Spirit (band)
Encyclopedia
Spirit was an American jazz
/hard rock
/progressive rock
/psychedelic
band
founded in 1967
, based in Los Angeles
, California
.
(guitars, vocals), Mark Andes
(bass) and Jay Ferguson
(vocals, percussion). With the addition of California's
stepfather Ed Cassidy
(drums), and keyboard player John Locke
the new band was originally named the Spirits Rebellious (after a book by Khalil Gibran
) but was soon shortened simply to Spirit. Randy California had also played with Jimi Hendrix
(then known as Jimmy James) in Jimmy James and the Blue Flames in 1966.
Cassidy was instantly recognizable by his shaven head (hence his nickname "Mr. Skin") and his fondness for wearing black. He was around twenty years older than the rest of the group (born in 1923). His earlier career was primarily in jazz
and included stints with Cannonball Adderley, Gerry Mulligan
, Roland Kirk
, Thelonious Monk
and Lee Konitz
. He was a founding member of Rising Sons
with Taj Mahal
and Ry Cooder
.
, Spirit
, was released in 1968. "Mechanical World" was released as a single
(it lists the playing time merely as "very long"). The album was a hit, reaching #31 on The Billboard 200 and staying on the charts
for over eight months. The album displayed jazz influences, as well as using elaborate string arrangements (not found on their subsequent recordings) and is the most overtly psychedelic
of their albums.
They capitalized on the success of their first album with another single, "I Got A Line On You". Released in November 1968, a month before their second album, The Family That Plays Together
, it became their biggest hit single, reaching #25 on the charts (#28 in Canada). The album matched its success, reaching #22. They also went on tour that year with support band Led Zeppelin
, who were heavily influenced by Spirit—Led Zeppelin played an extended medley during their early 1969 shows
that featured "Fresh Garbage" among other songs, Jimmy Page
's use of a theremin
has been attributed to his seeing Randy California use one that he had mounted to his amplifier
,
and it is now widely accepted that Page lifted the descending guitar figure from Spirit's instrumental "Taurus
" for Led Zeppelin's signature tune "Stairway To Heaven
".
After this success, the group was asked by French
film director
Jacques Demy
to record
the soundtrack
to his film
, Model Shop and they also made a brief appearance in the film. Their third album, Clear, released in 1969, reached #55 on the charts. Spirit were offered the spot right before Jimi Hendrix at Woodstock
, but they were advised to turn it down and concentrate on a promotional tour for their third album. Record company managers felt that the festival would not be significant, as it did not seem so at that time, and so they missed out on the massive international exposure that the festival and the subsequent film documentary generated.
was called upon again to give the group a hit single. With the group producing
the record
on their own, they recorded a song
California had written called "1984". It looked at first as though it would be the group's biggest hit yet. After being released in February 1970, it placed at #69 on the Billboard charts.
In retrospect, no one is sure why the single had such a brief chart life, but there are several possibilities. It is no secret that Lou Adler
's alliance with Epic Records
was uneasy at best, and at the time that the single was released, Adler's distribution deal with Epic came to an end. He had been eager to move distribution of the label to A&M Records
, which he did as soon as the deal with Epic ended, which might have killed the commercial availability of the single (though Adler ended up giving Spirit's contract to Epic in the process). It has also been said that there was a tip sheet distributed to radio station
s outlining the song's supposed political and social views, and opining that it might not be appropriate for air play. The song would finally see general release on The Best of Spirit in 1973.
In 1970, Spirit started working on what is widely considered to be their best LP, Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus
. On the recommendation of Neil Young
the band chose David Briggs
as the producer. It was a prolific time for the group's writers and the album was finally released in late 1970. Especially memorable was Randy California's poignant "Nature's Way," which was written in an afternoon when the group was playing at the Fillmore West
in San Francisco.
Epic released an early mix of "Animal Zoo" as a single, but this only made it to #97 on the charts. Like The Who
's Tommy
and Pink Floyd's The Dark Side of the Moon
, Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus is critically regarded as a landmark of art rock
, with a tapestry of literary themes about the fragility of life and the complexity of the human experience, illustrated by recurring lyric "life has just begun", and continued the group's pioneering exploration of environmental issues in their lyrics (cf. "Fresh Garbage"). The album is also notable for its inventive production and the use of a modular Moog synthesizer
.
.
Bass player John Arliss initially took Andes' place, and California was still in the line-up, but he had suffered a head injury from a horse riding accident and was unable to tour. Bass player Al Staehely
was recruited by Locke and Cassidy, and they toured briefly before deciding that they had to add a guitar player to do the music justice. Al's brother, John Christian Staehely auditioned for the band, and was quickly brought on board, with John departing the seminal Texas rock group "Krackerjack." Brothers John and Al, Cassidy and Locke, recorded the 1972 album Feedback
in Columbia/Epic's Hollywood studios. It was a different turn for the group, showing more of a country-rock influence pervading their jazzier tendencies, but it also met with a mild commercial response, reaching #63 in the charts (the same position, ironically, that Sardonicus reached). The tour for Feedback proceeded very well for much of that year, but with musical roots that went different directions, eventually both Cassidy and Locke left the lineup, with the Staehely brothers recruiting Stu Perry to play drums. While the tour was well received critically, Spirit disbanded in mid-1973. The brothers would release their own album, Sta-Hay-Lee, in 1973.
California, meanwhile, had recorded and issued his first solo album, Kapt. Kopter and the (Fabulous) Twirly Birds
, in late 1972. It featured appearances by Noel Redding
(as 'Clit McTorius'), Leslie Sampson (the drummer from Noel's band Road, as 'Henry Manchovitz') and Cassidy and had a hard rock
sound. After launching a brief tour to support the album, a follow-up album was recorded with Cassidy, entitled The Adventures Of Kaptain Kopter And Commander Cassidy In Potato Land. Though Locke made a guest appearance, it was not intended as a Spirit album at the time. Epic however rejected the completed album, and California moved to Molokai
, Hawaii
.
Epic Records decided to re-issue the group's first and third albums as a two-fer, entitled Spirit in 1973, in response to Sardonicus continuing to sell well, despite being off the charts. They also issued a compilation album
, The Best Of Spirit, that year, as well as releasing the Sardonicus track "Mr. Skin" as a single. Surprisingly, "Mr. Skin" became a minor hit, and the two-fer hit the charts (along with The Best Of Spirit), and there was new demand for the group. Cassidy decided to capitalize on this, and put together an entirely new group for touring purposes, which lasted throughout the year.
at the same time. Sound engineer/bassist
Barry Keene, who had been a personal sound engineer for Frank Zappa
, joined the band as its bass player.
