Vanilla Fudge - Near the Beginning (07/10/19)

What do Styx, Yes, Deep Purple, and Led Zeppelin all have in common? They share a common influence, of course. It might boggle your mind a little to think that Led Zeppelin had to "open" for another headliner before people really started to like them, but they paid their dues in the states by warming up the crowd for Vanilla Fudge.

Known for taking popular songs and jamming/soloing all over them, and generally assumed to be managed by the mob, these guys don't suck. Don't get me wrong, they are weird and they won't hesitate to just stop mid-song for some nightmare inspired noise foolery, but they do objectively rock.

Near the Beginning is actually their 4th album (so they're not exactly telling the truth, capiche?), but it continues my current infatuation with organ based rock, and contains yet another full-side piece called "Break Song" on Side B (recorded live in concert). If you like serious blues inspired guitar mangling, bassists who use fuzz pedals, and self-indulgant organ solos, you will not be at all disappointed.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8a8cutYP7fpukVj-XOk6hDeQNTtqdLUs

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