Kahvas Jute - Wide Open/Live At The Basement (1971/2005 aussie heavy psych blended prog, hard rock, blues/jazz with bonus tracks - MP3 320k and FLAC)

Wide Open is a progressive rock milestone and a consummate example of underground psychedelic hard rock at its most inventive and powerful. As the title suggests, a free-flowing and expansive musical blending of rock, blues and jazz, and to leaven out the sound there’s a touch of acid folk thrown in for good measure.

It’s a very English-influenced sound but far from being a slavish copy of the overseas role model, the album bears a uniquely Australia flavour. It continues to be held as one of Australia ’s prime rock collectables, with original pressings of the album selling for as much as US$600.00 on eBay in recent years.

The tightly structured songs and the superb guitar work of Dennis Wilson and Tim Gaze (Tamam Shud) combine to stamp the record as a tour de force, where style, content, technique and sonic bearing meet in perfect equilibrium.

Furthermore, the whole shebang is held together by the restlessly exploratory bass lines of the great Bob Daisley (who later went on to a stellar international career with Rainbow, Ozzy Osbourne, Gary Moore, Uriah Heep, Chicken Shack – the list is endless!) and the muscular, yet agile drum patterns of Dannie Davidson (Tamam Shud, Band Of Light).

Is it any wonder then that all these elements add up to make Wide Open one of the most sought-after artefacts of the entire Aussie progressive rock era?

Reformation:
On the 17th July 2005 , Kahvas Jute, featuring new drummer Mark Marriott (an experienced session player), played a gig at famed Sydney venue The Basement which was filmed for future DVD release.

The set list that night featured six tracks from Wide Open, seven new songs, a cover of Cream’s ‘Politician’ plus an impromptu jam on the old Yardbirds number ‘The Nazz are Blue’ featuring guest vocalist Jimmy Barnes (5 of the audio tracks feature as bonus tracks on the CD reissue).

If anything, the gig showed the band to be better musicians than ever, with the added elements of experience and maturity shining through, while also managing to capture the Kahvas Jute sound to perfection.

Aztec Music’s reissue of Wide Open has been digitally remastered by Dennis Wilson. Packaged in our usual 6 panel digi-pak, with rare photos, and liner notes by Ian McFarlane.

Tracks
1. Free - 5:13
2. Odyssey - 3:59
3. Up There (T. Gaze, D. Davidson) - 2:49
4. She’s So Hard to Shake - 4:17
5. Vikings - 4:32
6. Steps of Time (D. Davidson) - 3:22
7. Twenty Three (T. Gaze) - 3:49
8. Ascend (Bob Daisley) - 3:11
9. Parade of Fools - 9:09
10.Politician (Bonus Track) (P. Brown, J. Bruce) - 6:43
11.She’s So Hard To Shake (Bonus Track) - 4:21
12.Ascend (Bonus Track) (Bob Daisley) - 1:47
13.Ascension (Bonus Track) (T. Gaze) - 1:46
14.Parade Of Fools (Bonus Track) - 11:04
All songs by Dennis Wilson except where noted
Bonus Tracks – Live at the Basement 2005

Kahvas Jute
*Dennis Wilson - Guitar, Vocals, Acoustic, Bottleneck, Wah Wah Guitars
*Bob Daisley - Bass, Vocal Harmonies
*Dannie Davidson - Drums (tracks 1-9)
*Tim Gaze - Guitar, Vocals, Piano, Steel Guitar
*Mark Marriott - Drums (tracks 10-14)

[Thank you MARCAO BRITO for this post]
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Speed, Glue & Shinki - Eve (1971 japan strong hard rock and hard blues - Wave audio format)

Speed, Glue & Shinki's landmark debut album, 1971's Eve, is one of the greatest contradictions of its time (maybe all time): a primitive, deranged, and at times downright sloppy mutation of acid blues and proto-metal, akin to the Bloomfield/Kooper/Stills Super Session crashing headlong into earliest Zeppelin and Sabbath records, as performed by musicians whose instrumental chops were actually beyond reproach…but you'd never be able to tell from this! In fact, guitarist and group linchpin Shinki Chen was often referred to as "the Japanese Hendrix," and both bassist Masayoshi "Glue" Kabe and drummer Joey "Speed" Smith possessed impressive résumés of their own before forming this unholy union under the guidance of Atlantic Records Japan executive Ikuzo Orita. As if you hadn't guessed, it was Speed, Glue & Shinki's mutual enthusiasm for various illegal pharmaceuticals that informed not only their crude garage rock aesthetic (the Stooges' debut album sounds almost civilized by comparison), but also the barefaced paeans to massive drug consumption that pass for their lyrics. Take "Mr. Walking Drugstore Man," Eve's opening statement of Neanderthal heavy blues, for example (and take these reds too, maaaaaan…), where Joey's dangerously distorted vocals plead their amphetamine craze-case to his pusher, or the shamelessly direct, musically tighter, and somewhat less lethargic "Stoned Out of My Mind," where Shinki's guitar mastery reflects the rising pulse and paranoia caused by, among other things, "all of the straight people staring" at the band's long hair. Sandwiched between these twin towers (containing nothing but 13th Floor Elevators) is the frankly hilarious "Big Headed Woman," which inhales Link Wray's "Rumble" through the bong that spawned Zeppelin's cover of "You Shake Me" at half-speed, and pillories the young lady who dared smoke all of Joey Smith's "stuff" while "balling another man at night." For shame! Another cut, "Keep It Cool," pretty much reprises this same, sordid cuckold tale just a little while later (and far less effectively), but "Ode to the Bad People" finally lays off the meds long enough to impart some typically utopian hippie messages against the album's most urgent, lucid sonic background. And while the instrumental bass solo, "M Glue," merely soundtracks Masayoshi Kabe's raging addiction to Marusan Pro Bond Glue, the album-closing "Someday We'll All Fall Down" takes a truly astonishing detour into Dylanesque acoustic guitars and soft-spoken philosophies that literally sound like the work of another band. What a trip! So don't be fooled by the innocent trio of schoolgirls gracing Eve's dust jacket; Speed, Glue & Shinki provided one of the most harrowing glimpses into rock & roll's heart of darkness with this lo-fi masterpiece. (By Earls Psychedelic Garden)

