Mose Jones
Band members Related acts
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line up 2 (1972) - Brian Cole (RIP 2012) -- drums, percussion, vocals - Randy Lewis (RIP 2001) -- bass, vocals - Jimmy O'Neill (RIP 2001) -- lead guitar, mellotron, vocals - Clay Watkins -- keyboards
line up 2 (1972-75) - Brian Cole (RIP 2012) -- drums, percussion, vocals - Randy Lewis (RIP 2001) -- bass, vocals - NEW - Steve McRay -- keyboards, vocals (replaced Clay Watkins) - Jimmy O'Neill (RIP 2001) -- lead guitar, mellotron, vocals
line up 3 (1975) NEW - Davis Causey (RIP 2023) -- lead guitar (replaced Jimmy O'Neill) - Brian Cole (RIP 2012) -- drums, percussion, vocals - Randy Lewis (RIP 2001) -- bass, vocals - Steve McRay -- keyboards, vocals (replaced Clay Watkins)
line up 4 (1977-89) - Randy Lewis (RIP 2001) -- bass, vocals - Steve McRay -- keyboards, vocals NEW - Chris Seymour (RIP) -- drums, percussion (replaced Brian Cole) NEW - Marvin Taylor -- lead guitar (replaced Jimmy O'Neil)
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- Randall Bramblett Band (Davis Causey) - Davis Causey (solo efforts) - Davis Causey and Jay Smith - If (Steve McRay) - Java Monkey (Brian Cole, Steve McRae and Marvin Taylor) - Jimmy O'Neill (solo efforts) - Sea Level (David Causey) - The Souldiers (Brian Cole and Randy Lewis) - Thirty Eight Special (Steve McRay) - Tongue And Groove (Randy Lewis)
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Genre: Southern rock Rating: *** (3 stars) Title: Get Right Company: Sounds of the South/ MCA Catalog: MCA
329 Country/State: Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+ Comments: gatefold sleeve; cut right corner Available: 1 Catalog ID: -- Price: $40.00
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I routinely come across obscure bands where there's little or no on-line biographical information to be found. That's not the case for the Atlanta, Georgia based Mose Jones. If anything, there's almost too much information to be found.
Their name was inspired by famed jazz musician Mose Allison and a dog the band members kept named "Mister Jones" (after the Dylan song). Formed in 1972, with several members having worked together in the Florida-based Stonehenge, the original line-up featured of drummer Brian Cole, bassist Randy Lewis, guitarist Jimmy O'Neill and keyboardist Clay Watkins. The group had begun to make some noise on the Atlanta club scene, but their initial break came when Kooper caught one of their club performances. Having played at the 1969 Atlanta Pop Festival, Kooper was impressed by the city's musical scene and decided to launch a label focusing on Southern bands. With backing from MCA Records, Kooper got financing to sign four acts to his Sounds of the South label - Mose Jones being the first. The other three were Kooper's Blues Project, the Los Angeles horn band Elijah and a young Lynyrd Skynyrd.
With
Kooper producing, sessions took place at The Atlanta Rhythm Section's
Doraville Studio One. Things got off to a somewhat shaky start with
keyboardist Watkins exiting the group and band associate and recent Vietnam
veteran Steve McRae stepping in as replacement. Listening to 1973's
"Get Right" my ears have always found it interesting
when these guys get binned as Southern
Sadly this is a band with a high mortality rate. While playing at a Key West club, Lewis died in February 2001 following a massive heart attack. Suffering from brain cancer, O'Neill passed away in September 2001. Having suffered, but survived a heart attack that damaged his aorta back in 2001, Cole died in December 2012 following surgery to repair his damaged aorta.
