Editing Quicksilver Messenger Service (section)

==History==

===Formation===
There is some confusion as to the real origins of the group. According to [[John Cipollina]]:

{{blockquote|It was Valenti who organized the group. I can remember everything Dino said. "We were all going to have wireless guitars. We were going to have leather jackets made with hooks that we could hook these wireless instruments right into. And we were gonna have these chicks, backup rhythm sections that were gonna dress like American Indians with real short little dresses on and they were gonna have tambourines and the clappers in the tambourines were going to be silver coins." And I'm sitting there going, 'This guy is gonna happen and we're gonna set the world on its ear.'<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mjckeh.demon.co.uk/jc/q-det1.htm#kt |title="Quicksilver Messenger Service Live at The Kabuki Theater, San Francisco, 31st December 1970", liner notes |publisher=Mjckeh.demon.co.uk |access-date=2011-10-13 |archive-date=August 22, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160822030137/http://www.mjckeh.demon.co.uk/jc/q-det1.htm#kt }}</ref>}}

The next day, Valenti was arrested for possession of [[marijuana]] and spent the better part of the next two years in jail. However, Gary Duncan has stated:

{{blockquote|That's the story Cipollina told everybody. But according to Dino, that wasn't the case at all. When he'd been looking for a band, he'd talked to Cipollina, and everybody somehow put two and two together. He actually lived with us when he got out of prison, and while we played some music together and wrote songs, he had no interest in playing in Quicksilver; he wanted to start his own career. Well, when his own career didn't do so well, he had more interest in playing in Quicksilver!}}

Whether or not Quicksilver Messenger Service was what Valenti had in mind, it appears from Duncan's recollections that he had at least talked with Cipollina about forming a band; Cipollina remembered that:

{{blockquote|I was recommended to Dino, probably because I was the only guy playing an electric guitar, let alone lead, at the time…We talked about rehearsing one night and planned to rehearse the following night but it never happened. The next day Dino got busted.}}

[[David Freiberg]], a folk-guitarist friend of Valenti, was recruited to the group. He had previously been in a band with [[Paul Kantner]] and [[David Crosby]] but like Cipollina he had been arrested and briefly jailed for marijuana possession and had just been released.<ref name= InterviewJB97>{{cite web| url= http://www.penncen.com/quicksilver/freiberg/interview.html |first= David |last= Freiberg| interviewer= John Barthel| title= Interview with David Freiberg, 1997 | website=Penncen.com |date= September 4, 1997 |access-date= 2011-10-13 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120222114511/http://www.penncen.com/quicksilver/freiberg/interview.html |archive-date= February 22, 2012 }}</ref>  "We were to take care of this guy Freiberg", Cipollina recalled, and though they had never met before, Freiberg was integrated into the group. The band also added [[Skip Spence]] on guitar and began to rehearse at [[Marty Balin]]'s club, [[The Matrix (club)|the Matrix]]. Balin, in search of a drummer for the band he was organizing (which became Jefferson Airplane), convinced Spence to switch instruments and groups.

To make up for poaching Spence, Balin suggested that they contact drummer Greg Elmore and guitarist–singer Gary Duncan, who had played together in a group called [[The Brogues]]. This new version of the group played its first concert performance in December 1965, playing for the Christmas party of [[the Committee (improv group)]]. Drummer [[Greg Elmore]] and guitarist [[Jim Murray (musician)|Jim Murray]] were added to fill out the original band.

It was a band without a name, Cipollina recalled:
{{blockquote|Jim Murray and David Freiberg came up with the name. Me and Freiberg were born on the same day, and Gary and Greg were born on the same day, we were all Virgos and Murray was a Gemini. And Virgos and Geminis are all ruled by the planet Mercury. Another name for Mercury is Quicksilver. And then, Quicksilver is the messenger of the Gods, and Virgo is the servant, so Freiberg says "Oh, Quicksilver Messenger Service".}}

===Management===
The group's early management was by [[James Neil Hollingworth|Ambrose Hollingworth]], who became a paraplegic as a result of an automobile crash near [[Muir Beach, California]] in 1966. Hollingworth's stewardship, which also included the all-female [[The Ace of Cups|Ace of Cups]], transferred to [[Ron Polte]]. Polte was known for going to great lengths to accommodate the needs of his musicians. When perennial studio musician [[Nicky Hopkins]] joined the band in 1969, it was the first and only band that officially included him in its performing and recording revenues.<ref name=Polte>[https://www.marinij.com/2016/09/16/quicksilver-messenger-service-manager-ron-polte-dies-in-mill-valley-at-84/ Quicksilver Messenger Service manager Ron Polte dies in Mill Valley at 84] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210218104208/https://www.marinij.com/2016/09/16/quicksilver-messenger-service-manager-ron-polte-dies-in-mill-valley-at-84/ |date=February 18, 2021 }}, ''[[Marin Independent Journal]]'', Paul Liberatore, September 16, 2016. Retrieved March 1, 2021.</ref> Hollingsworth died in 1996, and Polte in 2016.<ref name=Polte/>

