Wednesday, July 19, 2017

Companion - Reap The Lost Dreamers - Rav US - 1977

California West Coast, Heavy Progressive from 1977.

Memphis-based Companion arose out of the ashes of Prog Rock band Leviathan, when guitarist Grady Timble left and his replacement Brit Warner joined in. While -according to the band's leader Waine Bradley- the band wrote its best material during the 6-month existence of the new line-up, personal conflicts led to the dissolution in 1974.Warner and Bradley continued to work together on their own ideas and created this project, inviting Mike Russell on keyboards and guitarist Andy Tate, while their only release ''Reap the lost dreamers'' (1974, Rav Records) was recorded with the help of drummer Bill Lineberry. This is another proof of how unique and underrated the 70's US Prog scene is. While Companion's music veers towards Folk Rock, the arrangements are highly eclectic. The short pieces of the opening side are the folkiest ones, this side contains elaborate Folk Rock with spacey synthesizers and organ use and light psychedelic vibes, mainly performed on acoustic guitars with a few naughty electric vibes akin to Yes, while lead vocals are close to Jon Anderson' style. Lovely work on string ensemble by Russell and some delicate, bucolic melodies. Beginning with the the 6-min. ''The lonely reaper'' there seems to be a change of scenery. Sound now sits somewhere between smooth Folk Rock and melancholic Space/Symphonic Rock with emotional guitar solos and more pronounced use of atmospheric keyboards and piano, vocals start to fit nicely to the semi-cosmic atmosphere and the combination of pastoral touches with keyboard-laden Art Rock works almost perfectly. The long tracks are definitely progressive with changing themes and smooth instrumental interactions. The album was pressed in 1000 copies, mainly distributed to local media, and received some scarce radio airplay. Companion fell apart shortly afterwards. Today, Waine Bradley runs his own production company.

A1 Blackbird 00:00 Written-By – Lennon-McCartney
A2 To The Better Days 03:26 Written-By – Beth Nielsen Chapman, Brit Warner
A3 The Child Goes On 07:15 Drums, Percussion – Shof BeaversWritten-By – Brit Warner
A4 The Lonely Reaper 11:13 Written-By – Brit Warner
A5 Prelude To The Lost Dreamers / Wine For Dreamers / Dreamer's Final 17:37
Written-By – Mike Russell (4), Wain Bradley
B1 You Will Know 25:17 Written-By – Brit Warner, Mike Russell (4), Wain Bradley
B2 Lost My Past To You 28:12 Written-By – Ginnie Cannon, Wain Bradley
B3 Second Chance 34:05 Written-By – Brit Warner, Wain Bradley


Bonus Track
B4 Anytyme, Anywhere 37:32 Written-By – Brit Warner


Drums, Percussion – Bill Lineberry
Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar [12-string], Backing Vocals – Andy Tate
Electric Piano [Rmi], Synthesizer [Eml 101], Synthesizer [Arp Strings Ensemble], Organ [Hammond], Backing Vocals – Mike Russell (4)
Engineer – Brit Warner, Wain Bradley
Producer – Companion (3)
Vocals, Bass Guitar, Synthesizer [Arp 2600], Keyboards – Wain Bradley
Vocals, Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar [12-string], Keyboards – Brit Warner








Monday, July 17, 2017

Frank Zappa - The Oval Cricket Ground - London UK - 16, September, 1972


Audience Recording - Notes: The master has excellent sound but it appears that the taper stopped his
recorder during some of the long breaks between songs, missing some of
FZ's announcements and a couple of beginnings of songs.

1. Soundcheck/tuning
2. Big Swifty
The Adventures of Gregory Peccary:
3. Intro
4. 1st movement: Gregory wakes up & drives to work
5. 2nd movement: Gregory invents the calendar
6. 3rd movement: Gregory is attacked by the Hunchmen
7. 4th movement: The New Brown Clouds
8. Preamble to Think It Over
9. Think It Over
10. Preamble To Dog Meat
11. Dog Meat
12. Preamble To Penis Dimension
13. Penis Dimension
14. Variant Processional March/Regyptian Strut
15. Post-FZ Announcement

