line up 1 (1972)

- Billy Joel -- keyboards

- Ricky Mangone -- drums, percussion

- Dick Wagner (RIP 2014) -- vocals, lead guitar

  line up 2 (1972-73)

NEW - Greg Arama (RIP 1979) -- vocals, bass

- Ricky Mangone -- drums, percussion

- Dick Wagner (RIP 2014) -- vocals, lead guitar

- The Amboy Dukes (Greg Arama)

- Atilla (Billy Joel)

- The Bossmen (Dick Wagner)

- Alice Cooper Band (Dick Wagner)

- The Frost (Dick Wagner)

- The Hassles (Billy Joel)

- The Hollywood Vampires (Dick Wagner)

- Billy Joel (solo efforts)

- The Lost Souls (Billy Joel)

- Dick Wagner (solo efforts)

Genre: hard rock

Rating: *** (3 stars)

Title: Ursa Major

Company: RCA Victor

Catalog: LSP-4777
Year: 1972

Country/State: New York

Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+

Comments: top seam split

Available: 1

Catalog ID: --

Price: $40.00

I own a couple of Frost albums and have to admit I find them disappointing.  I guess that's the reason my expectations for Ursa Major's one and only album were low.

In the wake of Frost's 1970 breakup, front man/singer/guitarist Dick Wagner headed for New York City where he recruited keyboardist Billy Joel and drummer Rick Mangone for Ursa Major.  Within a couple of months Joel was gone; replaced by former Amboy Duke bassist Greg Arama.  Signed by RCA Victor, the trio were teamed with producer Bob Erzin (best known for his work with Alice Cooper).  In spite of being marketed and promoted as a band, "Ursa Major" was largely a Wagner solo effort.  In addition to handling lead vocals and guitar, he was credited with penning all seven tracks.  So what did this one sound like?  Well, tracks like "Silverspoon". "Stage Door Queen" and "Lay Me Down" certainly bore comparisons to The Frost as well as other early-'70s hard rock enterprises such as Captain Beyond, Dust, Grand Funk and Leslie West and Mountain.  That translated into lots of lead guitar and occasionally shrill vocals from Wagner with steady, if somewhat predictable support from the Arama and Mangone rhythm section.   Elsewhere the collection was rounded out by a couple of oddities.  The opener "Sinner" mixed outright experimentation with dashes of jazz-rock fusion and progressive moves.  The power ballad " In My Darkest Hour" wouldn't have sounded out of place on a Southern rock album.  Another ballad, "Liberty and Justice" found Wagner and company taking a stab at social activism.  Summary: While I've never been entirely sold on the album, I'll readily admit it was far stronger than any of The Frost albums.  '70s hard rock fans will want to at least check the album out.

"Ursa Major" track listing:
(side 1)

1.) Sinner (Dick Wagner) - 7:24 rating: *** stars

The discordant 60 second opening left me wondering if I'd somehow bought a "musique concrete" album by mistake.  The was followed by another two and a half minutes sounding like a mix of jazz rock and progressive moves.  The song finally found a recognizable melody when Wagner's vocals joined the mix, though the combination of Wagner's shrill vocals, over-the-top lyrics  and proto "Doom Rock" moves came off as pompous, rather than threatening.  

2.) In My Darkest Hour (Dick Wagner) - 5:22 rating: *** stars 

Opening up with some pretty Wagner acoustic guitar, the ballad "In My Darkest Hour" wouldn't have sounded out of place on a mid-'70s Southern rock release.  Nice dobro solo (guessing it was also provided by Wagner.)  It was also one of Wagner's strongest vocal performances.

3.) Silverspoon  (Dick Wagner) - 6:17 rating: **** stars

Opening up with what sounded like "white noise", but revealed itself to be audience noise, "Silverspoon" initially served as a showcase for drummer Mangone.  Once Wagner's shrill vocals kicked in the song revealed itself as one of the LP's catchiest performance.  Bassist Arama also got a shot at the spotlight.  

(side 2)
1.) Stage Door Queen (Dick Wagner) - 5:20 rating: *** stars

The shrill, molten, metallic delivery on "Stage Door Queen" has always reminded me of a Black Sabbath performance. I'm talkin' 'bout a good Sabbath tune, but still a Sabbath tune.  I happen to be a fan so kind of enjoyed this one.

2.) Back To The Land (Dick Wagner) - 6:47  rating: **** stars

I'm obvious in the minority, but I've frequently found Wagner's vocals to be shrill.  That was the case on the ballad "Back To The Land".  That was also unfortunate, but given this was one of the album's prettiest melodies I could overlook it.  Add the fact Wagner turned in a great solo coupled with a melody that got better as if slowly shifted to a harder rocking stance and also underscored the trio's nice harmony vocals.    

3.) Lay Me Down (Dick Wagner) - 4:32 rating: **** stars

I guess it was a slice of hard rock. but "Lay Me Down" was hard rock with a keen sense of melody and a distinctively commercial, radio-friendly edge,  Kudos to the Arama - Mangone rhythm section on this one. Always wondered why RCA didn't pick this one as a single, though it was tapped as the "B" side for their "Let The Music Play" and "Let the Music Play" singles..  

4.) Liberty and Justice (Dick Wagner) - 5:52 rating: *** stars

"Liberty and Justice" was a stark ballad showcasing surprisingly activist lyrics and a catchy chorus. Kudos foe taking a stand on social justice.  Pretty sure he got some pushback from the record company for including it on the album.   Strange to think that fifty plus years after Wagner wrote the song, we're even further away from the goals he espoused.  (Also easy to understand why in 2025 Canadian born producer Erzin renounced his American citizenship.)  Even more surprising was the fact RCA tapped the track as a promo single in the States:

- 1972' "Liberty And Justice" b/w "Lay Me Down" (RCA Victor catalog number 74-0791)

With backing from drummer Carmen Appice (substituting for an injured Mangone), bassist Grant West and a large children's chorus, Wagner also released one non-LP single before Ursa Major called it quits.

- 1972's "Let The Music Play" b/w "Lay Me Down" (RCA Victor catalog number 74-0874)

Having toured in support of Jeff Beck and Alice Cooper it probably wasn't a massive surprise to see Wagner become an in-demand studio and touring musician with stints supporting Lou Reed and Alice Cooper.  Cooper subsequently hired Wagner when The Billion Dollar Band called it quits.

 © Scott R. Blackerby May 2026