"The first four albums are legendary" - without a doubt, I think they can stand up very well to anyone else's first 4. "I Got A Line On You" is a pretty much perfect pop tune, and "Nature's Way" is brilliant (for some reason in my head I always pair it with Ten Years After's "I'd Love To Change The World"). 12 Dreams is their magnum opus - really one of THE greatest ever albums by anyone (especially for its time)! Time Circle is great, also the comps Chronicles 1967-1992 & Sunrise & Salvation - The Mercury Era Anthology...For a 'wacky' Spirit album try Future Games - more a collection of musical ideas than actual full-blown songs held together with snippets of Star Trek outtakes & quotes - I love it! One of my very favorite bands...
Yes - Randy died trying to save - I believe his son - from drowning in Hawaii. His son survived but Randy unfortunately did not. And 12 Dreams is DEFINITELY the best Spirit album in my opinion.
Spirit is my favourite American band. Twelve dreams of dr. Sardonicus is my all time favourite album. The only album I can think of that is flawless from start to finish!
Jay Ferguson Thunder Island ! Not a Spirit number but what a track, ya know ? Jack was Randy's step father. Their management decided that playing a gig at the Woodstock Festival in August 1969 was not a good idea.
Yeah, those first four albums were excellent. Love the diversity of musical styles. Very unique and maybe a little too unorthodox for mass commercial success, but that`s to their credit.
Good ranking -- 12 Dreams is one of my desert island albums. In the 60s, in his teens, Randy purportedly picked up his bluesy-rock style playing with Hendrix in some Greenwich Village pubs. Ed was also his father in-law, which perhaps accounts for the funky groove between the two. Saw them several times in the early 70s, including at Richards in Atlanta, where I recall Randy was walking around the crowd between sets proclaiming "bubble gum power", handing out bubblegum to the audience. Great live show.
Not a popular opinion I'm sure, but my favorite Spirit album *by far* is Spirit Of 76. What a great messy sprawling album that exudes Randy California's personality. Probably didn't hurt that it was the soundtrack to a summer when I lived in Florida and made surreptitious visits to local cow pastures! 😂
Time Circle is indeed a great 2CD complilation. Mechanical World and Nature's Way are among my favorites tunes from that period of early FM rock. A musically unique and extremely entertaining band. Good choice Pete!
Saw them in '73 with Robin Trower backing them up when Bridge Of Sighs came out.Randy California and Ed Cassidy played he also was California's step father.Randy also played with Hendrix when he was 14.Jimi wanted to take him to Europe but Randy's mother wouldn't let him go
Spirit plus Trower...Now that's a show! Yep California was in Hendrix's short-lived band Jimmy James and the Blue Flames (with Danny Taylor of later band Silver Apples) - this was 1966, shortly after ending his 'Chitlin' Circuit' R&B tours backing up others - and that's when Chas Chandler first heard Jimi
Cheers Pete. One of my favourite bands. What helped make them so good is having a rock bass player (Mark Andes) playing with 2 jazzers ( keys John Locke and Ed Cassidy) then add in great harmonies (Jay Ferguson and Randy California) with an absolutely top notch guitar player (Randy California) and you get a fantastic musical mix. Add in loads of ideas and influences alongside the rock/jazz background such as psychedelia, folk, country and you get a top top top notch band. I like there later stuff but for me the first 4 are the best and Sardonicus one of the best ever
Pete, been looking forward to this since you first announced this ranking. A way-too overlooked band from the period. Have often spoken about the older brother brining music into the house but it was my younger sister, having just become a teenager a few weeks before its release, that brought Twelve Dreams Of Dr. Sardonicus into the house [finally ending her love of 60s bubble gum music] and telling me I had to hear it. Remains my favorite of the first four. And while I've Got A Line On You remains a brilliant and near-perfect, if not in fact perfect, song, it is the spookiness of Mechanical World from the debut that is the first song can remember hearing from the band on the transistor radios of the day. It seems a bit spooky to this then-12-year-old-kid but I always loved hearing it. Great ranking episode. Always enjoy when you reach back and rank some of the albums of this time but that just shows my ever-increasing years on planet. Thanks again, Pete.
Spirit's Randy California! A very fine guitarist. In fact, so fine, he stepped in for an ailing Ritchie Blackmore one night in 1972 when Deep Purple played Quebec City. Lots of clips of that show here on YT if you want to search for them.
I think it is fair to treat the first 4 Spirit albums separate and apart from the later albums. But I think it is a mistake to discount them as the later band featured a laid back psychedlic sound anchored by amazing guitar work. There is one stone cold classic - Spirit of 76 - which would rate as my number 2 Spirit album behind Sardonicus. Esoteric has released a series of Randy California era Spirit reissues and boxes loaded with unreleased tracks, demos and live shows. Perhaps the best place to start is with Two Sides of A Rainbow - Live At The Rainbow 1978. This set gives you the entire concert which was the basis for the highly edited and augmented Live Spirit release and leaves that one in the dust.