Speed Glue & Shinki -Stoned Out Of My Mind


Tracks Listing
01.Mr. Walking Drugstore Man (5:25)
02.Big Headed Woman (6:15)
03.Stoned out of my Mind (6:01)
04.Ode to the Bad People (4:53)
05.M Glue (2:43)
06.Keep it Cool (4:17)
07.Someday We'll All Fall Down (5:23)

Credits
Shinki Chen - guitar, vocals
Masayoshi Kabe - bass
Joe 'Pepe' Smith - drums

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Sweet Marie - Stuck in Paradise (1971 us mix of psychedelic, rock and soul-tinged hard rock - FLAC)

The early '70s were intriguing times to be plying your trade amid the fauna and flora of Hawaii, if you happened to be a rock band.

It might've had something to do with the exotic climes and locales of the islands melding perfectly with the chemically enhanced strangeness and surreal vibes of the era (or maybe there was just something in the water?), but Hawaii played home to fiercely unique bands like Mu and expatriate psychedelic trailblazers like John Cippolina, as well as serving as an important pit-stop for Jimi Hendrix and other heavy, heady artists.

Sweet Marie was yet another Hollywood combo who emigrated to the isle, and they quickly became one of the hottest bands on Oahu after having a nationally successful first album, buying a nightclub there, and packing it nightly.

The trio continued their popularity and success with a second album, Sweet Marie, reissued here on Gear Fab in its original form. And it's not a bad album at all; in fact, it's a pretty strong, occasionally exciting effort.

Sweet Marie's music was close in many ways to the bottom-heavy, groove-laden blues and rock amalgam of Buddy Miles Express (even Band of Gypsys on the version of Phil Ochs' "Changes") but with a cooler, more languid pace and darkly mystical undertones that closely recall their contemporary, Spirit, particularly in the harmonies.

The album features some really superb melodic moments, as with "It Ain't Easy" and "I Want Your Woman," while "Do Do (Find Me a Way)" is fine, soul-tinged hard rock and "Stella's Candy Store" amusingly innuendo-laden and jazzy.

But Sweet Marie didn't have that distinctive spark that allowed their music to stand out or that ultimately separates them from their era. It certainly suffers in comparison to the extravagant, alien hybrid arrived at by Merrell Fankhauser and Jeff Cotton.

And some of the ideas -- "Hortense the Hippie" (a rewrite of "Octopus' Garden"), in particular, and "Drum Solo" -- have aged less than gracefully.

Nevertheless, it's a fine recording, and one that would be well worth grabbing for fans of off-the-beaten path '70s hard rock (by Stanton Swihart).



Stella's Candy Store:


Track List:
01.Stuck in Paradise
02.It Ain't Easy
03.My Little Angel
04.Hortense the Hippie
05.Do Do (Find Me a Way)
06.Stella's Candy Store
07.I Got That Feelin'
08.Another Feelin'
09.I Want Your Woman
10.Drum Solo
11.Changes

Sweet Marie:
*Prince Teddy (vocals, bass)
*Sonny Lathrop (vocals, guitar)
*Willy Bims (drums)


[ Rip and scans by OldrockerBR ]
CODE: 60280

Repost - Too Much - Too Much (1972 japan hard rock with little prog influences - Wave audio format )

Often touted as the Japanese Black Sabbath by blowhards and those who’ve not actually heard the music, the excellently named Too Much hailed from the large city port of Kobe, where the band members grew up sucking in all kinds of western influences from the LPs and 7” singles that came in on the boats.
One of the band – guitarist Junio Nakahara – had spent the late ‘60s in the blues group The Helpful Soul, whose sole LP features in this book’s Top 50 on account of its deeply inspired 10-minutes plus plodathon ‘Peace For Fools’.
However, as its audience could never have perceived The Helpful Soul as anything more than another Group Sounds act, guitarist Nakahara decided to jump on the burgeoning New Rock bandwagon by forming the more appropriately named Too Much.
Nakahara’s inspiration came from the TOO MUCH concert that The Helpful Soul played with the newly-formed Blues Creation, in Kyoto at the end of February 1970.
The hippy phrase ‘too much’ was already utterly clichéd in the West by this time, but it was iconic and easily pronounceable to Japanese.
In the process, Nakahara hooked up with hard rock singer Juni Lush, changed his own name to the more substantially New Rock-sounding Tsomu Ogawa(!), and dragged high school mates Hideya Kobayashi and Masayuki Aoki along as the rhythm section.
They signed a deal with Atlantic Records in the summer of 1970, and wrote a whole slew of mindless proto-metal anthems, including the excellent ‘Grease It Out’, ‘Love Is You’ and ‘Gonna Take You’.
These were duly recorded and sounded mindlessly, monolithically, perfectly suited to the lowbrow audience Too Much was aiming to please.
Unfortunately, the Atlantic businessmen saw in the be-afro’d Juni Lush another potential star in the mould of Flower Travellin’ Band’s Joe Yamanaka, and they pressured the band into adding several mawkishly sentimetal ballads to the debut LP in order to widen their audience.
The results were disastrous. No one needed yet another version of Bobby Dylan’s ‘I Shall Be Released’, particularly the Nipponashville abortion that Too Much delivered. Hey, but neither did they require ‘Song For My Lady’, the arduously phlegmatic 12-minute album closer which arrived replete with megastring sections, Michel LaGrande pianos, Moody Blues flute solos and nere a six-string razor in sight.
Too Much was just not enough, and they split soon after the album was released...

