LP-Christopher-Same early 70's Texas Killer Garage Psych/Prog

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(..CHRISTOPHER....) by ( CHRISTOPHER )...... ....( a fan says:Our worst enemies are clichés and lies, "Texas is a land of unsophisticated rednecks" is one of them. I used it a lot myself, before realizing how many of the most innovative and refined bands came from Texas. America was hit hard by crafty Brits who conquered the continent (and the rest of the world) with new found formula: a trio, "Cream", Jimi Hendrix Experience... The defeat was short-lived, and Americans quickly launched a counter-attack to win their turf back. A power trio soon became America's deadliest and most destructive weapon - from stadiums-selling loud and rough Blue Cheer Vincebus Eruptum , Mountain and Grand Funk to lesser known Fields Fields , Bang Bang-Mother/Bow to the King , Resurrection (resident evil of Fillmore) and Tin House Tin House (the list can go on). Some of the guys stuck to simplistic recipe of hitting hard the eardrums of the audience, while others opted getting hooked on psychedelia. One of the world's most influential and uncompromisingly destructive acts, 13th Floor Elevators, was from Texas. The wide spectrum of psychedelia was not confined to raw energy , and its fusion with progressive gave birth to really underestimated brilliant act, The Playboys from Edinburg Up Through The Spiral . Christopher was born in Houston in 1968, and started its life as Union Gas. The original line-up: Richard Avitts (guitar), Doug Walden (bass, piano, keyboards) and Doug Tull (drums). Soon they had to change their name to Christopher in order to avoid confusion with better known Californian outfit Pacific Gas & Electric (recommended - Get It On ), the reference to St.Christopher perhaps was their only connection with Christianity at the time. That's so easy to pinpoint similarities and influences in their music (ranging from Hendrix and Cream to hard-hitting Funk and jazzy jamming of the Doors), but Christopher were not copycats - they melted acid and prog into extremely powerful and mesmerizing music. It goes from hard n'heavy of the opening "Dark Road" to dark romance and melancholy of esoteric "Magic Cycles". Vocally they were stronger than Cream, and self-penned "Beautiful Lady" had the potential to make it into the charts, but it didn't happen. Christopher was relocated to Las Vegas, played on Sunset Strip and became closely tied to The Barons of Earth (local bikers community or a chapter); they were not only playing at the parties and clubs of the bikers, but they were dropping acid together. The band which was bound for glory, played and outshone Taj Mahal and Three Dog Night, was permanently on acid trip and lived in almost total oblivion. At some stage they've got a producer - Ron Kramer - and a record deal with minor label (Metromedia). Doug Tull lasted only until the middle, and had to be replaced by John Simpson and Terrence Hand. Tull's habit and suicidal tendencies went out of control, plus his bandmates were not satisfied with his "inability to drum in any thing but 4/4". Tull later joined legendary Josephus. Christopher was not aware of the advice of Tommi Iommi to get an attorney after learning two riffs and before learning to play the third one, and got ripped off by the producer and the label - it released 1.000 LPs only and promptly dropped the band. Christopher lasted for a while as United Gas again before disbanding. Doug Tull finally took his life. The album was officially re-released by Gear Fab, and pirated endlessly (recently by Kismet) - I doubt that two surviving members received a penny. I would have happily given it six stars, if you have some appreciation for psych/prog of the 70s you must have it A1 Dark Road 2:52 A2 Magic Cycles 5:03 A3 Wilbur Lite 3:56 A4 In Your Time 5:25 A5 Beautiful Lady 2:29 B1 Lies 3:04 B2 Disaster 3:41 B3 The Wind 4:58 B4 Queen Mary 3:22 B5 Burns Decision 5:14 )........