12 Dreams is a desert island disc for me, easily in my Top 10 albums all time. I did manage to see them (I think around 1995, just a couple of years before Randy died, just a 3 piece of Randy, Ed and Scott Monahan). It was an very small bar in Winter Park FL with maybe 20 people there. I managed to have a small chat with Randy and asked him if he had any memories of playing on Peter Hammill's Red Shift (he didn't have much interesting to say). Also worth mentioning is the band Jay Ferguson and Mark Andes formed after the breakup called Jo Jo Gunne, pretty good rock albums.
Superb band. One of the greatest and most under appreciated from the late 60's psych period. So eclectic. Randy gets most of the kudos, but Jay Ferguson was responsible for writing so much of their best material, and i loved his harder rocking post Spirit band Jo Jo Gunne which i would be interested to hear your ranking of Pete.
Jo Jo Gunne - mine would be: 1. S/T debut 2. Bite Down Hard 3. Jumpin' The Gunne 4. So...Where's The Show 5. Big Chain So in other words in chronological order. All are good/very good except for that last one which is a reunion album (I only liked one track)...
Spirit was very talented band but they never gain much popularity outside of the LA area. My ranking is the same as Pete's. Twelve dreams of dr. Sardonicus is not only their best album but one of the best albums of the early seventies. I especially like the second side starting with Space Child, When I Touch You, Street Worm, Life Has Just Begun, Morning Will Come, and Soldier.
Love has found a way from “Twelve Dreams” is my favorite Spirit song. It kinda reminds me of the style and melody of Frank Zappa & The Original Members Of Invention from the mid 60s. The intro just comes at you and out of nowhere. Like Pete mentioned with each track, you really don’t know what to expect. I’m so glad that I revisited that album in 2012.
I first heard of Spirit from the Led Zeppelin controversy. I quickly checked out their discography and the title "Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus" stood out. I have it on a list of albums to check out and can't wait to get to it.
I listened to their WHOLE catalog a couple of weeks ago. Other than the first four, not many did much for me other than "Rapture in the Chambers" from 1989. I like that one, but it has some nostalgia value for me, too. I would rank the first four the same as you did. I've always enjoyed Randy California's first solo album ("Kapt. Kopter..."), too. Thanks for the video, Pete!
I bought their little "classic albums" CD box set about 3 months ago. And i dug what i heard. It's fun to take dives into bands you only know one or two songs by.
Same here. I'm glad I bought them this way otherwise I would have only bought the first four, skipping Feedback. It's not as good as the first four, but if the first four are 4.5-5/5 albums Feedback is a 4/5.
I have no idea how this band has been almost sidelined in the rock history... the ones who know, know them pretty well but the word on Spirit should be carried through to younger generations.. they were very good in many many ways and very enjoyable!!
I know it's essentially a Randy California solo album, but Spirit of 76 is really essential listening, and also quite bonkers. Kahuna dreams also great, but requires hitting the old jazz cabbage.
I'm going to include Feedback with the Staehely Brothers. 1. 12 Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus 2. Spirit 3. The Family That Plays Together 4. Clear 5. Feedback
Those first four albums all contain great music and in fact the very first track ( Fresh Garbage) on the self titled debut is for me the definitive Spirit song. However what makes 12 Dreams such a masterpiece is that it is one of those albums where the total is greater than the sum of its parts- it just sounds so great and arguably a bit ahead of its time production wise.
1) Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus 2) Spirit 3) The Family That Plays Together 4) Clear 5) Spirit of ‘76 6) Son of Spirit 7) Father Along 8) The Adventures of Kaptain Kopter & Commander Cassidy in Potato Land 9) Feedback 10) Future Games 11) Rapture in the Chambers 12) California Blues 13) Tent of Miracles
The last album to feature the original lineup (except Jay Ferguson) was "Rapture in the Chambers". It is worth a listen to real Spirit fans. "The Other Song" (from Son of Spirit) is also worth mentioning.
I disagree that people only care about their first four albums. I love Spirit of '76, their sixth album from 1975. I like this just as much as Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus. It's different, though. Wiki says, "...many fans consider it to be one of Spirit's best albums." I see that reflected in the comments here. Almost all the songs were written by and played by Randy California and Ed Cassidy.
I heard that either Randy California, or Ed Cassidy said that The Twelve Dreams, started out as a concept, but they couldn't think of a Concept. Still waiting for a Kate Bush show. I know Pete doesn't care for them. There has been volunteers, I Believe Martin Poppoff,and some folks of In the Prog Seat.
Also: Chronicles 1967-1992, The Complete Potatoland, Fresh From The Time Coast (The Best Of 1968-1977), Sunrise & Salvation - The Mercury Era Anthology & Time Circle (1968-1972)
You got to remember Randy was only 17 when he recorded their debut. They put out some good records after the first four. Should of gave Jay Ferguson more love, started Jo Jo Gunne and released 5 excellent solo albums. Remember when Randy drowned in 1997, sad day, but he did save his son.
Feedback is actually really good, it's just missing Randy. My rankings would be the same. What's funny is everyone notices the Stairway/Taurus similarity but no one mentions a keyboard part on another song that sounds just like what The Doors would use on Riders on the Storm.
