I often think about the musical underground of the years past compared to the underground of today. Was it thriving like it is now? Are there bands to this day that never saw the light of day that may have been better than the best bands like Sabbath, Zeppelin, and Maiden? I think the answer to that is probably no butI was not around back then, and even throughout my childhood I wasn't exposed to anything outside the radio. Coming from a small town there wasn't a music scene to go see these bands live or even know that such a thing existed. Bands really had to stand out to get attention or know somebody that knows somebody. Today kids can pick up a guitar, an iPhone, and put their music up on YouTube and have the potential to reach millions. Events are shared online and you can find out where all the concerts and tours are happening and discover endless amounts of music at your fingertips. Streaming apps allow us to listen to virtually anything from anywhere across the planet at any time. The albums featured below, for the most part, did not afford that access in their heyday and luckily those advancements in tech have allowed us to rediscover these gems from the past.
Today's Bonanza episode features several albums originally released years ago and were either so deep in the underground that they never really got to the surface, or I've been living under a rock and everyone knew these bands. It was just a glitch in the matriMx why we're just now finding out about them. More and more, I've really been digging into the lost classics in the heavy metal, proto-metal, garage and psych realm. There are many more lost classics out there and it's a constant adventure stumbling onto them as if I woke up in the 70's. What a dream that would be.
Neil MerryweatherI literally just discovered this one as I write this episode. In fact, finding this reissued classic I'd never heard of prompted me to put together a short list of other reissued lost classics that have been making waves in the modern era of music tech. I ordered the two available records off the label page Regain Records who generally have their finger on the pulse of good music with a wide array of genres. This stuff is wild and spans multiple genres with an emphasis on 60's/70's rock n roll, funk, blues, and proto-metal even.
From the PR wire:
"Dramatic, mysterious, and more than a bit glammy, both Space Rangers and Kryptonite have been highly sought after by collectors, as both albums have been out of print since their original release and have been frequently bootlegged. Now REGAIN RECORDS has come to the rescue to satiate that hunger with fully official reissues of Space Rangers and Kryptonite on all formats. As a bonus to the vinyl edition, Kryptonite comes with a 7" featuring two exclusive songs." CrowRandomly came across this band on the bandcamp feed as I often discover music.I've never heard of Crow and in fact I don't believe I know anyone that has heard of Crow.After a quick sample and reviewing the storyline at the bottom of each of their album pages I was sold and could no longer say I hadn't heard of Crow and in fact I would soon have it in my hands to eat if I so desired. Literally ordered the discography on vinyl on the spot. Another lost classic reissued to the masses viabandcamp. Below I include words from the bands PR wire who sum it up better than I could.
"Surging brass and organ-laden funk wonderment! Combining gritty blues with nasty, hard-charging garage rock, Crow's first electrifying album delivered their very best. Reminiscent of Blood, Sweat & Tears, Deep Purple, and James Gang, Crow blends an alluring mix of soul, funk, blues, psychedelia, and garage rock into one package. Crow Music is a holy grail of heart-poundin', grease grindin' rock!" "Following up their initial 1969 release, Crow turns up the heat! Recalling bands like Eden's Children and Crabby Appleton, Crow By Crow was released in May of 1970. The album spawned two minor hits; the Larry Williams cover "Slow Down" and an original, "Cottage Cheese," its raunchy blues boogie and skin-beating drum break, compliments of ex-Castaways drummer Denny Craswell, got fans movin' and shakin'! This album's dynamic, gutsy blues rock will be sure to have you on the dance floor in no time!" "Crow's third and final release carried early '70s rock to new heights with their powerful organ-laden blues rock! Blending a new mixture of country and blues, with heavy steel pedal on "Watching Can Waste Up The Time," Mosaic was Crow's last effort to make it big before vocalist David Wagner departed the group. Taking funky rhythms, lots of wah-wah guitar, and hard-edged vocals makes this album a must-hear!" Wicked Lady "If you are looking for raw, psychedelic hard-rock, look no further! We present the complete recordings (1968-1972) from Wicked Lady, the legendary UK underground power trio leaded by ace guitarist Martin Weaver, later a member of Dark on their "Round the edges" album.Here's the first volume of our Wicked Lady collection, double vinyl of "The Axeman Cometh". Our new edition features gatefold cover with liner notes by doomy psychedelic guitar God in person, Martin Weaver, who tells the real (and bizarre!) story behind Wicked Lady. The stuff of a legend, this is a real fest of fuzz, wah-wah and heavy riffs that will blow the mind of any hard-psych collector."
