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Captain Beyond

Yogi Bear

Yogi Bear

Aug 14, 2000
3,044
3,872
#1
I finally purchased a needle for my old BSR turntable, hooked it up, and started spinning some of my old LPs. Pulled out Captain Beyond's debut and was blown away again. This album is so fantastic - and terribly underrated.

The combination of Bobby Caldwell and Lee Dorman is simply amazing. It really is too bad that this album doesn't get the credit that it's due.
 
#2
I love Captain Beyond. I recently found them and they are already one of my top ten favorite bands. Bobby is a friggin amazing drummer. How he never became as famous as guys like Peart and Bruford I'll never know.Dorman is great, holds out great when Rhino is soloing and puts in some tasty licks here and there. And the white classic P is killing me! Rhino is great on record , but you outta hear him live! The guy has some serious chops but doesn't get too egotistical . Instead he chooses creative , expressive solos over wanky ones. Rod Evans is good , probaly my least favorite in the band, but no slouch .

I have some live shows on Cd from the 70s if anyone is interested. 71' in Montreux, 72 in Miami , and Frozen over Arlington Texas , 73. I can burn some copies if anyone is interested.The sound quality isn't that great, but after a while it sounds alright.
 
#4
Fans of Captain Beyond's first album should check out Armageddon's eponymous album from 1975. Great slightly psychedelic hard rock with Bobby Caldwell on drums, Keith Relf (Yardbirds) on vocals, Martin Pugh (Steamhammer) on guitar and the excellent and underrated Louis Cennamo (Steamhammer, Renaissance) on bass. "Buzzard" and "Silver Tightrope" are fabulous pieces, Cennamo plays the bass with a bow on the latter.
 
#5
Farley said:
I finally purchased a needle for my old BSR turntable, hooked it up, and started spinning some of my old LPs. Pulled out Captain Beyond's debut and was blown away again. This album is so fantastic - and terribly underrated.
Click to expand...

You lucky putz! ;)
I had the original LP from '72, lent it to a friend, blahblah...& never got it back. Finally, in what, the late '90s?...the album was releaased domestically on disc.
Still, I miss having that LP-sized cover.
(FWIW, I have Suffiently Breathless on LP...& cd. I recall being pissed when I saw Bobby Caldwell was no longer in the band for that particular record).

Anyway, IMO, there is a pretty big cult fan base for Captain Beyond...the Jazz site I used to hang out in had many posters into that band.
 
#8
JimK said:
You lucky putz! ;)
I had the original LP from '72, lent it to a friend, blahblah...& never got it back. Finally, in what, the late '90s?...the album was releaased domestically on disc.
Still, I miss having that LP-sized cover.
(FWIW, I have Suffiently Breathless on LP...& cd. I recall being pissed when I saw Bobby Caldwell was no longer in the band for that particular record).

Anyway, IMO, there is a pretty big cult fan base for Captain Beyond...the Jazz site I used to hang out in had many posters into that band.
Click to expand...

I was lucky enough to stumble on it back in 85-86 in a used bin at a record store in Chicago. The drum teacher at a local music store recommended it to me. I consider it a lucky find. No scratches on the vinyl, but the sleeve was/is a bit ripped up.
 
#10
"Sufficiently Breathless" ain't that bad either 'though it's very different, more latin-esque rock. "Bright Blue Tango", "Distant Sun" and "Starglow Energy" are great tracks. Reese Wynans played keyboards, he played later with Stevie Ray Vaughn for example. I recall Bobby Caldwell came back to do the tour.

And although the sleeve says "all songs written by Lee Dorman" it isn't true, it was mainly for some copyright reasons.

I haven't heard "Dawn Explosions" with Willy Dee instead of Rod Evans. Is it worth the trouble?
 
#11
:eek: :eyebrow: I bought this album today...never heard it until now. Wow, is all I have to say. I only got through the 1st song but was immediately impressed. Especially with the cool off-time end part. Awesome. I can't wait to listen to the rest.:hyper:
 
#12
43% burnt said:
:eek: :eyebrow: I bought this album today...never heard it until now. Wow, is all I have to say. I only got through the 1st song but was immediately impressed. Especially with the cool off-time end part. Awesome. I can't wait to listen to the rest.:hyper:

I was playing only a year when that album came out[1972], that and Mahavishnu blew my little mind.:eek: :cool:
It makes this old man happy to see it mentioned here every once in awhile.
Click to expand...
 
#18
I still have the first three Captain Beyond albums on vinyl I bought new back in the day. Great stuff! I also have the aforementioned Armageddon album on vinyl. All are in near mint condition.

Hey, kids, check out these live videos of Captain Beyond

Captain Beyond Live 1972 Part One
 
#20
PhR said:
Fans of Captain Beyond's first album should check out Armageddon's eponymous album from 1975. Great slightly psychedelic hard rock with Bobby Caldwell on drums, Keith Relf (Yardbirds) on vocals, Martin Pugh (Steamhammer) on guitar and the excellent and underrated Louis Cennamo (Steamhammer, Renaissance) on bass. "Buzzard" and "Silver Tightrope" are fabulous pieces, Cennamo plays the bass with a bow on the latter.
Click to expand...

Right you are...

My local AOR radio station played some tracks from the Armageddon album from time to time, back in the day. I fell in love with Buzzard, right from the first guitar riff. :cool:

MM
 

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