First off I gotta say that when this record arrived in the mail on Saturday I listened to it five times in a row at wall rattling volume. I don't want to tell you what to do, but it was practically a religious experience for me.
This band was formed in Cleveland in 1967, and Eric Carmen joined later in the year when he was turned down to be a member of (other huge local band) The Choir. Eric also snagged guitarist Wally Bryson (fresh out of the Choir) to join Cyrus Erie, and Cyrus Erie became a local phenomenon, covering the likes of the Who and Small Faces in addition to their originals.
The band was scooped up by Epic records who tried to squeeze a more commercial and polished sound out of the band ("a" side of this single is the result, 'Sparrow" which is OK but not the MONSTER cut that this is). Legend has it this song was cut in hastily in very little time. Shows how incredible they must have been as a live band, as this track is on the same level as the best of the British r&b (they were aping) of the Pretty Things, Who and Small Faces.
Thanks a million to my friend in Chicago, eric Colin, for hipping me to this one.
from 1968...
CYRUS ERIE - GET THE MESSAGE
SPARROW
4 comments:
Good one! As a long time Raspberries fan, and worked on the 1993 Razz book with Ken Sharp, when i heard this tune it's almost like a link to the Raspberries, especially "Go All The Way"......the structure is a little similar, and a little sloppier too, but you can't obscure a great song!! THANKS for the post! Jim
Wow! I had two copies of this single and now don't know what happened to them. (My ex-roomate may have nailed them when we moved) A great song! Too bad Epic botched the A and B side during recording and radio promotion, in 1969. Saw the Reigning Sound cover this one at a Cle., Oh. gig. Don't know if they ever recorded it.
Sadly, these are gone like the radio that shines inn yesterday. any chance of a repost? I've waited 30 years to hear them.
Johnno
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-Dtg295wVk
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