spirit of 76....by spirit

The bass player plays with piano player Ian McLachlan (from the Faces) in a band in Austin, Texas. I saw then in a hole in the wall bar. great band.

Best kinda venue, Wildoats.

I once had the Spirit of 76 album, and it was pretty good. I have to say, though, that "Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus" was better.

Let us assume, just for shakes and shivers, that you have ingested Lysergic Acid. Wait for about an hour and a quarter, and then spin Dr. Sardonicus:

Some hippy songwriter sings about having the world at your fingertips and then starts crying out about a demonic bride who eats away from inside. Then a song about death and renewal defines nature's way. An animal zoo passes before you and love flows in chunky waves like a mad sea. A plea for freedom falls before Mr. Skin, who leers from every television in the world. A psychedelic trip into space follows and morphs into a deranged love song. Then urbanity raises its ugly head with street noise and pollution. A pleading ode to innocence cuts through the distortion and morning threatens with a loud horn section. The last song is a dirge about the loneliness of the soldiers in Viet Nam.

How do you say goodbye to 1970?

Jimi Hendrix gave Randy Wolf his name Randy "California" ( he was from CA) when they played together (another Randy was in the band - Randy Texas - he was from Texas). Randy C.s parents would not let him tour with Jimi (he was too young to be exposed to the sins of RnR). The drummer of Spirit - Ed Cassidy, is Randy Cs. stepfather. At 80+ Ed still plays religously. BTW, Randy C died in HI while saving his son from a riptide. In 1978 I met the band and they stayed with me one night after a gig because the booking agent failed to line them up a hotel stay. They had played at the Grainery in Granite City, IL.

Saw them in the early 70's in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. The band warming up the crowd was a band we hadn't heard of called Bachman Turner Overdrive. Spirit was excellent! Small venue, so everyone had pretty good seats.