===Early years===
Jim Murray left the group not long after they performed at the [[Monterey International Pop Festival]] in June 1967.<ref name= InterviewJB97 /> The band began a period of heavy touring on the West Coast of the United States where they built up a solid following and featured on many star-studded bills at the [[Avalon Ballroom]] and the [[Fillmore West]]. Sound system pioneer, inventor, and engineer (and famous LSD chemist) [[Owsley Stanley]] regularly recorded concerts at major San Francisco venues during this period, and his archive includes many Quicksilver Messenger Service live performances from 1966 and 1967, which were released on his Bear Recordings label in 2008 and 2009.

Quicksilver Messenger Service initially held back from committing to a record deal but eventually signed to [[Capitol Records]] in late 1967, becoming the last of the top-ranked San Francisco bands to join a major label.<ref name= Logan-Woff>{{cite book| editor-first1= Nick| editor-last1= Logan| editor-first2= Bob| editor-last2= Woffinden| title= The Illustrated New Musical Express Encyclopedia of Rock| publisher= Salamander Books| location= London| year= 1977| isbn= 0-600-33147-4| page=190}}</ref> Capitol was the only company that had missed out on signing a San Francisco "hippie" band during the first flurry of record company interest and, consequently, Quicksilver Messenger Service was able to negotiate a better deal than many of their peers. At the same time, Capitol signed the [[Steve Miller Band]], with whom Quicksilver Messenger Service had appeared on the movie and soundtrack album ''[[Revolution (1968 film)|Revolution]]'', together with the group [[Mother Earth (American band)|Mother Earth]].

Quicksilver Messenger Service released [[Quicksilver Messenger Service (album)|their eponymous debut album]] in 1968. It was followed by ''[[Happy Trails (album)|Happy Trails]]'', released in early 1969 and largely recorded live at the [[Fillmore East]] and the [[Fillmore West]]. Like most live albums of the time, ''Happy Trails'' made extensive use of studio overdubs, and the last two songs were recorded entirely in the studio, but it has nonetheless been called the most accurate reproduction of the band's acclaimed live performances.<ref>{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r16003|first=Lindsay|last=Planer}}</ref> ''Happy Trails'' was awarded a gold album in the United States.<ref name="riaa.com">{{cite web |  url= https://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?content_selector=gold-platinum-searchable-database |  title= Gold and Platinum Searchable Database |  website= RIAA.com |  publisher= [[Recording Industry Association of America]] |  access-date= September 10, 2017 |  archive-date= February 3, 2015 |  archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150203141448/http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?content_selector=gold-platinum-searchable-database |  url-status= live }}</ref>

These albums, which have been hailed as "...two of the best examples of the San Francisco sound at its purest,"<ref name= Logan-Woff /> emphasize extended arrangements and fluid twin-guitar improvisation. Cipollina's highly melodic, individualistic lead guitar style, combined with Gary Duncan's driving minor scale, jazzy guitar playing, resulted in a clear, notable contrast to the heavily amplified and overdriven sound of contemporaries like [[Cream (band)|Cream]] and [[Jimi Hendrix]]. In 2003 ''Happy Trails'' was rated at No.&nbsp;189 in the ''Rolling Stone'' Top 500 albums survey, where it was described as "...the definitive live recording of the mid-Sixties San Francisco psychedelic-ballroom experience..."<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100417043128/http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/6599267/189_happy_trails|title=Music News – Rolling Stone|magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |archive-date=April 17, 2010}}</ref> Archetypal Quicksilver Messenger Service songs include the elongated rendition of [[Bo Diddley]]'s "[[Who Do You Love? (Bo Diddley song)|Who Do You Love?]]" on ''Happy Trails''.

Duncan left the group not long after the recording of ''Happy Trails''; according to David Freiberg, this was largely because of his escalating problems with [[opiates]] and [[amphetamines]].<ref name= InterviewJB97/> His 'farewell' performances were the studio recordings that ended up on ''Happy Trails'' and a final live performance with the band on New Year's Eve 1969.<ref name= InterviewJB97/> Duncan recalled 18 years later:

{{blockquote|Well, let's put it this way, at the end of 1968, I was pretty burned out. We'd been on the road for, really, the first time in our lives. I just left for a year. I didn't want to have anything to do with music at all. And I left for a year and rode motorcycles and lived in New York and L.A. and just kind of went crazy for about a year.}}

Freiberg later recalled that Duncan's departure shook the core of the band: "Duncan was the 'engine' man, it just didn't WORK without him ... for me. I was really ... I was devastated..."<ref name= InterviewJB97/>

For their 1969 album ''[[Shady Grove (Quicksilver Messenger Service album)|Shady Grove]]'', Duncan was replaced by renowned English [[Session musician|session keyboardist]] [[Nicky Hopkins]], who had played on scores of hit albums and singles by acts like [[the Kinks]], [[the Rolling Stones]], [[the Beatles]], [[the Who]], The [[Jeff Beck Group]] and [[Steve Miller (musician)|Steve Miller]]. Hopkins' virtuoso piano boogie dominates the album, giving it a unique sound within the Quicksilver catalog.

