Saturday, July 31, 2010

W.O.C.K On Vinyl - White Mammoth On The M1 (Mammoth)

.
Before things get too serious here at Rock On Vinyl, I thought it might be fun to post a song at the end of each month, that could be categorized as being either Weird, Obscure, Crazy or just plain Korny.
.
Some time ago, I purchased a compilation CD of Progressive Rock called 'Classic Rock' and came across this bizzare and very Weird track by a group called Mammoth. On further investigation, it turns out that this UK band only played together between 1987 and 1989, playing mostly 'heavy metal'.
However, the track in question 'White Mammoth On The M1' is far removed from heavy metal and sounds like the soundtrack for a Sci Fi movie with a music score produced by Yoko Ono - very Avante Garde! As the track title implies, the music is representative of what a large Wooly Mammoth might sound like (and hear) if it was slowly walking along a freeway (M1) in the middle of the night. Beyond this, it is too hard to describe what this track sounds like, so why not download it and have a listen yourself.
.
MAMMOTH were a truly larger than life rock outfit led by a 'mountain man' vocalist Nicky Moore and big bald bearded bassist John McCoy famed for his former years in chart topping Ian Gillan. The band lasted from late 1986 to the end of 1989 but only released two albums.
John McCoy is a British bass guitarist who is best known for his work with Ian Gillan and Mammoth as well as numerous other bands and sessions since the late 1960s.
Post-Gillan, John McCoy recruited session drummer Vinnie "Tubby" Reed, guitarist "Big" Mac Baker and vocalist Nicky Moore to form a band initially called Dinosaur. The name was already in use by a Californian band, so McCoy renamed his new outfit Mammoth. The name was also a tongue-in-cheek reference to the large size of the band members: McCoy weighed 120 kg, Reed 140 kg, Baker 152 kg and Moore 127 kg.

The band toured with Whitesnake and Marillion and were well-received by fans. They released one single, "Fatman", and two albums, Mammoth and XXXL. In 1988 the entire band appeared in the film Just Ask For Diamond, playing the henchmen. Musically, commercial success eluded them however and the band eventually split in 1989, with McCoy becoming an independent producer. As the band's nostalgic popularity increased in later years, the few records that were released became collector's items - vinyl copies of the album trading hands for as much as $120.
.
I have included some choice photos of the band and their wooly mascot, along with a 320kps rip from CD of 'White Mammoth On The M1', for this W.O.C.K on vinyl posting..

Link

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Nova - Blink (1975)

(Italian 1975-78)
.
Initially named Uno, the band was created in London in the mid-70's by ex-members of Cervello and Osanna, namely guitarist Corrado Rustici, guitarist Danilo Rustici and sax & flute player Elio D'Anna. The roster of permanent and guest musicians spread over their four albums is impressive: Morris Pert, Phil Collins, Ric Parnell (Ibis, Atomic Rooster), Narada Michael Walden (Mahavishna Orchestra, Santana) and Franco Lo Previte (Circus 2000, Duello Madre) and that only covers the drums & percussion department. Other contributors include keyboard player Renato Rosset, classical conga virtuoso Zakir Hussain and three bassists: Percy Jones, Barry Johnson (Lenny White's band Twennynine) and Luciano Milanese.
Nova released four albums between 1976 and 1978 (see other Nova postings)

'Blink', their first LP, is not as polished as the others but still offers lengthy jams with sumptuous guitar/sax dialogues. All four albums were released by Arista (a non-Italian label) of which only 'Blink', is available on CD. Danilo Rustici left after the first album (to reform Osanna), and Renato Rosset joined Nova in his place. [extract from Nova's MySpace page]
.
Review
A logical precursor to Brand X, Nova is an Italian fusion band that features the mind-numbing bass and drum interplay similar to that of Brand X, but follows through with guitar, sax and vocals as well. Vocals are in English, and unlike many Italian bands that use English vocals, the singing does not detract from the overall quality of the music. After listening a few times, I realized that Nova has four lead instruments: The guitars, sax, bass and drums all play lead-styled lines, at the same time, for the most part.

The overall product is a very complex jam with occasional vocals. Any fan of Brand X, Mahavishna Orchestra or Return to Forever will find this interesting listening.
I reckon it is fantastic - another long lost Italian classic. The point that everyone misses with Nova is that 'Blink' is a completely amazing album full of technical complexities on the level of Zappa's best. They recorded three more albums, but 'Blink' stands on its own.

