Be sure to add me to your favorites list! Check out my other items!;Check me out on YouTube
Kevin's Live Music Video Vault!

Combined payment/shipping discount: Pay standard USPS Media Mail rate for first item, and then pay only $1.00 for each additional LP/CD within 3 days.   

J

The Psychedelic Artwork

is not for sale!!  Just for fun!!  

J

 

(Stock Photo)

Grahame Bond* ?– Love Is The Law

Label: Pulsar Records  AR 10604 Format: LP Vinyl Album, Country: USA Released: 1968 Genre: Rock, Blues Style: British Blues Rock

Tracklist?

• A1 Love Is The Law 3:26
• A2 Moving Towards The Light 4:29
• A3 Our Love Will Come Shining Through 3:03
• A4 I Couldn't Stand It Anymore 4:10
• A5 Sun Dance 2:24
• B1 Crossroads Of Time 2:33
• B2 Bad News Blues 2:50
• B3 Strange Times, Sad Times 3:57
• B4 The Naz 3:30
• B5 The World Will Soon Be Free 3:55

• NOTES

• review

  [-]by Richie Unterberger

  Love Is the Law is the first of the two LPs Graham Bond recorded for the Pulsar label in the late '60s after his move to the United States, and is the better of the pair by a wide margin. That doesn't mean, it should be cautioned, that it's that great, and it's considerably below the standard of the discs he cut in the U.K. in the mid-'60s as the leader of the Graham Bond Organisation. That might not only be because he was missing musicians of the extremely high caliber of his supporting players in the Organisation; it might also be due to him having played everything himself on the LP, with the exception of drums (byHal Blaine) and some soulful female backup vocals. Yet there's still substantial pleasure -- if that's the right word to use for a musician with such a demonic vocal, instrumental, and compositional flavor -- to be had from Bond's consistently spooky blues-rock organ and Mellotron. If his vocals are a bit croaky, and his lyrics (where odes to free love dovetail with dread and the occult) a bit creepy, that's part of the reason the music stands out even from the eclectic palette of late-'60s rock; there's nothing else quite like it, even if it might not be his best work. The title track and "The World Will Soon Be Free" are certainly among the absolute highlights of his post-Organisation discography, and if the remake of "Our Love Will Come Shining Through" isn't up to the level of the great obscure mid-'60s U.K. 45 on which he first issued the song, it's still pretty good. If some of the lyrics seem a bit awkward and confused in their confluence of naïve romanticism and ominous foreboding, they're made up for by some quite groovy blues-jazz organ riffs. Overall, it sounds like the songwriting could have done with some polish and the arrangements with some fleshing out, but Bond fans will still find it worthwhile to seek out this rare LP.

