Climax Blues Band (originally known as the Climax Chicago Blues Band) was formed in Stafford, England in 1968. The original members were guitarists Peter Haycock and Derek Holt; keyboardist Arthur Wood; bassist Richard Jones; drummer George Newsome; and vocalist and harmonica player, Colin Cooper. In 1970, the group shortened its name to the Climax Blues Band due to pressure from the American band, Chicago Transit Authority. The band has released at least seventeen albums and had a Top 10 hit in the UK with "Couldn't Get It Right". That song and "I Love You" were American hits as well; "Couldn't Get It Right" reached #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1977, and "I Love You" peaked at #12 in 1981. "Couldn't Get It Right contains all of the Climax Blues Band's big hits from 1974 on, which means that it bypasses their earliest material — which was the closest they ever came to the blues. But it does contain all their big hits, from the title track to "Running Out of Time", making it a near-definitive retrospective."(AMG)
01 - Couldn't Get It Right.mp3 02 - Berlin Blues.mp3 03 - Chasing Change.mp3 04 - Losin' The Humbles.mp3 05 - Shopping Bag People.mp3 06 - Sense Of Direction.mp3 07 - Before You Reach The Grave.mp3 08 - Reaching Out.mp3 09 - Right Now.mp3 10 - Cobra.mp3 11 - Rollin' Home.mp3 12 - Sav'ry Gravy.mp3 13 - Sky High.mp3 14 - Loosen Up.mp3 15 - Running Out Of Time.mp3 16 - Mr Goodtime.mp3 17 - I Am Constant.mp3 18 - Mighty Fire.mp3
The Wizards from Kansas were an obscure country-Psychedelic Rock group from Kansas. In 1968, four of the five original members (from the Kansas City area) formed a band called New West, and began playing in the Lawrence, Kansas area, at clubs and parties, near Kansas University. Guitarist Robert Manson Crain, from California, joined the group soon thereafter, expanding to a quintet. At that time, the guys were calling themselves Pig Newton, then Pig Newton and the Wizards from Kansas. The name Pig Newton was apparently one of their inside jokes, however, as there was no one named Pig in the group. The band would often make up stories about Pig Newton to confuse people, according to Crain (whose songs, incidentally, are credited to either C. Manson Roberts or Mance Roberts). The five-man group played shows in the local area, and in the summer of 1969, toured the east coast. They were invited to play the Fillmore East by Bill Graham in the fall of that year, a gig that led to them being offered a number of record deals, which they initially turned down. Finally, towards the end of the year, Mercury Records persuaded the band to sign a contract. The label reps did not like the Pig part of their name, however, and made the group drop it. Six months later, in July and August of 1970, The Wizards From Kansas recorded their eponymous debut album, The Wizards From Kansas, in San Francisco. The album was issued in October (their biggest influences seem to have been Northern California-based groups like The Jefferson Airplane, Quicksilver Messenger Service, and The Grateful Dead, and it shouldn't really come as a shock to discover that The Wizards From Kansas was recorded in San Francisco, between July and August of 1970), but a week before its release, drummer Marc Caplan and bassist Bob Menadier decided that they'd rather play jazz instead of rock and left the band to pursue those interests. With no band to promote the record, Mercury Records lost interest and the album sank without a trace. The Wizards From Kansas are, according to the back of the album jacket credits, Robert Joseph Menadier (Monster Bass & Vocal Grace), Marc Evan Caplan (Snakey Snakes & Footler Breaks), John Paul Coffin (Guitar Lead & Strings That Bleed), Robert Manson Crain (Twelve String Roll & Songs of Soul), Harold Earl Pierce (Rhythm Machines & Vocalized Dreams). 01 - High Flying Bird 02 - Hey Mister 03 - Mass 04 - Codine 05 - Freedom Speech 06 - Flyaway Days 07 - Misty Mountainside 08 - Country Dawn 09 - She Rides With Witches LINK
