terça-feira, 30 de setembro de 2008

PROGRAMA ROCK N' ROLL GOLDMINE


THE BLOG "VENENOS DO ROCK" IN THE RADIO!! ALL THE SUNDAYS!!

WHO LIKES IT MY BLOG AND GOOD MUSIC can listen to my program to live in radio UNIJUÍ FM. The name of the program is ROCK N' ROLL GOLDMINE. The best of the rock of years 60 and 70. Only Good Poisons.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED MY RADIO PROGRAM "ROCK N' ROLL GOLDMINE"!! ALL THE SUNDAYS NIGHTS 8 HOURS OF THE NIGHT (8:00 PM) IN THE UNIJUI FM RADIO!! TO LISTEN IT GOES TO THE ADDRESS http://www.unijui.edu.br/ LINK UNIJUI FM AND LATER CLICK IN "OUÇA ON LINE"!!
VERY GOOD THE PROGRAM OF THE BLOG VENENOS DO ROCK!!
Prezados amigos envenenados:

Informo a vocês que quem gosta de boa música pode escutar o meu programa ao vivo na rádio UNIJUÍ FM. Neste programa que intitulei de ROCK N'ROLL GOLDMINE, mando bala no que há de melhor do rock fora dos padrões comerciais dos anos 60 e 70!!

Pra escutar o programa é só entrar no site
http://www.unijui.edu.br/ clicar no link UNIJUI FM e aí é só clicar no link OUÇA ON LINE que está no canto superior direito do site!! O programa vai ao ar todos os domingos às 20 horas.

Um final de domingo com boa música aos envenenados do blog Venenos do Rock. É só escutar o ROCK N'ROLL GOLDMINE!!

Um abraço e espero que se liguem
todos os domingos!!

sexta-feira, 26 de setembro de 2008

FRESH BLUEBERRY PANCAKE - Heavy (1970 US Hard Rock Fuzzy)


POWER TRIO MUITO LOUCO FORMADO NA FILADELFIA E QUE LANÇOU APENAS ESTE EXCELENTE ALBUM DE HARD ROCK COM VÁRIA FUSÕES ENTRE O PSICODÉLICO, O BLUES E OUTROS RITMOS COM UMA SONORIDADE ÍMPAR!! SOM DE ÓTIMA QUALIDADE!! VENENO ALTAMENTE RECOMENDADO!!

This unknown beauty was only released as a testpressing in USA in 1970 of 52 copies. Real heavy Psychedelic like Butterfingers, Betty or Stack, fuzzguitar, soundeffects, the whole thing. Comes in great commic cover (the original had only a stamped white cover). Maybe the last-unknown-never-reissued-before-heavy-Psychmonster.

We don't know too much about this US trio other than their album was recorded in Philadelphia in 1970. It's an excellent disc with searing lead guitar and cool organ work reminsicent of early Zeppelin, Grand Funk or even MC5, whilst the vocals have a weird vibrato quality. Highly prized by lovers of late '60's US private heavy fuzz albums. (Freak Emporium)

This is a record no one heard (54 copies were pressed, total) back when it was not-really-released (in 1970) from a band no one outside the greater Pittsburgh area had ever heard of. Plus it's psychedelic power-trio hippie stuff with really annoying wavery vocals and smack-yr-head lyrics and some wanky-ass proto-metal guitar jazz/blues jams. It's now been re-released by Shadoks, but I cannot imagine that anyone is asking for it.

Nonetheless, it's awesome. You can appreciate it on two different levels: 1) oh my god this is so awful and out of time that it's fun; and 2) against all odds, it rocks like a damned beast. Yeah, I imagine these three dudes had heard a lot of Iron Butterfly (Heavy is a very popular album name) and Hendrix and all them usual suspects, but John Behrens's guitar playing is nice and loud and gothic, and Geoff Rydell is a capably unimaginative drummer, and Tony Impavido's bass playing is better than his singing.

Look, this shoulda gotten these guys a record deal, and the fact that it didn't probably spared us from/deprived us of a really weird album. Bad choices abound; "Bad Boy Turns Good" has some hyperactive overdone harmonica to go along with its neanderboogie, and the way-misplaced "I Call Him Lord" may be the song LEAST likely to make people convert to Christianity ever recorded. And whoever decided "My feet are draggin' / My lips are saggin'" was a good rhyme with which to open "Sleep Bound" needs to be retroactively made fun of.

But, after you hear a few songs, you start getting into it a little. Well, okay, not "you" so much as "I." When they wanna rock, they don't mess around, like on the opener "Hassles," which fuses a Zep-like riff with Impavido's very Grace Slick vocal attack to create a soundtrack for bitching about The Man and boasting about how he plays his "ax" very very very well and if you don't believe it you can go to hell. When Behrens cuts loose, it's pedestrian and lowest common denominator and all that ... but it's also really satisfying and cool.

I know, against all odds. But it's pretty fun, if you're either a hardcore ironist or a lover of obscure Pittsburgh psychedelic bands or (maybe just maybe) you don't snob yourself out of existence and you like fun music when it's kinda dumb sometimes.

01 - Hasless
02 - Being In Town
03 - Clown On A Rope
04 - Bad Boys Turns Good
05 - I Call Him Lord
06 - Down On The Farm
07 - Where's The Sun
08 - Sleep Bound
09 - Stranded


http://www.mediafire.com/download/k5fjebbxvy2hjyu/FreshBluePancake-Venenos.rar

quarta-feira, 24 de setembro de 2008

Headband - A Song For Tooley (1973 Australian Psych Pop Rock)


BOA BANDA AUSTRALIANA QUE FAZIA UM SOM QUE BEIRAVA A UM ESTILO POP PSICODÉLICO E EM CERTOS MOMENTOS BEIRANDO AO JAZZ E AO PROGRESSIVO!! UM DISCO BEM INTERESSANTE E RARO!!

A blues rock band who were based in Adelaide and played between 1972-74. Their sole album sold quite well spending five weeks in the charts and making the Top 50. Prior to this they'd recorded a couple of lightweight pop singles, the second of which was a minor hit.

Their album is patchy and encompasses a wide range of styles. A Song For Tooley is psych-pop, Headsong is good-time pop, Land Of Superears veers towards a jazzy feel, Country Lady is a tedious country-tinged song and some cuts like Brand New Morning, Wait Until Tomorrow and Goodbye Mother Nature are pretty dire. Stay With Me with its fuzz guitar and Children's Dreams are among the better cuts. All the tracks were penned by Mauri Berg (or co-written by Berg and keyboardist Peter Beagley). The album featured a fold-out insert with photos and biographical details of band members and the cover art is stunning.

Bassist Chris Bailey had previously been in Red Angel Panic and went on to play in Aussie pub rock outfit The Angels. Berg and skinman Joff Bateman were later half of Mickey Finn.

Chris Bailey - Vocals, Bass
Joff Bateman – Drums
Peter Beagley (aka Peter Head) – Keyboards
Mauri Berg – Guitar

01. A Song For Tooley
02. Land Of Supercars
03. Stay With Me
04. My Younf Friend
05. Headsong
06. Country Lady
07. Children's Dreams
08. Wait Until Tomorrow
09. Brand New Morning
10. Goodbye Mother Nature

http://rapidshare.com/files/148025832/Headband_Venenos.rar

segunda-feira, 22 de setembro de 2008

The Artwoods - 100 Oxford Street (1964-1966 UK 60s Rock)


PRIMEIRA BANDA DE "JOHN LORD" TECLADISTA DO DEEP PURPLE!!
ARTWOODS ERA O LEGÍTIMO REPRESENTANDO DO QUE DENOMINAMOS "BIG BAND"!! É SÓ OBSERVAR OS COMPONENTES DELA E VERÁ QUE ISSO É VERDADEIRO!! "KEEF HARTLEY" (JOHN MAYALL & BLUESBREAKERS), "JOHN LORD" (DEEP PURPLE), "ART WOOD" (SMALL FACES), QUE ERA IRMÃO DE RON WOOD (STONES) E "MALCOLM POOL" (ACCOLADE E COLOSSEUM)!!  O SOM É MUITO BOM COM MÚSICOS COMPETENTES!! É ROCK DOS ANOS 60 DA MELHOR SAFRA COM TECLADOS, SAX E UMA SONORIDADE QUE ESTAVA BEM A FRENTE DE OUTRAS BANDAS DA ÉPOCA!! VENENO SESSENTISTA ALTAMENTE RECOMENDADO!!


One of the main reasons behind Making Time is to cover not only the best known artists but also those who do have have the same level of awareness but that have nevertheless made an important contribution to 1960s British music. The Artwoods claim to fame was that they boasted Art Wood, brother of Ronnie, and Jon Lord, later to appear in Deep Purple. The members came from other bands. The drummer Keef Hartley had replaced Ringo Starr in Rory Storm and the Hurricanes.

The band played on the first live edition of Ready Steady Go where they promoted their first single Sweet Mary, the opening track on this CD. However, the band never matched its live reputation gained in the pubs and clubs of London on record despite releasing an LP, an EP and a number of singles. Some sources claim that I take What I Want charted although this is not collaborated my own sources.

The band lasted until 1967 when they changed into St Valentine's Day Massacre. Keef Hartley later moved to John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, Jon Lord joined the Flowerpot Men and then Deep Purple. Derek Griffiths the guitarist moved to playing sessions. Art Wood teamed up briefly with former Small Faces to form Quiet Melon with his brother Ronnie and a singer called Rod Stewart. This evolved into the Faces.

100 Oxford Street includes A and B sides of the first four Artwoods singles as well as the fifth A side I Feel Good. Other tracks are credited to the Decca release LK 4830 which could be an EP.



