KNOCKING AT THE BACK DOOR
An unusual speedy little post for you chaps this evening, some DOORS related stuff for your discerning palettes. Again, this is just a short post to tide you over until normal service is resumed, and is not indicative of any shift in the style of music we'll normally be posting here. It just so happens i'd posted these records recently for a couple of friend on other boards and thought some of you might enjoy hearing them as a little change of pace.
As even the most Doors sceptic amongst you will doubtless be aware, following the death (?) of vocalist Jim Morrison the remaining trio of Manzarek, Krieger & Densmore carried on under the Doors name for two more years & two more studio albums, (Other Voices & Full Circle). Robbie Krieger explains now what happened next.
"Before "An American Prayer", we did two albums as the Doors, "Full Circle" and "Other Voices", which were fairly well received albums. But the problem was after Jim had gone, the three of us couldn’t get along anymore. We did for a while but after a while, it got very strange. We all decided to go to England and maybe find a singer over there. So we all went over there, kind of moved over there. Then Dorothy, Ray’s wife, got pregnant and she had gone through some weird stuff. So Ray decided to go back home.
John Densmore and I were stuck over in London, so we formed this group called the BUTTS BAND with Phil Chen, who at that time was the hot bass player in England, like the James Jamerson of England. We had a singer named Jess Roden who'd been in the band BRONCO, and a keyboard player named Roy Davis. It was really a good band. We recorded half of the record in the U.K. and half in Jamaica which Phil helped with because he is from there and he was able to visit his mother and father for the first time in ten years. Then we came back to Los Angeles and we couldn’t hold the band together because half of them lived in England and half of us lived here. They got homesick and stuff didn’t happen as soon as we had hoped. The record got shuffled around to two or three record companies so then we did another album as the Butts Band with a whole different line up. Karl "Slick" Rucker was the bass player, Mike Stull sang & played guitar. What a great singer, he sounded like the Righteous Brothers. And we also had a lady keyboard player named Alex Richman. With this line up we did an album called “Here and Now”."
So here they are, both of the Butts Bands albums. They're pretty different from each other as you'd expect from the wholesale personnel changes between albums 1 and 2. The first album is my personal favourite of the pair, with Jess Roden's excellent vocals a particular highlight. As you'd expect the musicianship is exemplary throughout and these guys could certainly still write memorable songs. By album No 2, "Hear & Now", they'd lost their focus somewhat and couldn't seem to settle on any one individual style of music to focus on, but there are still some quality moments scattered throughout the disc. See what you think.
BUTTS BAND - Butts Band (1973) USA/UK
http://rapidshare.com/files/117148852/BUTTS_BAND_-_Butts_Band__USA-UK-1973_.rar
BUTTS BAND - Hear & Now (1975) USA
http://rapidshare.com/files/94270940/BUTTS_BAND_-_Hear___Now__USA-1975_.rar
Whilst his former colleagues were playing as the BUTTS BAND, RAY MANZAREK had recorded two critically acclaimed solo albums, "The Golden Scarab" and "The Whole Thing Started With Rock'n'Roll", but was missing the band environment. Following an abortive attempt at forming a band with ex-STOOGE IGGY POP, he set about forming a new act, to be named NITE CITY. As he said at the time of the group, "Nite City sorta represents the dark side of LA. We're not the Eagles and we're not Jackson Browne. We're not part of the laid-back country scene. We're a big-city band. LA is a big city and we're part of both it's electricity and it's strangeness." NITECITY's debut is one of the better mid-70's rock albums you will hear, but is unfortunately one of the least known. Ex-DOORS keyboard wizard Ray Manzarek was the bands linchpin, with the rest of the band consisting of ex-RARE EARTH guitarist Paul Warren, former SILVERHEAD/future BLONDIE bassist Nigel Harrison, drummer Jimmy Hunter who later played with NICK GILDER, and unknown singer Noah James. The group played extensively throughout the USA in support of the record, opening shows for THE KINKS, HEART and THE RAMONES, as well as playing headlining club dates, but the record label never really gave the album the push it deserved.Musically this is a dark rock record with many moments which are bordering on Hard Rock. Sleazy, driving & moody, but also peppered with uplifting and beautiful moments too. Vocalist Noah James sounds like a cross between MICHAEL DES BARRES and ERIC BURDON in places, with Manzarek's unmistakable keyboard sound well to the fore too, but although the familiar organ sound may be used as the hook to grab your ear and draw you in initially, this sounds like a real group effort, an ensemble piece with everyone pulling their weight fantastically well. If you download only one album from tonight's post, make it this one, it's a little cracker! Many thanks to TOXXY for providing the link and permitting us to use it here, top man!
