i.e. twelve dreams of dr. sardonicus, clear spirit, &c


-noah

I'm reading this bk "The Ambient Century" which is really, really interesting in terms of subject matter and pretty shoddy in execution. Anyway, the author of this bk thinks Spirit was the shit. Now I'm thinking I need to check out "Sardonicus," etc.

I've seen a clip of them on VHI Classic, looks to be a reunion circa 80's, and they are playing "I Got A Line On You" and there are about 15 people in the band, LITERALLY. I think there are 2 people who were given the sole responsibility of playing one cowbell each.

N/C

i saw that video too. it's fucking hilarous...
there's a guy playing guitar who looks like that doobies/steely dan guy skunk. for some reason he's playing sitting down-and while he's playing he keeps kicking both legs in the air like a frog.
the randy california stuff i've heard is really cool. fresh garbage is an awesome song.......

Lester Bangs fooled me into looking for the Spirit record with Ornette Coleman on it. That sure would've been a Not Crap record.

I picked up Spirit of '76 a while back and have been really enjoying it, particularly the production, though it can get a bit trippy at times with all the hard panning and subliminal whispering and shit.

I also like the first three Spirit albums, especially the debut. Strangely, I have never owned a copy of The Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus, but I like "Nature's Way" a lot.

Spirit is not crap, nor is "Run Run Run" by Jo Jo Gunne or "Thunder Island" by Jay Ferguson, one of my favorite mid-70's singles.

This was a great band. Say what you may about their live shenanigans, the music and the songwriting were well above average. Their first four albums alone put them far from the land of crap.

Ed Cassidy is also an extremely sweet guy, for the record. My dad introduced me to him when I was 7 or something, outside the original Hammerjack's in Baltimore. I still write to the guy once in a while.

They rock pretty hard.

Brett Eugene Ralph wrote:I also like the first three Spirit albums, especially the debut. Strangely, I have never owned a copy of The Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus, but I like "Nature's Way" a lot.

Totally. -E

Brett Eugene Ralph wrote:I also like the first three Spirit albums, especially the debut. Strangely, I have never owned a copy of The Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus, but I like "Nature's Way" a lot.

Interesting - I came at it from the other way 'round... I picked up 'Twelve Dreams Of Dr. Sardonicus' years ago, solely based on one of those 'rock critic' review books that gave it five stars (I guess money was burning a hole in my pocket that day and I wanted to try something new). I ended up enjoying this album immensely, and have bought several copies over the years.

Based on the strength of that album, I recently decided to pick up their earlier albums - wow - I have to say I am severely disappointed. The debut was tolerable, I guess (in all fairness, I have sat through it all the way through exactly twice now) but

Then I took another chance and picked up 'The Family That Plays Together Stays Together' - I kept waiting for this album to 'pick up a little' and/or 'start going somewhere'. Now that I have heard the whole record, I have to say "I Got A Line On You" (which is a toe-tapper, at least) stands out on that album like a sore thumb - i.e. I don't get where it fits into the album flow? Open up with a strong rocker, and then start fizzling away towards the end of the album? I really don't get what they were going for?

Since I'm stubborn, I'm also looking to get a copy of 'Clear' - but now I'm fearful that this will also disappoint me severely.

If I had only ever heard 'Twelve Dreams Of Dr. Sardonicus' - I would have vehemently said "NOT CRAP!!!"... but now I'm starting to lean towards "CRAP with one enormous, mammoth waffle for the 'Twelve Dreams Of Dr. Sardonicus' album"

Angus Jung wrote:I'm reading this bk "The Ambient Century" which is really, really interesting in terms of subject matter and pretty shoddy in execution.

Angus Jung! I have read this book as well. It turned me on to some cool stuff, but I agree with your assessment.