Tag Archives: 1968

Kaleidoscope: A Beacon from Mars

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In January 1968, “Epic” label released “A Beacon from Mars”, the second Kaleidoscope album. It was recorded in 1967, and was produced by Mike Goldberg and Stu Eisen.

Personnel:

  • David Lindley – guitar, banjo, fiddle, mandolin
  • Chris Darrow – vocals, bass, guitar, mandolin
  • Solomon Feldthouse – vocals,  saz,  bouzouki,  dobro,  vina,  oud,  doumbek, dulcimer, fiddle, guitar
  • Chester Crill (as Fenrus Epp) – violin, viola, bass, organ, piano, harmonica
  • John Vidican – drums, percussion

Track listing:

  1. I Found Out – Earl Shackleford
  2. Greenwood Sidee – traditional
  3. Life Will Pass You By – Chris Darrow
  4. Taxim – Kaleidoscope
  5. Baldheaded End of a Broom – traditional
  6. Louisiana Man – Doug Kershaw
  7. You Don’t Love Me – Willie Cobbs
  8. Beacon from Mars – Kaleidoscope

Joan Baez: Any Day Now

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In December 1968, “Vanguard” label released “Any Day Now”, the tenth Joan Baez  album. The double LP contained exclusively Bob Dylan songs was recorded September in 1968, at “CBS Studios” in Nashville, and was produced by Maynard Solomon.

Personnel:

  • Joan Baez – vocals, guitar
  • Stephen Stills– guitar
  • Harold Rugg – guitar, dobro
  • Grady Martin– guitar
  • Pete Drake– pedal steel guitar
  • Jerry Kennedy– guitar
  • Jerry Reed– guitar
  • Harold Bradley– guitar, dobro
  • Hargus “Pig” Robbins– piano
  • Fred Carter– mandolin
  • Johnny Gimble– fiddle
  • Tommy Jackson– fiddle
  • Buddy Spicher– fiddle
  • Roy Huskey, Jr.– bass
  • Norbert Putnam– bass
  • Kenny Buttrey– drums

Track listing:

All tracks by Bob Dylan, except where noted.

  1. Love Minus Zero/No Limit
  2. North Country Blues
  3. You Ain’t Goin’ Nowhere
  4. Drifter’s Escape
  5. I Pity the Poor Immigrant
  6. Tears of Rage – Bob Dylan, Richard Manuel
  7. Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands
  8. Love Is Just a Four-Letter Word
  9. I Dreamed I Saw St. Augustine
  10. Walls of Red Wing
  11. Dear Landlord
  12. One Too Many Mornings
  13. I Shall Be Released
  14. Boots of Spanish Leather
  15. Walkin’ Down the Line
  16. Restless Farewell”

 

Spirit: The Family That Plays Together

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In December 1968, “Ode Records” label released “The Family That Plays Together”, the second Spirit album. It was recorded March -September, 1968, and was produced by Lou Adler and Bob Irwin.

Personnel:

  • Jay Ferguson- lead vocals, keyboards, percussion
  • Randy California – lead and backing vocals, guitar, bass
  • John Locke– keyboards
  • Mark Andes- bass, backing vocals
  • Ed Cassidy- drums, percussion
  • Marty Paich- horn arrangements, string arrangements
  • Armin Stiener – engineer
  • Adam Block – project director
  • Tom Wilkes – art direction
  • Guy Webster – photography

Track listing:

All songs by Jay Ferguson except where noted.

  1. I Got a Line on You – Randy California
  2. It Shall Be – Randy California, John Locke
  3. Poor Richard
  4. Silky Sam
  5. The Drunkard
  6. Darlin’ If – Randy California
  7. All the Same – Randy California, Ed Cassidy
  8. Jewish – Randy California
  9. Dream within a Dream
  10. She Smiled
  11. Aren’t You Glad
  12. Fog – Randy California, John Locke
  13. So Little To Say
  14. Mellow Fellow – John Lock
  15. Now Or Anywhere
  16. Space Chile – John Locke

James Taylor: Same

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On December 6, 1968, “Apple” label released the self-titled, debut James Taylor album. It was recorded July – October 1968, at “Trident Studios” in London, and was produced by Peter Asher. It was the first recording by a non-British artist released by “Apple” label, and would also be Taylor’s only release on that label.

Personnel:

  • James Taylor– vocals, acoustic and electric guitar, percussion
  • Mick Wayne– guitar
  • Freddie Redd– keyboards
  • Don Shinn– keyboards
  • Paul McCartney– bass
  • Louis Cennamo– bass
  • Bishop O’Brien – drums, percussion
  • Peter Asher– vocals, percussion
  • Richard Hewson– strings, bassoon, oboe
  • Skaila Kanga – harp

Track listing:

All tracks by James Taylor, except where noted.