  biography

  [-]by Richie Unterberger An important, underappreciated figure of early British R&B, Graham Bond is known in the U.S., if at all, for heading the group that Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker played in before they joined Cream. Originally an alto sax jazz player -- in fact, he was voted Britain's New Jazz Star in 1961 -- he met Bruce and Bakerin 1962 after joining Alexis Koerner's Blues Incorporated, the finishing school for numerous British rock and blues musicians. By the time he, Bruce, and Baker split to form their own band in 1963, Bond was mostly playing the Hammond organ, as well as handling the lion's share of the vocals. John McLaughlinwas a member of the Graham Bond Organization in the early days for a few months, and some live material that he recorded with the group was eventually issued after most of their members had achieved stardom in other contexts. Saxophonist Dick Heckstall-Smith completed Bond's most stable lineup, who cut a couple of decent albums and a few singles in the mid-'60s. In their prime, the Graham Bond Organization played rhythm & blues with a strong jazzy flavor, emphasizing Bond's demonic organ and gruff vocals. The band arguably would have been better served to feature Bruce as their lead singer -- he is featured surprisingly rarely on their recordings. Nevertheless, their best records were admirably tough British R&B/rock/jazzsoul, and though Bond has sometimes been labeled as a pioneer of jazz-rock, in reality it was much closer to rock than jazz. The band performed imaginative covers and fairly strong original material, and Bond was also perhaps the very first rock musician to record with the Mellotron synthesizer. Hit singles, though, were necessary for British bands to thrive in the mid-'60s, and Bond's group began to fall apart in 1966, when Bruce andBaker joined forces with Eric Clapton to form Cream. Bond attempted to carry on with the Organizationfor a while with Heckstall-Smith and drummer Jon Hiseman, both of whom went on to John Mayall's Bluesbreakers and Colosseum. Bond never recaptured the heights of his work with the Organization. In the late '60s he moved to the U.S., recording albums with musicians including Harvey Brooks, Harvey Mandel, and Hal Blaine. Moving back to Britain, he worked with Ginger Baker's Airforce, the Jack Bruce Band, and Creamlyricist Pete Brown, as well as forming the band Holy Magick, who recorded a couple albums. Bond's demise was more tragic than most: he developed serious drug and alcohol problems and an obsession with the occult, and it has even been posthumously speculated (in the British Bond biography Mighty Shadow) that he sexually abused his stepdaughter. He committed suicide by throwing himself into the path of a London Underground train in 1974. R&B Psych BLUES JAZZ Reviews:
  Love Won  
  I didn’t expect Love Is the Law would be the stuff of such good quality. Tunes filled with the Hammond organ breezes and bluesy baritone vocals create an intimate mood at once. Jazz rhythms and psychedelic flavouring miraculously preserve the romantic atmosphere of the time. “Love is the sun and love is the moon and love is the star” – love is the biggest luminary that lights our road in life.
  
  Following the demise of the Graham Bond Organization, British saxophonist / keyboardist / vocalist / composer Graham Bond left the UK for a brief residency in US, where he recorded two little known solo albums, of which this was the first. Bond was probably the most influential figure on the British music scene in the mid-1960s, when he led a group consisting of the finest musicians in the land, which practically invented Jazz-Rock Fusion. Sadly his troubled personal life, which included mental instability and heavy drug abuse, prevented him from achieving the success he so richly deserved and eventually led to his tragic death. But his recorded legacy is with us forever and everything he recorded is worthy of attention. Bond played all the instruments on this album, except for the drums which were played by Hal Blaine, and composed all the music / wrote all the lyrics. The material is amazing, as always, with heavy Jazz influence, but also Rhythm And Blues and Soul references. Bond plays some extraordinary organ parts and his vocals are also excellent, probably the best vocal parts he ever recorded. Considering the fact that this material was not available on the market for over 40 years makes this reissue a momentous occasion. A must to the numerous Bond fans, wherever they might be.
  ~ RARE 1968 "PULSAR" ORIGINAL ~  
   HAMMOND ORGAN & MELLOTRON PSYCHEDELIC BLUES JAZZ
  Love Is the Law is the first of the two LPs Graham Bond recorded for the Pulsar label, (the other is "The Mighty Graham Bond") in the late '60s after his move to the United States, and is the better of the pair by a wide margin.
  The Mighty Graham Bond express pulled into town in a variety of guises throughout the late 1960s. As a member of Alexis Korner’s Blues Inc. and titular host of the Graham Bond Organisation – a group that also included such luminaries as Ginger Baker, Jack Bruce and Dick Heckstall-Smith – his imposing frame sat at the forefront of the Brit-Blues explosion, playing a major part in revolutionising that sound with his incorporation of blues & jazz influences.
  Psychedelia beckoned and being both an early adopter of the Hammond organ and the first man in Britain to introduce audiences to the wonders of the Mellotron, the underground rock scene was ripe for a dose of Graham Bond exuberance.
  A diet of heroin, the occult, depression and his eventual suicide in 1974, meant the creative flame that burned early in his career never really reignited and certainly didn’t rekindle the audience interest previously enjoyed. Love is the Law andMighty Grahame Bond were recorded and released ONLY in America during 1968 and 1969 respectively, at a time when personal demons were taking a hold, the money was running out and the offer from a US label seemed hard to turn down. He never received a penny in royalties for either album.
  Despite what was going on behind the scenes, neither Love is the Law nor Mighty Grahame Bond sound as bad as Graham Bonds turbulent circumstances might portend.
  The cover of Love is the Law depicts a dishevelled and troubled looking Bond stood against the backdrop of a sun-worshipping flower child. This image pretty much sums up the music, with the Hammond and Mellotron-rich sound typical of the West Coast hippy psychedelic vibe, juxtaposed against the raw blues vocal that Bond belts out between gargles of broken glass.
  The fact the Americans seemed not only incapable of paying him for his services, but also of spelling his name correctly – with an erroneous ‘E’ finding its way onto the crediting of both albums – didn’t prevent them from managing to coax a full-blooded performance from the anguished artiste. For Love is the Law, Bond played all the instruments aside from drums, setting down a fertile foundation of blues tropes upon which to layer his psychedelic keyboards. There’s undoubtedly a raw energy bubbling away, which gives Love… an almost homemade feel and despite the inclusion of some female backing throughout, it remains very much a Lo-Fi affair.
  With a perspective that changes like the weather, from the loved-up flower power of the title-track and the unbridled hope of ‘The World Will Soon be Free’, through to the sour darkness of ‘Bad News Blues’ and pessimism of ‘Strange Times, Sad Times’, Love is the Law is very much a mixed bag of emotions, possibly denotive of Bond’s then frame of mind.
  Graham Bond :Keyboards, reeds, Vocals Dave Sheehan :Drums, Percussion Diane Stewart :Vocals Hal Blaine :Drums

