Quicksilver Messenger Service is an American psychedelic rock band, formed … Read Full Bio ↴Quicksilver Messenger Service is an American psychedelic rock band, formed in 1965 in San Francisco. Of all the bands that came out of the San Francisco area during the late 60s, Quicksilver Messenger Service typified the style, attitude and sound of that era. Dogged by early personnel changes, the original band in 1964 comprised of vocalist Dino Valenti, guitarist John Cipollina, David Freiberg on bass and vocals, Jim Murray on vocals and harmonica, and drummer Casey Sonoban. Alexander 'Skip' Spence also spent a brief time with the band, before being whisked off to join Jefferson Airplane as their drummer.
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)
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)
Which Do You Love
Quicksilver Messenger Service Lyrics
Instrumental
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@johnbruce2868
My best friend Steve loved this track and album. He's been dead for 31 years. Choked on vomit after drinking several bottles of wine. Left me to listen to this alone. Fuck. I miss him. I do.
@billm.4644
1969, midwest college, Vietnam vet stereo setup with headphones, Happy Trails, took a trip while sober/straight and never left the dorm room...Awesome music then and still appreciate now.
@benetrutenberg7057
I saw these guys in 1967 at Newport Beach and didn't know what happened to me. This was the first album I bought. I had heard this on FM in LA. We went to see them at the Olympic Auditorium sans Dick Lane and roller derby, with Ten Years After. The second album I ever bought. I listened to them on an old Magnavox repetitively. Cippolina's lead and solos remain just as earthshakingly perfect in 2016 as they did then Gary Duncan's guitar solo after the first break is 6-7 minutes of pure joy. It remains one of the most unique pieces of musical art ever heard. I saw the Grateful Dead several times and The Airplane who are both superlative. No band ever made my heart pump, and still, like Quicksilver. All of you who said the same, yes, they were and are underated. Vocals a bit out of pitch, who cares? Whenever I was in dire straits, listening to this album picked me up and dropped me off in a better place. After not hearing for 20 years, I bought CD and cried for the memories and for today.
@proud098
finally someone who has my exact feelings about QMS,I am Italian and had my copy at 20 in 78.....wasnt lucky as you did in seeing them......but the more I listen,the more I do believe this group is an inch over JA and GD,john cipollina guitar drives me crazy - first 2 albums are great,shady grove so so and just for love has a few good tracks, definitely Dino Valenti spoiled the sound with his RnB influences.......thanks to youtube I play this track every evening and appreciate this sound madly......way underrated and overlooked....
@kingboagart899
Benet Rutenberg yeah everybody's a fuckin' critic
@barclaysauers255
Yep! Up front at the O.C. Fairgrounds dirt lot. Hot, dusty, frying on L and with almost to much amped up guitar for the humans to comprehend. Phew, what a day!
@thegreatchain7112
You lucky ##@ I saw John Cipollina with Link Wray 1975 - the last Mona like QMS ! but I missed QMS with John by 2 years ! saw the dead in 72 - but QMS was the best. Imagine calling themselves QMS without John !!! that's like going to see Jimi Hendrix without Jimi !
@dwaynestomp5462
This is truly a great song. It does pick you up and give you energy, I don't think I've been able to sit still once while listening to it.
@giuliana2610
Great John Cipollina!❤
@jmitch623
Wore this vinyl out. I was 20 when this came out.