Spiders Webb -

Spiders Webb was an American soul-funk band that released the 1976 Fantasy album I Don’t Know What’s on Your Mind.

Members: Carol Kaye, Harold Land, Jr., Jeff Lane, Renaldo Jackson, Sam Taylor, Spider Webb

Background

Spiders Webb sprung from the short-lived marriage between jazz-funk session drummer Kenneth “Spider Webb” Rice and Wrecking Crew bassist-guitarist Carol Kaye.

Rice was born Kenneth Ronald Rice on June 15, 1944, in Detroit, Michigan, and played drums from childhood. As a teenage drummer in Detroit, he played early dates connected to United Artists and the Holland-Dozier-Holland organization. King Curtis hired Rice for the Kingpins in 1967, and the association led to credited album work on Sweet Soul (1968) and Everybody’s Talkin’ (1972). In 1971, guitarist Gábor Szabó brought Rice to Los Angeles for West Coast work.

Between 1972 and 1975, Rice played on albums by Creative Source, Eddie Kendricks, Etta James, Freda Payne, Gene Harris, Goldie Zelkowitz, Grover Washington Jr., Labelle, and Popcorn Wylie. Under the Spider Webb name, he also appeared on period albums by Freddie Hubbard, Mary McCreary, Jade, and Side Effect. In 1975, Nentu issued his jazz-funk solo single “Friday’s Child” (b/w “Chesty”).

Kaye was born Carol Smith on March 24, 1935, in Everett, Washington. She played professional guitar jobs as a teenager before Los Angeles studio dates shifted her primary work to Fender bass. Her early Seventies credits include titles by Cannonball Adderley, David Axelrod, Dusty Springfield, Maxine Weldon, Michael Franks, Rick Springfield, Shaun Harris, and Universal Jones. She interacted with Rice on the Jade and McCreary projects.

I Don’t Know What’s On Your Mind

Spiders Webb released their debut album, I Don’t Know What’s On Your Mind, in 1976 on Fantasy.

Webb and Kaye led the seven-piece band with singer Jeff Lane, bassist George “Jazzbo” Spencer, conguero Renaldo Jackson, rhythm guitarist Sam Taylor, and keyboardist Harold Land Jr. The album also features vocal group Venus and string ensemble the Irving Spice Boys.

“I Don’t Know What’s On Your Mind” runs fretboard lines across an ostinato-anchored backbeat. “I’ve Learned From My Burns” coils around a dark repeated rhythm with lyrical swipes at the music biz. “Reggae Bump” sways on an island-accented lilt as strings press against the chorus. “Spider’s Webb” locks vocal chant and string lines into interlaced rhythm figures. “Carry Me Through” depressurizes with Webb/Kaye tradeoff over a clean backing bed. “Good Thing” opens with Webb’s low spoken lead, then drives its home-warning text through heavier ensemble rhythm.

A1. “I Don’t Know What’s On Your Mind” (5:32) – Billy Nichols
A2. “I’ve Learned From My Burns” (5:04) – Jeff Lane and Sam Taylor
A3. “Reggae Bump” (5:17) – Kaye–Webb

B1. “Spider’s Webb” (4:28) – Kaye–Webb
B2. “Carry Me Through” (5:09) – Kaye–Webb
B3. “Good Thing” (5:18) – Jeff Lane, Marion Lane, and Sam Taylor
B4. “Soft Wind” (5:14) – Ken Marco, Steve Kennedy, and Wayne Stone

Jeff Lane produced I Don’t Know What’s On Your Mind for Satellite Records, Inc., with engineer Phil Kaffel, mastering engineer David Turner, and executive producer Ralph Kaffel. Randy Muller arranged the strings.

I Don’t Know What’s On Your Mind appeared in a gatefold sleeve with art direction by Phil Carroll and photography by Laurence Bartone.

Fantasy issued “I Don’t Know What’s On Your Mind” as a 1976 single with “Carry Me Through.” The title track also appeared on a promo twelve-inch with “Reggae Bump” and reached No. 21 on the US Dance chart.

Postlude

Webb and Kaye played concurrently on 1976/77 albums by Robert Palmer (Some People Can Do What They Like) and BT Express (Function at the Junction). Kaye also backed Elliott Fisher on his 1976 album In the Land of Make Believe while Spider (as Rice) played on the second self-titled album by Kath Green. The couple soon ended their marriage.

Discography: