Keith Christmas "Stimulus" 1969
Originally released in 1969 this is a lost treasure on which Keith was backed by members of Mighty Baby who together created a late 60's "laid back Dylan, John St. Field/early John Martyn/Mick Softley/Roy Harper" styled album.
The emphasis is on long tracks "Trial & Judgement" & "I know You Can't Loose" showing great songwriting and impressive overlapping guitar parts.
Keith Christmas also appeared at the first Glastonbury Festival. ~Freak Emporium
Keith's first album was reissued on CD in a limited amount on a small English label. First two tracks still are somewhat times-typical lightweight pop. The guitar instrumental "Roundabout" shows that Keith masters a certain guitar creativity. A song like "Ice Man" shows that he has even more in his pocket. It has a great performance and a convincing guitar and arrangements.
At those days Keith was one of the persons to stimulate the beautiful voice and s/sw-folksinger Shelagh McDonald (with "Stargazer" from 1971 as her future highlight). She even sketched a portrait of Keith which appeared on the LP. Both artists appeared along with Synasthesia (another great acid folkrock band which album luckily also found reissues), on a compilation called "49 Greek Street".
The following track, "I know you can't loose" has in fact a nicer version by Shelagh McDonald on her debut album. Last tracks "Metropolis" and "Trial and Judgement" might still be influenced by American folk and songwriters. The album shows potentional, but does not show his best side yet.
Originally released in 1969 this is a lost treasure on which Keith was backed by members of Mighty Baby who together created a late 60's "laid back Dylan, John St. Field/early John Martyn/Mick Softley/Roy Harper" styled album.The emphasis is on long tracks "Trial & Judgement" & "I know You Can't Loose" showing great songwriting and impressive overlapping guitar parts.
Keith Christmas also appeared at the first Glastonbury Festival. ~Freak Emporium
Keith's first album was reissued on CD in a limited amount on a small English label. First two tracks still are somewhat times-typical lightweight pop. The guitar instrumental "Roundabout" shows that Keith masters a certain guitar creativity. A song like "Ice Man" shows that he has even more in his pocket. It has a great performance and a convincing guitar and arrangements.
At those days Keith was one of the persons to stimulate the beautiful voice and s/sw-folksinger Shelagh McDonald (with "Stargazer" from 1971 as her future highlight). She even sketched a portrait of Keith which appeared on the LP. Both artists appeared along with Synasthesia (another great acid folkrock band which album luckily also found reissues), on a compilation called "49 Greek Street".
The following track, "I know you can't loose" has in fact a nicer version by Shelagh McDonald on her debut album. Last tracks "Metropolis" and "Trial and Judgement" might still be influenced by American folk and songwriters. The album shows potentional, but does not show his best side yet.
posted by Lizardson at 12:37 AM
5 Comments:
thanks very much for posting this! i'd requested in a month or so ago, and am so happy to hear it again. your blog is wonderful.
Thank you! Keith Christmas is a legend. Have you heard his latest album Acoustica? It is only instrumental but proves he is still a master of the guitar.
any chance you get pigmy???his best album by far thanx
thanks a million for this post . how else would us mere mortals get to hear such a rare release !
Stimulus is now avalible in remastered form by Talking Elephant. Finally!
Post a Comment
<< Home