Imagine you’re a local band from say….Upstate New York. You’ve been kicking around Syracuse’s area clubs and bars creating unique hard driving rock and roll with a slant of psychedelia. You’ve even released a full length, self-titled, Rick Rubin produced album. The album is critically acclaimed in most publications. Even Rolling Stone gives the album three out of five stars.

YOU ARE ON YOUR WAY!

Then nobody buys it. Radio stations have no idea what to do with you. You’re a little bit blues, a little bit hard rock, a little bit psychedelic. You just aren’t Top 40 single material. The live shows continue to grow. Bigger and bigger bands ask you to open for them. You are a pioneer of STONER ROCK!

AND YOU GO NOWHERE!

Your drummer quits.

Short lived career. Just another story of two local boys who almost made it.

“Wait a minute boys don’t give up so easily! I think you’re great! I’ll be your drummer.”

“Well can ya’ play?”

“A little….I was in this band back in the 60’s. We did a couple albums.””

“Oh yeah…”

“Yeah.”

“What band was that?”

“Cream.”

“Bullshit!”

“Can I show ya?…..”

Now I’m sure that is not how Ginger Baker wound up playing drums on “Sunrise on the Sufferbus,” but it is the way I’d like to imagine it.

I discovered Masters of Reality quite by accident.

I found “Sunrise on the Sufferbus” buried at the bottom of a cardboard box that sat atop a metal folding table in someone’s front yard along the Mile Long Yard Sale in Lawrenceville, PA. The finest rummage sale/yard sale/garage sale find of my life!

I just realized today that I’ve been listening to this CD for nearly twenty freakin’ years! WOW!

It still sounds fresh, exciting, innovative, and just plain FUN. The drum work: Brilliant. Turns out it’s Ginger Baker. Yeah.THAT Ginger Baker.

With a couple dudes from Syracuse. Pretty sweet.

Do yourself a HU-GANTIC favor. Get a copy in your preferred format, crank it up, light it up, and enjoy 46 minutes of pure rock and roll joy.

Published by rbtaleman

Heavy metal (fiend/friend?) Writer, frustrat(or), frustrat(ee), decorated U.S. Navy veteran, Husband(twice), father(three times), grandfather(of seven), FM radio veteran, Concertgoer, music collector, muscle car aficianado. Grown up since five. Child since 45. View all posts by rbtaleman