QUATERMASS

I like this more than i thought i would.I've always had trouble with Proto-Prog albums and while this is listed under Heavy-Prog it is one of the early ones as it was released in 1970.QUATERMASS were a trio with the focus on the Hammond organ.No guitar here but bass and drums round out the sound.These three guys were previously in a band called EPISODE SIX with Ian Gillan and Roger Glover who would of course go on to join DEEP PURPLE.It was actually right after these two guys left that they changed their name to QUATERMASS. "Entropy" is an organ filled intro track. "Black Sheep In The Family" is a catchy tune with the organ and vocals standing out.Not a fan of this one. "Post War Saturday Echo" opens with drums and organ before these blues styled vocals take over with bass after a minute.It kicks in before 3 1/2 minutes.Piano a minute later as it settles.It kicks back in after 5 1/2 minutes as the tempo continues to change. "Good Lord Knows" builds and then settles when the vocals come in.Lots of strings in this one.Very majestic,i like it. "Up On The Ground" features some nasty organ early.Best part of the album.Vocals a minute in.It settles after 3 minutes with more killer organ.A top three track for me. "Gemni" is catchy with piano,vocals and drums standing out.Not a fan.It settles with organ then it kicks in again as contrasts continue.Lots of organ after 3 1/2 minutes.Not a fan when the vocals return. "Make Up Your Mind" is better.Just a great sounding tune really.Even the vocals sound much better.A top three for sure. "Laughing Tackle" features a string orchestra and is one of the highlights as well.It blends into the short final piece called "Entropy". 3.5 stars.It's very much a mixed bag for me, but this is at times quite impressive.Good album.

Along with my other reviews of "obscure, under-rated gems", i could not leave out Quatermass. I never even knew of this group until 1987, when i bought their self-titled debut. Even though i was not much acquainted with progressive music at the time i discovered it, i knew that this had to be one of the very best. There is an astonishing depth and emotion in this music, and it is complex enough that it takes awhile to understand and appreciate it. Keyboardist Peter Robinson does an incredible job and is obviously a natural at organ and piano-meshing both classical music and at times a jazz feel with a rock intensity that pretty well floors most of the competition, and leaves the listener shaking his head and wondering, how wrongly overlooked. Johnny Gustafson's bass playing and singing are the wedding of great technique and real, sincere emotion, there not being many quite like him. You have a great drummer in Mick Underwood, and whether things have vocal, or extend themselves in long instrumental passages, Quatermass leave you breathless, and wanting to hear more. This album is not an okay record that was overlooked, but a GREAT album that was astonishingly overlooked. I have turned to it many times since i first heard it, and i will continue to do so, when i want to hear a keyboard based trio do great progressive rock-it will always deliver the goods the way it always has for me, for this i am sure. The two additional tracks on the remastered cd also bear long term listening, as well. Awesome! presdoug

I just love the sound this trio produces but it wasn't always like this. Originally I found this album very average and generally sounding like a mix of ELP and Deep Purple but eventually I realized the charm of this early progressive rock record!

Each composition brings something new and exciting to the mix starting with the rocker Black Sheep In The Family, which later will be covered by Rainbow on their debut album, and all the way to the avant-garde sounding symphonic prog of Laughing Tackle. The only real down-side that I can think of is the length of some of these compositions, but considering that this is a 1970-album the band did a phenomenal job!

This music is progressive and don't let anyone tell you any different. Besides if you require any proof of that then, by all means, listen to the wonderful sample of Laughin' Tackle available here on Prog Archives!

Although Quatermass is nowhere near one of my favorite albums it's still dear to me because of personal reasons and I love to revisit this album on regular basis.

