Birtha was one of the leading female rock bands performing during the early 1970's. The band consisted of four women: Shele Pinizzotto ( guitar), Rosemary Butler (bass), Sherry Hagler (keyboards) and Liver Favela (drums). All four members of the group performed lead vocals and harmonies. Liver was the last member to join Birtha in 1968. The group immediately started playing the club circuit and toured from California to Alaska. From 1968 to 1971 Birtha worked to tighten and refine their rock sound and in1971 they started writing their own material. Most of the material was written by Birtha, but there were a few songs which were written in partnership with other parties including, Mark Wickman and Gabriel Mckler. Birtha signed a record contract with Dunhill Records in 1972 and recorded their first album, "Birtha" with record producer Gabriel Mckler and Engineers, David Hassinger and Val Caray. After the release of their first album, Birtha began playing rock concerts and clubs throughout the U.S., Canada and Europe. While taking breaks in their home town, Los Angeles, they would often play The Whiskey and The Troubadour and frequently played a club in Glendale, called The Sopwith Camel. 01 - Free Spirit 02 - Fine Talking Man 03 - Tuesday 04 - Feeling Lonely 05 - She Was Good To Me 06 - Work On A Dream 07 - Too Much Woman (For A Hen Pecked Man) 08 - Judgement Day 09 - Forgotten Soul LINK
Eire Apparent was a band from Northern Ireland. In 1966 guitarist Henry McCullough (formerly of The Sky Rockets Showband and Gene & The Gents) from Portstewart in Northern Ireland teamed up with bassist Chris Stewart, singer Ernie Graham and drummer Davy Lutton in the psychedelic outfit The People, replacing keyboard player Eric Wrixon. 'The People' - who had evolved out of earlier band 'Tony & The Telstars' - developed a reputation on the Blackpool and Dublin music scenes and contributed to the 1966 compilation album Ireland's Greatest Sounds: Five Top Groups From Belfast's Maritime Club. In 1967 the band moved to London and were signed by ex-Animal Chas Chandler and Mike Jeffery for Track Records, who changed the band's name to "Eire Apparent" - Jeffrey wanted to exploit the Irish dimension and his wife came up with the new name. Despite only having released one single, Chandler sent them on tour with headliners Jimi Hendrix Experience, Soft Machine and The Animals. Things went quite well during 1968 until, when in Canada in early September, McCullough was sent back to Ireland due to visa problems, so Mick Cox took his place in the band. The new line-up cut the album Sunrise in late October 1968 in LA during the tour, with Jimi Hendrix producing, released in 1969. Jimi had tried to combine traces of Rock, Pop and Psychedelia. 01 - Yes I Need Someone 02 - Got To Get Away 03 - The Clown 04 - Mr. Guy Fawkes 05 - Someone Is Sure To (Want You) 06 - Rock 'n' Roll Band 07 - Morning Glory 08 - Magic Carpet 09 - Captive In The Sun 11 - 1026 LINK
Paladin were formed in 1970 by drummer Keith Webb and keyboard player Pete Soley. Having toured with THE ROLLING STONES as backing musicians, they decided the time was right to unleash their own creativity. Ex WORLD OF OZ bassist Peter Beckett, GLASS MENAGERIE/GRISBY DYKE keyboard player Lou Stonebridge, and GRISBY DYKE guitarist Derek Floey were brought in to complete the line up. Initially, the band's influences were jazz, Latin, soul, blues, afro-Cuban, the dual keyboards creating a unique sound. They list their early fans as including Jon Anderson of YES. After building a credible live reputation, the band signed for Gerry Bron’s Bronze label, and recorded their first album "live" in the studio. The album includes early examples of World and Rap (!), but failed to make much of an impression, and consequently is now rare and collectable in vinyl format. The follow up album "Charge!" was released a year later. The band only released the two albums, before their lack of success led to frustration, and they disbanded in 1972. 01 - Bad Times 02 - Carry Me Home 03 - Dance Of The Cobra 04 - Third World 05 - Fill Up Your Heart 06 - Flying High 07 - The Fakir LINK
Wicked Lady was founded as a trio by Northampton singer-guitarist Martin Weaver formed in 1968. However, Wicked Lady never came within a whisper of the stratospheric status attained by Cream, or the Jimi Hendrix Experience. The band’s liberal use of feedback — and large biker following, kept them relegated to clubs, even during the twilight hours of the psychedelic era. The band never had a legitimate release back in 1968-70 when this material was originally recorded. The band split in 1970 but the trio would later re-unite in a more psychedelic and progressive outfit called the Dark. During the turbulent years of 1970-72, Wicked Lady recorded some songs on a stolen 2 track Revox, and it is those tracks that make up this CD. They capture, not only, something of the anger, pain and genius of Wicked Lady, but also tell of the narcotics consumed at the time. As such the music is hard and honest and perfect for evil guitar listeners. Psychedelic hard-rock or early heavy metal? 01 - Run The Night 02 - War Cloud 03 - The Axeman Cometh 04 - Life And Death 05 - Wicked Lady 06 - Out Of The Dark 07 - Rebel 08 - Living On The Edge LINK
