Paice Ashton Lord (1977) Ghost Story - LOST 70s GEMS

From their Malice in Wonderland album, this post Deep Purple project was an odd mix of talents with Tony Ashton teaming up with Deep Purple's longstanding talent in a funky supergroup. Standout tune Ghost Story features the reverse echoed and panning techniques of a cutting edge production, shame aside form the unrepentant major riff played by a organ and bass in unison of a a straightforward guitar is the only thing that sticks out. The disco chords of the chorus again shows its dated nature, while the hard rock turnarounds and Paice's speed drumming don't mix with the sensual funky horns and guitars, but oh well its mildy enjoyable to see the Deep Purple embers venturing out of their usual classic and Metal genres.

Blue (1974) Lonesome - LOST 70s GEMS

A more acoustic guitar driven album then the blues rock balladry of their debut, Blue's 1974 release Life in the Navy may lose of it's grand sound but retains a knack for mildly engaging pop rock tunes straddling a line between Lindisfarne folk rock and Post Beatles heavy pop ballads. Best are the words, delivered in wearied, folk and pop melodies are based on emptiness, defeat and all manner of negative state of mind which was fresher than the standard blues of most acts of the day. For example Let's Talk it Over with it's countrified piano sound is built around a Gerry Rafferty styled vocal singin 'I remember days of happiness and the way it used to be'. Usually you would find only one or two of these type of songs on a rock bands' record rather than being full of them like this band often did. They were called Blue of course, there's a clue in the name, though having said that they never did find a hit either.

Sad Sunday an effortless laidback hard rocker with a funky laidback groove. All about drinking away painful memories and the inevitable 'Sad Sunday' hangover feeling of guilt; again top notch lyrics and superb dual guitar solo. So much of modern rock is present here with it's blues core, funky instrumentation and grunge styled use of restrained ballad singing.

As for the other tracks; Love bears a McCartney-esque tunefulness, Atlantic Ocean has an awesome euphoric country rock guitar solo, the band always flirting with attempts at the genre in this album in the occasional twangy guitar lick flavouring their hum drum acoustic strummed pop of this album. Why the album is called Life in the Navy, I still can't figure out. The gem however is the second on the track list; Lonesome a grooving, hand clapping hoedown in the spirit of Lindisfarne who they often shared a similar brand of folky soft rock. The heavenly yet rugged group harmonies are at the centre with great lyrics about mental health as they often did back then such as 'This depression surely messin my whole way of livin, need you near me, need you to steer me..' Excellent words!

Wild Horses (1979) Criminal Tendencies - LOST 70s GEMS

A band that visually sound ready for the 80s but had their first single release in 79 with this backed by horribly titled The Rapist as it's B Side, but listen to this track to here that incredible intro where there is a droning lead guitar, some sporadic bursts of a dysfunctional sounding guitar/synth reminding me of the orchestra stabs of Owner of a Lonely Heart, so no surprise when I learned later it was co produced by Trevor Rabin, the Yes guitarist responsible for that classic hit.

The rest is a pure pop song driven by some tasteful soling and a electric piano piping in the background over calls of 'criminal tendencies' all to create New Wave power pop feel.

The lyrics are surprisingly good too lifting this track as well particularly my favourite line which goes as follows; "He walks like a dead man, though he's just 22, there's nothing you or I can do" Boy is that true!..This band started with Wings guitarist Jimmy McCullock and Small Faces' Kenney Jones but shifted to focus around ex Rainbow and Ex Thin Lizzy members instead for a harder sound.

Mott the Hoople (1973) I'm a Cadillac/El Camino Dolo Roso - LOST 70s GEMS

 A sturdy blues pop rocker with singer Ian Hunter declaring very blankly in the lumbering verses that 'I'm a Cadillac, I'm just holding back'. The pop chorus has great lines such as 'Lovin' you is hard enough, Lovin' you is strange, love is strange' it has an rousing, Glam Rock/ T Rex gospel backing vocal driven vibe that is very melodic. The urban blues rock riff that opens the track is very dystopian and indicative of Mott's dark blues menace and that characterised their fiery, jam based late 60s era before their Glam Rock famedom. That stately riff is a heavy rock guitar figure winding back and forth in a deep Tony Iommi-esque wail; Could Mott be Heavy Metal? Mick Ralph's guitar does squeal a lot in the verses building up in pitch and vibrato, so..

The second half is just a straightforward flamenco guitar piece that is very pastoral, peaceful and placid until Ralphs' guitar again goes very Iommi-esque with some Jazzy blues wails fluttering against the acoustic backing reminiscent of Sabbath Bloody Sabbath.

