Genre: garage
Rating: *** (3 stars)
Title: The Baskerville Hounds Featuring Space Rock, Part 2
Company: Dot
Catalog: DLP 25823
Year: 1967
Country/State: Cleveland, Ohio, USA
Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+
Comments: mono pressing
Available: 1
GEMM catalog ID: 4
Price: $140.00
Cost: $100.00
Based in Cleveland, Ohio, bassist William Emery, drummer Michael Macron,
guitarists Lawrence Meese and Dante Rossi and keyboardist Jack Topper
originally came together as The Talula Babies (see separate entry). Signed
to James M. Testas local Tema label, the group released a pair of little
heard 1967 singles "The Hurtin' Kind" b/w "Mine Forever"
and "Debbie" b/w "". While the singles did little
outside of Cleveland, under Testa's management the quintet underwent a
radical image change, complete with ugly double breasted brown suits and a
new name.
Signed with AVCO Embassy, as The Baskerville Hounds, they released the 1967
single "Hold Me" b/w "Here I Come Miami". A top-100
single, the effort was followed by "Caroline" b/w "Last Night
On the Back Porch" on Buddah. Unable to find a major label for their
next single, "Space Rock, Part. 2" b/w "" was released
on Testa's own Tema label. A rollicking, organ-propelled slice of garage
rock, the single was quickly picked up and reissued by Dot Records.
As was standard marketing procedure, on the heels of the single's unexpected
success the band was rushed into the studio to record a support album.
Cleverly released as 1967's "The
Baskerville Hounds Featuring Space Rock, Part 2", the
collection offered up a then-typical mix of popular covers and originals.
Produced by Testa, the set wasn't particularly impressive. While all five
member were credited as singers, the absence of a distinctive vocalist was a
major distraction. Similarly, covers such as The Beatles "Penny
Lane" and Neil Diamond's' "I'm a Believer" weren't
particularly impressive. On the other hand, original numbers such as the
fuzz guitar-propelled "Sad Eyed Lady", "Please Say" and
the title track instrumental were all worth hearing. Hardly one of rock's
"pretty boy" combos (the liner notes described Rossi as having a
"comic appearance"), the doubled breasted brown suits sure didn't
help their appearance - they looked like an exhausted burial party. A
commercial failure, one last Christmas single ("Christmas Is Here"
b/w "Make Me Your Man") and they were a musical footnote.
"The Baskerville Hounds Featuring Space Rock, Part 2" track
listing:
(side
1)
1.) Space Rock, Part. 2 (instrumental) (D.J. Kohler) - 3:40
2.) Make Me Your Man (D.J. Kohler) - 2:12
3.) Penny Lane (John Lennon - Paul McCartney) - 2:10
4.) Can't Take It (Larry Meese) - 2:20
5.) Although I Was to Blame (Larry Meese) - 2:30
6.) Sad Eyed Lady M. McGutcheon) - 2:05
(side
1)
1.) Never on
Sunday (instrumental) (Hadjidakis - Towne) - 2:30
2.) Jackie's Theme (instrumental) (Jack Topper - D.J. Kohler) - 2:40
3.) I'm a Believer (Neil Diamond) - 2:18
4.) Baby Am I Losing (D.J. Kohler) - 2:10
5.) Please Say (Larry Meese) - 2:30
6.) Debbie (D.J. Kohler) - 2:30