The album consists of six tracks, all divided into two parts, all giving high-energy and an enthralling jazz-rock experience. The four sung tracks are in very good English (all things considered), but really this is a minor aspect as all five musos are dishing out impressive
200 kph jazz fusion with impressive technical abilities. I would not actually say they reach Mahavishna or RTF's technical and virtuosic level, but they get pretty damn close.
.
Rip for this posting was taken from CD at 320kps and includes full album artwork. CD depicted below is the Japanese Mini-LP released in 1994.
.
Tracks Listing
01.  Tailor made - Part 1 & Part 2 (5:09)
02.  Something inside keeps you down - Part 1 & Part 2 (6:11)
03.  Nova - Part 1 & Part 2 (7:10)

04.  Used to be easy - Part 1 & Part 2 (5:12)

05.  Toy - Part 1 & Part 2 (4:21)

06.  Stroll on - Part 1 & Part 2 (10:33)

.
Band Members:
Elio D'Anna - alto (2-3-6), soprano (1-3-4) & tenor (5-6) saxes, flute (2)

Franco Loprevite - drums

Luciano Milanese - bass

Corrado Rustici - lead vocals (1-2-4-6), acoustic (2) & electric guitars

Danilo Rustici - electric guitar

Morris Pert - percussion

.
Nova Link (75Mb) Link Fixed 29/10/2015
.

Sunday, July 25, 2010

Jimi Hendrix - Redhouse (Variations On A Theme)

(U.S 1967-1970)
.
."Red House" is a blues song, written by famed guitarist Jimi Hendrix and originally recorded by The Jimi Hendrix Experience.
There are two different takes of this song: the original version (mono) that appeared on the UK issue of Are You Experienced?, and the alternate version (stereo) featured on the 1969 USA Smash Hits compilation on which bass player Noel Redding plays electric guitar tuned down to resemble a bass guitar. Despite Hendrix's complaints, the song was omitted from the USA issue of Are You Experienced because the recording company reportedly argued that "America does not like blues".
The original mono take became available in the USA & Canada when it was released (minus the chat at the end) on the posthumous Blues album. The alternate stereo take (3:50) recorded around the same time (included in this compilation), was unavailable outside of USA & Canada until the Kiss The Sky CD compilation. The Blues album also features a live studio jam version - onto which Hendrix's introduction from a different jam has been dubbed - "Electric Church Red House". This was recorded by Jimi at TTG Studios in LA on 10/29/68 with Buddy Miles on drums and featuring Lee Michaels playing Hammond organ. This version is included in this compilation bootleg. For a full description of the 3 studio versions, see Vagabond's World

While playing Red House at Woodstock, Hendrix snapped his high E-string in the middle of the performance and kept playing the second half of the song with just five strings. "Long" versions of the song like the Woodstock rendition are generally about 6–10 minutes. One of the longest live versions of the song is a nearly thirteen-minute long version on 5/24/69 at the San Diego Sports Arena, which is found on Hendrix in the West, a live album sampling four different shows.

"Red House" was inspired by Hendrix's first love Betty Jean Morgan and the New York apartment where Hendrix first met Keith Richard's then-girlfriend Linda Keith.
The song has been covered by many other blues musicians, and is widely regarded as a blues standard to be judged by. [extract from wikipedia]

.The posting was ripped from CD at 320kps. Limited artwork is supplied.

.Red House Lyrics
(by Jimi Hendrix)

. Well there's a red house over yonder
That's where my baby stays
Lord there's a red house over yonder
Oh that's where my baby stays
I ain't been home to see my baby
In ninety-nine and one half days
.
Wait a minute, something wrong here
My key won't unlock this door
Wait a minute, something wrong here
Lord have mercy this
key won't unlock this door
(something wrong here)
I gotta bad, bad feeling
My baby don't live here no more
(That's ok, I still got my guitar...look out!)
.
Well I might as well look back over yonder
Way back up over the hill
Lord I might as well go back over yonder
Way back yonder across the hill
Even though my baby don't love me no more
I know her sister will

[taken from bluesforpeace.com]
.
Track Listing
01 - Red House, Berkeley, CA, 5-30-70 (7:33)
02 - Red House, Newport Pop, Devonshire Downs, CA, 6-20-69 (8:15)
03 - Red House, Studio, Hollywood, CA, 1969 (7:22)
04 - Red House, LA Forum, CA 4-26-69 (10:56)
05 - Red House, Albert Hall, London, England, 2-24-69 (11:41)
06 - Red House, Winterland, San Francisco, CA, 10-10-68 (14:16)
07 - Red House, San Diego, 5-24-69 (13:07)
08 - Red House, Olympic Studios, London. England April 69 (3:50)

.
Redhouse Link (166Mb) New Link 13/10/2023

Link

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Australian Crawl - Phalanx (Live 1983) + Bonus Track