Jay Migliori; flute, saxophone, clarinet 
Mike Altschul; piccolo, bass clarinet 
Ray Reed; saxophone, clarinet 
Charles Owen; saxophone, clarinet 
Joanne Caldwell McNab; bassoon 
Earle Dumler; oboe 
Jerry Kessler; cello 
Malcolm McNab; trumpet 
Sal Marquez; trumpet 
Tom Malone; tuba 
Bruce Fowler; trombone 
Glenn Ferris; trombone 
Ken Shroyer; trombone 
Ian Underwood; synthesizer, elec piano
Jim Gordon; drums 
Dave Parlato, bass 
Tony Duran; slide guitar 
Tom Raney; percussion 
Ruth Underwood; percussion 
Frank Zappa; guitaR

Frank Zappa & The Mothers Of Invention - The Mothers Years 1966-2009 - 2011


Two 1 hour audio collage programs featuring the incredible, unique, obscure music of Frank Zappa and the Mothers intertwined with rare radio interviews about the music, hippies, the band, recording sessions and more also remixes from the recent "Lumpy Money Project" as well as clips from various documentary's, interviews and live tracks including the last song and kaos that ensued after the Montreux Casino fire in 1971 immortalized by Deep Purple's Smoke on the Water. So enjoy two hours of Zappa and the Mothers. - Produced, edited, mixed by Skidmark Bob.


PoP dEFECT RADIO May 2011
http://popdefectradio.blogspot.com/2011/05/frank-zappa-vol-i-mothers-years.html

Playlist by track, release and year:

Part 1

Mother People - We're only in it for the money 1968
Freak Out List 2010 Documentary edit
Motherly Love - Freak Out! 1966
Who Are The Brain Police - Freak Out! 1966
WFMT Detroit Radio Chicago with Studs Terkel 1968 - WDET Detroit 1967 - (Radio Interview edit) 
Who needs the Peace Corps (1984 Remix) - We're only in it for the money 1968
Concentration moon Live - Playground psychotics 1992
Flower Punk, Are you Hung Up (1984 Remix) - We're only in it for the money 1968
BBC Late Show 1993 (Radio Interview edit) 
Hungry Freaks - Freak Out! 1966
The chrome plated megaphone of destiny (1984 Remix) - We're only in it for the money 1968
WLOS Milwaukee WI with Bob Reitman 1968 - WDET Detroit 1967 (Radio Interview edit) 
Trouble Everyday - Roxy & elsewhere 1974
200 Motels Ad
The Slime - Over-nite sensation 1973
My Guitar Wants to Kill your Mama - Weasels ripped my flesh 1970
The Voice of Cheese - Uncle Meat 1969
Zomby Woof - Over-nite sensation 1973
Unit 2, Take 9 - The Lumpy Money ProjectObject 2009

Part 2

Lumpy Gravy Part 1 (1984 Remix) - Lumpy Gravy 1966
Take Your clothes off when You dance (instrumental) - Lumpy Gravy Part2
A typical sound check - Playground psychotics 1992
Hot Poop Remix 1984 - The Lumpy Money ProjectObject 2009
Dense Slight - The Lumpy Money ProjectObject 2009
Super grease, Cruisin' for burgers - Playground psychotics 1992
Bow Tie Daddy 1984 Remix - The Lumpy Money ProjectObject 2009
You there, with the hard on, Zanti serenade - Playground psychotics 1992
WLOS Milwaukee WI with Bob Reitman 1968 - (Radio Interview edit) 
Cheap Thrills - Cruising with Ruben & the jets 1968
BBC Late Show 1993 - Break up of the Mothers
Peaches En Regalia - Hot Rats 1969
BBC Late Show 1993 - Reform of the Mothers (Radio Interview edit) 
Semi Fraudulent Direct From Hollywood Overture - 200 Motels
Nasal retentive calliope music - We're only in it for the money 1968
Smoke on the water story - Deep Purple doc
King Kong, Fire/Swiss Cheese Fire! 1971 - Last song Montreux Casino fire
You're Probably Wondering Why I'm Here - Freak Out 1966

Sunday, July 9, 2017

Procol Harum - Procal Harum - IL Records - 1967 - Italian Press 1st LP

A rare 1967 Italian first pressing of Procol Harum’s self-titled debut album, with a unique psychedelic cover and a song sung in Italian!

