Customer Reviews

Sons of Mercury (1968-1975)

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This is a wonderful collection of songs from the greatest American jam band of all time. However, it's not nearly as fascinating as the LOST GOLD AND SILVER compilation. The main reason for that is because this album doesn't have any live material (besides the inevitable selections from HAPPY TRAILS), whereas LOST GOLD AND SILVER had some live performances that were simply out of this world. On the other hand, this album chronichles the entire career of the band from the beginning to the end. But there are some songs that were left out that I feel should've been included.
The post-HAPPY TRAILS albums are all extremely difficult to find, so for me, this album is essential because it contains various tracks from those albums. Disc one opens with three rare tunes, two of which they recorded for the "Revolution" film. First is "Babe I'm Gonna Leave You" (quite different from the Led Zep song of the same name), an outstanding rocker with a searing, exquisite solo from my main man John Cipollina. Did I mention that he's my favorite guitarist in the world? Well he is, and this here solo that he delivers is simply awesome. "Codine", on the other hand, is an anti-drug tune. I love the one part where it gets really calm and quiet and then, all of a sudden, they tear back into it, with Duncan wailiing out "STAY AWAY...!". Killer song. And also included is a previously unreleased blues song called "I Hear You Knockin' (It's Too Late)". A different version of this song can be heard on the LOST GOLD AND SILVER compilation, with horns added in. This version sounds better, though, with no horns and a lot more of an 'echoey' sound. And a great solo from John. The rest of the songs on disc one are from the debut album and HAPPY TRAILS, which I have already discussed on their respective reviews.
Disc two is actually more intriguing. Four songs from the SHADY GROVE album are included. The title track is a psychedelic remake of an old bluegrass song, with that great piano intro from the one and only Nicky Hopkins. And I can't believe that nobody ever talks about "Flute Song", it's one of the most beautiful songs that I've ever heard. I had no idea that David Freiberg could sing that good. The vocal melody is to die for. "Joseph's Coat" is an eerie number with lyrics that I can't quite figure out, but there's no denying the sheer haunting atmosphere of the vocals. And what we have next might be the finest moment on the whole album: The nine-minute instrumental "Edward, The Mad Shirt Grinder", which features some of the most glorious piano playing ever caught on an album. This is where Hopkins really shows his dexterity, and toward the end, he goes crazy and seems to hit about 1,000 keys per second! One of the most gifted pianists that I've ever heard in my life. "Fresh Air" was the closest the band ever came to a hit-single, and it's not hard to see why. The lyrics are far from brilliant, and in fact they're so simplistic that it's kind of silly, but how can you not love that chorus? "OOOOOOHHHHHHH, HAVE ANOTHER HIT". It's obviously a metaphoric song about the pleasures of marijuana. John's solo is quite wonderful too. And speaking of John, two of his guitar instrumentals are included here, "Cobra" and "Local Color". The former was recorded in Hawaii, where they recorded the JUST FOR LOVE album, and the song actually has a Hawaiian feel to it. The latter is even better, with John throwing in some slide guitar this time. The only problem I have with it is that you can't really tell which guitar is John's and which is Duncan's (or perhaps it's ALL John's playing and he used some overdubs, who knows?). "Subway" is a cool little rocker with a solid riff and more piercing guitar work (John and Gary just never let up), and "What About Me" is Valenti's famous enviornmentalist anthem. The lyrics may sound like pure 'hippie' lyrics, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. After all, what's wrong with wanting world peace and caring about our planet?
The post-Cipollina songs are a mixed bag. Most of them are rather lame, but some of 'em are alright.

But if you can lay your hands on a copy of LOST GOLD AND SILVER, you'll definitely want to get that one first. Believe me.

