Spirit - Son Of Spirit / Farther Alone (1975-76) (Remastered, 2004)

Founded in Los Angeles, USA in 1967 - Several hiatus between 1973 and 1982 - Disbanded finally in 1997

Spirit is a legendary psychedelic rock band that has never managed to achieve great success although their albums, mainly their early ones are regarded by fans and critics as masterpieces.

Their history starts back in 1965, in San Francisco, when Ed Cassidy, an experient jazz drummer that played with Taj Mahal and Ry Cooder among others, Randy California, a 14-year-old guitar player whose mother would marry Ed and Ed would become Randy?s stepfather; Jay Fergusson and Mark Andes (Later Jo Jo Gunne) formed a band named The Red Roosters.

The band was shortlived and in 1966 Ed and Randy moved to New York where Ed started to play jazz venues. In New York Randy once saw a guy playing a guitar in a guitar shop and they started to discuss techniques. They became friends and Randy soon became a member of the Jimmy James and the Blue Flames, band which his new friend was the leader. They played for three months in Cafe Wha and then Chas Chandler discovered the band and invited Jimmy to go to the United Kingdom. Jimmy invited Randy to go with him but Randy couldn?t since he was only 15. So Jimmy, whose real name was James Marshall Hendrix went to England and the rest is history.

In 1967 Ed and Randy returned to California and they met by chance Fergusson and Andes, the members of The Red Roosters and they formed a new band named Spirits Rebellious, which was shortened to Spirit. John Locke, an experient keyboardist joined then and in early 1968 they released their first album, a mix of psychedelia, blues and jazz. The jazz accent would be a trademark of their early albums, mainly in "The Family that Plays Together" and "Clear", two 1969 releases. The first contained their biggest hit, "I Got A Line on You". In 1970 they released the album considered by fans and critics their masterpiece: "Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus", featuring experimental sounds, good arrangements and some of their most solid compositions. The band broke up in 1971 due to tensions between the members and in 1971 Cassidy and Locke joined the Staehely brothers and released "Feedback" which has nothing to do with the original Spirit sound.

In 1973 Ed and Randy joined again and along with other musicians recorded "Potatoland" which was shelved and would be released only in 1981. Then they made their come-back in 1975 with "Spirit of '76" and released "Son of Spirit", "Farther Along" and "Future Games" before a break. "Farther Along" featured all original members except Fergusson and "Future Games" was kind of a Randy?s solo.

Through 80?s and 90?s they released some albums, including "The Thirtieth Dream", featuring the original lineup. Most of the albums where in the format of a trio, though, always with Randy on guitar and Cassidy on drums.

The story of Spirit ended sadly in 1997, when Randy California disappeared in the sea while swimming in Hawaii. But the glory of the band remains with their works, many times innovative, experimental and fusing lots of elements, mainly jazz and psychedelia. Their albums, mainly the first four are essential and helped to develop progressive rock.

Many Spirit albums were released (and are still being produced) after California?s death comprising unreleased songs recorded by him alone and with the other Spirit members (he had hundreds of songs unreleased).