Gandalf The Barracuda Gandalf 2 us Psychedelia 1967 69
Gandalf (The Barracuda) - Gandalf 2 (us Psychedelia 1967-69)
The exotic, mindbending sounds of Gandalf have long been one of the great lost treasures of the
first psychedelic era. Featuring the breathy vocals and lysergic guitar of Peter Sando, the
band’s only album, a delight from start to finish, has generated a fervent demand for more of
the same. Gandalf 2, is a return trip to the band’s garden of earthly delights. A thorough
search of Sando’s tape vault revealed a fabulous stash of spellbinding demos and acetates,
unheard for decades!
Not really the second album from legendary late 60s psyche group Gandalf, but a well-done
collection of unreleased material and rarities -- finally released to whet the appetites of
anyone wanting more! The first Gandalf album is a masterpiece in brooding psychedelia -
- surprisingly gentle compared to most of its contemporaries, but with a depth that’s really
amazing -- and these other recordings follow in a very similar spirit, but offer a much wider
spectrum in sound! Some tracks are slightly folksy, some harder rocking, others a bit sweet -
- yet the music is all pretty unified, thanks to the breathy vocals and hypnotic guitar of
leader Peter Sando. Almost all of the titles are previously unreleased -- and tracks include
“Bird In The Hand“, “Days Are Only Here & Gone“, “Smokey Topaz“, “Ladyfingers“, “No Earth Can
Be Won“, “Over This Table“, “Dance At St Francis“, and “Julie“ -- plus a few demos and live
tracks too!
Tracklist
1 –Gandalf (3) Bird In The Hand
Backing Vocals [Background Vocals] – Bob Jenkins, Bob Muller
3:55
2 –Gandalf (3) Days Are Only Here And Gone
Drums – C.J. Allen
3:31
3 –Gandalf (3) Smokey Topaz
Harmonica – Peter Sando
3:03
4 –The Barracuda Ladyfingers
Instruments [All] – The Magicians
Written-By – Gordon*, Bonner*
2:28
5 –Gandalf (3) No Earth Can Be Won 4:16
6 –Gandalf (3) Bad Dream (Demo)
Organ – Peter Sando
2:58
7 –Gandalf (3) I Won’t Cry No More
Drums – Bruce Stewart (3)
Performer [Arp] – Peter Sando
3:10
8 –The Barracuda The Dance At St. Francis
Arranged By [Orchestra] – LeRoy Glover*
Backing Vocals [Background Vocals] – Alan Gordon, Garry Bonner, Peter Sando
Written-By – Gordon*, Bonner*
2:18
9 –The Barracuda Julie (The Song I Sing Is You)
Backing Vocals [Background Vocals] – Alan Gordon, Garry Bonner, Peter Sando
Written-By – Gordon*, Bonner*
2:52
10 –Gandalf (3) Over This Table
Instruments [All] – Peter Sando
3:18
11 –Gandalf (3) Golden Earrings (Demo)
Organ – Frank Hubach
Written-By – Livingston*, Evans*, Young*
6:09
12 –Gandalf (3) Tears Of Ages (Live)
Backing Vocals [Background Vocals] – Bob Muller, Peter Sando
2:59
13 –Gandalf (3) Downbound Train (Live)
Arranged By – Peter Sando
Written-By – Berry*
6:43
Credits
Artwork By [Cover Drawing] – Blossom
Artwork By [Design] – Eric Schou
Bass – Bob Muller (tracks: 6, 7, 11 to 13), Russ Savakus (tracks: 8, 9)
Bass [Acoustic] – Joe Delia (tracks: 2, 5)
Drums – Bryan Post (tracks: 1, 5, 6, 13), Dave Bauer (tracks: 9, 11, 12)
Flute – Terry Eaton (tracks: 1, 2, 5)
Guitar – Peter Sando (tracks: 1 to 3, 5 to 9, 11 to 13)
Lead Vocals, Other [Liner Notes] – Peter Sando
Mastered By – Bob Irwin
Other [Production Coordinator] – Stephanie Kennedy
Other [Project Manager] – Jayme Pieruzzi, Tim Livingston
Piano – Frank Hubach (tracks: 12, 13)
Written-By – Peter Sando (tracks: 1 to 3, 5 to 7, 10, 12)
Notes
Recorded 1968-1971.
All tracks previously unreleased except for tracks 4, 8 & 9.
New York’s Gandalf was one of the more original bands of the first wave of American psychedelic
music. Their first and only album, GANDALF, recorded for Capitol in 1969, has become such a
retro hit among record collectors that the folks at Sundazed Records went about finding some
unreleased demos and other rarities to release as GANDALF 2. Subtle folk guitar picking, flutes,
and the occasional bluesy turn complement the more rocking elements, and make for a cohesive and
satisfying full-length album in its own right.
NO EARTH CAN BE WON
(Peter Sando) © Sandbag Music
Theres a toy in the field It turns to rust
There’s a boy at the wheel Dust to dust
Well it won’t be a war
that makes us free
You won’t need no lock on your door
when understanding is the key
No earth can be won
If you just take what you need
and give when you can
you’ll be planting the seed
of love of land
No earth can be won
Now your nation may rise
But the night will fall
There’s a full moon in the sky
and you can see it all
The wind and the rain
The land and the sea
The pleasure and pain
You and me
No earth can be won