(RockAndMetal.com) (09/30/04)

Edited By Michael Bennett

MENDOCINO, CA - Those familiar with the rock-solid bass lines and sweet harmonies of Crazy Horse will appreciate the eclectic and powerful songs that make up BILLY TALBOT's first solo effort, "Alive In The Spirit World," which will be released by Sanctuary Records on October 5th.

The live and studio recordings, which range from the psychedelic powerhouse 'Security Girl' to the ethereal soundscapes of 'Rainy Days' and 'Painting Of A Man' were recorded in a barn in Mendocino, California.

Long-time Crazy Horse bassist/vocalist Billy Talbot and his band developed their sound together through a number of rehearsals and live performances, including stripped down vocal sessions reminiscent of Talbot's early band, The Rockets.

Listeners will enjoy the sonic blends of three unique guitarists as Matt Piucci, Tommy Carns and Erik Pearson exchange searing, haunting and passionate improvisations over Talbot's well-crafted song structures.

"Alive In The Spirit World" also reflects Billy Talbot's discerning ear, as he and the band draw on the classic sounds of an assortment of vintage music gear, including various keyboards and other instruments, the result being a timeless blend of electric and acoustic Americana.

As a bonus, the enhanced CD gives the viewer an opportunity to pull up a hay bale into a redwood barn to see Talbot leading the band, along with his steel-string acoustic guitar, through a powerful live performance of the song 'Dreamer.'

Time warp: It's 1965.

You drop a coin into a funny looking jukebox with a movie screen attached.

Not many selections available on this early pay-per-view MTV, but 'Land Of A Thousand Dances' catches your eye.

You pick that one, the music starts, but it's not Wilson Pickett - it's four suave white guys, lined up in tuxedos.

They're singing and grooving, surrounded by hip young dancers doing those thousand dances.

You focus on the the third singer as he snaps his fingers and naaah nah-nah nah-naaahs.

Never would you believe that one day that clean-cut young man would be all grunged up, thumping out a pounding bass and yelling "Piece of CRAP," as his legendary band Crazy Horse wraps up one of their most rollicking numbers.

However, long before the 'Land Of A Thousand Dances' "Scopitone" video made its brief appearance on the scene, Billy Talbot, born in New York City, moved with his family to New Jersey as an early teen.

The son of a musician and a singer, he followed suit and sang in several doo-wop groups by the time he was 16. Before long he decided to head out to California to expand his horizons.

It wasn't too long before Billy met Danny Whitten in L.A. Danny was a fellow singer with similar aspirations, and before long they (along with Ralph Molina) were performing as the vocal group Danny And The Memories.

They put out a single, made the 'Land Of A Thousand Dances' video, and ended up moving to San Francisco a couple of years ahead of the Summer Of Love.

There Billy, Ralph and Danny easily melded into the burgeoning San Francisco scene, and became long-haired "Hippies" before that term was even coined.

During this period (about 1966), after catching a Byrds concert one night, they decided it was time for them to learn to play instruments.

Before getting too far along the learning curve, they renamed the group "The Psyrcle," and put out a record produced by none other than Sly Stone.

But lack of success drove them back to L.A., where they holed up and worked hard at improving their musicianship.

Eventually, Billy Talbot moved into a Laurel Canyon house where legendary jam sessions brought together the musicians who collectively became The Rockets.

Besides Billy, Ralph and Danny on bass, drums and guitar, the band included electric violinist Bobby Notkoff and both Leon and George Whitsell on guitars.

Yep, three guitars.

Their repertoire of hard driving garage rock mixed with psychedelic elements became something of a local underground sensation, but their record label didn't do much to promote their debut album in 1968.

Though The Rockets played a lot of gigs in the LA area, their break-through just wasn't happening.

Enter stage left: Neil Young.

After being drawn into the Laurel Canyon jam sessions, Neil hit it off with Billy and Danny.

Not long afterward, he sat in with The Rockets during a run at The Whisky.

Within days, Young went into the studio and brought Billy, Ralph and Danny with him.

It was the end of The Rockets, but from within the fading red glare appeared the first incarnation of Crazy Horse.

The highly organic sessions, overseen by David Briggs, turned into the seminal album-rock masterpiece "Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere."

Not many debut albums produce even two songs that live on after 30+ years, but this one featured the AM radio-friendly 'Cinnamon Girl' as well as the FM staples 'Down By The River' and 'Cowgirl In The Sand,' each clocking in at around 10 minutes.

And thus the legend of "The Horse" had begun.

Coming into the 70s, Neil Young took off for other projects.

