New Riders of the Purple Sage-Close Encounters of the West Coast

Close Encounters of the West coast

I feel that this is a VERY strong release of post-GP burrito material. There are a few studio records not yet released on CD from this line-up of the Burritos, but this live set is the best from this era.
Very energetic versions of mostly standard honky-tonk and bluegrass numbers, played in front of a very enthusiast Japanese audience (which I find humorous that they are so into this music!)
Maybe I am slightly impartial to this release because it was my accidental discovery into the world of "country-rock" and "bluegrass" music, an interest which has grown immeasurably over the last 10 years.


Trust me folks, a very solid release. Take this one on a road trip, this is great highway music.
Sadly, the man who acted as a catalyst in creating the best Burrito albums - the underrated Chris Ethridge - left the Burritos after 'Flying Again' to be replaced by Skip Battin. Battin is the only musician to have been a member of The Byrds, The Burritos and The New Riders of the Purple Sage. Despite this pedigree and his skill as a bassist, all three of these bands suffered when Skip joined, largely due to his dreaful songwriting contributions (normally collaborations with Kim Fowley). Although Skip contributed no songs to 'Airborne', the fifth and final Burritos album, much of the material by hands outside the band was ill-chosen and despite some fine moments, the record was almost as big a disappointment to me as 'Burrito Deluxe'.

'Close Encounters to the West Coast' features the post-'Airborne' lineup of Gilbeau, Battin, Kleinow, new boy Greg harris (who replaced the wonderful Joel Scott Hill) and Ed Ponder (whom I believe took over from Gene Parsons on drums for the tour this album originates from due to the latter injuring his hand).

The album opens with the definitive version of 'Big Bayou' (from 'Aiborne' -there is a third version Gib recorded in his time with the Dillards) which is full of Sneaky Pete's amazing treated pedal steel. For me this sound has always been the essence of the FBB, more important even than Gram Parson's originating presence. On this cut Kleinow is simply astonishing, conjouring psychedlic sounds of out his instrument that could only be duplicated otherwise by using about three analogue synthesizers simultaneously. This is real country ROCK, with emphasis on the latter oin the music and the former in the lyrics.

A superb version (and hit single) of 'White Line Fever' follows - this is the finest trucking song i;ve ever heard, penned by the superb Merle Haggard and surpassing the Chris Hillman vocal on the version from the third album. Other highlights include a craking 'Dim lights, Thick Smoke', a live version of 'Hot Burrito #2' that surpasses the one on 'Last of the Red Hot Burritos' and a gorgeous take on 'Colorado' which again outclasses the one from that eponymous third album. 'Six days on the Road' is much better here than the version with Gram singing, as it has a lot more balls. and 'Truck Drivin Man' is great fun.

Less interesting (hence the four stars) but still worth hearing are the bluegrassy numbers 'Rocky Top' and 'Rollin in my sweet baby's arms'.

So overall, I'm claiming that some of the songs here are the best versions recorded and released - remember that when I bought this album, I'd only heard 'Gilded Palace' and not been influenced by other fans and critics. For me, this is the third best Burrito album, preceded only by 'Gilded' and 'Flying Again'. Ignore the critics, put the CD on and turn up the volume. Do the same with 'Burrito Deluxe' and be honest with yourself - Gram and the boys screwed that one up.

Finally, I'll add that after this album, there are no essential Burrito CDs, so don't get carried away buying other live albums by later, inferior lineups.

New Riders of the Purple Sage- Cabin Fever

Cabin Fever

The good folks at Relix Records seem to feel that every possible FBB concert should be released on CD, regardless of the quality of the particular performance (rather like the Grateful Dead). There is nothing about this show which makes it worthy of having been recorded, let alone released as a CD. Neither John Beland nor Gib Guilbeau were around for this one, so we have Sneaky Pete, Skip Battin, Greg Harris, and Jim Goodall slogging their way through a mixture of Burrito and Byrds numbers and a few old country standards, doing justice to none of them. This disc contains nothing more than a lame, half-hearted performance by a second-rate lineup. This one is for completists only.

New Riders of the Purple Sage-Live at Veneta

Live at Veneta

 

Like the last Pure Prairie League post, another rare recording

August 27, 1972 found the New Riders once again on the bill with the Grateful Dead for what turned out to be one of the more legendary events in this subculture’s history. Chuck Kesey (brother of author and Merry Prankster icon Ken Kesey) put together this benefit concert, which quickly became known as the "Field Trip," for the Springfield Creamery. As fellow Prankster Ken Babbs recalls, "no one ever suspected it would become a historic event with an attendance of 20,000 on the hottest day ever…they ran out of water, the guitars warped in the heat and now everyone you talk to, hundreds of thousands, were there on that all time greatest most spectacular day."

THIS CD WAS PRODUCED FROM THE ORIGINAL 16-TRACK ANALOG MASTER TAPES RUNNING AT 15 I.P.S. WE’VE TRIED TO PRESERVE THIS DAY AS IT WAS…AN OUTDOOR EVENT ON AN EXTREMELY HOT DAY WITH AN ASSORTMENT OF MERRY PRANKSTERS ON THE LOOSE. WE THINK YOU’LL ENJOY!

