Tag Archives: 1974

Ohio Players: Fire

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In November 1974, “Mercury” label released “Fire”, the sixth Ohio Players studio album. It was recorded in 1974, at “Paragon Studios” in Chicago, Illinois, and was produced by James Williams, Clarence Satchell, Leroy Bonner, Marshall Jones, Ralph Middlebrooks, Marvin Pierce and William Beck,

Personnel:

  • Leroy “Sugarfoot” Bonner – lead and backing vocals, guitar, percussion
  • Billy Beck– lead and backing vocals, piano, organ, Fender Rhodes piano, Clavinet, ARP, percussion
  • Marshall “Rock” Jones– Fender bass
  • James “Diamond” Williams – lead and backing vocals, drums, chimes, percussion
  • Clarence “Satch” Satchell – lead and backing vocals, baritone sax, tenor sax, soprano sax, flute, percussion
  • Marvin “Merv” Pierce – trumpet, flugelhorn, valve trombone, backing vocals
  • Ralph “Pee Wee” Middlebrooks – trumpet, trombone, backing vocals
  • Barry Mraz, Lee Hulko – engineer
  • Jim Ladwig – art director
  • Len Willis – design
  • Stan Malinowski– photography

Track listing:

All tracks by James Williams, Clarence Satchell, Leroy Bonner, Marshall Jones, Ralph Middlebrooks, Marvin Pierce and William Beck.

  1. Fire
  2. Together
  3. Runnin’ from the Devil
  4. I Want to Be Free
  5. Smoke
  6. It’s All Over
  7. What the Hell
  8. Together (reprise)

Captain Beefheart: Bluejeans & Moonbeams

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In November 1974, “Mercury” label released “Bluejeans & Moonbeams”, the ninth Captain Beefheart album. It was recorded in August 1974, at “Stronghold Sound Recorders” in Hollywood, and was produced by Andy DiMartino.

Personnel:

  • Captain Beefheart(Don Van Vliet) – vocals, harmonica
  • Dean Smith – guitar, bottleneck guitar
  • Michael Smotherman – keyboards, backing vocals
  • Ty Grimes – percussion
  • Ira Ingber – bass
  • Bob West – bass
  • Gene Pello – drums
  • Jimmy Caravan – keyboard, star machine
  • Mark Gibbons – keyboards
  • Victor Hayden – cover painting

Track listing:

  1. Party of Special Things to Do – Don Van Vliet, Elliot Ingber
  2. Same Old Blues – J. J. Cale
  3. Observatory Crest – Don Van Vliet, Elliot Ingber
  4. Pompadour Swamp – Don Van Vliet
  5. Captain’s Holiday – Feldman, W. Richmond, S. Hickerson, C. Blackwell
  6. Rock ‘n Roll’s Evil Doll – Don Van Vliet, Mark Gibbons, Ira Ingber
  7. Further Than We’ve Gone – Don Van Vliet
  8. Twist ah Luck – Don Van Vliet, Mark Gibbons, Ira Ingber
  9. Bluejeans & Moonbeams – Don Van Vliet

Sweet: Desolation Boulevard

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In November 1974, “RCA” label released “Desolation Boulevard”, the third Sweet album. It was recorded in 1974, and was produced by Mike Chapman and Nicky Chinn.

Personnel:

  • Brian Connolly– lead vocals
  • Andy Scott– lead and backing vocals, guitars
  • Steve Priest– lead and backing vocals, bass
  • Mick Tucker– drums, percussion, backing vocals

Track listing:

All tracks by Brian Connolly, Steve Priest, Andy Scott and Mick Tucker except where noted.

  1. The Six Teens – Mike Chapman, Nicky Chinn
  2. Solid Gold Brass
  3. Turn It Down – Mike Chapman, Nick Chinn
  4. Medusa – Andy Scott
  5. Lady Starlight – Andy Scott
  6. The Man with the Golden Arm – Elmer Bernstein, Sylvia Fine
  7. Fox on the Run
  8. Breakdown
  9. My Generation – Pete Townshend

Gordon Lightfoot: Old Dan’s Records

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In November 1972, “Reprise” label released “Old Dan’s Records”, the ninth Gordon Lightfoot album. It was recorded in 1972, and was produced by Lenny Waronker. The album won the 1974 “Juno Award” for “Folk Album of the Year”, and Gordon Lightfoot won the same award as “Folk Singer of the Year”.

