Rating: **** (4 stars)
Title: Flash
Company: Tantara
Catalog: TS 6019
Year: 1968
Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+
Comments: gatefold sleeve
Available: 1
Price: $400.00
Enamored with rock and roll, Houston singer/guitarist Billy Gibbons formed a string of local bands, including Billy and the Ten Blues Flames, The Coachmen and The Saints. The mid-'70s found him fronting the psychedelic inspired The Moving Sidewalks. Backed by drummer Dan Mitchell, keyboardist Tom Moore and bassist Don Summers, the quartet began playing local clubs, eventually signing a one shot deal with the small Tantara Records, resulting in the release of the 1967 single "99th Floor" b/w "What Are You Going To Do?" (catalog number3101). Generating waves of local airplay, the single attracted the attention of the larger Wand label which acquired national distribution rights. A follow-on single for Wand ("Need Me" b/w "Everynight a New Surprise" (catalog 1167) vanished without a trace, followed in short order by their contract with Want.
Back with Tantara, the label agreed to finance an album; resulting in the release of 1968's
"Flash". Produced by Steve Ames, this is simply a great set of Texas-psych. Musically the set offered up a mix of original numbers and well chosen covers (the first band we know of to cover an Al Anderson tune ("No Good To Cry")). Propelled by Gibbon's chunky sustained guitar chords and thick, slurred vocals (both instantly recognizable to ZZ Top fans), material such as the title track, "Scound Da Be" and "You Don't Know the Life" found the band exploring a mix of psych and Hendrix-styled rock (be sure to check out "Pluto - Sept 31st"). Elsewhere the extended bluesy "Joe Blues" served as an earlier prototype for Gibbons' forthcoming ZZ Top catalog, while "Eclipse" and "Reclipse" found the quartet moving into outright experimentation (or with extra studio time on their hands). Backed by word of mouth support, the set attracted national attention (though few sales), though it won the band an opening shot on Jimi Hendrix's 1969 American tour. Unfortunately, before they could record a follow-up, Moore and Summers were both drafted. Ex-Neal Ford and the Fanatics keyboard player Greg Lanier was brought in as a replacement. For their parts, anxious to avoid being drafted, both Gibbons and Mitchell focused their attention on college. Gibbons subsequently lost interest in the band, returning with ZZ Top (see separate entry). (The album was originally released with a gatefold sleeve.)
"Flash" track listing:
(side
1)
1.) Flashback (Steve Ames) - 4:45
2.) Scound Da Be (Tom Moore) - 2:10
3.) You Make Me Shake (Bill Gibbons) - 3:05
4.) You Don't Know the Life (Tom Moore) - 3:59
5.) Pluto - Sept 31st (Bill Gibbons - Steve Ames) - 5:14
(side
2)
1.) No Good To Cry (Al Anderson) - 4:33
2.) Crimson Witch (Bill Gibbons) - 3:07
3.) Joe Blues (Bill Gibbons - Tom Moore - Don Summers - Dan Mitchell) - 7:36
4.) Eclipse (Bill Gibbons - Steve Ames) -3:51
5.) Reclipse (Bill Gibbons - Steve Ames) -2:32