line  up 1 (1970)

- Mike Elllerbee -- vocals, drums, percussion

- Alan Gold -- keyboards

- Bill Moon -- vocals, bass

- Charles Short -- lead guitar

- none known

Genre: progressive

Rating: **** (4 stars)

Title:  After All

Company: Athena

Catalog: 6006

Year: 1970

Country/State: Tallahassee, Florida

Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+

Comments: small drill hole top right corner; bottom left corner is worn

Available: 1

Catalog ID: 7095

Price: $200.00

This Tallahassee, Florida based obscurity came as a pleasant surprise to me.    A couple of brief reviews I'd seen tagged it as progressive. Since I'm not a big prog head those descriptions made me somewhat wary of the album.  Luckily, while there may be a touch of progressive influences on some of the longer numbers, the more obviously influences are Jim Morrison and the Doors.  That may be an equally deadly comparison for some of you, but in this case it's meant as a complement.

I've searched and found absolutely nothing about this four piece on the web so most of this material is drawn from the liner notes on their sole album.  The band consisted of drummer Mike Elllerbee, keyboardist Alan Gold, bassist Bill Moon and lead guitarist Charles Short.  (Judging by the black and white back cover photo, Short and Moon were older guys.)  With the exception of one song by Moon, all of the lyrics are credited to Linda Hargrove (who may be the same person better known as a country artist - "Blue Jean Country Queen").  Co-produced by Tom Brannon and Rick Powell, 1970's "After All" was recorded in Brentwood Tennessee.  The first side features two extended pieces.  Both 'Intangible She' and 'Nothing Left To Do' sport attractive melodies and strange ominous atmospherics ... I can picture these guys recording in some haunted Southern mansion. Picture 'Riders On the Storm' with David Clayton Thomas handling the vocals and you'll be in the right mindset.  The second side features a series of five shorter keyboard driven tracks.  While the lyrics are occasionally over-the-top and material such as 'And I Will Follow' occasionally borders on MOR, these guys repeatedly surprise on all fronts.  Elerbee's a kick ass drummer.  Ellerbee and Moon (not sure which one sounds like David Clayton Thomas) are both excellent singers and on songs like 'Let It Fly' (with nice guitar from Ellerbee) they underscore their rock credentials.  Would sure like to know more about these guys.      

"After All" track listing:
(side 1)

1.) Intangible She   (Mike Elerbee - Linda Hargrove) - 7:12

2.) Nothing Left To Do   (Mike Elerbee - Linda Hargrove) - 7:04

(side 2)
1.) And I Will Follow   (Mike Elerbee - Linda Hargrove) - 4:46

2.) Let It Fly   (Mike Elerbee - Linda Hargrove) - 4:30

3.) Now What Are You Looking For   (Bill Moon) - 3:02

4.) A Face That Doesn't Matter   (Mike Elerbee - Linda Hargrove) - 4:30

5.) Waiting   (Mike Elerbee - Linda Hargrove) - 4:20 

By the way, Linda Hargrove confirmed that she was responsible for co-writting the songs with Mike Elerbee: "Yes, I did write those songs (mostly lyrics and that recording was the catalyst for me moving to Nashville in 1970."

Linda Hargrove November, 2005