Just Like Jack

Peter Lewis was a founding member of one of the most original and influential West Coast bands of the 1960s, Moby Grape whose classic eponymous debut album was released, can you believe it, 50 years ago on 6th June 1967. The Grape had it all – bags of charisma, fabulous singers, insightful songsmiths and an electrifying three-way guitar sound that might have turned them into California's greatest band had everything not all gone so sour, so quickly in the wake of its release. In honour of this momentous anniversary, Shagrat Records are proud to be releasing the second solo studio album by Peter. We think it's easily his most accomplished set to date showcasing 10 of his most recent songs, which reveal a quality and brilliance on par with some of those classic songs he composed for Moby Grape such as 'Sitting by the Window', 'I am Not Willing', 'He' and 'Horse Out in the Rain' all those years ago. Peter plays six and 12 string guitars and harmonica and the good news is that deep warm baritone voice of his has not diminished with age – it sounds as rich and haunting as it did during the Grape's halcyon days! Recorded in Austin, Texas over the past few years, Lewis is sympathetically backed by some of that city's finest musical sons, bassist Layton DePenning, and (Roky Erickson) and the Explosives' guitarist Cam King and drummer Freddie Krc who co-produced the record with Peter. Close in sound to the stripped-back atmosphere of Moby Grape 69 and with a warm backwoods intimacy that recalls the likes of Gene Parsons' Kindling we think fans will agree that this is the record we always hoped Peter would make. The LP runs a gamut of styles, from folk blues and country to a couple of feisty work-outs, 'Survivor' and 'Last Chance' – and anyone who is familiar with 'Fall on You', will recognise that Mr Lewis can always be relied upon to deliver the goods when it comes to rocking out. The album's mood ranges from Peter's hallmark melancholia and world weariness in songs like 'To the Hearse' and 'When' to the upbeat title track and the downright humorous, the tongue-in-cheek 'Valley Music Festival' which tells the tale of an incident which befell Peter and friends at a Neil Young concert some years ago. However the stand-out cut has to be 'Sailing', a song which goes back far in the mists of time to the era immediately after fellow band mate Skip Spence released his solo masterwork, Oar. Nothing more than a fragment back then, Peter worked on the song with Skip whilst he was still alive, adding a bridge and additional lyrics to create something mynd-blowingly special. The shimmering electric 12-string playing on this cut with its psychedelic raga-undertone will send the proverbial shiver down your spine! A must-have for Grape aficionados and lovers of off-beat Americana, this UK release is a vinyl-only run of 500 copies. Artwork is by John Hurford, photographs by Henry Diltz, Heather Harris, and Peter's daughter Arwen. The inner sleeve features an extensive essay by Rolling Stone senior writer and long-time fan, David Fricke giving an in-depth overview of Peter's musical endeavours outside of the Grape's own fascinating history.