Genre: psych
Rating: **** (4 stars)
Title: In the Beginning
Company: Mercury
Catalog: SR 61775
Year: 1968
Country/State: Los Angeles, California
Grade (cover/record): VG/VG
Comments: --
Available: 1
GEMM Catalog ID: not yet listed
Price: $100.00
Here's an outfit I'd like to know more about ... To be honest, the only biographical tidbit I've found online is that guitarist Jack Ttanna was a member of the L.A.-based The Sons of Adam (he played under his given name Joe Kooken).
As for my impressions of their sole album; well 1968's "In the Beginning" is nothing less than great. At least to my ears the album bares a comparison to the Jefferson Airplane, though without the Airplane's penchant for needless filler. Musically the set offers up a mixture of hard rock (the opener 'Angelina'), folk-rock ('Gloomy Sunday') and California-styled mid-1960s' psych (the fuzz guitar drenched 'What's It All About'). As exemplified by a nice cover of Leonard Cohen's 'Suzanne', Richman and Ttanna had great voices that blended well and were effortlessly capable of handling the album's different genres. Personal favorite - Henry's meltdown performance on the extended closer 'World without You'. Elsewhere Mercury tapped the album for a pair of instantly obscure singles:
- 1968's 'Angelina' b/w 'Suzanne' (Mercury catalog number 72806)
- 1968's 'Gloomy Sunday' b/w 'What's It All About' (Mercury catalog number 72869)
Following the album's release, Rivera was drafted. He was quickly replaced by Jimmy Chappell. Unfortunately the album did little commercially and within a couple of months the band had called it quits. In the wake of the band's breakup Henry played with Charity and was a member of a late-inning Steppenwolf lineup. Following his military service Rivera hooked up with Delaney Bramblett, while Richman briefly sang with The Thieves.
The album's increasingly difficult to find, so grab a copy if the chance arises.
"In the Beginning" track listing:
(side 1)
1.) Anegline (Jack Ttanna - Bob Metke) - 2:48
2.) Suzanne (Leonard Cohen)
3.) Gloomy Sunday (S.M. Lewes - R. Seress) - 4:05
4.) What's It All About (Jack Ttanna) - 2:45
5.) Mary, Mary (B. Bennett) - 2:40
6.) Ten Second Song (Kent Henry) - 2:58
(side 2)
1.) Girl Who Never Was (Jack Ttanna) - 4:04
2.) World Without You (Jack Ttanna) - 16:08