Vertigo Superheavy Vol. 1 - V/A Vertigo Sampler 1972

I gotta admit, this one is a complete mystery to me. I just happened across the graphic while hunting for another. I've done my fair share of studying Vertigo, it started with a feature in Record Collector magazine, the complete swirl label catalog. There was a description, pricing and notes about every Vertigo swirl label, and it spanned over two issues. Part 1 had a feature about Black Sabbath as well. The caption on the cover read: "Vertigo and Black Sabbath. The heaviest band, the worlds most collectable label." This title was not among them. I hit the web looking for anything about this interesting looking disc. First I tried youtube, hoping it was on there so I could give it a listen. No dice. Using the keywords "Vertigo Superheavy Vol.1" (I felt that was thorough and direct..) the only thing that came up besides workout videos (?!?!?!) was a tune from the band Ronno, "Power of Darkness." And Hey, wait! There's a blurb about the song below the video screen. Holy shit, it says "From the album: Superheavy Vol.1"

 O.K. Well, that's something. At least I know this song was featured. And, It kick ass. The picture on the clip is even taken from the back cover of the album. So I looked up Ronno. Found one more song, although not as "heavy" per se, not at all like"Power of Darkness." Turns out, both of these tunes are from one single. (I believe the single is worthy of a post as well) Okay, paging through my initial search I found another. Beggars Opera, "Sarabande", alright, look at the blurb... It's all in spanish! I shouldda stayed in school! But again, "Superheavy Vol.1", now THAT I can read!

This is cool. Whoever did this is showing off the cover and playing it on their turntable. (Making the sound quality sup-par, oh well..)

Making progress. See, my whole point was to post it as the first comp. that I featured on this site, and low and behold, I can't find shit. 2 Down, more to go. But no more youtube clips. So I took to the search engines and began looking for anything. I found the cover for "Vol.2", but that's a task for another day. See, if I can find out what songs were featured on this sampler, I got my post. Dead ends galore until I punched in the catalog number 6360 061. I find a list of all vertigo releases. Booyah! now all I gotta do is look it up. The fucking catalog number is NOT LISTED. It jumps from 060 directly to 062! WTF? I am becoming more and more obsessed with tracking this down. I feel as though I'm on the hunt at a record fair. Ding! another hit. This one is from a site called Rare Record Collector. There it is! "Superheavy Vol.1" - Various 1972. AND The mystery is solved. Even with no track listing, and no description, Not only do I find out the songs featured because there's a scan of the label, but, I find out it was only issued in Peru! Therefore, that catalog number only exists in Peru.

Wow. Wasn't that fun! This little venture was a bit time consuming. I guess that's what I like about it. Plus, I've been kickin' some great sounds all night. So, without any further babbling, I bring to you Vertigo Records "Superheavy" Sampler Vol.1. I will leave the critique to you, as I've spouted off and typed too much already. Hope you enjoy it! Cheers!

Second Life - s/t 1971

Second Life is a Hard Rock power trio that should appeal to fans of Hendrix, the self titled debut L.P. (Metronome Records 1971) is heavy on the Hendrix power trio approach to the music, especially the vocals. The Album kicks off with a 20 minute opus, "Second Life." A collage of explosions give way to some down beat acoustic guitars and vocals, Slowly the track builds up into a heavy guitar jam (the 'Second Life') with heavy blues riffs and some Hendrix-esque solos before kicking into a 6 minute drum solo. Following the drum solo, it goes back to some heavy riffs and ends with another set of explosions. "Raiders of the Night" in anthem like with heavy riffs and a catchy chorus. The album is quite rare now and fetching hefty prices. Plus, the covers lamination "is peeling off on every copy I've ever seen" according to one collector. So don't expect to find any perfect original copies. And, If you do, be prepared to pay for it! A damn fine album in my opinion. It's a great debut, but after it was released, the band changed their name to Tiger B. Smith and releaseed a self titled L.P. on Vertigo and "We're the Tiger Bunch" on Bacillus before they split in 1975.

