Genre: rock
Rating: *** (3 stars)
Title: Face the Music
Company: Decca
Catalog: DL-75353
Year: 1972
Country/State: Las Vegas, Nevada
Grade (cover/record): VG / VG
Comments: note - the image shown above is not of the actual LP - our copy does not have a price sticker on it, nor does it have the damage sown along the spine; gatefold sleeve; small sample copy sticker on back cover; includes lyric insert
Available: SOLD
GEMM catalog ID: SOLD
Price: SOLD
Cost: $66.00
I probably wouldn't have bought this album had I known this was a horn rock outfit ('course I could've opened up the unipack sleeve and seen concert photos that show trumpet player Michael Green and sax man Rick Kellis ...). On the other hand, I would have missed a chance to score an LP produced by the ever eccentric David Axelrod and in this case it turns out my distaste for horn rock was largely misplaced.
I knew absolutely nothing about this band other than I thought they were based in Los Angeles and the liner notes showed a line up consisted of bass player Larry 'California' Arnold, drummer Larry Devers, sax man Rick Kellis, keyboardist Jo Jo Molina, guitarist Don Phillips, and percussionst Jay Jay York. 1972's "Face the Music" was their second LP, but I'm not even sure about that. With all six members contributing material, you can categorize most of this set as a blend of top-40ish pop (the bouncy title track) and 'white boy blues-rock'. There's nothing particularly original about tracks such as 'House Rules' and 'Blues Route', but the band plays with considerable energy and unlike such competitors as BS&T, Chase, or Chicago, the horns are kept largely in-check. Mind you, I'm not telling you that this set is going to change your life, but as far as the horn rock genre goes, this is pretty good. In case anyone cares, Decca pulled 'Face the Music' b/w 'Makin' Tracks' (Decca catalog number 32972 ) as an unsuccessful single. (Needless trivia - the back panel shows the final song as 'Pushy", whereas the insert shows it as being titled 'Pushie".
"Face the Music" track listing:
(side
1)
1.) Pushy (Larry Devers - Don Phillips) -
2.) House Rules (Arnold - Larry Devers - Michael Green - Rick Kellis - Jo Jo Molina - Don Philips) -
3.) Makin' Tracks (Larry Devers - Rick Kellis)
4.) Blues Route (Rick Kellis) -
(side 2)
1.) Rock 'n' Roll Express (Larry Devers - Rick Kellis) -
2.) The First Verse (Rick Kellis) -
3.) Face the Music (Rick Kellis) -
4.) (Hey You) Quit
Having So Much Fun (Larry Devers - Rick Kellis) -
Kellis went on to become an in-demand sessions player, supporting virtually
everyone imaginable. He's also recorded some jazz-oriented solo
material that I've never heard. Drummer York
became a well known wrestler with the NWA, working under the name 'The
Alaskan'. He also worked as a bouncer at Hollywood's Classic Cat
strip club. Only 57, he died of liver disease in October 1995.
Little more information courtesy of Devers who bought a copy of the album from me: "I formed the band n Las Vegas, Nevada in the late 1960s. We cut two albums of which I haze zero copies. Before SOD I had a group called Loadstone that cut one album on Barnaby. I don't have a copy of that one either."
Lo and behold bassist Arnold showed up as well: "I was the bass player in SOD on Decca Records - Robert 'California' Arnold. I enjoyed the fine review you gave out second LP, "Face the Music'. I have also recorded with Clydie King "Brown Sugar" - RCA/Chelsea 1973; Edgar Winter's White Trash "Recycled" CBS/Blue Sky 1977; Billy Branch "The Blues Keep Following Me Around" - Verve Gitanes 1985."
Cal Arnold
October 2008