line up 1 (1969-70)  

- Pentti J. Glan (aka Whitey) (RIP 2017) -- drums, percussion

- Roy Kenner -- vocals, percussion

- Prakash John (aka Johnny Stiletto)-- vocals, bass

- Domenic Trojano (RIP 2005) -- vocals, guitar

- Black Market (Domenic Trojano)

- Tommy Bolin (Roy Kenner)

- Charlee (Prakash John)

- Alice Cooper Band (Prakash John)

- The Five Rogues (Pentti Glan and Domenic Trojano)

- The Guess Who (Domenic Trojano)

- The Hawks (Domenic Trojano)

- The James Gang (Roy Kenner and Domenic Trojano)

- Roy Kenner and the Associates (Roy Kenner)

- Robie Lane and the Disciples (Domenic Trojano)

- Law (Ray Kenner)

- The Lincolns (Prakash John)

- Mandala (Penti Glan, Roy Kenner and Domenic Trojano)

- Parliament (Prakash John)

- Privilege (Penti Glan)

- The Domenic Trojano Band (Domenic Trojano)

- Ultra Latex (Pentti Glan and Prakash John)

- Whitey and the Roulettes (Pentti Glan)

Genre: rock

Rating: 3 stars ***

Title:  Bush

Company: ABC Dunhill

Catalog:  DS 50086
Year: 1970

Country/State: Canada, Bombay, India, Modungno, Italy

Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+

Comments: textured cover 

Available: 1

Catalog ID: --

Price: $40.00

When the band Mandala called it quits in 1969 drummer Pentti J. Glan, singer Roy Kenner, bassist Prakash John, and singer/guitarist Domenic Trojano elected to continue their creative partnership under the name Bush.  Relocating to Arizona, the quartet began playing local clubs, catching the eye of Los Angeles DJ Reb Foster.

Foster signed the group to his Chordoroy Records management company and then used his connections to get the band a deal with ABC Dunhill.  A known quantity to Canadian audiences, they were quickly signed to a Canadian distribution deal with RCA Victor.

The band's self-titled 1970 debut teamed them with Foster in the production role.  The album featured eleven original numbers, with all four members contributing to the writing chores.  Anyone expecting to hear another collection of Mandala blue-eyed soul numbers was likely to be surprised and perhaps disappointed by "Bush."  Exemplified by tracks like the opener 'Back Stage Girl', Yonge Street Patty'' and 'Drink Your Wine', Manadala's Rascals-styled soul and pop influences were all but gone; replaced by a harder rocking and funkier sound.  The band was blessed with a decent pair of singers.  Kenner was clearly the stronger of the two, injecting a nice soul feel into the recordings.  As shown on the rocker 'Got To Leave the City' Trojano was a decent vocalist but lacked Kenner's range.  Kudos to the Glan-John rhythm section who kicked the crap out of every one of these eleven tunes.  Strange, but I actually found myself attracted to the band's atypical Americana-flavored performances, including The Band-styled ballad 'I Miss You' and 'I Can Hear You Calling.'  ABC Dunhill floated the latter as a single and put the band on the road opening for the likes of Iron Butterfly, Steppenwolf and Three Dog Night.  Is it a great album?  No.  Nothing here is particularly original, or strong in the "ear candy" lane, but it's also an album that you can listen to without the urge to lift the needle.  That is a rarity these days.

Unfortunately business disagreements between the label and Foster quickly saw the label lose interest in the band.  

One album and one single is all she wrote and by the end of the year they'd called it quits.

"Bush" track listing:
(side 1)

1.) Back Stage Girl   (Roy Kenner - Domenic Trojano) - 2:58  rating: **** stars

A nice introduction to their new "funky" sound, 'Back Stage Girl' was built on strong riff giving the song a highly commercial edge, The tune also introduced Trojano's blazing guitar.  It also served as a  nice nod to the band's affection for groupies.  One of the album's strongest performances.

2.) Yonge Street Patty   (Domenic Trojano) - 2:48  rating: **** stars

I think the name refers to one of the thoroughfares in Toronto, but I've always wondered what 'Yonge Street Patty' was actually about ...   I'm guessing it's another groupie song.   Probably the funkiest track on the album with Kenner and Trojano sharing vocals.  John turns in one his most melodic bass lines.

