Michael Wendroff - Michael Wendroff (1973) 

Artist: Michael Wendroff
Album: Michael Wendroff
Label: © Buddah Records, Inc.
Catalog#: BDS 5130
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 1973
Genre: Rock, Folk, World, & Country
Duration: 00:38:38

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 • Side One:
A1. On The Highway 05:28
A2. Now That You've Found Out 03:56
A3. Louise 03:27
A4. I'm Alright-You're Alright 03:58
A5. A Different Place 03:56
 • Side Two:
B1. You Two 03:10
B2. I Was Trying 03:25
B3. Notes On A Journey East 03:41
B4. You Deserve Delicate Treatment (Donna) 03:10
B5. Acapella 04:23

     This album, with great love, is for:
     Jake and Edie, Joel and Susan, Lenny, Billy and especially, Penelope and Leslie.
     All selections written by Michael Wendroff and published by Buddah Music Inc.
     Ome Free Publishing (ASCAP) unless otherwise indicated.
     Also on Ampex 8-Track and Cassette Stereo Tapes

     Srring Arrangements: Larry Fallon
     Engineer (And Accomplice): Ralph Moss
     Recorded At: Bell Sound Studios, N.Y.
     Photography: Joel Golberg
     Packaging: Milton Sincoff
     Produced by: Lewis Merenstein

The Players Are:
Guitars - Bob Mann, Hugh McCracken and David Spinozza
Bass - Kirk Hamilton
Drums - Rick Morotta
Keyboards - Frank Owens, Erik Kihss and Don Grolnick
Horn Section:
Michel Brecker - Tenor Saxophone
Randy Brecker - Trumpet
Barry Rogers - Trombone
Banjo and Pedal Steel Guitar on "Notes On A Journey East" - Eric Weissberg
Marimba on "Donna" - George Devons, Percussion - Jimmy Mailen
Sax Solo on "Now That You've Found Out" - Michael Brecker
Trombone Solo on "I'm Alright, You're Alright" - Barry Rogers
Lead Guitar on "On The Highway" - Hugh McCracken
Reggae Guitar on "You Two" - David Spinozza
Lead Guitar on "Notes", "Louise" and "I'm Alright, You're Alright" - Bob Mann
Vocals and Guitar - Michael Wendroff

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Peter Thom - Peter Thom (1972 United Artists) 

Artist: Peter Thom
Album: Peter Thom
Label: United Artists Records
Catalog#: UAS-5587
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 1972
Genre: Rock, Blues, Folk, Country
Duration: 00:33:57

• A native of Scotland, Peter Thorn (pronounced "Tom") moved to Canada when he was two and grew up in Montreal. His first instrument was the piano, though he soon switched to acoustic guitar. Peter's first venture into songwriting was as a student at McGill University where he wrote the music for a show called "Pssst! Where Do Babies Come From ?" Soon thereafter he began appearing on Canadian television; and eventually hosted the C.B.C.-TV program "The New Generation" from 1963-1967.
• With his wife, Roseanne, Peter moved to New York and immediately attracted the interest of record companies. His first recording was an Al Kooper song "Fly Away" on the Epic label. The next two years were the most difficult for Peter as he traveled from college to folk clubs performing in almost every area of the country. Returning to New York, Peter began to attract musicians and performers who were particularly interested in his unique guitar style. Word soon got around and Peter became one of the most requested writer-singer-guitarists.

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 • Side One:
A1. Choo-Choo Baby 03:12
A2. Know You Well 03:13
A3. The Newsreel 03:16
A4. Melvin The Elephant's Blues 02:15
A5. From The Beginning 02:03
A6. Going To My Friends House 02:50
 • Side Two:
B1. Lunacy 02:56
B2. I Wanna Go To Sleep 02:48
B3. Never No More 02:38
B4. Circle Song 03:24
B5. Letter To Jacksonville 02:14
B6. Lullabye 02:51

     All songs written by: Peter Thorn
     Produced by: 'Harry Palmer for Tara International with thanks to Al Ham
     Engineered and remixed by: Tom Caccetta
     Assistant engineer: Bill Wilder
     Recorded and remixed at: Sound Exchange Studios, New York City
     Mastered at Sterling Sound, New York City by Bob Ludwig
     Art direction: Norman Seeff
     Album design: Joan Marker/ Anthony Hudson
     Photography: Jerry Czember
     Producer by Harry Palmer, Peter Thom

Personel:
Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Organ, Piano – Peter Thom
Bass Guitar, Double Bass – Lyn Christie
Drums – Barry Lazarowitz
Electric Guitar – Steve Khan
Engineer – Bill Wilder, Tom Caccetta
Percussion – Barry Lazarowitz, Peter Thom
Remix – Tom Caccetta 