"Golden Days Diamond Nights", was their second & final album. Following their self-titled 1977 debut, the band dispensed with the services of their singer Noah James, with guitarist Paul Warren taking the lion's share of vocal duties on their sophomore disc. Manzarek himself also handles lead vocals on two tracks, but neither of the pair had distinctive enough vocals to elevate the album to the heights of it's predecessor.Their U.S. label shelved the record after hearing the results, but it was released in West Germany where the debut LP had been a reasonable success.
Frustrated by their lack of headway, bassist Nigel Harrison accepted an offer to join BLONDIE, and despite draughting in a replacement for a short tour, the writing was on the wall for Nite City, and the band folded soon after. Drummer Jimmy Hunter went on to play with FLO & EDDIE and STEPPENWOLF, becoming a respected session musician. Paul Warren became a long time ROD STEWART sideman and Manzarek forged ahead with a moderately successful career in production, with X being a notable success for him in this field.
"Take out your eyes".
NITE CITY - Nite City (1977) USA
http://rapidshare.com/files/94514148/Nite_City_toxxy.rar
NITE CITY - Golden Days Diamond Nights (1978) USA
http://rapidshare.com/files/129741951/NITE_CITY_-_Golden_Days_Diamond_Nights__USA-1978_.rar
Hope you find tonight's diversion interesting and worthwhile, my ongoing problems with my service provider should be sorted out within the next fortnight, hopefully this'll keep you all going 'til then.
Stick around, as i've got some great stuff coming your way then, i think you'll approve.
In the mean time keep commenting and let us know what you think of Butts Band & Nite City.
As even the most Doors sceptic amongst you will doubtless be aware, following the death (?) of vocalist Jim Morrison the remaining trio of Manzarek, Krieger & Densmore carried on under the Doors name for two more years & two more studio albums, (Other Voices & Full Circle). Robbie Krieger explains now what happened next.
"Before "An American Prayer", we did two albums as the Doors, "Full Circle" and "Other Voices", which were fairly well received albums. But the problem was after Jim had gone, the three of us couldn’t get along anymore. We did for a while but after a while, it got very strange. We all decided to go to England and maybe find a singer over there. So we all went over there, kind of moved over there. Then Dorothy, Ray’s wife, got pregnant and she had gone through some weird stuff. So Ray decided to go back home.
John Densmore and I were stuck over in London, so we formed this group called the BUTTS BAND with Phil Chen, who at that time was the hot bass player in England, like the James Jamerson of England. We had a singer named Jess Roden who'd been in the band BRONCO, and a keyboard player named Roy Davis. It was really a good band. We recorded half of the record in the U.K. and half in Jamaica which Phil helped with because he is from there and he was able to visit his mother and father for the first time in ten years. Then we came back to Los Angeles and we couldn’t hold the band together because half of them lived in England and half of us lived here. They got homesick and stuff didn’t happen as soon as we had hoped. The record got shuffled around to two or three record companies so then we did another album as the Butts Band with a whole different line up. Karl "Slick" Rucker was the bass player, Mike Stull sang & played guitar. What a great singer, he sounded like the Righteous Brothers. And we also had a lady keyboard player named Alex Richman. With this line up we did an album called “Here and Now”."
