Quicksilver Messenger Service | ||
| Allmusic Biography : The band that became Quicksilver Messenger Service originally was conceived as a rock vehicle for folk singer/songwriter Dino Valente (b. Nov. 7, 1943, d. Nov 16, 1994), author of "Get Together." Living in San Francisco, Valente had found guitarist John Cipollina (b. Aug. 24, 1943, d. May 29, 1989) and singer Jim Murray. Valentes friend David Freiberg (b. Aug. 24, 1938) joined on bass, and the group was completed by the addition of drummer Greg Elmore (b. Sep. 4, 1946) and guitarist Gary Duncan (b. Sep 4, 1946). As the band was being put together, Valente was imprisoned on a drug charge and he didnt rejoin Quicksilver until later. They debuted at the end of 1965 and played around the Bay Area and then the West Coast for the next two years, building up a large following but resisting offers to record that had been taken up by such San Francisco acid rock colleagues as Jefferson Airplane and the Grateful Dead. Quicksilver finally signed to Capitol toward the end of 1967 and recorded their self-titled debut album in 1968 (by this time, Murray had left). Happy Trails, the 1969 follow-up, was recorded live. After its release, Duncan left the band and was replaced for Shady Grove (1970) by British session pianist Nicky Hopkins. By the time of its release, however, Duncan had returned, along with Valente, making the group a sextet. This version of Quicksilver, prominently featuring Valentes songs and lead vocals, lasted only a year, during which two albums, Just for Love and What About Me, were recorded. Cipollina, Freiberg, and Hopkins then left, and the remaining trio of Valente, Duncan, and Elmore hired replacements and cut another couple of albums before disbanding. There was a reunion in 1975, resulting in a new album and a tour, and in 1986 Duncan revived the Quicksilver name for an album that also featured Freiberg on background vocals. | ||
 | Album: 1 of 21 Title: Quicksilver Messenger Service Released: 1968 Tracks: 6 Duration: 31:46 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Pride of Man (04:08) 2 Light Your Windows (02:38) 3 Dinos Song (03:09) 4 Gold and Silver (06:41) 5 Its Been Too Long (03:02) 6 The Fool (12:06) |
| Quicksilver Messenger Service : Allmusic album Review : Quicksilver Messenger Services debut effort was a little more restrained and folky than some listeners had expected, given their reputation for stretching out in concert. While some prefer the mostly live Happy Trails, this self-titled collection is inarguably their strongest set of studio material, with the accent on melodic folk-rock. Highlights include their cover of folksinger Hamilton Camps "Pride of Man," probably their best studio track; "Light Your Windows," probably the groups best original composition; and founding member Dino Valentis "Dinos Song" (Valenti himself was in jail when the album was recorded). "Gold and Silver" is their best instrumental jam, and the 12-minute "The Fool" reflects some of the best and worst traits of the psychedelic era. | ||
 | Album: 2 of 21 Title: Shady Grove Released: 1969 Tracks: 9 Duration: 43:25 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Shady Grove (03:01) 2 Flute Song (05:23) 3 3 or 4 Feet From Home (03:04) 4 Too Far (04:30) 5 Holy Moly (04:26) 6 Josephs Coat (04:49) 7 Flashing Lonesome (05:28) 8 Words Cant Say (03:22) 9 Edward, (The Mad Shirt Grinder) (09:21) |
| Shady Grove : Allmusic album Review : The third long-player from San Francisco psychedelic icons Quicksilver Messenger Service (QMS) is a direct contrast from their previous discs. Shady Grove (1969) is comprised mostly of shorter and self-contained pieces as opposed to the long and extended jams that were so prevalent on their self-titled debut (1967) and Happy Trails (1969). Ironically, the one stretched-out instrumental is courtesy of their latest acquisition -- Brit recording session guru Nicky Hopkins (keyboards). Another possible reason for the shift in style as well as personnel is the conspicuous absence of Gary Duncan (guitar) -- who is rumored to