Art Wood (Small Faces) - vocals
Derek Griffiths - guitar
Keef Hartley (John Mayall) - drums
Malcolm Pool (Accolade and Collosseum) - bass

quinta-feira, 18 de setembro de 2008

Fraction - Moon Blood (1970 US Hard Psych)


ÓTIMA BANDA AMERICANA RADICADA EM LOS ANGELES COM UMA IDENTIDADE SONORA PRÓPRIA, MAS SOANDO COMO UMA MISTURA DE "THE DOORS" COM A INTENSIDADE DE UM "MC5" OU "STOOGES", ADICIONA-SE AÍ A PITADAS DE KAUTROCK AO ESTILO "HAIRY CHAPTER" E CHEGAMOS PERTO DA DEFINIÇÃO DO ESTILO DA BANDA!! O VOCALISTA JIM BEACH TEM O VOCAL SUJO, RASGADO, POTENTE E LIGEIRAMENTE LEMBRA JIM MORRISON, O QUE COMBINA BEM COM A POTENTE GUITARRA FUZZY DE DON SWANSON!! VENENO RECOMENDADO!!

"This 1971 release on the Angelus label (Angelus 571) was limited to only 200 copies, so originals are worth a small fortune. Fraction, with vocalist Jim Beach bearing an uncanny vocal resemblance to Jim Morrision (although he was singing on Sunset Strip long before Morrison took to the stage), were often compared favourably with the Doors, although their quasi-religious message would probably not have found favour with the recently-departed Morrison. Indeed, this rather fine album was once famously described as the album the Doors probably wished they had made! Underpinned by guitarist Don Swanson's superb Ritchie Blackmorestyle guitar work, this is an album full of beautiful psychedelia, acid and hard rock, at once emblematic of the era but not
dated by its association. The five original compositions are all of the highest quality and the contribution of Beach's Morrison-esque vocals place a stamp of originality on the recording that endures from beginning to end."

*Jim Beach: Lead Vocals
*Don Swanson: Lead Guitar
*Curt Swanson: Percusion
*Victor Hemme: Bass Guitar
*Robert Meinel: Rhythm Guitar

01.Sanc-Divided - 3.52
02.Come Out Of Her - 4.57
03.Eye Of The Hurricane - 8.55
04.Sons Come To Birth 5.26
05.This Bird - 4.38
06.Sky High - 3.24

http://rapidshare.com/files/142098834/Fraction_Venenos.rar

Pot Liquor - Levee Blues 1970 & Louisina Rock and Roll 1974


DOIS VENENOS NUM FRASCO SÓ!! BANDA DA LOUISIANA QUE FAZIA UM SOM QUE PASSEAVA PELO COUNTRY, BLUES, SOUTHERN ROCK E HARD ROCK!! DOIS ALBUNS DE CONSIDERÁVEL RARIDADE E MUITO BOM SOM!!

Potliquor hailed from Louisiana and straddled the line between country, blues, southern rock and hard rock...all the while throwing in horns just to keep things fresh. With a powerful singer in George Ratzlaff, Potliquor were able to muster some pretty inspired moments on vinyl. This, their elusive second album, "Levee Blues" is widely considered their artistic peak. With an ensemble of female background vocalists in tow, the album bears a certain gospel charm that some of their other efforts were missing. This is a passionate and visceral collection of songs and any lover of the aforementioned genres would be well served to check them out. Ripped from vinyl, here it is, "Levee Blues".

All music says it's southern rock. I'd call it blues-rock with a touch of southern influence and a huge injection of hard rock on several songs. Pot Liquor's first LP from 1970 called Levee Blues. To me it's kind of like Trapeze's album You Are the Music as the ballads are soft and mellow but the rockin' songs are total pounders. Good stuff.

http://rapidshare.com/files/145701963/Pot_Liquor_VenenosdoRock.rar

quarta-feira, 17 de setembro de 2008

Oly Jr. - Pirataria Autorizada (Compilation Brazilian Folk Rock Blues)


RARE AND GOOD POISON!! FOLK ROCK BLUES OF HIGH QUALITY!! MY OLD FRIEND AND MUSICIAN OF QUALITY TO BE BETWEEN THE POISONS!! A COMPILATION CHOSEN FOR THE AUTHOR!! THE BEST ONES OF THE 10 YEARS OF ROAD!! FOLK ROCK WITH STRONG INFLUENCES BLUES!! HARP, ACUSTIC GUITAR, MANDOLIN AND OTHERS MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS THEY MAKE OF THIS ALBUM A GOOD POISON!! RECOMMENDED!! POISON WITHOUT CONTRAINDICATION!!
VENENO RARO, BOM E GAÚCHO!! OLY JR. ALÉM DE SER UM VELHO PARCEIRO FAZ UM SOM FOLK BLUESY DE MUITO BOA QUALIDADE E MERECE ESTAR ENTRE OS VENENOS!! EM 10 ANOS DE CARREIRA ELE JÁ LANÇOU 7 DISCOS, SENDO QUE ESTE ALBUM É UMA COLETÂNEA EM QUE O PRÓPRIO AUTOR ESCOLHEU AS SUAS MELHORES COMPOSIÇÕES DESSA SUA DÉCADA DE ESTRADA!! VENENO RECOMENDADO PRA QUEM GOSTA DE CONHECER NOVOS TALENTOS E CERTAMENTE PRA QUEM GOSTA DE UM BOM FOLK ROCK COM FORTES PITADAS BLUES!! HARMÔNICA, VIOLÃO ACÚSTICO, BANDOLIN E MAIS OS TRADICIONAIS INSTRUMENTOS FAZEM DESTE DISCO UM VENENO DE BOM EFEITO E CERTAMENTE SEM CONTRA-INDICAÇÕES!!

"Esse disco é o fechamento de um ciclo, o minimo da minha carreira musical que eu gostaria de mostrar para qualquer ser humano ou qualquer outro ser, até esse momento. Aqui tem músicas de um disco chamado "Tó Na Mira", o primeiro da minha carreira solo, gravado com a celteza que daquele momento em diante eu estaria na mira dos mais diferentes conceitos e opiniões. Passando pelos discos "Ineditismo Barato', "Na Capa Da Gaita"(Gaspo Harmõnica & Oly Jr.), tem músicas de um disco que nem se quer foi lançado, chamado "Diário De Um Louco', um trabalho que lancei via internet chamado "Algumas Canções", e alguns takes gravados em forma de singles, que não fazem palte de nenhum trabalho conceitual." Oly Jr.

Sobre Oly Jr:
Vida & Obra: Oly Jr. nasceu em 03 de Março de 1977 em Porto Alegre/RS. Começou sua carreira musical em 1998 tocando blues em uma banda chamada D’Blues. Apresentavam-se basicamente para o público universitário. Depois formou a banda Mendigos da Noite em 1999. No ano 2000 começam a tocar pelos bares de Porto Alegre e no interior do Estado em formato acústico. A banda entra então para a Gravadora FRAN DISCOS de Porto Alegre e grava seu primeiro e único CD homônimo e passaram a divulga-lo se apresentando em teatros e casas de shows da cidade. A banda se desfez em meados de 2002. O caminho de Oly Jr. Só poderia ser um... a música. Começou então a sua carreira solo tocando voz, violão e gaita de boca nos bares da cidade. Eventualmente se apresentava também com banda Baby Blues (que também fundou), fazendo um Especial Janis Joplin. Em meados de 2003 grava seu primeiro CD Independente solo, intitulado ''Tô na Mira'', gravado no Estúdio ''C'' da ACIT e produzido por Egisto dal Santo. É um trabalho extremamente pessoal, feito com poucos instrumentos (violão, bandolim, contra-baixo e gaita de boca) mas com um conceito musical bem formado. No ano de 2004, Oly entrou no estúdio para gravar o que seria seu segundo trabalho. Um projeto de disco intitulado “Diário De Um Louco”, que nunca chegou ao estado material. O projeto chegou a ser gravado e também produzido por Egisto , mas até o presente momento, não foi lançado. Em 2005 é lançado seu segundo disco solo, o “Ineditismo Barato”, que foi gravado ao vivo no estúdio Live em Porto Alegre. Também em 2005 é lançado o disco “Na Capa da Gaita”, trabalho de Oly Jr. em parceria com o gaitista de boca Gaspo “Harmônica”, um trabalho voltado às raízes do blues. Oly também gravou por conta própria, um disco que está engavetado; Um projeto com 10 poesias de Mário Quintana musicadas por Oly, no formato voz, violão e gaita de boca. Uma singela homenagem ao grande poeta gaúcho. Em 2007 lança um trabalho chamado "Algumas Canções", um disco virtual contendo 10 faixas inéditas que foram disponibilizadas para dowload. Nesse ano lançou também o disco "Onde Está O Meu Dinheiro...", segundo disco em parceria com Gaspo "Harmônica". E também em 2007, Oly Jr. lançou sua tão esperada coletânea, denominada "Pirataria Autorizada"; Um disco que reúne as melhores canções em 10 anos de carreira, segundo o próprio autor. Além dos shows convencionais, onde mistura suas composições a de artistas que o influenciam, Oly ainda tem dois projetos paralelos: Um projeto intitulado “Revisitando Bob Dylan”, onde ele interpreta releituras de algumas canções de Bob Dylan, em formato solo ou com uma banda de apoio. O outro projeto consiste em apresentações solo de Oly Jr. no formato voz, violão e gaita boca (ou eventualmente com participações de outros músicos), reproduzindo canções sulistas que ele mais admira. Canções estas, que fazem parte da história cultural do Rio Grande do Sul, de artistas que fizeram e fazem parte do cenário musical do estado, como Nei Lisboa, Bebeto Alves, Kleiton & Kledir, Vitor Ramil, Almôndegas, Fughetti Luz, Mutuca, Lupicínio Rodrigues, Julio Reny, Frank Jorge, Garotos Da Rua, TNT, Cascavelletes, Engenheiros do Hawaii e etc. Ou seja, referências musicais regionais que influenciam direta e indiretamente Oly Jr.. Agora Oly lança sua mais nova concepção musical: A "Milonga Blues" Misturando elementos da milonga gaúcha com o slide blues americano.

