Euclid's one and only album is among the very best of late 60's-early 70's heavy rock albums of all time. Based out of Haverhill, Mass. The musicians themselves were of an excellent caliber and very experienced, coming from a diverse New England garage & psych rock background. Harold Perino Jr. (a.k.a. "Marris") came from The Ones, a central Mass. garage band who also has a rare garage L.P. on the Ashwood House label. The other members were from Southern Maine. Garage rockers Gary Leavitt (lead vocals /guitar), his brother Jay Leavitt (drums), were in The Cobras together, Mark Mazzota from the psych-tinged Maine group Lazy Smoke, is outright dazzling on lead guitar. One of the coolest things about this album is the overall experience of it's group members various background influence on it. Pedigree aside, this is a powerful psychedelic heavy rock album that stands strong on it's own merit. There's a raw and ferocious Garage element mixed with a very
clear and real psychedelic conviction. These overshadowing characteristics combined with their new heavy/hard rock discipline & focus, resulted in one of the best heavy rock albums recorded in the U.S. The combined contributions of the groups various instrumental contributions are matched by their crystalline vocal input.Very much living up to the bands namesake, the guitar, bass, and drums on this record, in typical earth moving fashion, musically command the attention of the listener & level all resistance in their path.
Euclid was signed to Bob Theil's Flying Dutchman Records subsidiary label Amsterdam Records, distributed by Mainstream Records, and was one of the few, if not only, "Rock" releases on either label.
The album itself to this day stands as a perfect monument of that which musically represents the US transition from hard psych to hard rock. With it's in-your-face rumbling fuzzed out riffs, screaming solos, backwards bits, pounding drums, and oddly-effected vocals, the album, produced by the legendary Bobby Herne, with finishing touches to the mix by Les Paul Jr., stands proudly with one foot in the 60's and the other in the 70's, crafting their sound with a heavy metallic attitude.
Euclid were one of the overseen "unsung" cornerstones that helped pave the way for the up and coming U.S. FM heavy rock movement. Reissues do exist. But unfortunately only on CD.
Jim Haynes formed Freelove in the Bourmouth/Poole area on the South Coast of England in the late 60's. Freelove led to the forming of Elias Hulk with drummer Bernie James and original guitar player Grenville Frazier. Then came Pete Thorpe on vocals and Neil Tatum on guitar. Elias Hulk toured playing their own material playing venues such as Kools Kleek, The Granery (Bristol), and Eel Pie Island. They played the Manchester area as well as their home turf on the South Coast. The band cut their defining (and only) album Unchained on Young Blood records in 1970 that did particularly well in Germany.
Following a rockier path, Bernie and Jim left to form Elias with frontman Phil Clough. This was a strong energetic and driving three piece unit which produced electric live performances, but disbanded in 1971. They reformed recently in 2008, and began producing new material and continue to do so. You can check out their official website HERE
Richard Pinhas has been renowned as one of Frances most innovative guitarists and father of French electronic music. His work with Heldon ushered in a movement of experimentation that often drew in members of the philosophical community in a combination of electronics and spoken word. However before his work in Heldon, Pinhas formed Schizo, a project focused on heavy psychedelic guitar. The E.P. was reissued on Red Lounge with a third experimental track that alludes to his later work in Heldon. This definitely is the heaviest that Pinhas would ever get and a very interesting footnote in the history of French music.
One of the more obscure Krautrock bands, and even because their single eponymous album has reached legendary status, much of My Solid Ground's album is fairly hard rock. Bernhard Rendel, only 14 years old at the time, started My Solid Ground in 1968 in Russelheim, near Frankfurt Germany. Prior to this, his mother was supportive and encouraging to his interest in guitar, even though the music became louder and harder. The group began practicing at his parents house, who even helped arrange live performances. With their musical talent and elaborate light show, the band developed a following around Frankfurt. By 1970, after a few lineup changes, the group began recording and used the recordings to win second place in an amateur competition hosted by Sundwestfunk (SWF) radio.
In 1971 they recorded their self titled album, which was released by the Bacillus label later that year. In 1971 the group entered the studios for Sndwestfunk for a live broadcast, but were not allowed to play any music from the album due to contractual obligations, so they debuted new material. The group garnered National success but kept falling to lineup changes. They moved to
Frankfurt where they lasted until 1974 when Wendel dropped the band to persue academics. He is now a lecturer at the Muinz University and a producer and composer.
Proud Flesh was a rock band from the early Krautrock era. The band was formed in 1969 in the former diplomat's city of Bon-Bad Godesberg (Germany) and broke up in 1972. The group was made up of musicians of local bands Cool Stove, Desperados, and Hangmen Rats.
The bands repertiore consisted of their own songs, depending on the lineup, interpretations of Deep Purple, Spooky Tooth, Ten Years After, Elvis, Black Sabbath, Steppenwolf, Chicago, Free, Hendrix, Vanilla Fudge, Nice, et al.
Proud Flesh toured all over Germany, did gigs in Luxemourg, and were the supporting act for famous bands such as The Lords, The Rattles, Golden Earring, & Brian Auger and The Trinity.
After some pieces of soft rock at the start and melodic progressive rock songs later on the band became more and more hard rock like. From the final chord of Proud Flesh up till now, two songs have been included in productions of a more recent date. (CD/L.P.)