 



New riders of the purple sage-Keep on Keepin' on

Keep on Keeping on

In 1989, the Riders released their first album since 1981's Feelin' All Right called Keep On Keepin' On, first released on Mu Records and then reissued by Relix Records in 1992 and again complete on Relix's Best of the New Riders 2 cd set. In 1981, David Nelson and Buddy Cage split while Rusty Gauthier was added in their place on guitar, lap steel, fiddle and vocals. Rusty also contributed songs during this era. In 1985, Gary Vogensen was added on guitars and vocals. The New Riders during this era were: John Dawson, Rusty and Gary along with Greg Lagardo on drums and Michael White on bass. The Riders here are joined by friends and family members like former It's A Beautiful Day drummer Val Fuentes helping out.

The album itself is quite strong with a lot of the songs having been in the band's set lists for quite a while. The album starts off with John's charging Keep On Keepin' On which is follow by John's great Now I Call It Love. Rusty turns in It's O.K. To Cry and Bounty Hunter which are co written with Val and Lina Valentino. Bounty Hunter in particular would become a standard up into 1997. Next up, Joe New's Barbaric Splendor ends the first half of the album while John's Senorita starts the second half. The Johnson, New song Night of the Living Lonely is followed by John's, Rancher's Daughter. Rusty's Big Ed is nice and the album closes with a rousing Friend Of The Devil which was co written by John all those years ago. The album sounds well recorded but, unfortunately, both Mu and Relix Records didn't have the money to do great cd pressings so the sound quality was never quite as good as it could have been.

DVD Review- New Riders of the Purple Sage-Live at Turkey Trot

DVD Review- New Riders of the Purple Sage-Live at Turkey Trot

This dvd was filmed at the Turkey Trot Lodge in New York. This is a small and intimate venue. You get a close-up look at the New Riders performing their songs. This is a very "laid-back" and relaxing dvd to watch. It contains excellent jam music, including great steel guitar work. The New Riders really jam it out on extended versions of Portland Woman, and In the Garden of Eden. They perform an encor performance of Pamana Red. If you like good smooth relaxing jam music to watch, you'll enjoy this one. Also, the dvd cover art is beatiful. Another bonus is the CD of this concert which is included in the package. This is a great dvd/cd combo. This performance by the New Riders was quite a surprise. These guys can still bring it after almost forty years. There are two original members left (although technically David Nelson is the only original member since Buddy Cage stepped in for Jerry Garcia on steel guitar early in the group's history), but the fill-ins do very well. The venue is odd, it appears that there are about thirty people on hand at some turkey ranch in New York State.

New riders of the purple sage--- 17 Pine Avenue

17 Pine Avenue

I have not heard this CD yet, So here is a review from Amazon.com

The band won a Life Time Achievement Award from High Times magazine in 2002 while a frail Dawson suffering from emphysema was present . Shortly after the death of Spencer Dryden, a reconstituted line-up of the New Riders began touring in late 2005. It features David Nelson and Buddy Cage, alongside guitarist Michael Falzarano (formerly of Hot Tuna), bassist Ronnie Penque, and drummer Johnny Markowski who all contribute to this great renaissance to the ground breaking psychedelic act.

It includes 12 brand new songs from the originators of country-delic music (I just made that word up). And, it is like being transported back to those `hazy' days of the summer of love. "Prisoner Of Freedom" not only speaks to the state of the world today, but would have been right at home at Woodstock. Not surprisingly, Robert Hunter who so long ago played with the band and will go down in history as the lyricist for so many great Grateful Dead songs does the same on seven of the tunes here.

"Message In A Bottle' is a decidedly Zydeco/Cajun flavored ode to missing the point of messages but more than that lost chances in life and times. " It might have peace and freedom It might have been peace and freedom, I ain't going to grieve no more..." "Just The Way It Goes" is a Falzarano penned tune, a good-bye to love and what was never meant to be. The title tune is a shuffle that would feel right at home in a Grateful Dead set. "Down For The Ride" is a ballad written by Markowski about love and the hope that it lasts. Are you down for the ride?

"No Time" reminds us that this ain't no time to 'freak' around. The album is filled with great tunes that remind us how good it was back then and how pertinent those bands are still today. The lyrics and the music are still filled with double entendre and innuendo, the message is simple, the trip is fun. The New Riders manage the seemingly impossible. They remained true to the original musical vision and integrity without becoming outdated or archaic in the process. This ain't no nostalgia act, they still have songs with messages for today.

New Riders Of The Purple Sage. Long may they ride. To 17 Pine Avenue or wherever. " When the bullets have left the gun. There ain't no time to duck. Do not ask what must be done. Just drive the 'freakin' truck!".

Buddy Cage

Buddy Cage (born February 18, 1946 in Toronto, Canada) is an American pedal steel guitarist, best known as a longtime member of the New Riders of the Purple Sage.

Popular both as a performer and session musician, he has played with many bands and recording artists, including Anne Murray, Bob Dylan, Brewer & Shipley, David Bromberg, and the Zen Tricksters.

