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Thread: RIP Ed Cassidy, drummer for Spirit

  1. #1
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    RIP Ed Cassidy, drummer for Spirit

    Just saw this on The Dead Rock Stars Club site and Wikipedia. He died earlier today at the age of 89. Looks like I'll be listening to Spirit and Brubeck tonight...

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    Geriatric Anomaly progeezer's Avatar
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    RIP Ed! A truly nice man. (My then wife and I ran into Ed, Randy & Chris Andes at a bar in the village when they were in town to play Fillmore East (we were there one night) and all 3 couldn't have been more friendly).
    "My choice early in life was either to be a piano player in a whorehouse or a politician, and to tell the truth, there's hardly any difference"

    President Harry S. Truman

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    Progga mogrooves's Avatar
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    Arguably the best--certainly one of the best--American rock drummer at that time. RIP....
    Hell, they ain't even old-timey ! - Homer Stokes

  4. #4
    Gone to hook up with a Randy again... I loved Spirit and Ed was so much part of the sound and vibe of that band. Rest in peace.

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    Saw them in San Antonio about 40 years ago, great show.

  6. #6
    RIP Ed

    Been listening to a lot of Spirit over the past few months after picking up family that plays and Clear.

    Mo, i actually thought his playing was at it's best when he just fit in his jazz stuff, he was really good at juxtaposing bop lines within rock songs.He didn't seem to have the same handle or feel for rock playing-often just simplifying things down to a very basic 4\4-but a good colour man overall, still.A lot of the American West Coast drummers from that era seemed to have similar issues getting used to rock at first.Densmore, Dryden etc took a couple albums to hit their stride.

    Favourite playing: Fresh Garbage, Apple Orchard, So little time to Fly, Gramophone man(the little cymbal and snare break)

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    Progga mogrooves's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by soundsweird View Post
    Saw them in San Antonio about 40 years ago, great show.
    I first caught them in '68 on a bill with BS&T. Good times.

    i actually thought his playing was at it's best when he just fit in his jazz stuff, he was really good at juxtaposing bop lines within rock songs. He didn't seem to have the same handle or feel for rock playing-often just simplifying things down to a very basic 4\4-but a good colour man overall, still. A lot of the American West Coast drummers from that era seemed to have similar issues getting used to rock
    Yeah, so many of the West Coast groups came out of folk music and were clueless about drumming. I agree that Ed had to adjust to rock style, but he was a drummer of considerable experience, which saved more than a few Spirit songs from flat-footed predictability.
    Hell, they ain't even old-timey ! - Homer Stokes

  8. #8
    Member sdavmor's Avatar
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    Sorry to hear this. But hey! Ed had a damn good run! He was no spring chicken when Spirit got started, so this was coming sooner rather than later. A great drummer by any yardstick.

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    That's Mr. to you, Sir!! Trane's Avatar
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    Well, I'm so happy that I caught Spirit at least once in my life (83, I believe)... one of the best concert I've been too

    RIP, Ed.
    my music collection increased tenfolds when I switched from drug-addicts to complete nutcases.

  10. #10
    Boo! walt's Avatar
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    RIP Ed Cassidy.I've only recently acquired the inexpensive 5cd box of Spirit's recordings and it has been a revelation.Such wonderful, creative music by a band too seldom spoken of.
    "please do not understand me too quickly"-andre gide

  11. #11
    Great musician in a very important band... RIP.
    Macht das ohr auf!

    COSMIC EYE RECORDS

  12. #12
    All Things Must Pass spellbound's Avatar
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    Sorry to hear this. I was, in the '60s, and will always remain, a huge fan of Spirit. Rest in peace, Ed.

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    Member rapidfirerob's Avatar
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    Loved his drumming and his spirit. Yes, I said that. Dr. Sardonicus is a classic for me. Saw them a few times in the 80s. Still had IT.

  14. #14
    meimjustalawnmower
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    Great loss, but he's with Randy again.
    I'm 54 and the dude was almost old enough to be my grandfather.

  15. #15
    RIP, Ed. Spirit was one of those lost bands that don't seem to get the reverence they truly deserve. Randy was one helluva player. I only wish he had a better singing voice, because that's probably what kept them from being a top ten favorite band of mine. I love the live work, but his voice really sounds bad on many of the recordings out there.

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    Member Lopez's Avatar
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    I responded to this thread on the main page where I mentioned how nice he was as a pen-pal to my daughter. I said it there and I'll say it again here, Ed Cassidy was a virtuoso drummer and a virtuoso human being.
    Lou

    Looking forward to my day in court.

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    I got The Family That Plays Together yesterday at Factory Records for $6.99(used). I wonder if it will make good headphone music?

  18. #18
    I was saddened al over again at the passing of Ed, then realised it was a resurrection of an old thread.

    The Family... is a wonderful album and sounds great on my headphones, it's been a favourite of mine since I discovered it in the 70's, and I rate it as high as Dr Sardonicus in that initial Spirit run... Enjoy!

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    Quote Originally Posted by Sunlight Caller View Post
    I was saddened al over again at the passing of Ed, then realised it was a resurrection of an old thread.

    The Family... is a wonderful album and sounds great on my headphones, it's been a favourite of mine since I discovered it in the 70's, and I rate it as high as Dr Sardonicus in that initial Spirit run... Enjoy!
    Sorry about that. I used the search function to find a thread about this underrated band. I thought I would post in this one. Ed's drumming really stands out. He should've gotten some work in fusion bands, as his drumming is jazzy and really swings.

  20. #20
    That's Mr. to you, Sir!! Trane's Avatar
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    mmmmhhhh!!!!... I just named their 12 Dreams as my ultimate year 1970 album with KC's Lizard...
    my music collection increased tenfolds when I switched from drug-addicts to complete nutcases.

  21. #21
    Member No Pride's Avatar
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    R.I.P. Ed.

    Spirit - s/t was one of THE greatest debuts by any American band in the '60s. IMO, of course.

  22. #22

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