Natural Gas Library
compiled by Tom Brennan
last updated: November 14, 2009
Chronology of Natural Gas events:
May, 1975: Joey joins with Mark Clarke and Jerry Shirley in London
August, 1975: The name of the group is set ("a natural gas"); rehearsal at Headley Grange, Hampshire; added keyboardist David Kaffinetti (Rare Bird); demo recorded in London which is rejected by A&M Records and others
September, 1975: Peter Wood replaces David Kaffinetti
Fall, 1975: Group relocates to Los Angeles
November 28, 1975: Joey signs his release from Badfinger in order to sign with Natural Gas
December, 1975: Mal Evans produces a few demos for Natural Gas
Late December, 1975: Mal Evans asks for too much money and is rejected as producer for Natural Gas' first LP
January, 1976: Mal Evans is accidentally killed by police at his girlfriend's apartment in L.A.; Natural Gas signs with Private Stock Records; Felix Pappalardi is hired as record producer by the suggestion of Private Stock's president
February, 1976: Natural Gas' first LP is recorded in 17 days at Crystal Sound Recording in L.A. The group is not allowed to be present during mixing and complains about how the final mixes turn out
May 29, 1976: Natural Gas' first LP is released on Private Stock Records; Jerry Shirley is asked by Peter Frampton if the band want to support him on his "Frampton Comes Alive" tour of the U.S.A.
June-August, 1976: Various reviews appear of Natural Gas' first LP.
July-September, 1976: Natural Gas' tours the U.S.A. as an opening act playing a set that's typically 35 minutes long, with the occasional encore of the Beatles' "Birthday" for the Bicentennial of America. In August, they support "Yes' in the mid-west U.S.A.
November, 1976: Because of various personal problems and after Mark, Jerry and Peter decide to relocate to New York City and Joey remains in Los Angeles, the group decides to breakup.
research by Dan Matovina
Natural Gas is:
Mark Clarke (Colosseum, Uriah Heep): bass and vocals
Joey Molland (Gary Walker & The Rain, Badfinger): guitar and vocals
Jerry Shirley (Humble Pie): drums
Peter Wood (The Spectrum, The Sutherland Brothers & Quiver a.k.a. SBQ): keyboards.
produced by:
Felix Pappalardi (Mountain & Cream)
photography by:
David Alexander
dedicated to:
Mal Evans
Natural Gas CD released: June 16, 2009 [Renaissance press release]
Label: Renaissance Records (USA)
Item Number: RNS801732
CD Track listing:
1. Little Darlin'
2. Once Again, A Love Song
3. You Can Do It
4. I've Been Waitin'
5. I Believe It's Love
6. The Right Time
7. Christmas Song
8. Miracle Mile
9. Dark Cloud
10. St. Louis Blues
Bonus Tracks
11. Christmas Song [rehearsal]
12. Little Darlin' [demo]
13. Christmas Song [demo]
CD Review by Tom Brennan (11/14/09):
This CD release is way overdue, but is unfortunately a major disappointment. The sound on the original LP had a lot of depth but the sound on this CD release is compressed, flat, tinny and lifeless. Whoever remastered this made a very big mistake and ruined what is a very enjoyable album by making it unlistenable. After hearing this CD for the first time, I immediately went running for the CD rip I made of the original LP. The addition of the demos was a nice gesture, but it would have been nice to have all of them or at least more of them. I don't understand the decision to include a 3rd version of "The Christmas Song" (the rehearsal/soundcheck version) rather than including the demo of "The Right Time". Who wants to listen to the same song 3 times on the same disc every time you play the CD? The packaging is as equally disappointing as the sound quality of the music. The original LP cover had a shiny, silver colored logo on the front, but for the CD, it looks like someone tried to scan it and it came out so dark that you can hardly read it. The back cover is too dark also. The overall impression I get from looking at this CD is that very little money and effort was put into its production. The artwork looks like all of it was scanned from the original LP cover and scaled down to CD size, rendering most of the lyrics and back cover listings on the booklet virtually unreadable without a microscope! Bottom line for this CD reissue is avoid it all costs and seek out a copy of the original LP if you want to hear this music with any bass... and hope the album gets remastered the right way sometime in the near future.
