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Recorded well before the release date of '75, The Winkies debut is a credible release of pub rock songs in the same mould as Graham Parker's backing band The Rumour with the R&B roots of Dr Feelgood.
With a crashing organ chord, and a cry of "GOOD GOD!!", the Hook returns with a triumphant second disc. Give them credit for recognizing their limitations. For their second album, the group replaced their drummer, and added a keyboard player. While still missing a bona-fide songwriter, the result is a fuller, more varied sound that still manages to retain their astronomical energy level.
A third single "Stoned Condition"/"Then You'll Fly" was released on Down Under, but it was banned by the NZBC. In June 1972, Ticket crossed the Tasman, to perform a month long residency at Sydney's Whiskey-Go-Go. The reaction at the Whiskey exceeded everyone's expectations, and rather than returning to Auckland, Sydney based Robert Raymond secured them another residency at Chequers, another prestige gig. Performances in Queensland and Victoria followed.
Another single was released in New Zealand, "Mr Music"/"Let Sleeping Dogs Lie", while in Australia the b-side was "Them Changes". "Mr Music" was an uncharacteristic piece of funk which should have been a hit but wasn't.
Mashmakhan. Montreal rock band. It evolved from a succession of groups in the 1960s - eg, the Phantoms, the Dominoes, and Triangle, the last backing R&B singer Trevor Payne - that included the songwriter Pierre Sénécal (vocals, keyboards, flute), Rayburn Blake (guitar), and Jerry Mercer (drums). On leaving Payne, the trio made their debut in February 1969 at a Montreal club, the Laugh In, and soon after gave the first rock concert heard at the NAC. The bass guitarist Brian Edwards was added, and the name of an exotic hallucinogen adopted, prior to the release in 1970 of the band's first LP, Mashmakhan (Col ELS 365).The international success of the single 'As the Years Go By,' a pop song atypical of the band's venturesome, improvisational style, led to concerts in the USA and Japan, including a Tokyo appearance in 1971 before an audience of 40,000. A second album, Family (Epic E30813), was issued in 1971. Mashmakhan disbanded soon after. Efforts to revive the group during the mid-1970s involved, variously, Sénécal, Allan Nichols (vocals), Brian Greenaway (guitar), Steve Lang (bass), Lorne Nehring (drums), and others, and further singles were issued by Aquarius Records.
A flamenco rock album made by a group of experienced musicians with two keyboard (piano/synthesizer) players, guitars, bass and drums. The seven songs are diverse, melodic & passionate with dramatic vocals influenced by flamenco, jazz and rock. Mekkipuur

Especially Games of the lonely (like first JAUGERNAUT) and the epic Spring Essence (STARCASTLE all the way), this song is build up out of 3 parts (Dawn - Storm - Sunset), has a long intrumental passage in the middle including many keys. Last track to offer is again an epic, the titletrack, and has an oriental sounding chorus, but again very pompeus with many keys and harmony vocals. Great debut, only the production is a bit a spoil-spot but the music makes that good.
Two years later they relaesed their second album called Above and Beyond. First thing that attracts the attention is that there was an almost complete line-up change. Only the main songwriter, guitarplayer and vocalist Keith Abler and Dave Steffen (also guitars) survived from the debut line-up. Also this time, the production was much better and there were no weak songs. Like JAUGERNAUT during their second release (Take 'em there), there're still pomp traces left but the songs have a more down to earth appraoch. Still they like to sing about the wind as the first
track to offer is called Sing out the wind, and this is the weakest song on the album, although, please don't misunderstand me, is very nice !
Things start really rolling with 4 classic tunes in row. Especially The bottom is a long way down ( now I know where JAUGERNAUT got their style), the up tempo PILOT 1407 (GROUNSTAR like), the Promise of Adam (catchy songs with nice hooks and lyrics) and last but not least the final song on the A-side Hurry World, with great lead keys, reminding very much like Love I do from JAUGERNAUT. Blood from the sting on the B side has haunting keys all over and is the best song to offer (in my humble opinion), a really chicken skin song ! Although it's hard to choose the best song on this fine album, because the last song, The king and his parlaiment, is also very good. This epic song starts up heavy, big drums on a militarist rhythm but ends smoothly with great harmony vocals, synths, acoustic guitars and even cello's on the backgound. Great song.
