Crushed Butler - "Uncrushed - First Punks from the British Underground 1969-71" 1998, 10" / 2005 CD

British proto-punk/hard rock band that existed from 1969 to 1971. According to 2008's Pretty Vacant: A History of U.K. Punk the band "was in many ways, Britain's first proto-punk band."
Crushed Butler formed in 1969 with a lineup of Jesse Hector (guitar/vocals), Alan Butler (bass guitar), and Darryl Reed (drums). They initially played covers of other bands song before writing their own material.

Uncrushed captures three young hungry Londoners whose raw sound mesmerized their peers -- and blew away the days biggest names -- yet failed to blow open those corporate portals. Yes, Crushed Butler fell short because 1969's audiences didn't want anyone writing off their hippy dreams just yet.  Reed's clattering snare drum on "It's My Life" is the perfect counterpoint for the song's up-the-system lyrics ("workin' like a slave, workin' for you/doing something I don't weanna do"). "My son's Alive's" explosive gallop is one of the missing links to thrash today, while "Love Fighter"'s grinding drone shows Crushed Butler realized that intensity didn't just come from tempo.

In early 1971, the band changed their name to Tiger, and the lineup changed to include Barry Wyles who was a member in an early version of Queen. The band tried again in February, 1971 with "High School Drop Out" however, Shorn of prospects, the band collapsed. But that's hardly an indictment when people are still trying to crack the code three decades later.

Hector and Butler continued on as Helter Skelter, and went on to form The Hammersmith Gorrilas (later shortened to the Gorillas), while Reed pursued a solo career. Reed was killed in a motorcycle crash in 2013 in Thailand.

Kath - "Kath 1" 1975

Originally released in a limited edition of 60 handmade copies, this LP has gone virtually unknown for 30 years and has only been whispered about in the heaviest of collectors. The band evolved from the local Maryland 60's band "Badge" and is heavily influenced by the Beatles. This is a genuine D.I.Y. effort recorded in the home of the bands leader and dedicated to his pet monkey.

Impressive melodic basement psych/garage excursion with a lo-fi atmosphere that would have most purveyors flip out. At times the vibes is much like Mystery Meat, or Index, and that's not something you run into everyday. Mostly originals with a few covers including a fuzzed-out cough syrup version of "Norwegian Wood" that just may be the best version ever. At the same time there are obvious hints that this dates from a later era, and it was in fact recorded over a period of time throughout 1974.
Re-issued by Rockadelic records with bonus tracks and cover art that mimics the original.

Third World War - "Third World War" 1971 / "Third World War II" 1972

Formed in England in 1970 by manager and producer John Fenton together with songwriters Terry Stamp and Jim Avery. Fenton came up with the band's name and provided a large part of it's musical direction. Phil Brown, the recording engineer of the band's first album quotes him as saying, "I want a no bull-shit working class band--I've has enough of all this pseudo "peace" crap." Do to this attitude, the band's raucous sound and revolutionary lyrics, the band has been described as England's first punk band.

In 1970, the band recorded it's first album Third World War which was released in 1971 on Fly Records. Largely, the themes of the record espoused far-left political sentiment. It featured Stamp on rhythm guitar and vocals, Avery on bass, Mick Liber on lead guitars and Fred Smith (drums). Tony Ashto also added piano on some of the tracks, and Jim Price (trombone and trumpet) and Bobby Keys (saxaphone), American musicians who were providing horns for the Rolling Stones provided some horn parts.

At the time the album was released, the band had yet to play live. In the summer of 1971, Avery, Fenton, and Stamp re-configured the group to get "the best 'live' grouping", which was Stamp, Avery, John Hawkin on piano, John Knightsbridge on lead guitar, and Paul Olson on drums. They toured Finland playing 35 gigs in 30 days, and then went to perform a series of festivals around Europe. 1971 also saw the release of two singles "Ascension Day" b/w "Teddy Teeth Goes Sailing" and "A Little Bit of Urban Rock" b/w "Working Class Man", both of which came out on Fly records.

