After All These Years

Description

After All These Years is the sole full-length album by the American rock combo The Crystal City Rockers, released on Girder Records in 2021 as a part of the label’s Legends of Rock Series. The album was produced and recorded by band member David Zaffiro of Bloodgood fame at “The Puget Sound” Recording Studios in Greenbrier, Tennessee. Drums and percussion were recorded by Chip Holt at Filtered Focus Studios in Longs, South Carolina. Album artwork by Howie Green.

David Zaffiro (guitarist) and JT Taylor (drummer) of Bloodgood first played in the The Crystal City Rockers and opened up for Darrell Mansfield, Servant, Randy Stonehill, Petra, Jerusalem, Daniel Amos and Rez Band, which is how JT met Michael Bloodgood. Girder Records is pleased to provide a glimpse into the history of this great band with the release of the pre-Bloodgood music of The Crystal City Rockers. Here is a rare glimpse to take a walk back in time and hear the embryonic origins of the band we all know and love as Bloodgood.

The Crystal City Rockers features Robert Cochran on lead (tracks 5,8,10,12) and backing (tracks 1,2,3,4,6,7,8,9,13) vocals (as well as rhythm and lead guitar/ukulele on track 10); David Zaffiro providing rhythm/lead/slide guitar, lapsteel, bass, zither, and keyboards; Craig Finley on rhythm guitar and lead vocals (track 7); and J.T. Taylor on drums and percussion.

Back in 1984, two tracks by the band were included on the multi-artist sampler In His Majesty’s Service: Northwest Native Sounds released on MRC Records.

All great bands are born from the union of musicians who find their way through the various pathways of life that often surprise and amaze us, as we take a look back in retrospect. Such is the case with metal icons Bloodgood, who were born from the seeds planted by drummer JT Taylor. In April 1980 in Seattle, Washington, JT meets bassist Greg Reed and guitarist David Zaffiro, who brings on board guitarist Rob Cochran, and after a jam session, The Crystal City Rockers, named after the New Jerusalem in the book of Revelation, are born. Finding their musical voice from endless jamming trying to yield original songs in the vein of REO Speedwagon, Journey, and Pink Floyd, and later in a more New Wave sound ala the Cars and the Police, The Crystal City Rockers start to gel as a band. But when Greg leaves the band and takes his PA System they were using, JT must go back to the drawing board to find not only Greg’s replacement, but also a need to purchase a PA System. Enter Craig Finley, a musician JT knew through his time spent playing in The Robert Case Band. Sharing lead vocals between JT, David, and Rob, The Crystal City Rockers become the House band at Seattle’s Calvary Fellowship playing with legacy artists such as Petra, Daniel Amos, Randy Stonehill, Servant, Jerusalem, Resurrection Band, Darrell Mansfield, and many more!

Through the local Christian music concert circuit, JT meets bassist Michael Bloodgood, who played in a band named Cypress, and the two hit it off sharing their love of the music of The Beatles. Soon a demo cassette tape, with the aid of Robert Case, is recorded in 1982 and sold at concerts, but no record deal came and JT decided to leave the band to join a musical production company in Florida. David, Rob, and Craig find another drummer and continue to play concerts locally. When JT returns in 1984, he hangs out with Michael Bloodgood, who tells JT he’s starting a metal band. Soon JT and Michael enlist David Zaffiro and after jamming, they agree all the pieces gelled together well. All that was needed was a lead vocalist. Through an ad placed in the paper, an amazing vocalist singing in night clubs, Les Carlsen, is found. Les makes it clear, that if he’s singing in the band, then the band must play for Jesus! And this is how The Crystal City Rockers morphed into the metal missionaries we now know as Bloodgood!

> Apple Music (https://music.apple.com/us/album/after-all-these-years/1548208048)

CD tracklist:

01. Can’t You Hear Me Cryin’ – 2:50
02. Good Days Morning – 4:10
03. Oo Oo You – 3:41
04. It’s Only You – 3:12
05. Where Love Will Grow – 2:41
06. Better Days – 3:17
07. Mr. X – 2:49
08. Rainbow Girl – 3:11
09. Heat of the Night – 3:06
10. Her Face – 2:33
11. In the Movies (Live) – 2:03
12. Vanity (Live) – 3:47
13. Runnin’ Blind (Live) – 3:15

Note: Available at Bandcamp: https://crystalcityrockers.bandcamp.com/album/the-crystal-city-rockers-after-all-these-years