Tripsichord Music Box
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Tripsichord Music Box | |
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Origin | San Francisco, California |
Genres | Psychedelic rock |
Years active | 1968–1971 |
Labels | San Francisco Sound, Janus |
Members | Randy Gordon Frank Straight Dave Zandonatti Oliver McKinney Bill Carr Ron McNeely |
The Tripsichord Music Box was an American psychedelic rock group of the 1960s. They were managed by Matthew Katz, who also worked with Jefferson Airplane, Moby Grape and It's a Beautiful Day.[1] Their loyalty to Katz, at a time when many San Francisco bands were signing recording deals with Los Angeles-based labels, may have contributed to their relatively unknown status today.[citation needed] Led by guitarist and singer/songwriter David Zandonatti, Tripsichord recorded a full-length LP and several singles for Katz's San Francisco Sound label.[1] They were the first San Francisco group to record on 8-track equipment.[1]
Frank Straight (guitar), Tony McGuire (guitar), Oliver McKinney (keyboards) and Randy Guzman (drums), performing as The Ban and based in Lompoc, California, released one 45 RPM single ("Bye-Bye" / "That I'm Hoping") in 1965 on a small label called Brent records.[1] McGuire was drafted into the military, and circa 1966 Zandonatti joined The Ban, originally as a bassist.[1] They then moved to Los Angeles, signed to Jack Berle's Embassy record label, changed their name to The Now, played some Sunset Strip clubs, and released a single on Embassy, "I Want" / "Fly Like a Bird".[1] Soon they moved to San Francisco and signed up to be managed by Matthew Katz, who came up with the name Tripsichord Music Box.[1]
Around 1969, Zandonatti converted to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), which became an influence on songs he wrote, some of which appeared on the band's LP.[1] Tripsichord's other songwriter, Bill Carr, is Jewish and as Zandonatti was the only committed Mormon in the band, they were never a "Mormon band".[citation needed]
Towards the end of their stay in San Francisco, Ron McNeely joined as vocalist and, when Tripsichord Music Box folded, Zandonatti, Straight and McNeely moved to Utah and formed a band named Free Spirit. Straight departed soon after, leaving Zandonatti and McNeely to get involved in the Sons of Mosiah, more of a troupe than a band.[1]
Next, Zandonatti, Guzman, Dennis MacGregor and Danny Coletti formed Natty Bumppo, which relocated to Los Angeles.[1] Zandonatti stayed with them until 1981/82; he now[when?] lives in Oregon.[citation needed]
Italian re-issue label Akarma later released a 2-LP re-issue of the Tripsichord Music Box LP. The tracks on the four sides are:-
- Side 1 - On The Last Ride, We Have Passed Away, Black Door, The New Word.
- Side 2 - Son Of The Morning, Short Order Steward, The Narrow Gate.
- Side 3 - Fly Baby, Everlasting Joy (All the preceding tracks are from the Janus LP). You're The Woman, It's Not Good.
- Side 4 - Family Song (The preceding three tracks originally appeared on the San Francisco Fifth Pipe Dream compilation LP). Times And Seasons, Sunday The Third (both sides of the San Francisco Sound #115 single).
In 2012, Kismet released a CD with the same lineup as the Arkama 2-LP set, and with extensive liner notes.[1]
Members
- Randy Guzman—drums
- Frank Straight—guitar
- Dave Zandonatti—bass
- Oliver McKinney—keyboards and organ
- Bill Carr—vocals
- Ron McNeely-vocals
Discography
Albums
- Tripsichord Music Box LP (San Francisco Sound/Janus Records (Janus J.L.S. 3016)) 1971
- Tripsichord 2-LP (Akarma Records (AK 077/2))
- Tripsichord CD (Kismet) 2012
Singles/EPs
- The Ban
- "Bye-Bye" / "That I'm Hoping" 1965
- The Now
- "I Want" / "Fly Like a Bird" (Embassy 1968) 1967
- Tripsichord Music Box
- "Times and Seasons" / "Sunday the Third" (San Francisco Sound 115) 1969
- "We Have Died" / "Fly Baby" (San Francisco Sound 127) 1971
Compilation tracks
- "You’re the Woman" / "It’s Not Good" / "Family Song" - San Francisco Sound compilation (Fifth Pipe Dream (F.P.D. 11680)) 1969
- "You're the Woman" / "Fly Baby" - Then And Now, Vol. 1, (San Francisco Sound (SFS-03931))
- "Family Song" / "On the Last Ride" - Then And Now, Vol. 2, (San Francisco Sound (SFS-09932))
References
External links
- San Francisco Sound label website
- Tripsichord on answers.com
- Tripsichord on Grateful Dead family discography page
- http://www.slugmag.com/articles/1087/The-Truth-behind-Mormon-Psychedelia-an-interview-with-David-Zandonatti.html?page=1
- http://www.utahvalleyrockers.com/class_profile.cfm?member_id=5001758