Merkin (Manor) (psych, country, jazz, rock / USA)

In most corners of America in late 1960s, kids were growing their hair long and partaking in the cultural explosion of the times. Utah, on the other hand, remained staunchly Mormon and conservative. Amid that atmosphere, Merkin sprang out of the small town of Orem. Rocky Baum and Ralph Hemingway were high school friends, and occasionally, Hemingway would sing along with Baum's guitar playing as something of a lark. By the summer of 1969, after a few years of playing together, the duo felt the absence of a backbeat, so they set out to make the twosome a rock band. Drummer Alan Newell, bassist Kent Balog, and guitarist Doug Hinkins were added to fill out the combo, and they came up with the odd name Merkin, derived either from the dictionary or from an obscure B-movie. The band rehearsed at Hinkins' house, playing cover versions of popular songs. Soon they were writing original material, most of it composed by Baum, and with the addition of schoolmate Rod Olsen as manager, the band began attaining gigs at local high schools, colleges, and other assorted youth hangouts. Newell was replaced by Balog's twin brother Gary in 1970, and Robert Barney replaced Hinkins as lead guitarist. Richard Leavitt was also added on keyboards to round out the Merkin sound. In 1971, the band recorded a live demo that caught the attention of Gay Young of Kommittee Productions, and a recording session was arranged for the band in Los Angeles in 1972. The subsequent album, Music from Merkin Manor, was recorded in four days and gained some airplay in San Francisco, enabling the band to tour Colorado, but the album was not officially released (in a pressing of only 200) until early 1973, by which time Merkin had returned to Utah, and any commercial momentum was stifled. In addition, Baum had received sole songwriting credit on the album, infuriating the rest of the band. He was asked to leave, and Merkin limped on, finally calling it quits in 1974.



More info about the album "Music from Merkin":


Release Date: 1972
Total Time: 53:48
Genre: Rock



Music from Merkin Manor is a strangely interesting album, as might be expected from a group of young longhairs playing a combination of psychedelic, country, and hard rock in smalltown Utah in the early 1970s. The album opens up with "Ruby," a song on which Merkin sound something like the Association on acid singing harmonies that sound slightly off-kilter while being backed by Blue Öyster Cult. Odd, to say the least. There are many recognizable influences on the album, but many of the influences wouldn't seem as if they should be within miles of each other. As a result, a song such as "Take Some Time" has the druggy ambience of early-'70s stoner rock moving into pop verses, before it somehow evolves into a jazz jam. "Todaze" again sounds not unlike the Association (a comparison that consistently holds throughout the album) in terms of the vocals, but only if that pop act was backed by a groovy hard rock band fronted by Carlos Santana that was capable of shifting rhythms at the drop of a dime. "Sweet Country," just as the title implies, tries on country-rock without batting an eye, and many of the songs graft similarly across-the-board influences together, and somehow generally do so in a tidy pop song framework of three to four minutes. It is terribly intriguing to listen to at least once, but unfortunately, the influences simply do not jibe well enough most of the time to sustain any sense of enjoyment or appreciation for the music. The album showed promise, but was far too haphazard to make much of an impression. Rocky Baum showed a nice flair for quirky songwriting, and when it worked, it worked well, but sonically Music from Merkin Manor is only half-baked.


Merkin "Music From Merkin Manor"  - Goodbye (1973)  : https://youtu.be/dFiIe-L_oQs :

Gryphon (prog rock / UK)

1976

Gryphon were a British progressive rock band of the 1970s, best known for their unusual Medieval sound and instrumentation.


