Damnation of Adam Blessing
Band members Related acts
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- Ray Benich - bass, backing vocals (1969-71)
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- Glory
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Rating: *** (3 stars) Title: The Damnation of Adam Blessing Company: United Artists Catalog: UAS-6738 Year: 1969 Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+ Comments: minor ring wear Available: 1 Price: $50.00
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Here's a Cleveland, Ohio-based outfit that generated little in the way national attention, or sales during their five year existence, yet some three decades after they called it quits, they seem to have an even bigger following than during their heyday ... Damnation of Adam Blessing (the name apparently inspired by a 1961 Vin Packer novel), came together in 1968. Vocalist William Constable (aka Adam Blessing), bassist Ray Benich, guitarists Bob Kalamasz and Jim Quinn and drummer Bill Schwark had all played in local garage bands, including Society (Quinn) and Dust (Benich, Kalamasz and Schwark). Nearly a year of rehearals and small club dates (frequently opening for The James Gang), brought the band to the attention of several labels, including Stax and United Arists. Signed by United Arists, 1969's "The Damnation of Adam Blessing" was a likeable, if completely unremarkable collection of pop-rock. While tracks such as "Cookbook" and "Dreams" were catchy, sported some nice group harmonies (particularly for a heavy metal band) and probably deserved some attention, the single "Morning Dew" and a "heavy" cover of "Last Train To Clarksville" were the album standouts. Heavy promotion and a series of tours opening for bands such as Alice Cooper, The Faces and Janis Joplin helped the album chart at #. "The Damnation of Adam Blessing" track listing: 1.) Cookbook 2.) Morning Dew 3.) Le' Voyage 4.) You Don't Love Me 5.) Strings & Things 6.) Last Train To Clarksville 7.) Dreams 8.) Hold On 9.) "verdana, arial, helvetica" |
Rating: **** (4 stars) Title: The Second Damnation Company: United Arists Catalog: UAS 6773 Year: 1970 Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+ Comments: minor ring and edge wear; gatefold sleeve Available: 1 Price: $50.00
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Though they sound more confident and comfortable in their studio surroundings, 1970's
"The Second Damnation" isn't a major change in musical direction. Interestingly, while we've seen the sophomore album slammed as pedestrian hard rock, that's a shortsighted
description! Produced by Eric Stevens, there's no denying material such as "No Way", "New York City Woman" and "In the Morning" is '70s hard rock; albeit with some early signs of a social concious ("Money Tree"). That said, on tracks such as "Death of a Virgin", "Driver" and "Everyone" the combination of Blessing's attractive voice (these guys were impeccable harmony singers), Kalamasz and Quinn's dual lead guitars and the band's knack for crafting commercial and catchy melodies allowed Damnation to avoid the molten sludge favored by so many of their contemporaries. Sure, none of the 10 tracks will knock your socks off, but song for song the album's every bit as good as anything released by The Choir, the critically hailed Granicus or even Joe Walsh and the James Gang. Released as a single the churning "Back To the River" b/w "Driver" (United Artists catalog number 50726) just missed the top-100 singles chart. Unfortunately, unlike the debut the sophomore set failed to chart. (The album was originally released with a gatefold sleeve.) "The Second Damnation" track listing: 1.) No Way - 3:17 2.) Death of a Virgin - 3:40 3.) Driver - 3:25 4.) Everyone - 4:10 5.) Back To the River - 5:20 6.) Money Tree - 4:48 7.) Ba-Dup - 3:20 8.) New York City Woman - 5:54 9.) In the Morning - 6:13 10.) Smile - 1:27 |
Rating: *** (3 stars) Title: Which Is the Justice, Which Is the Thief Company: United Artists Catalog: UAS-5533 Year: 1971 Grade (cover/record): Comments: Available: Price:
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With Ken Constable (Blessing's brother), stepping in for original drummer Schwark, the band (now going by the name Damnation), returned with 1971's "Which Is the Justice, Which Is the Thief". Again produced by Stevens, Unfortunately in the face of minimal sales, shortly after the collection's release they apparently called it quits. "Which Is the Justice, Which is the Thief" 1.) Fingers On A Windmill 2.) We Don't Need It 3.) Easy Come Easy Go 4.) Running Away 5.) Turned To Stone 6.) Please Stay Mine 7.) Sometimes I Feel Like I Can't Go On 8.) Leaving It Up To You 9.) Sweet Dream Lady Having lost faith in United Artists and with the loss of namesake Blessing, the band metamophised into Glory (see separate entry). In May 2000 the Italian Akarma label released a Damnation of Adam Blessing boxed set. "From Damnation To Salvation" pulled together the band's first three albums (50 tracks), along with an extensive biography and a large sovenir poster. "From Damnation To Salvation" track listing: Four months later, after a 28 year hiatus, the band reunited for a performance at the Cleveland Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. http://www.ugly-things.com/index.html http://hometown.aol.com/jq12246/myhomepage/tunes.html
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