line up 1 (1972) as Arthur Gee - Whizz Band

- Bill Alexander -- keyboards, synthesizers, backing vocals

- Marcus Damerst -- guitar, backing vocals

- Arthur Gee (aka Riki Gee) -- vocals, acoustic guitar, harp

- Richard Hathaway -- bass, backing vocals

- Steven van Gelder -- banjo, fiddle keyboards, guitar, 

  backing vocals

- Don Riggs -- drums, percussion, backing vocals

  supporting musicians (1972)

- David Draper -- baking vocals

- Paul Beaver -- synthesizer programming

- Rex Williams -- backing vocals

- Celtic Blue (Arthur Gee)

- The Dark Monkey Variations (Arthur Gee)

- The Dirt Band (Richard Hathaway)

- Arthur Ross And The New Addition Band (Bill Alexander)

- Wells Fargo (Richard Hathaway)

- The Whizz Band (Marcus Damerst)

- Zamboni Jiver (Arthur Gee)

Genre: country-rock

Rating: *** (3 stars)

Title: City Cowboy

Company: Tumbleweed Cowboy

Catalog: TWS 107
Year: 1972

Country/State: Kitchner, Ontario, Canada

Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+

Comments: gatefold sleeve; original custom inner sleeve

Available: 1

Catalog ID: --

Price: $30.00

Released on Bill Szymczyk's always interesting Colorado-based Tumbleweed label, "City Cowboy" served as Canadian singer/guitarist Arthur Gee's second studio release.  Produced by Marcus Damerst who also engineered and provided guitar throughout the sessions, the album was actually credited to Arthur Gee - Whizz Band.  The Whizz Band featured keyboard player Bill Alexander, guitarist Marcus Damerst, bassist Richard Hathaway, multi-instrumentalist Steven van Gelder and drummer Don Riggs  Gee was responsible for the majority of songs with members of The Whizz Band contributing 'Gettin' There Rocksoft' and 'Green Countryside.'   I've spent years trying to figure this project out.  It offered up an odd mixture of folk, country, country-rock moves and progressive (!!!) moves, though the whole project sounded shrouded in a lysergic cloud.  Nothing here was particularly commercial and exemplified by songs like 'To Ward-Off Ambitions and the bluegrass-ish 'I Wanna Fly' there were far too many country influences for my tastes.  Just because they were so unexpected, I found the progressively tinged performances like 'Rolls Royce Silver Cloud Blues' and '' to be the collection's most interesting performances. Pardon the baseball analogy, but while there was no grand slam, Gee and company got some nice "in-stadium" hits including 'Name of the Game' and the title track refrain.  

One of the album's many  mysteries, the original inner sleeve included the lyrics, which like many of the songs, were shown in a single "paragraph" narrative - no break between individual songs.  Having read through the lyrics, I've always wondered if "City Cowboy" was intended as a concept piece.  If so, that plotline was lost to me.

Given the album's eclectic sound (can you imagine the challenge of having to figure out which musical bin to put it in), it wasn't like this album was ever going to sell millions of copies, though it did managed to hit the lower reaches of the US Billboard album charts (# 199).  Unfortunately, whatever true commercial chances it had were crushed when Tumbleweed Records ran into financial difficulties and promotional support effectively died.  And that was the end of Gee's solo recording career for some five decades.  Adopting the name Riki Gee, he continued to write and perform.  In 2023 he released a new album "Time's Front Lawn" and  in 2024 came "Time's Back Yard".  I've not heard either, but both are available on various streaming services.

"Tumbleweed Cowboy" track listing:
(side 1)

1.) City Cowboy (Arthur Gee) - 1:47 rating: *** stars

After an awkward instrumental "warm up", the title track' revealed itself to be a pretty, acoustic guitar propelled ballad. Aptly showcased Gee's likeable, if anonymous voice, 'City Cowboy' sported some lovely finger picking guitar.  Shame the song was so short.

2.) Re-Affirmation (Arthur Gee) - 2:57 rating: *** stars

Not sure "funky" was an adjective commonly used with Gee's catalog, but 'Re-Affirmation' came close. Technically I guess is was more of a blues number, but it rocked.  Always wondered why he decided to employ a Kermit the Frog growl on the song?  Nice backing harmonies from The Whizz Band.

3.) Gettin' There Rocksoft (instrumental) (Bill Alexander - Richard Hathaway - Don Riggs) - 1:33 rating: ** stars

The instrumental 'Gettin' There Rocksoft' served as spotlight for Alexander and Hathaway to showcase some jazzy Hammond B-3 and bass moves.  Oddly the track actually sported a vaguely progressive flavor.

4.) Sunday Sherry (Arthur Gee) - 3:31 rating: *** stars

The pastoral ballad 'Sunday Sherry' was the album's prettiest and potentially most commercial number.  Sounded like Gee had a busy weekly schedule ...

5.) Rolls Royce Silver Cloud Blues (Arthur Gee) - 3:20 rating: *** stars

Showcasing van Gelder's fiddle and banjo, 'Rolls Royce Silver Cloud Blues' opened up with a pounding country-blues arrangement, before shifting into progressive territory and giving Alexander and Damerst a chance to showcase their talents on piano and electric guitar.

6.) High House (Arthur Gee) - 5:52 rating: *** stars

Powered by Alexander's piano, 'High House' was a big, stark acoustic ballad.  The track also gave drummer Don Riggs a chance to shine.

(side 2)
1.)To Ward-Off Ambitions (Arthur Gee) - 1:15 rating: * star

Starting off with some in-studio chatter, 'To Ward-Off Ambitions' morphed into a weird van Gelder banjo propelled country-tinged "ad" for TWA.

2.) I Wanna Fly (Arthur Gee) - 3:37 rating: * star

'To Ward-Off Ambitions' seamlessly morphed into the group sung bluegrassy 'I Wanna Fly'.  I just didn't get it.

3.) Last Night (Arthur Gee) - 3:235 rating: ** stars

Opening with some Alexander barrelhouse piano, 'Last Night' was a waltz-tempo ballad.  While I didn't think much of the song, it gave the listener a chance to clearly hear Gee's interesting voice.

4.) Green Countryside (Steven van Gelder) - 2:57 rating: *** stars

I'm guessing van Gelder handled lead vocals on 'Green Countryside.'  With some slashing electric guitar, the song had a very country-rock feel and was actually one of the album's most commercial offerings   Had van Gelder had a stronger voice, it would have had radio potential.

5.) Name of the Game (Arthur Gee) - 2:35 rating: **** stars

Opening with what sounded a human heartbeat and then some bluesy harmonica, 'Name of the Game' sported a pretty, laconic melody with The Whizz Band chiming in on sweet harmonies.  Damerst chipped in his best electric guitar performance.

6.) City Cowboy (Arthur Gee) - 2:42 rating: *** star

Thanks for Paul Beaver's synthesizer programming I actually liked the 'City Cowboy' refrain better than the side one version.  

7.) Thank You Very Much (Arthur Gee) - 4:26 rating: *** star

At first I thought the closer 'Thank You Very Much' was a pedestrian acoustic ballad, but when I started listening to the lyrics it became increasingly goofy and outright funny; almost like they were poking fun at '60s and '70s hippiedom "Because of you we love the tress and we love the birds we love the dolphins in the sea we love to have our tea parties too ...

 © Scott R. Blackerby May, 2025