Saturday, May 23, 2015

Edgar Broughton Band - "Wasa Wasa" - 1969,/ "Sing Brother Sing" 1970 / & s/t 1971


The Edgar Boughrow Band started their career as thr Edgar Boughrous Blues and from Warwick, England in 1969. However, when the band began to lean towards the emerging psychedelic movement, they dropped the "Blues" from their name as well as their music. In 1968, the band moved to London in search of a recording contract as well as a bigger fan base, and they were picked up by Blackhill Enterprises who landed them a deal with EMI's progressive label Harvest. This single was their first and subsequently the first single released on Harvest as well. In 1968, the Edgar Broughton Band moved to Notting Hill Gate, London, seeking a recording contract and a wider audience.  Blackhill landed them their first record deal on EMI's progressive rock label Harvest Records, in December 1968. Their first single was "Evil" b/w "Death of an Electric Citizen", released in June 1969, which was also the first single released for Harvest. 

Th e first single was followed the band's first album, Wasa Wasa. Wasa Wasa  retained a heavily blues influenced sound that was hard driven and propelled Edgar Broughton's gritty vocal style, which was similar to that of Captain Beefheart and Howlin' Wolf. The Broughton's entered into an attempt at capturing their live sound on record by organizing a performance at Abbey Road on 9 Dec.,1969. Only one track was released at the time, a rendition of "Out Demon Out", an adaptation of the Fug's song "Exorcising the Demon Out of the Pentagon" which had become the band's set closer and anthem. The rest of the recording was lost until rediscovery and release in a remixed form in 2004 as "Keep them Freaks Rollin'' Live at Abby Road 1969. The band's touring attracted some controversy from their series of concert locations such as children's playgrounds , and from a number of cases of civil disorder occurring at their shows  The most notorious incidents were a show in Redcar at which a fight broke out between audience members and led to violent police intervention, and a show in Keele where the audience vandalized the venue with paint given to them by the band. Though the band denied doing anything to incite any of these incidents (in the case of Keele the band admitted to giving them paint but declared 'we didn't tell 'em to do anything with it"), several towns band the groups concerts. 

The Edgar Broughton Band kept recording, releasing the live performance of "Out Demons Out" as a single (b/w "Mama's Reward (Keep the Freaks Rollin' )), a polemic on the 1970 General Election declaring their intention to drop out. The song featured a string arrangement by David Belford. in 1971, the band decided that existence as a power trio was limiting, and asked Victor Unitt, who meanwhile had been playing in the Pretty Things, to rejoin the band. In May, with the new lineup, they released their eponymous third album, which contained "Evening Over Rooftops" (again with strings by David Bedford). 

With the success of their third album, The Edgar Broughton Band.  The band relocated to Devon to begin recording for their next album, "In Side Out" The band then recorded their fifth album Oora, in 1972. Following the release of this album Unitt left the band. 
In 1975 the band signed to Nems. In the same year, John Thomas joined the band on guitar for the Broughton's sixth album, Bandages. This feature a softer sound than previous releases. Shortly after the album's release John Thomas left and was replaced by Terry Cottam/ In 1976, having recorded the lave album "Live is Harder (which was not released until 1979)" The Edgar Broughton Band dissolved.














Bulbous Creation - You Won't Remember Dying 1970

"A truly underground document of the national obsession with heavy, mind-bent psychedelia. Originating in the suburb of Prairie Village, Kansas Bulbous Creation seems to have warped directly from the wrong side of the looking glass with a jabberwoky of surreal lyrics and gratuitous guitar solos. Recorded and abandoned in the catacombs of Independence, Missouri's Cavern Sound Studio in 1969. Bulbous Creation's eight song screed invokes images of sinners, wage slaves, drugs, out of touch parents, jail, and the devil, of course." - Numero Group.
Extremely rare heavy psych album with "acid guitars and evil lyrics", so says Discogs.
This is another one off album of the early 70's. It seems they disappeared after this release. Recorded in two sessions ('70&'71) and came in a thick cardboard sleeve.









Titanic - self titled 1970 / "Sea Wolf" 1970 / "Eagle Rock" 1973


Titanic were a hard rock band from Norway, formed in 1969, which also featured a British member in it's lineup. I October 1971, Titanic reached No.5 in the U.K. singles chart with their instrumental track "Sultana." It was performed in the style of then popular band Santana. The tune also appeared on their album "Sea Wolf." However, due to lack of corresponding chart presence, Titanic are known as "one-hit-wonders." Titanic disbanded in 1979.





