11380 - STEPPENWOLF - SKULLDUGGERY (1976)

STEPPENWOLF
''SKULLDUGGERY''
1976
34:11
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1 Skullduggery 05:14 (Bobby Cochran)
2 (I'm A) Road Runner 03:52 (Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier, Eddie Holland)
3 Rock And Roll Song 03:05 (Valdy Horsdal)
4 Train Of Thought 04:41 (Alan O'Day)
5 Life Is A Gamble 03:22 (Bobby Cochran, Harry Garfield)
6 Pass It On 04:42 (Jean Watt)
7 Sleep 03:45 (Bobby Cochran)
8 Lip Service 05:26 (Bobby Cochran, Jerry Edmonton, John Kay, George Biondo, Wayne Cook)
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John Kay/Lead Vocals, Guitar
Jerry Edmonton/Drums, Percussion, Backing Vocals
George Biondo/Bass Guitar, Vocals
Bobby Cochran/Lead Guitars, Vocals
Wayne Cook/Keyboards
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ABOUT THE ALBUM/OFFICIAL
1976—Imported. The last of the three albums from the mid-’70s recorded for Mums/Epic (now Sony) Records. This has only recently been re-released in Europe, attesting to the band’s continued popularity there. Songs: Skullduggery, (I’m A) Road Runner, Rock & Roll Song, Train Of Thought, Life Is A Gamble, Pass It On, Sleep, Lip Service.
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The recording of this album fulfilled our contractual obligations to Epic Records. While I found it difficult to find the motivation to write songs for an album that I felt was the musical equivalent of The Titanic, Bobby Cochran, our intrepid guitarist felt no such energy drop. No one worked harder to give the record life than he. His enthusiasm was infectious to the point that when we were finished I was surprised at the results. The title song as well as our versions of “Road Runner” , “Rock and Roll Song” and “Pass It On” are still some of my favorites.
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ABOUT THE ALBUM/WIKIPEDIA
Skullduggery is a 1976 Steppenwolf album. It was the third of four released by Epic Records, and the last to feature keyboardist Wayne Cook, who left to join Player in 1977.
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BIOGRAPHY/AMG
Cub Koda
Led by John Kay (born Joachim Krauledat, April 12, 1944), Steppenwolf's blazing biker anthem "Born to Be Wild" roared out of speakers everywhere in the fiery summer of 1968, John Kay's threatening rasp sounding a mesmerizing call to arms to the counterculture movement rapidly sprouting up nationwide. German immigrant Kay got his professional start in a bluesy Toronto band called Sparrow, recording for Columbia in 1966. After Sparrow disbanded, Kay relocated to the West Coast and formed Steppenwolf, named after the Herman Hesse novel. "Born to Be Wild," their third single on ABC-Dunhill, was immortalized on the soundtrack of Dennis Hopper's underground film classic Easy Rider. The song's reference to "heavy metal thunder" finally gave an assignable name to an emerging genre. Steppenwolf's second monster hit that year, the psychedelic "Magic Carpet Ride," and the follow-ups "Rock Me," "Move Over," and "Hey Lawdy Mama" further established the band's credibility on the hard rock circuit. By the early '70s, Steppenwolf ran out of steam and disbanded. Kay continued to record solo, as other members put together ersatz versions of the band for touring purposes. During the mid-'80s Kay re-formed his own version of Steppenwolf, grinding out his hits (and some new songs) at oldies shows. Nevertheless, they'll be remembered for generations to come for creating one of the ultimate gas'n'go rock anthems of all time.
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BIOGRAPHY/WIKIPEDIA
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WEBSITE
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TO THE TOP
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11379 - STEPPENWOLF - HOUR OF THE WOLF (1975)

STEPPENWOLF
''HOUR OF THE WOLF''
1975
36:46
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1 Caroline (Are You Ready For The Outlaw World) 04:49 (Mars Bonfire)
2 Annie, Annie Over 04:09 (Alan O'Day)
3 Two For The Love Of One 03:42 (George Biondo, Jerry Edmonton)
4 Just For Tonight 05:37 (Bobby Cochran, Jerry Edmonton)
5 Hard Rock Road 03:29 (Jerry Edmonton)
6 Someone Told A Lie 04:10 (John Kay, Bobby Cochran, Jerry Edmonton)
7 Another's Lifetime 04:31 (Wayne Berry)
8 Mr. Penny Pincher 06:15 (Van Dunson)
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Bass, Vocals – George Biondo
Drums – Jerry Edmonton
Guitar – Bobby Cochran
Keyboards – Andy Chapin
Vocals, Guitar – John Kay
Saxophone On 1, 5 - Tom Scott
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ABOUT THE ALBUM/OFFICIAL
1975-Imported. Now finally available on CD. This release is one of their best from the ’70s. Features “Caroline (Are You Ready For The Outlaw World),” with its searing sax solo by Tom Scott among other highlights. Other songs: Annie Annie Over, Two For The Love Of One, Just For Tonight, Hard Rock Road, Someone Told A Lie, Another’s Lifetime, Mr. Penny Pincher.
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By this time Jerry Edmonton (our drummer) had taken over the art direction and started working with a photographer named Lori Sullivan. Together they created the “Hour Of The Wolf” album artwork. Once again we recorded at my studio but the record was mixed by Roy Halee who some of us had worked with during our days with “The Sparrow”. Roy, who is a renowned engineer, gave the album it’s full and varied sound. “Mr. Penny Pincher” and “Another’s Lifetime” were fine songs and I also like the way “Someone Told A Lie” turned out while Mars Bonfire (of Born to be Wild fame) contributed a timely new tune called “Caroline, Are You Ready For The Outlaw World”. That track also featured Tom Scott playing a burning sax solo through a leslie. Overall the album was less raw and bluesy then some previous Wolf efforts but it showed some of our other musical sides to good advantage. Unfortunately our label “Mums Records” folded just when this album was released and so it was more or less ignored by Epic who was Mums distributor.
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ABOUT THE ALBUM/WIKIPEDIA
Hour of the Wolf is an album by Steppenwolf, released in 1975. It was the second of their four albums released under the label Epic.
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REVIEW/AMG
Joe Viglione
The second of four albums the reconstituted Steppenwolf cut for Epic, Hour of the Wolf has a very cool fog-enshrouded wolf howling on the cover, the band's name in blood red, and an interesting amalgam of contemporary sounds. Tom Scott's horns are featured on the Mars Bonfire tune "Caroline (Are You Ready for the Outlaw World)" and "Hard Rock Road," a composition byBonfire's brother, drummer Jerry Edmonton. Alan O'Day's "Annie, Annie Over" fits the Steppenwolf sound, though it comes from the unlikeliest of places -- O'Day was known more for Helen Reddy's "Angie Baby" than the sublime "Heavy Church" that Three Dog Night covered. "Heavy Church," with its heavy organ sound, would have been the track this group could have taken up the charts. A major oversight! The rhythm section of George Biondo and Jerry Edmonton come up with a dyed-in-the-wool authentic Steppenwolf number in "Two for the Love of One." The problem is that it's all been heard before, and the band is not progressing to where it should be on this 1975 release. With close to 20 minutes per side, it is a generous helping of John Kay music (recorded mostly at Kay's own facility), with guitarist Bobby Cochran teaming up with Edmonton on the semi-ballad "Just for Tonight." The material is all adequate, but where Kay was crafting an interesting direction on his Forgotten Songs & Unsung Heroes solo disc, abandoning those elements for the somewhat tried and true is this album's dilemma. When Kay does touch upon that venture slightly, as on the slide guitar and slick chorus vocals of "Another's Lifetime," it is most satisfying. Scott played saxophone on multiple Carole King albums around the time Hour of the Wolf was released, adding to her hit output; it's interesting that, two years after his recording on "Hard Rock Road" with Steppenwolf, King would go Top 30 with "Hard Rock Cafe" from her Simple Things album, which included Scott's saxophone. Had Steppenwolf paid attention to the charts and crafted 45s as the band had in the '60s, the four-album ride with Epic might have been more beneficial to the fans who loved those immortal 45s. "Mr. Penny Pincher," the last song on the album, seems to prove that just showing up is not enough in such a tough industry.
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BIOGRAPHY/AMG
Cub Koda
Led by John Kay (born Joachim Krauledat, April 12, 1944), Steppenwolf's blazing biker anthem "Born to Be Wild" roared out of speakers everywhere in the fiery summer of 1968, John Kay's threatening rasp sounding a mesmerizing call to arms to the counterculture movement rapidly sprouting up nationwide. German immigrant Kay got his professional start in a bluesy Toronto band called Sparrow, recording for Columbia in 1966. After Sparrow disbanded, Kay relocated to the West Coast and formed Steppenwolf, named after the Herman Hesse novel. "Born to Be Wild," their third single on ABC-Dunhill, was immortalized on the soundtrack of Dennis Hopper's underground film classic Easy Rider. The song's reference to "heavy metal thunder" finally gave an assignable name to an emerging genre. Steppenwolf's second monster hit that year, the psychedelic "Magic Carpet Ride," and the follow-ups "Rock Me," "Move Over," and "Hey Lawdy Mama" further established the band's credibility on the hard rock circuit. By the early '70s, Steppenwolf ran out of steam and disbanded. Kay continued to record solo, as other members put together ersatz versions of the band for touring purposes. During the mid-'80s Kay re-formed his own version of Steppenwolf, grinding out his hits (and some new songs) at oldies shows. Nevertheless, they'll be remembered for generations to come for creating one of the ultimate gas'n'go rock anthems of all time.
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BIOGRAPHY/WIKIPEDIA
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WEBSITE
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TO THE TOP
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11378 - STEPPENWOLF - SLOW FLUX (1974)