have been a "guest" of Bay Area law enforcement at the time. The band incorporate a number of different styles on the album. Kicking off the disc is an up-tempo rocking version of the traditional Appalachian folk song "Shady Grove." The QMS reading is highlighted by John Cipollinas trademark fluid fretwork and a familiar "Bo Diddley" backbeat -- reminiscent of both "Who Do You Love" and "Mona" from the live ensemble LP Happy Trails. The slow and dark "Flute Song" is a trippy minor chord masterpiece that is augmented by the shimmering effect of Hopkins airy piano lines which mingle throughout the light orchestration. Additionally, QMS try their hand at the same country & western-flavored sound that was making the rounds with their San Fran contemporaries the Jefferson Airplane ("The Farm") and the Grateful Dead ("Dire Wolf"). However, the down-home cowboy waltz "Words Cant Say" never gets out of the stable, unfortunately. This somewhat uneven effort would sadly foreshadow QMSs journey from psychedelia and into a much more pop-oriented sound on their follow-up, Just for Love (1970). However, enthusiasts of those albums will find much more to revisit on Shady Grove than those who favored the first two records. | ||
 | Album: 3 of 21 Title: Happy Trails Released: 1969-03 Tracks: 10 Duration: 50:19 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Who Do You Love (03:32) 2 When You Love (05:14) 3 Where You Love (06:06) 4 How You Love (02:45) 5 Which Do You Love (04:39) 6 Who Do You Love, Part 2 (03:05) 7 Mona (07:01) 8 Maiden of the Cancer Moon (02:51) 9 Calvary (13:33) 10 Happy Trails (01:29) |
| Happy Trails : Allmusic album Review : Without question, this follow-up to Quicksilver Messenger Services self-titled debut release is the most accurate in portraying the band on vinyl in the same light as the groups critically and enthusiastically acclaimed live performances. The album is essentially centered around the extended reworkings of Bo Diddleys "Who Do You Love?" and "Mona," as well as the lesser lauded -- yet no less intense -- contribution of Gary Duncans (guitar/vocals) "Calvary." This album is the last to feature the original quartet incarnation of QMS. The collective efforts of John Cipollina (guitar/vocals), Greg Elmore (percussion), David Freiberg (bass/vocals), and the aforementioned Duncan retain the uncanny ability to perform with a psychedelic looseness of spirit, without becoming boring or in the least bit pretentious. The side-long epic "Who Do You Love?" suite is split into an ensemble introduction and coda as well as four distinct sections for the respective bandmembers. The perpetually inventive chops of QMS are what is truly on display here. The musicians unmitigated instrumental prowess and practically psychic interaction allow them to seamlessly weave into and back out of the main theme. Yet all the while, each player takes center stage for uncompromising solos. "Mona" and its companion, "Calvary," continue in much the same fashion. Here the members of QMS play off each other to form a cohesive unit. This track also contains some of Cipollinas finest and most memorable fretwork. He is able to summon sonic spirits from his guitar in a way that is unlike any of his Bay Area contemporaries. A prime example of his individuality is the frenetic "Maiden of the Cancer Moon" -- ascending from the remnants of "Mona." The angst and energy in Cipollinas guitar work and line upon line of technical phrasing could easily be considered the equal of a Frank Zappa guitar solo. The brief title track, a cover of Roy Rogers and Dale Evans "Happy Trails," seems almost insignificant in the wake of such virtuoso playing. It clears the sonic palette and also bids adieu to this particular fab foursome of psychedelia. | ||
 | Album: 4 of 21 Title: Just for Love Released: 1970-08 Tracks: 9 Duration: 39:30 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Wolf Run, Part 1 (01:12) 2 Just for Love, Part 1 (03:00) 3 Cobra (04:23) 4 The Mat (10:36) 5 Freeway Flyer (03:49) 6 Gone Again (07:17) 7 Fresh Air (05:21) 8 Just for Love, Part 2 (01:38) 9 Wolf Run, Part 2 (02:10) |
