Ozark Mountain Daredevils Men From Earth A&M Records 1976

Ozark Mountain Daredevils Men From Earth A&M Records 1976 CAT #SP-4601

Although they continued several more years past this release, this LP marks the end of a pretty good run for the Springfield, MO band that made a huge impression on Kansas City in their early days. This effort wasn't as consistent as their prior releases, but it's the same odd blend of old-time bluegrass, smooth pop, and country rock that sometimes goes song to song and other times within a single track.

There's a crazy story about founding member, Randle Chowning getting into a fight with his bandmates in Europe and quitting the band around the time of this LPs release. Apparently, a band sound mix pissed Chowning off, so he turned it to 11. After the show, he argued with band members and held a grudge all the way back home and ended up leaving the band. Despite that, he's listed as a sideman in the credits for 'Sideman From Earth', obviously appearing on some of the album tracks. Also interesting, the album was recorded EVERYWHERE. In Nashville, as well at the legendary Caribou Ranch in Colorado, and surprisingly at American Artist Studio in Springfield, Missouri, the same studio that drummed up business releasing a bunch of local custom and private press records in the area.

Again, 'Men from Earth' is a bit more uneven than the prior LPs, maybe due to the all the different recording locations. But, it's not a miss by any means, it has its share of enjoyable tracks, just lacking an obvious hit.

Fly Away Home

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 Ozark Mountain Daredevils It'll Shine When It Shines A&M 1974

The Ozark Mountain Daredevils It'll Shine When It Shines A&M 1974 CAT# SP-36

This album contains the Daredevils standout, yacht-rock hit, "Jackie Blue." It still sounds strange in the context of the band's music. They try so hard to be down-home and roots driven rock n' roll. They step heavily into country and bluegrass and keep a live sound. Then, out of nowhere, "Jackie Blue" with its smoothness and cocaine perfection. You'd guess the band was from Los Angeles and not in between Springfield, Missouri and Kansas City.

From there, the Daredevils do what they do. Play around with rock n' roll and traditional roots music. There's a  track entitled, "Kansas You Fooler," which seems to recall the bitter Kansas-Missouri rivalry, However, this appears to be a coming to terms with Kansas after leaving Colorado, seeing all the flatness of Western, Kansas is kind of peaceful. Another highlight is the track, "E.E. Lawson," which is this driving bass rhythm with truck stop vocals telling the story, it's a bit novelty, but clever. Overall, the LP is a strong effort worth repeated listens.

Jackie Blue

The Ozark Mountain Daredevils Self-Titled A&M 1973

The Ozark Mountain Daredevils Self-Titled A&M 1973 CAT# 0598

There's like a kajillion guys in this band, enough to keep them going long after this debut in some form or another. Pretty sure you can still see them play around town every month.

The group was formed in Springfield, MO, thus the band name, Ozark Mountain Dare Devil. Their Kansas City connection lies in their management, Good Karma Productions, the same that managed Brewer & Shipley, Danny Cox, and a few other locals. Further, they were discovered by Brewer & Shipely while playing the Cowtown Ballroom in KC. So there KC roots are legit.

The music is pretty Springfield, though. It's not bluegrass or hillbilly, but it uses the mountain influences. You'd probably be better off buying a Dillards LP if you want the real stuff. But, the Daredevils blended some old-time sounds into a modern pop format. Their sound played to everyone, they could open for anyone with their brand of stoner-country. Also, worth pointing out, this LP did have the minor-hit, "If You Wanna Get to Heaven," which is a pretty solid good-ol' boy tune.

Black Sky
Daredevils-LIVE. Look at these fuckin' hipsters

Burt Bacharach & Friends A&M

Burt Bacharach & Friends A&M Cat #SP1907 No Year Listed

Dude was born in Kansas City, MO and writes the songs the world sings.  Pretty big score for KCMO.  Too bad he moved to New York City at a young age.  And in all honesty, it just seems right when you listen to the tunes.  The whole Tin Pan Alley thing, guy should be a New Yorker like the rest of them.

This LP was something I picked up for free.  All his jazz influence, breezy, pop hits.  Further, it showcases the hitmakers this guy was writing for, plus a nod to his true love of Jazz music with the Wes Montgomery selection.  It's hard to hate some of these songs.  They're so absurdly non-confrontational you just kind of want to sit still in a elevator and wait for the doors to open.

Paw Death To Traitors Double LP A&M 1995

Paw Death To Traitors Double LP Promo Copy
A&M Records
CAT# 69712 4070 1995

Paw is destined to become a sought after grunge band.  Give it another few years, about the time when everybody starts remembering how "great" the 90's were.  When people start wearing flannels and combat boots to the 90's themed office party and talking about how much they loved JNCO jeans.  At that point, Lawrence, Kansas' Paw will garnish the type of attention they always deserved.  Collectors will focus on grunge and punch themselves in the face when they realize they could have listened to this back in the day rather than Bush.

Honestly, though, I'm not too sure Paw really wanted to be a grunge band.  You listen to Dragline and hear a song like 'Jessie' and it's clearly grunge, but I've always wondered how much of that was forced by being on a major label.  It's almost as if their hand was forced on Dragline to be Nirvana from a Cowtown.

I did enjoy Dragline, but to me, Death to Traitors feels a bit more honest.  The grunge with a "twang" isn't completely abandoned, you'll hear it on the first song.  But, this album gets a lot more melody and harmonies, less screaming and more musicianship.  Melody and musicianship have always been more a part of Kansas music than "twang", anyways.  We're much more roots rock than we are country.

And back to my original point, someday Paw is going to be highly sought after by collectors.  They'll be Grunge compilation albums and some of them will feature tunes like 'Death to Traitors' and 'Hope I Die Tonight'.  They're going to search out this album and discover it's softer side with songs like 'Texas' and 'Last One', then they will throw away their Sponge and Stone Temple Pilots CDs.  This is better.

Lawrence, KS It's not just grunge

Death to Traitors