From New Zealand in 1975 comes this fantastic no.1 album of Bowie influenced visionary rock.
Very nice, very obscure rock/soul album on Columbia -- with a vibe that's difficult to describe, but which fits in nicely with a "Free Soul" aesthetic, and which also gives a strong nod to the Folk Funk Experience. There's nice acoustic guitar, some good space arrangements, and vocals that are very flanged-out! Includes the nice sing-song groover "Tell Her She's Lovely", plus "Mirror", "Wake Me In the Morning", "Lady of The Lake", "Katy", "High Tide", and the cut "Dig Up The Love", which has a bit of a break in the intro.Dusty Groove America
The Quincy Conserve was formed in Wellington in late 1967 by Malcolm Hayman. Malcolm was an extremely talented musician who had already been on the music scene for twelve years by that stage. Hayman was only 15 years old when he arrived in Wellington in 1955 as a member of the Maori Hi Fives showband. The following year the singer-guitarist formed the Trademarks, long-time residents at the Mexicali, a popular nightspot owned by American expatriate Harry Booth. The Trademarks were very popular, and after four years of constant playing, queues formed to see them every time they played. Over the years, 30-odd musicians passed through the ranks of the Trademarks, before Malcolm disbanded the group in 1961. The Trademarks owed more than a little to the Maori showband tradition, where Hayman had learnt his licks, but the group gave Wellingtonians their first taste of rock'n'roll. One member of the Trademarks was Rodney "Dody" Potter, who was later a member of the Keil Isles and Dallas Four.
Releasing on the HMV label, their first single "I'm So Proud"/"I've Been Loving You Baby" came out in June 1968. This was followed in 1969 with "Hallelujah"/"Here's To The Next Time" and "Lovin' Look"/"Soul Thing". These records got very good revues, but that wasn't reflected in the sales. Unless you were from Wellington, no-one really knew anything about the group. This was rectified slightly when in December 1968, the group backed Allison Durbin on a national tour. This was the first time they had played outside their Downtown Club residency.
Malcolm swallowed his pride and put together a new Quincy Conserve, promising that it would be a more democratic outfit. From the first version remained Malcolm and Rufus Rehu. Malcolm convinced Johnny McCormick and Dave Orams to return and they added Mike Conway on drums and two temporary members, Australian Peter Cross on trumpet and Harry Leki on guitar.
Canadian band. This eponymous release was the short-lived Brahman's only LP, which is too bad, because this first effort showed a lot of potential. Most of the songs were written by organist Robbie King (Skylark, Hometown Band, and, much later, Bryan Adams) and drummer Duris Maxwell (in Doucette with King, and later with the Powder Blues Band). Their blend of blues-rock, hard rock, and emerging prog rock often recalls Atomic Rooster & Procol Harum, an analogy sported as much by the style of the music as by King's riveting, rocking abilities at the organ. Singer Victor Stewart's soul sensibilities are a definite plus, especially on the heartfelt "Jonathan" and "You Changed My Life Around," the latter slapping a ballad-type melody over a rock song driven by a mean bass riff played on a Rickenbacker. "Automatic Man" features odd rhythmic patters, a dirty organ riff, and a drum solo episode, but the unsuspected highlight is "She Went Down." Here, Brahman gets one iota shy of impersonating Gentle Giant, thanks to beautiful contrapuntal lines, a harpsichord, shifting time signatures, and Stewart's voice finding a fragility very close to Kerry Minnear's. The naivete found in some of the lyrics ("Build a Tower," "Jonathan") did not age well but, otherwise, this long-unavailable LP is worth seeking out. ~ François Couture, All Music Guide
French band playing pop progressive rock in the vein of 10cc & Barclay James Harvest.
Excellent and previously unknown early '70's UK folk rock band who later became the smooth retro harmony ensemble Telephone Bill. Very much in the early '70's Fairport vein with flashes of Storyteller and Tudor Lodge. Beautiful melodic male and female vocals, electric violin, guitar and steel guitar. High quality production, great original songs and original interpretations of traditional folk classics such as the Cuckoo. Freak EmporiumHi! Here I share some rare gems from the past. If you like the record - please buy it if official reissue is available. Artists & indie labels need our support! Good day for You All! Lisa
Hi! Here I share some rare gems from the past. If you like the record - please buy it if official reissue is available. Artists & indie labels need our support! Good day for You All! Lisa