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Friday, December 10, 2021

Victoria - Victoria (Private Pressed US Psychedelia 1971)



Size: 118 MB
Bitrate: 256
mp3
Ripped by: ChrisGoesRock
Artwork Included

Locally New Jersey demo release (200 made), beyond rare fantastic concept psych beauty, maybe 5 or 6 known copies. 3 girls 1 guy. They tried to get attention from big labels but this never happend. They wanted him to sound like Blood Sweat & Tears. But this was not Greg's idea of music. The music has everything you need, like a wild version of early Moby Grape combined with New Dawn and C.A. Quintet, sometimes dreamy sometimes totally wild underground-psych, with female vocals and splattering leads, Titanic horns & destorted guitars. Sweet tunes turn into dark psychpower. TOTALLY STONED!! 


Super rare US psych concept album that has a Neighbr'hood Childr'n feel. This psych beauty, sometimes dreamy sometimes totally wild has female vocals, titanic horns & distorted guitars. Sweet tunes turn into dark psych-power. Greg Ruban, the composer and front-man of Victoria recorded this album just before he had to go to Vietnam. When he returned from War, obviously mentally fucked, he took his unreleased album on a 3 month trip to Europe on a motorbike to promote it, but unfortunately that did not work out at all. The album was unreleased until only a few years ago.…

01. Peace - 2.44
02. Cumberland - 4.41
03. Gevaro - 4.11
04. Ride A Rainbow - 2.50
05. Never Knew Blues - 4.58
06. Down To The Park - 2.57
07. Village Of Etaf - 12.23
08. Core Of The Apple - 8.09
09. Mister Let Me Go (Bonus Acetate) - 3.37
10. Johny & Lisa (Bonus Acetate) - 3.02
11. Peace (Bonus Acetate) - 2.52
12. Cumberland (Bonus Acetate) - 2.51
13. Child Of Princess (Bonus Real-To-Real Track) - 3.07
14. Sundance (Bonus Real-To-Real Track) - 1.46
15. Wheels (Bonus Real-To-Real Track) - 2.02

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Sunday, December 05, 2021

Hamana - Hamana (Great Psychedelic Folkrock US 1974)



Size: 76.6 MB
Bitrate: 256
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Ripped By: ChrisGoesRock
Artwork Included

A v.rare debut album recorded in 1974, originally issued on the local Phoenix label, Canyon Records. To most 60´s psychedelic rock/folk fans this is almost an unknown album, with only a few copies known to exist. Hamana was a native American, who went in 1969 to college in the white man's world, and the album expresses perfectly the sunny California peace, love & freedom feeling, 


The music itself is emotive with strong vocals, lots of West coast psychedelic guitar flashes, a bit garage feeling but also loner folk style with native American elements. 


The appeal of this album reminds one of Quicksilver Messenger Service, The Byrds, X.I.T, Neil Young, Buffalo Springfield, Garrett Lund - Near unbelievable that on these recordings all instruments, bass, guitars, vocals and drums have been played by Hamana himself, later to be overdubbed into a tasty and atmospheric stereo acoustic/electric mix. This CD-reissue is a mastertape release licensed by Canyon Records, and contains an 8 page booklet + 2 unreleased bonus tracks. Highly recommended!

01. The Meek Shall Inherit The Earth - 2.35   
02. Whu Can't I Understand - 3.39   
03. Be Free With Me - 2.46   
05. On The Road - 2.17   
04. I Remember - 3.13 
06. One Night - 3.07   
07. Future Goodbyes - 2.57   
09. Message To The Crystal - 3.40   
10. Shine On (Bonus 1965) - 5.36     
11. Peace In Within You (Bonus 1965) - 5.33  

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Friday, December 03, 2021

Van Der Graaf Generator - Aerosol Grey Machine (UK 1969)



Size: 175 MB
Bitrate: 320
mp3
Ripped by ChrisGoesRock
Source: Japan SHM-CD Remaster

The Aerosol Grey Machine is the debut studio album by English progressive rock band Van der Graaf Generator. It was first released in the United States in 1969 by Mercury Records.

The album was originally intended as a solo album by the band's lead singer and main songwriter, Peter Hammill. When the band signed with Charisma Records, a deal was worked out whereby The Aerosol Grey Machine would be released under the Van der Graaf Generator name, in return for Mercury releasing Hammill from his earlier contract

The Aerosol Grey Machine was released in September 1969 by Mercury, in the US only. An initial edition contained the song "Giant Squid" on the cover but that was a mis-print (on the record "Necromancer" was featured instead), later pressings corrected the mis-print. This version of the LP was later released in Europe by Fontana Records.


'The Aerosol Grey Machine' was initially planned as the first Peter Hammill solo-record, but was finally released under the group name 'Van Der Graaf Generator', a device for producing high electrostatic potentials up to 15 million volt and quite a good name for such an energy loaden band. Now, VDGG owns as much to Byron, Shelley, Keats and E.A.Poe as to Chuck Berry. Peter Hammill is like Bob Dylan in the first place a poet, who composes music for his poems, supported by a great band . 