Bee Gees (1976) Lovers - LOST 70s GEMS

The definitive track of the Children of the World album and the Bee Gees discography in the 70s with it's lush soft rock ballad structure call and responding with a stop and go funk beat. The overlapping chorus vocals that first featured in the chorus of Heavy Breathing from 1974's Mr Natural album with the echo of 'Heavy Breathing in the dark' and would also feature to an extreme fashion in Stop, Find from 1979's Spirits Have Flown album. It's sweet and caressing here with the lovely triple echos of 'we'll be lovers, lovers, lovers' with a beautiful sentiment delivered with special emphasis as opposed to the incandescent shrieking of "Search..Fiiind!". Here we Barry's growling white boy blues voices for some faux funk verses and Robin's falsetto loveliness trade back and forth through out verse and chorus but the reverbed, overlapped chorus is something of true vocal and studio splendour; so romantic sounding.

 Some serene keyboard lines open the song with some equally smooth wah wah funky guitar; this mix of funk and ballad, disco and pop and white and black styles were the key to the Bee Gees' appeal bringin their orchestrated romantic Soft balladry to Funky mid-70s disco of the order of KC and the Sunshine band and Kool and the Gang.

Wild Cherry (1977) It All Up to You - LOST 70s GEMS

Starting with a menacingly groovy guitar wah wahs out in this smooth propulsive disco pop song, a catchy call and response chorus of 'It's all up to you, all up to you! You gotta have a good reason! A very good reason'

From blue eyed funk outfit, Wild Cherry's 1977 Electrified Funk album with this being a great example with it's sweet wah wah tone is so funky and smooth with it's unhinged cat scratch wail.

Blue (1973) Red Light Song - LOST 70s GEMS

Blue had some great ballads particularly this scorching elegy to a still burning flame, it communicates so much desire in it's harmony chorale of a hook "I can feel the heat. And I can see the fire. I feel the heat, getting higher and higher!" The singing is incandescent melancholy something 70s did so well!

Stephen Bishop (1976) ????????- LOST 70s GEMS

 Stephen Bishops' 1976 album, Careless, brought him to prominence mainly for the exceedingly good hit song On and On; which brought him some deserved fame, that along with his cameo in Animal House as the acoustic guitar wielding douche. While that hit embodied Yacht Rocks' best and worst tendencies with it's faux calypso beat, streamlined production but also caressing tenor, rock dynamism and a unique melody line. The album has a 'Boz Scaggs meets Michael McDonald' sound that struggles to stand out except for in his sweet melodies such as Sinking in an Ocean of Tears with it's slightly Sly Stone funk inflected vocals. 

 This was Soft Rock before it got too soft and luscious; with enough of a tough rhythm section, clear cutting production and grit in the lead vocals before the overproduced, lethargic, mellow mush the genre would devolve into [Ok, rant over]. Bishop's delicate falsetto sounds so pained and isn't powerful but at certain moments on records hits the spot with it' 'clear as birdsong' tone.

 Every Minute is dreamy,celestial folk song with sleepy vocals and Andrew Gold's spiralling guitar, Little Italy is an awesome song with it's mandolins dancing along with accordions and horns, while One More Night builds as a ballad traditionally should, with some warm, glowing keyboard lines in it. Save it for a Rainy Day was another hit but sounds to me too generic as do Rock and Roll Slave and The Same Old Tears On A New Background.

So ultimately Little Italy does it for me, listen to that opening folk guitar pattern, complex but entrancing while Bishops sharp RnB vocals balance well with the acoustic bed and watery mix of mandolin runs and reverbed congas and the aforementioned stark horn lines. Then there is Chaka Khan's stupendous second vocal and harmonies to boot; what's not like about this track buried deep in the middle of the album.

Universe (1971) Cocaine - LOST 70s GEMS

1971 blues rockers Universe created a marvel of a riff with it's back and forth riff that manages to ripoff Zeppelin and Hendrix; particularly the latter's fuzz workout Voodoo Chile.

 Though the band is talented, the dual guitar work is unique in it's floating harmonies playing underneath a kick stomp drum beat. There are strong organ sounds ten times ore powerful than anything Jon Lord came up with best heard on Spanish Feeling with the quick organ vamps wooshing with menace alongside the track's thunderous drums. The song features even some nice rootsy acoustic guitar, heavenly harmonies and cowbell all pieced together on the most dynamic record I've heard proving dynamics are something that can't be taught; these guys have it while more famous bands don't. 

