Poobah CD - Steamroller
Monster
Records specializes in reprints of seventies and eighties rock.
If you are looking for music from that era, Poobah is a fine example.
"Steamroller" is an appropriate name for this no holds
barred collection of thirteen songs.
"Jump the Golden Ring" starts off with a healthy dose
of Jim
Gustafson's lead guitar work. Although he lists himself as the
writer, there is a section of the instrumental "Pipeline"
included, as well as bits of "Peter
Gunn" and "Secret Agent Man". Gustafson also has
a rare high note
Scream that compares with Ian Gillian's in Deep Purple.
This is pretty much Gustafson's show. Phil Jones on bass and Judd
Gaylord on drums just kind of lumber along, except for Jones's
unaccompanied piano solo on "Atom Bomb". But, hey. it
worked for Grand Funk, and it does here, too.
They did not make albums of over an hour back in 1979. This CD
Includes a previously unreleased track and four tracks recorded
live at Biggy's in Youngtown, Ohio. The latter tracks are well
produced for the time.
"She's That kind of Lover" is a good example of the
lyrics: "Whoo hoo/all right now/She's got good lovin' and
she's got it red hot/All the boys will tell you that she's got
a lot." This is from the days when rock stars were men and
women were - red hot.
Sensitivity, subtlety, texture - there's none of that here. But
it's got good guitar and it's got it red hot. Gustafson knows
his Hendrix, but he does not slavishly imitate him. Nor does he
just regenerate blues licks. He's fast and clean. I mean his guitar
playing. I assume in 1979 his personal life was fast and dirty.
A recent interview reprinted in the liner notes indicates that
Poobah is going to reform and tour. Ohio is close to where I live,
so if they come around, I'm there!
Web site at http://www.monsterrecords.com/monster/poobah.html.
- Dave Howell
and interviews at http://davehowell.blogspot.com |