Post-Sardonicus Spirit

I woke up a couple months ago and realized that "12 Dreams" might be one of my all-time favorite albums. Listened to it incessantly for a couple of weeks and my opinion did not change.

I have had the Anesini CD remasters of the first four LPs for several years. Am interested in investigating the post-split catalog. Looking for advice and recommendations.

I recently acquired the Collector's Choice CD of Feedback at a record store close-out but haven't unwrapped it yet. Are there some fans out there or is this going to be a disappointment?

I understand that Spirit of '76 is undergoing a critical revival. Curious about the Potatoland material and the best way to approach that.

Any help or breakdown of the best post-1970 Spirit-related stuff would be most appreciated.

 

I have pretty much all of the seventies era post-Sardonicus stuff (except Feedback, maybe I should get that) ...Potatoland is really cool, as well as Kaptain Kopter..
the problem is this stuff isn't as varied and jazz oriented, they really took a step down after John Locke left..as it's all pretty much Randy California,
and his stuff tends to sound all the same after a while, but it's still pretty great, maybe a little too overtly hippy-dippy / Hendrix influenced for my taste....
I have the Mercury Years 2CD comp, which features Spirit of '76, Farther Along, and Future Games in their entirety, plus a bonus track...I have some live shows
from the reunion in 1976 with Locke which are also cool...

 

The best of the Mercury albums, in terms of connections to the classic Spirit lineup would be the Farther Along album. That record included all the core members with the exception of Jay Ferguson (and adding Matt Andes on guitar as well). It certainly has its moments, but retains a little of the whimsical side of Randy California's output on Mercury during those years. Spirit of 76 is a world unto itself - nearly a Randy California solo album. Future Games is very much a Randy solo album to my ears, but it's a favorite record of mine - kookiness and all. I'd have to say those first four albums are pretty much the bees knees - check out the Model Shop soundtrack for more of that original vibe. I'd avoid the Spirit of 1984 reunion album - all the original members and none of the original "spirit" if you get what I mean (makes the Mercury stuff sound like Sardonicus by comparison). Feedback is better than it deserves to be (especially without Randy) while Randy's Kaptain Kopter solo LP is a corker!
I have a radio broadcast of Spirit live in 1978 from the Long Island club "My Father's Place" that is really very entertaining considering they were performing as a trio. It would be cool to see an official release of that someday......
--------- Chris

 

Does anyone recall an incarnation called The Urge, which was Cass, Fuzzy Knight and a buddy of mine named Roy Cunningham on guitar/vocals? Would be very curious to hear some recollections. This would have been early 1980's around L.A.

 

The Mercury Years double CD is quite good.

 

I think Randy California's reworking of "All Along the Watchtower" and "The Times They Are A-Changin" from the Mercury era are noteworthy interpretations. I happen to be very critical of songs with key modulations in them, but what he does with "Watchtower" is masterful IMO.
---------- Chris

 

...and add "Like A Rolling Stone" from Spirit Of 76!

 

As my avatar and name would suggest, I love Spirit, especially Randy's Kapt Kopter album- one of my top 10 albums of all time. Special mention should also go to Jo Jo Gunne, especially their first two albums.

 

I love all Spirit...but I find some of the stuff on the Mercury Years tends to sound somewhat the same (post Hendrix stoner psych), whereas the initial 4 or 5 LPs are so varied in style, which is what makes SPIRIT such a great band...so many musical influences..again, Water Woman I think is one of he greatest songs of all time...!

 

I think the key to that album is that David Briggs produced it, and went out of his way to make it sound like a followup to Sardonicus.

Feedback isn't great but I prefer it to any of the Mercury albums.

 

+1

 

It also has John Locke's jazz keyboard style, while most of the later albums don't.