 Also of note is anti- drug song, Cocaine with it's jolly little morality tale dressed in child like rhymes over a bed of striking lightning speed, flamenco guitar work and funky hand claps. It's chorus could have been ripped of for the far more successful version played by Eric Clapton. The tack is deceptive and soon picks up tempo with a gloriously demented Elizabethan organ part playing circles around your head before the charged hard rock guitar & drums re enter for a Doors like rave up of drama proving they were experts at ratcheting tension even if they stole form many sources over the course of this album. In fact, I change my mind, Cocaine is the gem of this album, just narrowly beating Spanish Feeling with it's eclecticism and managing to sound like Zeppelin, the Doors and Yes all in one; Well Done!

Blue Mink (1977) Where Were You Today - LOST 70s GEMS

This sounds like a jaunty, funkifed McCartney-esque pop song by the British soul group.

Blue Mink (1974) Eyeballs- LOST 70s GEMS

Blue Mink's 1974 album, Fruity, is a career highlight along with their 1970 Melting Pot debut album. Some of the strong songs of the set are the Nina Simone styled number, Let Him Stay with it's sensual electric piano and slide guitar arrangement. Get Up is a funky track with a very Kool and the Gang/Meters styled chorus of big voices.

But by far the funkiest track is Eyeballs with it's tight interplay between wah wah guitar and heavy bass all under some warblingly deep vocals. There is some phasing and excellent multilayered rhythms and harmony lines within. Just ignore the offensive cover art I'm not sure why this for the time progressive group was so racially insensitive as well

Blue Mink (1970) Over the Top - LOST 70s GEMS

Blue Mink's big 1969 hit was Melting Pot, a slightly un PC song about well the usually PC message of racial tolerance and integration. Despite it's use of an epithet it was widely successful and launched the pop soul band, on the accompanying Melting Pot album were songs such as


Gidda Wadda Wobble; a nice little rocker complete with funky rolling bass lines and slashing chords (Don't let the ridiculous title put you off, Alan Price has never sounded more Hendrix esque than here).

Also there is Country Chic; a laidback jazzy soul song with nice elegant harmonies for the verses. A change from the band's big 'in your face' style, though it could use more country vibes in my opinion considering the title. The highlight though is probably the aptly named,

Over the Top with it's funky wah wah bass and soaring guitar overlaying some pretty brooding organ. The track mixes hard rock dominance with cool funky passages that sound a lot like Deep Purple, a band Greenaway and Cook wrote a song for around the same time; the soaring number , Hallelujah, which I can't help feel was made for Blue Mink rather than Deep Purple, I guess they got their colours mixed up.

Black Oak Arkansas (1971) Uncle Elijah - LOST 70s GEMS

1971 was a great year for rock, but particularly an underrated debut offering from Black Oak Arkansas is sadly overlooked, but this short, sweet tune about uncle 'Lijah' who the narrator proudly shares is'still alive'' despite being '105'. Just listen!! You won't regret this, it may even bring a smile to your face; I can't promises:(

Poco (1978) Love Comes and Love Goes - LOST 70s GEMS

From their commercial breakthrough 1978 album Legend which was released 10 years after their first album; it's strange to think it took Poco the founding country rock band a decade to get commercial success and all they had to do was drop the country rock sound they pioneered. After all the harmonies are no longer as punchy or the central hook of these more arranged soft rock tunes where electric guitars and keyboards can take ore prominence. This track for instance starts with crashing electric guitars and arpeggios and a Richie Furay styled vocal from guitarist Paul Cotton, the saccharine feel of the chorus line works along with this album's strong romantic sentiments. But just listen to that epic saxophone solo duelling with the lead electric guitar, listen to how the sax wails in a human register.

Gene Clark (1977) Sister Moon - LOST 70s GEMS

Gene Clark will go down as one of the most underrated members of rock, country, folk, Americana and music in general with his diverse abilities to contribute timeless compositions to the worlds of Pop (the Byrds), Country (the Dillards) and Folk and gospel (solo career).
How does he do it?
Well Sister Moon is undoubtedly the highlight of his 77 work and I will dissect his work in it. Starting with a placid electric piano playing a sparse progression that takes its time rather than sticking to a fixed time signature or groove like his work with the Byrds. Here there is layering to with the beat picking up and strings and slide guitar and even doubled vocals entering the fray. All the while he sings in a slow storytelling speed, subtly building to the dazzling chorus whilst remaining croaky in his deep soul vocal fashion whilst the track remains clear as anything. The twangy country solo is backed by a overdubbed synthesizers raising in a digital wash, panning to the sides and peaking in volume and intensity.