Their strength was having 3 brilliant musicians in Randy California, Ed Cassidy and John Locke - it was a genuine band not dominated by one person, with song writing contributions from California, Locke and Ferguson. Cassidy brought in some great jazzy drumming (being a generation older and having played with jazz and blues musicians), Locke brought in the jazz fusion element in his electric piano playing and brilliant instrumentals like Fog and Ice. The dream-like lyrics on Silky Sam and an early example of eco-conscious lyrics on Nature's Way are brilliant too. It's a pity there isn't a good quality live recording of the band circa 1969/70. There is a bonus live disc with the recent reissue of Dr Sardonicus but the sound quality isn't great. Obviously, their first 4 albums are the classics but later highlights include Future Games (great use of sampled soundbites between songs from Star Trek and Kermit The Frog!) and the Randy California solo album Kaptain Kopter and the Fabulous Twirlybirds (which is more Hendrix influenced and featured Noel Redding guesting under a pseudonym).
Mark Andes was no slouch either - went on to play in Canned Heat, Jo Jo Gunne, Firefall & Heart...Future Games is one of my faves (after the first 4) but not for everyone...The set called The Complete Potatoland (credited to the band but really also a California solo project) was also released (partially-remixed with added overdubs) under the name The Adventures Of Kaptain Kopter And Commander Cassidy In Potatoland (1981) - the other use of Randy's Kapt Kopter identity. These are California/Cassidy recordings (plus John Locke) from 1972/73 while Spirit was 'on break'. Fabulous Twirlybirds might be Randy's 'hardest' album - a lot of people mention it as a favorite along with Spirit's first four. He does rip into "Day Tripper" - sounds to me very much like a Hendrix-like take on the song. "Mother and Child Reunion" sounds a little weird. I like "Things Yet to Come" very much. Too bad the vocals on "Rain" are so (intentionally) obscured. Cool Hawaiian slide on "Walkin' the Dog" & "Live For The Day" is more Hendrix. Redding on bass on 3 tracks. Overall a very solid outing. I have some other California solo albums like Euro - American (1982 & his 2nd solo record - not great/weird mix of styles with 3 good tracks but all Spirit members contribute), Shattered Dreams (1986-pretty good 7 minute "Hey Joe" workout, some heavier tracks), the 1986 boot Restless ("One Man's Heaven" is Randy shredding & "Camelot" is good)...There also a RC compilation called The Euro-American Years 1979-1983 (a 6 disk box set) - these are demos/alternate versions/live numbers plus it pulls together some other solo material. Interesting stuff (especially disks 1 & 4), it's 80's-heavy but many solid tracks that show off different sides of his songwriting. Disk 6 has a lot of live solo takes on Spirit classics from the early 80's but the sound quality's poor - I really wish there were some high quality live Spirit recordings from back in the day (there are some random live tracks on Son Of America, Chronicles, etc but not many). The closest is the 1991 Last Euro Tour set but that's from '91
@@wolf1977 Thanks for your interesting notes. I was tempted by that Euro American boxset when it came out. Based on your summary I may just get it! I enjoyed the Potatoland boxset released in 2022. Mark Andes appears on the 'Spirit - Salvation... The Spirit Of '74' live box set and his playing is a lot more audible on that. I agree that The Fabulous Twirlybirds album is probably his heaviest. I guess the production, with lots of reverb and effects on the vocals was a bit dated by the time it came out but I really like it (it reminds me of the production on the first 3 Jimi Hendrix Experience albums). I think it shows Hendrix's influence on the production side as well as the playing. I'm not sure how much time Randy California hung our with him but I guess he was a quick learner! P.S. are you by any chance related to Randy California (I noticed your surname)?
@@DarkSideOfTheMoule That box set is good especially if you're a big California/Spirit fan - a lot of stuff I didn't previously own. I don't think he & Hendrix spent that much time together - I believe it was only 1966 & not even that entire year...No, no relation
Pete -- I have to respectfully disagree with your decision to rank only the first four because they are the "classic" lineup, and even more so in your characterization that the albums that came afterward bore the name but were perhaps not true Spirit because of the lineups. Let me ask you a question. Blue Oyster Cult only has Eric and Buck as originals, yet are they not still BOC? Look at the personnel changes Deep Purple has gone through, but are they not still Deep Purple? The list of morphed bands is endless. I will agree that comprehending the lineup gets messy down the road, but all those albums are still Spirit. There are many great albums in there. The only one that is not Spirit is Randy's first Kapt. Kopter album. I like to think I've got a pretty complete Spirit collection, and California's songwriting, singing, and playing are, for me, pleasantly calming. The middle material is probably my favorite time slot. Anyway, the ranking should go beyond the first four. Thanks for everything you do.
