Fresh Blieberry Pancake: Heavy 1970

A Power-Trio from Pittsburgh Pennsylvania, USA, founded in 1968, by comprising singer/bassist

Tony Impavido, guitarist John Behrens, and drummer Geoff Rydell. The Band recorded multi-pal demo tapes through the late 60's, and very early 70's, and in 1970, they released their only album, Heavy. Only 54 original copies were ever pressed, and they are considerably rare and hard to find, especially among collectors and fans. Active from 1968 to 1972, the group did not release any album, but a set of demos was recorded in 1970. The band disbanded in 1972.
                      

Around that time most of the bands that got interested in the heavier sound spectrum were listening to what Cream, Jimi Hendrix Experience and other worldwide known groups at the time were doing. These

three guys were no exception and they got together with the intention to record some of their own ideas in the style of the heaviest bands around. Even in a sea of local bands, power trios were practically non-existent in Pittsburgh at the time. The sound quality is pretty good considering the group probably invested little money in studio time, which makes one think that Shadoks (The Label) had access to the master tapes. 
                         

When these three guys jammed together there someone got the idea that it would be fantastic to have a name for the band. Their unique name was a lighthearted accident, chosen from a cookbook

during a rehearsal. They joked about calling the band Fresh Blueberry Pancakes but then realized that with the “s” dropped, they actually really liked it, even though the name embarrassed Tony’s girlfriend. The band quickly cemented their status as something special. Everyone was in a band back then, but Fresh Blueberry Pancake stood out because they played so loudly with huge stacks. Their electrifying performances were very different from the garage stuff that dominated the scene at the time. 
                           

Fresh Blueberry Pancake became a staple of Pittsburgh’s live music circuit, performing everywhere from church basements to shopping center parking lots. One legendary gig during a Battle of the Bands

ended with the stage collapsing under the force of their sound—without missing a beat, they played on and won. In 1971, the trio self-recorded Heavy, a nine-track demo captured almost entirely in single takes. Only 54 copies were pressed to vinyl, and it remains a remarkable document of their ferocious energy and tight musicianship. Though Fresh Blueberry Pancake disbanded in 1974, their brief but explosive legacy lives on through Heavy, a raw and powerful snapshot of early U.S. hard rock that continues to captivate fans and collectors alike.
                           

LINE - UP
                        

Tony Impavido (lead vocals, bass)
John Behrens (guitar) 
Geoff Reidell (drums)

                               

Fresh Blueberry Pancake – Heavy
Label: Shadoks Music – SHADOKS MUSIC 022
Format: CD, Album, Reissue, Unofficial Release 2001
Country: Germany
Released: 1970    
Genre: Rock, Blues
Style: Blues Rock, Psychedelic Rock, Hard Rock

TRACKS

                         

01. Hassles    4:02
02. Being In Town    3:14
03. Clown On A Rope    3:53
04. Bad Boy Turns Good    3:24
05. I Call Him Lord    2:37
06. Down On The Farm    2:40
07. Where's The Sun    4:08
08. Sleep Bound    4:14
09. Stranded    4:53

NOTES

                          

Demo LP recorded in 1970 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and originally privately pressed in an edition of 54 vinyl copies.

Flac Take It HERE