Buddy Miles Express
| Company type | Musical ensemble |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1968 |
| Founder | Buddy Miles |
| Headquarters | United States |
| Products | Albums, singles |
The Buddy Miles Express was a musical ensemble fronted by American drummer and singer Buddy Miles, established after the 1968 disbandment of his previous band, Electric Flag. They produced a total of four albums.
1968
Following the breakup of Electric Flag in 1968, Buddy Miles formed the Buddy Miles Express, incorporating four ex-members from Electric Flag. On October 12, Billboard reported that the band had secured a contract with Mercury Records under Lou Reizner, who managed Mercury's London branch. Guitarist Jim McCarty, known for his work with Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels, was brought on board by Miles, drawn by the group's powerful sound and horn section.
The band's first New York appearance as headliners took place at a Biafra benefit concert held at Bill Graham's Fillmore East, as noted in Billboard on November 16.
Their initial album, Expressway to Your Skull, was issued by Mercury (SR 61196) in 1968. Notably, the album included liner notes penned by Jimi Hendrix. The November 30 edition of Billboard highlighted "Train" and "Spot On The Wall" as promising tracks. The single "Train" was produced by Lou Reizner.
1969
In 1969, the album Electric Church was released, featuring production split between Jimi Hendrix on one side and Mercury Records' Ann Tansey on the other. The album debuted at number 147 on the Billboard Top LPs chart for the week ending June 7, 1969.
Around September of that year, Robert Fitzpatrick initiated a $30,000 breach of contract lawsuit against the band, Mercury Records, and Ashley Famous Agency, aiming to withhold payments to members until reimbursement was made.
Also in 1969, Jim McCarty departed from the group to join Cactus.
1970s
On April 25, 1970, Buddy Miles Express along with Ballin' Jack served as opening acts for Jimi Hendrix at The Forum in Inglewood, California. In May 1972, they appeared at the second British Rock Meeting Concert in Germersheim, West Germany, sharing the stage with bands such as Humble Pie, Pink Floyd, and Atomic Rooster.
The group’s 1973 release Booger Bear received acclaim from Billboard, which commended its polished production and noted a transition towards more mainstream rock rather than hard blues. This album was also issued in a Quadraphonic SQ Matrix format featuring advanced directional sound effects, especially evident on the track "Louie's Blues." Columbia's engineering team was recognized for enhancing the audio range. Booger Bear reached number 56 on the Billboard Soul LPs chart but remained there for only one week.
1980s to 1990s
On December 27, 1984, Buddy Miles Express performed at San Francisco’s Kabuki Theatre during an event sponsored by Bill Graham and Radio KRQ; proceeds were directed to aid refugees affected by famine in Ethiopia.
After collaborating with Bootsy Collins in the early 1990s, Buddy Miles reassembled the Express.
The final album released under the Buddy Miles Express name was Hell And Back, issued by Rykodisc in 1994.
Musicians
- Expressway To Your Skull
- Terrence Clements – tenor saxophone
- Marcus Doubleday – trumpet, flugelhorn
- Virgil Gonsalves – baritone saxophone, soprano saxophone, flute
- Jim McCarty – guitar
- Buddy Miles – vocals, drums, guitar, organ, bass
- Bill Rich – bass
- Herbie Rich – organ, tenor saxophone
- Ron Woods – drums
- Electric Church
- Peter Carter – trumpet
- Tom Hall – trumpet
- Duane Hitchings – organ
- Jim McCarty – guitar
- Buddy Miles – vocals, drums
- Bill Rich – bass
- Bobby Rock – saxophone
- James Tatum – saxophone
- Tobie Wynn – saxophone
- Booger Bear
- Bill Atwood – trumpet
- Jo Baker – background vocals
- Donny Beck – synthesiser, organ, clavinet, piano, background vocals
- Steve Busfield – lead guitar, background vocals
- Bob Ferrara – tenor saxophone
- Robert Hogins – organ
- Mingo Lewis – percussion, congas
- Buddy Miles – lead vocals, drums, guitar, bass, background vocals
- Pat O'Hara – trombone
- Roland Robinson – bass, drums
- Ann Sampson – background vocals
- Pete Welker – trumpet
- Hell and Back
- Crispin Cioe – alto saxophone, baritone saxophone
- Larry Etkin – trumpet
- Bob Funk – trombone
- Arno Hecht – tenor saxophone
- Jeff Levine – organ, piano, clavinet
- Buddy Miles – vocals, drums, guitar
- Nicky Skopelitis – guitar
- Kevon Smith – guitar
- Joe Thomas – bass
- The Uptown Horns – horns
Discography
| Title | Release details | Year | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Train – Part I" / "Train – Part II" | Mercury 72860 | 1968 | |
| "Miss Lady" / "69 Freedom Special" | Mercury 72903 | 1969 | |
| "Funky Mule" / "Don't Mess With Cupid" | Mercury 72914 | 1969 | |
| "Memphis Train" / "My Chant" | Mercury 72945 | 1969 |
| Title | Release details | Year | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Expressway to Your Skull | Mercury SR-61196 | 1968 | |
| Electric Church | Mercury SR-61222 | 1969 | |
| Booger Bear | Columbia KC-32694 | 1973 | |
| Hell And Back | Rykodisc RCD-10305 | 1994 |
Later years
Following his marriage to Hilda in 1989, Herbie Rich dedicated himself and his wife to Christian ministry, actively participating in outreach efforts across Atlanta’s malls, homeless shelters, educational institutions, and nursing facilities. Rich died at age 60 on May 12, 2004, in Mableton, Georgia.
Buddy Miles passed away on February 26, 2008, in Austin, Texas.
Virgil Gonsalves died on October 20, 2008, in Salinas, California.