--- In
newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com, MAinPsych@... wrote:
>
> I just received a copy of Spirit's self-titled first album, the
first time I've heard it?since the '70's.? I couldn't help but draw a
comparison between their jazz-style improvisations (e.g., at the end
of Straight Arrow) and the guitar style of Randy California to that
of KC and Robert Fripp, particularly on?21st Century Schizoid Man.?
Additionally, I hear a lot of things in the instrumental, Elijah,
that bring to mind post-Lizard KC.? Could this American band have
served as an "inspiration" to Fripp?? I have never heard Giles,
Giles, & Fripp, so I don't know if the similarity is 'coincidental'
or if Fripp had heard the Spirit album and perhaps been influenced by
it.
>
> Comments?
>
> Frank Samagaio
> San Diego CA
>
Hey Frank. One of my all time favorites is from their follow-
up, "The Family That Plays Together" called Aren't You Glad" and to
this day would like to know what they used for strings. In the same
vein, another group akin to Spirit of that time is a Detroit group
called SRC, most noted "Black Sheep" and all 3 of their albums
(Capitol) had interesting yet unusual cuts. Along with what you
mentioned above, the McCoys Smooth Ball was along the same jazz lines
as the early Giles as were some of the early Van Der Graaf Generator
cuts, some even oozing Mellotron. There are a lot more surely from a
time that innovational music influenced so many others of that era.
Doug