Named after the 19th Century mariner and novelist, this Glaswegian band made just one privately-pressed LP. Its back cover announces that ‘Captain Marryat is a Scottish band, and have been playing together for just under a year. They already have a sizeable following in the pubs n’ clubs circuit and this, their first LP, is a sample of the music that brought them success’. The line-up was Tommy Hendry (vocals, acoustic guitar), Ian McEleny (lead guitar, acoustic guitar), Allan Bryce (organ, vocals), Hugh Finnegan (bass, vocals) and Jimmy Rorrison (sic) (drums, vocals). They were originally intending to record a single, but the engineer at the Glasgow studio they’d booked told them that there was time enough to make a whole album. They therefore taped five tracks they’d already written (‘Blindness’, ‘It Happened To Me’, ‘A Friend’, ‘Songwriter’s Lament’ and ‘Changes’) and finished the LP with an improvised jam (‘Dance Of Thor’). The result came in a drab flipback sleeve, and according to one dealer is ‘a progressive rock rarity with psych flourishes – doom-laden organ plus acid guitar riffs and strong male vocals’. The 250 copies pressed were sold at gigs, and two that surfaced on eBay in late 2008 went for around £3000 each. (RMJ) 01 - Blindness 02 - It Happened to Me 03 - A Friend 04 - Songwriter's Lament 05 - Changes 06 - Dance of Thor LINK
Dr Marigold’s Prescription started in 1968 as a backing group for Billy Fury, after the Blue Flames, (which included Georgie Fame) and The Plainsmen. Alan French (keyboards), Bill French (bass), Dave Morris (drums), Fred Radley (guitar, vocals). In the early days Dr Marigold did back several artists to include: Bruce Channel (USA), John Walker (Walker brothers) USA, The Flirtations, Madeline Bell, Dominic Grant was not a member of the band, although Dr. Marigold backed him for a while on a promotional tour. They produced two albums. "Pictures Of Life” is their debut from 1969. The second album ‘’Hello Girl’’ did very well. ‘’Hit Songs From London’’ – that was an American bootleg version of Pictures Of Life album.(LFM) 01 - Sweet Cherry Wine 02 - My Future Is Past 03 - Land Of Fusan 04 - Visions Of A Hobo 05 - Can't You See I'm Right 06 - You've Got To Build Your Love On A Solid Foundation 07 - I Threw It All Away 08 - A Mother's Love 09 - Picture Of Life 10 - Tie Me Down LINK
In February 1972 former Rhinoceros members John Finley, Michael Fonfara, Danny Weis, Larry Leishman and Peter Hodgson reunited as a new act calling themselves The Blackstone Rangers. The line-up is completed with new drummer, Richard Steinberg, and ex-McKenna Mendelsohn Mainline member Frank 'Zeke' Sheppard. Not long after, the band soon has to shorten its name to Blackstone after being threatened by the local Black Panthers' motorcycle escort who have the same moniker. Within the year former Rhinoceros' producer/creator Paul Rothchild travels to Toronto and records the group's debut (and only) album "On The Line". With the album getting poor reviews and sales, by March 1973, the group's membership begins jumping ship. Fonfara and Weis carry on briefly with new singer Mike Stull and ex-Bush bassist Prakash John and drummer Penti 'Whitey' Glan, but the band crashes and burns in Los Angeles. John and Glan would go on to join Lou Reed's touring band (and eventually Alice Cooper) while Fonfara and Weis become top session musicians. John Finley (vocals) Michael Fonfara (piano, organ) Danny Weis (guitar) Larry Leishman (lead guitar) Peter Hodgson (bass) Richard Steinberg (drums) Frank 'Zeke' Sheppard Mike Stull (vocals; replaced Finley; 1973) Prakash John (bass; replaced Hodgson) Penti 'Whitey' Glan (drums; replaced Steinberg; 1973) 01 - Qualified 02 - Mountain 03 - Change Is Gonna' Come 04 - Back Door Man 05 - Aint Gonna' Let It Go 06 - Oopoopadoo 07 - Ain't Nobodys Business 08 - Likakowpi 09 - Sunday's Song 10 - Gonna Getcha LINK