Too Much - I Shall Be Released


Tracks Listing
01.Grease It Out 5:34
02.Love That Binds Me 6:25
03.Love Is You 6:00
04.Reminiscence 6:05
05.I Shall Be Release 4:52
06.Gonna Take You 4:34
07.Song for My Lady 12:13

Credits
Juni Lush (vocals);
Tstomu Ogawa [aka Junio Nakahara] (guitar);
Masayuki Aoki (bass);
Hideya/Shuye Kobayashi (drums)

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Offenbach - Bulldozer (1973 canada heavy progressive mixed with hard rock and blues rock - 2008 remastered & expanded edition - FLAC)

BULLDOZER may be one of Offenbach's most obscure albums, however it is an important one from a historical perspective since the music composed for it helped launch Offenbach's career and defined the group's sound for years to come.

By 1970, keyboardist and vocalist Gerry Boulet, his brother and drummer Denis Boulet, guitarist Johnny Gravel, and bassist Michel Lamothe had grown tired of playing cover songs as Les Gants Blancs.

They changed the group's name to Offenbach Soap Opera, and began writing original songs in English.

In early 1971, their new manager, Lucien Ménard, introduced the group to poet, musician and director Pierre Harel, with whom he was working on a new film entitled Bulldozer.

The band needed money, so Harel hired them to help write a soundtrack for the movie. Harel also encouraged the band to compose rock songs in French rather than in English, an idea Gerry Boulet found preposterous.

Harel's talents as a songwriter were soon evident, as within no time he helped compose "Câline de blues" and "Faut que j'me pousse", which would later become two of Quebec's most popular rock songs.

By the spring of 1972, Harel's film was still not finished, however the band had enough original music and decided to record its first album, Offenbach Soap Opera which featured some music from the Bulldozer soundtrack.

The album was released that summer and received little airplay as rock music sung in French was something new. To pay the bills, the band, which had now shortened its name to Offenbach, was relegated to playing English cover songs again in hotel clubs throughout Québec, lugging around a Hammond B-3 organ and Davoli sound system.

A disenchanted Denis Boulet quit music and was replaced by Roger Belval who had played with Gravel in the groups Les Venthols and Les Héritiers. After a gig in La Sarre, Harel had an epiphany in which he visualized the band playing the Mass for the Dead at St-Joseph's Oratory in Montreal.

His vision soon came true, and on November 30, 1972, Offenbach performed a show sung in Latin before 3,000 people, yielding a live album entitled St-Chrone de Néant which was released in early 1973.

Meanwhile the group continued to compose music for Harel's movie, and finally that spring the soundtrack to Bulldozer was recorded. Work then began on editing the film and synchronizing the music.

In the summer of 1973, while Offenbach was performing on the Plaines of Abraham in Quebec City, a French cinematographer named Claude Faraldo became enthralled with the band.

By fall, Faraldo had lured the group to France to star in a film and record a new album. Then finally, after nearly more than three years in the making, Harel returned to Montreal to launch the film Bulldozer on Valentine's day 1974, starring Donald Pilon, Mouffe, Pauline Julien and Yvan Ducharme among others.

Offenbach's album of the same name was released simultaneously with little fanfare while the rest of the group was still in France unable to afford plane tickets for the return trip to Montreal.

Harel decided not to go back to France where the band was leading a life of debauchery which was being filmed by Faraldo.

However, many new songs had already been written by Harel, which would be featured on Offenbach's next three albums: Tabarnac (1975), Never Too Tender (1976), and the eponymous Offenbach (1977).

Harel continue to collaborate with Offenbach, writing more big hits for the group until he formed Corbeau with Lamothe and Belval in 1977 (from CD notes).

Track List:
01.Bulldozer (chanté ) (04:40)
02.Hey Boss (04:34)
03.Magie Rouge (04:07)
04.Câline de doux blues (05:02)
05.Solange Tabarnac (00:27)
06.Marche de Peanut (02:08)
07.Bataille (02:46)
08.Bulldozer Thème (sax) (03:03)
09.Qu'est-ce qui te prend (02:47)
10.S.O.S. (03:14)
11.Ah Comme on s'ennuie (03:09)
12.Faut que j'me pousse (02:38)
13.Adios Amor (03:19)
14.S.O.S. (Alternate Take) (03:23)
15.Ah comme on s'ennuie (Long Version) (04:13)

Offenbach:
*Gérald Boulet: Vocals, Piano, Organ, Saxophone
*Roger Belval: Drums
*Jean Gravel: Guitar
*Pierre Harel: Vocals, Piano
*Michel Lamothe: Bass, Acoustic guitar
*Mouffe: Vocals (S.O.S)


[ Posted by OldrockerBR ]
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Crow - The Best Of Crow (1969-72 us mix of hard, blues and psychedelic rock - MP3 320K and Wave audio format)

Crow is a Minneapolis-based blues rock band, that was first active from 1967 to 1972.



They are best known for the song "Evil Woman (Don’t Play Your Games With Me)", later covered by Black Sabbath.



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. In 1969, Crow’s debut album Crow Music was recorded.



The single "Evil Woman (Don’t Play Your Games With Me)" made the Top 20 of the Billboard Hot 100 that fall, peaking at #19.



Crow by Crow and Mosaic were the follow-up releases in 1970 and 1971 respectively.

Singles released off Crow's later albums were not as successful; the band wanted to move to Elektra Records, but Amaret would not release them from their recording contract while retaining their name.



Wagner left the group in 1971; the band replaced him with Mick Stanhope and attempted to move forward, but collapsed for good in 1972.



David Wagner recorded a solo album for Amaret in late 1972 titled: d/b/a Crow. They disbanded in 1972, but reformed again in 1980.



This version of Crow included original lead vocalist David Wagner, John Richardson and Jeff Christensen on lead guitar/vocals, Denny Johnson on bass and Bobby Belleville on drums.