During the second half of the 1960’s, artists including The Rolling Stones, The Yardbirds and Stevie Wonder recorded songs in Italian, in an effort to have hit singles in that market.  The original Italian issue of Procol Harum’s debut featured a unique take on the regular album cover, printed in a beautiful psychedelic pink (and laminated), and the song “Shine on Brightly” (the title cut from their second album in the rest of the world) sung in phonetic Italian by the band’s singer, Gary Brooker, and retitled “Il Tuo Diamante”.  Also unique to this release is that the song “Repent Walpurgus” was retitled “Fortuna” (“luck” in English).








PINK FLOYD - A SAUCERFUL OF SECRETS - EMI/COLUMBIA SCX-6258 - 1967 - MONO UK

A Saucerful of Secrets is the second studio album by the English rock band Pink Floyd, released on 29 June 1968 by EMI Columbia in the United Kingdom and released on 27 July 1968 in the United States by Tower Records. The album was recorded before and after Syd Barrett's departure from the group. With Barrett's behavior was becoming increasingly unpredictable, he was forced to leave the band and David Gilmour was recruited in January 1968.

As a result, A Saucerful of Secrets became the only non-compilation Pink Floyd album on which all five band members appeared, the first for Gilmour, with him appearing on five songs ("Let There Be More Light", "Set The Controls For The Heart Of The Sunrise", "Corporal Clegg", "A Saucerful Of Secrets" and "See Saw"), and the last for Barrett, with him on three ("Remember A Day", "Jugband Blues" and "Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun". "Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun" was the only song all five members appeared on together. The band's drummer, Nick Mason has declared A Saucerful of Secrets to be his favorite Pink Floyd album

Personnel: David Gilmour - Guitar, Vocals / Roger Waters - Bass, Percussion, Vocals, Syd Barrett - Vocals, Guitar / Nick Mason - Drums, Percussion, Vocals  /Richard Wright - Piano, Keyboards.

Track Listing: Let there Be More Light/Remember the Day/Set The Controls For The Heart Of the Sunrise/Corporal Clegg/A Saucerful of Secrets (4 Parts)/See-Saw/Jugband Blues.







CLICK TO PLAY FULL ALBUM!


Sunday, May 7, 2017

Clifford Jordan - Cliff Jordan - Blue Note 1565 - Jazz - 1957



Track Listing:

St. John's
Not Guilty
Blue Shoes
Beyond The Blue Horizon
Ju-Ba

Features Lee Morgan, Curtis Fuller, Ray Bryant, Paul Chambers and Art Taylor.

Lee Morgan (trumpet -1,4,5) Curtis Fuller (trombone -1/4) John Jenkins (alto sax) Clifford Jordan (tenor sax) Ray Bryant (piano) Paul Chambers (bass) Art Taylor (drums).

Rudy Van Gelder Studio, Hackensack, NJ, June 2, 1957

CLICK TO PLAY FULL ALBUM

Thursday, April 27, 2017

Led Zeppelin - Jimmy Page - Promotional 8 x 10 Inch Bath Festival Vintage Photograph - 1970

Vintage promotional photograph of Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin on stage at the 1970 Bath Festival of Blues and Progressive Music. This original photograph was obtained from the archives of the London Features stock photo agency, which licensed photographs to magazines and newspapers on behalf of photographers. On the back is a stamp and a later sticker from London Features, and some handwritten notes.

It is an original hand-printed photograph, made from the original negative.  In excellent condition, measures 8 x 10 inches.

Bob Dylan - Blood on the Tracks - Columbia Records Reference Acetate - 1974 - Unreleased Original Version


Here is one of only 3 known acetates of the original version of Bob Dylan’s 1975 masterpiece Blood on the Tracks.  Dylan originally recorded the album at A&R Studios in New York City in September 1974. When he played his brother an acetate of the record, David Zimmerman thought Bob could do better and urged him to rerecord some of the songs.  In December, Dylan went back into the studio, this time, Studio 80 in Minneapolis, with musicians recruited by his brother.  The released version of Blood on the Tracks mixed five songs from the New York sessions with five recorded in Minneapolis.

