Coven is a rock band formed in the late 1960s, composed of vocalist Jinx Dawson, bassist Oz Osborne (not to be confused with Ozzy Osbourne of Black Sabbath), Chris Neilsen on guitar, Rick Durrett and later John Hobbs on keyboards, and drummer Steve Ross. They are recognized as being the band that first introduced the "Sign of the Horns" to rock and pop culture (as seen on their 1969 debut album release "Witchcraft"). The debut LP from the group is noteworthy for reasons more historical than musical. That is not to say it is a bad record; it is more of an interesting record that is unique and listenable. With an elaborate package released on Mercury in 1969, a good trivia question can be made of the fact that bassist Oz Osborne performs on this album, whose opening track is "Black Sabbath," while John "Ozzy" Osbourne of Black Sabbath was allegedly busy playing bass in Magic Lanterns, hitting the Top 30 in 1968 with "Shame, Shame" (Ozzy listed as Mike Osbourne with Magic Lanterns! ). That the group Black Sabbath formed in 1969 when this album was issued seems to indicate that Witchcraft Destroys Minds and Reaps Souls may have had more than a little influence on the more popular heavy metal band. Also notable is the fact that the majority of the songwriting on this disc is by guitarist Jim Donlinger, who a year later in 1970 would move on to drummer Michael Tegza's reincarnation of H.P. Lovecraft, known simply as Lovecraft on its Reprise recording.
01 - Black Sabbath 02 - White Witch Of Rose Hall 03 - Coven In Charing Cross 04 - For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge 05 - Pact With Lucifer 06 - Choke, Thirst, Die 07 - Wicked Woman 08 - Dignitaries Of Hell 09 - Portrait 10 - Satanic Mass
Arcadium was another list of obscure British psychedelic bands. They had their start playing at such clubs as The Middle Earth. The band consisted of brothers Allan Ellwood (organ, vocals) and Robert Ellwood (lead guitar, vocals), as well as John Albert Parker (drums), Graham Best (bass, vocals), and Miguel Sergides (12-string guitar, vocals). The music is late '60s British psychedelia with some early prog leanings, where guitar and Hammond organ dominates. "All tracks on this extremely rare album are filled with an atmosphere of anguish and despair, even in their quieter moments. Both lyrics and music are struggling for expression, to the effect of creating a very dense and at times impenetrable album, which is worth your while nonetheless. Although barely escaping perennial threats of murkiness and even sloppiness, the convincing emotional contents save the day for this album." While the original LP is very hard to come by, Repertoire Records in Germany had reissed this on CD with two bonus cuts, "Sing My Song" and "Riding Alone".
01 - I'm On My Way 02 - Poor Lady 03 - Walk On The Bad Side 04 - Woman Of A Thousand Years 05 - Change Me 06 - It Takes A Woman 07 - Birth, Life And Death 08 - Sing My Song 09 - Riding Alone
Shotgun Express were a short-lived band, they only stayed together for a few months from late '66 - early '67. Their main importance lies in what the individual members went on to achieve with other groups. Rod Stewart joined ex-Yardbird Jeff Beck in The Jeff Beck Group, Green and Fleetwood were briefly with John Mayall's Bluesbreakers before going on to form Fleetwood Mac, and Bardens was with The Love Affair before forming Village. Beryl Marsden (vocals), Rod Stewart (harmonica, vocals), Peter Bardens (organ), Peter Green (guitar), Phil Sawyer (guitar), Dave Ambrose (bass), Mick Fleetwood (drums) 01 - I Could Feel The Whole World Turn Round 02 - Curtains 03 - Funny 'cos Neither Could I 04 - Indian Thing LINK
Garage-psych band from Chicago. This is one of the top local garage lps of the 60’s along with the Rising Storm, the Savages, Bent Wind, the Fantastic Dee-Jays, the Contents Are and the Mystery Meat. Only 150 copies of this record were pressed and originals occasionally sell on ebay for thousands of dollars. The band members came from the Chicago suburbs of Lake Forest and Lake Bluff. The Bachs existed for 3 years performing at school dances, teen clubs and private parties up and down the Chicago north shore and surrounding suburbs (usually making $150-200 a night). All of the songs were written by Blake Allison and John Peterman and the LP was released privately in 1968. After the release of the LP the band members decided to retire from a career in music and thought it was best to move on with their lives. 01 - You're Mine 02 - Pleasure Of Your Company 03 - Free Fall 04 - I See Her 05 - My Independence Day 06 - Minister To A Mind Diseased 07 - Tables Of Grass Fields 08 - Show Me That You Want To Go Home 09 - Sitting 10 - Nevermore 11 - Answer To Yesterday 12 - I'm A Little Boy 13 - That's The Way It Goes (Live Bonus) LINK
