Rhinoceros

Rhinoceros was a well-planned but poorly executed supergroup whose roots were based in a set of musicians collected by Elektra Records and called Project Supergroup. The record company wanted to mold the highly talented lineup of artists into the next big recording coup of the late '60s. Despite the fact that the band could not live up to the expectations that were raised by Elektra Records' publicity machine, Rhinoceros' contributions to rock still deserve more credit than subsequent rock histories give it. It didn't help matters any that the band's manager declined an invitation for Rhinoceros to appear at Woodstock several years after the group formed. The band's self-titled debut was impressive, thanks in part to the producer at the helm, Paul Rothchild, who also worked with the Doors. The band was the brainchild of Rothchild and Frazier Mohawk, a producer who helped craft supergroup Buffalo Springfield. Rothchild and Mohawk first auditioned about a dozen musicians in the autumn of 1967, including pianist Alan Gerber and former Daily Flash and Buffalo Springfield guitarist Doug Hastings. Two months later, an audition of almost two-dozen musicians brought into the lineup vocalist John Finley, who had worked previously with Jon & Lee & the Checkmates, and former Iron Butterfly guitarist Danny Weis. Before the year rolled to a close, the producers rounded out the band with the additions of keyboard player Michael Fonfara, who had been a bandmate of Finley's in Jon & Lee & the Checkmates, and bassist Jerry "the Bear" Penrod, who was one of Weis' buddies from Iron Butterfly. Several members of the group contributed to David Ackles' first solo release, entering the studio early in 1968. The band, by now calling itself Rhinoceros, went to work on its own debut album about...