THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD
685) Head West — “Some Day”
A sinuous/funky/jazzy rock song by a future member of Fleetwood Mac. Vernon Joynson says the song’s “vocals have a haunting quality and the song . . . has a certain charm”. (The Tapestry of Delights Revisited) It’s highly reminiscent of Manfred Mann Chapter III.
Wita Records hails the LP:
Head West, a trio as explosive as it was short-lived, recorded in 1970 a digest of soul, funk and psychedelic rock, a la Sky Stone . . . . [They] brilliantly recorded this fantastic blend . . . characteristic of the late 1960s, a musical fusion in which Sly and Family Stone were the masters. The record is remarkable for the quality of the production, for the magnificent soulful vocal harmonies, supported by the wild roar of Robert Hunt’s Hammond organ. But it was certainly Henry Moore’s heavy breakbeats and solid grooves that . . . the advent of sampling, gave this album a second life. Many artists and producers have recycled the drum parts with their formidable sound and efficiency. . . . Head West was born from the ashes of the Los Angeles soul band the Seven Souls . . . . [and] record[ed] this one and only record and a few singles. . . . Recorded in France in 1970 for Vogue records, these tracks are also a French production . . . .
https://witarecords.com/en/wita-records-releases/39-head-west.html
Welch told People Magazine that his stay in Paris from ‘69-‘71 were spent “living on rice and beans and sleeping on the floor.” (https://www.westcoast.dk/artists/w/bob-welch/)
Bret Adams gives us Welch’s post-West history:
Singer, songwriter, and guitarist Bob Welch enjoyed a brief streak of mainstream success in the late ’70s after a four-year, pre-phenomenon stint in Fleetwood Mac. In 1971, Welch replaced Jeremy Spencer . . . . Welch’s finest Fleetwood Mac moment was the dreamily jazzy “Hypnotized” on Mystery to Me. Welch was asked to stay despite the addition of Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks, but he departed and formed a hard rock trio called Paris. The band . . . released two poorly received albums in 1976. Welch then decided to craft blatantly commercial pop music, and he succeeded with 1977’s French Kiss, which went platinum and featured the hit singles “Sentimental Lady” . . . and “Ebony Eyes.” . . . Welch released . . . more albums through 1983, but sales steadily declined. . . . In 1994, he filed a lawsuit claiming he was underpaid royalties during his tenure. The case was settled out of court, but Welch says Fleetwood Mac retaliated by having him excluded from the band’s 1998 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction.
https://www.allmusic.com/artist/bob-welch-mn0000064961/biography
Pay to Play! The Off the Charts Spotify Playlist! + Brace for the Obscure 60s Rock Merchandise
Please consider helping to support my website/blog by contributing $6 a month for access to the Off the Charts Spotify Playlist. Using a term familiar to denizens of Capitol Hill, you pay to play! (“relating to or denoting an unethical or illicit arrangement in which payment is made by those who want certain privileges or advantages in such arenas as business, politics, sports, and entertainment” — dictionary.com).
The playlist includes all the “greatest songs of the 1960’s that no one has ever heard” that are available on Spotify. The playlist will expand each time I feature an available song.
All new subscribers will receive a Brace for the Obscure 60s Rock magnet. New subscribers who sign up for a year will also receive a Brace for the Obscure 60s Rock t-shirt or baseball cap. See pictures on the Pay to Play page.
When subscribing, please send me an e-mail (GMFtma1@gmail.com) or a comment on this site letting me know an e-mail address/phone number/Facebook address, etc. to which I can send instructions on accessing the playlist and a physical address to which I can sent a magnet/t-shirt/baseball cap. If choosing a t-shirt, please let me know the gender and size you prefer.
Just click on the first blue block for a month to month subscription or the second blue block for a yearly subscription.
Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! / Off the Charts: 60s Rock Revelations 