NIGHTBIRD & COMPANY: COSMIC CONNECTIONS
1973-1974, US ARMY RESERVE

These albums were released to US radio stations as promotional items to stimulate activity in the US Army Reserve. Each one was a 2LP set, with each of the four sides devoted to an interview with a band together with tracks from their latest album, interspersed with jingles exhorting Reservists to go to meetings! (Some of the jingles are TRULY awful!)

Unfortunately, the interviewer, the self-styled Nightbird, Alison Steele, was pretty clueless, seemingly incapable of remembering simple details from one part of the programme to the next. Nonetheless, despite that handicap, the interviews go surprisingly well, with Dave Cousins and Dave Lambert talking at some length on the 1973 disc about the making of Bursting At The Seams, including a lengthy explanation of the writing of "Down By The Sea". On the 1974 disc, Chas Cronk and Dave Lambert do the honours for Hero And Heroine.

Cunningly designed for varying lengths, users have the following options:

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VINYL

1973

Program 124, air date week of 16 Sep 1973 (2LP set, US Army Reserve 72145 & 72146). The 1973 set comes in a rather well produced box, with the two LPs separated from each other by thick protective inserts.

Sides

1. Program No. 121 - David Clayton Thomas
2. Program No. 122 - Black Oak Arkansas


3. Program No. 123 - Jonathan King
4. Program No. 124 - Strawbs

Front and back of box

Back cover and label

1974

Program No. 181, air date week of 20 Oct 1974 (2LP set, US Army Reserve 73259 & 73260). This comes in a sturdy gatefold cover, the front and back mirroring the 1973 box. Front cover is identical to 1973 release above. The inner spread shows the range of US Army Reserve Shows available.

Sides

1. Program No. 181 - Strawbs
2. Program No. 182 - Tracy Nelson


3. Program No. 183 - New Riders Of The Purple Sage
4. Program No. 184 - Henry Gross

Back cover and label

Inner spread

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