Pyrola  (2004,  52.47)  ****/T Woodrose Half of Everything Korea Travel Candy Stand My Ground Moontripper Fractions

Current availability:

• Kaleidophone (Sweden)/2LP on Nasoni (Germany)

Qoph are named for the 19th letter in the Hebrew alphabet, amongst others, and play the sort of psychedelic hard rock usually regarded as having puffed its last around 1972, although they mostly end up being lumped in with the prog mainstream, such as it is. I've seen their long-overdue second album, Pyrola, compared to Captain Beyond, amongst others, but one of their most obvious influences, at least to my ears, is fellow Swedes Anekdoten, so it comes no surprise at all to learn that guitarist Niklas Barker guests here on Mellotron. The material on the album veers between the song-based (Travel Candy) and the more psychedelically jammed-out stuff (Fractions), covering most points in between, while retaining the listener's interest throughout, although approaching this album expecting anything even remotely symphonic will only lead to disappointment.

Barker's Mellotron work is far from overbearing, with some weird, drifting strings on Korea, before Mats Öberg's bonkers MiniMoog takes over, and a similar part on Moontripper. Most of the time, though, the band concentrates on guitar/bass/drums basics; Half Of Everything even features a few bursts of harmonica, an instrument found on remarkably few of the albums reviewed on this site... There's a double-vinyl version of the album available on German label Nasoni, with no fewer than three extra tracks, but until/if I get to hear them, I can't reasonably comment on their Mellotronic content, I'm afraid.

So; a bloody good album from a new-ish band (their debut, Kalejdoskopiska Aktiviteter, appeared in 1998), and if their website is to be believed, they're working on a new one at the time of writing (early '07). Will it be as good as Pyrola? Will a Mellotron be involved? Let's hope so.

Official site

Quarteto 1111  (Portugal)

Onde Quando Como Porquê Cantamos Pessoas Vivas  (1975,  29.14)  ****/TTTTT Onde Quando Como Porquê Cantamos Pessoas Vivas 1 Onde Quando Como Porquê Cantamos Pessoas Vivas 2

Current availability:

• Not on CD

Onde Quando Como Porquê Cantamos Pessoas Vivas (often known simply as Cantamos Pessoas Vivas) was Portuguese outfit Quarteto 1111's last album, used as a launchpad for his solo career by keys man José Cid, and it's effectively a late-period psych/prog album, maybe like a proggier and gutsier Moody Blues, though don't let that put you off if you're not a Moodies fan. The album consists of two (short) side-long tracks, with side one fading out and the flip fading in at the same point. If there's ever an official CD release for this, it'd be nice if the two sides could be correctly rejoined, thanks...

You want Mellotron? You've got it... It sometimes amazes me just how many 'Tron-heavy releases there must still be out there that I've never heard, not all of which are small label/country (see: Canadians Small Wonder). Signor Cid goes completely overboard here, with swathes of strings underlaid by cellos (I wonder if he owned the two machines pictured in his solo album back then?), with considerable quantities of flutes, too. There's a nice moment about a minute into side two, where he suddenly switches from strings to flutes 'on the fly', but in truth, there isn't a bad moment on the album. And you can't just log on and buy it, although the entire Pendragon back-catalogue is constantly available... There is no justice. Anyway, the only other keys on the album are an unidentified monosynth which gets used a bit, a smattering of piano on side two, and even less string synth at one point, so I think it's safe to say, this is a Mellotron Album in every sense of the word.

Well, I'm sorry you can't just go out and buy this, unlike Cid's rather lesser 10 000 Anos... effort. Even if the master tapes have disappeared, the vinyl burn in my possession is just about perfect, with less surface noise than several 'official' reissues I've heard. So, on the offchance you should stumble across a copy of this, BUY!

Quasifunk  (Germany)

Besonders Gern vor Fremden Leuten  (2002,  26.34)  ***½/TT Babette Für Immer Ein Stumpfes Grün Verwirrt den Sinn Was Soll ich Tun? Woanders

Current availability:

• Servicelabel (Germany)

Well, here's a new one on me; German-language '70s-style funk, from a new band. Hammond-driven, with plenty of sax work, Besonders Gern vor Fremden Leuten is far less groove-orientated than I'd expected, with the band living up to their name pretty well, serving up a variety of feels across its five tracks, some of them most undanceable. Opener Babette is the most typically funky thing here, lulling the listener into a false sense of (in)security, before the creepy Für Immer throws a complete curveball, and the stop/start rhythms of Ein Stumpfes Grün Verwirrt Den Sinn break a few ankles on the dancefloor. A straight funk album would (at least to me) become boring very quickly, but this smorgasbord of styles keeps you on your toes, giving no clue as to what might happen next.