Billboard Albums

Year Album Chart Peak 1968 None The Billboard 200

Billboard Singles

Year Single Chart Peak none

                                                                I try to rate my records down one level than I feel they should be, due to opinion differences. Please note that I can not possibly play test every LP.  If there are any problems, please let me know, as my return policy is fair.  CDs are rated NM if opened but played no more than once.  

J

   

J

1. GRAHAME BOND - love is the law (HQ Auido)

   by Ary Gonjes•8 months ago•1,763 views

   • HD

 

 

                         

J

 J

 

J

 

The Disc (Vinyl) and the Album Cover are graded separately.

DISC (VINYL) GRADES SS
(STILL SEALED) Sealed at factory and never opened. Disc is assumed to be undamaged and mint, but this cannot be proven until the album is actually opened and the disc examined. M
(MINT) Perfection, no flaws, defects, marks or otherwise indications of being handled or played. Any scuffs, hairline scratches or other marks disqualify discs from this category. I do not use this grade, as even the act of inserting the disc or removing it from the paper sleeve may cause scuff marks on the vinyl. NM or M- 
(NEAR MINT or MINT MINUS) This is highest grade that I will assign to opened, handled records. The vinyl is virtually flawless, bright and shiny. A very minor, barely visible scuff or two may be permitted, but no scratches. The disc should play with no audible noise. The label is bright, clean and unmarked. EX or VG++
(EXCELLENT or VERY GOOD ++) Disc plays near perfectly, but may have minor paper scuffs that do not interfere with the sound quality. There can possibly be a hairline scratch or two but nothing that is obvious or affects play. Vinyl is bright and shiny; label is clean and unmarked. VG+
(VERY GOOD PLUS) Some visible surface wear, very minor scratches and scuffs, but minimal impact on the sound quality. Vinyl will still have good luster; labels may have minor imperfections (small labels or initials, etc.) but otherwise clean. VG
(VERY GOOD) Vinyl has noticeable scratches or scuffs that cause minor surface noise, but do not overpower the music. There are no skips. Vinyl may appear somewhat dull and grayish. Labels may have small tears, tape marks, larger writing, etc. but still easily legible. G
(GOOD) Well-played, dull, grayish vinyl with deeper scratches and wear causing distracting surface noise (hisses, pops, cracks and other nasties). The record will still play through without any skips. Labels may be significantly defaced or damaged. F
(FAIR)
P
(POOR) Unless the record is particularly rare, I would not try to sell a record in this condition. There will be major noise, surface damage, deep scratches, and skips. Attempting to listen to these discs will be painful. These discs are basically trash unless a collector desires one to fill a space in a collection until a better one comes along.

