This hard/psychedelic rock band has 4 album (impressive considering other bands at that time), always getting heavier by sound in newer albums. It's a very nice band to listen to, cool lyrics, smooth vocals and "acidic" guitar solos.
Album(s) information:
(1969) - The Damnation of Adam Blessing
(1970) - The Second Damnation
(1971) - Which Is The Justice,Which Is The Thief
(1973) - Glory
Band information:
Cleveland acid rock combo the Damnation of Adam Blessing was formed in 1968 from the ashes of a pair of local garage bands, the Society and Dust; led by frontman Adam Blessing (Bill Constable), the group also included guitaristsJim Quinn and Bob Kalamasz, bassist Ray Benich, and drummer Bill Schwark. After months of relentless local gigging -- often as the opener for hometown heroes the James Gang -- the Damnation of Adam Blessing signed to United Artists and issued their self-titled debut LP in 1969, followed by a tour in support of the Faces. Second Damnation followed a year later, generating the minor hit "Back to the River"; with their third album, 1971's Which Is Justice, Which Is the Thief, Schwark was replaced by Blessing's drummer brother Ken Constable. In 1973, the group renamed itself Glory, releasing a self-titled LP on the UA subsidiary Avalanche before disbanding. The Italian reissue imprint Akarma re-released all of the Damnation of Adam Blessing's albums in the early to mid-2000s as either straight-up re-releases or with additional bonus tracks. The label even released a reissue of the obscure Glory album and offered deluxe vinyl pressings of most of the CDs as well.
Cressida is an amazing band from England, very unique in sound aswell. They're labeled as a progressive rock band, though their sound and the year albums were released, they naturally possess a psychedelic taste in their music. You'll love Cressida.
Album(s) information:
Asylum (1971):
01. Asylum
02. Munich
03. Goodbye Post Office Tower Goodbye
04. Survivor
05. Reprieved
06. Lisa
07. Summer Weekend Of A Lifetime
08. Let Them Come When They Will
Cressida (1970):
01 - To Play Your Little Game
02 - Winter Is Coming Again
03 - Time For Bed
04 - Cressida
05 - Home And Where I Long To Be
06 - Depression
07 - One Of A Group
08 - Light In My Mind
09 - The Only Earthman In Town
10 - Spring '69
11 - Down Down
12 - Tomorrow Is A Whole New Day
Band information:
The roots of Cressida were sown in March 1968, when guitarist "Rock & Roll" John Heyworth answered an advertisement in Melody Maker, and later travelled to London to join The Dominators, a band whose situation he later described as "hopeless - until Angus Cullen applied for the lead singer spot". He and Heyworth hit it off immediately, and Heyworth was invited to stay at Cullen's family flat in Barkstone Gardens near Earl's Court. The pair settled down to some serious writing, eventually welcoming bassist Kevin McCarthy and drummer Iain Clark to the fold and now calling themselves Charge.
The band's early setlists included covers of songs by The Doors ("Spanish Caravan"), The Drifters ("Save The Last Dance For Me") and Spirit ("Fresh Garbage"), alongside original compositions by Cullen and Heyworth. In the Summer of 1969, shortly after returning from a German tour, the band's organist Lol Coker decided to leave, and moved back to Liverpool to marry his Swiss girlfriend and take over his father's business. He had stayed just long enough to play on the band's first demo, which got them a recording contract with Vertigo Records.
Peter Jennings then joined. "I was auditioned at the Roebuck pub in Chiswick, a place they sometimes used for rehearsals", he later remembered. "I imagine we ran through a 12-bar or two and possibly they tried me out on one of the numbers from their set, but anyway they liked the way I fitted in and I joined them that day". Jennings' previous musical experience included blues gigs playing 12-string guitar in tandem with ex-Paramounts pianist Andy Staines, and (in 1968–69) White Rabbit with drummer Ron Berg and guitarist Andy Rickell (a.k.a. Android Funnel). After White Rabbit came to an end, Jennings played with several short-lived bands.
At this point the band settled on the name Cressida. "None of the band considered Charge that wonderful a name. We decided after some discussion on a name taken from the William Shakespeare play Troilus and Cressida. Their first gigs as Cressida were in Germany, including the Star-Club in Hamburg sharing the bill withColosseum and East Of Eden, in the Autumn of 1969. Their manager at the time, Mike Rosen, also drove their Transit van and, being a trumpet player (he later joinedMogul Thrash), occasionally joined the band on stage for some of their more extended numbers. But Rosen soon fell out with producer Ossie Byrne (of early Bee Geesfame), and from that point Mel Baister assumed managerial duties.
