- Milt Hisler -- flute (1971)

- Dave Jimernez -- guitar (1971)

- Phil Leon -- drums, percussion  (1971)

- Harry Max -- violin, French horn (1971)

- Doug Rodriguez -- guitar (1971)

- Jeremy Storch -- vocals, keyboards (1970-71)

- Richard Wexler -- violin (1971)

- Stu Woods -- bass (1971)

- The Vagrants

Genre: rock

Rating: 3 stars ***

Title:  From a Naked Window

Company: RCA Victor

Catalog: LSP-4447

Year: 1970

Country/State: New York, New York

Grade (cover/record): VG+ / VG+

Comments: gimmick die cut gatefold sleeve; opened and played twice to make a CDR copy; small cut out notch along bottom edge

Available: 1

GEMM catalog ID: 5342

Price: $25.00

If you've every heard his name, singer/keyboardist Jeremy Storch is probably known to you for his work with The Vagrants.   It's doubtful more than a few folks have ever heard any of his early-1970s solo work, or have a clue of where life took him.

With the breakup of The Vagrants, Storch found himself signed to a solo career by RCA Victor.  Released in 1970, Storch's debut "From a Naked Window" teamed him with producers Gary Illingworth, Ernie Aitschuler and Al Schwartz  and a host of New York sessions players.  The album was actually quite good, though anyone expecting to hear something along the lines of The Vagrants' brand of heavy garage rock was bound to have been surprised to hear Storch-penned originals like 'Dream City' and 'xxx'.  I was certainly dumbfounded the first couple of times I played the album.  Largely abandoning The Vagrants-styled rock and roll grunge, Storch plunged headlong into anguished singer/songwriter mode, occasionally sprinkled with a  lysergenic blanket.  While the results weren't exactly the year's most upbeat collection, the material proved well suited for Storch's slightly nasal and strained voice.  About half of the album was stark singer/songwriter material - 'Playground' and 'Message In the Wind' simply showcasing Storch and keyboards. The rest of the material featured more elaborate arrangements (courtesy of Illingworth), including a couple with classical influences and a couple of fuzz guitar supported efforts ('Man In the Sky' and 'Lady In the Sand'). Interestingly with the exception of the closing instrumental 'Delia', all of the original songs were bound together by Storch's highly personal and strange lyrics - 'Lynn and Sue Are a Country' appeared to provide a nod of approval to lesbian relationships.  For those of you willing to make the effort, the inner sleeve included the words (though they didn't  help me with most of the songs).  Fascinating in a weird, hard to describe fashion, the results probably horrified Vagrants fans.  I'll readily admit that much of it is a little too sensitive and fey for my tastes.   This probably sounds like kind of a goofy comparison, but imagine a male (and American) version of Kate Bush and you'll have a feel for what the set sounded like.  Needless to say the results were simply too eclectic for Vagrants fans (or anyone else) and the LP quickly vanished into cutout bins.        

"From a Naked Window" track listing:
(side 1)

1.) Dream City   (Jeremy Storch) - 3:32

2.) Playground   (Jeremy Storch) - 4:25

3.) Man In the Sky    (Jeremy Storch) - 3:48

4.) Message In the Wind    (Jeremy Storch) - 4:05

5.) Lynn and Sue Are a Country    (Jeremy Storch) - 3:45

(side 2)
1.) In the Right Road    (Jeremy Storch) - 3:50

2.) Lady In the Sand    (Jeremy Storch) - 4:38

3.) If You Are Going Home    (Jeremy Storch) - 5:18

4.) I Feel a New Shadow    (Jeremy Storch) - 3:08

5.) Delia (instrumental)    (Jeremy Storch) - 5:20

Couple of interesting tidbits:

Storch was married to the Shagris-Las Betty Weiss.  I assume that the woman pictured on the inner sleeve is Ms. Weiss ... maybe not.

Genre: rock

Rating: 3 stars ***

Title:  40 Miles Past Woodstock

Company: RCA Victor

Catalog: LSP-4541

Year: 1971

Country/State: New York, New York

Grade (cover/record): VG+ / VG+

Comments: still in shrink wrap (opened)

Available: 1

GEMM catalog ID: 5343

Price: $25.00

Most folks don't even seem to know that Jeremy Storch recorded a sophomore solo LP before dropping out of music.  Good luck finding any kind of write up on it ...