Sleepy John - s/t 1970

Sleepy John came together late 1969 in Lewiston, Idaho. A very short lived band, by very impressive. They mostly improved their tunes, and their communal house was host to all types of musicians as a place to jam. They formed out of the remnants of two bands. One from Lewiston, ID, and another from Valhalla, ID. They never actually met though, until both of them ended up in Seattle (apparently to aid in dodging the draft). They played alot in the Seattle area as well as Canada. In two different sessions, they recorded some really great material which never officially was released. It was recorded in one of the members basements, so it's definitely got that raw feel to it. Hard Rock with very prominent Hammond among heavy distorted guitar. They spent a good chunk opening for a number of bigger acts (the Zombies, Moby Grape, and The Mothers of Invention) and apparently, Frank Zappa was so impressed with them that he wanted to arrange that they be the opening act on a tour for one of his acts, Wild Man Fischer. It definitely sports a Uriah Heep/Deep Purple kinda feel to it. The unreleased recordings were ultimately released on Gear Fab in 2004 (GF-205) L.P., CD, CASS, and again in 2014 on Guersson (GUESS133) L.P. Spain. 

Socrates Drank the Conium - s/t - 1971, "Taste of Conium" - 1972, "On the Wings" - 1973, & ''Phos" 1976

Socrates Drank the Conium, a.k.a. Soctrates, is a Greek rock band that formed in 1969 and got big in the '70's. They were influenced by heavy blues and hard rock acts such as Hendrix and Cream, the band melded time signatures of progressive with hard rock and blues rock, making a pretty unique sound that set them apart from other Greek bands of the time.   The group has gone through many lineup changes throughout the years, but the two core members have remained: Guitarist Yannis Spathas, and bassist/singer Antonis Tourkogiorgis. The band began it's career in the clubs of Athens, most prominently Club Kyttaro This 1972 album is their debut full length, although they had appeared on Live at Kyttaro, (1971) a compilation of Greek rock bands recorded live at the Club Kyttaro in Athens and is considered one of the best records in the history if Greek rock.

Here is the eponymous debut along with "Taste of Conium," both released in 1972. The band covered Hendrix and Cream when gigging around although none of these cuts ended up on record. However, a cover of "Satisfaction" by the Stones is the opening track on "Taste." (a MUCH more lengthy and jam-like version I might add! Mass guitar freakout, with an awesome bass guitar bashing and drum solo as well! Shit, the first song is like a fucking mini concert!) Awesome opener for the album. Check out THIS.

Outside of Greece, the band is most known for Phos, their 1976 collaboration album with Vangelis. Phos was mostly re-workings of older songs by Socrates, but with Vangelis' production and contributions on many tracks.
In 2002 Socrates reunited (in an expanded form, they added keys and a second singer) to do shows around Greece. This lineup remains active today.
-O)))

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Haze - Hazecolor-Dia 1971

German band Haze's 1971 album "Hazecolor-Dia" is probably best remembered for it's packaging. The front cover has a transparent window to view the inside sleeve through, actually pretty cool, and most likely one of the reasons that this album, if you can find it or the German gatefold version is so expensive. the album was recorded in April, 1971, in Clerk's Studio. featuring guitars to the fore and  a very bizarre vocalist. Haze were among the earliest of the German 'hard rock" sound, into which they mixed a variety of progressive elements, venturing into psychedelic and blues realms. Haze plays interesting hard rock reminiscent of Nectar, or Message.

They were also typical of the Bacillus Records sound, if more song based than most, venturing into psychedelic and blues realms. Haze plays interesting hard rock reminiscent of Nectar, or Message.

Cleverly arranged heavy progressive rock, psychedelically fueled with a faint blues tinge, featuring humorous lyrics, "A Way to Find Paradise' is about a hippy's struggle to get his hashish to smoke.The singer has  really strange and wild voice (for me, kind of annoying) adding to their ''freak rock'' style. haze, in part, seems to draw their inspiration from Edgar Broughton Band, Arthur Brown, and Captain Beefheart. This, their only album, is recommended for all "freak rock" freaks.

Goliath - Hot Rock and Thunder 1972

Goliath. This has to be just one of a large number of bands sporting the same name. This Goliath however, was formed in Terra Haute, Indiana by Bill & Steve Peters, (bass & drums respectively), Dave Wood (Keys, Moog, Piano), Paul Bays (lead guitar), and Jim Kitchen on vocals. It's fairly typical early 70's hard rock/progressive rock that's kind of blues driven guitar rock bordering on AOR. Pressed on their own label, The Bridges, the album was recorded in Kentucky, which has lead many reviewers to mistaking the home town of the band.                              

Majic Ship - s/t 1970

Arising out of a garage band, The Primitives, that played British Invasion tunes, The New Primitives

came together in New York City in 1966. The band kept busy the next few years. Around 1968 former 50's crooner turned manager Johnny Mann saw the band and promised to get them a record contract.The addition of a new guitar player made the New Primitives become Majik Ship. Mann introduced the band to the Tokens, who produced their first single "Night Time Music." It became a local hit and even got some national airplay as did their second single "Hummin'."
This album is total fuzz psych with those cool ass echo-ee '60's vocals. At times he's singing his guts out. Gotta love it. That and a lotta guitar work makes it a great listen.