In early 1975, the group was supposed to be the opening act for Ten Years After
at a show in Florida
, but when Ten Years After backed out at the last minute, Spirit was granted permission to take over the theatre for the evening. After going around to local radio stations to promote the show and setting a low ($3) ticket price, Spirit managed to sell out the 3,000 seat theatre. Using the profits from the show, they blocked out as much time as they could at a Tampa
studio
, "Studio 70".
After recording a huge amount of material at the studio, their manager at the time, Marshall Berle
(the nephew of Milton Berle
), offered the material to Mercury Records
. On the basis of the material, the group was offered a contract, and a double-album entitled Spirit of '76 was culled from the material and released in May 1975. The album garnered a bit of FM airplay, so they quickly followed it up with Son of Spirit
, released early the next year and featuring many songs taken from the same sessions.
For the tour in support of Son of Spirit, Locke re-joined the group. Eventually, Andes returned to the line-up as well, and though Ferguson declined to participate in the group reunion at first, the band (with the addition of Mark's brother Matt Andes as a second guitarist) recorded an album entitled Farther Along.
The album returned the group to the U.S.
charts one last time, peaking at #179. For a few shows at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, Ferguson re-joined the group. Disaster struck, however, when an inebriated Neil Young
walked onto stage to join the band during the final show's encore of "Like a Rolling Stone". Randy would later claim that he didn't recognize Young, but at the time was angry with Neil for upstaging what he saw as his own comeback to Southern California. Randy immediately moved over in front of Neil and began pushing him backwards, away from the microphone, back past the drumkit and offstage. Neil, along with a host of Hollywood music and film personas, including Hal Ashby, had been hanging out with the band backstage before they went on, and John Locke had invited him to join them in their encore. When Locke saw California pushing Young offstage, he got up from his piano and said that he had had enough and didn't ever want to play with Randy again, and promptly walked off stage. Cassidy initially quelled the situation by leaving his kit and physically pulling both California and Young back onstage to the microphone to close out the song, asking the audience to sing along with them. The audience stood, stunned at the scene that was playing out before them. The damage had been done, and the reunion ended that night.
Undaunted, California assembled what was basically a solo album as a Spirit album under the name Future Games: A Magical Kahauna Dream
. Mercury released it in early 1977, but it received no promotion, and it ended what little bit of commercial momentum the group might have regained. It also (initially) ended their contract with Mercury. At the same time, former bandmate Jay Ferguson
was having success in his solo career in late 1970s with the hits "Thunder Island" & "Shakedown Cruise".
The group, now down to a trio with new bassist Larry "Fuzzy" Knight, toured extensively throughout 1978, and recorded a live album
(1977) that was released (in slightly different configurations) in several countries by different independent labels. It was not a commercial success, and after the tour's end in 1979, California left the group again.
, a fan
presented him with a petition of 5,000 signatures, requesting the release of the Potato Land album from 1973. In 1981, California put out a half-hearted version of the album, featuring only part of the original album (and what was there featured overdubbing done after the fact) with the addition of a few unrelated songs that were recorded in the late 1970s. It was released in the U.S. by Rhino Records (being one of the first albums that they released) and in England by Beggars Banquet Records
, where it actually reached #40 in the UK Albums Chart
(the only time they would chart in England), possibly due to the album being played by BBC Radio 1
.
California's second solo album, Euro-American, was released in 1982 by Beggar's Banquet. He would release two more solo albums during the decade.
In December 1982, the original Spirit line-up reformed and recorded several songs from their first four albums (as well as a few new tracks) live on a soundstage. Though the album Spirit of '84 was initially recorded for an audiophile label, Mercury Records re-signed the band (and gave California a solo deal) and released the album in 1984. Despite the fact that all five original members were on the recording, and MTV
played the video
, the album was only a moderate success. Some of the original members went to do other projects, but California and Cassidy continued touring with new members Scott Monahan on keys and Dave Waterbury
on bass.
California headed to England and recorded his third solo album, the contemporary hard rock Restless, in late 1985. Following a few live dates in England, California returned to the United States and resumed touring extensively with Cassidy, Monahan and Waterbury. There was one more solo album from California; a collection of material entitled Shattered Dreams that was released in 1986.
California then secured a deal for Spirit with I.R.S. Records
, and Locke rejoined the band. They recorded an album in 1988 entitled Rapture in the Chambers
, but it failed to return them to the charts.
The group self-released Tent Of Miracles in 1990 and embarked on working almost continually for the next six years. Though they would release very few albums of new material during the decade, the group was always either recording or touring. California had his own home recording studio
since the early 1980s, though he had been making home recordings for years prior to that. Sadly, this renewed vigor came to an end on January 2, 1997, when California drowned off the coast of Hawaii
. He had been surfing
with his son, who got caught in a riptide. He managed to push his son to safety, but ended up losing his own life.
Though Cassidy did play a few dates with some former Spirit alumni under the name "Spirit Revisited" in 1998, California's death was effectively the end of the group.
Locke died from complications due to lymphoma
on 4 August 2006, although the date is sometimes given as 9 August.
sets. California had also prepared an anthology of material from the group's first stint with Mercury Records before he died entitled The Mercury Years. The two-CD set was released in early 1997, though it raised the ire of some fans who did not care for the fact that some of the material had been re-edited or featured overdubbing that was not present on the original releases.
Likewise, nearly all of Spirit's original albums are currently in print on CD. This is thanks to the efforts of Sony Records (with the Epic catalog, though Collector's Choice Music was the first to reissue Feedback
on CD in the U.S., following a brief release on disc in France
in the late 1990s) and Beat Goes On alongside Edsel, both UK labels (with the Mercury catalog, some of which had made it to CD prior to Beat Goes On and Edsel reissuing all of their Mercury albums). Their later independent albums are available through the group's website. The one album that is unavailable at this time is Rapture In The Chambers, which has not been reissued since the original 1988 release, though it was released on CD at that time.
Spirit has also found its work sampled by modern artists several times. The most notable of these was the "Extra P. Remix" of the song "Resurrection" by Common (which samples "Ice" from Clear) and "Feel Good Time
" by Pink
(which samples the track "Fresh Garbage").