The band's part-time '70s fetish goes beyond mere musical style, extending into their choice of instruments. I mean, keys man Thomas Waltner uses Hohner Clavinet and Pianets, a fake Hammond, a Yamaha CS-30 and a theremin, on top of the ubiquitous Mellotron, and uses them all well. The 'Tron crops up on two tracks, with choirs on Für Immer, followed by an overdubbed strings and flute part, while closer Woanders opens with an in-yer-face flute melody, followed by more strings.

This is actually Quasifunk's third release, and the second with Mellotron, and they also sent me a disc of work-in-progress for their next (presumably full-length) release. More 'Tron in evidence than here, although the tracks are a little overlong in places, which may well be sorted out before they record the album proper. Anyway, Besonders Gern vor Fremden Leuten is an interesting, eclectic mini-album, going far beyond the confines of mainstream funk (of any decade). Cautiously recommended.

Official site

Michael Quatro (Jam Band)  (US)

	Paintings  (1972,  40.35)  ***/TTT Paintings Time Spent in Dreams Circus (What I Am) Each Day I Want You More Life Rachmaninoff's Prelude Detroit City Blues Court of the Crimson King
	Look Deeply Into the Mirror  (1973,  36.08)  ***/TTT We'll Be Together Prelude in Ab Crazy (Classical Variations) Natural Way Tomorrows Gypsy Caravan, Part 1 Won't You Come Away Gypsy Caravan, Part 2 Lullaby (Sleep Well Sweet Children)

	In Collaboration With the Gods  (1975,  39.17)  ***/TTTT
	In Collaboration With the Gods (Theme) Interlude of Ra Interlude of Ares A Letter to Venus Neptune's Nicromea Waltz of the Gods Get Away Rockmanninoff's Prelude in C Blunt Funk	Ave Rock Maria Prelude in Ab Crazy II Sweet Lovin'

Dancers, Romancers, Dreamers & Schemers  (1976,  39.42)  **½/TTT Children of Tomorrow Stripper One By One Rollerbach Circus Ancient Ones Pure Chopin Adagio Touch of Class

Current availability:

• All titles: Not on CD

Michael Quatro (brother of the better-known Suzi, below, herself an occasional Mellotron user) is a classically-trained pianist who stuck out a few albums in the mid-'70s, initially as the 'Michael Quatro Jam Band'. He debuted with the rather badly-recorded Paintings (budgetary restrictions, no doubt), and it really is a bit of the proverbial curate's egg (where DOES that phrase come from?). Some of the material isn't too bad (the title track, the Rachmaninoff and King Crimson stuff), but Circus (What I Am) is a pretty awful Latinesque effort, although it looks like pure genius next to the soporific balladry of Each Day I Want You More, and as for the pointless boogie of Detroit City Blues... All things to all men, eh, Michael? His take on (In The) Court Of The Crimson King is quite bizarre, as he appears to rewrite the verse sections, while copying the 'chorus' note-for-note. And I haven't even mentioned his voice... Mellotronically speaking, it crops up within seconds of the beginning of the title track, with some choppy strings fights for space with a melodic flute part, with some seriously fast (relatively speaking, of course) playing at the end of the track. More 'Tron strings wizardry on Rachmaninoff's Prelude, and plenty on the Crimso cover, of course, making the whole rather better for the 'Tron than for the music.

Quatro's follow-up, Look Deeply Into the Mirror, wasn't a lot better either sonically or compositionally, to be honest, although the overblown prog of Gypsy Caravan, Part 1 is sort of worth hearing, ditto some more rocked-up classics in the form of Prelude In Ab Crazy (Classical Variations). It takes him a while to kickstart the 'Tron this time, although it's all over side two, with strings on most highlighted tracks (note Quatro's trademarked pitchbend work on Won't You Come Away), with the exception of flutes on Lullaby (Sleep Well Sweet Children).