This is an extremely rare acetate of the original (and unreleased) version of Blood on the Tracks, with only versions of the songs from the New York sessions.  The versions of “Tangled Up In Blue”, “You’re A Big Girl Now”, “Lily, Rosemary and the Jack of Hearts”, “Idiot Wind”, and “If You See Her Say Hello” all differ dramatically from the final, released versions (and there are some alternate lyrics).

In the 42 years since the album’s release, only three acetates of the original version have emerged, with perhaps four or five more test pressings. An extremely rare Dylan collectible.





Joseph Spence - Happy All The Time - Elektra Records - 1964 - 1st Pressing LP



Joseph Spence’s ultra rare Elektra album “Happy All The Time.” This 1964 album of folk/blues guitar with vocals by the legendary Spence was recorded in Nassau, Bahamas by Paul Rothschild and Fritz Richmond of the Jim Kweskin Jug Band.  Its reputation has grown over they years, with Spence’s unique playing acclaimed by guitarists from Ry Cooder to Henry Kaiser. One of the rarest albums on the Elektra label.





Frank Zappa & The Mothers of Invention - Pregnant - Metro records - German Issue LP - 1972




German first pressing of The Mothers of Invention’s 1972 compilation album Pregnant, on Metro/MGM Records.  This compilation of the Mothers’ best Verve material is packaged in a laminated sleeve picturing Frank Zappa knitting while listening to the radio!

Most people are quite certain that there has never been a US Pregnant releaase, here are the track listings for the single LP version:

Side 1
  1. Hungry Freaks, Daddy (03:30)
  2. How Could I Be Such a Fool? (03:28)
  3. Uncle Bernie's Farm (02:09)
  4. Son of Suzy Cream Cheese (01:37)
  5. Love of My Life (03:05)
  6. Who Needs the Peace Corps? (02:46)

Side 2
  7. Mother People (02:34)
  8. Jelly Roll Gum Drop (02:17)
  9. Who Are the Brain Police? (03:30)
10. I Ain't Got No Heart (02:35)
11. Trouble Comin' Every Day (02:35)
12. Motherly Love (02:47) 










Saturday, April 22, 2017

The Ramones - I Wanna Be Sedated Promo Only 12 Inch EP - Fully Signed - 1988


A fully autographed copy of the rare 1988 promotional only Ramones 12 inch EP featuring “I Wanna Be Sedated” (The Updated Sedated Radio Mix)/”I Wanna Be Sedated” (Ramones-On-45 Mega Mix!)/Indian Giver.

This was released to promote their first greatest hits album, Ramones Mania, and the Mega-Mix is a rare B-Side Stars-on-45 type mix combining “Sedated” with “Teenage Lobotomy”, “Rock N Roll High School”, “Blitzkrieg Bop”, “Sheena is a Punk Rocker”, and “Pinhead”.

The psychedelic cover has been boldly signed by Joey, Johnny, Dee Dee and Marky Ramone. Gabba Gabba Hey!








Neil Young - Re-Ac-Tor Gold Star Acetate - 1981


Here’s an ultra rare Neil Young’s artifact,Neil’s very own acetate for his 1981 album Re-ac-tor, acquired directly from photographer Joel Bernstein.

This letter is to authenticate a Gold Star acetate of Neil Young’s 1981 album Re-ac-tor. This uses the original song titles for “Opera Star” (Born to Rock) and for “Surfer Joe and Moe The Sleeze” (just “Moe The Sleeze”), and has an engineer’s notes on the label. I was working for Neil at the time, and he gave this to me. I photographed Neil Young for the first time at his first East Coast show with Crazy Horse, at the Bitter End in New York City, in February 1969. I went on to work with Neil extensively, as both his and CSNY’s tour photographer, and shooting him for eighteen of his album covers (including After The Gold Rush, Harvest, Time Fades Away, Tonight’s The Night, Decade and Rust Never Sleeps) plus numerous other official projects including publicity, advertising, songbooks and posters. On various tours from 1973-1993, I also worked with Neil as his guitar technician and served as his archivist for 20 years, researching and presenting him with every source for audio, artwork and text used in his massive box set Archives Vol. 1 1963-1972. During the course of working for Neil, he gave me various acetates, test pressings, set lists and other memorabilia. Neil knew I was a collector and he wasn’t, so once he was done with things like this, instead of throwing them away, he often gave it to me. This is one of those items, from my personal collection. Sincerely, Joel Bernstein.