- Jock Davis - bass (1971-72)

- Baird Hersey - guitar (1971-72)

- Kim Ornitz - vocals (1971-72)

- Ricky Slater - drums, percussion (1971-72)

- FX (Baird Hersey)

- Baird Hersey (solo efforts)

- ODO OP8FX (Baird Hersey)

- The Year of the Ear (Baird Hersey)

Genre: rock

Rating: **** (4 stars)

Title:  Swampgas

Company: Buddah

Catalog: BDS-5102

Year: 1972

Country/State: Long Island, New York

Grade (cover/record): VG/VG

Comments: small cut out notch along bottom edge; still in shrink wrap (opened)

Available: 1

GEMM catalog ID: 4535

Price: $150.00

Cost: $66.00

Other than this little review, good luck finding much information about this band on line, let alone actually finding a copy of the LP ...  It took me a year to get my hands on a copy.

Originally the only biographical stuff I could up with on this outfit came from the liner notes accompanying 1972's "Swampgas".  The line up consisted of bassist Jock Davis, guitarist Baird Hersey, singer Kim Ornitz and drummer Ricky Slater.  The album was recorded at New York's A&R Studios, with Artie Kornfeld and the band co-producing.  

With Hersey serving as the prime writer (he's credited with penning seven of the eight tracks), overlooking the bland cover, the album's quite diverse and impressive.  This comparison probably won't trigger everyone's imagination or interest, but on material such as the molten opener 'Patato Strut' and 'Trapped In The City' the combination of Ornitz's grizzly drawl and Hersey's guitar recalls 38 Special, or Skynyrd had they been interested in pursuing a tougher, mildly psychedelic and progressive sound.  Hersey's licks also make it an album that should appeal to folks who like Hendrix-influenced guitar (check out the blazing 'Eulogy' and '').  The handful of ballads are equally impressive - 'The Waiting, E Train Blue'.  Weirdest (and coolest) track here - the raga !!! influenced 'Egg Shells'.  

Hersey reappeared in the late 1970s/early 1980s with a couple of jazzy/experimental solo efforts.  He continues to perform and record, though judging by a review of one  his recent releases (), his interest's are a little more eclectic - 'deep and calming meditations with only Tibetan cymbals, reverberation and his voice'.  Ornitz also seems to have remained active in music, though as a producer and sound mixer.  He's worked on literally dozens of movies and film series.  No idea whatever happened to Davis and Slater ...

"Swampgas" track listing:
(side 1)

1.) Patato Strut   (Baird Hersey) - 5:05

2.) Don't   (Baird Hersey) - 4:40

3.) The Waiting, E Train Blue   (Baird Hersey) - 7:21

4.) Trapped In The City   (Edlen) - 6:20

(side 2)
1.) Eulogy   (Baird Hersey) - 3:16

2.) Frolic Child   (Baird Hersey) - 5:39

3.) Pala   (Baird Hersey - Kim Ornitz) - 4:40

4.) Egg Shells   (Baird Hersey) - 7:07

As luck would have it, I managed to track down Baird Hersey's email address and after a little hesitation, he was kind enough to provide a little bit of background/history on the band.  With his permission (thanks Mr. Hersey), ere are his comments:

"Here is what I can tell you.  We started out near the end of Long Island NY.  About the time we were making the record two records came out with southern roots : Johnny Winter and The James Gang that had certain similarities. I think it's the heavy blues influences: Ray Charles in the vocals early B.B. King and Muddy waters in the guitar, that pull us in that direction.

We were plucked from obscurity by Artie Kornfeld who was one of the three producers of Woodstock.  His wife saw us at a concert where we opened for the Gratetful Dead.  We made the record, but  Artie's record label had financial troubles. The record looked like it wasn't going to come out which tore the band apart.  About a year after we broke up Buddah Records which was the parent company of Artie's label put the record out without even notifying anyone in the band.  With no support budget and no band to play the music the album floundered and we all slid back into obscurity. 

Have you seen the movie Rock Star? That's gives you a pretty good idea of what we all thought it was going to be like. We worked hard on that record and made the best music that we could. I am glad you like it. We really enjoyed playing it.

I haven't seen any of the band members in more than 30 years. Although I have continued in music my entire life what I do now is very very different.  I have played in rock bands most of my life but also had a big Band (jazz) called The Year of the Ear. We did three records two of them for Arista. It's pretty wild stuff. Did a solo guitar/synth record ODO OP8FX (mellow synths/cruchy guitar) then did a record with a synth band called FX. We were on MTV in the early 80's (There was another jazz group around after us with that same name).  After that I did music for TV for quite a while.  It was a horrifying thought the first time my music aired on TV  (it was the theme for a Magazine show in the Late 80s on ABC out of NYC) that more people heard my music in that one
moment that had heard all of the other music I had made in my entire life combined. During that period I had a band called Artificial Intelligence (well before the Movie). Most recently I played guitar and sang with David Hykes. The guy who evolved and pioneered the kind of singing I do now. That was about five years ago. As you can see most of my musical life has been well below the radar."