Hammiill has an expressive vocal range (from lamantations to cries and whispers) and on 'The Aerosol Grey Machine' one can already find the major elements of VDGG's music : Hammills expressive vocal style and poetry, Banton's classical inspired keyboard playing and Guy Evans' subtile drumming. The first five tracks (four songs) have a similar structure, the instruments enter one after the other (first the guitar, [on 'Afterwards' organ] than the bass, the piano or organ, Evans enters on drums establishes a medium tempo groove and Hammill starts singing , with small variations throughout the track. 


It is already typical VDGG, but the dynamic of the later records is still missing. The most interesting track of the four is 'Into a Game', the song starts the same way as the others, but in the middle there is an instrumental break starting with bass and drums joined by Banton, who delivers a nice piano solo and then Hammill joins and sings ad-libitum "into a game.." over the groove, until the track fades. 'Aerosol Grey Machine' is a funny publicity spot followed by a short instrumental 'Black Smoke Yen', where Evans establishes an interesting drum pattern joined by the bass and another piano solo by Banton. 

Now comes the best part: 'Aquarian' is a fantastic Prog-Pop-Song! It is the only track on the record (a part from the Bonus tracks) that follows a classical song structure with verse & chorus. [with the band joining on vocals for the chorus]. It starts with a great groove by Evans heavily phased drums and a pumping bass line joined by Hammill's vocals, a great chorus and a final organ frenzy.'Necromancer' is a nice stop and go rocker and 'Octopus' a heavy rocker with a ostinato bass line, organ washes and a nice organ solo in the second half, reminding Jon Lord. The record misses the dynamic tension of the later records, but is nevertheless a great record.

01. Afterwards (4:58)
02. Orthenthian St. (Part I) (2:23)
03. Orthenthian St. (Part II) (3:53)
04. Running Back (6:32)
05. Into a Game (5:56)
06. Aerosol Grey Machine (0:56)
07. Black Smoke Yen (1:18)
08. Aquarian (8:27)
09. Necromancer (3:30)
10. Octopus (7:41)
11. Firebrand (Single B-side) (4:08)
12. Firebrand [Demo] (3.33)
13. Sunshine [Demo] (4.04)
14. Ferret And Featherbird (4.33)
15. Giant Squid (3.19)

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Wednesday, November 17, 2021

Appalooza - Live at Smoky Van Sessions (US 2021)



Size: 46 MB
Bitrate: 320
mp3
Ripped by: ChrisGoesRock
Some Artwork Included

APPALOOZAis a long-gone stallion speeding after a lost freedom. Formed in Brest, France, in 2012,they take their cue from the alt-heavy firepower of Alice in Chains, the rock'n'roll stampede of the likes of Queens of the Stone Age or Them Crooked Vultures, propelling themselves with a creativity and sense of direction that are only the essence of great bands. Spirituality and ancient myths color a spacious sound that nonetheless worships at the altar of modern and unwaveringly hard-hitting heavy rock.


APPALOOZA released their first two demos “Squamata” and “Chameleon” respectively in 2013 and 2014, further to which they embarked across the pond for their first ever US tour, taking them to Colorado, Nevada and California. Fired up by a brand new energy ensuing from this successful experience, the band officially released their eponymous debut in2018, quickly followed by a second North American taking them from the Midwest lands to the Pacific Coast. Some hundred shows later, they signed to Californian powerhouse Ripple Music for the release of their sophomore album "The Holy Of Holies" on February 5th,2021. The beginning of a new era driven by an album that perfectly embodies the trio’s musical and visual reincarnation, through an intense sonic escape and ultimately, freedom.

Says APPALOOZA: “‘The Holy Of Holies’ is an ironic comment on religion. A storm is coming and ready to send mankind to a certain death. They are deprived and punished for their individualism, appearing already dead. They accept it and seek a new being to venerate, then send a scapegoat to the desert with all their sins, to find the demon Azazael, the Holy of Holies. This fallen angel takes possession of mankind. He reincarnates them into a half-man half-beast species by transplanting a horse skull, symbol of a lost freedom. Our lyrics deal with subjects such as the lie of religion, the failure to assist a person in distress, the exploitation of man by man, the disappointment that one may have in general towards people, the eternal questioning about our existence and the universe.”

Appalooza gifts us with an unforgettable live under a blazing sun.
Defend their new album “The Holy of Holies” (2021) is not even a challenge for them as it is effective and gripping. With an effortless virtuosity, the Breton trio delivers a sharp set in this corn amphitheater.

Watch the band performing the tracks Nazareth, Conquest and Azazael for the 5th Smoky Van Session.