After a couple more singles and a lot of touring, they found their way into a studio to record their eponymous debut in 1969 mixing hard rock, pop, and psych a la Vanilla Fudge. The band continued another two years with plans to record a second l.p. until their shared house burned to the ground in 1971 along with all their recording equipment and instruments. They called it quits thereafter. 

Pink Fairies - Never Never Land 1971

Never Never Land is the 1971 debut albufrm om the Pink Fairies. The group was formed when three musicians from The Devients, having sacked their singer Mick Farren after a disastrous West Coast North American tour hooked up with Twink. These musicians had previously collaborated on Twink's "Think Pink" prior to the tour, and during the tour Twink, Farren, and Steve Peregrin Took had used The Pink Fairies Motorcycle Club and All Star Rock and Roll Band name. Taken from a story by Jamie Mandlekau, as an umbrella for their activities. Polygram commissioned the band to do a single "The Snake/Do It" and were happy enough with it that the offered the group a contract for an album. The cover was really cool. It came in a printed PVC cover with an inner gate-fold sleeve depicting different scenescapes and a printed inner sleeve with a photo of the band. 200 Copies were pressed on pink vinyl that same year. I'd love to get my mits on one of those. My fave tune on the disc: "Thor." Dig it.

Stonehouse - Stonehouse Creek 1971

Bluesy, riffy, and LOUD. Vocals from the gut... Totally ripping heavy rock from the early 70's, Stonehouse was formed in England around 1970. The band was the short lived and un-lucky brainchild of Peter Sterling. Before founding Stonehouse he toured Germany in '66 and '67 and recorded a couple of singles for Deutsche Vogue. The band consisted of Sterling (guitar), James Smith (vocals), Ian Snow (drums), and Terry Parker (bass).

"Stonehouse Creek 1971" was recorded in only three days after RCA offered them a deal. Unfortunately, the band split up after the release of the album, apparently the record label didn't promote it like they should have as there was really no publicity around this killer band.

The album has been reissued on a label from Germany and contains 11 tracks.

This one is essential.

(Most of this info comes from Borde do Rock, awesome blog. Check it out!)

Ache - "De Homine Urbano"1970 & "Green Man" 1971

De Homine Urbano was the  debut album by the Danish band Ache. It's a fine working mix of early progressive rock and psychedelia. The A side is more progressive while the psychedelic elements are more present on the B side track "Little Things." Neither o the sides are true masterpiece but they do their job pretty well. 

Somehow I've never contemplated the potential association between progressive rock and dancing young women in tights, though i would've met it with cynicism at first, Ache have managed to make it work to their benefit. ; De Homine Urbano is a fine piece of early symphonic prog that gracefully adopts the delicate finesse of a ballet into it's stylistic mainframe. It's perhaps a tad unpolished whn compared to later works of symphonic prog, but Ache's debut is nonetheless an impressive work, worthy of attention in retrospect.

Green Man Ache's second album, is a collection of heavy prog tunes with a wealth of psychedelic rock, classical, and jazz rock overtones, not only bringing Uriah Heep to mind on occasion, but also other Hammond-rich groups like Beggars Opera, Procal Harem, Black Widow, and early Deep Purple, although with a darker, almost Gothic atmosphere. On this release, the band includes a reworking of the Beatles' "We Can Work it Out," which alone was worth the album price. 

OFFICIAL WEBSITE

Necromandus - Orexis of Death 1973

Necromandus were formed in 1970 in England. In 1968 two West Cumbrian bands broke up and members from both bands Barry "Baz" Dunnery (guitar), Dennis McCartan (bass), Frank Hall (drums), and singer Bill Branch Formed the band. They were discovered by Black Sabbath's Tony Iommi in 1972. They recorded one album in '73 and then broke up. This album wasn't released until 1999. In 2007 Classic Rock magazine mentioned them as a "lost pioneer" of Heavy Metal, and author Ian Christe has cited them as one of the earliest doom metal bands. They were briefly named Taurus before settling on Necromandus when a radio show asked their audience for name suggestions. Iommi Managed the band and overseen their recording as well as laying some guitar tracks on the title song. The band sounds more like progressive rock as opposed to metal or hard rock. A deal was arranged with Vertigo and the band began opening for Sabbath, but when Barry "Baz" Dunnery (guitar) left the band in '73, Vertigo shelved the album. They continued to gather praise and support, such as Ozzy Osbourne initially wanting their guitarist, bass player, and drummer for his "Blizzard of Oz" project. Dunnery and Hall went on to play in the N.W.O.B.H.M. band Hammerhead. Sadly, Frank Hall is the only living member left.