Prior to Pete’s announcement/ I knew like 3 or 4 songs ( minor hits). Listen , to these 4 allllll week . Have my ranking by ten am tomorrow. Thx Pete for these rankings 👍💯
After like 8 listens each - I’ll go. 1- 7️⃣0️⃣- Twelve dreams of Dr. SARDONICUS 2-6️⃣9️⃣-CLEAR 3-6️⃣8️⃣ The family that plays TOGETHER 4- 6️⃣8️⃣- SPIRIT. Thx for these rankings Pete. 👍💯
In agreement that the first 4 are the true spirit albums because of the original lineup. I am surprised Model Shop didn't at least get a mention. After trying to find some of the early magic in the other lineup releases, it was like seeing an old friend again. I wonder if you liked Rare Earth at all? They made some great music and it would be interesting in the least trying to rate their Lp output. Probably not.
I have that soundtrack, almost all instrumental - much of it to me sounds too much like a film soundtrack (if you know what I mean) instead of a group record. Very jazzy but California's playing a la Spirit does comes through at times. TBH jst an OK record for me, I like their vocal stuff more ("Now Or Anywhere" which has vocals is all over the place). "Green Gorilla" & "Eventide" made it onto the band's Time Circle collection. I believe that they used some of this material to make Clear - "Coral" in shorter form appears as a bonus track on the Clear rerelease. "Aren't You Glad" is included in early demo form (looks like maybe not on the original version of this soundtrack & added later), the final/longer version is included on their The Family That Plays Together album. Another Spirit album that could be mentioned is their final 1984 reunion album called The Thirteenth Dream (aka Spirit of '84). Only 3 new tracks ("All Over The World" is pretty good), the rest are rerecorded versions of some of their classic tunes. Not that great as a result, those rerecordings are OK but not better than the originals (it does include a 7+ minute version of "I Got A Line On You" that's posted on YT & jams out pretty hard) - but the band lineup is stellar: all 5 original members plus Bob Welch, Skunk Baxter, Joe Lala & Howard Leese (Heart)
I personally love 1977's Future Games but it's pretty weird - not for everyone...Others that're good: The Complete Potatoland, Feedback, Farther Along, Two Sides Of A Rainbow: Live At The Rainbow 1978, The Lat Euro Tour, Son Of America...Of course their several collections too
Since we're in a questioning type mood, when rock fans are asked "who is the greatest band of all time?" Led Zeppelin sure comes up a lot. Dig Spirit, came late to their music, but making up for it in a big way! Stunningly eclectic band! If Page did indeed lift from Spirit's Taurus song - he shows killer taste in music, once again!
This video speaks volumes of your ignorance or pander to well-known laziness of average American listener . To reduce Spirit music only on first four albums edges on travesty. It also negates Randy' audacity and his genius to keep producing great Spirit albums well into 70's.
Spirit a band that doesn't get a ton of recognition, howevèr a ton of other groups full discography gets ranked without original members to name a few Kiss, Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Iron Maiden. Just my observation.
Do you have an opinion on Kapt Kopter and the Fabulous Twirlybirds project? it's very different. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kapt._Kopter_and_the_(Fabulous)_Twirly_Birds
The first four albums are legendary.
The compilation Time Circle is a great way to discover this band.
"The first four albums are legendary" - without a doubt, I think they can stand up very well to anyone else's first 4. "I Got A Line On You" is a pretty much perfect pop tune, and "Nature's Way" is brilliant (for some reason in my head I always pair it with Ten Years After's "I'd Love To Change The World"). 12 Dreams is their magnum opus - really one of THE greatest ever albums by anyone (especially for its time)! Time Circle is great, also the comps Chronicles 1967-1992 & Sunrise & Salvation - The Mercury Era Anthology...For a 'wacky' Spirit album try Future Games - more a collection of musical ideas than actual full-blown songs held together with snippets of Star Trek outtakes & quotes - I love it! One of my very favorite bands...
I love the Rockpalast Concert 1978 and the Album Spirit of 76
RIP Randy. Died a hero.
Yes - Randy died trying to save - I believe his son - from drowning in Hawaii. His son survived but Randy unfortunately did not. And 12 Dreams is DEFINITELY the best Spirit album in my opinion.
Spirit is my favourite American band.
Twelve dreams of dr. Sardonicus is my all time favourite album. The only album I can think of that is flawless from start to finish!
Have you listened to Spirit of '76? I like it just as well! It's different, but great IMO.
Jay Ferguson Thunder Island ! Not a Spirit number but what a track, ya know ? Jack was Randy's step father. Their management decided that playing a gig at the Woodstock Festival in August 1969 was not a good idea.
Jay Ferguson’s Run run run, with Jo Jo Gunne is also awesome. He is an incredible but sadly underrated composer.
@@M.Robespierre3691 Yeah I like that.
Loved Spirit (early albums are fine) and the 12 Dreams still is a regular listen in my house. Cheers
Brian
Fantastic, underrared band. Love them.
The spirit of 76 is right up there.
Yeah, those first four albums were excellent. Love the diversity of musical styles. Very unique and maybe a little too unorthodox for mass commercial success, but that`s to their credit.
Good ranking -- 12 Dreams is one of my desert island albums. In the 60s, in his teens, Randy purportedly picked up his bluesy-rock style playing with Hendrix in some Greenwich Village pubs. Ed was also his father in-law, which perhaps accounts for the funky groove between the two. Saw them several times in the early 70s, including at Richards in Atlanta, where I recall Randy was walking around the crowd between sets proclaiming "bubble gum power", handing out bubblegum to the audience. Great live show.