Pickettywitch was a British pop group. Fronted by singer Polly Brown (also billed as Polly Browne), the group became best known for its hit single, "That Same Old Feeling", which was written by Tony Macaulay and John Macleod. It reached number five in the UK Singles Chart in 1970. The original members were Polly Brown (vocals), Chris Warren (vocals), Bob Brittain (organ), Martin Bridges (guitar), Mike Tomich (bass guitar) and Keith Hall (drums). Bridges and Tomich were replaced later in 1970 by Peter Hawkins (guitar) and Brian Stuart (bass), who would later be replaced by Paul Risi (guitar) and Paul Riordan (bass). The name Pickettywitch is often said to have been taken from a Cornish village through which their eventual lead singer, Polly Brown, had passed with her sister; in fact, there is no such village, though there is a pub of that name at Yeovil in Somerset. 01 - Please Bring Her Back Home 02 - (It's Like A) Sad Old Kinda Movie 03 - That Same Old Feeling 04 - Baby I Won't Let You Down 05 - Sound Of Silence 06 - I'll Say Bye Bye 07 - Days I Remember 08 - Two Hearts Are Better Than One 09 - There He Goes 10 - Maybe We've Been Loving Too Long LINK
Gilbert O'Sullivan is an Irish singer-songwriter, best known for his early 1970s hits "Alone Again (Naturally)", "Clair" and "Get Down". The music magazine, Record Mirror, voted him the No. 1 UK male singer of 1972. Worldwide he has charted no fewer than sixteen top forty discs; including six number one songs, the first of which was 1970's "Nothing Rhymed". At the end of 1970, O'Sullivan achieved his first UK Top 10 hit with "Nothing Rhymed", which also reached No. 1 in the Netherlands. Subsequent hits including "Underneath The Blanket Go" which also reached No. 1 in the Netherlands, "We Will" and "No Matter How I Try" followed, and in 1971 O'Sullivan issued his debut album, Himself. 01 - Intro 02 - January Git 03 - Bye 04 - Permissive Twit 05 - Matrimony 06 - Independent Air 07 - Nothing Rhymed 08 - Too Much Attention 09 - Susan Van Heusen 10 - If I Don't Get (Back Again) 11 - Thunder And Lightning 12 - Houdini Said 13 - Doing The Best I Can 14 - Outro 15 - We Will 16 - Underneath The Blanced Go 17 - No Matter How I Try LINK
Baby was a southern rock band from Texas. The band was signed to Lone Starr Records in the mid 1970s. They got the attention of the executives at Mercury Records based on their regional album sales in Texas. The album was remixed and re-released in mid 1975 on Mercury. Baby had a legion of fans in the Midwest and South in 1975-76 and headlined venues like the famed Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa while generating regional radio airplay on the band's first single, "(It's Another) Saturday Night". The band made just two albums; the self-titled album and the follow-up album called Where Did All The Money Go? released on Chelsea Records in 1976. The second album's title, Where Did All The Money Go?, summed up the feelings for the band that seemed poised for success similar to what other southern rock artists like Lynyrd Skynyrd and the Marshall Tucker Band were having in the mid-70s, but the success never came for them. Johnny Lee Schell: Lead Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Organ, Harmonica & Vocals, John Mark Camp: Rhythm Guitars, Acoustic Guitars & Vocals, Stephen G. Crane: Bass Guitar and Vocals and Woodie Putman: Drums and Percussion 01 - (It's Another) Saturday Night 02 - Long Legged Woman 03 - Somewhere 04 - Don't Let Nobody 05 - Born & Raised On Rock & Roll 06 - Life's What You Make It 07 - A #2 08 - Starchild 09 - Hard Road 10 - So Long My Friend LINK
