Browse by Artist: FORMERLY FAT HARRY

Artist:	FORMERLY FAT HARRY
Title:	Goodbye For Good: The Lost Recordings 1969-72
Label:	HUX (UK)
Format:	CD
Price:	$18.00
Catalog #:	HUX 096CD

"Formerly Fat Harry are one the forgotten greats of late '60s British rock. The band was formed in London in 1969 by ex-Country Joe & the Fish bassist Bruce Barthol and two old friends from the Berkeley, California folk music scene, Gary Petersen and Phil Greenberg. Fat Harry was soon signed up by the original Pink Floyd management company. Playing a highly idiosyncratic brand of Americana that frequently experimented with jazz time signatures, the band played at two of the now-legendary free concerts in Hyde Park, the 1970 Bath Festival, Phun City and many of the clubs of the era such as The Marquee in London. A quartet of 'musician's musicians,' admired by everyone from Ralph McTell to Edgar Broughton and Michael Chapman, the group made only one LP for Harvest Records before disbanding in 1972. Though reflecting their musical and songwriting abilities, that record failed to capture their true flavor. Now, this previously-unreleased collection of studio demos and live recordings (taken from the band's own archive) finally sets the record straight, delivering a heady mix of country, folk, blues and psychedelia, as well as including for the first time ever a version of their much-loved live favorite, 'Mariachi Riff.' The accompanying 16-page CD booklet includes comprehensive liner notes, featuring interviews with the band, plus rare photographs from their own archive."

Artist:	FORMERLY FAT HARRY
Title:	Mariachi Riff Live and Free Music
Label:	SHAGRAT (UK)
Format:	LP
Price:	$26.00
Catalog #:	SHAG 010LP

"Second archival release in one year by this fabled late '60s band, featuring Bruce Barthol -- ex-Country Joe & the Fish. Formed in Croydon, Surrey, UK in 1969 by Barthol and two mates from Berkeley, California, Gary Peterson and Phil Greenberg, Formerly Fat Harry were managed by the legendary Blackhill Enterprises (Peter Jenner and Andrew King, original managers of the Floyd) -- they played many gigs in the UK before their demise in 1972, such as two of the Hyde Park free concerts, Phun City, and the 1970 Bath Festival, as well as many college and club gigs. The band's one and only eponymous LP on Harvest Records didn't really reflect their true capabilities (Hux released a far more interesting selection of material from the group's own archive early this year Goodbye For Good) -- a fabulous mix of country, blues and psychedelia. This Shagrat LP reflects another side of the band -- FFH could also be very experimental, playing in odd time signatures and they were completed by a series of the greatest UK jazz drummers -- Laurie Allan, Alan Jackson and John Marshall. Side two of this limited edition 500-only vinyl LP features two free music tracks recorded in 1969 -- something the band rarely did live. Side one features a 24-minute version of their much-loved favorite 'Mariachi Riff,' which has been favorably compared to the best live work by both the Grateful Dead and Quicksilver Messenger Service -- an epic acid-rock tour de force. It was recorded live at Aylesbury Friars in December 1970. The original tapes have been digitally transferred and mastered by Ron Geesin. Packaged in a beautifully mind-blowing sleeve by legendary British psychedelic designer Mike McInnerney (who designed the sleeve for The Who's Tommy), the LP comes with a nice insert with photos, gig adverts from the era and an evocative essay about the band by long-time fan, Colin Hill. Limited run of 500 copies."

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