Blue Mountain Eagle - Blue Mountain Eagle (1970)
Blue Mountain Eagle - Blue Mountain Eagle (1970)
This superb collection of acid-influenced guitar rock originally appeared in 1970 and has languished in underserved obscurity ever since. Produced in LA by legendary engineer Bill Halverson (Crosby, Stills & Nash, Cream, the Grateful Dead), it’s heavily imbued with West Coast influences and features superb musical interplay throughout. The band supported acts including Jimi Hendrix and Pink Floyd, but proved sadly short-lived. The album makes its long-awaited CD debut here, complete with both mixes of their sole non-LP 45, making it an obligatory purchase for all devotees of US psychedelia.
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In July of 1969, Canadian-born drummer Dewey Martin — the last remaining original member of Buffalo Springfield — left the very last incarnation of that group (who were, by then, calling themselves New Buffalo) for a solo deal with UNI. Meanwhile, as the remaining members — bassist Randy Fuller (ex-Bobby Fuller Four), and guitarists David Price and Bob ("B.J.") Jones — already had interest from Atco Records, they decided to soldier on, finding drummer Don Poncher (ex-Don & the Good Times) a more-than-suitable replacement. They also recruited guitarist/keyboardist/lead vocalist Joey Newman (also formerly of Don & the Good Times and Touch), and decided on a new name, Blue Mountain Eagle, taken from a newspaper published in Fox, ID. The band began recording their eponymous album in L.A., in August and December of 1969. It was released in early 1970, and during this same time, the group played on bills in the L.A. area with Love, Eric Burdon & War, Pink Floyd, and Jimi Hendrix.
Ultimately, inner band struggles for leadership proved to be their undoing of this volatile ego-charged "supergroup." Fuller was the first to decide that he'd had enough, leaving the group in May 1970. (Incidentally, he re-joined Dewey Martin, who had formed Dewey Martin & Medicine Ball in November 1969; at the time Fuller joined the band, they were in the midst of finishing up the recording their first album, Dewey Martin & Medicine Ball.) Soon, the rest of Blue Mountain Eagle were calling it a day too. David Price, Bob Jones, and Don Poncher went on to work with Augie Meyers (the Sir Douglas Quintet) for his Western Head Music album in 1973. Jones later joined Harvey Mandel, on guitar and vocals. Price became a recording engineer, while Poncher became a successful session man, working with Bobby Whitlock, Jim Price, Chris Jagger, Joe Cocker, and (briefly) joined the lineup of Arthur Lee's Love, appearing on Lee's Vindicator album in 1972.
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Blue Mountain Eagle - Blue Mountain Eagle (1970/2007 Fallout)
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Album: Blue Mountain Eagle - Blue Mountain Eagle
Released: 1970 (2007)
Genre: West Coast Psych
Gnosis Rating: 9.53
Source: Fallout - FOCD2080
This superb collection of acid-influenced guitar rock originally appeared in 1970 and has languished in underserved obscurity ever since. Produced in LA by legendary engineer Bill Halverson (Crosby, Stills & Nash, Cream, the Grateful Dead), it's heavily imbued with West Coast influences and features superb musical interplay throughout. The band supported acts including Jimi Hendrix and Pink Floyd, but proved sadly short-lived. The album makes its long-awaited CD debut here, complete with both mixes of their sole non-LP 45, making it an obligatory purchase for all devotees of US psychedelia... The group's fierce dual-guitar interplay, soaring harmonies, and distorted hooks provide highlights aplenty... - CD Universe
Blue Mountain Eagle was a short-lived American rock group that evolved out of New Buffalo Springfield in August 1969 and recorded a lone album for Atco Records, which they were personally signed to by label founder Ahmet Ertegun.
