Calling all Quatermass fans!
This is a thread for you. I discovered the band's debut in the fall of 1987, years after it's initial release, and fell in love with the music immediately. Time has not eroded that a smidgeon. They were under-rated, but ahead of their time, and had a unique, special musical chemistry that really impresses me to this day.
Any of you out there ever see the band live?
Any Quatermass stories to tell, people? Would love to hear from other fans.
"and what music unites, man should not take apart"-Helmut Koellen
I have the US pressing, which I found in the wild. Like it well enough, but it wasn't until the late 80s or early 90s that I found it, and they were well gone by then.
There was a US pressing? My copy was the German release. I didn’t think it was ever released in N.A. (maybe Canada, they sometimes get stuff we don’t here, like certain Krautrock albums and some Goblin LPs).Originally Posted by moecurlythanu
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MIKE (a.k.a. "Progbear")
“It doesn't get any more...like this. Than this.” --Anders Lundquist
N.P.:“Fantasy of Horses”-Rainbow Theatre
http://rateyourmusic.com/release/alb...uatermass_f10/
Great album cover!
qlpslv.jpg
I am a huge fan of this album. I am considering it as one of the best heavy progressive records ever. Intense, yet incredibly subtle and inventive.
For decades I thought it was called,Quartermass. I just see it that way at first, does anyone else?
Until I read your post, I always thought it was Quartermass and I've had the album for years. Shows that the brain sees what it wants regardless of the eye.
Last edited by Lopez; 04-12-2013 at 12:06 PM.
Lou
Looking forward to my day in court.
There was Quatermass II a few years back - they did an album, but I don't think it was good. One member of Quatermass was involved I think.
So I'm not the only one then.
A terrific LP overall, albeit with some (guitarless) Deep Purple-isms I could do without. Recommended.....
Caught them in '70 on a bill with the (drunken) Kinks and a down-at-the-heels Love.
Hell, they ain't even old-timey ! - Homer Stokes
No you're not. My first albums catalogue had them listed as Quartermass.
I had a chance to get their debut for a buck at a Record Theater closing sale years ago. Still kicking myself.
I need to check them out.
High Vibration Go On - R.I.P. Chris Squire
It had Quatermass drummer Mick Underwood on it. Unfortunately, it sounded nothing like the debut at all, and, yeah, it wasn't good.
"and what music unites, man should not take apart"-Helmut Koellen
Saw them way back in '70-wow!
"and what music unites, man should not take apart"-Helmut Koellen
My first CD i ever bought, in 1990, was the Quatermass debut.
"and what music unites, man should not take apart"-Helmut Koellen
Loved the LP since it came out in '69, but Quatermass II basically sucks ass.
Quatermass had a great keyboard player, one of the best of the era. Had the band continued for a few more years I'm sure he would be ranked nowadays with Emerson & Wakeman.
That keyboard player was Peter Robinson, who later played with Brand X and still later made his name as the soundtrack composer for dozens of films you've heard of.
This is a case when it's great to be old. I got the album a month or so after it first came out. Then was very fortunate to see them December 22 1970 at the Whisky a Go Go in Hollywood. The Whisky was an awesome place to see bands in those days because they did two complete sets. It was like seeing 2 concerts for the price of one. It wasn't long before they starting kicking everybody out after the first show and charging again for the second. Anyway Quatermass were absolutely Brilliant live! They played all those songs off that debut album with reckless abandon. Peter Robinson was a Monster live. Just unbelievable. I was in the front row of the balcony, which is close to the stage, maybe 35' away looking right down on Peter Robinson. His setup was a Hammond A3 with 2 Leslies and a Hohner Clavinet all going through Orange Amps and cabinets., and I remember John Gustafson using Orange Bass cabinets. They were very powerful live. One of the first non guitar Power Trios. One of my most memorable concerts.
^ wow.
There's a lot of albums to check out that feature Peter Robinson and John Gustafson. Episode Six, Brand X, Ian Gillian band, Hard Stuff, Stomu Yamashta, Suntreader w/Moriss Pert, - a real wealth of lesser-know-but-very-rewarding music!
"Always ready with the ray of sunshine"
Totally agree. This is "progressive rock'n'roll"! So much of its time, yet different from almost everything that came before it. They make even the usually dire white-Brit blues (as in "Post War, Saturday Echo") sound exciting, levelled and enigmatic. And they were great players and arrangers; Gustafsons soaringly emotional vox on "Good Lord Knows" contrasted with his hard rock antic on "Gemini" illustrates the versatility of the band's concept. And when those horns strike in "Laughin' Tackle" - its almost post-rock 20+ years before that actually happened. Add the finest Thorgerson sleeve of all time - IMHO.
Fabulous album! I actually prefer this to stuff like Rare Bird and Fields (although I really like them both).
"Improvisation is not an excuse for musical laziness" - Fred Frith
"[...] things that we never dreamed of doing in Crimson or in any band that I've been in," - Tony Levin speaking of SGM
So true, i highly regard all those artists you've mentioned, except Episode Six, which i haven't heard yet. And Gustafson and Robinson were together again in the seventies with Shawn Phillips, and then John Gustafson did a solo album called Goose Grease, which was recorded in '75, but not released until many years later, which is great, as well.
Quatermass's Peter Robinson sometimes gets confused with another keyboardist named Peter Robinson from the same era, who also went on to do music for TV and film! This other musician was a player in the early seventies fusion band Contraband, and later did a solo album called Phoenix Rising. They have now referred to themselves distinctly, as J. Peter Robinson (Quatermass, etc.) and Peter Manning Robinson (Contraband,etc.) to avoid confusion.
"and what music unites, man should not take apart"-Helmut Koellen
Brilliant album and PWSA absolutely kills! My only wish is that Robinson wouldn't have dropped in that angular solo in the middle which seems out of place, IMO.
The original Repertoire CD from 1990 sounds excellent. I owned the Japanese vinyl for a while and I could hardly tell them apart. Some of those early Rep CDs really are such great discs.
^jcleary, i love your story!
"and what music unites, man should not take apart"-Helmut Koellen
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