- Gil Veda (aka Gil Supulveda) -- vocals

- none known

Genre: pop

Rating: 3 stars ***

Title:  Bloodsuckers

Company: Guinness

Catalog: GNS 36077
Year: 1976

Country/State: Puerto Rico

Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+

Comments: cut lower right corner

Available: 1

Catalog ID: 5724

Price: $100.00

Let me know if you find another online review of this Guinness label obscurity ...

Gawd only knows where Guinness came up with the "Bloodsuckers" nameplate.  I don't have the faintest idea what image they were trying to market, but it certainly didn't seem to tie into this mix of funk, Latin, rock, and soul moves.  Not that a tax scam label like Guinness was actually interested in accurate marketing or record sales.  

This is nothing more than speculation on my part, but I'm guessing that producer Gil Veda and songwriter Gil Sepulveda (credited with penning all nine tracks) were one and the same.   I tracked down a couple of online references where the two names are used interchangeably.  Anyhow, Veda has aMySpace site and while there was no mention of this particular release, here's what the native of Puerto Rico had to say about his musical career: "I arrived in Nashville, Tennessee, while traveling as a Continental Singer [anyone got a clue what that means]. I soon made numerous appearances at the world famous Ryman Auditorium where I was the first Spanish artist to sing country music. Introduced on stage by famed record producer and steel guitarist Pete Drake, I fell in love with the city of Nashville and decided to continue my artistic career in the "Athens of the South". My first recording was with the Jordanaires, at the historic RCA Studio B on Music Row."  So overlooking Guinness' hideous marketing effort and equally appalling cover art, what did this one actually sound like?

"Bloodsuckers" track listing:
(side 1)

1.) Right On More Love   (Gil Sepulveda) -    rating: **** stars

Overlooking the cheesy synthesizer, 'Right On More Love' opened the album with a nice slice of Memphis-styled soul.  Great slinky vocal with tasteful and punchy horns, and a blazing fuzz guitar solo made it something Booker T, Steve Cropper,  Isaac Hayes, and Dave Porter would have been proud to be associated with.  Highly commercial too boot !

2.) I Still Love You   (Gil Sepulveda) -    rating: *** stars

'I Still Love You' found Veda/Sepulveda slipping into Latin ballad mode.  The funny thing is that the results were surprisingly impressive.  Unlike most of his contemporaries, the man had the sense to not over-sing, giving the song a nice, low-keyed vibe.  Only complaint was the sappy spoken word segment.    

3.) The Mind   (Gil Sepulveda) -    rating: **** stars

Time to show he could rock out ... 'The Mind' offered up a nice mixture of funky and hard rock moves.  Had Santana recorded this one it would have been a massive hit !     

4.) The Hookee-Woodo-Koo   (Gil Sepulveda) -    rating: **** stars

'The Hookee-Woodo-Koo' would have made The Meters proud.  Nice slice of New Orleans-styled gumbo funk.  Great guitar throughout.     

(side 2)
1.) Raining Now In Nashville   (Gil Sepulveda) -    rating: **** stars

Veda/Sepulveda has one of those voices that had a chameleon-like quality and on 'Raining Now In Nashville' he showed the could cop the moves of a 60 year old soulster.  Great ballad.  

2.) Love While You Can Today   (Gil Sepulveda) -    rating: ** stars

Intended as a 'big' statement complete with Gospel backing chorus, 'Love While You Can Today' was the first real disappointment due in part to the fact it never really developed into anything memorable

3.) Love Is You and Me   (Gil Sepulveda) -    rating: ** stars

A straightforward pop ballad, 'Love Is You and Me' served to showcase Veda/Supulveda's wonderful voice, but the song was simply too bland to make much of an impact.    

4.) This Time We Got To Make It   (Gil Sepulveda) -    rating: **** stars

Back to soul, 'This Time We Got To Make It' was probably the standout performance.  Killer Memphis soul moves.

5.) Sweet Waters of the River   (Gil Sepulveda) -    rating: *** stars

Underscoring his chameleon-like moves, 'Sweet Waters of the River' sounded like a slice of Chinn-Chapman power pop ...  easy to image a band like Sweet covering this one.  Shame it faded out so early as it also had tremendous commercial potential.  

You can never tell with these Guinness releases, but this one was so musically diverse, it almost sounded like a demo that had been recorded to showcase Veda/Sepulveda's songwriting and performance talents.  Very nice and one of the more impressive Guinness releases.  Wonder if he knows it was actually released ?

Producer Veda has a small website at:

http://www.gilveda.com/index.html