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Michael Parks - Closing The Gap (1969 Vinyl Rip) 

Artist: Michael Parks
Album: Closing The Gap
Label: MGM Records
Catalog#: SE-4646
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 1969
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Duration: 00:38:32

• Like every tune that's in the album. I didn't have to sing any song I didn't like, which is nice because I was raised on country music. I think it's authentic. I think every tune comes from somewhere—you know there's a story in every tune. They're all valid, including the five new tunes that are in the album. The rest of them my mother sang to me when I was on her knee and she used to sing me to sleep with them, she even sings "My Little Buckaroo" with me on this album. (Photo lower left). The five new tunes are: "Softly and Tenderly," and "Ride 'Em, Cowboy" written by James Hendricks. "Pretty Piece of Paper" and "Sneakin' in the Back Door of Love" were written by Buddy Biglow, and "MidnightWind" was written by Foy Willing. When I was a kid: used to sing to myself. In this album, I felt like singing and sang. I made a tape of a song to see if I could sing. James Hendricks heard it and said he would like to produce the album for me (Photo top left).
• Country is very simple to me. The music is uncluttered—it's something that I think, well, I don't know, there isn't a tune that you don't relate—that you can't relate to somewhere. I don't believe in the abstract. Take "OklahomaHills,"forexample.There is a history behind every song—behind that one—Woody Guthrie was sitting in Washington Square in New York during the Depression—flat broke—busted, in other words, when he wrote "Oklahoma Hills." He was sitting in Washington Square in New York and he wrote "Oklahoma Hills" whe're he was born. The song has a lot of feeling.
• Everything, everything is subjective, and once in a great while subjectivity is a sham. Now that may not sound simple, but as long as the feeling is good, I think it's simple. I don't like to see anything cute on the back of an album. Either you like the thing or you don't like the thing. I hope that you do. I think the tunes all tell a story. That's one thing I like about it. There's nothing abstract in any of the tunes. If you can't relate to them I'm sorry and I wish you better listening somewhere else. I hope people who listen to the album look at the back and the notes, and I say to them I really hope you enjoyed it. - Michael Parks.

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 • Side One:
A1. Oklahoma Hills 04:00
A2. Pretty Piece of Paper 03:33
A3. Midnight Wind 03:28
A4. San Antonio Rose 02:44
A5. Soldier's Last Letter 03:08
A6. Wayfarin' Stranger 03:26
 • Side Two:
B1. Ride'Em, Cowboy 02:20
B2. Softly and Tenderly 03:08
B3. Tie Me To Your Apron Strings Again 02:55
B4. Won't You Ride in My Little Red Wagon 02:00
B5. Treasure Untold 02:37
B6. Sneakin' in the Back Door of Love 02:39
B7. Little Buckaroo 02:29

     Arranged and produced by James Hendricks
     String arrangements by Mike Rubini
     Recorded at Sunset Sound Studios, Hollywood, California
     Director of Engineering: Val Valentin
     Engineer for the album: Douglas Botnick
     Design: Camera 5 / Photography: Ivan Nagy

Personel:
Jim Burton - lead guitar and dobro
Mike Rubini - piano
John Guerin, Jim Gordon - drums
Bob West - bass
Carl Walden - steel guitar and harmonica
Glenn Keener - rhythm guitar
Michael Parks - vocals

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Tapestry - Down By Maple River (1973 Vinyl Rip) 

Artist: Tapestry
Album: Down By Maple River
Label: Polydor
Catalog#: 2424 078
Format: Vinyl, LP, Stereo
Country: Canada
Released: 1973
Genre: Rock, Folk, World, & Country
Duration: 00:36:38

• Male and female vocals by Jack & Heather Winters, a bit rural pop in spots but every bit as juicy as Huckle, with some nice guitar bits ~ not quite the fantastic ringing guitar of Riverson but every bit as unique and quite outastanding still the same.

