We are reluctant to add folk genre albums to the Acid Archives unless they pack both underground vibes and collector appeal. Most '60s-70s collectors are simply not interested in plain acoustic recordings, and it's also a style where there's a heck of a lot more quantity than quality on the private press scene. The occasional true find aside, you shouldn't expect to find much folk stuff in these update pages.

That said, I should mention a couple of odd birds in the field that should make it into the Attic if nothing else. On RPC Z 442061/2 comes a bunch of sailors from the US Naval Station in Rota, Spain with their Coffee House 1 album from 1976. Pressed up in order to finance a coffee house on the base, it opens rather promising with "Endless Trip", a slightly psych-tinged female folk track. Alas, this turns out to be the album's peak as the rest is simply average contemporary folk, mostly with male vocals. An atypical cool-jazz groover with sax closes the LP.

Somewhat similar is the Old Stone Singers, a k a Kathy & Joe Allison, who self-released their From The Hearth album in 1971 on DB Records #121271. Despite having sold for substantial money on occasion, I hear nothing to set this apart from dozens of other local Peter Paul & Mary combos who kept the folk-boom aesthetics way past its due date. There's a nice dual acoustic guitar interplay throughout and not too shabby vocal harmonies. "Early Morning Rain" highlights side 1, while side 2 has a version of "Get Together" and a charming original (?) titled "Close Your Eyes". There is none of the dark, gothic late-night moods that psych guys might fall for and could have warranted an Acid Archives inclusion. Hardcore folk genre fans might dig this for the reasonably adept (male lead) vocal and instrumental performances, somewhat like Colours from TX, but that band had electric instruments and much hipper record collections.

Posted by Patrick at Lysergia at 00:49 CET

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I finally got around to putting together a long-planned overview of original 60s mono pressings of the first SEEDS LP. As you may know, this is an album that sounds a heckuva lot better in mono than in stereo. The organ fuzz on "Evil Hoodoo" is pure apocalypse in mono!

The Normans at GNP have kept the inferior stereo pressing in print for like 40 years, making it very difficult to single out true stereo originals. With the mono it is easier - the monos are always 60s pressings (with one possible odd exception shown below).

Enough of this empty-headed banter, time to dive into the universe of 2 chords!

Posted by Patrick at Lysergia at 16:57 CET

Updated: 13 December 2012 20:39 CET

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Although a '1-tracker' in some people's ears, the obscure Liquid Smoke album has begun to see some real action on the collector market, enough so that it's time to bring it down from The Attic and add it to the regular Acid Archives.

LIQUID SMOKE (Long Island, NY)
Liquid Smoke 1970 (Avco Embassy AVE-33005) 
On the unpredictable Avco Embassy label, here's a white soul band who amped up their sound enough to attract the attention of psych collectors. The organ/guitar backing rocks pretty hard, but this is only one step removed from all of those horn bands that collectors hate. The band is pretty tight and tough, but aren't even remotely original. The highlighted songs are well-known covers, the singer postures throughout (not a single growl or groan sounds like it hadn't been rehearsed a hundred times), and while a few songs have half-decent hard rock backing tracks, the arrangements are aimless (backing vocals come straight from the adult contemporary playbook and most of the guitar solos are bland and dull) and the singer always annoys. Records this lousy make me wonder if all you needed to get a recording contract in 1969 was a fuzz box and a drummer who could keep time. Exception: "Reflection" is a pretty solid hard rocker, and even has a decent guitar solo. [AM]

Posted by Patrick at Lysergia at 21:39 CET

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Except for the insightful (?) review, the Acid Archives entry for the obscure Franklin & Hayes folk LP is woefully short on info. A copy now excavated and sold allows for an update of the basic release data:
FRANKLIN & HAYES (Olmstead Falls, OH)
Autumn To May 1969 (WR Productions WR1-69)

The equally obscure TRANSITIONS album from Michigan also turned up recently with what may be the second known copy. Unlike the one reviewed by Mr DMT in the Acid Archives book, this copy included the back cover paste-on, which has some mighty boastful liner notes plus detailed personnel credits. As it turns out, the album is one of those college project things, a product of 'Maury Dean's Modern Music class' at Monroe County Community College, to be precise. The record is described as featuring a mix of South Detroit 'gutrock' and rural melodies. For a fuller description I refer to the AA review, which accurately speculated on the college project nature of the thing. The title indicates this being the second album in a series, but the first one may never have reached the vinyl pressing stage.

