Julian Cope presents Head Heritage

Oddly enough I was just listening to newly-acquired Spirit's "Farther Along" album from 1976. I thought it stunk! Like the record company told them to write a hit for radio OR ELSE, so they threw every idea at the wall: country, disco, classical strings, etc. -- and the result is just a bland bore. (Group is 4 of 5 orignal members minus Jay Ferguson on this one.)

Cued up for next listening: 1989's "Rapture in the Chambers", which I am almost afraid to listen to cuz the cover is so ghastly!! (band is just Randy, Cass & Locke "with special guest Mark Andes" for this one.)

I do really like "Spirit of 76" and that other 70's one with Randy California surrounded by lightning on the cover ("Son Of"?)

But my overall favorites by SPIRIT are the first self-titled "jigsaw face" one and "Family That Plays Together", with "Sardonicus" (produced by David Briggs ya know) third favorite. Somehow "Clear" seems like the dud of their early period; though "Feedback" (1972) doesn't have R. California, so is perhaps the least of them all (he's the one irreplaceable member, though Jay Ferguson also had a certain something and wrote lots of their "hits".)

One of the best "unsung" 60's groups. Key originators of "jazz rock" (before jazzrocking was cool.) And those early records are lushly psychedelic in a proto-prog style (segueing songs together, musique concrete, sitar reveries, etc.)

They should be a lot more popular than they are!