line up 1 (1969)

- Brian Hillmann -- vocals 

- Walt Monaghan -- vocals, bass 

- Jonny Thomas -- vocals 

- Mick Abrahams Band (Walt Monaghan)

- Freedom (Walt Monaghan)

- If  (Walt Monaghan)

- Ted Nugent Band (Walt Monaghan)

Genre: psych

Rating: 4 stars ****

Title:  Come with Me

Company: Hor Zu

Catalog: SHZEL 59

Year: 1969

Country/State: UK / Australia

Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+

Comments: German pressing

Available: 1

Catalog ID: 5140

Price: $175.00

Not to be confused with a similar named Texas-based outfit, this short-lived late-1960s trio reflected the joys of multi-national cooperation - Brian Hillmann and Walt Monaghan were from the UK; Jonny Thomas was Australian and the trio somehow ended up recorded their sole 1969 LP for the German Hor Zu German label.

Featuring all original material (all three members contributed songs), 1969's "Come with Me" was interesting in a spot-the-influence kind of way.  The LP liner notes (printed in English and German) didn't include performance credits, but all of the singers were good with the guitarist displaying a nice penchant for fuzz guitar (check out the solo on 'Should I').  Musically the set wasn't particularly original offering up a period piece mixture of English R&B (the Cream-ish 'Delusion'), psych, and hard rock moves.  Moreover, whatever it lacked in terms of creativity was more than compensated for via the enthusiastic performances and an uncanny knack for catchy melodies.  Songs like the opening title track snippet and the rocker 'You Thought You Had It Made' should've appealed to both the underground crowd and top-40 radio.  The ballad 'Find a Hideaway' should have been a major radio hit.  The band were also interesting when they took off in a more experimental direction including 'Think Big' (offering up a weird mixture of effects and a Western epic feel) and 'Doesn't Add Up To Me'.  Elsewhere the psych touches embellishing 'Please Return' and 'Rust' would have sounded fine on a Small Faces LP.  One has to wonder what would have happened had they recorded for an American or UK label.   (Always loved the back cover photo of the trio posing on German police motorcycles.)

"Come with Me" track listing:
(side 1)

1.) Come with Me   (Hillman - Monaghan) - 

2.) You Thought You Had It Made   (Jonny Thomas) -

3.) Please Return   (Hillman - Monaghan) - 

4.) Should I   (Hillman - Monaghan) - 

5.) Think Big   (Hillman - Monaghan) - 

6.) Rust   (Hillman - Monaghan) - 

(side 2)
1.) Delusion   (Jonny Thomas) -

2.) Doesn't Add Up To Me   (Hillman - Monaghan) - 

3.) Find a Hideaway   (Jonny Thomas)

4.) Come with Me   (Hillman - Monaghan) - 

5.) The Endless Struggle   (Hillman - Monaghan) - 

Monaghan's career continued as a member of Freedom, the Mick Abraham Band, the jazz-rock combo If, and as a member of Ted Nugent's late-1970s band.