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I was so much older then, I'm younger than that now

Plain and Fancy


Monday, March 24, 2014

The Legend - The Legend (1969 us, splendid beat psych, Fallout issue)

The Legend, also loosely later known as Dragonfly, was originally from Colorado, but bounced back and forth between there and L.A. to record and issue records. Members included Jack Duncan (bass), Barry Davis (drums, background vocals), Gerry Jimerfield (guitar, lead vocals), Randy Russ (guitar, background vocals) and Erni McElwaine (keyboards).

The band's origins can be traced to El Paso, TX where in 1965 Duncan and Davis met each other and became fast friends while playing in a group called the Pawns. Getting word that the Pawns were going to be playing a gig in Farmington, NM, Coloradoans Jimerfield and McElwaine took a road trip down south to check them out and were very impressed. At 26, Jimerfield was a bit more seasoned and had already played the L.A. scene, appearing on the show 'Hullabaloo' as well as more recently fronting his own band called the Lords Of London back in Colorado. Citing his L.A. connections, Jimerfield soon convinced Duncan and Davis to quit the Pawns and relocate to Durango, CO where they could stay at his parents' motel and form a new ensemble. The band rehearsed there for a couple of months and soon decided they needed to add a second guitar player. Duncan and Davis suggested Russ, who they knew from their El Paso days. The group was completed when Russ agreed to move up to Durango and join up.

In early 1967, the band, now calling themselves the Lords Of London, moved to the Denver area where they played a lot of clubs and eventually became a frequent opening act at Chet Helms' Family Dog theatre. Getting restless in Colorado, they then bounced out to L.A. for a brief stint where they changed their name to the Jimerfield Legend, but soon moved back to good old Colorado in time for the 1967 Summer of Love.

By 1968, they had moved back to L.A., shortened their name to the Legend and signed with the local label Megaphone, releasing three 45s and a full length, self-titled LP. The album contains mostly pre-psychedelic covers, and according to Duncan, the instrumentation was mostly played by non-group session musicians. However, the second 45 released as the Legend, contains two excellent non-LP originals ('Portrait Of Youth' b/w 'Enjoy Yourself'), which were later significantly redone and appear again on the 'Dragonfly' LP. Unfortunately all of the records fell flat in sales and the band again moved back to Colorado, where they continued to remain a well received live act. At around this time, McElwaine left the group and was not replaced.

In 1969, the same executives who represented the Legend recordings, saw the band playing at their old haunt, the Denver Family Dog, and were now further amazed by their originality and musicianship. This time, the record execs promised to allow the band to cut an LP of original material, so they packed up again for L.A. and recorded what was to become the 'Dragonfly' LP at Amigo and I.D. Studios in North Hollywood. This album is absolutely amazing and includes several outstanding, harder psychedelic originals, most of which are played on TWOS and credited to the Dragonfly moniker. At the time of release, the record did get some modest airplay on L.A. radio, but unfortunately it didn't sell well and the group broke up soon after its release. Jimerfield has since passed away, but Duncan, Davis and Russ are still active musicians to this day.

1. With A Girl Like You (R. Presley) - 2:22
2. The Sky That Is Blue (B. Corso) - 3:03
3. Zeppelin's Good Friday (E. Brooks, S. Romans) - 2:48
4. Where On Where Is Mother? (B. Corso) - 3:08
5. Yesterdays Child (B. Corso) - 2:37
6. Eyes Of The World (D. Mcginnis) - 2:30
7. The Kids Are Alright (P. Townshend) - 2:58
8. Cold Wind In August (B. Page) - 2:34
9. Sunny Day (E. Brooks, S. Romans) - 2:13
10.You'll Be Sorry Someday (B. Corso) - 2:13
11.Gigi (Lerner, Loewe) - 2:20
12.Baby Blue (B. Dylan) - 6:11
13.Portrait Of Youth (G. Jimerfield) - 2:44
14.Enjoy Yourself (R. Russ, B. Davis) - 2:51
15.I Love The Little Girls (M. Kelly, G. Jimmerfield, Radcliff) - 2:15
16.I Know (B. George) - 2:11
Bonus tracks 13-16

The Legend
*Jack Duncan - Bass
*Barry Davis - Drums, Backing Vocals
*Gerry Jimerfield - Guitar, Lead Vocals
*Randy Russ - Guitar, Backing Vocals
*Erni McElwaine - Keyboards

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