By the time Third World War went in the studio in 1972 to record their second album, the management at Fly records were becoming unhappy with the band's lack of commercial potential. Hoping to guide the group towards more mainstream acceptability, the label demanded the song "Coshing Old Lady Blues" be removed from the album. Fenton refused to release the album without the track, so Third World War II came out on the Who's Track Records label. Personell on the album was the prior summer's touring lineup, except Craig Collinge replaced Olson on drums. During the recording, Fenton ran out of money and couldn't pay the musicians, and once the record was finished the band broke up.

The Official Third World War - Terry Stamp and Jim Avery Website

Lionhart - s/t 1977

Founded by ex-Saturnailia band leader Craig Bransfield, Houston, TX band Lionhart released one album and toured regionally. Despite offers, Craig was never able to bring himself to signing a major label recording contract, which, is why the band has remained largely unheard. The album was pressed on Hutch records "only a few copies for promo purposes."

It is now available via Soundcloud along with a 1975 single and some unreleased tracks from 1978 at: https://soundcloud.com/lionhart-houston-tx

Bacchus - "Revisited" 1973 (released 2003)

In the aftermath of The Tropics, around 1969 Bill Peterson, Eric Turner, and Charlie Souza together formed Bacchus, in Tampa, Florida, named after the Greek mythological god of wine, women & song.

Bill Peterson: "We stayed together until about 1973. Margie Sexton (the Tropics old manager) booked us on several really great shows. Including Mahivishnu Orchestra who we opened for, and, to our surprise were very well received. We did a record called "Carry my Load." It played on a few local radio stations. But we played a lot of the same deep south venues that the Tropics had been playing on their last stint. I (Peterson) played in another Tampa rock project before joining Eric and Charlie in Bacchus, who played hard rock with a blues edge, & every once in a while we'd throw some Latin in there because we were from Tampa"

A few people in the psychedelic underground scene still talk about Bacchus live shows in Lowrey Park, and other concerts and live shows where they opened for some pretty big names.

Page 45 Singles - No.4 / Hard Road / Silence / Joint / Jug Session

Hard Road - "Pain in My Heart" b/w "Movin' Down the Line"
Marjon International - MIJ-528 Stereo U.S. 1972
Youtube comment says the band was from Youngstown area of Ohio. Are they the same Hard Road that did "It's So Hard to Find" in 1968? Does anyone know?

Silence - "Mother's Game" b/w "Devil Woman"
Holland, 1971 (Decca DL 25478)
Tough and crunchy, twin leads, sudden tempo changes, "Devil Woman" is like a proto-punk "Communication Breakdown" Not much is known about Silence. They were from Dordrecht, (home to The Zips, and Inca Bullet Joe, another fine Hans Van Hemert production) Although Hans has good recollections of his Cardinal Point productions, his recall about these productions are lost to the mist of time -- "I don't recall anything about Silence, I just have some recognition of the recording... the reason might be at that time, I didn't feel I was a skilled producer yet..."
This appears to be the 2nd Silence release. ("The Future of our Sister Felicity" being the first?) The recording session took place on January 21st, 1971, and included versions of "Gimme Shelter" and "Paranoid", but appear to have remained unreleased.

Joint - "Collage" b/w "Remember"
Zurich, 1971 Columbia Records.
From an insert inside the single: (translated from French):"Bruno and Hanspeter played in 1966 with "Les Spectres" (a band from Zurich), Giovi was the singer of the "New Earls", (a soul formation), and Stevie has played the drums with many dance orchestras.
JOINT was born in November 1969 at the "Blow Up" in Zurich, it's members are still amateurs, music occupying only their free hours. They are working their repertoire and technique three nights a week, in a cellar. Their first record was released in February, 1971, with Collage and Remember. Columbia 006-33581.

Jug Session - "Easy Here" b/w "Runnin' Down"
Polydor Germany 1970
Jug Session was formed in the late 60's in the North Brabant Province, Holland. The band released only one single before falling apart. The single, "Easy Here" b/w ""Runni' Down" were sung in English, heavily influenced by psych of the time such as Hendrix, and, Taste (which is very apparent), with excellent guitar and even funk tracks.