The most important of the later group members are listed here:
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
/hard rock
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
/progressive rock
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
/psychedelic
Psychedelic music
Psychedelic music covers a range of popular music styles and genres, which are inspired by or influenced by psychedelic culture and which attempt to replicate and enhance the mind-altering experiences of psychedelic drugs. It emerged during the mid 1960s among folk rock and blues-rock bands in the...
band
Band (music)
In music, a musical ensemble or band is a group of musicians that works together to perform music. The following articles concern types of musical bands:* All-female band* Big band* Boy band* Christian band* Church band* Concert band* Cover band...
founded in 1967
1967 in music
The summer of 1967 is "The Summer of Love" in San Francisco. It also became an important year for psychedelic rock, with releases from The Beatles The summer of 1967 is "The Summer of Love" in San Francisco. It also became an important year for psychedelic rock, with releases from The Beatles The...
, based in Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
.
The original lineup
The original lineup of the group evolved from an earlier Los Angeles band, The Red Roosters, which included Randy CaliforniaRandy California
Randy California was a guitarist, singer and songwriter and one of the original members of the rock group Spirit, formed in 1967.-Biography:...
(guitars, vocals), Mark Andes
Mark Andes
Mark Andes is an American musician, known for his work as a bassist with Spirit, Jo Jo Gunne, Firefall, Heart, and Mirabal.-Early life:...
(bass) and Jay Ferguson
Jay Ferguson (American musician)
Jay Ferguson is an American rock and roll musician, known for his work with Spirit and Jo Jo Gunne, and his 1978 solo hit "Thunder Island". His later career has been as a composer of music for television programs and films.-Childhood and early musical career:He was born in Burbank, California, in...
(vocals, percussion). With the addition of California's
Randy California
Randy California was a guitarist, singer and songwriter and one of the original members of the rock group Spirit, formed in 1967.-Biography:...
stepfather Ed Cassidy
Ed Cassidy
Ed "Cass" Cassidy is an American drummer who was one of the founders of the rock group Spirit in 1967.His family moved to Bakersfield, California, in 1931, and he started as a professional musician in 1937. He was in the Navy during World War II, and after his discharge worked at many jobs before...
(drums), and keyboard player John Locke
John Locke (musician)
John Tilden Locke was an American rock keyboardist and a member of the rock group Spirit. Locke was also a member of the band Nazareth in the early 1980s....
the new band was originally named the Spirits Rebellious (after a book by Khalil Gibran
Khalil Gibran
Khalil Gibran Jubrān Khalīl Jubrān,Jibrān Khalīl Jibrān, or Jibrān Xalīl Jibrān; Arabic , January 6, 1883 – April 10, 1931) also known as Kahlil Gibran, was a Lebanese American artist, poet, and writer...
) but was soon shortened simply to Spirit. Randy California had also played with Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
(then known as Jimmy James) in Jimmy James and the Blue Flames in 1966.
Cassidy was instantly recognizable by his shaven head (hence his nickname "Mr. Skin") and his fondness for wearing black. He was around twenty years older than the rest of the group (born in 1923). His earlier career was primarily in jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
and included stints with Cannonball Adderley, Gerry Mulligan
Gerry Mulligan
Gerald Joseph "Gerry" Mulligan was an American jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, composer and arranger. Though Mulligan is primarily known as one of the leading baritone saxophonists in jazz history – playing the instrument with a light and airy tone in the era of cool jazz – he was also...
, Roland Kirk
Rahsaan Roland Kirk
Rahsaan Roland Kirk was an American jazz multi-instrumentalist who played tenor saxophone, flute and many other instruments...
, Thelonious Monk
Thelonious Monk
Thelonious Sphere Monk was an American jazz pianist and composer considered "one of the giants of American music". Monk had a unique improvisational style and made numerous contributions to the standard jazz repertoire, including "Epistrophy", "'Round Midnight", "Blue Monk", "Straight, No Chaser"...
and Lee Konitz
Lee Konitz
Lee Konitz is an American jazz composer and alto saxophonist born in Chicago, Illinois.Generally considered one of the driving forces of Cool Jazz, Konitz has also performed successfully in bebop and avant-garde settings...
. He was a founding member of Rising Sons
Rising Sons
Rising Sons was a Los Angeles, California-based band founded in 1964. The original lineup was Ry Cooder , Taj Mahal , Gary Marker , Jesse Lee Kincaid and Ed Cassidy...
with Taj Mahal
Taj Mahal (musician)
Henry Saint Clair Fredericks , who uses the stage name Taj Mahal, is an American Grammy Award winning blues musician. He incorporates elements of world music into his music...
and Ry Cooder
Ry Cooder
Ryland Peter "Ry" Cooder is an American guitarist, singer and composer. He is known for his slide guitar work, his interest in roots music from the United States, and, more recently, his collaborations with traditional musicians from many countries.His solo work has been eclectic, encompassing...
.
1960s
The group's first albumAlbum
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
, Spirit
Spirit (Spirit album)
Spirit's self-titled debut album is one whose multifarious experimentalism owes a lot to the contemporary successes of The Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band and Pink Floyd's The Piper at the Gates of Dawn. It marked the humble beginnings and grand aspirations of its eponymous authors...
, was released in 1968. "Mechanical World" was released as a single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
(it lists the playing time merely as "very long"). The album was a hit, reaching #31 on The Billboard 200 and staying on the charts
Record chart
A record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
for over eight months. The album displayed jazz influences, as well as using elaborate string arrangements (not found on their subsequent recordings) and is the most overtly psychedelic
Psychedelic
The term psychedelic is derived from the Greek words ψυχή and δηλοῦν , translating to "soul-manifesting". A psychedelic experience is characterized by the striking perception of aspects of one's mind previously unknown, or by the creative exuberance of the mind liberated from its ostensibly...
of their albums.
They capitalized on the success of their first album with another single, "I Got A Line On You". Released in November 1968, a month before their second album, The Family That Plays Together
The Family That Plays Together
The Family That Plays Together, the second of four albums released by the original Spirit lineup, was marketed by Ode Records in 1968. Unlike its predecessor, Spirit, their self-titled and surreal debut, The Family That Plays Together evinces more greatly the band's ability for playing beyond the...
, it became their biggest hit single, reaching #25 on the charts (#28 in Canada). The album matched its success, reaching #22. They also went on tour that year with support band Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham...
, who were heavily influenced by Spirit—Led Zeppelin played an extended medley during their early 1969 shows
Concert
A concert is a live performance before an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, a choir, or a musical band...
that featured "Fresh Garbage" among other songs, Jimmy Page
Jimmy Page
James Patrick "Jimmy" Page, OBE is an English multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and record producer. He began his career as a studio session guitarist in London and was subsequently a member of The Yardbirds from 1966 to 1968, after which he founded the English rock band Led Zeppelin.Jimmy Page...