	photo: Larry Huff's mate Nick

For album no.3, In Collaboration With the Gods, he went 'solo', producing an album that's a bit of a mixed bag, to be honest. There's some great playing, unsurprisingly, but he all too often lacks taste; some of the cod-classical piano licks are almost criminal. Although little of the (mostly instrumental) material really excites, Quatro slaps Mellotron all over the album; mostly strings, but bits of cello and flute, too. None of the use is especially original, but there's certainly a lot of it, although a few tracks only sport a few seconds here and there. There's some nice pitchbend work, and some passable orchestration on some tracks, although the pretentious (and copious) notes accompanying each song are a little wearing. Ave Rock Maria is a rearrangement of Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata, which takes me back to my comment about taste. Oh, and the following track's title is actually 'A flat...'; current HTML spec doesn't seem to have a character for the 'flat' symbol. As you can see here, though, there's a lovely picture of Mr.Quatro from behind, displaying his tight satin strides to their best effect. Very nice.

Dancers, Romancers, Dreamers & Schemers features far more vocal than its predecessor, and suffers accordingly. There are some nice moments on the album, but it's an awful lot 'cheesier' than In Collaboration, and there's another couple of classical steals in Rollerbach and Pure Chopin; Bach's Toccata In Fugue (presumably a then-topical reference to Rollerball), and some Chopin I recognise but can't name. Quatro's vocals leave quite a bit to be desired, even if they were singing anything vaguely worthwhile; he really was better writing instrumentals, as his previous albums proved. There's less 'Tron on this album, too, although he could almost have patented that pitchbend trick, he uses it so often.

So; none of these come anywhere near 'great', but In Collaboration With the Gods is probably the best of a bad bunch, and if you're after albums stuffed with Mellotron, all but Dancers, Romancers... is probably worth a few quid/bucks/zloty/whatever. There's supposed to be a smattering of 'Tron on '77's Gettin' Ready, although the title alone makes it sound almost unlistenable. Can't wait.

Official site

Suzi Quatro  (US)

	Suzi Quatro  (1973)  ***½/T
	48 Crash Glycerine Queen Shine My Machine Official Suburban Superman I Wanna Be Your Man Primitive Love All Shook Up Sticks and Stones	Skin Tight Skin Get Back Mamma Rockin' Moonbeam Shakin' All Over

	Quatro  (1974)  **½/T
	The Wild One Keep a-Knockin' Too Big Klondyke Kate Savage Silk Move it Hit the Road Jack Trouble	Cat Size Shot of Rhythm & Blues Friday

Current availability:

• 2-on-1: BGO (UK)

Detroit-bred Suzi, the rather unlikely sister of Michael (above), appeared on the scene at just the right time to be embraced by the burgeoning glam movement, although it's hard in retrospect to see what exactly was supposed to be 'glam' about her. That's not meant to be a slur; her low-slung bass, leather'n'more leather image and raw rock'n'roll should have received her more plaudits than being lumped in with a short-lived movement before being relegated to the endless '70s revival circuit. Her all-male band, including hubby guitarist Len Tuckey, provided a solid backing for the Chinn-Chapman (the Stock, Aitken and Waterman of their day) songs with which she had hits, along with many of their own numbers and a few well-chosen covers.

Suzi Quatro is a pretty solid debut, with seven out of twelve tracks being Suzi's own material, although the standout track is still Chinnichap's 48 Crash. The band are tight throughout, with Alastair McKenzie's piano work adding that essential '50s vibe when required, also playing an interesting Mellotron strings part on Skin Tight Skin, an unusual, moody track, at odds with the rest of the album. So; not exactly a classic, but not at all bad, considering the production-line values of the era. Not really worth it for the one 'Tron track, although it is different to anything much else you'll have heard utilising the instrument.

The follow-up, Quatro, sounds like a typical second album to me; only three self-penned numbers this time round, and several really quite weak songs, particularly the Chinnichap opener, Wild One which, er, isn't. Of the five non-Chinnichap covers, four of them have rather insipid arrangements, leaving Move It as the album's one standout track, with neither Hit The Road Jack or Little Richard's Keep A-Knockin' really being worth the price of entry. As with its predecessor, the album's sole 'Tron track, Savage Silk (there's a couple with real strings, too, including the dull Cat Size), is a bit of an oddity, opening with a Hammond swirl, before shifting into a gentle 12-bar, with McKenzie's 'Tron strings coming in on the chorus, plus an interesting flutes part in the bridge. So, difficult to recommend the album, but one good track and one good 'Tron track. Hmmm.