Having grown up in the bay area (there is only one true bay area)we listened to ALL the San Francisco bands. Funny part is, quite a few were lived in Marin County. On a given night you could go to the Filmore or Avalon... to see the Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane, and of course the Quicksilver Messenger Service. We would sit on the floor of the Filmore West and then it happened... Pow! an explosion of liquid projected lights, alternating naked dancing movies, strobe lights and the booming intro to Dino's Song with John Cippolina using his self customized Gibson SG guitar with the tremelo bar to play a finger-picked acid solo as no hip-hop band could ever hope to match. No explosions, no overpriced beer with ID tags, no 500 foot away seats and video screens, no gold Mercede's medalions, no music gang killings. Just real music.
When you fire up these CD's you can almost smell the sweat and P'tooli oil. You can see the light shows and cute groupies. You can see Cippolina and Dino giving 150% performances. But... you can also hear the small mistakes and voices cracking. You can also see years of touring in dives and being forgotten. You can almost cry when you see the tiny obituary for a forgotten Dino Valenti, John Cippolina, and Nicky Hopkins.
Maybe when you listen to this great archive of San Francisco Music you can picture yourself jumping into the band-van 45 minutes before a show to replace a no show band at the Matrix or Ark. Maybe you'll hear that albums could be made with less than 64 tracks of angry ... vocals. Try 8 track recordings. Maybe you should grow your hair long, start a Rock and Roll band, and sing of love, peace, and good times. Maybe you should get this CD and hear where it really started.

This two-CD set first appeared in 1991. Rhino released it, which is very lucky because this label chooses mastering engineers who really know their job : the digital transfers are first rate, even after 15 years. It remains, to this day, the best anthology of the music laid down by one of the finest bands to come out the Bay Area's improvisatory acid rock scene in the '60s band.

The set begins with QMS's earliest released tracks, both of folk origin: "Babe I'm Gonna Leave You" and a cover of the Buffy Sainte-Marie classic "Codine". Both tracks first appeared on the OST of "Revolution" (1998) when the signature sound of this first incarnation of the band was already fully formed.

"I Hear You Knockin' (It's Too Late)" was not previously released on the original band LP's; it is a lovelorn ballad quite nice to hear but not really outstanding either.

Five of the band's six original tracks released on their debut LP come next. The twin guitars of John Cippolina and Gary Duncan bring out the kind of sonic dreamscapes that marked the finer examples of the genre.
Although Cippolina's highly melodic, twangy, vibrato laden, individualistic lead guitar style dominates the proceedings, Gary Duncan should not be considered a second gun; his interest in Jazz as well as his guitar interplay with Cippolina was crucial to the Quicksilver sound as a whole.
Whilst Duncan favored electrified Gibson L-5 and tube amplification, Cippolina woud go for a solid state amplification for his bridge pick-up and would use tube amps to amplify his neck pick-up. This was used, at will, with lots of effect pedals controlling, among others, a series of Wurlitzer tweeters. Manager Ron Polte's composition "Too Long", the weakest track on the first LP is left off whilst the single "Bears" (10/1968) - something of a rarity - is included. This "rarity" really sucks as far as I am concerned and I think that it would have been better to include Polte's title instead (so delivering the whole content of their first LP).
While some may prefer the mostly live "Happy Trails", this eponymous collection is, IMO, their strongest set of studio material. Despite the guitar pyrotechnics, the band lays the accent firmly on melodic folk-rock.
Highlights include their cover of folksinger Hamilton Camp's "Pride of Man," probably their best studio track; "Light Your Windows" is possibly the group's best original composition; and Dino Valenti's catchy "Dino's Song". "Gold and Silver" is their best instrumental jam, and the 12-minute "The Fool" reflects some of the better aspects of the psychedelic era.

This is followed by a large portion of their highly acclaimed follow-up, "Happy Trails", which combined concert tapes later "sweetened" in the studio. The whole of side two of the LP is included. This suits me fine as I have always like this LP side better. As regards the long and quite patchy "suite" featured on side one, it is represented by the single edit of "Who Do You Love". This is because the full-length live version does take up an entire first side of the LP. This will not please the devotees but this compilation is not released with the completists in mind.

