David Freiberg & Gary Duncan – “A Glimpse Of Glory For 06”

Bare feet, flaxen haired mavens from the four corners of the universe and all set against the tapestry of Haight Ashbury during the roaring sixties counter culture.  Amidst this collection of free spirits, aging Bohemians of the poet and art world and the youth of post WWII in search of personal identity emerged the bands that defined the entire generation and one of the most beloved of “The big five” would be Quicksilver Messenger Service.

Strolling down such legendary streets as Lyons, Page, Fillmore & Geary, Haight & Ashbury, and the conversations would inevitably lead to what bands were playing at what noted venue and all the while intoxicated by the pungent smells of current elixirs of the era.  The bedraggled attire of yesteryear has been cast aside and although somewhat weathered by the passing of time, the current QMS adds a much needed injection of energy to an abyss of dismal tunes of contemporary radio and video.


This was The Haight and David Freiberg, Gary Duncan, John Cippolina, Greg Elmore, At times Nicky Hopkins and Dino Valenti were revered as a California treasure even with the sensationalism of the sex, drugs and rock n roll as the juxtaposing soundtrack to the music.


The Avalon Ballroom, The Fillmore Auditorium and The Fillmore East & West would often be the catalyst that would send frenzied fans into hysteria while the smooth harmonies and gifted musicianship of QMS resonated from the hallowed halls of these historical buildings.  Forty years after the heyday of psychedelia and the bands that defined the genre, David Freiberg, Gary Duncan , Bobby Vega, Prairie Prince, Chris Smith and Linda Imperial have lifted what was once just memories from the ashes of the past and renewed interest in one of the great bands of all time.  This isn’t some sundry collection piecing together a mixture of musicians to dabble in nostalgia; these are all accomplished players with known resumes and impeccable skills.

Songs like Pride Of Man, Mona, Fresh Air, Shady Grove, Codine, Happy Trails, and so many others are as relevant now as they were all those years ago and few musicians have been able to maintain  the level of excellence that is displayed by this version of Quicksilver Messenger Service and for that brief hour of time, the fog seems to settle over the crowd as if we were once again adjacent to Golden Gate Bridge and all the musical and visual wonders that sent us on the sojourn to the hippie capitol of the world
all those years ago

Happy Trails …indeed.

Cheers

Don Aters – Haight Street Music News - 2006