Psychotic Overkill (1972) Reissued 2013 Second volume to complete the anthology of Wicked Lady recordings, their final tracks recorded in 1972, just before the band split up and guitarist Martin Weaver left for Dark (of "Round the edges" fame). Another batch of excessive, over-the-top doomy psychedelic hard-rock including underground classics like "I'm a freak" and the 21 minute epic "Ship of ghosts". Double vinyl which offers maximum sound quality, gatefold cover with liner notes by doomy psychedelic guitar God in person, Martin Weaver, telling the real story behind Wicked Lady.This one had been floating around the underground for a couple years and it wasn't until joining up with the Slightly Fuzzed Club that I really dove into what is now deemed a cult classic. Check out the Fuzz Club Episode for a group discussion on the greatness of this album.
This is like Sabbath on quaaludes. The raw production, ravenous songwriting and contagious melody and groove is utterly timeless. My life is better for listening to this band. Favorite track: Life And Death.
Sorceress - Beneath The Mountain "Sorceress was a band that existed from 2008-2011 in Salem, Oregon, inspired by the mid-2000's stoner-rock/doom-metal explosion. Formed out of the wake of its predecessor, Love Machine (2006-2007), its same four members sought to continue down a road of stoney heaviness hinted at by the final track, "Sorceress," on Love Machine's only full-length album, Red Love White Magic. Similarly, Sorceress wrote and recorded only one full-length album, Beneath the Mountain, in 2009, which was effectively the last thing we did as a band."Another album discovered via the Fuzz Club that was released originally in 2009, Sorceress was short lived. Members went on to create the extreme metal bands Mizmor and Hell, but before that they put out this magnificent stoner doom masterpiece. Check out the podcast episode here for an interview with Liam of Mizmor a follow up with a discussion on the power of this album.
A quintessential stoner-doom classic reissued to the masses on wax for the first time after nearly 14 years hidden in the modern day archives. Every song brings something to the table whether it be a sinister doom-laden vibes, hard rocking guitar solos, drone-drenched interludes, or epic 20 minute progressive rifffests. The 2LP Gatefold just arrived and will be cherished for years to come.
White Lightning - Thunderbolts of Fuzz Standout favorites of RidingEasy Records' Brown Acid compilation series, White Lightning's stellar discography of rare and under-appreciated heavy psych, proto-metal rock gets a vital revival for new generations to learn how swinging, swaggering and often blazingly fast rock'n'roll is done.White Lightning was formed in Minneapolis, MN in 1968 by guitarist Tom "Zippy" Caplan and bassist Woody Woodrich after leaving garage psych band The Litter (themselves popular standouts from the Nuggets and Pebbles series of garage rock rarities.) Originally a power trio, the band later expanded to a 5-piece in 1969 while shortening its name to Lightning. The quintet's brilliant and rare 1970 self-titled album on Pickwick International's P.I.P. imprint provides 6 of the 10 tracks on Thunderbolts of Fuzz.The original White Lightning trio only released one 45-rpm single "Of Paupers and Poets" during their existence (on local Hexagon label in 1968, later reissued by major label ATCO Records in 1969.) A long out-of-print posthumous album released in 1995 gathered unreleased recordings, 3 of which are found here. This rounds out this collection of recorded highlights from the band's rocky history.Not only did this one make the Bonanza edition this round but Thunderbolts of Fuzz was one of my top 10 albums overall from 2022. You can see that list here.
Thank you Riding Easy for uncovering another magnificent slab of primo acid rock from the vaults of yesteryear. Pure, unadulterated thunderbolts of fuzz with raw solos, crooning vocals and songwriting in line with Physical Graffiti era Zep! My #1 pick for the August Doom Charts! Favorite track: Madame Sunrise.