King Harvest (1972) ?????‎– LOST 70s GEMS

From King Harvest's 1972 album, Dancing in the Moonlight, with it's obvious title song the hit selling an album mainly made up of tunes from their actual debut album, I Can Tell, released the prior year. Aside from Dancing in the Moonlight there are only two other new additions; Lady, Come On Home and You and I.



Lady, Come On Home is a horn driven New Orleans tune with it's revved up Rock n Roll electric piano, soulful harmonies, country pop lead vocal, a sax solo and occasional clean country guitar too. The romantic chorus is good as is the funky Purdie shuffle, cowbell, maracas etc of the holy church singalong coda.

You And I starts with some awesome folk guitar lines before a ghostly vocal and their typical organ based funk sound enters; there is a British Invasion vibe strong to this song from the 1972 album which is a bit odd, or maybe a bit prog? The gentle choruses about searching for love is also quite pleasant. But I'm ultimately going to go with Lady, Come on Home here.

Blue Mink (1972) Sunday - LOST 70s GEMS

 Here are some Gems from British novelty act and quite excellent early 70s Bubblegum Soul outfit, Blue Mink's 1972's A Time of Change; think the Fifth Dimension or a really pop friendly Sly and Family Stone. John Brown's Down is memorable for it's brusque, fat fuzz toned guitar strikes in this gurning attempt at reggae with forced Caribbean delivery. One Smart Fellow a slow build of a sample ready, funky afro drum beat and sliding blues guitar licks played with some James Brown Eddie Hazel feel. Eventually plummeting organs and some soulful dual vocals singin a nursery rhyme about One Smart Fellow, three Smart fellows etc like 'Green Sally up and Green Sally down. Lift and Squat, gotta tear the ground'

Sunday follows a country slide guitar bluesing all over a gospel rhyme about 'people walkin round the church so proud and still singin..' and so on sung in a rap styled verse before the belting out of Sunday in that spirit of a new day. These type of observation songs were popular in the wake of the Beatles in the mid 60s such as Pleasant Sunday Morning describing the characters and scenes around them and the oddness in the normalcy. But it's the funkified groove created by the slide guitar's chicken pickin note lines that fire up the track between the singer's slick bars.

 

Paul Kossoff (1973) Molten Gold - LOST 70s GEMS

Back Street Crawler (1973) was Paul Kossoff's answer to Free's more studied songwriting, making their name almost a misnomer. So much so there is a 17 minute track called Tuesday Morning as well as a song called Time Away which had to be edited down from an 18 minute take! Even so this album is still steeped in funky Blues Rock playing with a heavy edge that defined Free, it's just longer and lacking the livewire chemistry of that other band. No surprise as Kossoff never got to where he was going as a guitarist in a career cut terribly short at just 25. However this album is stacked with his trademark ethereal string bends and crunching blues note rhythms that were so entwined in his playing and in Free.

Molten Gold is unfortunately though the only track that sounds like fresh territory and not so Free like with it's slow paced piano and astronomical slide guitar sounding like it could blow away Van Halen and other Glam Metal bands of the 80s. The hyper distorted dive bombing slides are epic along with the Hendrix influenced use of a triangle to add a twinkly prettiness to the backing track similar to the glockenspiel on Little Wing. The chorus with it's bad ass swaggering backing vocals are also memorable too.

Quicksilver Messenger Service (1970) The Hat - LOST 70s GEMS

Quicksilver Messenger Service's first album of the 70s and first eligible for a post is 1970's Just for Love was their first with founder Dino Valenti who writes the vast majority of material on this their fourth and most commercial effort. Dominated by The Hat an acoustic blues rocker that is fine for passive listening with it's ear pleasing mix of acoustic slide licks that are dripping in soul and melodic vamping. Gone Again is an airey, jazz tune with echo chamber vocals, Santanesque guitar and trickley piano with such a lilting melody that is beautiful. 

  Wolf Run Part 1 is the opening track; a one minute instrumental featuring Dino Valenti's entrancing, full bodied flute lines that sound like the roar of the jungle against a layered African drumming pattern such as a conga with the Maracas. The rock n roller Freeway Flyer with it's country slide guitar and T Rex styled chug as well as it's false start is good particularly when the lead guitar starts to wail in a distorted moan like an robotic BB King. Cobra features the barnstorming drums of Greg Elmore barrelling away while the ferocious acoustic strums gallantly and the lead pedal steel so punchy it's metallic swing and so menacing as the music remains. Look out for the melodious blues notes that come into the song so elegant and the pace speeds up. 

