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This is the first release on the Shroom Productions record label begun in 1995. It consisted of tracks mostly from Hands 1977 January Sound recording sessions in Dallas, TX. The CD was put together from that plus an assortment of other tracks because, at the time, it was not known if there would be another Hands CD, we just did not know what the demand would be. Well, some 3000 copies later, and there is STILL demand for this great music. Numerous reviews and consistently high ratings give praise to this band and this CD in particular. Discover them if you have not heard any of their music, I mean, if you love bands like Gentle Giant, King Crimson, Kansas, Yes, Camel, Happy The Man, Gryphon, Greenslade, UK, or PFM.
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Formed in 1972, Hands were originally called Ibis, and then a series of name changes which eventually led to Prism, which they were widely known as, until things got serious. With the production of high quality studio demos, they were forced to change names again, this time for good - with the name HANDS. These early recordings capture them at a time before the studio quality demos, when they were still working small clubs and colleges and playing a lot of covers (albeit very interesting ones).
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Audience 8.6 - A little bit thin as far as this recording goes in that it could use a little more bottom end but that is not a deal breaker because it is not a “shrill” thin, just could use more lows. That being said, there’s a lot to chew on with this show. Great performance, good quality, so just be aware the singer requires some getting used to! Have fun.
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Audience 8.3 - This recording captures a medium to large hall atmosphere from maybe middle rows and is quite good under those circumstances. It actually lends a cool vibe to the show, despite that naturally huge reverb going on. Oh, if you are unfamiliar with them, here’s the deal: GREAT hard and heavy jazz rock leaning towards rock with a very quirky singer. Once you get used to him, you are LOVING this band.
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Audience 8.7 - A strong and intense recording with a percussive tilt to it, so you get a very present and crisp drums and percussion. Everything else is also pretty clear but I would have liked guitars more up front but they are fine. This period of the band is exciting and intense, so if you love your progressive jazz hard rock played with fire and intensity that sometimes is off the charts this band is for you.
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Soundboard 9.4 - What I find most appealing about this show is the mix, and how they do not bury the guitar which is what you might normally assume given the type of “top 40” music Annie wrote at the time. You will be pleasantly surprised to hear the guitar front and center, and actually pretty grungy sounding.
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We got this tape years ago when it was submitted by a customer of ours who thought we would be interested in it. He was from Ohio, and told me he was friendly with the guys in this band. He managed to get their demo recording and sent it on behalf of the band. That was around 1986, and the recordings dated around 1983. That was the last I heard about it. Decades later, I rediscovered the tape and decided it was time. Heavy and complex, the first track of their demo tape was 45 minutes long! As you can imagine, there were no labels that took them on...except me of course!
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The twins Mark and Clark Seymour (and a third brother on Moog and assorted keys) have a very long history in music. They may be little known to the general public, but once upon a time they were "the next big thing"...until loads of cocaine, unscrupulous industry execs, and bad decisions got the better of them. The story is a long one so no way to repeat it here, suffice it to say this was a band that could have given Queen a run for their money. Carnegie were at their prime during the years 1977 and 1978, with demo recordings, record contracts, shows, and even occasional TV appearances -- this 2CD set gives you a rare glimpse into what could have, what should have been.
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Audience 7.3 - This tape is a welcome find mainly due to the scarcity of live Amon Duul tapes in existence. Sound is not hi-fi, there is some tape noise, there is general noise, and there is music which thankfully can be heard through the din. Actually the mid to highs are intact, some bottom end is missing, it’s still not a completely annoying tape at all, can be enjoyed for what it is.
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From the ashes of the Moving Sidewalks, former members Tom Moore and Dan Mitchell decided to carry on playing the blues once Billy Gibbons formed ZZ Top and was doing straight up Texas style blues rock. Featuring Hammond B3 organ, the band had a different approach to blues rock but executed with the same kind of unique Texas panache. A single 7" was released but the band recorded quite a bit of material which never saw the light of day. This CD gathers most of those recordings along with a disc full of rare live tracks, of which include Ottis Coleman (Honest John, 1900 Storm, Texas Blend) replacing Tom Moore and Dusty Wakeman (bass) who also happened to be in The Barons and engineered the Honest John album in 1975.
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Formed in Dallas, Brat were originally known as Cottonmouth (beginning in 1972). They went through a line-up change and a name change in 1975 and became a staple in the local Dallas rock scene. Known as a hard rocking covers band, they interspersed their own songs into their set list and eventually did some demos but nothing became of it. The fact is, they were a gritty, powerhouse live band! They breathed fire and fury into their very eclectic cover songs, and inspired hard rocking originals. This CD comprises their only known studio demos and live tracks.
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Audience 8.1 - This is actually an admirable capture, getting the entire performance with relatively few (if any) cuts. The tape is not that bad, it is just pretty old and struggles to contain the entire frequency spectrum so you get a tiny bit of “static” where the band is really loud and jamming. It’s pretty clear though, and thankfully the guitars shine through well, with a good rounded bass holding down the lows.