What's the deal with Spirits & Worm?

[Mike Blakesley]

Maybe I wasn't paying attention but I was just curious:

Why is that Spirits & Worm album such a rarity? Was it controversial in some way or just an exceptionally bad seller?

 

[Mr Bill]

LPJim could give better details. The cover was considered satanic at a time when such things were controversial -- The Manson Family, etc. From the low quantities avaialble (most seeming to be promos) I'd guess it was cancelled right as it was being pressed...

Hopefully LPJim will chime in here...

--Mr Bill
still thrilled at Cap'n B's news...

 

[LPJim]

That's the gist. The cover art showed goats sitting on tombstones -- perfectly normal to country folks but spooky to some city slickers -- and someone at the label got the idea this was satanic.
The music isn't by any stretch, just a Jefferson Airplane-type band (female lead singer and all) with Santana influence.
About 20 copies of S&W (A&M SP 4229) got out in the New York City area before distribution abruptly ended.
Originals go for about $800 on Ebay.
Fortunately it's available on CD and vinyl reissue from the Akarma label of Italy with faithful reproduciton of the cover art.
JB

 

[Dave]

Fortunately Spirits & Worm was independently reissued on the group's own "Spirits & Worm" record label. Though the cover showing a drawing of a man dancing with a goat (one of the ones on the tombstone? ) wasn't that much better.

I thought it was a follow-up, but it really WAS the original LP.

Dave

...wishing I could go back in time to the place I first saw it at, where it was MODESTLY priced, compared to today...