Country Joe McDonald & The Bevis Frond: Eat Flowers & Kiss Babies 1999

COUNTRY JOE MCDONALD

                            

Political and ecological issues were set to musical accompaniment by Country Joe McDonald, who co-

founded and led the psychedelic folk-rock band Country Joe & the Fish, the leading left-wing band of the '60s. Since the group's breakup in 1971, McDonald has continued to musically espouse his political views through his original folk-like songs.

A native of Washington, D.C., McDonald grew up in El Monte, California, a suburb of Los Angeles, where his parents, Florence and Worden, had moved to escape political difficulties in the capital city. Music played an important role through McDonald's childhood, and he attended many concerts at El Monte Legion Stadium; after becoming enchanted by Dixieland music, he frequented the Lighthouse Club in Hermosa Beach.

At the age of 17, McDonald enlisted in the U.S. Navy. Following his discharge after three years, he attended City College in Los Angeles for a year. Although he moved to Berkeley to continue his schooling, McDonald was distracted by his love of music and spent most of his time playing in bands like the Berkeley String Quartet and the Instant Action Jug Band, which included future bandmate Barry Melton.

 

THE BEVIS FROND

                      

The Bevis Frond is the banner used by Nick Saloman, a neo-psychedelic Renaissance man and the

sole constant writer, performer, and producer behind the cottage industry bearing the Frond name. The head of his own label (Woronzow) as well as the co-publisher of his own underground magazine (the highly regarded Ptolemaic Terrascope), Saloman is a quintessential English eccentric, a frighteningly prolific talent, and a true anachronism purveying an archaic musical genre while simultaneously pioneering the lo-fi aesthetic.
                   

The Bevis Frond's influences are strongly rooted in the '60s, as Saloman's music blends elements of

psychedelia, pop, early hard rock, and folk, with plenty of epic-scale guitar soloing laid over the top as he sings lyrics that lean toward the pastoral and the engagingly addled. Beginning with homemade projects like 1987's Miasma, Saloman moved up to working in proper studios with 1990's Any Gas Faster, and he was wildly prolific, releasing 19 albums between 1987 and 2004.
                 

Saloman put the group on hiatus after 2004's Hit Squad, but they returned in 2011 with The Leaving of

London and continued releasing albums (like 2018's We're Your Friends, Man and 2021's Little Eden) that left no doubt he hadn't lost his touch during his downtime, either as a songwriter, guitarist, or bandleader.
                        

Country Joe McDonald & The Bevis Frond – Eat Flowers & Kiss Babies
Label: Woronzow – WOO 33
Format:    CD, Album
Country: UK
Released: 1999
Genre: Rock
Style: Psychedelic Rock

TRACKS

                        

01. I Feel Like I'm Fixin' To Die Rag    3:51
02. Here I Go Again    4:46
03. Rock Coast Blues    3:30
04. Not So Sweet Martha Lorraine    4:24
05. The Acid Commercial    0:35
06. Bass Strings    6:38
07. Who Am I?    4:42
08. Flying High    4:04
09. Rock 'N Soul Music    7:03
10. Death Sound Blues    9:09

Recorded At – Queen Elizabeth Hall
Recorded At – His Majesty's Theatre

LINE - UP
             

Bass Guitar – Adrian Shaw
Drums – Andy Ward
Guitar, Vocals – Nick Saloman
Organ, Guitar – Aaron Shaw
Vocals, Guitar, Harmonica, Kazoo – Joe McDonald

MP3 @ 320 Size: 116 MB
Flac  Size: 275 MB

Curved Air: The Albums 1970-1973 (4 CD Box) + Midnight Wire 1975 + Airborne 1976

 

Curved Air are an English progressive rock group formed in 1970 by musicians from mixed artistic

backgrounds, including classical, folk and electronic sound. The resulting sound of the band is a mixture of progressive rock, folk rock, and fusion with classical elements. Curved Air released eight studio albums, the first three of which broke into the Top 20 in the UK Albums Chart, and had a hit single with "Back Street Luv" (1971) which reached number 4 in the UK Singles Chart.
                     

 One of the most dramatically accomplished of all the bands lumped into Britain's late-'60s prog explosion, Curved Air was formed in early 1970 by violinist Darryl Way, a graduate of the Royal

College of Music, and two former members of Sisyphus, keyboard player Francis Monkman and drummer Florian Pilkington-Miksa. Adding bassist Robert Martin, the band named itself from avant-garde composer Terry Riley's A Rainbow in Curved Air, a touchstone that would inform much of their early work.
                           