Disc two opens with four tracks from their third LP titled "Shady Grove". Gary Duncan having departed, he was "replaced" by ace British session pianist Nicky Hopkins. I recall being quite surprised to hear this LP in 1970 but it grew on me and I still find it very good to listen to today. It his, however, very different from their previous guitar-dominated LP's.
There are really outstanding songs on this album. I am particularly fond of "Flute Song" and Hopkins' tour de force titled "Edward, The Mad Shirt Grinder". I think this album is really underrated.

One year later, Gary Duncan came back with Dino Valenti in the third incarnation of the band. From this point on, the compilation cherry picks the arguably best tracks from their subsequent LP's, which became increasingly self-indulgent. I can attest that every track chosen by Rhino is of great artistic quality. "Cobra", "Fresh Air", "What About Me", "Fire Brothers", "Hope" and "Don't Cry My Lady Love" are really choice quality stuff.

I wholeheartedly recommend this set.

This is an important album for anyone who is in the process of establishing a collection of historic music during the late 60's and early 70's when the Bleeker street sound was by far the definition of what the media later called the flower power sound. At the time you would pop into a small club or bar and there would be at least two bands. Often one or two of the members of the previous group would get on stage with the next group because everyone knew each other.
In the first CD of this compilation the raw sound of the time comes out, blues based with plenty of new guitar and vocal technique. By the way who was that mystery female singer?
Influence and contribution of other California bands is evident. The second disc may catch some listeners off guard because the first 4 cuts are rather low key and spiritual. but this gets better if you start with cut 5. The two discs seem to be divided between when the band was located in the Frisco area and later North in Marin county.

This is a recording to save to show your children and grandkids that you are not as square as they think! Its fun too!

Quicksilver Messenger Service was so named because all the participants were Virgos and a Gemini, air signs, born under the planet Mercury, (or Quicksilver) according to astrological theory.

This set, especially the first album, this IS the Summer of Love. This IS San Francisco, 1967, Haight Ashbury! More than other compilations this features the truely marvelous guitar of John Cipollina. How many groups of the time could boast two guitarists, Cipollina and Gary Duncan, both of whom could play lead, playing off each other. Yeah, Jorma Kaukonen of Jefferson Airplane was good, but not in the class of these guys. They played together for more than a year, turning down recording offers and perfecting their craft, before signing with Capitol.

Cipollina played surf guitar as far back as 1959 - the Penetrators(?) - he had that tremolo sound down. Masterful use of reverb and feedback, also. There is a strong classical Spanish/Flaminco/Moorish influence to the Cipollina's guitar work. He will hold a note till it just starts to feedback and then move on. In the middle of an improvised solo lead he will throw in two and three string chords! (hard to do while improvising)
Great review below by "Jayhikkss" says Cipollina had a solid state amp hooked to the lower pickup and a tube amp to the neck pickup. However he did it, Cipollina's lead sound magically (mercurially?) flashes back and forth from right to left stereo channel on a good stereo!

QMS first album self named album is one of the strongest first albums in rock history, up there with much "The Doors", and better than first efforts by Jefferson Airplane and The Greatful Dead. Before their first album, they lost vocalist Dino Valenti, with his Marty Balin sound (but more nasal), to a drug bust, but frankly the better part of this set focuses on Cipollina/Duncan guitar instrumentals. When Valenti got out of jail and rejoins the group they focused on vocals instead of guitar, (second CD in this set) the music is weaker. This is genuine psychedelic rock, the real thing amongst all the pretenders, with the right sound and feel. Listen to the guitar solo in the happy "Dino's Song" the old testament prophetic "Pride of Man" and archtypical trippy acid song, "The Fool". The first CD, taken from "Quicksilver" and "Happy Trails", is just great song after great song.

This set includes the prophetic song about VietNam (And Iraq) -Pride of Man-

"Babylon is laid to waste,
Egypt's buried in her shame.
Their mighty men are all beaten down.
Oh God, Pride of Man.
Broken in the Dust Again.
...All those who put their faith in Fire,
By Fire their faith shall be repaid..."

I am surprised that some enterprising young rock group today doesn't listen and cover that song and dedicate it to our President Bush!