STEPPENWOLF
''SLOW FLUX''
AUGUST 1974
44:57
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1 Get Into The Wind 02:59 (Bobby Cochran, Casey Van Beek)
2 Gang War Blues 04:23 (Goldy McJohn, Jerry Edmonton, John Kay, Kim Fowley)
3 Justice Don't Be Slow 04:54 (John Kay, Joseph B. Richie)
4 Children Of Night 05:11 (John Kay)
5 Jeraboah 05:39 (Jack Conrad)
6 Straight Shootin' Woman 04:04 (Jerry Edmonton)
7 Smokey Factory Blues 04:10 (A. Hammond, M. Hazlewood)
8 Morning Blue 04:11 (George Biondo)
9 A Fool's Fantasy 03:37 (Goldy McJohn)
10 Fishin’ In The Dark 05:45 (John Kay)
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George Biondo - bass guitar, vocals
Jerry Edmonton - drums
Bobby Cochran - guitar
John Kay - guitar, vocals
Goldy McJohn - keyboards
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ABOUT THE ALBUM/OFFICIAL
1974—Imported. Steppenwolf’s 1974 comeback album (after their Valentine’s Day, 1972 retirement announcement) that started a new era of Steppenwolf music. Unavailable in its entirety for many years, it contains the Top 40 hit “Straight Shootin’ Woman,” as well as the foretelling “Children of Night,” and “Gang War Blues.” Clamored for by fans since it went out of print, we are pleased to offer it once again. Other songs: Justice Don’t Be Slow, Get Into The Wind, Jeraboah, Smokey Factory Blues, Morning Blue, A Fool’s Fantasy, Fishin’ in The Dark.
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Not too long after the “My Sportin’ Life” album had come and gone, The Wolf played what was to be our farewell tour in Europe. Reunited after some months apart we were recharged. The tour proved quite successful and playing together was so much fun that we decided to record a new album. “Slow Flux” was the first project to be recorded in my studio in California (which by now had expanded into a full working studio). Bobby Cochran, (nephew of rock pioneer Eddie Cochran) had joined The Wolf on guitar and his high energy helped propel much of this album. Some of my favorites include “Straight Shootin Woman”, written by Jerry Edmonton (who with Tom Gundlefinger, created the album cover) “Children Of Night”, “Gang War Blues”, “Smokey Factory Blues” and “Fishing In The Dark”. Overall I thought the album was a good effort. The LP made the top 40 chart and while“Straight Shootin Woman” reached the top 20 singles chart, and so a new chapter of Steppenwolf (the 70’s) was born.
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ABOUT THE ALBUM/WIKIPEDIA
Slow Flux is an album by Steppenwolf, released in 1974 under the label Epic. In the US it was released on the Mums Records label, a short-lived CBS Records subsidiary. It was the first of three albums the band created after reforming in 1974 before they disbanded again in 1976. "Straight Shootin' Woman" was the last Steppenwolf song to chart on the Billboard magazine Top 40. The song "Children of the Night" notably posits that the hippie movement at this time had died, and president Richard Nixon is referred to as "the fool who believed that wrong is right".
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REVIEW/AMG
Joe Viglione
Steppenwolf's first album after For Ladies Only, their final Dunhill epic, was recorded for Mums, a CBS-distributed imprint which also was home to Albert Hammond's only two solo chart hits in 1972 and 1974. Though it may be surprising to find the labelmate's "Smokey Factory Blues" on this package, it isn't a stretch; Hammond would co-write a number one smash for Starship with "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now," so you know John Kay can still find a good tune and pluck it out of the air. More impressive than the follow-up disc, Hour of the Wolf, this CBS debut has the look and feel of a vintage Steppenwolf product. Veterans Ed Caraeff and Tom Gundelfinger do the photos, the wolf logo is still intact (the back cover looking much like the front of Steppenwolf Live), and the sound has those political leanings of the group's Monster period. The album gets into gear by the fourth song, "Get Into the Wind," co-written by guitarist Bobby Cochran. With a little emphasis on production, the tune might actually have had a chance at some chart action; it blatantly carries the "Born to Be Wild" theme. "Jeraboah" also has its album track moments, but the three John Kay contributions which open this new era up set the tone for the band's dilemma. "Gang War Blues" isn't a bad essay; the collaboration between Kay, Kim Fowley, drummer Jerry Edmonton, and keyboardist Goldy McJohn continues the preaching initiated by earlier discs, preaching that doesn't hit the interesting vibe of a song like "The Pusher." The lyrics are enclosed and there are lots of them, though fans come to Steppenwolf for angst-fueled hard rock oozing with feedback, not lots of words and tape loops of a Richard Nixon speech. Though it's a very good performance by the group, good doesn't match the majesty of "Magic Carpet Ride." Jerry Edmonton's "Straight Shootin' Woman" has horns and solid piano from McJohn, but somehow slightly misses the mark. The Albert Hammond/Mike Hazlewood tune is a great change of pace; the direction fuses Steppenwolf's sensibilities with outside ideas. The cover surpasses Hammond's version, giving further evidence that Steppenwolf had a knack for interpretation -- a knack that Don Covay, Hoyt Axton, and Mars Bonfire all benefited from. Like their contemporaries, the Guess Who, Steppenwolf lost the fine art of crafting a song for the Top 40. Where they succeed at being very musical, much like Burton Cummings' band, they fail to create that sparkling little advertisement for the album that was the hit single. It was that vehicle which brought them fame, and both bands needed that arena. Had John Kay tackled "Star Baby," the tune released by the Guess Who off of the LP Road Food the same year, 1974, both bands could have had another dance in the sun. Still, Slow Flux has many decent moments. Bassist George Biondo's "Morning Blue" is a fine ballad; it's just that at this point in time, Steppenwolf could have given listeners so much more.
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BIOGRAPHY/AMG
Cub Koda
Led by John Kay (born Joachim Krauledat, April 12, 1944), Steppenwolf's blazing biker anthem "Born to Be Wild" roared out of speakers everywhere in the fiery summer of 1968, John Kay's threatening rasp sounding a mesmerizing call to arms to the counterculture movement rapidly sprouting up nationwide. German immigrant Kay got his professional start in a bluesy Toronto band called Sparrow, recording for Columbia in 1966. After Sparrow disbanded, Kay relocated to the West Coast and formed Steppenwolf, named after the Herman Hesse novel. "Born to Be Wild," their third single on ABC-Dunhill, was immortalized on the soundtrack of Dennis Hopper's underground film classic Easy Rider. The song's reference to "heavy metal thunder" finally gave an assignable name to an emerging genre. Steppenwolf's second monster hit that year, the psychedelic "Magic Carpet Ride," and the follow-ups "Rock Me," "Move Over," and "Hey Lawdy Mama" further established the band's credibility on the hard rock circuit. By the early '70s, Steppenwolf ran out of steam and disbanded. Kay continued to record solo, as other members put together ersatz versions of the band for touring purposes. During the mid-'80s Kay re-formed his own version of Steppenwolf, grinding out his hits (and some new songs) at oldies shows. Nevertheless, they'll be remembered for generations to come for creating one of the ultimate gas'n'go rock anthems of all time.
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BIOGRAPHY/WIKIPEDIA
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WEBSITE
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TO THE TOP
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11377 - STEPPENWOLF - FOR LADIES ONLY (1971)

STEPPENWOLF
''FOR LADIES ONLY''
NOVEMBER 1971
45:39
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1 For Ladies Only 09:20 (Jerry Edmonton, Kent Henry, John Kay, Goldy McJohn)
2 I'm Asking 04:29 (Jerry Edmonton, Goldy McJohn)
3 Shackles And Chains 05:00 (John Kay)
4 Tenderness 04:55 (Mars Bonfire)
5 The Night Time's For You 03:03 (Mars Bonfire, Morgan Cavett)
6 Jaded Strumpet 04:46 (Jerry Edmonton)
7 Sparkle Eyes 04:34 (George Biondo, John Kay)
8 Black Pit 03:51 (Kent Henry, Goldy McJohn)
9 Ride With Me 03:26 (Mars Bonfire)
10 In Hopes Of A Garden 02:11 (George Biondo)
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John Kay - vocals, guitar
Kent Henry - lead guitar
George Biondo - vocals, bass guitar
Goldy McJohn - keyboards
Jerry Edmonton - drums
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ABOUT THE ALBUM/WIKIPEDIA
For Ladies Only is the sixth studio album by Steppenwolf, released in 1971. It is a political concept album mainly about feminism but with several more conventional songs about romance as well, both unusual themes for Steppenwolf. Some critics saw the album as sexist, citing the lyrics of the songs and a photo of a car shaped like a penis alongside the Hollywood Walk of Fame in the gatefold. The album saw the band hinting toward the progressive rock movement that was popular at the time with more complex arrangements and sophisticated keyboard playing, particularly on the title track. Like their previous album, it was accompanied by two minor hit singles which fell just short of the Top 40.