Buddy Cage learned to play pedal steel guitar at a young age. By the mid-1960s he was working as a professional musician. When the folk music duo of Ian and Sylvia decided to go electric in 1969, he joined their band, known as the Great Speckled Bird. Great Speckled Bird was part of the Festival Express concert tour in 1970. From 1969 to 1972, Cage also recorded four albums with Anne Murray, and one album with Brewer & Shipley.

It was on the Festival Express tour that the New Riders of the Purple Sage became acquainted with Cage. The New Riders were a psychedelic influenced country rock band that had been founded by Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead, along with John Dawson and David Nelson. The New Riders and the Dead would perform concerts together, with Garcia playing pedal steel for the New Riders, then playing electric guitar and singing with the Dead. Near the end of 1971, Garcia left the New Riders, enabling them to headline their own concert tours. Buddy Cage was invited to join the band as Garcia's replacement.

Cage was the New Riders' pedal steel guitar player from 1971 to 1982, except for a period of about a year in the late 1970s. The New Riders were quite popular. They toured extensively, and released a number of albums. During this same period Cage continued working as a session musician, recording with various musical artists, including David Bromberg and Robert Hunter. In 1974, Bob Dylan asked him to play on recording sessions for the album Blood on the Tracks.

In the years after Cage's departure from the New Riders, he continued working with many different bands and musicians, including Solar Circus, Stir Fried, the Brooklyn Cowboys, the Zen Tricksters, and Mike Gordon.

The New Riders of the Purple Sage, led by John Dawson, but without Buddy Cage or David Nelson, had continued touring and recording albums from 1982 until Dawson's retirement from the music business in 1997. In 2005, Cage and Nelson re-formed the New Riders of the Purple Sage. The band continues to perform concerts throughout the United States. They have released three albums — Wanted: Live at Turkey Trot, Where I Come From, and 17 Pine Avenue. Cage is also still working as a session musician with other artists, including collaborations with Boris Garcia, George Hamilton IV, and Richard Buckner.

New Riders of the Purple Sage

New Riders of the Purple Sage

In the summer of 1969, John Dawson was looking to showcase his songs while Jerry Garcia was looking to practice his brand new pedal steel guitar. The two played in coffeehouses and small clubs initially, and the music they made became the nucleus for a band—the New Riders of the Purple Sage.

That same year, David Nelson, expert in both country and rock guitar, joined the group on electric lead guitar. Filling out the rhythm section in those early days were Grateful Dead drummer Mickey Hart and engineer Bob Matthews on bass, who was later replaced by Phil Lesh. In 1970, Dave Torbert took over on bass and the New Riders played every chance they got. Soon enough, smoky clubs all over the San Francisco bay area were filling up with whooping, foot-stomping crowds as their music got tighter and more dynamic. They began to tour extensively with the Dead, and in December of 1970, Spencer Dryden, who had previously showed his impeccable drumming style with the Jefferson Airplane, had stepped in on drums.

One of the many gigs with the Dead included the Trans-Canadian Festival Express with Janis Joplin, The Band, and other American and Canadian artists like Ian and Sylvia, who had with them a brilliant, innovative pedal steel player named Buddy Cage. When Garcia's busy schedule made it increasingly difficult for him to play with the New Riders, the talented Cage was the perfect choice to fill the pedal steel spot. He moved from Toronto where he had been working in Anne Murray's band, to California in the fall of 1971 to join the New Riders. With the addition of Cage, the New Riders emerged as a fully independent unit. An excitingly creative band with a special brand of music—sweet country harmonies mixed with pulsing rock rhythms.

The New Riders were signed to Columbia Records in 1971 by Clive Davis and their eponymous first album, New Riders of the Purple Sage, was released in September of that year to widespread acclaim. In December, 1971 they played a live radio broadcast with the Dead over WNEW-FM in New York to an audience of millions. In 1972 the pattern of their success continued to grow, with their first European tour followed in June by the release of their second album, Powerglide. They toured the United States extensively in response to increasing demand, and in November, 1972 released their third album Gypsy Cowboy. These first three New Riders albums were all produced by Stephen Barncard, who also worked with Crosby, Stills and Nash and co-produced the Dead's American Beauty.

In May of 1973, the New Riders appeared on ABC-TV's "In Concert" program to a nationwide audience. Working hard on the road for much of the year, including gigs with the Dead at Kezar Stadium in San Francisco and R.F.K. Stadium in Washington, DC, they took a brief time out to go into the Record Plant in Sausalito with producer Norbert Putnam. The result was The Adventures of Panama Red, released in September of 1973 and with Peter Rowan's title track, this became an FM radio staple and the first gold record for the band. In November they embarked on an east coast tour that included them setting the box office record at New York City's Academy of Music. This tour was recorded for the group's first live album, Home, Home on the Road, which was produced by Jerry Garcia.

Early 1974 found bassist Dave Torbert wanting to pursue a more rock and roll direction as he left the New Riders to form Kingfish with old friends Matthew Kelly and Bob Weir. Skip Battin, formerly with the Byrds, joined the band on bass as they kept to their solid touring schedule which had become one of the band's trademarks. In August, 1974, the New Riders gave a free thank you concert in Central Park on a Tuesday afternoon to 50,000 New York fans. Their sixth album, entitled Brujo, was released in October, 1974 and found their recorded sound getting crisper with delicate harmonies and more original songs.