From September 1980 to July 1981, they recorded many sessions, which resulted in a new studio album titled Crow on the Run in 1982.



This version of Crow disbanded in early 1982. In 1988, Crow reformed and they continue to play concerts all over the United States and have released numerous albums.



All the members have won Minnesota Music Awards for their own individual instruments.



In 2005, they were inducted into the Minnesota Rock/Country Hall of Fame and, in 2009, the Iowa Rock & Roll Music Hall of Fame.



Crow still play occasionally in the Midwest with Dave Wagner on vocals.













Track List:

01. Evil Woman

02. Cottage Cheese

03. I Need Love

04. (Don't Try To Lay Boogie Woogie On The) King Of Rock And Roll

05. Colors

06. Yellow Dawg

07. Slow Down

08. Time To Make A Turn

09. Busy Day

10. Keeps me Runnin'

11. Satisfied

12. Gonna Leave A Mark

13. Smokey Joe

14. I Stand To Blame

15. Mobile Blues

16. I Want Sunshine

17. Heading North

18. Gone, Gone, Gone



Personnel:

*David Wagner - Lead Vocals

*Dick Wiegand - Lead Guitar

*Larry Wiegand - Bass, Vocals

*Dave 'Kink' Middlemist - Hammond Organ, Piano, Vocals

*Denny Craswell - Drums, Vocals



[ Rip and Scans by LARRY ]

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Night Sun - Mournin' (1972 germany hard rock - MP3 320K and WAV)

Long raved over by discerning collectors of ‘70s hard rock and metal, Night Sun's sole LP from 1972 was one of those overlooked gems which, through the fault of bad promotion, bad timing, or bad luck, barely notched blip on the radar of rock and roll at the time of its release.

Like many German hard rock albums of the day, Mournin' was produced by Conny Plank (Faust, Kraftwerk, David Bowie, etc.), who took the Manheim-based quartet into Hamburg's Windrose Studios in 1972, soon to emerge with nine, consistently scorching heavy rock tracks enriched with organs and semi-proggy tendencies in a similar vein to Uriah Heep, Lucifer Friend's and Deep Purple.

The spastic, explosive "Plastic Shotgun," launches the album into immediate proto-metal hyperbole, but it's the ensuing, slightly more settled, "Crazy Woman," that represents the core elements of Night Sun's potent yet regimented sound, including the first of many Purple-inspired guitar-and-organ solo jousts between Walter Kirchgassner and Knut Rossler.

Next up, the suitably cryptic "Got a Bone of My Own" plugs the ‘prog' into its seven-minute equation, slowly rising from foreboding guitar echoes towards complex twists and turns; after which Night Sun churns out a fine pair of mid-paced, early ‘70s organ metal in the Uriah Heep mold in "Slush Pan Man," "Living with the Dying" (complete with Ulrich Staudt drum solo), and the almost bluesy "Blind."

Another standout, "Come Down," represents its title well by providing the album's only pause for breath, but its deliberate, creeping gait and sinister melodies still impart a sense of dread reminiscent of Atomic Rooster.

Then, the furious cacophony of "Nightmare" once again recalls Deep Purple at their most rampant (only with Robert Plant at the helm, thanks to Bruno Schaab's high-flying vocals), and the horn-laden finale of "Don't Start Flying" makes for a nice, quirky conclusion to Mournin's exciting menu; a menu unquestionably rooted in the early ‘70s, but which still manages to attract new fans with every year that passes.



Got A Bone Of My Own:


Track List:
01. Plastic Shotgun
02. Crazy Woman
03. Got A Bone Of My Own
04. Slush Pan Man
05. Living With The Dying
06. Come Down
07. Blind
08. Nightmare
09. Don't start flying

Personnel:
*Bruno Schaab - Vocals, Bass
*Walter Kirchgassner - Guitar
*Knut Rossler - Organ, Piano, Trumpet, Bassoon
*Ulrich Staudt - Drums

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Mott - The Hoople (1974 uk, glam rock, 2006 remaster edition with bonus tracks - MP3 320k and FLAC)

The Hoople was Mott's third album release on CBS/Columbia Records and the band had much to live up to after their two previous studio work outs. All the Young Dudes had taken the group in an exciting new direction under David Bowie's tutelage and the self-produced Mott was so strong that its sequel inevitably faced unjust criticism.

However, there were some mitigating circumstances. Organist Verden Allen and founder/lead guitarist Mick Ralphs had both left Mott in 1973. The group considered Joe Walsh, Tommy Bolin and Ronnie Montrose as Ralphs' replacement but opted for Luther Grosvenor, who joined as 'Ariel Bender'. These developments changed the character of the band quite significantly firstly because vocalist Ian Hunter was now the undisputed group leader, secondly because Grosvenor was not a musical collaborator as Ralphs had been and thirdly because Ian effectively became sole writer.

But Mott's front man had composed some fearsome new songs and The Hoople marked a solid progression. In retrospect, the album deserves greater merit for the diversity and power of Hunter's material. The 'updated' top ten hit single "Roll Away the Stone" and its follow up, "The Golden Age Of Rock ln' Roll", closed and opened the LP, acting as bookends to the eclectic material within. In 1974 there was a strong UK lobby to limit the noise level at rock concerts to 96 decibels and 'Golden Age' was an expression of Hunter's annoyance but also a celebration of the glamorous and buoyant music scene that was thriving at that time.

Roxy Music's Andy Mackay contributed rousing saxophone to the new single and he also played to great effect on "Pearl 'n' Roy (England)", a tale of social and political frustration referencing the British Conservative Prime Minister of the time, Ted Heath. Mott was renowned for its passion towards guitars and cars. After "Drivin1 Sister" and "I'm a Cadillac" on the Mott album, bassist Overend Watts contributed "Born Late '58," a very credible rocker that Ian thought was a potential single at the time.