The album was Steppenwolf's last of new material released prior to the band's initial breakup in February 1972.
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REVIEW/AMG
Joe Viglione
The title track of For Ladies Only is a classic slice of Steppenwolf's brand of hard rock: gritty chord guitar from Blues Image refugee Kent Henry (Steppenwolf went through as many or more guitarist changes as the Guess Who), elegant piano from Goldy McJohn, even jazz flavors on a nine-minute-plus track as blatantly sexist as the album gatefold. The graphic photo of a huge penis car alongside the Hollywood walk of fame tucked inside the cardboard is completely juvenile, while the back of the LP features the boys all reading books, from The Sensuous Woman to Snow White & the Seven Dwarves -- interesting imagery that doesn't complement the music as much as the artists might have thought it did at the time. The Jerry Edmonton/Goldy McJohn composition "I'm Asking" has a heavy "Jumpin' Jack Flash" riff that's all sludged out and a weak non-John Kay vocal -- like, why bother? Kay's snarling voice was as much a part of the sound as the heavy keys, and without it the otherwise fine performance and production are just totally eradicated; it's a song that would've worked better as an instrumental. Ditto for Jerry Edmonton's "Jaded Strumpet," which is also in desperate need of Kay's authoritative tone, which is refreshingly surreal on the singer's co-write with George Biondo that is "Sparkle Eyes."

In retrospect, For Ladies Only remains a neat artifact of a band who might've been called on to create too much too soon. Three Mars Bonfire compositions brighten up the proceedings, including "Tenderness" and the excellent "Ride With Me," perhaps the most memorable tune of the ten, all culled from that ever-flowing fountain that was Mars Bonfire's Faster Than the Speed of Life LP. Interesting that on the vinyl four songs grace side one, while side two has six titles, from two to four and a half minutes in length. The songwriting is shared pretty equally, the bandmembers co-writing in different combinations. Bonfire's brother, Jerry Edmonton; singer John Kay; and keyboardist Goldy McJohn all write or contribute to three titles each with two for the newer members, bassist George Biondo and guitarist Kent Henry.

A very democratic brew, which is interesting but for the most part doesn't have the punch of the title track or the nugget from the Mars Bonfire solo disc, "Ride With Me." The original Sparrow guitarist's presence casts a good shadow and remains as essential to this crew as the lead singer and keyboard player. Why they didn't keep Bonfire on from day one of their journey is the mystery. This 1971 Dunhill release produced by Richard Podolor for Steppenwolf Productions, Inc. makes that point loud and clear, though the Kent Henry/Goldy McJohn instrumental "Black Pit" does tend to sound like Blues Image-meets-Steppenwolf, and proves the point made earlier. If John Kay wasn't in the mood to sing, the material works better with no voice at all. His absence from three of the ten tracks is perhaps an indication that he had his sights set on a solo career. Kent Henry and George Biondo moved on with the singer for his 1972 outing Forgotten Songs & Unsung Heroes.
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BIOGRAPHY/AMG
Cub Koda
Led by John Kay (born Joachim Krauledat, April 12, 1944), Steppenwolf's blazing biker anthem "Born to Be Wild" roared out of speakers everywhere in the fiery summer of 1968, John Kay's threatening rasp sounding a mesmerizing call to arms to the counterculture movement rapidly sprouting up nationwide. German immigrant Kay got his professional start in a bluesy Toronto band called Sparrow, recording for Columbia in 1966. After Sparrow disbanded, Kay relocated to the West Coast and formed Steppenwolf, named after the Herman Hesse novel. "Born to Be Wild," their third single on ABC-Dunhill, was immortalized on the soundtrack of Dennis Hopper's underground film classic Easy Rider. The song's reference to "heavy metal thunder" finally gave an assignable name to an emerging genre. Steppenwolf's second monster hit that year, the psychedelic "Magic Carpet Ride," and the follow-ups "Rock Me," "Move Over," and "Hey Lawdy Mama" further established the band's credibility on the hard rock circuit. By the early '70s, Steppenwolf ran out of steam and disbanded. Kay continued to record solo, as other members put together ersatz versions of the band for touring purposes. During the mid-'80s Kay re-formed his own version of Steppenwolf, grinding out his hits (and some new songs) at oldies shows. Nevertheless, they'll be remembered for generations to come for creating one of the ultimate gas'n'go rock anthems of all time.
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BIOGRAPHY/WIKIPEDIA
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WEBSITE
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TO THE TOP
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11376 - STEPPENWOLF - 7 (1970)

STEPPENWOLF
''7''
NOVEMBER 1970
40:03
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1 Ball Crusher 04:50 (Larry Byrom, John Kay)
2 Forty Days And Forty Nights 03:01 (Bernie Roth)
3 Fat Jack 04:46 (Larry Byrom, George Biondo)
4 Renegade 06:05 (Larry Byrom, John Kay)
5 Foggy Mental Breakdown 03:51 (Larry Byrom, John Kay)
6 Snowblind Friend 03:51 (Hoyt Axton)
7 Who Needs Ya 02:58 (Larry Byrom, John Kay)
8 Earschplittenloudenboomer 04:59 (Larry Byrom)
9 Hippo Stomp 05:39 (Larry Byrom, John Kay)
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George Biondo/Bass, Vocals (Background)
Larry Byrom/Lead Guitar, Vocals (Background)
Jerry Edmonton/Drums
John Kay/Rhythm Guitar, Harmonica, Lead Vocals
Goldie McJohn/Keyboards
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ABOUT THE ALBUM/OFFICIAL
This album benefited greatly from Larry Byrom’s creative surge and contributions from George Biondo (who replaced Nick St. Nicholas on Bass). Larry and George had worked together in the group ‘T.I.M.E.” and were not only fine players but also excellent singers. We put their vocal talents to good use on the songs “Foggy Mental Breakdown”, “Who Needs Ya” and “Fat Jack” on which George also sang co-lead or solo. Those tracks as well as “Renegade” and “Hippo Stomp” were some of my favorites and featured some of Larry’s finest playing along with Jerry Edmonton’s imaginative arrangement ideas. I found that these tracks stimulated my lyric/melody writing and I was quite pleased with our finished collaboration. Since I was busy working on vocal parts for tracks the guys were laying down, I found myself playing guitar only on “40 Days and 40 Nights” and “Snowblind Friend”, however Larry more than picked up the slack in that department. During these sessions, I developed an ear infection and remember doing vocals with one ear out of commission. All in all “7” remains as one of my favorite Wolf albums to this day.
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ABOUT THE ALBUM/WIKIPEDIA
Steppenwolf 7 is an album by the band Steppenwolf, released in 1970, and their fifth studio recording for Dunhill Records. It is the first Steppenwolf album with new bass player George Biondo. While the album featured Steppenwolf's trademark rock and roll sounds, none of the songs were able to make the Top 40. The album featured a cover of Hoyt Axton's "Snowblind Friend", their second cover of one of his anti-drug songs (the first being "The Pusher"). Along with "Who Needs Ya", it was one of two singles from the album which made the charts but fell short of the Top 40. The album track "Renegade" is autobiographical for lead vocalist John Kay, recounting his flight with his mother from East to West Germany in 1948.
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REVIEW/AMG
Joe Viglione
Steppenwolf only recorded seven discs for Dunhill Records in the short span between 1968 and 1971, six of them studio albums, and one allegedly "live" -- though there was early Sparrow material recorded in May of 1967 not released by the label until 1972. Throw in a greatest-hits package along with Columbia's reissue of yet more Sparrow recordings, and how they came up with Steppenwolf 7 for the title of this, their fifth studio recording for Dunhill, is a question for hardcore fans of the band to debate (don't even bring the movie soundtracks into this equation). Richard Podolor has taken the production reins from Gabriel Mekler, as he did with Three Dog Night, but where the producer was able to take Hoyt Axton's "Joy to the World" to number one in a notable six weeks in 1971 with the vocal trio and labelmates of this group, the author of "The Pusher," Axton, is represented here by his "Snowblind Friend," a topic not likely to get Steppenwolf chart action. And that's the dilemma with Steppenwolf 7. This is a very worthwhile Steppenwolf recording, chock-full of their trademark sound, but nothing that was going to penetrate the Top 40. John Kay and guitarist Larry Byron (listed on the song credits as Larry Byrom and on the live album as Byron -- take your pick, he's a notable session player) co-write five of these nine tunes, "Ball Crusher" being what you expect, as is "Fat Jack," Byrom's only co-write here with new bassist George Biondo (and perhaps one of them on the vocals, as it certainly isn't John Kay). A nice, thick Goldy McJohn keyboard and solid beat still don't give this tune enough of an identity to be considered hit material. Kay and Byrom do a better job of heading in that direction with their "Foggy Mental Breakdown" and "Hippo Stomp," while Byrom's instrumental, "Earschplittenloudenboomer," had the attitude to be the next "Born to Be Wild," just not enough of the magic -- not explosive enough and no sneering Kay vocal to bring it home. What is happening here is that John Kay is heading in the direction of his 1972 solo disc, Forgotten Songs & Unsung Heroes, especially on the cover of Roth's "Forty Days and Forty Nights" and the country-ish "Snowblind Friend," which is the other side of Hoyt Axton's "The Pusher," the effect of cocaine on the victim/user. Kay and Byrom come back with more driving rock in "Who Needs Ya?," played well and listenable, but just missing the edge that gave "Rock Me" and "Magic Carpet Ride" their specialness. The blueish images of the bandmembers in a desolate area with two skulls above them on the album cover make an interesting statement. Steppenwolf 7 is an intriguing collection of album tracks showing the two sides of John Kay -- the hard rock singer and the artist setting his sights on interpreting other musical styles. It came at a moment when the band needed to redefine itself on the AM band, but opted instead to just put out a decent product and take few risks.
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BIOGRAPHY/AMG
Cub Koda
Led by John Kay (born Joachim Krauledat, April 12, 1944), Steppenwolf's blazing biker anthem "Born to Be Wild" roared out of speakers everywhere in the fiery summer of 1968, John Kay's threatening rasp sounding a mesmerizing call to arms to the counterculture movement rapidly sprouting up nationwide. German immigrant Kay got his professional start in a bluesy Toronto band called Sparrow, recording for Columbia in 1966. After Sparrow disbanded, Kay relocated to the West Coast and formed Steppenwolf, named after the Herman Hesse novel. "Born to Be Wild," their third single on ABC-Dunhill, was immortalized on the soundtrack of Dennis Hopper's underground film classic Easy Rider. The song's reference to "heavy metal thunder" finally gave an assignable name to an emerging genre. Steppenwolf's second monster hit that year, the psychedelic "Magic Carpet Ride," and the follow-ups "Rock Me," "Move Over," and "Hey Lawdy Mama" further established the band's credibility on the hard rock circuit. By the early '70s, Steppenwolf ran out of steam and disbanded. Kay continued to record solo, as other members put together ersatz versions of the band for touring purposes. During the mid-'80s Kay re-formed his own version of Steppenwolf, grinding out his hits (and some new songs) at oldies shows. Nevertheless, they'll be remembered for generations to come for creating one of the ultimate gas'n'go rock anthems of all time.
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BIOGRAPHY/WIKIPEDIA
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WEBSITE
********************
TO THE TOP
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11375 - STEPPENWOLF LIVE (1970)

