STEPPENWOLF
''SLOW FLUX''
AUGUST 1974
44:57
********************
1 Get Into The Wind 02:59 (Bobby Cochran, Casey Van Beek)
2 Gang War Blues 04:23 (Goldy McJohn, Jerry Edmonton, John Kay, Kim Fowley)
3 Justice Don't Be Slow 04:54 (John Kay, Joseph B. Richie)
4 Children Of Night 05:11 (John Kay)
5 Jeraboah 05:39 (Jack Conrad)
6 Straight Shootin' Woman 04:04 (Jerry Edmonton)
7 Smokey Factory Blues 04:10 (A. Hammond, M. Hazlewood)
8 Morning Blue 04:11 (George Biondo)
9 A Fool's Fantasy 03:37 (Goldy McJohn)
10 Fishin’ In The Dark 05:45 (John Kay)
********************
George Biondo - bass guitar, vocals
Jerry Edmonton - drums
Bobby Cochran - guitar
John Kay - guitar, vocals
Goldy McJohn - keyboards
********************
ABOUT THE ALBUM/OFFICIAL
1974—Imported. Steppenwolf’s 1974 comeback album (after their Valentine’s Day, 1972 retirement announcement) that started a new era of Steppenwolf music. Unavailable in its entirety for many years, it contains the Top 40 hit “Straight Shootin’ Woman,” as well as the foretelling “Children of Night,” and “Gang War Blues.” Clamored for by fans since it went out of print, we are pleased to offer it once again. Other songs: Justice Don’t Be Slow, Get Into The Wind, Jeraboah, Smokey Factory Blues, Morning Blue, A Fool’s Fantasy, Fishin’ in The Dark.
--------
Not too long after the “My Sportin’ Life” album had come and gone, The Wolf played what was to be our farewell tour in Europe. Reunited after some months apart we were recharged. The tour proved quite successful and playing together was so much fun that we decided to record a new album. “Slow Flux” was the first project to be recorded in my studio in California (which by now had expanded into a full working studio). Bobby Cochran, (nephew of rock pioneer Eddie Cochran) had joined The Wolf on guitar and his high energy helped propel much of this album. Some of my favorites include “Straight Shootin Woman”, written by Jerry Edmonton (who with Tom Gundlefinger, created the album cover) “Children Of Night”, “Gang War Blues”, “Smokey Factory Blues” and “Fishing In The Dark”. Overall I thought the album was a good effort. The LP made the top 40 chart and while“Straight Shootin Woman” reached the top 20 singles chart, and so a new chapter of Steppenwolf (the 70’s) was born.
********************
ABOUT THE ALBUM/WIKIPEDIA
Slow Flux is an album by Steppenwolf, released in 1974 under the label Epic. In the US it was released on the Mums Records label, a short-lived CBS Records subsidiary. It was the first of three albums the band created after reforming in 1974 before they disbanded again in 1976. "Straight Shootin' Woman" was the last Steppenwolf song to chart on the Billboard magazine Top 40. The song "Children of the Night" notably posits that the hippie movement at this time had died, and president Richard Nixon is referred to as "the fool who believed that wrong is right".
********************
REVIEW/AMG
Joe Viglione
Steppenwolf's first album after For Ladies Only, their final Dunhill epic, was recorded for Mums, a CBS-distributed imprint which also was home to Albert Hammond's only two solo chart hits in 1972 and 1974. Though it may be surprising to find the labelmate's "Smokey Factory Blues" on this package, it isn't a stretch; Hammond would co-write a number one smash for Starship with "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now," so you know John Kay can still find a good tune and pluck it out of the air. More impressive than the follow-up disc, Hour of the Wolf, this CBS debut has the look and feel of a vintage Steppenwolf product. Veterans Ed Caraeff and Tom Gundelfinger do the photos, the wolf logo is still intact (the back cover looking much like the front of Steppenwolf Live), and the sound has those political leanings of the group's Monster period. The album gets into gear by the fourth song, "Get Into the Wind," co-written by guitarist Bobby Cochran. With a little emphasis on production, the tune might actually have had a chance at some chart action; it blatantly carries the "Born to Be Wild" theme. "Jeraboah" also has its album track moments, but the three John Kay contributions which open this new era up set the tone for the band's dilemma. "Gang War Blues" isn't a bad essay; the collaboration between Kay, Kim Fowley, drummer Jerry Edmonton, and keyboardist Goldy McJohn continues the preaching initiated by earlier discs, preaching that doesn't hit the interesting vibe of a song like "The Pusher." The lyrics are enclosed and there are lots of them, though fans come to Steppenwolf for angst-fueled hard rock oozing with feedback, not lots of words and tape loops of a Richard Nixon speech. Though it's a very good performance by the group, good doesn't match the majesty of "Magic Carpet Ride." Jerry Edmonton's "Straight Shootin' Woman" has horns and solid piano from McJohn, but somehow slightly misses the mark. The Albert Hammond/Mike Hazlewood tune is a great change of pace; the direction fuses Steppenwolf's sensibilities with outside ideas. The cover surpasses Hammond's version, giving further evidence that Steppenwolf had a knack for interpretation -- a knack that Don Covay, Hoyt Axton, and Mars Bonfire all benefited from. Like their contemporaries, the Guess Who, Steppenwolf lost the fine art of crafting a song for the Top 40. Where they succeed at being very musical, much like Burton Cummings' band, they fail to create that sparkling little advertisement for the album that was the hit single. It was that vehicle which brought them fame, and both bands needed that arena. Had John Kay tackled "Star Baby," the tune released by the Guess Who off of the LP Road Food the same year, 1974, both bands could have had another dance in the sun. Still, Slow Flux has many decent moments. Bassist George Biondo's "Morning Blue" is a fine ballad; it's just that at this point in time, Steppenwolf could have given listeners so much more.
