INTERVIEW WITH ED GALLAGHER OF GRASSFIRE

 

GRASSFIRE – ’SMELL OF INCENSE’ / ’AUNT MORLEY’S WHEATCAKES’ (STEAMBOAT) 1969

I don’t know anything about Grassfire that I can say with accuracy. The buyer who sold me this 45 said that they were from Minnesota. However, the u-spaces group compiled ’Aunt Morley’s Wheatcakes’ on Psychedelic Arch Volume 7 and they claimed that the disc had a 1970 release and that Grassfire were from Superior, Wisconsin.

Hmmn, so if anyone out there knows for sure get in touch.

’Smell Of Incense’ is an even slower take than the original by West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band and less bombastic than the Southwest F.O.B. cover. I dig the cool guitar sound that Grassfire have laid down giving the song an acid psych touch.

The other side ’Aunt Morley’s Wheatcakes’ is rather a silly song title for an excellent psychedelic rocker. The song title conjures up some kind of twee pop psycher but it’s not. This side really rocks out in a late sixties kinda way. Cool stuff all round.

UPDATES:

Since I wrote my record review I have been in contact with Grassfire drummer Ed Gallagher. I sent Ed a load of questions but he never got back to me, he did however, send me this promo photograph of the group.

Many good questions and it’s going to take me a while to answer all of them, so please be patient.  I will contact the rest of them to make sure I get the picture correct from you.  It definitely was a surprise to see the record on the internet after 40+ years and especially hitting England.  We have all been bussing about it and thank you for that. 

We had a reunion 3 years ago, it was a great band at the time.  Our name to fame was our song selector Bob Peterson who was a music collector in the 60’s.    He would go to radio stations and pick up albums the DJ’s didn’t want, such as Hendricks, Led Zepplin, Cream, Deep Purple and he would talk us into learning them.  When those bands finally became big in the Twin Ports (Superior/Duluth area) we were instant stars because were playing their music live months prior to them being played on the radio. 

Needless to say, we were hot and we  were the only band in the area that had full time rodies who were ex-musicians who would set-up, tune and tear down and haul are equipment.  It was truly a fun group.  I will get back to you once I compiled the information unless you want a little at a time. 

THE BAND CONSISTED OF:

Bill Forseth – lead guitar
Roger Lynn – Bass
Gary Lynn – Keyboards
Jerry Edwards – Vocal
Ed Gallagher – Drums.

One last note “Aunt Morley’s Wheatcakes” was the original A-Side and Smell of Incense was our B-side.  We decided to put each members name on the record, therefore, all five of us is mentioned.  Dave Zimmerman came along and mixed the record for us and we all felt he didn’t do the song justice,  But that’s another story in itself.  Thanks for your interest. Ed

He is my father, Jerry Vernon Edwards. He and his band mates grew up in Duluth, MN and Superior,

Hello all – Bill Forseth here. I wrote the music for Grassfire originals, and Jerry wrote the words. Wheatcakes was recorded in a one-day session, and when it was over we were given a thousand copies of the 45. If anyone has an original, I’d say it’s rare indeed. Except for a 5 year hiatus I played in bands from the mid-60’s up until the late 80’s, when I gave it up and went back to school. Even continued to play when, like many, I sobered up. Bill