STEPPENWOLF
''LIVE''
1970
RECORDED LIVE AT VARIOUS CONCERTS DURING EARLY 1970
67:20
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1 Sookie,sookie 03:10 (Don Covay, Steve Cropper)
2 Don't Step On The Grass, Sam 06:07 (John Kay)
3 Tighten Up Your Wig 04:12 (John Kay)
4 Monster 09:55 (Jerry Edmonton, John Kay)
5 Draft Resister 03:46 (Larry Byrom, John Kay, Goldy McJohn)
6 Power Play 05:41 (John Kay)
7 Corina,corina 03:47 (Traditional)
8 Twisted 05:02 (John Kay)
9 From Here To There Eventually 06:41 (Jerry Edmonton, John Kay, Goldy McJohn)
10 Hey Lawdy Mama 02:58 (Larry Byrom, Jerry Edmonton, John Kay, Cleve Reed)
11 Magic Carpet Ride 04:15 (John Kay, Rushton Moreve)
12 The Pusher 05:59 (Hoyt Axton, John Kay)
13 Born To Be Wild 05:42 (Mars Bonfire)
********************
Drums – Jerry Edmonton
Guitar, Vocals – John Kay
Keyboards – Goldy McJohn
Bass Guitar - Nick St. Nicholas
Guitar - Larry Byrom
********************
ABOUT THE ALBUM/OFFICIAL
1970—One of the first concept albums of the '70s. A classic statement of those often turbulent times. Features the original ten minute title cut and more. An essential disc in your Wolf collection. Songs: Monster/Suicide/America, Draft Resister, Power Play, Move Over, Fag, What Would You Do (If I Did That To You), From Here To There Eventually.
------
With “Monster” came a fresh burst of energy with the addition of Larry Byrom (who replaced Michael Monarch on lead guitar) and his “let’s get to it” attitude. In my opinion the monster album was a stronger effort than anything since the second album. However, time was once again our enemy which made it necessary that we recorded this project in an unusual fashion. The guys came up with one track after another while I was trying to keep up with my vocal parts and lyrics. Since this was supposed to be a concept album, I had to write within certain guidelines so that the lyrics fit within the concept. During the recording of this album and “7”, which was to follow, I spent most of my time at my studio sometimes until 3 or 4 in the morning, working on the melodies and lyrics. I would join the guys at American Recorders where they continued to come up with new tracks, whenever I was ready to overdub my finished vocal parts on one of the previously recorded basic tracks. On “From Here To There Eventually” and “Power Play” I also played guitar on the basic tracks. The somewhat unusual method of recording notwithstanding I was nevertheless excited each time the guys brought me a newly recorded instrumental track, since Larry and the guys came up with one great musical idea after another. Consequently, we were all pleased with the results.
********************
REVIEW/AMG
Richie Unterberger
The group's most political album, tackling then-current issues such as the Vietnam War, draft resisters, and the decay of justice in America. These were (and are) important topics, but these lumbering hard rock tunes were not an effective means to address them, politically or musically. It's hard to make agitprop and pop mix, but even judged simply within the context of Steppenwolf's records, it lacks memorable compositions, the unexceptional tunes burdened by lyrics that are too heavy-handed.
********************
BIOGRAPHY/AMG
Cub Koda
Led by John Kay (born Joachim Krauledat, April 12, 1944), Steppenwolf's blazing biker anthem "Born to Be Wild" roared out of speakers everywhere in the fiery summer of 1968, John Kay's threatening rasp sounding a mesmerizing call to arms to the counterculture movement rapidly sprouting up nationwide. German immigrant Kay got his professional start in a bluesy Toronto band called Sparrow, recording for Columbia in 1966. After Sparrow disbanded, Kay relocated to the West Coast and formed Steppenwolf, named after the Herman Hesse novel. "Born to Be Wild," their third single on ABC-Dunhill, was immortalized on the soundtrack of Dennis Hopper's underground film classic Easy Rider. The song's reference to "heavy metal thunder" finally gave an assignable name to an emerging genre. Steppenwolf's second monster hit that year, the psychedelic "Magic Carpet Ride," and the follow-ups "Rock Me," "Move Over," and "Hey Lawdy Mama" further established the band's credibility on the hard rock circuit. By the early '70s, Steppenwolf ran out of steam and disbanded. Kay continued to record solo, as other members put together ersatz versions of the band for touring purposes. During the mid-'80s Kay re-formed his own version of Steppenwolf, grinding out his hits (and some new songs) at oldies shows. Nevertheless, they'll be remembered for generations to come for creating one of the ultimate gas'n'go rock anthems of all time.
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BIOGRAPHY/WIKIPEDIA
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WEBSITE
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TO THE TOP
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11374 - STEPPENWOLF - MONSTER (1969)