| Just for Love : Allmusic album Review : With the return of Gary Duncan and the recording debut of founder Dino Valenti, Just for Love, Quicksilvers fourth album, marked their debut as the band they were intended to be. The ironic thing about that is that, led by singer/songwriter Valenti, they were a much more pop-oriented band than their fans had come to expect. On Just for Love, Quicksilver finally was Valentis backup group (he wrote all but one of the songs), and while this gave them greater coherence and accessibility, as well as their only Top 50 single in "Fresh Air," it also made them less the boogie band they had been. And it meant the bands days were numbered. | ||
 | Album: 5 of 21 Title: What About Me Released: 1970-12 Tracks: 10 Duration: 46:35 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 What About Me (06:45) 2 Local Color (03:03) 3 Baby Baby (04:47) 4 Wont Kill Me (02:36) 5 Long Haired Lady (05:58) 6 Subway (04:33) 7 Spindrifter (04:42) 8 Good Old Rock and Roll (02:34) 9 All in My Mind (03:52) 10 Call on Me (07:40) |
| What About Me : Allmusic album Review : Musically, there is little to delineate the fifth long-player from Quicksilver Messenger Service, What About Me, from their previous effort, Just for Love. Not surprisingly, material for both was initiated during a prolific two-month retreat to the Opaelua Lodge in Haleiwa, HI, during May and June of 1970. The quartet version of Quicksilver Messenger Service -- which had yielded the bands first two LPs -- expanded once again to include Dino Valenti (aka Chester A. Powers, Chet Powers, and most notably on this album, Jesse Oris Farrow) as well as British session keyboardist Nicky Hopkins. The additional talents of Mark Naftalin (keyboards) were incorporated when Hopkins was unavailable. This began his short stint with Quicksilver Messenger Service, which lasted through their sixth LP, Quicksilver (1972). The most apparent change in Quicksilver Messenger Services sound can be directly attributed to the return of Valenti. The group has departed the long, free-flowing improvisations that prevailed on both their self-titled debut and follow-up, Happy Trails. The songs are now shorter and more notably structured, with an added emphasis on Valentis compositions. The title track, "What About Me," became an ethical and sociological anthem with challenging and direct lyrical references to the political and social instability of the early 70s. Valenti, whose songwriting credits on this disc are both numerous and attributed to his Farrow persona, also comes up with some passable introspective love songs, such as "Baby Baby" and "Long Haired Lady," as well as a couple of interesting collaborations with Gary Duncan (bass/vocals). The psychedelic samba "All in My Mind" also highlights the often overlooked percussive contributions from Jose Reyes. Two of the more distinguished entries on What About Me are John Cipollinas raunchy blues instrumental "Local Color" -- replete with a driving backbeat reminiscent of their take on the Robert Johnson standard "Walkin Blues" -- as well as Nicky Hopkins emotive "Spindrifter." | ||
 | Album: 6 of 21 Title: Quicksilver Released: 1971-11 Tracks: 9 Duration: 38:35 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Hope (03:01) 2 I Found Love (03:56) 3 Song for Frisco (04:58) 4 Play My Guitar (04:38) 5 Rebel (02:02) 6 Fire Brothers (03:12) 7 Out of My Mind (04:34) 8 Dont Cry My Lady Love (05:12) 9 The Truth (06:58) |