Multi-instrumentalist Richard Harvey and his fellow Royal College of Music graduate Brian Gulland, a woodwind player, began the group as an all-acoustic ensemble that mixed traditional English folk music with medieval and Renaissance influences. Shortly after this, the duo was joined by guitarist Graeme Taylor and drummer/percussionist Dave Oberlé. After their self-titled debut, they expanded their sound to include electric guitars and keyboards as well as wind instruments, such as bassoons and krumhorns, not previously used in rock music. Gryphon's music often sounded as much like rural English folk or renaissance chansons as it did rock, at least on their early recordings. After their third album (Red Queen to Gryphon Three) and the subsequent tour as a supporting act for Yes, their instrumentation became more conventional and the use of non-standard instruments was reduced. Fans and critics generally regard Midnight Mushrumps and the all-instrumental Red Queen to Gryphon Three as their finest albums.
In 1974, the group's publicist Martin Lewis arranged for the band to be commissioned to write and record the music for a major stage production of Shakespeare's The Tempest at Britain's National Theatre, directed by Sir Peter Hall. It opened at the historic Old Vic Theatre in April 1974. The music the band wrote and recorded for the stage production inspired the 21-minute fantasia "Midnight Mushrumps" (named after a phrase mentioned in The Tempest) which became the title track of their second album. Following the successful premiere of the play and acclaim for its music, Lewis arranged for Gryphon to give a Sunday evening concert at the Old Vic in July 1974 - the first-ever and to date only rock concert held at Britain's National Theatre. At the concert, the band performed "Midnight Mushrumps". The concert was considered a major breakthrough for progressive rock music. Audio tapes of the fabled concert exist, but none have yet surfaced publicly. The band's sound engineer at the time, Richard Elen, recorded the event on a 4-track machine (2 tracks PA feed, 2 tracks stereo acoustic sound picked up at the balcony) and subsequently mixed it to stereo. He has cassette copies of the master tape (which have some technical issues), but Martin Lewis is believed to have the master itself. It is not known whether the master is of releasable quality.


In September 2007 it was announced on Gryphon's website that, after a silence of 31 years, the band had finally decided to produce a new album. Whether the new Gryphon album will be a modern progressive and commercial sounding offering, like their later albums, or a return to the predominantly medieval-based themes of their earlier works, has yet to be announced. Whilst there was no timescale planned, it was envisaged that it would be released in the Summer of 2008 with a one-off London concert date also suggested, although not confirmed. On 15 September 2008, Gryphon announced via their website that the album was still in production, "albeit slowly". As of December 2010, no album has materialised and there have been no further updates on the band's webpage relating to it.

On Saturday 6 June 2009, 32 years after its last performance, Gryphon reformed for a reunion concert at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, London. The four original members - Richard Harvey, Brian Gulland, Graeme Taylor and Dave Oberlé - opened the evening with a selection of songs and instrumentals from the first album Gryphon. They were then joined by Jon Davie (the final bass player, who appeared on Treason) and a new member, the multi-instrumentalist and film/production music composer Graham Preskett for the rest of the evening.



Members:

Brian Gulland - Bassoon, Krumhorn, Recorder, Keyboards, Vocals 
Richard Harvey - Recorder, Krumhorn, Mandolin, Keyboards, Vocals 
Dave Oberlé - Drums, Percussion, Lead Vocals 
Graeme Taylor - Electric & Acoustic Guitars, Vocals (through Raindance)
Philip Nestor - Bass guitar, Vocals (Midnight Mushrumps and Red Queen to Gryphon Three) 
Malcolm Bennett - Bass guitar, Flute (Raindance)
Jonathan Davie - Bass guitar (Treason), acoustic bass guitar ("Reunion")
Bob Foster - Guitar (Treason)
Graham Preskett - Keyboards, mandolin, violin, guitar, percussion ("Reunion")

Auxiliary members:
The following craftsmen manufactured instruments used on Gryphon albums, but they were not band members:
Ernest Hart – Organ (Midnight Mushrumps and Red Queen to Gryphon Three)
Peter Redding – Acoustic bass (Red Queen to Gryphon Three)
Tim Sebastion co-wrote lyrics for Treason.



Round & Round + Flash in the Pantry: 

The 'Ploughboy's Dream':

Discography:

Albums:

Gryphon (1973)
Midnight Mushrumps (1974)
Red Queen to Gryphon Three (1974)
Raindance (1975)
Treason (1977)

All albums released by Transatlantic Records, except Treason, which was released by EMI/Harvest.


