Week of February 14, 1999

Aynsley Dunbar Retaliation

Personnel:

Victor Brox - Trumpet, Keyboards, Vocals
Aynsley Dunbar - Drums
John Moorshead - Guitar, Vocals
Keith Tillman Bass
Alex Dmochowski - Bass
Tommy Eyre - Keyboards

Albums:

Aynsley Dunbar's Retaliation (Liberty LBL/LBS 83154) 1968
(Reissued on CD by One Way/MCA Special Products MCAD 22101, USA, 1998)
Dr. Dunbar's Prescription (Liberty LBS 83177) 1969
(Reissued on CD by One Way/MCA Special Products MCAD 22102, USA, 1998)
To Mum From Aynsley And The Boys (Liberty LBS 83223) 1969
(Reissued on CD by One Way/MCA Special Products MCAD 22069, USA, 1998)
Remains To Be Heard (Liberty LBS 83316) 1970
Blue Whale (Warner Bros WS 3010) 1970
(Catalogue number changed to (K 46062) in 1971, following the Warner Bros / Elektra / Reprise merger)

45s:

Warning/Cobwebs (Blue Horizon 57-3109) 1967
Watch'n'Chain/Roamin' And Ramblin' (Liberty LBF 15132) 1967
Watch'n'Chain/Roamin' And Ramblin' (Liberty LIB 15132) 1968

Liverpudlian Dunbar had played with The Mojos, John Mayall and Jeff Beck prior to forming his own blues-based band in 1967. An early version of the band comprised Dunbar, Peter Green, Jack Bruce and Rod Stewart recording a song called "Stone Crazy" for Blue Horizon but it was not issued at the time. It appeared several years later on "History Of British Blues" along with "Cobwebs", the flip of their first 45.

The early albums are fairly routine blues records.  "Blue Whale" veered more towards progressive rock with lots of improvisation. It includes four long tracks written by the band's vocalist Paul Williams and a version of Frank Zappa's "Willie The Pimp".  The best track is "It's Your Turn".

Later in the seventies he moved to America.  First, joining The Mothers Of Invention, then subsequently moving into session work for David Bowie among others. In 1974 he filled the drummer slot in Journey, a San Franciscan band, and in 1979 fulfilled the same role for Jefferson Starship.

The band also cropped up on a number of compilations.  You'll find "Call Me Woman" on Gutbucket (1969), "Cobwebs" and "Warning" on In Our Own Way (Oldies But Goodies) (1969) and "Sugar On The Line" on Son Of Gutbucket.

Taken from The Tapestry of Delights - The Comprehensive Guide to British Music of the Beat, R&B, Psychedelic and Progressive Eras 1963-1976, Vernon Joynson
ISBN 1 899855 04 1


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