Classic Rock 162 Items

Ozzy Osbourne, legendary Prince of Darkness, electrified Kemper Arena with his iconic presence on April 28, 1986. The roaring crowd bore witness to an unforgettable night of rock 'n' roll history.

A key funk release from 1971, For The People was the 2nd album by interracial soul-rock band led by vocalist Milt Matthews. All the way from Wilson, North Carolina, Milton Ray Matthews was an inspired songwriter in the vein of master Curtis Mayfield and follower Lou Bond. With a series of excellent cover version – BB King ‘The Thrill Is Gone’, The Beatles ‘A Hard Days’ Night’ (stylistically related to the acid r&b Stax records was in charge at the time) and Blind Faith ‘Presence Of The Lord’ - the record is full of acid-blues chops and sensuous numbers. Filling the gap between modern psychedelia and afro-american consciousness, 'For The People' literally ascend to the title of black tinged rock opera.

Another unearthed ripper from St Louis MO recorded during the years 1968-1973 and never released until now! Over the course of about five years beginning in late 1968, several musicians living in eastern Missouri rocked the area clubs and festivals with a mix of cover and heavy original songs. The band’s name, Parchment Farm, came from a song on Blue Cheer’s debut LP, Vincebus Eruptum. In their first iteration, lasting from 1968 to 1971, they opened up for such acts as Sons of Champlin and Brian Auger & Trinity. Following a line-up change in 1971, the development of original songs ramped up and they began playing and recording them right away. Opening slots for ZZ Top, Ted Nugent & The Amboy Dukes, and the Velvet Underground & Brownsville Station followed. More line-up changes occured and more opening gigs for the likes of Canned Heat, The Hollies, Rare Earth, and REO Speedwagon. They disbanded in late 1973.

Another unearthed ripper from St Louis MO recorded during the years 1968-1973 and never released until now!

Another unearthed ripper from St Louis MO recorded during the years 1968-1973 and never released until now! Over the course of about five years beginning in late 1968, several musicians living in eastern Missouri rocked the area clubs and festivals with a mix of cover and heavy original songs. The band’s name, Parchment Farm, came from a song on Blue Cheer’s debut LP, Vincebus Eruptum. In their first iteration, lasting from 1968 to 1971, they opened up for such acts as Sons of Champlin and Brian Auger & Trinity. Following a line-up change in 1971, the development of original songs ramped up and they began playing and recording them right away. Opening slots for ZZ Top, Ted Nugent & The Amboy Dukes, and the Velvet Underground & Brownsville Station followed. More line-up changes occured and more opening gigs for the likes of Canned Heat, The Hollies, Rare Earth, and REO Speedwagon. They disbanded in late 1973.

Another unearthed ripper from St Louis MO recorded during the years 1968-1973 and never released until now!

Iron Maiden hit the Palladium in New York City for a stop on their "Beast On The Road" tour. Bruce Dickinson had to ask the crowd to calm down or they wouldn’t play, seeing as the place was overpacked with fans pouring in through the fire exits. Iron Maiden is one of the most iconic and influential heavy metal bands of all time. As pioneers of the new wave of British heavy metal, they became hugely successful in the early 80’s. Despite a lack of mainstream radio airplay Iron Maiden have remained consistently popular, selling out stadiums to this day.

Another lost gem from the non-jazz Verve catalogue, Color Him In is a daydream experience from loner singer/songwriter Bobby Jameson. Released in 1967 the album is an orchestrated psychedelic trip, no surprise then Jameson had a part in the cult film Mondo Hollywood. Produced by Curt Boettcher the album had several psych-pop numbers with rare female vocals harmonization.

Re-issue of the Canadian band's only album released back in 1973 on the small Kot'Ai label. Moonstone came from Winnipeg, Manitoba and were a small cult band active in the early 1970's. They played mainly acoustic folk rock with psychedelic overtones and beautiful harmonies.

