Tripsichord music box
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| Tripsichord Music Box | |
|---|---|
| Origin | San Francisco, California |
| Genre(s) | Psychedelic Rock, Xian |
| Years active | 1968 – 1971 |
| Label(s) | San Francisco Sound Janus |
| Associated acts | Moby Grape It’s a Beautiful Day Jefferson Airplane |
| Members | |
| Randy Gordon Frank Straight Dave Zandonatti Oliver McKinney Bill Carr Ron McNeeley |
|
The Tripsichord Music Box was an American rock and psychedelic rock group of the 1960s. They were managed by Matthew Katz, who also worked with Jefferson Airplane, Moby Grape and It's A Beautiful Day. Their loyalty to Katz, at a time when many San Francisco bands were signing recording deals with LA-based labels, may have contributed to their relatively unknown status today. Led by guitarist and singer/songwriter David Zandonatti, Tripsichord recorded a full length LP and several singles for Katz's San Francisco Sound label. In addition to putting out authentic psych music in the late sixties and early seventies, the band is also responsible for some of the most overtly Mormon lyrics ever recorded outside of Utah.
Contents |
[edit] History
"The Tripsichord Music Box was one of the many San Francisco bands managed and produced by self-styled psychedelic svengali Matthew Katz -- despite a slim body of recorded work that stands among the most atmospheric and cosmic to emerge from the Bay Area scene in the post-Summer of Love era, they are sadly best-known as one of the so-called "fake Grape" units unleashed on unsuspecting audiences after Katz lost control of his former protégés, the legendary Moby Grape. Originally dubbed the Ban, Tripsichord Music Box formed in Lompoc, California in 1963 -- the group was founded by singer/guitarist Tony McGuire, bassist Frank Straight, keyboardist Oliver McKinney, and drummer Randy Guzman (sometimes credited as Randy Gordon to avoid conflict due to his parents' management of the act). According to the book Acid, Fuzz & Flowers, the Ban signed to the Brent label to release their lone single, the garage rock stomper "Bye-Bye," splitting soon after when McGuire was drafted to serve in Vietnam; the remaining threesome then recruited singer/bassist David Zandonatti, with Straight moving to lead guitar. Rechristening themselves the Now, they relocated to Los Angeles, sharing Sunset Strip stages with local acts including the Seeds and the Strawberry Alarm Clock before signing to Milton Berle's Embassy label for the 1967 effort "I Want." The single attracted little attention, however, and the Now relocated to San Francisco. There they connected with Katz, who essentially discovered Jefferson Airplane along with Moby Grape -- Katz soon signed the band to his San Francisco Sound label, rechristening them the Tripsichord Music Box. In late 1967 the group recorded three tracks -- "You're the Woman," "It's No Good" and "The Family Song" -- later included on the Fifth Pipedream: The San Francisco Sound, Vol. 1 compilation. When Moby Grape severed ties to Katz, he laid claim to their name, forcing Tripsichord Music Box to play a series of live dates under the Moby Grape aegis -- the deception ultimately prompted McKinney to quit the band in 1969, with guitarist Bill Carr signing on in his place. Around this same time, Zandonatti's high school friend Ron McNeeley also began sitting in on vocals, and after a 1969 single, "Times and Seasons," Tripsichord dropped the "Music Box" from their name in time to cut their sole full-length, a self-titled cult classic issued in 1970. Their dark yet ethereal music found few takers, however, and the band relocated to Utah, splitting when Zandonatti and McNeely joined the Sons of Mosiah, a Mormon musical troupe managed by future U.S. Senator Orrin Hatch. Ironically, Guzman later played drums in a legitimate incarnation of Moby Grape."[1]
[edit] Liner Notes
Translated liner notes from French release of Tripsichord CD:
Tripsichord Music Box, whose shortened name Tripsichord is sometimes used, came from San Francisco. Even though their album was released in 1971, late for the fast paced 1966-1968 period of San Francisco psychedlia, it is still considered an equal to the best and most brilliantly adept albums from the acid rock movement—a Bay area music specialty based upon distorted (crazy) guitars. Probably formed in 1968 by five relatively fresh musicians, the group had a very classic rock line-up: Randy Gordon on the drums, Frank Straight on guitar, Dave Zandonatti on bass, Oliver Mckinney on keyboards (organ), and B. Carr on vocals. Our five acid rockers quickly assembled a repertoire of original songs, thanks for the most part to the talents of Dave Zandonatti and B. Carr. This doesn’t mean for certain that, in the first part of their career, there weren’t some personnel changes. In any case, in 1969 they were taken under the wing of Matthew Katz. Manager, producer, and the founder and operator of the San Francisco Sound label, Katz was a know Haight Ashbury character, having participated in a good number of music ventures since that day in March of 1965 where, with singer Marty Balin (founder of Jefferson Airplane) he purchased the bar “the Honey Bucket”. Situated on Fillmore Street in the Marina district, it was remodeled and redecorated and would become the well-known music club the Matrix. Matthew Katz would, as a result, become the first manager/producer of Jefferson Airplane. Whatever criticisms one could lobby against Katz’s methods of band management, it is undeniable that he often knew how to take full advantage of intuition and taste. Thus, in 1966, he took over the business end of the still fledgling Moby Grape. Then in 1968, he allowed It's a Beautiful Day to press a single and release an LP on his own label before they signed with Columbia.