"Get Right" track listing: 1.) Get Right (Al Kooper) - 1:46 rating: ** stars One of two tune written, or co-written by producer Kooper, the title track found the band stepping into Sunday morning Gospel choir territory. The song also appeared as the "B" side on their "Barroom Sweeper" 45. 2.) Here We Go Again (Brian Cole - James O'Neill) - 4:22 rating: *** stars Powered by some sweet acoustic guitars and angelic harmony vocals, "Here We Go Again" was a sweet, totally unexpected ballad. Those angelic backing vocals were great, if not something you would have expected to hear from a bunch of Southern rockers. McRay provided a nice Hammond organ solo with O'Neil contributing a blazing lead guitar solo. Imagine what The Association might have sounded like had they taken a detour into Southern rock territory. And those sweet harmonies might have been the reason MCA tapped it as the album's second single:
- 1973's "Here We Go Again" b/w "Kiwi Stumble Boogie" (MCA catalog number MCA 40040)
3.) Kiwi Stumble Boogie (James O'Neill) - 3:12 rating: ** stars "Kiwi Stumble Boogie" found the band delving into an anonymous slice of bluesy boogie rock. Produced Kooper provided the synthesizer solo. The song also appeared as the "B" side on their "Here We Go Again" single. 4.) Old Man Trouble (Booker T. Jones) - 7:10 rating: **** stars Kooper was responsible for getting Lowell George to guest and provide slide guitar on their cover of Booker T. Jones' "Old Man Trouble". Lewis handled lead vocals and this was one of the tracks where his growling performance reminded me of David Clayton-Thomas. Showcasing McRay's keyboards this was the album's longest and one of best performances. George's slide solo was awesome and one of the album highlights. 5.) What Kind of Woman Would Do That (Al Kooper - James O'Neill) - 4:37 rating: **** stars On the blue-eyed soul "What Kind of Woman Would Do That" McRae demonstrated he could deploy a growling voice that was a match for Lewis. O'Neill also demonstrated he could channel some Allman Brothers guitar moves into the mix.
(side
2) To my ears "Barroom Sweeper" was the album's mostly commercial and radio friendly tune; certainly the song I would have tapped as the first single (it was released as the second single). Great melody; great Lewis lead vocals and just a fun three minutes. You can only wonder how radio and the buying public overlooked this one: Only thing wrong with this - it ended too soon.
- 1973's "Barroom Sweeper" b/w "Get Right" (Sounds of the South/MCA catalog number MCA 40086_ 2.) It's A Whole Lot of Fun (Brian Cole - James O'Neill) - 2:49 rating: ** stars Keyboard powered, hard rocking Southern-rocker ...Okay, but lacked anything to distinguish from the wave of similar sounding tunes. 3.) Ode To Drugan (Dennis Lambert - Craig Nuttycombe - Seymore Drugan) - 4:51 rating: *** stars Kooper was responsible for the band covering Dennis Lambert and Craig Nuttycombe's "Ode To Drugan". Featuring Cole on lead vocals, the first minute of "Ode To Drugan" was pure a cappella ... From there the song morphed into a fragile, flute and harmony powered folk tune. Technically quite impressive and once again, the folk influences were not what you would have expected to hear from Southern rockers. 4.) All That I've Got (I'm Gonna Give It To You) (Billy Preston - Doris Troy) - 3:13 rating: *** stars Preston's original was a Gospel drenched slice of soul. Their arrangement opted for an anonymous rocked up version of the song. 5.) Julia's Beautiful Friend (Brian Cole - James O'Neill) - 6:23 rating: *** stars With Lewis on lead vocals "" has always reminded me of an Atlanta Rhythm Section tune - Southern rock, but with a commercial edge. The result was one of their prettier melodies and performances. Featuring Clay Watkins this must have been on of the album's first recording efforts. 6.) Get Right: Reprise (Al Kooper) - 0:35 rating: ** stars Needles reprise of the title track.
There's an extensive Mose Jones website at: Home - Mose Jones There's also a band Facebook page: (2) Facebook
© Scott R. Blackerby, June 2026
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rockers.
Yeah, tracks like "Julia's Beautiful Friend" and "It's
A Whole Lot of Fun"
certainly had a Southern rock vibe, but those tunes were the exceptions.
Heavy on Cole and O'Neill penned originals, the album was surprisingly
diverse. Performances like
their cover of Booker T. Jones' "Old Man Trouble" apparently
captured the band's blues-oriented club roots. And then things got
really eclectic. Seemingly a result of Kooper's influence, the title
track and closing refrain offered up a brief slice of Sunday morning Bible
thumping Gospel music. With drummer Cole on lead vocals "Ode
To Drugan"
was a remake of an English folk tune. The growling "What Kind of
Woman Would Do That" showcased some first-rate blue-eyed soul that
would not have sounded out of place on a Delaney and Bonnie album.
"Barroom Sweeper" was an awesome pop-rock tune.
Diversity can be good,
but it can also dilute a band's imagine which seems to be the case
here. The one thing they had going to them was three strong
vocalists. Lewis handled the majority of songs and on tracks like
"Get Right" his voice occasionally reminded me of a young David
Clayton-Thomas (without the Blood, Sweat and Tears horns). McRae and
O'Neill were also capable singers. 