STEPPENWOLF
''MONSTER''
1969
32:36
********************
1 Monster (John Kay, Jerry Edmonton); Suicide (John Kay, Nick St. Nicholas, Larry Byrom, Jerry Edmonton); America 09:17 (John Kay, Jerry Edmonton)
2 Draft Resister 03:18 (John Kay, Goldy McJohn)
3 Power Play 05:26 (John Kay)
4 Move Over 02:53 (John Kay, Gabriel Mekler)
5 Fag 02:51 (Larry Byrom, Nick St. Nicholas, Jerry Edmonton)
6 What Would You Do (If I Did That To You) 03:20 (Leno Francen, Nolan Porter)
7 From Here To There Eventually 05:28 (John Kay, Goldy McJohn, Jerry Edmonton)
********************
Bass – John Russell Morgan
Drums – Jerry Edmonton
Guitar, Backing Vocals – Michael Monarch
Guitar, Vocals – John Kay
Keyboards – Goldy McJohn
********************
ABOUT THE ALBUM/OFFICIAL
1970—One of the first concept albums of the '70s. A classic statement of those often turbulent times. Features the original ten minute title cut and more. An essential disc in your Wolf collection. Songs: Monster/Suicide/America, Draft Resister, Power Play, Move Over, Fag, What Would You Do (If I Did That To You), From Here To There Eventually.
------
With “Monster” came a fresh burst of energy with the addition of Larry Byrom (who replaced Michael Monarch on lead guitar) and his “let’s get to it” attitude. In my opinion the monster album was a stronger effort than anything since the second album. However, time was once again our enemy which made it necessary that we recorded this project in an unusual fashion. The guys came up with one track after another while I was trying to keep up with my vocal parts and lyrics. Since this was supposed to be a concept album, I had to write within certain guidelines so that the lyrics fit within the concept. During the recording of this album and “7”, which was to follow, I spent most of my time at my studio sometimes until 3 or 4 in the morning, working on the melodies and lyrics. I would join the guys at American Recorders where they continued to come up with new tracks, whenever I was ready to overdub my finished vocal parts on one of the previously recorded basic tracks. On “From Here To There Eventually” and “Power Play” I also played guitar on the basic tracks. The somewhat unusual method of recording notwithstanding I was nevertheless excited each time the guys brought me a newly recorded instrumental track, since Larry and the guys came up with one great musical idea after another. Consequently, we were all pleased with the results.
********************
ABOUT THE ALBUM/WIKIPEDIA
Monster is an album by Steppenwolf. Released in 1969, it was their first LP with new lead guitarist, Larry Byrom instead of Michael Monarch. The album was Steppenwolf's most political one, making references to important issues at the time, such as the Vietnam War.

The album was the first Steppenwolf album not to feature a US top ten hit, though two singles from the album cracked the top 40: "Move Over" and "Monster".

RECEPTION
Reviews for Monster have generally been negative. Rolling Stone commented that the playing of the individual performers is "top-notch", but that "Their arrangements have become sloppy and crude, as the early-Zappa lyrics continuously clash with the music."

Allmusic panned the album in their retrospective review, remarking that "these lumbering hard rock tunes were not an effective means to address [important political topics], politically or musically."

On the other hand, rock critic Robert Christgau gave the album praise. Christgau gave the album a B+ rating and called it "an excellent comeback", though he thought the preachy lyrics marred somewhat the final result.
********************
REVIEW/AMG
Richie Unterberger
The group's most political album, tackling then-current issues such as the Vietnam War, draft resisters, and the decay of justice in America. These were (and are) important topics, but these lumbering hard rock tunes were not an effective means to address them, politically or musically. It's hard to make agitprop and pop mix, but even judged simply within the context of Steppenwolf's records, it lacks memorable compositions, the unexceptional tunes burdened by lyrics that are too heavy-handed.
********************
BIOGRAPHY/AMG
Cub Koda
Led by John Kay (born Joachim Krauledat, April 12, 1944), Steppenwolf's blazing biker anthem "Born to Be Wild" roared out of speakers everywhere in the fiery summer of 1968, John Kay's threatening rasp sounding a mesmerizing call to arms to the counterculture movement rapidly sprouting up nationwide. German immigrant Kay got his professional start in a bluesy Toronto band called Sparrow, recording for Columbia in 1966. After Sparrow disbanded, Kay relocated to the West Coast and formed Steppenwolf, named after the Herman Hesse novel. "Born to Be Wild," their third single on ABC-Dunhill, was immortalized on the soundtrack of Dennis Hopper's underground film classic Easy Rider. The song's reference to "heavy metal thunder" finally gave an assignable name to an emerging genre. Steppenwolf's second monster hit that year, the psychedelic "Magic Carpet Ride," and the follow-ups "Rock Me," "Move Over," and "Hey Lawdy Mama" further established the band's credibility on the hard rock circuit. By the early '70s, Steppenwolf ran out of steam and disbanded. Kay continued to record solo, as other members put together ersatz versions of the band for touring purposes. During the mid-'80s Kay re-formed his own version of Steppenwolf, grinding out his hits (and some new songs) at oldies shows. Nevertheless, they'll be remembered for generations to come for creating one of the ultimate gas'n'go rock anthems of all time.
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BIOGRAPHY/WIKIPEDIA
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WEBSITE
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TO THE TOP
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11373 - STEPPENWOLF - EARLY STEPPENWOLF (1969)

STEPPENWOLF
''EARLY STEPPENWOLF''
JULY 1969
RECORDED LIVE AT THE MATRIX IN SAN FRANCISCO, MAY 14, 1967
43:40
********************
1 Powerplay 02:55 (John Kay)
2 Howlin' For My Darlin' 04:53 (Chester Burnett, Willie Dixon)
3 I'm Goin’ Upstairs 07:15 (John Lee Hooker)
4 Corina, Corina 03:54 (Traditional)
5 Tighten Up Your Wig 03:14 (John Kay)
6 The Pusher 21:27 (Hoyt Axton)
********************
Bass – Nick St. Nicholas
Drums – Jerry Edmonton
Guitar – Mars Bonfire
Guitar, Vocals – John Kay
Organ - Goldie McJohn
********************
ABOUT THE ALBUM/OFFICIAL
Before Steppenwolf was formed in 1967 several of it's members had been in the Canadian rock band known as the "Sparrow". The Sparrow had migrated from Toronto, to New York City to Los Angeles, and finally to the San Francisco bay area. Amongst various venues there, which included the Avalon and Fillmore ballrooms, the Sparrow played a club called the Matrix. In 1966, unbeknownst to the group, the club manager recorded a couple of the Sparrow shows. These recordings were released by ABC Dunhill in 1969 because we were busy touring and were not ready for the next studio album. While the recording quality of the "Early Steppenwolf" is not state of the art, it nevertheless contained some good blues covers and what is truly a collectors item, a 20 minute experimental version of "The Pusher.
********************
REVIEW/AMG
Cub Koda
Early live recordings made when the band was still called "Sparrow," working more out of a blues-band mold.
********************
BIOGRAPHY/AMG
Cub Koda
Led by John Kay (born Joachim Krauledat, April 12, 1944), Steppenwolf's blazing biker anthem "Born to Be Wild" roared out of speakers everywhere in the fiery summer of 1968, John Kay's threatening rasp sounding a mesmerizing call to arms to the counterculture movement rapidly sprouting up nationwide. German immigrant Kay got his professional start in a bluesy Toronto band called Sparrow, recording for Columbia in 1966. After Sparrow disbanded, Kay relocated to the West Coast and formed Steppenwolf, named after the Herman Hesse novel. "Born to Be Wild," their third single on ABC-Dunhill, was immortalized on the soundtrack of Dennis Hopper's underground film classic Easy Rider. The song's reference to "heavy metal thunder" finally gave an assignable name to an emerging genre. Steppenwolf's second monster hit that year, the psychedelic "Magic Carpet Ride," and the follow-ups "Rock Me," "Move Over," and "Hey Lawdy Mama" further established the band's credibility on the hard rock circuit. By the early '70s, Steppenwolf ran out of steam and disbanded. Kay continued to record solo, as other members put together ersatz versions of the band for touring purposes. During the mid-'80s Kay re-formed his own version of Steppenwolf, grinding out his hits (and some new songs) at oldies shows. Nevertheless, they'll be remembered for generations to come for creating one of the ultimate gas'n'go rock anthems of all time.
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BIOGRAPHY/WIKIPEDIA
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WEBSITE
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TO THE TOP
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11372 - STEPPENWOLF - ''AT YOUR BIRTHDAY PARTY'' (1969)