3.) Got To Leave The City   (Roy Kenner - Domenic Trojano) - 3:37    rating: *** stars

With Trojano handling lead vocals, 'Got To Leave The City' was one of the album's most rock-oriented tunes. Interestingly, his growling voice reminded me of Randy Bachman.   It served up the album's best Trojano solo - shame it faded out just as he was starting to warm up.

4.) I Miss You   (Domenic Trojano) - 2:50   rating: **** stars

Given Trojano replaced Robbie Robertson in The Hawks, there was something ironic in hearing 'I Mess You.'  A  lovely slice of Band-styled Americana, it was my favorite performance.  Loved the ragged chorus and keyboard washes.

5.) Grand Commander   (Roy Kenner - Domenic Trojano) - 4:20   rating: *** stars

With an unusual melodic structure 'Grand Commander' was the album's hardest rocking tune with some majestic Trojano lead guitar ...

6.) Cross Country Man   (Domenic Trojano) - 3:58   rating: *** stars

Another tune that reminded me of Bachman Turner Overdrive.  Worth hearing since Trojano finally gets a chance to cut loose on his guitar.

(side 2)

1.) I Can Hear You Calling   (Penti Glan - Roy Kenner - Hugh Sullivan - Domenic Trojano) - 2:49   rating: **** stars

Judging by the writing credit that included Mandala keyboardist Hugh Sullivan, 'I Can Hear You Calling' may have been a Mandala carry-over composition.  How to describe it?  Blue-eyed funk?  Trojano's soulful voice, John's bounding bass line and the tight band arrangement has always reminded of a stoned version of Levon Helm and The Band.   Three Dog Night covered it on their "Naturally" album and released it as a 45 "B" side.  Bush saw the song tapped as a single:

- 1970's 'I Can Hear You Calling' b/w 'Grand Commander' (ABC Dunhill catalog number D-4252

2.) Messin' Around With Boxes   (Roy Kenner - Domenic Trojano) - 2:48   rating: ** stars

'Messin' Around With Boxes' added a country-tinge to their funky sound.  Poor man's Black Oak Arkansas ...  I liked Trojano's brief solo, but otherwise pass.

3.) Living Life   (Roy Kenner - Domenic Trojano) - 3:17    rating: ** stars

Another country-tinged funk tune, 'Living Life' was just too cutesy to appeal to me.

4.) Turn Down    (Roy Kenner - Domenic Trojano) - 4:00  rating: *** stars

'Turn Down' found the band sliding into a slinky, shuffling  jazzy-blues sound.  While it wasn't anything particularly original, it was smooth and gave Trojano an opportunity to showcase his voice and turn in a couple of nice solos.  Can't say the group scatting vocals did much for me.

5.) Drink Your Wine   (Roy Kenner - Domenic Trojano) - 5:54  rating: *** stars

Spotlighting Torjano's guitar, 'Drink Your Wine' also saw Trojano and Kenner sharing lead vocal duties.  Funny, but the tune's always reminded me a little of a Norman Whitfield produced Temptations performance.

Glan turned his attention to studio work and touring, working a wide array of artists including Alice Cooper and Lou Reed.   He died of lung cancer in November 2017.

John followed suit, also playing with Lou Reed, eventually forming the Toronto-based The Lincolns.

Kenner subsequently joined The James Gang, recording two late-inning albums with the band..  That was followed by a stint working with the late Tommy Bolin.

Trojano replaced Joe Walsh in The James Gang, followed by a stint in The Guess Who and a solo career.  Only 59, he died of prostrate cancer in 2005.  

Owning rights to the band name, in 1995 Torjano filed a lawsuit against the Gavin Rossdale and the British band Bush.  Initially the "new" Bush found themselves force to market their albums as "Bush X" in Canada.  Two years later the parties agreed to a settlement where the lawsuit was dropped in return for a $40,000 donation to a couple of charities.   The resulting publicity saw Trojano remaster the original album for the Canadian Freedom label (Freedom catalog number FR 009).  In addition to new cover art, the album included a series of four live performances recorded at one of their final performances opening for Three Dog Night at Los Angeles' Bitter End.

1.) Try - 2:52

2.) Lookin' - 3:22

3.) Wicked Woman - 4:11

4.) Cross Country Man   (Domenic Trojano) - 20:21