3:19
2. Country Of The Goose - 9:28
3. Flying (Doug Adams) - 4:57
4. Hot Summer’s Night - 2:55
5. Mad Rapper (Doug Adams) - 5:39
6. Dark House, Crazy Nights (Doug Adams) - 5:00
7. I’m Running Low - 6:01
8. Meet My Dreams - 3:12
All songs by David Rutledge except where indicated.

Wailing Wall
*Mike Cancellari - Guitar
*Doug Adams - Vocals
*Darrel Adams - Bass Guitar
*David Rutledge - Drums

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In the fall of 1967 The Tiffany Shade-Bob Leonard (born May 27, 1945) – piano/ vocals, Michael Barnes (born May 21, 1948) – lead vocals/guitar, Tom Schuster (born Feb.1, 1949) – drums and Robb Clarke Murphy (born Sept. 26, 1944) – bass/vocals, entered the studios of the Cleveland Recording Company located at 1515 Euclid avenue in Cleveland, Ohio and recorded their first and only album of original material together. After two days and two separate eight hour long recording sessions, the band ended up with 10 songs (9 originals and 1 cover tune) for Bob Shads’ recently formed Mainstream record label.

In the 40 years since its’ original release on December 11, 1967, The “Tiffany Shade” album (Mainstream release #56015), like several other Mainstream releases from this time period, has gone on to become one of the most highly sought after and valuable record albums of the psychedelic era. This was the bands only release and on the rare occasion that it appears on EBay and rare record websites the LP sells for anywhere from $150.00 to $350.00 depending on it’s condition.

Tiffany-Shade

Tracks
1. Would You Take My Mind Out For A Walk (Michael Barnes) - 2:20
2. An Older Man (Michael Barnes, Robert Leonard) - 3:04
3. Sam (Robert Leonard) - 5:20
4. Jaguar City Blues (Rob Murphy, Robert Leonard) - 2:07
5. A Very Grand Love (Robert Leonard) - 2:47
6. Come Softly To Me (Barbara Ellis, Gary Troxel, Gretchen Christopher) - 3:04
7. No Reality (Michael Barnes) - 4:01
8. One Good Reason (Michael Barnes, Robert Leonard) - 2:20
9. A Quiet Revolution (Michael Barnes) - 2:06
10.Not Worth The Pain (Michael Barnes) - 3:05

Tiffany Shade
*Bob Leonard - Piano, Vocals
*Michael Barnes - Lead Vocals, Guitar
*Tom Schuster - Drums
*Robb Clarke Murphy - Bass, Vocals

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Judee Sill’s self-titled debut hit the shelves in 1971, the first release on David Geffen’s Asylum Records. Unjustly lost amongst the sands of time, and out of print for many years until it’s reissue a few years ago, Judee Sill is one-of-a-kind, an essential album, a defining example of West Coast canyon country, a hauntingly beautiful record by an extremely delicate soul and one of the 70’s most talented singer-songwriters.

Sill had been playing musical instruments of various kinds since her troubled childhood on the West Coast, which she spent dreaming of being a singer, a songwriter, and a star. An even more troubled young adulthood spent dabbling in hard drugs, armed robbery, and prostitution had landed her stints in reform schools and jail cells. After a near fatal overdose and a brush with the law that left her kicking heroin in a county jail cell, as well as the death of her brother and mother, Sill–who was increasingly drawn to metaphysical topics and occult, religious imagery–began taking her songwriting seriously.

Her first big break came after landing a gig writing songs for Blimp Productions in Los Angeles when The Turtles decided to record a version of her song “Lady-O.” It was immediately clear to those around her that Sill had developed a lyrical style as distinctive as her achingly beautiful crystal-clear-as-a-mountain-stream singing voice. The time was ripe for Sill to make her “country-cult-baroque” vision a reality.

Opening with Judee’s fingerpicked guitar and a lone French horn, “Crayon Angels” is a beautifully evocative song, an honest prayer for heavenly hands matched with a gently breezy pastoral vibe perfectly suited to Judee’s delicate voice. Next up, “The Phantom Cowboy” lets Judee’s dirt road roots show through a little more while introducing the archetype of a traveling mystic ridge rider that appears frequently throughout Judee’s body of work. “The Archetypal Man” has even more of a laid-back Topanga-folk vibe with weeping pedal steel combined with baroque orchestral flourishes. “The Lamb Ran Away With The Crown” is an absolutely beautiful tune that kicks off with just Judee’s softly reassuring voice and lilting guitar, perfectly expressing Judee’s belief in the possibility of goodness in the world.

The lushly orchestrated “Lady-O” goes miles beyond The Turtles recording of the song, showing just how unassumingly evocative Judee’s vocal delivery can be. Similarly, Judee’s performance of “Jesus Was A Cross Maker” is the definitive version of the song, which is perfectly suited to her crystalline vocalizations and the gospel piano inflections that she learned while leading the church choir as a teenager in reform school. Produced by Graham Nash, the song was a last minute addition to the album, obviously in high hopes of a hit.