 

It's a bit raw and uneven, and the whole concept/storyline is daft, but there's a lot of enjoyable music on Potatoland. I've attached a link to the preferred expanded version, as opposed to the more bastardized 80's release that was available for a while.
http://www.amazon.com/The-Original-...=1398178004&sr=8-1&keywords=spirit+potatoland
Beyond that, I'd say that Spirit of '76 and Farther Along are the highlights.

 

Potatoland is great, the song itself is really cool, bizarro !!!!

 

there was a Spirit reunion in '76 of all the original members, I have a few soundboards from this tour, they should officially release these as archival recordings,
and the other stuff "out there" (Texas Pop Fest 1969) as this is one of the greatest unsung bands of all tome, imo...

 

My favourite Mercury era Spirit albums
1 Future Games
2 Farther Along
3 Spirit Of ' 76
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KL2twraCmbNdb+aTcE6G5X76DpJrW7XtlsdRx7udvGtWLmYIxRCzWOVbqAT8kXJHO1RLAbTdCBdsxZUMclwZJZGLMAOCBFU3K6EluIANS0kaOtpjHszFZQO3Gb2+kgY/Y3HwrzW03ZI9ffb/ero6ysbjpRM+HSObCywiEx5ZDKmRmMkkY7OYXaxKltMtwLA1SiDXW/98rfrVg9edEHDYHCkEsDBGcxJJJyDMSTqTe9PVRHqqmDbIweUg2iCmxBsQSCPWLcKl1EFFFFAUUUUBRRRQYGkbgaU0HhQQHqN/g0P9Sb8xqn1QDqP/g0H05vzWqwKoSiiigWgikpRShLVU/WptbEbNx+ExMAJidWWaKxKSZXBObSwZhLoRrdddKto1GusDYfluAnhHnZd5HbjvE7SW9ZFvrqKY+sbbDSbElxOAc2dEbPHbMI2YbzX5JCkg21Fef9idK8XhmvHMxBvdHJdW0I5m6mzN2lIOvEVz//AKEqRNHHJIsUo7cYchXHHVb2OtNd6YLk2F0+gxLwiZ/Jd3kQKR8WqK2Y5JdFBJKXL20iAu1yGTaOwodoSyAxbuQI0pdTkkjjW4jEua4lJCk3fta2zWFhVCRW0/vlzpz2dt+bDqUDFo2Uo0bEkZSAGCkapcAcNNBcHhUs+F16T6usdCcFDDHOszQoFYgMjEAlVcxOAygheJFu4njUrBqhNhvicbhIZcChSLDzNHMEZjOubJJvOwQ8q2axyWbsmy6mpnsrrDtjGwhEuJC6CZYwJW4HtQqovoeSjhcDhd37TFk0Vy7Ox0cyZo3DLwvzHgQdVPgbGuqqgooooCkNLRQYGjlQaDwoID1HfwaH6c35rVP6r/qOP+DQf1JvzGqwKANJS0UCUjuALn++VKKCKoAaWkC0tqDyf092L5LjsTCFsquTHyGR+2gF+AAOUfRqKWq5evLZwONSQA9rDgs3AXVyoF+el9OVU9Olj3VOK35PeJwbRrGzD95Esi2PIjTnTfjBp3VLo8N5TszDSi7NAZYHLW+S6SQoOZuk/L5nhUT2i9zp3m3Hv7qntb4W3+zZNcY5L+gYD/ODNb6k+6rY2j0eimcS2Mcw0E8VkltYrYmxDizNowNr3FjrVL/s438txPd5OL+veLb/AFr0BerWVI47oZtTZsofAsZt5JbPGVQqugRJYWupW7asLgBPk6U4YnrVnUO8cEMsQJCSF2izqoALkWIUNowDG9nFxYXNulb1U/TrqweWWafAOqGVDmw+Z4laTUtIpW66/NIAJN7is5gkvRjrBwuKZkL7qRDlKOCI2scoeOUgBlYnS9m/l51MTKAQCdTqBzNrX0+sfbXkbamxcXhG3EiyKXTtxEMA2S7ML+a4Fr3Q2sasnqW2pi8RjMm9lWCOAPJCSZELXyoQ0pYpmuWIUi9vCtC8waWsUFLQY0h4GlNB4Ggr/qO/g0P9Sb8xqn4NV/1HH/Bof6k35hqfhqozorG9LegKWkooFovSUVBBOt3CM2B3ka53jYDKQDdZCqMR3EAg15s2pDlc2IKk8RfLe2tieI4i/hXrbpjhHlwOISL94YmKaXuy9oC3O5FreNeRMZIGNxoLXC6kL4C/Kk8rvR/2JtG2BlhAJDzAvfzVbd/FEH5LELPqPmjwpjxpGYgG/dyuKdcSphhjht21aSWQDNftrGqxuth2lCHvtvG15UzSOb2Pqtx+23Oi71i4v2bIQXxz81WBR6mMxP3otXmKqr9nzYphwUuIa4OJcWH8kWZVNvFnk+q1WrVQorErSg0oqIb9qbIhxEZSWNXF7i9wVPC6stmQ20upBrh6H9GYdnwmGG5BZmLtlMjXJyhmA7WUdkeAp+NIKBQKDS0hoMaG4fVQaG4VRXXUef8AB4vCSb/3P6ip9eq66jW/wlP60o+8VYYatRGzNWQatN6UPRW+9LXNvKzV6lg3UGsValvUGEyEqQCVJBAYWut9Li+lxXkbBbM3E8++Cv5GzBlIzRySq5jjUg2updSdRqFNxa9vXRNeW+sghMViAgy3xk5b+YqI8pItbTeSn1yNrUqotjMdJIc0jsxJJPiWOZjYcySSTzJrdsPZT4vER4eEduVgg42XvZvBRc6d1N5qw+ohAdrpf5MMpHrsP1NEej8Bg0hjSKJQkcahUUcAALAV0Ul6M1BlSUl6L1Rnei9Y3oFQZXrE0CkvVC0HhSZqRm0oP//Z
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