Rhythm guitarist/vocalist Dave Price (born on September 23, 1944 in Ballinger, Texas) and drummer/vocalist Don Poncher (born on July 29, 1947 in Chicago, Illinois) were original members of The New Buffalo Springfield, formed in September 1968 by Dewey Martin, the drummer in the original Buffalo Springfield. - classicrockmusic
You'd half expect this supergroup's self-titled debut album -- recorded at Wally Heider's recording studios in L.A. with producer Bill Halverson (Crosby, Stills & Nash, Freddie King) -- to have made a bigger splash. Unfortunately, after landing in record store bins in the spring of 1970, Blue Mountain Eagle failed to generate much interest among the audience it was intended for. The album really doesn't have a bad track (though many are largely unremarkable) and fans of bands like Buffalo Springfield, the Byrds, and the Flying Burrito Brothers -- not to mention to occasional heavy-handed vibe of bands like Steppenwolf -- are encouraged to seek out a copy. Each member of the group gets his own turn on lead vocals. The leadoff track, Joey Newman's "Love Is Here," kicks off with a nice fuzz guitar and soaring vocals, with Newman and Bob Jones trading blistering country-rock licks. "Yellow's Dream" sounds like something you'd expect to hear from Three Dog Night. Shortly after the release of this album, in May 1970, bassist Randy Fuller left the group to join Dewey Martin. Atlantic CEO (then Atco president) Ahmet Ertegun (who was reportedly a fan of Fuller's lone songwriting contribution, "Sweet Mama") tried to persuade Fuller to sign a solo deal and write songs for other Atlantic-related projects, but Fuller declined Ertegun's invitation. The rest of the band continued recording -- there are rumors of enough material for a second album -- but broke up soon thereafter, and their surviving statement as a band quickly vanished without further notice. In 2007, Blue Mountain Eagle was reissued on CD. - Bryan Thomas, AMG
In July of 1969, Canadian-born drummer Dewey Martin -- the last remaining original member of Buffalo Springfield -- left the very last incarnation of that group (who were, by then, calling themselves New Buffalo) for a solo deal with UNI. Meanwhile, as the remaining members -- bassist Randy Fuller (ex-Bobby Fuller Four), and guitarists David Price and Bob ("B.J.") Jones -- already had interest from Atco Records, they decided to soldier on, finding drummer Don Poncher (ex-Don & the Good Times) a more-than-suitable replacement. They also recruited guitarist/keyboardist/lead vocalist Joey Newman (also formerly of Don & the Good Times and Touch), and decided on a new name, Blue Mountain Eagle, taken from a newspaper published in Fox, ID. The band began recording their eponymous album in L.A., in August and December of 1969. It was released in early 1970, and during this same time, the group played on bills in the L.A. area with Love, Eric Burdon & War, Pink Floyd, and Jimi Hendrix.
Ultimately, inner band struggles for leadership proved to be their undoing of this volatile ego-charged "supergroup." Fuller was the first to decide that he'd had enough, leaving the group in May 1970. (Incidentally, he re-joined Dewey Martin, who had formed Dewey Martin & Medicine Ball in November 1969; at the time Fuller joined the band, they were in the midst of finishing up the recording their first album, Dewey Martin & Medicine Ball.) Soon, the rest of Blue Mountain Eagle were calling it a day too. David Price, Bob Jones, and Don Poncher went on to work with Augie Meyers (the Sir Douglas Quintet) for his Western Head Music album in 1973. Jones later joined Harvey Mandel, on guitar and vocals. Price became a recording engineer, while Poncher became a successful session man, working with Bobby Whitlock, Jim Price, Chris Jagger, Joe Cocker, and (briefly) joined the lineup of Arthur Lee's Love, appearing on Lee's Vindicator album in 1972. - Bryan Thomas, AMG
Blue Mountain Eagle was an early 'supergroup', formed from the ashes of numerous bands. Their founder was Canadian-born drummer Dewey Martin, late of Buffalo Springfield. In July of 1969 the final incarnation of that band (calling itself 'New Buffalo' after legal action from Neil Young and Steven Stills) had splintered, and he'd accepted a solo offer from Uni Records. The other members of New Buffalo - bassist Randy Fuller (once of the Bobby Fuller Four) and guitarists David Price and Bob 'BJ' Jones - already had interest from Atco Records, and decided to proceed with drummer Don Poncher (ex-Don & the Good Times). Having signed a deal, they hooked up with singer / guitarist Joey Newman (also known as Vern Kjellberg, and another alumnus of Don & the Good Times, as well as Liberty Party, Merrilee Rush & The Turnabouts and Touch), and renamed themselves Blue Mountain Eagle, after an Indiana newspaper, the Blue Mountain Eagle Express.