Prog Rock outfit born from the ashes of '60s Psych Rockers Skip Bifferty. The sole album by this band is a much sought after collectors item originally released on the Decca label in 1970. When former Skip Bifferty vocalist Graham Bell joined former Nice drummer Brian Davison's Every Which Way, the remaining members, Tom Duffy, Mick Gallagher, John Turnball and David Montgomery, formed this progressive rock outfit. "They have the ability to write memorable tunes and arrange them well. The vocals are a strong point, often oddly harmonized and never overstated. Heavier tracks alternate with more poetic ones, although this at times acts to the detriment of the album's coherence. All in all a very pleasant album to listen to."(M. Koopman)
01 - Let Your Love Run Through 02 - It's Gonna Rain 03 - Four Times Eight 04 - An Ear Ago 05 - Great Lager Street 06 - Hello, Hello Monday 07 - Perfectly Happy Man 08 - Sophie's Cat 09 - You're In The Garden Arc - 1971 - ...At This.jpg
Earth Island were a Canadian Psychedelic Sunshine group that included Bill Liska, Bruce Doshier, Richard Vanderwoerdt, and Nicholas Rush. The album was produced by Kim Fowley and is rumored to include Skip Battin doing some session work on bass.(A.A.) "A great West-coast groovy-vibes light psych with enough electricity & vroom to keep things from getting dull." (E.C) 01 - Earth People's Park 02 - Civilization, I Can't Hear A Word 03 - Ride The Universe 04 - Seasons Of Our Lives 05 - This Island Earth 06 - Doomsday Afternoon 07 - Ashes, Ashes, All Fall Down 08 - Greatest Adventure Of Our Lives 09 - Peace & Understanding, Toronto 1970 10 - Mother Earth Is A Beautiful Lover 11 - The Hungry Planet 12 - Save Our World, We Must Survive LINK
Released only in Italy, this is one of the more coveted rarities of the British Invasion era, by a reasonably esteemed U.K. R&B/mod rock band that only had a few obscure singles available in Britain. The Primitives were moving toward soul from their raving R&B roots by this time, and the album is a mix of covers of then-contemporary soul hits with a few originals. Some of the songs are in English, and some in Italian, although the group themselves were British. 01 - Gimme Some Loving 02 - L'ombra De Nessuno 03 - No Response 04 - Johnny No 05 - Cara Lin 06 - Yeeeeeh! 07 - Gira Gira 08 - Every Minute Of Every Day 09 - Mister Heartache 10 - Ma Beata Te 11 - Sookie, Sookie 12 - Mohair Sam LINK
Hookfoot was a British rock band, active from 1970 to 1974. Formed by Caleb Quaye (guitars, piano and vocals) and three fellow DJM session musicians, Ian Duck (vocals, guitars and harmonica), Roger Pope (drums) and David Glover (bass), the band were also backing musicians for Elton John, appearing together on most of his early recordings for DJM. Fred Gandy (bass - formerly of Bluesology) replaced David Glover, who left after the release of the second album. This is the debut album. "For the last three years, Hookfoot and I have been friends. We've all struggled together and at last their first album is ready. For me, they are potentially the best new English band. This album is only the beginning."(Elton John) 01 - Bluebird 02 - Mystic Lady 03 - Movies 04 - Nature Changes 05 - Wim Wom 06 - Don't Let It Bring You Down 07 - Coombe Gallows 08 - Crazy Fool 09 - Golden Eagle LINK
Will Betz, Bass, Guitar, Electric Guitar, Al Camardo, Percussion, Tom Champion, Percussion, Drums, Tom Chapson, Drums, Anya Cohen, Percussion, Tambourine, Vocals, Michael Lynne, Bass, Guitar, Electric Guitar, Vocals and John Williamson, Bass, Guitar, Electric Guitar, Vocals. A jazzy take on Jefferson Airplane. Nice album with quite some psychedelic touches. Arranged and produced by Rick Shorter. Released on Verve Forecast in 1968. (My Generation)
01 - Multilevular Conversational Tightrope Walking Shoes 02 - Boeing 707 03 - Some Thoughts Of A Young Man's Girl 04 - Medley If I Needed Someone 05 - See See Rider 06 - What A Strange Town 07 - It's Hard To Live On Promises 08 - There's One Kind Favor 09 - High Heel Sneakers
