Rhinoceros
Band members Related acts
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line-up
1 (1968-69) - Michael Fonfara (RIP 2021) -- keyboards - Alan Gerber -- vocals, keyboards - Doug Hastings -- guitar - Billy Mundi (RIP 2014) -- drums, percussion - Jerry Penrod -- bass - Danny Weiss --
guitar, keyboards line-up 2 (1969) - John Finley -- vocals NEW - Duke 'Eddie' Edwards -- drums, percussion (replaced Billy Mundi) - Michael Fonfara (RIP 2021) -- keyboards NEW- Larry Leishman -- guitar - Jerry Penrod -- bass - Danny Weiss -- guitar, keyboards
line-up
3 (1969-70) - John Finley -- lead vocals - Michael Fonfara -- keyboards NEW- Peter Hodgson -- bass (replaced Jerry Penrod) NEW- Larry Leishman -- guitar (replaced Doug Hastings) - Danny Weiss --
lead guitar, keyboards line-up
3 (1969) - John Finley - vocals (1968-) - Duke 'Eddie' Edwards - drums (replaced Billy Mundi) (1969-70) - Michael Fonfara - keyboards (1968-) - Alan Gerber - vocals, keyboards (1968-69) - Doug Hastings - guitar (1968-69) - Peter Hodgson - guitar (replaced Steve Weiss) (1969) - Larry Leishman - guitar (replaced Doug Hastings) (1969-) - Billy Mundi - drums., percussion (1968-69) - Jerry Penrod - bass (1968-) - Michael Tomlinson (RIP) - drums, percussion, vocasls (replaced Richard Crook) (1970-) - Danny Weiss -
guitar, keyboards (1968-)
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- Bamboo (Peter Hodgson) - The Skip Battin Group (Billy Mundi) - Bearfoot (Michael Tomlinson) - Blackstone (John Finley, Michael Fonfera, Peter Hodgson and Danny Wiess) Peter Hodgson, Larry Leishman and Danny Weiss) - The Blackstone Rangers (John Finley, Michael Fonfera) Peter Hodgson, Larry Leishman and Danny Weiss) - The Buffalo Springfield (Doug Hastings) - Burdened Beast (John Finley and Danny Weiss) - The Checkmates (Michael Fonfara) - Jeff Curtis and the Flames (Michael Tomlinson) - The Daily Flash (Doug Hastings) - Tim Dawe (Jerry Penrod) - Downchild Blues Band (Michael Fonfara) - Duke Edwards and the Young Ones - The Electric Flag (Michael Fonfara) - John Finley (solo efforts) - Alan Gerber (solo efforts) - Great Speckled Bird (Billy Mundi) - Homestead (John Finley) - Iron Butterfly (Jerry Penrod and Danny Weiss) - Jon and Lee and the Checkmates (John Finley and Larry Leishman) - The Jon-Lee Group (John Finley, Michael Fonfara and Peter Hodgson) - Bill King (Michael Tomlinson) - The Lamp of Childhood (Billy Mundi) - Life (Michael Tomlinson) - The Lincolns (Michael Fonfara and Danny Weiss) - Michael and Lee (Michael Fonfara) - The Mothers of Invention (Billy Mundi) - The Penny Peeps (Michael Tomlinson) - Razmataz (Billy Mundi) - Skip and the Flips (Billy Mundi) - Stone City Band (Michael Tomlinson) - Jay Telfer (Michael Tomlinson) - Malcolm Tomlinson (solo efforts) - Tycoon (Michael Fonfara) - Danny Weiss (solo efforts)
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Genre: rock Rating: *** (3 stars) Title: Rhinoceros Company: Elektra Catalog: EKS-74030 Year: 1968 Country/State: US/Canada Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+ Comments: gatefold sleeve Available: 1 Catalog ID: 4448 Price: $15.00 Cost: $66.00
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The inspiration and brains behind Rhinoceros was the late guitarist Paul Rothchild and producer Frazier Mohawk. By the mid-1960s Rothchild was riding high on his successes producing the likes of The Butterfield Blues Band and The Doors, while the lesser known Mohawk had scored critical successes working with The Buffalo Springfield. Those successes led the pair to the conclusion they could build a musical super group. Convincing Elektra president Jac Holzman that big money was to be made via this 'Project Super Group', Rothchild and Mohawk began auditioning various musicians, over the next year settling on an extended line up of former Jon-Lee Group singer John Finley, keyboardists Michael Fonfara and Alan Gerber, late inning Buffalo Springfield guitarist Doug Hastings, former Mothers of Invention drummer Billy Mundi, and ex-Iron Butterfly alumnus's bassist Jerry Penrod and guitarist Danny Weiss. With Rothchild at the helm, the band undertook a series of extended jam sessions at Rothschild's L.A. home. Those sessions subsequently became the foundation for the group's self-titled 1968 debut.