 
The best is still The Hat with it's classic blues feel and highly original playing, blues twangy guitar notes slipping and a sliding in fantastic, tasty fills between the laidback piano pulse and Valenti's superb singin; so sweetly serenading in a raw and fiery manner. It's the best of their talents; Elmore's stomp of a beat, John Cipollina's slide playing, Nicky Hopkins' bracing piano and Valenti's groovy voice. The album is chock full of twangy Jazz and Blues slide guitar licks, classical piano and airily dramatic production. The album like the colourful landscape cover is a mix of psychedelic pop from the 60s and longer Prog Rock songs from the decade to come.

Strongbow (1975) Only One Around - LOST 70s GEMS

This Prog album from 1975 is a nice collection of tunes from US band Strongbow; One Armed Bandit is a Hammond B3 dream with a wah wah tone, a strong lead guitarists and a barrelhouse rhythm form the rest of the band including Jerry Lee Lewis piano and the soaring vocals and synthesizer work(listen out for the air raid siren sound they make out of it at the very end). Sister Sea has an 80s Van Halen Vibe in the mix of Beach Boys freshmen harmonies and heavy rock sens of pop music. The explosive speed drumming and imposing organ work give a strong Deep Purple flavour, listen to the rapturous bombastic runs that end Sister Sea and the warped 'sonar' notes I think created by some sparse, synth work. 

Only One Around sounds like Ambrosia with it's jazz melodies, mellotron and Beatleseque sighing harmonies. It eventually erupts like all good Prog tracks and is scorched earth in terms of the Lead guitarist's endless solo rattling off like artillery alongside the rambunctious, hyperactive drumming. Again the wah wah synth makes it's 'womp womp' downbeat presence reminding you this was during the mid 70s era when funk was the hot new sound. Move Over Gloom sounds like Aerosmith right down to the heavy bass toned rhythm guitar striking circular riffs under the lead singer's thin whine, though it starts with a epic suite of moogs I believe, puncturing the air like a well rehearsed horn section. You also got to love the guitar and laser blaster synth harmonising together before we move over to some piercing flute sounding synth work in the jazz fusion of How Can I Be Loving You. It starts off Steely Dan then devolves into a funky keyboard workout full of oriental, wah wah synthesizers and squelchy organ and more soaring lead guitar. Wine Eyes continues a Aerosmith meets Steely Dan vibe with high harmonies calling out the title while we get some sax and horn funk tossed in and even more wah wah before Hazy May which sums up the wah wah funk guitar and oriental synthesizers and Uriah Heep/ Deep Purple orchestral hard rock lines. I'll choose Only One Around for being the most moving track, this oculd be Ambrosia meets the Beckett, the UK Prog band who also never made it.

Bellamy Brothers (1976) Inside of My Guitar - LOST 70s GEMS

From their Featuring "Let Your Love Flow" (And Others) album from 1976, this was the Bellamy Brothers mid 70s peak off the back of chart topper Let Your Love Flow. Let Fantasy Live extols the virtue of losing reality such as the line 'having a lover in your bed every night, she's really in your head but thats alright'. The dreamy song is made of harpsichord, acoustic guitars but also trembling bass line crawling underneath and a warm pedal steel line sounding like a Disney production. The best example of this magical sound are the sped up 'chipmunk' backing vocals that respond to the Bellamy Brothers' refrain of 'Let Fantasy Live'. Inside of my Guitar is a love song with well written melody, sung exquisitely, features heavily reverbed guitar licks wailing in the background while a synth mimics a sweeping string section in what sounds like 80s production. The incandescent harpsichord on a similar echo setting shimmers so stridently as the notes plinked in pretty lines and just about completes this song for.

Blue Mink (1970) Can You Feel It Baby - LOST 70s GEMS

Can You Feel It Baby includes distant sounding blues guitar wailing in the background, while mixed with soft soul singing duets its there very best attributes in one song with a great singalong chorus, appropriate use of organ and the heavy drums as always.

King Harvest (1971) ??????-LOST 70s GEMS

King Harvest's 1971 debut album, I Can Tell, is famous for featuring their horn driven pop song Marty and the Captain but also features a lot of organ from the soulful to the spiritual.. which i think mean the same thing? Anyway the title track is an a mix of Allman Brothers's styled blues jam and funky 60s rhythm that highlights the band's New Orleans influenced funky organ and blues guitar jam sound.

