Thursday September 10, 2020 “Fresh Air” Quicksilver Messenger Service

A man of many talents and names.

 We met Dino Valente, the singer and songwriter of “Fresh Air” a while back with his anthemic “Get Together” which the Youngbloods hit it big with.  “Fresh Air” is credited for whatever reason to Chester Powers, Dino’s given name and he is frequently listed in the Quicksilver Messenger Service’s members as Jesse Otis Farrow, truly a man of mystery, or maybe just confused.

 “Fresh Air” was not a big hit, number 49 was as high as it got, but it was constantly on FM playlists back when FM radio had its beginnings and it should have given the band a good start but Dino was not the best band leader.  As an example, he rented a building to practice and record, but it had no electricity and just as the band was starting to gain some traction he got busted for marijuana possession and sent to prison.

 He did get around in the San Francisco music scene though and if you were to create a diagram of Valente’s musical associations it would include, the Grateful Dead, the Byrds, the Jefferson Airplane and Moby Grape just to name a few.

 As for the band name Quicksilver lead guitarist John Cippolina explains:  

 “Jim Murray (guitar) and David Freiberg (bass, keyboards) came up with the name. Me and Freiberg were born on the same day, and Gary (Duncan, guitar) and Greg (Ellmore, drums) 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".

 Best band name description ever.

 Stay safe and well...and do have another hit of fresh air.

Oh, what you do to me, oh, what you do to me, little girl.

Ooo, have another hit of sweet air, come on, ooo, have another hit.

I want to know where you're going,

I want to know, sweet mama, where you're gonna go, yeah.

Ooo, have another hit of fresh air, ooo, have another hit.

Oh, baby, what you gonna do, oh, honey, what you gonna do, sweet thing?

Ooo, have another hit of sweet love, ooo, have another hit.

I love you, yes I do, babe, and I love you, I do, sweet lips.

Ooo, have another hit of sweet California sunshine, ooo, have another hit.

Take me home, take me home, take me home with you,

Take me home, I wanna go home with you, little girl.

Ooo, have another hit of fresh air, ooo, have another hit.