This is the debut album from England's supergroup of the era including former John Mayall's Bluesbreakers and Yardbirds guitarrist Eric Clapton, Ginger Baker -a drummer for The Graham Bond Organisation and Jack Bruce who briefly had played with John Mayall and also with Powerhouse which included Stevie Winwood and singer Paul Jones. 

The music on the album consists of own songs and bluesstandards. It was released in a time where the british heavier rockmusicindustry exploded and forever changed the way rock could be played. It still included a lot of blues but were heavier, wilder and with more rockguitar virtousity influenced by the still active blueslegends. The songs are not very good though, even if they influenced many artists to come. It's quite chaotic and strange music except for a few songs. The production is not good either. Anyway it reached nr. 6 on the UK charts and nr. 39 on the USA charts.

Jack Bruce died in 2014, 71 years old.

1)I feel free (5,5)

2)N.S.U. (6,5)

3)Sleepy time time (7,0)

4)Dreaming (5,0)

5)Sweet wine (6,0)

6)Spoonful (6,0) (Willie Dixon)

7)Cat's squirrel (4,0)

8)Four until late (3,0) (Robert Johnson)

9)Rollin' and tumblin' (2,0) (Muddy Waters)

10)I'm so glad (4,0) (Skip James)

11)Toad (3,0)

Score: 4,73

Eric Clapton-vocals and guitars (b.1945)

Jack Bruce (John Symon Acher Bruce) -vocals and bass (1943-2014)

Ginger Baker (Peter Edward Baker) -drums (b.1939)

American garage-band Count Five enjoyed a short carrier, releasing their only album in 1966 with their big hit "Double-decker bus" peaking at nr.5 on the Billboard-list in september 1966. The album was recorded in a rush and the bandmembers did not get enough time to form the songs as they wanted to due to a low budget for recording and promotion. This also led to the band disbanding in 1969, not beeing able to gain the same success again. The album peaked at nr. 122. The band performed live wearing Drcula-style capes and went for a mystique image.

This is an album that cleary could have been better, ecspecially when listening to the hit-song they had plus "Pretty big mouth", both very good songs fitting perfectly in the wave of harder bands like The Who that appeared at the time. The rest of the songs are more of earlier 60's-style and inspired by psychotica.

In 1993 a live-album was released wich contained a reunionconcert made in 1987.

Singer Sean Byrne died in 2008, 61 years old of diabetes and liver problems. Drummer Craig Atkinson died in 1998 after surgery.

1)Double-decker bus (8,0)

2)Pretty big mouth (7,5)

3)The world (5,5)

4)My generation (The Who) (5,0)

5)She's fine (5,5)

6)Psychotic reaction (6,0)

7)Peace of mind (4,0)

8)They're gonna get you (6,0)

9)The morning after (4,0)

10)Can't get your loving (6,5)

11)Out on the streets (The Who) (6,0)

Score: 5,82

Kenn Ellner-vocals

John "Sean Byrne-vocals and guitars (1947-2008)

John "Mouse" Michalski-guitars

Roy Chaney-bass

Craig "Butch" Atkinson-drums (1947-1998)

The noisy powertrio Blue Cheer's 2nd album wich were recorded both inside and outside; outside because they were kicked out of the studio because they played too loud! Sure one of the first bands to play a kind of hard rock and heavy metal that inspired generations to come. The album is very noisy, heavy and chaotic and also very inspired by Jimi Hendrix, like many others at the time. There is also melody in the music but I would not call this a very good album it's just too messy. In 2009 lead vocalist and bassist Dickie Peterson died of cancer.

1)Feathers from your tree (5,0)

2)Sun cycle (5,0)

3)Just a little bit (6,5)

4)Gypsy ball (6,0)

5)Come and get it (6,0)

6)(I can't get no) satisfaction (7,0) Rolling Stones-cover.

7)The hunter (6,5) Albert King-cover.

8)Magnolia caboose babyfinger (6,5)

9)Babylon (6,0)

Score: 6,06

Dickie Peterson-vocals and bass (1946-2009)

Leigh Stephens-guitars

Paul Whaley-drums

+

Ralph Burns Kellogg-keyboards on 1.