Cobra - Entire Catalog, 1971-72

Dutch band Cobra, was formed in 1969 in "Music City", The Hauge (home to bands like Q65, Golden Earring, The Motions, & more). After some time playing all over at clubs and festivals, they were able to secure a record deal with Polydor, via Freddy Haayen, who produced Golden Earring. Although the band was signed to a label, they never managed to release an L.P., and their entire catalog consists of five singles, including an earlier single under the moniker "Island."

The first single, "The War Will Soon be Over" (#33 on the Dutch charts for two weeks) was recorded at Phonogram in Hilversum in 1970 (produced by Haayen). The second single, "I'm in Love" was also produced by Haayen and was recorded at the Soundpush Studio in the Hauge. The third single: "So Dissatisfied" (three weeks at #31) was written and produced by Craig Bolyn, (ex-NAZZ prod.), and the fourth "Don't Do Like I Do" was produced by Golden Earring drummer Jaap Eggermont was recorded at Soundpush as well.

"I'm In Love" b/w "I Feel Down"
Polydor 2050 121, 1971

"The War Will Soon Be Over" b/w "Midnight Walker"
Polydor 2050 078, 1971

"Don't Do Like I Do" b/w "Schoolgirl Blues"
Polydor 2050 196, 1972

"So Dissatisfied" b/w "What Next"
Polydor 2050 167, 1972

Island:
"Super Woman" b/w "Move Over"
Imperial 5C 006 24256, 1971

Page 45 Singles - No.3 / Phoenix Bird / Junction / Whistler's Mother / Masalla

Phoenix Bird - "Fuck the Cops" b/w "Parchment Farm"
Phoenix Bird was formed in New Hampshire in 1969, and recorded this one-off single, which existed only as an acetate until nearly 40 years later. According to the liner notes on the back cover of the sleeve, the band had hopes of being the next big power trio. And curiously enough, "Fuck the Cops" contains no profanity what so ever. Yet had it been released, it would have beaten N.W.A. to the punch by 20 years. The B-side is a rendition of Parchment Farm which is obviously very heavily influenced by Blue Cheer (and pretty much a cover of their version of the old prison tune from the mandatory milestone Vincebus Eruptum album) whereas F.T.C. is more along the lines of Cream.

Junction - "Sourcerer" b/w "Four Sticks"
Junction, from Green Bay, Wisconsin, was formed in 1970 by Darryl St. John (guitar), Ken Rentfliesh (bass), Jake Baenon (drums), and Tom Koffler (vocals). Independence day of 1971 marked Junctions first live appearance at an Upper Peninsula Michigan bar called Skinny's Tap, during which patrons and St.John's own father traded and absorbed punches. Later, Led Zeppelin's occult interest's would bring to Junction their own "Sorcerer." St.John's necromancer lyric and heavily Ecoplexed vocal were taped in a lowly Green Bay Basement on a pair of two tracks, one of them engineer David Pilz's, the other brought in by Markus Records head Mark McCall. A few hundred copies of the green labeled 45 appeared from Phoenix's Wakefield Manufacturing in 1973, with a cover of Led Zeppelin's "Four Sticks as the B-side. The "Sorcerer" side billed itself as "A Buffalo Production" immortalizing St.John's high school football nickname.
On Easter Eve, 1973, a horrific car wreck in desolate Ashland, Wi. ultimately broke Junction. Betwen a show and home, the band's '73 Dodge Maxi Wagon was struck by a sleeping drunk drivers swerving vehicle. Rentfliesh and Koffler were thrown from the wagon, unharmed; but St.John, trapped by the mangled steering wheel, was forced to watch as the other vehicles passengers tossed onto the hood burned alive. After months in the hospital, many lost teeth, a broken jaw, and a fractured skull, St.John returned to Junction and gigging in August, but his cohorts enthusiasm for partying had shrouded their will to rock. By late September, Junction was no more.

Whistler's Mother - "Dark Dawn" b/w "Goodbye"
1970 Private pressing. U.S. Killer dark psych.

Masalla - "Burning Feeling" b/w "Simple Words"
Climax Records / U.S. / 197?

