Blackfoot-5CD boxed set

Boxed set

 

2013 five CD box set containing a quintet of albums packaged in cardboard mini LP sleeves and housed in a slipcase. Opened by the US Platinum certified album Strikes, this collection contains the five best-selling albums by the Florida rockers, Blackfoot. The original albums in this collection were all released between 1979 and 1984, at a time when the band was fronted by Rickey Medlocke, the man now known as lead guitarist of Lynyrd Skynyrd. US Top 40 hits 'Highway Song,' and 'Train, Train,' are both featured on Strikes: the first of a three-album streak of classic gems, including the stand-out single 'Fly Away' on Marauder. Each album has something unique to offer with the hard rock anthem 'Send Me An Angel,' on Siogo, showcasing the band's successful experimentations with synthesisers, and the opening number of Vertical Smiles: a fantastic cover of 'Morning Dew,' made famous by Grateful Dead.

 

1. Strikes
2. Tomcattin'
3. Marauder
4. Siogio
5. Vertical Smiles

Blackfoot-No Reservations

No Reservations

NO RESERVATIONS, Blackfoot's debut album, now out on CD, is great. The opening and closing song, "Railroad Man" is a terrific blues number that just flat out rocks, and the rest of the album is, too. It's highly unfortunate that this album had languished in the vaults until it was reissued on CD in 2004, just in time to coincide with the band's reunion. The fact that the surviving members of Blackfoot, past and present, advocate efforts to free people unjustly imprisoned in foreign countries, increased funding for law enforcement, and the death penalty or life without parole for aggravated kidnapping makes NO RESERVATIONS an essential purchase for both your ears AND your conscience.
Once in awhile, there is an album that just goes, like people say, totally under the radar."No Reservations" is a damn near PERFECT album, maybe with the exception of one song "Big Wheels" but maybe that's just me. From the start 'Railroad Man" kicks it in gear, and you're like "Hey, This is great stuff.'Then comes "Indian World" which you say to yourself "Okay, this is personal.." THEN you're literally BLOWN AWAY by 'STARS','NOT ANOTHER MAKER','BORN TO ROCK AND ROLL','TAKE A TRAIN' and 'I STAND ALONE'.I see people here selling this cd for a lot of money, and people. I gotta say this..It's WORTH IT'S WEIGHT IN GOLD.I have easily listened to this over a 1000 times in three months.An album like this you've wished Skynyrd would've made.It's that good.I believe that if more people would listen to this album, they probably would ask Rickey Medlocke to form BLACKFOOT again, and PLAY these songs-along with 'HIGHWAY SONG' from "THE STRIKES" album.

Blackfoot -Flying High

Flying High

If the question were ever broached as to what band could be considered the "tighest" Blackfoot (the classic line-up) would win hands down. One listen to the guitar rhythm harmonies is all one need do to be convinced of this. You would be hard pressed to find any guitar tandem that can play so tight and "in the pocket" as the combination of Charlie Hargrett and Ricky Medlocke. Considering where this record was recorded, (Muscle Shoals Sound Studio) you will be quite impressed of the sonic fidelity that is delivered on this. Medlocke has said in subsequent interviews that he was not too impressed with the over-all sound of the record, but, for that era, circa 1975-1976 this record actually does bring the bacon home. For guitar sound conisseurs, pay particular attention to the guitar tones they are able to achieve (especially listen carefully to "Try a little harder, the soloing) here and you will be quite delighted. However, it is the incredible tightness of the entire band and in particular the pin-point accuracy of the guitar rhythm harmonies that are very impressive. A masterpiece? no, but considering the fact that this record is not only unknown by most southern rock as well as moderate Blackfoot fans, it is glossed over by reviewers (who probably don't even listen to it) and subsequently has become a sadly much underrated album. This record is glaringly obvious evidence of the enormous talent and skills of this band and in particular the great influence of leader Ricky Medlocke. 