Article No.1

Article No.2

Poobah - Let Me In 1972 + Biggy Rat - Look at Yourself 45 1970

Prior to forming Poobah with his high school buddy Phil Jones, Jim Gustafson started a band called Biggy Rat and released a 45 "Look inside yourself" b/w "I'm a woman." The band toured a lot and became quite popular. Even recording and album with Jimi Hendrix's bass player Billy Cox as producer. The album never saw release as the label slated to put it out folded, and so did the band soon after. That's when Jim and Phil took out an ad for a drummer and settled on Glen Wiseman and the trio was born. Financed by Jim, the band recorded "Let Me In" which contains a number of songs written for Biggy Rat and newer material. The band was an immediate hit with D.J.'s and recieved a butt load of air play making them a very popular act.They brought the album to Columbia, but were tuned down due to lack of management. After a period of "musical drum thrones", 1973 saw them back in the studio to record a second album which ended up on a C.D. called "Rock Collection" much later. Two years of touring ended with another lineup change and two more years of touring ensued stopping only to record "U.S. Rock in 1976. (a more thorough band  history.HERE)

The album sold out in a New York minute, but low and behold, the label tanked.The band was still constantly on the road and split up two years later. However, by '79, they had another record "Steamroller", but Jim and Phil were at odds with each other and the new lineup folded after 8 months or so. Another reformation in 1980 didn't last very long either.However, Poobah has stuck it out through all that and more (including the death of bass player Joe Mowrey) as well as multiple lineup changes. For more in depth details and complete history and members roster check out their official bio from the address below.The band contiues touring and cranking out CD's to this day. Look for them in A VENUE NEAR YOU!!!

Check their page out on facebook HERE

And don't forget: www.poobahband.com/

Seompi - Awol 1970 (re:1998)

Seompi, an acronym for "Self Expression On Musically Potential Instruments" was formed in Texas by Dave Williams who had just done a year in the pokey for pot posession. A few years prior, He was the founder of cover band The Headstones from McAllen Texas. They did a few singles and busted up in '68 even though they had a lot of interest from major labels. In '69, Dave founded a short lived band,The Meat, (awesome name!) just before he went to jail. Seompi was formed after. A "no guitar" three piece with Dave and Patrick Rockhill both on bass, and Bill Reid on Drums. They started off with a single "Summers Commin' on Heavy", but re-recorded it when they finally broke down and got a guitar player. Most likely to make the band more commercially viable. Their custom gear made this band LOUD! They Called it quits in 1974. The album was released in '98/'99, but was recorded in '70/'71. It's a compilation of their singles.

Silver - Children of the Lord 1975

First off, nobody knows SHIT about this disc. According to Discogs, it was pressed in a run of 300, it's of the heavy psych, hard rock type, and many have speculated that this band never even got off the ground. Comes in a plain white cover with a sticker stating that it is a reviewer copy, "Confidential. "It is also of the Christian flavor (it's been called Christian Rock in some cases) It obviously contains 7 songs, however I can only find one. Anyone own this and want to rip it for me? The only thing I can find about it on the web are tiny snippets of of sites that have it for sale (around $50 and higher). And they don't know much either.YOU be the judge.

Astaroth - Satanaspiritus b/w Lady Of The Moon 45 1968-69? 1975?

I love stumbling across shit like this! Three different sources have reported there is NO INFORMATION on this band! A total fucking mystery and it is believed this 45 is the only known  specimen available of this band.

Nobody even knows for sure what date it's from. It was speculated to be from around 1968 or 69, but apparently it has also been pegged from 1975. Who knows?!

The video doesn't help as it all footage of other shit, like stock footage, films of the Stooges, other bands, and movies. So I bring to you everything I could about this one. Satanaspiritus is an energetic rocker with a lot of Satanic type lyrics and loud guitars (LOVE that shit..) Where as the B-side Lady of the Moon is a bit lower key and judging by the recording and style it was written in, I'd be willing to bet on the late '60's time frame as opposed to '75. The opening track to the "Michigan Meltdown" Compilation