John Bayley Minstrel of the Morning... Lifetime Records 1976

John Bayley Minstrel of the Morning... Lifetime Records 1976 CAT# 2001

When I first found this I sent a photo to a friend who stated, "That cover is a constant source of conversation and inspiration." The same LP sits among some other framed LPs my friend has displayed. Looking at it, how could it not want to start a conversation? There's just so much going on in this cover. Where to even start? Is that a living room? Where'd you get that sweet tiger? What's up with the white lady and her kid? Is that John Bayley's girlfriend/wife? And dude, where did you score the killer threads?

The backside notes indicate Bayley was heavily influenced by the Jesus Music scene of the 70s, or trying to fit into it. However, the tunes are fairly secular, unless you group songs about "love" into a religious setting. Even when Bayley tries to be religious, it's a bit off. The song "It's Good To See You," states, "I've laid a thousand women, but come back to see you." So he tries to find the Jesus scene, but you can tell, the dude just likes to write tunes.

And, his tunes are a bit all over the place. If it had to be labeled, outsider folk would be the best term. However, there's elements of Indian music, jazz, singer/songwriter, rock, and a lot of reggae floating throughout. It's an interesting work and far better than most "outsider folk" private albums you'd come across. There's a fair amount of experimentation throughout the LP. Also clever, Bayley filled out the sound remarkably well with only a few players. He plays a host of guitars and does his own lead and background vocals. There's limited synth, but he found some guys to do some violins and wind instruments in addition to recording with a drummer.

The LP was also recorded in the Cavern in Independence, Missouri. Lifetime Records (Bayley's private label) shows an Independence as well, but could just as easily be a Kansas City guy. If you YouTube him, you'll find he's channeling George Clinton's fashion sense and playing experimental gospel music over in Colorado now-a-days.

Going Home Alone

Gene Clark White Light A&M 1971

Gene Clark White Light A&M 1971 CAT# SP4292

The Bonner Springs graduate, Gene Clark, put out this, which is simply, one of the best American singer/songwriter efforts ever put out.

If Clark was only architect of the Byrds' sound and quit after creating highly influential country rock with Missouri natives, the Dillards, he'd have a pretty substantial legacy. But, White Light's blend of sparse country and cosmic folk put him into place. Masterwork type stuff.

The album jacket and the actual record never state that the album is called White Light, but it was released under the title. It's fitting as the album sold poorly and is rather hard to track down now, the title just kind of screams that it should be obscure. It was recorded while Clark was still trying to find himself in L.A. almost 5 years after he left the Byrds. There is an impressive list of players featured on the LP, all of which play as if they shared Clark's vision, the album should have been a bigger deal upon it's original release.

White Light

The Outpost Family Band How About You? Privately Released Unknown Year

The Outpost Family Band How About You? Privately Released 1982 CAT# OP-74

This appears to be the first LP by the Outpost Family Band as it gives a lengthy introduction to the band on the backside, written by Donna Wise, wife to founder of the band, Don Wise. Wasn't aware when listening to the other LP I have from the group, but Don Wise is paralyzed from the waist down due to an apparent diving accident

Although the year is unlisted, the follow up LP indicates the prior album (which I'm almost positive is this) was recorded in 1982. It's a pleasant mixture of religious, traditional and some bluegrass reworkings of old rock n' roll. Don Wise contributes a few of his own songs and they aren't half bad. It's sounds homespun and was put out by the band privately.

Amos Chase and His Old Time Fiddle Privately Released March 1st, 1974

Amos Chase and His Old Time Fiddle Privately Released March 1st, 1974 CAT# CO 6480

First, there is so much to love about the homemade aspect of this LP. It's the definition of a private press. There is no label credited to the release. Mr. Chase likely just had them pressed at the closest plant. He bought plain white sleeves to house them and glued on his own cover. You can tell because this cover was is peeling off and the glue resin is visible. He also dated the exact date the record was either recorded or released in the top right hand corner as it states, March 1st, 1974. Finally, there was a mistake on Mr. Chase's PO BOX listed in the bottom right, his zip code should have read 66429 rather than 66249, instead of reprinting the covers, he just used a pen, crossed the print out and hand wrote the correct zip code in it's place. His address is a PO BOX in his hometown of Grantville, Kansas, which is near Topeka.

As for his music, you can tell by the cover, he was an accomplished fiddle player in his day. He's accompanied by Eldon Ray and Glenn Woolaway, who were local Kansans as well. All three players were members of the Kansas Oldtime Fiddlers Association, seeing how this was Amos' own release, I assume he was the most accomplished. The music is strictly old time bluegrass. Just Ray's fiddle and the others providing support on guitar. No vocals, no frills, just a guy showing off his fiddling skills.

Sadly, all players have since passed. Reading Mr. Chase's obituary from 2000, he passed while judging a fiddle competition in South Dakota. As sad as death can be, this guy got to go with something he enjoyed, the fiddle...there's a lot of comfort knowing that some people get to go out doing something they love.