Released in 1970 on the british cult label The Village Thing (owned by singer/songwriter Ian A. Anderson), the sole album by couple Anne and Graham Hemingway is a superb acid folk manifesto. Coming all the way from Cardiff, the duo has been described as a mystical, magical hippie small family. Alongside classic guitars, they played dulcimer, glockenspiel, vibes, bells, kazoo and small percussion, joined throughout by label-mate John Turner (bowed and finger-picked string bass) and Andy Leggett.

"moreru's third album "zyuso kokuhaku hatsukoi sosite sekai" is the culmination of their work to date. It is a mishmash of extreme hardcore, metal, shoegaze, and bits and pieces of noise, mixed with alternative values, anime, and even some J-Pop, J-Rock, and Hip-Hop elements. There is no other band like them. The two single cuts from this third album, "At Dusk" and "Nensha," are classic songs that are especially exciting live and popular on video sites! It won't be long before the world starts to notice them.

Like a puff of smoke, Stoned Jesus have risen above the Carpathian Mountains as not only the heaviest, but perhaps the most important rock band to emerge from Ukraine. Prior to Stoned Jesus' first communion, affable frontman Igor Sydorenko was just another familiar face among local progressive rockers. But after rekindling his old flame for metal amidst a stormy period in his personal life, Igor and his two new bandmates went off in search of more crushing highs. While only their second album, Seven Thunders Roar marks an early milestone for Stoned Jesus. The riffs still roll downhill with all the sludgy force of a mudslide, but the band added crisp acoustic guitars to reflect their newfound inner strength. "Climbing up", Igor sings on "I Am The Mountain", a 16-minute instant classic that charges through lush folksy valleys and peaks of headbanging doom at full steam. "And we're never going to stop". For fans of Black Sabbath, Sleep, Electric Wizard. 1. Bright Like The Morning 2. Electric Mistress 3. Indian 4. I'm The Mountain 5. Stormy Monday 6. Bright Like The Morning (Extended) 7. Stormy Monday (Extended) 8. I'm The Mountain (Extended)

Like a puff of smoke, Stoned Jesus have risen above the Carpathian Mountains as not only the heaviest, but perhaps the most important rock band to emerge from Ukraine. Prior to Stoned Jesus' first communion, affable frontman Igor Sydorenko was just another familiar face among local progressive rockers. But after rekindling his old flame for metal amidst a stormy period in his personal life, Igor and his two new bandmates went off in search of more crushing highs. While only their second album, Seven Thunders Roar marks an early milestone for Stoned Jesus. The riffs still roll downhill with all the sludgy force of a mudslide, but the band added crisp acoustic guitars to reflect their newfound inner strength. "Climbing up", Igor sings on "I Am The Mountain", a 16-minute instant classic that charges through lush folksy valleys and peaks of headbanging doom at full steam. "And we're never going to stop". For fans of Black Sabbath, Sleep, Electric Wizard. 1. Bright Like The Morning 2. Electric Mistress 3. Indian 4. I'm The Mountain 5. Stormy Monday 6. Bright Like The Morning (Extended) 7. Stormy Monday (Extended) 8. I'm The Mountain (Extended)

Like a puff of smoke, Stoned Jesus have risen above the Carpathian Mountains as not only the heaviest, but perhaps the most important rock band to emerge from Ukraine. Prior to Stoned Jesus' first communion, affable frontman Igor Sydorenko was just another familiar face among local progressive rockers. But after rekindling his old flame for metal amidst a stormy period in his personal life, Igor and his two new bandmates went off in search of more crushing highs. When it first arrived back in 2014, even Stoned Jesus were surprised by The Harvest. Having already reached the summit of stoner metal after just two albums, the band planned on digging into their progressive rock roots. With its synth-laden passages and weaving guitar solo, "Silkworm Confessions'' definitely sows those seeds. But while it leans heavily into the album's sci-fi narrative, "Here Come the Robots" comes busting out the gate with a hard-charging riff that's so aggressively catchy, it could've been programmed by alt-rock radio. "Yet another proposition / I don't want this anymore", Igor rattles off with biting swagger. With The Harvest, Stoned Jesus reaped fresh seeds of invention from stoner metal. For fans of Queens of the Stone Age, Electric Wizard, Black Sabbath 1. Here Come The Robots 2. Wound (03:14)3. Rituals Of The Sun 4. YFS (05:10)5. Silkworm Confessions 6. Black Church

