Pollution - Pollution II (1972)

Pollution was the brainchild of guitarist and songwriter James Quill Smith (aka Smitty), who appears to have organized the band and wrote a good deal of the songs they recorded. With most of the rest of their material written by other members of the group. On Pollution I, the band consisted of Dobie Gray (Percussion & Vocals), Ronnie Barron (Piano), Terry Furlong (Guitar), Jerry Jumonville (Saxophone), Dennis Kenmore (Percussion & Background Vocals), John Lambert (Bass & Vocals), Richard Lewis (Trumpet, Keyboards & Background Vocals), Christiaan Mostert (Flute, Keyboards, Saxophone & Background Vocals), James Quill Smith (Guitar, Harmonica & Vocals), Tata Vega (Percussion & Vocals), and Mike Reiley (Background Vocals). The lineup changed somewhat for Pollution II, most notably Dobie Gray was absent, but I don't have the full lineup for that one.

The band was managed by Max Baer Jr., son of the onetime World Heavyweight champion and the actor who played Jethro on the Beverly Hillbillies. This didn't appear to help their career as much as one might expect since, by all accounts, he was a lousy manager. He did better as a movie producer having put out some profitable gems like Macon County Line & Ode to Billie Joe.

James Quill Smith still performs and has a recent CD. Vocalists Dobie Gray (who appears on the 1st but not the 2nd of these) and Tata Vega (who appears on both) both went on to productive careers that continue to this day, and at least some of the other band members are still playing music as well. Pianist Ronnie Barron, in addition to his musical efforts, also went on to play the sleazy bartender in Steven Seagal's Above the Law.

1. Hospitals (James Quill Smith) - 3:42
2. Vegetable Soup (James Quill Smith) - 4:26
3. Polly (Christiaan Mostert, John Sargent) - 3:23
4. The End (Chris Mostert, Dennis Kenmore, James Quill Smith, John Lambert, Richard Lewis) - 3:14
5. How Does It Feel (James Quill Smith) - 4:55
6. Why (James Quill Smith) - 3:21
7. Sharecropper's Blues (James Quill Smith) - 3:42
8. Allen P. Ader (Christiaan Mostert, John Sargent) - 4:30
9. Just The Way (Bodie Chandler) - 3:14
10. Foolhearted Woman (Alan Brackett) - 4:31