 |
|
Scott Finch Gods and Freaks Scott Finch is back!!! The mythic guitar player from Wisconsin, USA has released his 4th brand new album GODS AND FREAKS, on Horizons, this December 1st. A new turn on the road of his psycho-blues-rock, and with a bunch of new and old friends in a great shape. IF YOU HAVE COME THIS FAR, YOU KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT There�s a lot of people wandering around these days, who various well-intentioned souls have labelled as �Guitar Heroes�. There�s a lot of them who live up to the term. But there�s only a handful - and a small handful at that - who actually deserve it; and even fewer who understand precisely what it means. And Scott Finch is one of them. Gods And Freaks is Scott Finch�s third solo album (but 13th overall), but if you�re judging music by its strength of conviction, its refusal to compromise, and its maker�s reluctance to ever repeat tricks that he�s performed before, it might as well be his first. And that�s what makes Scott Finch unique. In a world where so many of our saviours have gone belly-up, lost their hearts or sold their souls, the Wisconsin-born and based Scott Finch has now been pumping out his own eternally evolving vision of what great music should sound like since the mid-1960s. And 40 years on, he�s still not finished. Scott Finch was still a kid when he formed his first band, Finch, playing around his native American state of Wisconsin with a ferocious blur of blues-inflected pop and psychedelia, toying with raga and cranking up the hard rock for a few years, before going the way of all great teenaged bands. A decade later, Finch and drummer Gregg Slavik - who still plays alongside him today - were members of White Lie. A decade on, and the pair were members of the Hot Rods, as that group transmuted into the all-but legendary Gypsy, a band whose devotion to the music of Jimi Hendrix was so readily translated into Finch�s guitar playing that, before long, the group�s live repertoire featured almost as many Hendrix covers as it did original songs that could have been Hendrix covers - and, in an age when Hendrix copyists were more common than ever, it was truly refreshing to find someone who is a genuine Hendrix stylist. And of course you know what the difference is. As Finch himself later reflected, �I saw something in his music that was deep, that was interwoven in the fabric of the earth itself, different from anything else I was hearing. I went on a mission to record something that was 100% psychedelic music.� He achieved that across three spectacular albums with Gypsy, the best of which was wrapped up a few years ago on the Haze Of Mother Nature collection. And, if that had been the sum of Finch�s explorations, he had already pushed the frontiers of the electric guitar further than they had been nudged in years. 
When Gypsy momentarily broke up, however, Finch simply moved on, cutting his first solo album, Pipedreams, in just six days - and winding up with enough surplus material that he could easily have released another from the out-takes.
And still he had only scratched the surface. In the years since then, while leading such bands as the Waltzing Tunas and Bluehand, Finch has cut five further albums, including 2001�s Live Groove in concert masterpiece, and The Velvet Groove, the album that introduced him to a worldwide audience, following his discovery by the Horizons label. Each of these acclaimed releases has pushed him closer towards the stylistic perfectionism that has always driven his ambitions; none of them have ever owed anything to whatever else has been taking place on the hard rock circuit - Scott Finch is a true original. In addition, his name has turned up among the star attractions on a clutch of other releases, including - inevitably, you could say; naturally, we would reply - Voodoo Crossing tribute that even affirmed Hendrix-haters (yes, there are a few; poor, deluded fools) admit forced them to re-evaluate their prejudices. With Slavik and another long-time (ten years) sideman, bassist Mike Haasch and frontman, vocalist Peter Alt by his side, plus contributions from a sterling array of allies, co-writers and musicians, Gods And Freaks furthers Finch�s renown even further. From the classy acoustic blues overture that is the opening instrumental �Changer,� through to the closing punch of �Groove King� (a wordless autobiography, if ever there was one), via the creepy lustful musings of �The Cheap Detective,� the mystic imprecations of �Gypsy Woman,� and the iconographical playfulness of �Pie In The Sky� (Jimi The Spider indeed!), Gods And Freaks wraps up 14 all-new Scott Finch-and-friends compositions; plus, clocking in at almost ten minutes, the longest track on the album, a revolutionary (but so beautiful) cover of Miles Davis��All Blues.� And though that, maybe, is the number that many listeners will turn to first, to pursue Finch�s scintillating lead, and the band�s spot-on busking, through the master�s magic soundscapes, remember this. The magic that Davis conjured in his day, like that unleashed by Hendrix�s in his, is fossilized now on their records alone. Scott Finch, however, is still evolving, still drawing fresh conclusions from situations that the masters plotted in their long-ago heydays and, if you want to put it so bluntly, making the music for his audience that they might have been making for theirs�. Bluntness, however, is not an attractive way to end this essay; not when Finch himself plays with such stunning subtlety, such glowing gentility and such overwhelming originality. So put away this record sleeve, turn on your imagination and turn off the lights. There�s some people in the darkness over there that I�d like to introduce to you, a handful of Gods, and a roomful of Freaks. Because together, they�re going to give you the greatest musical treat of your year. And, if you�ve come this far, you know what to expect.
