Kingfish
	Produced by Dan Healy and Bob Weir
	Released on March 1976
	US CHART POSITION #50
	Find it at GEMM
UAS 29922 cover [high resolution photo]

H orses of a different color, as the bulk of that band teamed up with Bob Weir to form Kingfish. Like New Riders of the Purple Sage earlier (which also included Dave Torbert), the rationale behind Kingfish was to serve as a “vacation” from the Dead, the crowds, the pressures, and return to music’s roots or the land or something. It certainly is laidback music, not as carefully crafted as the Dead’s deeper forays into acoustic rock but not as effortless as it sounds either. The material is mostly original, written by Torbert, Bob Weir, lyricist John Barlow and Matthew Kelly. Covers include a Marty Robbins tune (“Big Iron”), the traditional “Bye And Bye” and a pair of Horses tracks hitched up again (“Asia Minor,” “Jump For Joy”). The album ranges from country to rock, similar to the cowboy songs that Weir was known for with the Dead. Although the New Riders’ first album was prettier, Kingfish is no ugly dogfish. “Lazy Lightnin’,” “Home To Dixie” and “Hypnotize” roll around like a cool breeze; the Dead thought enough of the album’s first two tracks to include them in their 1977 tour. Because Kingfish had time to assemble material for their first album, having played together on and off for a few years, their first album is likely their strongest song for song. The records that followed recycled older material and featured less participation from Bob Weir, arguably the band’s most intriguing member. As the Relix releases suggest, Kingfish overstayed their welcome; still, making their first acquaintance on this album is a pleasure. Supplemental Dead albums are generally hit or miss depending on their similarity to the original article. The presence of quality Weir/Barlow compositions and a familiar country rock feel will endear the effort to Deadheads. If you’re ever going to get hooked on Kingfish, it’ll happen here.

UAS 29922 back cover

TRACK LISTING

1. LAZY LIGHTNIN'    (Bob Weir/John Barlow)    3:11
2. SUPPLICATION    (Bob Weir/John Barlow)    2:56
3. WILD NORTHLAND    (Dave Horbert/Tim Hovey)    2:28
4. ASIA MINOR    (John Carter/Tim Gilbert/Scott Quigley/Tim Hovey)    3:32
5. HOME TO DIXIE    (Matthew Kelly/Cutler/John Barlow/Bob Weir)    3:57
6. JUMP FOR JOY    (John Carter/Tim Gilbert)    3:38
7. GOOD-BYE YER HONOR    (Dave Torbert/Tim Hovey/Matthew Kelly)    2:54
8. BIG IRON    (Marty Robbins)    4:30
9. THIS TIME    (Dave Torbert/Matthew Kelly)    4:25
10. HYPNOTIZE    (Dave Torbert/Matthew Kelly)    4:56
11. BYE AND BYE    (trad. arr. by Bob Weir/John Barlow)    4:04
    
    All arrangements by Kingfish

CREDITS

CHRIS HEROLD -- drums, percussion
ROBBY HODDINOTT -- lead guitar, slide
MATTHEW KELLY -- guitar, harp, vocals
DAVE TORBERT -- bass, vocals
BOB WEIR -- guitar, vocals
Pablo Green -- percussion (10)
J.D. Sharp -- string symphonizer
Dan Healy -- recording, mixing
Kingfish -- recording, mixing
Rob Taylor -- engineer
Richard Hundgen and Dean Layman -- production assistance
Philip Garris/Garris Studios -- cover painting
James A. Nelson III -- trident logo
Bob Marks -- photographs

return to KINGFISH discography

The Last Word

"We sat around for weeks trying to figure out what to name the band. We were an R&B, instrumental rock band and the name "Kingfish" just felt good. We liked the sound and feel to it. The name lended itself to our logo, which I really like a lot – the Trident. The trident is very powerful symbol throughout the world; Shiva, Neptune and Poseidon were all tridents." -- Matthew Kelly. (Source: Vermont Review interview.)

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