Tag Archives: Sam Andrew

Big Brother And The Holding Company: How Hard It Is

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On August 1, 1971, “Columbia” label released “How Hard It Is”, the fourth and final Big Brother and the Holding Company studio album. It was recorded in 1971, at “CBS Studios” in San Francsico, and was produced by Roscoe Segal and Roy Segal.

Personnel:

  • Sam Andrew – vocals, guitar
  • David Schallock – lead guitar
  • Peter Albin – guitar, bass, mandolin, vibraslap
  • James Gurley – bass
  • David Getz – drums, percussion, marimba, piano
  • Mike Finnigan – vocals, keyboards
  • Kathi McDonald – vocals
  • Nick Gravenites – vocals
  • David Brown, George Engfer, George Horn, Mike Larner – recording
  • Dennis Nolan – artwork

Track listing:

  1. How Hard It Is – David Getz, Sam Andrew
  2. You’ve Been Talkin’ ‘Bout Me, Baby – Ray Rivera, Gale Garnett, Walter Hirsch
  3. House on Fire – David Getz, Louis Rappaport
  4. Black Widow Spider – Sam Andrew
  5. Last Band on Side One – Roscoe Segel, Sam Andrew
  6. Nu Boogaloo Jam – Dan Nudelman, Sam Andrew
  7. Maui – Roscoe Segel, Sam Andrew
  8. Shine On – David Getz, Peter Albin, Sam Andrew
  9. Buried Alive in the Blues – Nick Gravenites
  10. Promise Her Anything but Give Her Arpeggio – David Schallock

Big Brother and the Holding Company: Be a Brother

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In October 1970, “Columbia” label released “Be a Brother”, the third Big Brother and the Holding Company album. It was recorded in 1970, and was produced by Nick Gravenites.

Personnel:

  • Nick Gravenites – lead and backing vocals
  • Sam Andrew – guitar, lead and backing vocals
  • David Schallock – guitar, backing vocals
  • Peter Albin – guitar
  • James Gurley – bass, guitar
  • David Getz – drums, piano
  • Kathi McDonald – vocals
  • Richard Greene – violin
  • Mike Finnigan – keyboard
  • Tower of Power – horn section
  • Ira Kamin
  • Mark Naftalin
  • David Brown, Jerry Hochman, Sy Mitchell – engineer
  • John Van Hamersveld – design concept
  • Bob Seidemann – design, photography

Track listing:

  1. Keep On – Sam Andrew , Peter Albin, David Getz, James Gurley, David Schallock
  2. Joseph’s Coat – Nick Gravenites, John Cipollina
  3. Home on the Strange – Peter Albin, Sam Andrew
  4. Someday – Sam Andrew
  5. Heartache People – Nick Gravenites
  6. Sunshine Baby – Sam Andrew, Peter Albin, David Getz, James Gurley, David Shallock
  7. Mr. Natural – Sam Andrew
  8. Funkie Jim – Sam Andrew, Peter Albin, David Getz, James Gurley, David Shallock, Nick Gravenites
  9. I’ll Change Your Flat Tire, Merle – Nick Gravenites
  10. Be a Brother – Nick Gravenites

Mickey Hart: Rolling Thunder

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In September 1972, Warner Bros label released “Rolling Thunder”, the first Mickey Hart solo album. It was recorded in 1972, at “Mickey’s Barn” in Marin County, California.

Personnel:

  • Mickey Hart– drums, percussion, field drum, timpani
  • Paul Kantner– vocals
  • John Cipollina– guitar
  • Bob Weir– vocals, guitar
  • Sam Andrew, Robbie Stokes – guitar
  • Jerry Garcia – guitar, insect fear
  • Barry Melton – guitar
  • Terry Haggerty – guitar
  • Barry Melton – vocals, acoustic guitar
  • David Freiberg – vocals, acoustic guitar
  • Robbie Stokes – guitar, bass
  • Grace Slick– vocals, piano
  • Bill Champlin– organ
  • David Freiberg – bass, piano, viola, vocals, water pump
  • Stephen Stills– bass
  • Phil Lesh – bass
  • Greg Errico– drums
  • Carmelo Garcia – timbales, congas
  • Mike and Nancy Hinton – marimba
  • Tower of Power– horn section
  • Steven Schuster – flute
  • Alla Rakha– rain
  • Zakir Hussain – rain, table
  • Dan Healy, Rick Davis, John Wollman, David Freiberg, Mickey Hart– engineer
  • Phil Lesh, Jerry Garcia, Mickey Hart, David Freiberg, Dan Healy, Stephen Stills– mixing
  • Rock Scully– direction
  • Ed Thrasher– art direction
  • Alton Kelly – cover art
  • Stanley Mouse – cover art
  • Ron Rakow, Bruce Baxter – photography

Track listing:

  1. Rolling Thunder/Shoshone Invocation (Rolling Thunder)
  2. The Main Ten (Playing in the Band) – Mickey Hart, Bon Weir, Hunter
  3. Fletcher Carnaby – Mickey Hart, Hunter
  4. The Chase (Progress) – Mickey Hart
  5. Blind John – J. Stetson, Peter Monk
  6. Young Man – Mickey Hart, Peter Monk
  7. Deep, Wide and Frequent – Mickey Hart
  8. Pump Song – Bob Weir, Mickey Hart, Hunter
  9. Granma’s Cookies – Mickey Hart
  10. Hangin’ On – J. Stetson, Peter Monk; arranged by Mickey Hart

Big Brother & The Holding Company: Same

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On August 23, 1967, “Mainstream” label released the self-titled, debut  Big Brother and the Holding Company album. It was recorded in December 1966, and was produced by Bob Shad.

Personnel:

  • Janis Joplin – vocals
  • James Gurley – vocals, guitar
  • Sam Andrew – vocals, guitar
  • Peter Albin – bass guitar
  • David Getz – drums

Track listing:

  1. Bye, Bye Baby – Powell St. John
  2. Easy Rider – James Gurley
  3. Intruder – Janis Joplin
  4. Light is Faster Than Sound – Peter Albin
  5. Call On Me – Sam Andrew
  6. Women is Losers – Janis Joplin
  7. Blindman – Peter Albin, Sam Andrew, David Getz, James Gurley, Janis Joplin
  8. Down on Me – traditional, arr, by Janis Joplin
  9. Caterpillar – Peter Albin
  10. All is Loneliness – Moondog

Big Brother And The Holding Company: Cheap Thrills

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Cheapthrills

On August 12, 1968, “Columbia” label released “Cheap Thrills”, the second Big Brother and the Holding Company studio album (first one with Janis Joplin as lead singer). It was recorded March-May 1968 and was produced by John Simon, who incorporated recordings of crowd noise to give the impression of a live album, but only the last song, band’s cover of “Ball and Chain”, had been recorded live at “The Fillmore” in San Francisco.  “Rolling Stone” magazine ranked “Cheap Thrills” at number 338 on its list of the “500 Greatest Albums of All Time”.

Personnel:

  • Janis Joplin– vocals
  • Sam Andrew– vocals, lead guitar, bass
  • James Gurley– guitar
  • Peter Albin – bass, guitar
  • Dave Getz – drums

Track listing:

  1. Combination of the Two – Sam Andrew
  2. I need a Man to Love – Sam Andrew, Janis Joplin
  3. Summertime – George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin, DuBose Heyward
  4. Piece of My Heart – Bert Berns, Jerry Ragovy
  5. Turtle Blues – Janis Joplin
  6. Oh, Sweet Mary – Peter Albin, Sam Andrew, David Getz, James Gurley, Janis Joplin
  7. Ball and Chain – Big Mama Thorton