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 • Side One:
A1. Everything Is Bringin' Me Down (Runnin' From The Years) 03:24
A2. Oldtimer 05:00
A3. Lonely Trip Back 02:40
A4. I Wish I Was Going Back Home 03:40
A5. Down By Maple River 02:10
 • Side Two:
B1. Years Goin' By 03:12
B2. Dance (Till The Mornin' Comes) 02:40
B3. Cowboy Song 02:48
B4. He Has Changed 05:12
B5. Silverbird 02:18
Bonus Track:
- California (Single) 02:55

     Recorded at Quebec Sound Studios in Montreal
     Produced by Cliff Edwards 

Personel:
Jack Winters - Acoustic Guitar, Vocals
Heather Winters - Vocals
David Glead - Electric Guitars
Dougie Trineer - Acoustic Guitar
Don Habib, Florien Richard - Bass
Richard Provencal - Drums
J.P.Lauzon - Slide Guitar
Ron Dan - Steel Guitar
Leon Aronson - Piano
Claude Demers - Synthesizer

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Robert Johnson - The Memphis Demos (1980 Vinyl Rip) 

Artist: Robert Johnson
Album: The Memphis Demos
Label: Ensign Records
Catalog#: ENRJ 12
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: UK
Released: 1980
Genre: Rock, Pop Rock
Format: FLAC (tracks+.cue)
Bitrate: lossless
Duration: 00:29:56

• Exactly what it says on the tin, this superb disc wraps up the eight demos that Robert Johnson cut in Memphis in 1977, which led to him landing his first solo deal with the London-based Ensign label. Of course, they didn't have a clue what to do with him -- his best-known labelmates were the Boomtown Rats, so that's the crowd he was marketed to. Big mistake. Even more than the fish-out-of-water album that was Johnson's 1978 debut LP, these demos paint a face that would have been far better suited lining up alongside Southside Johnny and maybe Mink DeVille, a clutch of slow burners that wraps a couple of future album favorites around a bunch more deliberate rockers, and throws in seething covers of "Burning Love" and "Claudette" for luck. Because that's where Johnson's roots were, and the demos don't stray too far away. - Dave Thompson

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 • Side One:
A1. I'll Be Waiting 04:09
A2. Claudette 02:27
A3. Burning Love 03:11
A4. Wish Upon A Star 04:57
 • Side Two:
B1. Jimmy Dean's Back 03:18
B2. Shaking It Down 04:33
B3. Better Love 03:14
B4. Deep Love 04:04

Personel:
Dave Cochran - Bass, Drums, Vocals
Blair Cunningham - Drums, Vocals
Robert Johnson - Guitar, Vocals
Written-By Roy Orbison (track-A2)

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Charlie Ainley - Too Much Is Not Enough (1978) 

Artist: Charlie Ainley
Album: Too Much Is Not Enough
Label: Nemperor Records
Catalog#: JZ 35080
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 1978
Genre: Rock, Pop Rock
Duration: 00:37:53

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 • Side One:
A1. I Am A Mountain 3:10
A2. City Boy 5:25
A3. Lies 3:10
A4. What Love Brings 2:57
A5. Here Comes That Train 3:55
A6. I Believe In Rock 'N' Roll 1:12
 • Side Two:
B1. Slow Train 3:03
B2. I'm Feeling Blue 2:18
B3. Hitch With The Devil 4:17
B4. In Trouble With The Law 2:55
B5. In The Shadow Of The Setting Sun 5:07

     Producer by Charlie Ainley, David Hentschel,
     John Gilbert, John Porter

Personel:
Henry Spinetti - Drums
Charlie Harrison, Mel Collins - Brass
Preston Heyman - Percussion
Kokomo - Background Vocals
Pete Wingfield, Mike Storey - Keyboards
John Porter - Guitar, Bass, Dobro
David Hentschel - Synthesiser
Charlie Ainley - Vocals

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Charlie Ainley - Bang Your Door (1978) 

Artist: Charlie Ainley
Album: Bang Your Door
Label: Nemperor Records
Catalog#: JZ 35648
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 1978
Genre: Pop Rock, Classic Rock
Duration: 00:34:42

• Entendres don't come much more double than "Oh, baby, let me bang your door," and Charlie Ainley sounds appropriately urgent on the title track to this album. Elsewhere, he calms down a bit, but on the whole, this is a collection of tuneful rock in a relatively unadorned, neo-'50s style. It's not particularly distinctive, however, and that may be why it went unnoticed when it was released at the height of the new wave craze. - William Ruhlmann

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 • Side One:
A1. Bang Your Door 03:05
A2. Angry 03:28
A3. Try To Be A Good One 04:15
A4. Pig Farm Blues 02:50
A5. I Don't Need No Doctor 04:00
 • Side Two:
B1. Deed I Do 03:15
B2. New York, New York 03:41
B3. Heat Of The Night 03:18
B4. The Whistler 03:55
B5. R.U.I 03:05

     Produced by Tony Ashton for G&A (Music) Inc.
     Recorded at Ramport Studios, August 1978.
     Engineered by Bob Potter.
     Assistant engineer: Neil Hornby.
     Mastered at Trident Studios by Ray Staff.
     Mastered for the USA at CBS Studios, New York by Vladimir Meller. 

