TRIPSICHORD MUSIC BOX: Original psych lp

$

244

original copy on the Janus label. Stereo 3016. If you've not heard this, it is one of San Francisco's lost treasures. Beautiful songs with some amazing guitar and production. It's great. See below for some history. Vinyl is VG++. Cover is VG(+). The seams have some wear on top and bottom but no splitting. Drill Hole. Songs are: *On The Last Ride (Zandonatti / Carr) * We Have Passed Away (Carr) * Black Door (Carr) * The New Word (Zandonatti) * Son Of The Morning (Zandonatti) * Short Order Steward (Zandonatti) * The Narrow Gate (Zandonatti) * Fly Baby (Carr) * Everlasting Joy (Zandonatti / Carr)

Musicians* Randy Gordon - drums * Oliver McKinney - keyboards * Frank Straight - lead guitar * Dave Zandonatti - bass * B. Carr - guitar, vocals * Producer - Matthew Katz

A Little History: Tripsichord Music Box (name shortened to 'Tripsichord' in 1970) were one of the Bay Area's most enigmatic and amazing bands. Despite being one of the least documented and least commercially successful of the San Francisco Sound family of groups under producer Matthew Katz' control, the music they left behind is quite stellar and easily ranks alongside the output of stablemates Moby Grape and It's A Beautiful Day from the same period (1968-70). Tripsichord Music Box started life as The Ban before changing names to Now. The group was managed by Randy Guzman's parents, so he took the name Gordon, for business reasons. The Guzman's had shopped the group around to all of the L.A. record companies and local promoters, while the band played high-profile gigs at places like the Sea Witch and Pandora's Box on the Hollywood's Sunset Strip. Despite playing the same circuit as the Seeds, Strawberry Alarm Clock, Yellow Payges et al, and building a considerable following, it was not until they came to the attention of Matthew Katz that they were taken seriously as a viable commercial entity. Katz relocated the band to San Francisco and re-christened them Tripsichord Music Box. They played live (along with most of Katz' other bands) frequently at his San Francisco Sound Ballroom in Seattle, and in California. In December 1967, Tripsichord Music Box was the first group to record on 8-track equipment in San Francisco (prior to the arrival of state of the art multi-tracking equipment, most S.F. bands were going to Los Angeles to record). This session produced the three tracks that were included on the rare Fifth Pipe Dream - San Francisco Sound Vol. 1 compilation: It's Not Good, You're The Woman and Family Song. When Katz lost the group Moby Grape, he had Tripsichord Music Box play a number of shows as the now imfamous "fake grape". Gregg McKinney (Oliver's brother) recalls: "They did the free show in Encanto Park, Phoenix, Arizona, where our 93 year old grandmother came to the "love-in" to see her grandson play. Oliver ended up playing guitar on stage, something her truly hated! For the record, the guys did not like deceiving other peoples fans and would rather have kept playing their own music." Oliver McKinney left the band during 1969, moving with his family to Pensacola, Florida. He played music locally into the mid-eighties, and is now a commercial artist and plays cello in a church orchestra. Oliver McKinney was replaced by guitarist Bill Carr, and as well the band was often augmented by Zandonatti's high school buddy Ron McNeeley on vocals. It was this more aggressive dual-guitar line-up (with and without McNeeley) that recorded the band's most spectacular music. Listening to their 1969 recordings today, it's clear that they alone carried the torch that year that was once shared by Quicksilver Messenger Service, Frumious Bandersnatch and Moby Grape. The Tripsichord album is essentially what the world was hoping Shady Grove would be! Fly Baby sounds like Quicksilver at their ethereal best, and throughout, the dual-guitar interplay is breathtaking on this underrated gem. A dark vibe permeates the album through an obsession with death and the afterlife in the lyrics: "The life that I lived and the image I reflected Still remains in the eyes of those who I protected And now I rest eternally... The dim light shines from the black door where I have just passed through." (from Black Door) The Narrow Gate has creepy lyrics "Lovely, lovely living souls, blowing warmth from purple heat... now I'm cold" backed by a stunning instrumental track loaded with unusual percussion. Aside from the rather pedestrian Short Order Steward, every cut on the album is killer and required listening for all fans of sixties music. The recent Akarma package (also issued on CD) collects all the released Tripsichord Music Box recordings 1968-70 and is the most economical way to investigate this fine little-known band. In 1970, Tripsichord left California for Utah, where Dave Zandonatti and Ron McNeeley joined a Mormon traveling musical troupe called The Sons Of Mosiah. This collective was managed by Orrin Hatch, now a well-known politician in the State. Several concerts were recorded during 1970, and a double album was issued that year: The Sons Of Mosiah Live! In Washington, D.C. (Lab Productions). Zandonatti and McNeeley appear on the album as a folk duo, and given about 25 minutes, perform five songs including both sides of the 1969 Tripsichord Music Box 45. In between the tracks, they explain in some detail how the lyrics relate to Biblical texts. Ironically the emcee of the show introduces Zanonatti as "a former member of the acid rock group Moby Grape"! In 1971, Dave Zandonatti produced a recording for singer Marvin Payne which was released in album form by Mike Curb (Curb Records). Zandonatti also plays on the album, as does Tripsichord drummer Randy Gordon and violinist Danny Colletti who was a member of a seventies band with Zandonatti called Natty Bumppo. Dave Zandonatti (aka John E. Smorgasbord) is currently fronting a swing band called The Blue D'Arts, and Randy Gordon has (no kidding!) been playing drums for the real Moby Grape in recent years! Compilation coverage has included: Sunday The Third and Times And Seasons from their non LP 45, on Filling The Gap (4-LP); Matthew Katz's Then And Now, Vol. 1 (CD) includes You're The Woman and Fly Baby, whilst Then And Now, Vol. 2 (CD) includes Family Song and On The Last Ride.

Let me know if you have any questions. Shipping in the US is $6. More elsewhere. Email if you'd like a shipping quote outside of the US. I accept paypal, checks (inside US only), and Money orders (in US dollars only).