Recorded amidst an extensive touring schedule that saw the band opening for a broad array of name acts ranging from The Moody Blues to Muddy Waters, the Rothchild produced "Rhinoceros" hit the stores in late 1968. Interesting there are some folks who swear this is one of the tightest albums released in the 1960s and while that that may be true, to my ears the collection has always lacked much in the way of true appeal. I'll readily admit that technically the set's quite accomplished (as you'd expect given the principals' pedigrees), but exemplified by tracks such as 'When You Say You're Sorry' and 'Same Old Way' their high octane mix of blues and hard rock comes across as calculated and surprisingly sludgy (in interviews several group members have complained about Rothchild's production work). Finley and Gerber were both capable writers and both owned big, soulful voices, but for the most part they simply weren't effectively showcased on the album. It's kind of ironic that one of the best songs is an instrumental. Unlike most of the album 'Apricot Brandy' managed to be heavy and tuneful at the same time (imagine Booker T. and the MGs after living in New York for a couple of months). The BBC copped it as the theme music for a Radio One program. Elsewhere nothing really jumps out at you though Elektra tapped that album for three singles:
"Rhinoceros" track listing:
1.) When You Say You're Sorry (Alan Gerber) - 3:53 2.) Same Old Way (John Finley) - 2:02 3.) Apricot Brandy (instrumental) (Danny Weiss - Michael Fonfara) - 1:57 - 1969's 'Apricot Brandy' b/w 'When You Say You're Sorry' (Elektra catalog number 45647) 4.) That Time of the Year (Alan Gerber) - 4:12 5.) You're My Girl (I Don't Want To Discuss It) (Cooper - Beatty - Shelby) - 4:43
-1968's 'You're My Girl' b/w 'I Will Serenade You' (Elektra catalog number 45640)
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2) 2.) I've Been There (Alan Gerber- John Finley) - 4:24 3.) Belbuekus (Danny Weiss - John Finley) - 2:25 - 1969's 'I Need Love' b/w 'Belbuekus' (Elektra catalog number 45659)
4.) Along Comes Tomorrow (Alan Gerber) - 4:27 5.) I Will Serenade You (John Finley) - 3:15
There's also an excellent Rhinoceros website located at: http://www.rhinoceros-group.com/index.html
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Genre: rock Rating: *** (3 stars) Title: Better Times Are Coming Company: Elektra Catalog: EKS-74075 Year: 1970 Country/State: US/Canada Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+ Comments: gatefold sleeve; cut lower left corner Available: 1 Catalog ID: -- Price: $20.00
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A largely forgotten band's third and completely forgotten final studio album ...
I have to agree with most folks on the subject of Rhinoceros. If you look at the band's multiple rosters, they were supremely talented. In signing with Jac Holtzman's Elektra Records they were provided all the resources need to make it big. And in spite of all those key ingredients being at their disposal, there was just something missing ... That's a great description for 1970's "Better Times Are Coming." Recorded at New York's A&R Studios, a couple of these songs come close, but ultimately nothing here is earth shaking. I've listened to the album a dozen times over the years and I think one of my biggest issues stems from the absence of a good vocalist. With Edwards and Finely sharing vocals, Unfortunately the spotlight was more often on Finley who seemed to subscribe to the Janis Joplin school of vocal excess - shredding a vocal chord was a requirement to drive home a song. Drummer Edwards' soul-influenced vocals were easily the better of the two, but his focus was on the drums and he seems to have gotten stuck with some of their weaker material. Elsewhere, four of the six band members contributing to the writing assignments, but it was interesting to note producer Guy Draper was credited with penning five of the songs. Perhaps that explained the fact the material was quite varied. The title track, It's a Groovy World and the single 'Let's Party' all featured upbeat, commercial moves. 'Sweet, Nice 'N' High' found the band test driving Band-styled Americana moves. 'Happiness' was a predictable Chicago blues moves. As it happened, the best performances were the two Stax-wannabe instrumentals 'Just Me' and ' Insanity.' Yes, Draper wrote both. It all left me with the feeling these guys were creatively adrift and running out of steam. And yes, if proved to be their final album.