Finally, our Spanish correspondent Juan C pointed out the odd fact that the first album by CHUCK & MARY PERRIN is routinely referred to as 'Brother & Sister', while this supposed title is actually nowhere to be found on the original LP. In other words, this is actually a self-titled LP (the original label gives the title as The Chuck and Mary Perrin Album), which has 'aquired' a new title over the years. Another minor adjustment to the entry: the catalog number is in fact '2101', not '2101/2'.

Posted by Patrick at Lysergia at 23:00 CET

Updated: 10 December 2012 23:22 CET

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A copy of the highly obscure Jim Sarkissian Windmills LP popped up with accompanying sound clips, which allows me to extend the Acid Archives review with the observation that this definitely could work as a fringe title for some. It's not as flipped out as Tweddle or Grudzien, but it hits a strange spot that can only be described as "Gordon Lightfoot on Datura". There isn't much of melody or steady beat, yet Sarkissian gives it a shot anyway, using mostly piano, his own mannered, non-rock, vocal style, and on several tracks an odd percussive sound that seems to follow a beat of its own -- a bit like the kitchen sink xylophone on Jerry Solomon's first LP. And like Solomon's songs, this may drive you nuts at times, but way past midnight, when the last toke hit you really weird, this could be a useful record. Not for everyone, but clearly Acid Archives-worthy, much as the tentative review in the 2nd Edition indicated. Thanks Jim... the copy now sold lacked even the paste-on sleeve but still brought in a neat $300+.

Posted by Patrick at Lysergia at 22:37 CET

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The Acid Archives entry fails to mention the early, non-LP 45 that Detroit hard-rockers THIRD POWER cut for a small local label. This is worth taking note of as the 45 is quite good, with a sound similar to the Vanguard LP but a little less 'metallic' and a little more underground-stoned. You are likely to dig it. "Snow" has been comp'd on the ancient Relics Vol 1 sampler, and fits in nicely with the fuzz and power chord aesthetics of that compilation. The original 45 is actually pretty rare. "Snow" / "We You I" (Baron 626, 1968). The always unreliable internet says the band formed in 1969 which is obviously not true, as this 45 bears a production date of 1968.

Posted by Patrick at Lysergia at 21:39 CET

Updated: 9 December 2012 22:12 CET

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A hip soul forwarded two clippings from the old Rock Scene magazine which featured, somewhat surprisingly, actual promotion for two acts on the infamous Tiger Lily label. The label is usually considered a tax-scam enterprise with no ambition beyond creating (exaggerated) losses by releasing obscure rekkids, but apparently there was an element of actual promotion going on. Exactly what the deal was between the label and John Scoggins and Airborne, respectively, may never be revealed, but they got their hairy pictures in the rock press anyway!

Posted by Patrick at Lysergia at 17:14 CET

Updated: 2 December 2012 17:20 CET

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After receiving some feedback on my modest scoop regarding the world's heaviest insect -- meaning Dragonfly on Megaphone -- here's an additional round of data on the early days of these tough long-hairs.

We head back to El Paso again, where the young rhythm section of Jack Duncan (bass) and Gary Davis (drums) learned their chops and paid their dues in surf-band the Pawns. The leader of this group was one David Hayes, who presumably took on vocal duties on the later 45s, at least he receives separate billing. The two would-be Dragonflies Duncan and Davis did not contribute any songwriting from what I can tell, but were definitely present for the Pawns' 1964 debut 45, produced by none other than Bobby "God" Fuller and released on Fuller's own Exeter label, which also had some early Bobby Fuller Four discs. This first 45 is a recognized surf rarity and appears in John Blair's surf discography book. The latter two 45s are non-surf and have left less of a mark, and the last one has no Bobby Fuller involvement.