The quartet originally came together to provide accompaniment for producer Galt McDermott's musical

Who the Murderer Was; it was McDermott who suggested, once the stage show closed, that they add vocalist Sonja Kristina, with whom he had worked in the U.K. production of Hair. In this form, the band launched a well-received U.K. tour and, that summer, they signed with Warner Bros. -- the first British band on the company's roster.
                   

The band received a much-publicized advance of £100,000 and their debut album Air Conditioning was released in November notable for its being issued as the first commercially available LP picture disc in the UK. The album reached number 8 in the UK Albums Chart, preceded by a single, "It Happened

Today". John Peel picked up on the band and they performed on several Peel radio Sessions and Roundhouse ‘Implosion’ events.  Bass player Rob Martin left due to a hand injury, and was replaced by Ian Eyre. The band released "Back Street Luv" which reached number 4 in the UK Singles Chart to become the band's most successful single to date. The Second Album peaked at number 11. A non-LP follow-up single, "Sarah's Concern", went by unnoticed.
                   

By the time of the third album's release, serious musical differences within the band emerged. According to Sonja Kristina's Cherry Red interview (2007), Francis was fascinated with overtones and natural harmonies, and "His other obsession is/was jamming... real 'out there' cosmic rock jamming.

Phantasmagoria was recorded with bassist/guitarist Mike Wedgwood, who replaced Eyre. The album's title was drawn from the Lewis Carroll poem of the same title. The album came out in April 1972 and reached number 20 in the UK Albums Chart. Curved Air split up, Way formed Darryl Way's Wolf, Pilkington-Miksa joined Kiki Dee's band, and Monkman moved into session work and was later to play in, among others, the supergroup Sky.
                       

The reunion tour saw Sonja Kristina play her role as Curved Air's sex symbol far more dramatically than she had before. Between the band's previous breakup and the reunion tour she had worked as a

croupier at the London Playboy Club[8] and returned to the stage with Curved Air in see through lace, feathers and beads, highlighting her sexuality. A live album and single were recorded during the lauded three week reunion tour, and they succeeded in paying off the tax bill. With their debts paid, Monkman and Pilkington-Miksa had no more reason to remain in the band. And so, Curved Air broke up for the third time in as many years.
                  

The group struggled with studio work. Phil Kohn left and the band, unable to replace him in time for the sessions for Midnight Wire, relied on guest musicians to play both bass (John G Perry) and

keyboards (Peter Wood). Norma Tager, a friend of Kristina's, penned the lyrics to the "Midnight Wire" songs. Kohn was later replaced by Tony Reeves,[3] formerly of Colosseum and Greenslade, but the recording sessions for both Midnight Wire and 1976's Airborne were expensive and highly stressful for everyone involved. Both albums – as well as "Desiree", a single drawn from Airborne – failed to break the charts.
                     

On 4 September 2015, Curved Air played a special concert at Under The Bridge, London, to mark the 45th Anniversary of the release of Air Conditioning. The album was played in full for the first time. The band was joined on stage by Darryl Way for "Vivaldi" and two other songs. Ian Eyre also played

bass during "Back Street Luv". Kit Morgan returned to the band in November 2016, replacing Kirby Gregory, but left in August 2018 because of problems with his back, so former Purson guitarist George Hudson made his live debut with the band at The New Day Festival in Kent. Florian Pilkington-Miksa left in November 2017 and was replaced by Andy Tween. In 2019, Kirby Gregory returned on guitar in place of Hudson, and Grzegorz Gadziomski replaced Paul Sax on violin, both playing with the band at London's 100 Club on 17 October.

