John Cipollina / Nick Gravenites Band Pride of Man

[TheMselaineyus]

LYRICS COULD HAVE BEEN WRITEN TODAY NOT 50 YEARS AGO...

Turn around, go back down, back the way you came

Can't you see that flash of fire ten times brighter than the day

And behold the mighty city broken in the dust again

Oh God, the pride of man, broken in the dust again

[SteveCounsel]

I love this song..I was fortunate enough to see this band in London in the mid 80's, John was brilliant, later I met Nick Gravenites at a bar in SF in 88 I actually had the pleasure of sitting in on harmonica with him on a couple songs, he told John was playing across town I caught the last song, next time I was in SF a few years later John was dead, very sad. A great original, sadly missed.

[unviciouscircle]

@SteveCounsel ..so was this at the Greyhound in Fulham you saw them?...that's where I saw them after John had toured with Man.

I thought it was late 70's ..but then if you were there would the date recall be that accurate..lol

[SteveCounsel]

@unviciouscircle No it was at dingwalls, same band and line up as this video, i think it was sometime after man, it was definitely the early to mid 80's probably around 83, I took my cover of happy trails and he autographed it, my friend was bummed cause he'd thought about it but was too embarrassed to do it..lol, I'm amazed I did it to be honest it was totally out of character for me to be so dweeb like. Great gig. Can't figure out why he never received the acclaim he deserved.

[unviciouscircle]

@SteveCounsel nooooooooo...cannot believe I missed that...outta character or what...saw Jorma Kaukonen there ...did a solo acoustic gig and was mesmorising......

[aktionman]

you can get the whole set on dvd at Amozon: Rockpalast: West Coast Legends, Vol. 1

[archimedesnation]

It was late 80's, early 90's i think when they both played in "AN" club in Exarchia Athens. Back then you payed less than 10 bucks (beer included) to enjoy two legends of music playing endless hours for less than 300 people. Fuckin unforgetable.

RIP John. Nick holds the fort.

[WEIR4EVER]

@archimedesnation it was in 89 a few months before he passed

[jgallagherfamily]

This video is priceless!

I watched QSM open countless shows at Fillmore West for for the Dead and Airplane during the late 70s and early 80s. The QSM shows were always consistent. John C. was an amazing, largely unrecognized talent.

QSM - great songs that are not played consistently on commercial stations but are truly classics.

[Realitytourist]

As a big fan of the pre-Dino QMS, this live version is just awesome and really captures the spirit and sound of that original band. John's guitar could be a hair louder on his solo. Thanks for posting.

[Xcitableboy]

I live in Virginia City, NV now where a lot of this music and (life)style actually was born, or maybe better said -- conceived. I never got to see John play, but have been fortunate enough to hear most of the epic SF bands or bandmembers play since then, including Big Brother and Nick at the (revivified) Red Dog Saloon wher it all began. That said, as with Jimi and other great guitarists who passed much too soon, it is such a shame that John did not have the same calibre of backing he merited.

[TheOAWplayer]

I like the live versions even better than the album It is more strippped down and raw. I first heard this in the when it was new and I was young. The lead guitar had me spellbound. Cipollina was a legend in the Bay Area.

[slownoman]

QMS was the first of the legendary SF golden era bands I saw- Pauley Ballroom at Berkeley, late August '66. I'd seen the Stones and James Brown in Fresno the previous year, but the rest of rock was Louie, Louie or AM schlock. This band seemed to be from another planet. They were. Wow.

[toussaint1953]

great, great bible rock... I specially like the winds (trombones?) and the chorus voices...but you will remember that the super-fine chorus in the very end (maybe on fifths?) is present in the studio version only. Wonder of whom was the classic virile voice in the studio version.... I'd like to sing like that.

[thrashin358]

Buddies and I got back after 2 yrs overseas, we had all just turned 21 and hit the Sunset Strip Aug. 71 and hit the Whisky A Go Go and it was a packed house, I went upstairs and sat on their speakers and was blown away!! John's guitar always had a sound that I loved. I can listen to Happy Trails till my ears bleed! Who Do You Love? Quicksilver and John C

[unviciouscircle]

@thrashin358 Love the comment about Happy Trails..Happy New Year to you and everyone else...

[friendlier]

@thrashin358 Wow, what a great story. I too sat on a few speakers in those days. But not those of the great Quicksilver Messenger Service.

[PyritePete]

I heard QSMS a few times in Ca...my favorite being at the Aquarius Theater on same bill as Love. I've heard Nick play with the Electric flag. This is psychedelic Soul Music.