1- 08:35 AM Ineditismo Barato, 2005
2- RUA DA PRAIA Musffek Take, 2007
3- NOSSO CASO FICOU NO AR Inedilismo Barato, 2005
4- EU TAMBÉM JÁ CHOREI Musitek Take, 2007
5- I DON'T BELlEVE Ineditismo Barato, 2005
6- NADA ALÉM Inedffismo Barato, 2005
7- MARIE ANN T6 Na Mira, 2003
8- SUA FILHA Algumas Canções, 2007
9- ATÉ QUANDO Algumas Canções, 2007
10- TEU OLHAR Algumas Canções, 2007
11. SABE-SE LÁ Algumas Canções, 2007
12-IGNORANDO OS FATOS Tõ Na Mira, 2003
13- EU AINDA ESTOU AQUI Algumas Canç6es, 2007
14- ONDE ESTÁ O MEU DINHEIRO? Na Capa da Gaita, 2005
15- TENTANDO ME ACABAR Musitek Take, 2007
16- ONDE ESTÃO SEUS AMIGOS? Ineditismo Barato, 2005
17- ERA UMA NOITE FRIA Diário de um Louco, 2004
18- EU TÔ NO OSSO Diário de um Louco, 2004
19-ESTAVANAMIRA Musilek Take, 2007


NEW LINK OK!!!http://www.megaupload.com/?d=XQG90POO

terça-feira, 16 de setembro de 2008

The Freak Scene & The Devils Anvil (1967 US Psychedelia Rock Middle East)


PSICODELIA E ROCK DO ORIENTE MÉDIO!! DUAS BANDAS INTERLIGADAS DISPONIBLIZADO EM UM SÓ CD!! A CAPA MOSTRA O DESERTO E PIRÂMIDES DO EGITO, MAS NÃO SE ENGANE, A MAIOR PARTE DOS CARAS ERAM ÁRABES AMERICANOS DE NOVA YORK, MESMO QUE O SOM SEJA UM AUTÊNTICO ROCK DO ORIENTE MÉDIO IGUAL FAZIAM SEUS CONTERRÂNEOS TURCOS, COMO POR EXEMPLO, ERKIN KORAY E MOGOLLAR!! UM CONHECIDO DO ROCK FEZ PARTE DA BANDA, "FELIX PAPPALARDI", DA POPULAR BANDA MOUNTAIN!! ALBUM DE COLECIONADOR E EXTREMAMENTE RARO!! TENTEM TRADUZIR E LER A HISTÓRIA DOS CARAS QUE SEGUE ABAIXO E VEJAM QUE INTERESSANTE ESTE ALBUM!!

In light of recent events, we figured that this reissue of "Hard Rock From the Middle East" would make a great choice for record of the week...no, we don't mean 'cause of the current war, we mean because of the popularity of the "Turkish Delights" and "Hava Narghile" compilations 'round these parts. We've been super-into those collections of fuzzed-out '60s Middle Eastern psych-rock this year, as are quite a few of you, judging by their still-booming sales. So, when we recently discovered this 1998 cd that contains the reissued The Devil's Anvil album, it quickly became a favorite at AQ.

The cover art shows the band hangin' in the desert in front of the pyramids of Egypt -- but don't be fooled, they were actually mostly Arab-Americans, based in New York City. Still, their rock n' roll was as authentically "Middle Eastern" as their Turkish contemporaries. They could have held their own with the likes of Erkin Koray and Mogollar.

Ok, now we'd better explain about this particular cd (pay attention, it gets kinda confusing): Sony's Collectables has reissued two long-out-of-print 1967 albums by two totally different bands on *one* disc. The bands are tenuously connected through the friendship of The Freak Scene's Rusty Evans and Felix Pappalardi of The Devil's Anvil, as the two had played together four years previous. Okay, so maybe it's a bit of a stretch putting these two albums together on one disc. Whatever. The real treasure here is The Devil's Anvil album.

The Devil's Anvil got together in the happenin' mid sixties Greenwich Village scene, playing their Middle Eastern influenced music at folk cafes and rock clubs. Eventually they hooked up with classical musician-turned-rocker Felix Pappalardi (producer of Cream's "Disraeli Gears", later to play alongside Leslie West in Mountain). He began playing bass with the band and eventually scored the group a record deal. The resulting album was truly one-of-a-kind and would certainly made greater impact had it not been released on the very eve of the Arab-Israeli war in 1967. Thus, no New York radio stations would play it and unfortunately the album has remained an expensive collector's find until now.

The rock contained herein is absolutely kick ass, with bluesy and impassioned Arabic vocals, electric (or at least amplified) oud, bouzouki, tamboura, durbeki as well as the usual rock suspects of (fuzz!) guitar, bass and drums. The majority of the tracks here are either rock arrangements of traditional Middle Eastern and Greek numbers or original compositions, but a couple are actually straight traditional numbers with no western instruments at all. Plus there's an excellent Middle Eastern-esque rock arangement of "Misirlou" that's perhaps the best version ever recorded, IMHO. And the record ends with a Devil's Anvil original that kinda reminds us of one of the Beatles' more Eastern-influenced tunes. This is about as good as it gets. Even if the Freak Scene album doesn't interest you at all, this cd is still worth buying for The Devil's Anvil alone. Very, very highly recommended! Nay, ESSENTIAL.

(As for The Freak Scene -- you might guess from that band's name and album title, The Freak Scene were a bit of a psychedelic-era novelty, a studio project put together by producer/songwriter Evans for CBS Records. The record exploits all of the trippy tropes of the times, from Eastern-raga modes to LSD-inspired lyrics. It's no classic, but does include at least one truly great psych-pop track, the Nuggets-worthy "A Million Grains of Sand". The Freak Scene also indulges in dated but amusing free-form sound-collage experiments like "...When In The Course of Human Events (Draft Beer, Not Students)" which tries to make a statement about the whole sixties counterculture vibe. It's a mix of Pete Seeger, Laugh-In, an LSD party -- Vietnam-era pop culture hippie kitsch -- consider it a free bonus that comes with The Devil's Anvil album.)

The Freak Scene:
01. A Million Grains Of Sand - The Freak Scene
02. '...When In The Course Of Human Events'- The Freak Scene
03. Rose Of Smiling Faces - The Freak Scene
04. Behind The Mind - The Freak Scene
05. The Subway Ride Thru Inner Space - The Freak Scene
06. Butterfly Dream - The Freak Scene
07. My Rainbow Life - The Freak Scene
08. The Center Of My Soul - The Freak Scene
09. Watered Down Soul - The Freak Scene
10. Red Roses Will Weep - The Freak Scene
11. Mind Bender - The Freak Scene
12. Grok! - The Freak Scene

The Devils Anvil:
13. Wala Dai - The Devil's Anvil
14. Nahna U Diab - The Devil's Anvil
15. Karkadon - The Devil's Anvil
16. Selim Alai - The Devil's Anvil
17. Isme - The Devil's Anvil
18. Besaha - The Devil's Anvil
19. Shisheler - The Devil's Anvil
20. Kley - The Devil's Anvil
21. Hala Hala - The Devil's Anvil
22. Treea Pethya - The Devil's Anvil
23. Misirlou - The Devil's Anvil
24. Teyeul Leili - The Devil's Anvil

http://rapidshare.com/files/145771006/Freak_Venenos.rar

Damnation of Adam Blessing...Plus (1969 USA Hard Psycho)

BEAUTIFUL POISON!! HIGH RARITY!! UM VENENO MARAVILHOSO E PERDIDO POR MUITO TEMPO!! UM ALBUM GENIAL!! OS CARAS FAZIAM UM HARD PSYCH DE PRIMEIRA LINHA!! UM VOCAL E GUITARRAS PODEROSAS, BOAS COMPOSIÇÕES E MUITA ENERGIA!! ESTA EDIÇÃO DA GRAVADORA AKARMA INCLUI MUSICAS EXTRAS PRA COMPLETAR O VENENO!! VENENO DO BOM, RARO E ALTAMENTE RECOMENDADO!!

Info:
... who were "far ahead of their time" and are now receiving growing critical acclaim --- by those in the know -- 35 years after the bands demise. This lavishly produced cd --The Damnation of Adam Blessing is considered their best albumn out of 4 produced from 1969-1972 -- but they are all heads over heels when compared to a lot of current "big name" staples of classic rock radio. DOAB recently played in Cleveland and Akron on April 27-28th (only the second time in 35 years!!!). Cookbook, Lonely, You Don't Love Me, PLUS a stunning version of the late Tim Rose penned classic "Morning Dew" shows that DOAB is one of the Great-great bands of ANY era.

On top of the recorded tracks -- 2 bonus tracks are included. Hands down -- "Floatin" was a show stopper back in the day --one of the all time enduring jams -- and it remains so for this legendary band. In sum -- buy this albumn and "take a technicolor daydream, and let your mind and soul unwind..

Adam Blessing - Lead Vocals
Ray Benich - Bass Guitar
Kenny Constable - Lead & Supporting Vocals
Jimmy Quinn - Rhythm Guitar - Supporting Vocals
Bobby Kalamasz - Lead Guitar - Supporting Vocals
Billy Schwark - Drums - Percussion

http://rapidshare.com/files/145650159/Damnation_Venenos.rar

segunda-feira, 15 de setembro de 2008

Blues Creation - Live 1971 (Japan Hard Rock Blues Psych)


MAIS UMA POSTAGEM DESTA BOA BANDA JAPONESA!! ESTE É UM ALBUM AO VIVO ONDE OS CARAS MOSTRAM TODA SUA ENERGIA NO PALCO, NUMA DAS SUAS MELHORES FASES E FAZENFO UM HARD ROCK BLUES PESADO DURANTE PRATICAMENTE TODA A APRESENTAÇÃO!! A FAIXA UNDERSTAND CONTA COM A PARTICIPAÇÃO DE UMA DAS MUSAS DO ROCK NIPÔNICO "CARMEN MAKI"!! BELO VENENO!!

