Elf - Crosseyed Mary (1972)

Elf - Crosseyed Mary (1972), from the compilation "War Pigs'72"

The early-'70s rock outfit Elf is best-known as the group that gave singer Ronnie James Dio his start and he would eventually set his sights on a tougher, metallic sound, fronting the likes of Rainbow, Black Sabbath, and his own solo band, Dio. The group went through several name changes in the late '60s (the Electric Elves, the Elves), before settling simply on Elf and issuing a self-titled debut recording for Epic in 1972, produced by Deep Purple bassist Roger Glover. The group's best-known lineup consisted of Dio (who was at this time going by his real name, Ronald Padavona, and also doubling on bass), guitarist David Feinstein, guitarist/keyboardist Micky Lee Soule, and drummer Gary Driscoll. The album went largely unnoticed, as did the group's subsequent two other releases, L.A./59 (issued under the title Carolina Country Ball outside of the U.S.) and Trying to Burn the Sun, as the group guested on Roger Glover's 1974 album The Butterfly Ball and the Grasshopper's Feast. Through their affiliation with Glover, Elf was brought to the attention of former Purple leader/guitarist Ritchie Blackmore, who invited the entire group (sans their guitarist) to join forces as the prog metal outfit Rainbow, resulting in the release of a self-titled effort in 1975. Slowly but surely, however, Rainbow turned out to be nothing more than a solo vehicle for Blackmore rather than a true band and the former Elf members left the group one by one before Dio was the last one remaining until eventually leaving the group himself in 1978.(allmusic.com)


This set was recorded in early 1972, shortly after the band dropped the name "The Elves" and became "Elf", and not long before recording the first album. The sound quality is amazing, a lot of covers as well as unreleased material, and what's more : Ronnie James Dio covering "War Pigs" more than 7 years before joining Back Sabbath !

LINE-UP :
Ronnie James Dio - vocals / bass
Gary Driscoll - Drums / Percussion
Dave "Rock" Feinstein - Guitar
Mickey Lee Soule - Keyboards

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Elf
• Ronnie
• Dio
• Padavona

[jimbronxny]

Dio passed away on 5/16/10 of stomach cancer...thank you my friend for so many years of great music....WE MUST FIND A CURE

[JesseP11]

I always loved Tull. This is the only band I've ever heard who could do justice to cross eyed mary. Dio is great.

[key2kingdom]

@JesseP11 Ditto. I had no idea til just now that Maiden and Dio had covered this song.

Yay!!

[nthib91]

@beroth77 well, of course they would sound lame, because that type of singing is not for them. They sound godly doing what they are already doing.

[nthib91]

@praetorianus72 Ron's voice sounds more like a thunderous man's voice of course but all three of their voices are godly!

[nthib91]

@jimbronxny and an elixir to raise him from the dead!

[nthib91]

@JesseP11 hmm. I thought Iron Maiden did a great job, too, but it's all opinion anywho.

[guyclark1958]

ron was one of the best,

[praetorianus72]

@beroth77 Those high pitch singers sound like virgins. Would take Ron over Plant and Gillan (they can't sing anymore)

[beroth77]

Dio is one of the few singers in rock who doesnt needed the high notes to sound awesomehis timber in a lower key is freaking good,scary and strong.listen to dehumanizer.now wonder if bruce or rob sung low...would be lame.

[GoldenAxeVox666]

@GoldenAxeVox666 my voice and last incarnation of my band Golden Axe, looking for new mebers except my wonderful piper....

youtube.com/watch?v=G5AnVJi0v9­8&list=FLAgOE7ABzKvnxq4hadSHMz­A&index=19&feature=plpp_video

[GoldenAxeVox666]

@cant1rac all of you speak words as true singers, it is an instrument and you do need to treat it well, I even clean my by brushing before I go on, no caffiene, alchohol, or even eating 2 hours prior do to gas build up