Pat Metheny Group First Circle ECM/Warner Brothers 1984

Pat Metheny Group First Circle ECM/Warner Brothers 1984 CAT# ECM1278


As easy as it is to get lost or bored of a Pat Metheny's Jazz Fusion (it's just an acquired taste), this album's opener, "Forward March," kind of gets you excited. It's an out of tune, abstract, march song that still sounds familiar. It gives you hope this album will give you more than the slick production and jazz fusion forays into rock and world music.

After that, it's like all most the other Metheny albums. Well done jazz fusion. Very intricate and impressive musically without being a challenging listen.

First March

Orange Doe-Nuts Back at the Ranch Fresh Sounds, Inc./Fresh Doughnut Records 1984

Orange Doe-Nuts Back at the Ranch Fresh Sounds, Inc./Fresh Doughnut Records 1984 CAT #O.D.-001/F.S.-208

The Orange Doe-Nuts or O.D.'s, were a hardcore band from Kansas City who likely found enough shows in Lawrence, KS for the Fresh Sounds, Inc. to put out their only release. They gigged around and as with most obscure hardcore bands from the 80's you can find old show flyers posted around the internet showing they played opening spots for some of the biggest acts in the scene, Minutemen and Husker Du, etc. And, like a lot of obscure 80's punk, this LP has become a pricey artifact to buy online. I first found a copy a copy at a local Goodwill, but upon getting it home I found the thing was warped so extensively it wouldn't play (it was on ultra-thin, ultra-cheap vinyl). This copy was found at a local record store in a dollar bin, probably worth more, but it's in nowhere near perfect shape.

The O.D.'s (can't be hardcore without an abbreviation) were able to find a distinctive sound in a scene that can become monotonous. This band didn't try to catch you with the Minor Threat speed attack of their hardcore, they slowed things down just a bit and sound a bit more Midwestern. Outside of being punk rock, they also don't appear to have a super-political, anti-Reagan agenda like many of the HC bands from 80s. That agenda was valuable in the 80s, but hasn't aged well. By keeping it just anti-establishment, the O.D.'s still sound relevant. They also weren't afraid to stray from the hardcore guidelines, as evident in the funk riffs found in the song, "Disco."

While KC and Lawrence didn't have the hardcore footprint of cities like D.C., Minneapolis, and numeroua California cities, it's nice to have quality floating around.

The Alfred Packer Memorial String Band Live in Concert Friends for Lunch Private 1984

The Alfred Packer Memorial String Band Live in Concert Friends for Lunch Private 1984 No CAT#

Today, these guys would be considered hipsters.  Lawrence, KS, in 1984 with civil war uniforms and old time attire, I imagine they blended into the weirdness just fine, but likely got noticed around the town by the squares.

The album was recorded live at Ramona Studios in Lawrence, Kansas.  Apparently, not just live as in single takes on the tracks, but as in live in a studio in front of an audience you can hear between tracks.  I imagine this was done as the band realized they were a "live" band.  They play old-timey and bluegrass tunes.  Their original tracks are in the same vein and filled with a lot of humor, but I imagine some of the appeal was their performance and stage personas.  Unfortunately, despite attempts to recreate that on LP, everything falls kind of flat on the album.

The band's namesake, Alfred Packer, was a convicted cannibal and murder in the United States.  Despite his grotesque crimes, history has placed him as the center of jokes.  To which the Alfred Packer Memorial String Band play up on their back cover by stating they go through the story of Packer during live shows.  The albums name, "Friends for Lunch", is a jab at Packer's cannibalism.

With all the jokes and character costumes, they just come off as the cooler, hipper version of some sort of Ozark old-time band.  Granted, the Alfred Packer Memorial String Band is far more entertaining than their Ozark counterparts, the whole package puts them on the same level.  Like they're saying, "Here's our free-state take on your hillbilly country."  And, admidtly, they do understand the old-time music stems from Irish and Scottish immigrants, whereas that whole thing goes right over the head of any family band from the Ozarks (or even Springfield).  Further, I'm assuming their live shows feel much more genuine than some tourist attraction.  The band still performs and it appears the "shtick" is a little toned down now-a-days, but they still tell the jokes.

Also interesting, this LP is completely private.  No claimed label, no catalog number, just honesty and something the band did to sell to fans at shows.  To boot, they put the record on virgin vinyl, that's pretty hip.

Their Song "Alfred Packer" recorded live in 2013

E.L. Overton I Am Here For You b/w Angel Neco Records 1984

E.L. Overton I Am Here For You b/w Angel Neco Records 1984 CAT# NC 1001

This little 7" has a lot going on and there's a lot to say about it.  Most of it, I'd like to save for related releases, however, those releases are so rare I might not have the chance.  This is also extremely rare.  Currently this little private press piece of Kansas City soul is bringing in $200 to $300 in top condition.  Someone is asking close to $1000 for it on discogs.com.  There's a growing disco/boogie collectors market and this fits in on the tail end of the scene, it's decent, but I think most the value stems from it's perceived rarity.  Neco Records, was just E.L. Overton's custom label, so it's likely there was only between 500-1000 copies to begin with.

