Charlee – Wizzard/Lord Knows I’ve Won/Just You And Me/Let’s Keep Silent/Wheel Of Fortune (Vinyl)

The purpose of this video is for entertainment only…
Licensed to YouTube by CD Baby (on behalf of Charlee).

Images used within this video are taken from photos and scans of my original vinyl copy of Charlee’s LP released in 1972 on RCA Canada; LSP 4809, and my 1976 US reissues (sealed & unsealed) of this LP on Mind Dust Music; MDM1001.

The audio is sourced from my Canadian vinyl RCA pressing utilizing an Oracle Delphi MKIII turntable, an SME45 tone arm, and a Vanden Hull MC-10 MC cartridge.

Biography taken from a review that I did a few years back at “Rate Your Music’…

Before forming this great band, Canadian guitar wizard ‘Walter Rossi’ had cut his teeth in the late 60s with some pretty big names like, ‘Wilson Picket’, and ‘The Buddy Miles Express’, where he contributed lead guitar to Buddy’s original version of ‘Them Changes’ (the song). He even turned down offers from ‘Three Dog Night’ and ‘Janis Joplin’.
Walter also had the pleasure of jamming with Jimi Hendrix and Buddy Miles during their ‘Band of Gypsies’ days.

Then back in Canada, Walter co-founded the progressive/psych rock band ‘Influence’ in 1968/69. After being signed by ABC records, they went on tour opening for ‘The Doors’, and ‘Steppenwolf’.

In 1971 Walter Rossi formed ‘Charlee’
After you hear this album, you’ll see why this man was so sought after! This is heavy rock at it’s very best!

Charlee were from Montreal, and lead by guitarist//vocalist Walter Rossi. The self titled LP was the only album ever released by this band back in 1972.
It was a constant favorite of mine and my crazy friends back at that time, and still gets considerable play in my home today. I remember the first time I heard this masterpiece. I was about 20 years old, and still into Hendrix in a big way.
I bought it because the proprietor of my local record shop knew my tastes, and he said I’d like it… and he was seldom wrong.
From the opening track I was mesmerized, and that feeling remained right through side one. Then before I flipped it over, I had to light an herbal cigarette(gave that up years ago) to enhance what was to come on side two.
Again…Wow, this guy was an awesome player!

The first song on side two was ‘Let’s Keep Silent'(part 1). With it’s Hendrix laden guitar feedback, wah wah, and tight rhythm section, this was right up my alley. Then when the song fades out and the telephone starts to ring (on the album), you’d swear it was your own phone ringing! For those of you to young to remember, back then telephones actually emitted a ringing bell like sound.
This was a good trick to play on people at parties who had not yet heard this LP. Everybody wanted to answer their phone!

The original Canadian release was on RCA ‘Dynaflex’, and had a textured cover. There were also a couple of typo’s on the back cover credits. On all 8 songs, beside the song title, it lists the players. According to these listings, the following people played bass on the album: ‘Jack Geisenger” played bass on 4 of the songs, while ‘Walter’ played bass on 2, a guy named ‘Harry Marks’ played bass on 1, and the great ”Prakash John’ (Bush, Alice Cooper, Lou Reed) played bass on 1. If you do your math, that’s 8 songs!
Then, the confusing thing is, at the bottom of the back cover it says:
Charlee is:

Walter Rossi: Guitar and vocals
George Gardos: Bass
Mike Driscoll: Drums

So where did George Gardos fit in? Possibly he joined the band after the album was recorded? I recall looking at this 35 years ago after my herbal cig, and really over thinking this one! To this day I still can’t figure it out.

I also own a couple US reissues on the obscure Ohio label ‘Mind Dust Music’ label that were released in 1976. The cover art-work was completely different from the original Canadian release. The US pressing depicted the band members as some sort of weird stoned cartoon characters.

The ‘Charlee’ album is one of the best examples of early 70’s power trio hard rock you will ever hear…RECOMMENDED!

After the album was released, David Bowie’s manager ‘Tony Defries’ heard Walter playing in the studio one day. An offer was made to join Bowie’s band for the ‘Ziggy Stardust’ tour, but Walter had made up his mind to stay in Montreal close to his Father, who was ill at the time.
Walter then went to Toronto, where he met up with ‘Luke Gibson’, and joined his band ‘Luke and the Apostles’ in 72/73, who were quite successful.

Walters solo LP’s which came out between ’76 & ’80 were great too, and are worth checking out, though they are not quite as heavy as this monster!
If you’d like to know more about one of the greatest guitarists of the 70s, check out his website.
There’s several sample tracks here, but unfortunately only one song(Lord Knows I’ve Won) from the ‘Charlee’ album. The rest are taken from several of his solo LP’s. Click on ‘Media’ to listen. http://www.walterrossi.net/