Reissue of rare Japanese heavy blues acid psychedelic hard rock concert album from 1971!

BLUES CREATION - Live!

Straight from the Japan Folk Jamboree Circa 1971 comes Thee Mighty Blues Creation with their brand of electrified/electrifying bastardized heavy rock riffage. Yer unworthy earholes will have an audial orgasm as Lord of Hot Licks Kazuo ‘Flash’ Takeda and his band of not-so-merry-men stomp all over those foolish notions you had about what comprised Great Hard Rock.

Beginning in 1969 as a pedestrian, John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers imitation, Kaz saw the limitations of being a purist and drafted a whole new lineup to shit all over such pursuits. He undoubtedly sat down with a big reefer and half-consciously nodded his noggin along with the first Sabbath LP… and the stone was cast. The Blues Creation Mk. II (Vocalist Fumio Nunoya, bassist Takayuki Noji & Minister of Battery Shinichi Tashiro) unleashed their masterwork, “Demon & Eleven Children” in ‘70 to plenty o’ fanfare in their native Japan. They were so respected in fact, that their label, Columbia Japan, wanting a shot to sign then-free agent, but extremely popular pop diva Carmen Maki, used ‘em as bait to get her to sign on the dotted line (she’d been itchin’ to be taken seriously as a rock ‘n’ roller).

That collaboration, the imaginatively-titled, “Blues Creation & Carmen Maki” is unlistenable at worst and mediocre at best. Maki, despite having decent range, had horrible phrasing and quite frankly, had nary a rockin’ bone in her lovely body. The band pumped out their usually head-spinning thunder all to no avail. Luckily, she only appears on one track on this here live LP (the easily skippable “Understand”), their swansong. They torch Muddy’s “Rolling Stone” and gobble, chew and spit out Loudermilk-by-way-of-Blues-Magoos standard, “Tobacco Road”. The highlight though, is the fuck-the-overdubs, screw-the-subtlety version of “Demon & Eleven Children”– the boys positively rape their instruments on this ‘un. Don’t get much better’n this, kids.

01 - Rolling Stone
02 - Nightmare
03 - Drinkin' Blues
04 - Demon & Eleven Children
05 - Understand (Feat.Carmen Maki)
06 - Tobacco Road

http://rapidshare.com/files/145381575/Live1971_Venenos.rar

Flamin Groovies - Supersnazz (1968 USA Rock)


MAIS UMA POSTAGEM DESTA EXCELENTE BANDA AMERICANA!! ESTE É O PRIMEIRO DISCO DOS CARAS!! UMA OBRA!! VENENO RECOMENDADO!!

While fellow San Francisco bands like the Grateful Dead and Jefferson Airplane were dropping out and turning on, the Flamin' Groovies were revivalists hell-bent on mining '50s rock for inspiration. Despite playing the wrong kind of music at the wrong time, their cult-like success sparked by the 1967 mini-album SNEAKERS earned the Groovies a contract with Epic to record a full-length record.

Led by vocalist Roy Loney and guitarist Cyril Jordan, this Frisco quintet put together a debut overflowing with garage-rock brio on songs like the fuzz-guitar driven "Love Have Mercy" and the rollicking "The First One's For Free." Not surprisingly, the Flamin' Groovies pulled out all the stops in paying tribute to their idols. Highlights include a chugging version of Little Richard's "The Girl Can't Help It" along with a smoking medley of Eddie Cochran's "Somethin' Else" and the swing standard "Pistol Packin' Mama" (complete with Loney's hiccuping phrasing). Also notable is a laid-back reading of Huey P. Smith's "Rockin' Pneumonia and The Boogie Woogie Flu" that could have could have been the inspiration for John Lennon's ROCK 'N' ROLL album. Unfortunately, poor sales and anachronisms don't mix and Epic released the band after only one record.
-----------------------
AMG Review by John Dougan

For an unknown band, Epic sank a lot of money into this record, and wasn't happy when it didn't sell. But that's hardly the fault of the band, who sound great despite the intrusive overproduction of novice knob-twiddler Steve Goldman. Loney's yelping lead vocals are in fine form, and the rest of the band rocks with a reckless abandon and stunning succinctness that was totally out of step with the times.
-----------------------
Flamin Groovies First Album Is Their Best

Reviewer: A music fan

Wow, I can't believe no one has reviewed this. Could be that this first album, originally released in 1969, has been forgotten in favor of the band's later recordings like "Shake Some Action," which, being produced by Dave Edmunds, fit more neatly into the typical rock hack's categories--power-pop or whatever you want to call it. Still and all, I guess I like "Supersnazz" best of all the Flamin Groovies albums. The album both looks backward, to the Beatles and '50s rock and roll, and foreward to the revisionist bands of the '70s, like Big Star and the Raspberries. Whereas the Raspberries were crass and from Cleveland, and Big Star muted and from Memphis, the Groovies had a bit of San Francisco gaslight in their sound--a kind of rueful, civilized approach, an end-of-the-era sound. They never sounded so un-mannered again. Classics: "The First One's Free," "Laurie Did It," and "Brushfire." You want to hear where Wilco and all the rest come from, you could do worse than "Supersnazz." And remember, back in 1969, a lot of folks said that rock was dead, which may have been true, because an album like this, coming in the same year as the Stones' "Let It Bleed," seemed pretty insubstantial Now it sounds like a charming minor classic.

Roy A. Loney - lead vocals, rhythm guitar, acoustic guitar, clap
Cyril Jordan - lead guitar, vocals, acoustic guitar, clap
Tim Lynch - lead guitar, vocals, mouth harp, clap
George Alexander - bass guitar, vocals, mouth harp, clap
Danny Mihm - drums, percussion, insanity, clap

Additional personnel includes:
Tom Scott (clarinet);
Curtis Amy (saxophone);
Mike Lang (keyboards).

Track List
-----------------------
01. Love Have Mercy
02. The Girl Can't Help It
03. Laurie Did It
04. A Part From That
05. Rockin' Pneumonia And The Boogie Woogie Flu
06. The First One's Free
07. Pagan Rachel
08. Somethin' Else / Pistol Packin' Mama
09. Brushfire
10. Bam Balam
11. Around The Corner
-----------------------

http://rapidshare.com/files/145367119/Supersnazz_Venenos.rar

domingo, 14 de setembro de 2008

Flamin' Groovies - Yesterday's Numbers (US Compilation Garage Rock)


UMA GRANDE BANDA AMERICANA E QUE FAZIA UM SOM GARAGEIRO, UM ROCK N ROLL TRADICIONAL!! ENERGIA PURA!! BELO VENENO!!

O disco mais famoso deles atende pelo nome de ‘Shake Some Action’, foi lançado em 1976 e é um dos grandes clássicos do rock de todos os tempos. Mas, a banda tem, pelo menos, mais quatro grandes álbuns, a maioria deles reeditados apenas no Japão, como é o caso de ‘Now’, que só saiu nos Estados Unidos este ano. Três de seus integrantes, assim como a banda, são geniais, verdadeiras legendas do rock independente americano. Dois deles com carreira solo posteriores. Mesmo assim, o grupo dificilmente freqüenta as listas de ‘melhores’, seguindo sua sina de andar na contra mão.

Estamos falando da banda The Flamin’ Groovies, tão importante para a história do rock quanto desconhecida e pouco valorizada. Flamin’ Groovies surgiu em meados dos anos sessenta, em São Francisco, na Califórnia, em meio à explosão da invasão britânica, que marcou a sonoridade da banda para o resto da carreira. Os três primeiros discos da banda - ‘Supernazz’ (1969), ‘Flamin’o’ (70) e ‘Teenage Head’ (1971) – já mostravam a vocação rebelde da banda. Em plena onda do flower power, dominado por bandas como Jefferson Airplane e Grateful Dead, o Flamin’ Groovies lançava discos de rock and roll, digamos, ‘tradicional’.

Se no primeiro álbum, ‘Supersnazz’, o grupo atravessou o som “retrô” em meio à psicodelia dominante, no segundo, ‘Flamin’o’, investiu em outra direção, produzindo um dos sons mais avançados para aquele momento. Na faixa ‘Road House’, por exemplo, e em outras músicas, Flamin’ Groovies antecipa o psychobilly em mais de uma década, ao mesmo tempo em que também aponta para o punk. ‘Teenage Head’, de 1971, é como se fosse um ‘Sticky Fingers’ alternativo, poderoso e tão provocante em sua mistura de levadas ‘boogie’ e baladas soul. Apesar da qualidade e do caráter revolucionário de sua obra, a banda não atingiu o público, sendo empurrada para o anonimato.

Na época, a banda contava com sua formação original: Roy Loney (o lado rockabilly), Cyril Jordan (a parte Byrds), Danny Mihm, Tim Linch e George Alexander. No disco ‘Shake Some Action’, já sem Loney, a banda incorpora Chris Wilson a sua formação, que introduz o componente ‘Beatles & Stones’ com mais força na sonoridade dos Groovies. Em carreira solo, Roy Loney gravou diversos discos, como ‘Roy Loney & The Phantom Movers’ e ‘The Longshots’, com destaque para ‘Out After Dark’ (1979), ‘Having a Rock and Roll Party’ (1982), ‘The Scientific Bombs Away!!!’ (1988) e ‘Drunkard in The Think Tank’ (2004). Wilson também tem discos solos legais, especialmente ‘Randon Centuries’, praticamente só com voz e violão.

