line up 1 (1976-77)

- Jackie Barrett -- bass

- Bob Brown (RIP 2007) -- drums, percussion

- Jim Hodges -- vocals, drums, percussion

- Rudy Passonno -- keyboards, synthesizers

- Larry (West) Watson -- guitar, vocals

- Darlene Austin and the Escorts

- The Change (Rudy Passonno)

- David Dawkins and Rudy Passonno

- Isotope Finis (Rudy Passonno)

- Hot Ice (Rudy Passonno)

- Rudy Passonno

- Rock City Opera (Rudy Passonno)

Genre: hard rock

Rating: 3 stars ***

Title:  At Last

Company: Scot Records

Catalog: No. T9548
Year: 1977

Country/State: Kansas City, Missouri

Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+

Comments: --

Available: 1

Catalog ID: --

Price: $120.00

There are thousands and thousands of bands that managed to record obscure releases before vanishing into the drunken haze of playing bars and clubs.  The Kansas City-based Topper is a perfect example.  As you'd expect, there doesn't seem to be a great deal of biographical information out there on this outfit.  Here's what I've managed to pull together.

Topper and their 1977 album were apparently the brainchild of Rudy Passonno and singer/drummer/club owner Jim Hodges. In addition to being an accomplished keyboard player, Passonno was a producer and the owner of the Liberty, Missouri-based Liberty Recording Studios.  Hodges played in a number of local bands and was the owner of a local club - Cosmos Club.  The short-lived Topper featured the talents of Hodges, Passonno and a bunch of veteran local area musicians - bassist Jackie Barrett, drummer Bob Brown and guitarist Larry (West) Watson.  Topper served as the Cosmos Club house band and their moment of glory came when they released the album "At Last" on Passonno's small, Missouri-based Scot label.  Featuring seven tracks; six reflecting band originals, the album offered up a mixture of patented '70s rock moves ('Phaze 2') with occasional jazz-rock and progressive influences ('Say What You Feel').  It was rounded out by Passonno's interest in Krautrock - check out the instrumental 'Phaze 1.'  I'm not going to try to convince you this is one of those lost masterpieces, 'cause it isn't.  The playing is uniformly strong and the production sounds good; particularly for a small, independent studio.  Powered by Hodges rough, ragged and soulful voice, the song selection was certainly diverse, if seldom particularly original.  That comment provides a perfect chance to mention 'Smile for the Clown' which fully appropriated the melody to Led Zeppelin's 'Stairway to Heaven.'  Nah, it wasn't influenced by the Zeppelin song.  It stole the entire melody.  LOL   They were lucky Zeppelin's notoriously protective management team didn't come after them with a lawsuit.  Much of the album was apparently recorded after-hours in Hodges' club.  Best of the lot was the ripping rocker 'Hell's Fire.'  Arthur Brown (of 'Fire' fame) would have approved of Hodges' treated satanic vocals.   (A couple of years ago I found this online post from Hodges: "Thanks for interest in Topper at last. I sang and wrote almost all songs. We recorded most all the album at a nightclub I owned in Riverside, Missouri called Cosmo.")

The band reportedly printed 5,000 copies of the album.  Most were sold during shows at the Cosmos Club.

Recorded after the album, there's also at least one non-LP promotional 45:

-1978's 'Smile for the Clown' b/w 'Into Eternity' (Scot catalog number none)

By the end of 1978 Topper was history with the members moving on to other projects and careers.

"At Last" track listing:
(side 1)

1.) Astral Plane (Jim Hodges - Larry Watson - Rudy Passonno) - 5:18 rating: *** stars

Yeah 'Astral Plane' sported a patented '70s song title with suitably throwaway lyrics ("I got the notion you got the motion ..."). Passonno's vintage keyboards only served to underscore the dated sound.  Still; not all was lost.  Powered by Hodges' ragged, growling vocals the song had an energetic jazz-rock feel with Watson turning in a nice guitar solo.  

2.) Say What You Feel (Jim Hodges - Larry Watson - Rudy Passonno) - 7:20 rating: *** stars

Opening up with and showcasing some pseudo-disco-ish Watson guitar, 'Say What You Feel' struck me as a mash-up of Sly Stone funk and Dixie Dregs jazz-rock moves.  Good thing I like cheesy-'70s synthesizer washes.  The song actually got better as it twisted and turned over its seven minute span.   I'll give it an extra star for Hodges' funky vocals.  Interesting to picture mid-western audiences trying to figure out how they were going to dance to this one.

3.) Smile for the Clown (Jim Hodges - Larry Watson - Rudy Passonno) - 4:10 rating: *** stars

Thousands of bands have been influenced by Led Zeppelin, but seldom have they been as blatant in their admiration as Topper.  'Smile for the Clown' was an almost exact copy of 'Stairway To Heaven' with different lyrics.  Surprising that Zeppelin and Atlantic Records didn't sue them and demand the album be pulled from the market.  Worth hearing just for the gall Topped exhibited recording this one.

(side 2)
1.) Phaze 1 (Prelude) (instrumental) (Rudy Passonno) - 3:05 rating: ** stars

Shoot, did I put a Krautrock album on by mistake?   Sure sounded like Passonno had been overdosing on his Kraftwerk collection.

2.) Phaze 2 (Jim Hodges - Larry Watson - Rudy Passonno) - 5:46  rating: *** stars

'Phaze 2' pushed Passonno's synthesizer obsession somewhat into the background while the band stomped out a more conventional slice of FM rock.

3.) Devil's RX (Jules Blattner) - 3:17 rating: *** stars

The album's lone non-original composition, 'Devil's RX' didn't sound anything like the rest of the album.  Perhaps the album's prettiest melody, the track featured a weird mixture of folk and progressive moves.  Lots of strumming guitar.  

4.) Hell's Fire (Jim Hodges - Larry Watson - Rudy Passonno)  - 4:35 rating: **** stars

Admittedly there wasn't an original note in 'Hell's Fire' but it was easily the album's standout performance.  A driving FM rocker, the track had a great melody and catchy refrain that was only briefly interrupted by Passonno's synthesizer solo.  Luckily the song quickly returned to the basic melody.  Extra star for Hodges' end-of-the song treated "satanic" vocals.  Arthur Brown would approve.  

© 06/2024 Scott R. Blackerby