Fever Tree -

Fever Tree was an American psych-rock band from Houston that released three albums on Uni in 1968/69, followed by a fourth on Ampex in 1971. Their first album spawned the regional hit “San Francisco Girls (Return of the Native).”

Members: Michael Knust (guitar), Rob Landes (keyboards, woodwind), John Tuttle (drums), EE Wolfe III (bass), Dennis Keller (vocals), Grant Johnson (keyboards), Kevin Kelly (drums), John Clarry (drums), Kenny Blanchette (bass)

Background

Fever Tree formed in mid-1960s Houston, Texas, where guitarist Michael Knust (b. October 18, 1949; Houston) worked as a teenage guitar teacher. One of his students, bassist E.E. Wolfe III, switched to bass at Knust’s suggestion to form a group with fellow instructor Jerry Campbell and singer Dennis Keller (b. 1948; Houston), who had also taken lessons at the same studio. Although unimpressed with Keller’s playing, Knust recruited him for his vocal abilities. They added keyboardist Don Lampton and drummer John Tuttle to complete the first lineup under the name The Bostwick Vines.

The band initially performed at school dances and Houston clubs. Campbell was soon drafted, prompting Knust to assume the lead guitar role. Around this time, the group came under the guidance of local music journalist and songwriter Scott Holtzman and his wife Vivian, who had written material for Tex Ritter, the New Christy Minstrels, and the Mary Poppins soundtrack. The Holtzmans managed the group and helped assemble a setlist of covers and original material, securing early support slots, including an opening spot for Jefferson Airplane during their 1966 Houston visit.

In 1967, Holtzman arranged a keyboardist change, replacing Lampton with multi-instrumentalist Rob Landes (keyboards, woodwinds), a friend of the Holtzmans with classical and jazz background. That same year, the group changed its name to Fever Tree and signed with Chicago-based Mainstream Records. They debuted with the single “Hey Mister” (b/w “I Can Beat Your Drum,” Mainstream 661), followed by “Girl, Oh Girl (Don’t Push Me)” (b/w “Steve Lenore,” Mainstream 665), both recorded with Tuttle on drums. Neither charted, but the band soon attracted attention from Uni Records, where they signed in late 1967.

Fever Tree

Fever Tree released their self-titled debut album on March 28, 1968, on Uni.

The album combines chamber passages, baroque-folk elements, and electric psych interludes shaped around abrupt tonal changes and layered effects. Arranger David Angel adds orchestration to several tracks, marking a contrast with the band’s rawer pre-album singles. The presence of three covers—by Wilson Pickett, Neil Young, and The Beatles—positions the group amid the ‘67–68 FM transition between pop structure and extended form.

Singer Dennis Keller leads each track with rugged inflection and forceful projection. Guitarist Michael Knust delivers both sustained fuzz and acoustic figures. Multi-instrumentalist Rob Landes plays harpsichord, organ, piano, clavinet, recorder, flute, harp, and cello, supporting shifts in timbre and style. Bassist E.E. Wolfe grounds the dynamics, while drummer John Tuttle keeps pacing flexible across classical, folk, and rock modes.

Producers Scott and Vivian Holtzman wrote or co-wrote ten of the album’s eleven tracks. Landes co-wrote three numbers; Knust co-wrote two. The three covers include “Ninety-Nine and a Half” (Wilson Pickett), “Nowadays Clancy Can’t Even Sing” (Buffalo Springfield), and a dual Beatles medley (“Day Tripper / We Can Work It Out”).

“Imitation Situation 1 (Toccata and Fugue)” opens with a multi-part structure: a J.S. Bach motif segues into a short baroque-psych fragment. “Where Do You Go?” centers on phased guitar textures and dense fuzz bass, broken by flute solos and extended feedback loops. “San Francisco Girls (Return of the Native)” alternates slow vocal passages with forceful chorus bursts and descending minor-key guitar breaks. “Filigree and Shadow” begins with harpsichord and falls into a dissolving finale of reversed tape effects. “Unlock My Door” and “Come with Me (Rainsong)” close the album with quieter acoustic arrangements and melancholic orchestration layered over natural field recordings.

A1. “Imitation Situation 1 (Toccata and Fugue)” (2:32)
A2. “Where Do You Go?” (2:25)
A3. “San Francisco Girls (Return of the Native)” (3:58)
A4. “Ninety-Nine and a Half” (2:45) — originated as a 1966 single by Wilson Pickett, written by Pickett and Steve Cropper
A5. “Man Who Paints the Pictures” (2:32)
A6. “Filigree and Shadow” (3:51)

B1. “The Sun Also Rises” (2:41)
B2. “Day Tripper / We Can Work It Out” (3:27) — medley of two Beatles tracks from 1965, written by Lennon–McCartney
B3. “Nowadays Clancy Can’t Even Sing” (3:00) — originated as a 1966 single by Buffalo Springfield, written by Neil Young
B4. “Unlock My Door” (3:45)
B5. “Come with Me (Rainsong)” (3:45)

Sessions occurred in January 1968 at Andrus Recording Studios in Los Angeles with producers Scott and Vivian Holtzman and engineer Walter Andrus.