Sem Roy Loney, e com Chris Wilson à frente da banda, ao lado de Cyril Jordan, e em sintonia com sua trajetória, The Flamin’ Groovies explode em plena era punk com um disco totalmente “sixties”. Batizado ‘Shake Some Action’, o disco trazia guitarras e vocais à la Beatles 65, toques de Kinks e rock and roll na linha dos primeiros Stones. Para não deixar dúvidas, a banda agrega ao repertório próprio geniais covers para ‘Misery’ (Lennon & McCartney), ‘Don’t Lie To Me’ (Chuck Berry) e ‘She Said Yeah’ (Larry Williams). Gravado na Inglaterra, o disco foi produzido por Dave Edmunds que, pouco depois, também assinou os primeiros discos dos Stray Cats. Edmunds ainda produziu os discos ‘The Flamin’ Groovies Now!’ (1978) e ‘Jumpin’ In The Night’ (1979).

Em ‘Now’ e ‘Jumpin’ in The Night’, The Flamin’ Groovies radicaliza a linha “revival” e consegue soar, ao mesmo tempo, como Stones, Beatles, Byrds e John Lennon, entre outras influências, sem perder a identidade. Aquele som de guitarras Rickenbacker, vocais dobrados e sonoridade limpa, que na época poderia parecer ‘fora de moda’, nas décadas seguintes marcaram a história do rock, em discos de bandas como Stone Roses, Oasis ou, mesmo, os atuais Jet, para citar alguns exemplos. Além das composições de autoria de Jordan e Wilson, principalmente, os dois discos trazem mais covers do porte de ‘Fifthy Dimension’ (Byrds), ‘Paint it Black’ (Rolling Stones) e ‘Move It’ (Cliff Richard & The Shadows). Inéditos em CD até pouco tempo atrás nos Estados Unidos, ‘Now’ acaba de ser editado na terra dos Groovies, enquanto ‘Jumpin’ in The Night’ segue disponível apenas no Japão.

A longa e contraditória carreira dos Flamin’ Groovies produziu uma grande, complexa e dispersa discografia, que conta ainda com uma série de coletâneas de raridades, algumas delas indispensáveis. ‘California Bord and Bred’, por exemplo, traz versões alternativas e registros ao vivo, como as enérgicas releituras de ‘I Can’t Explain’, ‘Louie Louie’ e ‘Carol’. O CD ‘68/70’ resgata gravações dessa época, incluindo registros de shows ao vivo, do mesmo período, com excelente qualidade de som. Outros discos, com menos qualidade, como ‘A Collection Of Rare Demos & Live Recordings’, valem pelo repertório, que destacam covers de ‘Miss Amanda Jones’ e ‘Juping Jack Flash’, ambas dos Stones, entre outros.

Ainda hoje, os discos do Flamin’ Groovies soam atuais, o que faz deles, mais do que registros ‘de época’, obras-primas que sobrevivem às mudanças ocorridas no rock. Se, além de Pete Townshend e seu The Who, alguém merece a paternidade da invenção do ‘power pop’, ela deve ser creditada ao Flamin’ Groovies, por conta, especialmente, do disco ‘Shake Some Action’. A descoberta da banda, invariavelmente, leva os incautos neófitos ao vício e a busca desesperada por todos os seus discos, o que é uma tarefa, atualmente, difícil. Por isso, para começar, fica a sugestão de se começar por ‘Yesterday's Numbers’, coletânea que abrange todas as fases, reunindo um pouco dos melhores momentos da banda.

Texto do site Senhor F

compilation on the Camden label featuring 22 tracks from their early '70s albums 'Teenage Head' & 'Flamingo',

Guide Note


Founded by Roy Loney and Cyril Jordan in 1965, The Flamin' Groovies began as a gritty Stones-influenced garage rock band, but progressed in a more melodic direction, eventually gaining the label power-pop.
The turn toward pop began after Loney quit in 1971, leaving Jordan to create more tuneful sound. Songs like "Shake Some Action" and "You Tore Me Down" were a throwback to mid-60's pop-rock and British Invasion sounds. The music was strangely out of time in the early and mid-1970s, particularly in the band's native San Francisco, the world capital of psychedelic rock.

1. Teenage Head
2. Doctor Boogie
3. Yesterday's Numbers
4. Headin For the Texas Border
5. High Flyin Baby
6. Comin After You
7. City Lights
8. Have You Seen My Baby
9. 32-20
10. Whiskey Woman
11. Gonna Rock Tonite
12. She's Falling Apart
13. Evil Hearted Ada
14. Jailbait
15. Sweet Roll Me on Down
16. Second Cousin
17. Childhood's End
18. Keep a Knockin
19. Walkin the Dog
20. Around & Around
21. Rockin Pneumonia & The Boogie Woogie Flu
22. Going Out Theme

http://rapidshare.com/files/144940607/GROOVIES_Venenos.rar

sexta-feira, 12 de setembro de 2008

Blues Creation - Demon & Eleven Children (1971 Japan Hard Rock)


OUTRO DISCO DESTA BOA BANDA JAPONESA, AGORA MAIS HARD ROCK!! UM PETARDO NIPÔNICO!! RECENTEMENTE POSTEI O PRIMEIRO DISCO DOS CARAS QUE ERA BLUES DA GEMA!!

Blues Creation was the brainchild of guitarist/singer Kazuo Takeda. They were known as Blues Creation from 1969-1972 and after a three year hiatus returned as just Creation in 1975, not to be confused with the mid-60's British Blues Pop band known as The Creation.

Kazuo Takeda (guitar, vocals, harp, keyboards, percussion)
Fumio Nunoya (vocals)
Yoshiyuki Noji (guitar)
Jun Shinozaki (bass)
Mamoru Shimura (organ)
Eiryu Koh (guitar)
Shinichi Tashiro (drums)
Hiromi Osawa (vocals)
Masashi Saeki (bass)
Masayuki Higuchi (drums, percussion)

1 Atomic Bombs Away 5:31
2 Mississippi Mountain Blues 4:08
3 Just I Was Born 6:19
4 Sorrow 7:28
5 One Summer Day 2:21
6 Brain Buster 2:02
7 Sooner or Later 5:14
8 Demon and Elven Children 9:19

http://rapidshare.com/files/143204280/BCreation2_Venenos.rar

Raw Material - Raw Material (1970 UK Prog Rock)


MAIS UMA POSTAGEM DESTA EXCELENTE BANDA INGLESA!! ESTE É O PRIMEIRO ALBUM DA "RAW MATERIAL", UM VENENO MORTAL!! O SEGUNDO ALBUM JÁ HAVIA POSTADO RECENTEMENTE!!

Super rare UK progressive from the late '60s. Leaning in a psych direction with Doors like keyboards, 'Tull like flute, long tracks, quality vocals, varied instrumentation etc.This was Raw Material's self-titled maiden voyage in the studio, they would release one more album in 1971 titled Time Is. The sound created on this album was not as intense or complex as their second outing but it is a glimpse at what they would become.

This music was progressive but will most likely be looked upon as pre-progressive (i.e. Yes, Pink Floyd) by most fans and critics. Colin Catt, the vocalist and keyboard player, set the tone for the band with his trilling vocal style and Jon Lord/Deep Purple influenced keyboard playing.

Although this album has some of the fusion and jazz elements present, it is not a prevalent as their second album. Rock seems to be the foundation that everything else stems from on their freshman outing. It remains as a fine example of early prog-rock with the use of the flute, sax and harp. Although this may not be the best album that you have heard from that period of time it is good and worth checking out.

Reviews

Time is ... is a good example of the British early prog scene. A five-piece of drums, bass/a.guitar, keys/vox, guitars and sax/flute/vox, Raw Material have their roots in a blusey and often hard-rocking ground, but they branch out into interesting directions. The blaring sax work and the almost gothic vocal melody on the opening track "Ice Queen" evokes the spirit of King Crimson, while the second track "Empty Houses" is mostly a straight-ahead hardrocker but contains a calmer middle section with an interesting-sounding saxophone solo. "Insolent Lady" and "Sun God" are both longer (9 - 11 minutes), three-part compositions with folky acoustic moments, hard rock sections and then some keyboard-assisted (mainly organ and piano) pomposity that hints at the nascent symphonic rock sound of the time. Two quite straightforward rock tunes round out the album. Hardly an essential album, but certainly of interest to those wishing to explore the development of the genre. Raw but potent material. --

Colin Catt - Vocals, Keyboards
Mike Fletcher - Sax, Flute, Harp, Vocals
Dave Green - Guitar
Phil Gunn - Bass
Paul Young - Percussion

01. Time and Illusion-7:30
02. I'd Be Delighted-5:10
03. Fighting Cock-3:50
04. Pear On An Apple Tree-2:57
05. Future Recollections-3:55
06. Traveller Man-6:10
07. Destruction of America-2:27
08. Time and Illusion (Version)-3:11
09. Hi There Hallelujah-2:46
10. Bobo's Party-3:14
11. Days Of The Fighting Cock (Version)-3:09


http://rapidshare.com/files/144776485/RawMaterial1_Venenos.rar

REPOST: Titus Groan - Titus Groan (1970 UK Progressive Rock)


EXCELENTE BANDA PROGRESSIVA INGLESA E SEU ÚNICO ALBUM!! UMA PENA QUE PRODUZIU SÓ ESTE!! É COISA FINA IRMÃO!! COM SAX, FLAUTA E TECLADOS NA DOSE CERTA E QUE ACRESCENTADOS AOS INSTRUMENTOS TRADICIONAIS NASCEU ESTA OBRA PRIMA!! VENENO DE PRIMEIRA LINHA E DE EFEITO GARANTIDO!!

Although named after the main character of Mervyn Peake's gothic fantasy novel, Titus Groan played music definitely lacking in originality. Since all the tracks are over five minutes long, there is room for elaborate instrumental developments, which almost get exciting, but fall short from their goal. Their early progressive style is laced with large parts for wind, which at times makes for interesting listening, but ultimately the meagre compository skills make the wine too watery. By far the best cut is Hall Of Bright Carvings (title taken from Peake's novel as well), which is versatile and passionate, although at 11'50" inevitably too long. A few spins may be rewarding enough, more of this will probably bore you. Jim Toomey had earlier been in Jon, wrote What Did We Miss for Still Life with Stuart Cowell and was later in The Tourists. He also did some session for for Uriah Heep's Ken Hensley at the end of the '70s.