| Quicksilver : Allmusic album Review : One of the groups better albums, despite coming so late in their history that it was ignored by almost everyone. "Hope," "Fire Brothers," and "Dont Cry for My Lady Love" are among the best songs the group ever cut, and "I Found Love" is one of the prettiest, most upbeat songs ever to come from any classic San Francisco band. Some of the rest is self-indulgent, but thats what this era of music was about -- the guitar pyrotechnics of "Song for Frisco" and "Play My Guitar" make them both more entertaining than their somewhat bland melodies; the latter song, in particular, sounds like a Marty Balin/Jefferson Airplane outtake that would have been right on target about four years before the release date of this album. The whole record feels that way, a throwback to the psychedelic era circa late 1967. Its also very much a folk-rock record, with a rich acoustic guitar texture on many of the songs. For the record, since the CD reissue has no personnel information, the band at this point was Dino Valenti (guitar, vocals), Greg Elmore (drums), Gary Duncan (vocals, guitar), Mark Ryan (bass), Mark Naftalin (keyboards), and Chuck Steaks (keyboards). If you ever wondered what the Airplane might have done as a follow-up to Surrealistic Pillow with Marty Balin still singing lead, this is it. | ||
 | Album: 7 of 21 Title: Comin Thru Released: 1972 Tracks: 7 Duration: 36:32 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Doin Time in the U.S.A. (04:18) 2 Chicken (03:59) 3 Changes (04:05) 4 California State Correctional Facility Blues (06:28) 5 Forty Days (05:51) 6 Mojo (05:37) 7 Dont Lose It (06:10) |
| Comin' Thru : Allmusic album Review : The last of Quicksilvers albums before they broke up is a disappointment, and a real poser for all but the most dedicated fans. The songwriting was getting thin by this time, as indicated by the presence of numbers like "Chicken," a traditional piece arranged by Dino Valenti, which is little more than four minutes of wasted time on a 36-minute record. This track, and Valentis promising but ultimately disappointing "Changes," were a sure sign that the band was delivering an album, but nothing more than that, as a way of fulfilling a contract; its even hard to visualize the group doing this material on-stage. The presence of trumpets, trombones, and saxes is also a problem, because they make Quicksilver sound more like Blood, Sweat & Tears than themselves, and Valenti wasnt David Clayton-Thomas. But then there are hard-rocking numbers like "Doin Time in the U.S.A." and "California State Correctional Facility Blues," which actually work, with slashing guitars, organ playing that is alternately soaring and funky, and a great beat. So about two-thirds of this album is what you would want and expect from Quicksilver, even if it isnt their best work, and the rest can be skipped. | ||
 | Album: 8 of 21 Title: Solid Silver Released: 1975 Tracks: 10 Duration: 38:09 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Gypsy Lights (03:43) 2 Heebie Jeebies (04:16) 3 Cowboy on the Run (03:15) 4 I Heard You Singing (03:46) 5 Worryin Shoes (03:27) 6 The Letter (04:04) 7 They Dont Know (03:52) 8 Flames (04:19) 9 Witches Moon (03:02) 10 Bittersweet Love (04:20) |
| Solid Silver : Allmusic album Review : Solid Silver is the last Quicksilver album to fit into the groups original time line -- although this was really a reunion rather than an actual continuation of their previous work, reestablishing however briefly the classic core lineup of Dino Valente, John Cipollina, David Freiberg, Greg Elmore, and Gary Duncan. And the results are impressive, even at times glorious and soaring, and not just on Valentes compositions, which fill six of the ten slots on the album. His work is as good as ever, and the haunting "Cowboy on the Run" was practically worth the price of the album. But its Gary Duncans "Gypsy Lights" that opens the album on a powerful yet lyrical (and memorable) note, and in more of a pop vein than listeners are accustomed to from this band; David Friebergs "I Heard You Singing" isnt bad, either, and is a lot closer to the bands classic sound. Most of the album represents a latter-day folk-rock (or blues-rock) cum acid sound, not too far removed from the virtuoso levels achieved earlier in the decade by the Jefferson Airplane, with the members fairly playing their hearts out here like its as urgent as any of their classic late-60s recordings. But perhaps that also explains the albums commercial failure -- released in 1975, it sounds as though its caught in a time warp about six or seven years in the past, which for some listeners was exactly where the band and its sound belonged. | ||