Like a puff of smoke, Stoned Jesus have risen above the Carpathian Mountains as not only the heaviest, but perhaps the most important rock band to emerge from Ukraine. Prior to Stoned Jesus' first communion, affable frontman Igor Sydorenko was just another familiar face among local progressive rockers. But after rekindling his old flame for metal amidst a stormy period in his personal life, Igor and his two new bandmates went off in search of more crushing highs. When it first arrived back in 2014, even Stoned Jesus were surprised by The Harvest. Having already reached the summit of stoner metal after just two albums, the band planned on digging into their progressive rock roots. With its synth-laden passages and weaving guitar solo, "Silkworm Confessions'' definitely sows those seeds. But while it leans heavily into the album's sci-fi narrative, "Here Come the Robots" comes busting out the gate with a hard-charging riff that's so aggressively catchy, it could've been programmed by alt-rock radio. "Yet another proposition / I don't want this anymore", Igor rattles off with biting swagger. With The Harvest, Stoned Jesus reaped fresh seeds of invention from stoner metal. For fans of Queens of the Stone Age, Electric Wizard, Black Sabbath 1. Here Come The Robots 2. Wound (03:14)3. Rituals Of The Sun 4. YFS (05:10)5. Silkworm Confessions 6. Black Church

Limited to 100 copies on green vinyl. Only available at hhv.de

Enchanting and sunny 1969 psych folk by San Francisco teenage sisters Wendy & Bonnie Flower. A cult album that would later inspire bands like Stereolab, with dreamy vocal harmonies as the main attraction, laced with Brazilian splashes and soft-rock strains. Pure timeless psychedelic pop perfection, awash in serenity and haunting reverie floating in the ether above airy soundscapes that convey a sophistication that belies the artists' tender age: 15 and 18. Alongside them are top-notch musicians such as guitarist Larry Carlton, drummer Jim Keltner, bassist Randy Sterling and organists/pianists Mike Melvoin and Mike Lang. Originally produced by Gary McFarland, Gábor Szabó and Cal Tjader.

Enchanting and sunny 1969 psych folk by San Francisco teenage sisters Wendy & Bonnie Flower. A cult album that would later inspire bands like Stereolab, with dreamy vocal harmonies as the main attraction, laced with Brazilian splashes and soft-rock strains. Pure timeless psychedelic pop perfection, awash in serenity and haunting reverie floating in the ether above airy soundscapes that convey a sophistication that belies the artists' tender age: 15 and 18. Alongside them are top-notch musicians such as guitarist Larry Carlton, drummer Jim Keltner, bassist Randy Sterling and organists/pianists Mike Melvoin and Mike Lang. Originally produced by Gary McFarland, Gábor Szabó and Cal Tjader.

A veritable institution of British folk, Fairport Convention has been going strong since the mid-1960s. Double album "Live At Rock City" is chock full of winners: along with strong adaptations of "John Barleycorn" and "Reynard The Fox" there are top tracks from "Expletive Delighted", including "Three Left Feet", "Sigh Beg Sigh Mor", "Portmeirion" and "Sack The Juggler". There's beautiful symmetry between Dave Pegg's mandolin and Martin Allcock's bouzouki; Ric Sanders raises the roof on electric violin, Dave Mattacks' drums are quietly steady and Simon Nicol's guitar and voice completes the picture. A must for all Fairport fans!

Cykle produced one album's worth of solid garage rock, and it certainly proves that the band was an enthusiastic bunch of musicians. Much closer to late 60’s garage (proto) punk than psychedelia, the album was released in 1969.

They were best known for their 1966 song "Red Rubber Ball" (written by Paul Simon) which went to #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The band was discovered and managed by Brian Epstein and given the unique spelling of their name by John Lennon. The group was formed by guitarists and lead singers Don Dannemann and Tom Dawes (bass guitar), who met while studying at Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania. The other members were Earl Pickens on keyboards and Marty Fried on drums.