It also has the benefit of being produced and co-written by Keith Montgomery.  Keith Montgomery and fellow musician, Eugene Smiley started K City Records in the late 70's in Kansas City.  A third songwriter, Albert White, was part of the K City team as well.  The small outfit wrote and produced a number of songs with Kansas City soul musicians and cut a few records on their K City label.  Those 45s are well-regarded in the modern boogie genre and sought after for their obscurity.

Further, going back to the late-70's, there was a local vocal group called Smoke in Kansas City.  The group cut two 45s and a full-length LP.  The sound was pure 70's soul, sounds vintage compared to the K City stuff.  One of the group's songwriters, Elmer Overton, is in fact the E.L. Overton featured here.  I can't say there's a lot of information out there on the web stating the same, but collectors are a crafty bunch and I think they've figured it out, likely increasing the value for this 45 even more.

The track people are after, "I Am Here For You," is better than average production for a limited budget.  The beat, solid.  The background vocals, well done.  The feel and groove, better than average mid-80's boogie.  However, E.L. Overton's vocals just don't match.  He's bordering on a baritone and this production screams for somebody up near falsetto.  It detracts from an otherwise great track, I bet people would shit themselves to get a hold of an instrumental version of it.

The B-side, "Angel," doesn't need to exist.  Sappy, sentimental, same low-end vocals.  Just doesn't go anywhere and isn't by any means a  heart-stirring or heart-warming ballad; comes off more as a bad pick up attempt.  Production though, on point.

I Am Here For You

Steve, Bob, & Rich Balls Bat 1984

Steve, Bob, & Rich Balls Bat 1984 CAT #SBR-42484

Man, glad I finally found this.  It's been on top of the list for some time.  I know of a copy down the street from me for $50, but when this showed up for $30 I happily took advantage.  It's the Rainmakers before the addition of drummer, Pat Tomek.  At this time in the band's career, they were gaining a substantial following in the area and front man Bob Walkenhurst was doing so from behind the drums.  It's a private release the band put out to sell at shows and obviously act as a demo prior to signing with a major label.  They called their label, "Bat," but it's clearly privately done.  The catalog numbers is the initials for Steve, Bob & Rich, and the label address simultaneously acts as the address to write the band.

Since discovering that the album existed, I've been building up this LP up in my mind.  I really like the ideas Walkenhurst put down on the Rainmakers LPs, just have a tough time dealing with the uber-slick 80's production.  I figured this LP would be a very young and raw edition of the band.  Stripped down roots rock like it should be.

After listening, it wasn't the album I had envisioned.  Overall, it's still pretty slick, wetback drums galore and some really polished guitar riffs.  However, there are real bar bands moments and the music sounds more live than their later major label output.  There's also some repetition, the Rainmakers debut features re-recorded versions of "Let My People Go-Go," Nobody Knows," "Big Fat Blonde," and "Information" that first appeared on this Steve, Bob, & Rich album.

Overall, it's a fun album to have.  Some of the moments showcase the band doing their early 'bring down the house' numbers.  For big fans of the band, it's got be essential, the quality is here even at the early onset of the band.  While I wouldn't find any of the tracks not included on the debut Rainmakers to be amazing, they still showcase Walkenhurst's literate lyrics and the band's charm.  There's also some moments without Walkenhurst taking lead vocals, which is nice change of pace and something they could have easily done more of later in their career.

Steve, Bob & Rich-Let My People Go-Go

Bloodstone Party TNeck/CBS 1984

Bloodstone Party TNeck/CBS 1984 Cat #FZ39146

Eh, the story behind this band is better than the album pictured here.  I've listened to it a few times and I can't remember anything other than the slick 80's production.  What happened to soul music in the 80's?  I mean what a fucking crime?  Soul music is great until about 1978.  Disco happened, I get that.  But, there was some solid late-70's disco influence boogie coming out and this band put out sides like this.  Then in the 80's things just had to sound plastic and fake.  All the "soul" was removed in favor of programmed beats and the occasional "Yooow!"  Earth, Wind, & Fire was good at the sound, but everyone else sounded like a cheap imitation.

Somewhere in all the synthesizers and programmed beats, I'm sure there was some good songs here, but I can't find them.  Further, there's probably some great samples and sounds that beat jockeys have used in hip-hop production, I just don't care.  Again, if you don't have 8 members, don't try and sound like Earth, Wind & Fire by using studio tricks, it just falls flat.

But, the band does have an interesting story.  The band formed in the early 60's as soul/doo wop group called the Sinceres.  Later, they toured with a horn section regionally as a Motown influenced review and became a huge attraction in Westport.  In the 70's, they picked up instruments and learned to play as a band and changed their name to Bloodstone.  First they attempted Los Angeles and didn't find success.  They then left for England and were signed by Decca.  They were doing the Al Green sound, funky, but with a rock edge (remember, they were rocking their own instruments).  Success in England brought them back to the States and the song 'Natural High' was a R&B hit, the album of the same name would go Gold.  That was about the band's peak, but they continued to put out records, even did some stuff with Motown at one point.  Solid KC band and one of the few well known soul acts to come from the area.

Contagious