So here they are, both of the Butts Bands albums. They're pretty different from each other as you'd expect from the wholesale personnel changes between albums 1 and 2. The first album is my personal favourite of the pair, with Jess Roden's excellent vocals a particular highlight. As you'd expect the musicianship is exemplary throughout and these guys could certainly still write memorable songs. By album No 2, "Hear & Now", they'd lost their focus somewhat and couldn't seem to settle on any one individual style of music to focus on, but there are still some quality moments scattered throughout the disc. See what you think.
BUTTS BAND - Butts Band (1973) USA/UK
http://rapidshare.com/files/117148852/BUTTS_BAND_-_Butts_Band__USA-UK-1973_.rarBUTTS BAND - Hear & Now (1975) USA
http://rapidshare.com/files/94270940/BUTTS_BAND_-_Hear___Now__USA-1975_.rarWhilst his former colleagues were playing as the BUTTS BAND, RAY MANZAREK had recorded two critically acclaimed solo albums, "The Golden Scarab" and "The Whole Thing Started With Rock'n'Roll", but was missing the band environment. Following an abortive attempt at forming a band with ex-STOOGE IGGY POP, he set about forming a new act, to be named NITE CITY. As he said at the time of the group, "Nite City sorta represents the dark side of LA. We're not the Eagles and we're not Jackson Browne. We're not part of the laid-back country scene. We're a big-city band. LA is a big city and we're part of both it's electricity and it's strangeness." NITECITY's debut is one of the better mid-70's rock albums you will hear, but is unfortunately one of the least known. Ex-DOORS keyboard wizard Ray Manzarek was the bands linchpin, with the rest of the band consisting of ex-RARE EARTH guitarist Paul Warren, former SILVERHEAD/future BLONDIE bassist Nigel Harrison, drummer Jimmy Hunter who later played with NICK GILDER, and unknown singer Noah James. The group played extensively throughout the USA in support of the record, opening shows for THE KINKS, HEART and THE RAMONES, as well as playing headlining club dates, but the record label never really gave the album the push it deserved.Musically this is a dark rock record with many moments which are bordering on Hard Rock. Sleazy, driving & moody, but also peppered with uplifting and beautiful moments too. Vocalist Noah James sounds like a cross between MICHAEL DES BARRES and ERIC BURDON in places, with Manzarek's unmistakable keyboard sound well to the fore too, but although the familiar organ sound may be used as the hook to grab your ear and draw you in initially, this sounds like a real group effort, an ensemble piece with everyone pulling their weight fantastically well. If you download only one album from tonight's post, make it this one, it's a little cracker! Many thanks to TOXXY for providing the link and permitting us to use it here, top man!
"Golden Days Diamond Nights", was their second & final album. Following their self-titled 1977 debut, the band dispensed with the services of their singer Noah James, with guitarist Paul Warren taking the lion's share of vocal duties on their sophomore disc. Manzarek himself also handles lead vocals on two tracks, but neither of the pair had distinctive enough vocals to elevate the album to the heights of it's predecessor.Their U.S. label shelved the record after hearing the results, but it was released in West Germany where the debut LP had been a reasonable success.
Frustrated by their lack of headway, bassist Nigel Harrison accepted an offer to join BLONDIE, and despite draughting in a replacement for a short tour, the writing was on the wall for Nite City, and the band folded soon after. Drummer Jimmy Hunter went on to play with FLO & EDDIE and STEPPENWOLF, becoming a respected session musician. Paul Warren became a long time ROD STEWART sideman and Manzarek forged ahead with a moderately successful career in production, with X being a notable success for him in this field.
"Take out your eyes".
NITE CITY - Nite City (1977) USA
http://rapidshare.com/files/94514148/Nite_City_toxxy.rarNITE CITY - Golden Days Diamond Nights (1978) USA
http://rapidshare.com/files/129741951/NITE_CITY_-_Golden_Days_Diamond_Nights__USA-1978_.rarHope you find tonight's diversion interesting and worthwhile, my ongoing problems with my service provider should be sorted out within the next fortnight, hopefully this'll keep you all going 'til then.
Stick around, as i've got some great stuff coming your way then, i think you'll approve.
In the mean time keep commenting and let us know what you think of Butts Band & Nite City.
posted by bigfootkit at 3:53 PM
12 comments