 | Album: 9 of 21 Title: Maiden of the Cancer Moon Released: 1983 Tracks: 10 Duration: 1:29:13 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Back Door Man (04:13) 2 Codine (06:11) 3 Mona (11:36) 4 Gold and Silver (13:29) 5 Smokestack Lightning (09:42) 1 Light Your Windows (03:03) 2 Dinos Song (03:32) 3 The Fool (13:11) 4 Who Do You Love? (12:33) 5 Mona (11:43) |
| Maiden of the Cancer Moon : Allmusic album Review : A double album of live material from 1968, this duplicates a lot of the material on Happy Trails and adds considerably more. This erratic collection reflects Quicksilvers best and worst qualities: The hard-driving blend of raga/folk/psychedelic rock is fine, while the blues jams are fairly awful. Besides "Who Do You Love?" and "Mona" (two versions), this LP has covers of "Back Door Man," "Smokestack Lightning," Buffy St. Maries "Codine," and versions of most of the songs from the first Quicksilver LP. The rendition of "The Fool" here eclipses the studio take, and the performance of "Gold and Silver" is fine except for the "Toad"-like drum solo. John Cipolinas slithery leads are consistently fine, and Quicksilver fans will find this worth the search. | ||
 | Album: 10 of 21 Title: The Best of Quicksilver Messenger Service Released: 1990 Tracks: 11 Duration: 51:10 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Who Do You Love (03:32) 2 What About Me (06:42) 3 Shady Grove (03:01) 4 Just for Love (04:36) 5 Fresh Air (05:21) 6 Pride of Man (04:07) 7 Dinos Song (03:05) 8 Josephs Coat (04:50) 9 Long Haired Lady (05:52) 10 California State Correctional Facility Blues (06:27) 11 Stand by Me (03:32) |
 | Album: 11 of 21 Title: Sons of Mercury: Best of 1968-1975 Released: 1991-08 Tracks: 30 Duration: 2:26:41 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Babe, Im Gonna Leave You (05:07) 2 Codine (05:21) 3 I Hear You Knockin (Its Too Late) (03:11) 4 Pride of Man (04:08) 5 Light Your Windows (02:38) 6 Dinos Song (03:09) 7 The Fool (12:08) 8 Gold and Silver (06:43) 9 Bears (02:12) 10 Who Do You Love? (single edit) (03:28) 11 Mona (07:01) 12 Maiden of the Cancer Moon (03:38) 13 Calvary (12:47) 14 Happy Trails (01:31) 1 Shady Grove (03:01) 2 Flute Song (05:25) 3 Josephs Coat (04:52) 4 Edward, the Mad Shirt Grinder (09:25) 5 Fresh Air (05:22) 6 Cobra (04:22) 7 Subway (04:28) 8 What About Me? (06:43) 9 Local Color (03:01) 10 Hope (03:03) 11 Fire Brothers (03:13) 12 Dont Cry My Lady Love (05:13) 13 I Found Love (03:58) 14 Doin Time in the U.S.A. (04:19) 15 Gypsy Lights (03:45) 16 Cowboy on the Run (03:16) |
 | Album: 12 of 21 Title: The Ultimate Journey Released: 1993 Tracks: 12 Duration: 58:27 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Who Do You Love (03:42) 2 Pride of Man (04:07) 3 Codine (05:25) 4 Dinos Song (03:06) 5 Gold and Silver (06:44) 6 Josephs Coat (04:51) 7 Shady Grove (03:02) 8 Fresh Air (05:24) 9 Too Far (04:34) 10 Stand by Me (03:34) 11 What About Me? (06:44) 12 Mona (07:10) |
| The Ultimate Journey : Allmusic album Review : This single-disc comp compiled from the first six Quicksilver Messenger Service albums is OK as a taste, but not much more. Quicksilvers first two albums, the first of which is self-titled and the second, Happy Trails, contained more than enough material on them to fill a single-disc comp. That said, many of the other cuts here, such as "Dinos Song," "Fresh Air," "Shady Grove," "What About Me?" the all too brief segment of "Who Do You Love" (a continuous, multi-part jam on Happy Trails), the beautiful reading of Buffy Sainte-Maries "Codine" (which actually appeared on Liberty as a single rather than Capitol), make for an excellent hour of listening but is by no means definitive. | ||
