Genre: rock
Rating: *** (3 stars)
Title: On the Air
Company: Rockadelic
Catalog: RRLP-40
Year: 2001
Country/State: San Diego, California
Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+
Comments: includes original insert
Available: 1
GEMM catalog ID: 4255
Price: $40.00
Cost: $1.00
Most large cities seem to have at least one cult band. A group that become local heroes, but for some reason never seem to get the break that would catapult them to national recognition. Over a two decade long run stretching from the mid-1060s through the 1980s, Glory would probably stand as San Diego, California's contribution to the list.
Released in 2001 by Rich Haupt's Rockadelic label, "On the Air" is a concert set captured the band at a June 1970 performance recorded for local radio station KRPI. Performing live in the radio station studio, the set featured Jack Butler on bass, Jeff Jones on rhythm guitar, singer Mike Millsap, Jack Pinney on drums and Jerry Raney on lead guitar. Setting the stage for the album's sound and feel, here's a quote from guitarist Raney pulled from the LP insert: "The DJ turned on the mikes, introduced the band, and left. We didn't quite know what to do; do we talk, or tune-up between songs? I don't think we did either, just drank beer and tried to figure out what song to play next." Produced by Clark Faville, the sound's quite good with the band effortlessly plowing through a mixture of blues-rock originals and covers. To be perfectly honest, there's certainly nothing subtle or widely original here, but Millsap had a voice that was well suited for growling blues-rock numbers such as "Mornin' Ride" and a threatening cover of Bo Diddley's "Who Do You Love". At least to our ears he bares at least a passing resemblance to the late Ronnie Van Zandt (a good thing in our esteem). Having an exceptionally tight rhythm section in the form of Butler and Pinney certainly didn't hurt the performances - check out the way the kick the instrumental "Cantaloupe Soup" along. All told, one of the better Rockadelic discoveries, with a needless cover of Chuck Berry's "Little Queenie" being the only true misstep.
"On the Air" track listing:
(side 1)
1.) Mornin' Ride (Jerry Rainey - Jack Pinney - Mike Millsap) -
2.) Who Do You Love (McDaniels)
3.) Slow Back (Jerry Rainey - Jack Pinney - Mike Millsap - Jack Butler)
4.) Another Man Done Gone (public domain)
(side 2)
1.) It Really Doesn't Matter (Jerry Rainey) -
2.) Come On Down (Jerry Rainey - Jack Pinney - Mike Millsap - Jack Butler)
3.) Cantaloupe Soup (instrumental) (Jerry Rainey) -
4.) Bird Run (Jerry Rainey) -
5.) Little Queenie
(Chuck Berry) -
Rockadelic pressed 600 copies of the LP.