Compilations and other releases:
The Collection (1991)
The Collection II (1995)
About as Curious as It Can Be (2002) - 1974 & 1975 BBC Radio session performances
Glastonbury Carol (2003) - 1972 & 1974 BBC Radio session performances plus the title track, theme music for the Peter Neal film Glastonbury Fayre about the 1971 Glastonbury Festival
Crossing the Styles: The Transatlantic Anthology (2004)

Poco ( Country rock, rock, folk rock, soft rock / USA )

Poco is a Southern California  (USA) country rock band originally formed by Richie Furay, Jim Messina and Rusty Young following the demise of Buffalo Springfield in 1968. The title of their first album, Pickin' Up the Pieces, is a reference to the break-up of Buffalo Springfield. Highly influential and creative, they were pioneers of the country rock genre and forerunners of the Americana genre. Throughout the years Poco has performed in various groupings, and is still active today.




History:

During recording of the third Buffalo Springfield album (Last Time Around), each of the three lead singers (Stephen Stills, Neil Young and Richie Furay) recorded songs without the other members present. One of Furay's solo songs was the country-influenced ballad "Kind Woman", which he recorded with the help of producer/engineer/bassist Jim Messina and pedal steel guitarist Rusty Young. When Buffalo Springfield then split up, Furay, Messina and Rusty Young decided to start their own group oriented toward such songs.
The original lineup of this new group was Furay (vocals and rhythm guitar), Messina (lead guitar, vocals, producer), Rusty Young (pedal steel guitar, banjo, Dobro, guitar, mandolin and vocals), George Grantham (drums and vocals) and Randy Meisner (bass and vocals). 



Members:

Rusty Young
Jack Sundrud
George Lawrence
Michael Webb

Past members:

George Grantham
Richie Furay
Jim Messina
Randy Meisner
Timothy B. Schmit
Paul Cotton
Al Garth
Steve Chapman
Charlie Harrison
Kim Bullard
Rick Seratte
Jeff Steele
Dave Vanecore
Gary Mallaber
Richard Neville
Tim Smith

More info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poco

Seven is the seventh album by the country rock band Poco released in 1974. This is the first album Poco made after leader Richie Furay left the band.

- Drivin' Wheel" (Paul Cotton)
- Rocky Mountain Breakdown" (Rusty Young) 
- Just Call My Name" (Timothy B. Schmit, Noreen Schmit) 
- Skatin'" (Schmit) 
- You've Got Your Reasons" (Cotton) 

Discography:

Albums:


Pickin' up the pieces 1969
Poco 1970
Deleverin' 1971
From the inside 1972
A good feelin' to know 1973
Crazy eyes 1973
Seven 1974
Cantamos 1974
Head over heels 1975
Live 1976
Rose of cimarron 1976
Indian summer 1977
The last roundup 1977
Legend 1978
Under the gun 1980
Blue and gray 1981
Cowboys and Englishmen 1982
Ghost town 1982
Inamorata 1984
Legacy 1989
On the country side 1996
Take two 2001
Running horse 2002
Keeping the legend alive 2004
Bareback at big sky 2005
The wildwood sessions 2006

All Fired Up   2013

Bob Theil (psych folk rock / UK)

Bob Theil is a Scottish born singer-songwriter and guitarist, steeped in the tradition of the great acoustic troubadours from the UK scene circa 1965 and onwards. His songs and music recall what for many is considered a halcyon period when the likes of Roy Harper, Bert Jansch, Michael Chapman, Richard Thompson and Al Stewart to name a few, were plying their trade in the UK clubs and college circuit. His voice, writing and guitar playing are an eclectic mix of folk and rock influences.

Other obvious influences at the time were Bob Dylan, Sandy Denny, Joni Mitchell, Leonard Cohen and Nick Drake as well as a mix of artists such as Jethro Tull, Rory Gallagher, Led Zeppelin, Genesis.

The use of mainly 12 string acoustic/electric guitar in his unique picking (finger and plectrum) style lends itself perfectly to songs that are an evocative mixture of Celtic atmosphere on the one hand, to at other times an acoustic rock sound that has been likened to Pink Floyd. In a way, this comparison is understandable given the Gilmouresque electric leads featured on a few tracks on his debut LP "So Far" (1982).

"So Far", was released in 1982 but most songs were written in the 70s and sounding like that...in fact some of the bonus tracks were recorded in the mid 70s and the most of them were written by then too.

In 1993 Bob Theil also had the CD “Bridging the Silence” released on Koch International under the pseudonym Lawrence Woolfe. 

More recently in the summer of 2003, a new collection of songs was released in the form of an limited edition LP “Playing it all for laughs” aimed mainly at the collectors’ market. A CD issue is also in the pipeline.