's use of a theremin
Theremin
The theremin , originally known as the aetherphone/etherophone, thereminophone or termenvox/thereminvox is an early electronic musical instrument controlled without discernible physical contact from the player. It is named after its Russian inventor, Professor Léon Theremin, who patented the device...
has been attributed to his seeing Randy California use one that he had mounted to his amplifier
Amplifier
Generally, an amplifier or simply amp, is a device for increasing the power of a signal.In popular use, the term usually describes an electronic amplifier, in which the input "signal" is usually a voltage or a current. In audio applications, amplifiers drive the loudspeakers used in PA systems to...
,
and it is now widely accepted that Page lifted the descending guitar figure from Spirit's instrumental "Taurus
Taurus (song)
"Taurus" is a rock instrumental by American rock band Spirit, originally released on their self-titled debut album in 1968. The track, composed by guitarist/singer Randy California, was recorded in November 1967. It has been suggested that Jimmy Page borrowed the descending guitar figure from...
" for Led Zeppelin's signature tune "Stairway To Heaven
Stairway to Heaven
"Stairway to Heaven" is a song by the English rock band Led Zeppelin, released in late 1971. It was composed by guitarist Jimmy Page and vocalist Robert Plant for the band's untitled fourth studio album . The song, running eight minutes and two seconds, is composed of several sections, which...
".
After this success, the group was asked by French
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
film director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
Jacques Demy
Jacques Demy
Jacques Demy was one of the most approachable filmmakers to appear in the wake of the French New Wave. Uninterested in the formal experimentation of Alain Resnais, or the political agitation of Jean-Luc Godard, Demy instead created a self-contained fantasy world closer to that of François...
to record
Sound recording and reproduction
Sound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...
the soundtrack
Soundtrack
A soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
to his film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
, Model Shop and they also made a brief appearance in the film. Their third album, Clear, released in 1969, reached #55 on the charts. Spirit were offered the spot right before Jimi Hendrix at Woodstock
Woodstock Festival
Woodstock Music & Art Fair was a music festival, billed as "An Aquarian Exposition: 3 Days of Peace & Music". It was held at Max Yasgur's 600-acre dairy farm in the Catskills near the hamlet of White Lake in the town of Bethel, New York, from August 15 to August 18, 1969...
, but they were advised to turn it down and concentrate on a promotional tour for their third album. Record company managers felt that the festival would not be significant, as it did not seem so at that time, and so they missed out on the massive international exposure that the festival and the subsequent film documentary generated.
"1984" and the Sardonicus era
After the release of Clear, Californiawas called upon again to give the group a hit single. With the group producing
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
the record
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
on their own, they recorded a song
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
California had written called "1984". It looked at first as though it would be the group's biggest hit yet. After being released in February 1970, it placed at #69 on the Billboard charts.
In retrospect, no one is sure why the single had such a brief chart life, but there are several possibilities. It is no secret that Lou Adler
Lou Adler
Lou Adler is an American record producer, manager, and director.-Life and career:Adler was born in Chicago, Illinois in December 1933, and raised in East Los Angeles. In 1964, Adler founded and co-owned Dunhill Records. He was President of the label as well as the chief record producer from 1964...
's alliance with Epic Records
Epic Records
Epic Records is an American record label, owned by Sony Music Entertainment. Though it was originally conceived as a jazz imprint, it has since expanded to represent various genres. L.A...
was uneasy at best, and at the time that the single was released, Adler's distribution deal with Epic came to an end. He had been eager to move distribution of the label to A&M Records
A&M Records
A&M Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group that operates under the mantle of its Interscope-Geffen-A&M division.-Beginnings:...
, which he did as soon as the deal with Epic ended, which might have killed the commercial availability of the single (though Adler ended up giving Spirit's contract to Epic in the process). It has also been said that there was a tip sheet distributed to radio station
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
s outlining the song's supposed political and social views, and opining that it might not be appropriate for air play. The song would finally see general release on The Best of Spirit in 1973.
In 1970, Spirit started working on what is widely considered to be their best LP, Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus
Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus
Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus is the fourth album by the psychedelic rock ensemble Spirit. Produced by David Briggs, who is best known for his work with Neil Young. The original LP was released in 1970 by Epic....
. On the recommendation of Neil Young
Neil Young
Neil Percival Young, OC, OM is a Canadian singer-songwriter who is widely regarded as one of the most influential musicians of his generation...
the band chose David Briggs
David Briggs (producer)
David Briggs was an American record producer best known for his work with Neil Young and his band Crazy Horse. He is noted for his eclectic imagination and style.-Early life:David Briggs was born in Douglas, Wyoming...
as the producer. It was a prolific time for the group's writers and the album was finally released in late 1970. Especially memorable was Randy California's poignant "Nature's Way," which was written in an afternoon when the group was playing at the Fillmore West
Fillmore West
The Fillmore West was an historic music venue in San Francisco, California made famous by concert promoter Bill Graham. Named after Graham's original "Fillmore" location at the intersection of Fillmore Street and Geary Boulevard, it stood at Market Street and South Van Ness Avenue and was formerly...
in San Francisco.
Epic released an early mix of "Animal Zoo" as a single, but this only made it to #97 on the charts. Like The Who
The Who
The Who are an English rock band formed in 1964 by Roger Daltrey , Pete Townshend , John Entwistle and Keith Moon . They became known for energetic live performances which often included instrument destruction...
's Tommy
Tommy (rock opera)
Tommy is the fourth album by English rock band The Who, released by Track Records and Polydor Records in the United Kingdom and Decca Records/MCA in the United States. A double album telling a loose story about a "deaf, dumb and blind boy" who becomes the leader of a messianic movement, Tommy was...
and Pink Floyd's The Dark Side of the Moon
The Dark Side of the Moon
The Dark Side of the Moon is the eighth studio album by English progressive rock band Pink Floyd, released in March 1973. It built on ideas explored in the band's earlier recordings and live shows, but lacks the extended instrumental excursions that characterised their work following the departure...
, Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus is critically regarded as a landmark of art rock
Art rock
Art rock is a subgenre of rock music that originated in the United Kingdom in the 1960s, with influences from art, avant-garde, and classical music. The first usage of the term, according to Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, was in 1968. Influenced by the work of The Beatles, most notably their Sgt...
, with a tapestry of literary themes about the fragility of life and the complexity of the human experience, illustrated by recurring lyric "life has just begun", and continued the group's pioneering exploration of environmental issues in their lyrics (cf. "Fresh Garbage"). The album is also notable for its inventive production and the use of a modular Moog synthesizer
Moog synthesizer
Moog synthesizer may refer to any number of analog synthesizers designed by Dr. Robert Moog or manufactured by Moog Music, and is commonly used as a generic term for older-generation analog music synthesizers. The Moog company pioneered the commercial manufacture of modular voltage-controlled...