THE PAWNS (El Paso, TX)

1. The Pawn / South Bay (Exeter 125) circa August 1964

2a. Meet Me Here / Lonely (Exeter 127), circa September 1964
-- credited to David Hayes & The Pawns
2b. Meet Me Here / Lonely (Coronado 127) 1965?
--re-release on another regional label 

3. Lonely Weekends / What Do the Voices Say (Coronado 132) 1965-66
-- credited to David Hayes and the Pawns; Produced by Calvin Bowls

The first 45 definitely features the future Dragonfly drummer and bass player. Releases #2 and #3 may well feature these guys too, but this is unconfirmed.

Duncan and Davis left the Pawns to join a more experienced musician friend in a band called Lords Of London, based in Durango, Colorado. After some time they recruited their old El Paso friend Randy Russ who left the Infants Of Soul to join them, and the band also changed its name to Legend around this time (1967).

From the Acid Archives perspective, Dragonfly are considered a Texas/Colorado/California band.

Thanks to George G and Andrew B for valuable input. See Flashback #2 for a detailed account of Legend and Dragonfly and their late '60s LPs.

Posted by Patrick at Lysergia at 22:02 CET

Updated: 22 November 2012 22:25 CET

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After decades as a 'mystery group', the enigmatic hardrock/heavy psych outfit Dragonfly (aka Legend) received detailed biographical scrutiny via Aaron Milenski's illuminating article in Flashback magazine #2. Basically they were on a ping-pong trip between Colorado and Los Angeles, like several other bands at the time. What caught my eye in particular was a reference to the band's earliest days, when they recruited guitarist Randy Russ from a local Texas band called 'Infants Of Soul'. I figured this had to be the same group as the Infants Of Soul who backed Mike Renolds (aka Mike Rosen) on the garage fuzz 45 "When Will I Find Her" on the mighty Frogdeath label. Sure enough, the details all checked out, including an El Paso locale for both Russ and Renolds' 45. It was interesting to read about Russ being impressed with Jeff Beck, as the Mike Renolds 45 is highlighted by some very good fuzz guitar work, which I've always viewed as Yardbirds/Beck-styled.

So, in short, the rather well-liked garage 45 "When Will I Find Her" by Mike Renolds & The Infants Of Soul (Frogdeath 66-3, 1966) turns out to be a pre-Dragonfly outing. As far as I know, this connection has never been revealed before (it's not mentioned in the Flashback article either). The track can be found on several garage comps, including the classic Flashback (no relation) series from c1980.

I looked around some more in the hope of finding links to other Southwestern music nexi such as the Suemi or Goldust labels, but nothing more registered. Prior to the Infants Of Soul, whose only output was as backing band for Mike Renolds on this Frogdeath 45, Randy Russ was in a band called the Instigators, while two of his future Dragonfly buddies played in another local Texas band called the Pawns, whose recordings are detailed above. Having relocated to Colorado, the ex-Pawns guys invited Russ to leave El Paso and join them, after which they became Legend and ultimately Dragonfly... but all this is better covered in Flashback magazine.

For Texas musicologists, some details on the two mid-60s combos:

Infants of Soul (El Paso, TX, 1966)
Doug Neal, Howard Wilcox, Jimmy Wagnon, Kenny Johnson, Randy Russ.
 
Instigators (El Paso, TX, 1965)
Randy Russ - guitar, Skip Baca - guitar, Doug Neal - bass, Corky Lamb - drums. 

