Randy California - The Euro-American Years 1979-1983 (6 CD, 2020)

 This set gathers together studio and live recordings made between 1979 and 1983 by the Randy California Band and additional live recordings by Spirit.

In mid-1979 the trio incarnation of SPIRIT broke up and Randy formed a new solo band and embarked on a European tour supporting Ian Gillan. After recording a series of demos further studio sessions produced the recordings which would form his solo album EURO-AMERICAN, released in 1982 (and included in this set). The original boxed set of THE EURO AMERICAN YEARS was compiled by Spirit archivist Mick Skidmore and was issued in 2006. The original concept for this box (which sold out very quickly in its first pressing, only to be consistently bootlegged in various countries via downloads and separate CDR discs for which the artists received no compensation) was to pull together the vast amount of music that Randy released during 1979-1983 period (although some tracks were recorded earlier and were shelved due to lack of a record deal).

Spirit - Rockpalast 78 - West Coast Legends Vol.3 [DVDRIP video, 2009 ]

 

Filmed on March 5th 1978 in Essen at the Grugahalle.

The appearance of the legendary rock group, Spirit, with guitarist Randy California and drummer Ed Cassidy at the Rockpalast-Festival on March 4th and 5th will be a notable event: is it the group's first concert in Europe after several years. For over ten years, the American group Spirit has been commonly recognized, on the whole, as one of the most influential and important rock groups. Their album 'Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus' is a rock classic. Formed in 1967, Spirit today represents the development of the music of the American west coast in all it's aspects.


A special highlight came towards the end of the show when Dickey Betts, who had appeared on stage with his band Great Southern before Spirit joined to band.

• Randy California - g/voc/Moog Taurus
• Ed Cassidy - dr
• Larry "Fuzzy" Knight - b

 

Spirit - Original Album Classics (5 CD, 2010/FLAC)

 

1968 Spirit

1968 The Family That Plays Together

1969 Clear

1970 Twelve Dreams Of Dr. Sardonicus

1972 Feedback

Spirit - Sons of America (3 CD, 2021/FLAC)

 Continuing their expansive remastering of the Spirit back catalogue, Esoteric Recordings follow the recent Euro-American Years box with the latest reissue Son of America, a two-disc compilation of 44 unreleased tracks originally released back in 2005 after Spirit frontman Randy California’s tragic death. Compiled by Spirit archivist Mick Skidmore, this triple disc set augments the original double album released back in 2005 with a third disc, consisting of a complete concert recorded for Radio-KPFK in April 1993 featuring the Randy California, Ed Cassidy and Scott Monahan line-up in full flight.

The first two discs are assorted recordings made by Randy and numerous collaborators for various projects that never came to fruition and so they don’t necessarily flow like an album. However, as an archive collection they are perfect additions to the catalogue, showing the methodology and intent behind Randy’s composition skills.

The final disc, here for the first time is an incendiary live performance, interspersed with inter-song commentary and questions from the radio presenter, and it shows the band relaxed and on fine form. The Spirit power trio of founder members California, Cassidy and Monahan are on fire in the live performances, with cuts like Elijah, Fresh Garbage, Mr Skin, 12,000 Miles and a superb cover of Red House. California’s guitar soars throughout, and he’s perfectly in sync with his musical foil and collaborator Cassady, whilst Monahan was a perfect addition to the band and they trio gel so well, bouncing off each other and bringing the songs to live in a contemporary fashion, without losing any of the magic.

- Randy California / guitar, vocals

- Ed Cassidy / percussion, drums

- John Locke / keyboards

- Jay Ferguson / guitar, vocals

- Mark Andes / bass, vocals

- Matt Andes / guitar, vocals

- Scott Monahan / keyboards, vocals

- Mike Nile / bass, vocals

- Janet Wolfe / backing vocals

- Bruce Gary / percussion, vocals

The Texas International Pop Festival 1969 [13 CD]

 

The Texas International Pop Festival was a music festival held at Lewisville, Texas, on Labor Day weekend, August 30-September 1, 1969. It occurred two weeks after Woodstock. The site for the event was the newly-opened Dallas International Motor Speedway, located on the east side of Interstate Highway 35E, across from the Round Grove Road intersection.

The festival was the brainchild of Angus G. Wynne III, son of Angus G. Wynne, the founder of the Six Flags Over Texas Amusement Park. Wynne was a concert promoter who had attended the Atlanta International Pop Festival on the July Fourth weekend. He decided to put a festival on near Dallas, and joined with the Atlanta festival's main organizer, Alex Cooley, forming the company Interpop Superfest.

Artists performing at the festival were: Led Zeppelin, B.B. King, Canned Heat, Chicago (then called Chicago Transit Authority), Delaney and Bonnie and Friends, Freddie King, Grand Funk Railroad, Herbie Mann, Incredible String Band, James Cotton, Janis Joplin, Johnny Winter, Nazz, Rotary Connection, Sam and Dave, Santana, Shiva's Headband, Sly and the Family Stone, Space Opera, Spirit, Sweetwater, Ten Years After and Tony Joe White.

Spirit- It Shall Be : Ode & Epic Recordings 1968-1972 (5 CD, 2018)

 

This 5CD clamshell box set, reissued by Esoteric Recordings this year, consists of one of the most legendary bands to come out of the West Coast psychedelic scene, Spirit. Formed from the Red Roosters in 1967, Spirit often flew under the radar and were regularly overlooked in the late ‘60s, but contained the late great Randy California in their ranks, just 16 years old when he played with Jimi Hendrix after first meeting at Manny’s Music in New York. California also made a guest appearance on Peter Hammill’s third studio album, The Silent Corner And The Empty Stage, on a track called Red Shift.

Alongside Randy California, the band featured Ed Cassidy on drums (Randy’s stepfather), John Locke on keyboards, Jay Ferguson on vocals and Mark Andes on bass guitar. Spirit were signed in late 1967 to Lou Adler’s Ode Records which was just starting up.

Spirit- The Complete Potatoland (4 CD, 2019)

 

Esoteric Recordings is pleased to announce the release of a 4 CD clamshell boxed set that gathers together all the recordings made for the classic "Potatoland" album by SPIRIT. The album was born in 1973 following the release of guitarist Randy California's "Kaptain Kopter and the Fabulous Twirlybirds" album (made shortly after his departure from Spirit). To promote his solo album California assembled a band to tour featuring original Spirit drummer Ed Cassidy and bass guitarist Larry "Fuzzy" Knight. Initially playing concerts in the Los Angeles area, the trio recorded two live performances at the studios of KPFK-FM in September 1972. Soon after the trio reverted to the name Spirit to undertake live work in Europe. Following these concerts Randy California and Ed Cassidy began work on the album "The Adventures of Kapt. Kopter and Commander Cody in Potatoland".