01. Conquest 07:05
02. Nazareth 05:03
03. Azazael 06:00

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Tuesday, November 02, 2021

Green Lung - Black Harvest (Heavy Underground Rock UK 2021)


Size: 184 MB
Bitrate: 320
mp3
Ripped by: ChrisGoesRock
Some Artwork Included

In four short years of existence, Green Lung have risen from the murk of the UK heavy underground to become a true cult band with a devoted following.  Debut album Woodland Rites, released independently in early 2019, quickly garnered attention, resulting in a single being named ‘Track of the Week’ in the Guardian, plays on Daniel P. Carter’s Radio One Rock Show, a tour with fellow UK heavies Puppy and festival appearances across Europe.


This brought the band to the attention of the wider music industry, and after multiple offers from a variety of labels, the band decided to stay true to their roots and sign with the Finnish audio wizards at Svart Records, home to several of their doomy inspirations including Reverend Bizarre and Warning. Svart’s deluxe reissue of the album, and the preceding EP Free the Witch, sold out several pressings.


Two years later, the folk horror-obsessed fivesome have re-emerged from their mulchy catacombs armed with dozens of freshly-whittled riffs. Black Harvest, the sequel to Woodland Rites, is a more colourful reimagining of the band’s sound – Dawn of the Dead to its predecessor’s Night of the Living Dead.

Recorded at Giant Wafer Studios in rural mid-Wales over the course of two weeks with longtime producer Wayne Adams (Petbrick, Big Lad), it’s a more expansive and textured record than anything the band have done before, boasting a cinematic quality and more attention to detail. All samples were sourced from the local countryside and from instruments found in the studio, including the haunting opening vocal of ‘The Harrowing’ which was recorded on a whim after the band broke into the local church (the organ can be heard creaking in the background). The album was recorded in late autumn, and the seasonal atmosphere seeped into the music, which is redolent of mists, falling leaves, and the crumbling glory of the Magnificent Seven cemeteries of London, the city the band call home.


The album also soaks in new sonics beyond the ‘Black Sabbath meets Brian May’ blueprint of what went before. ‘The Harrowing’ takes the band’s tradition of instrumental opening tracks to dizzy new heights, like Atomic Rooster jamming with Boston, while ballad ‘Graveyard Sun’, based on the folklore around the ‘Highgate Vampire’, adds gothic synth lines that would give Type O Negative pangs of jealousy. That’s not to say the hooks n’ heaviness approach that made the band’s name isn’t here in abundance, as the Sabbath-meets-Purple chug and groove of revolutionary lead single ‘Leaders of the Blind’ and the Hammer Horror riff frenzy of ‘Upon the Altar’ prove. Closer ‘Born to a Dying World’ is unlike anything the band have written before; an endtimes ballad with an almost gospel feel, tying the band’s omnipresent nature themes to the Anthropocene.

Mastered by John Davis at Metropolis (Led Zeppelin, Royal Blood), Black Harvest comes packaged in stained glass artwork by renowned artist Richard Wells (Doctor Who, Dracula, Ben Wheatley’s In the Earth), and is available in gatefold vinyl and CD formats.

01. The Harrowing 02:20
02. Old Gods 03:59
03. Leaders of the Blind 04:42
04. Reaper's Scythe 04:24
05. Graveyard Sun 05:42
06. Black Harvest 02:40
07. Upon the Altar 04:38
08. You Bear the Mark 04:13
09. Doomsayer 05:27
10. Born to a Dying World 05:10

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Fuzz - Levitation Sessions Live (Classic Early 70's Sound Hardrock US 2021)


Size: 132 MB
Bit Rate: 320
mp3
Some Artwork Included

Levitation Sessions -- FUZZ! Heavy psych power trio Charles Moothart, Ty Segall and Chad Ubovich hit the stage for the first time together in five years to bring listeners and viewers a full set spanning their entire discography.


In October of 2020, FUZZ released their first album in half a decade, III, scorching the earth with pure primitive rock and roll mastery captured by the sonic guru Steve Albini. It’s a record that’s meant to be heard and experienced live, and their Levitation Session is the set fans have all been waiting for. 

The show was recorded at Zebulon in Los Angeles, CA. Director Joshua Erkman alongside sound engineers Matthew Littlejohn and Mike Kriebel, capture FUZZ’s intense energy backdropped by electric artwork from artist Tatiana Kartomten.

Fuzz is an American rock band from San Francisco, California, United States, formed in 2011. The band consists of Charles Moothart, Ty Segall and Chad Ubovich.

Created as an outlet for Moothart's affection for hard rock riffs, Fuzz began as collaboration between Moothart and Segall, while Moothart performed in Segall's live band. In 2012, the pair released two singles, "This Time I Got a Reason" and "Sleigh Ride", and were joined by bass guitarist Roland Cosio.

In October 2013, the band released its self-titled debut album, Fuzz. While touring the album, Chad Ubovich replaced Cosio on bass. In October 2015, Fuzz released their second album, entitled II, written in a more collaborative manner than the band members were used to. In October 2020, their third album, entitled III, was released.

