ILLINOIS SPEED PRESS - First album 1969 (Columbia CS 9792)

(Under Request#November.2.2007)

This Chicago-based quintet was formed in February 1968 by Paul Cotton (later Joined in a group called POCO!)and featured colleague Mike Anthony, whom Cotton had played with in another significant Chicago outfit, The Rovin' Kind, and Kal David, another important Chicago musician, after his spell in H.P. Lovecraft. The songs on their albums ranged from hard rock to more mainstream rock with country influences and from blues towards folk-rock, very often with psychedelic references and some fine fuzz guitars.

The first album met with some commercial success, peaking at No 144 in the Album Charts during 1969. Duet failed to consolidate on this and the band, by now based in California, went their separate ways in late 1971.David went on to play for Fabulous Rhinestones and Cotton to Poco, who were to become flagbearers for the country-rock movement. Earlier Fred Page had left for California where he played for various L.A.-based bands. (continued)