===Dino Valenti rejoins===
Gary Duncan and Dino Valenti both returned to Quicksilver Messenger Service at this time, expanding the group to a six-piece. The next two albums, ''[[Just for Love]]'' and ''[[What About Me (Quicksilver Messenger Service album)|What About Me]]'', were recorded simultaneously in Hawaii. Much of ''What About Me'' was recorded at [[Pacific High Recording]] in San Francisco, and both albums were mixed at Pacific High.

The band's approach to recording was undisciplined, with Valenti renting a building without electricity to record in. The finished albums took many hours in the studio because the group had a contract which allowed unlimited studio time with no Capitol producer present unless invited. The producer was only invited to the studio to hear the playing of the finished albums.

The albums are a departure from the group's earlier sound, with Valenti taking over as lead singer and, under the pseudonym of Jesse Oris Farrow, principal songwriter. The records sold relatively well and produced the group's one hit radio single, "[[Fresh Air (song)|Fresh Air]]". John Cipollina and Nicky Hopkins departed soon after their experiences in Hawaii. Hopkins apparently left during the Hawaii recording sessions, as founding [[Paul Butterfield Blues Band]] keyboardist [[Mark Naftalin]] takes his place for three cuts on ''What About Me''.

===Later years===
The band continued with the lineup of Gary Duncan, Greg Elmore, Dino Valenti and David Freiberg until September 1971, when Freiberg was jailed for marijuana possession; he was replaced by Mark Ryan. Following his recent session contributions, Naftalin joined the band in earnest. This lineup recorded two commercially unsuccessful albums (''Quicksilver'' [1971; No. 114] and ''Comin' Thru'' [1972; No. 134]) that left the group without a recording contract.<ref name= Logan-Woff /> Duncan's "Doin' Time in the USA" from the latter album enjoyed a modicum of FM radio play at the time, while the ''Quicksilver'' track "Fire Brothers" was later covered by [[4AD]] founder [[Ivo Watts-Russell]]'s [[This Mortal Coil]] on ''Filigree and Shadow'' (1986).

Now largely a part-time vehicle for Valenti and Duncan, the group continued to tour sporadically over the next two years, playing a mixture of headlining club dates and arena/stadium support slots for more popular groups such as [[The James Gang]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.setlist.fm/search?query=artist:(Quicksilver+Messenger+Service)+date:%5B1974-01-01+TO+1974-12-31%5D|title=Search for setlists: artist:(Quicksilver Messenger Service) date:[1974-01-01 TO 1974-12-31]|website=Setlist.fm|access-date=July 3, 2019|archive-date=August 6, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200806135054/https://www.setlist.fm/search?query=artist:(Quicksilver+Messenger+Service)+date:%5B1974-01-01+TO+1974-12-31%5D|url-status=live}}</ref> Naftalin departed the band in 1972 and was replaced by Chuck Steaks. Harold Aceves, formerly a roadie for the band, also joined the band at the same time as a second drummer. Ryan was fired in 1972 after missing a flight; he was replaced by Roger Stanton. Stanton had played with Aceves in a popular [[Phoenix, Arizona]] band Poland. Stanton remained with the band until 1974 when he was replaced by Bob Flurie, who was a well-known East Coast virtuoso guitar player. This Quicksilver lineup disbanded in 1975. Aceves, Stanton, and Flurie later backed former Country Joe and the Fish guitarist [[Barry Melton]].{{citation needed|date= June 2017}}

In 1975, Elmore, Duncan, Valenti, Freiberg and Cipollina recorded a reunion album, ''[[Solid Silver]]'', on Capitol Records. The album also included contributions from a variety of Bay Area musicians, including former keyboardist Nicky Hopkins, session vocalist [[Kathi McDonald]] and [[Jefferson Starship]] multi-instrumentalist [[Pete Sears]]. Freiberg had initially replaced [[Marty Balin]] in Jefferson Airplane following his release from prison in 1972 and remained with the group as they evolved into the mammothly successful Jefferson Starship. Released in November 1975, ''[[Solid Silver]]'' fared better from a commercial and critical standpoint than the preceding two albums but only managed to peak at No. 89. While Freiberg elected not to rejoin the live group as a result of his Jefferson Starship commitments, Cipollina, keyboardist Michael Lewis and bassist Skip Olsen toured with the returning trio for a handful of concerts in 1975, culminating in an appearance at San Francisco's [[Winterland Ballroom]] on December 28. Shortly thereafter, Cipollina departed once again and the remaining quintet continued to tour clubs intermittently until finally dissolving in 1979.