Lightening

Band members               Related acts

- Tom Caplan - guitar (1969)
- Bernie Pershey - percussion (1969)
- Ronn Roberts - guitar, vocals (1969)
- Mick Stanhope - vocals, percussion (1969)
- Woody Woodrich - bass (1969)

 

 

 - The Litter
- Trilogy (Bernie Pershey)
- White Lightening

 

Rating: *** (3 stars)

Title:  Lightening

Company: P.I.P

Catalog: 6807

Year: 1971

Grade (cover/record): VG/VG

Comments: slight yellowing

Available: 1

Price: $80.00

 

 Led by former Litter guitarist Tom Caplan, Lightening evolved out of the short-lived White Lightening (see separate entries). Boasting a lineup of former Trilogy drummer Bernie Pershey, guitarist Ronn Roberts, singer Mick Stanhope and bassist Woody Woodrich, the band survived long enough to release a now-sought after album on the small Minnesota-based P.I.P. label.

Co-produced by the band, Ira Heilicher and Pat Rains, 1969's "Lightening" was a surprisingly impressive debut. Anyone expecting Litter-styled psych was bound to be disappointed, however with Caplan, Stanhope and Woodrich all contributed material, the set was never short of enjoyable. Sure, they may not have constituted the year's most original offering, but conventional hard rock numbers such as "Prelude To Opus IV" (ignore the pompous title), "Hideaway" and "They've Got the Time" (the latter dedicated to Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix and Brian Jones), were all pretty nifty. Elsewhere the sweet ballad "When a Man Could Be Free" recalled the Marshall Tucker Band (we're not kidding). (Always liked John Hanson's cover art ...) A commercial non-entity, the album vanished without a trace, followed in short order by the band.

"Lightening" track listing:
1.) Prelude To Opus IV (Woody Woodrich - Mick Stanhope) - 4:06
2.) Hideaway (Woody Woodrich - Mick Stanhope) - 4:00
3.) When a Man Could Be Free (Woody Woodrich - Tom Caplan - Mick Stanhope) - 4:26
4.) Madame Sunrise (Woody Woodrich - Tom Caplan - Mick Stanhope) - 6:00
5.) 1930 (Ronn Roberts - Tom Caplan - Mick Stanhope) - 4:17
6.) Freedom (Is Life with Living) (Woody Woodrich - Tom Caplan - Mick Stanhope) - 
7.) They've Got the Time (Woody Woodrich - Mick Stanhope) - 5:51
8.) Riders In the Sky (Edwin H. Morris) - 5:28

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