Record Reviews

STEPPENWOLF ~ AT YOUR BIRTHDAY PARTY / 7 BGO 336 (Barcode: 5017261203366) ~ USA ~ Classic Rock Recorded: 1969 - 1970 Released: 1996 3rd and 7th albums by US Rockers extraordinaire SteppenwolfFind albums by this artist, led by charismatic lead singer John KayFind albums by this artist, who also penned most of their material, presented here as a twofer. "At Your Birthday PartyFind albums with this title" was released following the two monster predecessors, which shaped the US Rock in many respects, and were truly impossible to follow. No wander the album was received coldly by critics, who considered it a much weaker release at the time, but in retrospect it is quite an excellent album in every respect. Rather that follow the pattern established by the two earlier albums, the band intentionally took a step back from the bluesy influences and expanded their repertoire to include Rock ballads, which worked out quite well. Considering the fact that the band was producing two albums yearly in the first phase of their existence, the entire output is truly amazing and definitely underappreciated. "7Find albums with this title" was the one before the last album recorded by the original incarnation of the band and is one of their strongest efforts, with excellent songwriting and perfect execution. It was their swan song in many respects, as the band would fall apart soon after, with just one more release up their sleeves. Although the band reformed later and in fact exists to this very day, the first glorious years and the first 8 albums are absolute Rock classics, sadly mostly forgotten and underappreciated. So here is a chance to re-examine their output and take another view at this great band, don´t miss it!

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STEPPENWOLF ~ EARLY STEPPENWOLF / FOR LADIES ONLY BGO 691 (Barcode: 5017261206916) ~ USA ~ Classic Rock Recorded: 1967 - 1971 Released: 2005 4th and 8th albums by US group SteppenwolfFind albums by this artist, which are in fact the earliest and the latest recordings by this band during their initial period of activity. It is quite astonishing to see how the group developed and changed in the short period of four years, with this change reflecting well the overall music scene dramatic developments during that period. Surprisingly (or perhaps not) "Early SteppenwolfFind albums with this title" was not really recorded by Steppenwolf, but by the group SparrowFind albums by this artist, which is the first outfit formed by vocalist John KayFind albums by this artist in Canada, and which eventually settled down on the West Coast and changed the name to Steppenwolf (with some minor lineup changes). Recorded live at the legendary SF "Matrix" club (owned by Jefferson AirplaneFind albums by this artist´s Marty BalinFind albums by this artist), the album is a phenomenal document of the West Coast music scene in 1967, when Rock music, heavily spiced by Psychedelic influences, was breaking all the barriers and moving forward at an incredible pace. The album includes an 21+ minutes version of "The Pusher", which is in fact a freely improvised modern music, having really very little to do with Rock per se, and being closer to Free Improvised Music or Contemporary Classical Music, with extended instrumental improvisations, sound effects, dramatic crescendos, etc. The atmosphere is not far removed form what other West Coast bands were doing at the time, with similar live recordings by the DoorsFind albums by this artist, Jefferson Airplane and Grateful DeadFind albums by this artist serving as proof. "For Ladies OnlyFind albums with this title", in complete contrast to its companion, presents a completely different musical approach, although separated by mere four years. The group was now past its commercial peak, reached with the release of their first two albums, and with a solid Blues-Rock / Hard Rock image and strong songwriting serving as their forte. For their swan song they mellowed up quite a bit, dedicating the album to the ladies in their lives and expressing a strong feminist view, quite contrary to usual chauvinistic approach of most Rock musicians. The songwriting and playing is still very strong, but it´s quite clear that the band was running out of wind and it was time to quit. Kay and various version of Steppenwolf were to appear again in the future and record more albums, but nothing ever would come close to the first eight glorious albums. A classic!

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STEPPENWOLF ~ LIVE BGO 412 (Barcode: 5017261204127) ~ USA ~ Classic Rock Recorded: 1970 Released: 1998 6th album by US Rockers extraordinaire SteppenwolfFind albums by this artist and the only official live recording (originally a double LP) by the classic lineup of the group, which was recorded at various locations in early 1970, when the group was touring supporting their latest studio album "MonsterFind albums with this title". They perform several tracks from the latest album, as well as a selection of their classic material from earlier albums. The group was in top form at the time and their performances are strong and convincing, with John KayFind albums by this artist firmly in the lead. Apart from the musical content, which is excellent, it is also a great opportunity to hear Kay´s commentary when introducing the tunes, which reflects upon the social / political upheaval in the US at the time, with Rock musicians often in the forefront of the struggle. Rock obviously had a serious role as a means of expression and active platform at the time, when most rockers were intelligent enough to have something to say in addition to playing music, times sadly long gone by now. This album can be used as a time machine; just crank up the volume, relax, close your eyes and here you go 40 years back in time, when Rock was Rock and music was music. Enjoy!