Personel:
Charlie Ainley - vocals
Richard Worthy - guitar on 1-8,10
Chas Hodges - acoustic guitar on 9; bass on 1-8,10; back vocals on 3,6
Stuart Elliott - drums, percussion
Pete Wingfield - keyboards, piano, organ
The Misdemeanors - back vocals on 1,2,5,7
Richard Worthy - bass on 9
Tony Ashton - organ on 3; tubular bells on 9
Howie Casey - brass on 1,6,8
Martin Frith - brass on 6,8

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Arrival - Arrival (Decca 1970) 

Artist: Arrival
Album: Arrival
Label: Decca
Catalog#: SKL 5055
Format: Vinyl, LP
Country: UK
Released: 1970
Genre: Folk, Pop Rock, Funk / Soul
Duration: 00:55:52

• Arrival was a London-based close-harmony pop-rock band featuring singers originally from Liverpool. Following its appearance on Maynard Ferguson's 1970 UK television special and two chart hits, "Friends" and "I Will Survive", the band was booked to appear at the Isle of Wight Festival 1970.
• As Dusty Springfield wrote on the back cover of their first LP: "Suddenly, there they were on the TV screen - and they reached out and touched me as no other group had ever done. On this, their first album, they run through a whole lot of changes with incredible ease and assurance. Whether it's Dyan, Frank, Carroll or Paddy singing lead, their full warm harmonies are always there, swooping and soaring, hitting you like some giant velvet hammer. They sing with joy, sadness and wit, and as you listen they'll reach out and touch you."

• Квартет ARRIVAL появился близ Ливерпуля в октябре 1969. Первые же концерты ARRIVAL в местных клубах привлекли всеобщее внимание: их характерный стиль - сочетание мужского и женского вокала, лаконичная фразировка, рельефная ткань вокального многоголосия, мелодический язык, в котором явно присутствовали интонации соул и госпел - не имел аналогов на тогдашней сцене.
• Группа получила контракт от Decca, а на протяжении 1969-70 дважды была в британских чартах с энергичными танцевальными номерами Friends (№ 5 в феврале 1970) и I Will Survive. Вышедший следом альбом Arrival был не столь успешным. Он продавался плохо, и через год ARRIVAL и Decca прекратили сотрудничество.
• В 1972 группа подписала новый контракт с CBS и записала еще два альбома, которые были оценены прессой довольно высоко, хотя и не принесли ARRIVAL новых попаданий в чарты. Незадолго до выхода второго альбома Кэрролл Картер ушла. Ее сменил клавишних концертного состава группы Тони О'Мэлли (Tony O'Malley).
• В мае 1973 по инициативе CBS участники ARRIVAL объединились с компанией сессионных музыкантов, игравших во многих группах — от GREASE BAND до KING CRIMSON.
• Полученный состав очень отличался от предыдущего настолько, что группа сменила название, взяв имя маленького городка на Юге США, одного их тех мест, откуда ведет свою историю музыка соул - KOKOMO. В середине 70-х годов Берч, Коллинз, Макхью и О'Мэлли выступали на сцене с KOKOMO и выступали также как сессионные музыканты под прежним именем: в 1974 пели на дебютном альбоме EASY STREET. После распада KOKOMO О'Мэлли ушел в 10CC, а остальные участники группы продолжали работать вместе. -- Андрей Бурлака.

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 • Side One:
A1. Live 03:41
A2. Light My Fire 03:31
A3. Friends 03:56
A4. No-Good Advice 03:17
A5. Prove It 05:01
A6. See The Lord 02:32
 • Side Two:
B1. I Will Survive 03:15
B2. Sit Down And Float 03:49
B3. Take Me 03:19
B4. La Virra 04:45
B5. Not Right Now 02:50
B6. Hard Road 03:27
   Bonus Track:
- Don't Turn His Love Away 02:56
- Be You 04:51
- Lay Down 04:56

Personel:
Dyan Birch, Carroll Carter, Frank Collins - vocals
Paddy McHugh - vocals
Lloyd Courtenay - drums
Don Hume - bass
Later:
Lee Sutherland, Phil Chen - bass
Steve Chapman, Glen Lefleur - drums
George Lee - sax
Raphael Pereira - guitar then bass
Tony O'Malley - vocals, keyboards
Glen Le Fleur - drums, percussion

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Sam Neely - Sam Neely 2 (1973) 

Artist: Sam Neely
Album: Sam Neely 2
Label: Capitol Records
Catalog#: SMAS-11143
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 1973
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Duration: 00:33:57

