Tommy Bolin ascended the Rock ladder in a flash. With his previous bands being Deep Purple, James Gang, his originating band, Zephyr, and his inclusion in the Billy Cobham band, Tommy Bolin had no problem with proving that his guitar playing and stage presence were extraordinary. And so it was. During his brief span, he endeared a wealth of fans with his solo works that include Teaser (1975, Nemperor), and his big label released second solo album, the well-received Private Eyes (1976, Columbia).
But before he could attain any height in his career, Tommy Bolin died of a heroin overdose complicated by use of alcohol, and barbiturates. His death occurred on the eve of a support show for Jeff Beck after the fact (December 4, 1976). Like Paul Kossoff before him, Tommy Bolin left behind a legion of new fans, all prepared to bestow upon him the title of greatest guitar player. It’s unfortunate that we will never know where Bolin could have ended up.
Nevertheless, Bolin left behind a small wealth of recorded materials including music that he was working on for his third solo effort. And this is where LA-based Cleopatra Records intended to fill the gaps. On August 13, on a Cleopatra Records subsidiary label, Purple Pyramid Records, a 2CD collection of rarities will be released with plenty of Bolin goodness that fans will think it’s Christmas.
The 2CD set is named Whirlwind, and will contain eighteen tracks in all. These songs run the gamut from a smoking 26-minute original of “Marching Bag” heard on Teaser as “Marching Powder”, several instrumental versions that include “Wild Dogs” from Teaser, and a wild collection of Bolin tracks that were destined for album number three.
There are three versions of Whirlwind coming to the marketplace. The most desirable will be, of course, the 2CD Box that adds in four color postcards, a Bolin signature guitar pick, and collectible patch and pin. The Deluxe Edition is only available as a Limited Edition run of 1000 only. Otherwise, there is the standard, swag-free 8-panel digipak 2CD edition, and a 2LP gate-fold vinyl set to complete the issue.
Whirlwind
Disc One
1. Cucumber Jam
2. Heartlight
3. Hoka-Hay!
4. Don t Worry Bout Cash (Acoustic Version)
5. San Francisco River
6. Rock-A-Bye Dreamer
7. Dungeon
8. Alexis
9. Gotta Dance (Take 2)
10. Spanish Lover (Instrumental Version)
11. Sooner Or Later
Disc Two
1. Red Skies (Instrumental Version)
2. Way It s Always Been
3. Sleepwalker (Instrumental Version)
4. Leave Other People Alone
5. Marching Bag (26 Minute Original Version)
6. Wild Dogs (Acoustic Version)
7. From Another Time