Spirit (Official Thread)

[Emrock]

Randy California and Spirit Website

Spirit, a psychedelic band, formed in 1967 in California.

Original Band Line-up:
Randy California (guitars, vocals)
Mark Andes (bass)
Jay Ferguson (vocals, percussion)
Ed Cassidy (drums)
John Locke (keyboard)

Spirit is another band that seems to have been lost in the mists of time. Songs like Fresh Garbage and Uncle Jack first caught our attention. A drummer with a shaved head when the time called for shoulder length locks? Spirit was as good live as they were in the studio. Lots of booming bass here.

I Got a Line on You


Albums

Spirit (1968)
The Family That Plays Together (1968)
Clear (1969)
Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus (1970)
Feedback (1972)
Spirit of '76 (1975)
Son of Spirit (1975)
Farther Along (1976)
Future Games (1977)
The Adventures of Kaptain Kopter & Commander Cassidy in Potato Land (1981)
The Thirteenth Dream/Spirit of '84 (1984)
Rapture in the Chambers (1988)
Tent of Miracles (1990)
California Blues (1996)

 

[Foxhound]

Re: Spirit

Spirit is a great band!

 

[Mr. Shadow]

Re: Spirit

The song's opening guitar arpeggios are strikingly similar to the guitar line from the instrumental track "Taurus" by the American band Spirit, for whom Led Zeppelin toured as support act in 1968.[7][10]Wiki

Also, Randy California was given the chance to play with Hendrix in Europe but was still in school and decided to stay home.

 

[Flower]

Re: Spirit

More info on Spirit.

 

[Emrock]

Re: Spirit

These guys were great, rock with a jazz influence. Almost like Blue Cheer meets Argent. When all those skinny English boys were playing the blues, Spirit was one of the first to carve their own niche. Live, they were a force to be reckoned with. There's a connection to Heart and Seattle. The drummer was asked to work with Hendrix, but turned him down. I don't remember the details any more.

 

[Flower]

Re: Spirit

Mp edit: Video removed from youtube

 

[Foxhound]

Re: Spirit

The drummer was asked to work with Hendrix, but turned him down. I don't remember the details any more.

Jimi Hendrix named eventual Spirit guitarist Randy "California" to differentiate him from the other Randy playing with him in New York at the time.

 

[Rocker440]

Re: Spirit

Mp edit: Video removed from youtube

Wow, that is the first Spirit song that I heard and remember, too! That song takes me back many years, and to different times and places. Thanks for posting it!

 

[Craig in Indy]

Re: Spirit

As spacey/jazzy/experimental as their second album, The Family that Plays Together, was, their 4th album, The Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus was the opposite - nicely encapsulated little jewels of pop/rock psychedelia that was curiously enough just as musically successful as the much looser Family. I believe it was actually more successful commercially. At any rate, the two albums are a good way to hear the band at the extremes of their style spectrum. Both are great, and surprisingly still easily identifiable as the same band.



Here's one of the better-known songs from Dr. Sardonicus:

 

[LG]

Re: Spirit

I can't find that one anywhere Craig, but I have two Spirit albums in the house, I'll have to look and see which ones.