Fever Tree features arrangements by David Angel, who previously scored Forever Changes by Love. The cover photo shows the band posed in turtlenecks and Nehru jackets, styled to reflect late-1967 Sunset Strip fashion.

Uni promoted the album with “San Francisco Girls (Return of the Native)” (b/w “Come with Me”), which peaked at No. 91 on the Billboard Hot 100 during summer 1968 and gained enduring FM airplay. “Nowadays Clancy Can’t Even Sing” followed as a second single (b/w “The Sun Also Rises”).

Collector’s Choice paired Fever Tree with its 1969 followup on CD in 1993. Sundazed reissued the album in 2009. Most of the tracks also appear on the 1986 comp San Francisco Girls: The Best of Fever Tree.

Another Time, Another Place

Fever Tree released their second album, Another Time, Another Place, in December 1968 on Uni.

The album expands on the band’s debut with longer track forms, heavier electric passages, and a shift toward cinematic arrangement. Side A emphasizes tightened psych rock with layered organ and gritty vocals, while Side B alternates sparse ballads and extended improvisation. The band reinterprets earlier material (“Man Who Paints the Pictures – Part II”) and covers two outside writers, contrasting their original chamber-psych approach with raunchier rock elements.

Singer Dennis Keller heightens the dramatics with more forceful inflection. Guitarist Michael Knust alternates clean leads and fuzz distortion. Multi-instrumentalist Rob Landes contributes organ, clavinet, piano, and flute, shaping transitions between amplified and acoustic sections. Bassist E.E. Wolfe III and drummer John Tuttle maintain flexible pulse structures across tracks ranging from slow ballads to mid-tempo jams.

Producers Scott and Vivian Holtzman wrote or co-wrote seven tracks. Landes co-wrote three songs, Knust two. Side A closes with a blues cover, and Side B features two outside-written songs, one with Knust on lead vocals. The nine original tracks include a sequel to a debut track and several ensemble arrangements credited to the full band.

“Man Who Paints the Pictures – Part II” stretches the earlier track into a multi-section form, led by phased organ, slow guitar crescendos, and choral accents. “What Time Did You Say It Is in Salt Lake City?” pivots on fast-trotting piano and Keller’s brash vocal delivery. “Jokes Are For Sad People” develops a seven-minute modal instrumental with quiet keyboard themes and feedback-laced plateaus. “I’ve Never Seen Evergreen” features Knust on vocals in a hushed, minor-key lull. “Death Is the Dancer” returns to organ-led chamber dynamics with open drum patterns and layered rhythm accents.

A1. “Man Who Paints the Pictures – Part II” (6:51)
A2. “What Time Did You Say It Is in Salt Lake City?” (3:16)
A3. “Don’t Come Crying to Me Girl” (2:35)
A4. “Fever” (3:43) — originated as a 1956 R&B single by Little Willie John, written by Eddie Cooley and Otis Blackwell (as “John Davenport”); later recorded by Peggy Lee and Elvis Presley
A5. “Grand Candy Young Sweet” (1:53)

B1. “Jokes Are For Sad People” (7:17)
B2. “I’ve Never Seen Evergreen” (3:26)
B3. “Peace of Mind” (3:14) — written by Nolan Woods
B4. “Death Is the Dancer” (3:56)

Sessions occurred in mid-to-late 1968 at Andrus Productions in Houston, with additional tracking at Summit Sound in Denver and Western/United Studios in Hollywood. Production by Scott and Vivian Holtzman; engineering by Walt Andrus, Frank Davis, and Mic Lietz.

Another Time, Another Place features a gatefold cover with black & white photography by Christina Altfeld and color images by Babette Dodson. Susan Williams designed the physical LP construction.

Uni promoted the album with “What Time Did You Say It Is in Salt Lake City?” (b/w “Grand Candy Young Sweet”) and “Don’t Come Crying to Me Girl” (b/w “Man Who Paints the Pictures – Part II”).

Creation

Fever Tree released their third album, Creation, in January 1970 on Uni.

The album shifts between compact psych-rock structures and longer arrangements layered with horns and strings. Compared with the extended jams of Another Time, Another Place, this set returns to concise forms while introducing new harmonic contours and a broader instrumental palette. The band adopts a less overtly blues-rock tone and explores more baroque and chamber pop textures, particularly on side two.

Dennis Keller moderates his vocal approach with more subdued phrasing and clearer articulation. Guitar work is more restrained, with emphasis on harmonic support and texture. Rob Landes contributes organ, piano, and clavinet, co-writing three tracks with Scott and Vivian Holtzman. Bass and percussion parts remain steady and understated, while orchestration by Gene Page and David Angel supplements select songs with classical motifs and sectional contrast.

Producers Scott and Vivian Holtzman co-wrote five songs. Landes contributed to three. Three tracks originate from songwriter Jancy Lee Tyler. The album also includes a full-band remake of their earlier instrumental “Imitation Situation,” expanded and subtitled “Complete and Unabridged.”