Suzi's third album, the funky, horn-driven Your Mamma Won't Like Me (***) is a bit of an improvement over Quatro, but with a total dearth of any Mellotron involvement, is irrelevant here. So, her debut is OK, the follow-up less so, but two 'Tron tracks over two albums does not essential listening make. It's interesting to hear her album stuff, as against the usual run of hits, three of which aren't on any of these, strangely, including the immortal Can The Can and the even more immortal Devil Gate Drive. I'm glad to say, the last I heard, Suzi was still touring, although these days largely confined to the 'oldies' circuit, sadly.

Official site

Queen Elizabeth  (UK)

		Queen Elizabeth 2: Elizabeth Vagina  (1997,  137.29)  ***/T
		Eisteddfod 69 Tal-y-Fan Callanish   Airidh Nam Bideram   Hulavig   Cnoc Fillibhir Bheag   Cnoc Ceann a'Gharraidh   "Pa Dodens Trae vi Gror Som     Nuets Blomster"	Temples of Ker   Kerlud   Pentre Ifan   Rock'n'Roll Station   Kenidjack The Dianaver

Current availability:

• Head Heritage (UK)

Queen Elizabeth is one of the estimable Julian Cope's multifarious side-projects, this time alongside Spiritualized collaborator (well, we all have our crosses to bear) Thighpaulsandra. Their debut, '94's Queen Elizabeth, has a cover design featuring Thighpaulsandra surfing through space on a giant ARP 2600, possibly making it The Coolest Debut Album Sleeve Ever. Maybe. Cope discovered Mellotrons soon after, and by the time they recorded their follow-up, the stupendously-titled Elizabeth Vagina, had already used them extensively on two of his own albums.

Cope is credited with (amongst other things), 'Mellotrons (400 & Mark 2)', and 'Starchamber 1', the same piece of weird shit he used on his own Odin; a suitable comparison, in fact, as although the two albums are noticeably different, they have more in common with each other than anything much else Cope's recorded. Five tracks spread over two full-length CDs makes for some seriously lengthy material, although, unlike the single track on Odin, I doubt if this would be much use in meditation, being too fractured to aid concentration. There's a reasonable amount of sonic variety both between and within the pieces, with Cope's bass and Thighpaulsandra's grand piano and Moog effects providing a much-needed focus amongst the drones, but prog it ain't; nor is it trying to be.

Mellotron: it could be 'Tron strings making the 'violined' notes at the beginning of Eisteddfod 69, but it's more likely to be guitar, or even french horn (credited for the track). Definitely 'Tron pipe organ on Tal-Y-Fan, after the initial percussion barrage, plus (presumably) MkII strings later on, but, surprisingly, that would appear to be that. So; not quite the 'Tron-fest I'd been expecting, but there you go. Not an easy listen, either, but there's bound to be some of you who'll get off on this. Out of print for several years, it's been reissued with a new cover, milk floats obviously now being passé.

Official Cope site

Official Thighpaulsandra site

Quella Vecchia Locanda  (Italy)

Quella Vecchia Locanda  (1972,  34.34)  ****/TT Prologo Un Villaggio, un'Illusione Realtà Immagini Sfocate Il Cieco Dialogo Verso la Locanda Sogno, Risveglio e...

Current availability:

• VM 2000 (Italy)

Quella Vecchia Locanda's self-titled debut is one of the early-'70s Italian scene's more celebrated albums, and it isn't difficult to see why. Far more experimental than the likes of the rather lame The Trip, although less symphonic than, say, PFM, they carved out a little niche for themselves involving violin-led classically influenced material, much of it instrumental. The 'rock' end of their sound was heavily influenced, like many other Italian bands, by Jethro Tull, who don't seem to have been an influence anywhere else in the world, for some strange reason. None of the eight tracks are particularly long, but their structure and melodic motifs are rooted firmly in the classical tradition, making a mockery of much of what is considered 'progressive' today.

There isn't actually that much of Massimo Roselli's Mellotron work to be heard on Quella Vecchia Locanda, to be honest, with most of the strings being provided by Donald Lax's endearingly out of tune violin playing, although there are definite 'Tron string parts on the three tracks highlighted above. Overall, despite the album's decided musical qualities, it's no 'Tron classic, although I've heard considerably worse use (back to The Trip again...). There's supposed to be 'Tron on their second (and last) release, Il Tempo Della Gioia (****½), but it's not credited, and all I can hear is Lax's violin again. Anyway, buy both these albums, but don't expect a Mellotron-fest.