Rick Medlocke

Rick Medlocke

Rick Medlock & Gary Rossington

Rickey Medlocke (born February 17, 1950) is an American musician best known as the frontman/guitarist for the southern rock band Blackfoot and, more recently, as a guitarist for Lynyrd Skynyrd.

Being of Blackfoot ancestry, Medlocke was inducted into the Native American Music Hall of Fame in 2008. Rickey Medlocke was born on February 17, 1950, in Jacksonville, Florida. He was raised by his paternal grandparents. His grandfather, Shorty Medlock,was a well-known delta blues musician and he taught his grandson to play a miniature banjo. Medlocke started performing onstage at age three, and his musical abilities increased over the years. He began teaching himself to play the guitar by age five and playing drums in Shorty's band at age eight. Over the next several years Medlocke mastered the banjo, guitar, drums, mandolin, dobro and keyboards. He had a melodic singing voice and had taught himself to sing and play guitar at the same time. After graduating high school, Medlocke formed his first band, Blackfoot, where he was lead vocalist and lead guitarist.
Medlocke grew up with the founding members of Lynyrd Skynyrd. When Blackfoot failed to show substantial momentum for Medlocke. He was never actually a member or even asked to join Skynyrd by Ronnie Van Zant.He very briefly played the drums and sang lead on a few songs for them in 1970; "White Dove", "Ain't Too Proud to Pray", "The Seasons", and You Run Around. Sometimes, Medlocke played alongside the band's original drummer Bob Burns but came to desire the energy of a guitarist at the front of the stage. This resulted in his 1971 decision to reform Blackfoot. The band began touring incessantly, producing hit songs that included two written by his grandfather: "Train Train" and "Highway Song", amongst songs written by others, until he finally decided to disband the group in the early 1990s.

For a while in the 1990s, Medlocke thought about pursuing other careers(he mowed yards for a living) until he received a phone call in 1996 from Gary Rossington inviting him to rejoin Lynyrd Skynyrd as a lead guitarist and primary songwriter. Rossington asked Medlocke if he remembered how to play "Free Bird", "Tuesday's Gone", and "Workin' For MCA", among others. Medlocke rejoined Skynyrd and has been a member since. Occasionally, Medlocke will step away from Skynyrd briefly to join musicians like Shooter Jennings on stage. He joined American Idol finalist Bo Bice on stage for a rendition of "Sweet Home Alabama" when the top three finalists from season four returned home.

Blackfoot

Blackfoot

Blackfoot

 Blackfoot is an American Southern rock musical ensemble from Jacksonville, Florida organized during 1970. Though they are primarily a Southern rock band, they are also known as a hard rock act.[1] The band's classic lineup consisted of guitarist and vocalist Rickey Medlocke, guitarist Charlie Hargrett, bassist Greg T. Walker, and drummer Jakson Spires.
They've had a number of successful albums during the 1970s and early 1980s, including Strikes (1979), Tomcattin' (1980) and Marauder (1981).
By late 1975, the group was living back in Gainesville, Florida. During 1977 they communicated with Black Oak Arkansas' manager, Butch Stone, who hired them as the backing group for one of his clients, Ruby Starr, who had been a backup singer for Black Oak but was now becoming self-employed. After the stint with Ruby ended during 1978, they met Brownsville Station manager Al Nalli and his partner Jay Frey, who got them a contract with the company Atco Records.

Blackfoot Strikes, produced by Al Nalli and engineered by Brownsville Station drummer Henry Weck, was recorded in Nalli's basement studio in Ann Arbor, Michigan and was completed by January 1979. It was destined to be the band's most commercially successful effort. The song "Train, Train", written by Rickey's grandfather, "Shorty" Medlocke, became their first success and best known song. "Highway Song" proved to be another success for them later that year.

The group toured frequently during 1979; late during the year they opened for the band The Who at the Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan while developing their next album, Tomcattin, which was released during 1980. They went on to release the album Marauder during 1981 and Highway Song Live during 1982.