Confusingly this is the 4th album from Rolling Stones in the UK but the 6th in USA. This is the UK version. It was a breakthroughalbum and the first from the Stones to be recorded in USA. The album is notable for it's musical experimentation but it is grounded in Chicago electric blues. It spent 8 weeks at nr. 1 on the UK albumchart. It's hard to make a aquate description of an album that is 46 years old because I don't know how the musicscene was at the time. Also it's hard to judge the quality of songs that were made with such technical limitations compared to today. Anyway, in 1965 the rocknrollscene had been all about Elvis, Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis and other rock'n'rollstars that had been playing their simple rockabillytype of rock for quite some years. There had to be somthing new, and Beatles, Yardbirds and The Rolling Stones were making the change to a harder and rawer sound even though they still were influenced by the old type of bluesbased rock. Blues was, and still is, the foundation in rockmusic. There are some okey song here but I think there were other bands that were better at the time and have never understood the greatness of The Rolling Stones.

Ian Stewart was a co-founder of the band. He was dismissed from the band in 1963 but remained as road manager and pianist. He responded to a advert from Brian Jones that seeked musicians to form a rhythm and bluesgroup. Ian used to play boogie-woogie piano at a jazzclub prior to joining the band. In 1963 he was told by the manager that he could not go on stage with Rolling Stones anymore. Ian (Stu) accepted this but remained with the band anyway. He also played with Led Zeppeling, Howlin' Wolf and George Thorgood And The Destroyers. Ian died of a heartattck in the waitingroom of a clinic in 1985.

Jack Nitzsche worked with many wellknown artist like Phil Spector, The Beach Boys and The Monkees. He produced many albums and was a comoser of filmmusic. He suffered a stroke in 1998 and died in 2000.

1)Mothers' little helper (5,5)

2)Stupid girl (7,0)

3)Lady Jane (6,0)

4)Under my thumb (7,0)

5)Doncha bother me (6,0)

6)Going home (2,5)

7)Flight 505 (6,5)

8)High and dry (5,0)

9)Out of time (5,5)

10)It's not easy (6,0)

11)I am waiting (5,0)

12)Take it or leave it (5,0)

13)Think (5,5)

14)What to do (6,0)

Score: 5,61

Mick Jagger (Sir Michael Philip Jagger)-vocals, percussion and harmonica (b.1943)

Keith Richards-guitars (b.1943)

Brian Jones-guitars, steel guitar, marimba, bells, sitar, koto, harmonica and keybaords (1942-1969)

Bill Wyman-bass, organ and marimba (b.1936)

Charlie Watts-drums and marimba (b.1941)

plus

Jack Nitzsche-percussion, piano, organ and harpsichord (1937-2000)

Ian Stewart-piano and organ (1938-1985)

Steppenwolf was founded in Los Angeles, California in 1967 and this is their 3rd album. They were among the early heavier rockands that defined the rocksound of the 70's and beyond. There's also a significant flower power-psychedelic in their music which also can be heard on this album.

John Kay came with his mother from Germany to Canada in 1958 after fleeing from the Soviet troops during the 2nd world war. He is also colorblind. 

Michael Monarch plays in the supergroup World Classic Rockers.

Nick St. Nicholas was born in Germany and came to Canada after world war 2. He also plays in World Classic Rockers.

Goldy McJohn was born in Canada and records soloalbums.

Jerry Edmonton was born in Canada and died in a car accident in USA in 1993.

1)Don't cry (6,0) Hardhitting guitarplaying, steady marching pace and psychedelic.

2)Chickenwolf (7,0) Nice basslick and the charasmeristic vocals from Kay.

3)Lovely meter (3,5) Acoustic guitars and strange singing. Drugs?

4)Round and down (5,5) Step's goes honky-tonk-psycho. Just crazy

5)It's never too late (7,0) Almost a ballad. Beautiful song with all the typical Steppenwolf trademarks and strong singing.

6)Sleeping dreaming (-)

7)Jupiter child (7,5)

8)She'll be better (7,5) A nice ballad but why destroy the end with chaos?

9)Cat killer (-) Piano/keyboard-duelling.

10)Rock me (7,5)

11)God fearing man (7,5)

12)Mango juice (6,0) Cool psychotune.

13)Happy birthday (5,0)

Score: 6,36

John Kay (Joachim Fritz Krauledat)-vocals, guitars and harmonica (b.1944)

Michael Monarch-guitars (b.1950)

Nick St. Nicholas (Klaus Karl Kassbaum)-bass (b.1943)

Jerry Edmonton-drums (1946-1993)

Goldy McJohn (John Raymond Goadsby)-organ and piano (b.1945)