Genre: rock
Rating: 4 stars ****
Title: Fat
Company: RCA Victor
Catalog: LSP-4368
Year: 1970
Country/State: Massachusetts
Grade (cover/record): VG / VG
Comments: small cut out notch top edge
Available: 1
GEMM catalog ID: 5231
Price: $80.00
Produced by Eddie Jason, 1970's "Fat" is a fantastic and completely overlooked near-classic (a couple of online references say RCA only pressed 400 copies of their debut album). At least to my ears this Massachusetts-based quintet seemed to have everything required for major stardom - a great singer in Peter Newland, killer chops including a pair of impressive lead guitarists in Michael Benson and James Kaminski, and a rock steady rhythm section in drummer William Benjamin and bassist Guy DeVito. That line up coupled with more than their share of first-rate material that was simultaneously tuneful and lyrically interesting made for a great LP. No wonder they met with zilch in terms of commercial success. With Benson, Kaminski and Newland sharing writing credits, tracks like 'House On the Corner', 'Mine Eyes Have Seen' (with an unexpected jazzy closing segment, the Cream inspired 'Country Girl', and the ballad 'Lonely Lady' (sounding uncannily like something a 1990s band like Creed might have recorded) were tailor made for FM radio. Elsewhere RCA tapped the album for a quickly forgotten single in 'The Shape I'm In' b/w 'Over the Hill' (RCA catalog number 47-9913). The 'A" side happened to be the most top-40 commercial effort on the album and should have generated considerable airplay. Perhaps not a great comparison, but imagine "Can't Buy a Thrill" era Steely Dan had they decided to pursue their rock roots rather than going jazzy and pseudo-sophisticated. All hyperbole aside, these guys had it all and this is one of a handful of albums that I've bothered transferring to CDR for personnel use.
"Fat" track listing:
(side 1)
1.) House On the Corner (Michael Benson - James Kaminski - Peter Newland) - 3:03
2.) Black Sunday (Peter Newland) - 3:17
3.) Mine Eyes Have Seen (James Kaminski - Peter Newland) - 4:08
4.) Lonely Lady (Peter Newland) - 4:43
5.) Journey (James Kaminski - Peter Newland) - 5:00
(side
2)
1.) Shape I'm In (James Kaminski
- Peter Newland) - 2:31
2.) Country Girl (Michael Benson - Peter Newland) - 5:44
3.) Over the Hill (Michael Benson - Peter Newland) - 3:12
4.) Duck Sweat (James Kaminski - Peter Newland) - 4:03
5.) Highway ( Peter Newland) - 6:02
In support of the album RCA sent the band on the road opening for The Allman Brothers Band. While the debut didn't do much commercially the album generated some favorable critical buzz leading RCA management to ship the band back into the studio to record a sophomore album. The collection was completed, but before it could be released the band got caught up in a drug bust. RCA management reacted by dropping the band, but not before releasing a single from the shelved LP - 'Still Water' b/w 'Jump Town Girl (RCA Victor catalog number 74-0408).
The email's a fascinating tool when it comes to spreading information. Witness the following email:
"I
found your website through your listing of the band FAT from Western
Massachusetts. Just wanted to give you some information regarding later
personnel of that band. I replaced Guy Devito in late 1979 or early 1980 not
Joe Rudolph as listed in your bio of the band. I had just left another
Pioneer Valley favorite Clean Living which had two records on Vanguard. I
played on neither one. I had replaced Frank Shaw in that band. Frank had
left shortly after Clean Living's much talented and greatly troubled guitarist,
Bob LaPalm took his own life.
The drummer who replaced Billy Perry was in fact Barry Blinn from
Springfield, Mass. The band took a heavier direction at that time and
consisted of Pete Newland, Michael Benson, Barry Blinn, and myself. Blinn's
drumming was very similar to that of the late John Bonham. We wrote and
recorded a slew of new tracks which were incorporated into the live show
along with past Fat favorites. Barry Blinn's tenure lasted about a year if
memory serves me correctly maybe a bit longer. He was then replaced by Mark
Kislus. Seems like I recall that Kislus was the drummer on Ram Jam's hit
"Black Betty", but can't say for sure. I'll leave that research to
someone else.
I left the band for a bit in
1981 to live on the island of Montserrat in the West Indies, which is also
where Guy Devito was at that time. I then returned sometime in 1982.
Joe Rudolph took my place during the time I was gone. In
1983 we recorded six new tracks at Longview Farm outside of Worcester, Mass.
The Stones had been there recently and J Geils Band also had done some of
their recording there among others. The lineup at that time was again
Newland, Benson, Kislus, and myself. There are some great tracks on those
tapes. A Newland penned tune, "Fire In Chelsea" is a standout.
"King Of The Highway" is another. "Alabama Moon", a
grinding ballad, was my favorite.
Mark Kislus departed shortly
thereafter and we went through a couple of different drummers after that.
During that stretch we were busting curtains for Blackfoot on their 1983
SIOGO tour, Robbie Kreiger of DOORS fame, and The Joe Perry Project. We
were trying to get the deal with Atlantic going on tour again ended up in
front of any of their acts that came through New England. Charlie
Hargett, Blackfoot's guitarist and I became friends during that stretch and
not long after that I moved to Gainesville, Florida and started a band with
Charlie, who had recently left Blackfoot, and Steve Nelson, former Dixie
Desperado's drummer.
In 1989 Charlie, Blackfoot
drummer Jakson Spires, Billy Jones, from the OUTLAWS, Dave Hlubek from MOLLY
HATCHET and myself formed the DIXIE ALLSTARS. We broke that band up in late
1997 or early 1998.
Back to FAT. I enjoyed your
review of that first RCA album. That was a powerful band and a great record.
I wonder how many other bands like that never got any real notice and faded
away into the sunset. Pete Newland and I remain friends to this day. He
would occasionally come out to Dixie Allstars shows and sit in while he was
living in Nashville in the mid 90's. "King Of The Highway" was
part of the Allstars set at the time. Newland is one of the best songwriters
I have ever known. And I have played with a pile of good ones throughout my
career. During the stretch that became the Footloose Album, Newland was
offered a solo deal by their management at the time. He turned it down flat
because he was a team guy, a band guy. There is no telling how far he
might have gone had he taken them up on that offer and left the band.
I just played with him a couple of weeks ago at a friend of ours funeral
back in Mass. He sounded just as good as he ever has, if not better. Nice to
see someone else take note of his talents. The FAT band reunites yearly in
Springfield, Mass. I believe they have a show coming up next week as a
matter of fact. Also, you may want to check out the FAT reunion of a year or
two ago on YOUTube. Search for FAT at Stearns Square and you should be able
to pull it up. House on the Corner, Shape I'm In, and a few others are on
there. Enjoy."
Peter Frizzell
Cedar Key, Florida
May 2009