Not a popular opinion I'm sure, but my favorite Spirit album *by far* is Spirit Of 76. What a great messy sprawling album that exudes Randy California's personality. Probably didn't hurt that it was the soundtrack to a summer when I lived in Florida and made surreptitious visits to local cow pastures! 😂
I agree.
Me too. Saw em live in Gainesville that year.
The first album displayed a brilliant band right out of the box. Musically, as good as anything that was going on at the time.
Time Circle is indeed a great 2CD complilation. Mechanical World and Nature's Way are among my favorites tunes from that period of early FM rock. A musically unique and extremely entertaining band. Good choice Pete!
Saw them in '73 with Robin Trower backing them up when Bridge Of Sighs came out.Randy California and Ed Cassidy played he also was California's step father.Randy also played with Hendrix when he was 14.Jimi wanted to take him to Europe but Randy's mother wouldn't let him go
Spirit plus Trower...Now that's a show! Yep California was in Hendrix's short-lived band Jimmy James and the Blue Flames (with Danny Taylor of later band Silver Apples) - this was 1966, shortly after ending his 'Chitlin' Circuit' R&B tours backing up others - and that's when Chas Chandler first heard Jimi
Finally Spirit gets the spotlight on this channel.
1. Spirit
2. Clear
3. The Family That Plays Together
4, twelve Dreams Of Dr. Sardonicus
Shut the front door! Randy California will finally get some more than honorable mention on this channel. Only "Twelve Dreams" can be anyone's #1.
Randy's first solo album is really fun!
i go with family that plays together..
Don't forget Randy' great contribution to Red Shift on P Hammill's masterpiece Silent Corner and the Emtpy Stage
Thanks Pete. I could use a "10 Psychedelic Albums a Newbie Needs to Own" 🤞🤞🤞🤞
That's not a bad idea!
Cheers Pete. One of my favourite bands. What helped make them so good is having a rock bass player (Mark Andes) playing with 2 jazzers ( keys John Locke and Ed Cassidy) then add in great harmonies (Jay Ferguson and Randy California) with an absolutely top notch guitar player (Randy California) and you get a fantastic musical mix. Add in loads of ideas and influences alongside the rock/jazz background such as psychedelia, folk, country and you get a top top top notch band. I like there later stuff but for me the first 4 are the best and Sardonicus one of the best ever
I got into Spirit only about six months ago, so I shall watch this! (I wish it was a panel discussion though.)
Pete, been looking forward to this since you first announced this ranking. A way-too overlooked band from the period. Have often spoken about the older brother brining music into the house but it was my younger sister, having just become a teenager a few weeks before its release, that brought Twelve Dreams Of Dr. Sardonicus into the house [finally ending her love of 60s bubble gum music] and telling me I had to hear it. Remains my favorite of the first four. And while I've Got A Line On You remains a brilliant and near-perfect, if not in fact perfect, song, it is the spookiness of Mechanical World from the debut that is the first song can remember hearing from the band on the transistor radios of the day. It seems a bit spooky to this then-12-year-old-kid but I always loved hearing it. Great ranking episode. Always enjoy when you reach back and rank some of the albums of this time but that just shows my ever-increasing years on planet. Thanks again, Pete.
Spirit's Randy California! A very fine guitarist. In fact, so fine, he stepped in for an ailing Ritchie Blackmore one night in 1972 when Deep Purple played Quebec City. Lots of clips of that show here on YT if you want to search for them.
Oh, I had not heard that. I will try to find them, I would love to see those!
I think it is fair to treat the first 4 Spirit albums separate and apart from the later albums. But I think it is a mistake to discount them as the later band featured a laid back psychedlic sound anchored by amazing guitar work. There is one stone cold classic - Spirit of 76 - which would rate as my number 2 Spirit album behind Sardonicus. Esoteric has released a series of Randy California era Spirit reissues and boxes loaded with unreleased tracks, demos and live shows. Perhaps the best place to start is with Two Sides of A Rainbow - Live At The Rainbow 1978. This set gives you the entire concert which was the basis for the highly edited and augmented Live Spirit release and leaves that one in the dust.
12 Dreams is a desert island disc for me, easily in my Top 10 albums all time. I did manage to see them (I think around 1995, just a couple of years before Randy died, just a 3 piece of Randy, Ed and Scott Monahan). It was an very small bar in Winter Park FL with maybe 20 people there. I managed to have a small chat with Randy and asked him if he had any memories of playing on Peter Hammill's Red Shift (he didn't have much interesting to say). Also worth mentioning is the band Jay Ferguson and Mark Andes formed after the breakup called Jo Jo Gunne, pretty good rock albums.
Superb band. One of the greatest and most under appreciated from the late 60's psych period. So eclectic. Randy gets most of the kudos, but Jay Ferguson was responsible for writing so much of their best material, and i loved his harder rocking post Spirit band Jo Jo Gunne which i would be interested to hear your ranking of Pete.