 Roosevelt And Ira Lee boasts an epic wah wah slide riff and the rootsy vocals telling a story that John Fogerty would respect, it's an awesome song steeped in Civil War bloody's history and 60s organ grooviness and lead vocal straight out of the 1800s. Motor Job is based on an awesome bass line layered with celestial organ chords and some fresh blues based guitar vamps. The whole track is made of back and forth circular funk vamps including a piano improvising over the same notes as all the other instruments in a conga embellished, jazz-fusion groove.

 Think I'll Better Wait til Tomorrow has a creeping groove blending twangy, country funk guitar licks into a tambourine beat driven chorus; I love the lead vocal' engaging melody but wait for the classy, 1920s styled jazz horns that play a triumphant line in the grand soulful latter half of the song. These jazzy horns return in their hazy, sniggering sound in the track, Smile on Her Face, a smouldering

 sexy love song with more of the band's ghostly harmonies and deep organ based soul and funky drums beats. The vocals are ragged in a hopeful manner that is helped by engaging deep soul melodies, this band had raw authentic soul as best shown in She Keeps Me High which sounds like a full big band with some solid interplay between soaring horns, epic piano chords and strident lead guitar. Singer and percussionist, Doc Robinson continues to add some gritty country RnB vocals and funky beat at the centre of the band's whole feel; though there is no denying the horns, She Keeps Me High is just a generic retread of Marty and the Captain's formula. My pick would be either Motor Home, Roosevelt and Ira Lee or Think I'll Better Wait til Tomorrow; but the best written and most subtle tune is Smile on Her Face.

Blue (1977) Fantasy -LOST 70s GEMS

Title track of Elton John proteges and veteran pop rock group Blue's third LP, Another Night Time Flight, is a tepid twilight yacht rocker. Strange Time is a heavily jazz inflected Disco pop track full of 60s sounds like the Farfisa organ and cocktail piano fills. The minor US hit was Capture Your Heart a by the numbers harmony laden pop song with obligatory by this point gospel oohs, shuffle beat, acoustic rhythm guitar, country leads and big soulful choruses.

By contrast their are singalong shanties with a pop sheen such as Women or The Shepherd; which is a bright, exuberant song driven by strong dance-able beats and a heavily filtered guitar. The 'hoo hoo hoo!' vocals are a nice touch while this song like much of the album has some wah wah guitar solos.
The closing track I Understand displays an ELO influence and never has producer Elton John's playing been so clear. It's even clearer on track Tired of Loving You ,which sounds like one of his tunes particularly in the way Hugh Nicholson sings it in a very Elton styled deep tremble. Add the nice harmonica solo, this song works beautifully reminding me of the resignation of their first album. 

But then comes along Fantasy with it's dynamic slow tense verses building to a barnstorming chorus about admonishing a lover, declaring harshly ' You Are Living in a Fantaaaaassy'; it's even better and for once doesn't sound like Lindisfarne, Gerry Rafferty or the prevailing discofied Yacht rock.

Jimmy McCulloch & White Line (1976) Call My Name - LOST 70s GEMS

It's a sexy blues romp with a strong Slade flavour particularly the vocals, this was a single release from this short lived collaboration featuring Thunderclap Newman kid prodigy and Wings guitarist Jimmy McCulloch. McCulloch is the named star of this short lived collaboration with his brother on drums and Dave Clarke on Bass and Vocal duties but it's Jimmy's slide guitar streaks across this song's glam rock bop and old school 50s rock n roll revivalism of much glam acts.

Blue Mink (1970) Good Morning Freedom - LOST 70s GEMS

Good Morning Freedom is an excellent tune from the very 60s Fifth Dimension inspired pop group; it mixes Alan Price's incredibly tight, chicken scratch guitar with some country rhythm piano and some enthusiastic socially conscious vocals.

Beach Boys (1971) Long Promised Road - LOST 70s GEMS

Beach Boys's 1971 Surf's Up is an extraordinary album form the group primarily as they ceased to be fronted by the Wilsons but two new band members, young South African rock rhythm section Ricky Fataar and Blondie Chaplin and it's heavily submerged, murky Prog Rock sound still lifted by their trademark Barbershop and Doo Wop vocals which now take on a far more sinister air in this new Prog sound divorced from the dreamy harmless Psychedelia of the past lineup.