Badger was a British rock band from the early 1970s. By 1974, the band had been reduced to Kaye and Dyke. They recruited bassist, Kim Gardner, who had worked with Dyke in Ashton, Gardner & Dyke. Paul Pilnick, formerly of Stealers Wheel, joined on guitar, as did singer Jackie Lomax. Lomax proceeded to turn them into the type of R&B/soul band he had used on his solo albums. The band became a vehicle for Lomax's songs and singing. During this period, they released one LP, White Lady, on Epic Records, produced by Allen Toussaint. All ten songs were written or co-written by Lomax. Guests on the album included Jeff Beck (contributing a guitar solo to the title track). Before the album's release, the band had split into two factions, with Lomax and Gardner leading a short-lived band called White Lady, before Lomax returned to a solo career. "White Lady" b/w "Don't Pull the Trigger" was released as a single in May 1974. 01 - A Dream Of You 02 - Everybody... Nobody 03 - Listen To Me 04 - Don't Pull The Trigger 05 - Just The Way It Goes 06 - White Lady 07 - Be With You 08 - Lord Who Give Me Life 09 - One More Dream To Hold 10 - The Hole Thing LINK
Seatrain was an American roots fusion band based initially in Marin County, California, and later in Marblehead, Massachusetts. Seatrain was formed after the breakup of the Blues Project in 1969. The group, which recorded four albums, disbanded in 1973. Andy Kulberg - bass/flute, Richard Greene - violin, Don Kretmar - sax/bass, Jim Roberts - vocals, Teddy Irwin - guitar, Red Shepherd - vocals and Bobby Moses - drums. Sea Train is a debut album by the band, recorded in 1969. 01 - Sea Train 02 - Let The Dutchess No 03 - Pudding Street 04 - Portrait Of The Lady As A Young Artist 05 - As I Lay Losing 06 - Rondo 07 - Sweet Creek's Suiteoutwear The Hills LINK
This band, along with Sir Lord Baltimore, Yesterday's Children et al were among the East Coast's premier heavy blasters of the post-psychedelic era. Check out I Just Don't Know and Evolmia from their amazing first album on Atlantic. The second album has longer, less structured cuts with seemingly endless guitar soloing... nevertheless, both are recommended. The first album was produced by Warren Schatz and Stephen Schlaks. Peter Alongi (guitar, vocals), Michael Marine (bass, vocals), Jose Miguel De Jesus (guitar, vocals), Victor Digilie (drums) and Johnny Pacheco (perc). 01 - The Night Is Calling 02 - Train Of Life 03 - As Me Thinks 04 - Follow A Dream 05 - Beautifully Day 06 - Evolmia 07 - I Just Don't Know 08 - Hands Of A Clock 09 - Tom's Island LINK
Lennon and Paul McCartney participated in an impromptu jam session on 28 March 1974 during the recording sessions for Harry Nilsson's Pussy Cats album (which Lennon was producing). While the session was taped, it has yet to see official release. In addition to Lennon, McCartney, and Nilsson on vocals, the recording features Stevie Wonder (keyboards), Linda McCartney (organ), Jesse Ed Davis (guitar), Ed Freeman (production and bass), and Bobby Keys (saxophone). Longtime Beatles assistant Mal Evans was also present at the session. Recorded at John's home. 01 - Studio Play 02 - Blues Jam 03 - Talk Part 04 - Lucille 05 - Nightmares 06 - Stand By Me 07 - Stand By Me 08 - Stand By Me 09 - Medley - Cupid - Chaing Chang - Take This Hammer LINK
Martin Cockerham (vocals/guitar) and Mark Francis originally formed Spirogyra as a duo in Bolton, Lancashire in the summer of 1967, not to be confused with a similarly-named 1980s American jazz group. When Martin went to the University of Kent at Canterbury in 1969 he expanded the band to include fellow students Barbara Gaskin (vocals), Steve Borrill (bass guitar), and Julian Cusack (violin). They were soon spotted by student union entertainments officer Max Hole, who offered to manage them and got them a recording contract with B&C Records. Their debut album, St. Radigunds, was named after the street that their student house was on. It established them as a cult act on the underground club circuit, and sold respectably. Its follow-up, 1972's Old Boot Wine, appeared on Peg Records and showcased a harder-edged sound than their predominantly acoustic debut. After the release of Old Boot Wine, the band was pared back to the duo of Cockerham and Gaskin, who were by now romantically involved. Their final album, Bells, Boots and Shambles, appeared on Polydor in April 1973 and sold poorly.
