Bob Mosley

Bob Mosley

Reworked, remastered and re-released — at last!

The list of artists who cite 1960s rock legends Moby Grape as an influence is unsurprisingly diverse. After all, the Northern California combo consisted of five gifted songwriters whose unique creative sparks came together as a cohesive whole. Although shady business dealings ultimately undid Moby Grape by 1971, each of the band’s members might have gone on to long careers, if not outright stardom. That’s certainly what should’ve happened for bassist and singer Bob Mosley, who released his eponymously titled Warner Bros. solo debut in ’72.  

The eleven tracks recorded for the album sure packed a wallop. Mosley had given the Grape its rugged, bluesy aspect, and his own LP went that way, full-throttle. Unfussy songcraft with forthright lyrics suited Mosley’s deep, powerful voice—through straight-up rockers like “The Joker,” the propulsive pop of “Let The Music Play” and “Squaw Valley Nils,” and the groovy-greasy, horn-swaggled soul of “Gypsy Wedding.” The sessions captured the bouncy R&B of “Nothing To Do” and the plaintive yearning of country-tinged “Thanks.” With “Hand In Hand,” Mosley brought a tough edge to an unabashed love song, while “So Many Troubles,”  the moving closer, was swathed in haunting keyboards and woe-begotten guitar.

Muscular musicianship came from a core group around Mosley on bass: drummer Alllen Wehr and guitarists Woodie Berry and Frank Smith. The sessions also boasted the Memphis Horns and pedal steel by Ed Black. So how could such strong tunes and stellar playing result in a record that didn’t soar to the top of the charts, satisfying Moby Grape fans and new listeners alike?

To answer that question, let’s go back to the list of artists mad for Moby Grape. Along with Robert Plant, Little Steven, Beck, Chrissie Hynde, Cat Power and Jeff Tweedy is singer/songwriter/producer John DeNicola. “As a big Moby Grape fan, I anticipated any solo records from the band members, and I got this LP as soon as it came out,” DeNicola recalls.  “I listened to it recently and thought the low end of the bass and drums were thin, making the overall sound of the songs less than ideal. I thought, ‘If I could only get my hands on the original multitrack, I would love the opportunity to remix it—better balance the rhythm section with the rest of the music to make it sound as it should. It’s there, it just needs a boost.’”

If anyone knows how things should sound, it’s John DeNicola. In the 1980s, he wrote the music for both monster hits from the Dirty Dancing soundtrack, “(I Had The) Time Of My Life” and “Hungry Eyes,” earning an Academy Award and a Grammy nomination. In the ‘90s, his ears for talent led him to discover a baby band called Kara’s Flowers, who later changed their name to Maroon 5. Via his boutique label, Omad, he not only releases his own solo work, he produces a spectrum of artists in different genres—the only connective tissue being that DeNicola digs them. What’s more, though an accomplished multi-instrumentalist himself, DeNicola had been a bass player in his early bands, so he had a particular interest in doing right by Mosley. “Bob was one of the most influential rock bassists of all time, and for a bass player’s record to be light on bass is not optimal,” he deadpans.

Clearly, DeNicola was the ideal person to help Bob Mosley fulfill its sonic promise. Trouble was, the original multitrack—which would have let him literally start from scratch with a full-on remix—was missing. DeNicola didn’t let that stop him, however, obtaining instead the master two track DDP file from Warner Bros. “With that, I was able to ‘de-mix’ the record, separate out the drums, bass and vocals using a combination of AI programs, and then get the bass and drums up in volume. Not a complete remix, no, but I was able to balance the rhythm section with the music, resulting in a fuller sound.”

Now, Omad is releasing Bob Mosley on CD (consult any hipster—the format is coming back!) and potentially on vinyl as well. “I’m really happy with it,” DeNicola says. “I think it sounds the way it was originally intended to, and it feels great to give people an opportunity to hear Bob’s masterpiece the way it never really was before.”

Perhaps the best news? All profits from the record will go to Mosley, a former Marine who has had his share of struggles off and on during his 81 years on the planet. “Bob’s actually doing well these days, living in California with his lovely wife Connie,” DeNicola says. With his first solo album getting a whole new life, Bob Mosley can finally encourage listeners to do what he asks on “The Joker,” the opening track: “Understand and believe my worth, hear what I have to say.”