Heavy Rock/Symphonic rock band from Long Island. Valhalla's only album was a rather haphazard mix of end-of-the-'60s psychedelic and heavy rock influences. Even if it's not particularly outstanding or original, however, it has its enjoyable aspects, especially for those who enjoy late-'60s combinations of bluesy hard organ and bluesy hard rock guitar. In its slightly overreaching, over-serious feel with a hint of religious pomposity, it's often slightly reminiscent of early Deep Purple, and more distantly, especially in the fairly penetrating organ, The Crazy World of Arthur Brown, Graham Bond, and Lee Michaels. 01 - Hard Times 02 - Conceit 03 - Ladies In Waiting 04 - I'n Not Askin 05 - Deacon 06 - Heads Are Free 07 - Roof Top Man 08 - Jbt 09 - Conversation 10 - Overseas Symphony LINK
UFO are an English rock band, who were formed in 1969. UFO became a transitional group between early hard rock and heavy metal and the New Wave of British Heavy Metal. UFO were ranked #84 on VH1's '100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock'. Singer Phil Mogg, guitarist Mick Bolton, bassist Pete Way, and drummer Andy Parker formed the band in August 1969. Originally taking the name Hocus Pocus, the group changed their name in October 1969 to UFO in honour of the London club where they were spotted by Noel Moore, who signed them to his Beacon Records label. Their eponymously titled first album debuted in 1970 and was a typical example of early hard rock including a heavy version of the Eddie Cochran's classic "C'mon Everybody". UFO 1 is the debut album.
01 - Unidentified Flying Object 02 - Boogie 03 - C'mon Everybody 04 - Shake It About 05 - (Come Away) Melinda 06 - Timothy 07 - Follow You Home 08 - Treacle People 09 - Who Do You Love 10 - Evil
The 13th Floor Elevators were an American rock band from Austin, Texas formed by guitarist and vocalist Roky Erickson, electric jug player Tommy Hall, and guitarist Stacy Sutherland, which existed from 1965 to 1969. During their career, the band released four LPs and seven 45s for the International Artists record label. The 13th Floor Elevators found some commercial and artistic success in 1966-67, before dissolving amid legal troubles and drug use in late 1968. As one of the first psychedelic bands, their contemporary influence has been acknowledged by 1960s musicians such as Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top, Peter Albin of Big Brother and the Holding Company, and Chris Gerniottis of Zakary Thaks. The Psychedelic Sounds of the 13th Floor Elevators is a 1966 debut album by 13th Floor Elevators. The album's sound, featuring elements of folk, garage, blues and, of course, psychedelia, is notable for its use of the electric jug, as featured on the band's only hit, "You're Gonna Miss Me", which reached #55 on the Billboard Charts with "Tried to Hide" as a B-side. Another single from the album, "Reverberation (Doubt)", reached #129 on the Billboard's Bubbling Under Chart. The November 1966 album title is purported to be the first use of the word "psychedelic" in reference to the music within. However, this is in dispute as two other bands also used the word in titles of LPs released in November of 1966: The Blues Magoos' Psychedelic Lollipop, and The Deep's Psychedelic Moods.
01 - You're Gonna Miss Me 02 - Roller Coster 03 - Splash 1 04 - Reverberation (Doubt) 05 - Don't Fall Down 06 - Fire Engine 07 - Thru The Rhytm 08 - You Don't Know 09 - Kingdom Of Heaven 10 - Monkey Island 11 - Tried To Hide
American Blues were a 1960s Texas-based garage band who played a psychedelic style of blues rock music influenced by the 13th Floor Elevators. They are most famous for including two future members of the band ZZ Top in their ranks, Dusty Hill and Frank Beard. From 1966 to 1968, they played the Dallas-Fort Worth-Houston circuit and headlined in three clubs all called "The Cellar", in Dallas at clubs such as "The Walrus" on Mockingbird Lane, and in Houston at "Love Street Light Circus Feel Good Machine" on Allen's Landing, as late as 1968. Around 1968 the band (the two Hill brothers and Beard) decided to leave the Dallas–Fort Worth area, relocating to Houston. At this time, however, guitarist Rocky Hill wanted to focus on "straight blues", while his brother Dusty wanted the band to rock more. Rocky left the band, and was soon replaced by Billy Gibbons, of Houston psychedelic-rockers Moving Sidewalks, becoming the band ZZ Top. American Blues 'Is Here' is a 1968 studio album. The album is sometimes referred to as simply "American Blues" or "Is Here".