***** star songs: Black Sheep In The Family (3:36) Laughing Tackle (10:35)

**** star songs: Entropy (1:10) Post War Saturday Echo (9:42) Good Lord Knows (2:54) Up On The Ground (7:08) Gemini (5:54) Make Up Your Mind (8:44) Entropy (0:40)

Another of the many one-shot bands that seem to be found all over the 'golden years' of prog, Quatermass can be called a heavier version of ELP (which were no lightweights themselves) - a Hammond-based 'power trio' without a guitarist, and with a bassist who doubled up as a lead vocalist. Their music is the kind that usually elicits either love or hate, with long, keyboard-driven tracks and often over-the-top vocals, still recognisably influenced by the blues, but complex enough to garner the approval of a sizable number of prog fans. Less melodic than Uriah Heep, less dark than Atomic Rooster, noticeably influenced by the mother of all heavy prog bands, the mighty Deep Purple and their keyboard master, Jon Lord, Quatermass nevertheless managed to produce a single, self-titled album with enough individuality and ideas to make it a minor classic of its times.

Quite surprisingly for a band that is not a household name, the album cover (depicting a flock of pterodactyls in flight over a claustrophobic, futuristic background) is the work of Storm Thorgerson, the creator of so many Pink Floyd covers, a true rock icon. As interesting as the artwork is, I think it is somewhat at odds with the music inside, which, while undoubtedly excellent, is not particularly innovative or futuristic. However, this last statement should not be taken as a form of criticism: 'traditional' heavy prog is rarely about innovation, but rather more about the reinterpretation of sources such as blues, classic rock'n'roll, or even classical music. In Quatermass' single effort there is enough individuality, as well as enough excellent musicianship, to make us regret their early demise.

The album starts low-key with the brief instrumental Entropia, which introduces their best-known song, Black Sheep of the Family (covered by Rainbow on their debut album), a catchy number with a definite black soul influence. Bassist John Gustafson's vocals come right from the Ian Gillan/Glenn Hughes school of singing (incidentally, he would join the Ian Gillan Band in the mid-Seventies), though I must say he is not as effective as either of those greats, though always adequate. The following track, the almost 10-minute Postwar Saturday Echo, is one of the highlights of the album, with a stellar performance by keyboardist Peter Robinson (later with Brand X) on Hammond and piano. It is basically a slow-burning blues soulfully interpreted by Gustafson, but those keys do lift it out of the ordinary.

As often happens with prog albums, the longer tracks offer the most interest. While the poppy Gemini and the rather nondescript Good Lord Knows somewhat smack of filler, Up on the Ground, but especially Make Up Your Mind and the instrumental Laughing Tackle hold a whole lot of interest even for the more discerning prog fans. The latter track, slow and atmospheric, is richly enhanced by the presence of a string section, and quite indicative of what the band would have been capable, had they stayed together to record at least another album. Make Up Your Mind , bookended by some energetic, catchy singing parts, is made up (pun unintended) of several sections in which the three band members show off their respective chops - a powerful, swirling, dramatic piece and music. On the other hand, the two bonus tracks (the hard rocker One Blind Mice and the instrumental Punting) present on the 1990 Repertoire Records remaster, while perfectly decent, are not what I would call essential.

When the album flopped, and Quatermass consequently disbanded, the three members went on with their respective careers - drummer Mick Underwood would join the second incarnation of the Ian Gillan Band (simply called Gillan), Gustafson ended up in Roxy Music, and Peter Robinson became a member of Brand X. Even though Rainbow's cover of Black Sheep of the Family kept the band's name from sinking into complete obscurity, nowadays Quatermass are little more than a cult item, however highly regarded by some.

Anyway, this album is definitely worthy of exploration, especially if you are a fan of the mighty roar of the Hammond organ. As regards the rating, even if Quatermass cannot certainly be called a masterpiece, it is undeniably one of the most representative examples of early heavy prog, and as such, in my opinion, deserves more than a paltry three stars. Unless you are really averse to blues-tinged, hard-edged prog, you could do worse than add this album to your collection.

We prog fans are so exacting. If it's too much this or not enough that, doesn't have the things we like or not in the right places, the lyrics wanting or the production doesn't meet our standards, it's usually goodbye Charlie. We don't have the time to further explore a record or artist deemed by us not good enough, we've got other things to obsessively seek out and lay waste to our lives, loved ones and bank accounts over.

