The Wizards From Kansas S/T Mercury 1970 (OG)

The Wizards From Kansas S/T Mercury 1970 (OG) CAT #SR61309

Previously discussed this here http://kclawrencevinyl.blogspot.com/search?q=wizards+of+kansas, but that copy is a cheap bootleg you can buy for $12 on eBay.

This copy isn't a bootleg, it's original. I never thought I'd see an original, let alone for the basement price of 49 cents at a local Vintage Stock. I could get into the ethics...maybe I should of told Vintage Stock about the album's value, but if they sold it for 49 cents, that means they gave someone even less to bring it into their store. So, if I should feel bad for anyone, it's the guy or girl who sold it to Vintage Stock.

Either way, I'm fine. I'm going to keep and cherish this LP. Sounds ten times better than the crummy bootleg and it's never leaving my collection.

Full Album

Don Mueller The Ballad of Black Jack Audio House 1970

Don Mueller The Ballad of Black Jack Audio House 1970 CAT# AHSPLA 12670

This LP is very 'Waiting for Guffman.' The Ballad of Black Jack was a musical written by former Baker University professor, Don Mueller, for Baldwin's centennial Maple Leaf celebration in 1970. Through musical theater, it attempts to tell the story of Baldwin, KS in the era of Bleeding Kansas. So, it's not as hokey as the musical from 'Waiting for Guffman,' the subject matter is serious, but the musical theater aspect is an acquired taste.

As evidenced by the many online obituaries for Mr. Mueller, who passed in 2013, the Ballad of Black Jack was obviously well-remembered and apparently performed multiple times after it's debut in 1970. Coincidentally, is a recording of the musical's debut as evidenced by the label.

My favorite part about this LP is that I found it in a plain white outer jacket with the title, 'The Ballad of Black Jack' written across the top in permanent marker. I'm not sure if there was ever a cover printed for it. Seemed pretty local when I found it, so I looked inside and found Don Mueller's 2013 Lawrence Journal World obituary placed inside. Figured, whoever took the time to do so, wanted to keep it for posterity...just assuming I'm carrying that on even though it ended up in a Goodwill 3 years later.

Marilyn Maye with The Tony DiPardo Orchesta The Chiefs are on a Warpath B/W We're Number One Chief 1970

Marilyn Maye with The Tony DiPardo Orchesta The Chiefs are on a Warpath B/W We're Number One Chief 1970 CAT# ZTSC 142955

CHIEFS! How about KC right now in terms of sports? Baseball locked up, soccer always good, and the Chiefs win their first playoff game since the days of Martyball with Joe Montana as the QB. Nice.

This is a Marilyn Maye novelty 7" recorded with the official Chiefs band, the Tony DiPrado Orchestra, to help celebrate their 1969 Super Bowl win over the Minnesota Viking. A completely Kansas City record through and through.

If Marilyn Maye didn't sign your records, you weren't worth a shit

The well known song, "The Chiefs are on a Warpath," isn't something that would be recorded today and probably shouldn't have been done in 1970, but people weren't as aware back then. I wouldn't call the record racist, but the use of Native American cliches is certainly insensitive by today's standards. Nevertheless, it's a pleasant novelty track about the Kansas City team that won it all. And, it's still pretty fun to listen to, especially after an 11 game winning streak.

The flip side is enjoyable, but generic, "We're Number One!". Obviously, it talks about the Chiefs being number one, it's also got the clever line, "We come from Kansas City and we haven't any pity, when we wreck they are permanently wrecked." If we win the Super Bowl, it's this song, all day.

Chiefs are on a Warpath

Brewer & Shipley Tarkio Kama Sutra 1970

Brewer & Shipley Tarkio Kama Sutra 1970 CAT# KSBS 2024

Should probably be mentioned again since it's been a while since I've discussed Brewer & Shipley, but neither Brewer nor Shipley are from KC or the surrounding area.  However, they were managed by Good Karma Production out of Kansas City and like many of the acts managed by them, the act relocated to Kansas City.  So for a time, Brewer & Shipley called Kansas City their home.

And, judging by classic rock radio-play to this day, Kansas City adored the guys while they were a big deal.  Even today, you're bound to hear the hit from this album, "One Toke Over the Line" come across the airwaves at least once in a day.  As it was somewhat of a surprise hit, the band has since been regulated to "one-hit wonder" status and it'd be surprising if any other classic radio station outside of KC is still blasting the song more than once a month.  In fact, the band was so beloved in KC, that in 1989 a local radio station urged the two to reunite.  Of course, they obliged.  That was then followed by a tour and an album in 1995 that no one cared about.