So Billy and the rest of Crazy Horse brought in teenager Nils Lofgren on guitar and producer Jack Nitzsche on keyboards to produce the first of several versions of Crazy Horse not fronted by Neil Young.

The band put out a well-crafted album, with Danny's much-covered 'I Don't Want To Talk About It' as one of its highlights.

Two other albums, "Loose" and "At Crooked Lake," followed without Danny Whitten, due to his increasing drug problems.

Though Billy participated in some of Neil Young's non-Crazy Horse activities during this period, it wasn't until after Danny's tragic overdose in late 1972 that Young rejoined Crazy Horse, on the material eventually released as "Tonight's The Night."

Nils Lofgren again helped out.

Subsequently Billy recruited Frank "Poncho" Sampedro in 1975 to fill the void where Danny once stood.

This configuration of the Neil Young-fronted version of Crazy Horse would be a constant into the next century.

Throughout this period, as Neil came and went, Billy Talbot kept busy with other projects.

In 1978, another Crazy Horse album was produced without Neil Young fronting the band, though this time Neil did play guitar on several songs.

The LP was called "Crazy Moon," and Billy, Ralph and Poncho all contributed songs to the album.

Talbot even sang lead on several of them himself this time.

hough not a big seller, the album was well received by fans even without Neil's name on the cover.

Through the 80s, whenever Crazy Horse wasn't active, Billy Talbot helped out on various works by friends and acquaintances.

As the decade drew to a close, Billy and Ralph reformed Crazy Horse, with Matt Piucci and Sonny Mone contributing this time, putting out an album called "Left For Dead."

Again, Talbot contributed songs to the album.

In the 90s, Billy Talbot kept pretty busy working with Neil Young, but did also join Ralph to contribute on several songs released by Ian McNabb (once of the band Icicle Works) on his album "Head Like A Rock."

Throughout this period, Talbot had been working on various songs of his own, and decided it was time to do something with them.

As the 90s ended, he began doing so.

In 1999, Billy Talbot put together a band of eclectic performers who he felt could do justice to the songs he'd been honing.

He once again called on his "Left For Dead" Crazy Horse cohort Matt Piucci to contribute lead guitar.

He recruited a rhythm section of Jeff Chase on bass and Stephan Junca on drums.

To round out the sound, versatile musicians Erik Pearson and Tommy Carns were added to the mix.

And The Billy Talbot Band was born.

Their first public performance was in the Old Princeton Landing club in Half Moon Bay, where Crazy Horse had begun the "Year Of The Horse" several years before.

An appreciative crowd of "Rusties" (Neil Young fans) welcomed them to the stage, and enjoyed the public debut of most of the songs later to appear on "Alive In The Spirit World."

Several other public appearances by The Billy Talbot Band followed.

Since the turn of the century, Billy Talbot has ridden Crazy Horse around the world with Neil Young.

He's helped memorialize the victims of 9/11, with somber performances at the 2001 Bridge School Benefit show.

He's enjoyed the enthusiastic response to Young's recent Greendale stage show.

And he's worked hard at getting "Alive In The Spirit World" ready for release.

Flashback again to that young man in the tuxedo snapping his fingers and singing "Land of a Thousand Dances."

Has it really been 40 years since then?

Maybe so, but he's still keeping the rhythm, singing the songs, and making music worth listening to.

Billy Talbot has played with Neil Young And Crazy Horse on these tours:

• 1976 Japan tour
• 1976 European tour
• 1976 US tour
• 1978 "Rust Never Sleeps" US tour
• 1985 Australia/New Zealand tour
• 1986 "Rusted Out Garage" US tour
• 1987 European tour
• 1987 "Life" US tour
• 1991 "Smell The Horse" US tour
• 1996 "Year of the Horse" European tour
• 1996 "Year of the Horse" North American tour
• 1997 "H.O.R.D.E." US tour
• 2001 South American mini-tour
• 2001 European tour
• 2003 "Greendale" North American tour
• 2003 Asia/Australian tour
• 2004 "Greendale" North American tour

The original band has played on these Neil Young-fronted Crazy Horse albums:

• Tonight's The Night
• Zuma
• Rust Never Sleeps
• Live Rust
• Re-ac-tor
• Life
• Ragged Glory
• Weld (also the "Arc" EP)
• Sleeps With Angels
• Broken Arrow
• Year Of The Horse
• Greendale

* Note that Crazy Horse appeared on a few individual songs on other Neil Young albums during this period, such as on "American Stars 'N' Bars" and on "Hawks & Doves."

Crazy Horse have also performed in these films and video compilations:

• Rust Never Sleeps
• In A Rusted Out Garage
• Ragged Glory Video Collection
• Weld
• The Complex Sessions
• Year Of The Horse
• Greendale

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