An intriguing mystery outfit (apparently this isn't a real band, just a group of studio muscians based in Los Angeles) whose albums have become sought-after for their over-top heavy psych-blues-rock mayhem that owes much to Hendrix, Iron Butterfly and Blue Cheer's Vincebus Eruptum. Probably is the same group that ,has realise 3 albums with diferent group name. As "Firebirds" Light my Fire, as "31 Flavors" Hair and as "Electric Firebirds" Dance Party Time. Light My Fire, is not for the listener who must have polished studio work, for 1968 this is brutal noise. Ozzy, Geezer, Tony, and Bill must have had a listen to this before they put together the first Black Sabbath LP. 01 - Warm Up 02 - Reflections - Bye Baby 03 - Free Bass 04 - Free Drum 05 - Free Fuzz Gypsy Fire 06 - Desilusions 07 - No Tomorrows 08 - Light My Fire LINK
There is no information about this band, maybe it is a study project. Their album was a "Super K" production by Kasenetz-Katz, with a psychedelic side and a bubblegum side. Among its better tracks are 4th Dimension and Seance, and overall it's worth hearing. One of the tracks, The Seance started when Jeff Katz came into the studio whilst the engineer was trying to get a volume and EQ level. As usual, the band were goofin-off - playing dissonant jibberish to irritate and annoy the engineer, but Jeff thought that THAT SOUND was' just what he was looking for ' to finish the album... One track from the album, Mysterious Martha has been compiled on Psychosis From The 13th Dimension. 01 - Where Are We Goin' To 02 - 4Th Dimension 03 - Gypsy Lady 04 - I Got Troubles (You Got Troubles) 05 - The Seance 06 - Mysterious Martha Garoo 07 - The Book 08 - Land Of Krepus 09 - Mrs. Fortune Teller 10 - Everybody's Got A Song To Sing LINK
William Martin "Billy" Joel is an American musician and pianist, singer-songwriter, and classical composer. Since releasing his first hit song, "Piano Man", in 1973, Joel has become the sixth best-selling recording artist and the third best-selling solo artist in the United States. Cold Spring Harbor was Billy Joel's first solo album, and was released in 1971. He had already released several albums as a member of the bands The Hassles (1966 to 1969) and Attila (1970). Cold Spring Harbor represented Joel's first solo effort. The album is named after a hamlet of the same name in the town of Huntington, NY, a seaside community near Joel's hometown. The lyrics of the song "Tomorrow Is Today" were derived from a note Joel had written when he tried to commit suicide by drinking furniture polish. He was found by his drummer and taken immediately to a hospital where his stomach was pumped. 01 - She's Got A Way 02 - You Can Make Me Free 03 - Everybody Loves You Now 04 - Why Judy Why 05 - Falling Of The Rain 06 - Turn Around 07 - You Look So Good To Me 08 - Tomorrow Is Today 09 - Nocturne 10 - Got To Begin Again LINK
Dion and the Belmonts was a leading American vocal group of the late 1950s. The group formed when Dion DiMucci, lead singer, joined The Belmonts - Carlo Mastrangelo, baritone, Freddie Milano, second tenor, and Angelo D'Aleo, first tenor, in late 1957. Wish Upon A Star is the second and last release of Dion & The Belmonts. In October 1960, Dion decided to quit for a solo career. The Belmonts also continued to release records, but with less success. 01 - When You Wish Upon A Star 02 - In The Still Of The Night 03 - Lover's Prayer 04 - My Private Joy 05 - My Day 06 - Swinging On A Star 07 - Every Little Thing I Do 08 - All The Things You Are 09 - It's Only A Paper Moon 10 - Fly Me To The Moon 11 - I'm Through With Love 12 - When The Red, Red Robin Comes Bob, Bob, Bobbin' Along 13 - September Song 14 - Faith LINK
Robert Nesta "Bob" Marley was a Jamaican singer-songwriter and musician. He was the rhythm guitarist and lead singer for the ska, rocksteady and reggae bands The Wailers (1964–1974) and Bob Marley & The Wailers (1974–1981). Marley remains the most widely known and revered performer of reggae music, and is credited with helping spread both Jamaican music and the Rastafari movement to a worldwide audience. Keep On Skanking, (Early Years Volume 1) is the first of two releases, Rebel's Hop being the second, focusing on the best of Bob Marley & the Wailers' pre-Island recordings.