Blackfoot-After the reign

After the reign

When Blackfoot released the previous album, called "Medicine man" in 1990, they had been silent for many years, and the only remaining original member was singer/guitarist Rick Medlocke. After another four years, Blackfoot's "After the reign" came out and still Medlocke was the only original member.

"After the reign" can be described as a (modern) southern rock effort, but not of the same quality shown on albums like "Strikes", "Marauder" or "Siogo". The production is good but rather slick and the material is alright but not that thrilling I was hoping for. I would say that it's an overall good album, better than both "Tomcattin" and "Vertical smiles", but not quite as good as the previous "Medicine man" - an album with better songs.

Rick Medlocke have joined Lynyrd Skynyrd as you probably know, and maybe "After the reign" is not only the latest but the last Blackfoot album ever. That would indeed be a pity, but if Blackfoot decide to make a come back I sure hope it will be the original line up...

After the Reign is another very good Medlocke album. Not his very best but very good. Song After the Reign is good as is Sitting on Top of the World, Nobody Rides for Free. An album that die hard Medlocke and Blackfoot fans should have. 

Rick Medlock far left

Blackfotot-Siogo

Siogo

After non stop touring with everybody and their grandmother for the last 8 years(including The Who, Journey, and The Scorpions), this band had reached a rather disappointing place in 1983. Anybody who saw them live knew that they were one hell of a hard rock outfit. But, with the advent of new wave and techno bands in the early 80's, the no frills sound of Blackfoot was so 1978 and outta here. SIOGO(yeh, we all know what it stands for) was one hell of an arena rock platter with tight hard rock melodic songs fashioned by honest bad ass southern rockers. Interesting though how this album doesn't sound southern at all(save the rave up Drivin Fool). There's a definite british influence on songs like Send Me An Angel, Crossfire, Run For Cover, etc. Me thinks Mr. Medlocke had listened to some Thin Lizzy and UFO. Excellent cover of Nazareth's Heart's Grown Cold with their own stamp on it. The beginning of Sail Away sounds like a long lost Eddie Van Halen riff. Drivin' Fool is redneck headbangin bliss. Every song is anchored by the talented Jakson Spires- one of the best rock drummers ever. Pick it up.
Charlie Hargrett (Blackfoot Guitarist from (1969-1984) is, in my humble opinion, a true innovator in Southern Rock sound evolution. He has a web site: www.siogo.com that details many of the behind the scenes of the making of the SIOGO album/CD. You might be interested in finding out what the Title stands for. All and all Charlie is a great guy and so is Rickey Medlocke, who my daddy painted houses with in Jacksonville when we were growing up. Now I live over here near Charlie and think about it being a real small world. I played guitar with him once and realized I was outclassed immedately. He plays some local clubs and peals the paint right off the walls, and sends the leseer players packing for the woodsheds, me included. Blackfoot brought an edge to Southern Rock that gave it a voice that made the world take notice to the new guys on the block. Hell they shattered the block and stood on top of the broken pieces and belted out, loud and proud. You can't go wrong with a Blackfoot song. Take it from someone who has met em and growed up around them. They are the real deal.

Blackfoot- Medicine Man

Medicine Man

Rick Medlock

This is a very strong effort from Rick Medlocke and his hired guns to me the best song on here is soldier blue you can feel the indian blood and sweat and influence in the music itself going back to his roots and the songwriting all in all it puts chill bumps on my skin everytime i hear this song , theres not a bad song on here ,doin my job the opening song talkin bout payin his dues as a rocker,guitar slingers song and dance is a long power ballad and aired on radio, good song ,this recording is out of print i only recorded from cassete to cdr but its not the greatest recording but it will have to do till it gets reissued. if you like blackfoot and find this you better hop on it its an underrated gem.... The production on this is the best that Rickey ever had. The songs kick-butt, and it's all hard-rockin' stuff with a more modern sound. Not cheesy and commercial,just much better production all around. It's not the old band,but it's all Medlocke and you hear some of it on the Rattlesnake Rocker compilation.