Understandable, sacrifices must be made. But if you're one of the few who still have a taste for that old time keyboard prog, don't be too scared off by the grumblings and useless comparisons this trio tends to attract. The smoky goodness of Pete Robinson's keys, John Gustafson's soulful bass/vocal support, and Mick Underwood's seasoned drumming made for a completely hot and heavy art band whose spectacular 1970 debut inexplicably tanked. Okay, alright, sometimes they sound like any number of other English bands of the period - you've read the comparisons - but these guys were good. Really good. A group borne of the fabulously incestuous art scene in Britain, more inline with the progressive rave-up acts like Touch, Shuttah, or Cressida than ELP or Deep Purple. A fine production didn't hurt either and the 2007 Repertoire issue sounds just great.

An almost perfect infusion of blues rhythm, neoclassical power rock, and touches of electronicism, in certain ways the Quatermass album out-shone ELP's own brilliant debut the same year by taking greater risks. 'Tarkus' would trump everyone a year later but in '70, this was one strong leap in a very cool direction, science fiction thematics and all. Soft and contemplative 'Entropy' floats into 'Black Sheep of the Family', a Winwood-like soul/blues stomper. The full regalia of Robinson's Hammond organ opens 'Postwar Saturday Echo', slipping into a slowblues that initially drags but deepens into a composition that is utterly prog for the last half of this 10-minute opus. Dripping romance of 'Good Lord Knows' is revived by grinder 'Up on the Ground' where the Jon Lord associations are fair, Gustafson's yelling distracting but no more than a young Paul Williams or Rob Halford, sweetened by a nifty low-riding jam. Pop excursion 'Gemini' seems geared toward the charts, tailored and partly sabotaged but pulls together for a simmering vamp and showcases the unit's talent for merging the appealing with the intellectual. 'Make Up Your Mind' follows a similar path; starts innocently but soon becomes a prog demon full of surprises and beasties around every corner. Terrific piece at eight minutes and completely missed by those unluckies who dismissed this LP out of hand after just a few cuts. And it just gets better and better; 'Laughin Tackle' is jaw-droppingly good with Robinson's mix of quiet synths, piano and ice-rink organ, Underwood's jazz traps, Gustafson's steady bass and a perfectly recorded orchestra on heavy backup. When was this made? 1970? Absolutely marvelous and worth the price alone. It builds to a spine-tingling crescendo, the whole thing not unlike Herbie Hancock's avant garde adventures. Really, you don't know what you're missing. Two good extras from the 'One Blind Mice' single are included.

If patience is yours and you don't mind some black gospel fire in with your blue-eyed prog, I can't recommend this release enough. A revelation.

I picked up a the Harvest Collectors edition of the LP decades ago for the exorbitant price of $20, probably partly because I was already on a binge and not thinking rationally, but also this group, whom I had never heard of, was on the Harvest label. The cover even gave the look of a BARCLAY JAMES HARVEST compilation, and I thought it was cool that the group utilized string arrangements.

I was quite unprepared for the aural onslaught from this power trio, a bluesy, organ dominated, jammy, crunching attack. I can't even imagine how they would fit a guitar into this wall of sound. This group has little to do with other KB trios, and more in keeping with DEEP PURPLE, but utterly amateurish in almost every aspect, from the vocals that wait atonally to the intractible instrumentation. It's like a live recording in the studio by a band getting together for, oh, maybe the 3rd time. Even the production is sadly muffled and static.

Quatermass would appear to have been a pretty early signing on the label, and at the forefront of this type of rock configuration, which nets them half a star, which I dock for the lack of actual songs here. Instead we find massed quarter songs desperately calling out to be cobbled together, smoothed out, and ultimately still dispensed with. Old vinyl copy in good condition, anyone?

This a very biased review from someone who is a Deep Purple fan. Now that that's out of the way, it means that I'm a sucker for heavy keyboards a la Jon Lord. Look no further, but QUATERMASS delivers - big time. As mentioned from other reviewers, this is primarily a heavy rock album with some prog. rock flourishes. You won't hear ELP here, but you might get a cross between FIELDS and LE ORME's _Collage_ LP. Of note is the gut-wrenching vocal delivery of one John Gustafson of Roxy Music-fame. The vocal delivery on the track _Post War Saturday Echo_ rivals that of Deep Purple's Ian Gillan on CHILD IN TIME. Not so much in the high decibel range, just the delivery in relation to the build up of the song and the emotion. The emotional despair must have left this man exhausted after it was recorded. _Black Sheep Of The Family_ was later covered by Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow. Peter Robinson's keyboard sounds nothing like his work as a member of Brand X. His sound is strictly in the Atomic Rooster, Graham Field, Jon Lord and Ken Hensley school of prog. rock. Bottom-end heavy duty organ. In the heavy organ category, QUATERMASS is an undeniable masterpiece which has few rivals.