01 - All In One 02 - Keep On Moving 03 - Keep On Skanking 04 - Shocks Of Mighty (Soul Almighty Version) 05 - Brand New Second Hand 06 - Jungle Dub 07 - Satisfy My Soul Babe (Version) 08 - Dracula (Version) 09 - Vs. Lee Scratch Perry Dreamland (Featuring Bunny Wailer) 10 - Comma Comma
Robert Thomas Velline, better known as Bobby Vee, is an American pop music singer. Born in Fargo, North Dakota, his first single was "Suzie Baby," an original song penned by Vee which nodded towards Buddy Holly's "Peggy Sue" for the Minneapolis-based Soma Records in 1959; it drew enough attention and chart action to be purchased by Liberty Records, which signed him to their label later that year. His follow-up single, a cover of Adam Faith's UK number 1 "What Do You Want?" charted in the lower reaches of Billboard in early 1960; however, it was his fourth release, a revival of The Clovers' doo-wop ballad "Devil or Angel", that brought him into the big time with U.S. buyers. His next single, "Rubber Ball", was the record that made him an international star. According to Billboard magazine, Vee has had 38 Hot 100 chart hits, 10 of which hit the Top 20. In 1963, Bobby Vee released a tribute album on Liberty Records called "I Remember Buddy Holly". In the sleeve notes accompanying this album, Vee recalled Holly's influence on him and the events surrounding the tragic death of Holly thus: 'Like so many other people, I became a Buddy Holly fan the very first time I heard him sing. I've been a fan ever since and I guess I always will be. I remember a few years ago when Buddy was scheduled to appear at a dance in my home town of Fargo, North Dakota. It was going to be a big event for the whole town, but even more so for me. I was anxiously looking forward to seeing Buddy in action.'
01 - That'll Be The Day 02 - It Doesn't Matter Anymore 03 - Peggy Sue 04 - True Love Ways 05 - It's So Easy 06 - Heartbeat 07 - Oh, Boy! 08 - Raining In My Heart 09 - Buddy's Song 10 - Early In The Morning 11 - Maybe Baby 12 - Think It Over
Bobby Vinton is an American pop music singer of Polish origins. Vinton is the only child of a locally popular bandleader, Stan Vinton. At 16, Vinton formed his first band, which played clubs around the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area. With the money he earned, he helped finance his college education at Duquesne University, where he studied music and graduated with a degree in musical composition. While at Duquesne, he became proficient on all of the instruments in the band: piano, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, drums and oboe. Vinton's birthplace of Canonsburg, Pennsylvania is also the birthplace of Perry Como. His hometown named two streets, Bobby Vinton Boulevard and the shorter adjoining Bobby Vinton Drive, in his honor. Canonsburg town fathers had plans to erect a statue in his honor, but Vinton vetoed the idea noting that the $100,000 planned cost could go to far more important town needs. Bobby Vinton Sings the Big Ones was Vinton's fourth studio album, released in 1962. There were two singles from this album: "Rain Rain Go Away" and "I Love You the Way You Are" (the latter written completely by Vinton).