Quicksand  (UK)

Home is Where I Belong  (1974,  40.43)  ***/T½ Hideaway My Song Sunlight Brings Shadows Empty Street, Empty Heart Overcome the Pattern/Flying Time to Live Home is Where I Belong Seasons/Alpha Omega Hiding it All

Current availability:

• Si Wan

Quicksand are one of those bands about which little seems to be known; while the band members' names are easily found, what they played is another matter, although it seems they had a fairly standard guitar/bass/keys/drums lineup. The rear sleeve of their sole album, Home is Where I Belong, actually has a band bio, along with a bucolic view of a classic Welsh valley, complete with a sheep, although it obviously neglects to give any useful instrumental information. Hailing from South Wales, the cover pic makes them look like a rare form of hippy miner, which vaguely describes the music herein. OK, it doesn't; they basically bordered prog without really immersing themselves wholeheartedly in the style, having much in common with other proto-prog outfits such as Cressida or Spring, although less interesting.

Hideaway My Song is typically uninteresting mid-'70s 'rock', although Sunlight Brings Shadows ups the ante a little by bringing in a faint Gentle Giant influence, would you believe. The rest of the album veers between boring and vaguely adventurous, although Quicksand were never really going to be front-runners. Mellotron on three tracks, with small string parts on Sunlight Brings Shadows and Overcome The Pattern/Flying, with more strings and brass on Seasons/Alpha Omega; no surprise that the 'Tron comes in on the longer, proggier tracks.

So; I wouldn't spend too much on this one on any grounds, if I were you, although it's perfectly pleasant, just a long way from 'outstanding'.

Quill  (US)

	Sursum Corda  (1977,  35.32)  ***½/½
	First Movement   Floating   Interlude   The March of Dreams   The March of Kings   Storming the Mountain   Princess of the Mountain   Storming the Mountain (Part II)	Second Movement   The Call   Timedrift   Earthsplit   The Black Wizard   Counterspell   The White Wizard   The Hunt   Rising   The Spell   Sumnation   Finale

Current availability:

• Syn-Phonic (US)

By the time ELP-type trio Quill (not to be confused with the band that played Woodstock eight years earlier, or The Quill, or anyone else of the same name) released their sole album, they were already an anachronism, with their Wakeman-style capes, rather silly lyrics and side-long suites. However, given that it's all a bit derivative, Sursum Corda's a good little prog album, grandiose to the max, with plenty of Wakeman/Emerson keyboard work, several strong themes and good melodies, although they were obviously never destined for Happy the Man-style respect from progressive fans.

As you can see, the album is basically one long piece, with mainman Ken de Loria playing all the keys, mostly Hammond and MiniMoog, although there's bits of piano (notably the Awaken-style intro), string synth, and a tiny bit of Mellotron choir at the beginning of side two. This is a damn' good album for keyboard fans, but the 'Tron use is so far in the background that it took me several listens to discern it at all. As a result, good album, crap 'Tron.

Quintessence  (UK)

Dive Deep  (1971,  42.09)  ***/T½ Dive Deep Dance for the One Brahman The Seer Epitaph for Tomorrow Sri Ram Chant

Current availability:

• Repertoire (Germany)

By 1971, I would imagine Quintessence were seen as an anachronism, harking back to the sound of several years earlier, with their sitars, tablas and other exotic instrumentation, by then largely discarded by the rock mainstream. Dive Deep was their third album, apparently carrying on in a similar vein to their first two, with drone-laden ragas intersecting with the occasional burst of guitar-heavy prog (Epitaph For Tomorrow), although the bulk of the album sounds more like the soundtrack to a dodgy Indo-exploitation film of the early '70s, assuming such a thing exists. It's not a bad album, but hasn't dated well, and does sound just a little too close to Indian restaurant music for comfort.

Uncredited Mellotron on two tracks, played by the inimitable Phil "Shiva Shankar" Jones with some rather sparse strings on Dance For The One, followed by a brief flute part, despite the presence of the band's actual flautist, and more strings on The Seer, though nothing that wasn't being done an awful lot more effectively by many other bands at the time. So; not bad, but inessential, unless you really crave a dose of the post-hippy underground at the turn of the '70s. Incidentally, there's a current version of the band in existence, called Shiva's Quintessence, who claim to have used a Mellotron on two albums, though whether or not it's real is another matter. I shall report back if I get to hear them.

Official Shiva's Quintessence site

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