Country Weather
Encyclopedia
Country Weather is a psychedelic rock
band that were closely associated with the San Francisco music scene of the late 1960s
.
Originally named The Virtues, the band was formed in the San Francisco suburb of Walnut Creek
, California
, by high school students Dave Carter (vocals, bass), and Steve Derr (vocals, rhythm guitar) in 1966. They were initially joined by Paul White and Craig T. Nelson, who were soon replaced by Greg Douglass (lead guitar) and Bill Baron (drums).
In 1967 the band changed their name to Country Weather, at the suggestion of San Francisco music promoter Chet Helms
. Chet also suggested that the band stop playing cover version
s and concentrate on writing their own original material. Soon after, they began opening
for various psychedelic bands
at key counter-culture
venues in San Francisco, including the Avalon Ballroom
, the Fillmore Auditorium
, and Winterland
.
Although Country Weather never signed to a major record label
or released any singles
or album
s during their 1960s heyday, they did record a five song promotional demo in 1969 to help them get gigs
. 50 copies of this demo record were produced (making it a much sought-after rarity among collectors) and it received considerable airplay on local radio stations.
Country Weather disbanded in 1973 when Greg Douglass left the band to join Mistress. Later he joined the Steve Miller Band
and has also played as a sideman
to established artists, including Van Morrison
. Dave Carter went on to play with Quicksilver Messenger Service
and also played with former Moby Grape
member, Skip Spence
.
The group reformed in 2000, for a benefit show to help raise funds for a liver transplant for a friend of the band. The result was a full reformation, with Greg Douglass and Bill Baron being replaced by Graham Cooper (guitar), and Lloyd Ferris (drums).
The band released their first CD in 2003, entitled Makin' Music Again. This 13 track CD featured new and vintage songs, including a recording of "Yes That's Right" taken from a Fillmore Auditorium
show in July 1969. In 2005, a double vinyl
LP
entitled Country Weather was released by RD Records. This double album
featured the band’s 1969 five song demo, previously unreleased live recordings from summer 1970 and a studio session from 1971. To date, the Country Weather double album has not been issued on CD.
In 2007, the band’s signature song, "Fly to New York", appeared on Rhino Records’ Love Is the Song We Sing: San Francisco Nuggets 1965-1970
compilation, which was nominated for a Grammy in the historical category. When Rolling Stone
magazine reviewed the album for their October edition, they cited "Fly to New York" as a "great freakout". In February 2009, Country Weather released a 3 song demo CD recorded in 2008 and 2009, which included a new recording of "Fly to New York".
Psychedelic rock
Psychedelic rock is a style of rock music that is inspired or influenced by psychedelic culture and attempts to replicate and enhance the mind-altering experiences of psychedelic drugs. It emerged during the mid 1960s among folk rock and blues rock bands in United States and the United Kingdom...
band that were closely associated with the San Francisco music scene of the late 1960s
1960s
The 1960s was the decade that started on January 1, 1960, and ended on December 31, 1969. It was the seventh decade of the 20th century.The 1960s term also refers to an era more often called The Sixties, denoting the complex of inter-related cultural and political trends across the globe...
.
Originally named The Virtues, the band was formed in the San Francisco suburb of Walnut Creek
Walnut Creek, California
Walnut Creek is an incorporated city located east of the city of Oakland. It lies in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area. While not as large as neighboring Concord, Walnut Creek serves as the business and entertainment hub for the neighboring cities within central Contra Costa...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, by high school students Dave Carter (vocals, bass), and Steve Derr (vocals, rhythm guitar) in 1966. They were initially joined by Paul White and Craig T. Nelson, who were soon replaced by Greg Douglass (lead guitar) and Bill Baron (drums).
In 1967 the band changed their name to Country Weather, at the suggestion of San Francisco music promoter Chet Helms
Chet Helms
Chester Leo "Chet" Helms , often called the father of San Francisco's "1967 Summer of Love," was a music promoter and a cultural figure in San Francisco during its hippie period in the late Sixties....
. Chet also suggested that the band stop playing cover version
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
s and concentrate on writing their own original material. Soon after, they began opening
Opening act
An opening act or warm-up act is an entertainer or entertainment act that performs at a concert before the featured entertainer...
for various psychedelic bands
Psychedelic music
Psychedelic music covers a range of popular music styles and genres, which are inspired by or influenced by psychedelic culture and which attempt to replicate and enhance the mind-altering experiences of psychedelic drugs. It emerged during the mid 1960s among folk rock and blues-rock bands in the...
at key counter-culture
Counterculture of the 1960s
The counterculture of the 1960s refers to a cultural movement that mainly developed in the United States and spread throughout much of the western world between 1960 and 1973. The movement gained momentum during the U.S. government's extensive military intervention in Vietnam...
venues in San Francisco, including the Avalon Ballroom
The Avalon Ballroom
The Avalon Ballroom is a music venue, in the Polk Gulch neighborhood of San Francisco, California, at 1268 Sutter Street, on the north side, one building east of the corner of Van Ness Avenue. The space operated from 1966 to 1968 and reopened in 2003...