Incidentally, the Frogdeath 45 was Mike Renolds (Rosen) second attempt at "When Will I Find Her", he had released a different, teen-pop style version on the Gum label the year before to no avail. The Frogdeath label is a story unto itself, needless to say, and more can be found here:

http://www.garagehangover.com/?q=Frogdeath

Posted by Patrick at Lysergia at 00:14 CET

Updated: 22 November 2012 22:09 CET

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This remains unheard and could suck, but collector-wise it's still of interest.

SNAKE EYES ( )
Not A Minute Too Soon 1977 (C.C. Records CC-BB-2034)
A previously undocumented title on the obscure tax scam label CC Records, who put out a bunch of weird LPs in generic-looking covers in 1977. Of these, Frigate is the most noteworthy. See Acid Archives Second Edition for more on this cluster, which is buried even by tax shelter standards. The musical contents are unknown at this point, but unlikely to feature any real band called Snake Eyes, if history teaches us anything.

Posted by Patrick at Lysergia at 23:09 CET

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Here's another vinyl imprint resulting from Ginsberg's visits to Britain in the mid-'60s. I believe it's missing from the standard Gins bibliography, just like the album written about here earlier.

ALLEN GINSBERG & Co
Dialectics Of Liberation, Vol 1-23 1967 (no label, UK)  [vol 13, 14, 16]
A massive 23-volume set that seems unfathomable as a product today, yet we should rejoice in its existence. A bunch of learned men gathered in London to discuss the possibilities, nature and need for 'liberation', which seems to be a code word for revolution. Lectures, dialogues and roundtable debates are spread out across the 23 volumes, including luminairies such as Stokely Carmichael, R D Laing, Julian Beck, Simon Vinkenoog and several more. Ginsberg appears on volumes 13, 14 and 16, of which the last is all Allen and nothing else. Vol 13 has an amusing passage in which a British professor of religion challenges Ginsberg to explain what his sanskrit chanting means, and could he please describe the differences between hinduism and buddhism. Ginsberg is also taken to task for his hedonistic lifestyle, in light of his religious appearance. Sort of like what you always wanted to hear, but never thought would happen. Allen is rather defensive and simply says "point taken" before things move on. Stokely C has some interesting things to say on the same volume. Supposedly Digger Emmet Grogan appears on one of the volumes, but I haven't figured out which one yet. Doubt they pressed many of this.

UPDATE: Here is a clip of the amusing Ginsberg passage mentioned above.

Posted by Patrick at Lysergia at 22:52 CET

Updated: 19 January 2013 20:46 CET

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No major revelations in store, but a few things worth mentioning:

The obscure Eternity whose c1981 LP is given a favorable review in the Acid Archives 2nd Ed recently turned out to have an obscure, pre-LP 45 on the same label (Band Of Gold). I picked this up and it's not bad at all, with a grungy basement rock/hardrock sound similar to the album; arguably even grungier, at least one side of it. Copies float around for $50, any fan of the album will want it. There is in fact an even earlier Eternity 45 on the same label, will try and get a copy of this shortly.

While there was probably no doubt about it, the 45 pulled from the first Mad River album is definitely a MONO mix. Not only that, but both sides ("High All The Time"/"A Gazelle") sound weird as hell, possibly the result of a staid record label trying desperately to extract something commercially viable from this radically uncommercial material. Can't say that I prefer either of the 45 mixes over the stereo LP, but it's certainly different...

While they're not actually in the Acid Archives -- due to them being too damn successful! -- the great Strawberry Alarmclock belong 100% in these pages. Despite being a SAC-fan for almost 30 years, I only recently learned that the band's second biggest hit "Tomorrow" is in fact a completely different version on the 45 visavi the LP. Not just a different mono mix, but a completely different recording, due to the band being dissatisfied. The arrangement is quite similar, but the 45 has a little more teen/garage/Sunset Strip vibe, while the album is more of studio-psych. Both versions are terrific. To make amends for my sloth in this matter, I picked up an ultra-cool Italian PS with a unique (I think) band photo.