Songs from the Margin - CD and LP, planned.




So Far: https://youtu.be/l7wnwE7i-b8

One day, today or tomorrow: https://youtu.be/4_6QNkaaDVY 

Discography:


The Ghent Sessions LP [2010]
The Ghent Sessions CD [2007]

So Far Double-LP [2006]
So Far CD [2006]
So far CD [2004]

Playing it all for laughs LP [2003]

Bridging the silence CD [1993]

Songs From The Margin  (unreleased album recorded as a follow-up to Bob's debut-album 'So Far')

So far LP [1982]

Another flight EP [1980]

1968

"It has been said about my music that there's a strong Celtic influence in sounds and images, which reflects my Scottish upbringing. This has never been a conscious thing on my part so it must spring from a natural relationship with my roots.

Of course there is a wider world to explore outside of one's own small corner of the planet. In a cultural climate of, on the one hand ease of consumption, hype and homogenised commercial banality, and on the other hand the centuries old traditions of literature, music, philosophy and academic endeavours, is there any way of bridging the gulf between all or nothing?

To speak or remain silent, how much to express and to whom do we address and commune with? How long do our attention spans allow? What of our appetites for attentive absorption? How often does the art of conversation even remotely come close to bridging the gulf between something or nothing? So here I am, one voice amidst many. Whether the mood of my writing is light or dark, I hope it contains something of value beyond merely the superficial."  Bob Theil 

Richie Havens R.I.P.

Folk legend Richie Havens has passed away yesterday (April 22, 2013) at the age of 72. The Brooklyn-bred singer/guitarist was perhaps best known for opening the legendary Woodstock Festival with a near three-hour performance which set the tone for the rest of the event.



Here's the announcement from Havens' longtime representatives, The Roots Agency:

RICHIE HAVENS was gifted with one of the most recognizable voices in popular music. His fiery, poignant, soulful singing style has remained unique and ageless since his historic appearance at Woodstock in 1969. For four decades, Havens used his music to convey passionate messages of brotherhood and personal freedom. Billboard Magazine writes, “This acoustic soul giant truly seems to be getting more inspiring and graceful with age.” From Woodstock to The Isle of Wight to Glastonbury to the Fillmore Auditorium to Royal Albert Hall to Carnegie Hall, Richie played the most legendary music festivals that ever were, and most of the world’s greatest concert venues. But even when performing in a Greenwich Village coffeehouse or a small club or regional theater, he was eternally grateful that people in any number turned up each time to hear him sing. More than anything, he feels incredibly blessed to have met so many of you along the way.

The Seventh Dawn (folk rock / USA)

The Seventh Dawn was a folk-rock band from Maryland (USA) active from 1970 to 1981. 

They released at least two albums called 'Sunrise' (1976) and 'Dreams'.
The Seventh Dawn is nothing like any other American albums I know of, but has much more something comparable to the British folk-psych scene (Trader Horne, Ithaca/Agincourt,..). The reason for this style is that all 4 members of Seventh Dawn had written these songs when they were between 11 and 17. 
Ann & Heff were taking classes in electronic music, which gave them access to the labs with two synthesizers, two stereo records and one four track recorder. This protected opportunity was unspoiled by any style-pushed fashions, and had a comparable sweetness, innocence and almost pastoral purity to the best moments of the UK album of Sallyangie (with Mike Oldfield, also then only 15). The same reason why Ithaca was compared to Moody Blues (a reference which always is more symbolic, because MB never had that much of its own style-reference uniqueness in many songs), can be given here as a reference too. 
Just listen to the nice sweet-fuzzed guitars which flow softly like keyboards on "Such a lonely". Another reference which is also relevant on one track, "Latecoming". is Emtidi for its piano arrangements in combinations with the song. The female singer holds the middle of several possible references, like Vashti Bunyan (at times, like on "Sunrise"), and Trader Horn's singer. Some people refer also to Trees' singer Celia Humphries (which I understand, but that last comparison can be confusing). At first, the songs are sung by a female and then male vocalist, and are worked out well. Then more and more songs of Heff appear, sometimes a bit too sparsely arranged, and with tiny 60s psychpop flavours in its inspirations. It is wonderful that the album now is completed with these 4 extra surprisingly beautiful tracks, which have a welcome reappearance of the female singer, as exactly what the album needed to feel like a more perfectly finished musical concept.


