Conqueroo - From The Vulcan Gas Company (1987) Lossless

The Conqueroo line-up consisted of: Charlie Prichard (lead guitar, bass and vocals), Ed Guinn (bass, keyboards, woodwind, vocals), Tom Bright (drums), Bill Carr (vocals, harmonica) and Wally Stopher (rhythm guitar and keyboards). The band was initially led by singer/guitarist and songwriter Powell St John, however he left before the band took off and was replaced in October 1966 by rhythm guitarist and vocalist Bob Brown. Drummer Daryl Rutherford replaced Tom Bright for a series of recordings the Conqueroo made at the Vulcan in their home town of Austin, Texas in 1968; he in turn was subsequently replaced by Gerry Storm - and when the band recorded 4 songs at Pacific High Studios on San Francisco, drummer Alvin Sykes deputised.

The band released one 45 on Bill Josey’s Sonobeat label, ‘1 to 3’ b/w ‘I’ve Got Time’. The record featured a full-colour picture sleeve designed by the legendary Gilbert Shelton. A compilation LP entitled ‘From The Vulcan Gas Company’ was released in England on the 5 Hours Back label (part of Pete Flanagan’s Zippo Records group) in 1987 which featured, in addition to ‘1 to 3’ and ‘I’ve Got Time’, four other songs recorded at the Vulcan at different times, and three of the 4 songs recorded in San Francisco. Members of the Conqueroo also feature on a Gilbert Shelton Ensemble 45 released on ESP Records in 1968, and can be heard jamming with the 13th Floor Elevators in 1967 on ‘She Lives’ (Texas Archive Recordings, 1985)