“Ridge Rider” further fleshes out Judee’s vision of a bohemian saint who rides the rough road to salvation despite its perils, complete with tasty pedal steel and the sound of hoof beats carrying along the chorus. “My Man On Love” is an enchanting folk song full of Christian imagery. “Lopin’ Along Through the Cosmos” plods along at a pace just a bit slower than the rest of the album as Judee again pleads for the gift of peace. “Enchanted Sky Machines”, a song about salvation by UFO, quickly picks up the pace, beginning with another groovy gospel piano part that’s soon accompanied by brassy horns and upbeat drums. The beautifully orchestrated “Abracadabra” closes the album on a tender note and a major key.

Despite it all, Judee Sill didn’t sell as well as the troubadour and her friends had hoped. Nevertheless, she soldiered on to record and release 1973’s Heart Food, an equally outstanding album, which made even greater use of both her gospel influenced keyboard playing and her talent for orchestral composition. Sadly, Heart Food sold even fewer copies than the first album and Judee’s life began to gradually deteriorate. After a handful of auto-accidents in the late seventies Judee once again began turning to codeine, cocaine, and heroine in an attempt to numb the pain she suffered from so greatly. Judee’s life was cut tragically short the day after Thanksgiving 1973 1979, when she died after overdosing on codeine and cocaine. She was 35 years old.

Who knows what heights Judee and her music may have reached had she lived long enough for more people to pick up on her gentle genius? Both Judee Sill and Heart Food rank right up there with the best from giants like Joni Mitchell, Laura Nyro, Sandy Denny, and Carole King, as well as releases by other unsung souls like Collie Ryan, Karen Beth, and Vashti Bunyan. Forty years later there still isn’t anything than can truly compare.

by D.A. Glasebrook

Tracks
1. Crayon Angels - 2:35
2. The Phantom Cowboy - 1:40
3. The Archetypal Man - 3:35
4. The Lamb Ran Away With The Crown - 3:10
5. Lady-O - 3:10
6. Jesus Was A Cross Maker - 3:20
7. Ridge Rider - 4:28
8. My Man On Love - 3:23
9. Lopin' Along Thru The Cosmos - 3:00
10.Enchanted Sky Machines - 2:40
11.Abracadabra - 1:54
Words and Music by Judee Sill

Personnel
*Judee Sill - Guitar, Piano, Vocals
*Clydie King, Rita Coolidge, Venetta Fields - Background Vocals
*Don Bagley, Bob Harris - Orchestration
*David Crosby - Guitar
*Graham Nash - Organ

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The Outsiders’ recording career lasted merely three years, but in that time they recorded and released close to fifty songs, every one of them an original composition; few other groups during that era could lay claim to such a track record. It’s a body of work that has only grown in stature. Created largely without the filter of commercialism, without the intervention of producers and publicists, the Outsiders’ music was pure and uncompromising. It was the authentic sound of five teenage kids from East Amsterdam striving for a sound of their own, thinking about today, without a passing care for yesterday or tomorrow.

Thinking About Today includes every track released by the group during their original lifespan, from their raucous ’65 introduction, You Mistreat Me, to their violent but unfailingly catchy swansong, 1969’s Do You Feel Alright. Along with all their hit singles and B-sides, the set also features their self-titled album and the legendary CQ in its entirety, along with some rare mono and stereo mixes. Dynamically remastered from the original tapes, and packaged with previously unseen photos and full liner notes by Mike Stax, Thinking About Today is the definitive document on one of the era’s greatest unsung bands.