Members:


Ann Munson - vocals, guitar, synth
Bill Munson - vocals, guitar
Eric Munson - vocals, bass
Heff Munson - vocals, drums, keyboards, synth

The Arkay IV (garage rock / USA)

From Erie, Pennsylvania (USA), The Arkay IV was started in 1963 by Bill Arnold, Skip Niebauer & John Nicotra. After his high graduation Bill left for military service and was replaced by Bob Sustak who was soon drafted into the army and was replaced by Dave Massello and Tom Brocki. This formed the core of the group from 1964 to 1969. The group went through several personal changes due primarily to the military draft for the Vietnam War. 

Members: Bill Adleff, Bill Arnold, Tom Brocki, Mark Fainstein, Jon Ims, Bill Kirby, Dave Massello, John Nicotra, Skip Niebauer, Doug Phillips, Mike Redicliff, Vil Stomers, Bob Sustak

They disbanded in 1971.

They issued three 45s and an album "For Internal Use Only"  between 1966-68. Their album has been reissued as The Mod Sounds Of… by Cicadelic (CICLP 1003) 1988, and also on CD by Collectables as Battle Of The Bands. This CD combines The Arkay IV’s album and The Outcasts Meet The Outcasts! It contains 26 tracks including previously unreleased demos.

* Split: The Outcasts / The Arkay IV
  Also known as Arkay IV Revival




Surprise Love: http://youtu.be/ODQFbyr74Go


Little Girl: http://youtu.be/_5HVrGP7h44

Kevin Ayers ( psych, prog rock / UK)

Kevin Ayers (16 August 1944 – 18 February 2013) was an English singer-songwriter and a major influential force in the English psychedelic movement. Ayers was a founding member of the pioneering psychedelic band Soft Machine in the late 1960s, and was closely associated with the Canterbury scene. 


His early work included works with artists like Daevid Allen, David Bedford and Mike Ratledge. Since then Kevin Ayers wrote and recorded some of the wittiest and most poignant songs imaginable and produced more banana related lyrics than anyone ever dreamed possible.

The first serious band was The Wilde Flowers 1964-1967) with Hugh Hopper, Robert Wyatt and Richard Sinclair. This early hippie group transformed into Soft Machine. While the Softs went on, others split to form Caravan and Gong. Ayers put together his own band Kevin Ayers & The Whole World featuring Lol Coxhill, David Bedford and a very young Mike Oldfield.


He recorded a series of albums as a solo artist and over the years worked with Brian Eno, Syd Barrett, John Cale, Elton John, Robert Wyatt, Andy Summers, Mike Oldfield, Nico and Ollie Halsall, among others. 


With 18 albums to his credit Kevin Ayers was the Guru Banana. 

In 2007, Ayers recorded in a Glasgow studio with long-time admirers Teenage Fanclub, contributions came from Euros Childs from Gorkys Zygotic Mynci, Francis Reader from the trash can sinatras, Robert Wyatt provided his eerie Wyattron in the poignant Cold Shoulder. Phil Manzanera contributed to the brooding Brainstorm, Hugh Hopper from Soft Machine played bass on the title track Unfairground and Bridget St. John, a British Folk singer beloved of the late John Peel, duetted with Ayers on Baby Come Home, the first time they had sung together since 1970 on Shooting At The Moon. The resulting album Unfairground was released in September 2007.

Ayers died, apparently in his sleep, at his home in the South of France on the 18th of February 2013. He was 68.

Discography:

Soft Machine: The Soft Machine  1968


Solo:


Joy of a Toy 1969
Shooting at the Moon 1970
Whatevershebringswesing 1971
Bananamour 1973
The Confessions of Dr. Dream and Other Stories 1974
June 1, 1974 (with Nico, John Cale and Brian Eno)  1974
Lady June's Linguistic Leprosy (with Lady June and Brian Eno) 1974
Sweet Deceiver 1975
Yes We Have No Mañanas (So Get Your Mañanas Today) 1976
Rainbow Takeaway  1978
That's What You Get Babe  1980
Diamond Jack and the Queen of Pain 1983
Deià...Vu  1984
As Close As You Think   1986
Falling Up  1988
Still Life with Guitar  1992
The Unfairground  2007

The Litter ( psych rock, garage rock / USA)

The Litter was an American psychedelic and garage rock band, formed in 1966 in Minneapolis (Minnesota, USA). They are best remembered for their 1967 debut single "Action Woman." The group recorded an album in 1972 but would re-unite in 1990, 1992, and again in 1998, when they recorded a new studio album consisting of both old and new material. All of their Minneapolis recorded material was produced by Warren Kendrick.