Tracklist:
01. It Wasn't For You (5:33)
02. Hall Of Bright Carvings (11:37)
a) Themeb) Dusty High-Value Hall
c) The Burning
d) Theme
03. I Can't Change (5:41)
04. It's All Up With Us (6:07)
05. Fuschia (6:18)

Total Time: 35:20

The Band:
Stuart Cowell - Keyboards, Guitar, Vocals
John Lee - Bass
Tony Priestland - Saxophone, Flute, Oboe
Jim Toomey - Drums

quarta-feira, 10 de setembro de 2008

The Byrds - Cruising Altitude (Compilation US Folk Rock Psych)


AMIGOS: THE BYRDS DISPENSA APRESENTAÇÕES!! ESTA POSTAGEM É UMA SIMPLES HOMENAGEM DO BLOG A UMA DAS MAIS IMPORTANTES BANDAS AMERICANAS DOS ANOS ANOS 60!! OS VELHOS PÁSSAROS EMPRESTARAM TALENTO A GRUPOS DO PORTE DE "CROSBY, STILLS & NASH" OU "BUFFALO SPRINGFIELD"!! QUEM DIZ QUE NUNCA ESCUTOU THE BYRDS ESTÁ REDONDAMENTE ENGANADO, POIS VOCÊ CERTAMENTE JÁ OUVIU MUITO E NEM SABIA!!

Consistindo em uma mistura entre o folk rock de Bob Dylan e o som pop de The Beatles, a banda é considerada uma das mais importantes e influentes para o rock na década de 1960. Durante sua carreira ajudaram no desenvolvimento de gêneros como folk rock, space rock e rock psicodélico. Neste album tudo isso é muito bem representado.

O início
A banda foi formada em 1964 por Jim McGuinn (batizado como James McGuinn III, nascido em 13 de Julho de 1942 em Chicago, Illinois) (ele mudou o nome para Roger McGuinn in 1967), Gene Clark (batizado como Harold Eugene Clark, nascido em 17 de novembro de 1944 em Tipton, Missouri; morto em 24 de maio de 1991) e David Crosby (batizado como David Van Cortland Crosby, nascido em 14 de agosto de 1941 em Los Angeles). O baixista Chris Hillman (nascido em 4 de dezembro de 1944 em Los Angeles) e o baterista Michael Clarke (batizado como Michael Dick, nascido em 3 de junho de 1946, em New York; morto em 19 de dezembro de 1993) juntaram-se a banda depois.

Quando ainda eram um trio gravaram a música "The Only Girl I Adore" se autodenominando como The Jet Set. Após tornarem-se um quinteto eles passaram a ensaiar e gravar na World Pacific Studios em Los Angeles e lançaram um compacto com as músicas "Please Let Me Love You" e "Don't Be Long" sob o nome de The Beefeaters.

Folk Rock
Em 1964 assinaram um contrato com a Columbia Records e mudaram o nome para The Byrds. Em 20 de janeiro de 1965, eles gravaram a música "Mr. Tambourine Man", de autoria de Bob Dylan. A música ganhou um tratamento elétrico que ficou conehcido como folk rock. Atingiu o primeiro lugar nas paradas de sucesso americana e britânica.

Seu primeiro álbum que ganhou o nome de Mr. Tamborine Man atingiu as paradas de sucesso e contou com versões para outras composições de Bob Dylan (" "Spanish Harlem Incident", "All I Really Want to Do" e "Chimes of Freedom"), versão para a composição de Pete Seeger ("The Bells of Rhymney") além de composições próprias.

Após o álbum ainda em 1965, The Byrds gravaram uma adaptação que Pete Seeger fez para uma melodia tradicional cuja letra foi diretamente tirada da bíblia. A música "Turn! Turn! Turn!" tornou-se o segundo sucesso da banda e também atingiu o primeiro lugar e fez parte do segundo álbum lançado pela banda.

Rock Psicodélico
Cansados do folk rock começaram a experimentar novos sons. No final de 1965 gravaram "Eight Miles High", uma das primeiras músicas psicodélicas. A música foi lançada primeiramente em compacto em 1966 e depois junto ao álbum Fifth Dimension (em julho de 1966). Porém Gene Clark abandonou a banda antes do lançamento, em março.

Irritados com o sucesso produzido da banda americana The Monkees, The Byrds gravou a música "So You Want To Be A Rock'N'Roll Star", uma crítica ao negócio da música. A música fez parte do quarto álbum da banda Younger Than Yesterday.

Mudanças
Em 1967, começaram a surgir tensões na banda, McGuinn and Hillman começaram a ficar irritados com Crosby. Neste mesmo ano tocaram no Festival de Monterey, Crosby cantou a maioria das músicas e fez discursos entre as músicas sobre o assassinato de John Kennedy e sobre os benefícios do uso de LSD. Com as tensões aumentado a banda despediu Crosby que juntou-se a Stephen Stills e Graham Nash formando a banda Crosby, Stills & Nash. Gene Clark juntou-se a banda por três semanas mas após sua saída The Byrds chamou o baterista de estúdio Jim Gordon e o guitarrista Clarence White para finalizar o próximo álbum. Clarence White tornou-se membro da banda oficialmente. O álbum The Notorious Byrd Brothers foi lançado em 1968 que mixava o folk rock, rock psicodélico, jazz além da música country. Alguns críticos de música consideram este o melhor álbum do The Byrds.

Após o álbum, o The Byrds ficou reduzido a dois integrantes (McGuinn and Hillman) eles acabram chamando Kevin Kelley para assumir a bateria e Gram Parsons para os teclados (que posteriormente passou a ser guitarrista da banda).

Música Country
Com a nova formação a banda mudou de rumo novamente. Em janeiro de 1968 eles tocaram em Nashville e logo começaram a gravar um álbum ao estilo country, Sweetheart of the Rodeo. O álbum não atingiu muito sucesso e antes do lançamento Parsons abandonou a banda. Kelley largou a banda logo depois de Parsons. Para substitui-los foram contratados o baterista Gene Parsons e o guitarrista Clarence White. Dois shows após as novas contrataçoes Hillman abandonou a banda e em seu lugar entrou o baixista John York. Roger McGuinn era agora o único integrante presente desde o início da banda.

Após o álbum The Dr. Byrds & Mr. Hyde eles lançaram o álbum Ballad Of Easy Rider ambos de 1969. Em 1970 lançaram o álbum Untitled e no ano seguinte o Byrdmaniax que trouxe uma decepção pois o produtor Terry Melcher fez algumas alterações no álbum que desagradaram a banda.

Reunião
Em 1972, os cinco integrantes originais se reuniram e gravaram um álbum mas sem o nome da banda. O nome adotado foi "Gene Clark, Chris Hillman, David Crosby, Roger McGuinn, Michael Clarke" mas o álbum se chamou Byrds. Menos de um mês depois do álbum ser lançado eles realizaram o último show.

Mortes
Em 1973, Clarence White morreu atropelado e Gram Parsons de overdose de morfina misturada a alcool. Gene Clark e Michael Clarke morreram em 1991.

01. Mr Spaceman
02. John Riley
03. Roll Over Beethoven
04. So You Want To Be A Rock 'N' Roll Star
05. Have You Seen Her Face
06. My Back Pages
07 Tim Between
08. It Happens Each Day
09. Renaissance Fair
10. Everybody's Been Burned
11. The Girl With No Name
12. Triad
13. Lady Friend
14. Old John Robertson
15. Goin' Back
16. Draft Morning
17. Wasn't Born To Follow
18. Dolphin's Smile
19. Reputation
20. You Ain't Going Nowhere
21. The Christian Life
22. I Am A Pilgrim
23. Pretty Boy Floyd
24. You Don't Miss Your Water

terça-feira, 9 de setembro de 2008

Raw Material - Time Is...(1971 UK Prog Hard Rock)


ESTE VENENO É MORTAL!! UM DOIS GRANDES DISCOS DO INÍCIO DOS ANOS 70!! ESTE É O SEGUNDO ALBUM DOS CARAS!! LOGO VEM A POSTAGEM DO PRIMEIRO ALBUM QUE TAMBÉM É DOSE CAVALAR!!

Raw Material é um grupo inglês formado em Londres no início dos anos 70 e este disco, um clássico do selo Neon, é o segundo e último disco da banda e um pouco diferente do primeiro. Este disco é uma mescla perfeita de Space Rock, Progressivo e Blues onde se destaca um extraordinário trabalho de faluta e de uma guitarra acustica perfeita. Bom progressivo, baseado em riffs de sax e algumas vezes também uma guitarra mais pesada, acordes de órgão e teclados, uma flauta e vozes potentes. Pra que curte East of Eden, Jade Warrior ou Gravy Train, arrisco a dizer que Raw Material é superior a todos.Portanto, Progressivos ou não progressivos, blueseiros ou não blueseiros, amantes de um bom som em geral, digo....Eu não perderia! É VENENO PURO E MORTAL!!

Raw Material's second album is definitely a more consistant and even album than their debut. The main improvement would be the addition of lead guitarist Cliff Harewood. Raw Material is one of those groups that could typify best the term Proto-prog as their early and short career produced two adventuresome albums both much worth investigating.

If the debut was very uneven (having one track meandering into beatnick poetry) , this album's strong point is that there are no weak tracks. However of the six tracks present (a little error in the above informations) , none are really highlights or stand out that much as to create a masterpiece either. The three side A tracks are all fine , interesting prog involving good flute and sax work. Only the vocals are rather perfectible and some guitar work is a bit repetitive. Miracle Worker and Religion are a bit in the same mold but are shorter as to make room for the more imposing Sun God tracks with many mood changes and Floyd-esque athmospheres, but somehow the track has all of the asstes on its side but does not manage to take off to nirvana.