 | Album: 13 of 21 Title: Shape Shifter Vols. 1 & 2 Released: 1996 Tracks: 28 Duration: 2:06:09 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Rebel (04:54) 2 Big Bright Street (04:20) 3 The Dog Song (04:45) 4 Bubba Jeans (03:56) 5 Life Is So Funky (04:41) 6 Angeline (04:24) 7 Carnival Time in Nicaragua (04:36) 8 I Dont Wanna Hear It Anymore (04:34) 9 Dont Go to Strangers (06:54) 10 Richmond Welfare Strut (05:22) 11 Nobody but You (05:07) 12 Well Be Together (04:04) 13 Tattoo (04:33) 1 Rex Dark (03:52) 2 King-O-China (04:41) 3 Snowman/Nicas Dream (04:15) 4 The Fatman (03:52) 5 Steve McQueen (03:45) 6 Close Enuf for Jazz (04:30) 7 Dont Touch the Tip (04:20) 8 Gangster Purple (04:48) 9 Veracruz (04:13) 10 Whatd You Do to Yo Do (02:32) 11 Jackie Boy (04:09) 12 Blue Weasel on Ice (04:05) 13 H*****E Coochie Man (06:39) 14 Sugar Pie (03:36) 15 Holiday (04:26) |
 | Album: 14 of 21 Title: Live at Field Stone Released: 1997-11-15 Tracks: 7 Duration: 1:04:25 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Voodoo Boogie #1 (10:29) 2 Señor Blues (07:08) 3 Gator Bait (06:07) 4 Bubba Jeans (11:02) 5 Close Enuff for Jazz (08:29) 6 Maiden Voyage (15:38) 7 Fieldstone Shuffle (05:32) |
 | Album: 15 of 21 Title: Unreleased Quicksilver: Lost Gold and Silver Released: 1999 Tracks: 21 Duration: 2:04:30 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Back Door Man (04:15) 2 Codine (06:13) 3 Gold & Silver (12:02) 4 Smokestack Lightning (10:14) 5 Light Your Windows (03:05) 6 Dinos Song (03:32) 7 The Fool (13:14) 8 Who Do You Love (12:21) 9 Mona / Maiden of the Cancer Moon / Mona (11:34) 1 I Dont Want to Spoil Your Party (Dinos Song) (03:05) 2 Acapulco Gold and Silver (Gold and Silver) (02:37) 3 I Hear You Knockin (03:11) 4 Back Door Man (04:00) 5 Your Time Will Come (03:09) 6 Who Do You Love, Part 1 (05:58) 7 Walkin Blues (03:07) 8 Calvary (06:31) 9 Codine (05:21) 10 Babe Im Gonna Leave You (05:06) 11 Stand by Me (03:35) 12 The Bears (02:10) |
| Unreleased Quicksilver: Lost Gold and Silver : Allmusic album Review : By licensing these previously unreleased live and studio tracks (plus some previously released but rare material) from the Special Markets division of EMI-Capitol Music, the mail-order company Collectors Choice Music has legitimized Quicksilver Messenger Service recordings that had floated around on bootlegs and quasi-legal discs for many years. The performances all date from 1967-1968, a period during which Quicksilver consisted of lead guitarist John Cipollina, rhythm guitarist and singer Gary Duncan, bassist David Freiberg, and drummer Greg Elmore. As Richie Unterberger points out in his liner notes, "They were not so much singer-songwriters as they were virtuoso players and creative interpreters and stylists. They were not the greatest of vocalists or composers." True, but in Cipollina, with his tremolo-laden leads, they had one of the great San Francisco guitarists of the 60s. The first disc, titled "Studio," finds them struggling to pull together original songs for their debut LP, Quicksilver Messenger Service (May 1968), while the second disc, "Live from 1968," finds them playing some of these same songs in concert. By their second album, Happy Trails (March 1969), they had given up trying to get across in the studio and just recorded live, where they were far more comfortable. They were also more comfortable using blues and rock standards like "Back Door Man," "Smokestack Lightning," and "Who Do You Love" as jumping-off points for extended jams, or extrapolating the jazz standard "Take Five" into "Gold and Silver." Some performances age better than others -- many will find the long drum solo in the concert version of "Gold and Silver" uninspired -- but by and large, Quicksilvers live reputation stands up well. The second discs studio outtakes are more problematic, but nevertheless interesting, notably a horn-filled arrangement of "Back Door Man." Tacked on at the end are the groups two contributions to the soundtrack to Revolution, their one-off novelty single "Bears" (all previously reissued on the 1991 Rhino compilation Sons of Mercury), and the B-side of "Bears," the pretty acoustic ballad "Stand by Me" (an original penned by erstwhile bandmember Dino Valente, not the Ben E. King song), which has not been reissued since the single was released in 1968. | ||