Years active: 1966 - 1972, 1990, 1992, 1998 - present


The Litter” was originally formed from two popular Minneapolis bands in 1966, “The Tabs” (Dan Rinaldi, Bill Strandlof) and “The Victors” (Denny Waite, Jim Kane). Tom Murray was plugged in after auditioning for the group at the Minnesota State Fair.

The name “The Litter” was presented to the band by Jim Kane and chosen over several other suggestions including “The Mustys”. The original connotation of “The Litter” referred to a “litter” of puppies NOT trash or garbage as many people have assumed over the years. The album title $100 Fine was in part responsible for perpetuating this misconception.


Tom “Zip” Caplan replaced Bill Strandlof in 1967 after Bill had recorded Action Woman, Legal Matter and Soul Searchin’ for the Distortions album. The album was finished with “Zip” playing lead on the rest of the tracks.

In the early days “The Litter” would learn songs from English albums imported to Jim Kane from a friend. Not yet released in the United States, these songs were mistaken by audiences for original “Litter” tunes.

“The Litter” was the first group in the Mid-West to use lights and strobes in their stage act

Dan Rinaldi was the first musician in “The Litter”, and in fact in the entire Mid-West, to smash his equipment on stage.

“The Litter” has toured all over the United States and Canada playing such venues as The Electric Theatre - Chicago, The Peppermint Lounge - New York, “Cheetah” Club in L.A. and the Chicago Amphitheater among many others. They also appeared on an East Coast syndicated Top 40 TV show, the locally syndicated B-Sharp Beat and the famous network TV Rock Variety Series “Hullabaloo”. The band has been billed with such famous acts as “The Who”, “Brian Augar”, “Canned Heat”. “The Iron Butterfly”, “Genesis”, “Eric Burdon & War”, “Blue Cheer”, “Joe Cocker”, “Grand Funk Railroad” “Led Zeppelin” and “Cream” to mention just a few.

There have been 12 different versions of “The Litter” from 1966-2000.



Personnel:

Jim Kane, bass guitar and moog synthesizer, 1966-1970 & 1990
Tom Murray, drums, 1966-1972 & 1992
Dan Rinaldi, guitar and vocals, 1966-1972 & 1992
Bill Strandlof, lead guitar, 1966-1967
Denny Waite, organ and vocals, 1966-1968 & 1990-1992
Tom 'Zippy' Caplan, lead guitar, 1967-1968 & 1990-1992 (left to from White Lightning with Woody Woodrich in 1968)
Lonnie Knight, lead guitar and vocals, 1968
Mark Gallagher, vocals, 1968-1970 & 1992 
Ray Melina, lead guitar, 1968-1970
Sean Jones, lead guitar, 1970 
Jon Sutphen, bass, 1970
Casey McPhearson, vocals, 1971-1972
John King, lead guitar, 1971-1972
Woody Woodrich, bass, 1970
Mick Stanhope, vocals, 1992
Bob Hood, 1992
Rick Ottum, 1992
Joe Scanlan, drums, 1998-2005
Doug Hassman, rhythm and lead guitar, 2005-2007

Discography:

Singles:

"Action Woman" / "A Legal Matter" (Scotty 803G-6710) January 1967
"Somebody Help Me" / "I'm a Man" (Warick 9445-6711) 1967
"Action Woman" / "Whatcha Gonna Do About It" (Warick 6712) 1967
"Silly People" / "Feeling" (Probe 461) 1968
"Blue Ice" / "On Our Minds" (Probe 467) 1969


Albums:

Distortions  (1967)
$100 Fine  (1968)
Emerge  (1969)
Re-Emerge (1998)



Compilation albums:

Rare Tracks (1983)

