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Quill - s/t (1970)
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Author:  r0b0c0p [ Wed Jun 17, 2015 9:59 am ]
Post subject:  Quill - s/t (1970)

An excellent album of progressive rock which is a very early example of its type to come from the US (Boston), having more in common with European prog of the times. A couple of the tracks are heavy, but all of them are good, complex and full of variation. It's a great shame we did not get to see more from these guys.

The opening track, "Thumbnail Screwdriver", is a catchy song with a rolling groove and charismatic group vocals, a great opener indeed. Quill's real names follow, but on the record they went by the pseudonyms of Da-ank Khol, Ju-unk Khol, Phil Stan D' There, Red Rocket Rogers, R. Willy North. This attempt at anonymity is rumoured to have been an attempt at distancing themselves from their Boston roots, as by 1970 the "Bosstown Sound" was well and truly knackered.

The band enjoyed a brief flash of national exposure by playing at the Woodstock festival in August of 1969. The quintet was co-founded in 1967 by brothers John Cole (bass, guitar, vocals) and Dan Cole (vocals, guitar, trombone), who were the main song-writers. The rest of their lineup was Roger North on drums, Norm Rogers on guitar, and Phil Thayer on keyboards, sax, and flute. Most of the songwriting was handled by John and Dan Cole.

They were successful enough to get support spots for artists such as Jeff Beck, Deep Purple, Buddy Guy, and Janis Joplin, and their appearance at Steve Paul's Scene in New York City earned them a booking at Woodstock. Unfortunately they never made the cut for the movie, owing to a technical flaw in their footage. They did get signed to Cotillion Records, but the resulting debut album failed without the help of exposure from the Woodstock movie. John Cole left and the remaining members had their second album rejected by Cotillion.

Quill had broken up by 1971 but they received exposure 38 years later when the "Woodstock 40 Years On: Back to Yasgur's Farm" CD contained two of the four songs they played there. Roger North is probably the most well-recognized ex-member, with a continuing career and a stint with the Holy Modal Rounders. He also gained renown in percussionist circles as the inventor of North Drums, a kit with curved drum bodies that projected their sound outwards towards the audience, which he played from the late '60s onward. He currently lives in Portland, Oregon and plays in the Freak Mountain Ramblers.

Author:  libertycaps [ Fri Jun 19, 2015 3:57 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Quill - s/t (1970)

Bought the Wounded Bird reissue CD per robo's recommend. Captain Beefheart Dr. John Exuma Holy Modals Mothers The Charlatans cracked mosaic psychedelia. Brokedown jug band carny vibe for most of it. Fun listen.

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