Quicksilver Messenger Service

Band members               Related acts

- John Cipollina (RIP 2000) - guitar, percussion (-71)
- Gary Duncan - vocals, guitar, bass, keyboards, percussion
- Greg Elmore - drums, percussion
- David Freiberg - vocals, guitar, bass
- Nicky Hopkins - keyboards (-70)
- Martin Naftalin - keyboards (-71)
- Mark Ryan - bass (replaced David Freiberg) (1971-)
- Jose Rico Reyes - percussion, backing vocals  (1971-)
- Chuck Steales - keyboards (replaced Martin Naftalin) (1971-)
- Dino Valenti - vocals, guitar, percussion

 

 

- Copperhead (John Cipollina)

- Dino Valenti (solo efforts)

 

Rating: *** (3 stars)

Title:  Just for Love

Company: Capitol

Catalog: ST-498

Year: 1970

Grade (cover/record): VG/VG

Comments: --

Available: 1

Price: $12.00

 

 With Duncan and Valenti back in the line up (getting confused?), 1970's "Just for Love" was recorded in Hawaii. As usual, recording sessions proved chaotic, keyboardist Hopkins bailing ship in order to work with The Rolling Stones. He was quickly replaced by former Butterfield Blues Band keyboardist Mark Natalfin (see separate entry). With Duncan and Valenti back, the results were immediately evident; tracks such as "Just for Love", "Gone Again" and the extended "The Hat" moving away from the earlier psychedelic rock moves in favor of a far more commercial and mainstream sound. Released as a single "Fresh Air" b/w "Freeway Flyer" (Capitol catalog number 2920) provided the band with their biggest radio hit. Curiously, to our ears much of the album (particularly Valenti's vocals) suffers from an odd, echoey, metallic sound. Backed by strong reviews, the parent album peaked at #27. (The set was originally released with a gatefold sleeve.) Naturally success brought controversy and strife; 

"Just for Love" track listing:
1.) Wolf Run (Part 1) (instrumental) (Jesse Oris Farrow) - 1:10
2.) Just for Love (Part 1) (Dino Valenti) - 2:55
3.) Cobra (instrumental) (John Cipollina) - 4:20
4.) The Hat (Jesse Oris Farrow) - 10:30
5,) Freeway Flyer (Jesse Oris Farrow) - 3:45
6.) Gone Again (Jesse Oris Farrow) - 7:10
7.) Fresh Air (Jesse Oris Farrow) - 5:20
8.) Just for Love (Part 2) (Dino Valenti) - 1:35
9.) Wolf Run (Part 1) (Jesse Oris Farrow) - 2:05

Rating: *** (3 stars)

Title:  What About Me

Company: Capitol

Catalog: SMAS-630

Year: 1971

Grade (cover/record): VG/VG

Comments: gatefold sleeve

Available: 2

Price: $12.00

 

 1971's "What About Me" saw the line up expand to an eight piece via the addition of percussionist Jose Rico Reyes. Partially recorded at the same sessions as the previous release, to our ears, the result was one of the band's strongest albums; certainly their most consistent in several years. With Farrow again responsible for the majority of material (Cipollina, Freiberg and Hopkins each credited with one selection), the set was musically diverse; highlights including the classic anti-establishment title track, the rocker "Subway" and three of the group's prettiest numbers ("Baby Baby", "Long Haired Lady" and the instrumental "Spindrift "). Sure, there were a couple of missteps (Freiberg's C&W influenced "Won't Kill Me" and the jazzy "All In My Mind"), but the overall results were quite impressive. Another strong seller, the set hit #26. (The album was originally released with a gatefold sleeve.) All but invisible on the LP (the instrumental "Local Color" his only credit), Cipollina subsequently quit, reappearing with the band Copperhead (see separate entry).