Obscure psychedelic gospel act Methuselah had its roots in Scunthorpe ‘Beat’ group the Dimples, which became Gospel Garden, whose only 45 infused Northern Soul with psycheleanings. Regrouping as Methuselah, the group signed to Elektra for this sole religious rock concept LP, their sound deceptively American, with vocal harmonies evidencing bluegrass influences; guitarist Les Nicol is never short of excellent. Certain members would later form Amazing Blondel, but Matthew, Mark, Luke And John has a unique flavour, and our edition includes two rare bonus tracks. This slice of obscure psyche must be heard to be believed!

Back on LP for the first time since its 1970 release! Their sole album boasts members of the Wrecking Crew along with three Motown producers, all experimenting with a commercial psychedelic sound that defined the end of an era. Sitar head-swirlers, sunny, melodic harmonies and a country folk influence all blend together to bring listeners Truth!

Touted as the “new Doors,” Ars Nova’s second release shows the band genre-bending jazz and heavy psychedelia in a style that’s their own. Shifting from a largely classical centric sound, this was the group’s last album before going their separate ways. Pressed on pink vinyl!

Sunshine & Shadows takes the baroque-meets-psych sound of the debut and turns a bit more to the psych side. The stately brass interludes are gone, but horns still figure prominently in the mix. There’s some jazzy New Orleans flavor to a couple of the tunes, albeit twisted into a 7/4 vamp on “You Had Better Listen.”

The instrumentalists in the band, featuring trumpet and trombone, really give the music a unique flavor, setting them apart from the multitudes of other American psych bands. Ars Nova might be likened to Ultimate Spinach (but without the overly serious, pretentious lyrics) or later Zombies (though with less emphasis on the keyboards).

It’s all very well written and nicely played, and when they do a tender ballad like “Temporary Serenade,” the acoustic guitar is very lute-like, much more along the lines of classical than folk (like the later work of Jan Akkerman with Focus), and the trumpet descant adds a lovely spice.

“Well, Well, Well” is the heaviest rock tune in their repertoire, with a great electric guitar riff and hot organ playing, again set apart by trombone and trumpet. This one is definitely worth seeking out for baroque pop fans.

While their first two releases (Prequel and Space Mirror) saw these veterans of post-punk, new psychedelic noise, and 1990s garage rock expertly navigate the murky waters of Covid isolation with yoga-worthy ambient excursions, on their third record the quartet slides into fifth gear and terraplanes toward a fresh take on instrumental prog-rock. It’s not entirely unexpected, but there’s rapid accelerated growth at play on Tabula Rasa.

Infinite River is composed of Gretchen Gonzales (Universal Indians, Slumber Party, Terror at the Opera), Warren Defever (His Name is Alive, ESP Beetles, Ethan Daniel Davidson), Joey Mazzola (Detroit Cobras, Sponge, Sugarcoats), and special guest drummer Steve Nistor (Sparks, Ural Thomas, Seedsmen to the World). These instrumental recordings were tracked between the end of 2022 and the start of 2023 in Warren Defever’s new loft studio space in glorious Hamtramck, MI, where the sessions were supervised by Defever’s cat, Brother James. “My apartment is a big, echoey room; previously we were close together in a tight space,” Defever explains. “The other studio is cozy; this is an art gallery. So it’s a really different vibe.”

Tabula Rasa is closer to what the band is like live now. It highlights the point at which new age type music can become biker rock—which at times approximates Hawkwind or much German music from 1976, while rarely sounding like anything but itself. Tracks like “Around the Sun” and

“Sky Diamonds” definitely have evolved out of the group playing new age type music together. But here, the melodies are more pronounced; the chords and harmonies are more like pop music. Drone-based elements remain, but the pieces are shorter and far more propulsive.

Gonzales shows off her noise-guitar pedigree with both subtlety and aggression. Defever has largely ditched his tanpura for a bass synthesizer. It’s a joy to hear Nistor, who’s been a member of Sparks for close to two decades, open up, and just go gonzo on his kit. Mazzola’s songwriting has followed suit; these are great (and often lovely) compositions here. And his practice in playing with the band, especially Nistor, allows Mazzola to open up new possibilities for downright prog than he’s ever shown before.