Appleseed Cast Peregrine Graveface 2006/2016

Appleseed Cast Peregrine Graveface 2006/2016 CAT# GRAVE115

Record Store Day happened again and it was lamer than the year before. Despite that, there was a couple of prominent local releases, this reissue of Appleseed Cast's Peregrine album and a live recording of current KC darlings, Madison Ward and Mama Bear. I picked this up. Nothing against Madison Ward & Mama Bear, it's just that group is too available. I have to wait until the band's releases are impossible to find before I show interest. That said, I probably need to pick up a Madison Ward release at some point.

Moving on, Peregrine was released by the Militia Group in 2006. It does have a vinyl pressing, but seeing how the label stopped releasing stuff in 2012, like many of Appleseed Cast's LPs it's become hard to find. Graveface, Appleseed Cast's home since 2013, has the other Militia Group LP Sagarmatha in print and available. For whatever reason, unlike Sagarmatha, Peregrine got the limited release. 2000 copies were pressed, some of which are a colored variant for Record Store Day, others are Graveface Record Club hand-poured vinyl variants, there was a Kickstarter version, and there is standard black vinyl available through Graveface mailorder.

Aside from all that nonsense, it's a good album and was the band's sixth release. It sounds a little more humble than their ambitious Low Level Owl albums, but the experimentation does run rampant throughout the LP, it's just not as obvious. There's a lot of groove and hooks throughout Peregrine and the band doesn't waste their time with beeps and glitches getting to those moments. It also serves as a concept album as it attempts to tell the story of a child, her name being Peregrine, who is murdered by her father and comes back to haunt him for it.

Appleseed Cast Peregrine

Whitten & Tod Self-Titled Sold Sound Inc. Year Unknown

So much going on with hair here.

Nice Canadian tuxedos.

Whitten & Tod Self-Titled Sold Sound Inc. Year Unknown CAT# W&T 701

First time I saw this LP was at the Olathe Savers. Turned it over, saw that it was made in KCMO and was ready to pull the trigger. Then I checked the condition and it was tore up; unplayable. The second time I saw it was across the street at the Olathe Goodwill. Which would indicate to me that the band gigged in and around Olathe or had multiple players from Olathe.

Nevertheless, the band's private label, Solid Sound Inc., indicates the home base is Kansas City, MO. Whitten & Tod have three releases out there. This, a 45 and another LP both from 1975 per Discogs. Appears the 1975 releases are more of a folk-rock affair. This album appears to come out in the late-70's or possibly early-80's and is a clear attempt to get the folks around town dancing.

The LP consists of entirely cover songs. It's not a terrible thing, some of their covers are easy disco and if you heard it played at wedding in Kansas City by Whitten & Todd, you'd be like, "That's a great fucking wedding band." The album becomes awful though when they step off the disco covers...Like dreadfully bad.

And, I say that in the nicest way, the group Whitten & Tod put together is pretty capable. Benny Whitten, the handsome fellow on the back cover with a mustache, arranged and produced the LP and it has a few highlights. The cover of "Bread's "Lost Without Your Love" is disco-fied with a highlight being some psych guitar work thrown in. Kiki Dee Band's "I Got the Music In Me" gets a hard-rock disco groove. And the covers like "You Make Me Feel Like Dancing", "Car Wash", and "Superstrut" are pleasant enough (although, you'd take the originals over Whitten & Tod). At it's best, it's a disco LP, but don't let anybody tell you it's funk, it's way too white for that.

Orphann Dan't Say No Omi Records 1980

Orphann Dan't Say No Omi Records 1980 CAT# OMI M 00032

Orphann was a Kansas City area hard rock group in the late-70's into the early 80's. Their first LP, Up For Adoption, is a bit more desirable, as it's bit heavier and possibly a bit more obscure than this.

Don't Say No is a potpourri of late-70's rock posturing. Easy categorization for the band is AOR. They're heavy on big guitars and solos, so big on the pomp rock. They do try to get creative from time to time, keyboards show up here and they try to sound a little less good time rock n' roll and more robotic, so there is also a slight prog influence, especially evident on the last two tracks of the LP, "Late Night Neighbors" and "In A Dream". Looking at this LP, it's looks like it should be an attempt at capturing the Tom Scholz's Boston sound and be an awful in the process. (Up For Adoption just looks like it should be amazing prog, tho). To an extent, Orphann was trying to capture some of that big time arena rock feel, but it doesn't turn out bad. Outside of dopey lyrical content, it's a pretty solid LP in terms of early 80's hard rock.

What is confusing is that the band recorded and played in KC. Yet, for this release, Omi is located in Los Angeles. The first LP shows Omi Records as a Kansas City based operation. Assuming then that this was Orphann's private label they must have packed up for California at some point after going as far as they could in KC.

Don't Say No