Spooky Tooth -- where to start?

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by ian christopher, Apr 22, 2014.

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  1. ian christopher

    ian christopher Argentina (in Spirit) Thread Starter

    Location:
    El Centro
    Began seeking out Spooky Tooth on YouTube lately and have been promptly blown away.

    Whether from a live clip or studio, the soulful vocals of Gary Wright backed by the fiery dual keyboard antics, fantastic guitar playing, and formidable rhythm section have elevated their songs into "must have" status for my collection.

    From searching various sites, I'm finding their works to be quite rare - especially Spooky Two, which goes for 20 dollars minimum.

    is the 1999 era "original recording remastered" version of "The Best of Spooky Tooth: That Was Only Yesterday" worth a buy? I notice several copies online for 12 or below.

    My concern is with the mastering of the 1999 compilation. Suha Gur (?) performed the mastering on this disc.

    I also noticed a "Best of Spooky Tooth" compilation from 1991 that was much more reasonably priced.

    Where to start with the Spooky Tooth experience?
     
  2. Scott in DC

    Scott in DC Forum Resident

    Location:
    Washington, DC
    Do you use a turntable? If so, Spooky Tooth albums can be had for reasonable prices used, at least the US pressings. I can't comment on the compilations you refer to but in terms of the individual albums I would get,

    I like the individual albums better than the LP compilation I have, That Was Only Yesterday due to that compilation having many solo Gary Wright songs. The Gary Wright songs are good but you mentioned Spooky Tooth, not solo Gary Wright.

    Scott
     
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  3. Claus

    Claus Senior Member

    Location:
    Germany
    Spooky Two
     
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  4. aoxomoxoa

    aoxomoxoa I'm an ear sitting in the sky

    Location:
    USA
    I have a U.S. Spooky Two on brown A&M labels. Is the U.K. press a whole lot better?
     
  5. Cake

    Cake Forum Resident

    Location:
    Reseda, CA, USA
    I love the very bizarre Ceremony LP. Anyone dig it or hate it?
     
  6. rck60s

    rck60s Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Atlanta, Ga, USA
    I wold start with Spooky Two then deviate a little and go for Gary Wright Extraction and Footprint then The Last Puff
     
  7. Wally Swift

    Wally Swift Yo-Yoing where I will...

    Location:
    Brooklyn New York
    About to spin Witness for the first time not knowing what to expect. I think I heard them once like 35 years ago.
     
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  8. moomaloo

    moomaloo All-round good egg

    Spooky Two. It's probably the only album by them you need as none of the others really live up to it IMO. It has Better By You, Better Than Me on it too and that song is a killer.
     
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  9. moomaloo

    moomaloo All-round good egg

    I've just realised what I've done here... Can I state that in no way did I mean that statement as some sort of sick 'joke'. (If you don't understand what I'm getting at here then I'm not compounding my shame by explaining it...).

    Sorry all...
     
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  10. Todd W.

    Todd W. It's a Puggle

    Location:
    Maryland
    Spooky II
    Last Puff
    Witness
     
  11. ganma

    ganma Senior Member

    Location:
    Earth
    Great band. I have most of their stuff. 2 and Last Puff are the masterpieces.
     
  12. jwoverho

    jwoverho Licensed Drug Dealer

    Location:
    Mobile, AL USA
    All their albums are worth hearing.
    Two and Puff are the best, although I have a soft spot for the albums with Mick Jones pre-Foreigner on guitar.
     
  13. ian christopher

    ian christopher Argentina (in Spirit) Thread Starter

    Location:
    El Centro
    Harrison's voice is so great with The Tooth.
     
  14. dpv2008

    dpv2008 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Ukraine
    Spooky Two.
     
  15. old school

    old school Senior Member

    [​IMG]
    The Island Years 1967-1974
     
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  16. The Lew

    The Lew Senior Member

    Always found this very difficult to listen to Cake.
     
  17. alexpop

    alexpop Power pop + other bad habits....

    Great version of 'I Am The Walrus' heavy like a flying mallet.
    Lennon must have been impressed.
     
  18. The Lew

    The Lew Senior Member

    If I didn't have anything by Spooky Tooth and found out that I'm blown away like Ian, I'd have to start with this box set.
     
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  19. B_big!

    B_big! Vinyl Record Enthusiast

    ( ( ( ( ( ((((((( .[​IMG]

    They became one of my all time greatest faves when I got their 'It's All About (A Roundabout)', 1968 on German Fontana - 855 444 TY

    . [​IMG]

    . [​IMG]
    Until today, I really love to give it a spin, I still own this original and it is still in VG+ condition!!

    My suggestion, start with their first album, continue with their second ('Spooky Two'). Pass 'Ceremony' and continue with 'The Last Puff', then you have their essential collection.
     
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  20. Ignatius

    Ignatius Forum Resident

    I was waiting for someone to mention this one! Love the original songs but the covers like Society's Child are too screechy in the vocal department.
     
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  21. The Lew

    The Lew Senior Member

    Mine is the ILPS 9080 but it's palm tree. Still in perfect condition :D
     
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  22. Bowland

    Bowland Forum Resident

    Location:
    England
    Spooky Tooth are one of those groups that I'd like to get into but can't, everything I've heard by them just doesn't do anything for me, but I do live in hope!

    I feel the same way about Savoy Brown too.

    I want to like Spooky Tooth if only because they came from Carlisle.
     
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  23. Alan2

    Alan2 Forum Resident

    Location:
    UK
    ^ I didn't know that.

    I was going to post 'get the cheap compilation' but just noticed how old this thread is now - the OP is probably well into ST by now.

    I like them, but it's uncharacteristic of me, as I don't like a lot of heavy rock. I put them in there with early Mott and King Crimson as an 'underground' Island band.
     
  24. The Lew

    The Lew Senior Member

    Still enjoy Witness though. Double vocals of Mike Harrison and Gary Wright. Some great ballad type songs but still some nice guitar, All Sewn Up etc
     
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  25. steparnl

    steparnl New Member

    Location:
    raleigh, nc, us
    The Last Puff for me. Can't go wrong with a band that included members of the (just departed from Joe Cocker) Grease Band - Henry McCulloch, Allen Spenner and Chris Stainton. Incredibly tasteful musicianship; those guys really knew how to leave space in-between the notes, and never overplayed. Musically this album sort of resembles the works of several other "loose but tight at the same time" groups from that era such as aforementioned Joe Cocker, Leon Russell and Delaney and Bonnie, or at the very least shares strains of a similar DNA. Includes a version of David Ackles' "Down River" that might just break your heart.
     
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