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