"Action Woman":
 - Pebbles, Volume 1 (LP-1979; CD-1992)
 - Songs We Taught the Fuzztones (1993)
 - Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era, 1965-1968 — Box Set (1998)
 - Garage Rock Classics (2004)
 - Trash Box (5-CD box set)

"I'm A Man":
 - Pebbles, Volume 2 (LP)
 - Pebbles, Volume 3 (CD – ESD Records)

"Hey Joe":
 - The Scotty Story (CD)

"7 Up Commercial":
 - The Scotty Story (CD)

Live albums: Live at Mirage 1990 (1998)

Rock Family Trees - The British R & B Boom (documentary)

Rock family trees traces the history of the British R&B boom of the 60's.


Only to see on YouTube:

Part 1: http://youtu.be/ZZFyVuvoTa8

Part 2: http://youtu.be/Hf-WFc0oqXw

Part 3: http://youtu.be/zDqtmFD-bko

Part 4: http://youtu.be/WIl4p8bWtEM

Part 5: http://youtu.be/sF9PotSkh5A

Part 6: http://youtu.be/XO_91vfPZjw



British rhythm and blues (or R&B) was a musical movement that developed in the United Kingdom between the late 1950s and the early 1960s, and reached a peak in the mid-1960s. It overlapped with, but was distinct from, the broader British beat and more purist British blues scenes, attempting to emulate the music of African American blues and rock and roll pioneers, such as Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf, Chuck Berry and Bo Diddley. It often placed greater emphasis on guitars and was often played with greater energy.

The origins of the movement were in the British jazz, skiffle and folk movements of the 1950s. The 1958 visit of Muddy Waters influenced key figures Cyril Davies and Alexis Korner to turn to electric blues and form the band Blues Incorporated, which became something of a clearing house for British rhythm and blues musicians. A flourishing scene of clubs and groups emerged in the later 1950s and 1960s and bands began to break through into mainstream success. Major acts included the Rolling Stones, Manfred Mann, The Animals, The Yardbirds, Them, and the Spencer Davis Group, who dominated the UK and US charts from 1964, in the wake of the Merseybeat craze, becoming central to the Mod subculture in the UK and a second wave of British Invasion acts in the US.

Several of the bands and their members went on to become leading rock music performers of the late 1960s and early 1970s, helping to create psychedelic, progressive and hard rock and making rhythm and blues a key component of that music. In the mid- to late-1970s, British R&B enjoyed a revival through the British soul and disco scenes, the pub rock circuit, New Wave Music, and Mod revival, and has enjoyed a resurgence of interest since the late 1980s. In the 2000s a British version of contemporary R&B, began gaining popularity, and since the late 2000s the success of British female singers influenced by soul and R&B led to talk of another "R&B British invasion".



Characteristics:

Commentators often distinguish British rhythm and blues bands from beat bands (who were influenced by rock and roll and rockabilly) on the one hand, and, from "purist" British blues (which particularly emulated Chicago electric blues artists), on the other, although there was considerable crossover between the three sets of musicians. Merseybeat bands like the Beatles, or from the parallel beat scene in Manchester, were influenced by American forms of music that included rockabilly, girl groups and the early Motown sound, helping them to produce commercial orientated form of music that began to dominate the British charts from 1963. 

However, bands from the developing London club scene were mainly concerned to emulate black rhythm and blues performers, including the work of Chess Records' blues artists like Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf, but also wider rhythm and blues singer and rock and roll pioneers like Chuck Berry and Bo Diddley resulting in a "rawer" or "grittier" sound.

British rhythm and blues differed in tone from that of African American artists, often with more emphasis on guitars and sometimes with greater energy. British rhythm and blues singers were criticised for their emulation of rhythm and blues vocal styles, with shouts, glottal stops, moans and cries. However, vocalists such as Van Morrison, Mick Jagger, Eric Burdon and Steve Winwood did not attempt to emulate a particular singer and were seen by critics as able to sing the blues convincingly and with some power. In cover versions of R&B songs, riffs were often simplified or used less frequently. The object of the music was usually to whip up energy, rather than to produce musical finesse. Many groups were based around guitars (rhythm, lead and bass) and drums and as a result arrangements tended to be guitar-oriented and at higher tempos than the originals. Amplification of guitars to the highest levels of underpowered amplifiers created the over-driven guitar sound that would become characteristic of rock music.