Website
HTTP://www.nrpsmusic.com

Dave Torbert

Dave Torbert

Dave Torbert (June 7, 1948 – December 7, 1982) was a Bay Area musician, best known for his associations with the Grateful Dead and the New Riders of the Purple Sage. He played bass for the latter group, replacing Phil Lesh during the sessions for their first album.   He also played on "Box of Rain", a song from American Beauty, and on "Greatest Story Ever Told" from Bob Weir's solo album Ace. Additionally, he was a founding member, with Matthew Kelly, of the band Kingfish. Torbert died of a heart attack in 1982.

Discography

    Horses – Horses (1969)
    American Beauty – Grateful Dead (1970)
    New Riders of the Purple Sage – New Riders of the Purple Sage (1971)
    Powerglide – New Riders of the Purple Sage (1972)
    Ace – Bob Weir (1972)
    Gypsy Cowboy – New Riders of the Purple Sage (1972)
    The Adventures of Panama Red – New Riders of the Purple Sage (1973)
    Home, Home on the Road – New Riders of the Purple Sage (1974)
    Kingfish – Kingfish (1976)
    Live 'n' Kickin' – Kingfish (1977)
    Trident – Kingfish (1978)
    Kingfish – Kingfish (1985)
    Vintage NRPS – New Riders of the Purple Sage (1986)
    Kingfish in Concert: King Biscuit Flower Hour – Kingfish (1996)
    Worcester, MA, 4/4/73 – New Riders of the Purple Sage (2003)
    Boston Music Hall, 12/5/72 – New Riders of the Purple Sage (2003)
    Veneta, Oregon, 8/27/72 – New Riders of the Purple Sage (2004)
    S.U.N.Y., Stonybrook, NY, 3/17/73 – New Riders of the Purple Sage (2007)

Spencer Dryden

Spencer Dryden

Spencer got his root with the Jefferson Airplane, Then moved onward to New Riders of the Purple Sage. He died a poor man, with little money.

Spencer Dryden (7 April 1938 – 11 January 2005) was an American musician best known as the longest-serving drummer for Jefferson Airplane. He also played with New Riders of the Purple Sage, The Dinosaurs, and The Ashes (later known as The Peanut Butter Conspiracy.)

In mid-1966 Dryden was recruited to replace Skip Spence as the drummer in leading San Francisco psychedelic band Jefferson Airplane. The former jazzer, together with bassist Jack Casady, created an exceptional rhythm section. A feature of live Airplane sets at the time were free-form improvisational jams, with Dryden's licks complementing Casady's fluid style, examples of which can be heard on "Thing" and "Bear Melt" from Bless Its Pointed Little Head. During this time also, he had an affair with Grace Slick.

The song "Lather", appearing on the Airplane's Crown of Creation, is said to have been written by Grace Slick on the occasion of Dryden's 30th birthday. Its lyrics tell of a boy who stays as young as possible until one day when he is shattered by having to finally grow up. The instrumental sections are wild and purposefully discordant. On the news of his death, Slick and other bandmembers wrote tributes to Dryden that appeared on the group's website. Slick's ends with this: "Lather was 30 years old today, they took away all of his toys." - Grace Slick (January 13, 2005)"

In 1969, music critic Ralph J. Gleason published The Jefferson Airplane and the San Francisco Sound. The book included an engaging forty-four page interview with Dryden.

Dryden quit Jefferson Airplane in February 1970, motivated in part by the group's unpleasant experiences at the notorious Altamont Festival, during which lead singer Marty Balin was knocked unconscious by Hells Angels bikers and a festival patron, Meredith Hunter, was fatally stabbed. Dryden seemed to have some sense of foreboding about the concert, as he initially did not want to play, saying the "vibes" were wrong.

New Riders of the Purple Sage, The Dinosaurs

Dryden left the music business for a short period, and returned to drumming as a member of The New Riders of the Purple Sage. He performed and recorded with them from late 1970 until 1977, at which point he became the manager of the band. After leaving the New Riders, Dryden went on to play a lengthy stint with The Dinosaurs and Barry Melton's band before retiring from drumming in 1995.
Later life

Dryden did not participate in Jefferson Airplane's 1989 reunion. In 1996, Dryden was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame along with the rest of Jefferson Airplane, playing with the band for the first time since 1970. He joined the group onstage for the last time in 2003, with the Jefferson Starship Gallactic Reunion.
He needed hip replacement and heart surgeries in the few years before his death. In 2004, several musicians, led by Bob Weir of the Grateful Dead and Warren Haynes (Gov't Mule and the Allman Brothers Band), raised US$36,000 to help pay Dryden's medical bills. He had also lost his home due to a fire in 2003; later in 2004, he was diagnosed with cancer. The benefit re-kindled Spencer's friendship with Jefferson Airplane band member Jorma Kaukonen, who remembered him fondly for the way he said, "Aww, MAN!!" It was not until 2004 that Kaukonen became aware that Spencer was the nephew of Charlie Chaplin. Spencer's last public appearance was with Jefferson Airplane bandmembers in 2004, at a DVD party for the release of the group's Fly documentary.