Natural Gas studio recordings:
Little Darlin' [demo] (Joey & Kathie Molland) [2:58]
Once Again (A Love Song) [demo] (Joey Molland)
The Right Time [demo] (Mark Clarke) [3:09]
The Christmas Song [demo] (Joey Molland) [4:37]
Dark Cloud [demo] (Joey Molland)
St. Louis Blues [demo] (Mark Clarke)
Little Darlin' (Joey & Kathie Molland) [3:09]; vocals: Joey & Mark
Once Again (A Love Song) (Joey Molland) [3:59]; vocals: Joey & Mark
You Can Do It (Peter Wood & Mark Clarke) [2:56]; vocals: Mark & Felix
I've Been Waitin' (Joey Molland) [3:19]; vocals: Joey & Mark
I Believe It's Love (Jerry Shirley & Joey Molland) [4:04]; vocal: Mark
The Right Time (Mark Clarke) [3:50]; vocals: Mark & Joey
The Christmas Song (Joey Molland) [5:02]; vocals: Joey & Mark
Miracle Mile (Mark Clarke) [2:43]; vocals: Joey & Mark
Dark Cloud (Joey Molland) [3:02]; vocals: Joey & Mark
St. Louis Blues (Mark Clarke) [3:32]; vocal: Mark
U.S. promo (sampler) EP on Private Stock Records (PSS 1)
SIDE 1
The Right Time
I Believe It's Love
SIDE 2
You Can Do It
I've Been Waitin'
Live recordings:
The Christmas Song [unknown soundcheck (Grand Rapids?)] (4:49)
Colt Park, Hartford, CT, July 1, 1976
Wolman Rink, New York City, NY, July 2, 1976
Municipal Auditorium, Mobile, AL, July 3, 1976
Speedway, Nashville, TN, July 4, 1976
Ford Auditorium, Detroit, MI, July 8, 1976
Rich Stadium, Buffalo, NY, July 10, 1976
Luis Trotto: "They played the songs off their LP with the
exception of 'Christmas Song' and 'Once Again (A Love Song)' (the two slow songs).
I remember Joey jumping and running around as he played, quite different
than Badfinger. As an encore for the Bicentennial, they played the
Beatles' 'Birthday' and messed it up a little."
Electric Ballroom, Atlanta, GA, July 16, 1976
Electric Ballroom, Atlanta, GA, July 17, 1976
Kiel Auditorium, St. Louis, MO, July 23, 1976
Royal Stadium, Kansas City, MO, July 24, 1976
Fairgrounds, Tulsa, OK, July 25, 1976
Colisseum, Jackson, MS, July 27, 1976
Civic Center, Dawson, AL, July 29, 1976
Warehouse, New Orleans, LA, July 31, 1976
Springfield, MA, August 6, 1976
Cape Cod, MA, August 7, 1976
Cape Cod, MA, August 8, 1976
Gardens, Louisville, KY, August 12, 1976
Grand Valley State College, Grand Rapids, MI, August 14, 1976 (opening for Peter Frampton)
I've Been Waitin' (incomplete) {Joey Molland} [1:09]
Little Darlin' {Joey & Kathie Molland} [3:32]
Dark Cloud {Joey Molland) [2:59]
You Can Do It {Peter Wood & Mark Clarke} [4:30]
The Christmas Song {Joey Molland) [5:08]
Miracle Mile {Mark Clarke) [3:19]
St. Louis Blues {Mark Clarke) [4:51]
The Right Time {Mark Clarke) [6:57]
band introductions [0:55]
encore:
Birthday {John Lennon & Paul McCartney} [3:46]
Sportsman Park, Stickney, IL, August 15, 1976
Arena, Milwaukee, WI, August 16, 1976 (opening for Yes)
Cobo Hall, Detroit, MI, August 17, 1976 (opening for Yes)
Cobo Hall, Detroit, MI, August 18, 1976 (opening for Yes)
Cobo Hall, Detroit, MI, August 19, 1976 (opening for Yes)
Sports Arena, Toledo, OH, August 20, 1976 (opening for Yes)
Coliseum, Richfield, OH, August 21, 1976 (opening for Yes)
Little Darlin' {Joey & Kathie Molland} [3:09]
encore:
Birthday {John Lennon & Paul McCartney} [2:37]
interviews in dressing room conducted during the beginning of the Yes concert [34:22]
Coliseum, Fort Wayne, IN, August 22, 1976 (opening for Yes)
Wichita, KS, August 27, 1976
Civic Auditorium, Omaha, NE, August 28, 1976
_________ Stadium, Denver, CO, August 29, 1976
Palace, Salt Lake City, UT, August 30, 1976
I've Been Waitin' (incomplete) {Joey Molland} [2:36]
Little Darlin' {Joey & Kathie Molland} [3:25]
Dark Cloud {Joey Molland) [3:09]
You Can Do It {Peter Wood & Mark Clarke} [4:54]
Miracle Mile {Mark Clarke) [2:59]
The Right Time {Mark Clarke) [6:45]
outro [0:40]
UT, September 6, 1976
portraits by:
Kosh
Joey Molland Library
other solo Badfinger pages:
Pete Ham Tom Evans Mike Gibbins Bob Jackson Ron Griffiths The Dodgers