The original lineup of the group evolved from an earlier Los Angeles band, The Red Roosters, which included Randy California (guitars, vocals), Mark Andes (bass) and Jay Ferguson (vocals, percussion). With the addition of Ed Cassidy (drums) and keyboard player John Locke the new band was originally named the Spirits Rebellious (after a book by Khalil Gibran) but was soon shortened simply to Spirit. Randy California had also played with Jimi Hendrix (then known as Jimmy James) in Jimmy James and the Blue Flames in 1966.

Cassidy was instantly recognizable by his shaven head (hence his nickname "Mr. Skin") and his fondness for wearing black. He was around twenty years older than the rest of the group (born in 1923). His earlier career was primarily in jazz and included stints with Cannonball Adderley, Gerry Mulligan, Roland Kirk, Thelonious Monk and Lee Konitz. He was a founding member of Rising Sons with Taj Mahal and Ry Cooder.
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Singles

* I Got A Line On You (1969) #25
* 1984 (1970) #69
* Animal Zoo (1970) #97
* Mr. Skin (1973) #92

NATURE'S WAY

"The Twelve Dreams of Doctor Sardonicus" is an album that still holds up today and is their masterpiece.  "Nature's Way", "Mr. Skin", "Animal Zoo", "Morning Will Come", "Nothin' to Hide", all great stuff.

no

I gotta line on spirit. Sorry it may be natures way, but the ahll won't be calling Spirit.

Still fresh,always contemporary, a shame that it ended before the public understood what it was, truly ahead of its time. California was a phenomenal guitar mechanic. Interesting to hear how his voice got stronger as he got older.

Excellent!

randy california was the most talented rock guitarist of the 60's and he was about 8 years younger than most of them !

I think these guys may have opened for The Doors. They did play in the same LA Sunset Strip nightclubs, and I believe Led Zepplin opened for Spirit!

only the doors came close to being as good as these guys