Yep, it is unfortunate that they will be remembered as 'Disco' and for SNF when their best stuff, at least IMHO is the 60's stuff like 'Mining Disaster', 'To Love Somebody', 'Words', 'Massachusetts', 'Message To You', 'Started A Joke' - and if you wanna go off the 'Hit List' - 'Lamplight', 'IOIO', [! Great one!] 'August October', any of the weird things off 'Trafalgar' or 'Cucumber Castle', or esp. 'Odessa'. They really were trying to break new ground with 'Mr. Natural' out in '74 and already had that 'disco' sound - about 2 years before the trend, and was a good album. And actually, even the 'Main Course' LP was good [before it became a cliche'] And some of the more recent releases were good, but no market for them. But my fave of all: 'Lonely Days'.
I did see them several times thru the years, got to meet them and did a short interview with Maurice many years ago. He arranged and produced some of Ringo's [the real one!] 'Sentimental Journey', and played on 'Ringo'. He even said he was 'sorry about the Sgt. Pepper movie' and we had a good laugh about how everybody wanted to be in it, then were embarassed by it. [look at the credits on that thing - the finale has EVERYBODY in it!!] A very nice, funny, musically serious guy. He was actually the music man behind the Brothers G. The planet needs people like that. Another example of why to tell the folks that are important to you that you love them while ya can.
I listened to C Castle and Odessa today [on vinyl!] - dig those out if ya got'em for a good time - or just go dancin'!