It was the only Mott track not to feature their front man who was in America when the band cut the song Ian also extended his tales of New York City with "Alice" which trod in the tracks of Mott's "Whizz Kid". Hunter's lyrical outpouring on "Alice" was unprecedented and consequently the song was performed only once in concert. Morgan Fisher, Verden Allen's replacement, fitted the band like a glove, as exemplified by his fantastic organ playing on this cut.

"Through the Looking Glass" is unique in the Mott canon with its stunning dynamics and orchestral arrangement rising and falling dramatically behind Hunter's expressive vocals. "Trudi's Song", a beautiful ode to lan's wife, inspired by Dylan's Nashville Skyline album, is a gentle contrast to much of The Hoople's hard edge. With the headlines 'Fragments of Madness' and 'Hoople's Blood and Thunder', two British rock journals were clearly startled by Hunter's powerful and highly charged masterpieces, "Crash Street Kidds" and "Marionette".

Echoing "Violence" from Mott, "Crash Street Kidds" tells the tale of a street gang who have become so socially disenchanted that they decide they are going to take over Britain. In the end, youth fails with lan's transformed 'dalek voice' and a 'machine gun' heralding the gang leader's demise. Originally conceived as "The Bash Street Kidds", it was to be the album's theme and title but the publishers of the Beano comic (which featured the Bash St characters) would not countenance Hunter's concept.

The cornerstone of The Hoople is unquestionably "Marionette", lan's five minute mini opera describing the corporate side of rock music and its effect on artists. Crazed violin, frantic saxes, staccato cellos, Quasimodo choruses and manic laughter surround Hunter's nightmare of a rock star driven to submission. Ian was often ahead of the field and within 18 months Queen had written a certain smash hit operetta and 'marionette' was used to describe David Essex in his portrayal of a fading pop star in the movie Stardust. Within nine months Ian Hunter would be confined to a hospital bed. Before then, "The Golden Age Of Rock 'n' Roll" hit #16 in Britain and The Hoople reached #11.

Mott played a 6week American tour with Queen as support and became the first rock band to sell out a week of Broadway concerts in New York's theatre land. Hunter's acclaimed book Diary of a rock 'n' roll Star was also published around this time. It was a peak period for the group. During The Hoople sessions the band recorded the reflective "Rest In Peace" and a further Spector-style single "Foxy Foxy" for summer release.

In the autumn of '74 it was felt that Ariel Bender did not suit Mott as lead guitarist and in spite of his whirlwind energy and the renewed spirit he had injected into the group, Grosvenor left, turned down an offer to join Sparks and formed Widowmaker instead. Bender's replacement was the brilliant Mick Ronson whose recruitment by Hunter was a masterstroke. 'Ronno' laid down guitar for a single entitled "(Do You Remember) The Saturday Gigs?" and an intended B side, "Lounge Lizzard".

The self-referential "Saturday Gigs" was deemed a huge potential hit but it stalled inexplicably at #41 in the UK. European concerts with Ronson were highly praised but there were increasing tensions in the band and Hunter's subsequent breakdown led to the cancellation of a sold out British tour. Mott ceased to exist. The Hoople is Mott the Hoople's final creative offering and one of their most under-rated albums lying as it does in the wake of Brain Capers, AH the Young Dudes and Mott.

It is still a remarkable record and Hunter's compositions "Crash Street Kidds" and "Marionette" pointed the group in a new and exciting direction that sadly they were unable to follow. Little wonder that Ian had planned to feature a straight jacket on the cover of their next album. 'Fragments of Madness' indeed!
Campbell Devine


Tracks
1. The Golden Age of Rock 'n' Roll - 3:26
2. Marionette - 5:08
3. Alice - 5:20
4. Crash Street Kidds - 4:31
5. Born Late '58 (Overend Watts) - 4:00
6. Trudi's Song - 4:26
7. Pearl 'N' Roy (England) - 4:31
8. Through the Looking Glass - 4:37
9. Roll Away the Stone - 3:10
10.Where Do You All Come From (Dale "Buffin" Griffin, Hunter, Mick Ralphs, Peter Watts) (B-side of "Roll Away the Stone" single) - 3:26
11.Rest in Peace (B-side of "The Golden Age of Rock 'n' Roll" single) - 3:55
12.Foxy, Foxy (Non-LP single A-side) - 3:31
13.(Do You Remember The) Saturday Gigs (Non-LP single A-side) - 4:20
14.The Saturday Kids (Work in progress mixes) - 6:03
15.Lounge Lizzard (Aborted single b-side) - 4:19
16.American Pie/The Golden Age of Rock 'N' Roll (Don McLean, Hunter) (Live from Broadway) - 4:15
All tracks written by Ian Hunter except as noted.

Mott The Hoople
*Ian Hunter - Vocals, Rhythm Guitar, Keyboards
*Pete "Overend" Watts - Bass Guitar, Vocals, Riff Guitar, 12-String Guitar
*Dale "Buffin" Griffin - Drums, Vocals, Percussion
*Ariel Bender (Luther Grosvenor) - Lead Guitar, Vocals, Slide Guitar
*Morgan Fisher - Organ, Synthesizer, Piano
Guest Musicians
*Howie Casey - Tenor Saxophone
*Jock McPherson - Baritone, Tenor Saxophone
*Mike Hurwitz - Cello
*Lynsey De Paul - Backing Vocals
*Mick Ralphs - Backing Vocals, Rhythm Guitar
*Graham Preskett - Violin, Tubular Bells
*Sue Glover & Sunny Leslie - Backing Vocals
*Barry St. John - Backing Vocals
*Thunderthighs (Karen Friedman, Dari Lalou & Casey Synge) - Backing Vocals

[ Rip and Scans by MARIOS ]
Previous posted at PHROCK on Thursday, December 31, 2009
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Fox - San Francisco Session (1969-1970 us hard rock and hard blues psychedelic - RD remaster edition with 02 bonus tracks - MP3 320K and FLAC)

An unreleased album from this post-Day Blindness band, recorded in 1969/70. This album is a heavy bluesy psychedelic masterpiece of the highest order.