Nick Logan and Bob Woffinden noted that after the split of Blues Incorporated at the end of 1962, four main strands could be discerned in British Rhythm and Blues. Cyril Davies left to attempt to recreate the Chicago electric blues of Muddy Waters. The style would be the major influence on the later emergence of the blues boom, particularly through the work of John Mayall's Bluesbreakers. Alexis Korner continued with Blues Incorporated, bringing in jazz saxophonist Graham Bond and developing a more jazz orientated sound. This strand would be taken up by acts including the Graham Bond Organisation, Manfred Mann and Zoot Money. A unique form was pursued by Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames, who as the resident band at the Flamingo club on Wardour Steet, unusual in having a predominately black audience of American GIs and locals, also utilised jazz, but mixed R&B with elements of Caribbean music, including Ska and bluebeat. The Rolling Stones and others focused on rocking guitar music based on the work of Chuck Berry and Bo Diddley and would be followed by many small guitar and drum based groups, many of which would rapidly move into rock music.




More info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_rhythm_and_blues

The British Blues Boom of The 60's (documentary)

The British Blues Boom of The 60's

The start of the British Blues Scene in The U.K.:

1:39 The Crossroads Blues 
2:45 New Castle,England (Eric Burdon) 
5:06 Belfast,Ireland (Van Morrison) 
6:35 London (The Stones) 
7:09 Chess Records and Pye Records 
7:48 Cyril Davies & Alexis Korner of Blues Incorporated (The Ealing Club) 
8:41 John Mayall and Eric Burdon talk about Alexis Korner 
9:55 Keith Richards meets Mick Jagger at a train station 
10:30 Brian Jones 
11:26 Giorgio Gomelsky talks about the Stones 
12:55 Mick Jagger & Bill Wyman talk about Andrew Loog Oldham 
15:25 Gomelsky signs The Yardbirds to a contract. 
18:03 Van Morrison Interview 
18:53 The Animals 
23:03 The Rolling Stones arrive at Chess Records 
24:01 John Mayall's Bluesbreakers with Eric Clapton 
24:52 Jeff Beck joins The Yardbirds after leaving The Tridents. 
27:42 Brian Jones and Mick Jagger introduce Howlin' Wolf


Source: YouTube

Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac - The Early Years (documentary)

This documentary (1994) charts the course of the early years of Fleetwood Mac between 1967 and 1970.

Despite Greeny's objection to the record company, the early Fleetwood Mac was initially known as:

'Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac'

There early members of Fleetwood Mac were:

Peter Green - Guitar, Vocals
Mick Fleetwood -  Drums
John McVie -  Bass Guitar
Jeremy Spencer -  Guitar, Slide Guitar, Vocals
Danny Kirwan -  Guitar

However, whilst many viewers will appreciate the enormous talent and mainstream success (1975-87) of the later Fleetwood Mac (Mick Fleetwood, John and Christine McVie, Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks), typically they will have little or no appreciation of the band's formation and early years (1967-70).

And so it is; a documentary of the early years of Fleetwood Mac, whose devotion to the blues music of America was so deeply felt and appreciated from the period between 1967 and 1970.

But their work didn't stop there. Songs like 'Oh Well', 'Man Of The World' and the very dark 'The Green Manalishi (With The Two-Prong Crown)' set new standards that would inspire others in the British Blues Rock genre and beyond.

Peter Green as a blues guitarist is unique. Whilst EC (Eric Clapton) was delivering the most blistering rendition of Robert Johnson's 'Crossroads' with Cream, Greeny seemed to enjoy a more fugal and restrained style that altogether was as equally enjoyable and fresh.

A small British blues band, Black Cat Bones, supported Fleetwood Mac on occasions, and it is no surprise to those familiar with their young guitarist, Paul Kossoff, that Peter Green would form an integral part in the development of Koss and his unique playing style, which would shine so brightly in the band Free, and later with his own band, Back Street Crawler.

Text: Nigel Baird, April 2013 (on YouTube)

(Peter Green's) Fleetwood Mac - The  Early Years (documentary)  https://youtu.be/373FZTkU2Tw :

Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac Live 1968-70 : https://youtu.be/T8v_OC3zWCM :