what Frank is listening to #228 – JUBAL – Jubal – (Elektra) – 1972
When people talk about this record they inevitably mention the fact that Dennis Linde was the bass player in the band.
Dennis Linde (commented on this blog) was a bit of a quiet genius auteur involved in most of the music process: writing, producing, playing, and singing.
Linde was born in Abilene, Texas, but was raised in San Angelo, Texas, Miami and St. Louis. He learnt to play guitar young and at age 15 joined Bob Kuban and the In-Men (the group had a great pop hit in 1966 with "The Cheater", the record was before Linde I think). He then played with a St. Louis band, The Starlighters, before moving to Nashville in 1969 to become a songwriter, where he befriended Mickey Newbury, Kris Kristofferson and others. Linde almost immediately wrote some country hits for Don Cherry, Roger Miller and Roy Drusky which led to him releasing his first album in 1970. It didn't sell. It was around this time that he joined Jubal as a bass player, sometimes guitarist and occasional songwriter. This, their only album, didn't sell either. About the same time Elvis recorded Linde's "Burning Love" which went to #2 (1972) and gave Linde a renewed career as a writer and a solo performer and also gave him some cash in pocket.
But to think Linde was the focal point of the band would be wrong. All the members co-jointly or solo wrote and produced all the tracks on the album, as well as swapping instruments around. Members: Rob Galbraith (organ, guitar, piano), Dennis Linde (bass, guitar, vocals), Randy Cullers (percussion, drums, tambourine), Terry Dearmore (guitar, vocals), Alan Rush (guitar, harmonica, bass, vocals).
Clearly they were a "supergroup" of err, unknowns. Significantly, as proof of talent, they all had significant work in music before Jubal and much after. Pianist Rob Galbraith became a major Nashville producer and also released some acclaimed and eccentric solo albums. Guitarist (and occasional vocalist) Alan Rush wrote songs for Jerry Lee Lewis, Roy Orbison, Brenda Lee, The Hollies, Robert Palmer, Oak Ridge Boys, Kenny Rogers, John Denver, Roy Head, Delbert McClinton, Canned Heat, Don Williams, T.G.Shepherd, Tommy Overstreet, Earl Scruggs, Roy Clark, Mel McDaniel and did session work (he worked on Elvis overdub sessions). Drummer Randy Cullers went on to do a lot of session work (including Elvis overdubs) and write songs for others. Vocalist Terry Dearmore (ex Fat Sow) went on to join Nashville country rock legends, Barefoot Jerry, as one of their lead vocalists in the mid 70s. He eventually became a preacher.
Clearly they are the musical product of their times but they are also forceful personalities.
And this album reflects this.
The album is firmly country rock or rather country rock n soul but there are also pop, roots and jazz thrown in also (search this blog for country rock definitions and discussions).
It's a weird mix….and it probably stretches "country rock" to it's furtherest limits.
All it needs is a couple of killer tracks and you have instant cultdom.
The other exciting thing is that its on the Elektra label…mmmm Elektra
Tracks (best in italics)
- Lay Me Down – Linde – A Delaney & Bonnie type of country soul song with a hint of Elvis in the vocal by Dearmore.
- Friendly Goodbye – Galbraith, Clayton – a melancholy Beatles type of rumination with country-ish overtones.
- Yesterday (I Threw My Life Away) – Rush, Cullers – some slight baroque touches on this one. As if The Moody Blues were doing country.
- Really Not A Rocker – Dearmore – a rock song.
- Morning Of My Life – Galbraith – a MOR ballad
- For Becky – Galbraith, Clayton – a strange ballad that sounds like a Blood Sweat & Tears song without the jazz fusion, or in other words something from a hip Broadway show.
- Talk To Me Tonight – Rush, Cullers – a MOR
- I’d Hate To Be A Black Man – Galbraith – "I’d Hate To Be A Black Man in the State of Alabama …" A slow electric folk blues.
- Courage Of Your Convictions – Rush, Cullers – later covered by the Hollies. A straight rock song, and none too good.
- Ridin’ – Linde – again a song written by Linde (sung by Dearmore) that you could see Elvis singing.
- Castles In The Sand -Rush, Cullers – A MOR meaningful ballad. On it's own level quite effective.
And…
The album is admirable and even inventive to the point of musical schizophrenia, which is never a good thing on an album (schizophrenia), but the glue here is the "country-ish" vibe on all the tracks.
Jubal are no worse than many other country rock bands of the era and often better but the big problem though is there isn't one knockout track. Still, I'll keep it because of Linde ….
Chart Action
US
Singles
––
Album
Singles
––
Album
—
England
Singles
Singles
—
Album
—
Sounds
Friendly Goodbye
attached
Courage Of Your Convictions
Hollies version
Ridin’
attached
attached
Others
Dennis Linde
Rob Galbraith
Terry Dearmore
Review
Bio
Website
—
Trivia
—
Other Comments
—
