The Moody Blues On The Threshold Of A Dream

The Moody Blues

 On the Threshold of a Dream

produced by Tony Clarke

released April 25, 1969

The Moodies:

Justin Hayward

John Lodge

Ray Thomas

Mike Pinder

Graeme Edge

 songs:

In the Beginning

Lovely to See You

Dear Diary

Send Me No Wine

To Share Our Love

So Deep Within You

Never Comes the Day

Lazy Day

Are You Sitting Comfortably?

The Dream

Have You Heard (Part One)

The Voyage

Have You Heard (Part Two)

bonus songs 2006:

 In  the Beginning (Full Version)

So Deep Within You (Extended version)

 Dear Diary (Alternate vocal mix)

Have You Heard (Original take)

The Voyage (Original take)

 BBC Top Gear Session February 18, 1969

Lovely to See You

Send Me No Wine

So Deep Within You

BBC Live In Concert 17 December 1969

Are You Sitting Comfortably?

This is a fantastic album from the Moodies and the sound is excellent. This is one of the band's most dreamlike albums and can give you a contact buzz just listening to it. The album's loose concept explores individuality in a conformist society. The band members play a wide variety of instruments on this album and in 2006, it was released as an SACD with bonus songs. This really is an album meant for surround sound.

In 2008, it was remastered on cd with the same bonus songs and restored artwork. I love the fact that they've restored the album's original booklet and pictures as well as adding some cool bonus songs.From the trippy In the Beginning, this album REALLY DOES take you on a voyage and every song is a must have. Everyone in the band contributes to this release and it's wonderful to hear the group mind at one of it's peaks. Truly one of the Moodies best.

The Firesign Theatre says EVERYTHING YOU KNOW IS WRONG!!!

Greetings from Hellmouth, California:

In October 1974, The Firesign Theatre released their eighth album on Columbia Records. While it would be hard for me to pick one album as my favorite by the guys, this is certainly as good as they get. The album spoofs conspiracy theories about things like UFO's as well as getting a funny bit in there about Reebus Cannibis who is a parody of Evel Knievel. I love the bit between him and Pat Hat. Actually, I love the whole thing! I have the strange feeling that Art Bell wouldn't have liked this album. One of the best comedy albums ever released and is available on cd at Laugh.com.

Fleetwood Mac Penguin

                                                                     Fleetwood Mac
                                              Produced by Fleetwood Mac & Martin Birch
                                                                 Released March 1973
Fleetwood Mac:
Bob Welch - guitar, vocal
Bob Weston – lead guitar, slide guitar on track 1, banjo and harmonica on track 5, harmony vocals on track 7
Christine McVie – keyboards, vocal
Dave Walker – vocals on tracks 4 and 5, harmonica on track 4
John McVie – bass guitar
Mick Fleetwood – drums, percussion

Additional personnel:
Steve Nye – organ on track 8, steel drums on track 7
Ralph Richardson – percussion
Russell Valdez – percussion
Fred Totesant – percussion
Peter Green– additional lead guitar on track 8 (uncredited)

Songs:
1. Remember Me
2. Bright Fire
3. (You Make Me Feel) Dissatisfied 
4. (I'm A) Road Runner
5. The Derelict
6. Revelation
7. Did You Ever Love Me?
8. Night Watch
9. Caught in the Rain

Penguin has long been one of my all time favorite Fleetwood Mac albums alongside Then Play On and Bare Trees. Penguin would prove to be the only album featuring both Dave Walker and Bob Weston as members of the band. There isn't a weak song on the album from Christine McVie's upbeat Remember Me and Dissatisfied to Bob Welch's haunting Revelation and Night Watch. As well as all the great in between songs like The Derelict, Bob and Christine's moving Did You Ever Love Me? to the closing Caught in the Rain. Not an album to be missed!

Quicksilver Messenger Service Part Two: 1970 to 1975

      Around New Year's Eve of 1969, Quicksilver began rehearsing again with Gary Duncan and Dino Valenti back in the band. Some of these rehearsals would eventually be released as Castles in the Sand. It becomes clear that Dino is now taking charge much to the disagreement of some. The shows are filled with his new songs while the band's past songs are limited in appearance and length. The drawn out jams are now generally replaced with short pop songs.

     Dino also talks the band to go to Hawaii to do recording. The band ended up in a rural area and had to have a studio built that could run on a generator. The band spent two months in adverse conditions. They returned to the States and finished off the troubled recording sessions in California. The band also brought in horns for the sessions.  These sessions would produce two albums: Just for Love (released in August 1970) and What About Me? (December 1970). Just for Love would produce the big hit Fresh Air. Nicky Hopkins, John Cipollina and David Freiberg would leave not long after the release of What About Me? Both albums are good but not as constantly good as what came before.

     Mark Ryan was brought in on bass. Mark Naftalin also arrived on keyboards during this era. The band began recording their next album, Quicksilver in November. The album actually had many good songs on it like I Found Love, Fire Brothers, Out of My Mind, Don't Cry My Lady Love and The Truth. The previous four albums had all reached the Top 30 but this one didn't even crack the Top 100. Mark Naftalin left and Chuck Steaks was brought in.

Capitol Records put together the two record "best of" set, Anthology hoping to generate more interest in the band. The band returned to the studio rather quickly, with a horn section, to begin work on the next album.

     Comin' Thru was released in April 1972 and sold even worse than Quicksilver. The album does have it's moments such as Doin' Time in the U.S.A., Changes and Mojo. The band continued to perform with John Cipollina and David Freiberg showing up to jam with the band at Winterland Arena in San Francisco on December 1, 1973.

     Capitol Records was beginning to have issues with the band and wanted more of the "classic line up". John and David returned, at least somewhat, for Solid Silver released in October 1975. The album featured a number of strong songs like Gypsy Lights, I Heard You Singing (written by David and Grateful Dead lyricist Robert Hunter), and Witches Moon. I Heard You Singing had already appeared on Robert Hunter's Tales of the Great Rum Runners solo album. The album also featured guest appearances from people like Nicky Hopkins, Mark Naftalin, Pete Sears and Kathi McDonald. The album sold better than the last two albums but it wasn't enough. John had his other projects while David was busy with the Jefferson Starship. Gary and Dino carried on the band with changing line up until the end of the 1970's.

     Gary reformed Quicksilver in 1986 and they've released a few albums with different line ups. David has recently rejoined the band as well. In the late 2000's Bear/Voiceprint Records released a few archive releases. More recently, Cleopatra/Purple Pyramid Records began releasing archive Quicksilver releases.

Quicksilver Messenger Service Part One: 1965 to 1969

     Quicksilver Messenger Service was formed in 1965 in San Francisco, California. The band played it's first concert as Quicksilver Messenger Service in December 1965. The line up consisted of Gary Duncan (guitars/vocals), John Cipollina (guitars/vocals), David Freiberg (bass/vocal), Greg Elmore (drums) and Jim Murray (guitars/vocals). The band would eventually go on to play the Monterey International Pop Festival in the Summer of 1967. Jim Murray left shortly afterwards.

     In late 1967, the band signed with Capitol Records while recording two songs for the film Revolution. The band also began recording it's first album which would become Quicksilver Messenger Service. The band had asked Nick Gravenites, Harvey Brooks and Pete Welding to produce. Horns were brought in during the recording sessions. The band wasn't happy and Capitol allowed them to re-record the album again.

     Capitol released the band's first album in May 1968 and it made it up to number 63 on the Billboard charts. The album is one of the band's strongest. The album opens with Hamilton Camp's Pride of Man. Gary and David share songwriting credits on Light Your Windows and the trippy The Fool. Gary wrote Gold and Silver along with friend and reed player Steve Schuster. It barrows on the Dave Brubeck song Take 5. Dino's Song was written by founding member Dino Valenti who had been busted on drug charges during the band's formation. Dino had also written the song Get Together which was a big hit for the Youngbloods.

     Outtakes from the album have been released on the out of print Unreleased Quicksilver Messenger Service - Lost Gold and Silver. They have since been re-released on the Beat Rock Records re-issue of the first album. They have also appeared on Anthology 1966 -1973 on Cleopatra/Purple Pyramid Records.

     The band began recording songs for the next album, Bears and Stand By Me. However, the band was also touring heavily during this period sharing the bill with groups like the Grateful Dead. The band ditched the idea of a studio album in favor of a live one. The band second album, Happy Trails, was recorded at Fillmore East and West with additional recording at Golden State Recorders.The album was recorded in 1968 and released in March 1969. The first side is given to a workout on Who Do You Love? with everyone getting a chance to show off their chops. The second half kicks off with Mona and is followed by Maiden of the Cancer Moon, Calvary and finishes with a short rendition of Happy Trails. Gary Duncan does the lead vocals on the album but he had decided to leave the group during it's recording. The best sounding version is the Repertoire cd issue from 2000.

     British studio keyboard player, Nicky Hopkins had relocated to the Bay Area and was busy doing session work with other Bay Area bands. He was working at Wally Heider Studios in San Francisco where the remaining band members began work on the third album. Nicky joined the band. The band began sessions at Wally Heider in July and August. The album would be finished at Pacific High Recorders in August and September 1969.

     Shady Grove would be released in December 1969. The album sounds unlike anything that came before but it's just as good. From the opening shredder Shady Grove to the sweet  Flute Song to Edward, The Mad Shirt Grinder. The band had three fantastic albums in a row.

However, the guys found the album a bit of a chore. Around the time of the album's release, Gary Duncan was back in the picture. In fact, Shady Grove would be the only Quicksilver album he didn't play on. Gary would also bring Dino back with him.