Dryden died from colon cancer (intestinal cancer which spread to his liver) on January 11, 2005. He lived in relative obscurity, reportedly living in a small house with a few acres on rented property in Penngrove, California. Married three times, he was survived by his three sons Jeffrey, Jesse and Jackson Dryden, five grandchildren, and his mother Alice Chapple Judd, who died on December 25, 2005 at the age of 94.

Marmaduke Dawson

John Marmaduke Dawson

John Collins Dawson IV, nicknamed "Marmaduke" (June 16, 1945 – July 21, 2009), was an American musician, singer, and songwriter. He was best known as the leader and co-founder

John Dawson was born in Detroit, Michigan. The son of a Los Altos Hills, California filmmaker, he took guitar lessons from Mimi Fariña, Joan Baez's sister, before attending the Millbrook School near Millbrook, New York. While at Millbrook, he took courses in music theory & history and sang in the glee club.

After stints at Foothill College and Occidental College, Dawson's musical career began in the mid-1960s folk music scene in the San Francisco Bay Area. There he met fellow guitarist David Nelson, and was part of the rotating lineup of Mother McCree's Uptown Jug Champions, a jug band that included Jerry Garcia and several other future members of the Grateful Dead.[1] Dawson was also heavily influenced by the Bakersfield sound genre of country music.

By 1969, Dawson had written a number of country rock songs, and Garcia had become interested in playing pedal steel guitar. Joined by Nelson, they formed the New Riders of the Purple Sage.[2] The New Riders became the opening act for the Grateful Dead, and their original lineup included three Grateful Dead members — Garcia on pedal steel, Phil Lesh on bass, and Mickey Hart on drums. Within a year, Dave Torbert replaced Lesh and Spencer Dryden replaced Hart in the New Riders lineup, with Garcia continuing to play in both bands. In 1970 and 1971, the New Riders and the Grateful Dead performed many concerts together.[3][4] In November 1971, Buddy Cage replaced Jerry Garcia as the New Riders' pedal steel player, allowing NRPS to tour independently of the Dead.[5]

During this same period, Dawson appeared as a guest musician on three Grateful Dead albums — Aoxomoxoa, Workingman's Dead, and American Beauty.[6] With Jerry Garcia and Robert Hunter, he co-wrote the song "Friend of the Devil".[7]

In the years that followed, Dawson and Nelson led a gradually evolving lineup of musicians in the New Riders of the Purple Sage, playing their psychedelic influenced brand of country rock and releasing a number of studio and live albums. In 1982, David Nelson and Buddy Cage left the band. John Dawson and the New Riders carried on without them, taking on more of a bluegrass influence with the addition of multi-instrumentalist Rusty Gauthier to the group. NRPS continued to tour intermittently and released the occasional album. Then, in 1997, Dawson retired from the music business, moved to Mexico, and became an English teacher, and the New Riders disbanded.

In 2005, David Nelson and Buddy Cage revived the New Riders of the Purple Sage, without Dawson's participation but with his agreement and moral support. Subsequently Dawson made several guest appearances at New Riders concerts.[8]

Dawson died in Mexico of stomach cancer on July 21, 2009.

John "Marmaduke" Dawson had original tunes in his pocket and a guitar in his hands in 1969 when a buddy just learning to play pedal steel guitar often joined his weekly gig at the Underground, a San Francisco Bay Area hofbrau house.

The friend was Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead, and those sessions set the stage for the New Riders of the Purple Sage, a group they considered "the original psychedelic cowboy band."

Mr. Dawson, 64, died Tuesday of stomach cancer in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, said Buddy Cage, who has played pedal steel guitar with the group since Mr. Garcia left in 1971. Mr. Garcia died in 1995.

The New Riders initially gave Mr. Garcia and two other members of the Grateful Dead -- Mickey Hart on drums and Phil Lesh on bass guitar -- a way to further indulge their taste for country music. But Mr. Dawson's songwriting skills quickly helped the offshoot band develop an independent country-rock identity.

Rob Bleetstein, archivist for the New Riders, wrote in an e-mail, "Dawson's songwriting brought an incredible vision of classic Americana to light with songs like 'Glendale Train' and 'Last Lonely Eagle.' "

With that material and such other "wonderful" Dawson songs as "Garden of Eden" and "Henry," the band "simply had to become a reality," Dennis McNally, a Grateful Dead publicist, said last week on Relix magazine's Web site.

They toured with the Grateful Dead, as the psychedelic rock band's opening act from 1969 to 1971, then became successful touring on their own, Mr. Bleetstein said.

In 1974, the New Riders played a free concert for an estimated 50,000 fans in New York City's Central Park.

According to the "Encyclopedia of Popular Music" (1998), their first, self-titled release "blended country rock with hippie idealism, yet emerged as a worthy companion to the parent act's lauded 'American Beauty.' "

Skip Battin

Skip Battin

lyde "Skip" Battin (February 18, 1934 - July 6, 2003) was an American singer–songwriter, performer and recording artist. He is best remembered as a member of The Byrds, the New Riders of the Purple Sage, and the Flying Burrito Brothers. While considered to be a great bass player, songwriter and vocalist, he generally joined bands after their most successful periods.

