The group quickly learned Batson’s songs and played them around the city, until the rumor reached Albert Grossman.
He proposed to unite to record a series of his finished songs. He liked the musicians as potential executors of his plans. After his concerts, he used to sit down somewhere with a bottle of “Jack Daniels” and listen to the performances of other artists. East Coast from California and played solo in Woodstock for some time. The author of all the songs on the album is keyboardist Billy Batson. The band's only album is from Woodstock, New York. Co-produced by Mike Esposito (late of the Blues Magoos) and Kim King (who’d played guitar with Lothar and the Hand People and became friends with Jimi Hendrix on New York’s club circuit in 1966) Fellow guitarist David Vittek had played with 1960s folk-rock also-rans the Mad Hatters, while drummer Christopher Parker had dropped out of New York’s School of Visual Arts in order to join Holy Moses, having answered an ad in Rolling Stone. The young Bruce Springsteen is also said to have been wowed by his talents. Guitarist Ted Spelios had played in New York coffeehouse regulars the Kangaroo (who made one album for MGM in 1968), and it has been said that he was considered second only to Jimi Hendrix in Greenwich Village at the time. His quirky songs combined heavy rock with country and blues influences and a dash of humour, and are reminiscent of nothing so much as Neil Young and Crazy Horse. The band was led by the multi-talented singer/songwriter and keyboardist Billy Batson (whose name may well be false, given that the superhero Captain Marvel is called just that). The CD is readily available online at Barnes and Noble and Amazon. Another great number is the haunting/psychedelic “Roll River Roll.” Quite frankly, the eight-number recording abounds with good listening tunes. The song is a recreation of the life and times of the Cafe Espresso-sometimes referred to as the Depresso or the Sad Cafe. His teasing Texan drawl welcomes listeners to the musical repast to come.
The CD begins with a gorgeous number entitled “The Sad Cafe.” Billy Batson’s vocals and piano-playing palette is full of color and humor. In addition, a number of the waterholes are lovingly referenced, including the Cafe Espresso and The Elephant. The album showcases the talent and style extant from the town’s rock ‘n’ roll heyday. The self-titled Holy Moses!! came out in 1971 and failed to chart, but fortunately in the intervening years Fallout has brought it back into circulation. The band had a verbal agreement with Albert and The Band’s Rick Danko was penciled in to produce it, but Michael Jeffery (Jimi Hendrix’s manager) caught them in action at the Joyous Lake and the band decided to work with him instead.Ī recording contract with RCA followed. Buzz grew and soon Albert Grossman came calling. Billy had a bunch of songs that needed recording, so the band set about mastering them in dates around town. Batson’s namesake in the Captain Marvel comics always used to say, “Holy Moley.” So Billy felt destiny was calling when a band showed up known as Holy Moses. Billy invited his newfound brothers to join him at his home on lower Ohayo Mountain Road. The group at that point was living in a tent on Pan Copeland’s farm-where the Sound-Outs were staged. The others were reportedly blown away by watching Billy in action. The band, consisting of Ted Speleos on lead guitar, David Vittek on rhythm guitar, Marty David on bass/tenor sax and Christopher Parker on drums, played with panache. Sitting down afterwards with his customary bottle of Jack Daniels at the ready, he watched Holy Moses play. In the late sixites he played a set at The Elephant. For a time he gigged around town as a solo act. Billy Batson, a rough hewn and as authentic a musician as you’re likely to encounter, arrived in 1965 Woodstock by way of California and Greenwich Village.