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)
Rebel
Quicksilver Messenger Service Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I am a good old Rebel, that's exactly what I am,
The open land of freedom, I do not give a damn.
We heard a thousand Yankees, well I'm dead on that Southern thing,
We got three hundred thousand, all they ever got next to us.
They gather the Southern people at an old Southern steel shop,
And I wish we'd got three million more, mud we've got.
But I ain't gonna rebel, yes I got damn___ sure.
You don't want no part in what I've done or am,
And I will not be reconstructed and I do not give a damn.
The lyrics to Quicksilver Messenger Service's Rebel speak to the pride and defiance felt by a Southern rebel during the American Civil War. The singer states that he is a "good old Rebel," and proudly declares his commitment to the cause. He speaks of the "open land of freedom," which he values above all else, and dismisses the Union forces as "Yankees." The singer also references the large number of soldiers fighting for the South, stating that they have "three hundred thousand" troops compared to the enemy's inferior numbers.
The song's strongest sentiment is one of conviction, as the singer declares that he will not give up his musket and will continue to fight for his beliefs. Even though he acknowledges that he can no longer fire his weapon, he remains unwavering in his support of the Southern cause. The final lines - "You don't want no part in what I've done or am, and I will not be reconstructed and I do not give a damn" - make it clear that the singer is fully committed to his cause and uninterested in compromise.
Overall, Rebel is a powerful and unapologetic tribute to the Southern cause, and speaks to the deep-rooted beliefs and values that drove so many to fight and die during the Civil War.
Line by Line Meaning
I am a good old Rebel, that's exactly what I am,
I am a staunch supporter of the Confederate cause; a rebel at heart.
The open land of freedom, I do not give a damn.
I care for the freedom I perceive in the rebel movement, not for the false promises of Yankee freedom.
We heard a thousand Yankees, well I'm dead on that Southern thing,
Despite hearing many Yankees speak against the southern cause, I remain committed to it.
We got three hundred thousand, all they ever got next to us.
We have three hundred thousand men ready to fight for the rebel cause, more than any Yankee army can muster against us.
They gather the Southern people at an old Southern steel shop,
The Confederate army has assembled the southern people at a steel factory to combine forces.
And I wish we'd got three million more, mud we've got.
While I wish we had three million more soldiers, we continue to fight with the muddy boots on our feet and the will in our hearts.
I can't take off my musket, fire now no more,
As a rebel soldier, I can never truly put down my musket, nor the cause for which I fight.
But I ain't gonna rebel, yes I got damn___ sure.
Despite what others may believe, I am not acting out of rebellion, but of principle and conviction.
You don't want no part in what I've done or am,
I do not expect nor welcome support from those who do not share my beliefs or actions.
And I will not be reconstructed and I do not give a damn.
I refuse to change my ways or beliefs to suit the demands of others, nor am I bothered by their attempts to do so.
Contributed by Natalie C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Montgomery Denzer
on Fresh Air
Cool man