What About Me? [Import, Original recording remastered]

Quicksilver Messenger Service | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 10, 1997)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import, Original recording remastered
• Label: Bgo - Beat Goes on
• ASIN: B000006ZU6
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #28,416 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #43 in Music > Indie Music > Rock > Classic Rock

Track Listings

1. What About Me

2. Local Color

3. Baby Baby

4. Won't Kill Me

5. Long Haired Lady

6. Subway

7. Spindrifter

8. Good Old Rock and Roll

9. All in My Mind

10. Call on Me

Editorial Reviews

Musically, there is little to delineate the fifth long-player from Quicksilver Messenger Service, What About Me, from their previous effort, Just for Love. Not surprisingly, material for both was initiated during a prolific two-month retreat to the Opaelua Lodge in Haleiwa, HI, during May and June of 1970. The quartet version of Quicksilver Messenger Service -- which had yielded the band's first two LPs -- expanded once again to include Dino Valenti (aka Chester A. Powers, Chet Powers, and most notably on this album, Jesse Oris Farrow) as well as British session keyboardist Nicky Hopkins. The additional talents of Mark Naftalin (keyboards) were incorporated when Hopkins was unavailable. This began his short stint with Quicksilver Messenger Service, which lasted through their sixth LP, Quicksilver (1972). The most apparent change in Quicksilver Messenger Service's sound can be directly attributed to the return of Valenti. The group has departed the long, free-flowing improvisations that prevailed on both their self-titled debut and follow-up, Happy Trails. The songs are now shorter and more notably structured, with an added emphasis on Valenti's compositions. The title track, "What About Me," became an ethical and sociological anthem with challenging and direct lyrical references to the political and social instability of the early '70s. Valenti, whose songwriting credits on this disc are both numerous and attributed to his Farrow persona, also comes up with some passable introspective love songs, such as "Baby Baby" and "Long Haired Lady," as well as a couple of interesting collaborations with Gary Duncan (bass/vocals). The psychedelic samba "All in My Mind" also highlights the often overlooked percussive contributions from Jose Reyes. Two of the more distinguished entries on What About Me are John Cipollina's raunchy blues instrumental "Local Color" -- replete with a driving backbeat reminiscent of their take on the Robert Johnson standard "Walkin' Blues" -- as well as Nicky Hopkins' emotive "Spindrifter." ~ Lindsay Planer, All Music Guide

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

31 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars an album that produced with its title song an anthem of sorts for its day, September 1, 2006

By 

Sharpphoto "Sharp" (New York, New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: What About Me? (Audio CD)

A suitable follow-up to the group's seminal (fourth) album, "Just For Love", the album, "What About Me", produced soon after its release with its title song a widely-played anthem of sorts for the early 1970's. The title song was aired repeatedly over the radio on numerous progressive-rock FM stations from coast to coast. It was written by Dino Valente; the song's lyrics reflected the songwriter's concern for the environment as well as his strong distaste for certain laws of the land at that time, specifically, laws prohibiting the use of some recreational drugs. The song, "What About Me", was a forceful, and yet a typical, protest song of the late 1960's and early 1970's, played over the airwaves during a period of time when the country was engulfed in numerous protests that took on a wide range of issues, including protests against our nation's involvement in faraway Vietnam, an unjust war that, for a good number of years, had no visible end in sight. Fortunately, with the eventual passage of time, positive change did come!!

Certain tracks on this particular album were recorded during the same sessions in Hawaii that produced its predecessor. As a result, the lineup of the band, in essence, remained unchanged on this album with the heart of the group's driving force consisting of two(2) competent lead guitarists in John Cipollina and Gary Duncan, and the infamous piano player, Nicky Hopkins. The rest of the band consisted of David Freiberg on bass, Greg Elmore on drums, and the late Dino Valente as singer and songwriter.

Soon after the recording of these "twin" albums, namely, "Just For Love" and "What About Me", the band's lineup began gradually to change. With the arrival of Dino Valente at this particular time during the group's history, and just in time to inject some much-needed energy, there appeared to be a sudden shift in power within the group and thereupon, a slight change in its musical direction, too. Mr. Valente's immediate background, prior to rejoining the band, had been as a solo artist in New York City. Consequently, the band now began to record an occasional ballad or two sung by Mr. Valente, in contrast to the band's other tracks that reflected San Francisco's brand of harder (and at times, psychedelic) rock. Having had rejoined the band as lead singer, Dino Valente became the group's frontman on stage and, for better or worse, the band's de facto leader, as oftentimes was the case within a rock band at that time when the lead singer and writer of most of a band's songs took the helm.

The title song of this album, "What About Me", was similar in its intensity and stance (critical of society's ills) to another song that Dino Valente had recorded during his days in New York City while he sang as a lone troubadour. The song, "Children of the Sun", likewise became popular, and with time, it grew to become another anthem of sorts for its day. As such, it received its share of airplay on the radio, too, but predominantly in California and on the West Coast. (The song can still be heard on Dino Valente's only solo album, "Dino Valente.")

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Peaceful Music, August 30, 2006

By 

Mary Ann Ward "snidelyward" (Idaho Falls, Idaho) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: What About Me? (Audio CD)

I am not a music critic who will cite numerous reasons why certain songs should or shouldn't be on a CD, but I do know what I like. This is something that I find extremely relaxing, and I play it for the same reason I listen to CSN, The Grateful Dead, It's A Beautiful Day or Van Morrison. It is an incredible collection of songs. I would find it interesting if a critique would mention songs on this album not making it onto any radio program, because I grew up during the sixties, and it was a trend to want things that didn't get air play. Everyone wanted the "underground" sound. This album has it. I listen to it when I need escape from the stress of day-to-day [...] I listen to it when I need to relax my hands that grip the wheel when I drive in busy traffic.

19 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Super but not the best, June 29, 2000

By 

Laura Riker (San Jose, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: What About Me? (Audio CD)

This was an excellent album, but it lacked some of the great songs such as Fresh Air. Other than the song choice, the album was great. The guitar playing was just as great as their other albums. I would only get this one if I really liked Quicksilver. If I were just a person whose friends had reccomended it, I would get something along the lines of the anthology because that has all of their really big hits. But if you want to hear some not as famous songs, but just a good, get this one. This is a great cd for listening to on loong trips becuase everybody will like. My dad who usually listens to Tony Bennet, my mom who listens to the Stones, and me (I listen to punk rock) all listen to Quicksilver and we have no arguements about listening to it.