01 - The Furthest Point 02 - Old Boot Wine 03 - Parallel Lines Never Separate 04 - Spiggly 05 - An Everyday Consumption Song 06 - The Sergeant Says 07 - In The Western World
Linn County formed around 1967 in Linn County, Iowa, USA as the Linn County Blues Band. In 1968, the band signed with Mercury Records, moved to San Francisco, California, and changed its name to Linn County. They released their first album Proud Flesh Soothseer in 1968 and toured, performing with bands and people such as: Albert King, Led Zeppelin, Sly & the Family Stone, Eric Burdon & the Animals and Ten Years After. They never became too well known. The band broke up after Clark Pierson left with Janis Joplin. Linn County released three albums from 1968 to 1970. Stephen Miller, organ, vocals, Larry Easter, saxophone, flute, Dino Long, bass, Fred Walk, guitar, sitar, Jerry 'Snake' McAndrew, drums and Clark Pierson, drums. Fever Shot is the second album of the band. 01 - Girl Can't Help It 02 - Elevator Woman 03 - Too Far Gone 04 - Suspended 05 - Fever Shopt 06 - Lonely Avenue 07 - Ground Hog Blues LINK
Ramases was the creation and alter-ego of Martin Raphael (sometimes known as Barrington Frost), born in Sheffield, UK. Formerly an army PT instructor, whilst involved in a central heating business in Scotland, was inspired to assume the mantle of the Egyptian Pharaoh of whom he believed himself a reincarnation, and take up a musical career. Early singles (recorded with his wife, Dorthy Frost aka Selket) failed to make any impact, Space Hymns was recorded at Strawberry Studios in Stockport with soon-to-be members of 10cc. Glass Top Coffin was recorded following relocation to Felixstowe, and Ramases retired from the music business soon afterwards. He died in 1978 but his death was not widely reported in musical circles until the early 1990s. 01 - Golden Landing 02 - Long Long Time 03 - Now Mona Lisa 04 - God Voice 05 - Mind Island 06 - Only The Loneliest Feeling 07 - Sweet Reason 08 - Stepping Stones 09 - Saler Man 10 - Children Of The Green Earth 11 - Glass Top Coffin 12 - Golden Landing (Part II) LINK
The band started out life covering Beatles songs in San Jose, California. Their first single, a cover of the Beatles’ If I Needed Someone was released in 1966. It was a respectable cover of the Beatle’s classic though the flip was better, being a moody folk-rock original. The single tanked, prompting the band to quickly release the self-penned My Buddy Sin later on that year. My Buddy Sin was an excellent folk rock song with wailing harmonica, soaring harmonies, sharp lyrics and an acid tinged production. This single failed to attract attention despite it’s quality, forcing the band to record a brill building classic for their next 45. In the 1960’s, artists and rock bands depended on the success of the single to grant them artistic and creative control/freedom (making albums). We Got A Long Way To Go was a huge local hit, well executed, pleasant enough and professional, though betraying the band’s roots and creative aspirations. A few other decent though commercially unsuccessful singles followed in the psychedelic pop vein. Eventually the band was granted freedom to record two albums on the Capital label. Crazy Horse Roads is a unique effort, and much different from their jam oriented Aurora album. There are some solid psych pop songs (Night Cap, Twiddle My Thumbs and Fingerpainting), soul rock (Two Make One and Fahrenheit), galloping country-rock (Horse On Me) and hard folk-rockers (Light Down Below, Doomsday, I Sing You Sing, and Soap and Turkey). 01 - I Sing You Sing 02 - Finger Painting 03 - Soap And Turkey 04 - Twiddle My Thumbs 05 - Fahrenheit 06 - Nightcap 07 - Horse On Me 08 - Two Make One 09 - Light Down Below 10 - Piggy Back Ride And The Camel 11 - Doomsday LINK