.
1971–1973
After the group undertook a promotional tour to support the album Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus, Ferguson and Andes left the group, forming Jo Jo GunneJo Jo Gunne
Jo Jo Gunne is a rock band, formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1971 by Jay Ferguson and Mark Andes after they had left Spirit...
.
Bass player John Arliss initially took Andes' place, and California was still in the line-up, but he had suffered a head injury from a horse riding accident and was unable to tour. Bass player Al Staehely
Al Staehely
Al Staehely was a singer/songwriter from the 1970s. He was featured in Spirit, The Staehely Brothers, The Nick Gravenites John Cipollina Band and recorded with labels such as Epic and Polydor.He is now an entertainment lawyer based in Houston, Texas...
was recruited by Locke and Cassidy, and they toured briefly before deciding that they had to add a guitar player to do the music justice. Al's brother, John Christian Staehely auditioned for the band, and was quickly brought on board, with John departing the seminal Texas rock group "Krackerjack." Brothers John and Al, Cassidy and Locke, recorded the 1972 album Feedback
Feedback (Spirit album)
Feedback is the fifth album by the rock & roll band Spirit. Released in 1972, it was the first Spirit album without original members Jay Ferguson and Mark Andes, and it was also the only Spirit album that did not feature Randy California performing on it, as California had left the group to pursue...
in Columbia/Epic's Hollywood studios. It was a different turn for the group, showing more of a country-rock influence pervading their jazzier tendencies, but it also met with a mild commercial response, reaching #63 in the charts (the same position, ironically, that Sardonicus reached). The tour for Feedback proceeded very well for much of that year, but with musical roots that went different directions, eventually both Cassidy and Locke left the lineup, with the Staehely brothers recruiting Stu Perry to play drums. While the tour was well received critically, Spirit disbanded in mid-1973. The brothers would release their own album, Sta-Hay-Lee, in 1973.
California, meanwhile, had recorded and issued his first solo album, Kapt. Kopter and the (Fabulous) Twirly Birds
Kapt. Kopter and the (Fabulous) Twirly Birds
-Personnel:*Randy California – vocals, guitar, waterbass , producer*Charlie Bundy – bass*Ed Cassidy - drums*Roger Dollarhide – engineer*Larry "Fuzzy" Knight – bass*Tim McGovern - drums...
, in late 1972. It featured appearances by Noel Redding
Noel Redding
Noel Redding was an English rock and roll guitarist best known as the bassist for The Jimi Hendrix Experience.-Biography:...
(as 'Clit McTorius'), Leslie Sampson (the drummer from Noel's band Road, as 'Henry Manchovitz') and Cassidy and had a hard rock
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
sound. After launching a brief tour to support the album, a follow-up album was recorded with Cassidy, entitled The Adventures Of Kaptain Kopter And Commander Cassidy In Potato Land. Though Locke made a guest appearance, it was not intended as a Spirit album at the time. Epic however rejected the completed album, and California moved to Molokai
Molokai
Molokai or Molokai is an island in the Hawaiian archipelago. It is 38 by 10 miles in size with a land area of , making it the fifth largest of the main Hawaiian Islands and the 27th largest island in the United States. It lies east of Oahu across the 25-mile wide Kaiwi Channel and north of...
, Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
.
Epic Records decided to re-issue the group's first and third albums as a two-fer, entitled Spirit in 1973, in response to Sardonicus continuing to sell well, despite being off the charts. They also issued a compilation album
Compilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
, The Best Of Spirit, that year, as well as releasing the Sardonicus track "Mr. Skin" as a single. Surprisingly, "Mr. Skin" became a minor hit, and the two-fer hit the charts (along with The Best Of Spirit), and there was new demand for the group. Cassidy decided to capitalize on this, and put together an entirely new group for touring purposes, which lasted throughout the year.
The Mercury years (1974-1979)
In 1974 Cassidy made it a point to find and re-establish contact with Randy California. He eventually persuaded California to return to the mainland and give the band another shot. Andes worked with the duo for a while, but never intended to stay, as he was in the process of working with the group FirefallFirefall
Firefall is a rock band that formed in Boulder, Colorado in 1974. It was founded by Rick Roberts, who had been in the Flying Burrito Brothers, and Jock Bartley, who had been Tommy Bolin's replacement in Zephyr. The band's biggest hit single, "You Are the Woman", peaked at #9 on the Billboard charts...
at the same time. Sound engineer/bassist
Bassist
A bass player, or bassist is a musician who plays a bass instrument such as a double bass, bass guitar, keyboard bass or a low brass instrument such as a tuba or sousaphone. Different musical genres tend to be associated with one or more of these instruments...
Barry Keene, who had been a personal sound engineer for Frank Zappa
Frank Zappa
Frank Vincent Zappa was an American composer, singer-songwriter, electric guitarist, record producer and film director. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Zappa wrote rock, jazz, orchestral and musique concrète works. He also directed feature-length films and music videos, and designed...
, joined the band as its bass player.
In early 1975, the group was supposed to be the opening act for Ten Years After
Ten Years After
Ten Years After is an English blues-rock band, most popular in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Between 1968 and 1973, Ten Years After scored eight Top 40 albums on the UK Albums Chart...
at a show in Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, but when Ten Years After backed out at the last minute, Spirit was granted permission to take over the theatre for the evening. After going around to local radio stations to promote the show and setting a low ($3) ticket price, Spirit managed to sell out the 3,000 seat theatre. Using the profits from the show, they blocked out as much time as they could at a Tampa
Tâmpa
Tâmpa may refer to several villages in Romania:* Tâmpa, a village in Băcia Commune, Hunedoara County* Tâmpa, a village in Miercurea Nirajului, Mureş County* Tâmpa, a mountain in Braşov city...
studio
Recording studio
A recording studio is a facility for sound recording and mixing. Ideally both the recording and monitoring spaces are specially designed by an acoustician to achieve optimum acoustic properties...
, "Studio 70".
After recording a huge amount of material at the studio, their manager at the time, Marshall Berle
Marshall Berle
Marshall Berle, nephew of Milton Berle, was manager of the Los Angeles rock bands Spirit, Van Halen, and Ratt. He is the founder and President of Laugh.Com, a comedy record label....