01. Earthen Gate  03.56
02. Sleigh Ride  03.51
03. Rat Race  02.54
04. Returning  03.03
05. Time Collapse  05.59
06. The 7th Terror 06.08
07. Jack The Maggot  05.09
08. Pipe  04.46
09. Split  02.49
10. Raise  03.28
11. Hazemaze  05.40

Bonus:
12. Ty Segall & Freedom Band - Manipulator (Levitation Sessions)  02.40
13. Ty Segall & Freedom Band - Squealer (Levitation Sessions)  02.19 

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Saturday, October 09, 2021

B.U.S. - The Unknown Secretary (Heavy Rock Italy 2016)



Size: 114 MB
Bit Rate: 320
mp3
Ripped by: ChrisGoesRock
Some Artwork Included

Bus The Unknown Secretary is a four-piece Heavy Rock group hailing from Athens, Greece, simply known as B.U.S.

The band was formed in 2011 and have since then released two EP’s and two full length albums: “The Impious Tapes” EP (2014) and “The Cross” EP (2014), followed by “The Unknown Secretary” LP (2016) and “Never Decide” LP, released back in March 2019.


Influenced by tunes and bands that emerged from the 60’s up to the 90’s, B.U.S are heavily inspired by artists such as The Who, Alice Cooper, Sex Pistols, King Diamond, Kyuss, Nirvana and many more. The band incorporates all these influences into a deeply unique and personal style, creating a genuinely special musical identity.

During the past years the band has toured extensively throughout Greece and other European countries such as Italy, Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, Serbia and Bulgaria. They also held special shows as an opening act for Uncle Acid & The Deadbeats (UK) in Athens, for Blood Ceremony (USA) during two back to back shows in Athens and Thessaloniki, as well as for Orchid (USA), again in Athens. B.U.S. have also appeared at Athens Desert-fest in 2017.

“The Unknown Secretary” comes to further unsettle the turbulent waves of music and burn its own mark in history.


Today, five years after its original release, Heavy Psych Sounds reissues this retro gem, serving it once again straight into your record case. In the beginning, there was chaos…

A while later in the Heavens, where angels reigned, there was once held a great symposium, a glorious feast. Everyone was happy and having a great time, until Lucifer, fairest and mightiest of all the angels, brought in suspicious and strange substances, offering them freely with both hands for everyone to take. All were fooled by the Ancient Serpent, starting to misbehave and act in contradiction to the Heavenly Laws. The Almighty God, enraged upon learning about the mutiny, threw everyone down on earth to suffer eternally in hunger, ugliness and desperation. Vulnerable now to each and every temptation, they are ready to perpetuate Good and Evil, while building their new earthly Kingdom in any way they can.

Angelic chants, Demon’s screams, witches dancing and woeful mortal suffering are recounted in this album’s songs, embellished with mesmerising hymns and sharp riffs. Chaos is always close and all that remains is the human revolution against the forces of evil.

01. Fallen  03:33
02. Masteroid  04:45
03. New Black Volume  04:53
04. Forever Grey  03:28
05. Don't Fear Your Demon  05:04
06. Rockerbus  07:38
07. Withered Thorn  04:49
08. Over The Hills  04:56
09. Jimi  05:20

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Thursday, September 23, 2021

The Illinois Speed Press - Selftitled & Duet (BluesRock US 1969-70) (2CD)



The Illinois Speed Press was an American rock band formed - originally, in 1965, as The Rovin' Kind - in Chicago, later relocating to California. The band was formed by Paul Cotton - later of Poco - and Kal David. According to Allmusic, their sound "combined elements of R&B and country music in a powerful double-lead-guitar attack." Cotton and David have occasionally reunited in recent years to perform together under the name.

The Capitols were a local group formed by schoolmates at Thornton Township High School in Harvey, Illinois in 1958, including Norman Paul Cotton (then known as Norm "King" Cotton) and Keith Anderson. They became The Mus-Twangs in 1961, primarily an instrumental outfit who released a single, "Marie" on the local Nero label, which was picked up for national distribution by Smash, a subsidiary of Mercury Records. The band next became The Starfires, and Cotton also performed around 1963 as a member of the Carol Vega Trio. Around the same time, Kal David (b. David Raskin) fronted another band in Chicago, The Exceptions, who also included Peter Cetera (later of Chicago).


In early 1965, Cotton formed a new group, The Gentrys, with bassist Frank Bartell and drummer Fred Page (b. Frederick Pappalardo). They were soon joined by Kal David and keyboard player Mike Anthony, and later that year they changed their name to The Rovin' Kind to avoid confusion with the Memphis band who had a hit with "Keep On Dancing". They released their first single, "Everybody", on the Contrapoint label, and recorded several further singles for the Roulette and Dunwich labels. In 1966 they won a regional "battle of the bands" contest and, as a prize, appeared on American Bandstand. In 1967, Bartell left and was replaced by Keith Anderson. Back in Chicago, The Rovin' Kind became the house band at the Whisky A Go Go, where they were seen by producer James William Guercio, who signed them to a contract with the Columbia Records subsidiary label Epic, and persuaded them to change their name to Illinois Speed Press in February 1968. Norm Cotton changed his stage name to Paul Cotton at the same time, and the band moved to Los Angeles.