The flipside is "Birds In My Tree" in what seems to be the same version as on the first LP, except being in radio-friendly mono. Check out recent issues of Shindig magazine for a detailed account of this terrific, long underrated band.

Posted by Patrick at Lysergia at 22:28 CET

Updated: 8 November 2012 23:06 CET

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A couple of years back an expanded reissue of the obscure Cool Aid Benefit album from Vancouver BC arrived on the scene. I finally got around to checking this out, mainly on the idea that there might be some previously unheard Mother Tuckers Yellow Duck material on board. Indeed there was, but that was just one aspect to this attractive repro job, which is available as a 2-CD set on Regenerator Records or as a double vinyl LP on Lightning Tree.

First off, the MTYD deal is that you get yet another version of their signature track "I". This one is slower and a little heavier than the familiar 45 version, and it may be identical to the 'alternate' 45 version mentioned in an earlier post below. In any event, clearly different from what is known, and quite good. This was part of the original Cool Aid Benefit album, which was trimmed down to a single disc release for reasons of cost and also because Capitol wouldn't let MTYD partake with more than just that "I" track. So an entire 2nd disc of Cool Aid Benefit material was cancelled, but is gloriously reinstated with this reissue, and as far as I can tell, it's just as good as the first, original disc.

Mother Tuckers pop up with another song on the second disc, and it seems to be unique and previously unreleased, titled "Mountain Joy" and in the style of their 2nd and more mellow Capitol LP. In addition we get more material from Mock Duck (3 tracks), Hydro Electric Street Car, Spring, Nancy and Black Snake, all of whom were on the original 1969 album. Some of this stuff is quite good, and it holds together very well with that special Vancouver mix of westcoast and UK artrock vibes. Even the spoken word poem is quite enjoyable.

The first disc has Mock Duck's "Do Re Mi" and the attractive "Golden Girl" by Papa Bear's, who do not appear on the withdrawn bonus disc but nevertheless had an entire 'demo' album out at the time, as you probably know. The other stuff is all solid 1969 longhair music. All over, the 4 sides make up for a very enjoyable snapshot of an above average local scene, which someone ought to do a more indepth presentation of some day... how about a retrospective book on the Seattle & Vancouver '60s scenes, jam-packed with rare paraphernalia, band photos and discographies? I'd buy that for a dollar, even a Canadian dollar.

But wait, there's more. As a bonus to the 2-CD set you get a DVD disc with CBC TV material including a short docu on the Cool Aid Benefit house (a sort of shelter/crash pad/youth center for wayward teens) plus live video recordings of Spring (adept jazz-prog-westcoast like early Santana), Papa Bears (two dull tracks in their vaudeville style), Mother Tuckers ("I" and "Times Theyre Changing") and Mock Duck (the great "Do Re Mi" and "Hurt On Me"). All of this has been in circulation before except the Spring material (and maybe that too). The quality is good or very good, and my only complaint is that they didn't include all 5 tracks by Mother Tuckers.

All in all, one of the most interesting reissues I've picked up this year. I hope those dumbass LP collectors can lose their weird prejudice against 'various artist' records and understand the delightful trip that a snapshot of a time and place brings. Man, I love various artist records, if they're done around a theme.

Posted by Patrick at Lysergia at 22:17 MEST

Updated: 16 October 2012 01:14 MEST

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After nearly getting fooled myself, I realized that the time has come to warn of the possible mix-up of an original copy of D R HOOKER's mighty '72 behemoth The Truth, and the fairly recent repro distributed by Scorpio. Unlike the Subliminal Sounds reissue, the Scorpio repro contains no markings whatsoever that identify it as a reissue once the shrinkwrap is off, and it reproduces the original labels too. Experienced record hounds will probably still identify it as a modern pressing from various clues, but then there are those that are either gullible or overly eager.

An original 1972 pressing of The Truth has the following dead wax markings:
- Side One: XPL-1029A-2NSP with PR etched on the opposite side
- Side Two: XPL-1029B-2NSP with PR etched on the opposite side

In addition, there was no lyric insert with the repro (unlike the Subliminal reissue), but of course that is easily fixed by an enterprising scoundrel. Be forewarned!