Jo Jo Gunne - mine would be:
1. S/T debut
2. Bite Down Hard
3. Jumpin' The Gunne
4. So...Where's The Show
5. Big Chain
So in other words in chronological order. All are good/very good except for that last one which is a reunion album (I only liked one track)...
@@wolf1977 - Bite Down Hard, Jumpin' The Gunne, s/t, So Where's the Show in that order for me. I feel like you about the re-union album.
Spirit was very talented band but they never gain much popularity outside of the LA area. My ranking is the same as Pete's. Twelve dreams of dr. Sardonicus is not only their best album but one of the best albums of the early seventies. I especially like the second side starting with Space Child, When I Touch You, Street Worm, Life Has Just Begun, Morning Will Come, and Soldier.
Love has found a way from “Twelve Dreams” is my favorite Spirit song. It kinda reminds me of the style and melody of Frank Zappa & The Original Members Of Invention from the mid 60s. The intro
just comes at you and out of nowhere. Like Pete mentioned with each track, you really don’t know
what to expect. I’m so glad that I revisited that album in 2012.
You need to hear the double album Spirit of'76
Yeah maybe their greatest in fact
Your ranking was spot on. I love these 4 albums!
12 Dreams is a must have,way before its time! Been listening to it for 50 years!
I first heard of Spirit from the Led Zeppelin controversy. I quickly checked out their discography and the title "Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus" stood out. I have it on a list of albums to check out and can't wait to get to it.
I listened to their WHOLE catalog a couple of weeks ago. Other than the first four, not many did much for me other than "Rapture in the Chambers" from 1989. I like that one, but it has some nostalgia value for me, too. I would rank the first four the same as you did. I've always enjoyed Randy California's first solo album ("Kapt. Kopter..."), too. Thanks for the video, Pete!
I bought their little "classic albums" CD box set about 3 months ago. And i dug what i heard. It's fun to take dives into bands you only know one or two songs by.
Absolutely 💯
Same here. I'm glad I bought them this way otherwise I would have only bought the first four, skipping Feedback. It's not as good as the first four, but if the first four are 4.5-5/5 albums Feedback is a 4/5.
Never heard of spirit can't wait to checkout all the album's you ranked thanks again pete !
I always reach for spirit of 76,when I'm in the mood for some Randy California. 12 Dreams is a work of art though.
Yes! Those two albums are both stellar.
I have no idea how this band has been almost sidelined in the rock history... the ones who know, know them pretty well but the word on Spirit should be carried through to younger generations.. they were very good in many many ways and very enjoyable!!
Absolutely brilliant band.
Clear / The Family .... / Debut / 12 Dreams ... The tune "Caught" from "Clear" is much more of a cool 60's jazz style, which Ed Cassidy excelled at.
I know it's essentially a Randy California solo album, but Spirit of 76 is really essential listening, and also quite bonkers. Kahuna dreams also great, but requires hitting the old jazz cabbage.
I need to revisit this band and pull out my vinyl albums. I don't own the first one. Randy was on Kapt. Kopter and the fabulous twirly birds
Excelent ranking of the four albums by Spirit Pete.I have the albums,their great albums.
I'm going to include Feedback with the Staehely Brothers.
1. 12 Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus
2. Spirit
3. The Family That Plays Together
4. Clear
5. Feedback
Just picked up Feedback CD, at my local Book Off, used and dirt cheap! What a find, absolutely stellar album from start to finish!
First “guitar” album I got into
Was Twelve Dreams
8 years old…
Those first four albums all contain great music and in fact the very first track ( Fresh Garbage) on the self titled debut is for me the definitive Spirit song. However what makes 12 Dreams such a masterpiece is that it is one of those albums where the total is greater than the sum of its parts- it just sounds so great and arguably a bit ahead of its time production wise.
Thanks, Pete!
1) Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus
2) Spirit
3) The Family That Plays Together
4) Clear
5) Spirit of ‘76
6) Son of Spirit
7) Father Along
8) The Adventures of Kaptain Kopter & Commander Cassidy in Potato Land
9) Feedback
10) Future Games
11) Rapture in the Chambers
12) California Blues
13) Tent of Miracles
The last album to feature the original lineup (except Jay Ferguson) was "Rapture in the Chambers". It is worth a listen to real Spirit fans. "The Other Song" (from Son of Spirit) is also worth mentioning.
Waited a long time for this one and I agree with only doing the first 4.
I disagree that people only care about their first four albums. I love Spirit of '76, their sixth album from 1975. I like this just as much as Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus. It's different, though. Wiki says, "...many fans consider it to be one of Spirit's best albums." I see that reflected in the comments here. Almost all the songs were written by and played by Randy California and Ed Cassidy.
Yes, great to see all the love for Spirit of 76!
I heard that either Randy California, or Ed Cassidy said that The Twelve Dreams, started out as a concept, but they couldn't think of a Concept. Still waiting for a Kate Bush show. I know Pete doesn't care for them. There has been volunteers, I Believe Martin Poppoff,and some folks of In the Prog Seat.
Esoteric has a 5cd box set, It shall be: 1968-1972. it has everything on the ode/epic label. it's a great collection.