It is virtually the second Day Blindness album with slight personnel changes, but musically in a more heavy psychedelic direction.

The lead guitarist Gary Pihl is well known today for being the guitar player of Boston.

Here he plays an amazing psychedelic guitar and it reminds us in parts of the mighty Mariani's Perpetuum Mobile album.

Superb bass guitar by Johnny V. Vernazza and crazy drums by Roy Garcia, who later went to play with the legendary band Gold (of Rockadelic Records fame!).

Only one 45 single was ever released of those fantastic sessions on Studio 10, and the single is mega rare these days.

A treasure lost at the time that we are very pleased to present to you today. CD features 2 long (17 minutes!!!) bonus tracks."





Track List:
01.Susie S. Kalator
02.Sun City
03.I Can't Take It
04.Keep On Livin' This Way
05.I Was Alone
06.Geraldine
07.Parckman Farm (bonus)
08.Baby, Please Don't Do (bonus)

Fox:
*Gary Pihl – guitars,vocal
*Johnny Vernazza - bass
*Roy Garcia - drums


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The Sensational Alex Harvey Band - Hot City (1974 scotland hard, blues and glam rock - unreleased album - MP3 320K and FLAC)

The Sensational Alex Harvey Band "Hot City - The 1974 Unreleased Album"
Full previously unreleased studio album by The Sensational Alex Harvey Band recorded in 1974 finally gets released 34 years later!

In early 1974, the Sensational Alex Harvey Band were planning to record their upcoming third album. The band, had been constantly touring and were well rehearsed when in late Janauary, they went into Advision studios in London with legendary US producer: Shel Talmy to record their biggest album to date.

By April, the sessions were finished and the album was mixed. However, after completion the band and management had some reservations about the overall sound and amazingly they decided to scrap the entire album. Shel Talmy the returned to Los Angeles with his tapes.

Most of the song titles eventually showed up on the official album ´The Impossible Dream´ later that year with a different producer on board and the songs changed dramatically.

You can now hear how the album sounded with the original versions of these songs. SAHB fans will be totally surprised and amazed at the different styles, delivery and lyric arrangements of well known SAHB songs such as Vambo & Man In The Jar.

There are also two versions of both Anthem and Tomahawk Kid and an previously unreleased song `Ace In The Hole´ which has not been heard even by the band since those sessions in 1974.

As SAHB became the biggest band of 1975, these recordings were quickly forgotten about. Now after 34 years, MLP have re-discovered the fully mixed unreleased album by a rock group on the verge of stardom. The recordings were re-assessed by both Shel and the band and an agreement was reached.

Now re-mastered and with the band´s full approval, you can hear how songs like Vambo, Man In The Jar, Anthem and Sgt Fury originally sounded.

This CD release features 11 tracks and comes in a deluxe package which includes a 20 page booklet with rare photos and extensive liner notes from the band with track/track comments and opinions (by Kaj Roth from http://www.melodic.net/?page=news&id=11313).


Man In The Jar (Hot City album version):


Track List:
01.Vambo
02.Man In The Jar
03.Hey You
04.Long Haired Music
05.Sergeant Fury
06.Tomahawk Kid Version 1
07.Ace In The Hole
08.Weights Made Of Lead
09.Last Train Version 1 (Aka - Anthem)
10.Tomahawk Kid Version 2
11.Last Train Version 2

The Sensational Alex Harvey Band:
*Alex Harvey - lead vocals
*Zal Cleminson - lead guitar
*Chris Glen - bass
*Hugh McKenna - keyboards
*Ted McKenna - drums

Guests:
*Big Buds Brass - sax, trombone, trumpet (02,05,08)
*Vicky Silva - vocals (09)
*The London Scottish Pipers - pipes (09)


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Randy Holden - Guitar God 2001 (1997 us heavy psychedelic, hard rock and blues rock - FLAC)

When I first contacted Randy Holden I immediately recognized his name. I couldn't place him though.

After more thought and reflection, I realized that this was the man that replaced Leigh Stephens in Blue Cheer back in 1968. And he did a really nice job filling those shoes.

Well, here it is 2001 and Randy is blazing his own path, producing and releasing his own music via the Internet.

He told me before I received the CD that I would love it. He was right on the money. I was in awe of the guitar playing on this CD.

The third track "Prayer To Paradise" is over twenty-two minutes long. My god, that's an entire CD for some folks ! It's a cosmic ride of instrumental fire.

Holden reaches down real deep and lets his guitar do all the talking. What you will hear will leave your mouth agape wondering why you haven't heard of this great musician.

Using middle-eastern flavored high-powered rock, Holden cuts loose an unembellished arsenal of crunching, power driven chords that will leave you in disbelief of what you heard when it finally ends.

I thought of Hendrix, Zappa, and Dick Dale while I was taking in this awe-inspiring journey of rock nirvana. If that wasn't enough, "I'll Take Your Blues Away" kicks in to close things out.

A female vocalist by name of Rachel Stavage sets the song ablaze with her authoritative vocal style.

Holden's playing on this number is scorching, and truly befitting of blues-rock number. Hang on to your a**.

This guy will blow you away. If you like hard rocking guitar jams, you will think you died and went to heaven when you hear this CD (Keith Hannaleck).



Space Surf Rider:


Tracklist:
1. Space Surf Rider
2. I Sail on Love
3. Prayer to Paradise
4. I'll Take Your Blues Away

Credits:
Randy Holden : Guitar, Vocals (1,3)
Randy Pratt : Bass (1,2,4)
Darren Lyons : Drums (1,3,4)
Phil Weiss : Drums (2)
Rachel Stavage : Vocals (4)

Recorded 1997 At E-R-S, N.Y.C.
Produced By Randy Holden
Cover Art & Design: Marlon Holden


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Machine - Machine (1970 netherlands progressive and hard rock Remastered - MP3 320K and WAV)

Machine were a 1970 Dutch group who played a mix of what was popular at the time: Psych, progressive, hard rock and horn rock.

