It has always been said that the origins of the Patrick Moraz debut recording group “Mainhorse” are not well documented.
Now, with the discovery after 37 years of ‘The Geneva Tapes’ (see post in PHROCK Blog), all that has changed.
Kubinec's Mainhorse Airline were formed in 1969 and supporting acts as Free, Canned Heat and Humble Pie, the band did early symphonic psych-rock with better musicianship than the Nice, less freaked-out space explorations than Egg, and did it a full year before anyone had ever heard of ELP.
Moraz's vibrant organ and Ristori's classical foundation led the way and came together with Kubinec's songwriting talents beautifully for these ten tracks recorded in a Swiss basement studio.
Kubinec would later suffer a heart attack and the original line-up dissolved, and Patrick Moraz would go on to work with other prog greats, some of the key music from this period making it on to 1971's 'Mainhorse'.
This first album of Mainhorse is very typical, rough edged early 70's prog dominated by Hammond-organ and aggressive guitar playing.
They also used some strings that gave the music some symphonic tendencies on a couple of tracks. "Introduction" and "Such a Beautiful Day" seems to be two very typical Mainhorse tracks.
Powerful with Moraz' excellent organ-playing in front and the vocal-melodies sometimes takes some unexpected turns. Moraz' playing is mostly rocking and almost bluesy on some passages, but he also turns out some clearly classical-influenced melodies.
"Pale Sky" is basically a melodic and symphonic track with a long, experimental and percussion-dominated instrumental-break in the middle.
"Basia" and the epic "God" is maybe the most ultra-progressive tracks here, while "Passing Years" is a nice, simple and symphonic song.
"More Tea Vicar" is an atmospheric instrumental-theme with a cool early 70's atmosphere and with some glockenspiel played by Moraz.
The album remained unnoticed at the time and when success failed Mainhorse disbanded soon.
Drummer Bryson Graham went to play with Spooky Tooth. Patrick Moraz founded Refugee, replaced Rick Wakeman in Yes and later joined Moody Blues (by progarchives.com).
Mainhorse:
*Warren Bernhardt / piano
*Patrick Moraz / keyboards, vocals
*Peter Cockett / guitar, violin, vocals
*Bryson Graham / percussion, drums
*Jean Ristori / bass, cello. vocals
*Peter Lockett / guitar, violin, vocals
Tracklisting:
01.Introduction (5:09)
02.Passing Years (3:55)
03.Such a Beautiful Day (4:44)
04.Pale Sky (10:17)
05.Basia (5:32)
06.More Tea Vicar (3:33)
07.God (10:31)
Mainhorse:
*Warren Bernhardt: piano
*Patrick Moraz: keyboards, vocals
*Peter Cockett: guitar, violin, vocals
*Bryson Graham: percussion, drums
*Jean Ristori: bass, cello. vocals
*Peter Lockett: guitar, violin, vocals
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