Rasputin's Stash Interview

[boba]

Hi. Today on my radio show I interviewed Frank Donaldson, drummer for Rasputin's stash. Frank was originally from Evanston, IL, playing in many local R&B and rock bands throughout high school. Frank got his first big break when he joined a west-suburban band called the Boston Tea Party, who were booked to play a tour backing Archie Bell and the Drells. The band toured the midwest with the Drells, even performing with Archie on television a few times. You can watch them perform tighten up here, which is one of the best music clips I've ever seen (Frank is the drummer in the clip):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C77NCvCTIkw

On returning to Chicago, Frank started attending college. While performing with one of his bands on the south west side, Frank attended a show by the band the Fantastic Epics and was impressed with the performance. Frank soon sat in playing drums on a show with the Epics and was asked to join the band to replace their existing drummer. The Fantastic Epics already had released several records before Frank joined, including their local hit "Fun and Funk" as well as the excellent uptempo soul harmony track "Let's get together."

The Fantastic Epics played at both White clubs in the suburbs and clubs on the South Side of Chicago. The band soon joined with members of another local band, called Purple Haze, to form Rasputin's Stash. Rasputin's Stash planned to record an album with a psychedelic Funk-Rock feel, attempting to cross over to White record buyers in a way similar to Sly Stone. The band went to Criteria studios in Florida to record, setting up a meeting with Jerry Wexler to attempt to get signed to Atlantic records. Wexler was impressed with the material and the band signed to the label. Atlantic released the entire LP, as already recorded and produced by the band, on their Cotillion records subsidiary, in 1971. Atlantic released one single off the album -- Your love is certified / What's on your mind, but the album received little promotion and got little airplay.

The band returned to Chicago, continuing to play, and even went on a tour of the pacific northwest. After a couple of years, the band signed to Curtom records, releasing an entire album on Curtom's Gemigo subsidiary. The album had a much tighter sound than the first LP, with a more consistent Funk groove and less of a rock-influence. Despite having many excellent tracks, the album didn't receive proper promotion and didn't get sales -- it was not distributed through Warner Brothers like other Curtom records and no singles were released from the LP. Several tracks from the LP received play on WBMX records in Chicago, however, potential buyers could not buy the album as it was not widely available in stores due to distribution problems. The band shortened their name to r-Stash and recorded many more tracks at Curtom studios. However, Curtom only released two more singles on the group after

they left the label.

In the late 70s, Donaldson joined the Ramsey Lewis Trio, touring with the band until the early 90s. In 1983, Donaldson also recorded with Rasputin Stash members under the name Crystal Winds, releasing an entire LP and a single on Chicago's Cashear label. In the 90s Donaldson joined Corky Siegel's Chamber Blues Show, playing Tabla and other percussion. Donaldson continues to perform regularly and teach at Columbia college. He will be releasing a new CD of music soon.

You can listen to my interview on my interviews page at:

https://www.sittinginthepark.com/interviews.html

thanks,

Bob

Edited March 30, 2009 by boba

[Djmelismo]

Hi Bob!

Thanks for posting. Rasputin Stash has always been one of my favorite groups. I guess I have most on the material they put out, I have two original albums on vinyl + a CD comp also featuring some previously unissued bonus cuts. I have always been intrigued as to why they changed their name from Rasputin´s Stash to Rasputin Stash, presupposing it was for contractual reasons. Have listened to the first half of the interview already, will continue listening later on today and really looking forward to it.

Best regards

Melismo

Edited April 2, 2009 by djmelismo

[boba]

Hi Bob!

Thanks for posting. Rasputin Stash has always been one of my favorite groups. I guess I have most on the material they put out, I have two original albums on vinyl + a CD comp also featuring some previously unissued bonus cuts. I have always been intrigued as to why they changed their name from Rasputin´s Stash to Rasputin Stash, presupposing it was for contractual reasons. Have listened to the first half of the interview already, will continue listening later on today and really looking forward to it.

Best regards

Melismo

do you have the final 2 45s they put out on curtom? they are sort of hard to find with the b-sides. They didn't shorten their name for contractual reasons as it was done the whole time they were at curtom, he talks about it in the interview, he says that people didn't know who rasputin was and couldn't pronounce it or something like that. Thanks for listening.

[Djmelismo]

do you have the final 2 45s they put out on curtom? they are sort of hard to find with the b-sides. They didn't shorten their name for contractual reasons as it was done the whole time they were at curtom, he talks about it in the interview, he says that people didn't know who rasputin was and couldn't pronounce it or something like that. Thanks for listening.

Hi Bob! Thanks for the info. Have now listened to the entire interview, very interesting. I think the non-LP Curtom tracks are included on the following CD comp which I have in my collection and is listed with for instance Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Devil-Made-Me-Do/dp/...1238&sr=8-2

This comp was released in 2000 and Peter Burns wrote the liner notes. I have no 45s by the group, but I have the aforementioned CD comp + their two albums on original vinyl. I know the group is somewhat obscure, but I have loved their music since way back. In fact the first Stash LP was one of the first albums I ever bought.

Best regards

Melismo

[boba]

Hi Bob! Thanks for the info. Have now listened to the entire interview, very interesting. I think the non-LP Curtom tracks are included on the following CD comp which I have in my collection and is listed with for instance Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Devil-Made-Me-Do/dp/...1238&sr=8-2

This comp was released in 2000 and Peter Burns wrote the liner notes. I have no 45s by the group, but I have the aforementioned CD comp + their two albums on original vinyl. I know the group is somewhat obscure, but I have loved their music since way back. In fact the first Stash LP was one of the first albums I ever bought.

Best regards

Melismo

what label is the CD you just put up on? Frank seemed to think that their stuff was never reissued legitimately?

I can send you a CD of all the fantastic epics tracks if you're interested in those also, then you would have all the material... except the crystal winds lp I guess.

[Djmelismo]

what label is the CD you just put up on? Frank seemed to think that their stuff was never reissued legitimately?

I can send you a CD of all the fantastic epics tracks if you're interested in those also, then you would have all the material... except the crystal winds lp I guess.

The CD was released in 2000 by Sequel Records, a division of Castle Music, it´a a UK product.

Would love those tracks you mentioned, can PM you my address, thanks.

Best regards,

Mel

[Pete S]

I'm sure I have a 45 by this group on UK red Atlantic...must be late 60's early 70's is it worth anything?

[boba]

I'm sure I have a 45 by this group on UK red Atlantic...must be late 60's early 70's is it worth anything?

the album is from 1971 so it has to be from then. you're the expert on UK 45s but the US record isn't worth anything.

[Pete S]

the album is from 1971 so it has to be from then. you're the expert on UK 45s but the US record isn't worth anything.

Well I've never seen it before but then again, I've never looked for it!