01 - Rain Rain Go Away 02 - I'm Gettin' Sentimental Over You 03 - Ramblin' Rose 04 - The Twelfth Of Never 05 - I Love You the Way You Are 06 - Because of You 07 - Be My Love 08 - My Heart Cries for You 09 - I Remember You 10 - You Were Only Fooling 11 - He'll Have To Go 12 - Autumn Leaves
Stevland Hardaway Judkins, name later changed to Stevland Hardaway Morris, known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist. Blind from shortly after birth, Wonder signed with Motown Records' Tamla label at the age of eleven, and continues to perform and record for Motown to this day. I Was Made to Love Her, released in 1967, is the eigth album of Stevie. 01 - I Was Made To Love Her 02 - Send Me Some Lovin' 03 - I'd Cry 04 - Everybody Needs Somebody 05 - Respect 06 - My Girl 07 - Baby Don't You Do It 08 - A Fool For You 09 - Can I Get A Witness 10 - I Pity The Fool 11 - Please, Please, Please 12 - Everytime I See You I Go Wild LINK
Area Code 615 was the name of a Nashville country rock band active in the late 1960s and early 1970s, taking their name from the telephone area code, which at the time covered all of Central and Eastern Tennessee. The band was made up of session musicians, recording only two albums before resuming normal session work. Several of the members were backing musicians for Bob Dylan's Blonde on Blonde and Nashville Skyline albums and on recordings by Billy Swan. Their best known work was "Stone Fox Chase", which was used as the theme to the British Broadcasting Corporation's music programme The Old Grey Whistle Test. Mac Gayden - Lead Guitar, Vocals, Charlie McCoy - Harmonica, Vocals, Bobby Thompson - Banjo, Guitar, Wayne Moss - Guitar, Bass, Buddy Spicher - Fiddle, Viola, Cello, David Briggs - Keyboards, Ken Lauber - Keyboards, Norbert Putnam - Bass, Cello, Kenny Buttrey - Drums and Weldon Myrick - Pedal Steel Guitar 01 - Scotland 02 - Always The Same 03 - Stone Fox Chase 04 - Russian Red 05 - Judy 06 - Gray Suit Men 07 - Katy Hill 08 - Sligo 09 - Sausilito 10 - Welephant Walk 11 - Devil Weed And Me (Buffalo Nerd) LINK
Earthen Vessel was one of the quintessential "Jesus Rock" bands in the Midwest for an 18-month period during 1970-1971. The "Jesus Movement," a sort of counter-cultural church youth group, was rapidly growing in California in 1970. Earthen Vessel began practicing in the fall of 1970, writing original songs and playing at the Catacombs, a Christian coffeehouse in Lansing operated by Balton Enterprises. The band wanted to be both an evangelistic ministry and a high-powered, high-volume, full-on acid rock band, minus, of course, the acid and other psychedelic drugs. (In fact, Earthen Vessel often performed at anti-drug rallies at area high schools in the towns they were performing in on any given night.) By the summer of 1971, the band was playing outdoor festivals throughout the Midwest as well as at various Christian music festivals and functions. Everlasting Life was released in 1971, but it did not sell as well as the band had hoped. The grueling wear of the road and the album's failure, as well as the various college and career plans, coaxed the band members into disbanding by the summer of 1972. 01 - Life Everlasting 02 - You Can 03 - Let Jesus Bring You Back 04 - I've Been Walking 05 - Coming Home 06 - Get High LINK
Plain Jane were an L.A. based quartet originally from Alburquerque N.M. consisting of Barry Ray (guitar-vocals), Don Gleicher (guitar-vocals), David Schoenfeld (drums), and Jerry Shoenfeld (bass-piano-vocals). Underrated album on the same label as Sapphire Thinkers and Randy Holden. It’s generally described as "rural,” but it’s not country at all. It’s more like a guitar pop album with a very laid back feel. In an understated way it anticipates the California rock of the 70s. Several songwriters create a surprisingly consistent sound. The vocals are very nice and the songs sneak up on you. "Not The Same” sounds like grade-A Badfinger. A pleasant surprise. [Acid archives - The Attic] 01 - Who's Drivin' This Train 02 - You Can't Make It Alone 03 - That's How Much 04 - Short Fairy Tale 05 - Not The Same 06 - Num-Bird 07 - What Can You Do 08 - Fire Hydrant 09 - Silence 10 - Mrs. Que LINK