Nederbeat was one of the more healthy psych/garage scenes coming out of continental Europe and Machine were like the latter stages of those groups such as Q65 and Cosmic Dealer.

The strong Hammond organ presence adds a proto-prog sound similar to Deep Purple and Mainhorse.

Horns were frequently inserted in those days to increase the odds of a chart appearance, given the wild success of Chicago and Blood Sweat and Tears.And, as expected, there's also a strong blues influence throughout.

The album has a strong start but really crawls to the finish, as predictable 3-chord blues rock takes over the lion's share of the proceedings.

Recommended to fans for bands as diverse as Affinity, Ahora Mazda, Warhorse and Irish Coffee.




Rainmaker,Virgin,Say goodbye To Your Friends:


Track List:
01 - Rainmaker
02 - Virgin
03 - Say goodbye To Your Friends
04 - God's Children
05 - Old Black Magic
06 - Spanish Roads
07 - Lonesome Tree
08 - Sunset Eye

Personnel:
John Caljouw - Vocals
Francois Content - Trumpet
Wim Warby - Tenor sax
Maarten Beckers - Saxophone, flute, clarinet
Hans Sel - Guitar
Paul Vink - Keyboards
Jan Warby - Bass guitar
Jan Bliek – Drums

[ Rip and Scans by LARRY ]
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Beck, Bogert & Appice - Live (1973, uk/us blues hard rock 2CDs - Wave audio format)

Live in Japan is a 1973 rock album by the supergroup power trio Beck, Bogert & Appice.

The album although initially called Beck, Bogert & Appice Live was only issued in Japan (recorded May 18 & 19, 1973 at Koseinenkin Hall, Osaka) and is also known as Live in Japan.
The album is generally considered rare due to the fact of being only released in limited numbers in Japan.

Live in Japan was the last released album by Beck, Bogert & Appice and their only live album.
Within months of the album's release the band would dissolve after Jeff Beck suddenly decided to leave the band.

On this album, Beck can be heard heavily using a Heil Talkbox, two years before the release of Peter Frampton's landmark album, Frampton Comes Alive.

The album also contains renditions of songs originally recorded by the Jeff Beck Group, "Plynth", "Going Down" and "Morning Dew" and one Yardbirds number "Jeff's Boogie". (by wikipedia)

Track List :

CD 1 :
01.Superstition
02.Lose Myself With You
03.Jeff's Boogie
04.Going Down
05.Boogie
06.Morning Dew

CD 2 :
01.Sweet Sweet Surrender
02.Livin' Alone
03.I'm So Proud
04.Lady
05.Black Cat Moan
06.Why Should I Care
07.Plynth/Shotgun (Medley)

Personnel :
*Jeff Beck - guitar
*Tim Bogert - bass
*Carmine Appice - drums

[ Rip and Scans (CD & Vinyl), by DR BELL OTUS ]
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Oz Knozz - Ruff Mix (1975 us hard rock - MP3 320K and WAV)

I compared their music to Oz Knozz and Manfred Mann. Then on an impulse I looked up Oz Knozz and was surprised to see no reviews!

Ruff Mix was one of the most sought-after rare albums of the 70s and early 80s. Very unique, and highly original, this album was the first to showcase lead keyboards in a heavy format.

The closest I can compare to would be Manfred Mann (circa Roaring Silence, Angels, Afrika) and THAT, my friends, is quite a heavy compliment!

Ruff Mix is just that - a rough mix.

The vinyl had that raw sound.

Not sure if the CD has been polished up.

But, no matter the music is what's important, and the music does NOT disappoint! I promise that this is NOTHING like anything else you've heard!

Initially, only something like 5000 copies were made of the first pressing.
Thanks to lots of airplay on the once-great KISS radio station in San Antonio, Ruff Mix became one of the most sought-after rare albums.

This album still holds its own quite well, 30 years later.
It is compellingly emotional and the keyboards are exquisite! Heavy by the 1970s standards, might not seem so heavy now, but still ROCKS!



Peanut Butter Yoni:


Track List:
01 - For Pat
02 - Peanut Butter Yoni
03 - Second Time Blues
04 - Love Poem
05 - Doodley Squat # 1
06 - Doodley Squat# 2
07 - Doodley Squat # 3
08 - Last Song

Personnel:
Duane Massey – Keyboards, Horns, Vocals
Richard Heath – Guitars, Vocals
Marty Naul – Percussion
Newt Bildo - Bass

[ Rip and Scans by LARRY ]
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The Sensational Alex Harvey Band - The Impossible Dream / Tomorrow Belongs To Me (1974-1975 scotland hard, blues and glam rock - MP3 320K and FLAC)

Combining the Sensational Alex Harvey Band's third and fourth albums, The Impossible Dream and Tomorrow Belongs To Me, offers perhaps the archetypal vision of Alex Harvey, as his long-nurtured alter-ego, the comic book hero Vambo, finally burst out of imagination to take on a life of his own on stages across the world. Yet what would become the group's most successful albums also stand as their patchiest.

From The Impossible Dream, "River Of Love," "Long Hair Music," and "Weights Made Of Lead" seem particularly throwaway; casualties, perhaps, of the sheer volume of live work which the band was putting in.

Certainly there was nothing to rival its predecessors' "Faith Healer," "Next," or "Isabel Goudie," although when the album was good, it was great.

The sparkling "Sergeant Fury" and "Tomahawk Kid," a dramatic (if slightly off-kilter) tribute to Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island were already live staples, while the impossibly moving, and so aptly-titled "Anthem" would allow Harvey to live out all his Scottish pride -- when SAHB toured the US in early 1975, he even arranged for a couple of bagpipers to join them on stage for the closing minutes of the song.

