Quicksilver Messenger Service - Hawaii 1970 [3LP Coloured]

Format: 3 x LP
Catalogue No.: HST619LP-COL / 5056083214990
Release Date: 03 Oct 2025
Genre: Psych/Garage Rock

Silver vinyl limited to 250 x copies worldwide.

3LP + A4 28 PAGE BOOKLET – 500 UNITS TOTAL - LIMITED 250 X SILVER COLOR VINYL & 250 X BLACK VINYL

28-page, A4 booklet of previously unseen photos supplied by the Gary Duncan Archive

Quicksilver Messenger Service (QMS) was a pioneering psychedelic rock band formed in San Francisco in 1965, during the height of the counterculture movement. Often associated with the city's vibrant music scene, they were contemporaries of bands such as the Grateful Dead and Jefferson Aeroplane. Known for their extended improvisational jams and bluesy, folk-infused sound, QMS helped define the West Coast psychedelic rock genre. Their original line up included guitarist John Cipollina, vocalist Dino Valenti, guitarist Gary Duncan, bassist David Freiberg, and drummer Greg Elmore, though their roster changed over time.

The band gained fame for their live performances, particularly at iconic venues like the Fillmore and the Avalon Ballroom. Their 1968 debut album, *Quicksilver Messenger Service*, showcased their signature blend of rock, blues, and folk. Their follow-up, *Happy Trails* (1969), became their most acclaimed work, featuring the epic 25-minute jam "Who Do You Love Suite." Though they never achieved the same commercial success as some of their peers, QMS developed a devoted following and influenced many later jam bands with their free-flowing, experimental approach to music.

Despite internal conflicts and lineup changes, QMS continued to release albums into the 1970s, including *Shady Grove* (1969) and *Just for Love* (1970), though their sound evolved toward a more polished, folk-rock direction. The band disbanded in the mid-1970s but reunited periodically in later decades. 

Late Spring and early summer of 1970, QUICKSILVER MESSENGER SERVICE spent in Hawaii, the islands’ mellow climate facilitating the balance shift in the wake of Dino Valenti return into the fold. Those sessions produced two albums, “Just For Love” and “What About Me” – released, correspondingly, in August and December of that year – but the band also played there to not let their blood run still. 

This now legendary Hawaiian 1970 concert was recorded by the Grateful Dead's mobile; as a result, the sound quality is superb. This set is significantly different to the March, 1970, show at "The Old Mill Tavern", with more of the new songs making it into the repertoire which included only one early piece, “Pride Of Man” from the group’s debut, as well as “Mojo” that would wait for another two years to be notched in the studio, and “Warm Red Wine” that seems not to have been recorded properly at all. Combined with a 28-page booklet packed with previously unreleased photos from the era. Supplied from the Gary Duncan Archive exclusively for the vinyl edition. makes this the perfect QMS 

Though often overshadowed by bigger names of the era, Quicksilver Messenger Service remains a cult favourite, celebrated for their role in shaping the psychedelic rock movement and their masterful musicianship. Their legacy endures as a key part of San Francisco’s musical golden age. 

This very special vinyl edition and 24-page photo booklet of the legendary Hawaiian 1970 concert will be a fantastic addition to any QMS fan's collection. 

Track Listing
SIDE 1
FRESH AIR
WARM RED WINE
SUBWAY

SIDE 2
PRIDE OF MAN
BABY BABY
THE HAT

SIDE 3
EDWARD, THE MAD SHIRT GRINDER
THE TRUTH

SIDE 4
FREEWAY FLYER
MOJO

SIDE 5
COBRA X3
GUITAR JAM
WON’T KILL ME X8
COBRA ACOUSTIC

SIDE 6
GOOD OLD ROCK AND ROLL X5
DRUMS
JUST FOR LOVE