Spirit - Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus
On this episode of the podcast, we discuss Spirit and their fourth album Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus.
The band Spirit sports an impressive pedigree. Drummer Ed Cassidy (20 years older than the rest of the band) was an established jazz musician, having played drums with many jazz greats throughout the 1940s and 1950s. His stepson Randy California (né Randy Wolfe) was a young guitar prodigy, who at 15 years old impressed Jimi Hendrix enough to be asked to join his band Jimmy James and the Blue Flames.
Released in 1970, Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus, is Spirit's most beloved album, and considered by many to be an all-time great. With one foot firmly planted in the idealism of the 1960s, and the other planted in the experiential and harder-edged music of the 1970's, it musically straddles both decades, but is unlike almost anything else released at the time. Combining elements of folk, jazz, progressive rock, psychedelia, and even proto-metal, Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus effortlessly slides from folk ballads, to hook-laden rockers, to far out space jams. And while the album, like the band itself, may not be easy to categorize, Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus is an immensely compelling and consistently entertaining listen.
No recommendation on the episode.
THINGS WE DISCUSSED ON THIS EPISODE
Formed in 1965, the Red Roosters featured several future members of Spirit
(Pictured L to R): Randy Wolf, Jay Ferguson, Mike Fondelier, Ed Cassidy and Mark Andes.
Prior to joining the Red Roosters, Cassidy was the drummer for the Rising Sons, featuring Ry Cooder ad Taj Mahal. Here is a newspaper ad for the band’s residency at the Ash Grove.
Pictured (L to R) Ry Cooder, Ed Cassidy, Jesse Lee Kincaid, Gary Marker, and Taj Mahal.
A publicity shot of Spirit for Ode Records circa 1968.
Pictured (L to R): Randy California, Ed Cassidy, Mark Andes, John Locke and Jay Ferguson.
The band’s very first single was the song “Fresh Garbage” from their self-tilted debut LP. Led Zeppelin incorporated the song into a medley that they performed while opening for Spirit in1968. Here is Spirit performing the song on French television in 1970.
To avoid confusion with another Randy in his band, Randy California was given the last name California by Jim Hendrix when the 15 year old was playing with Hendrix in Jimmy James and the Blue Flames in 1966.
During a 1968 interview on Cleveland radio station WKYC, Hendrix is photographed holding Spirit’s debut LP. Pictured with Hendrix, Noel Redding (L) and DJ Chuck Dunaway (center).
Here is a picture of Ed Cassidy behind his Spirit drum kit. He had two field drums (like the ones used for a high school band) on either side of his kit that he would play with with his bare hands during his solos.
Between the release of the band’s 3rd LP Clear and Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus, Spirit recorded the song "1984", written and sung by California and produced by the group. Below is a clip of the band performing the song during a 1970 TV performance.