STEPPENWOLF
''"AT YOUR BIRTHDAY PARTY"''
MARCH 1969
41:32
********************
1 Don't Cry 03:11 (Gabriel Mekler)
2 Chicken Wolf 02:58 (Michael Monarch)
3 Lovely Meter 03:10 (Gabriel Mekler)
4 Round And Down 03:19 (Michael Monarch)
5 It's Never Too Late 04:07 (John Kay, Nick St. Nicholas)
6 Sleeping Dreaming 01:07 (Nick St. Nicholas)
7 Jupiter Child 03:28 (Jerry Edmonton, John Kay, Michael Monarch)
8 She'll Be Better 05:32 (Jerry Edmonton, Gabriel Mekler)
9 Cat Killer 01:37 (John Goadsby)
10 Rock Me 03:45 (Dave Grusin, John Kay)
11 God Fearing Man 03:55 (Michael Monarch)
12 Mango Juice 03:01 ((John Goadsby, Nick St. Nicholas, Jerry Edmonton, Michael Monarch)
13 Happy Birthday 02:16 (Gabriel Mekler)
********************
John Kay - Lead Vocals, Guitar. Harmonica
Michael Monarch - Lead Guitar
Goldy McJohn - Organ, Piano
Nick St. Nicholas - Bass
Jerry Edmonton - Drums, Vocals
********************
ABOUT THE ALBUM/OFFICIAL
1969—The Wolf's third album includes the hit “Rock Me” from the motion picture soundtrack Candy. Other highlights include: “It's Never Too Late,” “Jupiter's Child,” “Chicken Wolf,” and “Happy Birthday.” Songs: Don't Cry, Lovely Meter, Round and Round, Sleeping Dreaming, She'll Be Better, Cat Killer, God Fearing Man, Mango Juice.
----------
The recording sessions for "At Your Birthday Party" started to show the wear and tear of the road on all of us. In addition, some band members for the first time, tried their hand at songwriting and I had run out of tunes to contribute. This album nevertheless includes some of my favorite Steppenwolf tracks such as "Happy Birthday", "Jupiter's Child" and "Rock Me". Nick St. Nicholas (who had replaced our original bassist Rushton Moreve) had an idea for a song titled "It's Never Too Late", which triggered me to work out the rest of the song. That one is an all time favorite of mine. Gabriel Mekler (our Producer) had his hands full trying to be fair to all band members and stay neutral to allow us to work out the difficulties on our own. The fact that the song "Rock Me" (which had been written for the soundtrack of the motion picture "Candy") had already been a hit single before it was included in the "Birthday album" may have reduced the impact of the album because the initial sales of the LP were not what we had hoped for, although over the years, it became quite popular with many of our fans.
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ABOUT THE ALBUM/WIKIPEDIA
At Your Birthday Party is the third studio album by Steppenwolf, released in 1969 (see 1969 in music) on the label ABC Dunhill Records. It was the first Steppenwolf album to feature bass player Nick St. Nicholas. Although it was less critically acclaimed than their successful first two albums, Steppenwolf and The Second, it contains a few well-known hits, such as "It's Never Too Late" and "Jupiter's Child", as well as "Rock Me," which had been featured in the 1968 film Candy. Although the band would be very successful in the early 1970s, At Your Birthday Party was to be their last top ten album and features their last top ten single. The album showcases Steppenwolf coming out of, but not yet completely abandoning, the psychedelia of Steppenwolf the Second and stepping into the distinctive hard rock of their later releases.

COVER ART
The album's cover was designed by art director Gary Burden. The original LP was a gatefold with a punched-out front cover; the punchout revealed a photo of the band which comprised the inner sleeve's recto. This photo of the band was shot by Henry Diltz, and it shows the band sitting in the remnants of amplifiers and equipment in a charred house which had belonged to Canned Heat. (A 1969 fire ripped through Canned Heat's house and rehearsal studio on Lookout Mountain Ave in Laurel Canyon, Los Angeles, California.) Original lead guitarist Michael Monarch did not show up for the photo shoot. Steppenwolf producer Gabriel Mekler bore a physical resemblance to Monarch, and it was decided that Mekler would take Monarch's place in the photo. Mekler was able to hide himself all that more in the photo by sporting a pair of sunglasses. Initially, not too many noticed. Monarch was still, however, in the band. (A dispelled myth is that Monarch was no longer in the band at the time of the photo shoot; he was in the band until the latter part of '69, and the album came out in early '69). The LP was reissued on CD by MCA in late 1980's. MCA decided to not use the photo for their CD re-issue and opted only for the original unfinished war mouse painting, originally intended as the LP's cover. The resulting CD artwork indeed looks bare as a result. The surrounding black-and-white image of the LP's gate-fold sleeve was made by importing images of cartoon mouse heads onto the bodies of soldiers within an image of a U.S. Civil War trenched battlefield. The black-and-white portion of the album art was a collage made by Rick Griffin, who was supposed to paint a final version of what became the album art, but Dunhill Records declined to pay for the painting and so used Griffin's black-and-white prototype.
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REVIEW/AMG
Though only Steppewolf's third release in two years, 1969's AT YOUR BIRTHDAY PARTY isn't as flawless and inspired as the band's two previous recordings. But the album still packed quite a wallop and spawned yet another rock-radio standard, "Rock Me." One of the band's more underrated albums, even among longtime fans, AT YOUR BIRTHDAY PARTY contains typical Steppenwolf rockers like the aforementioned "Rock Me," "Jupiter Child," and "It's Never too Late." The experimental space rocker "Mango Juice" is comparable to Syd Barrett-era Pink Floyd. Soon after AT YOUR BIRTHDAY PARTY, Steppenwolf's lineup began to resemble a game of musical chairs. Band members came and went, with founder/leader John Kay remaining the only constant member.
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BIOGRAPHY/AMG
Cub Koda
Led by John Kay (born Joachim Krauledat, April 12, 1944), Steppenwolf's blazing biker anthem "Born to Be Wild" roared out of speakers everywhere in the fiery summer of 1968, John Kay's threatening rasp sounding a mesmerizing call to arms to the counterculture movement rapidly sprouting up nationwide. German immigrant Kay got his professional start in a bluesy Toronto band called Sparrow, recording for Columbia in 1966. After Sparrow disbanded, Kay relocated to the West Coast and formed Steppenwolf, named after the Herman Hesse novel. "Born to Be Wild," their third single on ABC-Dunhill, was immortalized on the soundtrack of Dennis Hopper's underground film classic Easy Rider. The song's reference to "heavy metal thunder" finally gave an assignable name to an emerging genre. Steppenwolf's second monster hit that year, the psychedelic "Magic Carpet Ride," and the follow-ups "Rock Me," "Move Over," and "Hey Lawdy Mama" further established the band's credibility on the hard rock circuit. By the early '70s, Steppenwolf ran out of steam and disbanded. Kay continued to record solo, as other members put together ersatz versions of the band for touring purposes. During the mid-'80s Kay re-formed his own version of Steppenwolf, grinding out his hits (and some new songs) at oldies shows. Nevertheless, they'll be remembered for generations to come for creating one of the ultimate gas'n'go rock anthems of all time.
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BIOGRAPHY/WIKIPEDIA
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WEBSITE
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TO THE TOP
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11371 - STEPPENWOLF - THE SECOND (1968)

STEPPENWOLF
''THE SECOND''
OCTOBER 1968
48:15
********************
1 Faster Than The Speed Of Life 03:14 (Mars Bonfire)
2 Tighten Up Your Wig 03:07 (John Kay)
3 None Of Your Doing 02:52 (John Kay, Gabriel Mekler)
4 Spiritual Fantasy 03:40 (John Kay)
5 Don't Step On The Grass, Sam 05:41 (John Kay)
6 28 03:11 (Gabriel Mekler)
7 Magic Carpet Ride 04:29 (John Kay, Rushton Moreve)
8 Disappointment Number (Unknown) 13:25 (John Kay)
8.2 Lost And Found By Trial And Error (John Kay)
8.3 Hodge, Podge, Strained Through A Leslie (John Kay)
8.4 Resurrection (John Kay)
8.5 Reflections (John Kay, Gabriel Mekler)
********************
John Kay - lead vocals, guitar, harmonica
Michael Monarch - lead guitar
Goldy McJohn - organ, piano
Rushton Moreve - bass guitar
Jerry Edmonton - drums, vocals
********************
ABOUT THE ALBUM/OFFICIAL
1968—The follow-up to their enormously successful first release. This classic contains, among other highlights, the full-length version of “Magic Carpet Ride,” everybody's favorite, “Don't Step On The Grass Sam,” and John Kay's original blues suite. Other songs: Faster Than The Speed Of Life, Tighten Up Your Wig, None Of Your Doing, Spiritual Fantasy, 28, Disappointment Number (Unknown), Lost and Found By Trial And Error, Hodge Podge Strained Through A Leslie, Resurrection, Reflections.
----------
"The Second" was a record full of experimentation. It was started a few short months after the first album was released. At that time we were contractually obligated to record two albums a year. That pressure, along with our greatly increased touring schedule, TV show appearances, etc, quickly had us behind schedule. We had a number of songs that had not made their way on the first album, plus some new tunes I had written or co-written with Gabriel Mekler. Mars Bonfire, who had contributed “Born To Be Wild” to the first album brought us “Faster Than The Speed of Life”, which Jerry Edmonton (our drummer) sang. Since Mars was at the studio to show us his new song, he wound up playing rhythm guitar on “Magic Carpet Ride”. Among the things that stand out the most about these sessions were that “Don’t Step On The Grass Sam”, was a whole lot of fun to record and of course “Magic Carpet Ride” with all it’s experimentation in the instrumental section of the tune. Other favorites of mine are “None of Your Doing” and the blues suite on side two, “Disappointment Number Unknown” which comprised most of side two of the original vinyl release. Recording of this project took longer than the first album. One reason was American Recordings improved it's recording capabilities by upgrading from an 8 to a 16 track system, which meant we could add additional instruments, sound effects, etc. All in all, it took about 6 weeks to record, which by today’s standards, is still pretty good time.
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ABOUT THE ALBUM/WIKIPEDIA
The Second is the second studio album by Canadian-American rock band Steppenwolf, released in 1968 on ABC Dunhill Records. The album contains one of Steppenwolf's most famous songs, "Magic Carpet Ride". The background of the original ABC LP cover was a shiny "foil", in contrast to later (MCA Records) LP issues and the modern CD sleeve.

