From: Prog Archives - "Originally a trio from school, John Simms (guitar), Mark Sheather (bass), and Ken White (drums), grew up in the Action part of London and started as a college circuit blues rock band called Jug Blues (later Matuse, and later X). Impressing manager Ashly Kosak, the band were given a deal with Vertigo and the band changed their name to Clear Blue Sky and recorded an album under the production of Patrick Campbell-Lyons. Still only eighteen, the band mixed hard blues with psychedelic and
progressive rock in an unbelievable mature way and the album was released in 1971, sporting one of Roger Deans earliest album covers. The group was later comared to Cream, Led Zeppelin, and Jethro Tull. Though the music had a firm prog sensibility unlike CReam or Zeppelin, but bringing Rush to mind.
Clear Blue Sky's first album is considered a classic and their personal best and the LP is a collectors item. Reissued in 1991 twenty years after it's initial release. Three more LP's were made after 1990, (Destiny), 1996, (Cosmic Crusader), 2001 (Mirror to the Stars), 2007, (Gateway to the Seventh Demention), & 2013's Don't Mention Rock n Roll.
okay this bands reputation proceeds my introduction to them. Apparently this is some type of "Holy Grail" (small , private pressing, home made type releases worth a few thousand bucks, you know the type) kind of thing but like I said, I never heard them prior to this point in time. That being said, I'm gonna skip all the comparisons between bootlegs available o fit and get right to the music. It's awesome garagy type prog rock, with plenty of guitars, so that makes it okay in my book. Strong psych flavor with plenty of organ and fuzz (the prerequisite tools of said genre). Then there's a LOT of pissing and moaning and bitching by a bunch of fucking snobs about the recording quality! One reviewer even went so far as to bitch about the seemingly young age of the musicians. guess what buddy, these guys pull off a lot more than you're geriatric ass in their sleep!!
Seriously, though, the sound is just fine, damn good as a matter of fact! compared to the demos/bootlegs I sift through doing this blog, I can honestly say it's not only fine, It's pretty damn good. As is the second LP. It was released in 2002, but you can tell it was recorded in the early 70's. I like it better than the first one myself. Heavier. Not by any means a flawless masterpiece, but if you like psychedelic acid rock.it kicks much ass.
Much. They BOTH Kick MUCH ass!!!
Although formed in Davis, California, Kak spent the better part of 1968 where they recorded their one and only album. Lead singer. guitarist, and primary songwriter Gary Lee Yoder and lead guitarist Dehner Patton had been in the Oxford circle, an obscure northern California psychedelic band that cut one garage 45 RPM single ("Foolish Woman" b/w "Mind Destruction") and played in the local psychedelic scene while Joe Dave Damrell had been ob a 1965 single on Scorpio Records with Group "B."
The self titled KAK LP was minor-league psychedelic rock colored by a list of bigger local bay-area bands. Particularly Moby Grape. There were also distant echos of Quicksilver Messenger Service (in theguitar work, and Greatful Dead (in faint traces of blues rock). KAK were at their best and most definitive when they were quiet.
KAK's album was promoted poorly and didn't do very well. It probably didn't help ant when in a matter of just a couple of months the had broken up. Youder did a single for Epic and then joined Blue Cheer. KAK's solwe album is a pricey collectors item, and therefore has been re-issued on CD.
In 1975, 3/3 are Reck (guitar/vocals), Higo Hiroshi (bass), Chico Hige (drums), when they released this album in a tiny pressing (15 copies!!) in February of that year in hopes of getting a record deal. The cover was home made and the album was recorded live (sans audience) Ultra heavy psychedelic rock, like a mixture of Blue Cheer, Randy Holden, MC5, and early punk bands. The sound quality is mediocre but the music is blasting! 3/3 never released another album, and, never did get that illusive record deal. Both Reck and Hige moved to New York, where the ended up playing with James Chance & the Contortion, Lydia Lunch (Teenage Jesus & the Jerks). They then returned to Japan and found success with the band Friction, who appeared on a compilation and went on to releasing 10 albums in Japan beginning in 1980. Friction has been a major influence on Japanese punk rock.
As well as being the rarest Japanese Psych album of all time, but it fits as the missing link between Japanese underground & punk movement. The A-side dominated by moved that are somewhere in between Peter Laughner's Post-Velvets amphetamine guitar and power trio moves a-la Blue Cheer, Human Instinct & Hendrix. 3/3 gets (easily) a 10/10.
"Supernatural Fairy Tales" is the only album put out by Art, a renamed band formerly known as the V.I. P..'s. The album contains mostly band compositions with the only exception being a cover of The Young Rascals "Come On Up", and Buffalo Springfields "For What it's Worth". Unusual for 1967, the album was issued in mono only. All of the members of Art met again as members of Spooky Tooth. Patchy, but worthwhile, the heavy guitars and organ put this on track as a progressive album in many respects, but the songs are written in a more pop like fashion.
Really good Detroit Rock n Roll, their 2nd album: "2", is much better than their first, it's a lot heavier and more consistant. The bands first album was released in 1970. The band performed around the area/midwest in clubs, ballrooms, fairs, high schools, and pop festivals. They started getting support slots for the likes of Three Dog Night, Procol Harem, She NaNa, Moody Blues, Small Faces. At one particular festival, Yes, and Alice Cooper opened for Savage Grace. It was after the band moved to Los Angeles that they released their 2nd and sadly their last album. (which took nearly two years to complete. The band broke up after this album in 1972.
Spawning from Brazilian psychedelia and Anglo American Hard Rock, Modullo 1000 represented a fusion of both sonorities, came up with something new in the Brazilian music scene.
The Rio De Janerio group featuring Luiz Palo Simas (keyboards and vocals), Eduardo Leal (bass guitar), and Candinho (drums), would put out onlt one album, 1971's " Nao Fale Com Paredes" a clear display of their influences: Black Sabbath, Quartermass, to Os Mutantes through early Pink Floyd. The nine pieces that make the album are in guitar heavy and keyboard drenched music featuring
vocals singing protest lyrics probably the reason that the album was ill received by the media. The album has gained a collectability these days, especially in Brasil and Europe where it reached cult status.
An early example of Brazilian alternative/progressive music, Modulo 1000 is an essential listen fro anyone interested in the pursuit of Brazilian hard rock.
Strongbow, Columbus, Ohio 1972-'78. In the summer of '73 Strongbow went to Cleveland and cut two original songs: 'If You're Goin' to the City", & "Change" and released as a single on the band's own Epodus Label with the songs published under "Pizza Music" - "If you don't like it, Eat it!." The band released an LP in 1975 on Buddah's "Southwind" subsidary.