********************
BIOGRAPHY/AMG
Cub Koda
Led by John Kay (born Joachim Krauledat, April 12, 1944), Steppenwolf's blazing biker anthem "Born to Be Wild" roared out of speakers everywhere in the fiery summer of 1968, John Kay's threatening rasp sounding a mesmerizing call to arms to the counterculture movement rapidly sprouting up nationwide. German immigrant Kay got his professional start in a bluesy Toronto band called Sparrow, recording for Columbia in 1966. After Sparrow disbanded, Kay relocated to the West Coast and formed Steppenwolf, named after the Herman Hesse novel. "Born to Be Wild," their third single on ABC-Dunhill, was immortalized on the soundtrack of Dennis Hopper's underground film classic Easy Rider. The song's reference to "heavy metal thunder" finally gave an assignable name to an emerging genre. Steppenwolf's second monster hit that year, the psychedelic "Magic Carpet Ride," and the follow-ups "Rock Me," "Move Over," and "Hey Lawdy Mama" further established the band's credibility on the hard rock circuit. By the early '70s, Steppenwolf ran out of steam and disbanded. Kay continued to record solo, as other members put together ersatz versions of the band for touring purposes. During the mid-'80s Kay re-formed his own version of Steppenwolf, grinding out his hits (and some new songs) at oldies shows. Nevertheless, they'll be remembered for generations to come for creating one of the ultimate gas'n'go rock anthems of all time.
********************
BIOGRAPHY/WIKIPEDIA
********************
WEBSITE
********************
TO THE TOP
********************
''SLOW FLUX''
AUGUST 1974
44:57
********************
1 Get Into The Wind 02:59 (Bobby Cochran, Casey Van Beek)
2 Gang War Blues 04:23 (Goldy McJohn, Jerry Edmonton, John Kay, Kim Fowley)
3 Justice Don't Be Slow 04:54 (John Kay, Joseph B. Richie)
4 Children Of Night 05:11 (John Kay)
5 Jeraboah 05:39 (Jack Conrad)
6 Straight Shootin' Woman 04:04 (Jerry Edmonton)
7 Smokey Factory Blues 04:10 (A. Hammond, M. Hazlewood)
8 Morning Blue 04:11 (George Biondo)
9 A Fool's Fantasy 03:37 (Goldy McJohn)
10 Fishin’ In The Dark 05:45 (John Kay)
********************
George Biondo - bass guitar, vocals
Jerry Edmonton - drums
Bobby Cochran - guitar
John Kay - guitar, vocals
Goldy McJohn - keyboards
********************
ABOUT THE ALBUM/OFFICIAL
1974—Imported. Steppenwolf’s 1974 comeback album (after their Valentine’s Day, 1972 retirement announcement) that started a new era of Steppenwolf music. Unavailable in its entirety for many years, it contains the Top 40 hit “Straight Shootin’ Woman,” as well as the foretelling “Children of Night,” and “Gang War Blues.” Clamored for by fans since it went out of print, we are pleased to offer it once again. Other songs: Justice Don’t Be Slow, Get Into The Wind, Jeraboah, Smokey Factory Blues, Morning Blue, A Fool’s Fantasy, Fishin’ in The Dark.
--------
Not too long after the “My Sportin’ Life” album had come and gone, The Wolf played what was to be our farewell tour in Europe. Reunited after some months apart we were recharged. The tour proved quite successful and playing together was so much fun that we decided to record a new album. “Slow Flux” was the first project to be recorded in my studio in California (which by now had expanded into a full working studio). Bobby Cochran, (nephew of rock pioneer Eddie Cochran) had joined The Wolf on guitar and his high energy helped propel much of this album. Some of my favorites include “Straight Shootin Woman”, written by Jerry Edmonton (who with Tom Gundlefinger, created the album cover) “Children Of Night”, “Gang War Blues”, “Smokey Factory Blues” and “Fishing In The Dark”. Overall I thought the album was a good effort. The LP made the top 40 chart and while“Straight Shootin Woman” reached the top 20 singles chart, and so a new chapter of Steppenwolf (the 70’s) was born.