Battin was born in Gallipolis, Ohio. His early musical career began in 1956 when he collaborated with Gary Paxton and formed the Pledges, the same duo later successfully recording under the appellation Skip & Flip, enjoying some success with "It Was I", and their cover of "Cherry Pie". After a few years out of the music industry, he led the short-lived folk-rock group Evergreen Blueshoes, starting in 1967.

As a musician, Battin is probably best known for his position as bass guitarist and songwriter with The Byrds from 1970 to 1973. He was — by eight years — the oldest member of The Byrds, with whom he recorded three albums and toured extensively. Many of his songwriting contributions were co-written with longtime collaborator and songwriter Kim Fowley. After the breakup of the Columbia Byrds, Battin recorded a solo album, Skip. Afterwards, he was invited to join the New Riders of the Purple Sage, with whom he recorded three albums from 1974 to 1976.

Battin's career continued successfully and included stints with the Flying Burrito Brothers, collaborations with notable country rock musicians, and numerous solo projects. From 1989 to 1991 he toured occasionally with Michael Clarke's Byrds, a version which was somewhat controversial but mostly well received.[citation needed]

Skip Battin died on the evening of July 6, 2003, of complications from Alzheimer's disease in a care facility in Salem, Oregon.


    Wanted Dead or Alive – Warren Zevon – 1969
    (Untitled) – The Byrds – 1970
    Byrdmaniax – The Byrds – 1971
    Farther Along – The Byrds – 1971
    Skip – Skip Battin – 1972
    Brujo – New Riders of the Purple Sage – 1974
    Oh, What a Mighty Time – New Riders of the Purple Sage – 1975
    New Riders – New Riders of the Purple Sage – 1976
    Airborne – Flying Burrito Brothers – 1976
    Close Encounters to the West Coast – Flying Burrito Brothers – 1978
    Live from Tokyo – Flying Burrito Brothers – 1979
    Sneaky Pete – Sneaky Pete Kleinow – 1979
    Hearts on the Line – Flying Burrito Brothers – 1981
    Hollywood Nights 1979–82 – Flying Burrito Brothers – 1983
    Cabin Fever – Flying Burrito Brothers – 1985
    Live from Europe – Flying Burrito Brothers – 1986
    Live on Stage – New Riders of the Purple Sage – 1993
    Armadillo World Headquarters, Austin, TX, 6/13/75 – New Riders of the Purple Sage – 2005

In 1970/71 the new Byrds line-up with McGuinn, White, Parsons ans Skip Battin (bass) recorded 3 albums. The double album "(Untitled)" became a huge success bringing the group back into the charts but the two last Columbia-Byrds albums "Byrdmaniax" and "Farther Along"  suffered from a lack of inspiration. In July '72 new hassles led to the firing of Gene Parsons  who had to be replaced by jazz fusion drummer John Guerin for stage appearances. Next Skip Battin had to go and the band played their final gig in February 1973 with Chris Hillman on bass and Joe Lala on drums.
None of Battin's three solo albums released from 1971 to 1983 cracked Billboard's album chart, but his first, titled "Flip," was reissued recently.

During the 1980s and into the '90s, he participated in various Byrds-New Riders-Burritos reunions. He also worked frequently in Europe and lived for a time in Italy, recording and performing with other Southern California country-rock veterans.

"He was professional, nice guy," said songwriter-producer and singer Kim Fowley, who met Battin in 1959 and wrote songs with him for two decades. "Skip was a diplomat, a real gentleman, a good loyal friend, and as a musician he was the ultimate sideman and group member."

New Riders of the Purple Sage..Best of..

Best of..

Like many people I checked this group out knowing that Jerry Garcia and a few other Dead alumni played with this band in the early days. It pretty much sounded as I expected. Solid country rock. Kind of a cross between early Grateful Dead, Byrds and Gram Parsons. Nothing too deep, just light country rock with a bit of humor thrown in. Any fan of Flying Burrito Brothers or Buffalo Springfield might like this. There's no doubt the album cover sold a few extra copies. I framed my vinyl. Maybe they could have called this "The Breast Of" or "Greatest T*ts". Roots-music reverence helped this Grateful Dead offshoot become one of the West Coast's key country-rock groups; here's their 1976 "best-of" plus five rare bonus cuts! Their 1972 hit I Don't Need No Doctor joins I Don't Know You; Glendale Train; Hello Mary Lou; Panama Red; Henry; Groupie (live), and eight more!

New Riders of the purple sage- Brujo/Home home on the road

Brujo/Home, Home on the road

In the early 70's, two of the best live LP's were Commander Cody's "Live From Deep In the Heart of Texas" and the New Riders' "Home, Home On the Road." While the Cody LP has been on CD for years, it is only recently that the New Riders LP was converted to CD. A few years ago while waiting for him to perform, I had a conversation with Buddy Cage, steel player for the New Riders, and I asked him why "Home, Home On the Road" had never been converted to CD. He said he was surpirsed himself, especially since the LP's producer Jerry Garcia had spent countless hours going through nine months of live tapes from a New Riders tour. He told me Jerry had picked the absolute best recordings from that tour.