Raw Material's two album can be considered a bit as lost 70s nuggets/gems but are not really THE hidden treasure you were waiting for. Certainly worth discovering and a few spins but nothing worth writing a telegram home about either.

Line-up/Musicians
- Colin Catt / lead vocals, keyboards
- Mike Fletcher / saxophone, flute, vocals
- Dave Green / guitar- Phil Gunn / bass
- Cliff harewood / lead guitar
- Paul Young / drums, percussion

1. Ice Queen [6:45]
2. Empty Houses [7:32]
3. Insolent Lady [8:53]
a) By The Way
b) Small Thief
c) Insolent Lady
4. Miracle Worker [4:47]
5. Religion [4:27]
6. Sun God [11:14]
a) Awakening
b) Realisation
c) Worship

Electric Prunes - Long Day's Flight (Rare US Psychedelic Rock)


ELECTRIC PRUNES DISPENSA MAIORES APRESENTAÇÕES PRA QUEM CURTE PSYCH DOS ANOS 60!! ESTE ALBUM É UMA COLETÂNEA DAS MAIS RARAS DOS CARAS, MUITO BEM ELABORADA E CERTAMENTE PRA QUEM NÃO CONHECE AINDA OS CARAS É A MANEIRA MAIS LEGAL DE CURTIR O QUE OS ELES FAZIAM!! E ERA COISA MUITO BOA, PSICODELISMO DO BOM MESMO!! EXCELENTE BANDA E VENENO ALTAMENTE RECOMENDADO!! UMA DAS MINHAS BANDAS PREFERIDAS DA CENA PSICODÉLICA DOS ANOS 60!! ESTE ALBUM É 10!!

The Electric Prunes are a rock band who first achieved international attention as an experimental psychedelic group in the late 1960s, and contributed two tracks to the soundtrack of Easy Rider. After a period in which they had little control over their music, they disappeared for thirty years, reforming as a recording and touring band in 2001.

History

[edit] OriginThe group started in the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles, though during the group's long disbandment, rumors circulated that they were from Seattle, probably because their records were very popular in that city. The first members, Ken Williams (guitar), James Lowe (lead vocal, autoharp), Michael Weakley (drums) and Mark Tulin (bass) called themselves The Sanctions, and later, Jim and the Lords. Soon, Dick Hargrave joined on organ, but shortly thereafter left to pursue graphic arts. Their lineup changed many times, including one lineup with Kenny Loggins.

Lowe, Tulin, Williams and Weakley were introduced to David Hassinger, then resident engineer at RCA studios, who arranged for them to record some demos at Leon Russell's home recording facility (which he called Sky Hill Studios). Hassinger also suggested they needed a new name. In response, the band produced a long list of suggestions, with The Electric Prunes last as a joke. Somehow it stuck.

A single Ain't It Hard/Little Olive was released from these sessions, and flopped.
[edit] Early successThe Prunes' next single, I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night) (1966), was chosen from material Hassinger culled from the established songwriting team of Annette Tucker and Nancie Mantz. It remains their highest charting success, reaching 11 in the USA and 49 in the UK. Personnel included Jim Lowe on vocals, James "Weasel" Spagnola and Ken Williams on guitar, Mark Tulin on bass and Preston Ritter on drums. This is regarded by many as the classic Prunes lineup.

Their third single, Get Me to the World on Time, was also successful but less so, peaking at 27 in the USA and 42 in the UK. Both their first album, The Electric Prunes: I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night) (1967) and consisting mainly of Tucker/Mantz material, and the followup Underground (1967) which featured mainly original Prunes material, charted in the lower reaches of the Billboard charts.

By the time Underground was complete, there had been several more personnel changes. Original drummer Weakley returned to replace Ritter, and Spagnola was replaced on guitar by Mike Gannon, who appears on only two songs. Their fourth single Everybody Knows You're Not In Love, was recorded by this line-up, but does not appear on this album.

The Axelrod periodThe Prunes's third album, Mass in F Minor (1968), was a psychedelicized setting of the Mass, written and produced by David Axelrod, and somewhat of an underground favorite. Kyrie Eleison from this record was used to back the Mardi Gras drug-trip scene in Easy Rider. The band reportedly broke up during the recording, and Axelrod completed the album using Canadian band The Collectors[1] and session musicians. A tour had been planned to follow the album release, but it was cancelled after one disastrous show at which it was obvious that the Prunes couldn't play the music, some of which they had seen for the first time only a few days before the concert.

This was followed by Release of An Oath (1968), another religious-themed Axelrod work this time combining Jewish and Christian liturgy. It was produced by Axelrod using top session musicians for all instruments, backing the Prunes's vocal work.

"the new improved Electric Prunes" The following album Just Good Old Rock and Roll (1969) was recorded by another, completely different, group of musicians, originally from Colorado, who were assigned the Prunes's name, which was not legally owned by Hassinger (according to James Lowe in a recent interview). The album cover read the new improved Electric Prunes. This band toured and also released a single on Reprise Records in 1969, but had totally dissolved by 1970.

1. Ain't It Hard
2. Little Olive
3. I Had Too Much To Dream (Last Night)
4. Luvin'
5. Get Me To The World On Time
6. Are You Lovin' Me More (But Enjoying It Less)
7. Bangles
8. Train For Tomorrow
9. Sold To The Highest Bidder
10. Try Me On For Size
11. Dr Do-Good
12. Hideaway
13. The Great Banana Hoax
14. Children Of Rain
15. Antique Doll
16. I Happen To Love You
17. Long Day's Flight (Til Tomorrow)
18. You Never Had It Better

Shadrack Chameleon - Shadrack Chameleon (1973 US Psych Prog Rock)


RARA E LENDÁRIA BANDA PSICODÉLICA QUE FAZIA UM SOM A BASE DE VIOLÕES, GUITARRA ACUSTICA E UM HAMMOND OCASIONAL!! EXCELENTE SONORIDADE E UM VENENO RARO MAS TRANQUILO!! SEM ALUCINAÇÕES!! DEPOIS DOS JAPAS PIRADOS E ACIDOS UMA CALMADINHA NO CÉREBRO É PRECISO!!

Finally re-pressed and now remastered after two years here is the album by this legendary garage band from Humbolt, Iowa. Taken from the original master tapes the one and only self titled album was originally released on IGL in 1970 and only 800 copies were pressed 500 of which were destroyed before it even got released. All former members of the band worked closely with GEAR FAB to realise this great CD which is a god send for those who do not wish to pay up to $500 for an original. Includes one bonus track that was orignally recorded under the name SHADRACK.

Biografia
Shadrack Chameleon was not so much a band as it was a collective of musicians from a couple popular late-60s Iowa rock bands Steve Fox and Randy Berka were close friends growing up in Fort Dodge Iowa in the early 60s where they were inspired to pick up guitars after hearing the Beatles Foxs family moved to Illinois in 1964 but returned three years later to Humboldt near Fort Dodge By this time Berka had started a band with organist Jon Porter drummer Tom Northup and guitarist John Callahan which evolved into Lazy River With Artie Strutzenberg taking over drum chores from Northup and with the addition of Mark Flanagan on bass Lazy River became a popular band playing gigs throughout the region Steve Fox started his own band Crosstown Traffic with mates Dan Dodgen drums John Brandsgard guitar and Doug Sandvig bss By the outset of the 70s internal conflicts ran high in both bands and Callahan Strutzenberg and Flanagan formed Goo taking Brandsgard with them Berka and Porter asked Fox to join them and Shadrack was born In the summer of 1972 the owners of IGL Records in Iowa had heard Shadrack play and were impressed enought to record a single with the band but by 1973 Shadrack was all but over with members going off to college and other pursuits At the end of 1973 various personnel from Lazy Smoke Crosstown Traffic and Shadrack with Steve Fox the constant recorded Shadrack Chameleon on a reel-to-reel tape machine in a studio they had built from an old storage shed Only 300 LPs were released by IGL under the name Shadrack Chameleon the Chameleon added as an afterthought Stanton Swihart All Music Guide

Track Listings
1. I Wonder Why
2. It Was Me
3. Chameleon (I Love You)
4. Long Road to Ole' Miss.
5. Granite Feast
6. That's the Way It's Gotta Be
7. Don't Let It Get You Down
8. Beyond Eternity

segunda-feira, 8 de setembro de 2008

SHINKI CHEN & HIS FRIENDS (1971 Japan Acid Rock Bluesy Psych)


MAIS UM JAPA E ESTE EU CONSIDERO O MELHOR DE TODOS, O PAI DELES!! ESTE É O "CARA" DO SOM JAPA!! GUITARRISTA E UM DOS PRINCIPAIS NOMES DO ROCK PSYCH NIPÔNICO!! ERA O JIMI HENDRIX NIPÔNICO!! OLHA A "LAJE" DA FIGURA!!! SHINKI CHEN ERA GUITARRISTA DA BANDA FOOD BRAIN E SPEED GLUE & SHINKI QUE POSTEI ANTERIORMENTE, E QUE SE JUNTOU NESTE DISCO COM FERAS JAPONESAS DO TIPO GEORGE YANAGI, VOCALISTA DA BANDA STRAWBERRY PATH E INTEGRANTE DO FLIE EGG, BEM COMO DE HIRO YANAGIDA, TECLADISTA DO APRYL FOOL E FOOD BRAIN!! O DISCO É MUITO MALUCO, BOM E PERFEITO ROCK ÁCIDO!! ALTAMENTE RECOMENDADO E UM VENENO JAPONÊS DOS MELHORES DAQUELA ÁREA NIPÔNICA!!! ROCK PROG ACID PSYCH SHOW DE BOLA E DE ALTÍSSIMA QUALIDADE!!!!! 