(the nephew of Milton Berle
Milton Berle
Milton Berlinger , better known as Milton Berle, was an American comedian and actor. As the manic host of NBC's Texaco Star Theater , in 1948 he was the first major star of U.S. television and as such became known as Uncle Miltie and Mr...
), offered the material to Mercury Records
Mercury Records
Mercury Records is a record label operating as a standalone company in the UK and as part of the Island Def Jam Motown Music Group in the US; both are subsidiaries of Universal Music Group. There is also a Mercury Records in Australia, which is a local artist and repertoire division of Universal...
. On the basis of the material, the group was offered a contract, and a double-album entitled Spirit of '76 was culled from the material and released in May 1975. The album garnered a bit of FM airplay, so they quickly followed it up with Son of Spirit
Son of Spirit
- Spirit :*Randy California - Bass, Guitar, Vocals*Ed Cassidy - Percussion, Drums*Barry Keane - Bass- Production :*Gary Brandt - Engineer*Barry Keene - Engineer*Steve Mantoani - Engineer*Blair Mooney - Engineer*Keith Olsen - Engineer...
, released early the next year and featuring many songs taken from the same sessions.
For the tour in support of Son of Spirit, Locke re-joined the group. Eventually, Andes returned to the line-up as well, and though Ferguson declined to participate in the group reunion at first, the band (with the addition of Mark's brother Matt Andes as a second guitarist) recorded an album entitled Farther Along.
The album returned the group to the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
charts one last time, peaking at #179. For a few shows at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, Ferguson re-joined the group. Disaster struck, however, when an inebriated Neil Young
Neil Young
Neil Percival Young, OC, OM is a Canadian singer-songwriter who is widely regarded as one of the most influential musicians of his generation...
walked onto stage to join the band during the final show's encore of "Like a Rolling Stone". Randy would later claim that he didn't recognize Young, but at the time was angry with Neil for upstaging what he saw as his own comeback to Southern California. Randy immediately moved over in front of Neil and began pushing him backwards, away from the microphone, back past the drumkit and offstage. Neil, along with a host of Hollywood music and film personas, including Hal Ashby, had been hanging out with the band backstage before they went on, and John Locke had invited him to join them in their encore. When Locke saw California pushing Young offstage, he got up from his piano and said that he had had enough and didn't ever want to play with Randy again, and promptly walked off stage. Cassidy initially quelled the situation by leaving his kit and physically pulling both California and Young back onstage to the microphone to close out the song, asking the audience to sing along with them. The audience stood, stunned at the scene that was playing out before them. The damage had been done, and the reunion ended that night.
Undaunted, California assembled what was basically a solo album as a Spirit album under the name Future Games: A Magical Kahauna Dream
Future Games (album)
- Spirit :*Terry Anderson - Vocals*Randy California - Bass, Guitar, Vocals*Ed Cassidy - Percussion, Drums*Joe Kotleba - Synthesizer- Production :*Blair Mooney - Engineer*Jim Schubert - Art Direction*Wally Traugott - Mastering...
. Mercury released it in early 1977, but it received no promotion, and it ended what little bit of commercial momentum the group might have regained. It also (initially) ended their contract with Mercury. At the same time, former bandmate Jay Ferguson
Jay Ferguson (American musician)
Jay Ferguson is an American rock and roll musician, known for his work with Spirit and Jo Jo Gunne, and his 1978 solo hit "Thunder Island". His later career has been as a composer of music for television programs and films.-Childhood and early musical career:He was born in Burbank, California, in...
was having success in his solo career in late 1970s with the hits "Thunder Island" & "Shakedown Cruise".
The group, now down to a trio with new bassist Larry "Fuzzy" Knight, toured extensively throughout 1978, and recorded a live album
Live album
A live album is a recording consisting of material recorded during stage performances using remote recording techniques, commonly contrasted with a studio album...
(1977) that was released (in slightly different configurations) in several countries by different independent labels. It was not a commercial success, and after the tour's end in 1979, California left the group again.
The 1980s and beyond
After Spirit's demise, California put together another group with the intent of re-starting his solo career. This was short-lived, but while in EnglandEngland
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, a fan
Fan (person)
A Fan, sometimes also called aficionado or supporter, is a person with a liking and enthusiasm for something, such as a band or a sports team. Fans of a particular thing or person constitute its fanbase or fandom...
presented him with a petition of 5,000 signatures, requesting the release of the Potato Land album from 1973. In 1981, California put out a half-hearted version of the album, featuring only part of the original album (and what was there featured overdubbing done after the fact) with the addition of a few unrelated songs that were recorded in the late 1970s. It was released in the U.S. by Rhino Records (being one of the first albums that they released) and in England by Beggars Banquet Records
Beggars Banquet Records
Beggars Banquet is an English independent record label that began as a chain of record shops owned by Martin Mills and Nick Austin, and is part of the Beggars Group of labels...
, where it actually reached #40 in the UK Albums Chart
UK Albums Chart
The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
(the only time they would chart in England), possibly due to the album being played by BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
.
California's second solo album, Euro-American, was released in 1982 by Beggar's Banquet. He would release two more solo albums during the decade.
In December 1982, the original Spirit line-up reformed and recorded several songs from their first four albums (as well as a few new tracks) live on a soundstage. Though the album Spirit of '84 was initially recorded for an audiophile label, Mercury Records re-signed the band (and gave California a solo deal) and released the album in 1984. Despite the fact that all five original members were on the recording, and MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
played the video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
, the album was only a moderate success. Some of the original members went to do other projects, but California and Cassidy continued touring with new members Scott Monahan on keys and Dave Waterbury
Dave Waterbury
Dave Waterbury is an American music producer, musician, and songwriter from Hoffman Estates, Illinois.-General information:Waterbury was a member the rock band Spirit, having of played bass guitar and sang on three tours in the 1980s...
on bass.
California headed to England and recorded his third solo album, the contemporary hard rock Restless, in late 1985. Following a few live dates in England, California returned to the United States and resumed touring extensively with Cassidy, Monahan and Waterbury. There was one more solo album from California; a collection of material entitled Shattered Dreams that was released in 1986.
California then secured a deal for Spirit with I.R.S. Records
I.R.S. Records
I.R.S. Records was a record label, started in the United States in 1979 by Miles Copeland III along with Jay Boberg and Carl Grasso. Miles was also the manager of Wishbone Ash, The Police, and later, Sting, as well as other bands. I.R.S. was the sister label of Copeland's Illegal Records .I.R.S...