Tracks

Chapter 1

1. You Mistreat Me - 1:58

2. Sun’s Going Down - 2:39

3. Felt Like I Wanted To Cry - 2:50

4. I Love Her Still, I Always Will - 3:27

5. Lying All The Time - 3:14

6. Thinking About Today - 2:45

7. Keep On Trying - 2:57

8. That’s Your Problem - 2:35

9. Touch - 3:12

10.Ballad Of John B. - 5:55

11.Monkey On Your Back - 3:44

12.What’s Wrong With You - 3:18

13.Story 16 - 6:30

14.Tears Are Falling From My Eyes - 3:29

15.Ain’t Gonna Miss You - 1:54

16.I Wish I Could - 4:01

17.Afraid Of The Dark - 3:18

18.Teach Me To Forget You - 3:12

19.Filthy Rich - 2:40

20.I Would Love You - 2:47

21.Don’t You Cry - 2:21

22.Won’t You Listen - 2:49

23.If You Don’t Treat Me Right - 2:10

24.Summer Is Here - 3:25

All compositions by Ronnie Splinter, Wally Tax

Chapter 2
1. I’ve Been Loving You So Long - 3:21
2. I’m Only Trying To Prove To Myself That I’m Not Like Everybody Else - 2:30
3. Don’t You Worry About Me - 3:25
4. Bird In A Cage - 3:03
5. Cup Of Hot Coffee - 3:18
6. Strange Things Are Happening (Frank Beek, Wally Tax) - 2:33
7. I Don’t Care (R. Splinter, W. Tax, F. Beek, L. Bush) - 2:41
8. You Remind Me (R. Splinter, W. Tax, F. Beek, L. Bush) - 2:45
9. Misfit (R. Splinter, W. Tax, F. Beek, L. Bush) - 3:03
10.Zsarrahh (R. Splinter, W. Tax, F. Beek, L. Bush) - 3:25
11.C.Q. (R. Splinter, W. Tax, F. Beek, L. Bush) - 3:27
12.Daddy Died On Saturday (R. Splinter, W. Tax, F. Beek, L. Bush) - 3:01
13.It Seems Like Nothing’s Gonna Come My Way Today (R. Splinter, W. Tax, F. Beek, L. Bush) - 1:50
14.Doctor (R. Splinter, W. Tax, F. Beek, L. Bush) - 4:42
15.The Man On The Dune (R. Splinter, W. Tax, F. Beek, L. Bush) - 2:06
16.The Bear (R. Splinter, W. Tax, F. Beek, L. Bush) - 1:03
17.Happyville (R. Splinter, W. Tax, F. Beek, L. Bush) - 2:26
18.You’re Everything On Earth (R. Splinter, W. Tax, F. Beek, L. Bush) - 3:06
19.Wish You Were Here With Me Today (R. Splinter, W. Tax, F. Beek, L. Bush) - 1:54
20.I Love You No. 2 (R. Splinter, W. Tax, F. Beek, L. Bush) - 3:13
21.Prison Song (R. Splinter, W. Tax, F. Beek, L. Bush) - 5:37
22.Do You Feel Alright (R. Splinter, W. Tax, F. Beek, L. Bush) - 3:26
23.Daddy Died On Saturday (R. Splinter, W. Tax, F. Beek, L. Bush) - 3:01
24.Touch (R. Splinter, W. Tax, F. Beek, L. Bush) - 3:12
25.Bird In A Cage (R. Splinter, W. Tax, F. Beek, L. Bush) - 3:05
26.Wally’s Answering Machine (R. Splinter, W. Tax, F. Beek, L. Bush) - 0:16
All compositions by Ronnie Splinter, Wally Tax unless as else indicated

The Outsiders
*Wally Tax - Vocals, Guitar, Balalaika, Flute, Harmonica
*Ronnie Splinter - Lead, Rhythm, 12String Guitars, Bass, Vocals
*Appie Rammers - Bass
*Tom Krabbendam - Rhythm Guitar
*Leendert "Buzz" Busch - Drums
*Frank Beek - Bass

1965-69 The Outsiders - Strange Things Are Happening The Complete Singles
1966-67 The Outsiders - The Outsiders
1968 The Outsiders - CQ (remaster and expanded)
1967-94 The Outsiders - Singles A's And B's
Related Act
1970 Tax Free - Tax Free

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Fairfield Ski - Fairfield Ski (1973 uk, fabulous melodic orchestrated soft rock with glam and prog tinges, 2013 remaster)

Cream - Live Cream II (1972 uk, classic heavy blues psych rock, 2010 japan SHM remaster)

Cockney Rebel - Cavaliers, An Anthology (1973-74 uk, two masterpieces and other gems, 2012 four disc set remaster)

Leonda - Woman In The Sun (1969 canada, marvelous folk psych with jazz blues tinges, Fallout issue)

The Grass Roots - Move Along / Alotta Mileage (1972-73 us, sightly soulful brass rock)

Jimmie Spheeris - Isle Οf View / The Original Tap Dancing Kid (1971-73 us, fantastic silk rock with folk and prog tinges, 2008 remaster)

The Byrds - Live At Royal Albert Hall (1971 us, stunning country folk classic rock, 2008 issue)

The Outsiders - The Outsiders (1966-67 dutch, superb garage psych beat)

The Outsiders - Singles A's And B's (1967-94 dutch, impressive colorful nederbeat including Wally Tax solo singles)

Finn MacCuill - Sink Ye - Swim Ye (1978 uk, lovely traditional folk, very rare Vinyl issue)

Brian Auger With Julie Driscoll And The Trinity - Open (1967 uk, groovie jazzy psych masterpiece, 2013 japan SHM remaster with extra tracks)

Roger McGuinn - Roger McGuinn (1973 us, amazing folk country classic rock, 2013 edition)

The Outsiders - Strange Things Are Happening The Complete Singles (1965-69 dutch, gloomy garge psych nederbeat, 2002 RPM release)

Ronnie Lane And Slim Chance - Ooh La La An Island Harvest (1974-76 uk, wonderfully eclectic mix of country, rock, folk and blues, 2014 two disc hard paper sleeve edition)

US 69 ‎- Yesterdays Folks (1969 us, awesome trippy colorful psychedelia, 2014 issue)

Neal Ford And The Fanatics - Good Men (1965-68 us, outstanding rough garage psych, 2013 release)

Wailing Wall - Wailing Wall (1970 us, awesome heavy southern psych rock)

Tiffany Shade - Tiffany Shade (1967 us, fantastic psychedelia, 2014 issue)

Judee Sill - Judee Sill (1971 us, beautiful tender baroque folk, 2013 japan remaster)

The Outsiders - Thinking About Today Their Complete Works (1965-68 dutch, pioneer raw garage psych, 2013 remaster double disc digi pack gatefold sleeve)