SEALED LP: AUTOMATIC MAN: AUTOMATIC MAN

$

25

Automatic Man: Automatic Man

FACTORY SEALED LP

• Atlantis Rising Fanfare
• Comin' Through
• My Pearl
• One 'N One
• Newspapers
• Geni-Geni
• Right Back Down
• There's a Way
• Interstellar Tracking Devices
• Automatic Man
• Turning of the Axis (Theme from Atlantis Rising)

• Pat Thrall: Guitar, Vocals
• Guy Bidmead: Tape Operator
• Barry Sage: Assistant Engineer, Tape Operator
• Jeremy Gee: Tape Operator
• Nigel Williamson: Liner Notes
• Jim Lee: Photography
• Richard Coble: Equipment Manager
• Automatic Man: Producer, Main Performer
• Todd Cochrane: Keyboards, Vocals
• Doni Harvey: Bass, Vocals
• Keith Harwood: Engineer, Associate Producer
• Dave Jordan: Tape Operator
• Chris Kimsey: Engineer
• Michael Shrieve: Percussion, Electronic Percussion, Drums

• After making his name with Santana (remember his solo on "Soul Sacrifice" at Woodstock?), drummer Michael Shrieve did some experimenting with Stomu Yamashta and then turned to this four-piece, which was led by singer/keyboard player Bayete. Their sound is progressive rock with a spacy, spiritual bent (titles include "Atlantis Rising" and "Interstellar Tracking Devices"), which means swirling synthesizers, biting lead guitar playing (courtesy of Pat Thrall), and lyrics about angels and heaven and how "worldly things keep us apart." The drumming is good and it's high in the mix, but after his prominent role in Santana, one expected more in the way of leadership from Shrieve, and this group ultimately was as faceless as the alien image on the front cover. ~ William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide

• Automatic Man came out of nowhere in 1976. The front cover of their debut album had a simple yet eye-catching blue alien staring out from space. A close look at the four-man lineup on the back sleeve, however, shows highly-respected ex-Santana drummer Michael Shrieve. But the brains and chief songwriter behind Automatic Man was keyboardist Bayete, whose real name is Todd Cochrane.
• Cochrane was a graduate of Oxford University and had recorded two unsuccessful albums on the Fantasy label in the early '70s. He teamed up with Shrieve soon after Shrieve had departed Steve Winwood and Stomu Yamashta's Go project. These two were joined by two other Bay Area musicians who had also played with Go, guitarist Pat Thrall and bassist Doni Harvey. The debut album by this assemblage reveals a strange and eclectic mixture of space rock, funk, and Jimi Hendrix-inspired guitar, powered mainly by Bayete's dreamy keyboards and vocals. It was a promising debut, but after Shrieve quit (he later formed Novo Combo), the band lost its way. The second release had a pink alien on the front sleeve; unfortunately, the music revealed more funk but less imagination. Thrall later joined the Pat Travers Band and guested on a Narada Michael Walden album. Bayete and Harvey seemingly disappeared from view.

• This Sealed LP came from a record store called "Phantasmagoria" which was located in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Phantasmagoria went out of business in 1978. I purchased most of their unsold inventory some years later when I owned "Music Madness" - a new & used record store in Catasauqua, Pennsylvania.
• Phantasmagoria used round colored stickers to indicate the price of the albums. They had a chart on the wall with the color sticker combinations for the customers to use so they knew the price of the albums. Most of the albums still have these stickers on them, and in some rare cases, the stickers are written on. Some of the records have prices on them. This is the price you would have paid for the record in 1978 if you would have bought it at Phantasmagoria. Please don't confuse these prices with their current value.
• All Sealed LP(s) are being sold as collector's items and cannot be returned due to manufacturer's defects. It may be almost impossible to replace many of the sealed albums that I am selling.

• If I list an album as "New", but not sealed, it is because the album is probably an import or from a small USA record company. Back in the 70's, many imported albums were not sealed by the record companies, and the importers/distrubutors did not spend the time or money to seal them before being sent to the stores. I will not knowingly misrepresent an album as new if I have any doubts.
  
• All pictures are of the exact Sealed LP being sold.
• I always leave feedback before your item ships. Please consider leaving feedback for me after you have had a chance to inspect and enjoy your purchase.
• Please avoid questions on the last day of the auction. I might not have enough time to give you an answer before the auction ends.
• All reviews, credits and artist biographies are from All Music Guide. If you haven't been to their web site, you have to check it out. It's one of the most comprehensive music references on the internet. In some cases, credits may include reissue (CD) information. Obviously any credits referenced to CDs do not apply to this album release.

Shipping and pick-up

WITHIN U.S.A.

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• Priority Mail  is faster and includes free insurance.
• Pick-up is fine with me, but be prepared to pay by cash. E-mail me to setup a time and place that is convenient for the both of us.

OUTSIDE U.S.A.

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