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45 of 45 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A peak performance by an underappreciated San Francisco band, June 8, 2002
The Quicksilver Messenger Service was never as well-known as some other San Francisco bands of the late sixties, but they played first-rate music that was original and inspiring. In my own humble opinion, the band was at its best when vocalist Dino Valente was NOT a participant (i.e., pre-1970), and the first two albums produced by QMS remain among the very best recordings of the legendary "San Francisco Sound." "Happy Trails," recorded at the Fillmores East and West and released in 1969, represents an (edited) example of the band's very finest live performances; the music sounds fresh and exuberant even after more than thirty years. What was originally the first side of a vinyl lp showcases the Quick's interpretation of Bo Diddley's fabulous "Who Do You Love." The result is a fabulous musical journey featuring incredible guitar solos by Gary Duncan and John Cipollina and also by bass player David Freiberg. Drummer Greg Elmore holds the whole piece together not only with his tight and steady rendition of the trademark Bo Diddley beat, but also his ability to provide a solid rhythmic backing to the improvised guitar solos. The long, jazz-tinged solo by Duncan has always particularly impressed me with its inventiveness and structural near-perfection. "Who Do You Love" also includes a playful interchange between band and audience that leads gloriously into Cipollina's exuberant solo. Overall, this recording represents some of the finest and most memorable music to emerge from the amazing San Franciso rock scene that emerged during the "psychedelic era." What was side two of the vinyl album begins with a fine version of another Diddley classic, "Mona," and finishes with a fun, campy rendition of the Roy Rogers/Dale Evans theme song, "Happy Trails." What comes in between, "Maiden of the Cancer Moon" and the definitely psychedelic "Calvary" (complete with spooky Spanish guitar riffs) has its moments, but in all truth represents a somewhat weaker portion of the performance than the breathtaking "Who Do You Love." All in all, this recording is absolutely ESSENTIAL for anyone who "was there" during the glory years of the San Francisco sound, and also for anyone who wasn't but who loves great rock music.
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39 of 39 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Definitive QMS, August 8, 2004
This is a superlative example of west coast, jam innovation from the late 60s. Hard to believe this is from 1968 and pre-dates some of the best Dead, Hendrix guitar feedback exercises. The 25 min version of Bo Diddely's Who Do You Love highlights the album along with a shorter but no less startling Mona. This is a must if you want to explore the Dead around that time. John Cippolina is in full force. Check him out too on the recently released Grateful Dead. Closing of Winterland, where he leads a 20 min "Not Fade Away".
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23 of 24 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Rock's Longest Song, Worth Every Minute, December 3, 1999
I've worn out two vinyl albums, several cassette copies and will probably wear out the first cd soon. The two Bo Diddley songs have enormous depth and Quicksilver's interpretation excavates many rich layers not evident on versions of these songs by others. The legendary extended guitar solos dominate the album and have been thoroughly scrutinized by other reviewers. Most people dismiss the middle portion of the recording as an undisciplined ego trip and boring, but it is for me among the most interesting and creative musical performances every captured on tape. It does not become apparent to first-time listeners that this is a live performance until Gary Duncan's jazzy, bluesy guitar solo ends and Greg Elmore's bizarre drum interlude begins. The strange squeaking and chiming noises, uncontrolled feedback, and other messiness emanating from Duncan's and Cipollina's guitars, which is admittedly annoying on first listen, support Elmore's marvelous rhythmic interpretations of the Bo Diddley theme. This is no ego-inspired power trip. Whoever heard of a drum solo being the quietest part of the record? Elmore's drumming slides into a completely unique, beautiful and spontaneous interaction between the band and the audience that has quite likely never been attained by any another performing band, or at least it hasn't been recorded. Audiences no longer behave like they did when Quicksilver performed, nor did they behave that way very long. For the first third of Who Do You Love, the audience listens to the music. For the next third they become part of it with shouts and hand claps and screams. Then Cipollina levels them with his stunning solo. You get exhausted listening to this song, and not just because it's 25 minutes long, but because you've felt every bit of energy that the band has expended. Unlike most other listeners, I don't find Quicksilver's Mona quite as compelling, but it's still a great performance. The studio portion of the album, Calvary and Maiden of the Cancer Moon, is an acquired taste, but it's worth acquiring. You could say that about the entire album. It's not easy for some people to listen to right away, but this one is a classic worth investing some time in.
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