Tomorrow Belongs To Me is weaker still, despite the uniform excellence of its contents onstage.

Indeed, like Impossible Dream's "Hot City Symphony," the epic "Give My Compliments To The Chef" and "Tale Of The Giant Stone-Eater" were surely designed with live, as opposed to studio, dynamics in mind, while the bulk of the shorter pieces once more tend to be throwaways.

Again, however, there are exceptions -- one can readily imagine "Sgt. Fury" swaggering carelessly down through menacing shadows of "Action Strasse," while the almost religious intensity with which Harvey emotes the title track (from the stage show Cabaret) is virtually worth the price of admission alone.

One can also safely say that, linked on one CD, the two albums work better as a whole than they ever did alone -- again, testament to the sheer dynamic of SAHB-period live shows.

That the best of that show is preserved only on the criminally short album Live on the Test only adds to this set's vitality.

Live on the Test showcases the best, but you should hear the rest. (All Music Guide review by Dave Thompson).


Give My Compliments To The Chef:


CD1 - The Impossible Dream:
01."Hot City Symphony Part 1: Vambo"
02."Hot City Symphony Part 2: Man in the Jar"
03."River of Love"
04."Long Hair Music"
05."Hey"
06."Sergeant Fury"
07."Weights Made of Lead"
08."Money Honey"/"The Impossible Dream" (Jesse Stone, Mitch Leigh, Joe Darion)
09."Tomahawk Kid"
10."Anthem"

CD2 - Tomorrow Belongs To Me:
01."Action Strasse"
02."Snake Bite"
03."Soul In Chains"
04."The Tale of The Giant Stoneater"
05."Ribs and Balls"
06."Give My Compliments To The Chef"
07."Shark's Teeth"
08."Shake That Thing"
09."Tomorrow Belongs To Me" (Fred Ebb, John Kander)
10."To Be Continued...(Hail Vibrania!)"


The Impossible Dream:
*Alex Harvey - Lead vocals, rhythm guitar
*Zal Cleminson - Guitar
*Chris Glen - Bass guitar
*Hugh McKenna - Keyboards, synthesizer
*Ted McKenna - Drums
*Vicky Silva - Vocals on "Anthem"

Tomorrow Belongs To Me:
*Alex Harvey - Lead vocals, guitar, harmonica
*Zal Cleminson - Guitar, backing vocals
*Chris Glen - Bass guitar, backing vocals
*Hugh McKenna - Keyboards, synthesizer, backing vocals
*Ted McKenna - Drums, percussion, backing vocals
*Barry St. John, Liza Strike, Vicki Brown - Backing vocals on "Action Strasse" & "Soul In Chains"


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Three-Headed Dog - Hound Of Hades (1974 uk hard rock and hard progressive - APE lossless audio format)

Three-Headed Dog - Hound of Hades CD. Previously unreleased early 70s underground hard progressive rock masters unearthed from the infamous Birmingham rock scene which brought us such luminaries as Judas Priest and Black Sabbath.

Three-Headed Dog were among the lesser known and more obscure acts playing the circuit which included others like Iron Claw, Necromandus and Flying Hat Band.

Their sound being compared to early Priest, Wishbone Ash and Wild Turkey.

This CD also features a few bonus tracks from other rare bands of the era discovered in the studio's archives.

This stuff sounds pretty amatuer and like it was transferred direct from tapes with no noise reduction or enhancement whatsoever, so if you can't listen to anything without top studio production you'll want to look elsewhere (by rockadrome.com).

Slick Solution:


Track List:
01.Slick Solution
02.Cerberus
03.Butterfly
04.Gone Blue
05.Just Gotta Play
06.25 or 6 to 4
07.Stallion - All of the While*
08.Khayyam - Eternal Prison*
09.Khayyam - Collusion*
10.Zella Studios Acetate - Mystery track*


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[ Thank you LARRY for complete scans ]
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The Running Man - The Running Man (1972 uk a fusion of hard rock, prog, free jazz, acid - MP3 320K and WAV)

One of 1972's one-shot bands was THE RUNNING MAN, genuinely credited as a project overseen by Ray RUSSELL or, simpler, one of his numerous records.

On the other hand, there's enough to talk related to the experience of this band and its good work - washed away by the insignificant reception - or its key interest in classic prog (slightly different from Russell's Canterbury-fusion other teasers), fixated within the album's highlights.

Except Gary Windo's (Centipede, Carla Blay, projects with Nick Mason) exotic sax and Russell's distinct guitar, vocalist Alan Greed (also playing piano or bass), Alan Rushton on drums and Jeff Watts on bass even out the sound.

There are close ties between Russell and all the other musicians, given either prior collaborations (like Rushton being part of Russell's Quartet from '68), either further ones (Rushton again and Windo resuming roles on Secret Asylum, Alan Greed appearing on the Live At The I.C.A. retrospective, or Jeff Watts joining on another side-project, Mouse).

Released by RCA Records' Neon, The Running Man is mostly an art-rock expression, perhaps extending a bit towards jazz-rock as well.

References to it are rather peculiar, from CREAM, hints of David BOWIE or Clark Hutchinson to PROCOL HARUM or BJH, something that highlights the soft, "crossover" counterpart of the music.

In other words, a mixture of "catchy melodies, harsh rock singing and jazzy improvisations", of a central prog brew to which not-so-focused more minor styles or the dizzy rock sound all express cut-and-dried contrasts and loosening.



Find Yourself:


Track List:
01 - Higher & Higher
02 - Hope Place
03 - Nicholas
04 - Another
05 - Find Yourself
06 - Look & Turn
07 - If You Like
08 - Spirit
09 - Children
10 - Running Man

Personnel:
Ray Russell - Guitar, Bass
Alan Greed - Vocals, Keyboards
Alan Rushton - Drums
Gary Windo - sax
Harry Beckett - Trumpet, Flugel horn


[ Rip and Scans by LARRY ]
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