A highlight has to be their crunchy and multi-part take on “Favorite Things,” which truly shows off Infinite Rivers’ diverse backgrounds. Defever relates that “Gretchen only knew the song from Coltrane’s take, while Joey only knew it from Sound of Music.” If that’s not worlds colliding, what is?

- Mike McGonigal

The name of Jarmo Hynninen’s and Tuomas Metsberg's instrumental album Telecaster Master Blasters tells both the guitar model played on the album and the talent of the musicians itself.The recognizable tone of the Fender Telecaster became a hallmark of country music in the early 1950s, and the instrument's stylistic and virtuosic control became one of the kingships of electric guitar playing. Jarmo Hynninen and Tuomas Metsberg are among the masters of this demanding genre, whose skills can withstand international comparison.In addition to borrowed songs from old generation country artists, the album consists of the guitarists' own compositions. 1. Leon & Buddy2. Nashville Palace Swing3. Cold Cold Heart4. CPAP Breakdown5. Honey Fingers6. Stumbling7. November Waltz8. C-Swing9. Steel Guitar Rag10. Tacos for Thomas11. Western with a Twist12. Nashvantaa West

The third studio album "Pyramid" by The Alan Parsons Project was originally released in May 1978. As with other APP albums, the focus was on very high-quality studio sound production. "Pyramid" was a worldwide hit, achieving platinum and gold status in numerous territories including the USA, Germany and Canada.Limited edition 180g Heavyweight Clear Vinyl LP Half speed remastered by Miles Showell at Abbey Road studios.

Only a decade ago Leong Lau remained a well-hidden Malaysian-Australian treasure, known only to small circles of Australian record collectors. In 2013 we met Leong in person at the Brisbane state library, where after a long and somewhat transcendental ‘conversation’, received his blessings to re-release his music.

In 2014, we reissued his sophomore album ‘That Rongeng Sound’ and later in 2021, his sole single ‘late Night Flyer. In 2024, we are going back to finish the triangle of Leong releases, with a repress of his debut 1976 album ‘Dragon Man’. A raw and electrifying album that continues to stand the test of time.

Dragon Man might best be described musically as psyc/rock, however the significant use of soul/funk and jazz melodies adds a unique musical depth that makes it hard to categorise. However, what truly sets Leong apart is his distinct vocal style, delivering half sung/half spoken lyrics in a stereotypical Aussie accent that comes across more like a sermon than what might be conceived as ‘traditional’ songs.

Moreover, in a time where the Australian music industry and its performers’ musical styles were dictated by major labels, Leong began to break down those barriers by self-releasing his music. This rewarded Leong creative control, where he was able to dictate the musical and cultural themes, with songs like ‘Dragon Man’ and ‘Deep In The Jungle’ that both pay homage to his unique Chinese/Malay heritage. That said, Dragon Man is both a significant musical and cultural statement that’s just as poignant today as it was then.

“Thru The Years” is a compilation album of music by John Mayall released in October 1971 by Decca Records in the U.K. and London Records in the U.S.A. The album was the second compilation to be issued by Decca/London with Mayall's blessing and it features a mixture of previously unissued songs or non-album tracks that had only been released as singles. A grab bag of rare tracks from the '60s, some of which stand among Mayall's finest. His debut 1964 single "Crawling Up a Hill" is one of his best originals. The eight songs featuring Peter Green include some top-notch material that outpaces much of the only album recorded by the Green lineup (A Hard Road), particularly the Green originals "Missing You" and "Out of Reach," a great B-side with devastating, icy guitar lines and downbeat lyrics that ranks as one of the great lost blues-rock cuts of the '60s. The set is filled out with a few songs from the Mick Taylor era, the highlight being the vicious instrumental "Knockers Step Forward."

Peter Green’s genius has its main roots in musical influences from a childhood spent in London’s working class East End. This intense collection features several of his best successes with the 1968-70 Fleetwood Mac — before their move towards pop stardom – and some interesting tunes from his tormented solo career throughout the 70s and the 80s.