Quicksilver Messenger Service
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Biography
Quicksilver Messenger Service was formed in 1965 in Sanâ¯Francisco, California, by guitarist John Cipollina, guitarist and vocalist Gary Duncan, drummer Greg Elmore, bassist and vocalist David Freiberg, and later joined by keyboardist Nicky Hopkins and vocalist Dinoâ¯Valenti; the band originated from the local psychedelic scene and began performing at venues such as the Avalon Ballroom and the Fillmore West, gaining recognition for their extended improvisations and intricate twinâguitar interplay. Their debut studio album Quicksilver Messenger Service was released in 1968 on Capitol Records, followed by the liveâalbum Happy Trails in 1969, which earned a gold certification in the United States and was later ranked number 189 in Rolling Stoneâs Top 500 albums survey of 2003; the 1969 release contained the extended rendition of "Who Do You Love?" and featured the single "Fresh Air", which reached number 49 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1970. In 1969 the band recorded Shady Grove, featuring Nicky Hopkins on piano, and in 1970 released Just for Love and What About Me in Hawaii, both of which showcased Dinoâ¯Valentiâs songwriting under the pseudonym Jesseâ¯Orisâ¯Farrow and produced the single "Fresh Air". The early 1970s saw the release of Quicksilver (1971) and Cominâ¯Thru (1972), which charted modestly at number 114 and number 134 respectively and marked a period of personnel changes, including the departure of Gary Duncan and the brief inclusion of Mark Naftalin on keyboards. After a brief dissolution in 1975, the original lineup briefly reunited for the album Solid Silver (1975), which peaked at number 89 on the Billboard album chart; the reunion concert at Winterland Ballroom on December 28, 1975, was later captured in live recordings. The band continued sporadically with varying lineups through the 1980s and 1990s, including Gary Duncanâs Quicksilver and later David Freibergâs Quicksilver Messenger Service, touring under the original name and releasing compilations such as Anthology (1973) and Classic Masters (2007). Gary Duncan died on Juneâ¯29, 2019, in Woodland, California, after a period of illness; David Freiberg remains active with the band, which continues to perform and occasionally open for Jefferson Starship until its current status as a touring entity. The groupâs contributions to the Sanâ¯Francisco psychedelic movement remain documented in numerous live releases, including Live Across America 1967â1977 (2016) and Fillmore Auditorium â Novemberâ¯5â¯1966 (2014), preserving their legacy as a foundational band in the evolution of American psychedelic rock. In 2026, the label Esoteric Records released the 5-CD box set Who Do You Love? The Recordings 1967-1972.
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Albums
Top Tracks
- Track Popularity
- Fresh Air
- Mona
- What About Me?
- Pride of Man
- Who Do You Love
- Dino's Song
- Joseph's Coat
- Light Your Windows
- The Fool
- Maiden Of The Cancer Moon
- Calvary
- Cobra
- Too Long
- Hope
- Fire Brothers
- Don't Cry My Lady Love
- I Found Love
- Which Do You Love
- Senor Blues
- How You Love
- Where You Love
- Who Do You Love (Part 1)
- Wolf Run
- Gypsy Lights
