Daddy Longlegs

 Daddy Longlegs were an American band, who because of the Vietnam War and the brutal draft, ended up in England in the dying months of the 1960s. The group comprising of Steve Hayton, Moe Armstrong, Clif Carrison and Kurt Palomaki came together in Haight Ashbury and ended up in Castle Carey, Somerset. After a major fanfare in the British music press, they signed to Warner Bros and released their eponymous debut LP in the early summer of 1970. A joyous brew of blues, country, and folk rock all filtered through the psychedelic funnel of the times. The LP arrived just as many of the British bands were as was the fashion at the time of “getting it together in the country”. Influenced by the sounds of the Band, the Byrds, the Burritos, Cat Mother and the Buffalo Springfield, they played a kind of hybrid back woods music that was the perfect backdrop for the all the longhair outdoor gatherings that were happening across these fair isles in 1970-71. We're talking about groups like Bronco, Brinsley Schwartz, Cochise, Greasy Bear, Help Yourself, Gypsy, Mighty Baby, Matthews Southern Comfort, Quiver, Terry Reid, and latterly Byzantium, Global Village Truckin’ Co and Chilli Willi & the Red Hot Peppers. This little scene was authenticated and spearheaded by a handful of expatriate American combos, Gospel Oak, Formerly Fat Harry and most of all by Daddy Longlegs. By 1972-73 it had all but evaporated and booze and public houses had replaced the bucolic retreats and home grown weed as many of the bands effortlessly switched track to become the backbone of the pub rock movement. Whilst the British acid country scene lasted, it gave those of us who strayed on to its path, a lot of pleasure. It never quite delivered a work of the calibre of Music From Big Pink, Sweetheart Of The Rodeo or The Gilded Palace Of Sin, but all these bands knew how to hit the groove and how to provide a breath of sweet fresh air, an antidote to the big downer outfits like Zepellin, Sabbath, Purple etc that dominated proceedings back then. Musicianship was of a high order but most importantly they understood feel, and a good joint before the set was paramount! Alongside Terry Reid's River, Cochise and Brinsley Schwartz’s Silver Pistol, Daddy Longlegs was the closest we came to getting a stone(d) British country classic record. There isn't a dud in the pack, the album starts off with a call to arms of sorts, the celebratory country honk of 'Tell the Captain' sung and co-written by the amazing Moe Armstrong, who, by the time he joined the band had lived more lives than most of us get to live in just the one. This is the kind of tune that just makes you want to break out into a huge grin! 'New Mexico Song', a love song of sorts is a light-hearted rustic romp, reminiscent of some of the tracks on the still unissued Greasy Bear album. 'Lady In Waiting' is the closest you get to a pure rock song with one of those punchy guitar riffs that stays in your head for days after. 'Bad Blood Mama' is a slow dirty blues rocker with some mean lead guitar from Steve Hayton, as this readily attests, Daddy Longlegs were a real tight band musically too. Next up is the band's theme song ‘High Again’ about the pleasures of rolling up another joint, close in style to Country Joe & The Fish or the Holy Modal Rounders. Side 1 of the original LP finishes with another Hayton-Armstrong composition, the almost acoustic and achingly beautiful 'Waiting For The Snow To Fall'. The halucinatory 'Farewell', a spacey folk rock masterpiece with modal electric 12-string tunings that could have fallen straight off 'Younger Than Yesterday' or 'The Notorious Byrd Brothers', great harmony vocals here too. 'Motorcycle' is another Longlegs classic, a crunchy rocker with superlative drumming and a catchy refrain, that sets us up for the evocative 'Behind The Waterfall', a Working Man’s Dead style chugger, Hayton’s lead work is again pure genius. 'Bein' Here Blue' continues the feel, again conjuring up the spirit of McGuinn and co from the Dr Byrds, Ballad Of Easy Rider era. The final track 'Whiskey Moan' is another fully-revved blues number featuring Delivery's Steve Miller on delightful honky tonk piano and some nimble clarinet playing from Palomaki. The original LP didn't sell and by year end Hayton had jumped ship for Daylight, Amalgam, Bridget St John and a solo career, he sadly passed away in 2006. The band recruited guitarist Gary Norton-Holderman and keyboardist Peter Arneson and signing with Vertigo put out Oakdown Farm, a sophomore set that certainly had its moments but never quite lived up to its illustrious predecessor, the band would carry on in with different line-ups for a few more years, recording two albums for Polydor. Bassist Kurt Palomaki eventually quit too, and towards the end, drummer Clif Carrison even recruited various members of West Country acid rockers Stroll On and Over the Hill to fulfil live commitments including a legendary show at Bristol's Granary club. Clif returned to New Mexico where he still lives today, Kurt Palomaki is still making music in North Carolina, Moe Armstrong has been working with US army vets, and is still writing poetry and prose. Oakdown Farm is currently still in print on CD but this overlooked debut really does stand the test of time so come on all you earth signs, why not do what the man says and take the back road to the canyon, walk around the pine tree tall, there's a bunch of nice folks there who have some fabulous music they'd like to play for you.

Personnel

Steve Hayton – Guitars, Vocal, Kazoo

Kurt Palomaki – Bass, Vocals, Clarinet

Clif Carrison – Drums, Percussion

Moe Armstrong – Vocal on “Tell The Captain”

Steve Miller – Piano on “Whisky Moan”

Tracks

1)- Tell The Captain

2)- New Mexico Song

3)- Lady In Waiting

4)- Bad Blood Mama

5)- High Again

6)- Waiting For The Snow To Fall

7)- Farewell

8)- Motorcycle

9)- Behind The Waterfall

10)- Bein’ Here Blue

11)- Whisky Moan

Bonus Tracks

1)- High Again (Single Version)

2)- To The Rescue (Wet Putso)