Kingfish (1985 album)
Encyclopedia
Kingfish is an album by the rock band Kingfish
. It contains previously unreleased tracks that were recorded at various times during the band's first eight years, and is sometimes referred to as Kingfish (1973–80). Released by Relix Records as a vinyl LP
in 1985, side one was recorded in the studio, and side two was recorded live. It was released on CD
in 1991.
Kingfish is not to be confused with the band's 1976 debut album, which is also titled Kingfish.
Bob Weir
of the Grateful Dead
, who was a member of Kingfish from 1974 to 1976, plays on seven of the album's twelve songs.
LP side two — live cuts:
Lead vocals: Matt Kelly on "Taste of the Devil", "Fox on the Run"; Dave Torbert on "Mess Around", "School Days", "Young Blood"; Bob Weir on "Hidden Charms", "Road Runner", "Promised Land"; Barry Flast on "My Pledge of Love", "Feels So Good"; Michael O'Neill on "Key to the Highway"; John Lee Hooker on "Put Your Hand on Me"
"This record is a living tribute to Dave Torbert, June 7, 1948 – Dec. 7, 1982."
Kingfish (band)
Kingfish is an American rock band led by Matthew Kelly, a musician, singer, and songwriter who plays guitar and harmonica. Kelly co-founded Kingfish in 1973 with New Riders of the Purple Sage bass player Dave Torbert and fellow San Francisco Bay Area musicians Robbie Hoddinott, Chris Herold, and...
. It contains previously unreleased tracks that were recorded at various times during the band's first eight years, and is sometimes referred to as Kingfish (1973–80). Released by Relix Records as a vinyl LP
LP album
The LP, or long-playing microgroove record, is a format for phonograph records, an analog sound storage medium. Introduced by Columbia Records in 1948, it was soon adopted as a new standard by the entire record industry...
in 1985, side one was recorded in the studio, and side two was recorded live. It was released on CD
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
in 1991.
Kingfish is not to be confused with the band's 1976 debut album, which is also titled Kingfish.
Bob Weir
Bob Weir
Bob Weir is an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist, most recognized as a founding member of the Grateful Dead. After the Grateful Dead disbanded in 1995, Weir performed with The Other Ones, later known as The Dead, together with other former members of the Grateful Dead...
of the Grateful Dead
Grateful Dead
The Grateful Dead was an American rock band formed in 1965 in the San Francisco Bay Area. The band was known for its unique and eclectic style, which fused elements of rock, folk, bluegrass, blues, reggae, country, improvisational jazz, psychedelia, and space rock, and for live performances of long...
, who was a member of Kingfish from 1974 to 1976, plays on seven of the album's twelve songs.
Track listing
LP side one — studio cuts:- "Mess AroundMess Around"Mess Around", written by Atlantic Records president and founder Ahmet Ertegün using the pseudonym of "A. Nugetre", or "Nuggy" on record labels, was one of Ray Charles’ first hits...
" (Ahmet ErtegunAhmet ErtegunAhmet Ertegün was a Turkish American musician and businessman, best known as the founder and president of Atlantic Records. He also wrote classic blues and pop songs and served as Chairman of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and museum...
) – 3:00 - "Put Your Hand on Me" (John Lee HookerJohn Lee HookerJohn Lee Hooker was an American blues singer-songwriter and guitarist.Hooker began his life as the son of a sharecropper, William Hooker, and rose to prominence performing his own unique style of what was originally closest to Delta blues. He developed a 'talking blues' style that was his trademark...
) – 4:52 - "My Pledge of Love" (Joe Stafford) – 3:12
- "Taste of the Devil" (Barry Flast) – 3:14
- "Fox on the RunFox on the Run (bluegrass song)"Fox on the Run" is a song with lyrics by Tony Hazzard, first recorded by the English band Manfred Mann as a single issued 29 November 1968, which reached #5 in the UK pop charts in the following month. It was introduced to bluegrass by Bill Emerson and quickly became a bluegrass favorite. It was...