, the Fillmore Auditorium
The Fillmore
The Fillmore Auditorium is a historic music venue in San Francisco, California, made famous by Bill Graham. Named for its original location at the intersection of Fillmore Street and Geary Boulevard, it lies on the boundary of the Western Addition and the Pacific Heights neighborhoods.In 1968,...
, and Winterland
Winterland Ballroom
The Winterland Ballroom, often referred to as Winterland Arena or simply Winterland, was an old ice skating rink and 5,400-seat music venue in San Francisco, California...
.
Although Country Weather never signed to a major record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
or released any singles
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
or album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
s during their 1960s heyday, they did record a five song promotional demo in 1969 to help them get gigs
Gig (musical performance)
Gig is slang for a musical engagement in which musicians are hired. Originally coined in the 1920s by jazz musicians, the term, short for the word "engagement", now refers to any aspect of performing such as assisting with performance and attending musical performance...
. 50 copies of this demo record were produced (making it a much sought-after rarity among collectors) and it received considerable airplay on local radio stations.
Country Weather disbanded in 1973 when Greg Douglass left the band to join Mistress. Later he joined the Steve Miller Band
Steve Miller Band
The Steve Miller Band is an American rock band formed in 1967 in San Francisco, California. The band is managed by Steve Miller on guitar and lead vocals, and is known for a string of mid-1970s hit singles that are staples of the classic rock radio format.-History:In 1965, Steve Miller and...
and has also played as a sideman
Sideman
A sideman is a professional musician who is hired to perform or record with a group of which he or she is not a regular member. They often tour with solo acts as well as bands and jazz ensembles. Sidemen are generally required to be adaptable to many different styles of music, and so able to fit...
to established artists, including Van Morrison
Van Morrison
Van Morrison, OBE is a Northern Irish singer-songwriter and musician. His live performances at their best are regarded as transcendental and inspired; while some of his recordings, such as the studio albums Astral Weeks and Moondance, and the live album It's Too Late to Stop Now, are widely...
. Dave Carter went on to play with Quicksilver Messenger Service
Quicksilver Messenger Service
Quicksilver Messenger Service is an American psychedelic rock band, formed in 1965 in San Francisco.-Introduction:Quicksilver Messenger Service gained wide popularity in the Bay Area and, through their recordings, with psychedelic rock enthusiasts around the globe and several of their albums ranked...
and also played with former Moby Grape
Moby Grape
Moby Grape is an American rock group from the 1960s, known for having all five members contribute to singing and songwriting and that collectively merged elements of folk music, blues, country, and jazz together with rock and psychedelic music...
member, Skip Spence
Skip Spence
Alexander Lee "Skip" Spence was a Canadian-born musician and singer-songwriter. He was co-founder of Moby Grape, and played guitar with them until 1969. He released one solo album, 1969's Oar, and then largely withdrew from the music industry...
.
The group reformed in 2000, for a benefit show to help raise funds for a liver transplant for a friend of the band. The result was a full reformation, with Greg Douglass and Bill Baron being replaced by Graham Cooper (guitar), and Lloyd Ferris (drums).
The band released their first CD in 2003, entitled Makin' Music Again. This 13 track CD featured new and vintage songs, including a recording of "Yes That's Right" taken from a Fillmore Auditorium
The Fillmore
The Fillmore Auditorium is a historic music venue in San Francisco, California, made famous by Bill Graham. Named for its original location at the intersection of Fillmore Street and Geary Boulevard, it lies on the boundary of the Western Addition and the Pacific Heights neighborhoods.In 1968,...
show in July 1969. In 2005, a double vinyl
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
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...
entitled Country Weather was released by RD Records. This double album
Double album
A double album is an audio album which spans two units of the primary medium in which it is sold, typically records and compact discs....
featured the band’s 1969 five song demo, previously unreleased live recordings from summer 1970 and a studio session from 1971. To date, the Country Weather double album has not been issued on CD.
In 2007, the band’s signature song, "Fly to New York", appeared on Rhino Records’ Love Is the Song We Sing: San Francisco Nuggets 1965-1970
Love Is the Song We Sing: San Francisco Nuggets 1965-1970
Love Is the Song We Sing: San Francisco Nuggets 1965-1970 is the fourth Nuggets box set released by Rhino Records. It was released in 2007. The compilation focuses on San Francisco Sound bands...
compilation, which was nominated for a Grammy in the historical category. When Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
magazine reviewed the album for their October edition, they cited "Fly to New York" as a "great freakout". In February 2009, Country Weather released a 3 song demo CD recorded in 2008 and 2009, which included a new recording of "Fly to New York".