Customer Reviews

Future Games/Spirit of 84

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I had a chance to see Spirit last in the early 90s on the heels of their CD Tent of Miracles at the Buffalo Rose in Golden Colorado. Randy California was hot that night and wanting to show off for Lonesome Dave from Foghat. Many of the Tunes played that evening are found in this set. All along the watchtower ala Hendrix was a showstopper, here it is intermingled with the rest of the drug induced Future games numbers along with Captain Kirk, Spock, and Kermit the Frog. Future Games is strange and bizzare but in a way that is fun to listen to. 1984 is a chance to revisit some classics and try on some new numbers with the original Spirit lineup. I got a Line on you clocking in at over 7 min. is worth the price alone.If you liked Spirit this is a great set to reflect on the Late Randy California's work.

This review regards only the "Future Games" CD from the two disc set. I had no interest in the "Spirit of 84" CD when making my purchase. Such a fine album deserved a better transfer to the digital format. This remaster is not good, great, or average. It is terrible. All the sonics are gone and they were an important part of the original recording. Some tracks don't sound like they are from the original master tapes used on the LP. I consider "Future Games" second only to "The Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus" in the Spirit catalog. That recording got a great MFSL treatment from Japan. "Future Games" got butchered by BGO from England. As an aside, all the discs I have on BGO are inferior to their original vinyl versions. I suppose they fill a niche, but they do it a disservice.

It's hard to find the Future Games album, so I bought this. I was thrilled to hear a nice clean copy of the album, although it sounded a bit different.

When I listened to the Spirit of 84, the remastering was significantly different than the original. Much more emphasis on voice and less on Randy's guitar work. Or emphasis on other things leaving what was more meaningful in a different ambiance. Actually, I was kind of disappointed, having grown up with Spirit in the 1960's. Oh well, you can never go back it seems.

Keep in mind that the early stuff will not sound like you remember it when you listen to this remastered recording.

This haunting album by US West Coast band Spirit was the first in rock history to make extensive use of sampling. Most of the band had left after 1970's now classic Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus failed at first to sell. It was left to singer/guitarist Randy California (so named by his jamming buddy Jimi Hendrix) and Randy's stepfather-drummer Ed Cassidy (who had played with Theolonius Monk and other jazz luminaries), to keep the Spirit flag flying - and fly it did, for another quarter of a century. Along the way the two gave us 1976's 'Future games': the fifteen tracks are partly gentle and tuneful, partly raunchy rock and merge, via catchy connecting fragments, into a kind of time capsule from the mid-70s. Voices/samples sound now sinister, now tongue-in-cheek, or at times just plain stoned - and include Kermit the Frog, DJ Shadow Stevens, and of course Star Treck. Cass's drumming is, as ever, beautifully crisp and subtle and Randy's sustain guitar weeps and winds it's way through various soundscapes in the most enthralling way: The Stars are Love is dreamy and beautiful, there's a storming and take on Dylan's All Along the Watchtower, Detroit City glides along the funkiest of bass lines, and the whole mirage-like sequence is launched by samples of native Hawaiian music. The Journey of Nomad is a slightly jarring warning about human/national catastrophes (the holocaust - Randy was himself a Jew, Pearl Harbour etc.): wake-up calls that emerge eerily from the generally light-hearted swirl...
The companion disk Spirit of 84 is a reworking of earlier material which was recorded when the original band - still good friends - re-united for that purpose. Future Games is more experimental - perhaps too much for some - but it does touch the stars (like at times the posthumous album 'Son Of America).' Randy died tragically in 1997 while swimming with his son off Hawaii. The two were caught by a rip tide, but he managed to throw Quinn free, so saving the young boy's life.

If you are a fan of Spirit you will want to have this album in your collection.

If you you love great rock guitar playing and don't know about Spirit and Randy California then I recommend getting this and all the Spirit albums. Some are more polished, some are more creative, some are live, but they are all consistently great.

I bought this L.P. when I was 15...I wrote Randy and he actually mailed me back an autographed photograph! Probably one of the greatest guitar players ever....I listened to this L.P. all the way through College...LSU....it is absolutely great!!

Another out of print Spirit disc. Just like "Son Of Spirit/Farther Along", a two albums in one package. Difference being, Future/'84 is indeed a 2 disc set rather than both albums on one.

I'll speak briefly about "Spirit Of '84" My understanding is the record company financed the reunion with the hopes of a 4 album deal. All 5 original members came together and produced a flop. Why? They "updated" 7 of their classics. Some okay efforts (Mr. Skin, Nature's Way), the rest, throwaway or injustice to a classic. (Extended part on Fresh Garbage is a prime example.) Then two new Jay Ferguson tracks dripping in 80's "corporate radio" and a Randy penned track that is okay at best. Such a shame that they wasted a chance at a meaningful reunion.

So forget about that part of the package. I would give it two stars if it was alone. The meat of this package is "Future Games".

I had a vinyl copy of this album and listened to it a lot. (Remastered on CD so I could keep the vinyl like I bought it.) I considered one of Randy's finest. But then, I like run together, sound collage. (Think Negativland.) It suffered from the sound quality. To say "sound sheet" quality would be about right. It was like muffled music and where you got the faded picture rather than the hi-def portrait. This CD is that portrait. It's a totally different album. Songs are live and flow together here in Randy's world. Some of the songs here are a bit better than others, but all are too short, exception being "All Along The Watchtower". This album as a whole rather than in chunks or MP3's demands to be listened to and enjoyed. I could name individual tracks but again, I take this as "side one and side two" and the flow between cuts.

In the grand scheme of things, I really like this and it got me into Spirit big time. Too bad it was released in the "Stayin' Alive" disco of the late 70's.