********************
ABOUT THE ALBUM/WIKIPEDIA
Slow Flux is an album by Steppenwolf, released in 1974 under the label Epic. In the US it was released on the Mums Records label, a short-lived CBS Records subsidiary. It was the first of three albums the band created after reforming in 1974 before they disbanded again in 1976. "Straight Shootin' Woman" was the last Steppenwolf song to chart on the Billboard magazine Top 40. The song "Children of the Night" notably posits that the hippie movement at this time had died, and president Richard Nixon is referred to as "the fool who believed that wrong is right".
********************
REVIEW/AMG
Joe Viglione
Steppenwolf's first album after For Ladies Only, their final Dunhill epic, was recorded for Mums, a CBS-distributed imprint which also was home to Albert Hammond's only two solo chart hits in 1972 and 1974. Though it may be surprising to find the labelmate's "Smokey Factory Blues" on this package, it isn't a stretch; Hammond would co-write a number one smash for Starship with "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now," so you know John Kay can still find a good tune and pluck it out of the air. More impressive than the follow-up disc, Hour of the Wolf, this CBS debut has the look and feel of a vintage Steppenwolf product. Veterans Ed Caraeff and Tom Gundelfinger do the photos, the wolf logo is still intact (the back cover looking much like the front of Steppenwolf Live), and the sound has those political leanings of the group's Monster period. The album gets into gear by the fourth song, "Get Into the Wind," co-written by guitarist Bobby Cochran. With a little emphasis on production, the tune might actually have had a chance at some chart action; it blatantly carries the "Born to Be Wild" theme. "Jeraboah" also has its album track moments, but the three John Kay contributions which open this new era up set the tone for the band's dilemma. "Gang War Blues" isn't a bad essay; the collaboration between Kay, Kim Fowley, drummer Jerry Edmonton, and keyboardist Goldy McJohn continues the preaching initiated by earlier discs, preaching that doesn't hit the interesting vibe of a song like "The Pusher." The lyrics are enclosed and there are lots of them, though fans come to Steppenwolf for angst-fueled hard rock oozing with feedback, not lots of words and tape loops of a Richard Nixon speech. Though it's a very good performance by the group, good doesn't match the majesty of "Magic Carpet Ride." Jerry Edmonton's "Straight Shootin' Woman" has horns and solid piano from McJohn, but somehow slightly misses the mark. The Albert Hammond/Mike Hazlewood tune is a great change of pace; the direction fuses Steppenwolf's sensibilities with outside ideas. The cover surpasses Hammond's version, giving further evidence that Steppenwolf had a knack for interpretation -- a knack that Don Covay, Hoyt Axton, and Mars Bonfire all benefited from. Like their contemporaries, the Guess Who, Steppenwolf lost the fine art of crafting a song for the Top 40. Where they succeed at being very musical, much like Burton Cummings' band, they fail to create that sparkling little advertisement for the album that was the hit single. It was that vehicle which brought them fame, and both bands needed that arena. Had John Kay tackled "Star Baby," the tune released by the Guess Who off of the LP Road Food the same year, 1974, both bands could have had another dance in the sun. Still, Slow Flux has many decent moments. Bassist George Biondo's "Morning Blue" is a fine ballad; it's just that at this point in time, Steppenwolf could have given listeners so much more.
********************
BIOGRAPHY/AMG
Cub Koda
Led by John Kay (born Joachim Krauledat, April 12, 1944), Steppenwolf's blazing biker anthem "Born to Be Wild" roared out of speakers everywhere in the fiery summer of 1968, John Kay's threatening rasp sounding a mesmerizing call to arms to the counterculture movement rapidly sprouting up nationwide. German immigrant Kay got his professional start in a bluesy Toronto band called Sparrow, recording for Columbia in 1966. After Sparrow disbanded, Kay relocated to the West Coast and formed Steppenwolf, named after the Herman Hesse novel. "Born to Be Wild," their third single on ABC-Dunhill, was immortalized on the soundtrack of Dennis Hopper's underground film classic Easy Rider. The song's reference to "heavy metal thunder" finally gave an assignable name to an emerging genre. Steppenwolf's second monster hit that year, the psychedelic "Magic Carpet Ride," and the follow-ups "Rock Me," "Move Over," and "Hey Lawdy Mama" further established the band's credibility on the hard rock circuit. By the early '70s, Steppenwolf ran out of steam and disbanded. Kay continued to record solo, as other members put together ersatz versions of the band for touring purposes. During the mid-'80s Kay re-formed his own version of Steppenwolf, grinding out his hits (and some new songs) at oldies shows. Nevertheless, they'll be remembered for generations to come for creating one of the ultimate gas'n'go rock anthems of all time.
********************
BIOGRAPHY/WIKIPEDIA
********************
WEBSITE
********************
TO THE TOP
********************
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