Personnel:

  • Gordon Lightfoot – guitar, vibes
  • Red Shea – guitar, classical guitar, dobro
  • Terry Clements – guitar
  • Ollie Strong – steel guitar
  • Larry Good – 5-string banjo
  • David Bromberg- slide dobro
  • Nick De Caro – piano, orchestral arrangements
  • Rick Haynes – bass
  • Barry Keane – drums, percussion
  • Dave Brown – percussion
  • Bruce Good – autoharp

Track listing:

All tracks by Gordon Lightfoot.

  1. Farewell to Annabel
  2. That Same Old Obsession
  3. Old Dan’s Records
  4. Lazy Mornin’
  5. You Are What I Am
  6. Can’t Depend on Love
  7. My Pony Won’t Go
  8. It’s Worth Believin’
  9. Mother of a Miner’s Child
  10. Hi’way Songs

Iron Butterfly: Sun and Steel

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In October 1975, “MCA” label released “Sun and Steel”, the sixth Iron Butterfly studio album. It was recorded 1974 – 1975, and was produced by John Ryan.

Personnel:

  • Erik Brann– lead vocals, guitars
  • Bill DeMartines – lead and backing vocals, keyboards
  • Phil Kramer– lead and backing vocals, bass
  • Ron Bushy– drums
  • David Richard Campbell- orchestration
  • Jerome Jumonville – horns
  • Julia Tillman, Maxine Willard, June Deniece Williams – backing vocals

Track listing:

All tracks by Erik Brann except where noted.

  1. Sun and Steel
  2. Lightnin’ – Bill DeMartines, Phillip Kramer
  3. Beyond the Milky Way – Ron Bushy, DeMartines
  4. Free
  5. Scion
  6. Get It Out
  7. I’m Right, I’m Wrong – Bill DeMartines, Phil Kramer
  8. Watch the World Going By
  9. Scorching Beauty

Utopia: Todd Rundgrens’s Utopia

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In October 1974, “Bearsville” label released “Todd Rundgren’s Utopia”, the debut Todd Rundgren’s Utopia album.  It was recorded on April 25, 1974, at “The Secret Sound” and “The Fox Theater” in Atlanta, Georgia, and was produced by Todd Rundgren.

Personnel:

  • Todd Rundgren– guitar, engineer
  • Mark “Moogy” Klingman– keyboards
  • Ralph Schuckett– keyboards
  • Jean Yves “M. Frog” Labat – synthesizers
  • John Siegler – bass, cello
  • Kevin Ellman – percussion
  • David Le Sage – engineer assistant
  • Maruo Miyauchi – design, illustration at Push Pin Studios

Track listing:

  1. Utopia (live) – Mason, Todd Rundgren
  2. Freak Parade – Mark Klingman, Todd Rundgren, John Siegler
  3. Freedom Fighters – Todd Rundgren
  4. The Ikon – Mark Klingman, Todd Rundgren, Ralph Schuckett, John Siegler

Van Morrison: Veedon Fleece

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In October 1974, “Warner Bros” label released “Veedon Fleece”, the eighth Van Morrison studio album. It was recorded 1973 – 1974, at “Caledonia Studios” California and “Mercury Studios” in New York, and was produced by Van Morrison.