"Better TImes Are Coming" track listing:
1.) Better Times (Duke Edwards - Michael Fonfara - John Finley) - 2:43 rating: *** stars Heavy blues-rock with a distinctive Latin edge ... It's certainly a time piece, but holds up well. The uplifting message was a nice change of pace. The downside was lead singer John Finley just came off as trying too hard. YouTube has a clip of a live performance at New York's July 1970 Randall's Festival. The sound and video quality are poor, but the band (particularly drummer Edwards), turned it into an audience participation revival session: Rhinoceros - Better Times Are Coming (live at Randall's Festival, NY 1970) ULTRA RARE - YouTube
The song was tapped as the album's leadoff single:
- 1970's 'Better Times' b/w 'It's a Groovy World' (Elektra catalog number EKM-45694 A/B)
2.) Old Age (Larry Leishman - Duke Edwards) - 3:00 rating: *** stars Peter Hodgson's rumbling bass stole the show on the funky 'Old Age'. The song has always reminded me of something Norman Whitefield might have written and arranged for The Temptations. Two cautions - once again Finley mistook vocal power for quality and the song just faded out without any warning. 3.) Sweet, Nice 'N' High (Larry Leishman - Duke Edwards) - 3:30 rating: *** stars Slowing things down and adding Gospel flourishes, 'Sweet, Nice 'N' High" sounded like they'd been listening to their share of The Band and Delaney and Bonnie. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't anything to write home about. I'm guessing the 'N High' part would have got a cheer from live audiences. Edwards' soulful vocals provided the highlights. 4.) Just Me (instrumental) (Guy Draper) - 2:10 rating: **** stars One of five tracks written by producer Guy Draper, the instrumental 'Just Me' plunged the band in the middle of a Stax-styled workout. I'll be darned if these Yankees didn't manage to pull it off. Booker T. and company would have approved of this workout. Love the Steve Cropper-styled guitar fills. 5.) Happiness (Guy Draper) - 2:32 rating: ** stars A standard Chicago blues number, 'Happiness' wasn't done any favors by Finley's shouted vocals. Been there, done that, have the tee-shirt. 6.) Somewhere (Danny Weis - John Finley) - 3:38 rating: * star 'Somewhere' started out as a pretty enough ballad, but once Finley started to pick up energy lost what appeal it mustered. Courtesy of Roy Cicala and Shelly Yakus the sound effects (explosions, thunder and rain) were merely distracting.
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2) Opening up with some nice Michael Fonfara Hammond B3 and showcasing Edwards on vocals, 'It's a Groovy World' found the band returning to the album title's positive vibe. Image a subpar Felix Cavaliere and the Rascals tune ... Luckily Finely didn't make his presence known until the very end of the track. 2.) Insanity (instrumental) (Guy Draper) - 2:20 rating: **** stars Another album highlight and another Stax-influenced instrumental. Coincidently this one was also penned by engineer Guy Draper. Unfortunately the track faded out so quickly given it actually displayed some in-studio energy, 3.) Lady of Fortune (Duke Edwards - Larry Leishman) - 3:02 rating: **** stars The rocker 'Lady of Fortune' sounded like it was build on The Temptations' 'Ball of Confusion' riff, but served as Edwards' standout performance. 4.) Let's Party (Guy Draper) - 3:03 rating: *** stars After the bluesy introduction 'Let's Party' evolved into something that sound like a mash-up between The Young Rascals and War. Mindless fun, there wasn't much to the song other than hearing the band chant "let's party and let's clap your hands" for three minutes.
- 1970's 'Let's Party' b/w 'Old Age' (Elektra catalog number EKM 45691 A/B) 5.) Rain Child (Larry Leishman - Duke Edwards) - 5:26 Well the first minute was nothing but the band warming up. From there it moved into a raw, anti-war blues number with the band having apparently stolen their inspiration and sound from the band Rare Earth. In fact Edwards' vocals sure reminded me of Rare Earth's Peter Hoorelbeke (aka Peter Rivera).
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