Imagine free concert in Golden Gate Park at the end of Haight Street, The Airplane, The Greatful Dead, Quicksilver, or Country Joe and the Fish, playing just for love, so to speak? With California Sunshine? Read Lisa Mason's great book "Summer of Love" for an accurate taste of the times.

This compilation is has a lot more of the Cipollina guitar, and is therefore better than the "Anthology", Rhino records does much better remastering too. They avoided "Who do You Love, parts 2,3,4 etc" and just included the more coherent Part One also and hyper-sexual "Mona". "Cobra" and another great song on this collection. The best overbearing Valenti songs are the well-known "What about Me?" and have another hit of "Fresh Air" and "Dino's Song".

My only complaints and they are small, the song "Freeway Flyer" from "Just for Love" is missing. The song starts with the band not together and Valenti stops and shoots a pistol in the air eight times to establish proper meter! I wish they had included that song, and "Three or Four Feet from Home" too.

This group deserves to be much better known, and this is THE set to buy.

You want to know about Quicksilver Messenger Service? This is the best class around I imagine. It'll show you what Gary Duncan, John Cipollina, David Freiberg, Greg Elmore, Dino Valenti, Nicky Hopkins and Jim Murray made happen in the late sixties. BTW the sleeve has lots of information too, but I especially am applauding the musical selection. Any old CD: $14.99; this collection: priceless!

A lot of people did not like Dino Valenti; however, Fresh Air is one of my top rock tunes. The band used special production on the tune. I think Valenti sang great on the tune. However, I do agree Valenti did set the band on a more commercial course later on, without much success.

Some of the pre-Valenti tunes on the first CD were really great, also (The Fool, the live Happy Trails tunes). Local Color, Hope, Fire Brothers, and tunes from the "What About Me" album were good, too.

Let's face it: Some of the tunes of the band were not very good. But, the good tunes were often spectacular.

Since Quicksilver Messenger Service, one of the best San Francisco based Rock bands, went through some phases along with the member changes, listening to any one of their album just doesn't give you the whole picture when you want to know what this band actually sounded like. Having grown up in Japan in the 60s, I missed the entire live performances of this best jam band of the Rock history and only got to hear them on their few officially released vinyls.

So I particularly love the disc one of this compilation as it really gives me the opportunity to hear what they sounded like prior to their official recording releases.

Duncan's highly charged and concise solo on "Babe, I'm Going To Leave you" is probably one of the most powerful and melodic Rock solos I've ever heard. Along with Beck, Clapton, Hendrix, Page, Randall, and Santana, Duncan should definitely be inducted to the Rock'n'Roll Guitarist's Hall of Fame. Through these tunes on Disc One, you can hear that even in the early days, his guitar style is so distinctively unique, versatile, cutting edge, and sure-footed at the same time.

Unlike many other fans, I always considered Duncan as the lead guitarist and Cipollina as the second lead guitarist of the QMS, especially on "Just For Love" and subsequent albums. His Jazz-influenced styles and compositions added such great dimensions to the QMS sound, and while I appreciate many of Valenti's materials, I also think Duncan would have written many more great originals if it weren't for Valenti's domination.

I am 2 years younger than my sister, and she hung out with the crowd that appreciated "Album Rock", while I was stuck on AM radio top 40. She made a bet with me that if I would listen to her music for one week, that I would never turn it off again. She won that bet. QSMS is a group that expanded my mind. They did not sing about only love, betrayal and the usual mainstay of that generation. Instead, I found myself hearing about the loss of Mother Nature, Social Injustice, Drugs and definitely progressive album rock and roll. They were so ahead of their time. They were a group who evolved as did the Beatles as they matured. If you have never experienced QSMS, I suggest that you do it today. You will not regret having experienced the beautiful harmonies and long ballads that they crafted. This anthology covers their entire career and all of their music and gives you a biography of how and why. Give them a listen.

I'm not that familiar with their work except "Happy Trails" (a wonderful psychedelic snapshot in time) and their radio hits, but I love this collection and I'm hearing songs I've never heard before. You could really dream then...