As for the big hit, "One Toke Over the Line," it was actually banned by many radio stations for it's obvious reference to marijuana.  As far as hits go, it's a good representation of the band.  It's laid back, kinda country, kinda folkie, at times a bit later-era hippie, nothing over-bearing or loud, but it's got some soul to it. They are an enjoyable duo based in traditional roots based music, it makes sense they were able to sustain a career on a major label.  They kind of sound like a lite-rock version of the Band with their roots driven approach and unexpected harmonies, but I stress the "lite", the Band's sound punches Brewer & Shipley in the balls.

Outside the hit, there are some other highlights, the rootsy "the Light", the humorous "Oh Mommy",  the rollicking "Don't Want to Die in Georgia," and the title track "Tarkio Road" along with "50 States of Freedom" are pleasant enough. Also of note, the LP credits Grateful Dead front-man Jerry Garcia for some pedal guitar, making the album a part of any dead Dead Head's collections worldwide.  It also features backing vocals by another Good Karma managed artist and KC transplant, Danny Cox.

Live clip of the Boys rocking nice duds and singing their hit.
Don't Want To Die In Georgia

Bulbous Creation You Won't Remember Dying Numero Group 2014

Bulbous Creation You Won't Remember Dying Numero Group 2014 CAT# NUM1227

A now legendary story surrounds this release and the first thing to point out when telling it is that this album was never actually "released."

It seems the tunes are primarily the brainchild of Prairie Village, KS native Paul Parkinson.  He returned home from tour in Vietnam, put together this band and they cut an album's worth of dark, boogie-rock in Independence, Missouri's Cavern Studios circa 1970.  The band didn't stay together long enough to put out any sort of private release.  Further, they probably didn't hand out many demos of the group's sound.

Despite the fact that band would have only played a handful of shows and demos were probably limited to a few friends of the band, the gloom and doom of the recordings got heard.  Those that did hear even snippets of the groups work were likely overwhelmed by not only all the dark, satanic references, but the band's adept psych rock arrangement.  The songs were recorded in the Cavern, so there's a echo and basement feel to everything.  The tunes go from the morose, war-damaged opener, "End of the Page", to basic blues-rock based psych and stoner jams.  It occasionally borders on Sabbath inspired proto-metal, but the real surprise is the lyrical themes and content: 1970's suburban Kansas is not the place you'd expect to find a group tackling topics like death and drug use, but this band went one-step further titling a song "Satan."  It's all very war-damaged and serves as a reminder to what these young guys like this were dealing with when coming back from Vietnam.

In 1995, 8 of the Bulbous Creation songs were issued on Rockadelic Records (same label that issued a Wizards of Kansas posthumous release of Cavern recorded tracks).  It was unauthorized release and doesn't sound that great, but it represented Bulbous Creation's first release 20 years after it recorded the material.

The Rockadelic become somewhat of a collector's LP as it soon went out of print and word spread on the band.  In 2001 Paul Parkinson passed away.  It's reported that while going through his belongings, his brother found a complete copy of the Bulbous Creation LP, previously, the Rockadelic material was thought to be it, but 2 additional tracks were unearthed.  So there you have it, 10 songs, representing a single band's short-lived existence, now released officially 44 years after it was initially recorded; that's legendary.

Check out the tunes.

Marva Whitney It's My Thing Polydor/King 1970 (2012 Repress)

Marva Whitney It's My Thing Polydor/King 1969 (2011 Repress) CAT #PD 1062

One year ago today, Marva Whitney passed away.  She was Kansas City born and raised and started her career in KC.  She played the Kansas City scene, leading the group Tommy & the Derby's, did the Motown revue's and opened for touring artists when they passed through.  She was asked to tour with Bobby Bland and Little Richard, but turned both down opting to join the James Brown Revue as a featured vocalist as she thought it was the best move for her career.

It certainly was the best move, Brown did all he could do to make her successful as a part of his act.  During the shows, Marva Whitney would provide the audience a couple of songs while Brown rested.  He recorded her and provided her some of his best material.  There are singles cut for Federal and King while she hung with Brown.  There is also the above album, as well as live LP from the King years.  The title song of this LP, "It's My Thing (Part 1)" was released as the single, "It's My Thing (You Can't Tell Me Who To Sock It To)" and as a response to the Isley Brother's "It's Your Thing".  It represented her highest charting single.

While she never became a mainstream R&B artist, her time spent with James Brown kept her active and in front of large audiences.  The move to go with James Brown far exceeded anything she would get by backing Bobby Bland or Little Richard.  However, most say that this was among the most difficult times of her life.  When she moved back to Kansas City after her time with James Brown she told friends and family just how true the name "Hardest Working Man In Show Buisness" was.  Brown was known to work his artists relentlessly.  She had a child from her marriage to Kansas City soul singer, Harvey Whitney.  However, she was never able to spend time as a mother due to constant touring and recording.  Homesick, she left the Brown stable in 1970.

