Description
The Israel Tapes is a live album by the American singer and songwriter Larry Norman backed by his former band People!, independently released on Norman’s own label Phydeaux Records in 1980. The live album features a one-night-only performance at U.C.L.A. (University of California, Los Angeles) in 1974 for the benefit of the Israeli Fund. The line-up of People! at this concert was Gene Mason (guitar & vocals), Gary Pomeroy (lead guitar & vocals), Gary Burris (bass & vocals), and Robb Thomas (drums), fronted by Larry Norman on lead vocals, guitars and piano.
Another excellent loud in-concert underground recording of Norman rocking with fellow long-haired compadres of his old band People. A live performance from UCLA in 1974 to raise money for the Israeli Fund. Includes a reworking of their hit song «I Love You», melding into the Norman-Stonehill composition of the same name. Everything else is pretty much vintage Norman, from early tunes like «Forget Your Hexagram», «Sweet Song Of Salvation» and «You Knew What You Were Doing» (aka «Baby Out Of Wedlock») to Garden-era numbers such as «Baroquen Spirits», «Fly Fly Fly» and «Lonely By Myself». Great guitar work and naked garage band feel, especially on the slowed-down explosive hard-rock/psych cover of «I Am The Six O’Clock News». Heed the back cover advice “To be played at full volume”. [Ken Scott, The Archivist, 4th Edition]
1974 benefit concert with a new line up of People! They have never sounded as good and Gary Pomeroy’s lead guitar lines are melodic and adventurous. On top of that very few of the 10 songs here now feature in Larry’s set list and even less so when he is accompanied by a band. Where else could you find Larry and a band playing the likes of «Fly Fly Fly», «I Love You», «Baroquen Spirits» and «Forget Your Hexagram» live? You get some idea of how ‘Upon This Rock‘ might have sounded had Larry been allowed to follow a rockier and more bluesy direction with the production. On the downside the overall sound quality is a little rough. Many of the early Phydeaux live albums were intended to sound just like on the night of the concert. As a result they were not EQ’d or remixed and definitely not overdubbed in the studio. Not for everyone, but enthusiasts will no doubt enjoy. The CD version was released by Solid Rock in 2000. [Dougie Adam, Cross Rhythms, May 2001]
LP tracklist:
Side One
A1. “Fly, Fly, Fly”
A2. “I Love You” (1967)
A3. “I Love You” (1974)
A4. “I Am The Six O’clock News”
A5. “Lonely By Myself”
Side Two
B1. “Baroquen Spirits”
B2. “You Knew What You Were Doing”
B3. “Forget Your Hexagram”
B4. “I’ve Searched All Around The World”
B5. “Sweet Song Of Salvation”
Note: Originally released on cassette and 12-inch vinyl LP by Phydeaux Records in 1980. Limited Edition re-issue on CD by Solid Rock Records in 2000 as a part of the Phydeaux Retrospective Series. On the CD-version “I Love You” (1974) is corrected to “I Love You” (1971). Available at Bandcamp: https://larrynorman.bandcamp.com/album/the-israel-tapes
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