Personnel:

  • Van Morrison – vocal, guitar, arrangements
  • Ralph Walsh, John Tropea- guitar
  • James Trumbo – piano
  • Jef Labes- piano, arrangements
  • David Hayes, Joe Macho – bass
  • Dahaud Shaar (David Shaw) – drums
  • James Rothermel – flute, recorder
  • Jack Schroer- soprano saxophone
  • Allan Schwartzberg- drums
  • Nathan Rubin – violin
  • Terry Adams – viola
  • Jim Stern, Dahaud Shaar (David Shaw), Jean Shaar, Elvin Campbell – engineer
  • Ian Cooper, Walter Samuel – remastering
  • Ed Caraeff – art direction
  • Tom Collins – photography

Track listing:

All tracks by Van Morrison

  1. Fair Play
  2. Linden Arden Stole the Highlights
  3. Who Was That Masked Man
  4. Streets of Arklow
  5. You Don’t Pull No Punches, But You Don’t Push the River
  6. Bulbs
  7. Cul de Sac
  8. Comfort You
  9. Come Here My Love
  10. Country Fair

Shuggie Otis: Inspiration Information

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In October 1974, “Epic” label released “Inspiration Information”, the third Shuggie Otis album. It was recorded 1971 -1974 at “Hawk Sound” and “Columbia Studios” in Los Angeles, and was produced by Shuggie Otis.

Personnel:

  • Shuggie Otis- lead and backing vocals, guitar, bass, drums, organ, piano, vibraphone, percussion, analog drum machines
  • Jack Kelso – saxophones, flute
  • Curt Sletten, Ron Robbins – trumpet
  • Doug Wintz, Jim Prindle – trombone
  • Jeff Martinez – French horn
  • Carol Robbins – harp
  • Barbara Porter, Brian Asher, D. Jones, J. Parker, Louis Rosen, Marcia Zeavin, N. Roth, Steve Boone, T. Ziegler – strings

Track listing:

All tracks by Shuggie Otis

  1. Inspiration Information
  2. Island Letter
  3. Sparkle City
  4. Aht Uh Mi Hed
  5. Happy House
  6. Rainy Day
  7. XL-30
  8. Pling!
  9. Not Available

Al Green: Al Green Explores Your Mind

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In October 1974, “Hi” label released “Al Green Explores Your Mind”, the eighth Al Green album. It was recorded in 1974, and was produced by Willie Mitchell.  In 2004, the album song “Take Me to the River” was ranked at number 117 on “Rolling Stone” magazine’s list of the “500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

Personnel:

  • Al Green – vocals
  • Teenie Hodges- guitar
  • Charles Hodges- organ, piano
  • Archie Turner, Michael Allen – piano
  • Leroy Hodges- bass
  • Howard Grimes- drums, congas
  • Andrew Love, Ed Logan – tenor saxophone
  • James Mitchell – baritone saxophone
  • Wayne Jackson– trumpet
  • Jack Hale – trombone
  • Charles Chalmers, Donna Rhodes, Sandra Rhodes – backing vocals

Track listing:

All tracks by Al Green; except where noted.

  1. Sha-La-La (Make Me Happy)
  2. Take Me to the River – Al Green, Mabon “Teenie” Hodges
  3. God Blessed Our Love – Al Green, Willie Mitchell, Earl Randle
  4. The City – Al Green, Charles Hodges
  5. One Nite Stand
  6. I’m Hooked on You – Al Green, Willie Mitchell
  7. Stay with Me Forever – Al Green, Alma Sanders
  8. Hangin’ On – Al Green, Michael Allen
  9. School Days

Reo Speedwagon: Lost in a Dream

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In October 1974, “Epic” label released “Lost in a Dream”, the fourth REO Speedwagon studio album. It was recorded in 1974, and was produced by Bill Halverson.

Personnel:

  • Mike Murphy – lead vocals
  • Gary Richrath – lead vocals, guitar
  • Neal Doughty – keyboards
  • Gregg Philbin – bass, backing vocals
  • Alan Gratzer – drums, backing vocals

Track listing:

  1. Give Me a Ride (Roller Coaster) – Mike Murphy
  2. Throw the Chains Away – Gary Richrath
  3. Sky Blues – Neal Doughty
  4. You Can Fly – Mike Murphy
  5. Lost in a Dream – Bruce Hall, Mike Murphy
  6. Down by the Dam – Gary Richrath
  7. Do Your Best – Mike Murphy
  8. Wild as the Western Wind – Gary Richrath
  9. They’re on the Road – Gary Richrath
  10. I’m Feeling Good – Neal Doughty, Mike Murphy