While I almost chose album side,the devilish Looking at Tomorrow (Welfare song) with it's dissonant, chamber vocal by Al Jardine with a slick, cracked vocal sounding almost demonic against a background of chiming capoed acoustic guitar fingerpickin and a general phased filter on both guitar and vocals for a creep sheen; not to mention the very haunted reverse echo 'ba ba ba, bup bup bup' nonsense verse and glistening organ towards the end.

Long Promised Road is the gem however as its more meaty starting with a contemplative Carl Wilson vocal with wet, plodding Wurlitzer before heavy drum and another raging chorus steps in a unabashed pure joy as Carl sings with freedom and gusto how 'But I hit hard at the battle that's confronting me, yeah,Knock down all the roaddblocks a-stumbling me
Throw off all the shackles that are binding me down'

Written by Carl Wilson and Jack Rieley it includes a dazzling synthesizer roller coaster line for the bridge where Carl's vocal gets touchingly poignant as he decries futility 'Long promised road

Flows to the source, gentle force, never ending, never ending'. Later a fuzzed out synth reminds me of modern day dubstep while the chorus stomps on in a thoroughly melodic fashion that the Beach boys rarely were able to achieve.

Beach Boys (1973) We Got Love - LOST 70s GEMS

Early 70s Beach Boys were a formidable Prog group, shirking a great deal of their commercial pop writing for more 'out there' Post-Hippie, hazy rock n roll.

This track from the live in concert album of 73 was a composition, written by new members Blondie Chaplin, Ricky Fataar and Mike Love; Fataar was famous for his later role in Beatles spoof The Rutles and longserving drummer for Bonnie Rait, while Chaplin who also came from the same South African band The Fire with Fataar would go onto be a acoustic rhythm guitarist and backing vocalist for the Rolling Stones touring group. Both were very talented musicians who made up the rhythm section and occasional guitar and keyboard support for the Beach Boys; In fact they were Beach Boys, full members who made many contributions during the early 70s from 72 on wards, of note was Chaplin's song, Sail on Sailor, which he sang lead on and would be a successful single for the band.


Starting with a delicate country lead guitar whine and a tumbling, endless piano run that sounds like a tumultuous waterfall while Chaplin sings in that smooth countrified pop voice of his before the organs come in for the hippie anthem chorus. The gospel bridge full of church organs and oohs and Chaplin's restrained mood singing before we enter a groovier organ part, it ends in a very clean country guitar solo. Chaplin's musing on the universe being on his side adds a cosmic feel supported by this Progressive phase of the band of which Fataar and Blondie dominated the band effectively fronting it with Fataars keyboard support and Blondie' occasional guitar and lead work. Good Job guys!

Fleetwood Mac (1972) The Ghost - LOST 70s GEMS

 The circular melody of the blues pop title track, Bare Trees, retains a certain Peter Green vibe; however this was the album where the streamlined folk pop sound they would become widely known for started to become introduced. While it may have seemed out of left field, there was always a layered dreaminess to the Green era Mac, though Christine McVie, the new addition of Bob Welch and the underrated songwriting of Danny Kirwan continued a transition to more overt folk and less blues.

 The key was to subtly commercialise their tunes by slowly dropping the rudimentary, studied guitar driven blues rock for a more lush keyboard rock sound. It may not have been clear how successful they would be from this album as it is still the guitar tracks, such as the brilliant sunshine blues licks of Sunny Side of Heaven still stand out. 

 Spare Me a Little of Your Love is a classic McVie composition; along the deeply romantic and honest lines of Come a Little Bit Closer, Did You Ever Love Me and You Make Loving Fun. The Ghost is a great transition song; starting with a jazzy, Latin blues line played on an acoustic guitar before ethereal pedal steel/flute or keyboards enter with a delicate pastoral line contrasting the heavy aggressive beat. Bob Welch's vocals sounding hurried yet smooth uniting the disparate elements, while my favourite is the hook; a breathless vocal by Welch that hits the brakes on the rhythm section to a more halted almost slow shuffle as he sings about 'And then the winds start to blow
And the fire comes scorching down (yeah)
And then the sky dissapears
In the cloud with an awful sound (yeah)'. 

 It captures lyrically and musically the mystic blues and soft pop of their two defining periods crashing together

Journey (1979) Lovin Touchin Squeeze - LOST 70s GEMS

Probably the home of one of the best endings to a song since T Rex's Hot Love as well as best use of nonsense verse with the rousing and endless calls of 'na na na, na na na , na nana na'. The soulful buildup about a lover 'loving touchin and squezin another' is also a great calm before the storm. Its far more hook driven and memorable than their later 80s work; they were more melodic in their late 70s output when sharing lead singers and producing songs such as Feelin This Way, Just the Same Way and Anyway you Want It...sigh why couldn't they have stayed like this?