With its twin guitar sound, the band played a mixture of rock and roll, soul and country music. In 1968 they performed regularly at the Whisky a Go Go in Hollywood, and at the first Newport Pop Festival, held in Costa Mesa, California, also recording their first single, "Right On Time". Anderson was then fired, and replaced by Rob Lewine before the band recorded their first album, The Illinois Speed Press, which was produced by Guercio and released in early 1969. Columbia simultaneously released albums by Chicago Transit Authority, The Flock, and Aorta, and marketed them together as part of a so-called "Chicago Sound". All four debut albums entered the Billboard Top 200 album chart, The Illinois Speed Press reaching #144.

Before the album's release, Guercio fired Page, Anthony, and later Lewine; Page died shortly afterwards. They were replaced for performances by Jimmy Rogers (bass) and Rick Allen (drums), but the band recorded their second album, Duet, essentially as a duo of Cotton and David, supported by studio musicians including Joe Osborne (bass), Hal Blaine (drums) and Michael Lloyd (keyboards). The album was released in spring 1970, but shortly afterwards Kal David left to form The Fabulous Rhinestones with bassist Harvey Brooks. Cotton was then approached by Richie Furay to join Poco as a replacement for Jim Messina, which he did a few months later.

In 2009, Cotton and David reunited for some performances as Illinois Speed Press.

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The musical style and dual lead guitar format of Illinois Speed Press have been credited as inspiring Ronnie Van Zant and Gary Rossington to form Lynyrd Skynyrd. The band's two original albums, together with bonus tracks, were reissued on CD in 2003.

Originally known as "The Rovin Kind," ISP toured the country from 1966 to 1971 playing with such prolific musicians and bands as Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, The Byrds, The Grateful Dead, Chicago and many more. Though much of the personnel changed over the years, Paul Cotton (of Poco fame) and Kal David remained as the driving force. Though the band only released two records, ISP remains an underground favorite for those who were privileged enough to see this band perform.

This is a limited edition remaster of Illinois Speed Press' two releases: "Illinois Speed Press" released in 1969, and "Duet" released in 1970. Bonus tracks, including singles, have been added to the first disc. Flash files providing band information, reviews, timelines, liner notes, have been added to the second disc. The remaster captures the music as the band meant for it to be heard. NOTE TO PURCHASERS: the original source tapes were close to unusable. 

As result, Futuredge was faced with the dilemma as to whether to cut out certain horrible sections or clean them as best as it could to preserve the integrity of the original music. Futuredge opted for the latter. You may hear in one or two songs a short digital glitch. There is nothing wrong with your CD player. Futuredge is continuing to use additional technologies to see if we can restore those few seconds to a more perfect quality.Also note that there were no source materials available for the bonus tracks. As a result, while Futuredge has made every attempt to "clean" these tracks, some noise will be heard.

The Illinois Speed Press - Selftitled US-69
01. Get in the Wind        
02. Hard Luck Story        
03. Here Today        
04. Pay the Price        
05. P.N.S.- When You Come Around        
06. Be A Woman        
07. Sky Song        
08. Beauty        
09. Free Ride        
10. Right on Time [Bonus]       
11. Night People [Bonus]        
12. G.I.T.W (Instrumental version) [Bonus]        

The Illinois Speed Press - Duet US-70       
01. Country Dumplin'        
02. Sadly Out Of Place        
03. The One Who Knows        
04. Dearly, ii. Bittersweet, iii. Random Roads (And His Big Band), iv. Dearly Theme Reprise        
05. Morning Blues        
06. Bad Weather        
07. The Life        
08. The Visit        
09. Seventeen Days  

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Friday, September 10, 2021

Masters of Reality - Roadburn Festival Germany 2001 (Bootleg) Soundquality A


Size: 258 MB
Bitrate: 320
mp3
Found at OuterSpace
Some Artwork

Masters of Reality are an American rock band formed in 1981 in Syracuse, New York by frontman Chris Goss and guitarist Tim Harrington. Notably the band's sound, along with their lineups, are ever-changing. After the first lineup the band's sound has ranged from hard rock to blues to progressive rock and even sixties-era pop. To date the band has released six studio albums and has managed to tour the world with various alternating lineups, Goss essentially the bandleader. In regards to the alternating lineups Goss has stated that Masters of Reality will always be a project with alternating lineups, stating "I can't afford paying people to tell they're in the band."

Notably the band has close ties to the Palm Desert scene with Goss being a producer and key player in that circle, working with Kyuss and Queens of the Stone Age (Along with Josh Homme and Nick Oliveri joining Masters of Reality for a period of time.) among others. While the band's name is taken from the Black Sabbath album of the same name the band's early influences were heavily derived from Sabbath and early King Crimson among a host of other classic rock acts.

