Estus

Estus was an American hard-rock band behind a 1973 self-titled album on Columbia, produced by former Rolling Stones manager Andrew Loog Oldham, whose contemporary stateside credits include recordings by Sunday Funnies and Brett Smiley.

Drummer Marc Bell hailed from Dust and later surfaced in Richard Hell and the Voidoids. Guitarist/keyboardist Tom Nicholas preceded Estus with the 1970 one-album act Elderberry Jak. Bassist John Nicholas briefly resurfaced in Asleep at the Wheel.

Members: Tom Nicholas (vocals, guitars, keyboards), John Nicholas (vocals, bass, percussion, harp), Wayne Woods (drums), Harry Rumpf (vocals, guitars, keyboards, percussion), Marc Bell (drums, percussion)

Background

Brothers Tom and John Nicholas formed Estus in Missouri at the start of the 1970s with drummer Wayne Woods. Tom previously played with West Virginia quartet Elderberry Jak, which released Long Overdue in 1970 on Ampex. Harry Rumpf added guitar and keyboards as the trio expanded to a quartet. Columbia signed the lineup. Former Dust drummer Marc Bell then replaced Woods before the album sessions.

Estus supported Blue Öyster Cult at the Old Rivoli Theater in Buffalo on February 18, 1973, then Quicksilver Messenger Service at the Sunshine In in Asbury Park on April 21. The group opened for B.B. King and Wishbone Ash at New York City’s Academy of Music on May 12, shortly before Columbia issued the album.

Estus

Estus released their singular album, Estus, in June 1973 on Columbia.

The album contains nine originals with vocals split three ways. Tom Nicholas and Rumpf double on keyboards; John Nicholas adds harp and percussion to bass.

“On the Wings” unfurls at a measured stride through strings and an extended solo. “McCloud” prowls as a compact instrumental showcase for Tom’s guitar. “Goodbye” eases through restrained accompaniment beneath Nicholas’s smooth lead.

“Inside Out You Look the Same” grinds through a firmer riff under comparatively relaxed delivery. “Sweet Children” tears through fast riff figures. “In the Morning” glides through lighter accompaniment beneath Tom’s open line. “B.M.D.” stomps through a midtempo minor-key riff.

A1. “90 M.P.H. (Just a Poor Boy From the Country)” (4:27) – Tom Nicholas
A2. “On the Wings” (7:23) – Rumpf
A3. “McCloud” (2:30) – Tom Nicholas
A4. “Goodbye” (5:07) – John Nicholas, Tom Nicholas

B1. “Inside Out You Look the Same” (5:30) – John Nicholas
B2. “Sweet Children” (6:15) – John Nicholas
B3. “Truckin’ Man” (4:07) – John Nicholas, Tom Nicholas
B4. “In the Morning” (4:43) – Rumpf
B5. “B.M.D.” (5:12) – John Nicholas, Tom Nicholas

Former Rolling Stones manager Andrew Loog Oldham produced Estus with Columbia engineer Don Puluse. Oldham followed production of the 1972 Sunday Funnies album Benediction with Estus, then produced the 1973 Donovan album Essence to Essence. Puluse brought prior Columbia experience from the 1971 Mahavishnu Orchestra album The Inner Mounting Flame.

Photographer Gered Mankowitz supplied the sleeve images and also shot the 1973 cover for the self-titled Suzi Quatro debut. The front depicts Estus at a rain-slicked city intersection beneath a white script logo, with blurred traffic across the background. Four close facial portraits and the recording credits occupy the reverse.

Columbia serviced a 3:24 mono edit of “90 M.P.H. (Just a Poor Boy From the Country)” in September 1973 under catalog number 4-45928 for radio promotion.

Postlude

Estus separated around the album release. John Nicholas joined Quicksilver Messenger Service in May 1973 and remained through the early-1974 touring cycle.

Tom Nicholas later contributed percussion to the 1976 Roland Prince album Color Visions. Woods resurfaced in the Jim Carroll Band and played on the 1980 album Catholic Boy.

Bell recorded Blank Generation with Richard Hell and the Voidoids before joining the Ramones in 1978 as Marky Ramone.

Discography:

• Estus (1973)

Sources:

• Discogs: Estus
• RYM: Estus
• 45cat: Estus
• MusicBrainz: Estus