It was San Francisco Sound that released the first recording of Tripsichord Music Box—the single “Times and Seasons”/“Sunday the Third” (San Francisco Sound 115). The resulting sound was certainly unique, but the LP format was too restrictive in its length to allow the band to express the entirety of their talents. And if these two titles did possess rare qualities, particularly on “Sunday the Third”, they were hardly original and didn’t stand out against the masses of music produced in1969. It was also at this time that Matthew Katz concocted the idea to release a compilation—one that was destined to lift up his young protégés. Titled “San Francisco Sound”, the compilation was released on the mysterious label Fifth Pipe Dream (F.P.D. 11680) and brought together tracks from It’s a Beautiful Day ("Bulgaria" and the imaginative and unedited "Aquarian Dream", the two sides of their first single), Black Swan (a rather ordinary pop group—the weakest of the four), Indian Puddin Pipes (the formidable "Hashish" and "Water and Wine") and of course Tripsichord Music Box. Tripsichord contributed three songs: "You’re the Woman", "It’s Not Good" (these two songs are actually one), and "Family Song". By far the longest tracks on the album, they are superb, and even though the vocals are themselves excellent, it is above all the explosive and burning guitar and organ solos, and the high-tension melodies that keep our attention. The perfect illustration of acid rock at its highest level, these three tunes that are found nowhere else have been added, on this CD, to the nine songs from the original Tripsichord album—providing a more complete look into what was Tripsichord Music Box.
The product of a collaboration between San Francisco Sound and Janus Records (between Katz and Bob Scerbo), Tripsichord Music Box (Janus J.L.S. 3016), was released two years later in 1971. The album cover was particularly beautiful and symbolic. Done in the style of Gustave Klimt and 1920s illustrators, it evokes the surreal, magical and dreamlike atmosphere of fairy tales, and prepares us for the marvelous voyages (trips) of acid rock. As you are able to discover, the content is at the top of its game, and if certain songs like “We Have died” or “Son of the Morning” remind us of Moby Grape (melodies, vocals and bright sounds), the complete record offers spurts of explosive and deafening guitars, beautiful melodies and remarkable energy. The album doesn’t have a single weak spot, and each song, in its proper place, can inspire happiness. For my part, I must confess a preference for the elevated cavalcades that are “On the Last Ride”, “New World”, “Short Order” and especially “Fly Baby” (a high point in the guitar fret board trip of San Francisco art). A beautiful work that must be a part of your record collection, and listened to often, very often, to once again feel the pleasure, the emotion and the lyricism of these cosmic dreams, already nostalgic from a lost paradise.[2]
--Phillippe Thieye (author of American Psychedelic Rock: 1966-1973) Editions Librairie Parallèles 1991/93
Original French Liner notes:
"Tripsichord Music Box, dont le patronyme simplifié de Tripsichord est parfois utilisé, nous vient de San Francisco. Bien que l’album soit sorti en 1971, c’est-à-dire tardivement par rapport à la période faste de San Francisco psychédélique (1966-1968), il n’est pas moins considéré à l’égal des meilleurs et des plus brillants adeptes de l’acide-rock, spécialité locale à base de guitares en folie. Probablement formé en 1968 par cinq musiciens du cru, le groupe propose une instrumentation des plus classiques : Randy Gordon à la batterie, Frank Straight à la guitare, Dave Zandonatti à la basse, Olivier Mckinney aux claviers, et B. Carr au chant. Nos cinq acid rockeurs se constituent rapidement un répertoire original, pour l’essentiel grâce aux talents de Dave Zandonatti et de B. Carr. Ceci dit il n’est pas certain que dans la partie initiale de leur carrière, il n’y eut pas quelques changements de personnel. En tout cas, en 1969 ils sont pris en charge par Matthew Katz. Ce dernier, producteur, manager, créateur et propriétaire du label San Francisco Sound, est une personnalité connue de Haight Ashbury, ayant participé à bon nombre d’aventures musicales depuis ce jour de mars 1965 où, en association avec la chanteur Marty Balin (fondateur du Jefferson Airplane), il rachète un bar, "le Honeybucket". Situé sur Fillmore Street dans le quartier de marina, il sera rénové et redécoré, et deviendra le célèbre matrix. Matthew Katz en conséquence sera le premier manager/producteur du Jefferson Airplane. Par la suite quels que soient les reproches que l’on puisse lui addresser quant à la "gestion" de ses groupes, il est indéniable qu’il a souvent su faire preuve d’intuition et de goût. Ainsi en 1966 il prend en charge les affaires d’un Moby Grape encore embryonnaire. Puis en 1968, il permet aux It’s a Beautiful Day de graver single et L.P. sur son label avant de passer chez Columbia.