 

Feedback has its moments but suffers from the absence of Randy California and the presence of some really sleazy lyrics. Spirit of '76 is a sprawling, dreamy delight!

 

I think the biggest weakness is the absence of both Jay Ferguson and Randy California. Jay was, early on, the better songwriter although Randy did catch up. The biggest weakness in the post Feedback albums is that Jay wasn't there.

 

Well, I guess I disagree. Spirit of '76 is a great album and the other two are both pretty forgettable in my opinion.

 

Try giving "All Along The Watchtower" from "Future Games" another listen. Play it loud and get back to me.

 

Very little exposure to Spirit overall, but highly recommend
this little rough diamond, this version:




This is Spirit in name only, but it's got a lot going for it.
Tunes are radio friendly, LOTS of tasty guitar, Ed Cassidy
is all over this thing. It's pure late-era acid rock. It's also
very goofy, tongue-in-cheek stuff. I consider that its strength.
Why? It's FUN!!! Yeah,we've heard hippy preaching before.
It doesn't kill it for me. DON'T BOTHER with the '81 version,
that's a cut'n'paste job. As an extra, there's an interview
with the guys at the end that show how close it came to
being released as it was in '73. I don't know the whole
backstory there, you can read this:

The Lost Spirit Album

It's not without problems: It's a Randy California solo project.
Very goofy and already dated for its pending release, 1973 ( ? ).
Also retreads "1984" and "Nature's Way", which, while they fit,
it seems a record company maneuver to say, "Yeah, it's Spirit".

Highly recommended TYMMV, as always. Sample it first.

 

If I remember right, Al Staehely's John played the slide on "Nothin' to Hide", and he really burns as the guitarist on "Feedback". If you've heard Texas Pop Festival of 69 you'll know a couple of those Feedback songs like "Trancas Fog-out" were studio renditions, and I doubt Randy would have nailed it that well,superior talent or not.