Significant in Quicksilver's development was the almost immediate arrest and imprisonment of Valenti for a drugs offence. He did not rejoin the band until late 1969. In 1965, the line-up was strengthened by the arrival of guitarist Gary Duncan and, replacing Sonoban, Greg Elmore.
They debuted at the end of '65 and played around the Bay Area and then the West Coast for the next two years, building up a large following, but resisting offers to record that had been taken up by such San Francisco acid-rock colleagues as Jefferson Airplane and the Grateful Dead.
Quicksilver finally signed to Capitol toward the end of 1967 and recorded their self-titled debut album in 1968. Jim Murray departed soon after their well-received appearance at the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967.
The quartet of Cipollina, Duncan, Elmore and Freiberg recorded the first two albums; both were important in the development of San Francisco rock music, as the twin lead guitars of Cipollina and Duncan made them almost unique. The second collection, "Happy Trails", is now regarded as a classic. George Hunter and his Globe Propaganda company were responsible for some of the finest album covers of the 60s and Happy Trails is probably their greatest work. The live music within showed a spontaneity that the band were never able to recapture on subsequent recordings. The side-long suite of Bo Diddley's 'Who Do You Love' has some incredible dynamics and extraordinary interplay between the twin guitarists.
Duncan departed soon afterwards and was replaced by UK session pianist and ex- Steve Miller Band and Jeff Beck Group member, Nicky Hopkins. His contributions breathed some life into the disappointing "Shady Grove", notably with the frantic 'Edward, The Mad Shirt Grinder'.
"Just For Love" showed a further decline, with Valenti, now back with the band, becoming overpowering and self-indulgent. "Fresh Air" gave them a Top 50 U.S. hit in 1970. Cipollina and Hopkins departed, as did Freiberg following his arrest in 1971 for drug possession (he found a lucrative career later with Jefferson Starship). The remaining trio of Valenti, Duncan, and Elmore hired replacements and cut another couple of albums before disbanding by 1979.
Various incarnations have appeared over the years with little or no success. As recently as 1987, Gary Duncan recorded an album carrying the Quicksilver name, that also featured Freiberg on background vocals, but by then old fans were more content to purchase copies of the first two albums on compact disc.
Gary Duncan has a side project as Crawfish of Love.
Not many of Quicksilver's members are left. John Cipollina passed away, May 29, 1989, and the great Nicky Hopkins left us in September 1994, and Dino Valenti died November 16, 1994.
In 2006, Gary Duncan and David Freiberg launched a 40th-anniversary Quicksilver celebration tour as Quicksilver Messenger Service. They are still performing.
Throughout 2014 David Freiberg is touring with Jefferson Starship (40th anniversary tour) joined by Paul Kantner (original member of Jefferson Starship and Jefferson Airplane)
Happy Trails
Quicksilver Messenger Service Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Happy trails to you, keep smilin' till then
Happy trails to you, till we meet again
The song "Happy Trails" by Quicksilver Messenger Service is a tribute to a departing friend or loved one. The main sentiment expressed in the song is the hope that the parted one will find happiness and joy on their journey until they meet again. The repetition of the phrase "Happy trails to you" is meant to convey the sincerity and depth of the well-wishes being offered. The song is also a reminder to the departing friend that they are loved and appreciated, and that their presence will be missed until they return.
The message of the song is made even more poignant by the simple acoustic guitar melody and the soft, gentle vocals of the singer. The melody is light and bouncy, evoking a sense of optimism and hope, while the lyrics express a genuine fondness and care for the person who is leaving. The overall effect is one of tenderness and warmth, making "Happy Trails" a perfect song for saying goodbye.
Overall, "Happy Trails" is a song about the importance of maintaining a positive outlook on life, even in the face of difficult circumstances. It is a song about the power of hope and the enduring nature of human relationships. The song reminds us that no matter where life takes us, we can always find joy and happiness on the journey, as long as we keep a smile on our faces and remain open to the beauty of the world around us.
Line by Line Meaning
Happy trails to you, until we meet again
Wishing you safe and enjoyable journeys until the next time we cross paths
Happy trails to you, keep smilin' till then
May your journey be filled with joy and positivity until the next time we see each other
Happy trails to you, till we meet again
Wishing you the best until the next time we have the pleasure of each other's company
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Dale Evans
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Marvin Gershowitz
1)Who Do You Love - Part 1
Who Do You Love - Part 2
Half Way There - 25:22
2)Mona - 7.01
3)Maiden Of The Cancer Moon - 3.07
4)Calvary - 13.25
5)Happy Trails -
6)Edward, The Mad Shirt Grinder - 9.22 - (Bonus)
7)Studio Chat + The Fool - 14.30 - (Bonus)
mitchell roggenbuck
Man these guys really know what a groove is, they stay right in the pocket, Pure ear candy.Thx for the upload.
The Gladiator Of Rock
This band was one of the "West Coast" flagship groups. The album is a timeless Immortal "Masterpiece".
proud098
guitar hero john cipollina immortal riffs.........this is one of the best albums of all times.....superb!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Gladiator Of Rock
@Aimmia Delivered mail Super fast messengers. I salute you.📢🌞
Neil Malone
@stephen gorin how many angels can you put on the head of a pin?
J G
@stephen gorin sorry, no sale. Cipollina was unique, Duncan was an exceptionally gifted purveyor of standard blues technique. In spite of the valiant effort of Gary's fans history got it right
Aimmia
Got too be ..Love there first album, but this out there by it self!!!!
skeetermusic
@stephen gorin Thanks for sharing your opinion. But I don't agree at all. Fact is, both guys brought the best out of each other. Duncan and Cipollina were doing dual leads years before The Allmans and The Dead. NOBODY sounded like John, he stood apart from all the other guitarists just because he was so different in his approach. In my opinion, the band sounded like crap after Cipollina left in 1970 and they came across just like every other mediocre 70's band. The only innovative guitar work on their only hits, Fresh Air and What About Me is easily Cipollina's stuff and you can tell it's him in 3 notes. Duncan is flashy but sounds like every other San Fran guitar player, it could be anybody. Cipollina did some interesting work with other bands after QMS, especially Copperhead/Zero/Man/ Gravenites etc. , but everything that I've ever heard from Duncan is boring and uninspired like he was trying to cash in on Quicksilver's name. The band that Freiberg and Duncan put together to tour under the QMS name to open before Starship over these past few years was a joke to this once awesome band's legacy. I don't think either one of them did anything better than what they recorded together 67-70.
Stephan Dixon
One of the most underrated albums.
The Gladiator Of Rock
The "Quicksilver Messanger service" Band Was A Great West Coast Band. I honestly don't know how the sales went. Ave Rock.💪