Early Years and Masters of Reality (1981 - 1990)
Prior to Masters of Reality's formation Chris Goss started out with a band covering heavy 1970s rock acts (New York Dolls, Aerosmith, David Bowie, Blue Öyster Cult, Alice Cooper, Led Zeppelin) and writing his own songs since circa 1975. After getting into punk rock for a while (including performing at CBGB's in 1978), he didn't play guitar for a few years, instead preferring electronic music like Kraftwerk and becoming a club DJ.


In 1981 Goss and Tim Harrington started to make experimental home recordings with lo-fi, cheap and/or borrowed equipment that included a Sanyo boombox Rhythm Ace drum machine, a Korg, synthesizers and a Fender Vibroverb amp. The rhythm tracks of synths and a beat recorded on cassette would be played back to "overdub" vocals, guitar, more synthesizers, et cetera. They considered Manson Family as a name for their act, but never actually used it for their performances. They played regularly at CBGB's with a sound reminiscent of Suicide or somewhat like how Nine Inch Nails or Marilyn Manson would sound in the 1990s. Early original songs included "Building the Kingdom," "Voodoo Doll," "Metal Entity," "Cash," "Anchor," "Stones in Every Field" and "Doraldina's Prophecies."

By the late 1980s Masters of Reality would grow into a quartet with the addition of Googe on bass and Vinnie Ludovico on drums, developing a sound with less electronics and more of a rock sound drawing from blues and seventies metal such as Black Sabbath, Cream, Led Zeppelin and King Crimson. A demo tape would reach producer Rick Rubin, who would see the band live in late 1986 and sign the band to Def Jam. According to Goss it was Rubin who would bring out more of that blues rock side. During the recording for the band's debut album Rubin would quit Def Jam and take the band with him to his new label, Def American.


Also known as The Blue Garden, the eponymous Masters of Reality saw release on 24 January 1989 to critical acclaim at the time. According to an interview with Kyuss World, Goss would have many issues and frustrations with the recording of the album. Goss got frustrated with the band while touring the debut album. He quit the tour after Matt Dike invited him to come to Los Angeles and to get signed to his Delicious Vinyl label. They bought the rights from Rubin and released a newly sequenced version of the album with Doraldina's Prophecies as an extra track. Notably the band also played a show with Megadeth and Motorhead as part of BAM Magazine's anniversary. The band even made an appearance in 1990 Steven Seagal movie Marked For Death as Seagal was a fan of the band and personally requested them, which also led to the band interacting with Jimmy Cliff.

Sunrise on The Sufferbus (1992 - 1997)
In 1992 Masters of Reality would resurface with Goss and Googe alongside drummer Ginger Baker of Cream notoriety. Though initially Baker expressed dread thinking it was going to be a "loud and awful" heavy metal band, Baker warmed up to working with the band once he got to jamming with them. Recording in various studios in California, Masters of Reality would sign to Chrysalis Records and release their second album Sunrise on The Sufferbus on 9 February 1993. Despite their sound being altered to a degree the album was also critically acclaimed, even spawning a top ten hit in "She Got Me (When She Got Her Dress On)". Notably another song on the record was "T.U.S.A.", a rap by Baker describing the inability of Americans to make a proper cup of tea to which some American radio shows allegedly used this when a British guest would be involved.


Despite this new lineup Baker would not stay with the band and leave shortly after with Victor Indrizzo (Circus of Power, Samiam) taking over on drums. Masters Of Reality recorded the song "Climb Inside My World" for a 1994 Ren & Stimpy episode entitled "Jerry the Bellybutton Elf." The song was written by Steve Mellor who also wrote the episode in which it appeared.

The lineup of Goss, Googe and Indrizzo would then record a full-length in 1994, later titled as The Ballad of Jody Frosty, intended for release in 1995 via Epic Records. However the album would be outright rejected by the label and ultimately shelved, with live and studio versions of the songs surfacing on later albums (And ultimately the entire album leaking on the internet in 2004). In an

excerpt from the Masters of Reality archives, Goss would speak about The Ballad of Jody Frosty:

“The Ballad Of Jody Frosty!? The record company just refused to put it out... I'm glad that they showed their stupidity before the record came out... I mean... I look at it as a fine record... But... I think that the versions of the songs on the live record beat the versions of the studio record... All in all the public got the best versions of songs like 'Alder Smoke Blues'... I just want to put my best foot forward all the time, and the way the songs ended up on the live album are the best ones.”
  — Chris Goss, Masters of Reality Official

Masters of Reality were quiet for several years as Goss was occupied producing music for other bands in California, working extensively with bands that would shape the desert rock scene among others. However, the band did appear at Johnny Depp's Viper Room night club on 22 and 23 September 1996 for a two-night stand. The end result would be How High The Moon: Live At The Viper Room, released on 10 June 1997 via Malicious Vinyl. Notably this live album also featured Scott Weiland (Stone Temple Pilots) on the song "Jindalee Jindalie".

