The College Crowd Digs Me

"Osibisa"   --  Osibisa (1971) jazz fusion, afrobeat, prog-funk, psych dust Debut album. Gatefold. On Decca (rainbow Decca logo bar) 7 tracks Horse Head Vinyl..."Dig and Spin" (#4) Osibisa pulls from a spectrum of genres for their debut. There are African beats. Jazz fusion. Rock. Light dustings of psych. Proggy bends. Flutes and brass. A bagful of percussion.  And the band manages to meld the good stuff together and leave the chaff on the floor. This reads like way too much shenanigans, I know.  It's an idea that really shouldn't sound this good.  But it works. "Osibisa" - Osibisa (back cover) The album is mostly instrumental with vocals here and there.  And it has aged very well. Osibisa's debut can still be found in bargain boxes and is well-worth taking a chance. "Osibisa" - Osibisa   (inside gatefold) Decca label FOR CHERRY PICKERS: "The Dawn" ...opening track. Begins with a bri...

"The Snake" -  Harvey Mandel (1972) blues rock, jazz blues, psych blues 5th album. Gatefold. On Janus Records (brown, orange) 9 tracks Horse Head Vinyl..."Dig and Spin" (#3) I didn't dislike this record.  The music is good.  Mostly instrumental jazzy-blues rock.  Songs segue nicely from one to the next.  And there's a light dusting of psych-blues (if that's a thing)  Very light...and appreciated when you hear it.  But it's an album, when, after you play it that first time, you realize that nothing really stood out. Don't misunderstand.  It's not boring.  But it took a few spins before the music started to speak to me.  A grower! "The Snake" - Harvey Mandel (back cover) Janus Records label I wasn't familiar with Harvey Mandel when I picked this record up. But I discovered that this guitarist has a pretty solid smack of cred. Two things immediately made me smile upon learning more about Mandel. 1)...

Graphic Novel Find "Preacher Vol. 1: Gone to Texas" (Last fall, I stumbled upon a good sized box filled with a variety of graphic novels at an estate sale. No official count yet, as I'm just pulling from the box when I find time to read one.  Afterward, I'll post the book and go from there.) "Preacher Vol. 1: Gone to Texas" Garth Ennis, Steve Dillon 1996 by Vertigo 199 pages (includes issues 1-7 of the original series) No Spoilers: "Preacher" is a violent tale that's both original and quirky. And looks as good as it reads. Apparently, there was a taboo romp in heaven between an angel and a demon that spawned a rogue angel.  An angel that's...a little bit country, a little bit rock-n-roll.  So to speak. The angel goes rogue and escapes to Earth and into the body of a young Texas preacher named Jesse. Meanwhile, archangels in heaven send the "Saint of Killers" to find him and bring him back...or worse. And ...

"I'm tired of being someone  that I never knew."   ~ Royston Langdon ~ Lost in the shuffle of beaucoup bands that seemed to drop out of the sky in the ‘90s, Spacehog was one of my go-to's.  Spacehog , as I can best describe them, were the best parts of hard glam-pop rock. A refreshing offering of cut loose, infectious tunes. Frontman Royston Langdon's vocals had the qualities of Ziggy-era Bowie and "Preservation" Ray Davies .  He was both hard and fragile.  And the music filled a rock-and-roll sweet-spot while trying to walk the tightropes of high school. So it's exciting news learning that Royston Langdon is set to release a solo album of new songs.  It's been  20+ years since “Resident Alien” hit our speakers.  He thankfully has survived all the parties and the shim-sham.  He's a grown-up now.  Not a given for anybody these days. And better still, while he was working it out,  Royston Langdon gave us the op...

"Getting To This"   -  Blodwyn Pig (1970) Brit blues rock, a bit of prog/jog  2nd (and final) album  Gatefold w/tracks, credits, board game A&M Records-Chrysalis (gold)  9 tracks Horse Head Vinyl..."Dig and Spin" (#2) Blodwyn Pig was formed by Mick Abrahams (guitarist, vocals) after doing a sudden 23-skidoo from Jethro Tull after Tull's debut album, "This Was." (1968) I found this Blodwyn Pig album loitering in the "P" section, misfiled or misplaced by somebody.  It was an album I'd had on my want list for some time...but for whatever reason...was never quite ready to pull the trigger.  Either something else would catch my eye or the green paper in my pocket was being shy.  Anyway...it's mine now.   "Getting To This" - Blodwyn Pig (back cover) "Getting To This" is an okay album. Nothing will blow you away, but it does have its moments.  This was Brit blues rock, for sure...but th...

"Shamal"   -  Gong  (1975) prog jazz, prog rock, fusion 6th album. Virgin Records 6 tracks.  Horse Head Vinyl..."Dig and Spin" (#1) Co-founder and gnome-king  Daevid Allen had flown the coop at this point...and he took his trippy, space-psych with him. On Gong's sixth album... "Shamal" ...the band flies into a more proggier jazz direction.  This time, the music is being guided, in no small part, by percussionist Pierre Moerlen . And here's a scary word for you.  "Fusion." Fusion is a musical fence that's very hard to walk without losing your balance. Sure, it looks easy.  Starting out.  But it's extremely hard to stay up and your friends will get bored watching, if not careful. "Shamal"   -  Gong (back cover) Fortunately, Gong succeeds on this offering. Mostly. There's lots of nice flute, vibraphone, xylophone. Quite a bit of tasty percussive tinkerings. An occasional sax. And just ...

"We played every nook and cranny in America." ~ Joe Vitale ~ I've been a fan of drummer/songwriter, Joe Vitale, since his...“Rocky Mountain Way”...Barnstorm days.  Co-writing the classic song with his longtime friend and bandmate, Joe Walsh...”RMW” has made summer day road trips better for everyone since 1973. Joe Vitale has also provided drums and other skills for dozens of other artists.  Sessioning on their albums and working on their tours. Along the way, Joe Vitale has recorded 3 albums of his own and has no shortage of music friends ready to lend a hand. After almost 50 years in the business, it gives me no small measure of joy and comfort...knowing that at any rock and roll moment...Joe Vitale might still grab a piece of seat and begin wailing the loving bejesus out of his drums.  Go get you some. Joe Vitale Interview -- Feb. 2018 Joe Vitale Casey Chambers:   I'd like to begin by asking you about the song... "Lady On The Rock...