C’est donc sur ce San Francisco Sound que paraît le premier enregistrement du Tripsichord Music Box sous la forme d’un single "Times and Seasons"/"Sunday the Third" (San Francisco Sound 115). L’Objet est certes rare mais le format trop restrictif dans sa durée, ne leur permet pas d’exprimer totalement tout leur talent, et si ces deux titres possèdent des qualités, en particulier "Sunday the Third", ils ne font guère preuve d’originalité et ne ressortent pas de la masse de la production en cette année 1969. C’est aussi à cette époque que Matthew Katz concocte une compilation destiné à promouvoir ses poulains. Intitulée "San Francisco Sound", elle sort sur le mysérieux label Fifth Pipedream (F.P.D. 11680) et regroupe des prestations de It’s a Beautiful Day (Bulgaria et le génial et inédit Aquarian Dream, les deux faces de leur premier single), de Black Swan (groupe pop un peu ordinaire, le plus faibles des quatres), des Indian Puddin Pipe (les formidables "Hashish" et "Water or Wine") et bien entendu Tripsichord Music Box. Ces derniers sont crédités de trois titres, "You’re the Woman" "It’s Not Good" (en fait ces deux titres n’en forment qu’un), et "Family Song". De loin les plus long du 33 tours, ils sont superbes, et si les vocaux sont eux aussi excellents, ce sont surtout les fulgurants et brûlants solos de guitare et d’orgue ainsi que les mélodies à haute tension qui retiennent notre attention. Illustration parfaite de l’acid rock à son meilleur niveau, ces trois plages qui ne figures nulle part ailleurs ont été rajoutées, sur ce CD, aux neuf de l’album original et vous donnent ainsi un aperçu plus complet de ce que fut Tripsichord Music Box.
Fruit d’une collaboration entre San Francisco Sound et Janus Records (entre Matthew Katz et Bob Scerbo), Tripsichord Music Box (Janus J.L.S. 3016), voit le jour deux ans plus tard, en 1971. La pochette en est particulièrement belle et symbolique. Traitée dans le style de Klimt et des illustrateurs des années 20, elle évoque l’atmosphère magique irréelle et onirique des contes pour enfants, et nous prépare aux voyages merveilleux de l’acid rock. Comme vous pouvez le constater, le contenu est à la hauteur de contenant, et si certains titres comme "We Have died" ou "Son of the Morning" ne sont pas sans nous rappeler Moby Grape (mélodies, vocaux et sonorités limpides), l’ensemble nous offrent des guitares éblouissants et lumineuses, des mélodies à la beauté et à l’énergie remarquables. L’Album ne compte pas de passage réellement faibles et chacun, selon l’instant, peut y trouver son bonheur. Pour ma part, je dois toutefois avouer quelques préférences pour les cavalcades aérienne de "On the Last Ride", de "New World", de "Short Order" et surtout de "Fly Baby" (un sommet dans l’art "San Franciscain" du voyage sur manche de guitare). Du bel ouvrage à posséder absolument dans sa discothèque et à réécouter souvent, très souvent pour ressentir à nouveau le plaisir, l’émotion et le lyrisme de ces rêves cosmiques, déjà nostalgiques des paradis perdus."
[edit] Members
- Randy Gordon—drums
- Frank Straight—guitar
- Dave Zandonatti—bass
- Oliver Mckinney—keyboards and organ
- Bill Carr—vocals
- Ron McNeeley-vocals
[edit] Discography
[edit] Albums
- Tripsichord Music Box LP (San Francisco Sound/Janus Records (Janus J.L.S. 3016)) 1971
[edit] Singles/EPs
- “Times and Seasons”/“Sunday the Third” (San Francisco Sound 115) 1969
- "We Have died"/"Fly Baby" (San Francisco Sound 127) 1971
[edit] Compilation tracks
- “You’re the Woman”/“It’s Not Good”/“Family Song” San Francisco Sound compilation (Fifth Pipe Dream (F.P.D. 11680)) 1969
- "You're the Woman", "Fly Baby" Then And Now, Vol. 1, (San Francisco Sound (SFS-03931))
- "Family Song", "On the Last Ride" Then And Now, Vol. 2, (San Francisco Sound (SFS-09932))
