The New Pop-Rock Pirates (1970s)

The Pirates of Penzance in the New Pop-Rock Sound
Spindrift Liberate

Credits
Tom GravitteLead and background vocals
Dave ZarefossLead, background vocals and chipmunk vocal parts
John SaputoOrgan, piano, harpsichord, saxophone and background vocals
Doug MartinGuitar and trumpet
Tommy PrinceDrums and assorted percussion
Tom CostelloLeader, arranger, lead and background vocals, bass, piano

This is a "rock" version of The Pirates of Penzance performed by a group called Spindrift Liberate. It is not in my personal collection, but J. Donald Smith says, "This was done at a time when the Rock beat was being put to everything. Well, the words are all there, but after a few minutes everything sounds the same." The selections (including a few that seem to have nothing to do with G&S) include:

Side 1Side 2
  • Introduction
  • Pour Oh Pour the Pirate Sherry
  • Better Far to Live and Die
  • Is There Not One Maiden Breast
  • Away, Away, My Heart's On Fire
  • I Am a Very Model of a Modern Major-General
  • Frederic's Rain
  • A Policeman's Lot is Not a Happy One
  • Sighing Softly to the River
  • With Cat-Like Tread
  • How Beautifully Blue the Sky
  • When the Foreman [sic] Bares His Steele [sic]
  • Farewell to Cornwall

Dan Kravetz wrote:

I own a copy of the LP, purchased for 50 cents without a jacket some 20 years ago. I listened to it once and do not intend to do so again. It consists of Gilbert's lyrics shouted by a few men over the worst dissonant heavy metal garbage I've ever heard. There is no trace of anything faintly resembling Sullivan's tunes, and the effect isn't clever, funny or even interesting — only painful.

Issue History
DateLabelFormatNumber
Early 1970s Steady Records Stereo LP 111