Classic rock lost diamonds

[Freuds_Cat]

After jumbodbassman started the first concert thread it got me thinking about the band Avalanche that was at my first concert. So I did some web trawling and hit the jackpot.

A few of you old rock heads might be interested in some of these beauties.

This guys blog consists of classic albums that never really made it to international stardom yet still get a "Worthy" ranking.
Of course Avalanche's one and only album is there but also great albums like Skyhooks Guilty Until Proven Insane album.



From what I can tell he has them all available for download.

http://robotsforronnie.blogspot.com/2007_07_01_archive.html

[Highlander]

Nice site with lots of links too...

[gweimer]

Lots of regional stuff, from what I can see.  Chicagoans might recognize a few names:
The Boyzz
The B'zz
Head East
Bad Boy (Milwaukee band)
Cain (MN band)
Slave Raider (also MN, but the lead singer was from Chicago, and was in Ruby Starr's band)

[Highlander]

Loved Head East - still have all the vinyl (excluding last which I've just downloaded) and the first on CD... bought "Never Been Any Reason" when it first came out... still have it... anyone have any live show...?

[eb2]

I can't find Duke And The Drivers.

[uwe]

What about Starz, Detective, The Hollywood Stars, Strapps and The Doctors of Madness?

[uwe]

Not to forget Touch and their classic "Don't you know what love is?"! Plus St. Paradise (with Denny Carmassi, Rob Grange and Derek St. Holmes).

Some real good bands slipped through the cracks in the later seventies and early eighties when punk and new wave overstayed its welcome.

[Aussie Mark]

I can't see blogspot at work, but if Buffalo's "Volcanic Rock" isn't on his list then he hasn't done his research.

http://www.google.com.au/search?q=buffalo+volcanic+rock&hl=en&prmd=vli&source=univ&tbs=vid:1&tbo=u&ei=16j9S6TMN8y6cYL0-foJ&sa=X&oi=video_result_group&ct=title&resnum=1&ved=0CCMQqwQwAA

[Freuds_Cat]

Mark I was thinking the same thing. I've already messaged him and told him about Buffalo. I see he has the Coloured Balls album there.

Also Rob might be interested to see that he has a Mothers Finest album there. I downloaded it and played in my car on the way to work this morning. Its from 1983. At first I thought it was too Disco sounding for me to enjoy but apart from a touch of 80's production ( ) Its really quite funky. Not as Rock as the other stuff I've heard.

[Highlander]

There is at least 3 MF lps on the site - a much earlier more souly release on RCA - MF by MF (is that the one you downloaded, Bret?) the "official" first release most people know and a much later LP...

Uwe - St Paradise supported Van Halen on their first headlining UK tour - missed that too...

[uwe]

It's high time for a CD release of this and its delightfully un-PC cover:



How inane of Nugent to let this guy go.

[uwe]

And another one: While The Dictators were always sold as proto-punks/MC 5 flagbearers, to my ears they were and remain an urban US hard rock band. I hear more Ian Hunter than Johnny Rotten in them and this is one of their finest songs:



I love the way Andy Shernoff switches from quarter to eighth notes at around 4.30. Simple, but hugely effective. And I like the chestbeating patriotism of the chorus coupled with the tongue in cheek verses, though in the end there can be no doubt that Handsome Dick's men are proud Americans (though perhaps even prouder New Yorkers).

 

[Highlander]

How inane of Nugent to let this guy go.

Presume you meant St Holmes... works with him from time-to-time these days iirc... the most common story from the time was chemical related reasons

To me, the biggest loss was Rob Grange... I know he's not your favourite human being (Uwe on Nugent) but give this a listen... this was a three piece linup prior to his breaking through in '77, recorde in '74 iirc - both the Discreet LPs are stunning lost works, imo... you can find them both on one CD if you keep a search for them but OOP...



Stranglehold with St Holmes singing.... Grange is playing a P here but he was playing a Tele when they played London for this tour... The late Cliff Davies (from If) on a single bass drum kit (went to double on the next tour) and some dual lead work...

[gweimer]

He's got Airborne listed.  I think that was Jason Bonham's first recorded band.  I remember liking it.

[gweimer]

Ted was pretty adamant about substance use.  He was known to fire musicians mid-set from the stage if he discovered they were doing anything.  When St. Holmes first joined the band (and there was a revolving door around Nugent and Grange in those days), even Ted's mom made the comment that Derek was going to push Ted.  I'd say that was what made Ted a hot commodity again.