Welcome To The Western Lodge and Deep In The Hole (1998 - 2002)
Masters of Reality would establish a new lineup in 1998 to tour Europe surrounding an appearance at Dynamo Festival. This lineup of would consist of Goss, drummer John Leamy (Who would end up becoming the longtime drummer for the band), guitarist Brendon McNichol and bassist Paul Powell. Goss and Leamy would work together to record an album of new material and Welcome To The Western Lodge saw release on 21 June 1999. The same touring lineup would return to Europe that year, adding Mathias Schneeberger on keyboards. Throughout 2000 Goss would work with the likes of Queens of The Stone Age and Ian Astbury among others.

The band's connection to Queens led to Goss and Leamy collaborating with Josh Homme, Nick Oliveri, Mark Lanegen, Troy Van Leeuwen, Brandon McNichol and others at Rancho de la Luna and an abandoned Joshua Tree cabin, that Goss christened as "Robby's 511 Studio". The end result, described as "pretty fucked" by Goss, would be Deep In The Hole released on 15 June 2001 to positive reviews. On 17 October it would be announced that Homme and Oliveri would be joining Masters of Reality for a tour of Europe with Mark Lanegan (Who also participated in sets with MoR). This tour would include a headlining appearance at the seventh edition of Roadburn Festival. A collection of recordings from this tour would be made into a live album entitled Flak 'N' Flight, released on 18 February 2003.

Give Us Barabbas (2003 - 2008)
In 2003 Masters of Reality would notably cover "Devil's Radio" for the tribute album Songs From The Material World: A Tribute to George Harrison. Masters of Reality would perform once that year at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles that November (With Tomahawk, The Cramps and Queens of the Stone Age).

The next year on 15 June 2004 saw the release of the band's fifth album Give Us Barabbas. Despite being listed as a studio album, Give Us Barabbas is largely comprised of lost and unreleased tracks, with the majority of the songs culled from The Ballad of Jody Frosty. A tour of Europe was intended for the fall of 2004 but Goss would be hospitalized and forced to postpone, even ending up in critical condition for a portion of his hospital stay though would eventually make a full recovery.

The band would sporadically tour in the meantime, largely in Europe and with occasional festival appearances such as Azkena Rock Festival in Spain circa 2005. Goss would largely keep busy through this time recording and engineering for the likes of Melissa Auf Der Maur and Queens of The Stone Age along with participation in a side project known as Goon Moon.

Pine/Cross Dover and Recent Activities (2009 - Present) Goss would begin work on a sixth studio album (And the first album of new material in a decade) through late 2007 and early 2008 at Rancho De La Luna and The Hacienda with a wide range of collaborators. After a year's worth of delays on 1 June 2009 it would be announced that this new album would be set for an August release via European label Brownhouse and Mascot Records, described by Goss as a "rock n' roll record". This album would see release in the United States via Cool Green Records on 12 October 2010. In a 2010 interview with The Aquarian, Goss would explain the recording process of the album and it's delays:

“We do our records very spontaneously. I get together with John Leamy, our drummer, who lives in New York, and in the meantime a few years go by. I accumulate little bits and pieces of ideas on the mini-recorder and have riffs and beats and ideas, blah blah blah, and bring John to the desert—this is what’s happened the last three albums of new material—and we jam.
We expound on these ideas and in the process of jamming, come up with 20 more ideas in addition to the 20 or 30 I may have had in the first place. It’s wonderful. It said in the press release, we both were so busy with production all the time of other people’s stuff, that when we get in a room together and we just go, we’re playing ourselves, and for the pure joy of it. It’s just wonderful.

It’s us, and it’s what we want to do, and there’s no one dictating anything to us. Totally by instinct. So he comes out for a few years, and we get drum tracks out of the jams, and then I finish the record with vocals and overdubs. This last record that just happened, to answer your question, we got a lot of great drum tracks, and also a lot of jams down on tape, and the task of getting those sorted and edited and made into songs took a little bit longer than I thought.

In my world, three or four months for me is a long time to do a Masters record. In “normal world,” most bands take a year or two to garner enough material to put together a cohesive record. Even though it was delayed over and over again, it really only took, in physical studio time, maybe three months, four months, spread out over a little bit of time.

For example, the last song on the record, that long jam session. We had so many of those kinds of jams for these sessions, that to actually go through and say, “Okay, what here is cohesive? What here is enjoyable and is representative of how we feel at that moment?” what we’re proud of, I guess—took longer than it would, normally.”


Pine/Cross Dover, through both it's release cycles, saw praise from the likes of The Obelisk, Under The Radar and Rock Sound[26] among others. In support of the record Masters of Reality would tour the West Coast in November 2010, followed by a tour of Europe that next January and February with the Cult and finishing with a show in New Orleans that June with Earthlings?.

Masters of Reality would tour Europe again two years later, with several festival appearances and dates supporting Queens of The Stone Age. The band would tour Europe again two years later but would go dormant afterwards. In 2019 and 2020 Masters of Reality would announce a tour of Europe for that May, including headlining appearances at Desertfest London, DesertFest Berlin, Kristonfest and Sonic Whip along with a marquee appearance at Stoned and Dusted. However with the CO-VID19 pandemic that would take place through the Spring of 2020 this tour would likely be canceled.