Blackfoot-Marauder

Marauder

For Blackfoot every fan cherishes "Strikes","Tomcattin'" and "Marauder." Marauder is the best album of the Blackfoot trio. Starting out with the head banging "Good Morning", complete with a ghoulish Rickey Medlocke laugh, and finishing with a song every one can relate to "Searchin'" this album is a solid effort by this unheralded band. The only song that is a slight let down is "Rattlesnake Rock n Roller" which tries to cash is on the sucess of "Train Train." "Diary of a Working Man" is my favorite Blackfoot song. The lyrics tell the story of a man who has lost the only thing that mattered in his life, his wife. Now the working man decides that there no option except to take his life. This is a tragic song but it grabs the listeners attention as the listener envisions this man's life flashing before his eyes as he reaches his final decision. As a group that prided itself as being a hard working band this songs shows that Rickey Medlocke and Jackson Spires realized there is more to life than work. It is hard to believe this album is twenty years old, but the songs still remain poignant. One has to chuckle when a hand clap is recorded in the background of the song "Too Hard to Handle" after the lyric "he caught a case of unlucky love."

Overall this album is the best release from one of the most under appreciated rock bands in America. Long live the Blackfoot legacy.

Blackfoot-Tomcattin'

TomCattin'

BLACKFOOT is as ferocious as a nuclear bomb attack. There is not one radio friendly song on this album. Yet it remains one of my favorites along with Maurader, Strikes, Flyin' High, No Reservations and Highway Song Live. What were Medlocke and co. thinking. This is not the album you hit it big with. I think they just didn't care at the time. However, you also have to wonder what band members of other Southern Rock Bands like Molly Hatchet, Lynyrd Skynyrd and 38 Special special think when they hear an album like this. If they are honest with themselves, they must be blown away. I know that if I was in another band I wouldn't want to go onstage after these guys. I would be blankin' in my pants. These bands all promote themselves as tough bar brawlers and [tail] kickers but BLACKFOOT is the real thing. There is no comparision. I know Skynyrd is a great band and appeals to a much larger audience and achieved greater successs, but BLACKFOOT's music has seared my soul and ranks far and away above anything any other Southern Rock Band has ever done. BLACKFOOT didn't get rich but they are the real bad... of Southern Rock. They are Legends.

Blackfoot-Strikes

Strikes

Strikes was the third studio album by the Southern Rock band Blackfoot, it was released on the Atco label in 1979 and was something of a breakthrough release for the band.

Blackfoot were named after the Native American Blackfoot Confederacy due to several of the band member's Native American heritage. The band was based in Florida and featured Lynyrd Skynyrd's Rick Medlocke on Lead Vocals and Guitar.

Strikes was the first of an unbeatable three-album streak of classic gems, followed in 1980 by Tomcattin' and then 1981's Marauder. The three albums, along with the incendiary live album Highway Song Live are all considered by fans to be utterly essential. If you are interested in the band for any reason, any of these three records, including Strikes, should really please you.

While Marauder is a bit more commercial and Tomcattin' is a bit heavier, Strikes is the album that most truly follows the specific Southern Rock formula laid down by Lynyrd Skynyrd and followed by the likes of Molly Hatchet and Outlaws. If you enjoy any of those bands then Strikes is definitely worth checking out. That being said however, the album isn't exactly dripping in Southern Rock conventions; it is more of a solid Hard Rock album with a Southern tinge.

One thing that separates Strikes from the rest of the band's catalogue is that it contains three cover songs by Spirit, Blues Image and Free respectively.

Strikes also distinguishes itself by featuring the anthemic `Train, Train' and `Highway Song' which are two of the bands most popular and recognizable tracks, and the avenue through which many fans discover Blackfoot.

Overall; if you like the band it would really be advisable to get a copy of Strikes, Tomcattin' and Marauder at a minimum. The other two records have the heaviness and heavy metal charm and they are perfectly complimented by Strikes, which has the hits and the variety.