 | Album: 16 of 21 Title: Classic Masters Released: 2002-02-25 Tracks: 12 Duration: 50:23 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Pride of Man (04:07) 2 Light Your Windows (02:36) 3 Who Do You Love, Part 1 (05:40) 4 Stand by Me (03:33) 5 Dinos Song (03:07) 6 Shady Grove (03:05) 7 Josephs Coat (04:49) 8 Flute Song (05:22) 9 Fresh Air (05:19) 10 What About Me (06:41) 11 Just for Love (02:57) 12 Hope (03:00) |
| Classic Masters : Allmusic album Review : Although this edition of Classic Masters doesnt quite do justice to a band that was at their core an album band, it nevertheless provides a good summary of their five albums for Capitol. Understandably, it concentrates on their first album, with no less than five of these 12 songs deriving from that platter, but it chooses from the other four wisely, resulting in a good, concise overview of the bands peak years. | ||
 | Album: 17 of 21 Title: Strange Trim Released: 2006 Tracks: 6 Duration: 1:03:36 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Dorado (10:31) 2 Strange Trim (10:29) 3 Bubba Jeans (06:45) 4 Inner City Blues (15:15) 5 Night in Tunisia (06:06) 6 Deja Voodoo (14:27) |
 | Album: 18 of 21 Title: At the Kabuki Theatre Released: 2007-02-19 Tracks: 22 Duration: 2:14:57 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Fresh Air (09:55) 2 New Year Jam (02:45) 3 Baby, Baby (04:26) 4 Too Far (03:39) 5 Truth (07:54) 6 Youre Gonna Need Somebody on Your Band (04:06) 7 Doctor Feelgood (05:53) 8 Cobra (04:34) 9 Song for Frisco (05:33) 10 Mona (09:13) 11 Subway (04:54) 1 What About Me (06:27) 2 Call on Me (15:29) 3 Pride of Man (04:20) 4 Local Colour (03:16) 5 Not Fade Away (05:32) 6 Mojo (09:26) 7 Freeway Flyer (07:07) 8 Subway (01:43) 9 Castles in the Sand (08:31) 10 Look Over Yonder Wall / State Farm (03:50) 11 Senor Blues (06:15) |
| At the Kabuki Theatre : Allmusic album Review : Released legally 36 years after the fact, the double-disc set At the Kabuki Theatre presents a recording of Quicksilver Messenger Services 1970 New Years Eve performance in San Francisco; the sound quality is surprisingly good, because the show was broadcast live that night by local radio station KMPX, resulting in a relatively clear recording. The concert came at a late point in Quicksilvers history. Exactly one year earlier, on New Years Eve 1969, the existing band consisting of guitarist John Cipollina, bassist David Freiberg, drummer Greg Elmore, and pianist Nicky Hopkins had been rejoined by guitarist Gary Duncan, who had left the group after its second album, Happy Trails, and singer/songwriter Dino Valente, who had been intended to be a member of Quicksilver at their formation in 1965, but was forced to serve a jail sentence for drugs instead. By now, with 1970 coming to a close, the band had made two albums full of Valentes songs, Just for Love and the newly released What About Me, and Hopkins had departed, leaving the group a quintet. Not surprisingly, the set was dominated by the recent material, and even looked forward to the next two Quicksilver albums. The opener, "Fresh Air" (which had climbed halfway up the Billboard Hot 100, Quicksilvers biggest hit single), Cipollinas instrumental "Cobra," and the closer, "Freeway Flyer," were from Just for Love; What About Me contributed five songs, "Baby, Baby," "Subway," "Call on Me," "Local Color," and the title track; "The Truth" and "Song for Frisco" would appear on Quicksilver 11 months hence; and "Mojo" would be held for 1972s Comin Thru. The pre-Valente era was accounted for only by "Pride of Man" from 1968s Quicksilver Messenger Service, "Mona" from Happy Trails, and "Too Far" from Shady Grove. As such, this is very much a performance by the Valente version of the band, making it more of a singer-with-backup-band show than the kind of jamming effort Quicksilver were known for from 1965 to 1969. Old-time fans might disdain it almost as much as they did the Valente-led albums, even though there is some excellent guitar playing by both Cipollina and Duncan, and, of course, Valentes songs are well written and sung. Any doubt about who was in charge is erased by the inclusion of excerpts from a Quicksilver rehearsal that fill out the second disc; here, Valente is running the show, directing the players in no uncertain terms. (It turned out that, whatever the original intentions, there wasnt enough room in the band for all these players; in the year after the Kabuki Theatre show, both Cipollina and Freiberg left Quicksilver.) | ||