So if you like the New Riders, get this CD. Don't waste your money on the other live New Riders CD's. This one is by far the best. The Brujo section is from a studio album that is fair, but the live section is more than worth the price of the collection. It's in the same category as Commander Cody's live recordings. You'll see why these two bands had some of the best live shows going in the 70's. The New Riders released their fifth and first live album Home, Home On The Road in April 1974. The album is produced by Jerry Garcia while bassist/vocalist/songwriter Dave Torbert having left the band by the time the album was released. The album starts with John Dawson's fun Hi, Hello, How Are You making it's first appearance on record. David Nelson gets a stunning run on She's No Angel and is followed by a rockin' version of Dave Torbert's Groupie. John gives us another first on record with his fine Sunday Susie. Dave is ramped up for Hunter's Kick In The Head and it's nice to see Truck Drivin' Man turn up having been part of the band's set lists for years. Hello Mary Lou is strong but Sutter's Mill is even better. David and the band absolutely rip up the Stones' Dead Flowers. Henry is a nice chugging version and School Days features Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen's Andy Stein on sax. A fantastic album worthy of 5 stars!

The New Riders sixth album Brujo was released in November 1974 and is produced by Ed Freeman. It was the first to feature former Byrds member Skip Battin as Dave Torbert had left to join Kingfish. The album opens with John Dawson's great and sweetly sung Old Man Noll. David Nelson and the band do a great job delivering the country classic Ashes Of Love. The band then delivers a fantastic cover of Bob Dylan's You Angel You with John singing lead. John's Instant Armadillo Blues is a fun romp while David and the rest turn in a beautiful version of Workingman's Woman. The next three songs On The Amazon, Big Wheels and Singing Cowboy, give newest member Skip the spotlight. David Nelson and Robert Hunter contribute a great song called Crooked Judge. John's somber Parson Brown is fantastic. The album ends with Skip's Neon Rose. All in all, a pretty great 4 star album. A nice booklet is included.

Dave Nelson

Dave Nelson

David Nelson (born June 12, 1943, in Seattle, Washington, U.S.) is an American musician, singer, and songwriter.

David Nelson was a founder member of the New Riders Of The Purple Sage and toured with the Dead and NRPS during the early 1970s. During this period he sat in with the Dead on a number of occasions and contributed to three Grateful Dead LPs; Aoxomoxoa, Workingman's Dead and American Beauty. Nelson performed with Garcia in the early 1960s in a variety of bands including the Wildwood Boys and the Black Mountain Boys. He was a member of the Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band in 1987.

Nelson left the NRPS in 1982 but continued to perform and record with others including Frank Wakefield, a number of Zydeco bands and the Dead Ringers. In the mid 1990s he released his first recording under his own name and formed the David Nelson Band. In the 2000s he rejoined the New Riders. Here is his website http://www.nelsonband.com/

New Riders of the Purple Sage-Oh What a Mighty Time

Oh What a Mighty Time

At the time that this recording was released, it received HORRENDOUS reviews from the critics and is listed as the "worst" release that the band had done to that point and maybe ever. I personally don't see it. I have been a NRPS fan from near the beginning and I love this album! I have been looking for this CD ever since I made the transition from vinyl to CD's.I had pretty much given up ever seeing this in CD. It has fun and joy that characterized the band. The songs are wonderful. I particularly love the musicianship in "Take A Letter Maria" It's my favorite track even though I would have liked to have it mixed so that the second verse was fully audible. Other personal favorites are Strangers on a Train and Farewell, Angelina. Give it a listen; you may be pleasantly surprised! The musicianship is excellent as it always was when Buddy Cage was on the pedal steel and Dawson and Nelson were up front. Skip Battin brought his (ill-fitting) Byrds like contributions co-written with Kim Fowley but after they dominated Brujo, Stranger on a Train was their only offering before he became the next to jump ship and Mike Love (I think) took over bass (and some song-writing) duties for 'Who are Those Guys' which, I must admit, is not anywhere near as fine as this album (so why did it get a CD release on Wounded Bird?)I have to note this is not the first CD release of the album. The excellent Cactus Juice combines Brujo, Oh, What a Mighty Time and Home, Home on the Road as a 2-CD package with a couple of bonus tracks and is well worth the coinage - that's where my (CD) version of this album is located.

New Riders of the Purple Sage- Where I come from

Where I come from

John Dawson, is no longer...a member of the band. But, dispite his absence, this is a great album. I would highly suggest this CD, to fans, of the New Riders of the Purple Sage. It's simply, a great album! The band sounds very tight. And the songs, sound...excellent!! David Nelson, sounds great...as usual. And, Buddy Cage...is awesome as ever, on pedal steel guitar. I am very happy, & impressed...with Cage's playing. Everything "fits." His fast, hot licks...are always a real treat; as well as some very smooth, country/country rock playing. Sweet, indeed! Johnny Markowski, is an excellent drummer. His vocals, really add a lot, to this album. His vocal style, is very unique...& fits the band, very well indeed. "Higher," is one of my favorite songs on the album; & Johnny does a fine job, singing it. Honestly, I like all of the songs, very much. I'm very happy, with the entire album. A Great CD!! If you're a NRPS fan, you will be very pleased; I can assure you. Great Job, NRPS!!