" (Tony HazzardTony HazzardTony Hazzard is an English singer and songwriter. He has written songs for The Hollies , Manfred Mann , "Me, The Peaceful Heart" for Lulu, The Yardbirds , Herman's Hermits , Peter Noone Tony Hazzard (born Anthony Hazzard, 31 October 1943, Liverpool) is an English singer and songwriter. He has...
) – 2:53 - "Feels So Good" (Bob Hogins, Michael O'Neill, Dave TorbertDave TorbertDave Torbert was a Bay Area musician, best known for his associations with the Grateful Dead and the New Riders of the Purple Sage. He played bass for the latter group, replacing Phil Lesh during the sessions for their first album...
) – 3:00
LP side two — live cuts:
- "Hidden Charms" (Willie DixonWillie DixonWilliam James "Willie" Dixon was an American blues musician, vocalist, songwriter, arranger and record producer. A Grammy Award winner who was proficient on both the Upright bass and the guitar, as well as his own singing voice, Dixon is arguably best known as one of the most prolific songwriters...
) – 3:05 - "School DaysSchool Days (song)"School Days" is a song written and recorded by rock and roll icon Chuck Berry, released by the Chess record label as a single in March 1957, and released on the LP After School Session two months later . It is one of his best known songs and is often considered a rock and roll anthem...
" (Chuck BerryChuck BerryCharles Edward Anderson "Chuck" Berry is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter, and one of the pioneers of rock and roll music. With songs such as "Maybellene" , "Roll Over Beethoven" , "Rock and Roll Music" and "Johnny B...
) – 2:21 - "Road Runner" (Brian HollandBrian HollandBrian Holland is an American songwriter and record producer, best known as a member of Holland–Dozier–Holland. That songwriting and production team that was responsible for much of the Motown sound and numerous hit records by artists such as Martha and the Vandellas, The Supremes, The Four Tops,...
, Lamont DozierLamont DozierLamont Herbert Dozier is an American songwriter and record producer, born in Detroit, Michigan. Dozier has either co-written or produced several US Billboard #1 hits.-Career:...
, Edward Holland, Jr.Edward Holland, Jr.Edward Holland, Jr. is an American singer, songwriter and record producer....
) – 4:21 - "Young BloodYoung Blood"Young Blood" is a song written by the songwriting team Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, together with Doc Pomus, in 1957.The song was included in the musical revue Smokey Joe's Cafe.-Structure:...
" (Jerry Lieber, Mike StollerJerry Leiber and Mike StollerJerome "Jerry" Leiber and Mike Stoller were American songwriting and record producing partners. Stoller was the composer and Leiber the lyricist. Their most famous songs include "Hound Dog", "Jailhouse Rock", "Kansas City", "Stand By Me" Jerome "Jerry" Leiber (April 25, 1933 – August 22, 2011)...
, Doc PomusDoc PomusJerome Solon Felder, better known as Doc Pomus , was a twentieth-century American blues singer and songwriter. He is best known as the lyricist of many rock and roll hits. Pomus was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the category of non-performer in 1992. He was also inducted into...
) – 2:33 - "Promised LandPromised Land (song)"Promised Land" is a song lyric written by Chuck Berry to the melody of "Wabash Cannonball", an American folk song. The song was first recorded in this version by Chuck Berry in 1964 for his album St. Louis to Liverpool. Released in 1965, it was Berry's first single issued following his prison term...
" (Berry) – 3:43 - "Key to the HighwayKey to the Highway"Key to the Highway" is a blues standard first recorded by blues pianist Charlie Segar in 1940. The song was also recorded by Jazz Gillum and Big Bill Broonzy in 1940–41, and it was later a R&B record chart success for Little Walter in 1958...
" (Charlie SegarCharlie SegarThis article refers to the blues pianist. For the movie producer see Charles SegarsCharlie Segar was an American blues pianist and occasional singer, who is best known for the blues standard, "Key to the Highway" in 1940. Originally from Pensacola, Florida, Segar has been dubbed the "Keyboard...
