Tent of miracles - the unofficial Spirit homepage

"The Family That Plays Together"
Family tree 1964-1997
Featuring Randy California and Ed Cassidy
Including Pre-Spirit Lineups
© 2001 - 2026 Bruce Pates - All Rights Reserved
RISING SONS # 1 (1964- Summer 1965)
The "seed" for the start of SPIRIT. Cass meets and marries Randy's mom, Bernice, while associated with this group. They play many dates at the "Ash Grove", which is run by Randy's uncle, Ed Pearl. The group is signed to Columbia, but Cass breaks his wrist after recording demos, and is replaced by Kevin Kelley (later to be in THE BYRDS).
Ed Cassidy drums	Taj Mahal guitar/keyboards/vocals	Ry Cooder guitar/mandolin/vocals	Jesse Lee Kincaid guitar/vocals	Gary Marker bass
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\|	Solo career	Solo career		Captain Beefheart
THE RED ROOSTERS (Late 1965 and possibly early 1966)
THE RED ROOSTERS formed in response to a talent show held at Chatsworth High School, where Jay, Mark and Mike went to school. Naturally, they won the contest! They played possibly 10-20 gigs total, and recorded at least an unreleased single at GOLDSTAR STUDIOS. The songs were "Walkin' The Dog" and "Evolution Mama". Likely other songs were recorded as well. Other known gigs were a Halloween dance at Lincoln Jr. High School in Santa Monica, where Randy went to school. The band ended when the Cassidy family moved to New York.
Randy Wolfe guitar/vocals	Ed Cassidy drums	Jay Ferguson guitar/keys?/vocals	Mark Andes bass/vocals	Mike Fondelier guitar/vocals
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WESTERN UNION (1966)
With the Cassidy family in New York, Jay, Mark and Mike formed a new band. Later, Jay was to record an unreleased solo single of "Close Your Mind"/"Dynamite", backed by CANNED HEAT members. This likely included Mark Andes on bass, as he was briefly in that group. This single dates likely from early 1967. Jay claims the song(s) were "kind of a Scott McKenzie thing" (i.e. "If You're Going To San Francisco"). Mark Andes played with the touring band of THE YELLOW BALLOON, but he is not on their album.
Jay Ferguson guitar/keys?/vocals	Mark Andes bass/vocals	Matt Andes guitar	Mike Fondelier guitar/vocals	Denny Blake drums
TANGERINE PUPPETS (1966)
While living in Forest Hills on Long Island, Randy played for a short period of time in this\\ group. Other members of the band included Walter Becker (STEELY DAN), John Cummings (Johnny Ramone of THE RAMONES), Tommy Erdelyi (Tommy Ramone of THE RAMONES). Walter Becker has claimed that Randy taught him a lot about playing guitar. It is not certain that everybody was in the same lineup of this band at the same time. The band lasted (without Randy) until the summer of 1967.
JIMMY JAMES & THE BLUE FLAMES (1966)
Randy, now known as Randy Cassidy, met Jimi Hendrix in Manny's Music. They played a bit together, and Jimi offered Randy a place in his band. The band lasted for about three months during the summer. Jimi got to calling Randy, Randy California, since there was another Randy in the band, who he called Randy Texas. Obviously, these were the states they came from! When Chas Chandler of THE ANIMALS discovered Jimi and wanted to take him to England, Jimi asked if they could also take Randy as well, to be in his new band. Obviously, since Randy was only 15, this was not going to happen under any circumstances! Jimi arrived in London on September 24th, so one can assume the band lasted up until then. Their set list was mostly covers of "Hey Joe", "Like A Rolling Stone", "Wild Thing", etc., as well as a few originals. One was a song called "Mr. Bad Luck", which Jimi later evolved into "Look Over Yonder" on the posthumous RAINBOW BRIDGE album. Randy also covered it on CALIFORNIA BLUES.
Jimmy (James) Hendrix guitar/vocals	Randy (California) Wolfe/Cassidy guitar/vocals	Randy (Texas) Palmer bass	Danny Casey drums
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SPIRITS REBELLIOUS # 1 (Jan/Mar - Jun 1967)
Around July of 1967, the name evolved to THE SPIRIT and THE SPIRITS, depending on the handbill at the venues they played. The two people most responsible for their signing with Lou Adler's Ode Records were manager Ann Applequist, and Brian Berry, the brother of Jan Berry (of JAN & DEAN). They sign after their second audition for Lou at the "Whisky A Go Go" in Hollywood in August. After four classic albums the band parts ways with Jay and Mark. The last known gig of the original group, other than reunions, was at the "Fillmore East", New York, NY on January 30, 1971.
Randy California guitar/vocals	Ed Cassidy drums	John Locke keyboards	Mark Andes bass	Jay Ferguson vocals/percussion
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