01 - If I Were A Carpenter 02 - All I saw was You 03 - She'll Be Mine 04 - Fugue For Lady Cheriff 05 - It's Gone 06 - Keep My Heart In A Rage 07 - Mercury Blues 08 - Melted Like Snow 09 - Mellow
Andromeda was a psychedelic-progressive rock trio formed by singer-guitarist John Cann, formerly of the psychedelic garage band the Attack, Mick Hawksworth (bass, vocals) and Ian McClane (drums, vocals). The group performed in various London venues including Middle Earth and the Marquee Club. Cann's guitar was the dominant instrument, leading listeners through classically- based psychedelic and progressive directions and creative dissonances, contributing to the trio's impressive live sets. Andromeda combined their own original writing with elements appropriated out of familiar classical material. They were signed to RCA in 1969. The group's first single, "Go Your Way" was released in 1969 and a self-titled album (which featured some impressive vocals) followed quickly. The group broke up late in the year, and Cann joined Vincent Crane in Atomic Rooster, while Hawksworth played with Alvin Lee and became a member of Ten Years After (and Ten Years Later), as well as playing with Matthew Fisher. (Bruce Eder, AMG) 01 - Too Old 02 - Day of The Change 03 - And Now the Sun Shines 04 - Turn to Dust 05 - Return to Sanity 06 - The Reason 07 - I Can Stop the Sun 08 - When to Stop 09 - Go Your Way (Bonus) 10 - Keep Out Cos I´m Dying (Bonus) 11 - The Garden of Happiness (Bonus) 12 - Return to Exodus (Bonus) 13 - Let´s All Watch the Sky Fall Down (Bonus) 14 - Darkness of Her Room (Bonus) 15 - See Into the Stars (Bonus) 16 - Search On (Bonus) LINK
Wishbone Ash are a British rock band who achieved success in the early and mid-1970s. Their popular records included Wishbone Ash (1970), Argus (1972), There's the Rub (1974), and New England (1976). They were one of the first of many bands to come who used twin lead guitars. Wishbone Ash are considered to be one of the major innovators of the harmony twin lead guitar format. Their contributions helped in Powell and Turner being voted "Two Of The Ten Most Important Guitarists In Rock History" (Traffic magazine 1989), and part of the "Top 20 Guitarists Of All Time" (Rolling Stone). Melody Maker (1972) described Ted Turner and Andy Powell as "the most interesting two guitar team since the days when Beck and Page graced The Yardbirds". Formed in Torquay, Devon, in 1969, out of the ashes of trio The Empty Vessels (originally known as The Torinoes, later briefly renamed Tanglewood in 1969), which had been formed by Wishbone Ash's founding member Martin Turner (bass/vocals) in 1963 and complemented by Steve Upton (drums and percussion) in 1966. The original Wishbone Ash line-up was completed by guitarists/vocalists Andy Powell and Ted Turner. In 1974, Ted Turner left the band, and was replaced by Laurie Wisefield. The band continued on with strong critical and commercial success until 1980. Pilgrimage is the second album by Wishbone Ash. The album focuses more on folk and acoustic music as opposed to the blues rock sound that dominated the first album. The album also contains an instrumental jazz workout ("Vas Dis") and a four-part harmony vocal track in the spirit of Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young ("Valediction"). The album sold well, reaching no.14 in the UK charts.
01 - Vas Dis 02 - The Pilgrim 03 - Jail Bait 04 - Alone 05 - Lullaby 06 - Valediction 07 - Where Were You Tomorrow 08 - Jail Bait
The band was formed in Connecticut in 1966 as a garage rock band. This Italian CD reissues the sole album by this obscure group who recorded this one LP and a classic psychedelic garage punk single which appears on the Psychedelic Unknowns compilation. While the debut single was classic beat garage of the period 1966, by the 1969 album the group expanded into more hard rock and progressive styles and this album is drenched in the lead guitar blitz of Reggie Wright. The group was led by brothers Denis Croce on guitar and Richard Croce on vocals, and Chuck Maher and Ralph Muscatelli on bass and drums. The group is not to be confused with a Chicago-area group of the same name and era who appeared on the Pebbles box set. Recorded at Associated Recording Studios, New York. Produced by Warren Schatz and Stephen Schlaks 01 - Paranoia 02 - Sad Born Loser 03 - What Of I 04 - She's Easy 05 - Sailing 06 - Providence Bumme 07 - Evil Woman 08 - Hunter's Moon LINK
Zakarrias (vocals, guitar, bass, kazoo), Geoff Leigh (flute, saxophone), Pete Robinson (keyboards), Don Gould (keyboards, string arrangements), Martin Harrison (drums). The only album by the British band Zakarrias is an overlooked treasure of the early 70s UK rock scene. Almost no information about the bands history is available, but their lone LP is now considered one of the rarest releases on the Deram label. Released in 1971, the eponymous LP by Zakarrias presented their highly unusual blend of psych, folk, hard rock and blues, which benefited from diverse arrangements and clever, romantic lyrics. Zakarrias himself was an exceptionally talented songwriter and arranger, and with the quick demise of his band, the UK rock scene lost a representative of utmost potential. As for the other members once and future activities: Pete Robinson played with Quatermass and Chris Farlowe, whilst Geoff Leigh joined Henry Cow for their 1973 debut Leg-end, before embarking on a career as an avant garde journeyman, which included fronting his own ensemble the Black Sheep. 01 - Country Out Of Reach 02 - Who Gave You Love 03 - Never Reachin? 04 - The Unknown Years 05 - Sunny Side 06 - Spring Of Fate 07 - Let Us Change 08 - Don?t Cry 09 - Cosmic Bridge LINK