UK heavy blues rock band from 1971. Pretty vicious at times, with wild loud screaming lead guitar. Long overdue and overlooked. This British based band plays a very heavy bluesy rock, only released in USA on Decca Label. There's plenty of heavy blasting guitar, great songs and good ideas. A couple really good tracks on here with a great guitar tone. Overall a very good album. One of those that make you wonder why you hadn't heard of it before. Definitely counts as a classic!. Highly Recommended (by Christer Andersson). 01 - Nigtmare 02 - One Night Stand 03 - I'm Still Trying 04 - What's Your Number 05 - Rat Race 06 - Seventeen 07 - Wish You'd Never Been Born 08 - Pushing 09 - There's Still Time LINK
Blind Faith was an English blues-rock band which was one of the first "super-groups", released their only album, Blind Faith, in August 1969. They were stylistically similar to the bands in which Winwood, Baker, and Clapton had most recently participated, Traffic and Cream. Blind Faith is the self-titled album by the band, which consisted of Eric Clapton (The Yardbirds, Cream), Ginger Baker (Graham Bond Organisation, Cream), Steve Winwood (Spencer Davis Group, Traffic) and Ric Grech (Family). There was an intense buzz about the band and its debut album Blind Faith, which on release topped Billboard's Pop Albums chart in America (as it did the UK and Canadian charts) and peaked at #40 on the Black Albums chart, an impressive feat for a British rock quartet. In addition, Rolling Stone published three reviews of the album in their September 6, 1969 issue, which were written by Ed Leimbacher, Lester Bangs, and John Morthland. They began to work out songs early in 1969, and in February and March the group was in London at Morgan Studios, preparing for the beginnings of basic tracks for their album, although the first few almost finished songs didn't show up until they were at Olympic Studios in April and May under the direction of producer Jimmy Miller. The music community was already aware of the linkup, despite Clapton's claim that he was cutting an album of his own on which Winwood would play. The rock press wasn't buying any of it, knowing that Baker was involved as well, and then the promoters and record companies got involved, pushing those concerned for an album and a tour. The recording of their album was interrupted by such a tour of Scandinavia, then a U.S. tour from July 11 (Newport) to August 24 (Hawaii), supported by Free, Taste and Delaney & Bonnie and Friends. Although a chart topper the LP was recorded hurriedly and side two consisted of just two songs, one of them a 15-minute jam entitled "Do What You Like." Nevertheless the band was able to produce two classic hits, Winwood's "Can't Find My Way Home" and Clapton's "Presence of the Lord". An expanded, deluxe edition of the album was released in 2001, with previously unreleased tracks and 'jams' included. Two live tracks from the Hyde Park concert, Sleeping In The Ground by Sam Myers and the Rolling Stones song "Under My Thumb" are also available on Winwood's four-CD retrospective The Finer Things. 01 - Had To Cry Today 02 - Can't Find My Way Home 03 - Well All Right 04 - Presence Of The Lord 05 - Sea Of Joy 06 - Do What You Like 07 - Sleeping In The Ground 08 - Can't Find My Way Home (Electric Version) 09 - Acoustic Jam 10 - Time Winds 11 - Sleeping In The Ground (Slow Blues Version) Blind Faith - Deluxe Edition CD 2 01 - Jam No.1 'Very Long & Good Jam' 02 - Jam No.2 'Slow Jam #1' 03 - Jam No.3 'Change of Address Jam' 04 - Jam No.4 'Slow Jam #2' LINK
