The unfairly misunderstood band from St. Louis, Pavlov’s Dog, only released several albums before calling it a day back in the ’70s. The first album, Pampered Menial (1975), was an excellent display of unique progressive Rock. With an even more unique vocal presentation by David Surkamp, the band had my attention the first time I heard them on an FM station (most likely WXRT/Chicago). They certainly were a refreshing difference using violins, flutes, mellotron, the conventional guitars, bass, drums, and a set of various stringed instruments.
Unfortunately, after the release of their second LP, At The Sound Of The Bell, the band collapsed due to uneven album sales. A third album had been recorded but not released until many years later. Named Has Anyone Here Seen Sigfried?, the album was a brilliant display of musical goodness, from first track to the last.
Recently discovered, however, were tapes recorded in Pekin, IL at a studio that had burned to the ground, thus giving credence to the belief that the tapes had been lost to the fire. The tapes were recorded several years before the release of Pampered Menial in 1973. In fact, Pavlov’s Dog was signed by ABC Records on the strength of The Pekin Tapes despite the fact that ABC sent them back into the studio to record anew. The Pekin Tapes, discovered this year (2014), some forty years after their creation (and not lost to the fire after all), will now be made available to fans.
The Pekin Tapes will be released on January 20 via Rockville Records, and will feature not only the original ten recorded tracks, but also four demos. If you were a Pavlov’s Dog fan, then this news should set you to salivating.
Went to school with David. Been a Pavlov’s fan since then. Really looking forward to this.
Agreed!