This group was formed in Wales in 1970 around Ralph Evans (guitar and vocals), Ricky John Holt (bass and vocals), Bob "Congo" Jones (drums) and Dai Shell (guitar). Most of these musicians have evolved in small clubs and cabaret Caerphilly area, small corn nearby Cardiff. But some already had experience in groups more or less in order. Thus, Bob Jones was a former Love Sculpture and Ralph Evans played in The Sect Maniacs (later Amen Corner). After several years of hard work that the group puts his hand on his vocalist, a singer named Terry Bennett , who came straight from the group Exit , training for less obscure. Sassafras (whose name comes from the title of the album "Hot Smoke and Sassafras" an excellent heavy psych band Bubble Puppy Texas, published in 1969), makes its way to the famous AIR Studios George Martin with his manager Carl Leighton-Pope, who had already allowed the group to record demos in his own studio. Released in 1973 the album "Expecting company" is full of promises. Besides the interesting cover (including the now ultra-rare edition offered a 3D picture), this drive traverses paths between heavy boogie to the Status Quo ( "Electric chair" , "The goose laid the golden egg That" ), country Southern folk happy ( "Busted country blues" ) and more progressive incidents marred by Celticism ( "Expecting company / Meanwhile back in Merthyr" ). Note also excellent guitar parts on "School Days" , not the resumption of Chuck Berry but an original piece that highlights the qualities of both guitarists Ralph Evans and Dai Shell, who loved to indulge in duets guitars how to Wishbone Ash. Despite having met a lot of fans through this first disc and having performed well on stage (including touring with Stackridge, Black Oak Arkansas, Fleetwood Mac and Ten Years After), Sassafras fails to get noticed by a wider audience. Some departures occur (Bob Jones, replaced by Chris Shirley , Ricky John Holt, replaced by Steve Finn , a former group Universe ) but the band gets by Chrysalis for two more albums, "Whealin 'and dealin'" (1975 ) and "Riding High" (1976), who sees returning veterans Ricky John Holt and Bob Jones. Bennett eventually left to join the group and Sassafras Kracatoa keep running constantly in the 70s, even into Eastern Europe. After parted for good, Sassafras had a reunion in 2000, embodied in an album recorded in his stronghold of Cardiff live. Now they are going about various occupations mainly dedicated to music but Sassafras never lost the little that he has acquired from dedicated though few fans. Esoteric Recordings reissue pays tribute to this friendly training with the first album "Expecting company" , with bonus rare 45s "Oh do not it make you want to cry / Kansas City wine" .
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