  1. Don’t Talk Now
  2. Something’s Wrong
  3. Knocking ‘Round the Zoo
  4. Sunshine Sunshine
  5. Taking It In
  6. Something in the Way She Moves
  7. Carolina in My Mind
  8. Brighten Your Night With My Day
  9. Night Owl
  10. Rainy Day Man – James Taylor, Zach Wiesner
  11. Circle Round the Sun – traditional arr. James Taylor
  12. Blues Is Just a Bad Dream

Soft Machine: Same

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In December 1968, “Probe” label released the self titled, debut Soft Machine album. It was recorded April 1968, at “Record Plant Studios” in New York City, and was produced by Chas Chandler and Tom Wilson. It was the first album ever recorded in “Record Plant Studios” and was engineered by the studio co-founder Gary Kellgren.

Personnel:

  • Mike Ratledge – Lowrey Holiday De Luxe organ, piano
  • Kevin Ayers – lead and backing vocals, bass, piano
  • Hugh Hopper – bass
  • Robert Wyatt – lead vocals, drums
  • The Cake – backing vocals
  • Byron Goto, Eli Allman, Henry Epstein – cover art

Track listing

  1. Hope for Happiness – Kevin Ayers, Mike Ratledge, Brian Hopper
  2. Joy of a Toy – Kevin Ayers, Mike Ratledge
  3. Hope for Happines (Reprise) – Kevin Ayers, Mike Ratledge, Brian Hopper
  4. Why Am I So Short? – Mike Ratledge, Kevin Ayers, Hugh Hopper
  5. So Boot If At All – Kevin Ayers, Mike Ratledge, Robert Wyatt
  6. A Certain Kind – Hugh Hopper
  7. Save yourself – Robert Wyatt
  8. Priscilla – Kevin Ayers, Mike Ratledge, Robert Wyatt
  9. Lullabye Letter – Kevin Ayers
  10. We Did it Again – Kevin Ayers
  11. Plus Belle qu’une Poubelle – Kevin Ayers
  12. Why Are We Sleeping – Kevin Ayers, Mike Ratledge, Robert Wyatt
  13. Box 25/4 Ltd. – Mike Ratledge, Hugh Hopper

The Kinks: The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society

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On November 22, 1968, “Pye” label released “The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society”, the sixth Kinks studio album. It was recorded October – November 1968, at “Pye Studios” in London, and was produced by Ray Davies. In 2003, “Rolling Stone” magazine ranked the album at number 255 on its list of “The 500 Greatest Albums of all Time”.

Personnel:

  • Ray Davies– lead vocals, guitar,  keyboards,  harmonica,  saxophone, trumpet, trombone, accordion, oboe, flute
  • Dave Davies– lead and backing vocals, lead guitar
  • Pete Quaife– bass, backing vocals
  • Mick Avory– drums, percussion
  • Nicky Hopkins– keyboards, mellotron
  • Rasa Davies– backing vocals

Track listing:

All tracks by Ray Davies, except where noted.

  1. The Village Green Preservation Society
  2. Do You Remember Walter?
  3. Picture Book
  4. Johnny Thunder
  5. Last of the Steam-Powered Trains
  6. Big Sky
  7. Sitting by the Riverside
  8. Animal Farm
  9. Village Green
  10. Starstruck
  11. Phenominal Cat
  12. All of My Friends Were There
  13. Wicked Annabella
  14. Monica
  15. People Take Pictures of Each Other

Mama Cass: Dream A Little Dream

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On October 19, 1968, “Dunhill Records” released “Dream a Little Dream”, the debut Mama Cass solo album. It was recorded in 1968, and was produced by Lou Adler and John Simon.

Personnel:

  • Cass Elliot – vocals
  • James Burton – guitar, dobro
  • Stephen Stills – vocals, guitar
  • Cyrus Faryar- guitar, ukulele
  • Paul Harris- organ, piano
  • John Sebastian- guitar, harmonica
  • John Simon- piano, arrangements
  • Larry Knechtel- keyboards
  • Harvey Brooks- bass guitar
  • Hal Blaine- drums
  • Jim Gordon- drums
  • Plas Johnson- saxophone
  • Renais Faryar – vocals
  • Brenda Holloway- backing vocals
  • Henry Diltz- photography

Track listing:

  1. Dream a Little Dream of Me – Wilbur Schwandt, Fabian Andre, Gus Kahn
  2. California Earthquake – John Hartford
  3. The Room Nobody Lives In – John Sebastian
  4. Talkin’ to Your Toothbrush – John Simon
  5. Blues for Breakfast – Richard Manuel
  6. You Know Who I Am – Leonard Cohen
  7. Rubber Band – Cyrus Faryar
  8. Long Time Loving You – Stuart Scharf
  9. Jane, The Insane Dog Lady – John Simon
  10. What Was I Thinking Of – Leah Cohen
  11. Burn Your Hatred – Graham Nash
  12. Sweet Believer – Cyrus Faryar

Muddy Waters: Electric Mud

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On October 5, 1968, “Cadet” label released “Electric Mud” the fifth Muddy Waters studio album with Rotary Connection. It was recorded May 1968, at “Ter Mar Studios” in Chicago, Illinois, and was produced by Marshall Chess and Charles Stepne.

Personnel:

  • Muddy Waters– vocal
  • Phil Upchurch– guitars
  • Roland Faulkner – guitars
  • Pete Cosey– guitars
  • Charles Stepney– organ, arranger
  • Louis Satterfield– bass
  • Morris Jennings – drums
  • Gene Barge – tenor saxophone
  • Stu Black – engineer
  • Abner Spector – mixing
  • Meire Murakami – design
  • Bill Sharpe – cover design
  • Vartan – art direction

Track listing:

  1. I Just Want to Make Love to You – Willie Dixon
  2. I’m Your Hoochie Coochie Man – Willie Dixon
  3. Let’s Spend the Night Together – Mick Jagger, Keith Richards
  4. She’s Alright – Morganfield
  5. Mannish Boy – Morganfield
  6. Herbert Harper’s Free Press News – Sidney Barnes, Robert Thurston
  7. Tom Cat – Charles Williams
  8. The Same Thing – Willie Dixon

Status Quo: Picturesque Matchstickable Messages from the Status Quo

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On September 27, 1968, “Pye” label released “Picturesque Matchstickable Messages from the Status Quo”the debut Status Quo studio album. It was recorded January – September 1968, at “Pye Studios” in London, and was produced by John Schroeder.

Personnel:

  • Francis Rossi- vocals, lead guitar
  • Rick Parfitt- vocals, rhythm guitar
  • Roy Lynes- vocals, organ
  • Alan Lancaster- bass guitar
  • John Coghlan– drums

Track listing:

  1. Black Veils of Melancholy – Francis Rossi
  2. When My Mind Is Not Live – Francis Rossi, Rick Parfitt
  3. Ice in the Sun – Marty Wilde, Ronnie Scott
  4. Elizabeth Dreams – Marty Wilde, Ronnie Scott
  5. Gentleman Joe’s Sidewalk Café – Kenny Young
  6. Paradise Flat – Marty Wilde, Ronnie Scott
  7. Technicolour Dreams – Anthony King
  8. Spicks and Specks – Barry Gibb
  9. Sunny Cellophane Skies – Alan Lancaster
  10. Pictures of Matchstick Men – Francis Rossi
  11. Sheila – Tommy Roe
  12. Green Tambourine – Paul Leka, Shelley Pinz

Fleetwood Mac: Then Play On

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On September 19, 1969, “Reprise” label released “Then Play On”, the third Fleetwood Mac studio album. It was recorded 1968 – 1969, at “CBS Studios”; and “De Lane Lea Studios” in London, and was produced by Peter Green, Danny Kirwan, John McVie and Mick Fleetwood. The painting used for the cover of the album is “Domesticated Mural Painting”, by the English artist Maxwell Armfield.

Personnel:

  • Peter Green– vocals, guitar, harmonica, six string bass, percussion, violincello
  • Danny Kirwan– vocals, guitar
  • John McVie– bass guitar
  • Mick Fleetwood– drums, percussion
  • Jeremy Spencer– piano
  • Christine Perfect– piano
  • Sandra Elsdon – recording
  • Martin Birch – engineer
  • Dinky Dawson – sound conultant

Track listing:

  1. Coming Your Way – Danny Kirwan
  2. Closing Me Eyes – Peter Green
  3. Fighting for Madge – Mick Fleetwood
  4. When You Say – Danny Kirwan’
  5. Showbiz Blues – Peter Green
  6. Underway – Peter Green
  7. One Sunny Day – Danny Kirwan
  8. Although the Sun Is Shining – Danny Kirwan
  9. Rattlesnake Shake – Peter Green
  10. Without You – Danny Kirwan
  11. Searching for Madge – John McVie
  12. My Dream – Danny Kirwan
  13. Like Crying – Danny Kirwan
  14. Before the Beginning