Featuring a style incorporating psychedelic music as well as aggressive hard rock, the release has received critical acclaim both when it came out as well as in later years. For example, Allmusic critic Bruce Eder stated that, though "highly derivative" of their first album, The Second had "very hard and edgy" tracks with the band "in excellent form".
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REVIEW/AMG
Bruce Eder
The group's second album was virtually a re-creation of its predecessor, only slightly more sophisticated in its range of songs and the manner of playing them, and the in-house writing had improved, though the latter also became highly derivative. Steppenwolf the Second embraces everything from hard rock to psychedelia to blues, and the band is in excellent form, playing very hard and edgy, except on the deliberately lyrical, reflective "Spiritual Fantasy," a rare acoustic number for the group. Much more to the point of the group was the single "Magic Carpet Ride," the ultimate psychedelic pop dance number of the decade, and the marijuana anthem "Don't Step on the Grass, Sam," the pounding "28," and the album-opener "Faster Than the Speed of Life." Side two of the original LP was a great achievement in its own right, opening with "Magic Carpet Ride," which leads into a nonstop extended array of hard-rocking numbers, mostly in a blues idiom: "Disappointment Number (Unknown)," "Lost and Found by Trial and Error," "Hodge Podge, Strained Through a Leslie," and "Resurrection." The playing was as good as the first album, and though there's nothing quite comparable to "Born to Be Wild" here in terms of cultural impact, the level of the surrounding numbers is higher.
********************
BIOGRAPHY/AMG
Cub Koda
Led by John Kay (born Joachim Krauledat, April 12, 1944), Steppenwolf's blazing biker anthem "Born to Be Wild" roared out of speakers everywhere in the fiery summer of 1968, John Kay's threatening rasp sounding a mesmerizing call to arms to the counterculture movement rapidly sprouting up nationwide. German immigrant Kay got his professional start in a bluesy Toronto band called Sparrow, recording for Columbia in 1966. After Sparrow disbanded, Kay relocated to the West Coast and formed Steppenwolf, named after the Herman Hesse novel. "Born to Be Wild," their third single on ABC-Dunhill, was immortalized on the soundtrack of Dennis Hopper's underground film classic Easy Rider. The song's reference to "heavy metal thunder" finally gave an assignable name to an emerging genre. Steppenwolf's second monster hit that year, the psychedelic "Magic Carpet Ride," and the follow-ups "Rock Me," "Move Over," and "Hey Lawdy Mama" further established the band's credibility on the hard rock circuit. By the early '70s, Steppenwolf ran out of steam and disbanded. Kay continued to record solo, as other members put together ersatz versions of the band for touring purposes. During the mid-'80s Kay re-formed his own version of Steppenwolf, grinding out his hits (and some new songs) at oldies shows. Nevertheless, they'll be remembered for generations to come for creating one of the ultimate gas'n'go rock anthems of all time.
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BIOGRAPHY/WIKIPEDIA
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WEBSITE
********************
TO THE TOP
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11370 - STEPPENWOLF (1968)

STEPPENWOLF
''STEPPENWOLF''
JANUARY 29 1968
46:51
********************
1 Sookie Sookie 03:14 (Don Covay, Steve Cropper)
2 Everybody's Next One 02:57 (Gabriel Mekler, John Kay)
3 Berry Rides Again 02:49 (John Kay)
4 Hoochie Coochie Man 05:12 (Willie Dixon)
5 Born To Be Wild 03:29 (Mars Bonfire)
6 Your Wall's Too High 05:44 (John Kay)
7 Desperation 05:45 (John Kay)
8 The Pusher 05:49 (Hoyt Axton)
9 A Girl I Knew 02:38 (John Kay, Morgan A. Cavett)
10 Take What You Need 03:27
11 The Ostrich 05:42 (John Kay)
********************
Rushton Moreve - Bass Guitar
Jerry Edmonton - Drums, Percussion
Michael Monarch - Guitar
John Kay - Guitar, Harmonica, Lead Vocals
Goldy McJohn - Organ, Piano, Electric Piano
********************
ABOUT THE ALBUM/OFFICIAL
"Steppenwolf" was first recorded at United/Western Studio's in Los Angeles. We didn't care for the results at all. Through my friend Morgan Cavett, we discovered The American Recording Studio, with engineers Richard Podolor and Bill Cooper. Everything fit together. They, along with Gabriel Mekler our producer made for some very exciting recording sessions. We were knocked out by what we heard. It was everything we hoped for. We recorded onto an eight track machine through a tube board using a live echo chamber that Richie and Bill had built, which was one of the best live chambers in Los Angeles at that time. We recorded seven songs the first day and four more the next. The majority of the vocals were recorded on the third day and the album was mixed on day four. The entire album cost around $9,000.00 to make. We thought it sounded pretty damn good and in my opinion it still holds up to this day. Someone once said, "You have your entire life to get ready for the first album, and no time for the next one". That was certainly true in our case.
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ABOUT THE ALBUM/WIKIPEDIA
Steppenwolf is the first studio album by American rock band Steppenwolf, released in January 1968 on ABC Dunhill Records.

The album was a successful debut for the band, featuring the songs "Born to Be Wild", as well as "The Pusher", both of which were used in the 1969 film Easy Rider. "Berry Rides Again" is a tribute to guitarist Chuck Berry. The spelling of track #4 on the vinyl is "Hootchie Kootchie Man". The album credits say it was recorded at American Recording Company in Studio City, California; however, the actual name of the studio was American Recorders.

Early editions of the "Silver Background" version credit "Mars Bondfire" with writing "Born to be Wild" on both the LP label and the back of the LP cover.

The background color of the original ABC LP cover was silver or "foil", in contrast to later (MCA Records) LP issues and the modern CD sleeve in which it is replaced by white. It is the only album by the band to have been released in both stereo and mono configurations. Although the latter is simply a 'fold down' of the stereo mix it is sought after as a collector's item.
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REVIEW/AMG
Bruce Eder
Steppenwolf entered the studio for their recording debut with a lot of confidence -- based on a heavy rehearsal schedule before they ever got signed -- and it shows on this album, a surprisingly strong debut album from a tight hard rock outfit who was obviously searching for a hook to hang their sound on. The playing is about as loud and powerful as anything being put out by a major record label in 1968, though John Kay's songwriting needed some development before their in-house repertory would catch up with their sound and musicianship. On this album, the best material came from outside the ranks of the active bandmembers: "Born to Be Wild" by ex-member Mars Bonfire, which became not only a chart-topping high-energy anthem for the counterculture (a status solidified by its use in Dennis Hopper's movie Easy Rider the following year), but coined the phrase heavy metal, thus giving a genre-specific name to the brand of music that the band played (and which was already manifesting itself in the work of bands like Vanilla Fudge and the just-emerging Led Zeppelin); the Don Covay soul cover "Sookie, Sookie," which, as a single by the new group, actually got played on some soul stations until they found out that Steppenwolf was white; two superb homages to Chess Records, in the guise of "Berry Rides Again," written (though "adapted" might be a better word) by Kay based on the work of Chuck Berry, and the Willie Dixon cover "Hoochie Coochie Man"; and Hoyt Axton's "The Pusher," an anti-drug song turned into a pounding six-minute tour de force by the band. The rest, apart from the surprisingly lyrical rock ballad "A Girl I Knew," is by-the-numbers hard rock that lacked much except a framework for their playing; only "The Ostrich" ever comes fully to life among the other originals, but the songs would catch up with the musicianship the next time out.
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BIOGRAPHY/AMG
Cub Koda
Led by John Kay (born Joachim Krauledat, April 12, 1944), Steppenwolf's blazing biker anthem "Born to Be Wild" roared out of speakers everywhere in the fiery summer of 1968, John Kay's threatening rasp sounding a mesmerizing call to arms to the counterculture movement rapidly sprouting up nationwide. German immigrant Kay got his professional start in a bluesy Toronto band called Sparrow, recording for Columbia in 1966. After Sparrow disbanded, Kay relocated to the West Coast and formed Steppenwolf, named after the Herman Hesse novel. "Born to Be Wild," their third single on ABC-Dunhill, was immortalized on the soundtrack of Dennis Hopper's underground film classic Easy Rider. The song's reference to "heavy metal thunder" finally gave an assignable name to an emerging genre. Steppenwolf's second monster hit that year, the psychedelic "Magic Carpet Ride," and the follow-ups "Rock Me," "Move Over," and "Hey Lawdy Mama" further established the band's credibility on the hard rock circuit. By the early '70s, Steppenwolf ran out of steam and disbanded. Kay continued to record solo, as other members put together ersatz versions of the band for touring purposes. During the mid-'80s Kay re-formed his own version of Steppenwolf, grinding out his hits (and some new songs) at oldies shows. Nevertheless, they'll be remembered for generations to come for creating one of the ultimate gas'n'go rock anthems of all time.
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BIOGRAPHY/WIKIPEDIA
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WEBSITE
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11369 - JOHN KAY & STEPPENWOLF LIVE! IN LOUISVILLE (2004) (REPOST)

