Each member brought their various influences of psychedelic and garage rock from their previous outfits and created a hybrid of those styles combined with the heavy rock that was quickly gaining popularity at the time. Signed with Amsterdam Records (a subsidiary label of Bob Thiele’s Flying Dutchman Records), the group recorded a lone album with producer Bobby Herne (who also produced The Cobras’ single) and had it distributed by the ironically named Mainstream Records. Outside of New England the band was almost completely unknown. However they enjoyed a fairly large following within their confines and were a popular live attraction. Unfortunately the band’s death bell chimed in 1975 when the group’s leader, Gary Leavitt, was killed in a motorcycle accident. With the exception of drummer Jay Leavitt, who occasionally plays with his band Bluezberry Jam in and around the Maine area, the other members of Euclid have sadly passed away as well. However they left behind an absolute beast of an album that more than deserves to be heard by a larger audience
With the album they waste no time in kicking out the jams right off the bat. The opening track is all you need to hear to know that these guys have something special in store for you. The song is divided into three parts; Shadows Of Life, On The Way, and She’s Gone. Part A opens the track with a no fucks to give, testosterone fuelled riff and pummels all the way through. They mellow out a bit for part B and show their psychedelic side, but the momentum keeps up and builds to the final section of the song. She’s Gone brings back the destructive guitar and further pummelling ensues. Overall an 11 and a half minute monster of a track that demonstrates the strength of the band perfectly. Even though the opener is the stand-out track of the album, what follows is by no means subpar. First up to bat is a revved up to the max cover of The Spencer Davis Group’s Gimme Some Lovin’.
Minus the title and lyrics, this version is in a completely different stratosphere and takes no prisoners; everyone dies. However if you do somehow survive you’ll just be trampled again by the next track, First Time Last Time. A magical toy box jingle, followed by some church bells, then a sitar, introduces the fourth (or sixth if you count the parts of track one individually) cut of the album. The appropriately titled Lazy Livin’ definitely gives you a bit of a break from the previous destruction, but still keeps the energy intact. It’s just moving a little slower now. This band really straddles the fence separating the sixties from the seventies and they show that they can successfully dabble in both. Lazy Livin’ definitely reminds of the psychedelia of the previous decade. And the following two songs, 97 Days and Bye Bye Baby, are perfectly at home with the metallic hard rock emerging at the beginning of the new decade; but still being able to retain the garage and psych influence as well. And for the finale the band treats us to another beefed up cover of The Stones’ It’s All Over Now. Like with Gimme Some Lovin’ this song is way out in the “heavy and raw as fuck stratosphere” and is a fantastic way to close a fantastic album. This band uses just the right amounts of psych, garage, and hard rock to deliver a recipe that is absolutely delicious to the ears and makes you feel like you were just run over by a tractor.....10/10
These guys must have known they were only going to get to do one album, because they clearly put everything they had and more into it. You can practically see the energy levels blasting out of your speakers while listening. Yet another of the countless bands that deserved far more success than they were originally given and one that proves that obscure doesn’t mean a lack of quality. So now what you’re going to want to do is YouTube the three-part opening song (any of the songs will do really), listen to it, then proceed over to Rockadrome, Amazon, Ebay, or wherever, and get yourself a copy of the album.
Recommended tracks (they’re all fantastic, but if I had to narrow it down):
-Shadows Of Life, On The Way, She’s Gone
-Gimme Some Lovin’
-First Time Last Time
-It’s All Over Now
Words: Brian