There may be ways to tell the no-label (Scorpio) repro from an orig just by looking at the cover, and if so we're interested in hearing them. Bear in mind that once a reissue is a few years old, copies will start to look used and people forget that the reissue existed, so things like "shiny sleeve" or "sharp seams" don't really cut it.

 Expanding your consciousness is fine.

Posted by Patrick at Lysergia at 21:27 MEST

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The outstanding Mad River demos that have been floating around on tape in closed circles finally see an official release via the Jersey Sloo mini-album from England's Shagrat label. There's an early version of "Wind Chimes" plus three unreleased tunes including the superb "Timothy". The other side is taken up by the title track, an atypical frantic rocker from the later, Paradise Bar & Grill era which has never been in circulation, although personally I get a bigger buzz from the '67 demos. In addition to the 5 tracks there's a massive booklet detailing the band's story by David Biasotti, and lots of rare and unseen pics. A very attractive and historically significant release, although I wouldn't have minded if they had added the San José '67 live tape and turned it into a full-length album. As it is, the San José tape (some 20 minutes in admittedly mediocre sound) remains available only on the ancient V.A California Easter bootleg (Penguin, Italy). A somewhat shorter version of the Mad River biography can be found in Flashback magazine #1, 2012.

MAD RIVER
Jersey Sloo 2011 (Shagrat MAD-1)  [12-inch mini-LP; booklet]
Five unreleased tracks from 1967-68.

Posted by Patrick at Lysergia at 18:00 MEST

Updated: 15 August 2012 18:41 MEST

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Here's a new discovery I believe, sounds pretty good by the sound clips I've heard. Went for $500+ on the Bay.

KATHY HEIDEMAN (San José, CA)
Move With Love 197  (Country Flavour 1001)
Early 1970s femme singer-songwriter private press with an agreeable, laidback sound which leans more to the rural than the urban side of the s-sw demographics. A country music undertone has made for comparisons to Mistress Mary, and like that LP Ms Heideman gains much by having a real electric band backing her. Sixties psych remnants linger here and there. Solid songwriting, nice, heartfelt vocals, local DIY charm... not bad at all.

Posted by Patrick at Lysergia at 17:26 MEST

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It's been something of a mystery what the origins were for the generally excellent and convincingly jam-oriented members of The Farm Band, as heard on their terrific debut double album in particular. As it turns out, these guys were indeed experienced Bay Area players, who simply hadn't been involved in any recording group before. Known as Phoenix, they played numerous SF gigs while members came and went, and there was also a connection to Mt Rushmore who had a couple of LPs. Their last incarnation was as Potter's Wheel, from which a live tape exists if I recall correctly. Following this band, three members moved to Gaskin's Farm in Tennessee.

Thanks to Terry P, some data has surfaced regarding the Farm Band's 'mystery' guitarist Walter Rabindeau, the mystery part being limited to the fact that he came into the Farm collective via another route than the other band members: '...Walter did not arrive with the others on their 1971 bus caravan from San Francisco, but did arrive shortly thereafter in 1971. A band had already formed, before they settled on The Farm Band moniker. Stephen Gaskin, the commune's spiritual leader, had a firm grip on things at first, and Walter was another "alpha personality", like Stephen. This was perceived as "a threat to Stephen's authority". Phil Schweitzer, who was already in the band, told Stephen how talented Walter was and that he should be part of the band. Stephen was reluctant to accept this, but eventually the other band members sort-of worked him into the group. He was a member of the band when they officially took on the name The Farm Band, playing lead guitar on their first album in 1972, the "Mantra album" double LP.

Thanks! As to whether Rabindeau recorded anything prior to the Farm Band album, this is still unclear. 