Studio Albums
Masters of Reality (1989, Def Jam)
Sunrise on The Sufferbus (1993, Chrysalis)
Welcome To The Western Lodge (1999, Brownhouse)
Deep In The Hole (2001, Brownhouse)
Give Us Barabbas (2004, Brownhouse)
Pine/Cross Dover (2009, Brownhouse)
Other Releases
How High The Moon: Live At The Viper Room (Live Album) (1997, Malicious Vinyl)
Flak 'N' Flight (Live Album) (2001, Brownhouse)
The Ballad of Jody Frosty (Unreleased Studio Album) (2004; Recorded 1995)

Tracks:
01 - Deep in the Hole  07:02
02 - Third man on the Moon  06:21
03 - Doraldina's Prophecies  08:53
04 - Annihilation of the Spirit  03:32
05 - Rabbit One  06:15 
06 - Time to Burn  03:28
07 - Blue Garden  07:28
08 - Alder Smoke Blues  08:17
09 - Why the Fly  09:40
10 - Band Intro  03:47
11 - Wish for a Fish  07:03
12 - 100 Years of Tears on the Wind  03:40
13 - Twilight Zone  02:40
14 - High Noon Amsterdam  11:29
15 - She Got Me  07:08
16 - John Brown  16.17 (Talk)

Part 1:  Masters
Part 2:  Masters
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Tuesday, September 07, 2021

James Williamson & DenizTek - Two to One (Dirty Rock US 2020)



Size: 99.2 MB
Bitrate: 320
mp3
Ripped by: ChrisGoesRock
Artwork Included

2 legendary proto-punk guitar heroes join forces for the first time ever on this odds-defying, razor sharp album!

Rock N Roll Hall of Famer James Williamson was the guitarist for one of the most iconic and influential albums of all-time, Iggy & The Stooges “Raw Power”, while Deniz Tek launched what became Australia’s ground zero for the forthcoming punk movement, the revered Radio Birdman!

Features 11 all-new original compositions highlighted by the first single “Stable” and the explosive lead-off track “Jet Pack Nightmare!”


When two major guitar wielders with the rock ‘n’ roll pedigrees of James “The Skull” Williamson and Deniz “Iceman” Tek join forces, it is a time for celebration, especially in these dark times. The pair have done it again on Two To One, a new album released this week. James “The Hound” Marshall spoke with both James and Deniz for PKM.
In these days of diminished expectations when anyone over 40 who can still hold a guitar gets labeled “legendary”, it’s nice to hear a new record that actually delivers the goods.

You can’t argue the credentials of the players here: James “The Skull” Williamson, bad ass Stooges guitar slinger, the man who wrote and wielded guitar on Raw Power, Kill City and other stone cold Stooges’ masterpieces turned tech wiz turned comeback kid of the century. Then there’s Deniz Tek guitarist/songwriter from Australia via Ann Arbor, Michigan who led Radio Birdman from birth through their 21-century reunion, made a half dozen classic solo albums (the last four Detroit, Mean Old Twister and the instrumental “soundtracks for imaginary films”- Lost For Words,and Fast Freight I think are his best work ever), not to mention the Soul Movers, the Visitors, New Race (with Ron Asheton), Dodge Main (with Wayne Kramer), Powertrane (with the Rationals’ Scott Morgan and Stooges drummer Scott Asheton).  He has also worked with the Lipstick Killers, Angie Pepper, the Flamin’ Groovies’ Roy Loney, Jeff Dahl, and innumerable other one offs. I’m out of breath just listing his musical accomplishments but he also found time to join the Navy and become both a jet pilot and Emergency Physician, holding the latter job until 2017.'


Two To One (Cleopatra Records) really does deliver the goods. On his last album, James Williamson & the Pink Hearts’ Behind The Shade, James spread his musical palette wide. Here, he focuses it on what he’s best known for—powerful guitar riffs and explosive solos. The opener, “Jet Pack Nightmare,” acts as a mission statement with one of those thundering Williamson riffs that would be at home on any Stooges record. Deniz Tek brings his A-game, writing half and singing all the songs, and gets his share of guitar glory. It’s all blood, guts and fire from beginning to end and I can’t imagine any fan of the Stooges or Radio Birdman (is there anyone who is a fan of one and not the other? I think not…) being disappointed.  I spoke with Deniz and James via Facetime recently to get the scoop and context of the eve of the release of Two To One.

01. Jet Pack Nightmare 03:36
02. Progress 02:42
03. Take A Look Around 03:25
04. Good As Gone 03:28
05. Stable 04:01
06. Climate Change 03:41
07. Birthday Present 03:18
08. Small Change 03:28
09. Liar 02:52
10. No Dreams 04:14
11. Melissa Blue 03:55

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