Grinderswitch - Pullin' Together (1976)

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This album, 'Pullin' Together', was my first introduction to Grinderswitch. And it's still one of my favorites of theirs. It was also the first album with new keyboard player Stephen Miller, which surely contributed to a fuller, richer sound. Besides that, the songs are just plain good/fun. On Sweet Home Music there's a nice interview by Luc with guitarist Dru Lombar, which you can find here. Grinderswitch was one of the main Southern Rock bands (on Capricorn) of the 70's. If you're new to Southern Rock and want to know what it was all about before everybody wound up sounding like Lynyrd Skynyrd, this is a nice place to start. Higher ground.

Grinderswitch - Macon Tracks (1975)

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"Macon Tracks" is the second album by Grinderswitch. This is classic Southern Rock alright. Slightly more easy going than many of their contemporaries, Grinderswitch is a great listen all the same. Mostly always. This was released on Capricorn Records and sure has that trademark sound to it. Grab this and be happy like me...

Grinderswitch - Unfinished Business (2004)

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"Unfinished Business" was issued in 2004. But, as the title suggests, this was stuff that had been laying around for several years, it just never got to being released. The songs on this album were already written and recorded in 1977/1978, intended as a follow-up to the "Redwing" album. It's all good fun with lots of Soul and Blues added to their special brand of Southern Rock. And there be horns! Grinderswitch were one of the original Southern Rock bands from the early days. They never really resembled any other Southern Rock band. The music is a lot more homey than, say, The Allman brothers Band or Lynyrd Skynyrd. I guess Southern Rock started out a lot more versatile than it wound up being. This album features the song "Dr. Hector's Traveling Show", which was probably where Dru Lombar got the idea for Dr. Hector And The Groove Injectors. Great stuff for a swinging little party. That's what you get.

Dr. Hector And The Groove Injectors - Prescription (1987)

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In the early 80's lots of Southern Rock bands decided to try their hand at commercial Pop Rock/AOR, like 38 Special and Molly Hatchet. Grinderswitch, on the other hand, decided to just call it quits. Dru Lombar grabbed the opportunity to launch his new band with this 1987 debut album. Dr. Hector And The Groove Injectors was not quite what Grinderswitch used to be, though the music is far from the usual 80's fare. Instead we get a good dose of well played, inspiring Rhythm & Blues/Blues Rock with some definite Southern guitar picking. Nice vocals too (no, not necessarily when Dru is singing...). And horns. It's a really satisfying album and I'm sure glad Luc sent me a rip. This is not the rip already circulating on other blogspots. You be the judge which is the better. Learn more about Dru here. Great album, great songs, great for throwing a party. Kingsnake shake.

Various Artists - Hotels, Motels & Road Shows (1978)

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Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy, oh boy! It's the holiday season coming up alright. Yet another bag of goodies here. This album is the perfect example of what I dig about Southern Rock. Ladies and gentlemen: it's the jackpot!
I knew about this album for a long time, and I wanted it really bad. But I never found a copy. But how cool is that? To find it's everything I'd expected, and then some..
"Hotels, Motels & Road Shows" is a compilation album, chockful of Capricorn recording artists. But this is no cheezy-cheapo-cash-in greatest hits of the label. No, no, no, no. It's a 1978 Rebel Jam! All exciting live performances, classic Southern Rock, and a guaranteed good time. And these tracks haven't been released on albums by the artists themselves. And some artists never released a live album to begin with. The artists: Stillwater, Elvin Bishop, The Allman Brothers Band, Bonnie Bramlett, Dickey Betts, Grinderswitch, Sea level, , The Marshall Tucker Band, Wet Willie and Dixie Dregs. You get the whole spectrum of Southern Rock on one album. Well, it gets very close to that. This is really, really good. Up among the bestest. For real!

Stephen Miller - Stephen Miller (1970)

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Don't nobody freak, this has nothing to do with Steve Miller. This is Stephen Miller, who most Southern Rock fans will know as the keyboard player/singer who joined Grinderswitch for their 'Pullin' Together' album (their third). Before that, Stephen played as 'Steve' on early records of Elvin Bishop. And on this album by Steve/Stephen, he is joined by Elvin on guitar. Also playing along is Bishop's harmonica player Applejack. So, the music on this record is more like the pre-Capricorn sound of The Elvin Bishop Group. A good blues rock album and very interesting from a historical point of view. The roots of Southern Rock alright.
Courtesy of Mawos, who provided the LP-rip. You all ears?

Grinderswitch - Have Band Will Travel (1981)

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I always thought Grinderswitch was a bit of a strange band. Maybe it's because I'm used to Skynyrd, Blackfoot and The Allmans. But Grinderswitch has many songs on which they come on very strong, like something wild's going to happen, but then it just falls flat on its face. But not really. Cause it's really good. Just not what you'd expect a Southern Rock band to be doing. I don't know. Maybe it's the plodding country bass. It just gets comfortable, never raunchy. It's by no means anything like Black Oak. But if you don't mind that, try this...
This album is quite an obscurity. I see everything else circulating, but not this one. And what reviews I have read of it, it's all pretty bad. But I do not agree. I think it's one of their most enjoyable albums.
I did not rip this one myself. It had some serious flaws. I tried my best to make it better. I think I did. And I really do like the songs. So if you're bound and determined, here's some golden minutes...