Also: Chronicles 1967-1992, The Complete Potatoland, Fresh From The Time Coast (The Best Of 1968-1977), Sunrise & Salvation - The Mercury Era Anthology & Time Circle (1968-1972)
You got to remember Randy was only 17 when he recorded their debut. They put out some good records after the first four. Should of gave Jay Ferguson more love, started Jo Jo Gunne and released 5 excellent solo albums. Remember when Randy drowned in 1997, sad day, but he did save his son.
I’m excited to see the video. Never heard of them
Feedback is actually really good, it's just missing Randy. My rankings would be the same. What's funny is everyone notices the Stairway/Taurus similarity but no one mentions a keyboard part on another song that sounds just like what The Doors would use on Riders on the Storm.
Their strength was having 3 brilliant musicians in Randy California, Ed Cassidy and John Locke - it was a genuine band not dominated by one person, with song writing contributions from California, Locke and Ferguson. Cassidy brought in some great jazzy drumming (being a generation older and having played with jazz and blues musicians), Locke brought in the jazz fusion element in his electric piano playing and brilliant instrumentals like Fog and Ice.
The dream-like lyrics on Silky Sam and an early example of eco-conscious lyrics on Nature's Way are brilliant too.
It's a pity there isn't a good quality live recording of the band circa 1969/70. There is a bonus live disc with the recent reissue of Dr Sardonicus but the sound quality isn't great.
Obviously, their first 4 albums are the classics but later highlights include Future Games (great use of sampled soundbites between songs from Star Trek and Kermit The Frog!) and the Randy California solo album Kaptain Kopter and the Fabulous Twirlybirds (which is more Hendrix influenced and featured Noel Redding guesting under a pseudonym).
Mark Andes was no slouch either - went on to play in Canned Heat, Jo Jo Gunne, Firefall & Heart...Future Games is one of my faves (after the first 4) but not for everyone...The set called The Complete Potatoland (credited to the band but really also a California solo project) was also released (partially-remixed with added overdubs) under the name The Adventures Of Kaptain Kopter And Commander Cassidy In Potatoland (1981) - the other use of Randy's Kapt Kopter identity. These are California/Cassidy recordings (plus John Locke) from 1972/73 while Spirit was 'on break'.
Fabulous Twirlybirds might be Randy's 'hardest' album - a lot of people mention it as a favorite along with Spirit's first four. He does rip into "Day Tripper" - sounds to me very much like a Hendrix-like take on the song. "Mother and Child Reunion" sounds a little weird. I like "Things Yet to Come" very much. Too bad the vocals on "Rain" are so (intentionally) obscured. Cool Hawaiian slide on "Walkin' the Dog" & "Live For The Day" is more Hendrix. Redding on bass on 3 tracks. Overall a very solid outing.
I have some other California solo albums like Euro - American (1982 & his 2nd solo record - not great/weird mix of styles with 3 good tracks but all Spirit members contribute), Shattered Dreams (1986-pretty good 7 minute "Hey Joe" workout, some heavier tracks), the 1986 boot Restless ("One Man's Heaven" is Randy shredding & "Camelot" is good)...There also a RC compilation called The Euro-American Years 1979-1983 (a 6 disk box set) - these are demos/alternate versions/live numbers plus it pulls together some other solo material. Interesting stuff (especially disks 1 & 4), it's 80's-heavy but many solid tracks that show off different sides of his songwriting. Disk 6 has a lot of live solo takes on Spirit classics from the early 80's but the sound quality's poor - I really wish there were some high quality live Spirit recordings from back in the day (there are some random live tracks on Son Of America, Chronicles, etc but not many). The closest is the 1991 Last Euro Tour set but that's from '91
@@wolf1977 Thanks for your interesting notes.
I was tempted by that Euro American boxset when it came out. Based on your summary I may just get it! I enjoyed the Potatoland boxset released in 2022.
Mark Andes appears on the 'Spirit - Salvation... The Spirit Of '74' live box set and his playing is a lot more audible on that.
I agree that The Fabulous Twirlybirds album is probably his heaviest. I guess the production, with lots of reverb and effects on the vocals was a bit dated by the time it came out but I really like it (it reminds me of the production on the first 3 Jimi Hendrix Experience albums). I think it shows Hendrix's influence on the production side as well as the playing. I'm not sure how much time Randy California hung our with him but I guess he was a quick learner!
P.S. are you by any chance related to Randy California (I noticed your surname)?
@@DarkSideOfTheMoule That box set is good especially if you're a big California/Spirit fan - a lot of stuff I didn't previously own. I don't think he & Hendrix spent that much time together - I believe it was only 1966 & not even that entire year...No, no relation
I’m with you on that 👍
Pete -- I have to respectfully disagree with your decision to rank only the first four because they are the "classic" lineup, and even more so in your characterization that the albums that came afterward bore the name but were perhaps not true Spirit because of the lineups. Let me ask you a question. Blue Oyster Cult only has Eric and Buck as originals, yet are they not still BOC? Look at the personnel changes Deep Purple has gone through, but are they not still Deep Purple? The list of morphed bands is endless. I will agree that comprehending the lineup gets messy down the road, but all those albums are still Spirit. There are many great albums in there. The only one that is not Spirit is Randy's first Kapt. Kopter album. I like to think I've got a pretty complete Spirit collection, and California's songwriting, singing, and playing are, for me, pleasantly calming. The middle material is probably my favorite time slot. Anyway, the ranking should go beyond the first four. Thanks for everything you do.
