Stray Dog — Fasten Your Seat Belts 1973 (USA, Hard, Blues Rock)

Stray Dog — Fasten Your Seat Belts 1973 (USA, Hard, Blues Rock)

Chronologically, the band's second album is a collection of alternate versions of the debut, live performances, and unreleased tracks. Produced by Greg Lake.Stray Dog started their journey in 1968 (under the name Aphrodite) Originally formed in Texas from there they moved to Denver, Colorado, they became very popular with the audience's in Denver, playing a southern blues-rock style and giggin' in the midwest led by veteran vocalist/guitarist William Garrett "Snuffy" Waldren, bassist/vocalist Alan Roberts and Randy Reeder on drums for five years.

While playing in a Denver club in 1973, Emerson, Lake and Palmer were also playing in town and so the story goes Greg Lake(or his manager) Neville Chesters walked in the club and saw the band playing and signed them to ELP's newly formed label, Manticore. The deal was signed and part of the contract was that the band fly over to the U.K. as soon as possible and start recording. Drummer Randy Reeder stayed behind and was replaced by Lee Sampson who played with the proto-metal power trio, Noel Redding's Road.

Stray Dog's self-titled album was cut in a few short weeks in 1973 with Greg Lake producing the album as it was basically ignored by fans and critics called it mindless heavy metal. The band went on tour with ELP in Europe and the U.S. Thick, well oiled blues rock with a metallic groovey glam rock sheen with the Texas swagger of boogie similar to that of Bedlam, Tucky Buzzard and hard sonic sound of Neil Merryweather's Space Rangers. Proto- awesomeness!

There are some very bright spots here - ''Tramp'' has a wicked bass part non-stop thorughout and the drummer clearly could have played in most prog-bands of the time - but it is primarilly power-trio rock (bass, guitar, drums) built off a blues root. This song will rock your socks off and definately feels longer than 5:32.

''You Know'' suffers from a muddy recording but is essentially a continuation of power trio rock - with the constant movement in the bass line reminding me of the kind of stuff Thin Lizzy was up to on Bad Reputation.

"The Journey" is closest to what you may call proggy as it is more then 10 minutes long and goes through a number of changes musically speaking. 01. How It Is (The Sacred Mix) - 0:00

02. Tramp (Fat & Sassy Mix) - 2:30

03. You Know - 7:59

04. Crazy (‘Bout To Lose My Mind Mix) – 11:48

05. The Journey - 17:01

06. Drive My Car - 27:35

07. Tramp (Live) - 31:00

08. Dog's Blues (Live) - 38:14


Personnel:

WG "Snuffy" Walden (William Garrett Walden) - guitars, vocals
Al (Alan) Roberts - bass, keyboards, vocals
Les (Leslie) Sampson – drums, percussion
+
Mel Collins - flute (05)
John "Rabbit" Bundrick - piano & organ (05)
Greg Lake — producer (01-06)

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