New Riders of the Purple Sage-PowerGlide

Powerglide

If I were the Original Riders of the Purple Sage I would have been proud of the New Riders carrying on the tradition. These guys were damned good, but so underrated. Powerglide is one of their best (Panama Red is my sentimental favorite)and I was surprised that after feeling that it didn't get any better than Panama Red, Powerglide had me and my whole college crew agreeing it was just as solid a set of tunes with tight performances to boot.
My kids don't know what to make of these guys. They know I do not particularly like mainstream country music, but are not surprised that I like stuff by the NRPS. These are universal good time party tunes. NRPS playing always signals a good musical trip by a bunch of guys actually more talented than some of their better known peers in their heyday.

New Riders of the Purple Sage- NRPS

NRPS

I call this the cactus CD.

In the wake of such country-rock bands as Poco and the Flying Burrito Brothers, the New Riders of the Purple Sage unleashed their debut album in 1971, adding a touch of psychedelia to the mix courtesy of the band's association with the Grateful Dead. [Jerry Garcia adds pedal steel or banjo on all tracks, Mickey Hart plays drums on tracks 5 and 9, and one of the executive producers was Phil Lesh.]

While NRPS were part of the Grateful Dead family, this was no mere Garcia side-project. The core group consisted of John Dawson (guitar, vocals), David Nelson (lead guitar) and Dave Torbert (bass). In fact, Dawson wrote all ten songs on the original release. The songs kicks off with the jaunty "I Don't Know You." "Henry" is an uptempo song about dope smuggling. The album's first single was the rollicking "Louisiana Lady." And the train-robbing saga of "Glendale Train" is propelled by Garcia's pedal steel and banjo picking. The Dead influence is perhaps most noticeable on the overlong "Dirty Business." Clocking in at more than eight minutes, it would have benefited from the shorter time frame of the rest of the songs on the album.

The bonus tracks are taken from their set during the closing of the Fillmore West in July of 1971. The three songs include covers of Joe South's "Down in the Boondocks," a 7:37 take on The Band's "The Weight," and the Dawson original "Superman." Garcia provides pedal steel and background vocals on "The Weight." "Superman," while it dates back to 1968, would not appear on a NRPS album until their 1973 album GYPSY COWBOY.

The band probably had more in common with Commander Cody & His Lost Planet Airmen than to the Flying Burrito Brothers, but on this debut album the New Riders put their own unique spin on country-rock and came up with the best overall album of their career. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

New Riders of the Purple Sage- Panama Red

The Adventures of Panama Red

Firstly, I think people who don't like this album are probably thinking of NRPS as the dead's little sister, which frankly it is not. It has very little to do with the dead. It's psychedelic country rock.

It is also totally fantastic. There is not a song on the album that I don't like.

Here's a mini review of the songs-

"Panama Red"- Totally a classic. First time I heard it I was singing along by the end.

"It's All Right With Me"- Oo-Oo- yeeeaaah, to qoute it.

"Lonesome LA Cowboy"- The lines about smokin' dope, snortin' coke are great. Heck, the whole song is.

"(Ok Sam)Important exportin' man"- Very catchy. Greatest saxophone.

"One Too Many Stories"- Oh, woe. The only one I couldn't call my favorite. But it's still fine.

"Kick in the head"- Absolutely my favorite. The lyrics are bizarre and typicle Robert Hunter. (Funny the dead never preformed it)

"You Should Have Seen Me Runnin"- Lord. Buffy Sainte-Marie is the greatest back up ever. I don't know why there isn't more of her and less of Donna Jean. (???)

"Teardrops in My Eyes"- I can't help dancing when this plays. Happiest sad song ever.

"L.A Lady"-Really well done. Good singing, good music, good lyrics. What more could you ask for?

"Thank the Day"- Typical Torbert (It's about sailing). The lyrics "I couldn't keep from smiling" must apply to the listener.

"Cement, Clay and Glass"- Wait a sec. THIS is my favorite. Great anti urban sprawl song.

I have only one beef, and trust me it's not the song's fault. I guess when they put it onto cd they changed it a little, because at the end when he (David Nelson, I think. Don't qoute me) is singing "Cement, Clay and Glass" over and over you can hear Donna Jean Godchaux singing signifigantly louder than the he is. This isn't a problem on the record (I know because I have it), just the Cd.

Thats it for the songs, but I think I should mention one other thing that's unfortunate: the packaging for the Cd is not nearly as exciting as it was for the record. The fantastic Panama Red cartoon is rather squashed. Also, the sleave that had the lyrics and the picture of NRPS with the grungy dog is not reproduced anywhere.

Thats really all, and, frankly, I can deal with the two small drawbacks because the CD means I can listen to it in the car, lend it to my friends, whatever.

It's pretty hard to dislike the New Riders, so you should definitely give this Cd a try.