Good ranking. On e suggestion, Pete. Could you give some label names when you mention remasters?
"Feedback" not on the list but I highly recommend, solid album!
Great band!!!!!
Prior to Pete’s announcement/ I knew like 3 or 4 songs ( minor hits). Listen , to these 4 allllll week . Have my ranking by ten am tomorrow. Thx Pete for these rankings 👍💯
After like 8 listens each - I’ll go. 1- 7️⃣0️⃣- Twelve dreams of Dr. SARDONICUS 2-6️⃣9️⃣-CLEAR 3-6️⃣8️⃣ The family that plays TOGETHER 4- 6️⃣8️⃣- SPIRIT. Thx for these rankings Pete. 👍💯
12 Dreams is a drop dead all time classic album.
Really tough to argue that 12 Dreams isn't their masterpiece...That doesn't mean there aren't other really good Spirit (and Randy solo) albums
I think the four LPs after 12 Dreams are pretty good. They contain at least ten songs and some beautiful covers.
In agreement that the first 4 are the true spirit albums because of the original lineup. I am surprised Model Shop didn't at least get a mention. After trying to find some of the early magic in the other lineup releases, it was like seeing an old friend again. I wonder if you liked Rare Earth at all? They made some great music and it would be interesting in the least trying to rate their
Lp output. Probably not.
I have that soundtrack, almost all instrumental - much of it to me sounds too much like a film soundtrack (if you know what I mean) instead of a group record. Very jazzy but California's playing a la Spirit does comes through at times. TBH jst an OK record for me, I like their vocal stuff more ("Now Or Anywhere" which has vocals is all over the place). "Green Gorilla" & "Eventide" made it onto the band's Time Circle collection. I believe that they used some of this material to make Clear - "Coral" in shorter form appears as a bonus track on the Clear rerelease. "Aren't You Glad" is included in early demo form (looks like maybe not on the original version of this soundtrack & added later), the final/longer version is included on their The Family That Plays Together album.
Another Spirit album that could be mentioned is their final 1984 reunion album called The Thirteenth Dream (aka Spirit of '84). Only 3 new tracks ("All Over The World" is pretty good), the rest are rerecorded versions of some of their classic tunes. Not that great as a result, those rerecordings are OK but not better than the originals (it does include a 7+ minute version of "I Got A Line On You" that's posted on YT & jams out pretty hard) - but the band lineup is stellar: all 5 original members plus Bob Welch, Skunk Baxter, Joe Lala & Howard Leese (Heart)
"Spirit of 76" and "Son of Spirit" are not bad records. Some good stuff on them. But the first four are where all the meat and innovation are.
I personally love 1977's Future Games but it's pretty weird - not for everyone...Others that're good: The Complete Potatoland, Feedback, Farther Along, Two Sides Of A Rainbow: Live At The Rainbow 1978, The Lat Euro Tour, Son Of America...Of course their several collections too
Spirit................................... Rules
Can't disagree with this ranking. Mr Skin off Twelve dreams is such a fantastic song. All four albums are up there for me.
How about an Ekseption ranking.
Somebody should ask Jimmy Page what his favorite Spirit albums are.
I'd guess the song "Taurus" would be mentioned by Jimmy. :)
Somebody should ask him what his favorite blues albums are too.
I've never heard them.
Since we're in a questioning type mood, when rock fans are asked "who is the greatest band of all time?" Led Zeppelin sure comes up a lot. Dig Spirit, came late to their music, but making up for it in a big way! Stunningly eclectic band! If Page did indeed lift from Spirit's Taurus song - he shows killer taste in music, once again!
This video speaks volumes of your ignorance or pander to well-known laziness of average American listener . To reduce Spirit music only on first four albums edges on travesty. It also negates Randy' audacity and his genius to keep producing great Spirit albums well into 70's.
David Briggs created this masterpiece, Neil young main producer in his best years .
Can a Moby Grape episode be far off?🤷♂🤷♂
Spirit a band that doesn't get a ton of recognition, howevèr a ton of other groups full discography gets ranked without original members to name a few Kiss, Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Iron Maiden. Just my observation.
Yeah, it's not like Spirit is that much messier than a lot of other bands! But I'm fine with a limited ranking.
@scottmyers9360 as the group Spirit, they produced 15 albums. Which is an impressive feat for any group.
Do you think Kate Bush will ever get a ranking?
No.
They never liked to play long tracks .
Do you have an opinion on Kapt Kopter and the Fabulous Twirlybirds project? it's very different. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kapt._Kopter_and_the_(Fabulous)_Twirly_Birds
I like the vibe of this solo album..... It is worth grabbing.