CBS Records






Friday, May 22, 2015

Bakerloo - s/t 1969


The Bakerloo Blues Line was formed in 1968 by Dave "Clem" Clemson and Terry Poole along with Kieth Baker. The group appeared as the support act for Led Zeppelin's debut at the Marquee Club on October 18th, 1968, and it is said that Bakerloo was of a big influence for Hendrix and Cream.
While reviews for this album were favorable, the band itself was in disarray at the end of 1969. By the time the record was released, and by '69, the Clemson/Poole/Baker lineup went their seperate ways. Clemson initially sought to start a blues-rock power trio with Cozy Powell. 
 This album kicks MAJOR ass! Heavy blues based rock from the U.K. with awesome guitar work and frantic drums. Bill Ward of Black Sabbath was a one time drummer for this outfit. The band also played extensively and toured with Earth, the band that would become Black Sabbath.









Wednesday, May 20, 2015

Killing Floor - Out Of Uranus 1970

Originally performing in a blues band known as the Loop, Killing Floor founder Mick Clarke (lead guitar) and Bill Thorndycraft (vocals ,harmonica) formed the band in 1968 in London, England, after glaceing an advertisement in  Melody Maker. From this they recruited Lou Martin (piano), Stuart McDonald (bass guitar) and Bazz Smith (drums). After undertaking their maiden gig, former Wonderful Radio London DJ, and agent John Edward.offered to manage the fledgling outfit. Edward led them to signing a contract with Spark Records and in 1968, their self titled debut album was recorded in less than two weeks at the Pye recording studios. Edwards was listed as the records producer., although he had no previous experience in that field. The majority of the tracks were re-workings of older Chicago blues material, although the only true cover version therin was of Willie Dixon's "You Need Love." Allmusic described the set as a "Less reverent, and altogether heavier update of the Yardbirds rave-up sound." In the United States, the album was released on the Sire label.
Following the release of Killing Floor and a couple of BBC1 sessions, Lou Martin left the band, and they continued for a while as a four piece. In March 1970, the band played at the Easter Festival in Hamburg, Germany. In 1970 and 1971, further lineup changes took place which included the former  Juicy Lucy vocalist Ray Owen, drummer Rod De'Ath, and bassist Mick Hawsworth joining the band. The latter had previously been in Andromeda., and latter went on to join Fuzzy Duck. 
In 1970, the band's second album, Out Of Uranus was released on Penny Farthing Records. Although Edward retained record producer credits. Larry Page oversaw the recording sessions as executive producer. Allmusic commented that Out Of Uranus is rawer and most irreverent than most second-line British blues rock of the late 60's and early 70's, as indicated by the title itself.  A single from Out Of Uranus "Call for the Politicians" received airplay on BBC Radio 1, and also sold well in Germany. However , by mid-1972, the group had decided to disband.
I






Wicked Lady - Psychotic Overkill 1972

The second and final collection of songs from Wicked Lady. Featuring a cover of Hendrix's "Voo-Doo Chile." This album kicks as much ass as the first, although when you listen to the tempo on songs like "Freak", you can hear the blue print for speed metal! The earliest specimen of a double time beat I've heard. Great distortion, great riffs, great lyrics ("just tell me that you love me/ and I won't throw your grandma on the fire" "I'm a freak I don't know right from wrong/I think I'm gonna be a politician."), over all a great album! 


Tuesday, May 19, 2015

Bent Wind - "Sussex" 1969

Bent Wind was formed in Toronto, Ontario Canada in 1969 and managed to record and release the LP "Sussex" that year on Merv Buchanan's Trend label in Canada. Sussex is a name of where the band practiced in Toronto. 
With a limited printing of no more than 200 copies, during the original run , the vinyl LP has since become a rarity in the Canadian Music Collector's Market, fetching up to $5000 a copy if you can find one. In 2018, a copy sold for $8000 USD. The 1969 Holy Grail of Canadian heavy psych, Sussex was remastered and re-released with a limited run of 400 black vinyl pressings and 100 copies on gold vinyl. The sound quality is absolutely immaculate with the packaging to match.

Historically interesting hard rock album, a footnote in the history of the genre and an absolute buried treasure. It's interest is mostly for collectors, folks that love the bands of yore and have it all at home, be it on the original vinyl or souped up resurrections on CD - Deep Purple, Atomic Rooster, Zeppelin, etc. Every song is a winner on Sussex, Bent Wind's only album from 1970, (besides a few singles). Great songs, great guitar, and strong vocals make this an enjoyable experience from start to finish. Charmingly Lo-fi, this could have sold a lot if  it were recorded and released at the right time and the right place.