 | Album: 19 of 21 Title: Reunion Released: 2009-05-11 Tracks: 18 Duration: 1:54:50 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Vera Cruz (01:47) 2 Edward (04:20) 3 Mona (08:52) 4 Pride of Man (05:26) 5 Steve McQueen (07:14) 6 Gold & Silver (07:34) 7 I Dont Want to Live in Fear (05:24) 8 Bubba Jeans (06:34) 9 Dinos Song (04:42) 1 Edward the Mad Shirt Grinder (05:05) 2 Vera Cruz (06:22) 3 Gypsy Lights (06:59) 4 Holiday (06:23) 5 Who Do You Love (08:32) 6 Harp Tree Lament (05:36) 7 Killing Floor (08:03) 8 Close Enough for Jazz (06:24) 9 Smokestack Lightning (09:33) |
 | Album: 20 of 21 Title: Castles in the Sand Released: 2009-05-18 Tracks: 12 Duration: 54:56 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Señor Blues (06:18) 2 Subway (01:43) 3 I Know You Rider #1 (03:54) 4 I Know You Rider #2 (04:34) 5 Walk in Jerusalem (02:43) 6 Castles in the Sand (08:31) 7 May You Never Be Alone (02:18) 8 Warm Red Wine (03:03) 9 State Farm (03:50) 10 Wake Up, Dead Man, Part 1 (05:34) 11 Wake Up, Dead Man, Part 2 (03:31) 12 The Fool (08:51) |
| Castles in the Sand : Allmusic album Review : On December 31, 1969, Quicksilver Messenger Service appeared at a New Years Eve show in San Francisco with their fourth different lineup since their formation in 1965. Originally, the band had been a quintet consisting of guitarist John Cipollina, singer Jim Murray, bassist David Freiberg, guitarist Gary Duncan, and drummer Greg Elmore. Murray dropped out before the recording and release of the groups self-titled debut album in May 1968. After the appearance of the second album, Happy Trails, in March 1969, Duncan departed and was replaced by keyboardist Nicky Hopkins for the third album, Shady Grove, released in December 1969. But at that New Years Eve show, Duncan returned, and he brought with him singer/songwriter/guitarist Dino Valente, who actually had been the original instigator of QMS, even though a prison term had prevented him from performing with the band at its inception, and after being paroled he had returned to his solo career. That might help explain how it could have been that Valente so thoroughly took charge of the group upon his belated arrival. Castles in the Sand brings into legitimate release a rehearsal tape of the newly reconfigured QMS, recorded either in late 1969 or early 1970, that has circulated among collectors and been bootlegged. Valentes domination is apparent throughout. He directs the rehearsal, stopping and starting the songs, calling out chord changes, giving instructions to the other musicians, and even making the admonition "Wake up" a couple of times. Still, this is a perfunctory run-through of material in which Valentes whiny voice is the major element. The set includes folk and country tunes like "I Know You Rider" that no doubt date from Valentes days as a folkie, along with evolving Valente originals such as an incomplete take of "Subway" (which would appear on the album What About Me a year later). The final track, "The Fool," is not the same song as the one with that title that appeared on the bands debut album. Never intended for commercial release, these recordings provide an interesting inside view of a band in transition, and they will be of interest to fans, but they do not come up even to the level of the Valente-led albums that followed with this lineup, Just for Love and What About Me. | ||
 | Album: 21 of 21 Title: Six String Voodoo Released: 2010-04-19 Tracks: 7 Duration: 58:56 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover | 1 Katmandu (08:32) 2 Round Midnight (13:33) 3 Pharoahs Dance (05:14) 4 Baghdad Boogie (15:09) 5 Dont Be Lonely (04:31) 6 Ants Romance (09:06) 7 Sketches of Blavatsky (02:49) |