MOTHER TUCKERS YELLOW DUCK - Home Grown Stuff, 1969 (CANADA, Vancouver, psych blues rock)(Capitol ST 6304)

Formed in Vancouver in 1968 , their first 45 has become their most sought-after item. Described on their second album as a "happy mixture of psychedelic rock, blues-rock, jazz-rock with an overall country flavour" their material is an enjoyable and diverse mixture of styles. The first album is the stronger of the two, being the less country-influenced and more psychedelic. Crammed with excellent guitar-work throughout and fine harmony vocal arrangements, the highlights include the uptempo "Times are Changing", the great country-rocker "One Glass for Wine", the dynamic lick-laden "One Ring Jane", the sublime melancholy of "Funny Feeling" and the climatic slow-burning finale of "Somebody Think", which can also be appreciated on Echoes in Time, Vol. 1. Recommended - an album to savour. The group was slated for inclusion on the Cool-Aid Benefit album but either Capitol or their management put the nix on it ! This album was re-issued on CD in 2000.

Line-up

John Patrick Caldwell - vocals, harp
Charles Faulkner - bass
Les Law - guitar
Roger Law -guitar
Hugh Lockhead - drums
Donnie McDougall - guitar, vocal



Tracklisting

1. Times are Changing 2:43

2. No One in Particular 3:46

3. Little Pony 2:14

4. One Glass for Wine 3:14

5. Elevated Platform 2:39

6. Walk Your Head Around 4:36

7. One Ring Jane 4:22

8. Pot of Gold 3:27

9. Intermission Poetry 3:10

10. Funny Feeling 3:38

11. Blue Dye 2:43

12. Someone Think 3:55

REIGN GHOST - s/t, 1969 (CANADA, Oshawa, ON., psych rock)(Allied AL 12)

Drummer Bob Bryden and singer Lynda Squires were members of The Christopher Columbus Discovery of New Lands Band in Oshawa, Ontario during 1967 . As is the fate with most bands, the unit split up in 1968 . Columbus' direct competition in town was an act called Reign Ghost and with an eye to find something new to do, Bryden and Squires infiltrated the rival band as guitarist and singer respectively. Soon the bassist left and Bryden snuck in former Columbus bassist Joe Gallant. Following the usual 'creative differences' excuse, Gallant quit and then came Columbus' Jerry Dufek. This line-up hooked up with Jack Boswell's Allied Records who threw them into a recording studio for the self-titled 'Reign Ghost' album in late 1968 . The album was released in January 1969. However, the band fraught with internal conflicts once more and destroyed the band. Bryden and Squires moved on once again and hooked up with drummer Rich Richter and bassist Russ Erman who reclaimed the name Reign Ghost with the new comrades more than willing to become the New Reign Ghost. Allied was happy to have their name band back and offered to release the follow-up album 'Reign Ghost Featuring Lynda Squires', but before the album could be released, the band split up again. Bryden went on to join Christmas (aka Spirit of Christmas) and their first album, coincidentally was released by Paragon in July 1970 on the exact same day as they decided to release the 2nd Reign Ghost album. Lynda Squires went on to join the Canadian cast of 'Hair' and married Francis W. Davies (president of Daffodil Records and The Music Publisher). In early 1991, Ken Golden of Laser's Edge in New Jersey decided to re-issue the two albums on one CD to rescue these two obscure, and collectible, albums from oblivion.


Line-up

Bob Bryden (guitar)

Lynda Squires (vocals)

Joe Gallant (bass)

Jerry Dufek (bass; replaced Gallant 1968 )

Dave Hair (keyboards; 1968)

Jim Stright (guitar; 1968)

Bob Stright (drums; 1968)

Helge 'Rich' Richter (drums; replaced Bob Stright 1969)

Russ Erman (bass; replaced Dufek)


Tracklisting

1. Travels of Blue Paradox 4:55

2. A Long Day Journey 3:08

3. Standing Room Only, Mr. Mars 3:45

4. Eyes Knows, So Does Ears and Carolina 9:01

5. Curio Shop 3:22

6. Black Ode 3:28

7. Gum Wrapper Song 1:50

8. Southern Hemisphere Blues Legacy 4:10

9. Reaching 9:02

A PASSING FANCY ("s/t",1968) / Beat-Garage-Psych-Pop

A Passing was a Toronto (Canada) band from the mid-60's.

DISCOGRAPHY

45 ; "I'm Losing Tonight" / "A Passing Fancy" (1967)/Columbia 2729
"You're Going Out of my Mind" / "Sounds Silly" (1967)/Columbia 2755
"She Phoned" / "I Believe in Sunshine" (1967)/Columbia 2772
"Your Trip" / "Island" (1967)/Boo 684

LP ; "A Passing Fancy" (1968)/Boo BST 6801

The first single is released in February 1967 and reached #22 charts the following month. The second one reached #37 with "You're Going Out of my Mind". The third single #28 in September 1967. Then, Steve Wilson (drums) left the band, Louis Pratile joined on drums.
During '67 summer, A Passing Fancy played at Expo '67 in Montreal where they jammed with a local band ; Les Têtes Blanches. But success ain't there in spite of an album released November 1968. June 69, the band had broken up.

Side 1 :

- I'm Losing Tonight 2'48
- A Passing Fancy 2'35
- You're Going Out of my Mind 2'35
- Sounds Silly 2'25
- She Phoned 2'10
- I Believe in Sunshine 2'25

Side 2 :

- Island 2'05
- Your Trip 3'05
- Little Boys For Little Girls 3'31
- Under the Bridge 2'38
- Spread Out 2'54
- People in Me 3'15

The album served to compile the A and B-sides from the five singles with two new tracks ; "Little Boys For Little Girls" and "Under the Bridge".

Line-Up :

- Brian Price (organ-vocals, 1965-68), then Fergus Hambleton (1968)
- Jay Telfer (guitar,1965-68), then Ron Forster (1968)
- Phil Seon (guitar,1965-68), then Brian Smith (1968)
- Greg Hershoff (drums,1965-66), then Steve Wilson (1966-67), then Louis Pratile (1967-68), then Wally Cameron (1968)
- Rick Mann (bass,1966-68), then Dan Troutman (1968)