Their sole album was recorded in Los Angeles in August and December 1969, and produced by legendary engineer Bill Halverson (Crosby, Stills & Nash, Cream, the Grateful Dead). It appeared early in 1970, trailed by their sole 45, Yellow's Dream / Marianne (the latter penned by Buffalo Springfield founder Stills, and included here as a bonus track in its mono and stereo mixes). To promote the album the band gigged with Pink Floyd, Jimi Hendrix, Love and Eric Burdon, but sales were disappointing and relationships became uneasy. In May 1970 Fuller decided to leave, joining Dewey Martin's Medicine Ball, who were still recording their debut LP. The band folded soon afterwards, with Price, Jones, and Poncher joining Augie Meyers of the Sir Douglas Quintet for his 1973 Western Head Music LP. Jones went on to play with Harvey Mandel, while Price became a recording engineer. Poncher, meanwhile, became a successful session man, notably working alongside Joe Cocker, and joining Arthur Lee for his Vindicator LP in 1972. - CD Notes
Extremely enjoyable, with an astounding sound based in fuzz, organ and acid freak-out solos, yet stylistically a little bit eclectic material. Some tracks are pure late '60's Psych, some - Heavy-Psych rockers that brings to mind early Uriah Heep (in vocal parts especially), while others - guitar-driven Blues- or rather Southern-Rock in the same vein as The Allman Brothers Band. In all, it amounted to an accessible blend of all above styles that has a characteristically West Coast feel to it, and a remarkably good album. Highly recommended!
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BLUE MOUNTAIN EAGLE
Personnel:
RANDY FULLER bs, gtr, vcls A
BOB "B.J." JONES ld gtr, vcls A
JOEY NEWMAN ld gtr, keyb'ds, vcls A
DON PONCHER drms, vcls A
DAVID PRICE gtr, vcls A
ALBUM:
1(A) BLUE MOUNTAIN EAGLE (Atco SD 33-324) 1970 R1
NB: (1) also released in France (Atco 503 048) 1970.
45:
1 Yellow's Dream/Marianne (Atco 6770) 1970
NB: Marianne is a non-LP cut.
A short-lived Californian band who came into existence in July 1969, when Dewey Martin left New Buffalo. The remaining band members were left with a recording deal struck on the strength of Martin's previous connections with Buffalo Springfield, so all that was needed was a simple name change and to recruit a Joey Newman (ex- Don and The Goodtimes / Touch) as a replacement.
Produced by Bill Halverson and recorded in L.A. in August and December 1969, the album will interest guitar lovers. The highlight and opening track, Love Is Here, is a memorable guitar-driven heavy rocker and others like Feel Like A Bandit, Loveless Lives and the more mellow Yellow's Dream feature more good guitar work. Others exhibit more than a touch of country influence and the album becomes a bit flat in places on Side Two. All the songs were written by group members, except Trivial Sum, a Terry Furlong/Richard Bowen composition.
In 1970 Blue Mountain Eagle played on bills with Love, Eric Burdon and War, Pink Floyd and Jimi Hendrix. Fuller left in May 1970 to join Dewey Martin's Medicine Ball and the band split in late 1970 after Poncher left to (briefly) join Love.
Randy Fuller was Bobby Fuller's brother and later had his own band. David Price, Bob Jones and Don Poncher went on to work with Augie Meyer (Sir Douglas Quintet) for his Western Head Music album in 1973. Don Poncher became a successful session man, working with Bobby Whitlock, Jim Price, Chris Jagger, Joe Cocker and also Arthur Lee (on his Vindicator album, 1972).
Joey Newman (vocals, lead guitar, keyboards)
Bob "B.J." Jones (lead guitar, vocals)
David Price (guitar, vocals)
Don Poncher (drums, vocals)
Randy Fuller (bass, guitar, vocals)
David L. Johnson (bass)
Tracklist:
1. Love Is Here 4:25
2. Yellow's Dream 2:48
3. Feel Like A Bandit 3:05
4. Troubles 3:08
5. Loveless Lives 3:33
6. No Regrets 4:12
7. Winding Your String 2:56
8. Sweet Mama 4:18
9. Promise Of Love 3:03
10. Trivial Sum 3:15
Bonus tracks
11. Marianne (stero) 2:32
12. Marianne (mono) 2:27