Those guys were, as you can hear, a killer two-guitar band, but unlike their better known and indulgently verbose genre/geographical blues-based brethren (Skynyrd, The Allmans) they actually have more in common on a sonic and compositional level with the likes of later, punkier avant-gardists like Television. I also hear a lot of the kind of mutant/metal stylings reminiscent of Brit contemporaries like The Move. And I can't think of another American act of their day who sounded so interesting production-wise.
Ooh -- I just remembered that not only have I written about these guys before, but that I actually had some interraction with people in their orbit. You can check that out OVER HERE,
I should also add that the aformentioned LR&R (I love the &), from whence the above song derives, is no longer officially available (although you can hear the rest of it on YouTube). Its predecessor, Levee Blues, however. remains available for streaming at Amazon and is highly recommended.
But now, of course, it's time to get to the business at hand. To wit:
...and your favorite obscure '70s rock/pop/country/folk or soul album by an equally obscure band or solo artist is...???
I emphasize 70s here, for obvious reasons. And by obscure, we mean something that the average reasonably well-informed music fan probably wouldn't be familiar with beyond perhaps the artist's name or album title. If that.
Discuss.
And have a great weekend, everybody!!!
21 comments:
Just before the pandemic, I learned of the Hollywood Stars. Interesting story, great power pop rock and I've loved them ever since.
paulinca
American Flyer. A country/pop/folk/rock band with Craig Fuller (of Pure Prairie League), Eric Kaz (of Blues Magoos), Steve Katz (of Blood, Sweat & Tears), and Doug Yule (of Velvet Underground), produced by George Martin. Moderately successful in their brief tenure, and nobody remembers them today.
If memory serves, the Eric Kaz of American Flyer was the singer/songwriter who wrote "Love Has No Pride," the quintessential erly 70s LA singer/songwriter ballad much beloved of Linda Ronstadt et al.
Sleepy Hollow -s/t on Family Records. The best McCartney record he never made.
I’d say Big Star’s three albums, “#1 Record”, “Radio City”, and “Thirds/Sister Lovers”. Even though an “average reasonably well-informed music fan” of the last 30+ years knows about Big Star, said fan likely doesn’t listen to them and mostly knows about them via other bands being fans. And in the actual ‘70s, they were beyond obscure.
Terry Manning - "Home Sweet Home" If only for his epic deconstruction of "Savoy Truffle"...
https://youtu.be/pbU7ZOWwpSY?si=-0qrFwUf1dvVxtQH
Finchy
"Hank Wilson's Back" by Hank Wilson (Leon Russell hiding behind a nom de plume).
Great country music album from 1973, has my favorite version of I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSvlpM2twMk
Present Tense by Shoes released in 1979.
Great topic. How about a shout to John Otway?
Don Preston - Been Here All the Time (1974)
Steve S
There's a version of Love Has No Pride on the first American Flyer L
Starry Eyed & Laughing out of The UK in the mid seventies.
I thought they could be the serious contenders for the new Byrds but it just never came together for them.
Captain Al
Willis Alan Ramsey's self-titled album, released on the Shelter label in 1972. A great singer-songwriter record and, to date, the only album Ramsey ever made. One of the songs from it, "Muskrat Candlelight", was subsequently re-titled "Muskrat Love" and covered by America and the Captain & Tennille. Jerry Jeff Walker, Waylon Jennings and Jimmy Buffett, among others, also covered songs from the album.
Okay -- I'm gonna have to do the research on Blerta now.
I'm going to go with City Boy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjHpTPq6dBY
British AOR band Charlie; Never quite broke. Great harmonies Terry Thomas led them - a bit of a misogynistic streak that is mildly unsavory.
JF Murphy & Salt
Have said Potliquor album.
I'm amazed and delighted somebody has that Potliquor LP.
I was skeptical. But high school chum insisted way back when........ I am grateful for his sleuthing......
Steve,
I have 3 Potliquor LPs... First Taste, Levee Blues, Louisiana Rock& Roll.
Lady friend of my brother went to LSU... knew members of the band.
MacDonald and Giles, S/T, 1970. A friend bought it at the time of release. Amazing musicianship, somewhat hard to categorize, although Apple Music has it as "prog-rock/art rock." Side 2 is a 6 piece suite.
How about the Hoodoo Rhythm Devils and their lp "The Barbecue Of Deville"
Here is a taste:
https://youtu.be/FlwYP3Q40Ng?si=JLG_Sx4pbBgHes23
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