, Big Bill BroonzyBig Bill BroonzyBig Bill Broonzy was a prolific American blues singer, songwriter and guitarist. His career began in the 1920s when he played country blues to mostly black audiences. Through the ‘30s and ‘40s he successfully navigated a transition in style to a more urban blues sound popular with white audiences...
) – 4:51
Musicians
- Matt KellyMatthew Kelly (musician)Matthew Kelly, also known as Matt Kelly, is an American musician, singer, and songwriter. He plays guitar and harmonica. Kelly is best known for being the leader of the rock band Kingfish, and for his association with Bob Weir and the Grateful Dead....
– guitarElectric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
, harmonicaHarmonicaThe harmonica, also called harp, French harp, blues harp, and mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used primarily in blues and American folk music, jazz, country, and rock and roll. It is played by blowing air into it or drawing air out by placing lips over individual holes or multiple holes...
, vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments... - Dave TorbertDave TorbertDave Torbert was a Bay Area musician, best known for his associations with the Grateful Dead and the New Riders of the Purple Sage. He played bass for the latter group, replacing Phil Lesh during the sessions for their first album...
– bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, vocals - Bob WeirBob WeirBob Weir is an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist, most recognized as a founding member of the Grateful Dead. After the Grateful Dead disbanded in 1995, Weir performed with The Other Ones, later known as The Dead, together with other former members of the Grateful Dead...
– guitar, vocals - Barry Flast – Hammond B-3 organHammond organThe Hammond organ is an electric organ invented by Laurens Hammond in 1934 and manufactured by the Hammond Organ Company. While the Hammond organ was originally sold to churches as a lower-cost alternative to the wind-driven pipe organ, in the 1960s and 1970s it became a standard keyboard...
, pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, bass, vocals - Robbie Hoddinott – guitar
- Chris Herold – drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
- Michael O'Neill – guitar, vocals
- Mick Ward – piano
- Garth Webber – guitar
- Fred Campbell – guitar, vocals
- Michael BloomfieldMike BloomfieldMichael Bernard "Mike" Bloomfield was an American musician, guitarist, and composer, born in Chicago, Illinois, who became one of the first popular music superstars of the 1960s to earn his reputation almost entirely on his instrumental prowess, since he rarely sang before 1969–70...
– guitar - John Lee HookerJohn Lee HookerJohn Lee Hooker was an American blues singer-songwriter and guitarist.Hooker began his life as the son of a sharecropper, William Hooker, and rose to prominence performing his own unique style of what was originally closest to Delta blues. He developed a 'talking blues' style that was his trademark...
– vocals - Patti Cathcart – vocals
- Barry Frost – piano
- David Rea – banjoBanjoIn the 1830s Sweeney became the first white man to play the banjo on stage. His version of the instrument replaced the gourd with a drum-like sound box and included four full-length strings alongside a short fifth-string. There is no proof, however, that Sweeney invented either innovation. This new...
- Dave PerperDavid PerperDavid Perper is a drummer. David was born January 1, 1952. Since 1970, David has played and recorded with national and local Bay Area artists and bands including Kingfish, the New Riders of the Purple Sage, Jesse Colin Young, the Youngbloods, Pablo Cruise, the Mamas and the Papas, the Hoodoo...
– drums - Jim Weiss – drums, vocals
Lead vocals: Matt Kelly on "Taste of the Devil", "Fox on the Run"; Dave Torbert on "Mess Around", "School Days", "Young Blood"; Bob Weir on "Hidden Charms", "Road Runner", "Promised Land"; Barry Flast on "My Pledge of Love", "Feels So Good"; Michael O'Neill on "Key to the Highway"; John Lee Hooker on "Put Your Hand on Me"
Production
- Matt Kelly – producer
- Barry Flast – producer
- Tim Hovey – live cuts engineer
- Gil Mance – cover art
- James A. Nelson – trident design
"This record is a living tribute to Dave Torbert, June 7, 1948 – Dec. 7, 1982."