ALBUM COVER GRADES SS
(STILL SEALED) Album is still in the factory-applied shrink-wrapping. M
(MINT) Absolutely perfect; no corner dings, marks, tears, dents, impressions from the disc, or other flaws. Cover should appear as if a record has never been inside. NM or M-
(NEAR MINT or MINT MINUS) Very minor signs of wear or cover impressions. Artwork is as close to perfection as possible. EX or VG++
(EXCELLENT or VERY GOOD ++) Minor disc impression or slight corner creases, no wrinkles, puckers, seam splits or writing on the cover. Artwork is clean and unworn and there is no ink wear. VG+
(VERY GOOD PLUS) Cover is clean but may have minor writing or marks and may show slight wear. There may be just the start of ring wear and a slight discoloration or staining, minor seam wear, but no splits or tears. Corners may have small creases or fraying. VG
(VERY GOOD) Cover is worn and used. Seams may be starting to split or may have been unobtrusively repaired with clear tape. There is moderate ringwear, but the artwork is still attractive. There may be yellowing or discoloration and there may be larger writing, labels, or marks. Corners may have damage or creases. G
(GOOD) Several (but not all of the following flaws will apply: Seam splits, large marker writing, major seam splits, significant ring wear, damaged corners, tears, cuts, gouges, masking or duct tape seam repairs, or other flaws and damage. Again, probably only useful to fill a collection niche until something better can be found. F
(FAIR)
P
(POOR) Trash, useable only to keep the record off the floor.

My YouTube Feature - Kevin's Live Music Video Vault http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9CE07D64936CE306 My kids newspaper project on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Wiki-Weekly/266866373375558?ref=hl My ebay items for sale http://www.ebay.com/sch/m.html?_sop=1&_from=&_nkw=&_dmd=2&_armrs=1&_ssn=psychedelic-kevin&_ipg=96&rt=nc

Check out my VidLP creations on YouTube:

Kevin's Classic Live Video Album Productions (Vid-LP)

by Kevin Maguire

1. 45:18 1

   Vid-LP Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon

   by Kevin Maguire 258 views

2. 49:53 2

   Vid-LP Fleetwood Mac - Rumours

   by Kevin Maguire 132 views

3. 42:17 3

   Vid-LP Rush - Rush (Debut Album) Mostly Video, Mostly Live

   by Kevin Maguire 73 views

4. 41:23 4

   Vid-LP Carole King - Tapestry

   by Kevin Maguire 7 views

5. 36:22 5

   Vid-LP Aerosmith Aerosmith (1st Album) - Mostly Live Concert Videos!

   by Kevin Maguire 210 views

6. 56:00 6

   Vid-LP Black Sabbath Black Sabbath

   by Kevin Maguire 29 views

7. 47:00 7

   Vid-LP Queen - Queen (1st album) Mostly live concert video footage

   by Kevin Maguire 69 views

8. 44:02 8

   Vid-LP Jethro Tull - Aqualung (1971)

   by Kevin Maguire 42 views

9. 40:56 9

   VidLP Santana - Abraxas (Live Video Classic Album)

   by Kevin Maguire 86 views

10. 41:56 10

    WATCHED VidLP The Rolling Stones - Sticky Fingers (Live Video Classic Album)

    by PsychedelicKevin 14 views