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STEPPENWOLF ~ MONSTER BGO 0126 (Barcode: 5017261201263) ~ USA ~ Classic Rock Recorded: 1969 Released: 1992 5th album by US Rockers extraordinaire SteppenwolfFind albums by this artist, led by charismatic lead singer John KayFind albums by this artist, who also penned most of their material, which is a great example of how Rock music became a most potent weapon during the social / political upheaval in the US at the time of its release. Most of the songs on this album are full of bitterness and sarcasm and bear strong commentary on the American political system and of course its involvement in the Vietnam War. Kay, as most rockers at the time, was a representative of the rebellious young generation, which looked upon politicians with disgust and despise, letting his opinion to be heard. Considering Rock´s immense popularity at the time, performers had a wide audience and therefore were widely influential, which was a major factor in their struggle for change. Of course in retrospect we all know that governments remained corrupt and often immoral, but the struggle brought these issues to the awareness of an entire generation. As to the music, it is as good as all Steppenwolf material at the time, although mostly dismissed by critics, which for some reason never really "got" the band´s fortes. This is Classic Rock, well written and well performed, which withstands the tides of time sans any inferiority complex. For the generation that never heard this music at the time it was created, here is an opportunity to plunge into history and enjoy it while doing it.

Updated: 28/02/2024Posted:

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STEPPENWOLF ~ SLOW FLUX / HOUR OF THE WOLF ACADIA 8109 (Barcode: 805772810921) ~ USA ~ Classic Rock Recorded: 1974 - 1975 Released: 2006 This is a reissue of the ninth and tenth albums by the great American Rock band SteppenwolfFind albums by this artist, led by the German born charismatic vocalist / songwriter John KayFind albums by this artist. These two albums were recorded after the band was inactive for a couple of years, during which Kay released his two solo albums ("Forgotten Songs & Unsung HeroesFind albums with this title" and "My Sportin` LifeFind albums with this title"), and is therefore considered as a reunion effort (first of several to come later). Founding group members: keyboardists Goldy McJohnFind albums by this artist and drummer Jerry EdmontonFind albums by this artist are also present with bassist George BiondoFind albums by this artist and new lead guitarist Bobby CochranFind albums by this artist. McJohn was replaced by keyboardist Andy ChapinFind albums by this artist on the second album included here. "Slow FluxFind albums with this title" is an excellent effort in the best Steppenwolf tradition, with strong rockers many of which are stylistically similar to the band´s best earlier efforts. The refreshed lineup works well, the songwriting is strong and Kay´s vocals are vibrant and expressive as always. "Hour Of The WolfFind albums with this title" is less impressive, but it offers some new arrangement / production aspects, like the usage of brass, which present new facets of the band´s music, which are less Blues / Hard Rock oriented. Overall in retrospect these are still two strong albums by one of the best American Classic Rock bands, which managed to record two albums a year during the early years of its existence, before music on the whole slumped by the mid-1970s. Fans of the band should find this a most refreshing experience and a superb trip down the memory lane. Definitely worth investigation!

Updated: 08/08/2016Posted: 08/08/2016

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STEPPENWOLF ~ STEPPENWOLF / THE SECOND BGO 450 (Barcode: 5017261204509) ~ USA ~ Classic Rock Recorded: 1968 Released: 1999 1st and 2nd albums by the classic US (of Canadian origin) band SteppenwolfFind albums by this artist, which epitomize not only the birth of American Rock, but also the atmosphere and state of mind of the young generation during the turbulent times of the Social upheaval in the late 1960s. Steppenwolf´s origins go back about a couple of years before the music included here was recorded, when Canadian singer John KayFind albums by this artist (a German immigrant) formed the band SparrowFind albums by this artist. After Sparrow disbanded Kay formed a new band, which he named Steppenwolf – a title of an influential novel by the German / Swiss author Hermann HesseFind albums by this artist (one of the most widely read authors in the late 1960s, whose mystical and philosophical ideology and love of the orient and the occult appealed to the hippie generation – yours truly included). Their debut album, which included the monster hit "Born To Be Wild", became an instant classic and was soon after immortalized, when Dennis HopperFind albums by this artist included the song in the soundtrack of his cult classic movie "Easy Rider" (one of the first US independent cinema productions created outside of the Hollywood dominated movie industry), which became a visual anthem of the era, and in turn made the song the era´s musical anthem. This mega success worked (in retrospect) against the band´s interest, as they remain conceptually linked to the phenomenal success of that one song and as a result both listeners and critics kept neglecting and diminishing their overall output, which was always excellent and surely deserved more recognition of their talent (see the pitiful entry on the band in All Music Guide). Kay was a formidable singer / songwriter and his charisma and vocal ability was as powerful and striking as the charisma of many other singers, who became legends of their time (i.e. Jim MorrisonFind albums by this artist). The band´s other members were all great instrumentalist and the guitar / organ layers of sound, which characterized their music, are classic examples of early Hard Rock at its best. Moving between Blues, Blues-Rock, Rock and Hard-Rock, those two albums truly define the musical era they represent and influenced hordes of other Rock bands to follow suit. The tunes, usually based on unforgettable riffs, are all delivered passionately and confidently, sounding as fresh today as they were when heard for the first time, and perhaps even better, as this music ages well, as does good wine. If the term "Classic Rock" has any meaning at all, it applies to this music better that to most of the stuff that is often associated with it. I can´t imagine any decent record collection, which does not include these two albums.

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