Crow is a Minneapolis hard rock-based blues rock band, that was active from 1967 to 1972. They are best known for the song "Evil Woman (Don’t Play Your Games With Me)." Crow was formed in 1967 by singer David Wagner, guitarist Dick Wiegand, bassist Larry Wiegand, keyboardist Kink Middlemist, and drummer Harry Nehls under the name South 40, which was used until the group went national. Nehls was replaced by Denny Craswell at that time. Columbia Records brought them in to record a demo in 1969; they passed, and Crow was signed to Amaret. 01 - (Don't Try To Lay No Boogie Woogie On The) King Of Rock And Roll 02 - Easy Street 03 - Yellow Dawg 04 - Sky Is Crying 05 - I Need Love 06 - Keeps Me Runnin' 07 - Watching Can Waste Up The Time 08 - Satisfied 09 - Watch That Cat LINK
Damon is the artistic name of David Del Conte, a genius American gypsy musician who is responsible for one the rarest and most sought-after psychedelic album of all time. Based in Los Angeles, David Del Conte and Charlie Carey had already pursued careers in popular music for many years before deciding to embrace the underground rock movement. His debut album, Song of a Gypsy, which was originally released in 1969, has a totally unique sound, with the 'crooner-like' voice of Damon, the omnipresent melodic fuzz guitar of Charlie Carey and truly atmospheric melodies. Amazing druggy fuzzed out psychedelic album with exotic atmosphere, eclectic percussion and trippy songs. 01 - Song Of A Gypsy 02 - Poor Poor Genie 03 - Don't You Feel Me 04 - Did You Ever 05 - Funky Funky Blues 06 - Do You 07 - The Night 08 - I Feel Your Love 09 - Birds Fly So High 10 - The Road Of Life LINK
Jigsaw were an English pop music group, fronted by the singer-songwriter duo of Clive Scott and Des Dyer. In Australia the group was called "British Jigsaw" due to the existence of a local band of the same name. Originally a six piece band, formed from musicians in Coventry and Rugby by Tony Campbell in 1966, they went on to score a number of hit singles around the world. They also released thirteen albums. The group was partly influenced by fellow British musicians The Beatles, at times sounding Beatle-esque, especially their ballads, which show leanings towards Paul McCartney's musical and vocal arrangements. The original line-up consisted of Dave "Biffo" Beech (vocals and drums), Clive Scott (keyboards and vocals), Barrie Bernard (bass guitar), Tony Campbell (guitar), Tony Britnell (saxophone) and Kevin "Beppy" Mahon (saxophone).
01 - That's What It's All About 02 - Summertime Wintertime 03 - A Bedtime Story 04 - Gun 05 - Baby's Lost Time 06 - Just Another Clown 07 - Only Because You're There 08 - Have You Heard The News 09 - Linda 10 - And I Like You 11 - My Summer Song 12 - It's A Sort Of Magic
BO GRUMPUS was formed in Boston in 1967 .In the spring of 1968, Before The War was issued on the Atco label. A couple of tracks were engineered by Chris Houston, former member of The Undertakers. Felix said that the roots to his rock group, Mountain, can be traced to this recording. When Bell Records approached Felix with an offer for him to produce a record, he wanted Bo Grumpus to be the band. The problem was, The Richmond Organization (the group’s publishing company) owned the rights to the name Bo Grumpus being used for a musical group. That meant another name change. At the suggestion of Eddie Mottau, the group changed its name to Jolliver Arkansaw.(SPPS) 01 - Frou Frou 02 - Mr. Brennan 03 - Bright As Fire 04 - The Eye 05 - A Girl Like Mary 06 - Hatred Sun 07 - Lisa My Love 08 - Migrant Fowl 09 - King Chaos 10 - You Keep Me Statisfied 11 - St. Justina 12 - Gray Afternoon (W. Leslie West) LINK