Blue (1973) I Wish I Could Fly- LOST 70s GEMS

 This Scottish pop rock trio wrote this beautiful blues number; it has a classic opening with a minor key piano part that seems to tell you everything, it is punctuated by electric guitar strikes. The sincerity of the singer's voice and it's unfiltered melancholy along with the descending piano progression sounds like a confessional.
 The singer's delivery sounds so honest and unvarnished, his desire to escape and achieve the things he wants. It hits hard when he sings about his 'troubled mind' or brutally earnest statements such as 'I have happiness within me, but very soon I'm left without' or how 'everything I've ever dreamed about, is still lying on the shelf' it's heartrendingly pure and feels incredibly close. 

It's a bleak song devoid of any warmth just despair dripping from every word, with the desperation and hopelessness peaking in the angelic chorus of 'I wish I could fly, fly away, leave today'. The guitar solo also cuts deep with it's warbling rock distortion cutting through the rootsy piano in an immaculate contrast like the piano/guitar opening; this is not blue eyed soul or plastic soul but real soul. I wish they produced more material such as this, they were signed to RSO, the Bee Gees label but remained in Blue Mink Grass Roots' league of bubblegum pop soul, instead only remembered by some for their ridiculous claim in court that people would confuse them with the boy band Blue.

Stephen Bishop (1978) Losing Myself in You - LOST 70s GEMS

These lilting Jazz arrangements are the definition of mellow yacht rock, Stephen Bishop relies on laidback love songs and acoustic guitars and soft keyboards. The closing track When I Was in Love has wonderful lyrics such as "When I was in love, life was easier to be around each day went by without a care", while the misspelled but cool, I've Never Known a Nite Like This, features a slick groove full of jazzy funky chords that the Doobies and Steely Dan would kill for full of tight drums, silky keyboards, incredible slide guitar, a chorus that picks things up considerably and more of Bishop's pretty singing. Only the Heart Within You is a sleepy story song with a serene landscape of acoustic finger-picking and soaring strings, Bish's Hideway has nice flamenco guitar lines but most adventurous is Prelude: Vagabond from Heaven, is a highly animated track packed full of slamming drums, a tight disco bassline and dressed in multilayered polyphonic Moogs in the intro and strident strings flurrying back and forth in the outro. Weirder, if thats possible is What Love Can Do which sounds like a Disney tune with it's plodding rhythm, mischievous string lines, meowing cat effects and Seven Dwarfs styled deep backing vocals all giving a theatrical backdrop to another Bishop love song. I get the feeling Bishop is more easy listening and based in standards than his more soulful contemporaries Michael McDonald and Robbie Dupree.


Losing Myself in You starts with more coursing strings, this is a very sweet sounding album steeped in Jazz and standards, Bishops' delicate high tenor works well navigating the funky bass and acoustic pickin and smooth keyboards with a excellent melody as he describes the 'A palace in the South of France, where only the lonely people learn to dance' or 'The dog is barking and the sheets are cold, even that guy out on the street he knows'; the hopeless desperation of the chorus is also perfect. The big hit off the album was the almost Looking For The Right One, though it doesn't to me have the same heft as Losing Myself which manages to be string but have an effortless easy melody too and not sound as on the nose as LFTRO.

Poco (1971) You Are the One -LOST 70s GEMS

From my favourite Poco album the Steve Cropper produced From the Inside, where Cropper brilliantly strips down Poco's sunshine acoustic sound to more bluesy elements to emphasise more of the darkness present in their songs ; it's an often underrated contribution.


This romantic light footed track recalls Pickin up the Pieces with it's awesome chamber reverbed group vocals calls of 'hey!' The rootsy pickin and Richie Furay patented ode to the joys of devotion of which he always was his forte. This album was the best not too overdubbed slick and ultimately as pop and lightweight as some of their other albums in the mid 70s but with grit. Listen to the contrast of the bleak melody and positive lyrics of Bad Weather, while From the Inside is another well arranged harmony laden folk rocker. What If I Should Say I Love You is on the same level as the title track and features a slow beat and exquisite guitar parts while Just for Me and You hints at the more upbeat melodic material of their next album, the acclaimed A Good Feeling to Know (1972) album.