MINT PRIVATE PRESS LODESTONE KILLER HARD GUITAR JAM

$

85

        KILLER HARD-ROCK PRIVATE PRESS

                  RARE = MINT = ORIGINAL

                 L O D E S T O N E

\                                USA - PRIVATE PRESS - KM 7268

TOP COPY ...Original 30 years ago first printing of a small quantity PRIVATE PRESS hardrock winner loaded with powerful upfront guitar action within cool self composed LODESTONE jams...

This is the textured cover rare hard to find first issue and NOT a repress...

LODESTONE were apparently from Camarillo, California and were composed of Joe Silva – vocals, guitar; Phillip Sheldon – lead guitar; Terry Sapp – bass; Jeff Easom – drums. Their lone album was a self-released affair. The jacket that houses this record features a cool, primitive painting of a Gibson SG hovering over a backdrop of mountains and a lake. And, from the minute that the stylus hits “Nomad,” you can tell that what comes inside is not the product of a million dollar studio. That great, raw sound gives the 6 minute opener just the impetus it needs, as it fits right in with the old cool ‘70’s hard rock sound contains all kinds of lead guitar fills by Phillip Sheldon. Not just content to showcase his talent with a solo, Sheldon follows in the tradition of TRUTH & JANEY and SORCERY who always augmented verses & choruses with flowing lead flourishes. Up next is the short “Golden Rod,” and from it’s simple structure and overtly sexual lyrics, one might guess that it was aimed toward the mainstream. Whatever the case, it’s a good song, just the most basic on offer here. “And Then I Met You” is over 8 minutes in length, it opens with an introspective acoustic section, featuring some emotional vocals by Silva. He certainly isn’t a super-technical singer by any stretch, but has tons of feeling in his mid-range voice, somewhat akin to Kirk Bryk of Sorcery. Midway through this opus, the band breaks into a heavy, faster rhythm over which Sheldon lays down a blistering extended solo, highlighting another aspect of his style. Unlike most modern-day guitarists, who tend to plan out every note in advance, Phillip’s work throughout this album strikes as very exploratory -- when he launches into a solo, you get the idea that he’s going to take his time, not rush things and see where it takes him. The destination is always good, and as “And Then I Met You” proves, half the fun is getting there! Side One closes with “Take Me There,” an oddly-structured number in that it opens with a rather long instrumental passage before the vocals finally come in about halfway through. Again, super song and killer axe work.

Side Two of “Lodestone” starts out just as strongly and keeps on gaining steam. “Last Days” and “One More On The Shelf” are both wonderfully original hardrock that display nice melodic sections and heaviness to boot. Sapp’s bass and Easom’s drums set the pace as Sheldon and Silva give the songs a depth and flavor that make them come alive. The third cut, “Cerebrate” (interesting pun) is a dynamic rocker -- during it’s solo, Sheldon cops a snippet of a like that Tony Iommi used at the end of Sabbath’s “A National Acrobat.” One of thee guitar lines of all time and it’s very seldom mentioned. To hear it picked up on here (whether intentionally or not) and segued so well into this song is way cool. Finally, LODESTONE wrap up their solitary album with one of the greatest heavy ballads in history, standing just a notch or 2 below Winterhawk’s “Free To Live.” “Kim’s Song” is quite a tour d force. Weighing in at a hefty 9:40, it opens with what has to be among the most emotional and plaintive melodic sections ever committed to vinyl. Joe Sliva’s vocals are just wracked with feeling here, and you can imagine he’s throwing his soul into every word. After a bit, the entire band joins in and Sheldon goes about the business of delivering his definitive razor guitar solo. Long, far-reaching and epic in scope, this lead guitar section knows few peers, standing in good company with the classic heavy underground rock bands of the 70's...

“Lodestone” is a total obscurity and worth every penny in getting a copy -- don't wait long, copies are starting to go through the roof, and deservedly so:

• Side One:

  1. Nomad (5:51)
  2. Golden Rod (2:55)
  3. And Then I Met You (8:25)
  4. Take Me There (5:00)

  Side Two:

  1. Last Days (4:50)
  2. One More On The Shelf (4:27)
  3. Cerebrate (3:50)
  4. Kim's Song (9:40)
     

CONDITION: The Cover: stiff and solid private press is M- top level, a textured colorful first printing getting more rare by the day! Advise to be pro-active before extinction...having no split seams, no bends, no writing

The Vinyl: all clean and glossy clear across both sides; M- top level and plays fantastic! With clean labels makes this one to own...! 

      A cool addition to anyone's music library!

SEE: SELLERS OTher items for similar cool sounds for "head" people...

EFFICIENT/CAREFUL GRADING

All imperfections are noted both cover & record