Sand
Band members Related acts
|
line up 1 (1969-73) - Rich Gooch -- bass, backing vocals - Jack "Charles" Meussdorffer (aka Jack Charles) -- lead vocals, lead guitar - Dan Ross -- lead guitar, pedal steel, backing vocals - Steve Williams -- drums, percussion - Dan Wilson -- rhythm guitar, backing vocals
line up 2 (1973-76) NEW - "Attilio" -- Keyboards NEW - Ted Affolter -- percussion NEW - Mike Garland -- drums, percussion - Jack "Charles" Meussdorffer (aka Jack Charles) -- lead vocals, lead guitar - Dan Ross -- guitar, pedal steel - Steve Williams -- drums
|
- Jack Charles Mien Street - Quarterflash (Jack Charles, Rich Gooch and Dan Ross) - X-Angels (Rich Gooch)
|
|
Genre: country-rock Rating: 4 stars **** Title: Sand Company: Barnaby Catalog: BR
15006 Country/State: Portland, Oregon Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+ Comments: gatefold sleeve Available: 1 Catalog ID: -- Price: $45.00
|
Good band; uninspired name and even worse album cover ...
The
Portland, Oregon based Sand formed in 1970. By the time they got
around to recording their first album the line-up featured bass player Rich
Gooch, singer/lead guitarist Jack "Charles" Meussdorffer, lead
guitar/pedal steel guitarist Da
I
always wondered why Barnaby released the LP as a double album set since
there was only one album's
Barnaby Records had few resources to promote the album and partner label MGM had no interest in it's music holdings at that point in time. Probably not the best marketing gimmick ever, but Barnaby apparently sent promotional copies of the LP to radio stations with sand attached with Elmers glue to the covers. Sand and records ... interesting combination. Big surprise the album vanished without a trace.
"Sand" track listing: 1.) Who Ya Tryin' To Fool (Jack Meussdorffer - Dan Ross) - 5:23 rating: **** stars 'Who Ya Tryin' To Fool' opened up the album with a sweet slice of Poco-styled country-rock. Jack "Charles" Meussdorffer had a mesmerizing voice with the rest of the band chiming in beautiful harmony vocals that would have made CSN&Y envious. I even liked Dan Ross' extended pedal steel solo and the Meussdorffer and Dan Ross twin lead guitar fade out was awesome. This struck me as being a Northwest version of CSN&Y. 2.) Lovin' You (Jack Meussdorffer - Rich Gooch - Dan Ross) - 3:51 rating: **** stars Rich Gooch opened 'Lovin' You' with some of the most melodic bass I've heard in a long time. Dropping some of the country-rock influences the song opted for more of an America-styled of pop. Darn those harmonies were impressive. One of the songs that should have been floated as a single. 3.) You (Jack Meussdorffer) - 5:46 rating: ** stars The ballad 'You' was certainly pretty, but the first half veered a little too far into the country-rock realm for my tastes. 4.) Destined Road (Jack Meussdorffer - Dan Ross) - 6:15 rating: *** stars 'Destined Road' started out as another sweet, country-tinged ballad. Strumming acoustic guitars; pretty melody and yearning vocals. And just as you were getting ready for the next song it switched into a upbeat jazzy segment with scatting vocals (that I normally detest) while showcasing lead guitarist Meussdorffer and Ross.