                            

Curved Air – The Albums 1970-1973
Label: Esoteric Recordings – PECLEC42749
Format: Box Set, Compilation
Country: UK
Released: Jan 29, 2021
Genre: Rock
Style: Prog Rock, Psychedelic Rock

CD 1. AIR CONDITIONING 1970       

                        

  
01. It Happened Today
02. Stretch
03. Screw
04. Blind Man
05. Vivaldi
06. Hide And Seek
07. Propositions
08. Rob One
09. Situations
10. Vivaldi With Cannons

BONUS           

11. It Happened Today
12. What Happens When You Blow Yourself Up

MP3 @ 320 Size: 397 MB
Flac  Size: 587 MB

CD 2. SECOND ALBUM 1971       

                              

  
01. Young Mother
02. Back Street Luv
03. Jumbo
04. You Know
05. Puppets
06. Everdance
07. Bright Summer's Day '68
08. Piece Of Mind

MP3 @ 320 Size: 372 MB
Flac  Size: 542 MB

CD 3. PHANTASMAGORIA 1972       

                           

01. Marie Antoinette
02. Melinda (More Or Less)
03. Not Quiet The Same
04. Cheetah
05. Ultra-Vivaldi
06. Phantasmagoria
07. Whose Shoulder Are You Look Over Anyway?
08. Over And Above
09. Once A Ghost, Always A Ghost

BONUS       
    
10. Sarah's Concern

MP3 @ 320 Size: 371 MB
Flac  Size: 537 MB

CD 4. AIR CUT 1973           

                        

01. The Purple Speed Queen
02. Elfin Boy
03. Metamorphosis
04. World
05. Armin
06. U.H.F.
07. Two Three Two
08. Easy

MP3 @ 320 Size: 367 MB
Flac  Size: 522 MB

MIDNIGHT WIRE 1975

                       

Curved Air – Midnight Wire
Label: Repertoire Records – REP 4499-WY
Format:    CD, Album, Reissue, Repress
Country: Germany
Released: 1975   
Genre: Rock
Style: Art Rock, Prog Rock

TRACKS

01. Woman On A One Night Stand   5:06
Written By – Kristina/Tager
02. Day Breaks My Heart   4:38
Written By – Way/Tager
03. The Fool   4:27
Backing Vocals – Derek Damain
Written By – Way/Tager/Jacques
04. Pipe Of Dreams   3:58
Written-By – Jacques
05. Orange Street Blues   5:01
Written By – Way/Tager
06. Dance Of Love   4:36
Written By – Jacques/Way/Tager
07. Midnight Wire   7:32
Written By – Way/Tager

LINE - UP

                                    

Bass – John Perry
Drums – Stewart Copeland
Guitar [Guitars] – Mick Jacques
Keyboards – Peter Wood
Lyrics By – Norma Tager
Violin – Darryl Way
Vocals – Sonja Kristina

MP3 @ 320 Size: 355 MB
Flac  Size: 509 MB

AIRBORNE 1976
             

Curved Air – Air Cut
Label: Repertoire Records 4493
Format:    Album, Remastered, Stereo
Country: UK
Released: 1976   
Genre: Rock
Style: Prog Rock

TRACKS

01. The Purple Speed Queen    3:28
02. Elfin Boy    4:13
03. Metamorphosis    10:39
04. World    1:34
05. Armin    3:42
06. U.H.F.    5:06
07. Two-Three-Two    4:11
08. Easy    6:39

MP3 @ 320 Size: 374 MB
Flac  Size: 552 MB

 

The Detroit Cobras: Baby 2004 + Tied & True 2006

 

One of the earliest groups to emerge from the Detroit garage rock scene that would produce the White

Stripes and the Dirtbombs, the Detroit Cobras were the Midwest's finest and most distinctive cover band. Rarely writing material of their own, the group dug deep into the well of vintage R&B and primitive rock & roll, unearthing rarities and lost classics they adapted to their swaggering aural personality.
                                                  

The Detroit Cobras are an American garage rock band from Detroit, Michigan, which was formed in

1994 by guitarist Steve Shaw, guitarist Mary Ramirez, bassist Jeff Meier, drummer Vic Hill, and singer Rachel Nagy. The group was later known (with the exception of Rachel Nagy, and Mary Ramirez) for a constantly changing assortment of musicians.
                     

The band's cocky Motor City spirit was always front and center, even after the albums Mink Rat or

Rabbit (1998) and Life, Love and Leaving (2001) made them international stars. They knew how to make the most of their raw, stripped-down approach from the start, as evidenced on the 2008 collection The Original Recordings: Singles & Unreleased 1995-1997.
                           

Literally dozens of musicians made their way through the Cobras' lineup, but their musical identity was

rooted in two constant members. Vocalist Rachel Nagy possessed a full-bodied instrument that split the difference between R&B and rock & roll, and guitarist Maribel Restrepo (aka Mary Ramirez) added scrappy, elemental guitar figures that honored the melodies but kept the songs from sounding like museum pieces.
                      