Dave Thompson, October 2003 and don't forget the previous studio album by Scott... The Velvet Groove 18 songs, over 75 minutes of music. The Velvet Groove is divided in 3 zones: SCOTT'S FIRST BAND: THE PALMETTOS Finch - 7'' single (Montage rec. 45 RPM - 1969) Nothing In The Sun / Let It Be White Lie - 7'' single (White Lie rec. 45 RPM - 1978) Cheap Love - Easy Money / Scott's Boogie White Lie - True Confessions (Streetwise Stereo rec. - 1980) Don't Ruin Me-29-Are You My Lady-Hold On-You-Show Me-Holiday-Don't Tell Me-Ravina-Mr.Chips 
Gypsy - Gypsy (Velvet Sky rec. - cassette- 1986)Game Of Love-Full Moon-Turquoise-Go For A Drive-Don't Think Twice-Nervous-Scott's Boogie-Red House-Wild Thing Gypsy - The Goddess (Velvet Sky rec. LP, cassette - 1987) Flowers Of The Jungle-Only Way To Go-Oh Cleopatra-Gypsy Waltz-Little Bird-The Other Side-The Groove King-The Goddess-Time Keeps Rolling On Gypsy - People From The Darkside (Velvet Sky rec. - 1988) Livin Easy-Party In The Greenhouse-Acid Joe-Butterfly-Over The Hill-The Race-I Can't Dance To That-Haze Of Mother Nature-The Velvet Groove-Dream Of The Dove-Rich Man's Blues-Promised Land-Blue Wind-Innocent Rain-People From The Darkside Gypsy - Untitled (the best of) - 1986-89 the Goddess plus 9 additional tracks The Waltzing Tunas - Networthy (Velvet Sky rec. - 1993) Eraser Head-"Ouch"-Part Time Lover-Strain Relating-Just Another Night-Slippin Out-Let Me Down-Wah!-Slice-O-Pie-Carry Me Away-She Wants Love-Gophers On Maneouvers Scott Finch - Pipe Dreams (Velvet Sky rec. - 1993) Pipe Dream-Ain't Been Lonely-Bend The Stone-The Black Rose-Everyday World-Changer-Drifter-E. C. Creeper-Tilt-O-Swerve-Ebbila-Dragnet-Bordertown-T He River-Godora-Rain On-Sea Of Madness (all tracks written, arranged, performed, produced and recorded by Scott Finch) 
Bones of Contention - Train of Thought (Bones rec. - 1994)Paint My Way-The Marshall-Ten Years-Feel Alright-Jackson Street Blues-Shine On-The Price-Look Out Mama-Day After Day-Night Owl-Train Of Thought-Give And Take Bluehand - Bluehand (Velvet Sky rec. - 1997) Slice - O - Pie-Lake Five-Wah!-Bad Dog Day-Age Of Unreason-Mass Hate-Oh Caroline-Surprise-Tuna Stomp-In Your Arms-Cry A Bloody River-Lick And A Promise-The Swami-Lo La Lady Scott Finch & Gypsy - Haze of Mother Nature (Horizons rec./Comet - 2000 CD, double LP) Flowers In The Jungle-Gypsy Waltz-Dream Of The Dove-People From The Darkside-Little Bird-The Goddess-The Race-Can't Live Without It-Dragnet-Godora-Acid Joe- Time Keeps Rolling On-Pipe Dream-Haze Of Mother Nature-I Don't Live Today-Love Or Confusion-If 6 Was 9-Little Wing-Bend The Stone Scott Finch & Gypsy - The Velvet Groove (Horizons rec./Comet - 2001 CD, double LP) Witch's Stew-The Velvet Groove-Jackson St. Blues-Life Ain't Easy-Scott's Boogie-Red House-Turquoise-3rd Stone From The Sun-Mass Hate-Oh Cleopatra-The Swami-Only Way To Go-The Other Side-Full Moon-Ice Hammer-Shine On-I Can't Dance To That-Blue Wind 
Scott Finch & Blues O' Delics - Live Groove! (Horizons rec./Comet - 2001 double cd)Recorded live at : Linnemam's Riverwest Pub, Milwaukee, WI, April 12, 2025 Mustang Shelly's Roadhouse, Muskego, WI, April 8, 2025 Torrita Blues Festival, Torrita di Siena, Italy, June 30, 2025 Scott's Boogie-Haze Of Mother Nature-The Velvet Groove-Changer (Unreleased)-Close To You (Unreleased)-Memory Pain-Mass Hate-Dragnet-I Am Still (Unreleased)-Fire-All Along The Watchtower-The Wind Cries Mary-Spanish Castle Magic- Spoonful-Hoochie Coochie Man-House Of The Rising Sun-Southbound -Stormy Monday-Louisiana Blues-Tomorrow Never Knows-Born Under A Bad Sign-Down By The River-Groove King (Unreleased)-Jeff's Boogie-Pie In The Sky-(Unreleased)-Guitar Solo-Voodoo Chile White Lie Krystel Love: Lead vocals, keyboards, guitars Ken Shroeder: Lead vocals, bass Scott Finch: Guitars, keyboards, vocals Steve Gregg: Guitars, vocals Gregg Saber: Drums, percussion, vocals Gypsy Scott Finch: Guitar, organ, harmonica, vocals Joe Steil: Bass, vocals Gregg Saber: Drums, percussion, vocals Bluehand Peter Alt: Lead vocals, guitar, harmonica, flute Scott Finch: Guitar, piano, Hammond organ, sitar, cello, bass Mike Haasch: Bass Gregg Slavik: Drums, percussion, vocals also feat. Mike Kashou: Bass The Waltzing Tunas Scott Finch: Guitars, bass, Hammond organ, piano Bo Conlin: Drums Scott Motea: Drums Rick Holmes: Bass Peter Alt: Guitars, harmonica & all vocals Bones of Contention Annie Perry: Vocals Rob Giannattasio: Drums Bob Parduhn: Guitar, vocals Jeff Gordon: Bass Paul Countryman: Guitar & vocals Scott Finch: Keyboards, guitar, vocals Scott Finch & Blues-O-Delics Scott Finch: Guitar, Keyboards, sitar, vocals Dave Braun: Drums and vocals Peter Alt: Bass, guitar, harmonica, vocals |
| Home page The Company Labels Catalogue News Links Contacts top |
© 2001 Comet Records, La Spezia, Italy
/
web design & hosting IT Synergy S.r.l.