Other forays into Europe included a trip to Bratislava in November 1969, where they performed at the end of a week's competition between various bands from the Eastern bloc; a week supporting Black Sabbath at Brussels' Theatre 140; and a performance at the Open Circus (an event held in a large tent with lion taming, fire eating and other side shows) in Rouen, France, alongside Brian Auger, Barclay James Harvest, Man and Circus.
Cressida mostly played the university and college circuits, as well as London clubs such as the Speakeasy, Revolution, Blaises and the Marquee Club. The first LP was recorded at Wessex Studios with Byrne producing. It consisted of songs by either Cullen or Heyworth (who handled lead vocals on one), plus one contribution each by Jennings and Clark.
Cressida went through a difficult phase when Heyworth was forced to leave in early 1970. Around this time, the band recorded a more commercial track intended for single release, "Situation", but Vertigo chose not to issue it. The song is now available on a double-CD release of the band's complete recordings, The Vertigo Years Anthology 1969-1971.
Cosmic Dealer, one of my favorites in the archive. A great band from Netherlands, all songs sung in English. I have too many songs that I like to name here, you'll probably be listening to whole two albums that I have. The later one was re-released in 2012, but the recordings are from '71. Please enjoy this great band.
Album(s) information:
Crystallization - 1971
Child of Tomorrow - 1971 (2012)
Band information:
Five musicians formed a band in Dordrecht in 1968, called The Floating Fudge Featuring The Cosmic Dealer. The members were:Angelo Santoro (bass guitar), Ad Vos(drums), Frans Poots (vocals, flute, sax), Bas van der Pol (vocals, guitar, ex-Hawks) and Jan Reynders (vocals, guitar, ex-Hawks).
In 1970 they changed their name to Cosmic Dealer. In 1971 they released to singles, The scene/Child of the golden sun and Head in the clouds/Find your way on Negram. Both singles weren't a big success. The two singles were followed by the release of Cosmic Dealer's debut album, Crystallization. The music is a mixture of psychedelic and progressive music, completed with some hardrock. The album was produced by Eddy Ouwens. The band toured regularly and did a performance in a TV show, but the album didn't sell well. The same year Bas van der Polleft the band (who sadly passed away) and was replaced by Leen Leendertse, with him they recorded a few demo tracks. A little while later Angelo Santoro left the band. Cosmic Dealerstruggles along, but a year later it is decided to stop.
In 1973 the band was reformed. This time Frans Poots was replaced by Ed Boender.Leen Leendertse was also no longer a member of the band, but Angelo Santoro had returned. There was also a new vocalist, Kees de Blois. With these members the group started to work on new material and recorded a few demos. But it lasted not for long, because in the spring of 1973 the band had already split up again, and this time for ever.
In February and march 2010 Cosmic Dealer play a few reunion concerts in the original line up. Unfortunately the deceased Bas van der Pol is not there, he is replaced by Kees de Blois.
The band's name must be originated from the Corpus Christi massacre. Another band somewhere between heavy psychedelia and progressive rock. Much like Christopher, the vocals are clean and relaxing, lyrics are well-written, and of course the guitar; the reason I'm sharing the album. "Marriage" and " Creation a Child" are both great songs to listen.
Christopher is I believe a heavy psychedelic rock band, great lyrics, guitar solos throughout the whole songs, as in "Dark Road", a great track. If you like the sound of relaxing vocals coupled with heavy guitar riffs, Christopher might be for you.
Album information:
01 - Dark Road
02 - Magic Cycles
03 - Wilbur Lite
04 - In Your Time
05 - Beautiful Lady
06 - Lies
07 - Disaster
08 - The Wind
09 - Queen Mary
10 - Burns Decision
Band information:
Another one of Texas' wealth of interesting, late-'60s psychedelic bands, Christopher came together in 1968 in the Houston area. Doug Tull (drums), Doug Walden (bass, vocals), and Richard Avitts (guitar, vocals) were the original members of the band, which was originally known as United Gas. Tull andAvitts, at the time playing in a series of R&B and soul-leaning groups, first met in 1966 when Tull sat in on drums with one of Avitts' bands. Tull, however, was not as serious about the music as Avitts, leading to an eventual split. Tull developed a friendship around this time with Jefferson Airplaneguitarist and Texas native Jorma Kaukonen, and, in 1967, invited Avitts to jam with them. Certain that they had the makings of a band, the two went searching for a bassist who could sing, eventually finding Doug Walden.