, and Locke rejoined the band. They recorded an album in 1988 entitled Rapture in the Chambers
Rapture in the Chambers
- Spirit :*Mark Andes - Bass, Vocals*Randy California - Bass, Guitar, Vocals*Ed Cassidy - Percussion, Drums*John Locke - Keyboards, Sound Effects*Curly Smith - Percussion, Drums, Vocals*Janet Wolfe - Vocals- Production :*Mike Nile - Engineer...
, but it failed to return them to the charts.
The group self-released Tent Of Miracles in 1990 and embarked on working almost continually for the next six years. Though they would release very few albums of new material during the decade, the group was always either recording or touring. California had his own home recording studio
Recording studio
A recording studio is a facility for sound recording and mixing. Ideally both the recording and monitoring spaces are specially designed by an acoustician to achieve optimum acoustic properties...
since the early 1980s, though he had been making home recordings for years prior to that. Sadly, this renewed vigor came to an end on January 2, 1997, when California drowned off the coast of Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
. He had been surfing
Surfing
Surfing' is a surface water sport in which the surfer rides a surfboard on the crest and face of a wave which is carrying the surfer towards the shore...
with his son, who got caught in a riptide. He managed to push his son to safety, but ended up losing his own life.
Though Cassidy did play a few dates with some former Spirit alumni under the name "Spirit Revisited" in 1998, California's death was effectively the end of the group.
Locke died from complications due to lymphoma
Lymphoma
Lymphoma is a cancer in the lymphatic cells of the immune system. Typically, lymphomas present as a solid tumor of lymphoid cells. Treatment might involve chemotherapy and in some cases radiotherapy and/or bone marrow transplantation, and can be curable depending on the histology, type, and stage...
on 4 August 2006, although the date is sometimes given as 9 August.
Posthumous
California's passing, however, did not mark the end of the emergence of Spirit material. Starting in 2000, there have been five collections of previously unreleased studio and live material, four of which were two-CDCompact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
sets. California had also prepared an anthology of material from the group's first stint with Mercury Records before he died entitled The Mercury Years. The two-CD set was released in early 1997, though it raised the ire of some fans who did not care for the fact that some of the material had been re-edited or featured overdubbing that was not present on the original releases.
Likewise, nearly all of Spirit's original albums are currently in print on CD. This is thanks to the efforts of Sony Records (with the Epic catalog, though Collector's Choice Music was the first to reissue Feedback
Feedback (Spirit album)
Feedback is the fifth album by the rock & roll band Spirit. Released in 1972, it was the first Spirit album without original members Jay Ferguson and Mark Andes, and it was also the only Spirit album that did not feature Randy California performing on it, as California had left the group to pursue...
on CD in the U.S., following a brief release on disc in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in the late 1990s) and Beat Goes On alongside Edsel, both UK labels (with the Mercury catalog, some of which had made it to CD prior to Beat Goes On and Edsel reissuing all of their Mercury albums). Their later independent albums are available through the group's website. The one album that is unavailable at this time is Rapture In The Chambers, which has not been reissued since the original 1988 release, though it was released on CD at that time.
Spirit has also found its work sampled by modern artists several times. The most notable of these was the "Extra P. Remix" of the song "Resurrection" by Common (which samples "Ice" from Clear) and "Feel Good Time
Feel Good Time
"Feel Good Time" is a song by Pink featuring William Orbit. It was on the soundtrack of the 2003 film Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle and was later included on the non-U.S. editions of Pink's third album, Try This. "Feel Good Time" samples "Fresh-Garbage" by the band Spirit, from their 1968 album...
" by Pink
Pink (singer)
Alecia Beth Moore , better known by her stage name Pink , is an American singer-songwriter, musician and actress....
(which samples the track "Fresh Garbage").
Original lineup
- Randy CaliforniaRandy CaliforniaRandy California was a guitarist, singer and songwriter and one of the original members of the rock group Spirit, formed in 1967.-Biography:...
(guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, vocals) - Ed CassidyEd CassidyEd "Cass" Cassidy is an American drummer who was one of the founders of the rock group Spirit in 1967.His family moved to Bakersfield, California, in 1931, and he started as a professional musician in 1937. He was in the Navy during World War II, and after his discharge worked at many jobs before...
(drumDrumThe drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments, which is technically classified as the membranophones. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player's hands, or with a...
s) - John LockeJohn Locke (musician)John Tilden Locke was an American rock keyboardist and a member of the rock group Spirit. Locke was also a member of the band Nazareth in the early 1980s....
(keyboardSynthesizerA synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
s) - Mark AndesMark AndesMark Andes is an American musician, known for his work as a bassist with Spirit, Jo Jo Gunne, Firefall, Heart, and Mirabal.-Early life:...
(bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
) - Jay FergusonJay Ferguson (American musician)Jay Ferguson is an American rock and roll musician, known for his work with Spirit and Jo Jo Gunne, and his 1978 solo hit "Thunder Island". His later career has been as a composer of music for television programs and films.-Childhood and early musical career:He was born in Burbank, California, in...
(vocals, percussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
)
Later members
Following Sardonicus, many musicians passed through the group's ranks. Most of them did not make a huge contribution to the group's sound, but some did.The most important of the later group members are listed here:
- Al StaehelyAl StaehelyAl Staehely was a singer/songwriter from the 1970s. He was featured in Spirit, The Staehely Brothers, The Nick Gravenites John Cipollina Band and recorded with labels such as Epic and Polydor.He is now an entertainment lawyer based in Houston, Texas...
, bass, lead vocals - John Christian Staehely, guitar, vocals
- Larry "Fuzzy" Knight, bass, vocals
- Steve "Liberty" Loria, bass, vocals
- Scott Monahan, keyboards, vocals
- Dave WaterburyDave WaterburyDave Waterbury is an American music producer, musician, and songwriter from Hoffman Estates, Illinois.-General information:Waterbury was a member the rock band Spirit, having of played bass guitar and sang on three tours in the 1980s...
, bass, vocals - Mike Nile, bass, vocals
- George Valuck, keyboards
- Walter EganWalter EganWalter Egan is an American rock musician, best known for his 1978 gold status hit single "Magnet and Steel" from his album Not Shy, produced by Lindsey Buckingham and Richard Dashut of Fleetwood Mac fame...
bass, vocals - Stu Perry, drums (known for being the drummer who was crushed by the grand piano, in the movie, The Poseidon Adventure)
Studio albums
- SpiritSpirit (Spirit album)Spirit's self-titled debut album is one whose multifarious experimentalism owes a lot to the contemporary successes of The Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band and Pink Floyd's The Piper at the Gates of Dawn. It marked the humble beginnings and grand aspirations of its eponymous authors...
