Clear Light

This article is about the 1960s American psychedelic rock band. For other uses, see Clearlight (disambiguation).

Clear Light was a psychedelic rock band that formed in Los Angeles in 1966.

History

In 1966, The Brain Train formed and was managed by Sunset Strip hipster Bud Mathis. They recorded one single before changing their name to Clear Light and signing to Elektra Records; Doors' on which producer Paul A. Rothchild took over management of the band.^{[citation needed]}

The core members of Clear Light were Bob Seal, lead guitarist and vocals, Robbie "The Werewolf" Robison, rhythm guitar and vocals, Doug Lubahn bass and vocals, Dallas Taylor drums, and Michael Ney on, unusually, another set of drums.^[1][2] The original line-up was featured in the 1967 motion picture The President's Analyst,^[2] with Barry McGuire cast as their leader and vocalist.^{[citation needed]} They soon added Cliff De Young on lead vocals;^[2] the version of the band seen on their only album cover.^{[citation needed]} However, sometime during the recording process, often described "brutal", Paul Rothchild was not happy with Robison's guitar playing skills and pressured the group to remove him^{[citation needed]} - he was replaced by keyboard player Ralph Schuckett.

In what has been called the band's finest hour, drunken customers in a Park Avenue club heckled them so brutally that Ralph Schuckett, the usually gentle organist, hurled a few choice words back at them. They then walked off the stage, retired to the Albert Hotel, and woke up in the morning to find that they had become underground heroes.^[3]

The most notable track from the Clear Light album, was "Mr. Blue," a psychedelic version of a folk song written by Tom Paxton and a popular request on underground radio at the time. Lasting over six minutes, the rather sinister, psychedelic song is considered a classic of the genre.^[1] Its lyrics, which alternate between spoken word and song, include verses opening with such lines as, "Good morning, Mister Blue, we've got our eye on you," "Step softly, Mister Blue, we know what's best for you," and "Be careful, Mister Blue, this phase you're going through ...."^[4]

The album also included some of guitarist Bob Seal's psychedelic folk-rock songs, namely "With All in Mind" and "They Who Have Nothing."^[1] It had some success in England, but was largely ignored in the U.S, reaching #126 on the Billboard album chart. Paul Rothchild then pressured the other members of the band to fire Bob Seal.^{[citation needed]} Seal was replaced by ex-Fug Danny "Kootch" Kortchmar; Cliff De Young was soon to follow, and after having started work on a second album the group disbanded in 1968. Two tracks from the sessions for the second album surfaced in 2006, "Darkness of Day" and "What a Difference Love Makes"; the latter showed the group moving into more commercial territory due to Kortchmar's influence.^[3]

Aftermath

Most of the members went on to further success.

• Cliff De Young went on to become an actor and remains active today.^{[citation needed]}
• Dallas Taylor, who had played previously with John Sebastian and alongside Lowell George in the pre-Little Feat group The Factory, later became a member of Crosby, Stills and Nash, Manassas and the Stephen Stills Band.^[2]
• Ralph Schukett went on to play on The Monkees single "Porpoise Song", The Peanut Butter Conspiracy album For Children of All Ages,^[2] then on to Todd Rundgren's Utopia and also became a popular session player on TV soundtracks.^[2]
• Doug Lubahn played bass on several of The Doors' albums and went on to play with Billy Squier among others.^[2]
• Robbie Robison ended up in Oregon. He died in 2000.^{[citation needed]}
• Bob Seal later played with Gale Garnet and the Gentle Reign.^{[citation needed]}
• Michael Ney also played on "Porpoise Song", then The Peanut Butter Conspiracy album For Children of All Ages, Carole King and other session work.^{[citation needed]}
• Danny Kortchmar worked with Carole King for a while, and then with James Taylor for many years.^[2]

Discography

Album

• Clear Light, Elektra, 1967

Singles

• "Black Roses"/"She’s Ready To Be Free," Elektra EK45622, 1967
• "Black Roses"/"She's Ready To Be Free," Elektra EKSN45019, 1967(UK)
• "They Who Have Nothing"/"Ballad Of Freddie and Larry," Elektra 45626, 1967
• "Night Sounds Loud"/"How Many Days Have Passed," Elektra EKSN45027, 1968 (UK only)

References

1. ^ ^{a b c} "Clear Light album review". notlame.com Online Shop. http://www.notlame.com/tellafriend/CDCLEAR3.html. Retrieved 15 July 2006. 
2. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h} Larkin C 'Virgin Encyclopedia of Sixties Music' (Muze UK Ltd, 1997) ISBN 0-7535-0149-X p118
3. ^ ^{a b} Roxon, Lillian (1969). Rock Encyclopedia. Grosset & Dunlap. p. 112. 
4. ^ "Mr. Blue Lyrics". http://www.mydfz.com/Paxton/lyrics/mrblue.htm?ABCDEFGH. Retrieved 15 July 2006. 

External links

• Mr. Blue lyrics
• Clear Light Album Review
• Official Clear Light Site