Bobby Callender • Rainbow (MGM, 1968)

Greetings friends, I have returned from a much needed vacation in the Sub Universe. There of all places I had a chance meeting with a old Professor, El Hombre Mysterioso. It was in his class "Obscurity: Introduction, advance unseen" that I had learned the practice of "seeing everyone before they see you".

In the decades before the Internet, slipping between the cracks was a tad more feasible. Now almost everyone has their Biography at the ready. In 10 minutes anyone can become a noted expert on anybody, but Bobby Callender's story has somehow remained untold. What little information I have been able to gather was the recollection of a recording studio engineer who paints Bobby as a white turbaned phony. Someone who sent in one from his Harem of girls to check out the studio. If the vibes weren't right, he wasn't going in. I have forgotten where I read this, but it wasn't that long ago on line.

After Callender got comfortable, it seems that he let his guard down and reviled some of his past to the engineer; he was a former tattooed gang member from the Bronx who turned D.J., and after a while realized there was a lot of action in being a Hippie singer.

So how does Bobby fare? Blessed with a voice that when eyes closed you would swear was coming from the Jungle Book's Snake, he near tunelessly croons his was through the album. The crack session players provide third world instrumentation (koto, sitar, tabla's, et al.) and rock backing. At times neo Classical orchestra is hijacked, but nothing can disguise, that Callender almost willfully ignores meter. If his inspired lyrics are too long, throw in another bar of music, or just speed up the delivery...either way it'll fit!

They lyrics here are obsessed with sex, but so encased in purple prose it takes a few listens to get it. Rainbow had come out on MGM, I guess before mike Curb did his purge of the label. If he was having conniption fits over The Velvet Underground and The Mothers of invention, what was his take on Bobby's limp wrist of a voice and its tales of "Sade Masoch, was a handsome young man who taught history at the local High School. Though he never enjoyed the stuff himself, to be sociable he'd always try. " and also from Sade Masoch: "No one in the town knew this very much about his personal life. But mostly everyone agreed he was very good looking and always acted polite. His classes were very popular amongst all the birds in school. The syob (?) kidded that he was queer, but they really thought he was cool"...or how about the lilting tale of Mother Superior? A older woman who is a Lesbian, done in by the end of the song by her lawyer. By the end of the album, in it's last track he proclaims weekly "Black Power" , and wonders who was Jesus Christ.

Added to the Grey area reissue on Akarma, are two tracks - the Glow Within Thee. and Raga Man. No information is given to where they are from. The only other piece of information on Callender Ive found is that he had two tracks on Tom Wilson's promo LP (released prior to Rainbow), "The Music Factory". Could these be from there?

With the above mentioned compilation, there was a very good pre LP 45, and then two further records. Regretfully these are diminishing affairs. The follow up record is the libretto for an Alan Lorber conceived stage production with Krishna / Jesus Christ Superstar overtones. While his last is a Funk suite about the Impressionist movement...not as fun as it sounds, and only released in Holland...

Add it all to the pile of Bobby Callender; Bronx tough, D.J., effete Sri Donovan. Maybe dead, maybe alive.

Please click on the review title for selected track: Nature