Children Of The Sixth Root Race / Songs From The Source

Drag City

A lost-and-found 1973 recording of THE SOURCE FAMILY. These twelve songs were recorded live in the Hollywood Hills as a rehearsal for a concert date that SPIRIT OF ‘76—aka YAHOWAH 13, THE SAVAGE SONS OF YAHOWA, YODSHIP, AND FIREWATERAIR, now known as CHILDREN OF THE SIXTH ROOT RACE—had at the Whisky. A 1/4” tape copy of the recording was found in Chicago in 2006, though no-one is really sure how it got there. DJIN AQUARIAN, rhythm guitarist and songwriter for Spirit of ‘76, recalls being sent on a mission to Chicago later in 1973, where he believes he left the tape with an old friend. Djin wrote most of the songs in the year before he joined with The Source, as part of his solo “mystical quest to help enlighten the world before it might annihilate itself,” adding, “I’m glad both the album and the world are still here.” Though this rehearsal wasn’t meant to be released at the time, there are probably no other recordings as complete of the band doing these songs. The Spirit of ’76 had a different sound than the one YaHoWaH 13 made with Yahowa. Songs From The Source has more R&B--grooved energy, with splashes of synth and organ, a female vocal chorus and streamlined fusion rhythms backing the uniquely Yahowan lyrical populism of songs like “Godmen” and “Lost Dead But Hoping.” The ebullient, ever-climbing power of the climactic “We Are the Dinosaurs,” has few analogues in the other Source recordings and is furthermore an outstanding piece of music from the entire era. Songs From The Source is a miraculous missing piece of The Source’s positive musical movement. The members of YaHoWaH 13 (Djin, SUNFLOWER on bass, OCTAVIUS on drums) were joined by family members AHOM, AQUARIANA, CINDERELLA, RHYTHM, VIBRATION, and ZOROASTER on lead guitar, to create the ecstatic sound of Spirit of ’76. (STREET DATE - 6/17/2008)

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