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Right you are, LA band, should have known by Topango Windows. I thought there was more of a Texas connection, but only a small one:<br><br>From MusicWeb Encyclopedia of Popular Music: <br>http://www.musicweb-international.com/encyclopaedia/s/S175.HTM<br><br>US psychedelic rock group formed '67: Randy California (b Randy Wolfe, 20 Feb. '51, LA; d 2 Jan. '97), guitar and vocals; stepfather Ed Cassidy (b 4 May '31, Chicago), drums; Mark Andes (b 19 Feb. '48, Philadelphia PA), bass; vocalist Jay Ferguson (b John Ferguson, 10 May '47, Burbank CA) had played together '65 as Red Roosters, recruited John Locke (b 25 Sep. '53, LA) on keyboards. Andes played on Bobby 'Boris' Pickett's dance novelty 'Monster Mash' (no. 1 '62), also with Canned Heat; Cassidy had gigged on West Coast with Cannonball Adderley, Gerry Mulligan etc '50s, formed New Jazz Trio incl. Locke, later played with Taj Mahal. California was inspired by Jimi Hendrix, whose backing group he'd joined in NYC '66; Spirit was first called Spirits Rebellious, after Kahlil Gibran novel. Jazz-rock fusion new at the time attracted Ode label's Lou Adler for LPs Spirit (writing dominated by Ferguson), The Family That Plays Together (with their only hit single, California's 'I Got A Line On You'), Clear Spirit '68-- 9. Switched to Epic for The Twelve Dreams Of Dr Sardonicus '70, with David Briggs's suitably hallucinogenic production, incl. 'Nature's Way', their best-known track. Ferguson, disappointed at his waning influence, took Andes to form straightahead rockers Jo Jo Gunne; California quit too, made bizarre Kaptain Kopter And The Fabulous Twirlybirds '72; remaining two members made Feedback '72 with brothers Chris and Al Staehely from Texas on guitar and bass, but Cassidy and Locke left and a bogus Spirit toured. California re-formed band with Cassidy, Barry Keene on bass, switched to Mercury for two-disc Spirit Of '76 '75, a strange collage of TV science fiction, Hendrix tributes and originals; Locke rejoined for Son Of Spirit '76 and Andes (with brother Matt on guitar) for Farther Along '76. All except Son made top 200 USA albums; the first three re- entered charts when reissued on Epic. Randy's solo albums were a hodge-podge: Terry Hounsome's Rock Record lists mini-album Watchtower '82 on Line, 45 r.p.m. on one side and 33 on the other, and Euro American same year, which may have been the same album as Shattered Dreams; Spirit Of '84 was The Thirteenth Dream in UK; Restless '85 was made live. Gig at the Hammersmith Apollo in London and album '89 Night Of The Guitars on IRS had Randy with axe heroes Steve Howe, Robbie Krieger and Alvin Lee; Randy, Ed and others made Rapture In The Chambers '89 on IRS as Randy California's Spirit. There were other live, reunion etc items Potatoland on Line, Live on Potato, Tent Of Miracles on Dolphin etc; California Blues was recorded '96. He was due to tour Europe, but he drowned in the surf off Hawaii rescuing his 12-year-old son. Two-CD Time Circle on Epic compiled '68--72 tracks; two-CD The Mercury Years was sequenced by California before he died. <br><br>

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Now AIR can get through.

[quote author=slime.oofytv.set link=board=general;num=1107957874;start=15#25 date=02/09/05 at 19:34:49]<br>ok, cult classic it is...it sits right up there with other art rock cult classics:

• klatuu
• ambrosia
• audience
• argent
• etc

[/quote]<br><br>I'm surprised to see that there's one guy here who knows about Klaatu. It was a band from Toronto if I'm not mistaken. They reached their peak with their second album "Hope".

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No doubt, we're doomed !

[font=arial]They're were rumours that it was really The Beatles recording again under this psuedonym....<br><br>http://www.beatlesagain.com/breflib/klaatu.html<br><br>But, of course, it wasn't[/font]<br><br><br>

I bought the box set retrospective last year. Brought back lots of memories!

[table][tr][td][td][font=arial]Well this certainly rekindled some memories and helped me rediscover old tunes! Been listening to this again today for the first time since I've had to shave (after some kind sir let me have a fully digitized up copy!!) - gonna have to buy it on cd now. Wouldn't think it'd still sound too good on the old C90 cassette.....[/td][/font][/td][/tr][/table]

Well, that's an old thread, but..
Just seen Model Shop by Jacques Demy a few days ago, never heard of Spirit before, very nice.
But if you've seen the movie, have you noticed the beautiful Absolutely Free poster?

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Is this the band Led Zeppelin ripped off?

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The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true Art and Science. - Albert Einstein

Yes. Story goes that Zeppelin was hanging out with Spirit when Spirit was recording a song called TAURUS (from their 1st album). It had these descending acoustic guitar arpeggios..... Next thing you know, Zeppelin goes home and Stairway to Heaven was born.

Spirit was a great band, with a unique style. I wouldn't insult them by putting them into the same category as Klaatu or Ambrosia or Argent. Their 1st four albums are all great. Not so much the subsequent albums after the original lineup imploded.

Spirit trivia: Randy California got his name from Jimi Hendrix, who couldn't remember people's last names, but he could remember where they were from. So when RC was playing with Jimi, he got the nickname Randy California, and it stuck.

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Everytime we picked a booger we'd flip it on this one winduh. Every night we'd contribute, 2, 3, 4 boogers. We had to use a putty knife, man, to get them damn things off the winduh. There was some goober ones that weren't even hard...

Good stuff Ronny, didn't know that...

So We DO have something in common

Some Spirit guys, Jimmy Page, Duane Allman all play uncredited on the Border Town album by FUSION. Ry Cooder, too, but he's credited.

Nah, they were democrats.

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Everytime we picked a booger we'd flip it on this one winduh. Every night we'd contribute, 2, 3, 4 boogers. We had to use a putty knife, man, to get them damn things off the winduh. There was some goober ones that weren't even hard...

I was too , when they were big .

I don't know if I agree entirely - I love "Potatoland" in particular.

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The more I learn, the less I know.

Agreed, pretty much all of the Spirit work is worth having, Clear is brilliant.

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Confusion will be my epitaph

Yeah, I love the soundtrack parts in particular. Although I read the band weren't pleased with it, I still think it's great.

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The more I learn, the less I know.

Spirit of '76 and Son of Spirit are good also.

Feedback gets a bad rap but it really isn't that bad.

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I'm not bald; I'm taller than my hair.

I like Feedback. However, it doesn't really sound much like Spirit. I lost my Feedback record in a flooded basement (along with 1000+ other records ).

My favorite Spirit moment: On Dr. Sardonicus, RC's outro solo on Street Worm.
2nd favorite moment: On the 1st album, Mechanical World.
3rd favorite: Tie between Fresh Garbage and Dark Eyed Woman.

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Everytime we picked a booger we'd flip it on this one winduh. Every night we'd contribute, 2, 3, 4 boogers. We had to use a putty knife, man, to get them damn things off the winduh. There was some goober ones that weren't even hard...

Mr Skin is brilliant, I believe it is the brecker Bros. on horns.

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Confusion will be my epitaph

Cool news from a great band!