Posted by Patrick at Lysergia at 16:36 MEST

Updated: 15 August 2012 17:18 MEST

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Steve Zahradnik of SEICHE dropped by to say that of the original LP, only 50 copies had the color cover; the rest came in plain white sleeves. The Seiche update below has been amended with this data.

Garage guru G.G informs me that the WAILERS' swansong LP Walk Thru The People exists in Mono, but only as a promo. Stock copies are all stereo.


In case there was any doubt, I can now verify 100% that the 45s from DAMON's classic private press trance beast Song Of A Gypsy are MONO mixes and thus unique versions different from the LP. As the old adage says, the rockinger a track is, the better it will sound in mono, and the 45 only mix of "Poor Poor Genie" is quite possibly better than the LP version. On the other hand, the flipside's downtempo "Don't You Feel Me" gained nothing from the 45 mono mix. The other 45 from the LP (with a non-LP composition even) is of course likely to be mono too, though I don't have it on hand. Seems a bit late do to mono mixes in 1969-70, but some people did.

Via Klemen B's interview with Grand Theft/Bluebird I have now received confirmation of the Acid Archives theory that Bluebird picked up "Cantaloupe Island" from the live set of local Pac NW heroes Daily Flash. Word on the supposed unreleased Bluebird album from the early '70s remains unclear, however.

I finally located the complete (I think) promo package for Capitol's amazing and classic documentary LP "L.S.D" from 1966. The kit consists of a printed outer folder, a letter about the LP, a few pages about Larry Schiller and the project, and three photo prints, two of which appear on the LP sleeve, but the third one is unique and shows Allen Ginsberg and a Capitol big wig listening to the recordings while cracking up; perhaps the bad trip of poor 'Brian' was on.

Posted by Patrick at Lysergia at 21:19 MEST

Updated: 4 July 2012 00:06 MEST

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The more or less exact reissues made of Fraction during the 1990s are now so old that they run the risk of being offered as 'originals', sometimes with no deliberate ripoff involved. I put together a simple guide how to tell at least one of these variants from an original. There may be other counterfeit variants, not sure.

Posted by Patrick at Lysergia at 17:10 MEST

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And here's one of the top scoops of the year...

BILL RINEHART (Los Angeles, CA)
Dynamite 1976 (Tiger Lily 14020)
In what must rank as one of the most remarkable discoveries so far on the notorious tax-scam Tiger Lily label, there surfaced a previously unknown solo LP from Bill Rinehart, in all likelihood the ex-Leaves guitarist. Sound clips from the album give evidence of a very good album indeed, seemingly from the inflection point where late '60s folkrock turned into '70s singer-songwriter. Comparisons to Steven Stills' early solo LPs (with the typical female backing vocals) or Ron Elliott's Candlestickmaker could be made, and Rinehart seems to have his shit completely together, with rich guitar-keyboard arrangements, rock steady (wrecking crew?) playing, melodic, slightly dreamy lead vocals, and soaring fuzz leads. Presumably recorded in 1972-73, Rinehart's mix of nicely finalized talent and laidback approach would have fit well on the Tumbleweed label. There is a drastically rearranged cover of Del Shannon's "Runaway" which was released on 45 in '73 (on the Mums label, with CBS distribution) coupled with the last track "Cut My Line", while the rest of Rinehart's album lingered in the vaults until the Tiger Lily mafiosos 'released' it in 50 copies or so. [PL]

PS the complete tracklist: Cherokee / Circle Circle / Dragon Fly / Dynamite / Loving Words / Revenge / Tender Loving Care / Runaway / Cut My Love  [should probably be Cut My Line]

PPS astute reader Griff points out that Bill Rinehart was also lead guitarist for the Gene Clark Group and Merry-Go-Round, and produced the Fields LP with a proto-Yahowan Sunflower Aquarian on bass. Someone should perhaps contact Rinehart for a pow-wow and a peace pipe, as there are likely stories to be told. 

Posted by Patrick at Lysergia at 23:36 MEST

Updated: 4 July 2012 00:03 MEST

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