Quicksilver Messenger Service (album)
Encyclopedia
Quicksilver Messenger Service is the debut album of Quicksilver Messenger Service
, released in 1968
.
-oriented songs. Unlike contemporaries such as the Grateful Dead
, Quicksilver's jams were highly planned as can be heard by comparing the studio versions of songs with those from bootleg live performances.
There are three covers and three band compositions on the album, including the 12-minute closer "The Fool." "Pride of Man" was written by Hamilton Camp
, "It's Been Too Long" by producer Nick Gravenites
, and "Dino's Song" by founding member Dino Valenti
who was at that time in prison due to marijuana-related offenses.
Billboard (North America)
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...
, released in 1968
1968 in music
-Events:*January 4 – Guitarist Jimi Hendrix is jailed by Stockholm police, after trashing a hotel room during a drunken fist fight with bassist Noel Redding.*January 6 – Gibson Guitar Corporation patents its Gibson Flying V electric guitar design....
.
History
This was Quicksilver Messenger Service's first album, although they had already produced two songs for the soundtrack of the 1968 movie Revolution. Noted for its instrumental passages (most notably in "Gold and Silver" and "The Fool"), the album displays the group's jam sound amidst lighter popPop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
-oriented songs. Unlike contemporaries such as the Grateful Dead
Grateful Dead
The Grateful Dead was an American rock band formed in 1965 in the San Francisco Bay Area. The band was known for its unique and eclectic style, which fused elements of rock, folk, bluegrass, blues, reggae, country, improvisational jazz, psychedelia, and space rock, and for live performances of long...
, Quicksilver's jams were highly planned as can be heard by comparing the studio versions of songs with those from bootleg live performances.
There are three covers and three band compositions on the album, including the 12-minute closer "The Fool." "Pride of Man" was written by Hamilton Camp
Hamilton Camp
Hamilton Camp was an English-American singer, songwriter, actor and voice actor.-Early life:Camp was born in London, England, and was evacuated during World War II to the United States as a child with his mother and sister. He became a child actor in films and onstage...
, "It's Been Too Long" by producer Nick Gravenites
Nick Gravenites
Nicholas George Gravenites , with stage names like Nick "The Greek" Gravenites and Gravy, is a blues, rock and folk singer–songwriter, and is best known for his work with Janis Joplin, Mike Bloomfield and several influential bands and names of the generation springing from the 1960s and 1970s...
, and "Dino's Song" by founding member Dino Valenti
Chet Powers
Chester William Powers, Jr. was an American singer-songwriter, and a member of the rock group Quicksilver Messenger Service. He was also known by the stage name "Dino Valenti" and, as a songwriter, as Jesse Oris Farrow...
who was at that time in prison due to marijuana-related offenses.
Track listing
- "Pride of Man" – 4:08 (Hamilton CampHamilton CampHamilton Camp was an English-American singer, songwriter, actor and voice actor.-Early life:Camp was born in London, England, and was evacuated during World War II to the United States as a child with his mother and sister. He became a child actor in films and onstage...
) - "Light Your Windows" – 2:38 (Gary DuncanGary DuncanGary Duncan is an American musician, once guitarist with The Brogues, then most notably with Quicksilver Messenger Service, where the complex interplay between himself and fellow-guitarist John Cipollina did much to define the unique sound of that San Francisco based band.-Early life and musical...
, David FreibergDavid FreibergDavid Freiberg is an American musician. He was vocalist and/or bass guitar player with Quicksilver Messenger Service, Jefferson Airplane and Jefferson Starship.-Career:...
) - "Dino's Song" – 3:08 (Dino ValentiChet PowersChester William Powers, Jr. was an American singer-songwriter, and a member of the rock group Quicksilver Messenger Service. He was also known by the stage name "Dino Valenti" and, as a songwriter, as Jesse Oris Farrow...
) - "Gold and SilverGold and Silver"Gold and Silver", a song written and recorded by Quicksilver Messenger Service, first appeared on their debut album, Quicksilver Messenger Service...
" – 6:43 (Gary Duncan, Steve Schuster) - "It's Been Too Long" – 3:01 (Nick GravenitesNick GravenitesNicholas George Gravenites , with stage names like Nick "The Greek" Gravenites and Gravy, is a blues, rock and folk singer–songwriter, and is best known for his work with Janis Joplin, Mike Bloomfield and several influential bands and names of the generation springing from the 1960s and 1970s...
) - "The Fool" – 12:07 (Gary Duncan, David Freiberg)
Personnel
- John CipollinaJohn CipollinaJohn Cipollina was a guitarist best known for his role as a founder and the lead guitarist of the prominent San Francisco rock band Quicksilver Messenger Service...
- Lead Guitar - Gary DuncanGary DuncanGary Duncan is an American musician, once guitarist with The Brogues, then most notably with Quicksilver Messenger Service, where the complex interplay between himself and fellow-guitarist John Cipollina did much to define the unique sound of that San Francisco based band.-Early life and musical...
- Guitar, Vocals - David FreibergDavid FreibergDavid Freiberg is an American musician. He was vocalist and/or bass guitar player with Quicksilver Messenger Service, Jefferson Airplane and Jefferson Starship.-Career:...
- Bass Guitar, Vocals, Viola - Greg ElmoreGreg ElmoreGreg Elmore is an American drummer, formerly with The Brogues and the San Francisco rock band Quicksilver Messenger Service....
- Drums
Charts
AlbumBillboard (North America)
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1968 | Pop Albums | 63 |