JOHN KAY & STEPPENWOLF
''LIVE! IN LOUISVILLE''
2004
81:08
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1 Intro 00:44
2 Sookie Sookie 03:44 (Don Covay, Steve Cropper)
3 Rock & Roll Rebels 04:07 (John Kay, Michael Wilk, Ritchie Ritchotte)
4 Rock Me Baby 03:30 (John Kay)
5 I'm Movin' On 03:54 (Hank Snow)
6 Endless Commercial 04:34 (John Kay)
7 Hey Lawdy Mama 04:06 (John Kay, Larry Byrom, Jerry Edmonton)
8 Hold On (Never Give Up, Never Give In) 05:47 (John Kay, Michael Wilk, Ritchie Ritchotte)
9 Ride With Me 04:26 (Mars Bonfire)
10 She Got The Goods 05:40 (John Kay)
11 Hoochie Coochie Man 05:11 (Willie Dixon)
12 Snowblind Friend 04:53 (Hoyt Axton)
13 Monster 09:47 (John Kay, Jerry Edmonton)
14 Magic Carpet Ride 05:18 (John Kay, R. Moreve)
15 Born To Be Wild 07:06 (Mars Bonfire)
16 The Pusher 08:18 (Hoyt Axton)
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Danny Johnson - Guitar
Ron Hurst - Drums
John Kay - Vocals, Guitar
Michael Wilk - Keyboards, Bass Guitar
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BIOGRAPHY/AMG
Greg Prato
Steppenwolf leader/founder John Kay is perhaps the most overlooked early contributor to the musical style that would become heavy metal and hard rock. Kay was the first rocker to use the phrase heavy metal in a song, in one of metal's first great anthems: Steppenwolf's 1968 classic "Born to Be Wild." Born Joachim Fritz Krauledat on April 12, 1944, in the section of Germany that was once known as East Prussia, it was the American rock & roll that he heard on U.S. Armed Forces radio after his family moved to East Germany that fueled his interest in music. After relocating to Toronto, Canada, in 1958, Kay became even more transfixed by rock & roll -- leading to Kay picking up the guitar, writing songs, and playing in local bands.

In the '60s, Kay founded the Sparrow, a rock outfit who played both Canada and the U.S., but received little attention. The group had fallen apart by 1967, but with a new, harder-edged style of rock beginning to conquer the charts and airwaves (Cream, Jimi Hendrix, and the Yardbirds), Kay decided to pursue this direction with his next band, Steppenwolf (titled after Hermann Hesse's novel of the same name). After moving to Los Angeles, the fledgling band was signed to Dunhill and recorded their self-titled debut, issued in 1968. The album became a sizeable hit, as "Born to Be Wild" was unleashed on an unsuspecting record-buying public, becoming one of rock's most instantly identifiable and enduring hits of all time. After the track was used in the 1969 cult classic movie Easy Rider, it subsequently appeared in countless other movies and TV commercials over the years and was covered by numerous other bands (Blue Oyster Cult, Slade, Crowded House, and the Cult).

Steppenwolf continued to crank out hit albums (1968's The Second, 1969's At Your Birthday Party, and 1969's Monster), singles ("Magic Carpet Ride," "Rock Me"), and tours on a regular basis, with Kay being the only constant member among a revolving door of other musicians. By 1972, Kay decided to end the group, issuing his first solo albums around the same time: Forgotten Songs & Unsung Heroes and My Sportin' Life. Steppenwolf's retirement didn't last for long, however, as Kay alternated between the band and his solo career throughout the '70s, '80s, and '90s. He even took a few former members of the band to court when they, too, began touring behind the name Steppenwolf. In 1994, Kay penned an autobiography, Magic Carpet Ride, and four years later, Steppenwolf and Kay were the subject of an interesting Behind the Music episode for VH1.
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11368 - JOHN KAY & STEPPENWOLF - FEED THE FIRE (1996) (REPOST)

JOHN KAY & STEPPENWOLF
''FEED THE FIRE''
1996
41:07
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1 Rock And Roll Rebels 03:44 (John Kay, Rocket Ritchotte, Michael Wilk)
2 Rock Steady 03:35 (John Kay, Michael Wilk)
3 Hold On 05:06 (John Kay, Rocket Ritchotte, Michael Wilk)
4 Everybody Knows You 03:28 (John Kay, Michael Wilk)
5 (Give Me) News I Can Use 03:37 (John Kay)
6 Replace The Face 03:40 (Alan O'Day)
7 Bad Attitude 04:34 (John Kay, Michael Wilk)
8 Man On Mission 03:59 (John Kay, Michael Wilk)
9 Rage 04:05 (John Kay, Rocket Ritchotte, Michael Wilk)
10 Feed The Fire 05:14 (John Kay, Michael Wilk)
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Kathy Burdick/Vocal Harmony
Ron Hurst/Drums, Vocals
Danny Johnson/Guitar, Mandolin, Vocals
John Kay/Guitar, Vocals
Richie Raposa/Vocals (Background)
Rocket Ritchotte/Guitar, Vocals
Michael Wilk/Bass, Keyboards, Vocals
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ABOUT THE ALBUM/OFFICIAL
1996—The Wolf's latest studio release features most of the material from the “Rock & Roll Rebels” CD of 1987, all re-recorded and/or remixed. In addition, two brand new songs: “Feed The Fire” and “Bad Attitude” round out the ten song selection. Perhaps because of its “hang in there and don't let the bastards get you down” attitude, this album has become a favorite with many Wolf fans. Fan favorites include: Rock & Roll Rebels & Feed The Fire.
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Our 1987 “Rock n Roll Rebels” release contained some of our best material in many years. However it was just supposed to be a demo recording and for various reasons it wound up being released as a master. We always wished we could have recorded it the way we intended and in 1996 we had the opportunity to do so. Eight of the songs from “Rebels” plus two new tracks “Feed The Fire” and “Bad Attitude” were recorded and/or reworked and the results were far more satisfying. The central theme of this record is still “don’t let the bastards get you down” as exemplified by “Hold On”, “Rock Steady” and “Man On A Mission”, but there is also some humor in “Bad Attitude” and reflection in the title cut “Feed The Fire”. All together (along with the “Rise and Shine” album) my favorite studio recording of the 80’s and 90’s.
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BIOGRAPHY/AMG
Greg Prato
Steppenwolf leader/founder John Kay is perhaps the most overlooked early contributor to the musical style that would become heavy metal and hard rock. Kay was the first rocker to use the phrase heavy metal in a song, in one of metal's first great anthems: Steppenwolf's 1968 classic "Born to Be Wild." Born Joachim Fritz Krauledat on April 12, 1944, in the section of Germany that was once known as East Prussia, it was the American rock & roll that he heard on U.S. Armed Forces radio after his family moved to East Germany that fueled his interest in music. After relocating to Toronto, Canada, in 1958, Kay became even more transfixed by rock & roll -- leading to Kay picking up the guitar, writing songs, and playing in local bands.

In the '60s, Kay founded the Sparrow, a rock outfit who played both Canada and the U.S., but received little attention. The group had fallen apart by 1967, but with a new, harder-edged style of rock beginning to conquer the charts and airwaves (Cream, Jimi Hendrix, and the Yardbirds), Kay decided to pursue this direction with his next band, Steppenwolf (titled after Hermann Hesse's novel of the same name). After moving to Los Angeles, the fledgling band was signed to Dunhill and recorded their self-titled debut, issued in 1968. The album became a sizeable hit, as "Born to Be Wild" was unleashed on an unsuspecting record-buying public, becoming one of rock's most instantly identifiable and enduring hits of all time. After the track was used in the 1969 cult classic movie Easy Rider, it subsequently appeared in countless other movies and TV commercials over the years and was covered by numerous other bands (Blue Oyster Cult, Slade, Crowded House, and the Cult).

Steppenwolf continued to crank out hit albums (1968's The Second, 1969's At Your Birthday Party, and 1969's Monster), singles ("Magic Carpet Ride," "Rock Me"), and tours on a regular basis, with Kay being the only constant member among a revolving door of other musicians. By 1972, Kay decided to end the group, issuing his first solo albums around the same time: Forgotten Songs & Unsung Heroes and My Sportin' Life. Steppenwolf's retirement didn't last for long, however, as Kay alternated between the band and his solo career throughout the '70s, '80s, and '90s. He even took a few former members of the band to court when they, too, began touring behind the name Steppenwolf. In 1994, Kay penned an autobiography, Magic Carpet Ride, and four years later, Steppenwolf and Kay were the subject of an interesting Behind the Music episode for VH1.
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WEBSITE
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TO THE TOP
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