She would record some unsuccessful singles for the T-Neck label afterward.  Afterwards, she would marry Ellis Taylor, the owner and operator of Kansas City's Forte label and cut some sides.  After little success on the regional label, her recording career largely ended aside a few sporadic singles and one-off LPS.  She only briefly stopped performing and would later be a member of the J.B.'s All Stars which were a group of former Brown artists.  She didn't stop performing until 2010.

This LP represents her best work.  The material is top shelf and the players were the best in the business as they were Brown's backing band.  It is a compilation of mostly singles released for the King label, some of which we re-recorded for the LP, others that were not.  It's absurdly collectible due to it's scarcity and the fact that Whitney is one of the greatest female funk performers of all time.

The girl did not hold back, she's a screamer.  The band gets most of the attention by the collectors, the cuts have been heavily sampled throughout hip-hop, especially the track "Unwind Yourself."  But, Whitney gives these songs personality.  She's got to be the only women that could match Brown's delivery.  Further, she's got to be the only women allowed to shout out "Maceo!" when the groove needed to get deeper.  You're not going to find any ballads (well, there is "If You Love Me," but she screams that one out, too) or anything that would have played well to a white Motown crowd, this is brassy, funk, floor stompers meant for the live crowds.  There were plenty of noted soul diva's out there, but only a few funk divas like Whitney belting out tunes like this.

Unwind Yourself
It's My Thing (Live TV Performance)
You Got To Have a Job (Duet with James Brown)

The Wizards From Kansas S/T Mercury 1970

The Wizards From Kansas S/T Mercury 1970 CAT# SR 61309 Repress

Very cool, hyper obscure LP from a Lawrence, KS, college band that headed West in the late 1960's for fame only to break up.  However, before doing so, they were able to record their sole album and despite disbanding before it came out, Mercury still released it.  Of course, with no band to promote the album it faded into hyper-obscurity only to be discovered years later and hailed as a lost psych classic.

The band first formed in Lawrence, KS as college students from the KC area.  They were first called the New West then a Californian joined the band and they became Pig Newton which was followed by Pig Newton & the Wizards from Kansas.  As Pig Newton, they gigged locally and were able to tour the East Coast landing a gig at the Fillmore East.  That show put the band in front of major labels, most of which they turned down for lack of funds and control.  Eventually, they agreed to sign with Mercury under the notion the they would have almost complete creative control.  However, Mercury was able to convince the band to drop Pig Newton from the name.

With Mercury footing the bill, the band went to San Francisco to be at the epicenter of the American psych scene and record their debut album.  The album feeds off the likes of Jefferson Airplane, Quicksilver Messenger Service, A Beautiful Day and the Grateful Dead.  With the exception of Quicksilver, they album is far more country orientated than contemporaries.  The Wizards excelled at using the spatial aspect of country music, the drawn out phrasing and "high lonesome sound" are used to great affect.  Other bands took the twang only, the Wizards had plenty of twang, too, and they combined it almost effortlessly with the psychedelic sounds of the time.

It was a strong debut LP, promising original material with well thought out covers.  There are genuine highlights like "Hey Mister" and "Misty Mountainside", which are just as classic as any gems from their psych contemporaries.  There's also the hippy-dippy track, "912 1/2 Mass.", which is clearly a reference to the band's college town of Lawrence, KS.   Mass. St. being being the  main strip for both college kids and townies.  At the address named now sits a large bank building, not sure what would have been there in the 1960's, early 1970's.

912 1/2 Mass.
Hey Mister
Misty Mountainside

Buddy Bohn Take a Letter Maria B/W Sweetwater Happy Tiger 1970

Buddy Bohn Take a Letter Maria B/W Sweetwater Happy Tiger CAT # HT 524 1970

The performer, Buddy Bohn , is not local to Kansas.  The thing to note here is the songwriter on the B-Side, Val Stoecklein.  He continued on as a songwriter after the break up of the Blue Things and the failure of his solo release.  He wrote some tunes for the label that put out his solo release, Dot.  Oddly, he later wrote some B-Sides for the religious indie label, Happy Tiger, in the late 60's into the 70's.  He also contributed to a fairly obscure psych LP entitled Environment/Evolution by Ecology and contributed to a rock opera entitled, Truth of Truths.  I used to have Truth of Truths but pitched prior to the idea for this blog and because it's religious pap.

The performer, Buddy Bohn, is some sort of travelling troubadour who has played all over the world street corner style.  He gives Stoecklein's tune a very outsider folk feel.  It's decent, but certainly not a hidden gem.