(Ode, 1968) - The Family That Plays TogetherThe Family That Plays TogetherThe Family That Plays Together, the second of four albums released by the original Spirit lineup, was marketed by Ode Records in 1968. Unlike its predecessor, Spirit, their self-titled and surreal debut, The Family That Plays Together evinces more greatly the band's ability for playing beyond the...
(Ode, 1968) - Clear (Ode, 1969)
- Twelve Dreams of Dr. SardonicusTwelve Dreams of Dr. SardonicusTwelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus is the fourth album by the psychedelic rock ensemble Spirit. Produced by David Briggs, who is best known for his work with Neil Young. The original LP was released in 1970 by Epic....
(Epic, 1970) - FeedbackFeedback (Spirit album)Feedback is the fifth album by the rock & roll band Spirit. Released in 1972, it was the first Spirit album without original members Jay Ferguson and Mark Andes, and it was also the only Spirit album that did not feature Randy California performing on it, as California had left the group to pursue...
(Epic, 1972) - Spirit of '76 (Mercury, 1975)
- Son of SpiritSon of Spirit- Spirit :*Randy California - Bass, Guitar, Vocals*Ed Cassidy - Percussion, Drums*Barry Keane - Bass- Production :*Gary Brandt - Engineer*Barry Keene - Engineer*Steve Mantoani - Engineer*Blair Mooney - Engineer*Keith Olsen - Engineer...
(Mercury, 1975) - Farther Along (Mercury, 1976)
- Future GamesFuture Games (album)- Spirit :*Terry Anderson - Vocals*Randy California - Bass, Guitar, Vocals*Ed Cassidy - Percussion, Drums*Joe Kotleba - Synthesizer- Production :*Blair Mooney - Engineer*Jim Schubert - Art Direction*Wally Traugott - Mastering...
(Mercury, 1977) - The Adventures of Kaptain Kopter & Commander Cassidy in Potato LandThe Adventures of Kaptain Kopter & Commander Cassidy in Potato Land (album)- Spirit :* Randy California - Bass, Guitar, Vocals* Ed Cassidy - Percussion, Drums* John Locke - Keyboards* George Valuck - Keyboards* Benji - Keyboards- Additional musicians :* Michael K...
(Rhino, 1981) - The Thirteenth DreamThe Thirteenth Dream- Spirit :*Randy California - Guitar, Vocals*Mark Andes - Bass, Vocals*Ed Cassidy - Percussion, Drums*Jay Ferguson - Guitar, Vocals*John Locke - Keyboards- Additional musicians :*Jeff Baxter - Guitar*Bob Welch - Guitar, Vocals*Joe Lala - Percussion...
/Spirit of '84 [U.S. Title] (Mercury, 1984) - Rapture in the ChambersRapture in the Chambers- Spirit :*Mark Andes - Bass, Vocals*Randy California - Bass, Guitar, Vocals*Ed Cassidy - Percussion, Drums*John Locke - Keyboards, Sound Effects*Curly Smith - Percussion, Drums, Vocals*Janet Wolfe - Vocals- Production :*Mike Nile - Engineer...
(I.R.S., 1988) - Tent of MiraclesTent of Miracles- Spirit :*Randy California – Bass, Guitar, Vocals*Ed Cassidy – Percussion, Drums*Mike Nile – Bass, Vocals...
(Dolphin, 1990) - California BluesCalifornia Blues- Spirit :* Randy California - guitar, vocals* Ed Cassidy - drums, vocals* Matt Andes - slide guitar* Steve Loria - bass* Rachel Andes - vocals- Guests :* Robbie Krieger - guitar* John Locke - piano* Spencer Davis - guitar, vocals...
(1996)
Live albums
- Live Spirit (Potato, 1977)
- Made in Germany (1978; live; Randy California, Ed Cassidy, Larry Knight; issued in 1997)
- Live at la PalomaLive at la Paloma- Spirit :*Randy California- Guitar, Vocals*Ed Cassidy - Drums, Vocals*Larry Knight - Bass*Steve Loria - Bass, Digital Editing*Scott Monahan - Bass, Keyboards, Vocals, Key BassGuest Appearance:*John Locke - Piano...
(Live 1995) - Live at the Rainbow 1978 (Live 1978; issued 2000)
- Live From the Time CoastLive From the Time Coast- Spirit :*Randy California - Guitar, Harmonica, Vocals*Ed Cassidy - Percussion, Drums*Mike Nile - Bass, Vocals*Scott Monahan - Keyboards, Vocals*George Valuck - Keyboards...
((Live 1989 - 1996; issued 2004)
Compilations
- The Best Of Spirit (Epic, 1973)
- Spirit (Epic, 1973) [ 2 on 1 reissue of "Spirit" (1968) & "Clear" (1969) ]
- The Family That Plays Together/Feedback (Epic, 1975) [ 2 on 1 reissue of 2nd (1968) & 5th (1972) albums ]
- Time Circle, 1968–1972 (Epic/Legacy, 1991); compilation with previously unreleased tracks;
- Chronicles, 1967–1992 (Line, 1992); compilation with previously unreleased tracks;
- The Mercury Years (Mercury, 1997)
- Cosmic Smile (2000; 1st posthumous release)
- Sea Dream (2002)
- Blues From the Soul (2003)
- Son of America (2005))
- The Original Potato Land (2006; reconstruction of the rejected original version of 1972)
- Salvation - the Spirit of '74 (2007; 2 CDs live, plus one CD with unreleased studio cuts from early seventies.)
- Rock and Roll Planet...1977-1979 (2008; 2 CDs live plus one studio.)
- California Blues Redux (2009; 1 CD studio, 1 CD live. Different version of the CB album from 1996.)
- The Last Euro Tour (2010; 2 CD live.)
- Tales From The Westside (2011; 2 CD live.)
- The Original Potato Land (2011; re-mastered, one extra CD with bonus material)
Soundtrack
- Model Shop (Soundtrack for a Jacques DemyJacques DemyJacques Demy was one of the most approachable filmmakers to appear in the wake of the French New Wave. Uninterested in the formal experimentation of Alain Resnais, or the political agitation of Jean-Luc Godard, Demy instead created a self-contained fantasy world closer to that of François...
film, recorded in 1968 and issued in 2005)
Singles
- Mechanical World (1968)
- I Got A Line On You (1969) #25
- Dark Eyed Woman (1969)
- 1984 (1970) #69
- Animal Zoo (1970) #97
- Mr. Skin (1973) #92
External links
- http://www.randycaliforniaandspirit.com/
- http://www.erjobe.info/spirit/