“Catcher in the Rye” builds on layered piano figures, tremolo guitar, and overdriven tones that rise into an abrupt climax. “Imitation Situation (Complete and Unabridged)” merges recitative sections and symphonic cues with shifting dynamics and tempo drops. “Time Is Now” unfolds as a slow-burn with minor-key harmonies and overlapping vocal lines, leading into “The God Game,” which cycles between choral overlays, echoing guitar figures, and modal chord progressions. “Fever Blue” retains blues phrasing but shifts toward spoken passages and rhythm fragmentation.

A1. “Woman, Woman (Woman)” (2:33)
A2. “Love Makes the Sun Rise” (2:32)
A3. “Catcher in the Rye” (3:12)
A4. “Wild Woman Ways” (4:05)
A5. “Fever Blue (Song for a Bunch of Tired Black and White Musicians After a Gig in an East Texas Honky Tonk)” (3:33)

B1. “Run Past My Window” (3:25)
B2. “Imitation Situation (Complete and Unabridged)” (4:47)
B3. “Time Is Now” (4:05)
B4. “The God Game” (4:35)

Sessions occurred in late 1969 at Andrus Productions in Houston with producers Scott and Vivian Holtzman. Walter Andrus served as chief engineer. B2 was arranged by David Angel; A2 and B4 by Gene Page.

Creation features a cover painting by Dub Wethersby III. The LP was issued by Universal City Records, a division of MCA, with production coordinated by “Doctor Don.”

For Sale

Fever Tree released their fourth album, For Sale, in February 1971 on Ampex.

Compiled after the group’s effective dissolution, the album merges early recordings with new studio work led by producers Scott and Vivian Holtzman. Most tracks recycle pre-existing material or recent studio outtakes, including both sides of the band’s 1966–67 Mainstream singles. Two new covers (“She Comes In Colors,” “Come On In”) and a side-length jam on “Hey Joe” round out the set, now with session players and minimal involvement from original keyboardist Rob Landes and drummer John Tuttle.

Dennis Keller remains the only consistent member, singing lead throughout. Guitarist Michael Knust appears only sparingly, sharing credits with Walt Mescal and David Cohen. Grant Johnson plays organ on newer tracks, while Rob Landes returns for the older recordings. E.E. Wolfe III and Joe Osborn alternate on bass, with drums split between Tuttle, Kevin Kelley, and Hal Blaine. Backing vocals on several tracks are provided by The Blackberries, adding gospel harmonies to the heavily arranged cuts.

The Holtzmans wrote three of the album’s nine tracks, including both Mainstream-era singles. “Come On In” originated with Sean Bonniwell of The Music Machine. Other covers include “I Put a Spell on You” (Screamin’ Jay Hawkins), “She Comes In Colors” (Love), and a 13-minute version of “Hey Joe” (Billy Roberts), which occupies all of side two.

“She Comes In Colors” applies a more polished, keyboard-driven reading to Arthur Lee’s original, substituting Love’s loose orchestration with layered studio precision. “Catcher in the Rye” is absent here, but “Come On In” introduces harpsichord in place of Vox organ, retaining the original’s angular rhythm. “Fever Blue” delivers spoken sections over slow barroom pacing. “Hey Joe” proceeds through extended instrumental stretches with layered organ and blues guitar vamping, but lacks resolution or narrative progression.

A1. “I Put a Spell on You” (3:22) — originated as a 1956 single by Screamin’ Jay Hawkins, co-written by Hawkins and Herb Slotkin; later covered by Nina Simone, Creedence Clearwater Revival, and others
A2. “Come On In” (2:29) — originated as the 1966 B-side of “Talk Talk” by The Music Machine, written by Sean Bonniwell
A3. “She Comes In Colors” (2:50) — originated as a 1966 single by Love, written by Arthur Lee
A4. “Girl Don’t Push Me” (2:40)
A5. “You’re Not the Same” (3:43)
A6. “Hey Mister” (2:06)

B1. “Hey Joe, Where You Gonna Go” (12:55) — originated as a 1962 folk-blues standard by Billy Roberts; later popularized by The Leaves, The Jimi Hendrix Experience, and others

Sessions occurred intermittently from 1966 to 1970 at various locations, with final recordings overseen by producers Scott and Vivian Holtzman and engineer Mike Leitz. Rob Landes and John Tuttle appear only on A4 and A6. Later sessions featured The Wrecking Crew (Hal Blaine, Larry Knechtel, Joe Osborn) and additional guitarists Walt Mescal and David Cohen. “Hey Joe” includes backing vocals by The Blackberries.

For Sale features a front cover designed by Dean O. Torrence. The back cover features scattered type and minimal session credits. The album was issued by Ampex under license from Gulf-Pacific Industries.

Ampex promoted the album with “I Put a Spell on You” (b/w “Hey Joe, Where You Gonna Go”) and “She Comes In Colors” (b/w “You’re Not the Same”).

Discography: