D3U@PSUVM.BITNET (05/06/85)
Blue Cheer released six lps from '68 to '71 on Phillips:
(dates are approximate)
4/68 Vincebus Eruptum-- heavy acid metal, featured their hit "Summertime
Blues" along with versions of "Rock Me Baby" and "Parchman Farm" and a couple
originals. "Parchman Farm", by Mose Allison, actually has dynamic variation in
it, very quiet at one point and building up to a sort of hardcore punk section
through an Iron Butterfly-on-speed section, very intense! "Doctor Please" is
the most acid sounding, intense, and the longest cut. This and another original
"Out of Focus" demonstrate the effectiveness of heavy sustain and feedback put
through an Echoplex. Leigh Stevens-guitar, Paul Whaley-drums, Dickie Peterson-
bass. lp reissued a couple years ago. has poem by Owsley on the cover
11/68 Outside Inside-- overall not as heavy as Vincebus Eruptum, but they
still make lots of noise, as close to pure noise as possible at times. Sounds
more like Hendrix on speed. Some cuts are interesting and use more interesting
electronic sounds, like echo wah-wah. Also some good old rock'n'roll, with high
energy. "Feathers from Your Tree" has dynamics and quick changing themes in
the middle, including a few seconds that sound just like heavy Black Sabbath
(before any of their lps were recorded). "The Hunter" is heavy and greasy.
Their version of "Satisfaction" lasts five mins and goes through many contor-
tions that are great to show off stereo effect, and doesn't sound like the
Rolling Stones at all, but maybe like Iron Butterfly on lotsa speed and acid.
This album is more melodic than Vincebus, but also has some of the worst burned
out screaming ever recorded. Kellogg is added on keyboards on some cuts.
6/69 New!Improved! -- even more melodic, but the two sides sound different.
Side two-Randy Holden replaces Leigh Stevens. He also love to keep reverb the
whole way up, but also throws in some folk music. "Peace of Mind" mixes folk an
d metal. "Fruit and Icebergs" is intense art metal that sounds like some Gentle
Giant ("The House, The Street, The Room" from lp Acquiring the Taste uses a
very similar bass line and practically lifts one of the jam sections. If you
don't believe me, just listen!) and Blue Oyster Cult in Tyranny and Mutation
toward the end of side two.
Side one doesn't even sound like heavy metal or acid rock. I think Bruce Steven
s replaced Leigh Stevens and Ralph Kellog plays piano and organ. Randy Holden
is not on side one at all. A couple tunes use ideas from Outside Inside lp, but
without the acid sound. Some earthy blues and even a Dylan tune!
early '70 Blue Cheer--same group as side one of New Improved but Paul Whaley
is replaced by Norman Mayall from the Sopwith Camel. More rock'n'roll and good
time music. No heavy acid trips, but a few nifty ideas here and there. "Rock n
Roll Queen" is like Mott the Hoople. "Saturday Freedom" inserts a quick blue-
grass riff in the midst of the fuzz tone jam section. In some ways this lp
sounds like something one would expect from a good high school or dorm band,
but still sounds professional.
late "70 -- The Original Human Being-- Blue Cheer#5-- now Gary Yoder replaces
the old guitarist. Similar music to previous lp, but also has earthy blues and
"Babaji (Twilight Raga)". "Pilot" revives the Echoplex, but still not the real
heavy acid sound of earlier days.
early '71 Oh! Pleasant Hope!-- some earthy blues, a pop tune, a meditative
spacey eastern based song "I'm the Light", and some country and western even!
Too many musicians help on this lp to list them all. Maybe the most melodic
of all their albums.
Recently a German (I think) anthology has been issued, but I have no
details on it.
BELIEVE IT OR NOT!
Blue Cheer actually has a new lp out now. "The Beast", or similar title on
Megaforce records, a heavy metal label. Haven't heard it yet. Dickie Peterson,
bassist, and drummer Paul Whaley of the original lineup are in the band, but I
don't recall who the new guitarist is.
Randy Holden's solo lp from around '70 was reissued in Europe a couple
years ago. Features a version of "Fruit and Icebergs", some heavy blues reminis
cent of Cheer, and some mindless metal. sounds like Blach Sabbath's first lp
played through a reverb unit. Burned out after having been tripping for hours
kinda like Peter Green's lp "The End of the Game".
Different members of Blue Cheer have been with various bands and/or have solo
lps. Leigh Stevens seems to have been the most active.
from the archives of the cosmic Ray
Vincebus eruptum! (the voice comes forth!)wn@maxvax.UUCP (w nemec) (05/09/85)
No one has yet mentioned that Blue Cheer has re-formed, and released a new album. I heard a cut on WNEW-FM in New York about a month ago, and it sounded pretty much like "Summertime Blues", with distorted guitars, scratchy vocals, etc... I didn't like the song, but then when I hear "Summertime Blues" now, I don't like THAT either, and I used to love it. I guess it's inevitable that, with the popularity of so-called "Heavy Metal" music nowadays, some prototypical bands from the sixties/ early seventies should cash in on it. Although I don't listen to that type of music much anymore, I found Deep Purple's recent album pretty good, and Mountain has a new song that's not bad either... Bill @ AT&T ...pegasus!maxvax!wn