[soltisimba]

I got to see John and QMS three times in 67-68. I was 16-17 years old and very happy to be able to do that.  I saw Thunder and LIghtning in 1981 in North Beach. Great music still. Oh, the cigarette stuck in the neck of his guitar.... I miss him.

[unviciouscircle]

@soltisimba lucky lucky fella...saw John 3 times here in the UK ...makes me a hell of a lucky Brit..

[shuksanblue]

The first QMS song that got much play; maybe it could even be considered a hit. Nice version here! Thanks for sharing!

[michaelgerarddejong]

I use to watch Nick, John, Doug Killmore & Greg Elmore play this at all their shows at The Saloon on Grant Ave. in North Beach. San Francisco. in the late '70's before John passed. Man, the music that FLOWED on that street in that small part of the world. Glad and proud that I was part of it.

[Jenscool]

John and Mike Bloomfied have formed a gr8 band in the sky, so goes the rumour!

[TheQuicksilverdog]

My favorite QMS song, it was written by Hamilton Camp. Nick still plays this every time I see him. What ever happened to Baddoggone, Faroutdog, Stonedbaddog, & the original Baddog. I hear he is back in town.

[WEIR4EVER]

Hey Dave! Just to say Connor and i were here tonight! Love the post!

[WEIR4EVER]

Think i'll listen to this to gimme sum courage today ...

[unviciouscircle]

hope today is a goodie for you ..may Maui sunshine be with you

[talenttrading]

Love this song, dad confiscated my LP from quicksilver when i was 12, but I never forgot it..

[Baddoggone]

Another gem, Nick still plays this everytime I see him. He played New Years Eve up here in the Redwoods at Negris in Occidental. It's about a 15 min. drive from my place.

[SpainishArcher]

QMS lead me out of the darkness that was mediocrity in a time when I was young and only knew of what was on the " pop " radio. for the most part.

I think I have pretty much worn out my QMS vinyl from the '60s .

John was my guitar hero along with Ritchie Blackmore after QMS.

Many thanks for this video .

It is the link to the person whom I only knew in my mind.

I treasure this video and wish I could have seen QMS and John w, his other projects.

[hippie1950]

Great performance !!!  Wish i was there ... John is still my favorite also QMS !

[unviciouscircle]

For me and a lot of others he is the ulitmate ..so glad you like...he was fantastic wit hthe Man Band too..thanks for your nice comment..peace.

[Lifeislikeabeanstalk]

Ha! Parakalo irlandos.

Wish there was much more Nick Gravenites available. But love this classic. One of many regrets is never seeing him with The Electric Flag. One of the great American bands. Another Country was one of the best songs ever done. And My Labors ..... What a Greek! One last remark - Nico has a website with great stories about his days in Chicago with Butterfield.

[irlandos1]

That was for Lifeislikeabeanstalk

[sing4peace]

a P.S. to previous comment: I accidently "flagged" your video because I thought that meant I could access it later. Didn't mean to rat you out.

[sing4peace]

Whew! I am out here looking for various treatments of this song, came across this one and am mighty glad. For me, at this moment, this song needed exactly that treatment. Great mix - nice to be able to hear the singing so clearly. Solo hit just the right spot. I live on the other side of the U.S. and I play solo with a six string, but you have made a strong imprint on how I will sing this song. Your sister in hope...

[jessandrak]

Miss you guys horribly! Saw you together and apart probably more than anyone else. After John's death the Bay Area music scene just wasn't quite the same.

[Lifeislikeabeanstalk]

Hella, hella, hella!

Y'assou Nico!

[irlandos1]

Έλα, έλα, έλα !

Γειά σου Νίκο!

[irlandos1]

I love it...5 stars!

[WEIR4EVER]

Do you believe love at first sight last forever....

[unviciouscircle]

yup...sure do....

[irlandos1]

Nothing lasts forever..

[WEIR4EVER]

and when you hear that song

comes crying like the wind

it seems like all this life was just a dream......

[unviciouscircle]

"If music be the food of love ...then play on"

[Jenscool]

@WEIR4EVER could be...but after 40-50 years marrage I'd dout it, Cassy!!!

[WEIR4EVER]

@Jenscool Lol you obviously don't know the tune quoted! :-)

[Jenscool]

@WEIR4EVER Now ur repeating urself,... :)

[aurora1957A]

oh yes, good one!

:)

[Circuit7Active]

Excellent upload!! Got any more?

[unviciouscircle]

lol

[mangeldeth]

Wow, great video.