Stoned guitar (Human Instinct) (LP 2784 -2788)

Human Instinct  Stoned Guitar (Vinyl, Tapestry Records, 1970) ***  

Human Instinct  Snatmin Cuthin (CD, Zodiac/ Stebbing Recordings, 1972) *** 

Human Instinct  The Hustler  (CD, Zodiac/ Stebbing Recordings, 1974) **** 

Human Instinct  Peg Leg (CD, Zodiac/ Stebbing Recordings, 2002) *** 

Human Instinct  Midnight Sun (CD, Ode Records, 2009) **** 

Genres: Hard rock; country rock; Prog; jazz fusion

Places I remember: Amoeba Records in LA (Stoned Guitar); JB Hi Fi (the CDs)

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Since We (Snatmin Cuthin) 

Gear costume: Gypsy Lady (The Hustler); What's Going On (Midnight Sun)

Active compensatory factors: Human Instinct were a NZ group who started in the sixties as The Four Fours and lasted until the eighties in a variety of forms (vocalist/drummer Maurice Greer being the only constant member). An excellent run down on the band's history is here.

Stoned Guitar was the band's second album and it's become something of a collector's item - partly I guess because it was a stoner classic and it's become tricky to find good copies of it. My copy is a limited-edition reissue that I found in Amoeba Records.

Billy TK was certainly influenced by Jimi Hendrix throughout the album. He is the star in what is essentially a power trio (Greer, Billy TK and Larry Waide). Long hair, lengthy guitar work outs (three tracks on each side), and rumbling bass are all featured items. All very 1970. It sounds pretty dated now.

Midnight Sun (the song - not to be confused with the 2009 album title) is the most fully realised song. They do get extra credit for covering a Rory Gallagher song on the album - Railway and Gun, recorded live.

On the whole it's an interesting artifact of the era, but it's pretty stodgy blues rock by modern standards.

By their fourth album, Snatmin Cuthin (terrible cover and title - an anagram of their name), Billy had moved on and new members had joined. Notably a couple of Headbanders were involved - Neil Edwards and Dick Hopp, plus guitar hero Harvey Mann.

This obviously changed the sound, although there are a few lingering hard rock moments, the band is far more sophisticated on album number 4.

Of note: an interesting but woozy version of Headband's The Ballad of Jacques Le Mere (written by Neil Edwards) crops up mid-way through side 2.

Sixth album, The Hustler, adds some prog and jazz fusion to the mix, making this one my favourite album of theirs. John Donoghue has been added on guitar and his distinctive vocals are an added bonus on a few tracks.

Peg Leg is the 1975 version of the band. The sessions were shelved until 2002. So, yes, it's a 'lost' album.

It begins with a straightforward version of Freebird (Phil Whitehead is the guitarist). The rest of the album are originals in the Human Instinct tradition, so a strange selection as the lead off song. Generally, the album is good, but not as strong as The Hustler.

The band ended in the eighties but was reformed by Maurice Greer some twenty years later with tours and a new album.

In 2010 Midnight Sun, was released, with Maurice Greer on drums and vocals, Neil Edwards returning on bass and Joel Haines on guitar. There are guest appearances on the album by Billy TK, Eddie Rayner and Murray Grindlay. 

The distinctive Human Instinct sound (a woozy mix of psychedelic rock) is well presented, mainly thanks to Greer's vocals and the expertise of these musicians. It's definitely a late career highlight, and covers of Split Enz' Dirty Creature and a second Rory Gallagher song guarantees an extra star!

Where do they all belong? A few gaps worth plugging - first and third albums (Burning Up Years and Pins In It), plus a singles collection.