Happy Trails Quicksilver Messenger Service

• 1Who Do You Love (Part 1)03:32
• 2When You Love05:15
• 3Where You Love06:07
• 4How You Love02:46
• 5Which Do You Love01:49
• 6Who Do You Love (Part 2)05:51
• 7Mona07:01
• 8Maiden Of The Cancer Moon02:53
• 9Calvary13:28
• 10Happy Trails01:31
• Total Runtime50:13

Info for Happy Trails

Possibly the best live album to come out of psychedelic San Francisco, with epic re-workings of Bo Diddley's Who Do You Love and Mona. John Cipollina rules! If the quintessential San Francisco Sound is defined by lengthy improvised guitar-work and near-telepathic interplay, then „Happy Trails“ crystallizes the genre on record. Extemporizing mightily two Bo Diddley songs ('Who Do You Love' and 'Mona,' the quartet introduces new realms of expression to rock music.

Guitarists John Cipollina and Gary Duncan offer contrasting textures and sound, goading each other to greater heights. Largely recorded live in concert, „Happy Trails“ encapsulates an era of experimentation, employing images that embodied the outlaw chic of the hippie subculture. Its strengths are not, however, bound to that era; the album's mesmerizing power remains as true as ever. The George Hunter cover painting is also indispensable.

'...It begins with an entire side dedictated to Bo Diddley's `Who Do You Love,' superbly recorded at the Fillmores East and West...a beautiful example of the kind of communication rock'n'roll is all about...' (Greil Marcus, Rolling Stone)

John Cipollina, guitar, vocals
Gary Duncan, guitar, vocals
Greg Elmore, drums, percussion, vocals
David Freiberg, bass, piano, vocals

Digitally remastered

Ranked #44 in Rolling Stone's '50 Coolest Records'
Ranked #189 in Rolling Stone's 'The 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time'

Quicksilver Messenger Service
John Cipollina, Greg Elmore, David Freiberg, Gary Duncan, and Jim Murray were the founding members of the San Francisco psychedelic rock band known as Quicksilver Messenger Service. During the 1960's, Quicksilver Messenger Service was one of the most popular and well respected bands playing in the acid rock scene. The band played alongside the other top legendary San Francisco bands such as Janis Joplin with Big Brother and the Holding Company, Jefferson Airplane, the Grateful Dead, and many other great acts.

Quicksilver Messenger Service was a San Francisco dance hall band that made it's mark through live performances. Their concerts included performing in the San Francisco area at the Winterland, the Fillmore, the Avalon Ballroom, the Matrix, and the famous Monterey Pop Festival in 1967. Bill Graham, a famous music promoter, was a big fan of John's guitar playing and helped to promote the music of Quicksilver Messenger Service at venues across the country.

Shady GroveAlthough Quicksilver Messenger Service released many albums, John was mainly involved with the first three releases. These three albums are some of the great masterpieces of the San Francisco acid rock era. The first two albums relied heavily on the dual guitar work of John Cipollina and Gary Duncan, the bass playing of David Freiberg, and drumming of Greg Elmore. (Jim Murray quit the band before they started recording.) The self titled debut album was a studio version of the Quicksilver Messenger Service sound, followed by the "Happy Trails" live album. The third album was made without Gary Duncan, and featured Nicky Hopkins on Keyboards. While on break from recording and touring with the Rolling Stones, Nicky joined Greg Elmore, David Freiberg, and John to record a musical masterpiece titled "Shady Grove".

After Shady Grove, John began to develop his own band known as "Copperhead" and spent less time working on projects with Quicksilver Messenger Service. He continued to work with Greg Elmore, David Freiberg, Gary Duncan, Dino Valenti, and others on Quicksilver Messenger Service projects during the 1970s.

This album contains no booklet.