Blackfoot - No Reservations
Recorded in Winter/Spring 1975 at Muscle Shoals Sound Studios, Sheffield, AL
Originally released on Island Records ILPS 9326 in August 1975
This CD issued on Rock Fever RFM 122 in December 2004
Blackfoot's debut is a hard rocking and muscular take on Lynyrd Skynyrd's southern rock 'n' roll sound. However, Rick Medlock, who was with Skynyrd for a time, has a slightly more metallic style. "No Reservations" is also a bit more bluesy than much of the Southern rock that was coming out at the time. For some reason this disc is one of the hardest to find in the band's catalogue.
After missing the boat with Lynyrd Skynyrd (for whom he played drums early on), guitarist/singer Rick Medlocke re-formed Blackfoot, arguably the first all-Native American rock group. Rick had left Lynyrd Skynyrd after playing drums on what would become "Skynyrd's First (And Last)" album. By the end of November, '72, Blackfoot, which began in Jacksonville, Florida in 1970, had re-formed in North Carolina, with Medlocke, Spires, Hargrett, and Lenny Stadler on bass.They played in Greensboro and Charlotte and had also been getting gigs throughout the Southeast in '73 & '74 opening for bands like Black Oak Arkansas, Edgar and Johnny Winter, and Poco.
While recording with Skynyrd at Muscle Shoals Sound Studios (in Sheffield, Alabama), Rick and Greg T. had worked with producers/session players Jimmy Johnson and David Hood. The band sent Jimmy and David a tape of their material, and they made Blackoot an offer: if they could get to Alabama, the studio would house them and produce and record an album on speculation, at no cost to the band, recouping their money only when they got a record deal for them.
In early 1975 Blackoot recorded the album [i]No Reservations[/i], which was released on Island Records. Although the album was not commercially successful in general, it enabled the band to go out on their first real tours and got them live exposure in some new parts of the country, especially in Texas and parts of Virginia and Tennessee. In December 1975 the band moved back to Florida, into a band house in Gainesville, and prepared for their next album, Flyin' High.
Rickey Medlocke - vocals, lead guitar, acoustic guitar, slide dobro, mandolin
Charles Hargrett - lead guitar
Ja(c)kson Spires - drums, vocals
Greg T. Walker - bass, keyboards, vocals
guests
• Shorty Medlock (vocals, acoustic guitar, banjo, train whistle)
• Barry Beckett (keyboard overdubs)
• Roger Hawkins (percussion overdubs)
• Laura Struzick, Suzy Storm, Barbara Wyrick (background vocals)
Oddly enough, "Bummed Out" and "Hunting For yourself" ARE by Blackfoot...just not THIS Blackfoot! They were recorded in 1970 by an Arkansas-based band also called Blackfoot. They had one 45 RPM release on the San American label (the 2 songs mentioned above), and were working on an album when the group split in early 1971. The players were Lemmie Ogles (vocals), John Walthall (rhythm guitar/vocals), Stuart Holt (bass/vocals), Gil Colaianni (lead guitar/vocals), Chris Marchese (drums/vocals), and Joe Marchese (Hammond B3/vocals).
This is Blackfoot's first album and they really nailed it! There is a strong Skynyrd vibe throughout as well as the start of the Blackfoot heavy metal that would go on to be their trademark. Since this is an Import, it is a little expensive but worth every penny. Great sound quality and lyrics! Some consider this to be the great "missing" Skynyrd album.
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