Fuse - s/t 1970

Recorded in 1969 and released in 1970. Fuse from Rockford Il. featured Rick Nielson and Tom Petersson, and at one time, Bun E. Carlos of Cheap Trick. This hard rock/psych album didn't do as well as the label had hoped. But then again, we may not have had Cheap Trick! It's very guitar driven to say the least. Featuring some awesome duel riffs. Tom Petersson said "the band was much better than the record suggested. The producer was an idiot." Perhaps that's why this is their only release. 
Rick has nothing but good things to say of the album, stating: "Tom Petersson and I were in a midwest band called Fuse. The guys that we were with were all superior musicians. They're probably all in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame now... The Fuse stuff was my finest work. We stand by it and wished Cheap Trick played that well."



Zior - s/t 1971

Zior had their roots in Southend's early 60's R&B scene. Kevin Bonsor had previously been in a local R&B outfit, The Essex Five, and the classical/rock fusion outfit, Cardboard Orchestra. Pete Brewer had been in another Southend R&B band, the Night Riders. He and Bonsor were Zior's founding members recruiting Truba and Skeets. 
Zior did have a reputation as a wild live band. They wee heavily into Black Magic and satanic Mass, etc. They recorded an album on the Beacon label, later in 1971, which was credited to Monument, though, in fact, featured all four members of Zior.

Zior was a short lived and unfortunate British cult band Similar to Hawkwind or Magma - Zior had two faces. One where live gigs had more importance trying to enchant themselves and the audience, a band of "happening". Playing live always had more importance and was more impressive than the studio work ,and second, an assembly of creative musicians in the studio. These two parts to two brief stages in the brief history of Zior. produced competent, but not exceptional hard rock - 12 songs of the first and only official Zior (per se) 1971 album, and second level of existence - so called "second album", which somehow was sneaked into Germany and first released there in 1973 (without any of the band members knowing and/or approving it). The second step to posterity is represented also on lengthy jam sessions which appeared in 1971 under the moniker of ''Monument'' (a.k.a. First Monument) because of legal issues (the musicians are not credited by name either). The second stage of Zior musical history is covered by 8 bonus tracks on the CD, and is absolutely outstanding in hard rock/psych/prog circles. The summer of love was over and flower power couldn't be the answer any longer. The answer was found either in the drug induced psychedelia, or new escapist religions. New barbarian tribes started invading the grounds of mellow mods and rockers, and these new tribes were looking for the new shamans and medicine men. Zior cannot be properly understood separately from this socio-cultural phenomenon. Many musicians turned to occult and magick , especially the teachings of the Great Alister Crowley (1875-1945)- Anton LaVev, founder of the church of Satan was known in the U.K. 

The new shamans were not "Black Widow" (Sacrifice - the debut album is just silly and has nothing to do with metal or doom whatsoever) the new faith was in the first efforts of "Black Sabbath," "Zior", "Iron Claw," or in "Coven" (Witchcraft Destroys Minds and Reaps Souls) . "Coven" by the way, was a totally different kettle of chum, they ''blessed" the world with the "sign of the horns" long before the heavy metal shock theatre of Alice cooper even existed. 
By the end of the 60's, Zior - Keith Bonsor, John Truba, Barry Skeets, and Peter Brewer had built up a reputation of an outrageous underground band and in 1971 released an album on the small Nepentha label. How seriously they were into occult and magick was questionable, but the songs on the first album are promising, but not really impressive - honest foot-stomping hard rock, repetitive tribal neat and chanting.


The band however had huge potential, listen to Monument, rumored to have been recorded during one drunken session (which is not true). Should it be issued on, let's say.. Harvest and labeled "purple", ? The critics and press would be drooling and praising it as a work of genius. According to Zior, it was "more fan than serious approach." But the music is excellent, completing high octane tunes of the second album. Needless to say, that the society was less than willing to accept self -proclaimed occultists, and dishonest agents contributed to the misfortune of this band.
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Numerous posthumous LP's and CD's are mainly bootlegs. "Zior... Plus" or, 'Every Inch a Man" whether on Mason or Arkama records, I hope one day we might be lucky to see a properly re-mastered collection approved by the musicians.
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This is the 'plus' version of this L.P. It contains 8 extra tracks.















 

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