line up 1 (1979)

- Mark Evans -- drums, percussion 

- Todd Potter -- lead guitar, vocals 

- Rod Prince -- lead guitar, vocals 

- George Rarey -- bass, slide guitar, vocals 

- The Bad Seeds (Rod Prince)

- Bubble Puppy (Todd Potter and Rod Prince)

- Deadhorse Puppy (Rod Prince)

- Demian (Todd Potter and Rod Prince)

- Manbeast (Rod Prince)

- Todd Potter (solo efforts)

- The Prince Trio (Rod Prince)

- Steak (George Rarey)

Genre: rock

Rating: 3 stars ***

Title:  Rising

Company: Elcric Flow

Catalog: EPP1

Year: 1979

Country/State: Austin, Texas

Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+

Comments: still  in shrink wrap (opened)

Available: 2

Catalog ID: 5332

Price: $80.00

If the band Demian qualified as Bubble Puppy mark II, I guess you could stretch a little and call Sirius Bubble Puppy mark III ...   

Lead guitarists Todd Potter and Rod Price had both been members of the Austin, Texas-based Bubble Puppy and the follow-up outfit Demian.  When Demian collapsed in 1972 Potter stayed in California working as a sessions player, before joining and touring with Rusty Weir's Fabulous Filler Brothers.  Price bounced around different bands including Deadhorse Puppy, Manbeast, and The Prince Trio

With the addition of drummer Mark Evans and bassist George Rarey, in 1979 the two reunited in Sirius.  Released on the independent Texas-based Elcric Flow label, the self-produced "Rising" was liable to be a disappointment to psych fiends.  That said, heard without any expectations, tracks like 'Girl You Take Me Higher', 'Best of Me' and' 'Now I'm Home' offered up an enjoyable mixture of AOR and country-rock. Handling most of the lead vocals Potter had one of those chameleon-like voices that was capable of handling any genre and sounding good (if occasionally somewhat anonymous).  Elsewhere Potter and Price enthusiastically displayed their dual guitar chops turning in some nice performances on tracks like 'No Idea' and 'Smile At Me'.  Sure it wasn't perfect.  'Litany' sounded like someone trying too hard to cultivate a down and dirty hard rock image, though the Potter/Price leads were pretty impressive.  Still, had something like 'Runaway Bay' carried a Pablo Cruise nametag it would have generated a top-40 hit for the group.  

"Rising" track listing:
(side 1)

1.) Runaway Bay   (Todd Potter - L. Arnold - B. Smith) - 3:42

2.) Girl You Take Me Higher   (Todd Potter) - 3:55

3.) No Idea   (Rod Prince) - 3:00

With a breezy, '70s AOR melody and feel, 'No Idea' wasn't a half bad tune.  Imagine a mix of The Doobies, Pablo Cruise, Styx, etc. and you'd get a feel for the general sound.  Love the funky little guitar riff and the sweet solos that powered this one along.  Very '70s AOR commercial.  rating: **** stars

4,) Best of Me   (Todd Potter) - 4:19

5.) Guacamole Rock n Roll   (Rod Prince - Steel) - 3:25

(side 2)
1.) Girl Like You   (Todd Potter) - 3:40

2.) Litany   (Rod Prince - R. Hammond - S. Hillyer) - 4:10

Not meant to be snide, or condescending, but 'Litany' has always reminded me of a Spinal Tap tune.  There's just something abut the song's overblown sense of self-importance that always makes me giggle.  Now I will admit there was a nice metal lead guitar solo on this one.   rating: *** stars

3.) Wringin' Your Hands   (George Rarey) - 4:17

4.) Now I'm Home   (Todd Potter) - 3:26

5.) Smile At Me   (Todd Potter) - 3:00

Shortly after the album was released Sirius called it quits. Overlooking a brief Bubble Puppy reunion, Potter and Prince both dropped out of music for the next two decades.  Potter moved to West Texas, got into the home construction trade and raised a family. In the late 1990s he started playing music for fun with a local covers band The Fabulous Chevelles.  He even got around to releasing a solo effort in 2005 - "The Bell" (White Wing catalog number B000AMC75Y) and has a small website at: http://www.toddpotter.com/

Prince got married, had a couple of kids, worked as an electrician and re-issued the Bubble Puppy album in 2001 on his Actual Artists label.