Holy Moses (American band)
| Company type | Rock band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1968 |
| Headquarters | Woodstock, New York , United States |
| Products | Music albums |
Holy Moses was a rock ensemble originating from Woodstock, New York, active in the United States. Their sole album was issued by RCA Victor Records in 1971.
Background
Before Holy Moses, Speleos and Smart—who had been part of the Remains—were members of the group Kangaroo, established in 1968 alongside folk singer Barbara Keith and versatile musician John Hall. Theodore Edward Speleos (born 1951), recognized as a highly skilled guitarist, had succeeded Roy Buchanan and collaborated with Hall in the rock outfit the British Walkers. His electric guitar technique drew frequent comparisons to that of Jimi Hendrix. In his memoir Born To Run, Bruce Springsteen recounted witnessing Speleos perform at the Cafe Wha? in Greenwich Village, expressing admiration for his distinctive tone and skill. Hall and Speleos had previously played together in Washington, D.C., cultivating a loyal live audience. Kangaroo produced several singles and a self-titled album under MGM Records before dissolving in early 1969. Subsequently, Hall formed the band Orleans and pursued a political career as a U.S. State Senator; Smart joined Mountain alongside Leslie West; Keith embarked on a solo path. Speleos relocated to Woodstock, where he initiated Holy Moses.
Formation and career
In Woodstock, Speleos assembled Holy Moses with David Vittek on rhythm guitar, Marty David handling bass and tenor saxophone, and Chris Parker on drums, later adding vocalist and pianist Billy Batson. Originally from California, Batson had recorded with Decca Records in 1966, performed extensively in California and Greenwich Village venues, and had compositions recorded by the duo Hedge and Donna. Batson’s songwriting brought renewed direction to the band as they became regular performers in the Catskills region. Although they declined representation from Albert Grossman, they attracted Michael Jeffery’s interest—who was searching for new talent following Jimi Hendrix’s passing; Jeffery admired Speleos’ guitar playing and gifted him one of Hendrix’s guitars. The group secured a deal with RCA Victor and recorded their album, Holy Moses!!, at Electric Lady Studios in New York City during 1970. Every track was penned by Batson; production duties were handled by Mike Esposito of the Blues Magoos and Kim King from Lothar and the Hand People.
Issued in 1971, Holy Moses!! has been characterized as containing "all the ingredients of a bonafide classic." Despite this, the band disbanded prior to embarking on a tour. Esposito later described the group as "unusually unstable." Following Jeffery’s fatal plane accident in 1973, Speleos experienced theft of his guitars and subsequently moved to Virginia to dedicate time to his family.
Later activities
Chris Parker went on to join Paul Butterfield's Better Days; Speleos is reported to have spent a period living in a monastery; Marty David transitioned into work as a session musician. Billy Batson later became part of The Hypstrz, releasing their album Hypstrization! via Voxx Records in 1980.
David Vittek passed away in 2012. Billy Batson died on September 5, 2017.