Nascido em 30 de maio de 1949, Shinki começou a tocar guitarra aos 14 anos, revelando-se logo um prodígio em seu instrumento. Após montar um grupo folk com alguns amigos, Shen tocou com seu brothero Keibun Hayashi em uma banda no estilo dos Beatles, e mais tarde aventurou-se em um conjunto na linha dos Ventures. Mas Shinki, um aficcionado pelos Kinks e pelos Yardbirds, queria fazer um som na linha do que estava sendo produzido na Inglaterra na segunda metade dos anos 1960, ou seja, rock influenciadíssimo pelo blues americano. A paixão era tanta que em 1966 aceitou largar a guitarra e assumir a bateria na Midnight Express Blues Band, onde conheceu e logo se aproximou do guitarrista Masayoshi Kabe, que mais tarde seria seu companheiro no Foodbrain e no Speed, Glue & Shinki. Kabe deixou o grupo em dezembro de 66, e Shen assumiu o seu lugar na guitarra. Após algumas mudanças de formação e também de nome, a Midnight Express Blues Band agora se chamava The Bebes. A banda fez várias apresentações em clubes e discotecas, e o visual de Shinki e do vocalista Eiji “Chibo” Takamura, com longos cabelos inspirados em seus ídolos ingleses, começou a causar alguns problemas para o grupo, ao mesmo tempo em que chamava a atenção do público. A Toshiba Records não perdeu tempo e ofereceu um contrato para os Bebes, que lançaram um raríssimo single com uma versão mais lenta de “Back in the USSR” dos Beatles. 

A influência dos artistas ingleses continuava a fazer a cabeça de Shen e sua turma, e, após a entrada de George Yanagi no baixo, a banda mudou novamente de nome e passou a se chamar Powerhouse. O material do grupo era baseado em covers de sucessos que estavam virando a terra da rainha de cabeça para baixo, como “Good Morning Schoolgirl” dos Yardbirds e “Spoonful”, eternizada pelo Cream. O Powerhouse gravou um álbum em 1969, “A New Kind Of Blues”, só com releituras de composições de outros artistas, e se dissolveu por problemas internos. Shinki passou a atuar como músico de estúdio e conseguiu entrar na banda montada para a versão japonesa do musical “Hair”, onde conheceu o vocalista Joe Yamanaka (que mais tarde faria parte da Flower Travellin´ Band) e o tecladista Hiro Yanagida (Apryl Fool). Ao lado de Hiro, Shinki forma o Food Brain, que logo chamou a atenção pela grande quantidade de improvisações entre os músicos em seus shows. 

Esssa liberdade criativa inspirou Shinki Shen, que resolveu reunir alguns amigos das antigas e gravar um álbum com a sua leitura de toda aquela cena, tendo, é claro, a sua guitarra como elemento principal. Assim surgiu “Shinki Shen & His Friends”, lançado em 15 de janeiro de 1971 pela Polydor japonesa. Ao lado de Shinki estavam o vocalista e baixista George Yanagi (Strawberry Path, Flied Egg), o brother Hiro Yanagida nos teclados e o baterista Shinichi Nogi. As sete faixas do álbum trazem um som psicodélico ao extremo, banhado em LSD, lisergia levada a cabo por ótimos músicos. 
“The Dark Sea Dream” introduz o trabalho com um emaranhado de sons, abrindo as portas para “Requiem of Confusion”. Totalmente hendrixiana, a faixa traz os vocais de Yanagi repletos de efeitos, embalados por uma estrutura que é filha direta dos clássicos hard blues setentistas. “Freedom Of A Mad Paper Lantern” traz um andamento psicótico que se assemelha a uma jam embebida em ácido. A melancólica balada “Gloomy Reflections” é a faixa mais convencional do disco, enquanto que “It Was Only Yesterday” nos transporta para dentro de uma trip lisérgica, onde o grande destaque é o teclado de Yanagida. O álbum fecha com “Farewell to Hypocrites”, a minha preferida, uma odisséia sensorial com quase treze minutos e um grande solo de Chen. 

“Shinki Chen & His Friends” não é um álbum fácil de ouvir. As loucuras do maluco quarteto nipônico capitaneado por Shinki Chen tem uma mixagem com agudos excessivos e poucos graves, resultando em um som com pouco peso e momentos que exigem uma atenção quase que exclusiva do ouvinte para perceber detalhes e aspectos dos arranjos das músicas. Ouvidos não tão acostumados com o estilo certamente serão incomodados, afinal não é o tipo de música para ser colocada na sala animando um alegre papo entre amigos, mas sim um som que pega o corpo de quem por ele se aventura e o leva por caminhos ainda inexplorados. Raríssima, a edição original do álbum, lançada pela Polydor japonesa, frequentemente atinge valores acima dos mil dólares em sites de colecionadores, o que só atesta a procura e o fascínio pela obra desse mítico músico japonês. 


Shinki Chen – guitar, bass, drum, piano
George Yanagi – vocals, bass (Strawberry Path, Flied Egg)
Hiro Yanagida – keyboards (Apryl Fool, Love Live Life +1, Foodbrain)
Shinichi Nogi - drums 

1. The Dark Sea Dream 
2. Requiem of Confusion 
3. Freedom of a Mad Paper Lantern 
4. Gloomy Reflections 
5. It Was Only Yesterday 
6. Corpse 
7. Farewell to Hypocrites

Steamhammer - Junior's Wailing (UK Blues Rock Prog)


MAIS UMA POSTAGEM DE UMA DAS GRANDES BANDAS DE BLUES ROCK QUE MESCLAVA BLUES ROCK COM PSICODELIA E PROGRESSIVO SEMPRE COM MAESTRIA E COMPETÊNCIA!! OS CARAS ERAM BONS MESMO!! ESTE ALBUM É UMA RARA COMPILAÇÃO EDITADA PELO FAMOSO SELO ALEMÃO "REPERTOIRE" E QUE FOI MUITO BEM SELECIONADA!! VALE A PENA CONHECER UM POUCO MAIS DO TRABALHO DOS CARAS POR ESTA COLETÂNEA!! POSTERIORMENTE MAIS ALGUNS ALBUNS DA DISCOGRAFIA ORIGINAL DA BANDA AOS AMIGOS ENVENENADOS!! EXCELENTE VENENO ALTAMENTE RECOMENDADO!!

Reissued 1999 compilation. Hard hitting and musically adventurous British blues band, especially popular in Germany, where they had a big hit with title track 'Junior's Wailing' that was also recorded by Status Quo. Martin Pugh plays lead guitar ... Full Description joined by martin Quittenton on rhythm, who later left the band to work with Rod Stewart. These 1969-70 cuts include an exciting ten-minute 'Live' performance of 'Riding On The L&N.'

The extraordinary blues-rock band Steamhammer was formed at the end of 1968 in Worthing. Martin Quittenton (g) and Kieran White (voc., g, harm.) came out of the British folk circuit. Quittenton had worked together with the Liverpool Scene and, like the other members Martin Pugh (g), Steve Davy (b) and Michael Rushton (dr), had played with numerous R&B groups. Blues hero Freddie King ordered Steamhammer as his backing band on tour through Great Britain. Come Spring time, 1969, they signed a record contract with CBS. The first album, "Steamhammer", was a mixture of classic blues by B.B.King and Eddie Boyd and modern blues written by White and Quittenton with the help of Pugh. At the end of the British blues boom, only a few hardcore fans took interest on the finest lyrical blues-rock statement of the century.

Not selling as many records as they'd hoped to, Steamhammer nevertheless became a top European open-air attraction, mainly due to their brilliant live performance. For over two hours each night they would indulge in wide excursions in instrumental improvisations, embodied by the impressive guitar riffage of Martin Pugh and the sensitive harmonica of Kieran White. In the Summer of 1969, Quittenton left the band, followed by drummer Michael Rushton. They were replaced by Steve Jollife (sax, fl.) and Mick Bradley.

Jollife's feel for precise arrangements and jazz influences especially inspired the recording of Steamhammer's second, "Mk II", album. Overstepping the boundaries of traditional blues forms, they unleashed their own musical creativity and imagination without resorting to any technical trickery. These highly professional and creative musicians performed many live shows at various festivals in Scandinavia, West Germany and the Netherlands. On the continent, it turned out, they had become more popular than in England.

In the Summer of 1970, Steamhammer recorded their "definitive album" (rock session), called "Mountains", as a quartet. White, Pugh, Davy and Bradley were really working as a team and offering electrified white urban blues of highest quality. The live cut, "Riding On The L&N", is one of the highlights of the "Mountains" album, which contains straight-ahead blues numbers with a healthy dose of rock'n'roll. It was only with the release of this album that Steamhammer began to be noticed by the rock world. After the Altamont and Fehmarn fiascos, the era of open-air events of such calibre was ended at least for quite a while.

In the late Summer of that same year, Steamhammer toured for the last time in Germany and the Benelux. The following Autumn, the line-up changed again. Only Pugh and Bradley stayed together and engaged ex-Renaissance member Louis Cennamo (b) for the recording of one more album. "Speech" was recorded in the Winter of 1971 and released in the beginning of 1972. By that time, Steamhammer had ceased to exsist. "Speech" was a disappointing, partly chaotic album, and the negative reception of the record led to the end of the group's popularity. Mick Bradley died in February 1972 of leukemia. Kieran White released a solo LP, "Open Door", in 1975 and Martin Pugh and Louis Cennamo put together a cult band Armageddon (with Keith Relf on vocals), which released only one album.

Track Listings
1. Water Part One
2. Junior's Wailing
3. Riding On The L & N
4. Hold That Train
5. Passing Through
6. Autumn Song
7. When All Your Friends Are Gone
8. Lost You Too
9. Supposed To Be Free
10. Johnny Carl Morton
11. Even The Clock
12. Contemporary Chick Con Song
13. Junior's Wailing Single Version
14. Windmill
15. I Wouldn't Have Thought
16. Mountains

Total Time: 75:08

Line-up/Musicians
- Mick Bradley / drums
- Steve Davey / bass, vocals
- Martin Pugh / guitar, vocals
- Kieran White / guitar, vocals