Freedom's Children reflects a tiny but fascinating and oft-forgotten scene of South African progressive rock, regularly omitted from prog annals and denied their part in music history. But in their time, Freedoms Children were no less innovative than Atomic Rooster, Egg, or Colosseum and their 1970 release "Astra" was an extremely important if completely missed record. Luckily it was reissued in 1990 and again several times. The original band Julian Laxton's lead guitar (and inventor of his "black box", a much mythologized sound producing device), Nick Martin's organ, bassist/lyricist Ramsay McKay, Brian Davidson's voice, drummer Colin Pratley, Harry Polous on organ and vocals, and Gerard Nel's piano. Many well known musicians played in the band over the years including Trevor Rabin, Mick Jade, and Ken E. Hanson.
Unable to work in certain places due to Apartheid, the band found it difficult to break through, especially outside their country but continued making strides throughout the 1970's. Undoubtedly their most important work and finest effort is "Astra", a spicy and exciting blend of heavy prog mixed with plenty of psych and blues. The disc has been released as many as six times in varying degree's of quality, the last being in 2004.
Freedom;s Children is one of the best of the hard edge prog bands, and a jewel in the South African prog crown, and is highly recommended to fans of earlier, more intense heavy rock bands.
- Atavachron (David) -Prog Archives
For a totally in depth biography check out this article from the South African Rock Encyclopedia
Flower Travelin' Band was formed in Japan, and often went under the moniker of FTB. The band was made up of Joe Yamanaka (from 4.9.1, vocals), Hideki Ishima (from The Beavers, guitars), Jun Kobayashi (from TaxMan, bass), and George Wada (from The Flowers, drums) They were part of the Japanese counter culture noted for their mixture of early heavy metal, mixed with progressive and psych. They received wide acclaim, but failed to achieve commercial success. In 1970, the band relocated to Toronto, Canada They lived there until march, 1972, and disbanded in 1973. While the band's releases have not sold well, they continue to be held in high regard by the music industry. Their albums were never out of print and they continue to be made available on new audiophile formats,
The band reunited in 2007, when hippie influences became popular in Japanese fashion, music, and cinema. The band permanently disbanded after the death of vocalist Joe Yakanama
Zoot were a pop-rock band formed in Adeelaide, South Australia in 1965 as Down the Line. They performed covers of English Mod bands like The Hollies, The Move, The Who, and The Small Faces. Zoot released a few singles for EMI records, and finished second in the Battle Of The Sounds to the Master's Apprentice. They joined other Aussie bands on the national "Operation Starlift" tour, which was a publicity success, but a finantioal disaster.For Zoot it brought public ridicule, peer envy, and scorn from detractors. Much of the criticism was homophobic, "pretty pink pansies", and made the papers when they were assaulted by street thugs resulting in injury. Being labeled as a "Teeny Bopper" band the adopted a more rock style. They changed their name to Zoot, and relocated to Melboune. They had a top five hit on The Go-Set national singles chart with a hard-rock version of The Beatles' "Elanore Rigby" in 1970, but disbanded in 1971.
Mainstay bassist Beeb Birtles went on to form The Little River Band in 1975, and their guitarist and songwriter Rick Springfield (yes, the "Jessie's Girl" Rick Springfield) mover to the US in 1972 and achieved international success as a solo artist and actor.
Zoot reunited for the "Rick Sprigfield and Friends" cruise in 2011.
From Rockesasteria: The album by Mariani called "Perpetuum Mobile" was released in 1970 featuring Eric Johnson. Two thoughts come to mind, either "1970" was a typo and was mrant to say"1980", or this was a different Eric Johnson than the Austin based guitar virtuoso known and worshiped by guitarists all over the globe.
After all, EJ didn't record as a leader until 1985, and he was barely 30 at the time. Ten years earlier he was the guitarist for the rock-fusion group Electromagnets. Something doesn't compute. But it was quickly confirmed that it did. This was the same Eric Johnson that gave the world "Ah Via Musicom." If you do the math, you'll conclude that he was only 15 or 16 at the time he laid down the tracks as a side man For a psychedelic blues band led by it's drummer.
Vince Mariani was a good enough drummer to seriously audition to take Mitch Mitchel's place for the Jimi Hendrix band. Instead, he was persuaded by record label owner and Austin producer Bil Posey to start his own band. Since he had jammed with Johnson previously, he enlisted young Eric to be his guitar player, along with singer/bassist Jay Podolnick. The band was somewhat like cream, and gave Eric plenty of room to shine, however, this was Vince's band and he was mainly in the spotlight. The band went on to tour to promote their album with the likes of Deep Purple, but the album din't make much of an impact. After a few years. the band broke up and the players went on to other projects. Eric especially, did very well for himself.
Gun, a late 60's British hard rock trio, after signing to CBS Records in 1968 the band scored a hit on their eponymous first album with "Race With the Devil" a British Top 10 hit, and was released as a single as well. They recorded two albums before disbanding. Two of it's founders, brothers Paul & Adrian Gurvitz went on to form Three Man Army and released three L.P.'s.
After joining up with Ginger Baker (Cream, Blind Faith) as Baker Gurvitz Army they recorded three albums. During the same time period, the Gurvitz brothers recorded two albums with drummer Graeme Edge (Moody Blues) under the name The Graeme Edge Band. Their debut album's cover is noteworthy as it was the first by Roger Dean. Allmusic describes it as having a distinct psych/proto metal sound. Thei second album, "Gun Sight" was released in 1969. Thier top 10 hit "Race With the Devil" was covered by Judas Priest on the expanded version of "Sin After Sin", Jimi Hendrix quoted the song's riff on his song :Machine Gun" at the Isle of White Festival, it was also covered by Black Oak Arkansas (on their album titled "Race With the Devil), Girlschool (on their album "Demolition"), and Church of Misery on their 1996 demo and (on their full length "Vol, 1").
