The Savage Resurrection: The Savage Resurrection 1968

 

One of the most obscure San Francisco Bay-area psychedelic groups to release an album on a major label, the Savage Resurrection managed to release one LP in 1968 before breaking up in a blitz of personnel and business problems. The Savage Resurrection were also one of the youngest

psychedelic bands working the Bay Area circuit; one of their dual lead guitarists, Randy Hammon, was only 16 when they recorded their album. The band were known as one of the youngest psychedelic rock bands in the area, with their 16-year-old lead guitarist, Randy Hammon, who is the cousin of Blue Cheer drummer Paul Whaley. There was only one member of the band who was not a teenager, and that was Steve Lage, who was 21.  
                                                         

Formed in the East Bay town of Richmond (near Berkeley) by members of several teen rock groups in

1967, they played psychedelic hard rock that drew heavily not just from San Francisco acts but also from Jimi Hendrix and the blues, as well as occasional lighter touches of more folk-rock-oriented riffs.
                                              

The group were signed to Mercury by A&R man Abe "Voco" Kesh, most famous for his work with

fellow Bay Area-based acts Blue Cheer and Harvey Mandel. Kesh produced their lone, self-titled album over the course of three days, capturing a group that sounded rawer and punkier than most psychedelic bands, which could be an advantage or a hindrance.
                                             

Some numbers on the resulting erratic LP were humdrum heavy blues-rockers; others had more unexpected chord shifts and song structures to anchor their molten-intensity lead guitar riffing, though

even then they could sound derivative of more accomplished groups such as Love and the Jimi Hendrix Experience. Nick Saloman of The Bevis Frond has cited the Savage Resurrection as one of his biggest influences and, in October 2008, performed a live set with guitarist Randy Hammon. There was some suspicion that Randy Hammon was actually Randy Holden due to some citing that was done in Joe Carducci's book, The Pop Narcotic; this seems to be a misconception.
                                                  

There were flashes of promise, especially considering their extreme youth, but these were not fulfilled, as lead singer Bill Harper and bassist Steve Lage left shortly after the album came out. With replacements the Savage Resurrection only managed to do a little touring in the midwest before

breaking up later in 1968. A version of The Savage Resurrection has been performing since 2007. It features original members Bill Harper and Randy Hammon and Jeff Myer but Jeff left about 2019. The group was joined by John Hansen on bass, Greg Langston on drums, and Cliff Moser on guitar. Their self-titled LP has seen several reissues over the years, sometimes including bonus tracks of previously unreleased material.
(Artist Biography by Richie Unterberger)

BAND MEMBERS

                                                                           

Bill Harper - lead vocals
Randy Hammon - lead guitar
John Palmer - guitar
Steve Lage - bass guitar
Jeff Myer - drums

          

The Savage Resurrection – The Savage Resurrection
Label: Mod Lang Records – ML-007
Format:    CD, Album, Reissue
Country: US
Released: 1998
Genre: Rock
Style: Psychedelic Rock

                                                          

TRACKS

                                                                     

01. Thing In "E"  (Written-By – John Palmer)  2:58
02. Every Little Song  (Written-By – Randy Hammon)  1:47
03. Talking To You  (Written-By – Bill Harper, John Palmer)  3:42
04. Tahitian Melody  (Written-By – John Palmer)  3:42
05. Jammin'  (Written-By – John Palmer, Randy Hammon  7:58
06. Fox Is Sick  (Written-By – John Palmer)  2:38
07. Someone's Changing  (Written-By – John Palmer), Randy Hammon  2:29
08. Remlaps Cave Part II  (Written-By – John Palmer)  2:48
09. Appeal To The Happy  (Written-By – Bill Harper, John Palmer)  4:15
10. Expectations  (Written-By – John Palmer)  4:57
11. Thing In 'E' (Unissued Rehearsal Recording)  (Written-By – John Palmer)  3:30
12. Tahitian Melody (Unissued Rehearsal Recording)  (Written-By – John Palmer)  3:39
13. River Deep Mountain High (Unissued Rehearsal Recording)  (Written-By – Spector, Greenwich & Barry)  3:29

MP3 @ 320 Size: 112 MB
Flac  Size: 284 MB