It was not long before United Gas developed a following in and around Houston, playing local clubs such as Tangerine Forest, whose owner, Nick Lee, developed an interest in the band, eventually becoming their manager. Walden and Avitts began writing their own material and recorded a demo that Lee had circulated around Las Vegas and Los Angeles by his connections in those cities. United Gas moved to Las Vegas for a brief time and then to Los Angeles after L.A. record label Metromedia offered them a two-year contract. At the behest of Metromedia, the band changed their name to Christopher so that they wouldn't be confused with similarly monikered California band Pacific Gas & Electric. Walden and Avitts felt Christopher to be a religious band -- the name is derived from Saint Christopher -- and wanted to convey this through the music. Recording of their first album started in early 1969; however, it was hampered by Tull's drug use and his failed suicide attempt. He was fired (later returning to Houston and joining Josephus) and the sessioins were completed with drummers John Simpson and Terrence Hand. The result was Christopher's self-titled debut album, released in a single 1970 pressing of a thousand LPs by Metromedia. Walden and Avitts remained in Los Angeles playing as Christopher until Avitts returned to Houston later in the year.
Another latin band from the US. There are a couple songs sung in English, including my favorite "Mira Pa'ca". I believe the band is unique in sound. It is said that the band was highly influenced by Santana. Funk/progressive rock lovers should check out this album.
Album information:
01. Fire Over Water
02.Walk On Hell
03.Bollo
04. Caminando
05. Mira Pa 'Ca
06. Bembe
07.Solid Karma
08. Sacapa
09. Chango
Band information:
Jamming. This is Santana IV, the culmination of heavy Latin groove rock. This album has it all, the screaming Carlos guitar licks (and what chops!), the swirling organ (do you like Hammond? Oh boy, get a doctor, you'll need it), the speed freak machismo lead singer (messed up chicks swoon for this) and of course those danceable and tranced-out rhythms (even this stiff white guy noticed). The lyrics are just what you want from this kind of album: Sex, life-in-the-ghetto, grade-school mysticism and well, sex.
Right off the bat, you're pulverized with "Fire Over Water" followed by the eight minute "Walk on Hell". Do I really need to describe these tracks? Put the environment, instrumentation, song titles and influences together and you've got an aural vision. Many of the songs are catchy too - you'll be humming them for days. "Caminando", "Solid Karma" and especially "Mira Pa 'Ca" just have KILLER melodies. But where Chango excels is in the instrumentals like the pounding "Bollo" and "Bembe" plus the beautiful "Sacapa." But the best is saved for last. The nine minute title track combines relentless energy, tuneful melodies and fiery instrumental playing. It's awe-inspiring. Careful though, as you may find yourself in a big heap afterwards. Of course the closing moments have a 15 year old's imagination-girl-moaning-in-ecstasy bit. It's stupid but somehow fits.
How this album missed the big time is a mystery to me. Being 1975 perhaps it was too late for the early Santana sound, but not too many groups went down this road. I'm guessing that ABC records, not known for their marketing muscle, had no idea how to promote it. There are few albums ever that contains this kind of energy and instrumental virtuosity and combines that with a strong melodic sense. A true masterpiece and a really undiscovered gem. Fortunately the Akarma record company has done us all a favor by releasing this on CD and an exact gatefold LP.
Can.. a band formed in Germany, led mostly by Japanese Damo Suzuki. I remember reading a story of how they'd meet Damo in Germany, I just have to say Damo may not have the voice that you're looking for, but he has the feelings. Songs "Deadlock", "Tango Whiskyman" and "She brings the Rain" are my favorite. I'm holding on to 6 albums in my archive, please enjoy!
Album(s) information:
1968 - Delay 1968 (Pnoom) (7 tracks)
1969 - Monster Movie (4 tracks)
1970 - Soundtracks (7 tracks)
1971 - Tago Mago (7 tracks)
1972 - Ege Bamyasi (7 tracks)
1973 - Future Days (4 tracks)
Band information:
Can was a German experimental rock band formed in Cologne, West Germany, in 1968. Later labeled as one of the firstkrautrock groups, they transcended mainstream influences and incorporated strong minimalist and world music elements into their often psychedelic music.
Can constructed their music largely through collective spontaneous composition—which the band differentiated from improvisation in the jazz sense—sampling themselves in the studio and editing down the results; bassist/chief engineer Holger Czukay referred to Can's live and studio performances as "instant compositions". They had occasional commercial success, with singles such as "Spoon" and "I Want More" reaching national singles charts. Through albums such as Monster Movie (1969), Tago Mago (1971), Ege Bamyasi (1972) and Future Days (1973), the band exerted a considerable influence on avant-garde, experimental, underground, ambient, new wave and electronic music.