Sacred Mushroom, led by future Pure Prairie League member Larry Goshorn (guitar/vocals) and featuring brother Danny Goshorn (vocals) were a short-lived rock/blues quintet based in Cincinnati, OH. Their efforts coalesce on this, the band's self-titled debut (and only) long-player. The album contains a blend of proficient originals as well as a pair of well-chosen cover tunes, such as the blues standard "Mean Old World" and the Kinks' "I'm Not Like Everybody Else." While their name conjures images of late-'60s psychedelic or acid rock, Sacred Mushroom's roots were decidedly more bluesy than trippy. Likewise, their harder-edged performance style is well served by the tight and somewhat pop-driven arrangements, resembling artists such as the Allman Joys, Kak, or the pre-Blue Öyster Cult Stalk-Forrest Group. A few of the Larry Goshorn-penned tunes are certifiably lost classics. 01 - I Don't Like You 02 - You Won't Be Sorry 03 - Catatonic Lover 04 - All Good Things Must Have An End 05 - I'm Not Like Everybody Else 06 - I Take Care 07 - Mean Old World 08 - Lifeline LINK
Stories was a short-lived rock and pop music band, based out of New York in the early 1970s. The band consisted of keyboardist Michael Brown, bassist/vocalist Ian Lloyd, guitarist Steve Love, and drummer Bryan Madey, and had a Number 1 hit with a cover of Hot Chocolate's "Brother Louie. Lloyd and Brown were introduced by their fathers, two old friends who had worked together for years as session violinists. Lloyd had been singing for years and had attracted local notice recording as Lloyd London. Brown had played with his group The Left Banke, which had made the U.S. charts with "Walk Away Renee" and "Pretty Ballerina". The two set about becoming a Beatlesque band. They recruited New Yorkers Love and Madey and located an interested record label in Kama Sutra. This self-titled album and a single – "I'm Coming Home" (#42, 1972) – followed. 01 - Hello People 02 - I'm Coming Home 03 - Winter Scenes 04 - Step Back 05 - You Told Me 06 - Saint James 07 - Kathleen 08 - Take Cover LINK
Norwegian Prog Rock band from the seventies. Signed a contract with Polydor in Denmark to release 'Aunt Mary' in 1970. Gradually moved towards Progressive Rock with the records 'Loaded' in 1972 and 'Janus' in '73. Jan Groth - Vocals, keyboards, guitar, Bjørn Kristiansen - Guitar, vocals, Svein Gundersen -Bass, piano, vocals, Ketil Stensvik - Drums, vocals, Bengt Jenssen - Keyboards, Eirik Hauksson - Bass, Per Ivar Fure - Flute, sax, vocals, Ivan Lauritzen - Drums and Øystein Selenius Olsen - Bass. Loaded was recorded at Rosenborg Studios in October 1972, and produced by Johnny Sareussen. 01 - Playthings Of The Wind 02 - Joinin' The Crowd 03 - Delight 04 - Upside Down 05 - Farewell My Friend Pt. 1 06 - Farewell My Friend Pt. 2 07 - Blowin' Tiffany 08 - Fire Of My Lifetime 09 - G Flat Road LINK
Hard rock band from Florida, founded in 1969. John Anderson (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Glenn Eaton (guitar, backup vocals), Robert Eaton (drums, backup vocals), Marc Gaspard, (keyboards, 1968-71), Dean Noel (bass, 1968-69), Ron Reflett (bass, backup vocals, 1969-?). This album was recorded in four hours. Hard rock with reminiscences of Black Sabbath, and some Jimi Hendrix's style guitar solos. This Cd is a 25 year celebration since its first came out in 1971 in a very strict limited edition of 200 copies, for distribution to local fans. An original today costs a fortune.
01 - B.R.TC.D 02 - Got That Feeling 03 - Monday Mourning 04 - Rock On 05 - Find A Way 06 - Breakthrough 07 - Dead Meat