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 • Side One:
A1. Rosalie 03:16
A2. Gentle People 03:21
A3. Kiss The Morning Sunshine 03:00
A4. Take Me Back Wife 03:12
A5. Ain't It Good To Be Home 02:45
 • Side Two:
B1. Sweet Country Child 03:32
B2. Bless Me Miss America 03:00
B3. Young And Free 03:22
B4. It's Another Day 03:45
B5. Neither Do I 04:11

     A special thanks to Johnny Magnus.
     Grateful appreciation to: Jerry Cole, Gene Pello, Wilton Felder,
     Peggy Steiner, Iris Cline, Sandy Singer, Dr. Max Shaprio,
     Bruce Grakel, Sam Herro & Bill Hanna.
     Strings recorded at Western Recorders, Hollywood, Ca
     Mixing at Sound Lab (Note: no location given)
     Mastering: Mastering Lab Hollywood, Ca

Personel:
Sam Neely - Acoustic Guitar
Jerry Cole - Lead Guitar, Banjo, Electric Guitar
Wilton Felder - Bass Guitar
Gene Pello - Drums, Percussion
Mike Gregory - Piano
Jim Horn - Flute
John Herron - Piano, Electric Keyboards
Tom Morgan - Harmonica
Hal Biaine - Drums
Joe Osborne - Bass Guitar
Larry Carlton - Lead Guitar
Basic Arranged By – Rudy Durand
Strings And Horns Arranged – Lee Holdridge
Basic Track Engineer – Greg Venable
Western Recorders Engineer – Armin Steiner
Executive-Producer – Jim Benci
Sound Lab Mixed By – Armin Steiner
Producer – Rudy Durand

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Ramsay Mackay - The Suburbs Of Ur (1982) 

Artist:  Ramsay Mackay
Album: The Suburbs Of Ur
Label: Principal Records
Catalog#: PRC 005
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: South Africa
Released: 1982
Genre: Rock, Folk, World, & Country
Duration: 00:40:45

• Ramsay MacKay родился в Шотландии в 1946-м, но переехал с родителями в Южную Африку в 1953 году. Там он стал поистине гением южноафриканского рока, певцом, автором песен, поэтом и музыкантом. В настоящее время Ramsay живёт у себя на родине в Шотландии, хотя и посещает ЮАР от случая к случаю.

• Ramsay Mackay was one of the (many) driving forces behind the great Freedom’s Children who produced what many regard as one of the greatest South African albums of all times (Astra, in case you were wondering). That was in the late sixties, early seventies. Then nothing, other than a brief appearance in the band Harambee in 1978 and a couple of solo singles.
• But in 1982, he released the album ‘Suburbs of Ur’, the opening track of which is ‘Witchdoctor Of Hillbrow’. Those expecting those dense sounds that Freedom’s Children produced, may have been a bit disappointed with the sparseness of the track. It’s a stripped down affair featuring only guitar, bass, violin and Ramsay’s deep vocals. But what a combination these make. The violin is haunting, the guitar slightly African, the bass is solid and the vocals, brushed with Ramsay’s Scottish roots, bring a chill to the spine.
• The music combines beautifully with the poetic language in the lyrics that paint a very different picture of Hillbrow to that which Johannes Kerkorrel did a good few years later. Ramsay’s Hillbrow has ghosts, black cakes, dead men and, of course, witchdoctors. Achingly beautiful, this may not appeal to hardcore Freedom’s fans, but you should give it a go, you may just be moved to tears.

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 • Side One:
A1. St Judas 5:09
A2. It;s The Fashion (It's The Most) 2:55
A3. Tarzan And The Humans 4:10
A4. The Witchdoctor Of Hillbrow 3:37
A5. I Like The Rebel 3:08
A6. Goodbye To The Islands 3:22
 • Side Two:
B1. Eyes Of Zimbabwe 3:34
B2. Crocodile Chant 2:20
B3. Benny And The Side Car Man 3:59
B4. Silent Water 4:15
B5. Mumbo Jumbo 2:01
B6. The Blind Boys Of The Mist 2:37

        All Songs by Ramsay Mackay
        Produced by Ramsay Mackay
        Engineers by Tony Manuel, Graham Handley,
        Hennie Hartman, Julian Laxton & Greg Cutler.

Personel:
Ramsay Mackay - Vocals, electric, bass and acoustic guitars
Dave Tarr - Violin, dulcimer, tenor & alto sax, acoustic guitar, penny whistle, harmony vocals
George Spencer and Colin Pratley - Drums
Ronnie Robot - Bass Guitar on Saint Judas and I Like the Rebel
Trevor Rabin - Lead Guitar on Mumbo Jumbo
Brian Davidson - Voice and end of Mumbo Jumbo
Silver Creek Band - Backing vocals on Silent Water

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