(Australian 1978–1986)
.
Australian Crawl (often called Aussie Crawl by fans) was an Australian rock band founded by James Reyne (lead vocals / piano), Brad Robinson (rhythm guitar), Paul Williams (bass guitar), Simon Binks (lead guitar) and David Reyne (drums) in 1978. David Reyne soon left and was replaced by Bill McDonough (drums, percussion). They were later joined by his brother Guy McDonough (vocals, rhythm guitar). The band was named after the front crawl swimming style also known as the Australian crawl.
After their 1980 debut album, 'The Boys Light' Up reached #4, Australian Crawl had two #1 albums; 1981's 'Sirocco' and 1982's 'Sons of Beaches'. Their early singles reached the top 25 but none broke into the Top Ten; their best performing single was #1 hit "Reckless" which showed a more mature approach than earlier hits, and came from their 1983 Semantics EP.
'Phalanx' was their first live album and was recorded live at concerts at Bombay Rock Gold Coast, Queensland and at the Sydney Entertainment Centre in October, 1983, during the 'Semantics' tour. The album was initially released on vinyl in December, 1983 and was re-released on CD in May, 1995. The album reached #4 on the National Album Charts being released by EMI. The title of the album is derived from the name for the ancient Greek battle formation where long spears were presented from behind a wall of overlapping shields. The title can also refer more generally to a close-knit group of people, in this case the audience. The cover features distinctive cartoon images by Michael Leunig with the front depicting five sharks swimming towards a lone wader – they are revealed to be five other swimmers with shark fin hair. The back cover cartoon depicts a stage manager warning "Five Minutes Mr. Reyne" at the dressing room door. Meanwhile Reyne is combing his hair backwards with Brylcream liberally applied, a guitar and a half-full bottle are nearby. Phalanx was also released by Geffen Records in Europe but under a different title, Australian Crawl: Live, and with a different cover, from which this rip was taken. [Extracts from wikipedia]

'Phalanx' was the Crawl's fourth album... It yielded a rollicking single, in the form of the band's raucous cover of The Kingsmen's "Louie Louie"... As this album lodged itself at the top of the charts, the Crawl were off to England for some pre-Christmas shows with Duran Duran. [Glen A. Baker, 1983]
This is not their greatest live album ('The Final Wave' released in 1986 is far superior) but it is a good indication of what Australian Crawl sounded like live - their sound was full and fairly true to the that which they produced in the studio. The B-Side selection of tracks is much stronger than the A-Side featuring some of their big singles like - "Boys Light Up" and "Errol".
The reggae track "The Night" from their Semantics EP is the weakest track in the set and some classic Crawl such as "Downhearted" and "Beautiful People" are distinctly missing.
The rip was taken from CD at 320kps and includes full album artwork along with the European cover. I have also included a bonus live track "Six Days On The Road" taken from the Rocking Australia Live concert (double LP rec. live at the EON-FM/In-jeanious series of concerts 1982)
.
Track Listing
01 - Unpublished Critics (5:51)
02 - The Night (3:50)
03 - La Califusa (3:01)
04 - Love Beats Me Up (4:33)
05 - Things Don't Seem (3:58)
06 - White Limbo (3:43)
07 - Louie Louie (5:48)
08 - Errol (3:32)
09 - Reckless (Don't Be So) 5:41
10 - The Boys Light Up (5:30)
11 - Six Days On The Road [Bonus Track] (2:55)

.
Band members:
James Reyne (Lead vocals, keyboards, guitar)
Simon Binks (Lead guitar)
Guy McDonough (Vocals, rhythm guitar)
Brad Robinson (Rhythm guitar)
Paul Williams (Bass)
John Watson (Drums)
.
Australian Crawl Link (95Mb) New Link 16/12/2023

Sunday, July 4, 2010

Haze - Hazecolor-Dia (1971)

(German 1971)
.
I bought this album from an import shop sale bin in Geelong many, many years ago (attracted by the multi-coloured cellophane cover) Not sure what happened to it but I most likely traded it - apparently it is now a very hard to find collectors item!
Historically undocumented, there's not a lot I can tell you about Haze. However, Bacillus Records must have deemed them as important, in that they presented their debut LP in a unique cover - an LP size transparency slide (known as a "dia" in Germany) in the style used by Agfa!
Hazecolor-Dia was a Hauke & Dierks production, recorded during April 1971 at the Clerks Studio. The gimmick sleeve was created by designer Walter Seyffer, who also created the cover of the Nine Days Wonder debut album and was their singer, too.
.
Haze were amongst the first to present the uniquely German "hard-rock" sound, into which they mixed a complex variety of progressive elements, featuring guitars to the fore and quite a bizarre vocalist. They were also typical of the Bacillus Records sound, if more song based than most, venturing on to psychedelic and blues realms.