(side 2) blank
(side 3) 1.) Mystery (Jack Meussdorffer - Dan Ross) - 5:27 rating: **** stars With an eclectic melody, 'Mystery' was the album's least country-rock flavored track and the coolest performances. Once again the twin lead guitars were impressive recalling something from the Stephen Stills "Manassas" album. 2.) She (Jack Meussdorffer - Dan Ross) - 4:27 rating: *** stars Opening with Dan Ross's pedal steel gave 'She' a strong country-rock flavor. At first I thought it was too country-rock for my tastes, but the melody was upbeat and bouncy and the Allman-esque lead guitars were super melodic. Barnaby released the song as a promotional single:
- 1973's 'She' (mono) b/w 'She' (stereo) (Barnaby catalog number B 5017)
3.) Eagle's Claw (Jack Meussdorffer - Dan Ross) - 4:16 rating: *** stars Not sure who handled the vocals on 'Eagle's Claw' (it didn't sound like Meussdorffer). Loved the melody and the electric guitars and I've puzzled over whether this was a non-secular composition. Not that it mattered. 4.) Lady of Mine (Jack Meussdorffer - Rich Gooch - Dan Ross) - 4:10 rating: **** stars With its Latin percussion and one of the set's catchiest melodies, 'Lady of Mine' was another track that reminded me of Stephen Stills and Manassas. The refrain and lead guitar riff wormed their way into your head and wouldn't leave. I can see why this one was released as the album's second promotional 45:
- 1973's Lady of Mine' (mono) b/w 'Lady of Mine' (stereo) (Barnaby catalog number B 5017)
(side 4) blank
Following the release of an even more obscure second album "Head In the Sand" the band split. Gooch and Meussdorffer reappeared in Quarterflash. Meussdorffer then went on to form the short-lived Jack Charles Mien Street, before turning his attention to building Vox-styled guitars under the Phantom Guitar Works nameplate. Phantom Guitarworks :Phantom |Teardrop |Mando |Vintage reproductions of the original Jennings Musicial Instruments U.K.Guitars from the 1960's (phantomguitars.com) Ross operates a barber shop in Southeast Portland. Local Portland Barber Dan on Gladstone Street (barberdanportland.com) In 2014 the band was inducted into the Oregon Music Hall of fame. Who knew there was such a thing?
|
BACK TO BADCAT PAYMENT INFORMATION
n
Ross and drummer Steve Williams. The band had spent several years
playing parties, high school dances, colleges and local clubs such as
Frankensteins, The Pythian and Springers Ballroom. In late 1972 they
attracted the attention of Andy Williams' Barnaby Records which brought them
to Los Angeles to record some demos. Produced by Dan Mansfield and
Dann Lettermoser, those tracks were released as "Sand"
the following year. Musically the
album offered up prime country-rock material that should find a home with
fans of groups like Graham Parsons-era Byrds, The Flying Burrito Brothers,
early Eagles and Poco. Exemplified by tracks like the opener 'Who
Ya Tryin' To Fool', 'Destined Road' and 'You' Meussdorffer
had a lovely voice that was made even better by the band's wonderful
CSN&Y-styled backing vocals. Elsewhere the band showed a slightly more
commercial and pop orientation on tracks like 'Lovin' You', 'Mystery' and
the promo single 'Lady of Mine'. For me one of the album's overlooked
highlights came in the form of the twin lead guitars. Maybe not quite
the Allman Brothers, but Jack Meussdorffer and Dan Ross were an
impressive combination - check out 'She'. Admittedly their sound was a
little short on originality. Among the few on-line reviews you'll see
folks call them CSN&Y wannabes. I'd argue the performances were
uniformly enjoyable with the band coming across as earnest and dedicated.
There were only a couple of songs that I wanted to skip over and that's rare
for any album. Had the LP been released a year or two earlier during
the prime of country-rock's emergence, it could easily have been a massive
hit. It was also one of those collections where it was fun to play
"spot-the-influence" across the performances. 
worth of material. The flip sides of the two albums were blank
... And then I read an online blurb where someone said it was intended
to take advantage of automatic turntables that allowed you to stack multiple
records on a spindle. When the first album finished playing and the
tone arm returned to the resting position, the spindle would drop the next
LP on to the turntable mat. Saved you all the effort of having to get up and
flip the album over ... I remember having a friend who owned such a
contraption. I also remember it was exactly a smooth process.
The LP dropped to the mat or on the previous LP with quite a bit of force.
Anyhow that explanation seemed to be validated by the fact some of the LPs
included a sticker that read "1
record album on 2 discs for continuous flowing Sand".
Given the LP was released during the 1973 oil crises when vinyl prices shot
through the roof you had to wonder about the economic logic of wasting
vinyl.