Three friends decides to unite their minds in a group and this group is called Quatermass!

I must say that I approached Quatermass because of the beautiful cover and because John Gustafson was a member of IGB (Ian Gillan Band). I discovered that John Gustafson, Pete Robinson and Mick Underwood formed a super group and that without them it would be Ian Gillan never entered into Deep Purple. Then I heard a great album. It is based on a few ingredients: power, technical ability and feeling so much! I also discovered that the version here out of 'Black Sheep Of The Family' is more beautiful than that of Rainbow, including the presence of double bass drums. Musically, it should be noted, 'Quatermass' is a disc based on ingredients that I have already mentioned. It goes without saying that we must recognize that 'Quatermass' is a Prog album for historical context, rather than for music. The music contained in Quatermass is, in fact, too Rock to be defined 100% Prog, although the arrangements tend to do the opposite. Yet it is here that is nestled the victory germ. In fact just as the 'Quatermass' is a winner album.

The first thing that I noticed listening 'Quatermass' is the enormous technical ability of all three elements of the band. In fact they play with power and passion that I have not found in other groups. ELP are also very good in that respect. But I must say that I find them more ice cold! If we hear 'Black Sheep Of The Family' we notice as it becomes a song of the group, a big party. This is not the case with the version of Rainbow. If you then hear the ELP (it's always an example) I see nothing that makes me say that the ELP is a band.

The atmosphere that we can smell in 'Quatermass' are really different. For example, we find something of psychedelic in 'Post War, Saturday Echo'. Here, however, is the kind of writing music to betray. In fact, the arrangements are to transform this song in that song that we know. So here we have the example of a song that is the exact opposite of 'Black Sheep Of The Family'. That is also cheerful, this is closed in itself, as though it were a birth of a closed and suffocated brain. And what's so beautiful 'Good Lord Knows'? Would say only that this ballad has many elements but is very Folk Soul. And the combination of these factors has made it plain that this song aged very well.

'Up On The Ground' is a simple Rock'n'Roll song. Unfortunately this song is even the worse aging of 'Quatermass'. What is certain is that I find interesting 'Make Up Your Mind', a beautiful mid tempo. 'Laughin' Tackle' is the piece most Prog of the album (it's also the only true Prog piece, in my opinion).

Speaking of technique (good for all three members of the band) I have to disagree with what have written Chris Welch in the sleeve notes in a CD of Iron Butterfly where he wrote that the Iron Butterfly were the first group to have a Heavy Metal Rhythmic section, for style and technique, since it left the Blues. In my opinion he forgets the Quatermass. I do not want to pull the ball in Deep Purple but with Quatermass I could see and hear how they are ahead of years. Cozy Powell often used the double bass drums. Quaermass have a really creative use of continuous basses (playing with the double bass drums or bass), which smacks too much of Heavy Metal. Ok, the music of Quatermass can not be described as Heavy Metal. But that feeling has become clear to me a certainty. Even when the voice John Gustafson is very close to the typical style of Heavy Metal. Pete Robinson, however, is the only one of three of the band that remains anchored in the line of tradition. Although this is not known.

One only album may be plausible to leave the sign and inspire other bands? In this case the answer is yes. I have like Le Orme have used many elements of Quatermass , in the album until 'Felona E Sorona'. 'Sguardo Verso Il Cielo' for example has the same emotional charge and the same building that used the Quatermass in their songs. The example piò also be made for 'Cemento Armato'. And 'Gioco Di Bimba' is only a little more cheerful than a 'Good Lord Knows' because it has more baroque elements, typical, however, of the vision of the Venetian baroque, not only in a musical sense. Then, in the psychedelic parts of their album, Le Orme trying to do a mix between 'Post War Saturday Echo' and 'Laughin' Tackle ', although many baroque and never fully succeed.