"What About Me" track listing:
1.) What About Me (Jesse Oris Farrow) - 
2.) Local Color (John Cipollina) - 
3.) Baby Baby (Jesse Oris Farrow) - 
4.) Won't Kill Me (David Freiberg) - 
5.) Long Haired Lady (Jesse Oris Farrow) - 
6.) Subway (Jesse Oris Farrow) - 
7.) Spindrift (instrumental) (Nicky Hopkins) - 
8.) Good Old Rock and Roll (Jesse Oris Farrow) - 
9.) All In My Mind (Gary Duncan - Jesse Oris Farrow) - 
10.) Call On Me (Jesse Oris Farrow) - 

Rating: *** (3 stars)

Title:  Quicksilver

Company: Capitol

Catalog: SW-819

Year: 1970

Grade (cover/record): VG/VG

Comments: minor ring, edge and corner wear

Available: 1

Price: $5.00

 

 

 With Freiberg incarcerate (a third drug arrest found him jailed for three months), the band underwent another series of personnel changes. Having just hired Mark Ryan to handle bass (Frieberg reappearing as a member of The Jefferson Starship), Naftalin headed out the door. Chuck Steales was promptly brought in as a replacement. Interestingly faced with having to operate with a piecemeal lineup,1970's cleverly-titled "Quicksilver" was surprisingly impressive. Creatively the group was rapidly becoming little more than a backing outfit for Valenti (who was credited with penning eight of ten selections - guitarist Duncan penning the other two). While that may have sounded like a death knoll, Valenti turned in some of his most impressive material; "Hope", "Out of My Mind" (sporting a surprising anti-drug lyric), the country-flavored ballad "Don't Cry My Lady Love" and "Fire Brothers" all standing among the band's best work. Personal favorite, the wild "Rebel" (check out the whooping and yelling). Given it was one of their most commercial outings, it was interesting to note the set was a commercial disappointment, peaking at #114.

"Quicksilver" track listing:
1.) Hope (Dino Valenti) - 3:00
2.) I Found Love (Gary Duncan) - 2:53
3.) Song for Frisco (Dino Valenti) - 4:56
4.) Play My Guitar (Dino Valenti) - 4:41
5.) Rebel (Dino Valenti) - 2:59
6.) Fire Brothers (Gary Duncan) - 3:07
7.) Out of My Mind (Dino Valenti) - 4:37
8.) Don't Cry My Lady Love (Dino Valenti) - 5:10
9.) The Truth (Dino Valenti) - 6:56

Rating: **** (4 stars)

Title:  Anthology

Company: Capitol

Catalog: SVBB-11165

Year: 1973

Grade (cover/record): VG-/VG

Comments: double LP; gatefold sleeve; minor ring, edge and corner wear; slight bottom seam splitting

Available: 2

Price: $15.00

 

 A double album, 16 track retrospective, 1973's "Anthology" served as an excellent career retrospective. Hearing it for the first time in several years, we were immediately struck by the depth of band's talent (five members contributing material) and versatility - checkout the 1st side which effortlessly bounced between catchy top-40 pop ("Dino's Song") and extended psych jams (the 12 minute plus "The Fool"). Among the few complaints; the absence of any previously unreleased gems and the lack of detailed liner notes. All you got were writing and performance credits. Given the band's next to invisible profile, and the fact it was a double LP, the set sold respectably, peaking at #108. (The album was originally released with a gatefold sleeve.)

"Anthology" track listing:
1.) Pride of Man (Hamilton Camp) - 4:05
2.) Dino's Song (Dino Valenti) - 3:03
3.) The Fool (Gary Duncan - David Freiberg) - 12:03
4.) Bears (Roger Perkins) - 2:06
5.) Mona (Eugene McDaniels) - 6:53
6.) Edward, The Mad Shirt Grinder (Nicky Hopkins) - 9:20
7.) Three of Four Feet From Home (John Cipppollina) - 3:04
8.) Fresh Air (Jesse Oris Farrow) - 5:18
9.) Just for Love (Dino Valenti) - 4:30
10.) Spindrifter (Nicky Hopkins) - 4:32
11.) Local Color (John Cipppollina) - 2:58
12.) What About Me (Jesse Oris Farrow) - 6:41
13.) Don't Cry My Lady Love (Dino Valenti) - 5:10
14.) Hope (Dino Valenti) - 3:00
15.) Fire Brothers (Gary Duncan ) - 3:09
16.) I Found Love (Gary Duncan ) - 3:53

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