Recorded in 1971, this German album is a complex progressive rock effort with plenty of excellent guitar playing and some nice psychedelic touches (as one would expect by its psychedelic cover)
Haze play interesting hard-rock that reminds me of early Nektar or Message. All five tracks were written by Dietmar Low. Slow, cleverly-arranged heavy progressive rock numbers, psychedelically fueled with a faint blues tinge, featuring humorous lyrics: "A Way To Find Paradise" tells about a hippy's struggle to get his hashish to smoke! Scherler really had a strange and wild voice (he usually screamed as loudly as he could), adding much to their gutsy freak rock style. Several tracks also featured flute (the flute player is not identified on the cover)
Haze, in part, seem to draw inspiration from The Edgar Broughton Band, Arthur Brown, and Captain Beefheart. This, their only album is recommended for all freak rock fans!
.
The rip was taken from a CD remaster at 320kps and includes full album artwork. Enjoy!
.
Track Listing
01 - Peaceful Nonsense (7.18)
02 - Fast Career (8.35)
03 - Be Yourself (6.26)
04 - A Way To Find the Paradise (6.58)
05 - Decision (10.14)

.
Band Members:
Christian Scherler (vocals)
Heinz Schwab (lead guitar)
Hans-Jürg Frei (guitar, organ)
Dietmar Löw (bass)
Kurt Frei (drums)
.
Haze link (93Mb) New Link 24/12/2022

Friday, July 2, 2010

Savanna Silver Band - Pure Silver (1977)

(Australian 1977-79)
.
This relatively unknown Melbourne band played the pub circuit during the late seventies and were renowned for their jazz / funk style of music, filled with melodic synth and woodwind melodies, backed by solid percussion sounds from Anthony Doyle and Alex Pertout. I was lucky enough to see the Savanna Silver Band play at the Tankerville Arms Hotel (corner Johnson & Nicholson Street Fitzroy) in 1978 and still have vivid memories of their latin-american stage show, with large tree ferns and palms scattered about the stage complemented by an array of bright colors created by their stage lighting.
They played tracks from their recently released debut album 'Pure Silver' and on reflection can say that they were able to fully reproduce their studio sound on stage. Every song they played drew me in more and more, but highlights were definitely "Ruby Running Faker", "Mr. Featherman" and the haunting "Just Remember".

Michael Savanna-Silver's voice (backed by Olga Binos and Meryle Petein) was pitch perfect and thanks to the favourable acoustics of the venue the lyrics were a powerful aspect of their overall sound.
Needless to say, I hunted down a copy of their album (released on an independent label 'Champagne Records') and although it had a rather drab silver-coloured LP cover, the music inside was brilliant. However, I suspect the band realised this shortcoming when they changed record companies in 1979 ( 'Image Records' ) and later re-released the album under a new title 'It Takes A Woman' sporting a red coloured, more inviting album cover. I have seen a copy of this re-release recently at a collectors market, but couldn't justify the $50 price tag!

The album is excellent for a debut LP and was produced and engineered by the well known Gil Matthews (former drummer for 'Billy Thorpe and the Aztecs' and founder of Aztec Music) Unfortunately this is their only LP and both of their single's A & B sides were also taken from this album.
If you haven't heard this album and you like artists such as Larry Carlton, Steve Khan, The Doobie Brothers, Chicago, or even Osibisa, then you are going to love the Savanna Silver Band. Either way, I recommend you give it a try - you won't be disappointed.
.
The rip was taken from vinyl at 320kps and includes full album artwork (silver version I'm afraid)
A big thank you to ecrob from Midoztouch, for providing me with the scan of his cassette tape cover for the alternative release by Image.
.
Tracklisting
01 - Ruby Running Faker (3:28)

02 - Like I Do (5:33)
03 - Chaser (0:43)
04 - Coming Home (4:17)
05 - It Takes A Woman (4:20)
06 - Take A Giant Step (4:21)
07 - Why (3:00)
08 - Foolish People (3:59)
09 - Mr. Featherman (5:00)
10 - Just Remember (4:43)

.
Band Members:
Michael Savanna Silver (Lead Vocals, Guitar [12 String], Synthesizer, Gong, Percussion)

Paul Wheeler (Bass)

Mel Stainton (Clarinet)

Alejandro Pertout Navarro (Congas, Timbales, Percussion [Latin])
Anthony Doyle (Drums, Percussion)

Tony Pedroza (Guitar)

Graham Jenks (Rhythm Guitar)

Meryle Petein , Olga Binos (Backing Vocals)

Russell Smith (Saxophone)

Miguel Carranza (Trombone)

John McCulloch , Tim Fettes (Trumpet)

.
Savannah Silver Band (77Mb) New Link 13/04/2020
.