Shepherd - "Are We Alone" b/w "Never Heard a Thing" 1970-71 / Snoblind - 1975

Mark Lillis' (guitar, bass,vocals) and Jeff Hilgert's (drums) musical friendship began in the mid-1960's while they were members of the Eau Clair, Wisconsin boys drum & bugle corp. They were also playing in rock bands during those years and in 1967, Joined Burlington Express along with Ken Matson (keyboard, vocal), and Bill Burling (bass). In 1968 they recorded a 45 RPM record, comprised of  Sam Cooke's "Shake", and "Three Time Loser" by Wilson Picket, which got considerable regional airplay.
Shortly thereafter, Michael Clifton joined the band on guitar and vocals, which was eventually followed by Bill Burling's departure. The remaining four members adopted the timely name "Krystal Sunshine."
In 1969, after losing Matson to a hot blonde, Mark, Michael and Jeff became a trio called Shepherd. Their abilities, ambitions, and popularity grew quickly, and they soon a keyboard player named Jay Peterson. Mike Richson (guitar,vocals) was later added for special effects.

Shepherd

Shepherd's live show was a mix of covers and original material, they performed at outdoor festivals, theaters, and clubs in Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, and Iowa. Two of the bands original compositions: "Are We Alone" & "Never Heard a Thing" were recorded at Scott Sound Studio in Eau Clair in 1968, and both songs still stand as solid rock music of the era.

Shepherd disbanded in 1970. Mark, Jay, and Jeff, moved to Milwaukee where they played with John Paris and James Solberg in the bands Bacon Fat, and Dynamite Duck. Michael remained in Milwaukee and helped form Snoblind.

In 1973, Snoblind moved to Madison, where they were already well known. A Few months later, Mark and Jeff packed up to once again join forces with Michael and Snoblind in Madison.

Jeff returned to Eau Clair in 1974 to play with Mike Richson in Not Guilty. Around that time Steve "Zues" Johnstad ("vocalist extraordinaire") Joined Michael and Mark in Snoblind. The band continued to expand musically while becoming evermore popular until it's demise in 1976.

Hear the flipside to this tune, "Never Heard a Thing" HERE

Shepherd

Live at Hannah's, Milwaukee, Wi, 1975

Live at Hannah's, Milwaukee, Wi. 1975

Boot - s/t 1972

Hailing from Port Richie, Florida, bassist Dan Eliassen and drummer Jim O'Brock put their first band together in 1972. Originally known as the Kingsmen, they opted for a name change when the Washington based Kingsmen scored a hit with "Louie-Louie." Morphing into the Allusions. Eliassen, O'Brock and a changing cast of players continued to perform at school dances and teen centers.
By 1966, the lineup featured O'Brock, Eliassen, lead guitarist Bruce Knox, and rhythm guitarist Mike Mycz. They's also opted for another name change, The Split Ends, as well as moving away from performing largely cover songs to penning their own material.
Soon, signed by the local SPF Records, they also made their recording debut with a 1966 single: "Rich With Nothin'" b/w "Endless Sun" (CPF catalog: CPF 4)

The 45 proved a regional hit, and opening the door to wider exposure, including an opening slot on Dick Clarke's "Happening '68" television band contest.

youtube has a couple of interesting Split Ends clips:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5EGoavo6Dw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ydaETY6wgg

In 1969, the band decided on another image and name change, this time adopting the moniker "Blues Of Our Time", quickly abbreviated to Boot. With a repertoire of largely original material, the band hit the road playing clubs and concerts nearly non-stop for the next four years.

Released by the Texas based Agape Records, the band debuted with 1972's cleverly titled "Boot." Co-produced by Mike Stone and Peter Thomason, the album was recorded in Nashville Tennessee at James Brown's Saturday/King Studio. With all four members contributing material the album featured a mixture of blues rock and blues rock, with the occasional stab at a more commercial tune. The band was blessed with three descent singers.
Not the most original blues/rock-boogie album you've ever heard, but the band performed with considerable energy, and Knox was a very talented lead guitar player.
The album did nothing commercially, and the band continued for roughly a year before calling it quits.