The Detroit Cobras were formed in 1995 by Rachel Nagy, a singer and former exotic dancer, and

Maribel Restrepo, a guitarist whose 1980s band the Vertical Pillows were mentored by Rob Tyner of the MC5. Nagy and Restrepo teamed up with guitarist Steve Shaw, who developed a taste for classic R&B while spending time with Alex Chilton, whom he met through his friends in Detroit garage punk primitives the Gories.
                      

Focusing on overlooked R&B and rock & roll chestnuts played with no-frills energy, the first lineup

was filled out by Jeff Meier from Rocket 455 on bass and Vic Hill on drums, and they released their first 7" single, "Over to My House" b/w "Down in Louisiana," in 1996.
                    

In what would prove to be the first in a long line of personnel changes, drummer Hill was replaced by

Chris Fachini by the time the Cobras released their third single, "Ain't It a Shame" b/w "Slum Lord" (which also hit stores in 1996), and their debut LP, 1998's Mink Rat or Rabbit, introduced their third timekeeper, Damian Lang (who'd worked with Snake Out and Elvis Hitler).
                                 

Rachel Nagy, founding member and lead singer of the Motor City garage rock outfit the Detroit

Cobras, has died. The band — which Nagy formed in the early Nineties alongside guitarist Mary Ramirez — announced Nagy’s death Saturday on social media. No cause of death was revealed, nor was Nagy’s age at the time of her death.(14 January 2022)

 

 

 

THE DETROIT COBRAS - BABY 2004
            

The Detroit Cobras – Baby
Label: Bloodshot Records – BS 125
Format:    CD, Album, Reissue 2005
Country: US
Released: 2004 
Genre: Rock
Style: Garage Rock

TRAXS

01. Slipping Around
02. I Wanna Holler (But The Town's Too Small)
03. Baby Let Me Hold Your Hand
04. Weak Spot
05. Everybody's Going Wild
06. Hot Dog (Watch Me Eat)
07. Mean Man
08. Now You're Gone
09. It's Raining
10. Just Can't Please You
11. The Real Thing
12. Baby Help Me
13. Cha Cha Twist
14. Ya Ya Ya (Looking For My Baby)
15. My Baby Loves The Secret Agent
16. Heartbeat
17. You Don't Knock
18. Silver & Gold (When I Get Like This)
19. 99 And A Half Just Won't Do
20. Insane Asylum

MP3 @ 320 Size: 117 MB
Flac  Size: 511 MB

THE DETROIT COBRAS - TIED & TRUE 2006

               

The Detroit Cobras – Tied & True
Label: Bloodshot Records – BS 139
Format: CD, Album
Country: US
Released: 2006
Genre: Rock
Style: Blues Rock, Garage Rock, Rock & Roll

TRAXS

                  

01. As Long As I Have You   2:59
Written-By – Bob Elgin, Norman Meade
02. Nothing But A Heartache   2:41
Written-By – Tony Waddington, Wayne Bickerton
03. If You Don't Think   1:43
Written-By – James Brown
04. Leave My Kitten Alone   2:42
Written-By – James McDougal, Little Willie John, Titus Turner
05. (I Wanna Know) What's Going On   2:06
Written-By – Mac Rebennack, Seth David
06. Try Love   2:54
Piano – Eddie Hawrysch
Written-By – Willie Ray James
07. You'll Never Change   2:53
Written-By – Robert West, Willie Schofield
08. Puppet On A String   2:09
Written-By – Roland Davis
09. Only To Other People   2:27
Written-By – Artie Kornfeld, Gerry Goffin, Toni Wine
10. The Hurts All Gone   2:26
Piano – Eddie Hawrysch
Written-By – Jerry Ragovoy, Roy Alfred
11. My Delight   2:22
Written-By – Brenton Dowe, James McNaughton, Renford Cogle
12. On A Monday   1:42
Written-By – Traditional
13. Green Light   2:43
Backing Vocals [Additional] – Jeliana Frelitz, Melissa Glush, Ryan Pritts
Written-By – D. Gordon, Eddy Grant, Irving Gordon

MP3 @ 320 Size: 74 MB
Flac  Size: 180 MB

The Detroit Cobras on Urban Aspirines HERE