Co-produced by Storch and Al Schwartz, 1971's "40 Miles Past Woodstock" wasn't a major departure from Storch's debut.  Like the debut, original material such as 'Spend Your Life with Me' , 'I Have a Friend Named Billy' (the album was dedicated to Bill Bloom) and 'Perhaps In Concert Hall'  spotlighted another set of sensitive singer/songwriter fair.  Much of the material was stark (Storch and keyboards) though melodic, but stretched over two sides the ominous atmosphere and Storch's habit of shifting into a Neil Young-styled howl (check out 'Dandelions' and a cover of Young's own ;I Am a Child') proved quite depressing and a little too fey for my tastes.  That gets me back to the earlier Kate Bush comparison.  That's not to say the record was a carbon copy of the first LP.  'Smooth Southern Born Lady' made it clear Storch could work well in a band format.  Unfortunately he didn't shake things up with a little more rock and roll.  It would have benefited the LP immensely.  In case anyone cared, the closing track 'Delia' was included on the debut album.  This time around Storch stripped off the instrumentation and added lyrics. There don't seem to have been any singles and like the debut RCA doesn't appear to have done much to market the LP.   RCA apparently subsequently dropped Storch from its recording roster spelling then end of his non-secular solo recording career.

"40 Miles Past Woodstock" track listing:
(side 1)

1.) Spend Your Life with Me    (Jeremy Storch) - 2:43

2.) I Have a Friend Named Billy    (Jeremy Storch) - 2:45

3.) Smooth Southern Born Lady    (Jeremy Storch) - 3:15

4.) Perhaps In Concert Hall    (Jeremy Storch) - 2:12

5.) Horse (instumental)    (Jeremy Storch) - 3:00

(side 2)
1.) I'll Keep Fading Away    (Jeremy Storch) - 3:14

2.) Unreal To Love You    (Jeremy Storch) - 2:38

3.) Dandelions    (Jeremy Storch) - 4:05

4.) I Am a Child  (Neil Young) - 2:05

5.) Delia    (Jeremy Storch) - 5:45

Some folks will probably criticize me as being a snot for the next section.  Whatever.  Take it for what it's worth.  Personally, recognizing my endless list of flaws, I'm fascinated by people who find the inner strength/inspiration to make major changes in their lives.  Storch certainly qualifies along those lines.  Guess what unique twists and turns his life took ...  This is lifted from his website (hopefully he won't mind):

"In 1970, Jeremy's excessive lifestyle caught up with him and he died of a drug overdose on the way to the hospital. In this death experience, God spoke to Jeremy saying, "I am giving you back your life to do some work for Me!" As soon as that was spoken, Jeremy awoke in a hospital bed.

Several years passed before Jeremy obeyed the voice he heard that evening. He continued in the secular music field with Dave Mason, who recorded Jeremy's song, "Spend Your Life With Me," and Eddie Money, who also recorded one of Jeremy's songs, "Call On Me."

In 1978, Jeremy found himself in Eureka Springs, Arkansas, with a role in the Passion Play that was presented annually by the city. He played one of the two thieves on the cross. After hanging on the cross in front of 4,000 people for two nights, the Holy Spirit started working in Jeremy's heart. After the evening performance, Jeremy retreated to a cabin in the woods and he broke down and cried, realizing his sinfulness. In the middle of that night he awoke and heard the same voice he had witnessed seven years earlier, this time saying: "My son, your sins are forgiven, but go and sin no more, for I have a brand new life for you." At that moment, Jeremy totally dedicated his life to the Lord Yeshua (Jesus).

Jeremy is an ordained Messianic Rabbi and Cantor who served for nine years at Temple Aron Ha Kodesh in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, one of the largest Messianic synagogues in the world. He also has led worship in many Messianic synagogues, churches and worship conferences and has helped to build up praise and worship programs throughout the body of Yeshua. He has also recorded, arranged and produced several albums: "Let Every Knee", "Hebrew Lord", "I believe in Yeshua", "Praise Your Name", "Behold the Bridegroom", "In Heavenly Places," "He Reigns," and "On Mount Zion." In addition, he ministers in other congregations by giving musical concerts, leading praise and worship, teaching on the Biblical Jewish roots of Christianity, and sharing his dynamic testimony.

Jeremy has made several national television appearances, including "Praise the Lord," "Jewish Jewels," and "Jewish Voice" broadcasts. The international ministry "Jews for Jesus" has published for worldwide distribution a Messianic Hymnal with many of Jeremy's songs in it. These songs and many others that he has written are now being used for praise and worship in congregations all around the world, especially in the U.S., Israel, Europe and Latin America.

Jeremy is the Rabbi and worship leader of The Tabernacle, a rapidly growing Messianic Jewish congregation meeting Friday evenings and Saturday mornings in Branson, Missouri."

Here's a picture of Rabbi Storch (wish God and the years would be as kind to me) 

and for anyone interested, here's the link to Rabbi Storch's website:

http://www.jeremystorch.org/index.html