In conclusion, although there is still much to say, 'Quatermass' and Quatermass are a happy birth of United Kingdom. The only regret is that Quatermass have not pursued a career together and have not, thus, produced other albums in the immediate. Frankly I see in 'Quatermass' a truly seminal album, although too often pulled in ball ELP, good at not taking their merits, as I explained above. I admit that it is in this vision that I rate 'Quaternass' and Quatermass and certainly I not wrong. And for all that I wrote that I strongly recommend 'Quatermass' to all of you.

3.5 stars actually...QUATERMASS is one of the finest examples of the early 70's UK progressive rock scene.Their debut album is very well balanced and moves from keyboard driven classic rock to keyboard dominated hard prog...The album beginns and ends with the two ''Entropies'',intro and outro,nothing important to be written about them,just two good short piano/keyboard pieces...In ''Black Sheep...'' we meet the classic rock side of the band,just an average rock track with DEEP PURPLE/URIAH HEEP hints...''Post war...'' is another heavy rock track byt with strong progressive tendencies.It sounds dark and bluesy with a great keyboard driven last section...''Good lord...'' is a nice short mellow track,almost symphonic,where BEGGAR'S OPERA come to mind...''Up to the ground'' is one more hard prog example by the band,nothing special not bad either,a sample of which is the favorite sound of the band...''Gemini'' is the weakest track of all,very DEEP PURPLE influenced,almost a copy,but that's not what I expect to hear from a band with strong prog leanings...

And we are heading for the two masterpieces of the disc...''Make up your mind'' starts off with another DEEP PURPLE influenced melody but very soon the track transforms into a prog rock epic...Great keyboard work with dark bass lines and a symphonic/jazz sound that brings early KING CRIMSON or even VAN DER GRAAF GENERATOR to mind...As for the last track, ''Laughing tackle'', well, this is a 24-carat instrumental piece of music,believe me...The most symphonic track of the album with ELP and KING CRIMSON tendencies and some intricate,haunting string lines that make it one of the most dark and progressive tracks of the early 70's scene...

Conclusion: This album is very close to a must have,if you don't mind the intense DEEP PURPLE influence and looking for some early really progressive music...

Quatermass is one of the myth of the seventies subterrean scene, even because at the time they sold very little and so they couldn't bring out another albums after their self-titled debut. It was a pity, because they certainly had talent and not receiving a prize for their efforts must have been degreeding. Later, this created quite a hype among prog fans, who eventually recovered it from the mould and gave it the attention it deserved. Many have then hailed this record as a masterpiece, sometimes claiming the band's outstanting superiority on Emerson Lake & Palmer, who gained an extremely wider success in the same era with an analog line up (bass and vocals- keyboards- drums) and playing ideas. I'd just say that Quatermass is surely a good album, but I would not exactly agree with its milestone fame. There are certainly good ideas and undeniable technical skills, especially for the keyboard player- Peter Robinson- and the drummer- Mick Underwood. There are good songs such as Post war Saturnday Post- which seems a traditional blues number, but it's torn apart by Robinson's weird and alienaiting solos, from the majestic introduction to the robotic, synthetized sounds in the ending. Gustafson seems overall quite attached to blues canons in singing- just check out Up on the ground and Gemini, he fills the verses with high pitched, rough shoutings- but the compositions are made precious by the band's jams, and again- Robinson and Underwood are the protagonists in this domain. The record even contains a couple of short numbers: the catchy and nice Black Sheep of the family and the relaxing, string-wrapped Good Lord knows, and even Entropy, which opens and closes the album in an unearthly atmosphere. Sadly enough the instrumental jam of Laughin' Tackle seems quite too untidy and messy to endure the challange of time, revolving on itself without finding any clear idea to work on. A good debut, but the group was still trying to find its own style, and it's sad they were not given the possibilities to do it, because they would probably had come out with some more surprising and homogeneous records. However they proved their worth working as session men for many other artists, and their talent became widely recognized. Quatermass remains a very good record to listen to, particularly if you can appreciate a good and original keyboard style.